is the head of the Church which is most true and yet withall that the Pope is the head of the Church The Church then is a body that hath two heads And those make Christ yet more monstrous that setting up so many Independant Churches as there be Christian Congregations in the world which they call each severally the mysticall Body of Christ do make Christ a head that hath so many bodies but there is but one Body all particular Churches make up one Church and visible universall society in which Church he saith not Churches God hath set Apostles Prophets Teachers Miracles gifts of healings helps Governments diversities of Tongues Therefore many of us also must beware of that and such like sins of Divisions that defiled the Church at Corinth for the Ax of this Sentence in this Text is by the Apostle laid also to every of our roots While therefore these words are handled according to the truth Look not on me as if I spake of my self look not off your selves blesse not your selves under the vain thoughts of Gospel-Grace that you will hear and only that or Gospel-graces and gifts wrought in you or your freedom from other grosse-sins as if this of falling into divisions were no sin but consider who speaks How and to whom And the Lord Iesus Christ make all saving to you though for the present it should not favour you The Substance of the Text hath three words to be opened 1. The Temple of God He means not hereby the materiall Temple in Jerusalem first or second nor the Tabernacle built in the wildernesse but the latter end of this verse sheweth clearly he means Christians which Temple are ye every particular Christian every of you and ye the Church of Christians both then at Corinth and also every where not only the Christian that hath truth of grace and is so inwardly as well as outwardly but the Christian by outward calling for to these he wrote also not only every particular member but chiefly the Church the Society This word ye referred to all in Corinth called to be Saints and to all in all the world that call on the name of the Lord Iesus Christ doth fully evince thus much They are called Gods Temple continuing the Metaphor of a building considered severally and in a Church-society with Relation to the typicall Temple to shew that the truth of that type is now remaining 2. Defil◠Destroy The Greek word is but one in divers tenses it signifieth both to Defile and Destroy to corrupt and violate the Greek is thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The translation would render the Originall more naturally if we retained one English word either thus If any man defile the Temple of God him shall God defile or thus If any man destroy the Temple him will God destroy It is an Elegancy and not barely so but pregnant in instruction for it teacheth that the punishment of such offenders shall be in justice proportioned to their offence Defiling for defiling violence for violence degree for degree if they 'le be dilapidating and corrupting Gods house they shall have enough of it God will dilapidate and corrupt them 3. If any man him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If any do it that same man shall feel it whoever he be Teacher or hearer of high esteem for place in the Church or for gifts and graces this man God will certainly meet withall this his sin shall finde him out Now from hence arise three Doctrines worthy our through perusall and attention 1. Doct. Every Christian professing the true Faith much more every true Professor of that true Faith is the Temple of God And every particular visible Church or Society of these Professors and the whole Church or universall society of Christians professing the true faith are the Temple of God This from the word Temple in the sense here used 2. Doct. Many there are yea many within the visible Church that are defilers and Violaters of this Temple of God 3. Doct. God will certainly punish every and all the defilers and violaters of this his Temple with punishments proportionable to their sin in violating and defiling the same For the first of these Note the difference I put between a Professor of the true Faith and a true professor of that true Faith One may professe the truth and not truly professe it he may be a hypocrite in his profession A Professor is visible and profession of the Faith may be discerned by men from profession of falshood but a true Professor and the truth of his profession is to be desired and prayed for but is not so easily discerned God onely that searches the heart can infallibly judge of this Again I use the word Society as the Genus of a Church not an Assembly for a Church is no lesse a Church when the Assembly is dismissed then when they are Assembled in the use of any Ordinance of God Nor a Congregation that word is too narrow it agreeth not to all the kindes but the word Society that agrees to a particular visible Church and to the whole visible Church to the Church in a house the Church in a Village of one Congregation the Church in a City consisting of many Congregations as the Church of Ierusalem of Ephesus of Corinth the Church in a Kingdom or Nation committed to the profession of the Faith of Christ the Church in the whole world the Church in her Officers gathered together to hear complaints the Church in her Members assembled to worship and serve the Lord according to the Gospel of Christ It is weak and a poor quarrell my opinion is it is so to deny a National Church under the New Testament for under the old its beyond all question and to plead there is no other visible Church then Congregationall The Church at Ierusalem was not Congregationall in that sense that is it did not consist of one Congregation that could meet in one place all the Members of it have one Pastor preach to them at one time and use other Ordinances of Worship as the Sacrament of the Lords-Supper Baptisme Publique Prayer and fellowship together twelve Apostles were not able to discharge to them the duty that belonged to the word and Prayer without the help of seven Deacons to take off them the care of distributing of the Church Almes Act. 6 1 2 3 4. It is hard to make clear proof that the word Church in all the History of the New Testament is given to a Congregation I desire to see it And why may not a Nation professing the Faith be called a Church as well as all the world of Professors be called a Church Why not now as well as under the Old Testament The word Church is applicable to every Society of men that professe the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ We read of Churches in the New-Testament because we have severall Societies and Nations of men converted and become the people of God
but also be acquainted with the Liberall Arts and Sciences that the Arts are needfull in a Minister is cleare hereby the Minister ought to be able to convince and confute errours and to maintaine the truth by disputation as well as to teach it and to comfort exhort and rebuke he is to stop the mouthes of Hereticks and Deceivers this he cannot doe without the helpe of the Arts especially of Logick whereby he discernes the fallacies of seducers and can open the truth out of the Scriptures which are delivered in a rationall discourse Who have been the famous Instruments of God to confute all the Hereticks of old Who have cut the sinewes of Harding Stapleton Bellarmine and other Popish Writers not any other save men famous for Learning Did you ever heare of such service done for the Church of God by any of the illiterate Anabaptists and Sectaries though they have boasted of the Spirit yet I say not that Learning gives Ministeriall gifts much lesse Grace but without Learning the Ministery would be but lame in many respects therefore the enemies of a learned Ministery are the friends of Popery and all Heresies of ignorance and blindnesse and the enemies of the truth and Gospell of the light and comfort of the Church of Iesus Christ 5. Novices newly converted ones at the best taking upon them to Preach and permitted so to doe this is to defile Gods House by prophaning the Ministery Holy Paul saith not a novice 1 Tim. 3. 6. lest passed up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the Devill these five waies our Novellists strike the pillar of the Ministery thus of a fifth sort of Temple-defilers 6. I proceed to others which though they might be cast many of them under the head of Schisme yet because they are now late-sprung and trouble the Church of God I shall let them beare a distinct numeration as so many severall orders of Defilers though not distinct sorts and kinds therefore sixthly those that keep out of the Church any of the Ordinances of Christ those that keep Gods Houshold-stuffe in any part of it out of his Temple as those that deny Paedo-Baptisme or the Baptizing of the Infants of those that professe the faith of Iesus Christ the Scripture for Baptizing of such Infants beside many others urged by many is that in Acts 2. 39. For the Promise is unto you and to your children from these words with the former ariseth this Argument To whomsoever the Promise belongs to them Baptisme doth belong the truth of this is in the reasoning of the Apostle who requires them to receive Baptisme upon their Repentance professed because the Promise is to them this ground is Apostolicall and Divine But to the children of Professors of the Faith doth the Promise belong this is the very sense of the words of the 39. verse therefore to the children of the Professors of the Faith doth Baptisme belong those that deny these infants Baptisme call them common whom God calls holy 1 Cor. 7. 14. 7. Those that keepe out the members of Christ not admitting Saints every way as gracious as themselves unto the fellowship of the Church unlesse they will yeeld to their Church-way not admitting Professors of the true Religion that have knowledge are not scandalous are not refractory to any the Holy Ordinances of Christs Worship because they see not in them truth of Grace or that which may savour to the sense of Christians that the worke of Grace in the New-birth is truely begun in them so farre as man can conceive Where is the Rule given for this visible grace as they call it by which rule the non-admitted may see that he is justly proceeded withall according to the Word of God that so though he have no Grace yet all that will use their reason may see by vertue of such cleare Texts of the Word their power is rightly used for his non-admission that the use of it may be to edification not to destruction 2 Cor. 13. 10. for which end all Church-power is given of Christ 8. They that Dis-church the true Churches of Iesus Christ because they are faulty in Discipline or in Government and chiefly to dischurch them when they thirst after pray for use all meanes God affords them for Reformation 9. Those that would introduce into a Christian Church and State a Toleration of all sorts of Religions or all sorts of Opinions in Religion under the name of Liberty of Conscience These Scriptures are fully against in The Angel of the Church of Ephesus is commended by our Lord Jesus for his patience Rev. 2. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that he could not bear them which were evill and tried those that said they were Apostles and were not and found them lyars It is condemned in the Angel of the Church of Thyatira that he suffered or tolerated that woman Iezebell to teach c. And Christ saith to the Angel of the Church in Pergamos I have a few things against thee because thou hast there Rev. 2. 12. 14 15 16. them that hold the Doctrine of Balaam and the Doctrine of the Nicolaitans He is not charged with so great a fault as a toleration but there they were and there he should not let them be his connivence or invigilancy or remissenesse in not executing his power must be repented of or else Christ will fight against him from that place in Ieremiah chap. 32 39. this Argument is full of power Whatsoever God hath promised and is a branch of the Covenant of Grace with his people to be made good chiefly in the time of the New Testament all Christians ought to seek and aspire after To give his people one heart and one way in his fear for the good of them and their Children God hath promised and it is such a branch of his Covenant therefore this all christians ought to seek and breath after To seek after a toleration of divers wayes in Religion is not to seek after one heart and one way in godly fear and so not to seek after that branch of Promise and Covenant made to Gods people and to be made good chiefly in the times of the New Testament therefore to seek after a toleration of divers wayes in Religion is that which ought not to be in any Christian Adde to this that in Phil. 1. To stand fast in one spirit with one minde striving together for the faith of the Gospel is the conversation becoming the Gospel especially in times of terrible Adversaries and to stand thus united unterrified is an evident token of the Adversaries perdition and of our salvation And that of God Phil. 1. 27 28. to fall into Divisions and plead for tolerations of Opinions of divers mindednesse in one faith is not to stand fast in one spirit with one minde striving together for that one faith of the Gospel and it is not to stand thus united unterrified therefore to fall into Divisions and plead for
many degrees out-going old famous Achitophel 2 Sam. 16. 21 23. the Seditious that love to make divisions and sow discords and plant an inveterate odium in the hearts of King and Prince and people against all the godly and faithfull in the Land with all evill Counsellors against the Lord Nah. 1. 11. Psa 2. 2. and flattering bloody Edomitish Doegs Ps 52. Beloved what a griefe is it to think that by the ennumeration of particulars not this Doctrine alone should be so clearely and fully demonstrated by twenty severall sorts of offendors that there are many Temple-defilers within the Temple of God but also that in our English Church and Temple such Temple-vermine should swarme at this day wherefore to descend to some short application 1. Prayer becomes us with complaints to God that dwells in his Temple Prayer that he would looke downe from Heaven and behold that he would not make us to erre from his waies and harden our hearts from his feare but returne for his servants sake that he would rent the Heavens and come down with demonstrations of zeal strength and sounding of bowels with terrible unexpected workes of wonder with Gospell-blessing that he would not be wroth very sore nor hold his peace at these things nor afflict us very sore Pray O remember not against us former iniquities let thy mercies speedily prevent us for we are brought very low Prayer with fasting and deepe humiliations become all that love Gods house in these our daies untill God raise up some Nehemiahs that they may cleanse Neh. 13. 8. Gods Temple 2. We should not be scandalized hereby but remember that in the great house of Gods Church there are Vessels of severall sorts and rather be purging our selves from these them forsaking and deserting the true Church of God if a man purge himselfe from these he shall be a vessell unto honour 2 Tim. 2. 17. 20 21. sanctified and meet for the Masters use and Prepared unto every good worke 3. And then the zeale of Gods house should eate us up though there be many things in these troublous times that befall us or may feare us and distresse us from without yet the care of all the Churches should somewhat come 2 Cor. 11. 28 29. upon us especially upon Christs faithfull and painfull Ministers whatever befalls the Churches we should lay it to heart as if it befell our selves the fire of consuming zeale for Christs honour the Gospells purity the Churches safety should melt and fashion us to that of blessed Paul Who is weake and I am not weake who is offended and I burne not 4. Lastly attending to our owne growth in Faith Prayer love and hope we should have compassion of some making a difference Jude 21. 22 23. and others save with feare pulling them out of the fire hating even the Garments spotted by the flesh not hating the men but hating the filthy affections and lusts which pollute the man and come from the flesh mans nature corrupted hating them first in our selves all envie and vye in Religion vaine-glory self-seeking self-love pride spirituall strife emulation variance self-pleasing in our gifts and parts and dis-union of heart c. for who can number all wisedome love and sincerity will by these direct enough Thus of the second Doctrine The third Doctrine is this that God will certainly punish all defilers and violaters of his Temple with punishments proportionable to their sin they are not all of a sort nor all alike guilty and God that will doe no man wrong that he should have the least ground of entring an action against him the righteous God will deale out his punishments accordingly What punishments you will say or how doth he punish these sinners Ans 1. Their workes shall perish though themselves may be saved 1 Cor. 3. 13. 15. yet so as by fire the fire of the Word and Spirit in the day of the Gospell in the powerfull opening and application of the bright and burning truthes thereof such a day as this when now you are before the Lord hearing this Text Preached upon this fire shall these defilers passe through and their errours and their ill worke they have made in Gods building their wood hay and stubble burne to ashes and their persons humbled and purified be saved the Lord grant it you need no other Purgatory you will thinke this hot enough and this or none will doe the deed The Pontificians would faine finde their Purgatory-dreame in this Scripture and they shall finde their Purgatory to purifie or consume-them not the Purgatory they seeke but the Purgatory God hath prepared for such Temple-wasters and Temple-defilers such foule beasts this is the breath of Christs lips this is the brightnesse of his coming which shall consume and destroy that man of sin they are in Purgatory and the fire now burnes hot upon them and so it will upon all the rest of the Templepollutors afore-named Doâ— you not see the Angels of God many of the Seraphims Esa 6. 6 7. with live-coales in their hands taken with the Tongs from off the Altar and laying them upon the mouthes of many faithfull able Ministers many an Esay 2. They shall faile of their ends their folly shall be manifest to all 2. Tim. 3. 9. that is all the Elect but evill men and seducers will waxe worse and worse deceiving and being deceived they shall not yet deceive the Elect. You 'le say many of the choicest Christians cleave to them and many of them are the precious servants of Christ Iesus we cannot be otherwise perswaded for them I said but even now they may be saved but their workes shall perish themselves shall be saved yet so as by fire and for the rest marke it that was their ayme to get the choice Christians those whose hearts are for Christ and Heaven their designe is mostly upon any in whom any worke of Grace appeares So have all deceivers ever that they might glory in their flesh as our Apostle according to the wisdome given unto him hath written Gal. 6. 13. but they shall not compasse their end they 'le returne perceiving the strangers voice these gracious foules thought it had been Christs voyce which they heard in these men in those their errours but finding at length their mistake and under the sheeps-skin of gifts and graces perhaps shew of Scripture manifestation of the Spirit finding the bloody wolfe of errour and falshood that soul-murthâ—rer they will embrace the truth and follow Christ perhaps hearing this you will for a while be froward for who can be willing to think he is in an errour or is deceived but Christ and his Father hold you in their hand and you cannot wrest your selves thence Another end they have they would be great and of same in the Church of God but their folly shall be manifest to all not only to the Elect but to all that will not deny the light of their reason and doe hold the Scripture