Heavenly Treasure, Sermon
A Sermon lately preached in the Abbey of VVeſtminſter, July 4. 1654. At the Funeral of Mr. William Strong, Preacher of the Goſpel there.
2 Kin. 2. 12. And Eliſha ſaw it, and he cryed, My Father, My Father; The charet of Iſrael, and the horſemen thereof; and he ſaw him no more, and he took hold of his own cloaths, & rent them in two pieces.
IN the former verſe, Elijah and Eliſha are paſſing on, and diſcourſing together: What that Diſcourſe was, it is not expreſſed. Some do preſume to tell us particularly As Lyra and others of the Papiſts.what it was: but very probable it is, that the diſcourſe was altogether ſuitable unto ſo great and Holy a Prophet as Elijah was: It was very profitable, and very heavenly, he being preſently to be taken up into heaven.
Whiles they were thus diſcourſing, on a ſudden there appeared a Charet of fire, and horſes Ver. 11.of fire, and parted them both aſunder, and Elijah went up by P. Martyr. In Locum.a whirlwind into heaven. By the Charet and horſes of fire, Peter Martyr underſtands the Angels of God, who at this time did put on the ſpecies or appearance of fire: And with this fiery Apparition God was pleaſed to honour Elijah at his departure: who in his life time had ſo much honoured his God with the fire of Zeal for his Truth and Worſhip.
And he went up by a whirlwind into heaven. Some do read it, that he went up by a whirlwinde of heaven, or by an heavenly whirlwinde: which denotes the manner of his Aſcenſion: but our general Tranſlation and Reading is beſt, which doth more ſignificantly denote the place unto which he was then carried, Namely, Heaven.
Therefore that opinion of the Papiſts is very fond: who do affirm that Elijah was carried into Paradiſe, there to ſtay with Enoch until towards the end of the world, and then both of them are to come forth, and to Preach againſt Contra perfidiam Antichriſti. A threefold heaven.Antichriſt. But this is a meer fancy all along: the Text ſaith plainly, Elijah went up by a Whirlwind into heaven. But what heaven he went into is ſomewhat argued, eſpecially by the Papiſts, who it ſeems will by no means have that zealous enemy to idolatry to be carried into the heaven of the bleſſed: There is indeed Coelum Aerium (the Aery Heaven, where the Fowls of Heaven do flee) and there is Coelum Aſtriferum, where the Stars of heaven are; and there is Coelum Beatorum, the heaven of the Bleſſed, where God appears in eminency, and where Jeſus Chriſt is in glory, and the ſouls of juſt men made perfect; thither is Elijah carried up, after all his pains, and ſufferings, & troubles, & fa…thfulneſs: Thither I ſay, is he carried up, to receive his Reward, and Eliſha is left behinde to do his Maſter more ſervice.
But how doth El…ſha take this ſudden parting, and loſs of precious Elijah? The Text tels you (Eliſha ſaw it, and he cried my Father! my Father.)
Theſe words may be called, The Lamentation of Eliſha, upon the ſudden tranſlation of that eminent Prophet Elijah: In which you may diſcern.
1. His exceeding grief and ſorrow: He cryed out, and until he ſaw him no more (ſo Junius and Tremellius Read thoſe words, And he ſaw him no more) And he rent his cloaths in two pieces, as Anciently was the Practiſe upon the loſs, and at the Funerals of dear friends, and of choice and eminent perſons.
2. The cauſes of this his great grief and ſorrow: And they were,
1. His own particular loſs. The loſs of Elijah was unto Eliſha as the loſs of a loving and dear Father unto a loving and dear Childe (my Father! my Father!) As David once about Abſolom, my Son, my Son! So Eliſha here for Elijah, my Father, my Father! Ah my Father! my Father! Oh I have loſt a Father, my Father, ſuch a Father—The Chaldee Interpreter renders it, Rabbi, Rabbi: my Maſter, my Maſter: But in the Hebrew it is, Abba, Abba: my Father, my Father!
2. The publique loſs (The Charet of Iſrael, and the horſemen thereof) As if he had ſaid, one of the beſt inſtrumental helps and ſafeties that all Iſrael enjoyed, is now taken away; O the ſtaff and the ſtay is broken!
What the Charet and the Horſemen are to an Army, or to a State, and what the loſs of them is unto a State; That was the life, and that was the loſs of this Prophet Elijah unto all Iſrael.
There are two Propoſitions onelyonly which I would briefly diſcourſe upon from this Text, at this time, and with reſpect to this ſad occaſion.
1. That even the moſt eminently Faithfull and Zealous Prophets of God, may be, and ſhall be taken away from a people.
2. That the loſs of any one eminently Faithful and Zealous Prophet of God, ſhould affect the hearts of people with exceeding Grief and Lamentation.
I begin with the firſt of theſe: 1. Propoſition.That even the moſt eminently Faithfull and Zealous Prophets of God, may be, and ſhall be taken away from a people.
The Prophets or Miniſters of God, they are of different parts and gifts, and they are of different Spirits, and they are of different Uſe and Service: Put them in compariſon one with another, ſome are as Stars of the firſt Magnitude, and others of a leſſer Magnitude: ſome are as the Cedars, and others are but as ordinary trees: Some are more richly As Elijah, Paul, Calvin and Luther.and plentifully endowed and furniſhed; others are not ſo, they are lower by the head: ſome are vigorouſly active, and are raiſed up, and laid out for the general Advantages and Managements of Religion; yet others are not ſo; though all be Builders, yet all of them are not Maſter-builders. They differ much in their Gifts, in their Graces, in their Services, Gifts will free from Indiſcretion, & Grace from hell, but nothing from death.in their Uſefulneſs: Nevertheleſs they muſt all agree in this, they muſt all dye, they muſt all be taken away: Here in the text, Elijah was taken away, and what was he? he was a Prophet, and in ſome ſenſe more then a Prophet: He was a Prophet of the higheſt rate, moſt eminent for faithfulneſs and zeal, (that was his excellency) Noah was eminent for uprightneſs, and Moſes for meekneſs, and Job for patience, and Solomon for wiſdom, and Joſhua for proweſs, and Joſiah for tenderneſs, and Eliſha for Miracles, and Elijah for zeal, and courage, and faithfulneſs. All the falſe Prophets were nothing to him, nor Jezabel the Queen, nor Ahab the King: and although (in his opinion) he was left alone to ſuſtain the cauſe of God; yet he alone continued faithfull and zealous. Nevertheleſs this holy and excellent man of God is taken away, and ſuddenly, and in a very needfull time.
Zach. 1. 5. Your Fathers, where are they? And the Prophets, do they live for ever?
No, no, they do not live for ever; Nor yet (many times) very long! You may finde them for a while in the Study, and for a while in the Pulpit, and after a little while you may finde them in their graves.
The Reaſons of this Divine 4. Reaſons why God takes away his moſt faithful prophetsdiſpenſation (beſides many other) are theſe:
1. Becauſe even the moſt faithful Prophets of God, are Stewards but for a time; of them as well as of others it muſt be ſaid, Ye ſhall be no longer Stewards: they have their determined work, and their allotted time for that work; their reward ſhall be meaſured by eternity. But their work and their life are meaſured by time; ſo much work for ſo much time, and then their Maſter calls them home.
In Scripture you read that they are ſometimes called 2 Cor. 5. 20.Ambaſſadors, who are choice perſons ſent abroad by a ſpecial Commiſſion; and when they have finiſhed their Legation or Treaty, then muſt they return back unto their Prince; the Prophets or Miniſters of God, are the Ambaſſadors of God in a ſpecial manner, Authorized to treat with ſinners to be reconciled; perhaps ſinners will hearken unto them, and conclude upon terms of ſaving agreement; perhaps they will not: Theſe have but their time to hearken, and they have but their time to offer and perſwade, and when that is expired, the Lord calls them home.
Again, you finde them 1 Cor. 3. 9.ſometimes called labourers and workmen; the labourer goes forth in the morning, and he does his days work, which when he hath finiſhed, then he comes home and takes his Reſt. Thus it is, and thus it ſhall be with the beſt of Gods Prophets and Miniſters, who are alſo called the Meſſengers of God, and muſt return unto him an anſwer, what they have done, and how they have ſped.
2. There is a day of recompence for them, their reward is with the Lord, they are imployed by a good Maſter; and as there are the works of faithful ſervants for them to do, ſo there is the reward of a faithful maſter for them to receive: there is a Prophets work here, and a Prophets reward hereafter; Chriſts cals it our Maſters joy, and Paul calls it a Crown of Righteouſneſs; the faithfull and laborious Miniſters of God, though deſpiſed and injured by men on earth, yet they are loved and encouraged by Chriſt: and as they are a means to ſave others, ſo they themſelves ſhall be ſaved, and ſhall ſhine as the ſtars for ever and ever, they ſhall be with the Lord for ever, they ſhall be everlaſtingly bleſſed.
And therefore they muſt die, they muſt away: elſe they cannot take poſſeſſion of the inheritance reſerved for them, nor of the Crown laid up for them; indeed in this life they have the aſſured hopes of eternal bleſſedneſs, and the firſt fruits, and ſome taſts; but the ful & perfect poſſeſſion and fruition comes not to them, nor to any in this life: that comes only after death; and therefore Paul deſires to be diſſolved, and ſo to be with Chriſt.
3. The Lord doth this to puniſh the ingratitude of people, who do deſpiſe, and diſgrace, and deſpightfully uſe his ſervants, the Prophets, injuriouſly handle them, and there is no man that will plead for them, and right them.
Of all the men in the world, the faithful Prophets of God do the moſt good to others, and finde the worſt reception from them.
Jeſus Chriſt chargeth this unworthy dealing upon Jeruſalem, Mat. 23. 37. O Jeruſalem, Jeruſalem, thou that killeſt the Prophets, and ſtoneſt them which are ſent unto thee! And Stephen chargeth it upon them, Act. 7. 52. Which of the Prophets have not your Fathers perſecuted? And Paul complains in 1 Cor. 4. 13. We are made as the filth of the world, and are the off-ſcouring of all things to this very day. Men do affront and contemn, they do revile and reproach, they do oppoſe and contradict, they do threaten and perſecute the faithful Prophets of God: and thoſe of them who are moſt faithful and moſt zealous, are moſt hated and moſt perſecuted.
Now the Lord will not bear with this odious ingratitude, and with this barbarous injuriouſneſs done unto his faithful ſervants; he is extreamly ſenſible of all the evil done unto them, of all the evil words ſpoken againſt them, and of all the evil counſel and devices taken againſt them, and of all the evil works done againſt them: Touch not mine Anointed, and do Pſa. 105. 15. Act 9. 4.my Prophets no harm, ſaith God: Saul, Saul, why perſecuteſt thou me? ſaith Chriſt.
And therefore he takes away his choice Prophets and Servants in Judgement, from ſuch an ungracious and ungrateful people, in effect ſaying unto them thus much; Ye will not be taught, and you ſhall not be taught any more; and you will not hearken unto my meſſengers, but mock and deſpiſe them: therefore they ſhall ſpeak no more unto you in my name; your houſe ſhall be left unto you deſolate. Ye ſhall not ſee me henceforth (ſaid Mat. 23. 39.Chriſt) till ye ſhall ſay, Bleſſed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.
4. The fourth and laſt reaſon why the Lord takes away his moſt eminently faithfull and zealous Prophets from a people, is this, To ſhew unto a people the uncertainty and inſtability even of ſpiritual opportunities, that they are but a ſeaſon (which is pretious, but unſure) that they are a ſhort day, and a Sun that may ſet at noon day.
There are four things which do admit of much uncertainty.
1. One is, all our earthly poſſeſſions and comforts; wilt thou ſet thine eyes on that which is not? ſaith Solomon, Prov. 23. 5. There is no earthly comfort whatſoever, which is not altogether uncertain, nay altogether uncertainty; it is but as the ſhade on the Dyal, on which you look, and may be gone before you turn back to look on it again.
2. The ſecond is, The gratious motions of the Spirit of God working upon our ſpirits: My ſpirit ſhall not always ſtrive with man, Gen. 6. 3. Rara Hora, Brevis mora, ſaith Bernard. The dealings of Gods Spirit with us, are many times like Peters viſion of the ſheet, which was let down, but quickly drawn up to heaven again; and indeed there is no man who reſiſts or neglects any one motion of Gods Spirit, but he puts it upon an uncertainty whether he ſhall meet with any other motion more.
3. The third is, the day of Grace, our Goſpel-day, wherein Chriſt reveals himſelf, and offers himſelf, and mercy, and peace, and ſalvation; this is a day for eternity, but it is not an eternal day: It may quickly be loſt, and for ever loſt. O if thou hadſt known (ſaid Chriſt to Jeruſalem) even Thou, at the leaſt in this thy day, the things which concern thy peace—But now Luk. 19. 42.they are hid from thine eyes: q. d. Thou hadſt thy day, and now thou haſt loſt thy day.
4. The fourth is, all the lifes, and pains, and labours of the Prophets and Miniſters of God, they are all fluent and uncertain.
This day the Miniſter lives and preaches, the next day he is ſick and dyes; you cannot ſay of the beſt Miniſter on earth, he ſhall be ours for ever, or long, or a week, or a day: ſuch an inſtability is there, not only in the beſt of our outward comforts, but alſo in the beſt of our ſpiritual helps.
And there is much of the wiſdom of God in this very particular contingency; he hath his good ends in it, to awaken the hearts of people from carnal ſecurity and preſumption, from all careleſneſs and neglects, and to ſtir and quicken them to all heavenly ſeriouſneſs, and wiſe carefulneſs, both to know the day of their viſitation, and likewiſe to improve the light, whiles they enjoy the light.
There are two works upon which all ſpiritual uncertainties (in Friends or Miniſters) ſhould put us.
1. One is therefore to prize what is preſent; there is no certainty but in that which is preſent; that is ours, and nothing but that is ours: the preſent Sermon, that is ours, and the preſent offer of Chriſt; prize what is preſent; for the future is uncertain.
2. Another is therefore to act with all our power, to do as much in a little time as others are doing in a long time. Nay, to be ſtriving and treaſuring up in a little time ſo fervently, and ſo diligently, as if we had no more time.
There is an uncertainty in the lives of Gods Prophets; therefore people ſhould ply their doctrine, and their help with all their ſtrength; hear them as if they ſhould never hear them more, and confer and draw from them, as if they ſhould never ſpeak with them any more: but more of this in the Uſes now following.
May and doth God tranſlate Vſe 1. A double advertiſement.even an Elijah? doth he take away the moſt eminently faithful and zealous Prophets? Hence a double advertiſement. 1. One to Miniſters.
2. The other to People.
Firſt to Miniſters; loyter not, loſe no time, ſtand not idle at all, up and be doing your Maſters work; do not talk of this pain, and of that ach, nor of this weakneſs, nor of that indiſpoſition, but ſpend and be ſpent, be inſtant in ſeaſon and out of ſeaſon, watch and labour, pray and inſtruct, reprove and comfort, pull down, and build up, always abounding in the work of the Lord. O ſaid that eminently religious, and judicious Calvin, (who had worn himſelf to the very bone with often praying, and ſtudying, and preaching, and writing; and therefore being entreated by his friends a little to ſpare himſelf, no ſaith he, but I deſire that when my Maſter comes, he ſhould finde me working: And ſo that precious Jewel, his deſire Nec propter vitam, vivendi perdere finem.was that he might die preaching: And learned and pious Reynolds, he would not loſe time; he lookt at the end of life, more then at life it ſelf.
O Brethren! Ye alſo have but your day, ye have but your day to ſerve the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, and ye have but your day to ſave your own ſouls; and ye have but your day to ſave the ſouls of them that hear you: And your day of working ſeems to be more variable and contingent then the day of other men; for if ye be impartially faithful, and zealous, ye ſhall be ſure to meet with all diſcouragements and oppoſitions from all ſorts of ungodly men: who if they cannot ſtop your mouths, will yet do all they can to break your hearts. And beſides that your conſtant ſtudies, and diligent labours, and publike preachings, and private conferences, and ſeveral other imployments, will weaken your ſpirits, ſpend your lungs, conſume your ſtrength, and haſten your death.
However, the Lord will take you away, and perhaps he will come and take you away ſuddenly: therefore be diligent ſtill, and laborious ſtill, and faithful ſtill, and zealous ſtill, and wiſe ſtill, in giving unto every ſervant his proper portion. Bleſſed is that ſervant, whom when his Maſter comes, he ſhall find ſo doing: this is he who ſhall meet with that welcome, well done, good and faithfull ſervant, enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.
2. Secondly to the People; Seeing that their faithful Prophets and Miniſters ſhall be taken away from them, let them remember two things for their parts.
1. Let them encourage faithful and zealous Prophets, who do enjoy them: O do not kill them, and break their hearts, and thruſt them into their graves by ſlightings, by revilings, by quarrellings, by troublings, by remaining ſtill ignorant, and unprofitable, and barren; nor by continuing obſtinate, diſobedient, hardened, and unbelieving.
No, by no means, but honour them, and love them, and deal kindly with them, and pray for them, and encourage them all you can. Why Sirs, They do pitty your ſouls, and they do watch for your ſouls, and they do pray for your ſouls, and they do ſtudy and weep, and preach to ſave your ſouls. And therefore let them have love for love, and care for care, and reſpect for reſpect; they give you bread, do not give them ſtones; they bring mercies to you, do not you caſt your curſes upon them; they attend to your ſalvation, and peace, and comfort; do not requite them evil for good, but let them have good for good, &c.
2. Improve their preſent They are g… ven to you, and for you, they are your ſervants.ſurvivance, and your own preſent freedom: O it is a naughty frame of ſpirit to praiſe the dead, but not to prize the living; To ſet out with a large commendation the manifold vertues and ſayings of Miniſters that are dead; yet not to regard, nor make uſe of the parts and pains of thoſe that are living, and preaching unto us.
But let us be more wiſe: Eliſha here is found travelling and conferring with Elijah before he is taken away: Now you may hear your Miniſters inſtructing and perſwading you, but within a ſhort time you ſhall never ſee, nor hear them more. Now you may go unto them, and open your doubts, and diſcover your ſouls wants, and diſeaſes, and crave their Counſel, and take their Directions, & partake of their Inſtructions, and receive comforts by them; But within a ſhort time they are changing, and fainting, and dying, and giving up the Ghoſt, and can never be inſtrumental to your ſouls any more!
O loſe not your Tide, and loſe not your Spiritual opportunity: Simile.Every faithful and godly Miniſter is like a garden in the Spring-time, and the people ſhould be like ſo many Bees, flying every day unto the Flowers in that garden, to ſuck out the honey, and carry it home to the Hive.
You may now get that counſel, that direction, that ſatisfaction about the condition of your ſouls, which may ſtick by you all the days of your life.
Remember Sirs! As it will be an heavy Judgement if you make no uſe of your faithful Miniſters, ſo it will cut you to the very heart when your Miniſters are dead (and then can be of no more uſe unto you) that you made ſo little uſe of them living, that you traded ſo ſlightly, that you have been ſuch ſtrangers to them, that you did not enrich your ſouls by them. O that people, who do enjoy able and faithful Miniſters, were (then) poſſeſſed of two Graces; one is of humility, to ſee their own wants; the other is of wiſdom, to ſee their ſeaſon for the ſupply of them: Wherefore is there a price put into the hand of a fool, ſeeing he hath no heart to make uſe of it?
Thus have I finiſhed the firſt Propoſition; namely, That even the moſt eminently faithful and zealous Prophets of God may be, and ſhall be taken away from a people: I now proceed to the ſecond Propoſition, which is this.
That the loſs of any one eminently 2. Propoſitionfaithful and Zealous Prophet of God, ſhould affect the hearts of the people of God with much grief and lamentation: (my Father, my Father; the Charet of Iſrael, and the horſemen thereof!)
When Moſes that eminent Prophet died (there aroſe not a prophet ſince in Iſrael like unto Moſes) The children of Iſrael wept for him in the plains Deut. 34. 8.of Moab thirty days; So the days of weeping and mourning for Moſes were ended. When Samuel, that faithful and eminent Prophet died, what a mourning & lamentation was made for him: Samuel died, and all the Iſraelites were gathered 1 Sam. 25. 1.together and lamented him.
The like you read of Steven, Devout men carried Steven to his burial, and made great lamentations over him.Act. 8. 2.
There are three things which do concern us, when God takes away any faithful ſervants of his.
1. One is a ſerious conſideration of the hand of God in this: for though their death be a mercy unto them, (Bleſſed are the dead that dye in the Lord. And precious in the ſight of the Lord is the death of his Revel. 14. 13. Pſa. 116. 15.Saints.) Yet their death may be a Judgement to us.
As a godly Miniſters life and doctrine is either in Remedium, or in Judicium, either they are the ſavour of life unto life, or they are the ſavour of death unto death: So the loſs of them is certainly an advantage to themſelves, and ordinarily it is a judgement and puniſhment unto a people: And therefore we ſhould not ſlightly paſs over their death, but conſider, and lay ſuch ſtrokes of God to our hearts, The living will lay it to his heart: Eccleſ. 7. 2.Surely he ſhould, ſurely he will.
2. The ſecond is a prudent reflexion upon our ſelves; what there is in our ſelves which hath contributed unto ſo great a loſs: for not only diſeaſes in a Miniſter, but alſo ſins in a people may have a great hand to take away the life of their Miniſter; and therefore there is reaſon for us to reflect and ſearch.
In every ordinary loſs that befals us, we ſhould ſearch our hearts, and try our ways, and ſay, Why is this evil come upon us? much more ſhould this be done, when a Spiritual loſs befals us; When the Lord takes away from us the ſtaff and the Iſa 3. 1, 2.ſtay, the Judge and the Prophet. When he ſmites the Shepherd, and the ſheep are like to be ſcattered; when he removes his Angels from his Churches.
Now is it a time to ſtand ſtill, and to gather our ſelves together, and to ſay, What have we been? and what have we done? how have we walked? what hath been our deportment under the Goſpel? what our anſwerableneſs thereunto? hath not our unthankfulneſs, hath not our barrenneſs, hath not our diſregard, hath not our diſobedience cauſed the Lord to make this breach? to take away the light from us?
3. The third is a mournful Lamentation; we ſhould be very ſenſible of ſuch a loſs: yea, in ſome proportion unto the kind and greatneſs of it: For as the enjoyment of an eminently faithful Prophet (or Paſtor) is an exceeding bleſſing (it is promiſed amongſt the chiefeſt of mercies, I will give them Paſtors after mine own heart, and thine eyes ſhall ſee thy Iſa. 30. 20.Teacher.) So the death of ſuch a one is an exceeding loſs, and conſequently requires exceeding Grief and Lamentation.
There are ſix great loſſes, Six great loſſes.and do you judge whether they be not ſo.
1. The firſt is the loſs of a ſoul, how great is that loſs? all is loſt if that be loſt.
2. The ſecond is the loſs of true Religion; and the glory is departed from Iſrael, when that is gone.
3. The third is the loſs of Gods ſmiling favour and preſence; when that withdraws, then the Sun is ſet, and it is night, and darkneſs, and fear, and trouble with the ſoul.
4. The fourth is the loſs of peace in conſcience; now begins the wars and tumults, and the bones are broken.
5. The fifth is the loſs of the Goſpel; now the gates of heaven are ſhut up, and the worſt of famines ſeizeth our ſouls.
6. The ſixth is the loſs of faithful Prophets, and Miniſters of God; now the ſtones are fallen, and the ſhields of the earth are fallen, and the interpreters, the men of thouſands, and the watch-men ſet upon the Towers, and Bullwarks, are cut off, and the Ambaſſadors of Chriſt, and of peace are called home, and the ſervants and furtherers of our ſalvation are diſcharged.
Now the more that any loſs borders upon ſouls, and upon ſalvation, the more heavy and ſharp is that loſs, and with that loſs we ſhould be much afflicted and troubled.
Q. But may ſome ſay, why all this ado? Why ſuch a crying out, and ſuch a laying to heart, ſuch a grieving and mourning, and taking on, and troubling of our ſelves upon the loſs and death of faithful and zealous Prophets? What are they more then other men, for place, for uſe, for ſervice, that there muſt be ſuch a ſtir for them? They are a company of buſie and troubleſom fellows, the Troublers of Iſrael.
Sol. So indeed did Ahab ſpeak of gracious and zealous Elijah; Ahab (who ſold himſelf to work wickedneſs in the ſight of the Lord) he ſaid thus unto Elijah, Art thou he that troubleth Iſrael? But to let railers go, there are two Reaſons to be found in the Text for a mournful lamentation upon the death of the faithful Miniſters or Prophets of God; whereof one reſpects the people of God, who ſtood in relation unto them, as children unto a father, and the Prophets ſtood in relation to them as fathers unto children; and the other Reaſon reſpects the publike civil State.
1. In reſpect of the Relation between Faithful Miniſters and a People.
Their Relation is that of Father and Children (my Father, my Father, cries Eliſha here) and truly this Relation hath in it more of Love, and more of Grief then any other Relation; when Joſeph buried Jacob his Father, They mourned with a great, and a very ſore Gen. 50. 10.lamentation.
Now every faithful Prophet or Miniſter of God is a Father unto the Saints or people of God.
1. For Spiritual generation: under God he is a Spiritual Father, and begets them again by the Goſpel; this the Apoſtle expreſly delivers in ſeveral places.
1 Cor. 4. 15. Though you have ten thouſand Inſtructers in Chriſt, yet have ye not many Fathers; for in Chriſt Jeſus I have begotten you through the Goſpel. He was an Inſtrument or means uſed by God for their New-birth. So Philemon ver. 10. ſpeaking unto him of Oneſimus, whom (ſaith Paul there) I have begotten in my Bonds.
2. For loving and tender affection; a Father doth not more love his Natural childe, then the faithful Miniſter doth thoſe whom he hath begotten unto Chriſt: Take thine only Son Iſaac whom thou loveſt, ſaid God to Abraham, Gen. 22. 2. The Elder unto the Elect Lady and her children, whom I love in the Truth. 2 Joh. 1. So Paul to the Corinthians, Apologizing for himſelf in not being burdenſom unto them, 2 Cor. 11. 11. Wherefore? ſaith he, becauſe I love you not? q. d. Do you think that the want of love in me unto you is the reaſon of that forbearance? God knoweth: q. d. God himſelf who knows all hearts, he doth know that I love you.
Nay, ſo great is the love of benevolence in a faithful Miniſter unto his people, That he is contented for a while to delay his own eternal ſalvation and happineſs, that he may be a little more helpful and uſeful unto his people; this prevalent affection you may read expreſly in the Apoſtle Paul.
Philippians 1. 23. I am in a ſtrait betwixt two, having a deſire to depart, and to be with Chriſt, which is far better. (i. e.) For my ſelf.
Verſe 24. Nevertheleſs to abide in the fleſh is more needful for you.
Verſe 25. And having this confidence, I know that I ſhall abide, and continue with you all, for your furtherance and joy of faith.
The Apoſtles difficulty and ſtreight was about his own perſonal intereſt, and their common ſpiritual good. If I die, I ſhall gain by death, I ſhall be with Chriſt: But then you will loſe; I muſt no more be with you, to ſerve, and further your Faith and Joy: well ſaith he, I am content, I am willing to live a little longer for the beneficial ſervice of your ſouls, rather then preſently to depart and enjoy my happineſs with Chriſt: O what a love was this?
3. For care and watchfulneſs; how careful is the Father for his children? Children are the uncertain comforts, and the certain cares of their Parents: and how watchful is the father for the good of his children, and againſt any evil that they may fall into? they counſel them, they look after them, they follow them with their tears, and with their many prayers. This likewiſe is applied unto the faithful Miniſters of God: they do naturally care for the eſtate of their People, Phil. 2. 20. As if they were led thereunto by inward Bowels, and by a natural inſtinct: and they are watchful for them, and over them. Heb. 13. 17. Obey them that have the Rule over you, and ſubmit your ſelves, for they watch for your ſouls: Ah Brethren! when you are ſleeping, they are watching; when you are minding your Trades, then are they ſtudying your ſalvation; when you are following your delights, then are they mourning and praying for your ſouls: they are caring and watching how to get your hearts changed, how to bring in your ſouls to Chriſt, how to get your ſins mortified, your temptations anſwered, your doubts reſolved, your conſciences to be ſetled and comforted: they fear in your fears, and they are troubled in your troubles, they mourn in your ſorrows, they rejoyce in your peace, &c.
4. For all the offices and duties of a Father: you read in Scripture of the ſeveral duties of a Father. As firſt, Inſtruction and Direction. Secondly, Repro of and Correction. Thirdly, Compaſſion and Comfort. Fourthly, Proviſion and Expences. In all theſe doth every faithful and zealous Miniſter of God abundantly appear, and put forth himſelf: He inſtructs the ignorant, directs the doubtful, warns & reproves the unruly, pitties the weak, comforts thoſe that are caſt down, provides food of all ſorts for his people, milk for Babes, and meat for thoſe of full age: Heb. 5. 14. 2 Cor. 13. 11.lays out himſelf, ſpends and is ſpent; lays out all his received treaſure, and ſtock of ſpiritual goods amongſt them; is grieved if his children walk unworthy of the Goſpel: and nothing doth more rejoyce him then to ſee them walking in the truth, and proſpering in Chriſt: As his firſt great deſire is to match every one of them to Chriſt, ſo his next great endeavor is that they may abound with all the fruits of righteouſneſs which are by Jeſus Chriſt.
Now judge what the loſs of ſuch a perſon is: It is ſad to loſe ſuch a faithful friend as Jonathan, and ſuch a loving and …ender father as Jacob was; much more ſad and heavy is it to loſe ſuch a father whom God hath made an Inſtrument to regenerate our ſouls, to reſcue us from the power of darkneſs, to bring us unto Jeſus Chriſt, and unto ſalvation by him. When a perſon can ſay of a Miniſter, Had not the Lord ſent ſuch a one, I had (for ought I know) been damned, I had gone on in my ſinful curſed ways, and had everlaſtingly periſhed: But it pleaſed the Lord by his Miniſtry to open mine eyes, and to awaken my conſcience, to make me to ſee my ſins, and all my ſpiritual miſery, and to humble and break my heart, and to direct me in the way how my poor ſoul might be brought in to Chriſt: Yea, and did work ſo effectually, that at length I did by faith cloſe with Chriſt, and ſince that my ſoul hath been refreſhed with the joys and comforts of the Holy Ghoſt: And beſides all this, I have received (at ſeveral times) ſpecial directions for my walking, ſingular helps againſt doubts, fears, and temptations, &c. Truly the loſs of ſuch a Miniſter, of ſuch a Father will diſtreſs us, will melt us, will make our hearts to mourn and lament.
2. In reſpect of the Publique Civil State,
Unto which faithful and zealous Prophets are the Charet of Iſrael, and the horſemen thereof: ſome render the words, Currus Iſraelis & militia ejus.
Faithful and zealous Prophets of God are uſeful and ſerviceable, not only for the ſpiritual eſtate of mens ſouls, but alſo for the temporal intereſt of a Civil State; Micah ſaid, Now I know that the Lord Iudges 17. 13.will do me good, ſeeing I have a Levite to my Prieſt. I dare confidently affirm that the faithful Miniſters of God are ſo far from being a curſe and detriment unto a Nation, that they are a bleſſing unto it, and a ſtrength and ſafety unto it; Nay, let me ſpeak truly, They are of more ſtrength and ſafety then all Charets and horſemen.
There is (I confeſs) ſome ſtrength unto a people by them, and ſo there is ſome ſtrength unto a people by wiſe Counſellors, and ſo there is ſome ſtrength unto a people by Unity and Concord at home, and ſo there is ſome ſtrength by conſederations abroad; but the chiefeſt ſtrength of a ſtate (under God) lies in faithful and zealous Prophets, and in faithful and godly perſons.
Queſt. You will ſay, how can this be? what are they but a company of weak men, and (commonly) deſpiſed men? what good can they do to a Civil State, or for it?
Sol. It is granted they are but weak men, and they are deſpiſed men in the world: yet it was the poor man (whom no man remembred) who did by his wiſdom deliver the City: and you read that by a Eccleſ. 9. 16. Hoſ. 12. 13.Prophet the Lord brought Iſrael out of Egypt, and by a Prophet was he preſerved: But I ſhall by a few Arguments demonſtrate that the faithful and zealous Miniſters of God are the greateſt ſtrength and ſafety unto a Nation.
1. There is no greater Rom. 8. 31.ſtrength and ſafety for a people then this, that God owns them, and God is preſent with them: the greateſt people on earth are nothing if the Lord leaves them, and departs from them: therefore ſaid Moſes unto the Lord, If thy preſence goes not with us, carry Exod. 33. 15.us not hence. q. d. Lord! We are nothing without thy preſence, we cannot be a ſufficiency to our ſelves, nor a ſafety to our ſelves at all: thy preſence is all in all to us, and for us.
But the faithful and zealous Prophets (or Miniſters) of God, are a ſpecial means of Gods preſence with a people; which may thus appear.
1. They are a means to engage a people unto God, to bring their hearts unto him, and to acknowledge and own him only; you read this in Elijah, who brought back the hearts of the people of Iſrael unto the Lord, and they cryed out, The Lord is God, 1 Kin. 18. 37, 39.the Lord is God.
2. They are a means to keep the worſhip of God, and his Ordinances pure; and remember this, that as long as a people do own God, and as long as his worſhip and Ordinances are preſerved pure amongſt them, ſo long God is preſent with them, who is their only rock and ſafety.
2. They are the ſpecial inſtruments which God doth uſe to keep a people from ſin, and to bring them unto repentance in caſe of ſinning: they warn and threaten them from the Lord, and teſtifie and cry aloud againſt their tranſgreſſions, and will not ſuffer them to go on in wickedneſs, but ſtrive with them, and exhort them daily, and preſs upon them all ſorts of Arguments (from Judgements and mercies) to ceaſe to do evil, and to learn to do well, to forſake their evil ways, and to turn to the Lord: this we finde in Scripture, and this we finde in experience, and therefore they are the moſt eminent means of ſafety unto a people.
Beloved, they are our ſins (and they only are) the fountains of all our miſeries; our ſinful evils bring upon us all our miſerable evils; thy ways and thy doings have procured theſe things unto thee; this is thy wickedneſs, (i. e.) the fruit Ier. 4. 18.and effect thereof.
And if ſins be removed, then miſeries are removed, and all danger is over: God is again wel-pleaſed, and returns with loving kindneſs, and much proſperity unto a people, as you may read in the times of the Judges, and of the Kings.
3. They are the choiſeſt inſtruments which God doth 1 Sam. 12. 23. I will teach you the good and the right way.uſe to teach a people his will and ways; by them doth God make known his Laws and Statutes, and ways; this is the way, walk ye in it; in theſe paths you ſhall finde reſt unto your ſouls: and by them doth God keep a people in his ways, they are the Inſtruments uſed by God to keep a people upright and ſtedfaſt in walking before him.
And this is a peoples ſtrength and ſafety: Gods ways (and none but his) are ways of ſafety; while a people walks in his ways, he will be their ſun and ſhield, their rock and ſtrength, their God, and their ſalvation.
4. They are of ſingular uſe and benefit to the Leaders of a people (if they will receive ſuch among them) the faithful Prophets of God have been a means to convert wicked Governors, and to keep others of them right in the ways of God: you read of Jehoaſh, that he did that which was right in the ſight of the Lord, all his days wherein Jehoiada the 2 Kin. 12. 2.Prieſt inſtructed him: See of what excellent uſe that good man was unto Jehoaſh.
There are none who will deal with the Governors of a people ſo plainly, ſo conſcientiouſly, ſo ſeriouſly, ſo earneſtly, as the faithful Prophets of God: they will ſpeak to them when none elſe dare ſpeak to them; they will tell them of their ſins, as well as their inferiors; they will make known unto them all the minde and will of God concerning them; they will put them upon the power & practice of godlines, as wel as others, nay, more then others; they will ſtir up their hearts to be zealous for God, and his truth, and his ways, and not to ſuffer any provocation of God in the Land.
Now this comes to be of great ſtrength and ſafety to a people: as a peoples miſery lies very much in the iniquity of Rulers, ſo a peoples happineſs lies much in the godlineſs of their Rulers; if the Judgements of Rulers are right in the things of God, if their hearts do indeed love God, if they themſelves do make conſcience to walk in the ways of God, if they once come to be tender of the honour of God, and will own and encourage the power and practiſe of godlineſs: why, ſuch Rulers are a ſingular bleſſing unto a people, and they are a means of manifold bleſſings unto them: And therefore faithful and zealous Prophets are an eminent ſtrength and ſafety to a Nation, who are ſpecial helps for all thoſe gracious qualities in ſuch as do govern a Nation.
5. I might add one thing more to demonſtrate the aſſertion, and that is this; faithful Prophets are much in prayer for a Civil State; and their prayers are very prevailing with God: Said Samuel, Gather 1 Sam. 7. 5. 9. 2.all Iſrael together to Mizpeh, and I will pray for you unto the Lord; and he cried unto the Lord for Iſrael, and the Lord heard him. His prayer was a means to diſcomfit the Hoſt of the Philiſtims: ſo when there was a great drought in the Land of Iſrael, that it was like to periſh, Elijah prayed, Iam. 5. 18.and the heavens gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruits: his prayer was a means to preſerve the Land: many more inſtances might be given, but I muſt haſten to the application of all this unto our ſelves.
Is the death and loſs of any Ʋſe 1 one faithful and zealous Prophet of God, a juſt cauſe of grief and lamentation? Then what ſad thoughts, and melting affections ſhould take us up for the death and loſs of many eminently faithful and zealous Prophets of God? Dr. Hill. Mr. Wilſon. Maſter Whitaker, &c.We have (of late) loſt many precious Servants of Chriſt, many faithful Laborers in his Vine-yard, I fear that we have not laid thoſe loſſes to heart; that may be affirmed of moſt of us wch is ſpoken in Iſa. 57. 1. The righteous periſheth, & no man layeth it to heart; & merciful men are taken away, and no man conſidereth that the righteous are taken away from the evil to come.
There are (unto me) yet four ſad preſages of ſome future evil, and they are;
1. The great indifferency about the great truths of Chriſt.
2. The great want of the power of godlineſs in the Land: ſuperſtition and prophaneſs ſtill abounding.
3. The great contempt of the Miniſters of the Goſpel.
4. The great inconſideration of the death of ſo many choice Prophets & Servants of God: To many perſons their life is a burden, and their death is a rejoycing.
When Mctellus heard of the death of Scipio Africanus, he ran out into the publick Forum, or Market place, and cryed out, O Citizens, come ye forth, Concurrite cives; urbis veſtrae moenia corruerunt.and conſult what is to be done, for the walls of your City are fallen down: Surely there is matter of deep thoughts, and ſad afflictions in theſe ſolemn diſpenſations of God of late. For an Husband man to pull out the weeds in the garden, this is nothing: but for him to pluck up the Flowers, and the choice Plants, there is ſomething in this: for him to take away the rotten Hedge, this is nothing, but to break down the wals about the Vineyard, there is ſomething in this. To take off a tile from the top of the houſe, it is nothing; O but to take away the Pillars, there is ſome great change now indeed. We read that when Noah (that Preacher of righteouſneſs) was taken into the Ark, then the flood followed; ſeldom doth God gather his Prophets by cluſters (as it were) but there is ſome great evil neer unto a people: nevertheleſs people (generally) are ſecure, and ſtupid, and fooliſh, though God ſmites them in one of the choiceſt bleſſings which he vouchſafes to the Sons of men.
They ſee loſs upon loſs, and death upon death; here a Miniſter dead, and there a Miniſter carried to his grave, and uſually this is all the fruits of it; Is ſuch a one dead? and I pray you how long was he ſick? and whereof did he die? and what hath he left his poor wife and children? It is great pitty, the man was an honeſt man, and preacht well; and here is all.
Now to ſuch careleſs, and cold, and dull perſons (eſpecially if any ſuch have had any reference unto faithful and laborious Miniſters) who can thus ſlightly paſs over the death of their Paſtors, I have four things to ſay.
1. It is a ſign that you never truly loved their perſons; no, no, for all your complements, and for all your pretences, yet you never truly loved them; of all affections, love is moſt apprehenſive and ſenſible. If it enjoys, there is much delight; If it loſeth, there is much ſorrow: love is very ſenſible of what it enjoyes, and of what it loſes.
2. It is a ſign that you never prized them in their Miniſtry; if you make no more of them being dead, certainly you made little of them being living: affections do moſt appear and diſcover themſelves upon death: abſenſe, and difficulties, and oppoſitions, and death, theſe are tryals and diſcoveries of true love, and therefore if you can ſo ſlightly bear the loſs of your faithful Miniſters, aſſuredly you never knew the worth and uſe of them as Miniſters of Chriſt.
3. It is a ſign that you never received any Spiritual good by them at all, If you had done ſo, your hearts would have been knit unto them in life, and at leaſt have ſhed a tear for them in death.
Their death would preſently call up all thoſe heavenly counſels, and all thoſe ſeaſonable directions, and all thoſe ſpiritual ſatisfactions, and all thoſe ſweet comforts of God, which you by them did receive: At ſuch a time I remember how he thus ſpake, and at ſuch a Sermon, and at ſuch a meeting, and in ſuch a conference; and now I ſhall never ſee him more, nor confer with him more: the heart would melt to think of theſe things.
4. It is a ſign that God hath in Judgement taken away your faithful Miniſters from you, even for your want of love to the truth, and for your ſlighting and neglecting the means of Grace, for which you muſt give a ſevere account unto God.
And let me tell you, that ſo many faithful Miniſters as you have heard, and ſo many heavenly Sermons as you have heard, (or ſhould have heard) the more heavy will the account be unto God, and the more dreadfull will Gods Judgements be upon you for your unthankfulneſs and unprofitableneſs: I grant that the Prophets dye, but remember; that a peoples accounts for the pains and labours of thoſe Prophets never die, but do remain upon Record as a witneſs againſt you.
The next uſe ſhall be an Ʋſe 2 Item unto all of us here this day, and more eſpecially to them who are particularly intereſſed in our great loſs; that they would in a ſingular manner lay to heart this great breach which God hath made, and this great loſs which hath ſuddenly, and unexpectedly befallen us! Ah Sirs, Who that ſaw and heard that precious Miniſter of Chriſt, the beginning of the laſt week, did think to hear of his death towards the latter end of the ſame week? who that heard him preaching of laying up treaſure in heaven, did imagine that ſuch a treaſure ſhould be taken away from earth, and himſelf (ſo ſuddenly) be laid up in heaven!
Alas! for me to ſpeak of this Prophet, and of one common loſs, of the many loſſes in this one loſs: truly, I am not fit, I am not able, becauſe I knew him much, and honored him much, and loved him much: only this I will ſay of him; That one ſo plain in heart, ſo deep in judgement, ſo painful in ſtudies, ſo frequent and powerful, and exact in preaching, ſo laborious with, and uſeful to his Congregation, ſo able to convince the Gainſayer, ſo zealous in contending for the Truths of Chriſt, ſo fit for all Miniſterial Services (beſides his perſonal and domeſtical courſe of Godlineſs) of his time, I have not known the like.
Really, he was another Elijah; let me a little compare them: How zealous was Elijah againſt the falſe Prophets of Baal? How laborious was Elijah to bring back the people of Iſrael to the true God, and to the true worſhip of God? How ſtout and reſolute was Elijah in delivering the Meſſage of God, even to the face of King Ahab? How quick was he with Ahaziah for ſending meſſengers unto Baalzebub the God of Ekron? How fervent and potent in Prayer? How diligently laborious to his dying day? How ſudden was his remove and departure? All this Spirit, and much more then this of the Spirit of Elijah was found in him.
Now if you do but conſider what eminent gifts and graces appeared in him, and how ſeriouſly, and humbly, and dexteriouſly theſe were laid out for the glory of Chriſt, and for the ſervice and benefit of the Church of Chriſt, we have cauſe in the loſs of ſuch a Prophet to cry out, My Father, my Father; The Charet of Iſrael, and the Horſemen thereof.
But I will ſpeak no more of Ʋſe 3 him, nor to you of him; his death I ſee hath made a general and deep impreſſion upon your hearts: All that remains to be ſpoken, ſhall be unto you his Hearers, and eſpecially unto you his late Congregation; there are four things which I would briefly offer unto you.
1. Grieve in a Spiritual way, and upon Spiritual conſiderations, that God hath deprived you of ſuch a Spiritual Paſtor, and Helper, and Comforter.
2. Remember and lay up thoſe ſoul-ſaving Truths, wch you have ſo often heard from him, & wiſely improve them, in all your occaſions: when Elijah was wrapt up to heaven, Eliſha took up the cloak which fell from him, and made uſe thereof: O take up all thoſe gracious inſtructions which fell from him in his life, and make uſe of them now after his death, keep them alive, and ſo you ſhal find him ſtil living.
3. Hold faſt that form of wholſom words by him from Chriſt delivered unto you; and as you have received, ſo walk in them, let not your ſtedfaſtneſs dye, now he is dead.
4. Moſt humbly and earneſtly ſtrive with the Lord, by Faſting and Prayer, that ſeeing it is his will to take away Elijah from you, that he would be pleaſed in his love and mercy to give unto you an Eliſha in his room.
FINIS.
End of the text · William Strong, Heavenly Treasure (1656)