White Salt, Chapter 10
CHAP. X.
THere is another act of piety, which is indeed outward, and that is hearing of the Word of God. And this would be better done after repentance; and alſo repentance would be better, if it did follow it. And yet alſo, if we did go to Church with more broken hearts, we might return with more comfort. Had we gone under any contrition before, the Word of God had had leſs to do upon us, and we ſhould the ſooner have been fitted and ſquared for our ſpiritual building. But how little of that which is ſpiritual doe we ſpiritually?
We are up head and ears in Religion, as we may ſay; in talking of religion, and in hearing; and yet we have none within. We have no more then is in hypocriſie. And how much hath hypocriſie; when that wch hath light and no heat, ſhall have for the convenient puniſhment in hel heat without light. Alas! too much have we got Religion by the end; but yet have no principle. If all godlineſs be in the going to Church, and ſitting there, we have all. If none be in them who have none but there, or in other outward profeſſion, we have as little as any. Even as it was in Ezekiels time, 33.31. For they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they ſit before thee as my people ſitteth, and hear thy words, but will not do them; for with their mouth they make ſhows, but their heart goeth after their covetouſneſs. Take them in the Church, how brave Chriſtians? Take them in their ſhops how falſe? Naught in both, becauſe not good in both: Hypocrites in their piety; becauſe not true in their dealings. We cannot know by their following Sermons, whom we ſhall not be couſened by in their trade.
Nevertheleſs, what hath the Ordinance of God deſerved, that we ſhould not love it, becauſe ſome abuſe it? Wilt not thou ſerve God in his Ordinance, becauſe ſome make God and it to ſerve their turns? Take not tech at the duty, becauſe ſome do the matter of it only in ſhew. It is as if thou ſhouldſt not work in thy calling, out of obedience to God, becauſe ſome work in it for covetouſnes. Or as if thou ſhouldſt not eat for the ſtrengthening of thy body for Gods ſervice, becauſe others eat to make them able for the commiſſion of ſin. Since ſome do this action ſo ill, it becometh thee to do the ſame better, that God may have honour if not by all perſons, yet in all his Ordinances.
Here would come in ſome queſtions about hearing: three at leaſt; how; when; whom: whereof might be much ſaid, if this paper were intended for diſcourſe. Therefore in three words to them.
1. How; This our Saviour gave warning of, Take heed how ye hear, Luk. 8.18. St. Mark. 4.24. Take heed what you hear. The thing is to be regarded in the manner. Therefore God loves Adverbs, which connotate the act, but expreſs the manner: from whence the denomination rather cometh, becauſe the manner doth proceed from the diſpoſition of the minde; the act outward may be for outward ends: The manner of hearing hath relation to the Word, to the Soul, and to God. To the Word; and it is to be heard in love to it. To the Soul; and it is to be heard with a deſire of profit. To God three ways; as ordaining it to be mean of ſpiritual good. 2. To God as ſpeaking by man. 3. To God as bleſſing it. As he ordaineth it; ſo we ought to have a great regard of it. He that rejecteth Ordinances, doth contemn God, and doth contrary to what he ſhould pray for, that the Name of God may be hallowed. Then he muſt reſpect God, as bleſſing it; therefore he muſt uſe prayer to him, that he would vouchſafe his grace, ſo as the Word may come into the heart; and the Word may be turned by practice into work. But alſo he muſt attend God, as ſpeaking by the Miniſter: for elſe he attendeth but to the word of man. For the authority of the inſtitution makes it not to be the Word of God; becauſe that authority may be impreſſed upon other Ordinances: but that which maketh it to be the Word of God, is becauſe God ſpeaketh by man; and ſo the Theſſalonians were commended by St. Paul, that they received the Word, not as the word of man, but as it is indeed the Word of God, 1 Epiſtle, 2.13. And this makes it diſtinctively Gods houſe, becauſe God ſpeaketh there. The Commiſſion which he hath given to men to ſpeak there, maketh it to be an Ordinance of God that Miniſters ſhould preach there; but it is his ſpeaking by them, which maketh it as the Word of God, which is ſpoken; ſo the place the Houſe of God, where it is ſpoken: The Ordinance of God is upon Judicature alſo; and yet the place is not called the Houſe of God. It is called the Kings Court, becauſe he ſpeaketh there: it is not called Gods Court; becauſe he doth not ſpeak immediately there, as he doth in the Church by the Miniſter.
And if this were duly regarded that God ſpeaketh in the Church, this would remedy a great many enormities; namely, irreverence in the place and ſervice. Is any one covered in heaven? This would cure the itching ear; the curious eye; the wandering thought; the critical cenſure; and the defects of the ſoul, which by it are either to be corrected, if peccant; or ſupplyed, if wanting.
The daintineſs of theſe times will not endure to hear ſome Miniſters: which by way of interpretation is as much as if they went to hear men. If they go to hear God, they will minde his word by any meſſenger, any Embaſſadour; for he repreſents his Maſter. If the Embaſſadour be mean, we ſhew the more reſpect to him that ſent him. The ground of what we ſay, is in the Word of Chriſt who is God. We have it in Luk. 10.16. He that heareth you, heareth me. He ſpake it of the ſeventy, whom he ſent out by couples, by two. I pray God we have one left. And he ſaith to them all diſtributively, He that heareth you, heareth me; not he that heareth ſuch a pair, or ſuch a pair, or one of the two; but of every couple, and of every one, He that heareth you, heareth me. But ſome we are not for; No? Is there any difference in God? He that hath a minde only to ſome man, hath no heart to God.
Was that leſs then a blaſphemy in him of Geneva, who being extremely devoted to Calvin, ſaid, If Paul and Calvin were to preach at the ſame time, he would leave Paul to hear Calvin? For he did not only prefer Calvin to St. Paul; but in a manner he did prefer Calvin before God; as if he would not hear God, unleſs he would ſpeak by Calvin? Unleſs he would ſend by the hand of Calvin, he would not receive his meſſage. This is no other then moſt errant peeviſhneſs, to give audience to none but thoſe who are directed how to pleaſe us.
This bad humor is to be diſcuſſed; for it is like to breed. Nay I ſpeak too late; it hath bred ſchiſms and hereſies. Had we good ſtomachs, or any reſpect to the Founder, we would not nauſcate good meat, which God ſendeth us, becauſe it is not ſerved up in our faſhion, or be not dreſſed in our way, and to our palat. And muſt God ſpeak in an affected tone; or elſe we will not be affected? If thou doſt not like the Miniſter; what, not God neither? Thus thou deſpiſeſt him who might prove, under God, thy ſpiritual Father. And ſomewhat to this purpoſe hath been told me by a party, who, when one came up into the Pulpit that ſeemed not to be able to ſpeak any thing to the purpoſe, deſpiſed him at heart: but before he had done, ſhe had done deſpiſing him; and afterwards highly eſteemed him.
Take heed leſt this luxury of the ear coſt thee not a remedy by Faſting: and that the Goſpel be not removed, becauſe we do not like it but by whom we like; and leſt we be not worthily puniſhed by thoſe who cannot long pleaſe us, for our diſreſpect to thoſe Ministers, who had much worth, but none of our irregular opinions.
Therefore, if thou findeſt a Miniſter, do not ſtand upon the circumſtance of perſon, or parts, or texts or expreſſions: but be ready to hear what the Lord will ſpeak by him He that hath a deſire to chuſe his Embaſſadour, is to be ſuſpected that he hath a minde to chuſe the meſſage too. Take heed, unleſs thou canſt chuſe, whether thou wouldſt be ſaved.
But when muſt we hear? when others may preach; in ſeaſon, out of ſeaſon; Be inſtant, or inſist in it, or urge the word in ſeaſon, out of ſeaſon, 2 Tim. 4.2. which, by ſome, is to be underſtood proverbially, that he ſhould never give over this work: or may be underſtood disjunctively, as Iſid. Clarius notes; namely thus, in ſeaſon, if it may be; if not for ſuch a buſineſs, out of ſeaſon. To be ſure, the command intends frequency of Preaching; and conſequently frequency of hearing.
And yet diligence in mens outward calling is to be conſidered, as ſuch a duty; that if we be not able conveniently to be at Church on the week day in regard of trade and family, we may conclude it not fit to leave the particular calling upon that account. And the reaſon is, becauſe, if the fourth Commandement be moral, (as they account it) we are under a Commandement of working ſix days: but we are not under a Commandement of hearing ſo often as there be a Sermon on the week day; and therefore that which is negative, cannot prejudice that which is poſitive. And if there were a command for it, yet it were reducible unto a ceremonial law, which gives way to morals, in a competition; according to the rule, I will have mercy and not ſacrifice. And therefore even upon the Sabbath, as our Saviour ſaid, it was lawful to do good, to heal; and ſo to ſhew mercy. And we doubt it not to be a duty, even in time of publique Service, to leave the Church, to quench a fire, or to be helpful to any in a neceſſity. If thou beeſt therefore a Chriſtian, as thou wouldſt be reckoned by the love of the Word, remember to provide for thy family, leſt thou deny the faith, and be worſe then an Infidel.
To the third queſtion ſomewhat is to be ſaid, beſides what hath been ſaid. We touched formerly the duty of hearing Miniſters, as they were compared with Miniſters. And we thought it not arbitrary to us, whether we will hear thoſe which are appointed to us, although they are not ſo excellent as others: but now we compare Miniſters with thoſe who are by a very long preſcription (even from Ignatius's time) called Laiques, or Lay-men: and the queſtion is, whether we ſhould hear Lay-men preaching.
This is a question of the ſeaſon: but this is not neceſſary for me to determin. It is enough here, that it is no queſtion whether we ſhould hear Miniſters, I think alſo by their own confeſſion: then if others were wiſe to make ſure of their duty, they would hear Miniſters, and not them; becauſe there is no doubt of the one, but there is as great doubt of the other; or, if you will, let it be out of doubt; in the negative.
State the caſe, and take it. That it is no act of piety for any of the people to hear them, is plain upon their own principles, at leaſt moſt of them who are moſt ſober: becauſe they ſay they do not preach authoritatively; and if not authoritatively, then not by any command. If not by any command, then it is no act of piety for them to preach: or if it be an act of piety without any command, then it is a will-worſhip, which they ſo much impute to the Church of England. But then the queſtion will be, whether it be lawful to hear them. This may be alſo reſolved by their own axiomes; for if they ſay that nothing is to be done in the Worſhip of God (which is their ſuppoſition againſt the Ceremonies) without his command, then this alſo is not to be done upon the ſame reaſon; becauſe they are not commanded it, but they do it as an action of a free ſpirit; and not of ſupererogation, but perfection.
This is but a perſtriction of the irregular practiſe of thoſe who undertake to preach before they know the text; and therefore are not like to underſtand what they ſay of what. Our Saviour in the Revel. 1.8. calleth himſelf the Alpha and Omega. Is it fit that thoſe ſhould preach the Goſpel, who have not once read the Alphabet? and know not one letter of Greek, from the firſt to the laſt? If they preach by the Spirit, then let them ſpeak languages as the Apoſtles, by the Spirit; and if they prophecy by the Spirit, let them pretend revelation, not gifts. If he pretends revelation; let him go to thoſe who do not acknowledg the Scripture, and confirm the truth of his revelation by miracles.
To be ſhort; he whom thou goeſt to hear, being not a Mìniſter, is either ignorant, or not. If he be ignorant; why doſt thou hear him? If he be not ignorant, but ſpeaks as a Clerk; ſuſpect him not to be a private man that follows Chriſt; but a private one that followeth Jeſus. Such come up under the expectation of Lay-men to undermine the Miniſtery and the Church. This the people will not ſee, leſt they ſhould ſee their infelicity at the beſt of being helpers hereunto. Leſt they ſhould ſeem to have been deceived, they will be deceived further. So at the end, we may fear the accompliſhment of that former ſaying, If ever Popery comes into England, the Puritane will bring it in.
If any one on the behalf of the gifted brethren, will make a ſcruple of the authority of thoſe to be Miniſters who are bred Scholars and in orders: it will give occaſion to make uſe of ſuch a kinde of anſwer, as our Saviour did make, when he was asked, by what authority he did thoſe things, Mat. 21.25. He returns them a queſtion: The Baptiſm of John was it from heaven, or of men? and they debated amongſt themſelves, ſaying, If we ſhall ſay from heaven, he will ſay unto us, Why do ye not then believe him? if we ſhall ſay from men, we fear the multitude, for all hold John for a Prophet. So let me ask the people; The Preaching of theſe private men, is it from heaven, or of men? If of men, why do you hear them? if from heaven, where is their Commiſſion? and why do they not baptize? ſo John did, and ſo the Apoſtles who were ſent by Chriſt, in the end of St. Matthew. And as for the Preaching of thoſe who are Scholars ordained; is it from heaven, or of men? If from men, why do you hear them at all; for it is no Ordinance? if from heaven; why do you hear any other? Hear Chriſt, He that heareth you, heaveth me. You; whom he had ſent, which excludes thoſe whom he had not ſent: that which he ſaid to them, he did not ſay to all: for why then ſaid he it to them after he had called them and ſent them? So St. Paul, How ſhall they preach except they be ſent? Rom. 10.15.
Hear then: but whom? not thoſe who are not Miniſters; becauſe they are not ſuch. Reject none that are Miniſters, becauſe they are ſuch. And in the hearing remember to be a Chriſtian, not a Critique. If thou goeſt to Church to carp at what is ſaid, thou art not a doer of what is ſaid, but a Judge, as we may allude to that of St. Iames 4.11. Thou doſt not reſort to Gods houſe to finde faults in the Miniſter, but how to mend the faults which are in thee. Diſcern betwixt him in his own perſon, and in his repreſentation.
Think not meanly of him who is ſent to thee from God with ſuch good news of the Goſpel, as if thou beeſt obedient in faith and practice, thou mayſt be ſaved. Who ever refuſed an Embaſſadour becauſe he did not ſpeak in his phraſe? The Greeks indeed when they were at a need, rejected once a fair proffer of a great lo an, becauſe he that proffered it was out in an accent onelyonly: but wilt thou forſake the tender of reconciliation, becauſe it is not made in thy tone, or according to thy wilde humour; wherein thou wouldſt be pleaſed without profit? And before the Sermon do thou pray for the Miniſter and thy ſelf, that he may be aſſiſted in the overcoming of thy luſts; which victory will be moſt thine. Conſider that no man goeth to the Houſe of God in vain. Every time we go, we go for ever. Think whom thou art to meet. And give not, by thy unprofitable hearing, occaſion to God to ſhew thee the mercy of his Ordinance, when he hath taken it away. Prevent the loſs of that bleſſing by the uſe. And prize it as if the Market were ſhutting up. And if thou wouldſt thrive by this ſpiritual nouriſhment, digeſt it into thy ſoul by heat of meditation.