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Tropes and Figures · Benjamin Keach

Tropes and Figures, Treatise 1 · Head 9 · Part 6

Miniſters compared to Spokeſmen.

2 Cor. 11.2. For I have eſpouſed you to one Husband, that I may preſent you as a chaſt Virgin to Chriſt.

I Have (as if the Apoſtle ſhould ſay) acted the part of a Spokeſman, I have endeavoured to engage your Affections to Chriſt. Every Miniſter ſtrives to eſpouſe Souls to the Lord Jeſus; as Abraham's Servant was employed to obtain Rebeka for Iſaac. 'Tis the main Work of a Miniſter to win Souls, and bring them over to Chriſt.

Note. Miniſters may fitly be compared to Spokeſmen.

SimileParallel.
A Spokeſman is a Friend to the Lover, one that knows his Secrets, and is judged faithful, a Perſon that he confides in, and is therefore truſted with his great and moſt weighty Concernments. Abraham had great confidence in his Servant, and therefore choſe him for that Work, viz. to go and take a Wife for Iſaac.MIniſters are the Friends of Chriſt: I have called you Friends. They know the Mind of Chriſt: The Secrets of the Lord are with them. Joh. 15.14, 15. All things (ſaith Chriſt) that I have heard of my Father, I have made known unto you. You have not choſen me, but I have choſen you. Chriſt chuſes none to this Work, but ſuch as are faithful:1 Tim. 1.12. And I thank Chriſt Jeſus our Lord, who hath accounted me faithful, putting me into the Miniſtry.
II. A faithful Spokeſman is very intent and diligent in his Buſineſs. Abraham's Servant would not eat nor drink, until he had delivered his Meſſage, or told his Errand.II. So a faithful Miniſter is very diligent about his Maſter's Work. Peter and John forſook all, and followed Chriſt. He gives himſelf wholly up to the Work of the Goſpel.Job. 23 12 They eſteem (with holy Job) the Words of his Mouth more than their neceſſary Food.
III. A Spokeſman uſes many Arguments to engage the Affections of the Perſon to whom he is ſent; he doth ſet forth the Merits, Riches, and Worthineſs of the Perſon who is the principal Suiter.III. So Miniſters uſe many weighty Arguments to perſuade Sinners to fall in love with, and eſpouſe themſelves to the Lord Jeſus, to accept of the Offers of his Grace and Divine Favour, being not willing to take any Denial, if poſſible. They pray, woo, and beſeech in Chriſt's Name; and ſome of the Arguments they uſe are theſe, viz. 1. They ſet forth the Greatneſs of their Lord and Maſter: He is the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, ſaith Paul; the Lord of Life and Glory, ſaith Peter. 2. They ſet forth his great Riches: Ʋnto me, Eph. 3.8. who am leſs than the leaſt of all Saints, is this Grace given, that I ſhould preach among the Gentiles the unſearchable Riches of Chriſt. See how Abraham's Servant pleaded, when he came to court the Damſel: The Lord hath bleſſed my Maſter greatly, and he is become great; Gen. 24.35, 36. and He hath given him Flocks and Herds, &c. Silver and Gold, and Man-Servants, and Maid-Servants, and Camels, and Aſſes. Verſe 35. And Sarah my Maſter's Wife bare a Son to my Maſter, when ſhe was old, and unto him he hath given all that he hath. O how rich and great (ſaith a Miniſter) is God! The Cattel of a thouſand Hills are his: The Earth is the Lord's, and the Fulneſs thereof. And Chriſt (ſaith he) is appointed Heir of all Things.Joh. 16.15 Joh. 13.3. All Things that the Father hath, are mine. He knew, that the Father had given all Things into his Hands. 3. They ſet forth not only the Greatneſs and Riches of Chriſt, but alſo his admirable Beauty: He is fairer than the Children of Men. Pſal. 45. 4. They ſet forth the Greatneſs of his Love, ſo far as they can conceive of it, or make it known; for the Breadth, Length, Depth, and Heighth of it is wonderful,Eph. 3 18, 19. Mat. 28. (as Paul ſhews) and paſſeth Knowledg. 5. They ſet forth his Power and Sovereignty: He has all Power in Heaven and Farth; He is the Prince of the Kings of the Earth; nothing is too hard for him to do; Men and Devils, Wind and Seas are at his Command. 6. They ſet forth his great Wiſdom: He is the Power of God, and the Wiſdom of God, ſaith the Apoſtle. In him are hid all the Treaſures of Wiſdom and Knowledg. 1 Cor. 1.24 Col. 2.3. 7. They ſet forth his great and glorious End in coming into the World, which was, that we might have Life, and to betroth us to himſelf for ever. 8. They ſet forth the Greatneſs of his Sufferings, his wonderful Abaſement, the Nature of his bloody Agony and Anguiſh he ſuffered upon the Tree. What! doth not this Jeſus (ſaith the Servant of God) that comes to you through a Sea of Blood, deſerve your Affection? &c. 9. They uſe Arguments of another nature, ſuch as are taken from the Conſideration of the Sinners dead, curſed, and miſerable State without him; the Bleſſedneſs of ſuch as do embrace him, and eſpouſe themſelves to him; and divers others, too many here for me to reckon up.
IV. A faithful Spokeſman is not ſatisfied, to ſee the Perſon to whom he is in the behalf of his Maſter a Suiter, to be only ready to hear, and ſeem to approve of the Motion he makes, unleſs ſhe at laſt be brought to a ready and willing Compliance, and ſay with Rebekah; Gen. 24.58. I will go along with this Man; that is, I am reſolved to become Iſaac's Wife.IV. So Chriſt's faithful Miniſters are not ſatisfied to ſee Sinners hearken to the Word, and ſeem pleaſed with the Doctrine of the Goſpel, which they daily preach, unleſs they leave their Sins, and become new Creatures, and cloſe in in good earneſt with Chriſt, giving themſelves to him. 'Tis ſaid of the Saints, They gave themſelves to the Lord. If a Man be a Suiter to a Damſel, and ſhe ſeem to like him, and be pleaſed with the Motion he makes, and yet never conſent to become his Wife; will this pleaſe him? ſurely no: Neither doth it pleaſe Chriſt, nor his Miniſters, to ſee Sinners go from place to place to hear Sermons, and write Sermons, and commend this and that Preacher, if they do not make a real Contract, and become eſpouſed to the Lord Jeſus. 'Tis nothing leſs than a thorow Work of Grace, Regeneration, or a true Converſion, that will ſatisfy one of Chriſt's faithful Spokeſmen.
V. It grieves a faithful Spokeſman, when he finds his Maſter is ſlighted, and his dear and noble Lord that ſent him, rejected, and a baſe and poor Fellow entertained, and delighted in, inſtead of him who is ſo worthy.V. So it grieves a faithful Miniſter, when Sinners ſlight the Meſſage and Tenders of Grace in the Goſpel; when Chriſt is not embraced, nor cloſed in with; when they only take him into their Lips, but keep him out of their Hearts. O this wounds their Souls! Shall Sin, ſaith the Servant of God, that baſe and filthy Enemy of my Maſter, be entertained and delighted in? Shall the Devil have the Rule and Preheminence in you? and the Love of the World be ſo ſweet, which is Enmity to God? And ſhall Chriſt, who died for you on the Croſs, he who is ſo excellent, who is able to make you happy for ever, be ſlighted and rejected by you? What! will you prefer your baſe Luſts above all that unconceivable Good there is in God the Father, in Chriſt his only begotten Son, in the holy Spirit, and in the Way of Holineſs?
VI. A Spokeſman, when he ſees he cannot prevail, returns, and gives his Maſter or Friend that ſent him, an account how Matters go.VI. So Chriſt's faithful Miniſters in the Day of Judgment, ſhall doubtleſs be brought in as Witneſſes againſt ſtubborn and impenitent Sinners, to whom they preached the Goſpel.Gen. 24.49. And now (ſaid Abraham's Servant) if you will deal kindly and truly with my Maſter, tell me; if not, tell me; that I may turn to the right hand, or to the left: That is, that I may give my Maſter an account of my Errand; what ſhall I ſay to him that ſent me? So ſaith Chriſt's Servant, If you will deal kindly and truly with my Maſter, tell me; if not, tell me, that I may turn, &c. I muſt declare to the Lord Jeſus, in the great and dreadful Day, how you have ſlighted or not regarded the Meſſage I am ſent about; how you are reſolved to keep to your other Lovers, and remain in your Sins, being carnal, looſe, ungodly; and that Chriſt is not precious in your Eye, nor will you be perſuaded to forſake all, and follow him, nor be made ſenſible of that Glory and Beauty that is in Holineſs. And what a ſad thing will this be, when a Miniſter muſt appear againſt this Man, and that Man, and ſay, Lord, I ſpoke to them again and again, I preach'd an hundred Sermons to them, to engage their Hearts to thee, but none of them would take place, as thou ſeeſt, upon their Hearts, &c.