Two SERMONS Preached at CAMBRIDGE: The first at the Lent-Assizes 1654.  
The other on the yearly Commemoration of Dr ANDREW PERN, 1655.  
By J. CLERK Mr of Arts, and Fellow of Peterhouse.  
CAMBRIDGE, Printed by the Printers to the University. 1655.  
And are to be sold by William Morden.   

The MAGISTRATE'S MINISTRY, Briefly described in a Sermon preached at CAMBRIDGE: At the Lent-Assizes. 1654.  
By J. C.  
CAMBRIDGE, Printed by the Printers to the University. 1655.   

To THE WORSHIPFUL EDWARD PALMER ESQUIRE, of STOAK-DOYLE in Northamptonshire.  
SIR,  
THe request of those that had power to command me, made it my duty to publish first to the ear, and now to the eye these two short discourses. I humbly offer them both to your acceptance and perusal, as an acknowledgement of your right to all my endeavours, especially of this kind. The common places rather touched then handled in them are Justice and Charity, the Jachin and Boaz, the strengthening and establishing pillars of the whole Commonwealth of mankind: especially where their foundation is laid in the firm and stable grounds of Christianity. These arguments, having been your constant study and practice must needs be so familiar to you, that my two mites can make no considerable addition to your treasure of knowledge. Yet Sir, having out of my penury cast in even all that I had, in a thankful sense of my particular engagements to you, I hope for as fair a reception, as those Authors, that have cast in much out of their abundance. My only presenting them to your hand, is to witness my humble respects to your person, and my readiness to serve you in the work of God to the utmost of my abilities: and that you will receive them under that notion is the hope and desire of  
SIR, Your faithful servant, J. C.   
ROM. 13.4. 
For he is the Minister of God to thee for good.  

The first Part.  
THat the subject of this proposition is not a particular person, but an order of men, is clear from the variation of the number in those many honourable titles given him by the Apostle in this former part of the chapter. The power and the higher powers, v. 1. the Ordinance of God, v. 2. and rulers or governor's, v. 3. the Minister of God in this verse, and the Ministers of God, v. 6. or if we render it the Priests of God, according to the most frequent acception of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that of Solomon will justify the Metaphor, To do justice and judgement, is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice, Prov. 21.3. And that it is not the supreme Magistrate only (though some confine these higher powers, v. 1. to this narrow sense, and so make the Apostles words liable to this dangerous inference, that inferior Magistrates may lawfully be resisted,) but that it is the Magistrate in general, whether supreme or subordinate, is clear from the scope of this, and other parallel places of Scripture, and the consent of the best expositors, for all Magistrates of what degree soever, are in respect of the people living under their several administrations, the higher powers. So that these words will prove of a fit latitude for the present occasion. Every Minister of justice is more or less concerned in them; whether he sit upon the bench, or stand below it; whether he be the chief Supervisour, or an Assistant, or an Officer, or a Jurour, of what rank and order soever he be, let him but do the duty, and he may claim the privilege of this honourable description, He is the Minister of God to thee for good.  
It is a likely conjecture of calvin's, that there were in the Apostles times, as there have been ever since, some tumultuous and, (if I may so call them by a Prolepsis) Anabaptistick spirits, Qui regnum Christi non bene extolli credunt, nisi aboleantur omn●s terrenae potestates, That thought the Kingdom of Christ must presently be built upon the ruins of all secular powers, that for the advancing of Religion they must either pull them down, or at least get above them And this occasioned the Apostle so peremptorily to assert both the lawfulness and the usefulness of the Civil Magistrate; He is the Minister of God, therefore a lawful power: The Minister of God for good, therefore useful, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, saith chrysostom, in both regards truly honourable, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, because he is sent from God, and because he is sent upon so good an errand. He is sent for the public good, for which thou shouldst dispense with a private inconvenience; publica privatis potiora is an ancient rule, rather than the whole vessel should perish, thou shouldst willingly suffer thine own goods to be thrown overboard. But he is sent for thy particular good too, if thou art as thou shouldst be, if thou dost that which is good, if thou dost that which Christian religion doth most severely charge upon thee: He is the Minister of God to thee for good. And thus I hope the text will concern the rest of the congregation.  
The words may be considered two ways: 1. Relatively, as an argument of what goes before; Wilt thou not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same, For he is the Minist. etc. 2. Absolutely, as a naked proposition, and so they are a description of the Civil power, 1. From his office, The Minister of God. 2. From the end of his office, which is twofold, Finis cui, & Finis cujus. 1. To whom he is the Minister of God, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, to thee that dost that which is good, as it must be paraphrazed out of the former verse. 2. For what he is the Minister of God, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, for good, a more general word, but of the same signification with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the former verse, thou shalt have praise, for he is the Minister of God for good. A few words of the relative sense are necessary by way of premise to all that follows.  
1. Rel. It is an argument ab actu primo, ad actum secundum, from the office of the Magistrate to the discharge of his office, He is the Minister of God to thee for good, therefore thou shalt have praise of him. God's Ordinance is not in vain. For if the rain cometh down and the snow from heaven; and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, surely then the word that goes out of the mouth of God to ordain this his Minister, shall not return unto him void, but it shall accomplish that which he pleaseth, and prosper in the thing whereto he sent it: We may not think the Apostle here describes a Ruler in Utopia, or in Plato's Commonwealth, the mere notion and Idea of a Ruler, such a one as men may fancy, but never hope actually to enjoy, but such a Ruler as the good providence of God doth generally bless the world withal; and his meaning is clearly this, that the Magistrate is not only in duty, and in the nature and intention of his office, but in the real experience of mankind, the Minister of God for good; That every faithful Magistrate is so, I presume will be granted without proof, and such God often raiseth up, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, as Plutarch calls them, men assigned by nature to authority, or rather men of another spirit, as Caleb is called, or men of another heart, as Saul once was. Rather than such shall be wanting, God sometimes searcheth in the crowd for them; he calls David from his flock of sheep, Timoleon from his melancholy retirement, Quintius from the plough, who was therefore called Dictator ab aratro But even corrupt Magistrates are the Ministers of God for good too, generally speaking, and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, which is enough to make a general rule. Grotius approves that of Tacitus spoken of Governors, Vitia erunt donec homines, sed neque haec continua, & meliorum interventu pensantur. Magistrates are men, and therefore subject to humane frailties, but yet their faults are not so great nor so continual, at least in their public administrations, but that the good they do is more advantageous, than the evil pernicious. And no wonder. For if it be considered, that the hearts even of corrupt Governors are in the hands of God, and turned by him as the rivers of waters, and by his superintendency over them, carried ofttimes against their own inclinations; and if it be considered again, that the laws of all nations whereby Magistrates are limited and directed, are for the most part good, and as conform to the law of nature as their wisdom could contrive them; and if it be considered again that justice and equity are plausible in regard of those common notions of righteousness that are written in the hearts of all men, and so may find acceptance with corrupt Magistrates, if not for their conscience yet for their credit sake: and if it be considered lastly, that it is the Magistrates interest to preserve his people, Sint quibus imperes, his own good consists in theirs. If these things be considered (and many more might be added of the like nature) the wonder will cease that the worst sort of Magigistrates, if they have any remainder of wisdom or humanity in them, are the Ministers of God for good. A tyrannical Saul may sighed the Lords battles, and defend Israel from his enemies. An ambitious Jehu may restore Religion and root out Idolatry. A covetous Felix, though but for hope of money, may use Paul kindly. The proud Pharisees may preach good doctrine when they sit in Moses chair. But if for the punishment of nations or some other special reasons, God hath sometimes given them up to the lust & tyrant of Monsters, rather than Magistrates, that neither feared God nor regarded man, such as Ahab that sold himself to work wickedness, such as that Roman tyrant, Qui nullum non magnum bonum damnavit, Euseb. Nero; That hated goodness for its own sake: This will not conclude against the Magistracy in general. 'Tis a certain truth, that rain is a great blessing to the earth, though sometimes it cause wasting inundations; and That man is a reasonable creature, though some men want the use of reason; and That the Apostles were the light of the world, though one of them was a Devil, Neither can these extraordinary and (blessed be God) rare examples prejudice the truth of this general rule, that the Magistrate is the Minister of God for good. So much for the words considered relatively.  
2. Absol. We come now to consider them absolutely, as a naked proposition, and 1. Of the office of the Magistrate, The Minister of God, which presents him to our view under a sixfold qualification. His Dignity, Authority, Strength, Duty, dependence, Accountablenesse: of all which briefly.  
1. His Dignity, The Minister of God, or servant of God; a title of honour that the Apostles, the Angels, Jesus Christ himself glory in. The Minister of God not only by natural subjection to his almighty command, so the winds are his messengers, and the lightnings his Ministers: not only by necessary subserviency to his providence; so Nabuchadnezzar is his servant, and the Medes and Persians his sanctified one's: nor only by voluntary obedience to his laws, so every Christian is his servant, but the Minister of God by special commission, the Deputy of God assigned to that most noble work of his, the government and preservation of the world. The very mention of a message of God strikes Eglon with reverence, and makes the fat unwieldy man rise from his chair, though he knew not what the message was till he felt it to his cost. This public Minister in the text comes to us with a message from God, not a dagger to stab us, (as was ehud's to Eglon) but a sword to defend us, and therefore to be received with honour and reverence. The dignity that nature gives the father above his son, must yield to this dignity: (Liv.) when young Fabius is Consul, his old father must dismount and do him homage. When Solomon is King, his Mother Bathsheba must address herself to him as a petitioner, not as a commander. Yea the dignity that Religion gives a spiritual father over his son, must yield to this dignity, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, etc. saith chrysostom, whether Apostle, or Evangelist, or Prophet, or whatsoever high place he hath in the Church, he must yield subjection to the Civil power. It seems chrysostom when he wrote those words upon this place, did not know that any Bishop was by divine right the Monarch of the world, not so much as in ordine ad spiritualia, as the Jesuits mince the matter. That neat similitude of Bellarmine's, De Rom. Pont. lib. 5. cap. 6. is of a later invention, That as the spirit commands the body, keeps it under, enjoins it to fast, exposeth it to death, as it sees fit; so the Church may deal with the temporal power. A similitude, that, if it would but hold together, would soon lay all the powers of the earth, with Frederick under the Pope's feet. Whether Ecclesiastical and secular power be inconsistent one with another, whether the same person may not be a Ruler in the Church, and a Ruler in the State, the Minister of God in both senses, that's another question, which I meddle not with: but to claim temporal power as an appendix to spiritual, is that which the true Ministers of the Gospel dare not do. I pray God they may not far the worse for their modesty, that they may not be made footstools and vassals, because they will not be thrones and dominions. But how ever they far, they must claim no more than their own, they must yield the Civil power to be in this world the superior Minister of God.  
2. His authority, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, The Minister of God, that is, as he is called v. 2. the Ordinance of God; and that in respect of the substance, and in respect of the circumstances of his power. The substance of his power is from God, and God only, for his is the Kingdom, power, and glory. The circumstances of his power, as person, place, duration, degree, etc. are from God and man too in a different sense; from man as an inferior agent, electing, deriving, procuring or constituting the power in all respects, and therefore Peter calls it a humane Ordinance; from God as the supreme agent, contriving all the motions of man to the service of his providence, for the Lord he is the Judge, he set●eth up one, and pulleth down another, as the Psalmist speaks. The action of man herein is ofttimes corrupt and indirect, but cannot slain the providence of God, nor disannul his Ordinance. Jacob became superior to his elder brother by God's appointment, though by his own indirect and fraudulent procurement. If either compass of power by sinful and unwarrantable means, or abuse of it by tyranny and injustice, could so fare invalidate the Ordinance of God as to disoblige private Christians from their obedience to his lawful commands, surely the Apostles doctrine here was very unseasonable when Nero was in the throne. And therefore if any impatient spirits being only private persons, shall upon any surmise of their own, whether true or false, ask the power, as the Pharisees did our Saviour, by what authority dost thou these things, and who gave thee this authority? He may answer them with another question, not much unlike that of our Saviour's there; The doctrine of Paul was it from heaven or of men? sure you will not say from men for fear of the people, for all men esteem Paul an Apostle; if you shall say from God, why then do not you obey it; and acknowledge the Magistrate to be the Minister of God.  
3. His strength: 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the minister of God, supported by his hand. He is established by the laws, countenanced by his superiors (if he have any) guarded with arms, but all this but the arm of flesh, herein lies his chief strength, he is backed with the power of God his Master, whose very weakness is stronger than men. The only enemy he is to conflict with by his commission are sins against God and man, and he hath all advantages he can desire, he hath the advantage of the ground, he is the higher power; he hath the advantage of the weapon, he bears a sword; he hath the advantage of outward strength, he hath the laws for so many nerves and sinews, but he hath the advantage of the cause which is greatest of all, he fighteth for God: and Bonae causae spem adesse comitem, Grot. Praef. was an old proverb, a good cause teacheth confidence; He hath the sword of man and the sword of the Spirit too, the express word of God, to assure him that he judgeth for God, and that God is with him in the judgement, 2. Chron. 19.6. Behold here are two swords, methinks he should say it is enough; methinks if he know his own strength, he should not weigh the big looks of the sons of Anak, he should make no difference either in civil or criminal causes, betwixt the mighty hunters, that commit wickedness with a high hand, and the cowardly lurchers that dare not show their faces: he should make no more of a powerful oppressor, a valiant dueller, a gallant highway man, or a mad ranter, then of a sneaking cutpurse. Once a sling and a stone in the hand of David, and in the name of the Lord, triumphed over the long sword and weighty spear of Goliath: and shall the Minister of God armed with sword and spear, and coming forth in the name of the Lord too, be afraid of unarmed, naked, guilty, and therefore cowardly malefactors: shall ●he sword of justice be afraid of the fist of wickedness? Shall such a man as I flee? saith Nehemiah, Isa. 58.4. Shall the Ministers of God be afraid of the slaves of Satan? Shall Gods be afraid of men? the worst of men? ●et the Magistrates reverence themselves, as ●hey expect reverence from others, and do ●othing unworthy the Master they serve, and ●he titles they bear. Indeed if this Minister of God leaves his Master's service, he leaves his ●wn safety; when Samson leaves judging Is●ael, and instead of watching in the chair, ●eeps in Delilahs' lap, his strength soon deserts from him; but whilst he is doing God's ●ork, he is strong, and should be strong and 〈◊〉 a good courage, for God is with him.  
4. His Duty, The Minister of God ordained for his service. To instruct the Magistrate in the particularities of his duty, would be a bold and immodest undertaking, especially in me, that know not what bounds are fixed him by the laws, and the tenor of his commission. Mine is only the easier task to lay down the general rule; but to make application of it to particular cases, is a difficult work, and better becoming the wisdom and gravity of the Magistrate himself. The general duty this title calls for is, that he mind God's business, that he execute judgement with all faithfulness; for the judgement is Gods, Deut. 1.17. The Lord is Judge of all the world, his Assizes are described by David, Psal. 9.7, etc. He hath prepared his throne for judgement, and he shall judge the world in righteousness, he shall minister judgement to the people in uprightness; The Lord also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble, vers. 12. When he makes inquisition for blood, he remembreth them, he forgetteth not the cry of the humble, or as Peter describes him more briefly to Cornelius, He is no respecter of persons, but in every nation he that worketh righteousness is accepted of him, Act. 10.34 This is God's work. Let the Minister of God go and do likewise, let him show himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, & 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, as he is called a God upon earth, a living law. If he regard only or chief his own honour, profit and advantage, as if that of Carneades were true in the worst sense, Vtilitas justi prope mater & aequi, That's only just which is profitable, or as if he thought the people were intended only for a beast for him to ride on: he may retain the name, but he neither performs the duty, nor shall receive the reward of the Minister of God, but of a wicked servant that hath hid his Lord's money, nay, that hath embezel'd it, that's worse.  
5. His Dependence, The Minister of God, wholly subject to his dispose. God hath not so invested his Minister in power as to strip himself, but He standeth in the congregation of the mighty, he judgeth among the Gods. Psal. 82.1. Upon him the Magistrate depends in the rise of his power, By me Princes rule, and nobles, even all the Judges of the earth, Prov. 8.15. Upon him he depends in the use and exercise of his power, By me Princes decree justice. From me they have understanding to discern, and a heart to follow, and a hand to execute judgement and justice. Upon him he depends in the continuance of his power. God puts him out of Commission and gives him a supersedeas when he pleaseth: Omne sub regno graviore regnum est. Whatever these petty Gods do, He that is higher than the highest observeth, and there be higher than they, Eccles. 5.8. Quàm diu bene se gesserint is the limit of their commission. He inquires strictly, Do ye indeed speak, righteousness Oh congregation, do ye judge uprightly Oh ye sons of men. He weighs these mountains in scales, and these hills in the balance; and if they be found too light, he writes upon them Belshazzars fatal Motto, Mene, tekel, peers, if he strip them not of their skins as the Emperor served a corrupt Officer, he strips them of their robes. Thrones, Dominions, principalities and powers, are leveled with the touch of his finger, and all their honour laid in the dust. Xerxes must know, though he be at the head of an army of many hundred thousand men, that God will suffer none to be great but himself, as a wise Counsellor of his told him. Hugo Grotius fitly compares Magistrates to species intermedia in Logic, which though it be genus respectu inferiorum, yet it is but species respectu superiorum, they are public persons in respect of those that are under them, but private subjects to the great King of heaven and earth; nay not so much subjects as servants, which speaks greater dependence, the Ministers of God.  
6. His Accountablenesse, The Minister of God, and therefore must expect one day to hear his own name called, and answer that unavoidable summons, Come give an account of thy stewardship, for thou mayest be no longer steward. God's providence even in this world, is not so blind and indifferent in its outward dispensations, as we for want of due observation make ourselves believe. But in this life he generally shows his approbation or dislike of his Ministers, by rewarding the faithful both with the blessings of his right hand, length of days, and the blessings of his left hand, riches and honour: and by punishing the unrighteous with all kinds of outward judgements; sometimes miraculously, often remarkably, either in themselves, or in their next posterity, or in both. We might instance in Jeroboam's withered hand, Ahab's ruined house, Pilat's miserable end; all the Herod's, the Caesars, and infinite more in the histories of all ages, both sacred and profane. The house that is built by oppression and unrighteousness, hath the curse of God hidden secretly in every part of it, which will cause the timber to rot, and the walls to moulder, and the foundation to sink, except it be charmed out by repentance and reformation, yea and satisfaction too, so fare as is possible. But however the Minister of God speed in this life, he must one day make his personal appearance before that great tribunal, that knows no difference betwixt Prince and peasant, the higher powers and the meanest vassals, the tallest Cedars in Lebanon, and the lowest shrubs in the valley, but rewards to every man according to his deeds. Then he must give an account of his acquisition of power, and of his exercise of power, whether he received the sword at the hand of God, or snatched it out of his hand, whether he used it or abused it. A good Hezekiah (such as I hope! now speak to) when he hears this may comfortably reflect upon himself, and say, Lord remember how I have walked before thee with an upright heart; Isai. 38.3. but let a covetous, vicious Felix (for so Josephus reports him) tremble to hear of judgement to come; For as that wise Carthaginian told the Senate, when their army under Hannibal had contrary to their league with the Romans taken and sacked Saguntum, I fear that the walls of Saguntum will fall down upon Carthage: so the unrighteous Minister of God may justly fear (for it will most certainly come to pass) that the houses he hath ruined by his perjury, false pleading, partial verdict, or any other indirect means, will sooner or later fall down upon his head, and crush him to pieces. I have done with the first part of the description, the Magistrates office.   

The second Part. The end of his Office.  
THere remains the end of his office to be spoken to, and first of the Finis cui, To whom he is the Minister of God for good. To thee that dost that which is good. If you ask what this good is, the Prophet Micah answers you, He hath showed thee oh man what is good, and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? Mich. 6.8. To thee therefore that walkest humbly with thy God, and dealest justly and mercifully with men: To thee that fearest God and lovest thy neighbour, he is the Minister of God for good.  
1. To thee that walkest humbly with thy God. If I were able to state that great question, How fare the Civil Magistrates power reacheth in matters of Religion, yet it would not be expected from me in these straits of time. But if he consider that all oaths and promises receive their strength from Religion; that without Religion, justice and equity are but empty names, and as they say Epicurus taught, a mere humane compact without any foundation in nature: that Religion is, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, The very bond of all humane society, and the foundation of laws: he must needs esteem the defence, encouragement, and advancement of Religion, none of his least concernments, as he is a Magistrate: besides that as he is a Christian, he is bound to improve all his talents, and his authority among the rest, for the honour of the donour. The very profane Historians could not but take notice how much the Religion of the ancient Jews strengthened and enlarged the Commonwealth of Israel, Judaeorum justitia Religione permixta, incredibile quantùm coaluêre, saith Justin out of an ancienter author. Religion and righteousness went hand in hand together, they were the two roots that nourished that spreading vine. That part of Religion which is natural, as that there is one infinite Deity▪ declared in the first commandment; that he is invisible, and above all things visible, in the second, that he observes orders, and judgeth all humane affairs, and knows their very hearts, in the third; that he is the Creator of the world, in the fourth; and those practical conclusions, that spring from these, a● that he is to be loved, feared, honoured, adored, his name reverenced, his Sabbaths sanctified, and the like; methinks should challenge as much assistance from the civil sword, as any other part of the law of nature whatsoever. And as for the positive part of Christian Religion, though I will not undertake precisely to say, Thus fare the Magistrate must go and no further, yet sure there must needs be a golden mean (God grant his Ministers may find it out) betwixt propagating of it by fire and sword, and a careless indifference to the true Religion and the false; betwixt wracking of tender consciences, and indulging all that pretends to conscience: It concerns the Magistrate seriously to study the extent of his duty herein: For surely to take care of Religion, and religious persons is one and a chief end of this Ordinance of God in the Text.  
2. To thee that dealest justly and mercifully with men, To thee that walkest uprightly, and workest righteousness, and speakest the truth in thy heart, that backbitest not with thy tongue, nor dost evil to thy neighbour, etc. as the 15. Psalm describes. It is easy to observe that the great Patrons of Anarchy, and confusion, or of slack and sleepy government (which is next to it) have always been either seditious Corahs', that cannot brook subjection, or bloody minded Esau's, that wait for their father's death, that they may be revenged on their brethren, or violent invaders of other men's properties, or dissolute wasters of their own; whatever goodly pretences they make. Peter Martin hits the true reason of their quarrel with the Magistrate, Vel quòd sibi conscii sint rerum malè gestarum, vel quòd mali sint cultores justitiae; Either because they are guilty of some unrighteousness already, or because they intent it hereafter. Their great grievance is, that of the young Roman Gallants when their lawless liberty was bounded by a stricter form of government brought in by Brutus, Legem rem surdam esse & inexorabilem, periculosum esse in tot humanis erroribu● solâ innocentiâ vivere; They cannot humour these deaf, churlish, hard-hearted laws, they cannot stand upon these nice distinctions of meum & tuum, just and unjust, they cannot live in these narrow enclosures; up with these hedges, down with these walls and mouns, and level all into a wide unbounded champain. It is no wonder such as these speak evi● of dignities, for the power is to them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a revenger for wrath, but to thee that lovest righteousness, he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the minister of God for good That's the first end of his office, Finis cui.  
We come now to the second end. Finis cujus, for good, that is for thy benefit and advantage, and that in five particulars, which I must but touch.  
1. In doctrinam, he is the Minister of God to thee for thy instruction in the ways of peace an● righteousness: Peter Martyr reckons up this among the good fruits of government, That whereas many innocent, & honest minded men are yet to seek in the ways of justice and righteousness: Potestas civilis illis pro Paedagogo est, The civil power tutors them in the art of living well.  
2. In Pacem, for thy peace and quiet, that summum bonum in politics, the end of all civil discipline, yea and military too, for Sapientes pacis causâ bellum gerunt; Sallust. The daughter of heaven, the mother of plenty, the nurse of learning and religion, the fruitful womb of all outward blessings. This precious oil descends from the head of Aaron to the skirts of his garments; This pleasant dew flows from the top of Hermon & Zion to the lower valleys, from the higher power to the people under their charge  
3. In praemium, for thy reward, not only those general rewards of privileges, immunities, liberties and the like, but riches, honours, and such other special encouragements, as are measured out in due proportions to the merits of well doers by the discreet hand of distributive justice.  
4. In tutelam, for thy defence and safeguard; That the Common wealth of mankind may not be like that of beasts and fishes, where the stronger devour the weaker, and the worse, the better; where the savage lion and the greedy wolf, and the subtle fox prey upon the innocent lamb: If once good men be left like sheep without a shepherd, they'll soon be spoil d of fleece and flesh, of estates and lives too.  
5. In vindictam, for thy revenge, that the injuries thou sufferest may return upon the head of their authors, and that is thy good too, though not merely as another man's evil; for the laws of Christianity forbidden us (in the Schoolmens phrase) in malo cujusquam acquiescere, or alieno dolore quâ dolor est satiari, to take complacency merely in the misery of others; yet as it is a debt due to justice, a satisfaction to the laws of God and man, a terror to other evil doers, and by consequence a necessary means of safety and preservation to mankind, so it is thy good and the public good too. And thus the latter part of the verse is a reason of this first part; He is a revenger for wrath to him that doth evil, therefore the Minister of God to thee for good. I shall conclude all with a short exhortation to each party in the text.  
1. To the Minister of God. My Lords, and who ever etc. this title concerns: You see your calling, an honourable, but a weighty calling, beautified with many privileges, but burdened with as many talents; Take the Psalmists counsel which is properly directed to you, Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling, Psal. 2.11. Serve the Lord because you are his Ministers, serve him with fear, because you are but his Ministers; Rejoice in the dignity of your employments, but with trembling at the weight of it; Among the motions of the heavens motus trepidationis is reckoned for one. Let the Minister of God rejoice as a strong man to run his course, but to all his motions let him add this trembling motion. The judgement is Gods, and we know what a curse attends doing the work of the Lord negligently and unfaithfully. I have not knowledge nor experience enough to judge of the truth or falsehood of those many clamorous complaints (that are already public, or else I should not name them) of the intricacy and obscurity of the laws themselves, of the corruption and tediousness of Courts, of the mercinarines and double dealing of pleaders; of the exaction and extortion of Officers, of the partiality and insufficiency of Juries, and the frequent indirectness of all judicial proceed. It is likely they are groundless calumnies and misreports, at least many of them. The world is apt enough to speak evil of every thing that is called the Minister of God, yet it is your wisdom to consider with that holy man, that the Lord hath sent Shimei to curse David; it is your wisdom to interpret the reproaches of men, the reproofs of God, the complaints of men, the warnings and instructions of God. An enemy is fitly called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, one that teacheth a man his duty for nothing. The lavish tongues of men thus understood may do you much advantage: but if you will follow the work of the Lord as becomes his faithful Ministers, they can do you no harm at all, they cannot slain your honour, for your judgement shall be to you as a robe and Diadem, as Job speaks, Job 29.14. they cannot shake your power; for the throne is established by righteousness; Prov. 16.12. you have two seals from the hand of God to bear you out: His broad seal, an outward visible impression of authority, and his privy seal, the inward testimony of a good conscience.  
2. To thee for whose good the Minister of God is ordained; the Apostles counsel in the former verse is proper, Do that which is good; take heed of forfeiting that peace, protection, reward and encouragement, which the Providence of God, and the laws of men give thee a title to. To curse the Sun and to shoot up arrows at him, is madness in those Indians that live under his scorching heat, but it were worse in those that live in temperate Climates, under his comfortable warmth and kindly influence. To quarrel with the Ordinance of God, and to curse the Magistracy, is folly in guilty Malefactors that live under the stroke of the civil sword, but it were fare worse in them that live safely under its guard. This were for the hands to mutiny against the belly, as it is in Agrippa's parable. Your whole work as private men, is (in these full words of the Apostle) to live soberly, righteously and godly in this present world; and thus employed, you may in the ordinary course of providence, promise yourselves (for God hath promised it) you shall have praise of the power. But if the Magistrate should prove so unfaithful to God, and unnatural to man (which I hope your eyes shall never see) as to turn his sword upon you merely upon account of your righteousness and religion, and of your Guardian become your destroyer. That which was the great support of the Primitive Christians will be yours, that your only crime is Christianity. Bonum virum Caium Seium, tantùm quòd Christianum, was proverbial in Tertullia's time, such a one is an honest man, but only that he is a Christian. And if you suffer from him as Christians for righteousness sake, happy are ye, as Peter pronounceth; whilst he adds to your burden of afflictions, he adds to your weight of glory; and in this sense also though against his own intention, and besides the intention of the Text too, he becomes the Minister of God to thee for good. But God in mercy grant that no Minister of his may ever force the words to this interpretation.    
FINIS.  

The Faithful Steward, Briefly described in a Sermon preached at CAMBRIDGE: On the Commemoration of Dr ANDREW PERN. 1655.  
By J. C.  
CAMBRIDGE, Printed by the Printers to the University. 1655.   
LUKE 16.9. 
Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness.  
THis clause is the key of the foregoing parable, and will serve to open to us all its seeming difficulty and abstruseness. There we find an unjust steward, that had feathered his nest with ill, gotten goods, yet commended by his Master, yea and propounded by our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ to our Imitation.  
There are two Commentatours that seldom happen to agree in the sense of Scriptures, Calvin and Maldonat, who yet meet pretty friendly in the application of this parable. To them I refer you for the full resolution of these hard say: The text hath difficulty enough of its own to employ what time can be well spared from our intended practical discourse. I shall only remind you of one general rule of good use both here ●nd elsewhere in like cases. That Scripture-parables, similitudes and allegories are not to be stretched upon the tenterhooks, nor forced to an exact compliance with our overnice and affected rules of rhetoric; a fault, that many learned men besides Origen have been guilty of. The parts of a similitude are not like perfect planes that touch one another in every point, but sometimes, especially in Scripture more like a globe on a plane that touch but in one. And of this kind is this comparison here betwixt the unjust Steward, and the faithful Stewards of Jesus Christ. They are like the unjust Steward only in the wisdom, not in the unrighteousness of his dispensation, in making themselves friends, bu● not with other men's goods. Shall we conceive the disciples of Christ to be so man● sons of Belial? Nay, shall we fancy Go● himself, as the poets their Jupiter, a partake● of the filthy lucre and pleasures of wretche● sinners? One that affects sacrificium ex rap●nis, and will be bribed to wink at their unrighteousness for a share in their prey? an● all this to make a parable more elegant, 〈◊〉 we conceit it, than was intended by the Author? God forbidden! our Saviour compar● himself to a thief elsewhere, and he compares his disciples to thiefs here, but no mo● intended an exact and through resemblance in the latter, then in the former. His pla● scope in short is this. As the unjust Steward was wise in his generation, and made use of his Master's goods, to provide himself a refuge against the time of his discharge: So be ye also wise in your generation with an innocent and heavenly wisdom; and by such noble, free, and generous acts of Christian love, as becomes your holy calling, make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness.  
From the relation of these words to the parable foregoing, we might observe with Grotius, Non tam proprietarios nos esse quàm dispensatores. That our outward possessions are not our own to spare or spend as we please, to lay up for the feeding of our greedy eyes, or to lavish out for the satisfaction of our brutish lusts; But there is a Lord over us, from whose mouth we must one day, and that shortly too, receive that dreadful summons in the second verse, Come give an accounted of thy stewardship, for thou mayest be no longer Steward.  
But to handle the words absolutely and a part from the context will be work enough. And so they describe to us the office of a Christian Steward in three particulars. 1. The charge of his office, The mammon of unrighteousness. 2. The duty of his office, Make friends of it. 3. the benefit of his office, in the manner of expression, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 friends to yourselves, your debtors will become your friends, your best friends, that will receive you into everlasting habitations, as is explained in the latter clause of the verse.  
I. Particular. In the first we'll consider, first, the substance, and secondly the nature of the charge.  
The substance is Mammon. Which is a Syriack word, and signifies money, gain, riches, and all kind of worldly treasure, as those that have skill in that language inform us; though some think, and not without probability, that it might take its original from the corruption of the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thesaurus. This mammon our Saviour here supposeth committed to the charge of his disciples, as the goods of their great Lord and Master. Though it be a gross suggestion of covetousness, for men to challenge all worldly possessions to themselves, upon the right of Saintship or priesthood; (as we know who do) yet to make the profession or dispensation of the Gospel inconsistent with worldly possessions, is a mistake on the other hand, and as gross as the former. God no where approves, much less enjoins the voluntary poverty of sullen Philosophers, or superstitious Mendicants. Is it the mind of God, think ye, that his Stewards should rid their hands of their charge, and retire into a lazy solitude? Or is our Master so rigid and niggardly as to make all the trees of his garden forbidden fruit? To spread a table before us, and bind us up with those strict rules, touch not, taste not, handle not? No; the kingdom of heaven is a miscellany of rich and poor, noble and base, Princes and peasants; there's a poor Lazarus in the bosom of a rich Abraham; the great nursing fathers and nursing mothers, with their little babes in their arms. Though our Saviour's outward condition was mean, and he was sometimes worse provided than the birds and foxes: yet a great disciple of his, Joseph of Arimathea was a rich and potent man. Religion forbids not to possess the world, but to be possessed of it; not to have, but to serve mammon. Though that of the Apostle be true, 1. Cor. 1.26. especially of the Primitive times, Not many mighty, not many noble are called, yet some there have been in all times, that have left glorious monuments of their Christian love; and have demonstrated, that liberality and magnificence are Christian graces, as well as moral virtues.  
Secondly, Let us consider the nature of this charge. It is stamped by our Saviour (who knew best how to estimate it) with a double character: a good character on the one side, make friends of mammon, it is improvable to a good use: and an evil character on the other side, the mammon of unrighteousness. It hangs here betwixt good and evil, the use and abuse of it, as being of an indifferent nature, though rather inclining to evil through the general corruption of our hearts. Let us first consider the evil character, the Mammon of unrighteousness.  
Some interpreters attending rather the inclination of the phrase, than the exigency of the sense, render it, Riches unjustly gotten; and most certain it is, that in this case according to the example of Zacheus, restauration ought to be made to the persons injured, if possible, or else to the poor, who are their lawful Attorneys by God's appointment. But yet there are two reasons that forbidden this interpretation here First, We cannot think our Saviour would here suppose his disciples (for to them he speaks v. 1.) enabled by injury, violence, and oppression to make themselves friends. Nor secondly, would he honour ill gotten goods, and them only with these excellent properties of making friends, and furthering in any sense their reception into everlasting habitations. We may therefore safely conclude, that by mammon of unrighteousness is meant riches indefinitely; not only that which is the forbidden fruit of fraud and violence, but that also which is the lawful fruit of our birthright, or our industry, or our interest in others. All worldly riches whatsoever, abstracting from the manner of acquiring them, are truly called the mammon of unrighteousness, and so Austin understands it, Mammona iniquitatis divitiae sunt seculi omnes undocunque sint: and that in a double sense.  
The first and most received is a passive sense. The mammon of unrighteousness, that is, the object and matter of all unrighteousness, of injury and violence in the gathering, of pride and luxury in the spending. In which sense our Saviour calls them thorns, Matt. 13.22. and Paul calls them a temptation and a snare, 1. Tim 6.9. Hierome applies that trite proverbial sentence to this place, Dives aut iniquus, aut iniqui haeres, as generally true. With him agree many of the ancients, and most of our modern divines too. Dominos suos iniquitate involvunt, saith Calvin. Maximè inveniuntur apud injustos, & ab injustis maximi fiunt, saith Grotius. This mammon is that golden apple that puts the whole world into disorder and confusion; and through the general corruption of the sons of men, becomes both the root and the fruit of their unrighteousness.  
The second is an active sense. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that is, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, false, deceitful, unfaithful mammon, for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, are observed to signify the same in the Greek idiom. Though this interpretation at first view be not so plausible as the former, yet there are two good arguments of probability for it. 1. They observe, that the Hebrew phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 divitiae mendacii, lying, false riches, was much in use among the Hebrews in our Saviour's time, and is often met with in their comments upon the Bible, and thence conjecture that this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is only an interpretation of that phrase. 2. The next verse but one after the text seems to favour it. If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon (the same phrase) who will commit unto you the true riches? where the opposition betwixt unrighteous mammon and the true riches seems to argue that by unrighteous mammon is meant false deceitful riches: riches that deal unjustly and unfaithfully with us; for whilst they tarry, they are but as empty husks to our belly, and as the rotten sand to our feet, and they will not tarry long neither; but in our greatest need they take to themselves wings and fly away. But whether this or the other be our Saviour's meaning, most certainly his meaning is, to set a mark of ignominy and dishonour upon that great idol Mammon, to destroy the magnificence of that Diana whom all the world worshippeth, to cast her headlong out of his father's throne, and to debase her in the hearts and thoughts of his disciples.  
Secondly, Let's consider the good character of Mammon, Make friends, etc. as bad as it is a good use may be made of it. There is a heavenly art of spiritualizing our worldly enjoyments. There is a way to clip the wings of riches, and to lay up even our earthly treasure in heaven. There is a divine Chemistry, that can extract the purest spirits from the most gross and feculent matter; that can advance flints and pebbles to a near resemblance of precious stones. There is a lawful craft of coining your money over again, and adding the image and superscription of God to that of Caesar's. For to the pure all things are pure. The beast upon the altar differs not in kind from the beast in the slaughter-house; and yet the one is holy, the other common. It is the altar that sanctifies the gift. A holy, gracious heart sanctifies all that belongs to it. And this seems to me the most proper account of that speech of our Saviour, which hath met with so many different conjectures, Luke 11.41. But rather give alms of all that you have, and all things are clean unto you. That to sincere repenting souls, exercising works of Christian charity (which by a Synecdoche there, are put for all the fruits worthy of repentance, as praying, elsewhere) to such souls all things are clean, their very temporal enjoyments are refined into spiritual blessings. But the way of improving this unrighteous mammon will appear more fully in the second part of the text, which falls next under consideration.  
II. Particular. The duty of Christian Stewards, Make friends, that is, Engage others by a prudent and faithful dispensation of the Mammon committed to your charge. For we are to consider ourselves under a double capacity; private and public. As particular persons, and as members of the whole world; of the universal Church, and of that particular Church, wherein our lot is fallen. Now though our great Lord & Master allows our charity to begin at home, and to appropriate to our private use such a proportion of his blessings, as may enable us to the cheerful discharge of our duties: yet he expects our charity should not end where it gins, but freely flow forth, in hearty desires to the whole world, and in real expressions to such a part of it, as the measure of our talents is able to reach. Those that have had no other rule of judgement than the law of nature, and that in broken tables too, their own imperfect and depraved understandings, have yet condemned a selfish narrow spirit as unworthy a creature, especially of so high a rank as man is. They could take notice, that their great Creator, though of a perfect selfsufficiency and independence, yet out of a free desire of communicating his goodness, gave a being to the whole creation, and continues a constant stream of Goodness unto all his creatures, that can never make him any real return. They could observe that the world itself was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the image and only begotten of God. expressions pardonable in them (that knew none other of that name) and that it bears a resemblance, as of his other perfections, so especially of his free and diffusive goodness. That the Sun with unwearied bounty pours out his light, heat and influence upon all he can reach, with tenderest care cherisheth them in his warm bosom; with admirable discretion performs his yearly circuit from tropic to tropic, that all the parts of the earth may have their share of his liberality. That the springs and fountains freely offer refreshment to all that pass by. That all the elements, and their several mixtures, by a natural self-denial, resist their own inclinations, and run the hazard of their private ruin for the safety of the universe. That heavy bodies mount up to heaven, and light bodies stoop to the lowest room, rather than Nature should receive the least wound, yea or disfiguring scar. These and the like considerations made them confess Non nobis nati sumus, etc. That Man is not made only for his own service, but must cast forth his virtue round about him. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that he is born to do good to others; That there is no monster in nature so great as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, A Schismatic from mankind, a man that is separated from other men. This noble principle, though perhaps too much stained with superstition and affectation of glory, hath prevailed with many of them to spend their fortunes and lives for the safety of their country. The Grecian and Roman nations yield us many renowned examples hereof. And other nations have been inferior to them rather in their records, than examples of the like kind. But we Christians, besides a clearer discovery of these natural arguments than the light of nature can afford, have incomparably more obligations upon us to enlargement of heart, than the heathens had, and therefore have the more to answer for, if we less regard them. We know of a second birth, of the love of God, greater to us then that of the creation, in sending his only begotten Son into the world, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. We see (as it were) before our eyes the Lord Jesus Christ denying, emptying, empoverishing himself (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) pouring out his warmest blood with unspeakable pain and shame, and all to make himself friends: Friends to receive grace and kindness from him, but not to make him the least requital, We have received the most pure and refined precepts of love, which not only the Philosophers, but even the Jews themselves, and the greatest Rabbis amongst them were generally strangers to. To deny ourselves: To love our enemies: To return good for evil: To bless them that curse us, and pray for them that persecute us and despitefully use us: To esteem strangers our neighbours. We have, or at least pretend unto the spirit of the Gospel, that free spirit, that spirit of love, meekness and compassion, That spirit of communion and fellowship. Under all these engagements shall we contract our hearts, and harden our bowels? Shall we confine our love merely to ourselves? Let's not be deceived, God will not be mocked. Whatsoever we sow that shall we also reap. God is the true owner of all we possess; and whatsoever we assume to our private use beyond the rules of sobriety and moderation, will be judged embezzled, and without repentance exacted of us to the utmost farthing. To lay down the several rules and fit circumstances of Christian bounty, would be a work of time, and truly of no great necessity. I think it was scarce ever known, that persons of enlarged hearts, and sincere purposes to do good, were yet at a stand for want of prudence to direct them in the manner of performance. I shall only point out the several channels wherein the bounty of Christians useth to run; the several occasions they have laid hold of in all times, to discharge their charity.  
1. For the honour and service of Religion. Where ever Religion hath had a throne, she hath always commanded an honourable maintenance for her household and retinue. Though indeed rather autoritate suadentis, then potestate jubentis, Tacit. as was said of the ancient German Princes, rather by a winning persuasive, than a rigid compulsive power. And this is one reason amongst many, why Religion is so much discountenanced by sensual worldly men. They esteem not spiritual things worth exchanging for a part of their carnal things; (with the Gadarens) they had rather part with Christ then their swine. They are content to lose their religion to save charges. If religion will put them to no cost nor pains, perhaps they can endure it; but if it require either, they are as indifferent as that King of Denmark, Waldemar, who lying under the Popes Interdict, sends him this blunt message, We received Our religion from thy Predecessors, which if thou wilt not suffer us to enjoy quietly, We send it thee back again, by these presents. There hath been a time when Devout Christians have been willing to lay down their estates at the Apostles feet, to serve the Church's necessity. There hath been a time when superstitious Christians have contributed beyond the Church's necessities. Insomuch that the Venetian state and others, have thought fit by severe laws to check their liberality, lest the Church should swallow up the revenue of the Commonwealth. There is no fear of that extreme now amongst us, and we have grounds to hope the good providence of God will prevent the contrary. Though it be too manifest, The religious charity of Christians hath been much abused, yet surely the abuse of their gifts may be reform without their utter abolition. Drunkenness may be suppressed without cutting down the vines, as that rigid lawgiver did. The house of God may be swept without a besom of destruction.  
2. For the encouragement of learning, Religion's handmaid, that hath for the most part flourished with her mistress, and next to her is the greatest honour and accomplishment of a person or nation: The most beautiful ornament, the most useful instrument, that God vouchsafeth unto the sons of men. The only remedy against barbarism and savageness. Yea tacitly commended by her very professed enemies whilst they are proud of that little learning they pretend to.  
3. For the upholding of their families. The bonds of nature are neither broken nor slackened, but exceedingly strengthened by Christianity. Our great Apostle pronounceth him that provides not for his family, worse than an infidel. And though he bore a tender affection to all the sons of Adam, and became all things to all men for their advantage, yet his love to his brethren and kinsmen according to the flesh so fare transports him, that he could even wish himself accursed for their sakes, Rom. 9.3.  
4. For the relief of the poor. That great sacrifice of the Gospel, so frequently and powerfully urged by the precept of our Saviour and his Apostles; so commended by the examples of all the Saints in all ages; so approved and exalted by the general vote of the whole world; that the very naming it is sufficient to prove it a principal stream of Christian charity.  
5. For the public good of the community. The best Christians have always been the best Commonwealths men. Indeed Religious persons both Jews and Christians have been often accused for the troubles of Israel, That turn the world upside down, that profess a religion inconsistent with peace and civil government. But what scandals and groundless calumnies these have been, Their very enemies, so many of them as have had the patience to search out the truth, have acknowledged to the world; as might be proved by many instances, if it were needful and seasonable.  
6. For the maintenance of humane society. The Christian name hath always been renowned for offices of courtesy and humanity, as well as of compassion; and is as clear from the imputation of sordidness, as of luxury and profuseness. These, or some of these ways (according to their abilities and opportunities) have the faithful Stewards of God laid out their earthly talents. Go you and do likewise.  
III. Particular is the profit or benefit of their office, from the manner of expression. Make to yourselves friends. And here the apology of a late learned man in the like case is seasonable. Ipsa virtus vilis hoc seculo ignoscere mihi debet, si, quand● per se contemnitur, ex utilitatibus ipsi pretium facio. If the beauty of this grace be not powerful enough of itself to enamour you, yet let her dowry tempt you. You will hereby make friends to yourselves, mighty friends, that when ye fail, will receive you into everlasting habitations, as it follows in the next words. Ambrose indeed would have this latter clause understood of the Angels, and paraphraseth the words thus. That when ye die, the Angels may receive you into everlasting habitations. Others understand it indefinitely, and think it signifies no more than this. That when ye fail, ye may be received &c. as elsewhere they shall call his name Emmanuel, Matth. 1. that is, his name shall be so called; and, this night do they require thy soul, that is, thy soul is required, Luke 12.20. But it best agrees with the parable foregoing, and with the contexture of the whole verse, if we refer this (they) in the latter part to those friends in the former part of the verse, and so make the latter an exegesis of the former. Make to yourselves friends of unrighteous mammon, that when ye die, those friends may receive you into everlasting habitations. Not that all these friends of yours will be willing to receive you into happiness, seeing many of them may prove ungrateful and fall short of it themselves. Nor yet that any of them are able in their own persons, and by their own power to receive you, for it is God that gives both grace and glory, and disposeth of all places in heaven both at his right hand and at his left. Nor yet lastly that they shall be your advocates and mediators, feed by your charitable gifts to speak a good word for you, and by their interest to obtain your reception into heaven, as some gross Romanists collect from this place. But they may be said thus to befriend you two ways.  
1. By being the objects and occasions of those pious and charitable works, which are the way to those everlasting habitations. And it is a familiar scheme of speech, to ascribe that to the object which properly belongs to the action. As parents honoured and obeyed may be said to prolong our days. And the stone out of the wall, and the beam out of the timber, are said to cry out against covetous persons; So the backs and bellies, and souls of poor distressed creatures, which out of an humble obedience to the law of Christ, and a tender compassion to your brethren; you have clothed, fed and refreshed, will plead and that effectually upon the gracious promises of God, for your reception into everlasting habitations.  
2. They may be said thus to befriend you though not in their own persons, yet by their sureties. God himself and his Son Jesus Christ, have engaged, and, if I may so speak, entered bond with these poor debtors of yours, to see your labour of love repaid with full interest: nay, to give you a recompense of infinite value, for that i● which ●n itself is worth nothing. God by his own promise hath made himself your debtor, according to that known saying of Austin, Fidelis dominus qui fecit se nobis debitorem, non aliquid à nobis accipiendo, sed omnia promittendo. You have it under the hand of the Holy Ghost himself, that giving to the poor is lending to the Lord. That entertaining, clothing, feeding, visiting the poor afflicted members of Christ, are so many good offices done to Christ himself, and acknowledged by him as his own personal debts and engagements. So that prove your friends here spoken of never so dishonest or unable in their own persons, you need not fear the loss of your adventure, where the Lord himself is your security, and will stand your friend in their stead, to receive you into everlasting habitations.  
This I conceive a true account of these expressions, But what ever mistake these conjectures may be guilty of, the main scope and purpose of our Saviour in them is clear and out of question, and that is this. To declare this duty of making friends by a wise improvement of our earthly talents, to be of an absolute necessity and certain tendency to everlasting happiness: and that, in actual performance where there is ability, or however in willingness of mind, which in want of ability, is the same in God's acceptance, 2. Corinth. 8.12. For though without Pharisaical pride and arrogancy, we cannot be said to merit salvation by our good works, especially as the Papists abuse that phrase contrary to the harmless and well meaning use of it in some of the fathers. Yet that salvation depends upon our good works, taken in their due latitude, and in conjunction with their true principles of faith, and love, and humility of spirit; surely none that pretend to the knowledge and belief of the Scriptures, can nossibly deny with any colour of reason. For the Scriptures do with one voice proclaim that the exercises of these graces is first, the way to salvation, that good old way, trodden by all that ever traveled heaven-ward. And secondly, that it is the measure of salvation, according to which every man shall receive his reward. And thirdly, that it is the preparative for salvation, fitting the faithful servant to enter into his Master● joy. For grace makes way for glory, and happiness is nothing else but the perfecting of that love which is begun here This I take it, is true protestant doctrine. And therefore it is not our religions fault, but our own, if the protestant name suffer under any deserved imputation of barrenness and covetousness, and if it be, as some say, it is almost as infamous for one kind of idolatry, as the Roman is for another. For our Religion most powerfully urges upon us all manner of religious, pious and charitable works, and teacheth their necessity and certain tendency to everlasting happiness, as being the way to it, the measure of it, and preparation for it. I have not time to show how the Scriptures abound in the proof of all these; or if I had, they are so plain, I need not. I shall only add a few words of exhortation, first, to the Stewards of God: and secondly to their friends made by their discharge of their office. Neither are these always distinct persons, but sometimes divers respects of the same persons. For one man under divers considerations, and in several respects may be both a Steward and a friend, in the sense of the text.  
1. You that are the Stewards of God, to whose charge the good things of this world are committed; you see before you your way into your Master's joy. That more excellent way the Apostle shows us, 1. Cor. 12. Lastly, more excellent than the best gifts; then prophesy, speaking with tongues, understanding of mysteries, faith of miracles, yea more excellent than all other graces; For now remain faith hope and love, but the greatest of these is love. If you are not yet arrived to that high and Godlike degree of love, to do good and communicate freely without any respect to the recompense of reward, yet methinks, that sincere, though fainter degree of love, to God and man, that warms the breast of every true Christian, being encouraged with a most infallible assurance of an infinite and eternal recompense of reward, should be strong enough in you to provoke you to the exercise of all pious and charitable works, according to your abilities and opportunities. Neither let the Stewards of God flatter themselves, that a negative faithfulness will serve the turn. That they have made use of nothing but their own; that they have not oppressed the poor, nor defrauded the hireling, nor devoured widows houses, nor rob the community, nor injured any. Such account as this, though it be better than most men can make, yet it will not pass at that great audit. For it proceeds upon a false supposition, that their possessions were their own, and not their Masters, that they were Lords and not Stewards. The unfaithful servant is condemned out of his own mouth, not for imbezelling, but for not improving his Lord's money. And there is a rich man in the next parable following the text, that is tormented with intolerable flames, not for oppression, fraud and violence, but for immoderate enjoying his good things, and not commiserating the wants of a poor lame beggar; for being clothed with purple and fine linen, and faring deliciously every day, and yet denying the crumbs-that fell from his table to distressed Lazarus. And though he had dogs to eat up his crumbs, dogs, that licked the poor man's sores, and had more compassion in them then their master, yet this will not excuse his churlish denial of a poor man's request. The right of dogs ceaseth, when a poor man becomes their competitour. Let this example be a caution to all the Stewards of God, that their backs, and bellies, their lusts and pleasures, do not devour all their good things, when the necessities of the Church, and the members of it call for a share with them. That they be not like those sons of pleasure, Amos 6.5.6. That lie upon beds of ivory, and stretch themselves upon their couches, and eat the lambs out of the flock, and the calves out of the midst of the stall, that chant to the sound of the viol, and invent to themselves instruments of music, that drink wine in bowls, and anoint themselves with the chief ointment, but they are not grieved for the afflictions of Joseph.  
2. You that by the bounty of others are engaged to be their friends, though their reward depends not upon your personal love and friendship, yet it becomes you to express your sense of your engagements, and to show yourselves in heart and affection their true friends. Neither doth the Lord in taking the debt upon himself, disoblige you from your duty of respect and thankfulness to the instruments of his goodness. But your friendship ought to show forth itself, at least in these four particulars.  
1. In a careful and conscionable observance of their precepts, and and all the conditions of their pious and charitable works, so fare as consistent with the laws of any higher power. God establisheth the house of the Rechabites, for observing the precepts of their father Jonadab, Jer. 35. and yet those precepts were matters otherwise of an indifferent nature, as abstaining from wine, and the like.  
2. In a sober and moderate use of their gifts, according to their pious intention. Pride and wantonness, as they are no where more odious, so they are no where more conspicuous, then in those that lie upon other men's bounty. Nay, the least appearance of vanity in them (we all know) raiseth such scandals, as are not easily laid again. But by our Christian sobriety and moderation, we shall either put them to silence, or at least bear them comfortably.  
3. In following their examples according to the measure we have received. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. They that have made us friends, have made us Stewards too: And if we be not rich to cast in much, yet our mites are expected. The meanest of our condition cannot make us uncapable of that glorious report the Apostle gives of the Macedonians, 1. Cor. 1.8. that the depth of their poverty abounded to the riches of their liberality. To speak freely, It would better become our condition, if a little of our courtesy were turned into charity, and if something were abated of our mutual friendly entertainments, to make to ourselves friends according to the mind of our Saviour.  
4. In paying to them their due honour: to their persons if alive; if dead, to their memorials. However their names may perhaps be stained with reproaches and ill reports, by the lose and careless tongues of others, yet it becomes their friends to speak as they find: and to perfume their memory with honourable mention of their bounty and liberality. Whilst Cham impudently beholds and reports his father's nakedness, let Shem and Japhet go backward and cover it. For though the honour done to the memory of those whom God hath made instrumental for our good, be no real addition to their reward, yet it is a real expression of our thankfulness to God for them, and of our due valuation of the benefit we receive from him by their means, and may happily provoke others to the imitation of their worthy examples.  
For which reasons, give me leave as the present occasion requires, to mention the name of that noble and freehearted Benefactor both to this whole University, and especially to this adjoining, College, (Peter-house) Dr ANDREW PERN. His bounty to this College in adding a new foundation of two fellowships and six scholarships; in building our Library, and furnishing it with a plentiful variety of choice books, in establishing a Library-keepers place, and in many other works of great advantage. His happy and renowned endeavours for the honour and prosperity of the University in general; for the vindication, and enlargement of their privileges; his bequests of a yearly pension to to the public Library-keeper, and a box of ancient coins and medals of great value. But especially his wise and successful pains in contriving and procuring that necessary Statute of the 18. of Queen Eliz. to turn the third part of our ancient rents into cocumony. To which both the Universities owe their comfortable subsistence ever since. His liberality to those places in the country, whereto he had relation, making them provision for a yearly Sermon, and distributions to their poor. These and many other worthy deeds of his deserve of us, that his name should be had in honourable remembrance. But especially they should put us in mind of that gracious hand of God, that by this and many other the like instruments of his goodness, hath made such public provision for the encouragement of Religion and learning, and hath given us in particular a share in it. The Lord grant us such a sober use and faithful improvement of these his mercies, that by the same good hand of providence, they may continue and daily increase, both to the present, and to succeeding generations.  
FINIS.