There is an Union in Judgement when there is no considerable Difference among the Members of the Church in the matter of Opinion When all Think the same thing And this is here pressed Be prefectly joined in one Judgement 2. There is an Union in Heart and Affections spoken of Act. 4. 32. The multitude of them that believed were of one Heart and of one Soul And this Union is also here pressed Be perfectly join'd together in the same Mind or in Love and Affection as we shew'd in the opening up of the Words 3. There is an Union in Practice and that is when whatever Difference there is in Judgement yet it 's not openly proclaim'd Publick Contradictions and Eristick Debates are eschewed and an unanimous joint practice in these things wherein there is Agreement is followed And this Union is also pressed in the Text I beseech you that ye all speak the same thing So it 's clear the Text means all these three sorts of Union the Doctrine intends them All and as might be made evident other Scriptures press them All. Only this we would know the Order wherein they are pressed to wit So as every Breach in the Former is not to make a Breach in the Latter Every Difference in Judgement is not to make a Rent in Heart or Affection Nor tho a Rent be in both doth it infer necessarly a Divided Practice at least in these things wherein there is Agreement And for that the Scripture is clear especially Philipp 3. 15 16 where v. 15 the Apostle supposeth difference of Judgement among the Philippians as to the point he is there speaking of and subjoineth for matter of Practice v. 16. Nevertheless whereunto we have already attained let us walk by the same Rule That is to say Tho we cannot agree in all things yet let us eschew the prolaiming of Our Differences by Our contrary Practices This much for the first thing to wit What Union the Doctrine presseth It is an Union necessary to the Well-being of the Visible Church particularly an Union in Judgement an Union in Affection an Union in Practice An Union all these wayes is to be sought for and laboured after yet so as if we cannot attain to Union in the Former we are yet still to endeavour it in the Latter For Confirmation of this Truth we might cite several Scriptures 1. These wherein this Union is promised to the Church and that as a rich Covenant Blessing such as Jer. 32. 39. I will give them one Heart and one way that they may fear Me for ever The like is in Ezek. 37. 22. 2. These Scriptures wherein this Vnion is highly commended Especially Ps. 133. 1. Behold how good and how pleasant it is for Brethren to dwell together in Vnity and so through the whole 3. These Scriptures which hold out the Mediator's Prayer to the Father for this Union Joh. 17. 21. That they all may be one as Thou Father art in Me and I in Thee that they also may be one in Vs and so v. 23. 4. Those Scriptures where this Union is expresly enjoyned and pressed whereof there are many Such as Philipp 2. 1 2 3. If there be any consolation in Christ if any comfort of Love if any fellowship of the Spirit if any Bowels and Mercies Fulfil ye My Joy that ye be like minded having the same Love being of one accord of one mind And 2 Cor. 13. 11. Finally Brethren farewel be of one mind live in peace And lastly these Scriptures where Division contrary to Unity is condemned as Rom. 16. 17. I beseech you Brethren mark them which cause Divisions and Offences and avoid them But for further Confirmation of this Truth we shall in the next place bring foreward some Reasons concluding the equity and necessity of seeking after and entertaining of Unity in the Church which shall also serve as motives to the Duty Reason 1. Union furthers Edification So Eph. 4. 3. Union is pressed And One Fruit among many to be reaped hereby is v. 12. the edifying of the Body of Christ. And as Unity furthers Edification so Division marreth it Divisions in a Church tho about small things yet if stiffly mantain'd prove a great stumbling Block to the Weak they are put to doubt all Truths because Men gracious and learned doubt of some So Division not only marreth progress in the building but striketh at the very foundation of what is already built Reas. 2. Divisions in a Church make the Ministers contemptible Of all Men Ministers suffer most this way because usually they are most active in beginning and upholding the Division and usually even these who have Truth for them suffer much if not most this way Paul tho an Apostle and a Man for Truth yet he lost much of the former esteem he had amongst the Corinthians though once they would have pluck'd out their Eyes for him yet through the Division their Distemper grew to such an hight that he was look'd on as Contemptible rude in speech yea A Fool and what not as appears from 2 Cor 10. 10. Ch. 11. 6 16. Reas. 3. The Essential Unity of the Church and the many things wherein a Church agreeth that way should enforce this Union The Apostle Paul Eph. 4. draweth a strong Argument for Unity and Peace in the Church from this Ground The Duty is propounded v. 3. Endeavouring to keep the Vnity of the Spirit in the Bond of Peace And v. 4 5 6. it is pressed by this Argument There is on Body and one Spirit One Lord one Faith one Baptism One God and Father of all Here are many Ones together in two or three lines as if he had said What a shame is it for you who are so many wayes One to rent in pieces for a thing of so small moment Reas. 4. Divisions in a Church turn away every Man's Eye from his main Task I mean from the joint opposing of Satan's main Design to be wrangling one with another It 's Satans Policy when he intends to bear down Truth in a Church to set those who should oppose him most by the Ears about smaller things that so he may carry his point with less difficulty herein making use of Matchiavils or rather his own Principle divide impera Divide and Carry It 's often seen that the nearer those who differ come to one another they drive on their point against others with the greater Animosity and Eagerness the Jews and Samaritans were at greater variance than Jews and Heathens And the Reason is this The less the Difference is they have the more hopes to bring others to their mind hence their mutual On-setts are more furious and their Disappointments the more bitter the higher they were in their hopes and in the mean time while they mind nothing so much as to bear down one another Satan cometh good speed in bearing down of Truth and Them and All. Reas. 5. Union when once lost in a Church is hardly ever
Besides all these pretexts and excuses of stumbling on this account may be easily answered For tho it hath been the lot of Gods Servants even when they have suffered for Righteousness to be suffering in the eye of the World as evil Doers yet in that case men must think it enough that they approve themselves unto God and that there is a day coming when their integrity shall be brought forth as the Light 1 Cor 4 3 with me saith the Apostle it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you or of man's Judgment he that judgeth me is the Lord. Again none ever suffered that for him which he did suffer for them He takes nothing from men but what he hath first given unto them neither puts he them to more than what he doth fit and strengthen them for It holdeth constantly In the mount the Lord will be seen And 1 Pet 4. 14. If ye be reproached for the name of Christ happy are ye for the Spirit of Glory and of God resteth on you And when People are put to the outmost of what can be expected even to lay down their Lives what is it but a paying of their debt a little sooner For once die they must And tho they should shift the matter at that time how quickly may God take their life from them another way possibly in a long lingering and pineing sickness with greater torment and a gnawing worm of Conscience besides and for any loss of goods Lands and inheritance that either People themselves or others of their Relations may sustain by cleaving to Christ's Way in a suffering time It is not to be valued to the loss of God's favour and countenance which cannot but follow if men do otherwise God's peace and Favour the light of his countenance listed up is that Hundred fold more than houses brethren sisters Children and Lands which a man who suffereth the loss of all these things for Christ's sake and the Gospels shall receive even now in this life As our Saviour teacheth Mark 10. 29 30. So besides that God hath a thousand ways to make up to men any loss of that kind at least so far as no man who sets his face towards Heaven shall want a competency for carrying him there and when a man 's once there he needs no more Matth 6. 33 Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you And many things may fall out that may impoverish you in which ye will neither have that honour nor satistisfaction which attends the Christians loss for Christs sake And tho ceding for a little might put a storm of trouble by yet he that is not faithful in the little will never be faithful in that which is more and it is Satan's Policy at all times to draw out the cause of sufferings to small things As Moses's Hoof Mordecart's Beck and Daniel's opening of his window In which case to wit the case of Confession even small things become great From all which It 's aboundantly clear there is no real Reason why any should stumble at Christ and his Way because of Peresecution or a suffering lot which usually doth attend it But a Ninth and Last thing which makes People ready to stumble at Christ and his Way and not only at one piece of his way but the whole bulk of Godliness and turn perfect Atheists is The temporizing temper of Ministers When Alas so much the more is our shame it is usually observed the generality of Ministers almost of all Countries are of that Religion and Way which is most in Credit and which the sway of the Court runs most for Thus among Papists almost all are Papists In Sweden and Denmark almost all are Lutherans And here with Us and in France and Holland almost all are Calvinists And that which increaseth the Scandal and Rock of Offence is When it is observed they easily turn their Tongues to speak the language of all times forewardly crying up such a Way the one year when the Ruling Power is for it and not only crying it up but engaging their Credit and Conscience by the most solemn Tyes which can be imagin'd amongst Men to promote it and pressing with all the most serious vehemency that Men can use upon the Lords People to do the like And yet when times change and that they perceive the promoting of such a Way doth not make for their Worldly interest they will cry it as much down again As if there were no respect to be had either to God Conscience or Credit but only to Peoples Interest and Standing Thus in the dayes of Constantine the Great a Godly Prince all the Ministers almost were Orthodox Again in his Son Constantius his dayes almost all of them even the same Men who had been at the Council of Nice and condemn'd the Arian Heresy turned Arians Hence it was then said Vnus Athanasius contra totum mundum And as it was in that Age so hath it been almost ever since The sway of the Court and Ruling Power of the Times hath carried with it the generality of Ministers too great a length to say and unsay as they did enjoin them This I grant is indeed a Rock which of any other hath in it most of Offence a Rock whereon many a Soul hath made Shipwrack And if the mighty Power of God did not preserve his own Elect It were a Worlds wonder if it did not banish all sence of Religion out of the World making all Flesh turn Irreligious Atheists But notwithstanding the Word of the Lord doth furnish us with something to say of this Rock also that there is no reason why any should stumble at Christ's Way for it And 1. Because both Scripture and Humane Histories do shew That though it hath been so almost in all times yet the Lord hath guided the matter so that he hath still keep'd a Church to Himself I have shewed so much already from Church History in Constantine's time And for Scripture History Ye know in Elijah's time 1 Kings 19. 14. The torrent of Defection was so prevalent that for any thing could appear to such a sagacious Man as Elijah He and he only was left alone And Rev. 3. 4. There were but a few Names left in Sardis which had not defiled their Garments with the Iniquity of the Times 2. This may also contribute to remove stumbling That the Lord amongst all the most general Defections of Ministers hath ever keeped some streight So as the Way of Truth and Piety is not left without a Witness and some encouragement to those that walk in it In Achab's time there was one Elias yea several others tho Elias knew not of them And in Sardis there were a few names at least who had not defiled their Garments Wheâ— the Arians so far prevailed that it was said the whole World groaned and wondred at it self that it became Arian yet there
Ephes 6. 15 The preparation of the Gospel of peace Even a prepared ready resolute purpose in the Lords strength to go on in the Way of Truth and Duty notwithstanding of any hazard hardship or difficulty I say it must be a Purpose taken on in the Lords strength for without him we can do nothing For sayeth David Psal 71. 16. I will go in the strength of the Lord God Now ye must labour to bring up your hearts to such a Resolute Purpose as this to go on in the Way of Truth and Duty notwithstanding hazard hardship and difficulty For 1. The want of such a Resolution or Purpose will not keep off Tryal and trouble neither will the putting of it on hasten Tryals Job 34. 33. Should it be according to thy mind he will recompense it whether thou refuse or whether thou choose 2. Couragious Resolution and Purpose to fear no opposition but to charge through all difficulties and hazards is half victory Jam 4. 7. Resist the Devil and he will fly from you 3. When a Resolution and Purpose is once laid to undergo all that ye may meet with in the Way of Truth and Duty it is usually attended with cheerfulness in Duty Now God loveth a chearful giver when upon the contrary if an unexpected storm of Tryal and trouble come on a man before he be fully resolved to endure the worst of it It doth at least very much damp and weaken him if it do not wholly make him quite the way 4. The promise is made only to the persevering and Resolved man He that endureth to the end shall be saved when The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own wayes Prov 14. 14. That is he shall meet with some plague and judgment in his way which will make him weary of it and be grieved of his undertaking e're all be done tho this usually comes out of time The Vse is for Reproof to those who are like the Israelites in Elijah's time halting betwixt two Opinions and can never suffer themselves to come to an even-down Resolution and Purpose on all hazards to cleave to the Lord to his Truth and his Service whatever it may stand them but do either think to put the evil day far from them by imagining they 'l one way or other Shift it or if they see no probability in this but that once it will be at their door yet they keep themselves Irresolute in an hovering suspense what to do when trouble cometh Whence so soon as they meet with a tentation they begin to Capitulate with it when they should Resolutely repell it and after a little Capitulating they 'l find out some shift or other to beguile themselves and so do give up their armes and basely yeild Lastly This Purpose and Resolution to Cleave unto the Lord must be a Purpose of the Heart It 's true every Purpose is a Purpose of Heart if it be Real But there are some Purposes which are not Real but naked Convictions of the judgement that such and such things should be done which some are apt to take for a Purpose of Heart when they are only of a Heart and a Heart or of a double and deceitful Heart but not of a single and sincere Heart ye should therefore labour to be single and sincere in your Purpose and Resolution of cleaving unto the Lord such a Purpose as your Heart may be engadged in it For which cause ye must 1. Forecast what such a Resolution may stand you otherwise if ye look over that or look not unto it your Purpose will not be sincere and ye will not stick by it and when the thing comes ye looked not for ye'l do the thing ye thought not and even that which to think on now would make you say with Hazaeâ— 2 Kings 8. 13. Is thy servant a dog that he should do this great thing 2. Beware of a mixture of unsincere motives and by-ends If ye resolve to cleave to the Lord either for temporal advantage or to get a name of Constancy or to eschew the Imputation of Changeableness this will argue Unsincerity in your Purpose and Consequently it will not hold out long Let your eye therefore be single in being acted from spiritual motives love to Christ love to Truth so shall your Purpose be a Purpose of Heart 3. If your Purpose to cleave to the Lord be sincere and a Purpose of Heart then the whole man your soul your body all the Faculties of the one and Members of the other must be ready to follow out their whole Purpose for the heart commands the whole man your Purposes and Resolutions which have nothing of action following are not Purpose's of the Heart as when ye Purpose to cleave to the Lord in the mortifying of such a sin and yet ye have not power to keep from the occasions which lead unto it ye Purpose to cleave to such a Truth and yet cannot endure to be at the pains to get your selves rooted grounded and established in the Faith and knowledge of it I say no more but remember the Text and be exhorted to cleave unto the Lord His Truth His Ordinances His Service with Purpose of Heart FINIS ERRATA PAGE 17. Line 1. dele Wise decree to permit p. 20. l 7 for too fair read too farr p. 58. line 7. for in r. is p. 64. l 18 dele add p 101. l 16 r is to be p 113. l 2 for Misters r Ministers p 126 l 25 for I. r In. p. 131 l 22 for promise r promised p. 140. for Congation r. Congregation p 287. In the Title r. Preached at Irving * The Author did in the beginning of his Sermon read several Texts of Scripture
sails so the root of Korah Dathan and Abiram's Error whereby they laboured to bear down Magistracy and Ministry was an unmortified root of pride within them They had a fair pretext for it a pretext of Liberty Are not all the Lords People Holy And may they not rule as well as yee A fair pretext indeed but the root was pride They could not endure to be ruled over and so they will rule themselves Thus when Jeroboam makes separation from the Church of Jerusalem he hath a fair pretext for this 1 King 12 28 It is too much saith he for you to go up to Jerusalem There is the pretext but the root of the matter was a lust within stirring him up to secure to himself the enjoyment of that which was not his own and this Ambition breeds fear that if they go up to Jerusalem to worship his power would quickly turn to nothing So ver 27. If this People go up to do Sacrifice in the house of the Lord at Jerusalem then shall the heart of this People turn again unto to their Lord even unto Rehoboam King of Judah and they shall kill me There is the matter a desire of Reigning was the cause of his Idolatry and Schism an unmortified lust within was the root and rise of his Error And secondly Scripture holds out That as Error is the Daughter of Prophanity so it is the Mother of prophanity as it rises from Prophanity so it tends to more Prophanity Christs words import this John 8. 31. Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him if ye continue in my word then are ye my Disciples indeed If ye adhere and keep closs to the Truth then shall ye attain to walk as my Disciples And it imports on the other hand That if ye drink in Error ye shall not be my Disciples indeed And so as Prophanity is the Mother of Error So it is also the Daughter of Error This serves to clear the point That a Child of God should as much watch and guard against Error as he should do against other gross Sins or prophanity of Life For Use This Doctrine serves for reproof first to those who would have Tolleration of all Opinions in the Matter of Religion and no coercive mean to curb Error And that because say they it may curb Piety Which followes no more than that the suppressing of Fornication will curb Piety the one is as dangerous as the other and God's People may fall in the one as well as the other and therefore the one should be as well curbed as the other Nay I may say that that which is called Liberty of Conscience is the most capital Sin in a Kingdom It is all one as if a King would proclaim liberty to Drink to Swear to Whore and to Steal for both are alike evil and where the one is commonly the other is also and therefore to proclaim liberty to the one is to proclaim liberty to the other We think there is no heart zealous of Gods Glory but should abhorre such a thought as this Vse 2. Secondly the Doctrine reproves those who think Opinions are free Many reason thus If ye lead an Holy Life it matters not what be your Opinion whether for Presbytery Independency Arminianism Prelacy or Popery your Soul is in no hazard if ye be kept from gross Out breakings but this Doctrine showes this sort of Reasoning to be a gross mistake For besides that Error speaks an unmortified root in the Heart Heresie and Error in themselves are damnable and are reckoned up among those Sins which debar from the Kingdom of Heaven Galat. 5. verse 21. Hereticks as well as Murderers are excluded and therefore Folks would not jest and play with matters of Religion so as not to care what side they be on Thirdly this Doctrine gives another use as ye would eschew Prophanity of Life so beware of Errors against the Truth For the one of those ends in the other Grant the Error pretend to much of strictness the upshot or Issue of it is still to Prophanity and therefore ye would advise well when tentations to Error are presented before ye drink in any thing contrary to Truths received if ye would not have it read in the looseness of your Life afterward Many whose Lives were very strict when they began first to change their Way were in a short time led by their new Light to a Prophane Godless Life Vse 4. Fourthly Seeing Errors have their rise from some unmortified root within therefore as ye would be keeped free from Error subdue Corruptions within We are ready to think that Godless Men will stand out best against Error But it will prove otherwise unmortified Lusts of any other thing will prove the greatest Friends to Error such as a Lust of Pride to be Eminent of Covetousness to get your Arms full of the World run as it will a Lust of Laziness in Duties that will make you drink in that Error that casts at all Duties as needless So for an Antidote against the works of the Flesh whereof Heresie is one Galat. 5. verse 21. The Crucifying of the Lusts of the Flesh is brought as one Doct. III. We come to the words themselves and and therein is to be considered first the Stile Beloved A warm and kindly compellation The point we are to raise is from comparing the Stile with the Matter which the Apostle is about He is to warn them to beware of Error and yet he gives them a loving Stile Beloved believe c. And it gives us this Doctrine That as at all times so chiefly when there is danger of spreading of Error there is most need that Love should be entertained betwixt Pastor and People So we find Paul labours to bear in himself on Peoples Affections especially in Galat. 4. ver 10. and 11. Ye observe Dayes and Months c. I am afraid of you lest I have bestowed on you Labour in vain There he reproves them for their Error And in the 12 verse he bears in on their Affection Brethren I beseech you be as I am for I am as ye are ye have not injured me at all And so in the 2 Corinth 12. v. 16. Through the whole Epistle he hath been speaking against their Error and all along he bears in on their Affection especially in the place cited And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you though the more abundantly I loved you the less I be loved c. Abundance of places shew his practice to have been this way The Reason is First because when People begin to differ they are ready to cast at these who differ from them chiefly those who would curb them For there is still a Spirit of Pride with Error it cannot endure to be contradicted or the least thing to be spoken to its own prejudice if not all the more warily it will foam and rage and if it cannot bear down the contrary Truth yet it will
like to be taken in the snare than that they think themselves so stout and stedfast that no Error will gain upon them and I would think it an evidence very good when people are afraid of themselves and do humble themselves in the sense of their own weakness and are employing Christ daily to bear them through For Blessed is he that feareth alwayes Only remember that this fear would be of the right Stamp And for clearing this we shall point at three or four things wherein this holy fear does consist specially with Reference to Error First where â—his fear is There will be a labouring to root Truth in the heart Ye know when People are affraid of losing any thing that they will labour by all meanes to be sure of it A man that hath this Holy fear over himself lest he be ensnared with Error will study to gett Truth rooted in the heart Prov 2. 16. The Spirit of God speaketh of hiding of understanding putting it in the secret place of the heart A second thing accompanying this fear is a forecasting what Truth may cost you there would be a fore-casting of this and a taking an Essay of the Cross before hand and this for fear lest that to eschew suffering ye quite the Truth if the tryall come on you unexpectedly Paul while he is exhorting the Disciples to stedfastness informs them That through much tribulation we must enter into the Kingdome of Heaven Acts 14. 22. Then there is a third thing accompanying this Holy fear and that is a fear to venture on Temptations to Error except there be a Providence putting to it of necessity and this fear rises from the Sense of our own weakness to engage with or stand the shock against Temptations this is implyed in that direction which the Apostle Paul gives 2 Timoth 3 5. At the end of the verse From such turn away v 6. For of this sort are they which creep into houses When a man is sensible of his own weakness the fear of his being ensnared will keep him from walking among snares A fourth thing accompanying this Holy fear is that tho ye find these Truths ye have had once sealed to your Spirits begin to be questioned and that ye are not able to answer what is brought against them and so perchance your Judgment may incline to think that what ye thought once to be Truth is now Error Yet where this Holy fear is ye will rather suspect your own want of knowledge to discern than any way suspect the Truth to be untruth and it will make you at least abstain from venturing even on that which your light points out for the time Now by these ye may know what is the Fearlessness that makes People to be in danger and it is this when it makes thee so inconcerned that thou never Labours to get Truth brought lower than thy head when thou never casts an account what Truth may stand thee when thou art so confident of thy own wit and knowledge that thou will venture uncalled to dispute with Sectarian Spirits or when any thing is born in as Truth contrary to what thou hast maintained as a Truth before and contrary to thy Covenant engagment thou grippes presently to it without once suspecting that thy own shallow understanding may be deceived This I sayâ— speaks a fearlesness that borders neigh unto Error Doct VII The Doctrine that followeth next from these words Believe not every Spirit is that Ministers the Servants of God are not to clap Peoples heads or indulge them in this inclination of theirs to Error they are not to humor them in it but on all hazards they are to testify against it Therefore sayes John Believe not every Spirit So also the Apostle Paul does very sharply inveigh against People when they are beginning to tamper with Error And lest People should say Paul and John were Apostles and knew what was Error and what was Truth being guided by an infallible Spirit and that therefore they might stoutly testify against Error but for other ordinary Ministers they may err as well as other People and so it is ill reasoned from what the Apostles did to what Ministers may now do Therefore to clear this we shall give a place where Paul bindes it as Duty on every ordinary Minister to to testify against Error In the Acts ch 20. v. 28. Therefore take heed unto your selves and to all the flock over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers c. And in the 29. Verse he gives an instance wherein they were to take heed to the flock For I know this that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you not sparing the Flock verse 30. Also of your own selves shall men arise c. So it is a duty lying on all ordinary Preachers to watch over their People lest they be seduced with Error and that because First of that which we spoke of before that Error in the point of Truth should be as much eschewed by People as other particular sins and therefore Ministers are bound to guard People against it And secondly Truth is a precious Jewel and therefore in a special manner they ought to contend for it And Thirdly the Souls of People ought to be pretious to Ministers and therefore Ministers ought to watch over them they ought to guard them against Error because as other sins so Error is a damnable Soul-destroying sin And therefore as Ministers love Truth and Souls committed to them so they must watch over the People and guard them against Error Vse I. This show's the great task lying upon Ministers at every time but chiefly in an Erring time we spoke somewhat of this before how difficult it is for a man to meddle with reproving of Error more difficile than to reprove Prophanity because a prophane Man's Conscience is convinced of the evil of his way and therefore however he may be displeased with free Preaching against his sin yet his Conscience clears the Minister and thus he keeps him at least at some reverence But it is not so in a Soul taken with Error the misinformed Conscience speaks for it and therâ—fore whatever is spoken against him he casts at it as Error and untruth and readily the man that speaketh it may lose respect for his pains and yet we see the Word of God binds it on Ministers to speak against it Vse 2. But Secondly If it be so that Ministers be bound to reprove Error and testify against it then the People are bound to take the word of reproof from them we mean not that they should be so bound as what Ministers say should be the Bible but this much we say That People should presume as much on them as another to ask Councel from them as much as from another and to respect them as much as any other And that for these Reasons First because the publick Minister hath a promise which private men have not at
that is censured So in the 2 Thess 3. 14 note that man and have no company with him that he may be ashamed And 1 Cor 5. 5. Excommunication serveth for the Destruction of the Flesh that is To tame and mortify its Lusts And so although the word be only the necessary mean for the converting of Souls yet it doth not follow that the Government of the Church should not be exercised to wit that the word may work the better The Second Objection is this That all the Arguments we have to establish a Church Government by Divine right are taken from the Churches practice in the Apostles time and commands given them but it does not follow that what was then should be a rule now and they give this as the Reason of the difference because the Magistrate was then a Pagan and so would not meddle with these things but the case is now otherwise when the Magistrate is turned Christian. We Answer First By this it is granted that Church Government was an institution of Christ at least in the primitive times Now sure it is that every thing instituted by Christ layeth on a perpetual obligation except Christ in his word hath set a period that it should be only so long So if this Argument of theirs have any force they must show from Scripture that Christ hath appointed this period for Church Government so as it should be only in force under an Idolatrous Pagan Magistrate And that the Power of it should cease under the Christian Magistrate But no place of Gods word can be given for the proof of tâ—is But on the contrary a Command is given That which Christ delivered to the Apostles 1 Timoth. 6. 14 Should be keeped to his second coming And therefore it remains a perpetual Ordinance Secondly We Answer That if this were true then the Case of the Church should be worse under the Christian than the Pagan Magistrate If so be that under the one they have an Intrinsecal Power to purge and keep his Church free from Scandals but not under the other would not this be hard Thirdly We Answer That the reasons for which the Church did exercise Government in the primitive times were taken from common Equity and so are binding to the Church at all times We find this 1 Cor. 5. 5. Where a command is given to exercise Discipline by Excommunicating of the Incestuous person The reasons given are First The good of the Mans Soul verse 5. Secondly The good of the Church to be keeped from Infection vers 6. Now the Church is bound to see to these at all times We come to the Fourth thing which is a word of Vse And it serves 1. To reprove those who think debates about the Government of the Church useless and of no value To what purpose is it say they what be the Government and who governs if sin be punished and the Word Preached I answer ' it is of much moment For from what is said it appears that Church Government is an Ordinance of God a part of his word and they who evert it or gives way to the everting of it give way to evert a part of the Word of God yea to the bringing down of the Government of Christs own House It is a point of Truth that concerns no less than the Royal Diadem of Christ and all who have got good of Truth are bound to stand for it yea it is more than an ordinary Truth The question is concerning Châ—ists Kingdom if he have a Kingdom of his own distinct from the Kingdoms of the World If he shall have â—is own Laws Office-bearers Courts Censures according to his will in his Word or if all he hath left to that purpose be to scraâ—ched out and the Civil Magistrate to appoint what Laws Rules Courts he pleaseth in Christs House So it is a point relating to his Kingdom a Doctrine to be avowed and a point of Truth worth the Sustering for and which some have suffered for and boasted in it yea it is a point of Truth that hath this advantage beyond other Truths That Christ hath suffered for it himself in his own person for it 's clear that this was the only point he was accused on by Pâ—late and he avowed it Luke 23. 3. That he had a Kingdom though not of the World yet in the World We shall find that this point was chiefly laid to Christs charge in John 18. 33. 34 35 36 37. And this was the pâ—int that was driven home by the Jews 〈◊〉 Christ John 19. It was his 〈◊〉 on the Cross Jesus Christ of Nazareth King of the Iews And this was the point that straitned Pilate most and put him to it to make Christ suffer Joh. 19. So this point hath this advantage that in a special manner Christ sâ—ffered as a Martyr for it Should any then think it a little thing to suffer for God forbid Yea we may think it an Honour The Second Use If so be that Church Government is an Ordinance of God then those intrusted with it such as Ministers and Elders would discharge it as Service to God so as to be countable to him tâ—ere should be an other frame of Spirit when Men are in Church Judicatories than when they are in Civil Judicatories These are Ordinances of Men thir of God and require more than a common frame of Spirit Alas we may say for the Unministerial like Carriage of Ministers and Elders may justly provoke God to thro us out altogâ—ther A Third Vse of this point is That seeing Church Government is an Ordinance of Jesus Christ then ye that are people should obey and submit to those that are over you in the Lord otherwise if it be not tâ—us looked on it may provoke the Lord to remove the Hedge from us and if this were God knoweth what we would be we are evil now but if people got leave to do every thing that seemeth good in their own eyes we could not but be much worse Ye see what ye are with it but know not what ye will be without it And so much for the first Head of Erastian Doctrine Head II. The Power of Church Government belongeth not to the Civil Magistrate THe Second Head of Erastian Doctrine which we are to prove not to be of God is That whereby they affirm That all the Power of Church Government is in the Hands of the Civil Magistrate And here there are some differences among themselves some giving him all Power to dispence all Church Ordinances and this as a Magistrate without a Call from the Church and so to Preach and to Administrate the Sacraments Others again content themselves to ascribe to him only a Power of Jurisdiction to make Church Laws to inflict Church Censures And herein they also differ some puting this Power wholly in the Hand of the Magistrate Others conjunctly with the Ministers a third placeth it in him as the fountain and in Church-men but as
A Good which they were to Follow The Evil to be Eschewed is in the second Sentence to wit That there be no Divisions or as it is in the Original Schism's among you I shall not enter to speak of the nature of Schism or how it differeth from Heresy It is sufficient for the opening up of the Text to know what Divisions or Schisms the Apostle meaneth by here And that is know'n from the following Verse to wit Their Factious sidings in extolling One Minister and debasing Another with many fruitless Janglings and other bad consequences following thereupon whereof doubtless this was One The engaging of the Ministers themselves in Parties for upholding their Dependants So Verse 12. Every one of you saith I am of Paul and I of Apollos and I of Cephas One saith Paul is best let us follow him Another sayeth Nay but Apollos is best we 'll follow him A third saith Cephas is better than them both I 'le follow none of them Now away with these fruitless Contests saith he In the next place There is the Good to be Followed and that is threefold in opposition to three sorts of Evils which usually accompany Schism in a Church The first Evil accompanying Schism is Flat Contradiction first among Ministers and next among People when not only their Opinions do differ but they are so hot upon the Business that at all occasions they proclaim their Differences In opposition to this he exhorts them To speak the same thing that is They would beware of Contradictions in a matter of so small importance Wherein they agreed they would speak to that Wherein they differ'd they would forbear others spending their time and parts upon more edifying purpose The second Evil accompanying Schism in a Church is Renting of Affections When the Members of one Body turn cold-rife one towards another and their Affection dyeth In opoosition to this Evil he exhorts them to be Joined together in the same Mind or the same Affection It 's true the Word here rendred Mind is used indifferently for the whole Faculties of the Soul as the Understanding Will and Affections But the Understanding being spoken to under the Word Judgement which followeth We think with some of the best Interpreters That by the Mind here is meaned the Affections So the thing he presseth in the second Place is That not only they would forbear others in the matter of their Publick Expressions but also would labour to blow at the Coal of their almost dying Affections The third Evil accompanying a Schism is Difference of Judgement And in opposition to this he exhorts them to be Perfectly joined in the same Judgement The meaning is They would labour to remove the Root of the Difference by coming to One Judgement Not as if the Apostle had been careless what Judgement they had been of providing they had been One No the one part of every Contradiction is Truth and there is no Truth which the Apostle would have denied for Peace This for the Duty pressed Next there are some Arguments perswading to this Duty As 1. There is the Apostles Insinuation partly in his Affectionate Exhortation I beseech you partly in his lovely Compellation Brethren 2. There is his Grave Obtestation By the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ That is to say as the Name of Christ is dear to you which ye profess so much respect unto so set about the Cure of these Factions and Fractious Sidings and Schisms by which His Name suffereth so much There is a third Argument to enforce this Duty in the words perfectly joined whereby the Apostle hints at the great Evil the Church was under by the present Schism and the great good they should attain to by the removal of it The word in the Original is borrowed from the Office of Chirurgeons and that part of it which consists in the mending of broken Bones and setting in joynt of Dislocated Members So it imports 1. That through occasion of the Schism they were put all out of joynt All the Members of the Church were Dislocated and therefore unfit so long as they remained in that case for doing of any good Office to the Body 2. It imports that their following of his Advice for removing of the Schism would set every Member of the Body in it's own place and so enable the Body for going about actions profitable unto it self which now the whole Members being out of joynt it could not do This This much for opening up the meaning of the Words Divers points of Truth arising from the several branches of the Text might here be handled but I intend to insist upon One arising from the scope which will comprehended the most part of the rest It is this Vnity in the Church is a thing much to be laboured for and sought after and Division and Schism in a Church is much to be eschewed In prosecuting this Doctrine I shall first distinguish Vnion That we may know what Vnion is meaned 2. I shall confirm the point 1. By Scripture 2. By Reason 3. I shall apply the Doctrine for our Vse First then To know what Vnion the Text and Doctrine speaks of It 's fit you know That there are several sorts of Union 1. There is an Union of the Church Invisible the tye and bond whereof is Inward Graces All the Members of the Church Invisible are United to Christ the Head by Faith and one to another by Love This is not the Union here meaned The Text speaks of a Visible Union of the Church Visible In Opposition to a Visible Rent and Schism Secondly There is an Union of the Church Visible and of it's Members among themselves This again is twofold The first is That Vnion which is necessary to the Being of a Church and the Being of a Member So that a Church cannot be a Church nor a Man a Member of the Visible Church without it Wherein this Vnion consists is Controverted betwixt Us and the Independants But the Doctrine meaneth not of This Vnion either So we insist not on it The Vnion pressed in the Text is such that the Church at Corinth for the time did want and yet remained a Church The Union therefore here meaned is A second sort of Union belonging to the Visible Church To wit That which is necessary to the Well-being of a Church without the which tho a Church remain a Church yet she losseth much of her outward Beauty her Authority is much weakned her great work which is the edification of her self in Love Eph. 4. 13. is much retarded She remains a Church but not such a Church as is described Cant. 6. 10. Who is she that looketh forth as the Morning fair as the Moon clear as the Sun and terrible as an Army with Banners A divided Church is not such a Church But for further understanding of the Vnion here pressed ye would know that this Union which is necessary to the Well-being of a Church is Threefold 1.
it self is expressed by the Word Truth Behold thou desirest Truth in the inward parts c. Whereby is not meaned Truth in the Judgement opposed to Error nor Truth in People's Words opposed to the Sin of Lying and speaking Untruth But it is Truth in the Heart and Affections called here Truth in the inward parts In a word it is the Grace of Sincerity and Singleness of Heart For so is this Grace often expressed in Scripture Isai. 38. 3. I have walked before thee in Truth saith Hezekiah and with a perfect upright or sincere Heart And Ephes. 6. 14 Having their loins girt about with Truth c. That is with Sincerity and Single-heartedness This then is That Truth which God requires as a necessary seasoning Ingredient in all Duties and especially in all Religious Performances And which David here holds out with a Behold as the thing which above any other thing he had aimed at and yet would aim more at in his Penitential Address unto God We have then in the Words 1. A Note of Attention Behold which David prefixeth to that which he is to say I call it a Note of Attention for that is the use it serveth for in this place as I shall clear afterwards 2. There is That which he subjoineth to this Behold The Lords Complacency and Delight in the Grace of Sincerity and the Exercise of it as that without which his Present Address could not be savory or acceptable to God Thou desirest Truth in the inward parts I shall observe Two things in General before I come to the Particulars of the Text. 1. From this David holds out the Rule he had walked by and was to walk by for making his Present Address to God In confessing of Sin and pleading hard for Pardon acceptable Hence take this Doctrine That it is not enough that we do somewhat of Commanded Duties but we must labour to do what we do in some measure acceptably David not only confesseth Sin and pleads for Pardon but he aims to do it in Truth that so he may do it Acceptably For while he saith God did desire Truth in the inward parts it is evidently implyed that He aimed to have it There is reason for this Because If the thing we do be not done Acceptably and in the Right Manner though the thing done be never so good in it self the doing of it is but lost labour unto us Thus though it was a piece of Commanded Duty under the Old Testament to offer up Sacrifices to God yet when People made not Conscience to discharge this Duty in the Right Manner all they did was to as little purpose as if they had done nothing at all Hence Isai. 1. 11. To what purpose is the multitude of your Sacrifices unto me saith the Lord c. Yea the more excellent any Duty is in it self and the greater good is to be had by going about any Duty in a Right and Acceptable Manner the greater is the Hurt and Damnage which we incurr by it when we advert not how we do it And when without taking heed to our Feet we rush foreward to it and carry our selves but carelesly in the mean time that we are imployed about it What more excellent comfortable and Soul edifying Ordinance is there than this of a Communion which through God's Mercy ye have yet the liberty of approaching unto Is it not a Feast of Fat things of Wine on the Lees well refined wherein we Feast with Christ and upon Christ His broken Body is Meat indeed the most excellent that Heaven or Earth can afford And yet saith Paul If ye come not to this Ordinance in the Right Manner if ye set not your selves so to go about it as that ye may be accepted in your work if ye eat or drink unworthily without previous Examination of your selves Ye shall eat and drink Damnation and Judgement to your selves Not only shall your Table prove a snare but your meat be turned into poyson And therefore consider this in the entry and labour to have it imprinted on your Hearts That it is not enough to come rushing foreward to your Work not considering how ye come Your coming ought to be according to the Direction given Eccles. 5. 1. Keep thy foot when thou goest to the House of God c. As at all time so especially when ye approach unto such a dreadful Ordinance a this is whereof the advantage is so great if ye come Right and the hurt and hazard so unspeakably great if ye come Wrong But Secondly observe yet in General That in going about Commanded Duties in some measure Acceptably ye ought now and then to reflect upon the Manner and Way of your discharge of Duty even in the mean time when ye are about it For so doth David Here He casts an eye upon the Right Manner how He should have prayed to wit In Sincerity and Truth even in the very midst of his prayer while he saith unto God Behold thou desirest Truth in the inward parts And thus Christ in Luke 8. 18. saith unto His Disciples in the very mean time they were Hearing Take heed therefore how ye hear And surely our Hearts do oft turn formal vain wandering and lumpish or heavy in the Service of God because we do not seriously mind how sinful shameful and unseemly it is that it should be so A check of this kind in time and seasonably to a vain straying and wandering Heart would do much through God's Blessing to make it halt David doth this oft especially Psal. 43. 5. where he turns his speech from God and gives himself a rebuke and check for the present unsuitable frame of Heart wherein he then was Why art thoucast down O my Soul saith he And why art thou disquieted in me hope thou in God c. So that this reflecting upon the Manner and Way how ye discharge Duty even in the mean time when ye are about it is useful When ye find your Heart out of frame a serious timous check given unto it will prove an effectual mean to reclaim it Besides if upon your reflecting thus ye find matters tollerably Right and your Heart in such a frame for the Main as the Lord requireth it will furnish you with matter of boldness courage and confidence as here it doth David who having found somewhat of this Truth and this upright and sincere frame of Heart in his own Inward parts He takes ground of Confidence from That to expect that God who had given him This could also give him more In the hidden part saith he thou shalt make me to know Wisdom For Vse This doth shortly speak two things 1. The Service of God is a Work not of the Outward Man only but also and mainly of the Inward Man The Heart and Mind of a Man must be exercised in it if so be go rightly about it And that many wayes And this is One way The Heart must be exercised by reflecting now