Church Reformation, Sermon 2
THE SECOND SERMON, April 19. 1643.
MATTH. 3. 12.
And he will throughly purge his Floore.]
WE have here ſet forth (as you heard the laſt day) the Exerciſe of the Soveraigne Authority of Jeſus Chriſt over and upon his Church. His Church; that is here meant by the Floore; the viſible Church of Chriſt: which in what reſpects it is called a floore, and His floore, I then ſhewed you. Not to looke backe: Come we now to the ſecond particular, to ſee what ſhall be done to this floore. It ſhall be purged, (ſaith the Text,) throughly purged. He will throughly purge his Floore.]
Ban…, Epiſt. 24Purge it, Not caſt it off, not breake it up. I like not that Surgerie (ſaith one of our late Worthies) which upon every aylement diſmembreth and cutteth of. I know not who would like that Huſbandry, which becauſe of ſome chaffe in the floore, would preſently breake it up. Not ſo; purge it, purge it. This is Chriſts way, let it be Doct▪ …hriſts Floore, his Church ſhall be purged, and that throughly.ours.
He will throughly purge his Floore.] The Church then ſhall be purged, throughly purged.] This is that which the Lord promiſeth to the Church of the Jewes, Iſa. 1. Iſa. 1. 25.I will purely purge away thy droſſe.] What ever it was that defiled or imbaſed that Church, ſhe ſhould be purged from it, and purely, throughly purged. This promiſe he will make good to his Church under the Goſpell. It ſhall be purged, throughly purged.
Purged.Purged.] What ſhall it be purged from? Who ſhall purge it? When ſhall he purge it? By what …eans ſhall he purge it? And wherefore will he ſo purge it? Enquire we into every of theſe five particulars, by way of Explication and Illustration. To moſt of them (to the foure firſt) we ſhall find an anſwer in the Text. Begin with the firſt.
Quest. 1. From what ſhall it be purged? Anſw. From the chaff, viz Corrupt men & corruptions.From what ſhall this floore be purged? The Text it ſelfe inſinuates the anſwer; from the Chaffe that is in it. He will purge h… floore, and will burne the chaffe.] Firſt, purge it out, caſt it out of the floore, then burne it. And from this ſhall the viſible Church of Chriſt be purged; from the chaffe that is in it. What chaffe? Take the word as we will▪ underſtanding by it, either corrupt perſons, or corruptions themſelves: Both, in the phraſ and language of Scripture, knowne by the name of chaffe. Corrupt and wicked men, they are chaffe; The ungodly are like the chaffe] ſaith the Pſalmiſt. Chaffe for their vileneſſe, Pſal 1. penult. Ier. 23. 28.barrenneſſe, inconstancy &c. As corrupt men, ſo corruptions. What is the chaffe to the wheat? ſaith the Lord, Jer. 23. Gods truth …s as wheat, ſound and ſolid: Falſe Doctrines are as chaffe. Such are corruptions in Doctrine▪ and ſuch are corruptions in worſhip; and ſuch are corruptions in Diſcipline, all as chaffe, that will not endure the Fanne of the word. And from this chaffe ſhall this floore of Chriſt, the Church, be purged, viz. both from corrupt men, and from corruptions themſelves.
From corrupt men.1. Corrupt, wicked men, Hypocrites and others▪ they are in the Church, as ill humours in the body. In the body, but not of it. Joyning themſelves to the myſticall body of Chriſt, but no true Members of it. And being ſuch, they ſhall be purged out. Wicked men, Hypocrites and others, they are as Droſſe and Tinne, mixed with the good and pure mettall; and being ſuch, they ſhall be purged out. I will purge away thy droſſe (ſaith Iſa. 1. 26▪the Lord;) amongſt other, her corrupt Judges and Councellours, which ſhould be taken away. Wicked men, they are the Goates, which now flock and feed together Mat. 25. 32, 33.with the Sheepe: Joyning themſelves unto the people of God, and having communion with them in many, it may be in all the publike ordinances of God. They are the Tares, which grow up together with the Mat. 13 38.wheat in the ſame field. They are the chaffe, which cleaving cloſe to the Corne, lyeth with it upon the ſame Goaffe, upon the ſame heape. Being ſo, they ſhall be ſevered, they ſhall be weeded, purged out. Rev. 21. ult.The Church ſhall be purged from corrupt men.
2. And ſecondly, from Corruptions themſelves. Corruptions there are and will be, creeping in and cleaving Corruptions.to the ſtate of the viſible Church or Churches of Chriſt upon Earth. Corruptions, not only in manners, which are perſonall; but corruptions in Doctrine, corruptions in worſhip, corruptions in Diſcipline. Church-corruptions. Now from all theſe ſhall the Church be purged. Iſa. 1▪I will take away [all] your Tinne.] What ever it was that corrupted the ſtate of that Church. This will Chriſt doe for his Church under the Goſpell. He will purge away all her Droſſe, all her corruptions, be they (as I ſaid) in manners, Doctrine, worſhip. Expreſſe and full is that of the Prophet Ezekiel, Ezek. 36. 25. From all your filthineſſe, and from all your Idols will I cleanſe you, ſaith the Lord. Cleanſe them from their filthineſſe, from corruptions in manners, …hoſe ſpirituall pollutions and defilements: From their I dols, all corruptions in Doctrine, in worſhip. And let me adde alſo, corruptions in Diſcipline too. It is the Lords promiſe to the Church of the Jewes, in that place fore-named, Iſa. 1. 26. I Iſa. 1. 2….will purge …ay thy …raſſv, &c. And I will reſtore thy Iudges duplicate page duplicate page as at the firſt, and thy Counſellours as at the beginning.] And this will Chriſt doe for his Church under the Goſpell. He will reſtore her Judges, as at the firſt, and her Counſellours, as at the beginning. Reſtoring his Church to Primitive Order and Diſcipline, purging out what ever corruptions are in this reſpect crept into it. All this without queſtion ſhall be done; the Church ſhall be purged.
Throughly purged.And throughly purged, foreign, perpurgabit: Thus did Chriſt purge the Temple in the dayes of his fleſh: he made a thorough ſweepage, driving out all the buyers Mat. 21. 12.and ſellers, &c. And thus will he purge his Church: Iſa. 1. 25.foreign, He will throughly purge it. Purge out All corrupt men, and All corruptions. I will purely purge, &c.] Repurgabo ut purificationem (ſo Montanus renders the place) I will diligently and throughly purge thee, as the Fornace or fining pot doth the ſilver. This is that which the Prophet Malachi tels the Church, Mal. 3. where proſecuting the ſame Allegory, he ſets forth the ſedulity and exactneſſe of Chriſt in this purging of his Mal. 3. 3.Church. He ſhall ſit downe to try and to fine the ſilver; hee ſhall even fine the ſonnes of Levi, and purifie them as gold and ſilver.] Marke it; full expreſſions. Chriſt ſhall purge and purifie his Church; and this he ſhall do, both diligently and throughly. Diligently, not curſorily. He ſhall [ſit downe] to try, &c.] As a man that intends a worke ſeriouſly, he ſitteth downe to it. Throughly he ſhall try and fine and purifie, &c. The Prophet multiplieth words, heaps up expreſſions, all to intimate the throughnes, the perfectnes of this work.
Gods way perfect. Pſ. 18. 30.Gods works, they are all perfect works. As for God his way is perfect, Pſal. 18.] Such they either are, or ſuch they ſhall be before he leave them. Such was his worke of Creation, perfect at the firſt. Every thing which he had made was very good, i. e. perfect. Such ſhall his worke of new Creation be, the worke of Regeneration; Gen. 1. laſt.though imperfect at the firſt, yet before hee leave it, it ſhall be perfect, He who bath begun … good Phil▪ 1 6.worke in you▪ will perfect it▪ ſaith Paul to his Phili…pians. The new▪ birth, though at the firſt …n … yet it ſhall Eph. 4. 13.grow to a perfect man. This will Chriſt doe▪ as for every true member of his Church (The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me, ſaith th… Pſalmiſt▪ Pſal. 1…8. laſt▪) ſo for the Church it ſelfe. The …w Heaven and th… … Iſa. 65. 17.Earth ſhall be as perfect, as the old ever was. He that hath begun the good worke of reſtoring, purging his Church, will alſo perfect it▪ he will purge it▪ throughly purge it.
Quest. 2. Who will purge it? viz▪ Chriſt.He will doe it. Who? Why, that ſhall the Lord Jeſus Chriſt. There have you the anſwer to the ſecond enquiry, which I am fallen upon unawares. [He] ſhall throughly purge his floore, ſaith the Baptiſt. The floore is His, as I have ſhowen you; and being ſo▪ he will take care, as for other things▪ ſo for the purning of it. To this end, God the Father (the great Husbandman) Ioh. 1…. 1. Iſa. 53. 1….hath put the Fanne into the hand of this his Servant, that he ſhould dreſſe his Corne, purge his floore. To this on… Mat. 28. 18.amongſt other, hath he given all Power and Authori…y to him, as over the whole world, ſo▪over his Church after a ſpeciall manner, that he ſhould purge it. And this he will doe, which is properly his worke. He is like a purging fire, and like Fullers ſoape, ſaith the Prophet Mal. 3. 3.Malachi, ſpeaking of Chriſt▪ Mal▪ 3. 3. He ſhall ſit downe to try, &c.] He ſhall make it his worke to purge the Church.
None but hecan doe it.And indeed, who but he ſhould doe it? I, who but he can doe it? The purging of the Church is a great worke. So was the purging of the Temple, a greater worke then it is ordinarily apprehended. Temple purgati… maximum The through purging of the Church a great worke.miraculum, ſaith the Father. The purging of the Temple it was one of the greateſt miracles that ever Chriſt did in the dayes of his …leſh. That a private perſon (ſo he was then accounted and taken to be) nay a deſpicable perſon of ſo inferiour a ranke, the Sonne of a Carpenter Hieron.ſhould come into the Temple with a whip in his hand (as deſpicable an inſtrument, rather to be ſcorned then feared) and therewith ſhould drive out all thoſe (no petty chap men) Drovers and Bankers (notwithſtanding all their priviledges and protections, which they had from the Maſters of the Temple, the chiefe-Prieſts, &c.) as ſo many ſheepe before him, without oppoſition, without contradiction; what a worke? Well may we ſay of it, as Paul doth of the reſurrection Rom. 1. 4.of Chriſt from the dead; Hereby he declared himſelfe to be the Sonne of God, and that foreign, with power mightily. Whether there were at that time any Radij claritatis, Rayes and beames of ſplendour and glory, ſhining in, and ſt…eaming from the face and countenance of our bleſſed Saviour, ſtriking an awfull dread and terrour into the beholders or no? I leave it as I find it, an uncertaine tradition or conjecture, which may as ſafely or Dioniſ. Cart haſ. in 2 Joh.more ſafely be rejected then beleeved. (Non creditur quia non legitur.) But this we may ſay, and make it good; here were Radij divinitatis, rayes and beames of Divinity, a divine power put forth and manifeſted in this act. The like we may ſay of this great worke, the worke of Church-Reformation. To purge the Church, and that throughly, from all corrupt perſons and corruptions. What a work?
To purge it from all corruptions. Act. 1…. 29.To purge it from all corruptions. You heard in the Chapter read even now, what a ſtir, what a tumult there was at Epheſus, when once the great Goddeſſe Diana was but ſuppoſed to be touched. What a duſt it raiſed? The whole City was in a confuſion. Now how many Diana's are there to be found in the Chriſtian world? Perſonall-Diana's and Church-Diana's? All theſe muſt be, not only touched▪ but pulled downe and purged out. And what hand, but a mighty, an almighty hand ſhall be able to effect this, even the hand of Jeſus Chriſt.
From all corrupt perſons.Againe, To purge and caſt out all corrupt men out of the Church, what a worke? a great worke firſt to diſcover them, to find them out; when once diſcovered, a greater worke to caſt them out. And who but Chriſt can doe either of theſe? Who but he can diſcover them? Some ſo cloſe, ſo ſecret and hidden, that their owne hearts doe not diſcover them; much leſſe can others. Who ſhall doe it, but he that is foreign, he that knoweth and ſearcheth the hearts, to whom all things Heb. 4. 13. Specially the caſting out of Antichriſt.are foreign, nacked and open? And who but he can caſt them out being diſcovered? That man of ſinne, that Antichriſt of Rome, long ſince diſcovered to be (as the Father ſaid of Marcian the Heretick) Primogenitns Diaboli, the eldeſt ſonne of the Devill, the Head of the Church malignant upon earth; yet to eject, to cast 2 Theſ. 2. 4.him out of the Temple of God, where he ſitteth as God; what a ſtirre, what a combuſtion hath it made, doth it make, and is yet like to make through the Chriſtian world? Tangit montes & fumigabunt. He toucheth the hils and Rev. 17 9.they ſmoake, Pſa. 104. 32.] Thoſe ſeven Hils of Rome being touched, how do they ſmoake? How do they burn as if they would ſet all the world on fire? Never did Aetna or Veſ…vins, thoſe flaming Mountaines ſo terrible to the neighbouring Territories, caſt out ſuch thunderings and lightenings, ſuch vollies of ſmoake and flames, as thoſe ſeven hils have done, and at this day do, to the terrour and amazement of all the Chriſtian world. Tant… ▪ molis …rit. So great a worke is it like to be to diſinthronize that ſame foreign, that great Antagoniſt of Jeſus Chriſt, that Lord Paramount, that oppoſeth againſt, and exalteth himſelfe above all that is 2 Theſ. 2. 4.called God. To bring downe that Antichrist, and to caſt him out of the Temple, the Church of God, his uſurped poſſeſſion, which he hath held ſo long a time▪ vi & armis, by force and might, to caſt out him with all his complices and adherents, it is a mighty worke; ſuch a worke, as who but Jeſus Chriſt can be able to effect? And he will doe it, and that when the time commeth, with great facility and caſe▪ He ſhall conſu…s him with 2 Theſ. 2. 8.the breath of his mouth, and deſtroy him with the brightneſſe of his comming, that is, ſuddenly, eaſily conſume, aboliſh him, and together with him, all other enemies of his Church, whether open or ſecret.
The through purging of the Church an argument of Chriſts Divinitie Par…us a…l loc.A great worke. I ſuch a worke, as if we had no other argument to prove it, yet might we even from hence (as a good authour obſerves upon the Text) evince and demonſtrate the Divinity of Jeſus Chriſt; that he is more then man, truly God. To purge the Church, and to purge it throughly, it is Opus plane divinum, the worke of God and not of man. So much judicious Calvin rightly obſerves from that fore-named place of the Prophet Iſaiah, Iſa. 1. 25. where the Lord telleth his Calv. in Iſa. 1. 25.Church, I will turne my hand upon thee, and will purely purge away thy droſſe, &c.] Purgatio Eccleſiae propri… Dei opus. The purging of the Church is Gods peculiar worke, the worke of his owne hand. I will turne my hand upon thee, &c.] Certainly had not Chriſt bin more then man, he could never have purged the Temple as he did; And were he not truely God, he could never purge this floore, as it ſhsll be purged, throughly purge it. This hee can doe, and this hee will doe.
Quest. 3. When ſhall the Church be purged? Act. 1. 6.But when will he doe it? there is the third Quere. It was a buſineſſe of like nature that the Diſciples were ſo inquiſitive with our Saviour about, Acts 1. vi…. When he would reſtore the Kingdom unto Iſrael. If any ſhall make the like enquiry touching the purging of the Church, when Chriſt will do it? Let him reſt contented with that ſatisfaction that the Text giveth him. He will doe it. The purging of the Church a continued work, begun and carried on here, perfected hereafter.foreign, perpurgabit. He [will] throughly purge his floore.] This he will doe. The purging of the Church (as I told you) is a great worke, and therefore not the worke of a day, to be done at once. As it was with the building of the ſecond Temple under the Law, ſo ſhall it be with the purging of the Church under the Goſpell. (I dare not goe ſo farre as to make the one a Type of the other, but the congruity betwixt them, with the alluſion of the one to the other, I cannot but acknowledge and approve.) That Temple was not built all at once, as Solomons Temple was, but by degrees. Such ſhall the repairing and purging of the Church under the Goſpell be, Graduall, not perfected all at once. Chriſt in the dayes of his fleſh, he purged the Temple more then once: three ſeverall times, three ſeverall dayes, (ſo Chemnitius notes it upon that ſecond chapt. of John.) Firſt in the beginning of his Miniſtery; afterwards once▪ and againe a little before the end of his Ioh. 2. 15. Mat. 21. 12. Mark. 11. 15. Luk▪ 19. 45.life, as may be collected by comparing the foure Evangeliſts. And as he repeated the worke, ſo he did it by degrees (as the ſame Authour there obſerves.) Firſt he caſteth out the Sellers onelyonly: Joh. 2. 15. Then afterwards, both buyers and Sellers, Mat. 21. Mark. 11. Luk. 19. The purging of the Church is not one act. It is not to be done at once, but by degrees. The Moone having loſt her light, recovers it by degrees, ſo ſhall the Church hers. The purging and reſtoring of the Church is a continued worke, and therefore Chriſt is ſaid to fit at it, in that place fore-named, Mal. 3. He ſhall ſit downe Mal. 3. 3.to try and to fine, &c.] He fitteth downe to it: Beginning and carrying it on here, perfecting it hereafter.
Queſt. 4. How Chriſt purgeth it? viz. by hu Fanne.And all this will he doe with and by his Fanne. So I am fallen upon the fourth enquirie. How Chriſt will doe this, by what meanes, by what Inſtrument. The Text reſolves it. He will doe it by his Fanne. Who hath his fanne in his hund▪ and he will throughly purge his floore, viz. by that his fanne, even that threefold fanne which Scultet. exercit. ſuper Textum. Ʋentilabrum in manu Chriſti triplex. 1. Doctrinae. 2. Crucis. 3. Iudicij.I ſpoke of, the fanne of the Word, the fanne of the Croſſe, the fanne of the laſt Judgement. All theſe three Chriſt maketh uſe of for the purging of this floore, his Church. The two former he maketh uſe of here; the fanne of the word, the fanne of the Croſſe, whereof the latter is ſubſervient to the former.
Properly the Fanne of the Word. I…r. …3. 29.The chiefe Inſtrument which Chriſt maketh uſe of in this great purging worke is his Word. This is that fire, (is not my Word as fire?) Whereby this Refiner tryeth and purgeth his mettall: Firſt, diſcovering corruptions, then conſuming them. Even as the fire firſt ſheweth which is the droſſe, and then burnes it up. Both theſe doth Chriſt by his Word. Firſt diſcovering 1 Cor. 3. 12, 13.corruptions by the light of it. If Wood, Hay, Stubble, be built upon the foundation, the day will declare it, (Dies Evangelij, the lightſome Doctrine of heavenly truth, as divers Expoſitors expound that place) it ſhall be revealed by fire, viz. by the Word, which examining and trying the Doctrines of men, diſcovers the corruption that is in them. And diſcovering them by the light of it, he conſumes them by the heate of it; and that both perſonall and Church corruptions. Both theſe Chriſt purgeth out of his floore by this fanne, his Word. Hereby it is that he hath already purged out ſo much Romiſh chaffe out of this floore, ſo much of Antichriſtian Idolatry, and ſuperſtition out of his Church. And by this meanes he will purge out the reſt. He ſhall conſume 2 Theſ. 2. 8.him with the breath of his mouth, ſaith the Apoſtle, ſpeaking of Antichriſt and Antichriſtianiſme, with the breath of his mouth, i. e. spiritu Sermonis Evangelici, ſaith Caje…n rightly. The Gospell preached. This is that ſame foreign. Rev. 1. 16. Heb. 4. 1….that ſharpe two edged Sword going forth of the Mouth of Jeſus Chriſt. Even his Word in the mouth of his Miniſters, which is ſharper then any two edged Sword. Hereby it is that Chriſt goeth forth againſt all the Enemies of his Perſon and Kingdome, wounding them, Pſal 45. 5. Rev. 6. ….ſlaying them. Wounding them. T…ine Arrowes are ſharpe in the heart of the Kings Enemies.] Arrowes ſhot out of that Bow in the hand of Jeſus Chriſt, wherewith he goeth forth through the world conquering, and to conquer, Rev. 6. viz. his Word, his Goſpell preached, which is the powerfull inſtrument of Jeſus Chriſt, wounding the ſoules and conſciences of ſuch as oppoſe it. And not onelyonly wounding, but ſlaying them. He ſhall ſmite Iſa. …1. 4.the Earth with the R…d of his Mouth, (ſaith the Prophet Iſaiah) and with the Breath of his Mouth ſhall he ſlay the wicked. The R…d of Chriſts Mouth, and the Breath of his lips is his Word; his Goſpell preached: Hereby he ſmiteth the Earth, that is, the wicked and impenitent which are upon the Earth, Smiteth them, nay ſlayeth them; Either killing ſinne in them, or them in their ſinnes, ſlaying them ſpiritually. This doth Chriſt by his word, which is unto all impenitent unbelievers a killing letter, a deadly ſavour, a ſavour of death unto death. Of 2 Cor 3. 6. 2 Cor. …. 16.ſuch effi…acie is this fanne in the hand of Jeſus Chriſt. Hereby he not onelyonly diſcovers, but alſo diſſipateth and ſcattereth what ever chaffe he meeteth with in his floore. And by this meanes purgeth it; making uſe of his Word, as the chiefe and principall Inſtrument in effecting this great worke.
Accompanied with the wing of Diſcipline.True it is, it muſt not be denied, but that this fanne (as I have heretofore ſaid) works the better when it hath the winge to helpe and ſecond it. The Word is made more powerfull and effectuall, when it is backed by Diſcipline, which rightly and duely exerciſed, ſerveth as a winge to ſweepe off ſuch ſcandalous and obſtinate offendours, as doe deſpiſe the winde of this fanne, ſuch as will not yeeld obedience to the Word. A uſefull implement, ſo it muſt be acknowledged. The fanne will not make cleane worke without it. Without it this floore will not be throughly purged. And in this regard much to be deſired. But yet know we it not to be ſo abſolutely and eſſentially neceſſary to the being of a Church, as that the bare abſence, the want of the exerciſe of it, (for as for the power, that cannot be taken away from the Church, being by Chriſt himſelfe given to it as a Church) ſhould make a nullity of a Church, make it to be no Church. Surely where the fanne is at worke, there is Chriſt at worke purging his floore. This being (as I ſaid) the chiefe and principall Inſtrument and meanes whereby he eff…cteth this great worke.
Accidentally …y the Fanne o… the Croſſe.Not but that he alſo make…h uſe of that other Fanne, the Fanne of the Croſſe, for the furthering of this work. But this is accidentally. The Croſſe hauing no ſuch purging property in it ſelfe, otherwiſe then a… Chriſt is pleaſed to make uſe of it, which he doth o…-times to this end: Hereby purging out (as perſona…, ſo Church-corruptions. Iſa. 27 9.By this (ſaith the Prophet Iſaiah) ſh…ll the iniquity of Jacob be purged.] By this, viz. by Gods debating and contending with his Church in the branches thereof (as the old …ranſlation readeth it) by blowing ver. 8.upon it with a rough winde in the day of the Eaſt winde: that is, by his exerciſing of it with the ſtrong and ſharp winde of ſome ſor… judgment, which like an Eaſt wind nippeth and blaſteth th… …ud and the branch, though not killing the Root, Hereby (ſaith the Lord) ſhall the iniquity of Jacob (the Church) be purged. Expiabi…r, it ſhall be expiated, purged, not by way of ſatisfaction (as ver. 9.our adverſaries would carry it) but by Repentance and Reformation, which God would uſe this as a meanes to bring his Church and people unto, thereby purging out their Idolatry and ſuperſtition with all the monuments of it, which is properly the iniquity of Jacob there ſpoken of (as may be gathered from the ſequell.) Such uſe God often makes of this ſecond Fanne; where the former, the Fanne of the Word, taketh not place, he ſends the latter, the Fanne of the Croſſe to ſecond it; making uſe of both for the Purging of his floore. Thus he purgeth it Here.
But this purging is imperfect, not yet a through-purging, when ſhall that be? When ſhall this Floore be throughly purged? I have told you it already. Hereafter at that laſt and great day, that day of purification; when Heaven and Earth ſhall be purified, then ſhall this Floore the Church, be purged, throughly purged. And this ſhall Chriſt doe by that third and laſt Fanne, the Fanne of the last judgement. Thereby ſhall he make a Mat. 25. 32.full and finall Separation, ſeparating the Goates from the Mat. 13. 30▪Sheepe, which here have gone with them in the ſame flocke, fed with them in the ſame paſture. Thereby ſhall he lever the Tares from the wheat, which here grew up with it in the ſame field. Hereby he will ſever the chaff from the Corne, which here lay with it upon the ſame heape. And that he will doe throughly, perfectly; from thence forth for ever freeing his Church from all mixtures, whether of corrupt-men or corruptions, neither Rev. 2…. 27.of which ſhall enter into the new and heavenly Jeruſalem.
Quest. 5. Wherefore ſhall it be ſo purged, viz. that it may be a glorious Church.Thus will Jeſus Chriſt purge his Floore, his Church. And wherefore will he ſo purge it? That is the 5th and laſt Enquiry: To which take the Reſolution in a word. This he will doe, that he may have a glorious Church; a Church ſutable to the Head of it. The Head of the Church is a glorious head, a Head like that of Nebuchadnezzars Image, all Gold, fine and pure gold. Such ſhall Dan 2. 32.the Body be, not part of braſſe and part of Iron, and part of Clay, a mixed body, as that was; but all Gold, pure Gold, that it may be ſutable to the Head. A glorious body to a glorious Head. To this end it is (ſaith the Apoſtle) Epheſ▪ 5 27.That Christ ſanctifieth and cleanſeth his Church by the waſhing of water through the word, that he may preſent it unto himſelfe a glorious Church, not having spot or wrinckle, or any ſuch thing (any mixture) but that it ſhould be holy and without blemiſh, Eph 5. 27.
Introduction to Application.Thus have I runne over the Doctrinall part of this Concluſion, That Chriſt will throughly purge his Church. What Ʋſe ſhall we make of it? Time giveth not way to particular inlargements: Neither indeed am I very willing to give way to them upon this ſubiect in this Congregation; which if I ſhould, it would happily occaſion ſome debates and diſputes, which my deſire is (as much as may be) to decline and avoid. Truth is, I ſcarce know a Text in Scripture, which offers a more fit and full occaſion to the diſcuſſing of the differences and controverſies of the time, then this: But ſuch is my love to peace, and deſire of peace, that I will not only not runne out my Text to fetch in differences, but I ſhall (as much as may be) baulke and paſſe them by, when I meet with them. This I have hitherto done, not medling in publike with any of thoſe points of difference betweene us and thoſe our brethren, who doe hold communion with us. As for that bitter errour of the Separation (ſo I call it, borrowing the word from James 3. 15.St. James, who informes me of a bitter zeale, foreign, of which nature I take this to be, which is ſo farre distaſted, not only with the Church of England, but with the Churches in England, as that at once it rejecteth and renounceth them all as falſe and Antichriſtian) apprehen ling it like to be the errour of the times, dangerous to the Church, and in particular to this place, I confeſſ…, as I have met with it, I have not ſpared it, neither (by the grace of God) for the future ſhall; But for what ever d…fferences there are betwixt us, and thoſe that will owne us for Brethren, I have not yet touched upon them, neither ſhall I willingly doe it; wiſhing that herein I may find a like correſpondence from others in this place, that ſo Church-differences being laid aſide, 2 Sam. …0. 12, 13.(as that dying Amaſa once was) and covered with ſilence, the Lords people might be led on in their march to Heaven without diverſion or interruption. Upon this ground, I ſhall forbeare inlargements.
Beſides, let me tell you, All Truthes (I though Goſpell Truthes) are not ſo fit for every audience. For this 1 Cor 3▪ 2.I have S…. Pauls warrant to beare me out, who writing to his Corinthians, tels them, that he had ſed them with milke and not with meat, Why? For hitherto (ſaith he) yee were not able to beare it, neither yet are ye able, 1▪ Cor. 3. And ſuch I take this ſubject to be, which I have now in hand. Church-Reformation. A ſubject fit indeed to be handled before that Authority to which a Church-Reforming power is committed; but not ſo fit for private Auditories. Herein I cannot but applaud and approve T. G. Zerobabels Inc…uragement.the profeſſion and practiſe of a reverend and worthy brother of ours, a knowne Advocate for Church-Reformation, who having preached a Sermon upon this very ſubject before the Honourable Houſe oſ Commons at one of their Publike Faſts, and at their command publiſhing it, in his Epiſtle Dedicatory to them, he tels them and the world, that it was a ſubject which otherwiſe, and in all other Auditories h… had beene ſilent in, and yet was no whit ſory for it. Not but that the People ought alſo to know their duty herein. So ſaith he, and ſo ſay I, and in that way ſhall I carry the Application, which … intend to make of it.
Ʋſe. Doe what wee may to further this deſigne of Ieſus Chriſt upon this Church, viz. the Purging. Reforming of it.Will Jeſus Chriſt thus throughly purge his floore, why then let all and every of us (every of us in our places) doe what we may, doe what we can for the furthering of this deſigne, this great deſigne of Jeſus Christ, in and upon this and other of his Churches. That this is his deſigne, we comfortably hope. Certainly one of theſe two it muſt be, either Reformation or Deſolation. We truſt, not the latter, though we have cauſe enough to feare it. Our hopes are, that Jeſus Chriſt will not yet forſake this Floore of his, where the Fanne of the Word hath bin ſo long a time at worke, and where he hath ſo much wheat lying upon the Heape. It is the Lords own Reaſon to Paul, why he would not have him depart from Corinth, but abide and preach there; for (ſaith he) I have much people in this City. Surely God hath Act. 18. 10▪much people, a great people in this Kingdome: A great people already called and brought in, and we hope yet a greater to be called in; Much Corne already threſhed, and more in the Straw. This giveth us ſome comfortable hopes, that he will not yet deſert this Floore, not yet leave this Church of his. What then? Purge it, Purge it, Reforme it, Reforme it. This we hope is the preſent deſigne of Jeſus Chriſt at this day, not to abandon, not to caſt up this Floore, this Church of his, but to purge it from what ever Chaffe of corruption is yet remaining in it.
That there is Chaffe yet remaining in this Floore, it muſt not be denyed; Certainly were there not, this Fanne, the Fanne of the Croſſe, the Fanne of Judgement ſhould not be ſo buſie at worke, as at this day it is (and now for ſo many moneths hath been.) It is Jobs ſpeech Iob 6. 5.to his Friends, Doth the wild Aſſe bray when hee hath graſſe, or doth the Oxe low over his fodder? The very bruit beaſts doe not complaine, when they have what they would have. Surely it cannot be but ſomething muſt be amiſſe amongſt us; otherwiſe God would never deale with us, and other of his Churches as at the preſent he doth. Certainly we may hence conclude, that as yet he hath not what he would have. Something there is amiſſe amongſt us, and Ezek▪ 24. 6.ſomething which we hope he is about to reforme. Queſtionleſſe ſome ſcum there is in this Pot, which whileſt it hath bin pla…ing with ſo long a continued proſperity, hath even boyled and ſodden-in. And Pſal▪ 73. 10.hereupon it is (we hope) that God hath now powred in this full cup of cold-water, that as he hath hereby in part raiſed this ſcumme already, ſo he may in his time purge it out. Some Chaffe in this Floore, ſome Corruption in this Church, which we truſt Chriſt is about to purge out and reforme.
Motive. Chriſts worke cannot be hindered.And doe we apprehend this to be his aime and Deſigne? Let every of us further it vvhat vve can, not hinder it. Hinder it we cannot: Which may ſerve as an argument to put us on to further it. Hinder it (if we would) we cannot. He will purge and throughly purge his floore. This he will doe, and that in deſpight of all oppoſition; maugre the malice of Satan, Antichriſt, and all their accurſed Inſtruments and Adherents. Let them all doe what they can either by power or pollicy to keepe the chaffe in the Floore of Chriſt, yet Chriſt will purge it out. And can we not hinder it? Why then let us put to our hands to the furthering of it. None of us in this caſe but may do ſomething, if we have hearts to the worke.
Quest. What ſhall wee doe?Queſt. But then, What ſhall we doe? A great, uſefull and ſeaſonable Queſtion, but it will require more time for the reſolution of it, then is at the preſent allotted me. Let me only tell you what my deſigne and purpoſe in the Anſwer of it, is, viz. to ſhew you theſe two things: 1. What the Reformation is which we are to deſire and ſeeke. And ſecondly, What we ſhall doe to further and compaſſe that Reformation. Two uſefull points. The former I ſhall only touch upon in the generall (having already bounded my ſelfe from particular inlargements upon this ſubject.) In the ſecond I ſhall deale more diſtinctly and particularly; but the time being now paſt, taketh me off from preſent proſecution of either. I ſhall adjourne them both (if God pleaſe) to another occaſion.