we haue neuer so much cause to remember it Ionas falleth asleepe in the hold of the ship in the midst of that stresse when hee should haue been praying for himselfe and those that were with him Thus it fareth many times with the Ministers of the Word wee are subiect to a supine forgetfulnesse to bee rockt asleepe with the profits and preferments of the world whilst in the meane time our flockes our charges nay our selues too are in eminent danger Let vs craue that fauour from you that in this case you would play the Marriners part that you would awaken and stirre vs vp to the discharge of our duty which concerns you and our selues so neerely Stirre vs vp but how Why 1. by Christian exhortations friendly aduice and counsell Awaken vs by word of mouth Herein onely obserue three Cautions that this be done 1. with loue 2. with wisedome 3. with a due respect to our places and callings With loue that it may be without bitternesse without any tincture of priuate spleene against our persons dip your reproofes and exhortations in oyle they will driue the better with wisedome with a due poyzing and weighing of all circumstances as time and place and the like as also a due consideration of our strength and ability for the discharge of this duty with respect vnto our callings and functions It is Saint Pauls charge to Timothy Rebuke not an Elder but exhort him as a Father Tart and masterlike reproofs out of your mouths though we deserue them yet doe not become you Exhort vs as Fathers Thus stirre vs vp by exhortations And 2. Stirre vs by incouragements what incouragements Why not onely verball but reall incouragements viz. 1. Competency of meanes and maintenance sutable to our paines and charge Take heed of being accessary to the staruing of this ordinance of God and your owne soules by muzling the mouth of the Oxe Let them that wait vpon and serue at the Altar liue and liue comfortably by the Altar 2. by giuing due honour and respect to our places and callings Though our persons perhaps deserue little yet our callings are honourable Paul himselfe was of a mean presence His bodily presence was weak of a low stature of a meane personage but his function challenged respect 3. By accepting our labours lending vs your presence your eares your hearts your liues giuing entertainment to the worke of our minister No incouragement to the Ministers of the Word like vnto this When the people are 1. ready to receiue the Word at their mouthes the one as ready to heare as the other to speake When they hang vpon the Priests lips for knowledge This is eâ—en like sucking of the breast which maketh the nurse to giue downe the milk more freely more plentifully euen whether she will or no It is the want of this sucking of this sincere milk that hath made so many dry breasts in the Church of God that hath disheartned and discouraged so many forward and hopefull instruments in the Church if not to the stopping of their mouthes yet at the least to the damping of their spirits to the quelling of the life and power of their Ministery And 2. when they profit by the Word grow and thriue in grace by it No such incouragement to an Husbandman as when he seeth his tillage to prosper no such incouragement vnto a nurse as when shee seeth her childe battle and thriue it maketh them thinke no paines too much Whereas on the contrary a barren soile and a starueling nursery kill the hearts of both No incouragement vnto the Ministers of the Gospell like vnto this when they finde the worke to thriue and prosper in their hands when they see that the seed which they sow is not cast away when they see that their labor which is not vain in the Lord is not in vaine neither in the hearts and liues of the hearers This will make vs stand vp to the worke watch when we should sleepe labour when we could be content to be at ease and quiet thinke no paines too much Thus stirre vp the Ministers of the Word be instant and earnest with them And 2. be instant with others priuate persons neighbours friends acquaintance stirre them vp to wait and to attend vpon this ordinance of God with more diligence with more care with more conscience Come let vs goe vp to the house of the Lord Philip calleth Nathaniel The woman of Samaria fetcheth her neighbours to come vnto Christ Thus should priuate Christians excite and stirre vp one another labour by friendly exhortations perswasions incouragements to bring their friends and neighbours to meet with Christ in this his ordinance This will be our comfort another day that we haue euery one of vs in the seuerall places and stations wherein God hath set vs bin instant earnest in the cause of God zealous and forward for the furtherance propagation of the Gospel Be earnest And 2. be Diligent in this worke The diligent hand maketh rich saith the Wise-man It is no lesse true in spirituall than in temporall riches Doe you desire to be rich in grace and holinesse the best riches attend wayt vpon this ordinance of God with diligence with coÌ„stancy If God be not weary of speaking be not you weary of hearing Frequent the house of God vpon all occasions What euer the world thinks and speakes of it it is no disgrace to be accounted a frequenter of Sermons so that other necessary duties be not neglected Christians must be like the Bee that goeth from flower to flower to gather a little honey from euery one to carry to the hiue to make vp the store We shall haue need of a stocke a store of grace and therefore let vs goe from flower to flower I speake the more liberally and freely because in these parts there is not the like feare of surfetting of the Word Preached of erring on the right hand by an vnwarrantable running from Sermon to Sermon to the neglect of mens particular callings as may seeme to be in some other parts of the kingdome imbrace euery occasion which the Lord offereth in the publike Ministry of his Word for the gathering of honey the gathering of grace to carry home to the hiue to lay vp in the heart to make vp a stocke a store against the winter against hard times euill dayes the dayes of triall sicknesse death We shall then finde all to be little enough and therefore whilest our Summer of health and liberty and peace lasteth vp and be doing euery day be increasing of the store get something from euery Sermon from this which you haue this day heard if you carry away nothing else yet carry away this resolution that by the grace of God inabling you you will endeuour to make better vse of all the publike means of grace which God shal hereafter in this or in any other place afford vnto you One flowre
THE PREACHERS CHARGE AND PEOPLES DVTY About Preaching and Hearing of the WORD OPENED In a Sermon being the first fruits of a publike Exercise begun in the Parish Church of Lownd for the benefit of the Island of Louingland in Suffolke By IOHN BRINSLEY Minister of the Word in great YARMOVTH LONDON Printed for ROBERT BIRD and are to be sold by Thomas Carre in Norwich 1631. TO THE RIGHT VVORSHIPFVLL SIR IOHN VVENTVVORTH of Somerley-ton in the County of Suffolke Knight sauing health and eternall happinesse Right Worshipfull I Here send you the first fruits of your owne your owne by countenance your owne by maintenance What you heard with attention I questiâ—n not but you will willingly reuiew and in what concernes you readily practise The Charge which is here opened is directly ours but by consequence yours and whose not The Preaching of the Gospell being a publike worke though it requires not euery mans mouth to preach it yet his eare and his hand it doth to receiue it to vphold it This Arke of the new Couenant more is the pity it should be so frequently laid vpon the Cart is properly for our shoulders to beare but yet none are debarred from touching of it It is not onely the liberty but the duty of euery priuate Christian to further the cause of the Gospell in what hee may much more of them whom the Common-wealth calleth forth for publike imployments I blesse God that I haue no need to presse this charge vpon your particular or if I doe my arguments must bee commendations The bellies of the poore of these parts blesse you already in these times of scarcity I hope some of their soules shall blesse you for the Bread that perisheth not This religious exercise which God hath made you the instrument to erect and I hope to contiue shall honour you in the eyes of God and his Saints The Lord make it as prosperous as it is needfull and giue you the true comfort of it here and hereafter So prayeth Your Worships euer in the Lord IOHN BRINSLEY A Table for the Prophets chamber Parts â— The Ministers Charge A Duty inioyned Preach where is explained The thing what Preaching is The signification of the word implying The Preachers office viz A Cryer a Herald Manner of discharging it viz. To whom he is to speake to all In whose name his Masters How Boldly Faithfully Plainly The Word Christ. The Gospell of Christ. Consisting in foure particular actions Manner of performance Generall Be instant Earnest with Themselues Others Diligent Particular In Season At the set ordinary time the Lords day Speciall seasons and opportunities Out of season when the word seemeth to be so in respect of the Speaker Hearer Both viz. on the weeke day The Peoples dutie by way of application in fiue particulars 1. Heare 2. The Word not being offended at the simplicity of it 3. Be instant Earnest with Themselues in exciting To the dutie In the dutie Others God that he would giue to his Ministers Ability Liberty Efficacy Man Ministers themselues exciting them to their dutie by Christian exhortation which must be done with Loue. Wisedome Respect to their paces Incouragements Verball Reall Competency of maintenance Honor and respect due to their callings Entertaining the word with gladnesse in Receiuing Practising Priuate persons stirring them vp to attend vpon Gods ordinances Diligent 4. In Season At the set time the Lords day When God disposeth the heart after a speciall manner 5. Out of Season On the weeke day as occasion shall be offered When outward occasions may withdraw or hinder When inward indisposition may discourage THE PREACHERS CHARGE AND PEOPLES DVTIE 2 TIM 4. 2. Preach the Word be instant in season out of season IN all solemne Assemblies and publike meetings vpon ciuill affayres the first act vsually is to open and reade the Commission which may warrant the businesse to bee vndertaken This course I haue thought good to obserue and follow in making entrance vpon this holy and religious Exercise First to open vnto you the Commission which may warrant and beare out the duty wee are now to goe about and that not onely in the substance but also in the circumstance In this Exercise there are but two things subiect to question the Exercise it selfe and the season for the performance of it The Exercise it selfe The Preaching of the Word Carnall minded men who sauour not the things of God will happly conceiue of it at the least as not so necessary The season for the performance of this Exercise being on the weeke day others perhaps will censure it as not expedient To both these the Spirit of God in the words I haue now read giueth vs an expresse warrant and that not by way of allowance onely but by way of iniunction as of things that not onely may bee done but must bee done To the Exercise it selfe Preach the Word not onely a toleration but a peremptory command To the circumstance of time the season for the performance of it Be instant in season out of season No season vnseasonable for this so necessary a duty Euen that which may seeme to carnall reason to flesh and blood to bee out of season is yet seasonable Though it may seeme vnseasonable to the hearers yet it is seasonable in the speaker This is Saint Pauls charge to Timothy in particular and in him to all the Ministers of the Gospell Preach the Word be instant in season out of season In this Apostolicall charge there are two things present themselues to our consideration The duty inioyned and The manner of discharging it The Duty that is inioyned is Preaching of the Word Preach the Word The Manner how this duty must be discharged is With earnestnesse and diligence with vndaunted resolution with indefatigable industry Bee instant in season out of season To begin with the Duty it selfe Preach the Word This is a Duty imposed by God vpon all the Ministers of the Gospell They must Preach the Word This is the charge we see which S. Paul here imposeth vpon his sonne Timothy and he doth it with as much seriousnesse and earnestnesse as possibly can be conceiued I charge thee before God and the Lord Iesus Christ who shall iudge the quicke and the dead at his appearing and his kingdome Preach the Word Did you euer heare a charge set on with more pressing arguments with more compulsiue and commanding perswasions I but in imposing this charge vpon Timothy doth not Saint Paul deale as our Sauiour saith of the Scribes and Pharises who binde heauy burthens vpon other mens shoulders but they themselues will not moue them with one of their fingers Nothing lesse What he imposeth vpon Timothy he conceiueth and acknowledgeth to be as deepely charged vpon himselfe Necessity is laid vpon me yea Wee is vnto mee of I Preach not the Gospell So deeply did this great Doctor of the Gentiles account himselfe to stand charged with this Duty
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Word it admits of many and diuers significations in the Scriptures In this place it may be taken two wayes First for Christ himselfe who is sometimes in the phrase of the Scripture called the Word In the beginning was the Word That is the eternall sonne of God the vncreated essentiall Word of the Father Christ is called The Word to omit other more witty than solid coniectures principally for two reasons First because he is the summe and substance of that Word that first and great Word that Word of words the Word of promise made by God himselfe to his Church at the beginning and afterwards in effect from time to time renewed and ratified vnto the Patriarchs The seed of the woman shall breake the Serpents head The substance of this promise is Christ himselfe the seed of the Virgin in him this promise is verified and made good and therefore called the Word Secondly he is the Word because by him the will and purpose of God is made knowne to the Church as our mindes are expressed to other men by our words No man hath seene God at any time but the onely begotten sonne of the Father he hath declared him Declared him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith the Originall the word signifieth to conduct and direct and leade a man as it were by the hand to the finding out of something that was hid before The will of God was a thing that was locked vp in the breast of his secret counsell a thing hidden from our eies as the purpose of a mans heart is from the knowledge of another Now Christ hath led vs to the knowledge of this will by declaring of it as a mans words lead another to the knowledge of the intents and purposes of his heart and therefore called The Word Secondly by the Word here wee may vnderstand the reuealed will of God made knowne in his Word in the Scriptures specially his will concerning his sonne and the saluation of his people by him The Word of the Gospell The Gospell is called the Word the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the whole Bible euery part and parcell of it is the word of God but the Gospell is the pith the marrow the quintessence the summe and substance of this word and therefore called by way of eminency The Word of the Gospell That the Gentiles might heare the Word of the Gospell 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word by way of eminency This is the Word which the Spirit of God is pleased to honour with so many honourable additions and compellations in the Scriptures sometimes calling it the Word of life the Word of eternall life Master thou hast the words of eternall life saith Peter to our Sauiour The Law is a Word of death a killing letter the Gospell is a Word of life a quickening Word giuing life leading vnto life Sometimes againe the word of Truth In whom yee also beleeued after that ye heard of the Word of Truth Euery word of God is a true word the Gospell is the word of Truth Sometimes the word of the Kingdome Whensoeuer a man heareth the Word of the Kingdome The Word of the Kingdome because by this Word as by his Scepter Christ ruleth like a King in the hearts of his people and by this Word he maketh them Kings bringing them by it to the Kingdome of grace here and of glory hereafter Sometimes againe the Word of saluation To you is the Word of this saluation sent saith Paul to the men of Antioch The Word of saluation because it is the power of God to saluation There is a singular excellency and eminency in this word of the Gospell and therefore here in the text called The Word Now to which of these two interpretations we should incline it matters not there is no materiall difference betwixt them Whether Christ or the Gospell of Christ all commeth to one Christ is the subiect of the Gospell and the Gospell is the doctrine of Christ the sense is still one and the same That which Timothy and the Ministers of the Gospell must preach is nothing but the Word Christ the Gospell of Christ They must preach Christ Him did Philip preach vnto the Samaritans He preached Christ vnto them Him did Paul preach immediately after his conuersion Straightway he preached Christ in the Synagogues To this subiect did he euer confine his preaching We preach Christ crucified Hee preached Christ nothing but Christ I determined not to know any thing among you saue Iesus Christ. Thus must wee preach Christ and the Gospell of Christ They are the expresse words of our Commission Goe Preach the Gospell Here is then the subiect of our Preaching nothing but Christ the Gospell of Christ. True indeed we must preach Moses we must preach the Law but how Wee must Preach Moses as a harbinger to Christ wee must Preach the Law but in reference to the Gospell that we may thereby with Iohn the Baptist Prepare the way of the Lord and make his paths straight that we may by this meanes leuell and smooth the way for Christ that the offer of saluation by him may finde the better entertainment That which we must principally eye and looke at in our Preaching is this Word Christ and the Gospell of Christ. To preach Christ and the Gospell of Christ is a great worke if you would know what it is it consisteth principally in foure Ministeriall actions I will but name them 1. In reuealing of Christ in laying open the truth of doctrine concerning Christ his owne person his two natures Godhead and Manhood his three offices Kingly Priestly Propheticall with the seuerall workes of either the seuerall passages of his incarnation birth life death resurrection ascension intercession comming againe at the last day 2. In reuealing the will of God concerning Christ viz. that it is his will to saue sinners by him and him alone that he hath set him forth as a meanes of reconciliation that he hath giuen him as an all-sufficient sacrifice for the sinnes of the world so making a generall offer and tender of Christ to all that will receiue him as a Sauiour and a Lord. 3. In reuealing the way to come vnto Christ and to God by him viz. By faith and faith alone which is the onely hand and instrument ordayned of God to apprehend and take hold of Christ to apply the merit of his actiue and passiue obedience vnto eternall life 4. And lastly in giuing and applying Christ particularly to euery poore penitent sinner that is heauy laden vnder the burthen of sinne Commanding him in the name of God to beleeue in Christ to receiue him as a Sauiour to take hold of him and to rest vpon him assuring him withall in the name of God that Christ dyed for him in particular and that the merit of his death
earnest 1. With your selues 2. With others 1. With your selues and that both to stirre vp your selues to the duty and in the duty First bee earnest to stirre vp your selues to the duty great need of earnestnesse in exciting and stirring vp your selues this way For 1. there is a naturall auersnesse in euery man that sets him off from the duty Flesh and blood finde no taste no relish in this ordinance of God the Word purely preached This is one of those things of God of which Saint Paul speaketh That the naturall man receiueth not discerneth not vnderstandeth not Great need therefore to vse all holy meanes to quicken and to excite spirituall appetite And 2. Besides this naturall auersnesse you shall finde many pull-backes many auocations many lets and impediments to draw you aside to hinder you Those in the Gospell which I named before are too common Farms Oxen domesticall affayres ciuill imployments The worlds businesse will steale away the time from Gods businesse Our bodies will seeke to starue our soules our particular callings will ingrosse all the time that there shall be little left for the generall 3. Besides these auocations you must make account to meet with many discouragements It may be taunts and reproaches from prophane and wicked men it may bee an ouerly countenance from friends and alliance some dust or other Satan will bee ready to stirre vp to blinde your eyes withall that you should not see to finde the way to the house of God to attend vpon this his ordinance Great need of earnestnesse to excite and stirre vp your selues that you may ouerlook all these seeming lets impediments discouragements Secondly be earnest to stirre vp your selues in the duty as there is a naturall auersnesse in vs to the duty to keepe vs from it so there is a naturall slothfulnesse deadnesse dulnesse wearinesse which will be ready to seyze vpon vs in the duty to make vs performe it carelesly formally negligently The best of Gods people haue often experience of this malady in themselues Sometimes our bodies will be disposed to drowsinesse and sleepinesse as it was with Eutichus at Saint Pauls Sermon and that perhaps rather now than at any other time but oftner our hearts our soules I sleepe but my heart waketh saith the Spouse In hearing of the Word wee may often inuert the sentence I wake but my heart sleepeth Our bodies are present but our soules our hearts are absent Great need to awaken our selues that we may heare and heare with attention that we may watch vnto hearing as the Apostle exhorts the Colossians concerning prayer That ye should continue in prayer and watch in the same So continue in hearing and watch in the same Watch lest we should bee ouertaken with this spirituall deadnesse and drowsinesse which is so ready to creepe vpon the soule to come ouer the heart to bind vp the senses the affections of it Our Sauiour reproueth his Disciples that they could not watch with him one houre when as he himselfe was yet absent from them The reproofe will lye as iustly against vs if we cannot stirre vp our selues to watch with Christ one houre especially when as Christ himselfe is present with vs and that after a speciall manner as he hath promised to be in the midst of this his ordinance And therefore when we draw neere vnto God in this part of his worship and seruice let vs in his feare as in his presence awaken our hearts intend our spirits that we may attend vnto what the Lord shall say vnto vs. It is Lydiaes commendation after that God had opened her heart and wrought effectually vpon her she attended to the words that Paul spake Thus should Christians attend vpon the Word euen hang vpon the lips of the speaker as the Babe doth vpon the brest watch euery word to take it before it fall to the ground Thus should Christians bee earnest with themselues in stirring vp themselues to the duty in the duty They that will take the kingdome of heauen dispensed by the Ministers of the Word they must take it as they did in the dayes of Iohn the Baptist with violence 2. As you must be earnest with your selues about this worke so also with others and that both with God and with man First Be earnest 1. with God It is he that holdeth the bottles of heauen the clouds in his hand that causeth it to rayne vpon one place and not vpon another It is hee that watereth his owne inheritance his garden his Church where and when and how it pleaseth him And therefore forget not to be instant and earnest with him 1. That he would send forth faithfull labourers into his haruest such as may be indued with ministeriall abilities for the discharge of this worke 2. That hee would giue liberty vnto them that hee would set open for them a dore a wide dore of vtterances 3. That he would giue efficacy to their labours that he would not onely set open a wide but also an effectuall dore that the Gospell may haue free passage in their mouths and in the hearts of the elect people of God Ability liberty efficacie in the dispensation of the Gospell depends all vpon God himselfe And therefore be you instant with him that hee would bee pleased to water your inheritances with this dew of heauen It is Achsaes request I remember to her father Caleb that seeing he had giuen her the South-Country hee would giue her the springs of water also God hath allotted vnto you in this Island a seat pleasant enough euery wayes accommodated with all other requisite conueniences you want nothing but the springs of water springs of those waters those liuing waters flowing out from the Sanctuary Be instant with your God your heauenly Father that hee would strike the rocke for you that he would giue vnto you these Springs from aboue that hee would more abundantly refresh and make glad your dwelling places with these liuing waters be instant with God 2. Bee instant also with Men about this worke and that both with the Ministers themselues and others with the one to Preach the other to heare the Word both to attend vpon this ordinance of God 1. Be earnest first with vs the Ministers of the Word to put vs forward vpon this seruice It is not only your liberty but a part of your duty to put vs in mind of our duty whom God hath set ouer you Say to Archippus it is Saint Pauls charge to the Colossians it is a principall part of our duty to preach the Word if wee neglect it grow slacke and remisse in it as it was the case of that Angell of the Church of Ephesus Bee you instant with vs put vs in minde of it stirre vs vp to it Wee are but men and therefore subiect to forget you and our selues to forget our duty though