A Gospel Church, Errata
ERRATA.
Candid Reader,
Thou wilt find many faults committed by the Preſs, which I do entreat thy Wiſdom to Correct, and thy Charity to pardon, ſeeing they are not the Authors: The chief are theſe,
PAge 17. line 2. read ſuffragia, p. 20. l. 19. f. either. r. other, p. 29. l. 34. f. now r. own, p. 41. l. 17. r. rooted, p. 44. l. 9. f. that r. yet, p. 45. l. 5. f. if r. that, p. 63. l. 12. put out with, p. 64. r. Chapt. 4. p. 88. l. 35. r. gravity, p. 121. l. 18. r. and, p. 124. l. 34. f. them r. you, p. 145. l. 31. r. back-bite, p. 150. l. 32. after in r. and, p. 177. l 8. r. have, p. 201. l. 1. r. handed, p. 226. put cauſe out of l. 7. and r. it in l. 9. p. 236. l. 14. f. in r. about, before to r. is, p. 238. l. 6. f. and r. as, p. 243. l. 2. r. and, p. 249. l. 7. r. careleſs, p. 258. l. 1. r. and, p. 270. l. 1. f. to r. for, p. 271. l. 35. f. but r. for, p. 308. l. 10. f. of r. and, p. 310. l. 11. after and put in that, p. 314. l. 23. r. the, l. 35. f. continued, r. confirmed, p. 315. l. 19. r. to, p. 320. l. 9. r. ſmell.
A GOSPEL-CHƲRCH: OR, GOD'S Holy Temple. A brief Diſcourſe of A New-Teſtament CHURCH.
from Epheſ. 2.19, 20, 21, 22.
Now therefore ye are no more Strangers and Forreigners, but fellow-Citizens with the Saints, and of the houſhold of God, and are built upon the foundation of the Apoſtles and Prophets; Jeſus Chriſt himſelf being the chief Corner-Stone: In whom all the building fitly framed together, groweth unto an holy Temple in the Lord: In whom you alſo are builded together for an Habitation of God, through the Spirit.
OUr Apoſtle having ſhewed the believing Epheſians what they were before their Regeneration and Converſion to Chriſt, in the 1, 2, 3, 5, 11, 12. verſes; he proceeds to ſhew them their preſent ſtate and condition (with the efficient, meritorious and inſtrumental cauſes thereof.) And firſt, he ſhews them what they are not verſ. 19. Now therefore ye are no more (as once you were) Strangers and Forreigners. 2ly. What they now were, in what ſtate and condition. 1. You are (ſaith he) fellow-Citizens, (and that) with the Saints. 2. And of the houſhold or family of God. 3. You are in a happy and ſecure ſtate, for you are not built (ſays he) upon your own ſandy foundation, but upon the Rock of Ages: namely, 1. The Covenant of Grace, the Doctrine of the Apoſtles and Prophets. 2. On Jeſus Chriſt the chief Corner-Stone, verſ. 20. The only foundation laid by God the Father and God the Son, which by Them was laid before the world was, 1. Cor. 3.11. Math. 16.18. 2 Tim. 1.9. Tit. 1.2. and which is ſufficiently able to uphold, ſupport and ſecure all that build and bear themſelves upon it.
In the Text, you have an account of the matter and form of a temple, habitation, or a particular Church of God; together with the maker and builder thereof. Firſt, The matter or materials wherewith God builds him a houſe to dwell in. 1. They are quickened and enlivened perſons; verſ. 5. 2. They are Gods workmanſhip, recreated or regenerated in Chriſt Jeſus unto good works, verſ. 10. 3. They are brought nigh to God by Chriſt his blood, verſ. 13. 4. They are built upon Chriſt Jeſus and the Covenant of Grace, verſ. 20. 5. They are fellow-Citizens with the Saints and of the houſhold of God: (that is, of the Inviſible Catholick Church of Chriſt) verſ. 19. Secondly, The form. 1. They are ſaid to be fitly …ramed or formed together, verſ. 21. That is, theſe materials are joyned or glewed together into a houſe or body, foreign. In quo totum aediſicium congruenter coagmentatum: (Beza) you are congruouſly and rightly laid into the building, and ſo become an excellent and comely fabrick or houſe of God. 2. They are ſaid to be builded for a Habitation, viz. foreign. 3. You have an account of the Former and builder, or the Agent imployed in the work of building a holy Temple or Church of God; and that is the Holy Ghoſt, verſ. 21. Now this he doth, 1. By fitting and preparing materials: It is not the work of men or Angels to make men fit matter for a Church or Temple of God, but it is the work of the omnipotent Spirit. It is his work, and in the power of his hand only to quicken the dead, to enlighten the blind; to tranſlate men out of the kingdom of Satan, and bring them into Chriſt's. 2. He doth it, by ſhewing them their duty, and the way to it; by making their hearts willing, and leading them in the way wherein they ſhould go. 3. By giving them Laws and Rules to walk by. 4. By ſtirring up his Miniſters hearts and tongues to move and perſwade them to it. 4thly. We have here one of the great ends of the Spirit his building of Churches, and that is for a habitation for God to dwell in: As God hath ſaid, I will dwell in them, and walk in them. 2 Cor. 6.16. Pſal. 132.14. Rev. 2.1.
And as theſe things are here expreſſed, ſo there are many things implyed and included, which are not expreſt: as, the Laws, orders and ordinances of a houſe of God: the duty of all Believers to joyn themſelves to ſome Church of Chriſt, as they have opportunity; and their duties there: as likewiſe, the profit and advantage that will accrue to them in that ſtate; and the priviledge and honour of it, and the glory and honour of Chriſt; and ſeveral things that I ſhall diſcourſe on in my proceedures. God doth not ſet up Churches to ſtand empty and Idle, only to have a name and to be gazed on; but he hath inſtituted, appointed and erected them for his Name, Honour and Glory in the world, and for the Soul-profit and benefit of his people: that they ſhould walk with him, and He with them: that they ſhould obey and honour him, and he ſupply and enrich them with his grace; and for other glorious ends and purpoſes which ſhall be diſcourſed of, the Lord aſſiſting.