〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he saith that the Elephant loves men I would have all these properties meet in every one of these Worthy Citizens that are any way betrusted with the Government of the City The God of Heaven give you wisdom and give you to remember all Providential Dispensations that are past and deliver you from passion and gall and make you flock together and head together and teach you to love men All this would still engage you against a common Enemy Love men as men love the bodies of men and you have given a most glorious accompt of that this year to your praise I must report it here is this year c. why here is a glorious proof of your love to men Love their bodies love their souls love them as Christians especially love them as Saints have a care to breed them up in Callings train them up in some degree of learning this is most honorable and I hope being done with an honest heart it will further your accompt at the great Day I yet dare take the boldness to adde the Rules which I chiefly intended Some Rules now for your pursuance of Truth and some for the pursuance of Love that they may be happily married this day For Truth let the Word of God be Rule and Judge when you enquire after Truth study the revealed will of God and make use of revelations in concurrence with the Word of God but do not set up revelations against the Word of God It was a desperate expression from Valde in a Book of his in great request now adays it is true he had many things good in him considering the darkness of the times wherein he lived a Spaniard saith he We must use the Scriptures as we use Pictures he was a Papist use Pictures for a while till we get apprehension of the thing or person realized to us then throw them away because now we can pray without Pictures So use the Scriptures till we have got our mindes raised and elevated and then we need no Scriptures The Lord deliver us from this Opinion which tends to undermine the very Word of Christ. Far be it from me to say any thing against New-Light properly so called though there is some so called which is I doubt Darkness nor against all Revelations for there is a Spirit of Revelation but I desire it may be wisely considered how the Spirit of Revelation discovers it self Thus chiefly not in bringing in a New Gospel and such New Dispensations to us as many talk of but in Discovering that Word which he hath revealed and we have by us in raising our mindes to understand that word more fully and those works of God that are in it more clearly I would heartily bless God for it in my self or in others if it were such a Spirit of Revelation as should help me to see any Word of God or any Work of God in me more clearly This is the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation the Apostle to the Ephesians speaks of but if you 'll talk of Revelations that you have Revelations beyond the Word and it may be sometimes in a maner contrary to the Word surely this is not the way of truth There is a poor old man Hero in Cassianus that thought he had a Revelation that when he was in the bottom of a pit he should get out but for all his Revelation he was deceived I desire such things may be considered The next thing is this Minde Truth wisely I would say under this head 1. Be sure it be Truth that you contend for not for unwarranted Ceremonies not for trifles for those things that deserve not the name of Divine Truth And then 2. Proportion your zeal to the nature of Truth There are some Truths de fide circa fidem and in some sence praeter fidem I must not allow the like zeal for all I will have the Substantial part of my zeal for Substantial Truths and for other Truths so much zeal as the nature of them calls for This is to minde Truth wisely this is that that becomes you And then withal Minde Truths according to the directions of Truth 1. Meddle not with things too high be sober A Spirit of Sobriety in Divine things and Modesty in Secret things is most suitable to a Saint Rom. 12.3 2. Minde not Curiosities with neglect of those things that are necessary Affirm constantly saith Paul to Titus that those that are believers maintain good works but as for fables let them go Tit. 3.8 3. If you 'll do what becomes you concerning Truth Do not clap a Jus Divinum rashly upon every one of your Opinions O that brings us into a great deal of bondage divers things may be very good and yet better and more safely settled as Prudentials as Humane Constitutions then as Divine Constitutions unless we be sure we are upon Scripture-grounds then I say nothing against it What is the reason now that the Pope cannot alter I have heard it from some that have spoke with learned sober Papists asking them What think you of Transubstantiation or the like Opinions they profess Though we would yet we cannot alter them the Pope having asserted them who is infallible so that if we change one Point of our Religion we spoil all Truly if we clap a Jus Divinum we cannot alter it for we are engaged to hold it though we were mistaken I had rather settle too little then too much then we leave room for New Discoveries We may better adde then diminish I cannot take away a Jus ` Divinum without a great deal of disparagement Do not presently obtrude with confidence your own conceits upon others but rather mistrust them Learned men have had their Errors the wisest men have been deceived and do not rashly run from one Extremity to another Chrysostom he would and others they would run from the Manichees so far that they went too far towards Pelagius Many of us run so far from Popery and Prelacy that we run into other Extremities very dangerous and unhappy O take heed let me adde this further as you would be friends to truth Know that you have to deal with those men that will bring in Errors sensim sine sensu as the Devil dealt with Adam and Eve at first how did he beguile them he corrupted their mindes by degrees take heed of his methods from the simplicity that is in Christ You shall first have a little step and something like a Truth and that may be disputed at first then comes another and then comes another and so at last you are involved in inextricable Errors But the sixth and last thing I shall say under this head Take heed of being too far engaged in a party it is the way to sell a mans judgement for if I be one of a party I must strain hard to say as they say and subscribe as they
weigh the place meekly I desire not to meddle with mens persons but I must be faithful to Jesus Christ and the souls of his people and according to the light he hath given me I shall endeavor to make it appear that Interpretation is not consistent with the Text Jesus Christ in the 18. Verse of the 28. of Matthew saith All power is given to me in heaven and earth go therefore and teach all nations Teach all nations surely if this Dispensation be now ended if the Ministry be at an end all nations cannot be taught and so Jesus Christ will lose some of his elect for they cannot be call'd in for there must be no Teaching it seems no Ministery 2. Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I commanded you All nations will never be taught all things whatsoever Jesus Christ commands them and the Apostles and Ministers cannot fulfil their commission if the Ministery be ceased and we must have no Ministery and no Ordinances to instruct them in all these things And lo lo Christ would have you take notice of it I am with you not onely I will be with you but am with you and that every day he is with you always always even to the end of the world 4. The end of the world What to the end of this Dispensation and for the age of this Ministration only brethren I could fetch it out of the very Original it self whereas he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Signifies an Age I grant it doth but it signifies Eternity many times in Scripture For thine is the Kingdom Power and Glory for ever and ever I am sure of it there it is not a Dispensation onely And then for the end I could fetch it not onely out of Plato but also out of the Septuagint and out of other places where that Greek word signifies Consummation therefore there must be an end but let us go on further I l'e ask any man that will say these words that I am with you to the end of the World That is to the end of this Dispensation When did this Dispensation begin in what year did it begin Let any man tell me that Jesus Christ will be with his Disciples or Ministers to this hundred year or to this age and then he forbears Is it to all persons or to these persons onely then who are they I would very fain have these plain Questions resolved O you 'l say it is till the Spirit comes the Spirit comes Why the Spirit was coming ever since Jesus Christ ascended and doth come with new lights daily and the Spirit will be coming till Jesus Christ come again the second time 6. And I would ask further I beseech you unless there be a Ministery how shall we have Popery confuted You say because Popery hath defiled the Ministery there is no Ministery I say Popery must be confuted by the Ministery you may burn an Arrian on the head but Arrianism must be confounded by the Ministery you may hang a Papist but we know that you can never confute Popery but by the light of the Ministery and Paul hath said this The Pope shall be destroyed by the brightness of Christs coming viz. in the ministry of the Gospel 7. I would know this also If the faith were once delivered to the Saints that is Once for all as Interpreters have expounded it What shall we have a new Edition or a new Gospel had we not an everlasting Gospel before Nay further Jesus Christ will give up all things to the Father When when he hath conquer'd all his Enemies and after the Resurrection and then God will be all in all Well they say they are Goded and Christed and God is immediately in them and they are under the third Dispensation and we are still under these low Administrations then they must make us believe the Resurrection is past for God shall never come to be all in all and Jesus Christ never give up his Kingdom till the Resurrection be past and then further go now to the neighbor words of my Text He gave gifts to men that all might come to the Vnity of the faith and to a perfect stature All come and therefore be confident I dare venture my soul upon it which is a great word that Jesus Christ will have a Ministery more or less till he have brought in all the Elect and I have this ground for it out of the word He gave gifts Pastors and Teachers till all come to the Unity of the faith and to the acknowledgement of the Son of God and to a perfect stature Now if they say there is no Ministery then they must make us believe that all the Saints are come in and that there is a perfect number c. and their graces compleated but I must spare my self the time is past I have had late and sad experience what it is to spend too much upon weak Spirits not recovered though I confess I intended most upon the third point Following the truth in love What is this Truth Why as Gods glory is the Constellation of his Attributes as Gods happiness is the absoluteness of his self-sufficency as Gods holiness is the impression of his image as comfort from God is the glimpse of his loving countenance as the learning we receive is a beam of his wisdom falling upon us so indeed Truth is the issue the representation and the discovery of his revealed will and of his minde to us concerning Doctrine and Worship What we should know and what we should practice What is Love not onely a Love to the Truth that is good not onely a love to Christ the head that is as good and the proper genius of Saints carries them to both these but indeed a love to the Saints to the Members love the brethren love the corporation of Saints in 1 Pet. 2. v. 7. What is it to follow or speak the Truth here For Explication where three things considerable The Greek word here signifies sometimes To speak the Truth in Gal. 4.16 To do the Truth in John 3.21 and in Eph. 4.24 To follow the Truth with a sincere constancy so learned men interpret it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth answer to an Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Niphal that signifies to be firm and to be constant and so doubtless it is a great part of the meaning here by the opposition That you may be no more as children tossed to and fro but following the Truth in Love that is following it with constancy and firmness and cleaving to it I humbly conceive To speak the Truth here is too straight as will appear if you please to compare the Context I chuse rather to take the largest sence adoring the deep and mysterious fulness of holy Scripture so to seek follow and embrace the Truth with that firm constancy that we should be ready to speak
Grave into Hell Also the Fourteenth of the Acts They ordained them Elders they loved to cry up Consecration of Churches and Dedication and such kinde of things and Episcopal Ordination too for these all advanced the power of the Priests and the Bishops which brought in Transubstantiation amongst Papists and therefore in the Geneva Translation that was render'd chosen by suffrages by lifting up of hands the word Primarily imports that it may be in some of the Fathers it includes both they will tell you because afterwards having chosen Elders by Suffrages or Voyces they did Ordain them Next I come to the first of the Corinthians 12.28 An abominable violence offered to the Original God hath set in the Church Apostles Teachers Helps Governments and you shall finde here a great imposture it may be now altered appearing so gross but I have seen it and read it in some Translations Helps in Government which is a most horrible prodigious violence to the Greek words for they are both the Accusative case Helps there are Elders Government there are Deacons now to obscure these you must put it helps in Government I had it related since the delivery of this plain Sermon by one who most confidently affirmed it That the learned man to whom it belonged to Translate the first Book of Samuel having rendred that which Samuel from God spake concerning Saul 1 Sam. 8.11 This shall be the maner of the King that shall reign over you He will take your sons c. He was sent for to Lambeth and there perswaded to make the words Will take your sons c. Shall take which he conscienciously refused well knowing it was not spoken by Samuel to Saul by way of direction for duty what he should do but Prophetically and Eventually what he would do And then lastly for Easter this was another place that was altered as you have heard to keep up that holy time of Easter as they would think it for herein was the innocency though unhappiness unto us of the Primitive Worthies and other Christians these had fair intentions in bringing in many things they thought to win upon the Heathen and therefore would not wholly anull but change things change some of their great Feasts into Christmas-time change now it may be Pentecost into Whitsontide and the Passover into Easter it had a good intent but minding their own intentions more then Gods Word their Rule you see how these constitutions of men are degenerated Now I beseech you let us not suffer our selves to be abused when a word Easter shall be thrust in for it was divers hundred years after Peter that the word Easter came in shall we therefore go and keep up an Easter Communion above all times else for such pretences as these are Brethren the more you joyn Truth and Love together the more you 'll be free from these fond kinde of Devotions And let me say this It is Blinde Devotion indeed and many men that are so zealous for these and women too they think to get protection for other courses It may be many a Lady that paints and spots and trifles away precious time if she be but zealous at an Easter Communion she thinks to get a protection for all vanities else A Citizen if he be a Patron to such a Minister frequent Lectures then he may be frollick and vain and loose c. Here is Love without Truth Let me adde this Truth without Love makes many swell and contemn others and Love without Truth edifies to Superstition and to Idolatry sometimes What brought in Praying to Saints but Love without Truth But you 'll allow me to be so indulgent to my self as that if either the ordinary place or the ordinary time be not observed to pity a man that hath seven moneths labored under a quartane Ague and had a fit late last night I might make three Uses and the first should have been this To shew you why many Professors are so barren and many Christians so dry and unstable amongst you because they have not minded this conjunction of Truth and Love which is the Gospel method to grow up into Christ and so to our Spiritual thriving For upon him all our fruit is found Hos. 14.8 Take this as a Use of Caution I beseech you would to God I knew what language to speak to win upon you I would beseech you this Honorable Representative City who have so great an influence have been so much concerned and are still so much interested to beware that you suffer not your selves by any policies of men or cunning undermining whatsoever to be cheated of your Truth and Love lest you lose your selves and Religion and City and Estates and indeed the Kingdom Brethren there are desperate Designs on foot and as so much good hath been brought to this Kingdom heretofore by the City and their Zeal and their Purses and their Courage and their Fidelity so now there hath been of late great tryings of conclusions how to work upon the City so far to make them instrumental for the destruction of all and the Devil hath many active Soldiers abroad First There is indeed one unhappy Regiment of those that are Erroneous though divers of them very honest-hearted and of those that are not such friends to love as they should be and certainly much hath been our misery by reason of uncharitable mistakes of Errors in matter of Faith and Schisms in point of Love Secondly There is another Jesuitical Atheistical Prophane Party that take advantage of these Errors and these Divisions as he saith They do fish in troubled waters that know how to improve all these Errors and Divisions to drive on their own Design and nothing more ordinary then for some Malignants though I love not names or disaffected persons call them what you will those that are no friends to Truth and Love nor Parliament nor Army nor any Scripture-Reformation they will come in one company and aggravate the Miscarriages of the Parliament and Army Now what is their plot to keep open the Breach that so at last Episcopacy and the old Common-Service-Book may come in again Who sees not this And I confidently say and pray God it may be considered in time that you out of any Discontent or out of any passionate Animosities I hope the Lord will keep so wise a City from it suffer not your selves to be ridden by them Do you not remember first they would have divided Army and Parliament there was a time God prevented that Do you not remember there was a time they would have divided City and Army the Lord keep you from that evil And now their last conclusion is to divide those that are Friends and engaged in one Covenant to try if they can set England and Scotland at variance and engage them in Blood again And this is their Plot and how shall they bring this about O by that malignant Jesuite