are not moved themselves and therefore this does not move them neither when people can see through a Minister that hee does not preach out of his owne heart this deadeth their hearts God bade Ezekiel eate the Book c. Secondly The manner of preaching is cold when the Sermon is not delivered in a lively manner when hee preaches dully and bluntly The Apostle shews in the first of the Colossians that Epaphras did a great deale of good in his Ministery at Colosse Now in the fourth of the Colossians and the 13 verse the Apostle saith hee was a zealous Preacher I bear him record saith hee that hee hath a great zeale for you But when a Minister hath a cold delivery this is a great hinderance to the Word You will say how can this bee Is it not the same word whether preached coldly or with heat Yes it is But the Word hath two things in it first the bare naked truth secondly the fatherly affectionatenesse of God in the same Now a zealous Minister le ts the people in some measure see both But a dull Ministery holds out the one and hideth the other Again though the Word onely convert it is not the Minister that works but the Word yet the Minister is appointed of God to bee a meanes to draw peoples attentions to the word Now when hee does it in a cold manner the people are the more apt to let fall their intentions and not mark it Thus you see how a Minister may bee guilty of the deadnesse of his people two waies first by his not preaching at all Secondly by his dead manner of preaching There is one more yet remaines and that is Thirdly by his dead life and conversation an evill life in the Minister makes preaching seem vile When hee makes it appear by his course that hee makes no conscience of framing his life according to his own teaching Is strict in the Pulpit and dissolute in the street I confesse many are ready to quarrell with the lives of their Teachers without cause as the false Apostles with Paul as though hee were carnall 2 Cor. 10. 2. But when a man will bee a Minister and yet walk like men hating to bee reformed and running into the same excesse of riot with others how doth this harden peoples hearts and deadeth the Doctrine it self it makes preaching seem but a â—oy When a man will seem to perswade to that which hee neglects himself and to cry out against that of which himself doth make a common practise Let no man despise thee sayes Paul unto Timothy You will say how shall that be Be you an example unto them that Beleeve 1 Tim. 4. 12. But I am prevented of time There is nothing that more deads a mans Ministery then this when the people know in their Consciences that the Minister is as vile as one of them Let him preach never so excellent things they will say alas alas wee know hee loves his penny hee loves the pot hee is not right no more then one of us But I am forced to give over The use of this is First Is it so that a Minister may be the cause why the people are dead Then here we see the reason why the Devill is so busie to poyson Ministers He knowes if he can poyson Them he can quickly poyson all the Parish well-neare Simon Simon Satan hath desired to sift thee Luc. 22. 31. when Joshua was exercising the office of the High-Priest Satan stood at his right hand Zach. 3. 1. The Devill is like the Syrians O sayes he fight neither against small nor great save only against the King of Israel If they could slay him they knew they should quickly take his Armie so if the Devill can take the Minister he cares not If he can make him a worldling or a drunkard or a Drone or a Pluralist that is it he desires The deading of one Minister deads a 100. others if he can be a lying spirit in a Ministers mouth he is able to deceive 200. at once Secondly Here we see that Ministers of all men should have a care to be quickned For if we be not quickned Brethren our guiltinesse is very great we shall involve many others in our sinne It will go hard with every private person that is dead to all goodnesse He cannot be saved he cannot escape the second death How then can a dead Minister escape that hath not onely his owne deadnesse to answer for but also the deadnesse of all his people What sayes the Lord to the Ministers of the dead Churches of Sardis Repent Repent sayes he lest I come against thee as a theefe in an hower before thou art aware Rev. 3. 3. And therefore let vs be awakened that wee may be quickned Beloved the times now are very dead and it is wee that are the Ministers of the Church have let this deadnes in our not being watchfull our not being lively and stirring in our places our not being quickened O what wrath hangs upon us if we doe not labour for life that we may communicate it unto our people The common deadnesse up and downe should be an argument unto us to excite us When Elisha saw the badnesse of the Church in his dayes he was very earnest to have the spirit of Elias doubled upon him 2 King 2. 9. We have need of a double spirit of the good Ministers of God that were before us the dayes doe require it never was there more deadnesse then now is There are not many that professe holinesse at all but of them that doe O how many are dead and without life now who should bee a meanes to quicken people but wee Thirdly This should teach good people to pray for their Ministers the more quickned the Ministers be it is the better for them But if they be dead the infection will descend downe into you When Paul and Silas went out to preach the Text sayes They were Commended by the Brethren to the grace of God Act. 15. 40. Fourthly This should be an exhortation to us of the Ministery that wee would take heed unto our selves and to all the Church of God that is committed unto our charge that we would rouze up our selves and specially now when there was never more need When the children of Israel were about to goe backe againe into Egypt the Text sayes how Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the Congregation of Israel to beseech them to forbeare Num. 14. 5. They were so mightily affected with the peoples sinne that they fell upon their faces before them q. d For the Lords sake and for your own soules sake Take heed of this sin What! will you pull all Heaven about your eares Will you provoke the living God against you O my Brethren take heed what yee doe so wee should doe we should labour to be affected with our own and our peoples deadnesse Wee should call upon them to be quickned
For the place of his exile was like Pauls third Heaven unto him he was ravisht in the Spirit on the Lords day and had abundance of revelations vouchsafed unto him of the things that should occurre in the Church and out from thence unto the end of the world Before which he hath a charge given him to write to the seven Churches of Asia chap. 1. the Church of Ephesus the Church of Smyrna and of Pergamus and of Thyatira these foure are written unto in the second Chapter the other three are written unto in this the Church of Sardis and the Church of Philadelphia and the Church of Laodicea Now that which I have chosen to handle and if God afford liberty I desire to goe through it is the Epistle unto the Church of Sardis wherein we may consider foure things First The Inscription containing a specification whom the Epistle is specially directed unto And to the Angel of the Church in Sardis write Secondly the Subscription containing a description of the Lord Jesus Christ the King of the Church These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God and the seven Starres I call it a subscription because in our letters we use to subscribe our names or to write our names beneath at the latter end But it may be called rather a suprascription as Kings write their names above for honours sake so does Christ the King of Sion write his Name above Thirdly the substance or matter of the Epistle I know thy works that thou hast a name that thou livest and art dead Be watchfull strengthen the things which remain that are ready to die for I have not found thy works perfect before God c. vers 1 2 3 4. Fourthly the conclusion He that overcommeth the same shall be clothed in white raiment c. v. 5 6. First I say the Inscription And unto the Angel of the Church in Sardis write In which words Saint John is directed whom to inscribe this Epistle unto and that is unto the Church which is in Sardis but especially unto the Angel of it that is the Minister or Ministers of it for that 's the meaning of Angel in this place Secondly for the Subscription or rather suprascription that contains the description of the Lord Jesus Christ from whom the Epistle is sent and he is described by two Royalties the first is in having of the seven Spirits of God These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God that is that hath power to send the holy Ghost unto all the Elect for so the holy Ghost is called the seven Spirits that are before the Throne Rev. 1. 4. He meanes there the holy Ghost not as though there were seven holy Ghosts but he is expressed in the plurall number in regard of the abundance of graces that he infuses into his Churches and the number seven is rather taken then any other number partly because this number is put for a perfect number as implying the perfection of his influence partly because of the present businesse in hand for here he writes to the seven Churches of Asia Now the Lord Jesus Christ hath Spirit enough to send forth into them all This is his first Royalty that he hath the seven spirits of God Another Royalty of his is that he hath the seven Starres that is the seven Pastors of these Churches Christ hath them all in his hand it is he that preserves those Ministers that are faithfull he hath power to raise them up to gift them to protect them to defend them and they are called Stars because they are to shine in the firmament of the Church Thirdly for the substance and matter of the Epistle it containeth three parts First a Reproofe and the reproofe is in these words I know thy works that is I know them all and they are stark naught for the most part what ever they seem they may seem to be very good but I tell you plainly I know them all what they be q. d. generally they are stark naught and then he instances in particular as for example thy deadnesse of heart in Religion Thou hast a name to live but thou art dead that is thou goest for an excellent Minister and and excellent Church ye doe professe Religion very fairly and in a goodly manner that to see to thou art alive and thou art taken so too of all thy Neighbour-churches they all think and hope thou art alive but the truth is thou art dead the grace of life is hardly in thee at all This is the first the Reproof Then secondly here 's a remedy annexed for he does not reprove them out of any ill will but for their good and so he prescribes them a remedy and the remedy is twofold The first is To strengthen the things that remain that are ready to die q. d. as many of you as are not quite and clean dead stirre up your selves quicken up your hearts and this is amplified by shewing how they should doe thus O be watchfull sayes he q. d. that is the reason why ye languish in this fashion and yee will languish more and more because yee are not watchfull therefore Be watchfull and also by rendring a motive to presse this remedy For I have not found thy works perfect before God that is thou art hardly sincere a jot thou art full of hypocrisie and rottennesse and formality and thou wilt lose all thy labour if thou dost not look well about thee therefore shake up thy selfe and strengthen the things that remain This is the first remedy The second remedy is to repent and this is amplified by shewing how and that is two wayes First Remember how thou hast received and heard that is consider how thou hast been taught and bewaile thy declinings for thou art horribly departed from what thou hast learned in the Ministery of the word Secondly Hold fast that is so bewail thy warpings wanings and degeneratings that thou mayst get up againe hold thee fast there when thou art up Now lest they should neglect the using of this remedy the Lord Jesus sharpens his speech with a threatning telling them the danger if they will not be awakened If therefore thou shalt not watch I will come on thee as a thiefe and thou shalt not know what houre I will come upon thee This is the second part of the matter of this Epistle the Remedy Thirdly another part of the matter of this Epistle is a commendation of some particular persons in the Church that were not carried away in the deadnesse of the times and these he does praise very much and he gives them an excellent promise the praise is in these words Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments that is there be some among you though they be but a few that have not been sutted and soyled with others bad examples though others be dead yet they are not dead too for company
company dare talk of their roguery before them as Amnon before Jonadab Jonadab ask't him what he ailed he was so sad O sayes he I would fain lie with my sister Tamar 2 Sam. 13. 4. He knew before whom he was if Jonadab had been a godly man he durst as well have eaten his own tongue as have told him his base lust A godly man the very presence of him would have made him ashamed and to have bitten in his lips When a minister is unsent of God no body does respect him out of conscience they care not for his words whereas when a minister is sent this makes him as an Angel of God when others call him all to naught the conscience of many will plead for him as we see there of Jeremy O this man is not worthy to die for hee hath spoken unto us in the Name of the Lord Jer. 26. 16. There 's never a sent minister but if he come in trouble except peoples consciences be seared with a hot Iron they wil speak for him in their bosomes Alas why is he put down Why is he imprisoned Why is he opposed He hath spoken to us in the name of the Lord. So that this is the second wherein all ministers should agree they should be all sent of God not contenting themselves with the calling of man without being also called of God Thirdly they must all agree in the matter that they preach the same word is delivered unto all ministers to preach Preach the word 2 Tim. 4. The same Gospel the same Truths the same Duties the same Commandments the same Promises the same threatnings Ye know there is one God and one Faith and one Baptisme one Lord Jesus Christ there is but one way of life one gate to heaven one salvation one Bible Now every minister must agree in this You know all men are by Nature the children of wrath in a damned estate now all Pulpits should agree in this every minister labouring to bring their people to a sight of their misery by sinne every minister should shew his people what cursed creatures they are untill they be converted and renewed every Minister should presse the evill of sin and open the wiles of Satan the guilt of the conscience the spiritualnesse of the Law the necessity of humiliation and repentance and amendment of life that there is no mercy but in Christ no salvation but by Christ except people take him to live in their hearts by faith All ministers should let their people know the terror of the Lord the strictnesse of Gods judgements the inseparable connexion of mercy and a godly life that no profane person can enter into Gods Kingdome no hypocrite no meer civill man that a form of godlinesse will not serve turn that none but Saints shall stand at Christs right hand at the last day All ministers should preach what a narrow path there is to Paradise how few there bee that find it that saving grace cannot stand with the reign of the least lust that people must be pure and holy what ever the world think of purenesse and precisenesse and strictnesse yet without this no flesh shall be saved If all pulpits sounded with these truths and all ministers cried those aloud would lift up their voyces like a trumpet and not spare what a land should we have The want of unity in this matter is the cause that wickednesse does so much abound a drunkard a whoremaster a muckworm may come to a Sermon and goe away with hope that he shall have peace When ministers make the pulpit a scaffold in which like Masters of Defence they play their prizes blazon their own wits descant upon their text as though the Scripture were a Rattle for children and fools to sport with tossing it to and fro hither and thither as boyes at a Tennis when they go about to amaze their hearers to mount aloft to be in their high phrases and coyned words more like Mimicks and Comedians then Ministers when they search into moath-eaten Friers affect allegories would fain be thought Linguists and interlace a many of allegations of Latin and Greek sentences which a School-boy might doe with a Polyanthea or if they speak plain they skim the truth of the Scriptures and never dive deep to the edifying of the soule May be they will preach good morall matter But a man may goe to hell though he doe as they teach people may heare them a thousand times and no man made to cry out What have I done They preach of repentance but then they open it so slightly that a man may repent as they say and be damned they preach of faith in Christ but they make it so broad that thousands have it and sink into the bottomlesse pit with it they preach that sin must be forsaken and a good life must be led but they handle it in that wise that their hearers may doe as they say and yet have no more grace then a reprobate nor so much neither Now beloved the unity among brethren should be this to agree in the right matter of preaching that the word may be carved to all as their need is that they may see their own cases that they may understand the wiles of the Devil the fallacies of their own evill hearts the counterfets of faith and repentance and new obedience and that they may not be cousened with them This is the third thing Fourthly they should all agree in the true manner of preaching That which our Saviour sayes of hearing Take heed how yee heare Luke 8. 18. he means of preaching too let your Ministers take heed how they preach Beloved we that are the Ministers of God we are to labour to turn Lions into Lambs and to transform the heart of man to breed new creatures unto God and therefore it is not every kind of preaching will serve the turn 1. Then Ministers should agree in preaching with the demonstration of the Spirit and of power as Paul sayes not with the wisdome of words lest the crosse of Christ be made of no effect 1 Cor. 1. 17. q. d. If we should preach wit and learning eloquence then the death of Christ would be of no effect that is no man would be converted Christ would be offered to none therefore we must preach nakedly to flash the naked word into mens consciences that they may see Thus saith the Lord against their sinful courses thus saith the Lord of their estates this reproofe is from the Lord this threat is from the Lord thus saith the Lord you are a wretch this is thy sin and this is thy cursed condition and it is the Lord and not I that does affirm it It is said of Christ that he preacht with authority and not as the Scribes Matth. 7. 29. What is it to come with authority When a man speakes from God to the consciences of men as when a Constable comes in the name of a King I
the secrets of his heart are made manifest and so falling down on his face hee worships God that is the Sermon is made effectuall unto him and turnes his wretched heart But observe now how this comes to passe the Text shewes in the foure and twentieth verse it is by reason of the unity of the Ministers He is convinced of all he is judged of all that is all the Ministers were of one note they all were in one consent one did not preach looser doctrine then another one told him he was a very wretch and another told him hee was a very wretch and a third convinced him hee was a very wretch all had a blow at him O thought he I I I am a very wretch indeed this burst his heart If he could have heard any one of them preach easier doctrine may bee that would have given his conscience some foolish ease and so the man had gone away never the better but when hee was convinced of all and judged of all this strikes him dumb So beloved when a man can goe into no Church but every where hee is met with all the Ministers condemn him all their lives condemn him and all their Sermons condemn him to the pit of hell and he can scramble comfort no where if the man belong to God this is the readiest way to beat him down and subdue his heart On the contrary side when a man is wounded at one Ministers Sermon by and by he drops into another and there hee catches hold of some ease this makes him goe on in his sinnes and to blind his eyes against the truth It is a great stumbling block unto the people this very thing Thirdly as it makes the Ministery more powerfull so it brings more glory unto God As it is said of John the Baptist that when our Saviour did commend him and made the people see that hee was of Johns minde and that he held the same Tenets and that hee would not speak against a tittle that John had delivered but testifyed his unity with him And made it appear what a reverend esteem hee had of him saith hee Hee is a Prophet and more then a Prophet Yee shall see how this brought glory to God The Text saith When the people heard this and the Publicans they justifyed God being baptized with the Baptisme of John Luk. 7. 29. The use of this is first to condemne such as envy their fellow-Ministers and will not bee in the unity of minde and heart and life with them In the most the Proverb is too true Figulus figulo invidet One potter hates another one Tradesman envies anothers custome so one Minister another if there bee a Minister that desires to powre out his soule in the doing of good in the taking of paines in the discharging of his Conscience there are some that will envy such a one their hearts rise up against him nay not onely so but the worst Enemy that Jeremy had was Pashur one of his own Coat Jer. 20. 2. The sorest adversary that Amos had was Amaziah a Priest of Bethel who would never leave heaving at him untill hee had gotten him away Amos 7. 12. and why so because hee would not preach such pleasing Doctrine as hee Forsooth the Land was not able to bear Amos his words hee Preaches as if hee would scare people out of their wits Hee preaches Schismatically and as if hee loved to bee singular The cheif Priests were furious against our Saviour Christ because his Ministery was more blest then theirs was nay they hated him more then Pilate Pilate a very Pagan his Conscience told him hee found no fault in him Why what evill hath hee done Their envy against Christ was so palpable that hee did discover it Hee knew that for envy they had delivered him unto him So when all the Country know in their Consciences that such and such teach the waies of God sincerely set themselves to roote out sin and to save soules nay the very Drunkards you shall hear them say I I hee is a good man Gods blessing on his heart hee tels us our faults wee may doe what wee list for all such and such but hee tells us of our faults and God help us to amend them and when they are sick they would rather have such a Ministers prayers then twenty of other Ministers that will soothe them up and bee haile-fellow with them Whereas there bee many of our own Coat that are implacable against a Minister that labours to bee faithfull How contrary is this unto the Rule The Ministers of God should bee all one and if one bee godly all should bee if one painfull all should bee so if one preach home to the conscience all should doe so they should all live as Brethren What saies our Saviour Christ Yee are the Salt of the Earth but if the Salt hath lost its savour wherewith shall it bee salted it is thenceforth good for nothing but to bee cast out and to bee trodden underfoot of men Matth. 5. 13. That is Salt may season others but if it have lost its savour nothing can salt it A Minister is of an excellent calling appointed to season mens hearts but if hee have lost his savour hee can never truely bee seasoned again nothing can doe him good An evill Minister is a more desperate forlorn man than any else Secondly Another use is that all that are the Ministers of God would bee hence stirred up to be all of one minde all drawing one way all bending our forces to one and the same end the glory of God and the salvation of our people It s a fine comely thing to fee any Brethren in unity Behold how good and how pleasant it is for Brethren to dwell together in unity It is like the precious ointment upon the head that ran down upon the beard even Aarons beard that went down to the skirts of his garments as the dew of Hermon and as the dew that descended upon the mountaines of Zion for there the Lord commended his blessing even life for evermore Psal 133. 1 2 3. I say this is a very comely thing to see any brethren to dwell together in unity it is like the perfume of Aaron that made all his garments fragrant-sweet it is like the dews of Hermon and Zion that made all the ground fruitfull this is that which hath the Lords blessing annexed to it it is an excellent meanes unto eternall life As the Apostle saith If there bee any consolation in Christ if any comfort of love if any fellowship of the Spirit if any bowels and mercies Fullfill yee my joy that yee bee like-minded having the same love being of one accord of one minde Philip. 2. 1 2. if it be so necessary for Brethren to bee united how much more for Brethren in the Ministery of all men Ministers have most reason to bee of one minde because wee are to teach union unto others Besides if
wee desire to doe what wee are commanded to doe wee shall have enemies enough in the world Our Tribe is a hated Tribe Of all Offices the office of a reprover is the most unwelcome Paul was counted an enemy because hee told the Galatians the truth Micaiah was hated because hee dealt truely with Ahab people love their lusts as their members yea as themselves Ergò of all men wee are most hated Every man is beleeved in his own profession but wee People do not hate Taylors that make them a good garment nor a Shoo-maker that makes them a good Shooe nor a Cook that makes them a good Feast nor a Phisitian that makes them a good potion nor a good Lawyer that makes them a good suite though these doe but provide for the body and yet wee that provide for peoples soules if wee make them a good Sermon that would save their soules for ever so they would obey it wee are hated for our labour Ergò when Moses came to speak of Levi that were the Ministers of Israel hee prayes God that God would deliver them out of the hands of their enemies Lord smite through the loynes of them that hate him Deut. 33. 11. I say wee have many enemies in the world and therefore wee had need to hang together who ever bee at oddes wee should stick close Our message is hardly beleeved and therefore wee had need to bee all of one minde The word which wee preach is adverse to flesh and blood and therfore wee had need all joyntly to obey it otherwise how doe wee think that wee shall perswade any others Force the more united the more strong O if we would all joyn forces in one wee might make all our Parishes quake all the wicked round about their very hearts would bee ready to faile them if every Pulpit did rowze them If they could come in no Church but they were made to sit upon thornes I verily beleeve few would have any heart to goe on in their evill doings Thirdly another Use is how wee see it is a very usefull and a profitable thing that one good Minister should now and then come and help another and preach for another that our people may see our consent that wee all preach the same thing and that is not our private preaching but all the Ministers that are of God are just of the same mind This made the Apostle whensoever hee was to write to a people that hee knew would bee somewhat backward to beleeve them hee would joyne other Ministers with him as consenting together with him Indeed when hee wrote unto Timothy he would not doe it for hee knew that hee did not need hee knew the faithfulnesse of his heart But when hee writ to the Corinthians where false Apostles had been and had made many of them to doubt hee joyned Sosthenes with him as it were confirming the same thing 1 Cor. 1. 1. when hee wrote to the Galatians hee told them hee had Peter on his side and Barnabas and Titus and James and John and how the Apostles gave unto him the right hand of Fellowship Gal. 2. 1. 9. Hee writing to the Philippians hee joynes Timothy with him Phil. 1. 1. And so writing to Philemon about a thing that though hee hoped Philemon would doe yet because hee knew he might have many carnall reasons against it hee joyns another with him Philem. 1. This is of very good use when one good Minister comes and backs anothers Ministery For as it is with men-pleasing Ministers that make as if the way to heaven were easier than it is people hope that other Ministers will come and confirming it make it good Ezek. 3. 6. O they love such a Doctrine alife and they hope there will be moe of that minde So when they heare a strict Minister that delivers the Word to them as it is and as they shall finde it at last day tush this is so uncooth that they hope that it is but the opinion of their precise Minister and that no body else is of his minde Now when God shall bring a cloud of witnesses it is I say of very good use I confesse that when a Minister speaketh the truth though no body else come to set it on besides him hee shall bee a witnesse against all the people that will not beleeve and vext at the voyce of his preaching Noah condemned all the world albeit there were none but hee But yet symphony and agreement and the consent of the Ministers of God is an Ordinance of God when it may conveniently bee had Thus I have spoken of this second point of Doctrine of the unity of Ministers To the Angell of the Church in Sardis I acknowledge this point is not so much for the generall profit of you all But you must bear with me for handling of it Wee shall come now to you ere long For I am sure if any portion of Scripture may doe us good in these dead times the Treating of this Epistle may And yet it is not lost time to speak unto the Ministers if by any meanes I may provoke my self and my Brethren to the abounding in the unity of the Spirit and of Faith and heart and minde for the further spreading and enforcing of good Revel 3. 1. And unto the Angell of the Church in Sardis write these things saith hee that hath the seven Spirits of God and the seven Starres I know thy works that thou hast a name that thou livest and art dead And unto the Angel of the Church in Sardis write YEE have had two Doctrines from hence concerning Gods Ministers I told you there is one more and then I have done and so will proceed The Doctrine is this That a Minister may bee in fault that the people are dead that they have no more heart to good things that they are so ignorant so cold so ungodly so worldly so vain as they are I say the Minister may bee in the fault The point is very clear from this place The Lord being to reprove the people here of Sardis for their deadnesse in Religion he directs his reproof to their Minister To the Angel of the Church in Sardis write I know thy works that thou hast a name that thou livest and art dead Hee accuses the Minister for the deadnesse of the Church that was committed to his charge hee meanes the Church but hee speakes to the Minister You will say how doe yee prove that hee means the Church I Answer there be three places that doe manifest the same The one is Revel 1. 4. There John tells us that hee indeed writes to the Churches for that in the inscription of every Epistle the Minister onely bee named John to the seven Churches in Asia So that this latter is sent to the Church that is in Sardis John meanes it to the Church and not onely to the Minister A second place is Rev. 1. 11. what thou seest write to the seven
honesty civill honesty between man and man is a sweet thing the Apostle himself brings it among other things as a testimony of his sincerity Wee trust wee have a good conscience in all things willing to live honestly Heb. 13. 18. O it is an excellent beauty to a servant of Jesus Christ when his Moralls are sound and exemplary and there cannot bee any thing that will make the profession of Religion odious in the eies of the world then want of Morality when Christians faile palpably in their Moralls May bee such a one thou wilt think comes farre short of thee in grace in the knowledge of good in the beleife of the Truth in a spirituall in-sight into the mystery of Christ O then count it a shame that hee should goe before thee in the keeping of his Word There cannot be a greater dis-honour unto God than when a naturall man shall bee able to accuse thee of any dis-honesty in any kinde The Spirit of God sets it down as a great shame upon Sarah that Abimelech a Heathen man should be able to reprove her Thus was shee reproved saith the Text Gen. 20. 16. When Jacob perceived that his sonnes had sinned against morall honesty there in the matter of Shechem O saith hee yee have made mee to stink among the Inhabitants of the land Gen. 34. 30. Yee have troubled mee saith hee it was a great griefe of heart to the good man hee knew this would bee a great dis-honour to God as well as a shame unto himselfe and therefore God forbid I should speak against a Ministers speaking for morality Yet Beloved this know that this is not enough a man may professe the name of Christ and thinke verily that hee Beleeves in Iesus Christ and be a very admirable morall man and yet never quickned up to the grace of life Saint Paul shewes this plainly in himself I might have confidence in the flesh if any other man might trust to that I might be circumcised the eighth day of the stocke of Jesse of the Tribe of Benjamin an Hebrew of the Hebrews as touching the Law a Pharisee Phil. 3. 4 5 6 9. if any fine-carriaged man under heaven could hope he is right I could before my conversion I was admitted into the Congregation of Christ by the Sacrament of Circumcision I was borne in the true Church of God I had godly Parents I was of the Common-wealth of Israel Nay I was a Pharisee which was so admirable a strict order that after his conversion he was not ashamed to be still called a Pharisee I am a Pharisee and the sonne of a Pharisee sayes he Act. 23. 6. He cals himself a Pharisee still Nay he was zealous and concerning the righteousnesse of the Law he was a very blamelesse man so that if any faire cariaged man under Heaven were right hee was right But the truth is S. Paul Confesses that when God came to opon his eyes he finde that he was a dead man a vile wretch he shews he had gone sheere to hell for all this if God had not converted him So that morality is a poore thing And yet people makes it their Idoll and trust to it and thinke certainely they are the children of God certainly they shall have mercy certainly they shall to heaven And how many Ministers make this to be true Religion and preach nothing but this This then is another way whereby Ministers doe leave a dead Congregation by morall preaching Thirdly A flat preaching is when there is no keennesse in our Sermons when we do not strive to stagger mens consciences that are to be staggered When a man goes on in a track Preaches true doctrine though it were to be wished that more Ministers would do thus This does not hunt the heart out of its owne starting holes this Ministery leaves people dead It is said of our Saviour Christ that the people were astonisht at his Doctrine Matt. 7. 28. he stun'd their consciences he set them at a stand so if a Minister would quicken hee should labour to set the wicked at a stun Yee know every wicked one gets somewhat or other to hang on to hope they shall not be damned for all they are no better Now when a Minister sets himselfe to put his hearers to a stun still to startle truth in an astonishing manner that may flash the bare truth into the soule and to make them see their bad estates this is quickning preaching But when a mans Ministery is cold there is nothing to stun the heart their heart may have its starting holes for all it his Ministery does not labour to meet with them this leaves people dead a Minister that still goes on in a track can never looke to quicken First Because a good Minister must make Conscience to bring out new things as our Saviour Christ speakes The Kingdom of Heaven is like unto an Housholder that bringeth out of his treasure things new and old Mat. 13. 52. that is though he bring none but the old things that were brought before Yet still he brings them forth as new He labours to keepe the Word stil new unto the heart the reason is this when people have once been convinced of the truth presently it growes stale to them and so they are subject not to be quickned by it at all O this we knew before and so the heart makes little or nothing of it I knew this before Now when the Ministery of the Word darts it in a-new and makes it looke still with a fresh looke upon the Conscience this is a quickning Ministery Like a man that keeps his Barrell still fresh when a man gives the drinker still fresh from the Barrell so when a Minister preaches still fresh from the Word But when a Minister does not do thus he is like a man that gives one liquor that hath stood a great while in the Cup it growes dead Secondly Because a good Minister must goe further and further or else he cannot quicken My meaning is this the more people are convinced by the Word the more subtleties still the heart does devise the more word is in the Conscience the more wiles the heart mints the Devill also prompting thereunto so that if a Minister doe not follow mens hearts still further and further this will leave the people dead The reason is this Because when the heart hath once invented a wile to maintaine its owne hopes for all the same truth we may preach the truth all the dayes of our life it will never quicken that mans heart because still when he heares that truth he hath a wile lying by him that still defends himself from it so that there is a necessity for a Minister to go further and further The Word of God is a deepe mine there is no Bottome a man may still dig deeper and deeper Thy judgements are a great deepe Psal 36. 6. When the Minister besieges the heart he is to dig round
about it and dig deeper and deeper Still as the heart beares it selfe he is to come with more and more supplies out of the Word against it It is a strange thing to see how deepe Ministers have gone and yet people arme themselves against the Word of God and are not converted by it Tell them they must be new Creatures they confesse it and though they be none yet they have many faire colours to hope they are Tell them of Communion with God and fellowship with his sonne Iesus Christ and Heavenly-mindednesse and hatred of all sin love to universall obedience plucking out their right eyes looking at the Glory of God not to trust in their performances to go out of themselves People make a shift to have something to answer all All these things they hope they have done in some measure Now when Ministers goe on and on and do not goe further and further this leaves such people dead It is said of a Preacher that is wise that he still teaches the people knowledge Because the Preacher was wise he still taught the people knowledge Eccles 12. 9. That is people could never come to him but still hee made them know more and more You will say how can a Preacher doe thus I Answer if a Preacher bee well studied in his own heart and in the Book of God this will help him to doe it For still as hee sees further into his own heart still hee will see further into the Word of God and let out more and more light It is said of Christs Ministery That in it the light did spring up Matth. 4. 16. So this is a true Ministery indeed when the light springs up in it Yee know in a Spring the water springeth up more and more now when a Minister goes on in a track and does not doe thus this is a deading Ministery This is the third thing Flat Preaching leaves people dead Fourthly Cold Preaching too when a Minister preaches coldly when the Word floweth coldly from his mouth When a man hides the affectionatenesse of the Word from the people by the coldnesse of his uttering of it Beloved the Word is full of affections what a deale of affection is there in all the Truthes of the Gospel they are all steept in the warm blood of the Son of God there is affection in the promises they proceed from the tender bowels of God Affection in the threatnings they all issue from the infinite wrath of God against sin The Word of God is as fire Jer. 23. 29. Now when a Minister shall preach the Word coldly hee preaches the Word otherwise then it is Hee does as much as in him lies to hide the affectionatenesse of the Word from the peoples hearts Suppose the Town were all on fire would yee not count the man a ridiculous man that should come to us and tell us a cold story Sirs let mee tell you a thing there is a great fire in the Town and I verily think it may burn all the Town and you should doe well to goe and quench it This man tells us so indeed but would not you count him a fool for telling us such a thing in a cold carelesse manner as if it were a small matter Nature teacheth us another course in such a case Fire fire help O help for the Lords sake water water in all haste Alas alas wee are undone quickly quickly run for ladders run for buckets run for wet cloathes ah you lazie villaine run apace for iron hooks and the like Thus nature teaches to deliver such a truth that does so neerly concern us affectionately So it is here Brethren what weighty things does the Word contain Truths that our very bowels should yern and wee should powre out our affections in the Pulpit that wee may shew by our delivery what they are Now when this is not done this deads peoples hearts They fit as quiet at a Sermon though they heare of matters of life and death eternall life salvation and damnation Yet they sit like blocks in their seats as though it were no great matter Why they hear one standing in the Pulpit as though hee were saying his lesson wicked people will not beleeve they are going to hell though wee tell them they will not beleeve the waies of Jesus Christ are so good as they are though wee tell them It is a pretty story of Demosthenes when one told him that hee was beaten and mis-used by such a man it seemes hee told it very dreamingly and coldly shewing no affection at all Why saith Demosthenes hath hee beaten thee I doe not beleeve it No saith the man and so the man was as it were in a great passion I am sure thus and thus hee did to mee and doe not you call this beating Nay saith Demosthenes now I beleeve hee hath beaten thee indeed Now you speak as yee had been beaten as yee say So when a Minister preaches unto people in a dreaming manner though the things bee never so weighty yet they will not beleeve them He saith in a cold manner that Drunkards are in a bad case and such and such persons are in a sad condition and saith yee must repent or you will all perish But people heare him speak so frigidly of these things that they will not enter into their hearts If these things were preached as they should bee it would make people quake It is said of our Saviour That when hee was teaching the Disciples hearts burned within them Luk. 24. 32. Did not our hearts burn within us when c. Keckerman makes that to bee the meaning of St. Matthew where hee saith that our Saviour Taught with Authority and not as the Scribes that is saith hee hee did not preach coldly but with life and zeale and this went with Authority Now the manner of Preaching is cold two waies and so dead First When it flowes not from the heart for then it is unlikely that ever it will goe unto the heart Pectus facit esse disertos The heart is the best Oratory as Paul saith What doe you weeping and breaking my heart Act. 21. 13. they spake so heartily and affectionately and meltingly to him this burst his very heart In the 17 of Acts the 16 verse it is said Pauls spirit was stirred in him to see all Athens given to Idolatry Hee was inwardly moved in his own heart in his preaching unto them Now if you look into the 34 verse of that Chapter how this quickned some there Dionysius and Damaris and some others cleaved unto him that is hee preached so movingly that he made their very soules cleave unto him Why hee spake from his heart There bee many clamorous Preachers saith Galvin who declame against the sinnes of the people and thunder against them make as though they had a great deale of zeale and yet never move a jot because themselves have a dead heart and a secure heart the people see through their actings that they
their accompt Lord thy pound hath gained ten pounds Fourthly another Use is to you what a great mercy is this that Christ should send unto such as you bee If Christ had sent unto you when yee had sought him and turned unto him it had been very much but that hee should dispatch messengers to you when yee had not a thought of him nay when yee sinned against him O what a great mercy is this It was a great kindnesse that Joseph would send unto his Father and his Brethren and bid them leave all and come into the Land of Aegypt and willed them that they should not care for their stuffe for the best of the Land of Egypt shall bee yours yee know his brethren were unkinde unto him Beloved Joseph was never so unkindly dealt with by his Brethren as Christ hath been by us and yet that he should send to such wretches as wee are O leave all and come unto me regard not your stuffe regard not your profits never trouble your selves with this thing and that thing for all the best of heaven shall be yours O what an infinit kindnesse is this when hee will send such treasures of his to us by his Ministers As Joseph filled his brethrens sacks with corne which they carryed to their fathers house in Canaan to preserve them alive till they came over to Egypt So the Lord Jesus Christ hath put his spiritual treasures into a sack and given them his Ministers to dispence them to their brethren to nourish them and preserve them untill they come home to him hee fills his Ministers sacks every week for us they come with sack-fulls of heavenly and divine truths every week to us with sack-fulls of food to feed our soules unto eternall life and when that is spent hee sends us every Sabbath more and therefore how should we esteem a true Minister that comes to us from Jesus Christ He is one of a thousand as Elihu speaks if there be a messenger with him an interpreter one of a thousand to declare unto man his righteousnesse then hee is gracious unto him Job 33. 23 24. that is then is God gracious to us indeed such a one is one of a thousand such a one declares to us our righteousnesse he brings to us the righteousnesse of Jesus This the Lord Jesus Christ sends unto us when hee sends us a true Minister hee sends us an excellent present even his own righteousnesse and merits and the glad tidings of peace how we may live and be saved So that we should be thankfull unto God that Christ sends to us his Ministers with such precious things If the King should send to any one of us but five pound O how would we wonder at it who ever were the messenger we would bid such a one welcome and what does the King take notice of mee such a poore man as I who would have thought that ever hee should send such a token to me what a condescending is this I tell thee if thee if the King should do thus for thee thou wouldest make very much of it I and talk of it too where ever thou commest nay it would make thee glad and a very joyfull man and it would make thee think thy self highly preferred O Beloved and what a horrible shame is this that the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords should send a messenger to us every day almost not with five pounds a-piece to every one of us but with all the riches and treasures of heaven to enrich us for ever to make us happy for ever Blessed that ever wee were born and yet that we should not be affected hardly My Brethren we that are the Ministers of God wee come with heavenly and glorious things every day from our Lord Jesus Christ though wee have them but in earthly vessels yet they are things that the whole world is but drosse and dung in comparison of and therefore think how yee should come to Church think how ye should come to hear Sermons Now I come to hear a message from Christ now shall I hear an Embassadour from heaven that will break open Christs Letter to me a reproofe from Jesus Christ a counsell from Christ Directions from Christ concerning the framing of my life Lessons from Christ how I may come to glory O sayes the Apostle He hath given to us the Ministery of reconciliation with God to wit that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself not imputing their trespasses unto them and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation Now then wee are Embassadours for Christ as though God did beseech you by us wee pray you in Christ his stead bee reconciled unto God 2 Cor. 5. 18 19. 20. q. d. Ah yee poore creatures God and you are out yee are enemies of God by your evill works the wrath of God hangeth over you wrath for all your sinnes wrath for your drunkennesse wrath for your covetousnesse wrath for all your carnall courses yee lye under the wrath of God wrath that will damne you and undoe you for ever Now the Lord of Heaven and Earth hath sent us as Heralds of Peace wee come Embassadors from the Lord of all glory we have the word of reconciliation the word that wee preach will make God and you friends if ye will beleeve it O wee pray you in Christ his stead consider of it and bee reconciled unto God heare our message imbrace our Embassage O doe not slight what wee say to you we speak to you from Christ doe not receive it as a word onely from our mouthes but as indeed it is the Word of the great God This is the onely Word that can make God and you friends O how highly does it concern you to submit hereunto How will this judge the world that the Ministery of the Word is no more regarded or heeded When God sends his Ministers unto people and because forsooth their flesh and blood does not like it they look little after it Whereas this containes eternall life and if ye reject this ye reject eternall life I beseech you judge what I say Doe you meet with a reproofe that crosses your corrupt lusts I pray you reason the case thus with your own Soules O let me not put off this reproofe it reproves me of my drunken doings it reproves me of my security it reproves me of my sins if I put it off I put off the word of reconciliation This is one of those truths that comes to reconcile me to God I stand out in rebellion and desiance against God if I doe not take it home So of any other passage of the Word Still when the Prophets would speak unto the people this was their voyce The Lord sent mee so sayes Isaiah the Lord sent mee and Jeremiah too the Lord sent mee When they refused to hear what he said O sayes hee Surely the Lord sent mee to speak thus unto you One would think it were
him account of what they had done Luk. 10. 17. Lord even the Devils are subject unto us Lord I have done thus and thus I have declared all thy whole counsell I have kept nothing back I have done thy message and such and such have heard mee but such and such will not hear me A messenger is bound to give an account unto him that sends him nay the devill himself returned to give an account when the Lord sent him to tempt Job hee came again and told what hee had done Job 2. 1. So wee should come again and tell God what wee have done When the children of Dan sent spies to search the land they came and related what they had done so should we doe Lord behold here am I and here are the people that I have begotten by thy Word and here are the rebells that I could never get to reforme their wicked wayes Wee see how they that had received the Talents how they came and gave in their accompt Lord thy pound hath gained ten pounds O what a case shall wee be in if wee cannot give up a good account at the last day of what wee have done in our places and callings Fourthly If Christ send us unto you O Beloved what a great mercy is this â—â— that Christ should send unto such as you bee If Christ had sent unto you when yee had sought him and turned unto him it had been very much but that hee should dispatch messengers unto you when yee had not so much as a thought of him nay when yee sinned against him This was a mercy indeed It was a great kindnesse that Joseph would send unto his Father and his Brethren and bid them leave all and come into the Land of Aegypt O saith he regard not your stuffe for the best of the Land of Egypt shall bee yours yee know his brethren were unkinde unto him Beloved Joseph was never so unkindly dealt with by his Brethren as Christ hath been by us and yet that he should send to such wretches as wee are O leave all and come unto me regard not your stuffe regard not your profits never trouble your selves with this thing and that thing for all the best of heaven shall be yours O what an infinit kindnesse is this when he will send such treasures of his to us by his Ministers As Joseph filled his brethrens sacks with corne which they carryed to their fathers house in Canaan to preserve them alive till they came into Egypt So the Lord Jesus Christ hath put his spirituall treasures as it were into a sack and given them his Ministers to dispence to their brethren to nourish them and preserve them untill they come home to him hee fills his Ministers sacks every week for us they come with sack-fulls of heavenly and divine truths every week to us with sack-fulls of food to feed our soules unto eternall life and when that is spent he sends us every Sabbath more and therefore how should wee esteem a true Minister that comes to us from Jesus Christ Hee is one of a thousand as Elihu speaks if there bee a messenger with him an interpreter one of a thousand to declare unto man his righteousnesse then hee is gracious unto him Joh 33. 23 24. that is then is God gracious to us indeed When God sends us a messenger from him such a one is one of a thousand such a one declares to us our righteousnesse Yee know wee cannot stand before God without righteousnesse Now such a one declares to us righteousnesse He brings us the righteousnesse of Jesus Christ So that we should be thankfull to Christ that he sends us any of his true Ministers O my Brethren we that are the Ministers of God wee come with heavenly and glorious things every day from our Lord Jesus Christ Though wee have them but in earthen vessels yet they are things that the whole world is but drosse and dung to and therefore think how yee should come to Church think how yee should bee affected with our message think with what affections ye should heare our Sermons Now I come to heare a message from Christ a Letter from Christ a Direction from Christ a reproofe from Christ counsells from Christ for the framing of my life now I shall be told what I may doe to inherit glory O sayes the Apostle He hath given to us the Ministery of reconciliation with God to wit that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself not imputing their trespassesunto them and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation Now then wee are Embassadours for Christ as though God did beseech you by us we pray you in Christ his stead bee reconciled unto God 2 Cor. 5. 18 19. 20. q. d. Ah yee poore creatures God and you are out yee are enemies of God by your evill works the wrath of God hangeth over you wrath for all your sinnes wrath for all your drunkennesse your covetousnesse worldlinesse wrath for all your carnall courses your slighting of heaven and heavenly things the wrath of God abideth on you Now the Lord of Heaven and Earth hath sent us as Heralds of Peace we come as Embassadors from the Lord of all glory we have the word of reconciliation the word which we preach will make God and you friends again if yee will beleeve it and imbrace it We pray you in Christ his stead to consider of it bee reconciled unto God heare our message doe not slight what wee say to you we speak to you from Christ This is the onely Word that can make God and you friends O how will this judge the world that the Ministery of the Word is no more regarded nor heeded When God sends his Ministers unto people and because forsooth their flesh and blood does not like it they look little after it Wheras this containes eternall life and if ye reject this ye reject eternall life I beseech you judge what I say Doe you meet with a reproofe that crosses your corrupt Iusts I pray you reason the case thus with your own Soules I am reproved for my loosenesse and my vain wayes my fashioning of my self according to this world my fawning my flattering my gaming my scandalous courses my sinning against light I have had good education I have lived under good meanes but I am very gracelesse if I put off these reproofes I put off the word of reconciliation This is the word that comes to reconcile me to God if I have faith to apply it but if I put it from me and doe not regard it I refuse all reconciliation with God So when the Word shewes you your duty how to beleeve how to live how to walk in all holinesse and true righteousnesse Consider if yee put it from you yee put away from you the onely word of reconciliation These are the truths that are sent unto me to reconcile me unto God O if I will have none of them I cast
off the Son of God and everlasting life Still when the Prophets would speak unto the people this was their preface The Lord sent mee so sayes Isaiah the Lord sent mee Esa 48. 16. so sayes Jeremiah the Lord sent mee When they refused to hear what he said O sayes hee Truely the Lord sent mee of a truth the Lord hath sent me unto you to speak all these words unto you Jer. 26. 15. One would think it wore enough to strike terrour into the hearts of men to put off any Sermon any rebuke any exhortation of Christs Ministers when they know the Lord sends them Of a truth the Lord hath sent mee to speak all these words unto you May bee the Minister is as poore a creature in himself as one of you O but remember who sends him as Christ sayes hee that heareth you heareth mee and hee that despiseth you despiseth mee and hee that despiseth mee despiseth him that sent me Luk. 10. 16. So much shall suffice to have been spoken of the first way whereby Christ is said to have the seven Starres that is the Ministers of the Church namely he hath the sending of them Secondly Hee hath them that is hee hath the giving of them their Commission as they have their Mission from him so they have their Commission from him too They are not onely messengers but Embassadors This Commission hath two things first the heads of their Embassage that Christ sends them to treat of Secondly the authority of their Embassage that Christ invests them with For the first the heads of their commission Christ hath the appointing of them what they shall treat of and they are five First they shall preach the Word Goe and preach the Gospel to every creature Mark 16. 15. Secondly to remit the sin of all them that doe embrace the Gospel Joh. 20. 23. that is to pronounce all the promises of the Covenant of Grace and in particular forgivenesse of sins to all true penitent and beleeving Soules Thirdly to administer the Sacraments of the New Testament to all the said persons to whom the promises of eternall life doe belong for the assuring of their hearts concerning all the things of the Kingdome of God to them in particular Matth. 28. 19. Fourthly To build up the Church of God for the perfecting of the Saints and the edifying of the body of Christ untill they all come c. Ephes 4. 12. Fifthly to shut the Kingdome of Heaven upon all that have an evill heart of unbelief to goe on in their sins and not to stoop to the Scepter of Jesus Christ Mark 16. 16. and in divers other places These are the heads of their commission that Christ will have them treat of in their Embassage unto men Secondly now for the Authority that hee invests them with it is not any carnall or earthly authority to jet and to vaunt or to domineere as though they were Lords and Gods heritage 1 Pet. 5. 3. no sayes Christ it shall not be so with you But hee that is greatest among you hee shall bee as the least Luk. 22. 26. and therefore I doe not here speak of any earthly authority No the Authority that Christs Ministers have and they have it from him is a spirituall Authority uamely not onely to preach and to declare forgivenesse of sin and to administer the seales of the covenant and to build up the Saints and to denounce wrath and damnation to all that continue in their unregenerate estate through impenitence unbelief but to do all these things with a heavenly Power and Authority to have an Office under Christ for the doing of them so as to be the very mouth of Christ and that which they doe according to their commission from him to stand firme and good for ever and ever I will give power to my two witnesses Rev. 11. 3. The Lord hath given me power and authority sayes the Apostle 2 Cor. 10. 8. You will say this is great power indeed all the Kings Potentates of the earth have not so great power as this this is a power of life and death not naturall nor temporary but Spirituall and eternall this is a power not oven mens Bodies but over their soules not in small matters but either for salvation ordamnation This is a great Commission how come they by such a great one as this is O sayes Christ I am able to invest them with as much as this comes to For all power is given unto me in Heaven and Earth Matth. 28. 18. q. d. I am able to furnish you with all authority and power goe you in my name and preach you in my name in my name bid people repent and beleeve in my name open heaven to all that doe obey and shut it upon all that doe disobey and I will make it good The use of this is First have the Ministers of Christ such a Commission from Christ then they are the greatest Embassadors that ever were or can be Embassadors of earthly Kings have a great Commission they represent the Kings person from whom they come Alas what are they to these they come about petty things about civill peace or warre and yet they are Lord Embassadors they are Lords by their places they are much respected among men O then what great Embassadors are the Ministers of Jesus Christ that represent the King of Kings person that represent the person of the Lord of Lords that came to Treat of peace betweene God and Man or of open Hostility between the Creator and the Creature as Paul sayes now then wee are Embassadours for Christ As though God did beseech you by us wee pray you in Christs stead be reconciled unto God 2 Cor. 15. 20. that is we have a very great commission we represent the person of our Lord Jesus Christ we come to treat with you about eternity according as you heare us or heare us not so it will be with you unto all eternity O consider what we have to do you are enemies unto God from the womb as long as your sins doe remain ye are enemies still we come to set you at one again Yee know the condition yee know what the heads of our commission bee if yee will not hearken unto them and submit yee are damned for ever if ye doe blessed and happy are yee for evermore was there ever such a great Embassage as this as the Apostle sayes To make known the mystery of the Gospel for which I am an Embassadour in bonds Ephes 6. 19 20. q. d. though the wicked and blinde world look upon me as a Schismatique and a malefactour and cast me into the prison and here I am in bonds they see no such thing in me as an Embassadour of the great God yet the truth is though I bee in bonds they shall know it one day to their cost who I was and what a commission I had and what it is to slight it and put it off I
of Sardis containing a description of Christ from whom the Letter is sent Now Christ is here described according to the matter in hand from two royalties of his first That he hath the seven Spirits of God that is he hath the giving of the Holy Ghost and all his gifts and graces to whomsoever he pleaseth Secondly that He hath the seven Starres that is hee hath the disposing of the Ministers of the Church And this I told you is to bee meant divers wayes Christ is said to have the Ministers of the Church five wayes First hee hath the sending of them they have their Mission from him Secondly hee hath the delegating of them they have their Commission from him Thirdly bee hath the gifting of them they have their abilities from him Fourthly hee hath the prospering of them they have the successe of their labours from him Fifthly he hath the keeping of them they are put into a place continued or removed they have their liberty from him and when they are put downe or silenced it is he that does doe it The two first I have handled already first that he hath the sending of them Secondly that he hath the delegating of them I come now to the third Hee hath the gifting of them look what good gifts and abilities they have they have them all of him As Paul sayes Hee hath made us able Ministers of the New Testament not of the Letter but of the Spirit 2 Cor. 3. 6. and this was one of the ends of his Ascension as the Apostle sayes Hee ascended up on high and led captivity captive and gave gifts unto men Ephes 4. 8. that is this was one end of his ascending up to Heaven that hee might send down gifts unto his Church Now what gifts does hee mean True hee sends gifts to all his true Members but he meanes the gifting of his Ministers as it follows And hee gave some Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastours and teachers for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministery and so forth ver 11 12. And the truth is it is not without cause for of all men wee that are the Ministers of Jesus Christ have need of singular and rare gifts and abilities First To open the Scriptures the Scriptures are a great deep and they have under the Letter much admirable spirituall matter encouched and many things are hard in them as Peter sayes And a Minister is to open them and to give out the sense as it is said of the Priests They read the Law distinctly and gave out the sense and made the people to understand the Reading Nehem. 8. 8. Now if a Minister have not gifts from Jesus Christ what madde work will hee make the Scripture will bee a clasped book unto him and a Fountain sealed up Like the Philistines that in three daies could not expound Sampsons Riddle It is said of Christ that he opened the Scriptures Luk. 24. 32. The Scriptures are shut and contain Mysteries folded and lapped up now the Minister had need of abilities to open them Secondly To Teach as a Minister is to open the Scriptures which requireth great gifts so he is to teach the people out of them to draw Doctrines out of the same and this requireth great gifts too to informe the judgement to let out the light of the Word to scatter the beames of the Sun of righteousnesse abroad to dispel the darknesse of mens minds to shine round about them in spirituall knowledge This is a work of much ability as the Apostle speaks to Timothy the things which thou hast heard of mee the same commit thou to faithfull men who shall bee able to teach others 2 Tim. 2. 2. and therefore it is called Prophecying Despise not Prophecying that is despise not Teaching a man had need of a speciall gift to be able to Prophesie so if a man would be a Teacher when Nicodemus would expresse what an able Teacher Christ was sayes hee Thou art a teacher come from God A man had need to be one that hath been with God that would teach aright There is a gift of fitnesse and aptnesse without which a man cannot doe it The servant of the Lord must bee apt to teach 2 Tim. 2. 24. the Apostle tells us there bee heapes of naughty teachers in the world a good teacher is a rare man it cannot bee without all wisdome as hee sayes Teaching every man in all wisdome Col. 1. 28. we are to teach people the learning of the holy how to know God how to fear him and love him Wee are to teach people how to pray how to walk in all holines and righteousnes of living the great things of Gods Law the deep things of the Spirit the mysteries of eternall life to open the wiles of Satan the mistakes of the hearts of men the many by-wayes of the soule ye know sin is covered over with pleasures and profits and carnall reasons and evasions and we are to lay it out naked as indeed it is Gracious and godly courses seem grievous and irksome and uncouth and vile and needlesse and we are to discover the inward pleasure and commodity and necessity and glory of them and therfore wee have need of abilities Thirdly to Convince yee know how the heart does use to put off the Word and if it meet with a doctrine or a reproof or a precept that it does not like it will deny it it will cavill and carp O it is false as Johanan and others said to Jeremiah it is false you doe not say true wee will never beleeve it When wee paint out a drunkards damned estate he is ready to gainsay it or an adulterers he is ready to except people contradict such passages of the Word as are against their lusts and they give us very little better then the lye many times therefore a Minister should bee able to convince that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gain-sayers Tit. 1. 9. when people are subject to condemn us for harshnesse and hard sayings and that we doe not preach placentia enough we must be able to use some speech that cannot be condemned Tit. 2. 8. when a Minister preaches weakly Sermons like wide nets or rotten threads that the Birds may get through or break this is not able preaching as Zwinglius said of Carolostadius when he heard him disputing weakly against consubstantiation O sayes he I am sorry that so good a cause should have such a weak defendant It is said of Apollos that hee mightily convinced the Jewes Stephen the University-men there that came huddling about him they were not able to withstand the Spirit and the wisdome by which hee spake Act. 6. 10. it is the promise of our Saviour I will give you a mouth and wisdome which all your adversaries shall not bee able to gainsay or resist Luk. 21. 15. Fourthly to move the affections Ministers have need
to you wretch that devise evill the Lord knowes your devilish intentions ye are thinking to be revenged but God will be revenged on you ye are minding to go by-and-by to such a piece of villany but the Lord will find you out This is preaching in season So when a soule cannot be cast downe but when he comes to a Sermon there he meets with his owne case his temptations are treated of wine and oyle is powred into his wounds this is to preach in due season O what gifts had a Minister need to have He had need of daily inflvence from God Daily instincts that God should guide his tongue and his heart Now Beloved it is Christ alone that gifts all his true Ministers I will be with thy mouth saies he to Moses The use of this is First here we see that a Minister had not need be a foole no no he that winneth soules is wise Pro. 11. 30. he must be a wise man that would be a Minister it requires more then humaine wisedome to catch soules when the heart hath so many put-offs so many deceits so many strongholds so loth to obey the word so subtill to invent excuses so crafty to thrust away the truth There is some wisdome required to catch fishes and birdes and vermine how much more to catch men who is sufficient for these things The best of us all may blush to thinke how unfit we are to be Ministers O how should we blesse God if he fit any of us in any suitable measure and when we have done our best we had need to goe home and downe on our knees and cry shame on our selves for not doing better Secondly Then they are none of Christs Ministers that are not gifted for this mighty worke Will he send a foole on such a waighty Message as this is He that sendeth a Message by the hand of a foole cutteth off the feet and drinketh dammage Pro. 26. 6. That is if a man have a businesse of any great importance He had not need to imploy a foole in it lest he suffer great dammage It is all one as if one should chop off ones feet then bid him go on our errand O Beloved preaching of the Gospell is a worke of infinit importance the humbling of mens hearts the convincing of consciences the converting of mens Soules these are great businesses doubtlesse they are no Fooles that Christ sends on such errands True all Christs Ministers are not alike gifted some have meaner gifts then othersome have but he that hath least he is fitted in some measure to dispence divine mysteries to call home Gods elect to build up the called to judge all his hearers to stop the mouthes of gainsayers to hew down the obstinate to shew unto men the things belonging to their peace to give the Saints their due and the wicked their due That a good man cannot come but he shall have heavenly meat to feed on Nor a wretch neither but his Ministery wil single him out give him his bit to chew upon He that cannot doe this in any measure he is none of Christs Ministers Surely he will not send such a Message by a fooles hand but either he makes him a wise able man or else he runs without his sending Thirdly then my Brethren hence we learn whether to go for gifts if we would be enabled to our calling let us goe to Jesus Christ that hath the seven stars in his hands he can make our inflvences strong and our light heate mighty he can give us a gift of boldnesse to feare no mens faces He can unty our stammering tongues that we shall have liberty in speaking He can make our tongues a sharpe sword He can make us sons of consolation unto some of thunder unto others If we want knowledge in the mysterie of Christ let us make our wants knowne unto him he will instill into us If we want words he can make them flow in unto us If we want affections he can purge away our iniquities fire our hearts lips While the Apostles were together at prayer Act. 1. 14. suddenly the Lord Jesus sent them the gift of the holy Ghost in fiery cloven tongues Act. 2. While Paul and Silas were praying in the prison the Lord backt them from Heaven made them instruments of turning the heart of the Goaler Let us pray then not only in our Pulpits before our Sermons but also in secret God giveth the greatest gifts in secret and like man revealeth himself apart as secret meales make a fat body so does secret prayer it makes a well-liking soule Again this should teach us to stirre up the gifts that hee gives us Wee should labour to put them forth a man may lose the benefit of Christs gifts for want of rouzing up himself and putting of them forth as Paul sayes to Timothy I put thee in remembrance that thou stirre up the gift of God which is in thee by the putting on of hands 2 Tim. 1. 6. wee must stir up the gift in us When Father Isaac would prophecy to his Sons hee stirred up his spirit with savoury meat When Elisha would Prophecy before the three Kings hee called for a Minstrell to stirre up the spirit of Prophecy in him Deborah cryes awake awake Deborah Awake O my soule sayes David When Christ would pray to his Father the Text shews how hee stirred up himself These things spake Jesus and lift up his eyes unto heaven Joh. 17. 1. He lift up his soule and his spirit as Sampson went and shook himself if his spirit had been in him it had been well but like a foole he had driven him away But it should seem when hee had the spirit in him this was his wont hee shooke himself as at other times hee used to stirre up the Spirit in him so wee should stirre up the Spirit in us wee should rouze up our gifts like sparks out of the ashes and bestirre our selves soundly remisse using of them lets them warpe and wane Again wee should labour to relye more upon Christ we trust too much to our notes but O if wee could trust more to Christ that 's warmest matter that comes down from heaven in the speaking not that wee should leave all without study till wee come into our Pulpits No prepare as much as wee can But then if we would trust in Christ for his present assistance and yearn up to him for prompting it would make our Ministery more lively When a Sermon is an effect of Faith that 's it that does most good then Christs Spirit Preaches and not wee as the Prophet David sayes The Spirit of the Lord spake by mee 2 Sam. 23. 2. Again this should teach the people of God if they would have their Ministers inabled indeed to doe their soules good that they should pray for them that Christ would mor furnish them How often does the Apostle tell the people that
and ye shall prosper 2 Chron. 20. 20. O if Kings and Princes would do so now call upon people up and down O Sirs beleeve the Lords Prophets and ye shall prosper Ye that have Gods Ministers among you beleeve them may bee when they threaten against all your sinfull courses they tell you of hell and damnation and heaven and salvation ye hardly beleeve any such thing O beleeve them that it may goe well with you Remember they be of Christs placing among you He put them into your Pulpits he gives them the Themes that they preach to you from day to day Beleeve them Fourthly Hath Christ the placing of Ministers then never complain of gracelesse Ministers O ye have gracelesse Ministers and our Minister is not as he should be he is not a good liver he does not preach to the Conscience People are apt to complaine of Patrons and such and such causes but let mee tell you you murmure against Jesus Christ every Parish in England might have a good and a godly Minister a Minister after Gods own heart for all that I know if they would goe to Jesus Christ he hath the placing of Ministers Now what is the reason that there are no more able worthy Ministers every where Answer Surely if Christ were sought to this would quickly be holpen when Judah had no Ministers in the Captivity their soules starved for want of good feeding thousands perisht and their soules were quite lost for lack of Vision What sayes Christ to them Turn ye backsliding children saith the Lord for I am marryed unto you and I will take you one of a city and two of a Family and I will bring you to Zion And I will give you Pastours according to my heart which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding Jer. 3. 14 15. people are subject to murmure and this is long of such and such that wee have no better Ministers whereas the Truth is it is long of our selves iniquity abounds every where the love of many waxes cold people grow weary of wholsome Doctrine they have itching eares they are full fed any Ministery is good enough for them if a man prophesie of Wine and strong drink hee shall even bee the Prophet of this people Mich. 2. 11. that is any Prophet is good enough for them fitter than a better One that would shew people how to get Bread and Drink and Wine and profits and pleasures People would rather hear such a one preach than to hear of Repentance and Mortification and Faith and Holinesse and the wayes of God they care not for these things The true Preaching of the Word is as contrary to the disposition of men as can be Nothing is more irksome unto them as the Word rightly taught It goes against their lusts it crosses their wicked wills They are weary of it they say unto God depart from us they will not let Christ reigne in their hearts therefore we may rather wonder that there is any good Minister in the Kingdome any where wee are to blesse God and pray for our Governours that wee have any good Ministers at all the truth is wee deserve not any There is so little Religion every where so much hypocrisie so much profession without any power of godlinesse such a deale of vanity and unsoundnesse and hollow-heartednesse nay among such as have gone for good Christians so much falsehood and rottennesse and apostacy to what end should Christ let us have any more Preaching Wee give the world occasion to think that Preaching is the cause of all this wretchednesse What a dishonour is this to Jesus Christ and therefore no marvaile we have no more wee may admire the patience of God that wee have any Fifthly Hath Christ the placing of Ministers then see whether to goe for good Ministers Christ is the generall Patron of all Livings Hee can present whom hee will to a Parish and therefore we should pray unto him When our Saviour Christ preached here and there and saw how the people came out of all Parishes to him it seems though they had Levites in their own Synagogues yet they did not know how to feed their flocks they were as sheep for all them without a shepheard there was hardly ere a good Minister among them all Mark what the Text sayes Jesus had compassion on them because they were scattered abroad as sheep having no shepheard O sayes he Pray yee therefore the Lord of the Harvest that he would send forth labourers into his harvest Mat. 9. 38. so much for the first Secondly Now as Christ hath the placing of Ministers so hee hath the continuing of them as long as hee pleases Hee continued the Prophet Isaiah in his Ministery during the Reigne of foure Kings Hee kept the Prophet Hosea in his function during the reign of five Kings though the times were very bad When it was told Christ that Herod sought his life that hee would not onely put him besides his Ministery but also his very life sayes he Goe tell that Fox Behold I cast out Devils and I doe cures to day and to morrow and the third day I shall bee perfect Luk. 13. 32. Christ had his time appointed him by his Father himself and hee would Preach all that time out and all the devills in hell and all his Enemies on earth should not hinder him So Beloved it is with all his Ministers hee hath set them a time and hee hath power to continue them all that time I shall preach to day and to morrow and such a day doe the world what they can they cannot hinder his ministers from preaching till Christ please as hee told his people Though the Lord give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction yet shall not thy Teachers bee removed into a corner any more But thine eyes shall see thy Teachers Esa 30. 20. q. d. though thy Ministers have been put by yet I will restore them againe and they shall not be put by any more I have power to continue them as long as I will when he called Noah to preach to the old world he appointed him 120. years and hee continued him all that while whether the wicked world would or no. And the Reason is first because Ministers are his Embassadors Now a King it is in his choyce how long his Embassadors shall lye Lieger in a forain Country he hath so many businesses for them to doe and so long they shall continue there So true ministers are the Embassadors of Christ as the Apostle Paul speaks Now then we are Embassadors for Christ as though God did beseech you by us wee pray you in Christs stead be reconciled unto God 2 Cor. 5. 20. we are Christs Ambassadours and therfore he will continue us as long as he list as long as he hath any busines to doe as long as he hath any soules to save any men or women to reconcile to his father or to build up so
know all thy workes i I know them to be all starke naught Some thinke this is an allusion to the Minister of Sardis his name who they say was called Zosing that is Living Thou hast a name that thou livest but the truth is thou art dead whether that be so or no I know not but this is the meaning of the words that both the Minister and the Church seemed to be alive towards God hee to be a very good and godly Minister and they very good and godly hearers they were all professors they were all very devout and forward in all their duties of Religion to see to Thou hast a name that thou livest By name is meant a meere name as wee see by the clause following and art dead for when a man is dead the name to live must needs be a meere Name First a Name in regard of themselves they tooke themselves to be alive as Paul had a name to live before his conversion while yet hee was a Pharisee hee had then a name to live I was alive without the Law once Rom. 7. 9. That is I had a name to live then I taking my selfe to be alive I thought verily in those dayes that I had true Grace true Faith and true Hope and true Love and the true feare of God before my eyes So this Church had a name to live they thought themselves to be alive Secondly a name in regard of other godly Churches others in the judgement of Charity conceived they were alive as the Scribes the Pharisees our Saviour Christ told them they had a name to live Woe unto you Scribes and Pharisees Hypocrites for yee are like unto whited Sepulchers which indeed appeare beautifull outward but are within full of dead mens bones Matthew 23. 27. that is yee seeme to be alive yee have a name to live but indeed yee are dead They had such a great name to live that our Saviour Christ had much a doe to keepe his owne Disciples from over-weening of them beware of them sayes hee q. d. what ever yee may thinke they have a meere Name to live Thirdly a name among poore ignorant and simple people yee know there be abundant of poore simple people that are led away with shewes that know not what true Religion is nay may be hate it but yet they are led away with the shew of it now they that seeme to be religious they are the onely Men and Women with such they are held for the only good people in a Country they are admired poore silly people take them for their Ghostly Fathers if they can have but their Prayers they thinke their Prayers can do much when they are sick they love a life to have such by their bedsides they give them a great deale of comfort like Absulom that comforted the people that came to him O your matters are good so the Apostle shewes that they that had a sorme of godlinesse had a name to live among a company of poore silly people 2 Tim. 3. 5. 6. Fourthly a name among the persecutors of Religion and so they are persecuted too among them that live indeed for mockers take them to be of the same number So Alexander the Coppersmith had a name a great while and the enemies of goodnesse persecuted him even as Paul so Demas for a time had a name and was persecuted as well as the Apostle till afterwards hee was weary and forsooke him This is one of your Precisians this is one of you purer people this is one of them that call themselves the people of God These are the people of the Lord Ezek. 36. 20. as a Bat hath a name to be a Mouse and so the Birds persecute it and cannot abide it Now the point of Doctrine is this that it is a horrible thing to rest in a meere name of being Religious it is the argument that Christ uses to prove that Sardis workes were all starke naught because they had a meere name to live so when the Lord would declare how the Jewes were growne to be starke naught hee layes this to their charge that they had onely a name to bee his people They call themselves of the holy City and stay themselves upon the God of Israel the Lord of Hosts is his name Isaiah 48. 2. that is they got themselves a name to bee his people and there was all they had not the thing it selfe but they tooke the name thus hee proved them to bee starke naught The reasons are first because this is to be farthest off from Religion religion is a reall thing and therefore he that rests in having the name of it is farthest off from it as Christ sayes of Nathaniel Behold an Israelite indeed in whom is no guile Ioh. 1. 47. so when a man is religious indeed humble indeed feares God indeed this is religion when a man is freed indeed from his sinnes and from the power of them this is religion if the Sonne shall make you free ye shall be free indeed Joh. 8. 36. Now when a man hath only the name he is farthest off from this Religion is a reall solid and a substantiall thing as Iohn sayes my little children let us not love in word neither in tongue but in deed and in truth 1 Joh. 3. 18. what though a man have the name to love God and goodnesse how farre is this off from doing of it indeed a man may goe for one that is converted but he is converted that is converted indeed so he is godly that is godly indeed the name is nothing where the thing is wanting all religion is in deed to believe indeed to deny a mans selfe every day indeed to be sensible of God indeed in all ones waies not to say ones prayers but to pray indeed to give God thankes indeed to worship him indeed as Paul sayes when a man can say God is in us indeede 1 Corinthians 14. 25. when a man hath onely the name this is a meere fancy and conceit Secondly it is a very blasphemy to get the name for good people when wee are not good people indeed the reason is this Religion hath an inward dependance upon God it unites a man to God it hath an internall relation unto God it puts a man in a propriety with God that God is his God that hee is borne of God it puts the very Name of God upon a man now if a man take the name with out the thing it must neede bee a very blasphemy as hee sayes I know the blasphemy of them that say they are Iewes and are not but are the Synagogue of Satan Revelations 2. 9. as if a man should say hee were of the blood royall yee know the blood royall hath such a dependance on the Crowne that that man that should say hee were of the blood royall and is not hee must needes blaspheme the King So beloved Religion hath a neere dependance on God
life of Eloqution so I may say of preaching affections are the life of preaching now by affections I doe not meane feigned and forced affections they are no affections indeed but when a man preaches so for the matter and manner indeed affectionate matter and with a true affected heart that he may move the hearts of men as one says the world is now full of knowledge as a drunkard is full of wine that his stomack is not able to digest so I say people have more knowledge then they can well digest the stomack wants heat to concoct it for their good as Rodolphus Agricola speakes any man that hath learning may teach but to move the heart and affections it requires more a great deale This is lively preaching when a Minister sets himself to be in mens bosoms what alively preacher was the Apostle Paul you may see by his dealing with Agrippa he made the Kings heart even yearne againe with his speaking the King confest how his speaking worked within his bosom almost thou perswadest me to be a Christian Act. 26. 28. so you may see by the Galatians his preaching did not onely convert many of them but those whom he did not convert he did wonderfully work upon their hearts that they could have be contented to have pluckt out their eyes have given them to him Gal. 4. 15. such a lively preacher was he in the second of Judges that when he preacht he set all the people a melting a weeping like little children that had been beaten Judg. 2. 4. 5. I grant it may be the best and liveliest Ministers under heaven cannot do so now peoples hearts are more hardned But yet though we cannot undertake to move any one mans heart that 's the worke of God yet our Ministry may be lively First by labouring to make the things that we preach as it were lively before peoples eyes as the Apostle preached Christ crucified even as if he were crucified before his peoples eyes Gal. 3. 1. so Moses had a very lively Ministry the Text sayes he set before them life and death he laboured to preach with that evidence as if he had set before their eyes life death heaven and hell good and evill when a Minister preaches in the evidence and the demonstration of the Spirit 1 Cor. 2. 4. when he labours to bring the Gospell plainly to mens hearts a man may teach the Gospell but it is not preaching except he set it lively forth and labour to make people see it this is the truth and this is your sinne against that truth this is the doctrine and thus you faile in the doctrine this is the threatning of God and thus you lye under the threatning otherwise they heare a Sermon as if it did not concern them Secondly coming to particulars generals are but dead we see they leave people dead people have a hundred tricks to put them off but when a preacher comes to particulars he either quickens or slayes he convinces either to life or to death when a Minister layes the truth at every mans doore he presses it upon every mans heart he meets with many a put off he makes every conscience say I am the man except they be asleep or their minds are a wooll-gathering he darts into his hearers faces a view of their particular estates he toucheth their copy-hold he confutes their false pleas and knocks off the fingers that would be applying of a promise when it does not concern them puts it onely upon the soule to whom it does belong This is lively preaching that gives to every soule his due terror to whom teror comfort to whom comfort belongs milk to the Babe strong meat to the grown oyle to the bruised and a sword into the hard heart a whip for the Horse and a Bridle for the Asse and a rod for the fooles back Prov. 26. 3. application is the life of preaching this serves to condemne such a one this serves to confute such a one this serves to comfort such a one when a Minister does as Paul sayes divide the word aright 2 Tim. 2. 15. Thirdly by worrying of people out of their sinnes when a Minister will not let people be quiet in any of their sinfull courses when he labours daily to vex their guilty consciences and to turne them from day to day as the two witnesses did Rev. 11. 10. that they may say we cannot be quiet for this man he makes me sit upon thornes when a Minister labours to make hell to have every vile wretch and heaven and the promises to have every honest heart c. Fourthly by being pittious and affectionate towards the poore people to let them see how we pity their condition as we should doe what we can to make them feele their damned estate as also with bowels and compassion labour that they may see we doe pity them therefore preaching sometimes is called lamentation in Scripture Ezek. 19. 1. it may be people then may say what a beast am I how does our Minister pity us he mourns over us and bewayles us what a wretch am I that I doe not bewayle mine own case O beloved what a wofull thing is it that any of us should perish to be damned for ever in hell to lye in eternall paines what a pity is this is it not much better ye should embrace the good word of God and beleeve and take Jesus Christ and be willing to doe any thing he would have you to doe then to lye by it for ever in the paines of hell for the pleasures of sinne for a season alas it is for want of bowels that we doe no more good Fifthly by being deeply affected with the word of God laying nothing on peoples backs but what we lift up upon our owne shoulders speaking the truth from the bottom of our hearts uttering the word of God with feeling and with a contrite spirit O if we could drop our Sermons as dew down from heaven on our people this would be lively preaching indeed as the Prophet Ezekiel did he dropt the word of God upon Ierusalem Ezek. 21. 2. so if our Sermons did come droping downe from us as if they dropt downe from heaven O how coldly doe our Sermons come from our mouthes we doe not preach as if the word came downe from heaven as if our hearts were no higher then our pulpits Lastly by getting the Lord to goe along with our Ministry for it is not our preaching it self that hath any life no it is but a dead letter as Micha sayes I am full of power by the Spirit of the Lord Mich. 3. 8. REVEL 3. 2. And art Dead THese words as ye heard have a twofold relation one to the Angell of the Church in Sardis thou art dead thy Ministry is dead there 's no life nor heat at all in thy Ministry it is no stirring Ministry thou art dead another to the Church it self thou art
to doe good nay does he not shrinke and winch and draw back we see thus in the Jewes how irksome the Sabbath was to them when they were held from buying and selling O that the Sabbath were over Am. 8. 5. it may be men doe not finde the Sabbath so tedious now because they help themselves by talking of the world by taking liberty that way but if they were held to it as they ought to be would they not wish it to be over The like we may see in the young man what an irksome thing was it to him to heare that he must fell away all the Text sayes he was sad at that saying Mark 10. 22. now is not this too a very hideous thing to be dead-hearted when it makes all the wayes of God tedious nothing should be more delightfull unto us then they they are perfect freedome there is great reward in them they are the best wayes in the world all his wayes are wayes of pleasantnesse and all his pathes are peace and if we were quickened in our hearts we would say so too as the Apostle speakes when he had said that none of Gods Commandements are grievous 1 Joh. 5. 3. in the next words he gives a reason of it O sayes he He that is borne of God overcometh the world that is he that hath the life in him that cometh from above he hath gotten above the world he hath past all the irksomnesse of them The irksomenesse of any commandement does not lie in the commandement that is sweet and pleasant but it lyes in the deadnesse of the heart a dead heart will ever count them grievous Seventhly as religion is an irksome thing to a dead heart so a dead heart if it should take it up it will in the end be weary of it as we see in the example of Israel when they grew to be dead-hearted towards God at last they were weary of his worship they went and devised othergets worships an easier kinde of religion they were weary of his Thou hast beene weary of me O Israel Isa 43. 22. we see this in Judah too Behold what a wearinesse is it Mal. 1. 13. this is too plaine and palpable how are we growne weary of God and of his pure service we have had the Gospell so long till we are even weary of it weary of sanctity weary of spirituall truth whence are all innovations but because people are weary of the old way many that have been very forward in preaching and in hearing and very zealous of good courses they begin to abate to side with the times to remit of their former strictnesse whence is all this whence is it that we see so many apostates that once loved good people now doe not once were very zelous against disorders now are not once were against humane devises now are not now they can brook any thing well enough they are weary of their first pitch they were wound up too high now they let themselves downe againe all this is because men have no life in them they are dead to what they did professe you shall see many a man smitten at the word and there he is knockt downe and sees what wretched courses he hath taken that will lead him to hell well he goes and reformes and growes very precise and now there shall not be a Sermon but hee 'l heare it There shall not be any good Christian duty but he will take it up hee 'l leave his old acquaintance hee 'le joyne himselfe to good people hee 'le have very good orders in his Family all this is well if 't would hold I but if this man doe not goe on to get the grace of life in the end hee 'le be weary a dead heart be it never so forward it will end in wearinesse It is meerely for want of quickening that any man growes weary of well-doing as the Apostle sayes Be not weary of well-doing for in due time ye shall reap if ye faint not Gal. 6. 9. take heed ye doe not let quickening goe if ye let your quickening goe directly you 'le grow weary if ye suffer your selves to faint if ye doe not get aqua-vitae to cure your fainting sits you 'le be weary of well-doing now beloved what a pitifull thing is this that we should be weary of well-doing if any of us have begun to doe well O how should we labour that we may never grow weary how ever things goe though persecution arise what ever dealings we meet with at the hands of the wicked world yet never to give in what ever flesh and bloud say what ever discouragements we meet with from without or from within we should earnestly labour that we may never be weary of wel-doing never weary of preaching to their conscience never weary of attending on the word or of preaching of our hearts or of resisting of sinne or of redeeming our time or of keeping our garments never weary of washing our hands in innocency and keeping of our selves that the wicked one touch us not and therefore what a dangerous thing is it to be dead-hearted for that 's the high way to be weary of well-doing at the last This then is the second use that we are to make of this point to see what a dangerous thing it is to be a dead Christian REVEL 3. 1. And art Dead I Come now to the fourth thing and that is this what it is to be aliving Christian First I will describe it by the efficient cause Secondly by the Instrumentall cause Thirdly by the parts of it For the first the efficient cause that makes one a liveing Christian is God as the Psalmist sayes he is the fountaine of life Psal 36. 9. He is the fountaine of al life it is he that makes one a living man He giveth life and breath to all Act. 17. 25. if he should take away our naturall life we dye and turne againe unto our earth as long as he breatheth on us we live as Elihu speakes the breath of the Almighty gives me life Job 33. 4. yea all the world would be a dead Chaos if he did not quicken it there 's a kinde of life in every thing that hath being But it would be a dead Masse if he did not concurre with it what is money and meat and clothes and friends and life and health it selfe men thinke they are well to live when they have them all True if he blesse them and quicken them unto us but if he be wanting to them they are dead things and can doe us no good nay the word of life it self it is but a dead letter without him all the ordinances of God we see they Minister life to some because God puts life into them but if he doe not put life into them they are sappelesse and cadaverous things so that God is the author even of our naturall life as John sayes in him is life and his life is the life of men
and the Starres which thou hast ordained then I say Lord what is man Psal 83 4. you see how stirring his minde was when he considered the heavens and the earth it wrought mightily on him it made him the more humble Others see the Heavens every day and it does not move them one whit to Humiliation before God But when the minde comes once to consider then it shakes off its dulnesse and remissnesse then it growes busie such a man will not goe to Prayer but he considers what he goes about what a great God he is to speake to what a vile creature himselfe is that is to pray to him he will consider how he may pray with faith and hope and feeling of his wants how he may rise up from his knees not without profit Now he will not goe to the word but he will consider what it is he repaires to now all his mind is how he may get good now he is busie in every duty when he is tempted to doe as others doe he considers what the issue will be and this makes him forbeare Beloved this is the life of our mindes when they consider things when we consider our latter end when we consider Gods promises when we consider his threatenings when we take his commandements into our deep consideration when we consider the danger of sinne we doe not onely know all these things but we consider them Though we know neere so much yet except we consider what we know our mindes are lumpish and dead consideration is the activity of the minde and therefore if we would prove our selves to be alive towards God let us put on consideration a dayes Fourthly the remembring of the minde when the minde forgets it selfe every day this is nothing but the deadnesse of the minde for if it be alive to a thing it will be sure to remember it selfe of that if it oan Can a maide forget her ornaments or a Bride her attire yet my people have forgotten me dayes without number Jer. 2. 32. that is my people are dead-minded to me if they regarded me they would remember themselves every day to serve me looke what a man is alive to the minde will be sure to remember us of that we can have no journey to take but our mindes remember us of it no businesse to doe to feed our Cattell to milke our kine every morning and evening to sheare our sheepe every Lammas if we forget any thing in this kinde presently it 's a 100. to one but we remember our selves now when a man is alive to the best things in some measure he will remember himselfe of them every day so David did I remembred thy name O Lord yea in the night too and so I kept thy Law Psal 119. 55. I remembred my selfe and I would be sure to doe what God bid me do it may be his heart began to arise but presently he remembred himselfe and beat it downe againe it may be some other lust began to be up but by and by he remembred him and checked his owne soule when the minde is alive towards God the knowledge of the word does not lie dead in that man but still he remembers it at every need when the Sabbath is coming then thinkes he I remember what God bade me doe Remember the Sabbath day to keepe it holy when the Sacrament comes then he remembers himselfe O thinkes he let a man examine himselfe and so let him eat of that Bread and drinke of that Cup now the minde thinkes I will labour to remember God continually what ever I forget I will not forget him when I rise up when I lie downe still I will set my selfe to remember him when I goe out when I come home what ever the Devill say what ever the flesh whisper I will labour still to remember God if I be tempted to wrath then I desire to remember what God sayes give not place to the Devill when I feel spirituall lazinesse then I will unfeignedly endeavour to remember what God speakes unto me cursed is he that does the worke of the Lord negligently c. Fifthly the inventings or the devisings of the heart where the minde is naturally bent and alive there it is witty if riches if preferment if pleasure if learning be a mans lust that he lives in there he is witty so when a man is a live unto God his wit will have that way it's vent as Christ sayes I finde out witty inventions Prov. 8. 12. he speakes not onely of himselfe But of his grace in every one that is this when the minde is alive set towards Christ it will finde out witty inventions nay it 's a strange thing though men have no parts yet if they be worldly how witty they are for such matters and so for good people whose mindes are turned towards God though they be of very weake parts yet how witty they will be in good things what pretty ways they will have to doe good to shunne offences to break occasions of sinne as a Minister in his preaching as Paul sayes I caught you with guile 2 Cor. 12. 16. so let man have a liberall minde the Prophet sayes he will devise liberall things Isa 32. 8. mercy and truth shall be to them that devise good Prov. 14. 22. whence comes the blockishnesse of our mindes but from this that our mindes are so dead if our mindes were more alive towards God it would make us more graciously witty we should devise good things finde out admirable inventions it would teach us plots against Satan plots against the flesh as the wicked their mindes are full of sinfull devises fetches stratagems policies a man would wonder to see how witty the devill is in them to carry them headlong to hell c. Sixthly and lastly the judging of the minde But I spake of this not long agoe and therefore I will let it alone now thus I have shewed you what a lively Christian is in regard of his minde Now the next is that we shew you what a live Christian is in regard of the heart c. And then in regard of the conscience c. and then in regard of the affections c. REVEL 3. 1. And art Dead THe point we are in is this That a dead Christian is as good as no Christian at all First we have opened the meaning of this point and shewed you what is meant by a dead Christian Secondly we have shewed you that this is so by going over all the graces of Gods spirit a man hath near a one of them all that is dead againe by going over all the duties of Christian Religion ye heard a man does neare a one of them all as long as he does them onely in a dead hearted manner Thirdly I shewed you the reasons of this point why a dead Christian is even as no Christian at all there be many reasons of it it stands with good reason that it