The Wells of Salvation Opened, Section 3
SECT. III.
Vse 2. FOR Exhortation
1. Of Ministers.
2. Of People.
1. For exhortation of Ministers: Doth God make use of Ministers to preach the Gospel, rather than Angels? It is a great honour the Lord hath put upon us, and there is great duty which the Lord doth expect from us. Let this consideration
1. Q…icken us to diligence and faithfulness in Preaching.
2. Engage us to a blameless and exemplary conversation.
1. Let us be diligent and faithful in preaching the Gospel. Let us be instant in season and out of season to reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine, 2 Tim. 4.2. In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves, if peradventure the Lord will give them repentance, 2 Tim. 2.25. Let us fulfill the Ministry the Lord hath entrusted us with, Col. 4.17. serving the Lord, and the souls committed to our charge, with all humility of mind, and faithfulness; keeping back nothing which is profitable for them, that we may keep our selves pure from the blood of all men. Let us testifie repentance towards God, and faith towards the Lord Jesus Christ, and open the treasures of the Gospel, and mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven, with all plainness and perspicuity, dealing forth wholesome food unto hungry souls, as faithful Stewards of the manifold grace of God. Let us not use deceit, or guile, or flattering words, or a cloak for covetousness or uncleanness, or boasting words, but as we are allowed of God to be put in trust with the Gospel; so let us speak and preach, not as pleasing men, but as pleasing God, who searcheth the heart; being so affectionately desirous of the salvation of souls, as to be willing to impart unto them our souls with the Gospel if we could, and it would do them good. And let us not count estate, or liberty, or life it self dear to us, that we finish our course with joy, and the Ministry we have received from the Lord, Act. 20. 1 Thes. 2. 1 Pet. 4.
2. Let the honour the Lord hath conferred upon us, engage us unto a blameless and exemplary conversation. Let our conversations shine with holiness, as well as our Sermons shine with truths: Let us teach by our life, as well as by our doctrine: Let us be examples to the Believers in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity, 1 Tim. 4.12. Let the way to Heaven be read in our steps: Let us be blameless, and harmless, the Sons of God, and Ministers of Christ without rebuke in the midst of a crooked generation, amongst whom let us shine as lights, as we hope hereafter to shine like stars: We are employed to preach rather than Angels; let us live as if we were Angels on earth, and as those who hope to live with Angels in Heaven.
2. For Exhortation of People. Doth God make use of Ministers to preach the Gospel, rather than Angels?
Be exhorted then
1. To love and esteem Your Ministers.
2. To Hear Your Ministers.
3. To Believe Your Ministers.
4. To Obey. Your Ministers.
1. Esteem and love your Ministers, 1 Thes. 5.12, 13. We beseech you Brethren, that you know them which labour am…gst you, and are over you in the Lord, that you esteem them very highly in love for the works sake. How beautiful should the feet of them be that bring glad tidings of good things? How welcome should their voice be that preach the Gospel of peace? Rom. 10.15. We read of some who had so great love to the Apostle, that they could have plucked out their eyes, and given to him, yet his affection was greater, for he could have plucked out his heart and given to them. How should people love their Ministers, who are their spiritual Fathers, and Nurses, and Physitians? Love them, they are your soul-friends, and therefore your best friends: Esteem them, they are Christs Embassadours and Representatives. The Galatians received the Apostle Paul, notwithstanding his infirmities, as an Angel of God, even as Christ Jesus, Gal. 4.13, 14. Give them reverence as those which stand in the room of Christ, and are in this honoured above Angels to be employed by the Lord to preach the Gospel. Give them countenance; do not forsake them when they fall into trouble for the Gospels sake: give them maintenance▪ they impart their spirituals unto you, and you ought to impart your carnal things (far beneath in worth) unto them, and this by the Lords ordination, 1 Cor. 9.11, 12, 13, 14. Give them audience, which is the second thing.
2. Hear Ministers. Wo be to them if they do not preach the Gospel, when they are commissioned to the work, rather than Angels; and wo be to you, if you do not hear the Gospel which they preach: He that heareth them, heareth Christ, Luk. 10.16. And they that turn away their ears from hearing them, it will be more tollerable for the Land of Sodom in the day of Judgement, than for such persons, vers. 11.
3. Believe Ministers, what they preach out of the Word of God▪ it is not their own, but is of Divine Authority, and therefore is true infallibly. Believe in Christ whom they tender to you by the preaching of the Gospel; they call you to repentance, hearken unto them; they hold forth Christ, believe in him, close with him by faith. If you do not repent and believe by their preaching, you will not by any other means, no, though God should send some out of the other world to preach unto you. If a Dives should come from Hell to his wicked brethren, and tell them what torments he felt, and must endure there for ever for such sins as they lived in the practice of, and that they were like to come to the same place if they did not repent, this might affrighten them, but it would not convert them: If they believe not Moses and the Prophets, neither would they be perswaded though one should rise from the dead and preach unto them, Luke 16.31. Suppose that God should send unto you which are wicked from Hell, and let loose one of your wicked companions out of the dark prison, where he hath been filled with unexpressible anguish under the sense of Gods immediate wrath, which hath immediately been laid upon him; and he should appear to any of you who are going on in a course of such sins as once he joyned with you in, and should come, and should appear to you in the dark, silent night, and awaken you out of your sleep with a hideous noise, and there roar out before you under the sense of the pain which he doth endure, crying out of his drunkenness, his uncleanness, his swearing, and Sabbath-breaking, and should tell you that for such sins he is tormented most horribly, and must be tormented eternally; and that your sins unrepented of will certainly be punished with the like plagues. This might startle you, and scare you (it may be) out of your wits, but it would not convert you from your sins. If you be not perswaded to repent by the preaching of Ministers, who as certainly foretell you of the same eternal Judgements out of the Word of God, which are prepared in Hell for the impenitent, and with whose preaching God hath promised his blessing, which alone can make any means effectual for working repentance; surely the other means without his blessing, which he hath no where promised, would be ineffectual. Or suppose that an Angel should come down from Heaven, and tell you what he hath there seen and enjoyed, and how happy all true Believers departed are in the vision and fruition of God, and should set forth the joyes of Heaven with such words as no man can utter; and withall should invite sinners unto Christ, that they might through him have a title unto, and at length share in this glory and happiness; yet if they do not believe, and will not be perswaded to come to Christ by the preaching of Ministers, which is accompanied with the holy Ghost sent down from Heaven, 1 Pet. 1.12 which is more than if an Angel should be sent down from Heaven; they would not be perswaded by the preaching of an Angel.
4. Obey Ministers, Heb. 13.17. Obey them which have the rule over you, for they watch for your souls, … they that must give an account. And you also must give an account; what they command you out of the Word of God, obey, as if God spake to you with an audible voice from Heaven; and what they forbid out of the Word of God, forbear, as you wi… answer it at the great day.