Selected quad for the lemma: saint_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
saint_n	call_v	church_n	corinth_n	2,165	5	11.4080	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A85043	The churches and ministery of England, true churches and true ministery. Cleared, and proved, in a sermon / preach'd the 4th of May at Wiviliscombe; before a numerous congregation assembled together to hear the opposition, which had been long threatned to be made that day, by Mr Collier and others of his party, who, with the greatest strength the West would afford them, were present at the sermon. Wherein were these five things undeniably proved: 1. That a mixture of prophane and scandalous persons with reall saints, is not inconsistent with the Church of God or a true church. ... 5. And then, they also must needs be guilty, who forsake true churches and a lawfull ministry, to follow and hear unsent preachers. By Francis Fullwood minister of the Gospel at Staple Fitzpane in the county of Somerset. Before it there is an epistle and preface, shewing the manner, and a narrative subjoyned shewing the substance of the dispute after the sermon, (both which lasted nine hours.) Set forth by the ministers that were at the dispute, and attested under their hands.	Fullwood, Francis, d. 1693.; Darby, Charls.; Collier, Thomas, fl. 1691.	1652 (1652)	Wing F2498; Thomason E671_2; ESTC R202166	72,915	100

so that I thought there had been a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or a transmigration of the souls of some Jesuites into their bodies or as if they had been principled by some Old Loyolist Surely they never learned them at the Plough But they were all so soundly elided and their falsity so plainly demonstrated that the people professed themselves to have received full satisfaction So that by the goodnesse of God that daies action wan great credit to the truth reputation to the Ministry an encrease to that formerly thin and very discouraging lecture reclaimed some deceived souls confirmed many and is interpreted by some as a pledge of the fullfilling of that Promise 2 Tim. 3. 9. Some men may posssibly dislike the action it self and question the prudence and discretion of the Ministers who would so much undervalue themselves as to contest with such ignorant wranglers But the happy successe thereof may alone sufficiently answer whatsoever may be objected against their so doing to say nothing of the great sufferings of truth which were there likely to have been had there wanted strong opposition As for the persons who with such courage undertook and with such felicity managed this businesse thus much I dare say in their behalf that they aimed more ●t the maintenance of the truth then at the praise of a Victory And yet they aimed at victory also but not to credit themselves but the truth I have cause to think that there was no Minister there but is of my minde who could be content and willing to be abased scorned and slighted to lose all my comforts and hopes on earth to wander about as a vagabond being destitute afflicted tormented So that the name of Christ may be glorious and his Kingdom advanced if it were pleasing to God so to have it and my affliction might be more for his glory then my comfort and prosperity Nor let any supercilious censurer distast the publishing hereof No such thing was ever intended till the desires of some godly Christians who were willing that others might receive that benefit by reading of it as themselves had by hearing it and the necessity of vindicating themselves forced them to it Some reports were spread abroad that the Ministers were not only silenced but did also acknowledge their errour and openly make recantation So that they were necessitated to make the whole publique And herein they have Augustine for their President who having had frequent conflicts with the Donatists was forced at last to commit all his disputations to Writing because they alwaies proclaimed themselves Victorious though indeed as these Donatists at Wiviliscombe they were mightily convinced and confounded As for these its true they never left prating but that was looked upon and esteemed as no other then the wriggling of some Insecta when their heads are off Reader Thou maist not expect any elaborate Discourse here The dispute was sudden and unpremeditated the Sermon such as was then delivered when never intended to be published and I hope that these considerations will apologize with thee for the Authour who was willing though much to his own prejudice to impart it to thee without any manner of dresse more then it had when he uttered it I had thought Good Reader to have spoken more by way of Exhortation both to the honest-hearted and also to those who are for the present gone astray but that I have already detained thee too long from the reading of what follows And I doubt not but that if thou reade with an humble heart and a discerning Spirit thou wilt finde much satisfaction in the Points there handled God in Mercy guide both thee and me into all truth So prays Thy Servant in the things of Christ CHARLS DARBY THE CHURCHES MINISTERY of ENGLAND True Churches and true Ministery 1 COR. 1. 2. To the Church of God which is at Corinth to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus called to be Saints with all that in every place call upon the Name of Jesus Christ our Lord both theirs and ours CAP. I. The Text opened and expounded THese words conteining the object of Pauls salutation shew us to whom he sends and dedicates this his Epistle viz. in the first and stricter place to the Church of God at Corinth and then more at large and secondarily to the Churches of God all the world over even as it is subjoined with all that in every place call upon that is by a Senecdoche worship the Name of Jesus Christ our Lord both theirs and ours that is Jesus Christ their Lord as well as ours Now to be the more particular and pertinent we pitch upon the first and stricter object here of this salutation and dedication touching which the text affords First its appellation the Church with Secondly its description and that three waies 1. It is described in its specification the Church of God 2. It s situation the Church of God at Corinth 3. It s qualification 'T is sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be holy all which we shall briefly run over again and clearing the same make the way more plain for our following discourse The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 most easily derived from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 evoco here rendred the Church is frequently used for any company assembled together for any cause both in prophane and * Act. 19. 32. holy Scriptures We may reduce all kinde of assemblies to these three Sinfull Civil or Sacred and finde this word expressing them all For first there is a sinfull Church the Congregation of evil doers Secondly There is a Civil Church Acts 19. 36. Psal 26. 5. And lastly There is a sacred or a godly Church as this the Church of Corinth was which is here so plainly distinguished from the two former by this speciall attribute Of God It is not the Church of the devil or men but the Church of God at Corinth But this same Church of God is of various use and meaning Church of God too and a little inquiry made thereinto we shall finde a help and furtherance to us in our way 1. The Scripture means sometimes by the Church of God the whole invisible mysticall body of Jesus Christ viz. the whole number of the elect both in Heaven and earth that are or shall be gathered into one under Christ the head Ephes 5. 23. Col. 1. 24 25. 2. Sometimes again the Scrpture useth the Church of God for the universall visible Church which consisteth of all the particular Churches and persons with their children throughout the world that profess the true religion So it is used 1 Cor. 12. 12. 3. Sometimes also by a Metonimy for the place it self where a certain number of the visible Church use to assemble So 1 Cor. 11. 4. Sometimes also by a Synecdoche for any number of Church-members where ever they be So in 1 Cor. 16. 19. Col. 4. 5. 5. And lastly Sometimes for a particular visible Church whether

it consists of one Congregation or more as the Church at Jerusalem Smyrna Thyatira c. and so in the text the Church of God at Corinth So far then we are come having found this Epistle sent to a Church and that a Church of God and the Church of God at Corinth too There is now but one main thing behind but that indeed is a main one namely the qualification of this Church of God at Corinth which is blaz'd before us in the following words to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus called to be Saints These words do plainly intend the matter or members of the Church at Corinth because all others are expressed afterwards with all that in every place c. and also what these members are viz. of two sorts Saints indeed such as are sanctified in Christ Jesus and such as are called to be so though indeed they be not so for many are called and few chosen many are called to be members of the visible but few to be members of the invisible Church for they are not all Israel that are of Israel Or else if you leave out those two little Rom. 9. 6. words to be which the English supplies it may seem to be thus the words to all that are sanctified in Christ Jesus are expounded by these latter words called Saints q. a. to all that are sanctified or should be so that bear the name the form though they want the thing and power of holiness and sanctification one of these two choose which you will must needs be the meaning of the Apostle here which will be most cleer if we but once think to whom and for what end he writes this Epistle to the Church at Corinth and on purpose to reprove them too and that for such gross and vile corruptions as he knew and we confess are even inconsistent with true sanctity faith and holiness though not incompetent to a true Church as is plentifully manifest through his Epistles c. which I shall reduce and set before you under three heads 1. He reprooves them for the breach of the Laws of soberness Sins of the Church of corinth in the two gross and known sins gluttony and drunkenness cap. 11. 21. 2. Of righteousness in their divisions envyings strifes cap. 3. 1 2 3 5. and worse in incest too cap. 5. 1. 3. Of piety and holiness living neither godly righteously nor soberly And first in defect I mean in discipline which appears by their mixt and disorderly fellowship not casting out the lewd and scandalous rout cap. 5. with 11. as also abundantly in excess by schism one despising Paul and another Apollo cap. 3. 4. Heresie denying the resurrection of the body 2 Cor. 15. Idolatry 2 Cor. 6. with to conclude a most egregious prophanation of the holy Table through ignorance gluttony drunkenness c. cap. 11. 21 c. Now doubtless all these great and gross corruptions foreknown to Paul and even just now with this very Epistle about to be reproved by him in thus Church he could not so grosly bewray his flattery or sin so deeply against his knowledge as mean to call them reall Saints all Saints that were the members of it Yea from what hath been said we must conclude 1. That they were not all reall Saints 2. Nor yet all visible Saints though indeed called to be both of these Some true beleevers there were among them some visible Saints not true beleevers those are both likely but this is certain there were many vile and openly prophane and scandalous persons among them and as certain also notwithstanding them Paul salutes them as the Church of God Notwithstanding he fore-knew and intended by this his Epistle to reprove all those grosse and abominable sins you have heard yet here and behold his salutation runs To the Church of God at Corinth CHAP. II. That a mixture of prophane and scandalous persons with reall Saints is not inconsistent with the Church of God FRom the Text thus opened we descend to inferre some seasonable Points which like unto a chain though every link be not fastned immediatly to the first we shall finde have a plain and kindely dependance each upon other and they are these 1. That a mixture of prophane and scandalous persons with reall Saints is not inconsistent with the Church of God or a true Church 2. That then the Churches that are now in England are Churches of God and true Churches 3. That then the Ministry of these Churches is the Ministry of God and the true Ministry 4. That then there is a great and heavy sin lying at the door of all suchS as do presume to proach publikely among us without a call who have true Churches and a setled Ministry 5. And then to conclude they also must needs be guilty that forsake true Churches and a lawfull Ministry to follow and hear unsent preachers I shall be as brief and plain as I may upon each of these in order 1. The first of these immediatly depends upon the text explained Scandalous persons in a true Church for if there were prophane and scandalous persons in the Church of Corinth and yet notwithstanding she bore the name of the Church of God it must immediatly and naturally follows that there may be prophane and scandalous persons in the Church of God there may be I say but I mean de facto and not de jure I confess they ought not to be there but if they be they do not unchurch the assembly wherein they are they are the disease and trouble of the Church but not its death indeed such gross and vile corruptions as we have found to have been in the Church of Corinth are as inconsistent with a pure Church as boyls and leprosie with a pure body but yet for all as the soul doth not presently leave and disown the body for any disease except it be mortall so neither doth Christ his body the Church Both the naturall and misticall body may be true though very corrupt and what I have before asserted is undeniable viz. That a mixture of profane and scandalous persons with reall Saints is not inconsistent with a Church of God or a true Church for we see in the purest times in the very time of the Apostles themselves as soon as ever the seed was sown tares are mixt as soon as ever the Churches are planted they are thus diseased many corruptions are known to abound in most of them and yet all of them are owned none denied to be Churches of God even by the Apostles If this instance of Corinth be not sufficient consider the Church of Thessalonica Galatia Ephesus Pergamus 2 Thes 2. Thyatyra who had the mystery of iniquity already working who suffered themselves to be soon carried away to another Gal. 2. 3. Gospel who had lost the first love who had those that maintained the doctrine of Baladm with the heresie of the Nicolaitans Revel 2. 3.

and 3. 14. 20. and who lastly suffered the Prophetess Jezabel to seduce the servants of Christ as England too much who yet notwithstanding are called Churches yea and Churches of Christ and by the Apostles themselves commending the good that was in them even while in the mean they reprove the evil that they did or suffered to be done among them And therefore it was doubtless a very gross errour of Barroh 1. Visible Church not a company of true Saints Mat. 13. 37. Mat. 3. 12. and those of the old separation to define the Church to be a company of faithfull people that truly worship Christ and readily obey him Alas the Kingdom of God that is the Ministry sent to gather Churches is a net that gathereth fish both good and bad and the Church is a floor that hath chaff and wheat and a through-separation shall never be attained till the great distinguishing day comes The ground of their errour is this they confound the invisible and visible Church It is most certain I fear that if none may be said to be a true Church but she whose members are all true beleevers there is no true Church in the world this day if there ever have been Besides how senseless it is to make true faith an invisible thing the mark of the visible Church I Again Though the errour be not so gross 't is very dangerous 2. Nor alwaies of visible Saints to say that there cannot be wicked and scandalous persons in a true Church for this doth immediatly tend to schisme and if it raseth the foundation as plainly appeareth of those first Apostolicall Churches well may it ours Alas a particular person may have many failings and gross corruptions powerfull in him and yet all the while I hope be a childe of God even so a Church may be very much degenerate extreamly corrupt and all the while be a Church of God as the Reas Because corruptions strike not the being of a Church Church of Corinth was And the Reason is plain The Reason is Because such corruptions in manners or discipline strike at a Churches benè esse only and not at the being or essence of it as a man with boiles and botches all over his body like unto Job is yet a true man a man a live though he be not so pure and healthy as other men are these indeed do send him forward so far as in them lies to death and the grave however he may not be said to be dead so long as his soul his form abideth in him which all these things cannot touch Quest But this doth invite that doubtfull query viz. touching the form and distinguishing note of a true Church What it is or where it lies Answ To which though I confess I have met with few that write clearly of it I briefly answer That for ought I finde all ancient What and wherein is the form of a visible Church Generally in Ordinances Churches and Counsels before Rome was Antichrist and all the Churches reformed from her Antichristianism together with all Judicious Papists themselves do jointly conclude that the formall difference of the true Church I mean as visible lies in communion in true Ordinances and on occasion farther enlarge and explain the meaning thus that therefore the more or less pure the Ordinances are the more or less pure the Churches are and though the Ordinances of Christ should suffer corruption yet if they may be said but to be true and if there remain but only so much as will carry the Ordinances to be of Christ even so far are the Churches the subjects thereof the Churches of Christ * When two or three are met together in my Name defines a Church Matth. 18. Communion contains the form and essence of a Church in generall communion in Ordinances of God contains the Form of a Church of God and the purer the Ordinances are the purer the Churches and the truer they are the truer the Churches but so long as the Ordinances may be known to be Christs though the havers be very corrupt we must own the Churches to be Christs also But to be a little clearer might I judge here I should conclude Specially in Ministers of the Word that the Ministery of the Word rather then the Sacraments contains the form of a particular visible Church for of such we speake 1. As for Baptism that enters the partie baptiz'd into the universal visible and we must be constitute a particular visible Church before we have right unto much more the enjoyment of the Lords Supper indeed none can be member of a particular Church unles he be baptiz'd so baptism is a negative mark and none can have a right to the Supper of the Lord unless he be a member of a particular Church so that the Lords Supper I mean the actuall administration thereof is a mark redundant But as for the ministry of the word that Therefore the Sacraments are called by Reverend Vsher dependents on the Word hath in it not only a mark but the form and difference of the visible Church of which the Sacraments are but seals and seem to alter and change the nature as the doctrine doth as the same seal is of different value according to the nature and value of the writing to which it is set So that when the doctrine becomes antichristian the seals thereof can scarce be christian though they be counterfet and would be so this may not deny the baptism of Rome to be lawfull baptism yet thus far it goes that the baptism of Rome is no farther christian then their doctrine touching it is so for should they deny the holy T●inity although they did baptise in the Name of the Father Son and holy Ghost I hardly judg it to be lawfull baptisme though haply the old Rule might reach it fieri non debuit factum valet However this is safely concluded that the chief essentiall mark or form of a true particular visible Church consists in a fixt and setled visible fellowship in the ministry of the word of Christ A Church is so called from its gathering together and where is this so plainly seen as in its visible communion in the ministry of the word especially being setled and constant what advantage hath the Jew above the Gentile the Church above the world much every way but chiefly because to them is committed the Oracles of God this is the particular priviledge of the Church of God But a little more distinctly I mean the ministry here on both sides Docens utens The Papists of late deny this but Stapleton one of the chief among them saith The preaching of the Gospel is the proper and the teaching part and the using hearing and receiving part 1. The ministeriall Churches have their mark viz. true doctrine and this especially join'd with the other is very potent to discover to us the true Church For this see Matth. 23. 2 3.

throughout and nothing warrantable with God or man Two things I should undertake here viz. to shew you the ground of this distinction of publick Preaching and private teaching and to clear and confirm my conclusion thereupon Rutherford Hall Collings Ferriby c. viz. That though private teaching be the duty of all yet publick Preaching is the sin of any but men in Office which having been done so fully by others to whom I refer you I shall dispatch in a word For the ground and reason of this clear distinction one instance of many shall serve the turn and it is of women whom we find in Scripture commended for private teaching yet also forbidden there in publick Preaching see Act. 18. 26. There Aquilla and Priscilla took Apollos unto them it is said and expounded the word Mark they took him to them aside into private and there the woman as well as the man expounded the way of God unto Apollos Well then here is an example of a womans teaching in a private way but doth this allow a womans publick Preaching no alas that 's clearly forbidden in another text which tels us we must not suffer a woman to speak in the Church neither to the end she may teach or learn And as women are forbidden to speak at all so are men forbidden to preach in the Church without a call For no man taketh this honour to himself unlesse he be called of God as Aaron was As if it had been said in the times of the Gospel Heb. 5. 4. a call is as necessary to licence a Preacher as it was in the time of the law For how shall they Preach except they be sent Rom. 10. 15. That is none can perform the Office of a Preacher as just before How shall they hear without a Preacher unless he be sent that is as we largely explained before ordained according to the order of the Gospel by the power of the Church Now we never read of any in Scripture that were sent to preach but they were thereby put into Office yea this Preaching in the Text is expounded there to be an exercise of one that is sent and none other and this being sent doth expound it selfe to make a Preacher as in the last words of the fourteenth verse and this word Preacher is never given to any in Scripture but to men in Office Then those that to presume to preach must needs pretend to be sent some way or other and I know no other sending but extraordinary or ordinary now I wish our Adversaries to take which they please Are they sent extraordinarily That though some of them have pleaded heretofore they are all ashamed of and do not now so much as pretend unto it for indeed it is great blasphemy Neither doe they pretend to be sent in an ordinary way according to the nature of the word sending or the Rule of the Gospel as we have this day declared to you How and yet dare to preach upon what account I beseech you Object There is a sending of Duty as well as Office saith one of them Answ How many absurdities are couch't together in these few words 1. It would devide betwixt the Duty and Office of preaching which differ no more than Ghost and Spirit the same thing in two words 2. It would devide betwixt a mans being sent by God and put into Office by him still one and the same thing 3. It is but the old distinction put into worse and harder words which is That private Christians may exercise their gifts in a way of love in a private way but there is a preaching in Office that onely is lawfull for men that are sent 4. To speak all in a word this sending in the very nature of the word and sence of Scripture doth plainly exclude what ever such men pretend unto to authorize their sinful disorderly practice of publick preaching even all the four things we nam'd before 1. It excludes the secret impulse of their own spirit for no man that goes of his own accord can be said to be sent the one is Active the other Passive and this is confirm'd by that known Text No man taketh this honour to himself but he that is called of God as was Aaron clearly expressing that going and calling are two things 2. Sending excludes the call of gifts also for we not imagine that every man that is fit eo ipso a Justice of Peace ability is one thing commission another as most evidently appears by that clear Text Mat. 10. 1 5. In the first verse they have their qualification and in the fift they receive their Commission and are bid goe and therefore examination or proving of gifts is but the way to Ordination as in the Epistles to Timothy and Titus doth plainly appear 3. Sending excludes Electing from the whole work and therefore we finde sending and electing two things and even perform'd in a different way and by different persons in Acts 6. 5 6. The people chose and set the men before the Apostles but they are not sent yet and therefore the Apostles lay hands upon them 4. Sending is more than desiring lastly for this is but an act of an equal but sending is ever an act of Superiors Desiring doth leave the power in the partee desir'd but sending implyes the power to be in the partee sending Desiring doth not while sending doth still put a man into Office and a Minister in special giving him authority to deliver his Message intrusted to him for how shall he preach except he be sent That is perform the Office of a Preacher except he hath receiv'd a Commission so to do except he be sent Which I conclude with this argument as the sum of this matter None may preach except he be sent But Self-will Gifts Election Desire or Invitations of the people are not sending Therefore those that have no other Commission then these four may not preach Object But though we have not the Doctrine of Scripture we have many examples of Scripture that favour our preaching Answ 1. Suppose it yet you must know these two things 1. That Example will never warrant the practice of any unlesse all circumstances of time place person c. that are materiall meet together if thou beest not in all respects in the same condition with that man thou lookst at in Scripture his action is no pattern to thee 2. That Examples in Scripture are not further to be imitated by us then they are agreeing with the Word of Scripture But secondly as you have not one Word so neither one Example in the holy Scripture that will stand you in stead in the least Object Did not Apollos preach Answ So may you in non-constituted Churches especially if you were known to be Ministers as he is called 1 Corinth 3. 5. Object But did not Philip preach Answ So may you in the same state of the Church especially being ordained as Philip was Acts 6.

and an Evangelist too Acts 21. 8. Object But did not the Persecuted Saints goe Preaching the Word Acts 8. Answ So might you if you were scattered by Persecution among Heathen and Infidels as they were though you can never prove that any of them preached even in Persecution but such as were Officers for which we have two Reasons First from the word there signifying preaching which is as Doctor Seaman observes never made use of in holy Scripture but to expresse an act of Office and Officers and indeed the very 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 word from whence this is immediately deriv'd doth signifie the Gospel or a good Message and is derived from another word which signifies a Messenger or one put into Office and sent to declare this happy Message to the sons of men intimating to us that the word Gospel doth carry a strong and invincible Argument in it against all those that offer to preach it and are not sent Which indeed the Apostle seemeth to laugh at as a plain contradiction in the words before mentioned How shall they preach except they be sent Object But all might prophesie one by one in the Church of Corinth why may not we Answ You may when you are Prophers as they were for that is a mistake to think that all in the Church might prophesie for certainly none could Prophesie but Prophets And are all Prophets No surely Therefore expound the 31 verse with 29. and 32. and the matter is ended All may prophesie that is All that are Prophets let the Prophets speak two or three and let the other judge and all those that are Prophets may have time enough to speak by turn You have now no more to urge but that of Paul whom we made before to appear to be a Minister even as soon as he was made a Christian though not before as some of you were as you read Acts 26. 16. What now can you further urge for your selves No more O that the Lord would open your eyes to see the Error and Danger of your wayes Alas What can I do more than to pray for you and to him that is able to restore your souls to him to commend you with him to leave you Yet with you I desire to leave this advice before I take leave That though it seem a hard matter yet you would take the Apostles Counsell and study to be quiet henceforth doing no longer ours but your own Businesse or else if that be too hard and you will needs have the work that you would desire seek and endeavour by giving up your selves to be prov'd and ordain'd the Office of a Bishop and be assured by me you shall find the 1 Tim. 3. 1. Ministers very ready upon the least desert to afford unto you the right hand of fellowship CAP. VI. That the People who leave the true Ministers to follow such as have no Calling are guilty of a very great sin WE are now attained to the last Conclusion which is That if for men to preach in a true Church where there is a lawful Ministrie setled be so great a sinne then doubtlesse for any to forsake a true Church and a lawfull Ministerie to follow and hear such sinfull Teachers is a very great sinne too Though alas poor ignorant deluded wretches think not so they that offer thus to preach are deeply guilty as I have told you this very action of theirs bringing so much disorder with it and coming from such dangerous principles endeavours the subversion and utter over-throw of all the Churches of Christ in the world and Chargeth Apostacy upon all the Churches that have been in the world since the dayes of the Apostles of so deep a nature is their sinne and you by following of them do plainly become partakers of their sinne be it never so great or dangerous and when Judgement comes 't is speciall Mercie if the Congregation that joyned with them be spared while Corah and his company are swallowed up Many in a sort that are not approvers of the men and ways Hearers are partakers of the sin of unsent Preachers we now speak of are yet partakers of these mens sinnes because they do not what God requires and in them lies to prevent the same But how much more are they that approve of and joyn with them as many hundreds of ignorant Creatures doe Besides you are not partakers with them in their sins onely hereby but you directly sinne your selves many wayes I Sin in hearing of them directly too cannot tell you how many sinnes you commit in this one of following these unsent Preachers nor indeed how sore judgements belong unto you for it Sins of omission in that you neglect to attend on the publick Ordinances to which you are called in that you cease to own respect and countenance the Over-seers Christ hath given you of Commission in that you rent your selves by unlawfull Schism from the Church of Christ and his Ministry in that you doe thereby what in you lies to break and ruine all the Churches and Ministers of Christ in the world in that you against expresse command hear those Prophets that God never sent and have to conclude a very great stroak in all these Confusions Errors and Heresies that now swarm within our Churches Consider O consider I beseech you dearly beloved and lay these things to heart I perswade my self that could you be serious and patient in weighing these things a while you would be at a stand if not face about 1. Consider what good can you get though you promise much while you lie under that heavy curse They shall Jer. 23. 32. not profit you That is they doe you much hurt and spirituall damage And doe you not find it by daily experience Whom among you but at his very entrance upon these wayes hath the foundation of his whole Religion shaken immediately I have wondred often at the frequent truth of this Observation untill I considered this Text and Curse They shall not profit this people at all Oh that you would consider it also 2. Consider what good you may doe us too by leaving them at last and returning again to the Fold and Shepherds of Jesus Christ For as your itching ears have heaped up such a multitude of Teachers so your eares well bored again would throw them down as fast Alas what doth uphold them but the pleasant Aire of your Encouragement would you withdraw they fall immediately with shame and sorrow were there no Hearers there would be no such Teachers For as we cannot hear without Preachers so they will not preach without Hearers and now will you not recompense your former prejudice to the Church and them and your selves besides while so fair an advantage remains in your hands However if love cannot win and prevail let the terror and fear of the Lord perswade whose strict command I reade unto you and leave upon you Thus saith the Lord of Hosts Hearken