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
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
Three Choice and Profitable SERMONS Upon Severall TEXTS of SCRIPTURE VIZ. JER 30.17 JOHN 14.3 HEB. 8.5 By that Reverend Servant of Christ M R. JOHN NORTON Late Teacher of the Church of Christ at Boston in N.E. 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 2 Sam. 23.1 Now these be the LAST words of David David the son of Jesse said and the man who was raised up on high the Anointed of the God of Jacob and the sweet Psalmist of Israel Deut. 31.29 For I know that after my death ye will utterly corrupt your selves and turn aside from the way which I have commanded you and evil will befall you in the latter days c. Ezra 3 3. And they set the Altar upon his Bases for fear was upon them because of the people of those Countries Zech. 1.5 6. Your fathers where are they and the Prophets do they live for ever but my words and my statutes which I commanded my servants the Prophets did they not take hold of your fathers and they returned and said Like as the Lord of Hosts thought to do unto us according to our wayes and according to our doings so hath he dealt with us CAMBRIDGE Printed by S.G. and M.I. for Hezekiah Vsher of Boston 1664. JOHANNES NORTONUS ANAGR NONNE IS HONORATVS NOnne is Honoratus Deus ipse coronat honore Servum cum periit non pereunte suum Abstulit Enôchum translatio mira sed ejus In Coelis decorat pulchra Corona Caput Qui nobis subito raptus miser esse videtur Forsitan Ignaris vivit at usque Deo Vivit in Coelis cumulatus honoribus amplis Regnat in aeternum sic ait ipse Deus Mors inopina potest Jobi cito perdere Natos Sors quibus in superis inviolata datur Multa priùs passi Moses Aaronque fuere Tempus ante suum jussus uterque mori Quid si non licuit Canaanem visere Tanto Celsior in Coelis cessit utrique locus Curribus ignitis Elias raptus at illis Ad summi vehitur culmina summa poli Esto Sit in Bello Josias victus ictus Mortuus in pace est non pereunte tamen Funera non unquam Mage lamentanda Sioni Josiae nunquà m Gloria major erat Quem deflent homines Deus optimus auget honore His dolor ast illi Gloria summa fuit Si Caput amisit gladio resecante Iohannes Ejus honor Christo judice quantus erat Sit Stephanus lapidum licet obrutus ictibus Illum Christus in amplexut traxerat inde suos Christus ipse fuit quà m dirâ morte peremptus At sequitur tantam Gloria quanta Crucem Sic Deus ut Christum sic Christus honore Coronat Eximio quibus est Gloria chara Dei. Qualis erat noster syncero corde Iohannes Cui nisi quae Christi chara fuere nihil Hoc scio nemo negat nisi veri Testis aequi Non velit esse Bonos Consule sive malos Pro Samuele olim contestabantur omneis Hunc qui pro meritis vix coluere suis Vel siquis forsan magis invidet Ejus honori Hinc cumulus crescet major honoris ei Anagr. 2. JESV ANNON THRONOS JOHANNES NORTONIUS Anagr. 3. ANNON JESV HONOR SIT ANnon dandus honor sit ab omnibus omnis Jesu Est quibus in Jesu sanguine parta salus ENGLISH OH Iesu hast not thou prepared Thrones For us thy poor and ill deserving ones How should we then to Thee all Honour give And to thy Name who in the Heav'ns dost live And there preparest Mansions for thine Where they may all in endless Glory shine To the same purpose JOHN NORTON Anagr. INTO HONNOR FRom Honour into Honour go the Lord thus calling thee To higher Honour then there could on Earth obtained bee Heav'n is the Seat of Honour for those whom he Crowns with Grace For the most honourable Crowns Heav'n is the onely place By men that are most ignorant of Gods revealed Will Thou may'st be miserable thought for so they construe still Like bruitish ones the minde of God if Saints die in a swoon As if their Sun all bright before Were now gone down at Noon As if their case were now by farre the more to be deplor'd As that which doth but little hope or none of Bliss afford Yea holy Job his Friends to this did too-too much incline That sudden Changes such us his do argue Wrath divine But when the Saints do perish thus as foolish men conceive That is the time and means whereby more Honour they receive As being Crown'd with Royal Crowns which are at Gods right hand Like Joseph from his Dungeon rais'd by the Kings Command 'T was a translation marvellous which did Enoch remove From out this sinful world to be crown'd in the Heav'ns above Where now he lives reigns with heaps of highest honour fill'd All his Predictions to be from time to time fulfill'd An unegnected death did saize on Jobs posteritie But in the Heiv'ns a glorious Lot for them prepar'd did lie Moses and Aaron when as they had suffer'd much were bid As 't were before their time to die as in their Mounts they did What if the Land of Canaan they might not visit yet A place more glorious in the Heav'ns they both of them did get In flaming-fiery-Charet wrapt from earth Elijah was And by the same convey'd he was unto his bliss-ful place Be it that good Josiah were cut off with suddain stroke He dy'd in peace and unto rest eternal was he toke No funeral to Sion was as his so lamentable Yet was his death as well as life to him most honourable Theirs was the griefe the joy was his God highly honourd him Although his death to carnal eyes might miserable seem The cursed executioner cut off John Baptist's head But how did Jesus honour him both when alive and dead The Crowned Martyr holy Stephen in cruel wise was ston'd But by his blessed Saviour's most sweet imbraces own'd Yea Christ himself Gods own dear Son whose death more woeful was Yet from his cross how soon advanc'd to that most glorious place So God his Christ with honour crown'd So Christ doth honour his To whom Gods Honour and his Christ's most dear and precious is And such an one our Norton was whose death we so lament Whose whole desire was upon Christ and on his glory bent None can deny it good nor bad like as to Samuel They all were forced to confess he had done all things well If any one should have an heart with envy fill'd so
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
look after his Out-casts and care for us being Out-casts for the Truth Let it appear that we are such Out-casts to whom the calamity and temptations of Out-casts are sanctified Out-casts healed Out-casts that care for the truth and then Out-casts on which God will bring the blessing of his own people If this plaister findeth acceptance with you you shall finde esteem and acceptance and favour from God and man Let us all labour so to carry it as that we may have this Rejoycing of a good Conscience to sweeten that bottle full of tears shed in your Out-cast condition in this wilderness viz. That we came into it not onely with a Spirit testifying according to the Scriptures against the Inventions of men but also that we do come up unto the Institutions of Christ that as we have departed from Inventions Humane so we may not be found to be or here continue opposers against Institutions Divine that we are not negligent of but faithful to that Order of the Gospel which we are Out-casts for THE BELIEVERS CONSOLATION In the Remembrance of his Heavenly Mansion prepared for him by CHRIST BEING THE SECOND SERMON AND Preached on the LORDS-DAY MARCH XXIX 1663. John 14.3 And if I go to prepare a place for you I will come again and receive you to my self that where I am there you may be also THis Verse and the former holds forth a double Consolation to support the Disciples against the suffering which they were to conflict with either In the way of Truth or For the way of Truth This Verse holds forth the second Argument of Consolation the former you have in the second Verse it is taken from the Place they were to be taken to after Death And this Argument in this Verse is taken from the Company they shall have in that place and that is his Personal Presence his full and clear Presence Where I am there you shall be also Now this Argument of Consolation is described 1. From the Scope of Christ in preparing such a place for them and it was that he and they might be there together I go to prepare a place for you that where I am there you may be also 2. It is declared from the Time when they must expect their being taken to Christ and that is when he comes again I will come again and receive you to my self 3. It is declared from the Efficient of it the Undertaker of this and that is Himself I will come again and receive you to my self To open the words thus resolved 1. Touching the Presence of Christ and Believers together That where I am there you may be also you must understand this of his Presence emphatically so called of his Presence in the place of Blessedness In thy Presence is fulness of joy Psal 16.11 There is a double Presence of Christ but he means here his Presence in Glory where we shall see him as he is 1 Joh. 3.2 I said this Argument of their Consolation was declared from the Scope of it I go to prepare a place for you that where I am there you may be also it was one great end of his being a Fore-runner Secondly he should fail of his Fidelity and Ability if there should be a disappointment 2. From the Time When I come again Christs coming is either his last Coming or his coming by Death Of his last coming you reade 1 Thess 4.18 Of his coming by Death you reade Luke 23.43 To day thou shalt be with me in Paradice Now the Soul goes to Christ when He comes to us by Death at his last coming both Soul and Body shall be together with him 3. This Argument of Consolation is described by the Efficient of it or Undertaker I will receive you to my self We may doubt how our Souls when we dye shall come to Heaven why saith Christ I will come and receive you to my self They therefore say properly when they dye that say Into thy hands I commend my Spirit Psal 31.5 it is a proper saying so to speaks Acts 7.59 Lord Jesus receive my Spirit It is a blessed thing to commit our Souls by Faith to Christ when they go out of the Body He comes by the ministry of his Angels or otherwise as he please I will come again and receive you to my self You may remember the words of Steven he dying called upon God and said Lord Jesus receive my Spirit we receive Christ and we receive the Spirit of Christ Now to as many as received him to them gave he power c. Joh. 1.12 Christ receives our Spirits then If we receive his Spirit now he will receive our Spirits then I will receive you to my self Doct. That the effectual Remembrance that at Death Christ will receive our Souls unto Himself is a Soveraign Preservative to quiet our Souls throughout all the Sufferings we meet with either In the way of Truth and For the way of Truth during this life You shall finde in Iob 19.25 saith he I know that my Redeemer liveth He might say I know my Estate is gone and I see that my Friends are gone and my Children be gone and my Health and Strength is gone and the Grave is ready for me but what stayes Iobs heart now I know that my Redeemer lives This is a living truth for a dying man I know that my Redeemer lives and that he shall stand in the latter day upon the earth and I shall see him c. This was now In the way of Truth for you cannot say that Iob was persecuted For the way of Truth But you shall finde in a way of suffering for the way of Truth Phil. 1.23 I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ Having passed through many troubles I would be out of the body and freed from the body of death I desire to depart and to be with Christ 2 Cor. 5.8 We are confident and willing rather to be absent from the body and present with the Lord. You must either be absent from the body or absent from the Lord it is an hard thing to be absent from the body but not comparatively We desire rather to be absent from the body and present with the Lord We shall meet the Lord and shall ever be with the Lord. What is the use of this 1 Thess 4 18. Comfort one another with these words what are these Comforts They are nothing but Promises Promises rightly applied these are the Comforts of the holy Ghost they hold forth more good then the affliction doth evil If you would comfort one another bring out the Promise that is comfortable and seasonable Comfort one another with what with these words for in them the Comforter doth come and apply comfort Reas 1. Because hereby we are made fit for this rest fit to be with Christ that is by our trouble by this remembrance Mixing this remembrance with our trouble doth fit us for this place 2 Cor. 5.5 He that worketh us
doth utterly forbid the denial of Fellowship-priviledges to such Members as are found without scandal Let not the words and practices of them that pretend to the greater Purity of Reformation be Yea and Nay which if it should appear the Scandall would be so much the greater in that the foresaid Letter with so many Subscriptions in all probability is known in the world being sent into Forreigne parts upon a Publick account As for the Translation of the Letter they who had the chiefest hand therein have no other design then by approving themselves as Lovers of Truth and Peace to undeceive simple-hearied and honest-minded persons who are ready with Barnabas to be carried away with the dissimulation of such as are through a kinde of preposterous Zeal unwilling to have any of the common Priviledges of the Church of God bestowed upon any whose effectuall Sanctification may be questioned which is the cause as one observeth of a Schismaticall inclination of some godly and religious persons In reference to the Words and Phrases much of the Elegancy of them is taken away in the Translation by reason of the abstruseness of the Latine it faring in this kinde with Books as it doth with Bodies which are nothing so comely when arrayed with a stranger as with their own proper clothing and habit but where-ever appeared a necessity of changing the phrase the sense is preserved whole and entire For a Conclusion If the Practice of the purest Churches together with the Authority of the most Pious Zealous Learned and judicious Divines might avail any thing in this consideration it were easie to present many things to the view of the Reader from the Writings of a Cas Consc Ep 9. qu. 3. Com. Gal 5.27 Perkins b De Pol lib. 1. cap. 13 14 33. Parker c Epist 149. 103. Calvinus d Locus 47. thes 33 34. Bucanus with many other of the Learnedst Non-Conformists who alwayes disclaimed both the Principles and Practices of the Rigid Separation and all such as renounced Communion with other Churches upon the account of some Impurities about Order and Discipline However it came to be the fate of these Churches in America to verge too near them in their Primitive Administrations But we shall onely content our selves with the mentioning the Judgement of two not the least eminent and famous Lights in the Church of God about this point No Church can be said to be alienated from God and from his Covenant although it may become very sick and adulterous until God shall have taken away from it his Matrimonial Covenant casting it quite off as defiled with Adultery according to Isa 50 1. which will not be so long as it retaines the Head and the Head retaines it by a publick declaration of his grace that calleth Col. 2.19 Jun. Thes Theolog. Thes 36. pag. 2099. But Ames more fully about the Subject of Baptism 1. Expositious Infants are to be baptized whose Parents are unknown if they be born among Christians out of charity they are to be looked at as the sons of Christians if there be not just cause to presume the contrary 2. They that in some way by their Profeision belong unto the Church yet notwithstanding do openly violate the Covenant of God their Infants ought to be baptized though with some distinction sc so that what the Covenant requires and is wanting in them be supplied by others 3. Infants illegittimate ought so to be baptized that either their Parents profess their Repentance or that their Education be undertaken by other godly persons 4. Children of contumacious Excommunicates are not conveniently baptizable unless by the interposition of meet Sureties 5. Infants of Papists and such like who are Semi-Christians may be baptized if they finde a meet surety under whose power may be their Education Ames Cas Consc Lib. 4. Cap. 27. To which may be added The Baptism of Infants ought not to be deferred without a serious and weighty reason Ibid. TO THE WORTHY AND EMINENT M R. JOHN DURY SALVTATIONS THat amongst so many horrid Alarms of War amongst so many fatal differences of Opinion raised in matters of Religion and that also after so many and such unwearied labours of famous Intercessors now so often in this cause undertaken in vain you should O Dury the most zealous Friend of Peace not onely be seriously thinking of but are also unto this day strongly endeavouring the Espousals of Truth and Peace between the Professors of the Gospel we verily do largely congratulate you in the conceiving so great a design with our utmost and daily Prayers helping forward by Gods Assistance the birth of this Man-Childe Suffer us to speak the very truth of the matter nor is there any need to deny the same even as the Holy-Scripture relates how the Olive Branch brought much comfort to the Parent of the other World after the Flood while he was lamenting over the Tremendous Spectacle of the Deluge over flowing all here below in like manner did your Letter breathing a very spirit of peace as another Noahs dove sent down from Heaven wonderfully refresh the exile Brethren who were almost astonished to see so many nations that profess the Gospel making irreconcileable war amongst themselves together with the many and great dissentions in the business of Religion and that monstrous flood of Errour breaking forth not out of the Cataracts of the Clouds but the very Mouth of the Dragon Be it so that we are in the utmost parts of the Earth we have onely changed our Climate not our mindes we have altered our place that we might retain the Faith without alteration There are indeed some that might have been better imployed at least meer strangers to our affairs who do therefore impute unto us the guilt of Schism because in the first place we have endeavoured after the pure Worship of God But if any see good to enquire into the Reason why these Churches in the Wilderness left their Country this it was viz. that the Ancient Faith and pure Worship might be found inseparable companions in our Practice and that our posterity might be undefiled in Religion Nevertheless we are never unmindefull of the saying of Austin to the Brethren in the Wilderness as he styles them There are two things considerable saith he Conscience and good Name Conscience is necessary for thy self good Name for thy Neighbour He who trusts to his Conscience and neglects his good name is cruel especially if he be set in that place of which the Apostle writing to his Disciple saith In all things shew thy self an example of good works It may not be unlawful for us who are in the Wilderness on the further side of the Seas as well those who through grace are called to the Ministry though in our selves the greatest of sinners and the least of all the Saints as any others to Apologize for our selves in the Words of the Tribes beyond Jordan a little changed for the
vindicating or preserving our good name in a matter of so great moment both before great ones Fathers Brethren and every gentle Reader The Lord God of Gods the Lord God of Gods he known and Israel shall know if wittingly and willingly in Rebellion or treacherous dealing against the Lord or in Schism it be that we have departed from our Country save us not this day But yet notwithstanding we are not unmindful of that so known Oracle Love the Truth and Peace we neither strive for Truth without making reckoning of Peace neither do we pursue Peace with the loss of Truth the former defaceth this latter teareth the seamless Coat of the Church It is as necessary to avoid the Rock of Schism on the right hand as the Quicksands of Confusion on the left We renounce Samaratanism that deadly sink of false Doctrine as much as we fly from Donatism the sore enemy of Evangelical Temperament and devourer if we may speak after Teriullian of Christian Society but admire and embrace the Concord and Agreemeent of the Gospel We are no whit pleased with Cassanders shaking hands with Papists at the furthest distance erring from the Truth Nor yet with the Romanist renouncing Communion with them that are otherwise minded in lesser differences but in special manner we ought to labour that we may walk with an even foot and not to turn aside an haires breadth from the Truth in the mean time it is better to be a Cyprian then a Steven It is much more grievous to think aright and be found a Scismatick then to think amiss in things not fundamental and be of a peaceable spirit The spirit of our Lord Jesus Christ is a spirit of Truth of peace and Communion so desirous of Peace that it requireth Communion in a true Church although not pure and so desirous of Truth that it forbids impurity in any Church whatsoever That that is the Mark at which we aim and which we endeavour and breath after in him who is the Way the Truth and Life It is confessed there are some Apices or lesser points in Divinity which the Church of God hath now for above an hundred years bewailed as the obstacles of Peace concerning which the chief controversies maintained are about Predestination Ubiquity and the Eucharist About these points how many thousand Polemick writings have been extant all abroad which the Christian World is scarce able to contein Alas that ever there should be a warre about the Sacrament Alas that ever there should be any contentious Treatises about the Eucharist turning the very Badge of Union into an Apple of Contention who can refrain from tears at the uttering of such things yet these notwithstanding that there is place for the so much desired Coalition between the Evangelicks and the Reformed so called may easily be made appear by running through the chief Heads of things As namely Because in the first Article they who were the greatest Favourers of that eminent Worthy of the former Age do yet ascribe the work of Conversion wholly unto God and do likewise stifly maintain and accurately defend Grace to be altogether free who were also utter enemies to that pestilent Opinion of the Schoolmen That God is bound to him that doth what he can of himself And who likewise do deservedly account it meer Pelagianism to make any kinde of Qualifying Fitness a Moral Motive unto predeterining Grace As for the Opinion of the Ubiquity of the Humane Nature by virtue of the Hypostatical Union it cannot be denied but that Papers have come abroad written by too much gall and sharpness In the mean while it is agreed upon by all and taken for granted That the Humane Nature is Personally Omnipresent According to this Rule likewise are other Propositions about the Person to be judged of under this head Lastly As concerning the Lords Supper the Divines of either part do reject Transubstantiation together with worshiping of bread But about the Real Presence viz. Sacramental of the Body and Blood of Christ it is agreed between both These so many and great Differences are to be accounted as so many Heart-griefs although not to be numbred amongst them which by the Apostle are called Vnlearned Questions yet we judge them not to be of that moment as to hinder the giving each other the right hand of fellowship or the pledges of Eclesiastical Brotherhood building upon that Apostolical Canon of holy Communion Nevertheless in that whereunto we have attained let us walk by the same Rule let us minde the same thing Phil. 3.16 Here also we may call to minde that common and received Distinction between Fundamentals and non-fundamentals and that Brotherly Fellowship is not to be refused with men peaceable and otherwise Orthodox for the sake of Non-fundamentals We account it very unequal to fasten upon any one that holds an Opinion all the Consectaries which to him that argues according to the exactest grounds of Reason seem to follow upon such premises especially if those Consequences be disowned by him in which respect there are no small Errours on both sides while those of our side impeach the other of Eutyches his opinion though refusing to own it for the sake of Consubstantiation And they on the other side go about to make ours guilty of making God the Author of Sin although we never so much disclaim it in the Point of Predestination The Disputes about the Consequences of these whether rightly inferred or not from the premises belong not to this place to be examined yea the matter it self requires rather that we should forbear But this Tragedy is not yet at an end For as to Polity and indifferent things they have taken up divers Opinions who it were to be wished that they would embsace that Concord one with another which hath been so often endeavoured after But the Differences of this nature as 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 the present Undertaking as may appear by the unquestioned Example of our Saviour who refused not to Celebrate the Worship of God in the Jewish Church defaced at that time with more greivous corruptions They who are united to Christ by heart-converting grace are Members of his Mystical Body and whosoever but in appearance at least are joyned to the Head and have added themselves to the Polity of Israel are to be received Members of the Political Body Now Communion follows upon Union Besides the nature of Political as well as Christian Society doth utterly forbid to deny the Priviledges of fellowship to such Members as are found without Scandal Thus much we thought good to speak briefly about this Point that Honoured Persons and Respected Brethren might understand what Reasons moved us to entertain the same Opinion with themselves We have been taught that the Idea or Patern of holy Communion ought