here is winnowing too God winnoweth his people I will sift or winnow the house of Israel amongst all nations like as corne is sifted or winnowed with a sive Amos 9. 9. God winnowes and by his permission Satan winnows them Simon Simon saith our Saviour Satan hath desired to have you to winnow you or sift you Luke 22. 31. God winnowes and Satan winnowes both by the winde of Tentations God by Tentations of Probation Satan by Tentations of Seduction the one for the trying purging the other for the scattering destroying of them All these pieces of husbandrie doth this great Husbandman exercise in this inferiour world upon his Corne his Church and people and therefore well may it be called a floore his floore A meditation not unusefull Let it serve to stay the hearts of Gods people in respect of the many and manifold pressures and tribulations that here they meet with upon earth Alas can they looke for other considering the place and condition they are in They are Gods Corne I but as yet they are as Corne in the floore O my threshing saith the Lord and the Corne of my floore Isaiah 21. 10. Filius Areae so the originall Hebraiâ—me hath it The sonne of my floore Gods people his Saints even whil'st they are here they are sonnes Behold now are we the sonnes of God saith S. Iohn 3. 2. Sonnes but filij Areae not Apothecae sonnes or corne of the floore not of the Garner Now corne whil'st it is in the floore it must looke for no quiet that is reserved for the Garner Gods Corne his Saints when they shall be laid up in his Garner received into those heavenly mansions then shall they enter into their rest a perfect rest where they shall never more feele of the flaile or the fanne or the sive All these are for the Floore And let not any wonder to meete with them there Thinke it not strange concerning the fiery tryall saith S. Peter what ever our trials be what for nature what for number are we threshed fanned winnowed make not strange of it remember the place where we are and the condition we are in whilest we are here below we are like corne upon the floore But I will not dwell here This World is Christs Floore and this floore he will purge throughly purge This will he doe at that last and great day when he shall come from Heaven with the fanne in his hand the fanne of the last Judgement then will he purge this inferiour World from all the drosse of corruption which now cleaveth to it delivering it from the bondage of corruption to which it is now made subject through the sinne of Man and under which it groaneth as the Apostle hath it Rom. 8. 21 22. Then making a new Heaven and a new Earth a new roofe and a new floore to this house of his But to let this passe not being the marke I aime at By the Floore here more properly and peculiarly we are to understand the Church Not the World but the Church in the world that is the floore For as Thomas well noteth it out of Chrysostome if we will drive the Allegorie to the head the World must be the wide field So our Saviour interprets it Mat. 13. 38. The field is the world The floore here properly is the Church of Christ in this world The Church But what Church why the visible Church of Christ upon earth The visible Church what is that A society or company of men and women called out of the world to the knowledge and acknowledgement of the true God in Christ A company of men professing faith and obedience faith in Christ obedience to Christ professing to receive Christ as their Prophet Priest King Their Prophet to be taught by him their Priest to be reconciled to God through him their King to be ruled and governed by him This is the visible Church which is either universall or particular Vniversall the whole company of such as prefesse the Gospell throughout the whole world Particular such as professe the Gospell in such a Nation such a Province such a Citie such a Towne such a Family Every of which in severall considerations and respects may be called a Church Not only the Church in such a Family The Church that is in thine house Philem. 2. or the Church in such a Towne such a City The Church at Corinth at Philippi c. But the Church in such a Province such a Nation wherein though there may be many particular Congregations and Churches yet they may be called one Church and that not without some warrant from Scripture St. Peter writing to the Churches dispersed through severall Countries viz. through Pontus Galatia Cappadocia Asia and Bythinia as the 1. vers. of his Epistle directs it he yet speaketh of them singularly calling them one flock Feeds the flock of God which is amongst you It is his charge to the Elders of those Churches cap. 5. 2. many Churches many flocks and yet one flock Not to goe from the Text The Baptist here speaking of the Church of Christ dispersed through Judea and other parts of the world the Church under the new Testament which is made up of many particular Congregations and Churches he yet speaketh of it singularly calling it one floore He will purge his floore Not floores but floore Where ever Christ hath a Church he hath a floore Many Churches many floores yet put them together all the Churches in such a Province such a Nation or through the whole world Collectively and Aggregatively considered they make up one Church one floore This I doe but touch by the way to give some satisfaction to such as are so ready to scruple the word as if there were no colour of warrant from Scripture to give the Name of a Church to any but to a Congregationall Church Letting that passe Christs floore is his Church or Churches considered in a visible State And not unfitly may the visible Church be so called A floore and his floore Touch upon them severally First A floore and that principally in two respects 1. In respect of the Mixture that is in it Here is the difference betwixt the Garner and the Floore In the Garner there is nothing but pure graine In the Floore there is a mixture Straw as well as Corne Chaffe as well as Wheate Tarâ—s and Titters and Cockle and Darnill as well as the good graine Such a difference there is betwixt the Church Militant and Triumphant the Church upon Earth and the Church in Heaven The Church in Heaven is all pure Thither shall no unâ—leanâ— thing enter No chaffe no drosse nothing but good and pure corne to be found in that garner But it is otherwise in the floore in the militant and visible Church upon Earth here is a mixture Corne and chaffe good and bad together Elect and Reprobate true Believers Hypocrites and happily
What is the chaffe to the wheat saith the Lord Jer. 23. Gods truthâ—s as wheat sound and solid False Doctrines are as chaffe Such are corruptions in Doctrine and such are corruptions in worship and such are corruptions in Discipline all as chaffe that will not endure the Fanne of the word And from this chaffe shall this floore of Christ the Church be purged viz. both from corrupt men and from corruptions themselves 1. Corrupt wicked men Hypocrites and others they are in the Church as ill humours in the body In the body but not of it Joyning themselves to the mysticall body of Christ but no true Members of it And being such they shall be purged out Wicked men Hypocrites and others they are as Drosse and Tinne mixed with the good and pure mettall and being such they shall be purged out I will purge away thy drosse saith the Lord amongst other her corrupt Judges and Councellours which should be taken away Wicked men they are the Goates which now flock and feed together with the Sheepe Joyning themselves unto the people of God and having communion with them in many it may be in all the publike ordinances of God They are the Tares which grow up together with the wheat in the same field They are the chaffe which cleaving close to the Corne lyeth with it upon the same Goaffe upon the same heape Being so they shall be severed they shall be weeded purged out The Church shall be purged from corrupt men 2. And secondly from Corruptions themselves Corruptions there are and will be creeping in and cleaving to the state of the visible Church or Churches of Christ upon Earth Corruptions not only in manners which are personall but corruptions in Doctrine corruptions in worship corruptions in Discipline Church-corruptions Now from all these shall the Church be purged I will take away all your Tinne What ever it was that corrupted the state of that Church This will Christ doe for his Church under the Gospell He will purge away all her Drosse all her corruptions be they as I said in manners Doctrine worship Expresse and full is that of the Prophet Ezekiel Ezek. 36. 25. From all your filthinesse and from all your Idols will I cleanse you saith the Lord Cleanse them from their filthinesse from corruptions in manners â—hose spirituall pollutions and defilements From their Idols all corruptions in Doctrine in worship And let me adde also corruptions in Discipline too It is the Lords promise to the Church of the Jewes in that place fore-named Isa. 1. 26. I will purge â—â—ay thy â—rassv c. And I will restore thy Iudges as at the first and thy Counsellours as at the beginning And this will Christ doe for his Church under the Gospell He will restore her Judges as at the first and her Counsellours as at the beginning Restoring his Church to Primitive Order and Discipline purging out what ever corruptions are in this respect crept into it All this without question shall be done the Church shall be purged And throughly purged {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} perpurgabit Thus did Christ purge the Temple in the dayes of his flesh he made a thorough sweepage driving out all the buyers and sellers c. And thus will he purge his Church {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} He will throughly purge it Purge out All corrupt men and All corruptions I will purely purge c. Repurgabo ut purificationem so Montanus renders the place I will diligently and throughly purge thee as the Fornace or fining pot doth the silver This is that which the Prophet Malachi tels the Church Mal. 3. where prosecuting the same Allegory he sets forth the sedulity and exactnesse of Christ in this purging of his Church He shall sit downe to try and to fine the silver hee shall even fine the sonnes of Levi and purifie them as gold and silver Marke it full expressions Christ shall purge and purifie his Church and this he shall do both diligently and throughly Diligently not cursorily He shall sit downe to try c. As a man that intends a worke seriously he sitteth downe to it Throughly he shall try and fine and purifie c. The Prophet multiplieth words heaps up expressions all to intimate the throughnes the perfectnes of this work Gods works they are all perfect works As for God his way is perfect Psal. 18. Such they either are or such they shall be before he leave them Such was his worke of Creation perfect at the first Every thing which he had made was very good i. e. perfect Such shall his worke of new Creation be the worke of Regeneration though imperfect at the first yet before hee leave it it shall be perfect He who bath begun â— good worke in you will perfect it saith Paul to his Philiâ—pians The new birth though at the first â—n 〈◊〉 yet it shall grow to a perfect man This will Christ doe as for every true member of his Church The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me saith the Psalmist Psal. 1â—8 last so for the Church it selfe The â—â—w Heaven and th◠〈◊〉 Earth shall be as perfect as the old ever was He that hath begun the good worke of restoring purging his Church will also perfect it he will purge it throughly purge it He will doe it Who Why that shall the Lord Jesus Christ There have you the answer to the second enquiry which I am fallen upon unawares He shall throughly purge his floore saith the Baptist The floore is His as I have showen you and being so he will take care as for other things so for the purning of it To this end God the Father the great Husbandman hath put the Fanne into the hand of this his Servant that he should dresse his Corne purge his floore To this onâ— amongst other hath he given all Power and Authoriâ—y to him as over the whole world so over his Church after a speciall manner that he should purge it And this he will doe which is properly his worke He is like a purging fire and like Fullers soape saith the Prophet Malachi speaking of Christ Mal 3. 3. He shall sit downe to try c. He shall make it his worke to purge the Church And indeed who but he should doe it I who but he can doe it The purging of the Church is a great worke So was the purging of the Temple a greater worke then it is ordinarily apprehended Temple purgatiâ— maximum miraculum saith the Father The purging of the Temple it was one of the greatest miracles that ever Christ did in the dayes of his â—lesh That a private person so he was then accounted and taken to be nay a despicable person of so inferiour a ranke the Sonne of a Carpenter should come into the Temple with a whip in his hand
latter the Fanne of the Crosse to second it making use of both for the Purging of his floore Thus he purgeth it Here But this purging is imperfect not yet a through-purging when shall that be When shall this Floore be throughly purged I have told you it already Hereafter at that last and great day that day of purification when Heaven and Earth shall be purified then shall this Floore the Church be purged throughly purged And this shall Christ doe by that third and last Fanne the Fanne of the last judgement Thereby shall he make a full and finall Separation separating the Goates from the Sheepe which here have gone with them in the same flocke fed with them in the same pasture Thereby shall he lever the Tares from the wheat which here grew up with it in the same field Hereby he will sever the chaff from the Corne which here lay with it upon the same heape And that he will doe throughly perfectly from thence forth for ever freeing his Church from all mixtures whether of corrupt-men or corruptions neither of which shall enter into the new and heavenly Jerusalem Thus will Jesus Christ purge his Floore his Church And wherefore will he so purge it That is the 5th and last Enquiry To which take the Resolution in a word This he will doe that he may have a glorious Church a Church sutable to the Head of it The Head of the Church is a glorious head a Head like that of Nebuchadnezzars Image all Gold fine and pure gold Such shall the Body be not part of brasse and part of Iron and part of Clay a mixed body as that was but all Gold pure Gold that it may be sutable to the Head A glorious body to a glorious Head To this end it is saith the Apostle That Christ sanctifieth and cleanseth his Church by the washing of water through the word that he may present it unto himselfe a glorious Church not having spot or wrinckle or any such thing any mixture but that it should be holy and without blemish Eph 5. 27. Thus have I runne over the Doctrinall part of this Conclusion That Christ will throughly purge his Church What Vse shall we make of it Time giveth not way to particular inlargements Neither indeed am I very willing to give way to them upon this subiect in this Congregation which if I should it would happily occasion some debates and disputes which my desire is as much as may be to decline and avoid Truth is I scarce know a Text in Scripture which offers a more fit and full occasion to the discussing of the differences and controversies of the time then this But such is my love to peace and desire of peace that I will not only not runne out my Text to fetch in differences but I shall as much as may be baulke and passe them by when I meet with them This I have hitherto done not medling in publike with any of those points of difference betweene us and those our brethren who doe hold communion with us As for that bitter errour of the Separation so I call it borrowing the word from St. James who informes me of a bitter zeale {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} of which nature I take this to be which is so farre distasted not only with the Church of England but with the Churches in England as that at once it rejecteth and renounceth them all as false and Antichristian apprehending it like to be the errour of the times dangerous to the Church and in particular to this place I confessâ— as I have met with it I have not spared it neither by the grace of God for the future shall But for what ever dâ—fferences there are betwixt us and those that will owne us for Brethren I have not yet touched upon them neither shall I willingly doe it wishing that herein I may find a like correspondence from others in this place that so Church-differences being laid aside as that dying Amasa once was and covered with silence the Lords people might be led on in their march to Heaven without diversion or interruption Upon this ground I shall forbeare inlargements Besides let me tell you All Truthes I though Gospell Truthes are not so fit for every audience For this I have Sâ— Pauls warrant to beare me out who writing to his Corinthians tels them that he had sed them with milke and not with meat Why For hitherto saith he yee were not able to beare it neither yet are ye able 1 Cor. 3. And such I take this subject to be which I have now in hand Church-Reformation A subject fit indeed to be handled before that Authority to which a Church-Reforming power is committed but not so fit for private Auditories Herein I cannot but applaud and approve the profession and practise of a reverend and worthy brother of ours a knowne Advocate for Church-Reformation who having preached a Sermon upon this very subject before the Honourable House os Commons at one of their Publike Fasts and at their command publishing it in his Epistle Dedicatory to them he tels them and the world that it was a subject which otherwise and in all other Auditories hâ— had beene silent in and yet was no whit sory for it Not but that the People ought also to know their duty herein So saith he and so say I and in that way shall I carry the Application which â— intend to make of it Will Jesus Christ thus throughly purge his floore why then let all and every of us every of us in our places doe what we may doe what we can for the furthering of this designe this great designe of Jesus Christ in and upon this and other of his Churches That this is his designe we comfortably hope Certainly one of these two it must be either Reformation or Desolation We trust not the latter though we have cause enough to feare it Our hopes are that Jesus Christ will not yet forsake this Floore of his where the Fanne of the Word hath bin so long a time at worke and where he hath so much wheat lying upon the Heape It is the Lords own Reason to Paul why he would not have him depart from Corinth but abide and preach there for saith he I have much people in this City Surely God hath much people a great people in this Kingdome A great people already called and brought in and we hope yet a greater to be called in Much Corne already threshed and more in the Straw This giveth us some comfortable hopes that he will not yet desert this Floore not yet leave this Church of his What then Purge it Purge it Reforme it Reforme it This we hope is the present designe of Jesus Christ at this day not to abandon not to cast up this Floore this Church of his but to purge it from what ever Chaffe of corruption is
persons openly wicked all associated together in the same outward profession A truth which needeth no probation This is the House wherein there are vessels of all sorts some of purer richer others of courser baser mettall In a great House saith the Apostle there are not only vessels of Gold and of Silver but also of wood and of earth some to honour and some to dishonour A place worthy the pawsing on and considering Haply it may give satisfaction to some groundlesse scandals and offences taken by some at those undesired deplored mixtures which are to be found in the Churches of God amongst us In a great House saith he What is meant by this great House why the whole World say some which is Gods House indeed he being the God and Father of all the Families in Heaven and earth Gods House and his Great House And in this great House there are vessels of Gold and of Silver and of wood and of Earth some to honour some to dishonour i. e. some elected others reprobated and passed by So the Apostle S. Paul carrieth and applies it extending it to the whole world Rom. 9. 21. A truth but not so pertinent to this place The Great House here as Calvin and others note upon it denotes and points out more peculiarly the Church of God the visible Church So much may be collected from the Context The Church visible is a House Gods House That thou mightest know how to behave thy selfe in the House of God which is the Church of the living God saith Paul to Timothy His House and a Great House {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} the House of the Great God the Father of this Family of a great and large extent and having many Inhabitants Officers Children Servants even all those domestici fidei the household of Faith as the Apostle calleth them And in this great House saith the Apostle there are not only vessels of Gold and Silver but of wood and of earth i. e. some elect others reprobates Not only so but some good others bad bad and that oft-times not only closely and secretly but openly and apparently such Not only hypocriticall and unsound but scandalous Christians Such were those whom the Apostle speaketh of in the verses fore-going Prophane and vaine bablers men whose words did fret as a canker or cancer whose very society was infectious and dangerous Two of these he there instanceth in by Name Of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus two dangerous and damnable Hereticks denying and overthrowing that great Article of the Faith the Resurrection of the Dead which being overthrowne opens a wide doore to all lieâ—ntiousnesse and proâ—anenesse Such were these and probably some other members of that Church at that time persons scandalous and dangerous seduced themselves and seducing others Such vessels there were in that house wooden and earthen vessels vessels to dishonour {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} to dishonour and that both Passively and Actively having dishonour and shame for their portion and dishonouring the house the Church of God whereof they were members Such vessels such members there may be and oft are in the House in the Church of God persons erroneous in their judgement and scandalous in their lives Such there may be Mistake it not We speake here de Facto not de Jure not what ought to be but what may be and will be If we speake de Jure â—s it ought to be then that of the Apostle in the words fâ—re going takes place Let every one that calleth on the Name of the Lord depart from iniquity Every one that joyneth himselfe to the Church of God that taketh upon him the profession of Christianity he ought to grace his profession by an answerable conversation In Solomons Temple the vessels were all of pure Gold and such should the members of the Church of Christ be Thus it should be But thus it will not be Some there are and will be that shame their profession by an unchristian conversation Vessels to dishonour Neither is it a thing either to be stumbled or wondered at Such vessels there are in a great House and such members there will be in the visible Church which is a mixed company This point I might further inlarge and set of by those common and obvious illustrations made use of by our Saviour himselfe of the draw or drag Net wherein there are fishes of all sorts good and bad The Field wherein there was Tares as well as Wheate The wedding supper whereat there were guests of all sorts good and bad saith the Text But I will not neither need I goe from that Metaphor in the Text which is so cleare and expresse as that scarce an Expositor falls upon it but meeteth with this truth in it The Church the visible Church is a mixed company Such is the floore a place of mixture wherein there is as I said Corne and Straw Wheat and Chaff c. all brought in together Such is the Church Such it ever hath beene and such it ever will be as long as the Moone hath her spots the Church will have hers even such spots as Peter and Jude speaketh of persons scandalous in their lives disgracing the Church as spots doe the garment wherein they are And will you see some Reason why it is so Take it in a word God will have it so and Satan will have it so 1. God will have it so and that first For the tryall of his own people It is that which S. Paul saith of heresies There must be heresies why That those which are approved may be made manifest And we may say the same of Hereticks and scandalous persons There must be such in the Church I speake it as the Apostle de Facto that those which are {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} approved of God may be made manifest more manifest to the world 2. And secondly God doth it permits it as for the tryall so for the good and benefit of his own people Even as the Husbandman sometimes suffers the Corne to lye in the Chaffe that it may keepe the better And such use God sometimes makes of hypocrites of wicked and ungodly men whom hee suffers to have a Name and a Roome in his Church he maketh use of them for the good and benefit of his own people oft-times using them as Conduit pipes conveying many outward blessings and benefits to his Church through their hands tending to the outward preservation of it Thus God will have it so And secondly Satan will have it so That Eâ—viouâ— man in the Gospell which soweth Tares in the field he also casteth Chaffe into the floore Which he doth through the inadverâ—ancie of those which should watch this floore I meane those which have or should have the oversight and government of the Church Hereby seeking to poyson the Church by throwing in corruptions into
it corruptions in Doctrine corruptions in Worship corruptions in Manners so to make a mixture which he doth in opposition unto that God who being himselfe a pure and simple Essence is most delighted in purity and simplicity Put these together and you see a first respect wherein the visible Church of Christ is compared to a floore A floore for mixture Secondly A floore Because here is the same Husbandry used that is in the Barne-floore Here is threshing here is fanning here is winnowing All these shall we find no where more frequent more ordinary then in the Church as if the Church were the proper element for every of these The Church is Christs threshing place O my threshing his fanning place his winnowing place No where shall we find the flaile the fanne the sive more buâ—â—â— then here The Worlds flayle Gods fanne the Devils sive the flayle of persecution the fanne of Affliction the sive of Tentation no where so busie as in the Church Well may the Church in all these respects be called a floore But I will confine my selfe to the Text Here is the fanne at worke What fanne why that fanne which is in the hand of Christ the fanne of the word This fanne is walking and working in this floore and not without some efficacie and power What ever the Husbandmans fanne doth in his Barne-floore that doth this fanne in the Church which is the proper place for this fanne to stirre and move in and in that respect againe fitly called a floore Here it is where Christ standeth with the fanne in his hand working upon his corne his Elect severing them from the chaffe of sinnefull corruption dressing them that they may be pure corne fit to be laid up in his heavenly garner The Church is a floore And in the second place Christs floore The visible Church is Christs floore His first by Guift Secondly His by Purchase 1. His by Guift Guift from God his Father who hath indeed given unto him the whole world Aske of mee and I shall give thee the Heathen for thine Inheritance and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy Possession All the Kingdomes of the earth are put into the hands of Jesus Christ as Lord paramonnt over them all Even Heathens and Infidels which know him not which never heard of his Name yet they are under his governement But the Church after a more speciall manner as being his peculiar Seigniâ—rie I have sâ—t my King upon my holy hill of Sion In the Church Christ hath a more peculiar interest The Church it selfe and all the members of it being given to him by God his Father I all the members of the visible Church they are also given unto Christ Of all that thou hast given me I have lost none save the Sonne of Perdition All the Apostles I Judas amongst the rest though a son of perdition lost in Gods decree and marked out for hell yet given unto Christ to follow him in an outward profession And thus are all the members of the visible Church even all that professe the Name of Christ they are given unto Christ And consequently the Church is His his floore His by Donation And secondly His by Purchase What his Father gave him he also bought and purchased Even as David purchased the Threshing-floore of Araunah the Jebusite that he might offer a Sacrifice upon it Thus Christ hath purchased this floore his Church not that he might offer Sacrifice upon it but that he might offer it up as a Sacrifice unto God his Father Take heede unto your selves and to the flock of God whereof the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers to feede the Church of God which he hath purchased with his own blood The Church purchased with the blood of Christ True it is if we speake properly this purchase is peculiar unto Gods elect his Church invisible for whose sake Christ dyed But for their sakes from whom the Church taketh the denomination as being the better and most considerable part of it it is attributed to the whole Church even to the Church visible It is his floore by purchase Yet further in the third and fourth place It is his floore in respect of his presence his providence His presence in it his providence over it His presence in it which is continuall The Story telleth us of Boaz that he went downe to his floore and lodged there lying downe at the end of the heape of Corne Even â—o is Christ ever present in his Church There he lyeth downe there he lodgeth Shew me O thou whom my soule loveth where thou feedest where thou lyest downe at noone It is the Spouses speech to her welbeloved to which his answer followes If thou knowest not O thou fairest among women get thee forth by the steps of the flock and feede thy Kids by the Tents of the Shepheards Would we know where Christ feedeth lodgeth where he manifesteth his presence chiefely and principally upon earth It is in his flock by the Tents of the Shepheards In his Church in the midst of his Ordinances Christ is ever present in this floore manifesting his presence in it And fourthly Exercising his providence over it His providence first in watching then in governing 1. Watching in and over this floore To this end Boaz lay downe in his floore at the end of the heape of corne to watch it least it should be stroyed or stolne or purloyned away To this end is Christ present in his Church his floore viz. to watch his corne in it to defend his people against enemies without or enemies within to defend his Church against the open hostility of bloody tyrants and persecutors Beasts which would stroy this corne as also against the secret devices of cunning seducers Theeves that would stâ—ale away his corne deceiving the very Elect if it were possible To this end he watcheth in this floore watcheth and that not as Boaz did in his lying downe and sleeping there No The watchman of Israel neither slumbereth nor sleepeth He exerciseth a speciall providence in watching over this floore 2. And secondly In ruling and governing it ordering all the businesses in it Even as the Husbandman ordereth all the businesse in his own floore giving direction to his servants for threshing fanning c. So hath Christ the ordering of this floore Not an Ordinance in his Church but is of his ordering and appointing He it is that ruleth the whole businesse of his Church both for substance and materiall circumstances prescribing Lawes to his Church governing it which he doth by his word Put these together and you see the doctrinall part of this first Branch of the Text opened and illustrated I see I must wade no further into it at present What use shall we make of this which hath been spoken As briefely as I may First Is the Church of Christ a floore in respect of mixture Here
swimming with the streame of Expositors I might take a just occâ—sion to fall upon that Anabaptisticall errour wherever it is found which affirmes and maintaines the true visible Church to consist only of true believers such as are good A doctrine charged upon us by our Adversaries of Rhemes in their Glosse upon the Text but with what truth let the joint consent of all the writers of our profession testifie all which with one vote have censured and condemned the Tenet upon all occasions averring and maintaining the visible Church of Christ to be a mixed company mingled of good and bad believers hypocrites c. Such a company the Church here is As for those who seeke for any other Church here upon earth they seeke for that which they shall never find Mundam in mundo immundo Ecclesiam saith Aretius A pure Church in an impure world Those which will joyne themselves to no Church but such an one they must as the Apostle saith goe out of the world for it But I will not spend time in confuting of this Errour which I presume there is none here present that will dare to owne To come nearer In the second place Is the Church of Christ a floore in respect of mixture why then let not any be scandalized or offended at what ever mixtures either are or are supposed to be in the Church or Churches of God amongst us Mixtures happily there may be mixtures there are we grant it Possible some corruptions cleaving to some of the Ordinances However corrupt men mingling themselves with the people of God not only coming with them into the house of God but siâ—â—ing downe with them â—t his Table having communion with them in the most sacred ordinances of God A sad mixture I pleade not for it Bâ—t what shall we hence inferre a nullitiâ— of the Church No true Church because oâ— these mixtures Surely the very Barne-floore will cry out against this inference There we see wheate and chaffe lying upon the same heape and who wonders at it â— Doe we meeâ—e with a liâ—e mixture in the Church or Churches of God be not â—â—andalized be not oâ—â—â—â—ded at it Iâ— iâ— that I nonceive which the Apostle 〈◊〉 aimes and drives at in the place fore named a Tim. 2. to take off that scandall which any might take at scandalous Apoâ—â—atâ—â— persons openly wicked in the Church Here let me not be mistaken a thing which we are very 〈◊〉 to in poinâ—â— of the nature It is far from my purpose to patronize what ever mintâ—res in the Church of God to plead either for Admission or Toleration of persons openly prophane and scandalous their Admission into the Church their Toleration in the Church Much lesse for the promiscuous resorting of all sorts of persons to the Lords Table without any regard had to their qâ—alificâ—tions or conversations An errour I confesse which till it may be redressed I shall mourne over wishing that all this Leaven were purged out and this floore of Christ amongst us throughly purged from the chaffe and drosse of what ever corruption is yet remaining in it But in the meane time though I plead not for mixtures yet let me plead for the Church that Church whereof God hath made me a member and a Minister which all the mixtures that are in it cannot Vnchurch make to be no Church or yet warrant a separation from The Church of the Jewes at this time when the Baptist preached to them it was I suppose in as corrupted nay a far more corrupted state then the Church of England at this day is or ever yet was since the first Reformation of it How was that floore all covered with chaffe How many foule corruptions had even overspread the face of that Church Humane Inventions and Traditions being brought in even to the thrusting out of the Ordinances of God Ceremonies eating out the heart the power and substance of Religion Those which sate in Moses his chaire as vile as could be imagined A generation of vipers Such were their teachers and Church-governours Blind guides having a corrupt and unlawfull entrance into their calling and demeaning themselves as corruptly in it and no question like Priests like people The state of that Church most corrupt little else but chaffe to be seene in that floore yet for all that a floore still So the Baptist here calleth it telling them that Christ would purge that floore of his Purge it not presently leave it cast it off or else breake it up as some hot spirits would doe at this day who because of the chaffe that is in it would presently be breaking up the floores For some supposed corruptions in the Church presently unchurch it a matter of a higher nature then many in this last age have taken it to be Not so but purge it purge it So will Christ deale with his floore hee will throughly purge his floore True may some say If it were a floore of Christ then it ought not to be broken up if a true Church then purging would serve the turne But such is not the Church of England such are not the Churches in England And why not why they faile in constitution which is a fundamentall errour They are not rightly constituted And why not Because the members of them were not rightly gathered nor yet knit and joyned together in the formality of a Church Covenant Even as if one should reason after this manner It is the same man though in other cloathes the same argument though in different expressions The Corne was not brought in at the right doore or the floore is not a boarded floore or at least the boards were not joynted and fastened together not right layed at the first but either it is a Clay floore or else the boards are layed loose and warping therefore it is no floore no true floore The absurdity of the one will sufficiently discover the weakenesse and inconsequence of the other But how then shall we know a true Church if we see it A. Why even as we may doe a true floore I will not goe out of the Text for a demonstration Where the fanne is ordinarily at worke there is the floore and where Christs fanne is ordinarily at worke there is his floore his Church What this fanne is I have told you already the fanne of the Word the word preached This is the fanne which the Baptist here principally speaketh of the fanne of the word which is in the hand of Christ both in respect of liberty and efficacie as I have shewen you Now where this fanne is ordinarily at worke where the word is ordinarily preached and dispensed in the publick ministery of it especially if it be with efficacie and power certainely there Christ hath a Floore a Church Now this I think will not be denied but that this fanne hath been at worke in the Churches of Christ amongst us and that with such efficacie
and power as no where more Strange that any should question whether Christ have a floore a Church amongst us or no But it may be said the Fanne may worke out of the floore sometimes in other corners of the Barne and sometimes abroad in the open field And thus say our adversaries of the Seperation the word may be and often is preached where there is no true Church Paul preached the word to the scoffing Athenians say they who yet were no true Church To this Evasion I have insinuated an answer already in that I said not the Preaching but the ordinary Preaching of the word is an effentiall marke and note of a true Church The word may be preached two wayes Either Occasionally or Ordinarily in a setled way Now in the former way it may be preached to Heathens and Infidels where there is no more but the Passive Capacity of a Church It is the latter of these that we conclude to be an evidence of a true Church viz. the setled preaching of the word amongst a people that professe subjection to it Where the fanne is constantly at worke day after day and weeke after weeke who questions but there is a floore Where the word is preached in a fetled way day after day weeke after weeke yeare after yeare to a people professing subjection and obedience and not without power and efficacy especially being attended and accompanied with the Sâ—ales of the Covenant the Sacraments for substance rightly administred surely it cannot be denied but that there is a Church a true Church And this is it we say for the Church of England or Churches in England for I am not curious or scrupâ—lous about the word In this floore Christs fanne hath beene stirring and that lively his Gospell hath beene preached and that powerfully succeâ—sefully and that for more then a whole age together How much Corne is now layed up in Gods Garner which this Fanne hath dressed in this Floore How many blessed soules now triumphing in Heaven which were here gained and brought home unto Christ by the ministery of the word in this Church And shall we yet question whether it be a true floore or no upon a bare supposall that the Corne was not brought in at the right doone or that the boards were not layed right at the first whether a true Church or no because of some supposed failings in the first constitution The Argument happily is displeasing to some of you Let me tell you it is not pleasing to my selfe Had I not met with it so full that I could not baulke it without manifest injury to the Text and to sleighting of the generall current of Expositors writing upon it whose company I shall ever make much of I would not have fallen with it at present A word or two more to sweeten your pallates and I have done Is the Church Christs floore here is Comfort to the Church and to all that wish well to it The Church being his floore he will have an eye to it So will a faithfull servant have to his Masters floore he will have an eye to it that the Corne shall not be either stollen or ftroyed Such a faithfull servant will Christ approve himselfe unto God his Father Moses was faithfull in all Gods House and Christ will be faithfull in his Floore in looking to his Corne that it be not stroyed Threshed fanned winnowed it may be but stroyed it shall not be Not a Graine of Wheate shall miscarry in this Floore Expresse and emphaticall is that of the Prophet Amos in the place fore-named I will sift the house of Israel amongst all Nations like as Corne is sifted in a five yet shall not the least graine fall upon the earth Marke it Gods Corne may be sifted winnowed but not a graine of it shall fall to the earth If Wheate it shall not be stroyed Why Christ will have an eye to this floore to his Church not any true member of it shall perish or miscarry Of all that his Father hath given him he will loose nothing A word of Exhortation and but a word Is the Church Christs floore let him have the ordering of it and of all businesses in it This priviledge we will allow the Husbandman to order the businesse in his own floore Let Christ doe as much in his Church in ordering all the publick Ordinances in it And who but he should doe it It being his floore over which he hath an absolute Soveraignty So much for this time THE SECOND SERMON April 19. 1643. MATTH. 3. 12. And he will throughly purge his Floore WE have here set forth as you heard the last day the Exercise of the Soveraigne Authority of Jesus Christ over and upon his Church His Church that is here meant by the Floore the visible Church of Christ which in what respects it is called a floore and His floore I then shewed you Not to looke backe Come we now to the second particular to see what shall be done to this floore It shall be purged saith the Text throughly purged He will throughly purge his Floore Purge it Not cast it off not breake it up I like not that Surgerie saith one of our late Worthies which upon every aylement dismembreth and cutteth of I know not who would like that Husbandry which because of some chaffe in the floore would presently breake it up Not so purge it purge it This is Christs way let it be ours He will throughly purge his Floore The Church then shall be purged throughly purged This is that which the Lord promiseth to the Church of the Jewes Isa. 1. I will purely purge away thy drosse What ever it was that defiled or imbased that Church she should be purged from it and purely throughly purged This promise he will make good to his Church under the Gospell It shall be purged throughly purged Purged What shall it be purged from Who shall purge it When shall he purge it By what â—eans shall he purge it And wherefore will he so purge it Enquire we into every of these five particulars by way of Explication and Illustration To most of them to the foure first we shall find an answer in the Text Begin with the first From what shall this floore be purged The Text it selfe insinuates the answer from the Chaffe that is in it He will purge hâ— floore and will burne the chaffe First purge it out cast it out of the floore then burne it And from this shall the visible Church of Christ be purged from the chaffe that is in it What chaffe Take the word as we will understanding by it either corrupt persons or corruptions themselves Both in the phras and language of Scripture knowne by the name of chaffe Corrupt and wicked men they are chaffe The ungodly are like the chaffe saith the Psalmist Chaffe for their vilenesse barrennesse inconstancy c. As corrupt men so corruptions
for both of Joy in that the Foundation was layed of Sorrow in that it came so far short of the Patterne Even with such a mixed Affection should we at this day looke upon the present state of the Church of God amongst us Joying over the Foundations which are layed yet Mourning over the defects and imperfections Thus be we affected with what upon good grounds we apprehend to be amisse that so our Hearts may worke towards a Reformation Which that we may promote and further Begin it at Home Take that as a third Direction and a maine one Would we have the Churches floore purged let every one of us purge his own floore For every man to sweepe before his owne Doore is the next way to make the street cleane For every one to purge his own floore is the next way to have the Churches floore purged Home-Reformation is the first step and a good step to Church-Reformation Here begin we the worke every one at home Being as it most nearely concernes us most solicitous about this worke Home-Reformation the Reforming of our selves and those belonging to us It is our Saviours speech to those good women which lamented and bewailed him going to his Passion Daughters of Jerusalem weepe not for me but weepe for your selves and for your children Heare we the Church of England speaking in a like language to her Daughters Daughters of England Reforme not me but Reforme your selves and your children Not but that private Christians may have an eye to publike Reformation So might those women doe what they did Mourne and lament for their Lord and Master but the maine businesse which they should be most intent about is Home-Reformation Weepe not for me but for your selves and for your children that is rather for your selves and them then for me as you heard it not long since rightly expounded So Reforme not me but your selves and your children Let your thoughts be more taken up with Home-Reformation then Church-Reformation A point not unseasonable for the times wherein it is to be feared least thoughts and speeches concerning the publick affaires of Church and State being so frequent every where should divert and take of our hearts from some businesses I will not say of greater but of nearer concernement Would we have this great worke prosper begin we it at the right end Begin we the worke of Reformation at Home Every of â—s first beginning with our selves This is S. Pauls method 2 Tim. 2. 21. where having spoken of that mixture which is or may be found in the visible Church that House wherein there are vessels of Gold and Silver and Wood and Earth He presently subjoynes If any man purge himselfe c. Intimating that this should be every mans chiefe care not so much the purging of the Church as the purging of himselfe Here begin we at our own hearts and hands purging both Purge your hands yee sinners and purifie your hearts yee double-minded James 4. What ever chaffe we find in these floores as some we shall find purge it out What ever we find here amisse in our hearts or lives set upon the Reformation of it Next to our own hearts and lives purge we our Families I speake it to those whom God hath made Governours of Families Parents Masters Families they are or ought to be as so many Churches The Church that is in thine House saith Paul to Philemon Every one a floore and in these floores God hath appointed the Governours to be the fâ—nners Let them see to the through purging reforming of them So did Abraham the Father of the Faithfull Gen. 17. He Circumciseth himselfe first and all that were in his house So did Joshua going about to reforme the people he begins at home resolves upon a Reformation of his owne House I and my House will serve the Lord So did David resolving upon a Nationall Reformation a through purging of the floore of his Kingdomâ— J will early destroy all the wicked of the Land he begins first with his owne House resolving that what ever scandalous person there was in his Court he would either reforme him or cashiere him He that worketh deceit shall not dwell in my house he that telleth lyes shall not tarry in my sight Like course take we For the bringing on of publike begin with a private Reformation Purging our owne Floores first It is the Churches complaint against the sonnes of her Mother Cant. 1. 6. That they had made her a keeper of other vineyards but her owne vineyard she had not kept Her naturall corruption which was bred and born with her as Junius interprets the place that made her very solicitous about things which belonged not to her office and calling whilest in the mean time she neglected her duty in things of nearer concernement things which concerned her selfe This will the corruption of our nature doe if not looked to it will make us so busie and pragmaticall about the Reforming of others the Persons of others the callings of others a thing which commeth not within the verge and compasse of our callings to doe as that in the meane time we shall neglect our owne hearts lives families which as they most nearly concerne us so we should be most solicitous about First Purging our owne floors Which having done then as for the purging of the Churches floore Earnestly pray for it Quietly wait for it humbly submit to it Three Directions more wherin as I take it lyeth the maine of the private Christians duty which is the marke that I aime at Touch upon each as briefly as I may In the fourth place then Earnestly pray for this Reformation This private Christians may doe ought to do Helpe the Fanne of Jesus Christ with the winde of their prayers Contributing their Requests and Supplications to this good worke Supplications and that both to God and man 1. To God in the first place In every thing saith Paul let your Requests be made known unto God How By prayer and supplications with thankesgiving Let it be so here As many of us as desire a through-Reformation of what is amisse amongst us let us make our Requests knowne unto God by daily and earnest Prayers and Supplications but with Thankesgiving Let not that be forgotten Blessing God for what he hath already done in purging this Floore of his beg it from him that he would goe on to perfect the worke To that end raising and stirring up meet instruments for the effecting of it It is our Saviours direction to his Disciples Mat. 9. Pray yee the Lord of the harvest that he would send forth {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} thrust forth faithfull labourers into his harvest This doe we in this case pray we the Lord and Owner of this Floore that he would send forth thrust forth faithfull Fanners into this his Floore Faithfull fanners such as may put a true
and precise difference betwixt the precious and the vile the Chaffe and the wheate not casting out any of the one not retaining any of the other In which two things as in opening of the clause fore-going I shewed you consisteth the fidelity of a Fanner Faithfull Fanners such as may doe the worke of the Lord not negligently not deceitfully but with all their might all their strength every wayes approving themselves to their Lord and Master in doing his worke according to his owne mind and will Such Fanners beg we from the Owner of this Floore Withall imploring his direction his assistance for them that he would both guide and blesse the Fanne in their hands making their endeavours effectuall for the through purging of this Floore of his 2. Thus seeking it from God seeke we it also from men those into whose hands Jesus Christ either hath or shall put this Fanne of his These I meane to whom he hath committed a lawfull Power and Authority whether supreame viz. under himselfe or subordinate over this Floore this Church of his for the ordering of it Beg we it from them that they would set the Fanne a work using all lawfull warrantable waies and means both for the discovering and casting out of what ever remainders of Chaffe there are to be found in this Floore Thus earnestly pray we for this Reformation Which doing then In the next place Quietly wait for it A good thing so to doe in all straits and difficulties It is good saith the Church that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord This doe we in this case a case wherein the worke happily may meet with some unexpected difficulties sticking in the birth as now a long time it hath done not comming off either so easily or speedily as it may be we made account of in this case let us wait and quietly wait waiting for the Law of our God as the Prophet Isaiah saith the Iles the Gentiles should doe The Iles shall wait for his law Isa. 4â— i. e. for the Doctrine of Jesus Christ This let us of this Iland doe Christ being now as we hope about that great worke which the Prophet there speaketh of in the words immediately fore-going setting Judgment in the Earth that is as the Geneva note glosseth upon it setting all things in good order in his Church for such is Christs way sometimes to bring Order out of confusion Oâ—let us now wait for his law even for what ever it is that he shall reveale unto us out of his word to be according to his will for the ordering and regulâ—ting of this Church of his This wait we for and quietly wait for it Quietly not Precipitating Quietly not Anticipating the worke 1. Not Precipitating not overhastening of it Overâ—asty births are seldome long lived never perfect Be we conâ—ent as â—â—turall mothers are to tarry the time the appointed 〈◊〉 for this Birth which we hope the Church 〈◊〉 in her woâ—be God◠〈◊〉 I meane who aâ—â—e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 downe a time a season for all other things a time for every purpose under the Sunne times for us to observe So he hath set downe a time a time with himselfe for the effecting of this worke The Apostle writing to his Hebrewes he tels them of a {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} a time of Reformation a period untill which those {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} as he there calleth them those carnall legall ordinances and Constitutions were to continue Surely as that first so all successive Reformations under the Gospell they have all of them their times their periods set downe and appointed by God Be we contented to tarry that time not making haste He that beleeveth will not make haste so make haste as to use any unlawfull or unwarrantable wayes and meanes for the compassing of his desires and hopes So indeed did Jacob make haste thinking to go the next way to get the blessing but he had better have gone further about and have tarried Gods time for it Take heed of Precipitating the worke 2. And in the second place take heed of Anticipating it viz. by taking the Fanne out of the hand of Christ himselfe or out of their hands into which hee hath put it 1. Out of the hand of Christ himselfe This did thâ—se franticke Germane Anabaptists of the last age attempt to do Impatient to tarry Christs leisure for the through purging of his Floore they would set upon the worke to purge not the Church only but the world And how would they doe it Not by the Word but by the Sword therewith attempting for that was their professed designe to cut-off and destroy all the wicked from off the Earth Here if I listed to enter the Listes with mad-men I should not need to goe out of the Text for weapons He hath his Fanne in his hand and hee will throughly purge his Floore The through purging of the Church much more of the world is Christs owne worke and a worke which he will do but when Not here but hereafter In the meane time our Rule is and theirs should have been that direction of the Husbandmans to his servants touching the Wheat and the Tares Let them both grow together untill the harvest least whilest yee pluck up the Tares ye root out also the wheat with them But I forbeare to presse this â—oping that there is none here present or belonging to this place touched with this frenzy 2. Beware of taking the Fanne out of the hand of Jesus Christ or else out of their hands into which he hath put it There is a two-fold Government that Jesus Christ exerciseth upon earth The one inward and invisible viz. in the hearts of men the other outward and visible in his Church Now the former of these he exerciseth immediately by his Spirit the latter mediately by Instruments by men And thus he purgeth his Church here not immediately but mediately even as the Husbandman doth his Floore which he purgeth not by himself but by his servants into whose hands he puts the Fanne delegating and appointing some in every Church to be the ordinary instruments of publick Reformation Who these are I have glaunced at already take it now a little more fully and distinctly They must be publike persons Publike workes call for publike Instruments Publike persons are of two sorts Civill Ecclesiasticall Magistrates Ministers And upon their shoulders in an ordinary way doth this worke lye So it was in the building re-building of the Temple The chiefe undertakers in that worke were Zerubâ—abel and Jeshua Zerubâ—abel the chiefe-Prince with the Elders the chiefe of the people as you have it explained Ezr. 6. 14. Jeshua the chief-Priest with his Brethren the other Priests and Levites and Prophets all joyning hands in the worke The Prophets exciting and encouraging the Elders Ezr. 6. 14. The