The Cure of Church Divisions, Directions to pastors 2 · Direction 16 – Direction 19
DIRECT. XVI.
Be not wanting in abilities, watchfulness, or diligence, to resist seducers by the evidence of truth; that there may be no need of other weapons: And quench such sparks among your people before they break out into flames.
THe clamours and wayes of violence used by many Pastors, are oft but an unhappy means to supply the defect of their own abilities and duties: And those who are conscions of an insufficiency in themselves to do their parts, do most intemperately call out to the Magistrates to help them, and do most unmannerly censure them, if they answer not their expectations: And indeed if the sword of the Magistrate be such an universal remedy, and may serve instead of the ability and labour of the Minister, let it also serve to cure the sick, instead of the skill and labour of the Physician; and let all other callings as needless be put down, and let us have none but Magistrates alone.
First, Some Ministers are so ignorant, that if one of their people do but turn Antinomian, Anabaptist or Separatist, they are not able to confute them: Much less if one that is learned and well-studied introduce these errours: If the Sectary challenge them to dispute, its two to one but errour will triumph, through the insufficiency of him that should defend the truth. And then this insufficient Minister, will turn to railing, or call out to the Magistrate for his help, to declare to all that he is too weak: which will harden and encrease the seduced party, and make them think that it is the weakness of his cause.
Secondly, And too many Ministers, who seem more able, are Lordly and lazy, and carry themselves strangely and at a distance from the people, and are seldome familiar with them in private: And so they give advantage to such seducers as creep into houses, to sow their tares; and for the weaker sort to vend their errours, when there is none to contradict them: These Pastors take their proper work, to which they are called, for a slavery or a toil. They are so proud and idle, that for them to watch over all the …lock, and to teach them publickly and from house to house, night and day with tears as Paul did, and to watch where any spark appeareth, and presently to quench it, doth seem to them such a drudgery and burden, that God were unmerciful if he should impose it on them: That is, They think God unmerciful if he will not rather let the patient die, than put the Chyrurgeon to the trouble of dressing his sores: If he will not let the people be damned rather than put Ministers to so much labour to instruct and save them. If it were but to take their tythes and honour, and to be reverenced by the people, and to preach once or twice a week, a sermon which tendeth to their applause, they could submit to this much: But Paul's exhortation Act. 20. seemeth intollerable preciseness. But souls will not be informed or reformed at so cheap a rate. Sin hath corrupted them more than so. If we will sleep, the envious man will not sleep: but when we awake, we shall find that he hath sowed his tares. Sometimes grievous Wolves will enter, not sparing the flock: and sometimes of our own selves will men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them: Therefore watch. Study hard and meditate on these things, and give your selves wholly to them, that your profiting may be known to all: that you may be able to stop the mouths of gainsayers; and to edifie and stablish all the flock; that they be not as children tossed to and fro, and carried up and down by every wind of doctrine, by the c…nning slight and subtilty of men, by which they lie in wait to deceive. For to this end did Christ give offices and gifts: Study therefore to shew your selves workmen that need not be ashamed, rightly dividing, methodizing, opening, and so defending the word of truth. Act. 20. 20, 28, 29, 30. Eph. 3. 12, 14. 1 Tim. 4. 15, 16. 2 Tim. 2. …, 15.
DIRECT. XVII.
Be not strange to the poor ones of your flock: but impartial to all; and the servants of all; mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Rom. 12. 16.
ALL souls are equally precious unto Christ; whether rich or poor. O set the strange example of Christs condescension still before your eyes. Was it the high or the low that were his familiars? Did he live in fulness, and ride in po…p, and associate only with the rich and great? O see him washing his disciples feet? And hear him teaching them by that example, what they ought to do for one another. He came not to be ministred unto but to minister: How sharply did he rebuke his disciples when they strove who should be greatest? And setting a little child before them, hath taught us what must be our ambition: And that he that will be the greatest must be the servant of all: Our greatness lieth in the greatest of our humility and usefulness: Math. 18. 1, 2, 3, 4. & 23. 11. Luk. 22. 24, 25, 26. Math. 20. 28.
It is lawful and meet that men in power should be honoured by us, and also that the people be taught to honour them: and that you keep such interest in them as is needful to the publick good: and therfore all converse with them is not unlawfull: But when Ministers only attend on the rich, and are strange and seldome among the poor, it makes them accounted carnal worldly men; and is unsuitable to their Lords example, and to the work of their calling. The poor are far more numerous than the rich; and therefore our work is more among them. And death will quickly level all. And when we have all done, we shall find, that the poor receive the glad fidings of the Gospel; and the poor of the world may be rich in faith, and heirs of the Kingdome, which God hath prepared for them that love him. Mat. 11. 5. Iam. 2. 5, 6. And that the rich do hardly enter into the Kingdome of heaven. Iam. 2. 6, 7. But ye have despised the poor: Do not the rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgement seats? It is the poor that must be the chief crown and comfort of your labours: Therefore be not strangers to them; if you would not have them account you lordly, worldly and self-seeking men: If you will leave them to themselves, and think your selves too good to be their companions, or to come into their smoaky Cottages, and then think that a lordly command or rebuke, should serve the turn to keep them from errour and schism and disorder, you may find your errour to the Churches cost, when it is too late. And it will be but a pitiful excuse for your pride or laziness, to cry out of seducers for creeping into such houses, which you disdained to come into your selves: what do you by avoiding them, but invite any others thither that will come, and leave them as it were swept and garnished for such evil spirits?
DIRECT. XVIII.
Spend and be spent for your peoples good; and do all the good that possibly you can for their bodies as well as for their souls: and think nothing that you have too dear to win them: that they may see that you are truly Fathers to them, and that their well-fare is your chiefest care and business.
ALl men love themselvs; and naturally and necessarily love those that they know do greatly love them. And all men are sensible of their bodily concernments, and consequently of that good that is done to their bodies: He that setteth himself to relieve the poor, and to put on others to relieve them, to visit the sick, and help those that are in trouble, and to comfort the afflicted, to do what good he can to all, and hurt to none, shall find that their ears will be open to his doctrine, and that they will follow him towards heaven with much less resistance, than otherwise he must expect. Few such Ministers do ever want success of their labours. And the coveto…s, close handed, self-seeking and cruel, are alwayes hated. And let his mony perish with him, who thinketh it better than the souls of men, and the work of God.
DIRECT. XIX.
Keep up the Reverence of the ancient and experienced sort of Christians, and teach the younger what honour they owe to those that are their elders in age and grace: For whilest the elder who are usually sober and peacaable, are duly reverenced, the heat of rash and giddy youth will be kept in order.
USually where the elder bear the sway, the Church hath peace (Though I know some deceive is grow worse and worse:) And it is where the young and rash are become the predominant most esteemed party, that schism and disorders do prevail. And though some tell the people, what honour they owe their Elders by office; yet few acquaint them what honour youths owe both to the Elder in age and in experience and grace. It will therefore be much of the prudence of the Pastors, to keep up the honour of the Elders of the people, and to preserve in the younger a due esteem and reverence towards them. duplicate page duplicate page