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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A52476	Three choice and profitable sermons upon severall texts of Scripture viz. Jer. 30. 17, John 14. 3, Heb. 8. 5 : the first of them being the last sermon which he preached at the court of election at Boston, the second was the last which he preached on the Lords-Day, the third was the last which he preached on his weekly-lecture-day : wherein (beside many other excellent and seasonable truths) is shewed, the Lords soveraignty over, and care for his church and people, in order to both their militant and triumphant condition, and their fidelity and good affection towards himself / by that reverend servant of Christ, Mr. John Norton ...	Norton, John, 1606-1663.; Norton, John, 1606-1663. Copy of the letter returned by the ministers of New-England to Mr. John Dury about his pacification.	1664 (1664)	Wing N1324; ESTC R40050	44,511	76

ver 23. Gen. 46. when Joseph received Jacob and his Brethren after so long an absence judge what a contentment there was Jacob fell upon Josephs neck and Joseph fell upon Iacobs neck but their embraces are not to be mentioned with the embraces of Christ and the Soul Do good that when you dye the good you have done may receive you into everlasting habitations Your works shall follow you It was the speech of one * Ambrose I have not so lived as that I am ashamed to live any longer nor am I afraid to dye Labour so to live as you may be useful in the body and so as you may not be ashamed to go out of the body but may say as Iohn did who was an old man and a Disciple I come quickly Even so come Lord Iesus come quickly THE EVANGELICAL WORSHIPPER Subjecting to the Prescription and Soveraignty of Scripture-patern BEING THE THIRD SERMON AND Preached on the LECTURE-DAY APRIL II. 1663. Heb. 8.5 Who serve unto the Example and shadow of Heavenly things as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the Tabernacle for see saith he that thou make all things according to the patern shewed to thee in the Mount THis Verse illustrates the Argument mentioned in the foregoing words from an adjunct or accident accompanying the Legal Priest-hood The Argument there used to prove that the Priest-hood of Christ excelled that priest-hood which was after the Order of Aaron was because they which were of that Priesthood ministred on Earth but Christ ministreth in Heaven He was a Minister of the true Tabernacle while he was on Earth and he still officiates in his Priestly Office now he is in Heaven the Tabernacle which they ministred in was upon the Earth and was made of earthly things and it was a figure or shadow of heavenly things he declares that that Tabernacle was a worldly Tabernacle or Sanctuary 1. From the quality of it it was onely a shadow or example of heavenly things and it was a type but Christ was a Minister of the true Tabernacle 2. It is declared from the certainty of it for He saith this But how doth that appear It appears from a Divine Testimony For see saith he that thou make all things according to the Patern shewed to thee in the Mount For the opening of the words First we are to consider what these heavenly things are They are called in Chap. 9.11 Good things to come In a word it means Christ with all his Benefits these are the Heavenly things that the other were but Shadows of Therefore it is truely said that the Ceremonial Law holds forth Christ i. e. it makes known the Gospel being rightly understood but after a Legal dispensation Secondly it was a shadow of good things i. e. it was a patern that did shadow out Heavenly things God shewed Moses a Patern or Type in a Vision according to which the Tabernacle was to be framed and Moses acts accordingly The word translated Patern intends as much as a likeness or example or a figure As for the Divine Testimony you may see it in Exodus 25.9 According to all that I shew thee after the patern of the Tabernacle and the patern of all the instruments thereof even so shall ye make it And in Chap. 39. this testimony is often given that All things were done as the Lord had commanded Moses But Christ was the Minister of another Tabernacle i. e. of his Body the true Tabernacle Doct. Great care must be hads in matters of Divine Worship or Divine Administrations that all things proceed according to the Prescript Word of God Or That all things be exactly corresponding to the Prescript of Gods Word Hebrews 7.14 For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Iudah of which Tribe Moses spake nothing concerning the Priesthood The Apostle thinks he argueth well and conclusively That Christ was not of the Levitical Order because nothing was spoken concerning it of that Tribe This is a good Argument in Divinity to say That there is nothing in Gods Word why you should act such or such a thing it is not enough to say that there is nothing expresly against it the truth is there is enough against it if there be nothing for it The Tribe of Iudah must not meddle with the matters of the Priesthood Why so because Moses spake nothing of them in that respect and in Exod. 25.9 Moses himself was to act nothing that he found not in the Patern Exod. 26.30 And thou shalt rear up the Tabernacle according to the fashion thereof which was shewed thee in the Mount He must act nothing that he doth not finde in the Patern It is true David for some just cause made some alteration in the Worship of God for the state of Temple-worship compared with Tabernacle-worship did call for a change But how did David proceed in it 1 Chron. 28.19 All this saith David the Lord made me uncenstand in writing by his hand upon me even all the works of this patern He made no alteration in Gods Worship but it was also by a Patern given to him by God And for Solomon you finde that David gave him the Patern ver 11. to build the Temple according thereunto And relating to Gospel-times the time of the Messias you have an eminent text in Ezek. 43.10 11. Thou Son of man shew the house to the House of Israel that they may be ashamed of their iniquities and let them measure the patern and if they be ashamed of all that they have done shew them the form of the house and the fashion and the goings out thereof and the comings in thereof and all the forms thereof c. Reas 1. Because it is the acknowledgement of the Prerogative of Jesus Christ I mean that he alone hath the honour to institute Divine Worship He in truth was the Author of the Tabernacle of the Temple and yet he was the Tabernacle and the Temple i. e. the true Tabernacle and Temple The power of the Keyes i. e. the instituted Worship under the Gospel you shall finde Christ is the maker and disposer of those Keyes Mat. 16.19 It is not for man to make a Key to open Heaven be will never be able to pick that lock Ye shall reverence my Sanctuary saith God Levit. 26.2 and why so I am that Lord make a pause here i. e. it 's no less then the Attribute of his Lordship that is demonstrated in the matters of his Worship as for instance Korah was very near unto the Priesthood Numb 16.1 and yet inferiour to the Priesthood and it may be that was some temptation to him to be so near it and yet inferiour to it but he must not offer Incense Numb 16.40 but the Priests which are the Sons of Aaron may Why may not Korah the reason is I am the Lord I will have this act to be matter of Divine Worship and not another and I will have

much As unto him his honour due malignantly to grutch Yet this will adde unto the weight of his most glorious Crown And both in sight of God and men increase his high renown T is true he was a man and none himself abhorred more But none did more the Lords free grace in Jesus Christ adore Nothing but this to know or preach or share in did he wish This was on Earth as 't is in Heav'n his blessed Paradice To Honour Christ he was content as well by Sea as Land His Life to venture yea his ALL was All at Christ's Command The care of all His Churches-dear lay heavy on his heart As he did ever but at last most fully it impart His life was nothing but of death a daily meditation And to his happy end at last a solemn preparation He was a man if any were that loved truth and peace Which to promote in every kinde he ne're at all did cease An Orthodox Divine he was his writings all do show Both Englands Holland all the World or do or may it know His Books do Antichrist confute with all his viperous brood Especially where they eclipse the merits of Christs blood Church-holy-order he maintain'd against Morellianisme Decrying every sect but most abhorring Quakerisme His last both words and works like Davids were the best And as his death more neer approach'd more lively then the rest Nothing but things at Gods right hand and heavenly Mansions Was in his thoughts at home abroad breath'd in 's expressions Ipswich was happy Boston more if it we had but known Whom two such Johns successively God gave to be their own But John and Paul so much admir'd and most deservedly Must be content to be abas'd by some before they dy And being dead it will appeare such Prophets once we had When God hath once abased us with changes very sad The Lord if his good pleasure be our miseries prevent And of our great unthankfulness grant that we may repent Then will the Lord this Widow-Church that widows house relieve And make us all rejoyce again whom now he makes to grieve We griev'd him first and just it was that he should grieve our hearts Though when at low'st we are t is far beneath our just deserts I speak of all New-England but chiefly of Boston Church Oh! let us all impartially our wayes and spirits search And say as the Disciples did Lord is it I is' t I And thou my soule beyond the rest It to thy self applie T is thou hast sinned were there none but thy unworthiness Well might the Lord both thee and all because of thee distress When such green trees as were those Johns Gods hand thus spareth not Of such a dry and withered one Lord what will be the lot However we must bless thy name what ere of us become That thou takes up such fruitful ones to thine eternal home Oh! that their rare Examples wee to follow had the grace That thou may'st count us worthy once of that most glorious place As for his Mary let her say Rabboni unto him Who calls her Mary by her Name and did her Soul redeem Iohn Wilson Sen. SION the Out-cast healed of her Wounds BEING THE FIRST SERMON AND Preached at the COURT of ELECTION MAY XXII 1661. Jerem. 30.17 For I will restore health unto thee and I will heal thee of thy wounds saith the Lord because they called thee an Out-cast saying This is Sion whom no man seeketh after THis Text may be called A Divine Plaister for a Sin-sick Out-cast in other words it is Gods Cure of Sion when incurably Wounded You have here the Patient described from divers Adjuncts some Inherent abiding in the Patient some Extrinsecal relating to the Patient That which is Abiding is that she is an Out-cast Wounded and Sick That which is Extrinsecal relateth either to the Spectators or to the Physician To the Beholders and there you have their disaffection viz. They called thee an Out-cast saying c. To the Physician and there you have his affection viz. I will restore health to thee and will heal thee of thy wounds which Affection is amplified 1. From the Cause Because they called thee an Out-cast therefore will I heal thee 2. From the Infallibility of it upon the testimony of this Physician Thus saith the Lord. They say Thou art an Out-cast the Lord saith He will restore her To open the words briefly The Patient Here you finde 1. An Out-cast It doth immediately look to the good Figs that were in Babylon and they were in a manner voluntary Exiles they yielded themselves to go and such an Out-cast is here meant as is not onely cast out of the Country but out of the hearts and affections of others Several Comparisons there are that set forth this Out-cast as that of a menstruous woman Lam. 1.17 of the person cast out of the Synagogue Ezra 10 8. Ioh. 9 22. and that of the Leper 2 Chron. 26.21 he dwells in an house apart and as Iephthah thrust and expelled out of his Fathers house cast out of doors and out of hearts and esteem 2. But not onely is Sion an Out-cast but an Out-cast Wounded and it is Laesio ad mortem a deadly wound and an incurable wound Ier. 30.12 i. e. according to man And not a green Wound but an Ulcer a festered Wound and Sore and no wonder then she is also sick And if we look to the Extrinsecal Adjunct which accompany this Patient there is that which relates unto 1. The Beholders They say This is Sion whom no man seeketh after They did reproach her and there was no denial of it Is not this Sion 't is spoken in way of derision the sarcasm of an Enemy Sion was a word of honour but they here relate to the Notation of the Hebrew word from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Siccitas as being a day withered sapless thing a barren and forsaken and undesirable place and society And further Whom no man seeketh after Neither this sort of men nor that sort of men none hath any care of her welfare 2. A second kinde of Extrinsecal Adjuncts relate unto the Physician Therefore I will restore health unto thee and I will heal thee Now God will apply a sanative Cataplasm an healing Pla ster This is Repentance and Restitution Ier. 31.9 Repentance and their Return make up the sanative Plaister In respect of her self there was need of Repentance in respect of the adversary there was need of Reduction And the Cause of it viz. Because they called thee an Out-cast as who should say I am sensible of all thy case and the opprobrie thou hast suffered therefore will I restore thee But shall not this fail No Jehovah's word is engaged for it Thus saith the Lord. Doct. When Sion for its sin is become an Out-cast a subject of contempt God takes occasion from her Calamity to give her Repentance that so he may bring upon her the Blessing of his own

People I will not more then intimate to you the Paradoxes that the Text doth abound with Sion and acknowledged and yet no man careth for her A People none neglected like them a People none beloved like them Neglected if you look at men beloved if you look at God A People whose very adversaries are instrumental to their prosperity These are such Riddles as we may truely say Gods grace onely makes A strange occasion may that seem to be which God takes for the healing of his People in Isa 57.17 18. I have seen his wayes i. e. his frowardness and covetousness and will heal him Ezek. 11.15 16 17. Thy brethren even thy brethren c. they say Get ye farre from the Lord unto us is the land given in possession Therefore say Thus saith the Lord although I have cast them farre off c. though I have scattered them c. yet will I be a little Sanctuary unto them I will gather you c. Zech. 3.2 The Lord rebuke thee O Satan even the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem Is not this a brand pluckt out of the fire They had been in the Furnace long enough As the Lord dealeth thus with his people so Davia maketh use of the like in his personal case 2 Sam. 16.12 It may be the Lord will look upon mine affliction and requite me good c. bless me because of his cursing The Reasons of the point are Reas 1. From the Sympathy that there is between the Head and the Members Christ is sensible of the sufferings of his Out-cast It is true that the Out-cast doth suffer it is a greater truth that the God of the Out-cast suffereth Isa 63.9 In all their affliction he was afflicted it relateth to Israel in Egypt Zech. 2.8 He that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his Eye it relateth to the good Figs in exile It is no little ease that our sorrows touch Christ according to Heb. 4.15 We have not an high Priest that cannot be touched c. What though the Out-cast suffereth for sin yet he hath a sufferer with him and in this respect what Paul said to his Corinthians 2 Cor. 2.2 that doth Christ say to his Out-cast If I make you sorry who is he that maketh me glad but the same that are made sorry by me Reas 2. Because that Gods Name suffereth while his Out-casts do thus suffer Exod. 32.12 if God should destroy Israel the Egyptians will say For mischief hath he brought them c. Deut. 32.27 Were it not that I feared the wrath of the enemy lest their adversaries should behave themselves strangely and say Our hand is high and the Lord hath not done all this You remember the argument which Ioshua useth Chap. 7 8 9. When Israel falleth before the enemy what wilt thou do to thy great Name The destruction of Israel would raise a scandal to Religion and the God of Israel Reas 3. To capacitate the Out-cast to receive the benediction of a Father the actual blessing of his People To be Gods people is one thing but to be made meet to receive the blessing of his people is another thing Zech. 3.2 The Lord even the Lord that hath chosen Ierusalem c. God in election hath made them his people and determined to bless them 't is this that doth pluck the brand out of the fire Ier. 24.5 6 7. I will set mine eyes upon them for good I will bring them again I will build them I will give them an heart to know me c. Ier. 30.22 31.33 I will be their God and they shall be my people and vers 9. Ye shall come with weeping and supplications c. Ye shall come there is their Return with weeping and supplications there is their Repentance and the Lord hath undertaken for it I am a father to Israel and Ephraim as bad as he is is my first-born The cause of their being his people a penitent people a blessed people is his fatherly relation to them Ier. 32.38 39. Ier. 30.7 Alas it is the time of Iacobs trouble but he shall be saved out of it Vse 1. Instruction 1. Hence learn that Sion is subject to sad Apostacy or defections Ier. 2.5 13 21. I planted thee a noble vine We must acknowledge God planted us I may say a Scripture vine and if so a noble vine but you see a generous vine subject to be a degenerate vine Exod. 32.7 8. They turned aside quickly But as the Oratour solemnizing a sad funeral desired to have learned Mortality from another Instance rather then that of Scaliger so I would God would learn us this truth from some other instances rather then from these Churches I may mention notwithstanding the Polititians observation concerning the stage of action usually changed in thirty years because the persons that make the major vote are usually changed and gone by that time Something about that time hath our time been in this land now perhaps the major vote is changed you may say in such and such a case many a time and had such been alive these actions and those in Church or Court would not have been so carried on But I will not dwell here I wish we might learn such instances from some other example and not from our selves Instr 2. Sions Apostacy brings upon Sion sad Calamity 'T is a truth that Israel embraceth not God til God first embrace Israel 't is also a truth that God forsaketh not Israel till Israel first forsake him Ier. 5.25 If good things be withheld from us Iniquity is the cause Lam. 3.39 if evil things be brought upon us the cause is sin There was a time when Solomon was at rest 1 Kings 5.4 There was no adversary nor evil occurrent there was a time again when Solomon had many adversaries 1 King 11.14 23 26. Solomon hath rest while he is in his integrity Solomon hath adversaries that was the time of his Apostacy Is there no dispensation but Iudah must serve Shishak 2 Chron. 12.8 what is the reason thereof it is because they would not subject themselves to the yoke of God not the power of the Egyptians but their non-subjection to God made them subjects to Shishak Ier. 14.11 7.16 Ieremiah pray not for them I will not hear saith the Lord there is no dispensation Ier. 27.12 non-subjection to the yoke of Christ subjected Iudah to the yoke of Babylon Abuse of Liberty is that which forfeiteth the use of liberty Instr 3. Sions Maladie is not cureable with Calamity Isai 4.8.10 would not one think a furnace should cure the outcast they are so good that they are called the good figs and yet so bad as that seventy years captivity would not make them good enough for the end Those that were seventy years in the furnace do cry out Lord why hast thou hardned our hearts from thy fear Isai 63.17 you that think you have a new man do not forget that you have within you also an old

man and calamity will not remove it The hard-heartedness of good people is very strange Heb. 3.8 Harden not your hearts Oh! provoke him not as at Meribah what doth Paul cry out against and so David and Moses Meribah Meribah this this lyeth at the hearts of such the inseparable the insuperable invincible non-subjection of Israel to the wayes of God this is not cureable with calamity Instr 4. Though Sions malady be such as that lookt at in it self it cannot be cured yet lookt at in Gods promise and it cannot want a cure Look upon it in it self and it seems incurable look't at in the Physician and it cannot but be cured Ieremiah looking at his sufferings he will speak no more but looking at Gods promise and it is as fire in his bones he cannot but speak 2 King 8.10 there is a quaerie put to the Prophet whether Benhadad shall live the prophet answers He may certainly recover howbeit the Lord hath shewed me he shall surely dye i. e. the disease was not such but he might have recovered so may I by allusion invert and say Sions disease is incurable but yet she shall certainly recover Look at Sion in the glass of Providence and she is as a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit Isai 54.5 6. 66.4 husbandless as to reproach and yet at the same time thy Maker is thy husband if we look at Sion in the glass of the Promise this Out-cast is both Marah and Hephzibah both a Widow and Beulah Look at the Out-casts tears as an effect of mans not caring for her but as an occasion and demonstration of Gods care for her Psal 126.5 6. that Sion sheddeth tears denominateth her Marah that Sions tears are seed denominateth her Hephzibah Psal 56 8. that tears fall from Davids cheeks this is matter of sorrow that Davids tears fall into Gods bottle is matter of joy Instr 5. Gods touching an impenitent Out-cast with repentance is a signal of Gods having mercy thereon Sions recovery by repentance from her backsliding is an effect of grace and a fore-runner of the set time of Stons mercy Sions impenitency is the life and strength of Sions of the Out-casts calamity Repentance doth break the yoke of Babylon Impenitency doth lay on the yoke of Babylon You may truly say the date of the Out-casts captivity and the date of their impenitency is the same The enemy is never harder-hearted to Sion then when Sion is hard-hearted to her God Their affliction was not the bardness of the Babylonians hearts but Lord why hast thou hardned our hearts Isai 63.17 when the Out-casts return to Ston they shall goe weeping with their faces thitherward Ier. 50.4 5. Vse 2. Exhortation The text openeth my mouth to call upon Gods Outcasts to accept of Gods plaister God proposeth to us Remedy or Calamity we have our option whether that of the plaister or of the sore make we our choice If we accept the plaister the time of mercy even the set time is come if you do not accept it you may look at it as the beginning of sorrow That we are Out-casts this doth speak us sick but our not accepting the remedy speaks our sickness incurable To be Out-casts this argues that we are cast off by men but our not accepting the remedy speaketh us cast off by God the condition of an Out-cast supposeth us sinners but the rejection of the remedy doth say that we are castawayes for an Out-cast to need a medicine is common to good and bad to accept it is proper to the good Let us then accept the Lords Plaister As an Ingredient thereto I shall propose this Direction viz. 1. Learn we to judge aright of Liberty Scripture-liberty Gal. 5.1 Paul biddeth us stand fast in our liberty and those accursed ones he looks unto Chap. 1. who also pleaded for liberty and whom the Assertors of true Liberty should accordingly pronounce accursed Blessed men plead for liberty and cursed men plead for liberty The Gnostick in 2 Pet. 2.19 doth plead for liberty Good men plead for liberty and bad men plead for liberty the best men plead for liberty and the worst men plead for liberty If you ask what Liberty is you may look at it as a Power as to any external restraint or obstruction-on mans part to walk in the Faith Worship Doctrine and Discipline of the Gospel according to the Order of the Gospel When you hear men plead for Liberty see that it be not Liberty falsly so called 2. Acknowledge Order Divine and in particular in that great Point of a Ministerial Judge There are that make little of Order and yet we may think not any made so little as Paul made much of it Let All things be done in Order 1 Cor. 14.40 it seemeth an Apostolical spirit doth conclude that sometimes better such a thing not done then not orderly done There is a judgement Discretive which belongeth to every Believer there is a judgement Authoritative that belongs unto the Church and is set therein by God and also there is a judgement Decisive which belongs unto the Council Onely remember that the Supreme Judge is either 1. Authentick i. e. Jesus Christ or 2. Regulative i. e. the Scripture or 3. Ministerial i. e. the Council This Question concerning a Ministerial Judge in matters of Religion is that which hath greatly exercised the Christian world insomuch that both Protestants and Papists agree That the Resolution of this Controversie is of so great moment as that hereupon depends the Resolution of all Controversies When a Controversie ariseth in a Church differences must not alwayes continue what shall resolve the same if a Ministerial Judge be not admitted Take away this Order and how shall Peace or the Society continue This truth of a Ministerial Judge is reckoned among the Fundamentals Secundarily because it doth tend to the 〈…〉 finde preservation of all that else is of the Foundation You shall finde this Truth impleaded throughout all generations since the Primitive times and pleaded for by all the Orthodox in all the Centuries Deut. 17.12 Standum sententiae summi judicis Israel must stand to this if it be in matters of Religion there is the Priest if in matters Civil there is the Magistrate and he that stands not or submits not to the Sentence of these let him be cut off from Israel so requisite a thing is Order Acts 15. there is no rest in such a case what now do they but refer it to a Council and that doth determine it 1 Cor. 14.32 The Spirit of the Prophets is subject to the Prophets I will not acknowledge him a Prophet that is not subject to the Prophets Let not any one therefore under pretence of a Prophet or whatever Inspiration or Perswasion soever exempt themselves from subjection to Order Obj. The major part may erre and is not alwayes the melior part Councils and Churches may erre and have erred Answ 1. But is it not true that the

religious then so to carry it that they should no sooner see a Congregational-man then to have cause to say They see an Enemy to the Crown Prov. 24.21 My son fear thou the Lord and the King and meddle not with them that are given to change Eccles 10.20 Curse not the King no not in thy thought Dan. 6.22 Innocency was found in me saith Daniel and also before thee O King have I done no hurt Is this thy voice my son David 1 Sam. 26.17 really so not hypocritically We have severe Observers Tongues are not untaught to inform against us It is but wisdome to give no cause especially such as our own Consciences cannot testifie for and such as all Orthodox Churches in the Protestant world will testifie against In matters of the State-Civil and of the Church let it be shewn that we are his Disciples who Matth. 22.21 said Give unto Cesar the things that are Cesars and unto God the things that are Gods and in matters of Religion let it be known that we are for Reformation and not for Separation 6. Lastly Take care thar the Order of the Gospel may have a free passage in the Churches I mean that our Practice may effectually answer our Doctrine in that Book entituled The Platform of Church-Discipline 'T is that for which we are Out-casts at this day that for the substance of it is it that sheweth what New-England is I would I might say that there are none among our selves that are against it There was a time when the General Court did approve of it and when the Members of that Synod pleaded for it Our reality herein will be in no small degree critical of our Integrity in this Undertaking and our Actions must be the demonstrations of our Sincerity This is a principal Ingredient of this healing Plaister and for the defect-hereof are such frequent and scandalous Breaches in our Churches so many Administrations in vain and such sad Non-administration and Remora's occasioning that sad Quaerie of Spectators Whether the Congregational-way be practicable yea or not I beseech you consider whom it is that it doth concern to answer this Objection you that are conscientious do not forget it at whom the stick lyes in one order or another If we cannot build without the noise of Hammers yield that we are not Temple-workmen yield we must either that the Congregational-way is not the way of God or that We are unfit for the behaviour of the House of God As concerning the Church-government according to the Platform of Discipline the practice of which doctrine who careth for is not this that truth which the Synod Churches the General Court sometime made a good Confession of and that now no man comparatively careth for Ezra 4.8 Rehum cares not for it ver 23. Artaxerxes careth not for it Nehem. 4. Sanballat and Tobiah care not for it the Episcopal man the Presbyterian care not for it the Morellian careth not for it the Merchant the Souldier the Husbandman the Labourer careth not for it Haggai 1. The people of Jerusalem the Church-members care not for it I am apt sometimes to think that Aaron may be under a temptation of irregular complyance but minde Ier. 15.19 Let them return unto thee but return not thou unto them I may say thus much and pardon my speech A more yeilding Ministry unto the People I believe is not in the World I beseech you let not Cesar be killed in the Senate after he hath fought it out and conquered in the Field let us acknowledge the Order of the Eldership in our Churches in their way and the Order of Councils in their way duely back'd and encouraged without which Experience will witness that these Churches cannot long consist God hath opened the mouth of the Speaker to you this day it being a day wherein after so many attempts and feares you are betrusted with your Liberties for another year You have this years oportunity and at such a time and blessed be the Lord God of our Fathers who hath put such a thing in the Kings heart so farre to accept your Application to his Majesty as not onely to give you the oportunity of the year present but also encouragement for many years to come Let all of us be stirred up by the Lord and at such a time to strengthen the hand of Zerubbabel and Jehoshua by your professed subjection to the Gospel of Christ Do not betray liberty under the pretence of liberty You that are in the honoured Magistracy remember Davids troubles Psal 132.1 5. he could not rest till the Ark had rest And those that are in the Ministry remember Paul's troubles and what his cares were 1 Cor. 11.28 Let us all minde what were the troubles and thoughts of heart that were in them that lived in the dayes of Malachi Chap 3.16 But are there not many that minde onely their cieled houses c and how much doth the work of the Out-cast lye unattempted witness the sick estate of the Churches and how can it be remedied if we will not acknowledge Order and shall I say that we are real therein You have brought upon your selves real troubles and likewise upon your Relations and Friends in England and those here that suffer with you in this Exile See then that you be not hypocritical but real to the Truth which you have professed I could tell you and you must not forget it That there have been Men of Renown as they are called Numb 16.2 Famous in the Congregation of Israel that did go out of Egypt but yet could not endure the Order of God in the Wilderness Let us shew it that we mistook not our selves pretending to come into this Wilderness to live under the Order of the Gospel We are Out-casts indeed and reproached but let us be such Out-casts as are caring for the Truth and therefore not to neglect an Apologie it doth become and greatly concern Gods Out-casts to minde it You know there are those who represent you as disaffected to Government and as Sectaries and Schismaticks and as Fanaticks you see cause to Apologize therein And for that term of Fanatick you must remember it is not of yesterday however it be now used or abused You may learn the original use of it from that distribution of Professors in relation to Church government in former times into four sorts viz. Orthodoxt Pontificii Rationales and Fanatici But I trust that God doth and Angels and Men shall know that we are Orthodox Gods Out-casts are not Fanaticks The Woman in the wilderness may have the vomit of the Dragon cast in her face if you let it lye on you will suffer wash it off therefore by an Apologie Thus did Justin Martyr Tertullian Iuel and others in their time Give not the advantage of interpreting Silence as Consent nor think it labour lost if an Apologie will wash your face And though we may be cast out by men yet may we hope that God will

this man to act and not another I am the Lord. Might not any man take a little perfume and sprinkle it on the coals No God will institute what acts and what persons he pleaseth I have heard I think some say that any man may administer Baptism or the Lords Supper and I say it may be a Childe is able to do it what then But we must remember what God saith I am the Lord and he will be owned in his Institutions Vzzah was a good man yet he may not touch the Ark why not I am the Lord 2 Sam. 6. It is one of the holy Institutions of God Ye shall all reverence my Sanctuary Hence it is that to the holy things of God reverence is a great part of duty and if this or that be Gods Worship remember Gods Lordship is in his own Institutions and he will make a difference as he pleaseth not that Aaron or Moses are better then others in themselves they may be worse but God will have his Lordship appear in these his holy things Therfore it is that we must be conscientious in our reverence of the holy things of God even in regard of bodily reverence by comely gestures for our bodyes are the Lords 1 Cor. 6. Hence Sitting is not a Prayer-gesture it is true if there be great weakness or infirmity of body c. that may give an excuse for the Lord will have mercy in case rather then Sacrifice And therefore also it is that Christ stood up when he read the word Luk. 4.16 and in Nch. 8.5 they stood up at the hearing of the Word read We should shew reverence at the holy things of God because they are his Institutions and he is the Lord. Reas 2. Because in Divine Worship we acknowledge God to be our Soveraign Lord and that we owe unto him absolute Subjection and Obedience and we acknowledge our selves to be his absolute Subjects The act of Worship is an acknowledgement both of his Soveraignty and of our meanness Who am I that am but dust and ashes that I should take upon me to speak unto the Lord Gen. 18. In acts of Worship we must exalt Christ and depress man Many in these dayes are against Forms but in the mean time let us not forget Worship For Israel to wait upon a Rock was a despicable thing to the Nations to see so many thousands come and stand about the Rock was strange but that Rock was Christ this is nothing else but the acknowledgement of God who will be known in his own way And this let me say Christ himself that was not onely Man but God attended the Ordinances while he was here on earth and so did his Apostles this is to shew the disevangelical spirit of those that do object against external Worship Reas 3. Because Divine external Worship is a means of conferring heavenly things The Keyes of the Kingdome of Heaven open or shut Heaven Mat. 16.19 Naaman must know if he be cured whence the Cure comes be must acknowledge the Waters of Iordan and he must acknowledge the Prophet God could have cured him without either but he was not pleased so to do You feed your Hens and Chickens but you throw their meat upon the ground and make them take it from thence so God feeds us with heavenly food but we must receive it in a lowly manner You can have no Faith to expect Gods blessing in any way but his own any Institutions so farre as they are Humane you cannot have Faith for Gods blessing to go with them Instructions 1. The Ceremonial Law understood teacheth Christ the truths of Christ are laid up under the types of the Ceremonial Law When you reade the Ceremonial Law if you understood it you would see Christ through it as for instance Heb. 9. the Tabernacle was a figure of Christs Body and so was the Vail Heb. 10.20 when they went into the first Court they remembred the Incarnation of the Messias and so when they looked on the Vail c. they who looked on these types whose eyes were opened they saw Christ Reade Lev. 16.15 compared with Heb. 9.24 26. As Christ shed his blood and so entred into Heaven so the High-priest slew the Sacrifice and then entred into the holy of holies And the efficacy of the Merit of Christ was figured in the incense this is to let us see how clearly we are taught the same truths above what they of old were comparing our times with theirs Instr 2. It is the part of those who are Conscientious to keep themselves unto Scripture-bounds in holy or Church-administrations 2 Cor. 10.13 the Apostle would have them walk by a line it relates to the Graecian exercises to which the Apostle doth delight to allude it comes to one with that which the Apostle doth elsewhere say viz. 2 Tim. 2.5 He that striveth is not Crowned except he strive lawfully There is a line of motion to regulate all administrations especially Church-administrations there is a line that doth regulate the Eldership and a line also to regulate the Brotherhood so that all Church administrations are to be carried on according to that line This was Moses his charge See thou make all things according to the patern and do you think there is not as much Conscience to be made of it now under the Gospel to make all things according to the patern as in the dayes of the Legal dispensation 1 Cor. 14.40 Let all things be done according to Order the case may be so that though a thing be done that is for the matter of it good there may yet be more hurt in the disorder of it then there is good in the doing of it If we exercise our own Notions and Apprehensions in matters of Worship this is Will-worship Mat. 15.9 In vain do they Worship me teaching for Dectrines the traditions of men Mark the opposition Me and Men can mens traditions be an act of Divine Worship No it s but Will-worship Col. 2.23 there may be that which is plausible to man yet it 's but Will-worship there may be parts and excellencies but if they are out of place it is that which God will not bear with Exod. 20.25 He that lifts up his tool upon mine Altar hath pollutedit it is enough to pollute it because it is a mans tool we must not turn to the right hand nor to the left but keep our way right on The Corinthians turned to the left hand when they would not Excommunicate the incestuous person and they turned to the right hand when they would not receive him in being a penitent it was an errour on the right hand in Peter when he would not have Christ suffer but a fearful scandalous one You shall not adde thereto nor take therefrom saith the Lord Deut. 4.2 12.32 neither Elders nor Brethren must take upon them that which belongs not to them nor the Council take that which belongeth not to it nor the Magistrates what