endangered Indangered and that both in respect of guilt and infection Both these wayes that of the Apostle carries a truth with it A little leaven leaveneth the whole lumpe leaven corrupt and scandalous sinners not purged out but allowed or connived at in a Church it leaveneth the whole lumpe layeth the whole Church under a guilt where the Church is Accessary to that Toleration besides the danger of souring leavening infecting others possibly the whole Church probably some of the members of it both ways the Church is damnified or indangered 3. To want a due and right Order in dispencing the Ordinances of God or managing the affaires and businesses of the Church it is a thing of dangerous consequence I though the substance be right David in bringing the Arke from Kiriath-Jearim to Jerusalem from a private house the house of Abinadab to its own place the Tabernacle which he had prepared for it for the substance of the duty he was right in it yet mistaking in the Order laying the Arke upon a Cart which should have been carried upon the Priests and Levites shoulders God made a Breach amongst them for it The Lord our God saith he made a breach amongst us for that we sought him not after the due order Not observing the order instituted and appointed by God in his Law Of such dangerous consequence may some failings in point of order be Were there nothing else this alone may provoke God against a people to cause him to breake in upon them to make a Breach amongst them Great Inconvenience in allowing tolerating of these corruptions On the other hand as great convenience in their Reformation To have all the stones gathered out of the Lords vineyard to have all stumbling-blocks and scandals all grounds and causes and as much as may be occasions of division removed and taken out of the way whereby the hearts of Gods people may come to be cemented and united together To have the Court of the Temple reduced to it's due scantling and proportion made neither too wide nor too strait there may be an errour on both hands To have the House of God cleane swept and garnished purged from all corruptions furnished with all requisite Implements and Ornaments not only her Altar Table Candlesticke but also her Tongs and her Snuffers c. and those all of pure gold To have her Officers and Ordinances all reduced to native primitive purity and simplicity To have this Vineyard amongst us not only planted with choice vines but to have a hedge set about it a hedge of Discipline about the Ordinances to have a Towre and a Wine-presse and all other requisites in it How would this ad both to the beauty and safety of the Church to the Power and Glory of the Ordinances to the joy comfort and growth of all the Members of the mysticall Body Let them not then be blamed who seeke and seeke earnestly for the purging of this floore the Reformation of this Church in the fore-named particulars But what then shall we doe for the compassing or furthering of this Reformation Here falls in the second Question For Answer to which take some directions one for the present for I see I shall not be able to compasse what I intended In the first place Be we thankefull for what we have A usefull a needfull direction No means more effectuall to obtaine what we want and would have then thankefully to acknowledge what we have already received This doe we in the behalfe of the Church of God amongst us not lessening not undervaluing much lesse over-looking and forgetting the great things which our God hath already done for us This doe some I feare too many amongst us whose eyes are all upon the Churches blacknesse they are evill eyes which are so a thing which the Church chargeth the Daughters of Jerusalem her friends not to doe Looke not upon me because I am blacke Cant. 1. her blemishes her spots her defects her corruptions and in beholding of these they are Eagle-eyed but in the meane time as for her comelinesse her beauty her graces her blessings these they either over-looke or else looke overly and coyly upon them as if they were not worth the looking on The Story tels us of the Israelites that when they first saw that Bread which God rained downe from Heaven for them They said one to another saith the Text it is Mannah or as the Septuagint and Montanus with others render it according to the Originall Man-Hua Quid hoc What is this And is not this the language of some amongst us at this day touching that Bread of life which God daily raineth from Heaven for the feeding the soules of his people These sacred Ordinances of his his Word and Sacraments Man-Hua Quid hoc What are thâ—se Ordinances indeed but they cannot have them in the way of an Ordinance as they say dispenced in a due Order after such a manner as they would have and therefore nothing worth especially wanting some other Ordinances to attend and accompany them A dangerous surfet my Brethren Such was that of the Israelites which they tooke of their Mannah We can see nothing say they but this Mannah this we know not what Why what would they have some other dish besides They would have flesh to their Mannah Who shall give us flesh to eâ—â— And without this their Mannah was nothing worth they were weary of it A dangerous surfet so that proved to them God heard their prayers gave them their desires sent them in another dish a second course dish and that a dainty one Quailes but they had better have been without it I pray God the like Maladiâ— amongst us doe not meet with a like Remedy the like sinne I meane our inordinate lusting understand iâ— rightly do not meet with a like punishment Certainly this surfetting of our Mannah a disease which begins to grow too epidemicall it can presage no good For this cause it was that the Carkases of so many of the Israelites fell in the wildernesse In Memoriall whereof they called the place where those Carkases were buried Kibroth Hattaavah Sepulchra concupisceâ—â—iae The grâ—â—es of lust For saith the Text there they buried the people which fell a lusting I will not I dare not say that for this cause so many Carkases are fullâ—â— amongst us in this Kingdom at this day I dare not write Kibroth Hattaavah upon the Sepulchers of any that have yet â—â—llen in this unhappy quarrell the ground whereof is said to be not Reformation but Selfe preservation not the obtaining of what we never yet had but the retaining of what God and the Law have invested us in and possessed us of But this I dare say and this I must say that the inordinate lusting of some amongst us though after things in themselves very desirable their inordinate lusting I say when they shall so lust after
persons openly wicked all associated together in the same outward profession A truth which needeth no probation This is the House wherein there are vessels of all sorts some of purer richer others of courser baser mettall In a great House saith the Apostle there are not only vessels of Gold and of Silver but also of wood and of earth some to honour and some to dishonour A place worthy the pawsing on and considering Haply it may give satisfaction to some groundlesse scandals and offences taken by some at those undesired deplored mixtures which are to be found in the Churches of God amongst us In a great House saith he What is meant by this great House why the whole World say some which is Gods House indeed he being the God and Father of all the Families in Heaven and earth Gods House and his Great House And in this great House there are vessels of Gold and of Silver and of wood and of Earth some to honour some to dishonour i. e. some elected others reprobated and passed by So the Apostle S. Paul carrieth and applies it extending it to the whole world Rom. 9. 21. A truth but not so pertinent to this place The Great House here as Calvin and others note upon it denotes and points out more peculiarly the Church of God the visible Church So much may be collected from the Context The Church visible is a House Gods House That thou mightest know how to behave thy selfe in the House of God which is the Church of the living God saith Paul to Timothy His House and a Great House {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} the House of the Great God the Father of this Family of a great and large extent and having many Inhabitants Officers Children Servants even all those domestici fidei the household of Faith as the Apostle calleth them And in this great House saith the Apostle there are not only vessels of Gold and Silver but of wood and of earth i. e. some elect others reprobates Not only so but some good others bad bad and that oft-times not only closely and secretly but openly and apparently such Not only hypocriticall and unsound but scandalous Christians Such were those whom the Apostle speaketh of in the verses fore-going Prophane and vaine bablers men whose words did fret as a canker or cancer whose very society was infectious and dangerous Two of these he there instanceth in by Name Of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus two dangerous and damnable Hereticks denying and overthrowing that great Article of the Faith the Resurrection of the Dead which being overthrowne opens a wide doore to all lieâ—ntiousnesse and proâ—anenesse Such were these and probably some other members of that Church at that time persons scandalous and dangerous seduced themselves and seducing others Such vessels there were in that house wooden and earthen vessels vessels to dishonour {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} to dishonour and that both Passively and Actively having dishonour and shame for their portion and dishonouring the house the Church of God whereof they were members Such vessels such members there may be and oft are in the House in the Church of God persons erroneous in their judgement and scandalous in their lives Such there may be Mistake it not We speake here de Facto not de Jure not what ought to be but what may be and will be If we speake de Jure â—s it ought to be then that of the Apostle in the words fâ—re going takes place Let every one that calleth on the Name of the Lord depart from iniquity Every one that joyneth himselfe to the Church of God that taketh upon him the profession of Christianity he ought to grace his profession by an answerable conversation In Solomons Temple the vessels were all of pure Gold and such should the members of the Church of Christ be Thus it should be But thus it will not be Some there are and will be that shame their profession by an unchristian conversation Vessels to dishonour Neither is it a thing either to be stumbled or wondered at Such vessels there are in a great House and such members there will be in the visible Church which is a mixed company This point I might further inlarge and set of by those common and obvious illustrations made use of by our Saviour himselfe of the draw or drag Net wherein there are fishes of all sorts good and bad The Field wherein there was Tares as well as Wheate The wedding supper whereat there were guests of all sorts good and bad saith the Text But I will not neither need I goe from that Metaphor in the Text which is so cleare and expresse as that scarce an Expositor falls upon it but meeteth with this truth in it The Church the visible Church is a mixed company Such is the floore a place of mixture wherein there is as I said Corne and Straw Wheat and Chaff c. all brought in together Such is the Church Such it ever hath beene and such it ever will be as long as the Moone hath her spots the Church will have hers even such spots as Peter and Jude speaketh of persons scandalous in their lives disgracing the Church as spots doe the garment wherein they are And will you see some Reason why it is so Take it in a word God will have it so and Satan will have it so 1. God will have it so and that first For the tryall of his own people It is that which S. Paul saith of heresies There must be heresies why That those which are approved may be made manifest And we may say the same of Hereticks and scandalous persons There must be such in the Church I speake it as the Apostle de Facto that those which are {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} approved of God may be made manifest more manifest to the world 2. And secondly God doth it permits it as for the tryall so for the good and benefit of his own people Even as the Husbandman sometimes suffers the Corne to lye in the Chaffe that it may keepe the better And such use God sometimes makes of hypocrites of wicked and ungodly men whom hee suffers to have a Name and a Roome in his Church he maketh use of them for the good and benefit of his own people oft-times using them as Conduit pipes conveying many outward blessings and benefits to his Church through their hands tending to the outward preservation of it Thus God will have it so And secondly Satan will have it so That Eâ—viouâ— man in the Gospell which soweth Tares in the field he also casteth Chaffe into the floore Which he doth through the inadverâ—ancie of those which should watch this floore I meane those which have or should have the oversight and government of the Church Hereby seeking to poyson the Church by throwing in corruptions into
which should be one one in the Members of it I pray that they may be all one saith our Saviour speaking of all that are given to him to beleeve on him to make profession of his Name One in Head and Heart Judgement and Affection united to Christ and amongst themselves by those sacred bonds of Faith and Love how is it divided rent torne Christians Members of the same mysticall body how severed and hat both in Judgement and Affection The evidence is too cleare against us 2. And no lesse cleare in the second particular In the Personall walkings of Christians what Irregularitie amongst those which joyne themselves to the Church or Churches of God amongst us how many that walke {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Disorderly neither Righteously nor Soberly nor Godly persons every wayes Scandalous in their practise running counter to their professions shaming the Gospell of Christ and the Church of God as ungracious Children doe their Mother as worthy to be severed and seperated from all Church society and communion as ever was Leaper or uncleane person to be cast or kept out of the Campe or Temple A blot it must be acknowledged and a blot very readily hit that we should have such and so many of these Blots and Spots {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} as S. Peter and Jude calleth them in our most sacred Feasts whether for want of Power to keepe or cast them out or for want of the due exercise of that power I dispute it not That it is so de Facto it must not it cannot be denied So as in this point it seemeth that the Temple of God amongst us is yet imperfect having too great an outward Court of an Ignorant and Prophane multitude layed unto it In both these as I said the evidence is too cleare against us 3. And I will not take upon me to cleare and acquit the third and last I am no Accuser neither come I hither to pick holes in the Churches coate to passe a peremptorie censure upon what ever standeth established by the Law to which I am a Subject Yet dare I not say but even therein in point of Discipline take the word largely there may be some things and many things amisse Some things Redundant and Superfluous fit to be pared off and taken away Some things deficient and wanting wherein the Church hath not yet attained her full perfection Neither can it be thought any dishonour to those ever honoured Worthies the first Reformers of this Church that they should leave it in some particulars imperfect Strange and wonderfull it is that coming out of such darknesse they should see so much as they did that they should leave the Church so perfect which they found so imperfect and that both for Faith and Order in both like that first Chaoâ— without forme and voide But to doe them right and the Church no wrong Enquire we yet a little further of what Nature and Qualitie are those Errours those Imperfections which we suppose to be yeâ— left remaining Are they Fundamentals or no destructive to the Essence and being of a Church or no Not so This also is or I suppose will be freely yeelded and acknowledged at all Judicious hands In the first Reforming of this Church God tooke care for all fundamentall Ordinances of his worship furnishing the Church with what was necessary for the making and building up of Saints and the bringing of his people to Heaven Word Sacraments Prayer those great Ordinances of God the very Basis of the Church together with all the substantials appertaining to them were all setled and established at the first And I may adde to them the substantials of Discipline also Wherein then lyeth the Errour why surely for the most part in circumstantials Such is Order to Ordinances a Circumstance an Appurtenance And herein probably there may be some possibly many and those very considerable defects to be found amongst us The House of God amongst us may want some of her Vtensils and Ornaments The Worship of God though for substantialls entire yet may want some of her Appurtenances and Accoutrements The Ordinances of God though for substance rightly dispensed and administred yet in the manner and Order of their Administration possibly they may be found some of them at the least not so Regular and Orderly Now put these together and see what it is that standeth charged upon this Church as needing and calling for Reformation Her Defects in point of Order Her Members first are not so joynted and cemented together as the Timbers and Stones of the Temple ought to be Many of them in the second place in their personall walkings doe not answer their profession being scandalous in their lives and conversations Her Ordinances in the third place some of them defective in some Circumstances wanting some Appurtenances or else not so Exact for the Order and manner of their Administration Q. Why but you may say are these Errours and Defects Tanti are they of such high concernement as that the Reformation of them should be so earnestly desired A. To this I must answer and I shall doe it freely Of Concernement they are and that of great concernement Though not of so great as some have taken them to be who have forsaken and abandoned the Church for them renouncing nullifying it as being no floore because of these remainders of chaffe in it no Church because of these defects these corruptions Yet of greater then others happily conceive them That will appeare if we doe but consider these two things 1. The Inconveniency of allowing or tolerating of these corruptions 2. The conveniencie of their Reformation For the former Corruptions in a Church are like Moathâ—s in a Garment if let alone they will be subject to decay it Many and great are the Inconveniencies and hazzards which the Church of God amongst us by reason of these acknowledged corruptions or imperfections at the present lyeth under 1. The want of unity and agreement what an Eye-sore Nay what a Heart-sore For the Divisions of Reuben were great thoughts of heart To see the seamelesse Coat of Christ nay his Body rent and torne in pâ—eces Christians members of the same mysticall body so divided in head and heart in judgement and affection a sad spectacle and as sad a presage Vnity as it is the Beauty so is it the strength of a Church No one thing either deformes or weakens it more then division 2. To have the outward Court of the Temple so wide as that it should admit and receive all comers what a disproportion To have all sorts of persons Persons openly profane and scandalous received into and retained in the bosome of the Church admitted to Church society and Communion even communion in those sacred mysteries the Seales of the Covenant what a scaâ—dall What a Hazard Hereat and hereby some are offended others hardened the Church