Serin. LXX. The Authority oflefus Chris; 519 Ì have now done with the three things I propounded to difcourfe upon, from this Text. You have heard what Authority our Saviour had given him ; what Commifìion he gave to his Difciples ; and what Affiftance he hath protüifed to the Paftors and Governors of his Church to the end of the World ; namely, fuch an A1lîftance as is fuitable to the exigencies of the Church, in the feveral Ages and States of Chriftianity ; which Aflìflance was at firft very eicträordi- nary and miraculous. God was pleafed togive witnef3 to the firft Teachers and Publifhers of the Gofpel, with ftgns andwonders and divert Miracles, and Gifts òf the Holy GhoJl; and this at firft was in a very great degree neceffary, it riot be- ing otherwife imaginable, how Chriftianity could have born up againft all that Force and violent Oppofition which was railed againft it : But this extraordi- nary aflìftance was but a temporary and tranfient Difpenfation. Gòd did, as it were pafs by, in theJtrong andmighty Wind, in the Earthquake, and in theFire c but he was in the,gill Yoke, that is, he defigned to fettle and continue id that Difpenfation, in that more calm and ferret way of Afliftancé, which offers lets Violence to the Nature of Man, but which was intended for the conftant äíìd permanent Difpenfation. So that we have noreáfon to think, that God bath now forfaken his Church, though he be not with it in fó fenfiblë and extraordi- nary a mannet. But then if any particular Church defre and expe& this [Affect Prefence and Affìftance of God's Holy Spirit, we mull remember, that there is a Con- dition to be performed on our parts. Fbe, how abfolute foever this Promife may be, in refpeel of the Church univerfal ; it is Certainly conditional, tò any particular Church, as fad experience in many inftances hath (hewn. God hath long fince left the Church of yerufalétn, where the Gofpel was firft publilht he hath left the Church of Antioch, where the Believers 6f the Gofpel were lrft call'd ChriJlians ; he hath left the famous Churches of Aßá, to that degree of Defolation, that the Ruins and Places of for e Of them, are hardlyat this day certainly known. And this may allo be the fate of any particular Church; not excepting Rome her felf, for all her Pride and Confidence to the contrary. Behold therefore the Goodneß and Severity of God : towards them that fell Seve rity ; but towards cis Goodneß, if we continue in his Goodneß: otherwife we alfo!hall be cut of This, as Ì obferved beföre, is fpoked particularly to the Rornan Church; the Àpoftle fuppofeth that the Church of Roine her felf may be guiltyof Apoftacy from the Faith, and cut off by Unbelief, and indeed feems to foretel it ; which how it coìififts with their confident Pretence to Infallibility, let there look to it. And let all particular Churches look tö thetnfelves that they do riot fdtfeit this Promife of Divine Affiftance. For Chrift bath not fo tied hianfelf to anp}T particular Church, but that if they forfake him, he may leave them, and rë move his Gandleflick from them: There have been many fad Inftances of this fince the firft planting of Chriftianity ; and we have tie fmall Reafon to apere-, bend that it may come to be our own cafe ; for certainly we have Many of thole marks df Ruin among us, which did företel the Deftru&ion of thegeii/ñ Church and Nation ; hcirriblé Prophanenefs and Contempt of Religión, Diài- fion and Animofities to the higheft degree, and an uriiverfal Diffóluténefs and Corruption of Manners. And why fhould we, whodo the fame things, think our felves exempted from the fame Fate ? What cati we eipeet, but that God fhould deal with us, as he did with them, Take away the Kingdom ofGodfrosi toll andgive it to á Nation that Will bring forth the fruits of it The Condition of this great Promife here in the Text, to the Pallorii ànd Governors ofthe ChrittianChurch, is the faithfulEtecittion of theirCommiffìon if they do fincerely endeavour to gain Men tó the Belief and Practice of Chri- ftianity, Chrift hathproínifed to be with them The performance of this Cori dition doth primarily concern_ the chief Governors ofthe Ctl rclí; and tiext td itied
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