People or Multitude of Believers being intrusted with this business will chuse simple and unwise Preachers I Answer briefly Their Rule in this business prevents this Objection For they must be wise that ought to be admitted to Preach and the Church must not only be simple and ignorant but undutiful and disobedient to Christ's commands or else this danger is avoided And though Babylons Builders are blind in this matter yet Christ's Church is wise and seeing and the Spiritual Man discerneth all things 1 Cor. 2.15 2 Thess 2.15 And so much for this Objection The second Use is of Caution Secondly Let this Use be a word of Caution to all such as either design or are already engaged in Preaching-work Look to this Doctrine That you are in God's as well as his Peoples account wise truly wise richly wise with the Spiritual Heavenly Gospel-wisdom Oh Beloved undertake not this weighty glorious honourable Work or employment of Preaching without sutable aptness and fitness thereunto Run not before Jesus Christ sends you remembring Rom. 10.15 How can they Preach except they be sent 〈◊〉 Take not this honour this undue honour to your selves to be judges of your sufficiency For it is written Heb. 5.14 No man taketh this honour t◠himself but he that is called of God as was Aaron Be of the temper and spirit of Jeremiah have lo◠thoughts of your selves and abilities and uprightly say as he did Ah Lord God behold I cannot speak for I am a Child Jer. 1.6 And with Moses say Oh my Lord I am not eloquent neither heretofore nor since thou hast spoken to thy Servant but I am slow of speech and of a slow tongue Exod. 4. Oh you Beloved to whom I am now speaking in this Use be mindful of that word Eccles 5.2 Be not rash with thy Mouth and let not thy Heart be hasty to utter any thing before God for God is in Heaven therefore let thy words be few 'T is Soul-work you are to do therefore be wise 't is Christ's Work therefore be wise 't is honourable Work therefore be wise 't is hard Work very difficult Work therefore be wise For who is sufficient for these things 't is dangerous Work yea most dangerous of all Work If we do this deceitfully or negligently or foolishly think on that word Eccles 5.6 Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin neither say thou it was an error Wherefore should God be angry at thy voice and destroy the work of thy hands Oh remember Ezek. 3.17 18. If thou warn not the wicked from his wicked way the same wicked man shall surely die in his iniquity but his blood will I require at thy hand Be therefore wise truly wise Heavenly wise spiritually wise richly wise in all the revealed wisdom of God for God hath said He will be sanctified in them that draw nigh him and before all the people he will be glorified Numb 10.3 But that you may be wise take these few Directions and helps as sufficient for the attainment of Preachers-wisdom Direct 1. First and above all Be much in Communion with God by Prayer for wisdom for every good and perfect Gift cometh down from the Father of Lights and your way to have it is by Prayer So saith James If any man lack wisdom let him ask of God who giveth liberally and upbraideth not chap. 1.5 Beloved all we that Preach and all ye that desire this great Work of Breaching we do all of us lack wisdom yea very much lack wisdom therefore pray Oh pray abundantly for wisdom that we may receive it Thus did Solomon and pleased God and obtained his request 1 Kings 3.7 8 9. And this Paul the great Apostle of the Gentiles desired the Thessalonian-Church do do for him even to pray that the Word of the Lord might have free course and be glorified by him and his Companions On Brethren and Beloved pray much and fervently for your selves and beg also the constant fervent Prayers of all the Saints and Churches of the Saints that you and all that labour in the Word and Doctrine may be truly richly Spiritually wise Direct 2. Secondly Would you be Spiritually wise Be diligent painful and abundant in the study and searching into the Scriptures for this is able onely able of outward helps to make the Man of God wise even throughly wise unto Salvation 2 Tim. 3.15 with 1 Tim. 4.15 16. Meditate on these things give thy self wholly to them that thy profiting may appear to all continue in them that thou mayest save thy self and them that hear Oh my dear Brethren and Friends this is a Preachers study and work to search and study the Scriptures not Fathers Commentators or School-men as his business this is but a by-study it is Scripture-study even the Old and New Testament which is our great business even our all to study for 't is Scripture and Gospel that you must Preach not Books nor mens Opinions therefore study the Scripture diligently and humbly Direct 3. Thirdly Be very much in the practice of Godliness walk much with God if you would be wise and know much of the mind of God Thus God acted towards Abraham Gen. 18.17 He would not hide his Counsel from him because he was Godly and would command and reach his Family the fear of the Lord so in Danel's case So our Lord also promiseth John 7.17 saying If any man will do his Will he shall know the Doctrine whether it be of God Direct 4. Fourthly Be much in Communion with Saints for with the well-advised is wisdome therefore if Preachers would be wise they must walk in the way of good men and keep the paths of the Righteous Prov. 2.20 Paul sat at the feet of Gamaliel and thus Apollos became wise through converse with Aquila and Priscilla and thus Mary may be said to become wise by sitting at the feet of our Lord Jesus Acts 22.3 with chap. 18.25 26. and Luke 10.25 So that if a Preacher desire to be wise his way is to hold and maintain much Christian-fellowship and Communion with the Saints even with the wisest and most experienced among them This may serve for direction in this matter therefore I beseech you that are Gospel-Preachers to strive to be wise by the exercise of all holy Means for by so doing you may obtain to be such Preachers of whom it may be said Moreover because the Preacher was wise he still taught the People knowledge And this shall suffice for the first Branch of this Verse concerning what the Preacher was and his qualification I come now to the second Branch of the Text which contains the first part of the wise Preachers Act or Work He still taught the People knowledge First These words contain either the Preacher's persistency or going on with his Work Or Secondly His proficiency or ripening at or in his Work He still taught the people knowledge Not as one that was at a stand or height but as
pretend to a liberty to Preach neither pretend or affirm that every Preacher is an Official or Ordainâ— Minister of the Lord Jesus neither do they aspiâ— to equality or superiority with or above others 〈◊〉 Christ's Ministring Ones but acknowledge they aâ— neither the one nor the other of Christ's Gospel Ministry but Members in particular But thirdly Note There is no agreement be tween the design of those men and the work of theâ—â— men I plead for their design was sacrificing or offering Incense the work onely of Aaron and hiâ— Sons 't was Censering not Preaching as is cleâ—â— vers 15 16 17 18. But the highest of those meâ— or this Doctrines design is Preaching not offering or performing Ministerial Function but privaâ— Mens and Brethrens liberty as hath been prove from that passage Ye may all prophesie or Pread one by one To as little purpose will that Text answer our Clergy-mens design and errant for which they improve as this Numb 16. I mean thâ—â— 1 Cor. 7.20 Let every Man abide in the samâ— Calling wherein he was called This might if it had been written at that time have been applyed aptly by Moses in the businesâ— he had in hand but what is all this against the lawfulness of private Christians Preaching Preaching though an excellent Work is no peculiar Calling but may be performed by Persons of another Calling neither do such as assert our practice iâ— this way of Preaching depart from their Callings or not abide therein though this is no satisfaction to their Adversaries therefore these feeble Objections will not suffice to rational Christians enlightned in this Doctrine as sufficient to oppose this way of Preaching Therefore know and consider this day what I shall affirm till you can more substantially oppose it to wit That it is lawful and laudable a Liberty yea a Duty incumbent upon every Man that feareth the Lord and hath received the Gift to speak a word in due season for Edification Exhortation and Comfort to use and exercise the Gifts he hath received of the Lord in Prophesying or Preaching in the Congregation That all may learn and all may be edified 1 Cor. 14.31 Therefore not onely may Pastors or Teachers but any Brother of the Church that is qualified whether Young or Old Servant or Master Son or Father Rich or Poor Learned or Unlearned of what Imployment or Calling soever whether Miller or Merchant Inn-keeper or Shoop-keeper Brick-layer or Taylor Cobler or Shoo-maker one or other lawful Imployment For ye are all one in Christ Jesus Gal. 3.8 Thus much for this Use The second Vse is for Exhortation But a second Use and the all that I shall make of this Doctrine is That if Prophesying or Preaching of Brethren or such as have not received any Office or Ministry from Christ be an Ordinance of Christ and the duty of such as have received Gifts for Preaching to Preach Then two things from hence I may add First A word of Exhortation to all the Churches of the Saints to allow admit and incourage the Gifted-Brethren in this Work and Business of Preaching Oh! be not so like to Antichrist and his Synagogue as to forbid this liberty of the Saints which Christ hath so dearly purchased with his most precious Blood Consider what the Lorâ— saith to those Disciples of his who told him That they saw one casting out Devils in his Name which followed him not and they forbad him but Marâ— the Answer of Christ Forbid him not Mark 9.38 39. Will not Christ have such forbad that follow not him or his Disciples and will you my Brethren forbid such as follow the Lamb yea and follow you too because not Ministers as you are or competent or equal in Gifts with you My Brethren I beseech you do not this wickedness it smells of Rome of an Antichristian spirit but think what the Lord saith He that is not with me is against me and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad Mat. 12.30 You that will not joyn issue with Christ in furthering and permitting such to Preach whom Christ allows to Preach you even all you who ever you be how Wise and Learned and Pious soever yet are you against Christ and for Antichrist Enemies to Preaching though never so great Preachers and it were well you would please to suffer me to commend two Scriptures to your serious consideration The first is that of the Apostle Be of the same mind one towards another mind not high things but condescend to men of low degree or estate Be not wise in your own conceits Rom. 12.16 The second Scripture is that of Peter Feed the Flock of God which is among you taking the oversight thereof not by constraint but willingly not for filthy Lucre but of a ready mind neither as being Lords over God's Heritage but being Ensamples to the Flock 1 Pet. 5.2 3. But secondly Let this be a second Branch of this Use to exhort all such even such or so many as have received but one Talent or the least dogree of real competency or fitness though neither Prophets or Prophets Sons but of the meanest or most contemptible condition or Calling amongst men to Preach and that in season and out of season O remember it is your duty your Priviledge you may preach all one by one you are not only made Kings but Priests and this Priestly Act you yea any Gifted Believer may perform Rev. 1.6 Beloved Preaching is God's Ordinance his Peoples Blessing and your Duty O therefore Preach as well as Pray continually forget not that exhortation As every Man hath received the Gift even so minister the same one to another as good stewards of the manifold Grace of God 1 Pet. 4.10 Brethren let not your fellow Spies discourage you by telling you of the Sacredness Excellency and difficulty of Preaching But as every man hath received so minister the same as of the ability God giveth that in all things God may be glorified 1 Pet. 4.11 Remembring for your encouragement two Scriptures 2 Cor. 8.12 For if there be first a willing mind it is accepted according to that a man hath and not according to that a man hath not Secondly Think on these words of Christ For unto every one that hath shall be given and he shall have abundance but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath Mat. 25.29 Therefore quench not the Spirit 1 Thess 5.19 But what the Disciple said I may say to you The Lord hath need of it Luke 19.34 The Souls of Sinners call for your Labours yea the wants of your dear Brethren call for your words of Exhortation Edification and Comfort therefore be not wanting in the practice of this Ordinance even this great Ordinance of Preaching the Gospel Therefore my Brethren be stedfast unmoveable alwayes abounding in the Work of the Lord for aâ— much as you know your Labour is not in vain in the Lord. Thirdly Let this Doctrine
The WISE Gospel-Preacher HIS Praise and Practice Duty and Dignity Opened in a SERMON On ECCLES 12.9 By S. M. Minister of the Gospel Isa 52.7 How beautiful upon the Mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tydings that publisheth peace c. Printed for the Author To that Congregation over whom the Lord hath made me an Overseer Increase of Grace here and Glory hereafter BRethren and Beloved in our Lord Jesus these Sermons as they were preached amongst you even so was their Publication earnestly sollicited by some of you at whose request I have yeelded to that I designed not in their Preaching nor intended to have done long since that task was finished But remembring I am not only a Debtor to Jew and Gentile but more especially to you also not onely by one means but by every means to endeavour your furtherance in the Faith I judged my self obliged to help you with that Printed which the Lord gave you in Preaching And I may safely say so near as I could your Eys now have only what once your Ears heard As to you my Beloved whose importunity prevailed upon me to undertake this Work know two Arguments prevailed upon me to Answer your Request The one My Love towards you the other My desire of your Spiritual and Eternal Welfare and if my Labour of Love for your sakes may providentially extend or reach to the advantage of any others that love the Lord Jesus in sincerity I therein shall and will rejoyce I need not here give you any account of the Nature of this Treatise you well know it is to open both the Wise-Preachers and the Wise-Hearers Work and Business you know I need the one and I also judge you want not need sufficient to learn the other As to the Method it is and ought to be plain as best becoming Gospel-Mysteries 't was Truth not Humane Wisdom or Eloquence that I designed to manifest and surely should I thus have acted I should have pull'd down with one hand what I was setting up with the other and so should have been found a transgressor As to my often hinting of any thing minded in this Discourse know the nearness of the Phrases in the Text one to another constrained it except I should have broke the bounds and dealt partially with the Text and my thoughts are that Plenty may even conduce to Profit And as for those Phrases Titles and Denominations of Persons which in this Discourse may seem unto any tender ear to be plain harsh or reproachful to any know this I have warily considered to fasten them only on persons really deserving such names and although I have herein followed the footsteps of the Saints Penmen of the Scripture yet have I abated rather than exceeded their practice as is most evident if you consider of some expressions wherein how great or learned or seemingly pious soever some sinners were yet both Christ himself and the Prophets and Apostles have spoken very home and hard against such Persons stiling them Hypocrites Devils Children Wolves Dogs Lyons Foxes Vipers painted-Sepulchres whited Walls Princes of Sodom Rulers of Gomorrah Adulterers Adulteresses and such like as the Scripture witnesseth wherefore marvel not at my freedom of expression to sinners of the same dye And lastly My resolution was to avoid the reproof due to such as give flattering Titles unto men and as Elihu saith Let me not I pray you accept any man's person neither let me give flattering titles unto men for I know not to give flattering titles forin so doing my Maker would soon take me away Job 32.21 22. And further If any suppose I have in this Discourse affected and discovered a Spirit of singularity and diversity of Opinion from the most of even pious judicious and sober men of this Age. I Answer in uprightness 't was not affectedly but constrainedly done and I suppose even such Objectors will not deny 't is better differing from men how wise soever than from Christ and since all men know but in part and Prophesie but in part that may be Christ's Truth which is not acknowledged or understood by many is it not written Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil neither shalt thou speak in a cause to decline after many to wrest judgment Exod. 23.2 and as Paul saith I believed therefore have I spoken 2 Cor. 4.13 I shall willingly receive better information and then speedily change my present apprehension Lastly If any Object against the largeness of this Tract my Answer is 'T was my desire to have prevented it could I with fidelity and prudence have effected it and the truth is I have denyed my self and slipt over some Particulars which might more largel have been insisted on that this Exception might have been spared And now my dearly Beloved whose importunity begat me this labour Let me now crave leave before I conclude this Epistle to request a few things of you First My Brethren if you meet with any Advantage Content or Comfort by perusing these Lines pray give all the praise and glory to God whose hand alone hath wrought it and whose Spirit hath revealed it and think often upon 1 Chron. 29.10 to 16. Secondly Pray be not only knowers of these Truths but doers of the same Oh be not only so principled but so practising also let the height of Holiness in this Discourse discovered be your main business to attain so shall I not want a good reward for this my labour Thirdly Labour to train up and educate your Families in this good knowledge of the Lord and shew them the good old way wherein they should walk with God as Moses adviseth Deut. 4.9.10 saying Only take heed to thy self and keep thy Soul diligently lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen and lest they depart from thy heart all the dayes of thy life but teach them thy Sons and thy Sons Sons Especially the day that thou stoodest before the Lord thy God in Horeb when the Lord said unto me Gather me the people together and I will make them hear my words that they may learn to fear me all the dayes that they shall live upon the earth and that they may teach their Children with 11 19. Fourthly Wonder not neither be stumbled if you find these Truths evil spoken of scorned traduced but remember this was to be expected in such a day as this And lastly Forget not him that you have prevailed upon but in all your supplications remember me and pray for me both night and day that I may be faithful to the Death that I may be filled with the Spirit that I may be abundant in the Work of the Lord and that my Labours may be acceptable and succesful among the Saints that so I may finish my course with joy and not with grief according to the Will of God And thus with my Prayers for you also I commend you to God and to the Word of his Grace which is
ought to be and do whence we may collect thus much Doct. 1. That the Lord is not sparing or scant in means of Grace to his Church and People but hath provided and doth afford them one and another means of help and advantage for Soul-Concernments God as God hath in Mercy and Wisdom dealt with the Second Creation and state of Grace as with the first Creation In Nature he hath not made single Fruits Flowers Plants Grain or Beasts Birds or Fishes but innumerable in number and manifold in kind even so great variety and plenty that even the wisest of Moralists or Naturalists scarce knew what need or end there is even of that variety or plenty unless to commend the Creator Men are often times at a loss how to improve and not despise that plenty Even so is it in spiritual and supernatural things Men are so fully provided of them that they even surfeit and are wanton under God's Divine Ordinances and Provisions of Grace as once Israel did of Manna yet it seems good to God to have moreovers and to minister himself in manifold wisdom to his People To instance thus God dealt with Israel he gave them not onely Moses but Aaron also not onely Sacrifice but Circumcision also nor Circumcision only but the Passeover also nor the Tabernacle but the Temple also not onely Priests and Levites but Prophets and Nazarites likewise That so God might say as Isaiah 5. What could I have done more for my Vineyard which I have not done And this Job tells you Chap. 33.14 15. So Solomon in the 9th of his Proverbs Even so hath he done under the Gospel not tying us to any one Way or Means but affords us various Means and Seasons We have the Heaven and the Earth declaring his Glory and Handywork Psal 19. Also we have the Law and Statutes of God in his Scripture which is able to make the Man of God wise unto Salvation We have also the Law written in our hearts We have Instruments without and Instincts within We have the Word and Men without and the Spirit within We have Mercy and Judgment all whispering to us Fear ye the Lord. So that we may truly say God as well as Man hath his Moreovers And we serve not a hard Master nor is our reproof and destruction less than sufficiently of our selves Now the Grounds and Reasons why God walks thus towards his People are briefly these Reas 1. That the Glory of the Wisdom Power and Bounty of God might the more gloriously appear by the riches of his Liberality and plenty of Provisions afforded to his People Prov. 16.4 Rom. 2.4 Ephes 1.18 19. Col. 1.27 Reas 2. God makes his Provisions to be very large and plentiful affording us moreovers to the end that we might with the more ease and facility do his Will and attain the knowledge and enjoyment of Salvation so Isa 28.9 10 11 12. and this the Apostle seems to eye Acts 17.30 31. And the Prophet Micah Chap. 6.6 7 8. Christ saith His Yoke is easie and his Burthen light because he affords light sufficient to see it with and strength enough to do what is required and helps many to assist us and rewards full and rich enough to quicken and incourage us But again Reas 3. The Lord doth it to comply with our nature and frailty which is not so well satisfied nor so effectually furthered or helped by one Way or Means as by diversity and variety and therefore vouchsafeth us his Moreovers or Line upon Line and Precept upon Precept Reas 4. And lastly It is to stop the Mouth and leave silent and inexcusable all neglecters and despisers of Gospel-Grace and Provisions since God can say to all such What need I have done more than what I have done This God pleads for himself 2 Chron. 36.15 16. and Luke 13.7 8 9. The first Vse is of Information By way of Improvement or Application briefly let this first admonish us to believe how inexcusable wicked and ungodly Men and Women are who have God's overpluses and moreovers I mean that living under the light of the Gospel among the Saints enjoy such means to better them and change them and yet remain ignorant profane and ungodly Will not all this present favour and goodness of God to them one day rise up in judgment against them and be an aggravation against them as Paul saith Rom. 2.3 4 5 6. Oh! let such think seriously and timely upon two Scriptures and I shall say no more to this Use Luk. 19.41 42. And when he was come near he beheld the City and wept over it saying If thou hadst known even thou at least in this thy day the things which belong unto thy peace but now they are hid from thine eyes compared with Heb. 6.4 5 6 7 8. For it is impossible for those who were once inlightned and have tasted of the Heavenly Gift and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost and have tasted the good Word of God and the Powers of the World to come if they shall fall away to renew them again unto repentance seeing they crucified to themselves the Son of God afresh and put him to an open shame For the Earth which drinketh in the Rain that cometh oft upon it and bringeth forth Herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed receiveth blessing from God But that which beareth Thorns and Briars is rejected and is nigh unto cursing whose end is to be burned Secondly Caution Secondly Let it be a word of Caution to all of us not to be wanton and despise and slight God 's moreovers or his overplus kindnesses as I am afraid too many do among Professors at this day like wanton Israel that despised God's Manna Numb 11.4 5 6. calling it light Bread Chap. 21.5 Even saying as Christ's Disciples What need this waste Matth. 26.8 Like unto many now-adayes that say What need so much Preaching Yea What need of such long Preaching Is not shorter Preaching better Preaching I beseech you take heed of such thoughts lest God takes away our plenty and give us scarcity enough Oh let me perswade such wanton Christians to take the Counsel Peter gives to Simon Magus Repent therefore of this thy wickedness and pray God if perhaps the thought of thy heart may be forgiven thee Acts 8.22 23. Oh Friends take heed of such thoughts of such vain yea vile thoughts for surely we are not grown such quick Learners or good Scholars or so soon taught what the good and perfect Will of the Lord is as to conclude we need few Preachers or little Preaching Neither is the Preaching of the Gospel such a mean Excellency as worth little more than to be despised or hath the Lord Christ given Gifts to men in vain Oh no he that hath given Gifts to many not to one he well knew many Preachers were necessary that by here a little and there a little by Line upon Line and Precept upon Precept because the
People are so hard to learn Isa 28.9 Therefore the Lord hath conferred upon the Church diversity of Gifts though they proceed from one Spirit He hath set in his Church not only Teachers but Prophets also and dare we despise Prophets or Prophesyings and say What need have we of these Ministrations Hath the Lord given diversly as to Degrees or Measures to one three to another five Tallents and shall he that hath received the least be thought unmeet to have the freedom to improve his Measure for his Lords Honour or his Brethrens Advantage or where the Lord bestows a larger Measure and his Servants are faithful in the Stewardship thereof dare any say the time is waste and the Message too long Not remembring that although he that can speak but five words understandingly must be accepted yet he which can speak ten must not be muzled or restrained Christ and his Spirit ought to be free Wherefore remember that saying of Paul Let no man blame us in this abundance which is administred by us 2 Cor. 8.20 And to cure this evil take this short direction Be more sensible of your want of the means of Grace and more humble spirited truly hungring and thirsting after Gospel-Ordinances Lastly Let it be a word of Exhortation If our Means and Provisions be abundant and redundant let not our fruitfulness be short lest what the Lord Jesus said to Jerusalem he say to us also The Kingdom shall he taken from you and given to a People bringing forth the Fruit thereof and he let out his Vineyard to other Husbandmen Matth. 21.34 41 43. with Heb. 6.8 How dreadful then will thy state and mine be to enjoy much means of Grace and to bring forth none or little Fruit by it Oh! consider this all you that forget God So much for the first Particular or word in the Text Moreover Now let us consider the next Particular which contains the Reason of what the Preacher said or did that is in these words Because the Preacher was Wise Before I go further Three things need some clearing or Exposition First How this suits with some other of Scripture-Expressions for Solomon to commend himself or to say the Preacher was Wife or Painful yea Useful also Secondly What a Preacher is or what this Preacher was Thirdly What this Wisdom is that is here spoken of For the clearing of the first thing Though this Book is Solomons and bears his Name and was by him Composed yet is it not clear that this Copy or these Words were his own But as David and other Kings had their Scribes and Pen-men which did write for them and wrote after them even so might Solomon and doubtless had as his Story in 1 Kings 4.3 compared with 2 Chron. 9.29 doth declare And so though he did not yet they well might set him forth But secondly Although in moral respects and at some time it is not fit for a man to commend himself yet in two respects a man may especially a Preacher so do and be innocent in so doing First in case of scandal he may vindicate himself from unjust aspersion and reproach So Samuel did the people had clouded and eclipsed his worthy and innocent Government 1 Sam. 8.4 5. therefore Chap. 12. he vindicates himself So also did Jeremiah Chap. 15.10 So Paul in 2 Cor. 10.3 7. so in Chap. 12. with that of Job 29. Secondly In furtherance of man's Work or Imployment a man may commend himself So Paul did 2 Cor. 2. and it Gal. 1.12 to 19. with chap. 2.6 7 8 9. Anâ— thus Nehemiah acted in chap. 5. from vers 14 to the close of the Chapter And thus I conceive if Solomon did commit this to the Churches Treasury from his own Hand or Pen in this latter sense he might humbly and innocently do it Bâ—â— possibly the stick or obscurity may be from thâ— Translators so rendring the Words for if thâ— words be thus read this difficulty is easily avoided and the sense preserved intire Moreover A Wisâ— Preacher will still give good heed and so it speak Duty and not Commendation Secondly Let me a little open this Particular What a Preacher is or this Preacher was that here is spoken of A Preacher is not onely such as are under Ministerial Unction or calling in Office oâ— Ministry But a Preacher is any or every such Person or Disciple of Christ that hath received Gifts of the Spirit to profit withal and is able to speak a word in due season to him that is weary for Edification Exhortation and Comfort and theâ—â— in Scripture are called Prophets or Prophesying Preachers as in that of Gen. 20.7 1 Cor. 12.28 And such a Prophetical or Prophesying Preacher was Solomon the Preacher in my Text and not an Official Ordained or Ministerial Preacher for such were only at that time the Tribe of Levi the High Priest Priests and Prophets Extraordinary But the Book tells us this Preacher was by Office a King not a Priest he was onely a Prophet or Membral Preacher even such a Preacher as that Church had many of and any Brother or Member of that Church who was able though not so able might as freely and as lawfully preach as Solomon as that passage Acts 13.15 compared with Luke 4.16 17. Ye men and brethren if you have any word of exhortation for the People say on And such Preachers Moses and Paul allowed Numb 11.29 And Moses said Enviest thou for my sake Would God that all the Lord's people were Prophets and that the Lord would put his Spirit upon them compared with 1 Cor. 14.29 31. Let the Prophets speak and let the other judge for ye may all prophesie one by one that all may learn and all may be comforted Many other Testimonies may be added but because I shall speak to this more hereafter let this at present suffice The third thing to be cleared is What this Wisdom is or what is this Wisdom that Solomon saith the Preacher had and what that Wisdom is that every Preacher ought to have that will thus wisely or profitably Preach Wisdom as Solomon phraseth it doth not onely excel Folly Eccles 2.13 but Wisdom also excels Wit Wit is a quickness or acuteness of the Understanding to catch or apprehend things by But Wisdom is that depth of Reason and Judgment whereby Apprehensions Thoughts Sciences Purposes and Businesses are begun and compleated or are honourably profitably and regularly performed A Fool may have Wit only a Wise Man can have Wisdom or carry on his Design or Business wisely But still the Question is What Wisdom that is that is here treated of or is Preaching Wisdom even that Wisdom without which a man cannot be competent or profitable Preacher To which Question I Answer first Negativeâ— It is neither Moral Natural or acquired Wisdoâ— as Languages Tongues Arts or Sciences Thâ— I not only affirm but shall also confirm thouâ— when all is done no doubt but so saying mâ— make some
notice of you both at Hearing and when you omit and needlesly neglect to hear for he will not let his Name or Ordinances be taken in vain Exod. 20.7 Remember that Text Eccles 5.1 Take heed to thy foot when thou goest to the House of God and be more ready to hear than to offer the Sacrifice of Fools for they consider not that they do evil Men and Women must not think 't is hearing of men but hearing of God by men or through men it is not Man's Word or Ordinance but God's therefore take heed slight it not dally not with it the God of this most sacred Ordinance will not bear it at your hands Hearken what God saith 2 Chron. 24.19 Yet he sent unto them Prophets to bring them again unto the Lord and they testified against them but they would not give ear and the Spirit of the Lord came upon Zachariah the Son of Jehoiada the Priest which stood above the People and said unto them Thus saith God Why transgress ye the Commandment of the Lord that ye cannot prosper because ye have forsaken the Lord he hath also forsaken you Compare with this what you have Mat. 23.34 3â— 39. and then consider if there be not need to receive this Exhortation to take heed how you hear Oh! be not sleepy proud unbelieving forgetful unthankful or unfruitful hearers of the Worâ— of God for if the Lord Jesus when he broughâ— forth but barley Bread and small Fishes said Gather up the Fragments and let nothing be lost do you think then he will let such precious Breaâ— of Life which none but the Son of Man can givâ— you be lost John 6.12 Therefore to conclude Take heed that you despise not him that speaketh from Heaven in thâ— Ministry of the VVord Consider it and seâ— that you refuse not him that speaketh For if the escaped not who refused him that spake on Earth much more shall not we escape if we turn awâ— from him that speaketh from Heaven Heb. 12.25 Oh therefore be swift to hear though slow to speak against what you hear and let every one that hath ears to hear hear what the Spirit saith to the Churches Jam. 5.19 with Rev. 2.7 Thuâ— much for this first Observation Doct. 2. That which I noted from the opening of the words was That Prophetical Preaching or Prophesying by Saints or Brethren by vertue of Gifts and Membership without Office or Ministry conferred upon them is God's very Ordinance and a lawful way of Preaching Else Solomon how wise soever had sinfully Preached For the clearing of this Truth consider first what the Scripture speaks to this point First Moses that well understood the Mind of God was thus minded when he spake these words Enviest thou for my sake Would God that all the Lord's people were Prophets and that the Lord would put his Spirit upon them Numb 11.29 Two things among others we may note here First That Moses did noâ— envy or disallow the Prophesying or Preaching of any that the Lord had made able and therefore puts by the envy and ignorance of those that did with this reply Enviest thou for my sake as if he had said you do evilly and sinfully in so doing Secondly Observe Moses how faithful soever in the House of God and against Usurpations and Innovations in the Church yet allows and approves that any one and every such one that the Lord should put his Spirit upon and make able might this do even Prophesie or Preach I would all the Lord's People were Prophets could and would Preach for I shall not forbid them Object 1. But if any shall Object and say This is not to the thing in hand For first these were eminent Elders and Officers or Rulers among the people and not private persons or ordinary Members of the Church I Answer Though it be granted that these were such even part of the seventy yet note they were not preaching Elders Secondly Neither preached they because such or such but because they had the Spirit and that moved and also filled them with matter and gave them utterance Thirdly Neither was this separation or pouring out of the Spirit mentioned vers 17. the Spirit of Preaching Gifts or Qualifications but the Spirit of Rule and Government as is most clear by considering what is offered 't was a portion of Moses Spirit to assist Moses not in Preaching but in Râ—ling and Governing Object 2. But if any shall object to this testimony That it proves not the thing for which it brought because this was extraordinary prophesying and these were immediate Prophets and not â—â—dinary or such as the Doctrine intends I answer True it is these were extraordinarâ— Persons but whether their Prophesying in thâ— place spoken of were extraordinary Preaching oâ— Prophesying doth not appear in this or any otheâ— place that I know of although I acknowledâ— there is such a kind of Prophesying But howeveâ— this is clear from this place That as many as tâ—â— Lord will spirit or qualifie for one or other sortâ— Preaching may and ought to Preach Else Mosâ— had wished too much and not answered the caâ—â— propounded but this may serve for this Object on But take a second VVitness which you haâ—â— 2 Chron. 17.7 8 9 10. where you find Jehâ—shaphat sent out his Princes as well as his Priest and Levites to Teach in the Cities of Judah anâ— the success was very glorious But take a third VVitness 1 Pet. 4.10 11 where we have the Apostle not only allowing but also provoking and enjoyning every man thâ— feareth the Lord to be a good Steward of the manifold Grace of God and he that hath receive that Gift of speaking a word in season is to minister and to speak according to that ability Goâ— giveth Take but one more 1 Cor. 14.29 31. wheâ— the Apostle allows and directs all the Prophets or prophesying Brethren in the Church to Prophefie Yea he asserts the truth of this Doctrine and justifies this for a lawful and laudable practice for so many in the Churches of the Saints as have preaching Gifts to Preach saying You may all prophesie one by one and let the Prophets prophesie and let no man forbid or envy it And thus the Preacher in my Text preached as a Prophet or Member of the Church not officially or as a Minister ordained unto this Work of Preaching is clear For by Office he was a King not a Preacher such were the high Priests and Levites only but our Preacher was a Membral Preacher or one exercising his Gifts according to his Liberty and Duty Yea our Lord Jesus who preached in the Jewish Synagogue and was allowed so to do thus he preached in the account of the Congregation not by virtue of that anointing by which he was Christ and Lord For though he were so yet they knew it not nor allowed it they only gave him the liberty and priviledge of other Members of the Church Such a priviledge was given
to Paul and the rest of his Companions Acts 13.15 when they said Ye Men and Brethren if you have any word of Exhortation for the people say on By all which we may see this Doctrine witnessed unto and confirmed beyond danger of any grounded or sober denyal to wit that every one that hath received the Spirit and Gifts for Preaching may yea ought to Preach and Exercise them But let me give you a few Reasons or Arguments to inforce this Reas 1. Else many should have Gifts and Talents for Preaching-work in vain but the Scripture tells us God made nothing in vain in tâ—â— first or natural Creation Even so the Lord Jeâ—â—â— in the new Creation hath dispensed nothing vain but for use and profit as we find it expressâ— in Ephes 4.12 It is the edifying of the Boâ—â— which is his end in giving Prophets as well as â—â—nisters to the Church But what edification of the Church have from such mens Gifts althougâ— they have sufficient Gifts to edifie the Church yâ— have no liberty so to do unless as our Opposâ—â—â— would have it they will undertake Ministry anâ— Ordination which many that are sufficiently qulified for prophetical Actions are not sufficient qualified for ministerial Imployments Reas 2. What we are bound to pray for tâ— enjoying of that we are to promote the attainâ—â— of But we are to pray that the Lord 's Harâ—â— may not want Labourers therefore we are if 〈◊〉 abled so to be even to be found labouring 〈◊〉 loytering in the Lord's Vineyard That we aâ— thus to pray you find Luke 10.2 with Mattâ— 9.37 38. The Harvest is truly great but tâ—â— Labourers are few Pray ye therefore the Lord the Harvest that he would send forth Labourâ—â—â— into his Harvest Therefore all such as are ableâ—â— Labour should go into the Harvest and there labour in the Word and Doctrine and not be idlâ— and only pray that the Labourers should be sent Reas 3. If not preaching when able to Preach be a thing that God will punish for then surely 〈◊〉 must be lawful for who-ever is able to Preach tâ— be found even so doing But that such as have Gisâ—â— and do not use and exercise them in Preaching shall be punished if not found Preaching is moâ—â— clear Therefore for all such to Preach as are able must needs be lawful That this is so examine these Scriptures Matth. 24.45 Who then is a faithful and wise Servant whom the Lord hath made Ruler over his Houshold to give them meat in due season But if that evil Servant shall say in his heart My Lord delayeth his coming and eat and drink with the Drunken The Lord of that Servant shall come in an hour that he is not aware of and shall cut him asunder and appoint him his portion with Hypocrites there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth The like we have in chap. 25. where you have the sad judgment of the unprofitable Servant that though he had not Talents yet one small Gift or Talent Cast ye the unprofitable Servant into utter darkness there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth Take but one more Necessity saith Paul is laid upon me and wo unto me if I preach not the Gospel 1 Cor. 9.16 Reas 4. This is God's way though not Man's to fit Persons for Ministerial Imployments Therefore to Preach without Ministry in order to a qualification or fitness for Ministry must needs be lawful and approved That this is God's way of preparing men for Ministerial Dignity is most clear Acts 1.21 22. where Peter tells the Church That of those men that have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out amongst us must one be ordained to be a witness with us of his Resurrection And this is that favour which the Lord promised in that Parable that he spake concerning the Talents That unto every one that hath shall be given and he shall have abundance Now this is the way to attain honourable Imployment in the Ministry to be sound faithful and fruitful in the work of Prophecy Having proved and cleared the Point let me now make some Application The first Vse is of Vindication The first shall be for Information or Vindication of all such Persons or Churches which sutable to this Doctrine thus practise and thus do even improve and exercise what Gift or Gifts the Lord hath intrusted them with for Preaching-work freely willingly faithfully and humbly as they have opportunity in publick Assemblies and Church-Fellowships though they be neither Prophets nor Prophets Sons that is neither educated in humane litteral Arts nor called or admitted into any Office of Ministry yet do Preach as the Spirit gives them utterance I say according to what hath been proved and opened in the Doctrine That the way and work of such is lawful for ye may all that fear the Lord and are able Prophesie one by one Women only excepted I say not only he that hath five Talents but he that hath but one Talent may publickly by Preaching improve it Mark I say not as some would have it that he that hath no Talent may Preach but every one only that sears the Lord and hath some sufficient degree or measure of Gifts for so doing Even he I do assert may and ought to Preach as he hath opportunity and let the Prophets judge 1 Cor. 14.29 32. Therefore know and consider this day ye Rabbies of the World ye learned separated and anointed Sons of Levi I mean you Clergy-men who are or would be the sole ingrossers and monopolizers of all Preaching-work in your own hands as the alone Sons Eli reproaching and condemning the Preaching of the Gospel by Illiterate or Mechanick men Lay-men or Trades-men as you please to call them as not only foolish and disorderly but an incroachment and usurpation upon the Priest's Office even the Sin of Corah Dathan and Abiram never remembring as you ought what the Lord saith Have you never read Out of the mouth of Babes and Sucklings thou hast perfected praise Matth. 21.16 But since this Doctrine if not too dark is notwithstanding derogatory to the honour reputation and profit of the Learned Preachers of this day I shall a little consider of their learned but misapplyed Objections Object 1. How can the Preaching of the Brethren or private Christians in or unto the Church be parallel'd with the Act of those in that of Numb 16. those reproached Ministry even God's faithful Ministers Moses and Aaron crying out You take too much upon you vers 3 4. but so do not the Prophesying Ones they own Christ's Ministers and Official Ones and their Preaching and Administrations to be of Christ and not too much for such alone to be ministerially exercised in and so did not those Secondly These were Ministers but not content with their own Function or Ministry they aspired to another higher even Aaron and Moses 's Ministry as appears vers 9 10 11. But the Prophets that
humane Learning but layes down Rules for choice without this expedient 1 Tim. 3. Object 2. But possibly some may say Is it not there said Let not him that is chosen be a Novice and is not that as much as to say unlearned or unskilful in learning To which I Answre 〈◊〉 but our learned Tribe Novices God forbid they should think so or the Lord's Peoples Portion be no better for then none besides the Learned should have been capable of choice but Paul acknowledgeth that the Corinths were wise not only their Ministers but they 1 Cor. 1.4 5. with Epist 2.11.19 But to Answer this more fully Paul intends onely a young unskilful unexperienced Christian and not a young Grammarian or Logician for he may be as proud as any that hath most skill in Arts as many Instances shew and this is the reason laid down by the Apostle why he must not be a Novice lest he be pussed up with pride and surely if the learning here meant be Oxford Cambridge I mean of the Schools Paul it seems knew men were very quick to know what learning he meant since Scripture and himself knew another Learning better which the Scriptures shew as I have offered or else he foresaw men would as at this day idolize and dote upon these painted Feathers wherefore he saith if any thing but very little for this University-breeding cryed up as so absolutely necessary for Preaching although the Scriptures know nothing of it Object 3. But some may say Are not the Schools of the Prophets mentioned in Scripture as in the place 2 Kings 22.14 Is it not said that Huldah the Prophetess dwelt in a Colledge and had not the Prophets peculiar places of residence and habitation wherein as in Vniversities or Nurseries of Learning they studied and improved themselves in order to Preaching or Prophesying as we real 2 Kings 2.3 5. 〈…〉 Acts 19.9 If there were any more of these 〈◊〉 I should have considered them also but so many have onely come to my knowledge To all those Scriptures I Answer they do not in the least oppose the Truth I have asserted that not Humane but Spiritual Wisdom fits for Preaching the Gospel of Christ For grant that these places intended Colledges and Universities and such like places yet it follows not that these were places imployed or improved for Trayning or preparing Persons for Gospel-preaching for it doth not appear that any Gospel-preachers issued forth from thence And secondly The Prophets and Prophetesses we read of were extraordinary Prophets and not such Preachers or Prophets as the Doctrine intends and speaks of but if Schools and Universities will fit us to be such Prophets as can declare things to come from the Lord then let us all that fear the Lord go to these Schools that we may learn thus to Prophesie But this is not a mediate but an immediate Gift either by Dreams Visions or Oracles And thirdly For Tyrannus his School mentioned in the forecited Acts 19. nothing is there declared concerning what he taught nor whom he taught but most probable it was not Gospel-knowledge and infallible it is it was not how men might be qualified for Preaching for this was not permitted or allowed any open Schools in that place at that day as appears by the contradiction Paul there met withal and how needless had it been to a learned Hebrew or Greek since that was their Mother-Tongue many of them being Jews and Greeks as vers 10. declares but Tyrannus was allowed to teach in his School wherefore it is probable he taught nothing of this sort of Knowledge Object 4. Some do Object and say How can a Preacher know that the Scripture is rightly translated that knows not the Original I Answer By the same way and means that the unlearned People of the Lord come to know it and it concerns them and is necessary for them to know though I say not of the same necessity For if they be not assured that the Scriptures as translated are rightly translated what shall they build their Faith on except on their learned Leaders and Translators honesty and ability and this is to pin their Faith in a business of most weight and concernment on the Priests sleeve and this is but to believe as the Church believes and so the blind leading the blind they may both fall into the Ditch Secondly I Answer It is not by knowing Arts and Sciences or Languages Preachers or People can come to be assured that the Scriptures are the Word of God and rightly translated but by the humble sanctified and diligent searching into and studying of the Scriptures 't is by comparing things spiritually together as the Apostle tells us saying Which things also we speak not in the words which Man's wisdom teacheth but which the Holy Ghost teacheth comparing spiritual things with spiritual 1 Cor. 2.13 I say by the Spirit of the Lord Jesus must we nay may we know the Power and Spirit Truth and Purity of the Scriptures and it is the Godly judicious Spiritual Christian best knows how aptly or corruptly they are translated And thirdly I Answer Grant this were so which I do not grant yet this Learning and Excellency is more requisite and essential to a Translator Examiner or Corrector of translated Copies than to a Gospel-preacher But lastly Since so many thousand Learned as well as Godly have sealed the Truth of the Scriptures Purity and Divine Authority notwithstanding all its humane Imperfections in Translation therefore we need not now or continually University-Learning to do that Work which is already sufficiently done to our hands Object 5. Some do Object and say How can the Scripture be interpreted in dark passages without this help I Answer As a Lanthorn without a Candle will no way help to shew a man his way though a Candle without a Lanthorn may no more can this dark Lanthorn of humane Learning and Languages without the Candle of the Lord as too abundant experience hath witnessed but that Candle singly can and doth Miserable Experience sheweth what Interpreters the School-men and Fathers have been and yet are even the Fathers of well-nigh all the Individual Errors in Judgment and Practice in the European World The Devil and the Learned may be admired for them if for any thing but take some Scriptures for proof of so weighty a Point when our Lord comes to shew how Ministers and Interpreters of Scripture shall be furnished for this Work he saith When the Spirit of Truth is come he will guide you into all Truth for he shall not speak of himself but whatsoever he shall hear that shall he speak and he shall shew you things to come John 16.13 The like Testimony gives Paul But we speak the wisdom of God in a Mystery even the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the World unto our Glory which none of the Princes of this World knew for had they known it they would not have Crucified the Lord of
hate Knowledge to cry up the Spirit 's Teaching and the Scriptures Wisdom the best of Learning and to cry down this empty dangerous smoaky humane Learning I say 't is not slighting or despising Learning to distinguish and difference it from Spiritual and Heavenly Knowledge to teach that humane Learning such as the difference is about is not necessary or helpful for Preaching doth neither deny or imply that Learning is useful or less than a Gift of God and useful as other natural Gifts and Excellencies are Is that Plant good for nothing which is not good for food or delightful to smell on Oh no for it may be good and profitable for Physick Even so is Learning even this Learning in Controversie to teach men Civil and Political Government or fit men for Magistracy but dangerous for Gospel-Preachers good for Physitians Lawyers Historians Navigators Surveyors of Land and the like but needless for Preaching good for Travellers Merchants Souldiers and the like but not for Home-dwellers or Church-men doubtless there are many lawful and laudable uses for humane Learning though this be spared therefore I hope none will say I despise it though I affirm it ought not to be injoyned or imposed as essentially necessary for Gospel-Preaching And thus I have endeavoured to Answer all such Objections as I have met with that are brought against that which hath been offered to wit that humane natural or artificial Wisdom or Learning is not the Gospel-Preachers Wisdom mentioned in the Text or that which will fit a man to be a Gospel-Preacher or qualifie unto Wise and Gospel-preaching in the Negative Let me in the Affirmative now declare what this Wisdom is which every Gospel-Preacher ought to have and cannot be competently qualified unto Preaching without it it is the saving sanctifying Grace of God and Spiritual Gifts and assistance of the Spirit of God This Divine Wisdom is Essential Wisdom for a Preacher and having this Wisdom though without other Wisdom a Preacher may be sufficiently accomplished unto Preaching For the better clearing of this I shall more particularly open wherein Preaching-Wisdom lies in three things First That the Preacher be enriched with the Wisdom of Grace or the fear of the Lord which is the beginning of Wisdom and a good understanding have all they that do thereafter Prov. 1.7 Psal 119.10 To be spiritually Wise is to be seasoned with Salt of Grace to be instated in Covenant with the Lord Jesus who of God is made unto us Wisdom as well as Righteousness 1 Cor. 1.30 31. Though every gracious Person is not a Preacher yet he who-ever he be that undertakes to Preach cannot be wise enough to be Christ's Preacher that is not Holy and Sanctified in Jesus Christ this the Lord seems to prove to Jeremiah 1.5 Before I formed thee in the Belly I knew thee and before thou camest out of the Womb I sanctified thee and ordained thee a Prophet unto the Nations Mark God layes the Foundation of Prophecy or Preaching in electing Love and sanctifying of the Heart not education of Learning or excellency in Brain Thus the Lord Jesuâ— dealt with Paul to qualifie him for Preaching Gal. 1.15 16. It pleased God who separated 〈◊〉 from my Mothers Womb and called me by hâ— Grace to reveal his Son in me that I might Preacâ— him among the Heathen immediately I conferrâ— not with flesh or blood neither went I up to Jerusâ—lem to them which were Apostles before me â— So 2 Tim. 1.5 6. with chap. 3.14 15. But secondly Preaching-Wisdom or the Gospel-preaching-Wisdom consists in having mucâ— and plentiful experience of the way of God's dealing with poor Souls when he delivers them out 〈◊〉 sin and brings them into a state of Grace Everâ— wise Preacher or skilful Work-man that needeâ— not be ashamed ought to have clear and plentiful acquaintance with Satans Wiles Temptations anâ— Delusions and with all the Concernments of a poâ—â— sinning sinking sorrowing Soul and therefore ought not to be a Novice in the dealings or out goings of God with poor Creatures He is 〈◊〉 Preach from Experience not for Experience a Merchants that travel to the Indies or the Antichristian Priests of the World do A Gospel-Preacher should be able to say as John saith iâ— his first Epistle Chap. 1. vers 1. That which was from the beginning which we have heard which we have seen with our eyes which we have looked upon and our hands have handled of the Word 〈◊〉 Life that declare we unto you v. 3. So saith Paul 〈◊〉 are not ignorant of his wiles and devices 2 Cor. 2.11 He that Preacheth â—ithout or beyond Experience is like a man that tells one his way to a Place or Countrey he never saw he must do it very rawly and uncertainly Even so it is in this case He that is to guide others in their way to Heaven ought to have gone it before himself or else he will prove an uncertain Guide to others Thirdly and lastly Every Gospel-Preacher's Wisdom should lie in having rich and plentiful acquaintance with the Scripture not only or so much in the Letter as in the Sence Scope Doctrine and real Interpretation of the Word And if these things be in a Preacher and abound with continual Prayer and uninterrupted fellowship of the Spirit of Grace he shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus 2 Pet. 1.8 And thus having proved and opened this Doctrine to wit That every Gospel-Preacher ought to be wise that is spiritually Wise I shall proceed to make some Application of the Point The first Vse is of Information First Let it be a word of Instruction or Information first To shew us how unwise such Preachers are and how unfit to be Preachers unto others who are so unwise as to oppose and deny this Doctrine That Grace and Spiritual Gifts or Wisdom is sufficient and essential to a Preacher Nothing shames and truly cloudes the honour and reputation of persons pretending to worth and judgment more than to be ignorant or deceived in or about their own Callings or Imployments For a Philosopher to mistake in the Nature of Philosophy or a General of an Army to be ignorant of the very Theory or Discipline of War Is it not a great shame It is no less shameful for the Trâ—â—â— of Levi the Princes and Fathers of the Church the Popes and Prelates of our day to be such â—â—staken deceived Doves as to be ignorant and 〈◊〉 madly confident in bewraying their Egyptian blindness concerning their professed Art at Trade Preaching and the right qualifications 〈◊〉 Preachers although they get all their great Wealâ—â— by Preaching or Appendixes thereunto as 〈◊〉 Universities Courts Pulpits and learned Vâ—lumes to assert this blind and Anti-scriptual Coâ—clusion that Humane-Breeding University-Learâ—ing Languages and Sciences are essential Qualiâ—cations such as without which no man can 〈◊〉 ought to meddle with Gospel-Preaching contraâ—â— to what hath largely been proved May I not
one that grew and proceeded higher and higher in the measures of his Divine Attainments He still taught the people higher knowledge or more profound Mysteries and this the after-words seem to declare I shall first take this word still as it gives forth the Preacher's fixation duration and continuation at his Work He did not tire or wax weary of his Imployment but he still went on teaching the People Whence Doct. 5. Take this Doctrine or Conclusion That every wise Preacher ought to persist and continue or go on with his Work of Preaching to the People He still taught the people knowledge This is that frame of Spirit the Lord seems to injoyn and expect at the hands of his Servants as the passage seems to imply Cursed be the man the doth the Work of the Lord deceitfully or as thâ— Margin hath it negligently Jer. 4.8 10. the liâ—â— we have chap. 17.16 where Jeremiah tells the Lord I have not hastned from being a Pastor to fâ—low thee Thus Jesus Christ practised Luk. 8. â— He went saith the Text throughout every City an Village Preaching and shewing the glad-tydings 〈◊〉 the Kingdom of God And this you have from thâ— Lord given forth Luk. 9.60 where Jesus saith No man having put his hand to the Plow and looking back is fit for the Kingdom of God The likewise was Paul's practice as he tells the Churâ—â— of Ephesus Therefore watch and remember that frâ—â— the space of three years he ceased not to warn eveâ— one of them night and day with tears Acts 2â— 31 To name but one place more for the proâ—â— of the Doctrine that every wise holy Gospel Preacher once called to that Work ought to persevere and continue diligent therein as you have it He still taught the people knowledge The other passage I shall quote is in 1 Tim. 4.13 14 15 16. where Paul directs Timothy saying Till 〈◊〉 come give attendance to Reading to Exhortaties to Doctrine Neglect not the Gift that is in theâ— which was given thee by Prophesie with the laying on of the hands of the Presbytery Meditate on these things give thy self wholly to them that thy profiting may appear to all Take heed unto thy self and unto the Doctrine continue in them for in dâ—ing this thou shalt both save thy self and them that hear thee But a little further to open this Let me give you some Reasons or Arguments to clear this to be a Truth That every Preacher ought diligently to persist in Preaching Reas 1. First Because if the Preacher's opportunity be continued his diligence and painfulness in Preaching ought also to be continued for not only Gifts and Grace are Talents to be faithfully and diligently improved but Time also is a Talent to be improved and that as conscionably and diligently by Preachers as by any men That Time and Opportunities are to be husbanded and improved take Christ's own words upon this very occasion when his Disciples would have perswaded him to have desisted from Preaching for fear of the Jews a plausible Argument to avoid persecution but mark Christ's Answer Are there not twelve hours in the day John 13.9 Day-time is given us for day-work and walks not to idle and loyter in This the Ruler of the Synagogue well understood though misapplyed when he said to the people There are six dayes in the which men ought to work Luke 13.14 Therefore if Jesus Christ allow a Preacher life-time health and opportunity he ought to trade with that Talent and improve that Opportunity as the Apostle Paul witnesseth saying As we have opportunity let us do good unto all Gal. 6.10 Reas 2. Secondly Preachers should still persist and persevere in Preaching and Teaching the People Knowledge because the people still need knowledge and it is the peoples ignorance that calls for Preaching therefore while the people are short and wanting in knowledge the wise Preacher must not beshort or wanting in Preaching but stilâ— teach the people knowledge This our Lord declares he eyed in giving of Preaching-ministrations to the Church even the supply of the Churches need that the need of the Church should be removed by being supplyed as you find Ephes 4. from 11 to 16. where the Apostle tells us That the Lord Jesus when he gave Apostles Prophets Evangelists Pastors and Teachers he gave then to the Church and Gifts to them for the perfecting of the Saints Note It was not only to convert and beget Saints but to perfect the state and grace of such as were through Preaching savingly begotten and vers 13. the Apostle tells us again That Preaching-Ministers are given to lay oâ—â— themselves until the Saints come to a perfect measure and stature in Faith and Knowledge even beyond danger of being like Children tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of Doctrine Now if these be the ends of Preachers given and gifted by Jesus Christ then until the Saints be come to this stature and full measure in the Grace and Knowledge of Jesus Christ every wise Preacher ought to continue still to teach the people knowledge Reas 3. Thirdly Every wise and Gospel-Preacher ought to persevere and go on in teaching of the people because that which he hath to Preach or Declare to the People from the Lord is not soon Preached or Declared therefore he had great need to attend diligently and continually upon this thing even still to teach the people knowledge For as their ignorance is not soon removed so is not the whole Truth of God soon preached It will be long yea very long e're the wisest of Preachers can either know or declare the whole Counsel of God to his People Now the whole Counsel of God is to be declared as appears Acts 20.26 27 28. The Commands of the Lord are exceeding broad and the Truths of the Gospel very many 'T is not a little time spent in Preaching will serve to reveal them Preachers may begin to Preach as young as Timothy and die as old as Paul the Aged and yet be behind-hand in this Work and therefore had need doubtless to be Preaching in season and out of season yea to be instant in Preaching that is without unnecessary intermission 2 Tim. 4.2 This is the third Argument why every wise Gospel-Preacher should still teach the People knowledge Reas 4. And lastly Those whose work is to Preach to others ought not to be idle or negligent in the work of their Callings such ought not to be idle or negligent working in their own Callings But every wise Preacher hath this for his Work among other things to teach the people of God not only to remember to keep holy the Sabbath day but also to remember that six days they labour and do all that they have to do Exod. 20. Therefore every wise and honest Preacher ought to remember himself Six dayes shalt thou labour and not do this Work of the Lord deceitfully but as Paul teacheth Timothy when he saith But watch thou in
Spirit saith to hear and receive even still to teach the people knowledge Rev. 6.7 So much for this fifth Doctrine I should come now to a second particular offered from this first Act of the wise Preacher That he still taught the people knowledge that is He went forward and made progression in Preaching He did not stick or remain upon first Principles but rose higher and higher in his Preaching he still taught the people knowledge that is higher measures and degrees of knowledge As he was wisely diligent so was he wisely proceeding and going forward from step to step in the degrees and measures of his Knowledge and Preaching The Point of Doctrine hence is Doct. That wise Preachers are prospering or thriving Preachers They are not only diligent and constant Preachers but also they are growing Preachers he still taught the people knowledge that is more and higher knowledge This was shadowed out in the Waters of the Sanctuary which rose first to the Ancles then to the Knees then to the Loyns afterward to a River that could not be passed over Even so do Preaching Qualifications in a wise and painful Preacher who as Paul saith when in their Childhood or first entrance may speak like Children and act like Children yet when they grow up to be men they will Speak Preach and Act like men 1 Cor. 13.11 This is that which is promised Psal 1. where David tells us The blessedness of the man that walketh not in the way of the ungodly but his delight is in the Law of the Lord and in that Law doth he meditate day and night he shall be like a Tree planted by the Rivers of Water that bringeth forth his Fruit in season His leaf shall not wither but whatsoever he doth shall prosper This is the blessing of not onely the Godly Christian but especially of the truly wise and Godly Preacher he shall grow and flourish The like promise we have in Psalm 92.12 13 14 15. where the Psalmist tells us how it will fare with Righteous and Wise Preachers They shall flourish like the Palm-Tree and grow like the Cedar in Lebanon Those that be plauted in the House of the Lord shall flourish in the Court of our God they shall bring forth fruit in old age they shall be fat and flourishing to shew that the Lord is upright This also Paul implies in that saying of his to Timothy 1 Epist 4.15 That thy profiting may appear to all men Thus we see the Point a little confirmed but because this Truth has in part already been spoken to and will necessarily fall under consideration in another place I shall say no more to the proof of this but only make one Use from it and that is for encouragement to all wise and painful Preachers The fourth Vse is of Encouragement Know assuredly the Lord will bless your Seed and the fruit of your increase You may reckon your selves Children that cannot speak in the Name of the Lord but the Lord hath told you He will be with you and make you as a defenced City and an Iron Pillar and a Brazen Wall Jer. 1.6 7. compared with vers 18. Oh! be encouraged to be sound faithful and diligent for though you may go out to Preach as Jacob went forth from his Fathers House when he said With my staff I passed over this Jordan but now I am become two Bands Gen. 32.10 Even so you faithful Preachers shall have a time to say to the Glory of Free-Grace I am become two Bands The Lord hath promised That his Spirit shall lead you not only unto Truth but from Truth to Truth till you are guided into all Truth John 16.13 Therefore be encouraged to persist and go on in Preaching the Word in season and out of season for the Lord is with you and he will uphold your goings in his Paths Oh Beloved be neither discouraged at your own weakness nor your many discouragements for the Righteous shall flourish like the Palm therefore still teach the people knowledge guide them by the skilfulness of the Lord's hand upon you from Truth to Truth from first Principles to higher and more ennobling Conclusions Be not Children in your knowledge but go on towards perfection as good Ministers of Jesus Christ Preachers that receive freely or largely of the Spirit should give forth as freely and still teach the people knowledge As Preachers grow in knowledge they should seek that the people might grow in knowledge also as waters of knowledge flow into them so should they flow forth unto the people for as your day is so shall your strength be Jesus Christ hath promised to be with you alwayes in such work Matth. 28. And to conclude take the Counsel of Solomon Eccles 9.10 Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do do it with all thy might for there is no work nor device nor knowledge nor wisdom in the Grave whither thou goest You labouring Ones in this Work of the Lord feed on that Promise Mat. 13.12 For whosoever hath to him shall be given and he shall have more abundance And to close take that good word 1 Cor. 15.58 Therefore my beloved Brethren be ye stedfast unmoveable alwayes abounding in the Work of the Lord forasmuch as you know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. I now come to the next particular in the Text which is the Matter which the Preacher preached that is Knowledge He still taught the people Knowledge it was knowledge the Preacher taught He Preached not to make himself known or his knowledge known but to make the people know for he still taught the people knowledge One Question may from hence be asked and that is What Knowledge is Or secondly What knowledge this is the wise Preacher taught the people To speak a little to the first Query What knowledge is It is the opposite to ignorance and consists in the enlightning or informing the Understanding either concerning the Author or the Nature of things or the End and Use of things I say knowledge is an enriching excellency enabling men to make true judgment concerning things He that is destitute of knowledge knows not how to discern things or to difference one thing from an other But I shall not inlarge here though I might add there is a double sort of knowledge Natural and Supernatural or the knowledge of things or objects Divine and Heavenly or the knowledge of things or objects Natural This Supernatural knowledge consists either in the knowledge of God or his Will or the knowledge of our selves or others But secondly It may be inquired What this knowledge in particular is which the Preacher taught the people spoken of in the Text I Answer Not humane knowledge or understanding and skill in worldly things but it is knowledge of Divine things or Heavenly things More particularly it may be distinguished into the knowledge of God as in Himself Attributes and Word Considered secondly It consists in the knowledge of our
at this work very little advantage can be expected But if they be faithful and painful they may yea shall do much through him that strengtheneth them and hath promised to be with them in their way They are in God's way and in God's way God will be found as he hath said Exod. 4.12 with Mat. 28.20 Lastly Wise Preachers should still teach the people knowledge for though they know they without God cannot teach the people knowledge yet God can by them teach his people knowledge even then when they think they can do least for the people Therefore to conclude the Answer of this Objection Let us that Preach the Gospel consider that of Solomon Eccles 11.6 In the morning sow thy Seed and in the evening with-hold not thy hand for thou knowest not whether shall prosper either this or that or whether they both shall be alike good Therefore you who are Spiritually-wise Preachers of the Gospel be prevailed upon to make the peoples knowing your main business and work in Preaching like Paul that great Preacher of the Gentiles whose work was to teach all men in or unto all wisdom that he might present all men perfect in Christ Jesus Whereunto saith he I also labour striving according to his working which worketh in me mightily Col. 1.28 29. And to conclude this Use Let as many as be perfect be thus minded Phil. 3.15 The third Use is for Direction The next Use or Improvement I shall make of this Point is for Direction to such Preachers as faithfully endeavour thus to do First Would you teach your people Knowledge or make your Hearers knowing in the Knowledge of Christ Then let me beseech you to Preach humbly for a proud Preacher is not likely to become a profitable Preacher This was the frame of Spirit Paul went forth Preaching the Gospel with Acts 20.19 Serving the Lord in all humility in that Work A proud Preacher will more strive to Preach out himself unto the people than the saving Knowledge of Jesus Christ into the people A proud Preacher will be too high to stoop or condescend to the weakness of the capacities of the People as the proud in heart will not receive Commandments even so the proud in heart will not teach Commandments 'T is too hard for such to teach Knowledge or for the people by such to be taught Knowledge Such Preachers as desire to be profitable Preachers unto others must learn of that wonderful Preacher the Lord Jesus to be meek and lowly of heart Mat. 11.29 and do as Paul adviseth Rom. 12.16 Not to mind high things but to condescend to men of low estate To which I may add what he writes to the Bishops and Deacons of Philippi saying Let nothing be done through strife or vain-glory but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than themselves Look not every one on his own things but every man also on the things of others Phil. 2.3 4. Secondly Would you Preach profitably and cause the people to get Knowledge then labour to Preach plainly 'T is plain Preaching will only prove profitable-Preaching This Paul seems to mind in 1 Cor. 14. as the very scope of that Chapter to provoke Preachers to Preach plainly within not above the understanding of the People Asserting that if a Preacher preach never so rarely yet if he preach above the understanding of the people he shall be but as a Barbarian to the people and not beneficial to them at all Plainness and Pureness are the two great excellencies of Preaching and as ever a Gospel-Preaches would be found a profitable Preacher let him become a plain Preacher Though high Strains hard Notions and obscure or hidden Expressions may most commend amongst men yet plainness and profitableness will most commend to God and be most acceptable and advantagious to those that are perfect and prudent Oh therefore Brethren all you that Preach the Gospel so Preach as Paul did as you have it 1 Cor. 2.1 2 3 4 5. compared with 2 Cor. 3.12 as ever you intend to teach your people Knowledge Thirdly If you would distil or infuse your Knowledge into the people do not only Preach to the people but live out that you Preach before the people be not only an Audible but a Visible word to the people How shall the people learn that from our lips which they cannot learn from out lives This made the Scribes and Pharisees the great Preachers of that day they could do no good to the people but as blind Leaders led the people blindly into the Ditch was it not from hence because they say and do not Mat. 23.3 with that of Jer. 23.18 22. Oh as ever you would be profitable Preachers to others be not unprofitable Preachers to your selves practise what you Preach if ever you mean to profit others by that you Preach Nothing more dulls and blunts the edge of Preaching than not living out the life of Preaching therefore let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorifie your Father which is in Heaven Mat. 5.16 Fourthly And especially Water all your Preaching with Praying if ever you would reap the fruit of your Preaching Oh! my beloved Brethren Would you profit your people much by Preaching then water your people much by Praying let the best Seed that can be sowen be sowen into the best ground that can be yet if showers be with-held a fruitful crop will never be obtained Even so here the best Sermons will be but lost Sermons unless they are watered Sermons Oh therefore water your Sermons by Prayers do not only pray for a Sermon but for a blessing upon that Sermon pray not only publickly but privately for a blessing upon your Labours lose not your Sermons through shortness or wantingness in praying performances This was Paul's way to get Knowledge to be the blessing of the Ephesians Philippians and Colossians as you may see at large in the first Chapters of those Epistles Therefore to conclude these Directions Watch and pray that the Enemy steal not your Seed or Christ's Seed rather away out of the minds and understandings of the people If any shall say This is no more then we knew before yet let me as once Peter did tell you I think it meet as long as I am in this Tabernacle to stir you up by putting you in remembrance of those things though you know them and be established in the present truth 2 Pet. 1.12 The fourth Vse is a word of Exhortation to the People The fourth Use shall be a word to the people enjoying wise Preachers that thus labour among you Let it be a word of Exhortation to all such to take the Apostle's counsel 1 Thess 5.12 13. We beseech you Brethren to know them that labour among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you and esteem them very highly for their work sake Such are truly wise Preachers yea such are painful Preachers and therefore
if we follow on to know the Lord and in John 7.17 If any man will do his Will he shall know that the Doctrine is of God Thirdly Be diligent about this business of Knowledge if ever thou wouldest know as James saith Let not a wavering-minded man think he shall receive any thing even so say I Let not the slothful or the idle Christian think he shall receive or ever attain Knowledge with such a frame of Spirit With what sloth and idleness neglectfulness and forgetfulness do too many Professors pursue Knowledge Therefore be not slothful in business of this nature but be fervent in spirit serving the Lord Rom. 12.11 Fourthly Hold much and close communion with knowing wise and holy Persons This made Apollos become more wise and knowing even his communion with Aquila Acts 18. And this Solomon teacheth us Prov. 13.20 telling us That he that walketh with wise men shall be wise but a companion of fools shall be destroyed But lastly If you would become a knowing people in the Knowledge of God be a praying people Prayer must relieve both Preacher and the preached to in this thing Oh therefore be much in Prayer This was David's practice Psal 119.18 Open thou mine eyes that I may behold wondrous things out of thy Law And to close remember what James saith chap. 1.4 If any of you lack wisdom let him ask it of God that giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth none and it shall be given Thus much for this Point Now to proceed in the Text it is added Yea he gave good heed This is the next piece of the description of a wise Preacher he gave good heed From hence observe Doct. 7. That he Preached not rashly but heedfully 'T is folly to be slight or rash in any business but especially in God's Matters or in the Matters of Preaching Yea he gave good heed it is good to Preach heedfully As Preaching is honourable Work so it is to be honourably performed as it is weighty and difficult Work even so ought Preachers warily and heedfully to perform and pursue it This we find imposed upon Elders or Preachers Acts 20.28 Take heed therefore unto your selves so in 1 Tim. 4.16 Take heed unto thy self and to thy Doctrine Preaching-Work ought to be heedfully yea most heedfully performed Question But it may be demanded What is that which a Preacher ought thus heedfully to mind In general I Answer It is his Preaching This is clear in the Text by that which is added and sought out and set in order many Proverbs It was the setting in order of Parables the Preacher gave good heed unto But more particularly to Answer this Query First He ought to give good heed to the observing what the present state and need of the people calls for for he is by Preaching to feed the people with food seasonable and convenient for them I do not say That he is to eye or answer the wanton expectations of the Hearer but the present necessity and need of the Hearer This is laid down Mat. 24.45 Who then is a wise and faithful Servant to give them meat in due season A wise Preacher must oversee the state of the Flock in this regard to know what they are and what they want at the present that he may by Doctrine give every one not some but every one his meat in due season Sinners and unconverted Souls in a Congregation must be heedfully provided for and the Saints and Children of God in the Assembly must much less be neglected the minds of the ignorant must be enlightned and the mouth of the Adversary must be stopped The Faith of the doubting must be strengthened and the Faith of the established secured The troubled Conscience must be comforted and the Conscience of the sleepy and secure awakned This is now to give good heed how we Preach thus wisely to mind and consider them we Preach to Secondly For a Preacher to give good heed how he Preachers is needfully to observe or consider the present Vision of the Lord or what the Spirit of the Lord at present layes warm and fresh in upon his heart to deliver as his present Message and seasonable to the people That Message which is very lawful and seasonable to deliver to the people at one time is neither seasonable nor lawful to deliver at another time There is a time and but a time that is seasonable for any thing so there is a time and but a time when some Truths are seasonable Therefore this is that Preachers should heedfully mind the teaching moving and turning of their Spirits this or that way by the Spirit of the Lord Jesus and give up themselves to the manuduction of that Spirit Thus did the living Creatures Ezek. 1.12 And they went every one straight forward whither the Spirit was to go they went and they turned not when they went This is Preacher's motion and thus to move is heedfully to Preach Thus did Isaiah that good Watchman Chap. 21.7 8. He hearkened diligently with much heed and he cryed a Lyon My Lord I stand continually upon the Watch-tower in the day time and I am set in my Ward whole nights But again Thirdly Heedfully to Preach is heedfully to observe our scope and end in Preaching As in some respects the end may be said to crown all even so may I say of Preaching If ends be not right and honourable it will spoil all as the dead Fly doth the Apothecaries precious Oyntment A Preacher cannot think to do much good by Preaching that hath low or poor aims or ends in Preaching The goodness of the Work doth not argue the goodness of a Man's Aims or Ends in Preaching But if ever Preachers would do good at Preaching let them heedfully mind their Ends. When Ends are right God usually blesseth but when Ends are naught and low God usually blasts as you have it Haggi 1.6 to 11. compared with Zech. 7.5 6. where the Lord renders the reason of all the blasts or disappointments they met with was Because of the corruptness of their ends Had not sinful self lay at the bottom of the sacrificing and fasting and calling upon his Name they should have had a Blessing but this with-held it from them Self-endedness at Preaching is heedless and fruitless Preaching God will not bless with any great success such Preaching therefore Preach heedfully or well-minding that your ends be holy and pure even the glorifying God and the profiting the Souls of the people In discharge of Duty these are right Ends and not to Preach for Applause Credit or much less Merchandize But again Fourthly Preachers should heedfully yea give good heed as in the Text to the Matter of their Preaching and not rashly say the Lord saith They must Search the Scripture as well as Preach the Scripture remembring David Psalm 39. I said I will take heed to my wayes that I sin not with my tongue and what Solomon saith Suffer not thy
Preachers as seek not yours but you that your Souls may be saved in the Day of the Lord Jesus I say Let this justifie the exactness and diligence of those that in the dividing of the Word make it their business to divide it aright and to omit nor lose nothing of all the Riches of such Scriptures as the Spirit of the Lord opens to them but endeavour to make full proof of their Ministry in a ministration of the All committed to their trust following that Direction of our Lord Gather up the Fragments that nothing be lost John 6.12 So these painful and laborious Bees move from Flower to Flower that is from Text to Text and from Syllable to Syllable that they may help you to Honey that by Line upon Line and Precept upon Precept here a little and there a little seek to impart to you the whole Counsel of God I say Let such Preachers be justified and not taxed as at this day by some who make use of that saying What need this waste Mat. 26.8 What need this curiousness this tediousness so much dwelling upon a Text Why let this serve to Answer such Is there not a cause when it is required of a Steward to be sound faithful And this is faithful dealing with Jesus Christ and his Word to let nothing be lost But again secondly If your Preachers wise Preachers do give good heed and consider the state of the Flock and whereof they have need and do deal home and plainly with your Consciences in all faithfulness not sparing any man or flattering any man or pleasing any man but dealing faithfully with all men as approving themselves to God Why then consider I pray you It is required of Stewards to be faithful and such are Stewards even of the manisold Grace of God and therefore it is required of them that they be faithful Oh let this justifie all wise holy humble diligent painful faithful Preachers that seek to turn many from their iniquity that give good heed and all diligence so to Preach that they may declare that they have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty not walking in craftiness not handling the Word of God deceitfully but by manifestation of the Truth Commending our selves to every man's Conscience in the sight of God 2 Cor. 4.2 And so much for this Use and this Point I now come to the next Word and Work of a wise Preacher that is He sought out This is the next Work and to search or seek out A good or a wise Preacher doth not only give out and not keep in any thing of all that good Knowledge or Will of the Lord Jesus made out to his Soul But further he seeks or searches out after more of the Knowledge of Jesus Christ to be further imparted to him in what is in part known by him or in what as yet of Christ is not manifest but hid from him and them and may be imparted to them For the choicest or most comprehending Servant or Preacher of the Lord Jesus knows but in part and prophesies but in part and therefore had need to search enquire or hunt after that of the mind of Christ yet behind or unknown of him and which may for ought he knows be made manifest to him Three things I suppose this Phrase may import First To examine and receive things already viewed or known Secondly To clear and discharge what we know from what-ever Objections or Cavils might be brought against what we know or conceive we know Thirdly To seek out is to endeavour to get either fresh Visions of God in our Souls or further and exacter insight into such Visions of God as already we have received All this seems clearly implyed in this Act of the wise Preacher as is most clear by considering the next word And set in order or in their due order many Proverbs The Work of the truly or spiritually wise Preacher is to search or seek after or search or seek into the knowledge of whaâ— is known or should be known or may be known This is the Trade of God's Commands in order to a Preacher's Duty Doct. 8. The Doctrine hence may be this That the wise Preacher's Work is not an easie but an hard task to attain the comprehension or full understanding requisite to be found in every Minister of Christ His life is a continued act of seeking or enquiring after fuller discoveries of the mind of Christ This is plainly implyed in this phrase he sought out or sought after or sought into the way of setting Parables in order To clear up this Point two things need proving First That the Preacher's Task or Duty is an hard Task or Duty Secondly His life is a continued Act of learning the mind of Christ As he doth not do all at once he hath to do for Christ neither doth he searn all at any one season he hath to learn from Jesus Christ He is alwayes doing and alwayes learning until he dies Therefore is the Preacher's Work hard Work This Moses well understood Exod. 3d 4th and 6th Chapters This Jeremiah also apprehended in his first Chapter And this Paul concludes concerning his Ministry 1 Cor. 16.15 But not to heap up testimonies for a thing so clear Consider this namely what the Preacher's Work is resembled to First 'T is called a Warfare or they are resembled to valiant Souldiers and a Souldier's life is a lâ—fe of hazard and hardship even so is the Preachers Secondly 'T is stiled a Watchmâ—â—'s life and to be a good Watch-man is a hard life and laborious Thirdly He is called a Shepherd and that is no easie life Fourthly They are called Husband-men and Labourers and Builders all which prove Preaching to be a hard Work But to make this more clear consider 't is a Trade or Business that is alwayes carrying on I had almost said night and day and therefore sure it can be no easie but hard Work because it is perpetual Work But such is the Preacher's Work He must not onely be alwayes preaching but alwayes learning yea learning while teaching in looking after the Mind of Christ His Work is never done alwayes doing running on more and more after fresh and fuller discoveries of the Will of God 'T is an every day yea night and day study of the Word and Wayes of God he sought out 't is opened to us in Prov. 2.1 2 3 4. 'T is a Work a man must cry for seek for yea â—â—g for and hunt for that intends to find it compared with Job 3.21 Take one passage more wheâ—e good and wise Preachers may be resembled to Servants and the Hand maids David speaks of Psal 123.2 Or to the good Woman perceiving that her Merchandizing Commodity is good therefore her Candle goeth not out by night From all which may easily be gathered what a hard and difficult constant and painful life and labour the wise Preacher's labour and life is Thus much for the proof of the
Point I proceed now from the Preacher's Work to the Preacher's Commendation And that which was written was upright even words of Truth The eleventh Doctrine Whence I might observe That as wise Preachers are wary and painful Preachers and search and seek out acceptable and seasonable words for their People so a pious and deserving People will not be wanting to give or afford them and their preaching due and deserved incouragement and commendation as might easily be made to appear But remembring what Solomon the Preacher hath writ in this case Prov. 27.2 Let another man praise thee and not thine own mouth a stranger and not thine own lips I shall forbear to proceed any further and shall now consider the words without relation to the Preacher as they hint forth the commendation of uprightness and truth not only in the Preacher's Spirit and Work but in every Man's Spirit and Conversation The twelfth Doctrine And the Observation may be this That a Spirit of Truth and uprightness is an excellent frame of Spirit in all that profess the Name of Christ I shall not need to spend time about the opening or discovering what Truth and Uprightness is because among such who enjoy wise Preachers this is much discoursed of amongst wise and gracious Persons this is well known if not better known than practised Therefore I shall briefly give you the proofs of the Point and then come to improve it That this frame of Spirit and walking is lovely and excellent take the witness of a stranger in Israel concerning David when he told him Surely as the Lord liveth thou hast been upright and thy going out and thy coming in with me in the Host is good in my sight for I have not found evil in thee since the day of thy coming unto me to this day 1 Sam. 29.6 Take also David's own testimony when he sings forth the excellency of his Spirit saying I was also upright before him and have kept my self from mine iniquity 2 Sam. 22.24 But setting aside Man's testimony to this Truth take the Lord 's own testimony concerning Job And the Lord said unto Satan Hast thou considered my Servant Job there is none like him in the earth a perfect and upright man Chap. 1.8 The like honourable acknowledgement doth our Lord give of Nathaniel saying Behold an Israelite indeed in whom there is no guile John 1.47 And Solomon tells us Such as are upright in their way are the Lord's delight or his delightful ones Prov. 11.20 But this may suffice for the proof of the Point though manifold Texts might have been produced for the further demonstrating this had it been necessary Let me now give you some Arguments to clear this Observation That truth and uprightness in the Spirit renders such Spirits excellent Argument 1. First Because this is the frame of God's Spirit or Beeing therefore to be like God in beeing must needs render us excellent in beeing That God is thus in his Beeing take that saying for it Good and upright is the Lord Psal 25.8 Also that of Isaiah Oh thou most upright dost weigh the path of the Just Isa 26.7 Now to have our Spirits according to the frame of God's Spirit is the most excellent frame that can be imagined But again Argument 2. Secondly This must needs be a most excellent frame because the contrary frame of Spirit is the most dishonourable and unlovely frame that can be 'T is said of Satan That he is transformed into an Angel of Light This is the emphasis or height of his iniquity he is not upright he is not as he seems to be he is really an Angel of darkness and pretends to be an Angel of Light 2 Cor. 11.14 Therefore when our Lord would set forth the vileness and unworthiness of the Spirit of the Jews he tells them They are of their Father the Devil and the lusts of your Father you will do John 8.44 And no Spirit is so disowned and detested of God as the Spirit of Hypocrisie Wo unto Hypocrites Math. 23.27 read that place at your leasure Therefore to be of the contrary Spirit to Hypocrisie must needs be excellent that is to be upright in Spirit But again Argument 3. Thirdly 'T is that frame begun in us here which will be our frame perfectly in the state of Glory Now to be in such a frame here as we shall be in glory must needs be a glorious and excellent frame When the Disciples saw Christ transfigured That his Face did shine as the Sun and his Rayment was white as the Light Mat. 17.2 Even so how glorious are such Souls as are transfigured into the Image of Christ even this image of Truth and uprightness of Spirit Such are the most excellent in their Generation But again Argument 4. Lastly This can be no other than a Truth which both Heaven and Earth bear witness to but that this is excellent even truth and uprightness in whom-soever it be found we have heard the testimony of Heaven and of the Scripture and if we enquire of all sorts of men under the Heavens they will all seal to this Truth that Men and Women of honest Spirits are most desirable and excellent Persons both to dwell with and converse with Therefore seeing this Doctrine knows no Adversaries as to the acknowledgment thereof I shall cease any further demonstration and come to Application wherein I shall speak some-thing by way of Information some-thing of Exhortation and then give some Motives Use of Information The first Use I shall make of this Point is to present you with a word of Information and that is Whence it comes to pass that the Preachers and People of the Lord are no more valued and esteemed than they are this day 'T is because they have no more of this excellent Spirit in them this Spirit of Truth and of Uprightness I do not say this is the only reason or that there is no other reason but I say it again amongst other Reasons this is one grand one They say Professors want Truth and Uprightness talk of Heaven and of Love and of Bounty and Patience yet love the World and pursue the World and keep the World as much as any love few but themselves and Men of their own Principles judging all that believe not as they believe and practise as they practise They are as miserable and impatient or forward upon every slight occasion as any other men Therefore men are apt to think that all is not true they say and that they speak not as they think but are deceitful meer words and shews Oh my dear Friends I wish that this were altogether groundless and that there were not too much truth or ground for this complaint But Sirs take notice how the want of visibility and activity in this frame of Spirit causeth our good commodity to be evil spoken of therefore let it be our wisdom and business to take away occasion from them that seek occasion and take
heed that we open not the mouths of the uncircumcised Philistines to rejoyce or blaspheme Let Professors know what they can and talk what they will 't wil signifie little unless they walk also in this Spirit of Truth and Uprightness Vse of Exhortation But secondly and especially Let this be matter of Exhortation to us all even as many as fear the Lord both Preachers and Hearers to labour for and walk in a Spirit of Truth and Uprightness This we have seen is a most excellent choice frame of Spirit in the esteem both of God and Man Oh therefore labour to attain such a frame of Spirit For naturally our Spirits are otherwise in the frames of them for what the Prophet once said is still truth Every one is an hypocrite and an evil doer and every mouth speaketh folly or falshood Isa 9.17 'T is Mortification of earthly Members and Sanctification of the Spirit must make us Men or Women of this frame of Spirit for naturally we are born of another temper and you who know what Mortification is know it is not easie work to mortifie the deeds of the flesh but be it what it may be yet be prevealed upon in the fear of the Lord to set upon this duty even to get our Spirits into this frame even into this good frame and if it will cost us the plucking out of our right eyes or cutting off our right hands yet subscribe to it And first Let me freely tender this word of Exhortation to us that are Preachers and should be wise Preachers seeking out acceptable words and that which by us is at any time preached and written upon the heart of the People should be upright even words of truth Let us be a living Word as well as a speaking Word let our lips and our lives joyn together and speak one thing even Holiness to Jehovah Oh let not us reprove sin in others and allow or indulge it in our selves What is that but down-right dissimulation Oh let us not commend Patience and be impatient and Humility and be Sons of Pride our selves This is not to walk with the foot of uprightness according to the Gospel This is not to be a wise but an unwise Preacher if not a proud Pharisee and a very Hypocrite Wherefore if a Preacher be under such temptations as to pretend Christ and preach Self and to seek Christ and seek mostly Self as to cry down all sin and yet live in cry'd down sins to commend Grace and Vertue and yet live short in Grace and empty of Virtue placing thy excellency and piety in seeming so and saying so and in washing the out-side neglecting the inside make broad the Phylacteries and enlarging the borders of your Garments that is in using singular or peculiar restraints and modes of Gesture and Vesture from other sober and pious Persons Oh know 't is not marring of our Beards or Locks and having our Cloaks long and our Girdles strait that can or will prove us wise Preachers or men of this excellent Spirit of Uprightness and Truth Oh no! we may be Fools and Hypocrites for all this and therefore it nearly stands us upon to do as that great Preacher and Apostle of the Gentiles did Even to keep under or beat black and blew our body and bring it into subjection lest O mark it that by any means when I have preached to others I my self should be a cast-away 1 Cor. 9.27 And answer all temptations to contrary-mindedness or contrary-spiritedness to this Doctrine and frame of Spirit as good Nehemiah did saying Shall such a man as I flee Who being as I am would desist Chap. 6.11 So let us Who that is as I am a Man Ah more than a Man a Christian yea more than a Christian a Preacher to Christians that would seek great things for himself under pretence of seeking great things for Christ Oh who that were a Preacher as I and preached down Covetousness Idleness Earthly-mindedness in others would live in these things himself Oh no my Soul I will not I dare not lest I be not found a wise but an unwise Preacher and that which by me is written or preached be not words of Truth and Uprightness And in the Close what-ever I may be to others I be to my self a cast-away O therefore let Preachers especially receive and improve this Exhortation and see that our conversation be only as becometh the Gospel Phil. 1.27 And to close up this Head of Exhortation Let as many as are and would be found wise Preachers be perswaded to think often and deeply of that Scripture 2 Cor. 4. Therefore seeing we have this Ministry as we have received Mercy we faint not but have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty not walking in craftiness nor handling the Word of God deceitfully but by manifestation of the truth commending our selves to every man's Conscience in the sight of God Having thus tendred my Mite to Preachers let me now be your Exhorter that are Hearers Men and Women fearing the Lord Oh let this be your frame of Spirit be like your Father Jacob of a plain Spirit who hath his commendation in his youth that he was a plain man Gen. 25.27 Oh such let us that fear the Lord be let our inside be manifest by our out-side let our Words and our Works agree our professions both to God and Man and our performances agree and correspond together let our Light and our Life agree our publick and private walking agree so shewing forth that we are Israelites indeed in whom there is no guile Even the Epistle of Christ written not with Ink but with the Spirit of the living God not in Tables of Stone but in fleshly Tables of the heart as we have it 2 Cor. 3.3 Oh 't is living forth this Doctrine will speak us forth clearly to be Christians or the Epistles of Christ when we have such frames of Spirit as are throughly seasoned with Uprightness and Truth Christians look to your frame of Spirit Hypocrites can look to their Words and Speeches Look you to your Hearts good Words and good Works Hypocrites have for God 't is Saints onely have good Hearts for God Oh look well to your Spirits how the frame stands bent whether for Truth and Uprightness or for Falshood and Hypocrisie and forget not that word Mal. 2.15 Take heed to your Spirits Oh dress your Spirits with Truth and Uprightness for the dress of the Soul goes further with God than all the dresses of the Body with men can do as Peter informs us where he advises Women Not to let their adorning be outward adorning but let it be the hidden man of the heart in that which is not corruptible even the Ornament of a meek and quiet Spirit which in the fight of God is of great price 1 Pet. 3.3 4. Oh my Brethren look mostly after the dress and adorning of your Spirits for God is not only a Spirit but converseth most with
the Spirits and most delights in the well ordering and composure of the Spirit Wherefore seeing the delight and sacrifice of God is a broken and a contrite Spirit give unto God a plain Spirit of Truth and Uprightness knowing that our God loves Uprightness And to quicken us to the acceptance of this Exhortation let me give you and my self a few Motives and Encouragements to induce us to be of this blessed frame of Spirit Motive 1. First This is the ready way to have God manifest his love abundantly to us when he finds such a frame of Spirit in us as we have it Psal 11.7 For the righteous Lord loveth righteousness his Countenance doth behold the upright that is favorably or as one that God loves and respects Oh with what favorable respect did God behold upright Abraham and upright Job not only to approve them but also to reward them or priviledge them as we find in that story of Abraham's offering up of Isaac whereby was manifested his uprightness and God acknowledges it Gen. 22.12 And when God saw that Abraham had such a frame of Spirit God doth not only give him his Isaac from the dead but tells him also By my self have I sworn saith the Lord for because thou hast done this thing and hast not with-held thy Son thine only Son thine Isaac that in blessing I will bless thee and in multiplying I will multiply thy Seed as the Stars of Heaven and as the Sand that is upon the Sea-shore and thy Seed shall possess the gate of his enemies vers 16 17. And lest this should not be enough hear further what God promises him in the next Verse saying In thy Seed shall all the Nations of the Earth be blessed and all because he was upright and in uprightness obeyed the Voyce of God Oh see what favour God bears to upright Men and Women as in Job and David and Paul and others might be largely manifested Secondly Consider this is an encouragement or an heart-strengthening frame of Spirit Oh how wonderfully will uprightness strengthen unto Truth according to that of Solomon The Lord is strength to the upright Prov. 10.29 How did Daniel's uprightness give him humble and holy boldness in the day of his trouble as appears by his expression to the King Then said Daniel unto the King Live for ever my God hath sent his Angels and hath shut the Lyons mouths that they have not hurt me forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me and also before thee have I done no hurt Dan. 6.21 22. But on the contrary How does the want of uprightness cause heart-trembling and weakness as you may see in that story of Haman Hest 7.6 7 8. Oh therefore get and maintain such a frame of Spirit as will cause and maintain in our Souls a truly well-grounded confidence and boldness to look God and Man in the face withal without blushing in any season But again Thirdly To move us to make it our business to get and maintain our Spirits in such a frame consider 'T is a frame so desirable and lovely that not only God and all good men love this frame of heart but all men even the vilest of men approve of this in others though they may be wanting in it themselves and this is the Apostles Argument Whatsoever things are true whatsoever things are honest whatsoever things are just whatsoever things are pure whatsoever things are lovely whatsoever things are of good report if there be any virtue if there be any praise think on these things Phil. 4.8 But again Fourthly Take this for encouragement towards pressing after such a frame of Spirit A deceitful Spirit is a vain Spirit that goes about to deceive or go beyond God or Man by fraudes by guiles and deceits nay deceives himself 't is like cloathing our selves with Fig-leaves or hiding our heads under the Spider's Web 't is vain work as the Lord tells us Isa 29.15 16 17. There is nothing covered that shall not be revealed and hid that shall not be known Mat. 10.26 For the folly of fools is deceit Prov. 14.8 For their folly shall be made manifest to all men 2 Tim. 3.9 Fifthly and lastly To hasten consider but the danger of a contrary frame of Spirit to this Doctrine and if former Motives cannot induce and move us to this frame yet peradventure this lower Motive of self-conveniency and concernment may Though God is a resolved enemy against all sorts of sin and sinners yet especially is he resolved to shew himself most quick and severe against persons of this frame God hath said it and will make it good Bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half their dayes Psal 53.23 Hypocrites of all men must have their woes and no portion of woe is sufficient for their punishment short of the Devils weeping and gnashing of teeth which must be the portion of Devils and of Hypocrites Mat. 24.51 compared with Chap. 25.41 Take but an instance or two of this of two great men in their day the one a King and a choice one but found playing the Hypocrite the other a Bishop or an Apostle but a bad one and an Hypocrite And behold how severe and quick God is in punishing both the one and the other The one is David who playing not only the Murderer and Adulterer but the unworthy Hypocrite with Vriah pretending kindness but contriving and effecting his death How home doth God deal with this good man now therefore the Sword shall never depart from thy House And if this were too light a punishment for secret but detestible iniquity and hypocrisie God adds Behold I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house I will take thy Wives before thine eyes and give them unto thy Neighbour and he shall lie with thy Wives in the sight of the Sun The story you have at large in 2 Sam. 11 12 Chapters The other is Judas one of the Twelve that plaid the Hypocrite and Traytor with his Master as you all know And what became of him No sooner is his hypocritical Act performed but he departed and went and hang'd himself Being a Preacher could not preserve himself from bursting asunder and all his Bowels gushing forth Preachers of all Persons are in most danger if found playing the Hypocrites as God tells us Psal 50.21 These things hast thou done and I kept silence thou thoughtest I were altogethor such a one as thy self but I will reprove thee and set thy sins in order before thine eyes Now consider this ye that forget God lest I tear you in pieces and there be none to deliver you vers 22. Therefore to close up this Use and this Point Let it be the care and labour of the Souls of all wise Preachers to share in the Commendation given to Christ by the Herodians who said Master we know that thou art true and teachest the way of God in truth neither carest thou for any mar for thou
faithful able painful Gospel-Ministers bless God through Jesus Christ for this singular Gift of Grace c. But again Are Ministers of the Gospel such as have been described Christ's Gift and Ordinance both they and their Ministrations then let none intrude or impose upon you the Churches of Christ a Ministry or Ministrations which are none of Christs nor to be found contained in Scripture but being free be not the Servants of Men but remember Paul's Counsel Beware lest any man spoil you through Philosophy and vain deceit after the tradition of men and after the rudiments of the World and not after Christ Let no man at his pleasure bear rule over you by humbleness of mind and worshipping of Angels intruding into these things which he hath not seen vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind Col. 2.8 18. Further let me in the fear of the God Exhort you that injoy Christ's Ministry and their Ministrations Remember to obey them that have the Rule over you and submit your selves for they watch for your Souls as they that must give an account that they may do it with joy and not with grief for that is unprofitable for you Heb. 13.17 Their Work is hard enough from the men of this World O let it be good from you for whom they endure all things or at least very many things 2 Tim. 2.10 They do not only do much for you but also endure much for you O! therefore let them not indure any thing from you but rather according to Paul's advice Let the Elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour especially such as labour in the Word and Doctrine 1 Tim. 5.17 remembring what is said concerning them without the least shadow of pride or vanity How beautiful are the feet of them that bring glad-tydings of peace Rom. 10.15 Now if you would eminently honour and rejoyce your Ministers pray then labour greatly to improve and profit by their Administrations for such as are Christ's faithful Ministers seek not yours but you 2 Cor. 13.14 and have no greater joy than to hear that their Children walk in or according to truth 3 John 4. This makes great rejoycing and thanksgiving by Christ's Ministers when they either hear or see that those they labour among do prosper and their graces grow as we have it Ephes 1.15 16. Wherefore I also when I heard of your Faith in the Lord Jesus and love unto all the Saints cease not to give thanks for you making mention of you in my prayers whereas to find the Saints and Churches of Christ in a poor low beggarly state of Soul not improving nor profiting under means of Grace this will cause Christ and his Ministers to weep and complain and even sit down and bemoan themselves in the sense of it according to that prophesie Isa 33.7 Behold their valiant ones shall cry without the Ambassadors of Peace shall weep bitterly fulfilled by this Prophet the Type of Christ Then I said I have laboured in vain I have spent my strength for nought and in vain Chap. 49.4 And how fully was this Prophesie made good by Christ who when he was come near he beheld the City and wept over it Luke 19.41 Wherefore Sirs if you have any love to Christ or compassion towards your Ministers improve them and strive to prosper under their Ministration so will you prevent their grief and give them a good reward for their labour But again to hasten to a conclusion and closing up of the Use of Exhortation pray you if your Ministers be Christ's Ministers and Christs Ministers flow from him depend upon him and minister for him pray you joyn with and assist them in what-ever they for Christ have need of you as Paul directed the Church of the Romans To do for Phebe that ye receive her in the Lord as becometh Saints and that ye assist her in whatsoever business she hath need of you Rom. 16.2 So say I pray assist your Ministers with your watchfulness with your observation of those they labour among and for Help them with your Informations concerning what you observe wanting either in them or others Help them with your Zeal and readiness to joyn issue with them in any business of Christ like those Holy Ones we read of Exod. 36.1 Then wrought Bezaleel and Aholiab and every wise-hearted man in whom the Lord put wisdom and understanding to know how to work all manner of work for the service of the Sanctuary according to all that the Lord commanded The like frame of Spirit we read of in those mentioned Ezra 1.5 6. with Nehem. 2.18 where the People of the Lord are found thus doing And they said Let us rise up and build So they strengthened their hands for this good Work But lastly Pray you let me Exhort you to assist Ministers with your Prayers for their good and the prosperity of Christ's work in their hand remembring That whilst Moses 's hands were uplitld by Aaron and Hur Israel prevailed Exod. 17.11 12. Even so my Brethren your incessant Prayers in your Ministers behalf will utterly overthrow Amalek and help Joshua and Israel to prevail And thus I have done with this Exhortation and with what I shall offer to your consideration upon this Scripture wherein I have with what clearness and brevity conveniently I could set before you what Preaching is and whose Ordinance it is who is a truly wise Preacher and what his Work is and the Blessing and Duty of all that enjoy such Preachers Now consider and examine what hath been said and the Lord give you wisdom in all things Amen Amen FINIS
mouth to cause thy flesh to sin neither say before the Angel it was a sin Eccles 5.6 But this I must speak more to on another particular and therefore shall come to the Reasons of the Point that Preachers had need to give good heed to what they Preach Reas 1. First Because if they Preach heedlesly Christ will mind it heedfully 'T is dangerous Preaching heedlesly in the ears of heedful Hearers but especially in the ears of Jesus Christ whose eyes are like a flame of fire and observes all our deportments in his Concernments If he hear us Preach heedlesly he will set this sin in order before us though he seem to over-look it and we think he hath forgotten it Carelesness and rashness in the Ministry of the Lord's Word meets with swiftest Observation and severest Chastisments Therefore take heed and be holy ye that bear the Vessels of the Lord remembring the case of Nadab and Abihu Levit 10. and of Vzzah 2 Sam. 6.6 7. Reas 2. Secondly The reason of Preachers heedfulness is this The Observance of men Are the Hearers Sinners and the worst of Hearers they will and do observe the best of Preachers and lie as it were in wait to entrap and catch them or intangle them in their talk or Preaching Such as can observe little of the Marrow of Preaching or a Sermon will be able enough to observe all the Mistakes or Errata's of a Sermon Therefore take away occasion from them that seek it as Paul did 2 Cor. 11.12 But again 2ly Let Preachers preach heedfully because of Saints their eyes are upon you and their ears open to you and they are taught of God to know all things and as Spiritual men judge all things and have senses exercised and like these noble Bereans will try all things Therefore O therefore Preach with good heed and Preach only good things for their Knowledge Reas 3. Thirdly Preachers had need Preach heedfully because that which they Preach is hard and difficult to Preach Preaching is not easie Work it is hard Work 't is curious Work it needs much wariness wisdom and circumspection to draw Water out of these Wells of Salvation and to fetch Gold out of these Mines of Divine Wisdom therefore ought they to give good heed to Preaching Reas 4. And lastly Preachers should give good heed how they Preach because of the worth and excellency of what they Preach Though men care not how they scatter their dross yet they are very careful what they do with their refined Gold Though the Husband-man passeth not what he doth with his Chaff yet he is very careful what he doth with his Seed-corn Even so should it be with Preachers they should be very heedful where they Sow and how they bestow their principal Wheat Oh! Sow not upon the Rocks nor on the High-way side but on good Ground and carefully look to your Seed to Christ's Seed it is too choice to sustain any loss Oh therefore heedfully Preach that you lose not your labour nor your reward Thus much for the Reasons of this Point now to close this Head with a word or two of Application First of Reproof Application First If Preachers ought to give good heed how they Preach then this ministers a word of Reproof to such as are heedless Preachers that think it is an easie facile Work to dispense and propagate Truth surely such do not remember the weightiness of Preaching so they can but Preach pleasingly to men profitably to themselves and securely in respect of others they think it is enough never applying themselves to over-see or consider the state of the Flock the various state of their Hearers the avoiding of their Enemies the Salvation of Sinners and the perfecting of the Saints by an acute exact circumspect thorough search and enquiry after Gospel-Truths that they might Speak and Preach as the Oracles of God Well I shall not stand upon this only be minding these of that sad word Cursed be he that doth the Work of the Lord negligently And let these Preachers know what God hath threatned to all slight Preachers by the Prophet Jeremiah saying Therefore I am full of the fury of the Lord I am weary with holding in I will pour it out upon the children abroad and upon the Assembly of young men together for even the Husband with the Wife shall be taken the Aged with him that is full of dayes And their Houses shall be turned unto others with their Fields and Wives together for I will stretch out my hand upon the Inhabitants of the Land saith the Lord For from the least of them even unto the greatest of them every one of them is given to covetousness and from the Prophet even unto the Priest every one dealeth falsly They have healed also the hurt of the Daughter of my people slightly saying Peace peace when there is no peace Jer. 6.11 12 13 14. Note And so I conclude this Use 'T is a dangerous and a destructive evil to be a sleighty Prophet or Preacher The second Vse is of Exhortation Secondly Let this exhort all wise Gospel-Preachers to remember the Text and also give good heed to the Work of Preaching 'T is not only honourable but difficult likewise 't is high 't is hard Oh therefore give good heed to this Work of Preaching 'T is not man's Work or a Work performed so much for men as for God 'T is Soul-Work as you love Souls or have a value of immortal Souls take heed to your selves in this Work this blessed Work of Preaching Oh be intent upon this thing to seek the profit of many that they may be saved Oh Speak or Preach as Paul words it as you ought to speak Ephes 6.20 study Scripture study Men listen to the Spirit follow its Guidance give your selves up to this Work taking Solomon's Counsel Eccles 9.10 Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do do it with all thy might Oh strive mightily to be spiritually exact and perfect Preachers Oh remember It is required of a Steward that he be found faithful 1 Cor. 4.2 Therefore let me beseech you Men Brethren and Fathers even all you that are Christ's Stewards and Gospel-Preachers give good heed to this thing that you may give up your account with joy and not with grief of heart The third Use is of Vindication Thirdly Let this Doctrine vindicate such Preachers as give good heed in Preaching so to Preach that they may approve themselves good Work-men even Work-men that need not be ashamed dividing the Word aright such as Preach not as pleasing men but as pleasing God which tryeth the hearts 1 Thess 2.4 I say This Truth now cleared will acquit and justifie all such sober serious exquisite faithful painful wise Preachers which give good heed and apply themselves to be Physicians of Value such as endeavour both to sound their own and the peoples hearts and to see that they Preach as the Spirit gives them utterance and guidance Acts 2.4 Such