One-Hundred Forty-Five Sermons Upon John 17, Sermon 30
SERMON XXX. The Great End of the Miniſtery; And what ſhould be the end of both Miniſters and people in their Preaching and hearing.
JOH. 17.6.
I have manifeſted thy Name to as many as thou haſt given me out of the world.
WE have conſidered the action or efficacy of the perſon or efficient, ſpoken of in the Text,
We now come to conſider the perſon himſelf, and that is Chriſt, who ſaith of himſelf, I have manifeſted thy Name; Chriſt ſpeaks in this as he is the great Prophet, and chief Shepherd of our ſouls, for being intruſted with this office, he did faithfully diſcharge it, whoever reads over Chriſts life, and ſeeth how laborious and diligent he was to bring men to the knowledge of God, and to ſave their ſouls, muſt needs ſay, The Lion of the Tribe of Judah went up and down more earneſtly to ſave then the roaring Lion of hell is buſie to deſtroy, Hence Joh. 4. while he is emploied to bring home but one poor Sheep that was gone aſtray, the Woman of Samaria, he is ſo earneſt in it that he forgets to eat his bread, and tels them his meat and drink was to do his Fathers will, which was to declare the truth of God, and invite ſinners to come in unto him, ſo then we ſee here, an excellent Preſident for all the Miniſters of the Goſpel to follow; As Chriſt was wholly in this, to make people know God, ſo ought they to be; In Chriſts works of his Mediatorſhip, and of his Miracles, we may not imitate him, we cannot, but in this of his labour and tender love to mens ſouls, we are bound to follow him.
Obſerv.Obſ. That the end of the Miniſtry and Miniſters ſhould be to bring people to the knowledge of God, to the ſaving knowledge of Chriſt; Thus Paul exceeded the Heathen Hercules in his manifold labours to this purpoſe, eſpecially ſee what a divine profeſſion he makes to them of Ephiſus, Act. 20.26, 27. I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the bloud of all men; Here we ſee there is a ſoul-murder as well as a body, and the Miniſters of the Goſpel are to keep themſelves pure from that, for if the bloud of Abels body crieth aloud, what outcries will the bloud of peoples ſouls make? Now Paul kept himſelf thus pure by declaring unto them all the Counſell of God, ſo that if we would doe our duty we muſt be Lights ſhining upon the underſtandings of men, that they may know, beleeve in, and obey God; And ſo Paul again at large, 1 The. 2. There his very heart flameth out into affectionate words for their ſalvation; The end then of our Preaching and of your hearing ſhould be to have God manifeſted to your ſouls, how apt are both Miniſters and people to fail of this great and neceſſary end; To open the doctrine, you may take notice that as the Logicians ſpeak of a twofold end, Finis operis and Finis operantis, the end of the worker, and the end of the works, as the end of the houſe built, is to dwell in it; The end of the Artificer who built is to have wherewith to maintain himſelf and his Family, ſo it's in the Preaching of the Word, There is the end of the Miniſtry it ſelf as appointed by God, and of the Miniſter who preacheth; Now indeed there ſhould be alwaies the ſame end of both, The Miniſter ſhould aim at that end for which the Miniſtry is appointed, viz. to enlighten men, to bring them to a ſaving knowledge of God, but ſuch are mens corruptions that they many times take the office only for ambition or earthly advantages; They preach that they may live, they live not that they may preach; It's therefore a dangerous thing for a Miniſter of Chriſt to propound any other end principally at leaſt but what is the end of the Miniſtery, and that is wholly ſpirituall, to be able to ſay, Behold here I am and the ſpirituall Children thou haſt given me.
2. As the end of the Miniſtry is thus to bring light in the world, ſo the end of all people that enjoy a Miniſtry in all their hearing and coming to Church ought to be thus likewiſe: As the Miniſter ſinnes greatly if he preacheth to advance his parts, his Name, to humour people in their ſins, ſo do the people ſin dangerouſly if they come out of formality and cuſtome, or if they come to have the ear and fancy pleaſed but attend not at all to the ſaving knowledge of God; Oh thou fooliſh and vain man, thou makeſt not a good uſe or improvement of the Miniſter till it hath thus wrought upon thee; Therefore the Ignorance and prophaneſſe of moſt men, proclaimeth that they never made a right uſe of one Sabbath or one Sermon all their life time, though they have heard many; Oh then that every Sabbath day you would put this queſt…on, To what end am I going to the publike Aſſembly? Why go I to hear the Word preached? If I do not attain to the end I loſe my labour; Is it not the end of preaching and the end of hearing to deliver me from my former Ignorance, my former luſts; how then comes it about that I am ſtill as I was? It is becauſe I do not conſider the end of theſe things.
Now the grounds why the Miniſters end ſhould be in all Preaching to bring his people to the ſaving knowledge of God, are very weighty.Why the Miniſters end in Preaching ſhould be to bring his people to the ſaving knowledge of God.
Firſt, From the neceſſity of this end, which is in divers reſpects, We are to preſs people to the right knowledge of God, becauſe
R. 1 1. All by nature are ignorant of God; They are in darkneſſe, They have no underſtanding to doe good; Hence it is that Chriſt and the Word as alſo the Miniſters are called a light, becauſe they like the Sunne are able to remove the night of Ignorance. Seeing then we are all by nature Bats and Owls not enduring the Light of the Sunne; Seeing then we have innate darkneſſe,From the neceſſity of it. and much voluntary blindeneſſe upon our mindes, oh how diligent ſhould the Miniſters of the Goſpel be to bring this light into peoples hearts; Therefore our Saviour makes this the condemnation, the great cauſe of condemnation, That light is come into the world, and men love darkneſſe rather then light, Joh. 3. If then people did think they had a thick cloud upon their hearts, or a vail upon their eyes, how carefull would they be to attend upon the Word preached, that they might of darkneſſe become light in the Lord.
2. There is a neceſſity of attending to this end, if you conſider the averſeneſſe and unwillingneſſe that is in men to get this knowledge; How many ſay with thoſe in Job, Let the knowledge of the moſt High depart from us, Job 21.14. that when they are invited have this luſt or that ſin, this or that worldly advantage to look after; How many when wiſedom crieth aloud do yet with the ſimple one paſſe by to their deſtruction; The Prophets and the Apoſtles all along complained of this wretched diſpoſition, that their hearers had a deaf ear, a ſtiffe neck, and a rebellious heart, and thus it will be to the worlds end; Men whoſe waies are evil, and they delight in them, will hate the light, will run from that Word which alwaies ſpeaks terrible things againſt them; Have not then the Miniſters of the Goſpel need to ſtir up themſelves, to uſe all holy violence, when there is ſuch a general contrariety in all people againſt the ſaving knowledge of God and his way; That as the wilde beaſts hide themſelves in their dens, when the Sun begins to ariſe, So do wicked men cover and ſhelter themſelves, that the beams of the glorious Word of God may not ſhine into their dark hearts; Men know that powerfull Preaching and their wicked lives cannot agree together, oh they know that God and his Word are wholly againſt their converſation, Therefore they will not know or underſtand leſt they ſhould be converted; All wicked men are as unwillingly brought out of their ſins as the Iſraelites out of Egypt, Lot out of Sodom, unleſſe they be even driven or forced out they will not move.
3. There is a neceſſity of preſſing the Knowledge of God, becauſe of the horrible negligence and lazineſſe that is in moſt men; There being very few that will take pains to get the knowledge of God and his way; Though Solomon uſeth ſo many arguments that we ſhould ſeek and dig for this knowledge, more then for ſilver or gold, Pro. 3▪ That we are to ſay unto her, She is our Mother and Siſter, yet the things of the world, the profits hereof do wholly divert; and whereas Heathens have taken ſuch exceſſive pains to get humane knowledge, we ſtir not for divine knowledge; This ſluggiſhneſſe in men in Families, whereby they will not take time that young and old may come to the knowledge of God, is an univerſal reigning ſin.
4. The neceſſity of preſſing this ariſeth in that there is no ſalvation or eternall happineſſe without the knowledge of God; This is Eternal Life to know thee the only true God; He would have all men to be ſaved and to come to the knowledge of the Truth, 1 Tim. 2.4. Oh then for people to come to the knowledge of God is more neceſſary then to eat or to live, or to get any earthly profit; Oh then that both Miniſters and people might be more zealous in this work, for both muſt work together; let the Miniſter of God, be never ſo laborious, ſo active, yet if you are careleſſe there cannot come any good; and if a people be willing and ready, and yet they have blinde guides, ſtill the work is not done; Therefore let both ſet their hands to this, Let Miniſters teach, Let people hear, Let Miniſters inſtruct, Let people come with obedient ears, otherwiſe though thou liveſt under the glorious light of the Goſpel, yet thy wickedneſſe and careleſneſſe will make thee get no good; Thou wilt die and periſh, though the Prophets have been amongſt you.
R. 2 2. The end of the Miniſtery is to bring men to the knowledge of God in a ſaving way,Becauſe of the nature and properties of it. becauſe of the nature and property of it, which is wholly ſupernatural; The Word is commanded to be preached not for any natural or civill ends, but ſpirituall and ſupernaturall; When they followed Chriſt becauſe of the Loaves, it was a low and unworthy motive; It ſhould have been becauſe of their ſouls, and becauſe of the bread of life to feed their ſouls; If thou regardeſt a Miniſtry or comeſt to hear, for any other end but divine and ſupernatural; If it be for cuſtome or to keep up thy good repute amongſt men, this is to be carnall; this is to be a worm and no Chriſtian, for God hath given theſe Officers to the Church, and commanded a diligent diſpenſation therein for ſublime and holy ends, to enlighten thy minde, to ſoften thy heart, to ſpiritualize thy affections, to reform thy life, even to poliſh and preſerve thee, that thou maiſt be a ſtone of glory in the heavenly Jeruſalem; Say then, thou doſt nothing if this ſupernatural improvement be not made of it; Thus alſo it is for the Preacher, if he preach to ſhew his Learning, to make himſelf admired, to ſatisfie any corrupt end, This is alſo low and unworthy; Malo ut me reprehendant grammatici, quam non intelligant populi, yet oh how prone are corrupt and inſincere motives to creep in, few being able to ſay with Paul, That they handle the Word of God ſincerely as of God, and in the preſence of God; Let then the nature of the work raiſe up our hearts, it's ſublime and ſupernatural in its uſe; It's holy merchandizing or trading for mens ſouls, and therefore ſo often called by that glorious Title.
R. 3 3. The Miniſters of the Goſpel are to urge this, becauſe of the dignity and excellency of the work, To bring men to the ſaving knowledge of God is a noble emploiment, a work for Angels to do; The great Rulers and powers in the world they do but order the body and the outward man, but this work is to enlighten the ſoul, and to make it fit for the enjoyment of God; This made Paul ſo often rejoyce in and bleſſe God that he had choſen him a veſſel to make known the Name of God, We are a ſweet ſavour unto God, ſaith the Apoſtle; We are the precious Apothecaries that open the ſweet box of the Goſpel, Hence it is that the Apoſtle exhorts people to honour and to have the Miniſters of the Goſpel in high eſteem, and why? for their works ſake; 1 The. 5.13. Their teaching and guiding of you in the way to heaven is that great work for which you are to eſteem them, if to direct a Traveller that is farre out of the way into a ready path, be ſo acceptable a work, what is it then to inform people who are going ſecurely and joyfully in the broad way to hell, of the danger herein, and to direct to the way of life? If then it be ſo excellent, minde this in the firſt place; Oh ſay, what a wretch am I who know the way to my own houſe, but not to my long home! I know how to buy and ſell, but I know not how to enjoy God.
R. 4 4. We are to inſiſt on this end becauſe of the difficulty and great oppoſition that is in the work; For
1. The devil by his Inſtruments endeavours to keep men in darkneſſe; All thoſe black cloudy times which have been upon the Church brought in Idolatrous Superſtition and prophaneſſe, inſomuch that the devil reigned almoſt within the Church as much as without, his Kingdom was not more promoted by thoſe without then thoſe within; No wonder then if ſuch oppoſition hath alwaies been againſt times of light and times of Reformation, becauſe the bright ſhining of the Goſpel doth immediatly deſtroy Satans dominion, as when our Saviour ſent his Apoſtles to preach, he ſaid, he ſaw Satan fall from heaven like lighening, Luk. 10.18. and who can bewail that Ignorance which did overflow in the time of Popery, The Sun of the Goſpel being then in a conſtant eclipſe, and howſoever learning of it ſelf is either uſed well or ill, as the Subject is who hath it, yet in the general, Learning is a ſpecial means to preſerve and conveigh the true knowledge of God, for the Apoſtle ſaith, The unstable and unlearned wreſt the Scriptures to their own deſtruction, 2 Pet. 3.18. So that in ſome ſence we may take up that allegory of Philo, Sarah cannot have children without the help of Hagar, i. e. The doctrine and knowledge of God is not propagated without the help of humane Learning eſpecially the tongues and arts; Therefore it's required of the Miniſter of God, that he ſhould rebuke with all doctrine, and to be able to convince the gainſayers, and to divide the Word of God aright, which can never be done without learning, ſo that you ſee the difficulty of it in reſpect of the oppoſition.
2. The difficulty doth ariſe in that the true doctrine and knowledge of God is hardly obtained, for there muſt be conſtant ſtudy in the Word of God, daily praier unto God to be led into the Truth; There muſt be a godly uſe of all the means God hath appointed to get this knowledge; Hence the Scripture doth foretell of ſuch as ſhall ariſe even from the Church, and ſhall speak perverſe things, men of corrupt mindes, yea, many ſhall bring in damnable hereſies, that they ſhall have much craft, much ſeeming piety, that if it were poſſible they would deceive the very Elect, Mat. 26. So that you ſee how difficult it is even for the Miniſters of the Goſpel to finde out the Truth▪ how many think they teach you the way to heaven and leade you to hell? Doth not the Papiſt, Doth not the Socinian, Doth not every heretick ſay, None teacheth with the true knowledge of God as they do? yea, and they may be ſtrongly perſwaded of this, for the Apoſtle ſpeaks of many that are delivered up to believe a lye, 2 Theſ. 2.11. So that it's of infinite concernment for people to have ſuch guides that do not give them poyſon in ſtead of food: Would the Scripture have ſaid, Mar. 4.26. Take heed how you hear, and what you hear, if there had not been ſuch danger in hearing. 3. It's difficult becauſe of the hearers, Every man naturally is ſo corrupt that he loveth error, and will ſooner cloſe with any falſe doctrine then the true; You ſee the Apoſtle complaining what applauſe the falſe Teachers had, Oh ſaith he, You ſuffer if a man ſmites you, 2 Cor. 11.20. If a man wrong you, that is, if falſe Teachers were never ſo tyrannical, though they did abuſe them, and kept them under, yet they could like them well enough, but they could not abide the Apoſtles carriage, though his ſeverity was mingled with much meekneſſe, and thus it is alwaies, any errour, any falſe way, is more pleaſing to corrupt men then the truth; and hence it hath many followers: People will run out to ſee, to gaze, and hear ſome new thing; If a man be a dwarf or a gyant, every one will run to ſee him, but not the man of ordinary ſtature:
Ʋſe, Is this the end of the Miniſtry, of all our labour and preaching, to bring you to the ſaving knowledge of God? Oh then may we not take up the Prophets complaint, That we labour in vain, the bellows is burnt, the lead is conſumed, but the reprobate ſilver is not purged away, Jer. 6.27. Do not many Families and perſons proclaim they know not God, for in this it is ſeen, that they call not upon God, there are no Family-duties, no worſhiping of him, whereas our houſes ſhould be like the Temple of the Lord, they are ſlies of ſin rather: Chriſt is to come in flaming vengeance againſt thoſe that know not God; May not the Miniſters of God cry with Iſaiah, Iſa. 6.5. Wo be to us we dwell among men of polluted lips and lives: It's a Wo to dwell there, Iſaiah was much affected with it.