Tropes and Figures · Benjamin Keach
Tropes and Figures, Treatise 1 · Head 9 · Part 4
Miniſters compared to Watchmen.
Iſa. 62.6. I have ſet Watchmen upon thy Walls, O Jeruſalem.
Ezek. 3.17. I have made thee a Watchman, &c.
Heb. 13.17. They watch for your Souls.
Miniſters are called Watchmen.
| Watchmen. | Parallel. |
| VVAtchmen have a Charge committed to them, and they ought to take heed they do not betray their Truſt. | MIniſters have a great Charge committed to them, which they ought to ſee to, and ſo to behave themſelves, that they may have their Accounts to give up with Joy: For, 1. They are entruſted with the Word, the faithful Word and Doctrine of God is committed to them; they muſt ſee they preach nothing for Doctrine, but what is the direct and undeniable Truth and Mind of God; they muſt not corrupt the Word, nor intermix it with the Traditions of Men. I give thee charge in the ſight of God, 1 Tim. 6.13. who quickneth all things, and before Chriſt, who before Pontius Pilate witneſſed a good Confeſſion, that thou keep this Commandment without ſpot, unrebukable, until the appearing of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt. 2. They have received the Charge of preaching God's Word; they muſt preach, whoever forbid them. I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, 2 Tim. 4.1, 2. who ſhall judg the Quick and the Dead at his appearing, and his Kingdom; preach the Word, be inſtant in ſeaſon and out of ſeaſon, reprove, exhort, with all Long-ſuffering and Doctrine. 3. They have the Charge of God's Ordinances, or the holy Sacraments of Baptiſm, and the Lord's Supper. Go therefore, teach all Nations, Mat. 28.19, 20. (i. e. make Diſciples) baptizing them in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy-Ghoſt, &c. For I received from the Lord that which alſo I delivered unto you, (I had it in charge, as if he ſhould ſay, from Chriſt himſelf) that the ſame Night in which he was betrayed, 1 Cor. 11.23, 24. he took Bread, and bleſſed it, and ſaid, Take, eat, this is my Body which is broken for you; this do in remembrance of me: After the ſame manner he took the Cup, &c. They muſt not corrupt the Ordinances, nor adminiſter them otherwiſe than the plain Rule, left in the Word of God, directeth. 4. They have the Charge of the Church and Flock of God:Acts 20.27 Take heed therefore unto your ſelves, and unto the Flock over which the Holy-Ghoſt hath made you Overſeers, to feed the Church of God, which he hath purchaſed with his own Blood, &c. 5. They muſt know the State of the Flock, be Examples to the Flock:1 Pet. 5.2, 3 Feed the Flock of God which is amongst you, not by conſtraint, but willingly; not for filthy Lucre, but of a ready Mind; neither being Lords over God's Heritage, but being Examples to the Flock. 6. Laſtly; They have the Charge of Mens Souls: Watch for your Souls, Heb. 13.17 as ſuch that muſt give an account. Theſe things are part of theſe Watchmen's Charge. |
| II. Watchmen are not to ſleep, nor give way to ſlumber; they muſt be awake when others ſleep, to ſee what Dangers are near, &c. | II. So the Miniſters of the Goſpel muſt not be ſleepy and ſlothful; they are to be upon the Watch-Tower, to ſee what Danger approacheth, or is coming upon the Church and People of God. |
| III. Watchmen are to give warning, if they ſee Evil coming; hence they ought to have a good Eye-ſight; a blind Man is not fit to be a Watchman. | III. So Miniſters, or Chriſt's ſpiritual Watchmen, muſt give warning, when they ſee Danger approaching, and therefore had need be Men of Knowledg: They are called Seers; if they have no Eyes, they cannot be called Seers. Miniſters had need be like Argus, (whom Poets ſay had an hundred Eyes); they ſhould be full of Eyes, like the living Creatures about the Throne, to ſee before them, and behind them, that ſo they may perceive clearly every thing that is evil or hurtful to the Souls of Men, or Church of God, and give warning of it; and not like thoſe fooliſh Watchmen the Prophet ſpeaks of, His Watchmen are blind, ſleeping, lying down, Iſa. 56 10. Ezek. 33.6, 7. loving to ſlumber. If the Watchman ſeeth the Sword coming, and blow not the Trumpet, and the People be not warned; if the Sword come and take away any Perſon from among them, he is taken away in his Iniquity, but his Blood will I require at the Watchman's hand. They are to give warning to Sinners, that they repent, and be converted, for Wrath is gone out againſt them from the Lord; if they live in one Sin, they muſt periſh: They are to warn them of the Danger of Unbelief, to warn them of the Danger of the Hardneſs of their Hearts, to warn them of the Danger of Pride, Covetouſneſs, and all other Sins; to give warning of the Danger of Idolatry, and all falſe Worſhip and Hereſy; of the Danger of Apoſtacy, the Danger of the inordinate Love of the World, or of any thing ſhort of Jeſus Chriſt, &c. |
| IV. Watchmen are made and conſtituted ſuch by others, and called forth to ſtand upon the Watch. | IV. So Miniſters are made or conſtituted Watchmen by the Lord: Son of Man, Ezek. 33.7 ſee, I have made thee a Watchman to the Houſe of Iſrael. 'Tis Chriſt's Prerogative to appoint Watchmen, &c. |
| V. Watchmen are not for themſelves, but for the Flock, for the whole Flock, Town, Pariſh, or Army, where they are ſet as Watchmen. | V. So a Miniſter is appointed to watch not only himſelf, but God's Flock, the whole Flock that is committed to his Charge; yea, every Member of the Church: he is to look after the pooreſt, as well as the richeſt; and not ſeek theirs,2 Cor. 11.28. & 12.14. but them. |
| VI. Watchmen are to give an account of the time of the Night. Men go to the Watchman to enquire; he ſays, 'tis ſuch or ſuch an Hour: Watchman, what of the Night? Iſa. 21.12. &c. The Morning cometh, and alſo the Night. | VI. So Chriſt's faithful Miniſters are to give an account of the Night; they ought to be well-skill'd in the Times, to ſhew what Iſrael ought to do. O that our Watchmen had more Knowledg upon this account! that they could but tell how long! Paul told the Romans, Rom. 13.10, 11. the Night was far ſpent, and the Day was at hand. Our Watchmen begin to ſpeak after the ſame manner: The Morning cometh, the Morning of that longed-for Day of Chriſt's Kingdom; and the Night, that eternal Night of Babylon's Ruine. |
| VII. Watchmen are expoſed to Danger, and much Hardſhip; they are oftentimes ſet upon, and baſely abuſed in the Night, whilſt they are upon their Duties, by evil, quarrelſom, and miſchievous Perſons, and endure many cold Blaſts. | VII. So the Miniſters of the Goſpel are often ſet upon whilſt they are upon the Watch. See how it befell Peter and John, Acts 4. and Stephen, chap. 7. and the great Miniſter of the Gentiles, St. Paul himſelf, Acts 16. whilſt he was preaching Chriſt: The Magiſtrates rent off their Clothes, and commanded them to be beaten; and when they had laid many Stripes upon them, they caſt them into Priſon, &c. |
| VIII. Watchmen many times, through their Care and Diligence, by diſcovering approaching Evils, prevent much Danger and Miſery from falling upon Men. Some by this means have been delivered from being burnt in their Beds, when a violent Fire hath broken out ſuddenly in the Night; they cry out, Fire, Fire, to awaken People when they are aſleep. | VIII. So Chriſt's Miniſters, by opening the State and miſerable Condition of poor Sinners to them, and of the Neceſſity of ſpeedy Repentance, in turning to the Lord, and cloſing with Jeſus Chriſt, have prevented great Danger that was near them, (I mean, as Inſtruments in the hand of God.) By this means many poor Souls have been delivered from eternal Burnings in Hell. Miniſters cry out, Fire, Fire, Hell is exceeding hot, to rouſe ſecure Sinners. |
Inferences.
WE may infer from hence, That God takes great Care, and ſhews much Pity to the Sons of Men, in that he hath provided his faithful Miniſters to watch over them.
II. It alſo ſhews, that all true Miniſters are Miniſters of God's making:Ezek. 33.7 Son of Man, I have made thee a Watchman, &c. There are many that God never made Miniſters, nor doth he approve of them.
III. It ſhews what the Work and Office of a Miniſter is; alſo that their Work is hard: A Watchman's Work is an hard and difficult Work. Many endeavour to avoid coming upon the Watch, ſhifting it off to others, and rather chuſe to pay their Money, than ſerve in their own Perſons; Watchmen are upon Duty, when others are aſleep in their Beds. Thou ſhalt give them warning from me. Ezek. 3.17Miniſters muſt not come in their own Names, but in Chriſt's Name. As they come with God's Word, they come in his Name, in his Authority, to reprove, admoniſh, comfort, &c. Miniſters muſt learn as well as teach: What I received from Chriſt, I delivered to you, &c.Greenhill on Ezek. 3.17. Thou ſhalt hear the Word at my Mouth. They muſt not come with Man's Word, or warn People to be ſubject to the Traditions, Inventions, and Doctrines of Men: I will ſtand upon my Watch, and ſet me upon the Tower, Hab. 2.1.and will watch to ſee what he will ſay unto me.