Gospel Reconciliation, Chapter 51 – Chapter 53
CHAP. 51.
Uſe. 2. Miniſters ought to ſpeak as the Oracles of God. The maner of their preaching Opened.
THe next uſe that ariſes from hence is that the Apoſtle Peter makes in 1 Pet. 4.11. If any man ſpeak, let him ſpeak as the Oracles of God, mark it, here is an exhortation to thoſe that have to deal in the miniſtery of the word, that they muſt (when they ſpeak the word) ſpeak it as the Oracles of God; ſo that, that is delivered in the word; you ſee it to be as the Oracles of God, whatſoever a miniſter ſpeaks (according to ſcripture) it is to be looked upon as the oracles of God. Now therefore if this be ſo, that the word that is ſpoken (according to the rule,) is the Oracles of God. then it is the duty of al that do ſpeak the word of God to ſpeak it in ſuch a manner, as it may appear to be the Oracles of God. I have not now to ſpeak to many miniſters, and therfore I ſhal not enlarge my ſelf in this as I ſhould have done. Oh! with what a reverance ſhould miniſters ſpeak, for they come to ſpeak as in Chriſt ſtead? and therefore they ſhould ſpeak in ſuch a manner as becomes the voice of God, and of Jeſus Chriſt; as the Oracles of God, and not think to ſpeak according to their own fancies, and their own humors, and in their own waies: but to ſpeak as thoſe that are ſent in Gods place, to ſpeak to the people as if Chriſt were ſpeaking to them: and therefore to conſider they are in the place of Chriſt, ſo to ſpeak with all authority as from Chriſt, as in Math. 7. verſe, the laſt, It is ſaid of Chriſt, That he taught them as one having authority, and not as the ſcribes; for a miniſter of God, he is to preach in Chriſts ſtead (for ſo the Apoſtle ſaith) therefore he is to labor what he can to expreſs the very authority of Jeſus Chriſt in his Miniſtery, and there is a miniſtery that doth carry authority with it in the very conſciences of men, I have known of ſome that have come proudly into a Congregation to ſcorne at the word; Prophane Ruſſians that have come on purpoſe to outface the Miniſtery, and to out face the word, and yet they have met with that authority in the word, that their hearts have been danted, and they have fallen under the power of the word, and there is a great deal of difference in the manner and way of preaching the word; ſome have authority, and others have no authority at al in it. [That kind of preaching that is to pleaſe the humors of men] you, ſhal have ſome kind of preachers to dandle mens fancies (as it were;) that have ſome fine quaint words, that there ſentences ſhal be very ſmooth, and (as they ſay) come off bravely, and this is a dainty preacher, and he ſhal have many fine latine ſentences, and witty ſpeeches, and come into a pulpit and acts as if he were to act a part upon the ſtage: theſe are the fine quaint preachers, the Court preachers (as they cal them) But this is not to preach as in Chriſts ſtead. It is very like that this was the preaching of the Scribes and Phariſes. But when Chriſt: came to ſpeak, he ſpake as one that God had authority, and not as the Scribes: There was a great deal of difference between his preaching, and that of the Scribes, he came with the authority of God, he came to preach to the conſciences of men, and not to the fancies of men; and the difference, as there was in him, ſo there is in ſome meaſure and degree now; There are ſome that preach (to this very day) juſt as the ſcribes; but there are others that preach as Chriſt did; that preacht to the conſcience, and to the hearts of people, and their words do ſtick in the conſciences of men, though they fret, and vex, and go away in a rage; yet there is ſomwhat that ſticks to their conſciences: ſo that they are either forced to yeild to it, or fly from it. And here is the reaſon that many a man wil cry out and ſay, I wil never heare ſuch a miniſter, Why? What is the reaſon? his corrupt heart cannot bear that miniſters preaching; the word comes with power to his heart, and his guilty conſcience cannot beare it, now watch but whether there be not ſome vile guiltineſs in their ſpirits, that ſay of ſuch men, they wil never hear them any more: becauſe their corrupt hearts cannot bear the authority of the word, that preaching that is as if God and Chriſt ſpeak it, is with authority, and not with fine quaint words: To this purpoſe you have an expreſſion in 1 Cor. 1.17. [for Chriſt ſent me] he was to go in the name of Chriſt, [not with wiſdom of men] Chriſt did never ſend me to preach with the wiſdom of men. What a text is here? How wil many men be able to anſwer this one text? that make it their great ſtudy to get Wiſdom of words? But mark the danger of this! [Leaſt the Croſs] of Chriſt be made of no effect. There is a moſt hiddeous wickedneſs in this; that a man ſhould regard more to be commended for a fine, Witty, neat, ſmooth preacher, than he ſhould have regard to the Croſs of Chriſt to take effect, to have Chriſt to be honor'd. We find by experience that ſuch preaching ſcarce ever ſtirs the Soul, ſeldome or never works upon the heart. It was a ſpeech that once even a Prelate that was not the beſt, but one ill enough, and known to many (I ſuppoſe here,) I heard it with my own Ears, he ſaid, That he was convinced ſo farr; that when he came to preſent one to ſuch a town, he asked whether there were not ſome in the place that deſired ſome others? Yes ſaid they, there are ſome that deſire a univerſity man to come to them, but ſaith he, the preaching that is there wil not humble a Soul, doth not tend to humiliation. I heard this even from one that I know was not a freind to powerful preaching, and yet his conſcience was ſo farr convinced from it; becauſe the wiſdom of words and learning is there ſhewed: but that kind of way of preaching the Goſpel, it makes the Croſſe of Chriſt to be of no effect. Your flaunting preachers, when do they convert a Soul? therefore (ſaith the Apoſtle) if we preach ſo as to do good, it muſt be ſuch a preaching as is in the 18. verſ. It muſt be fooliſhneſs to (wicked) men, but to theſe that are ſaved it is the power of God, and the Wiſdom of God. wicked carnal men wil ſay, here is no Schollerſhip, no learning in ſuch a Sermon, Wel, it is fooliſhneſs to them, but to them that are ſaved, it is the power of God to Salvation. but ſuch a poor man ſayth, I know not what they ſay, But I find a power in it, my Eyes were never awakened til now, my heart was never wrought upon til now; to thoſe that are ſaved it is the power of God. If you find a power in it, that which wicked men cal fooliſhneſs; it is a good argument that you are one that ſhal be ſaved when it quickens you. And again in the 19. verſ. For it is written, I wil deſtroy the Wiſdom of the wiſe, and wil bring to nothing the underſtanding of the prudent. Al their bravery ſhal come to nothing, and then in the 23. verſ. But we preach Chriſt Crucified, unto the Jews a ſtumbling block, and unto the Greeks fooliſhneſs, And then again the 2. Chap. verſ. 1. And I Brethren when I came to you, came not with excellency of ſpeech, or of (mans) wiſdom. You wil ſay, it was becauſe Paul could not; No, Paul was an admirable Scholler, a moſt Eloquent man, he was brought up under the feet of Gamaliel; And yet this man came not with excellency of ſpeech, or Wiſdom of words declaring to them the excellencies of God, for ſaith he in the 2. verſ. I determined not to know any thing amongſt you ſave Jeſus Chriſt, and him crucified, &c. This makes the word powerful; when it comes in the evidence and demonſtration of the ſpirit, and not with entiſing words of mans Wiſdom, that your faith ſhould not ſtand in the Wiſdom of man, but in the power of God: howbeit we ſpeak Wiſdom amongſt thoſe that are perfect; There is Wiſdom in preaching.
You wil ſay, why? ſhould preachers be fool?
No, God forbid, there ſhould be the greateſt Wiſdom that can be, and this is no warrant for one to come into the Pulpet, and to ſpeak extempore, we do not come to juſtifie a raw and empty diſcourſe, that hath nothing in it but meer words, and a noiſe, but hath no ſolildity; No, let Miniſters ſtudy, and Labor to be as ſollid as they can, & ſearch into the miſteries of the Goſpel, & open the ſecrets of God, & ſo it wil prevail with the conſciences of men, & if Miniſters have any parts, there is matter enough to expreſs the parts of thoſe that are moſt able, and that which requires their ſtudy; and ſo the Apoſtle would have Timothy to ſtudy, and therefore it is no juſtifying of thoſe that do not ſtudy.
But we muſt remember we come to ſpeak in Chriſts ſteed; Chriſt certainly did not come with empty words, but he came to open the counſels of his Father, and he did reveal the, great Miſteries of the Goſpel, it was in a ſollid way, & ſo the Apoſtle, that which they ſpake was weighty and ſollid (though it was not with vain words and phraſes as I ſpake before.) But this I name the rather, (not that I direct my ſpeech ſo much to Miniſters as to you people; ſeeing you hear that this is our point; that God & Chriſt ſpeaks in the Miniſtry of the word, that therefore you ſhould deſire, and affect ſuch a kind of Miniſtry wherein God ſpeaks moſt, wherein Chriſt ſpeaks moſt; wherein you can hear the voice of God, and of Chriſt, And I know no one argument that doth more fully evidence the difference between a carnal heart, and a gratious ſpiritual heart than this. What Miniſtry doth thy heart moſt ſavour, and relliſh? …hereby you may know the temper of your hearts, One may know the temper of the body by knowing what food one doth moſt ſavour: ſo we may know the temper of the heart, by knowing what food it doth moſt relliſh; if thou doſt relliſh frothy food thy heart is according to it▪ but if thou doſt relliſh and Savour a ſpiritual Miniſtry that comes in the power and authority of God and Chriſt, that ſpeaks to thy heart and conſcience; this is an evidence, and ſign of a gracious diſpoſition in thy heart. And the truth is, in one that is fallen (or in a great meaſure) from God; if there be any ſparks of grace remayning, they wil appear in this as much as in any thing; that though his heart be grown more looſe than it was: yet ſtil he cannot but acknowledg he doth find more power in ſuch a ſpiritual Miniſtry than in another. But your carnal hearts they wil ſavour and reliſh of a Miniſtry, that is a meer word miniſtry, that hath leaſt of God and Chriſt; where there is but little of God and Chriſt in the heart, there the Miniſtry that hath leaſt of God and Chriſt is moſt relliſhed. Some Women, and ſome that are ignorant; if they hear a Sermon that hath a great deal of Greek, & latin in it that they cannot underſtand; they go away and commend his Sermon though they underſtand not any one thing of it. I have heard of an excellent ſtory of a poor begger (in Queen Blizabeths time) who heard a Sermon at the Court, and heard a great many Latine Sentences, and Eloquent ſpeeches, and the poor beggar, he follows the Miniſter when he was going away, and bleſſes God, and ſays, Oh! Maſter Doctor; I bleſs God, and thank God at my heart. The Miniſter turns about and asks him, what the matter is? Oh! Maſter Doctor ſaies he, I hope the old Religion is comming in again.
But have not the Prelates Silenced thoſe men that wrought moſt upon the heart, and conſcience? If any did preach ſo, as that their Miniſtry came to be powerful; end to prevail upon the hearts and conſciences of men; the Prelates would not let them ſtand.
CAHP. 52. How to know what kind of Miniſtry God ſpeaks moſt in.
NOw you wil ſay, How ſhal I know, what kind of Miniſtry it is wherein God did ſpeak moſt?
For the Anſwer to that, I appeal to your conſciences; what kind of preaching do you think in your conſciences there would be if Chriſt himſelf were preaching to you? How do you think that Chriſt himſelf would preach if he were here upon the Earth? That which comes neereſt to what Chriſt would preach; that you muſt favor cerrainly. Chriſt would not preach to defend ſuperſtitious vanities; for Chriſt (when he came to preach) preached ſo, as the people many times derided him, and ſcorned him: One time when he had done his Sermon they carryed him to the brow of the hil of the City, and would preſently have broken his Neck. Do but read that Sermon of Chriſt in the 5, 6, 7. Math. What preachers would you think your Courtiers to be if Chriſt were preaching to you? that, that comes neareſt to that; that Chriſt would preach, that you muſt moſt favor, and affect.
Secondly, That kind of preaching you think in your conſciences doth moſt prevaile in the authority of the word, hath humbled moſt hearts, and converted moſt ſouls, that Chriſt hath ſet his ſeal unto. I appeal unto you, what kind of preaching hath humbled moſt ſouls, and done moſt good? Hath not ſome poor country preacher, that hath preached in the evidence, and demonſtration of the ſpirit, converted more ſouls unto God than an hundered Biſhops? ſo that he may be able to ſay, at the great day of judgment (according to his meaſure) as our bleſſed Savior ſaid, Here am I, and thoſe whom thou haſt given me.
Thirdly, Examine of what ſide you be; thoſe that be of Gods ſide, they know his voice; (my ſheep hear my voice) but a ſtranger they wil not follow, take any town, and divide the people, and ſee how the Miniſter is liked, ſome are for, and ſome againſt him. But now look into the difference of their lives; of both theſe kinds of men of thoſe that are for, and thoſe that are againſt the Miniſter; ſee their different walkings; come into ſuch a place as this, (Becauſe they ſay there is a thouſand ale-houſes belonging to this place, of Stepny; I think there be hardly five that do ſavor the Miniſtery of the word, and al your prophane ones (generally) they ſpeak againſt the Miniſters. Now I appeal to your conſciences, (if you were to ſtand before God at the day of judgment) of which ſide would you be? either of the ſide of thoſe that are drunkards, ſwearers, uncleane perſons, and raylers at the Miniſtery of the word: or of the ſide of thoſe that are willing to take paines to heare the word of God, and bleſs God for the Miniſtery of his word. Certainly, that preaching hath moſt of Chriſt in it that thoſe that have moſt of the Spirit of Chriſt do moſt ſavour; fot they know the voice of Chriſt, and a ſtranger they wil not hear; they can underſtand it, though wicked and ungodly ones cannot. That is the Second uſe.
CHAP. 53.
USE 3. We ſhould delight in the Word.
A Third Uſe of the point is this; Is the miniſtry of the word ſuch, as hath God and Chriſt ſpeaking in it? Oh then! How ſhould we delight in it? How ſhould we bleſs God for it? With what greedineſs ſhould we come to hear at any time? What? is not the voice of Jeſus Chriſt ſweet unto us? We have Chriſt wooing of us, Chriſt exhorting of us, and Chriſt comforting of us. When we come to the Word, O! with what readineſs, and cheerfulneſs ſhould we come to hear the voice of Chriſt? [If you be Godly, Chriſt doth delight in your voice] when you are gotten alone in your Cloſets, and can ſpeak but brokenly, O then! your voice is delightful to him: Therefore the voice of Chriſt ſhould be very delightful unto you. I wil give you a Text or two for proof of this; Cant. 2.14. It is a ſpeech of Chriſt to the Church; O my dove! that are in the clefts of the rock, in the ſecret places of the ſtairs: let me ſee thy countenance, let me hear thy voice, for ſweet is thy voice and thy countenance is comly. O! let me hear thy voice my dove; O! thou that art in the ſecret places of the ſtairs; Art thou got alone into a hole to prayer? got alone behind the dore in the ſecret places? (for it is ſpoken here of the eſtate of the Church in times of perſecution that they dare not come together openly, (howſoever wicked men wil raile at them, and ſay, they get into corners to do thus and thus) but ſaith Chriſt, thou that art in the clefts of the rocks; in the ſecret places of the ſtairs, let me hear thy voice; for thy voice is ſweet, and thy countenance is comely. Againſt in the 4. Cant. 11. Thy lips drop as the hony-combe, O my Spouſe! When the Saints ſpeak of Chriſt, or ſpeak to Chriſt, their lips do drop before Chriſt as the hony-comb. Now what an argument is this? Shal thy lips be ſo ſweet to Chriſt, and ſhal not Chriſts lips be as ſweet to thee? the Miniſtry of the word is as if Chriſt did entreat thee, and beſeech thee; O! how ſweet ſhould it be to thee if thou haſt the Spirit of Chriſt? the Church of Chriſt doth anſwer what Chriſt ſaid of her lips, and of her Voice, and of her Mouth: ſo the Church doth anſwer to Chriſt in the 5. Cant. mark what the Church ſaith of his Mouth, what an Eccho is here, and an anſwer to prayer? ſaith Chriſt to the Church, Thy lips (O my Spouſe) are as the hony-comb: And thy mouth (O my Saviour) is moſt ſweet. In John. 3.29. he ſaith there, That the friend of the Bridegroom which ſtands, and hears the Bridegroomes voice, rejoiceth greatly. If thou be the ſpouſe of Chriſt, thou wilt rejoice to hear the voice of the Brdegroom, and every time thou comeſt to hear a conſcionable Sermon, thou do'ſt come to hear the very Voyce of the Bridegroom, and thou canſt not but rejoyce in it, O! how ſweet is one word of Chriſt to a gracious heart? and the ſpiritual communion with Chriſt here upon earth; it is in his ordinances; we ſhal hereafter be alwaies in his preſence, and ſee his face: But if he would have any evidence that we ſhal have communion with him in heaven, we muſt Rejoyce in the hearing of his word.