humane Learning but layes down Rules for choice without this expedient 1 Tim. 3. Object 2. But possibly some may say Is it not there said Let not him that is chosen be a Novice and is not that as much as to say unlearned or unskilful in learning To which I Answre 〈◊〉 but our learned Tribe Novices God forbid they should think so or the Lord's Peoples Portion be no better for then none besides the Learned should have been capable of choice but Paul acknowledgeth that the Corinths were wise not only their Ministers but they 1 Cor. 1.4 5. with Epist 2.11.19 But to Answer this more fully Paul intends onely a young unskilful unexperienced Christian and not a young Grammarian or Logician for he may be as proud as any that hath most skill in Arts as many Instances shew and this is the reason laid down by the Apostle why he must not be a Novice lest he be pussed up with pride and surely if the learning here meant be Oxford Cambridge I mean of the Schools Paul it seems knew men were very quick to know what learning he meant since Scripture and himself knew another Learning better which the Scriptures shew as I have offered or else he foresaw men would as at this day idolize and dote upon these painted Feathers wherefore he saith if any thing but very little for this University-breeding cryed up as so absolutely necessary for Preaching although the Scriptures know nothing of it Object 3. But some may say Are not the Schools of the Prophets mentioned in Scripture as in the place 2 Kings 22.14 Is it not said that Huldah the Prophetess dwelt in a Colledge and had not the Prophets peculiar places of residence and habitation wherein as in Vniversities or Nurseries of Learning they studied and improved themselves in order to Preaching or Prophesying as we real 2 Kings 2.3 5. 〈…〉 Acts 19.9 If there were any more of these 〈◊〉 I should have considered them also but so many have onely come to my knowledge To all those Scriptures I Answer they do not in the least oppose the Truth I have asserted that not Humane but Spiritual Wisdom fits for Preaching the Gospel of Christ For grant that these places intended Colledges and Universities and such like places yet it follows not that these were places imployed or improved for Trayning or preparing Persons for Gospel-preaching for it doth not appear that any Gospel-preachers issued forth from thence And secondly The Prophets and Prophetesses we read of were extraordinary Prophets and not such Preachers or Prophets as the Doctrine intends and speaks of but if Schools and Universities will fit us to be such Prophets as can declare things to come from the Lord then let us all that fear the Lord go to these Schools that we may learn thus to Prophesie But this is not a mediate but an immediate Gift either by Dreams Visions or Oracles And thirdly For Tyrannus his School mentioned in the forecited Acts 19. nothing is there declared concerning what he taught nor whom he taught but most probable it was not Gospel-knowledge and infallible it is it was not how men might be qualified for Preaching for this was not permitted or allowed any open Schools in that place at that day as appears by the contradiction Paul there met withal and how needless had it been to a learned Hebrew or Greek since that was their Mother-Tongue many of them being Jews and Greeks as vers 10. declares but Tyrannus was allowed to teach in his School wherefore it is probable he taught nothing of this sort of Knowledge Object 4. Some do Object and say How can a Preacher know that the Scripture is rightly translated that knows not the Original I Answer By the same way and means that the unlearned People of the Lord come to know it and it concerns them and is necessary for them to know though I say not of the same necessity For if they be not assured that the Scriptures as translated are rightly translated what shall they build their Faith on except on their learned Leaders and Translators honesty and ability and this is to pin their Faith in a business of most weight and concernment on the Priests sleeve and this is but to believe as the Church believes and so the blind leading the blind they may both fall into the Ditch Secondly I Answer It is not by knowing Arts and Sciences or Languages Preachers or People can come to be assured that the Scriptures are the Word of God and rightly translated but by the humble sanctified and diligent searching into and studying of the Scriptures 't is by comparing things spiritually together as the Apostle tells us saying Which things also we speak not in the words which Man's wisdom teacheth but which the Holy Ghost teacheth comparing spiritual things with spiritual 1 Cor. 2.13 I say by the Spirit of the Lord Jesus must we nay may we know the Power and Spirit Truth and Purity of the Scriptures and it is the Godly judicious Spiritual Christian best knows how aptly or corruptly they are translated And thirdly I Answer Grant this were so which I do not grant yet this Learning and Excellency is more requisite and essential to a Translator Examiner or Corrector of translated Copies than to a Gospel-preacher But lastly Since so many thousand Learned as well as Godly have sealed the Truth of the Scriptures Purity and Divine Authority notwithstanding all its humane Imperfections in Translation therefore we need not now or continually University-Learning to do that Work which is already sufficiently done to our hands Object 5. Some do Object and say How can the Scripture be interpreted in dark passages without this help I Answer As a Lanthorn without a Candle will no way help to shew a man his way though a Candle without a Lanthorn may no more can this dark Lanthorn of humane Learning and Languages without the Candle of the Lord as too abundant experience hath witnessed but that Candle singly can and doth Miserable Experience sheweth what Interpreters the School-men and Fathers have been and yet are even the Fathers of well-nigh all the Individual Errors in Judgment and Practice in the European World The Devil and the Learned may be admired for them if for any thing but take some Scriptures for proof of so weighty a Point when our Lord comes to shew how Ministers and Interpreters of Scripture shall be furnished for this Work he saith When the Spirit of Truth is come he will guide you into all Truth for he shall not speak of himself but whatsoever he shall hear that shall he speak and he shall shew you things to come John 16.13 The like Testimony gives Paul But we speak the wisdom of God in a Mystery even the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the World unto our Glory which none of the Princes of this World knew for had they known it they would not have Crucified the Lord of
Peoples loss is great whose Preacher is a Fool even so that Peoples gain is much whose Preacher is wise unless themselves be in fault This our Preacher gives us saying The labour of the foolish wearieth every one of them because he knoweth not how to go to the City Woe to thee O Land when thy King is a Child and thy Princes eat in the morning Blessed art thou O Land when thy King is the Son of Nobles and thy Princes eat in due season for strength and not for drunkenness Eccles 10.15 16 17. Secondly They are stiled Masters of Assemblies or Societies which is a title and place of honour Now as it is Preachers honour thus to be accounted so it is the Peoples blessing and advantage have such Master-Workmen to be their Servants that can wisely and profitably serve them That this is Preacher's honour who are wise to be styled Master-Workmen in God's Israel take a Text or two Master we know that thou art true and teachest the way of God in truth Mat. 22.16 with 3 John 10. Therefore to have such Workmen must needs be the Peoples blessing and advantage Objection But some may Object and say Is it not written But the Anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you and ye need not that any man teach you but as the same Anointing teacheth you of all things 1 John 2.27 Answer To which I Answer first The Scripture no where really contradicts it self any where but agrees with it self every where and only so ought to be expounded Therefore this of John must not contradict those of Paul which have been cited which it would if this were admitted to be the sense That sanctified or anointed Persons need not the teachings of any man no though the wisest of men Which what can be more contrary to this How shall they hear without a Preacher But let us take great heed of making Scripture so much as seem to fight with it self But secondly to what hath been Objected I Answer The word need not may be taken comparatively not absolutely or positively not no need at all but not that need ye once had and all have that have not your anointing such as are partakers of the Unction of the Holy Ghost in a work of conversion have not afterward such need of any to teach them as once they had because now under the teachings of that Anointing Nor thirdly have they such a degree of need as such have who are yet without this Unction and are unregenerate They mostly need teaching who are unregenerate how much soever taught with other teaching But fourthly Consult the place and the scope is not to put by the preaching of wise but of seducing Preachers as appears vers 26. These things have I written unto you concerning them which seduce you Now though they had no need of the teachings of such as would seduce them yet it follows not that they had no need of the teachings of such who would not seduce them Fifthly Consider that though those who lived under the Apostles teaching had not such need of teaching as such who wanted that teaching yet that they wanted no teaching doth not follow And lastly Take this for Answer Such as have received the Anointing spoken of though they never enjoy afterwards any humane or instrumental teaching yet shall be taught by the Anointing provided it be God's providence not the improvidence which keeps other means of teaching from them In extraordinary cases God can and will work without means In ordinary cases God will work by means and ties us to attend upon him in the use of means and thus Faith comes by Hearing and Hearing by the Word of God Rom. 10.17 And so much for Answer of this Objection But now to return to the confirming of this Doctrine As their Titles so the Acts assigned to them by the Text and which ought to be performed of them or at least designed by them that is to be as Goads and Nails in the sense given upon the place They are Leaders Conductors or Guides of the Flock of Jesus Christ And how unskilful are the choicest Sheep to lead and conduct themselves aright in their way or journey Any Pastor as well as their proper Pastor shall become their Pastor if not conducted and guided by wise and skilful Leaders or Overseers Therefore saith the Psalmist He chose David also his Servant and took him from the Sheep-folds from following the Ewes great with young he brought him to feed Jacob his People and Israel his Inheritance So he fed them according to the integrity of his heart and guided them by the skilfulness of his hands Psal 78.70 71 72. But again Wise Preachers are not onely necessary because Master-Workmen and so Skilful and Guides and Leaders of the Flock and so useful But Thirdly They are resembled to Goads and Nails and how necessary are they the use of Goads are to excite and quicken dull and slothful Cattel to go forward and of such use is the wise Preacher both towards Sinners and Saints And thus practised Holy Peter who saith This second Epistle beloved I now write unto you in both which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance that ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the Holy Prophets and of the Commandments of us the Apostles of the Lord and Saviour 2 Pet. 3.1 2. And the need the Church hath of such Workmen the Prophet Isaiah tells us saying There is none that calleth upon thy Name that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee Isa 64.7 But Lastly To set out the worth and need of wise Preachers and their words they are resembled to Nails alluding as I suppose to the fixing stablishing Nails of the Tabernacle which how glorious a contrivance and workmanship soever in it self yet would have been of little lustre small use and short continuance if it had not injoyed these Stakes Pins or Nails to fix and fasten it as in a sure place Isa 22.23 24 25. In like manner O how mutable unsetled and like unfixed and wandering Meteors would the World and the People of God be were they without these sure hold-fasts these divine Nails and Pins as witnesseth Moses where he saith For I know that after my death ye will utterly corrupt your selves and turn aside from the way which I have commanded you Deut. 31.29 Which Prophesy was fulfilled Judges 2.10 11. But this may suffice to confirm and clear this Doctrine That wise and Spiritual-Preachers and their words are very useful and necessary for the spiritual benefit and service of God's People as the things mentioned or the choicest things in Nature can be for natural use or service Let me now come to the Application hereof The first Vse is of Information The first Use shall be for Information If wise Preachers and their words be such choice blessings to that People which enjoy them then how mistaken are such as
ought to be and do whence we may collect thus much Doct. 1. That the Lord is not sparing or scant in means of Grace to his Church and People but hath provided and doth afford them one and another means of help and advantage for Soul-Concernments God as God hath in Mercy and Wisdom dealt with the Second Creation and state of Grace as with the first Creation In Nature he hath not made single Fruits Flowers Plants Grain or Beasts Birds or Fishes but innumerable in number and manifold in kind even so great variety and plenty that even the wisest of Moralists or Naturalists scarce knew what need or end there is even of that variety or plenty unless to commend the Creator Men are often times at a loss how to improve and not despise that plenty Even so is it in spiritual and supernatural things Men are so fully provided of them that they even surfeit and are wanton under God's Divine Ordinances and Provisions of Grace as once Israel did of Manna yet it seems good to God to have moreovers and to minister himself in manifold wisdom to his People To instance thus God dealt with Israel he gave them not onely Moses but Aaron also not onely Sacrifice but Circumcision also nor Circumcision only but the Passeover also nor the Tabernacle but the Temple also not onely Priests and Levites but Prophets and Nazarites likewise That so God might say as Isaiah 5. What could I have done more for my Vineyard which I have not done And this Job tells you Chap. 33.14 15. So Solomon in the 9th of his Proverbs Even so hath he done under the Gospel not tying us to any one Way or Means but affords us various Means and Seasons We have the Heaven and the Earth declaring his Glory and Handywork Psal 19. Also we have the Law and Statutes of God in his Scripture which is able to make the Man of God wise unto Salvation We have also the Law written in our hearts We have Instruments without and Instincts within We have the Word and Men without and the Spirit within We have Mercy and Judgment all whispering to us Fear ye the Lord. So that we may truly say God as well as Man hath his Moreovers And we serve not a hard Master nor is our reproof and destruction less than sufficiently of our selves Now the Grounds and Reasons why God walks thus towards his People are briefly these Reas 1. That the Glory of the Wisdom Power and Bounty of God might the more gloriously appear by the riches of his Liberality and plenty of Provisions afforded to his People Prov. 16.4 Rom. 2.4 Ephes 1.18 19. Col. 1.27 Reas 2. God makes his Provisions to be very large and plentiful affording us moreovers to the end that we might with the more ease and facility do his Will and attain the knowledge and enjoyment of Salvation so Isa 28.9 10 11 12. and this the Apostle seems to eye Acts 17.30 31. And the Prophet Micah Chap. 6.6 7 8. Christ saith His Yoke is easie and his Burthen light because he affords light sufficient to see it with and strength enough to do what is required and helps many to assist us and rewards full and rich enough to quicken and incourage us But again Reas 3. The Lord doth it to comply with our nature and frailty which is not so well satisfied nor so effectually furthered or helped by one Way or Means as by diversity and variety and therefore vouchsafeth us his Moreovers or Line upon Line and Precept upon Precept Reas 4. And lastly It is to stop the Mouth and leave silent and inexcusable all neglecters and despisers of Gospel-Grace and Provisions since God can say to all such What need I have done more than what I have done This God pleads for himself 2 Chron. 36.15 16. and Luke 13.7 8 9. The first Vse is of Information By way of Improvement or Application briefly let this first admonish us to believe how inexcusable wicked and ungodly Men and Women are who have God's overpluses and moreovers I mean that living under the light of the Gospel among the Saints enjoy such means to better them and change them and yet remain ignorant profane and ungodly Will not all this present favour and goodness of God to them one day rise up in judgment against them and be an aggravation against them as Paul saith Rom. 2.3 4 5 6. Oh! let such think seriously and timely upon two Scriptures and I shall say no more to this Use Luk. 19.41 42. And when he was come near he beheld the City and wept over it saying If thou hadst known even thou at least in this thy day the things which belong unto thy peace but now they are hid from thine eyes compared with Heb. 6.4 5 6 7 8. For it is impossible for those who were once inlightned and have tasted of the Heavenly Gift and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost and have tasted the good Word of God and the Powers of the World to come if they shall fall away to renew them again unto repentance seeing they crucified to themselves the Son of God afresh and put him to an open shame For the Earth which drinketh in the Rain that cometh oft upon it and bringeth forth Herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed receiveth blessing from God But that which beareth Thorns and Briars is rejected and is nigh unto cursing whose end is to be burned Secondly Caution Secondly Let it be a word of Caution to all of us not to be wanton and despise and slight God 's moreovers or his overplus kindnesses as I am afraid too many do among Professors at this day like wanton Israel that despised God's Manna Numb 11.4 5 6. calling it light Bread Chap. 21.5 Even saying as Christ's Disciples What need this waste Matth. 26.8 Like unto many now-adayes that say What need so much Preaching Yea What need of such long Preaching Is not shorter Preaching better Preaching I beseech you take heed of such thoughts lest God takes away our plenty and give us scarcity enough Oh let me perswade such wanton Christians to take the Counsel Peter gives to Simon Magus Repent therefore of this thy wickedness and pray God if perhaps the thought of thy heart may be forgiven thee Acts 8.22 23. Oh Friends take heed of such thoughts of such vain yea vile thoughts for surely we are not grown such quick Learners or good Scholars or so soon taught what the good and perfect Will of the Lord is as to conclude we need few Preachers or little Preaching Neither is the Preaching of the Gospel such a mean Excellency as worth little more than to be despised or hath the Lord Christ given Gifts to men in vain Oh no he that hath given Gifts to many not to one he well knew many Preachers were necessary that by here a little and there a little by Line upon Line and Precept upon Precept because the
marvel and others be mad with me 〈◊〉 once the Silver-Smiths were with Paul when 〈◊〉 cryed down their Diana by whom they had a their Wealth as have the School-masters Tutor Academists Collegiats Parsons Doctors Prâ—â—lates Popes with all the residue of that crue 〈◊〉 Antichristian Clergy-men But I am learning not to fear the faces of men or respect these Peâ—sons but make known the Truth as it is in Jesus remembring what Zechariah saith will be their portion even every one to be ashamed of his Vision Chap. 13. of that Book But affirmatively Answer The reason why I affirm that this Wisâ—dom before specified is not the Gospel-Wisdom iâ— First Because God hath not set this Ax or Hammer apart to do his or this work with Secondly It is but a carnal natural Weapon and is onely fit for carnal natural weak and wordly Work And for such purposes thiâ— Learning Wisdom or Furniture is fit or very useful but no more fit for preaching or a Preacher in order to preaching than a Sword is to cut one Bread with or a Plough to ride on though for other uses both are profitable But the Wisdom absolutely necessary to preaching or for a Preacher is Divine Wisdom which descends from Above more immediately and comes from the Father of Lights James 1.5 17. and in Scripture is put in opposition to the Wisdom before mentioned 1 Cor. 1. from 17 downwards I will destroy the wisdom of the wise and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent Where is the Wise where is the Scribe where is the Disputer of this World Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this World c. So chap. 2.1 4 7 13. Brethren when I came to you I came not with excellency of Speech or of Wisdom declaring unto you the Testimony of God and my Speech and my preaching was not with inticing words of man's wisdom but in demonstration of the Spirit and of Power Not the Wisdom of this World nor the Princes of this World that come to naught but we speak the Wisdom of God which God ordained before the World unto our glory Which things also we speak not the words which man's wisdom teacheth but which the Holy Ghost teacheth comparing spiritual things with spiritual The natural man receiveth not these things neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned And Peter tells us that the Learned in the former sense but unlearned or illiterate in the latter sense are the Novices which do but wrest and pervert the Scripture or the substance of all Scripture 2 Pet. last vers 16. But more particularly what this preaching Qualification or Wisdom is I shall hereafter the Lord assisting discover From the Person spoken of and that which of him is spoken let me note these Observations Doct. 1. That Preaching by godly men thereunto qualified is God's Ordinance Secondly From the kind of Preacher that Solâ—mon here spoke of note this Observation Doct. 2. That Prophetical Preaching or Prâ—phesying by Members or Brethren of true Churchâ— by virtue of Gifts and Membership without Miâ—stry is God's very Ordinance Else Solomon hoâ— wise soever had sinfully preached Thirdly Note Doct. 3. That such or many Brethren as have Gifts and Abilities thus Preach not onely may but are bound to Preaâ— Else Solomon had done more than his Duty oâ— what he was not bound to which is vanity in 〈◊〉 to imagine for he had not been wise in so doing Fourthly Note Doct. 4. That every Gospeâ— Preacher ought to be wise or that Grace and Spiritual Wisdom are the only Requisites and â—â—ffiâ—ent for Gospel-preaching or Preachers To begin with the first of these though thâ— last of these is principally designed Note The Preaching by Godly Men thereunto qualified is God Ordinance For the proof of this take theâ— Testimonies Isa 61.1 The Spirit of the Lorâ— God is upon me because he hath anointed me tâ— Preach glad-tydings to the Meek He hath sent 〈◊〉 to bind up the broken-hearted to proclaim liberty 〈◊〉 the Captives and the opening of the Prison to theâ— that are bound c. Jonah 3.2 Arise go unâ—â— Nineveh that great City and preach unto it thâ— Preaching that I bid thee Mark 1.4 Johâ— preached the Baptism of Repentance for the remissioâ— of sins with chap. 3.14 He ordained twelve that they should be with him and that he might send them forth to preach Acts 5.42 And daily in the Temple and in every House they ceaseâ— not to Teach and Preach Jesus Christ and chap. 10.42 And he commanded us to preach unto the People with Rom. 10.15 How can they Preach except they be sent Many other Scriptures would give testimony to this were not this that is offered sufficient But a little further to clear this by Argument or Reason since this as every Truth hath its Opposition or Opposers Reas 1. Had not this been God's Ordinance that the Word by Men should be Preached or Revealed unto men the best of men would never have been found so often even in all Ages transgressing against the God of men through preaching unto men but the best of men have preached unto men The Scripture shews us this in Noah's time in that he was called a Preacher of Righteousness 2 Pet. 2.5 The like is said of Abraham Gen. 18.19 where Abraham's Teaching or Preaching in and to his Houshould is made the reason of God's Preaching or Declaring to him the destruction of Sodom The like we have in chap. 49.1 2. So Moses Deut. 31.1 2. with v. 19. compared also you have it chap. 32.1 So did David Psal 40.9 10. So Solomon you have it in the Text. So Samuel in his first Book chap. 12.23 So in 2 Chron. 17.7 and 9 compared And thus did the New-Testament Converts and Disciples practise Acts 8.4 Therefore I conclude that Preaching is and ever was acknowledged God's Ordinance Reas 2. Had not Preaching been God's Ordinance though godly men might have mistook their Duty yet the Lord Jesus Christ would doubtless not have preached But the Lord Jesus Christ was a Preacher and did frequently preach therefore Preaching is God's Ordinance That the Lord Jesus Preached is most evident Mark 1.14 with Luk. 8.1 After John was put in Prison Jesus came into Galilee preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom of God He went Preaching and shewing the glad-tydings of the Kingdom of God and thâ— Twelve were with him Reas 3. That which not onely Holy Men have approvedly done and the Lord Jesus himself likewise did but that which even Angels did teach and commanded the Saints to do that must needâ— be owned to be an Ordinance as appears Luk. 1.26 to 37. Luk. 2.10 11. Rev. 14.6 I saâ— another Angel flie in the midst of Heaven having the everlasting Gospel to Preach unto them that dwelâ— on the Earth c. Reas 4. That which God hath in all Ages most abundantly fitted some men for must needâ— be his Ordinance But God hath in all Ages fitted
notice of you both at Hearing and when you omit and needlesly neglect to hear for he will not let his Name or Ordinances be taken in vain Exod. 20.7 Remember that Text Eccles 5.1 Take heed to thy foot when thou goest to the House of God and be more ready to hear than to offer the Sacrifice of Fools for they consider not that they do evil Men and Women must not think 't is hearing of men but hearing of God by men or through men it is not Man's Word or Ordinance but God's therefore take heed slight it not dally not with it the God of this most sacred Ordinance will not bear it at your hands Hearken what God saith 2 Chron. 24.19 Yet he sent unto them Prophets to bring them again unto the Lord and they testified against them but they would not give ear and the Spirit of the Lord came upon Zachariah the Son of Jehoiada the Priest which stood above the People and said unto them Thus saith God Why transgress ye the Commandment of the Lord that ye cannot prosper because ye have forsaken the Lord he hath also forsaken you Compare with this what you have Mat. 23.34 3â— 39. and then consider if there be not need to receive this Exhortation to take heed how you hear Oh! be not sleepy proud unbelieving forgetful unthankful or unfruitful hearers of the Worâ— of God for if the Lord Jesus when he broughâ— forth but barley Bread and small Fishes said Gather up the Fragments and let nothing be lost do you think then he will let such precious Breaâ— of Life which none but the Son of Man can givâ— you be lost John 6.12 Therefore to conclude Take heed that you despise not him that speaketh from Heaven in thâ— Ministry of the VVord Consider it and seâ— that you refuse not him that speaketh For if the escaped not who refused him that spake on Earth much more shall not we escape if we turn awâ— from him that speaketh from Heaven Heb. 12.25 Oh therefore be swift to hear though slow to speak against what you hear and let every one that hath ears to hear hear what the Spirit saith to the Churches Jam. 5.19 with Rev. 2.7 Thuâ— much for this first Observation Doct. 2. That which I noted from the opening of the words was That Prophetical Preaching or Prophesying by Saints or Brethren by vertue of Gifts and Membership without Office or Ministry conferred upon them is God's very Ordinance and a lawful way of Preaching Else Solomon how wise soever had sinfully Preached For the clearing of this Truth consider first what the Scripture speaks to this point First Moses that well understood the Mind of God was thus minded when he spake these words Enviest thou for my sake Would God that all the Lord's people were Prophets and that the Lord would put his Spirit upon them Numb 11.29 Two things among others we may note here First That Moses did noâ— envy or disallow the Prophesying or Preaching of any that the Lord had made able and therefore puts by the envy and ignorance of those that did with this reply Enviest thou for my sake as if he had said you do evilly and sinfully in so doing Secondly Observe Moses how faithful soever in the House of God and against Usurpations and Innovations in the Church yet allows and approves that any one and every such one that the Lord should put his Spirit upon and make able might this do even Prophesie or Preach I would all the Lord's People were Prophets could and would Preach for I shall not forbid them Object 1. But if any shall Object and say This is not to the thing in hand For first these were eminent Elders and Officers or Rulers among the people and not private persons or ordinary Members of the Church I Answer Though it be granted that these were such even part of the seventy yet note they were not preaching Elders Secondly Neither preached they because such or such but because they had the Spirit and that moved and also filled them with matter and gave them utterance Thirdly Neither was this separation or pouring out of the Spirit mentioned vers 17. the Spirit of Preaching Gifts or Qualifications but the Spirit of Rule and Government as is most clear by considering what is offered 't was a portion of Moses Spirit to assist Moses not in Preaching but in Râ—ling and Governing Object 2. But if any shall object to this testimony That it proves not the thing for which it brought because this was extraordinary prophesying and these were immediate Prophets and not â—â—dinary or such as the Doctrine intends I answer True it is these were extraordinarâ— Persons but whether their Prophesying in thâ— place spoken of were extraordinary Preaching oâ— Prophesying doth not appear in this or any otheâ— place that I know of although I acknowledâ— there is such a kind of Prophesying But howeveâ— this is clear from this place That as many as tâ—â— Lord will spirit or qualifie for one or other sortâ— Preaching may and ought to Preach Else Mosâ— had wished too much and not answered the caâ—â— propounded but this may serve for this Object on But take a second VVitness which you haâ—â— 2 Chron. 17.7 8 9 10. where you find Jehâ—shaphat sent out his Princes as well as his Priest and Levites to Teach in the Cities of Judah anâ— the success was very glorious But take a third VVitness 1 Pet. 4.10 11 where we have the Apostle not only allowing but also provoking and enjoyning every man thâ— feareth the Lord to be a good Steward of the manifold Grace of God and he that hath receive that Gift of speaking a word in season is to minister and to speak according to that ability Goâ— giveth Take but one more 1 Cor. 14.29 31. wheâ— the Apostle allows and directs all the Prophets or prophesying Brethren in the Church to Prophefie Yea he asserts the truth of this Doctrine and justifies this for a lawful and laudable practice for so many in the Churches of the Saints as have preaching Gifts to Preach saying You may all prophesie one by one and let the Prophets prophesie and let no man forbid or envy it And thus the Preacher in my Text preached as a Prophet or Member of the Church not officially or as a Minister ordained unto this Work of Preaching is clear For by Office he was a King not a Preacher such were the high Priests and Levites only but our Preacher was a Membral Preacher or one exercising his Gifts according to his Liberty and Duty Yea our Lord Jesus who preached in the Jewish Synagogue and was allowed so to do thus he preached in the account of the Congregation not by virtue of that anointing by which he was Christ and Lord For though he were so yet they knew it not nor allowed it they only gave him the liberty and priviledge of other Members of the Church Such a priviledge was given
pretend to a liberty to Preach neither pretend or affirm that every Preacher is an Official or Ordainâ— Minister of the Lord Jesus neither do they aspiâ— to equality or superiority with or above others 〈◊〉 Christ's Ministring Ones but acknowledge they aâ— neither the one nor the other of Christ's Gospel Ministry but Members in particular But thirdly Note There is no agreement be tween the design of those men and the work of theâ—â— men I plead for their design was sacrificing or offering Incense the work onely of Aaron and hiâ— Sons 't was Censering not Preaching as is cleâ—â— vers 15 16 17 18. But the highest of those meâ— or this Doctrines design is Preaching not offering or performing Ministerial Function but privaâ— Mens and Brethrens liberty as hath been prove from that passage Ye may all prophesie or Pread one by one To as little purpose will that Text answer our Clergy-mens design and errant for which they improve as this Numb 16. I mean thâ—â— 1 Cor. 7.20 Let every Man abide in the samâ— Calling wherein he was called This might if it had been written at that time have been applyed aptly by Moses in the businesâ— he had in hand but what is all this against the lawfulness of private Christians Preaching Preaching though an excellent Work is no peculiar Calling but may be performed by Persons of another Calling neither do such as assert our practice iâ— this way of Preaching depart from their Callings or not abide therein though this is no satisfaction to their Adversaries therefore these feeble Objections will not suffice to rational Christians enlightned in this Doctrine as sufficient to oppose this way of Preaching Therefore know and consider this day what I shall affirm till you can more substantially oppose it to wit That it is lawful and laudable a Liberty yea a Duty incumbent upon every Man that feareth the Lord and hath received the Gift to speak a word in due season for Edification Exhortation and Comfort to use and exercise the Gifts he hath received of the Lord in Prophesying or Preaching in the Congregation That all may learn and all may be edified 1 Cor. 14.31 Therefore not onely may Pastors or Teachers but any Brother of the Church that is qualified whether Young or Old Servant or Master Son or Father Rich or Poor Learned or Unlearned of what Imployment or Calling soever whether Miller or Merchant Inn-keeper or Shoop-keeper Brick-layer or Taylor Cobler or Shoo-maker one or other lawful Imployment For ye are all one in Christ Jesus Gal. 3.8 Thus much for this Use The second Vse is for Exhortation But a second Use and the all that I shall make of this Doctrine is That if Prophesying or Preaching of Brethren or such as have not received any Office or Ministry from Christ be an Ordinance of Christ and the duty of such as have received Gifts for Preaching to Preach Then two things from hence I may add First A word of Exhortation to all the Churches of the Saints to allow admit and incourage the Gifted-Brethren in this Work and Business of Preaching Oh! be not so like to Antichrist and his Synagogue as to forbid this liberty of the Saints which Christ hath so dearly purchased with his most precious Blood Consider what the Lorâ— saith to those Disciples of his who told him That they saw one casting out Devils in his Name which followed him not and they forbad him but Marâ— the Answer of Christ Forbid him not Mark 9.38 39. Will not Christ have such forbad that follow not him or his Disciples and will you my Brethren forbid such as follow the Lamb yea and follow you too because not Ministers as you are or competent or equal in Gifts with you My Brethren I beseech you do not this wickedness it smells of Rome of an Antichristian spirit but think what the Lord saith He that is not with me is against me and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad Mat. 12.30 You that will not joyn issue with Christ in furthering and permitting such to Preach whom Christ allows to Preach you even all you who ever you be how Wise and Learned and Pious soever yet are you against Christ and for Antichrist Enemies to Preaching though never so great Preachers and it were well you would please to suffer me to commend two Scriptures to your serious consideration The first is that of the Apostle Be of the same mind one towards another mind not high things but condescend to men of low degree or estate Be not wise in your own conceits Rom. 12.16 The second Scripture is that of Peter Feed the Flock of God which is among you taking the oversight thereof not by constraint but willingly not for filthy Lucre but of a ready mind neither as being Lords over God's Heritage but being Ensamples to the Flock 1 Pet. 5.2 3. But secondly Let this be a second Branch of this Use to exhort all such even such or so many as have received but one Talent or the least dogree of real competency or fitness though neither Prophets or Prophets Sons but of the meanest or most contemptible condition or Calling amongst men to Preach and that in season and out of season O remember it is your duty your Priviledge you may preach all one by one you are not only made Kings but Priests and this Priestly Act you yea any Gifted Believer may perform Rev. 1.6 Beloved Preaching is God's Ordinance his Peoples Blessing and your Duty O therefore Preach as well as Pray continually forget not that exhortation As every Man hath received the Gift even so minister the same one to another as good stewards of the manifold Grace of God 1 Pet. 4.10 Brethren let not your fellow Spies discourage you by telling you of the Sacredness Excellency and difficulty of Preaching But as every man hath received so minister the same as of the ability God giveth that in all things God may be glorified 1 Pet. 4.11 Remembring for your encouragement two Scriptures 2 Cor. 8.12 For if there be first a willing mind it is accepted according to that a man hath and not according to that a man hath not Secondly Think on these words of Christ For unto every one that hath shall be given and he shall have abundance but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath Mat. 25.29 Therefore quench not the Spirit 1 Thess 5.19 But what the Disciple said I may say to you The Lord hath need of it Luke 19.34 The Souls of Sinners call for your Labours yea the wants of your dear Brethren call for your words of Exhortation Edification and Comfort therefore be not wanting in the practice of this Ordinance even this great Ordinance of Preaching the Gospel Therefore my Brethren be stedfast unmoveable alwayes abounding in the Work of the Lord for aâ— much as you know your Labour is not in vain in the Lord. Thirdly Let this Doctrine
these things as you have it seeing yâ—â— know these things but they he describes and call unlearned are those he mentions in the second Chapter of this Epistle whom he calls false Prophets and false Teachers Note It is not the unlearned Hearers but the learned Preachers that are the perverters and deceivers of the People through mistaking Paul's Writings and other Scriptures These are the Men the Church and the World are only beholden to for privily bringing in damnable Heresies and causing the Truth of God to be evil spoken of Vers 1 2. These are the Brute beasts made to be taken and destroyed speaking evil of the things they understand not even the Saints and the Scripture and the waies of God Vers 12. These learned Prophets are the Welâ— without water and the Clouds carried with a Tempest vers 17. These are the men that Speak great swelling words of vanity and allure through the lusts of the flesh through much wantonness those that were clean escaped from them who live in Error So that we may boldly conclude That Humane Learning and Wisdome is neither Prophets nor Preachers wisdome or fit furniture for such work But because I foresee that Demetrius and his learned Crafts-men will make no small stir about this Doctrine concerning Humane Learning I shall lay down some Arguments to back and confirm what hath been said Arg. 1. If Humane Wisdome or Learning be essential to qualifie a Preacher for preaching then the Scripture Rule concerning a Preachers-qualification is imperfect and obscure which is sinful to imagine because it neither requireth or provideth for such low earthly-membring Qualifications as Tongues and Sciences which teaches Preachers not to preach without it What the Scripture requires as a Preachers Qualification you may read 1 Acts 4.5 It is the promise of the Father expounded vers 5. to be the Baptism of the Holy Ghost So 1 Timoth. 2.2 to the 7.2 Tim. 2.2 and 15. with Chap. 3.14 15 16 17. Arg. 2. If Humane Learning or Wisdome be the Preachers Wisdome then the best of Preachers have slighted and neglected the main or grand Qualification 1 Corin. 2.1 And I Brethren when I came unto you I came not unto you with excellency of Speech or of Wisdome declaring unto you the testimonies of God And Paul gives the reason of his so doing For I determine not to know any thing among you save Jesus Christ Vers 2. and again saith he My Speech and my Preaching was not with enticing words of mans wisdome but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power vers 4. yet Paul would have the Rabbies and Sticklers for enticing words and mans wisdome know That his illiterate Preaching was perfectly accomplisht Preaching Howbeit we speak wisdome among those that be perfect yet not the wisdome of this world nor of the Princes of this world that come 〈◊〉 nought vers 6. Take but one place more Act. 4.13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men they marvelled mark these marvelous Preachers had preached most publickly and resolved still to preach as publickly yet neither had this Wisdome or Learning but were ignorant and unlearned and resolved so to remain Therefore clear it is this wisdome is not Preachers wisdome else these great Preachers could not have wanted it or which is all one if they had it 〈◊〉 improving it about this great work which some say doth so fit men for it Therefore this Wisdome in Controversie cannot be Preachers wisdome Thirdly Take this Argument to prove that Humane Learning is not the Preachers Wisdome because then many both allowed and enjoined to Preach would be found unable to preach through want of this furniture or wisdome as many oâ— the Prophets or prophesying Members of thâ— Church who though they have the gifts of the Spirit and have passed through the New-birthâ— yet have never attained this Wisdome or sat at Gamaliel's Feet But such may be allowed of as competent Preachers as I have largely proved in the Second Doctrine Arg. 4. The consideration of who is the Spring of Gospel-preaching will make it necessarily appear that humane Wisdom is not the Preachers Wisdom but the Lord Jesus and not man's how learned soever Ephes 4.7 to 15. Vnto every one of us is given Grace according to the measure of the Gift of Christ and so forward compared with Rev. 19.10 which saith The Testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of Prophesie Arg. 5. Take this Argument why I affirm that the Wisdom that the Gospel-Preacher ought to have is not humane Learning or Wisdom because the Gospel is that which is to be Preached not humane Wisdom or Excellency nor the Gospel in a way of humane Wisdom or Excellency Nay the Gospel is in the very nature thereof contrary to humane Excellency being plain and simple though most holy and pure in the Nature and Administrations thereof therefore needs not Arts or Sciences to comprehend or reveal it Nay the Apostle seems to imply that Learning mixed with or used in the Preaching of the Gospel doth but corrupt or sophisticate and adulterate it as the Fly doth the Apothecaries Box of Oyntment Eccl. 10.1 2 Cor. 2.17 But to proceed Arg. 6. Take this Argument The Subjects or Persons to whom the Gospel is to be preached or predicated are not the Orators Wise and Excellent of Wit but the Simple the Vulgar the Mean and Contemptible according to that word Mat. 11.5 The poor have the Gospel preached 〈◊〉 them 1 Cor. 1.26 27 28. And Christ said That he was anointed to Preach the Gospel to 〈◊〉 poor Therefore they need not learned that 〈◊〉 humanely learned Preachers but spiritual wâ—â— Physitians What need French-men to speak them that only understand English Or need Man Geometry or Mathematick Logick or Râ—torick to Preach to Men and Women of no hâ—â— mane Understanding Only God hath promisâ— to teach them so much spirituality as conceâ—â— their Souls But as to this glorious literature 〈◊〉 but as the gilded Trappings upon an Ass to maâ— him to be respected Arg. 7. To require or injoyn humane Learâ—ing or Wisdom as necessary or essential to eveâ— Gospel-Preacher is to require that for a requiâ—â— which is directly contrary to the main end of Gâ—spel-Preaching which is to Preach Christ and Knowledge unto the People and not to Preach 〈◊〉 Preacher or his Knowledge into the People 〈◊〉 great end of Gospel-Preaching is not to Preaâ— forth or declare man's breeding or learning in the People or to shew the Preachers excellency 〈◊〉 humane things or excellencies or breeding up mâ— in worldly or humane Knowledge but to tâ— men from Darkness to Light and from the Pâ—â— of Satan into the glorious Liberty of the Sons of Gâ— and to edifie and build up such as are converted the Knowledge and Grace of our Lord Jeâ—â— Christ Arg. 8. If the Church even every unlearneâ— Church in humane Learning must judge and 〈◊〉 the
Glory 1 Cor. 2.7 8. But some may say How came the Preachers of the Gospel in that day to this Wisdom Not from Universities or humane Learning but from the Grace and Spirit of God as you have it But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit for the Spirit searcheth all things mark it yea the deep things of God vers 10. And this Paul proves vers 11. For what man knoweth the things of a man save the spirit of a man which is in him Even so the things of God knoweth no man but the Spirit of God this is further witnessed unto vers 12 13 14 15 16. Object 6. May some say How shall a Preacher be able to withstand or confute gain-sayers without learning For every one that is a Scholar and subtil will sophisticate and use fallacies and wrest the Scriptures and his Arguments from him if he be not a Scholar Now Beloved I pray you do but consider what is said in this Objection and you have here discovered the learned Man's Excellency it is to sophisticate and deal fallaciously with the Simple and the Truth Beloved take heed of them as such who have learned the skill to deceive the simple But yet a little further to Answer this seemingly so weighty an Objection Know God's way or the right way for a Preacher to answer Gain-sayers is to have the Word of God dwell richly in him in all wisdom that out of that Library or good Treasure he may be able to convince them of the contrary part Thus Paul taught injoyning Preachers to hold fast the faithful Word as he hath been taught that he may be able by sound Doctrine both to exhort and convince the Gain-sayers Tit. 1.9 10. the like you have in 2 Tim. 3.13 14 15 16 17. Object 7. Some may say This is to subject Preachers and Preaching to contempt and scorn For if Preachers need not be learned who will not be a Preacher Who more bold than the ignorant or men of ignorance And who will reverence Preaching or Preachers if it be so easie and common a work for any man that is unlearned Will it not be very simple and mean Preaching if Preachers want Breeding Arts Languages and Sciences to garnish and dress out their Preaching with Lively and Apt Similes Rhetorical and Elegant Words To all which I thus Answer in the fear of the Lord. First It is never the more easie but much more the harder for any to Preach whilst we affirm no humane Acquirements but supernatural Attainments that fits or qualifies Persons for Preaching Secondly If all or any seek or undertake to Preach it follows not that all shall or can Preach No there are many Learned yea and unlearned Intruders upon Preaching which do not nor can Preach for all they rush or run upon the work for it is written A man can receive nothing that is no such Gift except it be given him from Above John 3.27 And saith Paul How can one Preach except he be sent And thirdly Though this unnecessary Tool be laid aside yet are there many other helps which every Preacher must have both Natural and Divine which every man hath not no not every Godly Man nor can attain to therefore to be an Accomplished-Preacher is not so easie though it matters not how easie But fourthly If it be said Who then will reverence Preaching or Preachers I Answer Though an undue reverence is not to be sought or desired and every able Preacher is truly and most eminently worthy of reverence yet when the Love of God and the Work of God lies warm upon the Preachers heart then the main business of a Gospel-Preacher will be to get Christ not himself reverenced For we Preach not our selves but the Lord Jesus and our selves your Servants for Christ's sake 2 Cor. 4.5 And let me tell you as David said to Michael 2 Sam. 6. Even of the Hand-maids shall such be had into honour whilst the proud Locusts of the bottomless Pit despise them I say Every such Soul that is Preached to will reverence that lip which hath spoken Christ to his heart as hereafter may more appear but if the blind cannot yet the seeing eye will reverence such Preaching and that the more because it is plain and simple But lastly Whereas they tell us that Preaching will be very mean and simple if the Preachers be unlearned and want Arts Sciences Rhetorick and Logick to help them to apt Expressions Similies to set forth Heavenly things by I Answer No if men be wise that Preach it will not be simple Preaching If Preachers be dayes-men or men of experience in Christ's Gospel and Satan's Wiles for if the Spirit of God can help the unlearned to words sufficient to speak to God in Prayer surely he is much more able to help the unlearned Preacher to sufficiency of words to speak to the Satisfaction and Advantage of unlearned simple sinful earthly ignorant Men and Women yea Babes and Sucklings therefore no need to serve an Apprentiship for Words at the Schools Thus I have Answered this Objection Object 8. Some may say If Preachers be not Scholars and Artists there are many things in the Scripture which they cannot resolve or explain at the weights of the Sanctuary of old and Places and Countries as where they lie and in what Continent Scituation Latitude and Distance one from another c. To which I Answer This is but superfluous or unnecessary Knowledge which every Gospel-Preacher may honourably be without And if a Preacher cannot attain it without humane Learning he may Preach as truly and as profitably Christ's Mysterie and Man's Duty from such Scriptures as if he could resolve such Riddles or unnecessary Questions For could not Ezckiel Amos and the Prophets prophesie against Egypt Tyrus Moab Babylon and the rest of the Heathen-Countries as well as if they knew their Longitude or Latitude Yes doubtless as clearly as other-ways for that did not concern them but only to denounce the Judgments of God against them other knowledge of Places is onely or mostly necessary for such as are Travellers or Historiographers who else may miss their way or mar their Work but 't is not so with a Preacher 't is enough for such to Preach that Babylon shall fall because she hath sinned and that Nineveh repented and therefore was spared wheresoever the one or the other Country is and that whatsoever Countrey or People soever they be that sin against the most High and do not repent shall also perish first or last yea even England though we know where it lies without repentance must doubtless perish Object 9. May not some say to me Doth not Solomon the Wise even the Preacher in my Text say Prov. 1.22 It is fools only that hate or slight Knowledge so it is only unlearned ignorant mechanicks that speak thus slightly and contemptibly of Learning and Knowledge Is not every thing beautiful in its season I Answer It is not to
hate Knowledge to cry up the Spirit 's Teaching and the Scriptures Wisdom the best of Learning and to cry down this empty dangerous smoaky humane Learning I say 't is not slighting or despising Learning to distinguish and difference it from Spiritual and Heavenly Knowledge to teach that humane Learning such as the difference is about is not necessary or helpful for Preaching doth neither deny or imply that Learning is useful or less than a Gift of God and useful as other natural Gifts and Excellencies are Is that Plant good for nothing which is not good for food or delightful to smell on Oh no for it may be good and profitable for Physick Even so is Learning even this Learning in Controversie to teach men Civil and Political Government or fit men for Magistracy but dangerous for Gospel-Preachers good for Physitians Lawyers Historians Navigators Surveyors of Land and the like but needless for Preaching good for Travellers Merchants Souldiers and the like but not for Home-dwellers or Church-men doubtless there are many lawful and laudable uses for humane Learning though this be spared therefore I hope none will say I despise it though I affirm it ought not to be injoyned or imposed as essentially necessary for Gospel-Preaching And thus I have endeavoured to Answer all such Objections as I have met with that are brought against that which hath been offered to wit that humane natural or artificial Wisdom or Learning is not the Gospel-Preachers Wisdom mentioned in the Text or that which will fit a man to be a Gospel-Preacher or qualifie unto Wise and Gospel-preaching in the Negative Let me in the Affirmative now declare what this Wisdom is which every Gospel-Preacher ought to have and cannot be competently qualified unto Preaching without it it is the saving sanctifying Grace of God and Spiritual Gifts and assistance of the Spirit of God This Divine Wisdom is Essential Wisdom for a Preacher and having this Wisdom though without other Wisdom a Preacher may be sufficiently accomplished unto Preaching For the better clearing of this I shall more particularly open wherein Preaching-Wisdom lies in three things First That the Preacher be enriched with the Wisdom of Grace or the fear of the Lord which is the beginning of Wisdom and a good understanding have all they that do thereafter Prov. 1.7 Psal 119.10 To be spiritually Wise is to be seasoned with Salt of Grace to be instated in Covenant with the Lord Jesus who of God is made unto us Wisdom as well as Righteousness 1 Cor. 1.30 31. Though every gracious Person is not a Preacher yet he who-ever he be that undertakes to Preach cannot be wise enough to be Christ's Preacher that is not Holy and Sanctified in Jesus Christ this the Lord seems to prove to Jeremiah 1.5 Before I formed thee in the Belly I knew thee and before thou camest out of the Womb I sanctified thee and ordained thee a Prophet unto the Nations Mark God layes the Foundation of Prophecy or Preaching in electing Love and sanctifying of the Heart not education of Learning or excellency in Brain Thus the Lord Jesuâ— dealt with Paul to qualifie him for Preaching Gal. 1.15 16. It pleased God who separated 〈◊〉 from my Mothers Womb and called me by hâ— Grace to reveal his Son in me that I might Preacâ— him among the Heathen immediately I conferrâ— not with flesh or blood neither went I up to Jerusâ—lem to them which were Apostles before me â— So 2 Tim. 1.5 6. with chap. 3.14 15. But secondly Preaching-Wisdom or the Gospel-preaching-Wisdom consists in having mucâ— and plentiful experience of the way of God's dealing with poor Souls when he delivers them out 〈◊〉 sin and brings them into a state of Grace Everâ— wise Preacher or skilful Work-man that needeâ— not be ashamed ought to have clear and plentiful acquaintance with Satans Wiles Temptations anâ— Delusions and with all the Concernments of a poâ—â— sinning sinking sorrowing Soul and therefore ought not to be a Novice in the dealings or out goings of God with poor Creatures He is 〈◊〉 Preach from Experience not for Experience a Merchants that travel to the Indies or the Antichristian Priests of the World do A Gospel-Preacher should be able to say as John saith iâ— his first Epistle Chap. 1. vers 1. That which was from the beginning which we have heard which we have seen with our eyes which we have looked upon and our hands have handled of the Word 〈◊〉 Life that declare we unto you v. 3. So saith Paul 〈◊〉 are not ignorant of his wiles and devices 2 Cor. 2.11 He that Preacheth â—ithout or beyond Experience is like a man that tells one his way to a Place or Countrey he never saw he must do it very rawly and uncertainly Even so it is in this case He that is to guide others in their way to Heaven ought to have gone it before himself or else he will prove an uncertain Guide to others Thirdly and lastly Every Gospel-Preacher's Wisdom should lie in having rich and plentiful acquaintance with the Scripture not only or so much in the Letter as in the Sence Scope Doctrine and real Interpretation of the Word And if these things be in a Preacher and abound with continual Prayer and uninterrupted fellowship of the Spirit of Grace he shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus 2 Pet. 1.8 And thus having proved and opened this Doctrine to wit That every Gospel-Preacher ought to be wise that is spiritually Wise I shall proceed to make some Application of the Point The first Vse is of Information First Let it be a word of Instruction or Information first To shew us how unwise such Preachers are and how unfit to be Preachers unto others who are so unwise as to oppose and deny this Doctrine That Grace and Spiritual Gifts or Wisdom is sufficient and essential to a Preacher Nothing shames and truly cloudes the honour and reputation of persons pretending to worth and judgment more than to be ignorant or deceived in or about their own Callings or Imployments For a Philosopher to mistake in the Nature of Philosophy or a General of an Army to be ignorant of the very Theory or Discipline of War Is it not a great shame It is no less shameful for the Trâ—â—â— of Levi the Princes and Fathers of the Church the Popes and Prelates of our day to be such â—â—staken deceived Doves as to be ignorant and 〈◊〉 madly confident in bewraying their Egyptian blindness concerning their professed Art at Trade Preaching and the right qualifications 〈◊〉 Preachers although they get all their great Wealâ—â— by Preaching or Appendixes thereunto as 〈◊〉 Universities Courts Pulpits and learned Vâ—lumes to assert this blind and Anti-scriptual Coâ—clusion that Humane-Breeding University-Learâ—ing Languages and Sciences are essential Qualiâ—cations such as without which no man can 〈◊〉 ought to meddle with Gospel-Preaching contraâ—â— to what hath largely been proved May I not
sâ—berly say of these great Rabies of our Day whâ— the Apostle saith Rom. 1.22 Professing to be wisâ—â— they became fools Surely even so hath God 〈◊〉 fooled this wise Generation and discovered thâ—â— our World hath many grave and gay Fools Eveâ— many more then wear motly-Coats even most 〈◊〉 the Professors of Divinity as they please to stiâ—â— themselves our Grave and Orthodox Roman Clergy I say This Generation how lofty soever theiâ— eyes are are not washed from their filthiness 〈◊〉 not of being sordidly ignorant what scripturally will qualifie sufficiently and essentially unâ—â— Preaching-Imployment Prov. 30.12 13. Nay so ignorant are they of a Preacher's Qualification that some and they no small men amongst that Tribe have openly declared That without a Miracle it is impossible to be a sufficient Preacher to Preach the Gospel of Christ without having sat at the feet of Gamaliel or be brought up in an University as if it were not possible with God even without any Miracle to kill Goliah by the hand of little David when the Sons of Mars stand by and can do nothing Even so this Clergy would perswade us God's little David's Spiritual and Experienced Christians cannot Preach except armed with an University-burthen upon their backs Though God hath most abundantly by innumerable Instances disproved this Fallacy yet once more let me rebuke the madness and make manifest the folly of these Prophets even those learned but ignorant false-Prophets who assert That Humane Learning only can qualifie unto this end Yea that it alone without saving-Grace and the Fellowship of the Spirit of God can make sufficient Ministers to go forth and Preach the Gospel to Children of Men especially if a Bishop do but Ordain them and say Receive the Holy Ghost as plentiful experience witnesseth and their Canons and Book of Ordination of Priests and Deacons declareth where the Scripture-Qualifications are left out and others set up Well to conclude this Use let these Prophets that fill the World with Priests and Preachers of Jeroboam the Son of Nebat's Order of whom we read 1 Kings 12.31 And he made Priests of the lowest and basest of the People which were not of the Sons of Levi. But let these hear what the Lord saith to them that have apostatised from the right way These mad Prophets these Wells without water these Clouds carried with a tempest 2 Pet. 2.15 16 17. Even thus saith the Lord God Wo unto the foolish prophets that follow their own spirit and have seen nothing Ezek. 13.3 The second Vse is for Reproof Secondly This might reprove the darkness and delusion that is crept into and seized on too many godly sober well-meaning Christians and Professors that have dwelt so long in Egypt they can swear by the Life of Pharaoh that is haâ—â— traded too long with Antichrist's Clergy men that now they dare even swear to the truth of it thaâ— no man but a Scholar of that sort they intend either can or ought to meddle with Preaching saying Let every one keep in his own Calling and 〈◊〉 go beyond his last forgetting that the Lord hath said Ye may all Prophesie one by one 1 Cor. 14.31 And that by the alone study of the Scriptures The Man of God may be throughly furnished uâ—â—â— every good Word and Work 2 Tim. 3.17 Oh let me beseech you Have not mens Persons and Part so in admiration as to plead for Baal and call Good Evil and Evil Good speaking evil of things you know not but search the Scripture diligently and humbly and you will find other qualifications appointed as necessary and sufficient for Preaching without that I have so opposed unless the smoke of the Bottomless-Pit hath put out your eyes Rev. 9. Oh my Brethren all you that fear the Lord be more Scripturally-wise and Learned your selves and then you will easily and plainly see the vanity ignorance and emptiness of your supposed Orthodox Teachers but I shall sparâ— you as being rather led than Leaders of your selves seeing in this Point with other mens eyes All I shall further do for you is to pray for you as sometime Elisha prayed for his Servants saying Lord I pray thee open his eyes that he may see and the Lord opened his eyes and he saw the Mountains full of Horses and Chariots of fire round about Elisha 2 Kings 6.17 Even so say I for all the Saints who are contrary minded to this Gospel-Truth Lord open the eyes of thy dear Children my dissenting Brethren to see by thy Light even the Light of Scripture that Grace-saving Sanctifying-Grace and the Gifts and fellowship of the Spirit without Humane or Vniversity Preparations are truly fully most abundantly sufficient to make Christ's Gospel-Preachers wise enough for Soul-conversion and the edification of the Body in love And thus much for the second Use I now come to a Third The third Vse is of Information Thirdly Thus may I inform whence the Romish and Learned Clergy-men of our day do so blaspheme and oppose the Spirits-Teaching 't is surely because of their ignorance and sinful interest This was the reason why Zedechiah Son of Chenaanah went near and smote Micaiah on the cheek 1 Kings 22.24 This also was the cause why Sanbalat and Tobiah and their Companions did so reproach good Nehemiah and obstruct the Work of the Temple Nehem. 2.19 with chap. 6.1 2. And the same reason there was why the Priests and Captains of the Temple and the Sadducees came and opposed and persecuted the Apostles Acts 4.1 2. And even at this very day the same reason is why the Priests and Prelates of our day do so exclaim and reproach the Spirits teaching and the Spiritual-Ministers teaching It is their own interest of profit and ignorance of Truth and right way of fitting men for Preaching though they are ignorant of God's Will in this thing yet are they well acquainted that iâ— this kind of Truth and these sort of Preachers go up their Trade Honour and Profits will soon go down according to that saying The Fruits which thy Soul lusteth after are departed from thee and all things which are dainty and goodly are departed from thee and thou shalt find them no more at all Rev. 18.14 And this is the reason why these covetous Clergy-men do so cry out against this way of Preaching by men spiritually wise but otherwise illiterate and unlearned because such Preachers if allowed will soon cloud their Glory and eclips their Credit and humble their Pride and hinder their Markets and who then can wonder that these so reproach the true Gospel-Preachers they must blaspheme and gnaw their tongues for pain therefore it is not to be wondred at as long as this Antichristian-Priesthood endureth as we have it Rev. 11.10 There can be no joy to them that dwell thus in or upon earthly Things Orders Riches Credit and Authority You may as well look for Peace from Hell as from the Learned Romish-Priesthood Rev. 12.17 Therefore cease marvelling
5.20 Oh! let such understand that though such persons actings Christ may love yet oft-times he loves not the principle of their obedience nor will save their Souls as is hinted Mark 10.21 22 23. Man's good Nature is bad Nature with God and such men are as fit and fair for Hell as the worst Natures and vilest of men as Christ saith Mat. 21.31 Preach to men the knowledge of themselves and their undone condition without the Lord Jesus and his Righteousness put them often in mind of that Scripture 2 Tim. 3.5 Having a form of Godliness but denying the power thereof from such turn away Forms of Godliness or Worship will no more help a sinful Creature to Heaven than Food or Physick can give a dead man life or strength or empty dishes satisfie a hungry stomach Though Rome say otherwise that bare Forms will save sinful Souls as a little Water Oyl Cream c. used in Baptism will save the Infant from damnation and make it regenerate and a Child of God and that every one that receives their idol Host in the Mass receives infallibly Jesus Christ and so in other particulars But you that are wise Preachers teach your people knowledge and make them understand That without holiness no man shall see God Heb. 12.14 Without forms men may go to Heaven though never Baptised and though they have never received the Supper of the Lord but none without holiness Doing of those things whilst in a state of Nature is not Holiness for the heart may be as unholy after as before yea in the very Act of Communion in the Ordinances as Judas Mat. 26.20 23. Isa 1.11 to 16. with that excellent place Gal. 6.15 Therefore Preach men into the understanding and knowledge of their own vileness and weakness and unbottom men from leaning or depending on their moral or legal Righteousness make them know this was that Rock on which the Jews were split and dropt into Hell Wherefore because they sought it not meaning Righteousness by Faith but as it ware by the Works of the Law Rom. 9.32 But again You that are wise Preachers Preach the people into the knowledge of God as well as into the knowledge of themselves make them to understand the knowledge of God as just and as merciful Oh let sinners know God is Just Holy and Righteous And will by no means or not at all clear the guilty or acquit the wicked Nahum 1.3 Cause the deceived Multitude to know the Just and Holy Nature of God that they may not flatter and deceive themselves with hopes and thoughts of happiness in a sinful state and wayes of wickedness because God is merciful and gracious for he is also equally written to be Just and Holy and a God visiting the iniquity of the Fathers upon the Children and upon their Childrens Children unto the third and fourth Generation Exod. 34.7 Oh beloved Cause ignorant Souls to know and consider if God be just as well as merciful that they must also be righteous and holy or else God's justice will not spare them but condemn them to all eternity unless they believe on the Name of the Lord Jesus Oh! cause sinners to know the Justice of God and how impossible it is to walk on in wickedness and disobedience to the Mind of God and Righteousness of the Gospel and be happy by causing them to know the sense of that Scripture Deut. 29.19 20. And it come to pass when he heareth the words of this curse that he bless himself in his heart saying I shall have peace though I walk in the imaginations of my heart to add drunkenness to thirst The Lord will not spare him but then the anger of the Lord and his jealousie shall smoke against that man and all the curses that are written in this Book shall lie upon him and the Lord shall blot out his name from under Heaven Brethren when you have done this make them know that are bitten with fiery Serpents that God hath provided a ransom for wounded sinners and as Moses lifted up the brazen Serpent in the Wilderness so lift up the Lord Jesus Christ in the Preaching of the Gospel shew all wounded and undone sinners the way of healing by the alone Righteousness and Satisfaction of the Lord Jesus make them know when wounded in Conscience and undone in themselves that then if they come sinners with their sin and misery upon them without any Righteousness Qualifications Preparations or Performances only as sinners with Ropes about their Necks weary and heavy laden he will ease them and they shall find rest to their Souls and this without money or monies worth without regard to their humiliation repentance reformation and amendment of life Oh make them understand the free Grace of God to the vilest of returning sinners make them to know the new and unchangeable Covenant of God with his people even the Covenant of freest Grace to pardon in pardoning all sinners past present and to come and never to alter or change the state and happiness of such Souls to all eternity Jer. 31.31 32. Oh be exhorted all you that are and would be accounted wise Preachers thus to Preach to your people and teach them this good knowledge of God both as just to all not in Christ and merciful to all in Christ how vile and miserable soever in themselves and thus to do is to teach the people knowledge aright Oh Brethren you Nurses of the Children of God draw out the Brests of your Consolation and give the little ones of Christ nourishment nourish them with the Word of knowledge and having begotten them to Christ do not starve those you have begotten to Christ as bad Nurses do many times their Children but having begun a good work in any perfect it to the day of Christ be Epaphrases alwayes labouring that the Saints may alwayes stand perfect and compleat in all the Will of God Col. 4.12 Objection But some may possibly say to me Is it in the Preachers power how wise soever to teach or infuse knowledge into the people Is not this the peculiar prerogative of Jesus Christ to be eyes to the blind and to give understanding to the simple And doth not Paul say He may plant and Apollo water but God must give the increase Prov. 8.14 20. 1 Cor. 3.6 And therefore why do you urge it on the Preacher as his Work and Duty to distil and infuse knowledge into the people as if it were in his power to teach the people to know Answer To this I Answer Doubtless and beyond a peradventure it is in every wise Preachers power to do his duty which is thus to lay out himself to the utmost that the people may know And secondly Every wise Preacher and the most of Preachers though wise might do more at this work than they do But 3ly Though without Divine concurrence and presence with them in the Work their Work will produce little yet if they work not diligently
Proposition Let me now give you some Arguments to evince this That Preachers Work is hard labour and continual imployment Arg. 1. First This must needs be thus because of the matter of Preaching which is the Mind and Will of Christ contained in the Scriptures Now this Word of Scripture is like deep yea very deep waters 't is hard to get the golden precious Truths and Counsels of Christ contained in the bottom or body of Scripture forth of them The Word of God is perfect and sufficient but not so plain and obvious that without much study and search the whole Counsel or Will of God contained therein will be attained In the Word lies contained the manifold wisdom of God but 't is hard to find out the sum and variety thereof without much diligence This Solomon implyeth when he saith Counsel in the heart of man is like deep waters but a man of understanding will draâ— it out Prov. 29.5 Now if that Wisdom or Counsel which is in the heart of wise men is like deep waters and it requires wisdom and labour too for the drawing it out Oh how much more doth it require the wisest Preachers wisdom and pains to dive into the Counsels of Christ contained and centered in these most deep Wells of Salvation or Waters of the Sanctuary the Word of God! Yea doubtless our experience witnesseth to it and we daily find all Truth is in the Scripture contained yet can we hardly draw out or comprehend so much of Truth as is essentially requisite for our selves and such as we preach to This David witnesseth when he saith Thy Righteousness is like the great Mountains and thy Judgments are a great deep Psal 36.6 Now if the Judgments Statutes Truths Ordinances of Christ all which the Preacher is to reveal and declare to the People be such a great Deep and so hard to fathom Oh how hard then is his work that is a wise Preacher he may well be searching out and after this Will of God and conclude who is sufficient for these things But again Arg. 2. Secondly As the matter of their Preaching is high and hard to attain even so the Work must needs be hard in respect of themselves They are dull and hard of Learning in what they must deliver out Oh! if a Preachers Lesson be hard and he as hard to learn any Lesson sure their task must needs be a hard task But that the best of Preachers are bad and dull Learners is most evident both by Scripture and plentiful experience as in that glorious Saint and Preacher Job How much pains did God take with Job from his Conversion even till old age and yet but in God's account a small shallow Scholar notwithstanding all God's pains in correcting of him yet saith God Who is it that darkneth counsel by words without knowledge Job 38.2 Yea God makes Job plead guilty to this Indictment Chap. 40.3 4 5. with 42. And surely such Preachers are not Jobs but proud Pharisees who will or dare say or think otherwise of themselves Such dull bad learners of the Mind of God were Job's three Friends Chap. 42.7 Yea such were Christ's Disciples and Apostles those Master-Preachers those Foundation-Layers Luke 24.25 O Fools and slow of heart to believe all that the Prophets have spoken Oh Beloved if Preachers have hard and many Lessons to learn and are exceeding dull and incapacious of learning yea such that have neither head heart nor will to learn O sure their work is hard and they need be early and late seeking and searching out these acceptable words Arg. 3. Thirdly Preaching-Work is hard Work because of such to whom we preach 'T is hard to find out what words they want and it is not wisdom to preach such words as are not wanting or at present necessary For though every and any word that is or can be preached is pure and perfect yet not at all times seasonable or profitable you know whose rule it is All things are lawful but all things are not expedient 1 Cor. 6.12 Though every Truth not only may but ought to be preached yet not at all times or to all sorts of Hearers There is a peculiar or apt time for every purpose under the Sun Now the wisdom of the Preacher is to know how to time his Word or Doctrine to the present wants and necessities of the people and this is very hard and requires searching out of the peoples wants Secondly This makes the Preachers Work hard how wise a Preacher soever he be to find out not only their wants but also how to apply that which is intended for them to be received or accepted by them even God's own People are a wayward and indisposed People or Children to the receiving of Spiritual Food or Physick and 't is a great piece of Heavenly skill and hard to attain Paul himself writes it as a great piece of Heavenly Craft 2 Cor. 12.16 But thirdly grant a Preacher hath wisely gone these steps yet he must still be seeking out how to preserve and water the Seed he hath been admitted to Sow that he lose not the things that he hath wrought for 't is the part of a foolish Preacher to preach and preach much and not regard what becomes of his Labours 'T is to be like the foolish Ostrich mentioned Job 39.13 14 15 16. Now this Act makes the Preacher's Act hard work to water and watch his Seed sown that he lose not his labour therefore his work is hard work Arg. 4. And lastly The Preacher's task is very hard because of that great opposition and difficulty which Preachers and preaching-work must and doth meet withal that work how easie soever in it self yet if it cannot be performed without much opposition is then and thereby become hard work even thus is preaching become hard work because with much hardship labour and difficulty it must be performed Satan and Sinners yea even Saints themselves make the Preacher's Work hard yea very hard and troublesome by their opposition Look how the Enemies of the Jews withstood the building of the Temple even so doth Satan hinder the building of the Spiritual Temple or preaching of the Gospel So Paul words it 1 Thess 2.18 Thus he made the preaching of the Gospel decline from Jerusalem Acts 8.1 with Acts 13.50 And although the preaching of the Word must not be hindred or declined because of Persecution yet is Persecution a means to make Preachers look about them and their work to be hard to them And again The Preacher's task is made very hard by the opposition of false Teachers which oppose the Truth of the Gospel and who as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses so do they also resist the Truth 2 Tim. 3.8 These constrain the wisest of Preachers to seek out how to preach that such may not gain-say the Truth or at least that their folly may be made manifest to all men of sober minds and this is hard work How hard was
thing for I am a great King saith the Lord of Hosts The third Vse is of Exhortation But again The next Use I shall make of this Point is for Exhortation in two Branches and that to two sorts of persons First Such as Preach the Gospel Secondly To such who hear the Gospel preached The first Branch First Let me presume to speak a few words to all such as fear the Lord and preach the Gospel of our Lord Jesus first Be exhorted so to Preach or make manifest the Gospel as it ought to be preached or made manifest as Paul words it Col. 4.3 4. Oh! as wise Preachers and not unwise seek and search after the mind of Christ contained in the Proverbs Problems or Word of Christ Oh! hunt as Hunts-men do for Game follow it hard and follow it close through thick and through thin through Bryars and through Thorns as such who are resolved not to lose their time and labour or desire if it be possible Even so let every wise Gospel-Preacher endeavour to preach the Gospel as striving not to lose his labour so Preaching that he may reap the Harvest or Blessing of his preaching and not onely preach but so preach as every wise Preacher ought to preach not only unto men or unto mens ears but unto mens ears and into mens hearts also if possible Thus Paul preached to the Galatians travelling in Soul for the good of their Souls until Christ was formed in them Oh Beloved study not only to preach Notions unto the People so much as to preach Motions into the People that Christ may be formed in them Oh! study Soul-convincing and Soul-converting Doctrine striving and designing that all your Hearers may be delivered into the form of that Doctrine which from Christ by you is to them delivered Oh! this will cause you not only to have matter of Peace but of Joy and Thanksgiving also with Paul Rom. 6.17 It is easier to seek out and find out a Sermon to preach unto the People than to find out this skill and wisdom how to be able to distil or preach a Sermon into the People for if God that gives us a Door yea an open Door of Utterance unto the People do not also graciously give us a Door an open Door of Entrance into the People also our Preaching will be vain and lost Preaching as to the People to whom we Preach no good will be done the People will be undone rather by us for the better the Preacher is and the more he preaches and the People not the better but the worse the more dangerous is that peoples case and condition and the greater will be their damnation Wo to thee Capernaum which art exalted to Heaven thou shalt be brought down to Hell For if the mighty Works which have been done in thee had been done in Sodom it would have remained till this day But I say It shall be more tolerable for the Land of Sodom in the Day of Judgment than for thee Mat. 11.23.24 Oh therefore as the High Priests of old bare the Children of Israels Names upon their Breasts even so let all wise Preachers carry their Hearers upon their Hearts that God would make their labour of love useful and not a savour of death unto death unto any of them But again Let me perswade and exhort such as Preach to seek that they may first be preached to and that doubly Get thy Soul first preached into Christ before ever thou goest to preach Christ unto any Secondly Get the mind of Christ preached unto thy Soul before thou goest about to preach the mind of Christ to any Soul remembring what is written How can they preach except they be sent Rom. 10.15 Oh Preachers seek before ever or whensoever you go to preach to others to get Christ to preach forth his blessed Truth to the which he would that day have preached forth by thee to others For how can one receive any thing except it be given him from Above or from Heaven Joh. 3.27 Oh seek and search out diligently what Message is most meet for the People and what Message Christ would have thee now hand forth to the People for 't is not every Message but present Message is a meet Message to be delivered to the People This we have hinted in the Description of the wise Scribe that he brings forth of his Treasury things new and old things sutable and necessary for present concernment Mat. 13.52 The Peoples present need should be every wise Preacher's business to supply and that in the first place Oh search as after the Peoples Lessons so after the Peoples profiting be not foolish Seedsmen as to sow your Seed yea Christ's principal immortal Seed of the Word and never look after it be not like the World's Sons of Levi that only preach to preach themselves into the People and the Peoples Money into their Pockets and having performed as much of this as Law requires and will effect their end they never care what becomes of their preaching Oh pray over your preaching yea pray after your preaching that God would bless your preaching and add the upper as the nether Springs to your preaching and not let you run and labour in vain Search after the profiting of your Hearers and see how the Seed sown makes increase in some thirty in some sixty in some an hundred fold Mark 4.8 But again Let me once more exhort wise Preachers to seek out the deep things of God contained in the Mysteries of the Gospel or manifold wisdom of God Oh! be not blind Leaders of the blind World lest you and they fall into the Ditch search and study the Scriptures which are able to make the Preacher or the Man of God perfect or throughly furnished unto preaching Knowledge Gospel-Knowledge is deep Waters Apply your diligence to draw it out of the Wells of Salvation But lastly Suffer me to add one word of Exhortation more Search and see there be no root of Gall or Wormwood springing up to trouble you in your Work I mean see that the mouths of gain-sayers and such as oppose your preaching or slander your good Conversation be silenc'd that they which speak evil of you may be ashamed The better and more wisely any Preacher preaches the more will be his opposition and therefore his wisdom should be to take away occasion from such as seek occasion that they of the contrary part may be ashamed Oh seek to preach preventingly that whosoever be Hearers they may not find any occasion against you save onely in the matter of your God Strive to countermine Satan and Sinners that whilst you are sowing precious Seed will not spare to sow the Tares Therefore strive so to preach as to leave them no place or advantage for the Tares yea seek especially so to preach as the Children that come to you for Bread may not meet with Stones or suppose you give them Serpents for Fishes I mean Fancies and Errors instead
of wholsome Food or Gospel-Truths Oh! preach plainly preach purely preach powerfully preach plentifully preach wisely or warily lest you offend one of those little Ones or so much as give them any shew or appearance of exception oâ— stumbling nay let them not have so much as subterfuge evasion shift or project to put by the force and scope of your preaching or to hide themselves under from obeying the Truth but let every Soul be without excuse in the day of Christ and this is to be a wise Preacher and to seek out and set in order many Proverbs and Parables So much for this first Branch of the Exhortation The second Branch of Exhortation But secondly Let me make from hence one word of Exhortation to such as are Hearers If the Preachers must seek hunt and search after the mind of Christ to deliver it unto you then do not you less than seek hunt and search after the comprehending and understanding what you hear Take Christ's Counsel Luk. 8.18 Take heed therefore how you hear Oh! if Preachers must be wise Preachers be not you foolish or unwise Hearers if they must be painful and careful Preachers be you not slothful careless Hearers if they must be watchful Preachers I pray be not you sleepy Hearers For if they must give a severe account how they Preach think not but you Hearers must give a strict account how you hear for it is written God will deal with the Scholar as with the Master Isa 24.2 Oh my Beloved did Preachers know truly and sufficiently the weight want and worth of preaching they would doutbless take more heed how they preach even so would you Hearers did you but consider the worth want and necessity of preaching you would be more attentive watchful thankful constant fruitful Hearers As negligent careless idle Preachers little know or consider the worth or the price or the misery of Souls which are lost for want of wise and careful preaching no more do you idle sleepy forgetful unfruitful Hearers know or consider the worth or price of your immortal Souls nor the danger of your eternal condition if you obey not the Gospel Oh Beloved take heed to your selves and to your feet when you go to Hearing and if you have any respect for the Lord Jesus value of the Gospel love to your Preachers or regard or pity to your own Souls do not thus evilly requite the Lord your Labourers yea your own Souls aâ— to be unworthy careless heedless mindless heartless fruitless Hearers of the Gospel which with so much wisdom and wariness ought to be preached to you Should a most choice Physician take pity of a poor dying Patient and sit down and turn over all his Experiences and take the greatest caâ—â— he can to consider his Patients condition and prescribe a Potion most sutable most safe and profitable for his Patient and then his Patient should either refuse to accept it and neglect to read it and resolve never to improve it would not you say This was a most unwise unworthy and ungrateful Person to deal thus unworthily with his loving Friend and faithful Physitian Oh my Beloved know and consider this day such even such are all such unwise unworthy Hearers aâ— when their loving wise and faithful Preacheâ—â— have been diligently examining and considering their Souls case and condition and having soundâ— not only their Disease but their infallible Remedy when they come and bring it unto you by the preaching of the Gospel and you Hearers with one consent slight it and neglect it one saying He will not put himself or Family to the trouble to come out of doors to hear it another he will come but 't is to sleep a third but 't is to carp and cavil at it through his own faults and instead of watching his own heart he watches for the Preachers halting a fourth may come and hear but carelesly more minding his ease and his drest and his company than the Sermon or his duty a fifth may hear but forget a sixth but not believe but dispute what he hears and a feventh though he hears and understands and remembers yet comes prepared and resolved to be Sermon proof and not obey what he hears say the Preacher what he pleases Oh my Beloved are not all these unthankful and unworthy Hearers of the Word and such as give both God and Men occasion to be weary of them and to shake off the dust of their feet against them and say Since by this doing you judge your selves unworthy of the Gospel Lo we turn to the Gentiles Acts 13.46 I have done now with this Use and shall conâ—ude both this Doctrine and this Exhortation with two Scriptures one is that James 1.19 with 〈◊〉 Wherefore my beloved Brethren let every man 〈◊〉 swift to hear slow to speak slow to wrath being doers of the Word and not Heares onely decerving your own Souls or your own selves The other passage is Ephes 5.15 16. See then I say Preacher and Hearer see to it that you walk circumspectly not as fools but as wise redeeming the time because the dayes are evil Thus much for this particular I now proceed to the next which are these And set in order many Proverbs or Parables These words contain another description of the wise Preacher's Work that is To endeavour to set in order many Proverbs Two things need a little clearing First What is meant by a Proverb Secondly What it is to set Proverbs in order Proverbs I suppose either are to be taken literally and strictly or secondly more largely and figuratively Litterally by Proverbs are intended any pithy short witty or significant kind of Expression Thus we have the word used Prov. 1.6 To understand a Proverb and the interpretation the words of the wise and their dark sayings Proverbs as strictly considered are witty wise dark and short Sayings and if we look upon some few of these Preachers Proverbs you shall find all this in them as to instance Chap. 20.17 with vers 30. and a multitude besides But although this Preacher's way and wisdom led him this way thus to declare his wisdom and give forth himself yet we must take heed of tying all Preachers to this way or in this sense to speak or give forth Proverbs but to speak or set forth Proverbs in a more large and general signification that is wise Preachers should give forth wisdom and knowledge to the people though not in the way or form of a Proverb strictly considered He ought to make the People with himself to understand the Nature Order Sense and right use of Divine-Things Knowledge or the Word of God and this is that the wise Preacher here intends or speaks of and this indeed is the Preacher's work and wisdom to set forth the Proverbs of Scripture in order or to unvail or declare their true Scope Use and Excellency The ninth Doctrine The observation we may hence learn is That every wise competent Preacher
34.18 19 20. I beseech you dear Brethren let it be our Work and Business to do what the Prophet was commanded to do when the Lord answered and said Write the Vision and make it plain upon Tables that he that runneth may read it Habak 2.2 Oh let it be our main business not onely to know that the Lord hath Proverbs and that our Lord Jesus spake nothing without a Parable Mat. 13.34 that is little without a Parable I say This is not so much our business as to comprehend and understand how to set these Parables in order in due order in their own order Oh this is necessary and becoming wise Preachers thus to do and not to set Proverbs out of order into their own or other mens order labouring more in Preaching to keep close to their own or other mens sense and order in opening the Scripture than unto Christ's and the Scriptures order It matters not what Commentary or Commentâ— or we decline or contradict so we harmonize the Scripture and agree with the Original Sense and Scope thereof Let such as preach and would preach wisely and approvedly bâ—onfult the Sense and Interpretation of Text as well as Observation or Application of Text. For how can the Observation be true or natural or the Application forcible and strong if the Interpretation be wrong Oh taâ—e heed of wronging Proverbs by knocking Proverbs even God's Proverbs out of order and lie and say not the truth when you say the Lord saith it or the Lord's Word teacheth it and the Lord hath not said it neither doth his Word reach it Oh think frequently of that word Behold I am against the Prophets saith the Lord that use their tongues and say The Lord saith it Jer. 23.31 Think it not wisdom or excellency to darken vail or lobscure the Scripture or the Proverbs thereof but to unvail or enlighten the Scripture that is make its real Light appear lest by so doing we not only contract to our selves our own but the sins of other men also even the sin and right to the punishment of as many as have received and believed our dreams for the Visions of the Lord. 'T is more than we can well bear our own guilt and the chastisements of our own sins and errors But O! how intolerable and heavy may it prove to us to bear the guilt or punishment of the many deceived and corrupted by us The greatest of Preachers and Writers without conformity to this Doctrine lie in greatest danger as being the greatest of Deceivers But I shall say no more to this Use or Doctrine save only a closing word because I am speaking to the wise and a word to the wise may suffice and truly such as are otherwise 't is not the many words will do any good as Solomon tells us Though thou shouldest bray a fool in a morter among wheat with a pestle yet will not his foolishness depart from him Prov. 27.22 Wherefore my Brethren let us therefore as many as be perfect be thus minded and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded God shall reveal even this unto you Philippians 3.15 And so I come to the next verse or next words of the Text though I might offer another Observation from the number of Proverbs the wise Preacher set in order 't is many or the All of the many Proverbs that are in the Scripture We might note Wise Preachers are fruitful Preachers not barren lean or dry Preachers that can onely interpret some one or other single Proverb but can set in order the many or manifold Proverbs in the Scripture but I shall rather proceed and hasten to a close As this Scripture is Prophetical and looks towards the truly wise or transcendently wise Preacher our Lord Jesus that greater than Solomon we might note divers things but this I now shall want time for you find in vers 10. The Preacher sought to find out acceptable words and that which was written was upright even words of truth In general This Verse gives us account of what the Preacher sought even acceptable words and this is the second thing he sought as this verse compared with the former acquaints us But more particularly In the Verse we have two things First An account of what the Preacher sought to find out even acceptable words Secondly The excellency or property of those acceptable words in these words and that which was written was upright even words of truth or according to truth not only upright but also words of truth To begin with the first of these The Preacher sought to find out acceptable words This is every wise Preacher's Work to seek how to find out acceptable words or how to make his words acceptable For the improvement of these words one question is necessary to be resolved to wit What acceptable words are or such acceptable words are which Preachers ought to seek out I Answer First Negatively Not flattering words or deceitful words though sometimes such words Preachers seek out and the People account them acceptable as in that passage of the false Prophets who knowing the affection of the King to be for War finds out acceptable but deceitful words who said with one consent Go up for the Lord shall deliver it into the hands of the King 1 Kings 22.6 But you find these were neither upright words nor words of truth but of deceit and falshood as the consequent declared it but the words the wise Preacher sought to find out as acceptable to the People were upright even words of truth But secondly Affirmatively I say Acceptable words which wise Preachers should or do seek to find out are words meet to be accepted from him that preaches by them to whom he preaches and so is every word of truth in the general though some words more especially as Paul implies in that expression This is a saying worthy of all acceptation that Jesus Christ came into the World to save sinners of whom I am chief 1 Tim. 1.15 Thirdly Acceptable words imply words which God accepts and therefore should be acceptable with the People Though the People do not accept them yet they may be accepted of God Such were Mieaiah's words to the King when he said I saw all Israel scattered upon the Hills as Sheep that have no Shepherd and the Lord said These have no Master let them return every man to his House in peace 1 Kings 22.17 Fourthly Acceptable words imply sometimes such words as are not only words of truth in themselves and so acceptable to God but words accepted with the People and so acceptable in all respects Such were Philip's words to the Eunuch If thou believest with all thy heart thou mayest Acts 8.37 The former of these cannot be wanting in an acceptable word the latter may and yet the words be acceptable as in that of Jeremiah when he told the King of Judah Behold Pharaohs Army which is come forth to help you shall return to Egypt into their
Apollos Acts 18.24 25 26. To name no more Instances of this kind When words may truly be seasonable and acceptable or both I say when we see the Peoples sin openly and dangerous to the insnaring and indangering of others then 't is most seasonable to step in with reproving words Thus Paul dealt with Peter Gal. 2.12 13 14. And with the same spirit we find him acting against Elimas the Sorcerer when he sought to turn away the Deputy from the Faith Acts 13.9 10 11. Thus much may suffice for the proving and opening the Point let me now give you two or three Reasons or Arguments why this must needs be a Truth Reason 1. First Because 't is then only Preachers can be said in preaching to preach or in doing the work of preaching to preach when we preach acceptably or speak seasonable words All other preaching is foolish preaching or for the present but lost preaching But again Reason 2. Secondly Such Preachers and Preaching are only acceptable to God as such only should be to wise Hearers as the Lord seems to imply in that expression of the Prophet He that hath a Dream let him tell a Dream and he that hath my Word let him speak my Word faithfully What is the Chaff to the Wheat saith the Lord Jer. 23.28 Reason 3. Lastly Preachers ought to seek out acceptable words because such preaching will only answer our engagements and pretentions both to God and Man Our engagement who preach is like our Lord Christ who said I came from Heaven not to do my own Will but the Will of him that sent me John 6.38 And no Preacher is so foolish or unwise a Preacher as to pretend less than thus to do wherefore let as many as preach be so wise and honest to do what they pretend to do and as Paul saith Not to preach themselves but Christ Jesus the Lord and themselves Servants for Jesus sake 2 Cor. 4.5 I proceed now to the Application because I promised to be short Use of Reproof The first Use may be for a word of Reproof to as many Preachers that are not so wise as to make this their work to seek out acceptable seasonable words even sound words or words of truth and uprightness Oh how many foolish careless and unconscionable Preachers there are that neither study the Scriptures to find out sounds words nor consult with God or with the People to know what may be an acceptable word or a word spoken in due season either in reference to what God is a doing or the People are wanting in These may more aptly be stiled foolish than wise Preachers who more study humane than divine Writ and consult the mind of men especially great men rather than the mind of God and their own gain and interest more than the Peoples profit All I shall further say to these is As their sin is great against God and the Souls of the People even so without repentance and more wisdom their judgment will be heavy and their damnation slumbers not Let such think seriously of that saying of Peter But these as natural bruit beasts made to be taken and destroyed speak evil of the things they understand not and shall utterly perish in their own corruption 2 Pet. 2.12 But to be brief Secondly For Exhortation Secondly This shall serve for a word of Exhortation and that to two sorts of Persons First To such as Preach Secondly To such as Hear First Let me exhort and provoke all you that are wise Gospel Preachers to remember this word Seek out acceptable words even words of Truth and let that which is written be upright Oh suffer me to beseech you to seek out seasonable words both upon God's and his Peoples account Oh consider what Generation-work God hath in hand in your day in the present day and give it your word as Nehemiah did in his day Chap. 2. vers 3. In times of abounding of iniquity Lift up thy Voice like a Trumpet cry aloud spare not shew the people their transgression and the house of Jacob their sin Isa 58.1 And take that encouraging word and charge you have given to the Prophet Jeremiah Thou therefore gird up thy loyns and arise and speak unto them all that I command thee and be not dismayed at their faces Jer. 1.17 Oh my Brethren be prevailed upon to make it your main business next to the looking after your own Vines to look after acceptable words for the People Oh search out the cause you know not and see what your and Christ's Sheep want and Preach words seasonable or in due season Oh Beloved be not knowers but doers of the Word not deceiving your own Souls This will bring much honour to Christ and you will then so do your work as to have joy and not grief in the great day of Jesus Christ Secondly Let me exhort you that are Hearers to suffer a word of Exhortation not onely from me but from your Preachers also which enjoy wise and painful Preachers that make it their business to seek out acceptable words for you Oh esteem such highly for their work sake and their work for Christ's sake Oh slight not such words as cost them so dear or so much to find out for your use Oh sin not against such words as are seasonable and should be to you acceptable Suffer your Preachers to deal home and plainly with you 't is their duty and their love to Christ and you make their work easie take their labour of love kindly despise not pervert not prophesyings of such as seek out acceptable words and what-ever they speak is words of Truth and of uprightness If necessity be laid upon them to seek out acceptable words do not think you are at liberty whether you will receive or refuse them Nay think of that dreadful word Lo when this cometh to pass then shall they know that a Prophet hath been among you Ezek. 33.33 The great God that made nothing in vain hath not made wise Preachers in vain or that you should turn a deaf ear or a rebellious heart towards them They must sift hunt and search out acceptable words for you and you ought to receive them with all readiness of mind and take heed that they lose not through you the things which they have wrought Oh believe it your spiritual wise Preachers do bring you acceptable words meat in due season and therefore let him that hath ears hear what the Spirit saith to the Churches And lastly If Preachers must seek out acceptable words for the People then let their acceptable words be acceptably entertained of you As Daniel said to the King so let me say to all you to whom this Truth shall come Let my Counsel be acceptable to you and break off your sins by Righteousness and your iniquities by shewing of mercy Dan. 4.27 I mean your sins against wise Preachers and their acceptable words from Jesus Christ Thus much for this Word and this
heed that we open not the mouths of the uncircumcised Philistines to rejoyce or blaspheme Let Professors know what they can and talk what they will 't wil signifie little unless they walk also in this Spirit of Truth and Uprightness Vse of Exhortation But secondly and especially Let this be matter of Exhortation to us all even as many as fear the Lord both Preachers and Hearers to labour for and walk in a Spirit of Truth and Uprightness This we have seen is a most excellent choice frame of Spirit in the esteem both of God and Man Oh therefore labour to attain such a frame of Spirit For naturally our Spirits are otherwise in the frames of them for what the Prophet once said is still truth Every one is an hypocrite and an evil doer and every mouth speaketh folly or falshood Isa 9.17 'T is Mortification of earthly Members and Sanctification of the Spirit must make us Men or Women of this frame of Spirit for naturally we are born of another temper and you who know what Mortification is know it is not easie work to mortifie the deeds of the flesh but be it what it may be yet be prevealed upon in the fear of the Lord to set upon this duty even to get our Spirits into this frame even into this good frame and if it will cost us the plucking out of our right eyes or cutting off our right hands yet subscribe to it And first Let me freely tender this word of Exhortation to us that are Preachers and should be wise Preachers seeking out acceptable words and that which by us is at any time preached and written upon the heart of the People should be upright even words of truth Let us be a living Word as well as a speaking Word let our lips and our lives joyn together and speak one thing even Holiness to Jehovah Oh let not us reprove sin in others and allow or indulge it in our selves What is that but down-right dissimulation Oh let us not commend Patience and be impatient and Humility and be Sons of Pride our selves This is not to walk with the foot of uprightness according to the Gospel This is not to be a wise but an unwise Preacher if not a proud Pharisee and a very Hypocrite Wherefore if a Preacher be under such temptations as to pretend Christ and preach Self and to seek Christ and seek mostly Self as to cry down all sin and yet live in cry'd down sins to commend Grace and Vertue and yet live short in Grace and empty of Virtue placing thy excellency and piety in seeming so and saying so and in washing the out-side neglecting the inside make broad the Phylacteries and enlarging the borders of your Garments that is in using singular or peculiar restraints and modes of Gesture and Vesture from other sober and pious Persons Oh know 't is not marring of our Beards or Locks and having our Cloaks long and our Girdles strait that can or will prove us wise Preachers or men of this excellent Spirit of Uprightness and Truth Oh no! we may be Fools and Hypocrites for all this and therefore it nearly stands us upon to do as that great Preacher and Apostle of the Gentiles did Even to keep under or beat black and blew our body and bring it into subjection lest O mark it that by any means when I have preached to others I my self should be a cast-away 1 Cor. 9.27 And answer all temptations to contrary-mindedness or contrary-spiritedness to this Doctrine and frame of Spirit as good Nehemiah did saying Shall such a man as I flee Who being as I am would desist Chap. 6.11 So let us Who that is as I am a Man Ah more than a Man a Christian yea more than a Christian a Preacher to Christians that would seek great things for himself under pretence of seeking great things for Christ Oh who that were a Preacher as I and preached down Covetousness Idleness Earthly-mindedness in others would live in these things himself Oh no my Soul I will not I dare not lest I be not found a wise but an unwise Preacher and that which by me is written or preached be not words of Truth and Uprightness And in the Close what-ever I may be to others I be to my self a cast-away O therefore let Preachers especially receive and improve this Exhortation and see that our conversation be only as becometh the Gospel Phil. 1.27 And to close up this Head of Exhortation Let as many as are and would be found wise Preachers be perswaded to think often and deeply of that Scripture 2 Cor. 4. Therefore seeing we have this Ministry as we have received Mercy we faint not but have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty not walking in craftiness nor handling the Word of God deceitfully but by manifestation of the truth commending our selves to every man's Conscience in the sight of God Having thus tendred my Mite to Preachers let me now be your Exhorter that are Hearers Men and Women fearing the Lord Oh let this be your frame of Spirit be like your Father Jacob of a plain Spirit who hath his commendation in his youth that he was a plain man Gen. 25.27 Oh such let us that fear the Lord be let our inside be manifest by our out-side let our Words and our Works agree our professions both to God and Man and our performances agree and correspond together let our Light and our Life agree our publick and private walking agree so shewing forth that we are Israelites indeed in whom there is no guile Even the Epistle of Christ written not with Ink but with the Spirit of the living God not in Tables of Stone but in fleshly Tables of the heart as we have it 2 Cor. 3.3 Oh 't is living forth this Doctrine will speak us forth clearly to be Christians or the Epistles of Christ when we have such frames of Spirit as are throughly seasoned with Uprightness and Truth Christians look to your frame of Spirit Hypocrites can look to their Words and Speeches Look you to your Hearts good Words and good Works Hypocrites have for God 't is Saints onely have good Hearts for God Oh look well to your Spirits how the frame stands bent whether for Truth and Uprightness or for Falshood and Hypocrisie and forget not that word Mal. 2.15 Take heed to your Spirits Oh dress your Spirits with Truth and Uprightness for the dress of the Soul goes further with God than all the dresses of the Body with men can do as Peter informs us where he advises Women Not to let their adorning be outward adorning but let it be the hidden man of the heart in that which is not corruptible even the Ornament of a meek and quiet Spirit which in the fight of God is of great price 1 Pet. 3.3 4. Oh my Brethren look mostly after the dress and adorning of your Spirits for God is not only a Spirit but converseth most with
regardest not the persons of men Matth. 22.16 And to you Hearers that are wise Heaâ—ers of the Word of God take that counsel of Zechariah These are the things ye shall do speak ye every man truth to his Neighbour execute the judgment of truth and peace in your gates and let none of you imagine evil in your hearts against his Neighbour and love no false Oath for all these are things that I hate saith the Lord Zech. 8.16 17. Thus I have briefly finished this Point and this Verse because I am not willing to detain you any longer I shall proceed to the next Verse and Words in the Text Vers 11. The words of the wise are as Goads and as Nails fastned by the Masters of Assemblies which are given from one Shepherd This is the close of this Argument and of the Text and is the third Particular asserted concerning all wise Preachers in the 9th Verse we have his pains and diligence mentioned in the 10th Verse we have his Doctrine vindicated and in this Verse we have the Original and Advantage of such Preachers and Preaching declared The words of the wise are as Goads and as Nails fastned by the Masters of Assemblies which are given from one Shepherd In which words generally we may observe two things First The Nature and Property of wise Words or the words of the Wise They are as Goads and as Nails fastned by Masters of Assembles Secondly We have presented to us the Rise and Original both of such Preachers and Preachings they are given from one Shepherd In the first we have also two Particulars first The Persons spoken of only the Wise and the Words or the Words of the Wise Secondly That where-unto the Wise and their Words are resembled and that is Goads and Nails In the second general we have also two Particulars First The Person or Spring from whom wise Preachers and wise Words come that is from the one Shepherd Secondly Note how they come from the one Shepherd voluntarily freely they are given from one Shepperd Let me briefly open or explicate the Text. Explication First What are those Goads and Nails to which the words of the Wise are resembled A Goad seems to be that usual and necessary Instrument which Neat-herds or Drovers use about Oxen at labour and in travel such we read of Judges 3.31 and in 1 Sam. 13.21 Nailes are either such as were used to fasten Tents and the Tabernacle with or other Habitations and things withal Such was that Nail Jael took to kill Sisera with Judges 4.21 Masters of Assemblies or Masters of Companies or Master-workmen in all Occupations Some are choicer Workmen than others one Shepherd or the great and chief Shepherd is our Lord Jesus Christ The drift of these words are only to imply the choiceness and usefulness of Wise-Preachers and Wise-Preaching They and their Work are as perfect useful and necessary as the choicest Artists and their Works Such being as necessary and useful in Spirituals as any other things can be in Humane Cases and Concernments From the words thus opened divers Observations or Doctrines might be raised as from the Persons and work here spoken of The Words of the Wise We may note Doctrine 1. That it t is not any Preacher or Preaching but only the wise Preacher and wise Preaching that is the Peoples Blessing and Advantage such only will prove like to Goads and Nails The second From the Comparison as Goads and Nails which are not only good and exact in their Nature and Kind but needful and necessary in their Use from which I might note Doctrine 2. That wise Preachers and Preaching are very necessary and needful for the People Thirdly From the ground and occasion of Goads and Nails which are not only good but also to quicken and fasten From whence we may note Doctrine 3. That the best of Saints need quickning and setling which are the ends of Goads and Nails Fourthly From the manner of attaining these Note Doctrine 4. Either to be wise Preachers and capable to give wise words or to be a People so priviledged as to have wise Preachers and wise Words is a free gift of God as 't is said in the Text which are given from one Shepherd Doctrine 5. Lastly Note All divine Ministries and Ministrations come from the Lord Jesus that one Shepherd or that original Shepherd For brevity sake I shall only insist upon two Observations into which I shall draw the substance of all the rest The first is this That wise and spiritual Preachers and their words are very useful and necessary for the spiritual service and benefit of God's People as the things mentioned or the choicest things in Nature are or can be for natural ends and purposes The second Conclusion is this That all Divine Ministries and Ministrations spring from the alone Will and Wisdom of the Lord Jesus that one Shepherd and are freely given for the advantage of his People as we have it in the Text which are given from one Shepherd or from the one Shepherd To begin with the first of these to wit That wise and spiritual Preachers and their words are very useful and necessary for the spiritual service and benefit of God's People as either the things mentioned or the choicest things in Nature are or can be for natural ends or purposes The truth of this Conclusion shines evidently in Scripture as in that of Solomon A word fitly spoken is like Apples of Gold in Pictures of Silver As an ear-ring of Gold and an Ornament of fine Gold so is a wise reprover upon an obedient ear or as the cold of Snow in the time of Harvest so is a faithful Messenger to them that send him for he refresheth the Soul of his Masters Prov. 25.11 12 13. Hear also what the Apostle saith How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed And how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard And how shall they hear without a Preacher Oh see the great necessity and utility of a wise Preacher But lest this were not enough he adds from the Prophet as it is written How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the Gospel of Peace and bring glad tydings of good things Rom. 10.14 15. To trouble you with no more take that Ephes 4. where we find the End and Use of wise Preachers it is for perfecting of the Saints for the Work of the Ministry for edifying of the Body of Christ that we hence-forth be no more Children cossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of Doctrine by the slight of men and cunning craftiness whereby they lie in wait to deceive vers 12 14. Two or three things in the Text clear this sufficiently Reason 1. First The Appellation put upon Preachers I mean onely wise and profitable Preachers they are stiled wise and that is as honourable to the Preacher so also profitable to the People For as that