obedience or send his Angels furnished with power and strength for the present execution of vengeance vppon all such as deny their present obedience to their word but in compassion vnto vs hee chooseth to teach vs by a stil voyce by a more familar and fitte instruction for vs euen by such as our selues of our owne nature farre meeter for our weakenesse then if he should either in his owne Maiestie teach vs or by natures fo farre superiour vnto vs as the Angels And this appeared plainely in giuing the law when the people once hearing the voyce of God came trembling to Moyses and made request in these wordes Talke thou with vs and wee will heare but lette not God talke with vs least wee die and it was generally receiued of old that if any man did either heare this voyce or see the face of the great God the great glory would so ouerwhelme him that surely hee could not liue after it Yea Moyses him-self could not haue beheld the back-partes of the LORD if the LORD had not hidde him in the cleft of a Rocke and couered him with his hand till he passed by His loue towards man manifesteth it selfe heerein that hee vouchsafeth to putte his voyce in the mouth of man rather then of Angels What an aduancement is it to the nature of man that the high GOD should sanctifie their tongues to deliuer his good pleasure to the sonnes of men to be trust them with such high misteries and matters of such blessed and sauing vse to them-selues and others His wisdome discouereth it selfe in this ordinance sundry waies 1. In that teaching man by man hee preuenteth the danger of deceipt and delusion which wee should lye open vnto if we should bee taught by reuelations or visions or appearance of Angels For Satan is an Angel of light hee can also assume him a body and in it by Gods permission broch lies and as though he were among the sonnes of God father them vpon God Blessed be that wisedom of God y t hath deliuered vs a more certain word of the Prophets Apostles shutting out al rouing Enthusiasmes reuelations not contained within it selfe and hath sette vppe a Ministry in which his Church shall bee taught by man subiect indeed to error but farre lesse dangerous then the former in that wee haue a certaine rule to trye the Spirites by whether they bee of God or no according to which rule and worde if they speake not there is no light in them Second hereby hee sheweth the mighty power of the word which although it seeme in the hand of a weake man a foolish meane of mens conuersion yet by this foolishnes of preaching the Lord saueth such as beleeue This Paul teacheth VVe haue this treasure in earthen vessels that the excellency of that power might bee of God that is knowne to bee of God and not of vs and this one thing hath confounded all the wisdome of flesh to see such weake and vile and dispised thinges bring such great things to passe And thus all the glory of the worke of conuersion redoundeth vnto God to whome indeed of right it appertaineth Thus the Apostles vsually turned off that praise glory which men preposterously would haue fastned vppon them that all the power of their word and workes might bee ascribed vnto God When Peter had healed a Cripple that lay at the beautifull gate of the Temple all the people came running and gazing on him and Iohn too much admiring their persons from whome they had seene such an euident worke which when Peter perceiued he checketh their ignorance Yea men of Israel why looke you so stedfastly on vs as though we by our own power or godlines had made this man go And wisheth them to look vpward to the God of Abraham Isaac and Iacob who had glorified his sonne Iesus in whose name they had done this miracle So likewise when Paul at Lystra had healed an other lame man the people conceiuing that the Gods were come downe in the likenesse of men brought their Buls with garlands their chiefe Priest to offer sacrifice to him and Barnabas which when the Apostles saw they rent their clothes and staid them from y t horrible Idolatry Oh men why doe yea these things VVee are euen men subiect to the like passions that ye bee and so proceeded to preach the true God and his son Christ vnto them Euen so when men behold such mighty power in that word which is dispenced by men subiect to the same passions with them-selues that it is able to conquer the whole world and bring it to the knowledge and obedience of christ to subdue nature and corruption of it yea battereth the strongest holds of satan and destroyeth his Kingdome easily may they conceiue there is more power with it then any can bee in such poore men and that is indeed the power strong arme of almightie God 3. The wisedome of GOD hereby would proue and try our obedyence whether we will heare his Ministers beeing men like our selues no otherwise then wee would heare himselfe or Christ or an Angel speaking from heauen Whether we wil receiue his Ministers as the Galatians did Paul Hee came and preached in the frailtie and weaknesse of flesh yet they dispised him not nor abhorred him but receiued him as an Angel of God yea as Christ him-selfe not considering so much the meanes of their persons as y e truth of their doctrin which must be as carefully receiued and as certainly held as if Angels from heauen or Christ him-selfe did deliuer it Yea the Apostle Paul is peremptory that if an Angel should come from heauen and crosse any whit of his doctrine by teaching either a contrary or another doctrin then he did he must be held accursed Ob. It will bee heere alledged that indeed they might so certainly receiue Pauls doctrine on his word for he was priuiledged that he could not er in deliuering itas our ordinary ministers may An. To which I answer that euen we secondarily are to be heard and receiued with the same respect and certainty so farre forth as wee follow and deliuer to the Church the doctrine of the Apostles For herein we also are the Angels of the Lord of hostes and Ambassadors in the stead of Christ. And all the partes of the Ministry in our hands wee following the word are as sure and infallible as if an Angel or Christ from heauen should execute them If we threaten it is as if y e Lion of y e Tribe of Iudah should roare if we cōfort it is as sure sweet to the beleeuing soule as if the Angels should comfort vs as they did Christ in his agonie Yea or Christ him-selfe from heauen as hee did the women that sought him after hee was risen If wee admonish exhort perswade it is all one as if Christ should do it who hath said he that heareth
in Gods worship well knowing that as God is a spirit so nothing is there pleasing vnto him which is not spiritual there are therfore other beauties which the stranger entreth not into y e beholding of yea such as caÌ„not be beheld but with eyes as cleare as christall Quest. What are the beauties you speake of Answ. They may be reduced vnto these two heads They are seene partly in respect of the parties present and partly in the things performed in such holy assemblies The persons present are first GOD himselfe whence such places are called Bethells as Dauid here thy house thy courts and are no other then the presence chambers of this euerlasting King of glory Here he sitteth in a chaire of Estate as formerly he sate between the Cherubins How can it then bee but that the glory of the Lord should fill euery such house of his as once it did the Temple 1. King 8. 11. or where can a faithful soule more securely more ioyfully rest it selfe then in Gods owne resting place Secondly Christ himselfe is heere present for wheresoeuer two or three are gathered togither in his name he is in the midst of them Hee walketh in the midst of the seauen golden Candelsticks And no where else if hee bee missing can his parents and kindred finde him then in then Temple Now is not this a greater beauty then any which can else-where bee espied wherein the second Temple passed the glory of the former yet ours exceed the second For how could the second Temple wanting 1. Gods presence between the Cherubins 2. the Vrim and Thumim 3. the inspiration raizing vp of extraordinary prophets 4. the Arke it selfe the seat of God which was taken in the captiuity 5. fire from heauen to consume their sacrifices how could I say the second Temple wanting all these be truly said to exceed the glory of the former which had theÌ„ al But only in regard of Christs bodily presence which by entring into it was to beautifie it And yet the effectuall presence of his spirit now with vs is farre more powerful and glorious then was his bodily presence in that Temple Now seeing that Christ is the churches welbeloued and is more then other welbeloueds euen the cheefe of ten thousand and hath not left vs direction to meet him any where saue in the tents of sheapheards and in the steps of the flockes should any christian soule which is knitte vnto him in spirituall wedlocke the contract beeing alreadie made and the daye of their marriage apointed and approching desire any socyetie more then his Nay ought not euerie beleeuing soule to wish one houre spent in his socyetie and fellowshippe rather then ten thousand with any besides So as hitherto Dauid was not wide in his wish and reioycing Thirdly the holie spirit of GOD is present in our assemblies most plentifullie pouring out of his full buckets the treasures of wisdome and grace yea the variety of graces accompanying saluation Neither doth this spirit ordinarily display him-self else-where who although hee bloweth where hee listeth in regard of the free and vndeserued graces which hee poureth out yet is it ordinarily by meanes of the Word Sacramentes Prayer Censures publikely exercised and administred according to the will of God Hence is it that wee reade still of the VVord and Spirit and water and the Spirit ioyned together because the spirit ordinarily putteth forth the grace of regeneration in the meanes of the word and sacraments Now who hath not good cause to wish if not all his time yet the most of it there spent where by the worke and presence of the spirit he may so happily inrich himselfe vnto life euerlasting rather then else-where where is nothing but spiritual pouerty nakednesse and beggery Fourthlie the holie Angels of God are here present in our assemblies Whence the Apostle 1. Cor. 11. 10. wisheth the woman to haue power ouer her head because of the Angells that is the woman in the congregation must couer her head as for other reasons so for this which is not the leaste in that the Angels are present and behold the order and behauiour of men women But why are the Angells present wil some say I answer not onely in way of Ministery and seruice vnto the Lord vnto the elect and vnto his Ministery sundry waies both assisting and helping it forward and withstanding such enmities as otherwise resist it but also after a sort to solace and reioyce them-selues in the beauty of GODS house so 1. Pet. 1. 12. VVhich things the Angells desire to behold speaking of the Misteries published in the Gospell To which maketh that interpretation of the place in Hebrews 12. 16. Yet once more will I shake not the earth only but also heauen The meaning of which words by the iudgement of some excellent Diuines is this that the voice of God in the deliuery of the law did cause the men on earth that hard it to quake and tremble but now in the preaching and deliuery of the Ghospell the verie Angells in heauen are after a sort shaken beeing rauished rapt into the admiration of it Are there then such beauties in the asseÌ„blies as that very Angels themselues admire shall not men for whom they were instituted seek both to espy be affected with them and who can bâ—ame him that can come to prize these beauties aboue all that the earth can afford besides Seeing the Angells themselues who are stript froÌ„ all earthly desires and delights are said to admire these but neuer the other such a man indeed is come nere to Angelical perfection Fiftly The Saints of God here present themselues in whoÌ„ al our delight ought to be For as the Tribes of the Lord vsed to goe vppe to his house that they might worship before him in his Tabernacle temple euen so now the people of God assemble themselues in our congregations to the same purpose Now when I say the people of God I mean not al hand ouer head who promiscuosly come together not withstanding they all are his people by right of creation and preseruation yet of them some are openly professed prophane ones Neither all those who ioyne in externall profession and exercises of religion of whom yet many are not inwardly purged in which sence the old world called them sonnes of GOD. That is all the posterity of Seth and Enosh opposed to the daughters of men voyde of all religion and pietie But I meane those of GODS election that are called of his purpose that haue obtayned mercie and who proceede on in the waies of sanctification vnto saluation These are called in Scripture an holie people a chosen generation a people by purchase the doue of Christ his vndefiled his treasure and their propertie is described that they flye as a clowde and flocke as the Doues vnto these windowes Which prophesie although it bee properlie to bee
blockish as men hewne out of hard okes reioyce in such an open and glorious face of Iesus Christ Yea with the Prophet account it our Blessednesse to dwel in the Lords house where we may euer praise him because hereby wee come nearest vnto the life of iust and perfect men in heauen to the which while wee frame our selues afore-hand wee haue entred into some degree of their blessednesse as also of our owne Thus farre wee hetherto discouered those beautyes of the house of God both in respect of Persons present and holy thinges performed which if men could see with bodily eyes as they cannot bee perceiued but by such as haue cleared eies they would excite admirable loue and affection towardes them Now we are to intreat of the priuiledges and benefits which Gods people reape by frequenting the same and the rather that such as perhaps little regard the glory of God shining in his ordinances brighter then the Sunne in his strength might yet for their owne aduantage and profitte bee perswaded with diligence and reuerence in this his house to seeke the face of the LORD Now although the priuiledges be as manyfold in number as excellent in their quallity yet I will content my selfe to note foure of them and these foure rather then any other because I see them to bee such as moued in the Prophet Dauid aboue all other these holy and ardent desires as in euery of them will plainely appeare First the benefit of light and instruction The first work that the Lord doth in these little worlds as once in the great is to seperate light and darknes in such as are in Christ created againe vnto good workes For which purpose the Lord him-selfe by his spirit becommeth the Schoolmaister of his people teaching them to know him in himselfe in his Christ to beleeue to worke and walke Heere in his house setting a coppy to all maisters of familyes what to doe in their houses hee openeth his treasures of wisdome and teacheth no triuiall matters But first for their necessitie matters of life and death Second for their dignitie such misteries as flesh and blood can neuer attayne vnto partly concerning God as the doctrine of the Trinity Partly concerning Christ as of his incarnation conception vnion of his natures and partly concerning our selues As our resurrection life eternall all which are matters of faith Third for their vse such as perswade the truth preserue frō error raize such as are faine strengthen those that stand comfort the afflicted pacifie the conscience confirme the certaine hope of life eternall and deliuer the deeds of it into our hands indeed the benefit of our redemption and whole saluation by Christ were little worth without these holy meanes whereby it is reuealed and applyed vnto vs. This is that benefit which our Prophet expresseth in the beginning of the verse following For the LORD GOD is the Sunne That is look what the Sunne is to the World that is the LORD GOD to his Church the Sunne of the World is not so necessary to lighten the day as this Sunne of the Church to lighten the darkenesse and dungeon of the soules of men without w c seeing all our heauenly lght is from it our estate is far more vncomfortable then that of the Egiptians in their three daies darkenesse for here no man can all his dayes stirre out of the place where his naturall corruption hath sette him And where shines this Sun but in the church this is the Goshen where this light is In the ministry especially it displayeth the beames of it Secondly necessary prouision both for sustenance and safety of soule and body First for the susteining of the soule heere is milke and stronger meat here wee haue the Lord pouring out all his goodnesse Here the great King prepareth a great supper killeth his fatlings prepareth his milke and wine spreadeth his table setteth on it Iesus Christ the bread and water of life whose flesh is meat indeed whose blood is drinke indeed Here he by his ministers inuiteth and intreateth men to y e banquet here he filleth the hungry and thirsty soule with good things worketh new strēgth of life and grace as reioycing in God peace of good conscience ioy in the holy Ghost watchfulnesse against sinne comfort in tribulation quicknesse and strength in good duties boldnesse in good causes and a life led and finished in faith and obedience Here the Lord clotheth the naked soule and putteth on it the Lord Iesus Christ whose righteousnesse becommeth the costly and comely rayment of it Heere hee inricheth the poore soule with treasures of grace and godlynesse Heere by the fire of his spirit hee warmeth and reuiueth the staruen soule Here is the tree of life for the sicke soule the leaues whereof serue to cure the nations In a word Christ offered and receiued in the Ministry is food and Phisicke cloth and warmth wealth and health life and length of daies yea all in all vnto the soule of all his beleeuing ones And 2. for bodily food and rayment with other necessaries for the life present although those who ar without y e church inioy them yet they haue them not in that speciall blessing and comfort as the members of the church who 1. haue them by vertue of that special promise First seeke the Kingdome of God and other things shal be cast on you 2. hold them by a right and title in Christ and 3. are taught how to imploy them to the glory of the giuer all which make these blessinges good to them as they are in them-selues Secondly for perfection and safety 1. Spiritual here is a shadow sweete refuge against the whole wrath of God appeased by Christ here we see sin subdued death vanquished righteousnes purchased great deliuerance wrought for the soules of beleeuers here we haue strength in temptation and victory ouer our selues for here is Gods grace reueled which is sufficient for vs. Now this saluation of God is not elswher to be heard off but in the tidings which we bring nor reuealed vnto any but the true members of the church In Mount Sion in Ierusalem shall be deliuerance As for temporal perfection whereas when men are cast out of the sight of God as vnbeleeuers who are without the pale of Gods protectiō they ly opē vnto the sword famine captiuity to the dogs to teare to the foules of heauen the beasts of the field to deuour so on the contrary the neerer God the surer of safety for iudgements flye farre frō God Hence is it that to the members of the church safety is promised vnder the shadow of the winges of the almighty especially while they are in the performāce of publick duties before the Lord and it is worthy our obseruing that the Lord in making that law of the three feastes wherein all the men three times euery yeare must repaire before the Lord
time and raine yea the first and latter raine or can wee not liue vnlesse wee haue meate I say no No more canst thou bee a Christian vnlesse thou take the ordinary meanes appointed by GOD and vnlesse thou subiect thy selfe to that pollicy and order which God hath set in his Church Wouldest thou goe for a good subiect and yet not submit thy selfe to any of the Kings lawes God hath set vs a publicke ministerie in his Church and hath appointed Pastors teachers for thy gathering if thou belongest to life and is it meet that any priuate exercise should crosse so publicke ordinances No the wisdome of GOD admitteth no such inconuenience in making his lawes and deliuering his orders vnto his Church Ob. But though it cannot bee denied but it is some-times good to goe heare a Sermon yet what neede so much preaching what would men haue vs Saints on earth our fore-fathers who wee hope are well and wish our selues no better neuer were troubled with Sermons and our selues haue liued some thirtie fortie fiftie or sixtie yeares in good case and credit and yet were neuer so forward to run to Sermons wee hope to GOD wee can learne to loue God aboue all and our neighbour as our selues and pray to God and carry good hearts to God-ward without all this a doe Answ. Can I beleeue any man that saith he seeth when I see him shut his eyes can I thinke that a man hath any true knowledge of God who desireth not to growe in grace and in the knowledge of the Lord IESVS CHRIST How can I beleeue that that man is in earnest or if hee bee that hee is in his wittes that shall thus plead against his life I hope I haue eaten meate ynough heretofore and got strength ynough and now I need no more and therefore I will neuer eate more nor drinke more while I liue if a frantick man should come to such conclusions any man might say well thou shalt then liue but a while Dost thou not see this holy Prophet who was aduanced both in knowledg and holynes aboue the most liuing and dwelt as an Angell in the World yet did not he acknowledge himselfe greatly to stand in need of stirring vp by these meanes giuen of God for that end And yet thou a man of little or no faith a nouice and pettie in the schoole of Christ if yet y u euer entredst into it art so ful and complete as thou canst or needest go no further As for thy fore-fathers they had not the meanes as thou hast and if any of them perished without them yet their stripes are fewer then thine shall bee who contemnest them If they had had y e meanes offred it is likely they would haue beene more fruitfull in them or If not it had not bene for their case no more then thine to haue dispised them And lamentable it is to see how men suffer satan to ouer-reach them in a matter of such moment as is their freehold in heauen If any man had house land or legacy befalling him would he reason thus Why I care not for it I haue liued now 40. or 50. yeares well ynough in good credit without it I am too old now to change my estate although for y e better neuer man made such a foolish reason yet such fooles are men that vppon this ground they stand against their greatest spiritual and eternall good Wheras if they had the wisdome of men in them they should rather thus conclud haue I al this while liued without knowledge of God faith in Christ consciēce of my waies oh it is high time now to awake out of sleepe And to such as can easily learn to loue God aboue all and the neighbour as themselues it is not a thing so soon lerned as they pretend Is euery man a good mason or carpenter that can say I know as much as the best workeman can teach or tell me to build an house is but to lay the foundation and lay on the roof or is he therfore a good husbandman y t can say I know as much as the best husbandman can teach me for what is husbandry else but to sow and to reape But heere a meane conceit will reply and say yea but there are very many thinges required before a man can do either of these two workes which if you know not you can neuer bee commendable neither in the one nor the other So I say a number of thinges go before the loue of God and the neighbor as faith repentance prayer knowledge of Gods will and word knowledge of Christ in whome our workes must finde acceptance more these duties of loue must bee expressed in infinite actions through the whole life all which if a man bee not particularly instructed in his loue of God and his neighbor is but in word and tongue but there is noe deed nor truth in either And for their prayer which the hope they can acceptably performe the truth is let them pray and fast to it so long as they turne their eares from hearing the law such prayers are not only reiected but abhominable As acceptable as the feruent prayers of those deuout women that would haue stoned Paul And lastly wheras their hearts ar so good to God-ward in that also y e spirit of God giueth them the lye who affirmeth that without knowledge the minde is not good Ob But if I had an Angell to teach me or some more excellent and powerfull meanes then this of hearing a weak and fraile man then I would heare beleeue and obey Ans This indeed is an old subtiltie of the diuell by which hee hath in all ages mightely hindered the worke of the word in the heartes of vnbeleeuers The prophets them-selues seemed in the eyes of the people too small to raize vppe the tribes of lacob and to restore the desolations of Israel And the rich mans brethren would rather bee taught by one from the dead then by Moyses and the Prophets And therefore seeing this deceipt secretly stealeth vppon many a man and is not so euidently discouered as it profitably may bee I will indeuor the more fully to manifest both the folly and falshood of it And first I say this is a foolish conceit of restlesse spirits who yet take vppon them to bee wiser then God himselfe who howsoeuer the word might seeme to carry much more authority in the mouth of an Angell then of an ordinary Minister who is but a weake man yet herein bewraied his infinite 1. mercy 2. loue 3. wisdom in establishing this holy ordinance no other perpetually to continue in his church vnto the end of the world His mercy shineth out in this that knowing our infirmity and wherof we are made it pleaseth him to condiscend vnto it Hee might by terrible voyces out of lightnings thunders and earthquakes such as would breake the rocks them-selues before him force our