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A50109
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The spiritual house in its foundation, materials, officers, and discipline describ'd the nomothetical & coercive power of the King in ecclesiastical affairs asserted the episcopal office and dignity, together with the liturgy of the Church of England vindicated in some sermons preached at St. Clement Danes and St. Gregories neer St. Pauls, London / by Geo. Masterson.
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Masterson, Geo. (George)
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1661
(1661)
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Wing M1073; ESTC R30518
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52,267
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136
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day of the rain or tempest As for instance 1 They who build upon the bare name of Christianity There is a vast difference between nominals and reals names will never passe in the account of Heaven for things The Church of Sardis had a faire name a name that she lived but this did not advantage her any thing because she was dead Apoc. 3.1 2 They who build upon the shoulders of their religious progenitors the Grand-Mother Lois and the Mother Evnice It is an happinesse too great for Parents to entail their graces together with their estates upon their children all the holinesse they derive to them is a faederal holinesse only a leprous Father begets a leprous child the Father takes a potion and is healed of his leprosy but if the child use not that remedy he dies in his uncleannesse if you reflect upon the children of many holy men in Scripture you may behold Adams Cain Abrahams Ismael Isaacks Esau Davids Amnon Absolom Aarons Nadab Abihu Elies Hophni Phineas too many children are like Manasses Hoc uno patris spectaculum Quod ejus imaginem reddidi ex contrario Eman. Thesaur 3 They who expect the end without the means who build upon their predestination There is a predestination to works as well as to life For we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them Ephes 2.10 4 They who rely upon poor weak languishing intentions that never ripen into action the Poet derides those whose intentions were alwayes blossoming but never brought forth any ripe fruit cras te victorum c. good intentions fortifyed with pious resolutions doe fairly introduce one into the paths of virtue but the best intentions without action will never bring him to his journeys end The Jewes I beleeve intended as they said when they desired the Prophet to pray for them and say they according to all that the Lord our God shall say so declare unto us and we will doe it Jeremiah 42.20 and yet he tels them they dissembled in their hearts when they sent him unto the Lord because saith he I have declared it to you but ye have not obeyed the voyce of the Lord nor any thing for which he hath sent me unto you vers 21. good intentions are like the Angel that went before Toby to Rages but the non execuion of them is like the dog that followed after him 5 They who build upon their civil honesty or negative goodnesse they doe no man wrong they are not this or that the Scribes and Pharises were without controversy unblameable in their conversation towards men and it is not to be question'd but that the Pharise spake truth who said God I thank thee that I am not as other men are extortioners unjust adulterers I fast twice in the weeke I give tithes of all that I possesse Luke 18.11 12. and yet our Lord Christ saith except your righteousnesse exceed the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharises ye shall in no case enter into the Kingdom of heaven Mat 5.20 6 They who build upon their religious performances their own righteousnesse Christ became a stone of offence to the Jews when they would be saved by the works of the Law Rom. 9.31 32. and Saint Paul saith Christ is become of none effect unto you whosoever of you are justified by the Law ye are fallen from grace Galat. 5.4 We may safely say of all these as Christ did to his Disciples when they shew'd him the fabrick of the material Temple there shall not be left one stone upon another that shall not be throwen down Mark 13.2 2 Take heed of disalowing or rejecting Christ Beza upon the T. saith etiam nos hodie vita moribus reprobamus Men may and doe at this day reject Christ by their vitious lives and evil manners they reject or reprobate him in general who are disobedient to the word A stone of stumbling and a rock of offence even to them which stumble at the word being disobedient 1 Pet. 2.8 they more particularly who refuse neglect or despise his ordinances the rejecting of them is the rejecting of Christ in his wisedome and faithfulnesse Every man that lives in a known sin prefers Barabbas before him It is this and this only that renders it a thing perfectly reasonable that the sufferings of sinners should be eternal in the place of torment because by rejecting Christ they contemn that immortal and eternal life which God puts into their hands and upon which they might lay hold by embracing and entertaining him Is there any thing more rational and equal then this that when God sets life and death before men immortal life by entertaining Christ and eternal death by rejecting him they who choose death should have their portion or part in it Take heed least while you acknowledge as you cannot but doe the reasonablenesse of this you doe not as the Jews did condemn your selves in a thir d Person Mat. 21.41 and so I passe from this to the second general 2 The superstructure or fabrick that is built upon this foundation ye also as lively stones are built up a spiritual house vers 5. In which there are three things considerable the materials edifice and the manner how it becometh such 1 The materials are 1. in general ye 2. more particularly lively stones If you would know 1 Who these ye are you must have recourse to the beginning of this Epistle in the first and second verses of the first chapter they are describ'd by two names strangers and elect 1 Strangers advenis inquilinis in solos Judaeos competit It appertaines to the Jews only saith Master Calvin upon the place who are here called strangers not as the beleevers are afterwards I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims abstain from fleshly lusts 1 Pet. 2.11 because heaven is their Countrey and they are heer from home but because they were cast out from that Land the Land of Canaan which was peculierly theirs and were now dispers'd and scattered through Pontus Galatia Cappadocia c. Or Advenis strangers i. e. ijs qui ex gentilismo in rem publicam populi Dei transierant Gualt who were transplanted from gentilisme into the Society of Gods people I undertake not to umpire between Calvin and Gualter whether they were Jews or Gentiles but take that which they both agree in the ye heer the materials of this spiritual house to be Christians that is persons made proselites to the faith and profession of Christ whether from the tents of Judaisme or gentilisme it matters not the ye are Christians they the materials of this spiritual house but not all we hope will some say for the Apostle stiles them 2 Elect. whence they infer that none ought to be accounted members of the Church the materials of this spiritual house but the elect only The elect in their sense are I acknowledg the sole Members of
taken it justifies his doing of evil by doing of worse Since therefore through the goodness of God and his Majestie 's undaunted Resolution the Reverend Bishops are restored to the Church and sent as Governours by the King if you be Members of this Spiritual House you must submit to their Directions and Injunctions in all Rites Ceremonies and Circumstances of Religion Which fairly leads me to the last thing intended the Consideration and Vindication of the Liturgy of our Church The Calves of our lips our Prayers are a service more acceptable to the God of Heaven then Hecatombs of Oxen Thousands of Rams or ten Thousand Rivers of Oyl An Heathen could say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prayers are a more acceptable Sacrifice to God then Oxen. That part of our lives which we spend in Prayer is the most celestial and Divine Prayer is a Duty so absolutely necessary for every person who acknowledgeth a Deitie that Nature hath dictated it to those who were strangers to the Scriptures and Aliens to the Common-Wealth of Israel The Mariners in Jonah when the Storm was upon on them cryed every man unto his God Chap. i. verse 5. and the Mr. of the Ship rebuked the Prophet himself sharply for neglecting this Duty with What meanest thou O Sleeper Arise call upin thy God verse 6. The Sun hath never yet beheld a person so impudent provided he did not say in his heart with David's Fool There is no God as plainly and directly to condemn this Duty In the exercise or performance of which we are diversly concerned after one manner as we are men private persons and after another as we are Christians and members of this Spiritual house on family the Church As Private persons we are left free to make choice of such Time Place and Form as the Exigence of our present occasions require Firs For Time either the Sixth hour as St. Peter in Acts x. 9. or the Ninth hour as the Centurion verse 3 either thrice a day as David at Evening Morning and Noon Psal lv 17. Or Seaven times a Day as He Psal cxix 164. Secondly For Place either in Closet Vpper-Room Garden Fields or elswhere with conveniency Thirdly For the Manner either taking unto our selves words and expressions of our own or making use of apt and pertinent Forms invented by others In all these Circumstances we are free and at our own election as private persons But as we are in Family Members of the house a publick body we are not left free but are under the direction on of our Spiritual guids or Governours in all these respects of time place and form In then two first of these time and place all who are called Christians agree that the King or Governours under him may prescribe that publique Prayers shall be made at such times and in such places onely But the third the prescribing a Form will by no means be allowed by some to the Spiritual Governours or any others And others who allow the King and those who are under him authority to prescribe a form of publique Prayer wil not admit of that which we call The Book of Common Prayer and Administration of the Sacraments I shall endeavour therefore first to vindicate set Forms of Prayer in General and secondly the Liturgy of our Church in Particular First For the lawfulness and expediencie of set Forms of Prayer I offer four Arguments First The Example of God himself and of some Holy men who were enspired by the Holy Ghost In the sixth Chapter of the Book of Numbers verse 22 and foreward you have a form of Blessing the people prescribed by God himself to Aaron and his sons The Lord spake unto Moses saying Speak unto Aaron and his sons saying On this wise ye shall bless the Children of Israel saying unto them The Lord bless thee and keep thee the Lord make his face shine upon thee and be gracious unto thee the Lord lift up his countenance upon thee and give thee peace And as God prescribed the Priests a Form to Bless the people so he prescribes the People a Form in these words And thou shalt go unto the Priest that shall be in those days and say unto him I profess this day unto the Lord thy God that I am come unto the Countrey which the Lord sware unto our Fathers for to give us Deut xxvi 3 and verse 5. Thou shalt speak and say before the Lord thy God A Syrian ready to perish was my Father c. When they went to Battel a Form was prescribed Deut xx 3. a form of Thanksgiving for victory and deliverance Then sang Moses and the Children of Israel this Song unto the Lord and spake saying I will sing unto the Lord for he hath triumphed gloriously the Horse and his Rider hath He thrown into the Sea c. Exod. xx 1. This Song was composed by Moses and learned by all the People and repeated again in the same words by Miriam verse 21. And Miriam answered them Sing ye unto the Lord for c. King Hezekiah delivered from Death did not onely compose a Set-Form of Thanksgiving but used it all the Daies of his Life The Lord was ready to save me therefore we will sing my Songs to the stringed Instruments all the daies of our Life in the House of the Lord. Isa xxxviii 20. And the same Hezekiah commanded the Levites to ling praises to God with the words of David and Asaph 2 Chron. xxix 30. VVith the Words of David and Asaph that is with Forms composed by those Sacred Pen-men Secondly The Practise and Precept of our Lord Christ in the New Testament is a second Argument 1. This Practise Matth. xxvi 44. And he left them and he went again and prayed the third time saying the same words And again upon the Cross Matth. xxvii 46. My God my God Why hast thou forsaken me The expresse words ' of David Psal xxii 1. 2. VVe have his Precept likewise in prescribing the Pater Nester not onely as a Pattern but Form of Prayer For though he say in St. Matthew After this manner therefore pray ye Our Father c. Matt. vi 9. yet he saith in St. Luke When ye pray say Our Father c. Luke xi 2. Since therefore Christ in whom all the Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledg were hid in whom the fulness of the Godhead dwelt bodily to whom the Spirit was not given by measure prescribes and practisech a Form of Prayer the Sons of men may without disparagement to their Parts or Gifts lawfully make use of a Set-Form Thirdly The Example of St. John Baptist who taught his Disciples to Pray by prescribing them a Form which occasioned the Disciples of Christ to desire and him to answer their reqnest in giving them a Form Luke xi 1. To which that excellent Person whose loss the Church could hardly have sustained had not God by his Providence in taking him from us near the time of His Majestie 's