fallen from God as they have discharged those that plead against them Well but if a member a particular may plead with a Church a whole Church with their mother Certainly then there is no one Member of a Church so high but he may be pleaded withall even by private people in that Church Colos 4. 17. Say to Archippus look to thy Ministry It is an Exhortation to all the Church to say to Archippus and admonish him to looke to his Ministry For though the officer of a Church be nearer to Christ the head of which you heard before then other members are as the Arme is nearer the head then the hand yet if the arme shall send forth any thing to the hand that it hath not from the head as in a flux of putrid humours that resteth in the arme then it would be the strength of the hand to resist those ill humours that the arme sends forth So if any Officer of the Church shall send forth that which he did not receive from the head to any Member but some putrid humour of his own It is the virtue of that Member to resist the receiving of any such humour Certainly it is the pride of many that thinke it scorne for any private people any way to have to do with them It is I say a pride in men which thorough want of that right order that should be in all Churches is growen to that height that those that take to themselves as proper the name of Clergy they think it such a dishonor to them for any other that is not a Clergy-man as they speak to speak to them or admonish them of any thing or to reason with them about any thing or when they have preached to come to them for further satisfaction in somewhat that they have delivered or if they be negligent in their duty to tell them of it though never so submissively meekly their pride makes them rise so high And for that observe because they do it upon that ground that they are the Clergie which signifies Gods inheritance and Gods lot and so contemning others as inferiour You shall find in Scripture the people are called Clergy in distinction from the Ministers and never the Ministers in the New Testament from the people the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not attributed to them to my remembrance but I am sure it is attributed to the Congregation to the private members by way of distinction from them That you shall see in 1 Pet. 5. 3. Be not Lords over Gods inheritance Doe not Lord it over Gods Clergy over Gods Lot so the words are Now in that he saith do not Lord it certainly that is spoken to the Officers of the Church and they must not Lord it over Gods inheritance that is over Gods Clergy for so I say the words are The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 therefore from whence Clergy commeth is you see attributed to the people And we shall find in Scripture Acts 18. 25. that Apollos an Eloquent man and mighty in the Scriptures and a man of a fervent spirit yet the Text saith that Aquila and Priscilla that were private people tooke him unto them and expounded to him the way of God more perfectly Where have you an Apollos now an Eloquent man a Scholler a great Clergy man but would scorne and contemne that a poore man and his wife should take him home instruct him in the way of God more perfectly Yet Apollos an Eloquent man mighty in the Scriptures tooke it well and was willing to receive further instruction from these people And we finde Cant. 5. that in the time of reformation of the Church the Church went to the watch-men the watch-men beate her shee had more reliefe from the daughters of Jerusalem then from them But we must not leave this so neither It is true there may be a notorious abuse of both these and it is exceeding hard for a people to understand their liberty without abusing of it either against the Church or against the Officers of a Church This power may be abused in people very much in too much pride arrogancy mallapertness a spirit of contention in some taking a delight in contradiction There are many people I say that are of such a humor that it is their very delight to be in a way of contradiction they think they are no body except they have somewhat to say against their officers or against what is delivered and upon that very ground will go quarrelling not out of meere conscience but that it may appear to others that for their parts they have a further reach than other men It is true such things are delivered generally they are received yea but men must know that they look into things further then others doe And if they be in a community they conceive that every one would think them no body if they stand still and say nothing therefore that they may appeare to be some-body they will speake they will have somewhat to finde fault withall though they scarce understand what they say or whereof they affirme and shew it they will in a virulent spirit in a domineering way and brave it to the faces of those that God hath set over them Certainly this is a grosse and abominable thing giving it may be reproachfull tearmes to such Whereas the Rule of Christ is Rehuke not an Elder 1 Tim. 5. 1. but intreate him as a Father do not you think presently that because you may pleade with them that Gods cause may not suffer by your silence that therefore you may rebuke them in an undecent and unseemly manner You may indeed in an humble way goe as acknowledging the distance betwixt you and him hee being an Officer and so inEreat him as a Father Doe many of you so when you go and reason the case with a Minister whom you your selves will acknowledge to be Officers of Christ yet it may be sometime through bitternesse of spirit you will be casting them off from being Officers of Christ before you have sufficient warrant for it and therefore the Apostle saith in the same Chapter ver 19. Against an Elder receive not an accusation but before two or three witnesses Marke you must not receive an accusation much lesse a condemnation for the credit and honour of the Ministers of Christ are very deare and precious unto him therefore take heed how through a violent and turbulent spirit you cast any dishonour upon those that Christ hath set over you Thus I have indeavoured to discover the truth unto you and so limited as I hope it may be for edification and not for hurt at all to any Pleade with your Mother But what is this pleading She is not my wife neither am I her Husband It hath much bitternesse in it indeed if it be considered of yet it is in as faire termes as can be set out Shee is not my wife He doth not
Apostle in that place and upon that ground it is made a sin You cannot saith he partake of the Table of the Lord aud the table of devils if you eat of their meat you communicate with them so it is sinne to you Thirdly To make use of any thing abused by Idolaters when it cometh to be a scandoll to our brethren a snare to those that are weake then it is a sin against God 1 Cor. 10. 28. eating meat offered to Idols is forbidden in the former place upon a ground of communicating but in this 28. ver it is forbidden upon the ground of scandoll that is enough Calvin in his Epistle to the Lord Protector in King Edwards dayes hath these words What other things were those ceremonies maintayned by in England but so many pleasing allurements that ensnare poore miserable soules bring them into evil certainly these that we have retayned have brought abundance of evil this way they have been the ensnaring of many souls In these three things the rules that concerne the Jews have a morality concerning us But yet these rules must be observed with some cautions or else we may goe away and not understand the ruels aright They must be understood first in things that are not Ordinances continued by God for certainly if it be an Ordinance that God hath appointed though Idolaters abuse it never so much we must goe on in it It is true the brazen serpent was an Ordinance of God but it was an Ordinance but for a time it was not a continued Ordinance and therefore being abused to Idolatry it was to be destroyed but when a thing is an Ordinance appointed by God to be continued in the Church we must go on in the use of it though it be abused As in Baptisme the ordinance is water though they abuse water we must continue the use of it in the ordinance in the Lords supper is the use of bread and wine though they abuse those elements we must continue them why because no abuse is an argument to refuse that which is a duty the subject of scandall is a thing indifferent but if it be an ordinance we must continue our obedience whether men be offended or not offended Secondly Neither can any of these rules hold in any thing that is of necessary use for the worship of God so as we cannot enjoy the worship of God without them As for places supose Idolaters have abused a place of meeting for Gods worship when we have no other place to meet in this is for the present at least of necessary use to Gods worship there is a naturall necessity of a place and if no other for the present may be had we are bound to worship in that place the abuse of men must not hinder Gods worship God hath never put his worship under the power of wicked men so as they should keep his people off from it when they please Thirdly If it be any ceremony that of its own nature not by vertue of any institution from man hath that decency in it as that the want of it would be an undecency then though it be never so much abused we are to goe on in it for it is the duty of Gods people to worship God in a decent way It is the rule of the Apostle Let all things be done decently but there is a mistake in that use that many make of that Scripture this rule is that which the light of nature teaches though we had never found it in Scripture it is not meant of such a decency as the institution of man puts upon a thing but such a decency as God in the nature of the thing puts upon it so that if it were wanting the worke would bee undecently performed But if the things be meerly mans inventions and institutions having their supposed decency not from what is indeed in the things themselves but from that which mans institution puts upon them then they come not under that rule of the Apostle but the abuse of them is argument enough for their rejection But it may be objected If we can instruct people what the abuse is and what right use they may make of such things will not that serve for the retaining them No certainly it had not been enough for the Jews to use the name Baali though their Prophets had taught them what the abuse of it was This is as if a man should keep a company of rags that have lien a great while upon plague sores and say it is enough I will wash them cleane and lay them out to ayre them will any wise man keep such rags in his house upon this precence Those things that have had poyson in them none will be so unwise to keep them by them upon pretence of washing them clean if they be broken vessels of which there is no use they are cast upon the dunghill with lesse trouble and more safety All things that are of mans invention yea those things that have beene Gods Ordinances but now are out of date are not for the present Gods Ordinances the Scripture calls them beggerly rudiments you cannot compare mens inventions to cloaths or any thing worth the ayring or keeping but the truth is all such things that have been abused to Idolatry are no other but as such dirty rags and plaisters laid upon plague-sores But further you will say If that use we receive them for be not the same use they were in if we retain them for another use that is good why may we not doe it The text answers that though the Jews should call God Baali in a right sense it was not enough they must wholly reject the very mentioning of the name But further suppose a harlot should be brought out of a most notorious stews in Rome or Paris and brought to Dover into an honest mans chamber is shee not a harlot still and is there not a provocation in her to uncleannesse though she become now to lye not in the stewes but in the chamber of an honest man So in all those things that have been abused to Idolatry though you should think you make use of them in a better way it is no other then to bring a harlot out of the stews into a place not so vile and to company with the harlot there Besides if a mans wife whom her husband had not without just cause suspected for uncleannesse with another man should get something from that man and keep it in her bosome or lay it next her heart and should tell her husband true she keeps such a thing but she intends no hurt in it it is a good thing onely she had it from him will this think you satisfie any jealous husband The Church is the wife of Christ he is jealous and he hath cause to be jealous for he knows while we are in the flesh we are prone to spirituall filthinesse and if we take any
deliverance of it Iam periculuâ— paâ— animo Alexitiri Obser Afflictions should raise our hearts Obser Obser The godly are pretious seed Filibatur nomen ejus The wicked are corrupt seed 1. 2 3. That place Dan. 12. 2. opened not understood of the generall resurrection at the last day and why 6. 7. 8. Ego autem qui sunt per omnia orthodoxae sententiae Christiani c. Vt jam nostra haec tempora quibus iniquitas malitia usque ad summum gradiâ—m crevit soe licia prope aurea possint judicari Si tum forte suâ—rint boni undeque practae sint scelâ—ratis ac divexentur soli autem mali opulenti sint boni vero in omnibus contumeliis atqùe in egestate confundetur omne jus leges peribunt nihiltunc quispiam habebit vi omnia possialebunt Lactant. l. 7. c. 15. 2. Romannm nomen horet animus dict re sed dicamqâ—ia futurum est tollâ—tur de terra Lactant. l. 7. c. 15 .3 Lect. 7 Terra aperiet fâ—cunditatâ—m suam ubâ—rrimas fruges sua spontâ— generabit rupes montium meâ—â—e sudabunt perrivos vina decurrent fâ—umina lacte inundabunt ominù natura Letabitur erepta liberata a dominio mali impietatis eroris non hestia per hoc tempus sanguine alentur non aves praeda sed quieta placid a crunt omnia Lactant. l. 7. c. 4. Tunâ— qui erunt in corporibus vivi non morientur sed per mille annes infinitam multitudinem generabunt evit sâ—boles eorum sancta Deo charre Lactant. ibid. In the evening time it shal be light Exhorâ—at to come in to embrace godliness to joyâ—e with the Saints 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Obser A good thing to speak of Gods loving kindneâ—â—â—â— 1 〈◊〉 ct So disconâ—se of Gods mercies as our hearts may be sanctified by that discourse Chap. 2. Esa 9. 8 Obser Obser Obser Leâ—ct i Obs 1. Obs 2. Reliqui mihi septem milliaonon ait relicta sunt vel reliquerâ—nt se sed reliqui reliquiae per electionem gratiae August de bono perfev l. 2. c. 18. Obs 3. Obs 4. Turpe est doctori cum culpa redarguit ipsum Obs 5. Obs 6. Obs 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Obs 1. Obs 2. Idolaters hardly convinced Obs 4. Obser 5 Obser 6 Obser 7 Children may plead with parents Amandus Generator sed praeponendus Creator Obs 9. We must endeavour the good of the publique Obs 10. Obs 11. private members may in some cases plead with the whole Church One man may prevail against many Hactonus verba audivi verba rededi sed cum divina virtâ—â— accessit ultra râ—spondore non potui * Conteâ—â— neretur ecclâ—siae Christi sivel vnum puellum ejus divino Spiritu lequentem non audiremus etiamsi totus orbis illi reclamet Orcolam padius Object Ans Quest Ans No pride but selfedenyal to plead against the sinnes of others Obj. Ans The truth is not alwayes seen best where there is greatest natural abilities no nor alwayes where there is most 〈◊〉 Mit. 11. 25 1 Iohn 5 16. 1. Rules to be observed by private Christians who plead with the Church 2. 3. No Officer in a Church member be he never so great but he may be pleaded against by a private member 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Private people must take heed they abuse not their liberty Obj. Ans When a Church comes to be unchurched A Chuch may continue a true Church though with much mixture A Church may remain a true Church yet so corrupt as in some cases we cannot have communion with it 3 Cases In a cases though I may have communion yet I may noâ—â—oyne as a constant member Obser Pleading must not befor contention but for reformation Quest This may be known 1 Cor. 54. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ioshus 22. 33. Obser Lect. 2. Hope for mercy even when God seems most to reject Peoples perversness against Ministers threatning Gods wrath against sin Obser While exhortation continues there is hope Geminatio apud Hebraos auget Ibiveâ—ae viae quibus ab utero ad mamillas accessio fit Ille cultus scilicet vtl ornatus in auro argento gemmis vestibus deputatur iste in curae eapilli cutis earum parâ—ium corporis quae oculos trahunt alteri ambitioni crimen intendimus alteri prostitutionis Tertul. de hab mul. c. 4. Iudicabunt vos Arabia soeminae Ethnica qua non caput sed facâ—em quoque ita totam tegunt ut uno ocuâ—loâ—liberato contentae sint luce frui dimidia potius quam totam facienâ— prostituerâ— Tertul. de vel virgin cap. 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Cyril in Hol. c. 2. In what sense Israels father is an Amirite and mother an Hittite Obser Obser Lect. 1. Thy navil was not cut what is the meaning of that Strabo l. 15. AElian variar Hist li. 11. Ne cui Thebano licâ—at infontem expouere Nunquam apud eos infans natus exponitur Lect. 2. Portenta diabolica pâ—nenumero Egyptiaâ—â— vincâ—ntia Lect. 1. Obs 2. Obs 3. Obs 4. Lect. 2. Gifts of hypocrites will vanish Obs 5. Who they are that bring evill upon the nation Lect. 1. Obser 6. It is time for every one to appeare in times of danger Obs 7. Lect. 2 GODS works will convince when his word will not Obs 8. Obs 9. A sad condition for one advanced high to bee brought down low Obser Wee must lay to heart our low coudition wee once were in Asperius nihil est humilicum surgit in altum Lect. 1. Lect. 2. Lect. 3 Psal 133. 3 Anima Idololatriae dedita nullos profert fructus est que inutilis prorsus ut desertum in quo nihil noscitur Vatab. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psalm 1. 3. Obser Sin layes wast Countryes Cum in fu ga aquam turbidam cadaveribus inquinatam bibisset negavit unquam se bibisse ju cundius â—unquam scilicet ut Cicero lib. 1. Tuso aiit sitiens bibisset Obser God brings wicked men into straits and there leavs them destitute of all succour Obser Wrath upon the wiâ—ed is pure wrath with out mixture of mercie Iudgments upon the wicked at times most unseasonable for them God proportions afflictions to his childdren but not to the wicked Hos 7. 14. Ezek. 8. 18 Lect. 3. Gods judgments against people as well as against Governors and why 2 Sam. 24. 1. Much depends now upon the people Obser Obser little hope of children ill educated Obser Obser When judgements are abroad let the children of whoredoms not the children of the Bride-chamber feare Revel 9. 21. Chap. 16 9. 11. Obser succession for siâ—ne iâ— dreadfull Qui peccat coram puero his peccat pudef aciens The Saints must take heed they be not a shame to Christ Wicked parents are a shame to their children Lect. 4. Obs Every one should have such an affection towards
seed of God a great day 1. They are the seed of God The seed of the blessed and there is a blessing in them They are the precious seed that God preserves in the world hath done ever since the beginning of the world They are that seed that preserveth the glory of God in the world Were it not for a few gracious holy people in the world where would the glory of God be What would become of it Those that are godly however contemptible in the world they are the precious seed that God reserves in the world for great and glorious ends They are the seed to preserve the continuation of the Doctrine of the Gospell and the blessed truths of God as Isa 6. 13. The holy seed shall be the substance thereof Though they shall be under great afflictions yet there shall be a holy seed that shall be the substance thereof and there shall be his blessing Psal 72. 17. His name shall endure from generation to generation the words are read by Montanus His name shall be childed that is so continued as families are continued one generation after another one begetteth another and so shall the name of Christ continue in the world and so it hath done And though seed be but a handfull in comparison of the harvest so the Saints of God then were and yet are but as a handfull in comparison of the glorious harvest that shall be yet they are very precious before God and God will make the world hereafter know that they are the precious ones of God Isa 61. 9. All that see them shall acknowledge them that they are the seed which the Lord hath blessed Seed you know a man will be carefull of that what ever becomes of his other corne In the time of dearth the husbandman wil rather pinch his own belly then have his seed-corne to be spent So in times of common calamity of common dearth yet Gods care is over his seed the Saints are as I may say Gods seed-corne to preserve his name in the world to other generations that are to come he will not therefore have them destroyed Seed is the most precious of the corne which is most winnowed and made cleane and so are the Saints the cleane ones and the most precious ones God perhaps doth winnow them and fanne them more than he doth others by the fannes and winnows of afflictions why because they are his seed Perhaps other corne that hath drosse in it the husband-man will give the fowles and the cattell that he bestoweth not much winnowing upon it but the corne that is for seed he winnows that he would not willingly have a dernell amongst it It may be thou complainest thou art more winnowed more fanned then other men perhaps thou art more precious in Gods eyes thou art to be reserved as seed as the seed of the blessed The wicked indeed they are seed too but a corrupt seed a seede of evill deers Esay 1. the grand-father was an enemy unto God yea the great grand-father and the father and the children after him continue enemies to God And God in mercy unto his Church doth many times cut downe the wicked before they do seed too much As you that have gardens if they have weeds in them and you see the weeds come up and grow to seed you think then that it is time to pull them up you will not suffer them to seed God lookes upon many families and sees wretched and sinfull men as a seed of evil doers and sees they are ready to seed and if they be not cut down suddenly there will be a wretched brood of wicked ones in such a family This is the reason of Gods suddain cutting down of many wicked families But to come to the point that is chiefly intended that is That this seed of the Lord shall have a great day Great shall be the day of Jezreel The men of the world they have their day in which they ruffle it out and they have all the doings Saint Paul seemes to speake of this in 1 Cor. 4. 3. he saith there that he did not passe for mans judgement the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for mans day Now men have the day they have all the bravery in the world well saith Saint Paul I doe not passe formans day I expect another day besides mans day I know not how it commeth to passe to be otherwise translated you translate it judgement in your books but in the Originall it is day Man hath a day As men have a day so shall Gods Saints have a day too Wee use to say many times when we see the Malignant party jocund and merry surely they hope to have a day My brethren be joyfull in the Lord God hath a day for you and a great day too Great shall be the day of Jezreel The beginning of Gods mercy to his people is called a day of small things Zach. 4. 10. and that must not be despised Let no man despise the day of small things It was the beginning of the reformation and deliverance of the people of Judah from their captivity But God hath a day of great things and certainly that day shall be honorable A day first in which the glory of God shall exceedingly appear wherein God shal be as I may so speak with holy reverence as it were in his robes As we know Princes upon great dayes put on their robes so the King of glory shall have a day for his people wherein even he himself will put on his robes Ps 102. 16. When the Lord shall build up Zion he shall appear in his glory It seemeth while the Church is in affliction while the witnesses prophesie in sack-cloath God is as it were cloathed in sack-cloath In all their afflictions he is afflicted but because God hath a day a great day to his Churches he will reserve his robes till then and when that day commeth he will put on his robes for when he shall build up Zion saith the Text then the Lord shall appeare in his glory A great day it shall be for Jezreel for the seed of the Lord. Secondly It shall be a great day for this day shall be the riches of the world Marke that place in Rom. 11. 12 speaking of the Jews If their fall saith he be the riches of the world and their diminishing the riches of the Gentiles how much more their fulness It was a rich mercy to the Gentiles when they were brought out of darknesse and called into the knowledge of Jesus Christ here was riches to the world of the Gentiles But God hath a greater day then that for it is spoken here of a day that is to come that is their fall was the riches of the Gentiles much more their calling in again So then there is such a day of calling home the people of God as shall be the riches of the Gentiles the riches of all the world
prepared to meet Christ their Bride-groom when he cometh Marke that place Ezek. 40. 4. It is spoken of the glorious times of the Gospel especially of these times I am speaking of where God saith to the Prophet Behold with thine eyes and heare with thine eares and set thine heart upon all that I shal shew thee And what did God shew him hee shewed him the measure of the Temple and all the glorious things that there should be in the Church in future times So I say to you my brethren concerning that I have spoken of the great day of Jezreel behold with your eyes look into Gods book and see what is said there for I have named but little and heare with your eares and set your hearts upon what hath been set before you So in Isa 41. 20. You have a place somewhat like this speaking of the mercies of God to his Church in latter times saith the Text That they may see know and consider and understand together that the hand of the Lord hath done this and the Holy One of Israel hath created it Mark how one word is heaped upon another that they may see know and consider understand what God would do for his people And when God came to reveale the glorious things he intended for his Churches in future times in the book of the Revelation which is the special book that declareth this unto us Mark how the Lord beginneth It is said that God gave this first to Christ secondly Christ to the Angel thirdly the Angel to Iohn and then there is pronounced a blessing to him that reads and hears the words of this prophesie and understands it What a solemne way of blessing is here There is not such an expression in all the book of God where have you a blessing so solemnly proclaimed to the reading and hearing of any of the bookes of God as to that book Therefore though they are things that seeme to be above us yet certainly God would have us to inquire into these things It is the fruit of the purchase of the blood of Christ to open these seales Rev. 5. 9. we reade that there was no man in heaven nor in earth that was able to open the book and to loose the seales thereof only the Lambe that was slaine and that hath redeemed us unto God by his blood he was onely worthy to open the seales It is a fruit I say of the slaughter of Christ of his blood and therefore cry to him for the opening these things to thee And though thou beest very weake in regard of parts and thinkest with thy self How can I understand such things as these know that it is Christ that through his blood comes to open these seales and seeing it is a fruite of his blood it is no matter whether thou art weake or strong if he come to open them to thee as Ier. 13. 2. saith God to the Prophet Call unto me and I will shew thee great and mighty things which thou knowest not so I say to you be a praying people call upon God and he will cause you to understand great and excellent things that you have not known And my brethren seeing these things shall be thus O what manner of persons ought wee to be how heavenly our hearts should rise up from the earth seeing God intendeth to do such great things for his people As it is Isa 60. Arise arise shake off thy dust for the light is come and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee So I may say to the Churches now Arise arise shake of the dust of your earthly affections for the light of God is now ready to arise upon you Now sur sum corda now lift up your hearts above the things of the world VVee reade in Rev. 4. of the foure living creatures that appeared unto John the first was like a Lyon and the second like an Oxe and the third had a face as a Man and the fourth was like a flying Eagle They are according to the interpretaâ—ion that reverend Brightman gives to set out unto us the foure states conditions of the Church The Primitive times were Lyon-like for their valour the second age like an Oxe to beare the burthens of Antichrist the third had a face as a man that stood for their liberties and would not be under such slavery and they are but times and then the fourth as an Eagle that sored aloft In the state of the Church hereafter they shall be like an Eagle have heavenly hearts no such drossy base earthly hearts as we have now Labour we even now to be so that we may be fit for that day And let us all prepare for the Bride groome against his comming How shall we prepare The cloathing that then shall be shall be white linnen which is the righteousnesse of the Saints That great Doctrine of our justification by the righteousnesse of Christ shall be the great businesse of that day in which the glory of the Saints shall much consist and they shall be clothed with that it shall be clearly understood of all men they shall be ashamed to rest upon duties and ordinances as now they do Let us study the Doctrine of the righteousnesse of Christ afore-hand for that is like to be our clothing at that day that is the white linnen of the Saints which shall be their glory Let us prepare our Lamps and keepe them all burning and shining the oyle not onely of juâ—â—â—cation but sanctification active stirring in our hearts that so we may 〈◊〉 to entertaine the Bride-groom whensoever 〈◊〉 〈…〉 And all of you labour now to instruct your children in the knowledge of God and of Christ bring them up in the feare of the Lord that they may be seed for that day Acquaint them with these things for though perhaps you may be dead and gone before this great day yet they may live to see it therefore catechize them and instruct them and drop into them those Principles that may fit them for the meeting of JESUS CHRIST their Bridegroome To conclude all Let us be all praying Christians It is that which is charged upon us in Isa 62. 6. All you that make mention of the Lord keep not silence and give him no rest till he establish till he make Jerusalem apraise in the earth God hath a day to set up Jerusalem as the praise of the whole earth Oh be praying praying Christians every one of you and give God no rest till he effect this And remember God of all his promises search the Prophets search the book of God and urge God with his promises to the Church in this way And you that are the weakest be not discouraged in your prayers and you may be a meanes to further and hasten this great day of Jezreel Psal 102. 17. The Psalmist had spoken before of Gods building up Zion and certainly that Psalme is a Prophesie of the glorious times
botches and boils we have enough in the word of God we need no imitation of Idolaters and Papists in the way of worship Yet further that which lies more fully in the Text is such things that in themselves considered have no hurt in them yet when they come to be abused to Idolatry they must be cast away I will take the name of Baali out of your mouths the name was good but being abused was to be taken away yea not only such things as are in the originall of them from Idolaters but even such things as in the beginning were of Gods own institution if they do not yet continue his institutions if God doe not require the continuance of them still they must be taken away not only corrected but removed and wholly rejected from Gods worship I will give you an instance for both these together Exod. 34. 13. Ye shall destroy their altars break their images cut down their groves Many will easily grant those things that came from Idolaters at first should be rejected by us but they say those ceremonies we have we have them from the ancient Fathers in the primitive times before Popery was For a full answer to that which may for ever stopp the mouth of that objection you have an expresse command here that those groves were to be cut downe whose originall was not from Idolaters for Gen. 21. 33. the text saith that Abraham built an Altar and planted a grove and called there on the name of the Lord the everlasting God groves and altars had a good originall from Abraham but afterwards being abused by Idolaters God requires of them now to cut down the groves And that example 2 K. 18. 4. of the Brazen Serpent it had a good beginning and was an ordinance of God for a time only it did not continue as an ordinance afterward but they might think and so plead that it was kepâ— as a religious monument But Hâ—zekiah according to the command of God by Moses beat down the Brazâ—n Serpent and called it Nehustan in a way of contempt a piece of brasse though it had been a notable instrument of good to the people of Israel in former times yet now it was but Nehustan but a piece of brasse And further to the abolishing those things that have been abused to Idolatry there is added a gracious promise Esay 27. 9. By this shall the iniquity of Iacob be purged and this is all the fruit to take away his siâ—ne when he maketh all the stones of the Altar as chalke-stones that are beaten in sunder Then indeed hath Jacobs correction the true fruite npon him to purge away his sinne when hee makes all the stones of the Altar as chalke-stones And Josiah is commended 2 King 23. for destroying the high places the groves and altars and the charets for the sun c. And repenting Manasses 2 Chron. 33. 18. is commended that hee did take away the strange gods and the Idols out of the house of the Lord and all the altars and Daniel chap. 1. would not eate of the Kings meat because it had been abused and consecrated to his Idols But for the opening of this there will be something required by way of answer to an objection You will say are not those prohibitions there particular concerning the Jews and not so fully concerning us they somtimes are forbidden to take of the gold and silver of the Idols doe such prohibitious concerne us in every thing that hath been abused to Idolatry For answer I confesse I thinke we are not bound in every particular circumstance according to those commandements that God required of them neither doe I thinke that they had been bound if they had not had some expresse commandement in some things that they did if they had made use of the silver or gold of an image for some civil use before the expresse prohibition came to them it had been no sin unto them those things being required of them by some positive Law and not required in the second Commandement further then there is a morall equity in them But how farre do they binde us All those rules God gave to the Jews to destroy all things abused to Idolatry binde us in these three cases First we must retaine nothing whereby any false worship may retaine any honour If Mordecai would not bow to a living monument of that nation whose name God had ordained to be blotted out from under heaven much lesse should we reverence dumbe monuments of those Idols which God hath devoted to destruction we must not shew respect to any thing that Idolaters have abused when our reserving of them or respect to them may any way keepe up any honour of them Therefore certainly thiâ— is a truth that to take a ceremony from Papists to bring it into the most solemne Ordinances of CHRIST yea so into them to that end that it may adde to the honour of that Ordinance can never be justified There never was any ceremony more abominably abused then that of the Crosse Now though it be not a sin to make a crosse yet to bring it into one of the most 〈◊〉 Ordinances of Christ in his Church and to make it there to conduce to the honour of such an Ordinance it is impossible but men must shut their eyes if they doe not see it a great evil So for vestments suppose there might be some use of them some other way yet to bring them to make the worship of God to be decent to think that those vestments that have beene â—o notoriously abused should adde to the honour of divine worship must needs be sinfull surely all those scriptures that required the Jews to abolish those things that have been abused by Idolaters if they have any morality in them they will cast out these Secondly When any thing that hath been abused to Idolatry shall in the use of it imply any communicating with Idolaters then it must be rejected that is cleare out oâ— Rev. 2. 20. there the Church of â—hyatira is charged that they did eate things sacrificed to Idols Why the meat sacrificed to Idols was good meat a good creature of God and we have that rule that every creature of God is good if it be sanctified by the word and prayer yet they are charged for it as a sinning against Christ in it You will say what is that to them if it were offered to Idols they might eate it as Gods creature But it was a sin because the eating of that did argue communion with them that is plain in that 1 Cor. 10. 18. 19. 20. where you have the argument of the Apostle against eating things offered to Idols thus he reasoneth When you eat the same bread in the Sacrament it is a note of your communion one with another so when you eate of the things sacrificed to idols that is a note of your communion with them that is the argument of the
books should be made spears This peace is a most amiable thing and lovely in all our eyes every man desireth it and God promiseth it unto his people in many places as a most speciall fruite of his love unto them Esay 33. 10. Jerusalem shall be a quiet habitation a tabernacle that shal not be taken down And Num. 6. 25 26. The Lord make his face shine upon thee and be gracious unto thee the Lord lift up his countenance upon thee and give thee peace the shining of Gods face appeareth in giving of peace to a Nation therefore Jer 16. 5. where God threatneth the taking away of peace marke the expression I have taken away my peace from this people saith the the Lord even loving kindnesse and mercies He doth not say I have taken away peace but I have taken away My peace and then when My peace is taken away I will even take away loving kindnesse and mercies how easie were it to let out ones selfe in large discourses in the high commendations of peace God teaches us in these days to set a high price upon it We have had a peace a long time and the Lord knowes we have not priced that mercy now we know what a sad thing it is to have war in our Gates And if this be a fruite of Gods Covenant to have peace we have cause to bewayle the breach of our Covenant Surely there is a great displeasure of God out against us this cup of blood that is prepared and powred forth and drunke in a great measure is a most dreadfull one our brethren have drunke deepe of it we have been afraid of it long since we have heard of rumours of wars and when the Cup was abroad we prayed that if it were possible it might passe from us this Cup did passe and went to our brethren in Ireland and now it is come unto us the sword hath had its circuite and now it is come amongst us and that which is come is exceeding dreadfull because our wars are not with forreign enemies but Civill wars the worst of all I have read in the Romane Chronicles that in a battell between Sylla and Marius there was a souldier by accident killed one not knowing who it was but after he was slaine he saw it was his brother presently in anguish of spirit he ran his sword into his owne bowels This we finde to be ordinary among us even brother to be against brother yea son against father of each side at this time Certainly therefore it is time for us to fall upon our knees and to be humbled before the Lord for the breach of our peace Peace is a sweet mercy therefore pitty it is that it should not be improved pitty is it that it should be abused Oh how have we abused our former peace God gave us peace before to what end That we might be edifyed and so built up in the feare of God and comfort of the holy Ghost as Acts 9. 31. it is said the Churches had rest were edifyed and did walk in the feare of God and the comforts of the holy Ghost We have not made this use of the rest God hath been pleased to afford us but we have growne wanton with our peace with this precious jewell and just it is with God to take it from us And now we doe desire peace but to what end Still ayming at this especially at this that we might have more freedome to satisfie our lusts and to make provision for the flesh that is the very ground of most mens desire of peace whereas if we did understand the true worth of peace indeed we would thinke it a very low end to desire peace onely to attaine this Ezek. 37. 26. Marke the promise that is there I will make a Covenant of peace with them it shall be an everlasting Covenant with them and I will place them and multiply them and will set my sanctuary in the middest of them for evermore Yea that is a comfortable peace to be desired indeed when God by peace shall make way to set his sanctuary amongst us If we did desire peace upon these termes we might have peace sooner then we are like to have it Againe Peace is sweet therefore pitty it is that it should be falsifyed Ps 28. 3. there are some that speake peace to their neighbours but mischiefe is in their hearts It is pitty that such a precious thing as peace should be serviceable to mens lusts that it should be pretended only to drive on a mischievous designe Peace is too good to be serviceable to mens base ends Yet further Peace is a great blessing therefore pitty it is that it should not be endeavoured for to the uttermost Yea cursed be that warre that hath not peace for the end of it it is that which ought to be as the Embleme of every souldier to have it written upon his sword Sic quaerimus Pacem even thus doe we seek peace It is a great deale better to have a war that aymes at and works peace then to have a peace that aymeâ— at and works war It is true war produceth very dreadfull effects but war that shall bring forth peace is better then peace that produceth war and the more we do commend peace the more doe wee still commend that war that tends to the bringing forth true peace rather then to seeke for a false peace that will produce most dreadfull war afterwards Peace is a great blessing from God but we must take heed we buy it not too deare we may say of this as we use to say of Gold we may buy gold toodear You will say how is it possible to buy peace at too deare a rate Yes if you give these three things for it you have but a deare bargain of it First if you sell truth for it selling any truth for peace you buy peace too deare for the least truth is better then all the kingdomes of the earth It first cost the blood of Christ and since hath beene watered by the blood of thousands of Martyrs Secondly if you shall betray those that have beene most active for the publique good onely that you may be way of complyance provide for your own particular peace this peace costs you too deare Thirdly if you for love of peace shall subject your selves to tyranny or slavery This is peace at too deare a rate and the posterity that comes after may curse that basenesse of spirit and cowardlynesse of the generation that went before that should buy peace for themselves so deare as to bring not onely themselves but their posterity under the bondage of miserable tyranny and woefull slavery It is true it is a great deale easier for a man that is striving and fighting with his enemy to lie downe then to spend his strength with fighting and striving he shal not spend so many of his spirits in the act of lying down why will he
things you will finde needfull for conscience to be informed in I shal carry them on too I hope with modesty fulness safety First I say it followes from hence that it is not a light matter to seeke after the right government of Christ in his Church it concerns a head-ship of Christ The head-ship of Christ in a speciall manner consisteth in that there are some other things in which it doth consist which perhaps may be spoken of hereafter but here in this place especially that Indeed in the primitive times there the greatest contention was about the Doctrines of Religion what Doctrines should hold upon Christ and what not and the people of God did there suffer most for contending about the doctrines that held upon Christ the Head they would not receive a Doctrine but what held on Christ and what was obrtuded upon them not holding upon Christ the Head they did reject And Luther upon this place hath this speech he tells us how much the Church in after time did suffer for this very thing and saith What kinde of dangers did inviron the Church and do inviron it for acknowledging Christ to be the head these our times doe sufficiently testifie And further because we preach Christ to be the whole head therefore we are subject to Anathemas and to all kinde of punishment And in these latter times it is like that the great contention will be rather about the head-ship of Christ in the point of his government then in the other the other being so cleare unto us and the sufferings of the people of God will be so much the more grievous because that this is accounted such a little thing such a poor businesse And further because this doth not seem to be altogether so clearely revealed in the Scripture as other Doctrinall points that hold upon Christ the â—ead And Christ the rather hath so disposed of things that this shall not be so clearly revealed because he intended to suffer Antichrist to rise to his height and it cannot be imagined that if the Doctrine of Christs government in his Church had beene clearly and demonstratively laid down so as there could have beene no gain-saying of it I say it cannot be imagined how it is possible for Antichrist to have risen to that height that he hath Christ because hee intended to bring about many passages of his providence and many great workes of his that way in suffering Antichrist to arise therefore he hath left this point so in the word as is subject to many doubts and may occasion many objections against it But the nearer the time comes for Antichrist to fall the more clearly this shall be revealed Secondly By this that hath beene said we may learne what to account Antichristianisme and what not for there are many amongst us that cry out against every thing that displeaseth them that it is Antichristianisme that it is Antichristianisme and yet understand but very little what Antichristianisme is But by this that hath beene said you must know that Antichristianisme is not every errour It is true in a large sense Antichrist is as much as against Christ and so every sin every errour is against Christ and in Antichristianisme if you take it so But you are to know the Scripture speakes of the Antichrist and of Antichristianisme in a speciall acceptation What is that This my brethren is Antichristianisme that which shall oppose Christ as a Head and set up another head-ship here is the propriety of Antichrist and Antichristianisme as in all those foure things named before First VVhosoever shall obtrude any Doctrine upon the Church to be believed by their own authority he is guilty of Antichristianisme not whosoever shall preach or hold an error in the Church But when any shall presume to obtrude upon the Church any Doctrine that holds upon humane authority to be urged upon the authority of those that do impose it this I say is properly Antichristianisme for it doth oppose Christ in his head-ship Secondly The intrusion of such offices and officers in the Church as meerly belonging to the spirituall man such as are properly Church offices that do not hold upon Christ the Head but only hold upon them this is Antichristianisme Thirdly The imposing of any Ordinance any new institutions that are as hath been opened upon the Church belongeth to Antichristianisme Fourthly The imposing of lawes so to bind conscience as the Lawes of Christ do here is Antichristianisme This is Antichristianisme and that not onely because these things are directly against the head-ship of Christ but because these things doe set up another head too and so the word Antichrist may signifie as well for one to be in stead of Christ for so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Greeke signifieth sometime as well for as against as of his fulness we receive grace for grace it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Greeke grace for grace so Antichrist is one that shall set up hâ—mselfe as head of the Church in stead of Christ one that shall clayme unto himselfe that head-ship that is proper to Jesus Christ and not to be communicated to any from Jesus Christ This is Antichristianisme Now the Apostle faith that there were many Antichrists in his time and this mystery of ungodlinesse of inquity did worke then but now it comes to grow to a height in that great Antichrist of Rome for you know in these foure are the speciall things wherein he is the Antichrist Because hee obtrudes Doctrines Articles of Faith upon the Church by his owne authority He makes all Offices of the Church to hold on him And appointeth Lawes Ordinances and Institutions likewise to hold on him And claymeth the binding of Consciences so as is proper to Jesus Christ And all those that hold thus on Antichrist and are thus abettors of him in these things these are guilty of this greatsinne of Antichristianisme That for your right information about the sin of Antichristianisme The third consequence You say Christ is the Head but you know the King is called the Head of the Church in what sense are we to understand that Or how may we come to understand aright that Oath that is given of Supremacie These things my brethren are necessary for information of Conscience and the burthen lyes upon us to make out these things as cleare to you as we can that you may go along with the more freedome of spirit and conscience in your way and yet give every one their right too You are to know that the Oath of Supremacy came into England thus In the time of Popery the Pope claymed unto himselfe the Head-ship of the Church He being excluded then came in that Oath to acknowledge the King or Queene the Head of the Church But now you must know first that this title The Head of the Church as it hath been attributed to the King hath been much abused
and it hath given some advantage to our adversaries for the King is not the Head of the Church neither as Christ is nor as the Pope claymed it Not as Christ Christ is the Head to governe unlimitedly No limits or bounds are set to the Government of Christ but only his owne minde his owne will It is not so with any Prince in the world he is not so the Head to governe But all Governours have a two-fold limit They are limited by Lawes of God they are limited by the Lawes of man too Neither is he the Head as the Pope challengeth unto himselfe How is that you will say In the fore-named foure things the Pope challengeth holding of doctrines and holding of offices and the like upon him Offices do not so hold upon any Governours upon the King or others as the Pope challengeth to hold upon him How doth he challenge them to hold upon him Thus that all are in him virtually and so to be derived from him to others And indeed in a 〈◊〉 part do many of our Prelates say that 〈…〉 that is that all the offices hold on 〈…〉 and â—o goe from them unto others and hence it is they account all other Ministers but their Curats and they must not pray but as they will and do nothing but what they will Why because they are but them substitutes as if all offices were virtually in them and so came from them unto others whereas every office in the Church even the meanest holds upon Christ the Head Now it is true in the civill State in some sense it may he said that the officers of the Common-wealth are in a kinde virtually in the King he being the supreame but you must not thinke that all are thus virtually in him in Church affaires for if they were virtually in him then he could himself dispence those things that others by virtue of their office can but that he cannot as to give the Sacrament and the like But how is he the head then or in what sense may we quiet our Consciences in acknowledging the King to be the head of the Church Onely thus he is said to be the head because he is the supreame to govern in a civill way not onely the Civill State but even affaires that belong to the Church too We doe not deny the power of Princes even in affaires that belong to the Church And because he is the supreame in that civill power to governe in a civill way by civill Laws so as to see Christ not dishonoured so as to keepe out Idolatry to protect the Church to punish enormities that are there to defend it from enemies In that sense he is said to be the head but that title of supreame Governor being understood in a civil way is more proper To make that a little out unto you that there is some supremacy in this not onely in the civill State but in Church affaires For wee must not exclude the King quite out of all Church affaires as some would do no we doe not but though we would informe your consciences aright yet wee would not by any meanes take away any lawfull power God hath put into him Now that he hath power even in Church affaires there are many reasons that fully move me to be perswaded in it The first that I shall name I think it will least prevail though it be the most ordinary with them that make most doubt of it therefore I will not stand upon it only name it We know that all along among the Jews in the time of the Old Testament the Governours there and Kings and Princes had power in affaires that belong to the Church as well as to the State But this I say I doe not think to be the greatest strength in this point especially to pâ—â—swade them that make any scruple of it they will us that the power there was but Tipicall and the like and sobindeth not now There are therefore other reasons that perswade the same thing The first is this because I finde that in the Prophets where wee have a Prophesie of the state of the Church in the times of the Gospel God doth promise that he will make Kings to be their nursing fathers and Queens to be their nursing mothers Now if they be to be nursing fathers of the Church surely they must have some influence by their power into it Secondly That place in Rom. 13. spealtes indifferently and faith he is the Minister for thy good It doth not say for thiâ— good or that good 〈◊〉 this civill good or Ecclesiastical good but he is the Minister for thy good for all good unto thee so farre as his power can reach It is a hard thing you know if men will put us unto it to shew in the New Testament the power that Kings had because there was then no King but Heathens yet saith he they are Ministers for thy good and speakes to Christians But thirdly and that which yet may seeme to have more in it I finde this in the New Testament that Saint Paul when he was accused by his brethren in matters of Religion hee did appeal unto Caesar Act. 25. 9. who was a Heathen Magistrate his accusation was in matters of Religion in questions about their Law and about one JESUS that was dead whom Paul affirmed to be alive And yet in his answer to those things he appealeth unto Caesar therefore there is somewhat that Caesar hath to doe in over-looking of the affaires of the Church that concerns the wayes of Religion But you will say How can he be a competent Judge Can Caesar a Heathen be a competent Judge in matters of Religion Is it possible Or suppose that a Governour be wicked can he be a competent Judge in matters of Religion I answer the wickednesse of a Governour though he be a Heathen yet loseth not his power he hath still a true and a lawfull power yea he hath some oversight of things that concerne Church affaires How can that be Christianity gives not the authority but enables to execute that authority a Heathen Magistrate hath authority it is his duty to see that Christians be not wronged and if he doth not it is his sin but if he becomes a Christian he is the better able to do what he ought but this puts not the power into him But if a man be wicked and understands not the things of the Church how can he be a judge Thus though the King be not a competent judge of the Principles upon which the Church goes whether right or no he hath not skill to do that being such a one yet he may have ability to judge betweene man and man whether one to the other doth wrong yea or no and that in matters of Religion As thus though he doth not think the Principles upon which they go to be right yet he can judge whether according to those Principlâ— they doe