The Wise Gospel Preacher, Sermon · Part 41 – Part 44
Explication.
Firſt; What are thoſe Goads and Nails to which the words of the Wiſe are reſembled? A Goad ſeems to be that uſual and neceſſary Inſtrument which Neat-herds or Drovers uſe about Oxen, at labour and in travel; ſuch we read of Judges 3.31. and in 1 Sam. 13.21. Nailes are either ſuch as were uſed to faſten Tents, and the Tabernacle with, or other Habitations and things withal. Such was that Nail Jael took to kill Siſera with, Judges 4.21. Maſters of Aſſemblies, or Maſters of Companies, or Maſter-workmen in all Occupations. Some are choicer Workmen than others; one Shepherd, or the great and chief Shepherd is our Lord Jeſus Chriſt.
The drift of theſe words, are only to imply the choiceneſs and uſefulneſs of Wiſe-Preachers and Wiſe-Preaching. They and their Work are as perfect, uſeful, and neceſſary, as the choiceſt Artiſts and their Works: Such being as neceſſary and uſeful in Spirituals, as any other things can be in Humane Caſes and Concernments.
From the words thus opened, divers Obſervations or Doctrines might be raiſed; as from the Perſons and work here ſpoken of, The Words of the Wiſe, We may note;
Doctrine 1. That it tis not any Preacher or Preaching, but only the wiſe Preacher and wiſe Preaching that is the Peoples Bleſſing and Advantage; ſuch only will prove like to Goads and Nails.
The ſecond, From the Compariſon; as Goads and Nails, which are not only good and exact in their Nature and Kind, but needful and neceſſary in their Uſe; from which I might note;
Doctrine 2. That wiſe Preachers and Preaching are very neceſſary and needful for the People.
Thirdly, From the ground and occaſion of Goads and Nails, which are not only good, but alſo to quicken and faſten. From whence we may note;
Doctrine 3. That the beſt of Saints need quickning and ſetling, which are the ends of Goads and Nails.
Fourthly, From the manner of attaining theſe, Note;
Doctrine 4. Either to be wiſe Preachers, and capable to give wiſe words, or to be a People ſo priviledged, as to have wiſe Preachers, and wiſe Words, is a free gift of God; as 'tis ſaid in the Text, which are given from one Shepherd.
Doctrine 5. Laſtly; Note, All divine Miniſtries and Miniſtrations come from the Lord Jeſus, that one Shepherd, or that original Shepherd.
For brevity ſake I ſhall only inſiſt upon two Obſervations, into which I ſhall draw the ſubſtance of all the reſt.
The firſt is this, That wiſe and ſpiritual Preachers and their words are very uſeful, and neceſſary for the ſpiritual ſervice and benefit of God's People, as the things mentioned, or the choiceſt things in Nature are or can be for natural ends and purpoſes.
The ſecond Concluſion is this, That all Divine Miniſtries and Miniſtrations, ſpring from the alone Will and Wiſdom of the Lord Jeſus, that one Shepherd, and are freely given for the advantage of his People, as we have it in the Text, which are given from one Shepherd, (or from the one Shepherd.)
To begin with the firſt of theſe, to wit, That wiſe and ſpiritual Preachers and their words are very uſeful, and neceſſary for the ſpiritual ſervice and benefit of God's People, as either the things mentioned, or the choiceſt things in Nature are or can be for natural ends or purpoſes.
The truth of this Concluſion ſhines evidently in Scripture; as in that of Solomon, A word fitly ſpoken, is like Apples of Gold in Pictures of Silver; As an ear-ring of Gold, and an Ornament of fine Gold, ſo is a wiſe reprover upon an obedient ear; or, as the cold of Snow in the time of Harveſt, ſo is a faithful Meſſenger to them that ſend him, for he refreſheth the Soul of his Maſters, Prov. 25.11, 12, 13. Hear alſo what the Apoſtle ſaith, How then ſhall they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how ſhall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? And how ſhall they hear without a Preacher? Oh, ſee the great neceſſity and utility of a wiſe Preacher. But leſt this were not enough, he adds from the Prophet, as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the Goſpel of Peace, and bring glad tydings of good things? Rom. 10.14, 15.
To trouble you with no more, take that Epheſ. 4. where we find the End and Uſe of wiſe Preachers; it is for perfecting of the Saints, for the Work of the Miniſtry, for edifying of the Body of Chriſt; that we hence-forth be no more Children coſſed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of Doctrine, by the ſlight of men, and cunning craftineſs, whereby they lie in wait to deceive, verſ. 12, 14. Two or three things in the Text clear this ſufficiently.
Reaſon 1.
Firſt; The Appellation put upon Preachers, (I mean, onelyonly wiſe and profitable Preachers) they are ſtiled wiſe; and that is, as honourable to the Preacher, ſo alſo profitable to the People. For as that Peoples loſs is great whoſe Preacher is a Fool; even ſo that Peoples gain is much whoſe Preacher is wiſe, unleſs themſelves be in fault. This our Preacher gives us, ſaying, The labour of the fooliſh wearieth every one of them, becauſe he knoweth not how to go to the City. Woe to thee, O Land, when thy King is a Child, and thy Princes eat in the morning. Bleſſed art thou, O Land, when thy King is the Son of Nobles, and thy Princes eat in due ſeaſon, for ſtrength and not for drunkenneſs, Eccleſ. 10.15, 16, 17.
Secondly; They are ſtiled Maſters of Aſſemblies or Societies, which is a title and place of honour. Now as it is Preachers honour thus to be accounted, ſo it is the Peoples bleſſing and advantage have ſuch Maſter-Workmen to be their Servants, that can wiſely and profitably ſerve them. That this is Preacher's honour, (who are wiſe to be ſtyled Maſter-Workmen in God's Iſrael, take a Text or two: Maſter, we know that thou art true, and teacheſt the way of God in truth, Mat. 22.16. with 3 John 10. Therefore to have ſuch Workmen, muſt needs be the Peoples bleſſing and advantage.
Objection.
But ſome may Object and ſay, Is it not written, But the Anointing which ye have received of him, abideth in you; and ye need not that any man teach you, but as the ſame Anointing teacheth you of all things, 1 John 2.27?
Anſwer.
To which I Anſwer, firſt, The Scripture no where really contradicts it ſelf any where, but agrees with it ſelf every where, and only ſo ought to be expounded. Therefore this of John muſt not contradict thoſe of Paul which have been cited; which it would, if this were admitted to be the ſenſe, That ſanctified or anointed Perſons need not the teachings of any man, (no though the wiſeſt of men.) Which what can be more contrary to this; How ſhall they hear without a Preacher? But let us take great heed of making Scripture ſo much as ſeem to fight with it ſelf.
But, ſecondly; to what hath been Objected, I Anſwer, The word [need not] may be taken comparatively, not abſolutely or poſitively; not no need at all, but not that need ye once had, and all have, that have not your anointing; ſuch as are partakers of the Unction of the Holy Ghoſt in a work of converſion, have not afterward ſuch need of any to teach them as once they had, becauſe now under the teachings of that Anointing.
Nor, thirdly, have they ſuch a degree of need, as ſuch have who are yet without this Unction, and are unregenerate. They moſtly need teaching who are unregenerate, how much ſoever taught with other teaching.
But, fourthly; Conſult the place, and the ſcope is not to put by the preaching of wiſe, but of ſeducing Preachers, as appears verſ. 26. Theſe things have I written unto you, concerning them which ſeduce you. Now though they had no need of the teachings of ſuch as would ſeduce them, yet it follows not that they had no need of the teachings of ſuch who would not ſeduce them.
Fifthly; Conſider, that though thoſe who lived under the Apoſtles teaching, had not ſuch need of teaching, as ſuch who wanted that teaching, yet that they wanted no teaching doth not follow.
And, laſtly; Take this for Anſwer, Such as have received the Anointing ſpoken of, though they never enjoy afterwards any humane or inſtrumental teaching, yet ſhall be taught by the Anointing, provided it be God's providence, not the improvidence which keeps other means of teaching from them. In extraordinary caſes, God can and will work without means. In ordinary caſes God will work by means, and ties us to attend upon him in the uſe of means; and thus, Faith comes by Hearing, and Hearing by the Word of God, Rom. 10.17. And ſo much for Anſwer of this Objection.
But now to return to the confirming of this Doctrine. As their Titles, ſo the Acts aſſigned to them by the Text, and which ought to be performed of them, (or at leaſt deſigned by them) that is, to be as Goads and Nails in the ſenſe given upon the place: They are Leaders, Conductors, or Guides of the Flock of Jeſus Chriſt. And how unskilful are the choiceſt Sheep to lead and conduct themſelves aright in their way or journey? Any Paſtor as well as their proper Paſtor, ſhall become their Paſtor, if not conducted and guided by wiſe and skilful Leaders or Overſeers. Therefore ſaith the Pſalmiſt, He choſe David alſo his Servant, and took him from the Sheep-folds, from following the Ewes great with young, he brought him to feed Jacob his People, and Iſrael his Inheritance: So he fed them according to the integrity of his heart; and guided them by the skilfulneſs of his hands, Pſal. 78.70, 71, 72.
But again, Wiſe Preachers are not onelyonly neceſſary, becauſe Maſter-Workmen, and ſo Skilful, and Guides, and Leaders of the Flock, and ſo uſeful; But,
Thirdly, They are reſembled to Goads and Nails: and how neceſſary are they? the uſe of Goads are to excite, and quicken dull and ſlothful Cattel to go forward; and of ſuch uſe is the wiſe Preacher, both towards Sinners and Saints: And thus practiſed Holy Peter, who ſaith, This ſecond Epiſtle (beloved) I now write unto you, in both which I ſtir up your pure minds by way of remembrance; that ye may be mindful of the words which were ſpoken before by the Holy Prophets, and of the Commandments of us the Apoſtles of the Lord and Saviour, 2 Pet. 3.1, 2. And the need the Church hath of ſuch Workmen, the Prophet Iſaiah tells us, ſaying, There is none that calleth upon thy Name, that ſtirreth up himſelf to take hold of thee, Iſa. 64.7.
But, Laſtly; To ſet out the worth and need of wiſe Preachers, and their words, they are reſembled to Nails; alluding, as I ſuppoſe, to the fixing, ſtabliſhing Nails of the Tabernacle; which how glorious a contrivance and workmanſhip ſoever in it ſelf, yet would have been of little luſtre, ſmall uſe, and ſhort continuance, if it had not injoyed theſe Stakes, Pins, or Nails, to fix and faſten it, as in a ſure place, Iſa. 22.23, 24, 25. In like manner, O how mutable, unſetled, and like unfixed and wandering Meteors would the World and the People of God be, were they without theſe ſure hold-faſts, theſe divine Nails and Pins, as witneſſeth Moſes, where he ſaith, For I know that after my death ye will utterly corrupt your ſelves, and turn aſide from the way which I have commanded you, Deut. 31.29. Which Propheſy was fulfilled, Judges 2.10, 11.
But this may ſuffice to confirm and clear this Doctrine, That wiſe and Spiritual-Preachers, and their words, are very uſeful and neceſſary for the ſpiritual benefit and ſervice of God's People; as the things mentioned, or the choiceſt things in Nature can be for natural uſe or ſervice. Let me now come to the Application hereof.
The firſt Ʋſe is of Information.
The firſt Uſe ſhall be for Information: If wiſe Preachers, and their words, be ſuch choice bleſſings to that People which enjoy them; then how miſtaken are ſuch as think otherwiſe of them, as burthenſome and unprofitable perſons, ſuch as there is little or no need of; and they can live well enough without knowing ſo much as others, or that which others can tell them, and have Grace and Light within, and need not ſuch to guide them, and are wiſe enough to know the things of their own concernment, and therefore need not others to teach them. All that I ſhall ſay to theſe is, what the Lord ſaid by Moſes; O that they were wiſe, that they underſtood this, that they would conſider their latter end, Deut. 32.29. To which I add, Wo unto them that are wiſe in their own eyes, and prudent in their own ſight, Iſa. 5.21.
And, Laſtly; Let theſe hear the Word of the Lord; How do you ſay we are wiſe, and the Law of the Lord is with us. Lo, certainly in vain made he it; the Pen of the Scribes is in vain, the wiſe men are aſhamed, they are diſmayed and taken; Lo, they have rejected the Word of the Lord, and what wiſdom is in them, Jer. 8.8, 9.
Exhortation.
But, Secondly; This Doctrine affords us a double word of Exhortation. Firſt, To ſuch as are or ought to be wiſe Preachers.
Firſt; As Goads, and as Nails, and as Maſters of Aſſembles: Let your Light ſo ſhine before men, that they may ſee your good Works, (as well as hear your good Words). Thus Paul did, ſaying, Be ye followers of us, as we are of Chriſt. For we have given you an Example, that ſo doing you ſhould feed the Flock, 1 Cor. 11.1. and Acts 20. O, let us that preach to others, preach to our ſelves, to be like what we are reſembled to, even Goads, and Nails, and Maſters of Aſſemblies, (though under that great Shepherd the Lord Jeſus) as Peter tells us, as not being Lords, but skilful Maſter-workmen, quickning and exciting the Flock to love and good Works. And for this end take we care of two things.
Firſt; Be ſhining Examples in the practice of what-ever light of Doctrine we hold forth to others; Practice in our ſelves is beſt preaching unto others.
But, Secondly; Since we are reſembled to ſuch uſeful neceſſary things, let us, as Leaders of the Flock, both know and take care of the ſtate of the Flock, quickning and provoking ſuch as are backward, dull, and wanting, both by encouragement and reprehenſion, as the Peoples caſe requires; imitating Holy Peter, who reſolved, ſo long as he was in this Tabernacle, to ſtir the People up, by putting them in remembrance, 2 Pet. 1.13. That ſo the ſtate of Jeruſalem may be a quiet Habitation, a Tabernacle that ſhall not be taken down, nor one of the Stakes thereof ever be removed, neither any of the Cords thereof be broken, Iſa. 30.20.
Exhortation 2.
But, Secondly; Let me now offer a word of Exhortation to you that are Hearers, which is: If wiſe Preachers ſhould be like goads, and nails, and maſters of Aſſemblies; then let me perſuade you to ſuffer them ſo to be unto you, ſuffer them to overſee your ſtate, and to deal wiſely, and faithfully with you, quickning, and exciting you, rebuking, and reproving you, when your Condition calls for it, and let them ſtabliſh, ſtrengthen, ſettle you, according to their Duty, as Joſhua, Ezra, Nehemiah, and Paul, and other Maſter-workmen did, as you may read, Joſh. 23. with Ezra 10. and Nehemiah 5. with Acts 20. And conſider, although this is the Preachers Duty thus to do, yet is this more than many Hearers and Church-members can bear, either to be obſerved, rebuked, quickened, or fixed in their places, to their work and duty: But are rather like thoſe Pſalm 2. who ſay, Let us break their bonds aſunder, and caſt their cords from us; or like thoſe that ſaid, Our tongues are our own, who ſhall controul us? Pſal. 12. And how then can a Preacher, how wiſe, how diligent, how zealous, how faithful, how loving, how watchful ſoever, do his Duty, to be as goads and as nails, when the People cannot ſubmit to him, but are like thoſe the Lord complains of, ſaying, Let no man ſtrive, or reprove another; for this people are as they that ſtrive with the Prieſt, Hoſ. 4.4. O therefore let me exhort you, that are wiſe Hearers, and enjoy wiſe Preachers, accept of the Counſel given, Obey them that have the rule over you, and ſubmit your ſelves: For they watch for your Souls, as they that muſt give an account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief; for that is unprofitable for you, Heb. 13.17. But again,
Laſtly; If wiſe Preachers be ſuch great Bleſſings, ſuch uſeful, neceſſary enjoyments (even almoſt of neceſſity to be enjoyed) then all you that enjoy ſuch Bleſſings, bleſs God abundantly for them, and be a bleſſing to them, by accepting them, and their Labours, by obeying, and ſubmitting to them, and their Doctrine. Be enlightned by their enlightning words, and quickened by their quickning words, and fixed by their fixing, ſtabliſhing words, and Arguments. Not being wavering-minded ones, carried about with every wind of Doctrine, or cunning craftineſs of men, Heb. 13.9. Eph. 4 4. But ſuffer your Preachers to ſay, as Job did, When the ear heard me, then it bleſſed me; and when the eye ſaw me, it gave witneſs to me: I was eyes to the blind, and feet was I to the lame; I was a Father to the poor, and the Cauſe which I knew not, I ſearched out. I brake the Jaws of the wicked, and pluckt the ſpoil out of his teeth, Job 29.11, 15, 16, 17. and ſo much for this Doctrine.
One thing more I ſhall ſpeak to, and ſo conclude the Text, which is this;