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
able to build you up and to give you an Inheritance among all them which are Sanctified Your Servant for Christ STEPHEN MORE TO THE READER Christian Reader ALthough there is nothing new or strange now to be presented to thy view for as Solomon saith The thing that hath been it is that which shall be and that which is done is that which shall be done and there is no new thing under the Sun Is there any thing whereof it may be said See this is new It hath been already of old time which was before us Eccles 1.9 10. Wherefore let me intreat thee peruse this Book for Truth and not for Novelty lest so doing thou lose thy labour and reap no profit by thy pains And if any shall meet thee with their Out-cry crying Take heed for here are strange things presented to your eyes say No for there is nothing new or strange under the Sun And if any thing here written be to any strange I must take leave to tell them 'T is because they know not the Scripture and are strangers in Jerusalem and have not known the things that are come to pass there in these dayes Luke 24.18 And if any should yet retort upon me as a troubler of Israel or a bringer forth of strange Things or new Doctrines to their ears I will not think it strange to be thus dealt with for thus dealt their Fathers with the Prophets and Apostles in that first Book of Kings we find that thus Ahab said to Elijah Art thou he that troubleth Israel But he answered I have not troubled Israel but thou and thy Father's House in that ye have forsaken the Commandments of the Lord and hast followed Baalim vers 17 18. And thus was holy Paul served Acts 17. where you read That certain Philosophers of the Epicureans and of the Stoicks encountered him and some said What will this Babler say other some He seemeth to be a setter forth of strange Godds because he preached unto them Jesus and the Resurrection And they took him and brought him unto Areopagus saying May we know what this new Doctrine whereof thou speakest is for thou bringest certain strange things to our ears we would know therefore what these things mean vers 18 19 20. Therefore if such things befal me I shall not be moved for if thus they dealt with the green Trees marvel not they thus deal with the dry Wherefore Christian Reader notwithstanding such Out-cries as these which probably thou mayest meet with yet be pleased to read on and consider what is said and the Lord give thee understanding in all things that thou mayest search the Scriptures and try whether the things asserted for truth be so or no for no more is imposed upon your Faith than what evidence of Scripture doth demonstrate to be the Faith of Jesus and of his Elect and if any Fathers in our Israel shall say To what purpose is this waste Preachers doubtless know their Duty well enough it were well if others knew theirs better I shall only Answer these over-wise ones in the language of Job No doubt but ye are the People and wisdom shall die with you Chap. 12.2 Yet bear with me to shew my Love to Christ and offer my Mite to you remembring what Paul saith And if any man think that he knoweth any thing he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know 1 Cor. 8.2 And if you know these things already O how happy shall both you and I be when we shall be found doing the things we say we know and are here revealed And as for others or our Hearers know so far as the Work called for it they are not forgotten but remember that the more fully the Preacher lives up to his Duty the more the People will be furthered in their Duty Preachers being not only nominally called Stars and Shepherds or Bishops and Fathers but also they ought virtully to be Lights in their Candlesticks Shepherds feeding of their Flocks and Fathers laying up and laying out for their Children as the Lord teacheth saying Ye are the Salt of the Earth but if the Salt have lost his savour wherewith shall it be salted Ye are the Lights of the World a City set upon a Hill which cannot be hid Neither do men light a Candle and put it under a Bushel but on a Candlestick and it giveth light unto all that are in the House Let your Light so shine before men that they may see your good Works and glorifie your Father which is in Heaven Mat. 5.13 14 15 16. But if notwithstanding what hath been said by me my Mothers Children and Elder Brethren will yet be angry with me I will resolve not to pass for Man's Day or to be angry with them or to return evil for evil or railing for revising but pray for them with holy Stephen and cry Lord lay not this sin to their charge Acts 7.50 My end and ground both in Preaching and Printing these Sermons was an inward motion to follow the movings and workings of the Spirit upon my Soul in conformity to those I read of in 2 Pet. 1.21 where it is said Holy Men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost 'T is truth as hath been already owned When these Sermons were Preached I thought not of Printing but since being called upon so to do I judged it my duty as one of Christ's living Creatures to walk streight forward whither the Spirit was to go and not to turn when going Ezek. 1.12 As for my great unfitness yea exceeding great unfitness for such a work I profess I am not unsensible of it neither shall be ashamed to own it to any that shall object it yet notwithstanding since God despiseth not the day of small things and will accept of what a man hath and not of what a man hath not wherefore I am resolved to be found faithful as becomes him that is a Steward not forgetting what the Lord said to Ezekiel Son of Man I have made thee a Watchman unto the House of Israel therefore hear the Word at my Mouth and give them warning from me Chap. 3.17 The Style is low and the Method plain and the Argument somewhat bold and impartial wonder not at it it being most like him that did it even one who was resolved to be one of Paul's Scholars in this Work to wit Not to come â—o you with excellency of Speech or of Wisdom declaring unto you the testimony of God for I determined not to know any thing among you save Jesus Christ and him crucified 1 Cor. 2.1 2. Surely plainness will hurt or hinder none though elegancy and obscurity might although it could have profited none who-ever it might have pleased If any think due respect hath not sufficiently been shown to Superiors let me say to such my aim and utmost endeavour hath been not to offend or over-look such but to give unto Cesar thâ— things which are Cesar's though
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
all things endure affliction do the work of an Evangelist make full proof of thy Ministry 2 Tim. 4.5 Wherefore what a sin and a shame is it for a Preacher to say to the people Be not idle or slothful in business and yet he himself be idle in Preaching Such had need to read and consider that place Rom. 2. from 17 to 24. And therefore I conclude Every wise Preacher ought diligently and continually to Preach as did the Preacher mentioned in the Text He still taught the People knowledge Application Now by way of Application This serves for a full word of Reproof to all idle lazy negligent Preachers of the Word of God by whatever Name or Title dignified or distinguished who-ever they are or where-ever they be let this Doctrine reprove them for if every wise Preacher ought still to teach the people knowledge and to persevere and persist in the Work of Preaching this looks wishly and reproves loudly all such Preachers or Idlers that stand in the place or room of Preachers and Preach not diligently frequently and continually The Lord complainâ— of these or such like in Ezek. 13.4 5 O Israel thy Prophets are like the Foxes in the Desarts Yea have not gone up into the Gaps neither made up the Hedge for the House of Israel to stand it the battel in the day of the Lord. How many such Foxes or Prophets are there in England at this day which have not gone up as they ought to do in the Gaps to stop God's Wrath from breaking forth upon poor sinners or to help sinful Souls to know how to stand guiltless and secure in the day of the Lord 's fierce anger Have we not too many Preachers that account Preaching a by-work and accordingly Preach seldom even when they please as well as how they please If so they be but Preachers and Preach at all though never or not at all but when constraint or covetousness constrains or induces them they will it may be Preach as much as Law not Gospel requireth or as much as their profit provokes or calls them to but no more These are none of the wise Preachers in my Text spoken of that still teach the people knowledge no these are such of the foolish preachers or prophets mentioned in the fore-cited Ezek. 13.3 Let these idle lazy sleepy Drones not wise Preachers though pretenders thereunto hear the reproof which the Lord gives them Isa 56. His Watchmen are blind they are all ignorant they are all dumb dogs and cannot bark sleeping lying down loving to slumber Yea they are greedy dogs which can never have enough they are Shepherds that cannot understand they all look to their own way every one for his gain from his quarter Come ye say they we will fetch Wine and we will fill our selves with strong drink and to morrow shall be as this day and much more abundant vers 10 11 12. How like to these Watchmen of Israel are too many Watchmen or Preachers in England Lordly Preachers and Learned Preachers Cathedral Preachers and Popish Preachers is but too well known to as many as know any thing of the state of England We may say of England this day as was said of Israel Hos 7.6 Their Baker sleepeth all night and the height of this sin lies in this That England's Preachers not onely do not and cannot Preach but also teach and maintain That they ought not or need not Preach often or frequently Lording and Reading of Forms of Prayers is more their business than Preaching or most to be minded Nay have they not gone higher than most scandalously and unconscionably to omit and neglect this blessed Work of Preaching but also to make their sin out of measure sinful they forbid and command such as both can Preach and would Preach that they should not Preach or so much and so often Preach as they ought to do such enemies to the Gospel-preaching and prosperity may read their doom and name in Mat. 23.13 But wo unto you Scribes and Pharisees Hyppocrites for ye shut up the Kingdom of Heaven against men for ye neither go in your selves neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in Oh think of this ye Preaching-men that forget God lest he tear you in pieces and there be none to deliver you Psal 50. last Let me tell you non-Preaching Preachers as your sin is out of measure sinful so will one day your condition be out of measure woful as Paul saith Necessity is laid upon me and wo unto me if I Preach not the Gospel Not to Preach when engaged called and enabled to Preach will make wo enough for such Preachers as feed not the Flock but themselves as you have it Ezek. 34.28 Son of man prophesie against the Shepherds of Israel prophesie and say unto them Thus saith the Lord unto the Shepherds Wo be unto the Shepherds of Israel that do feed them should not the Shepherd feed the Flock But now idle non-Preaching Preachers or Shepherds hear your doom at large Thus saith the Lord God Behold I am against the Shepherds and I will require my Flock at their hand and cause them to cease from feeding the Flock neither shall the Shepherds feed themselves any more for I will deliver my Flock from their mouth that they may not be meat for them And therefore thus saith the Lord God Behold I even I will judge between the fat Cattel and the lean Cattel because ye have thrust with the side and pushed with the shoulder and pushed all the diseased with your horns till you have scattered them abroad Therefore will I save my Flock and they shall be no more for a prey and I will judge between Cattel and Cattel Not to Preach when enabled to Preach is to quench the Spirit and that 's no small sin 'T is to be unfaithful and hide God's Talents in the Earth It is to starve Souls yea as much as in you lies to damn Souls by withholding the means of Salvation from them 'T is to multiply transgressors and transgressions both and under a Cloak of Sanctity and all this committed knowingly not ignorantly Therefore woful will be the state of all tyred idle dumb Preachers that with-hold the Truth in unrighteousness Solomon's Proverb will be your Portion He that with-holdeth Corn the people shall curse him Prov. 11.26 If such as with-hold bodily Bread or Corn are worthy of the peoples curse What Curse or bitter Anathema Maranatha must these with-holders of God's Corn and his Peoples Souls-bread from being given forth in due season be thought worthy of But to close Know and consider though men should keep their Curses from you yet God will not hold such high-handed sinners as you are guiltless whom I have been reproving of as appears Jer. 23. Wo be unto the Pastors that destroy and scatter the Sheep of my pasture saith the Lord. Therefore thus saith the Lord God of Israel against the Pastors that feed my people Ye
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
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
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