The Wise Gospel Preacher, Sermon · Part 12 – Part 14
The firſt Ʋſe is of Information.
Firſt, Let it be a word of Inſtruction or Information; firſt, To ſhew us how unwiſe ſuch Preachers are, and how unfit to be Preachers unto others, who are ſo unwiſe, as to oppoſe and deny this Doctrine, That Grace, and Spiritual Gifts, or Wiſdom, is ſufficient and eſſential to a Preacher. Nothing ſhames, and truly cloudes the honour and reputation of perſons pretending to worth and judgment, more than to be ignorant or deceived in or about their own Callings or Imployments. For a Philoſopher to miſtake in the Nature of Philoſophy, or a General of an Army to be ignorant of the very Theory or Diſcipline of War; Is it not a great ſhame? It is no leſs ſhameful for the Tr… of Levi, the Princes and Fathers of the Church the Popes and Prelates of our day, to be ſuch … ſtaken deceived Doves, as to be ignorant, and … madly confident in bewraying their Egyptian blindneſs, concerning their profeſſed Art at Trade, Preaching, and the right qualifications … Preachers, although they get all their great Weal… by Preaching, or Appendixes thereunto; as … Univerſities, Courts, Pulpits, and learned V… lumes, to aſſert this blind and Anti-ſcriptual Co… cluſion, that Humane-Breeding, Univerſity-Lear… ing, Languages and Sciences, are eſſential Quali… cations, ſuch, as without which no man can … ought to meddle with Goſpel-Preaching, contra… to what hath largely been proved: May I not ſ… berly ſay of theſe great Rabies of our Day, wh… the Apoſtle ſaith Rom. 1.22. Profeſſing to be wiſ… they became fools? Surely even ſo hath God … fooled this wiſe Generation, and diſcovered, th… our World hath many grave and gay Fools: Eve… many more then wear motly-Coats, even moſt … the Profeſſors of Divinity, as they pleaſe to ſti… themſelves, our Grave and Orthodox Roman Clergy.
I ſay, This Generation, how lofty ſoever thei… eyes are, are not waſhed from their filthineſs, … not of being ſordidly ignorant what ſcripturally will qualifie ſufficiently, and eſſentially un… Preaching-Imployment, Prov. 30.12, 13. Nay, ſo ignorant are they of a Preacher's Qualification, that ſome, and they no ſmall men amongſt that Tribe, have openly declared, That without a Miracle, it is impoſſible to be a ſufficient Preacher to Preach the Goſpel of Chriſt, without having ſat at the feet of Gamaliel, or be brought up in an Univerſity, as if it were not poſſible with God, even without any Miracle, to kill Goliah by the hand of little David, when the Sons of Mars ſtand by and can do nothing: Even ſo this Clergy would perſwade us, God's little David's, Spiritual and Experienced Chriſtians, cannot Preach, except armed with an Univerſity-burthen upon their backs. Though God hath moſt abundantly, by innumerable Inſtances, diſproved this Fallacy, yet once more let me rebuke the madneſs, and make manifeſt the folly of theſe Prophets, even thoſe learned, but ignorant falſe-Prophets, who aſſert: That Humane Learning only can qualifie unto this end; Yea, that it alone, without ſaving-Grace, and the Fellowſhip of the Spirit of God, can make ſufficient Miniſters to go forth and Preach the Goſpel to Children of Men, eſpecially if a Biſhop do but Ordain them, and ſay, Receive the Holy Ghoſt, as plentiful experience witneſſeth, and their Canons and Book of Ordination of Prieſts and Deacons declareth, where the Scripture-Qualifications are left out, and others ſet up.
Well, to conclude this Uſe, let theſe Prophets, that fill the World with Prieſts and Preachers of Jeroboam, the Son of Nebat's Order, of whom we read 1 Kings 12.31. And he made Prieſts of the loweſt and baſeſt of the People, which were not of the Sons of Levi. But let theſe hear what the Lord ſaith to them that have apoſtatiſed from the right way; Theſe mad Prophets, theſe Wells without water, theſe Clouds carried with a tempeſt, 2 Pet. 2.15, 16, 17. Even thus ſaith the Lord God, Wo unto the fooliſh prophets, that follow their own ſpirit, and have ſeen nothing, Ezek. 13.3.
The ſecond Ʋſe is for Reproof.
Secondly, This might reprove the darkneſs and deluſion that is crept into, and ſeized on too many godly, ſober, well-meaning Chriſtians and Profeſſors, that have dwelt ſo long in Egypt; they can ſwear by the Life of Pharaoh, that is, ha… traded too long with Antichriſt's Clergy; men that now they dare even ſwear to the truth of it, tha… no man but a Scholar of that ſort they intend, either can or ought to meddle with Preaching, ſaying, Let every one keep in his own Calling, and … go beyond his laſt; forgetting that the Lord hath ſaid, Ye may all Propheſie one by one, 1 Cor. 14.31. And that by the alone ſtudy of the Scriptures. The Man of God may be throughly furniſhed u… every good Word and Work, 2 Tim. 3.17. Oh let me beſeech you, Have not mens Perſons and Part ſo in admiration, as to plead for Baal, and call Good, Evil; and Evil, Good, ſpeaking evil of things you know not; but ſearch the Scripture diligently and humbly, and you will find other qualifications, appointed as neceſſary and ſufficient for Preaching without that, I have ſo oppoſed; unleſs the ſmoke of the Bottomleſs-Pit hath put out your eyes, Rev. 9. Oh my Brethren! all you that fear the Lord, be more Scripturally-wiſe and Learned your ſelves, and then you will eaſily and plainly ſee the vanity, ignorance and emptineſs of your ſuppoſed Orthodox Teachers; but I ſhall ſpar… you, as being rather led than Leaders of your ſelves, ſeeing in this Point with other mens eyes. All I ſhall further do for you, is to pray for you, as ſometime Eliſha prayed for his Servants, ſaying, Lord, I pray thee open his eyes, that he may ſee, and the Lord opened his eyes, and he ſaw the Mountains full of Horſes and Chariots of fire round about Eliſha, 2 Kings 6.17. Even ſo ſay I, for all the Saints, who are contrary minded to this Goſpel-Truth; Lord open the eyes of thy dear Children, my diſſenting Brethren to ſee by thy Light, even the Light of Scripture, that Grace-ſaving, Sanctifying-Grace, and the Gifts and fellowſhip of the Spirit, without Humane or Ʋniverſity Preparations, are truly, fully, moſt abundantly ſufficient to make Chriſt's Goſpel-Preachers wiſe enough for Soul-converſion, and the edification of the Body in love. And thus much for the ſecond Uſe, I now come to a Third.
The third Ʋſe is of Information.
Thirdly, Thus may I inform, whence the Romiſh and Learned Clergy-men of our day, do ſo blaſpheme and oppoſe the Spirits-Teaching; 'tis ſurely becauſe of their ignorance and ſinful intereſt. This was the reaſon why Zedechiah, Son of Chenaanah, went near and ſmote Micaiah on the cheek, 1 Kings 22.24. This alſo was the cauſe why Sanbalat and Tobiah, and their Companions, did ſo reproach good Nehemiah, and obſtruct the Work of the Temple, Nehem. 2.19. with chap. 6.1, 2. And the ſame reaſon there was, why the Prieſts and Captains of the Temple, and the Sadducees came and oppoſed and perſecuted the Apoſtles, Acts 4.1, 2. And even at this very day the ſame reaſon is, why the Prieſts and Prelates of our day do ſo exclaim and reproach the Spirits, teaching, and the Spiritual-Miniſters teaching. It is their own intereſt of profit, and ignorance of Truth, and right way of fitting men for Preaching: though they are ignorant of God's Will in this thing, yet are they well acquainted, that i… this kind of Truth, and theſe ſort of Preachers, go up, their Trade, Honour, and Profits will ſoon go down; according to that ſaying, The Fruits which thy Soul luſteth after, are departed from thee, and all things which are dainty and goodly, are departed from thee, and thou ſhalt find them no more at all, Rev. 18.14. And this is the reaſon why theſe covetous Clergy-men do ſo cry out againſt this way of Preaching by men ſpiritually wiſe, but otherwiſe illiterate and unlearned, becauſe ſuch Preachers, if allowed, will ſoon cloud their Glory, and eclips their Credit, and humble their Pride, and hinder their Markets; and who then can wonder that theſe ſo reproach the true Goſpel-Preachers; they muſt blaſpheme and gnaw their tongues for pain; therefore it is not to be wondred at, as long as this Antichriſtian-Prieſthood endureth, as we have it Rev. 11.10. There can be no joy to them that dwell thus in, or upon earthly Things, Orders, Riches, Credit, and Authority: You may as well look for Peace from Hell, as from the Learned Romiſh-Prieſthood, Rev. 12.17. Therefore ceaſe marvelling, that the Pope's Clergy do ſo vilifie and reproach Chriſt's Goſpel Spiritually-wiſe Preachers, ſtiling them, proud, buſie-bodies in other mens buſineſs, ſelf-will'd, preſumptuous, ignorant, factious, enemies to Caeſar, and what not? that may render them odious, dealing with Chriſt's Miniſters, and faithful Preachers, as formerly their fore-Fathers dealt with that faithful Witneſs and Martyr of the Lord Jeſus John Huſs; who when they burned him, clad him in ſtrange Garments, painting Images of Devils upon him to make him odious to the People; as you have it recorded in the Book of Martyrs.
But to cloſe this Uſe, Let all Chriſt's faithful Servants and Preachers, remember what the Lord Chriſt ſaith, Mat. 5.11, 12. Bleſſed are ye, when men ſhall revile you, and perſecute you, and ſhall ſay all manner of evil againſt you falſly for my ſake: Rejoyce, and be exceeding glad, for great is your reward in Heaven; for ſo perſecuted they the Prophets which were before you. And if men of this breeding do ſcoff and deride you for this Preaching; ſay as David, If I be vile, I will be yet more vile, &c.
The next Uſe I ſhall make of this Point, ſhall be for Caution or Counſel.