34.18 19 20. I beseech you dear Brethren let it be our Work and Business to do what the Prophet was commanded to do when the Lord answered and said Write the Vision and make it plain upon Tables that he that runneth may read it Habak 2.2 Oh let it be our main business not onely to know that the Lord hath Proverbs and that our Lord Jesus spake nothing without a Parable Mat. 13.34 that is little without a Parable I say This is not so much our business as to comprehend and understand how to set these Parables in order in due order in their own order Oh this is necessary and becoming wise Preachers thus to do and not to set Proverbs out of order into their own or other mens order labouring more in Preaching to keep close to their own or other mens sense and order in opening the Scripture than unto Christ's and the Scriptures order It matters not what Commentary or Commentâ— or we decline or contradict so we harmonize the Scripture and agree with the Original Sense and Scope thereof Let such as preach and would preach wisely and approvedly bâ—onfult the Sense and Interpretation of Text as well as Observation or Application of Text. For how can the Observation be true or natural or the Application forcible and strong if the Interpretation be wrong Oh taâ—e heed of wronging Proverbs by knocking Proverbs even God's Proverbs out of order and lie and say not the truth when you say the Lord saith it or the Lord's Word teacheth it and the Lord hath not said it neither doth his Word reach it Oh think frequently of that word Behold I am against the Prophets saith the Lord that use their tongues and say The Lord saith it Jer. 23.31 Think it not wisdom or excellency to darken vail or lobscure the Scripture or the Proverbs thereof but to unvail or enlighten the Scripture that is make its real Light appear lest by so doing we not only contract to our selves our own but the sins of other men also even the sin and right to the punishment of as many as have received and believed our dreams for the Visions of the Lord. 'T is more than we can well bear our own guilt and the chastisements of our own sins and errors But O! how intolerable and heavy may it prove to us to bear the guilt or punishment of the many deceived and corrupted by us The greatest of Preachers and Writers without conformity to this Doctrine lie in greatest danger as being the greatest of Deceivers But I shall say no more to this Use or Doctrine save only a closing word because I am speaking to the wise and a word to the wise may suffice and truly such as are otherwise 't is not the many words will do any good as Solomon tells us Though thou shouldest bray a fool in a morter among wheat with a pestle yet will not his foolishness depart from him Prov. 27.22 Wherefore my Brethren let us therefore as many as be perfect be thus minded and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded God shall reveal even this unto you Philippians 3.15 And so I come to the next verse or next words of the Text though I might offer another Observation from the number of Proverbs the wise Preacher set in order 't is many or the All of the many Proverbs that are in the Scripture We might note Wise Preachers are fruitful Preachers not barren lean or dry Preachers that can onely interpret some one or other single Proverb but can set in order the many or manifold Proverbs in the Scripture but I shall rather proceed and hasten to a close As this Scripture is Prophetical and looks towards the truly wise or transcendently wise Preacher our Lord Jesus that greater than Solomon we might note divers things but this I now shall want time for you find in vers 10. The Preacher sought to find out acceptable words and that which was written was upright even words of truth In general This Verse gives us account of what the Preacher sought even acceptable words and this is the second thing he sought as this verse compared with the former acquaints us But more particularly In the Verse we have two things First An account of what the Preacher sought to find out even acceptable words Secondly The excellency or property of those acceptable words in these words and that which was written was upright even words of truth or according to truth not only upright but also words of truth To begin with the first of these The Preacher sought to find out acceptable words This is every wise Preacher's Work to seek how to find out acceptable words or how to make his words acceptable For the improvement of these words one question is necessary to be resolved to wit What acceptable words are or such acceptable words are which Preachers ought to seek out I Answer First Negatively Not flattering words or deceitful words though sometimes such words Preachers seek out and the People account them acceptable as in that passage of the false Prophets who knowing the affection of the King to be for War finds out acceptable but deceitful words who said with one consent Go up for the Lord shall deliver it into the hands of the King 1 Kings 22.6 But you find these were neither upright words nor words of truth but of deceit and falshood as the consequent declared it but the words the wise Preacher sought to find out as acceptable to the People were upright even words of truth But secondly Affirmatively I say Acceptable words which wise Preachers should or do seek to find out are words meet to be accepted from him that preaches by them to whom he preaches and so is every word of truth in the general though some words more especially as Paul implies in that expression This is a saying worthy of all acceptation that Jesus Christ came into the World to save sinners of whom I am chief 1 Tim. 1.15 Thirdly Acceptable words imply words which God accepts and therefore should be acceptable with the People Though the People do not accept them yet they may be accepted of God Such were Mieaiah's words to the King when he said I saw all Israel scattered upon the Hills as Sheep that have no Shepherd and the Lord said These have no Master let them return every man to his House in peace 1 Kings 22.17 Fourthly Acceptable words imply sometimes such words as are not only words of truth in themselves and so acceptable to God but words accepted with the People and so acceptable in all respects Such were Philip's words to the Eunuch If thou believest with all thy heart thou mayest Acts 8.37 The former of these cannot be wanting in an acceptable word the latter may and yet the words be acceptable as in that of Jeremiah when he told the King of Judah Behold Pharaohs Army which is come forth to help you shall return to Egypt into their
Proposition Let me now give you some Arguments to evince this That Preachers Work is hard labour and continual imployment Arg. 1. First This must needs be thus because of the matter of Preaching which is the Mind and Will of Christ contained in the Scriptures Now this Word of Scripture is like deep yea very deep waters 't is hard to get the golden precious Truths and Counsels of Christ contained in the bottom or body of Scripture forth of them The Word of God is perfect and sufficient but not so plain and obvious that without much study and search the whole Counsel or Will of God contained therein will be attained In the Word lies contained the manifold wisdom of God but 't is hard to find out the sum and variety thereof without much diligence This Solomon implyeth when he saith Counsel in the heart of man is like deep waters but a man of understanding will draâ— it out Prov. 29.5 Now if that Wisdom or Counsel which is in the heart of wise men is like deep waters and it requires wisdom and labour too for the drawing it out Oh how much more doth it require the wisest Preachers wisdom and pains to dive into the Counsels of Christ contained and centered in these most deep Wells of Salvation or Waters of the Sanctuary the Word of God! Yea doubtless our experience witnesseth to it and we daily find all Truth is in the Scripture contained yet can we hardly draw out or comprehend so much of Truth as is essentially requisite for our selves and such as we preach to This David witnesseth when he saith Thy Righteousness is like the great Mountains and thy Judgments are a great deep Psal 36.6 Now if the Judgments Statutes Truths Ordinances of Christ all which the Preacher is to reveal and declare to the People be such a great Deep and so hard to fathom Oh how hard then is his work that is a wise Preacher he may well be searching out and after this Will of God and conclude who is sufficient for these things But again Arg. 2. Secondly As the matter of their Preaching is high and hard to attain even so the Work must needs be hard in respect of themselves They are dull and hard of Learning in what they must deliver out Oh! if a Preachers Lesson be hard and he as hard to learn any Lesson sure their task must needs be a hard task But that the best of Preachers are bad and dull Learners is most evident both by Scripture and plentiful experience as in that glorious Saint and Preacher Job How much pains did God take with Job from his Conversion even till old age and yet but in God's account a small shallow Scholar notwithstanding all God's pains in correcting of him yet saith God Who is it that darkneth counsel by words without knowledge Job 38.2 Yea God makes Job plead guilty to this Indictment Chap. 40.3 4 5. with 42. And surely such Preachers are not Jobs but proud Pharisees who will or dare say or think otherwise of themselves Such dull bad learners of the Mind of God were Job's three Friends Chap. 42.7 Yea such were Christ's Disciples and Apostles those Master-Preachers those Foundation-Layers Luke 24.25 O Fools and slow of heart to believe all that the Prophets have spoken Oh Beloved if Preachers have hard and many Lessons to learn and are exceeding dull and incapacious of learning yea such that have neither head heart nor will to learn O sure their work is hard and they need be early and late seeking and searching out these acceptable words Arg. 3. Thirdly Preaching-Work is hard Work because of such to whom we preach 'T is hard to find out what words they want and it is not wisdom to preach such words as are not wanting or at present necessary For though every and any word that is or can be preached is pure and perfect yet not at all times seasonable or profitable you know whose rule it is All things are lawful but all things are not expedient 1 Cor. 6.12 Though every Truth not only may but ought to be preached yet not at all times or to all sorts of Hearers There is a peculiar or apt time for every purpose under the Sun Now the wisdom of the Preacher is to know how to time his Word or Doctrine to the present wants and necessities of the people and this is very hard and requires searching out of the peoples wants Secondly This makes the Preachers Work hard how wise a Preacher soever he be to find out not only their wants but also how to apply that which is intended for them to be received or accepted by them even God's own People are a wayward and indisposed People or Children to the receiving of Spiritual Food or Physick and 't is a great piece of Heavenly skill and hard to attain Paul himself writes it as a great piece of Heavenly Craft 2 Cor. 12.16 But thirdly grant a Preacher hath wisely gone these steps yet he must still be seeking out how to preserve and water the Seed he hath been admitted to Sow that he lose not the things that he hath wrought for 't is the part of a foolish Preacher to preach and preach much and not regard what becomes of his Labours 'T is to be like the foolish Ostrich mentioned Job 39.13 14 15 16. Now this Act makes the Preacher's Act hard work to water and watch his Seed sown that he lose not his labour therefore his work is hard work Arg. 4. And lastly The Preacher's task is very hard because of that great opposition and difficulty which Preachers and preaching-work must and doth meet withal that work how easie soever in it self yet if it cannot be performed without much opposition is then and thereby become hard work even thus is preaching become hard work because with much hardship labour and difficulty it must be performed Satan and Sinners yea even Saints themselves make the Preacher's Work hard yea very hard and troublesome by their opposition Look how the Enemies of the Jews withstood the building of the Temple even so doth Satan hinder the building of the Spiritual Temple or preaching of the Gospel So Paul words it 1 Thess 2.18 Thus he made the preaching of the Gospel decline from Jerusalem Acts 8.1 with Acts 13.50 And although the preaching of the Word must not be hindred or declined because of Persecution yet is Persecution a means to make Preachers look about them and their work to be hard to them And again The Preacher's task is made very hard by the opposition of false Teachers which oppose the Truth of the Gospel and who as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses so do they also resist the Truth 2 Tim. 3.8 These constrain the wisest of Preachers to seek out how to preach that such may not gain-say the Truth or at least that their folly may be made manifest to all men of sober minds and this is hard work How hard was
own Land and the Caldeans shall come again and fight against this City and take it and burn it with fire Jer. 37.7 8. But though these words were acceptable or truth in themselves and so to the Lord and should have been so to them as being profitable to them Yet for all this they were unacceptable to them as is manifest vers 15. Wherefore the Princes were wroth with Jeremiah and smote him and put him in Prison This may suffice for the Answer of this great Question What acceptable words are Let me now raise this Observation or Conclusion The tenth Doctrine That the wisdom and work of wise Preachers is and ought to be to preach acceptable words or acceptably I shall the briefer pass through this Doctrine because I have had occasion already to speak to the main things in it contained Wherefore for the proof of what hath been asserted to wit That every wise Preacher's wisdom and work is to preach acceptable words or acceptably Consider This is Paul's charge not to Timothy only but in him to all Preachers to preach acceptable words as you have it in the following words of the Text words of Truth Hold fast the form of sound words which thou hast heard from me 2 Tim. 1.13 So to Titus speaking what Preachers or Elders of Churches should be he saith They should be men able by sound Doctrine both to exhort and convince gain-sayers Tit. 1.9 so Chap. 2.1 Speak thou the thing which becometh sound Doctrine and once more you have it given in charge among other Directions Sound speech that cannot be condemned that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed having no evil thing to say of you vers 8. And this Paul begs the Prayers of Saints to God for him in this behalf That he might not onely Speak or Preach but so Speak or Preach as he ought to do Ephes 6.20 with Col. 4.4 But may not some say How doth it appear all this while that preaching sound words is preaching acceptable words However I shall grant That to unsound hearts unsound words are and may be most acceptable as we read where the People spake to the Prophet saying Prophesie not unto us right things speak unto us smooth things prophesie deceits Isa 30.10 Yet sound Hearts or gracious Hearers they count no words acceptably spoken or worthy their acceptation but sound and wholsome words as we read of the Church of Ephesus that they hated the Deeds or the Doctrine of the Nicholaitans which the Lord also hated Rev. 2.6 In the opening of this term acceptable words I told you it implyed words of truth which and which only ought of honest and wise Hearers to be accepted Therefore to preach sound words or words of Truth is to preach acceptable words being such words which only should be preached and are alwayes worthy of all mens acceptation And doubtless this among other things Paul also intended in that phrase to speak as he ought that is only and alwayes Truth or the lively Oracles of God not but that Preachers have other things to mind that their words may be acceptable words So secondly Seasonable words are or ought to be accounted acceptable words Therefore Solomon speaking of seasonable words saith A word spoken in due season how good is it or how acceptable is it Prov. 15.23 Now a word may be fitly said to be seasonable or seasonably spoken either in reference to God's account or the peoples concernments First In reference to God's when God's Cause and Honour calls for our speaking then to speak such words as may most conduce to the Cause and Case in hand is to speak acceptable or seasonable words such as wise Preachers ought to seek out speak out Such were Mordecai's words to Hester when he declared to her the state of the Jews and charged her That she should go in unto the King to make supplication to him and to make request before him for her People Chap. 4.8 And when she seems to be backward to entertain these words vers 10 11. Mordecai doubles former seasonable words as becomes wise Preachers so to do and tells her Think not that thou shalt escape in the Kings House more than all the Jews For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time then shall their enlargement arise from another place but thou and thy Fathers House shall be destroyed vers 13 14. The like seasonable were the words of Elijah both to the King and to the People when he told the King I have not troubled Israel but thou and thy Fathers House in that ye have forsaken the Commandments of the Lord and ye have followed Baalim and to the People when he said How long halt ye between two Opinions If the Lord be God follow him but if Baal then follow him 1 Kings 18.18 21. And such were Paul's words to the Athenians when he saw them so given to Idolatry Acts 17.16 to the close of that Chapter And by the way note That oft-times God in a wonderful manner stirs-up the Spirits of his Servants to be speaking such acceptable words as are timous and most seasonable in order to present work as in the instances cited with many more may easily appear But secondly Words may then be counted seasonable and acceptable when most sutable to or suiting with the Peoples present Case State and Necessities The work of wise Preachers should be to sute their words to such occasions when a People are secure setled in sin and sinful wayes then awakening quickning reproving words are most seasonable and to God most acceptable when spoken and should be so to the People Such were John's words to the sinful Jews when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadduces come to his Baptism he said unto them O generation of Vipers who hath warned you to fly from the wrath to come bring forth therefore fruit meet for repentance and think not to say within your selves We have Abraham to our Father When the Peoples case is trouble and sorrow for sin then comforting words are seasonable and acceptable words This the Lord himself teacheth saying Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem and cry unto her that her warfare is accomplished Isa 40.1 2. And in obedience hereunto when Peter saw that the People were pricked at their hearts he said unto them Repent and be baptized every one of you in the Name of Jesus Christ and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost for the promise is to you and to your Children and to all that are after off even as many as the Lord our God shall call Acts 2.38 39. When the People are ignorant of Truths necessary or in some sense of necessity to be at present known Now 't is wise Preachers work to seek out seasonable and acceptable words of information for the removing the peoples ignorance Thus Peter did in that fore-cited Acts 2.14 15. And thus did those wise ones Aquila and Priscilla deal with
heed that we open not the mouths of the uncircumcised Philistines to rejoyce or blaspheme Let Professors know what they can and talk what they will 't wil signifie little unless they walk also in this Spirit of Truth and Uprightness Vse of Exhortation But secondly and especially Let this be matter of Exhortation to us all even as many as fear the Lord both Preachers and Hearers to labour for and walk in a Spirit of Truth and Uprightness This we have seen is a most excellent choice frame of Spirit in the esteem both of God and Man Oh therefore labour to attain such a frame of Spirit For naturally our Spirits are otherwise in the frames of them for what the Prophet once said is still truth Every one is an hypocrite and an evil doer and every mouth speaketh folly or falshood Isa 9.17 'T is Mortification of earthly Members and Sanctification of the Spirit must make us Men or Women of this frame of Spirit for naturally we are born of another temper and you who know what Mortification is know it is not easie work to mortifie the deeds of the flesh but be it what it may be yet be prevealed upon in the fear of the Lord to set upon this duty even to get our Spirits into this frame even into this good frame and if it will cost us the plucking out of our right eyes or cutting off our right hands yet subscribe to it And first Let me freely tender this word of Exhortation to us that are Preachers and should be wise Preachers seeking out acceptable words and that which by us is at any time preached and written upon the heart of the People should be upright even words of truth Let us be a living Word as well as a speaking Word let our lips and our lives joyn together and speak one thing even Holiness to Jehovah Oh let not us reprove sin in others and allow or indulge it in our selves What is that but down-right dissimulation Oh let us not commend Patience and be impatient and Humility and be Sons of Pride our selves This is not to walk with the foot of uprightness according to the Gospel This is not to be a wise but an unwise Preacher if not a proud Pharisee and a very Hypocrite Wherefore if a Preacher be under such temptations as to pretend Christ and preach Self and to seek Christ and seek mostly Self as to cry down all sin and yet live in cry'd down sins to commend Grace and Vertue and yet live short in Grace and empty of Virtue placing thy excellency and piety in seeming so and saying so and in washing the out-side neglecting the inside make broad the Phylacteries and enlarging the borders of your Garments that is in using singular or peculiar restraints and modes of Gesture and Vesture from other sober and pious Persons Oh know 't is not marring of our Beards or Locks and having our Cloaks long and our Girdles strait that can or will prove us wise Preachers or men of this excellent Spirit of Uprightness and Truth Oh no! we may be Fools and Hypocrites for all this and therefore it nearly stands us upon to do as that great Preacher and Apostle of the Gentiles did Even to keep under or beat black and blew our body and bring it into subjection lest O mark it that by any means when I have preached to others I my self should be a cast-away 1 Cor. 9.27 And answer all temptations to contrary-mindedness or contrary-spiritedness to this Doctrine and frame of Spirit as good Nehemiah did saying Shall such a man as I flee Who being as I am would desist Chap. 6.11 So let us Who that is as I am a Man Ah more than a Man a Christian yea more than a Christian a Preacher to Christians that would seek great things for himself under pretence of seeking great things for Christ Oh who that were a Preacher as I and preached down Covetousness Idleness Earthly-mindedness in others would live in these things himself Oh no my Soul I will not I dare not lest I be not found a wise but an unwise Preacher and that which by me is written or preached be not words of Truth and Uprightness And in the Close what-ever I may be to others I be to my self a cast-away O therefore let Preachers especially receive and improve this Exhortation and see that our conversation be only as becometh the Gospel Phil. 1.27 And to close up this Head of Exhortation Let as many as are and would be found wise Preachers be perswaded to think often and deeply of that Scripture 2 Cor. 4. Therefore seeing we have this Ministry as we have received Mercy we faint not but have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty not walking in craftiness nor handling the Word of God deceitfully but by manifestation of the truth commending our selves to every man's Conscience in the sight of God Having thus tendred my Mite to Preachers let me now be your Exhorter that are Hearers Men and Women fearing the Lord Oh let this be your frame of Spirit be like your Father Jacob of a plain Spirit who hath his commendation in his youth that he was a plain man Gen. 25.27 Oh such let us that fear the Lord be let our inside be manifest by our out-side let our Words and our Works agree our professions both to God and Man and our performances agree and correspond together let our Light and our Life agree our publick and private walking agree so shewing forth that we are Israelites indeed in whom there is no guile Even the Epistle of Christ written not with Ink but with the Spirit of the living God not in Tables of Stone but in fleshly Tables of the heart as we have it 2 Cor. 3.3 Oh 't is living forth this Doctrine will speak us forth clearly to be Christians or the Epistles of Christ when we have such frames of Spirit as are throughly seasoned with Uprightness and Truth Christians look to your frame of Spirit Hypocrites can look to their Words and Speeches Look you to your Hearts good Words and good Works Hypocrites have for God 't is Saints onely have good Hearts for God Oh look well to your Spirits how the frame stands bent whether for Truth and Uprightness or for Falshood and Hypocrisie and forget not that word Mal. 2.15 Take heed to your Spirits Oh dress your Spirits with Truth and Uprightness for the dress of the Soul goes further with God than all the dresses of the Body with men can do as Peter informs us where he advises Women Not to let their adorning be outward adorning but let it be the hidden man of the heart in that which is not corruptible even the Ornament of a meek and quiet Spirit which in the fight of God is of great price 1 Pet. 3.3 4. Oh my Brethren look mostly after the dress and adorning of your Spirits for God is not only a Spirit but converseth most with
The WISE Gospel-Preacher HIS Praise and Practice Duty and Dignity Opened in a SERMON On ECCLES 12.9 By S. M. Minister of the Gospel Isa 52.7 How beautiful upon the Mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tydings that publisheth peace c. Printed for the Author To that Congregation over whom the Lord hath made me an Overseer Increase of Grace here and Glory hereafter BRethren and Beloved in our Lord Jesus these Sermons as they were preached amongst you even so was their Publication earnestly sollicited by some of you at whose request I have yeelded to that I designed not in their Preaching nor intended to have done long since that task was finished But remembring I am not only a Debtor to Jew and Gentile but more especially to you also not onely by one means but by every means to endeavour your furtherance in the Faith I judged my self obliged to help you with that Printed which the Lord gave you in Preaching And I may safely say so near as I could your Eys now have only what once your Ears heard As to you my Beloved whose importunity prevailed upon me to undertake this Work know two Arguments prevailed upon me to Answer your Request The one My Love towards you the other My desire of your Spiritual and Eternal Welfare and if my Labour of Love for your sakes may providentially extend or reach to the advantage of any others that love the Lord Jesus in sincerity I therein shall and will rejoyce I need not here give you any account of the Nature of this Treatise you well know it is to open both the Wise-Preachers and the Wise-Hearers Work and Business you know I need the one and I also judge you want not need sufficient to learn the other As to the Method it is and ought to be plain as best becoming Gospel-Mysteries 't was Truth not Humane Wisdom or Eloquence that I designed to manifest and surely should I thus have acted I should have pull'd down with one hand what I was setting up with the other and so should have been found a transgressor As to my often hinting of any thing minded in this Discourse know the nearness of the Phrases in the Text one to another constrained it except I should have broke the bounds and dealt partially with the Text and my thoughts are that Plenty may even conduce to Profit And as for those Phrases Titles and Denominations of Persons which in this Discourse may seem unto any tender ear to be plain harsh or reproachful to any know this I have warily considered to fasten them only on persons really deserving such names and although I have herein followed the footsteps of the Saints Penmen of the Scripture yet have I abated rather than exceeded their practice as is most evident if you consider of some expressions wherein how great or learned or seemingly pious soever some sinners were yet both Christ himself and the Prophets and Apostles have spoken very home and hard against such Persons stiling them Hypocrites Devils Children Wolves Dogs Lyons Foxes Vipers painted-Sepulchres whited Walls Princes of Sodom Rulers of Gomorrah Adulterers Adulteresses and such like as the Scripture witnesseth wherefore marvel not at my freedom of expression to sinners of the same dye And lastly My resolution was to avoid the reproof due to such as give flattering Titles unto men and as Elihu saith Let me not I pray you accept any man's person neither let me give flattering titles unto men for I know not to give flattering titles forin so doing my Maker would soon take me away Job 32.21 22. And further If any suppose I have in this Discourse affected and discovered a Spirit of singularity and diversity of Opinion from the most of even pious judicious and sober men of this Age. I Answer in uprightness 't was not affectedly but constrainedly done and I suppose even such Objectors will not deny 't is better differing from men how wise soever than from Christ and since all men know but in part and Prophesie but in part that may be Christ's Truth which is not acknowledged or understood by many is it not written Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil neither shalt thou speak in a cause to decline after many to wrest judgment Exod. 23.2 and as Paul saith I believed therefore have I spoken 2 Cor. 4.13 I shall willingly receive better information and then speedily change my present apprehension Lastly If any Object against the largeness of this Tract my Answer is 'T was my desire to have prevented it could I with fidelity and prudence have effected it and the truth is I have denyed my self and slipt over some Particulars which might more largel have been insisted on that this Exception might have been spared And now my dearly Beloved whose importunity begat me this labour Let me now crave leave before I conclude this Epistle to request a few things of you First My Brethren if you meet with any Advantage Content or Comfort by perusing these Lines pray give all the praise and glory to God whose hand alone hath wrought it and whose Spirit hath revealed it and think often upon 1 Chron. 29.10 to 16. Secondly Pray be not only knowers of these Truths but doers of the same Oh be not only so principled but so practising also let the height of Holiness in this Discourse discovered be your main business to attain so shall I not want a good reward for this my labour Thirdly Labour to train up and educate your Families in this good knowledge of the Lord and shew them the good old way wherein they should walk with God as Moses adviseth Deut. 4.9.10 saying Only take heed to thy self and keep thy Soul diligently lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen and lest they depart from thy heart all the dayes of thy life but teach them thy Sons and thy Sons Sons Especially the day that thou stoodest before the Lord thy God in Horeb when the Lord said unto me Gather me the people together and I will make them hear my words that they may learn to fear me all the dayes that they shall live upon the earth and that they may teach their Children with 11 19. Fourthly Wonder not neither be stumbled if you find these Truths evil spoken of scorned traduced but remember this was to be expected in such a day as this And lastly Forget not him that you have prevailed upon but in all your supplications remember me and pray for me both night and day that I may be faithful to the Death that I may be filled with the Spirit that I may be abundant in the Work of the Lord and that my Labours may be acceptable and succesful among the Saints that so I may finish my course with joy and not with grief according to the Will of God And thus with my Prayers for you also I commend you to God and to the Word of his Grace which is
ought to be and do whence we may collect thus much Doct. 1. That the Lord is not sparing or scant in means of Grace to his Church and People but hath provided and doth afford them one and another means of help and advantage for Soul-Concernments God as God hath in Mercy and Wisdom dealt with the Second Creation and state of Grace as with the first Creation In Nature he hath not made single Fruits Flowers Plants Grain or Beasts Birds or Fishes but innumerable in number and manifold in kind even so great variety and plenty that even the wisest of Moralists or Naturalists scarce knew what need or end there is even of that variety or plenty unless to commend the Creator Men are often times at a loss how to improve and not despise that plenty Even so is it in spiritual and supernatural things Men are so fully provided of them that they even surfeit and are wanton under God's Divine Ordinances and Provisions of Grace as once Israel did of Manna yet it seems good to God to have moreovers and to minister himself in manifold wisdom to his People To instance thus God dealt with Israel he gave them not onely Moses but Aaron also not onely Sacrifice but Circumcision also nor Circumcision only but the Passeover also nor the Tabernacle but the Temple also not onely Priests and Levites but Prophets and Nazarites likewise That so God might say as Isaiah 5. What could I have done more for my Vineyard which I have not done And this Job tells you Chap. 33.14 15. So Solomon in the 9th of his Proverbs Even so hath he done under the Gospel not tying us to any one Way or Means but affords us various Means and Seasons We have the Heaven and the Earth declaring his Glory and Handywork Psal 19. Also we have the Law and Statutes of God in his Scripture which is able to make the Man of God wise unto Salvation We have also the Law written in our hearts We have Instruments without and Instincts within We have the Word and Men without and the Spirit within We have Mercy and Judgment all whispering to us Fear ye the Lord. So that we may truly say God as well as Man hath his Moreovers And we serve not a hard Master nor is our reproof and destruction less than sufficiently of our selves Now the Grounds and Reasons why God walks thus towards his People are briefly these Reas 1. That the Glory of the Wisdom Power and Bounty of God might the more gloriously appear by the riches of his Liberality and plenty of Provisions afforded to his People Prov. 16.4 Rom. 2.4 Ephes 1.18 19. Col. 1.27 Reas 2. God makes his Provisions to be very large and plentiful affording us moreovers to the end that we might with the more ease and facility do his Will and attain the knowledge and enjoyment of Salvation so Isa 28.9 10 11 12. and this the Apostle seems to eye Acts 17.30 31. And the Prophet Micah Chap. 6.6 7 8. Christ saith His Yoke is easie and his Burthen light because he affords light sufficient to see it with and strength enough to do what is required and helps many to assist us and rewards full and rich enough to quicken and incourage us But again Reas 3. The Lord doth it to comply with our nature and frailty which is not so well satisfied nor so effectually furthered or helped by one Way or Means as by diversity and variety and therefore vouchsafeth us his Moreovers or Line upon Line and Precept upon Precept Reas 4. And lastly It is to stop the Mouth and leave silent and inexcusable all neglecters and despisers of Gospel-Grace and Provisions since God can say to all such What need I have done more than what I have done This God pleads for himself 2 Chron. 36.15 16. and Luke 13.7 8 9. The first Vse is of Information By way of Improvement or Application briefly let this first admonish us to believe how inexcusable wicked and ungodly Men and Women are who have God's overpluses and moreovers I mean that living under the light of the Gospel among the Saints enjoy such means to better them and change them and yet remain ignorant profane and ungodly Will not all this present favour and goodness of God to them one day rise up in judgment against them and be an aggravation against them as Paul saith Rom. 2.3 4 5 6. Oh! let such think seriously and timely upon two Scriptures and I shall say no more to this Use Luk. 19.41 42. And when he was come near he beheld the City and wept over it saying If thou hadst known even thou at least in this thy day the things which belong unto thy peace but now they are hid from thine eyes compared with Heb. 6.4 5 6 7 8. For it is impossible for those who were once inlightned and have tasted of the Heavenly Gift and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost and have tasted the good Word of God and the Powers of the World to come if they shall fall away to renew them again unto repentance seeing they crucified to themselves the Son of God afresh and put him to an open shame For the Earth which drinketh in the Rain that cometh oft upon it and bringeth forth Herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed receiveth blessing from God But that which beareth Thorns and Briars is rejected and is nigh unto cursing whose end is to be burned Secondly Caution Secondly Let it be a word of Caution to all of us not to be wanton and despise and slight God 's moreovers or his overplus kindnesses as I am afraid too many do among Professors at this day like wanton Israel that despised God's Manna Numb 11.4 5 6. calling it light Bread Chap. 21.5 Even saying as Christ's Disciples What need this waste Matth. 26.8 Like unto many now-adayes that say What need so much Preaching Yea What need of such long Preaching Is not shorter Preaching better Preaching I beseech you take heed of such thoughts lest God takes away our plenty and give us scarcity enough Oh let me perswade such wanton Christians to take the Counsel Peter gives to Simon Magus Repent therefore of this thy wickedness and pray God if perhaps the thought of thy heart may be forgiven thee Acts 8.22 23. Oh Friends take heed of such thoughts of such vain yea vile thoughts for surely we are not grown such quick Learners or good Scholars or so soon taught what the good and perfect Will of the Lord is as to conclude we need few Preachers or little Preaching Neither is the Preaching of the Gospel such a mean Excellency as worth little more than to be despised or hath the Lord Christ given Gifts to men in vain Oh no he that hath given Gifts to many not to one he well knew many Preachers were necessary that by here a little and there a little by Line upon Line and Precept upon Precept because the
32.3 where we have it that Zedekiah King of Judah had shut him up saying Wherefore dos◠thou prophesie and say Thus saith the Lord Sinners cannot indure that God's Ministers should say Thus saith the Lord. Thus dealt those with Amos which said O thou Seer go flee thy way into the Land of Judah and there eat Bread and Prophesie but Prophesie no more at Bethel for it is the King's Chappel and it is the King's Court Amos 7.12 13. Oh that such Gospel-Opposers would but consider the two last Verses of this Chapter and tremble and not any more oppose and persecute the Gospel and the faithful Preachers thereof It is neither mens greatness in Authority or excellency of Parts will secure them from God's dreadful displeasure except they repent Oh how great is their sin and how inexcusable will they one day be that pretend love to Christ and friendship to the Gospel yet forbid the pure preaching thereof These are sinners of a double die and it were well that they would all view and consider what Paul saith concerning them 1 Thes 2.16 Forbidding us to Preach to the Gentiles that they might be saved to fill up their sins allway for the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost This is not onely a crying but a filling sin Sure the sins of the Romish Prelates and Powers is full near the uttermost that have so long persecuted forbidding God's faithful Labourers to Preach the Gospel of Christ I shall only offer one Scripture to such mens consideration and so leave them under this reproof Isa 30.8 9 10 11 12 13. Now go write it before them in a Table and note it in a Book that it may be for time to come for ever and for ever That this is a rebellious People lying Children Children that will not hear the Law of the Lord Which say to the Seers See not and to the Prophets Prophesie not unto us right things speak to us smooth things prophesie deceits get ye out of the way turn aside out of the path cause the holy One of Israel to cease from before us Therefore thus saith the holy One of Israel Because ye despise this Word and trust in oppression and perversness and stay thereon Therefore this inquity shall be unto you as a breach ready to fall swelling out in a high Wall whose breaking cometh suddenly at an instant and he shall break it as the breaking of 〈◊〉 Potters Vessel that is broken in pieces he shall not spare so that there shall not be found in the burstings of it a shread to take fire from the hearth or to take water withal out of the Pit Third Use of Reproof A third Use of Reproof from this consideration that Preaching of the Word is God's Ordinance shall be to reprove all such Preachers of the Gospel as though not forbidden of men yet forbid themselves and neglect this so great a Work and Ordinance as the Preaching of the Gospel Such idle Drones among the Bees had need consider that word 1 Cor. 9.16 For though I Preach the Gospel I have nothing to glory of for necessity is laid upon me yea woe is unto me if I Preach not the Gospel and woe will be unto such as are able and may but do not preach the Gospel Yea though men did forbid yet woe unto him that will be forbidden by any sort of men and doth not faithfully and fully preach the Gospel Such sleepy idle timerous or unprofitable Preachers that do not as the good Preacher did in my Text and every good Preacher in the World ought to do that is To give good heed and diligently set in order Parables But I shall not enlarge upon these mens Repoof hoping that a word to the Wise will be sufficient which every Preacher as my Text implies ought to be But to them or so many Preachers of the Everlasting Gospel as are otherwise spirited I would commend a Scripture or two to their consideration The first is Wo to the idol Shepheard that leaveth the Flock the Sword shall be upon his arm and upon his right eye his arm shall be clean dryed up and his right eye utterly darkned But why O Lord Mark Because he hath not visited those that be cut off neither doth seek the young Ones nor heal that which is broken nor feed that which standeth still but doth eat the flesh of the fat and tear their claws in pieces Zach. 11.16 17. with Ezek. 13.4 5. O Israel thy Prophets are as the Foxes in the Desarts yea have not gone up into the Gaps neither made up the Hedge for the House of Israel to stand in the Battel in the Day of the Lord therefore hear what the Lord saith vers 9. They shall not be in the Assemblies of my People neither shall they be written in the writing of the House of Israel and ye shall know that I am the Lord. Fourth Vse of Reproof But a fourth Use of Reproof is to such and so many as own and acknowledge the preaching of the Gospel to be the Lord's Ordinance and yet make not due and suitable improvement of it God will one day say to these without repentance as to those of old Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth and with their lips do honour me but have removed their heart far from me and their fear to me is taught by the precepts of men Therefore behold I will proceed to do a marvellous work and a wonder for the wisdom of the wise men shall perish and the understanding of the prudent men shall be hid Isa 29.13 14. There are two sorts of persons to whom this Reproof belongs First Such as are careless in hearing the Word Preached Secondly Such as are careless of doing of that which by the preaching of the Word they are taught they ought to do as well as know And I fear how many soever there may be found under the first Reproof or of the first sort there are yet many more of the latter sort even forgetful Hearers deceiving their own souls Jam. 1.22 25. First Such sleepy worldly carnal idle persons that seldom can find time and as seldom find an heart to come to hearing of the Word preached though God bring it even to the doors yet they can scarce move their feet over the threshold to come to it but cry out What need so much expence of time or attendance upon Preaching or else complement over their neglect as those did that were invited to the Feast make light of these opportunities or invitations and cry Pray you have me excused I have bought a piece of Ground and I must needs go see it And another I have bought Oxen and I must needs go prove them And a third sort I have married a Wife and therefore I cannot come Luke 14.15 16 17 18 19. But will these excuses serve to leave such men excusable that neglect or omit to come to the hearing of the Gospel Oh
exhort and quicken you that have ears to hear what the Spirit saith to the Churches Take heed that you despise not prophesying 1 Thess 5.20 Christians despise not Christ's day of small things Since out of the mouths of Babes and Sucklings he will ordain strength because of the enemy and avenger Psalm 8.2 compared with Matth. 21. Say not in your hearts as once Nathaniel did Can any good thing come out of Nazareth John 1.46 But take heed you despise not him that speaketh on Earth lest that sad word be your word For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this People Read that Chapter at your leasure and you shall see how dreadful God speaks to despisers of this Ordinance of Preaching though by mean and outwardly contemptible Instruments My Beloved know God oft-times hangs great Blessings at the end of small Wyers How great a victory did God give Israel by that Barley Cake as Gideon is called Judg. 7.13 14 15 16. As also how great a Blessing did Naaman the Syrian receive by hearing the Voice of his Servants 2 Kings 5. Yea how great advantage did this very Ordinance bring to the Jews and Greeks when the scattered Saints and Brethren went up and down Preaching and Prophesying Acts 11.19 20 21. Therefore despise not Prophesying I mean Preaching by Brethren that are gifted thereunto although not Ministers or Officers in the Churches So much for this second Doctrine I should now come to speak to the third Point or Doctrine which is Doct. 3. That if Preaching be God's Ordinance and Prophesying and Preaching by Men of Grace and Gifts though no Ministers or Ordained Persons may lawfully Preach then such as are Prophets though no Ministers or Officers of the Church not only may but ought to Preach But because I have spoke something to this in the close of the second Doctrine I shall say no more to this but proceed to the fourth and last Doctrine upon this Head which is drawn from the Description of the qualification of this Prophetical Preacher Solomon to wit That he was Wise as you have it in the Text Moreover because the Preacher was Wise Whence take this Observation to wit Doct. 4. That every Gospel preacher ought to be truly wise or that Grace and Spiritual Wisdom are the true and onely and sufficient Requisites or sufficiency for Gospel-preaching Let me in the carrying on this Work first clear this Point and shew what this Wisdom which every Preacher ought to have is 2ly Give the Reasons why what is affirmed to be the Wisdom required is that which is affirmed And 3ly Resolve some Objections And lastly Make Application of the Point First Take some Witnesses that Gospel-Preachers ought to be Wise This the Lord tells us 〈◊〉 that qualification that all such ought to have a◠draw near him in any peculiar or especial way o◠service or ministration as you have it laid dow◠by Moses in that saying Take you wise men ye understanding and known men among your Tribes an◠I will make them Rulers over you And ma◠what is further said And ye answered me an◠said The thing which thou hast spoken is good fo◠us to do So I took wise men and known eve◠the chief of your Tribes and made them Heads ov◠you this is God's and Moses way for the serving of Israel Deut. 1.13 14 15. Again tak◠that place Prov. 15.2 where you have this expression The Tongue of the Wise useth knowledge a right but the mouth of Fools poureth out foolishness Oh mark it is the wise tongue that wil◠Preach or use Knowledge aright compare thi◠with what we have Vers 7. The lips of the Wis◠disperse Knowledge but the heart of the Foolish doth not so It is wise lips either can or ought to Preach or dispense Divine Knowledge Again take that Passage of our Lord Jesus where he tell us what every Scribe or Teacher in Israel should be one instructed unto the Kingdom of Heaven like unto a man that is a Housholder that bringeth ou◠of his Treasury things both new and old Oh! this is the good Scribe or Preacher Mat. 13.52 the like you have Matth. 10.16 with Prov. 1.5 6. further you have this confirmed That a Preacher or Director of others should be wise Eccl. 1.10 for he that sendeth a Message by the hand of a Fool cutteth off the feet and drinketh dammage The legs of the Iame are not equal even so is a Parable in the mouth of fools Prov. 26.6 7. By all which with many Testimonies more that might have been offered you have this Truth confirmed That every Gospel-Preacher ought to be wise Now I come to open the Point and shew you what it is to be Wise or what that Wisdom is that every Gospel-Preacher ought to have I told you in the opening of the words by way of Negation that the Wisdom spoken of in the Text was neither natural moral or acquired Wisdom as Languages Tongues Arts or Sciences but a more sublime and transcendent Wisdom I told you God had not set this Ax or Hammer apart to do his or this Work with these Tools are strangers to any Divine designment for such an end being neither appointed or required in Scripture I told you secondly This Wisdom is but a carnal or natural Weapon and is only meet for carnal natural weak and worldly work and for such purposes this Learning or Wisdom is very fit and useful but no more apt or necessary essentially for Preachers or Preaching than a Sword is to cut ones Beard with or a Plough to ride a Journey on But the Wisdom absolutely necessary for Preaching or a Preacher is Divine Wisdom as I told you which descends from Above more immediately and comes from the Father of Lights and this is that true Wisdom which is put in opposition to the Wisdom before mentioned 1 Cor. 1.17 where the Apostle saith Christ sent him not to Baptize but to Preach the Gospel not with wisdom of words lest the Cross of Christ should be of none effect Mark it 's worldly Wisdom or the wisdom of words maketh Christ's Cross to be made ineffectual this is the likelyest good worldly Wisdom wil◠do in Preaching The same thoughts was th◠Apostle Peter of censuring humane Wisdom tha◠it might and did furnish men to pervert but no◠Preach the Gospel where he saith As also in a his Epistles speaking in them of these things i◠which are some things hard to be understood which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest as the◠do also the other Scriptures unto their own destruction Ye therefore Beloved seeing you know thes◠things before beware lest you also being led away with the error of the wicked fall from your ow◠stedfastness 2 Pet. 3.16 17. Now if you would know who these unlearned and unstable wreste◠and perverters of Paul and of all Scriptures are Peter tells us not men wanting Arts and Languages such knew
People or Multitude of Believers being intrusted with this business will chuse simple and unwise Preachers I Answer briefly Their Rule in this business prevents this Objection For they must be wise that ought to be admitted to Preach and the Church must not only be simple and ignorant but undutiful and disobedient to Christ's commands or else this danger is avoided And though Babylons Builders are blind in this matter yet Christ's Church is wise and seeing and the Spiritual Man discerneth all things 1 Cor. 2.15 2 Thess 2.15 And so much for this Objection The second Use is of Caution Secondly Let this Use be a word of Caution to all such as either design or are already engaged in Preaching-work Look to this Doctrine That you are in God's as well as his Peoples account wise truly wise richly wise with the Spiritual Heavenly Gospel-wisdom Oh Beloved undertake not this weighty glorious honourable Work or employment of Preaching without sutable aptness and fitness thereunto Run not before Jesus Christ sends you remembring Rom. 10.15 How can they Preach except they be sent 〈◊〉 Take not this honour this undue honour to your selves to be judges of your sufficiency For it is written Heb. 5.14 No man taketh this honour t◠himself but he that is called of God as was Aaron Be of the temper and spirit of Jeremiah have lo◠thoughts of your selves and abilities and uprightly say as he did Ah Lord God behold I cannot speak for I am a Child Jer. 1.6 And with Moses say Oh my Lord I am not eloquent neither heretofore nor since thou hast spoken to thy Servant but I am slow of speech and of a slow tongue Exod. 4. Oh you Beloved to whom I am now speaking in this Use be mindful of that word Eccles 5.2 Be not rash with thy Mouth and let not thy Heart be hasty to utter any thing before God for God is in Heaven therefore let thy words be few 'T is Soul-work you are to do therefore be wise 't is Christ's Work therefore be wise 't is honourable Work therefore be wise 't is hard Work very difficult Work therefore be wise For who is sufficient for these things 't is dangerous Work yea most dangerous of all Work If we do this deceitfully or negligently or foolishly think on that word Eccles 5.6 Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin neither say thou it was an error Wherefore should God be angry at thy voice and destroy the work of thy hands Oh remember Ezek. 3.17 18. If thou warn not the wicked from his wicked way the same wicked man shall surely die in his iniquity but his blood will I require at thy hand Be therefore wise truly wise Heavenly wise spiritually wise richly wise in all the revealed wisdom of God for God hath said He will be sanctified in them that draw nigh him and before all the people he will be glorified Numb 10.3 But that you may be wise take these few Directions and helps as sufficient for the attainment of Preachers-wisdom Direct 1. First and above all Be much in Communion with God by Prayer for wisdom for every good and perfect Gift cometh down from the Father of Lights and your way to have it is by Prayer So saith James If any man lack wisdom let him ask of God who giveth liberally and upbraideth not chap. 1.5 Beloved all we that Preach and all ye that desire this great Work of Breaching we do all of us lack wisdom yea very much lack wisdom therefore pray Oh pray abundantly for wisdom that we may receive it Thus did Solomon and pleased God and obtained his request 1 Kings 3.7 8 9. And this Paul the great Apostle of the Gentiles desired the Thessalonian-Church do do for him even to pray that the Word of the Lord might have free course and be glorified by him and his Companions On Brethren and Beloved pray much and fervently for your selves and beg also the constant fervent Prayers of all the Saints and Churches of the Saints that you and all that labour in the Word and Doctrine may be truly richly Spiritually wise Direct 2. Secondly Would you be Spiritually wise Be diligent painful and abundant in the study and searching into the Scriptures for this is able onely able of outward helps to make the Man of God wise even throughly wise unto Salvation 2 Tim. 3.15 with 1 Tim. 4.15 16. Meditate on these things give thy self wholly to them that thy profiting may appear to all continue in them that thou mayest save thy self and them that hear Oh my dear Brethren and Friends this is a Preachers study and work to search and study the Scriptures not Fathers Commentators or School-men as his business this is but a by-study it is Scripture-study even the Old and New Testament which is our great business even our all to study for 't is Scripture and Gospel that you must Preach not Books nor mens Opinions therefore study the Scripture diligently and humbly Direct 3. Thirdly Be very much in the practice of Godliness walk much with God if you would be wise and know much of the mind of God Thus God acted towards Abraham Gen. 18.17 He would not hide his Counsel from him because he was Godly and would command and reach his Family the fear of the Lord so in Danel's case So our Lord also promiseth John 7.17 saying If any man will do his Will he shall know the Doctrine whether it be of God Direct 4. Fourthly Be much in Communion with Saints for with the well-advised is wisdome therefore if Preachers would be wise they must walk in the way of good men and keep the paths of the Righteous Prov. 2.20 Paul sat at the feet of Gamaliel and thus Apollos became wise through converse with Aquila and Priscilla and thus Mary may be said to become wise by sitting at the feet of our Lord Jesus Acts 22.3 with chap. 18.25 26. and Luke 10.25 So that if a Preacher desire to be wise his way is to hold and maintain much Christian-fellowship and Communion with the Saints even with the wisest and most experienced among them This may serve for direction in this matter therefore I beseech you that are Gospel-Preachers to strive to be wise by the exercise of all holy Means for by so doing you may obtain to be such Preachers of whom it may be said Moreover because the Preacher was wise he still taught the People knowledge And this shall suffice for the first Branch of this Verse concerning what the Preacher was and his qualification I come now to the second Branch of the Text which contains the first part of the wise Preachers Act or Work He still taught the People knowledge First These words contain either the Preacher's persistency or going on with his Work Or Secondly His proficiency or ripening at or in his Work He still taught the people knowledge Not as one that was at a stand or height but as
mouth to cause thy flesh to sin neither say before the Angel it was a sin Eccles 5.6 But this I must speak more to on another particular and therefore shall come to the Reasons of the Point that Preachers had need to give good heed to what they Preach Reas 1. First Because if they Preach heedlesly Christ will mind it heedfully 'T is dangerous Preaching heedlesly in the ears of heedful Hearers but especially in the ears of Jesus Christ whose eyes are like a flame of fire and observes all our deportments in his Concernments If he hear us Preach heedlesly he will set this sin in order before us though he seem to over-look it and we think he hath forgotten it Carelesness and rashness in the Ministry of the Lord's Word meets with swiftest Observation and severest Chastisments Therefore take heed and be holy ye that bear the Vessels of the Lord remembring the case of Nadab and Abihu Levit 10. and of Vzzah 2 Sam. 6.6 7. Reas 2. Secondly The reason of Preachers heedfulness is this The Observance of men Are the Hearers Sinners and the worst of Hearers they will and do observe the best of Preachers and lie as it were in wait to entrap and catch them or intangle them in their talk or Preaching Such as can observe little of the Marrow of Preaching or a Sermon will be able enough to observe all the Mistakes or Errata's of a Sermon Therefore take away occasion from them that seek it as Paul did 2 Cor. 11.12 But again 2ly Let Preachers preach heedfully because of Saints their eyes are upon you and their ears open to you and they are taught of God to know all things and as Spiritual men judge all things and have senses exercised and like these noble Bereans will try all things Therefore O therefore Preach with good heed and Preach only good things for their Knowledge Reas 3. Thirdly Preachers had need Preach heedfully because that which they Preach is hard and difficult to Preach Preaching is not easie Work it is hard Work 't is curious Work it needs much wariness wisdom and circumspection to draw Water out of these Wells of Salvation and to fetch Gold out of these Mines of Divine Wisdom therefore ought they to give good heed to Preaching Reas 4. And lastly Preachers should give good heed how they Preach because of the worth and excellency of what they Preach Though men care not how they scatter their dross yet they are very careful what they do with their refined Gold Though the Husband-man passeth not what he doth with his Chaff yet he is very careful what he doth with his Seed-corn Even so should it be with Preachers they should be very heedful where they Sow and how they bestow their principal Wheat Oh! Sow not upon the Rocks nor on the High-way side but on good Ground and carefully look to your Seed to Christ's Seed it is too choice to sustain any loss Oh therefore heedfully Preach that you lose not your labour nor your reward Thus much for the Reasons of this Point now to close this Head with a word or two of Application First of Reproof Application First If Preachers ought to give good heed how they Preach then this ministers a word of Reproof to such as are heedless Preachers that think it is an easie facile Work to dispense and propagate Truth surely such do not remember the weightiness of Preaching so they can but Preach pleasingly to men profitably to themselves and securely in respect of others they think it is enough never applying themselves to over-see or consider the state of the Flock the various state of their Hearers the avoiding of their Enemies the Salvation of Sinners and the perfecting of the Saints by an acute exact circumspect thorough search and enquiry after Gospel-Truths that they might Speak and Preach as the Oracles of God Well I shall not stand upon this only be minding these of that sad word Cursed be he that doth the Work of the Lord negligently And let these Preachers know what God hath threatned to all slight Preachers by the Prophet Jeremiah saying Therefore I am full of the fury of the Lord I am weary with holding in I will pour it out upon the children abroad and upon the Assembly of young men together for even the Husband with the Wife shall be taken the Aged with him that is full of dayes And their Houses shall be turned unto others with their Fields and Wives together for I will stretch out my hand upon the Inhabitants of the Land saith the Lord For from the least of them even unto the greatest of them every one of them is given to covetousness and from the Prophet even unto the Priest every one dealeth falsly They have healed also the hurt of the Daughter of my people slightly saying Peace peace when there is no peace Jer. 6.11 12 13 14. Note And so I conclude this Use 'T is a dangerous and a destructive evil to be a sleighty Prophet or Preacher The second Vse is of Exhortation Secondly Let this exhort all wise Gospel-Preachers to remember the Text and also give good heed to the Work of Preaching 'T is not only honourable but difficult likewise 't is high 't is hard Oh therefore give good heed to this Work of Preaching 'T is not man's Work or a Work performed so much for men as for God 'T is Soul-Work as you love Souls or have a value of immortal Souls take heed to your selves in this Work this blessed Work of Preaching Oh be intent upon this thing to seek the profit of many that they may be saved Oh Speak or Preach as Paul words it as you ought to speak Ephes 6.20 study Scripture study Men listen to the Spirit follow its Guidance give your selves up to this Work taking Solomon's Counsel Eccles 9.10 Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do do it with all thy might Oh strive mightily to be spiritually exact and perfect Preachers Oh remember It is required of a Steward that he be found faithful 1 Cor. 4.2 Therefore let me beseech you Men Brethren and Fathers even all you that are Christ's Stewards and Gospel-Preachers give good heed to this thing that you may give up your account with joy and not with grief of heart The third Use is of Vindication Thirdly Let this Doctrine vindicate such Preachers as give good heed in Preaching so to Preach that they may approve themselves good Work-men even Work-men that need not be ashamed dividing the Word aright such as Preach not as pleasing men but as pleasing God which tryeth the hearts 1 Thess 2.4 I say This Truth now cleared will acquit and justifie all such sober serious exquisite faithful painful wise Preachers which give good heed and apply themselves to be Physicians of Value such as endeavour both to sound their own and the peoples hearts and to see that they Preach as the Spirit gives them utterance and guidance Acts 2.4 Such
Apollos Acts 18.24 25 26. To name no more Instances of this kind When words may truly be seasonable and acceptable or both I say when we see the Peoples sin openly and dangerous to the insnaring and indangering of others then 't is most seasonable to step in with reproving words Thus Paul dealt with Peter Gal. 2.12 13 14. And with the same spirit we find him acting against Elimas the Sorcerer when he sought to turn away the Deputy from the Faith Acts 13.9 10 11. Thus much may suffice for the proving and opening the Point let me now give you two or three Reasons or Arguments why this must needs be a Truth Reason 1. First Because 't is then only Preachers can be said in preaching to preach or in doing the work of preaching to preach when we preach acceptably or speak seasonable words All other preaching is foolish preaching or for the present but lost preaching But again Reason 2. Secondly Such Preachers and Preaching are only acceptable to God as such only should be to wise Hearers as the Lord seems to imply in that expression of the Prophet He that hath a Dream let him tell a Dream and he that hath my Word let him speak my Word faithfully What is the Chaff to the Wheat saith the Lord Jer. 23.28 Reason 3. Lastly Preachers ought to seek out acceptable words because such preaching will only answer our engagements and pretentions both to God and Man Our engagement who preach is like our Lord Christ who said I came from Heaven not to do my own Will but the Will of him that sent me John 6.38 And no Preacher is so foolish or unwise a Preacher as to pretend less than thus to do wherefore let as many as preach be so wise and honest to do what they pretend to do and as Paul saith Not to preach themselves but Christ Jesus the Lord and themselves Servants for Jesus sake 2 Cor. 4.5 I proceed now to the Application because I promised to be short Use of Reproof The first Use may be for a word of Reproof to as many Preachers that are not so wise as to make this their work to seek out acceptable seasonable words even sound words or words of truth and uprightness Oh how many foolish careless and unconscionable Preachers there are that neither study the Scriptures to find out sounds words nor consult with God or with the People to know what may be an acceptable word or a word spoken in due season either in reference to what God is a doing or the People are wanting in These may more aptly be stiled foolish than wise Preachers who more study humane than divine Writ and consult the mind of men especially great men rather than the mind of God and their own gain and interest more than the Peoples profit All I shall further say to these is As their sin is great against God and the Souls of the People even so without repentance and more wisdom their judgment will be heavy and their damnation slumbers not Let such think seriously of that saying of Peter But these as natural bruit beasts made to be taken and destroyed speak evil of the things they understand not and shall utterly perish in their own corruption 2 Pet. 2.12 But to be brief Secondly For Exhortation Secondly This shall serve for a word of Exhortation and that to two sorts of Persons First To such as Preach Secondly To such as Hear First Let me exhort and provoke all you that are wise Gospel Preachers to remember this word Seek out acceptable words even words of Truth and let that which is written be upright Oh suffer me to beseech you to seek out seasonable words both upon God's and his Peoples account Oh consider what Generation-work God hath in hand in your day in the present day and give it your word as Nehemiah did in his day Chap. 2. vers 3. In times of abounding of iniquity Lift up thy Voice like a Trumpet cry aloud spare not shew the people their transgression and the house of Jacob their sin Isa 58.1 And take that encouraging word and charge you have given to the Prophet Jeremiah Thou therefore gird up thy loyns and arise and speak unto them all that I command thee and be not dismayed at their faces Jer. 1.17 Oh my Brethren be prevailed upon to make it your main business next to the looking after your own Vines to look after acceptable words for the People Oh search out the cause you know not and see what your and Christ's Sheep want and Preach words seasonable or in due season Oh Beloved be not knowers but doers of the Word not deceiving your own Souls This will bring much honour to Christ and you will then so do your work as to have joy and not grief in the great day of Jesus Christ Secondly Let me exhort you that are Hearers to suffer a word of Exhortation not onely from me but from your Preachers also which enjoy wise and painful Preachers that make it their business to seek out acceptable words for you Oh esteem such highly for their work sake and their work for Christ's sake Oh slight not such words as cost them so dear or so much to find out for your use Oh sin not against such words as are seasonable and should be to you acceptable Suffer your Preachers to deal home and plainly with you 't is their duty and their love to Christ and you make their work easie take their labour of love kindly despise not pervert not prophesyings of such as seek out acceptable words and what-ever they speak is words of Truth and of uprightness If necessity be laid upon them to seek out acceptable words do not think you are at liberty whether you will receive or refuse them Nay think of that dreadful word Lo when this cometh to pass then shall they know that a Prophet hath been among you Ezek. 33.33 The great God that made nothing in vain hath not made wise Preachers in vain or that you should turn a deaf ear or a rebellious heart towards them They must sift hunt and search out acceptable words for you and you ought to receive them with all readiness of mind and take heed that they lose not through you the things which they have wrought Oh believe it your spiritual wise Preachers do bring you acceptable words meat in due season and therefore let him that hath ears hear what the Spirit saith to the Churches And lastly If Preachers must seek out acceptable words for the People then let their acceptable words be acceptably entertained of you As Daniel said to the King so let me say to all you to whom this Truth shall come Let my Counsel be acceptable to you and break off your sins by Righteousness and your iniquities by shewing of mercy Dan. 4.27 I mean your sins against wise Preachers and their acceptable words from Jesus Christ Thus much for this Word and this