Spiritual Refining, Religious treatise · Section 9 · Sermon 83
SERMON LXXXIII.
Of the Ministry of the Word as the Means of Converſion, with the other Ends thereof, &c.
JEREM. 23. 22.
But if they had ſtood in my Counſell, and had cauſed my people to hear my words, then they ſhould have turned them from their evill wayes, and from the evill of their doings.
THis Chapter hath two main principal parts; the firſt is Promiſſory, the ſecond Comminatory.
The Promiſſory is of a three-fold benefit. 1. Reduction from Captivitie. 2. Godly and holy Governours, both Civil and Eccleſiaſtical. 3. The Miſſion of Chriſt, who is deſcribed in his glorious Office, he ſhall be called, The Lord our Righteouſneſſe.
The Comminatory beginneth verſe 9. againſt the falſe and wicked Prophets, as the fountain of all the wickedneſſe in Jeruſalem. The ſins they are accuſed of, are a prophaning of the holy things of God, Adulteries, and ſwearings; as alſo Hypocriſies, which not onelyonly they themſelves were guilty of, but infected others alſo. The wicked lives of Miniſters make a great deal of Atheiſm among people: They are like poiſoned Fountains or Springs, which do preſently conveigh poiſon to all that drink of them. Now as their ſin is decyphered, ſo their judgment is threatned ver. 15. grief and heavie trouble of mind; for ſaith God, I will feed them with wormwood, and make them drink the water of Gall. They fed the people with Gall in their deceiving Sermons, and God he feeds them with Wormwood. Now my Text doth by way of contrarie aggravate the ſad and damnable effects of a corrupt and ſinfull Miniſtry; for whereas verſe 14. he had ſhewed that they did ſtrengthen the hands of wicked doers, ſo that none did return from his evill wayes. On the contrary, in my Text he declareth the good, and ſoul-ſaving effect of it, in caſe of a godly and conſcientious diſcharge of their Function. So that in the words you have good qualifications ſuppoſed: and ſecondly the godly and bleſſed ſucceſſe that will flow from hence.
The good qualifications ſuppoſed are two.
Firſt, If they had ſtood in my Counſell. To underſtand the full ſenſe of this conſider, 1 Kings 22. 19. and Job 1. 6. Where God is deſcribed as a Judge ſitting upon his Throne, and all the Hoſt of heaven ſtanding by him on his right hand, and on his left; ſo that the meaning is, If thoſe Prophets had not delivered the imagination of their own hearts, but had attended for my commands, had received all from me, as the Angels do; then, &c. And further note, that To ſtand before one, is an Hebraiſm, deſcribing the ready poſture of ſervants, to receive any command. Thus Gehezi is ſaid to ſtand before his Maſter; and we are forbidden to offend any of thoſe little ones, becauſe their Angels behold alwayes the face of God, Mat. 18. 20.
The ſecond qualification floweth from the former, And cauſe the people to hear my words. The falſe Prophets preached their own words of peace to them, whom God curſed; but they muſt be like the Trumpet, that ſends forth no other voice than was breathed into them. Embaſſadors muſt keep themſelves ſtrictly to the words of their Commiſſion; and Executors to the Will of Teſtators: for If it be but a mans Teſtament, no man may add to it, how much more to a Divine?
The next thing ſuppoſed, is the good ſucceſſe, They ſhall be Fiſhers of men indeed; though while they followed their own ways, they laboured all night and day, and took nothing; yet then Chriſt will command them to throw in the Net, and they ſhall catch abundantly. When they thus water and plant, God will give great increaſe.
Doctr. That the Miniſtry of God faithfully diſcharged, according to Gods own Doct.Counſell, is a ſure way to turn men from their ſins.
To explain this, conſider:
Firſt, That God hath firmly and immoveably ſet Miniſters and Paſtors, or their Office in the Church, for glorious and ſupernatural effects. That although God was pleaſed to make the world, the old Creature, by his own word immediately, uſing no Angels, or other things as inſtruments (nay they could not be uſed inſtrumentally to that infinite work of Creation) yet he is pleaſed to appoint ſpirituall Officers in the Church, To be co-workers, as the Apoſtle ſaith, with him, 2 Cor. 6. 1. Not that they co-operate with God in the infuſing of grace in the ſoul, (no, that is Gods ſole work) but they prepare and diſpoſe the ſubject in a morall way, by convincing and inſtructing the Conſciences of their hearers. That God hath thus firmly appointed ſuch ſpirituall Offices is plain, 1 Cor. 12. 28. God hath ſet ſome in his Chnrh, ſet as he hath ſet the Sun and Stars in the Firmament: and then he reckons up extraordinary and ordinary Offices; and theſe are called gifts given to men, and the fruits of his Aſcention, Epheſ. 4. 11. where they are again enumerated: So that by theſe places, you ſee a Miniſtry is a Divine Office, a plant of Gods own planting: and that it is not a temporary, but a perpetual Office appeareth by their end, which is perpetual, Eph. 4. 13. till we all come to a full ſtature in Chriſt: And the Apoſtle in his Epiſtles to Timothy, laying down the Characters and Qualities of ſuch who are to be Miniſters, he chargeth thoſe Commandments to be kept impartially till the coming of Chriſt. 2 Tim. 5. 21.
Secondly, As God hath appointed this Office, ſo it is the expreſſion of his wonderfull goodneſſe and love to mankind therein. Hence God doth ſo often tell the Jewes of this his great love to them, that he ſent them his Prophets, riſing early and warning of them: and in Epheſ. 4. they are called the gifts, which Chriſt gave after his Aſcenſion; and indeed they are greater than any temporall mercies, if men could ſpiritually judge. The giving of us the heavens and the earth, with all the abundance thereof, is not like to the giving of faithful Miniſters to a people. Therefore God to comfort the people of Iſrael when they were in great extremities, he tells them, He will give them ſuch Paſtors as ſhall rule after his own heart, Jer. 3. 15. And their eyes ſhall ſee their Teachers, though he feed them with the bread of affliction, Iſa. 30. 20. Hence are thoſe triumphing expreſſions to them by the godly; How pleaſant are the feet of thoſe who bring the glad tidings of the Gospel? Rom. 10, 15. And how can it be but thought an exceeding great mercy, when God who needeth us not, ſhall yet ſend his Embaſſadors daily to us, to intreat us to be reconciled unto him? As if a glorious Emperor ſhould ſend Meſſengers to win the affections of a poor deſpiſed Beggar to be eſpouſed to him.
Thirdly, The end of this Office is ſupernaturall, for divine and ſpirituall effects. And herein it differeth from all earthly imployments, who have onelyonly outward 3. The end of the Miniſtry is ſupernaturall, and four-fold.happineſſe and proſperity for their end. Hence it is that they are called Angels; their imployment being ſacred and heavenly, like that of the Angels. Now this ſupernaturall end is reduceable to a fourfold effect.
Firſt, They are appointed for the Converſion, and ſpirituall change of the hearts and lives of thoſe to whom they are ſent. What a wonder was that of Peter, who I.Converted three thouſand at one time from their former ignorance and wickedneſſe! Let not the Heathens any more boaſt of their Orpheus and his Harp, which would make wild Beaſts came, and follow him; Here Peter doth farre more by the ſpiritual Keys of his Miniſtry: and thus James ſaith, James 1. We are begotten by his word, and its the Word of Regeneration. Hence they are called Fathers, ſpiritually begetting Children unto them in the Lord. And if that be true, as it is, which Auſtin ſaith, The Converſion of the ſoul is a greater wonder than any miracle; then where the Miniſtry hath this Divine effect, its more admirable than to cure blind eyes, or deaf ears, or raiſe dead men from the grave. Oh then this is a ſtrong and mighty experiment of Gods work in the Miniſtry, when it doth reach thus into the inward hearts and conſciences of men.
Secondly, Another main end is to confirm and ſtrengthen thoſe that are converted; To make them grow more and more, as Epheſ. 4. till we come to a full ſtature in II.Chriſt. Its pride and arrogancy to think thy ſelf ſo knowing, or ſo godly, as not to need a Miniſtry; for ſuppoſe thou doſt hear no more than what thou knoweſt, yet how dull are thy affections? how apt to apoſtatize, and back-ſlide! and therefore the righteous man he needs Ezekiels Watchman as well as the wicked, that he may not turn from his righteouſneſſe, Ezek. 3. And this is a noble fruit of the Miniſtry, to build up, when a foundation is already laid, to be adding cubits to thy ſtature, to be always blowing upon thee with this ſpiritual wind, that thy graces may be flouriſhing and ſweetly fragrant alwaies.
Thirdly, Another effect is to revive and comfort thoſe that are caſt down with the ſenſe and burden of their ſins. Hence they are ſaid to preach glad-tidings, and this III.is called the tongue of the learned, to ſpeak a word in ſeaſon to thoſe that need comfort. Theſe are the good Samaritans, that bring precious oil, theſe apply the Balm of Gilead: And oh that we had more ſubjects to improve this glorious effect of the Miniſtry upon: A wounded conſcience for ſin, is an unknown thing to men of the world: To feel the Agonies of ſinne through Gods diſpleaſure, becauſe of our iniquities, is a Riddle to natural men: but where ſuch are, how welcome are the glad tidings of a Chriſt untothem!
Laſtly, To direct in matters of doubt and to adviſe in caſes of Conſcience. Hence IIII.they are compared to light, and to guides, that lead the blind, and direct in unknown and dangerous wayes: and certainly, this is no mean task: Who is ſufficient for this very imployment, To determine in perplexed caſes of Conſcience, what is to be done, and not to ſin? Thus Paul determines many caſes of Conſcience in his Epiſtles, about eating, and not eating, about preſence in Idololatrical Temples, about marriage and ſingle life, 2. Cor. 7. and the meeting of a Synod at Jeruſalem, Act. 15. was in one part to adviſe in matters of conſcience. Theſe are the four noble and ſupernaturall ends, for which God hath appointed this Office; ſo that we are to attend upon the Miniſtry, and to expect theſe divine effects in no other ordinary way; for Chriſts promiſe is to be expected only where his Inſtitution is.
Fourthly, The wiſdome of God is herein obſervable, That having appointed the 4.Miniſtry for ſuch ſupernaturall effects, he is pleaſed to uſe ſuch outward contemptible means. We carry, ſaith the Apoſtle, this Treaſure in earthen Veſſels, 2 Cor. 4. 7. The Veſſel is contemptible and unworthy, yet the treaſure therein is glorious: That God ſhould work ſuch admirable effects in a way ſo unlikely to fleſh and bloud; this was to confound the world; for when he appointed the twelve Apoſtles, who did more to change mens hearts, than ever all the Emperors could do to propagate their Empire by the ſword; how mean and deſpicable were they? Thus God hath ſtill appointed, that not the humane eloquence and externall pomp of the world, ſhould be inſtrumentall to this ſavoury and ſpiritual operation; But the plain and ſimple Explication and Application of Gods Word; which made Paul truly ſay, That God hath choſen the fooliſh and weak things of the world, to confound the wiſe and ſtrong, 1 Cor. 1. Hence Rom. 1. Paul again cals it, The fooliſhneſſe of Preaching…; that is, in the eyes of carnall and humane wiſedome. The Jews they require a Sign, and the Greeks wiſdome, that is, eloquence and acute demonſtrations: But this fooliſhneſſe of Preaching, is the power of God to ſalvation. Oh then take heed, that vain carnall pride and contempt doe not hinder thee from this ſpiritual good; as Auſtin was offended at the ſimple and plain ſtile of the Scripture, he found not ſuch ſwelling, tuned eloquence, as in humane Authors, which made him ſay, Dedignabar eſſe parvulus. Oh know, that unleſſe a man become like a little child, he can never with faith and trembling receive this word aright. I wonder not then, if the great wiſe men of the world do ſo undervalue this plain way of Gods Word preached; They cannot become like little children.
Fiftly, Conſider, That although the Office and Miniſtry of the Church be thus 5.ordained and owned by Chriſt; yet ſo univerſall and generall may the ignorance and corruption be of thoſe that are in this Office, that the clean contrary to Gods end is brought about. In ſtead of Inſtruction, men are more nouriſhed in Ignorance; inſtead of Converſion, men more ſtrengthened in their wickedneſſe; as the falſe Prophets ſpake peace, and promiſed good to thoſe whom God abhorred. Oh this is the moſt fatall judgement that can befall a people, to have blinde, ignorant, dumb and ſcandalous Miniſters; and although people generally may love to have ſuch, becauſe ſome eyes cannot abide the light; yet its the heavieſt expreſſion of Gods wrath upon a people. This Chapter complaineth that from ſuch falſe Prophets all evill came to Jeruſalem. Even as if the Sun and Moon ſhould be turned into darkneſſe and bloud; ſo is it, when thoſe that ſhould be guides, eyes, watchmen, are clean contrary: onelyonly by the way, when theſe are called here falſe Prophets, obſerve, that they may be called falſe in two reſpects, either in regard of their Office, or in regard of their matter; of their Office, and ſuch are falſe Prophets, or falſe Miniſters, as have no true Call either mediate or immediate from God: So that although a man ſhould preach that which is true and good matter; yet if he have not lawfully entred into this Office, he is a falſe Prophet. Conſider that remarkable place: If there ariſe a falſe Prophet, who foretels a thing, and the thing come to paſſe, I the Lord doe it to try you, Deut. 13. 1, 2, 3. Obſerve, that a falſe Prophet may tell thoſe things that are true; and God doth thus wiſely and juſtly permit theſe things, to try people whether they be ſoundly rooted, or not.
But ſecondly, a falſe Prophet or Miniſter is he, who though he have a true Cal, yet preacheth falſe and corrupt matter to pleaſe ſinners: Thus theſe here are condemned for both: They run, and I ſent them not, they were forward, and yet had no Call. Thus they preached peace to obſtinate ſinners, and incouraged them in their wickedneſſe. Marvell not at it, if the Sons of Levi ſometimes need to be purified, Mal. 3. And the Devils main deſign is either to overthrow the Miniſtrie, or corrupt it.
Laſtly therefore, if ſo be that Miniſters would find the ſpiritual effect of their Miniſtry; and that Gods promiſe and power might go along with their Office, they are here directed to ſtand in Gods Counſels, that is, wholly to be inquiring of him, and directed by him: for to convert ſouls being it ſelf ſupernatural, the means alſo muſt be ſupernatural, and that can be known only by divine Revelation. What counſel therefore is it, which God giveth them, in the exerciſe whereof this comfortable effect may be produced? And,
Firſt, That which is to be done before all other things, is to reform their own lives; That the world may ſay, they believe that to be true which they preach to others. Thus What Miniſters muſt doe that their Miniſtrie may be effectuall. 1.they are to be an example of all purity, chaſtity, meekneſſe, faith, temperance, heavenly-mindedneſſe. Not but that wicked men will cavill and find ſpots in the Sun. You ſee Chriſt and the Apoſtles were much traduced, and they walked through good report and bad; but let them approve their works to the Lord, and then they ſhall have comfort. Thus the Apoſtle to Timothy; Attend to thy ſelf, and to thy Doctrine, 1 Tim. 4. 13. ſo ſhalt thou ſave others: To himſelf firſt, and then his Doctrine; the life of a man preacheth; Aarons Bels hung at his feet. What an uncomely thing is it to ſee a foul deformed Painter to draw a curious lovely Image? No leſſe is it to hear a prophane Miniſter preſſing his people to purity; a diſſolute Miniſter to urge his people to ſtrictnes: and therefore God threatned in Malachy, To make the Prieſts contemptible, and as Dung, becauſe they had not kept his Word, Mal. 2. 3. This is woful: But when the Miniſtrie, for their faithfulneſs and oppoſition to the wickedneſſe in the world, are then as the Apoſtles were, made the off-ſcouring of the World; this is glorious.
Secondly, To take Counſell from God, is when they preach true Scripture, ſound Doctrine, which is after Godlineſſe; for ſo the Apoſtle deſcribeth it, which is after 2.godlineſſe: To pleaſe your ears, or delight the fancy, is not an acceptable work to God; no more than if a Prieſt in the old Law in ſtead of offering a Lamb, or Bullock, ſhall Sacrifice a Butter-flie, or a Peacock, becauſe of the radiant colour. No, you are to feel it as a two-edged ſword, as an hammer; and the neglect of this ſolid Scripture-Preaching, hath made many Miniſters through carnal affectation vent themſelves into vapors and meer froth; and the people have been fed with wind, inſtead of ſolid food. What hath the Chaff to do with the Wheat? ſaith the Prophet in this Chapter. As it was ſaid, He had made great Progreſſe in Rhetorick, to whoſe Palate Tullies phraſe was pleaſing, which is not ſo ſwelling and affected as ſome other: So he is a good judicious hearer, and like to get good by preaching, to whom the Scripture matter appeareth ſound, admirable full of Majeſtie and worth.
Thirdly, As he is thus to preach ſound Doctrine, ſo there are ſeveral qualifications which are like whetting, to make this two-edged ſword enter the more powerfully. Such are our zeal and tender compaſſion to mens ſouls, to cry out with Rebecca, Give me 3.Children, or elſe I dye. Our Saviour Chriſt, when he ſaw multitudes of people, though they enjoyed the Teaching of the Scribes and Phariſees, which had ſome good uſe in it, elſe our Saviour would not have directed the people to hear them; yet its ſaid, His Bowels were moved with compaſſion towards them, when he ſaw them, as Sheep without a Shepherd: Zeal makes the ſpiritual meat hot, and ſo the fitter for digeſtion.
2. Boldneſſe to reprove ſin; Rebuke with all authority. Ieremy muſt not fear the faces of men, leſt God confound him before them: That which ſome in a crafty inſnaring manner ſpake to Chriſt, Maſter, we know thou ſpeakeſt the truth, and art … accepter of perſons, ſhould be applyed to every Officer in the Church. Charge them that be rich in this world, That they be not high minded; We have not received the ſpirit of fear, but of power. Thus Iohn to Herod, Paul to Felix, Chryſostome to Eudoxius.
3. With labour and diligence, Preach in ſeaſon, and out of ſeaſon: All their names and titles imply diligence, foreign, A Biſhop or Over-ſeer, a Watchman, a Shepherd. VVhat labour did Iacob undergoe in that Office? The Titles they have are not ſo much of honour as ſolicitude; thoſe that labour in the word and Doctrine.
4. Conſideration of their great account which is to be given not onelyonly for their own ſins, but of all others committed to them. The Sacrifice that the Prieſt was to offer, was greater than that the King was, yea as great as the whole Congregation for all their ſins: to ſhew that their ſins as Miniſters were of an horrible aggravation; which made Chryſoſtome wonder, if any in that Office could be ſaved; and indeed with God this is poſſible, and not with man.
Laſtly, all theſe muſt be coupled with earneſt prayer to God for a bleſſing upon his word; for its he that teacheth to profit; he opens eyes, he changeth hearts; he raiſeth up the dead. We may lay the ſtaff as Gehezi did, but God giveth life. Chriſt preached in the day time, and prayed in the night: While thou rageſt, fretteſt, and art full of heart-burnings againſt them; little doſt thou think what earneſt praiers he puts up to God, that his word may be bleſſed to thy ſoul.
Uſe of Examination: Whether the word preached hath obtained this ſaving Uſe.effect upon your ſouls, although the Miniſters of God have ſtood in his Counſel. Have they been able to ſay, we have not ceaſed to give them daily warning? O Lord, thou knoweſt our pains, our prayers, our deſires; and yet they are trees that bring forth no fruit. Well, God will ſay to ſuch, Well done, thou good and faithfull Servant, Thou haſt delivered thy ſoul, their bloud will be required at their own hands. Its the great queſtion' Why Converſion is not ſo frequent, and ordinary now, as in the Primitive times, yea as at the firſt reformation out of Poperie? To that we may ſpeak the next day: only know, Gods anger is gone out againſt men, that he makes them have miſcarrying wombs and dry breaſts. How few Miniſters can ſay, as Iſaiah, Behold I and the Children which thou haſt given me. We would fain, as Iacobs ſonnes were commanded to bring Benjamin with them into his Fathers preſence: ſo gladly when we ſhall appear before God, would we alſo bring all our hearers with us, ſaying, Not one of them committed to my charge is loſt: but we have too many ſons of perdition.