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truth_n	scripture_n	speak_v	word_n	9,140	5	4.5911	4	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A80730	Two sermons preached at Christ-Church in the city of Dublin, before the honourable the General Convenion of Ireland. The first on Prov.11.14 at the first meeting of the said convention, March 2. 1659. The second on Jude v.19. at a publique fast appointed by the said convention, March 9. 1659. By Sem Coxe, Minister of the gospel and pastor at St. Katherines in Dublin.	Coxe, Sem.; Ireland. Parliament.	1660 (1660)	Wing C6726; Thomason E1026_21; ESTC R208752	50,638	72

and separate themselves from the Church making parties and factions therein and drawing into sect● among themselves observe avoid them Now whereas the the Apostle reckoneth up this for one of those great sins that these false teachers were guilty of that they did separate themselves from the Church of God You may observe Doct. That there is a Separation that hath been an old errour even in some men that have pretended to be knowing and religious men and have undertaken to be leaders and teachers of others You see the doctrine to be clearly grounded upon the Text These persons Jude speaketh of were such as pretended to be so full of knowledg and piety that they undertook to be guides to these Christians and again these Christians looked upon them as meet for such an employment so as the Apostle is necessitated to write unto them to admonish them that they be not seduced by them and yet though they pretended to so much they were guilty of Separation this was one of the great faults they were inclined unto I must acknowledg that this point although it be a plain truth arising naturally from the Text may seem to some to be a most unmeet point to be insisted upon in such an age as this is and especially at a publique Fa●t and before such an honorably Assembly as is now gathered together But I must profess that I judg the sin of Separation to be the great sin of our times as I said before and that therefore I am bound to give mine open testimony against it here in this publique Assembly as well as I have done in mine own more private Congregation in the worst of times which I speak not God is my witness out of any vain ostentation for I have nothing to glory in save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ but that I may withhold an occasion from them that shall seek occasion of offence at this doctrine And because I know and shall prove that there is a Separation even amongst us that is a great sin therefore I am convinced that it is my duty to speak of it upon this our day of Humiliation and that no time is more seasonable than this Yet in treating upon this point I resolve the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ assisting to use all circumspection and caution and to speak nothing but by plain proof of Scripture And therefore 1 I resolve that I will not willingly use any sharp or bitter reflections upon any that I hope do truly fear God so as justly to grieve them I know it is a foul fault to make the heart of the rightous sad whom the Lord hath not made sad Ezek. 13. 22. which is done by speaking lies and not by speaking plain Scripture truths For to the godly every word of God is sweet yea it is the joy and rejoycing of their hearts as Jeremiah speaketh Chap. 15. 16. 2 I shall in my discourse design the information of mistaken judgments rather than the dirt-daubing or bespattering of those that differ in judgment from me and that I am sure is a duty commanded Gal. 6. 1. Brethren if a man be overtaken in a fault ye which are spiritual restore such an one in the spirit of meekness 3 I will not gratify wicked prophane and superstitious men by any thing that I shall speak unto this point For that would be a great sin to strengthen the hands of the wicked that he should not return from his wicked way by promising him life as the Lord speaketh Ezek. 13. 22. I profess to hate prophanness and superstition on the one side as I do sinfull Separation on the other side That therefore I may duly qualify that which I am to speak at this time it must be known and remembred that I condemn not all Separation as sinfull I said There is a separation that is an errour not that all kind of Separation is erroneous For there is a lawfull and holy Separation and an unlawfull and unholy Separation there is a Separation commanded in the Word of God and there is a Separation forbidden in the same Word And it will be needfull and I hope profitable to speak of both these to the intent That those who decry and speak against all the people of the Lord under the name of Sectaries Schismaticks and Separatists may be convinced of their fault and humbled for their miscarriage in their rash censuring and nick-naming of those that are sound and orthodox in their judgments and That those who are guilty of this sin indeed may be informed in their judgments and if the will of God be so may also be reformed First There is then a lawfull Separation and holy Separatist Such were the Nazarites mentioned Numb 6. 1. Speak unto the children of Israel and say unto them saith the Lord when either man or woman shall separate themselves to vow a vow of a Nazarite to separate themselves unto the Lord he shall separate himself from wine c. And they were called Nazarites of Nazar separavit because they were separated from worldly occasions and devoted and sanctified to the Lord. Thus all those that are baptized into the name of Christ are by profession Separatists that is they are separated from sin the world and the devil to the use and service of God onely and they ought so to walk as those that are dead to sin but alive to God through Jesus Christ And as baptized persons are by their baptism declared to be separated and set apart to God so we are all bound to judg them to be Gods and to have full right to all Church mercies whilest they continue in that good profession This was Pauls judgment Gal. 3. 27. As many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ Yea there is a Separation strictly commanded of God and to be made by all the godly as appeareth by many Scriptures of the old and new Testament of which these are the chief Isa 52. 11. Depart ye depart ye go ye out from thence touch no unclean thing go ye out of the midst of her And Jer. 15. 19. Therefore thus saith the Lord If thou return then will I bring thee again and thou shalt stand before me and if thou take forth the precious from the vile thou shalt be as my mouth let them return unto thee but return not thou unto them And 2 Cor. 6. 17. Wherefore come out from among them and be ye separate saith the Lord and touch not the unclean thing And 2 Thes 3. 6. Now we command you brethren in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that ye withdraw your selves from every brother that walketh disorderly and not after the traditions which he received from us And Revel 18. 4. Come out of her my people I have mentioned all these Scriptures together that you may observe the harmonious consent of Gods holy Word for an holy Separation what is intended in them will be opened

are defective Secondly If ye would have true Religion to thrive and flourish then ye must also set upon the doing of those things which may promote and advance Religion I will instance onely in five things which if done would magnify our Religion wherein I become your most humble Petitioner in Christs stead 1 There is nothing can exalt Religion so much as a godly learned orthodox and painful Ministry It is said of good King Jehoshaphat 2 Chron. 17. 6. that his heart was lift up in the ways of God As if the Holy Ghost had said thus of him He did most zealously seek to promote and advance the true religion of God But what course took he to advance it That you shall see in the three next verses He provided carefully that all his people might be taught and instructed in Religion he sent teaching Levites and able Ministers into all parts of the land and Magistrates also with them to protect and encourage them in their Ministry And it is said of King Josiah that he encouraged the Priests and Levites to the service of the house of the Lord 2 Chron. 35. 2 3. That was the way he made use of for the settling of Religion Therefore I intreat That persons unordained to that great work and who despise that great Ordinance of Christ may not be admitted into any Ministerial employment in this Church and Nation That such Ministers ordained as are ignorant scandalous or unsound in judgment in the fundamentals of Religion may not be admitted to any pastoral charge in the Land That those who are already crept in may upon due proof be suspended from their places and in case they reform not ejected That all good endeavours be used to store every congregation with such a soul-saving Preacher as may seed them with knowledg and understanding And That timous care may be taken to encourage such Ministers least themselves and their families starve for want of outward necessaries whilst they deal forth their spirituals to others 2 The settlement and due administration of that Discipline or Cburch-Government which Christ hath appointed to be in his Church is of singular use to pluck up the weeds that the wheat may flourish This is that fence of Gods vineyard spoken of Isa 5. 2. that serveth both to keep in the godly and to keep out the ungodly The want of this holy discipline is a great ground of lamentation Herein I intreat That forasmuch as the matters of Church Government are of so great weight and importance ye would please therein to walk hand in hand with our Brethren in the other parts of these Dominions and That all such matters may be concluded of by a Synodical Assembly of the three Nations 3 The due administration of all Christs holy Ordinances and Institutions makes much to the flourishing condition of Religion in the Land especially of those that are the sealing Ordinances and the misusage or non-usage of those Ordinances is our great reproach in all the reformed Churches These are the food of our souls I therefore pray That all such Ministers as have the care of Congregations may be required to administer all Christs Ordinances even the sealing Ordinances to duly qualified persons within their precincts though as yet the Government of the Church be not setled Methinks it is sad that any of the Lords people should be deprived of their spiritual food and so famish whilst we are contending which is the best way of carving it out unto them And That none be permitted to administer any of the sealing Ordinances save in the parishes whereof they are Pastors unless it be by the consent of the Minister in whose Parish they desire to administer them 4 Catechising in the principles of Religion is also an excellent way and mean to propagate Religion and cause it to flourish This is milk for babes in Christ And it is for want of the due performance of this by Ministers Parents and Masters of Families that there is so little found knowledge and understanding in the Land My request therefore is That ye will by all due ways and means shew your approbation of the way of Catechising and That ye will as ye have opportunity stir up all sorts of persons in their several places to a consciencious performance of their duty therein 5 Lastly Schools of Learning do also contribute much to the flourishing state of Religion Those are the nurseries wherein grow up many plants for the use both of Church and Commonwealth May you therefore please to take this also into your serious thoughts and to provide That the University near this City and all such Schools as are already erected and founded may be nourished and maintained That fit Schoolmasters may be provided and well encouraged and That other Schools may also be erected as occasion shall require These things amongst many others that might have been mentioned I have been bold to mind you of from the Lord that so by your counsells ye may prove to be the blessed Physicians of this languishing Church and Nation I shall conclude with that speech of David to his sonne Solomon when he was to build the house of the Lord 1 Chron. 22. 16. Arise therefore and be doing and the Lord be with you The Second Sermon Jude verse 19. These be they who separate themselves sensual having not the Spirit THat it is a duty appertaining to the Ministers of the Gospel to preach the Word of God soundly and sincerely in doctrine shewing incorruptness is a thing that none will deny It is commanded that they use sound speech that cannot be condemned Tit. 2. 8 9. But that is not all that Ministers have to do they stand bound also to preach seasonable Truths otherwise they shall be found wanting in their duty toward the people of God We are informed that the right timing of a thing is that which setteth a lustre upon it Eccl. 3. 11. Every thing is beautiful in its time fruit is the best when it is ripe words though they may be truths yet lose their beauty if unseasonably spoken And therefore Solomon hath an excellent Proverb for this Prov. 25. 11. A word fitly spoken or upon its wheels as it is in the margine with a due concurrence and observation of all its circumstances Is like apples of gold in pictures of silver pleasant as apples profitable as gold and silver When the Apostle Peter observed the giddy humours of Sectaries Apostates from the faith which once they had professed he makes this the work of that time by all good means to confirm the Saints in the truth against those phantasies and to that end writeth an Epistle to them 1 Pet. 5. 12. Exhorting and testifying that this is the true grace of God wherein they stand So when Paul observed that the City of Athens was wholly given to idolatry he bendeth himself to this seasonable doctrine even to declare to them that God whom they did ignorantly worship

wise mans sayings deserve the heeding 2. But there is more than this to be considered touching Solomon for he wrote this Proverb as he did many others by inspiration of the Holy Ghost He was but the Pen-man of that which the Spirit of God dictated to him And therefore this as all other Scripture is written for our learning Rom. 15. 4. His judgment herein is unerring and infallible so as we may rest upon it as an undoubted truth of God The Wise man by direction from God acquainteth us in this Text with two things 1 With that unavoidable hurt and damage which befalleth a people destitute of counsel Where no counsel is the people fall 2 With that great prosperity and advantage that ariseth to a Nation by good Counsellors and their counsels But in the multitude of Counsellors there is safety The ruine and misery that overtaketh a people for want of counsel is called a falling The word Naphal in the Original beareth a double signification For there is a twofold falling 1 There is a falling into sin against God and so by sin from God Hence it is that the giants spoken of Gen. 6. 4. are called Nephilim as being Apostates fallen from God by their impiety Of this kind of fall it is that the Apostle speaketh 1. Cor. 10. 12. Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall 2 There is a falling under judgment for sin committed against God As is clear Hos 14. 1. O Israel return unto the Lord thy God for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity that is thy sin hath plunged thee into misery So the word is taken Gen. 14. 10. The Kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled and fell there that is to say they were slain there This Text will bear both these acceptations Where there is no counsel the people fall both into sin and misery but I take it in the later sense especially they fall into utter ruine into unspeakable misery The benefit or advantage that cometh to a Nation or People by much counsel is called Safety which word originally compriseth all manner of safety both corporal and spiritual both from sin and misery There are two intire Propositions in the Text. 1 Where no counsel is the people fall 2 In the multitude of Counsellors there is safety The one of these Propositions illustrateth the other No counsel and a multitude of Counsellors are opposed so likewise are falling and safety But I shall comprehend both these under this one general Doctrinal Proposition Doct. That the prosperity or adversity of a people dependeth very much upon their counsellors and counsels I know you will expect before I proceed to the handling of this truth that I caution it to prevent mistake Caution It must always be acknowledged and thankfully confessed That the Lord our God who is wonderfull in working hath the chiefhand in the prosperity or downfall of Nations There is nothing that cometh to pass without the Providence of God that is it which disposeth even in the least matters in the fall of a sparrow to the ground Matth. 10 29. in the growth and beauty of the flowers of the field Matth. 6. 28-30 and so in all other things that seem to be of the least concernment Christians must not believe the maxim of the Heathens Non vacat exiguis rebus adesse Jovi Much more is the Lords hand visibly seen in the adversity or prosperity of Kingdoms and Commonwealths Whence it is that the Lord appropriateth this unto himself as the chief agent in it Isa 47. 5. I form the light and create darkness I make peace and create evil I the Lord do all these things As if he should have said I am the cause of all goodness and prosperity through my benignity as likewise by my justice I am author of afflictions punishments and calamities for so we are to understand evil here the evil of punishment and not the evil of sin for of that God cannot be the author So likewise the Lord speaketh again Jer. 18. 7. At what instant I shall speak concerning a nation and concerning a kingdom to pluck up and pull down and to destroy it And Verse 9. At what instant I shall speak concerning a nation and concerning a kingdom to build and to plant it The Lord you see ascribeth both these to himself So that the Providence of God is determined by no cause but determineth all causes being the universal and particular cause of all things Yet God doth oft times work mediately or by the use of means And this he doth not for want of power for he is El-shaddai the Almighty God Gen. 17. 1. But that through the abundance of his goodness and bounty he may communicate a certain dignity of working with him to his creatures also and may thereby make his efficacy more perspicuous We are saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 3. 9. labourers together with God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Men and other creatures work with God but under God and by his direction for the accomplishment of his designs even as God wrought by Jonathan and his Armor-bearer to the discomfiture and total rout of the Philistines 1 Sam. 14. 6-16 Thus God worketh the safety or ruine of Kingdoms and great Nations by Counsels Armyes and such like means Of this mediate working of God this Text and Doctrine is to be understood Counsellors and their counsels are Instruments and Tools in Gods hand which he sometimes useth and sometimes he breaketh as seemeth good unto him He sometimes maketh the most fit means as to the judgment and apprehension of man to prove in effectual to accomplish the end intended And sometimes he produceth the most noble effects by those ways and means which of themselves have no aptitude to bring forth those effects And God worketh thus to the end that our Faith may not properly respect those means which God useth nor depend onely or chiefly upon them but upon God alone who can relieve all our wants and necessityes with means or without means as it seemeth good unto him And indeed this is the excellency of Faith when a Christian taketh up that noble resolution of Shadrach Meshach and Abednego Dan. 3. 17. Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the fiery Fornace and he will deliver us from thine hand O King What therefore I shall say of the prosperity or adversity of Nations and People or of Kingdoms and Commonwealths in regard of their dependance upon Counsellors and Counsels must be understood as they are subordinate unto and co-operating with the mind decree and providence of God For there is no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against the Lord The horse is prepared against the day of battel but safety is of the Lord as our wise Solomon observeth Prov. 21. 30 31. Much time needeth not be spent in the proof of this point which of it self is so perspicuous Observe it onely in three particulars 1 This Master of Politicks Solomon