Three Sermons, Sermon 1
SION the Out-caſt healed of her Wounds.
BEING THE FIRST SERMON: AND Preached at the COURT of ELECTION, MAY XXII. 1661.
Jerem. 30.17.
For I will reſtore health unto thee, and I will heal thee of thy wounds, ſaith the Lord; becauſe they called thee an Out-caſt, ſaying, This is Sion, whom no man ſeeketh after.
THis Text may be called A Divine Plaiſter for a Sinſick Out-caſt: in other words it is Gods Cure of Sion, when incurably Wounded. You have here the Patient deſcribed from divers Adjuncts: ſome Inherent, abiding in the Patient; ſome Extrinſecal, relating to the Patient. That which is Abiding, is that ſhe is an Out-caſt, Wounded, and Sick: That which is Extrinſecal, relateth either to the Spectators, or to the Phyſician. To the Beholders: and there you have their diſaffection, viz. They called thee an Out-caſt, ſaying, &c. To the Phyſician: and there you have his affection, viz. I will reſtore health to thee, and will heal thee of thy wounds: which Affection is amplified, 1. From the Cauſe, Becauſe they called thee an Out-caſt, therefore will I heal thee. 2. From the Infallibility of it, upon the teſtimony of this Phyſician; Thus ſaith the Lord. They ſay, Thou art an Out-caſt: the Lord ſaith, He will reſtore her.
To open the words briefly. The Patient, Here you finde, 1. An [Out-caſt]. It doth immediately look to the good Figs that were in Babylon, and they were in a manner voluntary Exiles, they yielded themſelves to go: and ſuch an Out-caſt is here meant, as is not onelyonly caſt out of the Country, but out of the hearts and affections of others. Several Compariſons there are, that ſet forth this Out-caſt; as, that of a menſtruous woman, Lam. 1.17. of the perſon caſt out of the Synagogue, Ezra 10 8. Ioh. 9 22. and that of the Leper, 2 Chron. 26.21. he dwells in an houſe apart; and as Iephthah, thruſt and expelled out of his Fathers houſe; caſt out of doors, and out of hearts and eſteem. 2. But not onelyonly is Sion an Out-caſt, but an Out-caſt [Wounded] and it is Laeſio ad mortem, a deadly wound; and an incurable wound, Ier. 30.12. i. e. according to man: And not a green Wound, but an Ulcer, a feſtered Wound and Sore; and no wonder then ſhe is alſo ſick. And if we look to the Extrinſecal Adjunct, which accompany this Patient, there is that which relates unto
1. The Beholders: They ſay [This is Sion, whom no man ſeeketh after.] They did reproach her, and there was no denial of it; Is not this Sion! 'tis ſpoken in way of deriſion: the ſarcaſm of an Enemy. Sion was a word of honour, but they here relate to the Notation of the Hebrew word, from foreign Siccitas, as being a day, withered, ſapleſs thing; a barren, and forſaken, and undeſirable place and ſociety. And further [Whom no man ſeeketh after] Neither this ſort of men, nor that ſort of men; none hath any care of her welfare.
2. A ſecond kinde of Extrinſecal Adjuncts relate unto the Phyſician; [Therefore I will reſtore health unto thee, and I will heal thee] Now God will apply a ſanative Cataplaſm, an healing Pla ſter: This is Repentance, and Reſtitution, Ier. 31.9. Repentance, and their Return, make up the ſanative Plaiſter. In reſpect of her ſelf, there was need of Repentance; in reſpect of the adverſary, there was need of Reduction. And the Cauſe of it, viz. [Becauſe they called thee an Out-caſt] as who ſhould ſay, I am ſenſible of all thy caſe, and the opprobrie thou haſt ſuffered, therefore will I reſtore thee. But ſhall not this fail? No, Jehovah's word is engaged for it, Thus ſaith the Lord.
Doct. When Sion for its ſin is become an Out-caſt (a ſubject of contempt) God takes occaſion from her Calamity to give her Repentance, that ſo he may bring upon her the Bleſſing of his own People.
I will not more then intimate to you the Paradoxes that the Text doth abound with. Sion, and acknowledged, and yet no man careth for her. A People, none neglected like them; a People, none beloved like them: Neglected, if you look at men; beloved, if you look at God. A People, whoſe very adverſaries are inſtrumental to their proſperity. Theſe are ſuch Riddles, as we may truely ſay Gods grace onelyonly makes. A ſtrange occaſion may that ſeem to be, which God takes for the healing of his People in Iſa. 57.17, 18. I have ſeen his wayes (i. e. his frowardneſs and covetouſneſs) and will heal him. Ezek. 11.15, 16, 17. Thy brethren, even thy brethren, &c. they ſay, Get ye farre from the Lord, unto us is the land given in poſſeſſion: Therefore ſay, Thus ſaith the Lord, although I have caſt them farre off, &c. though I have ſcattered them, &c. yet will I be a little Sanctuary unto them— I will gather you, &c. Zech. 3.2. The Lord rebuke thee, O Satan, even the Lord that hath choſen Jeruſalem: Is not this a brand pluckt out of the fire? They had been in the Furnace long enough. As the Lord dealeth thus with his people, ſo Davia maketh uſe of the like in his perſonal caſe, 2 Sam. 16.12. It may be the Lord will look upon mine affliction, and requite me good, &c. bleſs me, becauſe of his curſing.
The Reaſons of the point, are:
Reaſ. 1. From the Sympathy that there is between the Head and the Members. Chriſt is ſenſible of the ſufferings of his Outcaſt. It is true, that the Out-caſt doth ſuffer; it is a greater truth, that the God of the Out-caſt ſuffereth. Iſa. 63.9. In all their affliction, he was afflicted: it relateth to Iſrael in Egypt. Zech. 2.8. He that toucheth you, toucheth the apple of his Eye: it relateth to the good Figs in exile. It is no little eaſe that our ſorrows touch Chriſt, according to Heb. 4.15. We have not an high Prieſt that cannot be touched, &c. What though the Out-caſt ſuffereth for ſin, yet he hath a ſufferer with him: and in this reſpect what Paul ſaid to his Corinthians, 2 Cor. 2.2. that doth Chriſt ſay to his Out-caſt, If I make you ſorry, who is he that maketh me glad, but the ſame that are made ſorry by me?
Reaſ. 2. Becauſe that Gods Name ſuffereth, while his Outcaſts do thus ſuffer. Exod. 32.12. if God ſhould deſtroy Iſrael, the Egyptians will ſay, For miſchief hath he brought them, &c. Deut. 32.27. Were it not that I feared the wrath of the enemy, leſt their adverſaries ſhould behave themſelves ſtrangely, and ſay, Our hand is high, and the Lord hath not done all this. You remember the argument which Ioſhua uſeth, Chap. 7, 8, 9. When Iſrael falleth before the enemy, what wilt thou do to thy great Name? The deſtruction of Iſrael would raiſe a ſcandal to Religion, and the God of Iſrael.
Reaſ. 3. To capacitate the Out-caſt to receive the benediction of a Father, the actual bleſſing of his People. To be Gods people, is one thing; but to be made meet to receive the bleſſing of his people, is another thing. Zech. 3.2. The Lord, even the Lord that hath choſen Ieruſalem, &c. God in election hath made them his people, and determined to bleſs them: 'tis this that doth pluck the brand out of the fire. Ier. 24.5, 6, 7. I will ſet mine eyes upon them for good, I will bring them again, I will build them, I will give them an heart to know me, &c. Ier. 30.22. & 31.33. I will be their God, and they ſhall be my people: and verſ. 9. Ye ſhall come with weeping and ſupplications, &c. [Ye ſhall come] there is their Return; [with weeping and ſupplications] there is their Repentance: and the Lord hath undertaken for it; I am a father to Iſrael, and Ephraim (as bad as he is) is my firſt-born. The cauſe of their being his people, a penitent people, a bleſſed people, is his fatherly relation to them, Ier. 32.38, 39. Ier. 30.7. Alas, it is the time of Iacobs trouble, but he ſhall be ſaved out of it.
Ʋſe 1. Inſtruction 1. Hence learn, that Sion is ſubject to ſad Apoſtacy, or defections. Ier. 2.5, 13, 21. I planted thee a noble vine. We muſt acknowledge, God planted us, I may ſay, a Scripture vine, and, if ſo, a noble vine: but you ſee a generous vine ſubject to be a degenerate vine. Exod. 32.7, 8. They turned aſide quickly. But as the Oratour ſolemnizing a ſad funeral, deſired to have learned Mortality from another Inſtance, rather then that of Scaliger; ſo I would God would learn us this truth from ſome other inſtances, rather then from theſe Churches. I may mention notwithſtanding, the Polititians obſervation concerning the ſtage of action uſually changed in thirty years; becauſe the perſons that make the major vote, are uſually changed, and gone by that time. Something about that time, hath our time been in this land, now perhaps the major vote is changed; you may ſay in ſuch and ſuch a caſe many a time, and had ſuch been alive, theſe actions, and thoſe, in Church or Court, would not have been ſo carried on. But I will not dwell here. I wiſh we might learn ſuch inſtances from ſome other example, and not from our ſelves.
Inſtr. 2. Sions Apoſtacy brings upon Sion ſad Calamity. 'Tis a truth, that Iſrael embraceth not God, til God firſt embrace Iſrael: 'tis alſo a truth, that God forſaketh not Iſrael, till Iſrael firſt forſake him. Ier. 5.25. If good things be withheld from us, Iniquity is the cauſe. Lam. 3.39. if evil things be brought upon us, the cauſe is ſin. There was a time when Solomon was at reſt, 1 Kings 5.4. There was no adverſary, nor evil occurrent; there was a time (again) when Solomon had many adverſaries, 1 King. 11.14, 23, 26. Solomon hath reſt, while he is in his integrity; Solomon hath adverſaries, that was the time of his Apoſtacy. Is there no diſpenſation but Iudah muſt ſerve Shiſhak? 2 Chron. 12.8. what is the reaſon thereof? it is becauſe they would not ſubject themſelves to the yoke of God: not the power of the Egyptians, but their non-ſubjection to God, made them ſubjects to Shiſhak. Ier. 14.11. & 7.16. Ieremiah, pray not for them, I will not hear, ſaith the Lord: there is no diſpenſation, Ier. 27.12. non-ſubjection to the yoke of Chriſt, ſubjected Iudah to the yoke of Babylon. Abuſe of Liberty, is that which forfeiteth the uſe of liberty.
Inſtr. 3. Sions Maladie is not cureable with Calamity, Iſai. 4.8.10. would not one think a furnace ſhould cure the outcaſt? they are ſo good, that they are called the good figs, and yet ſo bad, as that ſeventy years captivity would not make them good enough for the end. Thoſe that were ſeventy years in the furnace do cry out, Lord, why haſt thou hardned our hearts from thy fear? Iſai, 63.17. you that think you have a new man, do not forget that you have within you alſo an old man, and calamity will not remove it. The hard-heartedneſs of good people is very ſtrange. Heb. 3.8. Harden not your hearts: Oh! provoke him not as at Meribah! what doth Paul cry out againſt, and ſo David, and Moſes? Meribah, Meribah! this, this lyeth at the hearts of ſuch, the inſeparable, the inſuperable, invincible non-ſubjection of Iſrael to the wayes of God, this is not cureable with calamity.
Inſtr. 4. Though Sions malady be ſuch, as that, lookt at in it ſelf, it cannot be cured, yet lookt at in Gods promiſe, and it cannot want a cure. Look upon it in it ſelf, and it ſeems incurable, look't at in the Phyſician, and it cannot but be cured. Ieremiah looking at his ſufferings, he will ſpeak no more; but looking at Gods promiſe, and it is as fire in his bones, he cannot but ſpeak. 2 King. 8.10. there is a quaerie put to the Prophet, whether Benhadad ſhall live; the prophet anſwers, He may certainly recover, howbeit, the Lord hath ſhewed me, he ſhall ſurely dye; i. e. the diſeaſe was not ſuch but he might have recovered: ſo may I by alluſion invert and ſay, Sions diſeaſe is incurable, but yet ſhe ſhall certainly recover. Look at Sion in the glaſs of Providence, and ſhe is as a woman forſaken, and grieved in ſpirit, Iſai. 54.5, 6. & 66.4. huſbandleſs, as to reproach; and yet at the ſame time thy Maker is thy husband: if we look at Sion in the glaſs of the Promiſe, this Outcaſt is both Marah, and Hephzibah, both a Widow, and Beulah. Look at the Out-caſts tears, as an effect of mans not caring for her, but as an occaſion, and demonſtration of Gods care for her, Pſal. 126.5, 6. that Sion ſheddeth tears, denominateth her Marah; that Sions tears are ſeed, denominateth her Hephzibah. Pſal. 56 8. that tears fall from Davids cheeks, this is matter of ſorrow; that Davids tears fall into Gods bottle, is matter of joy.
Inſtr. 5. Gods touching an impenitent Out-caſt with repentance, is a ſignal of Gods having mercy thereon. Sions recovery by repentance from her backſliding, is an effect of grace, and a fore-runner of the ſet time of Stons mercy, Sions impenitency, is the life and ſtrength of Sions (of the Out-caſts) calamity. Repentance doth break the yoke of Babylon; Impenitency doth lay on the yoke of Babylon. You may truly ſay, the date of the Outcaſts captivity, and the date of their impenitency, is the ſame. The enemy is never harder-hearted to Sion, then when Sion is hardhearted to her God. Their affliction was not the bardneſs of the Babylonians hearts, but, Lord, why haſt thou hardned our hearts? Iſai 63.17. when the Out-caſts return to Ston, they ſhall goe weeping with their faces thitherward, Ier. 50.4, 5.
Ʋſe 2. Exhortation. The text openeth my mouth to call upon Gods Outcaſts to accept of Gods plaiſter. God propoſeth to us Remedy, or Calamity: we have our option, whether that of the plaiſter, or of the ſore; make we our choice. If we accept the plaiſter, the time of mercy, even the ſet time is come; if you do not accept it, you may look at it as the beginning of ſorrow. That we are Out-caſts, this doth ſpeak us ſick; but our not accepting the remedy, ſpeaks our ſickneſs incurable. To be Out-caſts, this argues that we are caſt off by men; but our not accepting the remedy, ſpeaketh us caſt off by God: the condition of an Outcaſt ſuppoſeth us ſinners; but the rejection of the remedy doth ſay that we are caſtawayes: for an Out-caſt to need a medicine, is common to good and bad; to accept it, is proper to the good.
Let us then accept the Lords Plaiſter. As an Ingredient thereto, I ſhall propoſe this Direction; viz.
1. Learn we to judge aright of Liberty; Scripture-liberty. Gal. 5.1. Paul biddeth us ſtand faſt in our liberty: and thoſe accurſed ones he looks unto, Chap. 1. who alſo pleaded for liberty, and whom the Aſſertors of true Liberty ſhould accordingly pronounce accurſed. Bleſſed men plead for liberty, and curſed men plead for liberty. The Gnoſtick in 2 Pet. 2.19. doth plead for liberty: Good men plead for liberty, and bad men plead for liberty: the beſt men plead for liberty, and the worſt men plead for liberty. If you ask what Liberty is? you may look at it as a Power, as to any external reſtraint, or obſtruction-on mans part, to walk in the Faith, Worſhip; Doctrine and Diſcipline of the Goſpel, according to the Order of the Goſpel. When you hear men plead for Liberty, ſee that it be not Liberty falſly ſo called.
2. Acknowledge Order Divine, and in particular in that great Point of a Miniſterial Judge. There are that make little of Order, and yet we may think, not any made ſo little, as Paul made much of it: Let All things be done in Order, 1 Cor. 14.40. it ſeemeth an Apoſtolical ſpirit doth conclude, that ſometimes better ſuch a thing not done, then not orderly done. There is a judgement Diſcretive, which belongeth to every Believer; there is a judgement Authoritative, that belongs unto the Church, and is ſet therein by God; and alſo there is a judgement Deciſive, which belongs unto the Council: OnelyOnly remember, that the Supreme Judge is either 1. Authentick, i. e. Jeſus Chriſt: or 2. Regulative, i. e. the Scripture: or 3. Miniſterial, i. e. the Council. This Queſtion concerning a Miniſterial Judge in matters of Religion, is that which hath greatly exerciſed the Chriſtian world; inſomuch that both Proteſtants and Papiſts agree, That the Reſolution of this Controverſie is of ſo great moment, as that hereupon depends the Reſolution of all Controverſies. When a Controverſie ariſeth in a Church (differences muſt not alwayes continue) what ſhall reſolve the ſame, if a Miniſterial Judge be not admitted? Take away this Order, and how ſhall Peace, or the Society continue? This truth of a Miniſterial Judge, is reckoned among the Fundamentals — Secundarily, becauſe it doth tend to the … finde preſervation of all that elſe is of the Foundation. You ſhall finde this Truth impleaded throughout all generations, ſince the Primitive times, and pleaded for by all the Orthodox in all the Centuries. Deut. 17.12. Standum ſententiae ſummi judicis: Iſrael muſt ſtand to this; if it be in matters of Religion, there is the Prieſt; if in matters Civil, there is the Magiſtrate, and he that ſtands not, or ſubmits not to the Sentence of theſe, let him be cut off from Iſrael: ſo requiſite a thing is Order. Acts 15. there is no reſt in ſuch a caſe; what now do they, but refer it to a Council, and that doth determine it. 1 Cor. 14.32. The Spirit of the Prophets is ſubject to the Prophets. I will not acknowledge him a Prophet, that is not ſubject to the Prophets. Let not any one therefore under pretence of a Prophet, or whatever Inſpiration or Perſwaſion ſoever, exempt themſelves from ſubjection to Order.
Obj. The major part may erre, and is not alwayes the melior part: Councils and Churches may erre, and have erred.
Anſw. 1. But is it not true, that the Objector may erre? The major part may erre; ſo ſaith the Delinquent ſtanding before the Church, and muſt that evacuate all Church-power? 2. 'Tis more likely that truth ſhould be with many Orthodox, Pious, Orderly, &c. In the multitude of Counſellors (was anciently ſaid, Prov. 11.14.) there is ſafety. The Objector is one to many, and he is in his own caſe a Judge, but a Council in other mens. But if that be not a truth, that [We muſt ſubject to Order] becauſe the major part may erre, then put an end to Church-adminiſtrations, there will be no end of Controverſies. But diſtinguiſh we concerning Councils. There is a Council Regular, of Orthodox and meet Members orderly gathered: There is a Council that is Irregular, and abuſive, as in times of Popery. When the Ark was taken by the Philiſtims, no marvel it was not Oraculous to Iſrael; but what Iſraelite refuſed to conſult the Ark of God after its return from the Philiſtims, becauſe they had abuſed it? You tell us, that Popiſh Councils have erred; and therefore muſt we forget that the Councils of the Orthodox have maintained the Truth, and have been the ſupport of Religion in former times? Look to the Nicene, and other Councils. Councils have been ſometimes among the Philiſtims, among the Papiſts, and for ſo long a time; but ſhall we eſteem the leſs of Orthodox Councils becauſe of that? 3. Diſtinguiſh between the Truth of Order, and Truth Poſitive. John 8.17. The teſtimony of two men is true: this is what God hath appointed for the Preſervation of Society Humane and Chriſtian. That is a truth in foro, viz. in Church or Court, which may not be the truth poſitive. The God of Truth hath made it for to keep Societies in peace; and if it were not for this Inſtitution, there could be no ſitting in Judgement, or any Polity among men. 4. Remember that the Spirits of the Prophets are ſubject to the Prophets, 1 Cor. 14.32. the Spirits of the Elders are ſubject to the Elders, &c. If this be not attended, there can be no Adminiſtration, or elſe there muſt needs be a meer rixation and chiding-adminiſtration. Where there is liberty and the Old man, there muſt needs be much Controverſie; 'twere more ſad if there were no Remedy. The non-admiſſion of this help renders the Churches, in caſe of Non-action, like the field of the ſleeping Husbandman, Matth. 13.25. or elſe like the Meeting of Iſrael at Meribah; either no Adminiſtrations, or manifold Alterations. 'Tis true, a Ship may live longer in a Calm, then in a Storm, but yet your Ship may be ſo long becalmed, that all the Proviſion may be ſpent, and ſo periſh in time; and it may be better periſhing in a Storm, then in a Calm: a Storm is ſwifter to periſhing, but both deſtructive. Either this Diſeaſe or that is mortal; the difference may be, that the one is. Chronical, the other Acute: both are killing. No (you will ſay) if ſuch men be there that have a ſpirit of Meekneſs and Patience: Yea, but reade Exod. 12.3. and Pſal. 106.33. Moſes the meekeſt man then on earth, yet it went ill with Moſes ('tis ſaid) for their ſakes. How long did Moſes live at Meribah? ſure I am it killed him in a ſhort time, a man of as good a temper, as could be expected from a meer man: I tell you, it will not onelyonly kill the People, but it will quickly kill Moſes. Take heed of Meribah, and accept of the Remedy againſt your Diſeaſe. Obj. May not a good man ſuffer by this means? Anſw. Sometimes we are called to ſuffer; and ſubjection to Order may be accompanied with ſuffering for the Truth: and better an innocent and good man ſuffer, then Order, for that preſerves the whole.
3. Sanctifie God in his Providential Teſtimonies againſt abuſe of Liberty. Minde Solomons caſe before-mentioned: Have we not many Adverſaries? Are we not Out-caſts? Are we as much in the hearts of others, as formerly? Are there not thoſe who labour to bereave us of our Liberties? Let us Sanctifie the Name of God herein.
4. Attend we the Examples of the godly wiſe, for the continuing of our Liberty, in like caſes. You will ſay, What is that? I anſwer, An Addreſs to the Supreme Authority, and a juſt Apologie. If any ſay, What Example in Scripture have we for an Addreſs? Let ſuch look to 2 Kings 4.13. Wouldſt thou be spoken for to the King? This did not unbecome the Prophet to propound to her. Remember Ezra 7.6. & 4.6, 13. Eſth. 4.8. Nehem. 2.4. did Nehemiah do the people wrong therein? My God (ſaith he) remember me for good in this. There was Accuſations written againſt them; Rehum and Shimſhai write, Tatnai and Shethar-boznai write againſt them, Sanballat writes: Shall there be thoſe that Petition againſt, and ſhall none Petition for Iſrael? Ezra's and Nehemiah's Petitioning, and promoting their Petitions to the King, were not interpreted as acts of diffidence unto God, or of irregular compliance, nor themſelves as men leſs friends to the Church and Civil Liberties, nor looked upon as unworthy to be continued in their Truſt and Eſteem among the People. Mordecai counſels Eſther to go in unto the King, and ſpeak to him, though it was with the peril of her life. To make an Addreſs then is not that which is not according to Scripture. The like I might ſay relating to an Apologie.
5. Let us walk in the uſe of our Liberty with innocency, and without offence. To differ from our Orthodox, Pious, and Learned Brethren, is ſuch an affliction to a Chriſtian and ingenuous Spirit, as nothing but love to the Truth could arm a man of peace againſt: Our Profeſſion being in a way differing from theſe and thoſe, it doth the more concern us that our walking be very cautelous, and that it be without giving any juſt offence. There will offence enough be taken at the Profeſſion of the Truth, though the Profeſſors thereof give none. The Profeſſion of the Truth draweth upon us enmity, but errour in our Profeſſion, and offenſive walking, delivereth and betrayeth us into the hand of the enemy. And give me leave to ſpeak freely, Let us ſee that we walk without offence toward Civil Authority: Suffer not your mindes to be prejudiced againſt the preſent, and ancient Government of our Nation: Iſa. 49.23. Kings ſhall be thy Nurſing-fathers, and Queens thy Nurſing-mothers: 'tis ſpoken of Goſpel-times. It is not a Goſpel-ſpirit to be againſt Kings: 'tis neither Goſpel nor Engliſh Spirit for any of us to be againſt the Government by King, Lords and Commons. It was the uſual ſtratagem anciently of the Adverſary, to calumniate the Chriſtians as diſaffected to the State, and ſuch as were for Reformation, as Enemies to Caeſar. But Juell could teſtifie in his time, Gratias agimus Deo, &c. (in Apolog. pag. 16.) That there could be no inſtance given, wherein they in that ſtate of Reformation had offered any violence to Princes, &c. So ſaid that famous Apologiſt. God make us more wiſe and religious then ſo to carry it, that they ſhould no ſooner ſee a Congregational-man, then to have cauſe to ſay, They ſee an Enemy to the Crown. Prov. 24.21. My ſon, fear thou the Lord, and the King, and meddle not with them that are given to change. Eccleſ. 10.20. Curſe not the King, no not in thy thought. Dan. 6.22. Innocency was found in me, (ſaith Daniel) and alſo before thee, O King, have I done no hurt. Is this thy voice, my ſon David? 1 Sam. 26.17. really ſo, not hypocritically? We have ſevere Obſervers; Tongues are not untaught to inform againſt us. It is but wiſdome to give no cauſe, eſpecially ſuch as our own Conſciences cannot teſtifie for, and ſuch as all Orthodox Churches in the Proteſtant world will teſtifie againſt. In matters of the State-Civil, and of the Church, let it be ſhewn that we are his Diſciples, who (Matth. 22.21.) ſaid, Give unto Ceſar the things that are Ceſars, and unto God the things that are Gods: and in matters of Religion, let it be known that we are for Reformation, and not for Separation.
6. Laſtly, Take care thar the Order of the Goſpel may have a free paſſage in the Churches; I mean, that our Practice may effectually anſwer our Doctrine, in that Book entituled [The Platform of Church-Diſcipline] 'Tis that for which we are Outcaſts at this day; that (for the ſubſtance of it) is it that ſheweth what New-England is. I would I might ſay that there are none among our ſelves that are againſt it. There was a time when the General Court did approve of it, and when the Members of that Synod pleaded for it. Our reality herein will be, in no ſmall degree, critical of our Integrity in this Undertaking; and our Actions muſt be the demonſtrations of our Sincerity: This is a principal Ingredient of this healing Plaiſter, and for the defect-hereof are ſuch frequent and ſcandalous Breaches in our Churches; ſo many Adminiſtrations in vain, and ſuch ſad Non-adminiſtration, and Remora's, occaſioning that ſad Quaerie of Spectators, Whether the Congregational-way be practicable, yea or not? I beſeech you conſider whom it is that it doth concern to anſwer this Objection; you that are conſcientious do not forget it, at whom the ſtick lyes in one order or another. If we cannot build without the noiſe of Hammers, yield that we are not Temple-workmen: yield we muſt, either that the Congregational-way is not the way of God, or that We are unfit for the behaviour of the Houſe of God. As concerning the Church-government according to the Platform of Diſcipline, the practice of which doctrine who careth for? is not this that truth which the Synod, Churches, the General Court ſometime made a good Confeſſion of, and that now no man comparatively careth for? Ezra 4.8. Rehum cares not for it: ver. 23. Artaxerxes careth not for it: Nehem. 4. Sanballat, and Tobiah care not for it: the Epiſcopal man, the Presbyterian care not for it, the Morellian careth not for it: the Merchant, the Souldier, the Husbandman, the Labourer careth not for it. Haggai 1. The people of Jeruſalem, the Church-members care not for it. I am apt ſometimes to think that Aaron may be under a temptation of irregular complyance; but minde, Ier. 15.19. Let them return unto thee, but return not thou unto them: I may ſay thus much (and pardon my ſpeech) A more yeilding Miniſtry unto the People, I believe is not in the World. I beſeech you let not Ceſar be killed in the Senate, after he hath fought it out, and conquered in the Field: let us acknowledge the Order of the Elderſhip in our Churches in their way, and the Order of Councils in their way, duely back'd and encouraged; without which, Experience will witneſs that theſe Churches cannot long conſiſt.
God hath opened the mouth of the Speaker to you this day, it being a day wherein after ſo many attempts and feares, you are betruſted with your Liberties for another year. You have this years oportunity, and at ſuch a time, and bleſſed be the Lord God of our Fathers, who hath put ſuch a thing in the Kings heart, ſo farre to accept your Application to his Majeſty, as not onelyonly to give you the oportunity of the year preſent, but alſo encouragement for many years to come. Let all of us be ſtirred up by the Lord, and at ſuch a time, to ſtrengthen the hand of Zerubbabel, and Jehoſhua, by your profeſſed ſubjection to the Goſpel of Chriſt. Do not betray liberty, under the pretence of liberty. You that are in the honoured Magiſtracy, remember Davids troubles, Pſal. 132.1, 5. he could not reſt till the Ark had reſt. And thoſe that are in the Miniſtry, remember Paul's troubles, and what his cares were, 1 Cor. 11.28. Let us all minde what were the troubles and thoughts of heart that were in them that lived in the dayes of Malachi, Chap 3.16. But are there not many that minde onelyonly their cieled houſes, &c? and how much doth the work of the Out-caſt lye unattempted, witneſs the ſick eſtate of the Churches: and how can it be remedied, if we will not acknowledge Order? and ſhall I ſay that we are real therein? You have brought upon your ſelves real troubles, and likewiſe upon your Relations and Friends in England, and thoſe here that ſuffer with you in this Exile: See then that you be not hypocritical, but real to the Truth which you have profeſſed. I could tell you, and you muſt not forget it, That there have been Men of Renown, as they are called Numb. 16.2. Famous in the Congregation of Iſrael, that did go out of Egypt, but yet could not endure the Order of God in the Wilderneſs. Let us ſhew it, that we miſtook not our ſelves, pretending to come into this Wilderneſs to live under the Order of the Goſpel. We are Out-caſts indeed, and reproached; but let us be ſuch Out-caſts as are caring for the Truth, and therefore not to neglect an Apologie: it doth become, and greatly concern Gods Out-caſts to minde it. You know there are thoſe who repreſent you as diſaffected to Government, and as Sectaries, and Schiſmaticks, and as Fanaticks: you ſee cauſe to Apologize therein. And for that term of [Fanatick] you muſt remember it is not of yeſterday, however it be now uſed or abuſed. You may learn the original uſe of it from that diſtribution of Profeſſors, in relation to Church government, in former times, into four ſorts, viz. Orthodoxt, Pontificii, Rationales, and Fanatici. But I truſt that God doth, and Angels and Men ſhall know that we are Orthodox. Gods Out-caſts are not Fanaticks. The Woman in the wilderneſs may have the vomit of the Dragon caſt in her face, if you let it lye on, you will ſuffer; waſh it off therefore by an Apologie. Thus did Juſtin Martyr, Tertullian, Iuel, and others in their time. Give not the advantage of interpreting Silence as Conſent, nor think it labour loſt if an Apologie will waſh your face. And though we may be caſt out by men, yet may we hope that God will look after his Out-caſts, and care for us, being Out-caſts for the Truth. Let it appear that we are ſuch Out-caſts, to whom the calamity and temptations of Out-caſts are ſanctified; Out-caſts healed: Out-caſts that care for the truth, and then Out-caſts on which God will bring the bleſſing of his own people. If this plaiſter findeth acceptance with you, you ſhall finde eſteem, and acceptance, and favour from God and man. Let us all labour ſo to carry it, as that we may have this Rejoycing of a good Conſcience to ſweeten that bottle full of tears ſhed in your Out-caſt condition in this wilderneſs, viz. That we came into it, not onelyonly with a Spirit teſtifying, according to the Scriptures, againſt the Inventions of men, but alſo that we do come up unto the Inſtitutions of Chriſt; that as we have departed from Inventions Humane, ſo we may not be found to be, or here continue oppoſers againſt Inſtitutions Divine; that we are not negligent of, but faithful to that Order of the Goſpel which we are Out-caſts for.