Christs Alarm to Drowsy Saints, Sermon 5
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.
Theſe things, ſaith hee, that hath the ſeven Spirits of God, and the ſeven Starres.
THeſe words contain the Deſcription of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, from whom this Epiſtle is ſent unto the Church in Sardis, and in particular to the Miniſter there, who is here called the Angell of the Church in that place. And the deſcription does inſtance in two royalties of our Saviour Jeſus Chriſt.
Firſt, That hee hath the ſeven Spirits of God, that is, he hath the Holy Ghoſt, and all his ſpirituall graces in his hands, to give to whomſoever hee pleaſes, for the quickning of them, and the ſanctifying of them, that if any of his members want ſpirit, or any ſpirituall good, hee hath it for them: Theſe things ſaith hee that hath the ſeven Spirits of God: This wee handled the laſt day.
Now wee proceed to the ſecond Royalty of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, That hee hath the ſeven Starres, hee ſpeaks of the ſeven Churches of Aſia, Chriſt hath all their Miniſters in his hands, and hee calls them ſtarres.
Firſt, becauſe the ſtarres doe direct: Its a great help when Mariners can ſee a ſtarre in a dark night. When Paul and they that ſailed with him could ſee neither Sun nor Starre, the company were without all hope of comming ſafe to Land, Act. 27. 20. they knew not what to doe, when there was not a ſtarre to bee ſeen: The ſtarres ſerve for direction in the night. So good Miniſters are for direction unto people, they ſerve to direct people to Chriſt. Like the ſtarre in the Eaſt; When the Wiſemen ſaw the ſtarre, they rejoyced with exceeding great joy, Matth. 2. 10. that ſtarre directed them to Chriſt, it went before them all the way, and ſhewed them where to finde Chriſt: ſo a poore ſoule rejoyces to finde a godly Miniſter; O thinks hee, he is a ſtarre to direct mee to Chriſt.
Secondly, Becauſe the ſtarres doe ſhine, ſo good Miniſters doe ſhine forth, and hold out a light, to give light to them that ſit in darkneſſe, and in the ſhadow of death. Yee are the light of the world, ſayes Chriſt, Matth. 5. 14. when a man ſits in a dark houſe, hee cannot ſee to doe any thing, but if one come and open a window, or a caſement, and letteth in light, now hee may ſee to goe about his buſineſſe: ſo, Beloved, people that dwell in dark Pariſhes, where no ſound Miniſtery of the Word is, they know not what to doe to bee ſaved: they erre, they wander, they grope, they ſtumble and fall, they ſee not how to bee godly, and happy for evermore. But when a faithfull Miniſter comes, now light is let in, and thoſe that have a minde to goe to Heaven, now they may ſee the way thither, ſo that in this ſenſe too, Miniſters are ſtarres.
Thirdly, Becauſe ſtarres have influence upon theſe inferiours bodies, as God ſayes of the Pleiades and Orion, which are a company of ſtarres in the heavenly Orbe. Canſt thou binde the ſweet influences of the Pleiades, or looſe the bands of Orion? Job 38. 31. the ſtarres have influences into things here below. The Pleiades open the earth, they make herbes and flowres grow, the ſpring is when they ariſe once, Trees begin to ſprout, and the plants do waxe green; Orion, it produces cold, the Winter comes when that ſhews it ſelf; the ſtarres have a great influence into ſublunary bodies, ſo it is with Miniſters. Bad Miniſters are like the ſtarres of Orion, they ſerve to coole peoples hearts, and dead them to all goodneſſe. But good Miniſters are as the ſtarres of Pleiades, no ſoule can have any minde in him to that which is good, but they doe exceedingly help and further, they quicken the heart, they warme and fructiſie the ſoules of Gods Elect.
Againe, the Starres doe hang high, ſo the Miniſters of Chriſt are ſet high; they hang high, that all the people may have the benefit of their gliſtering. Zachany calls them the Prophets of the moſt High, And thou childe, ſhalt bee called the Prophet of the moſt High, Luk. 1. 76. But I have handled this Point in effect, when I ſpake of Miniſters being Angels, and therefore I will omit it now. Thus yee ſee the Miniſters are ſtarres. Now hee calls them ſeven, becauſe hee ſpeaks of ſeven Congregations, Epheſus, Smyrna, Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea. Seven Churches, ſeven Congregations, and every one had their ſeverall ſtars. Whence wee ſee that every Pariſh ſhould have a particular faithfull Miniſter. Paul appointed Titus, to ordain Elders in every City, Tit. 1. 5. The Apoſtles ordained Paſtours, and Elders in every Church, Act. 14. 23. So it was in the time of the Law, as the Text ſayes, Moſes of old time hath in every City them that Preach, being read in the Synagogues every Sabbath day, Act. 15. 21.
The Reaſon is, firſt, becauſe thoſe Towns that have not a faithfull Miniſtery in it, generally doe all periſh. I doe not deny, but ſome ſoules in ſuch blinde places may come otherwiſe to bee converted and ſaved, but generally they periſh for ever, that live in ſuch places: as the Evangeliſt ſayes of Galile. True, they had ſorry Prieſts, but they had not a faithfull Miniſtery. ſayes hee, The people ſate there in the region and ſhadow of death, Matth. 4. 16. that is, till they had a better Miniſtery, they were in a damnable eſtate. So that it is a pitifull thing, when any Town or Pariſh are without a faithfull Miniſtery, no ſtarre of Heaven ſhining among them.
Secondly, becauſe when people have no faithfull Miniſter of their own, generally they care not for removing of their dwelling, neither will they goe a mile or two for the meanes, they content themſelves with what fare they have at home, though it ſtarve them to death: Like the people under the falſe Prophets, they liked them well enough. My people love to have it ſo, Jer. 5. 31. Nay, they love ſuch prophets better than them that would deale plainly with them; Nay, there bee many, that when they have a faithfull Miniſter at home, will bee ſneaking out, to a drunken Miniſter abroad, they would rather live under ſuch a one.
Thirdly, Another Reaſon why every Church ſhould have its particular Starre; every congregation had need of a faithfull Miniſtery of their own: Becauſe, if there be any godly Soule, or any one that deſires the ſalvation of his Soule, and lives under a blinde guide, hee cannot goe out, without giving very great offence, it will bee thought a giddineſſe, and a flighting of their own Miniſter at home; now if every Pariſh had a ſound Miniſtery in it, this would not bee: When people came out of every Pariſh round about unto John, they had no Paſtour of their own, but they came flocking unto John, no queſtion but this bred heart-burning againſt John: I, and ill-will againſt thoſe people, that would not bee ſatisfied with what teaching they had in their own Synagogues. Now, I ſay, if every Pariſh had its ſeverall ſhining Starre, this would not bee.
Fourthly, When ſome Pariſhes have their Starres and many have not. This caſts in a bone of diſcord between Miniſters, for they that are idle, and vain, and ſcandalous, will envy them that ſpend themſelves in giving light. Again, the people of ſuch Pariſhes have many times occaſion of converſing together, and falling into one anothers company. Now, how will this harden one anothers hearts, when people ſhall ſay, Gods bleſſing on our Miniſters heart, hee does not meddle or make with us, wee may doe what wee will for all him! who would dwell in ſuch a Pariſh as yours is? wee hear hee keeps a horrible ſtirre with you, hee will not let you alone, you cannot bee merry now and then, but you are ſure to heare of it: hee is ſo ſtrict forſooth, and ſo preciſe, you muſt have preaching, forenoon and afternoon, and there is ſuch adoe to get preciſe Conſtables, that you cannot bee quiet. What a wofull thing is this? how does this harden the Countries hearts?
The Uſe of this is; firſt, this ſhews what a miſerable thingUſe 1. it is, when a Land is darkened, that hath but a few ſtarres; May bee here one and there one, but moſt places are in darkneſſe, and have none: Beloved, this is a ſign of the wrath of God. God is wroth with ſuch a Land, and powres his wrath upon ſuch a people, as the Prophet ſayes. Through the wrath of the Lord of Hoaſts, is the Land darkned, Eſa. 9. 19.
Again, ſecondly, you that have your ſtars ſhining amongUſe 2. you, how are you to bleſſe God, when there are ſo many places in the world that have none! Suppoſe the Harveſt ſhould bee comming, and the earth hath great need of rain, to plump up the eares, the Corn is quite ſpoyled for want of rain: if it doe not rain; Alas! our Corn will bee burnt up, and prove little worth. Now if God ſhould rain upon your fields, and not upon your Neighbours: Your Cloſes, and Leizes have raine, but on the other ſide of the hedge there is none; What a ſpeciall mercy is this unto you? As God ſayes, I have cauſed it to rain upon one City, and cauſed it not to rain upon another, one piece was rained upon, and the piece whereupon it rained not, withered, Amos 4. 7. is not this a great mercy to the owner of that ground where the rain falls, and does not fall elſe-where? ſo, my Brethren, you that have the ſpirituall rain in your particular pariſhes, what a mercy of God is it unto you? when ſo many Pariſhes have not one drop of it.
Again, thirdly, let us take heed leſt thoſe few ſtarres thatUſe 3. yet bee, ſet upon us, and ſo wee bee all in darkneſſe, wee have a little rain yet, here and there ſome. O let us repent and be more forward to bring forth more fruit, if wee continue to provoke God with our unfruitfulneſſe, as wee doe, that little ſhall be taken away from you. When Gods Vineyard in Judah became barren, and brought forth no grapes, but wild ones; What ſayes God? I will command the clouds, that they rain no rain upon it, Eſa. 5. 6. q. d. I will take away all the rainy clouds: yee ſhall have clouds ſtill, but they ſhall be clouds without rain, ſtarres without light and heat, Miniſters that ſhall doe you no good, this is a fearfull caſe, and yet God will bring it upon us, for a certain▪ if wee doe not take heed.
There be ſix ſigns of all the ſtarres vaniſhing away, that God will take away thoſe few ſtarres, thoſe few godly Miniſters away, that are left.
Firſt, when people will not walk in the light, while they have the light. As our Saviour Chriſt ſayes: Yet a little while is the light with you, walk while yee have the light, leſt darkneſſe come upon you▪ Joh. 12. 35. q. d. yee have the light; a little while the Lord lets you have it, hee lets it ſtay with you a little while longer, but if ye will not walk in the light, the light ſhall bee gone, and yee ſhall bee in darkneſſe, this is an evident ſigne that the light will ſurely away from us: what a deale of light is yet held before our faces, and ſcarce any have a heart to walk in it! When ſervants are idle, and will not mend their cloathes, in the day time at ſpare houres, why ſhould the Maſter allow them any candle? ſo, we have a day among us, and people will not beſtirre themſelves, they goe all rent and tottered in their garments, they care not for doing of their buſineſſe, therefore, the Lord will allow them no candle, he will put out all the lights.
Secondly, when people grow deader and deader, when they forſake their firſt love, they were once more earneſt for heaven, more tender in Conſcience, more eager for good things, more lively in Prayer, more zealous in holy duties, but now they abate, and ſlacken, they are told of it, and yet they doe not amend, when it is once come to this paſſe, the Lord will remove the faithfull Miniſtery of his Word. To what end ſhould he let it ſtay any longer? as Chriſt ſayes to Hpheſus, Remember from whence thou art falne, and repent, and doe the firſt works, or elſe I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy Candle-ſtick out of its place, except thou repent, Rev. 2. 5. this is another ſigne of the Miniſteries departing away from us, Candle and candle-ſtick will away, for wee will not amend. Wee have been told of our formality, we have heard whole Sermons againſt our luke warmneſſe, and againſt our declinings, and yet nothing wil fetch us up again. Wee will not think ſoundly from whence wee are falne, we will not bee perſwaded to doe our firſt works, our hearts are grown ſenſeleſſe, and nothing can pluck them up, therefore how can wee hope but our candleſtick will bee removed, and quickly too.
Thirdly, when people wax weary of Gods Ordinances, they are even cloyed with them, like the Iſraelites there in Amos, when will the New Moon bee gone that wee may fell corn? when will the Sabbath bee over, that wee may ſet forth Wheat? Amos 8. 5. q. d. here is ſuch adoe with Lectures, and Sermons, wee can hardly have time for our Markets: ſuch adoe with the Sabbath, it is ſo tedious, ſo irkſome, wee are not able to hold out, Prayers in the Family come ſo faſt about, and duties come ſo thick, wee have hardly any ſpace for our other buſineſſes. Miniſters require ſo much of us, Sermons are ſo ſtrict, Sacrifices are ſo often, we can have no breathing: thus people are cloyed, they are full fed, they care not much if they had leſſe, nay, ſome will not ſtick to ſay it, and others that in their hypocriſie will not ſay it, yet they have no ſtomack, no appetite, there is ſo much Word, that they are not able to digeſt it, neither have they any minde to concoct it; therefore mark there what follows. Behold! the daies come, ſaith the Lord, that I will ſend a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirſt for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord, ver. 11. that is, you are more afraid of a famine of bread, yee would bee more troubled if you had no Bread to eate, nor liquour to drink, you care not ſo it bee not that famine. But think what you will, I will ſend you a worſe famine than that, a famine of hearing of Gods Word. Yee ſhall have Preaching little enough. Little enough food for your ſoules, ſeeing yee will bee filthy, yee ſhall be filthy; ſeeing ye will be heartleſſe towards heavenly things, ye ſhall bee heartleſſe; yee ſhall be hardned, yee ſhall be let alone; and the blinde ſhall lead the blinde, and both ſhall fall into the ditch; the wicked ſhall lead the wicked, wicked Miniſters the wicked people, and both ſhall periſh together: and then though yee would never ſo fain have a Sermon that may come to the Conſcience, yee ſhall be long enough before yee ſhall hear it: Yee ſhall ſtarve for want of ſpirituall knowledge: ſtarved to death for want of life: Seared in your ſins; yee ſhall have no Sermons to diſpoſſeſſe you of Satan, no teaching to purge your hearts, to humble your ſoules before God, or to miniſter the Spirit unto you, yee are weary of the ſound Miniſtery of the Word, therefore ye ſhall not bee troubled with it. This then is another ſign that God will take away thoſe few Stars that are yet remaining. And then woe bee to you.
Fourthly, when there are hardly any ſonnes of peace, that the Miniſters peace may light upon, then the Lord bids them pack away: Like the Market folkes, when they ſee their Commodities lie upon their hands, they take up their Commodities lie upon their hands, they take up their Commodities, and goe home. O ſay they, people will give nothing, they will not give our price, wee and our children will have them for our own ſelves, rather then wee will part with them for nothing. So they goe away, ſo, Gods Miniſters goe away, when the Market is dead, no Cuſtomer will come to their ſtalls. So Paul and Barnabas went away from the Jews, Yee put off the word from you, and therefore, lo, wee turn unto the Gentiles, Act. 13. 46. q. d. yee will have none of it, wee have offered it to you, and we were bid to doe ſo, but ye put it off from you, therefore fare yee well. Die in your ſins. So people now put off the word of God, our Doctrine ſinks no where almoſt; one puts it off from him, another puts it off from him: Like as the Cities of the Philiſtims did with the Ark. The men of Ekron, they cryed out, and doe you bring it to us? and ſo the men of Aſhdod, ſaid, and it ſhall not abide with us. 1 Sam. 5. 7. Every one put it off, they would have none of it.
Fifthly, when people oppoſe, they are ſo farre from repenting at the preaching of the Word, that they fall to oppoſe, and to miſ-uſe the bringers of it, as the Jews did Saint Paul. The Text ſayes, Hee ſhook his rayment at them, and told them, your blood bee upon your own heads, and away hee went, Act. 18. 6. when people lay their heads together, how they may heave out the Miniſter, many times God gives them leave for to doe it, that they may bring evill on their own heads, the Lord lets them have their curſed wills, to their own utter deſtruction and condemnation.
Sixthly, when God hath ſent all his Miniſters that ever hee means to ſend: Hee ſent one Miniſter, and they would not hear him, hee ſent another after him, and they would not hearken to him neither, a man would wonder, ſurely God will ſend no more, well, may be God in his great goodneſſe ſends another good man, and he does what he can, but the people will doe wickedly ſtill. Yea, but when God hath ſent all that Hee means to ſend, now he will ſend no more; as God did with Judah. I have ſent unto you all my ſervants the Prophets, riſing up early and ſending them, ſaying, return from your evill wayes, but yee have not inclined your eare unto me, Jer. 35. 15. when God had ſent all, then hee would ſend no more.
You will ſay, how can this bee a ſigne? when God hath ſent all that he means to ſend: who can tell that?
I Anſwer, Beloved, God may ſhew it plainly, that God hath ſent even all that he means to ſend; when he blocks up the way, that more cannot bee ſuffered to come to us, then thoſe that are come, when ſuch courſes are laid, that ne're a faithfull one more is permitted to enter; when Gods faithfull ones are forbidden to Preach, as Paul ſayes, They forbid us to Preach. When people will have Paſhur's, and not Jeremiah's: When there be Laws made, Look yee ſpeak no more in his name: When they ſay to the Seers, ſee not, and to the Prophets propheſie it. When the good Levites are made to goe away, and to leave their own places, as it was in Jeroboams time, 2 Chron. 11. 14. Again, when the ſhadows wax long, it is a ſigne that the Sun is going down.
The reaſon why God will take away all his Starres, when matters are come to this paſſe, is,
Firſt, becauſe it is but loſt labour, and Coſt caſt away, to adminiſter phiſick to ſuch patients whoſe diſeaſes are deſperate: my Brethren, God is a wiſe phiſician, and he knows whom hee hath to deale with: when hee ſees men rend in pieces his Preſcripts, and pull off his plaiſters, and vomit up his wholeſome potions, that he gives them for their good; he gives them up for gone, hee will bee their Phyſician no longer. This was the reaſon why God did leave Judah, Thy diſeaſe is incurable, Jer. 30. 12.
Secondly, becauſe it is not only loſt labour, but it is worſe then loſt, to let ſuch people have the Miniſtery of the word: it makes them much worſe. Why ſhould yee bee ſmitten any more? yee will revolt more and more, Eſa. 1. 5. why ſhould yee bee preacht to any more? yee will, &c.
Thirdly, Becauſe if men will needs goe on in their ſins, God would rather they ſhould doe ſo without his word, then with it: as a husbandman, if the ground bee ſtark barren, he would rather never plough it, and ſow it with ſeed, then to have it barren after the ſeed ſown; when people will needs bee wicked, God would rather have them doe all their wickedneſſe out of his ſight, then in it, I will caſt you out of my ſight, Jer. 7. 15. God cannot abide to look upon a people, that will have their own wayes; they anger him more, when they commit all their wickedneſſe under his Word; God looks towards a people when hee ſends them his holy Word, hee looks upon them to doe them good, hee looks towards them in pity, and calls them to repentance, that they may finde favour with him, and therefore, if they doe evill now, this provokes him more a thouſand times. A drunkard where the word is truely preached, an adulterer there, a muck-worm there, a proud perſon there, a profane wretch there; I ſay, this angers him more a thouſand thouſand times. The times of ignorance, God wincked at, Act. 17. 30. If your ſins were committed in blinde Pariſhes, God would winck at you, in a manner, that is, your damnation ſhould bee leſſe. God would excuſe you himſelf, in ſome meaſure. Alas! poore creatures, they know not what they doe; let them have leſſe hell, they do not deſerve ſo many plagues; he wincks at the wicked that live without his Word: But you that live under the word, he cannot winck at you. Hee will puniſh you to the full. O! Beloved, above all things, the Lord cannot abide that people ſhould bee wretched and vain under his Word: But I will paſſe over this point. Thus yee ſee they are ſeven Starres, every Congregation had its Starre, every Church had its Miniſter.
Now in the next place, we ſee here that Chriſt hath theſe ſeven Starres. Theſe things ſaith hee that hath the ſeven Spirits of God, and the ſeven Starres. Chriſt hath the ſeven ſtarres. Chriſt is ſaid to have the ſeven ſtarres, in five reſpects.
Firſt, in reſpect that they have their miſſion from him, ſecondly, in reſpect they have their Commiſſion from him, thirdly, in reſpect they have their abilities from him, fourthly, in reſpect they have their ſucceſſe from him, fiftly, in reſpect they have their Protection from him; of theſe in their order.
Firſt, they have their Miſſion from him. It is Chriſt that ſends forth all true Miniſters: As my Father hath ſent mee, ſo ſend I you, Joh. 20. 21. it is Chriſt that ſends Miniſters to the Church, as hee told Jeruſalem: Behold I ſend unto you Prophets, and Wiſemen, and Scribes, Matth. 23. 34. Hee called the twelve, and began to ſend them forth by two and two, &c. Mark. 6. 5. So hee called the ſeventy and ſent them alſo, Luk. 10. 1. ſo it is Chriſt that ſends Miniſters to this day. True, the Church does ordain them; I, but if they be not ſent by him too, they are intruders. Now when hee ſends them, they are his Miniſters, though it bee the Church that puts them into Orders. As it is with a true Conſtable, though the Pariſh chooſe him, yet hee is the Kings Officer, and does things in the Kings name; ſo it is with every true Miniſter, Chriſt hath the ſending of him, he is the Miniſter of Chriſt, as the Apoſtle ſayes, Let a man ſo account of us as the Miniſters of Chriſt, 1 Cor. 4. 1. and therefore look what wee doe in our Office, wee doe it in his name. As hee ſaid, in the name of Jeſus Chriſt riſe up and walk. So we ſay unto Gods Elect, in the name of Jeſus Chriſt, riſe up and walke. In the name of Jeſus Chriſt Repent of all your wicked wayes, and Beleeve, and though the world will not ſtirre at our ſpeech, yet they that are elected of God doe ſtirre: they are none but the Reprobate, that lie ſtill in their ſinnes, ſometime or other wee get all▪ the Elect for to heare us.
The Uſe of this is; firſt, for comfort to us that are true Miniſters, Chriſt hath the ſending of us, therefore certainly hee will bee with us in all his errands, the world may bee againſt us, we may meet with many wolves: Behold! I ſend you as ſheep among Wolves; people may threaten and ſpeak their words againſt us, a foot and a half long; what need wee care for all their great ſpeeches, as long as Chriſt ſends us? Chriſt will bee with us for the good of his Elect, in all the courſe of our Miniſtery, be it ſhort, or be it long: Wee ſhall bee uſefull to them what ever the world doe: if there be any that belong to God, wee ſhall finde them out, no matter for others. Chriſt will bee with us in the Pulpit, in the priſon, in the dog-hole, if yee would put us into it, as Chriſt told his Miniſters, Goe and teach all Nations, Baptizing them in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Ghoſt, and lo I am with you to the end of the world, Matth. 28. 19, 20. this is our comfort that Chriſt will bee with us, and this is the Elects comfort, they ſhall bee ſure to finde him with us in our Miniſtery.
Secondly, if Chriſt hath the ſending of us, wee muſt beeUſe 2. ſure wee doe his meſſage, that we perform the work he ſends us to doe, every meſſenger ſhould doe thus, nay, Chriſt himſelf did thus. I ſeek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath ſent mee; Joh. 5. 30. If a Merchant ſhould ſend a ſervant beyond Sea, to bee a Factor for him, if that ſervant ſhould goe and trade for himſelf, to get monies for himſelf, and an eſtate for himſelf, and neglect his Maſters buſineſſe; hee may look for a cold welcome home: ſo when Chriſt ſends us to bee Factors for him, to ſee what Soules wee can gain unto him; if wee ſhould now ſeek our ſelves, how to be rich, how to bee ſome-body in the world, how to get preferment, and ſo leave his buſineſſe undone; wee may look for a cold welcome home, when wee ſhall bee brought before God. Certainly, if Chriſt ſends us, we ſhould minde his work, glorifie Chriſt, labour to reveale Chriſt, to win Soules to Chriſt; this is our buſineſſe to doe. When David ſent Huſhai to Abſalom, to bee a factor for him, wee ſee how well hee did the meſſage, hee turned the counſell of Achitophel into fooliſhneſſe, hee marred all that wicked wretches plots, he did all for David: ſo we ſhould doe all for Chriſt, wee ſhould labour to turn the devils plots into fooliſhneſſe, to undermine Satan, and where God hath any to ſave, wee ſhall prevaile.
Thirdly, If Chriſt hath the ſending of us, wee muſt giveUſe 3. him account when wee have done. When Chriſt had ſent his Diſciples to preach, they returned again, and gave him account of what they had done, Luk. 10. 17. Lord even the Devils are ſubject unto us. Lord I have done thus and thus, I have declared all thy whole counſell, I have kept nothing back: I have done thy meſſage, and ſuch and ſuch have heard mee, but ſuch and ſuch will not hear me. A meſſenger is bound to give an account unto him that ſends him: nay, the devill himſelf returned to give an account: when the Lord ſent him to tempt Job, hee came again, and told what hee had done, Job 2. 1. when the children of Dan ſent ſpies to ſearch the land, they came and gave up their account. The very devill may teach us this leſſon, to goe and give Chriſt account of what wee have done. Wee ſee there how they that had received the Talents, how they came and gave in their accompt, Lord thy pound hath gained ten pounds.
Fourthly, another Uſe is to you; what a great mercy isUſe 4. this, that Chriſt ſhould ſend unto ſuch as you bee? If Chriſt had ſent unto you, when yee had ſought him and turned unto him, it had been very much, but that hee ſhould diſpatch meſſengers to you, when yee had not a thought of him; nay, when yee ſinned againſt him, O what a great mercy is this! It was a great kindneſſe, that Joſeph would ſend unto his Father, and his Brethren, and bid them leave all, and come into the Land of Aegypt, and willed them that they ſhould not care for their ſtuffe, for the beſt of the Land of Egypt ſhall bee yours, yee know his brethren were unkinde unto him. Beloved, Joſeph was never ſo unkindly dealt with by his Brethren, as Chriſt hath been by us, and yet that he ſhould ſend to ſuch wretches as wee are: O leave all, and come unto me, regard not your ſtuffe, regard not your profits, never trouble your ſelves with this thing and that thing, for all the beſt of heaven ſhall be yours; O what an infinit kindneſſe is this! when hee will ſend ſuch treaſures of his to us, by his Miniſters. As Joſeph filled his brethrens ſacks with corne, which they carryed to their fathers houſe, in Canaan, to preſerve them alive till they came over to Egypt; So the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, hath put his ſpiritual treaſures into a ſack, and given them his Miniſters to diſpence them to their brethren, to nouriſh them, and preſerve them, untill they come home to him: hee fills his Miniſters ſacks every week for us, they come with ſack-fulls of heavenly and divine truths every week to us, with ſack-fulls of food to feed our ſoules unto eternall life, and when that is ſpent, hee ſends us every Sabbath more; and therefore how ſhould we eſteem a true Miniſter that comes to us from Jeſus Chriſt! He is one of a thouſand, as Elihu ſpeaks, if there be a meſſenger with him, an interpreter, one of a thouſand, to declare unto man his righteouſneſſe, then hee is gracious unto him, Job 33. 23, 24. that is, then is God gracious to us indeed, ſuch a one is one of a thouſand, ſuch a one declares to us our righteouſneſſe, he brings to us the righteouſneſſe of Jeſus. This the Lord Jeſus Chriſt ſends unto us, when hee ſends us a true Miniſter, hee ſends us an excellent preſent, even his own righteouſneſſe and merits, and the glad tidings of peace, how we may live and be ſaved: So that we ſhould be thankfull unto God, that Chriſt ſends to us his Miniſters, with ſuch precious things. If the King ſhould ſend to any one of us but five pound, O how would we wonder at it, who ever were the meſſenger, we would bid ſuch a one welcome, and, what! does the King take notice of mee? ſuch a poore man as I? who would have thought that ever hee ſhould ſend ſuch a token to me? what a condeſcending is this! I tell thee, if thee, if the King ſhould do thus for thee, thou wouldeſt make very much of it, I, and talk of it too, where ever thou commeſt; nay, it would make thee glad, and a very joyfull man, and it would make thee think thy ſelf highly preferred. O Beloved, and what a horrible ſhame is this, that the King of Kings, and the Lord of Lords, ſhould ſend a meſſenger to us every day almoſt, not with five pounds a-piece to every one of us, but with all the riches and treaſures of heaven, to enrich us for ever, to make us happy for ever, Bleſſed that ever wee were born, and yet that we ſhould not be affected hardly! My Brethren, we that are the Miniſters of God, wee come with heavenly and glorious things, every day from our Lord Jeſus Chriſt: though wee have them but in earthly veſſels, yet they are things that the whole world is but droſſe and dung in compariſon of, and therefore think how yee ſhould come to Church; think how ye ſhould come to hear Sermons: Now I come to hear a meſſage from Chriſt, now ſhall I hear an Embaſſadour from heaven, that will break open Chriſts Letter to me, a reproofe from Jeſus Chriſt, a counſell from Chriſt, Directions from Chriſt concerning the framing of my life, Leſſons from Chriſt, how I may come to glory. O, ſayes the Apoſtle, He hath given to us the Miniſtery of reconciliation with God: to wit, that God was in Chriſt reconciling the world unto himſelf, not imputing their treſpaſſes unto them, and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then wee are Embaſſadours for Chriſt, as though God did beſeech you by us, wee pray you in Chriſt his ſtead bee reconciled unto God, 2 Cor. 5. 18, 19. 20. q. d. Ah yee poore creatures, God and you are out, yee are enemies of God, by your evill works, the wrath of God hangeth over you, wrath for all your ſinnes; wrath for your drunkenneſſe; wrath for your covetouſneſſe; wrath for all your carnall courſes; yee lye under the wrath of God, wrath that will damne you, and undoe you for ever. Now the Lord of Heaven and Earth hath ſent us as Heralds of Peace, wee come Embaſſadors from the Lord of all glory, we have the word of reconciliation, the word that wee preach, will make God and you friends, if ye will beleeve it. O, wee pray you in Chriſt his ſtead conſider of it, and bee reconciled unto God, heare our meſſage, imbrace our Embaſſage: O doe not ſlight what wee ſay to you, we ſpeak to you from Chriſt, doe not receive it as a word onelyonly from our mouthes, but as indeed it is, the Word of the great God. This is the onelyonly Word that can make God and you friends, O how highly does it concern you to ſubmit hereunto!
How will this judge the world, that the Miniſtery of the Word, is no more regarded or heeded! When God ſends his Miniſters unto people, and becauſe forſooth, their fleſh and blood does not like it; they look little after it: Whereas this containes eternall life, and if ye reject this, ye reject eternall life. I beſeech you judge what I ſay: Doe you meet with a reproofe, that croſſes your corrupt luſts? I pray you reaſon the caſe thus with your own Soules, O let me not put off this reproofe, it reproves me of my drunken doings, it reproves me of my ſecurity, it reproves me of my ſins: if I put it off, I put off the word of reconciliation: This is one of thoſe truths, that comes to reconcile me to God: I ſtand out in rebellion, and deſiance againſt God, if I doe not take it home. So of any other paſſage of the Word. Still when the Prophets would ſpeak unto the people, this was their voyce, The Lord ſent mee: ſo ſayes Iſaiah, the Lord ſent mee; and Jeremiah too, the Lord ſent mee. When they refuſed to hear what he ſaid: O, ſayes hee! Surely the Lord ſent mee to ſpeak thus unto you. One would think it were enough to ſtrike terrough into the hearts of men, to put off any Sermon, any rebuke, any exhortation, of Chriſts Miniſters, when they know the Lord ſends them. May bee, the Miniſter is as poore a creature as one of you; O, but remember who ſends him, as Chriſt ſayes, hee that heareth you, heareth mee, and hee that deſpiſeth you, deſpiſeth mee, and hee that refuſeth mee, refuſeth him that ſent me, Luk. 10. 16.