A Good Day Well Improved, Sermon 3
Were multiplied.
THis was the ſecond choice bleſſing, which accompanied The 3d Sermon preached at St. Maries in Cambridge, Feb. 25. 1654.or followed upon their peace, foreign: which the Vulgar, Calvin, and ſome others read, They were filled, and refer this word to thoſe that immediately went before, foreign. Thus: They were filled with the comfort of the holy Ghoſt; which reading in it ſelf beareth a good ſenſe, but 1. breaketh what (I think) is the right contexture of the parts of the verſe. 2. Nor doth the word foreign ſo well agree with a Dative caſe, as here it muſt according to that reading. 3. Nor uſually (if at all in the New Teſtament) put for to fill, but rather to increaſe and multiplie. And ſo I here take it, and with our Tranſlators read it; they having reſt were 1. edified, 2. multiplied.
That is,
1. As the Apoſtles in the courſe of their Miniſtry converted many to Chriſtianity: ſo more Churches were gathered in new places.
2. The former Churches in the ſame place were ſo increaſed by the converſion, and ſo acceſſion of new members, that not being well able to meet in one congregation, for order ſake, and for their better edification, they were either divided into more Aſſemblies in the ſame place, or as new Colonies were from them ſent abroad to ſtock and plant other places: and thus with the number of Believers, the number alſo of Churches was increaſed and multiplied.
In the handling of this particular, I ſhall endevour to make out theſe two things.
1. That, as it is here recorded and reckoned, ſo indeed it is a very great bleſſing to have the Churches of God multiplied.
2. That it is an happy fruit and conſequent of their having peace, and being edified, for ſo they lie in the Text. Firſt they had reſt, thereupon, next they were edified; upon both which in the laſt place and cloſe of all followed, that they were multiplied.
It is a very great bleſſing to have the Churches of Chriſt increaſed and multiplied, for as ſuch it is here recorded and reckoned: viz. As a 2d happy effect of their peace: Having reſt, they were both edified and multiplied: And for the further explaining of this particular, before the proof of it, I premiſe this double caution.
1. This multiplication and Caution. 1 increaſe of the Church, is a very great bleſſing, when and where it may be had, but yet not ſo, as to be ſuch a diſtinguiſhing note of the Church, as that that ſhould be no Church, where through the malice of Satan and his inſtruments ſuch multitudes are wanting. So indeed the Papiſts would characterize the Church by its far ſpreading, and over-grown multitudes, proving (as he ſaith) the fineneſſe of the cloth by the Mr. Fullers holy war.large meaſure, as Bellarmine in his Gemitus Columbae, will needs make his ſociety of Jeſuites to be the right Doves, becauſe of their faſt and far flight, and their multiplying brood, rather from any thing that they have of Dovelike ſimplicity and Innocency, of which if he could prove them very much guil…y, he would ſhew more ſtrength and art then he hath done in all his whole controverſies.
Such vermine may multiply by ſwarmes, whileſt the Lyon and Eagle, and other more noble creatures (as Ariſtotle obſerveth) are foreign, bring forth but by ſingle unities; Chriſt once, when loſt by his parents, was not found foreign, in the company, but Luk. 2. 44, 45. Revel. 12. 6the woman his ſpouſe is too oft to be found in the ſolitary wilderneſs, whileſt the waters whereon the whore ſitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and Revel. 17. 17.tongues.
The valley of the ſon of Hinnom is a foreign, as Hierom On Jer. 2. 24.obſerveth, and ſuch a Churchyard we may finde in the Popiſh Churches, in which more are buried, then are baptized into the true Church of Chriſt. For his dove and undefiled is but one, whileſt there are threeſcore queens, Cant. 6. 8, 9.and fourſcore concubines, and virgins (ſuch as never had reference or affection to him) without number: And therefore whileſt they cry, Nos numerus ſumus, &c. let it ſatisfie us that we are of Chriſts foreign, little little flock, to whom it is his Fathers Luke 12. 42.good will to give the kingdom: Multitudes rightly ordered are a bleſſing, but no infallible neceſſary diſtinguiſhing note of the Church, which is the firſt Caution.
The ſecond I implied, when Caution. 2 even now I ſaid, Multitudes well ordered; and it is more plainly expreſſed in the Text, when firſt it's ſaid, they were edified, and afterward that they were multiplied. For Multiplication without Edification breedeth onelyonly confuſion; like the ſwarmes of flyes in Egypt, which corrupted the land, Exod. 8. 24. So at firſt, when men began to multiplie upon the face of the earth, they defiled it, Gen. 6. 1, 2. Such multitudes may be more then a good many; too many for God (as once Judg. 7. 2, 4.) to vouchſafe his gracious preſence to: of ſuch multitudes we may ſay with the Prophet Iſa. 9. 3. Multiplicaſti gentem, non magnificaſti laetitiam; Thou haſt multiplied the nation, but not increaſed thy joy: Little increaſe of joy to the Church by the acceſſion of ſuch multitudes. As when
1. Either the bulk of the Church is ſwollen up with multitudes of hypocrites, as Iſraels camp was with that mixed multitude, Exod. 12. 38. A great deal of chaff may make a great heap on the floore, when there is never the more, but it may be the leſſe wheat in the garner, and many bad humours in the body may make it ſwell and be greater, but never the healthier.
2. Or when the Church is rent in pieces by Schiſmes and Factions, and ſo of one Congregation are made many conventicles of Hereticks: many ſuch are now falſly called Churches, and they are multiplied, and the more the pity, becauſe far enough from the ſenſe of the Text, in which the true Churches of Chriſt are here ſaid to be multiplied; nay hereby they are miniſhed, weakned, if not in ſome places wholely deſtroyed and ruinated. As in a demoliſhed building the parts of it pulled aſunder, and broken in pieces take up a greater room, but mean while the houſe is pulled down; and that liquor which is drawn out into many open pots groweth dead and vappid, which would have retained its ſpirits, if it had been kept together in one veſſell. But this Multiplication here was without any Diviſion; for theſe many had one heart, Acts 4. 32. in their orderly diviſions, they had no fractions, were multiplied, but both firſt were, and ſtill continued to be edified, and edification in the proper nature and notion of it includeth a compacted union, and accordingly they had peace in Brotherly communion, as well as in freedome from enemies perſecutions; Such a multiplication as a conſequent or concomitant of edification, the Text and the point in hand hold forth for a very great bleſſing.
1. Multiplication is a bleſſing in Nature ever ſince God ſaid, Gen 1. 22. 28.Creſcite & multiplicamini, at the firſt Creation.9. 1. 7.
2. And promiſed as ſuch in the Gen. 22. 17. Gen. 26. 4.Covenant of grace, to Abraham Iſaac and Jacob, and ſo all along, that their ſeed ſhould be as the ſtars of heaven for multitude.28. 3.
3. A bleſſing to a Family: When the wife is as the fruitfull vine by the houſe ſide, and the children like olive plants, round about the table, Pſal. 128. 3.
4. And a bleſſing to the State: For in the multitude of the people is the Kings honour, but in the want of people is the deſtruction of the Prince, Prov. 14. 28.
5. And why not as great or rather a greater bleſſing in the houſe of God, and the Commonwealth of Iſrael?
As ſuch, it hath been deſired and prayed for by the people of God, Let Reuben live, and not die, and let not his men be few, Deut. 33. 6. and as ſuch it hath been promiſed by God to his people, I will multiply them, and they ſhall not be few, I will alſo glorifie them, and they ſhall not be ſmall, Jer. 30. 19.
The contrary to it hath been frequently threatned on Gods part as a very heavy affliction; that whereas they had been as the ſtars of heaven for multitude, they ſhould be left few in number, Deut. 28. 62. when the glory of Jacob is made thin, and the fatneſſe of his fleſh waxed lean, and they left as the ſhaking of an olive-tree, Levit. 26. 22. Deut. 4. 27two or three berries on the top of the uppermoſt branch, Iſa. 17. 4. 6. or yet more loneſome and ſolitary; As a ſingle Beacon on the top of a mountain, or as an enſign upon an hill, as the ſame Prophet elegantly expreſſeth it, Iſa. 30, 17.
And on his peoples part as ſadly bemoaned and groaned under, as under a very heavy burden. So David mournfully complaineth that the godly man ceaſeth, and that the faithfull failed, Pſal. 12. 1. and the waſted, conſumed Church piteouſly cryeth out, My leanneſſe, my leanneſſe, Iſaiah 24. 16.
This truth the devill is convinced of, and therefore well knowing that the inlargement of Chriſts kingdom is the leſſening of his, by himſelf and his inſtruments he laboureth to hinder it: Come on, let us deal wiſely with them, leſt they mult plie, ſaith Pharaoh, Exod. 1. 10
And therefore God on the contrary, promoteth and advanceth it, when he intends to give his people a ſignall evidence of his favour and love.
Whether in worſe dayes as a pledge and meanes of their after deliverance, as in that remarkable, place Exo. 2. 7. where ſpeaking of Iſrael in Egypt, You have ſix words or expreſſions in the Hebrew, foreign. 1. They were fruitfull, 2. And increaſed abundantly, 3. And multiplied, 4. And waxed mighty and that 5. 6. in two words, See Muis in his varia ſacra in Exod. 1 7.foreign. Valde, valde, exceedingly, ſo that the land was filled with them. Not to expreſſe that the Hebrew women bare ſix children at a time, as Baal Haturim vainly Cabalizeth, quo nihil nugacius, but onelyonly to expreſs a moſt wonderfull proſperous increaſe. The 1st. word ſignifying that none of them was barren. 2. That they brought forth diverſe at once, more reptilium, as the 2d word ſignifieth, Gen. 1. 20. And 3. thoſe not ſhort-lived: For elſe they had not multiplied as the 3d word word ſaith they did. 4. Nor weak and feeble, but ſtrong and mighty, and all this doubled as the words are, and that to a ſuperlative degree as the word there uſed in that language ſignifieth: thus then to the Church in that time of their bondage, as to the Chriſtian Church in their firſt upriſing, whileſt yet under Acts 2. 6. 4. 32. 8. 2. 14. 1. 17. 4. 21. 22.perſecution: How oft do you read in the Acts of the Apoſtles of the foreign, the multitude of Believers? When foreign foreign, &c. When the word of God increaſed, and the number of Diſciples multiplied greatly, and a great company of the prieſts were obedient to the faith, Acts 6. 7. in that day of Gods power from the womb of the morning, he had the dew of his youth: Pſal. 110. 3. i. e. The world was overſpread with Believers and Churches, as the drops of dew in a morning cover Tertul. Apologet. cap. 37.the face of the earth; then they could ſay, Veſtra omnia implevimus, urbes, inſulas, caſtilla, &c. In thoſe firſt beſt dayes, though under perſecution, their numbers filled all places.
As we hope and believe in the laſt beſt dayes, they will fill the world, as is fully and magnificently expreſſed, Iſa. 60. when multitudes of Believers ſhall not be (as at firſt) like drops of dew that cover the earth; but as the everflowing waters that cover the ſea, Iſa. 11. 9. Then will the Churches of Chriſt have reſt, and be edified and multiplied. All great bleſſings, and ſuch as with which God uſeth to crown the beſt times.
And in particular, this bleſſing of the multiplication of true Saints, and Churches is very great. As by which, Reaſ. 1
1. A great deal of good is more eaſily done; much work by many hands, and great aſſiſtance by many helpers. He hath delivered my ſoul in peace from the battell which was againſt me, for there were many with me, Pſal. 55. 18. Not that God ſtands in need of multitudes to have his work done, or his people preſerved; for there is no reſtraint with him to 1 Sam. 14. 6. 2. Chron. 14. 11.ſave by many, or by few: One God ſelf-ſufficient in himſelf, and All-ſufficient to all his people, in their ſtraits, and want of all other help is more then All: My God, and I are good company, was the Dr. Sibbs.ſaying of a very good man.
But yet, as in ordinary courſe he works by means, ſo his work is often retarded through the f…wneſs of workmen, 2 Chron. 29. 34. and on the contrary is better carried on by many hands; How was the very place ſhaken where the multitudes of Beleevers, were met together, and lift up their voices foreign? Act. 4. 24. 31. 32. The publick prayers of many met together in the Church are the more prevalent, how much more joint the ſuffrages of many Churches? that way evry way the more good men there are, the more good is done.
2. And the more miſchief prevented or repelled. Many theeves are not ſo ready or hardy to ſet upon ſo many honeſt men, or may be better reſiſted by a greater number, if they do: a Iſa. 31. 4.multitude of ſhepherds called forth is able to withſtand the Lion roaring on his prey. And ſo when the godly prove numerous and potent, true enemies prove ſeeming friends, as it's ſaid, Eſther 8. 17. many of the people of the land, in that caſe, became Jewes; or if they will ſtill appear enemies, the Church of God will appear terrible, when it is become like an army with banners, Cant. 6. 4. 10.
3. Hence alſo more comfort and joy to the godly, for here, the more the merrier, and the better cheer too: thus the Jewes who had returned from Babylon prayed for thereturn of the teſt that ſtayed behind, whoſe acceſſion to them to fill up their number, they accounted would be as rivers in the South, i. e. moſt refreſhing and comfortable Pſal. 126. 4. and ſo before, it was with the voice of joy and praiſe, when David went to the houſe of God with a multitude, Pſa. 42. 4. as elſewhere he greatly praiſeth God when it was foreign in Pſal. 109. 30. Pſal. 22. 25the midſt of the multitude, foreign in the great congregation, if there be a full number of them, the Communion of Saints is more full, and their joy in it, more joy to them.
4. And (which is the greateſt bleſſing of all more glory to God, when he is praiſed, and bleſſed, and ſerved by ſo many: as a King in the midſt of his army, or Iob 29. 25.a great Lord incompaſſed with a great retinue of his ſervants and followers. This his praiſe will be moſt fully ſounded out when the whole Chorus in Heaven ſhall all together joyn in their Hallelujah's. A praeludium to which, even an heaven upon earth, is when many Churches from all quarters of the world ſhall ſing their ſeverall parts, as well as they can, to make up the Conſort; Abundant grace, 2 Cor. 9. 12.through the thanksgiving of many redounds much to the glory of God, 2 Cor. 4. 15. But it will be a moſt royal found which the Trumpet of the 7th Angel will make, and will fill the whole earth with the glorious praiſes of God, when there ſhall be great voices in heaven, ſaying, All the Kingdomes of this world, are become the kingdomes of our Lord and of his Chriſt, and he ſhall reign for ever, Revel. 11. 15.
And thus we ſee, that in the multiplication of Churches, and true Beleevers in them, is contained a multiplyed bleſſing: we may then ſay with Leah, when ſuch a Gad is born, that a Troop Gen. 30. 11.cometh.
And (which was the ſecond thing to be cleared) this bleſſing of Multiplication cometh upon the Churches peace and edification.
Peace breeds plenty, as in other caſes, ſo in this, The Churches (the Text ſaith) had peace, and thereupon it is added, that they were multiplied: Not but that God may, and often doth improve affliction and perſecution to the enlargement of his Church, and the multiplying Beleevers in it, as ſickneſs make's ſome young ones grow tall, and cold Northerly climes uſe to be more prolificall; So Iſrael in Egypt moſt multiplied after Ioſephs death, Exod. 1. 7. 12.and ſo had loſt their beſt friend to ſupport them, and when moſt burdned and afflicted. And the ſcattering of the Diſciples mentioned Act. 8. 1. appears from the 4th verſe following but to have been a ſowing of the ſeed of the word, and the Preachers as ſeedſmen for a following more plenfull harveſt, as after times made Tertullians word true, Semen eſt Apologet. cap. 50.ſanguis Chriſtianorum, that the Chriſtians blood became ſeed to beget many to Chriſt: ſuch trees of righteouſneſs grow faſt in winter, whoſe cold blaſts and bluſters do not ſo much blow out, as like bellowes blow up this divine flame; times of perſecution by Gods happy improvement of them, have proved times of the Churches multiplication.
But yet (as you uſe to ſay) it's pity that fair weather ſhould do any hurt, nay it's pity if it do not a great deal of good.
And if in it vermine ſwarm, it is ſome bodies fault, if ſomething better alſo do not thrive, that the Churches of God be not multiplied.
1. When they have fewer and leſs diſcouragements and hinderances which naturally and too uſually like cold blaſts nip and check an out-putting ſpring. It was a very low Ebb, when there was no Smith found in all Iſrael, 1 Sam. 13. 19.and as low when there are few or no Miniſters left in the Church; very low it was when five horſes 2 King. 7. 13.were as all the multitude of Iſrael, and yet lower when they are brought down to the like number, who are the Charrets of Iſrael 2 King. 2. 12 2 King. 13. 14.and the horſemen thereof.
2. When on the contrary they have many encouragements and furtherances, viz.
When Miniſters with Paul, Act. 28. 31. may Preach not onelyonly foreign no man forbidding and hindring, but alſo foreign, with all confidence and boldneſs, whileſt Chriſtian Magiſtrates command, maintain and countenance them in ſo doing.
And Chriſtian profeſſors have the like vacancy and fre…dome, that they may be as good as they will for any thing which they meet with coming croſs either from God or man. This freedome (I acknowledge) through our corruption and perverſneſs may breed many hypocrites; yet it helpeth to nouriſh and cheriſh multitudes of ſincere hearted Chriſtians, as the ſame fair weather which makes bad weeds grow, helpeth more wholeſome hearbs to flouriſh and multiply. Foule weather in the Church make's invenomed enemies (like Snailes, and Frogges, and Toades) to creep out of their holes in abundance; but fairer and calmer dayes give the people of God opportunity, and invite them to appear abroad in greater numbers, as the men of Iſrael, who had before hid themſelves, when they heard that the Philiſtines fled, came forth and increaſed the hoſte, 1 Sam. 14. 22. as afterward in Solomons reign, when the land had peace, and every man dwelt ſafely under his vine and figge tree, the Pomoeria of the City of God were ſo inlarged, and the number of its Citizens ſo much increaſed, that it was from Dan to Beerſheba, 1 King. 4. 24, 25. Churches are multiplyed firſt when their peace is ſetled.
And therefore all that I ſhall Ʋſe. ſay for the Application of this, is in the word of the Pſalmiſt; O pray for the peace of Jeruſalem, and ſay, Peace be within thy wals, and plenteouſneſs within thy palaces, even plenty of all other bleſſings, and above all of bleſſed Beleevers, which then either do, or ſhould increaſe and multiply; for whereas warre inlargeth the Territories of other Tyrants, a godly peace helpeth in a great meaſure to inlarge the Kingdome of the Prince of peace, therefore all the ſons of peace pray for peace that the Goſpel of peace may be all over preached, and the Churches of Chriſt thereby multiplyed.
2. But that with their peace they may be alſo edified, for ſo in the Text it's ſaid firſt they were edified, and then and thereupon it's added that they were multiplied; The true edification of the Church maketh much for the right and orderly multiplication of it.
And this according to the double edification of it, before mentioned.
1. Whether we mean the edification of the whole Church, which was when the Ordinances of Chriſt are ſet and held up in power and purity, the word being purely preached, the Sacraments and other holy things of God duly diſpenſed and adminiſtred: For as when God had at firſt created, and ſet all creatures in their ſeverall rankes and orders, He then ſaid, Increaſe and multiply, Gen. 1. 22. So when all things in his houſe are duely ordered, and diſpenſed, then we may expect a multiplied increaſe; for the Ordinances are Chriſts bed of love, Cant. 3. 1.in which many are begotten to him; and when that Mariage feaſt is made ready, and gueſts are invited, then the houſe is filled, and the mariage furniſhed with gueſts, Matth. 22. 10. So it was in the firſt preaching of the Goſpel, there went out Jeruſalem and all Judea, and all the Regions about to John Baptiſt, Matth. 3. 5, 6. Matth. 11. 12. Luke 16. 16.and in that crowd the Kingdome of Heaven ſuffered violence, and every one preſſed into it; and afterward Chriſt ſaid that when He ſhould be lifted up (as on the Croſs, ſo in the miniſtry of the Goſpel) He would draw all men John 12. 32.unto him, which was fully made good in that wonderfull confluence of numberleſs numbers of Beleevers, which all the world over, even upon the ſwords point, crowded in to Chriſt and to martyrdome together, when once in the miniſtry of the Goſpel He was lifted up as an Enſigne, to Iſa. 11. 10. 12. Gen. 49. 10.this our Shiloh were then the gatherings of the people, as of Souldiers to the colours of the Captain of their Salvation. Peters net was then full, and he taketh 153 great fiſhes at one Iohn 21 6. 11. Act. 2. 41.draught, nay ſome thouſands of Souls at one Sermon; when Ordinances were rightly diſpenſed. But as Peter at an other time Luke 5. 5.toiled all the night, and took nothing: So now with us while the word and Ordinances of Chriſt have ſo wofully been either corrupted, or deſpiſed and trampled upon, and ſo the houſe of God rather ruinated, then built up and edified, we have had Profeſſors enow, but how few ſincere ones? but thin congregations, and but ſlender account of any ſaving converſion, and coming on to Chriſt in thoſe few, the foreign have been of another way, Multitudes have been and are the badge of Mahomets heard, and the Popes Synagogue, and with us of ſuch, as have been the frequent followers of greateſt Seducers and Corrupters, as where the Carion is there the Kytes are gathered together.
And therefore the greater is our Ʋſe. ſin, and matter of our moan, and ſhould be of all our cares and endevours, eſpecially of ſuch with whom God hath betruſted the care of his Church and People, that his houſe may once be built, and at length better frequented and filled, and that not by flights of Kytes to the Carion, but of Eagles to that dead body, that ſaw no corruption; and of Doves Iſa. 60. 8.to the windowes, for ſuch promiſes there are made, and yet in part, nay (it may be) in a great meaſure, if not wholly, to be accompliſhed; that all Nations ſhall come flying and ſlowing into Chriſt, when the mountain of the Iſa. 2. 2.Lords houſe ſhall be eſtabl…ſhed in the top of the mountains; They then ſhall be multiplied, when in this ſenſe the whole Church ſhall be thus edified.
2. As alſo when the particular members of the Church ſhall themſelves hereby come ſavingly to be edified in faith and love, then and thereby Churches and Beleevers come to be multiplied.
For as it is their duty, ſo it will be their care and indevour with Peter, when converted, to ſtrengthen their brethren, and Luke 22. 32.when they themſelves are once edified and built upon Chriſt, to do what they can (as we heard out of 1 Theſ. 5. 11.) mutually to edify one another, for they come to Chriſt (as before we ſhewed out of 1 Pet. 2. 4, 5.) as living ſtones; not to lye ſtill as in a dead wall, no nor onelyonly to live and grow themſelves, but alſo to draw on others to the building, as in the place of Iſaiah 2. when all Nations are promiſed to flow to the houſe of the Lord, v. 2. it is added v. 3. And many people ſhall go, and ſay, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord; as before it was ſaid of Zebulun and Iſſachar, Deut. 33. 19.that they ſhould call the people to the mountain, i. e. thoſe two Tribes being in the utmoſt Coaſts, and ſo at a far diſtance from the Ark and Temple, ſhall yet through their own pains and diligence in coming to it, by their example, invite and ſhew others that dwell nearer to do the like, yea and call on other Nations (with whom by reaſon of their ſituation on the Sea coaſt, they had occaſion to traffique) to bear them company; ſo ſtudious were they, and ſo carefull ſhould we be, when we have acquaintance with Chriſt, to draw on others to like communion with him. Our Saviour ſaith that the Scribes and Phariſees compaſſed Matth. 23 15.ſea and land to make Proſelytes to themſelves; and Paul foretold Act. 20. 30.that after his departure Seducers would be ſtudious to ſpeak perverſe things, to draw away Diſciples after them, and what Quoy-ducks Jeſuites and other Popiſh Emiſſaries now are, and how buſy to bring whole Sholes and flights into their Nets, we in part ſee, and I wiſh that we here were more aware of their preſent practiſes.
But all that they do is only to fill the Synagogue of Satan by the emptying (what they can) the Church of Chriſt; O that we might once prove as wiſe and faithfull and diligent for God and Chriſt, as they are for Satan and Antichriſt, that by building up our ſelves, and one another, the Churches of God may be ſo edified, that at laſt they may be more multiplied!
But this tendeth to the 3d part of the Text in theſe words: