Christs Alarm to Drowsy Saints, Sermon 2
REVEL. 3. 1.
And unto the Angel of the Church in Sardis, write, Theſe things ſaith he that hath the ſeven Spirits of God, &c.
I Have made an entrance into the words: yee have heard the Analyſis of the whole Epiſtle, and a ſhort expoſition, or a paraphraſe upon all the verſes. Unto the Angel of the Church in Sardis, write. This is the inſcription or ſuperſcription of the letter that Chriſt would have written to the Miniſters and Chriſtians in the town of Sardis: Where firſt yee heard this point of Doctrine, That Miniſters are as the Angels of God unto their Pariſhes. When God ſends his Miniſters unto a people, it is as if he ſent his Angels from heaven unto them. But I will not trouble you with any repetitions.
The next point I foretold you of, that ariſeth out of theſe words, is this, That all the true Miniſters of the Church are all one as it were, there is or ought to be an unity between them all, even as if they were all one Angel, Unto the Angel of the Church in Sardis, write, and yet the Town was a great Town, and there were many Miniſters in it; ſo we may ſee it was in Epheſus, the text ſayes, that Paul called all the Elders of the Church of Epheſus together, and ſaid unto them, Take heed unto your ſelves, and to all the flock over the which the holy Ghost hath made you overſeers, Acts 20. 28. he ſpeakes to the Miniſters there as to many, and yet S. John is to write to them all as to one Miniſter, Unto the Angel of the Church of Epheſus, write, Rev. 2. 1. noting thus much unto us, That Miniſters ſhould be all as one Miniſter; there ſhould be a ſweet harmony and a glorious agreement, and conſent and unity between them all, even as if they were all one Miniſter; ſo that the doctrine is plain. So again, John prophecying of John Huſſe, and Jerome of Prague, and other godly Miniſters in ſucceeding ages, that ſhould mightily ſtrive againſt the primacy and domineering of the man of ſin, ſayes, There followed another Angel, ſaying, Babylon is fallen, Babylon is fallen, Rev. 14. 8. he calls them all one Miniſter, intimating unto us how that they all agree in one.
I do not mean, firſt, that if one Miniſter be a drunkard,1. that all others ſhould be ſo too; if one be a man-pleaſer and a dawber, that all others ſhould be ſo too; that if one be an ignorant Sir John, all others ſhould be ſo too; every unity is not good, there is unity as our Saviour Chriſt ſhewes, even among the very Devils in Hell. For if Satan be divided againſt Satan, how can his Kingdome ſtand? Mat. 12. 26. There is a unity among rogues and theeves, Come, ſay they, caſt in thy lot among us, and letus have one purſe, Pro▪ 1. 14. There was unity among Ahabs foure hundred falſe Prophets, they all hung together in a ſtring, Go up and proſper. All the Prophets propheſied ſo, 1 Kings 22▪ 12. as the meſſenger ſaid to Micaiah, All the Pophets propheſie good to the King with one mouth, let thy word be like theirs; be not thou ſingular, be not thou an odde fellow by thy ſelf, they all agreed in one. There was unity among the Prieſts that were met together in a Synod for the condemning of Chriſt, they all were in one note, That he was worthy to die. The Prophet obſerves that there was unity amongſt all the blind watchmen of Judah: They are all ignorant, ſayes he, they are all dumb dogges, they cannot bark, ſleeping, lying downe, loving to ſlumber, they all look to their own way, every one for his gain from his quarter, Iſai. 56. 10, 11. This is an unity the world is full of, nay and hell is full of, like the unity of Sodom againſt Lot, the men of Sodom compaſſed his houſe round, both old and young from every quarter, Gen. 19. 4. This is a Devilliſh unity, this is no true unity. True unity is in Bono, no matter how many are of one mind, and of one heart, and of one accord, if it be not an union in good, it is faction and no union, as Tertullian told the Marcionites when they brag'd of their Churches, forſooth they were the Church, ſaith hee, Waſps have their ſwarms: ſo when wicked Miniſters ſhal cry, The Church, the Church, I ſay, theſe are ſwarmes of Waſps, I doe not mean ſuch a unity; when it is not in good, the greater the unity is, the leſſe union is indeed.
Secondly, I do not mean neither, that Miniſters ſhould2. thus hang together in one, that if one be a Boanerges, a ſon of thunder, another ſhould be ſo too. For Miniſters may be different in different auditories. Husband-men ſow their ſeed according to the diverſity of their ground; the Phyſician tempers his Phyſick according to his patients conſtitution: as long as people are of ſundry diſpoſitions, ſo certainly the Miniſters manner of preaching may be various. And therefore I doe not mean ſuch an unity neither, that all Preachers ſhould be moulded alike; nay, the ſame miniſter may and muſt differ from himſelfe, ſometimes come with cordials, ſometimes with corraſives, to ſing of mercy and judgment, to preach comfort to whom comfort, and vengeance to whom vengeance belongs, to ſome hee muſt give milk, to others ſtrong meat, Heb. 13. 14. Paul had a rod as well as the ſpirit of meekneſſe. Zacharies Paſtor was to have two ſtaves, the one called Beauty, & the other cal'd Bands, & ſo he was to feed the flock, Zach. 11. 7. A Chirurgian hath aking tents as well as ſuppling oyle. The Apoſtle Paul when he was to deale with Elymas the Sorcerer, he ſet his eyes on him, and called him the child of the Devil; but when he was to deale with Sergius Paulus, he was mild with him. Our Saviour Chriſt preach't the acceptable yeare of the Lord to ſome; and to other ſome as though he were not the ſame Preacher, he had nothing but woes in his mouth. There were two mountains in Canaan, there was the bleſſing on mount Gerizim for ſome, and the curſing on mount Ebal for others.
Again thirdly, we doe not mean that all miniſters3. ſhould be the ſame in gifts and parts, and meaſure of knowledge and ſanctification; for that can never bee looked for, every Pariſh can never be provided for alike. Starres are of different magnitudes, ſome ſtarres are greater, ſome leſſer: The Angels are not all of one rank, ſome are ordinary Angels, ſome Arch-angels, ſome are Principalities, ſome are Dominions, ſome are Thrones, Coloſſ. 1. 16. and may be, thoſe that are meaneſt, ſo they be godly, and ſent of God, may doe as much good as thoſe that are more excellent; nay more, convert more, awaken more, ſettle more: for it is not they that work, but God by them, who is not tied unto Organs, unity is not hindred by diſparity. Paul calls Epaphraditus who was much inferior to him, his brother, and companion in labour, and fellow▪ ſouldier, Phil. 2. 25. Though Clement were a miniſter much meaner then he, yet he calls him his fellowlabourer, Phil. 4. 3. Though Tychicus came never ſo much ſhort of him, yet he terms him his fellow-ſervant, Col. 4. 7. So that there may be unity for all this, and a gracious ſympathy and agreement betweene miniſters, though of never ſo different parts, ſo they be ſincere and cordially minded to doe good.
You will ſay then, What is that unity that muſt be among miniſters?
I anſwer 1. They muſt be all competently endued1. with ability for the work of the miniſtery, all muſt agree in this, that they be able men in ſome meaſure. Hee hath made us able Miniſters of the new teſtament, 2 Cor. 3. 6. able to preach to the conſcience, able to doe it with power and might, able to divide the word aright, able to give every one his portion in due ſeaſon. They are none of Gods miniſters that are not able men, that are not able to teach and to apply, to be the mouth of God unto the people, and the mouth of the people unto God, that are not able to ſeek that which was loſt, to bring again that which is driven away, to bind that which is broken, to ſtrengthen that which is ſick. Thoſe that are not able to doe this, they are blind guides, Idol-ſhepheards, and no miniſters. Paul ſayes, that a miniſter muſt be able by ſound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainſayers, Tit. 1. 9. Faithfull men, able to teach others, 2 Tim. 2. 2. This was one of the ends that Chriſt aſcended upon high, that he might give gifts unto men for the miniſtery, as one Apoſtle ſpeakes, Eph. 4. 8. and ſo as it followes, He gave ſome Apoſtles, and ſome Prophets, and ſome Evangeliſts, and ſome Paſtors and Teachers. All Miniſters ſhould agree in this, that they be able.
Secondly, they muſt be all ſent of God, though a man2. be never ſo able, yet if he be not ſent of God, he is not a Miniſter. Private Chriſtians many of them have excellent abilities, as the text ſayes, I am perſwaded of you, my brethren, that ye are full of goodneſſe, filled with all knowledge, able to admoniſh one another, Rom. 15. 14. he ſpeakes of private Chriſtians: I ſay, they are able many of them, and there is very great uſe of their abilities too, for the good of their families, for the good of Chriſtian communion, and the like; yea, it is a ſhame that privat Chriſtians living under good means of grace, doe not grow able to teach. When for time yee ought to be teachers, yee have need that one teach you again which be the firſt principles of the Oracles of God, Heb. 5. 12. Mark, he ſhames privat Chriſtians that doe not grow able to teach. But yet this is not enough to make miniſters; true miniſters agree all in this, that they are ſent of God. How ſhall they preach except they be ſent? Rom. 10. 15. I have not thruſt in my ſelfe for a Paſtor, ſayes Jeremy. They are intruders and not miniſters that cannot prove their commiſſion from God, as the authour to the Hebrews ſayes, No man takes this honour to himſelfe, but he that is called of God as was Aaron, Heb. 5. 4. Chriſt himſelfe alledged this to beare out his miniſtery, He hath ſent me to preach deliverance to Captives. Woe be to thoſe of whom the Lord ſhall ſay, I have not ſent theſe Prophets, and yet they run. It will be ſayd to them one day, as to the man without a wedding garment, Friend, how cameſt thou in hither? The want of this is the reaſon that ſo many miniſters make no more conſcience of their duty, they make no conſcience of taking paines, of ſtrict preaching, of preſſing the word upon peoples hearts, of uſing all manner of means to root out ſin in their Pariſh, becauſe they have no diſpenſation from God committed unto them: if their conſciences were charged with this, it would make them doe otherwiſe then they doe. The want of this is the cauſe that the miniſtery of many is impotent, they may preach all the dayes of their lives, and not one ſoule turned unto God, but themſelves and their workes periſh together; whereas Miniſters that are ſent, make the Devils roare, and fleſh and bloud chafe, their Sermons are links of iron to bind Nobles and Princes, and ſtubborn hearts. The want of this is the reaſon why ſo many miniſters are vile in the peoples eyes, people care not a whit for them, dare drink and be drunk in their company, dare talk of their roguery before them; as Amnon before Jonadab, Jonadab ask't him what he ailed he was ſo ſad: O, ſayes he, I would fain lie with my ſiſter Tamar, 2 Sam. 13. 4. He knew before whom he was; if Jonadab had been a godly man, he durſt as well have eaten his own tongue, as have told him his baſe luſt. A godly man the very preſence of him would have made him aſhamed, and to have bitten in his lips. When a miniſter is unſent of God, no body does reſpect him out of conſcience, they care not for his words: whereas when a miniſter is ſent, this makes him as an Angel of God when others call him all to naught, the conſcience of many will plead for him, as we ſee there of Jeremy, O this man is not worthy to die, for hee hath ſpoken unto us in the Name of the Lord, Jer. 26. 16. There's never a ſent miniſter, but if he come in trouble, except peoples conſciences be ſeared with a hot Iron, they wil ſpeak for him in their boſomes: Alas! why is he put down? Why is he impriſoned? Why is he oppoſed? He hath ſpoken to us in the name of the Lord. So that this is the ſecond wherein all miniſters ſhould agree, they ſhould be all ſent of God, not contenting themſelves with the calling of man, without being alſo called of God.
Thirdly, they muſt all agree in the matter that they3. preach; the ſame word is delivered unto all miniſters to preach. Preach the word, 2 Tim. 4. The ſame Goſpel, the ſame Truths, the ſame Duties, the ſame Commandments, the ſame Promiſes, the ſame threatnings: Ye know there is one God, and one Faith, and one Baptiſme, one Lord Jeſus Chriſt; there is but one way of life, one gate to heaven, one ſalvation, one Bible: Now every miniſter muſt agree in this: You know all men are by Nature the children of wrath, in a damned eſtate; now all Pulpits ſhould agree in this, every miniſter labouring to bring their people to a ſight of their miſery by ſinne; every miniſter ſhould ſhew his people what curſed creatures they are, untill they be converted and renewed; every Miniſter ſhould preſſe the evill of ſin, and open the wiles of Satan, the guilt of the conſcience, the ſpiritualneſſe of the Law, the neceſſity of humiliation, and repentance, and amendment of life, that there is no mercy but in Chriſt, no ſalvation but by Chriſt; except people take him to live in their hearts by faith. All miniſters ſhould let their people know the terror of the Lord, the ſtrictneſſe of Gods judgements, the inſeparable connexion of mercy and a godly life, that no profane perſon can enter into Gods Kingdome; no hypocrite, no meer civill man; that a form of godlineſſe will not ſerve turn, that none but Saints ſhall ſtand at Chriſts right hand at the laſt day. All miniſters ſhould preach what a narrow path there is to Paradiſe, & how few there bee that find it, that ſaving grace cannot ſtand with the reign of the leaſt luſt, that people muſt be pure and holy, what ever the world think of pureneſſe, and preciſeneſſe, and ſtrictneſſe, yet without this no fleſh ſhall be ſaved. If all pulpits ſounded with theſe truths, and all miniſters cried thoſe aloud, & would lift up their voyces like a trumpet, and not ſpare, what a land ſhould we have? The want of unity in this matter, is the cauſe that wickedneſſe does ſo much abound: a drunkard, a whoremaſter, a muckworm may come to a Sermon, and goe away with hope that he ſhall have peace. When miniſters make the pulpit a ſcaffold, in which like Maſters of Defence they play their prizes, blazon their own wits, deſcant upon their text, as though the Scripture were a Rattle for children and fools to ſport with, toſſing it to and fro, hither and thither, as boyes at a Tennis: when they go about to amaze their hearers, to mount aloft, to be in their high phraſes, and coyned words, more like Mimicks and Comedians then Miniſters; when they ſearch into moath-eaten Friers, affect allegories, would fain be thought Linguiſts, and interlace a many of allegations of Latin and Greek ſentences, which a School-boy might doe with a Polyanthea: or if they ſpeak plain, they skim the truth of the Scriptures, and never dive deep to the edifying of the ſoule. May be they will preach good morall matter. But a man may goe to hell, though he doe as they teach; people may heare them a thouſand times, and no man made to cry out, What have I done? They preach of repentance, but then they open it ſo ſlightly, that a man may repent as they ſay, and be damned: they preach of faith in Chriſt, but they make it ſo broad, that thouſands have it and ſink into the bottomleſſe pit with it: they preach that ſin muſt be forſaken, and a good life muſt be led, but they handle it in that wiſe, that their hearers may doe as they ſay, and yet have no more grace then a reprobate, nor ſo much neither. Now beloved, the unity among brethren ſhould be this, to agree in the right matter of preaching, that the word may be carved to all, as their need is, that they may ſee their own caſes, that they may underſtand the wiles of the Devil, the fallacies of their own evill hearts, the counterfets of faith and repentance, and new obedience, and that they may not be couſened with them. This is the third thing.
Fourthly, they ſhould all agree in the true manner of4. preaching. That which our Saviour ſayes of hearing, Take heed how yee heare, Luke 8. 18. he means of preaching too, let your Miniſters take heed how they preach. Beloved, we that are the Miniſters of God, we are to labour to turn Lions into Lambs, and to transform the heart of man, to breed new creatures unto God: and therefore it is not every kind of preaching will ſerve the turn.
1. Then Miniſters ſhould agree in preaching with the1. demonſtration of the Spirit, and of power, as Paul ſayes, not with the wiſdome of words, leſt the croſſe of Chriſt be made of no effect, 1 Cor. 1. 17. q. d. If we ſhould preach wit, and learning, & eloquence, then the death of Chriſt would be of no effect, that is, no man would be converted, Chriſt would be offered to none; therefore we muſt preach nakedly, to flaſh the naked word into mens conſciences, that they may ſee, Thus ſaith the Lord againſt their ſinful courſes, thus ſaith the Lord of their eſtates, this reproofe is from the Lord, this threat is from the Lord, thus ſaith the Lord, you are a wretch, this is thy ſin, and this is thy curſed condition, and it is the Lord and not I that does affirm it. It is ſaid of Chriſt that he preacht with authority, and not as the Scribes, Matth. 7. 29. What is it to come with authority? When a man ſpeakes from God to the conſciences of men; as when a Conſtable comes in the name of a King, I charge you in the Kings name; this is to come with authority. Therefore we ſhould not come with the affectation of wit, or of reading, of fine and filed ſpeaking. You wil ſay, What, would you have us be fooliſh in our preaching? I anſwer, Never object ſo, for it is the fooliſhneſſe of preaching, that ſaves them which beleeve, 1 Cor. 1. 21. as one ſayes, we muſt preach Chriſt crucified in a crucified phraſe. The world would have gewgawes, and gariſh garniſhings: and why ſo? becauſe the naked Word is contrary to fleſh and bloud; like ſome eyes, they muſt have their ſilks & their cypreſſes to look upon the Sun by, forſooth the Sun beams are too glorious and ſhining otherwiſe. Pedeſtris oratio, as Jerome ſpeaks, a Miniſter muſt have a foot-ſpeech, and not ſpeak a horſeback, with trappings, and taſſels, and deckings. Though this be fooliſhneſſe unto ſome, yet it is wiſdom to them that are of God. We ſpeak wiſdom to them that are perfect, 1 Cor. 2. 6. Mark, they that are perfect will accept it to be wiſdome it is fooliſhneſſe onelyonly to children and ſots, and ſuch as are not able to diſcerne. God will have his mercies hidden under homely out-ſides, that men that will ſtumble at them, may; as men hide treaſure under ſtraw; as the woman of Baharim hid the two Worthies of Iſrael in a well under a courſe ſack. Can gallant preaching make people pluck out their right eyes, and deny their own ſelves and wayes? No, no, when the heart ſees it hath to doe with God, nothing but this will pull it down: away then with our own affections, let us labour to come with God into our pulpits, that people may ſee God dealing with them.
2. Miniſters ſhould agree to preach differencingly, to2. diſtinguiſh between the pretious and the vile, the clean and the unclean; as we muſt not bruiſe the broken Reed, but deal gently with it: ſo we muſt not give childrens bread unto dogges, Matth. 15. 29. we muſt not caſt our ſeed into fallow ground: but wee muſt let the fallow ground feele our ploughes tearing: we muſt not fling pearles before ſwine, nor bitter arrowes againſt Chriſt his Lambs. This were as if we ſhould call for ſnow in Summer, and rain in harveſt. No, no, a whip for the Horſe, and a bridle for the Aſſe, and a rod for the Fools back, Prov. 26. 3. If people be like Mules, that will not underſtand, we muſt put in a Bit into their mouthes: If people will have their own wayes, our word muſt be fires, and hammers, and axes, and cheſils, and ſwords, and ſpeares, that their bellies may tremble, and rottenneſſe may enter into their bones.
You will ſay, Why then belike we muſt have nothing in our mouthes but hell and damnation.
I anſwer, No, nothing but hell and damnation for the naught.
You will ſay, that will drive them to deſpaire.
Why then let it: it were well if wee had our people there, they muſt deſpaire before they come to mercy, as Hezekiah ſayes, O Lord, I am oppreſſed, doe thou comfort me, or undertake for me, Iſai. 38. 14. People muſt bee oppreſſed with our Sermons, we muſt lay load and burdens on their conſciences, or they will never bee fitted for comforts and Chriſts undertakings. True, the ſervants of the Lord muſt be gentle unto all men, 2 Tim. 2. 24. and ſuffer the wickedneſſe of all very patiently, praying if at any time the Lord will give them repentance, that the Devill may let them goe. Nothing but hell and damnation is not good; we muſt not be like James and John, that would needs bee calling for fire to come down from heaven to conſume the Samaritans: no, we muſt be long-ſuffering, but yet we muſt not let a wicked man live, but we muſt give him his deaths wound by the ſtab of the Word, leſt his bloud be required at our hands.
3. Miniſters ſhould agree in preaching with all their3. ſtrength conſtantly, and duly, not quadrageſimall Sermons onelyonly, or the like: but the Apoſtle commands Miniſters to preach in ſeaſon, and out of ſeaſon, 2 Tim. 4. 2. It is a wicked cavill of ſome, and it is the Devill that doth ſuggeſt it, It is not good to cloy the people, is it not faire to preach once a Sabbath? muſt we have two, and a week daye, too? This is overmuch, this is unſeaſonable, that people ſhould trudge and trot to Sermons when they ſhould be at their callings. Well, bee it ſo, that it is out of ſeaſon, wee muſt preach out of ſeaſon too, all will be little enough. I am ſure the Prophet Haggai the word of the Lord came to him twice in one day, Hag. 2. 10, 20. Auſtin uſed conſtantly to preach twice a day, as appears in his 2d Sermon upon the 88. Pſalm, nay in one place he ſayes he preached thrice. Doe not wonder my dear brethren, ſi hodie ter ſermonem, that I have preached three times this one day. And he addes this beſides, that it was not without cauſe, in his 33. Sermon to his brethren in the Wilderneſſe. Nay, the ancient Fathers preached every day in the yeare, as it is well known to them that are uſed to read them. Chryſoſtome in his Homilies upon Geneſis, ſhewes this almoſt in the beginning of every Homily. And one time perceiving his hearers ſomwhat few: O (ſays he) every houre in the day is ſeaſonable for you to heare, nay the night is not unſeaſonable. Paul prolonged himſelfe unto midnight, ſayes he, Acts 20. I pray did the time hinder him? No though he were for a journey the next day, yet hee would not think much to break his nights reſt. Another time preaching by candlelight, O, ſayes he, doe you ſee this ſame lamp? take away the oyle, you put out the light; even ſo it is with the gifts of the Spirit, the dulneſſe of our hearing, the littleneſſe of our profiting at once, our readineſſe to decline except we be pricked forward, our aptneſſe to forget God, the commandment of having the word to dwell richly in us, the duty of meditating in it day and night, do plainly enforce this preaching.
You will ſay, If Preachers ſhould preach often, it would be but prating; we cannot preach often & ſoundly.
I anſwer, it is falſe: for all that I ſee, the ableſt Divines have preached the moſt often, as Calvin, and Luther, and Wickliff, and others, and Mr. Greenham; nay, Auſtin preached extempore that Sermon of his upon the 95. Pſalm; it ſeemes that he expected his brother Severus to come and preach for him: but his friend failing to come, hee preached himſelf, as Dr Don relates the ſtory: So Baſil alſo preaching two Sermons upon the works of God that hee made in the ſix dayes, Geneſ. 1. confeſſes he had no more premeditation, then that very morning when he began to preach them. Thus many holy men by ſetting themſelves to be inſtant in Gods harveſt time, have had ſuch a doore of utterance opened unto them to ſpeak the myſtery of Chriſt, that like wiſe Scribes, they could, as occaſion was offered, bring forth out of their Treaſuries, new and old. Who are they that cry down often preaching, whatever colour they would ſeem to have, be ſuch as would cover their own ſhame by backbiting the diligence of any of their brethren. Like the Fox in the Fable, that becauſe he wanted a taile himſelfe to hide his own filthineſſe, perſwaded the other beaſts to cut off theirs too, pleading forſooth, O it is cumberſome, and weighty, and ye were better be without; but the truth was, it was onelyonly to hide his own deformity, which were it once in faſhion to bee without tails, ſhould never be eſpied. A worthy Divine cites an excellent admonition of Hierom to Calphurnius, upon the like occaſion to this, That if he wanted teeth himſelfe, hee ſhould not bee envious againſt them which were able to eat. Beloved, I doe urge an equality of labour upon all; but this is moſt certain, that we are bound every one of us, to honor the Lord with all our ſtrength, and to ſtudy the edification and ſalvation of our peoples ſouls with all our might. It is a ſhame that ever our people ſhould meet together at Church, and wee not take compaſſion upon them, to quicken them with ſome word of exhortation or other. The Evangeliſts note of our Saviour, that when he ſaw a company about him, he had compaſſion on them and taught them, Mar. 6. 34. Whereupon was his Sermon in the mount, but becauſe hee ſaw a company about him? Whereupon was that Sermon of our Saviour, Matth. 13? It was becauſe there was a company of people before him. Certainly, if we had compaſſion on our people, we would doe ſo too: If we were not too worldly and dead hearted our ſelves, as we are, we would never plead againſt it. Many talk much of the Fathers, O the Fathers, the Fathers, and they doe not love theſe upſtart Divines, but it were well they would learn of the Fathers. Tertullian ſayes, there was never any publick meeting in his dayes, but before the Congregatiō was diſſolved, they were fed with a Sermon. Nay, Babington, a reverend Biſhop among us, That a Miniſter can no more enter into the Congregation without a Sermon, and not be guilty, then Aaron could enter into the Congregation at any time without death, in caſe hee ſounded not his Bells when he entred. I might adde many other particulars concerning the manner of preaching, wherein all Miniſters ſhould agree, but theſe ſhall ſuffice for feare I want time. 1. They ſhould preach in the demonſtration of the Spirit, and of power. 2. They ſhould preach differencingly, putting a diſtinction between the pretious and the vile. 3. They ſhould preach conſtantly and to the utmoſt of their endeavours. This is the fourth thing wherein all Miniſters ſhould agree.
Fifthly, they ſhould agree in ſeeking of the Lord for a5 bleſſing on their labours, they ſhould be earneſt with God in the behalfe of the people. Alas! how elſe doe they expect to convert any men unto God? For when we preach, what doe we doe? We doe but as Gehezi, who brought Eliſha's ſtaffe to raiſe the dead child. Poore man! he could not raiſe it: for though he had Eliſha's ſtaffe, he had not Eliſha's ſpirit: So, my brethren, we do but bring our Maſters ſtaffe, and therefore we ſhould intreat him to ſend down his Spirit; otherwiſe the dead cannot ſtand up. We trim up a Sermon, & put we trim it well, nevertheles what is this? but as the rigging of the ſails, and what will that doe except the wind blow? So we ſhould pray that the wind ſhould blow upon our ſails, & then the ſhip ſhall goe indeed, as our Saviour Chriſt ſayes, The wind bloweth where it liſteth, Joh. 3. 8. The wind is free. When we have preached all that ever we can, yet the wind is free, whether it will blow or no. The Spirit of God is not tied to blow upon our endeavours, that they may have good ſucceſſe. What are Organs without breath? What is Pauls planting, or Apollos his watering, without Gods giving of the increaſe? The Apoſtle tels us it is juſt nothing, 1 Cor. 3. 7. As a Divine makes the ſimilitude; when one heard what admirable victories Scanderbegs ſword had wrought, he would needs ſee it; and when he ſaw it, ſayes he, This is but an ordinary ſword: alas, what can this doe? Scanderbeg did him word, I have ſent thee my ſword, but I have the Arm that did all by it: So, beloved, we have Chriſts ſword, but we have not Chriſts arm, and therefore let us pray him, that he would together with our preaching, reach forth his arm, and that will doe our people good; without this, poore Preachers are we all, wee may cut at mens ſins, but they will never off without him: wee may ſhew people the great things of the Goſpel, we may invite people to come in, to lay hold on eternall life; but O for Chriſts arme! and therefore we ſhould ſtudy as much how to pray, as to preach. The want of this is that which marres all. May be we preach well, but we are not earneſt with God to give a bleſſing, we doe not bewail the ſins of our people, we doe not lay to heart the things that provoke Almighty God, wee doe not get into the caſe, wherein God may prove all our pains.
Sixthly, Miniſters ſhould all agree in the watching over6. the ſouls of men. Preaching to, and praying for our people, is not the whole of a Miniſters duty; but wee ſhould obſerve our people, & watch over them, as the Apoſtle ſayes; Obey them that have the rule over you, & ſubmit your ſelves, for they watch for your ſouls, Heb. 12. 17. And indeed how can we preach unto the purpoſe, except we watch them that are committed to our charge? as Solomon ſayes, Be thou diligent to know the eſtate of thy flockes, and look well to thy Herds, Pro. 27. 23. This was Pauls courſe to enquire into the eſtate of people, how it fared with them. This was the newes that he asked after, his deſire was to know how grace went forward in the Epheſians hearts. I heare of your faith, ſayes he, Eph. 1. 15. It ſeems he had been asking of it. Thus Epaphras told him of the Coloſsians eſtate. Thus he learned by ſome of the houſe of Chloe, the ſtate of the Corinthians. Nay, all men will enquire and hearken after the health of their friends; parents, if their children be at the Univerſity, they will liſten after them how they goe on in learning. So ſhould the Angels of every Church, they ſhould liſten what courſes are in their Town, what ſinnes break out, what corruptions appeare, what proficiency the good ones make, who grow, who decline, who ſtand at a ſtay, who goe aſide, and wax worſe and worſe, that they may ſhape their preaching accordingly, that their words be fitted in their mouth, that they may apt their rebukes, their exhortations, their uſes anſwerably. For then will their Sermons be like Apples of Gold in Pictures of Silver. It is no curioſity in Miniſters to be inquiſitive into their peoples courſes. It is the Objection of ill-minded ones, ſay they, What need Miniſters buſie themſelves? they muſt have their tell-tales, we can doe nothing but they muſt heare of it. O beloved, we can never preach fruitfully if we ſtop our eares with wax, and will not liſten what our hearers do.
7ly, Miniſters ſhould agree in ordering their own converſations aright, it is but a folly elſe to be a Miniſter, we doe but make repentance dearer, and at a higher price. A Biſhop muſt be blameleſs, as the Steward of God, not ſelf-willed, not ſoon angry, not given to wine, nor to ſilthy lucre, Tit. 1. 7. It is a double wickedneſſe for a Miniſter to be wicked, to be a company-keeper, to be a pot-companion, as God ſaid to Aaron, Whoſoever he be of thy ſeed in their generation, that hath any blemiſh, let him not approach to offer the bread of his God, Levit. 21. 17. We can never doe good, if we blemiſh our ſelves with vice. True it is, the efficacy of the Word and Sacraments doe not depend upon the quality of the Miniſter; the ſeed ſown in good ground may grow, though the ſower had a dirty hand. Gold is gold, though it be in the hand of a thiefe; yet ſuch is our weakneſſe, that they are weak to us. People are apt to reſpect the Word and Sacraments the leſſe, when they ſee the Miniſter is not holy, as we ſee in Elies wicked ſonnes; for men abhor'd the offerings of the Lord, 1 Sam. 2. 17. Their eyes muſt be taught as well as their eares. Thoſe things, ſayes Paul, which ye have heard and ſeen in me, do. Phil. 4. 9. Except with Thomas in another caſe, they ſee, they will not beleeve. Let a Miniſter be never ſo godly, he ſhal doe good little enough. The Prophet Eſay, though a holy man, yet he complains he laboured in vain. Now if a godly man can doe but little good upon the moſt, much leſſe can a wicked Miniſter. A true Miniſter muſt be able to ſay as Gideon, Look on me, and doe likewiſe, as I doe, ſo ſhall yee doe, Judg. 7. 17. Miniſters muſt be examples unto the Flock, 1 Pet. 5. 3. Firſt caſt the beam out of thine own eye, & then ſhalt thou ſee clearly to caſt out the moat out of thy brothers eye. As it is ſaid of Ezra, Ezra had prepared his own heart to ſeek the law of the Lord, and to doe it, and to teach in Iſrael, Ezra 7. 10. Our Saviour Chriſt did & taught, as Luke ſpeakes. This is the courſe of a Miniſter indeed, to doe his own Sermons. When a Miniſter does not do what he teaches, this makes him a vile perſon; nay, this makes him ridiculous. Like L…ians Apothecary, who had medicines in his ſhop to cure the cough, and told others that he had them, and yet was troubled with it himſelf. With what a forehead canſt thou ſtand in a Pulpit, and publiſh the lawes of God, and to undertake the charge of ſouls, that when thine own naked neſſe appeares, when thy tongue is of a larger ſize then thy hands, thy miniſtery is divided againſt it ſelfe, thy courſes gives thy doctrine the lie; thou ſayeſt that men muſt be holy, and thy deeds doe declare thy mouthes hypocriſie, thou doſt more miſchiefe then an hundred others, as `Peter ſayes of wicked Miniſters, Many will follow their pernicious wayes, 2 Peter 2. 2. one Miniſter ſhal have many followers. A good Miniſter ſhall hardly get two or three to follow him. But when a Miniſter is wicked, he ſhall have many that will follow him. From the Prophets of Jeruſalem, prophaneneſſe is gone forth into all the Land, Jerem. 23. 15. If the ſprings bee tainted, that taint runnes forth into all the ſtreames. People think themſelves ſafe on an Ale-bench, when they have gotten the Parſon with them; this hardens their hearts a thouſand times more. But a true Miniſter is a godly man. Now when Miniſters agree in godlineſſe, this is another branch of this unity.
Eighthly and laſtly, Miniſters ſhould agree in concord8 and in amity, even as all deare fellow-ſervants, as Paul ſayes of Epaphras, the Miniſter of the Coloſsians, As yee alſo learned of Epaphras our deare fellow-ſervant, who is for you a faithfull Miniſter of Chriſt, Coloſſ. 1. 7. Being to write to the Coloſsians, yee ſee what a tender care hee hath of Epaphras, he labours to commend him to his people, that they may regard him the more. It is an horrible ſin when one Miniſter will gird at another that is faithfull, and that in the preſence of ſome of his people. This helpeth the Devill to harden peoples hearts againſt him, that hee cannot doe the good that otherwiſe hee might doe; when other Miniſters will revile him, and traduce him, and ſpeak filthy words, ſuch as their malice doth prompt them with, Paul did not thus. When he knew Timothy was to goe to Philippi, he does moſt dearly commend him unto them. O, ſayes he, I have no man like minded, who will naturally care for your eſtate, Philip. 2. 20. So our Saviour Chriſt, how much did hee countenance and back John the Baptiſts Miniſtery, to the encouraging of all that heard him? Among them that are born of women, there hath not riſen a greater then John Baptiſt, Matth. 11. 11. O it is an excellent thing when Miniſters doe not envie one another, when they love one another, and will live together in bleſſed Harmony: Thus yee ſee what this unity ſhould be.
The Reaſons of this point, why Miniſters ſhould all agree thus, and be all as one, are:
Firſt, becauſe this makes Miniſters amiable in their1. peoples eyes, it commendeth their Miniſteries unto the conſciences of their hearers, as the Prophet Iſaiah ſayes, How beautifull upon the mountaines are the feet of him that bringeth glad tidings, the publiſhers of peace, &c. Iſa. 52. 7. You will ſay, How is that? How comes his feet to bee beautifull? It followes in the eighth verſe, Thy watchmen ſhall lift up their voyce, with a voyce together ſhall they ſing. Mark, that was it that made his feet beautifull; becauſe all the watchmen were of one note, they ſung with one voice together: look as one preach'd, ſo preach'd another, one did not pull down what another built up, one did not preach more pleaſing doctrine to the fleſh then another; but they all ſung in one Tune, they all were of one heart.
Secondly, as it makes the Miniſtery more beautifull2. and comely, ſo it makes it the more powerfull, when the Miniſters are all of one mind in the Lord, when they all draw one way, all walk by the ſame Rule, all ſet themſelves to doe good, and to promote one anothers good. I ſay, this makes the Miniſtery the more powerfull and profitable. The Apoſtle ſpeaking of an ignorant man coming into the Church to heare the Miniſter preach, hee ſhewes how powerfull the Word may bee unto him, 1 Cor. 14. 25. O ſayes he, the ſecrets of his heart are made manifeſt, and ſo falling down on his face, hee worſhips God; that is, the Sermon is made effectuall unto him, and turnes his wretched heart. But obſerve now, how this comes to paſſe, the Text ſhewes in the foure and twentieth verſe, it is by reaſon of the unity of the Miniſters, He is convinced of all, he is judged of all; that is, all the Miniſters were of one note, they all were in one conſent, one did not preach looſer doctrine then another, one told him he was a very wretch, and another told him hee was a very wretch, and a third convinced him hee was a very wretch; all had a blow at him: O thought he, I, I, I am a very wretch indeed; this burſt his heart. If he could have heard any one of them preach eaſier doctrine, may bee that would have given his conſcience ſome fooliſh eaſe, and ſo the man had gone away never the better, but when hee was convinced of all, and judged of all, this ſtrikes him dumb. So, beloved, when a man can goe into no Church, but every where hee is met with, all the Miniſters condemn him, all their lives condemn him, and all their Sermons condemn him to the pit of hell, and he can ſcramble comfort no where; if the man belong to God, this is the readieſt way to beat him down, and ſubdue his heart. On the contrary ſide, when a man is wounded at one Miniſters Sermon, by and by he drops into another, and there hee catches hold of ſome eaſe: this makes him goe on in his ſinnes, and to blind his eyes againſt the truth. It is a great ſtumbling block unto the people this very thing.
Thirdly, as it makes the Miniſtery more powerfull,3. ſo it brings more glory unto God. As it is ſaid of John the Baptiſt, that when our Saviour did commend him, and made the people ſee, that hee was of Johns minde, and that he held the ſame Tenets, and that hee would not ſpeak againſt a tittle that John had delivered, but teſtifyed his unity with him; And made it appear what a reverend eſteem hee had of him: ſaith hee, Hee is a Prophet, and more then a Prophet. Yee ſhall ſee how this brought glory to God. The Text ſaith, When the people heard this, and the Publicans, they juſtifyed God, being baptized with the Baptiſme of John. Luk. 7. 29.
The uſe of this is, firſt, to condemne ſuch as envy theirUſe 1. fellow-Miniſters, and will not bee in the unity of minde, and heart, and life with them. In the moſt, the Proverb is too true, Figulus figulo invidet. One potter hates another, one Tradeſman envies anothers cuſtome, ſo, one Miniſter, another: if there bee a Miniſter that deſires to powre out his ſoule in the doing of good, in the taking of paines, in the diſcharging of his Conſcience, there are ſome that will envy ſuch a one, their hearts riſe up againſt him; nay, not onelyonly ſo, but the worſt Enemy that Jeremy had, was Paſhur, one of his own Coat, Jer. 20. 2. The ſoreſt adverſary that Amos had, was Amaziah, a Prieſt of Bethel, who would never leave heaving at him untill hee had gotten him away, Amos 7. 12. and why ſo! becauſe hee would not preach ſuch pleaſing Doctrine as hee. Forſooth, the Land was not able to bear Amos his words, hee Preaches as if hee would ſcare people out of their wits. Hee preaches Schiſmatically, and as if hee loved to bee ſingular. The cheif Prieſts were furious againſt our Saviour Chriſt, becauſe his Miniſtery was more bleſt then theirs was, nay, they hated him more then Pilate, Pilate a very Pagan, his Conſcience told him hee found no fault in him, Why what evill hath hee done? Their envy againſt Chriſt was ſo palpable, that hee did diſcover it. Hee knew that for envy they had delivered him unto him. So when all the Country know in their Conſciences that ſuch and ſuch teach the waies of God ſincerely, ſet themſelves to roote out ſin, and to ſave ſoules, nay, the very Drunkards you ſhall hear them ſay, I, I, hee is a good man, Gods bleſſing on his heart, hee tels us our faults, wee may doe what wee liſt for all ſuch and ſuch, but hee tells us of our faults, and God help us to amend them, and when they are ſick, they would rather have ſuch a Miniſters prayers, then twenty of other Miniſters, that will ſoothe them up, and bee hailefellow with them: Whereas there bee many of our own Coat, that are implacable againſt a Miniſter, that labours to bee faithfull. How contrary is this unto the Rule? The Miniſters of God ſhould bee all one, and if one bee godly, all ſhould bee, if one painfull, all ſhould bee ſo, if one preach home to the conſcience, all ſhould doe ſo, they ſhould all live as Brethren. What ſaies our Saviour Chriſt? Yee are the Salt of the Earth, but if the Salt hath loſt its ſavour, wherewith ſhall it bee ſalted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to bee caſt out, and to bee trodden underfoot of men, Matth. 5. 13. That is, Salt may ſeaſon others, but if it have loſt its ſavour, nothing can ſalt it.
A Miniſter is of an excellent calling, appointed to ſeaſon mens hearts, but if hee have loſt his ſavour, hee can never truely bee ſeaſoned again, nothing can doe him good. An evill Miniſter, is a more deſperate forlorn man than any elſe.
Secondly, Another uſe is, that all that are the MiniſtersUſe 2. of God would bee hence ſtirred up to be all of one minde, all drawing one way, all bending our forces to one and the ſame end, the glory of God, and the ſalvation of our people. Its a fine comely thing to fee any Brethren in unity. Behold how good and how pleaſant it is for Brethren to dwell together in unity. It is like the precious ointment upon the head that ran down upon the beard, even Aarons beard, that went down to the skirts of his garments: as the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that deſcended upon the mountaines of Zion, for there the Lord commended his bleſsing, even life for evermore, Pſal. 133. 1, 2, 3. I ſay this is a very comely thing, to ſee any brethren to dwell together in unity, it is like the perfume of Aaron, that made all his garments fragrantſweet, it is like the dews of Hermon and Zion, that made all the ground fruitfull, this is that which hath the Lords bleſſing annexed to it, it is an excellent meanes unto eternall life. As the Apoſtle ſaith, If there bee any conſolation in Chriſt, if any comfort of love, if any fellowſhip of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies: Fullfill yee my joy, that yee bee like-minded, having the ſame love, being of one accord, of one minde, Philip. 2. 1, 2. if it be ſo neceſſary for Brethren to bee united; how much more for Brethren in the Miniſtery? of all men, Miniſters have moſt reaſon to bee of one minde, becauſe wee are to teach union unto others. Beſides, if wee deſire to doe what wee are commanded to doe, wee ſhall have enemies enough in the world. Our Tribe is a hated Tribe. Of all Offices, the office of a reprover is the moſt unwelcome. Paul was counted an enemy, becauſe hee told the Galatians the truth. Micaiah was hated becauſe hee dealt truely with Ahab: people love their luſts, as their members, yea, as themſelves: Ergò of all men wee are moſt hated. Every man is beleeved in his own profeſſion but wee; People do not hate Taylors that make them a good garment, nor a Shoo-maker that makes them a good Shooe, nor a Cook that makes them a good Feaſt, nor a Phiſitian that makes them a good potion, nor a good Lawyer that makes them a good ſuite, though theſe doe but provide for the body, and yet wee that provide for peoples ſoules, if wee make them a good Sermon that would ſave their ſoules for ever, ſo they would obey it; wee are hated for our labour. Ergò, when Moſes came to ſpeak of Levi, that were the Miniſters of Iſrael, hee prayes God, that God would deliver them out of the hands of their enemies, Lord ſmite through the loynes of them that hate him, Deut. 33. 11. I ſay wee have many enemies in the world, and therefore wee had need to hang together, who ever bee at oddes, wee ſhould ſtick cloſe. Our meſſage is hardly beleeved, and therefore wee had need to bee all of one minde. The word which wee preach is adverſe to fleſh and blood, and therfore wee had need all joyntly to obey it, otherwiſe how doe wee think that wee ſhall perſwade any others?
Force, the more united the more ſtrong. O if we would all joyn forces in one, wee might make all our Pariſhes quake! all the wicked round about, their very hearts would bee ready to faile them, if every Pulpit did rowze them. If they could come in no Church, but they were made to ſit upon thornes, I verily beleeve, few would have any heart to goe on in their evill doings.
Thirdly, another Uſe is, how wee ſee it is a very uſefullUſe 3. and a profitable thing, that one good Miniſter ſhould now and then come and help another, and preach for another, that our people may ſee our conſent, that wee all preach the ſame thing, and that is not our private preaching, but all the Miniſters that are of God, are juſt of the ſame mind: This made the Apoſtle, whenſoever hee was to write to a people, that hee knew would bee ſomewhat backward to beleeve them, hee would joyne other Miniſters with him, as conſenting together with him. Indeed when hee wrote unto Timothy, he would not doe it, for hee knew that hee did not need, hee knew the faithfulneſſe of his heart. But when hee writ to the Corinthians, where falſe Apoſtles had been, and had made many of them to doubt, hee joyned Soſthenes with him, as it were confirming the ſame thing, 1 Cor. 1. 1. when hee wrote to the Galatians, hee told them hee had Peter on his ſide, and Barnabas and Titus, and James and John, and how the Apoſtles gave unto him the right hand of Fellowſhip, Gal. 2. 1. 9. Hee writing to the Philippians, hee joynes Timothy with him. Phil. 1. 1. And ſo writing to Philemon, about a thing, that though hee hoped Philemon would doe, yet becauſe hee knew he might have many carnall reaſons againſt it, hee joyns another with him, Philem. 1. This is of very good uſe, when one good Miniſter comes and backs anothers Miniſtery. For as it is with men-pleaſing Miniſters, that make as if the way to heaven were eaſier than it is, people hope that other Miniſters will come, and confirming it, make it good. Ezek. 3. 6. O they love ſuch a Doctrine alife, and they hope there will be moe of that minde: So when they heare a ſtrict Miniſter, that delivers the Word to them as it is, and as they ſhall finde it at laſt day, tuſh, this is ſo uncooth, that they hope that it is but the opinion of their preciſe Miniſter, and that no body elſe is of his minde. Now when God ſhall bring a cloud of witneſſes, it is I ſay, of very good uſe. I confeſſe that when a Miniſter ſpeaketh the truth, though no body elſe come to ſet it on beſides him, hee ſhall bee a witneſſe againſt all the people that will not beleeve, and vext at the voyce of his preaching. Noah condemned all the world, albeit there were none but hee. But yet ſymphony and agreement, and the conſent of the Miniſters of God, is an Ordinance of God when it may conveniently bee had.
Thus I have ſpoken of this ſecond point of Doctrine, of the unity of Miniſters, To the Angell of the Church in Sardis. I acknowledge this point is not ſo much for the generall profit of you all. But you muſt bear with me, for handling of it. Wee ſhall come now to you ere long. For I am ſure, if any portion of Scripture may doe us good, in theſe dead times, the Treating of this Epiſtle may. And yet it is not loſt time, to ſpeak unto the Miniſters, if by any meanes I may provoke my ſelf, and my Brethren, to the abounding in the unity of the Spirit, and of Faith, and heart and minde, for the further ſpreading and enforcing of good.