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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A91897	Christ the perfect pattern, of a Christian's practice, being the substance of severall sermons, about the Imitation of Christ. / Preached by the reverend and faithfull minister of Jesus Christ, Mr. Ralph Robinson, late minister of Mary Wolnoth London. Published by Sim. Ash, Wil. Taylor, Sam. Clarke.	Robinson, Ralph, 1614-1655.	1658 (1658)	Wing R1709; Thomason E1818_1; ESTC R209810	135,574	295

he will soon put to flight all opposers 2d Vse How unlike to Jesus Christ are the greatest part of Christians in our dayes we may take up sad complaints against sundry sorts of persons 1 There are some like Gallio that care for no such things as the worship of God They are Act. 18. 17. indifferent whether they have Religion amongst them or no if they have the worship of God they can be content and if the Tabernacle of God be removed they can bear it without grief it doth not much trouble their spirits though all the Synagogues of God in the Land be burnt up So they may enjoy their civil liberties have free Trading secure their Estates raise their Families fill their Treasuries with the good things of this life they are not much solicitous for the concernments of Religion or the worship of God They will not much dispute against Religion neither will they contend for it with any great life the presence of Religion is no great burden to them and the want of it is no great losse They will not repine if they have the Ark and they will not be greatly offended if they have it not if the Ordinances of God be in the Temple t is well and if the buyers and sellers there be t is not much amisse They stand in aequilibrio as to these matters if Religion dwell in their Coasts they will not thrust it out of doors and if it be removing they will not lament after it nor beg its continuance They are affected with these matters as some men are with their ordinary friends if they will stay with them they will not bid them be gone and if they have a minde to depart they will not desire their stay c. They are concerning Religion of that minde which Paul commands believing Husbands to be of towards their unbelieving Wives 1 Cor. 7. 13. 15. If she be pleased to dwell with him let him not put her away but if she will depart let her depart so they say and so they act concerning Religion and the Ordinances of God I have a few things to say to such They are not like the Gaderenes Matth. 8. 34. Nor are they like the two Disciples Luk. 24. 29. 1. Certainly they are not acted by the Spirit of Jesus Christ his was a fiery Spirit but theirs is a cold Spirit he had life they are dead 2. God hath threatned that he will spue such luke-warm Christians out of his mouth Rev. 3. 15 16. They are just between Heaven and Hell They are like Ephraim Hos 7. 8. Half-baked The Prophet Elijah chides such halters as these 1 Reg. 18. 21. 3. The Ordinances of God are not very like to do much good upon the Spirits of such Christians The Kingdom of Heaven suffers violence and the violent take it by force Mat. 11. 12. Heaven must be stormed or never entred 2 Others there are who are zealous against the worship of God and against Religion Some are very zealous for superstition the Traditions of their Fathers Unsawful and unwarranted Ceremonies and sinful Inventions of men in the worship of God such was Demetrius and his Associates Acts 19. 24. He was as hot for the golden shrines for Diana as if they had been the golden Plates of the Temple Great is Diana of the Ephesians Such were those old Idolaters with whom the Prophet Jeremiah had to do Jer. 44. 16 17. We will do as we have done We and our Fathers to burn incense to the Queen of Heaven They are grieved to see any endeavour to purge the waters of the Sanctuary from defilements Others are zealous for errors in Doctrine They would have an unlimited Toleration of all opinions and all kindes of worship in the Church of God The Woman Jezebel shall have liberty to vent her falsehoods as well as the Prophets of God to preach their Truths Antichrist shall have his Throne as well as Christ Altars shall be set up to the unknown God as well as to the true God the Ministers of Satan shall keep as free Markets as the Ministers of Christ the envious man shall have Field-room to scatter his Tares as well as the Seeds-men of the Gospel their wheat And if any of the Ministers of Christ out of zeal to Gods glory endeavour to whip out these abuses out of the Temple they are looked upon as firebrands Incendiaries by them who are the true Incendiaries They are reputed worse then Theeves because they disturb this Den of Theeves from nesting in the Temple of God They are looked upon as abominable because they would sweep out these abominations They are thought unworthy to have a liberty in the Kingdom because they will not proclaim a liberty to all these false wayes in the Church the Kingdom of Christ This zeal is certainly none of that which was in Christ It is Diabolical zeal like the unruly Tongue set on fire of Hell James 3. 6. Jesus Christ whipt the buyers and sellers out of the Temple and these lash such as would whip them out Jesus Christ was sore displeased with the Angel of Thyatira for suffering such corruptions Rev. 2. 20. and they are displeased with the Angels of the Churches because they will not tolerate such corruptions Jesus Christ would not have any bid God speed to such 2 Epist John 10 and they would have such embraced and encouraged Jesus Christ saith the mouthes of such as teach false Doctrines must be stopped Tit. 1. 11. And they are ready to stop the mouthes of such as would have these disturbed Jesus Christ layes a Command upon Ministers and Magistrates to apprehend these Foxes but they lay snares for such as would have them apprehended vid. Cant. 2. 15. Take us the Foxes the little Foxes c. Answ By Foxes there we are to understand Hereticks and false Prophets as Ezech. 13. 4. they are Foxes for their subtilty therefore the Apostle calls them deceitful workers transforming themse●ves into the Apostles of Christ 2 Cor. 11. 23. Now Christ would have these taken and rooted out The Church is to take them by censuring confuting and casting them out of the Church and the godly Magistrate is to take them by penal lawes civil punishments c. vid. Deut. 13. 6 7 8 9. which is again Zech. 13. 3. applyed to Gospel-times And that Law was given by Jesus Christ the Mr. Cotton Bloody Tenet washed c. p. 66. 67. Angel of Gods presence whom God promised to send with his People Exod. 33. 2 3. And that Angel was Christ whom they tempted in the Wilderness 1 Cor. 10. 9. Therefore Jesus Christ appointed the civil Sword for a Remedy in such a case and hath not repealed it in the Gospel And accordingly the good Kings of Judah exercised this power Asa Joash Josiah and are commended for so doing Nor are only the greater and the worser sort of Foxes to be taken but even the little Foxes the lesser sort of errors

false Teachers which also do much spoyl in the Church And yet these men would have the Foxes nourished Those gins of penal Lawes which zealous Magistrates have made to take these Foxes must now be repealed that they may devoure uncontrolably And yet these men have the impudence as to repute themselves the chief Patrons if not the only friends of Religion and are displeased with those who account them otherwise But wisdom is justified of her Children If they be the friends of Religion Religion hath no enemies in the World Is he a friend to his Patient who knowing him to be full of mortal Diseases will suffer no effectual meanes to be used which may remove them then are these men friends to Religion Is he a Friend to his Garden who plucks up the hedge and proclaims liberty to all kinde of wilde Beasts to come and tread down the flowers then are the Patrons of Toleration friends to Religion Is he a Friend to a Garison City who would have all the watch Towers demolished all the Works slighted all Guards removed and proclaim License for all enemies to come in and plunder and destroy at their pleasure Then are they friends to Religion who contend for this universal Toleration If these be the Guardians of Religion Religion is not like to be long lived under their protection God grant Religion better Protectors How soon will our Church be overflow●n if liberty be granted to all Hereticks and seducers to spread their pernicious Doctrines if all manner of Religions be let in true Religion at least the power of it will soon be destroyed All you who have any Interest in the Bridegroom of the Church awaken him by your prayers that he would scourge such defilers out of his Temple who for sinful respects and private advantage would permit all cheats and deceivers to put off and vent their abominable falshoods in the Church of Christ how soon would a City be infected if all rotten unwholsom meats should be freely sold in an open Market This is the way to make a whole Church sick not to make a sick Church whole God hath told us of a better cure to recover a sick Church Jer. 33. 6. Peace and truth not dissension and error is the way to recover a languishing Church a dying Nation And that which doth most highly aggravate this wickedness is this That it s endeavoured by a People who have solemnly promised to settle purity of truth and purity and unity of worship and to abolish all false wayes of worship and all things contrary to sound Doctrine 3d Vse Exhortation 1 John 2. 6. Let us be zealous for the House of God as Christ was zealous for the Doctrine zealous for the worship of Gods House In this use I shall 1. Give Motives 2. Some Rules 3. Meanes Motive 1. 'T is that which is commanded every Christian vid. Jude 3. Contend earnestly for the Faith once delivered to the Saints 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word notes a holy heat eagerness and violence Rev. 3. 19. Be zealous therefore and repent Motive 2. The Saints of God who are renowned in Scripture they have been zealous in these matters The fire of God hath sparkled out of their mouthes we may see their hands feet hearts lips red hot with zeal for the house of their God Nehemiah how zealous was he against the corruptions of Gods Courts he could not endure any filthiness there when he understood that Elias●ib the Priest had given to Tobiah his Kinsman one of the Chambers of the Temple for his private use where the things for Gods worship were wont to be laid see how his Spirit works against that corruption Neh. 13. 8 9. He cast forth his Houshold-stuffe out of the Chamber and commanded the Chambers to be cleansed and brought again the Vessels of the House of God with the meat-offering and the Frankincense And when he understood that the Levites and Priests who did the service of Gods House had been defrauded of their portions designed for that work see how zealously he contended with the Rulers and so reforms that corruption vid. vers 10 11 12 13. When he saw the Sabbaths of the Lord prophaned see how he bestirs himself vers 15 16 17 18 19 20 21. Elijah also was a man of zeal for Gods House vid. 1 Reg. 19. 10. 14. He hath reference to that zealous act of his upon the Prophets of Baal Cap. 18. 40. David Psal 69. 9. The Apostle Paul Acts 17. 16. His Spirit was stirred within him when he saw them wholly given to Idolatry Moses how was his Spirit set on fire when he saw the Idol-Calf set up and worshipped Exo. 32. 20 21 22. And generally all the Prophets and Apostles So the primitive Martyrs and Confessors c. All these should be as sparks to set our hearts on fire and those holy mourners in Ezekiels time Cap. 9. 4. they had a zeal for Gods worship vid. Cap. 8. see what those abominations were Corruptions in the House of God defilements in Worship Vid. Luc. 6. 15. Simon the Zelot They had a jealousie against the Image of jealousie set up in the House of God These are written for our learning and imitation Motive 3. Consider what a long and hot Summer we have enjoyed of the Ordinances of God The Gospel of God hath been preached amongst us for almost 100. yeares since the first Reformation And are we still cold and careless This should put some life into us We have had many burning Tapers who have wasted themselves to heat us c. Motive 4. Consider how likely we are to lose the Worship and Ordinances and the Truth if our zeal do not keep them with us Never was there more heat against the Truth and Worship of God then now there is Some are zealously undermining the very Foundation of Gods House endevoring to take away all that which hath a tendency to support Religion laying snares for Ministry removing all that which should maintain Ministry and Worship that so the Levites may flee every one to his field setting up the lowest of Gen. 47. 22. the People to be Preachers in the Church opening a door to Idolatry by endeavouring to take away all punishments from Papists and Idolaters c. This is enough to turn Ice into flames to make the coldest heart to burn violently with zeal for God This was that which made Elijah so zealous he looked upon the Worship of God as being in danger to be lost 1 Reg. 19. 10. They have forsaken thy Covenant throwen down thy Altars slain thy Servants with the Sword and I only am left c. The glorie of the Lord seems to be removing from the Cherubims to the Threshold of the Temple and if we be not now more then ordinarilie zealous Religion will be gone Motive 5. Consider how zealous all People are for their false Worships Papists what heat is there in them for their Idols The Worshippers of

and goe to some forraine Prince without letters of credence from rhe King 3. Use Exhortation 1 Let us learne from A generall rule and direction not to act without a lawfull call hence not to take any office or publick work upon us in Church or State without lawfull appointment by those who have lawfull Authority no not in civill things 1 Cor. 7. 20. 1. T is sinfull 2. T is dangerous 2 T is a dangerous thing to take any work without a due appointment What dost you heare Elijah Christ would not be a judge Man who made me a Judge 1 Such can expect no successe or comfort Pro. 3. 6. Ps 91. 11. Promise is made to Saints in their own wayes in what they undertake They cannot goe to God to beg a blessing upon their labours They are none of his Servants Who hath required this at your hands Nay they may expect the curse of God c. for their usurpation They confound Callings 2 If the work they have in hand do miscarry they have nothing to support their spirits in such a time T is a mans call which encourageth him in case of disappointments he meets with in his work c. Jacobs call was his comfort when he was way-laid by his Brother vid. Gen. 32. 9. 10. 11. If they suffer they will suffer as busie bodies in other mens matters Gods-call armes men against any inconveniences we must row in a storme if God calls Abraham Heb. 11. 16. Qui habet certum Dei verbum in quacunque vocatione credat tantum audeat dabit deus hand dubie secundos successus Luther 1 Nor is it enough that the work in it self be lawfull Uzzah's work was lawfull enough To keep the Arke from falling 2 Sam. 6. 6. 2 Nor will it serve that they have a good intention Uzzah had a good intention Saul had a good intention in sacrificing vid. 1. Sam. 13. 7. 8. c. And so in sparing the Amalekites cattle 1 Sam. 15. 21. It s a maxim Malum factum excusatur Stock on Mal. cap. 1. p. 84. per bonam intentionem opposed by all our Divines 3 Nor is it enough that you have abilities to discharge the work of the place Vzzah had abilities enough for what he did As the danger is great so is the sin great to act without a call for t is a despising of Gods power who hath right to set men where he will It s a casting off of Divine Dominion There lies a Quo warranto against all such persons vid. Minsheus dictionary p. 598. 2 T is a despising of Gods wisdome as though he knew not who were fittest for every employment Christ would not act in this kind Man who made me a Judge Luc. 12 Let Christs call be a generall rule for you not to step out of your place to any work without a warrantable commission He that breaks this hedge a Serpent will bite him Eccles 10. 8. 2 Let us thankfully acknowledge this appointment of Christ to this work Blesse God for this designation of Christ All the good you have or expect by Christ is made over to you by vertue of the Fathers appointment he is made unto us of God wisdome c. vid. Ro. 7. 25. he thanks God as well as Christ so vid. Phil. 2. 11. he mentions the glory of God When we reade of the Priviledges purchased by our high-Priest as we are to be thankfull to Christ so let us not forget that we are as much engaged to God for his designation and appointment He hath made us accepted through the beloved Eph. 1. 6. God hath done it And God saith the Apostle was in Christ reconciling c. God did it 2 Cor. 5. 18. 4. Vse Consolation 1 It gives us comfort that Christ is no impostor deceiver c. but he of whom the Prophets foretold Tutò acquiescant in eo fideles Calvin in Textum 2 It gives us a ground of great comfort and assurance that God will readily accept of all that which Christ hath done for us and that he will readily and freely put us into possession of all that which Christ hath purchased for us and which he hath promised in Christ Since he was made our high Priest by Gods appointment and ordination nothing surely of all the good purchased shall be kept back This is the first doctrine from Christs Call 2. We come to the Execution of this trust 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Doct. Christ did very faithfully discharge all that trust which was reposed in him by God as the Apostle and high Priest of our profession As he was free in undertaking so he was very faithfull in accomplishing Heb. 2. 17. Rev. 1. 5. Esa 11. 5. By his Prophets of old 1 Pet. 1. 10. 11. Heb. 3. 7. 1 Pet. 3. 19 By himselfe and his Apostles afterwards Fidelity appeares in all his Offices 1 He was faithfull in his Propheticall office 1 He did exactly and plainly reveale and make known to the Church the whole Counsell will of God He kept nothing from them which was necessary for them and which was given him in Commission to unfold for their benefit vid. Ioh. 15. 15. Though he was flattered by some and threatned by others as the Gospell witnesseth many times in danger of his life and at last actually died for it yet he would not from a thred to a shooe latchet hide any thing from the Church For this cause was I borne and for this cause came I unto the world that I should beare witness to the truth Joh. 18. 37. When the Scribes and Pharisees had corrupted the doctrine of the Law by their false glosses Our Saviour Math. Cap. 5 6 7. in his Sermon upon the Mount vindicates the law from those false glosses and expounds it in the spirituality thereof Nothing concerning doctrine worship government discipline necessary and fundamentall but Jesus Christ hath faithfully discovered 2 Inlightning the minds of his elect inwardly by his spirit Iohn 6. 45. Act. 16. 14. 3 As he revealed the Truth so did he confute all false doctrines and opinions which were opposite to Truth This was a part of his propheticall off●ce Not onely to lay down Truth positively but to oppose all Heterodox opinions How many times shall you heare him publikely confuting the false Tenets of the Scribes and Pharisees of the Saduces Herodians c. vid. Math. 22. 29. vid. ver 23. ad 34. and other Sects in those times 4 He appointed a standing ministery qualified with Authority and furnished with gifts graces and abilities to teach publickly in his Church Prophets Priests and Scribes under the old Testament vid. 1 Pet. 1. 11. 12. and 1 Pet. 3. 18. 19. By Apostles Evangelists Pastors and Teachers under the Gospell Math. 28. 18. 19. Eph. 4. 8. 11 12 13. 2 Cor. 5. 18 19 20. This belonged to the Propheticall office of Christ 2. He was faithfull in all the parts of his Kingly office viz.

7. 26. He had no sinful venome within nor was ever guilty of the least sinful Imagination word or thought yet could his heart break within him to behold the woful miscarriages of others He could powre out teares when he saw men powring out their abominations The unbelief the blasphemies the prophanesses which he observed amongst the Sons of men were a cause of grief vexation and trouble to his righteous soul from day to day And this is grounded upon these Considerations viz. 1 Reas From that hearty respect and affection he bore to the honour of God his Father As the Father had a singular affection to the Son so the Son bare a singular love to his Father He did every thing for his Fathers glory Joh. 8. 49. He lived he died he wrought he prayed he preached for the glory of his Father He rejoyced when he saw his Father glorified and he mourned when he was dishonoured Now he knew that the sins and impieties of men did deface his Fathers glory therefore he was both angry and grieved for them vid. Psal 69. 9. That this Psalm was penned concerning Christ will appear from hence that it is cited in the new Testament as relating to him vid. Iohn 2. 17. and Rom. 15. 3. He saw that his Father was reproached by the sins of men therefore did they fall so heavily upon his Spirit A dutiful affectionate Child is troubled to see or hear his Fathers Name blasted 2 Reas From that love he bare to the souls of men our Saviour knew the price and worth of a soul how it was created how it was redeemed what the saving of it would cost and he knew that sin would be the ruine destruction of precious souls Therefore did his heart bleed within him when he saw men do any thing which would ruine their souls These Jewes did not know what the sad consequence of their malicious hardness against Jesus Christ would be but Christ knew whereto it must necessarily tend to the destroying of that Jewel in comparison of which all the World was nothing worthy therefore he mourned for them He saw such invaluable things as souls ready to fall into the pit of everlasting perdition and he could not behold it without sighes and teares 3 Reas From the Antipathy and Hatred which the soul of Christ bare to sin It was a thing which he loathed with a perfect hatred he could not look upon it without displeasure and grief what a man hates naturally he cannot behold without trouble Now whether we look upon Christ as God or as man we shall finde sin to be abhominable to his soul It s contrary to his very Nature 4 Reas That he might teach them what they should do he expresseth grief that he might set them a grieving His eyes drop that he might open in their hearts the sluces of godly sorrow In Nature one mournful countenance hath a great influence upon others to make them mourn They must needs think that there was something more then ordinary in sin which did so affect the heart of Jesus Christ Our Saviour had a design upon them to perswade with them to look more narrowly into the Nature of sin than they did before The teares which Christ shed for sin doth discover the odiousness of it as much as any thing Next to his blood nothing discovers sins vileness more than his sighs and teares Fools make a mock of sin Prov. 14. 9. But the holy wisdom of God who understands it better then we do he laments it 5 Reas Particularly for those Jewes he was grieved to consider their great unkindness towards himself how all his miracles all his preaching and all his love towards them was sleighted vilified contemned could not reclaim them could not convert them to God Though he had spent his strength amongst them though he had done such miracles as never were wrought yet their hearts were hardened against him and against his Doctrine They had from their very infancy been exercised in the Law of Moses they had known the Writings of the Prophets and besides this they had enjoyed the Ministry of Christ himself and yet were hardened This causeth grief in Christ it was wilful blindness 1. Vse Information 1. That to sorrow and mourn for sin is not an Anti-Evangelical frame of spirit It s most suitable to a Gospel-frame of heart to bewail sin It doth not derogate from the grace of Christ or the Gospel yea it honours Christ and honours the grace of the Gospel Jesus Christ who brought grace into the World he bewailes the sins of the Jewes and whosoever is like Christ will be affected as he was the purest times of the Gospel will be the most sin-lamenting times Ezech. 12. 10 11 c. 2 The truth of the humane Nature of Iesus Christ He was very man as well as very God He was made like unto us in all things sin only excepted He had the very passions belonging to humane Nature Anger love hatred fear joy sorrow c. T is true in us these passions are not without sin because our Natures are corrupted therefore our passions exceed their due bounds and overflow the banks but in Jesus Christ there was Naturae Integritas therefore passions in him were without the least irregularity He could sorrow without excesle he could be angry without sin c. whensoever we read of any mention of these passions in Christ let our Faith from hence be established in the truth of the Doctrine of his Humanity against all those soul-destroying opinions which would deny this and overthrow our Faith As some deny the Divinity of Christ so others there have been who have denyed his humanity The Familists make the Incarnation of Christ a meere Allegory the Manichees the Eutychians the Marcionites taught that Christ really and indeed had neither body nor soul but was man only in appearance Therefore let us be from hence strengthned against all such he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it s said of Elias Jam. 5. 17. therefore very man 2d Vse Exhortation 1 To that Duty enjoyned by the Apostle 1 John 2. 6. This is a Duty not much cared for by Christians 1 There are very many who can reproach others for their sins They can revile and rail upon the iniquities of others but very few who lament them 2 There are many who encourage and tempt others to do wickedly such are those in Prov. 1. 11 12 13 14. This was the sin of Jonadab 2 Sam. 13. 5. He did blow up those sparks of uncleanness which he discovered in his heart he whets the knife which was too sharp already This also was Jezebels sin 1 Reg. 21. 7. 11. 25. This was the sin of those Jewes at Antioch Acts 13. 50. and Acts 14. 2. the Jewes at Iconium 3 There are also very many every where who are glad to hear of the haltings and miscarriages of others they can rejoyce over their defilements And 4 There are

to reprove so he had zeal to reform the corruptions which he had reproved We read of two solemn Reformations of things amisse in the worship of God which Christ made with his own hands One we have in the Text. Another we read of Mat. 21. 12 13. They are two several stories This is John was done in his entrance upon his Prophetical and Kingly Office as appeares John 2. 11. That in Matth. was towards the end of his life In this of John Christ drave only the sellers out but in that of Matth. he proceeded farther and cast out both them that sold and them that bought Here in John our Saviour speaks only of the deceit of their Merchandize but there in Mat. he speaks of a Den. of Theeves First he rebukes them mildly then afterwards more severely so that twice Christ took this work into his own hand 3 His zeal for the worship of God will appear by his care in the institution of Gospel-worship when he had abolished the Jewish vid. Mat. 28. 19. 20. and Mat. 26. 26 27. And Acts 1. 3. those 40. dayes which he spent in the World after his Resurrection were passed in giving them order about worship and other matters of the Church He gave them punctual Directions for every piece of worship and bindes up their hands that they should exactly keep to the Rule Mat. 28. 20. The Reasons hereof are these 1 The work of reforming corruptions in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Church did appertain to Christ by vertue of his Offices As the Prophet and King of his Church it lay upon him to remove all the Rubbish which was in the worship of God Jesus Christ was the great Reformer and the great visitor of the Church sent from Heaven for this purpose John Baptist the immediate forerunner of Christ describes the manner of his comming Mat. 3. 13. whose Fan is in his hand and he will thorowly purge his floore c. He could not have been a faithful King if his soul had not been stirred within him at the beholding of such corruptions All the Prophets which foretold of him speak of that glory which he should bring to the Church Hag. 2. 7. vid. Zech. 6. 12 13. and Mal. 3. init 2 This proceeded from that love and dutiful Respect he bore to his Father There is nothing by which God is more dishonoured then by corruptions in worship The Name of God is in his worship and the soyling of Gods worship is the defiling of his Name Now Gods honour was very dear to Christ therefore his zeal burned within him to see such abuse done to his Father This is that which is in the verse before the Text vers 16. Make not my Fathers House an house of Merchandize The Temple was the House of God the place of his rest the place where he had set his Name c. It was the Court of God upon Earth c. Therefore was our Saviour so offended to see it polluted 3 From that love and affection he bore to Religion and to the worship of God Jesus Christ saw a great Beauty in the holy Institutions of God in the Church The Ordinances of God were glorious in his sight therefore was he so zealous against the corruptions which were in them Vid. Mat. 7. 6. Holy things Pearles those words testifie what our Saviour thought of the Institutions of God They were Pearles in his sight they were holy things in his esteem and the corruptions of men would soyl these Pearles would prophane these holy things c. 4 From that love he bore to the souls of this People 1. Some amongst them who loved the worship of God were without question much grieved to behold such defilements And for their sake did our Saviour now act so vigorously vid. Zeph. 3. 18. It s spoken there of the ●educing of the Captivity God would do it for their sakes who were grieved for the solemn Assembly c. Now it s not to be imagined but many were grieved especially after Christ had the first time acted about it Ergo. 2. All of them had losse by it This must needs cause an Intermission of those things which were to be performed in this place Both publick Instruction and publick sacrifices were to be performed in this place c. They had not then liberty to sacrifice elsewhere as we have now c. 1. Vse This is good newes for us and a ground of consolation to all the Sons and Daughters of the Church that are so in truth That the corruptions which are now in the Church shall at last be purged out and reformed It is now many years since we engaged our selves in a work of Reformation where the work hath stuck and still sticks the God of Heaven knowes very well for he can see clearly through all the masks which the Sons of men shall put upon their faces who have hindered the sweeping out of corrupt and noysom Doctrines and who have impeded the removal of false Worships and setling the true And the Lord Jesus hath not lost one spark of his zeal by ascending into Heaven And besides 1. It belongs as much to him now as it did while he was on Earth he hath not laid aside any of those Offices which he had when he was upon Earth He is still Prophet and he is still King He cannot be deposed nor dethroned from his Regency and Kingship over the Church Psal 110. per totum What charge he had on Earth he hath still in Heaven 2. His love to his Father is not any thing abated his affections are still within him burning and boyling 3. Nor is his love to the worship of God and Religion cooled the worship of God and the truth of Religion is still as precious to him as ever it was on Earth 4 Nor are his bowels straitned in the least measure towards his Servants on Earth He is still as sensible of their mournings for the corruption of worship and the defilement of Ordinances as ever he was And he is as careful of their edification as when he was on Earth The Reasons of his former zeal continue and therefore his zeal also continueth And besides all this he hath given us many promises which he will never break that his worship in the Gospel Church shall be established in purity vid. Esa 9. 7. Esa 54 11 12. which refers to the Gospel-Church Rev. 21. per totum Most understand it of a Reformation of the Church in this World Therefore lift up your heads O ye mournful Sons of Zion to whom the present corruptions in the Church are a burden Christ will at last free you from this burthen And let it not seem the lesse possible or feisible because of the small power that is visible on the Churches part or for the great visible power that opposeth it Christs whip of Cords is strong enough against all the power of Creatures If he do but take up his whip