A Pearl in an Oyster Shell, Sermon 2
SERMON II.
2 COR. 4. 7.
But we have this Treaſure in Earthen Veſſels.
WE have this Treaſure, Non pretio ſed promiſſo; not by debt but by dowry; not by purchaſe but by Promiſe. I might obſerve other things hence, but I muſt proceed.
Doct. 2. That Chriſts Embaſſadours are Earthly Veſſels.
A Veſſel is an Inſtrument of uſe in which we do keep or carry any neceſſary 2 Tim. 2. 20.Commodity that concerns life's good.
And by a Metaphor it is transferred to men, who are ſo called, becauſe they are Heirs:
1. Either of Gods Election; 2. Or of his Rejection.
1. Of his Grace and Glory; Or 2ly. Rom. 9. 21.of his Anger and Indignation; For, the Potter hath power over the Clay to make one Veſſel to honour, and another to diſhonour.
1. Veſſels of Wood and ſtones, and ſuch as are hypocrites in the viſible v. 22.Church.
2. Veſſels of Gold and Silver, viz. v. 23.The Elect.
Moreover, the Word is uſed in a general ſignification for any one that God 2 Tim. …. 22deſignes to do him ſervice in a publick or private capacity; As Cyrus, Nebuchadnezzar, &c. in a ſubſerviency to his providence.
And in this ſenſe it is put for the Miniſters of the Goſpel; and thus our Apoſtle Acts 9.15.is called a choſen Veſſel, to bear the Name of Chriſt among the Gentiles. And they may be here called Earthly Veſſels.
1. In reſpect of their Creation and Conſtitution, and the baſe matter of Gen. 3.19. 1 Cor. 15. 47.their making: Adam of Adamah, red Earth; The firſt man was of the Earth, earthly.
2. In reſpect of their Corruption that cleaves to them whiles they remain in the earthly houſe of this their Tabernacle; 2 Cor. 5.1. Acts 14. 15.being ſubject to many perturbations and paſſions, and infirmities of fleſh and blood; you may ſee it in Elias, 2 King. 15. 14.Jam. 5. 17. in Jonah; in Peter and the reſt of the Apoſtles: So Miniſters in this ſenſe are Earthen Veſſels, and Satan is ſenſible of this; and therefore will ſift them to the bran: Can he Luke 22. 31.but get ſuch as they to ſide with him in the promotion of his works of darkneſs, it makes much for the advancement of his Intereſt; As Luther ſaid of—a great Scholar, Cupit a te ornari Diabolus.
3. They are Earthen Veſſels, in reſpect of their reſolution and diſſolution, ſubject to the ſtroke of death as well as others, Za…. 1. 5.like water ſpilt upon the ground; or like Earthen Pitchers that are carried oft to the Water, but are come broken home at laſt; Eadem conditione mortalitatis, & ſimili conditione; vobiſcum, humanitatis afficiuntur.Budaeus:
4. They are obnoxious to croſſes and changes in their outward eſtate in the world; they paſs from proſperity to adverſity; they ſuffer impriſonment, baniſhment, Pſal. 123: 3, 4.contempt and ſcorn, and are counted the very ſcum and off-ſcouring of all things. God is pleaſed many 1 Cor. 4. 13.times to empty theſe Veſſels, and to pour them forth as Wine out of a Jer. 48.11.Cask; and they are vilely eſteemed of men, as Veſſels of no value.
The Reaſons are ſuch as theſe:
They have here many times to do with men of earthly minds, to plant Iſa. 51. 16.a Heaven, and to found a Earth, or rather that God may do it, by their Miniſtry, as our Tranſlators render the Words. Now what Veſſels are fitter for the Lords uſe, to call home the Veſſels Deut. 5. 24, 25.of Mercy than men like themſelves? The Iſraelites would not hear of it that Exod. 20. 19.God ſhould ſpeak unto them immediately from Heaven, but by the Miniſtry of Moſes, a man like themſelves: So men of like paſſion, are men of more compaſſion; ſuch as can truly ſay with the Apoſtle, Who is weak, and I am not 2 Cor. 11. 29.weak? Who is offended, and I burn not? Likeneſs breedeth liking, and our own weakneſs, feebleneſs, afflictions, ſtir up affection, as it did in Calvin; of whom it is ſaid, He was no otherwiſe affected towards the Churches, than if he Beza in vit. Calv.had born them upon his ſhoulders.
2. The great Shepherd of his Sheep will have it ſo, to humble us; that when we take notice of the Treaſure we 2 Cor. 12. 7.are intruſted with, we may ſeem low, and little in our own eyes, and eſteem of our ſelves Coniah, a Veſſel wherein is Iſa. 13. 3. Jer. 22.28.no pleaſure. Fleſh and blood is apt to boaſt in parts, in gifts, wherein happily we may eſteem to excel other men: But did we but conſider our own brittle imbecillity, and from whom our ſufficiency comes, We would no more boaſt than of a borrowed Sute, or the Man of his Hatchet; Alas, Maſter, It was borrowed.2 Kings 6. 5.
3. The Lord doth ſo ordain, that, this precious Treaſure ſhould paſs to you through Earthen Veſſels.
1. That you ſhould not caſt Contempt upon this holy and honourable Calling of the Miniſtry, becauſe of the meanneſs of mens perſons, parts, parentage, trials, or temptations; ſince Gods Prophets, and even Chriſt and his Apoſtles were liable to the like.
Amos was neither a Prophet, nor the Amos 1.1.Son of a Prophet, but a Herd-man of Tekoah. Jeſus Chriſt before he entred upon his Miniſtry, ſerved in the mean employment of a Carpenter, his Apopoſtles Mark 6. 3.were many of them, poor Fiſhermen; And the Apoſtle Paul was ſometime a Tent-maker, though indeed brought Acts 18.3.up at the feet of learned Gamaliel; and yet for all the trials and temptations that he indured, the Galatians were nothing the leſs indeared to him; you know, ſaith he, How that through the infirmity of the Gal. 4. 13, 14.fleſh I preached the Goſpel, and the trials of me which was in my fleſh, ye deſpiſed not, neither abhorred.
2. The Lord will have it ſo, that, you ſhould not have Miniſters perſons in admiration for any elegancy of Wit, Jude 16.excellency of Learning, ſtrength of Memory, &c. Since they are but Men, and of like paſſions, and the Lord is pleaſed Acts 14. 15.many times to hide the great myſteries Mat. 11.25 1 Cor. 1. 26.of his Kingdom from the wiſe and prudent of the world; few of ſuch are called. I know well, that God diſtributes his Gifts variouſly, to ſome, a greater meaſure than to other men; and ſuch are worthy of double honour, eſpecially if they labour in the Word and Doctrine: 1 Tim. 5. 17.But though you ow them reverence, yet you muſt not have them in admiration; For this was the Original of the various Sects at Corinth, I am of Paul, and I am of Apollos, and I of Cephas: 1 Cor. 1. 12.and the Apoſtle is afraid, leſt any one ſhould think o him above that he ſeeth in him, and will rather glory in his infirmities 2 Cor. 12. 5, 6.for this very cauſe.
3. That the Grace of regeneration may be aſcribed, not to the preaching of Men, but to the power of God; ſo in the Text, and by the operation of his Spirit.
4. The Lords intent in this diſpenſation may be to puzzle and perplex the great Wits of the world, who reſt, and relie upon their carnal wiſdom, and think thereby to fathom the depth of theſe 1 Cor. 3. 18.Myſteries; but ſuch muſt empty their Veſſels of this Earthly Treaſure, and count it traſh, before they be capable of Phil. 3. 7.conceiving of, or receiving in the Treaſures of Wiſdom and Knowledg in Chriſt; for, Intus exiſtens prohibet alienum; If any man among you ſeem to be wiſe in this world, let him become a fool 1 Cor. 3. 18, 19.that he may be wiſe.
Ʋſe 1. Admire the goodneſs and gracious condeſcention of God, who might have delivered his mind to you by the miniſtration of Angels, and in terrible things; as at the Tradition of the Law upon Mount Sinai, with Exod. 20. 18.thunder, lightning, and ſound of a Trumpet, the Mountain burning, and covered with blackneſs, darkneſs Heb. 12.18.and tempeſt, ſo full of terror, that, not only the People, but, even Moſes himſelf Exod. 19. 16.trembled: But God was pleaſed to deliver his will to you, by men formed of the ſame clay, cut out of the ſame Job 33.6, 7.lump with your ſelves, Earthen Veſſels. Well may we ſay with the Pſalmiſt, Lord, What is man, ſorry, ſickly, mortal, miſerable Pſal. 8. 4.man, that thou ſhouldſt be thus mindful of him? to leave thy mind to us, and Heb. 1. 1.deliver it by the Miniſtry of Men, As the Diſciples ſaid!
Ʋſe 2. If the Apoſtle who was ſo eminent an Inſtrument of Chriſt, and laboured more abundantly than the reſt; 1 Cor. 15. 10.yet makes himſelf equal with others, as an Earthen Veſſel; nay, in ſome ſenſe inferiour, the leaſt of Saints, the laſt of Apoſtles, How doth this reprehend the Eph. 3.8.Pride of the Pope, who takes to him the moſt magnificent Titles, ſuch as no meer man, without the higheſt blaſphemy may arrogate to himſelf; ſuch as that Paſtor of the Catholick Church, which he blaſphemouſly calleth his own Ceremon. b. …. ſect. 2. 2 Theſ. 2.3 Bellarm. de Sum. Pont. l. 2. 23.Spouſe; nay, arrogates to himſelf the Title of God, and ſets himſelf above Princes who are petty gods, and ſo proves himſelf to be the Antichriſt: and though he pretends his power from Peter, yet follows not his Precepts, 1 Pet. 5. 3. and aſſimilates him in nothing, except in denying his Maſter.
3. What an excellent patern of humility have we here, who are the Paſtors of Chriſt's Flock, not to lord it over 1 Pet. 5. 3.them, but to allure them by love; ſhewing Tit. 3. 2.meekneſs to all men, and inſtructing thoſe that oppoſe themſelves to be very 2 Tim. 2. 25.tender of them, and apt to compaſſionate them in their ſorrows and ſufferings, ſince we are of the like frailty our ſelves! This ſhould make us ſay with Moſes, Who am I? If there be any Heavenly Treaſure in us, it is Chriſts Gift, he gave it, and let him have the glory of it; Not I, but the Grace of God which is 1 Cor. 15. 10.in me. The more any man beholds the Suns body, the leſs he ſees, when he looks to the Earth; So we beholding the glory of God in the face of Jeſus Chriſt, ſhould aſcribe the excellency of the power to God, and not to our Pſal. 115. 1.ſelves; Non nobis Domine, non nobis; ſed nomini tuo da gloriam.
4. You ſhould not value the Goſpel the leſs vertually, but rather have it in the greater veneration, becauſe it comes to you in or through Earthen Veſſels. We are very apt, naturally, to look at the outward appearance of things or perſons, and accordingly to prize and prefer them. For this St. James taxeth his Hearers, who in their Aſſemblies had reſpect to him that had on a Gold Ring, and gay cloathing: So ordinarily, Jam. 2. 3.men ſhew eſteem to ſuch things that are gorgeous and glorious in the eye of the world, and to ſuch Men, ſuch Miniſters, as ſhew forth in their Sermons much humane Learning and Eloquence; and in the mean time, neglect, and ſlight the godly ſimplicity of the Goſpel, and ſuch as preach it in the power of the Holy-Ghoſt; This is partiality in the Apoſtles account: Not that I ſpeak againſt Learning, which is an excellent Hand-maid to Divinity; but the abuſe of it when men darken the Truth through the miſts of Philoſophical ſpeculations, and preach, Magis ut Col. 2. 8. St. Aug. Multi propter arborem ſcientiae amittunt arborem vitae.placerent, quam docerent; to pleaſe, rather than to profit. If men ſet ſuch a price upon Earthly Treaſures; digged out of the bowels of the Earth, and delivered with dirty hands; How much more ſhould you value the Goſpel though it come from Inſtruments that are Earthen Veſſels?
Obſerve the Exhortation of the Apoſtle, We beſeech you, Brethren, know them 2 Theſ. 5. 13.that labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admoniſh you, and have them in ſingular love, for their works ſake. Though there be no worthineſs in the perſon, yet, it is a worthy work, it is high and honourable, divine and heavenly; the preparation to it, the execution of it is ſo, if you conſider 1 Tim. 3. 1the worth of a precious ſoul, by the price that was payed to purchaſe it; not Gold nor Silver, but the pretious Blood of Jeſus Chriſt, and the Reward that 1 Pet. 1. 18, 18.will be given to ſuch as are Inſtrumental in the work; the ſaving a ſoul from death, and the hiding a multitude of ſins; and how mean ſoever they appear Jam. 5.20.in the Fleſh, yet hereafter they ſhall ſhine as the Stars in the Kingdom of their Father for evermore.Dan. 12.3.
5. Admire the depth of Divine Wiſdom in this; That the Lord ſhould make uſe of our weakneſs and unworthineſs, for the manifeſtation of his mighty Power in bringing ſinners from Satans Kingdom, and their ſinful courſes, to accept of Salvation through our Lord Jeſus Chriſt. Well may the A…oſtle ſay, Who is ſufficient for theſe 2 Cor. 2. 16.things? We are not ſufficient of our ſelves to conceive, to perceive, what is our Duty, what is the Dignity of the 2 Cor. 3.5.Miniſtry, much leſs the depth of the Myſteries of Salvation, we are to diſpence: Our ſufficiency, and your proficiency, is of God; we are poor, frail, Earthen Pitchers, appointed by God, to bear this precious Treaſure; if he blow upon us, How ſoon ſhall we become broken Pot-ſheards? Who am I (ſaith) meek Moſes? And who am I, 1 Sam. 18. 18.and what is my life (ſaith) holy David? So who am I? and what is my life? a breath, a bubble, a vapor; How unworthy to bear a Pitcher, a Lamp within the Pitcher! To blow the Trumpet, Judg. 7. 16Iſa. 58, 1. To ſay, not (as they) for the Lord, and for Gideon; but for the Lord, and for Jeſus Chriſt. Oh the depth Rom. 11. 33.both of the wiſdom and knowledg of God! Here is a depth indeed, wherein a man might dwell. As Chryſoſtome diſcourſing about the Love of God in Chriſt, ſaith, Oh I am like a man digging in a deep Spring; I ſtand here, and the water riſeth upon me, and there, and ſtill it riſeth upon me: We are not of Gods Cabinet Counſel; we have not David's Key to open this Secret, and it is not ſafe to be prying into this Ark; Mirari Rev. 3. 7. Mallem ignorare ſine crimine quam ſcire cum diſcrimine, Euclidis.potius quàm rimari, ſapientia noſtra. Let us admire, what we cannot underſtand; only this, What cannot God do, that is not ſinful, if it pleaſe him? who makes his Power appear in our weakneſs, and gives you this Treaſure in Earthen Veſſels.
Ʋſe 6. Endeavour to do all the good you can by, and to receive all the good, that is tendered you in the diſpenſation of the Goſpel, ſince your Miniſters are frail, mortal Creatures, Earthen Veſſels, that will ſoon be broken.
It will not be long before a period be put to my preaching, your hearing; to all our prayers, repentance and preparations for death, and for judgment; there will be no longer pardon tendered, or graces to be attained; no knowledg, no wiſdom in the grave whither we Eccl. 9.7, 10.are going. There will be no Accounts caſt up, no Counſel given or taken; no doing of work, but a receiving of wages, according to our work done. Work John 9. 4.therefore while it is day; whiles you have life, and light, and health, and ſtrength, and time and talents; before dim eyes, and ſailing hands, and feeble feet, and ſainting hearts, through the infirmities of old age, come upon you. You are called Labourers, and muſt not loyter; Souldiers, and muſt fight; ſea-faring Men, and muſt hoiſe up Sails, whiles the wind ſits; Husbandmen, and muſt plow up your fallow ground; Stewards, and muſt give an account: You have your task ſet, and have played the truants too long already; and if you do not haſten, you will hardly have done your work before the Lord comes; Therefore while it is called to day barden not your hearts. Be not like little children that conſume their Candle in play and Pſal. 95.8. Heb. 3.8.ſport, and are forced to go to bed▪ the dark.
7. Now ſince both the Text and the Time, leads me to it, I cannot but take notice of two Occurences of Divine Providence that have hapned to the Inhabitants of this Pariſh and to my ſelf, as concerned herein this preſent Month of April.
1. The firſt was the Lords gracious goodneſs, and the Kings Royal Indulgence in reſtoring me to my Miniſtry at this place, who w… before civilly dead; and here I have continued a year compleat, with the love, & good liking of my He…ers (not without the oppoſition and contradiction of ſome who are envious at my preaching, and caſt contumelies upon my perſon) but none of Acts 20. 23, 24.theſe things move me, Homo ſum, nihil haec à me aliena puto; Only the fruits of the affliction, and the ſucceſs of my ſervice; Oh that I could ſee more of this! that I might not complain of running in vain; nor you of dry breſts, or a miſcarrying womb. My preaching I well know, hath been in much weakneſs, and in fear and trembling; 1 Cor. 2.3.For, as that grave Father told Libanius the Rhetorician, Non Oratorum filii ſumus, ſed Piſcatorum; we are not the ſons of Orators, but of Fiſhermen. It is a ſufficient excuſe, to ſay what you have heard, came to you through an Earthen Veſſel; and therefore pray unto God who made mans mouth, the dumb to ſpeak, and the blind to ſee, that he would cauſe this light to ſhine out of darkneſs into your hearts; that ſo the excellency of the power may appear to be of God, and not of Man.
2. The ſecond Occurrence; this Month is likewiſe memorable, for the Death of Reverend Mr. Hall, ſome-time a Preacher in this Place, but a faithful Paſtor in the Pariſh where he ſerved (as he ſaid) a double Apprenticeſhip; of whom, though I have ſaid ſomething heretofore, yet I can never ſay enough. His Life was a Tranſcript of his Teaching; and his Soul was ſtored with a Treaſure of many Divine Graces and Gifts which he hid not in a Napkin, or put under a Buſhel, but expended for the publick good: Yet having this Treaſure in an Earthen Veſſel, the Lamp of his Life went out by enlightening others; yet without waſte; for the ſavour of this Ointment hath yielded a ſweet perfume in the CHURCH of GOD.
The End of the Second Sermon.