Christs Alarm to Drowsy Saints, Sermon 8
Revel. 3. 1.
Theſe things, ſaith hee, that hath the ſeven Spirits of God, and the ſeven Starres.
And the ſeven Starres.
THe Doctrine we continue yet in, is, That Chriſt hath the ſeven Stars, he hath all the Miniſters of the Church. I told you he is ſaid to have them five wayes. Firſt, hee hath the ſending of them; they have their Miſſion from him. Secondly, hee hath the delegating of them; they have their Commiſſion from him. Thirdly, hee hath the gifting of them; they have their abilities from him. Fourthly, hee hath the proſpering of them; they have the ſucceſſe of their labours from him. Fifthly, he hath the diſpoſing of them, either for placing, or removing, for freedome, or reſtraint.
The firſt three I have handled already; the laſt whereof was this; That Hee hath the gifting of his Miniſters; As Paul ſayes, Hee hath made us able Miniſters of the New Teſtament, 2 Cor. 3. 6. This was one of the ends of his Aſcenſion; Hee aſcended up on high, hee led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men, Epheſ. 4. 8. Thus the Text ſayes of the Apoſtles, they preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with ſignes following, Mark. 16. 20. So Paul had great gifts, and abilities, which he calls the ſignes of an Apoſtle. Truely, the ſignes of an Apoſtle were wrought among you, in all patience, with ſignes and wonders, and mighty deeds, 2 Cor. 12. 12. they that are not competently, at the leaſt, gifted for the Miniſtery, they ſhew no ſigne that they are the Miniſters of Jeſus Chriſt. Chriſt gives all his Miniſters a gift of utterance, a gift of ſpeaking to the Conſcience, a gift of dividing of the Word aright, mighty deeds. They may all ſay to the people, Truely, the ſignes of a Miniſter of Jeſus Chriſt hath been wrought among you. Theſe gifts are the witneſſes, whereby he gives witneſſe to a man, that hee comes from God to a people, as Paul ſayes, God alſo bearing them witneſſe, both with ſignes and wonders, and with divers Miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghoſt, according to his own will, Heb. 2. 4. I confeſſe ſuch wonders and Miracles are now ceaſed; I, but the gifts of the Holy Ghoſt, are powred out ſtill upon all the true Miniſters of Chriſt, and theſe are Gods witneſſes, that people may know they are ſent of Jeſus Chriſt.
I ſhewed you how Miniſters have need of excellent and rare gifts; I, and you have need that they ſhould bee wellgifted, that ſo they may be able to doe you good:
Firſt, for the interpreting of the Scriptures, they are a ſealed and a claſped booke, they are ſhut up naturally to a man. It is ſaid of Chriſt, that He opened the Scriptures, Luc. 24. 32. So, a Miniſter had need of gifts to open the Scriptures; to give out the ſenſe, as the Prieſts in Nehemiah did, St. John wept, when no man could open the ſealed book. When a Pariſh hath a Miniſter that cannot open the ſealed Book, it is enough to make good people weep and lament.
Secondly, they have need of gifts to teach. He that would teach, had need to be an able man, as the Apoſtle ſayes, that are able to teach, 2 Tim. 2. 2. The ſervant of the Lord muſt bee apt to teach, 2 Tim. 2. 24. there is a gift of fitneſſe and aptneſſe, without which a man cannot be a good teacher.
Thirdly, they have need of gifts to be able to convince, it requires a great art to ſpeak irrefragably to mens mindes. Many truthes the hearts of men doe not like, and therefore they labour to put them off. And therefore a Miniſter had need of a gift of convincing, That he may be able by ſound Doctrine to convince the gainſayers, Tit. 1. 9. as it is ſaid of Stephen, they were not able to withſtand the ſpirit, and the wiſdome by which he ſpake, Act. 6. 10.
Fourthly, to move the affections; a Miniſter is not onelyonly to informe mens judgements, but alſo to work on their affections, as Peter ſayes, I think it meet as long as I am in this tabernacle, to ſtirre you up, 2 Pet. 1. 13. a Miniſter is to ſtirre up his people, to ſtirre their hearts and affections: as Paul ſayes: Knowing therefore the terrour of the Lord, we perſwade men, 2 Cor. 5. 11. that is, wee labour to ſtirre your affections, Chriſt ſent a Seraphim with a live coale to touch Iſaiah his lips, Eſa. 6. 6. we had need of fire coales in our lips, to heat your affections. Religion conſiſts in the will and affections of men, more then in any other faculty of the ſoule.
Fifthly, To ſpeak Pro re natâ, a Miniſter hath need of extemporary abilities, to bee able upon ſhort warning, when Severus, Auguſtines Brother, failed him one day, hee was faine to goe up extempore into the Pulpit himſelf and Preach. A Miniſter may come into the company of his people, now if hee bee not habitually furniſht, how unprofitable will hee bee? Saint Paul ſayes, when he came among his people, he would impart unto them ſome ſpirituall gift, Rom. 1. 11.
Sixthly, A Miniſter had need of abilities to obſerve ſeaſons, that Aarons bells may be wiſely rung, ſometimes in one tune, ſometimes in another, as occaſion ſerves, A word ſitly ſpoken in due time, is like apples of gold, in pictures of ſilver, Prov. 25. 11.
The uſe of this was Firſt, here we ſee that a Miniſter hadUſe 1. not need be a foole, no; he muſt bee a well-gifted man. He that winneth ſoules is wiſe, Pro. 11. 30. hee muſt bee one that may winne ſoules, and therefore he muſt be a wiſe man, when the heart hath ſo many wiles, and ſo many put-offs, and ſo many evaſions, and diſtinctions, and excuſes, and ſtrongholds, hee had need bee a wiſe man that will goe about to catch it. There is ſome wiſdome required to catch birdes, and beaſts, and fiſhes, and vermine; becauſe they are all ſubtill in their kinde, how much more, to catch the heart? This is Onus humeris angelorum for midandum, as Chryſoſt. ſpeaks. Who is ſufficient for theſe things, ſayes the Apoſtle? 2 Cor. 2. 16. The beſt of us all may bluſh to thinke how unfit we are to bee Miniſters: and therefore how ſhould wee bleſſe God, if he fit any of us in any ſuitable meaſure?
Secondly, another Uſe was, Then they are none of ChriſtsUſe 2. Miniſters that are not gifted for this mighty worke. Will he ſend a foole on ſuch a weighty Meſſage as this is? Hee that ſendeth a Meſſage by the hand of a foole, cutteth off the feet and drinketh dammage, Prov. 26. 6. There is great dammage in the Church, becauſe ſo many fooles have the handling of Gods meſſage. But I let this paſſe.
Thirdly, Hence we learn then, whether to goe for gifts, ifUſe 3. we would be inabled to our callings, let us goe to our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, that hath the ſeven Starres in his hands, he can make our influences ſtrong, our light mighty; he can give us a gift of boldneſſe, to fear no mans face; Hee can untye our ſtammering tongues, that they ſhall have liberty in ſpeaking, that words may flow in; Hee can make our tongues a ſharpe ſword; Hee can fire our hearts and lips. While the Apoſtles were together in prayer, Act. 1. 14. the Lord Jeſus Chriſt ſent down the Holy Ghoſt on them in fiery tongues, Act. 2. 1.
Fourthly, This ſhould teach us to ſtirre up the gifts thatUſe 4. hee gives us; we ſhould ſtrive to put them all forth, as Paul ſayes to Timothy, Stirre up the gift that is in thee by the putting on of hands, 2 Tim. 1. 6. we muſt ſtirre up the gift that is in us: when father Iſaac would Propheſie to his ſons, he ſtirred up his ſpirit with ſavoury meat: when Eliſhah would Prophecy before the three Kings, he called for a ſacred Minſtrell, to ſtirre up the Spirit of Prophecy in him: ſo Samp ſon uſed to goe and ſhake himſelf, when he went againſt the Philiſtims; as Deborah, while ſhe was at her work in Gods worſhip: Awake, awake Deborah, ſayes ſhee; ſhee ſhook up her ſelf; wee ſhould labour to uſe all our gifts to the full, as the Apoſtle ſayes, Make full proof of thy Miniſtery, 2 Tim. 4. 5. ſo, wee ſhould make full proof of every one of our gifts, put them out to the utmoſt. Miniſters ſhould be able to ſay, as Paul does, I have fully preached the Goſpel of Chriſt, Rom. 15. 19. to preach fully, to convince fully, to exhort fully, fully to terrifie the hearts of the wicked, not to uſe our gifts by halves. O, how ſhall wee anſwer it, if we let our gifts ruſt for want of ſound uſing of them?
Fifthly, Wee ſhould rely more on Chriſt, we may truſtUſe 5. too much to our notes; but, O that we could truſt more in Chriſt, that is warmeſt matter that comes down from Heaven in the ſpeaking, not that we ſhould leave all without ſtudy, till wee come into our Pulpits, and then hope to have it given us in that moment; No, we muſt prepare as much as we can: as Solomon ſayes, Prepare thy work without, and make it fit for thy ſelf in the field, and afterwards build thy houſe, Pro. 24. 27. So, we muſt prepare our Sermons, and make them fit for our people in our ſtudies, and then come and preach them, Give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to Doctrine, ſayes the Apoſtle, 1 Tim. 4. 13. God gives gifts by meanes, but then if we would truſt Chriſt for his preſent aſſiſtance, and …erne up to him for prompting, it would make our Miniſtery more lively. When a Sermon is an act of Faith, that's it that does moſt good, then Chriſts Spirit Preaches, and not wee, then, then God ſpeaks, and not our notes, as the Prophet David ſayes, The Spirit of the Lord ſpake by mee, 2 Sam. 23. 2.
Sixthly, this ſhould teach the people of God, if theyUſe 6. would have their Miniſters inabled indeed, to doe their ſoules good; to pray for them, that Chriſt would more furniſh them. How often does the Apoſtle tell the people, that Miniſters might have greater gifts, if they had a heart! O ſayes hee, Pray for mee, that I may have utterance, and that I may ſpeak boldly, &c. Epheſ. 6. 19. q. d. if yee have a heart to pray, I doe verily think that I ſhall bee the more aſſiſted, a great deale. The truth is, God uſes to puniſh people thus, becauſe they are dead and dull, and have no heart, and are weary of the Word; therefore hee with-holds from his Miniſter on purpoſe, to plague them; as God told Ezekiel: Son of man, thou ſhalt bee dumb, and when thou wouldſt reprove, thou ſhalt be tongue-tyed, thy tongue ſhall cleave to the roof of thy mouth: now mark the reaſon; why? for they are a rebellious houſe, Ezek. 3. 26.
But I will recapitulate no more of what I have delivered. Thus ye have heard the third thing, how Chriſt hath the gifting of his Miniſters? They have their gifts and abilities from him. Now I proceed on to the fourth. That he hath the proſpering of them: They have the ſucceſſe of their labours from Ieſus Chriſt. Chriſt bids us preach, Repent, repent, but it is he that muſt give the Repentance; So, Paul preached to Lydia, and had good ſucceſſe, for the text ſhews how ſhe was converted by his Miniſtery: But, it was God that opened her heart. As Rebeccah cookt the Veniſon, but Iſaac gave the bleſſing. So we may cooke the Word for you, but the bleſſing is in Chriſts hands, as the Apoſtle ſayes. We are Miniſters by whom ye Beleeved, even as the Lord gave to every man, 1 Cor. 3. 5. that is, when wee preached among you we had good ſucceſſe, you beleeved. What? as we would our ſelves? No, Alas we would faine have had you all to Beleeve but even as the Lord gave to every man, the ſucceſſe was as he would; ſoto ſome he gave only conviction by the word to ſome onelyonly knowledge, to ſome good reformations, to ſome a true faith. It was as he was pleaſed to give to every man. So when he preached unto other Gentiles he confeſſes, looke what good ſucceſſe he had, he had from Jeſus Chriſt. I will not dare to ſpeake of any of thoſe things which Chriſt hath not wrought by me, to make the Gentiles obedient by Word and deed. Rom. 15. 18. that is, as who ſhould ſay, that the Gentiles did heare me, that they were brought to obedience in word and deed, that I had ſo good ſucceſſe in my labours; God forbid I ſhould ſay or thinke it was my doing. I dare not ſay ſo for a world. No, no, It was Chriſt, and hee alone that did worke by me as his poore Inſtrument. I have all my good ſucceſſe from him. The ſucceſſe is meerly as he will. If he will be pleaſed to give ſo good ſucceſſe, Peter ſhall convert 3000 at one Sermon. But if he be pleaſed to deny a good ſucceſſe, the Prophet Eſay ſhall preach in the reigne of 4 Kings, about foureſcore yeares and convert hardly one, as he ſayes to Iſrael, as the Apoſtle quotes him. All the day long I have ſtretched forth my hands unto a diſobedient and a gainſaying people. Rom. 10. 21. All ſucceſſes are of God, and therefore much more ſucceſſe here. Let it be in any calling. As for example, fiſhing; that when a man goes a fiſhing, he ſindes good ſucceſſe, this is of God. Simon and his company toyled all night and tooke nothing. But when Chriſt came and gave them good ſucceſſe, then they incloſed a great multitude of fiſhes, two ſhipfull of fiſhes at one draught, Luk. 5. 5. So when a man runnes, who ſhall get the Goale; the man may runne, but whether he ſhall get the Goale, that he cannot tell. When a man fights, the man may fight, and be the better man of the two, but whether ſhall overcome, that is uncertain unto them; the ſucceſſe is of God, as Solomon ſayes, The race is not to the ſwift, nor the battaile to the ſtrong, nor riches to the wiſe, time and chance happens to them all, Eccle. 9. 11. that is, not as though the ſwift doe not ſometimes get the race, and the ſtrong the Victory, and wiſe men riches, yet they doe many times; namely, when God gives ſucceſſe, otherwiſe they doe not. How many times doe men goe about buſineſſes, and in all likelihood, they might hit well, yet how often doe they not? the Lord will have us ſee that ſucceſſe is from him.
Now if it be ſo in outward things, how much more here, in other things, the work is more in the mans hands, and the thing is traceable to him, but it is not ſo here: VVee may labour to convert Soules, but this work is not in our hands, the uſing of the meanes, the Lord Jeſus Chriſt puts that into our hands; but the doing of the deed, the ſucceſſe is onelyonly from him.
Firſt, Becauſe we are nothing in this worke. We may be ſomething at other workes, we may ſtudy, and in an ordinary providence we may make a Sermon. But when we come to preach, it is not an ordinary providence that will make us to convert ſoules; no, here we are nothing, Paul may plant, and Apollos may water, Now marke what followes, he does not onelyonly ſay, it is God that gives the increaſe. Paul may plant, and Apollos may water, but God gives the increaſe. 1 Cor. 3. 6. that is, all their ſucceſſe and all the fruit of their labour is from God. That is not all he ſayes. But in the ſeventh verſe, ſayes he. Neither is he that planteth any thing, nor he that watereth any thing, but God that giveth the increaſe. As if he ſhould ſay, as excellent gifts as theſe men had, they did nothing in this worke, the whole ſucceſſe is of God. Beloved we can but ſet before you, life and death, we can but tell you thus ye will be damned, and thus and thus ye may be ſaved. But it is God that muſt bleſſe this unto you. Otherwiſe we can doe nothing. We may preach our hearts out; and yet you'l to hell, doe we what we can, except the Lord break your careere. Eliſha's man could lay his Maſters ſtaffe upon the child, but the child ſtirred not, till Eliſha came himſelfe, and then the child was raiſed. So we can but lay our Maſters ſtaffe upon your dead ſoules, But except our Maſter come himſelf, ne're a dead ſoule will ſtand up: what is all our preaching, and dreſſing up of our Sermons, like the riging of the ſayles, thats nothing except the wind blow. The Spirit of Chriſt is the winde, except hee blow upon you, we are nothing: the tampering on the Organs is nothing, but when the breath comes, then there is muſique; So, we may keep adoe to turne your hearts, but till God breath into you, there is nothing done. True, the preaching of the Goſpel is a very powerfull thing; I, when Chriſts arme goes along with it, it is the ſword of the Spirit, but if the Spirits arme be not with it, we may brandiſh it here every week, and doe little; as Scanderbagge ſaid: One hearing what mighty feats Scanderbagges ſword had done, ſent for it, and when he ſaw it, he made nothing of it: Is this the Sword that hath done ſuch great exploits? whats this Sword more than other ſwords? O, ſayes Scanderbagge, I ſent thee my ſword, but not my arme, that did handle it. So, my Brethren, the word which wee preach, is but Chriſts ſword; God ſends you his ſword many times, when he keeps his arme to himſelf, and ſo nothing is done. So then, we are nothing, and therefore all ſucceſſe is of Chriſt. Firſt, our wills are nothing to doe it, we may will to doe you good, but Converts cannot bee made by our wills, as the Evangeliſt ſayes, Joh. 1. 13. Secondly, our paines and labours are nothing; we may labour and take paines, but look Eſa. 49. 4. Thirdly, our gifts are nothing; who had better gifts than Chriſt had, as hee was man? and yet that would not doe it, Joh. 12. 38. Fourthly, our Prayers are nothing, they may doe ſomething, ſometimes, but except God be pleaſed to give ſucceſſe, they are nothing, Jeremiah prayed, Jer. 14. 7, 8, 9. yet the Lord told him, that ſhould not doe it, ver. 11.
Secondly, the Converſion of Soules, is a ſupernaturall work; we that are Miniſters, preach to make men new creatures, to turn Leopards into Kids, as if we ſhould preach to make Blackamores white, the dead alive, which is a work for God alone to doe, and therefore the ſucceſſe muſt needs be from him, Alas, what are we able to doe? as the Apoſtle ſayes, You are Gods wormanſhip in Chriſt Jeſus, created to good works, Epheſ. 2. 10. we are his inſtruments, that's true indeed, but yee are his workmanſhip, you are the Epiſtle of Chriſt, adminiſtred by us; Writen, not with Inke, but with the Spirit of the living God, 2 Cor. 3. 3. The Epiſtle of Chriſt, but miniſtred indeed by Chriſt, his is the hand, wee are but the pen; when we bid you repent, and beleeve, and be holy, and godly, and heavenly minded men; deny your ſelves, be dead to the world, and alive to God, come out of Satans power, come into Chriſts Kingdom: it is like Ezekiels bidding of the dead bones to gather fleſh, and ſtand up living men. All the ſucceſſe muſt needs be of God.
And therefore what does this teach us? The Uſe of it is:Uſe 1. Firſt, That we that are the Miniſters of God, can but make tryall whether we can convert our people, or no; as the Apoſtle ſpeaks, proving, if at any time, God will give them repentance, 2 Tim. 2. 25. ſo it is in ſome of your Bibles, ſo, we muſt make proofe: we muſt try; come into the Pulpit every week, and try, ſharpen our nailes as ſharp as we can, and ſtrike them as farre in as we can, and ſo try, often try, as the wiſeman ſpeaks in another caſe, In the morning ſow thy ſeed, and in the evening let not thy hand reſt, for thou knoweſt not whether ſhall proſper, this, or that, or both, Eccle. 11. 6. So Jeremiah did, hee would try; firſt, hee went to the poorer ſort, to ſee whether they would hearken unto him; when he had no ſucceſſe there, then thought he, I will try the great men, I will get mee to the great men, Jer. 5. 5. we ſhould make aſſayes, we doe not know, may be God will give us good ſucceſſe, we muſt make aſſayes, as it is ſaid of Paul and Silas, That they aſſayed to goe into Bithynia, but the Spirit ſuffered them not, Act. 16. 7. O, thought they, here bee a great many ſoules in this Countrey, we will try, whether there be any for Chriſt, yea, or no. Indeed, they found that they had no ſucceſſe in their attempt. But they made an aſſay though.
Secondly, This teacheth us to wait, though we have notUſe 2. ſucceſſe preſently, yet we ſhould wait, all ſucceſſe is from Chriſt, and therefore it is fit we ſhould wait for it, and therefore a Miniſter is commanded to be patient. The ſervant of the Lord muſt be gentle to all men, apt to teach, patient, 2 Tim. 2. 24. q. d. he hath not the ſucceſſe in his own hands, to have it when he will; no, though he doe no good yet, nor yet, hee muſt be patient. He is not apt to teach poore people elſe, except he be patient, as he is not fit to teach a dull Schollar, that is over-haſty. And therefore, my Brethren, though we have loſt all our labour hitherto on the moſt of you, yet now again we ſpeak to you, come, will ye yet go to heaven? come are ye yet in the minde to hearken and obey? wee come to you once more, will ye yet, &c. as Jeremiah ſayes, Woe unto thee, O Jeruſalem, wilt thou not bee made clean? when ſhall it once be? Jer. 13. 27. Beloved, wee are dull Schollars in Religion, and people are hard to take their learning in this kinde, and therefore if we would be apt to teach, wee muſt be patient, what though we ſee no good yet, this muſt not make us out of heart, or to grudge our paines, we muſt bee patient ſtill, wee are to think, may be the next time I preach God will give me good ſucceſſe, Iſaiah and Paul gave not over, though they had cauſe to complain.
Thirdly, This may ſerve to condemn all the world, whetherUse 3. the Goſpel comes, and ſpecially us hereabouts, that doe not let Miniſters have any good ſucceſſe, you will ſay, how doe I make this uſe of it? If all the Miniſters ſucceſſe be from Chriſt, then one would think, this were an excuſe unto people.
I anſwer; no, the meaning of the Doctrine is this, that the people are ſo contrary to the Word, ſuch enemies to the wayes of Jeſus Chriſt, that a Miniſter can look for no ſucceſſe, except the Lord turn their hearts: This is the meaning of the point. Does this excuſe any? what, does your enmity againſt Chriſt and all goodneſſe afford you any excuſe? nay, this aggravates your ſin. Now this is the meaning of it. As Saint Paul, when he ſpake, how little ſucceſſe he and all the reſt of his fellow-Apoſtles had, hee layes the blame upon the people; All the day long, I have ſtretched out my hands againſt a diſobedient and a gainſaying people, Rom. 10. 21. So the Prophet Iſaiah, from whom theſe words are taken, complaines of the unfruitfulneſſe of his Miniſtery, as being the peoples fault, and therefore he complaines of them unto God; Lord who hath beleeved our report, Eſay. 53. 1. The conſcience of man knows this to bee true, for hee knows hee ſinnes willingly, and hee knows hee would not doe otherwiſe, hee daily feeleth Gods Spirit haling him to good, and telling him he ought to live thus and thus, and yet he is loath and will not, he inclines the other way, and rather would do as he does, then as he knows God would have him: what is this but contempt? and indeed this is the great ſin of this Land, the contempt of the Goſpel, people count it not a precious, but a tedious thing. Never merry world (ſayes ſome) ſince we had ſo much Preaching: as if the Sun ſhone too bright; like the Iſraelites who ſtumbled at the plenty of Manna: Nay, they are akin to the Devils, who asked Chriſt if hee were come to torment them; they account the Goſpel a torment, becauſe it croſſeth their luſts, and lets in ſo much light. Theſe can ſpend dayes and nights in vanity, but an houre at a Sermon is tedious, if they had any delight in the Word, they would not care though their Miniſter ſtood ſomewhat long. Though Zachary ſtayed long in the Temple, yet the people waited for him till hee came out, Luk. 1. 21. they marvelled indeed he ſtayed ſo long; but the Spirit of God notes, that they waited for him. But our people ſit upon thornes at a Sermon, but they can lye ſoaking at an alebench as though they ſate upon ſoft cuſhions. The Onions of Egipt have a better taſte with them, than the Quailes of the Wilderneſſe. They had rather live at the Hogs-trough, than in their Fathers houſe. With the Gadarens they parfer their Pigges before our Saviour Chriſt. O ſay they, we cannot live by Sermons; Sermons are too holy and ſtrait for them. Bid them take up Chriſts yoake, they care not for it except it were wider. The Miniſtery hath no ſucceſſe at all with them unto any purpoſe. What a thing is this Brethren! Whence is it that wee regard the Goſpel no more? The ſooth is, people know not their damned eſtate, neither will they beleeve it, though we tell them; nay, they care not whether they hear it or no. But if they knew the goodneſſe of it, they would run from Eaſt to Weſt for it, if drunkards, and worldlings, and ſuch rabble, knew their fearfull eſtate, the Miniſter ſhould be as welcome to them, as bread to the hungry, or a pardon to a Theif; So that yee ſee this condemneth them deeply, that the Word hath no ſucceſſe with. Thus yee ſee the Miniſters of Chriſt have all ſucceſſe from Chriſt, if any one ſoule come in at their teaching, it is an evident ſigne, it is of Jeſus Chriſt; for otherwiſe people hold off, ſome hold off altogether, others yeeld a little way, but will not yeeld full out; if a man yeeld to us indeed, it is meerly by Jeſus Chriſt.
Now I will ſhew you, that as a Miniſter hath all his good ſucceſſe of his labours from Jeſus Chriſt. So if he be a true Miniſter of Chriſt, Chriſt uſes to give him good ſucceſſe. When Chriſt put Peter into the Miniſtery. He told him from hence forth thou ſhalt catch men. Luk. 5. 10. That is, as I have made thee a Miniſter, So thou ſhalt have good ſucceſſe. They ſhall have ſome good ſucceſſe, as we ſee in the ſence though three parts fell into hard ground, yet ſome fell into good ground, Mar. 4. 8. Nay, though Chriſts Miniſters come into the moſt Deſperate places that can be, as we read in the Acts of the Apoſtles, notwithſtanding the places they went to, were deepely rooted in Idolatry and full of perſecuting Jewes, and they were ready to be ſtoned to death, the people were ſo madde againſt their Doctrine; yet they never Preached any where, but they had good ſucceſſe with ſome. When Paul came to Theſſalonica, the text notes, ſome of them beleeved, and joyned in Company with him. Act. 17. 4. When he came to Athens, though ſome mocked, and ſome hung in ſuſpence, like Neuters, that were neither fiſh, nor fleſh, howbeit certaine men clave unto Paul, and beleeved Act. 17. 34. So when he came to Rome. Though ſome ſtood out, yet ſome were perſwaded, Act. 28. 24. Yea when Philip came to Samaria, though it was a Towne, that was bewitcht, full of ſorcery and witchcraft, and they had even given their ſoules to the Devill. A Miniſter could hardly come into a worſe Towne, yet the people gave heed to thoſe things that he ſpake. Act. 8. 6. Nay, the context ſhewes he had marveilous good ſucceſſe, the Lord maketh that precious account of the Miniſters of the Goſpell, that he never beſtowes it upon any place, where he hath not ſome elect; other bleſſings God beſtows more promiſcuouſly, Reprobates have as great plenty as others. All things come a like to all. But this bleſſing he gives to no place, where he hath not ſome to ſave. Either ſome in the Towne, or ſome there abouts.
The uſe of this is, firſt, Here we are to enquire then whatUſe 1. may be the reaſon that Chriſts Miniſters have ſo little ſucceſſe now adayes. Firſt, Some Miniſters have the leſſe ſucceſſe by rayſing up of others that have greater. As Calvin after Luther. Luther had admirable ſucceſſe for a time, and then when Calvin came, he did increaſe, and Luther did decreaſe. So John obſerved of himſelfe, he had admirable ſucceſſe for a time, but when Chriſt came, John had the leſſe. He muſt increaſe but I muſt decreaſe. Joh. 3. 30. Againe, it may be peoples unthankfulneſſe, for the Miniſtry of the Word. When people have had the Word along time, and yet they will not obey it, may be God ſayes to them as he did to the Fig-tree, Never fruit grow on thee more, while the world ſtandeth. Then God ſends Eſay to make the heart of the people fat. Then Jeremiahs errands moſt an end to plucke up and to pull downe. Then John is to ſay, He that is filthy let him be filthy ſtill. Then Hoſea cryes, Ephraim is joyned unto Idols; let him alone.
Thirdly, Some Miniſters may be have the leſſe ſucceſſe, for their owne fault in not ſpeading of the net, when their preaching is little better then reading. True, it may be a man may be converted by reading, as Luther ſayes he was. And John Huſſe by reading Wiclefes bookes. Auſten ſayes he was converted by reading the 13. of the Romans and the 14. verſ. There is a Bleſſing that may be looked for by reading. Bleſſed is he that readeth Rev. 1. 3. But this is very rare. There may a fiſh or two hang on the net, being let downe on a heape, but that is a chance. No, no, it is not the net lapped up together that bringeth in the draught, but hayled out at length and ſpread all abroad, this cloſeth in the fiſh. So it is the ſpreading of the Word, the ſtretching of it out upon every ſoule preſent, this is the way to catch ſome: When a Miniſter labours to hit all.
Fourthly, ſome Miniſters may be unſucceſſefull for not preaching roughly enough. Beloved our times are knotty times. Rough hewing is needful. Now people had need heare of hell and damnation, and wrath and vengeance, againſt their ſins, Some ſave with feare, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks, plucking them out of the fire, Jude 23.
Fifthly, Again, May bee a Miniſters ſucceſſe is not ſeen, may be he is ſucceſſefull, though he ſhall not live to ſee it, as Chriſt ſayes, One ſowes and another reaps, Joh. 4. 37. as the Prophets ſowed, and the Apoſtles reapt: So, Beloved, we may ſow now, and thoſe that come after us, may bee they ſhall be the reapers. The preſent age, now may ſow ſeed for the ſucceeding. Arbores ſerit, quae alteri proſuit saeculo. As the Chinah make their diſhes: the Fathers lay them into the fire, and the third generation after takes them out. Though we doe not ſee our ſeeds to come up; may be we meet with no harveſt, this may be our comfort, if we can but ſow, for others afterwards to reap. Let us have a care of ſowing, many a man that now hears the word, and now is brought up under a good teaching Miniſtery, though yet he doe not obey it, who knows what God will doe? may be God may caſt him into ſome horrible affliction yet before he dyes, and ſling terrour into his Soule, and then what we have delivered may doe him good: And therefore we ſhould never lin ſowing, though wee never ſee the Harveſt: this ſhould bee our comfort, that the ground hath the ſeed. Let us ſtill powre in good examples into our people; Parents into their children, Maſters into their ſervants, Miniſters into their hearers, let God alone with it, when, and what, and where the Harveſt ſhall bee.
Laſtly, Some Miniſters are not godly, and then how can they looke for good ſucceſſe? as God ſayes, If they had ſtood in my Counſell, and cauſed my people to heare my words, then they ſhould have turned them from their evill way, Jer. 23. 22. I dare not ſay abſolutely, that a carnall Miniſter ſhall never have good ſucceſſe in his Miniſtery. As if a Miniſter ſhould conclude hee were a good man, becauſe God hath bleſſed his labours; No, that is not a good argument: for,
Firſt, It is the Word that converts, and not the perſon of the ſpeaker, I dare not tye God to the goodneſſe of any mans perſon. God, as he is a Creator he is a wiſe God, and can write well with a bad pen, and cut well with a blunt naughty knife.
Secondly, Such may bee ſent of God, and gifted for the Miniſtery, and therefore for all that I know, they may bee an Organ of converſion ſometimes.
Thirdly, Paul rejoyced that Chriſt was preached by the falſe Apoſtles, though it were but of envy, Phil. 1. 15, 16, 17, 18. you will ſay, how could he rejoyce in that? that was a wicked manner of Preaching. Why ſurely hee could not rejoyce in it, but that hee did think that it might doe ſome good.
Fourthly, This may bee thus, or elſe, no man can be aſſured of his ſalvation: For, if a carnall Miniſter cannot be the meanes of converſion, &c.
Fifthly, They may ſay at laſt day, Lord, Lord, wee have Propheſied in thy name, and in thy name have we caſt out devils, and yet Chriſt will ſay unto them, I know you not, &c.
Sixthly, Why elſe does our Saviour Chriſt bid people heare the Scribes and Phariſees, but that he implies, they may be a meanes of good to them.
Seventhly, Judas was ſent out to Preach, Matth. 10. 4. Chriſt ſaid to him as well as the reſt, When yee goe Preach, ſaying, the Kingdome of Heaven is at hand, ver. 7.
Eightly, Experience hath found this to bee true; ſome godly ſoules have confeſſed this very thing, that ſuch as now they ſee to be palpably carnall, have been the means of their converſion, &c. Many helpt Noah to build his Arke that periſhed in the waters. God may make the crowing of a Cock, to be a meanes of a wakning Peters Conſcience. The temptations of the Devill, to be the means of Luthers quickning: and therefore, I doe not ſimply affirm that carnall Miniſters cannot convert. But this I ſay, it is a very rare thing, as Chriſt ſayes, If the blinde lead the blinde, both ſhall fall into the ditch, Matth. 15. 14. So, if a Hypocrite lead a hypocrite, the Drunkard lead the drunkard, &c. It is a woe to a Pariſh, when their Miniſters are not godly: Woe to the City ſayes God, Zeph. 3. 1. why ſo? Her Prophets are light perſons, ver. 4. Woe to ſuch Townes whoſe Miniſters will goe to the Alehouſe, whoſe Miniſters will keep company, and bee haile fellow with every vain fellow, whoſe Miniſters will embrace this preſent world, whoſe Miniſters are proud, and envious, and malicious, that give a bad example to the people, that depend upon their charge. Woe to them, ſayes God. The curſe of God is upon ſuch Pariſhes. God hath hardly any intention to ſave ſuch peoples ſoules. Or, if he have any of his Elect there, God will ſave them ſome other way; as God told the naughty Shepheards. I, even I will ſearch out my ſheep and ſeek them out, Ezek. 34. 11. that is, I will ſearch them out ſome other way, I will not do it by you. and therefore when he hath a minde to ſave a poore people, he ſends good Miniſters among them, or them to good ones. Turn o backſliding children, ſayes God, and I will take you, one of a city, and two of a family, and I will give you Paſtors according to my heart, Jer. 3. 14. &c. God would have none but wiſe-hearted men to work in his manuall Tabernacle, Exod. 35. 10. how then doe we think he will let fooles, as all carnall Miniſters are? &c. Saint Paul ſaid, it was a part of the hope that he had in the preſence of Chriſt, at his comming, that God had made him the inſtrument of gaining ſoules to his Kingdome. For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoycing, are not even you in the preſence of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, at his comming? 1 Theſſ. 2. 19. and hath made a promiſe to ſuch as convert ſoules; ſo runs the Promiſe, They that turn others to righteouſneſſe, ſhall ſhine as the ſtars, Dan. 12. 3. indeed this is but a ſecondary evidence of Salvation, &c. O, Beloved, if we could convert any of your Soules, what a comfort would it be? whereas, if a man be a wicked man, what hope can he have that God will bleſſe his labors? nay, he hath ſaid expreſſely, that if a man will not obey the voyce of the Lord: curſed ſhall he be in the field, and in the houſe, and ſo in the Pulpit, in his ſtudies, he cannot look for Gods aſſiſtance, as God told the wicked Prieſts: I will curſe all your bleſsings, if ye will not lay it to heart, Mal. 2. 2.
Secondly, Another Vſe is, does Chriſt uſe to bleſſe andUſe 2. proſper his true Miniſters? then let us labour to get this bleſſing of him. Let us ſeek to him to give us good ſucceſſe, O how eager is Paul every where in prayer to God for good ſucceſſe?
Thirdly, Another Vſe is, if we have not the ſucceſſe thatUſe 3. we could wiſh, let us not bee diſcouraged; as the Prophet Iſaiah ſayes, My labour is with the Lord: though Iſrael be not gathered, yet ſhall I be glorious, Eſa. 49. 4, 5. The Husbandman looſeth by an ill crop; I, but if wee bee faithfull, wee ſhall not looſe, though our crop be never ſo ill, if we have plowed well, and ſown well, no matter what the crop bee, wee ſhall have our pay. If I preach and you repent not, it ſhall never repent me of my paines, I will preach ſtill. For though my preaching be not a ſweet ſavour, yet it ſhall bee to God, even in thee, and thou ſhalt ſmart for it; and therefore let us not ceaſe working, many a draught the poore fiſher man makes and takes nothing, yet hee leaves not off; many a time is the net of Preaching ſhot forth, and yet none converted thereby. So it pleaſeth God to exerciſe the patience of his ſervants. Yet ſtill the work muſt bee followed, and the Lords leiſure muſt be waited for. Oftentimes the net taketh fiſh, and they ſlip out again; So, there bee many that ſeem to be pulled in by the Goſpell, nevertheleſſe they ſlide away again. Again, there is oftentimes brought in into the net, that which is yet good for nothing when it is got, there comes in frogges, and weeds, and a great deale of traſh, which in the end are caſt away, and yet for love of the fiſh, the fiſherman is content to hale all in that hee can; So, Beloved, wee draw in many hypocrites, many that prove nought, and yet for hope of good fiſh, wee muſt ſtill bee a labouring, and may be wee may have a good Harveſt yet, though yet wee ſee little likeli-hood. Bee not weary of welldoing, ſayes the Apoſtle, for mee ſhall reape if wee faint not. Gal. 6. 9.
Fourthly, another Vſe is to you, that you doe not wilfully ſtand out, to deprive us of good ſucceſſe. The ſhrewdeſt turn you can doe your poore Miniſters, is to deprive them of the joy of their labours; the way to rejoyce them, is to imbrace the Goſpell they preach, it will bee heavy for you when wee ſhall groane to God, that we could not perſwade any of you. If thou wilt not now hear that which may profit thee, thou ſhalt heare one day that which ſhall make thy heart ake. Goe ye curſed into everlaſting fire. O, remember Sodome, and do not ſtand out againſt the Miniſters that come from Jeſus Chriſt to you.