you heareth me And in euery of these the sheepe of Christ heare his voyce who is the great pastor of the sheepe and not so much ours and with the spouse of Christ saith this is the voice of my welbeloued 4. Hereby the wisedom of God would giue vs to conceiue that seeing wee are taught by man the one half as y e Queen of Sebah spoke of Salomon of the blessednesse prepared for them y t loue God is not nor cannot while we liue here be made known to vs seeing it cannot enter into the heart of man much lesse be vttered with his tongue And therfore we should raize vp our hearts after that blessed reuelation wherein Christ himselfe shall become our teacher and reueale vnto vs our full happinesse And further as the mercy loue and wisedome of God hath established this ordinance so also it will not be amisse in a word to see how hee hath euer maintained this his owne order in his Church And first the Angels haue another office designed them by God in the Church then to vsurpe the Ministry And although the LORD imployed them in priuate messages vnto priuate persons yet I remember not that euer in the publicke Ministry their office was to preach but to set men on preaching and preserue them in teaching we read that they were to reueale from God to his Prophets some part of his will which the Prophets were to deliuer to the Church but the Church was not to depend on the ministry of the Angels but on y e Ministry of man One Angel commaundeth another to teach Zachary a prophecy which he must deliuer vnto the church concerning the building and repayring of the Citty and Temple Go tell this young man But nether of the Angels might publish this prophecie vnto the church So the Eunuch sitting in his Chariot reading the Scriptures and not knowing what hee read an Angel sendeth Philip to teach him But why did not the Angel teach the Eunuch him-selfe Was it because he could not Or if he could might not hee in such an extraordinary time haue saued Philip that tedious iourney between Gaza Azotus which were distant a sunder about six thirty miles Yes hee could haue taught him but hee would not nor might not but sendeth him an ordinary meanes teaching vs that if there be a Philip wee must from him seek instruction and not from the mouth of an Angel In like manner an Angel in a vision stood before Paul like a man of Macedonia praied him saying come helpe vs in Macedonia which was a calling of Paul to teach that people in the way of God But why did not the Angell him-selfe in whose mouth the Word would seem to carry much more authority and who would haue beene much more respected then Paul why doth not hee go and preach in Macedonia Surely because it was as farre as his calling extended to set Paul to this businesse and he would not meddle with a calling destinated vnto man The Lord Jesus him-selfe when he vndertook that function in which hee declared himself the chiefe Doctor of his church would first take flesh and become man and in that flesh declare his fathers name to his brethren To which purpose the Apostle saith that God in these last daies hath spoken by his son that is very familiarly by his son made man Yea further when he was ascended into his glory hee would from thence shew him-selfe powerfull to Paul to the casting him to the ground to y e humbling of his heart by terror astonishment and so to the preparing and fitting of him vnto instructiō but when he comes to be taught he sendeth him into the Citty he leaueth al y t function vnto Ananias Wherin he expresly in his own example teacheth that it was his good pleasure that that ministry of Pastors and teachers which hee hadde a little before his ascension established in the Church for the gathering together of his Saintes for the worke of the Ministry and the edification of the body of Christ should bee inuiolably preserued in the Church till his comming againe wherein wee shall all meete together in the vnity of the faith and knowledge of the sonne of GOD vnto a perfect man and vnto the measure of the age of the fulnesse of Christ. And lastly as we haue already sufficiently shewed the folly of such who wil needs be wise aboue and against God so also in one word the Scripture sheweth vs how false that is which they alledge For those who haue Moyses and the Prophets and will not beleeue thē neither would they beleeue if one shoulde come from the dead So we say that those who will not beleeue the Lord speaking in our Ministery lette an Angel come from heauen lette a diuell come from hell yet will they not beleeue And the reason is plaine because in the begetting of faith wee must not consider the maked word but as it is ioyned and accompanied with the spirit of GOD whose worke properly it is Now seeing that the spirit ordinarily worketh in the meanes appointed by God it followeth that who-soeuer despiseth the meanes in which the spirit worketh wanteth that spirit of God which ordinarily worketh not without those meanes which spirit so long as they want they would not beleeue Angels nor men dead nor liuing neither Moses nor the Prophets neither Peter nor Paul no nor Christ himselfe if he were liuing againe vpō the face of the earth And thus hauing somwhat more largely satisfied y t allegation we come to take out of the wayes of two sorts of protestants such Lions as they faine to lye betweene them and the Church The former sort are idle and lazie Protestants that are so farre from being at the cost of seeking and sending for the worde that when it commeth to seeke them and freely offereth it selfe vnto them yet will they not disease them-selues to stirre ouer their threesholds for it Saluation commeth almost euery day euen into their houses but they by shutting it out of doores make themselues vnworthy of it nay rather they will liue starke beggars and die in their spirituall pouertie then receiue our treasures offred them freely And truly too common is the experience of the lamentable fruites hereof in very many in their owne and others account Christians whose hearts and loues are full fraught with noysome lusts threatning destruction that the field of Salomons sluggard was neuer more ouer-growne with weedes and thistles and nettles then the thoughts and courses of these idle and sluggish Protestants with weedes of earthlinesse voluptuousnesse pride enuie atheisme hypocrisie and such other not a few most noysome both for their sight and sent vnto God and his people and all is because their sinfull negligence suffereth them not to come vnder Gods pruning knife in the ministery of the word Ob. But that wee may see that idlenesse hath sewed her selfe some
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
pleasure vnto them because their hearts and affections are carryed vnto and set vpon things below In like manner did the loue of God and Christ take vp the heart of any man as euery member of the true Church is sicke of this loue the sweetnesse of the exercises of religion in which it is more and more conueyed into beleeuing soules would bee sweeter then wine that is then most tastefull outward delights Nay this loue would shew it selfe stronger then death nothing but death if death it selfe can dissolue it much water cannot quench it many floods cannot drowne it that is Many crosses afflictions trialls cannot vtterly ouer-come or extinguish it Yea a mans whole substance will bee contemned in regarde of it This sparckle of heauenly fire and seruencie will constraine a man to cleaue vnto the Lord in his ordinance and groweth in time to such a burning desire of the glory of God as is able to carry a man beyond himselfe yea euen to consume him as Dauids zeale to Gods house did consume him And would to God all such secure Christians would at length begin to conceiue of their danger which is fearfull to such eyes as can behold it For first they are for the present destitute of the spirit of God and so of all sauing graces and lye vnder a fearefull damnation Which truth is euident in that wheresoeuer the spirit of God delighteth to dwell there hee stirreth vp the heart to some good measure of cheerefulnesse in well-dooing and keepeth it in a readinesse and preparednesse to euery good worke For the office of the spirit is not onely to enlighten the eye of the soule that it can behold the beauties of Gods house which it could neuer prie into before but also to worke the will and make it of vnwilling a willing wil. So as if before the presence of the spirit a man were as loth to heare pray read as a Beare to the stake now he is changed by that spirit which will not be idle and is become a man wanting often power and abilitie but to wil that which is good is present with him the reasonings of the flesh are partly subdued the vnreadinesse which foiled his good duties before is in part foiled according to the measure of knowledge and faith is the measure of his obedience daily increased which things whosoeuer hee bee that findeth them not in himselfe hee hath not the spirit of Christ and consequently is none of his 2. They are lead by the spirit of sathan who ruleth in the hearts of the disobedient whose old pollicie it is by this very perswasion of ease to keepe such from the pure worship of God as hee would make seruiceable in all manner of vnrighteousnesse When the Lord had commanded all Israell that they should appeare before him to worship him in spirit and truth at Ierusalem the diuell deuised a tricke of which hee made Ieroboam his instrument which indeed turned to the corruption of all the ten tribes with most horrible idolatrie He pitties the paines of the people and it is too much for you to goe up to Ierusalem It is a more easie course and cutte to make two Calues and set vp one at Dan and an other at Bethel and worship there By this argument drawne from their ease hee wonne all the people of God from their allegeance and seruice of their true GOD to the worship of two Calues and yet all was but out of pollicie for hee feared if the people should goe to Ierusalem to worship that their hearts would bee turned to their LORD euen to Rehoboam Euen so the Diuell hauing taken captiue vnder his power such as are wilfullye departed from GOD hath no waye to keepe them vnder his girdle but by keeping them from sacrifizing at Ierusalem hee feareth if they should diligentlye frequent the holy assemblies and ioyne with other of the people of GOD in the word prayer and Sacraments that by this meanes they would returne to their naturall Lord. And therefore hee dayly suggesteth and perswadeth them to fauour them-selues it is too great paines to goe to Church you can pray at home read at home goe some time to Church to auoyde danger of lawe and reproche of men and it is enough And as hee then preuailed that the people went euen to Dan so at this day a number make Chappels of ease of their owne houses others can pray as well as their horses I had like to haue sayd but on their horse backes as in the Church whom for my part I can easily beleeue 3. They haue a seale of perdition vpon them whosoeuer forsake carelesly the assemblies of Gods people here in earth they shall certainely bee seperated from them when too late they shal wish they had been wiser then to haue accounted their wayes foolish Let vs not forsake our fellowship as the manner of some is saith the holy Apostle Why what danger is there now and then to keepe from Church I hope we may bee good Christians for all that The Apostle tells vs a reason because this is a with-drawing of our selues to perdition It is to walke in the high waye to destruction And indeede what other can such sworne enimies of Christ looke for when cold Christians are sent away with such colde comforte euen from the dooing of those duties which the other eyther neglect or contemne for if the Lord threatneth his people that although they might serue him in some outward seemely sorte yet if they did it not with cheerefulnesse and a good heart they should serue their enemies if such shall bee sent away with a cursse on their heads can such as will neither haue part nor fellowship in this businesse euer looke to bee heyres of blessing Let them repent therefore of these their wickednesse and praye GOD that if it bee possible the thought of their hearts may bee forgiuen them Lastly what paines takest thou here but for thine owne profit thinke not that thy godlinesse benefiteth GOD but thy owne selfe as thy Atheisme hurteth not him but thy owne soule Thou hereby bringest thy selfe where thou mayest beholde the face of thy GOD whereby thy paines is plentifully returned with recompence This face of God when it was yet vayled did so draw the hearts of ancient beleeuers that neither distance of place nor difficultie of way nor tediousnesse of weather nor weaknesse or wearinesse of body could with-holde them from the beholding of in the place where hee had put his name And is the sight of the face of the Lord so happilye vncouered in our Ministerie not worth the paines of looking vpon thy paines in this behalfe may entitle thee to all the priuiledges of Gods people before mentioned And if those were not inough for thee yet the God whom thou seekest if thou so seeke him as hee is found of thee hee is liberall and louing inough to make thy cup to runne ouer