so the delivery of it the doctrine they had from the Holy Ghost and also their commission and pasport You would stand wondring and think it a special benefit if in a time of drought the rain should fall on your field and none else if as Gideons fleece your heritage should be wet and all is day round about you or if the Sun should be shut up to others and shine only in your Horizon as it did in Goshen this is a better blessing and God hath a special hand in the progress of it it goeth from place to place as the Lord will Why should it come to us our Ancestors were of all Nations most barbarous and portentous for their Idolatries why to us No cause can be assigned but the free grace and gift of God 6. That it is given to us in our persons in particular in the power and efficacy of it 'T is offered to the Nation but bestowâ—d upon us John 14. 12. Why is it that thou wilt reveal thy self to us and not unto the world Others have only Truth presented to them obiter by the by for your sakes but you are called according to purpose Rom. 8. 28. Though in the general means they have a like favour with you yet you may observe the particular aim of God in continuing the Gospel to England for your sakâ—s Well then Acknowldg God in the truths that are delivered to you out of the Scriptures What ever means are used God is the Author of the doctrine and the Disposer of the message receive it as the Word of God and then it will profit you 1 Thes 2. 13. If you had an Oracle from Heaven speaking to you on this wise you would be more serious It is as certain yea 't is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a more sure Word 2 Pet. 1. 19. more sure then the Oracle spoken of in the Context Regard the promises and threatenings of it with more reverence as if God in person had delivered them to you If you receive it as the Word of God and not of men what will you venture upon the promises of it These are bills of exchange given you that you may draw your estate into another Country that you may lay up treasures in Heaven Neglect of the opportunity is a sign of unbelief If one should proffer you an hundred pound for the laying out of a peny and you go away and never heed it 't is a sign you do not beleeve the offer The recompenses of the Word do far exceed all temporal emolument if you do not heed them 't is a sign you do not beleeve them So what will you forbear upon the threatenings of the Word If there were a Law made that every time we deceive or slander one another we should hold one of our hands in scalding Lead for half an hour men would be afraid of the offence God hath told us that the wages of sin is death that we shall be plunged for evermore in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone and yet it doth not deter us from sin and giving offence to God If a man were told that he were in danger of a cruel death every moment if he did not presently get a pardon he would not sleep till it were done Natural men are in danger of Hell every moment by the sentence of the Word and yet how backward are they to make their peace with God Secondly The word delivered implyeth a leaving things in anothers hand by way of trust and so doth not only note the mercy of God but the duty of the Church to whom the Oracles of God are committed to be kept Whence observe That God hath delivered the Doctrine and Rule of Faith to the Church as a publique Trustee that it may be kept and employed to the uses of the Truth Let us a little see what is the Churches duty towards the Truth I answer 1. To publish it to the present age 2. To keep it and preserve it for ages to come So that to the present age we are Witnesses to the future Trustees 1. To publish own and defend the Truth by Profession and Martyrdom and therefore the Church is called the pillar and ground of Truth 1 Tim. 3. 15. namely in respect of men and as it holdeth it forth to the world and therefore we ought to harken to the Churches testimony till we have better evidence We do not ultimately resove our faith into the Churches Authority for the Churches Authority is not absolute but ministerial as a royal Edict doth not receive credit by the Officer and Cryer he only declareth it and publisheth it yet the Churches testimony is not to be neglected for faith cometh by hearing Rom. 10. 14. and this publication of the Church is a good preparative inducem ut John 4. 42. If we would know the truth of a thing till we have experience we go to those that have experience and ordinarily the judgment of others whom we respect and reverence causeth us to have a good opinion of a thing till we make tryal our selves in which respect Austin saith I had never believed the Scriptures unless I had been moved thereunto by the Authority of the Church as we should never have known Kings pleasure unless the messenger had brought us his Letters The Church hath not power to make and unmake Scripture at pleasure but onely to communicate and hold forth the Truth and till we have further assurance is so far to be heard We receive the faith of per Ecclesiam by the ministry of the Church though not propter Ecclesiam for the Authority of the Church 2. The next Office of the Church is to preserve the Truth and transmit it pure to the next age As the Law was kept in the Ark so was Truth delivered to the Church to be kept 1 Tim. 1. 11. The glorious Gospel committed to thy trust There is a trust lieth upon us upon the Apostles first to publish the whole Counsel of God and then upon Pastors and Teachers in all ages to keep it afoot and upon all Beleevers and Members of the Church to see that after ages be not defrauded of this priviledg We are to take care that nothing be added there is enough to make the man of God perfect nothing diminished none of the Jewels which Christ hath left with his Spouse must be embezzel'd that it be not corrupted and sophisticated for we are not only to transmit to the next age the Scriptures those faithful Records of Truth but also the publique Explications of the Church in Summaries and Confessions must be sound and orthodox lest we intail a prejudice upon those that are yet unborn Every one in his place is to see that these things be accomplished So much for the Tradition it self Now for the Manner Once delivered that is once for all as never to be altered and changed and when the Canon or Rule of
the same earth contain those that expect to live in the same heaven Luther and Zuinglius Cranmer and Hooper Ridley and Saunders shall all accord for ever in heaven and certainly 't is through the reliques of the flesh that they cannot accord here In other relations there may be divisions because they have different hopes and it may be hopes that intrench and encroach upon the good of each other but here you have one heaven and one hope 't is all for you there may be a difference in the degree of glory but none to provoke pride or feed envy How will bitter and keen Spirits look upon each other when they meet in glory It followeth one Lord We are in the same family how will you look God in the face if you fall a smiting your fellow-servants Matth. 24. 45. Then one Faith There may be different apprehensions and every one may abound in his own sense in circumstances but the Faith is the same they agree in the same essentials and substantials of Religion The Enemies of the Church though divided in interests and opinions yet because they agree in one common hatred of the Saints can hold together Gebal and Ammon and Amalee and the men of Tyre did all conspire against Israel Psa 83. Like Sampsons Foxes though their faces looked several wayes yet were tyed to one another by their tails and ran together to burn up the Corn-fields and shall not the people of God agree who all profess one and the same Faith The next consideration is one Baptism that is one badg of profession 't was a cause of difference among Jacobs Sons that one had a Coat of divers colours a special badg of affection Consider you are all brought in by the Baptism of Water and the use of ordinary means none have a special and privilegiate Call from heaven above the rest of their Brethren Lastly it followeth one God and Father of all You all worship the same God there is nothing divides more than different objects of Worship When one scorneth what another adorâ—eth 't is extreamly provoking 't was the Plea used to Joseph Gen. 50. Pardon the trespass of the servants of thy Fathers God Thus you see that we have beâ—ter grounds of love then others have 2. None can have higher motives as the love of Christ Eph. 5. 2. walk in love as Christ hath also loved us the Pagan world was never acquainted with such a motive Now none are affected and melted with the love of Christ but those that have an interest in it therefore Christ expecteth more love from Christians than from others Matth. 4. 46. If ye love them that love you what reward shall ye have do not even the Publicans the same The Publicans were accounted the most vile and unworthy men in that Age but a Publican would love those of his own party therefore a Christian that is acquainted with Christs love to strangers to Enemies should mannage his affections with more excellency and pureness the world is not acquainted with the love of Christ and therefore only loveth its own but we are acquainted with it and therefore should love others See John 13. 34. See that ye love one another as I have loved you Jesus Christ came from heaven not only to repair and preserve the notions of the Godhead by the greatness of his sufferings but to propound to us a more exact pattern of charity and to elevate duty between man and man 3. None have a greater charge Christ calleth it his New Commandement John 13. 34. A new Commandement give I unto you that ye love one another How new since 't was as old as the Moral Law or Law of Nature I answer 't is called nâ—w because excellent as a new Song c. or rather because solemnly and specially renewed by him and commended to their care as new things and new Laws are much esteemed and prized or enforced by a new reason and example his own death So 1 John 3. 23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is the Commandement that we should believe in him whom he hath sent and love one another as he gave Commandment 'T is made equal with Faith all the Scriptures aim at Faith and Love 't was Christs dying charge the great charge which he left at his death John 15. 17. These things I command you that ye love one another Speeches of dying men are received with most veneration and reverence especially the charge of dying friends the Brethren of Joseph fearing lest he should remember the injuries formerly done to him they use this place Thy father did coÌ„mand us before he died saying c. Gen. 50. 16. Let us fulfill the will of the dead When Christ took leave of his Disciples he left this as his last charge think of it when thou art bent to quarrel or to neglect others Shall I slight his last Commandement his dying charge 'T is made the Character of Christs Disciples Hereby shall all men know that ye are my Disciples if ye love one another 't is as much as your Discipleship c. It serveth to press you to this amity and love why should those that are to meet in the same heaven be of such an estranged heart to each other certainly it cometh from evil In two cases Gods people can agree well enough in glory and in misery in a Prison as Ridley and Hooper did and in heaven as all do in heaven where there is no sin and in a Prison where lusts lye low and are under restraint Oh then labour for love and meekness to which end take a few directions 1. Honour the least of Christs where ever you find it if any should despise others for their meanness it would be more proper to God to do so than for any other because they are most distant from his perfection but he will not despise smoaking Flax Mat. 11. You do not know what a spark of glory and of the Divine Nature may lye hid under Smoak and a covert of darkness Christ loved the young man that had but some accomplishments of nature in him Mark 1021. Jesus loved him much more should you when you find any weak appearances of Christ though they do not come up to your measures 2. Let not difference in opinion divide you 't were to be wished that Believers were of one heart and of one way that they all thought and spake the same thing yet if they differ cherish them for what of God is in them in a great Organ the Pipes are of a different size which maketh the harmony and melody the sweeter Whereunto we have attained let us walk by the same rule and mind the same thing Phil. 3. 16. Many men love to impropriate Religion as if there were nothing of God to be found but in their own sphere 't is natural to a man to do so we would be singular and ingross all repute of pirty Orâ—hodoxy and right
judged him as one forsaken of God but now he cometh as one discharged of that debt and burden and as one highly honoured by God the Father Once more he cometh in all things befitting the worlds Judge accompanied with Angels as his attendance sitting upon a visible Throne that he may be seen of all heard of all in earthly Judicatories when great Malefactors are to be tryed the whole majesty and glory of a Nation is brought forth the Judge in gorgeous apparel accompanied with the flower of the Country Nobles and Gentry and a great conflux of people So hear Christ cometh forth as the Judge accompanied with Angels and Saints powerfully executing the work of that day And the onely begotten Son of God is manifested but this is a day of manifestation not onely of the Son but of the Sons of God namely the Saints who are then set forth in their best robes In Winter the tree appeareth not what 't is the sap and life is hidden in the rooâ— but when Summer cometh all is discovered so now it doth not appear who are Gods nor what they shall be but at this day all is manifest When Christ shall appear we shall appear with him in glory they shall attain to that fulness of glory as their hearts could never conceive 't is said 2 Thâ—ss 1. 10. Christ will be admired in them the Angels shall stand wondering what Christ is about to do with Creatures that but newly crept out of dust and rottenness every one of them shall shine as the Sun and what a great and glorious day must that be when there is a constellation of so many Suns They shall share with Christ in the glory of his Kingdom as being associated with him in judging the world The upright shall have Dominion over them in the morning Psal 49. 14. those that are now scorned persecuted opposed every where in the morning of the Resurrection when they awake to meet Christ then shall they have dominion over the carnal world therefore sentence beginneth with the godly as execution doth with the wicked the Elect are first acquitted before the ungodly are condemned that they may joyn afterwards with Christ in judging the world 2 Cor. 6. 2. Again 't is great in regard of the manner of process but of that see verse 15. 3. The consequences of this day they are three 1. The sending of the persons judged into their everlasting state 2. The resigning up of the Kingdom to the Father 3. The burning of the world 1. The sending of the persons judged into their everlasting estate the Elect into glory and the wicked into torments Matth. 25. 34. Come ye blessed of my Father c. you have been too long absent from me come receive the fruit of your faith and hope but verse 41. Goe ye cursed c. they are banished out of Christs presence with such a terrible ban and proscription as shall never be reversed As Humans face was covered and so led away to execution so are they chased out of Christs presence with horror yelling and houling with the voice of Dragons and begging for mercy but find none Now from this sentence there is no appeal 't is pronounced by Christ as God-Man On earth many times Gods sentence is repealed if the nation will repâ—nt c. Jer. 18. 8. and so though God doth never change his dâ—cree he doth often change his sentence but the day of patience is now past and therefore this sentence can never be recalled Again the execution is speedy Here many times the sentence is passed but sentence is not speedily executed upon an evil doer Eccles 8. 11. Once more this execution beginning with the wicked in the sight of the just 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gather ye first the Tares c. Matth. 13. 30. which worketh the more upon the envy and grief of the wicked that they are thrust out whiles the godly remain with Christ seeing execution done and the godly have the deeper seuse of their condition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Contraries put together do more heighten one another in the execution of the wicked they may see from what they are delivered by grace Again the sentence is executed upon the whole man and that for ever body and soule are partakers as in the work so in the punishment and reward and 't is eternal for the reward is built on an infinite merit and the punishment is eternal because an infinite Majâ—sty is offended and in the next world â—on are in their final estate without possibility of change therefore God is never weary blessing the good and â—â—â—sing the wicked 2. The next consequent is the resigning and giving up the kingdom to the Father spoken of 1 Cor. 15. from 24 to 28. Kingdom may be put for Roâ—al Authority or Subjects governed as the people we call sometimes the Kingdom of England or Kingdom of France Christ is ever head of the Earth and in Heaven we subsift not onely by virtue of his everlasting merit but everlasting influence for he is the life Iohn 14. 6. And therefore I take Kingdome here in the latter sense for the subjects or the Church who are resigned or presented to God Eph. 5. 27. as the fruits of Christs purchase as a prey snatched out of the teeth of Lyons the form of presentation you have Heb. 2. 13. Behold I and all the little ones which thou hast given me Oh what a great and glorious day will this be when we shall see Christ and all his little ones following him and the great Shepherd of the Sheep going into his everlasting folds and all the Elect in his company with their Crowns on their heads singing O grave where is thy victory O death where is thy sting when all enemies shall be broken and the Church lodged in those blessed mansions what applauses and acclamations will there be between them and Christ between them and the Angels them and their fellow Saints how should we strive to be some of this number 3. The next consequence is the burning of the World which is set forth at large in 2 Pet 3. per totum The passages there are literally to be taken for the fire there spoken of is compared with the Waters of Noah which was a judgement really executed and by this fire it is probable the world will not be consumed but renewed and purged for 't is compared to a melting fire 2 Ret 3. 10. And the Apostle saith elsewhere the creature shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption Rom. 8. 21. And in the everlasting estate God will have all things nâ—w even the world it self the use of this renewed world is either for an habitation to the just or that it may remain as a standing monument of Gods wisedome and power 1. This burning doth not go before the day of judgement but follow after it for it seemeth to be an instrument of vengeance on the wicked 2 Pet. 3.
as others do example doth not lessen sin but encrease iâ— partly because their own Act is an approbation of the Act of others immitation is a postconstat and so besides your own guilt you are guilty of their sins that sinned before you partly because 't is hard to sin against example but we sin against conscience we allowing that in our selves which we formerly condemned in another partly because 't is a sin against warning to stumble at the stone at which we see others stumble is an errot and without excuse Say not then 't is the fashion and guise how can we do otherwise be not conformed to the fashions of this world you should be like Lot chast in Sodom or like those Christians that were godly in Nero's Court. Again it doth not keep off wrath multitudes and single persons are all one to avenging Justice the devouring burning of Gods wrath can break through Bryars and Thorns 'T is said Prov. 11. 21. Though hand joyn in hand the wicked shall not be unpunished Consederations and societies in evil are as nothing to the power of God though sometimes the Sons of Zerviah powerful oppressors with their combined interests may be too hard for men Well then learn to live by rule and not by example and propose the sins of others to your griefe not imitation have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness bâ—t reprove them rather Eph. 5. their practice will never afford you excuse nor exemption Your duty is to be good in a wicked age sresh like fish in the salt water follow not a multitude to do evil wickedness is never the less odious because 't is more common 't is not safe alwayes to keep the road the bad way is known by the breadth of it and the much company in it Matth. 7. 13. to walk with God is praise worthy though none do it besides thy self and to walk with men in the way of sin is dangerous though millions do it besides thee Again from that And the Cities about them in like manner the lesser Cities imitated the greater Admah and Zeboim followed the example of Sodom and Gomorrah An error in the first concoction is seldome mended in the second if sin passe the heads and chiefes of the people 't is taken up by others under their command when the first sheet is done off others are printed by the same stamps Majestrates are publike fountains of good or evil to the people over whom they are set if they be cold and carelesse in the worship of God given to contempt of the Ministery enemies to Reformation 't will be generally taken up as a fashion by others When the head is sick the whole heart is faint Isa 1. 5. Diodorus Sieulus telleth us of a people in Ethiopia that if their Kings halted they would maim themselves that they might halt likewise if they wanted an eye in a foolish imitation they would make themselves blind that they might comply even with the defects and Diseases of their Princes the vices of them in place and power are authorized by their example and pass for virtues if they be slight in the use of Ordinances 't will be taken up as a piece of Religion by inferiors to be so too From the first crime here specified giving themselves over to Fornication That Adulterous uncleanness doth much displease God When they were given over to fornication they were given over to judgement 1. This is a sin that doth not onely defile the Soul but the Body 1 Cor. 6. 18. Every sin that a man doth is without the body but he that committeth Adultery sinneth against his own body most other sins imply an injury done to others to God or our Neighbour this more directly an injury to our selves to our own bodies 't is a wrong to the body considered either as our vessel or as the Temple of the holy Ghost if you consider it as our vessel or instrument for natural uses you wrong it by uncleannesse namely as it destroyeth the health of the body quencheth the vigour of it and blasteth the beauty and so 't is selfe-murder if you consider it as Temple of the Holy Ghost 't is a dishonour to the body to make it a channel for lust to passe through shall we make a sty of a Temple abuse that to so vile a purpose which the Holy Ghost hath chosen to dwell in to plant it into Christ as a part of his mystical body to use it as an instrument in Gods service and finally to raise it out of the grave and conform it to Christs glorious body The dignity of the body well considered is a great preservative against lust 2. It brawneth the soul the softnesse of all sensual pleasures hardneth the heart but this sin as being the consummate act of sensuality much more Hosea 4. 11. Whoredom and Wine take away the heart these two are mentioned because usually they go together and both take away the heart besot the conscience take away the tenderness of the affections so that men are not ashamed of sin insensible of danger and unfit for duty and so grow saplesse carelesse senselesse 3. Next to the Body and Soul there is the name now it blotteth the name Prov. 6. 33. a wound and a dishonour shall â—e get and a reproach that shall not be wiped off Sensual wickednesse is most disgraceful as having turpitude in it and being sooner discerned then spiritual 4. It blasteth the estate Heb. 13. 4 Whoremongers and Adulterers God will judge he will â—udge others but surely these and that remarkably in this life 5 This doth exceedingly pervert the order of humane societies Solomon maketh it worse then theft Prov. 6. 29 30 31. 32. A Thiefe stealeth out of necessity but here is no â—â—gent necessity the losse here is not repairable as that which is made by theft it bringeth in great confusion in families c. therefore Adultery under the Law was punished by death which theft was not 6. It is a sinne usually accompanied with impenitency namely as it weareth out remorse and every spark of good consciences read those cutting places Prov 22. 14. The moâ—th of a strange woman is a deep pit and he that is abhorred of the Lord shall fall therein so Prov. 2. 19. none that go unto her return again do they take hold of the ways of life So see Eccles 7. 26 27 28. verses It is sin into which God useth to give over Reprobates Solomon saith he knew but one returning Well then be not drunk with the Wine of Sodom and do not scruze out the clusters of Gomorrah Whoredom is a deep ditch or gulf wherein those that are abhorred of the Lord are suffered to fall beware of all tendings that way do not soak and steep the soule in pleasures take heed of effeminaâ—y 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the soft or effeminate shall not enter into the Kingdom of God 1 Cor. 6 9.