Selected quad for the lemma: saint_n
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A94183
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A sermon lately preached at Westminster, before sundry of the honourable House of Commons. By Joseph Symonds sometimes minster in Ironmonger-lane, London, now pastor of a church in Roterdam.
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Symonds, Joseph.
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1641
(1641)
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Wing S6358; Thomason E165_10; ESTC R23172
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16,972
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38
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walk towards God with truth aequablenesse and certainty Reason 4. What we purpose is either due to God or not now there is no question of the debt when God demands and if it be due it is injustice not to performe and its dangerous to run into debt when we have to pay Therefore wee should say as David I have sworne and I will performe it c. Psal 119.106 Thus having runne over the point by demonstrating the necessity both of resolution and execution when we have a commission and charge to doe for God I come to application I will take up this charge which David gave his sonne upon you It s a like season A time of Parliament and solemne assembly as then here is a like work lying in your hands that an house be built for the Lord and you also have commission for the Lord hath chosen you to build him an house be strong therefore and doe it Suffer me here to speak a little of the work Solomon was to build an house for God but that house was but a type of that which is now to be built Your work is to help that the Churches of Christ may be rightly framed and formed each Church is called an house of God 1 Tim. 3.15 God hath three houses 1 Coelestiall built for the Saints by himselfe Heb. 11.10 2 Mysticall invisible built by himselfe for himselfe Eph. 2. c. 3 Instituted visible built for himselfe and the Saints that in it they might enjoy each other This is compared to an house in respect of constitution end 1 For constitution as in an house there is 1 qualification of matter 2 Combining and knitting it together So in a Church there must bee 1 matter qualified and prepared for such ends to which a Church is appointed it must be of that nature as may be apt to knit with the building and to contribute something to it It s preposterous and unreasonable to heap on promiscuously stones and straw stubble and timber without judgement of the fitnes of the matter to conduce to the common frame When at the temple the materialls were prepared before it was brought thither so that there was neither hammer nor axe nor any toole of iron heard in the house while it was in building 1 Kings 6.7 so in this spirituall Temple the building should consist of persons fitted for it they should be living stones 1 Pet. 2.5 All societies are composed with choyce the members of them are such as agree in the same common nature and in the same fundamentall lawes of that society So ecclesiasticall bodies are to consist of congruous matter it 's the rule of all other bodies whether naturall or civill Not that Churches have a power of infallible judgement not infallibility but wisedome with love is required in their judgment of persons to be admitted they must be such of whom we may be able to say of them as the Apostle of the Philippians of whom he said It is meet for me to think this of you all Phil. 1.7 2 A Church is a combined company for many without conjunction are a multitude not a corporation As many stones and timbers are a heape but not an house except they be fitted and joyned together as a naturall body is a multitude in which the members by conjunction become one so is the Church from the head all the body is by joynts and bands knit together Col. 2.19 And in Christ the Church is said to be built together to be an habitation for God Eph. 2.22 These bands are either such as tye to Christ the head and the foundation faith and the spirit This makes members of the Church Catholick which is called the generall assembly Heb. 12.23 consisting of all Saints in heaven and in earth Eph 1.10 which is called the whole family in heaven and earth Eph. 3.15 Or they are such as tye the Saints among themselves as in a building the materialls are not onely knit to the foundation but to themselves These tyes are 1 such as constitute a Church i. e. consent to live together in communion There is no other way imaginable by which divers persons can be either one family or one City or one kingdom which never were one but by consent and how should divers persons who before were free come to have any justly exercising any power among them but by consent This therefore must be the bond to knit divers Saints into one body And a Church must be knit together else it will be but a casuall loose company without order and rule When it is orderly gathered and composed it becomes an house to Christ for his instituted worship though not only as the mysticall Church is for naturall worship 2 Such as doe conserve i.e. mutuall love which is the bond of perfectnesse Col. 3.14 This preserves the unity peace and order of a Church Secondly as the Church is called the house of God in respect of constitution so also in respect of the end 1 For his dwelling In Christ yee are knit together for an habitation of God through the spirit Eph. 2.21 Though he fill all places yet his presence is with the Churches with more complacence The Lord hath chosen Sion he hath desired it for his habitation This is my rest for ever here will I dwell for I have desired it Psal 131.13 14. He dwelt in Hierusalem the shadow of these Churches out of choyce with a doubled desire I have desired it I have desired it And as he dwels here with complacence so with beneficence I will abundantly blesse her provision I will satisfie her poore with bread I will also cloath her Priests with salvation and her Saints shall shout aloud for joy ver 15.16 Plenty and safety is promised to Churches so much as to cause the greatest joy In these societies it is where God commandeth the blessing and life for evermore Psal 131.3 2 For his honour poore mens houses are for necessity but great men and Princes have houses for honour also Kings have 1. houses of judgement where they exercise justice and judgement So is the Church the place of the power and judgement of Christ it 's called his throne Jerem. 3.17 which is the seat of honour and majestie 2 Kings have their treasuries Esay 39.2 In which they keep their treasure which is the glory of Kings And the Church is called the house of Gods glory Esay 60.7 The place where hee layeth his pretious treasures 3 They have their armories the Church also is Gods military house here are those spirituall weapons which are mighty through God 2 Cor. 10.4 His Saints have here those armes by which they defend themselves in their spirituall warfare and obtaine great conquests against the world against their lusts and Satans power Much should bee said concerning the order and government of this house but time faileth This then oh yee worthies is the house which must be built you are chosen of God and