Ministers Compared to Spokesmen

    MINISTERS COMPARED TO SPOKESMEN

    "For I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin, to Christ," 2Co 11:2.

    I have, as if the apostle should say, acted the part of a Spokesman, I have endeavoured to engage your affections to Christ. Every Minister strives to espouse souls to the Lord Jesus! as Abraham's servant was employed to obtain Rebecca for Isaac. It is the main work of a Minister to win souls, and bring them over to Christ.

    Note, Ministers may fitly be compared to Spokesmen.

    METAPHOR

    I. A Spokesman is a friend to the lover, one that knows his secrets, and is judged faithful, a person that he confides in, and is therefore trusted with his great and most weighty concernments. Abraham had great confidence in his servant, and therefore chose him for that work, viz., to go and take a wife for Isaac.

    PARALLEL

    I. Ministers are the friends of Christ; "I have called you friends," They know the mind of Christ: "The secrets of the Lord are with them." "All things, saith Christ, "that I have heard of my Father, I have made known unto you. You have not chosen me, but I have chosen you," Joh 15:14-16. Christ chooses none to this work, but such as are faithful: "And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath accounted me faithful, putting me into the ministry," 1Ti 1:12.

    METAPHOR

    II. A faithful Spokesman is very intent and diligent in his business. Abraham's servant would not eat nor drink, until he had delivered his message, or told his errand.

    PARALLEL

    II. So a faithful Minister is very diligent about his master's work. Peter and John forsook all, and followed Christ. He gives himself wholly up to the work of the Gospel. They esteem, with holy Job, the words of his mouth more than their necessary food, Job 23:12.

    METAPHOR

    III. A Spokesman uses many arguments to engage the affections of the person to whom he is sent; he doth set forth the merits, riches and worthiness of the person who is the principal suitor.

    PARALLEL

    III. So ministers may use many weighty arguments to persuade sinners to fall in love with, and espouse themselves to the Lord Jesus, to accept of the offers of his grace and divine favour, being not willing to take any denial, if possible. They pray, woo, and beseech in Christ's name; and some of the arguments they use are these, viz., 1. They set forth the greatness of their Lord and Master. "He is the King of kings and Lord of lords," saith Paul; "The Lord of life and glory," saith Peter. 2. They set forth his great riches: "Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ," Eph 3:8. See how Abraham's servant pleaded, when he came to court the damsel: "The Lord hath blessed my master greatly, and he is become great; and he hath given him flocks and herds, &c., silver and gold, and man-servants, and maid-servants, and camels, and asses. And Sarah my master's wife bare a son to my master, when she was old, and unto him he hath given all that he hath," Ge 24:35-36. O how rich and great, saith a Minister, is God! The cattle of a thousand hills are his: The earth is the Lord's and the fulness thereof." And Christ, saith he, is appointed heir of all things. "All things that the Father hath, are mine," Joh 16:15; 13:3. He knew, that the Father had given all things into his hands. 3. They set forth not only the greatness and riches of Christ, but also his admirable beauty. "He is fairer than the children of men," Ps 2:4. They set forth the greatness of his love, so far as they can conceive of it, or make it known; for the breadth, length, depth, and height of it is wonderful, as Paul shows, and passeth knowledge, Ephesians 3:18-19. 5. They set forth his power and sovereignty: he hath all power in heaven and earth; he is the Prince of the kings of the earth; nothing is too hard for him to do; men and devils, wind and seas are at his command. 6. They set forth his great wisdom: "He is the power of God, and the wisdom of God," 1Co 1:24. Saith the apostle "In him are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge," Col 3:7. They set forth his great and glorious end in coming into the world, which was, that we might have life, and to betroth us to himself for ever. 8. They set forth the greatness of his sufferings, his wonderful abasement, the nature of his bloody anguish he suffered upon the tree. What! doth not this Jesus, saith the servant of God, that comes to you through a sea of blood, deserve your affection? &c. 9. They use arguments of another nature, such as are taken from the consideration of the sinner's dead, cursed, and miserable state without him; the blessedness of such as do embrace him, and espouse themselves to him; and divers others, too many here for me to reckon up.

    METAPHOR

    IV. A faithful Spokesman is not satisfied, to see the person to whom he is in the behalf of his master a suitor, to be only ready to hear, and seem, to approve of the motion he makes, unless she at last be brought to a ready and willing compliance, and say with Rebecca; "I will go along with this man;" that is, I am resolved to become Isaac's wife, Ge 24:58.

    PARALLEL

    IV. So Christ's faithful Ministers are not satisfied to see sinners hearken to the Word, and seem pleased with the doctrine of the Gospel, which they daily preach, unless they leave their sins, and become new creatures, and close in good earnest with Christ, giving themselves to him. It is said of the saints, "They gave themselves to the Lord." If a man be a suitor to a damsel, and she seem to like him, and be pleased with the motion he makes, and yet never consent to become his wife; will this please him? surely no: neither doth it please Christ, nor his Ministers, to see sinners go from place to place to hear sermons, and write sermons, and commend this and that preacher, if they do not make a real contract, and become espoused to the Lord Jesus. It is nothing less than a thorough work of grace, regeneration, or a true conversion, that will satisfy one of Christ's faithful Spokesmen.

    METAPHOR

    V. It grieves a faithful Spokesman, when he finds his master is slighted, and his dear and noble Lord that sent him rejected, and a base and poor fellow entertained, and delighted in, instead of him who is so worthy.

    PARALLEL

    V. So it grieves a faithful Minister, when sinners slight the message and tenders of grace in the Gospel; when Christ is not embraced, nor closed in with: when they only take him into their lips, but keep him out of their hearts. O this wounds their souls! Shall sin, saith the servant of God, that bad and filthy enemy of my Master, be entertained and delighted in? Shall the devil have the rule and pre-eminence in you? and the love of the world be so sweet, which is enmity to God? And shall Christ who died for you on the cross, he who is so excellent, who is able to make you happy forever, be slighted and rejected by you? What! will you prefer your base lusts above all that inconceivable good there is in God the Father, in Christ his holy begotten Son, in the Holy Spirit, and in the way of holiness.

    METAPHOR

    VI. A Spokesman, when he sees he cannot prevail, returns, and gives his master or friend that sent him, an account how matters go.

    PARALLEL

    VI. So Christ's faithful Ministers in the day of judgment, shall doubtless be brought in as witnesses against stubborn and impenitent sinners, to whom they preached the Gospel. "And now, said Abraham's servant, if you will deal kindly and truly with my Master, tell me: if not, tell me; that I may turn to the right-hand, or to the left," Ge 24:49; that is, that I may give my master an account of my errand; what shall I say to him that sent me? So saith Christ's servant, if you will deal kindly and truly with my Master, tell me; if not, tell me, that I may turn, &c., I must declare to the Lord Jesus, in the great and dreadful day, how you have slighted or not regarded the message I am sent about; how you are resolved to keep to your other lovers, and remain in your sins, being carnal, loose, ungodly; and that Christ was not precious in your eye, nor will you be persuaded to forsake all, and follow him, nor be made sensible of that glory and beauty that is holiness. And what a sad thing will this be, when a Minister must appear against this man, and that man, and say, Lord, I spoke to them again and again, I preached an hundred sermons to them to engage their hearts to thee, but none of them would take place, as thou seest, upon their hearts, &c.