The Government of the Churches of Christ, Book 7 · Chapter 1
CHAP. I.
That the Preaching of the Gospel is an Ordinance Instituted by Christ, for the Conversion of Sinners, and Edification of the Saints. The Reason why he hath chosen the Preaching of the Word by Men, to be the means of Salvation, rather than any other. The pleas, which Men make against their constant attendance on the Preaching of the word as needless, Answered, Rom. 10. 14, 15, 16. 17. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a Preacher? and how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, how beautiful are the fees of them that preach the Gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things: But they have not all obeyed the Gospel; for Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? So then, Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
THE Apostle having proved at large in the former part of his chapter, and the whole Epistle, that the Righteousness of Christ apprehended by Faith, was the only true Righteousness whereby Men are to be Saved; he begins here at the 14th verse of this Chapter, to lay down the outward instrumental means of attaining to this Righteousness and Salvation; and this by a gradation or chain of causes: All which he shews to hang upon Preaching of the word of Faith, as the first Link of that whole chain of outward means. And as (in Rom. 8. 29, 30.) he makes a chain of the Principal causes of our Salvation: Whom he fore-knew, those he predistinated, and whom he predistinated, those he also called, &c. so here he makes a chain of the means outward, praying and worshipping God, (that is the first step) whosoever shall call upon the Name of the Lord, shall be saved, ver. 13. without prayer there is no Salvation; it is here (by a Synecdoche) put for all Obedience. But then how shall they call on God without Faith, and how Believe without hearing, and how shall they hear without a Preacher? ver. 4. For it is such a hearing, as is by Preaching; neither is this Preaching (the Hearing whereof is blessed to work Faith) by any but by Men sent; ver. 15. And the conclusion of all this is, that Faith cometh by Hearing, ver. 17.
And Experience also helps to manifest and confirm this. For still, where God meant to have a Church called, thither he still sends, and there he maintains the Preaching of the Gospel. For this, compare Acts 16. 6, 8. with the 9th and 10th verses of the 18th chapter: In that first cited place it is said, that God forbad Paul to Preach in Bithinia, but in this other, that he bad him stay and Preach at Corinth, giving this Reason; for I have much People in this City. So also, says the Apostle, Col. 1. 1, 4, 5. Knowing the Election of God, our Gospel came unto you, not in word only, &c. And therefore we see that those places that want it, lie like Desarts and Wildernesses, full of rudeness and ignorance; and the Inhabitants living rather like Beasts than Men. And this is the reason why the light of the Gospel, and the Preaching thereof shifts so from place to place; (in the East once, now in the West) for still where God hath a good shole and fry of Fish, thither he sends his Fishers with their Dragg-Nets: It being good Fishing sometimes in one Coast, sometimes in another. Where God intends to Plant a Church, thither he sends the Gospel, to make known by it the Mystery of his Will, that in the Dispensation of the fullness of times, he might gather together, in one, all his Elect, Ephes. 1. 9, 10. what is the reason of this?
1. Take that which the Apostle intimates in this, Rom. 10. 17. Faith comes by Hearing: And how so? Hearing is by the word of God. So that if the Reason be askt, why this way rather than any other? the answer is, it is so appointed and ordained by God: For that is meant by Word here, his Word being all one with his Commandment and Appointment. So says Christ, Luke 4. 4. Man lives not by Bread alone, but by every word of God; that is, by this Ordinance of God, that Bread should Nourish; it is not said Hearing [of] the Word, but [by] the Word. What is the reason the Rain that falls down upon the Earth from these Bottles of Heaven, the Clouds, drops such fatness with it? and Crowns the year with encrease, Psal. 65. 11. It is only this; God at the beginning did so appoint it; as we read in Gen. 2. 5. Now Isa. 55. 10, 11. it is said, As the Rain cometh down and watereth the Earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, &c. so shall my Word go forth and prosper in the thing whereto I appointed and sent it. It shall prosper, because God so appointed it; and it shall cause the Earth both to bring forth and bud; that is, it shall work both beginnings and encrease. Yea, it doth that which other Rain doth not: For other Rain falling on a Briar, it remaineth a Briar still; but where this Rain falls, God accompanying it with a blessing, in stead of a Thorn, comes up a Fir; and, of Fuel for Hell, it makes Men fruitful Trees to God, and fit for his Building; for it fully alters the Nature of them: And though watering the Earth with water-pots is good and useful in the time of Drought, and so is Reading of good Books, and conferring of things Holy: Yet Preaching is the kindly Ordinance, when Doctrine drops as the Rain, and speech distills as the Dew, and as small Rain upon the tender Herb; as in Preaching it still doth, Deut. 32. 2.
2. As God appointed it, so Jesus Christ prayed for it, in John 17. Christ consecrates his Death, and prays for the Application of it, namely, that the Apostles might be Sanctified, and how! through thy Truth (says Christ) that is, the Gospel called the word of Truth, Ephes. 1. 13. and then he goes oh to pray, not only for those, but for all that should believe, and how should they come to believe? through their word: So, ver. 19, & 20. And certain it is, that Christ's Intercession puts a force into this means unto this Day. For doth Christ mean only the Apostles Preaching, as that which he then Prayed for? No, this Prayer reacheth unto the ends of the World: For it is their word that we do and shall Preach, and we are their Successors. Therefore (Matth. 28. 20.) Christ says (though he speak only to his Disciples) I am with you unto the end of the World.
3. As God the Father appointed it, and God the Son prayed for it; so God the Holy Spirit is by promise and covenant engaged to accompany it with his blessing unto the Seed of Christ for ever, Isa. 59. 21. My Spirit who is upon thee, and my words which I have put into thy Mouth, shall not depart out of thy Mouth, nor out of the Mouth of thy Seeds Seed for ever. It is spoken of the word as Preacht unto the People, and therefore we find (Acts 10. 44.) Whilst Peter spake, the Holy Ghost fell on all them who heard the word. And therefore it is, that (1 Cor. 2. 4.) the Preaching of the Gospel is called the Demonstration of the Spirit; and (2 Cor. 3. 8.) the Ministration of the Spirit: Now if any demand the reason why God ordained it, and Christ prayed for it, rather than any other means; I shall for the Explanation of this, propound certain queries, in the answers to which, I will give the reason of it, and I shall proceed herein by degrees:
Quest. 1. Why did not God work immediately by his own power, and rather use no means at all?
Answ. 1. He doth this to shew his diverse manner of working, for he still loves to vary his Dispensations towards Man. At the first Creation he used no means, but made Man in his own Image; even as when he gave the Law, he both made the Stone-Tables immediately, and also writ it with his own Finger. But now in this Recreation and Renewing of the Image, because he will not go the same way to work, he will take a Pen in his Hand to do it withal. Ye are, (says the Apostle, 2 Cor. 3. 3) the Epistle of Christ Ministred by us. And tho' God made the World without the help of Angels, or any other Creature; yet now in this New Creation, he is pleased to shew his diverse ways of working, and takes Creatures to work by; whom therefore he calls Co-workers with him, 1 Cor. 3. 9.
Answ. 2 He now useth means, as to shew his various kinds of working, so to hide it from the eyes of the undiscerning World, who contemn the means to their Destruction. For this work of Conversion, being the only standing Miracle in the Church (and indeed the greatest, and therefore all is summed up in it) Christ therefore hides his power in working it, The blind (says he) receive their sight, the deaf hear, and the poor receive the Gospel; but he lets them not see from whom all this comes, and by whom it is wrought: That so that might come upon the foolish World, which was fore-prophecyed, Hab. 1. 5. and alledged by the Apostle, Acts 13. 41. Behold! ye Despisers, and Wonder, and Perish; for I work a work among you, which you will in no wise believe, though it be declared unto you. Because the means are so small, and so unlikely, therefore it is that the World despises God's Word and People; and they wonder at this, that such weak means should have such power on mens Hearts, and yet they believe it not; they feel no such thing in their own Hearts, and so falling to despise it, they perish in their own ways. You have it, Prov. 25. 2. that 'tis the glory of God to conceal a thing, to carry his greatest Counsels and Works covertly and closely; and therefore he hides them under means, because all should not see them. So, when he sent his Son, how did he befool the Devil and the World, in sending the Prince of glory, clad and concealed in infirmities, to be Crucified, and so to bring about God's greatest work? 1 Cor. 2. 6, 7, 8.
Quest. 2. But why, of all things else, hath he chosen his Word to do this?
Answ. 1. He hath chosen Preaching of the Word, because it is the weakest means of all other; and therefore his power would the more appear unto his own glory in it. What is weaker then a word? And yet God Created the World by it; for he only said, Let there be Light, and there was Light, &c. But you will say; that was his own word spoken by himself. I answer, that now to manifest his power the more, he will take the voice of a frail Man speaking his Word for him; and what is weaker then a Man's Breath? Indeed, In the word of a King there is power, (as Solomon speaks) but what power is there in the words of a mean and weak Man? Yes, there is a great power; and the reason why God chose this means is given, 1 Cor. 1. 18. to ver. 28. It is to shew his power and wisdom unto his own, and to confound the World. They know not God in his Wisdom, by reason of their own Wisdom, which they are so full of, and by reason of their High Esteem of Worldly Learning and Eloquence, accounting the plain, naked, and low Stile of the Word, to be but foolishness; that is, a foolish and an empty Doctrine, contrary to their Reason, and utterly unlike to work any great matter (as the Athenians thought.) But God chose it the rather; it pleased him, by the foolishness of Preaching, to save them that Believe, ver. 21. to shew that his Foolishness is wiser than Mens Wisdom: And if his Foolishness be so, then, what is his Wisdom? He sent his Apostles forth, a company of poor Fishermen; and were they likely Men to conquer the World, by commanding living Men to believe on one Crucified? Especially when the conditions were such as these, that Men Rich and Learned, and Great, should wholy deny themselves and their own Wisdom, and become fools; was this ever likely? Well, but see, (ver. 20.) how the Apostle Triumphs upon this occasion. Where is the Wise? Where is the Scribe? Where is the Disputer? They are clear put down; they have lost ground both among Jews and Gentiles, by this foolish and weak means, this Preaching of Christ Crucified. All their Wit, and Carnal Arguments, could not prevail so much as one of the Apostles Sermons. And so when Luther, Calvin, and those other Divines came once to Preach, where were the School-men and Learned of the World? Popery fell down before Preaching, like Dagon before the Ark of God. And God appointed this way, that his Wisdom might appear to the confusion of the Wise; that so his power might the more appear to the praise of his grace towards them that are called, and to the confusion of Satan, and (ver. 25.) to shew that the weakness of God is stronger then Men. If God can by a word work such effects, as all Creatures are not able to work; then what would his strength do, if put to it? What will that power do for his Elect in another World? And this means did God appoint, thereby also to confound the power of Satan, as the strength of Jericho was subdued by the blasts of Rams Horns. Thus Psal. 8. ver. 2. it is said, Out of the Mouths of Babes and Sucklings, hast thou ordained strength: Through the weakest means, God hath ordained the greatest strength; and why? to still the Enemy; to confound Satan, that he should not boast of his Conquest. God therefore chose Preaching, that it might be his own power unto Salvation.
Answ. 2. The Second Reason why, of all means else, God hath chosen his Word, as the means whereby to work grace, and to Reveal himself unto us, rather then any other visible Representation, whereby he might have made himself known; yea, rather than by his Works (tho' they are said to Preach also, as Rom. 10. compared with Psal. 8. implies) was because the word was less apt to be abused to Idolatry, by corrupt Nature, of all things else. This was the most naked and simple Representation, and most suitable to Reasonable Creatures that could be, to Represent things by words. God made himself known by Creatures, Rom. 1. 20. and what was the issue of it? ver. 23. & 25. Men fell to Worship the Creature, in stead of God the Creator, and changed the glory of the Incorruptible God, into an Image made like to corruptible Man, &c. The Sun and other glorious Creatures Represented God, and they Worshipt those Creatures more than God, and ascribed all unto them. Thus also in the time of Popery, when Preaching was Banisht, they Represented all Religion to the Eye; the Objects of which, Man is more apt to Idolize, then the instructions which he barely receives by the Ear. An evident instance whereof we have in this; that whereas God ordained but two means to convey the Gospel to us, one by the word Preached to the Ear; the other to the Eye in Sacraments; which are visible signs (and as Christ is Preached in the one, so in the other; and indeed no more in the one, than in the other) yet corrupt Nature made an Idol of the Sacrament, and never of Preaching, and this Men did, tho God chose the meanest things to these Signs, even Bread and Wine. And for this cause especially God Sanctified his word, as a means to convey himself unto us; as appears by Deut. 4. 12. The Lord spake unto you, and ye heard the voice of his words; but saw no Similitude, &c.
Quest. 3. The third query is, why Hearing of the Word should be by God appointed rather than Reading of it alone by our selves?
Answ. 1. God hath appointed the hearing of the word; because he would confounds Satan, and untwists and dissolve the works of the Devil in the same way that they were woven. Our first Parents took their infidelity in by the Ear; and therefore God thought good to let Faith in the same way.
Answ. 2. Because God had many simple People to be called; and indeed, not many wise, nor book-learned are of that number; and if Reading were the ordinary means, how should they do? But the simplest can ordinarily hear, as well as the wisest: And so the poor do come to receive the Gospel, who otherwise would want it.
Quest. 4. The fourth Query is, why hath God ordained hearing the word expounded, rather than hearing it read? So we find it, Nehem. 8. 7, 8. It is said, The Levites read in the Book of God's Law distinctly, giving the Sense, and causing them to understand the Reading; that is, the word read. The same we have, 2 Chron. 17. 9. The Levites went about with the Book of the Law, and taught the People, and the reasons of this are.
Answ. 1. Because of the dullness that is in many People, Acts 8. 30. understandest thou what thou readest? (said Phillip to the Eunuch) how can I, (says he) except some Man should guide me? It was therefore necessary, that there should be Men whose calling and business it should be, to study out the meaning of the word, and so to Reveal it unto others; and who might (as Ezrah did, chap. 7. 10.) prepare their Hearts, (and set themselves apart) to seek the Law (or the meaning of it) and to Teach in Israel, Statutes and Judgments; and (as Timothy) wholy give themselves to attend on Reading, &c.
2. Because Jesus Christ, when he ascended, gave Gifts unto Men; Ephes. 4. 8. And 1. The Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge being in him, (Col. 2. 3.) least when he went to Heaven, he should have carryed all Wisdom away with him; therefore, as he left the word written behind him, so he gave Gifts to Men to expound it, both for the begetting and perfecting of the Saints. Now as for simply Reading the word, every one can do that; but an Interpreter is one of a Thousand, Job. 33. 23. And it were a Derogation from Christ, to make a faculty of bare Reading, to be one of the utmost fruits of his Ascension. And for this Reason also it is, that the Gifts of Men are reckoned among the chiefest Goods and Riches in a Christian's Inventory, 1 Cor. 3. 22: All are yours, Paul and Apollo, &c.
Answ. 3. It is not the Letter of the word, that ordinarily doth convert; but the Spiritual meaning of it, as Revealed and Expounded. Paul who had the Letter of the Law; yet says of himself, Rom. 7. 9. that he was without the Law, until the Spiritual meaning of it was Revealed to him. There is the Letter, the Husk, and there is the Spirit, the Kernel; and when we by Expounding the word, do open the Husk, [out] drops the Kernel. It is the meaning of the word, which is the word indeed, it is the Sense of it which is its Soul. The Devil quoting Scripture, used the Letter of it; but the Apostles, when they quote it, alledge not so much the words as the meaning. And therefore (1 Cor. 2. 16.) we are said to have the mind of Christ; that is, what he meant in his word, when he Revealed it. Now Preaching, in a more special manner, Reveals God's word. When an Ointment-Box is once opened, then it casts its Savour about; and when the Juice of a Medicinal Herb is once strained out and applyed, then it heals. And so it is the Spiritual meaning of the word let into the Heart, which converts it, and turns it to God.
Quest. 5. The fifth Query is, If we are to be Saved rather by Hearing the word Expounded, than by it as Read; yet still, why by it only as Preacht by Men like our selves? Why not by God's immediate Voice from Heaven, or why not by the Preaching of Angels? The Reasons of it are.
Answ. 1. Because Men themselves first chose this way, as most agreeable and suitable unto themselves, and unto their Natures and Conditions, Deut. 5. 25, 26. If we hear the Voice of the Lord our God, we shall die; Go thou therefore near, and hear all that the Lord our God shall say, and come and speak thou it unto us, and we will hear it, &c. ver. 27. and God hearing the People say thus, said unto Moses, they have well spoken, &c. Stand thou therefore here, and I will speak to thee all the Statutes and Judgments which thou shalt teach them, &c.
Answ. 2. God betrusted this Treasure in Earthen Vessels, not Heavenly, (as it is, 2 Cor. 4. 7.) because we are not able to behold the Angels. You see how the Sons of Men have always trembled when they appeared. And further, we should have been apt to Worship them, as John would have done, Revel. 22. 8. And therefore God appointed Men like our selves to be the Instruments.
Ʋse 1. See here the necessity of this Ordinance, so as to attend upon it, waiting upon God in the Dispensation of it, for the Conversion of thy Soul. A necessity lies on me, (says Paul) to Preach the Gospel. Now that necessity of his Duty was founded upon another necessity; Namely, That it was a means to save the Souls of Men, whom God had committed unto him. As for such as are already Converted, I shall not need to urge upon them the necessity of this Ordinance; they have one within, who will do it. If they should but want a few Meals of their appointed Food, there is a New Creature within them would cry for Bread. In the first of Pet. 1. 23. the Apostle having said, they were begotten by the word, in the next Chapter he exhorts them, as Newborn Babes to desire the sincere Milk of the word, that they might grow thereby: As if he had said; if you be but Babes of a day old, you will desire this word by which you were begotten. Now for such as are not yet Converted, let me ask them but this one question: Do you think Salvation necessary? Yes, then so is this, (Necessitate Medii) for (says the Apostle) it is the power of God unto Salvation. But you will say, God's power can save me by other means, if he will. I deny it not; but see what James says, (Jam. 1. 18.) Of his own will begat he us, with the word of Truth. He that out of his good pleasure begets us, out of the same free will hath chosen this means, even the word of Truth to do it by. You see the power of God engaged in it; (it is his power unto Salvation:) And you see his Will also in it; of his own Will begat he us with the word of Truth. But you will yet say (as Rom. 10.) Have we not all heard? I have heard Sermons enough already, if they would do me any good: Yes; (God be thanked) their Sound is gone out into all the World. But let me ask you another question, which the Apostle asks in the former words; have all you that have heard, obeyed the Gospel? Hast thou had Faith wrought, has thy Heart and Life been changed, as yet, by this word heard? the Apostles who were better Preachers than we, yet, cry out (as Isaiah once) who hath believed our Report? And if thou be one of the Members yet unchanged, thou hast as much need to attend to the word, as if thou hadst never heard it; that so thou mayst escape that Damnation, and fiery vengance that will befall them who obey not the Gospel of Jesus Christ, 2 Thess. 1. 8. But you may haply say, I have knowledge enough already, and as much as the Preacher can teach me; and may not that work sufficiently in me to put me upon practice? Suppose this, that thou couldest not encrease in knowledge, yet thou maist as yet not know any thing as thou ought to know; and this plea is a sign of it, and so made by the Apostle, 1 Cor. 8. 2. And tho' thou maist have knowledge in Salvation, and the matters of it, yet not to Salvation, as the Apostle distinguisheth it, 2 Tim. 3. 15. for such a knowledge must be by a New work of the Holy Ghost, whom we receive by Preaching of the word; Galat. 3. 2. Received ye not the Spirit, by the hearing of Faith? All thy Notions may lie as dry Gunpowder Barrell'd up in thee; but what shall give fire to them, and enflame thy Heart by them; but a being a-new Baptized with the Holy Ghost, as with Fire, and by his striking some spark and good Motion in? Now the Holy Ghost falls on Men at these Ordinances. Preaching is therefore called The Ministration of the Spirit, 2 Cor. 3. When a Pill lies dead in a Man's Body, and works not; then Physitians use to prescribe another, which often sets all a working. So after all the Sermons thou hast heard, thou hast need hear again, to make all effectual to thee. Again: When saving knowledge is once begun in thee, it receiveth daily encrease by the Preaching of the Word, even then when Notional knowledge doth not. That is, suppose thou hearest no new Truths discovered, but the same again and again; yet in the things Represented by those Notions, thou maist get a further and more clear and distinct insight every time thou hearest them. Thou maist grow up into more Riches of assurance of the knowledge of those Truths thou knowest, as the Apostle speaks, Col. 2. 2. and thou mayest grow up to more comfort, and joy in those Truths. Paul desired still to Preach to them (although converted) for the furtherance of the joy of their Faith. Tho' many promises belong to thee, and thou already knowest them, and distinctly rememberest them, and daily viewest them; yet thou mayest haply not have much peace from them: But when thou hearest them again, delivered in this Ordinance, thou may'st have such peace from them: For God Creates the fruit of the Lips; peace, &c. Isa. 57. 19. And this is a thing to be added to thy knowledge, and therefore is said to be Created: And how, but by the Lips of Men uttering it? It is therefore called the fruit of the Lips. As for Example; thou knowest that thou art to be justified only by Christ's Righteousness; and thou knowest all that can be said to manifest the Truth of it, and nothing more can be added to thy Notion about it. Yet, for all this, the Apostle says, that this Righteousness is Revealed in the Preaching of the Gospel, from Faith to Faith, (Rom. 1. 17.) that is, from one degree of Faith to another. This may be Revealed with more evidence to Faith, to draw thy Heart to trust more perfectly in it. Again: Thou knowest all the particular Branches of the Law; thou hast a form of Truth, as the Apostle speaks, 2 Rom. 20. that is, a Platform and Table of all the sins which the Law forbids, and Duties which the Law commands: Yet when this is again taught thee out of the word, a new light may come in, to discover to thee those sins which thou never as yet sawest before; a light which may divide between the Marrow and the Bones, and Anatomize thy Heart unto thee, and shew thee some new Vein or Artery, which thou never yet sawest. In and through Prophecying the Secrets of Mens Hearts use to be discovered, 1 Cor. 14. 25. So that thy experimental applying, and saving knowledge of the things themselves may be encreased, although thy Notions be not. For tho' the Glass thou still lookest in be the same, yet thy light may be new and different; and so thou mayest come to see the Beauty or Deformity of the things Represented in it; which is the difference between saving knowledge, and that which is not such.