The Spiritual Chemist, Meditations · Meditation 20
Meditation XX. VponUpon a debauched Miniſter.
IT is a Truth, though it hath been queſtioned by ſome, and denied by others, that the Function of a Miniſter is Formally executed by Gifts, which are not made effectual by his Perſonal Sanctity, but by the grace of God in the hearer. The one may move Morally, but it is the other which worketh Efficaciouſly; and for any to conceive otherwiſe is a ſmatch of Donatiſme, who made the validity of Ordinances wholly to depend upon the real goodneſs of thoſe that Adminiſtred them; which opinion, if it were true, it muſt neceſſarily follow, that there muſt be an abſolu…e knowledge in the People, of diſcerning unfeigned Grace in the heart of the Miniſter, from all pretended ſemblances and ſhowes, or elſe what comfort can they have in the validity of his Acts, while this ſuſpicion abides upon them; that is, if he be not really holy, all that he can do is no other then a Nullity? we muſt then diſtinguiſh between the grace of gifts, which God beſtowes for the good of the Church, and the gift of grace, which he gives for the good of the Soul of him who is partaker of it: By the one of theſe a Man may become a Miniſter; but without the conjunction of both he can never be a good Miniſter. Holineſs then, as it is that which no Man can be well without, ſo a Miniſter leaſt of all; it being the great end of his Office to turn Men from ſin to God, and to draw Men up from earth, yea from the danger of Hell to Heaven: And ſhould he not do what he Teacheth, and ſecond his Doctrine with his Example: he muſt needs ſin againſt his Calling, which alwayes heightneth the notoriety of the fact. No ſins being ſo inexcuſably ſinfull, as thoſe that are committed againſt Mens Callings: For a Steward to be a Thief, for a Phyſician to be a Murderer, for an Ambaſſador truſted with the Affairs of his Prince to be a Traitour, are Crimes of greater Infamy in them then in another. How then can the impieties of a Miniſter but be above all others, by ſo much the worſt, by how much his Calling is above all others the beſt? what then can be more prodigious, then for him, who ſhould be Gods Mouth to the People, to have his Tongue ſet on Fire of Hell, and not touched with a Coal from the Altar? or for him whom God hath honoured with that high imployment of winning Souls, to be an accurſed Appollyon in undoing and deſtroying them by his nefarious and impure living: If he that ſhall break the leaſt Commandment, and Teach Men ſo, ſhall be called leaſt in the Kingdom of Heaven, what then ſhall he be called who breaks the greateſt Commandment, and Teacheth Men ſo? ſurely I ſcarce know what to call him, who hath of a Minister thus transformed himſelf into a Monſter, he is not a Star in Chriſts right hand, but in the Dragons Tail, which drew many from Heaven and caſt them down upon the Earth. He is amongſt the Prophets, the Simeon rightly called Niger, not for his Complexion, but for his Converſation: he is in the Houſe and Temple of God, not as the Prieſts which did bear the Ark, but as the Beaſts which drew it and ſhook it. For, if the ſins of any Man do looſen and endanger the Foundations of Chriſtian Religion, it is the wickedneſs of Miniſters, which makes many to queſtion whether there be an Heaven, an Hell, or a God. And though it may poſsibly now and then fall out, that the Seed of Divine Truth, like Corn ſown by a leprous hand, grow up into ſome fruit; yet how ſmall is the good that is wrought by this Doctrine, to the great hurt that is done by the diſſolute life of ſuch a Miniſter? is it likely that he, who in the Pulpit pleads for honour to be given to Chriſts Perſon, obedience to be yielded to his Precepts, faith to be exerciſed in his Promiſes, and when he is out of it g…inſayes all that he hath ſpoken in his ſenſual practiſes, ſhould win many Diſciples to Chriſt? will he be ever much hearkened unto who decries Drunkenneſs, Swearing, wantonneſs, as the high-Rodes and Pathes to deſtruction, and yet turns not his own feet from walking in them? will it not be ſaid unto him, Phyſician heal thy ſelf? or, thou hypocrite, firſt caſt out the beam out of thy own eye, and then ſhalt thou ſee clearly to caſt out the mo…e that is in thy Brothers eye. But what ever the iſſue be, whether Men hearken, o… not hearken, yet will the condition of ſuch a Miniſter be moſt ſad in the great day: if he be inſtrumental in the ſaving of any, yet they ſhall be none of his Crown or Joy, nor in the leaſt extenuate his miſery, but aggravate it, in that he hath been onelyonly to them as a ſtanding Statue, to point out the way to heaven, not a living Companion to walk with them in it. How much then will it augment his pains and anguiſh, when the blood of many miſled and loſt Soules muſt fall upon his head, and he be condemned as the curſed Murderer of them? O that theſe few words might prick the hearts of ſuch, who have worn the badg of God, and yet done the Devils work, who have been his Servants by Office, and his Enemies by Practice, that they might timely think both of ſaving themſelves and others. However, bleſſed God, help me to do the Ofſice of a Miniſter, and keep me from the puniſhment of a Miniſter. Pardon mine inabili…ies in thy Service, and deliver me from ſcandalous ſins. Enable me to bear Reproach for Chriſt, but let me never be a re-Proach to Chriſt, or his Goſpel.