the wayes and spirit of sâ—ducers Their wayes are such as these 1. To draw the heart from and to destroy the fundamentall truths the 2 Tin 2 18. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 first truths pretending they are low dry and saplesse in comparison of their depths and their high speculations giving metaphoricall and farre fetcht meanings and interpretationâ— as 〈◊〉 and Philâ—â—us did upon the Article of the Resurrection saying it was past already or annexing to those foundation truths opinions which overthrow them by consequence laying one foundation in appearance and another in deed as the Apostle implieth in 1 Cor. 3. 11. So the Papists do about the Article of Christs Ascension into Heaven when they teach his corporall reall presâ—ncâ— in the Masse of thâ—se kindes of Seducers the Apostle saith that their word will â—aâ— as doth a Canker 2 Tim. 2. 17. 2. To beguile by Paralogismes or dâ—ceitfull reasonings and sophisticall Col. 2. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iam. 1. 22. Nitor ser pâ—o non Argumento Ambr. de spiritu Sancto Col. 2. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 16. 18. 2 Tim. 3. 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eustachius dicit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 esse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Thes 2. 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gal 3. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 arguings when upon misconceived principles of 〈◊〉 said as premises wrong conclusions are drawn like Satan their Father who begâ—â—les mens hearts by a self deâ—â—it when they set up a profession of the woâ—d 〈…〉 hearâ—t often and thereupon conclude they â—re blessed though they neglect the practise and obedience 〈◊〉 against this abâ—â—d of the usefull Art of Logickeâ—it is safe to rest upon the plain Scriptures and avoid the subâ—ilty of Argument brought to lead from plain truths 3. To use perswasive and enticing words that they might induce to their errours and the Morall Philosophy of Heathen Authors about â—â—â—â—ue naturall abilities and the chief good which poste us of Christ and true consolation through Faiâ—â—â—in him these enâ—â—â—ing words are also eâ—ther the swelling words of Vanity â—â—d of wâ—â—dy ostentation or good words and fâ—ir speeches 4. To inchant the people through a mournfull behaviour the old gâ—â—â—e of most of the orders of Fryars and Monkes and the new gusse of many with us in 2 Tim. 23. â—â— He useth a word for Seducers that signifieth an Inchaâ—â—er by 〈◊〉 and lamentation 5. To lead us out of the common bâ—aten high way when affectation of a Notion and of a curious â—each makes men innovate wordâ— and phrases formerly received in the Church as best expressing the sense of Scripture 6. To bewitch with fascinations that is to delude simple mindes with glesings of some speciall care of tâ—â—m abouâ— some point of truth preâ—â—nded as witches do doe eyes of the body that they thinke verily they see that which they do not see and do not see that which is absolutely necessary they should see and know these be witchings are most dangerous when the mist is cast over the soul with jugling pretexts of shewing you Christ and Fâ—ee grace in a more excellent manner till you know neither Christ noâ— Free-grace 7. To wrest and wâ—y things that are streight and plain Act. 20. â—0 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 8. 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 11. 3. 8. To lead people to the admiration of their persons another way of bewitching bringing them into astonishment and a trance upon the conceit of the great power of God in them and some inspirations of the Holy Ghost 9. To corrupt mens mindes from the simplicity that is in Christ by adding or diminishing somewhat of the purity of the Gospel whereby we â—all from the obedience of faith as the Serpent dealt with â—â—ve 10. To alleviate the threats of Gods word with vain words and to promise Ephes 5. 6. 2 Pet 2. 19 liberty and turn Gods grace into wantonnesse These are the chief pathâ— of Seducers and for the spirit that â—â—rrieth I omâ—â— that of Miracles and lying Wonders of Sâ—tan in 2 Thes 2. them it is an unruly spirit a self-willed spirit a proud spirit a giddy inconstant unquiet spirit a self-seeking spirit a spirit of timorousnesse and base fear not of love power and a sound minde a spirit of earthly mindednesse a spirit captived to mens persons a spirit that creeps into houses and leads silly womâ—n captive laden with divers lusts and a doting spirit Of their dotages and deceits I shall give you two instances the one is this that they conceive they have a great light and a new light when their new great light is either some old errour raised from Hell again and new painted or some matter of opinion which is very doubtfull and controversall or somewhat of lesser moment â—rged and pursued with such zeale that the great things of the Law and Gospel are neglected the very disposition of the Pharisees of old But if any say should we not seek an increase and growth in our light and do not we look for it yes in some sense we do and we ought to grow in knowledge but this is not to be understood of any light of new truths there are no new truthâ— to No new truths be revealed yet the light may increase exceedingly in the more full distinct and shining knowledge of received truths in the clearing and fulfilling We expect a new and great light increasing in 8. things of some prophesies in the power of practise when Christians in name shine in holinesse power of faith and godlinesse expressed in their lives as so many great lights in the frmament of the Church in taking away the various contentions and quarrels that now darken and offuscate the mindes of men Satan chained up more from deceiving in the further manifestation of Gods judgements upon enemies of all sorts which thing doth exemplifie and illustrate the things we do already know In the increase of the number of able and faithfull Teachers and knowing holy professors and in clearer resolution of some obscure places of Scripture together with a more perfect union of the Church of Christ on earth which will be full of Grace Majesty and Terror now not one of these is found in or by the means of our men that boast of their new light for why do not they shew it to us Another Instance of their doâ—ing deceivable spirit is this that they cannot be brought to measure themselves and their tenets by the standard of the Scripture without shuffling It were a plain and easie way to see the truth in any matter in question about Religion if men did not love to doat thus propose the tenet nakedly see whether there be any plain Scripture for it if there be not we need go no further if there be but yet some other Texts seeme to say against it or a question may be moved about the sense hold the Analogy of Faith and rule
called Christians this is your high and holy calling And the true Christian is so indeed For the second Branch of the Doctrine That the visible Church is Gods house besides this Text the ninth verse of this Chapter is full We are labourers together with God speaking of Gods Mâ—â—isters and then of the Hearers and Professors ye are Gods building The whole Church and every particular Church is Gods Temple as is most apparant by that in Ephes 2. 21 22. in ver 21. Speaking of the whole Church boâ—h of Iewes and Gentiles he saith In whom that is in Iesus Châ—â—st all the building fuly framed together groweth unto an holy Temple in the Lord in ver 22. Speaking of the visible Church at Ephesus he proceeds and saith In whom that is in Christ Iesuâ— you also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit To unfold this a little The Temple Materiall had a double use a Morall and a Ceremoniall the Morall Use was this it was the place of Publique Assemblies the place of Publique Prayer and Preaching of the word so the Synagogues in severall Towns among the Iewes were the houses of God The Psalmist complains They have burnt up all the Synagogues of God in the land Psa 74. 8. Our blessed Saviour and the Apostles taught the word in the Temple and Synagogues The Gospel was there on mount Zion to take its beginning And thus there be and ought to be in every sâ—tled Christian State Houses for Publique worship and theâ— are the houses of God they may be called Churches the Apostle calls the Publique place of Christian Assemblies the Church saying When you come together in the Church and again What have ye not Houses to eat and to drink in Or despise ye the Church of God and shame them that have not The Church is opposed to their private houses the use of which was to eat and drink in but the use of the Church was to worship God in What sense can there be in these words if place be not opposed to place The word Synogogu◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies an Assembly Iam. 2. 2. yet the publique places where the Assemblies of the Iewes met for the Word and Prayer The holy Ghost calls Synagogues the Christian Assembly is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Church and the publique place of such an Assembly is by the same spirit and rightly by true Christians called a Church It is base and from a spirit of foul-tonguednesse to call it a steeple-house it is a familiar trophe and most significant to call the thing containing by the name of the thing contained And on the contrary do you not say significantly the Pot boiles when you meane the Broth in the Pot And you have not bread to finde your house And we call those publique places of Iudicature where publique Courts use to be kept by the names of those Courts as the Common-Pleas the Chancery the Court of Wards it is no abusive or improper speech That Place is Publique whereunto any one may resort without leave of any and without danger of being a trespasser and liable to an action of Trespasse Such is this place we are now in but such is not this or that mans House Parlour or Barne Christ requireth and loveth the publike Wisdom cries without in the streets in the chief place of concourse in the opening of the gaâ—es Prov. 1. 20. 21. Though the private meetings of Christians used Christianly have a promise yet Gods glory and power was never so seen there as in the publique Psa 63. 2. nor have they such a promise Mat. 28 20 21 And publique Ordinances are for the publique not for the private thus of the Morall use of the Temple The Ceremoniall use was for Sacrifice for receiving all the instruments and furniture of the worldly Sanctuary in all it was for signification and for shadow so the thing signified the truth remains though there be no Temple God hath now four Temples Heaven the Heaven of the blessed Heb. 8. and 9. Heb. 9. 11. Christ Ioh. 2. 21. the Christian the Church The two last are meant in this Text. See beloved your calling your dignity it is no small moment to preserve from all manner of sin if we knew our dignity we would not debase our selves we would avoid all unworthy acts all carriage that is below us this is your dignity every Christian is Gods Temple the true Temple the substance of that shadowish Temple The Temple had four things considerable 1. The Fabricke 2. The Furniture 3. The Glory 4. The Ministery that served there 1. For the Fabricke 1. There were the doors or Porch the gates very glorious These signified the hearts of the faithfull made glorious by faith to receive Iesus Christ Psa 24. 8 9. Rev. 3. 20. 2. There was the holy place and the holy of holies answerably 1. The bodies of Christians are Gods Temples his holy place 1 Cor. 6. 19. 2. The Soules of the humble and poor in spirit that tremble at Gods word are the holy of holies or the most holy place Isa 66. 1 2. 2. For the Furniture 1. The mercy-Seat or propitiatory is Christ and his blood apprehended by faith as the Apostle saith Rom. 3. 25. God set forth Iesus Christ to be a Propitiatory “ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Properly notes the instrument of propitiation and fitly agrees to Christ by whom God is appeased and pacified through faith in his blood by faith is Christ brought into and dwells in our hearts Faith in Christs blood is that which sets up this Mercy-seat in the Temple of every particular Christians heart Christ by Faith in his blood is the Propitiatory he that believeth in Christ to have Redemption Remission and salvation only through his blood sprinkled and applied to his soul and conscience by Faith and therefore draweth near layeth hold on Christ and applyeth his death and sacrifice unto himself he hath the Mercy-seat set up in his soul otherwise though there be a Christ though there be blood for expiation though both Christ and his blood be proposed of God yet there is no Temple nor Mercy-seat set up to thee or me because thou hast not or I have not this Faith in Christs Blood This Propitiatorie Ex. 25. 17. 1 Kin. 8. 9. Heb. 9. 4. or Golden Cover was put above upon the Ark of the Testimony which Ark was a Coffer in which was put the two Tables of stone in which the Law was written this Ark was the Symbole of Gods gracious presence among the people of the Iews it was made of Shittim-wood overlaid within and without of pure gold Two Cherubims covering the Mercy-seat with their wings were set on the two ends of the Mercy-sea from above this Mercy-seat from between these Cherubims God gave his Oracles Answers and he was known and prayed unto under this name and notion O thou that dwellest between the Cherubims Ps 80. 1.
the Ministery they destroy and prophane Gods Temple by their errours diversly 1. Everting the Lords owne Canons for the Examination and Ordination of Ministers or Bishops by the Presbytery The Epistles to Timothy and Titus were written to order Gods house 1. Tim. 3. 15. there are drawn by the Holy Ghost the Church Canons the Constitutions of the Church of the New Testament Christs Directory by the hands and Ministery of that elect Vessell Paul the Apostle In these Canons the Presbytery that is the society of Teaching-Elders or Bishops Paul knew no other Bishops the Assembly of the Elders so the word is used in Act. 22. 5. where our last Translation reads it the estate of the Elders the Elder-ship 1 Tim. 4. 24. 5. 22. 3. 2. 9 10. Tit. 1. 5. 9. 2 Tim. 2. 2. hath the charge of Examination of those that are to be made Ministers and the power of Ordination by imposition of hands they that are to be made Ministers must be apt to teach 1 Tim. 3. 2. and they must be ordained by laying on of hands Tit. 1. 5. 1 Tim. 5. 22. their aptnesse to teach must be tryed and examined 1 Tim. 3. 10. having spoken of Bishops before and now speaking of Deacons and that concerning their holding the Mystery of Faith he saith and let these also first be proved also that is as well as those that desire the office of a Bishop they must first be Examined touching their aptnesse and ability to Teach so must the Deacons also about their holding of the Mystery of Faith in a pure conscience Now this Charge of Examination lyes upon the faithfull men the Presbyters that are able to teach others 2 Tim. 2. 2. and the power of laying on of hands or of ordination is in the Presbytery We find this order of men but we finde no other in these Epistles that have any charge over the House of God the Church of the living God Now those overthrow these Canons and defile the House of God that take Ordination away that take it out of the hands of the Presbytery and put it into the hands of the People or any other that take away this Presbytery that set up Ministers or run into the Ministery and will not submit themselves to the tryall of the Assembly and estate of the Teaching-Elders the Ministers that are opposite to the Government by the Presbytery these are the everters of the Lords owne Canons 2. Subverting the Lords owne Ordinance for the Ministery that those that Preach the Gospell should live of the Gospell 1 Cor. 9. 13 14. they would have them get their livings by the Plow or by Trades The Apostle chargeth Timothy and in him all Timothies all Ministers of the Gospell to give themselves wholly to Reading to Exhortation to Doctrine that their profiting may appeare to all and to contemne in them who can doe so and drive a trade and follow another calling the Apostles called to be Fishers of mâ—n left their Nets and applyed not themselves to catch Fâ—sh If the Ministers be doing this they need take care of no more nay this is that deed to which the Promise is He shall both save himselfe and them that heare him 1 Tim. 4. 13 15 16. They Object the Apostles did worke with their hands Sol. 1. They had immediate and infallible assistance of the Holy Ghost in their Ministery 1. So have none now 2. But that is not all they wrought not ordinarily but in a case as it appeares in the 2 Cor. 11. 9 12. to cut off occasion from them which desired occasion 2 Cor. 12. 13 14. and in that place where he saith I robbed other Churches to doe you service that is he took maintenance of others while he Preached to them what â—ver he did it is evident he had power to have lived wholly of the Gospell and that is the Lords Ordinance which the Church must stand to and be bound by 1 Cor. 9. 14 15. they would have the Ministers maintenance by Almes and Contributions Mat. 10. 10. Luk. 10. 7. 1 Tim. 5. 18. but it is hire not Almes can you make Wages and Almes to be the same It is a due and as truely earned as whatsoever any laborer gets at his fingers ends They cry down Tythes as Popish and Iewish but that way of maintenance is neither Popish nor Iewish which was before the Law Melchisedech took Tythes of Abraham and of Levi in Abrahams loynes and Melchisedech was not a Priest of Aarons Order our Lord Jesus is the Priest after Melchisedechs order Iacob promised maintenance of Gods Publique Worship by paying Tythes 3. Confounding the Lords order who hath instituted a Ministery to Preach the Gospell Mark 16. and to teach Mat. 28. 19 20 21. and they give power to every Member to Preach abusing that Text in â— Cor. 14. 31. yee may all Prophesie one by one it speakes of the Prophets in that Church not the Members read the Text v. 29. let the Prophets speak two or three and let the other judge v. 32. and the Spirits of the Prophets are subject to the Prophets yee may all Prophesie that is all the Members that were Prophetâ— not all the members as members those that had the gift of Prophesying not those that had not the gift Now the truth of the place is there were then in the Church extraordinary gifts as of Healing of Miracles of Tongues of interpretation of Tongues and so of Prophesying that is either fore-telling things to come or of unfolding the Prophesie of Scripture that concerned the present times of the Church with a speciall gift of dextrous application and accommodation of the Exposition of the Prophesie to the estate of the Church for comfort for exhortation and for edification those that had these gifts ought to use them for the good of the Church but with order and with submission to the tryall and judgement of the Assembly of the Prophets in the Church These gifts are ceased now yet if any sâ—y they have them lâ—t them shew their gift according to the Apostles Rule yeeld to the tryall of the same and if they have any such gift we will blesse God that now also gives such gifts to the children of men we will open our Pulpits for you but because they can bring forth no such thing but raise from the Dead and from Hell old Heresies and errours and trouble the people with trifles and endlesse Disputes that tend not to edification in the Faith we reject them and yeeld not to them any Authority to meddle with the worke of the Ministery but observe while they pervert this Text perusing the words let the other Prophets judge the Spirits of the Prophets are subject to the Prophets ere ever we are aware we are faln upon a Judicatory a Presbytery an Assembly of Prophets 4. Dâ—stroying the provision for an able Ministery debasing Learning and Universities under the Old Testament there were the Schooles of
the Prophets 2 King 2. 3. 7. which some think took their beginning in the times of Eli and Samuel The Levites had their Schooles instituted by Moses and Aaron preserved by the Iudges and Kings continued in the Babylonish Captivity propagated to the daies of our Saviour and an end put to them by the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans Out of these Schooles came their learned Rabbies and their Scribes and others 1. Paul was brought up at the feete of Gamaliel Christ had his Schoole in which were the Apostles and seventy two Disciples The Apostles opposed the Schooles of the Libertines Cyrenians and Alexandrians Act. 6. 9. they instituted Schooles in Antioch and Alexandria and other Provinces These opinionative persons say that the Apostles were unlearned Fisher-men We answer that part of that power from on high which the Apostles were commanded to expect and to tarry at Ierusalem till they were indued with it Luk. 24. 49. was the gift of the Holy Ghost inabling them to speak all Languages Act. 2. this supplied abundantly from heaven that defect of learning and did make them learned above all that can be attained in Schooles and Universities they had their Commission before to go and teach all Nations but were not to set out upon the execution of their Commission untill they were fitted in this manner he that can shew the like gift of the holy Ghost we say no Schools are required for the help of such but if from Heaven the Holy Ghost be not thus given let them use the ordinary helpes which God affordeth if any refuse shew such gifts and we shall blesse God The Languages the Greek and Hebrew are needed to understand the originall tâ—xâ— and derive our Doctrine from the fresh and pure fountaines the Latine is also needfull that we may not only the better receive the benefit of the giâ—ts given to the Fathers and Writers of former ages for all gifts are given of God to profit the Church withall but also be acquainâ—ed with the Liberall Arts and Sciences that the Arâ—s are needfull in a Minister is cleare hereby the Minister ought to be able to convince and confute errours and to maintaine the truth by disputation as well as to teach it and to comfort exhort and rebuke he is to stop the mouthes of Hereticks and Deceivers this he cannot doe without the helpe of the Arts especially of Logick whereby he discernes the fallacies of seducers and can open the truth out of the Scriptures which are delivered in a rationall discourse Who have been the famous Instruments of God to confute all the Hereticks of old Who have cut the sinewes of Harding Staplâ—ton Bellarmine and other Popish Writers not any other save men famous for Learning Did you ever heare of such service done for the Church of God by any of the illiterate Anabaptists and Sectaries though they have boasted of the Spirit yet I say not that Learning gives Ministeriall gifts much lesse Grace but without Learning the Ministery would be but lame in many respects therefore the enemies of a learned Ministery are the friends of Popery and all Heresies of ignorance and blindnesse and the enemies of the truth and Gospell of the light and comfort of the Church of Iesus Christ 5. Novices newly converted ones at the best taking upon them to Preach and permitted so to doe this is to defile Gods House by prophaning the Ministery Holy Paul saith not a novice 1 Tim. 3. 6. lest puffed up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the Devill these five waies our Novellists strike the pillar of the Ministery thus of a fifth sort of Temple-defilers 6. I proceed to others which though they might be cast many of them under the head of Schisme yet because they are now late-sprung and trouble the Church of God I shall let them beare a distinct numeration as so many severall orders of Defilers though not distinct sorts and kinds therefore sixthly those that keep out of the Church any of the Ordinances of Christ those that keep Gods Houshold-stuffe in any part of it out of his Temple as those that deny Paedo-Baptisme or the Baptizing of the Infants of those that professe the faith of Iesus Christ the Scripture for Baptizing of such Infants beside many others urged by many is that in Acts 2. 39. For the Promise is unto you and to your children from these words with the former ariseth this Argument To whomsoever the Promise belongs to them Baptisme doth belong the truth of this is in the reasoning of the Apostle who requires them to receive Baptisme upon their Repentance professed because the Promise is to them this ground is Apostolicall and Divine But to the children of Professors of the Faith doth the Promise belong this is the very sense of the words of the 39. verse therefore to the children of the Professors of the Faith doth Baptisme belong those that deny these infants Baptisme call them common whom God calls holy 1 Cor. 7. 14. 7. Those that keepe out the members of Christ not admitting Saints every way as gracious as themselves unto the fellowship of the Church unlesse they will yeeld to their Church-way not admitting Professors of the true Religion that have knowledge are not scandalous are not refractory to any the Holy Ordinances of Christs Worship because they see not in them truth of Grace or that which may savour to the sense of Christians that the worke of Grace in the New-birth is truely begun in them so farre as man can conceive Where is the Rule given for this visible grace as they call it by which rule the non-admitted may see that he is justly proceeded withall according to the Word of God that so though he have no Grace yet all that will use their reason may see by vertue of such cleare Texts of the Word their power is rightly used for his non-admission that the use of it may be to edification not to destruction 2 Cor. 13. 10. for which end all Church-power is given of Christ 8. They that Dis-church the true Churches of Iesus Christ because they are faulty in Discipline or in Government and chiefly to dischurch them when they thirst after pray for use all meanes God affords them for Reformation 9. Those that would introduce into a Christian Church and State a Toleration of all sorts of Religions or all sorts of Opinions in Religion under the name of Liberty of Conscience These Scriptures are fully against it The Angel of the Church of Ephesus is commended by our Lord Jesus for his patience Rev. 2. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that he could not bear them which were evill and tried those that â—aid they were Apostles and were noâ— and found them lyars It is condemned in the Angel of the Church of Thyatira that he suffered or tolerated that woman Iezebell to teach c. And Christ saith to the Angel of the Church in Pergamos I have a few things
of God many of the Seraphims Esa 6. 6 7. with live-coales in their hands taken with the Tongs from off the Altar and laying them upon the mouthes of many faithfull able Ministers many an Esay They shall faile of their ends their folly shall be manifest to all 2. Tim. 3. 9. that is all the Elect but evill men and seducers will waxe worse and worse deceiving and being deceived they shall not yet deceive the Elect. You 'le say many of the choicest Christians cleave to them and many of them are the precious servants of Christ Iesus we cannot be otherwise perswaded for them I said but even now they may be saved but their workes shall perish themselves shall be saved yet so as by fire and for the rest marke it that was their ayme to get the choice Christians those whose hearts are for Christ and Heaven their designe is mostly upon any in whom any worke of Grace appeares So have all deceivers ever that they might glory in their flesh as our Apostle according to the wisdome given unto him hath written Gal. 6. 13. but they shall not compasse their end they 'le returne perceiving the strangers voice these gracious soules thought it had been Christs voyce which they heard in these men in these their errours but finding at length their mistake and under the sheeps-skin of gifts and graces perhaps shew of Scripture manifestation of the Spirit finding the bloody wolfe of errour and falshood that soul-murtherer they will embrace the truth and follow Christ perhaps hearing this you will for a while be froward for who can be willing to think he is in an errour or is deceived but Christ and his Father hold you in their hand and you cannot wrest your selves thence Another end they have they would be great and of same in the Church of God but their folly shall be manifest to all not only to the Elect but to all that will not deny the light of their reason and doe hold the Scripture in the Word of God and so shall fall in their esteem in mens hearts within the Visible Church our Saviour hath said it they shall be least in the Kingdome of Heaven Mat. 5. 19. of no esteem in the Church of Christ although for a while they beare the bell See the tâ—uth of it in all the Hereticks Schismaticks Novellists Persecuters and the like of all former ages they have no name of memoriall left but a rot is upon their memory Another end they have and that is to spread and propagate their Opinions and waies that they might with the Pharisees and Herodians of old leaven all the lump of Gods people but their folly shall be manifest and that manifestation of their folly shall set them their bounds they shall proceed no further Thus have all the ancient Heresies and Schismes of the Pelagians Donatists and the like been bounded and the infection stayed so God defiles Church-defilers they faile of their ends There are for them from God apportioned Plagues in this world they make rents and trouble Gods building the repairing of his house God will trouble them these Achans God will scatter them in Iacob and disperse them in Israel They break and teach the breaches and violations of Gods Commandements the least of his Commandements that of his day they shall be esteemed nothing in the Church be least in the Kingdome of Heaven Scandalous Brethren shall have their Milstone workers of iniquity strange punishments Heresies and divisions swarm God hath his East wind whereby he can sweep away those Locusts and cast them into the Red Sea Persecutors have their doom notably in this life besides hereafter Remember Antiochus of whom you reade in the second of Maccab. 9. chap. Remember Herod eaten up with wormes Act. 12. 23. Remember the Heretique Arrius that voided his bowels with his exâ—rements in a common Iakes and all other Heretiques and Schismatiques and the Plagues upon Papists mentioned in Rev. 16. and 18. chapters It is not the least of punishments to give them over to their severall pernicious wayes that he that is filthy should be filthy still the spiritually proud should be so still where God saith they are joyned to Idols Let them alone They are Vain-glorious Let them alone They are given to errours and to make divisions Let them alone Thus you see how God will destroy the destroyers of his house The certainty of this just proceeding of the Lord appears in four things which are as so many reasons or grounds of this Doctrine 1. It is the vengeance of his Temple Jer. 51. 11. 50. 28 which is a sore vengeance in the execution whereof the Lord Pleadeth the cause of Zion throughly to give rest to his Church and disquiet his enemies whose spirit can sustain it self in the day of Visitation when the Lord shall say Behold I am against thee 2. Secondly the Argument is strong here from the lesse to the greater God hath said and will not repent of his word concerning Death and the Grave O Death I will be thy Plague O Grave I will be thy destruction Hos 13. 14. Because they offered to touch the bodies of his Saints which are his Temple and destroyed his holy place Shall God say thus of Death and the Grave and resolve that Repentance shall be hid from his eyes In this thing he will never alter his purpose that he determined And shall he not much more be the plagues and destruction of soul-polluters of dâ—stroyers of his Church of rophaners of the Communion of his Saints and people Thirdly the Temple of God is holy and inviolable therefore the sin of Prophaning and wasting of it is provoking and execrable Fourthly God is a jealous God and the vindicator and avenger of his glory “ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Zeloâ—es et vindex gloriae suae no gifts will pacifie jealousie no power can shelter and save from the jealousie of the Lord of Hosts It is he the mighty one of Jacob the holy one of Israel that saith Zach. 8. 2. I am jealous for Zion with great jealousie and I am jealous for her with great fury I have done with the explication and confirmation of the third Doctrine the application respecting the present Doctrine and the whole Text I shall draw up under two sorts of uses 1. Of Information 2. Of Exhortation 1. We may from hence inform our Iudgements in four truths First what is the Christian use of the Ceremoniall Law the practice of it is out of date and deadly but it is not cut out of the Bible “ Non observamus non quia damnata sed quia mutata sunt non ut res ipsae quae significabantur perirent sed ut â—â—ruâ— signâ— suis quaque temporibus convenirent Tom. 6. Aug. oratione cont Iud. c. 3. God hath left it as part of Canonicall Scripture that we may reade it preach and hear it that comparing the things themselves with those
of righteousnesse see the tenour of the Scriptures and accordingly produce Arguments and answer Objections as for Example There are arisen among us some that utterly deny the Baptizing of Infants of Professors of the Faith of Iesus Christ now how easily might this matter be resolved among men of quiet and Christian spirits They say Infants ought not to be baptized What one Text in all the Scripture saith so Not one What Arguments can they alledge Not one that reacheth the matter in hand for they all go no further then this that persons of age ought first to professe their Faith and then receive Baptisme but not this that they only ought to receive Baptisme how dare men say they must be excluded when God saith no such word on the other side doth not the Scripture plainly take-in such Infants into the Covenant and acknowledge them members of the Church of God The Infant Israelites were not born Heathens without were circumcised were meant as part of Abrahams seed the Nations to whom the Gospel comes and who do receive it are now of the same body with the Iewes partakers of the same promise the grace of God is larger under the New-Testament which it were not if such a part as the millions of infant-Christians that die before they come to years were cut off from it The Children of believers are holy whole housholds were baptized Christ blessed Infants upon this ground Because of such was the Kingdom of God that is not onely Heaven but the Church of the new Testament which is called the Kingdom of God there is this ground why those that are of age that repent should receive Baptisme because the promise is to them and the promise is to their children therefore their children have the like ground on which they ought to receive Baptisme these with the like Arguments are strong and unanswerable were it not that these persons doted and in their Pride will resolve to be contentious Let not any think that a small errour which shuts out from Christ and his Church millions of his Members which runs against the constant tenour of both Testaments which confines and imprisons the Grace of God in the New-Testament which makes the grace of Christ the second Adam not to reach one sort and condition of men over whom sin and death passeth by and from the first Adam which evertes and destroyes at one blow all the Churches of Christ in the whole world All this doth this unchristian error of the Anabaptists do The like might be said concerning Church Government whether the Hierarchy or Independency or Presbytery be of Christ in the Scripture It might soon be determined were it not for a spirit of Dotage Pride and Contention but I leave that to the Assembly where it depends and is in Agitation I hold you from the perusall of the Sermons which you heard with much attention I have written some particulars in the enumetation of Temple-Polluters under the second Doctrine which time cut off from delivering as I then told you the rest you have as near as I could set down save that one thing throughout the Sermons the Printer could not â—â—nde any Characters or Letters to expresse that is the spirit with which they were delivered with lively voice You have the Instrument and Stick I cannot help you to the Rozin The Spirit of God make supply thereof while you read them in that superabundant measure Take me into your prayers and let me be in your esteem what I desire for ever to be whiles remaining in the flesh Even From my house in Long-Ditton April 7. 1645. Yours in the service of your faith RICHARD BYFIELD Errata Page 5. line 14. read converted for committed p. 6. l. 24. r. worlds end for world and. p. 23. In the Title r. Temple Defilers for Hereticks l. 6. r. Cavillers for Cavaliers p. 25. l. 6. r. continue for contemne Temple Defilers Destroyed 1 COR. 3. 17. If any man defile the Temple of God him shall God destroy THE circumstantials of this Text may profitably serve for our Exordium or entrance they are three who speaks how he speakes and to whom 1. Who speaks Paul an Apostle of Iesus Christ therefore it is a Gospel senâ—eâ—ce Paul the Doctor of the Gentiles therefore you Gentiles ought to hear him Paul the mouth of Christ the Pen-man of the Holy Ghost and therefore he that despiseth this word despiseth not man but Christ but the Spirit but God 2. How he speaks First by way of denunciation of judgement The Gospel hath fire in it the Preachers threaten destruction yet the Preachers thereof no legall Preachers for our God is a consuming Fire it is true life and immortality are brought to light by the Gospel and it is no lesse true then Hell fire and Damnation is Language peculiar to the Gospel never any Preached in so frequent and plain termes the flames of Hell and that unquenchable fire as did our Lord Jesus who was sent of God Anointed with the spirit that oyle of gladnesse to preach the Gospel to the poor to heal and binde up the broken hearted that meek Lambe of God whose office it was to speak a word in season to the weary soul How often hath he Hell and Hell fire in his mouth in one Sermon Mat. 5. 22. 29 30. Three times in one breath with amazing illustrations Mar. 9. 43. 45. 47. At another time all his discourse almost beset as Paradise with a flaming sword with as sore as plain and equivalent expressions utter darknesse where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth the Prison out of which there is no coming by any means till they have paid the utmost farthing the losse of the soul cutting asunder and appointing them their portion with hypocrites in no case any entry into the Kingdom of heaven no reward of their Father which is in Heaven Will any dare to deny that Iesus Christ was an Evangelicall Preacher And it stands with all reason that such Preaching should be for Gospel times for the greater and more glorious are the manifestations of Gods grace the greater and more glorious are the manifestations of Gods grace the greater is the sin and the heavier the wrath and condemnation due to the refusers Heb. 12. 25 29. â—he abusers the turners of such grace into lasciviousnesse and wâ—ntonnesse No marvell then if that Ministry of the New Testament that is as a mirrour to shew us the glory of grace with open face do with as great plainnesse of speech set Hell before us in open view Heaven is the more Heaven to them that see what Hell is It is not unbeseeming an Apostle a Teacher of Grace and of the Gospel to denounce the judgements of God Paul here speaks by way of threatning Secondly he speaks by way of Argumentation 1. Against building up the Church with wood hay and stubble ver 12. By which is meant not Doctrine Hereticall blasphemous and impious though that
be worse that ruines the foundation but vain curious unnecessary doubtfull tending to jangling strife and divisions perhaps true but unprofitable like the Genealogies in the which the Jewes were curious or else erroneous and of ill consequence though not in it self impious Such in a word as suites not with the foundation such as is not like gold silver and precious stones these only are fit for this building suitable to Christ the foundation the Apostle reasons against their bringing such stuffe to Gods building and in this verse bringeth his Argument from the greatnesse of the sin and the certainâ—y of the punishment Their sin is the defiling of Gods Temple their punishment shall be destruction 2. Again his Argument against such ill Church workes lyeth also against Schisme Divisions and Factions in the Church as appeareth to the diligent and intelligent Reader by that in the chap. 1. ver 10. 12. and in this chap. 3. ver 3 4 5. The Apostle is still about the cure of this one disease and this verse we are upon argues against it as a Temple-polluâ—er and destructive to those that are guilty of it 3. To whom he speaks 1. To the Church of Corinth called to be Saints 1 Cor. 1. 2. Consider it 1. He speaks not to them without there were within the Church too many defilers of Gods Temple 2. He speaks not to a party in that Church the house of Cloe a choice party separating from the faulty party making up a new Church lâ—st they should be polluâ—ed in holding Church Fellowship with them that were such sinners The house of Cloe knew how tostand free from partaking with them in their sins and yet retain Gospel Union to seek a Medicine and not make a rupture The Apostle guided by the spirit of Vnion love and a sound minde breathes forth nothing to make Rents but what ever might be to make up breaches He directs not the Epistle to the house of Cloe that stood sound and untoucht though they gave him notice of the evils that infested the Church at Corinth But 1. To the whole company of Professors of Christianity in that great City to the whole society of Christians there 2. And that also to such a society as were enriched in gifts and graces so that he fiâ—st breaks out in the mention of them with solemne Thanksgiving to God they were enriched in every thing by Christ in all utterance in all knowledge they came behinde in no gift as in chap. 1. ver 4. 5. 7. Yet many of â—hese fell into this sin of Schisme these must take heed how they walk on in that sin for they may fall under this destroying judgement of God 2. To the whole and Vniversall Church of God ver 2. of chap. 1. All in every place that call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord both theirs and ours One Lord in common of one visible Church in all the world which is one body under that one head parâ—icular visible Churches are not so many Independant Churches those that so teach mâ—ke Jesus Christ monstrous The Papists make Christs Church a Monster in that they hold that Christ is the head of the Church which is most true and yet withall that the Pope is the head of the Church The Church then is a body that hath two heads And those make Christ yet more monstrous that setting up so many Independant Churches as there be Christian Congregations in the world which they call each sâ—verally the mysticall Body of Christ do make Christ a head that hath so many bodies but there is but one Body all particular Churches make up one Church and visible universall society in which Church he saiâ—h not Churches God hath set Apostles Prophets Teachers Miracles gifts of healings helps Governments diversities of Tongues Therefore many of us also must beware of that and such like sins of Divisions that defiled the Church at Corinth for the Ax of this Sentence in this Text is by the Apostle laid also to every of our roots While therefore these words are handled according to the truth Look not on me as if I spake of my self look not off your selves blesse not your selves under the vain thoughts of Gospel-Grace that you will hear and only that or Gospel-graces and gifts wrought in you or your freedom from other grosse-sins as if this of falling into divisions were no sin but consider who speaks How and to whom And the Lord Jesus Christ make all saving to you though for the present it should not savour you The Substance of the Text hath three words to be opened 1. The Temple of God He means not hereby the materiall Temple in Ierusalem first or second nor the Tabernacle built in the wildernesse but the latter end of this verse sheweth clearly he means Christians which Temple are ye every particular Christian every of you and ye the Church of Christians both then at Corinth and also every where not only the Christian that hath truth of grace and is so inwardly as well as outwardly but the Christian by outward calling for to these he wrote also not only every particular member but chiefly the Church the Society This word ye referred to all in Corinth called to be Saints and to all in all the world that call on the name of the Lord Iesus Christ doth fully evince thus much They are called Gods Temple continuing the Metaphor of a building considered severally and in a Church-society with Relation to the typicall Temple to shew that the truth of that type is now remaining 2. Defile Destroy The Greek word is but one in divers tenses it signifieth both to Defile and Destroy to corrupt and violate the Greek is thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The translation would render the Originall more naturally if we retained one English word either thus If any man defile the Temple of God him shall God defile or thus If any man destroy the Temple him will God destroy It is an Elegancy and not barely so but pregnant in instruction for it teacheth that the punishment of such offenders shall be in justice proportioned to their offence Defiling for defiling violence for violence degree for degree if they 'le be dilapidating and corrupting Gods house they shall have enough of it God will dilapidate and corrupt them 3. If any man him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If any do it that same man shall feel it whoever he be Teacher or hearer of high esteem for place in the Church or for gifts and graces this man God will certainly meet withall this his sin shall finde him out Now from hence arise three Doctrines worth our through perusall and attention 1. Doct. Every Christian professing the true Faith much more every true Professor of that true Faith is the Temple of God And every particular visible Church or Society of these Professors and the whole Church or universall society of Christians professing the true faith are the Temple of God
the walls and fabrick of the Church Heresie is worse than Schisme that of our Apostle imports so much where he saith 1 Cor 11. 18 19. I heare that there be divisions among you and I partly beleeve it for there must be also Heresies among you Also sheweth that Heresie is a greater evill than Schisme when he saith there must be also or even Heresies he speakes of somewhat more than that was signified by the word Schismes Heresie is an election or chusing to ones selfe an opinion not only contrary to the Doctrine delivered in Scripture but also contrary to that Doctrine which is of the substance of faith and holinesse Heresie is a perverse Doctrine Schisme in the deed of a perverse separation he that denyeth or teacheth contrary to any Article of Faith and yet will hold communion with a Church professing the true faith he is guilty of Heresie but not of Schisme he that beleeveth all the Articles of Faith and holds a pure confession and yet will not communicate with a true Church in holy duties he is guilty of Schisme though not of Heresie in the Epistle to the Galathians Gal. 5. 20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 these are two distinct workes of the flesh Divisions and Heresies The foundation-truthes on which Zion Rev. 14. 12. is laid are the Commandements of God and the faith of Iesus Babylon the great the Mother of Harlots who is to be destroyed opposeth the Keepers of these labours to demolish these Papisme or Popery it is not any one lone Heresie but a body of many Heresies the sinke of Heresies A Mystery of iniquity Heresies therefore in a Mystery a cunning serpentine invasion of Christ and his Faith and Worship under the name and title of the Church of Christ his Faith his Spirit his Honour his Worship therefore for this man of sinne I shall set him by himselfe next after these Temple-violaters these Hereticks not as not guilty of Heresie but as guilty in a higher degree And here let me mention only those that we are most in danger of and troubled with at the present these Hereticks polluters of the Temple of God are 1. The Antinomians they over-throw the Law Morall they hold that Christ came to abolish it that a beleever hath nothing to do with keeping the Commandements that the Gospell takes away all obedience to the Commandements they are against all urging of doing of duty of Humiliations of Repentance for sins after Iustification of praying for pardon of sin by a beleâ—ver they hold that the Law ought not to be Preaâ—hed to beleevers with a great deale more of the like pernicious Leaven all which savoureth of ignorance pride and conceitednesse and of affectation of licentiousnesse and lawlesse liberty the spirit of Libertinisme inspireth these men 2. The Anti-Sabbatarians They evert the fourth Commandment teaching that it is Ceremoniall and so taking away all conscience of sin against the Commandment of God though no day be kept a Sabbath in the week and thereby all preaching and attendance on duties of Gods Woâ—ship publike and privaâ—e on â—he Lords day in conscience to Gods Commandment laid aside they at one blow lay flat all that would uphold the power of godlinesse 3. The Germane Anabaptists that hold that a Christian ought not to be a Magistrate that Christians may not take the sword nor wage war these evert the fifth Commandment I call them the Germane Anabaptists for there divers Sects of them are and have been for this hundred of yeâ—rs past through Gods just judgement their errours some of them begin to spread in England these ghosts can passe the Seas and swim thorow the billows and waves of mighty waters they are in their first spawning to be looked unto for who knows unto what destructive Principles and Practices such giddy self-willed spirits may run Bellarmine slanderously calls them Proles Lutheranismi the off-spring of Lutheranisme â—hey are indeâ—d the off spring of hell for hell it selfe is moved when God rents the heavens and comes down to the great work of the Reformation of his Church Satan that sent these Furies out to defame the work of Reformation which God began by Luthers glorious Ministery he is Satan still and sends these â—uries among us for the very same end For the present I will name no more that are against the Commandments of God Against the faith of Iesus I shall onely mention two 1. The Aâ—minians that teach universall grace â—nd the falling away of the Saints and deny that the efficacious working of internall grace from Gods Spirit is necessary to conversion and to the begetting of faith in a sinner They teach that the grace of conversion is resistible that we cannot have assurance and the like 2. The Socinians which among other damnable errours run into these two First they deny the Deity of our Lord Iesus Christ who is the great God our Saviour God blessed for ever Secondly they deny that Christs death was for satisfaction Isa 53. 5 6. Gal. 3. 13. 1 Pet. 2. 24. or for merit 1 Pet. 1. 18. 19. Act. 20. 28. and that it was a price 1 Cor. 6. 20. 1 Tim. 2 6. of our redemption but onely hath in it the nature of an example how we should suffer that Christ is our Redeemer not by being a ransome or paying a price or as our Surety Heb. 7. 22. making satisfaction but onely by leaving us an example that we should follow his steps The foregoing Texts of Scripture are expresly against this most hellish heresie These and the like to these are Dogs Wolves in Sheeps skins evill workers the Concision as those that urged Circumcision are called Phil. 3. 2. they are to be named with such names of disgrace as tell truly what they are that all may beware of them they cut themselves others that hearken to them off from Christ and from his Church in Jucunda prosonomasia conjunxit inter se 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 conciditur e nim quâ—d discerpitur planè distrahitur circuâ—ciditur quod supervacaneis resectis purgatur Bullinger in locum this respect all the hereticall teachers are the Concision they are evill-workers for they should build up the Church of God but they pull it down and destroy it like dogs they bark at the truth they grin at Orthodox Ministers and fasten on the simple the fangs of their poisoned doctrine There 's the Wolfe beware and thrice beware 4. Antichrist and the Spirit of Popery which hath turned Zion into a Babylon I mean Rome-Christian into Rome-Antichristian and it is now a cage of unclean and hatefull birds a den of beasts a stie of foule spirits This Spirit of Antichrist discovers it self in four things 1. In Self-exaltation and Domination over the Church that the Pope might sit in the Temple of God as God 2 Thess 2. 4. 5. 2. In Apostacy from the faith that the man of sin might be the head of the Church thus he becomes
against thee because thou hast there Rev. 2. 12. 14 15 16. them that hold the Doctrine of Balaam and the Doctrine of the Nicolaitans He is not charged with so great a fault as a toleration but there they were and there he should not let them be his connivence or invigilancy or remissenesse in not executing his power must be repented of or else Christ will fight against him from that place in Ieremiah chap. 32. 39. this Argument is full of power Whatsoever God hath promised and is a branch of the Covenant of Grace with his people to be made good chiefly in the time of the New Testament all Christians ought to seek and aspire after To give his people one heart and one way in his fear for the good of them and their Children God hath promised and it is such a branch of his Covenant therefore this all christians ought to seek and breath after To seek after a toleration of divers wayes in Religion is not to seek after one heart and one way in godly fear and so not to seek after that branch of Promise and Covenant made to Gods people and to be made good chiefly in the times of the New Testament therefore to seek after a toleration of divers wayes in Religion is that which ought not to be in any Christian Adde to this that in Phil. 1. To stand fast in one spirit with one minde striving together for the faith of the Gospel is the conversation becoming the Gospel especially in times of terrible Adversaries and to stand thus united unterrified is an evident token of the Adversaries perdition and of our salvation And that of God Phil. 1. 27 28. to fall into Divisions and plead for tolerations of Opinions of divers mindednesse in one faith is not to stand fast in one spirit with oâ—e minde striving together for that one faith of the Gospel and it is not to stand thus united unterrified therefore to fall into Divisions and plead for tolerations of opinions of divers mindednesse in faith is not the conversation becoming the Gospel especially in times of terrible Adversaries and is not an evident token of the Adversaries perdition and of our salvation and that of God What is it then It is an evident token of the Adversaries prevalency and of our succumbency under the present judgement as yet And of the further wrath of the Almighty and that from a just God I have heard of some that say this is that which can never be that all Christians should be of one heart and way let such believe in him that is faithfull and hath promised and not dishonour and weary God by unbelief God hath heretofore made good this Article of his Covenant In the first primitive Christian Church they were all the multitude of them that believed of one heart and of one soul Act. 4. 32. they continued stedfastly in this holy unity Act. 2. 42. 44. 46. There were two glorious fruits and concomitants hereof Fear came upon every soul Act 2. 43. and great grace was upon them all Act. 4. 33. Now the same God that hath thus powred out his owne holy and one spirit the spirit of unity by the Preaching of the Gospel can do the same again His Covenant is the same The great God delights to do great things the fruits would be alike excellent nothing more full of Grace and amiablenesse or of terrour and dread Hence also ariseth a strong Argument that no Christian should plead for toleration for all ought to seek for Gods Church in the Reformation of it the utmost conformity to the first purest Primitive Church of Christ when she was as a heap of Wheaâ— set about with Lâ—llies True liberty of Conscience lieth in sweet communion in the unity of faith and in the perfect bond of love the souls of beliâ—vers knit together and cleaving one to another as Ionathans did to David unanimoâ—sly subject to Gods Law all other Liberty is the Liberty of lust 10. There are also that will not joyn in Prayer with any other though thâ—y be Christians unlesse they know them to be godly and that they be of their judgement and way they refuse to pray with us noâ— only in our publique Congregations but in our private or occasionall meetings The Lords Pâ—ayer directs us to Pray Our Father Our respects the whole community of Professors of Christs name and not any Segregated part It taketh in all that call on the name of our Lord Iesus Christ What spirit are they of that can deny to pray with those that say Za. 8. 21. Come let us go seek the Lord pray before him Not of the spirit of one that is a Iew inwardly Holy Paul among Sea men and Mariners who are none of the best among souldiers prisoners for severall sorts of wicked deeds Heathens of severall Nations and Religions prayed as the mouth of them all or with them all beseeching them all to take meat he took bread and solemnly prayed as the Text saith He gave thanks to God in the presence of them all Act. 27. 35. Christ hath broken down the partition Wall and now none are to be called common Act. 10. 11 12 14 15. or unclean The Gospel is to be preached to every creature to all Nations therefore prayer is to be made with every creature with all Nations to whom we may preach with them we may pray and ought yea prayer to God is not only an instituted worship but naturall or of the Law of Nature These Doctrines of division rent and tear the Church of Christ and this now mentioned is a pricking Bryar and grieving Thorne 11. Like to these also are those that make up Churches of those of their own opinion and separate from others that do hold the unity of Faith and the Rule of righteousnesse But who can separate from those that are of the same Faith and not break fellowship with the Lord Iesus Dâ—fferences in opinions should not dissunder us in affections much lesse make divisions separate us into Church-wayes against Câ—urch-wayes the same Faith and the same Commandments for holinesse should be more powerfull to cement us in one Church then difference in opinions through petulancy to put every opinion into practice note this should be of force to loose us in the building or lay us in a frame whose cemenâ— and morter whose mould and fashion is from a conspiring in an opinion these conspiracies in opinion joyned with separation from other Churches that hold the faith of Iesus and the Commandments of God are no right gathering of Churches they are Conventions sinfull and Schismaticall and unlawfull carnall and proud separations they that hold one Faith ought in lowlinesse of minde and forbearance of one another in love to indeavour to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace Eph. 4. 2 3. 12. In like manner it is a violating of Gods Temple to separate because some wicked livers are not cast
out of the Church the place abused is that in 2 Cor. 6. 14 15 17. To separate to come out from among them is not to separate or come out from the Church and Temple of God but from Idols from Belial from Infidels from Darknesse from Unrighteousnâ—sâ—e that they from whom we ought to separate are Idolaters Infidels Belialists Heathens of whom it is said ye were once Darknesse Unrighteous ones and they are not the Church and Temple of God to separate in the Apostles sense is not to touch the unclean thing that is to have no communion with them in their Idolatry in their unrighteousnesse of any kinde but other communion with them is not condemned and if he will come to the Ordinances of worship of the true God with the Church we may and ought to admit him to Communion with us in all Ordinances that are for conversion and this is not to touch the unclean thing I dolatry and unrighteousnesse is the unclean thing which we may not touch but the man is not the unclean thing the separation commanded and the coming out from them is not to be unâ—qually yoked together with them the Greek is elegant lively significant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is a Simile taken from the Plough where the Teeme that drawes the same plough is by yokes and paires of Draught-cattell Oxen or horses or the like which are yoked in the same yoke and so do draw each his part of the same Plough to be yoked together is to draw one part in the same Draught which is in the sense of the Apostle to be joyned in the same communion and counsell of the wicked in which they draw the Plough of their wickednesse be the wickednesse Idolatry unrighteousnesse drunkennesse or any other to have Communion with an Idolater in his Idolatrous worship counsell to uphold that worship or such leagues of nearest conjunction voluntarily chosen and run into which may be a temptation to entice one to Idolatry this is to be unequally yoked with the Idolater It is to have fellowship with them “ Hoc non est consentire malè facientibus esse cum eis in ecclesia sed mala facta corum approbare atque laudare Aug. Tom. 7. Contra. Epist Parmen l. 1. c. 3. in the unfruitfull works of darknesse that the Apostle disswadeth us from and not from the fellowship with Christ in his fruitfull Ordinances and with his people in duties of publique worship of the true God because an incestuous brother is there present and through none of thy approbation of his wickednesse or of his presence but through neglect of the Church and those officers in whom the power and execution of the power lyeth for excommunication of such scandalous brethren is suffered to be there Lastly he truly in the Apostles sense doth separate from the unclean thing that cleanseth himself from all filthinesse of flesh and spirit 2 Cor. 7. 1. That is purifying from all his sins inward and outward and not he that to avoid communion with the world shuts himself up in a Monastery lives an Hermite in a wildernesse nor he that to avoid Communion with Swearers and Drunkards forsaketh the Assemblies of Orthodox Christians using Christs own Ordinances of the Word and Sacraments to hold fellowship with Swearers and Drunkards in their Swearing and Drunkennesse and drunken meetings is to go to plough with them and to tumble with them in the filth but to hold the fellowship of the Gospel if these come to the same assemblies with us and sit there as Gods people is to hold Communion with Christ and they have fellowship with us outwardly in Christs Plough and yoak we have none with them but with Christ and his Saints and with them in the Profession and duty of Saints 13. But now the same Text doth condemne as Temple-Defilers those that are unequally yoked together with unbelievers in Idolatrous worship and Idolatrous feasts 2 Cor. 6. 17. that have communion with them in the Idol-service What fellowship hath the Temple of God with Idols Those that separate not from such that is from the assemblies of Idolaters they partake of the table of Devils 1 Cor. 10. 21. and cannot partake of the Lords Table Those that separate not from the Popish assemblies and that separate not from their false Catholick Church do also touch the unclean thing and sin against the Apostles command for separation We must separate from them that hold not Christ in all things wherein they hold not Christ and no farther 14. It is a sore pollution of the house of God to set up mens Commandements and inventions for Doctrine Matth. 15. 9. Col. 2. 18. 20 21 22. These be the births of mens fleshly mindes which are begotten and quickned by a spirit of Whoredomes These are heathens brought into Gods holy Temple 15. The prophanation pollution or contempt of Gods Ordinances Discipline or Government is the defiling and wasting of Gods Temple hitherto you may referre the prophanations of the Lords Supper in divided Communions and in comming without examination and selfe-judging 1 Cor. 11. 16. Ranke with these such as disgrace the publique and solemn Assemblies either troubling them by barbarous confusion 1 Cor. 14. 26. Every one hath a Psalm an interpretation a Doctrine a Revelation Our new disturbers boast of a fals gift in these particulars though they have not yet they will have an Interpretation a Psalm a Doctrine a revelation they cannot have the face yet to say a Tongue and if they may not have liberty to speak in the publick Assemblies having no such gift they will deny their presence to the Publick fling dishonour upon them all they can or else despising the Church 1 Cor. 11. 22. or place of the Publick assemblies like unto these are such also as puldown Churches and set up their Chamber-meetings David complaineth they have burnt up all the Synagogues of God in the Land Psal 74. 8. It was the Cenâ—urions Luk. 7. 4 5. high commendations to our Lord Iesus he is worthy for he loveth our Nation and hath built us a Synagogue Such also as deny the maintenance Neh. 13. 10 11. of the publick Ministery solemn worship and places for publick worship such as devour things Holy and Consecrated or convert them to private uses Abhorrest thou Idols Rom. 2. 22. and yet committest thou sacriledge Why should any Tobiah live in the chambers of the Temple Neh. 13. 5. and eate up the Tythes all which belonged to Gods instituted Ministery There yet remaine foure notorious Temple-Defilers that make Gods house their prey it shall suffice to name them 17. Persecutors Tyrants and oppressours of Gods Heritage of whom we have that mournfull complaint Psal 79. 1 2 3. O God! the Heathen are come into thine inheritance thy holy Temple have they defiled they have laid Ierusalem on heapes the dead bodies of thy servants have they given to be meat unto the Fowles of the Heaven the flesh of
thy Saints unto the beasts of the earth their bloud have they shed like water round about Ierusalem and there was none to bury them This is exemplified in the Antichristian rage of Papists and other our enemies at this day in these three Kingdomes especially in Ireland 18. Hinderers of Reformation and of the Reformers God raiseth up these like Iannes and Iambres withstand our Mosesses I meane all the Sticklers for any errour and the resisters of that blessed worke of the Nationall Covenant whereby these three Kingdomes may become one according to Christ Iesus Shall Hell that now opens her mouth wide shall Satan that can make use of a Peter and make him a Satan Mat. 16. 23. shall heights or depthes of white or black Devills swallow up that Covenant or dead that Covenant-care which cannot but make Rome and its Conclave to shake why is not our Covenant prosecuted 19. Sensuall Separatists Iude 19. that walke after their lusts Mockers that jugling with the Scriptures broach bruitish-damnable Tenets such as that that the soule dyeth with the body whereas it goeth to God that gave it and is either as Dives's was presently sent to Hell and is there in torments or else as Lazarus's in Abrahams bosome as Pauls with Christ as the beleeving Thiefes in Paradice as all beleevers present with the Lord clothed upon with their house from Heaven possessed of an house not made with hands eternall in the Heavens 2 Corinthians 5. 1 3 6 8 Scoffers 2 Pet. 3. 3 4 12. that by their impostures would illude the Doctrine of the last Iudgement and say where is the Promise of his coming and take off from the hearts of the unwary and unstable the terrour of the Lord 2 Cor. 5. 11. and the looking for and hastning unto the coming of the day of God Diseased fancifull minds that have itching eares and will not endure sound Doctrine but heape teachers to themselves 2 Tim. 4. 3 4. 20. The Machiavilian Politicians in a Christian State many degrees out-going old famous Achitophel 2 Sam. 16. 21 23. the Seditious that love to make divisions and sow discords and plant an inveterate odium in the hearts of King and Prince and people against all the godly and faithfull in the Land with all evill Counsellors against the Lord Nah. 1. 11. Psa 3. 2. and flattering bloody Edomitish Doegs Ps 52. Beloved what a griefe is it to think that by the ennumeration of particulars not this Doctrine alone should be so clearely and fully demonstrated by twenty severall sorts of offâ—ndors that there are many Temple-defilers within the Temple of God but also that in our English Church and Temple â—uch Temple-vermine should swarme at this day wherefore to descend to some short application 1. Prayer becomes us with complaints to God that dwells in his Temple Prayer that he would looke downe from Heaven and behold that he would not make us to erre from his waies and harden our hearts from his feare but returne for his servants sake that he would rent the Heavens and come down with demonstrations of zeal strength and sounding of bowels with terrible unexpected workes of wonder with Gospell-blessing that he would not be wroth very sore nor hold his peace at these things nor afflict us very sore Pray O remember not against us former iniquities let thy mercies speedily prevent us for we are brought very low Prayer with fasting and deepe humiliations become all that love Gods house in these our daies untill God raise up some Nehemiahs that they may cleanse Neh. 13. 8. Gods Temple 2. We should not be scandalized hereby but remember that in the great house of Gods Church there are Vessels of severall sorts and rather be purging our selves from these then forsaking and deserting the true Church of God if a man purge himselfe from these he shall be a vessell unto honour 2 Tim. 2. 17. 20 21. sanctified and meet for the Masters use and Prepared unto every good worke 3. And then the zeale of Gods house should eate us up though there be many things in these troublous times that befall us or may feare us and distresse us from without yet the care of all the Churches should somewhat come 2 Cor. 11. 28 29. upon us especially upon Christs faithfull and painfull Ministers whatever befalls the Churches we should lay it to heart as if it befell our selves the fire of consuming zeale for Christs honour the Gospells purity the Churches safety should melt and fashion us to that of blessed Paul who is weake and I am not weake who is offended and I burne not 4. Lastly attending to our owne growth in Faith Prayer love and hope we should have compassion of some making a difference Jude 21. 22 23. and others save with feare pulling them out of the fire hating even the Garments spotted by the flesh not hating the men but hating the filthy affections and lusts which pollute the man and come from the flesh mans nature corrupted hating them first in our selves all envie and vye in Religion vaine-glory self-seeking self-love pride spirituall strife emulation variance self-pleasing in our gifts and parts and dis-union of heart c. for who can number all but wisedome love and sincerity will by these direct enough Thus of the second Doctrine The third Doctrine is this that God will certainly punish all defilers and violaters of his Temple with punishments proportionable to their sin they are not all of a sort nor all alike guilty and God that will doe no man wrong that he should have the least ground of entring an action against him the righteous God will deale out his punishments accordingly What punishments you will say or how doth he punish these sinners Ans 1 Their workes shall perish though themselves may be saved 1 Cor. 3. 13. 15. yet so as by fire the fire of the Word and Spirit in the day of the Gospell in the powerfull opening and application of the bright and burning truthes thereof such a day as this when now you are before the Lord hearing this Text Preached upon this fire shall these defilers passe through and their errours and their ill worke they have made in Gods building their wood hay and stubble burne to ashes and their persons humbled and purified be saved the Lord grant it you need no other Purgatory you will thinke this hot enough and this or none will doe the deed The Pontificians would faine finde their Purgatory-dreame in this Scripture and they shall finde their Purgatory to purifie or consume them not the Purgatory they seeke but the Purgatory God hath prepared for such Temple-wasters and Temple-defilers such foule beasts this is the breath of Christs lips this is the brightnesse of his coming which shall consume and destroy that man of sin they are in Purgatory and the fire now burnes hot upon them and so it will upon all the rest of the Temple-polluters afore-named Doe you not see the Angels
Temple-defilers defiled VVherein a true Visible CHURCH OF CHRIST Is described The Evils and pernicious Errours especially appertaining to Schisme Anabaptisme and Libertinisme that infest our Church are discovered And Directions to preserve from the sin and punishment of TEMPLE-DEFILING DELIVERED In Two Sermons preached at the Lecture in Kingston upon Thames Feb. 20. 27. 1644. out of 1 Cor. 3. 17. BY RICHARD BYFIELD Pastor in Long-Ditton Surrey Mal. 3. 1 2. The Lord cometh suddenly to his Temple But who may abide the day of his coming For he is like a Refiners fire and like Fullers sope Miror quod non cogitant posse aliquem aliquando utrumque novum scilicet vetusque Testamentum legere divina ope intellectum utrumque laudare â—raudemque istorum atque malitiam vel dolere tanquam hominum vel cavere tanquam Haereticorum vel irridere tanquam imperitorum superborum Aug. Tom. 6. l. contra Adimantum Manichaei discipulum cap. 13. London Printed by John Field for Ralph Smith at the sign of the Bible in Cornhill neer the Royall-Exchange 1645. To the Right Worshipfull and the rest Dearly Beloved in CHRIST JESUS the Auditory at the Lecture in Kingston upon Thames in Surrey IT is the mighty worke of God beset with wonders of fatherly Providence that you enjoy againe a Thursdaies Lecture Preached by some of the Ministers now standing on their feet by the spirit of life from God entring into them who upheld it heretofore untill Prelaticall usurpation with furious tyranny suspended them and spoiled their Nest as their proud threats phrased their malicious Pharisaicall Act a little before they had fully acted it The fourth Commandement must be turned up by the rootes the power of godlinesse and of faithfull Preaching with Prayer in the Holy Ghost as bad with them as Preaching the undeniable enemies of the Prelaticall Kingdome Crown and Dignity must all be outed Lectures by godly Ministers that desired to be found faithfull may not bâ— endured and now for this work that was their day Their power through their interest in the Royall favour was superlatively great their Hierarchy fastly rooted in the ancient Lawes and grown up with the body of the Kingdome Parliaments exploded the Vniversities theirs All preferment in their hands thousands of their Enemies gone in Colonies to the Indies the utmost ends of the earth many great and choice wits with them some of them profound Schollers some with them preferred by them to the choisest Sees for ancient fame and present maintenance as good men and of as good report even among the godly as ever any Age had all the rest of them painted Tombs goodly Pharisees to see to And their old friend Rome had got no little ground among us by matching one of his Daughters here and for all the Reformed Churches beyond sea they were brought very low What wisdom of man would not have thought but that in such a day they should undoubtedly have â—ad the day For my part I sate down under their unjust illegall Sentence with this saying to some of my acquaintance yet alive through Gods mercy There is no coming in for me again but with the breaking of the whole State An alteration that must change the Kingdom and the Laws thereof I sate down willing to see the way of God in his work the desires of my soul were towards him in that hour and power of darknesse I drew a small draught of it for my own direction Little did I think the return of our captivity had been so neer and who could conceive the glory and terrour of it Neverthelesse in the time of that four yeers and four weeks suspension and sequestration that I suffered my thoughts among other things were on that Text in Zach. 2. 13. Be silent O all flesh before the Lord for he is raised out of his holy habitation In which collecting the signes of the Lords arising I saw the ruine of these Luciferian Vsurpers yet not conceiving it to be so neer in such unparalleld wayes of high providence with such well founded proceedings of legality that hath slain all them and cast out their carcâ—ses and their worm dyeth not and their fire is not quenched and they are an abhorring unto all flesh With such streams of blood with such executions â—pon a sensuall Nobility Gentry seat of Iudges shop of Lawyers â—â—nke of Civilians and sinfull body of a Malignant Commoâ—alty Of which we may say not without astonishment and high â—raises What hath God wrought Must this be the way of Vindication of the Ministeriall Liberty of such a miserable sinfull worme as I am From the Lords right hand went a flame of that fiery Law for us A fiery Law is the Decalogue of the ten Commandments called the fourth Commandment is then a flame of the fire Deut. â—3 2. and it hath fiered the State and habitations of these transgressors that sentence warmed and refreshed my heart and touched my tongue in that winter season and now should fire us with Gods praises for the time draweth on â—pace of the Churches Hallelujahs Rev. 19. I write this that you may not forget how we come to preach again unto you at all But now when I came to preach to you at this time not only neighbourhood of habitation and former ancient relation to you and my unfeighned desire to do you good by imparting some spirituall gift but your desires your divisions and the care of the Churches which towards you came upon me because of your divisions did much move me I had no thought at all of making these Sermons publique your importâ—â—ity brings them forth that word Paul Apolles Cophas all the Ministers arâ— yourâ— that word bound me Being bound two things more facilitated my yeildance when I durst not withstand the suitablenesse of the subject to the times and the diseasednesse of the Congregaâ—ion of Kingston to which I was once though most unworthy a Teacher this year disease is The Lord help and heal the disease of the Church of England through grievous poverty grown upon her under the impositions and oppositions of her Diotrephesses the Spring of the year of glorious Gospel-â—iberty coming on there appears a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Phâ—hiriasis she begins Phâ—hiriasis to swarme with Vermine this ariseth from want of concocting the wholesome food of sound Doctrine even the truth which is after Godlinesse if we feed favourly on the solid substantiall truths that concerne faith and love which is in Christ Iesus and not turn aside after watery trash that food will quickly set us sound and so nourish us that we should ruâ— off and rid us of these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Phtâ—ires these Lice and Wormes Phthires Wash you with the waters from under the Sanctuary and that is Soveraigne to kill them and clear the body and cleanse the skin of the Church I le reach you some that flowes out of one vein of Scripture it râ—ls