4. It informs us how much they are out who think there is too much preaching. Is there too much converting souls to God ? They think if preaching were not so common it would be the more reverenced. This is the popish plea, that ignorance is the mother of devotion. Indeed that is the way to keep up devotion to men's interest. Excel- lent things, the more common and the more discovered, the more glorious, as the sun the more it shineth forth. There is something con- temptible in them that must keep at a distance, and seldom come in view, to feed reverence. True worth,^the more it appeareth, the more it excelleth. Things gilded over, their lustre wasteth away with use; but gold, the more it is used, the more it shineth. When men hear the word out of curiosity, they are soon glutted ; but this is an adul- terous affection to holy things. If they hear it out of respect to their soul necessities, they prize it not only when new and fresh, but the more they are acquainted with it.
Use 2. Is exhortation.
1. To ministers to rouse up themselves.
[1.] Get love to souls. Are we co-workers with God ? Oh, then in zeal to God's glory, and in compassion to souls for whom Christ died, put OQ the bowels of Christ. Surely if we knew the worth and weight
VeR. 23.] SERMONS UPON 1 PETER I. 23. 335
of souls, we could not be so cold and careless in such a ministry and dispensation. Oh, let us never leave inviting, exhorting, pressing, till Christ be formed in them, Gal. iv. 19, Col. i. 27, 28, as unwilling to be refused, hungering and thirsting for the salvation of them that hear us. This will put an edge upon the doctrine we deliver, otherwise there is no savour in the finest words.
[2.] Preach with life, and diligence, and authority. God's words should not be delivered in a faint and languid manner and way. Thou art casting abroad thy immortal seed that is to beget souls to Christ, and shall we do it in a drowsy fashion? Let us pick out words that have some force and strength in them, that the truths of God may be represented convincingly and with liveliness : Eccles. xii. 10, ' The preacher sought to find out acceptable words.'
[3.] Let us look to the Lord for the fruit and success, not attribut- ing any efficacy to the warmness of our frame, clearness of our under- standing, or liberty of speech. Oh, let us look higher, praying that the effectual operation of his Spirit may accompany it : 1 Cor. ii. 4, ' And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power ; ' that it may come in with power.
2. To people to attend upon the word, waiting for the influence and illapse of his Spirit.
[1.] Attend upon the word with diligence. Without grace you can- not be saved, and without the word ordinarily you cannot have grace. Therefore say, I will wait : Prov. viii. 34, ' Blessed are they that wait at wisdom's gates.' Wait, then, though you find not presently what you wait for. God's means in God's time will prove effectual ; as he that lay at the pool, John v. Cast out the net. Wait though you find nothing, somewhat of God's work will appear. Many conceit themselves to be converted already, have no need of such diligence. Oh, no ; see James i. 18, ' Of his own will begat he us by the word of truth ; ' wherefore ' Be swift to hear.' Take heed of despising prophesying, 1 Thes. V. 19, 20. No such means to quench the Spirit.
Arguments.
(1.) That of the text, it is immortal seed. If wisdom be sown iu your souls, it begets a life there which shall never be quenched. Tiiough all have immortal souls, yet the natural estate of all shall be shortly dis.solved. The eternal life of wicked men is an eternal estate of cor- ruption and perishing ; Mat. xvi. 26, he shall lose his soul ; not in a natural, but legal sense : Gal. vi. 8. ' He that soweth to the flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption ; ' that is, eternal perdition ; for corruption is here opposed to eternal life. Tlie state of the wicked after death is a state of corruption. It is not the corruption of our being, but of our happiness ; where, though the substance of their soul and body shall not be annihilated, but upheld to all eternity by the mighty power of God iu the midst of unutterable torment : Mark ix. 49, ' Wliere their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched ; ' yet all their carnal happiness is then consumed, and they themselves do languish and pine away under the wrath of an highly provoked and irreconcilable God.
(2.) It is a living word. The word is lively as to its lively influence
336 SERMONS UPON 1 PETER I. 23. [SeR. IV.
and powerful effects upon the soul. It is the word of life, John vi. 63. It will comfort and revive you in all your afflictions, yea, in deatli itself : Ps. cxix. 50, ' This is my comfort in my affliction, thy word hath quickened me.' Now never leave till thou findgst it to be a living word to thee, till thou iiudest some kind of life in it, and receive not only light but life by it. It is not enough to seek truth in it, but seek life in it.