so as appeares three wayes First He is the Author of all other faithfull Preachers of the Word it is God that fits all other faithfull Preachers of the Word for the worke of the Ministry it is not all the arts and sciences in the world that can make a man fit for the work of the Ministry if God fit him not it is God who maketh able Ministers of the New Testament as 2 Cor. 3.6 Who hath made us able Ministers of the New Testament not of the Letter but of the Spirit Arts and Sciences are helpes and handmaids to Divinitie but it is God that makes able Ministers of the New Testament And he gave some Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastors and Teachers He gave it is he gave and he fitted for the worke of the Ministry Secondly God is the Author of all the doctrinal truths which all the faithfull Preachers in the world deliver unto people he is the Author of those truths he sends all the faithfull Ministers of the Word in his Name to deliver his Message unto his people Sonne of man give them warning from mee Ezek. 3.17 And he sends the Prophets often with this Message Goe tell them Thus saith the Lord and This is the word of the Lord and the Prophets when they delivered his Message unto the people Heare yee say they what the Lord saith they did not deliver the devices of their owne braine but the Word of the Lord and the Apostles were to teach and observe what Christ had commanded as Mat. 28. last verse and all the faithfull Ministers of the Gospel now they deliver Gods Message unto the people and are to deliver nothing but that which they can say Thus saith the Lord Isai 8.20 So that God is the Author of all the truths which the faithfull Ministers of the Word deliver unto the people Thirdly It is the Lord which gives successe to the faithfull preaching of the Word the Minister can but with the servant of Elisha lay the staffe upon the face of the childe they can but propound the minde and will of God unto people preach the Word and baptize with water but they cannot make the Word effectuall and the Sacraments effectuall that is the work of God Paul may plant and Apollo water but it is God that gives a blessing and It is not in him which willeth and him which runneth but in God that gives a blessing therefore the Gospel is said to be the power of God through faith to salvation and the weapons of the word are mightie through God to the pulling downe of strong holds Now lay all these together God is the Author of the Minister of the doctrine and of the successe and it will appeare a plaine truth that God is the best teacher of his people Secondly It appeares God is the best teacher of his people by the directiōs that the Lord gives in his Word unto teachers and hearers how they should teach and heare aright he gives directions unto Ministers to study to shew themselves approved of God workmen that need not to be ashamed dividing the word of truth aright 2 Tim. 2.15 To preach the word in season and out of season to reprove rebuke and exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine 2 Tim. 4.23 And convince them sharply that they may be sound in the faith Tit. 1.3 So he directs people how they should heare aright he bids them try the Spirits whether they be of God 1 Joh. 4.1 As the men of Berea who searched the Scriptures Acts 17.11 Hearers should not receive any kind of doctrine for truth but try the spirits and receive with meeknesse the ingrafted word James 1.21 Now he that is able to teach both teacher and hearers how they should teach and heare aright must needs be the best teacher himselfe Thirdly It appeares God is the soules best instructor by the great desire of the Saints to be taught of God though they injoy mans teaching yet this contenteth them not except God teach them How often is it the expression of the Prophet David Lord teach me in Psal 27.11 Teach me thy way O Lord so often in this 119. Psalme the Prophet begs of God to teach him in the 12. verse in vers 26. 33. 66. 68. 108.124 In all these verses the Prophet prayeth to God to teach him And as this was Davids prayer so it is the prayer and desire of all such gracious spirits as David was All those that are men and women according to Gods owne heart as David was will with David pray Lord teach mee Now the great desire of the Saints to be taught of God shews God is the soules best instructor the best teacher of his people In the next place we come to the means by which God doth teach the soule and this is two-fold outwardly by the Ministry of the Word and inwardly by his Spirit by the Word and the Spirit this is the ordinary way first by his Word he teaches his people by the preaching of the Word 1 Cor. 1.21 The Lord is pleased by the forlishnesse of preaching to save them that believe that is by that means which the world counts foolishnesse not that it is foolishnesse in it selfe but it is so to the wicked that is the wicked accounteth it foolishnesse In vers 18. the preaching of the Crosse is to them which perish foolishnesse but it is not so to the godly to us which are saved it is the power of God and therefore Rom. 10.17 Faith comes by hearing this is the ordinary means the Lord hath appointed for the working faith in the hearts of his people this is the outward meanes But then secondly there is the inward teaching of the soule and that is by the Spirit the Lord teaches his people by his Spirit that is the Lord makes the outward Ministry of the Word effectuall by the inward operation of the Spirit when he shews a divine power and authoritie in the preaching of the Word when he makes it become mightie and powerfull in operation to the pulling downe of strong holds as in 2 Cor. 10.4 That is to the pulling downe of the strong holds in the heart that exalt themselves against the Lord Jesus Christ and prepare the heart for Christ this is the worke of the Spirit and without this the letter doth not profit the people but God therefore teaches his people by his Spirit he hath revealed them to us by his Spirit for the Spirit searches the deepe things of God 1 Cor. 2.10 It is the Spirit that causes the Word to take impression upon the hearts of people and therefore when the Lord maketh the Ministry of the Word succesfull the Ministers are made able Ministers of the Spirit as in 2 Cor. 3.6 In the third place I am to shew you the excellency of Gods teaching above mans and that appeares foure wayes First Earthly teachers can but propound the mind and will
of God unto the people they cannot make the soule to stoop to those truths and practice those truths which they teach but herein appeares the Excellency of Gods teaching above mans he can make the soule to yeeld obedience unto the truth delivered he can bring the soule under the power of those truths See the Prophet Davids expression to this purpose Psal 38.2 Thine arrowes sticke fast in me and thy hand presseth me sore When God comes to teach a soule he will shoot the arrowes so fast that it shall take impression the soule shall come under the power of truths so that the soule shall say Lord I would faine have shaken off thine arrowes but am not able for they sticke fast in mee And thus God did teach those in the Acts Act. 2.39 When they heard this they were pricked in their hearts it was not the bare words of the Apostle when he told them You are the parties that have crucified the Lord of glory that did pricke their hearts but the Lord set it home to their consciences and brought them under the power of that truth they heard not onely the voyce of man but the voyce of God in that word of truth and then they were pricked in their hearts And thus God did teach Lydia he opened her heart and then shee attended to that which Paul spake Acts 16.14 It was not Paul opened her heart but God opened Lydia's heart A man may heare a thousand Sermons and yet get no good if he heare onely the voyce of a man but if the day of Gods power come upon the soule that he heare the voyce of God in the Ordinances then he shall profit for Gods voyce in his Word is a commanding voyce Job 36.10 He commanded them to returne from iniquitie Gods teaching the soule is with a command with such Authoritie as the soule cannot resist it And herein appears the excellency of Gods teaching the soule above mans Secondly Gods teaching the soule is more excellent then mans if wee consider the time of his teaching the soule The Minister can teach them but some times in season and out of season but God can teach the soule at all times in the absence of teachers for either our teachers may be taken from us or wee from them but God can then teach the soule 2. If we consider the place where he doth teach the Minister doth preach in the publique assembly but God can teach in all places and teach at once in all places which no other teacher can doe 3. If wee consider the persons which he doth teach the Minister doth preach but to some of Gods people but God doth teach all his people himselfe they are all taught of him And as God doth teach all his people so he can teach them all at once the Minister can teach but some at once but God can teach all the Congregations that doe assemble together at once he is not so much imployed in one Congregatiō but he can be as much in another at one and the same time to teach his people So that consider the time the place and the persons and in all these it will appeare Gods teaching is more excellent then mans Thirdly Gods teaching the soule is more excellent then mans it appeares if we consider the infallibilitie of Gods teaching and instructing his people he is an infallible teacher he doth teach the soule infallible truths Earthly teachers are not infallible teachers though they be faithfull and endeavour to deliver the truth and nothing but the truth unto people yet they are but men and may erre but God cannot erre in teaching of his people for he doth teach his people according to his Word which is infallible Heaven and earth shall perish but not one jot or tittle shall fall But here may arise an objection God doth teach his people by the outward Ministry of the Word but the Minister is not infallible ergo God is not an infallible teacher of his people Answ The Word of God is an infallible Word and this is that God doth teach his people by then secondly it is when the Minister hits upon the true interpretation of Scripture when he doth give the true sense and meaning of the Holy Ghost from a Text that the Spirit of God doth accompany it and make it profitable unto the people for wee must note the Spirit of God doth not goe along with a false interpretation of Scripture but with the true sense for Gods Spirit doth accompany the truth man delivers and not the error so that still it will hold a truth Man may erre but God is the infallible teacher and instructor of his people Fourthly The excellency of Gods teaching above mans appeares in the sutablenesse of the matter of the persons condition which he doth teach Ministers may endeavour to prepare matter sutable to the conditions of the people they teach but they may be mistaken but the Lord knows the hearts of all his people and he knows what truths are most sutable to their conditions and he doth teach them sutable to their conditions Suppose a spirit be wounded which is a burthen who can beare The Lord will come with sutable matter to such a soule he tels it I have sent Jesus Christ for to bind up the broken-hearted sinner Isai 61.1 And the Sonne of man is come to seeke and save lost sinners such as see themselves lost Luk. 18.11 Nay he bids them come Come all yee that are weary and heavy laden and I will eas◠you that is you that feele sinne a burthen and strive to get from under this burthen come to me and I will ease you Suppose the soule be sicke he propounds Christ as a Physitian to the sick-soule if the soule be hungry and thirsty after righteousness he propounds Christ as bread of life and water of life and invites poore soules to come to him Hoe every one that thirsteth come yee to the waters come buy without silver and without money Isai 54.1 And if any man thirst let him come unto mee and drinke Joh. 7.37 Suppose a soule be in depths of desertion walke in darknesse and see no light but when he lookes up to heaven and thinkes upon God he is troubled Psal 77.3 It thinks that God hath forsaken it and will never returne againe in mercy the Lord doth say to such a soule Let him trust in the Name of the Lord Isai 50.10 For a moment in my anger I hid my face but with everlasting mercy I had compassion on thee saith the Lord Isai 54.8 Suppose a soule should suffer the losse of all for Christs sake He that loseth houses or brethren or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands shall receive an hundred-fold in this life and in the world to come life everlasting Not that they shall receive for the losse of one wife a hundred or of one house a hundred but that comfort that will make up all a
DIRECTIONS FOR Seekers Expectants OR A Guide for weake Christians in these distracted times Wherein the language of Sions-builders is confounded As it was delivered in a Sermon at Wickham-Market Preached on purpose to settle poore weake Christians who are in great danger of miscarrying by reason of seducers in these erroneous times Published at the earnest intreatie of many for a more publique good By ZEPH SMITH Minister of Wickham-Market in Suffolke PSAL. 25.9.12 Who so among you feares the Lord him will he teach the humble will he teach his way May the 16th 1646. Imprimatur John Downame LONDON Printed by Matthew Simmons for John Sweeting at the Angel in Popes-head-Alley 1646. TO THE READER weak Christians called Expectants and Seekers who take notice of so many severall opinions that they suppose no body is in the right way and therefore will waite untill God discover some new way to them which was never yet heard of To whom I have given Directions in my Sermon what to doe that they might know the way of God and no longer halt between two opinions These causes moved me to consent to the publishing of it and Christian Reader when thou readest whether thou findest abilitie or weaknesse let God have the glory who giveth to every one as it pleaseth him and if God may have the glory and any poore Christian be by the reading of it the better established in the truth and for the time to come try before he trust the Author shall have his desires who is willing God inabling him to spend and be spent for the same purpose which that it may be the Author will pray and rest Yours in the Lord Jesus Christ ZEPH SMITH DIRECTIONS FOR SEEKERS AND WEAKE CHRISTIANS in these distracted Times PSAL. 119.102 For thou hast taught mee THis Psalme is a Psalme of David and as the whole Booke of Psalmes is full of heavenly matter and soule-ravishing expressions so this Psalme is in a speciall manner The man of God was much taken up with GOD and his Word his Statutes and Judgements in so much that he knew not how to meditate enough and how to speake enough of it the Prophet found such a sweetnesse in Gods Word that notwithstanding he knew much of it yet still he desires to know more and therefore it is his expression very often in the Psalmes Lord teach and Oh teach me thy statutes The Prophet David was not of the minde that proud generation is of that say they know as much as all the Preachers in the Countrey can tell them nay as much as God himselfe can teach them they thinke otherwise what meanes that damnable Doctrine that is broached in these dayes when we have received the Spirit the Letter should cease contrary to Revel 2.25 That which yee have already hold fast untill I come But the Prophet though he knew much yet he desires to know more neither was the Prophet like that sort of hearers which may be compared unto the stony ground Mat. 13. who receive the Word into their heads but not into their hearts that they might bring forth fruit in their lives to the honour of God for in the 11. verse of this Psalme Thy Word saith he have I hid in my heart that I might not sinne against thee The Prophet did not only labour after the knowledge of the Word but he put it into practice Neither can it be said of the Prophet as it may of too too many professors now adayes they are young Saints and old Devils they begin in the Spirit and end in the flesh the uncleane spirit is cast out for a time but it returns againe for the Prophet did persevere in the practicing of those truths which God did teach him and which he did professe as appears in the Text I have not declined from thy Judgements for thou hast taught me In which consider two things First The Person teaching God Secondly The Person taught David From the person teaching we are not onely to consider who it was but what it was which he taught His Judgements From the person taught wee are to consider first his tractablenes to learne that which God did teach him secondly his constancy in the practice of those truths which God did teach him thirdly the ground why he practiced those truths because God taught him Give me leave briefly to open the words and then to come to some point of Doctrine And first what he meaneth when he saith I have not declined that is I have not departed or gone backe from the way of thy Judgements I have not left the wayes of God to walke in the wayes of wickednesse Secondly What is meant by Judgements Answ Gods Lawes by Judgements is meant his Lawes Gods Lawes have severall names in Scripture sometime they are called his wayes as in Psal 119.1 Sometimes his testimonies Psal 119.2 His precepts vers 4. His statutes vers 5. His Commandements vers 6. His Judgements vers 7. and the Text so in vers 13. and vers 20. Sometimes bis Word vers 9. So that by Judgements is meant Gods Statutes Lawes and Commandements as will appeare if we consider the following verses unto the 107. Then thirdly What doth the Prophet meane when he saith For thou hast taught me He doth not say the Ministers my teachers taught me and therefore I profited by them but because God taught him that is God made the outward Ministery of the Word effectuall by the inward operation of his Spirit not that the Prophet did neglect attending on the outward Ministery of the Word and rested altogether upon the teaching of the Spirit without the Word for the Prophet tooke delight in attending upon the Word preached it was the onely thing he desired Psal 27.4 that he panted after Psal 42.1 that he reâ—oyced in the injoyment of Psal 84. Neither did he prosit by the outward Ministery of the Word onely for Paul â—ay plant and Apollo water but God giveth the increase but God made the outward Ministry of the Word effectuall by the inward operation of the Spirit The Text is the ground and reason why the Prophet â—id profit in Gods Lawes why he kept them and was constant in the practice of them because God taught â—im from whence may arise this poynt of Doctrine That God is the best teacher and instructer of his people And for the method I God assisting will shew you that it is so and how it appeares to be so secondly the means by which God doth teach the soule thirdly the excellency of Gods teaching above mans teaching fourthly the manner fiftly the grounds sixtly application First That it is so appeares in the Text wherein is set out the excellency of Gods teaching above mans so in Job 36.22 Behold God exalteth by his power for none teacheth like him He is more excellent in his teaching then all others so that you see that it is so next I come to shew you that it must needs be
people are taught and drawne of him there is a necessitie of Gods teaching of thee in respect of thy need thou art a nothing-creature an ignorant creature subject to erre and to be misled thou doest stand in need of Gods teaching Secondly Consider God is the best instructor let this move thee to goe to him he is able to resolve thy doubts he can cleare up truths to thee he can propound matter sutable to thy condition and as he is able to teach thee so it is his promise to teach those he enters into Covenant with Jer. 31.34 seek him in the promise Thirdly Let the lessons God teacheth his people move thee to goe to him and beseech him to teach thee they are soule-ravishing lessous being once learned they bring in soule-ravishing comfort unto the soule the matter in them is soule-ravishing matter transcendent matter scholars that affect their studies many times they are taken up with the eloquence of the matter the lessons that God teacheth the soule are such transcendent matter such great mysteries as from eternitie to eternitie is time little enough for men and Angels to admire at for the very Angels admire it and desire to pry into it then let the excellency of the matter move thee to go to God and beseech him to teach thee One motive more Consider if God teach thee and thou learne of him then he will teach thee the way truth and life which is Christ Jesus and then to be sure thou shalt not miscarry Oh Brethren be exhorted to goe to God and beseech him to teach you and as at all times so especially now in these distracted times when there is abundance of counterfeit coine abroad every one will view his money well when he takes it for feare he should be cheated Oh Beloved there is but one way one truth and life and therefore abundance of counterfeit Religion abroad how many plead for a toleration of all Religions that every man might use his conscience how many proclaime open warre against the Scriptures how many vent out blasphemies against the persons in the Trinitie how many cry downe the Morall Law for a rule though it be one part of the Covenant of grace I will write my Lawes in your hearts and cause you to walke in my wayes how many run up and downe the Country seducing and drawing Disciples after them some into one corrupt opinion and some into another and it stands every one that desires to know the truth in hand to looke what coine they take then doe it not I pray seeing Gods Word doth know of but one way truth and life that is safe there is but one true Religion and therefore many are seduced in these times and the devill never had such a string to harp upon as he hath now new light and new truth and comming out of Babylon many thousands will dash their braines out upon this rocke if the Lord be not mercifull unto them and this will terrifie them when death comes and the day of Judgement when many will cry out Oh I did thinke such a one and such an one would not have misled me I tooke them to be holy men such as knew much of God such as were more eminent then others but now I see they are mistaken and I am mistaken I am an undone man and I am an undone woman I have forsaken God and his truth and now God will forsake mee for ever Lay these things to heart Brethren I tell you the Church never had such a triall as now it hath now are the times come that was spoken of in the last dayes shall come perilous times 2 Tim. 3.1 in which men will not indure sound doctrine but are turned from the truth to fables 2 Tim. 4.4 They come in the Name of Christ and deceive many and the Lord onely knows who may be seduced by them the Lord knows but it may be my husband may be seduced may the wife say or the Lord knows but it may be my wife may be seduced may the husband say the Lord knows may parents say but it may be our children may be seduced and drawne from the wayes and truths of Christ into dangerous damnable errors and what shall become of our children then Consider these things and let them move you to goe to God and beseech him to teach you and direct you and you that are husbands carry your wives to God and beseech him to teach them and to keepe them from miscarrying and you that are wives carry your husbands to God and intreat him to teach your husbands and you parents carry your children and servants to God and say Oh Lord we live in sad times miscarrying times little did we thinke ever to have lived in such times Lord keepe us close to thy selfe and establish us in the truth Lord keepe my husband keepe my wife keepe our children and servants and carry your neighbours to God and beseech him to looke upon them and stablish them in the truth And this is a notable means to keep us from miscarrying And lastly when God hath answered your prayers and setled you in the truth thy selfe or thy husband or wife or children or neighbours then give him the praise and glory of it O Lord such a one had like to have miscarried but thou hast setled him in the truth blessed be thy Name for it The Lord make these things profitable and effectuall by the inward operation of his Spirit who is the best teacher of his people FINIS