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A65752 The troubles of Jerusalems restauration, or, The churches reformation represented in a sermon preached before the Right Honorable House of Lords, in the Abby Church Westminster, Novemb. 26, 1645 / by John White ... White, John, 1575-1648. 1646 (1646) Wing W1784; ESTC R186492 39,612 69

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Observe Gods Church must be united into a well compacted body furnished with needfull helps both for safety and order That the building of cities aims both at safety and orderly government I conceive cannot be denied The first builder of a city left upon record was Cain as is supposed for his own security being cast out of Gods protection Gen. 4.14.17 And Solomon to expresse what confidence worldlings put in their riches tells us they account it their strong Citie Prov. 10.15 Implying that Cities are accounted places of great strength and security Secondly it is evident both by reason and experience that Bodies neerly compacted are more easily and better governed and kept in order then a people scattered and dispersed abroad Now that the Lord himselfe had these ends before him in uniting his Church into a body is cleare enough to those that will understand When hee plants his vineyard the House of Israel he means Isai 5.7 the first thing which hee doth is the fencing of it vers 2. And Cantic 4.12 The Church is therefore resembled by a Garden inclosed or barred as it is in the original that is strongly fortified to keep out all that might break in to spoyle or destroy This wall of the Churches defence is the power of the Magistrate for whom we are to pray that under him we may lead a peaceable life in all godlinesse and honesty 1 Tim. 2.2 that is that being by his power preserved in peace we may serve the Lord without disturbance in holinesse the sword being put into the Magistrates hand for the terror of the wicked and for the praise of them that doe well Rom. 13.3.4 Wherefore the Lord promised that in the erecting of Christs Kingdome Princes shall be unto his Church a hiding place from the wind and a covert from the tempest Isa 32.2 so that none shall hurt or destroy in his holy mountain Isa 65.25 There is besides the Magistrates sword an inner wall Ecclesiasticall discipline by which the little Foxes as they are termed Cant. 2.15 are taken or kept out such as speak perverse things to draw Disciples after them of whom the Apostle gives the Elders of Ephesus a speciall charge to take care Acts 20.30 31. And commands Titus to proceed against them by Ecclesiasticall censure Admonition and Rejection Tit. 3.10 And by the same Discipline Christs Ordinances are preserved pure as the Temple was preserved from pollution by the Priests who were to teach the people the difference between the clean and unclean and to give judgement accordingly Ezek. 44.23 24. These are indeed the true Rails about the Lords Table to keep out Dogges and Swine as Christ terms them Matth. 7.6 from polluting and profaning holy things and these are Jerusalems walls The second thing that God will build in Jerusalem is her streets both for Order and Beauty If the body were a grosse lump as some say Bears whelps are when they are newly fallen not distinguished by parts and members it were both uncomly and unserviceable 1 Cor. 12.18 19 20. There must therefore be streets in Jerusalem distinction of Offices and Functions and distributions of the people into Tribes Cities and Daughters of Cities as the Scripture terms them Villages and particular Congregations without which there can be no orderly government as Jethro tels Moses Exod. 18.18 21. That resemblance of the Church to an Army terrible with Banners Cant. 6.4 may perhaps upon the by under the type of an Army consisting of severall Troops and Companies marshalled under their severall Standards and Banners and yet making up but the entire body of one Army shadow out these divisions of the Church into her several members making up together the body of one Church which by this unitie and order growes and increaseth not as Cities doe in outward wealth but in those durable Riches as Solomon terms them Prov. 8.18 of faith love and other spiritual graces as the Apostle testifies Eph. 4.16 and as experience made it manifest in the Church newly gathered in the Apostles time which having some time of rest and opportunity thereby to joyn in fellowship not only increased in numbers but besides thrived in grace being edified and walking in the feare of the Lord Acts 9.31 which was furthered by those Ordinances which they enjoyed in common called living waters streams from Lebanon Cant. 4.13 conveighing that oyle of grace which like the oyntment powred on Aarons head and running down to the hem of his garments Psalm 133.2 flowes from Christ our head full of grace and truth of whose fulnesse we all receive grace for grace John 1.14 16. These are the advantages that the Citie of God and Church hath by uniting into a well compacted body fenced with Civill and Ecclesiasticall power and in an orderly manner divided into streets or congregations according to Gods appointment Why God will have it so there may be given these reason First God is One and his Name One wherefore the Apostle setting out the unity of the Church in One Body one Spirit one Lord one Faith one Baptisme shuts up all in one God and Father of all Eph. 4 4 5 6. implying that this unity of the Church flowes from him who is One Whence also but Saviour prayes for the Church that the members thereof may be all one as he and the Father are one John 17.21 22. And indeed seeing the Church is united to Christ as the Head thereof it must needs be one Body Now from this spirituall union of the mysticall body of the Church ariseth a kinde of necessity of uniting the members of the Church visible as much as may be Secondly this unity of the Church and order thereby credits Religion It is a good and delightfull thing for brethren to dwel together in unity Psa 133.1 Unity begets Order which proceeds ab uno and diverts ad unum and Order follows Decency which moves the Apostle to joyn them together 1 Cor. 14.40 Both these Unity and Order thereby so grace and commend the Church that many are thereby moved to joyn unto that Society When the Church was magnified of the people many were joyned unto it Acts 5.13 14. A third reason of the necessity of the Churches unity and order is her preservation A Kingdome a Citie an House divided against it selfe cannot stand saith our Saviour Matth. 12.25 26. This care of the Churches preservation is the more needful because it is but a little Flock Luke 12.32 And which is more dangerous a flock of Sheep amongst Wolves Matth. 10.16 which moves Saint Paul to warn the Elders of Ephesus to look to themselves and their Flock because grievous wolves shall enter in amongst them after his departure Acts. 20.29 Vse The Use of this poynt being manifold that I may not hold you ever-long I shall for the present apply it onely by way of Exhortation to that duty in the performance whereof Gods honour and the Churches good are so much interessed wherein if wee