The Wise Gospel Preacher, Sermon · Part 9
The third Uſe is of Exhortation.
A third and laſt Uſe is for Exhortation; Firſt To Preachers, who are intruſted with this great Ordinance, and have this Word of Life in theſe earthen Veſſels. Be faithful in the improvement of this great Ordinance.
Secondly, Let it ſpeak, before we part, a parting word or two to you that are Hearers. If th… preaching of the Word be God's holy and preciou… Ordinance, then be exhorted both to hear, and no… to deſpiſe him that ſpeaketh on Earth, nor neglect ſo great Salvation, and alſo be exhorted to tak… heed how you hear.
Firſt, Let the Preachers of the Goſpel, I mean Chriſt's Spiritual Preachers, not Man's empty ordained Preachers, who are crept into Miniſtry for a morſel of bread; I ſay, to you that are Chriſt's Witneſſes and Preachers, preach the Word, be inſtant in ſeaſon and out of ſeaſon, reprove, exhor… with all long-ſuffering and gentleneſs; becauſe Preaching is God's Ordinance, and ſuch bright Lights were not intended to be lighted in vain; it is our Lord's own expreſſion, Mat. 5. Men do not light their Candles to put under a Buſhel: Then let not glorious Lights be lighted in vain, but be diligent and laborious in this ſin-condemning and Soul-ſaving Ordinance, remembring what Paul faith, 1 Cor. 4.2. Moreover, it is required in a… Steward, that he be found faithful; it will one day be required: Therefore in this day be faithful, leſt he that has given us Talents, which we have not hearts and wiſdom to improve, do, to our ſhame and loſs, recal them, and take them from us, and give them to him that hath improved, Matth. 25.28, 29, 30. But becauſe I ſhall have occaſion to ſpeak more to this hereafter in another Particular, I ſhall ſay no more to this part or branch of this Uſe at this time, but ſpeak a few words to the ſecond branch, which is;
If Hearing be God's and not Man's Ordinance, then be exhorted, you that are or ſhould be Hearers, to take heed how you hear, for God takes notice of you, both at Hearing, and when you omit and needleſly neglect to hear; for he will not let his Name or Ordinances be taken in vain; Exod. 20.7. Remember that Text, Eccleſ. 5.1. Take heed to thy foot, when thou goeſt to the Houſe of God, and be more ready to hear, than to offer the Sacrifice of Fools, for they conſider not that they do evil. Men and Women muſt not think 'tis hearing of men, but hearing of God by men, or through men, it is not Man's Word, or Ordinance, but God's; therefore take heed, ſlight it not, dally not with it, the God of this moſt ſacred Ordinance will not bear it at your hands: Hearken what God ſaith, 2 Chron. 24.19. Yet he ſent unto them Prophets to bring them again unto the Lord, and they teſtified againſt them, but they would not give ear, and the Spirit of the Lord came upon Zachariah the Son of Jehoiada the Prieſt, which ſtood above the People, and ſaid unto them, Thus ſaith God, Why tranſgreſs ye the Commandment of the Lord, that ye cannot proſper? becauſe ye have forſaken the Lord, he hath alſo forſaken you: Compare with this, what you have Mat. 23.34, 3… 39. and then conſider, if there be not need to receive this Exhortation, to take heed how you hear▪ Oh! be not ſleepy, proud, unbelieving, forgetful, unthankful, or unfruitful hearers of the Wor… of God; for if the Lord Jeſus, when he brough… forth but barley Bread, and ſmall Fiſhes, ſaid Gather up the Fragments, and let nothing be loſt do you think then he will let ſuch precious Brea… of Life, which none but the Son of Man can giv… you, be loſt? John 6.12.
Therefore to conclude, Take heed that you deſpiſe not him that ſpeaketh from Heaven, in th… Miniſtry of the VVord. Conſider it, and ſe… that you refuſe not him that ſpeaketh; For if the eſcaped not who refuſed him that ſpake on Earth much more ſhall not we eſcape, if we turn aw… from him that ſpeaketh from Heaven, Heb. 12.25. Oh therefore be ſwift to hear, though ſlow to ſpeak againſt what you hear; and let every one that hath ears to hear, hear what the Spirit ſaith to the Churches, Jam. 5.19. with Rev. 2.7. Thu… much for this firſt Obſervation.
Doct. 2. That which I noted from the opening of the words, was, That Prophetical Preaching, or Propheſying by Saints, or Brethren, by vertue of Gifts, and Memberſhip, without Office or Miniſtry conferred upon them, is God's very Ordinance, and a lawful way of Preaching. Elſe Solomon, how wiſe ſoever, had ſinfully Preached.
For the clearing of this Truth, conſider firſt what the Scripture ſpeaks to this point. Firſt, Moſes that well underſtood the Mind of God, was thus minded, when he ſpake theſe words, Envieſt thou for my ſake? Would God that all the Lord's people were Prophets, and that the Lord would put his Spirit upon them, Numb. 11.29. Two things among others we may note here.
Firſt, That Moſes did no… envy or diſallow the Propheſying or Preaching of any that the Lord had made able; and therefore puts by the envy and ignorance of thoſe that did, with this reply; Envieſt thou for my ſake? as if he had ſaid, you do evilly and ſinfully in ſo doing.
Secondly, Obſerve Moſes, how faithful ſoever in the Houſe of God, and againſt Uſurpations and Innovations in the Church, yet allows and approves that any one, and every ſuch one that the Lord ſhould put his Spirit upon and make able, might this do; even Propheſie or Preach. I would all the Lord's People were Prophets, could, and would Preach, for I ſhall not forbid them.
Object. 1. But if any ſhall Object, and ſay, This is not to the thing in hand; For, firſt, theſe were eminent Elders and Officers, or Rulers among the people, and not private perſons, or ordinary Members of the Church.
I Anſwer, Though it be granted that theſe were ſuch, even part of the ſeventy, yet note, they were not preaching Elders. Secondly, Neither preached they becauſe ſuch or ſuch, but becauſe they had the Spirit, and that moved, and alſo filled them with matter, and gave them utterance. Thirdly, Neither was this ſeparation or pouring out of the Spirit mentioned verſ. 17. the Spirit of Preaching, Gifts, or Qualifications, but the Spirit of Rule and Government, as is moſt clear, by conſidering what is offered, 'twas a portion of Moſes Spirit to aſſiſt Moſes, not in Preaching, but in R… ling and Governing.
Object. 2. But if any ſhall object to this teſtimony, That it proves not the thing for which it brought, becauſe this was extraordinary propheſying, and theſe were immediate Prophets, and not … dinary, or ſuch as the Doctrine intends.
I anſwer, True it is, theſe were extraordinar… Perſons, but whether their Propheſying in th… place ſpoken of were extraordinary Preaching o… Propheſying, doth not appear in this, or any othe… place that I know of, although I acknowled… there is ſuch a kind of Propheſying: But howeve… this is clear from this place, That as many as t… Lord will ſpirit, or qualifie, for one or other ſort… Preaching, may, and ought to Preach: Elſe Moſ… had wiſhed too much, and not anſwered the ca… propounded; but this may ſerve, for this Object on.
But take a ſecond VVitneſs, which you ha… 2 Chron. 17.7, 8, 9, 10. where you find Jeh… ſhaphat ſent out his Princes, as well as his Prieſt and Levites, to Teach in the Cities of Judah, an… the ſucceſs was very glorious.
But take a third VVitneſs, 1 Pet. 4.10, 11 where we have the Apoſtle, not only allowing but alſo provoking and enjoyning every man th… feareth the Lord, to be a good Steward of the manifold Grace of God; and he that hath receive that Gift of ſpeaking a word in ſeaſon, is to miniſter, and to ſpeak according to that ability Go… giveth.
Take but one more, 1 Cor. 14.29, 31. whe… the Apoſtle allows, and directs all the Prophets or propheſying Brethren in the Church, to Prophefie: Yea, he aſſerts the truth of this Doctrine, and juſtifies this for a lawful and laudable practice, for ſo many in the Churches of the Saints, as have preaching Gifts to Preach, ſaying, You may all propheſie one by one; and let the Prophets propheſie, and let no man forbid, or envy it: And thus the Preacher in my Text preached, as a Prophet, or Member of the Church, not officially, or as a Miniſter ordained unto this Work of Preaching, is clear. For by Office he was a King, not a Preacher; ſuch were the high Prieſts and Levites only; but our Preacher was a Membral Preacher, or one exerciſing his Gifts according to his Liberty and Duty. Yea, our Lord Jeſus, who preached in the Jewiſh Synagogue, and was allowed ſo to do; thus he preached in the account of the Congregation, not by virtue of that anointing by which he was Chriſt, and Lord: For though he were ſo, yet they knew it not, nor allowed it; they only gave him the liberty and priviledge of other Members of the Church: Such a priviledge was given to Paul and the reſt of his Companions, Acts 13.15. when they ſaid, Ye Men and Brethren, if you have any word of Exhortation for the people, ſay on. By all which we may ſee this Doctrine witneſſed unto, and confirmed, beyond danger of any grounded or ſober denyal; to wit, that every one that hath received the Spirit, and Gifts for Preaching, may, yea ought to Preach and Exerciſe them. But let me give you a few Reaſons or Arguments to inforce this.
Reaſ. 1. Elſe many ſhould have Gifts and Talents for Preaching-work in vain; but the Scripture tells us, God made nothing in vain, in t… firſt or natural Creation: Even ſo the Lord Je… in the new Creation, hath diſpenſed nothing vain, but for uſe and profit; as we find it expreſſ… in Epheſ. 4.12. It is the edifying of the Bo… which is his end, in giving Prophets as well as … niſters to the Church: But what edification of the Church have from ſuch mens Gifts, althoug… they have ſufficient Gifts to edifie the Church, y… have no liberty ſo to do; unleſs, as our Oppoſ… would have it, they will undertake Miniſtry an… Ordination, which many that are ſufficiently qulified for prophetical Actions, are not ſufficient qualified for miniſterial Imployments.
Reaſ. 2. What we are bound to pray for t… enjoying of, that we are to promote the attain… of: But we are to pray that the Lord's Har… may not want Labourers; therefore we are, if … abled ſo to be, even to be found labouring, … loytering in the Lord's Vineyard. That we a… thus to pray, you find Luke 10.2. with Matt… 9.37, 38. The Harveſt is truly great, but t… Labourers are few: Pray ye therefore the Lord the Harveſt, that he would ſend forth Labour… into his Harveſt. Therefore all ſuch as are able… Labour, ſhould go into the Harveſt, and there labour in the Word and Doctrine, and not be idl… and only pray that the Labourers ſhould be ſent.
Reaſ. 3. If not preaching, when able to Preach be a thing that God will puniſh for; then ſurely … muſt be lawful for who-ever is able to Preach, t… be found even ſo doing: But that ſuch as have Giſ… and do not uſe and exerciſe them in Preaching ſhall be puniſhed, if not found Preaching, is mo… clear: Therefore for all ſuch to Preach as are able, muſt needs be lawful. That this is ſo, examine theſe Scriptures, Matth. 24.45. Who then is a faithful and wiſe Servant, whom the Lord hath made Ruler over his Houſhold, to give them meat in due ſeaſon: But if that evil Servant ſhall ſay in his heart, My Lord delayeth his coming, and eat and drink with the Drunken; The Lord of that Servant ſhall come in an hour that he is not aware of, and ſhall cut him aſunder, and appoint him his portion with Hypocrites; there ſhall be weeping and gnaſhing of teeth. The like we have in chap. 25. where you have the ſad judgment of the unprofitable Servant, that though he had not Talents, yet one ſmall Gift or Talent; Caſt ye the unprofitable Servant into utter darkneſs, there ſhall be weeping and gnaſhing of teeth. Take but one more; Neceſſity (ſaith Paul) is laid upon me, and wo unto me if I preach not the Goſpel, 1 Cor. 9.16.
Reaſ. 4. This is God's way though not Man's, to fit Perſons for Miniſterial Imployments: Therefore to Preach without Miniſtry in order to a qualification or fitneſs for Miniſtry, muſt needs be lawful and approved. That this is God's way of preparing men for Miniſterial Dignity, is moſt clear, Acts 1.21, 22. where Peter tells the Church, That of thoſe men that have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jeſus went in and out amongst us, muſt one be ordained to be a witneſs with us of his Reſurrection; And this is that favour which the Lord promiſed in that Parable that he ſpake concerning the Talents; That unto every one that hath, ſhall be given, and he ſhall have abundance. Now this is the way to attain honourable duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page Imployment in the Miniſtry, to be ſound faithful and fruitful in the work of Prophecy. Having proved and cleared the Point, let me now make ſome Application.