The Cure of Misprision, Section 48
Sect. 48.
Againe, how extreamly will they condemne that preaching, which awakens mens conſciences, works upon their affections, and ſaves their ſoules: And applaud ſuch Corinthian preachers, as tickle the ear only, and pleaſe the ſence? As let ſome Boanerges, thunder out the judgements of God againſt ſinners, and threaten their deſtruction if they amend not their lives: as Jonah when in three daies he converted that great City Nineve: Or diſcover their moſt ſecret thoughts, as Chriſt did to the Woman of Samaria, Iohn. 4. Or drive an application home to their conſciences, touching ſome one ſinne of theirs, as Iohn Baptiſt dealt with Herod: Or as Peter with the Iewes, when he converted 3000. at one ſermon▪ Acts 2. 41. and 5000. at another, Acts 4. 4. Then not only the wit-foundred Drunkard, & cauteriſed blaſphemer; but the civil honeſt man will ſtrangely cenſure him, and moſt bitterly enveigh againſt him: for preaching nothing but Law and damnation: ſaying he is factious, and Sciſmaticall, a Buſie body, a fire flinger, one that railed upon the Pariſh, ſpake Daggers points, and aimed at ſomebody. Neither are ſuch ſermons to be heard, for they only drive men to diſpair.
Yea its much if they do not conſpire together to do him a miſchiefe: as more then fourty Iews did againſt Paul. Acts 23. 12. 13.
I deny not, but a Miniſter may be bitter without diſcretion, if he have not due regard to circumſtances: namely the manner how, and the perſons to whom he preacheth. For to kill a flie on the forehead with a beetle, and in ſtead of ſweeping the houſe, to pull it quite downe, would become none but a mad man. Hearbs cold or hot beyond a certaine degree, are mortall. Wherefore
Both good and well, muſt in our actions meet:
Wicked is not mnch worſe, then indiſcreet.
Zeale without diſcretion, is as an offering without an eye; which was by God forbidden, Levit. 22. 22. Diſcretion without zeale, is as a ſacrifice without fat, which was likewiſe forbidden, Levit. 7. 25. Zeale without knowledge, is a ſire without a Chimny: Knowledge without obedience, is an eye without a foot: religion without conſcience, is a body with out a heart: Conſcience without zeal, is a heart without ſpirits. In fine, the fire of the ſpirit, the mother of all true zeale: hath light in it, as well as heat.
Wherefore, a good Paſtor will avoid both extreames: not deliver Law without Goſpel, nor Goſpel without Law: but a ſweet compoſition of ſeverity and mercy; wherein Law and Goſpel ſhall meet, as Moſes and Christ met upon the Mount.
Neither know I, whether mercy belongs more to the humble, and broken hearted to refreſh and comfort them: or juſtice to the preſumptious, to humble and terrifie them. Seeing ſome like Peter, are called with a calme voice: others like Paul, with a thunder-clap. And cold ſides have no leſſe need to be ſpurred up: then …ot mouths to be held in with bits, …s Plato ſpake o… his two ſchollers, Zenocrates, and Ariſtotle. And yet of the two, I hold that which is leaſt pleaſing to the ſence, is moſt wholeſome to the conſcience. For this we ſee by experience, that cold Preachers, make cold ſinners: and that if deſparation like Saul, deſtroyes his thouſand: Preſumption like David, kills his ten thouſand.
But what is this to our matter in hand? when it is generally theſe mens condition, to hate that preaching whereby alone men become Chriſtians. Neither need you marvell that wiſe men ſhould be ſuch fooles: ſince the wiſedome of the fleſh, is enmitie againſt God. Rom. 8. 7. 8. that is more then barely an enemie. Beſides they will not receive the truth in love, therfore are given up to beleeve lyes, whence it comes to paſſe that they are flint unto God, wax to the world, the fleſh, and the Divell. Wiſedome ſaith our Saviour▪ is juſtified of her children: that is the faithfull. Mat. 11. 19. Intimating, that ſuch wiſedome as is juſtified by wicked men, is not wiſedome indeed.
Againe, how many of them, are like thoſe of the Synagogue? Acts 6. 9. 15. who hearing Steven deliver truths which they underſtood not, cryed out that he ſpake blaſphemie, and preached error. Concluding as the Jewes did of Paul (when by application he touched their coppie hold) Away with ſuch a fellow from the earth, for it is not meet that he ſhould live. Acts 22. 22.