the Church of GOD shall stand for euer And when all the glory of the world shall vanish quite away like a flash of fire and when all her desperate malicious and irreconciliable enemies shall vtterly be destroyed then shall she shine as the Sunne and obtaine her perfect glory and liue for euer with the Lord in all ease and happinesse free from all sinfull and earthly miseries whatsoeuer Fourthly wheras all other fields and houses are materiall outward and earthly this field and this house is mysticall celestiall and spirituall and may bee so called in all these regards ensuing First because the Spirit of God doth husband her and dwell in her Secondly because her whole frame is spirituall her chiefest ornameÌ„ts are inward and inuisible The kings daughter is all glorious within saith the Psalm Thirdly the meanes which God vseth for her building repairing trimming flourishing and câ—â—tinuing are not earthly but spirituall and of a nature far differing from worldly helps and humane inuentions Fourthly the seruice and worship which ought to be performed in her is spirituall And lastly all the good workes which she doth are spirituall All the good workes which we or any of her faithfull members do performe are meerely good so far forth as they do proceed from the Spirit of God who is goodnesse it selfe and the author of all our goodnesse And the euill which is in them commeth from our owne home-bred corruptition which is not in this life cleansed cleane away vnlesse it be because it is forgiuen vs and not imputed to vs. And to conclude the Church is said to be a field an house not fields and houses For the Church is but one body one perfect house and one entire and absolute field She hath but one Lord one Architect one Redeemer one absolute Husbandman and Inhabitant one common saluation one religion one Head one Husband one way to heauen according to that of S Paul There is one body one Spirit one faith one Lord one baptisme one God and father And this hath also been the doctrine of former ages Theodoretus saith quest 44. in Num. As the Vnicorne hath one horne so the people truly religious adoreth one onely God And for the vnity of her head Gregory saith that The whole holy vniuersal Church is on Body set vnder Christ Iesus as her Head For Christ with his whole Church both militant triumphant is one person Nazianzene saith There is one Christ one head of the Church Thirdly concerning the vnity of the Spirit Gregory saith that As there is one soule which doth quicken the diuerse members of the body so one Holy Spirit doth quicken and illustrate the whole Church Fourthly for the vnity of faith and outward confession Eucherius saith that As a bundle is bound with bands so all the company of the Saints are bound together with one and the same faith hope and charity compassed with one muniment of diuine protection And as Leo teacheth there is one orison and one confession of the whole Church Finally touching the vnity of Baptisme There is one faith saith Hierome one Baptisme And so withall for the vnitie of her God Iustinus saith There is one true God of all which is acknowledged in the Father Sonne and holy Spirit Our faith saith Cyril receiueth no number of Gods but there is one God the Father and to the same vnitie pertaineth the Sonne and the Holy Ghost Hauing now opened the words and giuen the sense let vs see what lessons we may learne out of them CHAP. 2. The Church of God is Gods house and husbandry Doct. 1 THESE wordes do naturally without wresting affoord vs two notable doctrins The former is that the true church of God which is the coÌ„pany of Beleeuers is Gods House and Husbandry This is plaine by the text as also by other like places of Scripture Know ye not saith Paul that ye are the Temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you And speaking to Timothy he saith These things I write that thou maist know how to behaue thy sefe in Gods House which is the Church of the liuing God And plaine reason sheweth as much For it is not her owne she is not the Lady of her selfe Ye are not your owne saith Paul for ye are bought for a price Neither is the Church a tenement or possession belonging to any Angell or to any Man excepting onely the man Christ who is the Angell of the couenant and her only Lord Head She is not the field of the sluggard which Salomon speaks of She is not the house of wickednesse and sinne For Christ gaue himselfe for her that hee might make her holy and purge her from her sinnes with his bloud Therefore he saith vnto her Thou art all faire my loue and there is no spot in thee Neither is shee the house and field of the Diuell For Christ hath purchased her vnto himselfe Therefore she saith My welbeloued meaning Christ is mine and I am his I am my welbeloueds and his desire is towards me And Christ speaking vnto her cals her his loue his sister his spouse therefore surely the Liuell hath no interest in her and no title to her The conclusion then remaineth firme that as the Temple of Ierusalem was dedicated to be an house vnto the Lord alone euen so the Church is built and consecrated vnto him only that she may be his House to dwel in as a field to husband dispose of as he in his wisedome seeth most conuenient Thus much for the doctrine let vs now se how we may apply it for our benefite and edification CHAP. 3. Sundry vses are made of the consideration of these two titles together THe vses which we ought to make of the former doctrine are of two sorts Some arise from the consideration of these 2 titles giueÌ„ to the Church together some froÌ„ them being coÌ„sidered apart by themselues Of the former company are these that follow First we haue here one of the roialties and royall priuiledges of the faithfull For they and they onely to speake properly are Gods house husbandry For the Father hath elected them only the Son hath redeemed them onely the holy Ghost doth regenerate them onely God the Father Sonne and holy Ghost doth dwell in them onely in regard of the presence of his speciall grace and efficatious operation vnto eternall life For as concerning the Reprobates they are the very sinks of sin the dennes of the Diuell and the quagmyres of iniquity predestinated to eternall distruction Some of them I confesse may thinke themselues to be of Gods house and to belong vnto his field but their imagination is like the fond and false conceipt of some Melancholique persons that haue thought their bodies to haue beene made of glasse and that euery faire house was theirs which they passed
wickednesse and he will not alwaies winke at it The Lord is not so slow but he is as sure Lento gradu ad vindictam ira diuina procedit sed tarditatem supplicij grauitate iudicii compensat Though it be long before he strike yet he striketh home when he doth strike and recompenseth his slacknesse with his sharpnesse It will not serue their turnes when they haue committed sacriledge to wipe their mouthes with the adulterous woman and to say Wee haue not committed iniquity or to thinke with those in the Psalme God hideth away his face and will neuer see For the Lord regardeth all that is done His eyes are vpon all the waies of men His throne saith Dauid is in the heauen his eies will consider his eie-liddes will try the children of men The wicked and him that loueth iniquity doth his soule abhorre Wherefore brethren be now admonished with all lowlinesse and truth of heart to reuerence your Ministers to obey their Ministery to imitate their vertues to countenance them and pray for them And robbe them not of that which in conscience is their right but rather straine your selues that they may not lacke but haue sufficient maintenance to mainetaine their estates to the credit of their calling which is most honorable and holy And so doing you shall animate and incite them to walke diligently in their office you shall remoue mâ—ny troubles impediments from them you shall adorne your high calling you shall declare your loue to the Gospell your subiection to the Word you shall stop the mouthes of the wicked and shew your selues vnlike to them and like to the godly deuout of former ages you shall demonstrate your honour honorable conceipts of Gods honorable holy Embassadours finally you shall draw others on to do their duty by your Christian ensample and so glorifying God you shall be glorified of God with that glory which of his grace in Christ he hath from all eternity prepared for his Saints This shal suffice for the office and honour of Ministers It remaineth now to speake of the office and honour of the People contained in the words ensuing Trin-vni Deo gloria 1. COR. 3.9 Ye are Gods Husbandry ye are Gods Building CHAP. 1. The words are explained and their sense declared THE Apostle hauing shewed the Corinthians what he was with the rest of his fellow-ministers he doth in these words shew them also what they themselues are Now before we weigh anchor and launch forward with our vessels into the deepe it wil be first conuenient for vs to break the ice by the explicatioÌ„ of the words to prepare a way for the collection application of the doctrines Ye Euen ye Corinthians ye that are not Iewes but Gentiles yea ye that are ouer-carnall and something factious of what sex or sort soeuer Are Ye are now Gods Husbandry and Building notwithstanding those infirmities which I reprehend and dislike in you Gods The word God vsed properly is sometimes taken personally as in Iohn 3.16 for God the Father in the Acts 20.28 for God the Sonne and in the Acts. 5.3.4 for God the holy Ghost Which three are not three seuerall Gods but three distinct persons subsisting in the Godhead For there is but one God in nuÌ„ber And sometimes also this word is taken essentially as in Iohn 4.24 And so it may be very fitly taken as I thinke in this text And so by God we may vnderstand all the three persons to whom the Godhead doth in common without inequality diuision and transmutation appertaine For the Scriptures plainly teach that we are an house belonging to them all We are the Fathers house Ephes 2.22 And the Sonnes house Eph. 3.17 Heb. 3.6 And the holy Ghosts 1. Cor. 3.16 and 6.19 All things whatsoeuer that are not meerely wicked belong vnto them equally by vertue of their absolute Lordship and dominion ouer all Husbandry The originall word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 translated huâ—bandry doth properly signify a field or peece of ground tilled husbanded and wrought vpon or a field on which the husband-man bestowes his worke and labour Building the Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 translated Building hath three distinct significations in the new Testament First it signifieth the action of building in a metaphoricall signification as in the 2. Cor. 10.8 And in Ephes 4.12 Secondly it signifieth the things which do build or edify spiritually as in the 1. Cor. 14.3 Thirdly it signifieth a thing builded or an house as in Mat. 24.1 And in the 2. Cor. 5.1 And so the word is vsed in this text Now the Church of God for this speech of Paul is not exclusiue but includeth all faithfull Christians in all other Churches besides as appeareth by comparing this place with Ephes 2.21 and 1. Tim. 3.15 and 1. Pet. 2.5 I say the Church of God may be compared to a field and Hâ—use for the proportion congruity that is betwixt them which is manifold First fields haue their boundes and houses haue their compasse or limits which they cannot passe and so hath Gods Church Secondly euery field is layed and limited by some man euery house hath her compasse set her by some man or other so it is with Gods Church The Lord hath appointed her bounds hath giuen her a compasse which she shall not transcend and passe Thirdly euery field is taken in ouâ— of the open champion or common by some man For no field can make it selfe especially no plowed-field There must needs be a man to make it and to appoint it to such an vse And as euery house is built by some body so is the Church God hath taken her in out of the vast wildernesse of this wicked world he hath imparked her with the pales of his mercy he doth fence her in with the quickset hedge of his gracious protection he doth separate her froÌ„ al other grounds and make her the field and garden of his owne delight And the same God also doth build and reare her vp to be an house or temple The Lord saith the Psalmist doth build vp Ierusalem and gather together the dispersed of Israel He healeth those that are broken in heart and bindeth vp their sores As by him we receiue the life of nature so likewise by him we do receiue the life of grace He breatheth into vs the breath of life corporal and spirituall He is the fountaine of all liuing waters the root from which the iuce of true Christian life doth issue and proceed vnto vs. And as we are made men by him so are we also made new men and therefore Paul cals vs his workmanship For he doth hew vs out of the rocke Christ Iesus He cuts vs and squares vs out He reares vs vp and ioynes vs together by the bond of his Spirit and by the links of true loue as it were with pins and with lime soulder And
with all thy graces Open our eyes that we may see thy will and incline our hearts to follow it Direct vs in thy waies and keepe vs from declining from thee Teach vs so to frame our liues before thee in this word that we may liue for euer with thee in the world to come Be merciful O Lord we beseech thee to thy Church and to all her faithfull members comfort them with thy comforts and inrich them with thy graces Blesse this kingdome wherein we liue pardon the sins of all estates amongst vs and continue thy Gospell to vs and to our posterity to the end of the world Looke vpon thine annointed Iames our souereigne Lord king adorne his heart with all regall and Christian vertues vphold his scepter prolong his reigne laugh his foes to skorne Blesse our gracious queene Anne Prince Henry and the rest of their princely progeny Be mercifull to all other orders amongst vs aswell Ecclesiasticall as Ciuill and as thou aboundest in thy mercies towards vs so grant that we may striue to abound in all thankfulnesse towards thee Finally O Lord for our selues we beseech thee to take vs to thy fatherly protection pardon the weakenesse of our praiers watch thou ouer vs to our good giue vs such rest sleep that we may be the fitter enabled to serue thee the next day in our general and speciall callings Heare holy Father from the heauens and grant vs all these our requests for Iesus Christ his sake thine onely Sonne and our onely Sauiour to whom with thee and thine holy Spirit one most wise glorious and eternall God be rendred all power praise glory this night for euer Amen Trin-vni Deo gloria FINIS Deut. 32.11 Deut. 32.13 Deut. 32.5 15.21 Ex. 8 3.14 Nouem 5. An. 1605. 1. Cor. 3.16 1 Thes 5.23 a 2. Cor. 11.2 b Chedia 1â— c 2. â—â—g 18. d 2. Paulus e Iesse 1. Salamo a Acts. 8.3 b 1. Tim. 1.12 c Gal. 1.13 d Gal. 1.15.16 e Zach. 2.8 f 1. Tim. 1.13 g Ps 19.13 i 1. Tim. 13 Acts. 9.1 k Rom. 11.33.34 l Is 50 2. a Gal. 1.1 b 1. Cor. 4.7 c Psa 75.6 d 1. Chron 29.12 Iob. 32.8 Iam 1.5 e Prou. 29.23 Mat. 23.12 Iames. 4.6 f Iosh 10.13 g Isay 38.8 h Mat. 7.2 i 1. Cor. 3.7 k 1. Pet. 5.5 l Matth. 2. m 1. Câ—r 16.10.11 n Mat. 25. o Gal. 5.13.26 a 1. Cor. 4.13 b Exod. 20.18.19 c Gen. 22.1 d Gen. 22.12 e Act. 16.14 f Luk. 8.15 g 2. Cor. 4.7 h Rom. 1.16 i 1. Cor. 1.21 k Gal. 1.8 l 1. Cor. 1.21 m Ps 68.70 n Amos. 7.15 o Mat 4 19. p 1. Cor. 4.9.13 q 2. Cor. 5 20. r 2. Cor. 5.18 a 2. Tim. 4.10 a 1. Tim. 3.1 b Eph. 6.17 c 1. Chron. 15.2 d Ezeck 3.20 a Mat. 20. c Heb. 5.4 d Luk. 10.2 e Rom. 10.15 f Ier. 23.21 g Num. 4.19 Ministers must 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a 2. Tim. 2.15 b 2. Cor. 4.2 c 2. Cor. 1.12 d 2. Cor. 2.17 e 2. Cor. 6.3 f 2. Tim. 1.13 g 2. Tim. 2.22 h 1. Tim. 3.2.3 In Mat. 25. i Exod. 28.30.36 k Gen. 6.14 l Exod. 35.38 m Mat. 7.5 n Ps 50.16.17 o Mal. 2.9 p Reu. 3.1 q Exod. 27.20 r Ps 93.5 Isay 52.11 Å¿ Ps 25.14 u Mar. 10. â— Leuit. 6.13 x Mat. 5.16 y Mat. 5.13.14 z Eccl. 5â— 6.7.10 a Mar. 6.20 b 1. Tim. 4 1â— c Act. 20 28. d 1. Cor. 9 27. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 e Rom. 2 2â— f Lu. 12.47 g Iam. 4.17 h Ier. 23.15 i Ier. 23 28. a Heb. 4 1â— b 1. Tim 3.2 2. Tim. 2.24 c 2. Tim. 2 d Math. 6.22 Mat. 5.14 e Iam. 1.1 f Isay 50.4 g Mal. 2.7 h Lam 4.4 Lam. 2.11 12.19 i Pro. 29 1â— k Mal. 2.7 l Mat. 15.14 a 1. Cor. 4.2 b 2. Tim. 4.2 c Ier. 48.10 d Pro. 27.23 e Iob. 1.7 f 1. Pâ—t 5.8 g Mat. 23.15 h Pro. 27.18 i 2. Thes 3.10 k Act. 20.20.27.31 l Act. 20.28 m Ephes 4 12. 1. Pet. 5.2 n Gen. 31.40 o Ezek. 16.49 p Pastoris est pascere nâ—n deglubere q 2. Cor. 12 14. r 1 Cor. 9.17 Å¿ 2. Cor. 11.23 t Iude. 3. u Reu. 2.2 u Pro. 11. â—6 x Pro. 27.18 y Exod. 8.24 z Act. 20.30 a Isa 65.5 b Iudg. 15 4. Note c 2. Cor. 8.12 d Gal. 6.7 e Ier. 17.10 f Heb. 4.13 g Iob 42.2 h Heb. 10.31 a 2. Cor. 9.7 b 1 Chron. 29.6.9 c 1 Cor. 9.17 d Iob. 20.12 Prou. 4.16 f 1. Pet. 5 2 g Act. 2â— 24 a Neh. 4.17 b Eph. 6.12 c Ier. 1.17 d Ez. 3.9 e Ier. â— 8 f Tit. 2.15 g Isai 58.1 h Mich. 3 8. i Kin. 18.18 k 2. Sam. 2.9 l Isay 50.7 m Isay 50.6 n For sheep maâ— be driuen to the â—acks but Lions must be fed at the staues end lest â—hey feed on them that would â—â—ed them o Isa 58.1 p Gal. 6.1 2 Tim. 2.25 a Gen. 15.11 b 2. Cor 4 1. c Psa 119.105 d 1. Pet. 2.5 e Ouid. f 2. Pet. 1.13 g 1. Tim 4 13.15.16 h Mat. 20.8 i Eccl. 11.6 k Gal. 6.9 l Nehe. 9 12. m Exâ— 27.20 n Psal 15. o Ex. 29.38 p Isa 62.6 7. q Luk. 9 62. a Psal 94.4.5 b Psal 5.9 Psal 10.7 c Is 59.8 d 1. Tim. 3.2 Tit. 1.7 e 1. Cor. 11.16 f Mar. 3. 24 25 g 1. king 3.26 h Nehe. 4. i Iosephus k 2. Tim. 3.24 l 1. Ioh. 4.8 â— Thes 5.22 m Rom. 12 18. n Ouid. o Rom. 12.16 p Rom. 15.1 q 1 kings 21.3 r Mat. 10.16 Tit. 1.8 Å¿ Rom. 15 5. t Eph. 5.23 u Eph. 4.3 Gal. 5 26. Eph 5.27 w Luk. 23.12 Act. 4.27 x Rom. 15.6 y Morbida sâ—la â—ecus totum â—orrumpit ouiâ—e z Mark 9.10 a Psa 133.1 b Ioh. 13.35 c Virg. a Iohn 15.1 b Heb. 3.4 c 1 Cor. 3.6 d Psal 127. â—1 e 1 Cor. 15.10 f 1 Pet. 5.10 g 2 Cor. 5.19 h 2 Cor. 2 15.16 a Isa 55.11 b 2. Cor. 2.15.16 c Isa 50.7 d Ier. 1.8.18.19 e Eze. 2.3 â— Acts 18 9.10 f Iosh 1.5 Heb 13 7. h Heb. 1.12 i â—am 1.17 Isa 46.10.11 k Psa 84.12 a 1. Cor. 3 8 b Dan. 12.3 c 2. Tim. 4.7.8 h Pet. 5.4 e Mat. 10 â—1 f Mat. 20.8 a 2 Cor. 3 9. b 2 Cor. 5.2 18. Act. 20.28 1 Cor. 12.28 c Iob 25.6 d Isa 57.15 e Iob 33.23 f Psal 116.12.17 g Psa 145.2 h Psâ— 4.3.8 i 1. Sam. 2.30 k Leuit. 10.3 a Eph 5.1 b Tit. 2.7 8. a 1 Thes 2.2.3.4 b 2 Tim. 24 c Eph. 6.2 2.2 d 2 Cor. 10 4. e Act. 6.2 f Aug. Note g 1. Tim. 5.8 h Ioh. 21.3 i Mark 6.3 k 2. Tim 4.13 l Act. 20.34 m 1. Tim. 3.4.5 a Conâ—er the 1. Cor 3.6