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CHURCH REFORMATION, Tenderly handled IN FOVRE SERMONS, Preached at the weekly Lecture in the Pariſh Church of Great Yarmouth.
By John Brinſley.
Whoſe fanne is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his Floore.
IT is the firſt day of Iune, Anno Domini,1643.Ordered by the Committee of the Houſe of Commons in PARLIAMENT concerning Printing, That this Booke Intituled
(Church-Rebe printed.formation) JOHN WHITE.
LONDON, Printed by G. M. for Iohn Burroughes, at the Signe of the Golden-Dragon, neare the Inner-Temple Gate in Fleet-ſtreet, M. DC. XLIII.
Verſe of this Chapter, (for there I first brake ground) I cannot ſay, that it was my purBaptiſt to the end of his Sermon. But Providence leading mee along, it hath now brought me to the Borders, the middle clauſe of the lI fell in hand with, I can ſay, that it was farre from my thoughts to make my Meditations thereon any further publick, then as the PulSubject ſeaſonable for the times, I have beene indudeſires of ſomeapprobations of others, in ſending them aNoah once did his Dove out of the Arke, when the Earth was covered with waters. What entertainement they ſhall meete with, or what returne they will make, as I know not, ſo neither am I overthoughtfull. It is enough for me, that I have enpleaſe God and not men, otherwiſe then in him, and for him. My deſires (I confeſſe) have beene, and are, that this my ſervice, (if poſsible) might be acceptable to all. However, being a Service for Ieruſalem▪ I doubt not but it ſhall be ſo to you, and all thoſe who pray for the peace thereof; whoſe I am and ever ſhall be
And he will throughly purge his Floore.]
Allegory, under which the Baptiſt ſetSoveraign Authority of Ieſus Chriſt, with the Exerciſe of that Authority. His Authority, in the firſt words. Whoſe fanne is in his hand. The Exerciſe of that Authoritie in the ſequell of the verſe; which is ſet forth unto us, firſt, more Generally, over his whole Church; He will throughly purge his Floore. Then more Particularly, towards his Elect ▪ by way of mercie, He will gather his wheat into his Garner. Towards Reprobates and
Ʋnbeleevers, by way of Judgement. Hee will burn up the Chaffe, &c.
It is the ſecond of theſe that my eye is upon at the preſent, (having alreadie inſiſted upon the former) viz. the Exerciſe of Chriſts Soveraigne Authoritie in generall,
over and upon his whole Church: He will throughly purge his Floore.
Here by way of Explication, and Illuſtration, two maine particulars are to be unfolded:
1. What is that Floore which Ieſus Chriſt will Purge?
2. How that Floore of his ſhall be Purged. At this time of the firſt of theſe.
H
To tell you what a Floore is, were needleſſe, wheHouſe-Floore, or the Barne-Floore: Both well enough knowns. We have here to deale with the latter of theſe. aream, the Barn-Floore: viz ▪
the place where the Husb
uſeth to Threſh, and Fanne, and Winnow his Corne.
Chriſts Floore? An. The whole World, (ſay ſome) viz. this Inferiour World. And not unfitly may it be ſo called (ſaith Aretius.) A Floore, and Chriſts Floore.
Subſtratum, the loweſt part of the Floore, whether the Honſe or Barne-floore, it is the loweſt part of the roome, the Pavement: ſuch is this inPavement of Gods houſe, or Barne. Adhaſit Pav
ſo the vulgar Latine readeth that of the Pſalmiſt. Pſa. 119. 25My ſoule eleaveth to the duſt, to the earth, to the Pavement. Compare the whole world to a Houſe or Barne, Heaven is the Roo
is the Floore, a Floore for ſcite and ſcituation.
Floore, and Chriſts
Floore, for the uſe that he puts it to, which is analogiFloore (as I told you) is the place where the husbandThreſhing, Fanning, Winnowing it. Such a Floore is this preſent world. Palaestr
ſaith Aretius. It is the place whereAffliction,
Tribulation. In the world ye ſhall have Tribulation,
Preſſuram habebiti
Ye ſhall have Preſſur
and that of divers kinds. To follow the Metaphor cloſe. Here is Threſhing, here is Fanning, here is Winnowing, all to be met with in this Floore, this preſent world.
Threſhing. In the Barne-floore, the Strawe and Corne, both are threſhed together, and that with the ſame Flaile. In this preſent world, Gods owne People, and his Enemies both are Threſhed. His Enemies, wicked and ungodly men, which are as the ſtraw in this floore, they are threſhed with plagues and judgements, which are the ſtroakes of Gods flaile, Moab ſhall be threſhed under him, even as the ſtraw is threſhed, (ſo the Geneva readeth that of the Prophet Iſai.) Iſaiah 25. Moab, all the EneStraw, and as Straw oft times they are threſhed, even beaten to pleStraw, ſo the Corne; as Gods Enemies, ſo his own people they alſo ſometimes feele of the Flaile here: I the ſame flaile, being exerciſed with the ſame Iudgements, the ſame calamities, the ſame for kinde, for ſubſtance. Moab is threſhed, and Iſrael is threſhed. O my Threſhing! or Thou whom I doe threſh, ſaith the Lord, ſpeaking of his owne people, his Iſrael, as ſome interpret it. Iſaiah 21. 10. Them God threſheth oftSatan and his Inſtruments to be threſhed by them, by the exerciſes of cruelThey have threſhed
Gilead with threſhing inſtruments of iron, ſo the Prophet Amos complaineth of the horrid cruelties exAmos 1. 3. Well may this world bee called a Floore, here is Threſhing. In the world ye ſhall have Tribulation, Threſhing, as the word [Tribulation] properly ſignifieth.
Fanning, and that with Croſſe, whereby God often ſcattereth I will fanne them with a fanne in (or throughthe gates of the land. Vpon this I have inſiſted largely already in handling the former part of the verſe.
winnowing too. God winI will ſift (or winnow) the houſe of Iſrael amongst, all nations like as corne is ſifted (or winnowed) with a ſive. Amos 9. 9. God winnowes, and by his permiſſion Satan winnows them. Simon, Simon, (ſaith our Saviour) Satan hath deſired to have you to winnow you; or ſift you. Luke 22. 31. God winnowes, and Satan winnowes, both by the winde of Tentations. God by Tentations of Probation, Satan by Tentations of Seduction; the one for the trying, purging; the other for the ſcattering, deſtroying of them. All theſe pieces of husbandrie doth this great Husbandman exerCorne, his Church and people, and therefore well may it be called a floore, his floore.
preſſures and tribulations that here they meet with upon earth. Alas, can they looke for other, conſiderCorne, I, but as yet they are as Corne in the floore. O my threſhing (ſaith the Lord) and the Corne of my floore. Iſaiah 21. 10. Filius Areae, ſo the originall HeThe ſonne of my floore. Gods people, his Saints, even whil'ſt they are here, they are ſonnes. Behold, now are we the ſonnes of God, ſaith S. Iohn 3. 2. Sonnes, but filij Areae, not Apothecae; ſonnes, or corne of the floore, not of the Garner. Now corne, whil'ſt it is in the floore, it muſt looke for no quiet: that is reſerved for the Garner. Gods Corne, his Saints, when they ſhall be laid up in his Garner, received into thoſe heavenly
enter into their reſt, a perfect flaile, or the fanne, or the ſive. All theſe are for the Floore. And let not any wonder to meete with them there. Thinke it not ſtrange concerning the fiery tryall, ſaith Peter: what ever our trials be, what for nature, what for number; are we threſhed, fanned, winnowed, make not ſtrange of it; remember the place where we are, and the condition we are in, whileſt we are here below, we are like corne upon the floore. But I will not dwell here.
World is Chriſts Floore, and this floore he will purge, throughly purge. This will he doe at that laſt and great day, when he ſhall come from Heaven with the fanne in his hand, (the fanne of the laſt Judgement) then will he purge this inferiour World from all the droſſe of corruption which now cleaveth to it, debondage of corruption, to which it is now made ſubject through the ſinne of Man, and under which it groaneth, as the Apoſtle hath it, Rom. 8. 21, 22. Then making a new Heaven, and a new Earth,
roofe, and a new floore to this houſe of his. But to let this paſſe, not being the marke I aime at.
Chriſts floore, more ſpecially is his Church viſible.
Aquin. ad loFloore here, more properly and peculiarly we are to underſtand the Church. Not the World, but the Church in the world, that is, the floore; For (as Thomas well noteth it out of Chryſoſtome) if we will drive the Allegorie to the head, the World muſt be the wide field. So our Saviour interprets it, Mat. 13. 38. The field is the world.] The floore here properly is the Church of Chriſt in this world.
The Church. But what Church? why the viſible Church of Chriſt upon earth. The viſible Church;
A ſociety, or company of men and women, called out of the world to the knowledge and acknowledgement of the true God in Christ. A company of men profaith and obedience: faith in Chriſt, obedience to
Prophet, Priest, King. Their Prophet, to be taught by him: their Priest to be reconciled to God through him: their King to be ruled and governed by him: This is the viſible Church; which is either univerſall or particular. Ʋniverſall, the whole company of ſuch as prefeſſe the Goſpell throughout the whole world. Particular, ſuch as profeſſe the Goſpell in ſuch a Nation, ſuch a Province, ſuch a Citie, ſuch a Towne, ſuch a Family; Every of which in ſeverall conſiderations and reſpects, may be called a Church. Not only the Church, in ſuch a Family; (The Church that is in thine houſe, Philem. 2.) or the Church in ſuch a Towne, ſuch a City: (The Church at Corinth, at Philippi, &c.) But the Church in ſuch a Province, ſuch a Nation; wherein, though there may be many particular Congregations and Churches, yet they may be called one Church; and that not without ſome warrant from Scripture. St. Peter writing to the Churches diſperviz. through Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Aſia and Bythinia, (as the 1. verſ.
flock: Feeds the flock of God which is amongſt you; It is his charge to the Elders of thoſe Churches, cap. 5. 2. many Churches, many flocks, and yet one flock: Not to goe from the Text. The Baptiſt here ſpeaking of the Church of Chriſt, diſperJudea and other parts of the world, the Church under the new Teſtament, which is made up of many particular Congregations and Churches; he yet ſpeaketh of it ſingularly, calling it one floore, He will purge his floore.] Not floores, but floore. Where ever Chriſt hath a Church ▪
he hath a floore. Many Churches, many floores: yet put them together, all the Churches in ſuch a Province, ſuch a Nation, or through the whole world, Collectively and Aggregatively conChurch, one floore. This I
Church to any but to a Congregationall Church. Letting that paſſe.
Chriſts floore is his Church, or Churches, conſidered in a viſible State. And not unfitly may the viſible Church be ſo called. A floore, and his floore. Touch upon them ſeverally.
A floore, and that principally in two reſpects.
1. In reſpect of the Mixture that is in it. Here is the difference betwixt the Garner and the Floore. In the Garner there is nothing but pure graine: In the Floore there is a mixture; Straw as well as Corne, Chaffe as well as Wheate, Tar
and Titters, and Cockle and Darnill, as well as the good graine. Such a difference there is betwixt the Church Militant and Triumphant, the Church upon Earth, and the Church in Heaven. The Church in Heaven is all pure: Thither ſhall no un
No chaffe, no droſſe,
v. laſt.corne to be found in that garner. But it is otherwiſe in the floore, in the militant and viſible Church upon Earth, here is a mixture, Corne and chaffe, good and bad together; Elect and Reprobate, true Believers, Hypocrites, and happily perſons openly wicked, all aſſociated together in the ſame outward profeſſion. A truth which needeth no probation. This is the Houſe wherein there are veſſels of all ſorts, ſome of purer, richer, others of courſer, baſer mettall. In a great Houſe (ſaith the Apoſtle) there are not only veſſels of Gold and of Silver, but alſo of wood and of earth; ſome to honour, and ſome to diſhonour.] A place worthy the pawſing on, and conſidering. Haply it may give ſatisfaction to ſome groundleſſe ſcandals and offences taken by ſome at thoſe undeſired, deplored mixtures which are to be found in the Churches of God amongſt us. In a great Houſe (ſaith
great Houſe? why the whole World (ſay ſome) which is Gods Houſe indeed, he being the God and Father of all the Families in Heaven and earth; Gods Houſe, and his Great Houſe; And in this great Houſe there are veſſels of Gold and of Silver, and of wood and of Earth, ſome to honour ſome to diſhonour, (i. e.) ſome elected, others reprobated and paſſed by. So the Apoſtle S. Paul carrieth and applies it, exRom. 9. 21. A truth, but not ſo pertinent to this place. The Great Houſe here (as Calvin and others note upon it) denotes and points out more peculiarly the Church of God, the viſible Church. So much may be collected from the Context. The Church viſible is a Houſe, Gods
Houſe, (That thou mighteſt know how to behave thy ſelfe in the Houſe of God, which is the Church of the living God, (ſaith Paul to Timothy.) His Houſe, and a Great Houſe,
Great God, the Father of this Family, of a great and large Inhabitants, Officers, Children, Servants, even all thoſe domeſtici fidei, the houſehold of Faith, as the Apoſtle calleth them. And in this great Houſe (ſaith the Apoſtle) there are not onveſſels of Gold and Silver, but of wood and of earth, i. e. ſome elect, others reprobates: Not only ſo, but ſome good, others bad; bad, and that oft-times not only cloſely and ſecretly, but openly and apparently ſuch. Not only hypocriticall and unſound, but ſcandalous Chriſtians. Such were thoſe whom the Apoſtle ſpeaverſes fore-going: Prophane and vaine bablers; men whoſe words did fret as a canker, or cancer, whoſe very ſociety was infectious and dangerous. Two of theſe he there inſtanceth in, by Name. Of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus.] two dangerous and damnable Hereticks, denying and overthrowing that great Article of the Faith, the Reſurrection of the Dead; which being overthrowne, opens a wide
houſe, wooden and earthen veſveſſels to diſhonour,
Paſſively and Actively, having diſhonour and ſhame for their portion, and diſhonouring the houſe, the Church of God whereof they were, members. Such veſſels, ſuch members, there may be and oft are in the Houſe, in the Church of God; perſons erroneous in their judgement, and ſcandalous in their lives. Such there may be.
So it is, de Fanot de Jude Facto, not de Jure, not what ought to be; but what may be, and will be. If we ſpeake de Jure,
Let every one that calleth on the Name of the Lord depart
from iniquity.] Every one that joyneth himſelfe to the Church of God, that taketh upon him the profeſſion of Chriſtianity, he ought to grace his profeſſion by an anſwerable converſation. In Solomons Temple the veſſels were all of pure Gold, and ſuch ſhould the members of the Church of Chriſt be. Thus it ſhould be, But thus it will not be. Some there are and will be, that ſhame their profeſſion by an unchriſtian conVeſſels to diſhonour. Neither is it a thing either to be ſtumbled or wondered at. Such veſſels there are in a great Houſe, and ſuch members there will be in the viſible Church, which is a mixed company.
This point I might further inlarge, and ſet of by thoſe common and obvious illuſtrations made uſe of by our Saviour himſelfe; of the draw or drag Net,
fiſhes of all ſorts, good and bad. The Field wherein there was Tares, as well as Wheate. The wedding ſupper whereat there were gueſts of all ſorts, good and bad (ſaith the Text.) But I will not, neither Church, the viſible Church is a mixed company. Such is the floore, a place of mixture, wherein there is (as I ſaid) Corne and Straw, Wheat and Chaff, &c. all brought in together. Such is the Church. Such it ever hath beene, and ſuch it ever will be, as long as the Moone hath her spots, the Church will have hers; even ſuch spots as Peter and Jude ſpeaketh of, perſons ſcandalous in their lives, diſgracing the Church as ſpots doe the garment wherein they are.
God will have it ſo, and Satan will have
it ſo.
For the Tryall ▪
1 Cor. 11. 19.God will have it ſo, and that firſt, For the tryall of his own people. It is that which S. Paul ſaith of hereſies, There muſt be hereſies, why? That thoſe which are approved may be made manifeſt. And we may ſay the ſame of Hereticks and ſcandalous perſons, There muſt be ſuch in the Church, (I ſpeake it as the Apode Facto) that thoſe which are approved of God, may be made manifeſt, more manifeſt to the world.
(permits it) as for tryall, ſo for the good and benefit of his own people. Even as the Husbandman ſometimes ſuffers the Corne to lye in the Chaffe, that it may keepe the better. And ſuch uſe God ſometimes makes of hypocrites, of wicName, and a Roome in his Church, he maketh uſe of them for the good and benefit of his own people: oft
Satan will have it ſo. That E
in the Goſpell, which ſoweth
Tares in the field, he alſo caſteth Chaffe into the floore.
floore, I meane thoſe which have, or ſhould have the overſight and government of the Church; Hereby ſeeking to poyſon the Church, by throwing in corruptions into it: corruptions in Doctrine, corruptions in Worſhip, corruptions in Manners; ſo to make a mixture, which he doth in oppopurity and ſimplicity. Put theſe together, and you ſee a firſt reſpect wherein the viſible Church of Chriſt is compared to a floore. A floore for mixture.
Secondly, A floore, Becauſe here is the ſame Huſbandry uſed that is in the Barne-floore. Here is threſhing,
fanning, here is winnowing. All theſe ſhall we threſhing place. O my threſhing▪] his fanning place, his winnowing place. No where ſhall we find the flaile,
fanne, the ſive, more buWorlds flayle, Gods fanne, the Devils ſive; the flayle of Perfecution, the fanne of Affliction, the ſive of Tentation, no where ſo buſie as in the Church. Well may the Church in all theſe reſpects, be called a floore. But I will confine my ſelfe to the Text.
Here is the fanne at worke. What fanne? why that fanne, which is in the hand of Chriſt, the fanne of the fanne is walking, and working in this floore, and not without ſome efficacie and power. What ever the Husbandmans fanne doth in his Barne-floore, that doth this fanne in the Church, which is the proper place for this fanne to ſtirre and move in; and in that reſpect againe, fitly called a floore. Here it is where Chriſt ſtandeth with the fanne in his hand, working upon his corne, his Elect, ſevering them from
chaffe of ſinnefull corruption, dreſſing them, that they may be pure corne, fit to be laid up in his heavenly garner.
The Church is a floore. And in the ſecond place Chriſts firſt, by
Secondly, His, by Purchaſe.
His by Guift: Guift from God his Father, who Aske of mee, and I ſhall give thee the Heathen for thine Inheritance,
and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy Poſſeſſion.] All the Kingdomes of the earth are put into the hands of Jeſus Chriſt, as Lord paramonnt over them all. Even Heathens and Infidels, which know him not, which never heard of his Name, yet they are under his governement; But the Church after a more ſpeciall Seigni
Sion.] In the Church, Chriſt hath a more peculiar intereſt; The Church it ſelfe, and all the members of it being given to him by God his Father: I, all the members of the viſible Of all that thou haſt given me I have loſt none, ſave the Sonne of Perdition.] All the Apoſtles; I, Judas amongſt the reſt, though a ſon of perdition, loſt in Gods decree, and marHis, his floore, His by Donation.
His by Purchaſe. What his Father By Purchaſe.
David purchaſed the Threſhing-floore of Araunah the Jebuſite, that he might offer a Sacrifice upon it. Thus Chriſt hath purchaſed this floore, his Church; not that he might offer Sacrifice upon it, but that he might offer it up as a Sacrifice unto God his Father. Take heede
unto your ſelves, and to the flock of God: whereof the Holy
Ghoſt hath made you overſeers, to feede the Church of God which he hath purchaſed with his own blood: The Church purchaſed with the blood of Chriſt. True it is, (if we ſpeake properly,) this purchaſe is peculiar unto Gods elect, his Church inviſible, for whoſe ſake Chriſt dyed: But for their ſakes, (from whom the Church taketh the denomination, as being the better and moſt conſiderable part of it) it is attributed to the whole Church, even to the Church viſible. It is his floore by purchaſe.
Yet further in the third and fourth place, It is his floore in reſpect of his preſence, his providence: His preſence in it, his providence over it.
Ruth. 3. 7.
His preſence in it, which is continuall. The Story telBoaz, that he went downe to his floore and lodged there, lying downe at the end of the heape of Corne. Even [Shew me, O thou
whom my ſoule loveth, where thou feedeſt, where thou lyeſt downe at noone;] It is the Spouſes ſpeech to her welbeloved; to which his anſwer followes. [If thou
knowest not O thou faireſt among women, get thee forth by the ſteps of the flock, and feede thy Kids by the Tents of the Shepheards.] Would we know where Chriſt feeflock, by the Tents of the Shepheards; In his Church, in the midſt of his Ordinances, Chriſt is ever preſent in this floore, manifeſting his preſence in it.
And fourthly, Exerciſing his providence over it. His
firſt in watching, then in governing.
1. Watching in and over this floore. To this end, Boaz lay downe in his floore, at the end of the heape of corne, to watch it, leaſt it ſhould be ſtroyed, or ſtolne, or purloyfloore, viz. to watch his corne in it; to detyrants and perſecutors, Beasts which would ſtroy this corne; as alſo againſt the ſecret deTheeves that would ſtcorne, deceiving the very Elect if it were poſſible. To this end he watcheth in this floore; watBoaz did in his, lying downe ſleeping there. No, The watchman of Iſrael neither ſlumbereth nor ſleepeth. He exerciſeth a ſpeciall proviwatching over this floore.
2. And ſecondly, In ruling and governing it, ordeHuſbandman ordereth all the buſineſſe in his own floore, giving diOrdinance in his Church, but is of his ordering and apſubſtance, and materiall circumſtances; preſcribing Lawes to his Church, governing it, which he doth by his word.
Put theſe together, and you ſee the doctrinall part of this firſt Branch of the Text, opened and illuſtrated. I ſee, I muſt wade no further into it at preſent. What uſe ſhall we make of this which hath been ſpoken?
1. Anabaptiſts confloore in reſpect of mixture? Here, (ſwimming with the ſtreame of Expoſitors,) I might take a juſt occAnabaptiſticall errour wherever it is found, which affirmes and maintaines the true viſible Church, to conſiſt only of true believers, ſuch as are good. A doctrine charged upon us by our AdverſaRhemes, in their Gloſſe upon the Text; but with what truth, let the joint conſent of all the writers F
and
ſuper Text.mixed company, mingled of good and bad, believers, hypocrites, &c. Such a company the Church here is. As for thoſe who ſeeke for any other ChurchMundam in mundo immundo Eccleſiam, (ſaith Aretius.) A pure Church in an impure world. Thoſe which will joyne themſelves to no Church but ſuch an one, they muſt, (as the Apoſtle ſaith,) goe out of the world for it. But I will not ſpend
2. Be not offended at mixtures in the Church afloore in reſpect of mixture? why then let not any be ſcandalized, or offended at what ever mixtures, either are, or are ſuppoſed to be in the Church or Churches of God amongſt us. Mixtures happily there may be; mixtures there are; we grant it. Poſſible ſome corruptions cleaving to ſome of the Ordinances; Howcorrupt men mingling themſelves with the people of God, not only coming with them into the houſe of God, but ſiTable, hamixtures? Surely the very Barne-floore will cry out againſt this inference. There we ſee wheate and chaffe lying upon the ſame heape, and who wonders at it mixture in the Church or Churches of God, be not Tim. 2. to take off that ſcandall which any might take at ſcandalous Apo
perſons openly wicked in the Church.
mint
in the Church of God, to plead either for Admiſſion or Toleration of perſons openly prophane and ſeanAdmiſſion into the Church, their Toleration in the Church: Much leſſe for the promiſcuous reſorting of all ſorts of perſons to the Lords Table, without any regard had to their q
or converſations. An errour I confeſſe, which, till it may be reLeaven were purged out ▪
and this floore of Chriſt athroughly purged from the chaffe and droſſe of what ever corruption is yet remaining in it. But in the meane time, though I plead not for mixtures, yet Church, that Church whereof God hath made me a member and a Minister, which all the mixtures that are in it, cannot
Ʋnchurch, make to be no Church; or yet warrant a ſeparation from.
The Church of the Jewes, at this time, when the Baptiſt preached to them, it was (I ſuppoſe) in as corrupChurch of England at this day is, or ever yet was ſince the firſt Reformation of it. How was that floore all covered with chaffe? How many foule corruptions had even overſpread the face of that Church? Humane Inventions, and Traditions being brought in, even to the thruOrdinances of God. Ceremonies eaheart, the power and ſubſtance of Religion. Thoſe which ſate in Moſes his chaire, as vile as could be imagined: A generation of vipers. Such were their teachers and Church-governours, Blind guides, having a corrupt and unlawfull entrance into their calling, and demeaning themſelves as corruptly in it; and, no queſtion, like Prieſts, like people. The ſtate of that Church moſt corrupt; little elſe but chaffe to be ſeene in that floore; yet for all that, a floore ſtill; So the Baptiſt here calleth it, telling them that Chriſt would purge that floore of his. Purge it, not preſently
chaffe that is in it, would preſently be breaking up the floores; For ſome ſuppoſed corruptions in the Church, preſently unchurch it; a matter of a higher nature then many in this laſt age have taken it to be. Not ſo) but purge it, purge it, So will Chriſt deale with his floore, hee will throughly purge his floore.
Engl
a true Church.floore of Chriſt, then it ought not to be broken up; if a true Church, then purging would ſerve the turne. But ſuch is not the Church of England, ſuch are not the Churches in England. And why not? why they faile in conſtitution, which is a fundamentall errour. They are not rightly conſtituted. And why not? Becauſe the members of them were not rightly gathered, nor yet knit and joyned together in the formality of a Church Covenant. Even as if one ſhould reaſon after this manner; It is the ſame man, though in other cloathes; the ſame argument though in different expreſſions. The Corne was not brought in at the right doore, or the floore is not a boarded floore; or at leaſt the boards were not joynted and faſtened together, not right layed at the firſt; but either it is a Clay floore, or elſe the boards are layed looſe and warping; therefore it is no floore, no true floore. The ab
true Church if we ſee it? A. Why even as we may doe a true floore, I will not goe out of the Text for a demonſtration. Where the fanne is ordinarily at worke, there is the floore; and where Chriſts fanne is ordinarily at worke, there is his floore, his Church; What this fanne is, I have told you alreadyfanne of the Word, the word preached. This is the fanne which the Baptiſt here principally ſpeaketh of, the fanne of the word, which is in the hand of Chriſt, both in reſpect of liberty and efficacie (as I have ſhewen you.) Now
fanne is ordinarily at worke, where the word is ordinarily preached and diſpenſed in the publick miFloore, a Church. Now this I think will not be denied, but that this fanne hath been at worke in the Churches of Chriſt amongſt us, and that with ſuch efficacie and power, as no where more. Strange, that any ſhould queſtion whether Chriſt have a floore, a Church amongſt us or no.
Fanne may worke out of the floore, ſometimes in other corners of the Barne, and ſometimes abroad in the open field. And thus (ſay our adPaul preaAthenians (ſay they) who yet were no true Church.
Preaching, but the ordinary Preaching of the word, is an effentiall marke and note of a true Church. The word may be preached two wayes. Either Occaſionally, or Ordinarily in a ſetled way. Now, in the former way it may be preached to Heathens and Infidels, where there is no more but the Paſſive Capacity of a Church. It is the latter of theſe that we conclude to be an evidence of a true Church, viz. the ſetled preaching of the word amongſt a people that profeſſe ſubjection to it. Where the fanne is conſtantly at worke, day after day, and weeke after weeke, who queſtions but there is a floore? Where the word is preached in a fetled way, day after day, weeke after weeke, yeare after yeare, to a people profeſſing ſubjection and obeS
the Sacraments, for ſubſtance rightly admiChurch, a true Church. And this is it we ſay for the Church of England, or Churches in England, (for I am
floore Chriſts fanne hath beene ſtirring, and that lively; his Goſpell hath beene preached, and that powerfully, ſucceCorne is now layed up in Gods Garner, which this Fanne hath dreſſed in this Floore? How many bleſſed ſoules now triumphing in Heaven, which were here gained and brought home unto Chriſt, by the miniſtery of the word in this Church? And ſhall we yet queſtion, whether it be a true floore or no, upon a bare ſuppoſall that the Corne was not brought in at the right doone, or that the boards were not layed right at the firſt? whether a true Church or no, beconſtitution? The Argument happily is diſpleaſing to ſome of you. Let me tell you, it is not pleaſing to my ſelfe. Had I not met with it ſo full, that I could not baulke it with
3. Comfort, Chriſt will have an eye to this his Floore.Chriſts floore? here is Comfort to the Church, and to all that wiſh well to it. The Church being his floore, he will have an eye to it. So will a faithfull ſervant have to his Maſters floore, he will have an eye to it, that the Corne ſhall not be either ſtollen or ftroyed. Such a faithfull ſervant will Chriſt approve himſelfe unto God his Father. Moſes was
faithfull in all Gods Houſe, and Chriſt will be faithfull in his Floore, in looking to his Corne, that it be not ſtroyed. Threſhed, fanned, winnowed it may be, but stroyed it ſhall not be. Not a Graine of Wheate ſhall miſFloore. Expreſſe and emphaticall is that of the Prophet Amos, in the place fore-named. I will ſift the houſe of Iſrael amongst all Nations, like as Corne
is ſifted in a five, yet ſhall not the leaſt graine fall upon the
earth.] Marke it, Gods Corne may be ſifted, winnowed, but not a graine of it ſhall fall to the earth; If Wheate, it ſhall not be stroyed: Why? Chriſt will have an eye to this floore, to his Church: not any true member of it his Father hath given him he will looſe nothing.
Exhortation, Let Chriſt have the ordering of it.Exhortation, and but a word. Is the Church Chriſts floore, let him have the ordering of it, and of all buſineſſes in it. This priviledge we will allow the Huſbandman, to order the buſineſſe in his own floore. Let Chriſt doe as much in his Church, in ordering all the publick Ordinances in it. And who but he ſhould doe it? It being his floore, over which he hath an abſoSoveraignty. So much for this time.
And he will throughly purge his Floore.]
Exerciſe of the Soveraigne Authority of Jeſus Chriſt over and upon his Church. His Church; that is here meant by the Floore; the viſible Church of Chriſt: which in what refloore, and His floore, I then ſhewed you. Not to looke backe: Come we now to the ſefloore. It ſhall be purged, (ſaith the Text,) throughly purged. He will throughly purge his Floore.]
Epiſt. 24Purge it, Not caſt it off, not breake it up. I like not that Surgerie (ſaith one of our late Worthies) which upHuſbandry, which becauſe of ſome chaffe in the floore, would preſently breake it up. Not ſo; purge it, purge it. This is Chriſts way, let it be
He will throughly purge his Floore.] The Church then ſhall be purged, throughly purged.] This is that which the Lord promiſeth to the Church of the Jewes, Iſa. 1.
I will purely purge away thy droſſe.] What ever it was that defiled or imbaſed that Church, ſhe ſhould be purged from it, and purely, throughly purged. This promiſe he will make good to his Church under the Goſpell. It ſhall be purged, throughly purged.
Purged.] What ſhall it be purged from? Who ſhall purge it? When ſhall he purge it? By what
ſhall he purge it? And wherefore will he ſo purge it? EnExplication and Illustration. To moſt of them (to the foure firſt) we ſhall find an anſwer in the Text. Begin with the firſt.
Quest. Anſw. From the chaff, 1. From what ſhall it be purviz Corrupt men & corrupFrom what ſhall this floore be purged? The Text it ſelfe inſinuates the anſwer; from the Chaffe that is in it. He will purge h
Firſt, purge it out, caſt it out of the floore, then burne it. And from this ſhall the viſible Church of Chriſt be purged; from the chaffe that is in it. What chaffe? Take the word as we willcorrupt perſons, or corruptions themſelves: Both, in the phraſ and lanchaffe. Corrupt and wicked men, they are chaffe; The ungodly are like the chaffe] ſaith the Pſalmiſt. Chaffe for their vileneſſe,
barrenneſſe, inconstancy &c. As corrupt men, ſo corruptions. What is the chaffe to the wheat? ſaith the Lord, Jer. 23. Gods truth
wheat, ſound and ſolid: Falſe Doctrines are as chaffe. Such are corruptions in Doctrine ▪
and ſuch are corruptions in worſhip; and ſuch are corruptions in Diſcipline, all as chaffe, that will not endure the Fanne of the word. And from this chaffe ſhall this floore of Chriſt, the Church, be purged, viz. both from corrupt men, and from corruptions them
Corrupt, wicked men, Hypocrites and othersbody. In the body, but not of it. Joyning themſelves to the myſticall body of Chriſt, but no true Members of it. And being
purged out. Wicked men, HypoDroſſe and Tinne, mixed with the good and pure mettall; and being ſuch, they ſhall be purged out. I will purge away thy droſſe (ſaith corrupt Judges and Councellours, which ſhould be taken away. Wicked men, they are the Goates, which now flock and feed togeSheepe: Joyning themſelves unto the people of God, and having communion with them in many, it may be in all the publike ordinances of God. They are the Tares, which grow up together with the wheat in the ſame field. They are the chaffe, which cleaving cloſe to the Corne, lyeth with it upon the ſame Goaffe, upon the ſame heape. Being ſo, they ſhall be ſevered, they ſhall be weeded, purged out. corrupt men.
2. And ſecondly, from Corruptions themſelves. Corruptions
manners, which are perſonall; but corruptions in Doctrine, corruptions in worſhip, corruptions in Diſcipline. Church-corruptions. Now from all theſe ſhall the Church be purged. I will take away [all] your Tinne.] What ever it was that corrupted the ſtate of that Church. This will Chriſt doe for his Church under the Goſpell. He will purge away all her Droſſe, all her corruptions, be they (as I ſaid) in manners, Doctrine, worſhip. Expreſſe and full is that of the Prophet Ezekiel, Ezek. 36. 25. From all your filthineſſe, and from all your Idols will I cleanſe you, ſaith the Lord. Cleanſe them from their filthineſſe, from corruptions in manners,
Doctrine, in worſhip. And let me adde alſo, corruptions in Diſcipline too. It is the Lords promiſe to the Church of the Jewes, in that place fore-named, Iſa. 1. 26. I will purge
as at the firſt, and thy Counſellours as at the beginning.] And this will Chriſt doe for his Church under the GoſJudges, as at the firſt, and her Counſellours, as at the beginning. Reſtoring his Church to Primitive Order and Diſcipline, purging out what epurged.
throughly purged,
perpurgabit: Thus did Chriſt purge the Temple in the dayes of his fleſh: he made a thorough ſweepage, driving out all the buyers
and ſellers, &c. And thus will he purge his Church: throughly purge it. Purge out All corrupt men, and All corruptions. I will purely purge, &c.] Repurgabo ut purificationem (ſo Montanus renI will diligently and throughly purge thee, as the Fornace or fining pot doth the ſilver. This is that which the Prophet Malachi tels the Church, Mal. 3. where proſecuting the ſame Allegory, he ſets forth the ſedulity and exactneſſe of Chriſt in this purging of his He ſhall ſit downe to try and to fine the ſilver; hee ſhall even fine the ſonnes of Levi, and purifie them as gold and ſilver.] Marke it; full expreſſions. Chriſt ſhall purge and purifie his Church; and this he ſhall do, both diligently and throughly. Diligently, not curſorily. He ſhall [ſit downe] to try, &c.] As a man that intends a worke ſeriouſly, he ſitteth downe to it. Throughly he ſhall try and fine and purifie, &c. The Prophet multiplieth words, heaps up expreſſions, all to intimate the through
Gods way per Pſ. 18. 30.perfect works. As for God his way is perfect, Pſal. 18.] Such they either are, or ſuch they ſhall be before he leave them. Such was his worke of Creation, perfect at the firſt. Every thing which he had made was very good, i. e. perfect. Such ſhall his worke of new Creation be, the worke of Regeneration;
He who bath begun
worke in you ▪ will perfect it▪
ſaith Paul to his Phili
The new ▪ birth, though at the firſt perfect man. This will Chriſt doe(The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me, ſaith thPſal. 1
and thEarth ſhall be as perfect, as the old ever was. He that hath begun the good worke of reſtoring, purging his Church, will alſo perfect itpurge itthroughly purge it.
2. Who will purge it? viz ▪
Chriſt.Who? Why, that ſhall the Lord Jeſus Chriſt. There have you the anſwer to the ſecond enquiry, which I am fallen upon unawares. [He] ſhall throughly purge his floore, ſaith the Baptiſt. The floore is His, as I have ſhowen you; and being ſoHusbandman)
Fanne into the hand of this his Servant, that he ſhould dreſſe his Corne, purge his floore. To this onPower and Authori
to him, as over the whole world, ſoHe is like a purging fire, and like Fullers ſoape, ſaith the Prophet Malachi, ſpeaking of ChriſtMal ▪
3. 3. He ſhall ſit downe to try, &c.] He ſhall make it his worke to purge the Church.
The purging of the Church is a great worke. So was the purging of the Temple, a greater worke then it is ordinarily apprehended. Temple purgati
miraculum, ſaith the Father. The purging of the Temple it was one of the greateſt miracles that ever Chriſt did in the dayes of his private perſon (ſo he was then accounted and taken to be) nay a deſpicaSonne of a Carpenter
whip in his hand (as deſpicable an inſtrument, rather to be ſcorned then feared) and therewith ſhould drive out all thoſe (no petty chap men) Drovers and Bankers (notwithMaſters of the Temple, the chiefe-Prieſts, &c.) as ſo many ſheepe before him, without oppoſition, without contradiction; what a worke? Well may we ſay of it, as Paul doth of the reſurrection Hereby he declared himſelfe to be the Sonne of God, and that with power mightily. Whether there were at that time any Radij claritatis, Rayes and beames of ſplendour and glory, ſhining in, and ſt2 Joh.
(Non creditur quia non legitur.) But this we may ſay, and make it good; here were Radij divinitatis, rayes and beames of Divinity, a divine power put forth and manifeſted in this act. The like we may ſay of this great worke, the worke of Church-Reformation. To purge the Church, and that throughly, from all corrupt perſons and corruptions. What a work?
To purge it from all corrup Act. 1Epheſus, when once the great Goddeſſe Diana was but ſuppoſed to be touched. What a duſt it raiſed? The whole City was in a confuſion. Now how many Diana's are there to be found in the Chriſtian world? Perſonall-Diana's and Church-Diana's? All theſe muſt be, not only touchedJeſus Chriſt.
corrupt men out of
diſcover them, to find them out; when once diſcovered, a greater worke to caſt them out. And who but Chriſt can doe either of theſe? Who but he can diſcover them? Some ſo cloſe, ſo ſecret and hidden, that their owne hearts doe not diſcover them; much leſſe can others. Who ſhall doe it, but he that is Heb. 4. 13. Specially the caſting out of Antichriſt.nacked and open? And who but he can caſt them out being diſcovered? That man of ſinne, that Antichriſt of Rome, long ſince diſcovered to be (as the Father ſaid of Marcian the Heretick) Primogenitns Diaboli, the eldeſt ſonne of the Devill, the Head of the Church malignant upon earth; yet to eject, to cast
him out of the Temple of God, where he ſitteth as God; what a ſtirre, what a combuſtion hath it made, doth it make, and is yet like to make through the Chriſtian world? Tangit montes & fumigabunt. He toucheth the hils and
they ſmoake, Pſa. 104. 32.] Thoſe ſeven Hils of Rome beAetna or Veſ
thoſe flaming Mountaines ſo terriTant
So great a worke is it like to be to diſinthronize that ſame Antagoniſt of Jeſus Chriſt, that Lord Paramount, that oppoſeth againſt, and exalteth himſelfe above all that is
called God. To bring downe that Antichrist, and to caſt him out of the Temple, the Church of God, his uſurped poſſeſſion, which he hath held ſo long a timevi & armis, by force and might, to caſt out him with all his complices and adherents, it is a mighty worke; ſuch a worke, as who but Jeſus Chriſt can be able to effect? And he will doe it, and that when the time commeth,
He ſhall conſu
the breath of his mouth, and deſtroy him with the brightneſſe of his comming, that is, ſuddenly, eaſily conſume, aboliſh him, and together with him, all other enemies of his Church, whether open or ſecret.
Par
aDivinity of Jeſus Chriſt; that he is more then man, truly God. To purge the Church, and to purge it throughly, it is Opus plane divinum, the worke of God and not of man. So much judicious Calvin rightly obſerves from that fore-named place of the Prophet Iſaiah, Iſa. 1. 25. where the Lord telleth his in Iſa. 1. 25.I will turne my hand upon thee, and will purely purge away thy droſſe, &c.] Purgatio Eccleſiae propri
The purging of the Church is Gods peculiar worke, the worke of his owne hand. I will turne my hand upon thee, &c.] Certainly had not Chriſt bin more then man, he could never have purged the Temple as he did; And were he not truely God, he could never purge this floore, as it ſhsll be purged, throughly purge it. This hee can doe, and this hee will doe.
3. When ſhall the Church be purAct. 1. 6.
Quere. It was a buſineſſe of like nature that the Diſciples were ſo inquiſitive with our Saviour about, Acts 1. viWhen he would reſtore the Kingdom unto Iſrael. If any ſhall make the like enquiry touching the purging of the Church, when Chriſt will do it? Let him reſt contented with that ſatisfaction that the Text giveth him. He will doe it. perpurgabit. He [will] throughly purge his floore.] This he will doe. The purging of the Church (as I told you) is a great worke, and therefore not the worke of a day, to be done at once. As it was with the building of the ſecond Temple under the Law, ſo ſhall it be with the purging of the Church under the
Type of the other, but the congruity betwixt them, with the alluſion of the one to the other, I cannot but acknowledge and approve.) That Temple was not built all at once, as Solomons Temple was, but by degrees. Such ſhall the repairing and purging of the Church unGoſpell be, Graduall, not perfected all at once. Chriſt in the dayes of his fleſh, he purged the Temple more then once: three ſeverall times, three ſeverall dayes, (ſo Chemnitius notes it upon that ſecond chapt. of John.) Firſt in the beginning of his Miniſtery; afSellers onely: Joh. 2. 15. Then afterbuyers and Sellers, Mat. 21. Mark. 11. Luk. 19. The purging of the Church is not one act. It is not to be done at once, but by degrees. The Moone having loſt her light, recovers it by degrees, ſo ſhall the Church hers. The purging and reſtoring of the Church is a continued worke, and therefore Chriſt is ſaid to fit at it, in that place fore-named, Mal. 3. He ſhall ſit downe
to try and to fine, &c.] He fitteth downe to it: Beginning and carrying it on here, perfecting it hereafter.
Scultet. exercit. ſuper Textum. 4. How Chriſt purviz. by hu Fanne.Fanne. So I am fallen upon the fourth enquirie. How Chriſt will doe this, by what meanes, by what Inſtrument. The Text reſolves it. He will doe it by his Fanne. Who hath his fanne in his hund ▪ and he will throughly purge his floore, viz. by that his fanne, even that threefold fanne which
Doctrinae.
Crucis.
Iudicij.
fanne of the Word, the fanne of the Croſſe, the fanne of the laſt Judgement. All theſe three Chriſt maketh uſe of for the purging of this floore, his Church. The two former he maketh uſe of here; the fanne of the word, the fanne of the Croſſe, whereof the latter is ſubſervient to the former.
I
Word. This is that fire, (is not my Word as fire?) Whereby this Refiner trymettall: Firſt, diſcovering corrupconſuming them. Even as the fire firſt ſheweth which is the droſſe, and then burnes it up. Both theſe doth Chriſt by his Word. Firſt diſcovering
light of it. If Wood, Hay, Stubble, be built upon the foundation, the day will declare it, (Dies Evangelij, the lightſome Doctrine of heavenly truth, as divers Expoſitors expound that place) it ſhall be revealed by fire, viz. by the Word, which examining and trying the Doctrines of men, diſcovers the corruption that is in them. And diſcovering them by the light of it, he conſumes them by the heate of it; and that both perſonall and Church corruptions. Both theſe Chriſt purfloore by this fanne, his Word. Hereby it is that he hath already purged out ſo much Romiſh chaffe out of this floore, ſo much of Antichriſtian Idolatry, and ſuperſtition out of his Church. And by this meanes he will purge out the reſt. He ſhall conſume
him with the breath of his mouth, ſaith the Apoſtle, ſpeaAntichriſt and Antichriſtianiſme, with the breath of his mouth, i. e. spiritu Sermonis Evangelici, ſaith Caje
rightly. The Gospell preached. This is that ſame that ſharpe two edged Sword going forth of the Mouth of Jeſus Chriſt. Even his Word in the mouth of his Miniſters, which is ſharper then any two edged Sword. Hereby it is that Chriſt goeth forth againſt all the Enemies of his Perſon and Kingdome, wounding them, ſlaying them. Wounding them. T
ſhot out of that Bow in the hand of Jeſus Chriſt, wherewith he goeth forth through the world conquering, and to conquer, Rev. 6. viz. his Word, his Goſpell preached, which is the powerfull inſtrument of Jeſus Chriſt, wounding the ſoules and conſciences of ſuch as oppoſe it. And
ſlaying them. He ſhall ſmite
the Earth with the R
(ſaith the Prophet Iſaiah) and with the Breath of his Mouth ſhall he ſlay the wicked. The R
of Chriſts Mouth, and the Breath of his lips is his Word; his Goſpell preached: Hereby he ſmiteth the Earth, that is, the wicked and impenitent which are upon the Earth, Smiteth them, nay ſlayeth them; Either killing ſinne in them, or them in their ſinnes, ſlaying them ſpiritually. This doth Chriſt by his word, which is unto all impenitent unbelievers a killing letter, a deadly ſavour, a ſavour of death unto death. Of fanne in the hand of Jeſus Chriſt. Hereby he not onely diſcovers, but alſo diſſipateth and ſcattereth what ever chaffe he meeteth with in his floore. And by this meanes purgeth it; making uſe of his Word, as the chiefe and principall Inſtrument in effe
fanne (as I have heretofore ſaid) works the better when it hath the winge to helpe and ſecond it. The Word is made more powerfull and effectuall, when it is backed by Diſcipline, which rightly and duely exerciſed, ſerwinge to ſweepe off ſuch ſcandalous and obfanne, ſuch as will not yeeld obedience to the Word. A uſefanne will not make cleane worke without it. Without it this floore will not be throughly purged. And in this regard much to be deſired. But yet know we it not to be ſo abſolutely and eſſentially neceſſary to the being of a Church, as that the bare abſence, the want of the exerciſe of it, (for as for the power, that cannot be taken away from the Church, being by Chriſt himſelfe gifanne is at worke, there is Chriſt at worke purging his floore. This being (as I ſaid) the chiefe and principall In
Fanne, the Fanne of the Croſſe, for the furthering of this work. But this is accidentally. The Croſſe hauing no ſuch purging property in it ſelfe, otherwiſe then apurging out (as perſona
ſo Church-corruptions.
this (ſaith the Prophet Iſaiah) ſh
Jacob be purged.] By this, viz. by Gods debating and contending with his Church in the branches thereof (as the old blowing
with a rough winde in the day of the Eaſt winde: that is, by his exerciſing of it with the ſtrong and ſharp winde of ſome ſorEaſt wind nippeth and blaſteth th
and the branch, though not killing the Root, Hereby (ſaith the Lord) ſhall the iniquity of Jacob (the Church) be purged. Expiabi
it ſhall be expiated, purged, not by way of ſatisfaction (as Repentance and Reformation, which God would uſe this as a meanes to bring his Church and people unto, thereby purging out their Idolatry and ſuperſtition with all the monuments of it, which is properly the iniquity of Jacob there ſpoſecond Fanne; where the former, the Fanne of the Word, taketh not place, he ſends the latter, the Fanne of the Croſſe to ſecond it; maPurging of his floore. Thus he purHere.
But this purging is imperfect, not yet a through-purging, when ſhall that be? When ſhall this Floore be throughly purged? I have told you it already. Hereafter at that laſt and great day, that day of purification; when Heaven and Earth ſhall be purified, then ſhall this Floore the Church, be purged, throughly purged. And this ſhall Chriſt doe by that third and laſt Fanne, the
Fanne of the last judgement. Thereby ſhall he make a Separation, ſeparating the Goates from the Sheepe, which here have gone with them in the ſame flocke, fed with them in the ſame paſture. Thereby ſhall he lever the Tares from the wheat, which here grew up with it in the ſame field. Hereby he will ſever the chaff from the Corne, which here lay with it upon the ſame heape. And that he will doe throughly, perfectly; from thence forth for ever freeing his Church from all mixtures, whether of corrupt-men or corruptions, neither new and heavenly Jeruſalem.
5. Wherefore ſhall it be ſo purged, viz. that it may be a glorious Church.Floore, his Church. And wherefore will he ſo purge it? That is the 5th and laſt Enquiry: To which take the Reſolution in a word. This he will doe, that he may have a glorious Church; a Church ſutable to the Head of it. The Head of the Church is a glorious head, a Head like that of Nebuchadnezzars Image, all Gold, fine and pure gold. Such ſhall Body be, not part of braſſe and part of Iron, and part of Clay, a mixed body, as that was; but all Gold, pure Gold, that it may be ſutable to the Head. A glorious body to a glorious Head. To this end it is (ſaith the ApoThat Christ ſanctifieth and cleanſeth his Church by the waſhing of water through the word, that he may preſent it unto himſelfe a glorious Church, not having spot or wrinckle, or any ſuch thing (any mixture) but that it ſhould be holy and without blemiſh, Eph 5. 27.
Concluſion, That Chriſt will throughly purge his Church. What
Ʋſe ſhall we make of it? Time giveth not way to particular inlargements: Neither indeed am I very willing to give way to them upon this ſubiect in this Congregation; which if I ſhould, it would happily ocSeparation (ſo I call it, borrowing the word from t. James, who informes me of a bitter zeale,
distaſted, not only with the Church of England, but with the Churches in England, as that at once it rejecteth and renounceth them all as falſe and Antichriſtian) appreerrour of the times, dangerous to the Church, and in particular to this place, I conChurch-differences being laid aſide, Amaſa once was) and covered with ſilence, the Lords people might be led on in their march to Heaven without diverſion or interruption. Upon this ground, I ſhall forbeare inlargements.
Beſides, let me tell you, All Truthes (I though Goſpell Truthes) are not ſo fit for every audience. For this Pauls warrant to beare me out, who writing to his Corinthians, tels them, that he had ſed them with milke and not with meat, Why? For hitherto (ſaith he) yee were not able to beare it, neither yet are ye able, 1Church-Reformation. A ſubject fit indeed to be handled before that Authority to which a Church-Reforming
power is committed; but not ſo fit for private Auditories. Herein I cannot but applaud and approve Zerobabels InChurch-Reformation, who having preached a Sermon upon this very ſubject before the Honourable Houſe oſ Commons at one of their Publike Faſts, and at their command publiſhing it, in his Epiſtle Dedicatory to them, he tels them and the world, that it was a ſubject which otherwiſe, and in all other Auditories h
Not but that the People ought alſo to know their duty herein. So ſaith he, and ſo ſay I, and in that way ſhall I carry the Application, which
viz. the Purging. ReWill Jeſus Chriſt thus throughly purge his floore, why then let all and every of us (every of us in our places) doe what we may, doe what we can for the furthering of this deſigne, this great deſigne of Jeſus Christ, in and upon this and other of his Churches. That this is his deſigne, we comfortably hope. Certainly one of theſe two it muſt be, either Reformation or Deſolation. We truſt, not the latter, though we have cauſe enough to feare it. Our hopes are, that Jeſus Chriſt will not yet forſake this Floore of his, where the Fanne of the Word hath bin ſo long a time at worke, and where he hath ſo much wheat lying upon the Heape. It is the Lords own Reaſon to Paul, why he would not have him depart from Corinth, but abide and preach there; for (ſaith he) I have much people in this City. Surely God hath people, a great people in this Kingdome: A great people already called and brought in, and we hope yet a greater to be called in; Much Corne already threſhed, and more in the Straw. This giveth us ſome comforFloore, not yet leave this Church of his. What then? Purge it, Purge it, Reforme it, Reforme it. This we hope is the preſent deſigne of Jeſus Chriſt at this day, not to
Floore, this Church of his, but to purge it from what ever Chaffe of corruption is yet remaining in it.
That there is Chaffe yet remaining in this Floore, it muſt not be denyed; Certainly were there not, this Fanne, the Fanne of the Croſſe, the Fanne of Judgement ſhould not be ſo buſie at worke, as at this day it is (and now for ſo many moneths hath been.) It is Jobs ſpeech Friends, Doth the wild Aſſe bray when hee hath graſſe, or doth the Oxe low over his fodder? The veſcum there is in this Pot, which whileſt it hath bin pla
with ſo long a continued proſperity, hath even boyled and ſodden-in. And full cup of cold-water, that as he hath hereby in part raiſed this ſcumme already, ſo he may in his time purge it out. Some Chaffe in this Floore, ſome Corruption in this Church, which we truſt Chriſt is about to purge out and reforme.
Deſigne? Let every of us further it vvhat vve can, not hinder it. Hinder it we cannot: Which may ſerve as an arHe will purge and throughly purge his floore. This he will doe, and that in deſpight of all oppoſition; maugre the malice of Satan, Antichriſt, and all their accurſed Inſtruments and Adherents. Let them all doe what they can either by power or pollicy to keepe the chaffe in the Floore of Chriſt, yet Chriſt will purge
Queſt. But then, What ſhall we doe? A great, uſeviz. to ſhew you theſe two things: 1. What the Reformation is which we are to deſire and ſeeke. And ſecondly, What we ſhall doe to further and compaſſe that Reformation. Two uſefull points. The former I ſhall only touch upon in the generall (ha
And he will throughly purge his Floore.]
Church-Reformation; a great and a glorious worke, the great deſigne (as vve hope) of Jeſus Chriſt upon this and other of his Churches at this day. Apprehending it ſo to be, be we excited every of us, to put to our hands, in our ſeverall places to doe what we may for the promoting and furthering of that deſigne in the Church of God amongſt us. This Exhortation I propounded the laſt day, and give me now leave to proſecute it.
Doe what we may every of us for the furthering of this great Deſigne. But what ſhall we do?
For anſwer hereunto, I then chalked out the way, wherein I intend now to walke; which was, firſt to ſhew you, What that Reformation is, which we are to ſeek.
What we ſhall doe to compaſſe that Reformation. Begin with the firſt of theſe.
Qu What is that Reformation which amongſt us is ſo deſired,
and ſo deſireable? A queſtion of great and preſent concernement, other wiſe I ſhould not ſo much as have medled with it. Reformation, it is the common Theame of the times: No one thing more frequently, more freely ſpoken of every where; but my feares are, not ſo clearely, ſo diſtinctly underſtood by many, it may be by ſome of them who ſeeme to be moſt zealous in the cauſe, either for or againſt it. To rectifie, not to quenth or quell the zeale of the one, to kindle and blow it up in the other; I ſhall adventure to deſcend into, or rather upon, theſe troubled waters; hovering over them, (as the Spirit is ſaid to have done over thoſe firſt waters. Movebat ſuper faci
deepe; or walking upon the ſurface of them, (as our Sa
Duo ponit Adeformation; enquiring what chaffe there is yet left in this floore, what Errours, what Imperfections, what corruptions there are, or may be ſuppoſed to be left in this Church, unpurged out, unreformed. Ezek. 8 ▪ 12. It muſt be eiCol.
Faith and OrBeza ▪
ad Chaffe there is, Errours, Imperfections there are (as what Church without?) Let that be granted, yealErrours, thoſe Imperfections?
To find them out we ſhall not need to goe far about; there are but two Roo
two Chambers (as I may ſay) wherein we are to make ſearch for them. They muſt be either in matters of Faith or Order. To theſe two heads the Apoſtle reduceth the whole buſineſſe of a Church, Col. 2. 5. Beholding your Order, and the stedfaſtneſſe of your Faith.] There are but theſe two maine things to be eyed in a Church, the perfection of a Conſtituted
Church conſiſting in them, Faith and Order, the two great ſupporters of a Church, like thoſe two Pillars in the Porch of Solomons Temple, Jachin and Boaz; Eſtabliſhment and Strength, as the words ſig
Faith, Doctrine, or the Doctrine of Faith, the rightFirmamentum fidei, (as the vulgar Latin renders it) The Firmament, the Groundworke, and Foundation of Faith. Such is the Doctrine of Faith to the Church, Totius adificij
Fulcimentum, (as Beza gloſſeth upon it) The maine Baſis or Buttreſſe of this Building, the maine Pillar of the Church.
Faith and the Church, they are mutuall Pillars, each a Pillar to other; the Church a Pillar to Faith, and Faith a Pillar to the Church; but in a different reſpect. The Church is a Pillar to Faith (The Pillar of Truth) modo forenſi, a Pillar houlding it forth, as Pillars doe the publick Edicts or Proclamations which are hanged upFaith a Pillar to the Church, Modo Architectonico, a Pillar holding it up, as a Pillar doth a Houſe which reſteth upon it. Faith the right
Order of the Eſſence of a Church. Ex quibus veNaz:
Order. Order the Beauty of a Church,
Ʋbi Ordo dominatur ibi pulchritudo splendeſcit (ſaith the Father.) Where Order raignes, Beuty ſhines. A thing much to be joyed in where it is. Paul to thoſe Coloſſians. Rejoycing and beholding your
Beza ▪
Ibid.Order, Much to be deſired where it is not, or where it is not in ſome degree of perfection. The Beauty of a Church, Nay more, of the Eſſence of a Church, Faith and Order (ſaith Beza) they are the generall parts of which a Church conſiſts: Each eſſentiall to a conſtituted Church, requiſite not onely to the well-being, but the being of it; without which it cannot be a
conſtituted Church. A Church it cannot be without Faith, which maketh it an Eſſentiall Church, A constituted Church it cannot be without Order (ſome Order) which maketh it an Integrall and Organicall
lib. 1 cap. 33.Eccleſia, and Agora, (as Illiricus well obſerves) beChurch and a Market. The one is Conventus Ordinatus, an Orderly Convenſion or Aſſembly. The other, Confuſa Congregatio, a Confuſed and Pr
Even as it is betwixt an Armie and a Route, that which differenceth the one from the other is Order. An Armie is an Orderly Body, made up of Commanders, Officers, Common-Souldiers, divided into ſeverall Regiments, Squadrons and Companies, Martialled in Rankes and Files, obſerving a Militario Order. Such is the Church, an Armie [Terrible as an Armie,] it is ſaid of the Church
Ʋniverſall; and it may be ſaid of every particular Church, it is (or ought to be) an Armie, Acies ordinat
an Armie; as for Strength, ſo for Order, without which it cannot be a Church.
Order to the Church, and that, ſome Perfection of Order. Without the one it canConſtituted Church, and without the other it cannot be a Setled, an Eſtabliſhed Church. He ſhall ſit upon the Throne of David, and upon his Kingdome to order, and to ſtabliſh it,] it is ſpoken of Chriſt and his Church, Iſa. 9. To Order and to ſtabliſh. No Eſtabliſhing of a Church without Order; No ſuch way to Eſtabliſh it as by Order; Which, the more exact and perfect it is, the more Beautifull, the more Stable the Church is; and therefore not to be ſleighted, as it is by many. Next to the Faith of the Church, no one thing of ſo great con
If Faith be the right-hand Pillar, viz. in 3. things.Order is the left.
Q. But wherein conſiſts this Order which we erye up to be ſo requiſite, at leaſt to the well being of a Church.
ſuper Col. 2. 5.
Phil. 2. 2.
Ʋnitie and Agreement, and that both in Judgement
Affection; That the Members of a Church might be all Pauls words) Like-minded, One-Hearted, Having the ſame Love, being of one accord, of one minde, (as Paul ſaith to his Philippians,) minding and ſpeaking one and the Naturally caring for the ſtate one of another: Thus knit together in that double Bond of Faith and Love. Here is the firſt Branch of Church-Order, Ʋnitie and Agreement.
Regulatitie in life and conven Tit. 2 12. 2 Theſ. 3. 6.Carriage and D
the life Orderly. Orderly both towardsGod, Themſelves, Others. A living Righteouſneſſe, Soberly, Godly, (as the Apoſtle hath it.) Godly to God-ward: Soberly to Themſelves-ward: Righteouſly to the Worldward: which who ſo doe not, they are ſaid to walke without Order, Diſorderly. [Withdraw your ſelves from every Brother that walketh Diſorderly.] Here is the ſecond Branch of this Order. Order in the Perſonall walkings of Chriſtians, ſuch as joyne themſelves to a Church.
Diſcipline, Church-Diſcipline,
Right-Ordering of all the affaires and buſineſſes of the Church; whether of Officers, for their Election, Ordination, &c. or Ordinances, as viz. Word, Sacraments, Prayers, Cenſures, all which ought to be done (as the Apoſtle hath it) Orderly, according to Order. So were the Services under the Law done. The Service of the
Houſe of the Lord was ſet in Order, 2 Chron. 29. So ought all Services under the Goſpell to be done. Let all things be done decently and in Order.] Put theſe togeOrder.
Now, (to winde up what I have raveled, and to reChambers ſhall we find the Errours and Imperfections in this Church of onrs, needing, and calling for Reformation? Shall we find them in matters of Faith, in points of Doctrine, or in Order?
England deAs for the great things of the Gospell, matters of Faith or Doctrine, the firſt Reformers of our Church had ſo happy a hand therein, that there is to be
Incourageme ̄t, by T. G.found little, if any hay or ſtubble therein; It is the free, publick, and true acknowledgement oFaith, not in Doctrine; Bleſſed be God for thatOrder. There it muſt be or no where. And here I dare not ſay, but that ſome things viz.
Errours, ſome Defects, ſome Corruptions, and thoſe poſſible to be found in every corner of this Chamber, In every of thoſe three Branches which I particularized even now. In ſome of them they are more palpable, (not more palpable then deplo
Ʋnitie and Agreement.
In Ʋnity. Ioh. 17. 21.diſorder in the Church of God amongſt us? The Church which ſhould be one, one in the Mem(I pray that they may be all one,) ſaith our Saviour, ſpeaking of all that are given to him to beOne, in Head and Heart; Judgement and Affection, united to Chriſt, and amongſt themſelves by thoſe ſacred bonds of Faith and Love,) how is it divided, rent, torne? ChriJudgement and Affection? The evi
Perſonall walkings of Chriſtians, what Irregularitie? amongſt thoſe which joyne themſelves to the Church, or Churches of God amongſt us, how many that walke Diſorderly? neither Righteouſly, nor Soberly, nor Godly: perſons every wayes Scandalous, in their praLeaper or uncleane perſon to be caſt, or kept out of the Campe or Temple? A blot it muſt be acknowledged, and a blot very readily hit, that we ſhould have ſuch and ſo many of theſe Blots
Spots,
Peter and Jude calFeaſts, whether for want of Power to keepe, or caſt them out, or for want of the due exerciſe of that power, I diſpute it not. That it is ſo de Facto, it muſt not, it cannot be denied. So as in this point it ſeemeth, that the Temple of God amongſt us is yet imperfect, having too great an outward Court of an Ignorant and Prophane multitude layed unto it. In both theſe, (as I ſaid) the evidence is too cleare againſt us.
Accuſer, neither come I Law, to which I am a Subject; Yet dare I not ſay but even therein, in point of Diſcipline, (take the word largely) there may be ſome things, and maRedundant and Superfluous, fit to be pared off, and taken away; Some things deficient and wanting, wherein the Church hath not yet attained her full perfection. Neither can it be thought any diſhonour to thoſe ever honoured Worthies, the firſt Reformers of this Church, that they ſhould leave it in ſome particulars imperfect. Strange and wonderfull it is, that coming out of ſuch darkneſſe, they ſhould ſee ſo much as they did; that they ſhould leave the Church ſo perfect, which they found ſo imperfect, and that both for Faith and Order, in both like that firſt Chao
Of what nature theſe ſuppoſed imperfections are. Not FundaNature and Qualitie are thoſe Errours, thoſe Imperfections which we ſuppoſe to be yeFundamentals, or no? deſtructive to the Eſſence and being of a Church, or no? Not ſo. This alſo is, (or I ſuppoſe will be) freely yeelded and acknowledged at all JuIn the firſt Reforming of this Church,
Ibid.
God tooke care for all fundamentall Ordinances of his worſhip, furniſhing the Church with what was neceſſary for the making, and building up of Saints, and the bringing of his people to Heaven: Word, Sacraments, Prayer, thoſe great Ordinances of God, the very Baſis of the Church, together with all the ſubstantials apperDiſcipline alſo.
Wherein then lyeth the Errour? why ſurely for the
circumstantials. Such is Order to Ordinances, a Circumſtance, an Appurtenance. And hereHouſe of God amongſt us may want ſome of her
Ʋtenſils and Ornaments; The Worſhip of God, though for ſubſtantialls entire, yet may want ſome of her Appurtenances, and Accoutrements. The Ordinances of God though for ſubſtance rightly diſpenſed and adminiſtred, yet in the manner, and Order of their Adminiſtration, poſſibly they may be found, ſome of them at the leaſt, not ſo Regular and Orderly.
Now put theſe together, and ſee what it is that ſtanReformation. Her Defects in point of Order. Her Members, (firſt) are not ſo joynted and cemented toTimbers and Stones of the Temple ought to be. Many of them, (in the ſecond place) in their perſonall walkings doe not anſwer their profeſſion, beſcandalous in their lives and converſations. Her Ordinances, in the third place, ſome of them defective in ſome Circumſtances, wanting ſome Appurtenances, or elſe not ſo Exact for the Order and manner of their Ad
Q. Why, but you may ſay, are theſe Errours and Defects, Tanti? are they of ſuch high concernement, as that the Reformation of them ſhould be ſo earneſtly deſired?
A. To this I muſt anſwer, and I ſhall doe it freely; Of Concernement they are, and that of great concernefloore becauſe of theſe remainders of chaffe in it, no Church becauſe of theſe defects, theſe corruptions, Yet of greater, then others happily conceive them. That will appeare if we doe but conſider theſe two things,
Inconveniency of allowing or tolerating of theſe corruptions. 2. The conveniencie of their Reformation.
For the former. Corruptions in a Church are like Moath
in a Garment, if let alone, they will be ſubject decay it. Many and great are the Inconveniencies and hazzards, which the Church of God amongſt us, by reacorruptions or imperfections at the preſent lyeth under.
1. The want of unity and agreement, what an Eyeſore? Nay what a Heart-ſore. For the Diviſions of Reuwere great thoughts of heart.] To ſee the ſeameleſſe Coat of Chriſt, nay his Body rent and torne in pVnity, as it is the Beauty, ſo is it the ſtrength of a Church. No one thing either deformes or weakens it more then diviſion.
2. To have the outward Court of the Temple ſo wide, as that it ſhould admit and receive all comers; what a diſproportion? To have all ſorts of perſons, Perſons openly profane and ſcandalous, received into and reChurch ſociety and Communion, even communion in thoſe ſacred myſteries, the Seales of the Covenant, what a ſca
What a Hazard? Hereat and hereby ſome are offended, others hardened, the Church endangered. Indangered and that both in reſpect of guilt and infection. Both theſe wayes that of the Apoſtle carries a truth with it: [A little leaven leaveneth the whole lumpe] leaven, corrupt
ſcandalous ſinners, not purged out, but allowed or connived at in a Church, it leaveneth the whole lumpe; layguilt, where the Church is Acceſſary to that Toleration; beſides the danger of ſouring, leavening, infecting others, poſſibly the whole Church, probably ſome of the members of it: both ways
Order in diſpencing the Ordinances of God, or managing the affaires and buſiſubſtance be right. David in Arke from Kiriath-Jearim to Jeruſalem from a private houſe, the houſe of Abinadab, to its own place, the Tabernacle, which he had prepared for it, Order, laying the Arke upon a Cart which ſhould have been carried upon the Prieſts and Levites ſhoulders, God made a Breach amongſt them for The Lord our God (ſaith he) made a breach amongſt us, for that we ſought him not after the due order.] Not obſerving the order inſtituted and appointed by God in his Law. Of ſuch dangerous conſequence may ſome failings in point of order be. Were there nothing elſe, this alone may provoke God againſt a people to cauſe him to breake in upon them, to make a Breach amongſt them. Great Inconvenience in allowing, tolerating of theſe corruptions.
convenience in their Reformation.
ſtumbling-blocks and ſcandals, all grounds and cauſes, and (as much as may be) occaſions of diviſion removed, and taken out of the way, whereby the hearts of Gods people may come to be ceTemple reduced to it's due ſcantling and proportion, made neither too wide, nor too ſtrait (there may be an erHouſe of God cleane ſwept and garniſhed, purged from all corruptions, furniſhed with all requiſite Implements and Ornaments, not only her Altar, Table, Candleſticke, but alſo her Tongs and her Snuffers, &c. and thoſe all of pure gold. To have her Officers and Ordinances all reduced to native, primitive purity and ſimplicity. To have this Vineyard amongſt us
planted with choice vines, but to have a hedge ſet Diſcipline about the Ordinances) to have a Towre and a Wine-preſſe, and all other requibeauty and ſafety of the Church, to the Power and Glory of the Ordinances, to the joy, comfort and growth of all the Members of the myſticall Body. Let them not then be blamed who ſeeke and ſeeke earneſtly for the purging of this floore, the Reformation of this Church in the fore-named particulars.
2. Wwhat then ſhall we doe, for the compaſſing or furReformation? Here falls in the ſecond Question: For Anſwer to which take ſome directions; one for the preſent (for I ſee I ſhall not be able to com
1.
Be we thankefull for what we have. A uſefull, a needfull direction. No means more effectuwant and would have, then thankefully to acknowledge what we have already reChurch of God amongſt us, not leſſening, not undervaluing, much leſſe over-looking and forgetting the great things which our God hath already done for us. This doe ſome (I feare too many amongſt us) whoſe eyes are all upon the Churches blackneſſe (they are evill eyes which are ſo, a thing which the Church chargeth the Daughters of Jeruſalem (her friends) not to doe. Looke not upon me
becauſe I am blacke, Cant. 1.) her blemiſhes, her ſpots, her defects, her corruptions, and in beholding of theſe they are Eagle-eyed, but in the meane time as for her comelineſſe; her beauty, her graces, her bleſſings, theſe they either over-looke, or elſe looke overly and coyly upon them, as if they were not worth the looking on. The Story tels us of the Iſraelites, that when they firſt ſaw that Bread, which God rained downe from HeaThey ſaid one to another (ſaith the Text) it is Mannah; or (as the Septuagint and Montanus
Man-Hua, Quid hoc? What is this? And is not this the language of ſome amongſt us at this day, touching that Bread of life, which God daily raineth from HeaOrdinances of hisWord and Sacraments, Man-Hua, Quid hoc? What are th
indeed, but they cannot have them in the way of an Ordinance (as they ſay) diſpenced in a due Order, after ſuch a manner as they would have, and therefore nothing worth: eOrdinances to attend and accompany them. A dangerous ſurfet (my Brethren.) Such was that of the Iſraelites, which they tooke of their Mannah: We can ſee nothing (ſay they) but this
Mannah, this, we know not what. Why, what would they have? ſome other diſh beſides. They would have fleſh to their Mannah. Who ſhall give us fleſh to e
And without this, their Mannah was nothing worth, they were weary of it. A dangerous ſurfet; ſo that proved to them. God heard their prayers, gave them their deſires, ſent them in another diſh, a ſecond ▪courſe diſh▪
and that a dainty one, (Quailes) but they had betMaladi
ver. 33.
Remedy; the like ſinne (I meane our inordinate luſting, underſtand iMannah (a diſeaſe which begins to grow too epidemicall) it can preſage no good. For this cauſe it was, that the Carkaſes of ſo many of the Iſraelites fell in the wilderneſſe; In Memoriall whereof, they called the place where thoſe Carkaſes were buried, Kibroth ▪Hattaavah, Sepulchra concupiſce
(ſaith the Text) there they buried the people
which fell a luſting: I will not, I dare not ſay, that for this cauſe ſo many Carkaſes are fullKibroth ▪Hattaavah upon the Sepulchers of any that have yet Reformation, but Selfe ▪preſervation, not the obtaining of what we never yet had, but the retaining of what God and the Law have inveſted us in, and poſſeſinordinate luawefull
Give me leave to diſPannick and groundleſſe feares) that this one ſinne of unthankefullneſſe (the commonneſſe whereof I feare, begins to take away the ſenſe of it) in
What great things God hath done Pſ. 80. 8. Iſa 5. 1.nothing, or as good as nothing? That he hath brought his Church amongſt us, as a Vine out of Aegypt (give me leave to goe along with the Pſalmiſt, running deſcant upon his words, Pſal. 80. enterlacing there with ſome paſſages of the Prophet Iſaies, Iſa. 5.) A vine out of Aegypt (that Romiſh Aegypt.) Caſting out the Heathen (thoſe Romiſh Idolaters) and planting it, I, planting it in a very fruitfull Hill (a place plentifull and abunmade roome for it (inclining and inlarging the hearts of Princes and People to the receicauſing it to take root (to be eſtabliſhed by a law) in ſo much as it filled the
land, and the hils were covered with the ſhadow thereof (it became a Nationall Church) making the boughes thereof like the Cedars of God, the goodly Cedars (the Members thereof many of them Saints, and that glorious ones in their perſonall walkings. Thus planting it, that hee fence it, making a hedge, a wall about it (fencing it by his owne gracious providence and protection.) the wilde Boare out of the wood to waſte it, nor the wilde beaſt of the field to devoure it (enemies fierce and potent to prevaile againſt it, though often aſſailing it.) Thus planting, thus fencing it, that he ſhould build a
Tower, and a wine-preſſe in it, (furniſh it with all neſtones in this Vineyard left ungathered out; or becauſe there wants a Pruning-knife for the pruning and taking off of ſuperfluous Branches, or ſome other Instruments or Implements of like nature, commodious and uſefull for the Culture, and dreſſing of this noble Vine? What hath God not onely layed the foundation of his Houſe amongſt us, but raiſed up the walles thereof to ſuch a conſpiTemple-furniture, placing his Arke amongſt us, (which alone maketh a Temple where ever it reſteth, as the Kings perſonall Stephen calleth them) thoſe living, lively Oracles of his Law and Goſpell: Speaking to us ſo plainMoſes once of his Iſrael, What Nation is there, (or hath there beene) to which God hath come ſo nigh as he hath done to us? He hath placed his Arke amongſt us, the Glory of a Church, the glory of To whom pertained the glory, ſaith Paul ▪
ſpeaking of the Arke. Beſides this he hath furniſhed
Altar, a Laver, a Table; an Altar for Sacrifice, a Laver for Waſhing, a Table for Shew-bread, not unaptly rePrayer, and the Sacraments; Prayer offered up upon that Golden Altar, in and onely in the Name and mediation of Jeſus Chriſt. Sacraments; Baptiſme, that Paul calleth it,) the Laver of Regeneration; The Lords Supper, ſhShew-bread, that Bread which came downe from Heaven, the Body and Blood of Jeſus Chriſt. All theſe we have, and I think it will be acutenſiles; Suppoſe a Beeſome, a Shovel,
Snuffers, (Temple furniture too.) A Beeſome to ſweepe the Floore, a Shovel to caſt out the Duſt, or Aſhes; Snuffers to toppe the Lights, to make them burne the cleareCenſures of the Church rightly diſpenſed; And what? for want of theſe, all nothing? What hath Jeſus Chriſt brought his Fanne into this Floore, purging out ſo much Chaffe and Dr
of Antichriſtian Idolatry and Superſtition, wherewith the face thereof was ſo wholly overſpread and covered? fanning and dreſſing up ſo much Corne here? giving ſuch liberty and efficacy to the Fa
of his Word amongſt us? and is all this nothing, or as good as nothing? and that becauſe of ſome remainders of Chaffe in this Floore, or for want of a Wing to back and ſecond the Fanne? Oh (my Bretheren) what unparalleld ingraGrace and Favour from him towards this endeared Church of his, for the perfecting of the great and good worke which he hath begun in it, and the completing of it with what ever Ordinance or Ornament it yet wanteth; learne we to ſet a higher price upon what already we have. Learne we to cry Grace, Grace, to every ſtone in this Building; Not to the Top-ſtone
Zerubbabel, Zach. 4. He ſhall bring forth the Top-ſtone (othereof with ſhoutings, crying Grace, Grace unto it.] Thus hapHead-ſtone, the Top-ſtone brought forth, the Finiall of the Houſe, the Pin cl
of the Temple ſet up, the worke of Reformation perfected, this they would entertaine with joyous Acclamations and ſhouGrace, Grace to it; But in the meane time, as for that which God hath already done, their Grace, Grace, were not ingraven as well upon the Foundation-ſtones as upon the Top ſtone. Whileſt we reaFoundation-ſtones of ſo gloeyes never ſee more, yet deſerves a thankfull gratulation from our hearts and tongues. So were the people of the Jewes affected, when they ſaw but the foundation of the Temple layAll the people ſhouted with a great ſhout, (ſaith the Text) prayſing the Lord, becauſe the foundation of the Houſe of the Lord was layed, Ezra 3. And ſurely this did
Fore ▪fathers, when they did but ſee the dawning of that light which is now brokReformation. Let not us their children deſpiſe that day, as a day of ſmall things. Had it beene ſo, yet were it not to be deſpiſed. [Who hath despiſed the day of ſmall things?]
Day, the Day of the Gospell, the Day of ſalvation brought unto this Church, this Nation, by that first Reformation. A day not oſmall, but of great and glorious things; So looke we upon it, ſo account, ſo acknowledge it; Give we unto God the Glory of his firſt Grace, this will be the moſt eſecond Grace. Would we obtaine what yet we want, learne to be thankefull for what we have. Thus I have onely broke the Bulke of theſe Directions; Time takes me off, I muſt ſhut downe the hatches for the preſent; That which remaines I ſhall put over to the next occaſion.
And he will throughly purge his Floore.]
Floore is his Church, his Church viſible. This Floore he will purge; this Church hee will Reforme, and that throughly. This worke we truſt he is about at this day, as in other of his Churches, ſo in this, whereof we are members. Taking this to be his Deſigne, Doe we what we may every of us for the furthering of it. That is the Exhortation which I inſiſted upon the laſt day, but was enfor
Doe not think Phil. 3. 12.Doe what we may; But what ſhall we doe? In anſwer to this great and uſefull queſtion. I have begun to lay you downe ſome Directions. One I then gave you, and but one, which might ſerve as a preparative and introduction to the reſt. Be we thankefull for what God hath already done for us; thankfully acknowledging the Graces and bleſſings already conferred upon this Church. Not to take notice of the Graces of God in a mans ſelfe, not to acknowledge them in others, is a fault, a ſinne:
Direction, give me leave to ſubjoyne a Caution to Offence, or Advantage. Be we thankefull for what we have, but not ſo as to ſit downe, and rest contented, as if we were already compleat and perfect. Not as though I had
already attained, or were already perfect, (ſaith Paul of himPhil. 3.] So ſhould Chriſtians look upon themſelves; ſo taking notice of the graces of God in themſelves, as that withall they ſhould take notice of their wants and imperfections. And ſo looke we upon the Church of God amongſt us, as a Church, I a glorious Church, but not abſolute, not perfect. To ſay or thinke of this Church that ſhe wanteth nothing, were to make her too like to that Beggarly La
(as ſome have already done.) Thou ſayeſt I am Rich, and have need of nothing, Rev. 3.] Never was there Church yet ſo Rich, that could ſay ſo Epheſus, Pergamus, Thyatird, famous ChurCharge againſt every of them. I have ſomething againſt thee; I have a few things againſt thee.] Philadelphia Corruption, yet was ſhe not free from her Imperfection, Thou hast a little ſtrength, Rev. 3.] Now a little ſtrength implies a great deale of weakeneſſe. What Church ever yet was, or ever will be free? The through purging of this Floore (as I tould you) is reſerved for hereafter. Here indeed there are degrees of Church perfection ▪
but they are all Comparative, none Poſitive, none Superlative, none Abſolute.
Reformers, as that they ſhould leave the Church every
Angell would the divine honour, which S. John would have giAddition, To have nothing added to them.] So perfect was their Doctrine, their Counſels. Not ſo the Counſels of others, ſpecially where the Word hath left things more dubious and darke, not ſo cleare and evident, (as in the Caſe of Church-Order it ſeemeth to be.) Dreame we not then of a preſent perfection, but taking that for graunted, which cannot be denied, that there are Defects and Imperfections ahea
of them. Though we may not forget thoſe
things which are behind, (as Paul ſaith he did his own labours, and ſufferings for Chriſt, viz. in reſpect of any reſting upon themglorying in them.) Yet reach we forth (both our Hearts and Hands) to that which is before.] This Caution being interpoſed now let the maine queſtion run on. What ſhall we doe?
2. Mourne over Imperfections.Imperfections, or Corruptions, lay them to heart, mourne over them, over Corruptions. So did the Lords faithfull ones over the perſonall corrupHi
they mourned over them, Ezek. 9. So did our bleſſed Saviour over both Perſonall, and Church-Corruptions, in that City, When he behold the City, he wept over it, over Imperfections. So did the Chiefe of the Fathers, the Ancient men amongſt the Jewes, which had ſeene the firſt Houſe, the firſt Temple, and the Glory of it; when they ſaw Foundation of the ſecond Houſe, they wept
over the defect and imperfection which they ſaw in it, becauſe it came ſo fſhouted aloud for joy, they w
and
Joy, in that the Foundation was layed; of Sorrow, in that it came ſo far ſhort of the Patterne. Even with ſuch a mixed Affection ſhould we at this day looke upon the preſent ſtate of the Church of God amongſt us. Joying over the Foundations which are layed, yet Mourning over the defects and imperfections. Thus be we affected with what upon good grounds we apprehend to be amiſſe, that ſo our Hearts may worke towards a Reformation.
Reforming our ſelves. 2 Tim. 2. 21.3. Begin the work of Reformation at home.Begin it at Home. Take that as a third Direction, and a maine one. Would we have the Churches floore purged, let every one of us purge his own floore. For every man to ſweepe bepurge his own floore, is the next way to have the Churches floore purged. Home-Reformation is the firſt ſtep, and a good ſtep to Church-Reformation. Here begin we the worke, every one at home: Being (as it moſt nearely concernes us) moſt ſolicitous about this worke, Home-Reformation, the Reforming of our ſelves, and thoſe belonging to us; It is our Saviours ſpeech to thoſe good women, which lamented and bewailed him going to his Paſſion. Daughters of Jeruſalem, weepe not for me, but weepe for
your ſelves, and for your children. Heare we the Church of England ſpeaking in a like language to her Daughters; Daughters▪ of England, Reforme not me, but Reforme your ſelves and your children. Not but that private Chriſtians may have an eye to publike Reformation, (So might thoſe women doe what they did, Mourne and lament for their Lord and Maſter,) but the maine buſiHome-Reformation. Weepe not for me, but for your ſelves, and for your children: that is, rather for your ſelves, and them, then for me? (as you heard it not long ſince rightly expounded.) So, Reforme not me, but your ſelves, and your children; Let your thoughts be more taken up
Home-Reformation; then Church-Reformation. A point not unſeaſonable for the times; wherein it is to be feared, leaſt thoughts and ſpeeches concerning the publick affaires of Church and State, being ſo frequent every where, ſhould divert, and take of our hearts from ſome buſineſſes, (I will not ſay of greater, but) of nearer concernement. Would we have this great worke proſper, begin we it at the right end. Begin we Reformation at Home. Every of our ſelves. This is S. Pauls method, 2Tim. 2. 21. where having ſpoken of that mixture, which is, or may be found in the viſible Church, that Houſe, wherein there are veſſels of Gold and Silver, and
Wood and Earth; He preſently ſubjoynes, If any man purge himſelfe, &c.] Intimating, that this ſhould be every mans chiefe care; not ſo much the purging of the Church, as the purging of himſelfe. Here begin hearts and hands, purging both. Purge your hands yee ſinners, and purifie your hearts yee doubleminded, James 4. What ever chaffe we find in theſe floores (as ſome we ſhall find) purge it out. What ever we find here amiſſe, in our hearts or lives, ſet upon the Reformation of it.
hearts and lives, purge we our Families. I ſpeake it to thoſe whom God hath made Governours of Families, Parents, Maſters. Families, they are, or ought to be, as ſo many Churches; (The Church
that is in thine Houſe, ſaith Paul to Philemon:) Every one a floore; and in theſe floores God hath apGovernours to be the f
Let them ſee to the through ▪purging, reforming of them. So Abraham, the Father of the Faithfull, Gen. 17. He Circumciſeth himſelfe firſt, and all that were in his houſe. So did Joſhua, going about to reforme the people, he beHouſe, I and my Houſe will ſerve the Lord. So did David, reſolving upon a Nationall Reformation, a
through purging of the floore of his KingdomJ will early
destroy all the wicked of the Land; he begins firſt with his owne Houſe, reſolving, that what ever ſcandalous perſon there was in his Court, he would either reforme him or caſhiere him. He that worketh deceit, ſhall not
dwell in my houſe; he that telleth lyes, ſhall not tarry in my ſight. Like courſe take we. For the bringing on of publike, begin with a private Reformation. Purging our owne Floores firſt. It is the Churches complaint aſonnes of her Mother, Cant. 1. 6. That they had made her a keeper of other vineyards, but her owne vineyard ſhe had not kept. Her naturall corruption, which was bred and born with her (as Junius interprets the place) that made her very ſolicitous about things, which beoffice and calling, whileſt in the mean time ſhe neglected her duty in things of nearer concorruption of our nature doe, (if not looked to) it will make us ſo buſie, and pragmaticall about the RePerſons of others, the callings of others (a thing which commeth not within the verge and compaſſe of our callings to doe) as that in the meane time we ſhall neglect our owne hearts, lives, families ▪
which as they moſt nearly concerne us, ſo we ſhould be moſt ſolicitous about. Firſt, Purging our owne floors. Which having done; then, as for the purging of the Churches floore, Earnestly pray for it; Quietly wait for it; humbly ſubmit to it. Three Directions more, wher
4. Seeke ReformaEarneſtly pray for this Reformation. This private Chriſtians may doe, ought to do; Helpe the Fanne of Jeſus Chriſt with the winde of their prayers, Contributing their Requeſts and Supplications to this good worke. Supplications, and that both to God and man.
God in the firſt place. In every thing (ſaith To God. Phil. 4. 6.Paul) let your Requeſts be made known unto God. How? By prayer and ſupplications with thankeſgiving. Let it be ſo here. As many of us as deſire a through-Reformation of what is amiſſe amongſt us, let us make our Requeſts knowne unto God by daily and earneſt Prayers and Supplications, but with Thankeſgiving. Let not that be forFloore of his, beg it from him that he would goe on to perfect the worke. To that end raiDiſciples, Mat. Pray yee the Lord of the harveſt, that he would ſend forth (thruſt forth) faithfull labourers into his harveſt. This doe we in this caſe, pray we the Lord and Owner of this Floore, that he would ſend forth, thruſt forth faithfull Fanners into this his Floore. Faithfull fanners,
precious and the vile, the Chaffe and the wheate; not caſting out any of the one, not retaining any of the other; In which two things (as in opening of the clauſe fore-going I ſhewed you) conſiſteth the fidelity of a Fanner. Faithfull Fanners, ſuch as may doe the negligently, not deceitfully, but with all their might, all their ſtrength, every wayes approving themſelves to their Lord and Maſter in doing his worke according to his owne mind and will. Such Fanners beg we from the Owner of this Floore. Withall imploring his direction, his aſſiſtance for them, that he would both guide, and bleſſe the Fanne in their hands, making their endeavours effectuall for the through purging of this Floore of his.
men, thoſe into whoſe hands Jeſus Christ, either hath or ſhall put this Fanne of his; Theſe I meanePower and Authority, (whether ſupreame (viz. under himſelfe) or ſubordinate)
Floore, this Church of his, for the orFanne a work, uſing all lawfull, warrantable waies and means, both for the diſcovering and caſting out of what ever remainders of Chaffe there are to be found in this Floore. Thus earnestly pray we for this Reformation. Which doing, then
Direct. Lam. 3. 25. Quietly wait for it.Quietly wait for it. A good thing ſo to doe in all ſtraits and difficulties. It is good (ſaith the Church) that a man ſhould both hope and quietly wait for the ſalvation of the Lord. This doe we in this caſe, a caſe wherein the worke happily may meet with ſome unexpected difficulties, ſticking in the birth (as now a long time it hath done) not comming off, either ſo eaſily or ſpeedily, as it may be we made account of; in this caſe let us wait and quietly wait: waiting for the Law of our God, as the Prophet Iſaiah ſaith the Iles (the Gentiles) ſhould doe. The Iles ſhall wait for his law, Iſa. 4i. e. for the Doctrine of Jeſus Chriſt. This let us of this Iland doe. Chriſt being now (as we hope) about that great worke, which the Prophet there ſpeaketh of, in the words immediately fore-going, ſetting Judgment
in the Earth, that is (as the Geneva note gloſſeth upon it) ſetting all things in good order in his Church (for ſuch is Chriſts way ſometimes to bring Order out of confuſion) Owait for his law, even for what ever it is that he ſhall reveale unto us out of his word to be according to his will, for the ordering and regulwait we for, and quietly wait for it. Quietly, not Precipitating; Quietly, not Anticipating the worke.
1. Not Not precipita GenPrecipitating, not overhaſtening of it. Over
are ſeldome long lived, never perfect. Be we appointed
for this Birth, which we hope the Church God
(I meane) who atime, a ſeaſon for all other
a time for every purpoſe under the Sunne, times for us to obſerve; So he hath ſet downe a time, a time with himſelfe for the effecting of this worke. The Apoſtle writing to his Hebrewes, he tels them of a time of Reformation, a period untill which thoſe carnall, legall ordinances and Conſtitutions were to continue. Surely, as that firſt, ſo all ſucceſſive Reformations under the Goſpell, they have all of them their times, their peHe that beleeveth will not make haste, ſo make haſte, as to uſe any unlawfull or unwarrantable wayes and meanes for the compaſſing of his deſires and hopes. So indeed did Jacob
Precipitating the worke.
2. And (in the ſecond place) take heed of Anticipait, viz. by taking the Fanne out of the hand of Chriſt himſelfe, or out of their hands into which hee hath put it.
1. Out of the hand of Chriſt himſelfe. This did thGermane Anabaptiſts of the laſt age attempt to do. Impatient to tarry Chriſts leiſure for the through purging of his Floore, they would ſet upon the worke, to purge, not the Church only, but the world. And how would they doe it? Not by the Word, but by the Sword; therewith attempting (for that was their prodeſtroy all the wicked from off the Earth. Here, if I liſted to enter the Liſtes with mad-men, I ſhould not need to goe out of the Text for weapons. He hath his Fanne in his hand, and hee will throughly purge his Floore. The through purging of the Church (much more of the world) is Chriſts owne worke, and a workeHusbandmans to his ſervants touching the Wheat and the Tares, Let them both grow together untill the harveſt, leaſt whileſt yee pluck up the Tares, ye root out alſo the wheat with them. But I forbeare to preſſe this,
Government that Jeſus Chriſt exerciſeth upon earth. The one inward and inviſible, viz. in the hearts of men; the other outward and viſible in his Church. Now the former of theſe he exSpirit; the latter mediateInſtruments, by men. And thus he purgeth his Church here, not immediately, but mediately: (even as the Husbandman doth his Floore, which he purgeth, not by himſelf, but by his ſervants, into whoſe hands he puts the Fanne) delegating and appointing ſome in epublick Reformation.
Who theſe are I have glaunced at already; take it now a little more fully and diſtinctly. They muſt be publike perſons. Publike workes call for publike Inſtruments. Publike perſons are of two ſorts, Civill, Eccleſiaſticall,
Magiſtrates, Miniſters; And upon their ſhoulders in an ordinary way, doth this worke lye. So it was in the building, re-building of the Temple. The Zerub
and Jeſhua; Zerub
the chiefe-Prince with the Elders, the chiefe of the people, as you have it explained, Ezr.
Jeſhua the chief-Prieſt with his Brethren, the oPriests and Levites and Prophets; all joyning hands in the worke. The Prophets exciting and encouraging the Elders, Ezr. 6. 14. The Elders builded, and they proſpered
through the Prophecie of Haggai and Zachariah. The Elders appointing, and the Prieſts directing the Levites
ſet forward the worke of the houſe. Thus was the Temple builded; and by the ſame hands ought it to be purged. So was it in the dayes of Hezekiah, Joſiah, both which intending a reſtoring of Religion then dehouſe of the Lord. So you have it, 2 Chron. 29. Hezekiah brought in the Prieſts and the Levites, &c. And ſaid unto them; Heare me ye Levites, and ſanctifie the houſe of the Lord God of your Fathers, and carry forth the fil
the like. He commanded Hilthe high ▪ Prieſt, and the other Prieſts to bring forth out of the Temple of the Lord all the veſſels that were made for
King. 23. 4. See here by whom it is that the Houſe of God, the Temple is to be purged, viz. Magiſtrates, Miniſters. Into their hands hath Chriſt put this Fanne, having (in an ordinary way) committed the Power and Authority of Church-Reformation unto them. Beware then how we take the Fanne out of their hands. Which may be done two wayes, by raſh cenſuring, by unwarrantable reforming. Take we heed of each.
raſh and unadviſed cenſuring, paſſing raſh and Imperfections and Corruptions in this Church; not yet fully cleared up to be ſuch. Certainly it muſt not (I thinke it will not) be denied, but that the lighteſt and uppermoſt of the Chaffe was fanned out in the firſt-Reformation; that which yetjudicious and con
In this caſe then the duty of private Chriſtians is, rather modeſtly to ſuſpend their cenſures, then by a perempTryall; not condemning them before they
be heard, which (as Nicodemus ſaith) is againſt the Law; the Law of God, Nature, Nations: Not taking the Fanne, the Power of cenſuring and ſentencing out of their hands, whom God hath betruſted it with. Unviz. Aaron and his ſonnes. This was the Priests office to doe, as Levit. 13. Not but that all others might looke on the ſore (as the Hebrew Doctors tell us) and judge of it too in a private way, according as they thought; but to pronounce the percleane or uncleane, that belonged to the Prieſts ofBy their word ſhall every controverſie be tryed; ſo you have it, Deut. 21. 5. tryed and determined by their word, that Gods word in their mouth, So the Prophet Ezekiell explaines it, Ezek. 44. where ſpeaking of the Prieſts and their office in diſcerning and judging betwixt the cleane and uncleane, &c. he ſhewes by what Rule they ſhould proceed in deciding and determining caſes of In controverſie they ſhall ſtand in judgement, and they ſhall judge it according to my judgements. Marke it. This was that which they were to doe: Judge of things, not according to their owne, but Gods judgefancies or wils, opinions or affections, but according to the Rules and directions ſitteth to judge according to the Law; declaring not his owne mind. but the mind of the Law. Such was the judgement of the Prieſt in thoſe caſesauthoritative, but declarative. They ſhall ſhew thee the ſentence of judgement, Deut. 17. ſhew it, viz. according to the ſentence of the law, which they ſhall teach thee: So you have it explained, ver. 11. of that Chapter. In caſes of like nature under the GoſReligion of God (for in other caſes we agree to that of Who made me a Judge?) ſurely here the law ſhould be required at the Prieſts mouth: viz. the law of God, according to which they are to give ſentence in points dubious, and controverſall, in or about his worſhip and ſervice. Let none take the Fanne out of their hands, their mouthes, by raſh and unadviſed cenſuring.
prepoſterous and unwarrantable Reforming. Such I call that which is underpublike warrant. An unwarrantable undertaking. A ruled caſe, Private perſons in an ordinary way, may not attempt or undertake the worke of publike Reformation, the reforming of what they apprehend to be amiſſe, whether in Church or State; no, though the errours, corruptions and miſcarriages therein were never ſo palpable. When our bleſpurging the Temple, the Jewes looking upon him as a private perſon (for they knew no other) they demand of him what ſigne he could ſhew for what he did. What ſigne ſheweſt thou unto us, ſeeing thou doſt theſe things? This they did r. Calvin) not without ſome ground and reaDamnare quidem corruptelas omnibus liberumeſt. Corruptions (where they are apparently ſuch) every one may (in a private way) condemne them, but not execute them. This is a worke approgolden
Calfe was burnt and ground to powder, Exod. 32. The Brazen Serpent (that famous relique) being abuſed to broken in peeces, 2 King. 18. The Grove
ſculptile luci, that Image of the Grove ſet up by Manaſſes
King. 21. 7.) with other I dobroke, and burnt, and ſtampt to pouder, 2 King. 23. But by whom was this done? by Moſes, Hezekiah, Joſiah. As for private Calv. in Ioh. 2. 18. Si ad corrupIbid.
ſigne, a ſpeciall warrant from God for what they doe, or elſe they cannot be excuſed from unwarrantable raſhneſſe. So that great Maſter of Reformation there cenſures it. I beſeech you let this be taken notice of, which I preſſe and inculcate the raFanne or Whip out of the hand of Chriſt; which in ſome ſenſe they may be ſaid to doe, who take it out of the hands of his Servants, his Officers, thoſe to whom in an ordinary way he hath commited the authority and charge of purging his Floore, his Temple, Reforming his Church. Here is the fifth Di
6. Humbly ſubmit to it.praying, quiwaiting for this Reformation, then (if ever God give us to ſee it,) humbly ſubmit to it. I, though it ſhould not be every way according to our own minds, agreeDeterminations and deciſions of that firſt Councell or Synod, the Jeruſalem. Notwithſtanding that the Councell had impoſed ſome burdens upon them; (ſo they call burdens, not to their Conſciences, (for ſuch they were not) but in reſpect of ſome reſtraint put upon their liberty by them, as viz. The abſteyning from meats offered
to I dols ▪
from blood, &c. things in themſelves of an indifferent nature, and ſo lawfull for them to doe, yet the Councell apprehending and conceiving them neceſſary,
(neceſſary, not ſimply and abſolutely ▪
but respectively pro tempore, for that time; not in themſelves, in their own nature, but extrinſically, and accidentally neceſſary, viz.
Calv. ad loPeace and
Ʋnitie in the Church, (as Calvin well explaines it.) it enjoynes
ſubmit, and that both humbly and joyfully. Surely even ſuch a ſubmiſſion ought Chriſtians to yeald to the determinations of lawfull Authority in things not contrariant, but agreeable to the Rules of the word, either to the particular and expreſſe rules and directions therein conteygenerall Rules of Decencie, Order, Edification, the three maine points of the Churches compaſſe, according to which ſhe is to ſteare her courſe ▪
in the ordering of all ſuch Church affaires, as are not expreſly and diſtinctly ſtated and regulated in the word; of which nature no queſtion ſome will be found. In all theſe, God and his Church expects a humble ſubmiſſion from the hands of all private Chriſtians. The Law was expreſſe under the Law. In matters of controverſie which could not eaſily be decided, the people were to repaire to the Prieſt and the Judge, and to their Order they were to ſtand. So you have it expreſſely, Deut. 17. If there ariſe a matter too hard for thee in Judgement, &c. Thou ſhalt come to the Priests, the Levites, and to the Judge, (the Judge for the time being, who was to raPrieſt,) and enquire, and they ſhall ſhow thee the ſentence of Judgement. This the Prieſt and the Judge were to doe, Ex Offi
And (marke what folThou ſhalt doe according to the ſentence which they ſhall ſhew thee, and thou ſhalt obſerve to doe according to all that they informe thee; viz. according to the ſentence of the Law; (as you have it, verſ. 11.) that is, the Law of God, which was to be their Rule. Now ſurely, however that Law, being Judiciall, was (as touching the obliTemporarie, yet the equity and Moralitie of it is perpetuall. In caſes controverſall about the Religion,
Worſhip and Service of God, the people ought to make their addreſſes to the Priest and the Judge, Miniſters and Magiſtrates, deſiring and expecting their deciſions, their determinations, and to that ſentence of theirs, (being (as I ſaid) conſonant and agreeable to the Word, viz. to the particular or generall Rules of it,) they ought quietly and humbly to ſubmit. So the Apoſtle preſſeth it in that knowne place, Heb ▪
13. Obey them th
your Leaders, your Rulers, be they Civill or Eccleſiaſticall, (though he ſpeake there chiefely of the latter) And ſubmit your ſelves.
Obey and Submit, viz. in Believing and practiſing what they teach and require, agreeable to the Word of God, which ſtill muſt be their Rule and ours.
directions together, and reduce them to practiſe. Would we have the Floore of Jeſus Chriſt amongſt us purged, and throughly-purged, the Church of God bleſReformation of what is amiſſe amongſt us; Be we thankefull for what we have; Mourne over what we want: Begin the worke of Reformation at home, at our own Hearts, Lives, Families; which having done, then earneſtly pray for, quietly wait
for ſuch a ReformaHeart and Mind; which he ſhall pleaſe to tender unto us, thankefully receive it, humbly ſubmit to it. So doing, doubt we not but God will doe his own worke in his owne time. To this end it is Huſbandman hath put the Fanne into the hand of this his righteous Servant, the Lord Christ, that he ſhould purge his Floore. And this he will doe, and that faithfully, throughly. He will throughly purge his Floore. Our hopes are, that he is now about to doe it, and that he will ſpeedily doe it. Whether ſo, or no, we are aſſured he will doe it. Whether this Floore, this particular Church in this Kingdome or no, we have no aſhis
Floore, his Church, his Church viſible upon Earth, he will purge; waſhing off thoſe spots and freckles from the face of it, which doe now any wayes deforme it; beautifying and adorning it with all requiſite ornaments and habiliments, which may make it lovely in his eyes, and the eyes of his Saints; ſo dreſſing and preparing
Bride adorned for her Huſband. This the Lord Jeſus, the Head of the Church, in his own time will doe; And for this let all of us waite and pray.
REV. 22. 20. Even ſo come Lord Jeſus, come quickly.