that thereby he may not have sin but by his presumptuous thoughts he hinders himself to obtain the pardon of sin Such a condition of the Church as may be free from all spot or wrinkle is to be expected in Heaven when we shall be presented faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy Jude Epist 24. Yea we may not separat from Church-communion though gross and scandalous sinners live in it so long as they are acknowledged by the Church-rulers to be members thereof 1. Because the holy and zealous Prophets in the Old Testament did not command the people to make separation in such a case when Hophni and Phinehas the sons of Eli were a scandal to the people 1 Sam. 2.17 When many of the children of Israel both high and low were guilty of gross and scandalous sins the Prophet Isaiah did according to his duty sharply reprove them Isai 1.21 22 23. yet did he not require the godly to abstain from all Church-communion with these gross offenders 2. Albeit in our blessed Lord his time the Pharisees who had the preheminence for the most part in their Synagogues were men void of honesty judgement and mercy covetous proud and cruel yet the Lord himself kept communion with that Church Luke 4.16 As his custom was he went into the Synagogue on the Sabbath day and stood up for to read He commanded others also to keep Church-communion with them Mat. 23.2 He did sharply reprove the Angels or Ministers of the Churches of Pergamos and Thyatira because they did tolerat in their Church-meetings persons abominable in errours both of judgement and of practice yet did he not command privat Professors in these Churches to separat from them and to erect Congregations apart by themselves 3. The Apostles Peter and John who were pillars of the Christian Church did keep Church-communion with the Jewish Church wherein were the Pharisees Acts 3.1 There were in the Church of Corinth some who did scandalously transgress by riot and drunkenness 1 Cor. 11.21 yet the Apostles did not require the pious and sober Christians among them to separat themselves from that Church Cyprian Lib. 3. Epist 3. Albeit there seem to be tares in the Church yet neither our faith nor charity should be hindered thereby that because we see tares to be in the Church we our selves therefore should depart from the Church it is our duty in such a case he means of privat Professors only to endeavour that we our selves may be good grain In a great house saith the Apostle 2 Tim. 2.20 there are not only vessels of gold and of silver but also of wood and of earth but the vessels of earth shall be broken by the Lord alone to whom the rod of iron is given And Epist 12. Neither think ye saith he to the Novatians that by so doing ye assert and maintain the Gospel of Christ whileas ye have separated your selves from the flock of Christ and from peace and concord with it when it is more agreeable to the duty of generous and good Souldiers to keep their ground within their own Trenches and being placed there to do such things which are for the benefit of the publick Augustine contra Donat. Parmen adviseth these who live in a Church pestered with profaneness and gross corruptions in manners for to do these four things 1. Let us amend saith he what we can 2. What things we cannot amend let us tolerat and mourn with love to the persons of these gross offenders 3. Let us endeavour to preserve unity 4. If thou canst not take away the wicked from thee yet take evil and wickedness out of thy self Calvin Institut Lib. 4. Cap. 1. Sect. 13. There were ever some who out of a false perswasion of their own perfect sanctity as if they had already become aerial Demons or Spirits they despised the society of all men in whom they perceived any humane weakness or frailty such men saith he were the Donatists and at this day some of the Anabaptists But as for flagitious and scandalous persons he thinks they should be processed and debarred from Church-communion in the holy Sacrament untill they satisfie the Church and thereafter be received again into communion If Church-rulers neglect to censure such scandalous persons privat Christians do not sin in receiving the holy Sacrament with them but the Church-rulers sin in not censuring them and thereby making the hearts of the godly sad Beza Epist 2. saith We should labour to come our selves especially to that holy Table with a pure conscience and if coming so we do communicat in the Church with some murderers and adulterers yea with Turks and Jews the fault will not be imputed to us but to the Church-rulers who admitted such August Tom. 9. Lib. de Medicin Cap. 3. saith We cannot debar any man from the communion except he hath of his own accord confessed or hath been processed and convict in some Judicature Ecclesiastical or Secular Yet if that hainous sin be known to one privat person only it appears he is bound both for good to the Church of Christ and for good to the soul of that guilty person sinning hainously in secret to follow our blessed Lord his direction Matth. 18.15 16 17. If thy brother shall trespass against thee go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone if he shall hear thee thou hath gained thy brother but if he will not hear thee c. and in end tell it to the Church Vse For exhortation seing the true members of the mystical body of Jesus Christ and sincere Converts to the Christian Faith will be as is prophesied here of a peaceable and harmless disposition and conversation let us live in a communion of love in peace and concord not like wolves and savage beasts biting and devouring one another How pleasant and how good a thing is it for brethren to dwell together in unity Psal 133.1 2. It is both pleasant and profitable like the oyntment poured forth upon the head of Aaron it maketh a Church fragrant and to be well reported amongst those who behold them or hear of them it is profitable like the dew of Hermon it maketh the Church to grow and enlarge her borders how pleasant is it to see the houses of one and the same city conform every way one to another as they say it is in the city of Gonoa but how unpleasant is it to see the houses of one and the same city divided far one from another as if every man in his own pride would make his own house a Citidale let us remember the spiritual Jerusalem should be as a City compact together Psal 122.3 How unpleasant also is it to see the stones of one and the same building even budging and dividing asunder one from another Is not the Christian Church said to be a building in Christ fittly framed together for an habitation of God through the Spirit Epes 2.22 and being so framed
to them that repent and believe the Promise as the sight of a Corner-stone is very comfortable to a weary person sinking under an heavy burden as the sight of the brazen serpent in the wilderness was most comfortable to those who were stung with the fire serpents In like manner the Lord Jesus Christ the true Manna is sweet and precious to Believers 1 Pet. 2.7 He is sweet in the Promises sweet in the first-fruits of eternal life when by the holy Spirit he sheds abroad his love like precious oyntment in our hearts when he gives peace to our Consciences and joy to our hearts in the hope of Salvation but the heart cannot conceive how sweet and comfortable this true Manna will be in Heaven when we shall be filled with the full and everlasting Fruits of his glory then shall we say as the Queen of Sheba said of Solomons glory It was true that was told me on Earth by the Ministers of the Gospel but the half was not told me of that I do now see and enjoy in Heaven 3. They gathered the Manna in the morning so by Faith bring in Christ the true Manna early to feed and refresh thy soul acquaint your selves in time with him for he will not make new acquaintance at his second coming with any who neglected to come to him in this their day He will say to the foolish and sloathful Virgins Depart from me I know you not Mat. 25. Bring Spiritual hunger with you it is a sauce to provoke appetite after Christ the true and hid Manna Joh. 6.27 Labour not for the meat which perisheth but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life which the Son of man shall give unto you for him hath God the Father sealed Bring Faith with you for by it we seed on Christ and draw vertue from him for our spiritual nourishment and preservation unto eternal life Joh. 6.35 And Jesus said unto them I am the bread of life He that cometh to me shall never hunger and he that believeth on me shall never thrist 4. God ordained a Pot full of Manna to be kept in remembrance of his special providence toward them in the wilderness that from the remembrance of it they should praise him and by Faith depend on him and his care in time-coming so lay thou up in thy memory any experience of refreshment at any time by the Word or Sacrament and depend on him for time-coming in all thy wants spiritual or bodily when thou findest any faintness or failing of Spirit and no liveliness in thy soul for the time then remember thou bygone experience of former refreshment Our Lord saith to you as to his Disciples Mat. 16.8 9. O ye of little faith why reason ye among your selves do ye not yet understand neither remember the five Loaves of the five thousand and how many baskets ye took up c. Remember ye not the former experience ye have had of spiritual refreshment by the holy ordinances of God Then say thou to thy disquieted Soul as Psal 42.6 O my God my soul is cast down within me therefore will I remember thee from the land of Jordan and of the Hermonites from the hill Mizar And resolve thou and conclude as the Prophet doth vers 11. Why art thou cast down O my soul and why art thou disquieted within me hope thou in God for I shall yet praise him who is the health of my countenance and my God Seeing our blessed Lord is the Truth in his lips was never found guile truth and faithfulness cleaveth to his reins as a girdle Isa 11.5 In all thy doubts of acceptance into his favour or perseverance in his favour I speak to thee who art humbled under thy sins and in thy fear and unbelief standest aloof from him consider he is the Truth and hath promised acceptance to all who wearied of their sins come unto him Joh. 6.37 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me and him that cometh to me I will in no wayes cast out And as he hath promised acceptance so he hath promised the grace of perseverance Joh. 10.27.28 My sheep hear my voice and I know them and they follow me and I give unto them eternal life and they shall never perish neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand Object I cannot deny my own sense for I am weary of sin and yet I find no sensible rest and quietness to my soul notwithstanding the promise of rest Ans 1. Consider well the ground of thy weariness that thou be not wearied only of sin as it carrieth along with it a burden of wrath and punishment thus Cain was wearied when he said my punishment is heavier then I can bear but also that thou be wearied of it as an unclean and vile thing as it is an offence against thy gracious God then if thou be thus wearied come to Christ the precious corner-stone laid in Sion and although thou get not rest to thy sense as thou wouldest yet make not haste to depart from waiting on him he that believeth shall not make haste Isa 28.16 wait on and adhere to the promise made to all who cast their burden upon Christ the precious corner-stone laid in Sion because those who rest on his promise and on him in whom all the promises are yea and amen shall not be ashamed of their hope 1 Pet. 2.6 Wherefore it is contained in the Scripture behold I lay in Sion a chief corner-stone Elect Precious and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded 2. Consider there is a fourfold rest 1. The rest or acquiescence of faith to the faithful promise of God as a debtor hath some rest in his mind when the Creditor promiseth to forgive him the debt although he hath not yet gotten his acquittance and discharge 2. There is a rest in hope of the thing promised though there be some commotion in the Spirit through weakness of Faith untill the promise be performed to their sense this rest is like unto some rest the ship that was formerly tossed with the waves has now at Anchor although not without some agitation and commotion 3. There is a rest and peace in the soul from the full assurance of Faith when the heart is perswaded by the holy Spirit and a lively faith resting on Jesus Christ that their sins are forgiven them and that they are reconciled in the blood of Jesus Christ such an assurance had Paul Rom. 8.38 39. For I am perswaded that neither death nor life c. shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. This rest is like the quietness a great debtor has in his spirit after he hath received his discharge out of the hand of his creditor 4. There is the rest of vision and fruition in Heaven when we shall ee and enjoy God and be satisfied to the ull with that fulness of joy and with those pleasures
yet the infinite worth of the Person being the Son of God gave infinite worth and value to his sufferings for a short time for taking away the eternal punishment and for procuring to us an eternal and exceeding weight of glory according to that of Heb. 9 14. How much more shall the blood of Christ who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God Purge our Conscience from dead works to serve the living God As our blessed Lord was lifted upon the Cross so let us lift up our minds and hearts to him and as Paul had the Philippians alwayes in his heart Philip. 1.7 So let us carry Christ crucified alwayes in our hearts 1. This should be our great care and study with the Apostle Paul who studied nothing so much as the knowledge of Christ and him crucified 1 Cor. 2.2 And Philip. 3.10 That I may know the fellowship of his sufferings For this end the holy Sacrament of the Supper was institute to bring often to our remembrance the death of the Lord Jesus 1 Cor. 11.26 2. Serious and frequent thoughts of his Cross will mortifie sin in us Gal. 2.20 I am crucified with Christ Thoughts of the great grief and shame brought upon the Innocent Lamb of God by our sins should pierce our hearts should we rejoyce in that which made him cry out My Soul is exceeding sorrowful unto death God forbid we should glory in that which procured the shame of the Cross to him The thoughts of his Cross will mortifie our impatience in all our afflictions when we look to him who with so great patience endured the Cross and with insuperable courage despised the shame of the World This will mortifie our love to the perishing vanities of this present world Gal. 6.14 God forbid that I should glory save in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ by whom the world is crucified unto me and I unto the world As a dead man is not affected with the pleasures of the world and the world is crucified to him as a man has no pleasure to look upon the limbs of a malefactor hanged up in the high way 3. Thoughts of the cross of Christ have an active and attractive Vertue they will quicken our Faith and draw us nearer to Christ where the carcase is there will the eagles be gathered Matth. 24.28 The sweet smell of the cross of Christ draweth Believers to him It will quicken our love to Christ and our obedience Can. 1.3 4. Thy name is as oyntment poured forth therefore do the Virgins love thee draw me and we shall run after thee A thankful man cannot but love his servant that has suffered much for him how much more should we love our blessed Lord who suffered so much for us who by an evil Nature are born enemies to God The consideration of his death will quicken our hope and dependance upon God for all things needful in time coming Rom. 8.32 He that spared not his own Son but delivered him up for us all how shall he not with him also freely give us all things It will quicken our love to all who belong to Christ especially in the time of their distress as the love of David to Jonathan in the remembrance of his great kindness did make him enquire after these that belonged to Jonathan that he might shew kindness to them 2 Sam. 9.1 The consideration of this great love of Christ in dying such a death for us by the power of his Love will subdue our sinful lusts and make us by patience to overcome difficulties and afflictions in suffering for his Name Rom. 8.37 Nay in all tbese things we are more than Conquerours through him that loved us This Heavenly fire of his Love in our hearts like lightnings will quench that earthly fire and exhalations of unclean lusts 4. Serious and deep thoughts of the cross of Christ will comfort and encourage us against all our enemies whether devils or wicked men because Christ upon thâ— câ—oss hath spoiled principalities and powers Col. 2 15. Satan our arch-enemy is both bound and spoiled by the Captain of our Salvation He may and will molest us like an enemy besieging a City and making frequent assaults but he shall not prevail to get possession John 10.28 They shall never perish neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand The true Believers may and will be molested by wicked men tempting them to sin and persecuting them with tongue or hands because they will not run with them in the excess of riot 1 Pet. 4.4 But be of good comfort for even all the wicked in the world are subiected to him by the merit and power of his Cross Phil. 2.8 9 10. Joh. 16.33 These things have I spoken unto you that in me ye might have peace in the world ye shall have tribulation but be of good chear I have overcome the world The thoughts of the death of Christ will comfort us against the severe charge and sharp challenges of a guilty and accusing Conscience Rom. 8.34 Who is he that condemneth It is Christ that died yea rather thâ—t is risen again who is even at the right hand of Gâ—d who also maketh Intercession for us It will comfort and encourage against the fear of death seing our blessed Lord by his death on the Cross hath taken away the sting and curse from our death 1 Cor. 15.57 But thanks be to God which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ 4. The necessity of the death of Christ upon the Cross even so must the Son of man be lifted up It was necessary our Lord should die 1. There was a necessity of immutability in respect of Gods decree to save lost man by the sufferings and death of Jesus Châ—ist Heb 2.10 For it became him for whom are all things and by whom are all things in bringing many sons unto glory to make the Captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings 1 Pet. 1.20 Who verily was fore-ordained before the foundation of the world but was manifest in these last times for you 2. There was a necessity in respect of infallibility to fulfil the Prophesies concerning his death for our sins Isa 53.12 He hath poured out his soul unto death Dan. 9.26 The Messiah shall be cut off but not for himself 3. To fulfil and to be answerable by his death and bloody sacrifice to the typical sacrifices Heb. 10.4 5 6 7. For it is not possible that the blood of Bulls and Goats should take away sins c. And Rev. 13 8. he is called The Lamb slain from the foundation of the world to wit in these mystical and typical sacrifices before and under the Law 4. There was a necessity for him to die this kind of death on the Cross whereof see more in Serm. Joh. 12.32 Though there was a necessity for our blessed Lord to die yet he submitted to it most willingly he poured out his soul unto death and frequently