the Church of GOD shall stand for euer And when all the glory of the world shall vanish quite away like a flash of fire and when all her desperate malicious and irreconciliable enemies shall vtterly be destroyed then shall she shine as the Sunne and obtaine her perfect glory and liue for euer with the Lord in all ease and happinesse free from all sinfull and earthly miseries whatsoeuer Fourthly wheras all other fields and houses are materiall outward and earthly this field and this house is mysticall celestiall and spirituall and may bee so called in all these regards ensuing First because the Spirit of God doth husband her and dwell in her Secondly because her whole frame is spirituall her chiefest ornameÌ„ts are inward and inuisible The kings daughter is all glorious within saith the Psalm Thirdly the meanes which God vseth for her building repairing trimming flourishing and câ—â—tinuing are not earthly but spirituall and of a nature far differing from worldly helps and humane inuentions Fourthly the seruice and worship which ought to be performed in her is spirituall And lastly all the good workes which she doth are spirituall All the good workes which we or any of her faithfull members do performe are meerely good so far forth as they do proceed from the Spirit of God who is goodnesse it selfe and the author of all our goodnesse And the euill which is in them commeth from our owne home-bred corruptition which is not in this life cleansed cleane away vnlesse it be because it is forgiuen vs and not imputed to vs. And to conclude the Church is said to be a field an house not fields and houses For the Church is but one body one perfect house and one entire and absolute field She hath but one Lord one Architect one Redeemer one absolute Husbandman and Inhabitant one common saluation one religion one Head one Husband one way to heauen according to that of S Paul There is one body one Spirit one faith one Lord one baptisme one God and father And this hath also been the doctrine of former ages Theodoretus saith quest 44. in Num. As the Vnicorne hath one horne so the people truly religious adoreth one onely God And for the vnity of her head Gregory saith that The whole holy vniuersal Church is on Body set vnder Christ Iesus as her Head For Christ with his whole Church both militant triumphant is one person Nazianzene saith There is one Christ one head of the Church Thirdly concerning the vnity of the Spirit Gregory saith that As there is one soule which doth quicken the diuerse members of the body so one Holy Spirit doth quicken and illustrate the whole Church Fourthly for the vnity of faith and outward confession Eucherius saith that As a bundle is bound with bands so all the company of the Saints are bound together with one and the same faith hope and charity compassed with one muniment of diuine protection And as Leo teacheth there is one orison and one confession of the whole Church Finally touching the vnity of Baptisme There is one faith saith Hierome one Baptisme And so withall for the vnitie of her God Iustinus saith There is one true God of all which is acknowledged in the Father Sonne and holy Spirit Our faith saith Cyril receiueth no number of Gods but there is one God the Father and to the same vnitie pertaineth the Sonne and the Holy Ghost Hauing now opened the words and giuen the sense let vs see what lessons we may learne out of them CHAP. 2. The Church of God is Gods house and husbandry Doct. 1 THESE wordes do naturally without wresting affoord vs two notable doctrins The former is that the true church of God which is the coÌ„pany of Beleeuers is Gods House and Husbandry This is plaine by the text as also by other like places of Scripture Know ye not saith Paul that ye are the Temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you And speaking to Timothy he saith These things I write that thou maist know how to behaue thy sefe in Gods House which is the Church of the liuing God And plaine reason sheweth as much For it is not her owne she is not the Lady of her selfe Ye are not your owne saith Paul for ye are bought for a price Neither is the Church a tenement or possession belonging to any Angell or to any Man excepting onely the man Christ who is the Angell of the couenant and her only Lord Head She is not the field of the sluggard which Salomon speaks of She is not the house of wickednesse and sinne For Christ gaue himselfe for her that hee might make her holy and purge her from her sinnes with his bloud Therefore he saith vnto her Thou art all faire my loue and there is no spot in thee Neither is shee the house and field of the Diuell For Christ hath purchased her vnto himselfe Therefore she saith My welbeloued meaning Christ is mine and I am his I am my welbeloueds and his desire is towards me And Christ speaking vnto her cals her his loue his sister his spouse therefore surely the Liuell hath no interest in her and no title to her The conclusion then remaineth firme that as the Temple of Ierusalem was dedicated to be an house vnto the Lord alone euen so the Church is built and consecrated vnto him only that she may be his House to dwel in as a field to husband dispose of as he in his wisedome seeth most conuenient Thus much for the doctrine let vs now se how we may apply it for our benefite and edification CHAP. 3. Sundry vses are made of the consideration of these two titles together THe vses which we ought to make of the former doctrine are of two sorts Some arise from the consideration of these 2 titles giueÌ„ to the Church together some froÌ„ them being coÌ„sidered apart by themselues Of the former company are these that follow First we haue here one of the roialties and royall priuiledges of the faithfull For they and they onely to speake properly are Gods house husbandry For the Father hath elected them only the Son hath redeemed them onely the holy Ghost doth regenerate them onely God the Father Sonne and holy Ghost doth dwell in them onely in regard of the presence of his speciall grace and efficatious operation vnto eternall life For as concerning the Reprobates they are the very sinks of sin the dennes of the Diuell and the quagmyres of iniquity predestinated to eternall distruction Some of them I confesse may thinke themselues to be of Gods house and to belong vnto his field but their imagination is like the fond and false conceipt of some Melancholique persons that haue thought their bodies to haue beene made of glasse and that euery faire house was theirs which they passed
with all thy graces Open our eyes that we may see thy will and incline our hearts to follow it Direct vs in thy waies and keepe vs from declining from thee Teach vs so to frame our liues before thee in this word that we may liue for euer with thee in the world to come Be merciful O Lord we beseech thee to thy Church and to all her faithfull members comfort them with thy comforts and inrich them with thy graces Blesse this kingdome wherein we liue pardon the sins of all estates amongst vs and continue thy Gospell to vs and to our posterity to the end of the world Looke vpon thine annointed Iames our souereigne Lord king adorne his heart with all regall and Christian vertues vphold his scepter prolong his reigne laugh his foes to skorne Blesse our gracious queene Anne Prince Henry and the rest of their princely progeny Be mercifull to all other orders amongst vs aswell Ecclesiasticall as Ciuill and as thou aboundest in thy mercies towards vs so grant that we may striue to abound in all thankfulnesse towards thee Finally O Lord for our selues we beseech thee to take vs to thy fatherly protection pardon the weakenesse of our praiers watch thou ouer vs to our good giue vs such rest sleep that we may be the fitter enabled to serue thee the next day in our general and speciall callings Heare holy Father from the heauens and grant vs all these our requests for Iesus Christ his sake thine onely Sonne and our onely Sauiour to whom with thee and thine holy Spirit one most wise glorious and eternall God be rendred all power praise glory this night for euer Amen Trin-vni Deo gloria FINIS Deut. 32.11 Deut. 32.13 Deut. 32.5 15.21 Ex. 8 3.14 Nouem 5. An. 1605. 1. Cor. 3.16 1 Thes 5.23 a 2. Cor. 11.2 b Chedia 1â— c 2. â—â—g 18. d 2. Paulus e Iesse 1. Salamo a Acts. 8.3 b 1. Tim. 1.12 c Gal. 1.13 d Gal. 1.15.16 e Zach. 2.8 f 1. Tim. 1.13 g Ps 19.13 i 1. Tim. 13 Acts. 9.1 k Rom. 11.33.34 l Is 50 2. a Gal. 1.1 b 1. Cor. 4.7 c Psa 75.6 d 1. Chron 29.12 Iob. 32.8 Iam 1.5 e Prou. 29.23 Mat. 23.12 Iames. 4.6 f Iosh 10.13 g Isay 38.8 h Mat. 7.2 i 1. Cor. 3.7 k 1. Pet. 5.5 l Matth. 2. m 1. Câ—r 16.10.11 n Mat. 25. o Gal. 5.13.26 a 1. Cor. 4.13 b Exod. 20.18.19 c Gen. 22.1 d Gen. 22.12 e Act. 16.14 f Luk. 8.15 g 2. Cor. 4.7 h Rom. 1.16 i 1. Cor. 1.21 k Gal. 1.8 l 1. Cor. 1.21 m Ps 68.70 n Amos. 7.15 o Mat 4 19. p 1. Cor. 4.9.13 q 2. Cor. 5 20. r 2. Cor. 5.18 a 2. Tim. 4.10 a 1. Tim. 3.1 b Eph. 6.17 c 1. Chron. 15.2 d Ezeck 3.20 a Mat. 20. c Heb. 5.4 d Luk. 10.2 e Rom. 10.15 f Ier. 23.21 g Num. 4.19 Ministers must 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a 2. Tim. 2.15 b 2. Cor. 4.2 c 2. Cor. 1.12 d 2. Cor. 2.17 e 2. Cor. 6.3 f 2. Tim. 1.13 g 2. Tim. 2.22 h 1. Tim. 3.2.3 In Mat. 25. i Exod. 28.30.36 k Gen. 6.14 l Exod. 35.38 m Mat. 7.5 n Ps 50.16.17 o Mal. 2.9 p Reu. 3.1 q Exod. 27.20 r Ps 93.5 Isay 52.11 Å¿ Ps 25.14 u Mar. 10. â— Leuit. 6.13 x Mat. 5.16 y Mat. 5.13.14 z Eccl. 5â— 6.7.10 a Mar. 6.20 b 1. Tim. 4 1â— c Act. 20 28. d 1. Cor. 9 27. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 e Rom. 2 2â— f Lu. 12.47 g Iam. 4.17 h Ier. 23.15 i Ier. 23 28. a Heb. 4 1â— b 1. Tim 3.2 2. Tim. 2.24 c 2. Tim. 2 d Math. 6.22 Mat. 5.14 e Iam. 1.1 f Isay 50.4 g Mal. 2.7 h Lam 4.4 Lam. 2.11 12.19 i Pro. 29 1â— k Mal. 2.7 l Mat. 15.14 a 1. Cor. 4.2 b 2. Tim. 4.2 c Ier. 48.10 d Pro. 27.23 e Iob. 1.7 f 1. Pâ—t 5.8 g Mat. 23.15 h Pro. 27.18 i 2. Thes 3.10 k Act. 20.20.27.31 l Act. 20.28 m Ephes 4 12. 1. Pet. 5.2 n Gen. 31.40 o Ezek. 16.49 p Pastoris est pascere nâ—n deglubere q 2. Cor. 12 14. r 1 Cor. 9.17 Å¿ 2. Cor. 11.23 t Iude. 3. u Reu. 2.2 u Pro. 11. â—6 x Pro. 27.18 y Exod. 8.24 z Act. 20.30 a Isa 65.5 b Iudg. 15 4. Note c 2. Cor. 8.12 d Gal. 6.7 e Ier. 17.10 f Heb. 4.13 g Iob 42.2 h Heb. 10.31 a 2. Cor. 9.7 b 1 Chron. 29.6.9 c 1 Cor. 9.17 d Iob. 20.12 Prou. 4.16 f 1. Pet. 5 2 g Act. 2â— 24 a Neh. 4.17 b Eph. 6.12 c Ier. 1.17 d Ez. 3.9 e Ier. â— 8 f Tit. 2.15 g Isai 58.1 h Mich. 3 8. i Kin. 18.18 k 2. Sam. 2.9 l Isay 50.7 m Isay 50.6 n For sheep maâ— be driuen to the â—acks but Lions must be fed at the staues end lest â—hey feed on them that would â—â—ed them o Isa 58.1 p Gal. 6.1 2 Tim. 2.25 a Gen. 15.11 b 2. Cor 4 1. c Psa 119.105 d 1. Pet. 2.5 e Ouid. f 2. Pet. 1.13 g 1. Tim 4 13.15.16 h Mat. 20.8 i Eccl. 11.6 k Gal. 6.9 l Nehe. 9 12. m Exâ— 27.20 n Psal 15. o Ex. 29.38 p Isa 62.6 7. q Luk. 9 62. a Psal 94.4.5 b Psal 5.9 Psal 10.7 c Is 59.8 d 1. Tim. 3.2 Tit. 1.7 e 1. Cor. 11.16 f Mar. 3. 24 25 g 1. king 3.26 h Nehe. 4. i Iosephus k 2. Tim. 3.24 l 1. Ioh. 4.8 â— Thes 5.22 m Rom. 12 18. n Ouid. o Rom. 12.16 p Rom. 15.1 q 1 kings 21.3 r Mat. 10.16 Tit. 1.8 Å¿ Rom. 15 5. t Eph. 5.23 u Eph. 4.3 Gal. 5 26. Eph 5.27 w Luk. 23.12 Act. 4.27 x Rom. 15.6 y Morbida sâ—la â—ecus totum â—orrumpit ouiâ—e z Mark 9.10 a Psa 133.1 b Ioh. 13.35 c Virg. a Iohn 15.1 b Heb. 3.4 c 1 Cor. 3.6 d Psal 127. â—1 e 1 Cor. 15.10 f 1 Pet. 5.10 g 2 Cor. 5.19 h 2 Cor. 2 15.16 a Isa 55.11 b 2. Cor. 2.15.16 c Isa 50.7 d Ier. 1.8.18.19 e Eze. 2.3 â— Acts 18 9.10 f Iosh 1.5 Heb 13 7. h Heb. 1.12 i â—am 1.17 Isa 46.10.11 k Psa 84.12 a 1. Cor. 3 8 b Dan. 12.3 c 2. Tim. 4.7.8 h Pet. 5.4 e Mat. 10 â—1 f Mat. 20.8 a 2 Cor. 3 9. b 2 Cor. 5.2 18. Act. 20.28 1 Cor. 12.28 c Iob 25.6 d Isa 57.15 e Iob 33.23 f Psal 116.12.17 g Psa 145.2 h Psâ— 4.3.8 i 1. Sam. 2.30 k Leuit. 10.3 a Eph 5.1 b Tit. 2.7 8. a 1 Thes 2.2.3.4 b 2 Tim. 24 c Eph. 6.2 2.2 d 2 Cor. 10 4. e Act. 6.2 f Aug. Note g 1. Tim. 5.8 h Ioh. 21.3 i Mark 6.3 k 2. Tim 4.13 l Act. 20.34 m 1. Tim. 3.4.5 a Conâ—er the 1. Cor 3.6
the Canopy of Gods grace in this life they may be clothed with the robes of his glory in the life to come Finally the Lord hath put his Booke into our handes Wee must vpon all iust occasions open and expound it We must constantly hold it vp and out vnto his People We must not lay it aside nor cast it into corners Our hands in holding it must neuer faint least the enemies of God and his Church should preuaile and conquer And so much for the properties of a good workeman CHAP. 13. Ministers ought to be peaceable and louing to each other but yet the refractarie must be bridled Doct. 6 LAbourers together Seeing that wee worke together with and for the Lord seeing all faithful Ministers are the Lords Labourers appointed by God to husband his field and to repaire and build vp his House we should all agree and loue one another entirely that our worke may go the faster forward and that so we may receiue greater comfort and ioy The Psalmist describing the wicked saith that they smite downe Gods people and trouble his heritage Their throat saith Dauid is an open sepulchre and their mouth is full of cursing Destruction saith Esay is in their pathes and they know not the way of peace But these things do nothing beseeme the Ministers of God who are or ought to be Praecones pietatis the preachers of peace and piety and not fighters and strikers but meeke gentle and studious of concord and amity The Word and not the sword is committed by the Lord vnto them the word of grace the word of reconcilement the sword of the Spirit and not the sword of Reuenge If his workmen fall to wrangling how shal his worke go forward God hath hired vs to worke and not to wrangle praedicare non praeliari If any man lust to be contentious we haue no such custome saith Paul neither the Churches of God It is mery with wolues and foxes when the shepheards are together by the eates one with another Lamentable are those flockes miserable are those sheepe We should rather bend then band and bowe rather then breake Ferentes non ferientes bearing one with another and not biting or beating one another lest we be deuoured one of another If the builders and plowmen quarrell one with another their worke must needs be hindred If a kingdome saith Christ be deuided against it selfe that kingdome cannot stand or if an house be deuided against it selfe that house cannot continue Euen so Gods kingdome vpon earth cannot but be much weakened and the rearing of his house much hindred if Ministers which either are or ought to be his chiefest instruments to build his house and to propagate and vphold his kingdome be deuided one against another in factions and hostile manner Diuide et regna Deuide and reigne is no rule for vs to practise amongst our selues It was not the true but the counterfeit mother of the child that said Let it be neither thine nor mine but diuide it If the builders of old Ierusalem in the daies of Nehemiah had contended one against another it had bene easiy for their enimies to haue destroyed both them and their building So if the Builders of new Ierusalem of spirituall and mysticall Ierulem do fight and biker one with another they do without doubt expose themselues and their building to the danger of the enimie that taketh all oportunity to worke a mischiefe Diuide a ship and how shall it saile Diuide the Church and how shall she hold out vpon the waters and not be drowned There is little got but much lost by contention Nimium altercando veritas amittitur Ouer-hot contention loseth the truth and ouer-great dissention amongst the sheepheards scattereth and disquieteth the sheepe The dissention of the captaines was the destruction of Ierusalem But pace florent omnia true peace like Aprill shewers makes all thinges flourish Vires vnitae sunt fortiores A three-fold cord is hardly crackt asunder A sheafe of arrowes is hardly broken Thorefore as Labourers of one Lord as Builders of one House as plowers of one fielde as shepheards of one fold as keepers of one garden as dressers of one vineyard as workemen in one haruest as watchmen of one city as souldiers of one captaine as seruants of one maister and as sonnes of one father let vs all agree one with another being coupled fast together by one spirit like linkes of one chaine and as if there were but one temperature of all our bodies and but one soule within them all And accordingly let vs vnitis viribus ac toto conatu ioyntly labour with might maine that Gods worke may goe forward that the powers of darknesse may be shaken that the gates of Hell may be flung from their hinges and that sin and sathan beeing dismounted from their thrones the scepter of Christ Iesus may be set vp in the hearts of his people If we must loue all men and if we must be gentle towards all men is it seemely for vs to hate one another Shall we be spitefull and crabbed one vnto another God is loue and the well-spring of true peace and the Diuell is the father of hatred and enmity therefore it behoueth all the Ministers of God to be peaceable and louing that so they may be like the Lord vnlike the Diuell If we should labor to haue peace with all men how earnestly should we striue to haue it amongst our selues Nec minor est virtus quam quaerere parta tueri Are all men bound to be of the like affection one towards another and is it fit for vs that are or ought to be lights and guides vnto others to be of a contrary affection one to another Ought not the strong to beare the infirmities of the weake and not to please themselues Wisedome and lenitie will say so And ought not the weake labour to see their infirmity and to waxe weary of their weaknesse that so there may be a simpathy and no antipathy peace and not passions concord and not hostility It is one thing to be weake and another thing to affect weaknesse It is one thing to shew weaknesse and another thing to shroud and shield it It is good to confesse it but bad to professe it There is a strong weakenesse and there is a weaknesse that is weake indeed All weaknesse is vncommeâ—dable but affected and sturdy weaknesse is vntollerable This is the peace-breaker and he must be bridled Easie salues are for easie soares bâ—t gangrenes must be pared off and fisiulaes must be bitten The Leper musâ— keepe his house And he that hath the plague about him must not come abroad Melius est vt pereat vnus quam vnitas It is better to want one then lose all It is better to cut off a finger then to lose the hand And an honorable warre is better then a seruile peace We
must defend our heads and maintaine our free-holds Naboth would not part from his vineyard He is another Esau that will part with his birth-right for a messe of pottage As we must be innocent as Doues so we must be wise as Serpents and stout as Lyons and beware that too much patience make not the enemy proud and raging But to returne from whence we haue digressed shall Paul pray for the Romanes for other men that GOD would make them to be like-minded one towards another and shal not we pray for our selues and labour by all good meanes that we may our selues bee so affected one with another Members of one body are at peace with themselues The Church of God is a Body euen the mysticall body of his sonne Christ Iesus Now faithfull Ministers are Members of this body therefore they ought like fellow-members to embrace and agree with one another endeuouring to keepe the vnity of the Spirit in the bond of peace not prouoking and enuying one another but being subiect to one another in the feare of Christ It were a prodigious sight to see the Pillars of a Temple remoue and rush one against another The Church is Gods spirituall Temple and godly Ministers are as Pillars to beare it vp Therefore they should stand peaceably one by another and not iustle one with another The ministers and instruments of Sathan can conspire together against God Wherefore then should not the Ministers of God concord agree together for God Herod Pilate the Iewes the Romanes could ioyne against Christ why should not we then consent and labour together for Christ that the Gospell might flourish in the Christian world and that Christian religion might spreade throughout the whole world As Paul wished the Romanes one heart that they might with one minde and one mouth praise GOD euen so should we that are Ministers tune all the strings of our sinfull soules and labour for the sweet concent and harmony of all the affections of our hearts that with one mind mouth wee may celebrate and preach the Lord and proclaime the glad tidings of saluation to the sonnes of men by Iesus Christ Neither is it enough if some of vs be thus affected but wee must all all without exception put on this minde In an Instrument wee see that one or two strings out of tune marre all the musicke and that in a Quire of voyces one or two being out of order doe spoyle the melody One iangling bell marres the whole ring Euen so a few factious turbulent and combustiue spirites that like Salamanders or Fire-flies delight in the firy flames of contention and are in trauell with their home-bred conceits till they haue thrust them out which are somthing like thornes in a dogges foot which neuer leaues licking till hee haue got theÌ„ out I say a few such disorderly vnquiet spirits are able apt if they be not turned or taken quite away to marre the musicke of the Church and to kindle a fire in it For by nature we are too like to Gun-powder or Tinder a few sparkes are able and would set vs all on fire if neither Gods grace nor seuere lawes and strength of authority did preuent hinder vs. And that I may conclude this point if tenne men did carry a great and weighty burthen if some of them should kicke or buffet one another their pace would be slakened their businesse hindred their burthen endangered to fall vnto the ground The Church of God is a weighty burthen and Ministers are appointed by God to beare it vpon their backes Now if they beate and spurne at one another or if some of them shall contemne kicke or busset one another though others behaue themselues discreetly and orderly their businesse must needes be hindered the Chuâ—ch is like rot onely to shake and totter but in danger also to fall and breake One scabbed sheepe may infect a flocke a little fire may make a great flame a little leauen doth leauen a whole lump of dough and one Fox may marre a fold Either therefore let all agree let all that beare the burtheÌ„ conâ—aine themselues in order or let them that trouble the rest bee thrust out by order Better it were that nine did beare it alone in peace thâ—n with a tenâ—h though his shoulders were as good as Miloes as strong as Samâ—ons that were quarrelous trâ—ublesomâ— and vnquiet As we therefore desire the peace of Sion and the weâ—fare and prosperity of Ierusalem as we would that the workes of the diuell should be dissolued his power weakned and his kingdome lessened as we loue to see Gods corne to thriue his vines to flourish and his building to go forward let vs haue peace amongst our selues and let vs tye our heaâ—ts fast together with the linkes of loue It is an amiable thing for brethren to dwell together in vnity It is a louely sight to see Ministers brâ—thâ—en by adoption and brethren by offiâ—e brethren in regard of Gods grace and place to liue together in loue as it were in a wedlock of loue Then should they be known to be Christs disciples then should God be glorified his people more aboundantly edified his kingdome enlarged his enemies scattered and their owne ioyes increased We conclude therefore Nulla salus bello pacem te poscimus omnes CHAP. 14. God is the Architect Ministers are inferiour Agents OF God For as much as Ministers are the Lords Synergi his Coworkers his Helpers or helping instrumeÌ„ts elected by him not for any necessity as if he were not able of himselfe to saue meÌ„ without their assistance but of his free pleasure for the manifestation of his wisedome power grace and authority and for the triall of our obedience faith humility from hence we learne these lessons Doct. 7 First that God alone is the principall Husbander of his field and the onely Architect of his building My Father saith Câ—rist is the Husbandman And he that buildeth all things is God Paul planteth and Apollos watereth but God giueth the increase It is the Lord that calleth men to his worke and directeth theÌ„ in his work and giueth good successe vnto their worke Except the Lord build the house they labour but in vaine that build it I laboured saith Paul more then they all yet not I but the grace of God which is with me Hence it is that Peter commends the founding and establishing of the faithfull vnto GOD. And looke what GOD founds Sathan shall neuer confound The Word preached sincerely is not like a physicke medicine which hath vertue in it by nature to cure a disease but is as a Conduit-pipe by which God the fountaine of grace conueieth his grace into the cisterne of our hearts when as he pleaseth Neither are Ministers to be reputed as principall Agents or authors of mans saluation but as the liuely instruments
speake of the perfection of sanctification or of inherent holinesse we must needes confesse that we are not perfect but that we arise like a house by degrees and do grow till we be compleat Which shall not be till death which endeth the battell betwixt the flesh and the spirit vtterly consuming all the corruptions of our corrupted nature Againe as fields are subiect to be annoyed and wasted and as there is no field without some hurtfull or improfitable thing in it as stones weeds and such like so Gods field is subiect to be wasted and infested Therefore the Psalmist saith that the wicked smite downe Gods people and trouble his heritage And Saul before his conuersion is sayed to waste the Church of God And there is in ouâ— hearts that are her children many sinnes which are not as yet exiâ—eâ— being noysome vnto vs as weede and stones are to a corne field And againe as there is no house that is not obnoxious to some danger either by violence of fire or by the inundatiâ—n of waters or through inflammation by lightning or else by reason of impetuous windes stormy tempests besides the subiection wherein it is of it selfe to fall to ruine being composed of things that are corruptible Euen so Gods Church on earth is subiect in herselfe being black with sinne and vnmundified here in part to ruines and rotten errours both mentall and morall Besides shee is subiect to many perils from without Sathan with his instruments play their parts against her continually Sometimes hee sallies vpon her by force like a Lion raising vp cruell tyrants to persecute vex her Sometimes he sets vpon her by fraud like a Leopard approching to her either with his Syrenian songs or with his Crocodilian teares or with a treacherous kisse as Iudas did vnto his Maister assaulting her with the subtill and sophisticall inuentions engines of Heretikes and attempting to violate her chastity by the pleasing allurements and witching enchantments of the world who with her whorish eye and two naked painted breasts of pleasures and profits doth seeke to inueigle our hearts and make vs yeeld vnto her Thus Sathan meetes her vpon the stage of this world and enters combat with her vsing all meanes to preuaile against her sometimes pursuing her with the flouds of persecution sometimes kindling in her the coales of contention sometimes seeking to ouercome her with secret machinations and with faire speeches fraudulent perswasions and somtimes also striuing to daunt her with the dreadfull menacies of the great men of the world and neuer ceaseth practising against her but all in vaine For the gates of hell saith Christ euen sathan and all his strength and stratagems shall not preuaile against her to vanquish and subdue her Finally some things may be in a field which are not of the field as toades frogges and such like a wolfe may bee in the same field and fold wherein a company of sheepe are the enemy with his â—ares may be in a field as well as the right owner of it and his good seed and good sets Euen so if we regard the visible and externall face of the Church prophane persoÌ„s very reprobats may be in her albeit they be not of her They are but as frogges toades nettles bryars and crowes in a corne-field or as Wolues and Foxes and madde dogges in a fold or flocke of sheepe or else as stones and weeds which trouble and hinder the good corne And againe as in a field we see sets hearbs and seeds oftentimes brought into a field set sown in it which do not naturally come vp of themselues in it euen so God doth set the plants of his Spirit and sow the seeds of his sanctifying graces in our hearts which otherwise would neuer spring vp within vs of themselues and by the vertue of our nature And as euery field stands in neede of dressing and keeping and requires wholesome aire sweete shewers and the comfortable heate of the Sunne Euen so the Church stands in need of husbanding she hath neede of the heauenly dewe of Gods graces and of the sweet light and heate of the Sunne of righteousnesse and that the Northerne and Southerne windes of Gods Spirit should blow vpon her that her spices and her fruits might flow out and come forth abundantly In like manner also as euery house stands in need of some shilter and reparation so doth Gods house For we lye open to wind and water and haue the ruines of our depraued nature still remaining in vs. And as the Housholder brings many thing into his house which he finds not in it euen so the Lord inspireth many good things into our hearts which he finds not in vs and which we want by nature And as some things may be in the house which are not of the house as rats mise weasils yea and treacherous and theeuish persons Euen so if wee consider the outward appearance and name of the Church which is Gods house some may be in it which belong not to it and are not truly of it Therefore Iohn saith they went out of vs but they were not of vs. Antichrist that man of sinne and sonne of perdition sits in the Temple of God but not as a member of it but as a cruell and proud Tyrant tyrannizing in it as a Theefe in a true mans house as a Pyrate in a Merchants ship or as a Wolfe and Fox in a sheepfold And in a word as some things may be brought into a field and planted in it which as yet are not as some may be brought into an house and made seruants in it which for the present are not euen so some may be brought into Gods Church which is his pleasant field and the palace of his pleasure and may bee made her true members and faithful houshold-seruants which as yet wander abroad and are not effectually called home And thus wee see the resemblance that is betwixt a field or house and the Church of God Now she is called Gods Husbandry and Gods building because hee hath taken her to himselfe and inclosed her hee doth husband and order her he doth build and repaire her he doth possesse keepe her and because he doth inhabite and worke within her And albeit she may be fitly compared to a field and house in the forenamed respects yet in other regards she is vnlike vnto them For God is her only Lord owner for his honour only he hath ordained her And whereas houses and fields are bought with money she was purchased neither by gold nor siluer but by the bloud of God euen by the precious heart-bloud of that immaculate Lambe Christ Iesus who is true God true Man in one perfect person Thirdly all houses and fields are subiect to vtter and finall desolation And the day shall come wherein the earth and all the workes therein shall be consumed with fire But