Refutation of the Errors Toleration Erastianism Independency and Separation, Sermon 4

Refutation of the Errors Toleration Erastianism Independency and Separation · Sermon 4

p. 340A SERMON PREACHED AT KILWINNING, Upon the Munday immediatly after the giving of the Communion.

The Fourth SERMON.

ACTS 11. 23.

Who when he came, and had seen the Grace of God, was glad, and exhorted them all that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord.

THE Scope of my Sermon yesterday from Jeremiah 3. 22. was to bring you to God: The Text in hand holds out a main Duty ye should make conscience of when ye are brought to him, and have closed with him, as all of you by your approaching to the Lord's Table profess ye have done. Your Duty now is with purpose of heart to cleave unto the Lord. I shall not run far back for finding out the Connexion of this Purpose with that which goeth before: Only ye may observe that Luke p. 341the Penman of the Holy Ghost in this History of the Acts, doth shew (from Verse 19 of this same Chapter) how that through occasion of that Persecution which the Church at Jerusalem met with after Steven's Death▪ mentioned Chap. 8) the Gospel being preached by those who were forced to fly for their lives did wonderfully spread as far as Phan…ce, & Cyprus, and Antioch; And many in these Regions and Kingdoms were taken with it, for Verse 21, The hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number believed, and turned unto the Lord. Whereupon as is shown v. 22. when these tidings came to the Church at Jerusalem, They sent forth Barnabas▪ A Man of extraordinary Parts and Calling (for he was an Apostle, as is clear from Acts 14. 14.) I say the Church sends him as far as Antioch, for helping foreward the Work. And in this Verse we have Barnabas his coming to them, and what he does when he comes: Who when he came, and had seen the Grace of God, was glad, and exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord.

In which Words we have these things consideraable. 1. Barnabas his coming to Antioch. 2. We have what he saw when he came, He saw the Grace of God, to wit, The wonderful effects of God's Grace, in bringing so many to embrace the Doctrine of the Gospel. 3. We have what this sight did work upon him. 1. It made him Glad. 2. It brought a pithy needful exhortation from him to these New Converts, the sum whereof is here set down—That with purpose of heart, they would cleave unto the Lord. p. 342What Explication is needful, I shall insist on as I go through the Particulars.

First, It is mentioned he came to Antioch. But we hear nothing of any great train he carried along with him, Or any great solemnity at his Reception, tho he was an Apostle the highest Office-bearer in the Church: But only that he came, doubtless in a sober way as became a Minister of Christ: It was a thing then unknown in the World for Church-men to go accompanied with Trains like Princes, and that whole Countrey sides and greatest Personages in them, behooved to wait upon their Grandeurs. It never was well with the Church of God since Church-men began to overtop Peers and Nobles. But the thing I mark from this is, That Barnabas tho an extraordinary Office-bearer in the Church and an Apostle, doth nevertheless obey the Orders of the Church at Jerusalem: For it's mentioned v. 22. That the Church at Jerusalem sent him forth, and here, That he did come accordingly: Now what this Church at Jerusalem was, to whose Directions he subjected himself, is clear from Act. 21. 18. It was the Church of Elders or Presbyters, even a Presbytry as hath been made out convincingly these years by-past against the Independants. To the direction of which Elders, the Apostle Paul did submit himself there, as Barnabas doth here. From which it is clear, that even the Apostles and extraordinary Office-bearers of the Church were very respective and tender of that Authority which Jesus Christ hath given to His Church and the Judicatories thereof. This appears chiefly in Two things.

p. 343First. When there were Churches constitute and Church Judicatories erected to manage the Discipline of the Church, the Apostles did not exercise power of Jurisdiction over these Churches by themselves alone, neither in the Ordination of Ministers, nor in the Censuring or Excommunicating of Scandalous Offenders, but tho they were without doubt universal Pastors of the whole Church, yet they did remit the same to Ordinary Church Judicatories: Thus Paul doth not Ordain Timothy to be a Minister alone, but admits the Ordinary Presbytery to do it. 1 Tim. 4. 14. Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophesy, with the laying on of the hands of the Presbytery. And 1 Cor. 5. he clearly speaks of the power of Excommunication as residing in the Church Judicatory at Corinth, and reproves them for their not making use of that Power in Excommunicating the Incestuous Person, and stirrs them up to their Duty. V. 4, 5. That In the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ when ye are gathered together, and my Spirit with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ. V. 5. To deliver such an one unto Satan, for the destruction of the Flesh, that the Spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

A Second thing wherein the Apostles did show their respect to Church Judicatories was this which is here mentioned in the Text, That in many things they were ordered by, and subject to their directions: Thus in the place cited Acts 21. 20. The Church of Elders or Presbyters at Jerusalem give their Injunctions to Paul that for removal of an offence p. 344that many thousands of Jews had taken against him he should publictly practise some of the Jewish Ceremonies in purifying himself and shaving his head, which were at that time things indifferent: And accordingly it's mentioned v. 26. That Paul did follow their direction: All which shews that the Authority of Church Judicatories was very much tendred even by the Apostles themselves. The Bishops do indeed boast themselves to be the Apostles Successors, and their only Successors, I shall not stand upon this, It being made very clear by Protestant writers against the Papists, In the controversy about the Pope, That the Apostles had no Successors, as to what was extraordinary in their Office; and as to that which was Ordinary in it, as to Preach the Word, Dispense the Sacraments, and exercise Church Discipline over particular Churches, That they have in these all Ministers for their Successors: But passing that, What I am now on is, That the Bishops of these latter times have encroached more upon the Power and priviledge left by Christ unto his Church and Church Judicatories, than ever the Apostles themthemselves (whose Successors they give themselves out for) did. For as I have cleared from the present Doctrine, The Apostles did leave the matters of Ordinary Jurisdiction to be managed by Ordinary Church Judicatories; but so do not they, The whole Body of Christ's Ministers within a Church (though they were all gathered together) may neither Ordain a Minister, nor Excommunicate a Scandalous Offender, but this must be done only by p. 345the Bishop, and such as …e doth Substitute under him for it. Again the Apostles were in some things at least subject and ordered by the Directions of Church Judicatories, but so are not They, such a Condiscendance could not stand with their Honours and Dignities.

Secondly, We have in the Text what Barnabas saw among them when he came, and this is called, The Grace of God. The meaning whereof is not as if all of them had been converted and indued with saving Grace, neither doth Grace here signify Gods Grace inherent in them, but Gods Grace and free Favour which he saw in the effects of it, in that it wrought so Powerfully in bringing a great many to embrace the Doctrine of the Gospel among whom there (doubtless) were many sincere and real Converts, though all of them were not so. However the thing he saw was, The mighty progress and success of the Gospel; and this occasioned by a strong and cruel Persecution (mentioned verse 19) the Ministers are forced to flee from their Flocks; wherever they go they Preach, Gods Grace and mighty Hand accompanies their Labour to the Conversion of many thousand Souls, this is the Grace which Barnabas saw.

Hence take this Doctrine, That sadest Persecutions for Truth do frequently prove an occasion of the Gospels spreading: Thus it was Act: 8. 3. Saul—made havock of the Church, entring into every House, and haling Men and Women, committed them to Prison. v. 4. Therefore they that were scattered abroad, went every where Preaching the Word, Even as far as Ph…nice, p. 346Cyprus and Antioch, as it is ver. 19 of this Chapter The making havock of the Church occasioned the enlargement of the Church, which hath frequently fallen out since, which gave ground to that true and ancient saying, The Blood of Martyrs is the seed of the Church.

The Reasons why the Work and Grace of God thrives best at such times may be many. As 1. Peoples Ears are then bored and readiest to drink in the Word with greediness, because then they have little other comfort left them: Affliction and Persecution is a Tasty Sawce to make the Word Relish, Psal. 141. v. 6. When their Judges are overthrown in stony places, they shall hear my words for they are sweet. 2. At such times the Servants of Christ are more diligent in their Work, as they can have access to it, and more fervent in dealing with God by Prayer for a Blessing to their Work, because the thriving of their Work is all the reward which they can then expect. And 3. The Lord doth then, usually countenance the Labours of his Servants most, because they are most despised, few do then care for them, or takes any notice of them. And therefore the Lord takes this way, both to hearten them and to put respect upon them. And 4. The Couragious, Constant and Cheerful enduring of Hardships and Sufferings for Truth, doth commend that Truth for which they suffer, unto others, even to indifferent Spectators; and makes them enquire after it, and desirous to know what so much worth there can be in it.

I shall not insist for Application, hasting forward to the latter part of the Text, Only if it be p. 347so, Then People are not to lookupon Persecution and a suffering time for Truth, whenever it comes, as so sad, so dismal, and dreadful a thing, For this at least may be expected to be lovely in it; The same Truth which men labour to bear down, shall spread the faster and the further. And that this is so, the following Doctrine will shew.

Another Doctrine ariseth from the first effect this sight did work on Barnabas, It made him Glad, for so saith the Text, Who when he came and had seen the Grace of God was glad. The Doctrine is this, That the Gospel and Truth do spread, and gain ground among People, is matter of Joy and gladness to a Godly heart, though the times were otherwise never so sad: For there were many things to make Barnabas sad at this time, If we consider 1. How they had stoned the first Martyr Stephen to death, a man full of the Holy Ghost, and used him so as if he had been the most notorious Malefactor that ever the Earth carried. And 2. The prosperous state of the Churches Enemies, the Scribes, Pharisees, High-Priests, a company of degenerate corrupt Churchmen, who at that time did sit at Jerusalem, guiding all things at their pleasure, That if any did but mutter against their State and Dignity, though in the furthest part of all the Realm, their hand could easily reach them; They needed no more but hound out a Saul with a Commission if it were to Damasc…s to take them, and bring them bound to Jerusalem. As is clear from Acts 9. 1, 2. And 3. if ye consider his own poor condition, and that of others the Servants p. 348of Christ at that time, who were hunted from corner to corner, yea from Kingdom to Kingdom. These, and many such things as these, were at that time to make Barnabas sad, and yet this makes him take all in the better part, and in a manner digest all, That when he came he saw the Grace of God had accompanied the Labours of his despised Servants, and a rich Income of Souls to the knowledge of Christ and the Gospel. And when he saw this, he was glad; He is in some sort so transported with it, That in a manner he forgets Stephen's death, he envyeth not the prosperous state of the Churches Enemies, no… doth much resent his Own hard lot, or that of others, who were Christs Faithful Saints and Servants. All which cleareth the Doctrine, That the spreading of Truth will make a Godly Heart Glad▪ though the times otherwise were never so sad. Thus was it with the Apostle Paul, Philip, 1. 12. The things which happened unto me. (saith he meaning his Bonds, Imprisonment and other harsh usage) have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the Gospel. Whereupon v. 18. he breaks out, What then? notwithstanding every way, whether in pretence or in Truth, Christ is Preached; and I therein do rejoyce; yea, and will rejoyce.

For Vse 1. Try your selves by this, What it is that makes you Glad, Is it the thriving of Gods work in Souls? The down-bearing of Sin? The growth of Piety? If so, It speaks thee to be a man of Barnabas temper: and upon the other hand, If things of that kind do rather make the sad; and if the back-going of Gods Work, The destroying what he hath p. 349built, The plucking up of what he hath planted, The thriving of sin and Wickedness▪ The general Loosness of the times; If (I say) these things make thee Glad; It speaks thee to be a man of a woful temper, a very Godless Heart. But 2. If this be a thing that will make a Godly Heart Gla…, in the saddest of times, then Pray to God for it; that it may be so, That the Work of God may thrive in Hearts, That those woful Spiritual Plagues of Security, Deadness and Hardness of Heart may be removed, and the Gospel may take many by the Heart who never hitherto knew the Power of it. It's easie for God to bless his Truth in the Mouth of his despised and persecuted Servants, and to make a gracious Change, tho Wickedness were at the greatest hight: And if he do it, whatever may be the other sadness of the Times, thou who art a Godly Heart shall have reason to be Glad, yea and thou shall be Glad, tho thou were lying bound in a Prison with Paul, thou shalt in a manner forget thy Sorrow, and in that thou wilt rejoyce.

But I come now to the 2d. Effect which this sight did work in Barnabas; It brought a pithy needful Exhortation from him to these new Converts: For saith the Text,—When he had seen the Grace of God he was glad and exhorted them all, &c. I observe first in general that this was the Eirand the Church of Jerusalem had sent him on, at least the Chief part of it, and that which he minded most, therefore his discharging this part of his Commission is only mentioned, even his Exhorting of them and Confirming p. 350them, by Preaching to them. Hence this is clear, That Preaching and Exhortation is one part at least of the Ministerial Office, yea and a great part of it: It is such a piece of the Ministers Duty, that both the Converted and Unconverted have need of it, and such need, That in an ordinary way they cannot be saved without it. It's needful to the Unconverted, For Rom. 10. 17.—Faith cometh by hearing—And 1 Cor. 1. 21.—It pleased God by the foolishness of Preaching to save them that believe. It's needful also to the Converted, as is clear both from this Text (for after he had seen the Grace of God among them, He seeth it needful to exhort them) and from Acts 14▪ 21, 22. The Apostle Paul did Confirm the Disciples, and exhorted them to continue in the Faith, Exhortation and Preaching even to those that are already Converted, is God's mean to Confirm them. In a word, it will neither be good for the Converted nor Unconverted among us if ever it come to this (as the Lord knoweth how soon it may come) that Preaching shall be looked on as no part, or a very Inconsiderable part of the Ministers Duty, or a thing Indifferent whether he Preach or not, providing ye Read, Sing, or Say a Set Service, which within a little cannot but wear threed-bare to people by frequent Hearing: Alas! how little Food is there in such like work for hungry exercised Souls? How little stuff to rouze up or work upon the dead drouzie secure Conscience? We read in Scripture that Apostles, Evangelists and Ministers, were sent out to preach and to mind that as a great part of their Work, yea and p. 351to mind it more than the Administration of the Sacraments, 1 Cor. 1. 17.—Christ sent me not to Baptize but to preach the Gospel.— That is, not so much to Baptize as to Preach; But we never find they were sent out to read, say, or sing a Set Service, and much less, that they did place the stress of Religion on such a Service, Caring the less, if that were done, whether there had been Preaching or not: Alas! Beloved, when we consider how much plain and powerful Preaching, fervent and Soul-piercing Exhortation hath been in Britain, and how little use, the Generality have made of it, and how much they have undervalued it: It were little wonder though liberty to Preach were taken from Ministers, or Preaching Ministers removed from People, and such set over them as can do no more than what any School Boy may do, even to read an Homily or old printed Preaching, and to chant over a Service Book.

But I come to the Exhortation it self, or rather the sum of what Barnabas preached to them: For we may not think he spoke neither more or less than these very words: Doubtless he ran out and enlarged excellently on these Heads; but this was the sum of what he said, He exhorted them all that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord. Here we have Two things. 1. The thing exhorted to, or what he would have them do, which is To cleave unto the Lord. 2. The manner wherein he would have it done viz. With purpose or resolution of heart.

As to the First, The thing exhorted to, is, to cleave to the Lord Jesus Christ, who usually gets the Name of p. 352Lord in the New Testament: And the word rendered [cleave unto him] signifieth also continue with him. Now the Lord to whom he exhorts them to Cleave, or to continue with, is, 1 The Lord Christ Himself, who tho Bodily absent, yet is Spiritually present, and as to the Merit, Vertue, and all the Fruits of His Death, is offered to us in the Promise: And the Way how we c…eave to the Lord thus, is, By Faith, and the continuing in the exercise of that Grace: This is it which is called Ab…ing in him. 1 Joh. 2. 6. And Dwelling in him. 1. Joh. 4. 13. Take this then for the first Piece of this large and comprehensive Duty to which ye are here exhorted, That ye who have fled to Christ by Faith, Cleave to Christ, and Continue with him, that is, mantain what ye have do…ein closing with Christ, beware of loosing these grips ye have laid hold on, but frequently renew them, that so ye may cleave the nearer to him.

This is nece…ary, for 1. Satan will not fail to let showers of Tentations flee at you, to drive you from Him, and make you loose your grips; And surely ye shall be made to loose them, unless you put on a Resolution thus to cleave unto Him. 2. This Cleaving to Him, and Abiding in Him, is the cause of fruitfulness, Joh. 15. 4, 5. I am the Vine (saith Christ) —he that abideth in me and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: It is little wonder there be but few Fruits after a Communion, because instead of Cleaving to the Lord, and mantaining what ye have done in closing with him, and instead of doing it over again, ye do on the contrary upon the least cross Dispensation p. 353begin to question the reality of what ye have done, and to retire as Men ashamed, because ye have Hoped.

Now that ye may thus mantain what ye have done in Closing with the Offer of Christ held forth in the Promise, and so cleave to the Lord in the exercise of Faith; I shall recommend to you these Three things. 1. Labour to be tender in your Walk; For tenderness of Walking is a Fruit of Faith, and the want of it will beget a suspition that ye have no Faith nor ever had it, and if ye suspect ye want Faith ye can have little heart to cleave to the Lord by exercising it: There is nothing which more obstructs our Boldness in adhering to our Interest in Christ, and in our Cleaving to him by Faith, than Untender Walking. 2. Dwell much in the daily sence of your Wants, this will put you frequently to employ Him: When People want Water within doors, they must of necessity run often to the Well with the Bucket to draw, but when ye wear out of acquaintance with your emptiness and Wants, and think ye have a Fountain and sufficient stock in your selves, ye'l make but little use of Faith, and seldom use making of it makes it to decay, that ye cannot make use of it when ye would. 3. Do not needlesly and without a ground call in question the reality of your former closing with him; For that, as I told you before, will make you heartless to set to it of new; Or however ye question the reality of what ye have done already, yet see that in no terms ye question your Right to close with him by Faith, and believe in him for time to come: p. 354For whatever thou hast done formerly, the Gospel Offer is yet at thy door, and a Command from God unto thee to close with it, and if thou hast not done it in earnest before, thy need is so much the greater to do it frequently and in earnest now.

But now to proceed, By (the Lord to whom he exhorts them to Cleave, is not only meaned The Lord Himself as he is offered in the Promise, but generally all that he hath recommended to our care, as an evidence of our respect to him, Thus we testify our respect to absent Friends by owning their Concerns and Interests, and if ye ask what these things are that the Lord Christ hath recommended to our care, I answer in two words, First, His Truth, and next his Service. So that 1. ye are to Cleave unto, and Continue in his Truth against Error; according to what the Apostle Jude commands, V. 3▪—Ye should earnestly contend for the Faith, (to wit, the Doctrine of Faith or Truth) which was once delivered unto the Saints 2. We are to Cleave to and Continue in his Service, whether the Duties of Immediate Worship we should cleave to these against Superstition, voluntary neglect, Will-worship and Idolatry: Or the Duties of our Particular Callings and Stations; All which should be gone about as Service to him; So Servants are to do their service with good will, as to the Lord, and not to men, Ephes. 6. 7. Now that Cleaving to all These is meaned by Cleaving unto the Lord, appears from Deutr. 10. 20. and 30. 20. where Cleaving to the Lord is explained by fearing the Lord, by obeying his voice, by serving him and swearing by his name.

p. 355Now to speak a little to each of these. 1. Ye must Cleave to and continue in his Truth. Gaius is commended for this 3 Joh. 3. even that he walked in the Truth; And Prov. 23. 23. we are bidden Buy the Truth and sell it not; And ye heared from Jude,—Ye should contend for the Truth: For Error contrary to Truth is of a Damning Nature, 2 Peter 2. 1. They are called Damnable Heresies; And Error in point of Truth makes way for Prophanity and loosness of Life, a sound Heart and an unsound Head cannot well subsist; Therefore doth Peter 2 Epist. 3. 17. call Error—The error of the wicked▪

For helping you to this needful Duty of Cleaving to the Lord, by Cleaving to His Truth, I shall recommend to you these things. 1. Beware of Scepticism, or making all Truths debateable, or those Truths especially which may bring you in greatest hazard to confess or cleave to: This is down right contrary to the Cleaving to Truth here enjoined. 2. Do not undervalue any Truth, say of no Truth as Lot said of Zoar, (is it not a little one?) and so I may skip from it. It's true there is a difference among Truths, some greater Truths and some smaller; But as it is of Sins, so it is of Errors, The lesser alwise doth make way for the greater, and there is no Truth which cometh not from the God of Truth; And therefore no Truth which ye should look on as a thing Indifferent, whether ye think so or otherwise of it: Besides in times of Defection from Truth, it is the usual Artifice of Persecuters to extenuate those Truths they labour to bear down, as things Indifferent, and very triffles; p. 356When in the mean time their own practice doth give the…r Profession the lie; For if they thought them things indifferent and triffles, why would they persecute M…n for adhering to them? Besides tho some Truths be not so absolutely necessary to Salvation, but a Man may be saved tho he think otherwise, yet it doth not follow we should be careless of all such: Thus tho a Man's hand be not so absolutely necessary but he may live without it, yet he were a mad Man who on that account would wittingly and willingly cut it off: Besides an Error in some Truths, which will not damn one, may condemn another who knows at least may easily know it to be an Error, and yet will live and die in the Justification of it without Repentance. 3. Ye ought chiefly to cleave to those Truths which ye are most engaged to owne, either by God's sealing them to your Spirits, or by Catechising and Instructing you from your very Childhood in them, so that ye are put out of all doubt of the Truth that is in them, or by bringing you under most sacred Tyes of Solemn Vows and Oaths to maintain them; I say, ye ought to look upon it as your Duty chiefly to Cleave unto such Truths. 2 Joh. 8. Look to your selves that we lose not those things that we have wrought; And Solomon saith, It is not safe after vows to make enquiry. If a Man's Conscience grow once so wide as to let such Truths pass through either for Errors or Triffles, he may perswade himself there is not a Truth in all the Bible, if he be hard put to it that he'l stick at, but that meeting with a pressing suitable tentation he'l let it slip through after them 4. We are to Cleave to Truth not only by retaining p. 357the knowledge of it, and by giving assent to it in our Judgements but also by giving a modest and faithful profession and confession of that Truth on all hazards when we are called to it: This is commanded 1 Pet: 3. 15. Be ready alwise to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you, with meakness and fear, and Rom: 10. 10.— With the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. This is necessary both for the honour of God, Truth being a piece of his Name which we are bound to confess Rev: 2. 13—Thou holdest fast my name and hast not denyed my faith— And its necessary also in order to our own Salvation For whosoever (saith our Saviour) will confess me before men, him will I also confess before my father which is in heaven; but whosoever will deny me before men, him will I also deny before my father which is in heaven. This now as upon the one hand it doth not justify unseasonable Confession contrary to Matth: 7. 6—Cast not your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rent you; So upon the other hand it reproves those who dar not or will not give a Confession of the Truth even when they are called to it, and much more those who deny the Truth either expresly, or Interpretativly, That is, when they do that which men are apt to take and have reason to take for a denial of the Truth, tho they do not deny it in so many words.

But Secondly, We must cleave unto the Lord by Cleaving to and continuing in his Service, for that p. 358is the other thing which he hath recommended to our Care, as an evidence of our respect to him: Joshua bids the People, Take diligent heed—to cleave unto the Lord and serve him, Jos: 22. 5. Now this holds first of the Ordinances he hath appointed for his Service and Immediate Worship: Ye must Cleave to these. In order to which. 1. Beware of Will-worship, or doing that in his Worship which he hath not commanded, Colos, 2 20. Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the Rudiments of the World: Why as though living in the World, are ye subject to Ordinances? To wit, Ordinances and Commandments of Men in Gods Service, as he explains verse 22. And he gives some instances of them verse 21. Touch not, taste not, handle not. It is true men may appoint the outward Circumstances of Order and Decency for going about these parts of God's Worship which he hath commanded; such as are Time and Place, what hour of the day ye shall meet at publick Worship, and in what Place, and such like, which are Common both to Civil and Religious Actions; but they may not under that pretext, appoint new practices of Worship to God, or significant engaging Ceremonies: As for example, That the Sign of the Cross be used in Baptism, As a Token we shall not hereafter be ashamed to Confess Christ Crucified; And that Ministers Preach with a White Shirt or Surplice above their Garments, to signify the Holiness of their Calling; or as the Ancients did ordain those who were Baptized to wear White Garments for the space of eight dayes after Baptism, To signify their being washen from Sin: For by that same Rule, They may command every one to taste Vinegar and Gall at the Communion, as a Sign that they shall not be ashamed of Christ who Died so: And to put on an Helmet, Breast-plate, and other Armour in time of Publick Worship, To signify our Resolution to Fight the Battle against Sin and Satan so long as we live; And suck or drink in Milk publickly in time of Divine Worship, In token that by Faith we draw in the sincere Milk of the Word, that we may grow thereby. Now any may see that to command these and such like, were to appoint New Work in Gods Service, and more than to do that Work he hath appointed Orderly and Decently. Besides many things of Lesser moment and of the same nature with these; I mean significant Ceremonies are appointed by God in his Law, to which there is yet added that Sanction, Deut. 12. 32. What thing soever I command you observe to do it, thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it. So that the appointing any such things in the Worship of God is an adding to Gods Law which is there prohibited.

I shall be more brief in the following Directions for Cleaving to the Ordinances of Gods Immediate Worship: And therefore 1. Beware of Irreligious Impiety in neglecting these Ordinances: Ye are commanded to wait upon them, Pray without ceasing, Despise not Prophesying (or Preaching) Speak to your selves in Psalms and Hymns, Give attendance unto Reading. Ye cannot cleave to the Lord in these Ordinances if ye neglect to go about them; ye must countenance publick p. 360Ordinances, make Conscience of secret Duties. 2. Beware of Formality in going about them, by resting in an out-side work; But above all things, strive to bring the Heart up to them, otherwise ye do not as ye ought, cleave unto them, God is a Spirit, and will be Worshiped in Spirit and in Truth, The Lord will not rockon you to cleave unto them, tho ye be present at them, if so your Heart be far away from them. 3dly. Beware of up-sitting or back-sliding from making Conscience of them, after ye have once begun; That it be not said of you as the Apostle Paul said once of the Galatians, Ye have run well, but who did hinder you that ye should not obey the Truth. Otherwise ye do not cleave unto them.

But further, This cleaving to the Lord, by cleaving to and Continuing in his Service doth hold in the Duties of our Particular Callings and Stations. And in order to your Cleaving to these, or to the Lord by making Conscience of these. 1. Do not neglect them; I mean those Duties which ye owe, whether as Servants, or as Masters; as Parents, or as Children; as Husbands, or as Wives; as Magistrats, or as Subjects: Much of the Life and Power of Religion is manifested in the Conscientious discharge of such Duties; and a man manifests best what he hath by making Conscience of such; Rom: 12. 11. Ye are not to be Sloathful in Business. 2. What ye do even in things of that kind, strive to do it as Service to the Lord. For (as I have shew'd) so much is enjoyned Servants; Thus shall ye Cleave to the Lord, even by going about your Ordinary Calling, p. 361when ye discharge the Duties thereof as Service to Him, that is, when ye do them because He appoints you so to do, and that ye may adorn Religion, and take away all occasion of Reproach, by your Conscientious Diligence in the practice of them. 3. Let not the Duties of your particular Stations make you neglect the Duties either of Publick or Private Worship, there is time for both, ye cannot Cleave to the Lord in the Duties of the one sort, if they shall justle out the Duties of the other. 4 Strive to keep Communion with God even in the practice of such Duties, by sending up secret thoughts and pithy ejaculations to God among hands; as Nehemiah did chap. 2. By labouring to make a Spiritual use of every thing that occurs, or which ye meet with. This much now for their cleaving to the Lord, the thing He would have them to do.

I shall now speak a little only, to the manner wherein the Lord would have it gone about; Its with a purpose or resolution, and a purpose of Heart. 1. It's with a purpose and resolution, he would have them take on a fixed resolution to do, and that as an help to make them do: Hence take this Doctrine, That ye may cleave to the Lord and continue constant and stedfast in his Truth and Service, ye must take on a fixed Resolution and Purpose so to do, I suppose ye have taken on such a Resolution as this at your coming to the Lords Table, but tho ye have done it, yet your wisdom will be every day to renew it: David had taken on such a purpose, Psal. 17. 3—I am purposed that my Mouth shall not transgress, yea he binds himself by p. 362an Oath to it, Psal. 119. 106, I have Sworn, and I will perform it, that I will keep thy righteous Judgments This is that piece of the spiritual armour called Ephes: 6. 15—The preparation of the Gospel of peace. Even a prepared, ready, resolute purpose in the Lords strength, to go on in the Way of Truth and Duty, notwithstanding of any hazard, hardship, or difficulty, I say it must be a Purpose taken on in the Lords strength, for without him we can do nothing; For sayeth David Psal: 71. 16. I will go in the strength of the Lord God.

Now ye must labour to bring up your hearts to such a Resolute Purpose as this, to go on in the Way of Truth and Duty, notwithstanding hazard, hardship and difficulty: For 1. The want of such a Resolution or Purpose will not keep off Tryal and trouble, neither will the putting of it on, hasten Tryals. Job 34. 33. Should it be according to thy mind? he will recompense it, whether thou refuse or whether thou choose. 2. Couragious Resolution and Purpose to fear no opposition but to charge through all difficulties and hazards, is half victory Jam: 4. 7. Resist the Devil and he will fly from you. 3. When a Resolution and Purpose is once laid, to undergo all that ye may meet with in the Way of Truth and Duty, it is usually attended with cheerfulness in Duty: Now God loveth a chearful giver, when upon the contrary if an unexpected storm of Tryal and trouble come on a man before he be fully resolved to endure the worst of it, It doth at least very much damp and weaken him, if it do not wholly make him quite the way. 4. p. 363The promise is made only to the persevering and Resolved man; He that endureth to the end shall be saved, when The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own wayes (Prov: 14. 14.) That is, he shall meet with some plague and judgment in his way, which will make him weary of it and be grieved of his undertaking e're all be done, tho this usually comes out of time.

The Vse is for Reproof to those who are like the Israelites in Elijah's time, halting betwixt two Opinions, and can never suffer themselves to come to an even-down Resolution and Purpose on all hazards to cleave to the Lord, to his Truth and his Service, whatever it may stand them; but do either think to put the evil day far from them, by imagining they'l one way or other Shift it: or if they see no probability in this, but that once it will be at their door; yet they keep themselves Irresolute, in an hovering suspense what to do when trouble cometh; Whence so soon as they meet with a tentation, they begin to Capitulate with it, when they should Resolutely repell it, and after a little Capitulating, they'l find out some shift or other to beguile themselves, and so do give up their armes and basely yeild.

Lastly, This Purpose and Resolution to Cleave unto the Lord must be a Purpose of the Heart. It's true every Purpose is a Purpose of Heart if it be Real; But there are some Purposes which are not Real, but naked Convictions of the judgement, that such and such things should be done, which some are apt to take for a Purpose of Heart, when they are only of a p. 362Heart and a Heart, or of a double and deceitful Heart, but not of a single and sincere Heart: ye should therefore labour to be single and sincere in your Purpose and Resolution of cleaving unto the Lord, such a Purpose as your Heart may be engadged in it. For which cause ye must. 1. Forecast what such a Resolution may stand you, otherwise if ye look over that, or look not unto it, your Purpose will not be sincere, and ye will not stick by it: and when the thing comes ye looked not for, ye'l do the thing ye thought not: and even that which to think on now would make you say with Hazae… 2 Kings 8. 13. Is thy servant a dog, that he should do this great thing? 2. Beware of a mixture of unsincere motives and byends: If ye resolve to cleave to the Lord either for temporal advantage, or to get a name of Constancy or to eschew the Imputation of Changeableness this will argue Unsincerity in your Purpose, and Consequently it will not hold out long: Let your eye therefore be single, in being acted from spiritual motives, love to Christ, love to Truth, so shall your Purpose be a Purpose of Heart 3. If your Purpose to cleave to the Lord be sincere and a Purpose of Heart, then the whole man, your soul, your body, all the Faculties of the one and Members of the other, must be ready to follow out their whole Purpose. for the heart commands the whole man, your Purposes and Resolutions which have nothing of action following, are not Purpose's of the Heart; as when ye Purpose to cleave to the Lord in the mortifying of such a sin, and yet ye have not power to keep from the occasions p. 365which lead unto it; ye Purpose to cleave to such a Truth, and yet cannot endure to be at the pains to get your selves rooted grounded and established in the Faith and knowledge of it. I say no more but remember the Text, and be exhorted to cleave unto the Lord, His Truth, His Ordinances, His Service, with Purpose of Heart.

FINIS.

ERRATA.

PAGE 17. Line 1. dele Wise decree, to permit. p. 20. l: 7, for, too fair. read, too farr. p. 58. line 7. for, in: r. is. p. 64. l: 18: dele (.) add (;) p: 101. l: 16: r: is to be. p: 113. l: 2: for, Misters r: Ministers. p: 126: l: 25: for I. r: In. p. 131: l: 22: for promise r: promised. p. 140. for Congation r. Congregation: p: 287. In the Title r. Preached at Irving.

End of the text · James Fergusson, Refutation of the Errors Toleration Erastianism Independency and Separation (1692)