one that grew and proceeded higher and higher in the measures of his Divine Attainments He still taught the people higher knowledge or more profound Mysteries and this the after-words seem to declare I shall first take this word still as it gives forth the Preacher's fixation duration and continuation at his Work He did not tire or wax weary of his Imployment but he still went on teaching the People Whence Doct. 5. Take this Doctrine or Conclusion That every wise Preacher ought to persist and continue or go on with his Work of Preaching to the People He still taught the people knowledge This is that frame of Spirit the Lord seems to injoyn and expect at the hands of his Servants as the passage seems to imply Cursed be the man the doth the Work of the Lord deceitfully or as thâ— Margin hath it negligently Jer. 4.8 10. the liâ—â— we have chap. 17.16 where Jeremiah tells the Lord I have not hastned from being a Pastor to fâ—low thee Thus Jesus Christ practised Luk. 8. â— He went saith the Text throughout every City an Village Preaching and shewing the glad-tydings 〈◊〉 the Kingdom of God And this you have from thâ— Lord given forth Luk. 9.60 where Jesus saith No man having put his hand to the Plow and looking back is fit for the Kingdom of God The likewise was Paul's practice as he tells the Churâ—â— of Ephesus Therefore watch and remember that frâ—â— the space of three years he ceased not to warn eveâ— one of them night and day with tears Acts 2â— 31 To name but one place more for the proâ—â— of the Doctrine that every wise holy Gospel Preacher once called to that Work ought to persevere and continue diligent therein as you have it He still taught the people knowledge The other passage I shall quote is in 1 Tim. 4.13 14 15 16. where Paul directs Timothy saying Till 〈◊〉 come give attendance to Reading to Exhortaties to Doctrine Neglect not the Gift that is in theâ— which was given thee by Prophesie with the laying on of the hands of the Presbytery Meditate on these things give thy self wholly to them that thy profiting may appear to all Take heed unto thy self and unto the Doctrine continue in them for in dâ—ing this thou shalt both save thy self and them that hear thee But a little further to open this Let me give you some Reasons or Arguments to clear this to be a Truth That every Preacher ought diligently to persist in Preaching Reas 1. First Because if the Preacher's opportunity be continued his diligence and painfulness in Preaching ought also to be continued for not only Gifts and Grace are Talents to be faithfully and diligently improved but Time also is a Talent to be improved and that as conscionably and diligently by Preachers as by any men That Time and Opportunities are to be husbanded and improved take Christ's own words upon this very occasion when his Disciples would have perswaded him to have desisted from Preaching for fear of the Jews a plausible Argument to avoid persecution but mark Christ's Answer Are there not twelve hours in the day John 13.9 Day-time is given us for day-work and walks not to idle and loyter in This the Ruler of the Synagogue well understood though misapplyed when he said to the people There are six dayes in the which men ought to work Luke 13.14 Therefore if Jesus Christ allow a Preacher life-time health and opportunity he ought to trade with that Talent and improve that Opportunity as the Apostle Paul witnesseth saying As we have opportunity let us do good unto all Gal. 6.10 Reas 2. Secondly Preachers should still persist and persevere in Preaching and Teaching the People Knowledge because the people still need knowledge and it is the peoples ignorance that calls for Preaching therefore while the people are short and wanting in knowledge the wise Preacher must not beshort or wanting in Preaching but stilâ— teach the people knowledge This our Lord declares he eyed in giving of Preaching-ministrations to the Church even the supply of the Churches need that the need of the Church should be removed by being supplyed as you find Ephes 4. from 11 to 16. where the Apostle tells us That the Lord Jesus when he gave Apostles Prophets Evangelists Pastors and Teachers he gave then to the Church and Gifts to them for the perfecting of the Saints Note It was not only to convert and beget Saints but to perfect the state and grace of such as were through Preaching savingly begotten and vers 13. the Apostle tells us again That Preaching-Ministers are given to lay oâ—â— themselves until the Saints come to a perfect measure and stature in Faith and Knowledge even beyond danger of being like Children tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of Doctrine Now if these be the ends of Preachers given and gifted by Jesus Christ then until the Saints be come to this stature and full measure in the Grace and Knowledge of Jesus Christ every wise Preacher ought to continue still to teach the people knowledge Reas 3. Thirdly Every wise and Gospel-Preacher ought to persevere and go on in teaching of the people because that which he hath to Preach or Declare to the People from the Lord is not soon Preached or Declared therefore he had great need to attend diligently and continually upon this thing even still to teach the people knowledge For as their ignorance is not soon removed so is not the whole Truth of God soon preached It will be long yea very long e're the wisest of Preachers can either know or declare the whole Counsel of God to his People Now the whole Counsel of God is to be declared as appears Acts 20.26 27 28. The Commands of the Lord are exceeding broad and the Truths of the Gospel very many 'T is not a little time spent in Preaching will serve to reveal them Preachers may begin to Preach as young as Timothy and die as old as Paul the Aged and yet be behind-hand in this Work and therefore had need doubtless to be Preaching in season and out of season yea to be instant in Preaching that is without unnecessary intermission 2 Tim. 4.2 This is the third Argument why every wise Gospel-Preacher should still teach the People knowledge Reas 4. And lastly Those whose work is to Preach to others ought not to be idle or negligent in the work of their Callings such ought not to be idle or negligent working in their own Callings But every wise Preacher hath this for his Work among other things to teach the people of God not only to remember to keep holy the Sabbath day but also to remember that six days they labour and do all that they have to do Exod. 20. Therefore every wise and honest Preacher ought to remember himself Six dayes shalt thou labour and not do this Work of the Lord deceitfully but as Paul teacheth Timothy when he saith But watch thou in
faithful able painful Gospel-Ministers bless God through Jesus Christ for this singular Gift of Grace c. But again Are Ministers of the Gospel such as have been described Christ's Gift and Ordinance both they and their Ministrations then let none intrude or impose upon you the Churches of Christ a Ministry or Ministrations which are none of Christs nor to be found contained in Scripture but being free be not the Servants of Men but remember Paul's Counsel Beware lest any man spoil you through Philosophy and vain deceit after the tradition of men and after the rudiments of the World and not after Christ Let no man at his pleasure bear rule over you by humbleness of mind and worshipping of Angels intruding into these things which he hath not seen vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind Col. 2.8 18. Further let me in the fear of the God Exhort you that injoy Christ's Ministry and their Ministrations Remember to obey them that have the Rule over you and submit your selves for they watch for your Souls as they that must give an account that they may do it with joy and not with grief for that is unprofitable for you Heb. 13.17 Their Work is hard enough from the men of this World O let it be good from you for whom they endure all things or at least very many things 2 Tim. 2.10 They do not only do much for you but also endure much for you O! therefore let them not indure any thing from you but rather according to Paul's advice Let the Elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour especially such as labour in the Word and Doctrine 1 Tim. 5.17 remembring what is said concerning them without the least shadow of pride or vanity How beautiful are the feet of them that bring glad-tydings of peace Rom. 10.15 Now if you would eminently honour and rejoyce your Ministers pray then labour greatly to improve and profit by their Administrations for such as are Christ's faithful Ministers seek not yours but you 2 Cor. 13.14 and have no greater joy than to hear that their Children walk in or according to truth 3 John 4. This makes great rejoycing and thanksgiving by Christ's Ministers when they either hear or see that those they labour among do prosper and their graces grow as we have it Ephes 1.15 16. Wherefore I also when I heard of your Faith in the Lord Jesus and love unto all the Saints cease not to give thanks for you making mention of you in my prayers whereas to find the Saints and Churches of Christ in a poor low beggarly state of Soul not improving nor profiting under means of Grace this will cause Christ and his Ministers to weep and complain and even sit down and bemoan themselves in the sense of it according to that prophesie Isa 33.7 Behold their valiant ones shall cry without the Ambassadors of Peace shall weep bitterly fulfilled by this Prophet the Type of Christ Then I said I have laboured in vain I have spent my strength for nought and in vain Chap. 49.4 And how fully was this Prophesie made good by Christ who when he was come near he beheld the City and wept over it Luke 19.41 Wherefore Sirs if you have any love to Christ or compassion towards your Ministers improve them and strive to prosper under their Ministration so will you prevent their grief and give them a good reward for their labour But again to hasten to a conclusion and closing up of the Use of Exhortation pray you if your Ministers be Christ's Ministers and Christs Ministers flow from him depend upon him and minister for him pray you joyn with and assist them in what-ever they for Christ have need of you as Paul directed the Church of the Romans To do for Phebe that ye receive her in the Lord as becometh Saints and that ye assist her in whatsoever business she hath need of you Rom. 16.2 So say I pray assist your Ministers with your watchfulness with your observation of those they labour among and for Help them with your Informations concerning what you observe wanting either in them or others Help them with your Zeal and readiness to joyn issue with them in any business of Christ like those Holy Ones we read of Exod. 36.1 Then wrought Bezaleel and Aholiab and every wise-hearted man in whom the Lord put wisdom and understanding to know how to work all manner of work for the service of the Sanctuary according to all that the Lord commanded The like frame of Spirit we read of in those mentioned Ezra 1.5 6. with Nehem. 2.18 where the People of the Lord are found thus doing And they said Let us rise up and build So they strengthened their hands for this good Work But lastly Pray you let me Exhort you to assist Ministers with your Prayers for their good and the prosperity of Christ's work in their hand remembring That whilst Moses 's hands were uplitld by Aaron and Hur Israel prevailed Exod. 17.11 12. Even so my Brethren your incessant Prayers in your Ministers behalf will utterly overthrow Amalek and help Joshua and Israel to prevail And thus I have done with this Exhortation and with what I shall offer to your consideration upon this Scripture wherein I have with what clearness and brevity conveniently I could set before you what Preaching is and whose Ordinance it is who is a truly wise Preacher and what his Work is and the Blessing and Duty of all that enjoy such Preachers Now consider and examine what hath been said and the Lord give you wisdom in all things Amen Amen FINIS
Peoples loss is great whose Preacher is a Fool even so that Peoples gain is much whose Preacher is wise unless themselves be in fault This our Preacher gives us saying The labour of the foolish wearieth every one of them because he knoweth not how to go to the City Woe to thee O Land when thy King is a Child and thy Princes eat in the morning Blessed art thou O Land when thy King is the Son of Nobles and thy Princes eat in due season for strength and not for drunkenness Eccles 10.15 16 17. Secondly They are stiled Masters of Assemblies or Societies which is a title and place of honour Now as it is Preachers honour thus to be accounted so it is the Peoples blessing and advantage have such Master-Workmen to be their Servants that can wisely and profitably serve them That this is Preacher's honour who are wise to be styled Master-Workmen in God's Israel take a Text or two Master we know that thou art true and teachest the way of God in truth Mat. 22.16 with 3 John 10. Therefore to have such Workmen must needs be the Peoples blessing and advantage Objection But some may Object and say Is it not written But the Anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you and ye need not that any man teach you but as the same Anointing teacheth you of all things 1 John 2.27 Answer To which I Answer first The Scripture no where really contradicts it self any where but agrees with it self every where and only so ought to be expounded Therefore this of John must not contradict those of Paul which have been cited which it would if this were admitted to be the sense That sanctified or anointed Persons need not the teachings of any man no though the wisest of men Which what can be more contrary to this How shall they hear without a Preacher But let us take great heed of making Scripture so much as seem to fight with it self But secondly to what hath been Objected I Answer The word need not may be taken comparatively not absolutely or positively not no need at all but not that need ye once had and all have that have not your anointing such as are partakers of the Unction of the Holy Ghost in a work of conversion have not afterward such need of any to teach them as once they had because now under the teachings of that Anointing Nor thirdly have they such a degree of need as such have who are yet without this Unction and are unregenerate They mostly need teaching who are unregenerate how much soever taught with other teaching But fourthly Consult the place and the scope is not to put by the preaching of wise but of seducing Preachers as appears vers 26. These things have I written unto you concerning them which seduce you Now though they had no need of the teachings of such as would seduce them yet it follows not that they had no need of the teachings of such who would not seduce them Fifthly Consider that though those who lived under the Apostles teaching had not such need of teaching as such who wanted that teaching yet that they wanted no teaching doth not follow And lastly Take this for Answer Such as have received the Anointing spoken of though they never enjoy afterwards any humane or instrumental teaching yet shall be taught by the Anointing provided it be God's providence not the improvidence which keeps other means of teaching from them In extraordinary cases God can and will work without means In ordinary cases God will work by means and ties us to attend upon him in the use of means and thus Faith comes by Hearing and Hearing by the Word of God Rom. 10.17 And so much for Answer of this Objection But now to return to the confirming of this Doctrine As their Titles so the Acts assigned to them by the Text and which ought to be performed of them or at least designed by them that is to be as Goads and Nails in the sense given upon the place They are Leaders Conductors or Guides of the Flock of Jesus Christ And how unskilful are the choicest Sheep to lead and conduct themselves aright in their way or journey Any Pastor as well as their proper Pastor shall become their Pastor if not conducted and guided by wise and skilful Leaders or Overseers Therefore saith the Psalmist He chose David also his Servant and took him from the Sheep-folds from following the Ewes great with young he brought him to feed Jacob his People and Israel his Inheritance So he fed them according to the integrity of his heart and guided them by the skilfulness of his hands Psal 78.70 71 72. But again Wise Preachers are not onely necessary because Master-Workmen and so Skilful and Guides and Leaders of the Flock and so useful But Thirdly They are resembled to Goads and Nails and how necessary are they the use of Goads are to excite and quicken dull and slothful Cattel to go forward and of such use is the wise Preacher both towards Sinners and Saints And thus practised Holy Peter who saith This second Epistle beloved I now write unto you in both which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance that ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the Holy Prophets and of the Commandments of us the Apostles of the Lord and Saviour 2 Pet. 3.1 2. And the need the Church hath of such Workmen the Prophet Isaiah tells us saying There is none that calleth upon thy Name that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee Isa 64.7 But Lastly To set out the worth and need of wise Preachers and their words they are resembled to Nails alluding as I suppose to the fixing stablishing Nails of the Tabernacle which how glorious a contrivance and workmanship soever in it self yet would have been of little lustre small use and short continuance if it had not injoyed these Stakes Pins or Nails to fix and fasten it as in a sure place Isa 22.23 24 25. In like manner O how mutable unsetled and like unfixed and wandering Meteors would the World and the People of God be were they without these sure hold-fasts these divine Nails and Pins as witnesseth Moses where he saith For I know that after my death ye will utterly corrupt your selves and turn aside from the way which I have commanded you Deut. 31.29 Which Prophesy was fulfilled Judges 2.10 11. But this may suffice to confirm and clear this Doctrine That wise and Spiritual-Preachers and their words are very useful and necessary for the spiritual benefit and service of God's People as the things mentioned or the choicest things in Nature can be for natural use or service Let me now come to the Application hereof The first Vse is of Information The first Use shall be for Information If wise Preachers and their words be such choice blessings to that People which enjoy them then how mistaken are such as