The Natural Mans Case, Part 1 · Sermon 7
SERMON, VII.
EPHES. 2. 12.
—Being aliens from the Common-wealth of Iſrael—
HAving finiſhed the firſt, I am now to proceed to the ſecond part of Mans miſery, in theſe words, Being Aliens from the Common-wealth of Iſrael, but before I fal opon this ſecond branch of the Text, I ſhall ſpeak ſomething to you, concerning the order of the words, why their being without Chriſt, is put in the firſt place: I anſwer, it is put in the firſt place to ſhew that as the having of Chriſt is the foundation; and inlet of all happineſſe and bleſſedneſſe; ſo the want of an intereſt in Chriſt is the Spring and Fountaine from whence all the miſeries and calamities that are incident to the children of men doe flow, and therefore this deſervedly is put in the firſt place, for if you are without Christ, you muſt needs be Aliens from the commonwealth of Iſrael, and ſtrangers to the Covenant of Promiſe, without hope, and without God in the World.
But then again why is their being aliens to the commonwealth of Iſrael put in the ſecond place? Anſw. Becauſe he that is without Chriſt the head, muſt needs be without the church the body, for by the commonwealth of Iſrael, is meant the whole body of the Church, they were aliens from the commonwealth of Iſrael, that is, this was the miſery of the Epheſians, while they were in a ſtate of Gentiliſm, not converted to the Faith of Chriſt, by the Goſpell, they had no intereſt in the benefits and priviledges that the people of God enjoyed that were in the Church of Iſrael, they had none of thoſe ſpirituall and ſpecial priviledges and bleſſings, which God did beſtow upon all thoſe that were in Covenant with him, they were aliens to the commonwealth of Iſrael, that is, they were aliens to the Ordinances of God, that were then in uſe in the Jewiſh Church, they were without all the Ordinances of Jeſus Chriſt. All the priviledges of the people of God, did the Gentiles want, before they were in Chriſt. Here then you ſee the complete miſery of thoſe that were in a ſtate of Gentiliſm, they were aliens to the commonwealth of Iſrael, and ſtrangers to the Divine Worſhip of God, which he did inſtitute and appoint in his Church, and to all the priviledges and prerogatives which the people of God doe enjoy.
In the words there are two parts obſervable: 1. A deſcription of the Church of God, and that by this term the Commonwealth, the Church of God is called the Commonwealth of Iſrael.
2. Here is laid down the alienation of the Epheſians, before converſion, from this Church, from this Commonwealth.
Now (Beloved) from hence I ſhall only note to you, theſe two obſervations, which I intend to finiſh this Sermon.
Doctr. 1. That the Church of God is a ſpirituall commonwealth.
Doctr. 2. That it is a great part of a mans miſery to be a ſtranger to the true Church of God.
Doct. 1 For the firſt Doctr. that the Church of God is a ſpirituall commonwealth: in the handling of this, I ſhall doe theſe two things: 1. I ſhall ſhew wherein the Church may be compared to a commonwealth, and 2. I ſhall ſhew you wherein they differ.
1. The Church may be compared to a commonwealth, in theſe four particulars;
1. In a commonwealth there are people of different degrees, ranks, callings, and qualities, all are not Princes, nor are all Rulers, all are not Merchants, nor are all rich, there are men of all degrees, callings and qualities, ſome are rich, ſome poore, ſome high, ſome low, ſome maſters, ſome ſervants, and the like; now in this regard, the Church may be compared to a Commonwealth, for in the Church of God ſome are high, ſome low, ſome rich, ſome poore, ſome men grown up to a full ſtature in Chriſt, others are but new beginners and babes in Chriſt; ſome men are rich in gifts, when others are but poore and mean; ſome are ſtrong in grace, like the Oak, when others are but like a broken reed. As in a Commonwealth, ſo in the Church of God, there are men of ſeverall ranks, degrees, callings, qualities, and conditions, as in 1 Cor. 12. 8, 9, 10. All men have 1 Cor. 12. 8, 9, 10.not the ſame manner of gifts, for to one is given the word of wiſdome, to another the word of knowledge, to another Faith, to another the gifts of healing, to another the works of miracles, to another propheſie, to another diſcerning of ſpirits, and to another the interpretation of tongues, but all theſe worketh that one and the ſame ſpirit, dividing to every man ſeverally as he will: as it is in the naturall body, ſo it is in the ſpirituall body, that body would be a monſtrous body, if the thumb were as big as the arm, and the arm as big as the body, and every part as big as the whole; juſt ſo it is in the Church, it is the beauty of it, to have a variety of condition.
2. As in a Commonwealth though there be multitudes of people, yet they are all governed by one & the ſame Laws, and are all ſubjects to one and the ſame Rulers: ſo it is in the Church of God, though there be many people in it, yet they are all ſubject to the ſame Laws, and are all to walk by the ſame rule; and in this regard it may be compared to a Commonwealth, for there is but one rule, the word of God, that ſwayes the whole Church.
3. In a Commonwealth it is accounted high Treaſon to ſubvert or overthrow any Law by which that Commonwealth is governed; for if it were not ſo, the Laws of a Commonwealth would be of no force, if any man might break them: add to them or take from them at his pleaſure, and therefore a Commonwealth does count the breaking and violation of their Laws to be the greateſt injury and diſhonour, that can be done to them: and ſo it is in the Church, the word of God is very ſevere in this regard, that if any man ſhall adde or diminiſh any jot or tittle to or Revel. 22. 18, 19.from the Word, God will blot his name out of the Book of life.
4. They may be compared one to another in this regard, for as one Commonwealth differeth from another, they have not both the ſame Rulers, nor the ſame Lawes, nor the ſame cuſtomes, nor Charters, but differ in every thing almoſt: ſo the Church of God is diſtinguiſhed from all other parts, and people of the World, Commonwealths are different one from another in four things. 1. in Laws; 2. in habit; 3. in language; 4. in Government; and ſo is the Church of God.
1. It is different from others in its Lawes; Law that rules in a Commonwealth, but onelyonly the Word of God rules in the Church.
2. As Commonwealths differ from one another in their language, ſo the Church of God has a language different from al the World, the Church of God ſpeaks the pure language of Canaan, but all the World beſides ſpeaks a broken and corrupt language.
3. As Commonwealths differ one from another in regard of habits, ſo in this regard does the Church of God differ from all the World, the Church of God hath put on the new man, when all the World have on their old ragges ſtill, the Church hath put on the long robes of Chriſts righteouſneſſe which cover all her nakedneſſe, which all the World are without.
4. The Church of God is different from all other in regard of their Government; all Kingdomes and Commonwealths have men to be their Governours, but the Church of God that hath Chriſt to be her Governour.
Thus I have ſhewed you wherein the Church and a commonwealth doe agree, now I come to ſhew you wherein they differ; as
1. They are different in their Lawes; a commonwealth hath Laws, Acts, and Ordinances to govern them, but the Church hath onelyonly the word of God to be their rule.
2. There is a difference in the extent of thoſe Laws; the Law of a commonwealth doth onelyonly reach and extend to the outward man, that cannot rule the inward man, therefore we commonly ſay our thoughts are free, God onelyonly can ſearch the heart and try the reins, but now the Law of the Church extends its ſelf, to the ſearching of the ſoul and ſpirit, every thought and imagination of the heart; as the Apoſtle ſayes, the Law is ſpirituall, but Rom. 7. 14I am carnall.
3. There is a difference in regard of the power and efficacy of theſe Laws; the Laws of a commonwealth doe onelyonly reſtrain the outward man, if you do amiſs, but the Law of God in the Church, that cannot onelyonly reſtrain in practiſe, but change the heart, and alter the affections, and make thee a new man.
4. They differ in this regard, a commonwealth may alter their Laws at pleaſure, if they ſee occaſion, if they find any law grievous or burdenſome to the Kingdome, they may alter it, or take it away, and adde a new Law in the room of it, but this the Church of God cannot doe, the law that the Church hath now, it muſt have to the end of the world, God himſelf gave the Law to his Church, and he cannot give a prejudicial or burdenſome law, whereas Rulers of Commonwealths, they are but men, and cannot look into the events of things; and therefore are ignorant whether this or that law may be good or no, and therefore doe change them at their pleaſure when they ſee a neceſſity; but the rule of the Word of God is an unerring and unalterable rule, which all muſt follow and practiſe to the end of the World.
5. They differ in their cenſure, the cenſure of a Commonwealth may extend ſo far as to confiſcation of goods, to baniſhment, impriſonment, or death, but the cenſure of the Church extends only to excommunication, or throwing the offender out of their ſociety or fellowſhip, they can doe no more, and muſt doe no more, the Church of Chriſt can inflict no cenſure, but onelyonly to excommunicate, and therefore their practiſe that doe impriſon and cenſure and inflict puniſhment upon their people, is not warrantable but does contradict the rule of the Word; and thoſe likewiſe that doe cry out againſt Church Government, as tyrannicall, do very much miſtake, for the Church of God their cenſure is not corporeall but ſpirituall. But though the Church may not cenſure any man that is an offender, yet ſhe may complain to the Commonwealth, and they may reſtrain and quell them and keep them under, and inflict puniſhments upon them.
Thus then you ſee both wherein a Church and a Commonwealth doe agree, and wherein they difler, and if this be ſo that the Church of God is a ſpirituall Commonwealth, then give me leave to draw theſe three Inferences from hence.
Uſe. 1 1. I may infer from hence the neceſſity of Church Government in a Church; Did you ever ſee a Commonwealth ſtand and flouriſh without rule and Laws, and order? Order is the ſtaffe of a Commonwealth, if every man might doe what he liſt, and what is right in his own eyes, nothing but ruine and deſtruction would preſently follow, as in Pſal. 11. 3. If the Pſal. 11. 3.foundations be deſtroyed, what ſhall the righteous doe? If the Laws and foundations of a Commonwealth be ſubverted and deſtroyed, there will be nothing but ruine. If the Church be a ſpirituall Commonwealth, then there is an abſolute neceſſity of a Government in it; & therefore thoſe that would either rob the Church of their Government, and would have none at all, or elſe would introduce a falſe Government upon the Church, and doe as much as in them lies to overthrow the Government of the Church, ſuch as theſe are to be reproved. Government to a commonwealth is like a hedge to a garden, now ſuppoſe you had a very fair garden, and a great many curious flowers and fine ſlips in it, and one ſhould come to you and tell you, Sir, I ſee many dainty flowers and ſlips in your garden, but I ſee none to grow upon your hedge, therefore pull it down, let it grow there no longer; you would ſay to ſuch a man, no by no means, for though nothing grows upon the hedg, yet the hedge does preſerve the flowers, that grow in the garden, and keep them from the violences of wild beaſts: So though a Government in the Church does not make us holy, a man may goe to heaven without a Government, yet is it exceeding neceſſary to preſerve the Church of God.
2. I may infer from the Churches being a ſpirituall Commonwealth, the neceſſity of union in the Church. Commonwealths are preſerved by union, you ſee what four years war have brought upon our kingdome, it hath almoſt deſtroyed the face of our commonwealth: Union are the ſinews and ligaments of a commonwealth, if men be diſunited, and diſjointed, that commonwealth cannot ſubſiſt, A Kingdome divided againſt it ſelf cannot Mat. 12. 25ſtand, and the Church of God being a ſpirituall commonwealth, this argues the great neceſſity of unity in the Church, and the great danger of diviſion, the Church of God cannot be ſafe without union. I muſt tell you (to the griefe of our hearts be it ſpoken) there were never leſſe unity in the Church of God, ſince the very firſt plantation of it, by the Apoſtles in the Primitive times, then there is at this day, wherein every man almoſt is ſet one againſt another; truly I look upon it, as a very ſad Omen and prediction, that God is bringing in upon us the moſt diſmall perſecution that ever yet our eyes beheld. I have read in the book of Martyrs, that the coming in of the eighth perſecution, was occaſioned by the diviſion & falling out of Chriſtians one with another; I wiſh it may not be ſo with us (Beloved) it is ordinary amongſt a great many men to cry out & exclaim againſt the Miniſters of the Goſpel, as if they were the great incendiaries and cauſers of diviſions and diſſenſions amongſt you, but I would have you know that thoſe that preach againſt diviſion, are not dividers, but thoſe that make diviſions they are dividers, as the Apoſtle ſayes, Mark them that cauſe diviſions among you, and avoid them, thoſe men that have cauſed diviſions, and brought in ſtrange opinions, and Sects, and ſchiſms into the land, they are the make-bates of the Nation; the ſtaffe of Union and the ſtaffe of Beauty, when one is broken, the other is broken. I have read a ſtory of a man that had fourſcore children, and lying upon his death bed, he cauſed his children to come before him, and deſired that a bundle of ſmall rods might be brought to him, his children began to wonder amongſt themſelves, what ſhould be his deſign and purpoſe in doing it, but when they had brought them, their Father commands every one of his ſons beginning from the youngeſt to the eldeſt, to take the bundle, and try which of them could break it, but none of them was found able to doe it: at laſt taking the bundle himſelf he unbound it, breaking the ſticks one by one, til he had broken them all, and now my children ſayes he, this I doe to teach you, that if you doe combine and keep cloſe together in unity like a bundle of ſticks, there is none will be able to break you, or doe you any harm, but if you divide and fall off one from another, you will ſoon be ruined, and broken in pieces: why, ſo now if the members of the Church of God would unite together and partake of publique Ordinances together, hear, pray, and performe holy duties together, and ſtill remaine conjoined in one, wee need not feare the power or policy of any, to doe us any harm.
3. If the Church be a ſpirituall Commonwealth, then I may inferre further, the neceſſity of our labouring to improve the Churches intereſt in a Commonwealth. Nature will teach men to labour to preſerve, and advance the good and benefit of the Commonwealth, every man will contribute for the good of the Body Politique, and therefore let us labour to promote the good of the Body Eccleſiaſtique, and to improve the Churches intereſt.
Doctr. 2 Thus much for the firſt Doctrine, we come now to the ſecond Doctrine, That it is a great miſery for a man to be a ſtranger to the true Churches of God. You may be in the true Church, and yet not of the true Church; as ill humours in a mans body, they are in the body, though none of the conſtituent parts of the body: ſo you may be in the Church, and of the Church viſible too, and yet none of the Members of the Church inviſible, of the Church of the firſt borne, you may not partake of the ſpeciall and ſpirituall priviledges of the Church of God.
1. Wicked men are ſtrangers to the effectuall calling of the Church, in 1 Pet. 2. 1 Pet. 2.You (ſaith the Apoſtle) are called with a holy calling, which wicked men are without.
2. They are ſtrangers to the comforts of the Church of God, you want thoſe joyes and comforts which the people of God doe enjoy.
3. You are ſtrangers to a chriſtian communion in the Church, a wicked man does not know how to manage a ſpiritual communion with the people of God.
Uſe. Now if this be ſo that wicked men are ſtrangers to the Church of God in their ſpirituall benefits and priviledges they have by Chriſt, then by way of Uſe I ſhall onelyonly draw from hence theſe two Inferences.
1. That you would not lay too much dependence and confidence upon your being Members of the Church; you may be under the outward and common mercies, and yet want the inward and ſpirituall benefits of the Church of God; there is many a man that is born and brought up in the Church of England, and yet notwithſtanding unable to give any ground of his Salvation by Chriſt, thou mayeſt have the Church of England to be thy Mother, and yet never have God to be thy Father. I do not ſpeak this to the diſparagement of the Church of England, for Chriſt and Salvation by him is to be had in England as well as elſewhere, I would not have you think that England is no true Church, for it is a Church of Jeſus Chriſt, but I ſay you may be of this Church and borne and bred in this Church and partake of all the Ordinances and outward priviledges in this Church, and yet never come to heaven, for (as the Apoſtlt ſayes) all are not Iſrael that are of Iſrael.
2. If this be ſo, then this may be matter of reprehenſion to wicked men, that ſeeing they are in the Church, yet they are not of the Church of Jeſus Chriſt; you are in the Church, but as a wenne, a botch, or blaine is in the body, you are a blemiſh to the Church of God, wicked men are ſpots and blemiſhes in the Church, as in 2 Pet. 2. 13. though they are in 2 Pet. 2. 13the Church, yet they are a burden to the Church, and I wiſh that godly men did count it a greater burden to them then they doe, that they have ſo many wicked men in their Church; A wicked man in the Church, is like a wooden legge to the body of a man, a naturall legge that carries the body, but if a man hath a wooden legge, the body muſt carry it; ſo wicked men are a great burden and trouble to the Church, as Paul ſayes (ſpeaking of wicked men) I wiſh (ſayes he) they were even cut off that trouble you, ſuch men as are looſe in practiſe, and looſe in opinion, truly both theſe have been great burdens and troublers to the Church of God; they are to the Church, as Jonah was to the ſhip, what a ſtorm have they raiſed in this kingdome! which God knowes, whether you or I ſhall ever live to ſee it blown over. Thus much for the ſecond part of Mans miſery by Nature, That at that time ye were aliens to the Common wealth of Iſrael.