The Temple Rebuilt, Title page – Dedication
THE TEMPLE RE-BUILT. A DISCOURSE On Zachary 6.13. Preached at a GENERALL MEETING of the ASSOCIATED MINISTERS Of the County of Cumberland at Keſwick, May 19. By RICHARD GILPIN, Paſtor of the Church at Graiſtock in Cumberland.
Not by Might, nor by Power, but by my Spirit, ſaith the Lord of Hoſts, Zach. 4. v. 6.
LONDON, Printed by E. T. for Luke Fawne, at the Parrat in Pauls-Church-yard, and are to be ſold by Richard Scott, Bookſeller in Carliſle. 1658.
WEe the Aſſociate Miniſters of the County of Cumberland, do earneſtly deſire our Reverend Brother, Mr. Richard Gilpin, to Print his Acceptable Sermon, Preached this day at our Generall Meeting,
Keſwick in Cumberland. May 20. 1658. Signed by TIMOTHY TƲLLIE Moderator Pro Temp. IOHN IACKSON, Scribe.
To my Reverend, Peaceable and dearly Beloved Brethren, THE ASSOCIATED MINISTERS of the County of CUMBERLAND.
Reverend Brethren,
WHat your Commands have wreſted from me (for of that force and prevalency with me are your deſires) I new lay it at your feet. If I could have prevailed with you to have altered your vote, or (after you had paſſed it) durſt have reſiſted; this had gone no further then your own hearing. But when you would not be perſwaded, I endeavoured to conform my ſelf to thoſe Chriſtians in Act. 21.14. and took up with that which put a ſtop to their intreaties, The will of the Lord be done, remembring that ſpeech of Antoninus Pius to his Councel, Aequius eſt, ut ego tot talium amicorum conſilium ſequar, quam, ut tot tales amici meam unius ſequantur voluntatem.
Well! you have ſaved me the labour of an Apology, and, having adopted this iſſue for your own, you muſt expect not onelyonly to bear a ſhare with me in the cenſures which may be occaſioned by its deformity; but muſt wholly by your ſelves bear all the blame of troubling the world with it: and if it ſhould be raiſed (above its own deſerts) to be of any uſe in the Church by the hand of him who worketh mightily (ſometimes) by unlikely means (though I cannot diſcover within kenning any ground for ſuch an expectation, but this, That it was the reſolute, ſolemn intreaty and order of ſuch, and ſo ſerious a company:) yet, if it ſhould be thus bleſſed, I am willing (for my part) that, next to God, the thanks be wholly yours.
Among the many favours which God hath beſtowed upon us, and the County where we live; this is none of the leaſt, That God hath poured upon us ſome meaſure of his Spirit of peace, and hath bleſſed us thus far in it; the bleſſed fruits of concord which we have already taſted (if we ſhould never ſee more) together with the ſweetneſs of the teſtimony of Conſcience (thus far acquitting us from the guilt of Church-murther) are a ſufficient recompence for all the trouble it hath given us. Great are the advantages that we and our people have from hence; united Counſels promiſe more ſafety, and juſtly challenge a greater reſpect and reverence to our proceedings: our joint concurrence in what we practice puts us in a better poſture of mutual communication of gifts, graces, ſtrength and aſſiſtance (ſtones in conjunction as in an arch, will ſupport one another and bear up the weight of the whole Fabrick, which, being divided and ſcattered, they cannot do) beſides, it may do much to cure that itch after novelties, that intemperancy of roaving, doubting and ſcepticiſm in Chriſtians about Government, when they ſee their leaders unanimous, and not ſo wedded to their opinions as to undo the Church for Punctilios; and that which is more, while others are toiling in the ſweat & duſt of diſputations, and as fruitleſly wearing themſelves as the Grammarians in Eraſmus about finding out the meaning of Anticomarita; we have happily gained an opportunity of preſſing and practiſing the great things of Gods Law. Diſputings often drown the voice of truth by their noiſe and clamour, they prodigally laviſh out the ſpirits and affections of men on ſmaller matters which ſhould be reſerved for higher objects; and, though they have their fruits, yet are they like trees growing upon a rocky precipice, where the fruit cannot be gathered by all, and not by any without difficulty and hazard.
Brethren, Tou have put your hands to this work,2 John 8. Now look to your ſelves, that you looſe not thoſe things which ye have wrought, but that ye receive a full reward; do not think (now that the work is upon the wheels) that you may ſlacken your diligence, or abate any thing of your watchfulneſs againſt temptations, or of the jealouſies and ſuſpicions over your own hearts. There is yet much to do, and if there were not;Ʋirum oporteret jam metae vicinum curſum remittere? An magis intendere? yet (as Diogenes anſwered the man that perſwaded him to give over ſtudy, becauſe he was grown old) the nearer you come to the mark you ſhould put forth more ſtrength, & run the faſter. Dream not of eaſe in an imployment of this nature, God, Angels and men have their eyes upon you to ſee how you will beſtir your ſelves; it is your duty and not a matter of unneceſſary courteſy, which you may give or hold back at your pleaſure:1 Tim. 4.15. he that hath commanded you foreign to give your ſelves up wholly to theſe things; will not take himſelf to be beholden to you when you have done your beſt: neither is it any diſparagement to you to become even ſervants to any; ſo that you may but gain them, and forward Chriſts work; they that think it below them to trouble themſelves ſo much with Catechizing, reproof, admonition, &c. are of Prolemaeus his mind, who changed the title of Heraclides his book from foreign, to foreign; as if laboriouſneſs were nothing but an Aſs-like dulneſs, making a man crouch under every burthen; but God having made the ox which treads out the corn to be the Hieroglyphick of your imployment; he doth thereby teach you that labour and patience are ſo far from being a diſgrace to you, that they are neceſſary qualifications for the calling of the Miniſtry.
Oppoſition, (I ſuppoſe) you all expect, and partly find already, can any man think otherwiſe but that they who are like bullocks, unaccuſtomed to the yoke will ſtruggle? is it a wonder if they think all bonds to be fetters? every reſtraint to be cruelty, and the dreſſing of their wounds (though in order to their cure and Salvation) to be unſufferable tyranny? but what then! is the worke ever the worſe for that? hath not God called you out to oppoſe the Carnall intereſts and deſires of men? the Critick before mentioned (when he thruſt into the theatre againſt the throng of people coming out; (being asked the reaſon, gives this account of it, hoc in omni vita facere ſtudio: He thought it was the perfection of Phyloſophy to go contrary to the Generality of men, and the likelieſt way to find out Vertue; and Plato, ſhewing himſelfe courteous to all, was thus cenſured, quid illi tribuendum eſt, qui tot annos in philoſophia verſatus, nullum hactenus dolore affecit; you know how to apply it, what a ſhame would it be that we who have better inſtructions, greater obligations, and ſure promiſes of helpe ſhould give off with the excuſe of the ſluggard? Oh there is a Lion in the way! let us not fear, difficulties there will be, but they are onelyonly or moſtly difficulties to the fearfull and unbelieving, which do their work negligently and by halves; be couragious and faithfull, and God will make the rough wayes plain before you.
As for the deſign of peace it ſelfe, though it may be ſecretly maligned and whiſpered againſt, yet I do not expect to ſee any ſo hardy as to take up Armes againſt it publickly; it hath ſuch a glory and majeſty in it as will keep off ſuch attempts; except peradventure ſome mans ignorant zeale or vain-glory put him upon, ſeeking a name, (as he did who burnt Diana's Temple) by blemiſhing ſomething of more then ordinary worth. I perceive by Mr. Firmius late book of Sciſme, &c. that ſome upon their own miſunderſtanding have privately excepted againſt the firſt rule in our book of aſſociation, p. 3. Wherein we ſay, That in the exerciſe of Diſcipline it is not only the moſt ſafe courſe, but alſo moſt conducing to brotherly union and ſatisfaction, that particular Churches carry on as much of their work with joynt and mutuall aſſiſtance, as they can with conveniency and edification, and as little as may be in their actings, to ſtand diſtinctly by themſelves, and apart from each other: he indeed hath anſwered for us (and for the kindneſſe, I ſhall take the boldneſſe to return him thanks in your names,) and hath hit our ſence right enough; the truth is, the thing is ſo plain, that I wonder any body (let his prejudice be as ſtrong as it may be) ſhould miſſe it: he might have ſeen that we intend not to cut off the liberty of particular Congregations by the middle, by that Principle. 1. The words conveniency and edification, would have told them as much; they ſtand not there for Cyphers. 2. The whole book (if he had diligently conſidered it,) would have taken that exception off; for what we build upon that bottom is there expreſſed: now, what article or line can be find which may bear that charge? 3. Our Practiſe ſpeaks for us, let him or others enquire, and then accuſe if they have cauſe; but I ſee men ſpeak in their haſt: tis now ſo common for men to write againſt books before they underſtand them; that this fault may well be pardoned by the courteſy of England. Pardon this prolixity and plainneſs, and go on yet to be more diligent and peaceful. Warn the unruly, ſupport the weak, be patient towards all men; be enſamples to the flock. And, when the chief Sepherd ſhall appear, you ſhall receive a Crown of Glory that fadeth not away.
Graiſtock, Aug. 1. 1658. Your unworthy fellow-ſervant RICHARD GILPIN.