1. For the Fabricke,

1. There were the doors, or Porch, the gates very glorious: These sig­nified the hearts of the faithfull made glorious by faith to receive Iesus Christ, Psa. 24. 8, 9. Rev. 3. 20.

2. There was the holy place, and the holy of holies answerably.

1. The bodies of Christians are Gods Temples, his holy place, 1 Cor. 6. 19.

2. The Soules of the humble, and poor in spirit, that tremble at Gods word, are the holy of holies, or the most holy place, Isa. 66. 1, 2.

2. For the Furniture.

1. The mercy-Seat, or propitiatory is Christ and his blood apprehended by faith, as the Apostle saith, Rom. 3. 25. God set forth Iesus Christ to be a Propiti­atory ‘ [...] Properly notes the instrument of propitiation, and fitly agrees to Christ by whom God is appeased and pacified.’ through faith in his blood, by faith is Christ brought into, and dwells in our hearts: Faith in Christs blood; is that which sets up this Mercy-seat in the Temple of every particular Christians heart: Christ by Faith in his blood is the Propitiatory, he that believeth in Christ to have Redemption, Remission, and salvation only through his blood sprinkled and applied to his soul and conscience by Faith, and therefore draweth near, layeth hold on Christ, and applyeth his death and sacrifice unto himself, he hath the Mercy-seat set up in his soul: otherwise though there be a Christ, though there be blood for expiation; though both Christ and his blood be proposed of God, yet there is no Temple nor Mercy-seat set up to thee, or me, because thou hast not, or I have not this Faith in Christs Blood.

This Propitiatorie, Ex. 25. 17. 1 Ki [...]. 8. 9. Heb. 9. 4. or Golden Cover was put above upon the Ark of the Testimony, which Ark was a Coffer in which was put the two Tables of stone, in which the Law was written, this Ark was the Symbole of Gods gracious presence among the people of the Iews, it was made of Shittim-wood, overlaid within and without of pure gold. Two Cherubims covering the Mercy-seat with their wings were set on the two ends of the Mercy-seat; from above this Mercy-seat, from between these Cherubims God gave his Oracles & Answers, and he was known and prayed unto under this name and notion; O thou that dwellest between the Cherubims; Ps. 80. 1. this signified God in Christ reconciling the world to himself, not imputing the trans­gressions & trespasses against his holy Law, but accepting their persons & im­perfect obedience to his Commandments presented to him through Christ the Mediator, and in Christ, beholding them with favour & acceptation, & passing by their sins, as expiated & covered, in whom also their Prayers are heard, an­swers are given to them, their hearts find & feel him teaching & ruling them; & the holy Angels attend on thē, guard them, & are their ministers; now in the believer this presence of God in Christ on a throne of grace is set up in his heart.

2. The Altar of incense placed before the vaile that was by the Ark, be­fore the Mercy-seat, Ex. 30. 1. 6. 2. This signified Christs intercession, and the Golden Censer, and Odours of his meritorious sacrifice, with which he appears before God, as our high Priest, Rev. 8. 3. this Altar, Censer, Odours, and high Priest; the Believer through the word of Faith even the Gospel receiving and imbracing, presents himself, and all he doth to God there­with, that God may smell a favour of rest towards him; he offereth [Page 10] all to God in Christs name, in the hands of this consecrated Priest, and on this Altar that can sanctifie his gift, he puts his prayers into this Golden Censer. The vertue also of Christs intercession is in him in the spirit of Prayer.

3. The Altar of burnt-offering, signified Christ bearing our sins, and making reconciliation, in whose sacrifice of himself a whole burnt-offering, is found ful satisfaction, a perfect ransom and price, & plentuous and eternall Redemp­tion. This Altar, Heb. 13 10. & 10. 5. 8, 9, 10. is set up in the Christian, who by Faith, presents before God this Lamb and his Redemption for his Iusti­fication, and while he apprehends this Redemption in his soul, offers, through Christ himself, a whole burnt offering to God and all other his spirituall sacrifices.

4. The Table of shew bread, on which were set new every Sabbath weekly twelve Cakes with pure incense, representing the twelve Tribes of Israel which stood on the Table continually before the Mercy-seat in the presence of God, which as it signified the gracious favour and the eyes of God in Christ over the righteous, so also how the Christian liveth conti­nually, as in the presence of God, reconciled, and reconciling him to him through Christ: his heart saith with David, Thy loving kindnesse is before mine eyes, Psa. 26. 3. and I have walked in thy truth. And this constant pre­sence as before God reconciled only through the blood of his Son, raiseth the incense and sweet odours of holy motions presented also before God in Christ continually, and look as God feedeth him with Christ the bread of life, and furnisheth a Table before him, so the Believer keeps a furnished Table, Cant. 1. 12. & 7. 12. & 8. 2. of the fruits of the Spirit in which God in Christ is delighted, this Table stood on the North-side in the Ta­bernacle.

5. The Candlestick of pure Gold, with seven Lampes burning was on the South-side right against the Table of Shew bread. This is the Word of God, written in the heart of the true Christian, burning and shining in sa­ving knowledge, with the seven lampes of his spirit, even manifold gifts and graces: in the light of this Word ingrafted, by which the Holy Ghost dwels in them, they serve God in Christ with their spirits in the Gospel.

6. The Brazen Laver to wash in, is the very fountaine of godly sorrow, and of renewing grace, Esa, 1. 16. Psal. 26. 6. Act. 26. 18. the spirit of sanctification, which is opened in the heart of a beleever; it is the sanctifi­cation in them by faith which is in Iesus Christ, whereby their soules are sprinkled from an evill conscience, and their bodies washed with cleane water, that so they may draw neare with a true heart in full assurance of faith, Heb. 10. 20.

This is the furniture of Gods house.

3. For the Glory.

The Glory that fills this house of God, is God in the presence of his Grace, as the Apostle saith, Ye are the Temple of the living God, as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walke in them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people, 2 Cor. 6. 16.

4. For the Ministers.

The Ministers that serve in this house, they are beleevers, they are both the Temple and the Priests, as the Apostle Peter saith, coming unto Christ, Ye are built up a spirituall house, an holy Priesthood, to offer up spiri­tuall sacrifice, acceptable to God by Iesus Christ, 1 Pet. 2. 4, 5.

In these foure respects is the beleever the Temple of God, and every one that is called, though but outwardly, is called, that he might be a partaker of this heavenly honour, of which honour, unbeliefe and impenitency doe deprive him. Who can sufficiently expresse the Dignity of the true belee­ver, who can sufficiently bewaile the state of the Christian that is so only in profession, who while he seemes to give himself to God in words, keepes his heart a stye for Satan, keeps open house for the Devill.

Thus we see how every Christian is Gods Temple.

The Church is also Gods Temple, even the Church visible. It is true, that as the Temple and Tabernacle had three parts, the outer Court for the people, the Holy Place where the Priests did their Office, and the Holy of Holies into which the High Priest only entred; so they did type out the visible Church as the outer Court, where are good and bad; the Holy Place, the true Saints and Beleevers, and Heaven the Holy of Holies. But here the visible Church, in the whole and in every particular visible Church is called the Temple of God.

1. For the generall qualities, or adjuncts.

1. Vnity; There was but one Temple, so the Church is one, Cant. 6. 9. There is but one body, 1 Cor. 12. 12. though there be diversities of gifts, of operations, and of administrations, though there be divers members: this diversity makes for Unity, for if they were all one member where were the body, 1 Cor. 12. 19. unto every one is given some measure of Grace from Christ the Head, which being improved in our fit and proper place in the body, according to the effectuall working in the measure of every part maketh increase of the body, unto the edifying of it selfe in love, Ephes. 4. 7. 16. Diversity of gifts makes for growth, as well as for unity, if love with lowlinesse and meeknesse doe act and carry us.

2. Sanctity, The Temple of God is holy, so the Church are a society or community separated from the world; they are without, we have nothing to doe to judge them; that is, to proceed with them that are the fornicators [Page 12] of this world, or the covetous, or the like with Church-censures: These are within, these that are called Brethren, and are yet fornicators, or covetous, or Idolaters, or drunkards, or such like: these that are fornicators of the Church, these we judge. If we doe neglect this Discipline, the Apostle doth not say, separate you that are Saints indeed, set up a new Church, but blames us, saying, Doe not ye judge them that are within? 1 Cor. 5. 12. and in­joynes reformation, not a separation for such a fault, saying, Therefore put away from among your selves that wicked Person. It is a lamentable thing to read in the Church of Corinth, the Temple of God which is holy, this mixture, brother Fornicator, brother Drunkard, brother Idolater, &c. yet so it was Aug. Tom 7. cont. Ep. Parmen. l. 2. c. 1. Qusquis vel quod potest arguendo corrigit, vel quod corrigere non potest, salvo pacis vinculo excludit, vel quod salvo pacis vinculo excludere non potest, aequitate improbat, firmitate supportat, bic est pacificus, & ab isto maledicto immunis quod Scriptura dicit, vae his qui dicunt, quod nequam, est bonum, & quod bonum, est nequam. so it hath been in the Primitive pu­rest times; if it be so now, be not so offen­ded, as to run out of your little wit, while you are running from pollution; run not from Gods Temple, while you flee the touching of the unclean thing; rather let your holi­nesse be accompanied with love, your love with severity, your severity with tolerance and longanimity, your long-suffering with zeal, your zeal with compassion, and all with meeknesse of wisdome.

2. For the Structure.

1. The Temple was built on mount Zion, which was first a strong hold of the Jebusites, but conquered and taken by David, was called the city of Da­vid, and because a mountain, therefore strong and steddy. So Christ hath no Church but what he gets by spiritual conquest, they were before calling a Fort of Jebusites, but our David subduing the strong holds of Satan, brings them to God, the Rock of Ages, I. 26. 4. Jer. 17. 5. 7. the only Iehovah, and on him, that is, on him, as he hath named & revealed himself in his holy word, are they built.

2. The Temple had goodly foundations, so the Church is built on Christ the Foundation-stone, elect and precious, tryed and sure, on whom, who­soever beleeveth, shall never be confounded. It is built on the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, (Apostles are the highest Office and Calling that ever was in the Church, and therefore named first) not upon their Persons, but upon their Doctrine, called the foundation, because it layeth Christ the Foundation, and layeth him out, and sets him in his proper place, to the full, in two sorts of fundamentall truths, the Law and Gospel; or as it is in Re­vel. 14. 12. The Commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus: The Church is the Communion of Saints, that keepeth these two: This is the Zion of God, opposed to Antichristian Babylon: There is not a clearer Text in all the Bi­ble, nor more lively distinguishing, it concerns our dayes; well is this [Page 13] Book of Prophesies called the Revelation, not onely because it opens and re­veals the Prophesies of things to come, all Prophesies; but also because it carries such beams and rayes of lightsome doctrinall truth, wherewith it is bespangled, and shines in severall parts of it, to enlighten the times which the Prophesies concern.

3. The walls of the Temple were conjoyned by corner-stones: Christ Iesus is the chief corner stone, that holds both parts of this spirituall buil­ding, both Iews and Gentiles that are called, fast together, so that they do concorporate, Eph. 3. 6.

4. The severall stones in this Temple, or curtains, with tapes, and loops, and tenons, posts and sockets, are the severall members variously gifted, and yet united in the unity of profession, and of the spirit, and of faith, and of Baptisme, and in the bond of Peace.

5. The outer and inner coverings are the double condition of the Church, the inward, Psal. 45. 14. comely and glorious; the outward, black, and tann'd with afflictions and persecutions, Cant. 1. 5.

6. The Temple had pillars and walls; and the visible Church, in respect of the Ministery of it, is the pillar and ground of truth, 1 Tim. 3. 17. Gal. 2. 9. Col. 2. 19. The Officers and Members in the Church, are the sustainers of the fabrick and the body.

3. But for the Furniture chiefly is the Church of God, his holy Temple. For.

1. There being retained, held, and held forth, the Doctrine of Reconci­liation by Christ alone, that one Mediatour, that God is onely to be found gracious to a sinner in Christ, fully satisfied in his blood, which is belonging to no sinner, but to him that beleeveth; here is the true Mercy-seat, God in Christ: We need not say, O thou that dwellest between the Cherubims [...] but know, and pray to God, as the God & Father of our Lord Iesus: Here being taught, that Christ is true God and true Man in one Person; here is the Ark over laid with gold, the true flesh of Christ, under which his God-head was covered, is the Vail between the Holy-place, and the Holy of Holies.

2. The Doctrine of Christs sacrifice on the Crosse, and of his intercession in heaven, is both the Altars, the Altar of whole burnt [...] offering, and the Altar of incense.

3. The Tables of the Covenant in the Ark, the Manna, and Aarons rod by it, this is in the Church that sets up Christ, the Bread of Life, the onely Pro­phet that teacheth to profit, and the high Priest over the house of God, whom we ought to obey.

4. The Candlestick, is the light of the Word, the Law and Gospel, that all in Gods house may walk in the light of the Lord, and see to do his work.

5. The Laver is the Doctrine of Regeneration and Iustification by Christs blood and spirit.

6. The Golden Instruments and vessels for Incense-offering, and sprink­ling with the rest, are the gifted Ministers, gifted with pastorall and teaching aptnesse and abilities, and sanctified for the applying of Christ and his bene­fits by their Ministery, which gifts Christ giveth; but the Church upon due triall acknowledgeth, owneth, receiveth, confirmeth with her testimony, and honoureth.

4. For the glory inhabiting there.

God in Christ is there, giving the blessing and life: The name of that City is Iehovah-Shammah, Ezek. 48. 35. or, The Lord is there.

5. For the cover on it all.

There is over every such assembly, and over the whole Zion of God, Isa. 4. 5, 6. a speciall Protection, a speciall Direction, and a speciall safety to them that shrowd there from the heat, and from the storm: This is the de­fence upon all the glory.

Now from this branch of the Doctrine, and from this true and plain ex­plication of the same, we may describe, or direct to the infallible note of the true Church on earth, and of a true particular visible Church.

1. Where ever Iesus Christ is held for the foundation and corner-stone, and the Doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles touching the faith of Iesus, and the Commandments of God that concern holinesse and righteousnesse, there is the true Church, Ephes. 2. 19, 20. What ever Society of men, associa­ting in a religious way, do hold Christ and the Prophets and Apostles Doctrine for faith and holinesse, that Society is a particular visible Church, Ephes. 2. 22.

2. In what ever particular Society religious, there is to be found all the furniture of the Temple (all the glory, the Mercy-seat, the two Altars, the Table of Shewbread, the Candlestick, the Laver) that is a true particular visible Church. It is the Temple of God, therefore the Church of God. Who can deny that that is Zion, where it can be truly said, the Tabernacle of God is with these men.

Behold, he dwelleth with you, you of Kingstone, for of you it may truely be said, Behold the Tabernacle of God is with men.

And to remove all things that may mislead your judgements, let us looke upon that Prophesie in Rev. 11. 1. and forwards to v. 14. It concernes the state of the Church during the reigne of Antichrist, in which Prophesie, so farre as pertaineth to our present purpose two things are beyond all doubt, and the more to be heeded. First, that the outer Court, and the Holy City, that is, the Church visible is given to the Gentiles, even the Antichristian, or Popish Gentiles, and they shall tread it under foot forty and two [Page 15] moneths, which is, one thousand two hundred and sixty daies Propheticall, that is, so many yeares; this is the time of Antichrists reigne. Secondly, that this is the time and space in which the two witnesses, that is, the small but sufficient number for testimony to confirme any truth; I say the small num­ber of Christs faithfull Ministers (for these two witnesses are expresly cal­led two Prophets, v. 10. and their worke is expresly and precisely named to be Prophecying, v. 3. Now the Magistrate and his worke, by the sword and Edicts is never in all the Bible called by these names, the Scripture appropri­ates this manner of witnessing to the Gospell, and against errours, to the Ministers and their worke alone, which is Preaching of the Gospell, Mark 16. 15. 1 Cor. 1. 17. if this be not the work of their Office, they have no work; Christ sends them to Preach, and in comparison of this, not to Baptize) this small number is to Prophesie in sack-cloth.

Now this time being not expired (for Antichrist is not yet destroyed, the seven Vials are but in pouring out) the state of the visible Church is this, to be infested and polluted diversly with many Gentiles, as we see by wofull experience; there is no Protestant Church in the christian world but is mise­rably trodden upon at this day by Papists, their bloudy rage, their errours, and superstitious inventions, the errours of other Hereticks and Schismaticks; all which are appertaining unto, and are of the frye of Antichrist, as the Apostle Iohn said of the errours of his time; there are many Antichrists al­ready: tottered, and torn, and soyled will be the face of the visible Church untill Antichrist be down. Againe, the number of faithfull Ministers will not be very great, nor their estate any other then a state of mourning; they shall yet Prophesie in sack-cloth, even so long till the one thousand two hundred and sixty daies or yeares be accomplished; they that say otherwise shift as they can, they will feele this to be a truth, for the time of this burden is not yet expired. Is Antichrists reigne expired when Papists so swarme, so pre­vaile with many Kings that are Protestant, that they waste Germany, Ire­land, Scotland, England, besides other parts, and yet the Pope sits in Rome?

I shall adde here but that of learned and godly Chemnitius in his Com­mon Places. Chemnit. Loc. Theol. De Eccles. loco. cap. 3. Sect. 3. Miser caetus, in qu [...] mult [...] sunt infirmitates, quique non tan­tum persecutionibus & cruce premitur, sed etiam offendiculis & scandalis de­formatur. That the Church may be a miserable Society, or company, in which there are many infirmities, and which is not only pressed with Persecutions and the Crosse, but also is deformed with stum­bling-blocks and scandals; of which we ought not to judge by the outward shew, but by and according to the Word. The Church Visible is the company of those that imbrace Christs Gospell, and rightly use his Sacraments, in which company God by the Mi­nistery [Page 16] of the Word workes powerfully, and regenerates many to life eter­nall, in which society notwithstanding, there are many, Et Sect. 5. 2 Tim. 2. 20. In Ecclesiae coetu multi sunt non sancti. Non-sancti, not holy, but yet con­senting with the godly in the point of true Doctrine. Thus of the first Doctrine.

The second Doctrine is this, That there are many, yea many within the visible Church, that are defilers and violaters of this Temple of God. If it had not been so, in vaine had been the Apostles reasoning; if it would not be so, in vaine were this sentence written and left registred in the Canon of the New Testament. The Apostle did not deale this blow in the ayre, and fight with shadowes; and that we may not so doe, and only beate the ayre and lose our labour, let us inquire who are they stand guilty of this sin; the things is filthy and odious, and no man will willingly owne it though he will not be taken off, but will willingly doe it. To come then to charge the guilt of this great sin upon the particular offenders.

1. All scandalous Christians. I begin with you, for though you are not the first intended by the Apostle in this Text, yet you deservedly goe in the front, you make and cause others to defile and wrong the Church by Schismes. The offence you give makes them forsake the fellowship of the Church of God, to which you doe belong, you are many waies guilty of this Temple-pollution, for the present you may be ranked into three sorts.

1. Fornicators, Adulterers, effeminate and uncleane persons, these defile their owne bodies, 1 Cor. 6. 15, 18, 19. they take the member of Christ and make it the member of an Harlot; these defile the Church of God: this is a Leaven, a little of which leaveneth the whole lumpe, 1 Cor. 5. 6. it is a leaven to be purged out by Church-censures.

2. The Covetous, Raylers, Extortioners, Drunkards, Theeves, Swearers, that feare not an Oath, the prophane, unholy, malicious, and all unrighte­ous persons, these make Gods house a denne of Theeves; they that live in these and the like sins against the holy Law of God, and yet come before him as his people, and cry, The Temple of the Lord, and rest in the name and priviledges of Christians, these live as if they were delivered to doe those abominations, Ier. 7. 4, 8. they are abominable polluters of Gods Temple.

3. The Pharisaicall Hypocrites, that pretend the glory of God, and good of the Church, but under that colour drive a trade, Ioh. 2. 14, 15. of the Publique, and of godlinesse make a merchandize for their own filthy lucre. Such are those pretenders to Reformation now among us, that make up their private estates out of the Publique, being carried with self-seeking; they dread not the examples of Councellors, Nobles, Iudges, Prelates, Gen­try, that now before their eyes lye under Gods avenging hand; their car­cases, [Page 17] for they are cast out, and nought of them remaines but their dead contemned bulkes, and on them their Worme feedes and dyes not, and the fire is not quenched; these their miserable carcases they may goe out and see, and looke upon the contempt that God hath and doth poure upon them, for the abusing of their power to their owne lusts, and for making a prey of the Publique, and yet they greedily follow the way of such Balaa­mites. All that are intrusted and imployed for the publique in this great service of seeking Reformation, let them feare, lest, if found in the like sinne, they should fall into greater condemnation. The Lord is a jealous God.

[...]. All that make Schismes and divisions in the Church, [...] the context shew­eth this; these are properly and directly intended here by the Holy Ghost. In the Church of Corinth many stood guilty of this sin, their factious studies rented them into Sects. 1. By contentious siding, falling into parties accor­ding to their Teachers whom they affected, 1 Cor. 1. 12. 2. By affection of humane wisdome, and foolish admiration thereof in the Preaching of the Gospell, Ch. 17. & 2. 1. 4. 3. By building Heterogeneall stuffe, of a divers kind, and unsuitable, as wood, hay, and stubble, upon the foundation, Ch. 3. 12. 4. By undervaluing their faithfull Teachers, Ch. 4. 1. and neg­lecting their spirituall Father that had begotten them in Christ Iesus, through the Gospell, ver. 15. of Chap. 4. had you, saith the Apostle, ten thousand in­structures, yet I am your Father, you have not many fathers; this unnatural­nesse in matters of Grace is found in some of this place; that Minister that begot you, you cast off, he continuing in his integrity; and you heap to you instructers, yet I thinke not so many as yet that we should reckon them by the thousands. 5. By over-valuing themselves, Ch. 4. 8. 10. in their owne conceit, they were full, rich, and reigned as Kings without their faithfull Teachers; they were wise strong, and honourable: now they were in the right, now their joyes and light abounded, but without us, saith the Apo­stle; I would, saith he, yee did reigne, this their happy estate was but in their conceit.

These things made them be puffed up one against another, 1 Corin­thians, 4. 6.

Of this sin are they also guilty that fall under that admonition, in Rom. 16. 17. that make divisions and offences contrary to the Doctrine of the Apo­stles; the Greek Preposition signifieth both contrary and besides, [...] Sig­nificat, praeter & contra; the peace of the Church, and the putity of Do­ctrine is sinfully violated by those that divide, and lay stumbling blocks in the waies of Christians, by contending for any thing that is against or besides Scripture-truth. The Scripture is the Rule by which we discerne of Division and offence-makers.

Schisme is a sin that stickes fast: the Apostle spends in one Letter foure Chapters upon it, for this discourse begun in the first, is continued to the fifth Chapter. The greatnesse of this sin the Apostle sheweth many wayes.

1. Schismes divide Christ; so this sin is parricide. Is Christ divided?

2. Schisme giveth Christs honour to another, so it is Sacriledge. Was Paul crucified for you?

3. It breakes our faith in Baptisme, so it is perfidiousnesse. Were yee Bap­tized in the name of Paul? Chap. 1. v. 13.

4. It is a glorying in men, Chap. 3. 21. and to glory in men, that first proves men carnall, for it fills men with envying, and strife, and divisions, and that is to walk as men, not as christians, Ch. 3. v. 3, 4. Ob. Some of them were ready to say, Why spend you your time about this matter, why come you not to us with meat? we are strong, we are spirituall, teach us some deep Mysteries, and higher Doctrines. Sol. The Apostle prevents this and layes it upon themselves; their Rudity, their rawnesse required his plainesse, they kept him to be laying of the Principles: his faithfulnesse and Pastorall discretion and wisdome kept him fast to this way of dispensing the Truth to them. Were they spirituall that thus strove and stood divided? They were carnall, they were babes: the spoone was fitter for them then the knife, they were not fit to be their owne carvers, v. 1, 2, 3. Secondly, this glory­ing in men makes as if the Ministers were Lords of our Faith, whereas they are but Ministers, v. 5. Thirdly, it makes as if our profiting did depend on the Ministers, whereas they are only planters and waterers: it is Gods gi­ving the increase that doth the deed, v. 6, 7. Fourthly, all Ministers are but one, though some are gifted above others, some labour more than o­thers, they are all but Servants in one Worke, imployed in Tilling Gods Field, in building Gods House, v. 8, 9.

5. Schismes are of our owne spirit; the Spirit of God is not factious Ch. 3. v. 16.

6. They wrong Gods Temple, as in the text in hand, dividing it when it is but one, prophaning it when it is holy.

7. Schisme is the bad effect of two evill causes: 1. Self-confidence, Anthadie, and boasting, as the Apostles words shew: Let no man deceive himselfe, if any man thinke he is wise, Acts 8, 9. 2. Vaine admiration upon vaine wisedome, ver. 18. every one with Simon Magus would faine be [...] some great one.

8. It is derogatory both to the Christians honour, and to Gods order, v. 21. All is the Christians, he is Christs, and Christ is Gods.

Thus Paul here sets out the greatnesse of the sin of Schisme and Divisions, to which I shall adde but that one word of the same Paul, in Gal. 5. 19, 20. [Page 19] that it is a manifest worke of the flesh; the workes of the flesh are manifest, which are divisions. Their waies of deceit in sowing divisions are excellently deciphered in Rom. 16. v. 18. they are not easily discerned, for they paint with two colours; 1. They glory they are the Servants of our Lord Iesus Christ. 2. They use good words, and faire speeches, their tongues meere sugar; blessing, Grace, goodnesse in their lips with such sobernesse, gentlenesse, meeknesse, lowlinesse, insinuations of faire speech, as one would not thinke but God and goodnesse were confined to that sort of people; these catch the simple, but indeed they serve their owne bellies; they have the teeth of Li­ons, with those Locusts, Rev. 9. 8. though they have the hair of women.

Now this schismaticall spirit is in all things most dangerous, because it agrees every way, and takes wonderfully with corrupt nature, which is full of self-love, pride, and dotage.

3. All Hereticks; these ruine the foundation, those before mentioned make rents in the walls and fabrick of the Church. Heresie is worse than Schisme; that of our Apostle imports so much, where he saith, 1 Cor, 11. 18, 19. I heare that there be divisions among you, and I partly beleeve it, for there must be also Heresies among you. Also sheweth that Heresie is a greater evill than Schisme, when he saith, there must be also or even Heresies, he speakes of somewhat more than that was signified by the word Schismes. Heresie is an election or chusing to ones selfe an opinion, not only contrary to the Doctrine delivered in Scripture, but also contrary to that Doctrine which is of the substance of faith and holinesse. Heresie is a perverse Do­ctrine, Schisme in the deed of a perverse separation; he that denyeth or teacheth contrary to any Article of Faith, and yet will hold communion with a Church professing the truth faith, he is guilty of Heresie, but not of Schisme: he that beleeveth all the Articles of Faith, and holds a pure con­fession, and yet will not communicate with a true Church in holy duties, he is guilty of Schisme though not of Heresie, in the Epistle to the Galathians, Gal. 5. 20. [...], these are two distinct workes of the flesh, Di­visions, and Heresies.

The foundation-truthes on which Zion Rev. 14. 12. is laid, are the Com­mandements of God, and the faith of Iesus. Babylon the great, the Mother of Harlots, who is to be destroyed, opposeth the Keepers of these, labours to demolish these. Papisme or Popery, it is not any one lone Heresie, but a bo­dy of many Heresies, the sinke of Heresies, A Mystery of iniquity; Heresies therefore in a Mystery, a cunning serpentine invasion of Christ, and his Faith, and Worship, under the name and title of the Church of Christ, his Faith, his Spirit, his Honour, his Worship; therefore for this man of sinne, I shall set him by himselfe next after these Temple-violaters, these Hereticks, [Page 29] [...] [Page 21] [...] [Page 24] [...] [Page 25] [...] [Page 29] not as not guilty of Heresie, but as guilty in a higher degree. And here let me mention only those that we are most in danger of and troubled with at the present: these Hereticks, polluters of the Temple of God are.

1. The Antinomians: they over-throw the Law Morall, they hold that Christ came to abolish it, that a beleever hath nothing to do with keeping the Commandements, that the Gospell takes away all obedience to the Com­mandements; they are against all urging of doing of duty of Humiliations, of Repentance for sins after Iustification, of praying for pardon of sin by a beleever, they hold that the Law ought not to be Preached to beleevers, with a great deale more of the like pernicious Leaver: all which savoureth of ignorance, pride, and conceitednesse, and of affectation of licentiousnesse, and lawlesse liberty: the spirit of Libertinisme inspireth these men.

2. The Anti-Sabbatarians: They evert the fourth Commandment; tea­ching that it is Ceremoniall, and so taking away all conscience of sin against the Commandment of God, (though no day be kept a Sabbath in the week) and thereby all preaching, and attendance on duties of Gods Worship, publike and private on the Lords day, in conscience to Gods Command­ment laid aside, they at one blow lay flat all that would uphold the power of godlinesse.

3. The Germane Anabaptists, that hold that a Christian ought not to be a Magistrate, that Christians may not take the sword, nor wage war; these evert the fifth Commandment: I call them the Germane Anabaptists, for there divers Sects of them, are, and have been for this hundred of yeers past; through Gods just judgement, their errours, some of them, begin to spread in England; these ghosts can passe the Seas, and swim thorow the billows and waves of mighty waters; they are in their first spawning to be looked unto; for who knows unto what destructive Principles and Practi­ces such giddy self-willed spirits may run? Bellarmine slanderously calls them Proles Lutheranismi, the off-spring of Lutheranisme; they are, indeed, the off spring of hell, for hell it selfe is moved, when God rents the heavens, and comes down to the great work of the Reformation of his Church. Satan that sent these Furies out to defame the work of Re­formation, which God began by Luthers glorious Ministery, he is Satan still and sends these Furies among us for the very same end.

For the present, I will name no more that are against the Command­ments of God. Against the faith of Iesus I shall onely mention two:

1. The Arminians, that teach universall grace, and the falling away of the Saints, and deny that the efficacious working of internall grace from Gods Spirit is necessary to conversion, and to the begetting of faith in a sinner: They teach that the grace of conversion is resistible, that we cannot have assurance, and the like.

2. The Socinians, which, among other damnable errours, run into these two: First, they deny the Deity of our Lord Iesus Christ, who is the great God, our Saviour, God blessed for ever. Secondly, they deny that Christs death was for satisfaction, Isa. 53. 5, 6. Gal. 3. 13. 1 Pet. 2. 24. or for merit, 1 Pet. 1. 18. 19. Act. 20, 28, and that it was a price, 1 Cor. 6. 20. 1 Tim. 2. 6. of our redemption, but onely hath in it the nature of an example how we should suffer, that Christ is our Redeemer, not by being a ransome, or paying a price, or as our Surety Heb. 7. 22. making satisfaction, but onely by leaving us an example, that we should follow his steps: The foregoing Texts of Scripture are expresly against this most hellish heresie.

These, and the like to these, are Dogs, Wolves in Sheeps-skins, evill workers, the Concision, as those that urged Circumcision are called, Phil. 3. 2. they are to be named with such names of disgrace, as tell truly what they are, that all may beware of them: they cut themselves, & others that hearken to them, off from Christ, and from his Church [...] in Jucunda prosonomasia conjunxit interse [...], conciditur e­nim quod discerpitur, & plan [...] distrahi­tur: circumciditur, quod, supervacancis resectis, purgatur, Bullinger. in locum. this respect all the hereticall teachers are the Concision, they are evill-workers, for they should build up the Church of God, but they pull it down and destroy it: like dogs they bark at the truth, they grin at Orthodox Ministers, and fasten on the simple the fangs of their poisoned doctrine: There's the Wolfe; be­ware, and thrice beware.

4. Antichrist, and the Spirit of Popery, which hath turned Zion into a Babylon; I mean Rome-Christian, into Rome-Antichristian, and it is now a cage of unclean and hatefull birds, a den of beasts, a stie of foule spirits. This Spirit of Antichrist discovers it self in four things:

1. In Self-exaltation, and Domination over the Church, that the Pope might sit in the Temple of God, as God, 2 Thess. 2. 4. 5.

2. In Apostacy from the faith, that the man of sin might be the head of the Church: thus he becomes the head of that Apostasie, and of the Popish Apostaticall Synagogue, farre from the Apostolicall Church of which Christ is head.

3. In spirituall fornication and adultery, which is Idolatry, Superstition and Will-worship: thus the Popish Synagogue is the Whore of Babylon.

4. In lyes taught in Hypocrisie, and doctrines of Devills, 1 Tim. 4. 1, 2, 3.

5. They defile and destroy Gods Temple, that by pernicious errours de­stroy, and evert either of the two great ordinances of God, the Magistracy and the Ministery; the Authors, the fautors, cherishers, or nurses, the recei­vers, abettors, or applauders of such errours: these strike the very Pillars of the Temple.

1. For Magistracy, those that erroneously teach that Magistrates have nothing to doe in the first but only in the second Table of the Law, that they are to preserve the Peace, and judge about meum and tuum, mine and thine, but for Religion, and Gods Worship, and Doctrine, they have not to do [...] with their power in those. But God saith, I will give Kings to be thy nursing fathers, Esa 49. 23. as speaking of the Church under the New Te­stament. David saith, Psal. 122. 9. because of the house of the Lord, I will seeke to doe thee good. And againe, Psa. 101. 8. I will betimes cut off evill do­ers from the City of God. Restauration of the true Worship and Religion, and the demolishing and extirpation of the false, were the chiefe praises of godly Princes, Asa, Iehosaphat, Hezekiah, Iosiah, and of Nehemiah the renowned reformer, Neh. 13.

Obj. That's the Old Testament.

Sol. What, are the Damned Manichees again raised from Hell? Shall we againe be haunted with the Ghosts of the old Heresies, sentenced to the bot­tomlesse Pit, one thousand four hundred yeares agoe, for rejecting the Old Testament?

2. Do [...] you hold the New Testament to be in force? you must then re­ceive the Old. The New Testament is not to be received but as it agrees with the Old. Christ bids, Search the Scripture, Ioh. 5. 39. 46. meaning the Old Testament, which then was only written; he saith, Had yee believed Moses, yee would have believed me. He that refuseth the Old Testament, where his lust serves him, will doe as much for the New. The Evangelists writing of Christ that we might believe on him, runs thus; this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was written. The Apostles in their Epistles confirme all they say in matters of faith, and holy life out of the Old Testa­ment: as to instance in two or three places for all, the great point of faith, in 1 Pet. 2. 4, 5, 6, 7. the great point of holinesse of life, in 1 Pet. 1. 15, 16. the great duty of obedience to Parents, in Ephes. 6. 1, 2, 3. read the Texts. The Scripture of the Old Testament will furnish a Minister of the New Testament, the man of God, and make him absolute, 2 Tim. 3. 15, 16, 17. It is for every Christian a more sure word, 2 Pet. 1. 19. 21. than voyces from Heaven; it is a light that shineth in the dark, untill Christ the Day­starre dawn in the heart of him that takes heed to it.

3. But let us come to the New Testament, Rom. 13. 4. 3. Magistracy is the Ordinance of God, set up for the punishment of evill-doers, when Blasphe­my, and Idolatry, false worship, Heresie, Prophanesse, and cursed Oathes are not evill-doing, then let the Magistrate have nothing to doe with the first Table: it is Gods Ordinance for the praise of them that doe well; when the seeking of the Lord Iehovah, the use of Christs holy Institutions, the [Page 23] profession of his holy Name and Faith, the sanctification of his Holy Day? and in a word, when Piety ceaseth to be well-doing, then let the power of Magistracy cease about matters of the first Table: the Magistrate is the Mi­nister of God for thy good; O Christian, as thou art a Christian, he is to the [...] for good.

1 Tim. 2. 2. 5, 6. Out of this Text note to stop the mouthes of all Cava­liers. 1. The end of Magistracy is not only that thou maist, who art a Chri­stian, lead a peaceable and quiet life, but the end of that end, that thou maist lead it in all godlinesse and honesty.

2. For the better attaining to this end, thou art bound to pray all manner of Prayer for Kings, and all in Authority; this duty he cannot doe that holds this errour.

3. The reasons on which this rule and exhortation is grounded, doe reach out all their strength to this, that the Magistrate may (being con­verted to the Truth) not only looke to that part of his duty to be the father of the Country, and Common-wealth, but the Nursing father to the Church; not only to see the Peace be kept, but to see that Piety flourish, all Godli­nesse: the Reasons are these.

1. God will have all men, i. e. all sorts of men to be saved, and come to the knowledge of the truth. Pray for them, that coming to the knowledge of the truth they may the better use the Sword, to maintaine the truth, and restraine and debellate falshood.

2. This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour, that your prayers should be the meanes to bring in Kings, and Parliaments, States, and all in Authority, to uphold Godlinesse out of an heart truely inlighte­ned, and inflamed with the love of Godlinesse: you please not Christ if you pray not for them out of such a principle, and to such an end.

3. There is but one God, both of Kings and Magistrates that are yet with­out, and abuse their power against all true godlinesse: and of you; why should yee doubt but that he will heare your Prayers, and at your Prayers give you Magistrates, that shall make it their honour to use their power for God, to attaine his main end, that is, your Godly life, as well as your peace­able and honest life, as they received it from God; who hath ordained Ma­gistracy for the attaining of that main end?

4. There is but one Mediator between God and men, who gave himselfe a ransome for all, that testimony in proper seasons. Christ mediates for Ma­gistrates, is a ransome for Magistrates, is that testimony which as well testified to Magistrates as any other; and if any say we have prayed long and prevailed little, you must know there are proper seasons, full seasons for this testimony to be dispensed, and to make that dispensation effectuall, [Page 24] therefore pray, pray all manner of Prayers for their thorough conversion, that they may glory more to see their Dominions all Godly, under that one God, through that one Mediator, by that one Gospell that witnesseth of this Grace, by one Faith, one common Faith, in that only ransome of Christ, in one way of his true Worship; then to see their Dominions rich, and peaceable. Why under this one God, and this one Christ feeding among you, may you not raise up to you seven Shepheards, and eight Princes of men? say all, yea, by Prayer of faith we shall doe it.

2. For the Ministery, they destroy and prophane Gods Temple, by their errours diversly;

1. Evening the Lords owne Canons for the Examination and Ordination of Ministers, or Bishops by the Presbytery. The Epistles to Timothy and Titus were written to order Gods house; 1. Tim. 3. 15. there are drawn by the Holy Ghost the Church- Canons, the Constitutions of the Church of the New Testament, Christs Directory, by the hands and Ministery of that elect Vessell, Paul the Apostle. In these Canons the Presbytery, that is, the society of Teaching-Elders, or Bishops ( Paul knew no other Bishops) the Assembly of the Elders (so the word is used in Act. 22. 5. where our last Translation reads it, the estate of the Elders) the Elder-ship, 1 Tim. 4. 24. & 5. 22. & 3. 2. 9, 10. Tit. 1. 5. 9. 2 Tim. 2. 2. hath the charge of Exami­nation of those that are to be made Ministers, and the power of Ordination by imposition of hands; they that are to be made Ministers must be apt to teach, 1 Tim. 3. 2. and they must be ordained by laying on of hands, Tit. 1. 5. 1 Tim. 5. 22. their aptnesse to teach must be tryed and examined, 1 Tim. 3. 10. having spoken of Bishops before, and now speaking of Deacons, and that concerning their holding the Mystery of Faith, he saith, and let these also first be proved, also, that is, as well as those that desire the office of a Bishop: they must first be Examined touching their aptnesse and ability to Teach; so must the Deacons also about their holding of the Mystery of Faith in a pure conscience. Now this Charge of Examination lyes upon the faithfull men, the Presbyters that are able to teach others, 2 Tim. 2. 2. and the power of laying on of hands, or of ordination is in the Presbytery. We find this order of men, but we finde no other in these Epistles that have any charge over the House of God, the Church of the living God: Now those overthrow these Canons, and defile the House of God, that take Ordination away, that take it out of the hands of the Presbytery, and put it into the hands of the People, of any other, that take away this Presbytery, that set up Ministers, or run into the Ministery, and will not submit themselves to the tryall of the Assembly, and estate of the Teaching-Elders the Ministers, that are opposite to the Government by the Presbytery; these are the everters of the Lords owne Canons.

2. Subverting the Lords owns Ordinance for the Ministery, that those that Preach the Gospell should live of the Gospell, 1 Cor. 9. 13, 14. they would have them get their livings by the Plow, or by Trades. The Apostle charg­eth Timothy, and in him all Timothies, all Ministers of the Gospell to give themselves wholly to Reading, to Exhortation, to Doctrine, that their profi­ting may appeare to all; and to contemne in them (who can doe so, and drive a trade, and follow another calling) the Apostles called to be Fishers of men; left their Nets, and applyed not themselves to catch Fish. If the Ministers be doing this, (they need take care of no more, nay this is that deed to which the Promise is) He shall both save himselfe, and them that heare him, 1 Tim. 4. 13, 15, 16. They Object, the Apostles did worke with their hands. Sol. 1. They had immediate and infallible assistance of the Holy Ghost in their Ministery, 1. So have none now. 2. But that is not all, they wrought not ordinarily, but in a case, as it appeares in the 2 Cor. 11. 9. 12. to cut off occasion from them which desired occasion, 2 Cor. 12. 13, 14. and in that place where he saith, I robbed other Churches to doe you service; that is, he took maintenance of others while he Preached to them: what e­ver he did, it is evident he had power to have lived wholly of the Gospell, and that is the Lords Ordinance, which the Church must stand to, and be bound by, 1 Cor. 9. 14, 15. they would have the Ministers maintenance by Almes, and Contributions, Mat. 10. 10. Luk. 10. 7. 1 Tim. 5. 18. but it is hire, not Almes: can you make Wages and Almes to be the same? It is a due, and as truely earned as whatsoever any laborer gets at his fingers ends. They cry down Tythes as Popish and Iewish: but that way of main­tenance is neither Popish nor Iewish, which was before the Law. Melchise­dech took Tythes of Abraham, and of Levi in Abrahams loynes, and Mel­chisedech was not a Priest of Aarons Order; our Lord Jesus is the Priest af­ter Melchisedechs order. Iacob promised maintenance of Gods Publique Worship, by paying Tythes.

3. Confounding the Lords order, who hath instituted a Ministery to Preach the Gospell, Mark 16. and to teach, Mat. 28. 19, 20, 21. and they give power to every Member to Preach, abusing that Text in 1 Cor. 14. 31. yee may all Prophesie one by one; it speakes of the Prophets in that Church, not the Members, read the Text, v. 29. let the Prophets speak two or three, and let the other judge, v. 32. and the Spirits of the Prophets are subject to the Prophets: yee may all Prophesie, that is, all the Members that were Prophets, not all the members as members; those that had the gift of Prophesying, not those that had not the gift: Now the truth of the place is, there were then in the Church extraordinary gifts, as of Healing, of Mira­cles, of Tongues, of interpretation of Tongues; and so of Prophesying, that [Page 26] is, either fore-telling things to come, or of unfolding the Prophesie of Scrip­ture that concerned the present times of the Church, with a speciall gift of dextrous application, and accommodation of the Exposition of the Prophe­sie to the estate of the Church for comfort, for exhortation, and for edifica­tion; those that had these gifts ought to use them for the good of the Church, but with order, and with submission to the tryall and judgement of the As­sembly of the Prophets in the Church. These gifts are ceased now, yet if any say they have them, let them shew their gift, according to the Apostles Rule, yeeld to the tryall of the same; and if they have any such gift, we will blesse God that now also gives such gifts to the children of men; we will open our Pulpits for you, but because they can bring forth no such thing, but raise from the Dead, and from Hell old Heresies, and errours, and trouble the people with trifles, and endlesse Disputes, that tend not to edifi­cation in the Faith; we reject them, and yeeld not to them any Authority to meddle with the worke of the Ministery: but observe, while they per­vert this Text, perusing the words, let the other Prophets judge, the Spirits of the Prophets are subject to the Prophets, ere ever we are aware, we are faln upon a Judicatory, a Presbytery, an Assembly of Prophets.

4. Destroying the provision for an able Ministery, debasing Learning and Universities; under the Old Testament there were the Schooles of the Pro­phets, 2 King. 2. 3. 7. which some think took their beginning in the times of Eli, and Samuel. The Levites had their Schooles, instituted by Moses and Aaron, preserved by the Iudges and Kings, continued in the Babylonish Captivity, propagated to the daies of our Saviour, and an end put to them by the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans. Out of these Schooles came their learned Rabbies, and their Scribes, and others; 1. Paul was brought up at the feete of Gamaliel. Christ had his Schoole, in which were the Apostles, and seventy two Disciples. The Apostles opposed the Schooles of the Liber­tines, Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, Act. 6. 9. they instituted Schooles in Antioch, and Alexandria, and other Provinces. These opinionative persons say, that the Apostles were unlearned Fisher-men. We answer, that part of that power from on high, which the Apostles were commanded to expect, and to tarry at Ierusalem till they were indued with it, Luk. 24. 49. was the gift of the Holy Ghost inabling them to speak all Languages, Act. 2. this supplied abundantly from heaven that defect of learning, and did make them learned above all that can be attained in Schooles and Universities; they had their Commission before to go and teach all Nations, but were not to set out upon the execution of their Commission untill they were fitted in this manner: he that can shew the like gift of the holy Ghost, we say no Schools are required for the help of such; but if from Heaven the Holy [Page 27] Ghost be not thus given, let them use the ordinary helpes which God af­fordeth; if any refuse, shew such gifts and we shall blesse God. The Langua­ges, the Greek and Hebrew are needed to understand the originall text, and derive our Doctrine from the fresh and pure fountaines; the Latine is also needfull, that we may not only the better receive the benefit of the gifts given to the Fathers, and Writers of former ages (for all gifts are given of God to profit the Church withall) but also be acquainted with the Liberall Arts and Sciences: that the Arts are needfull in a Minister is cleare; hereby the Minister ought to be able to convince and confute errours, and to main­taine the truth by disputation, as well as to teach it, and to comfort, exhort, and rebuke, he is to stop the mouthes of Hereticks and Deceivers; this he cannot doe without the helpe of the Arts, especially of Logick, whereby he discernes the fallacies of seducers, and can open the truth out, of the Scrip­tures, which are delivered in a rationall discourse. Who have been the fa­mous Instruments of God, to confute all the Hereticks of old? Who have cut the sinewes of Harding, Stapleton, Bellarmine, and other Popish Wri­ters? not any other save men famous for Learning. Did you ever heare of such service done for the Church of God by any of the illiterate Anabap­tists and Sectaries, though they have boasted of the Spirit? yet I say not that Learning gives Ministeriall gifts, much lesse Grace; but without Learning the Ministery would be but lame in many respects; therefore the enemies of a learned Ministery are the friends of Popery, and all Heresies, of ignorance and blindnesse, and the enemies of the truth and Gospell, of the light and comfort of the Church of Iesus Christ.

5. Novices, newly converted ones at the best taking upon them to Preach, and permitted so to doe; this is to defile Gods House by prophaning the Ministery. Holy Paul saith, not a novice, 1 Tim. 3. 6. lest, passed up with pride, he fall into the condemnation of the Devill; these five waies our Novel­lists strike the pillar of the Ministery: thus of a fifth sort of Temple-defilers.

6. I proceed to others, which though they might be cast, many of them, under the head of Schisme, yet because they are now late-sprung, and trou­ble the Church of God, I shall let them beare a distinct numeration, as so many severall orders of Defilers, though not distinct sorts and kinds; there­fore, sixthly, those that keep out of the Church any of the Ordinances of Christ, those that keep Gods Houshold-stuffe in any part of it out of his Temple, as those that deny Paedo-Baptisme, or the Baptizing of the Infants of those that professe the faith of Iesus Christ; the Scripture for Baptizing of such Infants (beside many others urged by many) is that in Acts 2. 39. For the Promise is unto you, and to your children: from these words with the former ariseth this Argument; To whomsoever the Promise belongs, to them [Page 28] Baptisme doth belong: the truth of this is in the reasoning of the Apostle, who requires them to receive Baptisme upon their Repentance professed, because the Promise is to them; this ground is Apostolicall and Divine. But to the children of Professors of the Faith doth the Promise belong; this is the very sense of the words of the 39. verse, therefore to the children of the Professors of the Faith doth Baptisme belong: those that deny these infants Baptisme call them common, whom God calls holy, 1 Cor. 7. 14.

7. Those that keepe out the members of Christ, not admitting Saints, every way as gracious as themselves, unto the fellowship of the Church, unlesse they will yeeld to their Church-way; not admitting Professors of the true Religion, that have knowledge, are not scandalous, are not refracto­ry to any the Holy Ordinances of Christs Worship, because they see not in them truth of Grace, or that which may savour to the sense of Christians, that the worke of Grace in the New-birth is truely begun in them so farre as man can conceive. Where is the Rule given for this visible grace, as they call it, by which rule the non-admitted may see that he is justly proceeded with­all, according to the Word of God, that so, though he have no Grace, yet all that will use their reason may see by vertue of such cleare Texts of the Word, their power is rightly used for his non-admission, that the use of it may be to edification, not to destruction? 2 Cor. 13. 10. for which end all Church-power is given of Christ.

8. They that Dis-church the true Churches of Iesus Christ, because they are faulty in Discipline, or in Government, and chiefly to dischurch them when they thirst after, pray for, use all meanes God affords them for Refor­mation.

9. Those that would introduce into a Christian Church and State a Tole­ration of all sorts of Religions, or all sorts of Opinions in Religion, under the name of Liberty of Conscience; These Scriptures are fully against in. The Angel of the Church of Ephesus is commended by our Lord Jesus for his patience, Rev. 2. 2. [...] and that he could not bear them which were evill, and tried those that said they were Apostles, and were not, and found them lyars. It is condemned in the Angel of the Church of Thyati­ra, that he suffered, or tolerated that woman Iezebell to teach &c. And Christ saith to the Angel of the Church in Pergamos, I have a few things against thee; because thou hast there, Rev. 2. 12. 14, 15, 16. them that hold the Doctrine of Balaam, and the Doctrine of the Nicolaitans. He is not charged with so great a fault as a toleration; but there they were, and there he should not let them be: his connivence, or invigilancy, or remissenesse in not executing his power, must be repented of; or else, Christ will fight a­gainst him: from that place in Ieremiah, chap. 32, 39. this Argument is full [Page 29] of power. Whatsoever God hath promised, and is a branch of the Covenant of Grace with his people, to be made good chiefly in the time of the New Testament, all Christians ought to seek and aspire after. To give his people one heart, and one way, in his fear, for the good of them and their Chil­dren, God hath promised, and it is such a branch of his Covenant; therefore this all christians ought to seek and breath after. To seek after a toleration of divers wayes in Religion, is not to seek after one heart and one way in godly fear; and so not to seek after that branch of Promise and Covenant made to Gods people, and to be made good, chiefly in the times of the New Testament: therefore to seek after a toleration of divers wayes in Religi­on, is that which ought not to be in any Christian. Adde to this, that in Phil. 1. To stand fast in one spirit with one minde striving together for the faith of the Gospel, is the conversation becoming the Gospel, especially in times of terrible Adversaries: and to stand thus united, unterrified, is an e­vident token of the Adversaries perdition, and of our salvation: And that of God, Phil. 1. 27, 28. to fall into Divisions, and plead for tolerations of Opi­nions of divers mindednesse in one faith, is not to stand fast in one spirit with one minde, striving together for that one faith of the Gospel, and it is not to stand thus united, unterrified; therefore to fall into Divisions, and plead for tolerations of opinions of divers mindednesse in faith, is not the conversation becoming the Gospel, especially in times of terrible Adversa­ries, and is not an evident token of the Adversaries perdition, and of our sal­vation; and that of God. What is it then? It is an evident token of the Adversaries prevalency, and of our succumbency under the present judge­ment as yet: And of the further wrath of the Almighty, and that from a just God. I have heard of some that say, this is that which can never be, that all Christians should be of one heart and way; let such believe in him that is faithfull, and hath promised, and not dishonour and weary God by unbelief. God hath heretofore made good this Article of his Covenant. In the first primitive Christian Church, they were all, the multitude of them that believed, of one heart, and of one soul, Act. 4. 32. they continued stedfastly in this holy unity, Act. 2. 42. 44. 46. There were two glorious fruits and con­comitants hereof: Fear came upon every soul. Act, 2. 43. and great grace was upon them all, Act. 4. 33. Now the same God that hath thus powred out his owne holy, and one spirit, the spirit of unity by the Preaching of the Gospel, can do the same again. His Covenant is the same. The great God delights to do great things; the fruits would be alike excellent, nothing more full of Grace and amiablenesse, or of terrour and dread. Hence also a­riseth a strong Argument, that no Christian should plead for toleration, for all ought to seek for Gods Church in the Reformation of it; the utmost [Page 30] conformity to the first purest Primitive Church of Christ, when she was as a heap of Wheat set about with Lillies. True liberty of Conscience lieth in sweet communion in the unity of faith, and in the perfect bond of love; the souls of believers knit together, and cleaving one to another, as Ionathans did to David, unanimously subject to Gods Law; all other Liberty is the Liberty of lust.

10. There are also that will not joyn in Prayer with any other, though they be Christians, unlesse they know them to be godly, and that they be of their judgement and way: they refuse to pray with us, not only in our pub­lique Congregations, but in our private or occasionall meetings. The Lords Prayer directs us to Pray, Our Father: Our, respects the whole com­munity of Professors of Christs name, and not any Segregated part: It taketh in all that call on the name of our Lord Iesus Christ. What spirit are they of, that can deny to pray with those that say, Za. 8. 21. Come, let us go & seek the Lord, & pray before him? Not of the spirit of one that is a Iew inwardly; Holy Paul among Sea-men and Mariners, who are none of the best; among soul­diers, prisoners for severall sorts of wicked deeds, Heathens of severall Nations and Religions, prayed as the mouth of them all, or with them all, beseeching them all to take meat: he took bread, and solemnly prayed, as the Text saith, He gave thanks to God in the presence of them all, Act. 27. 35. Christ hath broken down the partition Wall, and now none are to be called common, Act. 10. 11, 12, 14, 15. or unclean: The Gospel is to be preached to every creature, to all Nations, therefore prayer is to be made with every creature, with all Nations, to whom we may preach, with them we may pray and ought: yea, prayer to God is not only an instituted worship, but natu­rall, or of the Law of Nature. These Doctrines of division rent and tear the Church of Christ, and this now mentioned is a pricking Bryar, and grieving Thorne.

11. Like to these also are those that make up Churches of those of their own opinion, and separate from others that do hold the unity of Faith, and the Rule of righteousnesse: But who can separate from those that are of the same Faith, and not break fellowship with the Lord Iesus?

Differences in opinions should not dissunder us in affections, much lesse make divisions separate us into Church-wayes against Church-wayes; the same Faith, and the same Commandments for holinesse should be more po­werfull to cement us in one Church, then difference in opinions through pe­tulancy to put every opinion into practice; note, this should be of force to loose us in the building, or lay us in a frame, whose cement and morter, whose mould and fashion is from a conspiring in an opinion: these conspiracies in [Page 31] opinion joyned with separation from other Churches that hold the faith of Iesus and the Commandments of God, are no right gathering of Churches; they are Conventions, sinfull, and Schismaticall, and unlawfull, carnall, and proud separations; they that hold one Faith ought in lowlinesse of minde and forbearance of one another, in love to indeavour to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace, Eph. 4. 2, 3.

12. In like manner, it is a violating of Gods Temple to separate, because some wicked livers are not cast out of the Church, the place abused is that in 2 Cor. 6. 14. 15. 17. To separate, to come out from among them, is not to sepa­rate or come out from the Church and Temple of God, but from Idols, from Belial, from Infidels, from Darknesse, from Unrighteousnesse; that they from whom we ought to separate, are Idolaters, Infidels, Belia­lists, Heathens, of whom it is said, ye were once Darknesse, Unrighteous ones, and they are not the Church and Temple of God: to separate in the Apostles sense, is, not to touch the unclean thing; that is, to have no commu­nion with them in their Idolatry, in their unrighteousnesse of any kinde; but other communion with them is not condemned, and if he will come to the Ordinances of worship of the true God with the Church, we may and ought to admit him to Communion with us in all Ordinances that are for conversion, and this is not to touch the unclean thing; Idolatry and unrigh­teousnesse is the unclean thing, which we may not touch; but the man is not the unclean thing, the separation commanded and the coming out from them is not to be unequally yoked together with them; the Greek is elegant, lively, significant, [...], it is a Simile taken from the Plough, where the Teeme that drawes the same plough is by yokes and paires of Draught­cattell, Oxen or horses, or the like, which are yoked in the same yoke, and so do draw each his part of the same Plough: to be yoked together is to draw one part in the same Draught; which is in the sense of the Apostle to be joy­ned in the same communion, and counsell of the wicked, in which they draw the Plough of their wickednesse; be the wickednesse, Idolatry, unrighte­ousnesse, drunkennesse or any other to have Communion with an Ido­later in his Idolatrous worship, counsell to uphold that worship, or such leagues of nearest conjunction voluntarily chosen and run into, which may be a temptation to entice one to Idolatry; this is to be unequally yoked with the Idolater: It is to have fellowship with them Hoc nou est consentire male facientibus, esse cum cis in ecclesia, sed mala facta [...]o­rum approbarc atque laudare. Aug. Tom. 7. Contra. Epist. Parmen. l. 1. c. 3. in the unfruitfull works of darknesse, that the Apostle disswadeth us from, and not from the fellowship with Christ in his fruitfull Ordinances, and with his people in duties of publique worship of the true God, because an incestuous brother is there present, and [Page 32] through none of thy approbation of his wickednesse, or of his presence, but through neglect of the Church, and those officers in whom the power, and execution of the power lyeth for excommunication of such scandalous bre­thren, is suffered to be there. Lastly, he truly in the Apostles sense doth separate from the unclean thing, that cleanseth himself from all filthinesse of flesh and spirit, 2 Cor. 7. 1. That is, purifying from all his sins inward and outward, and not he that to avoid communion with the world, shuts him­self up in a Monastery, lives an Hermite in a wildernesse; nor he that to avoid Communion with Swearers, and Drunkards, forsaketh the Assemblies of Orthodox Christians: using Christs own Ordi­nances of the Word and Sacraments, to hold fellowship with Swearers and Drunkards in their Swearing, and Drunkennesse, and drunken meetings, is to go to plough with them, and to tumble with them in the filth; but to hold the fellowship of the Gospel, if these come to the same assemblies with us, and sit there as Gods people, is to hold Communi­on with Christ, and they have fellowship with us outwardly in Christs Plough and yoak; we have none with them, but with Christ and his Saints, and with them in the Profession and duty of Saints.

13. But now the same Text doth condemne, as Temple-Defilers, those that are unequally [...]oked together with unbelievers in Idolatrous worship, and Idolatrous feasts, 2 Cor. 6. 17. that have communion with them in the Idol-service: What fellowship hath the Temple of God with Idols? Those that separate not from such, that is, from the assemblies of Idolaters, they partake of the table of Devils, 1 Cor. 10. 21. and cannot partake of the Lords Table. Those that separate not from the Popish assemblies, and that separate not from their false Catholick Church, do also touch the un­clean thing, and sin against the Apostles command for separation. We must separate from them that hold not Christ, in all things, wherein they hold not Christ, and no farther.

14. It is a [...]ore pollution of the house of God, to set up mens Commande­ments and inventions for Doctrine, Matth. 15. 9. Col. 2. 18. 20, 21, 22. These be the births of mens fleshly mindes, which are begotten and quick­ned by a spirit of Whoredomes: These are heathens brought into Gods ho­ly Temple.

15. The prophanation, pollution, or contempt of Gods Ordinances, Discipline, or Government, is the defiling and wasting of Gods Temple; hitherto you may referre the prophanations of the Lords Supper in divi­ded Communions, and in comming without examination and selfe-judg­ing, 1 Cor. 11.

16. Ranke with these such as disgrace the publique and solemn Assemb­lies, [Page 33] either troubling them by barbarous confusion, 1 Cor. 14. 26. Every one hath a Psalm, un interpretation, a Doctrine, a Revelation. Our new disturbers boast of a fal [...] gift in these particulars; though they have not, yet they will have an Interpretation, a Psalm, a Doctrine, a revelation: they cannot have the face yet to say, a Tongue; and if they may not have liberty to speak in the publick As­semblies, having no such gift, they will deny their presence to the Publick, & fling dishonour upon them all they can: or else despising the Church, 1 Cor. 11. 22. or place of the Publick assemblies: like unto these are such also as puldown Churches, and set up their Chamber-meetings. David complaineth, they have burnt up all the Synagogues of God in the Land, Psal. 74. 8. It was the Centuri­ons Luk. 7. 4, 5. high commendations to our Lord Iesus, he is worthy, for he [...] ­veth our Nation, and hath built us a Synagogue. Such also as deny the mainte­nance, Neh. 13. 10, 11. of the publick Ministery, solemn worship, and places for publick worship: such as devour things Holy, and Consecrated, or convert them to private ases. Abhorrest thou Idols, Rom. 2. 22. and yet [...] thou sacriledge? Why should any Tobiah live in the chambers of the Tem­ple, Neh. 13. 5. and eate up the Tythes, all which belonged to Gods in­stituted Ministery?

There yet remaine foure notorious Temple-Defilers, that make Gods house their prey, it shall suffice to name them.

17. Persecutors, Tyrants, and oppressours of Gods Heritage; of whom we have that mournfull complaint, Psal. 79. 1, 2, 3. O God! the Heathen are come into thine inheritance, thy holy Temple have they defiled: they have laid Ierusalem on heapes: the dead bodies of thy servants have they given to be meat unto the Fowles of the Heaven, the flesh of thy Saints unto the beasts of the earth: their blond have they shed like water round about Ie­rusalem, and there was none to bury them. This is exemplified in the Anti­christian rage of Papists, and other our enemies at this day in these three Kingdomes, especially in Ireland.

18. Hinderers of Reformation, and of the Reformers God raiseth up; these like Iannes and Iambres withstand our Mosesses, I meane all the Stick­lers for any errour, and the resisters of that blessed worke of the Nationall Covenant, whereby these three Kingdomes may become one according to Christ Iesus. Shall Hell, that now opens her mouth wide, shall Satan, that can make use of a Peter, and make him a Satan, Mat. 16. 23. shall heights or depthes, of white or black Devills, swallow up that Covenant, or dead that Covenant-care, which cannot but make Rome and its Conclave to shake? Why is not our Covenant prosecuted?

19. Sensuall Separatists, I [...]de 19. that walke after their lusts; Mockers, that jugling with the Scriptures broach bruitish-damnable Tenets, such as [Page 34] that, that the soule dyeth with the body, whereas it goeth to God that gave it, and is either as Dives's was, presently sent to Hell, and is there in torments; or else, as Lazarus's in Abrahams bosome, as Pauls with Christ, as the beleeving Thiefes in Paradice, as all beleevers present with the Lord, cloathed upon with their house from Heaven, possessed of an house not made with hands, eternall in the Heavens, 2 Corinthians 5. 1, 3, 6, 8. Scoffers, 2 Pet. 3. 3, 4, 12. that by their impostures would illude the Do­ctrine of the last Iudgement, and say, where is the Promise of his coming? and take off from the hearts of the unwary and unstable, the terrour of the Lord, 2 Cor. 5. 11. and the looking for, and hastning unto the coming of the day of God. Diseased fancifull minds that have itching eares, and will not endure sound Doctrine, but heape teachers to themselves, 2 Tim. 4. 3, 4.

20. The Machiavilian Politicians in a Christian State, many degrees out­going old famous Achitophel, 2 Sam. 16. 21, 23. the Seditious, that love to make divisions, and sow discords, and plant an inveterate odium in the hearts of King, and Prince, and people, against all the godly and faith­full in the Land, with all evill Counsellors against the Lord, Nah. 1. 11. Psa. 2. 2. and flattering bloody Edomitish Doegs, Ps. 52.

Beloved, what a griefe is it to think that by the ennumeration of particu­lars, not this Doctrine alone should be so clearely and fully demonstrated by twenty severall sorts of offendors, that there are many Temple-defilers with­in the Temple of God, but also that in our English Church and Temple, such Temple-vermine should swarme at this day? wherefore to descend to some short application.

1. Prayer becomes us with complaints to God, that dwells in his Temple; Prayer, that he would looke downe from Heaven and behold, that he would not make us to erre from his waies, and harden our hearts from his feare, but returne for his servants sake: that he would rent the Heavens and come down with demonstrations of zeal, strength, and sounding of bowels, with terrible unexpected workes of wonder, with Gospell-blessing, that he would not be wroth very sore, nor hold his peace at these things, nor afflict us very sore. Pray, O remember not against us former iniquities, let thy mercies speedily prevent us, for we are brought very low. Prayer, with fasting, and deepe humiliations become all that love Gods house in these our daies, untill God raise up some Nehemiahs that they may cleanse, Neh. 13. 8. Gods Temple.

2. We should not be scandalized hereby, but remember that in the great house of Gods Church there are Vessels of severall sorts, and rather be purging our selves from these, them forsaking and deserting the true Church of God: if a man purge himselfe from these, he shall be a vessell unto ho­nour, [Page 35] 2 Tim. 2. 17. 20, 21. sanctified and meet for the Masters use, and Pre­pared unto every good worke.

3. And then the zeale of Gods house should eate us up; though there be many things in these troublous times that befall us, or may feare us, and di­stresse us from without, yet the care of all the Churches should somewhat come 2 Cor. 11. 28, 29. upon us, especially upon Christs faithfull and pain­full Ministers; whatever befalls the Churches we should lay it to heart as if it befell our selves: the fire of consuming zeale for Christs honour, the Gos­pells purity, the Churches safety should melt and fashion us to that of blessed Paul, Who is weake, and I am not weake? who is offended, and I burne not?

4. Lastly, attending to our owne growth in Faith, Prayer, love and hope, we should have compassion of some, making a difference, Jude 21. 22, 23. and others save with feare, pulling them out of the fire: hating even the Garments spotted by the flesh: not hating the men, but hating the filthy af­fections and lusts, which pollute the man, and come from the flesh, mans na­ture corrupted, hating them first in our selves, all envie, and vye in Religion, vaine-glory, self-seeking, self-love, pride spirituall, strife, emulation, vari­ance, self-pleasing in our gifts and parts, and dis-union of heart, &c. for who can number all? wisedome, love, and sincerity will by these direct enough. Thus of the second Doctrine.

The third Doctrine is this; that God will certainly punish all defilers, and violaters of his Temple with punishments proportionable to their sin: they are not all of a sort, nor all alike guilty: and God that will doe no man wrong, that he should have the least ground of entring an action against him, the righteous God will deale out his punishments accordingly.

What punishments, you will say, or how doth he punish these sinners?

Ans. 1. Their workes shall perish, though themselves may be saved, 1 Cor. 3. 13. 15. yet so as by fire, the fire of the Word and Spirit in the day of the Gospell, in the powerfull opening and application of the bright and burning truthes thereof: such a day as this, when now you are before the Lord, hearing this Text Preached upon: this fire shall these defilers passe through, and their errours, and their ill worke they have made in Gods building, their wood, hay, and stubble burne to ashes, and their per­sons humbled and purified be saved; the Lord grant it, you need no other Purgatory, you will thinke this hot enough; and this or none will doe the deed. The Pontificians would faine finde their Purgatory-dreame in this Scripture, and they shall finde their Purgatory to purifie or consume-them, not the Purgatory they seeke, but the Purgatory God hath prepared for such Temple-wasters, and Temple-defilers, such foule beasts; this is the breath of Christs lips, this is the brightnesse of his coming, which shall con­sume [Page 36] and destroy that man of sin: they are in Purgatory, and the fire now burnes hot upon them, and so it will upon all the rest of the Temple­pollutors afore-named. Do [...] you not see the Angels of God, many of the Seraphims, Esa 6. 6, 7. with live-coales in their hands, taken with the Tongs from off the Altar, and laying them upon the mouthes of many faithfull able Ministers, many an Esay?

2. They shall faile of their ends, their folly shall be manifest to all, 2. Tim. 3. 9. that is, all the Elect; but evill men, and seducers will waxe worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived; they shall not yet deceive the Elect. You'le say, many of the choicest Christians cleave to them, and many of them are the precious servants of Christ Iesus, we cannot be otherwise perswaded: for them, I said but even now, they may be saved, but their workes shall perish, themselves shall be saved, yet so as by fire: and for the rest, marke it, that was their ayme to get the choice Christians, those whose hearts are for Christ and Heaven, their designe is mostly upon any in whom any worke of Grace appeares. So have all deceivers ever, that they might glory in their flesh, as our Apostle according to the wisdome given unto him hath written, Gal. 6. 13. but they shall not compasse their end, they'le returne, perceiving the strangers voice; these gracious foules thought it had been Christs voyce which they heard in these men, in those their errours: but finding at length their mistake, and under the sheeps-skin of gifts and graces perhaps, shew of Scripture, manifestation of the Spirit, finding the bloody wolfe of errour and falshood, that soul-murth [...]rer, they will embrace the truth, and follow Christ: perhaps hearing this you will for a while be froward (for who can be willing to think he is in an errour, or is deceived?) but Christ, and his Father hold you in their hand, and you cannot wrest your selves thence. Another end they have, they would be great, and of same in the Church of God: but their folly shall be manifest to all, not only to the Elect, but to all that will not deny the light of their reason, and doe hold the Scripture in the Word of God, and so shall fall in their esteem in mens hearts within the Visible Church: our Saviour hath said it, they shall be least in the Kingdome of Heaven, Mat. 5. 19. of no esteem in the Church of Christ, although for a while they beare the bell. See the truth of it in all the Hereticks, Schismaticks, Novellists, Persecuters, and the like of all for­mer ages; they have no name of memoriall left, but a rot is upon their memory. Another end they have, and that is to spread and propagate their Opinions and waies, that they might with the Pharisees and Herodians of old, leaven all the l [...]mp of Gods people; but their folly shall be manifest, and that manifestation of their folly shall set them their bounds, they shall pro­ceed no further, Thus have all the ancient Heresies, and Schismes of the Pe­lagians, [Page 37] Donatists, and the like been bounded, and the [...] God defiles Church-defilers, they fa [...]le of their ends.

3. There are for them from God apportioned Plagues in this world, they make rents, and trouble Gods building, the repairing of his [...] God will trouble them, these Achans: God will scatter them in Iacob, [...] disperse them in Israel. They break, and teach the breaches and violation [...] [...] Gods Commandements the least of his Commandements, that of his [...]ay they shall be esteemed nothing in the Church, be least in the Kingdome of Hea­ven. Scandalous Brethren shall have their Milstone, workers of iniquity strange punisHments; Heresies and divisions swarm, God hath his East wind whereby he can sweep away those Locasts, and cast them into the Red S [...] Persecutors have their doom notably in this life, besides hereafter, Re­member Antiochus, of whom you reade in the second of Maccab. 5. chap. Remember Herod eaten up with wormes, Act. 12. 23. Remember the He­ritique Arrius, that voided his bowels with his ex [...]ments in a common [...]akes; and all other Heretiques and Schismatiques, and the Plagues upon Papists, mentioned in Rev. 16. and 18. chapters.

4. It is not the least of punishments to give them over to their severall pernicious wayes, that he that is filthy, should be filthy still; the spiritually proud, should be so still: where God saith, they are joyned to Idols, Let them alone: They are Vain-glorious, Let them [...]: They are given to errours and to make divisions: Let them alone: Thus you see how God will destroy the destroyers of his house.

The certainty of this just proceeding of the Lord, appears in four things, which are as so many reasons or grounds of this Doctrine.

1. It is the vengeance of his Temple, Jer. 51. 11. & 5 [...]. [...] which [...] [...]ore vengeance; in the execution whereof, the Lord Pleadeth [...] of Zion throughly, to give rest to his Church, and disquiet his [...] whose spirit can sustain it self in the day of Visitation, when the Lord [...] say, Behold, I am against thee?

2. Secondly, the Argument is strong here from the lesse to the greater [...] God hath said, and will not repent of his word, concerning Death [...] Grave: O Death, I will be thy Plague, O Grave I will be thy destruction, Hos. 13. 14. Because they offered to touch the bodies of his Saints, which are his Temple, and destroyed his holy place. Shall God say thus of Death and the Grave, and resolve that Repentance shall be hid from his eye [...] [...] this thing he will never alter his purpose that he determined. And shall be not much more be the plagues and destruction of soul-polluters, of destroy­ers of his Church, of rop [...]ners of the Communion of his Saints and people.

Thirdly, the Temple of God is holy and inviolable, therefore the sin [...] [Page 38] Prophaning and wasting of it, is provoking and execrable.

Fourthly, God is a jealous God, and the vindicator and avenger of his glory: ‘ [...], Zelotes et vindex gloriae suae.’no gifts will pacifie jealousie: no power can shelter and save from the jealousie of the Lord of Hosts. It is he, the mighty one of Jacob, the holy one of Israel, that saith, Zach. 8. 2. I am jealous for Zion with great jealousie: and I am jea­lous for her with great fury.

I have done with the explication and confirmation of the third Doctrine: the application respecting the present Doctrine, and the whole Text, I shall draw up under two sorts of uses:

• 1. Of Information.
• 2. Of Exhortation.

1. We may from hence inform our Iudgements in four truths.

First, what is the Christian use of the Ceremoniall Law: the practice of it is out of date, and deadly; but it is not cut out of the Bible: ‘ Non observamus, non quia damnata sed quia mutata sunt, non ut res ipsae quae significabantur perirent, sed ut rerum signa suis quaque temporibus convenirent. Tom. 6. Aug. oratio­ne cont. Iud. c. 3.’ God hath left it as part of Ca­nonicall Scripture, that we may reade it, preach and heart it, that comparing the things themselves with those shadows, we may with pleasing delight imbrace the body of those shadows: here are also Emblems, Similitudes, and expressions of Gods own devising, out of Gods own mint, which with safety and profit, we may and ought to use. This fancifull age may here please their fancy, and yet re­tain and grow more in the soundnesse of faith and love which is in Christ Iesu [...].

Secondly, that there is the same God in both Testaments, the same Christ, ‘Evacuatur in Christo, non vetus Testam [...]utum, sed v [...]lameu ejus, ut per Christum intelligatur, & quia si denu­detur, quod sinc Christo obscurum, & quiae adopertum est, non igitur per Do­mini gratiam tanquam inutilia ibi le­gerentur, ablata sunt, sed tegmen po­tius quo utilia tegebantur. Aug. Tom. 6. ad Honor: Contra. Mani­chaeos de util. Credendi. 63.’ the same Covenant, though there be different wayes of Ministery, and degrees of manifestation and clarity; that place in Heb. 8. 8. 10. taken out of Jer. 31. 31, 32, 33. which speaketh of a new & old Covenant, is thus to be understood; not of two Covenants differing in substance; not of the two Covenants, the Covenant of workes, and the Covenant of Grace; but of one and the same Covenant of Grace distinguished in their different manner of Administration; the one in Cere­monies, Types, shadows, to signifie and lead to Christ that was to come; the other in the substance of spirituall things themselves, the body, the truth, ex­hibiting Christ now already come: this place is much abused through in­advertency. Here also we see that a proof out of the old Testament is as [Page 39] much Gospel if rightly applied, as any in the New-Testament.

Thirdly, that the Ministers of the Gospel ought to preach Gods wrath to evill Christians.

Fourthly, that they ought to preach wrath not only to those Christians of evil life and manners, but also to those of evil Doctrine, of errors in Re­ligion, of Pride, dissensions, and faults in that kinde; where they are not yet fallen to notorious Hereticall Doctrine, these are threatned in this Text by the Apostle.

2. We should be exhorted and perswaded to our duty, even those duties which are to be pressed unto, that we may escape this sin and punishment, they respect our selves and others.

1. For our selves, let us see how far in any kinde we are guilty, and be humbled for the same in confessions and godly sorrow; and then do as Paul, who preached the Faith which once he destroyed, Gal. 1.. 23, 24. Build up the Temple, which once we destroyed, that all the gracious that see or hear of it may glorifie God in us.

2. For others, these duties lie charged upon us to escape pollution and destruction.

1. We must try the spirits, the Doctrine of those Teachers, that say they teach by the spirit; they bring the doctrine of Gods spirit, not of their own spirit, we must not receive what they say, upon trust, but try it, 1 Joh. 4. 1.

2. We must marke those that cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine received, and avoid them, Rom. 16. 17. Ob. They seek to set up the Lord Iesus Christ. Sol. v. 18. They serve their own bellies, observe them well, and you will finde it; again, they seek to draw away disciples after them, and not to bring men to be disciples to Iesus Christ, Act. 20. 30. Quest. But may we not hear them in their separated meetings? Ans. That is not to avoid them, you are by the command of the Apostle to avoid and decline them, but by this you incourage them, and [...]eed their proud humour, who glory in having their meetings frequented.

3. We must place all in their due place, Ministers in their place, fathers let them be fathers; and evil workers and dogs in their due place; that is, with­out, Rev. 22. 15. Let no man corrupt your mindes from the Gospel, and its Simplicity.

4. We must hold the unity of Faith and love, that we may with one minde and mouth glorifie God, The Father of our Lord Iesus Christ, Rom. 15. 5. 6. 7. If we have bitter strifes and envyings (the never failing fruits of erroneous opinions and divisions) let us not glory that we are true Chri­stians, and lie against the truth, as we do in saying so; to persist in such evils proveth that we are no true Christians, Iam. 3. 14, 15, 16, 17. [Page 40] ‘Par [...] in Loc. Qu [...] gravi [...] bo­die ecclesium a [...]ig [...], eursam evan­gelij magis remoratur, quam Schisma­ticae doctorum contention [...]? Vider [...]t isti quid se ma [...]cat: nos discam [...] tem­p [...]m De [...] reverenter & in pace [...]xor­ [...]re Doctrinae, fide, vit [...] pur [...]. Vt enim sui temple vast [...]res, tyrannos, Haereticos, Schismaticos deus destruat; Ita fideles, Architectes, cultores, & defensores gratiae, & benedictione cumulabit, juxta promissionem: Eg [...] me diligentes dilig [...]: Honorantes me honorabe.’ What is there in the world that doth more heavily afflict the Church at this day, that doth more retard the course of the Gospel than the Schismaticall contentions of Teachers? Let these men see what abides them: as for as, let us learne with fear and trembling and in all peaceablenesse to adorne the Temple of God with [...]ound doctrine, the power of Faith and the purity of an holy life: For as the Lord will destroy the destroyers of his Temple, Ty­rants, Heretiques, Schismatiques and the rest of the Litter of all the Foxes, the little Foxes, So he will Crown with his Grace and blessing all Masters, builders, Repairers, Beautifiers, faithfull Labourers and Defen­ders thereof according to his Promise: Those that love me I ever love, and those that honour me I will honour.