5 6 7. and in publick Assemblies Heb. 10.25 Zach. 14.16 17. And doubtless it ought to be used for the Attainment of Holiness as may be proved First in General Because God communicates all Salvation to a People ordinarily by or in a Church either by taking them into Fellowship or holding forth the Light of Truth by his Churches to the World A Church is the Temple of God where God dwells 1 Tim. 3.15 He hath placed his Name and Salvation there as in Jerusalem of old Joel 2.32 2 Chron. 6.5 6. He hath given to his Churches those Officers and Ordinances whereby he Converts others 1 Cor. 12.28 His Springs are there Psal 87. He makes the several Members of a Church Instruments for the Conveyance of his Grace and Fulness from one to another as the Members of the Natural Body convey to each other the fulness of the Head Eph. 4.16 All the New-born are brought forth and nourished by the Church Isa 66.8 10. ch 49.20 60.4 And therefore all that would be saved should joyn to a Church They shall prosper that love the Church so as to stand in its Gates and unite as Members Brethren and Companions Psal 122.2 4 6. And wrath is denounced against those that are not Members of it at least of the mystical Body They cannot have God for their Father that have not That for their Mother Can. 1.7 8. This maketh those that desire Fellowship with God to take hold of the Skirts of his People Zech. 8.23 2. In particular Fellowship with the Saints conduceth to Holiness many ways 1. By manifold helps to Holiness which are received thereby As 1. The Word and Sacraments Act. 2.42 Isa 2.3 Mat. 28.19 20. And all the Ministerial Office and Labour in watching over Souls Heb. 13.17 1 Thess 5.12 13. Isa 25.6 None of these Helps can be enjoyed without Fellowship of Saints each with other and if Believers had been to have stood single by themselves and not maintained Fellowship with each other for mutual Assistance and common Good none of these things could have continued neither could any Believer been extant at this day in an ordinary way but even the very Name of Believers had been Abolished 2. Mutual Prayer which is the more forcible when all pray together Mat. 18.19 20. 2 Cor. 1.10 11. Jam. 5.16 Rom. 15.30 3. Mutual Admonition Instruction Consolation to help each other when they are ready to fall and to promote the good work in each other 1 Thess 5.14 He that walketh with the wise shall be wise Prov. 13.20 Wo to him that is alone when he falleth See Eccl. 4.9 12. In Church-Fellowship there are many Helpers many to watch Soldiers have their Security in Company and the Church is compared to an Army with Banners Cant. 6.10 So for quickning Affections Iron sharpneth Iron Prov. 27.17 Likewise the counsel of a friend like ointment and perfume rejoyceth the heart Prov. 27.9 Yea the Wounds and Reproofs of the Righteous are as precious Balm Psal 141.5 4. External Supports which mitigate Afflictions and are to be communicated mutually Eph. 4.28 1 Pet. 4.9 10. The Affliction is increased when none careth for our Souls Psal 142.4 5. Excommunication when Offences are exceeding hainous or Men obstinate in sin This Ordinance is appointed for the destruction of the Flesh that the Spirit may be saved 1 Cor. 5.5 Better and more hopeful it is to be cast out by the Church for a persons amendment than to be wholly without the Church at all times and better to be a lost Sheep than a Goat or Swine For Excommunication cuts off Actual Communion only until Repentance be evident and not absolutely abolisheth the Title and Relation of a Brother and Church-member tho it judgeth one to be an unnatural Brother and a pernicious rotten Member at present not fit for Acts of Communion Besides Admonition which is still to be afforded 2 Thes 3.15 and any means is to be used that may serve to Cure and restore him the Church reacheth forth a Hand to help such a person tho they do not joyn Hands in Fellowship with him or it communicateth to him not with him Yet if he have not so much Grace as to Repent it were better he had never known the way of Righteousness 2 Pet. 2.21 6. The lively Examples of Saints are before our Eyes in Church-fellowship to teach and encourage Phil. 3.17 ch 4.9 2 Tim. 3.10 11. 2 Cor. 9.2 2ly By those holy Duties that are required and do appertain to this Fellowship and Communion all Acts that belong to this Fellowship are Holy as Hearing receiving the Sacraments Prayer mutual Admonitions c. I shall consider some such holy Acts whereby we are rather doers than receivers and which we perform towards others As 1. Godly Discourse Teaching Admonishing Comforting others in Christ which we cannot so perform towards others as towards those we have strict Fellowship with in Christ Others like Swine trample these Jewels under Foot and Saints therefore are forced to refrain from Godly Discourse in their Company Amos 5.10 13 16. and 6.10 But holy Discourse is most acceptable to the Saints and to be practised with them Mal. 3.16 and is greatly to the advantage of Holiness Prov. 11.25 2. In helping succouring and conversing with Christ in his Members we do good to Christ in his Members in Church-fellowship and we our selves as Members of Christ Act as well from Christ as towards Christ whereas if we do good to others without we do good only for Christs sake but not to Christ Mat. 25.35 49. Psal 16.2 3. We have advantage in general to do all Duties that belong to us as Members of Christ to Fellow-members which we cannot do if separate from them as a Natural Member cannot perform its Office to other Members if separate from them 2ly The means must be used rightly for the attaining of Holiness only in Christ 1. One Rule is Do not trust on Church-membership or on Churches as if this or that relation in Fellowship commended you to God of it self whereas a Church-way is but a help to Fellowship with Christ and walking in the Duties of that Fellowship The Israelites stumbled at Christ by trusting on their Carnal Priviledges and set them in opposition to Christ whereas they should have only made them subservient to Christ Confidence in them should have bin abandoned as Pauls example teacheth Phil. 3.3 4 5. c. We must not Glory in Paul Apollos Cephas but in Christ else we Glory in the Flesh and in Men 1 Cor. 1.12 13. 3.21 Trusting on Church-priviledges is an inlett to Formality and Licentiousness Jer. 7.4 8 9 10. and thence the Corruption of Churches Isa 1.10 2 Tim. 2.20 2. Follow no Church any further than you may follow it in the way of Christ and keep Fellowship with it only upon the Account of Christ because it follows Christ and hath Fellowship with Christ 1 Joh. 1.3 Zech. 8.23 If a Church
But the right manner of this Duty is chiefly to be noted and here 1. Trust not upon the Melody of the Voice as if that pleased God who delighteth only in the Melody of the Heart Col. 3.16 Neither let the recreating your Senses be your end which is but a carnal work Non Musica Chordula sed Cor. This spiritual Musick was typifyed by musical Instruments of old 2. You must use it for the same end as Meditation and Prayer according to the nature of what is sung i. e. to quicken Faith 2 Chron. 20.21 22. Act. 16.25 26. and joy and delight in the Lord glorying in him Psal 104.33 34. and 105.3 and 149.1 2. and 33.1 2 3. You are never right until you can be heartily merry in the Lord to act Joy and Mirth holily Jam. 5.13 Eph. 5.19 and also to get more Knowledge and Instruction in heavenly Mysteries and in your Duty teaching and admonishing Col. 3.16 Many Psalms are Maschills as their Title is i. e. Psalms of Instruction thus we are to sing such Psalms as speak in the first Person though we cannot apply them to our selves as words uttered by our selves concerning our selves And in this we do not lye David speaks of Christ as of himself as a Patern of Affliction and Vertue to instruct others and we sing such Psalms not as our words but words foâ— our Instruction and therein we do not lye anâ— more than the Levites the Sons of Corah or Jâ—duthun or other Musicians bound to sing theâ— Psal 5. and 39. and 42. Though it be good personate all good that we can yet we have much liberty in the use of Psalms that thoâ— we cannot apply all to our selves as speaking and thinking the same yet we shall answer the end if we sing for our Instruction as in Psal 6. 26. 46. 101. 131. And Psalms have a peculiar fitness for teaching and instructing because the pleasantness of Metre said or sung is very helpful to the memory See Deut. 31.19 21. And there is a Variety of curious Artifice in the placing of words in the Psalms upon this Account and there are some Alphabetical Psalms as Psal 25. 34. 37. 111. 112. 119. 145. And by the Melody of the Sound the Instruction comes in with delight as a Physical Dose sugar'd and Sorrow is naturally allay'd to fit the mind for spiritual Joy and distemper'd Passions appeased 2 Kings 3.15 1 Sam. 16.14 15 16. So that Orpheus Amphion and others were famous for Civilizing rude barbarous People by Musick 8. Fasting is also an Ordinance of God to be used for the same purpose and end and is commended to us under the New Testament Mat. 9.15 and 17.21 1 Cor. 7.5 And we have Examples of it Acts 13.2 3. and 14.23 Under the Old Testament there were frequent Commands for it and Examples chiefly upon occasion of extraordinary Afflictions 1 Sam. 7.6 Neh. 9.1 Dan. 9.3 and 10.2 3. 2 Sam. 12.16 Psal 35.13 2 Sam. 3.31 Joel 2.13 beside the Anniversary great day of Atonement Lev. 16.29 31. when every one was to Fast on pain of cutting off There is a Prophecy of the same for the times of the New Testament Zech. 12.12 It was used most on extraordinary occasions and it is a help to Holiness by Faith because it is a meet help for extraordinary Prayer and Humiliation Joel 1.14 and 2.12 But the great matter is to use it rightly as followeth 1. Trust not in it as Meriting or Satisfying as Papists and Pharisees do Luke 18.11 putting it in the place of Christ or as a means of its self conferring Grace and mortifying Lusts as many do who may sooner kill their Bodies than their Lusts or any purifying Rite yea or in or for it self acceptable to God 1 Tim. 4.8 Heb. 12.9 Col. 2.16 17 20 23. Imagine not that Prayer is not acceptable without it for this is against Faith Fasts as well as Feasts are no substantial parts of Worship because not Spiritual but Bodily Tho under the Old Testament they were parts as instituted Rites figurative and teaching but that Use is now ceased as that on the day of Atonement and so many significative Rites adjoyned to Fasting as Sackcloth Ashes Rending Garments pouring out Water lying on the Earth the Kingdom of God consists not in these things Rom. 14. the Soul is hardned by trusting in them Isa 58.3 6. Zech. 7.5 10. 2. Use them as helps to extraordinary Prayer and Humiliation that the mind-may not be unsuited for it by Eating Drinking or bodily Pleasures Joel 2.13 Isa 22 12-13 Zech. 12.10 14. It is good only as a help to the Soul removing Impediments The best Fast is when the Mind is taken off from delights as in John the Baptists Case Mat. 3.4 when Heaven and Godly Sorrow takes off the Soul Zach. 12.10 14. 3. Use it in such a measure as may be proper for its End without which its worth nothing If Abstinence divert your mind by reason of a gnawing Appetite then you had better eat sparingly as Daniel in his great Fast ch 10. Some have not enough of spiritual-mindedness to give up themselves to Fasting and Prayer without greater distraction and such had better eat than go beyond their strength in a thing not absolutely necessary which produceth only a slavish Act as in the Case of Virginity 1 Cor. 7.7 8 9 34 35 36. Christ would not have his weak Disciples necessitated to the Duty Mat. 9.14 15. In the mean time such should strive to be sensible of the weakness and carnality that hinders their use of this excellent Help 4. You may expect here something to be spoken of Vows but I shall only say this of them Think not to bring your selves to good by Vows and Promises as if the strength of your own Law could do it when the strength of Gods Law doth it not We bring Children to make promises of amendment but we know how well they keep them The Devil will urge to Vow and then to break that he may perplex your Conscience the more 8ly Another great means is Fellowship and Communion with the Saints Acts 2.42 1. This means must be used diligently Whomsoever God saveth should be added to some Visible Church and come into Communion of other Saints and if they have not opportunity for it their Heart should be bent towards it Sometimes the Church is in the Wilderness and hindred from Visible Communion and Ordinances But they that Believe in Christ are always willing and desirous so to add and joyn themselves Acts 2.41 44 47. and they continued stedfastly in fellowship 1 Joh. 2.19 And God binds his People to leave the Fellowship and Society of the wicked as much as may be 2 Cor. 6.17 And so far as we are necessitated to accompany with them we ought to shew Charity to their Souls and Bodies 1 Cor. 5.9 This Communion with Saints is to be exercised in private Converse Psal 101.4
revolt from Christ we must not follow it how ancient soever it be as the Israelitish Church was not to be followed when it persecuted Christ and his Apostles and many by adhering to that Church fell from Christ Phil. 3.6 Acts 6.13 14. 21.28 We are indeed to hear the Church but not every one that calls it self so nor none any surther than it speaketh as a true Church according to the Voice of the Shepherd Joh. 10.27 We must subject our selves to Ministers of Christ and Stewards of his Mysteries 1 Cor. 4.1 But must give up your selves first to Christ absolutely and to the Church according to the Will of Christ 2 Cor. 8.5 Our Fear must not be taught by the Precepts of Men Mat. 15. The Doctrins of any Men are to be tryed by Scripture whatever Authority they pretend to Acts 17.11 An unlimited following Church-guides brought the Church into Babylon and into all manner of spiritual Whoredoms and Abominations You are not Baptized into the Name of the Church but into the Name of Christ 1 Cor. 1.13 3. Do not think that you must attain this or that Degree of Grace before you joyn your self in full Communion with a Church of Christ in all Ordinances but when you have given up your self to Christ and learn't the Duty of Communion give up your self unto a Church of Christ though you find much Weakness and Inability For Church Ordinances of special Communion serve to strengthen you and how can you get Heat being alone The Disciples as soon as converted embraced all Fellowship Act. 2.42 And Churches that they may forward Holiness in themselves and others must be willing to receive Christs weak ones and to feed his Lambs as well as better grown Sheep and bear them on their sides Isa 66.12 how else shall Christs weak ones grow strong by that Nourishment that other parts supply They are very unreasonable that expect that Christians should grow out of Church Fellowship to as high a Degree of Grace as those that are in those Pastures of tender Grass and are unwilling to receive any that they are like to have occasion to bear with whereas bearing and long-suffering are great Duties of Church-Fellowship Eph. 4.2 3. Rom. 14.1 The Weakest have most need to be strengthened by Church-Communion and we are bound to receive them as Christ hath received us Rom. 15.7 We do not reject or separate the weaker parts of the Body 1 Cor. 12.23 24. but put more Honour and Comliness on them Admission into the Churches in the Apostolick times was gained upon Profession with a shew of Seriousness though Tares got in amongst the Wheat and many Scandals arose to the Reproach of the ways of Christ and the greatest Strictness will not keep out all Hypocrites yet the best care must be taken so far as not to hinder any that have the least truth of Grace 4. Keep Communion with a Church for the sake of Communion with Christ 1 Joh. 1.3 Zech. 8.23 Therefore you must keep Communion in Christs pure ways only and in them seek Christ by Faith that in the Enjoyment of those Advantages you may receive and act the Godliness and Holiness formentioned and aim at spiritual Flourishing and Growth in Grace Chuse therefore Fellowship with the most spiritual Churches judge of Churches and Men according to the rule of the new creature 2 Cor. 5.16 17. and try them Rev. 2.2 and 3.9 otherwise a Church may corrupt ye See that thy Communion answer its end tend to thy Edification not to Destruction which you ought to take all the Advantages of not only in the Church where you are a Member but by Communion with other Churches as occasionally Providence casts you among them For your Communion with a particular Church obligeth to Communion with all Churches of Christ in his ways as you are called thereto 1 Cor. 10.17 And it 's an Abuse to say we are Members of a Church in London and therefore refuse Fellowship with a Church in the Country seeing if we are Members of Christ we are Members of one another whether single Persons or Churches And endeavour to joyn in Fellowship with the Godly of the place where you live that you may have the more sequent and constant Communion Onesimus though converted at Rome must be one of the Church of the Colossians because he lived there Col. 4.9 compare with Philemon 10. The Union of the Saints together in distinct Societies according to the places where they lived was the Apostolick Practice and can't be violated without Sin Such can best Watch over one another Admonish Comfort and Edify each other which is the benefit of Communion and they indeed destroy Communion that seek a Communion where they can't have this Benefit I only add to this Head That Church-Fellowship without practising the ways of Christ is but a Conspiracy to take his Name in vain and a counterfeit Church-Fellowship of Hypocrites it is Impudency for such to invite others to their Communion Tyranny to compell them Every Christian is bound to seek a better Church-Fellowship by Reformation and those that do so are the best Sons of Christ's Church who enquire Is this the way to enjoy Christ a Church-way being appointed to enjoy Christ therein 5. Especially leave not the Church in Persecution when you need its Help most and are then most tryed whether you will cleave to it This is a sign of Apostasie Heb. 10.25 26. Mat. 24.9.10 12 13. We should cleave to one another as one Flesh even to Prisons and Death or else we deny Christ in his Members Mat. 25.43 DIRECT XIV That you may seek Holiness and Righteousness only by believing in Christ and walking in him by Faith according to the former Directions take Encouragement from the great Advantages of this way and excellent Properties of it EXPLANATION THis Direction may serve as an Epilogue or Conclusion by stirring us up unto a lively and chearful Imbracing these Gospel Rules forementioned by several weighty Motives As many are kept from seeking Godliness because they know not the way to it or the way that they think of seems Uncouth Unpleasant Disadvantageous and full of Discouragement like the way through the Wilderness to Canaan which wearied the Isralites and occasioned their many murmurings Num. 21.4 But this is a way so good and excellent that those that have the true Knowledge of it and desire heartily to be Godly can't dislike it I shall shew the Excellency of it in several Particulars but you should first call to mind what is the way that I have taught viz. Union and Fellowship with Christ and by Faith in Christ as discovered in the Gospel not by the Law or in a natural Condition or by thinking to get it before we come to Christ to procure Christ by it which is striving against the Stream But that we must first apply Christ and his Salvation to our selves for our Comfort and that by confident Faith and then walk by
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Perfectionists p. 247. l. 10. r. we have great ground c. l. 11. r. endeavours after Holiness as in c. l. 13. r. and to the way of living by Faith l. 29. r. in order to a holy c. p. 248. l. 16. à fi for by r. in p. 249. l. 19. for own r. old p. 251. l. 6. à fi for or r. rather p. 254. l. 10. for spoil r. expel p. 255. l. 8. à fi r. but this c. p. 258. l. 7. for their r. your p. 292. l. 9. à fi r. exert it self r. reflex for reflect act Sermon p. 12. l. 1. for Righteousness r. Redemption The Reader is desired to mend the Erratas many of them very much altering the Sense of the Author Books Printed and Sold by Tho. Parkhurst at the Bible and Three Crowns in Cheap-side near Mercers Chappel Folio's RIchard Baxter's Catholick Theology Plain Pure Peaceable for Pacification of Dogmatical Wordwarriers In three Books Sixty one Sermons preached mostly on publick Occasions By Dr. Littleton Rector of Chelsey in Middlesex c. One Hundred select Sermons upon several Texts Fifty upon the Old Testament and Fifty on the New Choice and Practical Expositions on four select Psalms These two by the Reverend and Learned Tho. Horton D. D. A Third Volume of Sermons preached by the late Reverend and Learned Tho. Manton D. D. In two Parts The first containing Sixty six Sermons on the Eleventh Chapter of the Hebrews with a Treatise of the Life of Faith Part the Second A Treatise of Self-denial With several Sermons on the Sacrament of the Lord-Supper and other Occasions With an Alphabetical Table to the whole The Christian in Compleat Armour Or a Treatise of the Saints War against the Devil By William Gurnall A. M. of Emanuel College Now Pastor of a Church of Christ in Lavenham Suffolk Synodicon in Gallia Reformat â Or the Acts Decisions Decrees and Canons of these Famous National Councils of the Reformed Churches in France Being first A most Faithful and Impartial History of the Rise Growth Perfection and Decay of the Reformation in that Kingdom With its Fatal Catastrophe upon the Revocation of the Edict of Nants in the Year 1685 c. The whole collected and composed out of the Original Manuscript Acts of those renowned Synods A Work never before extant in any Language In 2 Vol. Fol. By John Quick Minister of the Gospel The Works of the Reverend Tho. Lightfoot D.D. late Master of Katharine Hall in Cambridge In 2 vol. An Historical Political Discourse of the Laws and Government of England from the first Time to the end of the Reign of Queen Elizabeth With a Vindication of the Ancient way of Parliaments in England By Nath. Bacon of Greys-Inn Esq The True Prophecies and Prognostications of Michael Nostradamus Forty nine Sermons on the whole Epistle of St. Paul to the Colossians By the Famous Minister of the Reformed Churches of Paris Mr. John Daille Quarto's A Treatise of Episcopacy confuting by Scripture Reason and the Churches Testimony That sort of Diocesan Churches Prelacy and Government which casteth out the Primitive Church-Species Episcopacy Ministry and Discipline c. Church History of the Government of Bishops and their Councils abbreviated c. The English Nonconformity under K. Charles II. and K. James II. truly stated and argued c. The Life of Faith in three Parts c. A Treatise of Knowledge and Love compared in two Parts 1. Of Falsely Pretended 2. Of true saving Knowledge and Love History of Councils enlarged and defended c. Saints Everlasting Rest Church Concord Containing 1. a Dissuasive from unnecessary Divisions and Separations c. 2. The Terms necessary for Concord among all true Churches c. 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