Four Useful Discourses, Sermon 4
Sermon IV.
Luke 10. 6.
Your Peace ſhall reſt upon it, &c.
THe Third Note from the Bleſſing that here the Entertainers of the Goſpel ſhall have,Doct. 3. is this: That where there is but any one in a Place, or in a Family, that ſhall Entertain the Goſpel, the whole Family ſhall be the better for that one. And the Note is Raiſed from this Particle, It: Your Peace ſhall reſt upon it. He doth not ſay, Your Peace ſhall reſt upon him only, though that's true, It ſhall reſt upon him principally: But he ſaith, Your Peace ſhall reſt upon it: That is, If a Son of Peace be in the Family, your Peace ſhall reſt upon the Family; that is, there ſhall be ſome good come unto the Family, by reaſon of any one Son of Peace that's there: If there be but one that doth Entertain the Goſpel, the Family may come to have a Bleſſing by that. If it be but a poor Servant, or poor Child that ſhall receive the Goſpel, there may come a great deal of good to the Family, by ſuch a Servant; but if it be a Governour of the Family, then the Bleſſing will be more. For we find in the Goſpel often, where the Governour of the Family Believed, it is ſaid, that the whole Houſhold did believe and were Baptized: And we find often in the Goſpel of Believing Families, and indeed there is a greater Bleſſing of God upon a Family, where the Governours are Believers, than we are aware of: A Bleſſing, I ſay, upon the Family: That let there be any Governour, or any that is a Son of Peace, the Family is the better for it; God many times will ſpare them the rather, becauſe of them. In Iſa. 65. 8. Thus ſaith the Lord, as the new Wine is found in the Cluſter, and one ſaith, Deſtroy it not, for a Bleſſing is in it: So will I do for my Servants ſake, that I may not Deſtroy them all. Many times in a place where there are a great many Ungodly ones, yet if there be but a few that are Godly, as the new Wine in the Cluſter, the Lord ſaith, Deſtroy it not, for a Bleſſing is in it. There are ſome good Grapes there, though a great many Rotten ones; and a Bleſſing is in it, and therefore Deſtroy it not: So ſaith God many times of a Family, where there are ſome good ones, Deſtroy it not, ſaith God, for a Bleſſing is in this Family. It is very obſervable, that which we read concerning the Houſe of Jeroboam, 1 Kings 14. 10. compared with ver. 13. In ver. 10. There the Lord Threatens, that He will bring Evil upon the Houſe of Jeroboam, and will Cut off from Jeroboam, &c. Well, but this muſt not come preſently, the Lord would not preſently bring the Evil upon them; but He would ſtay till He had taken away one out of the Family, ver. 12, 13. Ariſe thou therefore, get thee to thine own Houſe; and when thy feet enter into the City, the Child ſhall die. And all Iſrael ſhall Mourn for him and Bury him: For he only of Jeroboam ſhall come to the Grave, becauſe in him is found ſome good thing towards the Lord God of Iſrael, in the Houſe of Jeroboam. Mark, How God takes notice of any in a wicked Family: If there be but any one, a Child, that hath ſome good thing in it; becauſe but ſome good thing, the Lord takes ſpecial Notice of ſuch a one in the Family. Therefore, though his Houſe ſhould be Deſtroyed, yet this Child muſt be taken away firſt, Becauſe in him there is found ſome good thing towards the Lord God of Iſrael. Mark, It is but ſome good thing, and towards the Lord God of Iſrael, and a Child; but this was in the Houſe of Jeroboam. Let there be but a Child that hath ſome good thing in a wicked Family, the Lord takes ſpecial Notice of it, and there may come a Bleſſing upon the Family, even for the ſake of ſuch a one.
The Reaſon of it is,Reaſ. Becauſe if there be any in a Family that Entertains the Goſpel, there the Lord hath the Glory of His Name, that He doth moſt rejoyce in. It cannot but pleaſe the Lord to have the Glory of His Name to be owned in a Family, and held forth: And if there be but any one in a Family that ſhall Entertain the Goſpel, who knows what good ſuch a one may do. If there be one in a Family to hold forth Chriſt, here is a Way and Means to draw others, to the Love of Chriſt. If God Convert the Huſband, he may draw the Wife; or if God Convert the Wife, ſhe may draw the Huſband, 1 Cor. 7. 16. For what knoweſt thou, O Wife, whether thou ſhalt ſave thy Husband? Or how knoweſt thou, O Man, whether thou ſhalt ſave thy Wife? It is ſpoken in the Caſe of Unbelievers, where one was an Unbeliever, and the other God had Converted: And in that Caſe, the Queſtion was, Whether they were to ſtay one with another, one being an Infidel, and the other a Believer? Yea, ſaith the Apoſtle, For what knoweſt thou, O Wife, whether thou ſhalt ſave thy Husband? Or thou, O Huſband, whether thou ſhalt ſave thy Wife? And ſo, I ſay, What knoweſt thou, O Child, whether thou mayeſt ſave thy Brother, or Siſter? Or thou, O Servant, whether thou mayeſt ſave thy Fellow-Servant? And if thou be ſo, then how vile are they that ſhall Malign and Oppoſe, Scorn and Contemn, any in a Family, when God doth begin to work any good upon them? We know it is ordinary, That if the Lord begins to ſtrike one Soul in a Family, the Child, or the Servant, with ſome Work of His Spirit, that they begin to Inquire after the things of God, and to Entertain the things of the Goſpel, his Brother will ſcorn him, or Siſter, or Fellow-Servant will deride him: Perhaps his Maſter that Lov'd him before, will now Hate him, and be ready upon all occaſions to ſhew Diſpleaſure againſt him. Yea, perhaps the very Father, out of whoſe Loyns the poor Child comes, will deride him: What ſhall we have of you now? O, you are grown ſo Preciſe, that now you will be Spoil'd, and good for nothing: And ſo perhaps the Mother, out of whoſe Womb it came, will now Hate it. But, O thou wretched Parent, thou ſhouldeſt rather Bleſs God, that God begins to work in thy Family, that He begins to work upon one that came out of thy Loyns; for thou do'ſt not know, but that this Child may do thy Soul goood. Thou wert the means for the Natural life of it, who knows but God intends to make this Child to be a means for thy Eternal Life. And ſo wretched Maſter and Miſtreſs in a Family, that ſhall leſs regard a Servant when God begins to work upon their Hearts, than you did before. And you, whom God is pleaſed to begin to Reveal the Bleſſed things of the Goſpel to, and to give your Hearts to Entertain them, and yet you Live in wicked Families; Do you Labour to be Bleſſings to the Family: Improve what God hath given you, for the good of the Family. And do you Walk ſo, as to manifeſt the Power of the Goſpel, that your Souls doth Entertain, that you may Live convincingly in the Family where you Live? And though they do Hate and Scorn you for the preſent, yet with your humble Walking, they may be forced to ſay, Verily God is Working upon this Servant, and God is Working upon this Child. It ſhould be the Care of Children, or Servants, or Wives, or Huſbands, that live among ſuch as are Wicked, when God begins to Work upon them, they muſt be very careful to hold forth the Glory, and Beauty of the Goſpel in their Lives, to Convince thoſe that they Live withal. And you that are in ſuch a Family, if God doth begin to ſtir any in the Family, do you Improve them to the uttermoſt you can: And howſoever you may think there is little in it, yet when God begins to ſtir the Heart of one, Salvation may be come to the Houſe; and the Lord doth expect that you ſhould Improve that Work of His upon your own Hearts, or otherwiſe your Conſciences will Terrifie you another day. O, I ſaw God working upon my Fellow-Servant, or Brother, or Siſter, but I neglected it, otherwiſe my Soul might have had good. And ſo much for that Note: If the Son of Peace be there, your Peace ſhall reſt upon it: That is, upon the Family.
The laſt Note is, Go, ſaith Chriſt, and into whatſoever Houſe, or City you enter, do thus and thus: And if the Son of Peace be there, your Peace ſhall reſt upon it. That is, You ſhall be made an Inſtrument of good unto them, ſo as to bring the glorious Peace of the Goſpel unto them. From whence the Note is this:
That it is a great Encouragement to the Miniſters of the Goſpel,Doct. to think what abundance of good they may do, if God ſhall be but pleaſed to Bleſs their Miniſtry. Chriſt did foretel both His Diſciples and Apoſtles, that they were like to have hard Work of it, in the Carrying of His Name abroad in the World: But for their Encouragement, He tells them this; Go your way and Preach, and if there be any Son of Peace, your Peace ſhall reſt upon it. As if He ſhould ſay, You ſhall be made a glorious Inſtrument of doing good unto them, and let this be your Encouragement: And, indeed, it is a great Encouragement for any Miniſter of God, to Venture his very Life, and to do or Suffer any thing in the World; though but upon this Suppoſition, That if God ſhall be pleaſed but to Bleſs my Miniſtry, then the Lord ſhall make me an Inſtrument to bring Peace to that place, even Peace between God and their Souls; to be the Means to Convey all the good unto them, that Jeſus Chriſt hath Purchaſed by His Blood. This ſeem'd to be the Encouragement that God gave to Jeremiah, in Chap. 36. And that was in another kind, Jeremiah was to go and reveal the Threats of God; but Mark what his Encouragement was, in ver. 3. It may be that the Houſe of Judah will hear all the evil which I purpoſe to do unto them, that they may return every man from his evil way, that I may forgive their Iniquity and their Sin. Saith the Lord to Jeremiah, Go about this Work, though it be a hard Work, and let this be your Encouragement: It may be: Though but upon a may be; The Houſe of Judah will hear all the evil which I purpoſe to do unto them, that they may return every man from his evil way, that I may forgive their Iniquity and their Sin.
Now if this were Jeremiah's Encouragement, ſurely a greater Encouragement it is for a Miniſter to go and Preach the Goſpel upon a meer May be, that there are ſome that ſhall Entertain the Goſpel. And we find it was Paul's Encouragement, in divers Scriptures as I might ſhew you, but that's moſt Notable, in 2 Tim. 1. 10. But is now made manifeſt by the appearing of our Saviour Jeſus Chriſt, who hath Aboliſhed Death, and hath brought Life and Immortality to Light through the Goſpel: Whereunto I am appointed a Preacher, and an Apoſtle, and a Teacher of the Gentiles. Mark, ſaith He, The Goſpel reveals Jeſus Chriſt, who hath Aboliſhed Death, and hath brought Life and Immortality to light: And, ſaith he, God hath appointed me to be a Teacher of this, For the which Cauſe, I alſo ſuffer theſe things. I am content to go on in this Work of the Goſpel whatſoever I ſuffer. What, Is this the Errand that I am ſent about, to go and Preach the Goſpel, that brings Life and Immortality to light? Let me Suffer what can be, I am content to go on in this Work: O, It is a glorious Errand that I am ſent about! If it pleaſe God I ſpeed but upon one Soul, O, it were worth my Life. So the excellent Fruit that ſhould come upon the Entertainment of the Goſpel, is here given to theſe Diſciples for their Encouragement in the Miniſtry. Now what is it that ſhould Encourage the Heart of a Miniſter in his Work, more than theſe Three things.
Firſt, That he ſhall be an Inſtrument to glorifie God. Secondly, An Inſtrument to do good to Souls. Thirdly, He ſhall have a Crown of Glory ſo much the more. Theſe Three things are the greateſt Encouragements in the World, to any gracious Heart.
Firſt, That he ſhall be an Inſtrument of the Glory of God. For one to live to be Inſtrumental of the Glory of God muſt needs make his Life comfortable, whatſoever he ſuffer. Now there can be no ſuch Glory that any Creature can be made a greater Inſtrument of, than the Glory that God hath from Souls that are Sav'd by Jeſus Chriſt. It is the higheſt Glory that God hath from all His Creatures, that there ſhould be ſome Souls that ſhould underſtand Jeſus Chriſt, that ſhould admire at Him, ſhould glorifie God in Jeſus Chriſt. It is the higheſt Glory that God doth Injoy in Heaven, next unto the Glory that He hath in Himſelf, and in His Son; that is, in the Trinity: But for the Glory that He hath, Ab extra, from His Creatures, that is the higheſt Glory that ever God had, or ſhall have. Now for the Lord to make a Man to be an Inſtrument of this, To bring ſome Souls to be Eternally Glorifying God for Jeſus Chriſt: O, It is worth all a Mans Strength, though he ſhould ſhorten his Life Seven Years; yet if there be but One or Two Souls brought by his Miniſtry, that ſhall Injoy the good things in Chriſt, this is well worth the Labour and Pains. For, indeed, in this the Lord doth honour Men more than Angels: The Lord hath not put the Angels in Heaven, upon ſuch an Honourable work as this, to be the Embaſſadors of God and Chriſt, for Reconciliation: The Lord hath not committed the Word of Reconciliation to Angels, to go and Preach that in an Ordinary way: They are not Deputed by Chriſt, to be as His Officers. We never read of any ſuch thing in the Word of God, though they be ſometimes Appointed to be Miniſtring Spirits for the good of Gods Elect, to Help them, to Comfort them, to Avenge them of their Enemies; but we never read that the Word of Reconciliation was Committed to them, and to the Miniſters of the Goſpel: And therefore there is no ſuch Glory that they can bring to God, as the Lord is Pleaſed to make Man to be an Inſtrument of. In this the Lord doth Honour Man more than the Angels, that he ſhall be Appointed to be the great Ordinance under Jeſus Chriſt, for the bringing of Souls unto Jeſus Chriſt; and ſo the bringing of them to Magnifie the Infinite Riches of the Grace of God in Chriſt, to all Eternity. Now, Is not this worth any ones Labour and Life? O what Encouragement is this, whatſoever one ſuffers in it.
Secondly, Can there be next unto this, a greater Encouragement, than to be an Inſtrument of good to our Brethren, of good to Mankind? Thoſe are the moſt happy Men in the World, that are the moſt Uſeful for Mankind, that the Lord ſhall be Pleaſed to make Uſe of, for the good of Mankind; and therefore it ſhould Teach all to be as Serviceable as they can to others. For the Happineſs and the true Comfort of a Mans Life, it doth not depend in this, That he can get an Eſtate, and go Brave and Fine, and Eat and Drink of the beſt; but it is in this, That the Lord will make him uſeful in his place, an Inſtrument of good to others. It is a very Comfortable thing for any, that are Chief in a place where they Live, that the Lord makes them Inſtruments of the Civil good of the places where they are: Of the good of the People for their Bodies, to keep them in Peace and Order: But to be Appointed by God to be an Inſtrument of Soul-good, of Eternal good; this is a higher Priviledge that God doth grant in His Mercy to ſome. And it might be a mighty Encouragement, the Conſidering of this. What ſaith Saint James, ſpeaking to Chriſtians to Encourage them to Labour to do good to their Brethren: Brethren, If any of you do erre from the Truth, and one Convert him, Let him know that he which Converteth a ſinner from the Errour of his Way, ſhall ſave a Soul from Death, and ſhall hide a multitude of ſins. Let him know, ſaith he, that he that Converteth a ſinner from the Errour of his Way, Let him know: What ſhall he know? That he ſhall ſave a Soul from Death, and ſhall hide a multitude of ſins. Though it may be, he takes a great deal of Pains, and ſuffers much in it; yet for his Encouragement, Let him know that he ſhall ſave a Soul, and hide a multitude of ſins.
Further, If the other ſhould not be a ſufficient Encouragement, yet for his own good; many times there is much Self in the hearts of the beſt Miniſters. Now there is theſe Two things that cannot but follow, if the Lord Bleſs their Miniſtry, to bring the Peace of the Goſpel to any Soul.
Firſt, Such a Soul will Bleſs God for him. Now for a man to be ſo in the Hearts of the Saints of God, as that he ſhould have them Bleſs the Lord for him, and Bleſs the time that ever he ſaw him: Bleſſed be the Lord, and Bleſſed be thou; as David ſaid to Abigail, when it did but hinder him in one ſin by her Counſel. But now, If ſo be the Lord doth Bleſs the Miniſtry of the Goſpel to any, ſo that the Peace of Jeſus Chriſt comes to the Soul, there is not the hinderance of one ſin, but of multitudes; and there is the obtaining of the Pardon of all ſins: And therefore how much more Cauſe have they to ſay, Bleſſed be God, and Bleſſed be thou, and Bleſſed be thy Counſel, and Bleſſed be thy Miniſtry: Here's a great Encouragement in this, They through whoſe Miniſtry Souls comes to be Bleſſed, they will Bleſs them, and Bleſs God for them.
And further, At the great Day of Jeſus Chriſt, they ſhall have abundance of Joy in thoſe that God made them Inſtrumental of good unto. In Phil. 2. you have a Notable Text for that, ſaith the Apoſtle, in way of Exhortation to the Philippians, to hold forth the Word of Life, in ver. 16. Holding forth the Word of Life, that I may rejoyce in the Day of Chriſt; that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain: Saith he, If you do thus and thus, and ſhew forth the Power of the Grace of God, that God hath been pleaſed to Bleſs my Miniſtry. If you do ſo, why then I ſhall rejoyce. O, do you ſhew forth the Power and Efficacy of the Miniſtry of the Goſpel, of that Miniſtry of mine upon you: Why? That I may rejoyce in the Day of Chriſt, that I have not Run in vain, neither Laboured in vain: So that where the Miniſtry of the Goſpel is Bleſſed to any People, there thoſe Miniſters being Faithful themſelves, ſhall rejoyce in the Day of Jeſus Chriſt, that they have not Run in vain.
Therefore to Wind this up, It ſhould be one ſtrong Motive to People, to Imbrace the Miniſtry of the Goſpel, even for the Encouragement of thoſe whom the Lord doth ſend among them, that they may be willing to draw forth their Hearts, and to venture their Lives among them. As, certainly, not one Man of Forty, of a Hundred ſcarce, that ſhould Preach to ſuch a Congregation as this, but muſt expect a Venturing of his Life in it: But lot this Meſſage be but Entertain'd, it will be thought to be throughly Recompenced. For it will be a Joy to thoſe that do Venture themſelves among you: It will be a Joy in the Day of Jeſus Chriſt, that they have not Run in vain. But we leave that Point, and come to the laſt Part of the Text.
If the Son of Peace be there, your Peace ſhall reſt upon it: But what if not? If not, it ſhall turn to you again.
O, that this ſhould be heard, If not: This is a ſad Suppoſition indeed, If not. What ſhall the Lord ſend Embaſſadors of Peace? The Lord from Heaven ſend to His poor Creatures the Miniſtry of His Goſpel, and offer Peace between their Souls and Himſelf, Purchaſed by the Blood of His Son: And ſhall it be ſaid, If not? If there be any that will not Imbrace it? Is it poſſible that Jeſus Chriſt, whereſoever He comes, ſhould not be Entertain'd? Truly, this very Suppoſition that there ſhould be a Poſſibility for any Soul to whom Chriſt is Revealed, ever to reject; doth Argue the extream ſinfulneſs of the Hearts of Men. O, Woe to us that ſuch a thing ſhould be ſuppoſed as poſſible, If not: That Chriſt ſhould come to any place and ſhould not be Entertain'd: What, that the Miniſtry of the Goſpel ſhould come and be Rejected, when as it is nothing elſe but the bringing of the Meſſage of Peace to a People, between God and them. They may think, perhaps, that it comes to trouble them: But the Truth is, The Errand of all the Miniſters of the Goſpel among People, it is no other in the Concluſion, and in the Iſſue, but to bring Eternal Peace to their Souls: And ſhall this be Rejected? Sometimes it is ſo. Now in this we have theſe Three things.
Firſt, A ſad Suppoſition, that ſometimes the Miniſtry of the Goſpel comes where it is rejected by ſome.
Secondly, The Encouragement of Miniſters in this Caſe: Chriſt doth not only Encourage them in caſe their Miniſtry prevails, that then they ſhall be Inſtruments of ſo much good to Souls; but He doth Encourage them in caſe it doth not prevail. As if the Diſciples ſhould ſay, I indeed, If our Miniſtry prevails that we may bring Peace to Souls, we have enough: But what if not? It ſhall return to you again.
And then, Thirdly, A dreadful Denunciation againſt all thoſe that do not Entertain the Goſpel: And that is, That they ſhall have no Benefit of the Peace of the Goſpel: That the Miniſtry of the Goſpel ſhall be taken from them, and that God will be very Quick in His dealings with them.
Now then at this time for the Firſt.
Firſt, If not: This ſad Suppoſition. From hence the Point of Doctrine, or Note of Obſervation, is this:
That the Goſpel doth ſometimes go to places,Doct. the Miniſtery of the Goſpel is ſometimes ſent to places where it is rejected by Men: As before, If the Son of Peace, that ſuppoſes that where God doth ſend the Goſpel, there are ſome Sons of Peace. So, If not; here's a Suppoſion that the Miniſtry of the Goſpel, may be ſent to a place, and yet there may be ſome that will reject this bleſſed Miniſtery. You know what is ſaid of Chriſt himſelf, And well then may it be ſaid of them he ſends to Preach: When Chriſt Himſelf came to his own John 1. his own received him not: His own, Thoſe that he had a pecular right in, the People of the Jews; even ſuch as were the only people that did profeſs the true God upon the face of the Earth: I beſeech you obſerve it, When Jeſus Chriſt came into the World, there was but a handfull of people upon the face of the Earth, that did ſo much as profeſs the worſhip of the true God, but the generallity of all the world, except a little Country of Canaan, that was a matter of Fourſcore Miles one way, and but a very little another way; except that little Country, there was none upon the face of the Earth but worſhipped the Devil; went according to the Immaginations of their own hearts, did not ſo much as acknowledge God in his worſhip; onelyonly I ſay, there was a little handful of people in Canaan, and they were the children of Abraham, and Chriſt came to them, they were his own; you would think ſurely if Chriſt comes to them, ſeeing all the World elſe are Idolaters, they will entertain him. No, when Chriſt came Himſelf, the Bleſſed Son of God taking our nature upon him, who was the Brightneſs of the Glory of his Father; yet his own did not receive him. And we find it ſaid directly, that Chriſt in his Miniſtery, in Luke 2. ſhould be for a Stumbling-block to many, in ver. 34. And Simeon bleſſed them, and ſaid unto Mary his Mother, Behold, this Child is ſet for the Fall and Riſing again of many in Iſrael, and for a Sign which ſhall be ſpoken againſt. You have little cauſe therefore to be Diſcouraged, becauſe you are ſpoken againſt. And we find that Chriſt Himſelf Preaching what poor Entertainment He had, no Marvel then, if this Suppoſition be concerning His Diſciples: If not. It may poſſibly be, that ſome will not receive your Miniſtry? Do but obſerve what Entertainment Chriſt Himſelf had ſometimes, when He went to Preach Himſelf, in Luke 4. 29. You have there the Hiſtory of a moſt Excellent Sermon, that Jeſus Chriſt Preached; and when He had done His Sermon, do but ſee what requital He had, as ſoon as He had done, the Text ſaith, And all they in the Synagogue when they heard theſe things, were filled with wrath, and roſe up, and thruſt him out of the City, and led him unto the brow of the Hill (whereon their City was built) that they might caſt him down headlong. They ſought to break his neck as ſoon as he had done, ſo that you ſee how he came to his own and his own received him not. And in Luke 16. 14: there you ſhall ſee his Entertainment; upon another Sermon, the Text ſaith, And the Phariſees alſo who were Covetous, heard all theſe things: And what then? And they derided Him. The Greek word is, They blew their. Noſes at Him: They Snuffled in their Noſes at Him: They Scorned Him, as we expreſs Scorn and Contempt, by Blowing the Noſe. This is the Propriety of the Word that in your Engliſh is Tranſlated, They derided Him. And who were theſe? The Phariſees, that were the moſt ſeeming Righteous Men that did live; and the greateſt Scholars, and thoſe that Liv'd the moſt Honeſtly among Men. And why did they deride Him? But only becauſe they were Covetous. You ſhall have, not only Covetous Men, but any who live in a way of ſin, if the Miniſtry of the Word comes againſt that ſin, they will ſecretly Scorn and Contemn the Word: Thus they did to Chriſt.
And St. Paul, you may ſee when he came to Preach the Goſpel, what Entertainment he had: St. Paul, he was the moſt Famous Preacher that ever Liv'd upon the Face of the Earth, next unto Jeſus Chriſt. Auſtine had three Wiſhes, and one of them was: That he might have ſeen Paul in the Pulpit, and heard him Preach; becauſe he was a Man of ſuch an admirable Spirit. But I ſhall ſhew you what Entertainment the Preaching of Paul had, who was ſuch an admirable Preacher. There are a great many Scriptures to ſhew the hard Entertainment that Paul had, in Acts 13. 44, 45. And the next Sabboth Day, came almoſt the whole City together to hear the Word of God. There was a ſtrange Preacher came among them, and there came a mighty Company, the whole City; that is, the Generality of the City came together to hear the Word of God. But mark, in ver. 45. But when the Jews ſaw the Multitude, they were filled with Envie, and ſpake againſt thoſe things which were ſpoken by Paul, Contradicting, and Blaſpheming. Juſt thus it was with the Jews, they were filled with Envy, and ſpoke againſt thoſe things which were ſpoken by Paul, Contradicting and Blaſpheming. It were endleſs to ſhew you all his hard Entertainment, how he was put in the Priſon, and in the Stocks, and Whipt, as if he had been a very Rogue; when as, ever ſince the World began, the Lord had never a more Glorious Inſtrument, to ſhew forth His Praiſe; and yet he was Whipt up and down like a Rogue, and ſcarce a Ragg to hang upon his Back; he was accounted the Off-ſcowring of the World. But there is a moſt Notable thing about Pauls Miniſtry, if you Compare two Scriptures together, in Acts 16. 9. with what follows: And a Viſion appeared to Paul in the Night: There ſtood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, ſaying, Come over into Macedonia and help us. Paul had a mighty ſtrong Call to go and Preach to Macedonia, he had a Viſion by Night. And it was not a Deluſion, but even the Voice of God which did call to Paul, Come over to Macedonia and help us: Therefore, ſaith the Text, Immediately we endeavoured to go into Macedonia, aſſuredly gathering, that the Lord had Called us for to Preach the Goſpel unto them. We were ſure that God had Called us, and this was a very ſtrong Call. Now you will ſay, What Paul? Such a Preacher, and had ſuch a ſtrong Call: Certainly, he would prevail with them all, and bring them all Home. But, Mark, what the Succeſs of Pauls Miniſtry was, in ver. 12. And from thence to Philippy, which is the Chief City of that part of Macedonia, and a Colony: And we were in that City, abiding certain dayes. Here's no mention of any Fruit of his Miniſtry: There we ſat certain dayes, to wait what opportunity we might have to Preach the Goſpel there. And in ver. 13. And on the Sabboth, we went out of the City by a Rivers ſide, where Prayer was wont to be made; and we ſat down, and ſpake unto the Women which Reſorted thither. Mark, It ſeems he had no Opportunity to Preach in the City, they had no mind to hear him: But, ſaith he, on the Sabboth-day we went out of the City by the Rivers ſide, and we ſat down and ſpake to the Women: There were but a Company of poor Women, the great ones of the City, they would not come; but a Company of Women came to us, and yet Paul had this mighty Call of God. And when he comes to the chief City of Macedonia, he was forced to go out of the City if he would Preach; and there comes a few Women, and among theſe Women, ſaith the Text, ver. 14. A certain Woman named Lydia, a Seller of Purple, of the City of Thyatira, which Worſhipped God, heard us: Whoſe Heart the Lord opened, that ſhe attended unto the things which were ſpoken of Paul. Here's the fruit of his Miniſtry, A certain Woman. Among them all, none but the Women would come: And among theſe Women, there was a certain Woman, one poor Woman called Lydia, and it pleaſed God to open her Heart: Certainly, If God had opened the Hearts of any other, they would have been mentioned as well. And you ſhall find that Paul had very ill Entertainment among the reſt of the Multitude, ver. 22. And the Multitude roſe up together againſt them (ſee what Entertainment he had) and the Magiſtrates Rent off their Clothes, and Commanded to Beat them. And when they had laid many Stripes upon them, they caſt them into Priſon, charging the Jayler to keep them ſafely. Who having received ſuch a charge, thruſt them into the Inner Priſon, and made their Feet faſt in the Stocks. Here's the Man that had ſuch a mighty Call of God by a Viſion from Heaven, and yet you ſee how his Miniſtry doth prevail. Thus you ſee, that the Goſpel may be ſent to Places, and that by a ſtrange Work of Gods Providence, and yet a very few Imbrace it; yea, it may be Rejected by the greateſt part. I might ſhew unto you Examples of the ſame kind: And juſt as it was with the Apoſtles, ſo it was with the Prophets. As thoſe Three Famous Prophets, Iſaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel. See the working of Iſaiah's Miniſtry, in Iſa. 53. Who hath believed our Report, and to whom is the Arm of the Lord Revealed. We come and Preach things to the People, and they come and hear us, and think they are very ſtrange things that they hear the Miniſter ſay, but they do not believe it. Who doth believe it? Yea, you know that the Lord doth Complain, that He did ſtreach out His Hands even all the Day, Iſa. 65. 2. I have ſpread out my Hands all the Day, unto a Rebellious People, which Walketh in a Way that is not good, after their own Thoughts. I ſpread out my Hands: That is, I come in my Miniſtry, ſaith God by His Prophet, and I there open the Arms of my Mercy, and open the Riches of my Grace to their Souls; but they Walk in Wayes that are not good. And what Wayes were they? According to their own Thoughts. Look what their own Thoughts are, and what is moſt pleaſing to them. They more regard their own Thoughts, than all thoſe Bleſſed and Glorious Truths, that are made known unto them in the Miniſtry of the Word.
And as for Jeremiah you have it in Chap. 20. ver. 8. you have very ſtrange kind of Expreſſions about him: Since I ſpake, I cried out, I cried Violence and Spoil, becauſe the Word of the Lord was made a Reproach unto me, and a Deriſion daily. O the Word of the Lord was made a Reproach and a Deriſion to Jeremiah.
And for Ezekiel, do but read Chap. 2. of that Propheſie, and there you ſhall find, that God tells him before-hand, that He did ſend him to a Rebellious Houſe; yea, God told him that he ſhould Live among Bryars and Thorns. And yet it is obſervable, That this Prophet Ezekiel, did Propheſie in the time of their Captivity, was ſent unto the People of Iſrael, when they were in Captivity. One would have thought, that in the time of their Affliction, that if ever they would have attended to the Word of the Lord, then they would. No: But in the time when they were in Captivity, when God had fulfilled the words that were Threatned by the former Prophets; though they ſaw how God had made good His Words by the former Prophets, yet they continued a Rebellious People. O this was an extream thing! It was not ſo much for them to reject Jeremiah, that did Propheſie of their Captivity; I, he tells us of nothing but Judgments, but we hope God is a more Merciful God; and upon that perhaps they rejected Him, I, but ſurely when they were in Captivity, now they ſhould, one would have thought, acknowledged that to the Lord belongs Glory, but to us nothing but Shame and Confuſion. No: But yet their Hearts continued hard, as a Brick in the Fire, it is harder for the Fire; and ſo were their Hearts in the time of their Affliction. I ſhall not need to Inſtance in any further particulars, it is clear that God ſends the Miniſtry of the Goſpel to places ſometimes, where it may be it will be rejected. Now for the Opening of the Point, there are theſe Two things I intended.
Firſt, How it comes to paſs that it is Rejected, or why Men do Reject the Goſpel.
Secondly, What's the Reaſon that God will ſend it to thoſe places, that He knows before-hand that it will not be Entertain'd.
The Lord ſends the Miniſtry of Peace, the Offer of Peace by Jeſus Chriſt to Souls, and yet they do not regard it, but caſt it off. Becauſe indeed, Firſt, The generallity of People, they do not know God, they do not know that they have to deal with an Infinite and Glorious God in all their wayes; they do not know whom it is that they have ſinned againſt, and therefore do not underſtand their danger; and upon this the Miniſtry of the Goſpel is but a dry thing unto them: Whereas, did but the Souls of Men and Women, underſtand what an Infinite and a Glorious Majeſty, they had to deal withal; and thereby what a dreadful thing it is, to have the Wrath of God to be revealed to their Souls, they would hearken to the Miniſtry of the Word. That this is the Reaſon, it appears, in John 15. 20, 21. Saith Chriſt to his Diſciples, Remember the Word that I ſaid unto you, The Servant is not greater than the Lord: If they have Perſecuted me, they will alſo Peſecute you: If they have kept my ſaying, they will keep yours alſo: But now, Mark, ver. 21. But all theſe things will they do unto you for my Names ſake, becauſe they know not Him that ſent me. Here's the Reaſon why they will do thus unto you, they will be far from entertaining of you, but will rather oppoſe you: Why? Becauſe they know not Him that ſent me. As if He ſhould ſay, Did they but know Him that ſent me, did they but know what a God the Lord is, what the Father is, what an Infinite Majeſty, and dreadful Deity they have to deal withal; did they but underſtand that, certainly they would not caſt you out: But they will not entertain you, Becauſe they know not Him that ſent me.
Secondly, There is nothing that doth diſcover more the Vileneſs of ſin, than the Goſpel. O the Goſpel being Preached aright, (I ſay) nothing in the World can diſcover the hainouſneſs of ſin, the Vileneſs, the Abominable Nature of ſin, more than the Goſpel. All the Terrors of the Law, and the Curſes of the Law, cannot diſcover ſo much of the dreadfulneſs of the Evil of ſin, as the Goſpel: And we know that Men that love their ſin, cannot endure that which doth diſcover the Evil of it.
But you will ſay, How doth the Goſpel diſcover ſo much of the Evil of ſin?
Certainly, You may ſee more of the evil of ſin, by the Miniſtry of the Goſpel, than by the dreadful Threats of the Law: For the Goſpel ſhews that ſin makes ſuch a dreadful Breach between God and the Creature, that only the Son of God made Man, and put under a Curſe, can make up the Breach again: In the Red-glaſs of the Blood of Jeſus Chriſt, that is Preached to you in the Miniſtry of the Goſpel the evil of ſin, is more fully diſcerned, than in the bright Cryſtal-glaſs of the Law; that doth diſcover ſomewhat, but this ſhews you more: It ſhews you that thoſe beloved ſins of yours that you have Imbrac'd, and have had a great deal of Sweetneſs and Gain by, O they are ſuch Snakes and Vipers in your Boſom, as makes ſuch a Breach between God and your Soul; that only the Son of God, paying an Infinite price for the Satisfying for theſe, can take away from you.
And further, The Goſpel doth diſcover more to Debaſe a Man, than any thing can poſſibly be Imagined: There is nothing that doth more diſcover that which may Abaſe Men, and bring them Low, and make them Vile in their own Eyes, than the Goſpel. Why? The Goſpel doth ſhew unto them, that they are by Nature the Enemies to God. It is the Goſpel doth diſcover that, becauſe it is the Doctrine of Reconciliation, and it doth diſcover, that all a Mans Righteouſneſs is nothing, his own Righteouſneſs is nothing in point of Salvation, for Juſtification; that whatſoever Righteouſneſs a Man hath by common Gifts, by his good Nature, it will not ſerve his turn in the Day of Jeſus Chriſt, he may periſh notwithſtanding: It takes a Man off from all his Civil Righteouſneſs, and ſo makes him to be as a vile wretched Creature before the Lord, and one that muſt lie upon meer pure Mercy, or elſe muſt periſh to all Eternity: whatſoever he thought himſelf, he muſt be taken from his own bottom, even from that which his Soul Imbrac'd, and was as dear unto him as his own Soul, he muſt be taken from all: O now, this is a hard ſaying, and who can bear it.
The Goſpel doth teach Self-denial, that we muſt deny our own Excellency, every beloved Luſt, and to be nothing in a Mans own Eyes. I, indeed, it is the firſt Leſſon of the Goſpel; ſaith Chriſt, If any man will follow me, let them deny themſelves. Now Men naturally are Proud and Haughty, and what, for them to come and appear before the Lord as vile wretched Caitiffs in themſelves, and to have all their Righteouſneſs to be counted as filthy Rags; now to ſee that they muſt be Sav'd by a Righteouſneſs that is above them, and beyond them, and without them: O this is very hard.
The Goſpel requires Conditions that are very hard to Fleſh and Blood, that we muſt be willing to Sell and part with all for Chriſt, as the wiſe Merchant did.
And beſides, It is a very high Myſtery, a thing that is above the reach of any Natural Man living; and People Generally are of Slight, Vain, and Proud Spirits. Now being partly Slight and Vain, and partly Proud, they will not bend their Minds to dive into thoſe things that they are not preſently able to read. It is that Myſtery that the Angels do ſtoop down to pry into, and it requires a great deal of pains to behold the Glory of God in it. Now the Vain, and Droſſy, and Proud hearts of Men and Women, they paſs it over lightly, becauſe they ſee no preſent need of it: They Thrive and injoy their Eſtates, and they are well enough for the Fleſh; and all things that are Savory to them, they have according to their hearts deſire; and what need have they to trouble themſelves. Many other things might be named, to ſhew that when the Goſpel comes to places, why it is not entertained.
Queſt. But you will ſay, Why doth God ſend it, God knows it will not be entertain'd; it is not with God as it is with us, to go to a place at paradventures? It is ſaid, If they hear them: There can be no Ifs with God, God knows every thing. Now if God knows that before a Man comes, it will not be entertain'd, why doth God ſend it?
Anſw. 1. To that I Anſwer, Firſt, That Gods Wayes and Judgments are Unſearchable, and paſt finding out in this thing. For, indeed, there is nothing wherein God doth appear more Wonderful in His Wayes and Judgments, paſt finding out, than in this, in ſending the Goſpel ſometimes to a place, where He ſees it will not prevail; and denies it to another place, where He ſees that if it were among them, it would be likely more to prevail. You will ſay, This is ſtrange; and yet this is certain. This is the Adminiſtrations of God, that ſometimes God denies the Goſpel to a place where He doth ſee, that if He ſent it they would Entertain it more, and ſends it to another place where He ſees they will not Entertain it. Now to make this out by Scripture, that Text is clear for it, in Mat. 11. 21. Wo unto thee, Chorazin, Wo unto thee, Bethſaida, for if the mighty Works which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sydon, they would have Repented long ago in Sack-cloth and Aſhes. It is a ſtrange Speech, almoſt as any one that is in Scripture: Here's Chorazin, and Bethſaida, have the Goſpel ſent to them, and they did not Entertain it: Saith Chriſt, If the Works that were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sydon, they would have Repented, and yet I denied it to them, and ſent it to you. Now there can be no Reaſon given of this, but only this: The Judgments of God are unſearchable, and His Wayes paſt finding out; Gods Mercies are His own, the Goſpel is His own, and He will ſend it where He pleaſes.
Secondly, But then, Secondly, The Lord ſends His Goſpel: For though perhaps it be rejected for the generallity, yet there may ſome one Soul Entertain it, among a People that ſhall ſo much reject it, and for the ſake of that one, God may ſend it: God may ſend Miniſters to a Congregation, to ſpend their very Heart, and Strength, and Life, and it may be may intend ſome one or two Souls, that are as unlikely as others; perhaps ſome one or two poor Servant or Child, and it is worth the Life of any Man, if he may be Bleſt to call home one or two in his Life time. You know the Lord lets it Rain, and the Intendment of the Rain, it is to Water the Earth; but abundance of it falls upon Tiles, and Stones, but likewiſe it falls upon your Beds in your Gardens, and the Intendment, I ſay, is for the benefit of the Ground. So the Miniſtry of the Goſpel, Gods chief Intent is for the good of Souls, though God cauſes the Miniſtry of it to be generally: The Goſpel is Preached to Congregations, and for the generallity it doth but as it were Rain upon the Tiles and Stones; I, but there are ſome Beds that have ſome good Seeds in them, and God Intends them. If you water your Gardens in theſe dry times, you aim at the Herbs, but yet the Water will fall among the Weeds: So the Lord He Aims at His Herbs and Flowers, though the Goſpel be diſpenſed to others.
Thirdly, Though God ſees there be none for the preſent, yet God layes in for time to come: God will ſend His Goſpel to a place, though He ſees this Generation will get no good by it; and God may Intend the good of the Generation that is to come, by ſending His Miniſtry in this particular Generation; though He ſees that they will not Entertain it, yet ſome that may come after them, may Entertain it. As they ſay in China, they prepare Work for many Hundred years before: The Parents they are preparing Work for their Children to enjoy. And ſo the Lord layes In, in one Generation, for the Children that are coming after, and therefore whether you Entertain it or no, God notwithſtanding will have His End accompliſht.
Fourthly, Another Reaſon why God ſends His Goſpel, where He knows it will not be Entertain'd by the Generallity, it is this, To leave Men wholly without Excuſe. I may put theſe two together, To diſcover the Abominable ſinfulneſs of the Hearts of Men, and to leave them wholly without Excuſe. There is nothing in the World that doth diſcover the ſinfulneſs of Mans Heart, more than this, That when the Lord ſends this Goſpel among them, yet it is rejected. The Preaching of any Moral Truths, do nothing ſo much argue the ſinfulneſs of Mans Heart in the rejection of them, as when the Goſpel is Preached, and that is rejected. That argues the Abominable wickedneſs of Mans Heart, yea, for ought we know, more than is in the very Devil. We do not know that there is ſo much Perverſneſs in any of the Devils in Hell, as there is in the Heart of that Man that doth reject the Miniſtry of the Goſpel. And why? Becauſe God never tried them, God never put it to trial, to offer any Terms of Peace to them, and never told them that He would be Reconcil'd to them upon any Terms: And therefore whether they have ſuch perverſeneſs of heart or no, it is not diſcovered ſo as thine is. But if thou Liveſt where the Miniſtry of the Goſpel is Preached, and yet continueſt wicked and ungodly, thou art diſcovered to have that wickedneſs in thy Heart; that for ought thou knoweſt, it is beyond the wickedneſs of any Devil in Hell. The Devils might ſay, Lord, hadſt thou offered Terms of Peace to us, we would not have ſo rejected it: And then it doth leave Men utterly without Excuſe. I do not ſay, that this is Gods primary Intention, but this comes in: Why, the Lord doth ſuffer the Goſpel to be Preached, to leave them wholly without Excuſe. And for that, you have that Text in the fore-named place, John 15. 22. If I had not come and ſpoken unto them, they had not had ſin: But now have they no Cloak for their ſin. Sin: Why are there any Men in the World that have no ſin? Why, did Chriſt coming bring ſin to them? It did not add ſin, but it did Diſcover their ſin, and it took away their Cloak for their ſin: Now upon my coming to them, and when they ſhall reject me, and the offer of Grace that I bring from my Father; now they have ſin to purpoſe, now their ſin is of a Scarlet Colour, now they have no Plea, they cannot ſay, Lord, if thou hadſt ſent to us, to Reveal to us thy Mercy, and the danger of our ſin. The danger of your ſin, may God ſay: Did not I ſend thoſe to you that did Preach, that nothing but the Heart Blood of my Son, could pacifie for your ſin. Could there have been any thing more to reveal the evil of your ſin, than this was? O now you have no Excuſe at all for your ſin.
Fifthly, Another Reaſon is this, which is one of the chief: That the Lord might cauſe all thoſe hereby that do not entertain the Goſpel, to ſee the Freeneſs of His Grace towards them. A poor Soul that the Lord is pleaſed to work upon by the Goſpel, hath no cauſe to attribute any thing to himſelf: There are others, and ſuch a Multitude of People, more Learned than I, and Men and Women that had greater parts than I, they had the Goſpel preached to them, and they do not ſee thoſe things that the Lord hath Revealed to me: I can tell no Reaſon of this Difference, only Free-grace. And certainly, Thoſe People whom God is pleaſed to make the Goſpel effectual, upon the hearing of this Point, and ſeeing how it is Verified in the Examples of others; O they have cauſe to Cry out, Grace, Grace, to the Lord. What is there in me rather than others; as Proud, and Stout, and Vile Hearts as any; and we ſee the Goſpel is rejected by them: and what reaſon is it that it is not ſo with me? John 14. 22. It's a ſpeech of Judas, (not of him that betrayed Chriſt) Lord, How is it that thou Revealeſt thy Self unto us, and not unto the World? Lord, We cannot deviſe how it ſhould be, that thou ſhouldſt Manifeſt thy Self to us, and not unto the World: We ſee that the World rejects Thee: O this is, that we may have the more Cauſe to Bleſs the Name of God here, and to Magnifie His Free-grace to all Eternity afterwards.