against our callings for we are to bee as Angels by our places in this sense lest our own profession hit us in the teeth at the last Secondly the Angels are creatures of another world not of this world though they walk up and down on Gods errands here yet they are creatures of another world and therefore they are called the Angels of Heaven Matth. 24. 36. Heavenly souldiers Luke 2. 13. True every child of God is a heavenly creature but a Minister should be in a more special manner a creature of another world crucified unto this as Paul sayes I am crucified to the world and the world unto me The preaching of the word is called the Kingdome of heaven so we that are the Preachers of it should be of heaven too not only in regard of the news we bring but we our selves that bring it should be heavenly ones When our Saviour Christ had told Nicodemus that he must be begotten from above O sayes hee art thou a Teacher in Israel and knowest not these things How beautiful upon the mountains The Ministers of the Gospel should be men aloft the world should bee a vally to them beneath they should not bee Secular men What care Angels for fine houses or great livings They had rather be in the prison with Peter then with Herod at the Court. Doe Angels care for outward things No no more should Ministers Paul was all for Jesus Christ I determined not to know any thing among you but Jesus Christ and him crucified 1 Cor. 2. 2. He cared not though the great Philosophers of Corinth took him for a Dunce in all human learning Jesus Christ and him crucified Paul included all his learning in that Thirdly the Angels stand before God as Daniel sayes Ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him Dan. 7. 10. So the Ministers of God are to stand before God as God saith to Jeremy Thou shalt stand before me Jer. 15. 19. The Ministers of God are to stand before God to know what his pleasure is unto the people what message he hath for them Again the Angels are Ministring spirits sent forth for the good of them that are heirs of salvation Heb. 1. 14. So Ministers they are to minister unto them that are the heires of salvation to watch over their souls to be usefull unto them in all their wayes Again the Angels pitch their tents round about them that are good as the Prophet speaks so the Ministers they are the Churches Angels Whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas all are yours they are not their own But as they are Christs so next under him they are theirs that are Christs they are Ministers by whom they beleeve helpers of their faith they are Gods servants to bring Jacob again to him Angels are Gods messengers they never come but when they are sent from God so it is said of Ministers There was a man sent from God whose name was John John 1. 6. The use of this is First Here we see that the Ministery is no base Office the world makes a matter of nothing of Gods faithfull Ministers vile men will Sirra them at their pleasure and take them up as if they were their dishclouts But beloved here we see they are as it were Angels of God Christ himselfe the Apostle makes bold to call him a Minister Rom. 15. 8. Now I say sayes he that Jesus Christ was a Minister the Apostle knew it was no disparagement unto him Solomon when he would chuse him his Title and might have called himselfe The King of Israel and Judah yet he rather takes this as honorable enough The Preacher Thus saith the Preacher Eccles 1. 1. The office of a Minister is an Angels office When Zachary perceived that his child should be a Minister though yet he were a little babe lying in the cradle he admires him And thou child shalt be called the Prophet of the Highest for thou shalt goe before the face of the Lord to prepare his wayes to give knowledge of salvation for the remission of sins to give light unto them that sit in darknesse and in the shadow of death to guide their feet in the way of peace Luke 1. 76 77. The Angels of heaven never go on greater errands then these When they came to the Shepheards what did they doe they did but tell them of the birth of Christ of peace on earth and good will towards men Now this is the Ministers duty let the world think what they will of us as though our calling were mean and they care not much whether they heare us or no they will not regard what we preach O beloved consider what an office we have we are Gods Angels unto you to declare unto man his righteousnesse Job 33. 23. to pray men in Christs stead to be reconciled unto God 2 Cor. 5. 20. to gather together the saints Ephes 4. 12. These are no small things no mean imployments to treat between God and Man about eternall life to be Christs Paranymphs and the friends of the Bridegroom to deale about the getting of a wife for the Lamb to cater for heaven to bring in custome for the Kingdome of God The whole world hath not a greater office in it yee cannot despise neither our persons nor our message and be saved as Paul sayes Let a man so esteem of us as of the Ministers of Christ and the stewards of the mysteries of God 1 Cor. 4. 1. q. d. O take heed how yee slight us or our Ministery yee cannot have the mysteries of grace without us yee cannot have saving knowledge nor regeneration nor faith without us I doe not speak what God may doe extraordinarily but this is Gods ordinary way How can they beleeve on him of whom they have not heard and how can they heare without a Preacher Rom. 10. 4. and therefore our office is no mean office we are as the Angels of God unto you and people should honour our Ministery when a Minister comes into the Pulpit even as if an Angel did appeare It is said when Samuel came to Bethlehem the Elders of the town trembled at his coming 1 Sam. 16. 4. Secondly are Ministers Angels then they must be holy ye know the Angels are holy When the Son of man shall come in his glory and all his holy Angels with him Matth. 25. 31. They are holy all of them so should the Ministers be holy otherwise they may be Angels indeed but they are evill angels angels of darknesse they are Devils if they be not holy Every ignorant gracelesse and unconscionable Minister is ready to presse the dignity of his calling and what an honorable office he hath but hee never considers what a Minister then he must be If we be Angels brethren why then as we like this honorable Title we must have a care to be holy or else I say we are Devils Those Angels that are not holy are Devils Nay our very calling supposes us to
long he will continue us It s a dolefull signe when Christ takes away his Ministers from a place it s a signe he hath no more soules to save if he had he would let his Ambassadours lye beseeching still so that this is one great reason because Ministers are His Ambassadours Secondly Because Christ hath all power in Heaven and in Earth as he told his Apostles when he sent them out to preach All power is given to me in Heaven and in Earth Math. 28. 18 q. d. I have power to send you and I have power to continue your Ministery as long as I thinke fitting and I have power to take you away I have power to ordaine you either for salvation or the damnation of men Whom I will I can convert by your Sermons and whom I will I can deliver up to the counsell of their own hearts that they shall not be converted by you Now if Christ have all power in Heaven and in Earth then he hath power to continue his Ministers as long as his will is I need not stand to prove this it is too evident he hath power to lengthen his Ministers lives to prolong their liberties when he takes away one he hath power to put in another as good when he meant to take away Elias he anoynted Elisha in his roome If their enemies be never so many he can tye up their hands he deliverd Paul from the mouth of the Lyon though fortie men had vowed to take him away by death he diverted their plot and continued him still nay when he was in Bonds yet he was able to get him liberty to go abroad with his keeper and to preach the Kingdom of God to as many as came Suppose the world be never so mad against Christs Ministers yet as long as he hath any more worke for them to doe he can hold off their singers from meddling with them till they have finished the Taske that hee hath given them to doe The Use of this is first That Ministers should not fear to bee deprived of their liberty so long as they doe well indeed if they doe ill if they bee wicked or idle or unworthy such Ministers should fear they doe deserve to be put down But if wee bee godly Ministers it is our basenesse to feare any such thing Christ hath the continuing of us our times are not in mens hands but in his What a horrible thing is it that wee should goe against our conscience in any thing or bee afraid to speak what God bids us to bee mealemouthed to bee discouraged with rumours or dangers wee should keep nothing back of the whole counsell of God wee are starres in his hands and hee hath the continuing of us though men fight against us they cannot prevaile against us till our businesse is all done As the Lord told the Prophet Jeremiah They shall fight against thee but they shall not prevaile against thee for I am with thee Jer. 1. 19. Let us then be afraid of nothing but sinne Let us bee afraid to doe any evill either towards God or towards man let us be harmlesse in the midst of a crooked and a perverse generation Let us deale faithfully with our people let us undauntedly Preach Rebuke Exhort with all long suffering and Doctrine make our faces hard against the wickeds faces no matter for their railings their threatning speeches their malicious accusations and not feare the Lord Jesus hath the continuing of us Secondly Here we may see the reason why the Gospel continues in any place a man would wonder it should continue any where because the world cannot abide it Which of the Prophets have not your Fathers persecuted saves Stephen Act. 7. 52. They that doe evill hate the light it cuts them to the heart Every one hates mee sayes the Prophet hee was reproached for the Words sake Report say they and wee will report it One time they put him into a dungeon Another time they would have killed him Shemaiah writ Letters to the high Priest against him Jer. 29. 25. And yet hee continued his Ministery untill the day of the Captivity Nay hee had liberty when others had their liberty taken away Yee know Christ himself Preached dayly in the Temple and they took him not though they gnasht their teeth at his Doctrine and sometimes were in the minde to throw him down headlong and break his neck sometimes to stone him yet till his houre was come he had his liberty And the truth is a man would wonder how any of Gods Ministers have their Liberties continued when there bee so many Drunkards so many Enemies of all goodnesse so many that follow their own ungodly lusts and the Gospel is an eye-sore unto them and yet in many places it stands still This is Gods doing You see here Christ hath the continuing of his Ministers they shall have their liberty as long as God hath any use for them Thirdly Is it so that Christ hath the continuing of his Ministers then this is of use also unto you Now you heare whence to have your good Ministers continued even by seeking to Jesus Christ hee can lay a charge upon all the world where they are to let them alone He can say Doe my Prophets no harme Psal 105. 15. you will say why what shall we doe I Answer first let us repent of our sinnes it is our sins that removes the Ministers of God if we would repent us of our sins and turn from our wicked wayes and let the Word work upon our hearts this would continue the ministery of the Word as God told Judah when they should repent of their sins O sayes hee I will bee your God and you shall be my people and my Sanctuary shall be among you for evermore Ezek. 27. 27 28. that is by Sanctuary he meanes his publique Worship the preaching of his Word and other of the meanes of grace when they repented of their sins then these should be continued So Beloved if yee would repent of your sins I do not mean one or two or a few or so But if there might be a generall Reformation among us this would fasten the Word among us as in a sure place Secondly Let us prize the Gospell the Gospell loves to stay there where it is welcome it will never goe away if it might have good entertainment if wee would honour it and glorifie it and pluck up our affections in the dearest manner to it this would preserve it among us for ever The Church of Philadelphia that used the Word best had it longest c. Our Saviour Christ hath a saying Into what soever Towne or City yee enter enquire who is worthy there abide Matth. 10. 11. And as hee sayes Luk. 10. 7. Goe not from house to house The Gospell does not love to change houses till it be urged so it does not love to change Townes if it may have good usage So Beloved if wee would give the
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
Lord. So the seale of us Ministers are yee in the Lord though I have not converted others yet doubtlesse I have converted you unto God as he sayes Truly the signes of an Apostle were wrought among you 2 Cor. 12. 12 c. Fifthly this is that which will give us comfort when we lie upon our death-beds when we can say we have been faithfull in our callings and can shew a token of it too by blessing of our faithfulnesse in the gaining of foules as Paul saith to the Thessalonians What is our hope or joy or crown of rejoycing Are not even yee in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming For ye are our glory and joy 1 Thess 2. 19 20. This is a pledge of our glory The promise is cleare They that turn others unto righteousnesse shall shine as the starres Dan. 12. 3. I doe not deny but a wicked Minister that hath parts and is gifted of God with an Art of speaking to the conscience may convert and therefore it is not a naked argument But when a man hath had this successe by his faithfulnesse and hath set himself to doe it in Gods way indeed what an unspeakable comfort is this He is not the wisest Minister that can plot most for prefermet or can preach best for applause or the like No no but he that can most compose himselfe to doe good He that winneth soules is wise Prov. 11. 30. that is as he had need to be a wise man and to goe wisely to work that would doe it so he is a wise man he is wise to himself he layes up to himself a good foundation of comfort against the world to come Sixthly and lastly if we can endure to be unprofitable not to stirre up our selves not to point and sharpen our Ministery that it may pierce into mens consciences nor never study how to doe good what a heavie woe will lie upon us You read what was done to the unprofitable servant he was bound hand and foot and cast out into utter darknesse where is weeping and gnashing of teeth Matth. 25. 30. O then how carefull should we be to doe good and to be effectual Preachers that we may say these and these I have been an instrument of good to by the mercy of God these and these I have begotten through the Gospel then are we Angels indeed that are sent out for the good of Gods elect I confess it is good to civilize our people to abate their wickednesse to make them Professors and I would to God we could see more of these effects rather then none But to gather in Gods elect this is an Angels work the conversion of one soule is better then the civilizing of a thousand And therefore let us be diligent and industrious and preach in season and out of season let us con the skill of preaching not to tickle mens itching eares not so much to make our people say our Minister is a fine Scholar a good Churchman as to rouze up the consciences of our hearers to pull down their hearts before God to feed their souls with divine meat with the good knowledge of the Lord to shew them the severall wiles of Satan as Paul sayes Speak thou the things which become sound doctrine that the aged men be sober and grave c. Tit. 2. 1. that is so preach as to good to old men to old women to young men to young women to Masters to servants to all as it follows there wee must look unto our life that we defile not our Angels place that we doe not undoe what we preach Alas if we doe not sincerely practice all that we doe deliver if our lives doe not answer our teaching we are like unto kine that give very good milk but then put their feet into the paile or throw down the paile when they have done This is to make our preaching of no effect and therefore as the Apostle says to Timothy Take heed unto thy selfe and to thy doctrine continue in them for in doing this thou shalt both save thy selfe and them that heare thee 2 Tim. 4. 16. They are the best Ministers that carry people unto heaven when men think to send people to heaven and not goe themselves suppose this should doe the deed yet what will it profit us if our people goe to heaven and we stay behind and never come there Nay we cannot look they will go except they see us goe before them and therefore let us do nothing that may hinder the fruitfulnesse of our Sermons Thus shall we be Angels indeed Fourthly another use is If Ministers be Angels then let us know that we are mainly for Gods elect as the Psalmist sayes of every elect person God shall give his Angels charge over thee to keep thee in all thy wayes Psal 91. 11. Mark the Angels have the charge of the elect they are their main charge may be they are to doe many things towards others but these are their principall charge so it must be with Gods Ministers their chiefe charge is towards Gods elect as the Apostle sayes I endure all things for the elects sake that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus which is eternall glory 2 Tim. 2. 10. Wee that are Gods Ministers have all our gifts and graces for their sakes He gave some Apostles and some Prophets some Evangelists and some Pastors and Teachers For what For the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministery for the edifying of the body of Christ Ephes 4. 11 12. And therefore if wee have any that feare God in our Parishes wee should bend our main Ministery unto them and for the adding of more to them wee should not bee like those wretched Ministers that count such persons the worst of their flock and they doe most hate them and oppose them and jeere them No no we should most dearly love them and tender them and bend our selves unto them nay we should not altogether in these bad times stand declaiming against drunkards murtherers and so leave the Lords Saints without their portion The truth is yee that live in your ungodly courses yee that walk after your wicked lusts and wil not be gotten to forsake your cursed doings we could bee content to lay hell here before you in every Sermon and spend our shot on you all the houres that we have of preaching in the week are little enough to tell you what a damned condition yee are in But if yee wil not enter in into the strait gate we must not neglect them that wil if yee will be filthy be filthy still and if yee wil to hell and we cannot perswade you to live out of your sins Though there be but two or three that are wel-minded in our Parishes we are to bend our selves chiefly unto them Indeed as long as we have any hope of adding more to their company we must preach points for them
charge you in the Kings name this is to come with authority Therefore we should not come with the affectation of wit or of reading of fine and filed speaking You wil say What would you have us be foolish in our preaching I answer Never object so for it is the foolishnesse of preaching that saves them which beleeve 1 Cor. 1. 21. as one sayes we must preach Christ crucified in a crucified phrase The world would have gewgawes and garish garnishings and why so because the naked Word is contrary to flesh and bloud like some eyes they must have their silks their cypresses to look upon the Sun by forsooth the Sun beams are too glorious and shining otherwise Pedestris oratio as Jerome speaks a Minister must have a foot-speech and not speak a horseback with trappings and tassels and deckings Though this be foolishnesse unto some yet it is wisdom to them that are of God We speak wisdom to them that are perfect 1 Cor. 2. 6. Mark they that are perfect will accept it to be wisdome it is foolishnesse onely to children and sots and such as are not able to discerne God will have his mercies hidden under homely out-sides that men that will stumble at them may as men hide treasure under straw as the woman of Baharim hid the two Worthies of Israel in a well under a course sack Can gallant preaching make people pluck out their right eyes and deny their own selves and wayes No no when the heart sees it hath to doe with God nothing but this will pull it down away then with our own affections let us labour to come with God into our pulpits that people may see God dealing with them 2. Ministers should agree to preach differencingly to distinguish between the pretious and the vile the clean and the unclean as we must not bruise the broken Reed but deal gently with it so we must not give childrens bread unto dogges Matth. 15. 29. we must not cast our seed into fallow ground but wee must let the fallow ground feele our ploughes tearing we must not fling pearles before swine nor bitter arrowes against Christ his Lambs This were as if we should call for snow in Summer and rain in harvest No no a whip for the Horse and a bridle for the Asse and a rod for the Fools back Prov. 26. 3. If people be like Mules that will not understand we must put in a Bit into their mouthes If people will have their own wayes our word must be fires and hammers and axes and chesils and swords and speares that their bellies may tremble and rottennesse may enter into their bones You will say Why then belike we must have nothing in our mouthes but hell and damnation I answer No nothing but hell and damnation for the naught You will say that will drive them to despaire Why then let it it were well if wee had our people there they must despaire before they come to mercy as Hezekiah sayes O Lord I am oppressed doe thou comfort me or undertake for me Isai 38. 14. People must bee oppressed with our Sermons we must lay load and burdens on their consciences or they will never bee fitted for comforts and Christs undertakings True the servants of the Lord must be gentle unto all men 2 Tim. 2. 24. and suffer the wickednesse of all very patiently praying if at any time the Lord will give them repentance that the Devill may let them goe Nothing but hell and damnation is not good we must not be like James and John that would needs bee calling for fire to come down from heaven to consume the Samaritans no we must be long-suffering but yet we must not let a wicked man live but we must give him his deaths wound by the stab of the Word lest his bloud be required at our hands 3. Ministers should agree in preaching with all their strength constantly and duly not quadragesimall Sermons onely or the like but the Apostle commands Ministers to preach in season and out of season 2 Tim. 4. 2. It is a wicked cavill of some and it is the Devill that doth suggest it It is not good to cloy the people is it not faire to preach once a Sabbath must we have two and a week daye too This is overmuch this is unseasonable that people should trudge and trot to Sermons when they should be at their callings Well bee it so that it is out of season wee must preach out of season too all will be little enough I am sure the Prophet Haggai the word of the Lord came to him twice in one day Hag. 2. 10 20. Austin used constantly to preach twice a day as appears in his 2d Sermon upon the 88. Psalm nay in one place he sayes he preached thrice Doe not wonder my dear brethren si hodie ter sermonem that I have preached three times this one day And he addes this besides that it was not without cause in his 33. Sermon to his brethren in the Wildernesse Nay the ancient Fathers preached every day in the yeare as it is well known to them that are used to read them Chrysostome in his Homilies upon Genesis shewes this almost in the beginning of every Homily And one time perceiving his hearers somwhat few O says he every houre in the day is seasonable for you to heare nay the night is not unseasonable Paul prolonged himselfe unto midnight sayes he Acts 20. I pray did the time hinder him No though he were for a journey the next day yet hee would not think much to break his nights rest Another time preaching by candle-light O sayes he doe you see this same lamp take away the oyle you put out the light even so it is with the gifts of the Spirit the dulnesse of our hearing the littlenesse of our profiting at once our readinesse to decline except we be pricked forward our aptnesse to forget God the commandment of having the word to dwell richly in us the duty of meditating in it day and night do plainly enforce this preaching You will say If Preachers should preach often it would be but prating we cannot preach often soundly I answer it is false for all that I see the ablest Divines have preached the most often as Calvin and Luther and Wickliff and others and Mr. Greenham nay Austin preached extempore that Sermon of his upon the 95. Psalm it seemes that he expected his brother Severus to come and preach for him but his friend failing to come hee preached himself as Dr Don relates the story So Basil also preaching two Sermons upon the works of God that hee made in the six dayes Genes 1. confesses he had no more premeditation then that very morning when he began to preach them Thus many holy men by setting themselves to be instant in Gods harvest time have had such a doore of utterance opened unto them to speak the mystery of Christ that like wise Scribes they could
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
company of hypocrites and teachers of vanities what are these Preachers wee see little good they doe what becomes of all their Preaching factions and odde opinions in one Towne and dissolutenesse and all manner of licensiousnesse in another If the whole world should let us alone I verily feare God himselfe would put us down immediately in the end So many scandals so many thousand offences are given every day that its a wonder wee stand as we doe That the Lord of heaven lets any Minister in England come into a Pulpit more nothing but pride and self-conceits and selftrustings and feared consciences dead hearts and profanenesse unlesse it be a very little handfull O Beloved if where preaching is it were honoured as it ought to bee and obeyed as it should if people would doe as we teach I dare be bold to affirme wee might Preach long enough If our Townes would sweetly reforme set up good Government root out all disorders and cursed abuses live like Christians indeed be humble and sober and loving and dutifull to God and Man Giving to Caesar the things that are Caesars and to God the things that are Gods If we would feare God and honour the King Reverence Gods Courts obey the voyce of his servants love Christ and his word above our appointed food this would lengthen the Ministery of the Land this would bee a meanes for the establishing of Gods Kingdome among us Christ would never repent that ever hee sent his Gospell unto us where wee have some wee should have more where we have more wee should have a hundred times more as the Apostle Peter sayes Who is he that will harme you if yee be followers of that which is good 1 Pet. 3. 13. Thirdly Another Use is is it Christ that takes away Ministers either by death or restraining or by any other way Then let it bee a meanes to exhort us to repent of our sinnes that Christ may still give a doore of utterance to his Ministers that they may still speak in his name This should move us to seek God When Peter was cast into prison O what fasting and crying and praying was there to God for him till hee was restored again Act. 12. 5. they did not goe to Herod to restore him No they knew Christ was hee that tooke him from the Church whoever were the instrument therefore they sought to Heaven for him again if any peoples Ministery bee gone this is the best way to fetch them again Paul knew this to bee true and therefore when hee was in prison at Rome hee writes to Philemon thus I trust that through your prayers I shall be given unto you Philemon v. 22. Nay hee is so confident that if people would but cry hard for him to God that hee should quickly bee enlarged Nay sayes hee prepare mee a lodging for I trust that through your prayers I should be given unto you q. d. I make no question but I shall out of prison if you will but bee earnest with God So also it seems the Authour to the Hebrews was restrained from Preaching Now mark what an exhortation hee uses Pray for us sayes hee and I beseech you the rather to doe this that I may bee restored unto you the sooner Heb. 13. 18 19. Thus I have finished this part of the Description of Jesus Christ That hath the seven Starres in his hand and the whole Subscription too These things saith hee that hath the seven Spirits of God and the seven Starres I come now to the Epistle it self I know thy works that thou hast a name that thou livest and art dead but of this more c. REVEL 3. 1. And unto the Angel 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 I know thy works c. Revel 3. 1. I know thy workes c. YE have heard two things concerning this Epistle First the Inscription that declareth the person to whom it was sent To the Angel of the Church in Sardis write That is it was sent principally to the Minister of the Church in the Town of Sardis and also to the Christians that were in that Church Secondly the subscription that declareth from whom it was sent These things saith hee that hath the seven Spirits of God and the seven Stars that is it was sent from Jesus Christ Now we come to the third thing and that is the subject matter of this Epistle which consists of three things First a Reprehension of the sins of the Minister and the body of his congregation Secondly a Direction or the shewing of the remedy for the curing of their sins Thirdly a Commendation of some particular persons in that Congregation that were not carryed away with the sins of the times The reprehension is either in generall I know thy works that is I know them all and I know them to be stark nought 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 nought And then in particular hee instances in two first the sin of hypocrisie or seeming to be good Thou hast a name that thou livest Secondly the sin of deadnesse of heart But thou art dead This is the reprehension or the reproof Then follows the Direction or the shewing of the remedy for he does not reprove them out of any ill will but for their good And therefore he prescribes them a remedy and the remedy is twofold The first is to strengthen the things that remain that are ready to dye v. 2. q. d. as many of you as are not quite and clean dead stir up your selves quicken up your hearts and this is first illustrated by shewing how they should doe thus Be watchfull sayes he q. d. that 's the reason why ye languish on this fashion and ye will languish more and more because yee are not watchfull therefore be watchfull and then it is urged by rendring a motive to use this remedy For I have not found thy workes perfect before God that is thou art hardly sincere a jot thou art full of hypocrisie and formality and thou wilt lose all thy labour if thou dost not look well about thee therefore shake up thy self and strengthen the things c. this is the first remedy The second remedy is to repent v. 3. and this is amplified by shewing how and that is two wayes 1. Remember how c. i.e. consider how thou hast been taught and bewail thy declinings for thou art horribly departed from what thou hast heard out of the Word 2. Hold fast i.e. so bewaile thy warpings and degeneratings that thou mayest get up again and 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
and therefore hee is a blasphemer of God that gets the name of it and lets the thing alone and therefore how shoud wee take heede how wee have the name for Religious people except wee bee Religious indeed and holy indeede and Heavenly indeede as Ambrose sayes nam â—it nomen inane crimen immane a bare name is a horrible blame unto any man whosoever he be Thirdly it is a flat lie when a man hath the name for a good Christian and hath not the thing signified by the Name this is a flat lie as God sayes Note it in a Booke that it may be for time to come for ever and ever that this is a rebellious people lying children children that will not heare the Law of the Lord Isaiah 30. 8. 9. that is they had the name of his children but they had not the thing signified by that name they would not doe as children should doe they would not bee ruled by their fathers Lawes therefore they are lying children they lie in bearing such a name the Lord notes it in a Booke that it might stand for ever and ever against them at the day of judgement this was nothing else but to lie before God you goe for my children what and will not doe as I bid you you lie in haveing the name of my children when a man shall have the name of a child of God or the name of a Minister of the Lord Jesus or the name of a Christian baptized into Christ hee had need to take heed what hee does for if he doe not answer this name hee does but play the Ananias to lie to the Holy Ghost Looke into thy generall calling looke into thy particular looke into thy carriage looke into thy manner of good duties whether thou doe behave thy selfe answerably to this holy name whereby thou art called knowing thou dost but lye to God if thou dost not Fourthly it is an unreasonable thing when a man hath not the thing there is no reason that hee should have the name when God gave Abram the name of Abraham hee told him there was a reason why hee should bee called by that name thy name shall bee called Abraham for a Father of many Nations have I made thee Genesis 17. 5. so it is an unreasonable thing why wee should have the name of Gods servants or Christians unlesse there bee some reason why wee should have the imposition of this name now when wee make it a bare title and doe not obey Christ nor make conscience of all his holy waies this is very unreasonable as Abigail reasoned about her Husbands name as his name is so is hee Nabal is his name and folly is with him 1 Samuel 25. 25. So my brethren as our name is so should we be if Christian be our name true Christianity should bee with us humility love meekenesse patience faith holinesse and all other parts of Christianity should be with us now if we have the name without these things intimated by the name this is a very unreasonable thing nay it is not onely unreasonable but also ridiculous who will not count the names that the Papists give to their blockish Friers ridiculous subtilissimus Doctor Doctor Angelicus Seraphicus these are ridiculous as a drunkard a Christian a whoremonger a Christian a worldling a Christian a vaine man a Christian what a ridiculous thing it is to call such the Saints of God strangers here on earth such as have their conversation in Heaven such as are buried together with Christ in his death such as are men of another World mortified justified sanctified crucified to themselves loving the things above and not the things that are here beneath If these things doe not agree with us what a ridiculous thing is it that wee should bee termed good Christians here bee Christians indeed this is a meere mockery Fifthly it is an impudent thing when we have a name to live and to be wrought upon by the word what an impudent thing is it if we doe not looke to it that wee be so indeed one would thinke wee should blush to thinke what a name wee have and how little wee make good our name between God and our owne soules When the men of Bethlehem said is not this Naomi O how she was ashamed of her selfe call me not Naomi call me Marah for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me Ruth 1. 20. so when wee are named Christians we should even blush call me not a Christian call me a wretch call me a vile creature a hell-hound a limme of the Devill a cursed sinner for the Almighty never yet turned my heart he never yet purified my Soule and life I never yet have resembled Christ to this very day I say the most of us should even be confounded to thinke what a name wee have I a Christian and doe no more good and live no better life I a Christian and not humbled not abased yet before God so dull to all goodnesse so carnall so dead to all Gods Ordinances so voide of all grace so sencelesse of my sinnes how can this be wee are impudent if wee have our name for naught our name may upbraide us the good opinions that others have of us may fill our faces with shame to thinke how short we come of it Sixthly it is an inexcusable thing if we have a name to be alive wee are without excuse if wee be not First because now out of our owne mouthes God will judge us wee said wee were his people wee tooke the name of his servants why then he will say why had I not your service why would you doe no more for me why were you coveteous why were you proud why were you hard-hearted why were you so carelesse of me you wore my livery you shrouded your selves under my name So the Lord did with the Jewes that had the name of his children and servants see how he judges them out of their owne mouth a Sonne honours his Father and a servant his Master if then I be a Father where is my honour and if I be a Master where is my feare Malachi 1. 6. q. d. you say I am your Father and I am your Master and I am your God well out of your owne mouthes I will judge you why then did you honour me no more why did yee regard mee no more yee cared not for mee yee did not looke after mee you had little or no heart after me your owne mouthes have even cast you Secondly ye can have no other excuse can you say you could not beleeve in my name ye could not forgoe such and such lusts at my command why then would you goe for my servants you should have said so plainely and not daily have come into my Courts as if you would obey me nor taken up the profession of my Worship as if you would goe through stitch with it why would you come to my Table
detect us at last before others and then what a shame will this bee as David sayes of Doeg the Lord would discover him Hee would make all the good people round about say of Him Lo this is the Man that tooke not GOD for his strength Psalme 52. 7. So hee will doe with us Lo this is the Man that had such a Name to Live Lo this is the Man now wee see here 's a wretch now wee see how hee deceived his owne soule hee never truely sought GOD in all his life hee was not the Man that wee tooke him for hee built upon the Sand hee did not lay a good foundation and therefore now hee is tumbled downe and what is become of his name Now hee shewes himselfe in his Colours now wee see hee is an Enemy of GOD hee can side with the Times hee can embrace this present VVorld hee hath no eternall life abiding in him Nay the Lord will not onely doe thus with us if wee rest in a Name but also hee will pour his Wrath upon us otherwise too yee may read how that this was the reason why the Lord drowned all the old World not onely the wickednesse of them that were without for if they that professed Religion had beene sound they might have prevented the Deluge and prayed it away But they that professed Religion had only a Name The Sonnes of GOD saw the Daughters of men that they were faire Genesis 6. 2. That is the Sonnes of God they were onely so in Name their workes plainely shewed that they were onely so in Name therefore the Lord swept them all away So the Lord will pour bitter things on us if wee bee Christians onely in Name and the servants of CHRIST onely in Name if wee bee not so indeede nay this is not all but wee shall have a deeper Portion in Hell too then Pagans or Papists or any in our owne Land the more wee have borne of his Name the surer shall our damnation bee if wee doe not really answer the Holy Name wherewith wee are called Wee may see this in the Man in the Gospell Friend how camest thou in hither Binde him hand and soote cast him into utter darkenesse where is weeping c. Matthew 22. 12. 13. Come Friend how came you in hither marke hee had the Name of a friend of Jesus Christ therefore the Text sayes hee was speechlesse hee had nothing to say for himselfe his damnation had nothing to lessen it other people shall have something to say for themselves to lessen their damnation but those that have a Name to live shall not have the least syllable Thirdly then let another use bee to humble our hearts let us goe to God in humiliation of heart as the poore prodigall Sonne did and downe on the knees of our soules and bodies and say Lord I have sinned against Heaven and before thee and am no more worthy to bee called thy Sonne Luke 15. 21. So as many of us as are guilty of this sinne as who almost is not and that in a horrible manner let us say Lord I have beene called a Christian I have beene called a child of thine I have had the Name a good while but O what a Wretch have I beene I am not worthy of this Name I have sinned against heaven and in thy sight I have not answered the Name I have had and therefore it were just with thee to cut mee asunder with Hypocrites and so fling mee downe to Hell REVEL 3. 1. And art Dead THese words are a part of the Epistle that Christ sent to the Ministers and Church of Sardis Ye have heard the inscription to the Angel of the Church in Sardis write Ye have heard too of the subscription These things saith he that hath the seven spirits of God and the seven Starres We are come to the Subject matter and therein first to the reproof in generall I know thy workes and secondly to the partculars of the reproof The first particular was this Thou hast a name that thou livest all these have been delivered already now followes the second particular reproof And art dead Here the question is what Christ meanes by dead By dead he does not mean dead in errors and heresies though these be called deadly poysons and may make a Church dead For the truth is called the word of life Phil. 2. 16. and wholesome Doctrine as the Apostle cals it and ergo errors and heresies these poyson dead any people that drink them in But this cannot be the meaning here for we see no such thing here laid to their charge it should seeme this Church was an orthodox Church neither by dead does he meane prophane wicked manners though they make a people dead too as we see the prodigall Sonne that had been given to prophane and dissolute courses his Father sayes he was dead in those dayes Luke 15. 24. Yet this cannot be the meaning neither for this Church had a name to live and it had this name among the Churches of Jesus Christ which had more wit then to Judge them to be alive if they had been so palpably wicked no it seemes they were an excellent Church to see to a good Ministry to see to but both dead so then this is the meaning For all their seeming to be alive they were indeed dead as the Apostle sayes of himselfe before he was quickned by Christ Jesus He was dead sin revived and I dyed Rom. 7. 9. yet he was as jolly a good man as any other and yet he confesses he was dead so they were dead for the most part and those that were not all out dead yet they were dead-hearted and without life in Gods wayes For as it was with the Moraller Heathen they did the things contained in the Law yet they were dead so a people may doe the things contained in the Gospell too and yet be dead people may beleeve yet as Iames sayes their saith be dead saith Jam. 2. 26. namely when their faith is without works so people may have goodly works for the morall part of them and yet doe them with a dead heart to be sober and temperate and loving and chaste and civilly humble and meek and diligent in their calling and known to frequent all the ordinances of God in publik in private these are outwardly good works and yet may be in the number of those works that the Apostle cals dead works Heb. 6. â— namely when there is no life of God in them Thousands deceive themselves in this when they have a kinde of faith and a kind of particular faith and such works as these flowing from their faith they think this to be a lively faith no no a man may be dead for all that This truth will not sink into mens minds fancies fancies say they these are nothing but the whimses of a company of giddy â—raines what would they have if this be not true religion we wonder what
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
how apt are people to forget any thing that is good to put off any thing that should pull them downe before God and therefore we should labour to help our poore people that if it be possible we may stop them from going downe into the pit Fifthly we should labour to make the things that we preach as if it were lively before peoples eyes as the Apostle preacht Christ crucified to the Galatians even as if he were crucified before their very eyes Gal. 3. 1. so Moses had a very lively Ministry the text sayes he set his points before their very eyes I call heaven and earth to record against you this day that I have set before you life and death blessing and crusing Deut. 30. 19. marke he set before their eyes life and death heaven and hell he preached so evidently that the people might see as it were with their eyes the things that he preached this is lively teaching as the Orator sayes Hypotyposis is an excellent meanes to perswade when the speaker does as it were point before the hearers eyes when he represents the things he speakes of this is preaching in the evidence and the demonstration of the spirit 1 Cor. 2. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when a Minister demonstrates his points and this it is this is the sinne and this is the case and this is the misery and thus it stands with you when he labours to make people see it and they must needs see it unlesse they be wilfull and shut their eyes otherwise people heare a Sermon as if it did not concerne them there 's a man in the pulpit and they heare what he says but they never consider how deeply it concernes them Sixthly we should be truly affected with the word of God our selves laying nothing on our peoples shoulders but what we lift upon our owne we should speake the truth from the bottom of our hearts uttering the word of God with feeling and with a contrite heart we should be heavenly as the word is that lip and heart and word may be all a like O if we did drop downe our Sermons as dew downe from heaven on our people this would be a lively preaching indeed as the Prophet Ezekiel did He dropt the word of God on Ierusalem Ezek. 21. 2. if our Sermons did come dropping downe from us as if they dropt downe from heaven O how homely doe our Sermons come from our mouthes as though they never were higher then the pulpit we doe not preach as if the word came dropping down from heaven and therefore people doe not look up to heaven while they heare their mindes are no higher then our pulpits whereas if we had heavenlier hearts and lippes it would more quicken a thousand times or at least be a sitter instrument to quicken Seventhly and lastly we should get the Lord to goe along with our Ministry for it is not our preaching it selfe that hath any life nay it is but a dead letter as it issues from us if we were such men that had the Lord going along with us throughout all our Ministry what a deale of profit would there be in our Ministry as Micha sayes I am full of power by the spirit of the Lord Micha 3. 8. But I let this point passe thus ye have heard the words as they have relation to the Ministry of the Church in Sardis Thou art dead that is thy Ministry is dead Now I come to the words as they have relation to the Church it selfe Thou art dead Thou art a dead people though thou hast a name to live yet thou art dead that is thou art outwardly reformed thou hast goodly order'd congregations good sober civill and faire carriaged people all professing the true religion and frequenting the good Ordinances of God yet thou art dead that is thou art even as good as nothing the doctrine hence is a dead Christian is as no Christian at all Ye know we are all dead by nature in trespasses and in sins that is we are alive to the workes of the flesh and to the world but dead towards God And a true Christian is he that is made dead unto sinne and the world but alive unto God as the Apostle Paul sayes Likewise reckon ye your selves to be dead unto sin but alive unto God through Iesus Christ our Lord Rom. 6. 11. this is a true Christian that so leaves his sinnes and so takes up the worship and service of God that he is dead to his sinnes and alive towards God now when a man it may be leaves his sinnes after a manner and takes up the profession of Gods Service and yet he is alive still unto the flesh and dead towards God this is just nothing By dead I meane things first deadnesse of guilt when a man is guilty of any offence that is death by the Law he is said to be a dead man therefore every man hath sinned against God which is death by Gods Law so that every man is dead by nature when a man is pardoned of God then he is alive again and therefore it is called justification of life Ro. 5. 18. now when a man is not pardoned of God he is dead though he have never so many hopes and conceits of forgivenesse thought to apprehend himselfe to be pardoned yet as long as God hath not pardoned him indeed he is a dead man Secondly deadnesse of minde when the minde is Ignorant of God in regard of saving knowledge when a mans minde is without saving understanding then his minde is said to be dead true saving understanding is the life of so many mindes as David sayes give me understanding and I shall live Psal 119. 144. then my minde shall be alive sayes he then I shall know thee aright now let a man have never so much knowledge and learning yet in divine things is otherwise and have nothing his minde is still dead he is a dead man to all the things of God he cannot see God in all his wayes no more then a dead man he cannot minde God he may minde earthly things but he cannot minde God nay though he can mind learning divinity learning learning about God yet he cannot minde God his minde is dead to such savoury knowledge even as dead as a dead man he knowes not how to pray to God as a childe to his Father he knowes not how to doe any duty in a godly gratious manner his minde is as dead to these things as a simple Country-mans is to Latin or Greeke or Hebrew Thirdly deadnesse of heart when the heart is not inclined towards God then we say it is dead towards God and all goodnesse though he goe to good duties every day yet as long as the heart is not inclined to them it goes about them in a dead manner when a mans heart is once inclined towards God now it begins to be alive towards him as David sayes the heart
it I Matth. 26. 21. they all did apply it you see how his speech stirred their mindes they fell presently to apply so when a man cannot heare any sinne ripped up but presently he cryes out Lord it is I Is it I that am guilty of this sinne O if it be I let me see it that I may leave it if he heare of any threatning he sayes Lord is it I O teach me that I may be humbled when he heares of any grace Lord is it I that have this grace O if it be not I O let it be I a quickened minde is an applying minde now if the minde be yet dead it cares not for applying though it know never so much yet it lets the word still be a stranger unto it it does not take it home to it selfe like the hearers there in Hosea as God sayes I writ to them the great things of my Law but they were counted as a strange thing Hos 8. 12. they would not take them home now a quickened minde takes them home this reproofe is to me this Commandement is to me this reproof is to me nay when a reproof to ones thinking of all other should seeme least to concerne him as when our Saviour Christ spake against rich men O how hardly shall a rich man enter into the Kingdome of God! yet the Apostles took it to themselves they were amazed sayes the Text Matth. 19. 25. one would have thought the doctrine should little concerne them alas they were not so rich but they applyed it though fearing least that little that they had should draw their hearts away from God this then is the first Secondly the meditating of the minde this is another stirring act of the minde a naturall man may think of his eternall good now and then but this is nothing his minde is dead for all that But when a mans minde runnes on such things now it is alive look what your mindes doe run on that your mindes are alive to Because it is most certane that that is it which you respect most as David sayes I will meditate on thy precepts and have respect unto thy wayes Psal 119. 15. A dead mind may light on good thoughts but when a man meditates of them when his minde runneth upon such themes this mans minde is alive to them he gives his minde to them as Paul sayes to Timothy meditate on these things give thy selfe wholly to them that thy profitting may appeare 1 Tim. 4. 15. you may see this in ungodly men they doe not onely thinke of the world for so a godly man may doe and must doe but their mindes runne on the world they give their mindes to it it is the Apostles saying they minde earthly things Phil. 4. 19. it may be they know gracious things I but they minde earthly they cannot finde in their heart to give their mindes to Gods word and will so that would you prove your selves and your mindes to be alive towards God labour that your mindes may bend their meditations that way let your mindes runne on him and how ye may have his favour and how ye may keep it how ye take heed of offending of him a man is yet dead that does not give his minde to these things whose minde does not runne on them daily And therefore beloved as ever ye do desire to have a proofe of your life towards God let your mindes runne on these things give diligent heed that they may not slip out of your mindes as the Apostle sayes ye ought to give so much the more diligent heed to the things which ye have heard least at any time ye let them slip Heb. 2. 1. if they doe slip away ye know not how as the flesh will let them goe if ye doe not take heed call for them againe as God sayes Bring it againe to minde O ye transgressors Isa 46. 8. Thirdly the considering of the minde when the minde lookes cursorily on things what is this but the remissenesse and loosenesse of the minde now when the minde comes to consider seriously of them now it quickens up it selfe now it lookes wishly and intentively on them indeed alas all our knowledge of the truth all our approving of good courses all is nothing without consideration our knowledge and approbation are dead things without this even as good as if we had no knowledge at all for all the good it will doe us if we doe not consider as God sayes Israel doth not know my people doe not consider Isa 1. 3. looke what our mindes doe consider from day to day that our minds are lively on consideration is the eagernesse of the minde when the minde cares not for an object it will not trouble it selfe to consider of a lesse act will serve such a thing well enough but looke what the minde is inclined unto there it will not goe slightly and lightly to worke there 't will take paines nay it counts it no paines to perpend and to weigh things as in a Ballance as it is said of Mary looke what she heard from Christ she kept it and pondered it in her heart Luk. 2. 19. she pondered it and weighed it in a ballance O it was matter of great weight with her minde where the minde is alive there it will consider and ponder and weigh nay there is not a circumstance but the minde will take it to consideration Take a man that is alive to the things here below how considerative is that man in all matters of that nature As for example now for his gaine he takes every thing into consideration that may make for his gaine He will have his wits about him when he buyes or sels when he sowes or reaps he considers with himselfe that he will not sow too soon or too late in the year or a grain that the ground will not beare he considers how long it was since it was fallow how long it will beare till it be laid fallow againe he considers when he may sell dearest when he may buy cheapest when is the best time to put off a commodity This is the livelynesse of his minde in these things Take this man now for his soule his minde is starke heavy any loose thoughts shall serve turne for that he does not consider here But when a man is a live unto God now his considerations runne out this way now he is considerative this way for his soule for his spirituall and eternall good Beloved consideration is a lively act of the minde as you may see there in Moses Know therefore this day and consider it in thy heart that the Lord he is God in heaven above and upon the earth beneath Deut. 4. 39. that is doe not onely know it but quicken up thy minde to consider it this will doe thee good indeed this is a very perfect Act of the minde as we see in David when I consider the Heavens the worke of thy hands the Moone
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