hell upon earth O God! who knows whither that man goes to his confusion who is once gone out of the Church by separation especially if it be that of Anabaptism It is the known observation of the Exorcists Sancta ecclesia uniformiter agit ut exertismis spiritus immundus abigatur Aug. de eccle dogmat c. 31. That whom Satan possesseth he first tempts them to renounce their Baptism in which they renounced him and till this be done he cannot have power to possess them Now that too many miserable wretches are possest with an Evil spirit is too unhappily apparent by their quakings and trances by their rantings and ravings their impudence and filthiness their diabolical blasphemies and hellish execrations Aquam ingressi renunciasse nos Diabolo Angelis ejus ore nostro coâ—testamur Tert. de spect c. 4. And how come they thus possest Why sure whereas they renounc'd the Devil in their Baptism in renouncing their Baptism they have too too much given way to the Devil and God by a just judgment given them up to his delusions But O God! thou who art more gracious then man is impious 2 Thess â— 9.10 11 12. O do thou yet restrain Satan and preserve their souls in the day of the Lord Jesus It being then too endless a task to encounter each Sect and Heresie of our times in particular I have thought it best to give you a soveraign Antidote and Preservative in the general and it is this even in discharge of duty to God the Church and your souls to fortifie your judgments and strengthen your faith in what concerns the nature and manner the duty and benefit of Infants Baptism hereby to keep open the door of the Church for entrance into her communion and yet shut it too against those who otherwise running out by Anabaptism would find themselves departed from Christ in departing from his Church and subjected by Satan to all horrid profaneness by their quitting subjection to Christ in his holy ordinance that ordinance for which he here gives commission and instruction to his Apostles in his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Go ye disciple all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost c. Having given you the former branch of our Saviours instruction to his Apostles the Institution of Baptism we proceed to the latter Explicat the manner and form of Baptisms administration viz. in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost And here we shall consider the administration of Baptism in a twofold respect 1. In what is necessary as to the essence of the Sacrament and 2. In what is requisite as to the solemnity of the Church 1. In what is necessary as to the essence of the Sacrament and this is the application of the Water and of the Word The application of the Water whether it be by immersion or aspersion or effusion The application of the Word that the immersion or dipping the aspersion or sprinkling the effusion or pouring out be in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost In the administration then of Baptism the first thing necessary as to the essence of the Sacrament is the application of the Water and this in an outward washing whether that washing be by a dipping in or a sprinkling on or a pouring out of the water All which forms of washing exprest in the one word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we have in S. Mark where we read concerning the Pharisees and others of the Jews Mar. 7.4 that when they come from the market they eat not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unless they be baptized that is except they wash as our English reâ—ds it Yea from the tradition of the Elders they are said to hold 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Baptisms so the Original the washings so our English the washings of cups and of pots brazen vessels and of tables or of beds From which baptisms or washings it is most certain and evident there can be no strength of argument from the propriety of the word to prove a necessity of dipping or plunging in the water seeing that baptism doth equally signifie a washing by sprinkling or pouring out the water And as there is no strength of argument from the propriety of the word so nor from the signification of the ceremony For that the sprinkling and pouring out of the water is aptly significative of the sprinkling of Christ blood and the pouring out of his Spirit the very inward grace and thing signified in Baptism whereby it is rightly called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tit. 3.5 1 Pet. 1.2 the laver of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost yea the sprinkling of the blood of Jesus And as it is in the Gospel Ezek 36.25 Joel 2.28 so it was in the Prophecy There says God unto his people I will sprinkle clean water upon you and I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh Object Ay but does not Baptism signifie the death and burial of Christ And if so what more proper then that the person baptized be received into the bosom of the water Answ as into his grave Ans Baptism may signifie the death of Christ without exposing the person baptized to the danger of death yea it may signifie Christs burial too without sending the baptized to his grave as in colder Countries we certainly know dipping and plunging in the waters do for so the experience of some more ignorantly zealous then religiously wise hath lately assured us Even in sprinkling and pouring out of the water then upon the Child which is under it there is signification enough of Christs death and burial this being the main thing intended in the sign to represent the actual efficacie of Christs blood and spirit to wash away our guilt and renew us again to righteousness thereby giving us an interest in the merits of his passion Rom. 6.3.4 and power of his resurrection But further yet as it is not from the propriety of the word nor from the signification of the ceremony so nor thirdly is it from the prescript of Christ that any strength of argument can be drawn to prove a necessity of dipping or of plunging in the water For examine the whole of what concerns our Saviours institution of Baptism and we shall find no more of positive command in this Sacrament for the measure of water or manner of washing then in that other for the quantity of bread or quality of wine This is infalilble Christs evangelical ordinance does in nothing oppose his moral command and therefore the ceremony of his Sacrament must not be made such as may hazard the life of the person celebrating that Sacrament and ceremony Besides Baptism is prescribed to all Nations and sure its manner of ministration being common to all must be possible to all Which yet it cannot be if as some Anabaptists would have
Ananias to lye unto the Holy Ghost Act 5.3 4. and in so doing thou hast not lyed unto men but unto God Again we are said to be Temples of God and how Why in that the Spirit of God even the Holy Ghost who is God dwelleth in us One proof more 1 Cor. 3.16 where it is said The diversities of gifts the differences of administrations and the diversities of operations are all from the Holy Spirit 1 Cor. 12.4 5 6. who is called God and Lord working all in all v. 11. yea even dividing to every man severally as he will 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not as a Minister of God according to anothers command but as the Author who is himself God according to his own will As then Christ proves his Divinity in that he communicates life Joh. 5.21 so from hence we prove the Divinity of the Holy Ghost that he distributes his gifts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 even as he will Secondly The Attributes of God As that he is eternal Heb 9.14 1 Cor. 2.10 Mar. 12.28 Is 139.7 that he is omniscient that he is omnipotent and that he is omnipresent And much of force there is in this argument of the Holy Ghost's omnipresence an argument not so easily evaded by the sophistical disputes of the Heretick The Holy Ghost in all the Saints of Christs Church is as the soul in all the members of mans body quickning actuating and ordering them so that as there is but one Body Eph. 4.4 so but one Spirit One and the same Holy Ghost then at one and the same time sanctifieth by his gracious presence and operation the Saints of God in heaven and in earth And how is this possible but to a person infinite and omnipresent Thirdly The Works of God As to him is attributed the Creation of the World the giving of Life the distribution of Grace the governing the Church and the Resurrection of the Dead yea by him was Christ conceiv'd in the womb anointed to his Ministry and rais'd from the grave Heb. 7.7 And upon S. Pauls argument which holds to be without all contradiction The less is blessed of the greater upon this argument must the humanity of Christ as Mediator be less in dignity then the Holy Ghost which could not be if the Holy Ghost were not God for that by vertue of the hypostatical union Christ Col. 1.15 as man is the the first-born of every creature Fourthly The Worship of God Adored he is in that Trisagion of the Churches Anthem Rev. 4.8 Holy holy holy Lord God Almighty which was Rom. 9.1 and is and is to come Attested he is as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Discerner of the heart and the Searcher of the Conscience Yea invocated he is in the form of Blessing for his spiritual communion and invocated he is in the form of Baptism 2 Cor. 13.14 for his power of regeneration And here review we the form of Baptism We are baptized 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into the name Bez. in loc that is invocato nomine says Beza by invocating the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost But this is too little for so full an Emphasis To be baptiz'd then into the name what is it but by Baptism to be obliged to the faith worship and obedience of God the Father Son and Holy Ghost For that Baptism being the seal of the Covenant of grace the Regius Character the Royal stamp of this seal is the name of the sacred Trinity so S. Augustine Wherefore as God in the Trinity of persons owns us to be his people so again do we as his people vow faith worship and obedience unto that sacred Trinity of persons as our God Here if I should ask those who now have rak'd up the long since buried Heresie of Macedonius what is their fear of affirming the Holy Ghost God Is it to assert many Gods how vain is this fear how false were that assertion For in the mysterie of the Trinity the distinction of the Persons does not multiply the Nature of the Godhead neither does the Unity of the Nature nullifie the Persons For the Father is God begetting the Son the Son is the same God begotten of the Father and the Holy Ghost is the same God proceeding from the Father and the Son So that each Person is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the manner of subsistence whereby the Godhead is distinguished not a part of the Godhead whereby the essence is divided And as to the procession of the Holy Ghost though true it is after the Orthodox Faith was determined and confirm'd by those Orthodox Fathers who in that Oecumenical Council of Constantinople call'd by the Emperor Theodosius did suppress the then spreading Heresie of Macedonius adding to the Nicene Creed what concerns more fully the Faith of the Holy Ghost that he is the Lord and giver of life who proceedeth from the Father c. Though after this there arose a great controversie betwixt the Greek and Latine Church concerning the Holy Ghost's procession the Grecians affirming it from the Father by the Son the Latines from the Father and the Son After a long time the controversie was composed in the Florentine Synod by the prudence piety and learning of good Bessarion the Crecians being satisfied by the Latines that the Filioque and the Son added to the Nicene Creed was taken from that of Athanasius as more fully exprest to declare the procession of the Holy Ghost But to return to the Administration of Baptism which is very aptly called by the Antients Sacramentum Fidei the Sacrament of Faith as admitting into the houshold of the faithful and being the Sacrament of Faith it is administred in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost as being the sum of our Faith To confess the faith of the Trinity the Antient Church did use their trina immersio a threefold immersion And again to confess the Unity they had but one immersion Greg. l. 1 ep 41. And therefore Gregory writes to Leander the Bishop that it was no matter of reproof whether Baptism was administred with once or with thrice dipping or sprinkling quoniam in tribus immersionibus Personarum trinitas in una potest Divinitatis singularitas designari In three immersions the Trinity of Persons and in one immersion the Unity of Essence may be confest and declared Yea when we say I baptize thee in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost in the name not in the names we profess the power majesty and authority of all the three Persons to be coequal and so in essence and unity co-eternal In those places where the Church useth three immersions or aspersions as at this day in many Countries the Church does there the first dipping or sprinkling is with a nominating the Father the second the Son the third
the Holy Ghost and so though three immersions yet but one Baptism for that Bâ—nav l 4. disp 3. as Bonaventure well observes Non est completum Sacramentum quousque terminatum sit verbum The Sacrament in its administration is not perfected till the word of Institution be ended And now where Baptism is thus rightly administred as to the application of the Word and Water there it is certainly valid and good though administred by an Heretick Even an Heretical Church like a diseased Mother may bring forth sound Children though indeed their health and life too be presently hazarded by the infection of her Milk the corruption of her Doctrine Which rightly considered proves that we are discipled unto Christ not so properly by doctrine as by baptism But how are we assured Object that the Apostles baptized in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Act. 2 38. 8.16 19.5 seeing the Scripture so often speaks of their baptizing in the name of the Lord Jesus Answ I answer To baptize in the name is to baptize according to the institution with the invocation and in the confession of the Lord Jesus And so that the Apostles notwithstanding they are said to baptize in the name of Jesus did baptize expressly in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost besides the precept of Christs institution which they could not violate and besides the witness of universal Tradition which we may not reject hear one Scripture-proof which none can evince which proof is taken from that passage in the Acts Act. 19.2.3 c. concerning the Ephesian Disciples of John who tell S. Paul that they had not so much as heard whether there were any Holy Ghost Which seeming strange to the Apostle he asks with wonder Unto what then were ye baptized intimating that Christian baptism did certainly admit them into the faith of the Holy Ghost being administred in his name and he supposing they had been baptized with the Baptism of Christ did not question their believing but their receiving the Holy Ghost And therefore having rightly instructed them in John's Baptism as differently administred from that of Christ's he gives them Confirmation after Baptism and by his imposition of hands they then receive what they were taught to believe and in Baptism to profess even the Holy Ghost This that genuine and clear interpretation of that Text consenting with the Judgment of the Antient Fathers which will bear up against all that forced and wrested sense which is urged by Modern Opponents And so hereby we make good Scripture-practice as well as sacred precept confirming the right manner and form of Baptisms administration to be in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost 2. Having done with the Administration of Baptism in what is necessary as to the essence of the Sacrament we proceed to the second particular What is requisite as to the Solemnity of the Church viz. Especially that the Infant baptiz'd make its abrenunciation of sin and Satan and its profession of the faith of Christ by the mouth of its Sureties According to that of S. Augustine speaking of Infants Baptism Accommodat illis mater Ecclesia aliorum pedes ut veniant aliorum cor ut credant aliorum linguam ut fateantur The Church as an indulgent Mother accommodates them with anothers feet that they may come with anothers heart that they may believe with anothers tongue that they may confess And this the Church does upon a sure perswasion that it is agreeable to the grace and goodness of the Almighty ut qui aliena culpa cecidit aliena fide resurgat that he who fell by anothers fault should rise again by anothers faith Et ad verba aliena sanetur Aug. serm 14. de verb. Apost c. 11. qui ad factum alienum vulnaretur and he might be healed by anothers profession who was wounded by anothers sin so S. Augustine intending the sin of Adam As for the original of Sureties in Baptism the Learned deduce it from Apostolical tradition sure we are very near the Apostles times we read plainly this custom setled in the Church and the same piety and prudence which first instituted this ceremony does still perswade its continuance For as formerly to preserve from Heathenism so now to preserve from Heresie it is the pious and prudent care of the Church to engage the promise of Sureties with the duty of Parents to secure their Childrens instruction and education in the Faith Enquir ng into the original of Suretiship in the behalf of Infants we find it commonly known and used of old among the Jews The Rulers of the Consistory taking the care and charge of the young Proselytes and the House of Judgment that is the Congregation entring promise to instruct them in the knowledge of what they had undertaken And passing from the Jewish Synagogue to the Christian Church we find Higinius the eighth Bishop of Rome whose seat was in the time of Antoninus Pius Eusâ—b hist eccles so Eusebius about an hundred and forty years after Christ long before Popery was entred that Sea This Higinius I say we find to have first enacted this pious and prud ntial order of Godfathers and Godmothers But however this Bishop may be said to have regulated yet sure methinks he cannot be said to have first introduced this custom which whether it be of Apostolical tradition or Ecclesiastical constitution we may well esteem it as Peter Martyr stiles it utile institutum a profitable ordination Pet. Mart. loc com and as profitable so just and reasonable too For the abrenunciation of Satan and the reciting of the Creed made in the Infants name by the Sureties is no egregious prevarication as the Adversaries call it but a Christian reception as the Church intends it like the interest of Minors and Pupils undertaken by their Guardians So that the Questions Doest thou forsake and Doest thou believe are Interrogatories pro more fori according to the manner of Civil Courts known and allowed by the prudent derided and despised only by the ignorant And know we do not catechise the Infants when we interrogate the Sureties Lomb. l. 4. dist 6 c. 1. but require a profession of repentance and faith in their names ut obligentur non ut instruantur so the Schools for their obligation not their instruction to bind them to act and perform in their persons what their Sureties do promise and vow in their names Which Promise and Vow made in their names Children catechised take upon themselves when confirm'd by the Bishop Which Confirmation if stript of the rags of Romish superstition and vindicated from the disrepute of Vulgar misapprehension is certainly of excellent use for the furthering the benefit of religious education for the restraining the enormities of licentious youth and for the preserving the unity of our holy faith That Confirmation
of fears but the Light of the Spirit brings comfort of soul in a discovery of Gods love in Christ which discovery being permanent our comforts shall not be transient Whereas cursory views and passing glances of divine objects leave the heart unsatisfied being more troubled for their absence then pleased with their sweetness It is the rising then of the Sun of righteousness Mal. 4 2. which gives day to the inward man and his continued beams bring the soul its renewed joys Wherefore then let the deserted soul present its self in all its languishings and thus bespeak God and Christ in this blessed Sacrament O my God! my soul seeks what it has lost oh let it find what it seeks even comfortable communion with thee in the Lord Jesus For this for this it is that I here call and cry Turn thee unto me § 17. 2. To the secret anguish is applied a soveraign balm Have mercy upon me Such are the wounds of an afflicted soul as no balm can cure but that of a compassionating mercy Misericordia â—eliaâ—uata mercy which melts to supple and to heal Though then the deserted soul hath the same promises the same Mediator the same God which it had before its desertion yet it does not find comfort till it have the same mercy And therefore does St. Paul happily joyn the Father of mercies and the God of all consolations 2 Cor. 1.3 For that indeed God were not the God of consolation were he not the Father of mercies all remission of sins all power of grace all manifestations of love yea the earnest of glory are all the of-spring of mercy brought forth of her womb brought up in her lap yea nourished with the milk of her breasts and cherished with the warmth of her bosom § 18. Who art thou now that languishest in desertions Know the door of mercy is not shut because thou shouldst not enter but because thou shouldst knock if thou wouldst obtain mercy then it must be by prayer and that through Faith in the promise Faith I say in the promise for how know we Gods good will but by his holy Word So that the truth of his promise presents us the sweetness of his mercy and seeing the fathers mercies melts at the Sons mediation Heb. 2.17 Bern. de grad hum go unto God by Christ by Christ as a merciful and faithful High Priest a merciful High Priest compassiâ— cum impossibilitate perdurat though Christ be now gloriously impâ—ssible yet is he still graciously compassionate yea he is one that proportions his pitty to our misery Heb. 5.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his compassion to our affliction such compassion as is a Soveraign balm to cure the secret anguish of a deserted soul applied here by David when he cries unto God in prayer Turn thee unto me and have mercy upon me for I am desolate and afflicted the troubles of my heart are inlarged c. § 19. 3 To the high aggravation is applied a full deliverance O bring thou me out of my distresses Now the soul begins to recover her former taste of heavenly sweetness now she begins to feel the warmth of those sweet imbraces from the everlasting arms of her dearest Jesus And therefore does she pursue this begun recovery to a full deliverance even a deliverance from all her distresses of doubts and fears and terros which deliverance from those distresses is by the sacred testimony of Christs spirit evidencing the sincerity and truth of grace and thereby a personal interest in the promises of life and love Joh. 14.26 § 20. To make it appear how the Spirit is the Comforter and by his testimony to the soul free 's it from its distress observe this gradation 1. The Gospel proposeth salvation through Christ in the free promise and now press this grape examine this truth and the wine of comfort is no more but this that salvation may be mine if I beleeve But then 2. A further progress is made by faith in casting the soul upon Christ for salvation according to this promise and in this the foundation of comfort is laid firm the root is fixt yet the fruit is not grown this is sufficient to life and salvation in the end but is not effectual yet to peace and consolation in the way wherefore to all this that salvation through Christ is offered in the promise and that the promise of Christ for salvation is received through faith to all this must be added this testimony of the Spirit that that faith is sincere and so that salvation sure And this testimony it is that confirms the souls peace and gives inlargement to its sweetest comforts § 21. Thus Faith in the habit it is medium incognitum say the Schools it is often hid in the soul and the quickenings of the Spirit it is which bring it into act And by the actings of faith come the renewings of comfort thorow communion with Christ When the Sun of righteousness then appears with healing in his wings Mal. 4 2. the clouds of fears are scattered the storms of terrors cease the night of unbelief doth vanish yea Psal 24.8 when Christ the King of glory sets up his Throne in the heart and rules with the golden Scepter of his grace then do proud lusts stoop then do the powers of darkness fly and so the deserted and afflicted soul is brought out of all its distresses Thus have we seen the case and the cure of a deserted soul the case rightly stated and the cure fitly applied the case rightly stated I am desolate and afflicted the troubles of mine heart are inlarged the cure fitly applied Turn thee unto me have mercy upon me O bring thou me out of my distresses § 22. Who art thou now that looks upon what is said of spiritual desertion as strange doctrine Let me tell thee thou hast had little acquaintance with God if thou knowest not yet what it is to lose him to lose him in the comforts of his Spirit thou hast room I question not for profit for pleasure for sin for Satan but no room for God for Christ and so not having injoyed the comforts of the divine presence thou knowest not the discomfort of his absence O what is it that we see daily some men lose their Estates and they grieve heavily some men lose their Friends and they go mournfully some men lose their Health and live sadly But how many lose their God their Saviour their soules and yet neither grieve nor mourn nor are heavy for it Oh ye who are guilty of this self and soul-murder did the day break upon your souls 2 Pet. 1.19 the Spirit of truth enlighten and awaken your consciences Oh how would amazement seize you and the terrors of death fall upon you § 23. But who is it that having Sions sorrow in his heart and her tears in his eyes comes unto me with her complaint in his mouth Oh my God hath forsaken
befoâ—e the Divine Tribunal where in the presence of thy God and of his holy Angels do thou delâ—re thy loathing and abhorring of those suggestios together with a disclaiming and renouncing all allowance or willing admittance of them returning them upon Satan as the effects of his malice and fury if hereafter they return upon thy soul in their affrights and terrors 3. Close thy solemn service with this sincere devotion earnestly beseeching God to rebuke Satan and restrain his rage Zech 3.1 and to vouchsafe thy languishing soul his quickening sustaining and restoring Grace and together with this make a total resignation of thy self into the hands of thy Jesus Heb. 13.20 Isa 40.11 1 Pet. 5.8 the great Shepherd of the Flock that he may keep thee as a tender Lamb safe from the paw and teeth of the roaring Lion And here that I may not only point thee thy way but also lead thee by the hand see a Pattern for thy practice a prescrib'd form which thou mayst either use or imitate use in its own words and order of expression or imitate in the like matter and method of devotion O most glorious and most gracious Lord God! who art the Searcher of Hearts the Lover of Souls and the Preserver of Men. Before thee holy Lord before thee so sacred a Majesty I here present my self a polluted oh do thou make me a penitent sinner Polluted I am and loathsom in the filth of mine own corruptions and oh how much more vile and abominable am I through the guilt of that sin which is come upon my soul through Satans suggestions Suggestions so horrid and dreadful that I abhor to set them in mine own sight much more to declare them in thy presence I confess O holy Lord and glorious God! I confess with shame and confusion of face that mine own sin hath betrayed me to Satans buffetings and his suggestions have increased the guilt and horror of my sin Oh my pride and presumption oh my carelesness and curiosity oh my slothfulness and disobedience oh the folly and wickedness of my heart which hath provoked thy wrath and given advantage unto Satan against my soul And oh the murmurings and rep nings oh the diffidence and distrust oh the neglect of thy worship and profaning thy glory oh the deadness and hardness of heart oh the many and great evils of pollution and guilt caused and occasion'd by my foul thoughts all further provoking thy divine wrath and more deeply wounding mine afflicted spirit Woe is me wretched sinner whither oh whither shall I flie for succor unless thou Lord wilt pitty my poor soul must needs perish and oh oh my God! perish from thy presence thy gracious thy glorious presence for ever Wherefore see O thou great and glorious O thou just and righteous Judge Oh see I here prostrate my self at the Bar of thy Justice and lay my mouth in the dust noâ— knowing what to answer thee Oh! oh now that Satan doth accuse me my Conscience witness against me and thy Law condemn me who oh who shall plead for me Oh! wilt not thou blessed Jesus my Surety my Saviour wilt not thou undertake my Cause who art mine Advocate Wilt not thou procure my Pardon who art my Mediator Wilt not thou make mine Attonement who art the High Priest of my salvation O blessed Jesus be now my Jesus and seeing thou art able to save unto the utmost all that come unto God by thee oh save me lost creature undone soul without thy merit and thy mediation lost and undone eternally Oh save me unto the utmost of what my Conscience can accuse or Satans malice aggravate And now O holy Lord God! whilst thou beholdest thy wounded Son pitty oh pitty me wretched sinner See him accused by men to free me from the accusations of Satan see him unjustly condemn'd to free me from the just sentence of condemnation see him suffering death to free me from the judgment of eternal death Oh see Lord his pierced side as the Fountain opened and his streams of blood flowing forth unto his Church to wash in from sin and from uncleanness Oh here bathe my polluted soul wash and wash me thorowly that not the least filth of mine own corruptions or Satans suggestions may now cleave unto me or herâ—after appear in Judgment against me Behold in Jesus Christ my Surety my debt is paid thy justice satisfied Oh blot out then the hand-writing of Ordinances that is against me (i.) The sentence of death in the curse of the Law upon sin discharge Satan and in the presence of thine holy Angels pass sentence of Absolution upon me in the free and full pardon of all my sins And oh of a dreadful Judge be thou now Lord a gracious and reconciled Father behold me justified through the blood of thy Son and the righteousness of my Jesus and as thou makest me partaker of the merit of Christs passion to my justification so make me partaker also of the power of his resurrection even to obtain victory and to triumph over sin and Satan and all those powers of darkness which shall rise up to rob me of the riches of thy grace and to deprive me of my right and title to the inheritance of thy Saints in light Now holy Lord and gracious God! as Satan hath accused me so let me cite him before thy sacred Tribunal And here prostrate at the footstool of thy Majesty looking up unto thee in the mediation of Jesus Christ who is at thy right hand and ever lives to make intercession for me even thus Lord I here declare in thy presence and in the presence of thy holy Angels that I utterly renounce all communion with Satan in his sinful suggestions and therefore do humbly implore thy gracious goodness that whensoever Satan shall renew his suggestions they may be return'd upon himself in his malice not fasten upon my soul or be laid to my charge in their guilt And whatsoever shall be Satans rage do thou Lord Jesus rebuke him and keep me by thine almighty power through faith to salvation making thy strength to appear in my weakness thy grace and mercy in mine unworthiness And as thou art pleas'd O Lord God to quench all the fiery darts of Satan so stir up thy graces in me and enflame my soul with an enlarged fervor of holy devotion So sanctifie me throughout with thy Spâ—rit that my desires may be gracious my thoughts heavenly my life religious my serviâ—es sincere and all my duties of thy Woâ—ship acceptable in thy sight And now having renounced all communion with Satan in his suggestions I here make mine humble resignation in thy presence that so I may be safe under the shadow of thy wing and preserved unblameable unto the day of the Lord Jesus O Lord God! Into thy hands I commit my body soul and spirit my thoughts words and works all that I am all that I have desiring wholly to be thine O my
fast to them and to their doctrine keep firm to that profession of Faith which the Orthodox Clergy have preached in their Sermons and still preach in their sufferings such as never yet renounced or contradicted their subscriptions The sum of our Churches Doctrine Worship Discipline and Government contained in the Liturgy in the Thirty nine Articles the Book of Homilies and of Ordination These every Minister did subscribe to even those Ministers did set to their hands in subscription to justifie them who after lift up their hands in Covenant to destroy them But God grant them Repentance and us Perseverance them Repentance of their Revolt and us Perseverance in the Faith that at the last day the Church may say to us what Christ said to his Apostles Luâ— â— 28 Ye are they which have continued with me in my temptations and then shall Christ in the view of the whole World reward our Patience and crown our Constancy making it manifest fully manifest That we are approved Thus have we done with the several particulars of the Explication and of the Application what remains but your practice Halleluiah THE FIRST SERMON UPON Matth. 28. V. 19. and part of the 20. Go ye therefore and teach all Nations Baptising them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you Introduction IF we who serve in the Sanctuary do as men intrusted in greatest Affairs and Imployments should do often view our Commission from our Saviour as his Ministers 1 Cor. 4.1 Matth. 10.24 2 Cor. 5.20 from our Lord as his Stewards from our Master as his Servants yea from our King as his Ambassadors This frequent view will animate our Ministry with a zealous vigor encouraged in our Service by the authority and presence of our Lord and Master See the Preface to my Text and we finde our Saviour victoriously risen from the Grave and before he triumphantly ascends into Heaven he orders the affairs of his Church on Earth speaking unto his Apostles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the things concerning the Kingdom Acts 1.3 The Kingdom of which he is Soveraign All power being given unto him in Heaven and in Earth which power he hath promised shall never fail his Church For so says Christ unto his Apostles and all their Successors in the close and compline of the Text Behold I am with you unto the end of the World I am with you in the work of your Ministry with you to prosper your labors and protect your persons To prosper your labors making Disciples not to your selves but to me You I have deputed to the Office of Preaching my Word and administring my Sacraments and therefore they who own me their Master shall acknowledge you my Ministers But further I am with you Matth. 10.40 as to prosper your labors so to protect your persons I will plead your right vindicate yo r authority punish your contempt and avenge your injury If any sleight and despise the office of your ministry if any question or doubt the efficacy of mine Ordinances my Word my Sacraments see my power behold my presence maugre all the malice and rage of men and devils of earth and hell the ministry of my Gospel and Grace shall stand let this then be your encouragement and comfort let this be your assurance and establishment I will justifie your Office and make good your Commission for All power is given unto me in Heaven and in Earth and lo I am with you unto the end of the World And therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Go ye teach all Nations c. The words they are the very basis and foundation of the Gospels Ministry to us Gentiles Observe in them three parts a Mission Division a Commission and particular Instructions for the exercising that Commission First The Mission delivered in an usual Grecism of the Participle for the Verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Go ye Secondly The Commission not barely no nor properly teach but more fully 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 make Disciples Dìscipulas facìte omnes gentes as Beza Disciple ye all Nations Thirdly The particular instructions for the exercising this Commission 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Baptising and Teaching admitting into the School and Church of Christ by Baptism and then tutoring and training up by Doctrine which Baptism is instituted as to the form of its ministration to be In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost and the Doctrine is prescribed as to the extent of its object to be All things whatsoever Christ hath commanded the end of wh ch Doctrine is obedience even to observe and do Thus Go ye disciple all Nations baptising them in the Name of thâ— Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you 1. The Mission Go ye The three Offices of Christ as Mediator Explic. his Prophetick Priestly and Regal Office These he now exerciseth in his Church on Earth in the outward Ministry by her Pastors and in the inward Ministraâ—ion by his Spirit In the outward Ministry of the Church her Pastors do expound the Word of God Preach the Gospel of Truth unfold the Mysteries of Grace which is that part of their Ministry committed to them of Christ in the execution of his Prophetical Office Again they offer up the Sacrifices of Prayers and Thanksgivings Baptize and bless in the Name of Christ and celebrate the Sacramental solemnity of the holy Eucharist which is that part of their Ministry committed to them of Christ in the execution of his Priestly Office Further yet they bind the unbelieving and loose the Believer they excommunicate the scandalous and absolve the penitent they govern by Discipline and correct by censure which is that part of their Ministry committed to them of Christ in the execution of his Regal Office Now no part nor portion of this Ministry may any man take upon him Heb. 5.4 but being called as was Aaron that is called even with an inward and outward call as thus A man hath been brought up in the Schools of the Prophets or else where devoted himself to the study of Divinity whereby he is become in a competent measure fitted for the service of the Church 1 Pet. 5.2 when now he findes St. Peter's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a willingness of spirit and readiness of minde to employ his gifts this is the inward call of God But further to testifie and declare this there must be the outward call of the Church Christ receiving him into the Office of the Ministry by the regular Ordination of his Substitutes who alone in this representing his person can give us our Mission of a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Go ye But alas the disorder and confusion of Sacriledge and Schism What was the Prophets complaint is now our Churches groan
you the manner so let me minde you of the end of our Mission and Ministry even the good of your Souls and the chiefest good too that of Life and Salvation The office of the Magistrate intends the establishment of Peace the art of the Physitian the health of the Body the profession of the Lawyer the security of the Estate but the calling of the Minister the salvation of the Soul And therefore St. Paul admonisheth Timothy saying 1 Tim 4 16. Take heed unto thy self and unto the doctrine for in so doing thou shalt save thy self and them that hear thee He then that loves his Soul will prize the Ministry and bless God in making him a partaker of the peculiar priviledge of his vâ—sible Church the publick Ministration of his Word and Sacraments Which gracious privâ—ledge of his visible Church Oh! how near are we to the loosing of it Oh help help to prevent it by your Prayers and that which speaks louder then your Prayers the works of an holy Obedience And O how may God justly take away in wrath what men cast off in contempt the office of his Ministry Which sacred Office however slighted by men yet is it honored of God however esteemed of the world as a mean employment for what more contemptible a disdain 1 Tim. 3.2 then thou Priest yet is it stiled by the Apostle an excellent work And see some part of its excellency The Minister in publick Prayer he is the peoples mouth as their Orator unto God and in publick Preaching he is Gods mouth as his Ambassador unto the people and thus what honor on earth greater then this to have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Nazianzen speaks Naz. Apolog. a Presidentship of Souls and a kinde of Mediatorship betwixt God and Men Behold we the Minister at the Altar and I will not say what Prince on his Throne but what Seraphim in Heaven is employed in a service of more dignity and honor then this to offer unto God the Commemorative Sacrifice of his Sons Body and Blood I might enlarge were it not that I stand before those I know or at least am willing to beleeve not defective in this duty the honorable and reverential esteems of the Gospels Ministry in its several orders and degrees owned by Gods holy Church though despised by men and the wicked world Onely this from the dignity of the Ministration and Office is aggravated the guilt of their usurpation and violence who either thrust themselves into so sacred a function or thrust out others from their lawful Ministry The name of an Ambassador Cicer. in Ver. Non modo inter seciorum jura sed etiam inter hostium tela incolume versetur it is of that reverence and regard that it may not be violated not onely among the rights of confederates but even the weapons of enemies And what are the Ambassadors of earthly Princes sacred and inviolable by the Law of Nations and shall the Ambassadors of the King of Heaven be silenced Numb 16. rejected imprisoned against the Law of God Corah Dathan and Abiram opening their mouths in mutiny against Moses and Aaron the earth opens her mouth in revenge and they sink down quick into the pit Uzziah 2 Chron. 26. King of Judah invading the Priests office he is sequestred from his regal Function being smitten with a Leprosie and so separated from his people And what was God more jealous for the Legal then he is for the Evangelical Ministration did he punish Kings invading the office of the Priest and will he acquit the people usurping the Function of the Minister No sure But know we that under the Law Gods judgments and blessings they were most-what corporal and temporal whereas his judgments and blessings under the Gospel they are most-what spiritual and eternal so that to be given up to a blindness of minde and a reprobate sense which seems to be the judgment of this Nation it is the most dreadful vengeance that can befal a people of which vengeance there can be no surer symptom then this horrid sin even through Schism Heresie Violence Prophaneness and Sacriledge to invade the Function corrupt the Doctrine abuse the Persons debase the honor and spoil the maintenance of that Ministry which Christ hath constituted and constituted here in his Mission and Commission of a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Go ye Disciple all Nations Baptising them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost c. THE SECOND SERMON UPON Matth. 28. V. 19. and part of the 20. Go ye therefore and teach all Nations Baptising them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost c. Introduction WHilst I behold the Word and Ministry of Christ to to be amongst men as the Ark and Testament among the Philistines scornfully abus'd as in the Temple of Dagon 1 Sam. 5.2 rather then religiously reverenc'd as in the Church of God The sacred Scriptures the Evidences of our salvation not so much read in Devotion as wrested by Faction Malice or Pride being the venemous Spider which converts the wholsom sweetness of saving Truth into the deadly poison of destructive Heresie And as for the Sacramental Seals of Gods holy Covenant whilst I behold them either pluck'd off by the violent or defac'd by the foul hand of Schism and Profaneness so that a question it is Whether the profane neglecting or the unworthy receiving or the disorderly administring the blessed Sacraments bring greater guilt upon the Nation And no wonder then if our dearest blood hath been spilt in so large a profuseness seeing we have spilt Christs precious blood in so open a profaneness Oh! how how have men come to receive the bread and wine of the blessed Eucharist 1 Cor. 11.29 but have not discern'd Christs body and blood through their profane and unworthy participation And now how many oh too too many how do they go to receive Christs body and blood and alas discern not that it is meer bread and wine through an unlawful and Schismatical administration Of these two so horrid evils I cannot suddenly say which is the greater guilt And as for the Sacrament of Baptism whilst I behold Parents cruel to their tender Infants Joh. 3.5 denying them entrance into Christs kingdom and keeping from them the seal of the Covenant of grace out of which Covenant there is no salvation In which see the just judgment of the righteous God that they who in a blind zeal have been so cruel to their mother the Church to eat out her bowels by Schism they are given up to such a blindness of mind that they become cruel to their own children in not admitting them into the Churches bosom her holy communion by baptism And thus those very persons who did load our Church and Ministry with this reproach and scandal that we would bring up our children in the superstition of
it to dip and plunge in water be essential to Baptism for that some Countries have not water enough to drink and not a River or Brook within fifty no not an hundred miles compass But lastly as the Anabaptists have in this no strength of argument from the propriety of the word the signification of the ceremony the prescript of Christ so nor from any plain pattern or sure example in the Scriptures For the Baptisms we read of to have been in Rivers were as is most probable after this manner The person baptizing and the person baptized put off their sandals and without any further preparation went together up to the ankles or mid-leg into the water of which the Minister of Baptism taking up in his hand he poured out upon the head of the baptiz'd That this was the manner of John's baptism is to me plainly intimated Act. 1.5 when our Saviour gives in promise to his Apostles That whereas John baptized with water they should be baptized with the Holy Ghost Now how were the Apostles baptized with the Holy Ghost but by pouring out of the Spirit and so how did John baptize with water but by pouring out of that element No question but John when he baptiz'd all the Region round about Mat. 3.5 Act. 2 41. and Peter three thousand in one day they did preserve all good rules of modesty in so sacred a service of their Ministry they were not at all guilty of the impudence of some who baptize naked or the immodesty of others who baptize in a sleight covering of their nakedness neither sure did they plunge them in the rivers with their clothes on this had been a soaking rather then a washing If then S. John and S. Peter did baptize by plunging in the water the people were fitted with some covering for that service and that such multitudes in so short a time should be provided of necessaries for such a baptism seems to me altogether improbable And as for the Eunuch being on a journey Act. 8 27 28. he was sure very unfit for such a washing And that he is said to go down with Philip into the water it does not signifie the depth of the river but the descent of the hill for the Country being mountainous the rivers or rather brooks lay at the bottom Joh. 3.23 not deep enough for a plunging as the Anabaptists manner now is over head and ears even Aenon it self where John baptiz'd it is say Geographers a small brook shallow in depth and narrow in breadth fordable with the leg and passable at two or three steps yet it is said there was much water there in respect of that dry country where little water is But besides all this that of the Jailor's being baptized in the night and in his house yea Act. 16.33 that which Ecclesiastical history tels us of some secretly baptized in prisons Ep. 76. ad â—iagn and S. Cyprian reporting of one that brought a pitcher of water and was baptized by S. Laurence as he went to martyrdom These and the like instances sufficiently evidence what was the practice of the Primitive Church such as does not prove either plunging in the water or washing in a river to be essential or necessary to Baptism To close then Know we that moral conveyances require no large matter for their performance A bit of wax may seal me a Deed of many sheets a turf of earth may give me possession of a thousand acres one pepper-corn may testifie my homage for the greatest Manor And thus may a few drops of water by vertue of Christs institution signifie and seal convey and confirm me a right and interest in all the promises of the Gospel all the merits of Christs blood all the graces of the Spirit all the bliss of Heaven It is otherwise in the spiritual Laver then it is in the corporal Bath In this latter not to wash every part is to be unclean in some part but in that former to wash any whit is to be clean all over so that the sprinkling or pouring out of a few drops are as effectual to our spiritual washing as the dipping or plunging in an whole river It is then the use and application of the element which refers to the substance and essence of the Sacrament A washing there must be with water whether that washing be by immersion or aspersion or effusion And to the application of Water join we the application of the Word and then have we Baptism compleat as to its form of administration that of our Saviours prescription Go ye disciple all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost c. 2. From the application of the Water pass we to the application of the Word Therein observe S. Augustine's Maxim Accedat verbum ad Elementum fit Sacramentum Let the Word be added to the Element and it becomes a Sacrament even the word of institution which is accompanied with the word of precept and of promise the precept requiring and the promise encouraging our observance the precept commands the use the promise declares the benefit both oblige our obedience The precept is Go baptize the promise is Mar. 16.16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved All which our Church orderly recites in her form of ministration thereby testifying her obedience to Christs precept and begging the performance of his promise when she baptizeth according to his word of institution In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Here we have a Trinity of sacred Persons in the unity of the Divine Essence and in this faith runs not only the form of our Baptism but also the form of our Creed the form of our Doxology and the form of our Benediction Bas ep 78. cont Eunom l. 2. And that it was of old so receiv'd in the Church we have the full testimony of S. Basil 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yea adde we too 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We ought to be baptized as Christ hath instituted to believe as we are baptized to give glory as we do believe and to bless as we give glory Our form of Baptism it is in the name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost our form of Creed it is I believe in God the Father and in Jesus Christ his only Son and again I believe in the Holy Ghost our form of Doxology it is Glory to be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost and lastly our form of Benediction wherewith we dismiss the Congregation it is The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God the Father 2 Cor. 13.14 and the communion of the Holy Ghost be with you all Thus you see the faith of the Trinity in Unity and Unity in Trinity is the very life-blood of our Christianity it runs through the veins of
all our Doctrine and Worship And oh if hereby we profess our selves Christians that thus we baptize thus we believe thus we worship thus we bless how great is that Apostacie even from Christianity it self which will deny our Baptism destroy our Creed abolish our Worship and if possible deprive us of our Blessing To close this Beloved Let us as by the profession of a true faith so by the exercise of an holy life O let us so regain and keep firm the love of God the Father that by the grace of Jesus Christ our Lord we may so hold fast the communion of the Holy Ghost Act. 2.3 that our fiery trial shall be but as the Apostles fiery tongues not to consume and destroy but to fortifie and prepare us even to a more firm founding and more glorious building up the Church in the unity of divine Faith and the uniformity of holy Worship Further in the manner and form of Baptisms administration we observe that the Holy Ghost is the third Person in the sacred Trinity and very God upon which it will be very seasonable to enlarge our selves For that which brought Satan like lightening down from Heaven carrying Hell with him it was his rebellious pride of Ero similis Altissimo I will be like to the most High and failing in that proud attempt of advancing the creature to equal the Creator he hath ever since made it his malicious design to depress the honor of the Creator to the condition of a creature witness the horrid Idolatries among the Heathens and the blasphemous Heresies amongst Christians The horrid Idolatries among the Heathens Rom. 1.23 Changing the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like unto corruptible man and to birds and to four-footed beasts and to creeping things The blasphemous Heresies amongst Christians Heresies denying the thrice blessed and glorious Trinity especially the eternal Godhead and the incommunicable subsistence of the Son and of the Holy Ghost And amongst the many 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fighters against the Holy Ghost since the Pentecost tongues silenc'd the Heathen Oracles and the preaching of the Gospel banished their idolatrous worship amongst the many fighters I say against the Holy Ghost the militant Church of Christ hath been chiefly assaulted and infested by the Arians Macedonians and Photinians of old time and by the Socinians and Anabaptists of later years Yea even at this day there are too too many amongst our selves who pretend most to the Spirit yet are most blasphemous against the Spirit heretically denying the Divine nature and eternal Godhead of the Holy Ghost Wherefore in a secret zeal to this sacred truth of the Holy Ghosts Divinity a zeal enkindled by that Spirit which descended in fiery tongues upon the Apostles give me leave to explain and confirm to you these two particulars First That the Holy Ghost is the third Person in the sacred Trinity proceeding from the Father and the Son Secondly That this third Person thus proceeding is very God 1. The Holy Ghost is the third Person of the sacred Trinity proceeding from the Father and the Son And what we here speak in so ineffable a mystery let it be salvâ reverentiâ with due reverence to the Divine Majesty The Holy Ghost is the third Person of the Trinity Mat. 10.20 Joh. 15.26 and we prove it thus The Holy Ghost is called in Scripture the Spirit of the Father not as sent by the Father but proceeding from the Father his mission is temporary and his procession is eternal And it is worth our observation that the Holy Ghost here is said to proceed as the Son is said to be begotten even 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Joh. 1.14 by an immanent act so proceeding from him as being of the same essence with him And as the Holy Ghost is called the Spirit of the Father Gal. 4.6 Joh. 16.15 so also of the Son And seeing Christ saith All that the Father hath are mine what the Holy Ghost receives by procession from the Father the same he receives also from the Son and that by one immanent act of eternal spiration from them both which act of spiration was signified by our Saviour when he breath'd upon the Apostles Joh. 20.22 thereby giving them the Holy Ghost Now that the Holy Ghost thus proceeding from the Father and the Son is a distinct person from the Son and the Father is most firmly proved from that of S. John where we have expresly the Comforter Joh. 15.26 the Spirit of truth sent by the Son from the Father And lest any should think the Spirit the same in person as he is in essence with the Father our Saviour answers the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Neuter with an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Masculine to denote say the Antients the distinct person of the Holy Ghost An Heterosis like unto this we have in the Text In textu legitur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ipsum in margine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ipsa verbum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 conteret est masculinun Disciple all nations 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Neuter yet is it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Masculine The like very aptly observe in the Septuagint upon Gen. 3.15 A dispute it is whether to read ipse ipsa or ipsum he she or it shall bruise thy head The Septuagint resolves the doubt that it is not meant of mankind in general as the Rabbins would have it and so read ipsum it nor yet of the blessed Virgin in particular as the Romanist contends for it and so read ipsa she but of Christ himself and that is ipse he For so the Septuagint reads it with an Haeterosis I will put enmity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 between thy seed and between her seed where the Antecedent is in the Neuter but the Relative they give us in the Masculine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not she nor it but he pointing unto Christ He shall bruise thy head Many very many the like observations I might give you very frequent in sacred Writ but I instance in these as to second the Father's Note upon that of S. John so to hint unto you how necessary to the interpreting and so to the understanding of sacred Scripture humane literature is however cryed down and declaim'd against by the Illiterate and the Enthusiasts 2. The Holy Ghost the third Person in the sacred Trinity is very God Of this we have several proofs in sacred Scripture giving him the Names the Attributes the Works and the Worship of God To give you a cursory view only of these First The Names of God Whereas it is said the Lord Deut. 32. â—2 Isa 63.14 even Jehovah led Israel in the wilderness the Prophet he tells us this Jehovah was the Spirit of the Lord even the Holy Ghost Again that in the Acts is plain and full Why hath Satan filled thine heart saith S. Peter to
3.15 or addeth thereto No man disannulleth or addeth that is No man ought to disannul or adde under peril of hainous impiety and shameful punishment And let not any think St. John seals up onely the Book of Revelations but that guided by the Spirit of Truth he seals up the whole Books of the New Testament with that dreadful Commination against all Violators of the sacred Scriptures And this whether it be in the Letter or the Sense of Christs holy Word for that of Tertullian is most firmly true Tert. de Praescript c. 17. Tantum veritati obstrepit adulter sensus quantum corruptor stilus To impose an adulterate sense is as much injury to the Word of Truth as to violate the proper phrase And therefore Valentinus and so the Heresies of our times do as much damage to the Scriptures verity in misinterpreting the Sense though they spare the Letter as Marcion did by mangling the sentences and chopping off the words Hear then and tremble O ye seduced Souls who through some carnal prejudice and temporal interest involve your selves in this so horrid sin of Scripture-Sacriledge for that perverting the sense or corrupting the Letter of Christs holy Word of Truth 2 Pet. 3.16 ye do it to your own destruction 2. Observe Beloved these two sure Rules of Instruction and Exhortation 1. Keep close to the Doctrine of the Scriptures 2. Hold fast to the Judgment of the Church Keep close to the doctrine of the Scriptures that will keep you from the seductions of the Romanist Hold fast to the Judgment of the Church that will preserve you from the Errors of the Separatist For so hath God been pleased to make the Militant State of our Mother the Church of England to be betwixt the eager opposition of two enraged Enemies the Church of Rome and the Brethren of the Separation against whom she thus makes good the combate from the Authority of the sacred Scriptures and the Judgment of the Primitive Church Urging the Authority of the Scriptures the Romanist flies at the point of that weapon and would soon be beat out of the field were it not some return he makes by pretending the Church Again Urging the Judgment of the Church the Separatist staggers at that blow and would soon fall to the ground were it not some hold he catcheth by wresting the Scriptures To close then That ye may continue firm and sound in the Faith be careful that in the Epidemical distempers of the times ye change not the dyet of your Souls least what you think to make your food prove your poyson Feed on your Mothers Milk keep to that sum of our Churches Doctrine Worship Discipline and Government which is contained in the Publick Liturgy in the Thirty nine Articles the Books of Homilies and Ordination all consenting with the Word of God and Truth of Christ Withal see that to the confession of a true Faith Aquin. ye joyn the confession of an holy life Confitetur qui nulla parte diffitetur He confesses truly who confesseth thorowly Confess we with the mouth and with the hand in our words and in our works This is the best Harmony of Confessions And thus Matth. 10.32 Confess we Christ before men and he will confess us before his Father which is in Heaven Own we him in this Truâ—h and he will own us in his Glory hear we his Word and do we his Will so shall we receive his Reward and this in an eternal Rest unto our Souls Thus have we done with the Explication and the Application of what concerns the Mission and Commission together with the several Instructions given by our Saviour to his Apostles in his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Go ye Disciple all Nations Baptising them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Teaching them to observe whatsoever I have commanded you Halleluiah THE FIRST SERMON UPON Coloss 1. v. 18 19. And he is the Head of the Body the Church who is the beginning the first-born from the dead that in all things he might have the preheminence for it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell OUR Lord Jesus Christ being ascended into the highest Heavens Introduct and there sate down on the right hand of God Rom 8.34 Heb. 7.25 he ever lives to make intercession for us From which exaltation and intercession the Apostle draws his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ being able to save unto the utmost all that come unto God by him Able to save unto the utmost for that in his intercession is applied unto the Church for her salvation the utmost efficacie of the richest price the fullest power and the highest favour that humanity can receive from God or Divinity communicate to man For it is worth our observing That our blessed Lord to make our salvation sure he saves us by all means possible for salvation to be secur'd He saves us by ransom by rescue and by request by way of price by way of power and by way of favour Christs Resurrection that gives testimony to the sufficiencie of price laid down in his Passion his Ascension that gives testimony to the sufficiencie of power which he exercised in his Resurrection his sitting at Gods right hand that gives testimony to the sufficiencie of favour whereby he is exalted in his Ascension and lastly the Intercession of Christ that is applicatory of all these for the full and final redemption of his chosen In his Intercession he pleads the merit of his Passion as the full paiment he pleads the efficacie of his Resurrection as his clear acquittance he pleads the benefit of his Ascension as giving actual possession Eph. 1.6 Mat. 17.5 Heb. 1.2 and pleads the vertue of his Session at the right hand of the Father as thereby declared to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the beloved Son of God and lawful Heir of Heaven Yea our holy Jesus and blessed Mediator being sate down at the right hand of God he is not only by a gracious decree appointed by an holy unction consecrated but also by a glorious investiture from the Father he is established in the spiritual oeconomy Act. 2.36 Rom. 14.9 Mat. 28.18 and actual administration of that soveraign authority whereby he is constituted and declared to be Lord and Christ Judge of quick and dead King of heaven and earth and as S. Paul here gives us the description Head of the body the Church the beginning the first-born from the dead c. Connexion Before we give you the Division of the words we must give you their Dependance to which we are directed by the Copulative and And he is the Head of the body the Church which Copulative does join what we must not separate the Context and the Text. If then we do but look three Verses back we find how the Apostle having set forth the benefits of Redemption he presently subjoins a description of the
Jam. 1.17 And it is not any thing that can add to its immutability for as to infinity in respect of extension so to immutability in respect of firmness there can be no accession of parts nor addition of degrees § 14. Wherefore as mans oath adds not to the truth of his word so nor Gods oath to the certainty of his promise So that meerly to shew unto the faithful Heb. 6.17 the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel he confirmed it by an oath which was for the greater testimony of his love in the stronger assurance of our faith being fixt upon the firm stability of his promise from which stability of pâ—omise we draw an infallible argument to prove the blessing of God upon them that fear him He will shew them his covenant Who is it now that feareth the Lord and in that fear approacheth a communion with Christ in his ordinance his holy Sacrament that God may now acquaint him with his Covenant in the manifestations of his love let him first see to this that he be acquainted with his secret in the operations of his grace § 15. And here that we rest not on moral principles or on a formal sanctity do we examine the operations of grace in a real holiness such as meer morality cannot reach nor formal hypocrisie counterfeit See we then what is the secret of the Lord with them that fear him in the operations of grace 1. In respect of their contritions and humiliations 2. In respect of their hungrings and thirstings after righteousness 3. In respect of their holy purposes and godly resolutions 4. In respect of their earnest prayers and fervent supplications 5. In respect of their humble assurance of Gods love and acceptance through Christ § 16. 1. Their contritions and humiliations in which their sight and sense of sin is not only in respect of the general corruption of their nature but also the particular and more enormous transgressions of their life yea they view sin not so much in its horror of guilt Psal 14.3 Col. 1 21. Eph. 2 12. Isa 59.2 as in its pollution of filth not so much as exposing to wrath and hell as setting at enmity with God and estranging the soul from Christ And thus doth Christs grace work upon their hearts with the Laws threatnings tempered with the Gospels promises thereby bruising and breaking them in contritions of soul mollifying and melting them in languishings of spirit Oh this the secret of the Lord these the operations of grace in Contritions and Humiliations § 17. 2. In hungrings and thirstings after righteousness which arise in the soul from faith in the promises of Christ those of Justification by his Blood and those of Sanctification by his Spirit yea that knowledg of God and of Christ which they had formerly being speculative now becomes practical and they find those Scriptures true in experience and trial which before they viewed only in fancy and notion Psal 27.4 So that nothing appears more beautiful to their souâ—s then the worship and service of their God nothing more joyous then communion with Christ and fellowship with his Saints And therefore do they breath forth their longings after righteousness with holy David Oh that our ways were made so direct Psal 119 5. that we might keep thy statutes And as they have no comfort in their souls till God speaks peace unto their consciences so nor have they quiet in their consciences till God give further grace unto their souls that grace of sanctification whereby they may perfect holiness in the fear of God 2 Cor. 7.1 § 18. 3. Holy purposes and godly resolutions which resolutions of their souls are conformable to the admonition of the Apostle Act. 11.23 even with purpose of heart to cleave unto the Lord. And whereas the purposes of the Hypocrite they are ab extra from without from Gods judgments or mans perswasions their holy purposes they are ab infra from within from the sense of Gods mercy and Christs love which does so powerfully affâ—ct their souls that they are with David at a Juravi I have sworne Ps 119.166 and I will perform it that I will keep thy righteous judgments They make it their solemn vow and sincere resolution to observe the Law of their God and the precepts of their Redeemer And according to the sincerity of their holy resolutions so do they order the integrity of their holy obedience even in an universal and impartial respect to all Gods commandments not allowing not approving yea Ps 119.6 not excusing or indulging themselves in the commission of the least evil of which their conscience is convinc'd that it is a sin against their just and holy God their good and gracious Father § 19. 4. Earnest prayers and fervent supplications How many oh how many are the deep sighs how many the mournful groans how many the secret wishes how many the pantings and longings which they feel in their souls as so many ebullitions of grace so many breathings of the Spirit And all these oft-times before they can in affiance of faith gain wing in prayer to present and enlarge themselves in supplications before the Throne of grace In which supplications they are not more earnest and importunate for justification then they are for sanctification for remission of sins then for newness of life yea they sue with as much fervency and importunity for holiness as for happiness for grace as for glory § 20. 5. Their humble assurance of Gods love and acceptance through Christ And for this know that the Spirit of supplication which gives them words to put up their prayer unto God through Christ the same Spirit doth often bring back word unto their souls that their prayer so put up is accepted whereby with David they taste and see that is Ps 34 8. experimentally find and feel that the Lord is God receiving even whilst they are praying an answer of their prayers returned into their bosom by a secret contentation of soul wrought by a sweet illapse of the Spirit And thus their souls become even transported with a divine joy and heavenly delight the spiritual communion they obtain with God through Christ in humble prayer being an earnest of that eternal communion they expect with God and with Christ in the heavenly presence Joh 17.24 Of which eternal communion and heavenly presence this blessed Eucharist is the Sacramental seals and pledge confirming unto us the truth and comfort of this doctrine and Text That the secret of the Lord is with them that fear him and he will shew them his Covenant Vers 15. Mine eyes are ever towards the Lord for he shall pluck my feet out of the net § 1. HIs guards are strong his fence is sure whose salvation is Christ which salvation is communicated to us in the promises of grace exhibited in the ministry of the Word and more plentifully conveyed yea more effectually confirmed in
wages of iniquity 2 Pet. 2.15 to curse Israel he tempts Judas with horrid treason to betray his Master Luk. 22.2 3. he tempts Annanias Act. 5.3 4. with cursed sacriledge to alineate to his own use what he had dedicated to Gods service Thus also when he sees the heart set upon ambition Numb 16.1 he tempts Corah with desperate rebellion he tempts Absolon with unnatural treason 2 Sam. 15.10 he tempts Arrius with blasphemous Heresie he tempts Julian with horrid Apostacy § 16. But now on the contrary as an Arrow shot against a Rock may be broken but cannot enter thus temptation to the soul it shall be repell'd where no lust is within to give admittance Wherefore though Satan tempt our Saviour yet are the darts of his temptations shot in vain He finds nothing in him Joh. 14.30 nothing in Christ of carnal or earthly affection whereon his temptation might fasten it self In us then it is the treacherous correspondencie of the flesh with Satan and the World which betrays our souls to their assaults So that to fortifie the soul against their sinful temptations the surest means is to mortifie the flesh in its corrupt affections Rom. 8.13 § 17. Now when the solemnity of the holy Eucharist is celebrated Job 1.6 it is a day when the sons of God come to present themselves before the Lord and we may be sure Satan will also come among them not only to accuse every unworthy Receiver but even to tempt the worthiest that receives tempt him with wandring and worldly thoughts with flat and dull affections yea it may be with spiritual pride with formal hypocrisie or impure imaginations Wherefore it will be a second Case seasonably proposed How we may best attend this sacred solemnity that we be not entangled in Satans net Answer By having our eyes ever towards the Lord our souls fixt and intent upon Christ in the sufferings of his Passion the power of his Resurrection the glory of his Ascension and the benefit of his Intercession And this with the enlargements of contrition of faith of love of prayer and of praises § 18. This a fit exercise for the whole solemnity of Administring but especially in the very act of receiving when the Minister comes towards thee O thou devoted soul with the Sacramental pledges of Christs body and blood raise thy self in this or the like ejaculation of fervent prayer O my Jesus thou boundless mercy and glorious purity by thy Spirit pierce into every faculty of my soul cleanse out every corner of my heart and so sanctifie and enlarge me that I may become a fit temple an holy habitation for thee the Lord of life and Prince of glory This done when the sacred bread is administred to thee with a Take eat the body of our Lord Jesus Christ then in thy silent meditations by a commemoration of faith behold Christ in the garden Luk. 22.44 and see him in his anguish of soul and agony of blood prest under the weight of mans sin and Gods wrath This being over behold him betrayed by Judas apprehended by the Jews and dragged away to the High-Priests palace where Mat. 26 67. in thy commemorations of faith behold him spit upon blindfolded and buffeted and after that hurried away to Pilate's Judgment-hall where being falsely accused see him unjustly condemned and after he is scourged with whips Mat. 27.2.11 crown'd with thorns and sceptred with a reed mock'd and despightfully used behold him in thy meditations bearing his cross till he faints under it § 19. At last coming to Mount Calvary see his limbs stretcht and violently distorted his hands and feet digg'd and bor'd and at length his precious body nail'd to his Cross where fix thy meditations of faith in an exercise of contrition and love that as S. Paul thou mayest become crucified with Christ Gal. 2.20 and with good Ignatius in a Pathos of devotion cry out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Oh my love and therein my life my joy my Jesus he is crucified And in this melting extasie of contrition and love continue till the Cup be presented thee with a Drink this the blood of our Lord Lord Jesus Christ which thou receiving as from Christ in an awful and devout reverence in a renewed contrition of heart and devotion of love renew thy meditations of faith and in them whilst thou beholdest thy Saviour hanging upon his Cross seeing thou canst not conceive his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his unknown sufferings as the Greek Church calls them seeing thou canst not conceive the Sea of sorrows which overwhelmed his soul see oh see those Rivers of blood which overflowed his body And life flowing out with the blood see him seal a Consummatum est to his Passion and our Redemption with a giving up the ghost § 20. And here say within thy self Who is it in a challenge to the Law and Sin and Satan who is it that condemns seeing it is Christ that dyed Rom. 8.34 my Surety my Saviour who thus offers up himself a sacrifice for my sins And therefore presenting thy self in the presence of thy God and his holy Angels raise thy soul in this apprehension of faith That whatsoever is the guilt of Sin the accusation of Satan or the curse of the Law all is taken away cancelled and abolish'd by the merit of Christs passion And therefore in thy meditation of holy faith send forth this ejaculation of fervent prayer Look down oh look down heavenly Father from thy celestial sanctuary and behold the sacred Hoast the death the passion of my crucified Saviour whose blood of sprinkling speaks better things then that of Abel's even things of grace and mercy of pardon and peace Eph. 4 8. Col. 2.15 § 21. And here from the Passion of thy Saviour proceed in thy meditations of faith to his Ressurection and behold him leading Captivity captive triumphing gloriously over sin and Satan death and hell From his Resurrection follow him to his Ascension and raised by faith Heb. 7.25 behold him at the right hand of the Father in glory where He ever lives to make intercession for us And therefore presenting thy self before the Throne of grace powre out thy soul in prayer in the mediation of Christ Jesus that God would make good to thee the institution of this holy Sacrament as the seal of his Covenant of grace giving thee a communion with the Lord Jesus in all his benefits that so the pardon of thy sins being sealed a supply of grace exhibited and the earnest of glory confirmed thy whole man may be further sanctified and eternally blessed And now let the close of all be lauds and praises even Halleluiah salvation be unto our God and unto the Lamb for ever Rev. 7.10 Vers 16 17. Turn thee unto me and have mercy upon me for I am desolate and afflicted The troubles of my heart are enlarged O bring thou me out of
me Isa 49.14 he hath withdrawn himself in the comforts of his Spirit from me so that I am desolate and afflicted the troubles of my heart are enlarged For thy comfort and direction 1. ◠Know Comfort is not of the necessary being but of the happy well-being of the Saints it is rather a partial reward then a particular grace an earnest of glorification rather then a part of sanctification It is the light not the heat of the Sun that makes the day and it is the grace not the comfort of the Spirit that makes a Saint 2. For thy direction 1. Be zealous to find out the Achan to discover the cursed thing if any there be which hath caused or occasioned this desertion and having found it be humbled in repentance for commonly Spiritual comforts take their first rise from Penitential sorrow § 24. 2. After humiliation enquire of God in the means of grace press near to him in his ordinances especially this of the blessed Eucharist And in this holy Sacrament hear Christs Venite ad me his Come unto me Mat. 11.28 extending it self to the hungry that they come and be satisfied to the thirsty that they come and be refreshed to the weary that they come and be eased to the weak that they come and be strengthened to the sick that they come and be healed to the fainting that they come and be revived to them that are fallen that they come and be restored yea to all that have faith and repentance that they come and be saved Here the treasury of heaven here the fountain of life here the storehouse of comforts are all set wide open Here O ye afflicted souls here you are at the right door knock and knock hard be not answered without admittance God loves an holy importunity and know the Lord is here Christ is here life is here salvation is here here dwells everlasting mercy here dwells eternal peace Oh look in look in with all reverence and faith into these sacred mysteries of grace and love and see see there the delights of Paradise and rivers of joy feeding them Oh how the Angels sing whilst devout souls exult at this blessed Feast of the Lord of life and Prince of peace § 25. 3. To preserve the comforts of the Spirit when received of God in Christ be faithful in the exercise of grace For God imprints his love upon the heart in the characters of grace which the more large the better read yea Grace is Gods seal and the more visible the stamp the more evident the assurance the more evident is our assurance the more full will be our comforts Further know the wayes of holiness are as beds of spices Cant. 4.16 the more we walk in them the more they requite the soul with their sweet delight and spiritual refreshments Thus must mans obedience be conformable to his devotion his conversation to his supplication not doing that which may drive God from him in justice whilst he would have God turn to him in mercy Turn thee unto me and have mercy upon me c. Vers 18. Look upon mine affliction and my pain and forgive all my sins § 1. AFfliction is the proper object of compassion misery the proper object of mercy And therefore we read how Pilate willing to release Jesus he brings him forth having his back furrowed with the whips his head harrowed with the thorns and his derisive purple stained yea drencht with blood and presents him thus ghastly a spectacle to the Jews with an Ecce homo Joh. 19.5 behold the man supposing so sad a sight would have moved malice to mercy and envy it self to compassion Now what Pilate did to the Jews with Christ Christ in a fit resemblance and apt allusion does with the Penitent to his Father he brings him forth in the Court of Conscience having his heart wounded with sorrow his spirit broken in contrition and his soul fainting in languishments of repentance and presents him so sad a spectacle to the Father with an Ecce homo Behold the man § 2. Behold the man once so lofty in his pride now so lowly in his penitence once so hardened in his rebellion now so humbled in his contrition once so obstinate a sinner now so pittiful a penitent And oh whilst this man of sorrows mourns in affliction how does the Father of mercies melt in compassion When the wounded sinner is presented by the wounded Son and the Penitents tears cry aloud with the Mediators blood how must the Fathers compassion needs melt into sins remission Of which sacred truth and heavenly comfort was David well assured when in this his Psalm of penitence he makes this prayer of faith Vide afflictionem Look upon mine affliction and my pain and forgive all my sins § 3. Observe we in these words two particulars 1. The proper object of Divine mercy 2. The firm ground of the Souls peace 1. The proper object of Divine mercy it is affliction and pain Look upon my affliction and my pain 2. The firm ground of the Souls peace it is sins forgiveness Forgive me all my sins § 4. 1. The proper object of Divine mercy Look upon mine affliction and my pain This affliction and pain is either that of the penitent Sinner or that of the devout Saint That of the penitent Sinner who having withdrawn himself from the world and retired into the secret closet of his Conscience Isa 38. how does he with Hezekiah even Recogitare annos in amaritudine animae Overturn the Annals of his life in the bitterness of his soul And after a strict survey having faithfully observed the sins which he hath committed and the several circumstances by which they are aggravated he then sums them up into a Catalogue which is no sooner in his eye but sorrow is in his heart endeavoring to blot out those letters of guilt with his tears of repentance through faith in the blood of Christ § 5. And whilst he sets his sins in order before him Oh how does a secret affrightment chill his blood and make his heart to tremble in the apprehension of their loathsome filth and dreadful curse yea he beholding himself under the heavy sentence of the laws condemnation Oh how how is he wholly encompassed with terror and amazement When he looks within him Oh the terrors of an accusing conscience and a killing guilt When he looks without him Oh the horror of a deserved death and a tormenting Hell When he looks above him Oh the dread the dread of an offended Majesty and an avenging Judge Oh whither whither then shall this poor penitent fly for succour Where oh where shall his affrighted and afflicted soul seek for shelter Where but at the cross of his Redeemer § 6. And when Christ so full of pitty so full of love when he beholds the humble suppliant and sincere penitent in the lowest depth of his humiliations pouring out his complaint at the foot of his
implore its deliverance And when when more seasonably help the Church with our prayers then now when her Prayers are violently wrested from the Church § 22. But more especially 2 to mind us of the fit season and service to pray for Israels deliverance even the celebration of the blessed Eucharist Seeing so great wrath is come upon us from the Almighty do we this day lay hold on the horns of the Altar do we in the celebration of this blessed Sacrament deeply sigh and contritely mourn for all the abominations that are committed in the Land that so Ezek. 9.4 with those Penitentiaries in Ezekiel we may receive our mark even that blood of Christ upon out souls that so the destroying Angel may yet pass over us and in the behalf of this our Israel do we in our most enlarged devotions make this or the like intercession unto God in the holy Eucharist Look down oh look down heavenly Father from the height of Heaven thy celestial Sanctuary and behold the sacred Hoast the blood of our Jesus speaking better things then that of Abel Heb. 12.24 even things of grace and of mercy of pardon and of peace of reconciliation and of restauration And seeing in him thy justice is satisfied let thy wrath be appeased and through the merit of his blood oh let the bleeding wounds of our fainting Land be healed and the faintâ—ng heart of our languishing Church reviv'd § 23. And here let the outward distractions of our Israel minde us of the inward distempers of our hearts the great profanations in the Church prompt us to a strict purifying of our Consciences yea our longing desires after better days quicken our holy endeavours after better lives So shall we find by an happy experience God who did watch for our deliverance when we knew not our danger In the Powder-plot 1605. he will not sleep now we know our danger and pray for our deliverance No as for the Enemies of Sion evil shall fall upon them and sudden desolation Isa 47.11 nescient ortum ejus they shall not know from whence it ariseth But as for the Israel of God he shall deliver them as a bird out of the Fowlers net Ps 124 6 7. and as a prey out of the Lyons teeth at once making it the praise of our faith then to believe when our trust seems to be against hope Rom. 4.18 and the glory of his power then to save when our condition seems to be past succor And thus for the share we have in the sorrow of Israels troubles we shall have our portion in the joy of Israels deliverance Is 35.10 if not whilst the Church is militant on earth yet most assuredly then when triumphant in heaven of which this blessed Sacrament is the seal and pledge confirming the Royal grant of this humble Petition to every faithful soul that prays with David Deliver Israel O God out of all his troubles Halleluiah THE Preacher's Tripartite BOOK II. To administer COMFORT BY CONFERENCE with the SOUL IN ITS Spiritual Conflicts Reduced to particular CASES of CONSCIENCE Viz. 1. The importunate Crowd of Vain Thoughts 2. The frightful Suggestions of Foul Thoughts 3. Some late Relapses into Sin 4. Daily Conflicts with Sin 5. A Distrust of the Graces sincerity in general of Faith and of Repentance in particular 6. The sense of Barrenness in holy Duties 7. The misapprehension of Gods withdrawing the Comforts of his gracious presence 8. The misinterpretation of the Order of Gods Providence as to the Tribulations of the Godly and as to the Prosperity of the Wicked 9. The long Continuance of Temptations and Afflictions By ROBERT MOSSOM LONDON Printed by Thomas Newcomb 1657. TO THE Right Honorable Lady FRANCES Marchioness of HERTFORD c. MADAM I Acknowledge it mine ambition that I seek your Honor's Patronage but dare adventure upon this guilt in confidence of a Favorable Pardon as well as an Honorable Protection to your Suppliant I know no vice in Morals unpardonable like that of Ingratitude and therefore to avoid the sin and censure of this Apostacy I declare it Madam your Reward of Goodness exceeding the Merit of a former Present which hath obliged the duty of this Dedication What are the charitable supplies of your Eleemosynary bounties notwithstanding Modesty is at once the Vail and Ornament of your Vertues there is a Trumpet of Honorable Fame that proclaims it That I have my self received an encouragement of my Studies by your Nobleness I willingly embrace this opportunity thankfully to acknowledge and record Besides Madam it were improper to intitle the SOUL'S CONFERENCE to any other then an experienced Piety whose Spiritual Conflicts sustained can give testimony to the Comforts administred which not Greatness but Goodness can best approve and Patronize Here then Madam to your Goodness as great in Honor and to your Honor as great in Goodness is humbly presented this Freewill-offering the Work and the Author and no Votary can do more then make his whole Possession one Oblation as ambitious to bear the name and attribute of being NOBLE MADAM Your Honors Faithfully Devoted Servant R. MOSSOM CONFERENCE WITH THE SOUL In its Spiritual Conflicts THE INTRODUCTION IT is the great design of Satan in a malicious envy to Man if he cannot spoil us of our Crown Lam. 3.17 18. then to rob us of our Comfort If he cannot deprive us of Grace then to bereave us of our Peace Which thing he doth not only attempt but often attain by raising in our hearts an infernal fog of diffidence and distrust Ps 77.8 9. Ps 88.5 6. begetting such doubts and fears and affrighting terrors as do make the Soul against all the light of counsel and of comfort in the Word conclude against it self to have lost all interest in Gods love Job 38.2 and Christs merits Lam 5.22 Isa 49.14 all Communion with the Spirit of grace and of life pleading with much vehemencie of passion and impatience that its former hopes have been but deceitful presumptions and its exercises of holiness hypocritical delusions Oh the thick darkness which this mist and fog of Satans suggestions casts upon the inward man How doth it become the very shop of fears the womb of terrors Ps 23 4. yea the valley and shadow of death the cheering light of the Sun of Righteousness being thereby eclipsed from the Soul Now there is no greater advantage unto Satan in his temptations then the ignorance and error of the mind when the Understanding is darkened or deceiv'd darkened through want of knowledge or deceiv'd with a false light For Satan he works still contrary unto God and yet in imitation of him too And therefore as God in his operations of grace to beget life Eph. 1.17 18. he first enlightens and illuminates so Satan in his temptations unto sin to destroy grace he first darkens and deceives 2 Cor. 4.4 Eph. 4.18 Luk. 22.64 He doth with the
from an impulse of love as a delight I make mine Obedience a legal debt not a free-will offering a necessitated service aw'd with fear not an Eucharistical sacrifice mov'd with love Yea I am not what I was in stead of improving my Talent of Grace I have forsaken my first love I am not at all ready and cheerful willing and constant in holy duties as formerly so that I fear I have received the grace of God in vain Time was when with David I made Gods Word my portion and heritage gold and silver not so precious liberty and life not so dear mine heart seem'd then to be fill'd with God and with Christ holy services were so sweet to my soul that I counted my very work wages But oh now my delightful Paradise is turn'd into a barren Wilderness holy duties and religious performances they are as the ways of thorns and briars even wearisom and unpleasant paths and oh how can I then believe God accepts my person in Christ when I feel no quickenings of his Spirit in an holy life The Grounds of Comfort 1. It is the wise dispensation of our gracious God sometimes to suffer our devotion to decay and our corruptions to prevail on purpose to advance the dignity and discover the necessity of his grace Joh. 15.5 that so knowing our dependance we may become the more sincere in our obedience and being humbled in the sense of our own emptiness and vanity we may be the more intent upon the fulness of his Alsufficiencie The goodliest fabrick of an holy life Phil. 4.13 Jud. 24 25. if God withdraw the props and pillars of his supporting and strengthening grace how will it soon shake and sink and fall to ruine If David then be continually with God it is because God holds him by his right hand Ps 73.23 As it was grace which wrought effectually to our conversion and regeneration so it is grace that worketh still in the like efficacie to our further sanctification and final perseverance And therefore it is Davids prayer unto God saying Hold up my goings in thy paths Ps 17.5 1 Pet. 1.5 that my footsteps slip not And that we are kept it is by the power of God through faith to salvation So that as fuel to the fire as food to the body as showers to the corn such is Grace to devotion and an holy life without which it faints it dies it withers away 2. That there is a less active vigor in our holy life and religious conversation may proceed from weakness of nature not of grace The soul follows much the temperature of the body if that be sickly and weak the soul cannot act its gracious operations with that vigor and zeal as when healthful and strong A decay of spirits in the body will certainly make an abatement of vigor in the soul the unaptness of the Instrument takes much from the art and excellencie of the Workman and the body that 's the souls instrument whereby it acts its motions and therefore if the body be more dull the soul must needs be less vigorous and so the duties of devotion the less active and lively Rev. 2.4 3. Whereas many complain as thou dost that they are fallen from their first love because not so affected with the enlargements of devotion and therein not so quickened with the life of grace as at their first conversion when they first gave up their names unto Christ they may haply find if rightly examined those enlargements and delights of their first conversion did proceed as much from the novelty as the piety of their estate Their love and in that their delights more sensible but not more solid more passionate but not more sincere right like the love and delight of first Espousals Jer. 2.2 Cant. 3 11. whereas we question not but that a long married Couple are as dear in their love though not so frequent in their embraces Yea it may be an excess of love which begets this affliction of soul for true love is so enlarg'd in dispositions and resolutions of doing more service to God and Christ that all it does seems still too little And therefore many complain their present duties are short of former services and their present vigor less then former zeal which yet is not so indeed but in appearance Before small love thought little to be much and now great love thinks much to be but little To close then Whereas it is ordinary with God to deal with the penitent Convert as the Father did with his prodigal Son even entertain him with feasting and mirth receive him with much of spiritual solace and delight Luk. 15.23 And this he does the better to encourage him in the way of holiness yea and to fortifie him against the days of trial and temptation which shall after come upon him in which days of temptation and trial he may not think but that though his former joys and delights do cease yet the sincerity and strength too of grace may continue yea and be increased The Rules of Direction 1. Breathe forth thy complaints unto Christ in prayer for the life thou hast is from the quickening power of his grace and therefore he who died that thou mightest live will preserve the life which he hath given But then thou must beg it by prayer And at once to quicken thy prayer and strengthen thy faith hear his promise and own his love Mat. 5 6. Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness for they shall be filled What parent is it who hearing his child hungry and fainting cry out for bread Luk. 11.11.13 that can restrain his bowels from pitty or his hand from relief And far more compassionate is thy Saviour far more tender is his love He is indeed love it self 1 Joh. 4.16 He the fountain as of life so of love The love thou bearest to him proceeds from him and certainly he would not make thee to love him if thou wert not first belov'd of him Wherefore take heart in thy dejections convert his promise into prayer plead with thy God in the right of his own bond and his Sons blood urge the grace of his own promise the Law of his own Covenant say with David Make good O Lord thy word unto thy servant Ps 119 4â— upon which thou hast caused me to hope Yea let me bespeak thee as the Prophet does Zion Let tears run down like a river Lam 2 18. not in the impatience of distrust but the importunity of devotion In this Ne taceat pupilla oculi tui let not the apple of thine eye keep silence Ps 6.8 every tear every sigh hath a voice to implore mercy and to importune grace Yea seeing thou canst not follow Agnum immaculatum sine macula the spotless Lamb without thy spots of sin Joh. 1.29 thy daily tears shall obtain the blood of the Lamb to cleanse thy guilt And doubt
when in the storm the poor sheep runs for shelter it loseth its fleece It is not thus with God Ps 84.11 He is Sol Scutum a Sun and Shield as a Sun to enlighten in the midst of darkness so a Shield to defend in the midst of dangers Yea such is Gods wisdom and power in his special providence over the faithful that he then saves when his people seem to be past succor Thus it is said The Lord shall judge his people Deut. 32.36 when he seeth that their power is gone And wherefore this but that they may have the greater joy and he the greater glory in their deliverance 2. The truth of Gods promise Amongst many promises fix we upon that by the Prophet Mal. 3.17 18. where God at once answers the complaint of a profane diffidence and strengthens the comforts of a weak faith The complaint is That it was in vain to serve God seeing the proud become happy the wicked exalted v. 14 15. and they that tempt God are delivered Well says God the day cometh that shall burn as an oven and all the proud yea all that do wickedly shall be as stubble And that we may discern between the righteous and the wicked between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not this is the promise concerning the godly They shall be mine saith the Lord of Hosts in that day when I make up my jewels and I will spare them as a man spareth his own son that serveth him In this gracious promise see a divine Climax a sacred gradation of goodness and love The Judgment of wrath threatned by God is compared unto a devouring fire in whose destroying flames God gives the promise to preserve his Saints And at once to raise their confidence and enlarge their comfort he declares the grounds of property and preciousness the relation of sons and service which do engage his Almighty self for their safe protection and sure deliverance Observe then in the raging fury of a devouring fire who is' t that first does not think of saving his own goods And amongst his own goods what is of most worth and value his treasure and of his treasure what is most choise and precious his jewels Yet who doth not more highly prise and will not more eagerly save his child in the cradle then his jewel in the cabinet And amongst children the treasure of our bowels and so the chief in our affections amongst those if any child be a jewel more precious and dear then another sure it must be that whose dutifulness of filial obedience adds to the tenderness of natural relation Now this is here the gradation of Gods goodness and love for his peoples protection and deliverance they are by property his own goods for so says God they shall be mine And to this property is added preciousness they are his choise goods his treasure his chief treasure his jewels They shall be mine saith the Lord in that day when I make up my jewels Jewels here cut and squar'd by affliction then polish'd and made up into a royal diadem Yea because nothing adorns the body that can be so dear as what issues from the loâ—ns the fruit of the womb being the object of the bowels most tenderly beloved therefore God to testifie his love he owns his Saints as his sons I will spare them as a man spareth his son But may not undutifulness harden the heart and shut up the bowels of the most tender parent Yes sure But then a dutiful obedience must certainly the more abundantly melt the heart and enlarge the bowels in compassion and love And so is it here with God he will spare his Saints as a father his son and that as his most dutifully obedient so his most tenderly beloved son the son that serveth him 3. The example of Christ The two Disciples which went to Emmaus Luk. 24. do make our Saviours ignominious death an argument to doubt and question v. 26. but he the sure argument to prove and confirm that he was the Messiah who came to redeem Israel For saith he ought not Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into his glory Yea in respect of the analogie and correspondencie betwixt the head and members Christ and his Church this was a comely and beautiful order of Gods decree Heb. 2.10 for that It became him for whom are all things and by whom are all things in bringing many sons unto glory to make the Captain of their salvation perfect through suffering Wherefore as our redemption was not perfected so nor shall our salvation be consummated without suffering of afflictions For that Rom. 8.29 Whom God did foreknow in his Election of grace he did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son conformed here in sufferings and holiness and conformed hereafter in glory and happiness Heb. 12 1 2. Good then is the exhortation of S. Paul That we run with patience the race that is set before us looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross despising the shame and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God And the Apostle will have us thus seriously to consider Christ lest we be weary and faint in our minds v. 3. For as Prosper observes Malus miles est qui Imperatorem gemens sequitur He is a cowardly Soldier that follows his General with mourning into the battel He is a faint-hearted Christian that follows Christ with heaviness in his afflictions The Apostles were right indeed Act. 5.41 when they departed from the Council rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer for the name of Christ And thus S. Paul Col 1 24. I rejoice saith he in my sufferings for you and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his bodies sake which is the Church whereof I am made a Minister The Apostle rejoiceth in his afflictions and what is the ground of his joy but his conformity with Christ for that his afflictions he calls the afflictions of Christ by vertue of that mystical union and tender sympathy arising from that union which is betwixt Christ and the Church as is that of the head and the body Now the Apostle calls his sufferings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lyr. in loc that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ we must know as Lyranus well that the sufferings of Christ are twofold 1. Those afflictions which he suffered in corpore proprio in his natural body these he did compleat and perfect by himself 2. Those afflictions which he still suffers in corpore mystico in his body mystical and these are fulfilled and consummated in his members Wherefore saith the Apostle that he fills up what is behind of the afflictions of Christ in his flesh not in Christs body No room then for Romish
no condemnation then no punishment For what is punishment but the execution of the just condemnation which is past by God upon the guilt of sin S. Augustine then gives us a short and full resolution that verè Christus communicando nobiscum sine culpa poenam culpam solvit poenam Christ by communicating with us of punishment without sin hath taken away both sin and punishment The afflictions then of the faithful they proceed from God as a provident Father not as an avenging Judge and are not for satisfying of his justice but the reforming of their lives To close What is it that most retards our pace tyres our spirits and dulls our vigor in the way to life and glory but the Corruption in our hearts and the Cross on our shoulders By so much then shall we the better bear our Cross by how much we the more subdue our Corruption To instance Root out Vainglory and ô how much is taken away from the weight of â—nfamy Root out Pride and ô how much is taken away from the weight of Poverty Root out Wrath and ô how much is taken away from the weight of Injury So that the better to bear our Cross what can be more effectual then this to reform our lives 2. To the exercise of a sincere repentance join the invocation of fervent prayer Ps 86.7 See Davids resolution In the day of my trouble I will call upon the Lord. And according to his resolution see his practice Ps 116.3 4. The sorrows of death compassed me and the pains of hell got hold upon me I found trouble and sorrow then called I upon the name of the Lord O Lord I beseech thee deliver my soul And for our encouragement to this duty we have the comfort of Gods promise Ps 50.15 Call upon me in the day of trouble I will deliver thee and thou shalt glorifie me O the divine power of fervent prayer which by an holy importunity does even vincere invincibilem overcome him who is invincible Exod. 32.10 Let me alone says God to Moses let me alone Domine quis tenet te saith the Father Lord who holds thee Why the instance and importunity of Moses prayer Let not then O afflicted soul let not the extremity of thy distress dead the vigor of thy faith or damp the importunity of thy devotion No as the thickest darkness of the night is nearest to the dawning of the morn and the lowest Ebb to the Tides return Thus the greatest misery which in natural men prompts to despair in the spiritual man becomes a ground of hope and a rise of comfort knowing well that of David is good instruction as well as true devotion a maxim of faith as well as a petition of prayer Ps 60.11 Help Lord for vain is the help of man When our affliction then is sharpest let our devotion be hottest and the more fervent is our prayer the more near shall be our help The tears of the afflicted when poured forth in fervent prayer cannot so fâ—ll to the ground but that their cry does ascend unto heaven and prevail with God for a blessing So that he shall either overshadow them with his wing or support them with his hand either protect them by his power or sustain them with his grace either give them deliverance out of troubles or strength to undergo them And indeed by so much a greater blessing it is to be strengthened to undergo troubles then to have present deliverance out of them by how much spiritual graces are more excellent then temporal mercies Ps 4 1. Ps 32.7 A greater blessedness was that of Davids when enlarged in his distress then when encompassed with songs of deliverance Hear me when I call O God of my righteousness thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress Upon this saith S. Chrysostom excellently Chrys in loc 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He saith not thou hast kept trouble quite from me or thou hast quite rid me out of trouble but that which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a wonder and paradox to the world In the midst of my distress 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou hast placed my soul in rest Let it be thy prayer then O distressed soul in all thine afflictions that God will either support thee by his grace or deliver thee by his power And so 3. To the invocation of fervent prayer join an humble submission unto Gods will For that God oftentimes deals with his children by way of exchange and commutation denying them wealth he gives contentment denying peace he gives patience denying an end of troubles he gives strength to undergo them Such is Gods wisdom that he knows and such is his goodness that he gives what is best and fittest for hâ—s to receive 1 Pet 5 6 7. Wherefore S. Peter's admonition is savingly good Humble your selves under the mighty hand of God that he may exalt you in due time casting all your care upon him for he careth for you Casting all your care upon him what may not Benjamin then have his sack and Christ his bag may not the Master provide for his family and the Father for his children Yes sure When the Apostle then will have us to cast all our care upon God he does not exclude any prudential providence but all sinful diffidence he does not forbid any moderate care but all immoderate carefulness Wherefore so cast we our care upon God as that in all things we humbly submit unto his will With old Eli in our greatest dangers and deepest necessities say It is the Lord 1 Sam. 3.18 1 Macch. 3.60 let him do what seemeth him good Or as Judas Macchabaeus in the midst of the calamities of his Nation As the will of God is in heaven so let him do Indeed a greater proof of grace there cannot be then this in the midst of afflictions humbly to submit unto the will of God For though there be no striving with our Maker yet how does froward Nature still prompt us to a quarrel in our murmuring against him Oh in how sweet and divine a temper then is that mans soul who when Gods hand is upon his back he hath his own hand presently upon his mouth and is at David's Tacui Domine quia tu fecisti Ps 29.10 I was dumb and opened not my mouth because it was thou Lord that didst it 4. To an humble submission unto Gods will join a patient expectation of his help Hear the Psalmists advice sound and saving Ps 37.6 7. Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for him and he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light and thy just dealing as the noon-day Gods children must have a patient expectation of Gods help for without him all is but vanity all policie and strength all wisdom and wealth without God they are but like Jonahs gourd Jon 4 7 8. when the sun beats hottest when trouble and affliction is the
greatest then do they vanish and come to nothing 1 King 13.4 The arm of flesh like Jeroboams hand shall suddenly wither Deut. 33.27 but the arms of the Almighty are everlasting stretcht out to all eternity for the defence of his chosen Water then of the River may be more ready but that of the Fountain is the more pure We may look upon mans help as nearest at hand but it is Gods succor which brings safety in the end Wherefore the patient expectation of Gods people must be for Gods help being assured The Lord will not cast off his people Ps 94.14 15. neither will he for sake his inheritance but judgment shall return unto righteousness and all the upright in heart shall follow it Know afflictions they have their set time and deliverance its appointed season Thus Israels bondage in Egypt the Jews Captivity in Babylon both were determined and our Saviour when laid hold on to be carried away to his passion he tells the Jews Luk. 22 53. that was their hour and power of darkness And as thus afflictions have their appointed time so hath deliverance its appointed season Ps 102.13 So the Psalmist Thou O Lord shalt arise and have mercy upon Sion for the time to favour her yea the set time is come Ps 110.3 And again Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power Which is spoken prophetically of Christ who notwithstanding his enemies hour and power of darkness yet hath he his prefixed and determined time for victory and conquest Every thing is beautiful in its season The husbandman will not expect his harvest in the Spring nor mow down his Corn in the blade but doth wait the appointed time of the year for the precious fruit of the earth Jam. 5.7 as is S. Iames's Simile Thus be it so that the people of God opprest with misery seem to be laid dead in their graves yet are they but as seed cast in the furrows Light is then sown for the righteous Ps 97.11 and they must wait till harvest the set time of their restauration and deliverance Yea shall we not allow that in God we approve in men Does humane authority constitute the appointed seasons of Civil Judicature so that the greatest injuries and most violent oppressions must wait their legal process and men may not prescribe their own times of hearing or of sentence And what Isa 34 8. shall not God then much rather appoint his day or year his time and season of recompences for the controversies of Sion We must therefore wait not prescribe the time of being heard in our suit and eas'd of our trouble Ps 102.13 seeing God hath his day of visitation a set time wherein he will have mercy upon Sion To close then if afflictions have their set time and deliverance its appointed season seeing our Saviour hath told us Act. 1.7 That times and seasons are in Gods hand let this be a sure Rule of direction to all Gods children even a patient expectation of Gods help 5 To the patient expectatoin of Gods help join a firm resolution of enduring unto the end And when the expectation of help does fail this resolution to endure will hold good knowing the premonition and promise too of our Saviour who having premonisht us that in these latter days Brother should betray brother to death and the father the son and the children should rise up against their parents and cause them to be put to death Mâ—â— â—3 12 13. and that the faithful should be hated of all men for his name sake our Saviour presently subjoins to this premonition this promise He that shall endure unto the end the same shall be saved Finis coronat opus the evening crowns the day Constancie it is that gives the garland to all vertuous actions A Believer is not conquered till his spirit be subdued whilst he retains a calm conscience and a resolute mind even in the loss of goods liberty and life it self he conquers through patience his cause prevails in his constancie and grace in his perseverance Let this then be the confident resolution of thy soul O distressed Saint and servant of Christ That neither death nor life nor Angels Rom. 8.38 39. nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate thee from the love of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. What though afflictions be great yet is this life but short and the more we do sow the more we shall reap the more we here sow in tears Ps 126.5 the more we shall hereafter reap in joy for that the more excellent is our grace of patience the more abundant shall be our reward of glory A patient suffering of afflictions it is the right way-mark in our passage and pilgrimage to heaven And who will not the better pass the dirt and mire that knows his way is right Yea Gal. 2.14 he that will according to S. Pauls phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 walk with a right foot it must be in this strait path He that will walk with a right foot according to the truth of the Gospel it must be in this strait path of suffering afflictions the way of Gods chosen hedg'd with thorns Wherefore Hos 2.6 Jam. 5.8 Rev. 22.12 be patient and stablish your hearts O ye afflicted souls for the coming of the Lord draweth nighâ— yea Behold says Christ behold I come quickly and my reward is with me Now then Mat 24.42.46 as our Saviour bids watch and pray for blessed is that servant whom his Lord when he cometh shall find so doing So again Be patient and endure for blessed is that servant whom his Lord when he cometh shall find so suffering as doing of his will so suffering for his name Imitate we David who neither murmurs against God nor inveighs against his enemies nor cryes out of his troubles Ps 42.11 but chides and complains of himself to himself Why art thou so troubled O my soul and why art thou so disquieted within me I can bear all sorrows but thine all afflictions but thine O be not thou cast down and I shall stand firm be not thou dejected and I shall be comforted do not thou shrink and I shall prevail See O see a crown attends thy constancie and songs of deliverance thy faithfulness and perseverance 2. The Grounds of Comfort as to the Prosperity of the Wicked 1. Wicked men are in a certain instability notwithstanding their present prosperity For that dignity pomp and peace cannot stand firm which is founded upon sin though ne'r so successful True it is though men generally regard not Religion indeed yet they all plead Religion in pretence and Piety is still made a drudge to base ends and the Lacquey to attend all politique designs But as there is nothing more reproachful to Gods name so is
path and leavest the beaten road even that which is right via regia the Kings high-way that way which the King of heaven Christ the Prince of glory Heb 2 10 Luk. 2â— 26 9.22 23. both by precept and by pattern by doctrine and example hath chalkt out to us If then we be of the Israel of God having escaped out of the Egypt of an unregenerate state we must expect our Red sea of persecutions our fiery Serpents of temptations and our long Wilderness of afflictions all which we must pass through before we attain the heavenly Canaan the inheritance of promise and of rest And now that we be not discouraged with the difficulties of our passage look we into the Word of life and Gospel of our salvation and there see besides the reward of glory to crown our constancie see the hand that sustains the might that strengthens us to overcome even the power and grace of Christ See the refreshings which keep our souls from fainting and add to our constancie chearfulness even the councels and comforts of the Spirit And these we shall administer to the distressed soul which in its long and continued Conflict makes this sad and languishing complaint The Words of Complaint How long oh how long have I waited for the returns of my God of my Jesus I have often prayed and long expected and yet no comfort comes unto my soul my distress of conscience still continues because my God hides his face and withholds the light of his countenance from me Yea he hath not only laid me in the darkness but also shut me up that I cannot come forth Mine afflictions compass me daily yea all the day they come about me like waters and threaten the swallowing up of my soul And oh what is my help my hope but my God But alas he refuseth to be intreated I am weary of my groaning I have cryed day and night and yet he heareth not so that though the desires of my soul be towards his name and the remembrance of his holiness yet how are my fears and my terrors increased lest I be cut off from his hand cast out of his presence and become one of those that go down into the pit I have been so long in darkness that Satan pleads it in my misgiving thoughts as too plain a sign of being a child of darkness for that sure if the Sun of righteousness were risen upon my soul those clouds this mist that darkness would not continue but as he brings healing in his wings so would he bring comfort in his light refreshings by his Spirit and deliverance by his power The Grounds of Comfort 1. The firm assurance Christ gives of his indulgent care over his Church and chosen Thus he comforted Sion of old When the Prophet in much Pathos of joy Isa 49.13 calls upon the inanimate creatures to make up the Jubile Sing O heaven and be joyful O earth and break forth into singing O mountains for God hath comforted his people and will have mercy upon his afflicted Yet it is Sion's deep complaint in the depth of her calamity v. 14. The Lord hath forsaken me and my Lord hath forgotten me But see see the love of God to his afflicted Church exceeds that of the tender mother to her sucking child Naz orat 31. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 no bowels more tender then those of a mother yet more tender far are those of our heavenly Father For so says God in a pathetical expostulation of faithfulness and love v. 15. Can a mother forget her sucking child that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb yea she may forget yet will I not forget thee Think not then O thou afflicted soul when God hides his face that he forgets thee or when he withdraws a while he then forsakes thee For how have we seen the careful and tender Mother wave the Child in her loving arms and pleas'd with its embraces threaten its fall that so fear might make it cling unto her bosom with the more sportful eagerness Thus even thus it is with the humble Saint and his gracious Saviour Videtur deserere quia non vult deseri Christ seems to forsake him on purpose that he may not be forsaken of him And this according to the tenor of Gods everlasting covenant That he will put his fear into the hearts of his chosen that they shall not depart from him Yea Jer. 32 4â— see the indeleble characters of Christs love and the infallible testimony of his care Says Christ to his Spouse his Church and in her to every faithful soul Behold I have engraven thee in the palms of my hands Engraven how why sâ— â—9 16. not with the carving tools but the piercing nails and not upon the skin but quite through the flesh not cover'd over with precious gold but colour'd through with more precious blood which neither age nor eternity shall wear out Thus thus have I engraven thee in the palms of my hands Humanitùs dictum saith Jun us it is spoken after the manner of men Jun. in loc but it is indeed an emphatical expression outvying the highest Courtship of the most amorous Lover to his beloved He it may be will have her Picture hang in his bosom that so forsooth she may be near his heart But Christ he hath his Spouse engraven in his hands that so she may be ever in his eye as well as in his heart she is his care as well as his love Wherefore that the Saints and chosen of God are often and long afflicted is not through want of love to pitty or of care to regard or of power to relieve No sure for what Father or Mother is not compassionately affected affectionately moved with the sufferings and sorrows of their dear children What tender Husband or what indeared Friend will not engage himself for the comfort succour supply and safety of whom he truly loves and lovingly tenders And therefore as David frames the Argument Ps 94 9. He that made the ear shall not he hear He that formed the eye shall not he see and he that teacheth man knowledge shall not he know So say I He who implants love and compassion in his creatures shall not he be much more loving and compassionate to his Saints He who imprints those tender affections in fathers husbands friends shall not he be more tenderly compassionate to his Church and chosen Yes sure Wherefore then Exod. 3.7 Jer 31.20 Ps 65.2 Ps 56.8 Mal. 3.16 he hath an eye of Providence to see their distress bowels of pitty to compassionate their trouble ears of mercy to hear their prayers bottles of love to hold their tears a book of remembrance to register their complaints yea Satan and the World shall know he hath Judgments of righteousness to plead their cause Vials of wrath to avenge their blood an arm of power to deliver their persons and a crown of
the Word of the most High God it alters not but as the Lord is gracious in his promise so will he be faithful in the performance Answ Answ General promises have their particular application and so become as the object of faith so the support of the soul in each particular condition Indeed it hath been the priviledge of some more devout souls and more divine tempers by an experienc'd communion with God in prayer to implore him for particular blessings with as firm an assurance as if they had had a particular promise Thus it is reported of good Latimer Bishop in the beginning of Reformation that he had frequent in his prayers and firm in his confidence these three things Queen Elizabeths obtaining the Crown His sealing the Truth with his blood and the third which he used to express with greatest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of devotion and vehemencey of zeal was this The Gospel restor'd once again once again in England All which God hath fulfilled But what said I all fulfilled No sure Upon perusing this passage of History I was affected in my thoughts observing the duplication of the good Fathers prayer that it was for the Gospels restoring once again and once again in England I hope the Spirit of prayer and of prophecie here went together and as the Gospel hath been already once again restor'd unto our fathers so it shall be once again restor'd unto us and unto our children as it hath been once restor'd from Romish Superstition so it shall be once again restor'd from Heretical Schismatical and Sacrilegious Profanation And this oh this do we further with our prayers our teares our deepest humiliations I call to mind the Historical tradition concerning S. Augustine That his mother Monica frequently applying herself to S. Ambrose that famous Bishop with bitter mournings for her son then a blasphemous Maniche and of a dissolute life though after an Orthodox Father and of a religious conversation S. Ambrose observing her continual lamentations dismist her with these words of comfort and confidence that Tot lachrymarum filius c. The son of so many tears should not perish Oh! did the Sons of this Church for their Mother as Monica the Mother did for her Son Isa 62 6 7. Luk. 18 7. importune God with prayers and tears day and night giving him no rest I could with confidence make particular application of Christs general promise and tell them in the words of S. Ambrose a little chang'd Tot lachrymarum Mater The Mother of so many tears the Church of so many prayers shall not be ruin'd The gates of hell even the policie of men and devils shall not prevail against her But oh I fear I fear our prayers have been so long out of the Church that most men leave the Church out of their prayers However then it be a divine priviledge of Gods devoutest Saints to have a secret perswasion and impulse of the Spirit for the asking by prayer and believing through faith particular blessings as if given in particular promises yet that which is the pattern of our practice is an application of the general promises to our particular conditions with an humble submission unto God in the order of his providence to dispose of our distress and of our deliverance as shall make most for his own glory and his Churches good And though God set a long date of time to the performance of his promise yet let not our hearts faint nor faith fail seeing there is certainly no void and empty space no vacuum in his providence but the interval is that of preparing the seed to harvest the fitting his people for deliverance and as the sharper Winter makes the Spring more fruitful the harvest more plentiful so the sharper affliction makes our graces more pure our deliverance more glorious Obj. 2. I have long expected and could with patience have Obj. 2 longer waited for the the salvation of my God did not the blasting of my hopes make my faith to wither In stead of recovery behold a festering of my wound I expected a mitigation but I find and feel an aggravation of my distress I did hope for a deliverance but now am prest down with a greater trouble Answ Answ If God increase thy burden continue thou instant in prayer and he will doubtless either increase thy strength or else hasten thy deliverance That of S. Paul stands firm God is faithful who will not suffer those that are his to be tempted above what they are able 2 Cor. 10.13 Theoph. in loc 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Theophylact God proportions our burden to our strength or else gives strength propor ionable to our burden so that the force of Satans temptations shall not exceed the power of Gods grace Wherefore Thou relying upon the promise of thy God neither shall thine affl ction in its burden of weight nor in its length of continuance so damp thy faith or dead thy devotion as to destroy thy soul Further take this admonition That thou cherish an expectation of distresses happening and withall make good a preparation against the happening of distresses for nothing more discomposeth the frame of soul or disturbeth the peace of mind then when our troubles are sudden beyond expectation and our hearts unfenc'd without preparation We say Quae alii diu patiendo sapiens diu cogitando levia facit Those things which others make light by patience in long-suffering the wise man makes light by patience in long foreseeing Good it is then in afflictions still to expect the worst And thus what ill befalls us will be the lighter and what good happens to us it will be the sweeter Expect we the worst not in a distracting fear but in a wary prudence not in an ill presaging distrust but in a well resolved faith Neither may we fancie groundless troubles and thereby create crosses to our selves To fear shadows argues either guilt of Conscience or weakness of Judgment Neither may we yet anticipate Gods work by imposing a certainty of event upon probable afflictions For this were to double our cross if the evil happens and to create a cross if it happen not Thus O thou afflicted soul it remains firm as a sure Rule of Direction That whatsoever is the weight or continuance of thy trouble thou stay thy self upon the Promise waiting by prayer and patience for the salvation of thy God O Blessed JESVS the Lord of life Prince of glory and Captain of our salvation who hast vanquisht Satan and all the powers of darkness O give victory to all languishing Souls in their Spiritual Conflicts Guide them with thy councels sustain them with thy grace refresh them with thy comforts preserve them in thy love and crown them with thy glory Amen Amen Halleluiah THE Preacher's Tripartite BOOK III. TO Establish TRVTH and PEACE IN SEVERAL SERMONS Against the present Heresies and Schisms ESPECIALLY As to The Gospels Ministry Infants Baptism The Mystery of the Trinity
Authores ejusdem opinionis Cathelici consectatoâ—es vero haeretici judicantur â—hsolvuntur Magistri condemnantur discipali Vincent Lyrin Adv. Haeres l. 11. Correcturus erat sententiam suam tanto excel lenitor quanto humilior Aug de Bapt. l. 2. c. 4. That oftentimes the Authors of the same opinion are judged Catholick but their followers Heretical the Masters absolved the Disciples condemned and he gives the instance in St. Cyprian and the Donatists In him Humility and Charity made his Error pardonable in them Pride and Pertinacy made it inexcusable Had the good Father heard the Question as it was afterwards fully discust and cleared St. Augustine undertakes to be his compurgator That he would have corrected his judgment and rectified his opinion being by so much the more excellent by how much he was the more humble To this instance of St. Cyprian Bishop of Carthage adde we an other of St. Hilary Bishop of Poictiers Who is it that does not read his name in the Album or Church Roll of Holy and Orthodox Fathers Yet how doth he again and again write plain Heresie as to the Error of Judgment concerning the indolency of Christs Humane nature He affirms Hilar. in l. 10. de Trin. That Christ had Corpus quidem ad paciendum sed non naturam ad dolendum a Body indeed to suffer but not a nature to grieve And again his stripes and buffettings Afferre quidem ei impetum passionis non tamen dolorem passionis inferre Sic in Psal 53. in Psal 138. his thorns and nails they did bring upon him the force of violence but not the anguish of pain in his Passion Though in this his opinion he was Heretical yet not being admonished not being convinced and so not guilty of being obstinate or pertinacious he is no Heretick whereas on the contrary in a far less Error even this That Christ was wounded in his side with the Spear whilest alive upon the Cross For this Peter the Minorite who at first affirmed it in a predicant zeal to move the Auditors tears but after maintained it in a pertinacious obstinacy to a disturbing the Churches peace Guido Carme lit l. de Haeres Anno 1311. For this I say he was justly censured and condemned by the Council of Vienna for an Heretick To close then St. Augustine is positive and plain Aug. ep 162. ad init That they who defend their opinion though false with no pertinacious animosity but seek the truth in a wary tenderness and cautelous solicitude Corrigi parati cum invenerint being ready to amend their Error when they finde the truth As for such Nequaquam sunt inter Haereticos deputandi They are by no means to be reckoned in the number of Hereticks But now then in the close Seeing Pertinacy formally constitutes the Heretick when is a man said to be pertinacious I answer When being admonished by the Church and convinced by the Word he will yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hold fast his Tenet Aristot Ethic. l. 1. c. 3. keep still to his opinion and rather disturb the Churches peace then acknowledge his own error such a person is in the judgment of St. Paul to be rejected Tit. 3.10 11. that is Excommunicated and cast out of the Church as a man subverted and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 condemned of himself as sinning against the Light and Evidence of his own Conscience Thus we have laid open unto you the several particulars of Heresies definition as a pertinacious Error of Judgment in the Fundamental Doctrines of Faith And in this you have the Explication of the first particular The evil foretold as to its quality of nature Heresies There must be also Heresies Quest Here let us enquire what are the means Satan makes use of to draw men to Heresie Answ Answ 1. Pride and pertinacy of spirit 2. Impurity and prophaness of life 3. Envy at some and admiration of others 4. A familiarity with Hereticks and indifferency in Religion 5. An itching curiosity and affectation of Novelties Lastly Covetous desires and ambitious designs 1. Pride and pertinacy of spirit Pride Lucifers sin and fall and the Schollers are of the same temper with their Master all Hereticks of the same resolution with Satan Isa 14.13 ascendam in altum They will up on high they will be above above the Church above the Fathers above Councels above all Antiquity yea and above all Authority Bern. ep 190. As St. Bernard of Abailardus so experience tells us of all Hereticks they are at their Omnes sic ego autem non sic Though the Antients and the Orthodox think and say thus I think and say otherwise they of that minde but I not of their minde This the right genius and proper strain of Heresies Such a Scelerata praesumptio Vincent Lirin c. 42. such a daring and high-towering presumption Lirinensis tells us was in Nestorius who boasted himself the first and onely man who understood Scripture such a pride is common to all Hereticks especially those of the Anabaptists race all Gnosticks for their pretensions of knowledge in Divine Mysteries 1 Tim. 6.3 4 But as St. Paul gives us the resolution If any man consent not to the Doctrine which is according unto Godliness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he is puft up with an airy conceit of knowing much yet is empty and vain knowing nothing It is the Hereticks aim to be all Masters in Israel Gamaliels all Preachers all every one a Simon Magus a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Some great one And this Pride it is that begets Pertinacy Pertinacy that bar upon the Window of the Soul to keep out the light of truth Sicut constantia non sinit hominem depravari sic pertinacia non sinit corrigi Aug. ep 110. Quando animositatem illam viceris qua teneris veritatem tenere poteris qua vinceris Aug. l. 6. c. ult As Constancy in the truth will not suffer a man to be depraved with Error so Pertinacy in error will not suffer a man to be corrected by the truth And therefore St. Austin writing against Julian the Pelagian he thus bespeaks him When thou hast overcome come that pertinacy with which thou art held then thou shalt hold that truth with which thou art overcome Oh how loath are men who have profest errors to come to their retractations Though in this of retracting error they have learned St. Augustine for their pattern They shame to recant errors yet shame not to oppose the truth Oh the Pertinacy of a proud spirit 2. Impurity and prophaneness of life It is the excellent observation of Gregory in his Morals Vt per hoc quoâ— quidam nequitèr vivunt illud peâ—â—ant quod salubriter credunt Greg. Moral l. 25. c. 10. 1 Tim. 1 19. Rom. 1.28 Aug. de Nâ—t grat c. 67. that it oftentimes comes to pass by a dispensation of just Judgment That some men by
hard to finde a Christian among Christians a Protestant among Protestants each Sect condemns the other And amidst those divisions which are so many where shall we finde truth which is but one Indeed we must confess there is too much of truth though too little of Charity in the Objection We cannot but own our unhappiness yet as an object of compassion not as a subject of exprobration To acquit our selves then of the Calumny of our Adversaries though we cannot but bewail the misery of our Brethren know if rightly considered so far is any Church from being Heretical because there Heresies spring up against the truth that it is therefore Orthodox because even then the truth is maintained against Heresies And this is the present condition of the distressed Church of England But we further return upon our Adversaries That the Church of Rome is not therefore the true Church because they suffer not amongst them the Heresies that are amongst us for they have their Errors and those Heretical too onely they maintain and defend what they should acknowledge and reform at least oppose and disclaim The Jesuite indeed he thinks he hath set a sufficient guard upon St. Pauls Oportet And whereas the Apostle says to every Church what he says to that of Corinth There must be also Heresies among you The Jesuite says There shall be no Heresie in Rome and the Popes pretended infallibility shall be their protection But what Do not we know that those very Churches which were as so many Golden Candlesticks Rev. 1. 2. and had Christ walking in the midst of them do not we know that those very Churches had then their blasphemous Heresies and prophane enormities amongst them Which Heresies and enormities did not unchurch those Cities till there ceased to be an holy Seed a remnant of Orthodox Ministers to preach and profess against them Indeed where grow the Tares but in the Lords field where spring up Heresies but in the Church It is not then that the Church of Rome hath no Heresies but wants truth to discover and faithfulness to exterminate them Would they begin to weed their field the Tares would soon appear would they begin to cleanse their Floore the Chaff would easily be discovered Let it then be candidly considered whether does more Christianly and ingenuous we who confess we have Heresies yet publickly profess the truâ—h or they who profess they have the truth yet will not confess their Heresies If they will own themselves a Church as Corinth was they must subscribe to St. Pauls Oportet as our Church does That there must be also Heresies and that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 among you 3. By way of Comfort And blessed be God that as he foretels us of Heresies for our Caution so he prescribes us remedies for our comfort And amongst those remedies what more soveraign then the truth of his Word well digested by Prayer and Meditation This is a sure preservative for though all Heresies plead Scripture yet I like not that opinion and prescription of taking away the Scriptures from the people least they become Heretical This is a remedy like that of famishing the children because the Dogs eat their Bread or of plucking up the flowers from the Bees because the Spider sucks out poyson or taking away the pasture from the Sheep because the Wolves devour many of the flock This prescription we leave to those of the Roman Church as suitable to their Roman not to our Christian Faith Tert. de Resur Carn c. 47. For our parts we are no Lucifugae Scripturarum as Tertullian speaks of some we shun not the light of Scripture but are willing to bring our Gold to the Touchstone our Line to the Rule our Doctrines of Faith to the Word of God We know well those Gyant-Heresies of Sabellius Arius Nestorius Eutyches Apollinaris and others we know well those Gyant-Heresies were overâ—hrown by the holy Fathers in the General and Provincial Councils with stones from Davids sling 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so Athanasius with Arguments drawn from the sacred Scriptures Athan. cont Arian Orat. 2. We like not then to forbid all Coyn because much is counterfeit nor quite to take away the Scriptures because much is perverted Indeed the Patrons of Heresies are not always nor for the most part of the Plebeian rank but rather of the Ministerial Order they are not such as have not enough of knowledge but such as have too much of perversness True the Heresies of the Anabaptists I think are all the peoples Brats Errors of their bringing forth and nursing up they are the Births of a Proud ignorance And seeing these are now the most infesting the Church I would have all her Sons and Daughters so experienced by the help of a faithful Guide in the Doctrine of the Scriptures that they might be able in their Conference with Hereticks Matth. 4.6 7. to imitate our Saviour in his combate with Satan to repel the Error of Scripture misinterpreted by the Truth of Scripture rightly understood and aptly applied For sure to this end that we should be prepared did the Apostle here premonish saying There must be also Heresies among you 4. Exhortation To joyn to our profession of Faith an holiness of life for the Mysteries of Grace are Mysteries of Godliness 1 Tim. 3.16 they have their holiness as well as their truth And what thinkest thou then O man that thou canst be a fit Judge of the Truth when thou art not acquainted with the holiness of Gospel Mysteries No sure for to instance in some particulars Art thou fit to determine what concerns the dispute of Free-will Rom. 6.20 who art thy self a Servant unto sin a slave unto thy lusts Art thou fit to decide what is the use and efficacy of Grace Jude 4. who thy self dost turn the Grace of God into wantonness Art thou fit to state the nature and necessity of good Works who art thy self to every good work reprobate Tit. 1.16 Art thou fit to prove the Divinity of Christ who thy self feelest nothing of the power of his Divine Spirit Art thou fit to judge what is Truth in doctrine and purity of Faith who dost stain and dishonor the Truth by thy conversation and impurity of life Whosoever of you then Beloved that desire to avoid the guilt that is so great the danger that is so near even Heresies among you do you joyn to your profession of Faith an holiness of life and then though there must be Heresies among you yet shall you be of the number of those who are approved and made manifest among you THE FOURTH SERMON UPON 1 COR. 11.19 There must be also Heresies among you that they which are approved may be made manifest among you THE INTRODUCTION Introduction THe Church of Christ is the House and Temple of the living God yea the Pillar and ground of sacred Truth 1 Tim. 3.15 even as the Edicts of Kings
knowledge do write to communicate it and by writing to communicate it do improve their knowledge O how much precious truth should we have wanted in the Treasury of the Churches stock especially concerning the great Mystery of the Blessed Trinity and Personal Unity and of the Catholick Church if the Sabellians Photinians Arians Eunomians Nestorians Eutycheans Donatists Novations and the like if these and others ejusdem farinae of the same Leaven if they had not rose up by their oppositions of Heresie and Schism to stir up the Study Prayer Zeal and Argumentations of the Holy Learned and Orthodox Fathers Yea let us look home a while and upon an easie observation we may finde That this benefit and advantage our Church hath gained by the eager contentions of spightful Tongues and perverse Mindes That her holy Form of Doctrine Worship Discipline and Government hath been more fully discussed and more clearly vindicated against all the false Imputations and strongest Arguments of her Schismatical and Heretical opposers So that if God shall please to repair the Churches unity and peace and restore her purity and splendor as that he will do it in his due time you helping forward by your Prayers I nothing doubt and I would not you should distrust If God I say shall please to repair the Churches unity and peace and restore her purity and splendor those stale calumnies and unjust cavils of Bishops being Antichristian our Liturgy the Mass our Litany Conjuring our Doctrine Popish our Ceremonies Superstitious our Temples Idolatrous our Ministers Baal 's Priests these and the like clamors of Error and Ignorance of Malice and Madness These I say If God pleaseth to repair and restore our Church they will become then as odious and hateful as they are now acceptable and useful with the vulgar then as much hist down as now cried up then as vain and insufferable as now unjust and unreasonable But if for the sins of the people God shall unchurch the Nation if for our contempt of the light and truth of his Word Rev. 2 5. he shall remove the Candlestick and deprive us of his Ordinances Such is the full conviction of Errors to a confirming all sober mindes in the Faith that I doubt not to say There are many which hear me this day would rather chuse to die and fall with truth then live and flourish with Heresie This the first particular of our first general part the Apostles fore-arming his Corinthians with constancy in the Faith that they be approved 2. With comfort in their Tryal That being approved they shall be made manifest Manifest on Earth and manifest in Heaven 1. Manifest on Earth The furious Zeal and violent Persecution of Heresie is the Furnace Mal. 3.3 4. wherein God oftentimes purifies the faith and faithful separating the dross from the Gold it is that strong wind which shakes down the rotten boughs and corrupt fruit severing it from the strong and sound it is that overflowing floud which overturns the sandy foundation whilst the rocks stand firm or lastly Matth. 7.25 it is that fan which severs the chaff from the Corn men of light fancies Matth. 3.12 and loose affections from those of solid judgments and established hearts How is it with many mens hearts as with musical instruments They are in good tune and temper whilst the pleasant and fair season of peace and prosperity lasts But as upon change of weather the strings do either slack or break so upon change of times do their resolutions either yeeld or faint But oh Beloved an heart established a spirit resolved a minde stedfast Oh how is it the honor and ornament of our Christian Faith By this it is That the Confessors Graces like Lebanons Spices have the sweeter smell in being bruised and in their tryal of Faith they become as more acceptable Sacrifices of Obedience offered unto God so more choice examples of Holiness manifest and set forth in the Church Had it not been then for the Heresies Schisms and Apostacies of the former ages those antient Fathers Irenaeus Athanasius Hilary Nazianzen Basil Chrysostome Hierome Augustine and others They had not been Stars of so great a magnitude in the Firmament of Christs Church And indeed were it not for the Heresies Schisms and Apostacies of these latter days our Church would not have so much to glory of her Cranmer Tindal Whitaker Whitgift Bancroft Bilson Andrews Hooker and others Men famous in their Generations yea our Jewel would not have had his lustre nor our Laud his praise our Dypticks and Church Records of Learned Worthies yea of Royal Patriots would not be so large so venerable and so glorious These and all other Strenui propugnatores fidei stout Champions of the Churches faith They are by a blessing of God made manifest and observe made manifest not onely in the Orthodoxes love but also in the Hereticks hate it is with them as with St. Augustine whose industry and piety in quelling and extinguishing the Pelagian Heresie Hieron ep 80. St. Hierome thus congratulates telling him That his name was venerable in the City and honorable in the Church as the Founder again of the ancient Faith and Quod signum majoris gloriae est omnes Haeretici detestantur and which was a signal of greater glory all the Heretical did hate him However then black-mouthed malice doth spit calumny upon the whitest innocence yet that encomium St. Paul gives the ancient Heroes Heb. 11.39 the Patriarchs Prophets and Martyrs of old the same we may justly give our Protestant Worthies of late That by Faith they have obtained a good report a name that shall out-live all Heresie and Schism a name precious and honorable in the memory of the faithful Thus they who in their oppositions of Heresie become constant in the Faith they are made manifest on Earth But further 2. Manifest also in Heaven For this then observe The Church on Earth is Militant and therefore the Church in right order is said to be terrible as an army with banners Cant. 6.4 Though in disorder an army with banners becomes terrible to the Church The then I say on Earth is Militant 1 Cor. 15.32 and St. Pauls fighting with Beasts at Ephesus was not a combate more honorable and glorious then that of contending for the Faith Jude 3. against the rage of Heresies This this is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Certamen illud praeclarum as Beza renders it that good 2 Tim. 4.7 that honorable fight of Faith which hath for its reward a Crown of life Rev. 2.10 or if a Crown of life be the reward of Faith to all the blessed yet then the stout Champions of the Faith shall have some special Jewels in their Crown some particular glory in that blessed life and so being manifest on Earth they are manifest also in Heaven being manifest in the Church Militant for their eminent Grace they shall be manifest also in
the Church Triumphant by some excellent glory According to that of the Prophet Dan. 12 3. They that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the Firmament and they that turn many to righteousness as the Stars for ever and ever To close then in days of persecution St. Paul tells us That the suffering Saints of Christs Church 1 Cor. 4.9 they are made a Spectacle unto the World and to Angels and to Men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 says the Apostle We are brought forth into the World as upon a stage to play a prize in the view of Heaven and Earth So that being approved we cannot but be manifest yea performing our parts well the Angels themselves shall give a plaâ—dite at our exit they shall with triumph conveigh our Souls into the Heavenly Presence Heb. 2.10 where Christ the Captain of our Salvation as Arbiter of the Combate shall bestow a Crown of Glory as the reward of Victory 1 Cor 9 25. In days then of tryal and trouble from the persecutions of Heresie Quest How may we best order our lives as such who are approved for constancy in the Faith Answ In the exercise of these Christian Duties Answ fervent Prayer sincere Obedience devout Meditation strict Watchfulness and holy Zeal 1. Fervent Prayer That God would be pleased in mercy to open the eyes and incline the hearts of the Seducers and of the seduced O Beloved you know not the vertue and efficacy of Prayer for the Conversion of Souls Prayer may do it when Preaching fails when the religious and tender mother Monica applied her self to St. Ambrose with this humble suit That he would by his learned Conference reclaim her son Augustine from his Error seduced into the blasphemous Heresie of the Maniches Though she urged her suit with sighs and that Pathetical Oratory of flowing tears yet the pious and prudent Father waves her request and returns her this answer Thy sons heat of youth and pride of sp rit does render him uncapable of my Conviction to his Conversion but thou continuing thy Prayers earnestly soliciting the Throne of Grace Aug. Confes l. 3. c. 12. Ille legendo reperiet quis ille sit error quanta impietas He shall finde by reading in how great an Error and Impiety he is involved For that Tot lachrymarum filius the son of so many tears shall not perish And that this was seasonable and saving advise the manner and method of St. Augustines Conversion evidently declares Let this then be a part of their Prayer who are approved in the Faith That God would open the eyes and incline the hearts of the Seducers and the seduced or if their Seduction be a Judgment of Reprobation and irreversible by Prayer let this be our supplication That God will defend and deliver his Church from the Policies and Practises 2 Thes 3 2. the Pertinacy and Persecution of such unreasonable men as the Apostle calls them And in our Prayers let not our hearts fail nor our faith faint for notwithstanding the thick mists and threatning storms yet God will be seen in the Mount a present help in our pressing troubles and a saving deliverance in our deepest distresses With Jehoshaphat when we know not what to do then Let our eyes be towards the Lord 2 Chron. 20.6 and if our eyes be towards God in Prayer his eye will be towards us in pity and his compassion shall bring Salvation 2. To our fervent Prayer we must joyn a sincere Obedience I doubt not but that we have many of us poured forth many Prayers breathed forth many sighs But what is the reason they have not returned as Noahs Dove Gen. 8.11 With an Olive branch of peace a gracious answer of mercy Is it not because we have sought our selves more then our God Our ease and rest more then his truth and righteousness Psal 65.2 God is a God that heareth Prayers this is a title in which he glories a glory of which he boasts So that our narrow hearts stop his flowing streams and we become straitned in our selves not in our God His Mercies are free and full our Prayers empty and vain and why are our Prayers empty and vain but because our lives are sinful and vile God is not unwilling to give but we uncapable to receive he not backward to bestow but we unfit to enjoy we seek Consolation but not in the way of Sanctification we desire Peace and rest but pursue it not in the way of Truth and Holiness Renewed hearts and reformed lives O how well how well Beloved do they suit the old Faith and antient Truth That truth in which we profess to be constant and that Faith in which we desire to be approved But oh when our sins out-cry our Prayers and our Conversations confute our Supplications no wonder if an Orthodox Church languish And a few Suppliants at the Throne of Grace have their Prayers returned into their own bosoms not availing for the publick good being strongly overborn by a publick guâ—lt Wherefore when we implore God in Prayer imitate we the Church in the Lamentations Lam. 3.41 By lifting up our hearts with our hands unto God in the Heavens Hieron in loc Now Cor cum manibus levat qui orationem operibus roborat he lifts up hâ—s heart with his hands who strengthens his Prayers with his works his hearty Devotion with his sincere Obedience 3. Devout Meditation This in the sacred Scriptures the Pandects of Divine Law from whence we argue the Panoply and Magazin from whence we arm our Tongues and Pens against all that is Heretical Onely our Meditation here must be accompanied with Humility 1 Cor. 8.1 that Knowledge puff not up with Pride And therefore herein especially do we exercise our Humility in not being over-confident of our own knowledge for alas when the best know most how far are they from knowing half of what is contained in the Mysteries of the Grace and Gospel of Christ For that Hierom in Eph. 3. Singuli sermones syllabae apices puncta in divinis scripturis plena sunt sensibus so St. Hierom every word every syllable every letter every title Chrys Proaem Câ—m in Ep. ad Rom. Dam Scripturae bonae intelliguntur non bene quod in eis non bene intelligitur etiam temerè audacter asseritur Aug. Tract 18. in Joan. Id. Aug. in the sacred Scriptures is full of mystery and divine meaning Now from hence are all Heresies even 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from a not knowing the Scriptures so St. Chrysostome and St. Augustine more fully hereby men become Heretical when they have not a right understanding of the sacred Scriptures and what they rightly understand not through ignorance they rashly assert with boldness Wherefore when we meditate upon the sacred Scriptures meeting with some more secret and amazing mysteries let our humility teach us that there Melior est fidelis ignorantia
quam temeraria scientia Better is a modest and faithful ignorance then a rash and confident knowledge 4. Strict watchfulness Knowing this that Hereticks by their subtle pretences and hypocritical shews do inescare animas Jer. 5.26 Ezek. 13 13. catch souls as the fowler does Birds the fowler he straws some good Corn to entice but withal sets a snare to entangle Thus the Heretick he will teach some truth to allure but withal much error to deceive Wherefore when St. Paul forewarns the Church of Ephesus Act 20.29 That grievous wolves not sparing the flock should enter in among them He gives this Premonition with his prediction Attendite vobis ipsis toti gregi Take heed to your selves and to all the flock vobis ipsis to your selves in the first place for there lies the cheif spight and malice of Heresie and Schism it is against the Pastors of the Church the Shepherds of the flock the flock they aim at for the fleece and those they strive to seduce by flattery but the Shepherds they aim at in malice and those they strive to fright with fear or throw out with violence Wherefore seeing the Heart of man is deceitful above all things Jer. 17 9. So that we can never be confident enough of our sincerity never assured enough of our constancy do we therefore keep a strict watch over our hearts least Heresie by pretences deceive us by flattery allure us by fears affright us by distresses discourage us from owning ptofessing and maintaining the Faith and truth of Jesus Christ and that we may be thus watchful over our selves keep we a waking eye fixt upon our reward with God knowing this that if our reward were from men we might then fear their frown and seek their favor But seeing God is our reward Gen. 15.1 his promises must be our comfort his grace our strength his love our joy and his heavenly presence our eternal happiness 5. And lastly Holy Zeal Zeal in profession of the Faith declaring our high value and esteems of the truth Thus Margaret de Valois Queen of Navarre was wont to say That she received it as a greater act of favor from God that she was Orthodox and Reformed in the Truth then that she was Wife Sister and Aunt to Kings and Scultetus he tells us of Henry Duke of Saxony Scultet Exercit Evangel l. 2. c. 5. that when he received this message from Duke George his elder Brother That either he must renounce his Interest in the Protestant Faith or loose his right of succession to the inheritance of Misnia he returned this answer Pluris se aestimare Jesum quam omnem Misniam That he esteemed more of Jesus then of all Misnia Thus in Zeal to the Faith of Christ resolve we yea profess we rather to be with Truth in a dungeon then with Heresie in a Palace with Truth in bonds then with Heresie in robes with Truth on the Gibbet then with Heresie on the Throne Yea not onely Zeal in professing but also Zeal in pleading for the Truth Observe we St. Judes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jude 3. Earnestly to contend for the Faith which was once delivered unto the Saints yet contend not in Passion but with Prudence to justifie not to disgrace the Truth and in our Zeal to the Faith as Athanasius and the Antients refused to receive 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Letters pacificatory from the Arians so do we refuse all Church-fellowship and communion with those who by their doctrines of Heresie overthrow the Foundation of Christianity Thus we have resolved how we are approved and how made manifest There must be also Heresies among you that they which are approved may be made manifest among you Applic. Let us recount with gratitude and extol with praise the Divine wisdom grace and goodness of our God who brings to his chosen light out of darkness good out of evil ordering the poyson of the Serpent to be an Antidote unto his Church The mist of Error for a clearing of the Truth the malice of the Heretick for the honor of the Orthodox Thus as we of the same Letters differently transposed do make far different words So God of the same causes differently ordered he makes as far different effects The Blasphemy of Ebion and Cerinthus kindles an holy flame in St. John's Brest occasioning by their Heretical doctrine his Seraphical Gospel which hath worthily stiled him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 St. John the Divine Had it not been for the irritating impudence and importunity of Heresie and Schism how many eminent lights had either hid their Candle under a Bushel Mark 4.21 or under a Bed either covered their gifts with a vail of modesty or of sloth Thus by the manifold grace of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Quod inimicus Machinatur in perniciem Aug. ep 105. ad Sixt. Presb. Deus convertit in adjutorium so St. Augustine What the enemy deviseth and designeth for ruine and destruction God orders and turns to succor and salvation According to that his promise Rom. 8.28 All things work together for good to them that love God to them who are called according to his purpose From whence was it that such an holy vigor of divine learning and devout Holiness did inflame the Brests and instruct the Pens of Athanasius Basil and Augustine was it not raised from an holy Zeal against those blasphemous Heresies and Heretical blasphemies of Arius Eunomius and Pelagius And now as long as Piety and Learning do live the memory of those holy and learned Fathers shall not die though this prophane and illiterate age would seem to give them their deaths wound And now comfort your selves Beloved in the midst of Heresies rage it cannot pluck up the Root though it break off some Branches of the Church it cannot throw down the solid Stock though shake off some rotten fruit Though the number of true Professors be the less yet the worth is greater And let them have more of our esteems of love who have more of the stamp of truth approved and manifested as firm and setled in the Faith Tert de P aescript ◠3. Avolent quantum volant paleae levis fidei Let the flitting chaff of a light Faith flie whither it will with every breath of Satans or the Worlds temptation Eo purior massa frumenti in horreo domini reponetur so Tertullian The more pure heap of Corn is laid up in the Lords Barn Goshen's light was the more illustrious for Egypts darkness and the Worlds Apostacy sets a lustre upon the Churches Constancy Wherefore Beloved that ye be not carried about with every wind of doctrine yea that you be not removed from your stedfastness but may be preserved sound in the unity of the Faith take the Apostles prescription To hold fast to the Apostles Prophets Eph 4. and Evangelists yea the Pastors and Teachers wh ch Christ hath ordained in his Church hold
Ministers of Error and Schisms Teachers of Heresie and Blasphemy They go before they are sent Jer. 14.14 23.21 they will run before they are bid go But stop we them here in their haste and question we their Commission Dear Brethren ye that are so hasty to be Preachers tell us by what hand are you sent You will say by the Spirits Mission I ask then What is the outward Testimony and Warrant You answer You look not further then the inward call Strange that men dare pretend to a call beyond that of Timothy and Titus yea of Paul and Barnabas who though inwardly called yea extraordinarily immediately yet they had their outward Testimony their Ecclesiastical Warrant Acts 13.2 3. their Apostolical Mission and this by imposition of hands But further Some others there are who will not go but as sent and sent by Ordination too but tell us Dear Brethren by what hands are you ordained by what authority are you sent The former go without Mission you go but is it not by a forged Mission Those usurpe the Office Ministerial in execution do not you in execution and ordination too And where then is the greater guilt of iniquity but in the greater violation of the Ministry Wherefore to give you our Explication full I have three particulars to insist upon First That our Lord Jesus Christ did constitute a Ministry to be perpetuated in the Church Secondly That there is no admission into this Ministry but by imposition of hands in Ordination Thirdly That this admission into the Ministry by imposition of hands in Ordination was * Viz For the space of above 500 years after Christ never in the power of any meer Presbyter And these being proved it will easily appear from what hand to receive Ordination our lawful Mission into the Ministry our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Go ye 1. Our Lord Jesus Christ did constitute a Ministry to be perpetuated in the Church Our Lord and Saviour as it was prophesied of him so it was performed by him the Government was upon his shoulder Isa 9.6 He the founder of Ecclesiastical polity the constitutor of Order and Government in his Church as being our Apostle sent from God our Prophet our great High Priest the Shepherd and Bishop of our souls the Head and King of his Church whose Ministerial Government shall continue 1 Cor. 15.24 till he come to give up the Kingdom unto his Father and God be all in all Now as the Father sent Christ Joh. 20.21 so Christ hath sent his Apostles and sent them to be a standing Ministry by a communicated power not seated in the people but in the Pastors of the Church who are to continue unto the end of the World even to the fulness of Christ and his Church as in the close of my Text and in the Epistle to the Ephesians Eph. 4.11 12 13. is most plain and evident If a Gospel Ministry was not established successive in the Church to what purpose did the Apostles themselves ordain and leave in charge to those Apostolick-men which came after them that they should ordain For so St. Paul left in charge with Titus for Creet and Timothy for Ephesus yea to what purpose hath the Spirit dictated St. Paul penned and the Church preserved the particular instructions who are to be admitted to Ordination if none were to be ordained How frivolous and useless were the Apostles setting down the Deacons and Bishops qualifications 1 Tim. 3. Tit. 1. Rev. 2.1 if they were to receive no Ordination And sure the Angels of those Churches were approved in their Ministry by Christ who held them as Stars in his right hand And that of the Psalmist Psal 45.16 St. Hierom. in loc Instead of thy Fathers shall be thy children St. Hierome applies to the Apostolical prefecture and presidency in Bishops Quia Apostolis à mundo recessis habes pro illis Episcopos filios Because the Apostles as Fathers being dead the Church hath her Bishops as Sons surviving in their stead 2. No admission into this Ministry but by imposition of hands in Ordination We read of Paul and Barnabas Acts 14.23 that they ordained Elders in every Church And for this purpose Tit. 1.5 St. Paul left Titus in Creet that he should ordain Elders in every City And that this Ordination had its outward ceremony of Imposition of hands nothing is more plain from Apostolical practise in Scripture and the continued custom of Christs Church But because men little regard the Churches custom we will wave that to insist upon the Apostolical practice Act. 6.6 Thus those seven persons commonly called the seven Deacons they are ordained to their intended Ministration by the Apostles And how Why by Prayer and Imposition of hands Acts 13.3 Again Paul and Barnabas are separated to the work of the Ministry and how with Fasting and Prayer and laying on of hands Again Timothy is received into the Ministry and though it be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by prophecy 1 Tim. 4.14 yet is it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with the laying on of hands Object 1 But some may say True as to the higher acts and offices of the Ministry as Baptism and the Lords Supper to be admitted to the dispensing of these Ordination may be requisite but not to the Preaching of the Word Answ I answer If Commission and Ordination be required for Baptism much more for Preaching the Word 1 Cor. 1.17 for this St. Pauls prefers before Baptism as being the more honorable and more weighty part of the Ministry And indeed most needful it is that none be admitted to publick Teaching but he that can declare his lawful Call and Ordination seeing upon this depends so very much the truth and peace the life and health the being and the welbeing of the Church yea of Christianity it self For if the office of publick Teaching lie open to all invaders and who pretends to the Spirit may take upon him to Minister the Word it will soon appear what Harvest we shall reap from such Seedsmen what mischiefs and miseries what Heresies and Schisms shall arise from such Teachers whose ignorance and boldness qualifies them for nothing more then Errors and Impieties Such as is the Teaching such will be the Church a Synagogue of Satan if taught by a spirit of Error and the spirit of Error still accompanies the spirit of Pride and a broaching of Heresie attends an invading the Ministry I ask the question then Is Publick Teaching a proper office of the Ministry that it is so sacred Scripture the Churches authority and divine Reason all prove and evidence St. Pauls testimony is plain and full when he tells us of publick offices given by Christ unto the Church Eph. 4.11 12. amongst which are Pastors and Teachers and these For the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministry for the edifying of the Body of Christ Now if
Aerium 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That order which is Generative of Fathers Presbyters may beget Sons by Baptism but not Fathers by Ordination and Consecration This is the Bishops peculiar as Successor to the Apostles in that full Ministry which is perpetuated in the Church That the Seventy Disciples had not this full Ministry nor Presbyters the Successors to those Disciples who have power to Preach to Baptize and Consecrate the Eucharist that they have not this full Ministry is the evidence of sacred Scripture and Church History And we will now make the evidence clear as to that main particular the power of Ordination in which we have the Doctrine of the Scriptures to approve the practise of the Church and the practise of the Church to interpret the Doctrine of the Scriptures Consult we then 1 The Sacred Scriptures And the first Ordination we meet with is that of those Seven Acts 6. commonly called Deacons and here we finde no hands but those of the Apostles The second Ordination is that of Presbyters Acts 14.23 and this we finde to be by the hands of Barnabas and Paul Which two when separated to the work of the Ministry if we may call it an Ordination it is by the hands of Simeon Lucius and Manaen Apostolick-men Acts 13.1 2 3. Prophets ministring to the Lord who as Church History tells us were Bishops of Syria The last Ordination we meet with in Scripture actually executed it is that of Timothy 1 Tim 4 14. which though by the hands of the Presbytery yet is not that Presbytery without an Apostle even the laying on of the hands of St. Paul 1 Tim. 1.6 From Scripture practise pass we on to Scripture precept and for this consult we the Epistles to Timothy and Titus in which we have the exact platform of the Churches Ministry as communicated and perpetuated from the Apostles Behold we then the Church of Ephesus and the Churches of Creet in them we finde many Presbyters and above those Presbyters in dignity and office Timothy and Titus and that Timothy and Titus were in dignity and office above those Presbyters appears plainly by that power they had of enacting Ecclesiastical Laws of passing Church censures and of ordaining by imposition of hands in which is the work and the office proper and peculiar to Timothy and Titus above those Presbyters which were in their Churches And observe those instructions given by St. Paul to Timothy and Titus in their particular persons have been and yet are continued in the Church as sacred Rules to regulate for ever the Function and Office of an Episcopal presidency 1 Tim. 5.22 Tit. 1.5 1 Tim. 5.19 Tit. 3.10 which Function and Office extends it self not onely to the ordaining of Presbyters but also to the exercising a Disciplinary power and an Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction over them as appears by many plain Texts given by the Apostle But 2 from the Scriptures Authority pass we on to take a short view of the Churches History Which History from the most sacred and inviolable Records tells us of many Bishops seated by the Apostles yea many successively continued during the lives of the Apostles And strange it were that St. John who tells us of so many Antichrists 1 Joh. 2.18 should not tell us of Episcopacy being Antichristian if he had had the Spirit of our present times to have believed it such which â—rer l. 3. c 3. sure we are he did not believe for that Irenaeus assures us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in his yonger years he saw Polycarpe Bishop of Smyrna whom he knew to be so constituted by the Apostles and amongst those Apostles Tertullian Tert. de P aescript c. 32. is express that St. John himself was one After Tertullian consult we St. Basil and he calls Episcopacy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Apostolical prefecture and presidency August Ep. 44. yea St. Augustine he informs us That Radix Christianae societatis per sedes Apostolorum successiones Episcoporum certa per orbem propagatione diffunditur the Root of Christian communion hath branched and spread it self in a certain propagation throughout the world by the Apostolical Seats and Episcopal Successions which propagation to the spreading Church-fellowship and communion how hath it been transmitted but by Ministerial Ordination Which Ordination was so universally and assuredly owned and acknowledged to be proper to the Episcopal order that Aerius pertinaciously asserting the contrary was by St. Augustine yea by the Catholick Church says Epiphanius condemned of Heresie Further they are known examples which we have of Musaeus and Eutychianus two Grecian Presbyters who having ordained without the Bishop and themselves not being Bishops their Ordination is declared by the Council of Sardis about eleven years after Constantine the Great to be null Concil Sard. can 19. and those they had ordained are reduced to the state and condition of Laicks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as such who had dissembled and forged their Ordination Again we read of Ischyras ordained by Colluthus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one who strongly yet vainly fancied himself a Bishop being indeed a meer Presbyter But as concerning Ischyras the Synod of Alexandria reduceth him to Lay-communion and determines concerning Colluthus that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whatsoever Ordinations he had made they should be all void and invalid To close then we have made good unto you by infallible proofs that imposition of hands in Ordination so plain and evident in the planting is requisit and necessary in the propagating the Church of Christ as being productive of issue and succession in the Ministry which Ministry shall continue in the Church whilest the Church continues in the world And now seeing that onely Apostles and Apostolick-men did ordain and that no meer Presbyters in all the Scriptures are exprest nor in all Church History allowed we see by what Ordination we receive our Saviours Mission here of a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Go ye Disciple all Nations Baptising them c. But before we pass this point it will be some further confirmation and much more illustration of the truth that we give you some plea of Divine Reason to make good the equity of our present assertion Know then in the Apostles times and Infant-state of the Church Parishes were not divided nor Congregations with their particular Ministers fixt and setled but in one City there were many Presbyters and still as Believers increased their Meetings and Assemblies being in several places they had several persons assigned them for the service of the Ministry which how could it be well ordered without confusion but by the Authority and Presidency of some one above the rest Which Presidency the Apostles during their over-sight over the Churches they retained in themselves but upon their remove they committed to some Apostolick-men as their Successors And indeed it is most agreeable to right reason that that office should not expire whose end did continue
and such is the end of the Apostolical Presidency even the preventing Schism and the preserving Order and Unity in the Church A Prudential Experience doth tell us it is with Christs Church as with Davids Harp in all a parity of office is as far from peace as the unison of strings is from harmony subordination in some and superiority in others is as requisit to Ecclesiastical as Civil Polity without which Schism becomes as fatal to the Church as Rebellion is to the State So that we must subscribe to the grave sentence and judgment of St. Hierome unless the Episcopal pre-eminence of Authority and Office be preserved Hieron Dialog Adv. Luciferian Tot in Ecclesiis efficientur Schismata quot Sacerdotes There will be as many Schisms in the Church as there are Presbyters especially if every Presbyter hath power of Ordination intrinsecal to his Office by the Divine Right of Apostolical Institution For what then would be the use of Ordination but chiefly to propagate Schism But some may say to prevent this Though the power of Ordination be common to all yet the act of ordaining is restrained to a few Presbyters But I ask by what Authority of Scripture they do it and what Primitive patteâ—n they have for their practise Besides to exclude their Brethren from the exercise of what they acknowledge is proper and intrinsecal to their office is a manifest injury and violation and if all should exercise what is their right of office and cannot be taken from them this would be a strange disorder and confusion Wherefore Beloved in what we have asserted the Apostolick Constitution and the Churches practise doth engage our consent of judgment and conformity of obedience upon a double tye of Reason and of Religion So that if we be either prudent men or pious Christians we must submit to the truth of this assertition That by imposition of hands to ordain into the Ministry is not in the power nor belongs to the office of any meer Presbyter Acts 20.17 28. Phil. 1.1 But what do we not finde that frequently in sacred Scripture Presbyters are called Bishops and are they not therefore one in office being one in name and not to be differenced in the Church not being distinguished in the Scripture To this so specious an Argument we answer our adversaries That as we are not so ignorant as from the name to prove the office of Bishop so nor should they be so erroneous as from the community of name to prove the identity of office in Bishop and Presbyter We finde in the Acts and Epistles those sacred Records which give us the first path of Ecclesiastical Government not so obvious to the eye as when Church practise had trod it out into a beaten road we finde I say in the Acts and Epistles the same persons sometimes called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ministers sometimes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Presbyters sometimes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bishops so that by the signification of name it is clear we have not the distinction of office 1 Pet. 5.1 2 John 1. And therefore Presbyter being spoken of the Apostles as well as Bishop of Presbyters As from hence That the Apostles were called Presbyters we may not conclude That Presbyters are no less then Apostles so nor from this That Presbyters were called Bishops may we conclude That Bishops are no more then Presbyters It is easie to observe how words common at the first became appropriate in their use and so in some process of time even within one Century of years after Christ the distinction of office became commonly known by distinction of name Bishop being appropriate unto him who had an Apostolical presidency of Ordination and Jurisdiction in the Church We close then with this sure inference from the premisses That this late Schism in our Church of meer Presbyters ordaining to the Ministry as it hath not any clear Text of Scripture to warrant it nor any allowed practise of the Church to approve it so nor hath it any argument of Reason to abet it as being contrary to that Mission constituted by our Saviour in his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Go ye disciple all Nations Baptising them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of thy Holy Ghost teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you Applic. 1 Cor. 9.16 1. You see Beloved what is our Mission Christ hath bid us go and a necessity is laid upon us Wo unto us if we preach not the Gospel But then much more wo unto them who stop our mouths that we cannot preach or that binde our feet that we cannot go Let such dread Jeroboams judgment their arm withering 1 King 13.4 their power shrinking and wasting with a curse God did bear long with Judah but when they came to this That they mocked the Messengers of God 2 Chron 36.16 17 c. despised his words and misused his Prophets then there was no remedy his mercy had borne so long that his justice could bear no longer but wrath does arise against his people to captivity and to desolation Oh Beloved the Ministers souls lie at stake for the peoples if we warn you not your perishing through our default is a default whereby we perish Oh the blood of Souls how loud does it cry for vengeance when spilt by the hand of ignorance error slothfulness or cowardice in the Minister See in the course of our Ministry Christ gives us our Mission to go O let us not through your perversness and obstinacy in sin go upon thorns and bryars finde torture and trouble of Soul in our service but in your obedience of Faith to the Gospel of Christ O make beautiful our feet make pleasant our paths Sure there is no greater joy and blessed even thrice blessed be God I can call it much my joy there is no greater joy in the service of our Ministry then to preach the Gospel to a willing and reverent Auditory But oh Beloved and my dearly beloved in the Lord this this is too too much the disparagement of your profession and the discouragement of my Ministry that your holiness of life and righteousness in the world answers not your reverence in the Church your zeal for the Church O that he who gave me my Mission to preach would give you his Grace to practise 2 Cor. 3.3 that I might say of you what St. Paul says of his Corinthians Ye are the Epistle of Christ ministred by us known and read of all men The Epistle of Christ such in whom he hath imprinted the truth and holiness of his Gospel which hath been preached unto you This this would very much seal the lawfulness of my Ministry even its efficacy in your lives which though it is not the most infallible yet is it the more comfortable seal of Christs Mission in his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Go ye disciple all Nations c. 2. As I have shewed
Popery God hath preserv'd us entire in the faith and made us live to see them to bring their children to be without the character of Christianity Now whilst I behold these so horrid violations of Schism and Heresie of Sacrilege and Profaneness as I have begun so by Gods blessing I shall go on to vindicate the authority purity and dignity of Christs Ministry Word and Sacraments And to that end I shall make further progress in this present Text the sure Basis of the Gospels Ministry to us Gentiles Go ye disciple all Nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost c. Having given you the Explication of the first particular Explicat The Mission Go ye We proceed to the second particular The Commission Not barely no nor properly teach but more fully 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 make Disciples 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Disciple all Nations But why disciple rather then teach I answer for a two fold reason the propriety of the word and the congruity of the sense 1. The propriety of the word which neither in profane Authors nor in the sacred Scriptures any where signifies to teach but either to admit another or to give up ones self to be taught To confirm this from the language of the Scripture we observe besides its radix 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which all Lexicons render disco to learn I say besides this we observe that the word here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ill translated to teach is aptly expounded and that according to the use of the Hebrews by a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to make Disciples Joh. 4 1. which exposi ion is further confirm'd by that of S. Matthew where it is said according to the Greek of Joseph of Arimathea Mat. 27.57 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which if 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 did signifie to teach must be absurdly rendred He himself taught Jesus But signifying as we interpret it and all Authors use it a giving up to be taught therefore it is properly rendred as our English reads it Himself was Jesus's disciple 2. The Congruity of the sense It appears a Tautology unbeseeming us to put upon the fundamental law of our Saviour in his constitution of the Gospels Ministry to us Gentiles it appears I say a Tautology to read Go teach baptizing and teaching Yea further we observe if our Saviour had intended the latter teaching either 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 either by way of explication or of amplification to the former he would have said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 properly signifying teaching we are hereby taught 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 must be properly rendred discipling And then the sense runs clear when the word is read true Go make disciples baptizing and teaching them which teaching extends it self to what may be required before or after Baptism according to the capacity of the discipled Thus then Beloved it appears by this little how requisite it is that Humane learning be handmaid to Divine knowledge for that no Translation can be the authentick Word of God any further then it perfectly agrees with the Original How unfit then are they to interpret Scripture who cannot tell you which is Scripture as sure I am no man can tell you upon his own knowledge but he who is competently skilled in the Original tongues In opening then the Apostles Commission we read it Disciple ye all Nations and propose these two particulars for our Explication 1. What it is to disciple 2. Who they are that are to be discipled 1. What it is to disciple That discipling is more then teaching appears by this that many were taught which were not Disciples of Christ and many are Disciples of Christ which yet are not taught Many were taught which were not Disciples of Christ such were many of age and understanding as of old the Pharisees Again many are Disciples of Christ which yet are not taught such are now the Infants of believing parents who are initiated by baptism to be educated in Christs school by teaching To disciple does not exclude teaching but signifies an initiating to be taught an admitting to be Scholars yet because no man will give up himself to a Master he knows not Christ must first be preached to the Nations before the Nations can be made Disciples unto Christ And thus teaching must necessarily precede discipling but this to the adult only persons of age and understanding whose being discipled brings in their children with them as parts of themselves according to the tenor of Gods covenant Camer in loc and the nature of the Churches communion For as it is observed well by the Learned our Saviour's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is answerable to the Jews 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his making Disciples to their making Proselytes which still admits the children with the parents into the communion of the Church And it is the Criticks observation Dr. Hammond multis nominibus mihi honorandus that when our Saviour says Suffer little children to come unto me his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is equivalent to the Jews 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereby Christ receives little children as his Proselytes that is his Disciples Actual discipling then does not consist in teaching but in receiving in to be taught those that have learnt already to be further taught and those that have not learnt through defect not default to be taught so soon as they can learn Which latter is the condition of Infants dedicated unto Christ who though they are not in a capacity to learn as to the outward Ministry yet this does not exclude them from being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 taught of God Sure Joh. 6.45 those men who oppose Infants disciplining and baptism will not confine the teaching of the Spirit to the Ministry of the Word But however it be with Infants as to present teaching Christs disciples they are as admitted into his family and school made partakers of his Churches communion and prayers receiv'd under his protection and guard Thus then the Apostles execute their Commission they go out among the Nations preach the Gospel and upon their preaching the Gentiles believe upon their believing the parents and children are receiv'd to Baptism thereby initiated as Scholars of Christs School listed as Soldiers of his Army inroll'd as Subjects of his Kingdom receiv'd as Members of his Church So that in sum to make disciples is to admit into Church-communion which Church-communion before the Jews peculiar is now become the Gentiles priviledge who whilst they were without Christ they were Aliens from the Commonwealth of Israel Eph. 2.12 13. and strangers from the Covenants of promise but being made nigh by the blood of Jesus Jew and Gentile are made one one Church of Christ one Temple of the Holy Ghost diruto septo the wall of partition being broken down even the Law of commandments
But of what Kingdom does our Saviour speak Is it of the Kingdom of power of which David sings Ps 103.19 The Lord hath prepar'd his throne in heaven and his kingdom ruleth over all This the providence of God in his government of the world Infants are Subjects of this Kingdom Gods providence being over them in the womb as fearfully and wonderfully made and from the womb Ps 139.14 as being fearfully and wonderfully too preserv'd considering the dangers of their education as well as the wonders of their conception Yea in the example of the Israelites Numb 14.31 32 we see how tender and careful they are of their children lest they should become a prey but God he punisheth the rebellious parents and preserves the innocent children Your little ones saith God which ye said should be a prey them I will bring in and they shall know the land which ye have despised But the Kingdom of Power is not that our Saviour intends when he says of Infants that of such is the kingdom of God but it is the Kingdom of Grace Mat. 18.10 Heb. 1.14 in testimony whereof God hath assign'd them tutelar Angels which holy Angels the Apostle tells us are ministring Spirits for the good of those God ordains heirs of salvation Of Infants then is the Kingdom of Grace in the promises of Gods covenant the priviledges of Christs Church even whatsoever their tender age is capable of in the communion of Saints Obj. But it is objected Our Saviour says not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not of them but of such as them of such in innocencie not of such in age Answ of such in humility not of such in childhood Answ If it had been thus intended by Christ as it is interpreted by the Anabaptist then what had Christ to be displeas'd with his Disciples for seeing they could not divine that Christ had a mind to read a lecture of admonition from the Emblematical resemblance of those children But our Saviour's being displeased argues something in the Apostles which was faulty either of ignorance or of heedlesness in not knowing or not observing what he now instructs them in or minds them of that to infants belongs the kingdom of God But further the Argument is clear if to such as Infants much more to Infants Our Saviour is so far from excluding them that he primarily intends them For so is our common saying in English suitable to the Scripture-phrase in Greek Nehem. 6.11 when Nehemian thus speaks Should such a man as I flie Now does Nehemiah speak this of himself or of some other Sure of himself And the like the very like is that of Christ of such even of infants themselves as as well as of those that are like infants of such is the kingdom of God Yea observe how our Saviour frames his speech to the best advantage of Infants Had he said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of these or of them he might have been interpreted to have spoken of the then present individuals but in his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of such as them he intends and expresly declares his intentions to concern all the whole species of Infants in as many as are presented unto him by the hand and faith of his Church To close Our Saviour as he receives these infants with love Mar. 10.16 so he sends them away with a blessing But what blessing does he bestow Why no ordinary blessing we are sure for he gives it with imposition of hands and it seems to be no single blessing for he lays on both his hands no temporal or earthly blessing alone but some spiritual and heavenly blessing in chief To them he says belongs the kingdom of God and therefore sure to them he gave the blessing of the kingdom Thus we have seen Christs singular affection to infants and seeing he embraceth them in his arms we may not we dare not but receive them into the Church We cannot sure deny them Church-communion to whom belongs the Kingdom of God for that being Subjects of Christs Kingdom we are sure they are Members of his Church and Disciples of his School concerning whom as a part of the Nations our Saviour gives out the commission to his Apostles with a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Go ye disciple all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost c. 3. Arg. From S. Paul's assertion who tells us expresly 1 Cor. 7.14 that the children of believing parents yea if one only of the parents be a believer they are holy Holy how Is it by an inherent quality of sanctification No but by a relative holiness of Church-communion To understand the Apostle observe the holiness he speaks of is that proper to Disciples not common to them with Infidels So that when the Apostle says Else were your children unclean but now are they holy if his meaning should be interpreted to be this Else were your children Bastards but now they are legitimate the Apostle thus interpreted should be made to speak what is most false for that the children of wedlock are no more bastards with the Pagans then with the Christians So that it is not the believing parent that can give the holiness of legitimation as the Anabaptist would evade the Apostle and therefore no such holiness is here intended But what holiness is it then that the Apostle speaks of Why it is an holiness of Church-fellowship and communion in a right to the promises and priviledges of the Gospel And this external holiness it is which is transmitted from the parent to the child like that of political freedom transmitted from the father to the son Thus as a Free-man begets a Free-man and Jews begot Jews so Christians beget Christians not by vertue of natural generation but by right of Church-communion So that as Israel is said to be an holy nation an holy seed so are the infants of believers said to be holy children as dedicate and separate unto God the proper notion of a relative holiness so often spoken of throughout the Scriptures But the Anabaptist objects further Obj. that the children are said to be holy as the unbeliever is said to be sanctified even sanctified to the believers use for cohabitation and converse To this I answer Answ There is an error in both parts of the assertion for that the Apostles words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 will not bear that sense that the unbelieving husband is sanctified to the wife for it is an improper phrase says the learned Critick upon the place and by no instance to be made good They who will interpret 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the wife as if it were without 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they do but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 endeavour to serve and support their own prejudice and opinion Thus then we are taught by the Learned to interpret the Apostle clearly to avoid all the
Anabaptists subtleties with which we find him to puzzle some of his eminent opposers In that the Apostle says then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The unbelieving husband hath been sanctified by the wife and again 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The unbelieving wife hath been sanctified by the husband the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being in the Praeter-tense hath been sanctified the Apostle speaks of what had been experienc'd that the wife had been a means to sanctifie the unbelieving husband and the husband of sanctifying the unbelieving wife in their converting to the faith of Christ A good reason this why the believer should not separate from the unbelieving upon this hope of gaining him or her unto the Church And this interpretation is apt to what the Apostle subjoins to confirm his judgment and opinion v. 16. What knowest thou O wife whether thou shalt save thy husband or what knowest thou O man whether thou shalt save thy wife Which saving answers so pat to the former sanctifying that to be sanctified seems plainly to be a converting to the faith and so bringing in to the communion of the Church in respect of which communion says the Apostle your children are holy which otherwise were unclean Act. 10.14 And that this is so S. Peter's Vision will resolve us where by unclean is meant not fit to be received into the communion of the Church and so by holy opposite to unclean must be interpreted one already received or fitted to be received into the Churches communion So that from these three Arguments 1. That Infants of believing parents were members of the visible Church under the Jews and that this priviledge is not repealed 2. That our Lord and Saviour hath testified that to such Infants belongs the kingdom of God 3. That S. Paul hath asserted it of all such Infants that they are holy From these three arguments the surest and soundest we can fix upon to plead the Infants cause against the Anabaptists from these I say I may make my infallible inference of holy truth That the Infants of believing parents have a right and interest in the communion of the Church as the Disciples of Christ This I have been the more large in because I intend this my sure foundation whereon according to the method of my Text to build the structure of Infants baptism according to our Saviours commission and instruction Go disciple all Nations Baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost c. 2 Having proved that Infants of believing parents as Disciples of Christ have a right and interest in the communion of the Church I shall now give you the ground and reason of that interest and right which ground and reason is this most sure and firm Their being parties in the same Covenant of grace with their parents upon which Covenant of Grace is founded the Communion of the Church and therefore they who are parties in that Covenant must needs be partakers of this Communion And that children are parties in Covenant with their Parents is most plain from the express words of the Covenant first made with Abraham Gen. 17 7. I will establish my Covenant between me and thee and thy Seed after thee in their Generations for an everlasting Covenant to be a God unto thee and to thy Seed after thee and that this thy Seed after thee doth relate to the Infant posterity of all Believers as well as of Abraham is not onely evident from the Seal of the Covenant-Circumcision Deut. 29.10 11. but also from that renewing of the Covenant to Israel where are present before the Lord to enter into his Covenant not onely the men of Israel but also their wives and their little ones Now this same Covenant which God made with Abraham Jere. 31.31 and established with Israel we finde renewed by the Prophet which is therefore called the New Covenant and as renewed by the Prophet so published and declared by the Apostle Indeed God had told Abraham Heb. 8.10 that he did establish with him an Everlasting Covenant and such as is the Covenant such must be the Communion both Everlasting and therefore Infants admitted in the Jewish Church must not be excluded the Christian And further That children of believing Parents do retain their interest in the Covenant of Grace is confirmed by the doctrine of St. Peter in that his powerful Sermon where he tells the Jews Acts 2.38 39. The promise is to them and to their children as if the Apostle had said Now God hath remembred his Covenant unto Abraham and performed it he hath sent that blessed Seed the promised Messiah in whom all Nations of the Earth are blessed Deprive not then your selves of the Blessing of Grace and Life through obstinacy and unbelief for according to the tenor of the Covenant so runs the promise of the Gospel To you and to your children And that what is here said unto the Jews does also reach the Gentiles and what is spoken to those then present does extend to all that shall come after is fully implied if not plainly exprest in that the Apostle addes And to all that are afar off even as many as the Lord our God shall call Which clause As many as the Lord our God shall call no ways excludes Infants they being called in their Parents And observe the Apostles argument is purposely framed in a regard to that benefit which their children should receive under the Gospels administration of the Covenant by Baptism And if this sense be not purposely intended children will seem but needlesly exprest But the Adversaries urge None but Believers ever had Object or shall have a right to the Covenant of Grace I answer True Answ none but Believers ever had or shall have a right in themselves yet this excludes not Infants for it is the Parents right who is a believer that brings in the infant by vertue of the promise Herein then is the ground of error that men imagine we affirm the childs right to the blessing of the promise is in himself as a child whereas it is in the believing parent who conveys the right in this relation to the infant that it is his child his to whom God hath oblig'd himself by the promise of his covenant that he will be his God and the God of his seed Indeed it is worth our observing that in the right manner of entring covenant with God no parent can enter single but he must stipulate for himself and his children And this is plain both from the condition on mans part and the promise on God's On God's part the promise runs to us and our children that he will be our God and on our part the condition runs from us and our children that we will be his people That as by vertue of the promise God makes it his act of grace that the seed of the godly be blessed so by vertue of the
condition the godly make it their duty of obedience that their children be given up unto God and tutour'd to fear him Thus apparent it is that our infant-children have an interest in the covenant of grace for that the tenor of the covenant in promise and condition so takes in the children with the parents that the parents cannot covenant either excluding or not including their children This then remains as a firm ground and sure reason of infants being parties in the communion of the Church that they are parties in the covenant of grace And thus we have done with the second particular of the Text the Apostles Commission Disciple all nations Where we have shewed you what it is to disciple and who they are that are to be discipled What it is to disciple even to receive into Church communion and Who they are that are to be discipled and receiv'd into the communion of the Church evâ—n all Nations as many as believe and the believing parents bringing in with them their infant-children We proceed to Application Applic. 1. Do we here sharply reprove and seriously admonish those who deny Infants Church communion whereby as much as in them lies they do separate them from Christ and as it were pluck them out of his arms offering them greater injury then to dash them against the stones Know ye not vain men that either Infants are Christs disciples and servants or the Devils pupils and slaves That they are Christs disciples and servants you loudly deny That they are the Devils pupils and slaves you are loth to declare Can you then tell us a medium 2 Cor. 6.14 15. No sure for what communion hath light and darkness Christ and Belial Certainly to deny Infants Church-communion is to deprive us of all sound hope of their salvation For where can we find a sacred promise and therefore how can we have any found hope of any being saved that are not of the Church the Church the treasury of Christs promises and blessings to which God is said to adde such as shall be saved Act. 2 47. not saved without the Church but in being added to the Church so that without her communion we know no salvation On how do the Anabaptists in cutting off Infants from the Church how do they like those which in their heat cut off a tribe from Israel Judg. 20 21. And though with Benjamin this be the youngest tribe yet it is not the least the Infant age making up a chief part of the body of Christ For this Oh that our Brethren would with Israel sit down and weep yet at length repenting of their indiscreet and blind if not malicious and proud zeal drenching themselves with a baptism of tears for denying the Church the baptism of Infants 2. Comfort we those parents whose children God shall please to pass ab utero ad uterum from the womb to the grave yea that shall make their grave in the womb the place of conception the place of dissolution Here O ye afflicted parents mourning over the untimely deaths of your tender babes know ye that our Lord Jesus Christ owns your Infants as parties in the Covenant of grace and thereby partakers of his fulness in a communion with his Church And though they have not the seal they have the promise yea though not the outward sign as to the visible ministration yet the inward grace as to the invisible dispensation Though they have not actual baptism yet they have intentional in voto parentum Ecclesiae Eph. 1.22 23. in that desire and devotion of their parents and the Church which is accepted of God to account them as Disciples of Christ who took upon him the several states of humane being was conceived and lay in the womb was born and nurs'd up an Infant did grow up to youth and manhood Mat. 18.3 And thus did he take upon himself every age that he might sanctifie every age unto himself Even he when an Infant was Head of the Church that Infants might be members of that Church whereof He is Head 3. See we to our duty as Disciples of Christ and this by imitating our pattern even little children without which our Saviour is express we cannot enter the kingdom of heaven Except ye be converted and become as little children How is this why by self-denial in being harmless without malice innocent without guile humble without haughtiness contented without murmurings Yea in this imitate we our pattern as children submitting our understanding and judgment unto God Ps 131.3 in the mysteries of his grace and the truth of his promises Submit we our wills and affections unto him in the precepts of his Word and the dispensations of his Providence Yea further as Infants and tender Babes ordered by the Nurses hand in the day and by the same hand got to bed at night do neither question nor quarrel at the time or place or manner of their disposal but quietly fall asleep in the Nurses lap Ps 131 3. Thus O that we could with David we an our affections from the world that we might become as Children resigning up our selves to our heavenly Father submitting with all contentedness of humility and faith to the order of his wisdom and providence whether for day or for night for life or for death And when we go to bed and hasten to the grave O that we could fall asleep in Christs lap depart this life in his arms in his love as being of the number of his Disciples by vertue of his Commission here given his Apostles Go ye Disciple all Nations c. THE THIRD SERMON UPON Matth. 28. V. 19. and part of the 20. Go ye Disciple all Nations Baptising them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost c. THough they are not the dictates of men Introduction nor the definitions of Councils no nor the Revelations of Angels but the Word of God and of Christ into which we make the ultimate resolution of our Faith yet sure I am in Controversies of Religion we have most reason next Christ to trust his Spouse his Church Universal and next her or rather with her our Mother this Church National Whose judgment and practise is most Orthodox and Religious in that great question and dispute of our present times the doctrine and duty of Infants Baptism And to justifie the judgment and practise of our Church into whose communion we have been baptised when Infants I shall keep me to the matter and method I have begun in giving you the evidence of divine Reason the authority of sacred Scripture and the consent of the Universal Church Remembring that sure rule of St. Austines Aug. de Trin. l 4 c. 6. Contra rationem nemo sobrius contra Scripturam nemo Christianus contra Ecclesiam nemo pacificus senserit No man that is a sober man will oppose reasons evidence no man that is a
Christian will reject the Scriptures authority and no man that is a peaceable man will despise the Churches judgment And therefore from this confidence and encouragement that I stand here before Christians of sober and peaceable minds I shall go on to speak for them who cannot speak for themselves our tender Infants pleading their right to Baptism from the words of my Text in which our Saviour gives Commission and Instructions to his Apostles saying Go ye disciple all Nations Baptising them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost c. Explic. 3. The particular Instructions given by our Saviour to his Apostles for the exercising their Commission viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Baptising and Teaching 1. Baptising which Baptism is instituted as to the form of its administration to be in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Wherefore we have here two things especially to insist upon 1. The Institution 2. The Administration of Baptism both applied unto Infants 1. Baptisms Institution In the Explication whereof we shall consider the original and use of Baptism together with its benefits and effects Know then to make Disciples by Baptism was ordinary among the Jews and nothing more commonly known in Scripture then the Baptism of John And as the Baptism of John denotes his authority and doctrine so the baptized of John must signifie the Disciples which submitted to his doctrine and authority in his Baptism Now as John made Disciples so Christ sends his Apostles and his Ministers to make Disciples too and what by teaching no but by baptising though not without teaching so John and so the Jews made Disciples So that as before the Flood there was a Rainbow in the Clouds which after by a divine appointment becomes the sign and seal of a promise Gen. 9.12 13 c. Thus Baptism was before Christ ordinary but by his sacred Institution made the sign and seal of his Covenant onely observe it is not baptising meerly but baptising in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost which is Christs Institution To be thus baptized then is to be discipled and therefore did the Ancients call Baptism sometimes Sacramentum initiationis the Sacrament of our initiation and admittance into Christs School sometimes Ecclesiae janua the door whereby we enter the Communion of the Church sometimes Investitura Christianismi the badge and livery of Christs service sometimes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Key of Christs Kingdom Mark 10.14 for so says our Saviour to little children belongs the Kingdom of God and how then do they enter this Kingdom John 3.5 but in being born again of Water and of the Spirit that is by Baptism so saith our Saviour expresly Joh. 3.5 Now if we enquire into the original use of Baptism we finde it as a Ceremony though not as a Sacrament of greatest antiquity in the Church Gen. 7. deriving its original from Noahs flood when the sinful world was purged with the Water of a deluge But because without shedding of blood there is no remission Heb. 9.22 therefore God separating a people peculiar to himself he constitutes them a Sacrament of initiation and that Sacrament is Circumcision to signifie that his Covenant of Grace and Peace was established in the blood of the Mediator Now in the Church of the Jews whilst Circumcision was the Covenanting Seal Baptism was the purifying Ceremony yea the Females of the Jews not being capable of Circumcision were initiated by Baptism and the Proselyte Parents with their children were adopted into the Family of the Church admitted into holy Communion with the Jews by Baptism as well as by Circumcision And that Baptism was in our Saviours time a known Ceremony of initiating into Mysterious Institutions and Religious Discipline appears as by the Jews Talmud and other Traditions so by the sacred Scriptures especially in that quaere which our Saviour proposes to the chief Priests and Elders concerning John Matth 21.25 Whether his Baptism was from Heaven or of Men Had there not been Baptisms from men known among the Jews either the question had been vain or the answer easie Besides the Jews wondred not at the use of Baptism but why John baptized he denying himself to be Christ John 1.25 Elias or that Prophet Now the way being prepared by John in his Ministry closing the Law and ushering in the Gospel our Saviour changeth some of the Jewish Ceremonies into Gospel Sacraments That Ecclesiastical Rite of the Postcaenium when in the close of the Passover the Master of the House did distribute Bread and Wine unto his Family this Christ by an holy Institution converts into the blessed Sacrament of his last Supper Likewise that Ceremony of initiating Proselytes he converts into an holy Sacrament of initiating Disciples even by Baptism For so it is said of Jesus that John 4.1 He made and baptized more Disciples then John he made and baptized spoken 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by way of Emphasis and Explication he made and made them by Baptism even by solemn institution and admission into his School John 3.2 as a great Doctor and Teacher come from God so esteemed of by his followers thus admitted and instituted to be his Disciples Look then as it was the custom of the Jews to baptize Parents and their Infants when discipled unto Moses so must it be the practice of the Church to baptize Parents and their Infants when discipled unto Christ For that Baptism being commonly known and discipling by Baptism too when our Saviour gives in Commission Disciple all Nations Baptising them his command is to be observed according to the common usage and known practice of discipling and baptising even as to the persons in general he not expressing much less exempting any in particular To close then If some Prince should give out his Royal Grant to make a City free would any be so imprudent as to think the Royal Grant did not intend the children as well as the Parents And because the children are not exprest would any be so vain Justin Instit l. 1. Acts 22.28 as to say they are excluded Seeing it is the known manner of conferring liberty to give it to the Parents and their children And the like is to be said of the liberty of the Gospel by discipling Joh 8 36. Gal. 5.1 which consists in the promises and priviledges contained in the sacred Charter and Royal Patent of the Covenant of Grace which is sealed by Baptism Having then given you the grounds of Infants Baptism so plain and permanent so reasonable and inviolable even that interest they have in the Covenant of Grace that right they have in the Communion of the Church and that hold they have in the Institution of Christ To all this Let me now adde the practice of the Apostles to which we
have the conformity of the Universal Church and I know not what more can be required 1. As for the Apostles practice we can have no surer testimony then St. Pauls Argument 1 Cor. 7.14 Therefore are your children holy Holy in a known and common account of the Church which could be none other then that of Church Communion admitted thereunto by Baptism For observe This of the children being holy the Apostle makes a convincing argument That the unbelieving Parent is sanctified by the believing Wherefore this of the childrens holiness must be a known holiness otherwise the Apostles argument were no argument And whereby was the childrens holiness known but in order to Church Communion Into which Communion there is no known entrance and visible admission but by Baptism 2. Pass we from the Scriptures and consult we the very next ages after the Apostles Orig. l. 5. ad Rom. c. 6. in Luc. Hom. 8. For the usage of the Church And here Origen witnesseth That Traditionem ab Apostolis suscepit etiam parvulis dare Baptismum the Church received a Tradition from the Apostles to give Baptism even to children About the next age after Origen for later he could not be the Author of the Ecclesiastical Hierarchy attributed to Dionysius the Areopagite he pleads for Infants Baptism 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dionys Eccles Hier. c. 7. as being of those things which the divine Ministers the Apostles from the beginning had delivered down to the Church I might give you the testimony of those first Fathers and Doctors both of the Greek and Latin Churches Irenaeus Tertullian Nazianzen Basil and others but we will insist awhile upon two Testimonies most full and convincing the one of St. Cyprian the other of St. Augustine Cypr. Epist ad Fid. Presbyt That of St. Cyprian we have in his Epistle to Fidus the Presbyter who propounds the Question Whether Infants might be baptized before the Eighth day urging the Instance and Analogy of Circumcision Cyprian gives his own judgment and that of a Council of Sixty six Bishops for the resolution resolving That Baptism be not deferred any long time and yet not confined to any certain time and if necessity required That there be a present Administration Now St. Cyprian lived within few years more then a hundred of St. John so that he and a Council of Sixty six Bishops could not be ignorant of what was the Apostolical practise as to Infants Baptism seeing some of their Fathers and many of their Grandfathers in all probability yea without all doubt did live in the Apostles times and were baptized by some Apostolical hands Now as for the testimony of St. Augustine it is of the more credit and esteem being spoken against his profest Adversaries the Pelagians who wanted neither wit nor will to have retorted the Error if he had not delivered the truth when he sayes of them Aug. de peccâ—t mer. rem l. 1. Parvulos Baptizandos esse concedunt qui contra authoritatem Universae Ecclesiae proeuldubio per Dominum Apostolos traditam venire non possunt They grant children ought to be baptized because they cannot go against the Authority of the Universal Church without all doubt delivered by Christ and his Apostles The Non-Baptism of Infants had been a strong argument for Pelagianism as their Baptism was an invincible argument against it so that either to defend themselves or offend the Orthodox certainly the Pelagians would have denied Infants Baptism had they not well known the practise of the Universal Church was warranted by the Authority of Christ and the Ministry of his holy Apostles I might yet further enlarge and give you infinite Testimonies for Infants Baptism as to the constant practise of the Universal Church for above these One thousand six hundred years that of the Prophet being perfectly fulfilled Isa 49.22 That God having lift up his hand to the Gentiles and set up a standard to the people they have brought unto the Church her sons in their arms she having few Members of her Communion but who were admitted in their Infant-Baptism So that certainly our Saviour was so far from excluding Infants that he chiefly intended them in the commission and instructions he gives his Apostles and in them all the Ministers of his Church saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Go ye disciple all Nations baptising them c. Having given you the original and use of Baptism we proceed to the benefits and effects thereof all applicatory to Infants Know then the Sacraments are no empty and bare signs to signifie but they are sacred and moral Instruments to convey real and effectual Seals to confirm yea gracious and Evangelical pledges to assure For so we are catechised by the Church if we have not forgot our Church-Catechism in which we have this most clear most full definition of a Sacrament That it is an outward visible sign of an inward invisible grace which grace is given and which sign is ordained ordained by Christ himself as a means whereby we receive that grace and a pledge to assure us thereof So that in Baptism then where the subject and person baptized does not ponere obicem put a bar and hinderance as the School speaks from St. Augustine as of Infants we are assured they do not In their Baptism then as the Water gives the outward sign so the Spirit gives the inward grace and when the Minister pronounceth saying I baptize thee in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost then is the power and vertue of the Blessed Trinity present to justifie and to sanctifie to cleanse and renew the inward man as sure as the Sacramental Water is present to sprinkle and to wash to cleanse and to purifie the outward man And now that the Sacraments are thus effectual is not by any natural causality or physical operation in themselves but by vertue of the gracious promise and voluntary institution of Christ whose Spirit still accompanies his Word to the quickning sanctifying and saving of his Church and chosen Tert. de Bapt. c. 8. Very aptly then does Tertullian call the waters Pristinam sedem Spiritus Sancti the ancient Seat of the Holy Ghost by whose quickning power they become prolifical both in nature and in grace For that the renovation of the Church was typified in the Creation of the World as in the Creation The Spirit moved upon the waters Gen. 1.2 and by a quickning power did produce the living Creatures so now in the renovation the Spirit moves upon the waters still in that by a quickning power of the Holy Ghost Tit. 3.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we are renewed by Baptism that Laver of Regeneration to become an holy and heavenly Off-spring alive unto God in Christ Jesus St. Cyril of Jerusalem calls Baptism 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Antitype of Christs sufferings the Water indeed that represents the Image of Death receiving the
Body as Baptism is sometimes and in some places administred into its Bosom as into a Sepulchre Rom. 6.4 whereby we are said to be buried with Christ but raised from the Water the Grave gives up her dead and we are risen with Christ renewed again to life by the quickning power of the Spirit in the efficacy and operation of his grace Rom. 6.3 So that as we are Baptized into Christs death so are we baptized 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so Theodoret into a participation of the Lords Resurrection Very fitly then is the Font of holy Baptism compared by Leo to the Womb of the Blessed Virgin in which the Holy Ghost is powerfully present for our Spiritual Conception 1 Pet. 1.3 In begetting us again unto God by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ For as of Christ risen Acts 13.33 so of the Infant Baptized does God seem to say This day have I begotten thee And to them who are thus begotten again hear St. Chrysostome reckon up the several Divine Benefits and Blessings Quasi tot Baptismatis largitates honores As so many acts of grace and titles of honor accompanying their Baptism They are become not onely Citizens but also Saints and not onely Saints but also sons and not onely sons but also heirs and not onely heirs of God but also brethren of Christ Rom. 8.17 and not onely brethren of Christ but also coheirs with Christ and not onely coheirs of his Kingdom but also members of his body and not onely members of his body but also temples of his presence and not onely temples of his presence but also organs of his Spirit Et hac de causa etiam Infantes Baptizamus And for this cause also we Baptize Infants that they may be sanctified that they may be justified and that they may be adopted Chrys Tom. 5. Hom. ad Neophyt recited by Aug. l. 1. cont Julian c. 6. Cassand de Bapt. Infant so St. Chrysostome as he is recited by St. Augustine Justification and Adoption being relactive acts the admitting them in Infants is no difficulty but concerning Sanctification as a real work by infusion of inherent holiness whether we shall allow that to Infants in Baptism is a great dispute Cassander from the Antients he makes the Baptismal Regeneration of Infants to consist in the remission of original sin which is Justification and in the acceptation to eternal life which is Adoption But now what the Sacramental Sanctification which accompanies this Justification and Adoption is St. Augustine resolves Difficile est dicere Aug. con◠Donat. l. 4. c. 23. Episc Satisb Epist ad D. Ward It is hard to say yea he that shall undertake the cause as to quit it of all difficulties Ego me Auditorem libentissimè profiterer says our English Augustine I would most willingly profess my self an Auditor and yield the chair Even they who deny Grace inherent habits infused do yet acknowledge the presence and habitation of the Holy Ghost now sure we are the Holy Ghost dwells not but in an holy Temple yet how far the baptized Infant is sanctified to be this Temple and wherein expresly that Sanctification doth consist Explicet qui intelligit ego fateor me non intelligere saith that Learned Author Episc Satisb ibid. and Reverend Father much the honor of our Nation and Ornament of our Church Let him unfold it that understands it for my part I confess mine ignorance That Children are capable of real Sanctification we must needs grant believing them liable to original Pollution For that doubtless the grace of the second Adam is as effectual to make holy as the sin of the first Adam is to make corrupt Besides we say original Righteousness should have been inherent in children transmitted from their Parents by natural propagation if Adam had stood and if so sure children must needs be capable of receiving a superinduced principle of spiritual life from Christ now that Adam and we in him are fain To close then of this we may be assured Baptized Infants have their effectual manner and real measure of Sanctification by the Holy Ghost because pro conditione parvulorum according to the condition of their tender age they are stated in a present ordination to eternal life for that Without holiness no man shall see God Heb. 12.14 Having thus explained unto you with the original and use the benefits and effects of Baptism I shall seasonably resolve you these three Quares 1. What the Judgment of the Church is as to the state of those Infants which die baptized 2. As to the state of those children which die before Baptism being children of the Orthodox 3. As to the state of those children which die before Baptism being children of the Anabaptists Quest 1 First What the Judgment of the Church is as to the state of those Infants which die baptized Answ I answer Though there is some dispute among the Ancient Fathers a hot contest in the after Schoolmen and a more moderate debate in Modern Divines as to the nature and manner of Infants Regeneration the nature of its being and the manner of its causation yet all consent in this all Primitive Popish and Protestant Writers Fathers Schoolmen and others all consent in this judgment and determination from Grounds of Scripture and Divine Reason That Infants lawfully baptized are in such an estate of Justification Sanctification and Adoption as that so dying they are undoubtedly saved And herein our own Mother the Church of England In the Rubrick before the Catechism she is most clear and full Onely observe in those children that live what by Divine Ordination was sufficient to state them capable of Salvation whilst Infants does become insufficient when adult and come to the use of Reason for then is required their actual Faith and Repentance actual Conversion unto God and obedience unto the Gospel of Christ without which they cannot then be saved Quest 2 Secondly What the Judgment of the Church is as to the state of those children which die before Baptism being children of the Orthodox Answ I answer Herein the Judgment of the Church is not so generally one St. Augustine and some in his time and since most of the Roman Church resolve That such Infants so dying they are not saved they have paena damni though not paena sensus they have a punishment of loss though not of sense they enjoy not Gods blissful presence and yet are not cast into hellish flames they have a Limbus Infantum for them but it is of their own fancying not of Gods providing The truth is the Scripture hath not clearly revealed whereby this Quaere may be so convincingly determined And therefore when some sudden surprise of death doth nip those Buds snatch away our tender Babes our duty is to submit with humility to Gods dispensation resigning them up to his mercy and comforting our selves with this resolution of the Orthodox That as in the
applied in Scripture that of St. Peter to the Jews that of Philip to the Eunuch and the rest To close then Baptism coming in place of Circumcision as the initiating Seal of Gods Covenant Col. 2.11 12. there must needs be this Analogy in the administration That as Abraham first believed and then was circumcised and Isaac he first circumcised and after believed so in the conversion of the Gentiles and discipling of the Nations the Parents first believe and then are baptized but their children first are baptized and after believe And thus want of actual Faith does no more exclude Infants now from Baptism then it did of old from Circumcision Secondly They are not capable of teaching and our Saviours Object 2 commission runs Go teach and baptize I answer We have already blunted the edge of this weapon Answ repelled the force of this Argument and Objection having made it plain from the propriety of the word and the congruity of the sense that our Saviour bids Go disciple all Nations which discipling refers not to teaching before but after a receiving and admitting into Christs School to be taught And thus the Argument is retorted seeing it is our Saviours express precept to disciple all Nations by Baptism and that all men in all ages account children one part of the Nations they being capable of discipling in its proper notion either they must be plainly excepted or necessarily implied Thirdly They are not liable to Precept not having the use of Object 3 Reason I answer The Precept obligeth the Parents Answ and the Promise reacheth the Children as administring the proper remedy of their original guilt and contagion As when a Medicine is prescribed as the onely cure of the sick Patient though the sick know not the Medicine and so is not obliged to the prescription yet the friends of the sick are bound to prepare what is prescribed otherwise they make breach of charity and duty and if the sick die thorow their neglect of means and contempt of the remedy they bring the guilt of blood upon themselves And observe however it is most certain the Parents sin in the neglect of Baptism does not bring a punishment upon the Infant yet may it yea doubtless does it deprive him of a blessing if of no greater blessing sure we are of that which issues from the benefit of the Churches Prayers Notwithstanding then Infants are now no more capable of Precept as to Baptism then before as to Circumcision yet is the obligation as great to Parents and the benefit as great to Infants now and under the Gospel as before and under the Law To close then Notwithstanding all the Objections of the Adversary Mark 10.15 seeing men must receive the Kingdom of Heaven as little children it is most infallible little children do receive the Kingdom of Heaven as well as men Again seeing Infants are capable of the blessings it is an injury to Gods goodness as well as their Souls to deprive them of the Ordinance of Baptism And whereas the Anabaptists urge us to instance in any Infant baptized in the Scripture we urge them to shew in all Scripture or in any other History where or when any Infant of believing Parents was past by and not baptized till years of discretion let all Records be searched and the account of times examined from that period John Baptist begun his Ministry to that John the Evangelist ended his in all about eighty years in which time we doubt not many millions of Infants of believing Parents grew up to full manhood In all this time I say shew one Infant of believing Parents past by and not baptized till years of discretion and this being done there would be some plausible plea against Infants Baptism But there being no instance as to Fact nor Argument as to Reason no Proof as to Scripture to exclude Infants from Baptism We may confidently aver our Saviours Commission and Instruction extends to Infants as well as Parents Go disciple all Nations baptising them c. 3. Whereas woful experience especially that of the German miseries gave occasion to this Proverbial Speech That the Anabaptists Waters turn to Blood how much sad truth we can witness to this unhappy Proverb I had rather bewail then dispute deplore then declare And Oh! that we were Beloved so deeply so devoutly affected with our sins and sufferings both as to Church and State as to turn our late Baptism of Blood into a Baptism of Waters even of mournful Tears In which it will be piety to become all Anabaptists quenching the fire of Heaven with the waters of Siloam Gods wrath I mean by our penitence and his indignation by our contrition 4. Be we exhorted to testifie our holy Communion by an holy Conversation our Communion with Christs Church which we entred by Baptism Remember we then that innocence meekness peace patience purity and the like which are the silver feathers of the sacred Dove Matth. 3.17 Eph. 1.22 23. that holy Spirit which descended upon Christ the Head and still rests upon those who hold Communion with the Church his Body These these our virtutes Baptismales the Baptismal vertues of our new Birth let them be the continued practise of our whole life chuse we to lose the Humidum radicale the radical moysture of our natural constitution rather then that of our Baptismal Regeneration part we with our lives rather then with Faith and a good Conscience for that hereby it is we hold fast our Communion with Christ and our Communion with his Church sealed us by his Sacrament the Sacrament of our initiation and new birth concerning which our Saviour gives in Commission and Instruction to his Apostles Go ye Disciple all Nations Baptising them c. THE FOURTH SERMON UPON Matth. 28. V. 19. and part of the 20. Go ye Disciple all Nations Baptising them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost c. Introduction WHen Faith is so much corrupted and Souls are so many subverted who can be silent and be faithful I observe as the receiving of Baptism is the entrance into all the priviledges and blessings of the Covenant and of the Church so the renouncing of Baptism is the open door to the greatest enormities and impieties of this day's Apostates In uno Caesare multi Marii and in one Anabaptist are many Hereticks a Sect as pregnant and fruitful of error and those monstrous too as that Holland-Lady was of children whose numerous brood is said to equal the days in the year It is easie to observe how men first turn Anabaptists despising the Ministry of the Gospel then they become Antinomians rejecting the rule of the Law then Enthusiasts making their fanatick revelations to outvie Gods word then Libertines casting off all Magistracie and Government and then Ranters destroying the very being of humane society yea by their disorders and confusions their blasphemies and execrations making a very
is of Apostolical institution is not only the general opinion of the Antients but also of modern Divines even Calvin Beza Piscator Chemnitius and others all which subscribe to S. Hierom who calls Confirmation Apostolicam observationem an Apostolical observation And though Calvin disallows this of S. Hierom in his Institutions yet he consents to it in his Commentaries Calv Com in Heb. 6.2 saying upon Heb. 6.2 Hic unus locus testatur hujus Ceremoniae originem affluxisse ab Apostolis This one place doth abundantly testifie the original of this Ceremony to have flowed from the Apostles Read we here the Apostles Catechism a Summary of the First Principles of the Doctrine of Christ and see how he numbers them by pairs Repentance and Faith Baptism and Laying on of hands the Resurrection of the Dead and eternal Judgment So that we easily discern what Laying on of hands the Apostle means even that which succeeds Baptism that of Confirmation In Baptism regeneramur ad vitam we are regenerated to life by Imposition of hands confirmamur ad pugnam we are fortified to battel even to combat against the Flesh the World and the Devil having given up our names unto Christ Act. 8.17 19.6 and listed our selves under his banner Observe that by this Imposition of hands was given the Holy Ghost does rather magnifie then nullifie this ordinance the miraculous gifts being signs and testimonies of the saving graces of the Spirit Besides all that were baptized were confirm'd but certainly all that were confirm'd did not work miracles This then of Confirmation which was of so high account and common practice with the Apostles I see not why it should be otherwise amongst us Sure I am Tert. de praescr cap. 36. we can say of our Mother the Church of England what Tertullian does of the Asian African and Roman Church Aqua signat Spiritu sancto vestit Eucharistia pascit Martyrio exhortatur she signs us to Christ in Baptism invests us with the Spirit in Confirmation feeds us with the Manna of the Eucharist and animates us to the crown of Martyrdom adversus hanc institutionem neminem recipit against this form of institution she receives none to be her children Before we close I will here declare unto you that great obligation that lies upon us by vertue of that promise and vow we made unto Christ in Baptism and after took upon our selves in our Confirmation and withall I will discover to you that great guilt we bring upon our souls in the breach of that obligation Know then in entring covenant and giving up our selvs by vow unto Christ in our baptism we are become bound unto him in a direct oath of Supremacy and Allegiance Eph. 1.21 22. Mat. 28.28 for ever to acknowledge Christ submit unto him and serve him as our great Adonai our supreme Lord the Head of his Church and King of heaven and earth renouncing yea resisting all Foreign jursdiction of Satan and of hell yea all rebellious usurpations of sin and of the flesh And therefore if reflecting upon our own bosoms we find Satan hath invaded the soul and sin usurp'd the throne of the heart it will be no plea to excuse our rebellion and revolt that renouncing our oaths of Supremacie and Allegiance unto Christ we have submitted to the sway of present Powers even our corrupt lusts and Satans suggestions No our guilt is no less thâ—n that of Perjury and Apostacy accompanied too with the vilest Sacriledge which seldom go asunder For by entring covenant which we all do in Baptism more fully ratified in Confirmation with Christ as the Lord of life and Prince of peace we consecrate our whole selves unto him in his sacred worship and service And therefore after this to fulfill our own lusts and do the works of Satan what is it but to profane what was consecrate unto the Lord yea to alienate and invade what was dedicated and devoted unto Christ To close observe Baptism doth imprint an indelible character upon the baptized as Soldiers listed in Christs Army Subjects sworne to his Crown from whence it is that those wicked ones are then call'd the Children of the kingdom Mat. 18.22 when cast out into utter darkness And therefore to the Apostate Baptism is not to be renewed because this character cannot be lost Fide perdita Sacramentum fidei non amittit having lost the Faith he loseth not the Sacrament of Faith Manet ad noxam criminis non ad vinculum foederis it remains not as to any benefit of the covenant but the aggravation of his guilt Ad cumulum supplicii non ad meritum praemii it remains not as to hope of mercy and reward but as to the heap of wrath and punishment so S. Augustine Wherefore the Bond of Baptism Aug. de nupt coucup l. 1. c. 10. we have aptly illustrated by the Oath of Allegiance whereby a Nation and People become sworne Subjects to their Prince their bond and tye remains however they by their rebellion and revolt do quit their service and break off their allegiance to their Soveraign their bond and obligation that doth remain and shall to their greater guilt and curse and condemnation Thus have we given you as the Institution so the Administration of Baptism and this Administration both in what is necessary as to the Essence of the Sacrament and in what is more especially requisite as to the Solemnity of the Church In all which particulars we have kept to our Saviours Commission and Instruction which he gave his Apostles saying Go ye disciple all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost c. 1. Receive ye Beloved this seasonable Admonition Applicat 1 Cor. 11.2 That every faithful Soul here present is as a pure Virgin espoused unto Christ And therefore if false Prophets shall endeavour to seduce this Soul and attempt to ravish this Virgin by adulterate opinions she must cry out to the Ministers of Christs Gospel who will be ready to succour and relieve her But if she be silent and betray her chastity to the lust of the Ravisher expose her faith to the deceitfulness of the seducer she incurs the guilt of spiritual fornication and without sincere repentance she shall die and perish in her sin And as for the present Heresie which so horribly infests the Church that of Anabaptism let me give it you in charge as you will answer it at the last day Heb. 13.17 when I must give up an account of my Ministry let me give it you in charge that if any of you here present shall be sollicitated to desert the Church and separate your selves by Anabaptism that inlet to all Blasphemies and Heresies that then you call in to your aid some faithful Pastor of the Church and I here present my self for your assistance Rom. 14.15 and therefore let not any plausible pleas or fair
truth and holiness thou shalt recover the favour of thy God and renew thy communion with Christ a communion of grace and life conveyed and seal'd thee in thy Baptism Concerning which our Lord and Saviour gave in commission and instruction to his Apostles and in them to all the Ministers of his Gospel Go ye disciple all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost c. THE FIFTH SERMON UPON Matth. 28. V. 19. and part of the 20. Go ye Disciple all Nations Teaching them to observe whatsoever I have commanded you GOD as he is Alpha so is he Omega too Introduction as he is the efficient so is he the final cause of all his Creatures especially of Angels and Men Rev. 1.11 endued with Understanding and Will who as they issue from God the product of his power so do they return to God the complement of their happiness And therefore whilst the Soul of Man winged with desires hovers over the surface of this Worlds changes like Noahs Dove Gen. 8.9 it findes no footing till it center its restless motions upon this sure Ark of the Almighties fruition But now what is the way which leads to his rest what the path of truth which conducts us safe to the Lord of Life whilst we all stand under one starry roof as Men as Christians our desires tend to the same Heaven yet we seek not to ascend by the same Ladder we all aim at the same Goal yet run not all in the same race In this we agree That God is our rest that happiness is our end yea that truth is the way and Christ is the Truth John 14.6 Yet when we come to the profession of the Truth and Faith of Christ how do we presently part hands and dividing our selves into several Sects we chuse to our selves several paths and all pretend the right way Now what is the reason of all our distraction and division but this That what God hath joyned men put asunder even the Authority of the Scriptures and the Doctrine of the Church Both which are established by Christ in the Commission and Instruction he here gives his Apostles Go ye disciple all Nations teaching them to observe whatsoever I have commanded you Having done with the former part of our Saviours Instruction the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our admitting into the School and Church of Christ by Baptism we proceed to the latter part the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our tutoring and training up by Doctrine which doctrine is prescribed as to the extent of its object to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all things whatsoever Christ hath commanded Here then as the subject matter of our ensuing discourse we will insist upon these two particulars First The object of our Faith the Word of God in which we have Whatsoever hath been commanded of Christ to be taught Secondly The means of communicating this object and preaching this Word the Ministry of the Church by which we are taught whatsoever Christ hath commanded Explic. 1. The object of our Faith the Word of God in which we have Whatsoever hath been commanded of Christ to be taught That there is a natural Theology we willingly acknowledge but that there can possibly be any natural Christianity we utterly deny and therefore that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 1.20 that which may be known of God in the visible things of the world it is not his infinite grace and love as a Redeemer but hi◠eternal power and Godhead as a Creator True it is then that a natural knowledge will serve us to understand the Creatures Dialect which loudly and plainly speaks the presence and power of a Deity but Psal 29 2. how to worship this Deity in a beauty of Holiness and so enjoy him in a communion of love must needs be the dictate of a supernatural Revelation especially and eminently called the Word of God Which Word of God the word of life and grace hath been delivered to the Church by the mouth of Moses and the Prophets of Christ and his Apostles registred and recorded in the several Books of the sacred Scriptures both of the Old Testament and of the New The Books of the Old Testament we receive transmitted to us from the Jews by an especial providence and divine appointment made faithful Registers and Bibliothists to the Christian Church for unto them were committed the Oracles of God Rom. 3.2 But now under the New Testament Heb. 1.1 2. God who at sundry times and in divers manners 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in different measures of light and divers manners of revelation spake in times past to the Fathers by the Prophets hath in these last days in which the Church shall receive no more alteration or innovation from God as to the general form of his Worship and Truth but after this state follows eternity even in these last days God hath spoken unto us by his Son who being the onely begotten in the Bosom of the Father John 1.18 that is most intimately one with him not in a meer conjunction of love but in a near union of Nature and communion of Attributes he hath declared yea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he hath by divine Revelation expounded the Mysteries of the Godhead in his Communications of Grace unto his Church The Service then of God in the Old Testament Heb 9.1 that of the first Tabernacle and worldly Sanctuary 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Sanctuary earthly and material this did stand in meats and drinks Vers 10. and divers washings and carnal Ordinances imposed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 laid as a burden upon the Jews till the times of the New Testament the time of Reformation the coming of the Messiah who should reform the Ecclesiastical state by abolishing what was earthly and carnal and by establishing what is heavenly and spiritual So that now Joh. 4.24 now God being a Spirit they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and in Truth in Spirit that 's in opposition to the carnal Ordinances and in Truth that 's in opposition to the typical Sacrifices or in Spirit for the purity and in Truth for the sincerity of his Worship which must neither be Superstitious nor Hypocritical Having then shewed you where it is that we have the Word of God even in the Books of sacred Scriptures I shall proceed to describe this Word unto you in its inherent Attributes and its transient operations 1. In its inherent Attributes especially its full sufficiency and its self authority 1. It s full sufficiency The holy Scriptures they are the heavenly store-house from whence the Church of Christ is furnished with all spiritual provision of heavenly Doctrine whether it be of Faith or of manners They are the full treasury in which are laid up for the Church her inestimable riches of divine Promises and spiritual Blessings Profitable they are First
discendum quod de Deo intelligendum as Hilary speaks we must learn from God what we may understand of God even as we discover the Body of the Sun by the light of its own beams yea God it is who prepares the eye of the practical judgment and proportions the palate of the rectified will to discern the evidence and rellish the sweetness of supernatural Truths and he does it in this order The Church by a Ministerial Manuduction and Ecclesiastical dispensation to those matriculated by Baptism born in her Lap and bred in her Bosom tutored to a reverend esteem of her Maternal Authority to them she transmits this indubitate principle of Christian Verity That the sacred Scriptures are the Word of God But to them who are without the Infidel and Heathen the Church hath her arma praelusoria her preparatory Arguments of Right Reason to fit the minde for a candid reception and diligent examination of the Scriptures And upon this the Spirit of Truth comes in with Conviction to the Conscience perswading the Soul to this assent of Faith that they are the Word of God Wherefore besides the Ministry and Manuduction of the Church there must be an illuminating power of the Spirit yea a power rectifying and raising the minde to a capacity of supernatural light otherwise the Mysteries of Grace to the Natural man will be as the varieties of colours to the blinde the colours are not discerned till the faculty be restored nor are those Mysteries understood till the minde be healed And when thus by the Spirit of God the minde is fitted to the Word and the Word revealed unto the minde then does the Soul discern an excellency in the sacred Scriptures above what is in Humane Writings with as sure a distinction though not so clear an evidence as the eye does discern a beam of the Sun from the blaze of a Candle Quest 3 Thirdly In doubtful cases how may we best interpret the sacred Scriptures Answ I answer That Interpretation of Scripture is best which holds conformity to the Analogy of Faith and consent with the judgment of the Church two sure rules of Scripture interpretation approved and observed by the ablest Expositors of Gods Word 1. Which holds conformity to the Analogy of Faith Rom 12 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which Analogy of Faith is none other thing then that summary and fit proportion which is in the general principles of Christianity and cheif mysteries of Grace plainly set down in the sacred Scriptures A sum whereof we have in our publick Confessions of Faith the Decalogue the Lords Prayer and the Doctrine of the Sacraments seeing then it is the Scripture phrase to be built up in our holy Faith As that stone Jud. 20. which holds not proportion with the rest of the building is either fitted or rejected by the Architect so that interpretation of Scripture which holds not Analogy with the received Doctrines of Faith it must be either amended or cast away by the Religious And in doing this the Faithful of Christs Church they shall according to St. Pauls precept 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Phil. 3 16. walk orderly by one and the same rule and so preserve the unity and peace of the Church in being of one and the same minde 2. Consent with the Judgment of the Church For that no Scripture is of private interpretation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Pet. 1.20 to be interpreted by a mans own wit fancy or reason but by the enlightning power of the Spirit of Truth for as the Scriptures came not by the proper will Vers 21. so nor are they to be interpreted by the private judgment of men but the same Spirit who is the Author must also be the Interpreter And where may we with more confidence rest assured that this holy Spirit is then where Christ did expresly promise he should ever be with his Church Matth. 28.20 John 16.13 And especially with the Pastors of his Church to whom our Lord gives the promise that His Spirit should lead them into all truth But here it may be demanded what I call the Judgment of the Church I answer The antient perpetual and universal consent of holy Doctrine received at all times in all places and of all the faithful But especially do we fix upon that judgment of the Church in the antient perpetual and universal consent of holy Doctrine collected out of the most consonant Writings of the Primitive Fathers and the sacred Decrees of the first Councils For that without controversie even by confession of all parties in that time were the most Eminent Saints for holiness of life excellency of learning purity of doctrine and constancy of martyrdom And he that will think to go to Heaven in any other path then what these blessed Saints have trod before him I say to him as Constantine to Acesius Erige scalam ascende solus Raise thy self O man a Ladder and climb up alone Now this antient perpetual and universal consent of holy Doctrine collected out of the most consonant Writings of the Primitive Fathers and the sacred Decrees of the first Councils This is that we may call in the language of St. Ambrose Liber Sacerdotalis Ambr. de fid ad Grat. l. 3. c. 7. That Sacerdotal Book signatus a confessoribus multorum Martyrio consecratus signed by the confessions of the most eminent Saints and consecrated by the blood of the holiest Martyrs As then the Authority of the sacred Scriptures gives us the sure rule of Faith so the judgment of the Universal Church gives us the right line of interpretation according to which two it is well worthy our observation the Church of England did exactly draw the platform of her Reformation And this is evident in her Doctrine and Practice 1 In her Doctrine Art 20. amongst many other instances see it in her Book of Articles expresly acknowledging the Church to be the witness and keeper of the sacred Oracles and in her Book of Canons as expresly denying any doctrine necessary to be religiously held and believed which the Catholick Fathers and old Bishops of the Primitive Church have not collected out of the Scriptures And 2 that her practice is suitable to her Doctrine appears by her owning the four General Councils the Apostles Nicen and Athanasian Creeds And in all her disputes against the now silent adversary otherwise too busily employed the Jesuite justifying her reformed estate as conformed to the Primitive Church within the first five Centuries of years And here give me leave to observe unto you how the Presbytery laid the way to their own and our Churches ruine even by setting up private interpretation of Scripture in opposition to the received judgment of the Universal Church For do not the Brownists the Anabaptists under the name and notion of Independents presently beat them with their own weapon The Presbyterian abolisheth the Publick Liturgy and takes away Regular Ordination
Redeemer and this in a Prosopographia a personal character of Christ both from his intrinsecal relation to the Father and from his extrinsecal relation to the creature and that to the creature either as made and form'd or as redeemed and repaired 1. v. 15. According to his intrinsecal relation to the Father so Christ is the image of the invisible God the natural and essential image by eternal generation And if we may draw the Sun with a pencil if illustrate this mystery by a similitude take this as our aptest illustration That as a man beholding himself in a Looking-glass doth produce an image in nothing different from himself in lineaments of body or proportion of parts so God the Father beholding himself in the glass of his Divinity with the eye of his understanding doth beget his Son Heb. 1.3 the express image of his person no ways different from himself in the essence of his Deity or excellency of his Attributes but coessential and coequal But indeed as for the manner of Christs eternal generation in which he is the essential image of the invisible God Naz. orat with Nazianzen I say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is hidden in a cloud and therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let it be reverenc'd with silence We may we must make it in humility an article of our Creed not think it in curiosity an object of our knowledge From the Apostles description then of Christ in his intrinsecal relation to the Father pass we to the second part his description of Christ in his extrinsecal relation to the Creator and to the creature 1. As made and form'd in which relation he is call'd the first-born of every creature v 15. At which the Arian readily catcheth to prove Christ Deus factus made God but S Chrysostom and the Antients repell his argument and confute his blasphemy from the propriety and emphasis of the Apostles expression 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not the first made or the first created but the first begotten or the first-born and therefore primogenitus non primo-creatus ut genitus pro natura Ambr. de fid â— 1. c. 4. primus pro aeternitate credatur Christ is therefore said to be the fiâ—st begotten not the first created that his being begotten may make us believe the essence of his nature and first begotten the eternity of his essence If with the Modern Expositors especially of the Protestant Church we interpret the Apostle as speaking of Christs humane nature then by first-born is meant Lord and Soveraign according to the law and right of Primogeniture Thus in the Prophecie of David concerning Solomon as a Type of Christ I will make him my first-born Ps 89.27 higher then the Kings of the earth But if with the Antient Writers especially of the Grecian Church we interpret the Apostle as speaking of Christs divine nature then by the first-born of every creature is meant that Christ was begotten before any thing created so primogenitus the first begotten as that he is also unigenitus the only begotten And needs must he be before the creatures v. 16. by whom all things were created even all things that are in heaven and that are in earth visible and invisible whether they be thrones or dominions or principalities or powers even the whole heavenly hoast and celestial hierarchy all things were created by him and for him by him in his omnipotent power and for him in his incomprehensible glory He the efficient and the final cause of all the Creatures And he by whom are all things must needs be before all things v. 17. before dignitate tempore in order of dignity and of time And the same Efficient which creates conserves The whole world as at first it had none other hand to frame it so nor now hath it any other pillar to support it then the power of Christs word as he is God And therefore says our Apostle that by him all things consist Even as water whilst contained in the vessel it hath a consistencie in it self which when the vessel is broken it presently flows out and wastes away in its own fluidity Thus the creatures whilst encompassed by Christs conserving power they consist in their being but that power withdrawn they faint and perish in their own mortality Or as the Air when the Sun withdraws his enlightening beams then ceaseth to have any light Thus the creatures should Christ withdraw his sustaining power they would cease to have any being This sustaining power of Gods providence the Schools call manutenentia Dei which is thus illustrated As a man holding a Globe in his hand if he withdraw his hand the Globe presently falls to the ground Thus Christ sustaining the whole Fabrick of the Universe with the supporting power of his providence should he withdraw that power and support needs must the creatures though ne'r so perfect in their kind needs must they fall away and dissolve to their first nothing Even those very perfections of Nature ay and of Grace too which were in Lucifer and Adam what were they when abused and they left to themselves what were they but as Gerson's expression is Gerson apud Ep. Sar. in Col. 1.17 pondera plura ad ruinam more weight to press them down to their greater ruine Now our Apostle having given us the description of Christ in his extrinsecal relation to the creatures as made and form'd he proceeds in the words of my Text to give the further description of him in that his extrinsecal relation to the creatures as redeem'd and repair'd Which relation he brings in with this Copulative and And he is the head of the body the Church who is the beginning the first born from the dead c. Division From the dependance we proceed to the division Observe a single description rais'd from a twofold relation and argued from a threefold reason 1. The single description it is of Christ in the dignity and office of Mediator as the Head of the body the Church 2. The twofold relation from whence this description is raised that of Creator and that of Redeemer That of Creator in which he is the Beginning of all things and that of Redeemer in which he is the first-born from the dead 3. The threefold reason from whence this description of Christ is argued One drawn from the final moving cause that in all things he might have the preeminence A second drawn from the efficient ordmaining cause the good will and pleasure of the Father And the third is drawn from the formal constituting cause the perfection of all fulness dwelling in Christ Thus Christ he is the head of the body the Church who is the begining the first-born from the dead that in all things he might have the preeminence for it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell Explicat 1. The description of Christ in the dignity and office
of mens persons some are his elect and chosen Luke 18.7 Ezek. 44 24 Psal 105.15 Mal. 3.8 John 2.16 2 Sam. 7.5 of times and seasons some are his Sabbaths and feasts of servants and attendants some are his Prophets and Ministers of goods and chattels some are his Tithes and Oblations And thus of places and habitations some are his Temples some are his Houses in which Houses and Temples places dedicated to Gods worship and service he vouchsafes to dwell not as thereby confining his presence but therein declaring it For most true it is God hath no bounds of himself but himself his essence is infinite for immensity and omnipresence as well as for majesty and omnipotence He hath heaven for his Throne and earth for his footstool Isai 66.1 and therefore is not contained in Temples made with hands Seeing God then is not inclosed within walls nor confined by place how is he said to be in his Temple as in his house Why it is not to denote him contained but present 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Philo Judaeus gives the short yet full resolution God is present every where as containing all things not contained himself And so though in the immensity of his Omnipresence his being is in all places yet in the manifestation of his gracious presence his dwelling is more especially in his Temple and this in the holy ministrations of his Word and Sacraments And thus hath God his house on earth as well as his house in heaven which two have so good a correspondency in a communion of things Psal 102.19 that they have their analogy in a communication of Names And therefore as we finde in Scripture heaven is called Gods sanctuary so Gods Sanctuary may be called Heaven And thus however men despise the house of Gods worship yet is it the place where his honour dwelleth Psal 26.8 yea as his house above is coeleste solum earth in heaven so his house below it is terrestre coelum heaven on earth But now to attribute holiness to places and call our Churches Gods houses is not this superstitious and Jewish No sure we are otherwayes taught by our Saviour who saith expresly of his Fathers house Mark 11.17 that it shall be called the house of prayer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to all Nations it shall be called that is palà m erit habebitur it shall so every where be and be accounted as Beza himself gives the glosse And observe We finde not our Saviour using any severities so much as in zeal for Gods house that being prophaned he takes the whip in his hand as well as the Text in his mouth and scourgeth as well as reproveth he whips the oxen and those men more beasts then they the money-changers out of the Temple and justifies his Zeal by a Scriptum est it is written My house shall be called the house of prayer but ye have made it a den of theeves Now that part of the Temple where our Saviour did this was not Atrium populi the Peoples court that wherein the Jewes worshipped but that Atrium gentium the Gentiles court wherein those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 17.4.17 those Grecians and other devout persons spoken of in the Acts Acts 8.27 were admitted and worshipped For we may not think the Jewes who were so zealous for their Temples holiness we may not think they would suffer the Oxen to tread where themselves set foot so charily neither would they suffer shops and stalls and trade and traffick where themselves did not approach bâ—t cleansed and purified It was that court which was made a thorow-fair Mark 11.16 as appears by the peoples carrying vessels thorow it which none was but that of the Gentiles as being void of legall sanctity and without the first bounds of the Temple yet this being a place of publick prayer our Saviour will have it esteemed as Gods house whereby he establisheth the relative holiness of our Christian Churches The Jewes so zealous that nothing might come within their bounds of the Temple to profane them they were regardless of the Gentiles bounds as not so capable of profanation Our Saviour at once to convince the Jewes error as evill and vindicate the place of the Gentiles worship as holy he sayes of that court where the Gentiles did pray that it is his Fathers house and thereby establisheth the holiness of Christian Oratories to all Nations Wherefore if we be Christians we must approve of the publike places of Gods worship which publike places must be accounted houses of Prayer and if houses of Prayer the houses oâ— God and what is his is holy And now upon this our Saviours ground have all our Christian Churches been erected and as erected so consecrated Thus when Christianity gained first acceptance with the Imperial authority that famous Church at Jerusalem was consecrated by Eusebius and that at Alexandria by Athanasius And we may observe it was the Churches persecution by Heathens which hindred the building her Temples and sure then to pull down her Temples must be a persecution if not heathenish But why will our Saviour have his Fathers house called the house of prayer why not as well the house of sacrifice and of the Sacraments Quest or the house of prophesying and of preaching I answer Because without prayer all the rest are nothing Answ either as to Gods worship or our benefit And that hereby we see the excellency of prayer above all other duties and of publike prayer above all private devotions Thus I have opened unto you the house of the Lord and we shall proceed further to shew you how David dwells there and discover to you the length of his lease even for term of life so says the Psalmist One thing have I desired of the Lord that will I seek after that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the dayes of my life 1. How David is said to dwell in the house of the Lord. The dwelling David here speaks of is not such as if he would have the pallace of the King to be in the Temple of the Lord or as another Samuel himself continually to attend the Priest no his dwelling is not meant of a proper and continued habitation there but of a frequent and constant repair thither even in the mornings and in the evenings on the Sabbaths and on the Feasts dayes then to attend the publick solemnities of Gods worship and service Psal 84.4 And O blessed are they Lord that thus dwell in thy house they will be still praising thee And it 's worth our observing how Davids desire and resolution answers that of God himself who says of Zion This shall be my rest for ever Psal 132.15 here will I dwell for I have desired it The Lord delights himself in Communion with his Saints and well may his Saints then delight themselves in Communion with their God God dwels with the faithful as in his