The Wise Gospel Preacher, Sermon · Part 16
The ſecond Uſe is of Caution.
Secondly, Let this Uſe be a word of Caution to all ſuch as either deſign, or are already engaged in Preaching-work. Look to this Doctrine, That you are in God's, as well as his Peoples account, wiſe, truly wiſe, richly wiſe, with the Spiritual, Heavenly, Goſpel-wiſdom. Oh Beloved! undertake not this weighty, glorious, honourable Work, or employment of Preaching, without ſutable aptneſs and fitneſs thereunto. Run not before Jeſus Chriſt ſends you, remembring Rom. 10.15. How can they Preach except they be ſent … Take not this honour, this undue honour to your ſelves to be judges of your ſufficiency. For it is written Heb. 5.14. No man taketh this honour t… himſelf, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron; Be of the temper and ſpirit of Jeremiah, have lo… thoughts of your ſelves and abilities, and uprightly ſay as he did, Ah, Lord God, behold, I cannot ſpeak, for I am a Child, Jer. 1.6. And with Moſes ſay, Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor ſince thou haſt ſpoken to thy Servant; but I am ſlow of ſpeech, and of a ſlow tongue, Exod. 4. Oh you Beloved, to whom I am now ſpeaking in this Uſe, be mindful of that word, Eccleſ. 5.2. Be not raſh with thy Mouth, and let not thy Heart be haſty to utter any thing before God; for God is in Heaven, therefore let thy words be few. 'Tis Soul-work you are to do, therefore be wiſe; 'tis Chriſt's Work, therefore be wiſe; 'tis honourable Work, therefore be wiſe; 'tis hard Work, very difficult Work, therefore be wiſe: For who is ſufficient for theſe things? 'tis dangerous Work, yea, moſt dangerous of all Work: If we do this deceitfully, or negligently, or fooliſhly, think on that word Eccleſ. 5.6. Suffer not thy mouth to cauſe thy fleſh to ſin, neither ſay thou, it was an error: Wherefore ſhould God be angry at thy voice, and deſtroy the work of thy hands? Oh remember Ezek. 3.17, 18. If thou warn not the wicked from his wicked way, the ſame wicked man ſhall ſurely die in his iniquity, but his blood will I require at thy hand. Be therefore wiſe, truly wiſe, Heavenly wiſe, ſpiritually wiſe, richly wiſe, in all the revealed wiſdom of God; for God hath ſaid, He will be ſanctified in them that draw nigh him, and before all the people he will be glorified, Numb. 10.3.
But that you may be wiſe, take theſe few Directions and helps, as ſufficient for the attainment of Preachers-wiſdom.
Direct. 1. Firſt, and above all, Be much in Communion with God by Prayer for wiſdom, for every good and perfect Gift, cometh down from the Father of Lights; and your way to have it, is by Prayer: So ſaith James, If any man lack wiſdom, let him ask of God, who giveth liberally, and upbraideth not, chap. 1.5. Beloved, all we that Preach, and all ye that deſire this great Work of Breaching, we do all of us lack wiſdom, yea, very much lack wiſdom; therefore pray, Oh pray, abundantly for wiſdom, that we may receive it: Thus did Solomon, and pleaſed God, and obtained his requeſt, 1 Kings 3.7, 8, 9. And this, Paul the great Apoſtle of the Gentiles, deſired the Theſſalonian-Church do do for him; even to pray, that the Word of the Lord might have free courſe, and be glorified by him and his Companions. On Brethren, and Beloved, pray much and fervently for your ſelves, and beg alſo the conſtant fervent Prayers of all the Saints, and Churches of the Saints, that you, and all that labour in the Word and Doctrine, may be truly, richly, Spiritually wiſe.
Direct. 2. Secondly, Would you be Spiritually wiſe? Be diligent, painful, and abundant in the ſtudy and ſearching into the Scriptures, for this is able, onelyonly able, of outward helps, to make the Man of God wiſe, even throughly wiſe, unto Salvation, 2 Tim. 3.15. with 1 Tim. 4.15, 16. Meditate on theſe things, give thy ſelf wholly to them, that thy profiting may appear to all; continue in them, that thou mayeſt ſave thy ſelf, and them that hear. Oh my dear Brethren and Friends! this is a Preachers ſtudy and work, to ſearch and ſtudy the Scriptures; not Fathers, Commentators, or School-men, as his buſineſs, this is but a by-ſtudy; it is Scripture-ſtudy, even the Old and New Teſtament, which is our great buſineſs, even our all to ſtudy, for 'tis Scripture and Goſpel that you muſt Preach, not Books, nor mens Opinions; therefore ſtudy the Scripture diligently and humbly.
Direct. 3. Thirdly, Be very much in the practice of Godlineſs; walk much with God if you would be wiſe, and know much of the mind of God. Thus God acted towards Abraham, Gen. 18.17. He would not hide his Counſel from him, becauſe he was Godly, and would command and reach his Family the fear of the Lord; ſo in Danel's caſe. So our Lord alſo promiſeth, John 7.17. ſaying, If any man will do his Will, he ſhall know the Doctrine whether it be of God.
Direct. 4. Fourthly, Be much in Communion with Saints: for with the well-adviſed is wiſdome, therefore if Preachers would be wiſe, they muſt walk in the way of good men, and keep the paths of the Righteous, Prov. 2.20. Paul ſat at the feet of Gamaliel, and thus Apollos became wiſe through converſe with Aquila and Priſcilla; and thus Mary may be ſaid to become wiſe, by ſitting at the feet of our Lord Jeſus, Acts 22.3. with chap. 18.25, 26. and Luke 10.25. So that if a Preacher deſire to be wiſe, his way is to hold and maintain much Chriſtian-fellowſhip and Communion with the Saints, even with the wiſeſt and moſt experienced among them. This may ſerve for direction in this matter; therefore I beſeech you that are Goſpel-Preachers, to ſtrive to be wiſe by the exerciſe of all holy Means; for by ſo doing, you may obtain to be ſuch Preachers, of whom it may be ſaid, Moreover, becauſe the Preacher was wiſe, he ſtill taught the People knowledge.
And this ſhall ſuffice for the firſt Branch of this Verſe, concerning what the Preacher was, and his qualification; I come now to the ſecond Branch of the Text, which contains the firſt part of the wiſe Preachers Act or Work, He ſtill taught the People knowledge.
Firſt, Theſe words contain either the Preacher's perſiſtency, or going on with his Work: Or,
Secondly, His proficiency, or ripening at, or in his Work; He ſtill taught the people knowledge: Not as one that was at a ſtand, or height, but as one that grew and proceeded higher and higher in the meaſures of his Divine Attainments; He ſtill taught the people higher knowledge, or more profound Myſteries; and this the after-words ſeem to declare.
I ſhall firſt take this word ſtill, as it gives forth the Preacher's fixation, duration, and continuation at his Work: He did not tire, or wax weary of his Imployment, but he ſtill went on teaching the People. Whence,
Doct. 5. Take this Doctrine or Concluſion; That every wiſe Preacher ought to perſiſt, and continue, or go on with his Work of Preaching to the People: He ſtill taught the people knowledge.
This is that frame of Spirit the Lord ſeems to injoyn and expect at the hands of his Servants, as the paſſage ſeems to imply, Curſed be the man the doth the Work of the Lord deceitfully, or as th… Margin hath it, negligently, Jer. 4.8, 10. the li… we have chap. 17.16. where Jeremiah tells the Lord, I have not haſtned from being a Paſtor to f… low thee: Thus Jeſus Chriſt practiſed, Luk. 8.…. He went, ſaith the Text, throughout every City an Village, Preaching and ſhewing the glad-tydings … the Kingdom of God: And this you have from th… Lord, given forth Luk. 9.60. where Jeſus ſaith▪ No man having put his hand to the Plow, and looking back, is fit for the Kingdom of God. The likewiſe was Paul's practice, as he tells the Chur… of Epheſus; Therefore watch and remember, that fr… the ſpace of three years, he ceaſed not to warn eve… one of them, night and day, with tears, Acts 2….31. To name but one place more, for the pro… of the Doctrine, that every wiſe, holy, Goſpel Preacher, once called to that Work, ought to perſevere and continue diligent therein, as you have it, He ſtill taught the people knowledge. The other paſſage I ſhall quote, is in 1 Tim. 4.13, 14, 15, 16. where Paul directs Timothy, ſaying, Till … come, give attendance to Reading, to Exhortaties, to Doctrine: Neglect not the Gift that is in the… which was given thee by Propheſie, with the laying on of the hands of the Presbytery. Meditate on theſe things, give thy ſelf wholly to them, that thy profiting may appear to all. Take heed unto thy ſelf, and unto the Doctrine; continue in them; for in d… ing this, thou ſhalt both ſave thy ſelf, and them that hear thee.
But a little further to open this, Let me give you ſome Reaſons or Arguments to clear this to be a Truth, That every Preacher ought diligently to perſiſt in Preaching.
Reaſ. 1. Firſt, Becauſe if the Preacher's opportunity be continued, his diligence and painfulneſs in Preaching ought alſo to be continued; for not only Gifts and Grace are Talents to be faithfully and diligently improved, but Time alſo is a Talent to be improved, and that as conſcionably and diligently by Preachers, as by any men. That Time and Opportunities are to be husbanded and improved, take Chriſt's own words upon this very occaſion; when his Diſciples would have perſwaded him to have deſiſted from Preaching for fear of the Jews; a plauſible Argument to avoid perſecution; but mark Chriſt's Anſwer, Are there not twelve hours in the day? John 13.9. Day-time is given us for day-work and walks, not to idle and loyter in. This the Ruler of the Synagogue well underſtood, though miſapplyed, when he ſaid to the people, There are ſix dayes in the which men ought to work, Luke 13.14. Therefore, if Jeſus Chriſt allow a Preacher life-time, health and opportunity, he ought to trade with that Talent, and improve that Opportunity, as the Apoſtle Paul witneſſeth, ſaying, As we have opportunity, let us do good unto all, Gal. 6.10.
Reaſ. 2. Secondly, Preachers ſhould ſtill perſiſt and perſevere in Preaching and Teaching the People Knowledge, becauſe the people ſtill need knowledge: and it is the peoples ignorance that calls for Preaching; therefore while the people are ſhort and wanting in knowledge, the wiſe Preacher muſt not beſhort or wanting in Preaching, but ſtil… teach the people knowledge. This our Lord declares, he eyed in giving of Preaching-miniſtrations to the Church, even the ſupply of the Churches need, that the need of the Church ſhould be removed, by being ſupplyed, as you find Epheſ. 4. from 11, to 16. where the Apoſtle tells us, That the Lord Jeſus, when he gave Apoſtles, Prophets, Evangeliſts, Paſtors, and Teachers, he gave then to the Church, and Gifts to them for the perfecting of the Saints. Note, It was not only to convert and beget Saints, but to perfect the ſtate and grace of ſuch as were through Preaching ſavingly begotten; and verſ. 13. the Apoſtle tells us again, That Preaching-Miniſters are given to lay o… themſelves, until the Saints come to a perfect meaſure, and ſtature, in Faith and Knowledge, even beyond danger of being like Children toſſed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of Doctrine. Now if theſe be the ends of Preachers, given and gifted by Jeſus Chriſt; then until the Saints be come to this ſtature, and full meaſure, in the Grace and Knowledge of Jeſus Chriſt, every wiſe Preacher ought to continue ſtill to teach the people knowledge.
Reaſ. 3. Thirdly, Every wiſe and Goſpel-Preacher, ought to perſevere and go on in teaching of the people; becauſe, that which he hath to Preach or Declare to the People from the Lord, is not ſoon Preached or Declared; therefore he had great need to attend diligently and continually upon this thing; even ſtill to teach the people knowledge: For as their ignorance is not ſoon removed, ſo is not the whole Truth of God ſoon preached. It will be long, yea, very long, e're the wiſeſt of Preachers can either know or declare the whole Counſel of God to his People. Now the whole Counſel of God is to be declared, as appears Acts 20.26, 27, 28. The Commands of the Lord are exceeding broad, and the Truths of the Goſpel very many. 'Tis not a little time ſpent in Preaching will ſerve to reveal them; Preachers may begin to Preach as young as Timothy, and die as old as Paul the Aged, and yet be behind-hand in this Work; and therefore had need doubtleſs to be Preaching in ſeaſon and out of ſeaſon; yea, to be inſtant in Preaching, that is, without unneceſſary intermiſſion, 2 Tim. 4.2.
This is the third Argument why every wiſe Goſpel-Preacher ſhould ſtill teach the People knowledge.
Reaſ. 4. And laſtly, Thoſe whoſe work is to Preach to others, ought not to be idle or negligent in the work of their Callings; ſuch ought not to be idle or negligent, working in their own Callings. But every wiſe Preacher hath this for his Work among other things, to teach the people of God, not only to remember, to keep holy the Sabbath day; but alſo to remember, that ſix days they labour and do all that they have to do, Exod. 20. Therefore every wiſe and honeſt Preacher, ought to remember himſelf; Six dayes ſhalt thou labour, and not do this Work of the Lord deceitfully: but as Paul teacheth Timothy, when he ſaith, But watch thou in all things, endure affliction, do the work of an Evangeliſt, make full proof of thy Miniſtry, 2 Tim. 4.5. Wherefore what a ſin and a ſhame is it for a Preacher to ſay to the people; Be not idle or ſlothful in buſineſs, and yet he himſelf be idle in Preaching? Such had need to read and conſider that place Rom. 2. from 17 to 24. And therefore I conclude, Every wiſe Preacher ought diligently and continually to Preach, as did the Preacher mentioned in the Text; He ſtill taught the People knowledge.
Application; Now by way of Application; This ſerves for a full word of Reproof to all idle, lazy, negligent Preachers of the Word of God, by whatever Name or Title dignified or diſtinguiſhed, who-ever they are, or where-ever they be, let this Doctrine reprove them; for if every wiſe Preacher ought ſtill to teach the people knowledge, and to perſevere and perſiſt in the Work of Preaching; this looks wiſhly, and reproves loudly, all ſuch Preachers or Idlers, that ſtand in the place or room of Preachers, and Preach not diligently, frequently, and continually. The Lord complain… of theſe, or ſuch like, in Ezek. 13.4, 5: O Iſrael, thy Prophets are like the Foxes in the Deſarts: Yea, have not gone up into the Gaps, neither made up the Hedge for the Houſe of Iſrael, to ſtand it the battel in the day of the Lord.
How many ſuch Foxes or Prophets are there in England at this day, which have not gone up as they ought to do in the Gaps, to ſtop God's Wrath from breaking forth upon poor ſinners, or to help ſinful Souls to know how to ſtand guiltleſs and ſecure in the day of the Lord's fierce anger? Have we not too many Preachers, that account Preaching a by-work; and accordingly Preach ſeldom, even when they pleaſe, as well as how they pleaſe? If ſo they be but Preachers, and Preach at all, though never, or not at all, but when conſtraint, or covetouſneſs conſtrains or induces them, they will, it may be, Preach as much as Law, not Goſpel, requireth, or as much as their profit provokes or calls them to, but no more. Theſe are none of the wiſe Preachers in my Text ſpoken of, that ſtill teach the people knowledge; no, theſe are ſuch of the fooliſh preachers or prophets, mentioned in the fore-cited Ezek. 13.3. Let theſe idle, lazy, ſleepy Drones, not wiſe Preachers, though pretenders thereunto, hear the reproof which the Lord gives them, Iſa. 56. His Watchmen are blind, they are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, and cannot bark, ſleeping, lying down, loving to ſlumber: Yea, they are greedy dogs, which can never have enough; they are Shepherds that cannot underſtand, they all look to their own way, every one for his gain from his quarter. Come ye, ſay they, we will fetch Wine, and we will fill our ſelves with ſtrong drink, and to morrow ſhall be as this day, and much more abundant, verſ. 10, 11, 12.
How like to theſe Watchmen of Iſrael are too many Watchmen or Preachers in England, Lordly Preachers, and Learned Preachers, Cathedral Preachers, and Popiſh Preachers, is but too well known to as many as know any thing of the ſtate of England.
We may ſay of England this day, as was ſaid of Iſrael, Hoſ. 7.6. Their Baker ſleepeth all night; and the height of this ſin lies in this, That England's Preachers, not onelyonly do not, and cannot Preach, but alſo teach and maintain, That they ought not, or need not Preach often, or frequently, Lording, and Reading of Forms of Prayers is more their buſineſs than Preaching, or moſt to be minded. Nay, have they not gone higher than moſt ſcandalouſly and unconſcionably to omit, and neglect this bleſſed Work of Preaching, but alſo to make their ſin out of meaſure ſinful, they forbid, and command ſuch as both can Preach and would Preach, that they ſhould not Preach, or ſo much and ſo often Preach as they ought to do? ſuch enemies to the Goſpel-preaching and proſperity, may read their doom and name, in Mat. 23.13. But, wo unto you Scribes and Phariſees, Hyppocrites, for ye ſhut up the Kingdom of Heaven againſt men; for ye neither go in your ſelves, neither ſuffer ye them that are entering to go in. Oh think of this ye Preaching-men that forget God, leſt he tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver you, Pſal. 50. laſt. Let me tell you, non-Preaching Preachers, as your ſin is out of meaſure ſinful, ſo will one day your condition be out of meaſure woful; as Paul ſaith, Neceſſity is laid upon me, and wo unto me if I Preach not the Goſpel. Not to Preach, when engaged, called, and enabled to Preach, will make wo enough for ſuch Preachers as feed not the Flock, but themſelves, as you have it Ezek. 34.28. Son of man, propheſie againſt the Shepherds of Iſrael; propheſie, and ſay unto them, Thus ſaith the Lord unto the Shepherds; Wo be unto the Shepherds of Iſrael, that do feed them; ſhould not the Shepherd feed the Flock? But now, idle, non-Preaching Preachers or Shepherds, hear your doom at large; Thus ſaith the Lord God, Behold, I am againſt the Shepherds, and I will require my Flock at their hand, and cauſe them to ceaſe from feeding the Flock; neither ſhall the Shepherds feed themſelves any more, for I will deliver my Flock from their mouth, that they may not be meat for them: And therefore thus ſaith the Lord God; Behold I, even I will judge between the fat Cattel and the lean Cattel, becauſe ye have thruſt with the ſide, and puſhed with the ſhoulder, and puſhed all the diſeaſed with your horns, till you have ſcattered them abroad: Therefore will I ſave my Flock, and they ſhall be no more for a prey, and I will judge between Cattel and Cattel. Not to Preach, when enabled to Preach, is to quench the Spirit, and that's no ſmall ſin; 'Tis to be unfaithful, and hide God's Talents in the Earth; It is to ſtarve Souls, yea, as much as in you lies, to damn Souls, by withholding the means of Salvation from them; 'Tis to multiply tranſgreſſors, and tranſgreſſions both, and under a Cloak of Sanctity; and all this committed knowingly, not ignorantly. Therefore woful will be the ſtate of all tyred, idle, dumb Preachers, that with-hold the Truth in unrighteouſneſs. Solomon's Proverb will be your Portion, He that with-holdeth Corn, the people ſhall curſe him, Prov. 11.26. If ſuch as with-hold bodily Bread, or Corn, are worthy of the peoples curſe, What Curſe or bitter Anathema Maranatha muſt theſe with-holders of God's Corn, and his Peoples Souls-bread from being given forth in due ſeaſon, be thought worthy of?
But to cloſe; Know, and conſider, though men ſhould keep their Curſes from you, yet God will not hold ſuch high-handed ſinners as you are guiltleſs, whom I have been reproving of, as appears Jer. 23. Wo be unto the Paſtors that deſtroy and ſcatter the Sheep of my paſture, ſaith the Lord. Therefore thus ſaith the Lord God of Iſrael, againſt the Paſtors that feed my people; Ye have ſcattered my Flock, and driven them away, and have not viſited them, behold, I will viſit upon you the evil of your doings, ſaith the Lord, verſ. 1, 2. Thus much for this firſt Uſe of Reproof.