truth and holiness thou shalt recover the favour of thy God and renew thy communion with Christ a communion of grace and life conveyed and seal'd thee in thy Baptism Concerning which our Lord and Saviour gave in commission and instruction to his Apostles and in them to all the Ministers of his Gospel Go ye disciple all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost c. THE FIFTH SERMON UPON Matth. 28. V. 19. and part of the 20. Go ye Disciple all Nations Teaching them to observe whatsoever I have commanded you GOD as he is Alpha so is he Omega too Introduction as he is the efficient so is he the final cause of all his Creatures especially of Angels and Men Rev. 1.11 endued with Understanding and Will who as they issue from God the product of his power so do they return to God the complement of their happiness And therefore whilst the Soul of Man winged with desires hovers over the surface of this Worlds changes like Noahs Dove Gen. 8.9 it findes no footing till it center its restless motions upon this sure Ark of the Almighties fruition But now what is the way which leads to his rest what the path of truth which conducts us safe to the Lord of Life whilst we all stand under one starry roof as Men as Christians our desires tend to the same Heaven yet we seek not to ascend by the same Ladder we all aim at the same Goal yet run not all in the same race In this we agree That God is our rest that happiness is our end yea that truth is the way and Christ is the Truth John 14.6 Yet when we come to the profession of the Truth and Faith of Christ how do we presently part hands and dividing our selves into several Sects we chuse to our selves several paths and all pretend the right way Now what is the reason of all our distraction and division but this That what God hath joyned men put asunder even the Authority of the Scriptures and the Doctrine of the Church Both which are established by Christ in the Commission and Instruction he here gives his Apostles Go ye disciple all Nations teaching them to observe whatsoever I have commanded you Having done with the former part of our Saviours Instruction the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our admitting into the School and Church of Christ by Baptism we proceed to the latter part the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our tutoring and training up by Doctrine which doctrine is prescribed as to the extent of its object to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all things whatsoever Christ hath commanded Here then as the subject matter of our ensuing discourse we will insist upon these two particulars First The object of our Faith the Word of God in which we have Whatsoever hath been commanded of Christ to be taught Secondly The means of communicating this object and preaching this Word the Ministry of the Church by which we are taught whatsoever Christ hath commanded Explic. 1. The object of our Faith the Word of God in which we have Whatsoever hath been commanded of Christ to be taught That there is a natural Theology we willingly acknowledge but that there can possibly be any natural Christianity we utterly deny and therefore that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 1.20 that which may be known of God in the visible things of the world it is not his infinite grace and love as a Redeemer but hi◠eternal power and Godhead as a Creator True it is then that a natural knowledge will serve us to understand the Creatures Dialect which loudly and plainly speaks the presence and power of a Deity but Psal 29 2. how to worship this Deity in a beauty of Holiness and so enjoy him in a communion of love must needs be the dictate of a supernatural Revelation especially and eminently called the Word of God Which Word of God the word of life and grace hath been delivered to the Church by the mouth of Moses and the Prophets of Christ and his Apostles registred and recorded in the several Books of the sacred Scriptures both of the Old Testament and of the New The Books of the Old Testament we receive transmitted to us from the Jews by an especial providence and divine appointment made faithful Registers and Bibliothists to the Christian Church for unto them were committed the Oracles of God Rom. 3.2 But now under the New Testament Heb. 1.1 2. God who at sundry times and in divers manners 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in different measures of light and divers manners of revelation spake in times past to the Fathers by the Prophets hath in these last days in which the Church shall receive no more alteration or innovation from God as to the general form of his Worship and Truth but after this state follows eternity even in these last days God hath spoken unto us by his Son who being the onely begotten in the Bosom of the Father John 1.18 that is most intimately one with him not in a meer conjunction of love but in a near union of Nature and communion of Attributes he hath declared yea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he hath by divine Revelation expounded the Mysteries of the Godhead in his Communications of Grace unto his Church The Service then of God in the Old Testament Heb 9.1 that of the first Tabernacle and worldly Sanctuary 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Sanctuary earthly and material this did stand in meats and drinks Vers 10. and divers washings and carnal Ordinances imposed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 laid as a burden upon the Jews till the times of the New Testament the time of Reformation the coming of the Messiah who should reform the Ecclesiastical state by abolishing what was earthly and carnal and by establishing what is heavenly and spiritual So that now Joh. 4.24 now God being a Spirit they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and in Truth in Spirit that 's in opposition to the carnal Ordinances and in Truth that 's in opposition to the typical Sacrifices or in Spirit for the purity and in Truth for the sincerity of his Worship which must neither be Superstitious nor Hypocritical Having then shewed you where it is that we have the Word of God even in the Books of sacred Scriptures I shall proceed to describe this Word unto you in its inherent Attributes and its transient operations 1. In its inherent Attributes especially its full sufficiency and its self authority 1. It s full sufficiency The holy Scriptures they are the heavenly store-house from whence the Church of Christ is furnished with all spiritual provision of heavenly Doctrine whether it be of Faith or of manners They are the full treasury in which are laid up for the Church her inestimable riches of divine Promises and spiritual Blessings Profitable they are First
Not onely yearly or monethly but even daily new Doctrines of Faith and all from the pretended new Revelations and new discoveries of the Spirit Yea from the influence of this Vulgar Error it is That the meanest Artisans become the chief Preachers the Day-laborer in the Brick a Master builder of the Temple from hence it is That Sacriledge is expunged the Decalogue the Lords Prayer and the Creed banished the Church and all disorder and confusion breaks in like a flood That you may know then we heartily desire to preserve your common right and special blessing of reading the sacred Scriptures against the Papists as well as prevent the particular abuse and fatal mischief of corrupting the holy Word by the Factious Observe We acknowledge that the holy Scriptures in Truths absolutely necessary to Salvation they are plain and easie but 2 Pet. 3.16 in Mysteries excellently profitable for edification they are in many places dubious and difficult to be understood Wherefore we allow every private person a Judgment of Discretion to apply what is easie and plain but not a Power of Interpretation to expound what is difficult and dubious Certainly John 5.39 2 Pet 3.18 every man is bound to search the Scriptures that he may know and improve that knowledge too of Gods will Yea bound he is to apply what he reads and reading understands for the ordering his conversation in Truth and Holiness in Faith and obedience Thus then you see we by no means like that Popish stupidity that you should live like Horse and Mule without understanding No more then we like that factious frenzy that every man should think himself more then Doctor of the Chair to interpret Scripture by his private Spirit Wherefore for the true Interpretation of Scripture observe We admit the Judgment of the Church as a Trusty Guide and the Opinion of the Learned as a Rational Argument but we approve the Scripture it self as an Infallible Rule clearing those Texts which are dark and doubtful by those places which are more plain evident being still careful to keep close to the Analogy of Faith consisting in those principles of Christianity which are clearly set forth in Scripture and generally receiv'd of the Church What think you now then Beloved he who is not acquainted with the Judgment of the Church and so wants his Trusty Guide he who is not acquainted with the Opinions of the Learned and so wants his Rational Argument he who is not well instructed in the Principles of Religion and so knows not the Analogy of Faith he who is not skilled in the Language and Phrase and Method of the Scripture and so wants his Infallible Rule is such a person however he may pretend to the Spirit is such a person think you fit to be an Interpreter of the Word Wherefore to interpret Scriptures by the Spirit not being qualified as to the use of means for right Interpretation it is certainly most certainly plain Enthusiasm A phanatick presumption the greatest evidence of the Spirit of Error being so opposit in act and operation to the order and method of the Spirit of Truth Object But here the Enthusiast to prove his interpeting Scripture by the Spirit to be lawful and right he urgeth that of St. Paul as his Herculean Argument 1 Cor. 2.14 That the Spiritual man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 intelligit ac discernit as Beza renders it he understands and discerns Judicat as the Vulgar Latin and our English he judgeth and that all things in matters of Faith and of Manners of Doctrine and of Conversation So that what needs more to interpret Scripture then to have the Spirit the case seems clear if St. Paul may decide the Question Answ But stay no Triumph before Victory To this I answer The same Apostle who saith The spiritual man judgeth all things says also 1 Cor. 14.32 The Spirits of the Prophets are subject to the Prophets where by Prophets are especially intended the Interpreters of the Scriptures and that the Enthusiast himself will readily acknowledge Now then observe If the Spiritual man will interpret Scripture by the Spirit he must remember That his spirit must be subject to the Prophets submit unto the Judgment of the Church in those holy Interpreters which have gone before him or which are now surviving with him Otherwise he is not spiritual but carnal carnally puft up with the pride of his own spirit which he blasphemously calls the Motion of Gods Spirit Thus then to interpret Scripture by the Spirit according to St. Pauls direction taking the Church for our Guide holy Expositors for our Instruction there can be no just quarrel at our Interpretation For that we keep to the right Rule and Line to the Polar Star and the skilful Pilot the happy Union of what the Text hath joyned the Word of God and the Ministry of the Church for so is the Instruction of our Saviour in his Commission to his Apostles Go ye disciple all Nations Teaching them to observe whatsoever I have commanded you 1. By vertue of our Ministerial charge we do here Applic. in foro Conscientiae in the Court of Conscience arraign and condemn the Heresies and Schisms of our present times of that so horrid though so common sin of Scripture-Sacriledge men surreptitiously stealing away the true meaning or prophanely corrupting the proper phrase of Gods Word thereby making the Delphick Oracle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the sacred Scriptures I mean to speak that sense which the Spirit of Error hath imposed not the Spirit of Truth revealed Church-Sacriledge and Scripture-Sacriledge they commonly go together they who will prophane the House of God will not stick to corrupt the Word of Christ and they who will not spare to defile his Worship will not care to pervert his Truth Wherefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Naz oâ—at 36. Rev. 22.18 19. as for the Sacrilegious invaders of the Holy Scriptures whether they be such as violate the Letter or such as pervert the Sense let them see the guilt of their sin in the horror of its punishment denounced by St. John saying I testifie unto everyman that heareth the words of the Prophecy of this Book If any man shall adde unto these things God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this Book And if any man shall take away from the words of the Book of this Prophecy God shall take away his part out of the Book of Life and out of the Holy City and from the things which are written in this Book O dreadful Commination God will assuredly cut him off from benefit by the Testament of Christ who shall by Heretical forgery either detract or corrupt it The Gospel of Christ is his Testament and if it be but a Mans Testament how much more when it is The Testament of God being confirmed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being by Legal Authority ratified and declared Authentick No man disannulleth Gal.
3.15 or addeth thereto No man disannulleth or addeth that is No man ought to disannul or adde under peril of hainous impiety and shameful punishment And let not any think St. John seals up onely the Book of Revelations but that guided by the Spirit of Truth he seals up the whole Books of the New Testament with that dreadful Commination against all Violators of the sacred Scriptures And this whether it be in the Letter or the Sense of Christs holy Word for that of Tertullian is most firmly true Tert. de Praescript c. 17. Tantum veritati obstrepit adulter sensus quantum corruptor stilus To impose an adulterate sense is as much injury to the Word of Truth as to violate the proper phrase And therefore Valentinus and so the Heresies of our times do as much damage to the Scriptures verity in misinterpreting the Sense though they spare the Letter as Marcion did by mangling the sentences and chopping off the words Hear then and tremble O ye seduced Souls who through some carnal prejudice and temporal interest involve your selves in this so horrid sin of Scripture-Sacriledge for that perverting the sense or corrupting the Letter of Christs holy Word of Truth 2 Pet. 3.16 ye do it to your own destruction 2. Observe Beloved these two sure Rules of Instruction and Exhortation 1. Keep close to the Doctrine of the Scriptures 2. Hold fast to the Judgment of the Church Keep close to the doctrine of the Scriptures that will keep you from the seductions of the Romanist Hold fast to the Judgment of the Church that will preserve you from the Errors of the Separatist For so hath God been pleased to make the Militant State of our Mother the Church of England to be betwixt the eager opposition of two enraged Enemies the Church of Rome and the Brethren of the Separation against whom she thus makes good the combate from the Authority of the sacred Scriptures and the Judgment of the Primitive Church Urging the Authority of the Scriptures the Romanist flies at the point of that weapon and would soon be beat out of the field were it not some return he makes by pretending the Church Again Urging the Judgment of the Church the Separatist staggers at that blow and would soon fall to the ground were it not some hold he catcheth by wresting the Scriptures To close then That ye may continue firm and sound in the Faith be careful that in the Epidemical distempers of the times ye change not the dyet of your Souls least what you think to make your food prove your poyson Feed on your Mothers Milk keep to that sum of our Churches Doctrine Worship Discipline and Government which is contained in the Publick Liturgy in the Thirty nine Articles the Books of Homilies and Ordination all consenting with the Word of God and Truth of Christ Withal see that to the confession of a true Faith Aquin. ye joyn the confession of an holy life Confitetur qui nulla parte diffitetur He confesses truly who confesseth thorowly Confess we with the mouth and with the hand in our words and in our works This is the best Harmony of Confessions And thus Matth. 10.32 Confess we Christ before men and he will confess us before his Father which is in Heaven Own we him in this Truâ—h and he will own us in his Glory hear we his Word and do we his Will so shall we receive his Reward and this in an eternal Rest unto our Souls Thus have we done with the Explication and the Application of what concerns the Mission and Commission together with the several Instructions given by our Saviour to his Apostles in his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Go ye Disciple all Nations Baptising them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Teaching them to observe whatsoever I have commanded you Halleluiah THE FIRST SERMON UPON Coloss 1. v. 18 19. And he is the Head of the Body the Church who is the beginning the first-born from the dead that in all things he might have the preheminence for it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell OUR Lord Jesus Christ being ascended into the highest Heavens Introduct and there sate down on the right hand of God Rom 8.34 Heb. 7.25 he ever lives to make intercession for us From which exaltation and intercession the Apostle draws his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ being able to save unto the utmost all that come unto God by him Able to save unto the utmost for that in his intercession is applied unto the Church for her salvation the utmost efficacie of the richest price the fullest power and the highest favour that humanity can receive from God or Divinity communicate to man For it is worth our observing That our blessed Lord to make our salvation sure he saves us by all means possible for salvation to be secur'd He saves us by ransom by rescue and by request by way of price by way of power and by way of favour Christs Resurrection that gives testimony to the sufficiencie of price laid down in his Passion his Ascension that gives testimony to the sufficiencie of power which he exercised in his Resurrection his sitting at Gods right hand that gives testimony to the sufficiencie of favour whereby he is exalted in his Ascension and lastly the Intercession of Christ that is applicatory of all these for the full and final redemption of his chosen In his Intercession he pleads the merit of his Passion as the full paiment he pleads the efficacie of his Resurrection as his clear acquittance he pleads the benefit of his Ascension as giving actual possession Eph. 1.6 Mat. 17.5 Heb. 1.2 and pleads the vertue of his Session at the right hand of the Father as thereby declared to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the beloved Son of God and lawful Heir of Heaven Yea our holy Jesus and blessed Mediator being sate down at the right hand of God he is not only by a gracious decree appointed by an holy unction consecrated but also by a glorious investiture from the Father he is established in the spiritual oeconomy Act. 2.36 Rom. 14.9 Mat. 28.18 and actual administration of that soveraign authority whereby he is constituted and declared to be Lord and Christ Judge of quick and dead King of heaven and earth and as S. Paul here gives us the description Head of the body the Church the beginning the first-born from the dead c. Connexion Before we give you the Division of the words we must give you their Dependance to which we are directed by the Copulative and And he is the Head of the body the Church which Copulative does join what we must not separate the Context and the Text. If then we do but look three Verses back we find how the Apostle having set forth the benefits of Redemption he presently subjoins a description of the