It is true, in aſſemblies there be thoſe that mingle among the Saints of God, nay, very many which be ſtrangers from Christ, and theſe in ſhew onely, not indeed, doe belong unto the Church. Wherefore of them the Apoſtle Iohn ſaith, They went out from us, but were not of us. The Apoſtle Paul in the firſt Chapter of the Corinthians, the firſt Epiſtle, after he had ſaluted the Church of God, added by expoſition unto them which are ſanctified by Ieſus Chriſt, called to be Saints. That wee may underſtand in very deed that the wicked appertaine not to the Church, although they be alwayes converſant therein. And this wee may confeſſe to be a true Church, which are called the Communion of Saints. There be ſome of our times, nay, queſtionleſſe many of Gods Children conclude, that the true Church is not to be knowne as they are mixed together; but we may deny it to be a firme concluſion. There be proper marks aſſigned, by which the ſame may be very well knowne, without the ſeparate Aſſemblies, for whereby the pureneſſe of doctrine flouriſheth, the Sacraments are purely miniſtred, and Diſcipline exerciſed, that is a Congregation whereby we may ſafely joyne our ſelves, although the honeſtie of every particular man, is not ſufficiently knowne unto thee.

Neither is it of neceſſitie required, that the godly ſhould be diſcerned of men, what manner of perſons they be while they live here. Chriſt while he lived here, was not knowne among mortall men: and we, as the Apoſtle doth declare unto the Coloſsians, Chapter 3. verſ. 3.4. Wee have our life hidden with God, and when Chriſt which is our life ſhall appeare, then wee alſo ſhall be made manifeſt with him in glorie.

We reade in the firſt Booke of Samuel. 16.7. It is God that looketh into the heart; therefore it is but an unadviſed thought, that becauſe the wicked doe frequent in place with the godly, that they ſhould be the members of Chriſt. We may as well ſay, a dead man, is a man. I doe confeſſe indeed, by Chriſt, and by the Holy Ghoſt, he may be reſtored unto life, but in the meane time, while that is not done, wee will not grant him to be the member of Chriſt, unleſſe we ſhould judge by the forme and outward ſhew. Some may perhaps ſay, how Paul might truely call the Church of the Corinthians, and Church of God; the which was ſo infected with ſo many vices. But it may be underſtood, that all they which were there, were not utterly corrupted, many good men remained.

Further, they were inſtructed with pure doctrine, and they retained the Sacraments holy and purely; and the godly laboured much about the converting of them; for we know that Paul was admoniſhed by them of Cloas, That he ſhould prevent the evills that were then breaking forth, 1 Corinth. 1.11. Beſides, Paul had a reſpect to the teſtimony of God, who had ſaid unto him, that in the ſame Citie he had much people. Moreover, by this you may underſtand, that the Church of God, doth not ſo fall away for every blemiſh, as that it ſhould no more be called the Church of God.

And becauſe now adayes, the Prelates of our times, have oppoſed the rules of Chriſt, which he hath laid downe by his Word, how his members ſhould be governed. But this precious Word, the Goſpell of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt, theſe Prelates, I meane, theſe Primate Metropolitans, and the reſt of that function, thoſe that have made nothing of the blood of Chriſt, in perſecuting his members, and trampling the Lord of life under foote. The Lord furniſh his Saints, with an infinite power in their Spirits, that by the Spirit of the Lord, they may cry mightily, that he hearing them, this worke of Reformation, may be to the Saints happineſſe, and Gods great glory. And the people of God by that light which may and hath beene diſcovered by the glorious Goſpell, doe ſee how they have laboured to ſeduce the Church, in faſhioning Chriſt according to their Idolatrous Will-worſhip. But bleſſed be the Lord Chriſt; I ſay, bleſſed be Michael and his Angels, which have overcome the Dragon and his Angels. And doth appeare to us as a glorious Chriſt, ſhewing himſelfe, how willing he is to reforme us, if we by ſinne doe not cauſe him to turne away his face, and carry away all the hopes wee have of our Reformation. I beſeech the Lord, it may not be ſaid of us, as it was of thoſe people of the Iewes, Jeremiah 5.31. The Prophets propheſie falſely, and the Prieſts beare rule by their meanes, and my people love to have it ſo; love to have no reformation; But what will become of us in the end thereof?

O that the Lord would take away that great hindrance of our Reformation in this Land, which is ſinne, and daily diſcover unto us the truth of the Goſpell, which is the greateſt meanes of our ſalvation, that the Lord Chriſts bodily members may behold his glory more and more; which is not yet without ſpot or wrinkle, but in that day when the great Biſhop of our ſoules, the Lord Chriſt, our Mediator ſhall appeare, we beholding his glorious perſon, ſtanding ready to reward every man according to his workes; and at that day his Church ſhall be a glorious Church, without ſpot or wrinkle, Epheſ. 5.27. Then ſhall we behold Chriſt overcoming all his enemies.

But diſſentions in this outward eſtate of the Churches being here on earth were never rooted out yet, and many Chriſtians wee have now adayes wandring from the Church of England, as if there were never diſſention in the Church of God. Conſider, the people of Iſrael, which was the Church of God, oftentimes would have killed Moſes, Exod. 7.4. Numb. 14.10. 16. 1. divers other places I could expreſſe.

And in the New Teſtament of Chriſt, upon that Church of the Corinthians, 1.5. The which is very much commended by Paul, ſaying that they were inſtructers of Wiſdome, and in the Word. Were they quiet among themſelves? No; there were ſchiſmes among them; Some held of Paul, ſome of Apollo, ſome of Peter. But you may ſay, they diſagreed not touching matters of waight: many were of that point, that they thought ſimple fornication was no ſinne: ſo that it behoved Paul, to inſtruct them concerning the ſame, 1 Cor. 6.12.

Wherein then appeares the Churches glory? It is more inwardly glorious; her glory is more Internall, than Externall. As there is a twofold ſtate of the Church, the outward I have diſcovered to you already, ſtanding in viſible Aſſemblies, in the publike Miniſtery of the Word and Sacraments, in externall Diſcipline, & Government. So now I pitch upon the Inward, the Inviſible eſtate of the Church; this eſtate ſtands in the true knowledge of God in Chriſt; in comforts touching remiſſion of ſinnes, and life everlaſting, in the gifts of grace, and of the Spirit, and of Gods protection. And in this reſpect, ſhee is right glorious, yea, a moſt glorious Church; for what glory is it to have a painted outſide, and a moſt deformed inſide. Take a Tombe gilded outwardly, but within full of dead mens bones, Math. 23.27. It is the inward vertue which God requires; My ſonne give me thy heart, Prov. 23.26. He deſires truth in the inward parts, and in the hidden parts thou ſhalt make me to know wiſdome, Pſal. 51.1.6. It is this Inward glory which the Lord requireth, and doth reſpect; The inward ornament of a meeke and quiet ſpirit in the ſight of God, is of great price, 1 Pet. 3.4. This inward beautie of the Church, what tongue of man can ſufficiently expreſſe it, it is but a glimpſe hereof. All that I can ſay, or expreſſe to you, we may note in theſe ſeven degrees.

Firſt, The Churches inward glory, it hath the poſſeſſon of Gods word, and the acknowledgment of the true God, Deut. 4.7.8. What Nation is ſo great, that hath God ſo nigh unto them, as the Lord our God is unto us; What Nation is ſo great and glorious, that hath ſtatutes ſo righteous, as all theſe Lawes, Pſal. 147.19, 20. He hath ſhewed his Word unto Jacob, his ſtatutes, and his judgements unto Iſrael; he hath not dealt ſo with any Nation.

Secondly, The confidence in prayer, and his aſſured love, in hearing her prayers, Rom. 5.15. Wee have received the ſpirit of Adoption, whereby wee cry Abba, Father; Whatſoever we aske, wee receive of him, Joh. 3.22.

Thirdly, Perpetuall Preſervation in the midſt of all affliction: Mat. 16.18. The gates of hell ſhall not prevaile againſt it. Iſa. 43.2. When thou paſſeſt through the waters, I will be with thee, and when thou walkeſt through the fire, the fire ſhall not hurt thee.

Fourthly, To it belongeth the Covenant of promiſe; Rom. 9.4. It hath a more ſure word of promiſe, 2 Pet. 1.19.

Fifthly, It is adorned with the gracious gifts of the Spirit; as, love, joy, peace, long-ſuffering, gentleneſſe, goodneſſe, faith, meekneſſe, temperance, Gal. 5.22. The world is not worthy of them, Heb. 11.38.

Sixthly, It is ſecure and voyde of feare, We will not feare though the earth be moved, and though the mountaines be carried into the midſt of the Sea, Pſal. 46.2. They have the peace of conſcience, which paſſeth all underſtanding, Phil. 4.7.

Seventhly, It hath inheritance of life everlaſting, and the promiſe of endleſſe glory; They are heires according to the hope of eternall glory, of a better life, 2 Cor. 4.17.

This is the Churches Inward glory; Let us ſtrive to make as great ſhew as we will of perfection in this world, if wee are not members of this glorious Church, we are loſt, and muſt abide in a gall of bitterneſſe for ever; but thoſe that are of this glorious Church, ſhall obtaine this pureneſſe. Now becauſe of the Inward glory, notwithſtanding the outward blemiſh and defects, it is eſteemed glorious; as the Prophet ſaith, Pſal. 45.13. Shee is all glorious within: and ſo in Canticles fourth Chapter, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. Behold, thou art fayre, my Love, and ſo forward, you may reade ſweet expreſſions of uniting Love, that paſſeth betweene the Lord Chriſt, and his Eſpouſed Bride, the Church; As in the ſeventh verſe, he concludes, Thou art fayre, my Love, and there is no ſpot in thee. No ſpot, how can that be, ſeeing the Church it ſelfe acknowledgeth its own blackneſſe, Cant. 1.8. and her own drowſineſſe, Cant. 5.2.

But ſhee is all glorious;

Firſt, in regard of Chriſts imputation, he gave himſelfe for her, that he might ſanctifie her and clenſe her with the waſhing of water by the Word, that he might preſent it to himſelfe a glorious Church, not having ſpot or wrinkle, or any ſuch defect, but that it ſhould be holy, and without blemiſh, Epheſ. 5.26.27.

Secondly, In reſpect of Gods acceptation, Seeing thou waſt precious in my ſight, thou haſt been honoured, and I have loved thee, Iſa. 43.4.

Thirdly, In regard of the future glorification of it, it ſhall be full of glory, Revel. 21.23.

Now we ſee this point of the Churches glory diſcovered; and we ſee the Church what it is, and ſo by conſequence, a particular Church is a glorious Church, if it hath Inward ſoundneſſe, although it be not wholly freed from outward blemiſhes. Therefore this doth condemne ſome ſpirits of the times, that doe raile too much, not looking upon GODS great Worke, which doe not labour with their prayers, to cry to the Lord, to finiſh his own Work. Would they would diſcerne between the ſubſtance and the circumſtance, between doctrine and manners, between the outward hue, and the inward beautie, but it cannot be, becauſe of many evills, therefore no true Church. If that blackneſſe of the tyranny of theſe Prelates, as we hope they ſhall not marre the Churches foundation, nay, if they doe it, it ſhall be a glorious Church in Gods eſtimation. You ſee as before the Church of Corinth was a true Church, notwithſtanding her manifold diſorders. The Church of Epheſus was a true Church notwithſtanding her declining, Rev. 2.4. The Church of Pergamus was a true Church, notwithſtanding ſhee was ſealed even In Sathans circuit, and peſtred with the devilliſh ſect of Balaamites and Nicholaitans, Revel. 2.13, 14, 15. So was Thyatira, notwithſtanding her Jezabeliſing, Revel. 2.20. So was Sardis, notwithſtanding her lukewarmeneſſe, povertie, and nakedneſſe, Revel. 3.16, 17. Hath not the brighteſt day his Cloud, the fineſt Laune his brack, the pureſt gold his droſſe. Is there or was there ever any Church in the world, that might not be tainted with ſome imperfection. Deny as well they may, there is no Sunne in the Firmament, becauſe it is ſometimes over-clouded, (and no ſoule within that body, which outwardly is deformed.) And let this be our comfort, although wee are farre from perfection in this life. Sanctification in any thing elſe, all ſinning, Iames 3.7. Having the fleſh luſting againſt the Spirit, and the Spirit againſt the fleſh, Gal. 5.17. Though here we cannot wholly be freed from ſpot and blot, yet ſo long as we delight in the Lawes of God, concerning the Inward man, Rom. 7.22. and ſtrive forward towards the marke of the price of the high calling of God in Chriſt, Phil. 3.14. Wee have a gracious Father, who will ſpare us as a man ſpareth his own ſonne that ſerveth him, Mala. 3.17. We have an Advocate with the Father, Jeſus Christ the juſt, who is the reconciliation for our ſinnes, 1 Joh. 2.12. In him we are preſented to God without ſpot or wrinkle, Epheſ. 5.27. and for his ſake in Gods ſight we are all glorious. Which I beſeech the LORD, that all the Saints of God, whether Paul, or Apollo, or Cephas, or the world, or life or death, or things preſent, or things to come, all may be ours, and we Christs, as Chriſt is Gods.