Christs Alarm to Drowsy Saints, Sermon 3
Revel. 3. 1.
And unto the Angell of the Church in Sardis, write: theſe things, ſaith hee that hath the ſeven Spirits of God, and the ſeven Starres. I know thy works, that thou haſt a name, that thou liveſt and art dead.
And unto the Angel of the Church in Sardis, write.
YEE have had two Doctrines from hence, concerning Gods Miniſters: I told you there is one more, and then I have done, and ſo will proceed. The Doctrine is this:
That a Miniſter may bee in fault, that the people are dead, that they have no more heart to good things, that they are ſo ignorant, ſo cold, ſo ungodly, ſo worldly, ſo vain as they are.
I ſay the Miniſter may bee in the fault; The point is very clear from this place. The Lord being to reprove the people here of Sardis, for their deadneſſe in Religion, he directs his reproof to their Miniſter. To the Angel of the Church in Sardis, write: I know thy works, that thou haſt a name, that thou liveſt and art dead.
Hee accuſes the Miniſter for the deadneſſe of the Church, that was committed to his charge, hee meanes the Church, but hee ſpeakes to the Miniſter. You will ſay, how doe yee prove that hee means the Church? I Anſwer, there be three places that doe manifeſt the ſame. The one is Revel. 1. 4. There John tells us, that hee indeed writes to the Churches, for that in the inſcription of every Epiſtle, the Miniſter onelyonly bee named. John to the ſeven Churches in Aſia. So that this latter is ſent to the Church that is in Sardis. John meanes it to the Church, and not onelyonly to the Miniſter. A ſecond place is Rev. 1. 11. what thou ſeeſt write to the ſeven Churches in Aſia, to Epheſus, to Smyrna, to Pergamus, to Thyatira, to Sardis, to Philadelphia, and Laodicea. The third is, the concluſion of every Epiſtle. Where it is ſaid thus: Hee that hath an eare, let him hear what the Spirit ſaith unto the Churches, Rev. 3. 6. and ſo it is at the cloſure of every Letter, to all the reſt of the Churches, and therefore the Holy Ghoſt there accuſes the Church of Sardis of deadneſſe. I know thy works that thou art dead, and yet hee directs it to the Miniſter of the Church, as a thing that concernes him, and that may bee laid to his charge, and that hee is faulty in. To the Angel of the Church in Sardis write. I know thy works that thou haſt a name, that thou liveſt and art dead. That is, thou haſt a dead-hearted people, and thou art the cauſe of it: Thou doſt not doe thy duty, thou doſt not doe what lies in thee for to quicken them. But thou art too remiſſe in thy Miniſtery, and therefore their deadneſſe may bee imputed unto thee. Thus you ſee the Doctrine is very plain from the words. The good or bad eſtate of a people dependeth much upon the Miniſter. Commonly wee ſee it ſo fall out, as the Prophet Hoſea ſaid, Like people, like Prieſt, Hoſ. 4. 9. Like ſheepherd like ſheep. Such as the builder is, ſuch is the building, as is the Husbandman, ſo is the husbandry. This wee may finde throughout all theſe Epiſtles, where the Miniſter is commended, the people are commended. Where the Miniſter is taxed, the people are taxed. And therefore they ſtand and fall together, they ſwim and ſink together, a wicked Miniſter, a wicked people, an ignorant Miniſter, an ignorant people; and ſo a good Miniſter, the people either are a good people, or elſe they are Monſters; nay, if the Miniſter bee good, though the world in his Pariſh bee never ſo wretched, yet hee hath a good people, the Church of God in his Pariſh, is very good, commonly.
Well then, wee have gotten our point out. The Miniſter may bee in fault, that the people are dead, I doe not ſay, it is alwaies thus. For firſt, the Miniſter may bee lively, and yet the people dead. The Lord tells us that Ezekiel had a ſtiffehearted people, Ezek. 2. 4. and yet hee was not to bee blamed, themſelves were in all the fault. So Iſaiah had a dullhearted people: All the day long have I ſtretched out my hands to a diſobedient and gain-ſaying people, Rom. 10. 21. and therefore I doe not ſay it was alwaies thus.
Nay, Secondly, ſometimes the people are the cauſe of the Miniſters deadneſſe. The Jewes hardneſſe of heart under the Miniſtery of Jonas, was the cauſe why Jonas had no heart to goe unto Niniveh. O thought hee, if Iſrael will not heare mee, much leſſe will Niniveh heare mee. Thus the people deaded Jeremiah at one time, that hee had little or no heart to preach for a fit. Then I ſaid, I will not make mention of him, nor ſpeak any more in his name, Jer. 20. 9. Thus Ezekiel was deaded a while, by his people too. I came to them of the Captivity at Telabib, and I ſate where they ſate, and remained there aſtoniſht among them ſeven daies, Ezek. 3. 15. The Lord was fain to rowze his heart up, and to tell him hee would require their blood of him, before hee could pluck up a good heart to Preach livelily among them; The people deaded him. Nay more,
Thirdly, ſometimes the Lord locks up his good Miniſters, and ſuffers them to bee ſtraitned in their utterance, and other gifts. May bee the people are ready to lay all the blame upon their Miniſters. O how tongue-tyed are they! and it is their negligence, and torpor: Whereas it is for the peoples ſinnes, thus the Lord lockt up Ezekiel, for the peoples ſinnes. I will make thy tongue cleave to the roofe of thy mouth, and thou ſhalt bee dumb, and ſhalt not bee to them areprover, for they are a rebellious houſe, Ezek. 3. 26. Nay,
Fourthly, Sometimes peoples ſinnes are the cauſe why their Miniſters are quite dead, and have no life at all in them, the Lord ſends fooliſh Miniſters among them, meerely becauſe of their ſinnes. So it was in Hoſea's time. The Prophet is a foole, the ſpirituall man is mad, for the multitudes of thy iniquity, Hoſ. 9. 7. Mark, they had fooles for their Miniſters; fooles, beſotted Miniſters, giddy Miniſters, Miniſters that were wilde, and like mad men; you will ſay, theſe were the cauſes of much ſin to the people: No, ſaith the Text, the peoples ſinnes were the cauſe of ſuch Miniſters. The Prephet is a foole, the ſpirituall man mad, for the multitude of thine iniquity. Theſe foure exceptions then there been of the point. Otherwiſe the point is too too true, that the Miniſter may bee in fault that the people are dead.
You ſee here the Church of Sardis was grown dead, and the Lord faults the Angel of the Church for it. I know thy works that thou art dead. The like is ſaid of Laodicea. Loadicea, was grown horrible lukewarme, no zeale of God, they were neither hot nor cold, and the Lord imputes it to the Angel of Laodicea: I know thy works, that thou art neither hot nor cold, and therefore I will ſpue thee out of my mouth, Revel. 3. 14, 15, 16. The ſame is ſaid of the Church of Epheſus, that they had left their firſt love, and yet the Lord hits the Angell in the teeth with it. I have ſomewhat againſt thee, becauſe thou haſt left thy firſt love, Rev. 2. 4. Beloved, the laſt day I ſpake of the Miniſters concord and unity, to the Angel of the Church, all the Miniſters ſhould bee as one man, as if they made up one and the ſame Angel. And therefore our Saviour Chriſt made choyce of Brethren, and Kinksfolkes. Simon and Andrew his Brother, James and John his Brother. St. Peters bark is a fiſher-boat, not a man of Warre, it is not furniſht with mortall Engines, but onelyonly with nets to catch fiſh. If Peter were reproved for drawing upon Malchus, what reproofe had hee been worthy of, if hee had drawn upon any of his fellows? this was the Theme, that wee ſpake of the laſt day. Now then let us ſpeak of the influence that a Miniſter hath in his people, hee may bee the cauſe of his peoples deadneſſe, if hee doe not take heed. And this hee may bee three waies; firſt, by his not preaching; ſecondly, by his dead manner of preaching; thirdly, by his dead manner of Life, and Converſation.
Firſt, I ſay, by his not preaching, yee know the Word of God is the word of life, Phil. 2. 16. The Word is that which quickeneth the heart, as David ſaith, Thy Word hath quickned mee, Pſal. 119. 50. Now when Miniſters doe not preach it, this deads peoples hearts. Wee ſee this in thoſe places where the due preaching of the Word is wanting, people are dead to all goodneſſe; nay, they that had ſome quickneſſe in them before, doe loſe them more and more: As Solomon ſaith, Where there is no viſion the people periſh, Prov. 29. 18. that is, where preaching is defective, the people die, they are ſpiritually dead in treſpaſſes, and in ſins. Can a man live without bread, or without food? no more can people live without conſtant preaching. The Word is the bread of life, now when this is not broken unto people, they muſt needs dye. Mark, how Zachary deſcribes them that are without preaching, They are ſuch as fit in darkneſſe, and in the ſhadow of death, Luk. 1. 79. that is, they are blinde and ignorant, and liveleſſe, dead while they live, they are wicked, and abominable, in the power of Satan, under the wrath of God, ſtrangers from the life of God; ſuch Miniſters as doe not preach conſtantly, they are ſoule-murtherers, they are guilty of their peoples blood, they doe not give them that which ſhould quicken them up unto eternall life, they ſhould quicken them up unto newneſſe of life, but they doe not; they ſhould powre in the words of eternall life into their hearts, but they doe not; people are naturally dead to Prayer, and dead to communion with God, and dead to all holineſſe, they have no heart to pureneſſe and righteouſneſſe of walking, and ſuch Miniſters doe not ſtudy to revive them.
Secondly, as a Miniſter may bee the cauſe of his peoples deadneſſe by his not Preaching, ſo he may be the cauſe of their deadneſſe by his Preaching, when the manner of it is dead. Preaching may be dead in the manner of it, 7 waies,
Firſt, When it is too generall, when they preach onelyonly in generall. That which wee ſay is very good, for the generall, but wee doe not apply our ſelves, to every particular mans Conſcience, this …eads peoples hearts. Beloved, it is particular Preaching that does people good. When Nathan told David, Thou are the man, 2 Sam. 12. 7. this ſtirred Davids heart. When Peter had ſaid to his hearers, Yee have crucifyed Chriſt, Act. 2. 36. This prickt them to the heart. Generall preaching cannot quicken. Firſt, becauſe generalls cannot act. Actio eſt ſingularium, as wee ſay. Its onelyonly a particular, works. Let a man preach home and in particular, and this will work on the hearers. This made Michah a powerfull Preacher, when hee preached particularly to his peoples Conſcience. Truely, I am full of power by the Spirit of the Lord, and of judgement, and of might, to declare unto Jacob his tranſgreſſion, and to Iſrael his ſin, Mich. 3. 8. this made him a powerfull Prophet to quicken up his people, becauſe hee told every man his ſin, and ſmote every man conſcience for his tranſgreſſion. No man is ſtirred till hee feeles his caſe laid open, till hee ſees the Miniſter beates upon him, and hit him; till the Miniſter treads hard upon his toes, hee will never cry out.
Secondly, Generall Preaching leaves the Sermon to the people to apply it; now the people will never apply it while the world ſtands. Nay, David himſelf would not apply, as long as Nathan dealt with him in generall, as long as Nathan was ſpeaking of a man in the clouds, a rich man that had wronged a poore man, Davids heart was as whole as a fiſh, till hee came to Thou art Him. Now hee cries out, I have ſinned. Nathan was fain to make application. For David would never have done it elſe: Will a truantly Boy ever whip himſelf? the Maſter may lay the rod before him, but except the Maſter lay it on, hee will goe ſcot-free if hee can. The words of the wiſe are as goods and as nailes faſtened by the Maſters of Aſſemblies, Eccleſ. 12. 11. Mark, the Maſters of Aſſemblies muſt faſten them into the poſt, lay the nailes by, the poſt it ſelf will never knock them in; So, though the Sermon bee never ſo good a naile; yet hee muſt knock it in, the people will never doe it. The Prophet Jehu muſt come and ſay to Jehoſaphat, Shouldſt thou help the ungodly? Wrath is upon thee from the Lord, 2 Chron. 19. 2. Hee faſtened in the naile; though Jehoſaphat were a good man, yet the Prophet knew he would not do it. Nay, people are ſo farre from applying the word unto themſelves, that they will apply it to any body elſe rather than to themſelves, the Miniſter met with ſuch a one to day, there was a leſſon for him: But none will ſay, this was for mee, and I am a vile wretch, and vengeance hangs over mee, unleſſe I doe amend, and therefore certainly generall Peaching, is a dead manner of preaching.
Thirdly, Generall Preaching is confuſed, when Miniſters tell people they muſt repent, and beleeve, and ſerve God, and bee godly, and carry themſelves well, in all their places and callings. When they doe thus in generall, this is like, as if the trump ſhould give an uncertain ſound, like the noiſe in a battle, a confuſed noiſe, as the Prophet ſpeaks, Eſa. 9. 5. Like the confuſion in Epheſus, Great is Diana of the Epheſians, they kept a great ſtirre, Act. 19. 32. the Text ſaith, The aſſembly was confuſed, and the more part knew not wherefore they were come together, ſo while wee preach onelyonly in the generall, Great is the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, and wee are great ſinners, and great is the need of repentance, but wee neither tell the people how, nor when, nor who, nor what: may bee our Sermons may keep ſome pudder in mens Conſciences, but people have no diſtinct edification, they goe away and ſay, O it was a very godly Sermon, I pray God give us grace to follow it! But no man is the better. They heare admirable things about repentance, but they are not taught how to goe about it, there they are at a loſſe. They remember gracious things about the ſerving of God, and about a good Conſcience, and the like. But they know not how in the earth to ſet about theſe things to any purpoſe, if ever wee would quicken our peoples hearts, wee muſt let them ſee diſtinctly, the will of God concerning them, the particular means, and helps, and ſignes of it, the particular motives, and Arguments to it, the particular circumſtances of it, the particular hinderances; lets, and impediments of doing of it, and you can never doe the will of God, as long as yee doe thus and thus, and this courſe will break your neck, this practiſe of yours will bee your utter undoing: when people heare diſtinct Preaching, this doth them good, if any thing will. Generall Preaching is like the ſetting of good Phyſick before the Patient, without giving him directions for the taking of it.
Fourthly, Generall Preaching is deceitfull, Eſt dolus in generalibus, as wee ſay, there is deceit in the generalls, wee Preach that people muſt love God, and feare him, and thank him, and they muſt bee new men, and they muſt leave their ſinnes, and they muſt Pray, and hear the Word, and they muſt doe every thing to Gods glory. Now mark what deceit there is in ſuch preaching as this; this is in the generall: People goe away, and deceive themſelves in the particular. They think they ſerve God, and they love God, or elſe they were not worthy to live; they think they ſay their Prayers every day, and that they are thankfull unto him, they never eate their meat, but they ſay Grace, they never recover out of ſi…kneſſe, but they bleſſe God; Whereas if we ſhould deale with theſe men in particular, it would appear, they are haters of God, they are graceleſſe and unthankfull wretches; they never prayed true Prayer to God in all their lives: hence it is that people generally like a generall Miniſter, Why? they can goe along with ſuch a man and be heart-whole. But now if a particular Miniſter ſhould come and tell them they are worldly, and mockers of God and all goodneſſe, as they are in very good deed; they cannot abide him, they would duplicate page duplicate page ſay wherein? Such were the Jewes under the overly Miniſtery of the Prieſts. When Malachy dealt particularly with them, ſaith hee, Yee have deſpiſed the name of the Lord: Wherin ſay they? Mal. 1. 6. Yee have wearied the Lord with your words: Wherein, ſay they, have wee wearied him? Mal. 2. 17. Yee have robbed God: Wherein have wee robbed him, ſay they? Mal. 3. 8. Your words have been ſtout againſt the Lord, yet their anſwer was, Wherein have wee ſpoken ſo much againſt the Lord? Mal. 3. 13. Alas, alas! their Prieſts had taught them onelyonly in generall, and therefore when the Prophet was to deale particularly with them, and told them what vile courſes they took, they cryed, wherein? and whereof? and why doe you ſay ſo of us? hee was forced to come to particulars. Otherwiſe they would have gone away and bleſſed themſelves.
Fifthly, Generall Preaching lets people ſee their ſinnes if they will. But beloved this will doe no good, if wee let you ſee your ſins, if you will; wee muſt make you ſee your ſinnes. Son of man, cauſe Jeruſalem to know her abominations, Ezek. 16. 2. Wee muſt not onelyonly let you underſtand, if yee will, it is ſaid of the good Prieſts, that they cauſed the people to underſtand, Neh. 8. 8. Naturally people love their own ſelves and their luſts, and they will not ſee them till they needs muſt, they doe not love to bee preciſe, they will not willingly yeeld that they muſt bee ſo ſtrict, and ſo mortified, as the Lord Jeſus will have them, if they mean to bee ſaved, and therefore if they can put it off they will; ſhew them there is a difference between people and people, ſome are the people of God, and ſome are the children of the devill, ſome are the redeemed of Chriſt, and ſome have nothing to doe with Chriſt, ſome are clean, and ſome are unclean; though wee ſhow them the difference between theſe two, they will ſhut their eies if they can. Generall preaching does no more, it ſhews them theſe things. But may be neither the Miniſter nor they will ſee for all that, now wee muſt cauſe them to diſcern whether they wil or no, if we can. They ſhall teach my people the difference between the holy and profane, & cauſe them to diſcerne between the uncleane, & the clean, Ezek. 44. 23. that is, tell them this is unclean, and this is clean; ſuch and ſuch perſons are prophane, and ſuch are holy: Hold it before their eyes, cauſe them to diſcern; this is the way to quicken mens hearts. Now Generall preaching does not doe thus. It onelyonly puts the truth before men, that they may ſee if they will, but if they will not, it does not urge them, this deads our people, and does them no good, for people will not bee awakened, as long as they can ſhift it.
Sixthly, Generall Preaching is a-loft and a-loofe off, particular preaching is the moſt cloſe, and the moſt plain, and the moſt ſenſible preaching of all, if any Preaching will ſink into peoples heads, this will: it makes the truth even ſenſible after a ſort, as King James ſaid of a Reverend Biſhop of this Land, that is now dead and gone: This man, ſaith hee, Preaches as if death were at my back. So a preſſe Preacher preaches, as if death were at a mans back, as if judgement and hell were at a mans back, hee brings the point home to the ſoules door, foreign.Ariſt. Metaph. l. 1. Generalls are not plain. Ignorant people are moſt led by ſenſe. People may live ſeven yeers under a generall Teacher, and bee never the nearer, ſuch a Miniſtery breeds onelyonly ſwimming knowledge, it does not lay the Truth at every mans doore; may bee they get knowledge, but their knowledge does them little good: it is ſaid of the good Levites, that they taught the people the good knowledge of the Lord, 2 Chron. 30. 22. That is, ſuch a knowledge of the Lord, as made the people good, they laid the Truth at every mans doore, they preacht to the people as if … were at their backs. They did livelily teach them, … informe them, this did them good. Generall preaching is like an Arrow ſhot at rovers, that does not hit the mark, as if the Miniſter would lay his Sermon on his Cuſhion, and never dart it into his peoples boſomes. Alas Brethren! if people doe not feele our points at their backs, and like ſpeares in their ſides, and ſwords in their bellies, they will feele nothing, it is naked preaching, when wee make mens eſtates even viſible before their eyes, when wee preach ſo of Gods wrath, as if they ſaw it, when wee ſo ſet out Chriſt, as if hee were palpable to mens ſenſes, this quickens and no other, as Paul ſaith: O fooliſh Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that yee ſhould not obey the truth, before whoſe eyes Jeſus Chriſt hath been evidently ſet forth, and crucified among you? Gal. 3. 1. Mark, how ſenſibly hee had preached Chriſt to them, even as if hee had held him before their eies, and therfore hee ſaith, they were even bewitcht that they could not ſee them; q. d. how is it poſſible that yee ſhould not ſee him, that yee ſhould not obey the truth, where it hath been ſo ſenſibly preached unto you, and painted to the life, even before your very eyes! If any Preaching will quicken, this will, and therefore Generall Preaching, that will not doe the deed.
Seventhly, Generall Preaching is againſt the nature of Preaching, for wherefore is preaching, but to take the word of God, and apply it unto people in particular, it is called the dividing of the word of truth aright, 2 Tim. 2. 15. When the Miniſter is a good carver, to divide to every man his portion: Conviction to the ignorant; reproofe to the offender; terrour to the obſtinate; comfort to the broken heart; judgement to the wicked; mercy to the Saints, and true penitent ſoules; Then the Miniſter applies it unto every man. Preachers are Gods Harveſt-men, as our Saviour Chriſt ſaith: Pray yee the Lord of the Harveſt, that hee would ſend forth labourers▪ … his Harveſt, Matth. 9. 38. Now Harveſt-men, what▪ …? Doe they onelyonly bring a ſithe or a ſickle into the field, and give a ſlaſh, a generall ſlaſh, at one Corn of the field, as though that would fetch down all the Corn? No, they apply it to the Corn, to reap it down. The preaching of a Generall Sermon is but a ſickle, now except it bee applyed to all the people, it is not the way to reap in Gods harveſt. Preachers are called Chriſts ſeed-men: The ſower went out to ſow his ſeed, Luk. 8. 5. Now what does the ſeedsman? does hee onelyonly bring in a ſack of ſeed, and powre it all on a heap in the field? does hee think that every ſpot of ground will draw it unto it ſelf? No, hee ſprinkles it, and diſperſes it abroad, that every Lea may have its part. Whence comes that fooliſh conceit, that reading is Preaching, a tenet which many hold? the truth is, it comes from hence, becauſe Generall preaching is made by moſt Miniſters to ſerve the turn; Now, if this were Preaching, reading were Preaching indeed: But this is no preaching, preaching is the opening of the Word of God, and the applying of it, according as every man hath need. The not doing of this leaves poore people in their hardneſſe and deadneſſe of heart. This is the firſt. Generall Preaching is ſuch a manner of preaching, as leaves the heart dead.
Secondly, Morall Preaching is a dead manner of preaching. When Miniſters preach honeſt matter, but doe not goe to the quick, they ſtrike at the boughes: They preach againſt Drunkenneſſe, and intemperance, and malice, and hatred, and tale-bearing, and lying, and covetouſneſſe, and making of ſhews, it is very good to preach againſt theſe things, and wee muſt too, and let them know they are farre from the Kingdome of God that live in theſe or any other ſuch luſts. But alas! this is onelyonly to ſtrike at the boughes. If we would awake the Conſcience indeed, wee muſt preach deeper then ſo. The axe is laid at the roote of the tree, Mat. 3. 10. John the Baptiſt was a lively Preacher; now the Text ſhews hee did not onelyonly ſtrike at the boughes, but hee laid his axe at the roote of the tree. When Miniſters preach onelyonly good morall matter, this kinde of preaching does not quicken.
Firſt, Becauſe Morall preaching does not hit all, many are very Morall people, that have not one whit of grace in their hearts. True, this may hit ſome. Paul told Felix of his intemperance, and how that there was a day of Judgement to judge all ſuch perſons, this made him tremble. Felix trembled, ſaith the Text, Act. 24. 25. I ſay, morall preaching may ſtartle ſome, but it does not ſtartle all. Many Heathens have been ſober and temperate, and true in their ſpeeches; and juſt in their dealings; and loving in their carriages; and painfull in their callings; as Paul ſaith, they have done by Nature, the things contained in the Law. Now yee know the Heathens are without grace, and are not acquainted with God, neither have they any communion with God, Powre out thy wrath upon the Heathen, that know thee not, Jer. 10. 25. Mark, they have no communion with God, they doe not know Jeſus Chriſt, nor the myſteries of ſaving Grace. So that a man may bee very finely morall, and yet bee without grace. Now then, if a Miniſter ſhould content himſelf with good morall teaching, many would goe away, and conclude well of their own eſtates, though they have no grace.
Secondly, Morall preaching, thoſe that it does hit, it does them indeed ſome good, but it does them not the good, it never quickens them up unto eternall life; it ſeemeth to civillize their lives, and to reforme them a little, but it never reneweth them, neither does it put them into Jeſus Chriſt: Let a Drunkard heare hee is a damned wretch, if hee do not give over his drunkenneſſe, if this Sermon hit him, what does hee ſay? why then I will bee ſober, and I will never bee a drunkard more. And I can tell you, this is very rare too. But ſuppoſe it bee, hee may goe to hell for all this. Suppoſe wee doe make all our people morall, which were a fine thing if wee could, but grant wee could, this does not quicken them together with Chriſt; No, no, a man muſt ſee his vile nature, and loathe himſelf, and bee made to deny himſelfe, to mortifie his carnall reaſon, to put off his corrupt will, to feele his curſed condition in himſelf, to bee emptyed of himſelf, that Chriſt may bee all in all to him, that hee may bee led by the Spirit of Chriſt, and guided by the word of Chriſt, that hee may hang onelyonly upon the promiſes of God in Chriſt, that his minde may bee taken up with Chriſt, and his thoughts and affections daily bee laboured to bee fixed upon the things above, none are alive unto God, but ſuch, Now Morall preaching will never doe this.
God-forbid, I ſhould ſpeak againſt Morall preaching abſolutely, or againſt Morality it ſelf, it is a very good thing; Who will not commend Abimelech for the integrity of his heart, that hee pleaded before God? Gen. 20. 5. Yee know how the Lord himſelf liked of it; who will not ſay but that the young man in the Goſpel, was a very commendable man, that had obſerved all theſe from his youth: Nay, the Text ſaith, That Chriſt, in ſome ſenſe, did love him, Mark. 10. 21. Daniel told Nebuchadnezzar what an excellent thing Morality was. O! ſaith he, If thou wilt break off thy ſins, and bee righteous, hee means Morall righteouſneſſe towards man; if thou wilt ſhew mercy to the poore, it may bee God will lengthen thy tranquillity, Dan. 4. 27. The Prophet Eſay tell the Moabites, what a deale of good they might doe to themſelves, if they would but bee morally honeſt: ſaith hee, Take Counſell, execute Judgement, hide the outcaſts, let mine out-caſts bee with thee, Eſa. 16. 3. Q. d. If thou wilt bee kinde and loving to my people, thou ſhalt fare the better. When the King of Babylon puniſhed the wickedneſſe of Tyre, the Lord rewarded them very richly for it. I have given him the Land of Egypt for his labour, ſaith God, becauſe he wrought for mee, Ezek. 29. 20. Morall goodneſſe is commended of God, as well as ſpirituall goodneſſe in Jeſus Chriſt; Nay, it is needfull that Miniſters ſhould inſiſt very much in preſſing of morall duties, and the godly are to bee willing to hear ſuch Sermons, to look to juſt dealing, to Civill honeſty, to juſtice between man and man; How aboundant is the Scripture in urging this Theme! it is thought by ſome, there is no Divinity in this, and ſuch a Miniſter is not deep enough, and why does hee ſtand ſo much upon ſuch things as theſe, which the light of nature calls for. But theſe doe greatly erre, the Holy Ghoſt is carefull to urge ſuch duties as theſe, to bee honeſt. Walk honeſtly towards them that are without, ſaith the Apoſtle, 1 Theſſ. 4. 12. Let us walk honeſtly as in the day, ſaith hee, Rom. 13. 13. Provide things honeſt in the ſight of all men, Rom. 12. 17. Nay, honeſty, civill honeſty between man and man is a ſweet thing; the Apoſtle himſelf brings it among other things, as a teſtimony of his ſincerity: Wee truſt wee have a good conſcience in all things willing to live honeſtly, Heb. 13. 18. O it is an excellent beauty to a ſervant of Jeſus Chriſt, when his Moralls are ſound, and exemplary, and there cannot bee any thing that will make the profeſſion of Religion odious in the eies of the world, then want of Morality, when Chriſtians faile palpably in their Moralls. May bee ſuch a one thou wilt think, comes farre ſhort of thee in grace, in the knowledge of good, in the beleife of the Truth, in a ſpirituall in-ſight into the myſtery of Chriſt; O then count it a ſhame that hee ſhould goe before thee in the keeping of his Word. There cannot be a greater diſ-honour unto God, than when a naturall man ſhall bee able to accuſe thee of any diſ-honeſty in any kinde. The Spirit of God ſets it down as a great ſhame upon Sarah, that Abimelech, a Heathen man ſhould be able to reprove her; Thus was ſhee reproved, ſaith the Text, Gen. 20. 16. When Jacob perceived that his ſonnes had ſinned againſt morall honeſty, there in the matter of Shechem: O, ſaith hee, yee have made mee to ſtink among the Inhabitants of the land, Gen. 34. 30. Yee have troubled mee, ſaith hee, it was a great griefe of heart to the good man, hee knew this would bee a great diſ-honour to God, as well as a ſhame unto himſelfe; and therefore God forbid I ſhould ſpeak againſt a Miniſters ſpeaking for morality.
Yet, Beloved this know, that this is not enough, a man may profeſſe the name of Chriſt, and thinke verily that hee Beleeves in Ieſus Chriſt and be a very admirable morall man and yet never quickned up to the grace of life. Saint Paul ſhewes this plainly in himſelf. I might have confidence in the fleſh, if any other man might truſt to that, I might be circumciſed the eighth day: of the ſtocke of Jeſſe: of the Tribe of Benjamin: an Hebrew, of the Hebrews: as touching the Law, a Phariſee: Phil. 3. 4, 5, 6, 9. if any fine-carriaged man under heaven could hope he is right; I could before my converſion. I was admitted into the Congregation of Chriſt by the Sacrament of Circumciſion: I was borne in the true Church of God, I had godly Parents, I was of the Common-wealth of Iſrael, Nay, I was a Phariſee, which was ſo admirable a ſtrict order, that after his converſion, he was not aſhamed to be ſtill called a Phariſee. I am a Phariſee, and the ſonne of a Phariſee ſayes he. Act. 23. 6. He cals himſelf a Phariſee ſtill: Nay he was zealous, and concerning the righteouſneſſe of the Law, he was a very blameleſſe man, ſo that if any faire cariaged man under Heaven were right, hee was right. But the truth is S. Paul Confeſſes that when God came to opon his eyes, he finde that he was a dead man, a vile wretch he ſhews, he had gone ſheere to hell for all this, if God had not converted him. So that morality is a poore thing. And yet people makes it their Idoll and truſt to it, and thinke certainely they are the children of God, certainly they ſhall have mercy, certainly they ſhall to heaven. And how many Miniſters make this to be true Religion, and preach nothing but this? This then is another way, whereby Miniſters doe leave a dead Congregation by morall preaching.
Thirdly, A flat preaching, is, when there is no keenneſſe in our Sermons, when we do not ſtrive to ſtagger mens conſciences that are to be ſtaggered. When a man goes on in a track, Preaches true doctrine, though it were to be wiſhed that more Miniſters would do thus: This does not hunt the heart out of its owne ſtarting holes: this Miniſtery leaves people dead. It is ſaid of our Saviour Chriſt, that the people were aſtoniſht at his Doctrine. Matt. 7. 28. he ſtun'd their conſciences: he ſet them at a ſtand, ſo if a Miniſter would quicken, hee ſhould labour to ſet the wicked at a ſtun. Yee know every wicked one gets ſomewhat or other to hang on, to hope they ſhall not be damned for all they are no better. Now when a Miniſter ſets himſelfe to put his hearers to a ſtun; ſtill to ſtartle truth in an aſtoniſhing manner, that may flaſh the bare truth into the ſoule, and to make them ſee their bad eſtates, this is quickning preaching. But when a mans Miniſtery is cold, there is nothing to ſtun the heart, their heart may have its ſtarting holes for all it, his Miniſtery does not labour to meet with them, this leaves people dead, a Miniſter that ſtill goes on in a track, can never looke to quicken.
Firſt, Becauſe a good Miniſter muſt make Conſcience to bring out new things, as our Saviour Chriſt ſpeakes: The Kingdom of Heaven is like unto an Houſholder, that bringeth out of his treaſure things new and old, Mat. 13. 52. that is, though he bring none but the old things that were brought before; Yet ſtill he brings them forth as new: He labours to keepe the Word ſtil new unto the heart, the reaſon is this, when people have once been convinced of the truth, preſently it growes ſtale to them, and ſo they are ſubject not to be quickned by it at all. O this we knew before, and ſo the heart makes little or nothing of it. I knew this before. Now when the Miniſtery of the Word darts it in a-new, and makes it looke ſtill with a freſh looke upon the Conſcience; this is a quickning Miniſtery. Like a man that keeps his Barrell ſtill freſh, when a man gives the drinker ſtill freſh from the Barrell: ſo when a Miniſter preaches ſtill freſh from the Word, But when a Miniſter does not do thus, he is like a man that gives one liquor that hath ſtood a great while in the Cup, it growes dead.
Secondly, Becauſe a good Miniſter muſt goe further and further, or elſe he cannot quicken. My meaning is this, the more people are convinced by the Word, the more ſubtleties ſtill the heart does deviſe; the more word is in the Conſcience, the more wiles the heart mints, the Devill alſo prompting thereunto: ſo that if a Miniſter doe not follow mens hearts ſtill further and further, this will leave the people dead. The reaſon is this, Becauſe when the heart hath once invented a wile to maintaine its owne hopes for all the ſame truth, we may preach the truth all the dayes of our life, it will never quicken that mans heart: becauſe ſtill when he heares that truth, he hath a wile lying by him that ſtill defends himſelf from it: ſo that there is a neceſſity for a Miniſter to go further and further. The Word of God is a deepe mine, there is no Bottome, a man may ſtill dig deeper and deeper, Thy judgements are a great deepe., Pſal. 36. 6. When the Miniſter beſieges the heart, he is to dig round about it, and dig deeper and deeper. Still as the heart beares it ſelfe, he is to come with more and more ſupplies out of the Word, againſt it. It is a ſtrange thing to ſee how deepe Miniſters have gone, and yet people arme themſelves againſt the Word of God and are not converted by it. Tell them they muſt be new Creatures, they confeſſe it, and though they be none, yet they have many faire colours to hope they are. Tell them of Communion with God, and fellowſhip with his ſonne Ieſus Chriſt, and Heavenly-mindedneſſe, and hatred of all ſin, love to univerſall obedience, plucking out their right eyes: looking at the Glory of God: not to truſt in their performances to go out of themſelves; People make a ſhift to have ſomething to anſwer all. All theſe things they hope they have done, in ſome meaſure. Now when Miniſters goe on and on, and do not goe further and further, this leaves ſuch people dead. It is ſaid of a Preacher that is wiſe, that he ſtill teaches the people knowledge. Becauſe the Preacher was wiſe, he ſtill taught the people knowledge. Eccleſ. 12. 9. That is, people could never come to him, but ſtill hee made them know more and more. You will ſay, how can a Preacher doe thus?
I Anſwer, if a Preacher bee well ſtudied in his own heart, and in the Book of God, this will help him to doe it. For ſtill as hee ſees further into his own heart, ſtill hee will ſee further into the Word of God, and let out more and more light. It is ſaid of Chriſts Miniſtery, That in it the light did ſpring up, Matth. 4. 16. So, this is a true Miniſtery indeed, when the light ſprings up in it. Yee know in a Spring, the water ſpringeth up more and more; now when a Miniſter goes on in a track, and does not doe thus, this is a deading Miniſtery. This is the third thing, Flat Preaching leaves people dead.
Fourthly, Cold Preaching too, when a Miniſter preaches coldly, when the Word floweth coldly from his mouth. When a man hides the affectionateneſſe of the Word, from the people, by the coldneſſe of his uttering of it. Beloved, the Word is full of affections: what a deale of affection is there in all the Truthes of the Goſpel; they are all ſteept in the warm blood of the Son of God, there is affection in the promiſes, they proceed from the tender bowels of God: Affection in the threatnings, they all iſſue from the infinite wrath of God againſt ſin. The Word of God is as fire, Jer. 23. 29. Now when a Miniſter ſhall preach the Word coldly, hee preaches the Word otherwiſe then it is: Hee does as much as in him lies, to hide the affectionateneſſe of the Word from the peoples hearts. Suppoſe the Town were all on fire, would yee not count the man a ridiculous man, that ſhould come to us, and tell us a cold ſtory? Sirs, let mee tell you a thing, there is a great fire in the Town, and I verily think it may burn all the Town, and you ſhould doe well to goe and quench it: This man tells us ſo indeed, but would not you count him a fool, for telling us ſuch a thing, in a cold careleſſe manner, as if it were a ſmall matter? Nature teacheth us another courſe in ſuch a caſe. Fire, fire, help, O help, for the Lords ſake, water, water, in all haſte. Alas, alas! wee are undone, quickly, quickly, run for ladders, run for buckets, run for wet cloathes; ah, you lazie villaine, run apace for iron hooks, and the like: Thus nature teaches to deliver ſuch a truth that does ſo neerly concern us, affectionately: So it is here, Brethren; what weighty things does the Word contain? Truths that our very bowels ſhould yern, and wee ſhould powre out our affections in the Pulpit, that wee may ſhew by our delivery, what they are. Now, when this is not done, this deads peoples hearts. They fit as quiet at a Sermon, though they heare of matters of life and death, eternall life, ſalvation and damnation: Yet they ſit like blocks in their ſeats, as though it were no great matter. Why, they hear one ſtanding in the Pulpit, as though hee were ſaying his leſſon; wicked people will not beleeve they are going to hell, though wee tell them, they will not beleeve the waies of Jeſus Chriſt are ſo good as they are, though wee tell them. It is a pretty ſtory of Demoſthenes, when one told him that hee was beaten and miſ-uſed by ſuch a man; it ſeemes hee told it very dreamingly, and coldly, ſhewing no affection at all; Why, ſaith Demoſthenes, hath hee beaten thee? I doe not beleeve it, No? ſaith the man: and ſo the man was as it were in a great paſſion: I am ſure thus and thus hee did to mee, and doe not you call this beating? Nay, ſaith Demoſthenes: now I beleeve hee hath beaten thee indeed. Now you ſpeak as yee had been beaten, as yee ſay. So when a Miniſter preaches unto people in a dreaming manner, though the things bee never ſo weighty, yet they will not beleeve them. He ſaith in a cold manner, that Drunkards are in a bad caſe, and ſuch and ſuch perſons are in a ſad condition, and ſaith, yee muſt repent, or you will all periſh. But people heare him ſpeak ſo frigidly of theſe things, that they will not enter into their hearts. If theſe things were preached as they ſhould bee, it would make people quake. It is ſaid of our Saviour, That when hee was teaching, the Diſciples hearts burned within them, Luk. 24. 32. Did not our hearts burn within us, when, &c. Keckerman makes that to bee the meaning of St. Matthew, where hee ſaith that our Saviour Taught with Authority, and not as the Scribes; that is, ſaith hee, hee did not preach coldly, but with life and zeale, and this went with Authority.
Now the manner of Preaching is cold, two waies, and, ſo dead.
Firſt, When it flowes not from the heart, for then it is unlikely that ever it will goe unto the heart, Pectus facit eſſe diſertos. The heart is the beſt Oratory, as Paul ſaith, What doe you weeping and breaking my heart, Act. 21. 13. they ſpake ſo heartily, and affectionately, and meltingly to him, this burſt his very heart. In the 17 of Acts the 16 verſe, it is ſaid, Pauls ſpirit was ſtirred in him, to ſee all Athens given to Idolatry: Hee was inwardly moved in his own heart, in his preaching unto them. Now if you look into the 34 verſe of that Chapter, how this quickned ſome there; Dionyſius, and Damaris, and ſome others cleaved unto him: that is, hee preached ſo movingly, that he made their very ſoules cleave unto him. Why? hee ſpake from his heart. There bee many clamorous Preachers, ſaith Galvin, who declame againſt the ſinnes of the people, and thunder againſt them, make as though they had a great deale of zeale, and yet never move a jot, becauſe themſelves have a dead heart, and a ſecure heart, the people ſee through their actings, that they are not moved themſelves, and therefore this does not move them neither: when people can ſee through a Miniſter, that hee does not preach out of his owne heart, this deadeth their hearts; God bade Ezekiel eate the Book, &c.
Secondly, The manner of preaching is cold, when the Sermon is not delivered in a lively manner; when hee preaches dully and bluntly. The Apoſtle ſhews in the firſt of the Coloſsians, that Epaphras did a great deale of good in his Miniſtery at Coloſſe. Now in the fourth of the Coloſsians, and the 13 verſe, the Apoſtle ſaith, hee was a zealous Preacher; I bear him record, ſaith hee, that hee hath a great zeale for you. But when a Miniſter hath a cold delivery, this is a great hinderance to the Word.
You will ſay, how can this bee? Is it not the ſame word whether preached coldly, or with heat? Yes, it is: But the Word hath two things in it; firſt, the bare naked truth: ſecondly, the fatherly affectionateneſſe of God in the ſame. Now a zealous Miniſter; lets the people, in ſome meaſure, ſee both. But a dull Miniſtery holds out the one, and hideth the other. Again, though the Word onelyonly convert, it is not the Miniſter that works, but the Word, yet the Miniſter is appointed of God to bee a meanes to draw peoples attentions to the word. Now when hee does it in a cold manner, the people are the more apt to let fall their intentions, and not mark it▪ Thus you ſee how a Miniſter may bee guilty of the deadneſſe of his people two waies, firſt, by his not preaching at all. Secondly, by his dead manner of preaching.
There is one more yet remaines, and that is, Thirdly, by his dead life and converſation; an evill life in the Miniſter, makes preaching ſeem vile: When hee makes it appear by his courſe, that hee makes no conſcience of framing his life according to his own teaching: Is ſtrict in the Pulpit, and diſſolute in the ſtreet: I confeſſe many are ready to quarrell with the lives of their Teachers without cauſe, as the falſe Apoſtles, with Paul, as though hee were carnall, 2 Cor. 10. 2. But when a man will bee a Miniſter, and yet walk like men hating to bee reformed, and running into the ſame exceſſe of riot with others; how doth this harden peoples hearts, and deadeth the Doctrine it ſelf? it makes preaching ſeem but a …oy. When a man will ſeem to perſwade to that which hee neglects himſelf, and to cry out againſt that, of which himſelf doth make a common practiſe. Let no man deſpiſe thee, ſayes Paul unto Timothy. You will ſay, how ſhall that be? Be you an example unto them that Beleeve. 1 Tim. 4. 12. But I am prevented of time. There is nothing that more deads a mans Miniſtery then this, when the people know in their Conſciences, that the Miniſter is as vile as one of them. Let him preach never ſo excellent things; they will ſay, alas, alas! wee know hee loves his penny, hee loves the pot, hee is not right, no more then one of us. But I am forced to give over.
The uſe of this is. Firſt, Is it ſo, that a Miniſter mayUſe 1. be the cauſe why the people are dead? Then here we ſee the reaſon why the Devill is ſo buſie to poyſon Miniſters. He knowes, if he, can poyſon Them, he can quickly poyſon all the Pariſh well-neare. Simon, Simon, Satan hath deſired to ſift thee. Luc. 22. 31. when Joſhua was exerciſing the office of the High-Prieſt, Satan ſtood at his right hand Zach. 3. 1. The Devill is like the Syrians. O ſayes he, fight neither againſt ſmall nor great, ſave only againſt the King of Iſrael: If they could ſlay him, they knew they ſhould quickly take his Armie; ſo if the Devill can take the Miniſter, he cares not. If he can make him a worldling, or a drunkard, or a Drone, or a Pluraliſt that is it he deſires. The deading of one Miniſter, deads a 100. others, if he can be a lying ſpirit in a Miniſters mouth, he is able to deceive 200. at once.
Secondly, Here we ſee that Miniſters, of all men, ſhouldUſe 2. have a care to be quickned. For if we be not quickned, Brethren, our guiltineſſe is very great, we ſhall involve many others in our ſinne: It will go hard with every private perſon that is dead to all goodneſſe: He cannot be ſaved, he cannot eſcape the ſecond death. How then can a dead Miniſter eſcape, that hath not onelyonly his owne deadneſſe to anſwer for, but alſo the deadneſſe of all his people? What ſayes the Lord to the Miniſters of the dead Churches of Sardis Repent, Repent ſayes he, leſt I come againſt thee, as a theefe, in an hower before thou art aware. Rev. 3. 3. And therefore let vsus be awakened, that wee may be quickned. Beloved, the times now are very dead, and it is wee that are the Miniſters of the Church, have let this deadnes in, our not being watchfull, our not being lively and ſtirring in our places, our not being quickened. O what wrath hangs upon us, if we doe not labour for life, that we may communicate it unto our people! The common deadneſſe up and downe ſhould be an argument unto us to excite us. When Eliſha ſaw the badneſſe of the Church in his dayes, he was very earneſt to have the ſpirit of Elias doubled upon him. 2 King. 2. 9. We have need of a double ſpirit of the good Miniſters of God that were before us, the dayes doe require it, never was there more deadneſſe then now is. There are not many that profeſſe holineſſe at all, but of them that doe; O how many are dead, and without life! now who ſhould bee a meanes to quicken people but wee?
Thirdly, This ſhould teach good people to pray for theirUſe 3. Miniſters: the more quickned the Miniſters be, it is the better for them. But if they be dead, the infection will deſcend downe into you. When Paul and Silas went out to preach, the Text ſayes. They were Commended by the Brethren to the grace of God. Act. 15. 40.
Fourthly, This ſhould be an exhortation to us of the Miniſtery,Uſe. 4. that wee would take heed unto our ſelves and to all the Church of God that is committed unto our charge: that we would rouze up our ſelves, and ſpecially now, when there was never more need. When the children of Iſrael were about to goe backe againe into Egypt, the Text ſayes, how Moſes and Aaron fell on their faces before all the Congregation of Iſrael, to beſeech them to forbeare. Num. 14. 5. They were ſo mightily affected with the peoples ſinne, that they fell upon their faces before them, q. d: For the Lords ſake, and for your own ſoules ſake, Take heed of this ſin. What! will you pull all Heaven about your eares? Will you provoke the living God againſt you? O my Brethren take heed what yee doe, ſo wee ſhould doe, we ſhould labour to be affected with our own and our peoples deadneſſe. Wee ſhould call upon them to be quickned. O be quickned, the Lord will not endure a dead people, get life if yee be wiſe, it is but a folly to have a name to live, except yee be alive indeed.
Now the way for us to quicken our people, is, Firſt, If we be good our ſelves. When Jehoſaphat would encourage the Levites to quicken up the people; Sayes he, The Lord ſhall be with the good. 2 Chron. 19. 11. Hee will bleſſe your labours, hee will ſtrengthen your Sermons to doe good, though not to all, for the greateſt part are not of God, yet unto his people. Nay if we were good indeed, wee might have hope do too much good, as it is ſaid of Barnabas he was a good man, and much people were added to the Lord. Act. 11. 24.
Againe, Secondly wee ſhould bee earneſt with God to quicken all our hearts, that ſo we may the better quicken our Brethren, as Chriſt ſayes to Peter, when thou art converted, ſtrengthen thy Brethren, ſo we ſhould deſire God to quicken us, that we may quicken our Brethren, that wee may waſh our hands of our people. What an excellent comfort was that unto Paul, When hee could take his people to record, that hee was pure from the bloud of all men! Act. 20. 26.
Thirdly; We ſhould marke which of our people are dead, Ezek. 8. 6. And then thinke, what, are not we guiltie of his deadneſſe?
Fourthly, Let us lay about us ſoundly, that we not may be guilty of their ſinnes in any kinde.
Fifthly, Another Uſe is to let us ſee, What a great dangerUſe. 5. Miniſters are in, they may be guilty of all the evill in their Pariſh, if they doe not their duty, which is a great thing to doe, they have all the ſinnes of their Pariſh lying at their doore, This ſhould keepe us from ſecurity and from pride, many grow proud that are Miniſters, but alas! they know not what an Office they have, that doe ſo. Our very Calling ſhould make our hearts tremble and quake to think what a charge is impoſed upon us. This made Moſes and Aaron and many a good man more, ſo fearfull to enter upon this function. No man takes this honour unto himſelf, ſaith the Apoſtle (meaning no godly man, no man in his right wits, no man that is well-adviſed what hee does) but hee that is called, Heb. 5. 4. as our Saviour Chriſt ſaith, Pray yee the Lord of the Harveſt that hee would ſend forth labourers into his Harveſt, Matth. 9. 38. foreign, ſo it is in the Originall, that hee would thruſt forth labourers into his Harveſt, q. d. God will have no good labourers, otherwiſe thoſe that are good are not over-forward to enter into the Miniſtery, as a Father ſayes, it is a burden that the very Angels ſhoulders would tremble under, as the Apoſtle ſaid, Who is ſufficient for theſe things? If there were no other Argument but this in the Text, it might ſway all Miniſters hearts in the world, leſt wee bee guilty of our own deadneſſe, and of others too.
Another Uſe ſhould bee to the people, that they would bee forward, and willing to hear, and greedy to drink in the word of life. The want of this is the deading of many a Miniſters heart. I was in much bitterneſſe, ſaith Ezekiel, but the hand of the Lord was ſtrong upon mee, Ezek. 3. 14. that is, I had had no heart at all to preach, but that the hand of the Lord was exceedingly aſſiſtant unto mee; whereas the forwardneſſe of people, is a great meanes to quicken up their Miniſters. When the whole City flocked in to heare Paul, though the wicked were mad at it; The Text ſaith, Hee grew bold, Act. 13. 44, 45. When the people crowded in upon our Saviour, that hee had not ſo much as time to eat bread, Mark. 3. 20. the Text ſhews that he ſo be-ſtirred himſelfe there, that his own Kinsſolk thought hee had been mad, Verſ. 21.