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A91927 Collections, or brief notes gathered out of Mr Daniel Rogers's practical catechism for private use : and how hereby communicated to som private friends, towards the building of them up in their holie faith. / By R.P. D. R. (Daniel Rogers), 1573-1652.; R. P. 1648 (1648) Wing R1795; Thomason E1138_1; ESTC R210078 131,966 329

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's thine and thy supplie II. The Adjunct of the Church of Christ The Adjunct of the Church is the Communion of Saints and members of this mystical bodie of Christ which is nothing els but the due entercours and holie fellowship reciprocally between member and member for the good of the whole Two things wee are to consider in this Communion of members in the Church 1. Due qualifying of the persons that are to communicate 2. Due exercise of communion among them that are so qualified 1. Qualification generally stand's in this that they bee brethren No sooner is a man a believer and a new creature born to God but hee is also a brother No bastard no stranger no Gibeonite no blemish't one may enter the temple of this Communion More specially they have the true Spirit of brethren of members by which the former is manifested to bee true Wee must know that this Spirit of Communion is the priviledg of the whole Invisible Church before it bee the spirit of any particular member for the members draw spirit from the bodie as the bodie from the head Now this spirit is flowing from Christ who hath therefore shed his blood for his Church not onely that hee might unite it together with it self but also that it might edifie it self in love And the Lord Jesus hath obteined this Spirit from his Father This Spirit of Communion may bee discovered in these two particulars First in the spirit of Preserving her self in her estate and integritie Secondly in the spirit of Furniture for the several operations whereby communion may bee supported I. In preserving Communion and this it doth 1. By separation of fals parts or contrarie which threaten ruine to her Mettals melted will go together and unite their substance but sever the dross which is of another nature from incorporateing with them the Citizen of the heavenly Jerusalem hee loathes swearers liers forswearers usurers and so of the rest No communication between Christ and Belial light and darkness 2. By gathering together of new This preserving Spirit is also a drawer of like parts to her self for the filling up and strengthening of Communion shee is still aiming at the bodies increase and therefore as the waters of the sea win upon the banks so doth this spirit of Communion seek out and enlarge her borders Our Lord Jesus the head of this communion spent his life in gathering members to this bodie Peter gathered 3000. at once and each member of it doth or ought to becom all in all to gain som 3. By preventing of any thing hurtful to herself This Spirit is warie to defeat whatsoever attempts may bee made against her communion either by opposite persons or properties II. The Spirit Furnishe's the Church with all such gifts as serv to maintain communion Such are 1. Love mother-grace of all the rest that which Saint John so magnifie's 1 Joh. 5. 1. Hee that loveth him that begat love's him that is begotten It 's the band of perfection that hold's in all the duties of Communion as the corner-stone doth the sides of the wall 2. Sociableness a compound of three coards not easily broken viz. 1. Amiableness which is that holy suavitie of spirit which opposeth tartness austeritie sowreness and sullenness whereby men are like ragged unhewen stones unmeet to couch in this holie building 2. Humbleness which opposeth pride which is a vice excommunicate from true fellowship of Saints causing men to think themselvs their parts their persons too good for communion It 's discerned by two marks peaceableness and equalness 3. Self-denial contrarie to Self-love the bane of communion when men seek their own esteem credit end profit and prais and if they fail thereof they little look how the publick welfare goe's forward 3. Tendernes and compassion Gal. 6. 1. If any bee prevented by error ignorance Satan sudden temptation let him that is stronger set him in joint again so the word is and restore him in the spirit of meekness II The Exercise of Communion stand's in three things 1. Graces 2. Means or Ordinances 3. Services or Duties I. In Graces In the tradeing whereof these rules must bee observed First bring in thy stock into this bank each member in this staple of Communion must get the gift of exchange hee must maintain a due entercours Secondly Humilitie is an excellent mean to exercise communion in graces condescending to men of low degree Proud ones get little and do little in this communion of Saints Thirdly Covet others graces 1 Cor. 12. 31. Covet the things that are most excellent Appetite after the graces of communion is the instinct of God's spirit for the growth of Graces Men that hunt the Bezar seek not her flesh but that which is precious in her the stone which is so cordiall Base respects are nothing to the Saints in regard of this jewel Fourthly extract graces from others Solomon saith Prov. 20. 6. There is wisdom in the heart of the wise and a man of understanding will get it out Delilah lay at Sampson till hee had told her his whole heart So should'st thou that seekest the grace of others First by putting thy case in their persons whom thou tradest with as if thou wouldest learn what patience in sickness and pain is or how thou mightest die well ask others how should yee do in this case make mine your own Secondly observ wisely what fall's from the godly in their communion and conversation over-see not their words behaviors affections zeal scopes Thirdly let faith bee the chief extractor All things are yours saith Paul meaning all graces in all the members it 's a great help of profiting when as wee believ all the graces of others are ours allotted us by priviledg from Christ whose wee are Fifthly Rest not onely in the outward object but pierce into the inward There is more in a Saint then a bare sentence or carriage will express Look into the bottom as the Cherub into the mercie-seat Sixthly Bee wise to chuse thy object Each man excell's not in each grace or gift And when wee meet not with that wee look for wee think meanly of men as Naaman did beeing crossed by Elisha But the Graces of God are to bee marked as they bee most eminent As in Moses his meekness in Phinehas his zeal in Abraham faith II. In Meanes or Ordinances These edifie the Church First as they are ties and bands of Communion Secondly as they are active instruments or helps to beget and nourish it 1. As ties and bands Psal 122. Jerusalem is called a compacted Citie knit together by the Assemblies by the Sacrifices by the Thrones of Judgment Act. 2. 46. The Church continued and ●lave together in the use of the Ordinances the sacrament especially of the Supper Experience teacheth that the fellowship of the Word Praier and the like is the life strength blood and marrow of communion Wee see that the common ties of nature education and place do much tie
contrarietie of Spirit unto it Jo. 14. 4. and 5. 14. Psal 5. 15. Rom. 7. 23. propension to any sin and unaptness to any good 2. So for the penalties a seed of utter impenit●nci● disobedience obstinacie apostasie excommunication from God From this fountain proceeded both actual sins and actual penalti●s Sins of commission omission ignorance presumption inward habits as hypocrisie earthliness ignorance error prophaneness unthankfulness hardness of heart Outward acts impiousness unrighteousness intemperancie and the like So penalties actual as the impuritie and curs of conception and birth the loss of the right and dominion of the creatures the curs on God's blessings hellish terrors diseases povertie discredit imprisonment fear of death guiltiness of judgment and utter miserie of loss and sens in hell Such a penaltie upon Adam's nature as made it truly miserable in stead of beeing truly happie This miserie hath two branches 1. The miserie of sin 2. The miserie of punishment 1. Miserie of sin is either of the root Original or the branches Actual sin both makeing the Soul truly though not equally miserable The miserie of Original sin standeth in two things 1. Original guilt 2. Original stain or pollution both being the fountains of all actual guilt and pollution of conscience Original guilt is that privitie and reflection of conscience whereby hee told himself continnally that hee had fallen and therefore must die the death in each kinde of it bodie and Soul This perpetual Alarum of conscience in his nature was the first part of his finfull miserie And to say the truth what miserie is like to this to bee ever on the rack of a man 's own spirit suggesting and boading him sad things to com for his sin threatning him with perpetual ruine Original stain or pollution is set forth either in the whole or in the parts Touching the whole the holy Ghost expresseth it by the word Death for as death is the resolution of nature so is this death of the Soul a total abolishment and corruption of that blessed frame of creätion in Minde by light in Will by holiness Touching the parts in the minde there is a death of all pure light and knowledg in the will of subjection in the affections of direction to the right objects in the conscience of all welfare and pureness in the spirits senses and members there is a death of that abilitie and serviceableness to the Soul in good things and a proneness and tickling to bee imploied profanely and unholily To conclude there is a death of the Person in respect of that right and sovereigntie over the creatures with a slavish proneness rather to idolize them both in the worship of som and the love or use of others a declenfion from God and a revolt to the base creature as Eve did to the forbidden fruit The miserie of Actual sin is the depravedness of death of all the operations flowing from the soul within or the bodie without 11. The miserie of punishment stand's in the manifold penalties both of soul and bodie In the Soul first an aversness from God an uncapableness of admitting of any meanes to draw the Soul out of miserie to any better estate a spirit of resisting and opposition to any such a proneness to bee riveted more and more deeply into this wo with less or less feeling or believing it Touching the bodie what languors and diseases are incident to it what povertie baseness beggerie and want to the estate what reproach to the name and credit aspersions slanders dishonors what miserie in familie Church and Common-wealth Crosses streights pursuits losses forfeits death of friends imprisonment bad tideings famin war pestilence and a thousand waies for him to go wofullie out who came but one way into the World besides grief of minde melancholie passions and distempers of the spirit bad conscience ill marriage lewd children ill success ruine of estate and at last a miserable death and yet the upshot of all is worst after viz. a final separation from GOD and loss of his eternal presence with the sens of unutterable intolerable unavoidable wrath of God in Hell upon the whole man for ever without the least hope of help or redress in or from himself Vse I. To consute the Papists who denie this death of nature and say there bee left in the unregenerate such abilities and devotions as may congruously dispose God to pardon them and by som help of grace merit also full forgiveness It likewise reprov's natural Papilts who doat upon their civil moral or religious duties except yee also denie your selvs and behold the miseries of your natures yee will fare wors in time even by your righteousness then if ye had none For why do not ye graff upon a rotten stock and guild a rotten post So also such as commend men's natures saying oh such are so sweetly natur'd courteous loving milde and harmless that there is but little between them and heaven alas how many of those sweet creatures are as bitter enemies to God's grace as friends to civilitie and fair carriage And also such as defend their passions by their nature saying it 's my nature to bee so hot I have soon don fool think'st thou thy nature is more excusable then thy passion Men think the Minister should onely reproov gross sins but should not bee bitter against infirmities oh God would fain draw thee from the open to the secret sins of thy heart least thy freedom from the gorsser should destroy thee Vse II. This should caus thee to look upward and to gage the greatness of Christ's love which could sinde in his heart to satisfie for such a miserie to fetch happiness out of the depth of it The height depth of mercie cannot bee sounded till thou take measure of it by the depth of miserie Little sin to forgive will make Christ little loved Lett us not lessen and mince our sins in hope of more easie pardon but if wee should magnifie the grace of Christ lett us first magnifie and enlarge our sin to the uttermost if Christ see that wee rather hope in our small sin then his great grace wee are dead men The way to get pardon is to equal his price to all our miserie That love that would rather satisfie for all then any should condemn mee is of infinite dimensions Vse III. This should caus us to wonder at the goodness of Gods dispensation of this miserie that both in the sin and in the penaltie it should bee so mitigated by the providence of that God who for universal ends restraineth the force and violence of this miserie Let us acknowledg the singular patience of God to dispens so mercifully with man all save hell being meer indulgence of mercie Vse IV. It teacheth us to judg aright of sin to count our selvs miserable by it to judg of it not by the matter or act of it but by the villanie of it against the majestie of God his crown and
of Christ as flesh reckoned to his Divinitie made an equal satisfaction to God's offended Majestie The influence and valor of the divine nature assisting the humane for the fulfilling of the merit for if the Suretie fail in any point his undertakeing is uneffectual The Mediator then beeing to mediate between God and Man must needs bee God 1. In respect of those evils hee was to expiate as sin and uncleanness 2. those enemies hee was to vanquish as Satan death and wrath 3. Those good things hee was too purchase eternal righteousness the image of God and glorie hereafter in the presence of God Vsn I. Let this teach us to adore the Mysterie of the Godhead of Christ that wee rest in no inferior object whatsoever the world can affoard us But remember hee is God blessed above all and hath merited by his glorious power a glorious deliverance for his Church from death to eternal life Vse II. This affoard's us a notable ground of understanding a real difference of the persons in Trinitie God the Father send 's God the Son into the world to save it by the power of God the holie Ghost conveying and sealeing his merit to the Soul of the Elect. Now except there bee admitted a real distinction of the persons in Trinitie how shall one and the same God for beeing bee the partie satisfying and satisfied Vse III. Of Exhortation to all that are loaden with their sin desireing eas to com to this second well-spring of salvation and to drink water of life freely from it that is believ it for themselvs Especially let this beat down self in us in the matter of our conversion What should wee bring to God for our Redemption can wee bring any light to the Sun or drop to the Ocean all fulness is his hee must do all for and in us before and in conversion Again let us lay hold on Jesus Christ who hath satisfied God and taken away wrath Let this give a beeing and bottom of truth to all the promises of God in our soul And let us draw neer with confidence to the God of promises and comfort our heavie heart in the view of the hainous circumstances of her sin makeing it out of measure sinful Bee not dismaid hee that is thy Suretie made not thy peace for small and som but all and the greatest so that thy thought must bee how to receiv this fulness not for the greatness of this sin III Branch The Personal Vnion Union of both Natures into one Person by the unconceiveable work of the Spirit it 's much that Soul and Bodie but much more that Flesh and the Word should bee really in one Person The person of the Word took the nature of flesh therein to subsist It is called Personal Union to distinguish it from other Unions in Christ and all other Unions whatsoever In Christ there is a well-spring of Unions but no personal Union in them The Union of Christs Godhead with the Father and the Spirit is Essential with his invisible Church Spiritual and Mystical with Water in Baptism and Bread and Wine in the Lord's Supper Sacramental In other Unions the things united are One either by bare notional apprehensions as things understood by the fancie or els One by compounding as when of three or four drugs is made one med'cine or els by mixture and confusion as when Water and Wine are made one substance or els by Divine institution as when man and wife are made one flesh none of these are personal Unions But Personal Vnion is such an one as whereby both natures so retain their distinct properties unconfounded that yet they remain indissolubly united in the person without the least seqaration no not at death in the grave Vse I. This teache's us to conceiv aright of the person of Christ wee must com to God in and by the flesh of the Son the second person The equal tearm and object must bee the personal Union i e. the Manhood must as truly bee praied unto and adored as the Godhead Vse II. It teache's us a difference between the subsisting of Christs flesh and all other subsistings wee subsist in the union of bodie and soul which two make one and the same person but the manhood of Christ is no person or subsistence by union of soul and bodie but by assumeing the nature of man into the person of the Son of God so that the flesh hath no subsisting at all save in the upholding power of the Godhead as the plant Misselto hath no root of its own to subsist in but subsist's in another tree Vse III. To encourage the soul that is afraid to draw neer to God for reconciliation and mercie in Christ becaus of the estrangement of it self from God by loss of image Lo the Lord is willing to unite himself unto thee poor soul in his Son by vertue of his union with thy fearful frail nature For by this union he hath purchased a spiritual union between himself and the sinful soul How singular an encouragemement then should this be to a poor soul to fasten on the promise when hee see 's it assisted by this all-sufficient merit issuing from the union of both natures both suffering and meriting Quest What is the Vnction of Christ Answ It is a consequent upon this personal union whereby the Godhead made the Manhood full of himself and of all gifts and graces of the spirit meet to enable him to his work of mediation and by name separated him from men to bee excellent as to bee the Prophet Priest and King of his Church Hee was Priest to satisfie and pray for Prophet to teach and King to rule and deliver his people I. Vnction of Priesthood The Uuction of Priesthood is the chief part of the Unction of Christ becaus by vertue of that office hee performed the great work of satisfaction Two things are to bee considered in this Annointing of Christ our Priest 1. The peculiarness 2. The furniture of gifts For the first although there were many things in the ordinarie Priesthood of Aaron which resembled Christ for the general yet becaus there were many things verie different therefore the holie Ghost set's him forth by the type of Melchisedeck's Priesthood For as hee was without beginning and end in his storie so was Christ not as Aaron mortal mutable sinful Secondly the Furniture which this Unction filled the Lord JESUS our high-Priest withall and that without measure For as the fulness of the Godhead dwelt in him bodily so all the communicable gifts and excellencies thereof dwelt in him Eminent wisdom rightousness humilitie unblameablenes holiness separation from sinners and all other graces but as I take it one fruit of his Unction was his peculiar fitness to satisfie That holie free consent of his to the will of his Father to do and suffer and fulfil all righteousness I say this absolute and unstained Obedience to go thorow all difficulties meekly long-sufferingly cheerfully
God and they Scriptures what enemies have they to darken and dull them their sences understandings and heart what enemies of the wicked have they without them III Husbands Wives to dismay them telling them that they cannot bee assured in this life of their salvation How do enemies affright them with malice threats big-looks disclain and scorn putting them in fear they shall never escape out of their claws In this varietie of affliction what is there to sustain them What is it which teacheth to kiss the rod take up their cross and bear the indignation of the Lord till hee plead their caus and bring forth their light Surely the strength of their Captain and Conqueror the Lord JESUS who hath told them In the world they shall have affliction but bee of good comfort I have overcom the world It 's hee that tell 's them till God's season of their suffering bee com so much so long and that very cross God hath ordeined for them no enemie shall do them hurt And when they do hee will make it tolerable and easie unto them do them good for their sakes that hurt them But above all they are made Conquerors and their chin is kept above water they fight under hope of victorie and say with the Church Micah 7. 8. Rejoice not over mee Oh mine enemie for when I am down I shall rise and when thou art fallen thy wound shall bee incurable Lastly it comfort 's them by faith in the conquest of our Lord Jesus against the power of death and the grave For as it was with their head hee could not bee held in it so with them their flesh rest's in hope of that triumph This conquest make's us happie in all our miserie For why Even by that verie death which is the last enemie and the gate of utter miserie to the wicked the Lord open's a door of full and final redemption to the faithful Their lowest ebb is the next step to the highest tide of their soul's happiness and final freedom from all sin sorrow and enemies Wee shall bee as much out of Gun-shot of them as the Lord Jesus himself was after his Conquest VII Branch Applying of Christ's Merit The Applying work of Christ's merit is that solemn part of his Mediation for the sake whereof hee forsook the earth and was exalted above all principalities and sitteth at the right hand of God his Father that by his intercession alwaies made for his Church hee might applie to all the members the power of this satsfaction that it might work faith in those that want it and confirm it in those that have it Therefore hee is called Advocate that the Church may enjoy the fruit of his death continually And as the ends hereof are many to wit to present the prayers of his people unto God to hold them close to his Father and keep them in his love to cover their dailie offences and continue their justification and acceptance to unite them one to another and to protect them from enemies so especially to bless the Ministerie of the Gospel for the breeding Faith in the souls of the Elect by the preaching of this his Blood and Death So that when wee see the prevailing power of the Word and Sacraments in the weak ministerie of flesh what shall wee asscribe unto it but the power of this applying work of our Advocate who convey's favor of life of brokenness of heart faith and regeneration thereby into the souls of his and in this respect hee is the key of his Fathers bosom and fountain to unlock and set it open beeing sealed before for Judah and Jerusalem to wash in Vse I. As it is singular for all uses to the Church in general and all the lively members thereof in all concernments of it whatsoever as acceptance of their praiers beeing perfumed with the sweet incens thereof protection of their persons safeguard against enemies sustentation of their souls in grace perseverance and the like so especially seeing by the blood of Jesus wee have a liveing way made unto us by his flesh let us draw neer with a pure heart in assurance of faith Oh! it should bee as a wel-spring of salvation for everie drie soul to com unto even in the greatest barrenness deadness and fear of heart that the merit of Christ should not belong unto it Therefore go not to the Word and Sacraments any more with a dead and sad heart as if there were nothing in them save an out-side of man's voice and efficacie to perswade behold Christ in them who by his applying power convey's into them strength savor persuasion and grace that his poor people may not hear his Word as a dead letter or receiv the Seals as dumb elements but as divine ordinances assisted with the Spirit of Christ and therefore able to breed faith in the soul and truly to carrie it into the stream of his satiafaction Deceiv not thy self in the condition of faith and assure thy self the Lord Jesus will give thee both meat and appetite the object of his righteousness and faith to believ it also Vse II. Let us bee exhorted to denie our own strength conceits hopes or fears and and as oft as wee go to the Word remember it is a word of reconciliation Vse III. Let all the faithful Ministers of God comfort themselvs in their weakness and defects of preaching in the little success of their labors of woful hardness of heart in their people The Lord Jesus by his spirit of intercession hold's them as his candle-sticks in his right hand hand and hee will uphold gospel ministerie and the power of both in the mid'st of their enemies and although they bee never so furious yet Mic. 2. 7. his spirit shall not bee streightned but his word shall still bee good to such as walk uprightly ARTIC III. GOD'S imputation of the merits of CHRIST'S righteousness to a sinful Soul is the formal caus of our justification IMputation doth import such an act of GOD the Father satisfied as doth take this righteousness and reckon it to the needing Soul as her own although it bee inherent in another to cast upon it an estate of as full and perfect freedom and acceptance as if it had never sinned or had fully satisfied for look how he dealt with our Suretie hee made him sin for us that is imputed it to him as his so doth hee take his righteousness and count it ours that it might bee really ours indeed This doctine of imputation is expressed by divers phrases in the Scripture By the tearm of not-imputeing sin and imputeing righteousness hee intimate's in how many respects Christ hath holpen us to wit both to forgiveness in the one beeing made sin for us and to acceptation in the other by cloatheing us with his righteousness yet so as by both Active and Passive righteousness jointly not severally considered By imputeing righteousness and imputeing faith for righneousness is mean't one thing Not that faith in
fetch her to bee Isaac's wife hee discoursed of his wealth cattel silver and jewels and for the purpose brought her out his gold bracelets and ornaments which Isaac sent her But what came of it did shee slight the offer No but went with the messenger immediately If God's Spokes-men in bringing forth these benefits of Christ have won us thereby to go with them it is well Trial 2. No man is married to Christ except hee hath his dowrie to shew A Christ without a dowrie is no husband 1 Cor. 1. 30. Hee is our wisdom righteousness c. if wee can shew our marriage-ring set with these jewels wee may bee believed Trial 3. If thou bee justified where is that boldness of a debtor discharged by his Suretie that can say I know the hardest I shall not perish I dare look my creditor in the face Trial 4. If thou bee reconciled where is thy joy and welfare then of heart how shouldest thou be beloved of God and bee such a stranger to this joy Trial 5. Thou saiest thou art redeemed but proov it also for if it bee so then that bondage of thine to sin and the lust thereof and that bondage by sin that keep 's thee from believing is taken away in som measure thy tongue is none of thine own thy eies ears feet members are bought with a price and the Lord's yoak is sweet to thee Vse III. Instruction to all Christians to ponder wisely this article of the difference order and nature of these benefits It would help much to the understanding of the Scriptures with light and profit Vse IV. Exhortation that wee ceas not to adore that most divine depth of wisdom and love in God who when hee might have forsaken us and cast us off quite in our first fall was not onely content to restore us to the same estate and make us as good as wee were but also took occasion by this ruine to set us in a better estate then ever Adam knew not onely in the grace of perseverance but in the gift of eternal life in his heavenly presence Vse V. It is exceeding consolation to all believers For why The benefits which they receiv all at once by faith are a namo scit of price and plentie God in Christ is above all wee can ask or conceiv ARTIC VI. The Church of GOD is the true and onely object of all the former Good things TWo things are considerable in this Article 1. The subject of it the Church herself 2. The proper adjunct of it Communion I. Concerning the Church it is necessarie to open som tearms touching the distinction of names given to the Church viz. 1. A Church Constituted is gathered by the Word professing the same truth doth enjoy the free peaceable setled use administration of all essentials to salvation the Word Sacraments and outward Assemblies established by Christian authoritie And contrarie to this is that Church which consist's onely in toleration and connivence doubtful and unsetled 2. A Church Visible is an Assemblie of such worshippers of God as enjoying the libertie of the Ordinances do partake them visibly audibly and sensibly to the eie and observation of man 3. The Church Invisible is that Communaltie or fellowship of the Elect of God when or wheresoever throughout the world in all ages and times as beeing called to God and given to Christ becom his mystical bodie and are built up unto one habitation by the Spirit Shee is called Invisible not as if shee consisted of such members as may not bee seen and bodily conversed with seeing that they do usually reside in the Church Visible worshipping God with others externally but becaus that by which shee subsist's is an invisible grace of the Spirit not sensible to the eie of man but known to God alone and to others onely by the judgment of charitie more or less 4. The Militant Church is that part of the invisible which here upon earth walketh and warreth with and for God against all his and her enemies according to that vow and oath shee took in her Baptism or prest-money wherein shee covenanted to bee God's faithful Souldier against World Divel or Flesh 5. The Church Triumphant is that invisible which haveing cast off her harness after the victorie obtained abide's in soul with God and triumph's there over all conquered enemie both these although in divers state are the same Church 6. The Church Malignant is that special kinde of Church Visible which although it retain's Baptism and som such truths as are of the Essence yet hath degenerated in the most of her tenets from the truth of the Gospel Now the Church Invisible is the equal and onely subject of Christ and his benefits Onely with this difference that although the whole Church enjoy all yet becaus the Triumphant differ's from the Militant in the fulness and possession the one by sens the other under the assurance of faith and hope therefore here wee especially aim at the Militant as it contain's the whole armie the souldiers the bodie of his members Vse I. Confutation of the usurped and pretended title of the pseudo-catholick-popish-Pseudo-Catholick-Popish-Church who claim to themselvs this priviledg to bee the treasurie of all the benefits of Christ Vse II. Terror to all the malignant enemies of the Church if all this store bee laid in her lap righteousness redemption c. bee affraid to pursue and oppose her Vse IIL Admonition to all God's people to honor even the Church Visible Disdain not her assemblies separate not from her members renounce not her fellowship prize the field highly wherein the pearl is hidden Bless God that make's her a sanctuarie for the distressed a mother of Orphans and desolate ones an Ark for perishing ones Again admonition to all that live in the bosom of the visible Church not to rest there nor give their eye-lids sleep till thereby the Lord hath drawn them to the invisible For out of this Ark is no salvation Vse IV. Consolation to the true Church of Christ for the portion of these benefits given her in Christ Wonder that the Lord should so look upon the lowliness of thy poor despised state as to make thee his jewel-hous of these treasures Vse V. Bee not high-minded learn that of Paul That the root hold's thee not thou it Rom. 10. 18. The bodie hold's the members the Vine the branches not they them Bee not high-minded but humble thy self and be lesser then the meanest of the members The Lord hath bestowed life and blessing upon his Church for ever Psalm 33. ult not upon thee in severall Thy grace is a member's grace as the blood of a finger and the sens thereof and the spirit thereof is from the heart liver and brain carried to the bodie and thence derived to each part Humbly therefore bee glad to receiv thy part see thy wants supplie them by the bodie and disdain not the grace of the meanest for if thou abide in the bodie it