Communion III. This Communion is twofold Doctrinal and Spiritual 1. Doctrinal As they do communicate in one and the same Faith or Profession of one and the same Religion So all Protestant Churches hold Communion in one and the same Doctrine of Faith and in regard of that Disunion with the Church of Rome Holland and We tho' so disunited in regard of civil Converse yet we are at Communion as Christians in the Profession of the same Religion But this is not the Communion the Article means It speaks of Communion of Saints Now every prophane carnal Protestant may hold such Communion in outward Profession of the same Religion Thousands of prophane Persons in England hold Communion thus even with the preciousest Saints viz. That they acknowledge the same Articles of Religion and yet are far from the Communion of Saints here spoken of Therefore the Communion of Saints is II. Spiritual A hidden Manna a Communion that the World knows not a Spiritual Interest and Communicating which they only partake of and which they only are sensible of Which we may discern the better by observing these things 1. That there is one and the same Spirit in every true Saint of God in the World 1 Cor. xii 4 There are Diversities of Gifts but the same Spirit True there are Diversities of Degrees of Grace and of Operations but one and the same Spirit that worketh all in all As Kinsmen have Communion in Kindred because the same Blood runs in all their Veins so Saints have Spiritual Communion because the same Spirit dwells in them all As in that Comparison that they are Members of the same Body because the same Spirit of Life is in every one of the Members It was the Custom with the Jews to enter into Communion by eating of the same Bread To which the Apostle alludes 1 Cor. x. 17 For we being many are one Bread and one Body for we are all Partakers of that one Bread And hereupon they might not eat with those with whom they might not have Communion So Christ feasts all his with the same Spirit 1 Cor. xii 13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one Body whether we be Jews or Gentiles whether we be bond or free and have been all made to drink into one Spirit That it is that that gives their Souls Life and Growth because they are all fed with the same Spirit This is the Hunger and Thirst of a Child of God to be filled and refresh'd with his Spirit And this is the feeding and refreshing God affords them John vi 55 63. For my Flesh is Meat indeed and my Blood is Drink indeed It is the Spirit that quickeneth the Flesh profiteth nothing The Words that I speak unto you they are Spirit and they are Life And John vii 37 39. If any Man thirst let him come unto me and drink But this spake he of the SPIRIT which they that believe on him should receive This was David's Hunger and Thirst when his Soul was almost starved by his great Fall Psal. li. 11 12. Cast me not away from thy Presence and take not thine Holy Spirit from me Restore unto me the Joy of thy Salvation and uphold me with thy free Spirit And this is a Trial whether a Soul be alive and healthy and whether a Person be a Saint or no by his longing and hungring for the Spirit of God Examine your Stomach what craves it Lord give me Corn and Cattel After these things the Gentiles seek not the Saints of God But Lord give me thy Spirit fill me with thy Grace support my fainting Soul with the Spirit of Grace This is a blessed hungring and thirsting which shall be blessedly satisfied Matth. v. 6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after Righteousness for they shall be filled Thus in the first place Saints have all Communion in the same Spirit of Christ drink of the same Fountain eat and feed upon the same Manna 2. Thus all communicating of the same Spirit of God they have by that Spirit Communion with God himself 1 John i. 3 And truly our Fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. A high Saying blessed Apostle Fellowship with God and Christ Let Haman brag of his great Friendship with Ahashuerosh Let Men bâ—â—st of their accompanying with this and that great Man their Friendship and Acquaintance with this or that noble Person it is enough if I can say I am acquainted with God I have Friendship and Fellowship with God and his Son Jesus Christ. Acquainted with God Communion with Christ Brave Company That Man can never be alone never want excellent Company Ah! poor Paul how dost thou do for Company in a dark lonely Prison Daniel how solitary art thou in a Den of Lions when thou hast no Company but those cruel Creatures Oh! nunquam minus solus quam cum solus I have God and Christ with me they keep me Company and I can have no better And so God himself hath promised When thou goest thro' the Waters I will be with thee Observe that Promise Matth. xxviii ult I will be with you always even unto the end of the World Alas we shall be in Prisons in Stocks Ay but then ye shall not be alone for I will be with you to the end of the World What mean such Expressions but that God is present near to his own People in an extraordinary manner different from common Providence That Expression Walking with God doth hint special Intercourse and Converse 'twixt God and the Saint as 'twixt two Friends walking together Observe a feeling Exposition of it Psal. lxxiii 23 24 c. Nevertheless I am continually with thee thou hast holden me by thy Right Hand Thou shalt guide me with thy Counsel and afterward receive me to Glory Whom have I in Heaven but thee and there is none upon Earth I desire besides thee Here let us stay and we may stand amazed that poor sinful Men may have the Honour and Happiness of Communion with God Will God dwell upon Earth It was Solomon's Wonder So may we wonder at this that God should Converse be in Fellowship and in Familiarity with Men. If God should take Advantage of that Be not unequally yoked how far may this speak contrary to such Communion For what infinite Inequality is thâ—â—e 'twixt God and Man Creator and Creature Dust and Glory An Expression of this Communion you have Rev. iii. 20 If any Man hear my Voice and open the Door I will come in to him and will sup with him and he with me And another Es. lxvi 1 2. Thus saith the Lord The Heaven is my Throne and the Earth is my Footstool Where is the House that ye build unto me And where is the Place of my Rest For all those things hath mine Hand made and all those things have been saith the Lord. But to this Man will I look even to him that is poor and of a contrite
the undoing of the Nation to this Day Against these our Saviour so declaimeth Mat. xv 3 Why do you transgress the Commandment of God by your Tradition And in other Places And the Apostle 1 Pet. i. 18 where he speaks of their vain Conversation received by Tradition from their Fathers Now these Traditions in the two greatest Points of Religion viz. Concerning Christ and the Way of Salvation had introduced Doctrines as contrary to the Prophets and Truth as might be They made the Way to Salvation so easie that it was no strait Gate nor narrow Way that led thither but a few Ceremonious Works Washings Purifications Sacrifices would do the Business By these they thought they could be justified And how easie was it to perform these As for Christ our Messias they thought he should be a Temporal Deliverer and would live always and converse among them and enstate and keep them in all Earthly Pomp and Prosperity To this it is the Apostle speaks here God will send Jesus Christ among you but not as your Traditions teach to be always bodily present with you for he is now in Heaven and Heaven must contain him and there he must be till the restoring or accomplishing of all things But not of all things that are spoken by your Masters of Traditions but which God hath spoken by the Mouth of his holy Prophets According to the Sense of the Prophets not your Traditions AN EXPOSITION OF Two Select Articles OF THE Apostles Creed VIZ. I. The Holy Catholick Church II. The Communion of Saints AN EXPOSITION OF Two Select Articles OF THE Apostles Creed I. I believe the Holy Catholick Church AFTER the Creed hath done with what is to be believed concerning God it comes to speak of what is to be believed concerning other Matters of Faith It teacheth the Trinity and that we are to believe in Father Son and Holy Ghost and most largely what to believe concerning the Son His Incarnation and Acting for Man's Redemption After mention of Faith in the Trinity I believe in God the Father In his Son Jesus Christ and I believe in the Holy Ghost it first comes to teach what to believe concerning the Church and that in this Article I believe the Holy Catholick Church A Papist's Faith upon this Article comes to this Credo in Ecclesiam Sanctam Romanam Catholicam i. e. I believe in the Holy Roman Catholick Church In which they speak Impiety to believe in Men Falshood to call the Roman Church Holy and Nonsense to call that particular Church the Church Catholick or Universal I shall not insist to confute their Belief in this Point the first Part whereof is so plainly confuted by Scripture that bids not to trust in Man the second by Experience and History that tells of the abominable Unholiness of the Roman Church and the third by all Reason and common Language that tells it Nonsense to call a particular Church the Church Universal I shall first unfold to you the Article and then speak to what is observable upon the Meaning and Intent of it The Church you see is made the Object of Faith in it But of what Faith and in what Sense the Articles following shew Viz. To believe that there is a Holy Catholick Church as that there is a Communion of Saints that there is Forgiveness of Sins c. In the Article are three Things to be believed I. That there is a Church of God II. That it is Catholick III. That it is Holy The hardest thing is What is meant by Catholick and it is not easie to say How there is a Holy Church when there is so much Wickedness and Abomination in the World It is said by the Psalmist Psal. xiv 2 3. The Lord looked down from Heaven upon the Children of Men to see if there were any that did understand and seek after God They are all gone aside they are altogether become filthy there is none that doth Good no not one And where then can you find a Holy Church The Apostle Paul saith Phil. ii 21 All seek their own not the things which are Jesus Christ's And John saith 1 Ep. v. 19 The whole World lyeth in Wickedness And where can you then find a Holy Church Diogenes searched the City throughout with a Candle at Noon day and said Hominem quaero I seek for a Man So search Jerusalem with a Candle and how rarely can we find one that is Holy And where then is the Holy Catholick Church First As to the Word Catholick it signifies Universal It is rendred General in the Titles of the Epistles of James Peter and John And those are call'd General Epistles because not written to particular Persons Cities or Countries as those to Timothy the Romans the Galatians c. but generally to all in many or all Countries As S. Peter to the Strangers in Pontus Galatia Cappadocia Asia and Bithynia S. James to the twelve Tribes wheresoever scattered So the Catholick Church is first meant in Opposition to the particular Church of the Jews and secondly as meaning the Church of the Gentiles of all Nations that truly profess Christ throughout the World The Jews under the Law cry'd The Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord are these So since the Gospel even hitherto they cry The Church of God are we But the Scripture tells us they are a Synagogue of Satan And Scripture teacheth us to acknowledge a Catholick Church the Church of God abroad in the World among all Nations at one time or other We shall take up the Words particularly and single And first of the Word Church And the Article doth teach and call upon us to believe That God hath ever a Church in the World I shall not insist upon the Signification of the Word in Greek and Latin nor of the Deduction of it into our English Tongue Some think our English is derived from the Greek Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies Belonging to the Lord. As 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Lord's Supper 1 Cor. xi 20 And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Lord's Day Rev. i. 10 So 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Church to mean the Lord's Portion as Israel is called by that Title very oft There is none of you I suppose but know what is meant by the Church of God viz. Those or that Company that worship and serve God throughout the World About the Definition or Description of the Church of God is now and hath been almost ever under the Gospel the greatest Controversie one of them in Religion As at present whether the Roman Church be a true Church Which many Protestants deny And whether the Protestant Church be a true Church Which the Romanists deny Whether the Church of England be a true Church Which Separatists deny Whether Separatists be of the true Church Which the Church of England denies The like Scruple is made of the Greek Russian Jacobin Abyssin and other Churches Into which Controversie I
some Hundreds of Years all this Western World was Popish Italy Spain France England Germany and no Religion visible in all these Countries but Popery The Name of Protestant not owned the Protestant Religion not to be seen And where was then your Religion say the Papists to us To whom to give a full Answer let us compound these three or four things together We must tell them or else we speak not as the Truth is that the Popish Religion was far from being the true Religion and the Popish Church from being the true Church all that time or from ever being so I shall not insist upon many Arguments to prove this I shall only give you one Argument from a Scriptural Reason and one Consideration of a Scriptural Expression The Argument from a Scriptural Reason is this That Church that is built more on Traditions and Doctrines of Men than on the Word of God is no true Church nor Religion But the Church of Rome is built more upon Traditions and Doctrines of Men than on the VVord of God Ergo. The Foundation of the true Church of God is Scripture Eph. ii 20 And are built upon the Foundation of the Apostles and Prophets But if you look upon what the whole Frame of Popery is built you will find it upon a Sand of Humane Tradition That the Pope is Head of the Church that he pardons Sin rules over Princes where find you this in Scripture They are but Points of the cursed Inventions of Men. That Priests can sing Souls out of Purgatory that the Service of God should be in an unknown Tongue that the Priests can change the Bread into a God and generally the whole Rabble of their Romish Religion hath not so much as any one underpinning of Scripture Warrant but all founded upon the rotten Trash of Humane Invention and Self-ends The Scriptural Expression to be considered is that Title of Rome Rev. xvii 5 MYSTERY Babylon the Great the Mother of Harlots and Abominations of the Earth For that it speaks of Rome is plain ver 18. The Woman which thou sawest is the great City which reigneth over the Kings of the Earth And described even as the Roman Writers themselves do describe her ver 9. The Seven Heads are Seven Mountains on which the Woman sitteth She is stiled Mystery Babylon She was a Mystery of Iniquity Babylon while she takes upon her Sion Mother of Harlots and Abominations of the Earth when she takes upon her to be Mother of all Churches and the only Spouse of Christ in the World A Jezabel as Rev. ii 20 that takes on her to be a Prophetess but is a Seducer And Mysterious is the Providence of God in permitting such a Deceiver that should seduce all the Western World with a general Seduction It is observed that Popery and Mahometism rose together one overwhelmed all the East the other the West Where had been Glorious Churches there this Smoke of the Bottomless Pit clouded and darkened all And it is observable that wheresoever the Gospel had been these two came and spoiled all And Popery the more abominable than the other because under the Name of Christ and the Gospel it led Men from Christ and the Gospel We may say upon Thoughts of both as it is Rev. xvi 5 Thou art righteous O Lord which art and wast and shalt be because thou hast judged thus Because they received not the Love of the Truth that they might be saved it was just with thee Righteous God to send them strong Delusions that they might believe a Lie That they all might be damned that believed not the Truth but had Pleasure in Unrighteousness 2 Thess. ii 10 11 12. So that to question where was the Church of God before Luther we must answer 1. That the Roman Church was not it for that was but Babylon the Mystery of Iniquity the Plague of God upon the World for not receiving the Love of Divine Truth 2. Wheresoever there were any in that time that kept to the Truth of God they were the Church of God Ubi Imperator ibi Roma So wheresoever the true Profession of the Truth was there the Church was Where two or three are gathered together in my Name there am I in the midst of them The Seven Thousand that worshipped not Baal were the true Church I shall not insist to shew that even in the thickest and darkest Times of Popery there were other Churches in the World that were not infected with that Plague as the Grecians Abyssines c. But even Stories do shew that even within the Compass of the Popish Church there were some in all Ages that held to the Truth of God and Abominated the Wickedness and Delusions of the Church But if any such could not be named yet God never left himself without Witness and it hath ever been the Glorious Providence of God to preserve a Noah in a wicked old World a Lot in Sodom an Abraham in an Idolatrous Chaldea a Job in Heathen Arabia and a Jeremy in a most wicked Jerusalem a Church to himself in the worst Times But observe that the Church of God is the least part of the World and so the least part of the visible Church We must distinguish the Church in Opposition to the World and in Opposition to Hypocrites and carnal Gospellers So the Scripture nameth Saints in Opposition to the Heathen and in Opposition to unholy Christians Now take the Word in this latter Sense which is the most proper and the true Church of God is the least part of the Church I deny not that the Church of England Scotland and Ireland is a true Church of God in regard of outward Profession But there are Multitudes in these that are not the true Church in regard of sincere Profession but profane Hypocrites Castaways Imagine a great Parish or Congregation that meet together and in the Church hear and wait on the Ordinances and have the Word and Ordinances truly administred They attend upon them in outward Attendance but out of the Church are Profane and Ungodly We cannot but say here is a Church in Opposition to the Heathen a true Church in Opposition to a false where the Ordinances are not rightly administred Yet we cannot say this is a true and sincere Church of God because they do but outwardly profess and not at all Practice So Israel professed went to the Temple Es. i. had Ordinances rightly administred This was a true Church so far But they lied sware falsely committed Adultery oppressed the Innocent and such like Can we then say they were a true Church of God See that Eph. v. 25 26 27. Christ loved the Church and gave himself for it That he might sanctifie and cleanse it with the washing of Water by the Word That he might present it to himself a Glorious Church not having Spot or Wrinkle or any such thing but that it should be Holy and without Blemish Let us take up all these
Subscription to the Orders of the Church which a great many of them had refused But Lightfoot honestly said that this was the Question betwixt our Saviour and the Woman of Samaria And if she had directly asked him whether the Church of the Jews were the true Church he would doubtless directly have answered it was For otherwise God had no Church in the World And yet was the Church of the Jews at that time in a worse Condition than any of them could think the Church of England then was 2. He was no Innovator He sat indeed in the Assembly of Divines called together by the Parliament to consult upon Matters of Religion and he came thither in the simplicity of his Heart contributing his Service towards the Correcting of supposed Abuses in Religion But still he had a respect to the good Laws of the Church and disliked and declared against many Propositions brought in for Reformation and opposed several things attempted to be introduced not only by Independents and Antinomians but such as were for transcribing the Model of the Scotch and Geneva Discipline In their settling a Set Form for Religious Worship the Parliament having laid aside the Common-Prayer-Book Lightfoot had an Eye to former Rubricks and Canons To give one Instance hereof When in the Directory for Baptism the giving Ministers warning when any Children were to be Baptized was omitted he moved that that might be taken order for seeing that in our old Rubrick said he it is enjoyned that warning should be given the Night before And now he shewed there was more need since the Minister by the Directory was to make an Exhortation and to give some Instructions concerning Baptism Whereupon this Clause was added Warning being given to the Ministers the Day before Again he utterly disliked the bringing in a Rank of Women for Officers in the Church viz. Widows Which some had urged grounding themselves upon that of the Apostle Let not a Widow be taken into the number under Sixty Years old Where Lightfoot shewed that for that very thing he could not be of that Opinion For that it was contrary to the Old Testament where the Officers of the Temple were to be dismist at Fifty Years Old And when Goodwin answered that the Priests indeed were discharged of their Service at those Years because of the Burthen of their Service As particularly carrying of the Ark and the Labour of Sacrificing Lightfoot replied that the Ark was fixed after Solomon's time So that there was no more Occasion to carry that Neither were the Sacrifices any such Burthen the Courses of the Priests were so full as that no less than Eighty opposed Vzziah And he shewed it from Josephus and that there were Five Thousand apiece at least in each Course and that their Service was but one Week in half a Year And therefore they could not be overladen with Work Nevertheless when after much Debate it was brought to the Vote whether Widows were Church Officers it was voted in the affirmative Yet only by one Voice Lightfoot being then absent which he calls in his Journal His Misfortune and adds that the Proposition was utterly against his Mind and far different from his Judgment 3. He set himself especially against such as made use of Religion to supersede the Duties of Morality and who upon pretence of higher Attainments in Christianity overlookt Truth Honestly and Righteousness He could not bear such as made Religion a Pander to Sin And such Sects there were that shewed their Faces in his Time There were some that had refined Religion to that Degree that they went all upon Illuminations Revelations and Spiritual Raptures and talked of nothing but of their being acted by the Spirit of God and doing all by some mighty Influences of that Spirit Poring so much upon these Fancies that they measured their own and others Religion according as they were endued with these Enthusiastical Flights In the mean time made little or no account of Moral Duties and were much addicted to Unpeaceableness Covetousness Fraud Lying Deceiving Slandering and such like There was one considerable Sect that then appeared and got much ground which was known and distinguished by this Doctrine That Christians were not obliged by the Moral Law Against this Party great complaints were at length brought into the Assembly of Divines many of whom among which was our Divine saw well to what a Decay all true Religion would soon come if Men of this Opinion were tolerated For to shew them a little to the present Age these were Doctrines contained in the Books or Speeches of three of them collected by Dr. Temple and offered to the Assembly as I find them in Lightfoot's Journal 1. That the Moral Law is of no use at all to Believers No Rule to walk by nor to examine their Lives by And that Believers are freed from the Mandatory Power of it 2. That it is as possible for Christ to Sin as for a Child of God 3. That a Child of God needs not nay ought not to ask Pardon for Sin and that it is no less than Blasphemy to ask Pardon for our Sin And one of them being told that David asked Forgiveness of Sins it was answered it was his Weakness 4. That God doth not chastise any of his for Sin Let Believers Sin as fast as they can there is a Fountain open for them to wash in That not for the Sin of God's People but for Swearers and Drunkards the Land is punisht 5. That there ought to be no Fasting Days under the Gospel and Men ought not to afflict their Souls no not in a Day of Humiliation And it being asked one of them whether he Fasted in obedience to the Civil Command he answered That were to be the Servants of Men. 6. That this Doctrine is false If you Fast and Pray and Humble your selves unto God then God will turn away his Judgments Yea if you Pray by the Spirit you are not hereupon to expect deliverance from Judgments 7. That when Abraham in outward appearance seemed to Lye in his Distrust Lying Dissembling and Equivocating even then truly all his Thoughts Words and Deeds were perfectly Holy and Righteous from all Spot of Sin in the sight of God 8. That if a Man by the Spirit know himself to be in a State of Grace though he commit Murder or Drunkenness yet God doth see no Sin in him Lightfoot with divers others of the soberer sort in the Assembly were hugely concerned at these Men and their Doctrines Because they well saw and urged to the rest how these Opinions opened a Gap to all manner of Licentiousness struck at the very obedience due to the Civil Magistrate horribly scandalized all the Doctrine of Free-Grace and Justification endeavoured to blast all Faithful Ministers calling them Legal Preachers And that this Sect was the more dangerous because their Preachers crept into the Favour of the Souldiers And it was observable that when the Definition
he that trains not up his Child to God for whom does he train him up but the Devil For is there any Mean between What Complaint God taketh up against Israel about their giving up their Children to Moloch may he not take up against Thousands in the World upon this Account Thou hast taken my Children and delivered them up to make them pass through the Fire That is the Children which I have given thee and which should have been mine He warned Men against Lying and False-speaking by the Example of Ananians and Sapphira that were struck dead for it Which he called a fearful Judgment set up as a Pillar of Salt at the very entrance of the Gospel into the World that Men might see and hear and fear and not dare to Lie under the Gospel of Truth especially not to the Spirit of Truth And if you look upon Ananias his doing you see him Deceiving and Lying and if you observe Peter's Words you may see he referrs his Lying and Deceiving to their proper Original Viz. That they both are the Work of the Devil Why hath SATAN filled thy Heart to lye and filled thy Heart to deceive and keep back part of the Price of the Land That if you will trace his Wickedness to the Spring-head his Intent to deceive made him lye and his base Covetousness made him deceive and the Devil caused all He gave this Rule concerning Apparel and for the avoiding Pride in what Men put on God allows Men to wear good Cloths according to their Quality and Degree but if Pride be there it is beside his Allowance God allows us Cloths to keep us warm He allows us Cloths to adorn our Rank and Quality but if we lace and trim our Wear with Pride there is a Leprosie got into the Warp and Woof that rots all God appointed the Jews to wear Fringes upon their Garments to make them still to be remembring the Law I am afraid the Fringing and Finery of two many have a clean contrary Effect It doth but puff them up and make them proud And again If any should ask What Cloths and Hair and Garb may I wear this may be a very direct and satisfactory Answer Wear what you think good so it be without Pride And this I believe will shut out of Doors 1. Wearing a Garb above one's Rank and Degree For I question whether one can wear a Garb above his Rank without Pride And 2. Affecting foreign and strange and few fangled Fashions For tho' it may be possible for a Person to be in the Fashion without Pride because he would not be hooted at for Singularity yet certainly it is hardly possible to affect new fangled Fashions without Pride It is one thing to put on the Fashion to avoid Reproach and another thing to dote upon Fashions and to make them Bravery He that makes his Cloths his Bravery it is very suspicious he makes them his Vainglory and he that dotes on the Fashion it is to be doubted he dotes on the Pride of the Fashion THESE Instances are enough to shew what a plain but fruitful Method of Teaching and Preaching Dr. Lightfoot took But he also took care of his People's Principles to preserve them from warping from the National Church as hath been taken notice of before and from the Church consider'd as Protestant Of which I shall proceed to a few Instances To arm his Auditors against Popery thus he taught them Our Histories tell us That when Austin the Monk came hither into Britain from the Pope as to settle Religion and when some of the British Christians consulted with a grave prudent Man whether they should close with him and submit to his Rules Yes saith he if he be humble do But if he be proud he is not of God Would you take a Measure of true Religion no surer Token than these two Humility and Charity They talk they will prove the Truth of their Religion by Antiquity Universality and I know not what Let them shew it by the Humility and Mercifulness of it and we shall desire no more But I doubt that Religion that teacheth the Merits of a Man's Works is too proud against God to be the true Religion and that that teacheth that the Pope is above all Princes is too proud against Men. And I doubt that Religion that stirs up Mâ—n to murder Princes Nobles People that will not be of that Religion is not the true Religion I am sure Christ and his Apostles were never either of such Pride or Cruelty but further from these Principles of Rome than it is 'twixt Rome and Jerusalem And as he warned them against Popery in general so particularly Against a blind Zeal Zeal without Knowledge or Zeal in a wrong Way It is good always to be zealous in a good Matter but mischievous to be zealous in a bad There was a great deal of Religious Zeal for those Parents to offer their Children to Moloch to be burnt alive in his Arms in Devotion to that God of theirs But it was blind Zeal mad Religion distracted Devotion Their God was the Devil St. Paul in one Place saith That in Zeal he persecuted the Church But in another Place he saith He was exceeding mad against the Church That Zeal of his was mere Madness It was blind and mad cared not whither it went nor what it did Rom. x. The Jew hath Zeal but without Knowledge and that made him so to set himself against the Truth You remember that They that kill you shall think they do God Service It was great Zeal but as blind as a Beetle It runs upon it cares not what as a blind Man runs upon every Post and falls into every Pit And against Cruelty The Papists plead stoutly that theirs and none but theirs is the true Religion If that should be tryed by this very Touchstone Is that can that be true Religion that makes it Religion to murder Men None of you but have heard of the bloody Days of Queen Mary and how many poor innocent holy Men were then put to the Fire and there ended their Lives And this forsooth done by the Papists out of Zeal for Religion Just such a Religion as they were spurred by that offered their Children to Moloch For compare the things together and what can be liker Those Wretches out of that Devotion and Religion as they took on them made their poor innocent Children pass through the Fire a Sacrifice to Moloch These Wretches out of that Devotion and Religion as they took on them made these poor innocent Souls pass through the Fire a Sacrifice to the Pope The Cruelty much alike the Manner of the Death they put them to much alike And were they not Religious think you much alike Such a Sacrifice to their Moloch would they have offered of innocent ones when they would have sent away our Parliament out of the World in Fire and Gunpowder and this forsooth out of Zeal to Religion
may incline them to Wantonness Wantonness to Apostacy And therefore it was not prudent to take such into Office in the Church and to its Charge The Words admit two Senses I. Wanton against Christ and the strict Rule of Christ that they should be under They will not endure the Yoke as the wanton Heifer but will marry to satisfie their own Will Having Damnation or Judgment that is being justly condemned because they cast off their first Faith or Trust committed to them So that the Apostle condemns not their marrying simply for then he should go against his own Rule It is better to marry than to burn but provides that such Inconveniences accrue not to the Church II. Wanton in Religion She may fall in Love with an Infidel and wantonly may forsake her Religion and so become a Scandal to the Church and Perdition to her self As the Apostle cries down such Marriages 2 Cor. vi 14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with Unbelievers And God complains Mal. ii 11 That Judah had profaned the Holiness of the Lord and married the Daughter of a strange God VII Wantonness Unchristian THE Vulgar Latin reads 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Tim. v. 11 Luxuriantes in Christo to no Sense at all Others They will marry in Christ to as little But the Words in the English are very proper according to the Greek Wax wanton against Christ. The Greek word as it properly signifies to be wanton or to live delicately and in Pleasure and so rendred Rev. xviii 7 so in proper Derivation it signifies to shake off the Reins as an untamed Horse Hence it may be observed that Wantonness is a thing that is Unchristian a thing that becomes not Christians The Apostle allows it not in any to be employed in Office in the Church in 1 Tim. v. 11 and elsewhere not in any other Rom. xiii 13 Let us walk honestly as in the Day not in Rioting and Drunkenness not in Chambering and WANTONNESS not in Strife and Envying Observe hence two things First That Christians that live in the Day and not in the Night should walk as in the Day Secondly That they should walk 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Honestly Comlily Men in the Night care not how they are dress'd when none sees them but in the Day they take Care of their Habit that it be decent that they may appear comely before Men. And so it is with Christians who are of the Day The Apostle gives two general Rules for Christians walking I. Negatively Not to walk as Heathens which are in Darkness and walk they know not they care not how Eph. iv 17 This I say and testifie in the Lord that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk in the Vanity of their Mind See with what Vehemency he speaks I testifie in the Lord. I speak it from God and charge you before him That henceforth ye walk not as â—ther Gentiles Nil ultra Now the Day is come walk no more as Children of Darkness 1 Thess. iv 3.4 5. For this is the Will of God even your Sanctification that ye should abstain from Fornication that every one of you should know how to possess his Vessel in Sanctification and Honour Not in the Lâ—st of Concupiscence even as the Gentiles which know not God II. Positively as becomes the Gospel Phil. i. 27 Let your Conversation be as becometh the Gospel of Christ That is as is suitable to the Rule of the Gospel and as may be an Honour to the Gospel And as becometh Saints Eph. v. 3 Now that Wantonness is Heathenish and not becoming Saints let us consider how it may be taken and that under two Considerations First As opposed to that Gravity and Seriousness that should be in Christians and is agreeable to the Gospel Secondly As opposed to Chaste Modesty or that Wantonness that tends to Uncleanness or is the same with Lasciviousness I. It becomes not Christians to be foolish or toyish or wanton in Word Dress or Action but to be of such Gravity as is far from Wantonning and as becomes the Gravity of the Gospel He that knows the Gospel needs no proof out of the Gospel else I might produce the Rules particularly for all sorts of Men and Women In all requiring Sobriety Gravity Modesty Take but that Place Eph. v. 4 Neither Filthiness nor Foolish Talking nor Jesting which are not convenient Take up that Copy As becometh Saints Where do we ever find the least wanton Gestures in the Saints of God upon Record VVhat Gravity what sweet Severity in them It is observed of Christ that he wept but was never seen to laugh Nor do you find much mention of any such thing in his Disciples It was an ingenious Answer of a Painter that Pictured the Apostles of Ruddy Complexions Being asked why he so painted them his Answer was because they would be ashamed to look on the Light VVanton Carriage of many that called themselves Christians The Saints commonly are called God's Fools and the Reason is because they will not be Fools before Men but keep themselves to the Sobriety of their Profession The Apostle saith 1 Cor. iii. 18 If any Man among you seemeth to be Wise in this World let him become a Fool that he may be Wise. But it means as to Reliance upon VVisdom not to befool themselves to make sport to Men. It was Sampson's Misery to be the Philistine's Fool and make them Sport But the same unhappy Misery too many do willingly take to themselves spending their Life in VVantonness and Foolish Sporting As those in Job Ch. xxi 12 13. They take the Timbrel and Harp and Rejoice at the Sound of the Organ They spend their Days in Wealth and in a Moment go down to the Grave And where are they then It is the Speech of an Atheist not a Christian Let us Eat and Drink for to Morrow we Die 1 Cor. xv 32 But it is a Gospel-Counsel that follows ver 33 34. Be not deceived Evil Communications corrupt good Manners Awake to Righteousness and Sin not VVhat did God bring us into the VVorld to do To spend away a Life and in fine to be Damned VVhat are we admitted into the Gospel to do To live in Pleasure and VVantonness like those that know not God How far is this from the End of a reasonable Soul Of a Christian Consider those Words Wo unto you that Laugh now for ye shall Mourn and Weep Luke vi 25 But is no Mirth or Sporting allowed to Christians Is not that too severe Eccles. â—i.2 I said of Laughter it is Mad and of Mirth what doth it And Eph. v. 4 â—here no Jesting is tolerated Durus Serma i. e. A hard Saying To make some Reply to this 1. Earthly Pleasures and Delights are more Delights in Fancy and Opinion than Reality Psal. xxxix Men walketh in a vain Shadow No Substance at all Now a Solid Christian goes upon other Grounds His Delight is upon another Foundation There
no more Sacrifice for Sins but a fearful looking for of Judgment and Fiery Indignation which shall Devour the Adversaries THE Sin the Apostle speaks of here is not every Sin knowingly committed For then how would David and Peter have escaped with their Falls But it is an Apostacy from Truth once received that is the Gospel once professed and an Enmity and Fighting against it A Sin that at ver 29. he calls a Treading under Foot the Son of God And the Apostle John speaking of the very same Sin calls it a Sin unto Death 1 Joh. v. 16 The Apostle in this dreadful Passage hath two Allusions to some Passages in the Old Testament One to VVords another to Things VVhen he speaks of Sinning past Sacrifice he alludes to those Words Numb xv 27 28 c. If any Soul Sin through Ignorance he shall bring a She-Goat of the first Year for a Sin-offering and the Priest c. But the Soul that doth ought presumptuously whether Born in the Land or a Stranger the same hath reproached the Lord and that Soul shall be cut off from his People No Sacrifice for the wilful Sinner but he was to be cut off by Divine Vengeance And when he speaks of Fiery Indignation which shall devour the Adversaries he alludes to those fearful Examples in the Old Testament when ungodly Ones which have been Enemies to the VVays and Ministers of God have been dreadfully devoured by Fire as in Num. xvi and 2 Kings i. The Adversaries OUR English hath well rendred the VVord Adversaries But there is a peculiar Phrase in the Greek which is not easie to express in English It is not only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which had been enough to signifie Adversaries but it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which makes it to speak Suâ—â—â—versarii Unâ—eraâ—versaries that is Adversaries under an Hood as I may say Adversaries under a Pretence As the Pharisees under a Pretence of long Prayers devoured VVidows Houses so these under a Pretence of Religion were Adversaries to Religion Under Pretence of Piety were Enemies to â—ieâ—y Under Pretence of doing God good Service they Persecuted God's Servants Under Pretence of 〈◊〉 for the Law they sought to Destroy the Gospel And they were underâ—â—ood Adversaâ—ies The Greek Word is used again Col. ii 24 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Contrary to us The VVord precisely signifies Subcontrary or Closely contrary to us The Apostle speaks of Christs having cancelled the Ceremonial Law which open faced seemed to be for them that used it Sacrifices to make their Peace Purifications to cleanse them from their Uncleanness But closely also they pleaded against them Sacrifices Slain shewed that they deserved Death Purifications spake that they were unclean And so other of the Rites of the Law Thousands in the VVorld pretend to Love God to walk Fair to be Religious yet underhand are God's Adversaries and Enemies as those Under-adversaries spoken of in the Text before us None will own that he is any Enemy of God but he will speak well of God praise God will be for God whereas there is not one of a Thousand but underhand is God's Enemy These Adversaries then of whom the Apostle here more particularly speaks were Apostates that had professed the Gospel and had backslidden from it and were become bitter Enemies and Persecutors of it Fiery Indignation THE Greek is something Emphatical but something Difficult 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Verbatim thus Zeal or Jealousie or Anger of Fire shall eat up the Adversaries Our English hath well rendred it Fiery Indignation shall devour And so the Apostle calls God himself in reference to his consuming of VVicked Men. Heb. xii ult our God is a Consuming Fire As we may distinguish between the Anger of God that he is sometimes provoked to by the Sinning of his own People and the Anger he is provoked to by his Enemies So may we distinguish upon the Firiness of this Anger God's Anger when he is displeased with the Sins of his own People is a Fire indeed but it is not a Consuming Fire as it is towards the VVicked That Expression Esay xxvi 11 The FIRE of thine Enemies shall Consume them is an intimation that there is a Fire which is not the Fire of God's Enemies or such a Fire as devours them His Anger indeed many a time scorched his own People very sore sometimes in their own Conscience sometimes by outward Affliction But it is to Refine them not to Consume them But to the Enemies of the Lord his Indignation is a Fire that consumes them But to review this Fire more particularly let us first consider upon some Places that speak to the same purpose Job xv 34 The Congregation of Hypocrites shall be desolate and FIRE shall consume the Tabernacles of Bribery VVhat Does it mean their Houses shall be burnt down Oh! what Fires would then be seen abroad in England if all that take Bribes should have their Houses burnt down But in Ch. xx 26 There is mention of a Fire not blown that shall consume such wicked Ones All Darkness shall be hid in his secret Places a Fire NOT BLOWN shall consume him It shall go ill with him that is left in his Tabernacle A Fire not blown that is not such a Fire as those we blow a Fire that needs no blowing but when God kindles it is Hot enough and Flaming enough even the Fiery Indignation of the Lord. Esay ix 5 For every Battel of the Warriour is with confused Noise and Garments rolled in Blood but this shall be with BURNING and Fuel of FIRE The Prophecy is concerning the Destruction and Overthrow of the great Army of Senacherib of which the Story is so Famous That whereas other Armies are not routed and overthrown without a great deal of Fighting Confused Noise and Garments rolled in Blood this Army should be consumed with the Burning and Fire of the Lord's Indignation And it was Fiery Indignation that devoured 185000 Soldiers in one Night Our God saith Moses and Paul is a Consuming Fire And Esay's Question is Who among us shall dwell with the Devouring Fire Who among us shall dwell with everlasting Burnings Ch. xxxiii 14 Yes in the next Verse He that walketh Righteously and speaketh Uprightly and despiseth the Gain of Oppressions that shaketh his Hands from holding of Bribes c. such an one shall dwell with the Devouring Fire and it shall not touch him as the Fiery Furnace did not touch an Hair of the three Children But look at the beginning of Verse 14. The Sinners in Zion are afraid Fearfulness hath surprized the Hypocrites who shall dwell with the devouring Fire c. Not they but they shall be destroyed and devoured by that Consuming Fire as those that cast the three Children into the Furnace were consumed by the Fire though they came not into it The Fire and Burning that St. Peter speaks of that should consume the Jewish Church and State and Religion 2 Pet. iii. means not
a Physician snaps him up and devours him How miserably and unexpectedly was that poor Man surprized So how does the unhappy Soul we are speaking of find it self surprized when it suddenly finds it self in the Clutches of the Great Red Dragon ready now to be devoured by him VII A Meditation upon the Widow's Mite OUR Saviour sitting in the Second Court of the Temple called commonly by the Jews The Court of the Women but by the Gospel The Treasury because there stood the Thirteen Chests into which the People put their Freewill Offerings sees the rich Men casting in largely and of their Abundance But there comes a poor Widow and casts in a poor Pittance Two Mites that make but One Farthing a despicable Gift and such an one as those rich Men would make a Puff at to see such a poor Business offered And as God in another Case Mal. i. 8 offer such a Pittance to a great Man how would he scorn it But God seeth not as Man seeth God weigheth not as Man weigheth but he seeth and weigheth the Mind and Heart And our Saviour seeth that this Woman had put her Heart into the Treasury with her two Mites that she had cast in her Heart and her whole Living with her Farthing in the Chest she had chosen to put it in and accordingly he weighs values and estimates her Offering according to the large Heart wherewith she had given it as the largest Gift that was given nay larger than all the Gifts that were given Of a Truth I say unto you that this poor Widow hath cast in more than they all Luk. xxi 3 A Woman to outvye all the Men in her Offering A Widow all the great married Dames and Ladies and a poor Widow all the rich and wealthy Ones with all their Abundance It is very fortunate for Women to bear the Bell for Piety and Devotion in the Holy Story and none to go beyond them in Zeal and Religion or rather they to go before all The Virgin Mary Martha Mary Magdalen Joanna Susanna the Syrophaenician Woman with her great Faith and this poor VVidow with her great Offering That as Peter's Zeal and Earnestness in promoting the Gospel is more especially recorded in the Acts of the Apostles to give Evidence and Assurance of his Recovery out of his great Fall in denying his Master So the noble Zeal and Piety of several VVomen is recorded in Holy VVrit to be an Evidence of the Recovery of that Sex out of its foul Guilt of bringing Sin into the VVorld and being first in the Transgression As the Apostle speaks something towards such an Observation 1 Tim. ii ult Adam was not deceived but the Woman being deceived was in the Transgression Notwithstanding she shall be saved by Childbearing i. e. by the Birth of Christ a Child born to be a Saviour Tho' Pangs in Child-bearing were laid upon her as a sad Punishment for her Transgression VVe might enquire whether this VVidow were a true Believer or whether she were still in the Jewish Religion and Belief but only more sincerely Pious and Religious in that way than others were And the Reason of this Enquiry is that if she were a true Believer or had received the Gospel it may seem strange that she would contribute to the Jewish Service And if she were not a true Believer it may seem strange that Christ should give such a Testimony to her Offering if it were not offer'd in Faith Whether she were the one or other this Act of hers was certainly a Pious Act. For observe with me these few things I. Observe that all the Offerings or Gifts that were thus put into the Temple-Treasury were laid out for the maintaining the Service of the Altar and Temple To buy Wood to maintain the Fire of the Altar to buy Sacrifices for the Altar Salt for the Sacrifices Oil for the Lamps Wine for the Drink-Offering c. VVhatsoever was offered in the Temple went to the maintaining the Service and Religion of the Temple II. Observe that the Service and Religion of Temple and People was now grown exceeding Corrupt and many things of Humane Invention and Tradition were added to God's Institutions there So that our Saviour sticks not to say of the Temple that they had made it a House of Merchandize nay a Den of Thieves and himself with a Whip drives Buyers and Sellers out of the Temple And yet III. Observe that Christ himself contributed to the Maintenance of the Service of the Temple tho' such Corruption crept into it For that Tribute-Money that is demanded of him Matth. xvii 24 and which he works a Miracle to pay finding the Money in a Fish's Mouth was the Half Shekel that every one was bound to pay Yearly and the Money went towards buying the Sacrifices for the Altar and for the maintaining of the Service there And as himself did in that Payment contribute to that so he commends this Widow who in her Gift did shew the like Contribution to the same thing For IV. Observe that Good might be gathered out of the Service there tho' such Corruptions were crept in because God's Institutions were there and he had set up his Candle there his VVorship which he had not taken down And every Humane Invention doth not presently destroy a Divine Institution tho' it doth pollute it And the seven Churches of Asia are Golden Candlesticks still tho' God find foul Corruption in all of them They that will pay nothing to our Churches that will not come at our Churches nay will not abide to be buried in our Church Yards do they see any abominable thing in the Service of our Churches worse than the Corruptions that were crept into the Jewish Religion worse Superstition worse VVill-worship worse Corruptions If they do let them shew it if they do not why do they so despise our Churches and the VVorship there VVhen Christ himself refused not to be present at the Temple and to contribute to maintain the Service there Let me ask them and the negligent Comers to Church tho' they do not quite refuse it do they think that our Saviour ever let a Sabbath-day pass in all his time while here but he was present at the Public Service either in the Temple or in the Synagogue Look the Gospel thro' and see by the Current of the Story there whether ever he absented himself from the Public Congregation on the Sabbath-day Read that Luke iv 16 to spare more He came to Nazareth where he had been brought up and as his Custom was went into the Synagogue on the Sabbath and stood up for to read It was his Custom to go to the Synagogue to the Public Service and Congregation on the Sabbath-day and he never fail'd of it And he stood up for to read in his own Town Synagogue as owning himself a Member of that Congregation For it is not recorded that he read in any Synagogue beside It was his Custom to go to
an Accusation that might be laid against him Oh! he reforms and pulls down Images and destroys Idolatry and keeps ado and in the mean while he lets the People go contrary to the Command of God in offering Sacrifices in the High Places 'T is true they do so and they should not do so but it is not through any faultering of Asa in his Religion and Piety For his Heart is perfect with God for all this The High Places were not taken away And the High Places were taken away if you compare the Story well together 2 Chron. xiv 3 He took away the Altars of the strange Gods and the HIGH PLACES and brake down the Images and cut down the Groves There the High Places are taken away that is High Places used for Idolatrous Worship But in 1 King xiv the High Places are not taken away that is that were used to the Worship of the true God even their sacrificing to God in every one of their own Towns and Cities when they might not lawfully Sacrifice any where but at Hierusalem See Deut. xii 5 6. And yet you find that it was their common Practice to Sacrifice at their own Synagogues in their own Towns And how oft do you find it in the Stories of the Kings of Judah yea of the good Kings as is said of Asa here Such and such Kings did right in the Sight of the Lord Nevertheless the High Places were not taken away the People still offered in High Places And remarkable is that Passage which I believe every one doth not observe in 1 Kin. xix 10 Elias complains The Children of Israel have forsaken thy Covenant thrown down thine Altars and slain thy Prophets c. Elias his Converse was with the Children of Israel of the ten Tribes or of Samaria and of these he complains that they had thrown down God's Altars They have thrown down THINE Altars Why God by his own Appointment had but one Altar Viz. That that was at the Temple And then how doth he speak of God's Altars otherwhere It was of the Altars which they had set up at their own Synagogues whereon to offer to the true God Because upon every Occasion they thought it too great a Journey to go to Jerusalem to offer their Offerings It might not be an impertinent Discussion to search out under what Notion these High Places were yet standing and in Use even in the Times of some of the good Kings Whether it were by God's Connivance and Toleration as he connived at their Poligamy which was besides the Institution of Matrimony and as he tolerated their Divorces because of the Hardness of their Hearts Or was it done by the Kings themselves in the Way of Policy and Prudence that the People might be eased as much as might be in their Religion and not be compelled more than needs must to travail to Jerusalem but that they might offer their Sacrifices at their own Parish Churches But I shall not insist upon that Inquiry Whatsoever Failing or Offence there was in tolerating these High Places yet Nevertheless Asa 's Heart was perfect with the Lord. And it was not out of any faultering in his Religion that these High Places were not taken away nor out of any halting with God For his Heart was perfect It may seem very hard to reconcile these two together that he failed to reform thoroughly for God and yet that his Heart was perfect with God Much more will it seem hard to reconcile what is besides said of him elsewhere to what is said of him here that his Heart was perfect When Baasha King of Israel comes in War against him he is shaken in his Confidence and Reliance upon God and plunders all the Treasures of the Temple to send Money to the King of Syria to fight for him Can we here subjoin the Words before us Nevertheless Asa 's Heart c Nay yet worse 2 Chron. xvi When he is reproved he claps up the Prophet in Prison And can we write under such a Passage as that Nevertheless Asa 's Heart was perfect Nay yet not much better ver 10. He oppressed some of the People at that time And ver 12. In his Age he grows diseased in his Feet until his Disease was exceeding great yet in his Disease he sought not to the Lord but to Physicians And can the Undersong still be Nevertheless Asa ' s Heart was perfect That his Heart was so is confirmed by the Mouth of two Witnesses the Book of Kings and Chronicles and the Mouth of the Holy Ghost hath spoken it twice over here and there and his Word is Truth and no Falshood in it Therefore the Work is to consider How these things may be reconciled How a perfect Heart may consist with such Failings or such Failings with a perfect Heart And here the great Matter is to consider what a perfect Heart is which God requires and looks after I answer as the Heart means not that Fleshly Part in our Bosoms so called but our Affections so a Heart perfect with God means the Bent and Affections of the Soul perfect towards him the Moving the Inclinations of the Soul and Affections right towards him As a Wife most dearly and intirely and with all her Soul loves her Husband From which Parallel I may take up in one Particular the whole Matter namely that a Heart perfect with God is a Man that loves â—he Lord with all the Heart and Soul and Mind and whose whole and intire Affections are laid out upon God And where this is First The Aim of the Heart will be perfect in reference to God's Law Secondly The Frame of the Heart will be perfect in its own Compactedness as to things relating to God That is when there is a Divine Consort in the Soul when Understanding Conscience Will Affections are all tuned together to the Work of God when all act together in the Ways of pleasing and serving God This is a perfect Heart with God tho' in it may be many Imperfections as it was with Asa. Hence may be gathered two Conclusions I. That a perfect Heart may have its Failings II. That God passeth by the Failings of that Man whose Heart is perfect with him IX In what Sense the Apostle thanks God that the believing Romans had been the Servants of Sin GOD be thanked that ye were the Servants of Sin Rom. vi 17 Had he said God be thanked that ye were the Servants of Righteousness it had been very proper but to hear him say God be thanked that ye were the Servants of Sin may make us amazed One would think this were almost next Door to Blessing an Idol which is spoken of Es. lxvi 3 to bless God for Mens being sinful But to clear the Apostle's Sense consider two things I. We have some Men saying in Latin Authors Fuimus Troes sed miserum est Fuisse i. e. We were of the City Troy but it is our Unhappiness that we must say WE
shall not enter We are upon Catechistical Method to instruct the Ignorant in the necessary Points of Religion And according to that Task I shall speak only to that which is plain undeniable and necessary I. God hath ever had a Church since the beginning and will have to the end of the World As the Cherubins Wings touched both Sides of the House of the Lord and met in the middle so the Church touches both ends of the World beginning and end and continues all along the Space between No Generation in which there have not been some that truly professed the Name of God and belonged to him For we may take that for a handsome Definition of the Church 2 Tim. ii 19 The Foundation of God standeth sure having this Seal The Lord knoweth them that are his and Let every one that nameth the Name of Christ depart from Iniquity It is a People that belong to God call on the Name of God and depart from Iniquity I might trace in Scripture the Footsteps of such a People and Church from Generation to Generation from Adam to Christ. But let the Apostle do it for me Heb. xi But how can we trace it from Christ to these times This is the great Question of the Papists Where was your Church before Luther How is it possible to trace Religion and the Church from Christ hitherto but in the Church of Rome Why That there hath been a true Church ever since Christ and will be to the end of the VVorld Christ hath assured us by that Matth. xvi 18 The Gates of Hell shall not prevail against it And to that reflecteth that 2 Tim. ii 19 The Foundation of God standeth sure Not to be shaken down not to be brought to nothing And that speaketh to the same Tenor that Christ's Kingdom should be everlasting and have no end Dan. ii 44 Which shall never be destroyed And Psal. cxlv 13 Thy Kingdom is an everlasting Kingdom and thy Dominion endureth throughout all Generations It is to endure throughout all Generations No Generation to be in which is not some part of that Kingdom II. But for clearing we must distinguish 'twixt the Church visible and invisible known of God and seen of Men. The Apostle makes this Distinction 1 Cor. i. 2 To the Church of God which is at Corinth to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus called to be Saints with all that in every Place call upon the Name of Jesus Christ. Sanctified and called to be Saints differ from all that profess and take on them to call on the Name of Christ. Psal. lxxxiii 3 They have consulted against thin hidden ones Hidden from the Eyes of Men that Men do not know nor own them for the People of God but he knows and sees them 2 Tim. ii 19 The Foundation of God standeth sure having this Seal The Lord knoweth those that are his They are under Seal as a sealed Letter which Men cannot read as a sealed Treasure which Men cannot see But God knows those that are his First VVe must say God hath ever had a Church but cannot say he hath ever had a visible Church Psal. xiv 1 2 3. The Fool hath said in his Heart there is no God They are corrupt they have done abominable Works There is none that doth Good c. VVhere was then a visible Church Yet there was then a Church Ver. 4. Have all the Workers of Iniquity no Knowledge Who eat up my People as they eat Bread There was a People of God but the VVicked would devour them and eat them up Look before the Flood Gen. vi 12 And God looked upon the Earth and behold it was corrupt For all Flesh had corrupted their Ways upon the Earth VVhere was a visible Church See ver 9. These are the Generations of Noah Noah was a just Man and perfect in his Generations And Noah walked with God There was a poor handful in the Family of Noah known of God but despised of Men. Look among Israel in Egypt VVhere would you look for a Church but among them Yet see Ezek. xx 7 8. Then I said unto them Cast ye away every Man the Abomination of his Eyes and defile not your selves with the Idols of Egypt But they rebelled against me and would not hearken unto me They did not every Man cast away the Abominations of his Eyes neither did they forsake the Idols of Egypt Where was a visible Church then when the Nation generally followed the Idols of Egypt Yet God had then his invisible Church Cohath Amram Aaron Moses c. One for all 1 Kin. xix 14 18. I have been very jealous for the Lord God of Hosts because the Children of Israel have forsaken thy Covenant thrown down thy Altars and slain thy Prophets with the Sword and I even I only am left Yet saith God I have left me seven Thousand in Israel c. Elias was quick-sighted to have observed one that served God and one that did not and yet he did not see one that did but himself Yet God had Seven Thousand of his hidden ones Knees that had not bowed to Baal and Mouths that had not kissed him Secondly There is no Salvation out of the Church but there may be Salvation out of the visible Church As Multitudes that are in the visible Church are not saved So some out of it may be saved I speak not this to encourage any to neglect being of the visible Church but to shew the necessity of the Distinction we are upon as to the right stating the Notion of the Church in Point of Conscience On one Hand there are some in the visible Church that are more abominable than ever were the Heathen Are there not some of the Church of England or Holland that will be called Christians that are as abominable Atheists Drunkards Whoremongers as ever were any of the Heathen Of such kind of Christians the Apostle complained 1 Cor. v. 11 But now I have written unto you not to keep Company If any Man that is called a Brother be a Fornicator or Covetous or an Idolater or a Railer or a Drunkard or an Extortioner with such an one no not to eat Implying that there were some called a Brother a Christian yet a Fornicator c. and one that was not fit to be companied withal And Phil. iii. 18 19. For many walk of whom I have told you often and now tell you even weeping that they are the Enemies of the Cross of Christ. Whose end is Destruction whose God is their Belly and whose Glory is in their Shame who mind earthly things And Tit. i. 16 They profess that they know God but in Works they deny him being abominable and disobedient and to every good Work reprobate Is not the greatest Company in any visible Church either such open profane or careless Christians or downright Hypocrites Are there not Ten an Hundred of such for One that truly fears God Well when we speak of the
Holy Catholick Church can we only think of that which is visible as to an outward Profession in which Millions perish and go to Hell for ever No we are to think of the Church invisible the number known to God of his Faithful ones And on the other Hand as a Man may be in the visible Church and yet not be saved So possibly a Man may be out of the visible Church and yet may be saved An Infant not yet Baptized is not yet admitted into the visible Church but it were hard to say all so dying were not saved David's Child not Circumcised died and yet who doubts of his Salvation Consider David's Demeanor upon his Death and compare it with the Demeanor of him upon the Death of Absalom 2 Sam. xviii 33 The King was much moved and went up to the Chamber over the Gate and wept and as he went thus he said Oh my Son Absalom my Son my Son Absalom would God I had died for thee Oh Absalom my Son my Son This for Absalom But for his Infant 2 Sam. xii 18 David 's Servants feared to tell him that the Child was dead For they said Behold while the Child was yet alive we spake unto him and he would not hearken unto our Voice how will he then vex himself if we tell him that the Child is dead But how well he took it see v. 23. Now he is dead wherefore should I fast Can I bring him back again I shall go to him but he shall not return to me He could not but doubt Absalom's Condition because he died in Rebellion But had he doubted so of the Child's Condition could he have been so well apaid upon his Death Had he been of Popish Faith to believe that Children are not saved that receive not the Sign of Admission into the Church could he have been so well satisfied And in another Case a good Man may possibly die excommunicate out of the visible Church It were hard to conclude such a Man's Damnation meerly upon that reason John ix 34 The Jews there cast out a Man for arguing that Christ must be a true Prophet because he cured him who had been born blind And ver 22. The Jews had agreed already that if any Man did confess that he was Christ he should be put out of the Synagogue And Christ told the Disciples that they should be cast out of the Synagogue If they died in that Excommunication out of that visible Church did that prove their Damnation How many Holy Men have died excommunicate out of the Church of Rome Which so little argues their Damnation that it rather argues the contrary Nay it may come to pass that a good Man may die excommunicate out of a true Protestant Church neither for Heresie nor Impiety and yet it were hard to doom such an one to Perdition I speak not this to animate any to separate or withdraw from the visible Church wherein we live For such Divisions of Reuben there are sad Thoughts of Heart But that by observing this needful Distinction you may the better observe the Intent of this Article Learn then this Distinction of Visible and Invisible As the Apostle hath it All are not Israel that are of Israel So all are not the Church of God that are of the Church visible As we may say every Minister is not a Minister every Soldier is not a Soldier And let this be thy Meditation upon this Article God hath a Holy Church that serve him truly whom the World cannot discern And I must get to be of that number or this my Profession will be greater Damnation This needful Distinction will help to answer that Cavil of Papists Where was your Church before Luther Answer God saw his own that profess'd his Truth in the midst of Popery As there was a Lot in Sodom and Seven Thousand that bowed not to Baal This also will afford an Answer to that reproachful Cavil Do you think your Ancestors were damned that lived in Popery And they think they have us in a Strait by this Argument But we may answer 'T is not for us to judge God hath His whom Men cannot discern I doubt not but that many were in the Popish Church that were not of it The Papists indeed brag of the Visibility of their Church They will have it a City on a Hill a Candle on a Candlestick c. Mat. v. 14 15. and make a puff at the Protestant Church because it was not visible Two Hundred Years ago and their Church hath been a Thousand Years They tell us we had had no Scriptures had not their Church preserved them No Ordination of Ministers had it not been conveyed all along in their Church And such things as these they vapour as if there could be no true Church but theirs which hath been visible in all Ages I remember a Story when one had proclaimed a King with a World of Titles the King of France made his Herauld proclaim him nothing but King of France King of France divers times over accounting more Dignity in that one Title than in all the others The Church of Rome proclaims her self pompously in her arrogated Titles that She She is the Mother Church the Holy Church the Catholick Church the Only Church and I know not what The Protestant Church need to say of her self no more than that she is the Church of God The other brags of Antiquity Universality Visibility Succession and other Bravado's whereas the Protestant Church hath but this to glory of and it is enough That she is built upon the Prophets and Apostles Ingenious was that Picture In one Scale you see all the Trinklements of Popery and the Pope and Friars hanging on in the other the Protestants put the Bible and it outweighs This is the Glory and sure Friend of a Church to be built upon the Holy Scriptures altho' there be no Visibility of that Church to the Eyes of Men at all But that we may take up the Consideration of this thing the better and that we may see how needful it is to take the Distinction proposed observe these things It is true the Church of Rome if a Church hath been visible a Thousand Years and more when no Protestant Church was to be seen So the World was visibly of one Religion Two Thousand Years viz. Irreligious Heathenism when but only in one spot of Ground one that served the true God was not to be found Abraham in Chaldea when he first hearkned to God how might this Romish Argument have been used against him What thou only of all the World not worship Gods of Gold and Silver Look thro' Europe Asia and Africa and thou wilt not find one of thy Mind Was Abraham's Religion ever the worse for being so lonely or the other the better for being so universal Michaiah and the false Prophets of Ahab he One they Hundreds Were their Words ever the truer for their Multitudes 'T is true that for
Particulars 1. Christ loved his Church and gave himself for it What for all that make an outward Profession Adulterers Fornicators Drunkards and the like Doth he love such Doth he give himself for such Many and many better Professors shall be refused of Christ at the great Day because they were not sincere in their Profession tho' not so abominable in Conversation Mat. vii 22 23. Many will say to me in that Day Lord Lord have we not prophesied in thy Name and in thy Name have cast out Devils and in thy Name done many marvellous Works And then I will profess unto them I never knew you depart from me ye that Work Iniquity We cannot think that such were so abominable in their Conversation but Christ found they were not sincere in Profession The foolish Virgins we cannot imagine that they were Whores for they were Virgins Or that they were abominable in their Lives but they were foolish drowsie and negligent Now if Christ is so far from owning such as are so fair-carriaged think you he owns loves and gave himself for horrid Wretches that despise him 2. The true Church is cleansed sanctified without Spot or Wrinkle Look on the most nay almost all in the visible Church that make an outward Profession and do they carry such a Mark How few are there upon whose Conversation is Holiness to the Lord As Tit. i. 16 They profess that they know God but in Works deny him At Christ's Table there was One Devil to Eleven Saints in the visible Church it is well if there be one Saint to many Devils One of a City and Two of a Tribe like a few Berries after beating the Olive-Tree I may use the Stile of Eliphaz Job xxii 15 Hast thou marked the old way which wicked Men have trodden Mark the way of the World which most Men walk in Observe how unsuitable it is to the Gospel to the Example of Christ and the Discharge of a good Conscience And then look upon these Marks of the true Church of God And then judge whether it be not true that the Church of God is the least part of the VVorld and the least part of the Church visible Our Saviour asserts the former in Fear not little Flock c. Also the latter in Many are called but few are chosen Many in outward Profession in the visible Church but few truly the Church of God And so we may answer that Cavil of the Papists we spake of before Where was your Religion all the time of Popery Answer In the Scripture Had a Jew questioned a Heathen at his first Conversion Where was your Religion heretofore He might have answered In the Scriptures We profess nothing but what is in the Scripture As Acts xxvi 22 Saying none other things than those which the Prophets and Moses did say should come But where was our Church It was but invisible Some there were that worshipped God according to Scripture that he saw and knew tho' invisible and unknown to Men. That then that we are to believe in this Article is I. That God ordinarily hath had hath and will have a visible Church for the glorifying of his Word and Name But II. Tho' the Church be not visible yet God hath always some that belong to him and serve him And this is the Church of God tho' not to be discerned of Men. These most properly are the Church as Ecclesia signifies that is Called out A People called out of the World tho' in the World yet called out of it so that they are not of it Called off from the Course Way Doings of the World as it were into another Climate Many are called that is Have the Call held out to them but they follow it not called to but not called out But these as the Apostles did follow the Call of Christ and forsake the World Called to be Saints and they become Saints or Holy Now for further Explication and Illustration of this Article I shall descend to enquire into two Questions I. Whether every Christian who is bound to believe that there is a Church is bound also to believe that he is of this Church II. How far Christians are obliged to believe the Church that is Councils Synods or Primitive Fathers I. Whether every Christian is bound to believe that he is of this Church For certainly it seems strange for Men to believe as Standers by only as if they were not concerned in the thing believed I believe that there is a holy chosen number to be saved that God delights in them that they faithfully serve him and that they have Communion with God Forgiveness of their Sins But what is all this to thee What art thou the better for it And therefore certainly the Article hath further aim than to intend only a bare Belief But doth it reach to this I believe I am of this number To proceed gradually first let me observe two things by the way 1. That nothing is to be believed as a necessary Point of Faith but it concerns the Soul therefore believing of it must be to benefit the Soul Corde creditur ad justitiam With the Heart Man believeth to Righteousness It is not all to believe the thing is true but fâ—rther to believe so as the Soul may have Advantage Take an Instance One of the first things in Religion to be believed is That the Scriptures are the Word of God and divinely true This who believes not The Devil himself cannot deny it Nay he cited Scripture as the Word of God to our Saviour And there are Thousands in Hell that never made doubt of this Therefore the believing of this must have a further reach that the Soul may receive Benefit upon so believing 2. The believing the needful Points of Religion is not an Act of the Understanding only but of the Will and Conscience also It is a Question Whether Faith be an Act of the Understanding or Will And it is concluded of both especially the latter I believe that there was a Julius Caesar an Alexander Magnus Here is only an Act of the Understanding because I have no more to do with it but only to believe it But I believe that Christ was born died rose again that there is Forgiveness of Sins that there is a God an Heaven a Day of Judgment And in reference to these I have something more to do than barely to satisfie my Understanding that the things are true For I have to work my Will and Affections upon my Belief that my Soul may be benefited to Eternity These things premised let us apply to the thing in Hand Then I am not only barely to believe that there is a Church but my Soul is to be working upon this Belief for its Good to be affected in Heart according to the Import of the thing believed And this may be upon a twofold Reflexion When I say I believe a Holy Catholick Church that there is always a Company of
Augustine or Hierom say but what the Scriptures say is Truth And Non creditur quia non scribitur It is not believed because it is not written And Non quid Hieronymus sed quid Moses quid Paulus Not that which Hierom saith but what Moses what Paul say Let us determine the thing by the Determination of this Question Is any Man to be damned if he believe not what the Church Councils Fathers have spoken A Papist may chance say so but will either Reason or Conscience say so with him Let any Religious Conscience say Can he think himself damned because he believes not every thing that the Council of Nice hath decreed or what Hierom or Augustine have spoken They have confest themselves Men subject to Error I know they were so and must I be bound upon Pain of Damnation to believe what it may be in time they believed not themselves And let Râ—ason speak Must I be bound to believe every Tradition that a Monk Friar or a whole Church of such hold out fetched no one knows whence Here is the Advantage of your Protestant Religion here the Benefit of the Ministry we refuse not nay we beg that you try the Scriptures whether we speak true or no. If not spit in our Faces Do you think the Apostle took it ill Acts xvii 11 that the Bereans tried his Doctrine by the Scriptures Luke hath honoured them for it with the Title of More honourable than those of Thessalonica And it speaks the Mind of Paul with whom he travailed that he took it well too Our Ministery begs this of you that you consult their Bibles whether we speak true or no and we have but one Request more that if you find it true you would believe embrace and follow it A Popish Preacher would tell you you must believe it whether you understand it or no VVhether it be agreeable to Scripture or no. For the Church such a Council or Father hath said it and they know better than you I may say as it is 1 Cor. xv 19 If in this Life only we have Hope in Christ we are of all Men most miserable So we are in a miserable Condition if upon the Penalty of Salvation we are to believe every Tradition and Trash that foolish or ungodly Men would put upon us But we have a sure VVord of Prophecy and make much of Scriptures and bless God for them that we have what to rely on Miserable Faith to believe as the Church believes we know not What or if we do we know not Why. But we know what we believe viz. The VVord of God and we know why we believe it viz. because it is the VVord of God Object But how do we believe that they are the Scriptures but that the Church hath told us so How do we believe that such and such Books were written by such and such Men but by the Authority of the Church And the Scriptures had never come to you if it were not for the Church of Rome Thus they plead Answer I. If the Church of Rome could have hindred we must never have had the Scriptures as we have Some of the Learned'st of them have called the Scripture a Book of Heresies and wish'd that there were none at all And they keep them from their own People have put not a few to Death for reading them for having Bibles And would they let us have them if they could chuse They are sensible that we by Scripture have discovered their Errors and that we are thereupon withdrawn from them and would they have convey'd them to us No it was the VVork of the Lord and the Mercy of the Lord and it is marvellous in our Eyes that all their Policy and the Slight of Satan could not hinder them from us Like to that Picture where you have a Candle burning and Pope and Friars and the Devil blowing and cannot blow it out This Divine Light is the Sun in the VVorld that cannot be so totally clouded but that God makes it break out here and there VVhat would the Pope give that there were not a Bible in all the Protestant Churches For then should we be led blindfold by them as they would have it But blessed be God who hath shewed us Light that Light is in Goshen VVhich if at the Courtesie of Rome we must never have had it II. As far as we owe our receiving of Scripture to Men we are least beholden to the Romish Church They put us off with a Latin Translation barbarous and wild But we have a surer VVord the Sacred Hebrew and Divine Greek And the Hebrew we owe to the Jews and the Greek to the Greek Church rather than the Roman Rom. iii. 2 Unto them the Jews were committed the Oracles of God And from them we received the Old Testament And not from them neither for could they have prevented we had not had it Consider how many Copies were abroad in the VVorld The Old Testament was in every Synagogue And how many Copies would Men take of the New So that it is impossible but still Scripture must be conveyed Could all the Policy of Satan have hindred he had done it For the VVord of God is his Overthrow So that it was owing to a Divine Hand And our Faith stands not on the Church to believe the Scriptures but God hath carried the Authority of them from Age to Age. I receive not Testimony from Men saith Christ. No more does his VVord But the Scriptures themselves have overpowered the Belief of Men. As to the Comparison commonly made from John iv 42. They said unto the Woman Now we believe not because of thy saying for we have heard him our selves and know that this is indeed the Christ They first believed the VVoman but then they believed not for her VVords but for Christ's sake So first say some Men believe the Scriptures are Scriptures for the Churches sake but after for their own But it is not proper to say we believe Scriptures are Scriptures because of the Church without distinguishing upon believing As Augustin's Non credidissem Scripturis c. I had not believed the Scriptures had not the Church told me That is while he was unconverted But we may satisfie this by an easie Distinction betwixt believing that Scripture is Scripture and believing that the Church all along hath taken them for Scripture To make this plain by a Comparison Canones Apostolorum and Donatio Constantini are believed by the Church of Rome to be from the very Apostles and Constantine I believe that that Church believed them so and yet I believe not a VVord of them to be so My Belief the Church held them so is from the Church but my Belief they are not so is from themselves A good Soul desires to build up its self by the Rule of Faith and Life He finds that the Church hath counted Scripture so and that he believes But as yet he believes not they are
it You know the hot Disputes that have been about this And for the Divisions of Reuben there are great Thoughts of Heart Hence mainly are our Separations and Divisions in Religion As in Jephtha's Case his dear Daughter was his greatest Trouble Judg. xi 35 Alas my Daughter thou hast brought me very low and thou art one of them that trouble me So this precious Sacrament of Communion is unhappily proved the great Occâ—sion of Division but in the same Notion that Christ was a Stumbling-block Which was not of any Fault of his but of Men in faultering about him 'T is true receiving of this Sacrament is a Communion but it is most especially external in the Profession of the same Faith and Doctrine of the Gospel And the Communion of Saints in this Article aimeth further I have formerly observed to you the Phrase This is the New Testament in my Blood 1 Cor. xi 25 Not only My Blood of the New Testament nor only A Seal and Sanction of the New Testament but the New Testament That is A new Administration of the New Covenant terminating Judaism and binding over Receivers to the Profession of the Evangelical Doctrine and Religion So this properly is the Communion that Receivers have in this Sacrament one with another viz. That they join in the Profession of the same Christian Doctrine and that not only among themselves but even with the whole Church that professeth the same Truth And hence it was that in the Infancy of the Church they received the Sacrament almost daily that those new Professors might thereby be held to constant Profession against revolting to their Judaism So that in this there is indeed something of the Communion of Saints all professing the same Truth and Religion but we must still look further for a Communion among Saints to take up the full meaning of the Article before us For the Inquiry after which we are first to consider that Christ's Mystical Body the Church consists of all the Saints that are or shall be in the World from the beginning to the end of it And so it includes the Saints in Glory jointly with these that are yet on Earth Those in Glory Members already above Water as their Head also is yet in the Waves of this troublesome World and not got above them As it is said of Christ himself Luke ii ult That he grew in Stature so is the Mystical Body of Christ growing in Stature till it shall be consumate at the last Day Observe that Eph. iv 13 Till we all come in the unity of the Faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect Man unto the measure of the Stature of the fulness of Christ or the measure of the full Stature of Christ. Some fondly hence conclude that all Saints shall be raised as at the very Age and Stature of Christ when he was raised which was at his very Prime viz. Two and Thirty years and an half of Age. That Elect Infants shall not be raised Infants but as of that Age and Stature That the Aged shall not be raised as Aged but as at their Prime of that Age and Stature Which as it breeds confusion in the understanding of the Article of the Resurrection of the Body so it is clean besides the Apostles intent there He speaks not of our Bodies but of Christ's Mystical Body viz That God had given Apostles and Teachers for the building up that Body the Church by degrees till it came to its full Stature and Perfection in the Salvation of all that belong to it So Saints are building up daily and those that are gone to Glory so much of that Body is compleated and the rest growing on to the same Perfecting till all be Compleated and the whole Body Perfected So that those compleated in Glory and these compleating toward Glory here are the same Body though at present of a different condition The Church Militant and Triumphant are not two Churches not two Bodies but one whole Church and Body of Christ consisting of Members some already Perfected and some Perfecting As Israel at the Temple in the two Courts were not two Congregations and Churches but one Congregation in two divers places two Companies of one Congregation The Apostle in Heb. xi ult saith God having provided some better thing for us that they without us should not be made perfect When some say the Saints under the Law are not perfected in Glory till Christ's coming but in Limbo Whereas the Apostle speaks in the sense we are upon viz. That those Holy Ones without us under the Gospel are not the perfect Body of Christ but the Body was to consist of Gentiles as well as Jews Of some yet to be saved as well as of them that are saved already Now is there any Communion 'twixt these two parts of the same Body Saints on Earth and Saints in Glory I mean is there any imparting of the one to the other as there is 'twixt two Parties in Communion Some will tell you Yes We are to Pray to them and they Pray for us As he in the Prophet makes a God and then falls down to it So it is common in the Church of Rome to make whom they think good Saints and then to Pray to them that they would Pray for them to God Whereas they can never clear the Praying to Creatures from Idolatry and can never prove that it is possible for a Saint in Heaven to hear one Speaking and Praying on Earth much less to know the Heart with which he Prays So can they ever prove that there is Praying in Heaven at all The Church here is called the House of Prayer but it is hard to prove that Heaven is so There is Praising and Thanksgiving and Glorifying God and Adoring the Lamb But where do we ever read of Praying in Heaven Nay Can any prove that Christ Prayeth there for his People But he exerciseth his Mediation some other way He offereth up the Prayers of his Saints Rev. viii 3 And another Angel came and stood at the Altar having a Golden Censer and there was given unto him much Incense that he should offer it with the Prayers of all Saints upon the Golden Altar which was before the Throne But that he offers them he Praying also cannot be cleared But I shall not insist on this The Article aims at the Communion of Saints upon Earth according to David's Style Psal. xvi 3 To the Saints that are in the Earth Saints scattered in the Earth and yet have they Communion We may think of that Ezek. xxxvii 3 Can these dry scattered Bones come together and Live Yes ver 7. Bone came to his Bone and Lived So Son of Man can Men dispersed in Europe Asia Africa and America have Communion They know not one another never saw one another and they have Communion Yes There is an invisible Vein of Communion runs betwixt all Saints on Earth Which we consider in these