Leaders and Rulers that for their Brethren sake and for the Peace of Jerusalem they would cherish advance contend for this Band of Unity and Peace the blessed Spirit in four things First In the Person of the Spirit Himself Secondly In Spiritual Worshippers Thirdly In Spiritual Worships Fourthly In Spiritual Appearances flowing forth through the Person of the Spirit upon Spiritual Worshippers in their Spiritual Worship that the Purity of the Spirit be not stained nor the Liberty of the Spirit restrained in these Particulars which make that true Mount Sion that Heavenly Jerusalem that Church of the First-born where alone Brethren dwel together in Unity and where God hath appointed the Blessing and Life for evermore The Third Way This is the last Way of Uniting to Sweeten one another unto a Union I shall point you here to one Instance of many Be ready to forgive be apt to pardon one another To move you to this and direct you in this I shal set before you three examples Joseph David Jesus Christ First Joseph had received as great injuries from his Brethren as can be imagined Out of envy and malice they designed his death sold him from his Fathers house into the hands of strangers to be a Bond-slave for his whol life He becomes great sees his Brethren lying at his Feet entirely at his Mercy the power of a mighty Nation in his hand to avenge himself of them at his pleasure without the least fear of any Evil returning to himself by it Yet now he prevents their asking of pardon by pardoning them first and freely He sweetens the Pardon by owning the Dearness of the Relation between himself and them at the very first Discovery of himself to them saying with Embraces and Tears I am your Brother Joseph He lightens the burthen of their Guilt and Shame by a sweet Interpretation of all into a Divine Design You intended it for Evil but God hath turned it to Good You designed Dissolutions and Desolations but God hath by it brought forth to me a wonderful Increase of Power Authority and Glory This is the Example of Joseph Let us go and do the like Let the sight of Jesus in the midst of our Brethren and a respect to God our Father and their Father prevail as much with us as the presence of Benjamin and the remembrance of his old Father Jacob did with him Gen. 45.4 5. How moving are those words Come neer I pray you Be not angry or grieved that you sold me into Egypt But how melting is that after Jacob's death when his Brethren sent to him saying Forgive us now the trespass of the Servants of the God of thy Fathers And Joseph wept when they spake unto him Gen. 50.17 Secondly Shimei had reviled David in his low Estate with the bitterest Reproaches and blackest Crimes of Blood and Death At his return Abishai moves to have him put to Death David replies What have I to do with you ye Sons of Zerviah Ye are alwaies adversaries to me Shal then any man be put to Death this day in Israel For do not I know that I am this day King in Israel 2 Sam. 19.22 How good how great how like to God is this in David to make the day of his Power a Day of Grace to make use of the Establishment of his Greatness to pardon the greatest Crimes committed against him Lastly Jesus Christ in the case of Mary Magdalen upon occasion of a Parable put to Simon gives the account of his Way with Men in that Maxime He to whom much is forgiven wil love much This is Christ's way O! that this were Christians way of subduing their Brethren and the People to them of winning Love To forgive much This is the Divine way of making our Brethren Captives in a noble War of Love and binding them to us in Golden Chains of Affection To forgive much It is said that we should make a Golden Bridg for a flying Enemy By retaining our Anger we force our Brethren to retain their Enmity So we bring upon our selves the Danger of a Desperate Enemy But by pardoning freely speedily sweetly we make a Golden Bridg for our Brethren to pass over from their Enmity to Love When we have an offending Brother at our Mercy let us think we hear Jesus Christ from Heaven pleading for him as Paul did for Onesimus to Philemon Receive him that is my Bowels once unprofitable but now by mine and thy pardoning him made profitable and faithful to thee and to me I shal wind up al with that of St. John who when he was very old went up into the Pulpit said no more but Little Children Love one another thrice over So he came down again We are Children having al the same Father Therfore once let us love one another We are little Children apt to fal out Therefore a second time Let us love one another We are little Children al of us subject to failing faults and falls Therefore a third time let us love one another Let us love one another by that Twofold measure Freely forgiving one another as God for Christs sake hath forgiven you Eph. 4.32 Receiving one another into the Glory of God as Christ also hath received us Rom. 15.7 There is a Divine Speech reported of Constantine the Great If I should see an Eminent Christian committing a great Crime I would cover him with my purple Robe to hide his shame even from mine own Eyes You who have bin great sinners thus hath Christ received you You who are grear sinners thus stands Christ this day this hour this moment while you are hearing these words Ready longing to receive you to cover all your Guilt and Shame with the Robe of the Righteousness and Glory of God in Himself Thus let us receive one another into the Glory of God hiding all our mutual shame in the Brightness of our Father's and our Savior's Glory FINIS Books Printed by Peter Cole Printer and Bookseller of LONDON at the Exchange Twenty one several Books of Mr. William Bridge Collected into two Volumns Viz. 1 Scripture Light the most sure Light 2 Christ in Travel 3 A Lifting up for the Cast-down 4 Sin against the Holy Ghost 5 Sins of Infirmity 6 The false Apostle tried and discovered 7 The good and means of Establishment 8 The great things Faith can do 9 The great things Faith can suffer 10 The Great Gospel Mystery of the Saints Comfort and Holiness opened and applied from Christs Priestly Office 11 Satans power to Tempt and Christs Love to and Care of his People under Temptation 12 Thankfulness required in every Condition 13 Grace for Grace 14 The Spiritual Actings of Faith through Natural Impossibilities 15 Evangelical Repentance 16 The Spiritual Life and in-being of Christ in all Beleevers 17 The Woman of Canaan 18 The Saints Hiding place c. 19 Christ Coming c. 20 A Vindication of Gospel Ordinances 21 Grace and Love beyond Gifts New Books of
THE TRUE WAY Of Uniting the People of God In These NATIONS Opened in a Sermon Preached in the Chappel at White-Hall Jan. 1. 1659. By PETER STERRY LONDON Printed by Peter Cole Printer and Book-seller at the sign of the Printing-press in Cornhill neer the Royal Exchange 1660. TO THE Christian Reader Christian Reader I Thought not of troubling the Press with this Sermon untill I had that Task imposed upon me by some worthy Persons and Honorable Members of this present Parliament who were Auditors When I have been meditating upon the Works of God with us in these Daies that Scripture hath come into my mind which our Savior propounds to his Apostles as a Cure of their Ambition and a quickening Cordial for their Mutual Love The first shal be last and the last shal be first As the Apothecary beats his rich Spices very a Compositio perfecta per minimas partes smal to the finest pouder then turns them often over from top to bottom from the bottom to the top again that so he may make a perfect mixture of them into one Body Thus the Lord beateth and bruiseth his People in these Nations thus he raiseth up and casteth down he sets them up over the heads he laies them low under the feet of each other by many Changes and Vicissitudes The end of all is that He may hide Pride Ambition and the Love of this World from our Eyes that He may work us through Humility Meekness and Mutual love unto the Unity of the Spirit and the sweet Fellowship of one Mystical Body in our Lord Jesus The little pleasure which I take in as also the little profit which for the most part redounds from Verbal Apologies have made me long silent while thou mayest perhaps have read or heard reported words as having proceeded from me in a publick Sermon which were absolutely untrue both for the form of Expression and the Sense It seems not unfit upon this occasion of appearing in Print nor improper for my present Subject to give thee this Account of my self First It appears to me a very vain thing for any person in this world to determine with an infallible Assurance the state of any person in the next world without a particular infallible and extraordinary Revelation from Heaven in the case which I never pretended to Secondly According to my poor measure of Understanding in the Gospel nothing can more fundamentally subvert the whol Mystery of Christ together with all Evangelical Spiritual Principles and Truths nothing can more directly oppose the Supream Design of the Father the Peace and Comfort of all his Children than to joyn any Creature with our Lord Jesus in the Great Work of his Mediation a principal part whereof his Intercession is the value and Vertue of which Part as of the whol Mediation consists in this That our Lord Jesus our only and ever blessed Mediator and Intercessor is the only true Eternal God of one undivided Essence with the Father and in all things equal to Him I humbly intreat thee Christian Reader to judg of me according to these Maxims and to beleeve that I never did and through Grace hope that I never shall express any thing unsuitable to them But it is good for us to say to all in all Cases as St. Paul saith to the Galatians You have not b Injury is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the privation of some good but the good things of a good man can never be taken from him Maxi. Tyr. injured me I am as you are be you as I am I am as you are I set my soul in your souls stead Be you as I am in the fellowship of the same Grace and Love of the Father in the Unity of the same Spirit through our Lord Jesus in whom I am for his sake Thy Servant PETER STERRY A Sermon Preached in White-Hall Chappel on the Lords day in the afternoon January 1. 1659. Psal 134.3 the latter part of the verse For there the Lord hath commanded the Blessing and Life for evermore THe Subject of this Psalm is the Vnity of Brethren In the first verse you have a Contemplation of the Beauty Profite or Pleasantness of this Unity with a high Admiration Behold how good and how pleasant is is for Brethren to dwell together in Vnity This is illustrated by a double Similitude The first is taken from the precious Oyntment upon the Head that ran down upon the Beard even Aarons Beard that went down to the Skirt of his Garment This costly Oyntment was a figure of the Holy Ghost poured forth upon our Lord Jesus our true high Priest and from him as from the Head running down upon his whole Mystical Body and going down even to the lowest Member of Christ which is but as the Skirt of his Garment This Annoynting makes them all One Spirit and from this unity of the Spirit as from a rich Oyntment goes forth a sweet savor of Love Spiritual Delight and Joy into the Nostrils of God the Father our Lord Jesus the Holy Angels and all the Saints This is the sence of the second verse In the third verse you have the second Similitude borrowed from the Dew of Hermon and that Dew that descends upon the Mountains of Sion As these Hills ow all their freshness and flourishing to the Dew or Rain that comes down from Heaven upon them so doth all the Beauty Pleasantness Fruitfulness of the Saints proceed from the Unity of the Spirit After this comes in the Conclusion of the Psalm which like a ful Close in Musick brings a fulness of Blessings along with it There the Lord hath commanded the Blessing even Life for evermore There that is where Brethren dwel together in Vnity there God hath commanded Blessing the fulness of all blessings which according to the Language of the Jews the Holy Scriptures is wont to be expressed by the single term of Life Together with all this goes the Establishment and Everlastingness of these Blessings Life for evermore It is manifest by what hath been spoken that the Brethren here mentioned are the Brethren of our Lord Jesus the Children of God his Father and their Father For among these Brethren alone is the true Vnity every Unity of every other sort of men being only a Conspiracy and Combination of Enmity and upon the Vnity of these Brethren alone is founded the Everlastingness of Life and Blessing The Doctrine which I shal from these words insist upon is this That God hath there ordained Establishment and a Lastingness of Blessing where his People dwel together in Vnity I shal satisfie my self with one full and clear Scripture for the opening and proving of this point 1. John 4.16 God is Love he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God and God dwelleth in him There is a threefold Love First There is Love in the Fountain which is the Love of God to us the Riches of free Grace Secondly There is Love in the
Mr. Sydrach Simpson VIZ. 1 Of Unbelief or the want of readiness to lay hold on the comfort given by Christ 2 Not going to Christ for Life and Salvation is an exceeding great Sin yet Pardonable 3 Of Faith Or That beleeving is receiving Christ And receiving Christ is Beleeving 4 Of Covetousness Mr. Hookers New Books in three Volums One in Octavo and two in Quarto These Eleven New Books of Mr. Thomas Hooker made in New-England Are attested in an Epistle by Mr. Thomas Goodwin and Mr. Philip Nye To be written with the Authors own hand None being written by himself before One Volum being a Comment upon Christ's last Prayer in the sevententh of John Ten Books of the Application of Redemption by the Effectual Work of the Word and Spirit of Christ for the bringing home of lost sinners to God Mr. Burroughs WORKS viz. on Matth. 11. 1 Christs call to all those that are Weary and Heavy Laden to come to him for Rest 2 Christ the Great Teacher of Souls that come to him 3 Christ the Humble Teacher of those that come to him 4 The only Easie way to Heaven 5 The excellency of holy Courage 6 Gospel Reconciliation 7 The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment 8 Gospel-Worship 9 Gospel-Conversation 10 A Treatise of Earthly-Mindedness 11 Exposition of the Prophesie of Hosea 12. The Evil of Evils or the exceeding sinfulness of Sin 13 Precious Faith 14 Of Hope 15 Of Walking by Faith Dr. Hills WORKS The Kings Tryal at the High Court of Justjce Wise Virgin Published by Mr. Thomas Weld of New-England Mr. Rogers on Naaman the Syrian his Disease and Cure Discovering the Leprosie of Sin and Self-love with the Cure viz. Self-denial and Faith A Godly and Fruitful Exposition on the first Epistle of Peter By Mr. John Rogers Minister of the word of God at Dedham in Essex Mr. Rogers his Treatise of Marriage The Wonders of the Load-stone By Samuel Ward of Ipswich An Exposition on the Gospel of the Evangelist St. Matthew By Mr. Ward The Discipline of the Church in New England By the Churches and Synod there Mr. Brightman on the Revelation Christians Engagement for the Gospel by John Goodwin Great Church Ordinance of Baptism Mr Loves Case containing his Petitions Narrative and Speech A Congregational Church is a Catholick Visible Church By Samuel Stone in New-England A Treatise of Politick Powers Dr. Sibbs on the Philippians Vox Pacifica or a Perswasive to Peace Dr. Prestons Saints submission and Satans Overthrow Pious Mans Practice in Parliament time Barriffs Military Discipline The Immortallity of Mans Soul The Anatomist Anatomized The Bishop of Canterbury's Speech Woodwards Sacred Ballance Dr. Owen against Mr. Baxter Abrahams Offer Gods Offering Being a Sermon by Mr. Herle before the Lord Major of London Mr. Spurstows Sermon being a Pattern of Repentance Englands Deliverance By Peter Sterry The Way of God with his People in these Nations By Peter Sterry Mr. Sympson's sermon at Westminster Mr. Feaks sermon before the Lord Major The Best and Worst Magistrate By Obadiah Sedgwick A sermon A Sacred Panegyrick By Stephen Marshal A sermon The Craft and Cruelty of the Churches Adversaries By Matthew Newcomen of Dedham A sermon Clows Chyrurgery Marks of Salvation Mr. Stephen Marshals New WORKS VIZ. 1 Of Christs Intercession or of sins of Infirmity 2 The high Priviledg of beleevers They are the Sons of God 3 Faith the Means to feed on Christ 4 Self-Denial 5 The Saints Duty to keep their Hearts c. 6 The Mystery of spiritual Life Several Physick Books of Nich. Culpeper and A. Cole c. 1 Idea of Practical Physick in twelve Books 2 Sennertus thirteen Books of Natural Phylosophy 3 Sennertus two Treatises 1 Of the Pox. 2 Of the Gout 4 Twenty four Books of the Practice of Physick being the Works of that Learned and Renowned Doctor Lazarus Riverius 5 Riolanus Anatomy 6 Vestingus Anatomy of the Body of Man 7 A Translation of the New Dispensatory made by the Colledg of Physitians of London Whereunto is added The Key to Galens Method of Physick 8 The English Physitian Enlarged 9 A Directory for Midwives or a Guide for Women 10 Galens Art of Physick 11 New Method both of studying and Practising Physick 12 A Treatise of the Rickets 13 Medicaments for the Poor Or Physick for the Common People 14 Health for the Rich and Poor by Dyet without Physick The London Dispensatory in Folio of a large Character in Latine The London Dispensatory in twelves a smal Pocket Book in Latin