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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A12384	Certain notes of M. Henry Aynsworth his last sermon. Taken by pen in the publique delivery by one of his flock, a little before his death. Anno 1622. Published now at last by the said writer, as a love token of remembrance to his brethren to inkindle their affections to prayer, that scandalls (of manie years continuance) may be removed, that are barrs to keep back manie godly wise and judicious from us, wherby we might grow to farther perfection again	Ainsworth, Henry, 1571-1622?; Robinson, John, 1575?-1625. aut; Staresmore, Sabine.	1630 (1630)	STC 227; ESTC S115946	14,398	34

Holy Ghost and those that are his subjects must be meeke and humble and therefore let all take heed that they be not offended at Christs meannesse nor yet stumble at the afflictions that come for his sake The 3. thing elect of God and precious Whence we may observe how opposite the actions of God and men are men make no accompt of Christ but count him vile but God honours and preferres him it is prophecyed of him that he should grow as a branch out of a dry ground so saith the Prophet Esaie of him and David compares him to a worme and no man despised of men yet this hinders not Gods respect of him for after suffring he came to glory Thus it is with all his people although they are despised of men yet are they in accompt with God God accompts them his treasure he pitcheth his tabernacle amongst them with whom he will dwell Christ is called the elect of God by the Prophet Esaie my servant whom I have chosen so wee are chosen in Christ before the world was God givs us eternall life by him In that Christ is elect and we in him it is to shew the assurance of salvation by Christ as Christ dyed and went to glory so shall we also even as God did regard him as his onely begotten sonne in whom he is well pleased notwithstanding all his basenesse in the worlds esteem so doth God accompt of all true Christians for this is for farther manifestation of the glory of God in accepting them in his sone Christ. Ye also as livinge stones are builte up a Spirituall House As in the first place we said it is not enough to come to Christ in our persons but we must adjoyn to his Church so now we must not content our selves with personall good but we must seek farther perfection to becom members of his visible Church It is not lawfull for Christians to wander in the world or to live alone nor to adjoyn themselves in communion with false Churches but as it is in the Acts The Lord added to the Church such as should be saved unto this estate all are bound to come and so to be made pertakers of all Christs graces who couples all the bodye together for this cause are they called living stones in similitude from the stones of the temple cōpacted into one bodye but the stones of the Temple were liveles these living and herein they differ As the first Temple was a figure of Christ so also it signifyed all the bodye of the faithfull who make all one house over which Christ is set If we then be his house let us hold fast our rejoycing to the end Moreover although those stones in that first Temple built by Salomō were without life yet God tooke possession of it and dwelt in the middest of it how much more with them that are a temple joyned together of living stones Now as this is for incouragement to all to become members of his Church so also it sheweth who are the fit members of his Church even those onely that are living stones And in that the members of the Church ought to be living stones it should teach us not to be idle in good works faith without works is dead and just men live by faith by faith we are made pertakers of the death of Christ and all other benefits Christ is the head of the body As is the nature of the head so must the members be and as the parts of the body naturall have life from the head so also we from Christ as he is the head and is living so ought all true Christians that come to him it is a thing against nature that a dead body should be fastened to a living head and therefore whoever is not fastened to him by faith cannot be made partakers of his life therefore however hypochrites may come into the Church by their seeming regeneratiō yet not having the life of God in them they can receive no benefitt from Christ by the ministery of man But because we are to insist upon the similitude of a building we will return to that We are built into an house three manner of waies first by the gifts of the spirit when God gives ability to build up one another by the graces we receive frō the Spirit of God 2. Besides these there are offices proceeding from the Lord Christ of which some were maister builders as the Apostles and Prophets next after them the Euangelists upō the Doctrines they taught and writt the church is builded as the Apostle testifyes to the Ephes. 2. 20. 21. To these he adds the ordinary ministery of the church Pastours and Teachers Eph. 4. 11. 12. Vnto these two we have a third namely the operations of God the father who makes his word powerfull and effectuall giving us grace to understand and apply it and to bring forth the fruit of it so that from the Father Sonne and Holy Ghost we receive life these benefitts here spokē of and so become a spirituall house This spirituall house is opposed to the matereall house builded by Salomon which was but a figure as the Apostle saith to the Hebrewes We are therefore to bee carefull that the graces of God be not received in us in vaine but that we grow in grace in faith and holines that we may be built up an holy house habitation by his spirit In this life we are but in the growth but in the life to come we shall come to be perfect men nowe in the mean time we are to know we are in this world as Christ was in this world still growing There is all waies an end of building as the Apostle saith Eph. 2. 20. The whole church is built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Iesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone in whom all the building is coupled together 1. groweth to be an holy temple in Lord wherby the holy Ghost shews the state of the Church figured by the Temple The second end is in the 22. verse to be the habitation of God by the Spirit hence is it the holy Ghost saith know ye not that your bodye is the temple of the holy Ghost Thus being the temple of God we may build upō the assurāce of the Lords promise of dwelling amongst us as it is said I will walk dwell amongst them and pitch my Tabernacle amongst you I will be your God ye shall be my people thus the most heavenly promises are sett downe under this mystery the full accomplishment wherof shall be fullfilled in the world to come In the mean time as Salomon prayed at the dedicatiō of the Temple behold the heaven of heavens cannot contain thee so we may say what are we that God should dwell amongst us or that he should poure out the graces of his

CERTAIN NOTES of M. HENRY AYNSWORTH HIS LAST SERMON Taken by pen in the publique delivery by one of his flock a little before his death Anno 1622. Published now at last by the said writer as a love token of remembrance to his brethren to inkindle their affections to prayer that scandalls of manie years continuance may be removed that are barrs to keep back manie godly wise and judicious from us wherby we might grow to farther perfection again Matth. 9. 37. 38. Surely the harvest is great but the labourers are few Wherefore pray the Lord of the harvest that he would send forth labourers into his harvest Imprinted 1630. To my beloved brethren in the faith and fellowship of the Gospell in all places specially those my native countrymen resident in Amsterdam grace and peace from our God in Christ. BEloved the Scripture tells us that while the Ark of God taryed in Kiriath-jearim the time being long for it was twenty years all Jsraell lamented after the Lord 1. Sam. 7. 2. The same affections me thinks I perceive in manie of you even for the sundry years absence of the Lords ministers wherby our comfortable portion in the Lords house is greatly lessened for being left now as sheep upon the bare commons I fear we may truely cry with the Prophet My leannes my leannes and with all being divers times hurryed and torn with the loud out cryes and hard handling of furious and unmercifull spirits who under pretence of godly zeal and hatred against sin ungodlily massacre the true living members of Christs body and by pulling out the squared living stones indanger the fall of the house And herewith considering what reproach not onely our selves but also the truth it self sustains by reason of such courses for now the wayes of Syon mourn in that few or none come to her solemnityes so that we may truely take up that complaint of the Prophet Lament 1. 8. Ierusalem hath greivously sinned therefore shee is in derision all that honoured her despise her because they have seene her filthines yea she sigheth and turneth backeward And besides all this the vigilant adversary is as forward to discourage and dishearten us by slaundering our holy practise with scisme and profanesse Who duely weighing these things brethren cā refraine pitying us as our saviour Christ did the multitude because they were dispersed and scattered abroad as sheepe having no shepheard But this being now toward the end or last dayes love in men towards others is growen cold every man seeking his own and not that that is Christs Therefore brethren let us at last learn to be wise for our selves in weighing the daunger of biting and devouring one another which tends to the consuming one of another Gallat 5. 15. Let us hereafter study to be quiet 1. Thess. 4. 11. and if any yet lust to be contentious we must answere with the same Apostle We have no such custom 1. Cor. 11. 16. And touching those that seeme to be possessed with Diotrephes spirit who are unwearyed to prate against us with malicious words not therwith content thrust them out of the Church that witnes for us and testify against their iniquitye what shall I say of them since they reject the word of God and all wholsom counsell for their amendement contrary to the very letter of the 38. Article of our published confession of faith but onely leave them to the Lord who onely hath power to change them or cutt them of In the mean time read consider that affectionate exhortation of the Apostle Rom. 16. 17. Now I beseech you brethren mark them diligently which cause division and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned and avoyd them for they that are such serve not the Lord Jesus Christ but themselves Yet least they should take themselves hereby to be wronged if nothing be said farther amongst the manie evills done us I have thought fitting to give the Christian reader a tast of some to will them in the fear of God to consider their waies in their hearts and judge without partiallity their courses by the law of God so may they soone see how injuriously and irregularly they have walked ever since the death of our wise faithfull and honoured guides who spake enough to declare our daunger and the means through Gods blessing to avoid it for who can forget those oft pressed speaches of our Teacher upon his death bed when he earnestly exhorted even to his last breath to Christian moderation in the affaires of the Church as the main thing wherein our tranquilly would consist and he had greate reason to urge it upon some because manie yeares experience bad taught him how feirce unadvised preposterous he had found some to be left now in main trust as the principall from time to time in kindling fire that their wisedom and understanding found work enough to quench And the last deceassed Elder that best knew him that was principally aymed at said in direct words that it would never be well with the Church while it was guided by a strangers head who can deny his words to be true hitherto nay let even himself and his privy counsellours speak whether in their firey zeale they did not instantly so far forget our Teachers counsell for moderation that they sought up and forced into the Church new causlesse troubles contrary to the Law Gospell as the Church of Leyden plainly proved to them contrary to the very letter of the 8. Position of our Apologie For when even in a meere matter of advise desired of us by another Church the Church here had come to a peacable conclusion to the content of ech part that differed in matter of judgment and that the Elder had solemnly promised to write a letter accordingly certain discontented brethren made a meeting to change that solemn agreement of the Church the Elder consenting acting with them which he bringing and reading to the Church it was instantly blamed in the Elder for writing contrary to the Churches joynt agreement and his own promise and so he was turned back after much striving by him his confederats who were afterwards discovered as guitly of that they unjustly had censured others for willed to write the first peacable agreemēt that the church might not be farther troubled but in soms absence minded chief the next Lords day there was advantage taken of the time the letter brought again unaltered in the least and by a strong and violent hand those manie masters then so far prevailed against those that pressed the former conclusiō that the letter was consented to by the Church to be sent away as it was onely crossing out my name because I could be no testimonie in that my name was produced for and now the Church was so transported that they refused so much as to signify under their letter either that some brethren were differing minded thereto or to take the advise

of the Church of Leyden that were joyntly interessed with them But farther here was another thing yet worse for either the Elder alone or these privy counsellers with him stood not to this second agreement the Church made but wrote another with alterations additions and diminishings besides the Churches knowledge or consent sent it for the Churches minde and acte yet behold the other brethren that never saw or heard this newe forged letter till near two years after they were cast out of the Church which was dispatched in hast even in 14. dayes time least they should bee prevented upon the very suspitiō that a few of thē met to write to cōtradict the Churches action in hir letter of advise by the sole yet false information of the Elder two of them were singled out and selected from the rest and produced to the Church for evill which yet the informer professed that the thing informed and accused might be holy just and good for ought he knew yet being desirous to get matter the matter was prosecuted in the Church by interrogatoryes to finde out sin which the brethren testifyed against as contrary to the law of love which thinks no evill rule of Christ Matth. 18. Yet offred they the suspected act to sight correctiō wherin soever it should be found amisse and with all protesting solemnly they had neither done the thing so suspected nor intended it yet behold the brethren were cast out without the knowledge of sin or due dealing for sin save that for refusing to answere intrapping demaunds which they urged submission unto as Gods word Christs government they were Consured as contemners of both and the maintenance of this both Elders Church are now so wedded to that the chief of them blush not to affirm that rather then they will goe back from what they have done herein they will goe on in it yea though two of them doe not remain together And yet who sees not their palpable grosse partiallity in sparing their offending favourites in matters of scandalous and evill nature least their evill combination be weakened discovered or broken Oh how much better were it they would ceasse to abound in their own sence and take counsell from such as in the fear of God are both able and willing to direct them better O that they would learn to be wise at the last so through the good hand of our God there might be some recovery of what is lost Whereas now their irregular proceedings have made our brethren in all places to hang down their heads as they have been plainly certifyed frō sundry Churches Now from these and the like offences divers that were of us turn their backs upon us and betake themselves to live at large as if now the doore of indifferency or libertinisme were sett open that it matters not whom they hear or where they walk anie where or no where and measuring these mens sins with others they think they can hardly goe to worse And whence riseth all this much more of the like but even for the want of faithfull Pastors and Teachers and godly discreet and able guides or Rulers in the Church but what hope of ever such worthyes coming in when there is such an hideous noyse in the house by such unruly masters which cruelly smite some wound others cast their dear brethren out at the windowes Hence come familyes to be devided the loving husband from his beloved wife the affectionate parents from their dear Children hence come familyes to be spoyled by remissnes in neglect nay in utter laying aside of joynt family dutyes the new vessels want their seasoning the tender plants their due watering and so become barren before their full growth So that we may justly take up the complaint of the Prophet Habakuk 1. 2. 3. 4. Oh Lord how long shall I cry and thou will not heare even cry out to thee for violence and thou will not help Why dost thou shew me iniquity cause me to behold sorrow for spoyling and violence are before mee and there are that raise up strife and contention c. Oh consider this ye that are so bent to spoyling repent and turn in time least the living stones crying in the wall of the spirituall house the corner stone be offended and fall upon you and grind you to peeces But I desire your conversion and not subversion if the will of the Lord so be though ye have been bold to vent your worst you can imagine against me upon all occasions and for your presumptuous determining my eternall estate the Lord forgive you If you please to read what is here writt I hope through the Lord it may turn your courses that ye may see your duty is to build and not to destroy They were the instructiōs our late faithfull Teacher M. Aynsworth delivered to us all the last time he ever executed his ministery with us which was at such a time as his bodye naturall strength were so decayed that he wanted as ye know ability to come up again even that very Lords day in the afternoone as his usuall manner was wherein his faithfullnes may be seen even to his last gasp in striving to feed the flocke even when the hand of God was heavy upon him in that sore perplexing and tedious disease of the stone of which in a few dayes after he dyed yet since even in his strong paines that sometime by reason of the extremity caused a stay of speach to the griefe of the hearers and beholders he was delivered of this as the last fruit of his ministery let the Israell of God love it as Iacob did Benjamin the dear sonne of his beloved wife of whom she dyed It is not for nothing that the Holy Ghost expressly tells us These be the last words of David 2. Sam. 23. 1. Give me leave therefore though not to call you together as Iacob did his sons when he was to deliver his last words to them Gen. 49. yet to entreat you to read what our loving Teacher as a father spake in his charge last to us And though some or the most of you heard them sett out in the lively voyce Gods solemn ordinance of preaching yet let it not greive you that I write to you some of the same things so farr as my slow hand could extend to compasse the fullnes of his words I professe not to report no nor yet the summe or substance of every thing he hence delivered no nor yet have I published things so well as J might have done had I sett upon the work to write it out fair instantly while things were green in my own others memoryes but now these notes having layen by me near 8. years before I sett upon this resolution it is more defective then is requisite for the report of a work of so able and faithfull a man yet I trust none will be offended at me for this my service of

love since if ought shall be found amisse I am willing the blame lye upon my misunderstanding or forgetfullnes and so let him be free who ever approved himself in his ministery to every mans conscience Besides had I been exact in taking yet considering his condition at the time of the delivery it is not probable to come so refined to satisfy this curious carping age whom nothing almost pleaseth but novelly garnished with humane art But as the contents of the sermon tend not that way so neither doe J passe to please the world herein My chief drift is to commend the remembrance both of the person and work that ye may be affected with the dayes of old when we went together to the house of God with joy as those that keep a feast that so we may resolve with the Prophet Esai 62. 1. 6. 7. Not to hold our tongues for Ierusalems sake nor give the Lord rest till he repaire and set it up that so the righteousnes thereof may break forth as the light and salvation thereof as a burning lamp I end with the heavenly words uttered when our great and good shepherd came into the world Luk. 2. 14. Glory to God in the highest on earth peace good will toward men Your brother in all Christian affection SABINE STARESMORE 1. PETER 2. 4. To whom comming as unto a living stone disalowed of men but chosen of God and precious 5. Ye also as living stones be made a spirituall house an holy priesthood to offer up spirituall sacrifices acceptable to God by Iesus Christ. THe purpose of the Apostle in these words and those following is to exhort all Christians to the encrease of faith and holines of life He having before mentioned the bounty of our Lord Iesus Christ who hath affoarded the sincere milk of his Word that they might grow thereby Now because Paul may plant Appollos may water but it is onely God that gives the encrease he doth therby lead them to the Lord Iesus Christ who hath so provided for his newborn babes that they may have wherewith to grow up First he speaks of coming to Christ describing him a living stone as he is elswhere called the chiefe corner stone in this building upon whom all the people of God ought to rely he being then the chief corner stone notwithstanding he be disalowed of men yet to God he is elect and precious The first duty the Holy Ghost here teacheth us is That we should be carefull to get faith and holines in our persons which we doe obtain by coming to Christ secondly we are next to come to his house that is to become members of his visible Church Now we come to Christ first by his call of us by the preaching of his word as Christ saith Come to mee c. secondly by the drawing of the father So that there are two waies or means to come to Christ the one is outward the other inward the first is the Word the second is the Spirit by perswading our hearts and bringing us to the obedience of the Gospell Next we are to consider from what we are called namely from that that is by nature sinfull from our sinfull estate secondly whereto we are called that is to Christ that we may become living stones to be built a spirituall house Christ is called a living stone as having life in himself and giving life to his church he is called the chief corne stone in way of similitude for as the corner stone to the building is to joyn the walls together so Christ is to the whole Church he joyns all his both Iewes and Gentiles into one spirituall house Again he is called a stone in respect of his firmnes of grace given of God by him so that all that are built upon him are as a house built upon a rock which stands sure against all assaults opposed by our Saviour to an house built upon the sand which falls when tempestuous assaults come so is it with us we have a firm foundation which is Gods decree his love stablished to us in Christ. Is Christ then such a firm and sure foundation it is for the exceeding comfort of all his people that however they be opposed by the world and satan yet they shall remain firm for ever the gates of hell shall never prevaile against them Again hath Christ life not onely for himself but for us this is to shew us our dutyes that we carry our selves as living stones in his spirituall house which is his Church he that is Christs must be a new creature by faith he must put on Christ for unlesse we come to Christ by faith we shall depart from him without fruit and by these severall comparisons laid down in scripture we are to know the grace of Christ is sett forth to us He is a living stone and he makes us living stones he gives life to the whole bodye He is called also living bread whosoever eate him that is beleeve in him shall live by him if anie man eate of this bread he shall live for ever He is called the vine and we the branches he that abides in him brings forth fruite but without him we can doe nothing by him alone we bring forth fruit and expect salvation in the day of the Lord. Disalowed of men First this was in his own person when he was here so also in his after In himself in that he had neither house nor home for he was a carpenter brought up without schoole learning and because of his base and lowe estate he was despised and men regarded him not 2. The Iewes were crossed in their errour while they expected salvation by the works of the law but he declares if they will have salvation they must have it by him without him none can see God to the Iewes then Christ was a stumbling block by them judged an enimie to God and Moses 3. Christ came preaching the death of the crosse which to the Gentiles is foolishnes and in respect of his plain simple administration of the Gospell for these causes he may be said to be disalowed of men This is spoken to comfort us against the scandall of the crosse when we see he is rejected of the world not onely in himself but in his servants Is Christ then not respected let us not be offended for Christ was to enter into glory by suffring let us then willingly endure despising here that we may have glory in the life to come for this cause are we to arm our selves against the temptations of this world because if the maister of the house was thus entreated and disalowed of men we his seruants must not murmure if we drink also of the same cup therefore we are not to think that the Kingdom of Christ here is a pompous outward Kingdom but it consists in righteousnes peace and joy in the