Ministers of Error and Schisms Teachers of Heresie and Blasphemy They go before they are sent Jer. 14.14 23.21 they will run before they are bid go But stop we them here in their haste and question we their Commission Dear Brethren ye that are so hasty to be Preachers tell us by what hand are you sent You will say by the Spirits Mission I ask then What is the outward Testimony and Warrant You answer You look not further then the inward call Strange that men dare pretend to a call beyond that of Timothy and Titus yea of Paul and Barnabas who though inwardly called yea extraordinarily immediately yet they had their outward Testimony their Ecclesiastical Warrant Acts 13.2 3. their Apostolical Mission and this by imposition of hands But further Some others there are who will not go but as sent and sent by Ordination too but tell us Dear Brethren by what hands are you ordained by what authority are you sent The former go without Mission you go but is it not by a forged Mission Those usurpe the Office Ministerial in execution do not you in execution and ordination too And where then is the greater guilt of iniquity but in the greater violation of the Ministry Wherefore to give you our Explication full I have three particulars to insist upon First That our Lord Jesus Christ did constitute a Ministry to be perpetuated in the Church Secondly That there is no admission into this Ministry but by imposition of hands in Ordination Thirdly That this admission into the Ministry by imposition of hands in Ordination was * Viz For the space of above 500 years after Christ never in the power of any meer Presbyter And these being proved it will easily appear from what hand to receive Ordination our lawful Mission into the Ministry our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Go ye 1. Our Lord Jesus Christ did constitute a Ministry to be perpetuated in the Church Our Lord and Saviour as it was prophesied of him so it was performed by him the Government was upon his shoulder Isa 9.6 He the founder of Ecclesiastical polity the constitutor of Order and Government in his Church as being our Apostle sent from God our Prophet our great High Priest the Shepherd and Bishop of our souls the Head and King of his Church whose Ministerial Government shall continue 1 Cor. 15.24 till he come to give up the Kingdom unto his Father and God be all in all Now as the Father sent Christ Joh. 20.21 so Christ hath sent his Apostles and sent them to be a standing Ministry by a communicated power not seated in the people but in the Pastors of the Church who are to continue unto the end of the World even to the fulness of Christ and his Church as in the close of my Text and in the Epistle to the Ephesians Eph. 4.11 12 13. is most plain and evident If a Gospel Ministry was not established successive in the Church to what purpose did the Apostles themselves ordain and leave in charge to those Apostolick-men which came after them that they should ordain For so St. Paul left in charge with Titus for Creet and Timothy for Ephesus yea to what purpose hath the Spirit dictated St. Paul penned and the Church preserved the particular instructions who are to be admitted to Ordination if none were to be ordained How frivolous and useless were the Apostles setting down the Deacons and Bishops qualifications 1 Tim. 3. Tit. 1. Rev. 2.1 if they were to receive no Ordination And sure the Angels of those Churches were approved in their Ministry by Christ who held them as Stars in his right hand And that of the Psalmist Psal 45.16 St. Hierom. in loc Instead of thy Fathers shall be thy children St. Hierome applies to the Apostolical prefecture and presidency in Bishops Quia Apostolis à mundo recessis habes pro illis Episcopos filios Because the Apostles as Fathers being dead the Church hath her Bishops as Sons surviving in their stead 2. No admission into this Ministry but by imposition of hands in Ordination We read of Paul and Barnabas Acts 14.23 that they ordained Elders in every Church And for this purpose Tit. 1.5 St. Paul left Titus in Creet that he should ordain Elders in every City And that this Ordination had its outward ceremony of Imposition of hands nothing is more plain from Apostolical practise in Scripture and the continued custom of Christs Church But because men little regard the Churches custom we will wave that to insist upon the Apostolical practice Act. 6.6 Thus those seven persons commonly called the seven Deacons they are ordained to their intended Ministration by the Apostles And how Why by Prayer and Imposition of hands Acts 13.3 Again Paul and Barnabas are separated to the work of the Ministry and how with Fasting and Prayer and laying on of hands Again Timothy is received into the Ministry and though it be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by prophecy 1 Tim. 4.14 yet is it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with the laying on of hands Object 1 But some may say True as to the higher acts and offices of the Ministry as Baptism and the Lords Supper to be admitted to the dispensing of these Ordination may be requisite but not to the Preaching of the Word Answ I answer If Commission and Ordination be required for Baptism much more for Preaching the Word 1 Cor. 1.17 for this St. Pauls prefers before Baptism as being the more honorable and more weighty part of the Ministry And indeed most needful it is that none be admitted to publick Teaching but he that can declare his lawful Call and Ordination seeing upon this depends so very much the truth and peace the life and health the being and the welbeing of the Church yea of Christianity it self For if the office of publick Teaching lie open to all invaders and who pretends to the Spirit may take upon him to Minister the Word it will soon appear what Harvest we shall reap from such Seedsmen what mischiefs and miseries what Heresies and Schisms shall arise from such Teachers whose ignorance and boldness qualifies them for nothing more then Errors and Impieties Such as is the Teaching such will be the Church a Synagogue of Satan if taught by a spirit of Error and the spirit of Error still accompanies the spirit of Pride and a broaching of Heresie attends an invading the Ministry I ask the question then Is Publick Teaching a proper office of the Ministry that it is so sacred Scripture the Churches authority and divine Reason all prove and evidence St. Pauls testimony is plain and full when he tells us of publick offices given by Christ unto the Church Eph. 4.11 12. amongst which are Pastors and Teachers and these For the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministry for the edifying of the Body of Christ Now if
Aerium 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That order which is Generative of Fathers Presbyters may beget Sons by Baptism but not Fathers by Ordination and Consecration This is the Bishops peculiar as Successor to the Apostles in that full Ministry which is perpetuated in the Church That the Seventy Disciples had not this full Ministry nor Presbyters the Successors to those Disciples who have power to Preach to Baptize and Consecrate the Eucharist that they have not this full Ministry is the evidence of sacred Scripture and Church History And we will now make the evidence clear as to that main particular the power of Ordination in which we have the Doctrine of the Scriptures to approve the practise of the Church and the practise of the Church to interpret the Doctrine of the Scriptures Consult we then 1 The Sacred Scriptures And the first Ordination we meet with is that of those Seven Acts 6. commonly called Deacons and here we finde no hands but those of the Apostles The second Ordination is that of Presbyters Acts 14.23 and this we finde to be by the hands of Barnabas and Paul Which two when separated to the work of the Ministry if we may call it an Ordination it is by the hands of Simeon Lucius and Manaen Apostolick-men Acts 13.1 2 3. Prophets ministring to the Lord who as Church History tells us were Bishops of Syria The last Ordination we meet with in Scripture actually executed it is that of Timothy 1 Tim 4 14. which though by the hands of the Presbytery yet is not that Presbytery without an Apostle even the laying on of the hands of St. Paul 1 Tim. 1.6 From Scripture practise pass we on to Scripture precept and for this consult we the Epistles to Timothy and Titus in which we have the exact platform of the Churches Ministry as communicated and perpetuated from the Apostles Behold we then the Church of Ephesus and the Churches of Creet in them we finde many Presbyters and above those Presbyters in dignity and office Timothy and Titus and that Timothy and Titus were in dignity and office above those Presbyters appears plainly by that power they had of enacting Ecclesiastical Laws of passing Church censures and of ordaining by imposition of hands in which is the work and the office proper and peculiar to Timothy and Titus above those Presbyters which were in their Churches And observe those instructions given by St. Paul to Timothy and Titus in their particular persons have been and yet are continued in the Church as sacred Rules to regulate for ever the Function and Office of an Episcopal presidency 1 Tim. 5.22 Tit. 1.5 1 Tim. 5.19 Tit. 3.10 which Function and Office extends it self not onely to the ordaining of Presbyters but also to the exercising a Disciplinary power and an Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction over them as appears by many plain Texts given by the Apostle But 2 from the Scriptures Authority pass we on to take a short view of the Churches History Which History from the most sacred and inviolable Records tells us of many Bishops seated by the Apostles yea many successively continued during the lives of the Apostles And strange it were that St. John who tells us of so many Antichrists 1 Joh. 2.18 should not tell us of Episcopacy being Antichristian if he had had the Spirit of our present times to have believed it such which â—rer l. 3. c 3. sure we are he did not believe for that Irenaeus assures us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in his yonger years he saw Polycarpe Bishop of Smyrna whom he knew to be so constituted by the Apostles and amongst those Apostles Tertullian Tert. de P aescript c. 32. is express that St. John himself was one After Tertullian consult we St. Basil and he calls Episcopacy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Apostolical prefecture and presidency August Ep. 44. yea St. Augustine he informs us That Radix Christianae societatis per sedes Apostolorum successiones Episcoporum certa per orbem propagatione diffunditur the Root of Christian communion hath branched and spread it self in a certain propagation throughout the world by the Apostolical Seats and Episcopal Successions which propagation to the spreading Church-fellowship and communion how hath it been transmitted but by Ministerial Ordination Which Ordination was so universally and assuredly owned and acknowledged to be proper to the Episcopal order that Aerius pertinaciously asserting the contrary was by St. Augustine yea by the Catholick Church says Epiphanius condemned of Heresie Further they are known examples which we have of Musaeus and Eutychianus two Grecian Presbyters who having ordained without the Bishop and themselves not being Bishops their Ordination is declared by the Council of Sardis about eleven years after Constantine the Great to be null Concil Sard. can 19. and those they had ordained are reduced to the state and condition of Laicks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as such who had dissembled and forged their Ordination Again we read of Ischyras ordained by Colluthus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one who strongly yet vainly fancied himself a Bishop being indeed a meer Presbyter But as concerning Ischyras the Synod of Alexandria reduceth him to Lay-communion and determines concerning Colluthus that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whatsoever Ordinations he had made they should be all void and invalid To close then we have made good unto you by infallible proofs that imposition of hands in Ordination so plain and evident in the planting is requisit and necessary in the propagating the Church of Christ as being productive of issue and succession in the Ministry which Ministry shall continue in the Church whilest the Church continues in the world And now seeing that onely Apostles and Apostolick-men did ordain and that no meer Presbyters in all the Scriptures are exprest nor in all Church History allowed we see by what Ordination we receive our Saviours Mission here of a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Go ye Disciple all Nations Baptising them c. But before we pass this point it will be some further confirmation and much more illustration of the truth that we give you some plea of Divine Reason to make good the equity of our present assertion Know then in the Apostles times and Infant-state of the Church Parishes were not divided nor Congregations with their particular Ministers fixt and setled but in one City there were many Presbyters and still as Believers increased their Meetings and Assemblies being in several places they had several persons assigned them for the service of the Ministry which how could it be well ordered without confusion but by the Authority and Presidency of some one above the rest Which Presidency the Apostles during their over-sight over the Churches they retained in themselves but upon their remove they committed to some Apostolick-men as their Successors And indeed it is most agreeable to right reason that that office should not expire whose end did continue
and such is the end of the Apostolical Presidency even the preventing Schism and the preserving Order and Unity in the Church A Prudential Experience doth tell us it is with Christs Church as with Davids Harp in all a parity of office is as far from peace as the unison of strings is from harmony subordination in some and superiority in others is as requisit to Ecclesiastical as Civil Polity without which Schism becomes as fatal to the Church as Rebellion is to the State So that we must subscribe to the grave sentence and judgment of St. Hierome unless the Episcopal pre-eminence of Authority and Office be preserved Hieron Dialog Adv. Luciferian Tot in Ecclesiis efficientur Schismata quot Sacerdotes There will be as many Schisms in the Church as there are Presbyters especially if every Presbyter hath power of Ordination intrinsecal to his Office by the Divine Right of Apostolical Institution For what then would be the use of Ordination but chiefly to propagate Schism But some may say to prevent this Though the power of Ordination be common to all yet the act of ordaining is restrained to a few Presbyters But I ask by what Authority of Scripture they do it and what Primitive patteâ—n they have for their practise Besides to exclude their Brethren from the exercise of what they acknowledge is proper and intrinsecal to their office is a manifest injury and violation and if all should exercise what is their right of office and cannot be taken from them this would be a strange disorder and confusion Wherefore Beloved in what we have asserted the Apostolick Constitution and the Churches practise doth engage our consent of judgment and conformity of obedience upon a double tye of Reason and of Religion So that if we be either prudent men or pious Christians we must submit to the truth of this assertition That by imposition of hands to ordain into the Ministry is not in the power nor belongs to the office of any meer Presbyter Acts 20.17 28. Phil. 1.1 But what do we not finde that frequently in sacred Scripture Presbyters are called Bishops and are they not therefore one in office being one in name and not to be differenced in the Church not being distinguished in the Scripture To this so specious an Argument we answer our adversaries That as we are not so ignorant as from the name to prove the office of Bishop so nor should they be so erroneous as from the community of name to prove the identity of office in Bishop and Presbyter We finde in the Acts and Epistles those sacred Records which give us the first path of Ecclesiastical Government not so obvious to the eye as when Church practise had trod it out into a beaten road we finde I say in the Acts and Epistles the same persons sometimes called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ministers sometimes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Presbyters sometimes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bishops so that by the signification of name it is clear we have not the distinction of office 1 Pet. 5.1 2 John 1. And therefore Presbyter being spoken of the Apostles as well as Bishop of Presbyters As from hence That the Apostles were called Presbyters we may not conclude That Presbyters are no less then Apostles so nor from this That Presbyters were called Bishops may we conclude That Bishops are no more then Presbyters It is easie to observe how words common at the first became appropriate in their use and so in some process of time even within one Century of years after Christ the distinction of office became commonly known by distinction of name Bishop being appropriate unto him who had an Apostolical presidency of Ordination and Jurisdiction in the Church We close then with this sure inference from the premisses That this late Schism in our Church of meer Presbyters ordaining to the Ministry as it hath not any clear Text of Scripture to warrant it nor any allowed practise of the Church to approve it so nor hath it any argument of Reason to abet it as being contrary to that Mission constituted by our Saviour in his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Go ye disciple all Nations Baptising them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of thy Holy Ghost teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you Applic. 1 Cor. 9.16 1. You see Beloved what is our Mission Christ hath bid us go and a necessity is laid upon us Wo unto us if we preach not the Gospel But then much more wo unto them who stop our mouths that we cannot preach or that binde our feet that we cannot go Let such dread Jeroboams judgment their arm withering 1 King 13.4 their power shrinking and wasting with a curse God did bear long with Judah but when they came to this That they mocked the Messengers of God 2 Chron 36.16 17 c. despised his words and misused his Prophets then there was no remedy his mercy had borne so long that his justice could bear no longer but wrath does arise against his people to captivity and to desolation Oh Beloved the Ministers souls lie at stake for the peoples if we warn you not your perishing through our default is a default whereby we perish Oh the blood of Souls how loud does it cry for vengeance when spilt by the hand of ignorance error slothfulness or cowardice in the Minister See in the course of our Ministry Christ gives us our Mission to go O let us not through your perversness and obstinacy in sin go upon thorns and bryars finde torture and trouble of Soul in our service but in your obedience of Faith to the Gospel of Christ O make beautiful our feet make pleasant our paths Sure there is no greater joy and blessed even thrice blessed be God I can call it much my joy there is no greater joy in the service of our Ministry then to preach the Gospel to a willing and reverent Auditory But oh Beloved and my dearly beloved in the Lord this this is too too much the disparagement of your profession and the discouragement of my Ministry that your holiness of life and righteousness in the world answers not your reverence in the Church your zeal for the Church O that he who gave me my Mission to preach would give you his Grace to practise 2 Cor. 3.3 that I might say of you what St. Paul says of his Corinthians Ye are the Epistle of Christ ministred by us known and read of all men The Epistle of Christ such in whom he hath imprinted the truth and holiness of his Gospel which hath been preached unto you This this would very much seal the lawfulness of my Ministry even its efficacy in your lives which though it is not the most infallible yet is it the more comfortable seal of Christs Mission in his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Go ye disciple all Nations c. 2. As I have shewed
publick Teaching be a proper office may any enter it without Admission To do this were an absurdity against the very light of nature and Law of Nations which will have no man to admit himself into office but he must receive his admission from some intrusted with power and authority and in this case of publick Teaching the power and authority is intrusted with those who admit not but by Imposition of hands in Ordination Object 2 But it may be further objected That the Brethren dispersed upon the persecution raised about Stephen Acts 8.4 11.19 they are said To go about preaching the Word To this I give a twofold answer Answ and either of them full and satisfactory 1 I say they were such as had received the Holy Ghost Chap. 3 31. and so their call as well as their work was extraordinary and this witnessed by their gift of healing intimated in Chap. 11. 21. where it is said The hand of the Lord was with them to which some Copies adde says learned Diodate for to heal them Or 2 observe What is here said of these scattered Brethren extends not to publick Teaching in the Church which publick Teaching is peculiarly Ministerial but to publish declare divulge the Gospel where Christ was not yet known no Church yet gathered no Disciples yet made And this we deny not to be lawful to any man yea we acknowledge it a duty where God so gives the opportunity To declare the Gospel then to unbelievers is common to all as Christians but to make Disciples by Baptism and to instruct the discipled and baptized by publick Doctrine is proper to the Minister of the Word by vertue of his Mission and Commission from Christ the same which he gave here to his Apostles Go ye disciple all Nations Baptising them c. Again one Objection more there is which appears big Object 3 but its strengths but small 1 Cor. 14.31 viz. The Apostle seems to tell the whole Corinthian Congregation That they may all prophesie one by one I answer True indeed all may prophesie Answ yet can it not then be understood but of those that were Prophets Vers 6. as he instanceth in himself that he speaks in the Church as by knowledge so by prophesying Knowledge that is doctrine obtained by premeditation Prophesying here is doctrine delivered by sudden inspiration as appears Vers 30. Prophesying was of old Preaching moved by divine rapture now Preaching is prophesying attained by diligent study Even by attending unto reading and to meditation 1 Tim. 4.13 15. as St. Paul exhorts Timothy These Prophets St. Paul speaks of were a peculiar office in the Church so reckoned with Apostles and Evangelists Eph 4.11 and of those there were many at Corinth as we finde many at Antioch Acts 13.2 and these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 too Ministring unto the Lord. Now to these Prophets saith the Apostle to preserve order in the Church Ye may all prophecy one by one And thus is the Giant slain the great Argument and Objection cleared from what some would pretend to a liberty of prophesying to all in the publick Congregation 3. To admit into the Ministry By Imposition of hands in Ordination was never in the power of any meer Presbyter Our Lord and Saviour did constitute Twelve Apostles Matth. 10.1 2. Luke 10 1. in degree and office above the Seventy Disciâ—les Which holy Apostles that they were to have their Successors is evident from the promise here of Christ Behold I am with you unto the end of the World Which promise extends to the whole Ministry of the Church the Apostles having all authority Ecclesiastical and every office Ministerial virtually and eminently in themselves Most certain and plain it is our Saviours promise could not be meant of the Apostles persons it must be then interpreted of their Function And of their Function not in its extraordinary priviledges but its ordinary Ministrations not in its extraordinary Priviledges as that their Mission was immediate from Christ their operations miraculous by the Spirit and their jurisdiction unlimitted as to place These were all temporary expiring with their persons being necessary onely to the planting not the perpetuating of the Church But the sacred Apostleship in its ordinary Ministrations as Preaching the Word Discipling by Baptism Consecrating the Eucharist Excommunicating the Scandalous Absolving the Penitent Governing by Discipline and Ordaining to the Priesthood These even all these received by Commission from Christ were to be continued by Succession in the Church as without which the welbeing of the Church in its Ministry and Government could not stand Successors then there must be to the Apostles invested with the Authority and Office of the foregoing Ministrations Now our inquiry then is who these Successors are And for this we finde in Scripture Acts 12.17 15.13 21.28 1 Tim. 1.3 3.15 2 Tim. 1.6 Tit. 1.5 Rev. 2. 3. James Bishop of Jerusalem Timothy of Ephesus Titus of Creet yea the seven Angels Presidents and Bishops of the seven Churches spoken of in the Revelations Besides these we finde in the undoubted History of the Church Mark Bishop of Alexandria Epaphroditus of Philippi Archippus of Coloss Clemens of Rome Ignatius of Antioch these and others too in the Apostles times and ordained by the Apostles hands were the received Successors in the ordinary Ministry of the Apostleship And that this was so Theodor. in Phil. 2â—25 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is evident from that which is given us by Theodoret 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Those very persons were called Apostles whom by usage of speech the Church now calls Bishops And why was this but because they were generally owned by the Church as the Apostles Successors in the ordinary Ministrations of their Apostleship But now Time the great mint and master of words least community of names should beget a confusion in things Time I say did appropriate the name of Apostle to the immediate Apostles of Christ and the name of Bishop to their Successors whose particular Succession in their full Ministry and Office incommunicable to any meer Presbyters though of never so eminent abilities and high esteems is upon undeniable record in the Churches Histories And though I might heap up the unquestionable testimonies of the Ancients yet that one full witness and quaint expression of Tertullian may be here sufficient Who writing within one hundred years after St. John and so the Succession of Ministry not very long setled in the Church after the Apostles he tells us Tert. de Praescript c. 32. speaking of some Metropolitan Churches Exhibent quos ab Apostolis in Episcopatum constitutos Apostolici seminis traduces habent They exhibite and produce those persons constituted by the Apostles to be Bishops who by vertue of an Apostolical Seed do transmit a Succession of Ministry in the Church And thus Episcopacy becomes what Epiphanius elegantly stiles it Epiph Haeres 75. cont
that in holding faith and a good conscience though I lose all things else I have enough if I save my soul and in deserting faith and a good conscience if I lose my soul I have nothing though I save all things else But further O keep my soul yet not so properly mine as in a more peculiar right of propriety thine thine O blessed Jesu by right of donation from thy Father who hath made thee Lord and Christ and hath given me to thee Act 2.36 Eph. 1.22 as thou art Head over all things unto thy Church Thine by right of purchase thou having bought us with a price and given thy self 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Ransom yea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Ransom in kind 2 Tim. 2.6 even thine own soul and body to redeem unto thy self the souls and bodies of the faithful § 18. Further thine by right of conquest in which thou hast made us free from the law of sin and of death having for our sake Rom 8.2 and in our name spoil'd principalities and powers Col. 2 1◠triumphing over them Further yet thine by right of Covenant in which thou hast promised thy self to be our God and we to be thy people Lastly Heb. 8.10 thine by right of Communion for that all we are and all we have are from thy fulness our life our love our joy our holiness our happiness all is in thee and from thee Thus I am thine my body thine my soul thine thine in the nearest relation in the strictest union and in the dearest affection True it is all is thine the Devils are thine thy vassals the wicked are thine thy prisoners the Angels are thine thy subjects the Creatures are thine thy servants But only the sanctified are thine thy brethren thy members yea the faithful are thy treasure thy jewels thy jewels of ornament and delight Thus oh thus keep my soul as one of thy jewels a part of thy treasure § 19. 3. Deliver me The propriety Christ hath in us is a strong engagement of his care over us as it is with his children in general 1 Tim. 3.15 Cant. 4.8 so with each of his chosen in particular Though Christs Church be full of enemies yet seeing it is his own house he will raise and repair it though it be black yet seeing it is his own Spouse he will pitty and cherish it Isa 5.4 though it bring forth wild grapes yet being his own Vine he will fence and prune it though it wander from his truth 1 Pet. 5.2 yet because it is his own Flock he will watch and gather it This then is the argument of faith which the devout soul makes unto Christ Because I am thy purchase O do thou Lord preserve me because I am of thy houshold do thou provide for me Ps 119.94 because I am one of thine whom thou ownest O keep my soul and deliver me Deliver me not only from the conquest but also from the conflict of sin For that Conflictus licet non fit damnabilis quia non perficit iniquitatem miserabilis tamen quia non habet pacem Aug. de nupt concupisc l. 2. c. 2. Though our conflict with our lusts is not damnable because the act of sin is not perfected yet is it miserable because the peace of the soul is disturbed § 20. This very conflict with sin it was which put S. Paul to his exclamation Rom. 17.24 Wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death Which complaint he answers with this profession I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord for that the grace of Christ doth weaken the strength the blood of Christ doth pardon the guilt and the glory of Christ shall annihilate the being of sin In renascentibus remittitur S. Aug. contra Jul. l. 6. c. 16. in proficientibus minuitur in resurgentibus tollitur Sin in justification through Christ is remitted in sanctification by Christ is weakened and in glorification with Christ shall be destroyed in which glorification the deliverance of Christs Church and chosen is perfected and till that perfecting be accomplish'd this will be the continued complaint and mournful prayer of Gods holiest Saints Consider mine enemies for they are many and they hate me with a cruel hatred O keep my soul and deliver me § 21. Thus being in conflict then with our lusts how may we best order our lives as to the safety and peace of our souls I answer in several rules of direction 1. Be we the more fervent the more importunate in our prayers by how much our lusts are the more eager the more vehement in their desires For this we have S. Pauls example for our imitation 2 Cor. 12.9 when he proportions the vehemencie of his devotion to the violence of his temptation and by how much the Messenger of Satan doth the more furiously reiterate his buffetings by so much the Apostle of the Gentiles doth the more zealously renew his prayers and at length he receives this comfortable answer to his sorrowful complaint My grace is sufficient for thee sufficient to pardon thy guilt sufficient to cure thy wound sufficient to strengthen thy weakness sufficient to perfect thy deliverance § 22. 2. Entertain we no parley no treaty with our lusts have no commerce or company with them silence their suggestions or if they will needs be suggesting give them not the ear lest they make that the passage to the heart Qui deliberant desciverunt so Tacit. We betray our selves to sin whensoever we treat with our lusts conference with them is the way to be ensnared by them We must flie sin as a serpent not let in the head lest it draw in its body not yield to the first motion lest we be engaged in its full commission § 23. 3. Set we up the Law of the Spirit and life in our hearts Rom. 8.2 and by how much the Law of Sin will be stirring in our thoughts by so much the more let this royal law of Christs spirit life bear sway in our souls And to that end especially now in the solemnity of the blessed Eucharist renew we our purposes our vows our covenants renew we our self-denial our total resignation thereby to obtain a further quickening in grace a further strengthening of the inward man Joh. 1.16 and all by a nearer communion with Christ in his fulness Thus this holy Sacrament shall seal unto our hearts the comfort of this assurance that God so considers our enemies which are many and hate us with a cruel hatred that He will keep our souls and deliver us Vers 20. part and v. 21. Let me not be ashamed for I put my trust in thee Let integrity and uprightness preserve me for I wait on thee § 1. THE Creatures were made subject to change by the law of their creation which mutability hath been much improved by the sin of man whose guilt
with Absalom 2 Sam. 14.24 Notwithstanding Absalom hath Davids heart yet must he not see his face Thus when God rebukes the soul for sin though his love be great yet his face shall not appear gracious And this for wise and holy ends most advancing his own glory and the souls good Some of which ends may be these 1. To chastise some stubbornness of spirit and to correct some wilful disobedience Be the Saints of God never so dear to him yet if they put out the light of councel he will put out the light of comfort if they break his bonds of rule he will bind them in chains of distress Wilful disobedience is that cursed bramble Judg. 9.15 from whence as in Jotham's parable there does come forth the fire of divine displeasure to parch and wither the tallest Cedars of Lebanon the devoutest Saints of Christs Church Or 2. It may be we grow wanton with Gods ordinances and he therefore uncloaths them of their quickening vertue and refreshing vigor because we approach them without awful reverence and an holy fear Or 3. It may be the Heart begins to harden and exalt it self and therefore God withdraws his favor and secretly rebukes the soul with terrors to bring the offender upon his knees and lay him low in humiliations melting him like wax thereby fitted as more pliable to receive the impressions of his grace and the seal of his love O the streams of spiritual comforts Jam. 4.6 which water the fruitful vallies of humble souls whilst the lofty mountains of spiritual pride are parch'd with thirst Or 4. It maybe God withdraws himself in his gracious presence from the soul to sweeten enlarge and establish its fuller comforts The toil and troubles of a barren Wilderness make more sweet the milk and honey of a fruitful Canaan As Nature hath its times and seasons so hath Grace the Winter-frosts prepare for Summer-fruits and the pruning furthers a better growth Thus Spiritual afflictions make for the Spirits further consolations Heb. 12 11. and to be exercised with inward distresses helps to the increase of grace and a further strengthening of the inward man It is indeed the method of Gods dealing with a soul first to humble it by a spirit of bondage Rom. 8 15. then to raise it by a spirit of adoption Again he withdraws himself in his spiritual comforts wherewith he cherisht our faith and love that he may try their strength and prove their sincerity further rooting the soul in humility and godly fear and after this Grace having taken deep root in the heart it brings forth the more abundant fruit of peace and comfort to the soul Yea hereby God not only tries our love to him but the more endears his love to us in that when we seem'd in our selves to be wholly lost and quite cast off he then appeared in the Mount in our greatest extremity for succor and salvation turning the signs of his wrath into testimonies of his love and changing our dismal estate of doubts and fears and mournings into a glad condition of holy confidence enlarg'd hope and refreshing comforts Oh how must this needs win the heart to a greater enlargement of love when it feels it self restor'd to so great an enlargement of delight yea so cleer an evidence of Gods favor in having brought us through the fire Mal. 3.2.3 2 Tim 2 21. 1 Pet. 2.9 and purified us to himself a peculiar treasure even vessels of honor Lastly To this end also God hides his face and withholds the light of his countenance even to quicken our longing desires after Christ and to convince the soul of its immediate dependance upon him For by how much we are the more dejected distressed and restless in our selves by so much shall we be the more eager in our longings after and the more zealous in our enjoyments of the Lord Jesus who alone can bring peace and comfort and rest to the inward man The brightest stars in the firmament of heaven the holiest Saints in the Church of Christ derive their light as of grace so of peace as of life so of comfort from Christ the Sun of righteousness Mal. 4 2. and therefore that they may know and own their dependance upon him he oftentimes shuts in his light and then the soul presently finds it self in a dismal and darksom deep of mournful distress And oh what a shop of fears is this gulf of darkness what sad apprehensions amaze the soul But now when Christ breaks forth in his light of comfort and peace oh the transporting joy that attends this return of love The devout Saint as they redeem'd from Babylons Captivity becomes as one that dreams Ps 126 1. he is strangely enwrapt with spiritual rejoycings so that he makes his boast of the Lord and his praise is continually in his mouth his thankfulness is redoubled with his joys Ps 34.1 2. and his duties enlarged with his delights 5. Though God is least in appearance yet is he most in power though he is not chearing and refreshing with his favor yet is he guiding and supporting with his hand making spiritual temptations his chief preparations when he designs any of his Saints to eminent actings or glorious sufferings David's Worthies are best acquainted with the experiences of War the skilful Pilate knows well what it is to be in winds and storms the choise Vessel is the oftner cast into the fire for its refining and certain it is the eminentest Saints in Christ Church have been well tutor'd in his School of temptations Hear Elihu Job 33.22 speaking of a man whose soul draweth near to the grave and his life to the destroyers v. 23. He tels us that Messenger that Interpreter who can shew unto him his uprightness raising him in his dejections 2 Cor. 12.7 he is as rare as excellent one of a thousand That S. Paul was so strongly tempted so fiercely buffeted it was not so much to his personal as to his ministerial advantage that he might the better have the tongue of the learned learn'd by experience in himself how to speak a word in season to him that is weary Isa 50.4 And see what Cordials the Apostle doth administer such as himself had tasted and tryed That he comforts others 2 Cor. 1.4 it is by the same comfort wherewith he himself was comforted of God And as thus spiritual temptations are Gods chief preparations when he designs any of his Saints to eminent actings so secondly when he designs them to glorious sufferings For he who hath been exercised in spiritual afflictions knows well how insufficient and vain the best things of the world are to administer true solace to the soul and therefore he will not be so loth to part with and despise that which he knows by best experience to be empty and vain yea the soul will not fear to grapple with the Worlds fury which hath once wrestled
77.5 mancipia praesentium captived in our judgment to things present but do with David consider the days of old and the years of antient times the Church presents us with a view of that her so glorious a deliverance from under the bondage of Egypt and from under the captivity of Babylon and these so eminent before Christs coming in the flesh And since his ascension to heaven the Church presents us with that her so glorious deliverance from under the Roman tyranny and after from under the Arian fury and of later years from under the Anabaptists frensie These the deliverances of the Church Oecumenical But which is more full to our present and particular comfort the Church presents us with her deliverances here at home which have been national as that from the Danish inundation of Idolatry that from the Romish infatuation of Popery and that from the Marian deluge of blood and flames of violent persecution Thus God having delivered this his Church from the conspiracies and violence of forein and homebred enemies from the fire and sword the wit and malice of cruel persecutors From these experiments of deliverance she raiseth her faith to an humble assurance that he will in the end of all deliver her from the compendium of all the present rage of Heresie and furious zeal of Schism 3. The pleadings of Gods providence thereby justifying the cause of his Church and discovering the wickedness of her enemies Thus it was of old Corah and his company mov'd with malice and envy conspire against Moses and Aaron Num. 16.1 c. thereby striking at the root of Magistracy and Ministry But see the event cleer contrary to their design and expectation God so orders the matter in the pleadings and disposings of his providence that thereby Moses becomes more honorable and Aaron more eminent both the Kingly and Priestly office more illustrious in the eyes of the People And if we pass from the sacred Scripture to Ecclesiastical History we find that whilst the cruel Persecutors of the Primitive Saints thought to have drowned Christianity in a sea of blood yet then was sanguis martyrum semen ecclesiae the blood of the Martyrs the seed of the Church which became enlarg'd not destroyed by the sufferings of the Saints In all those flames of persecutions the Church like Moses bush Exod 3 2. Num 17 8. it consumed not but like Aarons rod after her night of distress she became more fresh and flourishing more eminent for the purity of her faith and holiness Christs conquest over his enemies is not only military by a potent and prevailing force but especially it is judiciary by just and righteous pleadings Jer. 2 9. Mic. 6 9. and therefore he first strikes with the rod of his mouth to conviction and then with the rod of his hand to destruction God in the execution of his judgments upon the wicked he likes well that mens consciences subscribe to the equity of his proceedings their own practises witnessing against themselves and their own witness and law too condemning them Open we our eyes then and see In the Churches distress whilst God frowns upon his people in correcting their sin how does he still own them in pleading their cause justifying their profession of righteousness and faith by the very cross actings of their enemies designs Yea it is worthy our observation That whereas the Enemies of Christs Church have urg'd Gods owning them and their cause by a continued series of temporal successes though this in its self a Turkish argument and so not fit to overthrow or stagger a Christians faith how does God retort the argument by giving such signal and remarkable passages of his Providence that they seem very near giving up to a reprobate sense who after the voice of Gods word shall stop their ear to the voice of his providence in which he brings the pens and tongues and practises of the Churches adversaries to make good her cause and justifie what she hath taught and profest Look we upon the present estate of the Church of England and how do we find it too unhappily like that of the Church of Judah For that we may say of our several Factions and Schisms what they say of the children of Ammon Moab and Mount Seir 2 Chro. 20.10 we may truly say of them that the Church not invading and subduing not quelling and suppressing them when we came out of Egypt even when by a religious Reformation we forsook the Romish superstition Behold how they reward us even to cast us out of our possessions v. 11. not only the possession of our own temporal estates but even of Gods holy worship Now in the depth of this calamity in which we seem to be forsaken of God herein does God own his people that he lays upon their adversaries the curse of the Midianites Ammonites and Edomites v. 23. even one to defeat and destroy another True it is Gods power is invincible Ps 44 4. his wisdom unsearchable and his judgment unavoidable so that he can command deliverance for Jacob or if that will not do it he can create help for his people Yet such is the wonder of his providence that he orders seeming casualties particular unexpected and unthought of emergencies to bring forward his peoples deliverance Of which we have ample testimony in the history of Ioseph's advancement by Pharoah and Esther's by Ahasuerus the one to preserve Israel in the cradle and the other to restore him from the grave Things independent in their relation unsubordinate in their being God oftentimes makes them concur in the order of his providence for his Church's restauration that the World may know it is the counsel of his will and the work of his hand acted to this end even the greater glorification of his own name and the clearer justification of his peoples cause Let the providence of God frame the Argument of Divine conviction in what mood or figure he please sure I am God will so order the Premises that the Conclusion shal be his own glory and his Church's good which two are never more eminent then when in the pleadings of his providence God justifies the cause of his Church and discovers the wickedness of her adversaries The Rules of Direction Ps 73.17 1. With David enter the Sanctuary of God Interiora veritatis penetralia so S. Ambrose Search the more secret mysteries of Gods truth So shalt thou find the ground of thine impatience is thine ignorance v. 22. that thou art velut jumentum as a beast before the Lord As a beast thou look'st upon the affairs of this life in their outward appearance with the eye of sense thou doest not so well view them in their secret providence by the eye of faith For that thus viewing the ungodly in their prosperity we understand their latter end 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we become spectators of their last Scene and thereby see their sad
glory to reward their constancie Be it so then O afflicted soul that thou liest under heavy pressures length of time adding to their weight of misery yet that neither the burden nor continuance of thy trouble may bear down thy patience or break off thy constancie here is a Center of rest for thy soul a ground of comfort to establish thy faith even the firm assurance Christ gives us in his Word of his indulgent care over his Church and chosen 2. Our Lord Jesus Christ in his indulgent care over his Church and chosen he makes thine afflictions the longer that thine humiliations may be the deeper and by how much thou art the more firmly rooted in humility by so much shalt thou be the more fully established in grace 2 Cor. 12. Thus S. Paul he is no sooner stept out of heaven but he is presently set upon by hâ—ll he hath no sooner done conversing with the Angels v. 7. but he is presently buffeted by Satan and his temptation is still continued v. 8. notwithstanding his supplications are so often renewed And wherefore was it but that he might be the more fully humbled That he was wrapt up to the third heaven could not secure him from the danger of sin or hell O the vanity of mans mind and the deceitfulness of his heart S. Paul so holy so humble yet is he in danger of spiritual pride of being exalted above measure even puffed up in conceit above what he was lift up in exstasie Wherefore it must be a strong buffeting and of long continuance to beat down this pride and quell this haughtiness Thus it would be a matter of much support to the faithful in their affliction to discern aright also what is the good in temporal distresses as well as in spiritual temptations what is the good to comfort as well as what is the evil to afflict For that both the adversities and prosperities of this life they have their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their bitter-sweets In every worldly good there is some vexing evil and in every worldly evil there is some comforting good And therefore in all our afflictions we should rather exercise our patience then our passion our grace of humility and meekness rather then our affections of grief and anger unless it be that we turn the stream into the right channel by mourning for sin and a penitential indignation against our iniquity This this is to master our passions in making our temporal troubles become serviceable to our spiritual advantage This the practice and profession of the faithful in the Prophets hymn Isa 26.8 In the way of thy judgments O Lord have we waited for thee In the dispensing of which judgments it is Gods method to put in the sickle when the harvest is ripe Joel 3.13 Isa 63.6 Gen. 15.16 Jer. 51.13 to tread out the grapes when the wine-press is full to cut off a people when the measure of their iniquity is made up Thus the end of Babylons peace and the measure of her sin meet together And It is time Lord saith David to put to thy hand for men have made void thy law Ps 119.126 Such is the rage of the wicked in their impiety and such the impudence of their sin that they seek to rase the very Ordinances of God and cancel the very Records of Heaven in casting out the name and worship the fear and service of the Lord out of his Church And when it is thus with men then is it time for God to put to his hand in the fury and vengeance of his wrath then is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the fixt and set time Ps 102.13 which his wisdom and justice hath preordain'd and constituted in which notwithstanding the low expectations and small preparations notwithstanding the seeming impossibility of the means and real improbability of the act he shall wound and strike through his and the Churches enemies Ps 110.5 Ps 16 8. Ps 100.5 And therefore is he said to be at her right hand emphatically declaring his readiness of presence and of power for her protection and deliverance Now in this way and method of his judgments it is that the faithful wait for him whilst worldly men and carnal minds murmure and complain quarrel and repine grudge and blaspheme They wait even till the measure of others sins and their own sufferings be full knowing well that Gods chastisements upon his Church they are not to consume and destroy but to purifie and refine Isa 1.25 Mal. 3.2 3. Isa 27.9 And therefore shall there not be one degree of heat more in the fire nor one moments continuance more in the furnace then the metals refining requires not one dram or minute more of affliction then the Church's purifying calls for And for this reason the faithful in all humility submit unto Gods will thereby making it appear that the desire of their soul is to his name that he may be glorified rather then that they may be delivered preferring suffering before sin affliction before transgression a continuing in distress before an engaging in what is wicked and rebellious 3. When God answers not prayer by enlargements of comfort Isa 50.10 he then does it by strength of support composing the soul to the purest and perfectest act of obedience upon earth even to rely upon God in his promises by faith when there is no sensible testimony of his love To depend and rest upon God under clouds and desertions Job 19.20 21.25 c. 2 Cor. 1.8 9 10 is a secret martyrdom of the soul advancing Gods glory in its deep affliction and preferring the truth and faithfulness of Gods promise above all Satans suggestions or its own fears Be it so then O thou afflicted soul be it so that God does delay yet does he not deny the returns of his love in the refreshings of his Spirit but he is therefore the longer absent that thou mayst be the more eagerly longing and thereby the better prepar'd to receive his blessings of love and to prise them Spiritual enlargements as all other good things they are more prised in their want then in their enjoyment Sol nisi cùm deficit spectatorem non habet says Seneca Men most look after the Sun when his light is eclypsed and so do our souls after Christ when his favour is clouded his face hid Thus how often is it that God does put grace in the soul when yet he does not publish it in the conscience And so it is with the faithful as with Moses Exod. 34.29 Moses his face shines to the Jews when yet he knew not of its lustre himself Thus many times the faithful have their graces eminent in others observation when yet they discern them not in their own apprehension God giving supporting strength when he withholds enlarging comforts The Rules of Direction 1. Keep faith and a good conscience For as a ship tossed with contrary winds such
approved may be made manifest among you THE INTRODUCTION The Introduction WHen I see the greatest Lights of Learning have their Mists of Error I cannot think Ignorance shall go free Enter we the Schools and there we have Aquinas Doctor Angelicus Bonaventure Doctor Seraphicus Scotus Doctor Subtilis and Alexander Hales Doctor Irrefragabilis but enter we the Congregation and there instead of Angelical Aquine Seraphical Bonaventure Subtile Scotus and Irrefragable Hales Instead of these we meet with what I blush to tell you the Illuminated Cobler the Sublime Coachman the Profound Skinner the Inspired Waterman and the like And now finding so much Error in the Prophets Schools shall we seek for truth in the Separate Congregations No sure their many new lights what are they but so many antiently exploded Heresies Those very Errors which lay urned and buried with their Founders are raked up by the hand of a proud ignorance and their dust thrown in the eyes of the vulgar to a blinding them with folly that they cannot see the truth Whilest then we view the learned Schools or the illuminated Congregations with those in Melancthons time Quos fugiamus habemus sed quos sequamur non intelligimus We have whom we may flie but understand not whom we may follow Seeing therefore with the travailing woman the Churches embleme seeing with her we are driven into the Wilderness Revel 12.1 2 6. what shall be our guide that we loose not our way where shall we finde our Cynosure our Polestar to direct us in our passage that we miss not of life and salvation by Jesus Christ Why see see I point you to our Book of Articles that Summary of Faith that Star of Truth borrowing its Sacred Light from the Sun of Righteousness in the Gospel of our Jesus This this Commentary of our Creed it hath had the Gospel Testimony that of Martyrdom and being published to the view of the whole world it hath been approved by the judgment of Reformed Churches and justified here at home by the ablest Pens against all the arguments of Popish and Heretical opposers Now then Beloved seeing these are your days of great tryal hold fast to this form of sound Doctrine keep close to this Pillar of saving truth what St. Paul foretold is now come to pass and this Scripture is this day fulfilled in your ears 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There must be also Heresies among you that they which are approved may be made manifest among you 2. The quantity of guilt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 even or also Heresies Explic. Whereby the Apostle doth denote unto us the more hainous guilt of Heresie being above that of Schism for so relating to the former verse whereas the Apostle had heard that there were Schisms among them he receives the report with a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I partly believe it Vers 18. And as a Reason of this his facility and easiness of belief he addes this Premonition For there must be also Heresies among you As if he had said That I am so easily perswaded there are Schisms is from hence That I certainly know there shall be Heresies among you even Heresies which are of a more hainous guilt to the Soul and a more destructive danger to the Church And thus this Particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as in Gal. 5.12 it is added 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and by way of an Auxesis intimating the aggravation of Heresie from its comparison with Schism Now how horrid a sin Schism is may appear from the judgment of St. Cyprian founded upon the Testimony of St. Paul Cypr. de Uniâ—aâ— Eccles nâ—m 12. Macula ista nec sauguine abluitur gravis haec culpa nec passione purgatur It is a stain upon the Soul not washt of with our blood a guilt upon the Conscience not expiated by Martyrdom And this Cyprians Assertion is founded upon St. Pauls Doctrine in 1 Cor. 13.3 Though I give my body to be burned and have not charity it profiteth me nothing Schism as violating the Bond of Charity destroyes the Churches Unity but Heresie beside the breach of the Churches Unity as violating the Foundation of Faith destroyes the Churches Being the very Essential Form of the Church consists in Union the Bond of which Union is Faith which Faith Heresie destroyes both in the Object and in the Act both as to Doctrine and as to Grace Matth. 18.17 Observe our Saviour He that will not hear the Church let him be to thee Velut Ethnicus as an Heathen that is Let him be excommunicate and cast out of the Church This for the Schismatick but hear Tertullian Tertul. de Pulic c. 19. Apud nos Ethnico par super Ethnicum haereticus habetur With us the Heretick is accounted not onely as but even worse then the Heathen And if we ask Epiphanius the reason his answer is ready Epiphan in Anchorat n. 9. and resolute 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A perverse faith is worse then Infideiity and so the Heretick is worse then the Heathen Both indeed have their Infidelity onely with this difference the Heathens infidelity is Negative and the Hereticks is Positive Now as sins of Commission exceed in guilt sins of Omission so the Hereticks infidelity which is Positive exceeds in guilt the Infidelity of the Heathen which is Negative Besides open enmity is not so hateful as secret treachery nor a profest adversary so odious as a perjur'd friend If we consult the writings of the sacred Scriptures and of the antient Fathers we finde an holy zeal pursuing Heresie with the blackest characters of guilt and heaviest sentence of doom ask St. Peter and he will tell us 2 Pet. 2.1 2. Heresies they are pernicious destructive damnable Tit. 1.11 Ezek. 22.25 they subvert whole houses they devour souls they seize the heart and life of Religion corrupting the minde and stupifying the Conscience 1 Tim. 4.2 2 Tim. 3.8 Revel 8.11 to a making blinde hardened seard reprobate This the wormwood which makes bitter the waters of the Sanctuary this the leaven that sowres the whole lump Matth. 16.11 the whole Doctrine of the Gospel Matth. 13.38 this the tares which choak the good Wheat in Christs field this the canker that so deeply eats 2 Tim 2.17 the gangreen that so dangerously spreds in the Body of the Church Rev. 9.1 this the smoak of the furnace and of the infernal pit that darkens the Sun and infects the Air that clouds the Truth and corrupts the Word of Grace These the black characters of Heresie in the writings of the sacred Scriptures and the like we finde in the writings of the antient Fathers Cyril in Joan. l. 1. c. 4. Cyril he calls Hereticks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Devils journeymen in the works of destruction Nazian Orat. 42. and gins of death Nazianzen he calls them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Satans
fast to them and to their doctrine keep firm to that profession of Faith which the Orthodox Clergy have preached in their Sermons and still preach in their sufferings such as never yet renounced or contradicted their subscriptions The sum of our Churches Doctrine Worship Discipline and Government contained in the Liturgy in the Thirty nine Articles the Book of Homilies and of Ordination These every Minister did subscribe to even those Ministers did set to their hands in subscription to justifie them who after lift up their hands in Covenant to destroy them But God grant them Repentance and us Perseverance them Repentance of their Revolt and us Perseverance in the Faith that at the last day the Church may say to us what Christ said to his Apostles Luâ— â— 28 Ye are they which have continued with me in my temptations and then shall Christ in the view of the whole World reward our Patience and crown our Constancy making it manifest fully manifest That we are approved Thus have we done with the several particulars of the Explication and of the Application what remains but your practice Halleluiah THE FIRST SERMON UPON Matth. 28. V. 19. and part of the 20. Go ye therefore and teach all Nations Baptising them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you Introduction IF we who serve in the Sanctuary do as men intrusted in greatest Affairs and Imployments should do often view our Commission from our Saviour as his Ministers 1 Cor. 4.1 Matth. 10.24 2 Cor. 5.20 from our Lord as his Stewards from our Master as his Servants yea from our King as his Ambassadors This frequent view will animate our Ministry with a zealous vigor encouraged in our Service by the authority and presence of our Lord and Master See the Preface to my Text and we finde our Saviour victoriously risen from the Grave and before he triumphantly ascends into Heaven he orders the affairs of his Church on Earth speaking unto his Apostles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the things concerning the Kingdom Acts 1.3 The Kingdom of which he is Soveraign All power being given unto him in Heaven and in Earth which power he hath promised shall never fail his Church For so says Christ unto his Apostles and all their Successors in the close and compline of the Text Behold I am with you unto the end of the World I am with you in the work of your Ministry with you to prosper your labors and protect your persons To prosper your labors making Disciples not to your selves but to me You I have deputed to the Office of Preaching my Word and administring my Sacraments and therefore they who own me their Master shall acknowledge you my Ministers But further I am with you Matth. 10.40 as to prosper your labors so to protect your persons I will plead your right vindicate yo r authority punish your contempt and avenge your injury If any sleight and despise the office of your ministry if any question or doubt the efficacy of mine Ordinances my Word my Sacraments see my power behold my presence maugre all the malice and rage of men and devils of earth and hell the ministry of my Gospel and Grace shall stand let this then be your encouragement and comfort let this be your assurance and establishment I will justifie your Office and make good your Commission for All power is given unto me in Heaven and in Earth and lo I am with you unto the end of the World And therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Go ye teach all Nations c. The words they are the very basis and foundation of the Gospels Ministry to us Gentiles Observe in them three parts a Mission Division a Commission and particular Instructions for the exercising that Commission First The Mission delivered in an usual Grecism of the Participle for the Verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Go ye Secondly The Commission not barely no nor properly teach but more fully 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 make Disciples Dìscipulas facìte omnes gentes as Beza Disciple ye all Nations Thirdly The particular instructions for the exercising this Commission 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Baptising and Teaching admitting into the School and Church of Christ by Baptism and then tutoring and training up by Doctrine which Baptism is instituted as to the form of its ministration to be In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost and the Doctrine is prescribed as to the extent of its object to be All things whatsoever Christ hath commanded the end of wh ch Doctrine is obedience even to observe and do Thus Go ye disciple all Nations baptising them in the Name of thâ— Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you 1. The Mission Go ye The three Offices of Christ as Mediator Explic. his Prophetick Priestly and Regal Office These he now exerciseth in his Church on Earth in the outward Ministry by her Pastors and in the inward Ministraâ—ion by his Spirit In the outward Ministry of the Church her Pastors do expound the Word of God Preach the Gospel of Truth unfold the Mysteries of Grace which is that part of their Ministry committed to them of Christ in the execution of his Prophetical Office Again they offer up the Sacrifices of Prayers and Thanksgivings Baptize and bless in the Name of Christ and celebrate the Sacramental solemnity of the holy Eucharist which is that part of their Ministry committed to them of Christ in the execution of his Priestly Office Further yet they bind the unbelieving and loose the Believer they excommunicate the scandalous and absolve the penitent they govern by Discipline and correct by censure which is that part of their Ministry committed to them of Christ in the execution of his Regal Office Now no part nor portion of this Ministry may any man take upon him Heb. 5.4 but being called as was Aaron that is called even with an inward and outward call as thus A man hath been brought up in the Schools of the Prophets or else where devoted himself to the study of Divinity whereby he is become in a competent measure fitted for the service of the Church 1 Pet. 5.2 when now he findes St. Peter's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a willingness of spirit and readiness of minde to employ his gifts this is the inward call of God But further to testifie and declare this there must be the outward call of the Church Christ receiving him into the Office of the Ministry by the regular Ordination of his Substitutes who alone in this representing his person can give us our Mission of a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Go ye But alas the disorder and confusion of Sacriledge and Schism What was the Prophets complaint is now our Churches groan
in the Ceremonial ordinances being abolished the Gentiles are receiv'd into communion with the Jews Eph. 3.6 being made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fellow-heirs of the same eternal inheritance heaven yea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fellow-members of the same mystical body the Church lastly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fellow-partakers of the same gracious promise that made to Abraham Gal. 3.8 when the Gospel was preached unto him that in his seed should all the nations of earth be blessed Thus we have done with the first particular what it is to disciple it is to receive into the communion of the Church 2. Who they are that are to be discipled who they are that are to be receiv'd into the Churches communion even of all Nations as many as believe and the believing Parents bringing in with them their Infant-children Of believing parents we have no doubt of the Infant-children is all the question Wherefore how come they to have any right to or share in the communion of the Church To resolve this grand Quaere I will first prove that Infants of believing parents they have a right and interest in the communion of the Church Secondly give you the reason of that interest and right First prove that Infants of believing parents have a right and interest in the communion of the Church from three Arguments 1. Because the Jews infants were members of the visible Church therefore are the Christians 2. Because our Saviour testifies that to them belongs the kingdom of God Mar. 10.14 1 Cor. 7.14 3. Because S. Paul affirms them to be holy 1. Arg. Because the Jews infants were members of the visible Church therefore are the Christians That infants were accounted members of Christs visible Church under the Law and before the Law if not from Adam as it is probable yet from Abraham as it is infallible Ger. 17.11 12. Circumcision the then initiating seal of Church-communion is our argument and proof invincible Now that infants should be within the communion of the Church under the Old Testament and not under the New under the Law and not under the Gospel is repugnant to Gods mercy and inconsistent with the Gospels fulness in the dispensations of grace Besides observe the state of Church-communion is not chang'd in its nature and essence by the access of the Gentiles For some of the natural branches being broken off Rom. 11.17 we of the wild Olive are ingraffed in and made to partake with them of the root and fatness of the good Olive-tree As with the Jews they and their children are broken off so with the Gentiles they and their children are graffed in yea with the natural branches the ingraffed Gentiles partake of the root and fatness of the Olive that is they partake with the Jews of the promises and priviledges of the Church of which priviledges this is a chief one That the infants of believing parents are members of the visible Church If it were not so the Jews children which were in Church-communion before their parents became Christians they should lose the priviledge they before enjoyed and become so far from being bettered in their estate by their parents believing in Christ come in the flesh that their estate is made very much worse And if this be so that children lose the benefit and blessing under the Gospel which they enjoyed under the Law shew us what guilt in infants forfeited it or what act of Christ repeal'd it Sure we are infants were members of the Jewish Church and that of our Saviour Mar. 10.14 Suffer little children to come unto me we shall hereafter prove confirms them members of the Christian To enlarge a little further When Jews and Gentiles are united we find in Scripture Eph. 2.14 it is by taking down the partition-wall not taking away the Churches communion If there were any change in this sure we are it were for the better not for the worse even such as might advance the grace and riches of the Gospel so that the Jews should not lose though the Gentiles gain not they have less priviledge though the Gentiles more in being one Church with them Wherefore that children should be in Church-communion before Christ's and not after Christ's coming in the flesh is so absurd a Tenent and opinion as deserves none other confutation then to be hist out of the Church Yet for your clearer satisfaction I thus plainly and fully argue the cause When the Jews were converted to the faith of Christ did their children which were before Church-members then cease to be of the Churches communion If so I ask what cast them out If the repealing of that priviledge give testimony of that repeal if the forfeiting that blessing give witness of that forfeiture On the contrary did the Infant-children of the believing Jews retain and shall not then the Infant-children of believing Gentiles receive this priviledge of the Churches communion Sure had it been the doctrine or practice of Christ or his Apostles to exclude Infants from the communion of the Church we should have heard on 't and that loudly too from the unbelieving Jews complaints and clamors though the Apostles pens and tongues had been ne'r so silent Yea doubtless had this so dearly priz'd this so long enjoy'd priviledge been either prohibited or omitted so great a change of so great a concernment would have had some special precept to warrant it or even amongst believers themselves some notable dispute if not disturbance rais'd about it 2. Arg. Our Saviours testifying that to little children belongs the kingdom of God And his testimony we have from S. Mark s Gospel Mar. 10.14 where we find some zealously devoted bringing young children unto Jesus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sucking children Sure we are they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Suidas speaks of some children borne in arms for so it is implied in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 adferebant non adducebant Apud Scap. in Lex graec they brought them in their arms not led them in their hands and Christ receives them as they brought them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He embraced them in his arms So that it is apparent beyond all contradiction they were little children very babes or infants v. 16. And these they bring to Christ as a great Prophet sent of God or the Messiah in whom they believed and to this end they bring them that he might bless them But the Apostles for what reason we know not they forbid them whose imprudent or sinful act moves our Saviour's just displeasure yea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He was much displeased saying Suffer little children to come unto me and forbid them not Where the negative command is the stronger enforcement of the affirmative precept Of both which if we enquire the reason our Saviour answers Of such is the kingdom of God that is they have a right and interest in the communion of the Church and the Covenant of grace
brings in the Directory and sets up Lay Elders and all upon this ground That what they did was conformed to the Doctrine of the Scriptures of whose interpretation themselves would be Judges But at the heels of the Presbyterian follows close the Independent and treading in his steps at last over-teacheth him in his design and carries away his Helena from him he pulls down the Classes and the Synod as humane inventions and remains of Antichrist denying That by the Scripture any Presbyters or persons whatsoever ought to have power over the Churches of Christ which are by Scripture-rule Independent in their Government to any Secular or Ecclesiastical power whatsoever And for this they urge their Scripture Texts with much heat of contention against the Presbytery pleading this their common ground of interpretering Scripture by the Spirit whose inspirations and revelations they pretend to above what the Presbytery dare own or acknowledge As then in joyning the Authority of the Scripture with the judgment of the Church was our Reformation so is it Satans subtlety and the Jesuites design both acting by the Enthusiast That in dividing the judgment of the Church from the authority of the Scriptures may be our ruine To the prevention whereof what God hath joyned together let no man put asunder The Word of God and the Ministry of the Church for so faith Christ in Instruction to his Apostles Go ye disciple all Nations 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Baptising and teaching Teaching whatsoever I have commandâ—d you 2 Having resolved you the three seasonable Questions we proceed to clear unto you two Vulgar Errors no less dangerous then epidemical as mischievous in their consequents as spreading in their infections First That the sacred Scriptures are the onely rule of all mens actions Secondly That every man may be an Interpreter of sacred Scripture Which two make up that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that grand and primary falshood which laid the ground for all that division and disobedience which hath of late broken forth into violence and blood both in Church and State 1. That the sacred Scriptures are the onely rule of all mens actions 1. Vulgar Error An opinion however made plausible yet is it indeed pernicious To state the case right That the Sacred Scriptures are our perfect rule of direction as to the knowledge of supernatural Truths in the objects of divine Faith and the exercise of supernatural Graces in the duties of Evangelical obedience we willingly acknowledge and therefore reject all humane Traditions urged by the Romanist as supplements to the Doctrine of Faith and Codicils to the Testament of Christ But now that the sacred Scriptures are our onely rule of direction in matters Civil or Natural especially as extended by the Brethren of the Separation to indifferent actions whereas indeed this opinion makes no actions to be indifferent all being commanded by the Word of God This we can by no means admit of it being an opinion which makes an inâ—et to all Schism and Sedition For Beloved upon diligent search and judicious observation you may finde That in the Controversies of this last age since the Reformation they who have so earnestly preached printed and what not for the change of Church Discipline and Government they have certainly made this the head Theorem of all their Pulpit discourse the very Corner stone of all their Babel-argumentation That simply whatsoever we do and are not thereto commanded and directed by the Word of God it is sin As if when God gave his Scriptures he then made null the Law of Nature and of Right Reason which Law of Nature and Right Reason imprinted in our hearts is as truly and indeed the Law and Word of God as that written and printed in our Bibles And therefore Non differet Scripturâ an ratione consistat Tert. de cor Miâ— c. 4. so Tertullian it will not matter much whether our warrant be from Scripture or from Reason both being the Word of God onely with this difference That Humane Reason is subordinate to Divine Revelation Besides if the Scriptures are the onely rule of all our actions then where there is no Scripture there should be no rule and where no rule no Law But to the Gentiles having no Law written in Tables there is a Law written in their hearts Rom. 2.15 and according unto this Law their Consciences do either accuse or excuse them And thus If the Gentiles have a Law then have they a rule of their actions and that to excuse too and so not every thing which is done without direction of the Scriptures is therefore sin nor yet the written Word the onely rule of what is Natural and Civil To say as some do to mitigate the rigidness and harshness of this opinion to say That the Scriptures are the rule of all mens actions in those general maxims dispersedly and occasionally set down of doing unto others Matth. 7.12 as we would they should do unto us and of doing all things decently 1 Cor. 14.40 Rom. 15.2 Phil. 4.8 orderly and to edification and the like especially of doing whatsoever things are true whatsoever things are honest whatsoever things are just whatsoever things are pure whatsoever things are lovely whatsoever things are of good report c. This were indeed to the purpose if those maxims known principles of Nature and Reason had never been heard of but by Scripture Revelation But in that holy Scripture points us expresly to those maxims in general it withal directs us implicitely to the use of Nature and Reason in all ordinary affairs in particular To convince you more fully of the great danger see the evil consequents of this Erroneous opinion which are especially these three 1. An unavoidable guilt of Superstition 2. A vexatious perplexity of Conscience 3. A seditious contempt of Humane Laws whether Civil or Ecclesiastical First An unavoidable guilt of Superstition For that this opinion takes away the indifferency of things and actions making all necessary as commanded or else to be sinful So that it is well observed the Romanist and Separatist as they go upon contrary grounds yet both false so they run into quite contrary errors yet both superstitious The error and superstition Affirmative on the one hand that 's the Romanists who cutting short the Scriptures perfection impose Humane tradition with an opinion of absolute necessity and divine authority The Error and Superstition Negative on the other hand that 's the Separatists who extending too long or rather laying too low the Scriptures perfection they condemn Natural and Civil Actions with a censure of being sinful which yet the Word of God condemneth not And thus to take away what is indifferent in its self by commanding it as absolutely necessary or forbidding it as absolutely unlawful is Superstitious By commanding it as necessary when Gods Word requires it not and by forbidding it as unlawful when Gods Word condemns it not Secondly A vexatious perplexity
manifestation of himself to his Saints In this Sanctuary is the Golden Pot of Manna even an abundant fulness of Divine Joy whose sweetness is incorruptible and everlasting yea here is Aarons Rod which being withered after budded flowred and brought forth ripe Almonds that is the dead bodies of Gods Saints raised to life are cloathed with immortality and glory Or further By the Tabernacle and Sanctuary was represented not onely the Mystical but also the Natural Body of Christ not onely his Church but also himself He the Ark of the Testament as the Word of the Father placed in the Tabernacle as cloathed with flesh He the Table of Shew-bread as our Life and Food in the Eucharist he the Candlestick as our Spiritual Light he the Incense in the sweet savor of his Merits he the Sacrifice in the sufferings of his Cross he the Altar in the efficacy of his Mediation by which ouâ— persons and our Prayers our selves and our services become accepted of the Father Further yet The Tabernacle and Sanctuary was a Map of the Universe the greater World and of Man the lesser World 1. A Map of the Universe the greater World the outward Court representing the outmost Creation the holy Place the Church of Christ and the Holy of Holies the Heavenly Presence 2. A Map of Man the lesser World consisting of Body Soul and Spirit the outward Court that 's the Body 1 Thess 5.23 the inward Tabernacle that 's the Soul and the holy Sanctuary that 's the Spirit by which Spirit we have our communion yea and our communication too with our God And well may the Temple of God be compared unto man 1 Cor. 3.16 1 Cor. 6.16 seeing man so often in Scripture is called The Temple of God Now how well might David in all these Representations of the Sanctuary contemplate a Beauty and that Beauty divine even the Beauty of the Lord No wonder then if David be so importunate in his suit to have his dwelling in so pleasant a seat as the House of the Lord an Habitation which hath Heaven for its prospect the beauty of the Lord for the object of the eye and delight of the Soul But however David doth behold the beauty of the Lord in the Sanctuary yet where is that beauty in our Churches what is that glory of his presence as may denominate them his Houses Why see it in our Churches sacred Liturgy both as to the decency and order of her daily Service and Sacramental Administrations First As to the decency and order of her daily Service There being nothing in Devotion nothing in Doctrine nothing in Substance nothing in Circumstance but what Gods Word either explicitely commands or implicitely allows O lovely Order of holy Worship right a form of Divine Service as being a continued Exercise of all the parts of holy Worship taking up the whole minde and soul of the Spiritual man In this Divine service the Church by an orderly progress of Piety and performance of Devotion sometimes makes confession of sin sometimes deprecations of wrath sometimes Petitions of mercy sometimes intercessions for all men even all estates and conditions of men whatsoever from the highest Prince to the meanest Peasant from the holiest Saint to the vilest sinners Turks and Infidels not excepted Yea in this Form of Divine service and Publick worship see how the Church of Christ doth sometimes adore Gods sacred Majesty sometimes extol his glorious attributes sometimes commemorate his famous acts sometimes recount his gracious blessings sometimes denounce his severe judgments sometimes declare his Fatherly promises sometimes set forth his heavenly praises Sometimes the Church makes profession of her Faith sometimes she publisheth the commands of her God sometimes she is humbled in larger yet not long winded supplications sometimes she is exercised in shorter yet piercing and pathetical ejaculations All which hang together not as mens extemporary non-sense like ropes of Sand but in an orderly composure like a chain of Gold one part still linkt within another to become a fit ornament to set off the Churches beauty whereby she is the more comely and fair in the eyes of her beloved Secondly View we the Beauty of holy Worship in the Churches Publick Administrations to instance in that one of the blessed Sacrament of the Eucharist O how does Divine Order Reverence and Devotion mutually contend which shall give greatest lustre to the Beauty of this solemnity First the judgment is rightly informed from sacred Scripture in the Mysteries of that blessed Sacrament And the judgment being rightly informed by instruction the affections are divinely raised by exhortation set on with that perswasive argument and inforcing motive the riches of grace and promises of life which God hath vouchsafed unto his chosen through Christ This done the Church proceeds to an oral confession of sins and upon that a Ministerial absolution of the penitent and after with heart and hands and eyes lift up to Heaven all joyn together in the devout Harmony of Prayers and Praises Then the Faithful Pastor of the Flock having offered unto God the Sacrifice of his own Rev. 8.3 and others Devotion ascending up before the Throne of Grace as sacred Odors made acceptable through the Incense of Christs merits he proceeds with fear and reverence to the Consecration of the Sacramental Elements and how is this why observe It is with a most pathetical commemoration of Gods love of Christs passion and of mans redemption yea with an obediential and Eucharistical acknowledgement of Christs holy Institution with the Order and End of the blessed Sacrament Upon which is pronounced the Word of blessing with Prayer consecrating the Bread and Wine to be the Sacramental signs and seal of Christs Body and Blood The Consecration ended View we the Administration in which the dearest pledges of Divine love are delivered with a Summary Recapitulation of the whole Sacraments mystery That so the Soul of the receiver may have a present impression of renewed Devotion in the very act of receiving This Ministration being performed the close of the whole service is applicatory of the whole solemnity in most devout and pathetical Prayers with Heavenly and Evangelical praises which being ended the Congregation is dismist with a Ministerial Benediction Now ex pede Herculem know ye the Eagle by its Feather the Diamond by its spark the excellency of the Churches Liturgy by this one part of her Publick service the solemnity of the Eucharist of which Sacraments administring I may say what St. Paul said of the Corinthians prophesying 1 Cor. 14.25 That if an unbeliever or any one except a pertinacious Separatist come into the Congregation of Gods people while they are exercised in this solemn service of Divine Order Reverence and Devotion he will be ready to fall down upon his face and worship God reporting that God is in them of a truth I may confidently affirm That so lovely is the Beauty of the Churches Order