are hanged upon them or fixed to them Faith a Pillar to the Church Modo Architectonico a Pillar holding it up as a Pillar doth a House which resteth upon it Faith the right-hand pillar Next to that is Order Order the Beauty of a Church Vbi Ordo dominatur ibi pulchritudo splendescit saith the Father Where Order raignes Beuty shines A thing much to be joyed in where it is {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} saith Paul to those Colossians Rejoycing and beholding your Order Much to be desired where it is not or where it is not in some degree of perfection The Beauty of a Church Nay more of the Essence of a Church Faith and Order saith Beza they are the generall parts of which a Church consists Each essentiall to a constituted Church requisite not onely to the well-being but the being of it without which it cannot be a Church a constituted Church A Church it cannot be without Faith which maketh it an Essentiall Church A constituted Church it cannot be without Order some Order which maketh it an Integrall and Organicall Church as our Learned Countrey-man distinquisheth This it is that makes the difference betwixt Ecclesia and Agora as Illiricus well observes betwixt a Church and a Market The one is Conventus Ordinatus an Orderly Convension or Assembly The other Confusa Congregatio a Confused and Prâ—â—iscuous Gathering Even as it is betwixt an Armie and a Route that which differenceth the one from the other is Order An Armie is an Orderly Body made up of Commanders Officers Common-Souldiers divided into severall Regiments Squadrons and Companies Martialled in Rankes and Files observing a Militario Order Such is the Church an Armie Terrible as an Armie it is said of the Church Vniversall and it may be said of every particular Church it is or ought to be an Armie Acies ordinatâ— an Armie as for Strength so for Order without which it cannot be a Church Of such concernement is Order to the Church and that some Perfection of Order Without the one it cannot be a Constituted Church and without the other it cannot be a Setled an Established Church He shall sit upon the Throne of David and upon his Kingdome to order and to stablish it it is spoken of Christ and his Church Isa. 9. To Order and to stablish No Establishing of a Church without Order No such way to Establish it as by Order Which the more exact and perfect it is the more Beautifull the more Stable the Church is and therefore not to be sleighted as it is by many Next to the Faith of the Church no one thing of so great concernement as â—rder If Faith be the right-hand Pillar Order is the left Q. But wherein consists this Order which we erye up to be so requisite at least to the well being of a Church A. Here give me leave to follow the steps of a Reverend and Learned Worthy of this Church or rather Calvins before him whom therein he followes Church-Order consists principally in these three things 1. In the Vnitie and Agreement of the Members of a Church 2. In the Orderly walking of those Members 3. In a right Discipline duly exercised All these three did the Apostle not without singular complacencie and joy take notice of in the Church of Colosse He there saw a sweet Harmonie and agreement betwixt the members he saw their personall walkings and Church-businesses all carried in a Regular and Orderly way Three things much to be desired in every Church 1. Vnitie and Agreement and that both in Judgement and Affection That the Members of a Church might be all {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} to use Pauls words Like-minded One-Hearted Having the same Love being of one accord of one minde as Paul saith to his Philippians minding and speaking one and the same thing Mutually imbracing and Naturally caring for the state one of another Thus knit together in that double Bond of Faith and Love Here is the first Branch of Church-Order Vnitie and Agreement A second is in the Carriage and Dâ—meanour the life and conversation of the Members of a Church which ought to be Orderly Orderly both towards God Themselves Others A living Righteousnesse Soberly Godly as the Apostle hath it Godly to God-ward Soberly to Themselves-ward Righteously to the World-ward which who so doe not they are said to walke {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} without Order Disorderly Withdraw your selves from every Brother that walketh Disorderly Here is the second Branch of this Order Order in the Personall walkings of Christians such as joyne themselves to a Church 3. A third is that which we call Discipline Church-Discipline taking the word in the latitude of it the largest sense as it comprehends under it the Right-Ordering of all the affaires and businesses of the Church whether of Officers for their Election Ordination c. or Ordinances as viz. Word Sacraments Prayers Censures all which ought to be done as the Apostle hath it {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Orderly according to Order So were the Services under the Law done The Service of the House of the Lord was set in Order 2 Chron. 29. So ought all Services under the Gospell to be done Let all things be done decently and in Order Put these together and you have the full comprehension of this second Generall so requisite in every Church-Order Now to winde up what I have raveled and to returne from whence I have made this necessary digression In which of these two Chambers shall we find the Errours and Imperfections in this Church of onrs needing and calling for Reformation Shall we find them in matters of Faith in points of Doctrine or in Order Not in the former So much I suppose is or will be freely confessed and acknowledged at all ingenuous and impartiall hands As for the great things of the Gospell matters of Faith or Doctrine the first Reformers of our Church had so happy a hand therein that there is to be found little if any hay or stubble therein It is the free publick and true acknowledgement oâ— one no back-friend to Church-Reformation in his Sermon before the Honourable House of Commons upon that Subject Not in Faith not in Doctrine Blessed be God for that Wherein then why in Order There it must be or no where And here I dare not say but that some things may be found amisse some Errours some Defects some Corruptions and those possible to be found in every corner of this Chamber In every of those three Branches which I particularized even now In some of them they are more palpable not more palpable then deplorable In the two former I think none but will acknowledge foule errours foule deformities 1. As first in point of Christian Vnitie and Agreement Herein what disorder in the Church of God amongst us The Church
which should be one one in the Members of it I pray that they may be all one saith our Saviour speaking of all that are given to him to beleeve on him to make profession of his Name One in Head and Heart Judgement and Affection united to Christ and amongst themselves by those sacred bonds of Faith and Love how is it divided rent torne Christians Members of the same mysticall body how severed and hat both in Judgement and Affection The evidence is too cleare against us 2. And no lesse cleare in the second particular In the Personall walkings of Christians what Irregularitie amongst those which joyne themselves to the Church or Churches of God amongst us how many that walke {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Disorderly neither Righteously nor Soberly nor Godly persons every wayes Scandalous in their practise running counter to their professions shaming the Gospell of Christ and the Church of God as ungracious Children doe their Mother as worthy to be severed and seperated from all Church society and communion as ever was Leaper or uncleane person to be cast or kept out of the Campe or Temple A blot it must be acknowledged and a blot very readily hit that we should have such and so many of these Blots and Spots {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} as S. Peter and Jude calleth them in our most sacred Feasts whether for want of Power to keepe or cast them out or for want of the due exercise of that power I dispute it not That it is so de Facto it must not it cannot be denied So as in this point it seemeth that the Temple of God amongst us is yet imperfect having too great an outward Court of an Ignorant and Prophane multitude layed unto it In both these as I said the evidence is too cleare against us 3. And I will not take upon me to cleare and acquit the third and last I am no Accuser neither come I hither to pick holes in the Churches coate to passe a peremptorie censure upon what ever standeth established by the Law to which I am a Subject Yet dare I not say but even therein in point of Discipline take the word largely there may be some things and many things amisse Some things Redundant and Superfluous fit to be pared off and taken away Some things deficient and wanting wherein the Church hath not yet attained her full perfection Neither can it be thought any dishonour to those ever honoured Worthies the first Reformers of this Church that they should leave it in some particulars imperfect Strange and wonderfull it is that coming out of such darknesse they should see so much as they did that they should leave the Church so perfect which they found so imperfect and that both for Faith and Order in both like that first Chaoâ— without forme and voide But to doe them right and the Church no wrong Enquire we yet a little further of what Nature and Qualitie are those Errours those Imperfections which we suppose to be yeâ— left remaining Are they Fundamentals or no destructive to the Essence and being of a Church or no Not so This also is or I suppose will be freely yeelded and acknowledged at all Judicious hands In the first Reforming of this Church God tooke care for all fundamentall Ordinances of his worship furnishing the Church with what was necessary for the making and building up of Saints and the bringing of his people to Heaven Word Sacraments Prayer those great Ordinances of God the very Basis of the Church together with all the substantials appertaining to them were all setled and established at the first And I may adde to them the substantials of Discipline also Wherein then lyeth the Errour why surely for the most part in circumstantials Such is Order to Ordinances a Circumstance an Appurtenance And herein probably there may be some possibly many and those very considerable defects to be found amongst us The House of God amongst us may want some of her Vtensils and Ornaments The Worship of God though for substantialls entire yet may want some of her Appurtenances and Accoutrements The Ordinances of God though for substance rightly dispensed and administred yet in the manner and Order of their Administration possibly they may be found some of them at the least not so Regular and Orderly Now put these together and see what it is that standeth charged upon this Church as needing and calling for Reformation Her Defects in point of Order Her Members first are not so joynted and cemented together as the Timbers and Stones of the Temple ought to be Many of them in the second place in their personall walkings doe not answer their profession being scandalous in their lives and conversations Her Ordinances in the third place some of them defective in some Circumstances wanting some Appurtenances or else not so Exact for the Order and manner of their Administration Q. Why but you may say are these Errours and Defects Tanti are they of such high concernement as that the Reformation of them should be so earnestly desired A. To this I must answer and I shall doe it freely Of Concernement they are and that of great concernement Though not of so great as some have taken them to be who have forsaken and abandoned the Church for them renouncing nullifying it as being no floore because of these remainders of chaffe in it no Church because of these defects these corruptions Yet of greater then others happily conceive them That will appeare if we doe but consider these two things 1. The Inconveniency of allowing or tolerating of these corruptions 2. The conveniencie of their Reformation For the former Corruptions in a Church are like Moathâ—s in a Garment if let alone they will be subject to decay it Many and great are the Inconveniencies and hazzards which the Church of God amongst us by reason of these acknowledged corruptions or imperfections at the present lyeth under 1. The want of unity and agreement what an Eye-sore Nay what a Heart-sore For the Divisions of Reuben were great thoughts of heart To see the seamelesse Coat of Christ nay his Body rent and torne in pâ—eces Christians members of the same mysticall body so divided in head and heart in judgement and affection a sad spectacle and as sad a presage Vnity as it is the Beauty so is it the strength of a Church No one thing either deformes or weakens it more then division 2. To have the outward Court of the Temple so wide as that it should admit and receive all comers what a disproportion To have all sorts of persons Persons openly profane and scandalous received into and retained in the bosome of the Church admitted to Church society and Communion even communion in those sacred mysteries the Seales of the Covenant what a scaâ—dall What a Hazard Hereat and hereby some are offended others hardened the Church
and precise difference betwixt the precious and the vile the Chaffe and the wheate not casting out any of the one not retaining any of the other In which two things as in opening of the clause fore-going I shewed you consisteth the fidelity of a Fanner Faithfull Fanners such as may doe the worke of the Lord not negligently not deceitfully but with all their might all their strength every wayes approving themselves to their Lord and Master in doing his worke according to his owne mind and will Such Fanners beg we from the Owner of this Floore Withall imploring his direction his assistance for them that he would both guide and blesse the Fanne in their hands making their endeavours effectuall for the through purging of this Floore of his 2. Thus seeking it from God seeke we it also from men those into whose hands Jesus Christ either hath or shall put this Fanne of his These I meane to whom he hath committed a lawfull Power and Authority whether supreame viz. under himselfe or subordinate over this Floore this Church of his for the ordering of it Beg we it from them that they would set the Fanne a work using all lawfull warrantable waies and means both for the discovering and casting out of what ever remainders of Chaffe there are to be found in this Floore Thus earnestly pray we for this Reformation Which doing then In the next place Quietly wait for it A good thing so to doe in all straits and difficulties It is good saith the Church that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord This doe we in this case a case wherein the worke happily may meet with some unexpected difficulties sticking in the birth as now a long time it hath done not comming off either so easily or speedily as it may be we made account of in this case let us wait and quietly wait waiting for the Law of our God as the Prophet Isaiah saith the Iles the Gentiles should doe The Iles shall wait for his law Isa. 4â— i. e. for the Doctrine of Jesus Christ This let us of this Iland doe Christ being now as we hope about that great worke which the Prophet there speaketh of in the words immediately fore-going setting Judgment in the Earth that is as the Geneva note glosseth upon it setting all things in good order in his Church for such is Christs way sometimes to bring Order out of confusion Oâ—let us now wait for his law even for what ever it is that he shall reveale unto us out of his word to be according to his will for the ordering and regulâ—ting of this Church of his This wait we for and quietly wait for it Quietly not Precipitating Quietly not Anticipating the worke 1. Not Precipitating not overhastening of it Overâ—asty births are seldome long lived never perfect Be we conâ—ent as â—â—turall mothers are to tarry the time the appointed 〈◊〉 for this Birth which we hope the Church 〈◊〉 in her woâ—be God◠〈◊〉 I meane who aâ—â—e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 downe a time a season for all other things a time for every purpose under the Sunne times for us to observe So he hath set downe a time a time with himselfe for the effecting of this worke The Apostle writing to his Hebrewes he tels them of a {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} a time of Reformation a period untill which those {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} as he there calleth them those carnall legall ordinances and Constitutions were to continue Surely as that first so all successive Reformations under the Gospell they have all of them their times their periods set downe and appointed by God Be we contented to tarry that time not making haste He that beleeveth will not make haste so make haste as to use any unlawfull or unwarrantable wayes and meanes for the compassing of his desires and hopes So indeed did Jacob make haste thinking to go the next way to get the blessing but he had better have gone further about and have tarried Gods time for it Take heed of Precipitating the worke 2. And in the second place take heed of Anticipating it viz. by taking the Fanne out of the hand of Christ himselfe or out of their hands into which hee hath put it 1. Out of the hand of Christ himselfe This did thâ—se franticke Germane Anabaptists of the last age attempt to do Impatient to tarry Christs leisure for the through purging of his Floore they would set upon the worke to purge not the Church only but the world And how would they doe it Not by the Word but by the Sword therewith attempting for that was their professed designe to cut-off and destroy all the wicked from off the Earth Here if I listed to enter the Listes with mad-men I should not need to goe out of the Text for weapons He hath his Fanne in his hand and hee will throughly purge his Floore The through purging of the Church much more of the world is Christs owne worke and a worke which he will do but when Not here but hereafter In the meane time our Rule is and theirs should have been that direction of the Husbandmans to his servants touching the Wheat and the Tares Let them both grow together untill the harvest least whilest yee pluck up the Tares ye root out also the wheat with them But I forbeare to presse this â—oping that there is none here present or belonging to this place touched with this frenzy 2. Beware of taking the Fanne out of the hand of Jesus Christ or else out of their hands into which he hath put it There is a two-fold Government that Jesus Christ exerciseth upon earth The one inward and invisible viz. in the hearts of men the other outward and visible in his Church Now the former of these he exerciseth immediately by his Spirit the latter mediately by Instruments by men And thus he purgeth his Church here not immediately but mediately even as the Husbandman doth his Floore which he purgeth not by himself but by his servants into whose hands he puts the Fanne delegating and appointing some in every Church to be the ordinary instruments of publick Reformation Who these are I have glaunced at already take it now a little more fully and distinctly They must be publike persons Publike workes call for publike Instruments Publike persons are of two sorts Civill Ecclesiasticall Magistrates Ministers And upon their shoulders in an ordinary way doth this worke lye So it was in the building re-building of the Temple The chiefe undertakers in that worke were Zerubâ—abel and Jeshua Zerubâ—abel the chiefe-Prince with the Elders the chiefe of the people as you have it explained Ezr. 6. 14. Jeshua the chief-Priest with his Brethren the other Priests and Levites and Prophets all joyning hands in the worke The Prophets exciting and encouraging the Elders Ezr. 6. 14. The
preposterous and inordinate zeale in snatching the Fanne or Whip out of the hand of Christ which in some sense they may be said to doe who take it out of the hands of his Servants his Officers those to whom in an ordinary way he hath commited the authority and charge of purging his Floore his Temple Reforming his Church Here is the fifth Direction A sixth and last is yet behind Earnestly praying quietly waiting for this Reformation then if ever God give us to see it humbly submit to it I though it should not be every way according to our own minds agreeable to the modell which we have moulded and framed to our selves So did the Churches to the Determinations and decisions of that first Councell or Synod the Councell at Jerusalem Notwithstanding that the Councell had imposed some burdens upon them so they call them burdens not to their Consciences for such they were not but in respect of some restraint put upon their liberty by them as viz. The absteyning from meats offered to Idols from blood c. things in themselves of an indifferent nature and so lawfull for them to doe yet the Councell apprehending and conceiving them necessary necessary not simply and absolutely but respectively pro tempore for that time not in themselves in their own nature but extrinsically and accidentally necessary viz. for the preserving and maintaining of Peace and Vnitie in the Church as Calvin well explaines it it enjoynes them and the Councell enjoyning the Churches submit and that both humbly and joyfully Surely even such a submission ought Christians to yeald to the determinations of lawfull Authority in things not contrariant but agreeable to the Rules of the word either to the particular and expresse rules and directions therein conteyned or else to those generall Rules of Decencie Order Edification the three maine points of the Churches compasse according to which she is to steare her course in the ordering of all such Church affaires as are not expresly and distinctly stated and regulated in the word of which nature no question some will be found In all these God and his Church expects a humble submission from the hands of all private Christians The Law was expresse under the Law In matters of controversie which could not easily be decided the people were to repaire to the Priest and the Judge and to their Order they were to stand So you have it expressely Deut. 17. If there arise a matter too hard for thee in Judgement c. Thou shalt come to the Priests the Levites and to the Judge the Judge for the time being who was to raâ—ifie the sentence of the Priest and enquire and they shall show thee the sentence of Judgement This the Priest and the Judge were to doe Ex Offiâ—io And marke what followes Thou shalt doe according to the sentence which they shall shew thee and thou shalt observe to doe according to all that they informe thee viz. according to the sentence of the Law as you have it vers. 11. that is the Law of God which was to be their Rule Now surely however that Law being Judiciall was as touching the obligation of it Temporarie yet the equity and Moralitie of it is perpetuall In cases controversall about the Religion Worship and Service of God the people ought to make their addresses to the Priest and the Judge Ministers and Magistrates desiring and expecting their decisions their determinations and to that sentence of theirs being as I said consonant and agreeable to the Word viz. to the particular or generall Rules of it they ought quietly and humbly to submit So the Apostle presseth it in that knowne place Heb 13. Obey them thâ—â— have the Rule over you {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Ductoriâ—us Prâ—â— sitis your Leaders your Rulers be they Civill or Ecclesiasticall though he speake there chiefely of the latter And submit your selves {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Obey and Submit viz. in Believing and practising what they teach and require agreeable to the Word of God which still must be their Rule and ours Time taketh me off I must strike sayle Put we now these directions together and reduce them to practise Would we have the Floore of Jesus Christ amongst us purged and throughly-purged the Church of God blessed with a happy Reformation of what is amisse amongst us Be we thankefull for what we have Mourne over what we want Begin the worke of Reformation at home at our own Hearts Lives Families which having done then earnestly pray for quietly waitâ— for such a Reformation as may be after Gods own Heart and Mind which he shall please to tender unto us thankefully receive it humbly submit to it So doing doubt we not but God will doe his own worke in his owne time To this end it is that God the great Husbandman hath put the Fanne into the hand of this his righteous Servant the Lord Christ that he should purge his Floore And this he will doe and that faithfully throughly He will throughly purge his Floore Our hopes are that he is now about to doe it and that he will speedily doe it Whether so or no we are assured he will doe it Whether this Floore this particular Church in this Kingdome or no we have no assurance though some comfortable hopes but his Floore his Church his Church visible upon Earth he will purge washing off those spots and freckles from the face of it which doe now any wayes deforme it beautifying and adorning it with all requisite ornaments and habiliments which may make it lovely in his eyes and the eyes of his Saints so dressing and preparing it as a Bride adorned for her Husband This the Lord Jesus the Head of the Church in his own time will doe And for this let all of us waite and pray REV. 22. 20. Even so come Lord Jesus come quickly FINIS Christ floore vvhat Generally this inferiour vvorld vvhich is A floore being the pavement of Gods house Christs floore vvhere he exerciseth divers pieces of his husbandry up on his corne Iohn 10. verse last Threshing Isaiah 25. 10. Isaiah 21. 10. Amos 1. 3. Fanning Ieâ— 15. 7. Winnowing Tribulations here not to bee vvondred at Heb 4. 9 10. 1 Pet 4. 12. The floore shall be purged Rev. 21. 1. Christs floore more specially is his Church visible Aquin. ad locum The visible Church what 1 Pet. 1. 1. 1 Pet. 5. 2. The visible Church a Floore For mixture of Corne and Chaffe Rev. 21. v. last 2 Tim. 2. 10. 1 Tim. 3 15. Gal 6. 10. ver. 16. ver. 17. So it is de Facto not de Jure ver. 19. 1 King 7. 49 50. Mat 13. 47. ver. 30. Mat. 22. 10. 2 Pet. 2. 13. Iude 12. Reason God will have it so For the Tryall 1 Cor. 11. 19. For the benefit of his people Satanwill have it so Mat. 13. 25. The
here is winnowing too God winnoweth his people I will sift or winnow the house of Israel amongst all nations like as corne is sifted or winnowed with a sive Amos 9. 9. God winnowes and by his permission Satan winnows them Simon Simon saith our Saviour Satan hath desired to have you to winnow you or sift you Luke 22. 31. God winnowes and Satan winnowes both by the winde of Tentations God by Tentations of Probation Satan by Tentations of Seduction the one for the trying purging the other for the scattering destroying of them All these pieces of husbandrie doth this great Husbandman exercise in this inferiour world upon his Corne his Church and people and therefore well may it be called a floore his floore A meditation not unusefull Let it serve to stay the hearts of Gods people in respect of the many and manifold pressures and tribulations that here they meet with upon earth Alas can they looke for other considering the place and condition they are in They are Gods Corne I but as yet they are as Corne in the floore O my threshing saith the Lord and the Corne of my floore Isaiah 21. 10. Filius Areae so the originall Hebraiâ—me hath it The sonne of my floore Gods people his Saints even whil'st they are here they are sonnes Behold now are we the sonnes of God saith S. Iohn 3. 2. Sonnes but filij Areae not Apothecae sonnes or corne of the floore not of the Garner Now corne whil'st it is in the floore it must looke for no quiet that is reserved for the Garner Gods Corne his Saints when they shall be laid up in his Garner received into those heavenly mansions then shall they enter into their rest a perfect rest where they shall never more feele of the flaile or the fanne or the sive All these are for the Floore And let not any wonder to meete with them there Thinke it not strange concerning the fiery tryall saith S. Peter what ever our trials be what for nature what for number are we threshed fanned winnowed make not strange of it remember the place where we are and the condition we are in whilest we are here below we are like corne upon the floore But I will not dwell here This World is Christs Floore and this floore he will purge throughly purge This will he doe at that last and great day when he shall come from Heaven with the fanne in his hand the fanne of the last Judgement then will he purge this inferiour World from all the drosse of corruption which now cleaveth to it delivering it from the bondage of corruption to which it is now made subject through the sinne of Man and under which it groaneth as the Apostle hath it Rom. 8. 21 22. Then making a new Heaven and a new Earth a new roofe and a new floore to this house of his But to let this passe not being the marke I aime at By the Floore here more properly and peculiarly we are to understand the Church Not the World but the Church in the world that is the floore For as Thomas well noteth it out of Chrysostome if we will drive the Allegorie to the head the World must be the wide field So our Saviour interprets it Mat. 13. 38. The field is the world The floore here properly is the Church of Christ in this world The Church But what Church why the visible Church of Christ upon earth The visible Church what is that A society or company of men and women called out of the world to the knowledge and acknowledgement of the true God in Christ A company of men professing faith and obedience faith in Christ obedience to Christ professing to receive Christ as their Prophet Priest King Their Prophet to be taught by him their Priest to be reconciled to God through him their King to be ruled and governed by him This is the visible Church which is either universall or particular Vniversall the whole company of such as prefesse the Gospell throughout the whole world Particular such as professe the Gospell in such a Nation such a Province such a Citie such a Towne such a Family Every of which in severall considerations and respects may be called a Church Not only the Church in such a Family The Church that is in thine house Philem. 2. or the Church in such a Towne such a City The Church at Corinth at Philippi c. But the Church in such a Province such a Nation wherein though there may be many particular Congregations and Churches yet they may be called one Church and that not without some warrant from Scripture St. Peter writing to the Churches dispersed through severall Countries viz. through Pontus Galatia Cappadocia Asia and Bythinia as the 1. vers. of his Epistle directs it he yet speaketh of them singularly calling them one flock Feeds the flock of God which is amongst you It is his charge to the Elders of those Churches cap. 5. 2. many Churches many flocks and yet one flock Not to goe from the Text The Baptist here speaking of the Church of Christ dispersed through Judea and other parts of the world the Church under the new Testament which is made up of many particular Congregations and Churches he yet speaketh of it singularly calling it one floore He will purge his floore Not floores but floore Where ever Christ hath a Church he hath a floore Many Churches many floores yet put them together all the Churches in such a Province such a Nation or through the whole world Collectively and Aggregatively considered they make up one Church one floore This I doe but touch by the way to give some satisfaction to such as are so ready to scruple the word as if there were no colour of warrant from Scripture to give the Name of a Church to any but to a Congregationall Church Letting that passe Christs floore is his Church or Churches considered in a visible State And not unfitly may the visible Church be so called A floore and his floore Touch upon them severally First A floore and that principally in two respects 1. In respect of the Mixture that is in it Here is the difference betwixt the Garner and the Floore In the Garner there is nothing but pure graine In the Floore there is a mixture Straw as well as Corne Chaffe as well as Wheate Tarâ—s and Titters and Cockle and Darnill as well as the good graine Such a difference there is betwixt the Church Militant and Triumphant the Church upon Earth and the Church in Heaven The Church in Heaven is all pure Thither shall no unâ—leanâ— thing enter No chaffe no drosse nothing but good and pure corne to be found in that garner But it is otherwise in the floore in the militant and visible Church upon Earth here is a mixture Corne and chaffe good and bad together Elect and Reprobate true Believers Hypocrites and happily
persons openly wicked all associated together in the same outward profession A truth which needeth no probation This is the House wherein there are vessels of all sorts some of purer richer others of courser baser mettall In a great House saith the Apostle there are not only vessels of Gold and of Silver but also of wood and of earth some to honour and some to dishonour A place worthy the pawsing on and considering Haply it may give satisfaction to some groundlesse scandals and offences taken by some at those undesired deplored mixtures which are to be found in the Churches of God amongst us In a great House saith he What is meant by this great House why the whole World say some which is Gods House indeed he being the God and Father of all the Families in Heaven and earth Gods House and his Great House And in this great House there are vessels of Gold and of Silver and of wood and of Earth some to honour some to dishonour i. e. some elected others reprobated and passed by So the Apostle S. Paul carrieth and applies it extending it to the whole world Rom. 9. 21. A truth but not so pertinent to this place The Great House here as Calvin and others note upon it denotes and points out more peculiarly the Church of God the visible Church So much may be collected from the Context The Church visible is a House Gods House That thou mightest know how to behave thy selfe in the House of God which is the Church of the living God saith Paul to Timothy His House and a Great House {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} the House of the Great God the Father of this Family of a great and large extent and having many Inhabitants Officers Children Servants even all those domestici fidei the household of Faith as the Apostle calleth them And in this great House saith the Apostle there are not only vessels of Gold and Silver but of wood and of earth i. e. some elect others reprobates Not only so but some good others bad bad and that oft-times not only closely and secretly but openly and apparently such Not only hypocriticall and unsound but scandalous Christians Such were those whom the Apostle speaketh of in the verses fore-going Prophane and vaine bablers men whose words did fret as a canker or cancer whose very society was infectious and dangerous Two of these he there instanceth in by Name Of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus two dangerous and damnable Hereticks denying and overthrowing that great Article of the Faith the Resurrection of the Dead which being overthrowne opens a wide doore to all lieâ—ntiousnesse and proâ—anenesse Such were these and probably some other members of that Church at that time persons scandalous and dangerous seduced themselves and seducing others Such vessels there were in that house wooden and earthen vessels vessels to dishonour {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} to dishonour and that both Passively and Actively having dishonour and shame for their portion and dishonouring the house the Church of God whereof they were members Such vessels such members there may be and oft are in the House in the Church of God persons erroneous in their judgement and scandalous in their lives Such there may be Mistake it not We speake here de Facto not de Jure not what ought to be but what may be and will be If we speake de Jure â—s it ought to be then that of the Apostle in the words fâ—re going takes place Let every one that calleth on the Name of the Lord depart from iniquity Every one that joyneth himselfe to the Church of God that taketh upon him the profession of Christianity he ought to grace his profession by an answerable conversation In Solomons Temple the vessels were all of pure Gold and such should the members of the Church of Christ be Thus it should be But thus it will not be Some there are and will be that shame their profession by an unchristian conversation Vessels to dishonour Neither is it a thing either to be stumbled or wondered at Such vessels there are in a great House and such members there will be in the visible Church which is a mixed company This point I might further inlarge and set of by those common and obvious illustrations made use of by our Saviour himselfe of the draw or drag Net wherein there are fishes of all sorts good and bad The Field wherein there was Tares as well as Wheate The wedding supper whereat there were guests of all sorts good and bad saith the Text But I will not neither need I goe from that Metaphor in the Text which is so cleare and expresse as that scarce an Expositor falls upon it but meeteth with this truth in it The Church the visible Church is a mixed company Such is the floore a place of mixture wherein there is as I said Corne and Straw Wheat and Chaff c. all brought in together Such is the Church Such it ever hath beene and such it ever will be as long as the Moone hath her spots the Church will have hers even such spots as Peter and Jude speaketh of persons scandalous in their lives disgracing the Church as spots doe the garment wherein they are And will you see some Reason why it is so Take it in a word God will have it so and Satan will have it so 1. God will have it so and that first For the tryall of his own people It is that which S. Paul saith of heresies There must be heresies why That those which are approved may be made manifest And we may say the same of Hereticks and scandalous persons There must be such in the Church I speake it as the Apostle de Facto that those which are {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} approved of God may be made manifest more manifest to the world 2. And secondly God doth it permits it as for the tryall so for the good and benefit of his own people Even as the Husbandman sometimes suffers the Corne to lye in the Chaffe that it may keepe the better And such use God sometimes makes of hypocrites of wicked and ungodly men whom hee suffers to have a Name and a Roome in his Church he maketh use of them for the good and benefit of his own people oft-times using them as Conduit pipes conveying many outward blessings and benefits to his Church through their hands tending to the outward preservation of it Thus God will have it so And secondly Satan will have it so That Eâ—viouâ— man in the Gospell which soweth Tares in the field he also casteth Chaffe into the floore Which he doth through the inadverâ—ancie of those which should watch this floore I meane those which have or should have the oversight and government of the Church Hereby seeking to poyson the Church by throwing in corruptions into
it corruptions in Doctrine corruptions in Worship corruptions in Manners so to make a mixture which he doth in opposition unto that God who being himselfe a pure and simple Essence is most delighted in purity and simplicity Put these together and you see a first respect wherein the visible Church of Christ is compared to a floore A floore for mixture Secondly A floore Because here is the same Husbandry used that is in the Barne-floore Here is threshing here is fanning here is winnowing All these shall we find no where more frequent more ordinary then in the Church as if the Church were the proper element for every of these The Church is Christs threshing place O my threshing his fanning place his winnowing place No where shall we find the flaile the fanne the sive more buâ—â—â— then here The Worlds flayle Gods fanne the Devils sive the flayle of persecution the fanne of Affliction the sive of Tentation no where so busie as in the Church Well may the Church in all these respects be called a floore But I will confine my selfe to the Text Here is the fanne at worke What fanne why that fanne which is in the hand of Christ the fanne of the word This fanne is walking and working in this floore and not without some efficacie and power What ever the Husbandmans fanne doth in his Barne-floore that doth this fanne in the Church which is the proper place for this fanne to stirre and move in and in that respect againe fitly called a floore Here it is where Christ standeth with the fanne in his hand working upon his corne his Elect severing them from the chaffe of sinnefull corruption dressing them that they may be pure corne fit to be laid up in his heavenly garner The Church is a floore And in the second place Christs floore The visible Church is Christs floore His first by Guift Secondly His by Purchase 1. His by Guift Guift from God his Father who hath indeed given unto him the whole world Aske of mee and I shall give thee the Heathen for thine Inheritance and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy Possession All the Kingdomes of the earth are put into the hands of Jesus Christ as Lord paramonnt over them all Even Heathens and Infidels which know him not which never heard of his Name yet they are under his governement But the Church after a more speciall manner as being his peculiar Seigniâ—rie I have sâ—t my King upon my holy hill of Sion In the Church Christ hath a more peculiar interest The Church it selfe and all the members of it being given to him by God his Father I all the members of the visible Church they are also given unto Christ Of all that thou hast given me I have lost none save the Sonne of Perdition All the Apostles I Judas amongst the rest though a son of perdition lost in Gods decree and marked out for hell yet given unto Christ to follow him in an outward profession And thus are all the members of the visible Church even all that professe the Name of Christ they are given unto Christ And consequently the Church is His his floore His by Donation And secondly His by Purchase What his Father gave him he also bought and purchased Even as David purchased the Threshing-floore of Araunah the Jebusite that he might offer a Sacrifice upon it Thus Christ hath purchased this floore his Church not that he might offer Sacrifice upon it but that he might offer it up as a Sacrifice unto God his Father Take heede unto your selves and to the flock of God whereof the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers to feede the Church of God which he hath purchased with his own blood The Church purchased with the blood of Christ True it is if we speake properly this purchase is peculiar unto Gods elect his Church invisible for whose sake Christ dyed But for their sakes from whom the Church taketh the denomination as being the better and most considerable part of it it is attributed to the whole Church even to the Church visible It is his floore by purchase Yet further in the third and fourth place It is his floore in respect of his presence his providence His presence in it his providence over it His presence in it which is continuall The Story telleth us of Boaz that he went downe to his floore and lodged there lying downe at the end of the heape of Corne Even â—o is Christ ever present in his Church There he lyeth downe there he lodgeth Shew me O thou whom my soule loveth where thou feedest where thou lyest downe at noone It is the Spouses speech to her welbeloved to which his answer followes If thou knowest not O thou fairest among women get thee forth by the steps of the flock and feede thy Kids by the Tents of the Shepheards Would we know where Christ feedeth lodgeth where he manifesteth his presence chiefely and principally upon earth It is in his flock by the Tents of the Shepheards In his Church in the midst of his Ordinances Christ is ever present in this floore manifesting his presence in it And fourthly Exercising his providence over it His providence first in watching then in governing 1. Watching in and over this floore To this end Boaz lay downe in his floore at the end of the heape of corne to watch it least it should be stroyed or stolne or purloyned away To this end is Christ present in his Church his floore viz. to watch his corne in it to defend his people against enemies without or enemies within to defend his Church against the open hostility of bloody tyrants and persecutors Beasts which would stroy this corne as also against the secret devices of cunning seducers Theeves that would stâ—ale away his corne deceiving the very Elect if it were possible To this end he watcheth in this floore watcheth and that not as Boaz did in his lying downe and sleeping there No The watchman of Israel neither slumbereth nor sleepeth He exerciseth a speciall providence in watching over this floore 2. And secondly In ruling and governing it ordering all the businesses in it Even as the Husbandman ordereth all the businesse in his own floore giving direction to his servants for threshing fanning c. So hath Christ the ordering of this floore Not an Ordinance in his Church but is of his ordering and appointing He it is that ruleth the whole businesse of his Church both for substance and materiall circumstances prescribing Lawes to his Church governing it which he doth by his word Put these together and you see the doctrinall part of this first Branch of the Text opened and illustrated I see I must wade no further into it at present What use shall we make of this which hath been spoken As briefely as I may First Is the Church of Christ a floore in respect of mixture Here
swimming with the streame of Expositors I might take a just occâ—sion to fall upon that Anabaptisticall errour wherever it is found which affirmes and maintaines the true visible Church to consist only of true believers such as are good A doctrine charged upon us by our Adversaries of Rhemes in their Glosse upon the Text but with what truth let the joint consent of all the writers of our profession testifie all which with one vote have censured and condemned the Tenet upon all occasions averring and maintaining the visible Church of Christ to be a mixed company mingled of good and bad believers hypocrites c. Such a company the Church here is As for those who seeke for any other Church here upon earth they seeke for that which they shall never find Mundam in mundo immundo Ecclesiam saith Aretius A pure Church in an impure world Those which will joyne themselves to no Church but such an one they must as the Apostle saith goe out of the world for it But I will not spend time in confuting of this Errour which I presume there is none here present that will dare to owne To come nearer In the second place Is the Church of Christ a floore in respect of mixture why then let not any be scandalized or offended at what ever mixtures either are or are supposed to be in the Church or Churches of God amongst us Mixtures happily there may be mixtures there are we grant it Possible some corruptions cleaving to some of the Ordinances However corrupt men mingling themselves with the people of God not only coming with them into the house of God but siâ—â—ing downe with them â—t his Table having communion with them in the most sacred ordinances of God A sad mixture I pleade not for it Bâ—t what shall we hence inferre a nullitiâ— of the Church No true Church because oâ— these mixtures Surely the very Barne-floore will cry out against this inference There we see wheate and chaffe lying upon the same heape and who wonders at it â— Doe we meeâ—e with a liâ—e mixture in the Church or Churches of God be not â—â—andalized be not oâ—â—â—â—ded at it Iâ— iâ— that I nonceive which the Apostle 〈◊〉 aimes and drives at in the place fore named a Tim. 2. to take off that scandall which any might take at scandalous Apoâ—â—atâ—â— persons openly wicked in the Church Here let me not be mistaken a thing which we are very 〈◊〉 to in poinâ—â— of the nature It is far from my purpose to patronize what ever mintâ—res in the Church of God to plead either for Admission or Toleration of persons openly prophane and scandalous their Admission into the Church their Toleration in the Church Much lesse for the promiscuous resorting of all sorts of persons to the Lords Table without any regard had to their qâ—alificâ—tions or conversations An errour I confesse which till it may be redressed I shall mourne over wishing that all this Leaven were purged out and this floore of Christ amongst us throughly purged from the chaffe and drosse of what ever corruption is yet remaining in it But in the meane time though I plead not for mixtures yet let me plead for the Church that Church whereof God hath made me a member and a Minister which all the mixtures that are in it cannot Vnchurch make to be no Church or yet warrant a separation from The Church of the Jewes at this time when the Baptist preached to them it was I suppose in as corrupted nay a far more corrupted state then the Church of England at this day is or ever yet was since the first Reformation of it How was that floore all covered with chaffe How many foule corruptions had even overspread the face of that Church Humane Inventions and Traditions being brought in even to the thrusting out of the Ordinances of God Ceremonies eating out the heart the power and substance of Religion Those which sate in Moses his chaire as vile as could be imagined A generation of vipers Such were their teachers and Church-governours Blind guides having a corrupt and unlawfull entrance into their calling and demeaning themselves as corruptly in it and no question like Priests like people The state of that Church most corrupt little else but chaffe to be seene in that floore yet for all that a floore still So the Baptist here calleth it telling them that Christ would purge that floore of his Purge it not presently leave it cast it off or else breake it up as some hot spirits would doe at this day who because of the chaffe that is in it would presently be breaking up the floores For some supposed corruptions in the Church presently unchurch it a matter of a higher nature then many in this last age have taken it to be Not so but purge it purge it So will Christ deale with his floore hee will throughly purge his floore True may some say If it were a floore of Christ then it ought not to be broken up if a true Church then purging would serve the turne But such is not the Church of England such are not the Churches in England And why not why they faile in constitution which is a fundamentall errour They are not rightly constituted And why not Because the members of them were not rightly gathered nor yet knit and joyned together in the formality of a Church Covenant Even as if one should reason after this manner It is the same man though in other cloathes the same argument though in different expressions The Corne was not brought in at the right doore or the floore is not a boarded floore or at least the boards were not joynted and fastened together not right layed at the first but either it is a Clay floore or else the boards are layed loose and warping therefore it is no floore no true floore The absurdity of the one will sufficiently discover the weakenesse and inconsequence of the other But how then shall we know a true Church if we see it A. Why even as we may doe a true floore I will not goe out of the Text for a demonstration Where the fanne is ordinarily at worke there is the floore and where Christs fanne is ordinarily at worke there is his floore his Church What this fanne is I have told you already the fanne of the Word the word preached This is the fanne which the Baptist here principally speaketh of the fanne of the word which is in the hand of Christ both in respect of liberty and efficacie as I have shewen you Now where this fanne is ordinarily at worke where the word is ordinarily preached and dispensed in the publick ministery of it especially if it be with efficacie and power certainely there Christ hath a Floore a Church Now this I think will not be denied but that this fanne hath been at worke in the Churches of Christ amongst us and that with such efficacie
and power as no where more Strange that any should question whether Christ have a floore a Church amongst us or no But it may be said the Fanne may worke out of the floore sometimes in other corners of the Barne and sometimes abroad in the open field And thus say our adversaries of the Seperation the word may be and often is preached where there is no true Church Paul preached the word to the scoffing Athenians say they who yet were no true Church To this Evasion I have insinuated an answer already in that I said not the Preaching but the ordinary Preaching of the word is an effentiall marke and note of a true Church The word may be preached two wayes Either Occasionally or Ordinarily in a setled way Now in the former way it may be preached to Heathens and Infidels where there is no more but the Passive Capacity of a Church It is the latter of these that we conclude to be an evidence of a true Church viz. the setled preaching of the word amongst a people that professe subjection to it Where the fanne is constantly at worke day after day and weeke after weeke who questions but there is a floore Where the word is preached in a fetled way day after day weeke after weeke yeare after yeare to a people professing subjection and obedience and not without power and efficacy especially being attended and accompanied with the Sâ—ales of the Covenant the Sacraments for substance rightly administred surely it cannot be denied but that there is a Church a true Church And this is it we say for the Church of England or Churches in England for I am not curious or scrupâ—lous about the word In this floore Christs fanne hath beene stirring and that lively his Gospell hath beene preached and that powerfully succeâ—sefully and that for more then a whole age together How much Corne is now layed up in Gods Garner which this Fanne hath dressed in this Floore How many blessed soules now triumphing in Heaven which were here gained and brought home unto Christ by the ministery of the word in this Church And shall we yet question whether it be a true floore or no upon a bare supposall that the Corne was not brought in at the right doone or that the boards were not layed right at the first whether a true Church or no because of some supposed failings in the first constitution The Argument happily is displeasing to some of you Let me tell you it is not pleasing to my selfe Had I not met with it so full that I could not baulke it without manifest injury to the Text and to sleighting of the generall current of Expositors writing upon it whose company I shall ever make much of I would not have fallen with it at present A word or two more to sweeten your pallates and I have done Is the Church Christs floore here is Comfort to the Church and to all that wish well to it The Church being his floore he will have an eye to it So will a faithfull servant have to his Masters floore he will have an eye to it that the Corne shall not be either stollen or ftroyed Such a faithfull servant will Christ approve himselfe unto God his Father Moses was faithfull in all Gods House and Christ will be faithfull in his Floore in looking to his Corne that it be not stroyed Threshed fanned winnowed it may be but stroyed it shall not be Not a Graine of Wheate shall miscarry in this Floore Expresse and emphaticall is that of the Prophet Amos in the place fore-named I will sift the house of Israel amongst all Nations like as Corne is sifted in a five yet shall not the least graine fall upon the earth Marke it Gods Corne may be sifted winnowed but not a graine of it shall fall to the earth If Wheate it shall not be stroyed Why Christ will have an eye to this floore to his Church not any true member of it shall perish or miscarry Of all that his Father hath given him he will loose nothing A word of Exhortation and but a word Is the Church Christs floore let him have the ordering of it and of all businesses in it This priviledge we will allow the Husbandman to order the businesse in his own floore Let Christ doe as much in his Church in ordering all the publick Ordinances in it And who but he should doe it It being his floore over which he hath an absolute Soveraignty So much for this time THE SECOND SERMON April 19. 1643. MATTH. 3. 12. And he will throughly purge his Floore WE have here set forth as you heard the last day the Exercise of the Soveraigne Authority of Jesus Christ over and upon his Church His Church that is here meant by the Floore the visible Church of Christ which in what respects it is called a floore and His floore I then shewed you Not to looke backe Come we now to the second particular to see what shall be done to this floore It shall be purged saith the Text throughly purged He will throughly purge his Floore Purge it Not cast it off not breake it up I like not that Surgerie saith one of our late Worthies which upon every aylement dismembreth and cutteth of I know not who would like that Husbandry which because of some chaffe in the floore would presently breake it up Not so purge it purge it This is Christs way let it be ours He will throughly purge his Floore The Church then shall be purged throughly purged This is that which the Lord promiseth to the Church of the Jewes Isa. 1. I will purely purge away thy drosse What ever it was that defiled or imbased that Church she should be purged from it and purely throughly purged This promise he will make good to his Church under the Gospell It shall be purged throughly purged Purged What shall it be purged from Who shall purge it When shall he purge it By what â—eans shall he purge it And wherefore will he so purge it Enquire we into every of these five particulars by way of Explication and Illustration To most of them to the foure first we shall find an answer in the Text Begin with the first From what shall this floore be purged The Text it selfe insinuates the answer from the Chaffe that is in it He will purge hâ— floore and will burne the chaffe First purge it out cast it out of the floore then burne it And from this shall the visible Church of Christ be purged from the chaffe that is in it What chaffe Take the word as we will understanding by it either corrupt persons or corruptions themselves Both in the phras and language of Scripture knowne by the name of chaffe Corrupt and wicked men they are chaffe The ungodly are like the chaffe saith the Psalmist Chaffe for their vilenesse barrennesse inconstancy c. As corrupt men so corruptions
What is the chaffe to the wheat saith the Lord Jer. 23. Gods truthâ—s as wheat sound and solid False Doctrines are as chaffe Such are corruptions in Doctrine and such are corruptions in worship and such are corruptions in Discipline all as chaffe that will not endure the Fanne of the word And from this chaffe shall this floore of Christ the Church be purged viz. both from corrupt men and from corruptions themselves 1. Corrupt wicked men Hypocrites and others they are in the Church as ill humours in the body In the body but not of it Joyning themselves to the mysticall body of Christ but no true Members of it And being such they shall be purged out Wicked men Hypocrites and others they are as Drosse and Tinne mixed with the good and pure mettall and being such they shall be purged out I will purge away thy drosse saith the Lord amongst other her corrupt Judges and Councellours which should be taken away Wicked men they are the Goates which now flock and feed together with the Sheepe Joyning themselves unto the people of God and having communion with them in many it may be in all the publike ordinances of God They are the Tares which grow up together with the wheat in the same field They are the chaffe which cleaving close to the Corne lyeth with it upon the same Goaffe upon the same heape Being so they shall be severed they shall be weeded purged out The Church shall be purged from corrupt men 2. And secondly from Corruptions themselves Corruptions there are and will be creeping in and cleaving to the state of the visible Church or Churches of Christ upon Earth Corruptions not only in manners which are personall but corruptions in Doctrine corruptions in worship corruptions in Discipline Church-corruptions Now from all these shall the Church be purged I will take away all your Tinne What ever it was that corrupted the state of that Church This will Christ doe for his Church under the Gospell He will purge away all her Drosse all her corruptions be they as I said in manners Doctrine worship Expresse and full is that of the Prophet Ezekiel Ezek. 36. 25. From all your filthinesse and from all your Idols will I cleanse you saith the Lord Cleanse them from their filthinesse from corruptions in manners â—hose spirituall pollutions and defilements From their Idols all corruptions in Doctrine in worship And let me adde also corruptions in Discipline too It is the Lords promise to the Church of the Jewes in that place fore-named Isa. 1. 26. I will purge â—â—ay thy â—rassv c. And I will restore thy Iudges as at the first and thy Counsellours as at the beginning And this will Christ doe for his Church under the Gospell He will restore her Judges as at the first and her Counsellours as at the beginning Restoring his Church to Primitive Order and Discipline purging out what ever corruptions are in this respect crept into it All this without question shall be done the Church shall be purged And throughly purged {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} perpurgabit Thus did Christ purge the Temple in the dayes of his flesh he made a thorough sweepage driving out all the buyers and sellers c. And thus will he purge his Church {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} He will throughly purge it Purge out All corrupt men and All corruptions I will purely purge c. Repurgabo ut purificationem so Montanus renders the place I will diligently and throughly purge thee as the Fornace or fining pot doth the silver This is that which the Prophet Malachi tels the Church Mal. 3. where prosecuting the same Allegory he sets forth the sedulity and exactnesse of Christ in this purging of his Church He shall sit downe to try and to fine the silver hee shall even fine the sonnes of Levi and purifie them as gold and silver Marke it full expressions Christ shall purge and purifie his Church and this he shall do both diligently and throughly Diligently not cursorily He shall sit downe to try c. As a man that intends a worke seriously he sitteth downe to it Throughly he shall try and fine and purifie c. The Prophet multiplieth words heaps up expressions all to intimate the throughnes the perfectnes of this work Gods works they are all perfect works As for God his way is perfect Psal. 18. Such they either are or such they shall be before he leave them Such was his worke of Creation perfect at the first Every thing which he had made was very good i. e. perfect Such shall his worke of new Creation be the worke of Regeneration though imperfect at the first yet before hee leave it it shall be perfect He who bath begun â— good worke in you will perfect it saith Paul to his Philiâ—pians The new birth though at the first â—n 〈◊〉 yet it shall grow to a perfect man This will Christ doe as for every true member of his Church The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me saith the Psalmist Psal. 1â—8 last so for the Church it selfe The â—â—w Heaven and th◠〈◊〉 Earth shall be as perfect as the old ever was He that hath begun the good worke of restoring purging his Church will also perfect it he will purge it throughly purge it He will doe it Who Why that shall the Lord Jesus Christ There have you the answer to the second enquiry which I am fallen upon unawares He shall throughly purge his floore saith the Baptist The floore is His as I have showen you and being so he will take care as for other things so for the purning of it To this end God the Father the great Husbandman hath put the Fanne into the hand of this his Servant that he should dresse his Corne purge his floore To this onâ— amongst other hath he given all Power and Authoriâ—y to him as over the whole world so over his Church after a speciall manner that he should purge it And this he will doe which is properly his worke He is like a purging fire and like Fullers soape saith the Prophet Malachi speaking of Christ Mal 3. 3. He shall sit downe to try c. He shall make it his worke to purge the Church And indeed who but he should doe it I who but he can doe it The purging of the Church is a great worke So was the purging of the Temple a greater worke then it is ordinarily apprehended Temple purgatiâ— maximum miraculum saith the Father The purging of the Temple it was one of the greatest miracles that ever Christ did in the dayes of his â—lesh That a private person so he was then accounted and taken to be nay a despicable person of so inferiour a ranke the Sonne of a Carpenter should come into the Temple with a whip in his hand
repeated the worke so he did it by degrees as the same Authour there observes First he casteth out the Sellers onely Joh. 2. 15. Then afterwards both buyers and Sellers Mat. 21. Mark 11. Luk. 19. The purging of the Church is not one act It is not to be done at once but by degrees The Moone having lost her light recovers it by degrees so shall the Church hers The purging and restoring of the Church is a continued worke and therefore Christ is said to fit at it in that place fore-named Mal. 3. He shall sit downe to try and to fine c. He fitteth downe to it Beginning and carrying it on here perfecting it hereafter And all this will he doe with and by his Fanne So I am fallen upon the fourth enquirie How Christ will doe this by what meanes by what Instrument The Text resolves it He will doe it by his Fanne Who hath his fanne in his hund and he will throughly purge his floore viz. by that his fanne even that threefold fanne which I spoke of the fanne of the Word the fanne of the Crosse the fanne of the last Judgement All these three Christ maketh use of for the purging of this floore his Church The two former he maketh use of here the fanne of the word the fanne of the Crosse whereof the latter is subservient to the former The chiefe Instrument which Christ maketh use of in this great purging worke is his Word This is that fire is not my Word as fire Whereby this Refiner tryeth and purgeth his mettall First discovering corruptions then consuming them Even as the fire first sheweth which is the drosse and then burnes it up Both these doth Christ by his Word First discovering corruptions by the light of it If Wood Hay Stubble be built upon the foundation the day will declare it Dies Evangelij the lightsome Doctrine of heavenly truth as divers Expositors expound that place it shall be revealed by fire viz. by the Word which examining and trying the Doctrines of men discovers the corruption that is in them And discovering them by the light of it he consumes them by the heate of it and that both personall and Church corruptions Both these Christ purgeth out of his floore by this fanne his Word Hereby it is that he hath already purged out so much Romish chaffe out of this floore so much of Antichristian Idolatry and superstition out of his Church And by this meanes he will purge out the rest He shall consume him with the breath of his mouth saith the Apostle speaking of Antichrist and Antichristianisme with the breath of his mouth i. e. spiritu Sermonis Evangelici saith Cajeâ—â—n rightly The Gospell preached This is that same {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} that sharpe two edged Sword going forth of the Mouth of Jesus Christ Even his Word in the mouth of his Ministers which is sharper then any two edged Sword Hereby it is that Christ goeth forth against all the Enemies of his Person and Kingdome wounding them slaying them Wounding them Tâ—ine Arrowes are sharpe in the heart of the Kings Enemies Arrowes shot out of that Bow in the hand of Jesus Christ wherewith he goeth forth through the world conquering and to conquer Rev. 6. viz. his Word his Gospell preached which is the powerfull instrument of Jesus Christ wounding the soules and consciences of such as oppose it And not onely wounding but slaying them He shall smite the Earth with the Râ—d of his Mouth saith the Prophet Isaiah and with the Breath of his Mouth shall he slay the wicked The Râ—d of Christs Mouth and the Breath of his lips is his Word his Gospell preached Hereby he smiteth the Earth that is the wicked and impenitent which are upon the Earth Smiteth them nay slayeth them Either killing sinne in them or them in their sinnes slaying them spiritually This doth Christ by his word which is unto all impenitent unbelievers a killing letter a deadly savour a savour of death unto death Of such effiâ—acie is this fanne in the hand of Jesus Christ Hereby he not onely discovers but also dissipateth and scattereth what ever chaffe he meeteth with in his floore And by this meanes purgeth it making use of his Word as the chiefe and principall Instrument in effecting this great worke True it is it must not be denied but that this fanne as I have heretofore said works the better when it hath the winge to helpe and second it The Word is made more powerfull and effectuall when it is backed by Discipline which rightly and duely exercised serveth as a winge to sweepe off such scandalous and obstinate offendours as doe despise the winde of this fanne such as will not yeeld obedience to the Word A usefull implement so it must be acknowledged The fanne will not make cleane worke without it Without it this floore will not be throughly purged And in this regard much to be desired But yet know we it not to be so absolutely and essentially necessary to the being of a Church as that the bare absence the want of the exercise of it for as for the power that cannot be taken away from the Church being by Christ himselfe given to it as a Church should make a nullity of a Church make it to be no Church Surely where the fanne is at worke there is Christ at worke purging his floore This being as I said the chiefe and principall Instrument and meanes whereby he effâ—cteth this great worke Not but that he also maketh use of that other Fanne the Fanne of the Crosse for the furthering of this work But this is accidentally The Crosse hauing no such purging property in it selfe otherwise then aâ— Christ is pleased to make use of it which he doth oâ—â—-times to this end Hereby purging out as personaâ—â— so Church-corruptions By this saith the Prophet Isaiah shâ—ll the iniquity of Jacob be purged By this viz. by Gods debating and contending with his Church in the branches thereof as the old â—ranslation readeth it by blowing upon it with a rough winde in the day of the East winde that is by his exercising of it with the strong and sharp winde of some sorâ— judgment which like an East wind nippeth and blasteth thâ—â—ud and the branch though not killing the Root Hereby saith the Lord shall the iniquity of Jacob the Church be purged Expiabiâ—â—r it shall be expiated purged not by way of satisfaction as our adversaries would carry it but by Repentance and Reformation which God would use this as a meanes to bring his Church and people unto thereby purging out their Idolatry and superstition with all the monuments of it which is properly the iniquity of Jacob there spoken of as may be gathered from the sequell Such use God often makes of this second Fanne where the former the Fanne of the Word taketh not place he sends the
latter the Fanne of the Crosse to second it making use of both for the Purging of his floore Thus he purgeth it Here But this purging is imperfect not yet a through-purging when shall that be When shall this Floore be throughly purged I have told you it already Hereafter at that last and great day that day of purification when Heaven and Earth shall be purified then shall this Floore the Church be purged throughly purged And this shall Christ doe by that third and last Fanne the Fanne of the last judgement Thereby shall he make a full and finall Separation separating the Goates from the Sheepe which here have gone with them in the same flocke fed with them in the same pasture Thereby shall he lever the Tares from the wheat which here grew up with it in the same field Hereby he will sever the chaff from the Corne which here lay with it upon the same heape And that he will doe throughly perfectly from thence forth for ever freeing his Church from all mixtures whether of corrupt-men or corruptions neither of which shall enter into the new and heavenly Jerusalem Thus will Jesus Christ purge his Floore his Church And wherefore will he so purge it That is the 5th and last Enquiry To which take the Resolution in a word This he will doe that he may have a glorious Church a Church sutable to the Head of it The Head of the Church is a glorious head a Head like that of Nebuchadnezzars Image all Gold fine and pure gold Such shall the Body be not part of brasse and part of Iron and part of Clay a mixed body as that was but all Gold pure Gold that it may be sutable to the Head A glorious body to a glorious Head To this end it is saith the Apostle That Christ sanctifieth and cleanseth his Church by the washing of water through the word that he may present it unto himselfe a glorious Church not having spot or wrinckle or any such thing any mixture but that it should be holy and without blemish Eph 5. 27. Thus have I runne over the Doctrinall part of this Conclusion That Christ will throughly purge his Church What Vse shall we make of it Time giveth not way to particular inlargements Neither indeed am I very willing to give way to them upon this subiect in this Congregation which if I should it would happily occasion some debates and disputes which my desire is as much as may be to decline and avoid Truth is I scarce know a Text in Scripture which offers a more fit and full occasion to the discussing of the differences and controversies of the time then this But such is my love to peace and desire of peace that I will not only not runne out my Text to fetch in differences but I shall as much as may be baulke and passe them by when I meet with them This I have hitherto done not medling in publike with any of those points of difference betweene us and those our brethren who doe hold communion with us As for that bitter errour of the Separation so I call it borrowing the word from St. James who informes me of a bitter zeale {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} of which nature I take this to be which is so farre distasted not only with the Church of England but with the Churches in England as that at once it rejecteth and renounceth them all as false and Antichristian apprehending it like to be the errour of the times dangerous to the Church and in particular to this place I confessâ— as I have met with it I have not spared it neither by the grace of God for the future shall But for what ever dâ—fferences there are betwixt us and those that will owne us for Brethren I have not yet touched upon them neither shall I willingly doe it wishing that herein I may find a like correspondence from others in this place that so Church-differences being laid aside as that dying Amasa once was and covered with silence the Lords people might be led on in their march to Heaven without diversion or interruption Upon this ground I shall forbeare inlargements Besides let me tell you All Truthes I though Gospell Truthes are not so fit for every audience For this I have Sâ— Pauls warrant to beare me out who writing to his Corinthians tels them that he had sed them with milke and not with meat Why For hitherto saith he yee were not able to beare it neither yet are ye able 1 Cor. 3. And such I take this subject to be which I have now in hand Church-Reformation A subject fit indeed to be handled before that Authority to which a Church-Reforming power is committed but not so fit for private Auditories Herein I cannot but applaud and approve the profession and practise of a reverend and worthy brother of ours a knowne Advocate for Church-Reformation who having preached a Sermon upon this very subject before the Honourable House os Commons at one of their Publike Fasts and at their command publishing it in his Epistle Dedicatory to them he tels them and the world that it was a subject which otherwise and in all other Auditories hâ— had beene silent in and yet was no whit sory for it Not but that the People ought also to know their duty herein So saith he and so say I and in that way shall I carry the Application which â— intend to make of it Will Jesus Christ thus throughly purge his floore why then let all and every of us every of us in our places doe what we may doe what we can for the furthering of this designe this great designe of Jesus Christ in and upon this and other of his Churches That this is his designe we comfortably hope Certainly one of these two it must be either Reformation or Desolation We trust not the latter though we have cause enough to feare it Our hopes are that Jesus Christ will not yet forsake this Floore of his where the Fanne of the Word hath bin so long a time at worke and where he hath so much wheat lying upon the Heape It is the Lords own Reason to Paul why he would not have him depart from Corinth but abide and preach there for saith he I have much people in this City Surely God hath much people a great people in this Kingdome A great people already called and brought in and we hope yet a greater to be called in Much Corne already threshed and more in the Straw This giveth us some comfortable hopes that he will not yet desert this Floore not yet leave this Church of his What then Purge it Purge it Reforme it Reforme it This we hope is the present designe of Jesus Christ at this day not to abandon not to cast up this Floore this Church of his but to purge it from what ever Chaffe of corruption is
yet remaining in it That there is Chaffe yet remaining in this Floore it must not be denyed Certainly were there not this Fanne the Fanne of the Crosse the Fanne of Judgement should not be so busie at worke as at this day it is and now for so many moneths hath been It is Jobs speech to his Friends Doth the wild Asse bray when hee hath grasse or doth the Oxe low over his fodder The very bruit beasts doe not complaine when they have what they would have Surely it cannot be but something must be amisse amongst us otherwise God would never deale with us and other of his Churches as at the present he doth Certainly we may hence conclude that as yet he hath not what he would have Something there is amisse amongst us and something which we hope he is about to reforme Questionlesse some scum there is in this Pot which whilest it hath bin plaâ—ing with so long a continued prosperity hath even boyled and sodden-in And hereupon it is we hope that God hath now powred in this full cup of cold-water that as he hath hereby in part raised this scumme already so he may in his time purge it out Some Chaffe in this Floore some Corruption in this Church which we trust Christ is about to purge out and reforme And doe we apprehend this to be his aime and Designe Let every of us further it vvhat vve can not hinder it Hinder it we cannot Which may serve as an argument to put us on to further it Hinder it if we would we cannot He will purge and throughly purge his floore This he will doe and that in despight of all opposition maugre the malice of Satan Antichrist and all their accursed Instruments and Adherents Let them all doe what they can either by power or pollicy to keepe the chaffe in the Floore of Christ yet Christ will purge it out And can we not hinder it Why then let us put to our hands to the furthering of it None of us in this case but may do something if we have hearts to the worke Quest But then What shall we doe A great usefull and seasonable Question but it will require more time for the resolution of it then is at the present allotted me Let me only tell you what my designe and purpose in the Answer of it is viz. to shew you these two things 1. What the Reformation is which we are to desire and seeke And secondly What we shall doe to further and compasse that Reformation Two usefull points The former I shall only touch upon in the generall having already bounded my selfe from particular inlargements upon this subject In the second I shall deale more distinctly and particularly but the time being now past taketh me off from present prosecution of either I shall adjourne them both if God please to another occasion THE THIRD SERMON May 3. 1643 MATTH. 3. 12. And he will throughly purge his Floore THe subject of the Text as you have already heard is Church-Reformation a great and a glorious worke the great designe as vve hope of Jesus Christ upon this and other of his Churches at this day Apprehending it so to be be we excited every of us to put to our hands in our severall places to doe what we may for the promoting and furthering of that designe in the Church of God amongst us This Exhortation I propounded the last day and give me now leave to prosecute it Doe what we may every of us for the furthering of this great Designe But what shall we do For answer hereunto I then chalked out the way wherein I intend now to walke which was first to shew you What that Reformation is which we are to seek Secondly What we shall doe to compasse that Reformation Begin with the first of these Qu What is that Reformation which amongst us is so desired and so desireable A question of great and present concernement other wise I should not so much as have medled with it Reformation it is the common Theame of the times No one thing more frequently more freely spoken of every where but my feares are not so clearely so distinctly understood by many it may be by some of them who seeme to be most zealous in the cause either for or against it To rectifie not to quenth or quell the zeale of the one to kindle and blow it up in the other I shall adventure to descend into or rather upon these troubled waters hovering over them as the Spirit is said to have done over those first waters Movebat super faciâ—m Mooving upon the face of the deepe or walking upon the surface of them as our Saviour once did upon the Sea not diving into them passing over the point as lightly as tenderly as overly as generally as with convenience I may Yet so as I may give some satisfaction to those which doe or shall desire it For resolution we must looke a little back casting an eye so far as with humble modesty we may upon the Churches deformation enquiring what chaffe there is yet left in this floore what Errours what Imperfections what corruptions there are or may be supposed to be left in this Church unpurged out unreformed Chaffe there is Errours Imperfections there are as what Church without Let that be granted yealded But wherein lye those Errours those Imperfections To find them out we shall not need to goe far about there are but two Rooâ—â—s two Chambers as I may say wherein we are to make search for them They must be either in matters of Faith or Order To these two heads the Apostle reduceth the whole businesse of a Church Col. 2. 5. Beholding your Order and the stedfastnesse of your Faith There are but these two maine things to be eyed in a Church the perfection of a Constituted Church consisting in them Faith and Order the two great supporters of a Church like those two Pillars in the Porch of Solomons Temple Jachin and Boaz Establishment and Strength as the words signifie Faith Doctrine or the Doctrine of Faith the right-hand pillar the maine and principall thing in a Church So much the Apostle there insinuates in that he calleth it {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Firmamentum fidei as the vulgar Latin renders it The Firmament the Ground-worke and Foundation of Faith Such is the Doctrine of Faith to the Church Totius adificij {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} i. e. Fulcimentum as Beza glosseth upon it The maine Basis or Buttresse of this Building the maine Pillar of the Church Faith and the Church they are mutuall Pillars each a Pillar to other the Church a Pillar to Faith and Faith a Pillar to the Church but in a different respect The Church is a Pillar to Faith The Pillar of Truth modo forensi a Pillar houlding it forth as Pillars doe the publick Edicts or Proclamations which
what they want and would have as that in the meane time they sleight if not forget what ever they already have as little or nothing worth this may nay it cannot but provoke the God of Heaven against them and it may be for their sakes against the Nation causing him to with-hold from it that good which otherwise he intended towards it Herein let me use a ministeriall {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} an awefull â—oldnesse Give me leave to discharge my thoughts freely My feares are I wish they may prove Pannick and groundlesse feares that this one sinne of unthankefullnesse the commonnesse whereof I feare begins to take away the sense of it in â—leighting undervaluing if not over-looking and forgetting the spirituall mercies which we have will doe more in putting from us then all our Prayers can in pulling to us the mercies which we would have What â—s all that God hath hitherto done for us nothing or as good as nothing That he hath brought his Church amongst us as a Vine out of Aegypt give me leave to goe along with the Psalmist running descant upon his words Psal. 80. enterlacing there with some passages of the Prophet Isaies Isa. 5. A vine out of Aegypt that Romish Aegypt Casting out the Heathen those Romish Idolaters and planting it I planting it in a very fruitfull Hill a place plentifull and abundant That he hath made roome for it inclining and inlarging the hearts of Princes and People to the receiving and imbracing of the Gospell causing it to take root to be established by a law in so much as it filled the land and the hils were covered with the shadow thereof it became a Nationall Church making the boughes thereof like the Cedars of God the goodly Cedars the Members thereof many of them Saints and that glorious ones in their personall walkings Thus planting it that hee should fence it making a hedge a wall about it fencing it by his owne gracious providence and protection Not suffering the wilde Boare out of the wood to waste it nor the wilde beast of the field to devoure it enemies fierce and potent to prevaile against it though often assailing it Thus planting thus fencing it that he should build a Tower and a wine-presse in it furnish it with all necessaries for the Churches subsistence and his peoples salvation What is all this nothing or as good as nothing and all because there are as yet some stones in this Vineyard left ungathered out or because there wants a Pruning-knife for the pruning and taking off of superfluous Branches or some other Instruments or Implements of like nature commodious and usefull for the Culture and dressing of this noble Vine What hath God not onely layed the foundation of his House amongst us but raised up the walles thereof to such a conspicuous and envied height And not only so but furnished it with such store of necessary Temple-furniture placing his Arke amongst us which alone maketh a Temple where ever it resteth as the Kings personall residence doth the Court giving to us those {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} as S. Stephen calleth them those living lively Oracles of his Law and Gospell Speaking to us so plainly so familiarly so powerfully as never to any Church any Nation under Heaven more In so much as we may herein say as Moses once of his Israel What Nation is there or hath there beene to which God hath come so nigh as he hath done to us He hath placed his Arke amongst us the Glory of a Church the glory of a Nation To whom pertained the glory saith Paul speaking of the Arke Besides this he hath furnished this House of his with those necessary pieces an Altar a Laver a Table an Altar for Sacrifice a Laver for Washing a Table for Shew-bread not unaptly representing to us those great Ordinances of God Prayer and the Sacraments Prayer offered up upon that Golden Altar in and onely in the Name and mediation of Jesus Christ Sacraments Baptisme that {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} as S. Paul calleth it the Laver of Regeneration The Lords Supper shâ—wing and setting forth unto us that true Shew-bread that Bread which came downe from Heaven the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ All these we have and I think it will be acknowledged at all hands that we have them for substance rightly dispenced and administred And is all this nothing â—or as good as nothing and all for want of some other usefull utensiles Suppose a Beesome a Shovel a paire of Snuffers Temple furniture too A Beesome to sweepe the Floore a Shovel to cast out the Dust or Ashes Snuffers to toppe the Lights to make them burne the cleareâ— all excellently shadowing out that usefull Ordinance of Christ the Censures of the Church rightly dispensed And what for want of these all nothing What hath Jesus Christ brought his Fanne into this Floore purging out so much Chaffe and Drâ—sse of Antichristian Idolatry and Superstition wherewith the face thereof was so wholly overspread and covered fanning and dressing up so much Corne here giving such liberty and efficacy to the Faâ—â—e of his Word amongst us and is all this nothing or as good as nothing and that because of some remainders of Chaffe in this Floore or for want of a Wing to back and second the Fanne Oh my Bretheren what unparalleld ingratitude is this How should it be but that such unthankfullnesse should even cause repentings in Heaven moove God to repent if not of what he hath done yet of what he may have intended to doe Surely so would it worke with us to see all our former kindnesses sleighâ—ed and forgotten as nothing woâ—â—h and all because they are not seconded with a continued succession of new favours Would it not make us at the least stay our hands for the future Let our own hearts herein tell us what we may expect and looke for from that God who is in this kind every day so highly provoked Which that we may prevent withall procuring further Grace and Favour from him towards this endeared Church of his for the perfecting of the great and good worke which he hath begun in it and the completing of it with what ever Ordinance or Ornament it yet wanteth learne we to set a higher price upon what already we have Learne we to cry Grace Grace to every stone in this Building Not to the Top-stone onely As it is said of Zerubbabel Zach. 4. He shall bring forth the Top-stone oâ— Head-stone thereof with shoutings crying Grace Grace unto it Thus happily many amongst us would be ready to doe could they see the Head-stone the Top-stone brought forth the Finiall of the House the Pin clâ— of the Temple set up the worke of Reformation perfected this they would entertaine with joyous Acclamations and shoutings crying Grace Grace to it But in the meane time as for that
Church a floore for the Husbandry used in it Isa. 21. 10. Here the fanne of the Word at worke The Church Christs floore By Donation Psalm 2. 8. ver. 6. Iosh. 17. 12. By Purchase â— Sam. 24. Act. 20. 18. In regard of his presence in it Ruth 3. 7. Cant 1. 6. ver. 7. Providence over it in Watching the Corne Mat. 24. 24. Psal. 121. 4. Ordering the businesse in it Vse 1. Anabaptists conâ—uted Vid Fâ—lk and â—â—rtvvright super Text. 1 Cor. 5. 10. Vse 2. Be not offended at mixtures in the Church amongst us Mixtures not pleaded for 1 Cor. 5. 7. But the Church Mat. 23. 16. ver. 3. Ioh. 11. 49. Hose 4. 9. Object The Church of Englâ—nâ— a true Church Quest Answ A 〈◊〉 Church how known Object Acts 17. 16. Answ The ordinary and setle spreaching of the Word a note of a true Church Vse 3. Comfort Christ will have an eye to this his Floore Heb. 3. 2. Amos 9. 9. Ioh. 6. 39. Vse Exhortation Let Christ have the ordering of it Banâ—â— Epist. 24 Doct â—hrists Floore his Church shall be purged and that throughly Isa. 1. 25. Purged Quest 1. From what shall it be purged Answ From the chaff viz Corrupt men corruptions Psal 1. penult Ier. 23. 28. From corrupt men Isa. 1. 26 Mat. 25. 32 33. Mat. 13 38. Rev. 21. ult. Corruptions Isa. 1 Isa. 1. 2â— Throughly purged Mat. 21. 12. Isa. 1. 25. Mal. 3. 3. Gods way perfect Ps. 18. 30. Gen. 1. last Phil 1 6. Eph. 4. 13. Isa. 65. 17. Quest 2. Who will purge it viz Christ Ioh. 1â— 1. Isa. 53. 1â— Mat. 28. 18. Mal. 3. 3. None but hecan doe it The through purging of the Church a great worke Hieron. Rom. 1. 4. Dionis Cart has in 2 Joh. To purge it from all corruptions Act. 1â— 29. From all corrupt persons Heb. 4. 13. Specially the casting out of Antichrist 2 Thes. 2. 4. Rev. 17 9. 2 Thes. 2. 4. 2 Thes. 2. 8. The through purging of the Church an argument of Christs Divinitie Parâ—us aâ—l loc. Calv. in Isa. 1. 25. Quest 3. When shall the Church be purged Act. 1. 6. The purging of the Church a continued work begun and carried on here perfected hereafter Ioh. 2. 15. Mat. 21. 12. Mark 11. 15. Luk 19. 45. Mal. 3. 3. Quest 4. How Christ purgeth it viz. by hu Fanne Scultet exercit super Textum Ventilabrum in manu Christi triplex 1. Doctrinae 2. Crucis 3. Iudicij Properly the Fanne of the Word Iâ—r â—3 29. 1 Cor. 3. 12 13. 2 Thes. 2. 8. Rev. 1. 16. Heb. 4. 1â— Psal 45. 5. Rev. 6. â— Isa. â—1 4. 2 Cor 3. 6. 2 Cor. â— 16. Accompanied with the wing of Discipline Accidentally â—y the Fanne oâ— the Crosse Isa. 27 9. ver. 8. ver. 9. Mat. 25. 32. Mat. 13. 30 Rev. 2â— 27. Quest 5. Wherefore shall it be so purged viz. that it may be a glorious Church Dan 2. 32. Ephes 5 27. Introduction to Application James 3. 15. 2 Sam. â—0 12 13. 1 Cor 3 2. T. G. Zerobabels Incâ—uragement Vse Doe what wee may to further this designe of Iesus Christ upon this Church viz. the Purging Reforming of it Act. 18. 10 Iob 6. 5. Ezek 24. 6. Psal 73. 10. Motive Christs worke cannot be hindered Quest What shall wee doe Vse Quest What Reformation to be â—esired in this Church Gen. 1. 2. Mat. 14. 25. Answ The Churches Imperfection wherein it consisteth Ezek. 8 12. It must be either in Faith or Order Col. â— 5. Faith and Order the two main Pillars of a Church Duo ponit Apostolus quibus constat Eccleâ—iâ— perfectio Beza ad â—ocuâ— 1 King 7 21. Faith the right-hand Pillar Ibid. 1 Tim. 3. 15. Order the left-hand Pillar Naz Col. 2. 5. Order of the Essence of a Church Ex quibus veluâ—i generalibus partibus constat Ecclesia Beza Ibid. Ames Medul lib. 1 cap. 33. Cant. 6. 10. Some Perfection of Order of great concernement to a Church Isa. 9. 7. Church-Order der wherein it consists viz. in 3. things Dâ—venâ—t 〈◊〉 Calvin super Col. 2. 5. Vnitie in Iulgment and Affection Phil. 2. 2. ver. 20. Regulatitie in life and convensation Tit. 2 12. 2 Thes. 3. 6. Discipline 2 Chron. â—9 35. 1 Cor. 14 â—lt The Church of England defective not in points of Faith Zerubbabels IncouragemeÌ„t by T. G. But Order viz. In Vnity Ioh. 17. 21. Regularity 2 Pet 2. 13. Iude 1â— Discipline Of what nature these supposed imperfections are Not Fundamentall T. G. Ibid. But for the most part Circumstantiall These Errours and Imperfections of great concernment The Inconvenienâ—y of tolerating them Iudg. 5. 15 16. Col. 1. 24. 1 Cor. 5. 6. 1 Chron. 13. ver. 10. 1 Chro. 15. 13 The Conveniency of their Reformation 1 King 7 48 49 50. Isa. 5. 1 2. Quest 2. Wâ—aâ— shall private Christians do â—o further this worke Direct 1 â—e thankfull for mercies enjoyed Cant. 1. 6. Exod. 16. 15. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Numb. 11. 6. ver. 4. Inordinate lusting though after things in their owne nature very desirable of dangerous consequence ver. 33. ver. 34. What great things God hath done for the Church already Ps. 80. 8. Isa 5. 1. Psal. 8. â— ver 9. ver. 10. Isa. 5. 2. Psal. 80. 13. Isa. 5. 2. Acts 7. 38. Deut. 4. 7. Rom. 9. 4. Tit 3. 5. Exod. 27. 3. â— King 7. 40 â—0 Our unthankfulnesse for Mercies received a daÌ„gerouâ— presage Zach. 4 7. Grace Grace ingraven upon every stone in this Building Ezra 3. 11. Zâ—ch 4. 10. Vse A Caution Doe not thinkâ— our selves perfect Phil. 3. 12. Rev. 3. 17. Rev. 2. 4. 14 20 Rev. 3. 8. Church perfection here is but comparative Rev. 22. 8. Gal. 2. â— Phil 3. 13. Direct 2. Mourne over Imperfections Ezek. 9 4. Luk. 19. 41. Ezra 3 12. Direct 3. Begin the work of Reformation at home Luk. 23. 28. Reforming our selves 2 Tim. 2. 21. ver. 22. Iam. 4 8. Our Fanilies Philem 2 Gen. 17. last Iosh. 24. 15. Psal. 101. 7. ver. 8. Cant. 1. 6. Direct 4. Seeke Reformation by prayer and supplications To God Phil. 4. 6. Mat 9 last Jer. 15. 9. Jer. 48. 10. To Men Direct 5. Quietly wait for it Lam. 3. 2â— Isa. 4â— 4. ver. 4. Not precipitating it Gen 18. 10 14 Eccl. 3. 1. Heb 9. 10. Isa. 28. 16. Gen. 27. Not Anticipating it by taking the Fanne out of the hand of Christ himselfe Mat. 13. â—9 30. His Officers which are Magistrates Ministers Ezr. 3. 2. Cap. 3. 2. Cap. 5. 2. Cap. 6. 14. Cap. 6. 14. Cap 3. 8 9. 2 Chro. 29. 4 5 The Fan taken out of their hands by Rash censuring Ioh. 7. 51. Lev 13. Aynsvvorth Ann. Lev. 13 3. Deut. 21. â— Eze. 44 23 24. ver. 24. Act. 23. 3. Deut. 17. 9. ver. 11. Luk. 12. 14. Mal. â—7 Vnwarrantable Reforming Ioh. 2. 18. Calv. ad loâ—um Exod. 32 20. â— Kin. 18. 4. 2 King 23. 6. In publicâ— administratione fas non est quicquid mutare sine certâ vocatione ac mandato Dei Calv. in Ioh. 2. 18. Si ad corruptelas tollendas privatus homo manum admovet temeritatis arguetuâ— Ibid. Direct 6. Humbly submit to it Act. 15. ver. 28. ver. 29. Calv. ad loâ—um ver. 31. 1 Cor. 14. last 2 Cor 108. chap 13. 10. Deut. 17. ver. 8. 9 10 11. Heb. 13 17. Conclusion Ioh. 15. 1. Isa. 53 1â— Rev. 21. 2.