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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
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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

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

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

the Believer cannot bear I desire therefore to be loosed from the Body It is said of one * Mezentius that he would bind a dead Corpse to a living man and so he would torture them This new man is boudn to a dead Corps there is no part of the Understanding Will or Affections throughout the whole man but this dead Corpse is there 3. There is the Cord of our absence from Christ that he expresseth as if it did in an especial manner move with him to be with Corist which is the best of all Simeon speaking of death Lord now lettest thou thy Servant depart in peace Luk. 2.29 as if he should say Give me my dismission as we use to speak from one Church to another so here from a Society Militant to a Society Triumphant So you see here he calls it but a dismission it came to pass when the time was come that he should be received up Luk. 9.51 relating to his death if you did but think that this were the great business when you dye namely the receiving of your Soules you would not be troubled you cannot give up your Soules into better hands 〈◊〉 5.24 you shall there finde it is called a passage from one Room to another he is passed from death to life it is like a passing from one room into another Look at death as in the Curse and what more terrible But look at it in the Promise and it hath another kind of aspect 1 Cor. 15.43 you see there it is compared to sowing it is sown in weakness it is raised in power This is now with relation to the body it is but sowing of it it shall rise again and that with advantage you are not affraid of sowing your seed that will bring a glad harvest It is a going from those that are not our own people to those that are our own people 2 Cor. 5.6 8. it may be you have a friend here but it is not an ordinary thing to meet with a Jonathan here It is but a going from them who are not our people whom we cannot so fully close with nay you cannot close with your own souls fully while here but you are going from those who are not your people to those who are your people where you shall find perfect closing with this new man you are come to the spirits of just men made perfect Would you see what Peter saith concerning death 2 Pet. 1.14 I must put off my tabernacle it is a strange Phrase he makes no more of it then for Elijah to put off his mantle What a thing was it for Elijah to let his mantle fall he gets him up into his Chariot and le ts go his mantle I speak this that you may see what expressions the Scripture gives concerning death O let my last end be like his I tell you it is a lovely thing Let me dye the death of the Righteous let my last end be like his I tell you there is another good in their last end that the unbeleiver is not aware of It is but a going out of one place to another I have done with this when I have minded you of that place 1 Thes 4.14 They sleep and they sleep in Jesus They also that sleep in Jesus shall God bring with him you see two bodies lye by the wall and they look both alike but believe it they are not both alike in the Promise if one be a Believer and the other an Unbeliever one is gone to this Mansion place the other not Instr 4. The presence of Jesus is the place of blessedness So saith Christ here I will take you to my self and you shall be where I am We shall see him we shall be inlightned by him we shall be satisfied in him and blessed with him 1. We shall see him 1 Ioh. 3.2 We shall see him as he is 2. We shall see him so as to be inligtned by him Psal 36.9 In thy Light we shall see light They are marvellous Lights that are in the place of Blessedness 3. We shall be satisfied in him Psal 17.15 As for me when I awake I shall be satisfied with thy likeness A satisfaction there will be at our Dissolution though more fully at the Resurrection 4. We shall be Blessed with him Blessed are the pure in heart Mat. 5.8 for they shall see God Then you that hear me look to your hearts for it is not whether you are rich or poor but Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God But what is it to see God I shall see my Redeemer saith Iob and that is true the eyes of our bodies may see the body of Christ but you shall see God you shall see him face to face you shall see him as he it I tell you the soul of man is never at rest till it sees God Some shall never see God therfore never be at rest There is no peace no rest to the wicked Isa 57.21 saith my God But now the soul it rests when it comes to see God He is such an Object as nothing without him will satisfie our Souls may be they may be pleased as children with a Rattle for a while here but not satisfied without him therefore know it these Souls of ours are more worth then we are apt to think of prize them how you will Unto the seeing of God to speak plainly there are three things that are required 1. There is required an Object 2. There is required the Purifying and Perfecting of the Vnderstanding 3. There is required the Light of Glory which may enable the Soul to see that Object Now 1. The Object is God we shall see him I shall see God Job 19.26 not onely see his Redeemer but I shall see God whatever might be the meaning of Iob yet we shall see him as he is 1 Job 3.2 We shall see him face to face 1 Cor. 13.12 It is true we cannot see infinitely our capacities cannot be made infinite yet we may see him that is Infinite we may see him apprehensively though not comprehensively yet we shall see him so as to fill the Soul though not see him so as to comprehend him but we shall apprehend so much of him as we are capable 2. There is the Perfecting and Purifying of the Vnderstanding that must be purified from all Ignorance Sin and Darkness and Mistake 3. There is the Light which God doth communicate of Glory As we have here the Light of Grace so there is the Light of Glory which enables a Soul to see him according to the Vision of Glory But what do we see in the seeing of God We see his Being or Essence as the Object is united to the Faculty relatively not formally We shall see the Attributes of God they which are in Heaven you shall see what they are making mention of Rev. 4. Holiness Almightiness Eternity You know not what Omnipotency is now but then you shall know it more

belongeth not to them we must do nothing but according to the Patern Instr 3. A Religious Worshipper or a man truly religious doth not rest in this That externals do answer the Prescript Rule of the Word without proceeding to internal Worship You finde that God doth not onely bear testimony against our Worship but also against hypocritical Worship First against our Worship or our Administrations that as you see is Will-worship and it is vain Worship all the Institutions of men are so they are Will-worship i. e. there is sin and defilement in them we must not set our posts by Gods posts But then suppose we are brought to external worship doth God rest here no do you think that God liveth on goat's bloud Psal 50.13 And hence also Amos 5.25 saith the Lord you did not offer unto me your sacrifices during the space of fourty years speaking of the time in the Wilderness It is like there was a cessation in respect of the condition that they were in as who should say then I can be without Sacrifices Ier. 7.22 23. God saith there He did not command Sacrifices or external Worship i. e. Comparatively in respect of Obedience he commanded it not but I Commanded them saying Obey my voice and I will be your God and ye shall be my people So God will say to us He did not Command us to come hither to set up the external Worship of the Gospel i. e. comparatively in stead of Obedience Holiness and Righteousness this is that which Stephen pleads Acts 7.42 43. Oh house of Israel you have not offered to me slain beasts but you had the Tabernacle of Moloch c. but they could not bear with Stephen when he came to this So our Saviour Christ tell 's them They have made my House a den of thieves Those among you that are given to injustice drunkenness or other scandalous wayes this or that I tell you God requires not your Sacrifices but Obey my voyce that I may be your God this is the thing God aime's at As for our external worship it ought indeed to be according to the Rule but this may be and yet as it is in Isai 1.13 14 15. Your Incense is an abomination and your solemn meetings iniquity my soul hates them saith the Lord they are a trouble unto me and when ye make many Prayers I will not hear them your hands are full of blood c. It would be a dreadful thing if God should say to any of us that are full of duties and concerning our Sabbaths Lords Supper our Fasts our Feasts I am weary of your Worship bring no more vain Oblations c. God forbid that we should forget the internal part of worship whilest we are exercised in the external Amos 5.21 I hate and despise your feasts I will not smell in your solemn Assemblies Look not onely to external regularity but look we unto inward piety lest God hate and despise our Worship Joshua saith God Why lyest thou upon the ground Chap. 7.10 11. Israel hath sinned and transgressed my Covenant c. we have been much in fastings and in external duties many years but what reformation is there are we brought sny more unto the Rule in Church and State I beseech you know that God aimes at Obedience as the internal substantial part of his Worship Instr 4. That the external Order of the Gospel Church-order is no other then the external Throne of Christ Jesus Worship that is mixt partly Divine and partly Humane this is so much defilement in Gods Worship but when it is according to the Rule that is Christs Throne Satan hath his throne that is where Antichrist reignes and Christ hath his Throne that is where his Institutions are in force there Christ sits as Lord. If the Polity be according to the Gospel Jesus Christ is there acknowledged Lord and there is never a Member but is a Subject there must be an Order and according to that Order there must be subjection do you think it an easy thing to be subject to Order Remember it was matter of tryal to those that came out of Egypt and through the Sea as we have done yet there were men of renown that could not bear Church-Order Let me tell you it is a greater matter to be subject to Order then to come over the Seas or to endure the troubles of a Wilderness many will bear a Prison before they will endure the Government of Christ and Gospel-order in his Church Vse 2. Of Exhortation to us all in our Churches especially to sanctifie God according to this truth viz. That our polity may be a Gospel-polity and may be compleat according to the Scriptures answering fully the Word of God this is the work of our generation and the very work we engaged for into this Wilderness this is the scope and end of it that which is written upon the forehead of New-England viz. The compleat walking in the Faith of the Gospel according to the Order of the Gospel 1. And for your direction first remember that we have the patern in the mount I mean we have the Scripture as a Rule and you have the Platform of Church-Discipline given to you in way of Council as the Confession of our Faith to this way of Church-government you know in what manner it was that which for the substance of it ownes the cause Congregational if any are departed from it let them look to it I know none of the Elders that have receded from it It was given many years ago as the Confession of our Faith to this Country and to the World it is distinct from the Episcopacy and from the Presbyterian way from the Morellian way from that of Separatism and it is for the substance of it precisely the way Congregational And as David said to Solomon 1 Chron. 28.10 11. I give unto thee the patern of the House of God c. what God will do with us he knows best David lived not to build the Temple himself but he left the patern thereof to his Son Solomon And so we have the patern only this is complained of that it is not practised though we have had it many years ago now practice is the end of Doctrine 2. Consider that we are all concerned in this service I mean in setting up the Throne of Christ Moses is concerned and it is his commendation that he was a man of God who erected the Tabernacle and set up the Worship of God according to the Patern in the Mount and so David and Solomon c. Thou Solomon my Son if thou doest hold here the Lord will be with thee and let the Churches look to it we are all concerned herein our Fidelity in this cause is our Crown see that it be not taken from us 3. It is a matter of very good Policy times of trouble danger may approach and we read in Ezr. 3.3 that they set the Altar upon its Bases for

fear was upon them because of the people of the land one means to secure them from fear in time of trouble was with the first to proceed with the things of Religion and to be in good earnest to settle them 1 Chron. 28.20 21. Do it saith David unto Solomon and the Lord God even my God will be with thee and not only so but the priests the princes the people will be with thee c. But when Solomon falls off from God's Worship then ariseth against him the spirit of Hadad and the spirit of Rezin and the spirit of Ieroboam c. 1 Kings 11. It is a great point of policy in troublesome times viz. the attending to the Cause of Religion Without Order the Ark could not move in Davids time but you see what trouble follows upon it and Churches cannot likewise move untill the Order of the Churches be proportionably settled Haggai 1.5 6. Now therefore saith the Lord of Hosts consider your wayes when the Worship of God was neglected things went ill with them You have sown much and bring in little ye eat but ye have not enough and again ver 7th Thus saith the Lord of Hosts consider your wayes and in Chap. second they do hearken to him the Lord stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel and Josuah and from the time that they set themselves about the work of the Lord all things went well with them How farre the drought and the last years and other troubles are here considerable referring to our selves let the Scripture be the interpreter The matters of outward prosperity have much dependance upon the carrying on the cause of Religion and that according to the Order of the Gospel or by the Scripture-patern our safety lies in keeping there not turning to the right hand nor turning to the left hand In Exod. 39. you have it mentioned about ten times in that Chapter in way of Commendation that what was done was so according as the Lord had Commanded Moses Let this stand with us I beseech you beloved that for the motion of Elders of Brethren of Councils of Magistrates of Churches settle the same as the Lord hath Commanded i. e. according to Scripture-prescript and patern we are then a safe People FINIS A COPY OF THE LETTER Returned by the MINISTERS of NEW-ENGLAND TO M R. JOHN DURY ABOUT HIS PACIFICATION Faithfully Translated out of the Original Manuscript written in Latine By the Reverend AVTHOR of the Three former SERMONS With some Considerations premised about that Subject necessary for these Times By a Lover of Truth and Peace Published in the Year 1664. THE PREFACE TO THE READER AS of old it was observed that Julian who hated the Christians with an implacable hatred when he could invent no way worse opened a wide way for Schisms and Divisions In like manner hath it been the Policy of the Adversary in succeeding times when there appears no hope of undermining the Walls of Truth by Heresie and false Doctrine to attempt the scattering and dispersing the Assertors thereof by raising and fomenting Schisms and Dissensions amongst them From which Fountain it may justly be feared hath sprung a jealousie in the mindes of sundry persons in this Country That the Determination of the late Synod Anno 1662. if attended unto would bring into the Churches of New-England a practice contrary both to the Frame of their Churches and to the judgement of those famous Worthies that at first their Churches were blest withall when as it will be found most evident to any that shall impartially survey the Constitution and state of the said Churches That the principall if not the sole Reason why the same things then agreed upon were not long before set afoot and practised was not any doubt or scruple about the duty of the things themselves but the want of Agreement about the Way and Manner how they might most conveniently and safely put in practice which being now fully cleared up in the Propositions of the said Synod the Aspersion cast upon their former Church-administrations as too much favouring the way of the Separation is not onely now removed but an Expedient found out for the holding Communion with other Orthodox Churches in things lawful and necessary without any prejudice to the the Purity of their Worship The commendable receiving and practising of this Truth by some Churches among them and necessity of attending thereunto by all is most convincingly evident by many writings published abroad in the world by many Eminent persons in the name of others wherein much paines is taken up in clearing the way of these Churches from the imputation of Schism and separation from others but in none more then in a Letter returned with the Subscription of the names almost of all the Elders universally in this Place unto a Letter of the Reverend and Learned Mr. John Dury who ever since the year 1635. had been labouring for a Pacification between the Reformed Protestant Churches of Europe and who is famous in the Christian World for that work and at last had communicated his design to those of New-England desiring their Approbation and Concurrence in the said design wherein they expresly declare That they own all those Churches professing the Protestant Religion and retaining the fundamentals of Doctrine and essentials of Order if they be otherwise peaceable and walk orderly for Brethren and that they are ready to reach out unto them the right hand of fellowship From whence it will necessarily follow that seeing other Churches so qualified although they should dissent from them in many Points of Religion are owned as Brethren and that in way of fellowship if those that so profess shall refuse to conferre the seal of Baptism to the Children of such Parents as belong to any such like Churches according as is expressed in the aforesaid Propositions of the Synod They will neither be able to avoyd contradicting their own words and writings nor yet secure themselves from the guilt of dissimulation And that it might appear there was no advantage taken by any stragling sentence or expression in the said Letter cast off from its Dependants it was thought necessary to Translate and publish the whole to the open view of all and because also in the draught of the same are found many undeniable Arguments enforcing this very Conclusion as when it s said That the diverse opinions of some Churches about Polity and indifferent things although they are not so small that the lovers of truth should be silent about them so neither are they so great that they need be any hindrance to the seekers of Peace and Quietness in such an undertaking Which is also there further evidenced by instancing the unquestioned Example of our Saviour who refused not Celebrare Sacra or joyn in the Worship of God in the Jewish Church defaced at that time with more grievous corruptions And further it is added That the nature of Political as well as Christian Society