VireEfions for y~UI!g [hriftians. §. z, There is abundance of difference between a weak, unskilful, uncxperienced, dead-heaned formJ.l Teacher, and fuch a one as is defcribed in the Direction. Some that are fenfle[s or indiffcrcn~ in fnch·ma.trers as thc£2 themfelv(s, would perfwade you to be fo too, and look fir!\ in your fettlcment to your bodily convenicncies, and be cement with fuch a Teacher as accidentally yuu are cafl upon. And they'I tell you! .r~at the work of grace dependech not on the Preachers g~fts, ?ut on the gitr, and blefl1ng of the Spmt of God : The Formalij!s and the Entbujiafts concurr m thiS, though from different princip1es: But though God can frufirate the fitrefi means, and can work without means or by that which i5leat1 fitted to the end, yet it !s his ordinary way to work by means, and that fo; the foul as well as for the body; and to work mo~ by the apttj1 means. And I am litre it is the duty of every 1eacher, to preach in the fittefi manner that he can, for the peoples editication; and 110t ro do Gods work deceitfully, and ineptly, becaufc God can-iblcfs the untitteft means: And it is the peoples duty to attend upon the belt they can enjoy, though God call equally work by the weakefi or by none. As that pretence will not cxcufe the contemners of Gods Ordinances, that upon every lit· tle bufinefs, !by at home, and attend upon no Minifiry at all, no more will it excufe them, that rt· fufe that help that is moll fuited to their editication, and take up with a worfe, when they might have better. V\1e are not to negle6t duty upon a prefumptuous expectation of miraculous or exrraordi· nary works: When we c..tn have no better, we may hope for the greater benctit from the weak$jt; but not when it is the choice of our own prefumptuou; irreligious hearts. God can make Daniel and his companions to thrive better by eating Pulfe, "than otherS that fed at the Table of the King: And rather than fin againfl God, we mufl: call our fdves on him for unufual fupplyes, or leave all to his will. But few would therefore be per[waded cauflefly to live on Pu/fi, when they may have beltcr. And one would think this Truth, fhould have no contradiction, efpecially from thfe men, that are apt to obfcure and extenuate the Spirit/ oper~tiOift on the foul, and to confefs no Gract, bur what con– iit~cth in a cengruotu ordination ofMran1 and Circumjlancu: When their doctrine laycrh aU a mans hopes of falvation upon this Congruity ofMeant, andCircumjbnceJ, lhould they afterwards teach men ro undervalue or neglect the fitttjl, and wilfullycall their fouls upon the moft unfit and U11li/(!ly means> But Vngodiinefs fir{\ refolveth what to JPeak,. agai11j!, before it refolveth what to fay ; and will • contradict Gods Word, though it contradict itt own: and will oppofe holinefs, though by a Jelf· •tP•Jillg· 9· 3· But the fpiritual relliCh and experience of the Godly, is a very great prefcrvative to them againit fuch deluding reafonings as thefe. It's harder for a SophiOer of greatefi fuhtilty or authority to perfwadc him that hath ratted them, that Sugar is bitter, or Wormwood fweer, than to perfwade ·him to believe it, that never tafi:ed them: And it's hard to make a healthful man believe that it is bell for him to eat but once a Week, or ben ro live on Grafs or Suaw. 1doubt not bur thofe that now 'J fpeak to, have [uch experience and perception of the benefit of a judicious and lively Minillry, in cornpatifou of the ignorant, cold and lifelefs, that no words .wiU m;ake them inditkrenr herdn. Have you not found the Miniltry of one fort enlighten, and warm, and quicken, and comfort, and lln:ng~ then you, much more than of the other ? I a.m f'ure I have the common fcnfe and experience of the faithful on my fide in this, which were enm1ghof it felf againfi more than cantbe Jaid againft ir. Even mw-b.rn bJbCJ in Chrill !1ave in their m": naturrs, a defire ( not to fenllefs or malicious pratings, but ) to the Rational fincue mz!Jt ( 7~ 1-IP)IIf.~V aioMr )'ct.\ct ) tbal they m!ly grow by it, and to perform to God a Rati~Jual fervice, Rom. 12. I· 9· 4· And it mu!\ needs be a very P""d or ftupid heart that can be fo infenGble of ils own infir– mity, tinfulnefs and necdlity, as to think lho.w~akellilulldl Minifier may ferve their turns, and that they are able to keep up their life, and vigour, and warchfulefs, and fruitfulnefs, widt any little ordi– ~~ary help: I cannot but fear fuch men know not what the power and tf!icacy of the Word upon the heart and confcience me:meth: nor what it is to live a life of faith and holinefs, and to watch the heart, and walk with God. If they did, they could not hut fiod fo much difficulty herein, and [o much backwardnefs and unskilfulnefs in themtdves hereto, as would make thtm feel rhe neceffiry of the greatefi helps ; And it could not be but they muO feel the difference between a clear and quick. ning Sermon, and an ignorant, heartlefs,dead difcourfe, that is ipoken as it a man were talking in his Jkep,or of a matcer that he never undcrfiood, nor had experience of. . 9· 5 • Alas, how apt arc the befi to cool, if they be not kept warm by a powerful MiniUry >How apt to lofe the hatred of fin, the tendernefs of confcience, the fervency in prayer, the zeal and fulnefs in edifying difcourfe, and the delights and power of heavenly Meditations, which before we had' How apt is faith to 1\agger if it be not powerfully undtrpropt by the belpm of our f.-•itb.i How hardly do we keep up the heat of Love, the confidence of Hope, the rcfolution and fulnefs of obe– dience, without the help of a powerful Minifiry? Nay, how hardly do we do our part in thefe, in any tolerable fOrt, even while we have the clcarefi liveliefi helps, that are ordinarily to be had ?And can any that are not blind and proud, imagine that they are {o holy and good, thar they are above the neceffity of fuch afiillance, and that the weakefi breath is enough to kindle the fire ot holy Love and ztal, and keep them in the fear and obedience of God ? Alas, we arc under bnguifhing weak– nefs, and rnuft be dyetted with the befi, or we fhall foon decay: we are Crippifs, and cannor go or tland without our Crutches? And there mufi be fomc favour of the Spirit in him that will be lit to make us fpiri[ual, and feme favour of faith and love in him, that would kindle faith and Jovc in us : and he mufi fpeak clearly and convim;ingly that will be underfiood, and will prevail with fuch as we; And he mull [peak feelingly, that would make us feel, and fpeak ferioufly, that would be much regarded by us, and would make us ferious. 9· 6. And
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