Tropes and Figures, Treatise 1 · Head 9 · Part 5
Miniſters compared to Trumpeters.
Iſa. 58.1. Cry aloud, ſpare not, lift up thy Voice like a Trumpet.
Joel 2.1. Blow ye the Trumpet in Zion.
1 Cor. 4.8. If the Trumpet give an uncertain Sound, who ſhall prepare himſelf for the Battel?
MIniſters may fitly be compared to Trumpeters, as divers worthy Men have obſerved, from theſe and ſome other Texts of Scripture: They were the Prieſts of the Lord in the time of the Law, that blew the Trumpets, &c.
| Simile. | Parallel. |
| A Trumpeter ought to have Skill, and be well inſtructed to blow a Trumpet, before he take upon him that Employ. | SO a Man ought to have much Wiſdom, and be well-inſtructed in the Myſteries of the Goſpel, and alſo with the Work, Care, and Office of a Miniſter, before he take upon him that great Employ. Miniſters ought to be experienced Men. |
| II. A Trumpeter ought to be one that is ſtrong to blow, for that weak and defective Men cannot ſound a Trumpet. | II. So Miniſters ought to be ſtrong in the Lord, and in the Power of his Might, endued with much of the Spirit, that they may lift up their Voices like a Trumpet. |
| III. A Trumpeter is called to that Place and Office by the Captain, or chief Commander of the Troop. A Man is not to force himſelf upon a Troop, and ſay, I will be your Trumpeter; but muſt be tried, liſted, and orderly entred into that Troop. | III. So every true Miniſter muſt have a Call to that Place and Function by Jeſus Chriſt; that is to ſay, ought to be a Perſon well-gifted and qualified for the Work, and that in the Judgment of the Church, and there to be choſen and called forth by them: How ſhall they preach, except they be ſent? A Man,Rom. 10. or Member of a Congregation, muſt not force himſelf upon a Church or People, and ſay, I will be your Preacher, I have a Gift, and can ſerve you; but muſt be tried by the Church, who is the competent Judg of his Fitneſs for that Work, and ſo be orderly admitted. |
| IV. One or two Trumpeters uſually belong to every Troop of Souldiers. | IV. Every particular Church hath one or more Miniſters, or Goſpel-Preachers, belonging to it. |
| V. A Trumpeter is to ſound to prepare Men to Battel. | V. So the Goſpel is to be preached, to prepare and fit Souls to fight the ſpiritual Battel, againſt Sin, Satan, the Fleſh, and the World. |
| VI. A Trumpeter ought to know all the diſtinct Notes or Sounds he is to ſound; ſometimes to ſound a Call, ſometimes an Alarm, ſometimes a March, ſometimes a Battel, &c. There are many certain and diſtinct Sounds, and every Souldier (as we have elſewhere ſhewed) ought to be well acquainted with it, and to know them all. If the Trumpet give an uncertain Sound, who ſhall prepare himſelf to the Battel? | VI. So a Miniſter is ſometimes commanded to ſound an Alarm:Joel 2 1. Blow the Trumpet in Zion, ſound an Alarm in my holy Mountain. They are to pronounce Wrath and Judgment, to thunder as it were from Mount Sinai, to rouze up the ſlothful and ſecure Sinner, or drouzy Profeſſor; and ſometimes a Call to Duty, to aſſemble the People to faſt, and cry mightily unto the Lord: Blow the Trumpet in Zion, ſanctify a Faſt, call the ſolemn Aſſembly, Joel 2.15, 16. gather the People, ſanctify the Congregation, aſſemble the Elders, gather the Children, and thoſe that ſuck the Breaſt, &c. |
| VII. A Trumpeter, by blowing his Trumpet in the Day of Battel, is of great uſe to an Army; the ſounding of the Trumpet greatly encourages and animates the Hearts of Souldiers. | VII. So a true Miniſter, by preaching the Goſpel, is exceeding uſeful to God's Church, in the Day of Trial, &c. How doth a lively and an awakening Sermon put Spirit and Courage into the Hearts of Chriſtians, and make them fearleſs, and valiant for the Truth! |
| VIII. A Trumpeter uſually goes before the Troop of Army, ſounding his Trumpet; he is often expoſed to Danger. | VIII. So the Miniſters of the Goſpel ſhould be as He-Goats before the Flock, they are the Leaders of the People: Miniſters are often greatly expoſed. |
| IX. A Trumpeter is to keep ſounding all the while an Army is engaged; nay, not only to ſound his Trumpet, but to ſound it loud alſo. | IX. So a Miniſter muſt preach always, in ſeaſon, and out of ſeaſon, whilſt the Saints and Church of God are militant. Neceſſity is laid upon me, and wo is me, 1 Cor. 9.16. if I preach not the Goſpel. Yea, and it muſt be preached publickly. |
| X. Some Trumpeters have Silver Trumpets; nay, God commanded Moſes to make two Silver Trumpets, to call the Aſſembly; and theſe were for Eleazar and Ithamar, the two Sons of Aaron. | X.Prov. 10.20. So the Tongue of the Righteous is as choice Silver. Ainſworth, ſpeaking of two Silver Trumpets, that were to be made of beaten Work, Numb. 10. ſaith, it ſignifies the Labour of the Miniſters, of giving themſelves to Prayer, and to the Miniſtry of the Word;Pſal. 12.7. The Words of the Lord are pure Words, as Silver, &c. |
| XI. A Trumpeter makes ſometimes ſweet Muſick with his Trumpet. Many love no Muſick, like the rare ſounding of a Trumpet. | XI. So a Miniſter makes ſweet Muſick ſometimes, in preaching of the Goſpel in the Ears of Men. And lo, Ezek. 33.32. thou art unto them as a very lovely Song, of one that hath a lovely Voice, and can play well on an Inſtrument. |
Inferences.
MIniſters muſt cry aloud, and ſpare not, they muſt lift up their Voice like a Trumpet: They muſt be endued with Courage, not fearing the Face of Men, ſparing none, but reprove and warn great and rich Men, as well as the Poor.
II. They muſt be Men of Wiſdom, that know how to ſound diſtinctly, rightly dividing the Word of Truth, leſt by their uncertain Sound great Detriment befall Chriſt's ſpiritual Souldiers.
III. Hence let all the Saints magnify God, for that they have, and do yet hear the joyful Sound, by which they have been called to engage in the ſpiritual Warfare, and thereby animated to a Perſeverance in the ſame to the end.
IV. Alſo hence may be inferred, That as the Saints are ſpiritual Souldiers, ſo it is their great Concern to obſerve the ſounding of theſe ſpiritual Trumpeters with the Silver Trumpets, that they may be always ready to make good their Ground in an evil Day: And having done all, to ſtand. Stand therefore, &c.Eph. 6.