66 d nExpojieion ofChrifls Matth,~• .V.29 1 30, !oJV wjt/J allgood con{cimct. This ChriH: intcnb Ioh.J ·H· dcd,..vhcn hebadthe leweJ to b foarch the Scrip– tures,,vhichrcftified ofhim: and this we muG fanCHfic by carnclt'praycr,~s Comdi;u did,ACt. 10.1,1, 3.fr~m the The third occafion of offence taken from ~~~~;~~'· the Church, is the mi{ate thertof: for the {late ofthe Church is ofccmimcs in affliCtion, bc– caufc it con.fiO:cth of iUch as arc fubicCl: to the contempt :1nd reproach of the world.'.Hence fundric arc difcouragcd from ioyning thcm– felues uudy to tht Church; and although this occafion ofoffcnce.bc not much among vs,fauc onely in reproaches; yet it may be more: and therefore we muftlearnc to proucnt it, and to CUt it off. ltelll'ledie. Conlidcrtht priu1ledgcs of the Cburch. I Theway is this; w~e muft b~len1~ andrcmem– u~r, that out ofthe Church there i1 uofo!~tation: In this regard Noahs .Ark.,.e was a true type of the Church;for as nonevvere faued from drow– ning, that were out ofthe Arkc,in the gcncrall deluge; fo none uan be faucd ordinarily from condemnation, that-arc ollt ofthe Church: for in the Church is Gods coucnant ofgrace,with the Sacraments, which be the fcalcs thereof. In the Church is vocation, iufiificat~on , fanCHfi– cation,&: the way to glorificati6;but out of the Church are none of all thcfc, and therefore it <;Aa.,.• 7• is faid, that ' Gj,daddedr..ht.Cimrchd.<ielyfigh 3 M jho;t/dbefaud. In the Church is protection againfl: all enctvies.; and from all !udgcincnts fo farrc forrh ns ~11 be for thc~loric of God;&. 1hc good oft~c Church:. and in~word, in the Church isiifc ,eilcrlafting;but out ofthe church is nothing bu•;l·f<arcfullooking for ofeternal! dHc••u.:f, woe and con·d.cmna.J,ion : and for this cauft" d Mo{c1 choofe.'rA!her to fuffc~: ajflit1ion in Cods Cl;urch, thrn to eniUJ P.!! rh~ p!Mfitrc.r in th~ world, our ofit: \"·lhofe example weeought.to follow,&. fo lhal not the mi!'eric ofthe Church be anyoccahonvnto vs to tOr fake the fame,c– {pcdally if we confider that theu:hot~ wurld~i/l profit A man nothing, ifhe!oofo ht< foul<, March, I~Z~ • ' ., 1 ,.m u,, The fourth offence tnlcen from the Church Apofiacic of is, from the Apoft.:tcie offome ihat !tu~ in, tb~ Co:nc. i;, Church; for ord.inarily in Gods Church arc many .A.pofiates,as in this our Church,many that were in times pall: Protcfianrs, arc be<;ome Pa– pitls, fomc Arrians, Sabellians, and fo'me open Atheills,~nd blafphenJ,ers.Bcncc many fearing their fal\s(as·.thcy pr~tend)darc npt ioync thE- . fcluq to the r[mh , and the .prQfcjfton thereof. 'Remtd.le. But to cut off-this occalion, t.wo rules mull be 1. Rule. remembred; Firft, that the falling ltWa] ofanJ 1. Rule. manfi'om thcrruth , i; the work$ of God, dif'co– ' lttr_iflg a~"~ hicfde~; h;tpocrite. r. loh. 2. 19. Thry ,1ve~t outfrom vs , hut they n~ere not of VJ, for if thq .l,adhcen!o[Vs, they wOH!d ha1u contiiiHed with vs : hut this is c_ome topaffi;, that it 11Ji)!.ht appearc rhey_lVCJt?Jota!lofvt.S,ti~Qndly, tontidc;r that the beginning& continu~nce of QJ.lr .r.Cligion and faluarion., fiand.s onGods free clc8.i0'2_, which is vnchang"Cable;and hereupon mull A vvc !by our (clues touching ourdbie, whCwe fee others f.,jl avvay.l.Tim.l.t9. Pnul comfor– teth the.Church , againfl the fcare of gricfc which they might conceiue , by the ,Apofbcic: ofHimeneJ« and Phtl~tm, 'Nhich \\'ere c·wopil– lars amongfl: them, by this Rule; Thefuund.<zri– on of~6'Qd remainethJure, and bath thi".s [cafe: . the Lord ~oweth JPh6 ar~ hh·: Now bccaufc fomc might fay,God indccdc knows it,but we doe not: to this (I take it)thc ApoHlc anfwcrs, whcn,hc faith , andlete:ur# on that ea/la vpon the name of the Lord, departfrom iniquitie : as ifhc lhou!d fay.Looke that you call vpon God for grace, and make confcicncc ofall finnc,& B by this you !11all knowe your fe!uesto belong to God; which thing.when once you knowc, then fiay thcreon for Gods calling is vnchangah!e. · Again, as thcfe occa!ions arc takenfrom rlH! whole Church in gener.lll;. fo more efpcdalJy, fome take offence from feucrall things therein; asfirH, fromthcwantsthat bein Minif/er.r ,bDth for htdgement m1d doElrine. Hence politickc carnall men ple:1.d thus: Preaching is full of in,perfctlion, thcrcin.mcn publilb their O'\·\'ne errors .; but the written word conraincth in it the fcrmons of Chrifi, and of his Apollles. which are mofi: perfeCt: and therefore it is bdt to content. our felues with the Scripture r·cad 'and to hcare noprJ:aching by men. ... ' To·cut offthis offcn'ce , we muftrcincmber , that the preaching ofthcword, though'it beC C by finncfull man, is Gods holyordinancC;pre– fcribcd and enioyned asfolemnly _, as .any mo– rall prece.pt is, either ag:f-inll murther, Or'adul- ' tcrie ;'for from the beginning, till the !ewes: came to mount Sina, God himfclfc preached to his Church, which was then contai"ncd in fame fc,.,-c families. But from that time; c be~ ca11[e thepeoft~ co1Ud not11bide the voicC o{GoJ. himfolf•, it p!eafed him to ordaine rhe M;nille– rie of rhc.word , by .the hand •of •(;n:n<fuiL ' m:m•.• No~o.v it becing.·Go8s owuc 'oi·dihancC; 1 vnldfc..wcc wtU make o'ur fclues·wiferr ~hcn God, wcmuft fu~ic~t.ouVJfeluCs th'crctb",)with all rcucrcnce, a!lieit it bc.deliuercd by finncfull man. ThUsCorizelirudid, ACt. 10.33• and the D Thc!falonians,.l. 'fhefC2.r3. :1 ,t Secondly., nJany arc offended nt th< liue~of MinHlcr.s _,and fiom the w~ants rhat be..in'tHcm~ whctllarinHC!.ede, o.r\9dltfpition _c:n~y, rri:111y take occal'ion to cou~mne therrvd0&rino; thinking, as the Rulers.Dtthe lc\'\'Cs f-aiQ to the blind1man rf Thottaf.t. idltogerhrr 6orne~in{rflnc, and doej/; fhon teac/,tvs?' Notv to c.ut,IC!>ff this occafion,two things mufi: be l:tmetnb~ed.Firtt, we muil-d.iftinguifh of. Cluery Mi\,ifter , 8r con– fider i:1 him a double per.fon : both that he is a finncfull rhm,fubje& to m:mv infinnities,as we our fe!uCs~rc : and alfo th:tt.hec is ·the LOrds Amba!f~.dour, fent in Gods name ro.dcliucr h!s will vrhb vs!NQv• locke:, ~s \·\'Cf" hcinoU,r the Embaffadour of:~, P·rincc, though his pcrfon be vile and,b1fc~fo ru·•ch more ought."t"'i"ero rcuercncc M(\refptci· a l utfcnccs inthe,h~.oldl 1 Frl'n'~>Want in t\l:ni!ku. doarine~ · ·•'{ ' :.rF.romthe.· liucre£,.P:1i•· aiftCI'fo Remc:di&. L
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