Concerning the Church of Jesus Christ Upon Earth, Title page – Table of contents
SEVERALL QUERIES concerning the CHVRCH of JESUS CHRIST upon Earth, briefly explained and Reſolved.
Wherein is ſhewed and proved,
1. That there is a Church of Jeſus Chriſt upon earth.
2. What this Church is?
3. How a People become a Viſible Church?
4. That the Churches in England were at firſt rightly Conſtituted?
5. What manner of Government Jeſus Chriſt hath ordained in and for his Church?
6. What manner of Perſons thoſe ought to be, that may be continued in, or admitted into the Church?
7. What is the duty of Church members towards Jeſus Chriſt their head, and one another.
By John Flowre M. A. Preacher at Staunton in the County of Nottingham.
London, Printed by T. Mabb for Edward Thomas and are to be ſold at his Shop at the ſigne of the Adam and Eve in Little-brittain neer the Church, 1658.
TO THE Right Honourable, EDVVARD Lord, WHALEY, Lievetenant Generall of the Army: under his Highneſs OLIVER Lord Protector of the Commonwealth of England, Scotland, and Ireland, and the Dominions thereto belonging.
Right Honourable,
THis which was at firſt conceived for the uſe and direction of my own Congregation; I have at the deſire of ſome private Friends, ſuffered to be brought forth to a more publick view; and I have alſo made bold to tender it to your Honour, which though I confeſs unworthy either of your judgment or acceptance; yet the countenance and many reſpects which I have received from you, have heightned me to this preſumption; hoping you will pleaſe to pardon that confidence in me, which your own favours and encouragements have begotten. I hope I have not in this offended againſt the truth; I am ſure I have not willingly, nor wittingly, if I have through ignorance, or miſtake, I ſhall willingly be rectified, and be glad to ſee my errours: Therefore in ſuch ca…e— Let the righteous ſmite me, Pſ. 141.5.and it ſhall be a kindneſſe, let him reprove me, it ſhall be an excellent oyle which ſhall not break my head.
In …y pre…enting this ſmall piece to your honour, my ambition is onelyonly to make an honourable and thankfull mention of your name: your deſerts h ve merited a better monument than I am able to elect for them.
Your Noble and civill deportment towards all in the Counties, more eſpecially under your Command; chiefly your countenancing and encouraging of the pious & painfull Miniſters of the Goſpel, hath juſtly gained you a good report of all men, and of the truth it ſelf; which honour that you may alwayes have, by ſtill co tinuing ſtedfaſt, and unmoveable, and always abounding in the work the Lord, is the prayer of
Your Honours moſt obliged in all duty and ſervice, JOHN FLOWRE.
TO My much eſteemed friends and neighbours the Inhabitants of the Town and Pariſh of Staunton, in the County of Nottingham:
BY the providence of the moſt high, Iſa 7. Acts 17.26.that hath appointed the tit es that are comming, and ſhall come, an …etermined the bounds of each one ha…itation, I am ſeated among you in this place, Pſ. 16.6.and I hope I ſhall have no other cauſe but that I may ſay with the Pſalmiſt, the lines are fallen unto me in a good place:
I account not that ſo much a good place where there are good fields good corne, good paſture — But I account that a good place, where there is a good people, a people ſwift to hear, willing to be reformed ready to ſubmit to the Scepter, and dominion of the Lord Jeſus, and not crying ou… like thoſe Rebellious Jews— Lu 7.19.14we will not have this man reigne over us. I account ſuch a place a good place, for it is not the fatneſſe of the ſoile, but the fear of the Lord that maketh rich:
I bleſſe God I have received no diſcouragment ſince I came amongſt you; I have not found you ſtubborne or perverſe, froward, or refractory, or reſiſters of the word of truth, which hath been delivered to you, but I have found you rather humble and meek, and willing to imbrace the Goſpel, which as it is your praiſe, ſo it is alſo my happineſſe and joy;
For what is it that makes the life of a Miniſter of the Goſpel comfortable? I tell you (if he be a man that truly fears God, and is faithfull to his maſter) it is not the greatneſſe of his Living, the fulneſs of his barnes — But it is the obedience of his people to goſpel-precepts, their growing in grace, their adding to faith vertue, and to vertue knowledge, and to knowledge temperance, 2. Pet. 1.5.and to temperance patience, and to patience godlineſs, and to godlineſſe brotherly kindneſſe, and to brotherly kindneſſe charity; their willingneſſe to be reformed, their readineſſe to receive the truth with love, their not being barren nor unfruitfull in the knowledge of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt:
O! The bleſſing of God upon his labours in Spiritualizing his people, this refreſheth him, when he ſeeth dead people quickned, enemies to Chriſt reconciled, children of wrath become children of grace, thoſe that were afar off, now made nigh, ſtrangers from the covenant now intereſted in the promiſe, there is no greater joy to a ſincere miniſter of the Goſpel than this.
This was St. 3 Ioh. 1.4.Johns greateſt comfort — I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walke in the truth.
O what a rejoycing is this! when a Miniſter can ſay of his people, as St. Paul could of his Corinthians, 1 Cor. 6.11—But ye are waſhed but ye are ſanctified — and to the Romans to whom he preached— Ye were the Servants of ſin, but ye have obeyed from the heart the forme of doctrine which was delivered unto you:Ro. 6.17.
But ah! what woe is it to a faithfull miniſter, that when he hath ſpent himſelf, and his pains for many years, yet is forced to complaine with the Prophet— Lord who hath beleeved our report? Iſa. 53.1.They were ſervants of ſin, and they are ſo ſtill, they have not obeyed from the heart the form of doctrine delivered to them:
They were thieves, covetuous, whoremongers, drunkards, Revilers, Scorners and they are ſo ſtill, — they are not waſhed, they are not ſanctified — an… this is an heart-breaking to a ſincere Miniſter of Jeſus Chriſt, and many ſuch there are that with the Prophet, Ier. 13.17.mourn in ſecret for this thing.
I muſt confeſſe. I have what reſpects I can deſire from you in relation to things temporal, and my endeavours ſhall be to gratifie you with things that are ſpirituall, which are of the greateſt concernment in the world.
Our main buſineſſe in this world ſhould be, to labor to make your calling and election ſure— To be diligent that at the appearing of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt to judgment we may be found without ſpot and blameleſs: men indeed make other buſineſſe then this, But alaſs! That ſo little regarded ſaying of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt will be proved true one day —What will it profit a man to win the world and loſe his ſoule?
While providence ſhall continue me among you in this place, my endeavour ſhall be (by Gods aſſiſtance) to ſet you in heaven-way, to be plaine, and faithfull to you in things of ſoul concernment;
To tell you that you are altogether ſuch as ye ought to be, all reall chriſtians, a viſible Church, ſuch as have a right to the ſacrament, an intereſt in the promiſes — I dare not ſow ſuch pillows under your armes if I ſhould, well might you ſuſpect me of daubing, I mean, with untempred morter.
But I ſhall endeavour to ſhew you out of the Scriptures, who are Chriſtians indeed, not only by a change of name, but by a change of nature alſo; who are a true viſible Church of Jeſus Chriſt: what manner of perſons they are and ought to be, to whom Seals and Promiſes are given, and if you be, or become ſuch, then may I tell you without deceiving you, that you are Christians indeed, a Church indeed, have a right to the Seals and promiſes of the Goſpel indeed.
If a Pariſh or People be altogether profane, atheiſticall, dead in ſins and treſpaſſes, without any favour or taſte of ſpirituall things— To tell ſuch a people that they are good Chriſtians, a viſible Church, have a right to the Sacrament— is no other then to cheat them of the truth, harden them in their ſins, and lead them blindfold to deſtruction: A formall and generall Preacher that words, and phraſes out his own wiſdom, tickling the ears without touching the hearts or awaking the conſciences of his hearers, he may have the praiſe and applauſe of men, but not the praiſe and peace of God; give me the latter, let who will take the former.
It will be worth all his pains and ſufferings, if a Miniſter drawing men to his latter end, and ready to give up an account of his ſtewardſhip, can appeale unto God and his Congregation, as once Samuel (ready to die) did unto the people in another caſe, 1 Sam. 12.— Whoſe Oxe or whoſe Aſs have I taken? whom have I defrauded? So when a Miniſter, — what ſoul have I beguiled? What ſoul have I defrauded? What ſoul have I hardened in ſin by covering, and not diſcovering the truth, and danger of its eſtate to it? What people have I deceived by telling them, they were Christians, when they were not? a Church, when they were not, had a right to the Kingdome of heaven, and the ſeals thereof when they had not? to be able to ſay thus, will be worth ſomething one day; O that all that take upon them the Miniſtry of the Goſpel would conſider this. If plain dealing have outward diſturbance, yet it hath inward peace.
But indeed an ingenious people, whoſe reaſon and underſtanding is not quite lost, or infatuated, will in time make good that ſaying of the wiſe mans; Pro. 28.23. That he that rebuketh a man afterward ſhall finde more favour, than he that flattereth with his tongue.
My endeavour therefore ſhall be to cauſe you to know your miſerable eſtate by nature, and the remedy thereof by grace; To cauſe you to look into that great myſtery, the infinite love of God in Jeſus Chriſt, in that great work of your dedemption through him, that ye may know the Lord Jeſus & the power of his Reſurrection, and the fellowſhip of his ſufferings, being made conformable unto his death: That when I am called to give an account of my Stewardſhip amongſt you, I may do it with joy, and not with griefe: Miniſters of all men had need to look about them, for they muſt give account for more ſouls than their own; and if any be loſt through their default, Ezek. 3.18that blood will be required at their bands:
I would not at the day of judgement be found in the condition of a negligent, idle, Paſtor, that hath fleec'd, and not fed his flock, for ten thouſand worlds: Not in his condition, 1 Cor. 2.4that daubs with untemperd morter, that ſpeaks ſmooth things, that preacheth not in the demonſtration of the ſpirit, and of power, but with the inticing words of mans wiſdome.
For fearefull will be the end of ſuch a man when Jeſus Chriſt and he ſhall reckon together; for ſo many ſheep, loſt through the eareleſneſs of the ſhepheard.
It was the ſaying of one, That of all men that ſhould be ſaved Miniſters ſhould be the feweſt: Indeed they have the greateſt charge, and are ſubject to the ſoreſt temptations, and it is to be feared that many Miniſters, either for fear or love, or ſome other worldly reſpect may offend too much againſt their commiſſion, which bids them cry aloud and ſpare not, Iſa. 58.1.lift up thy voice like a trumpet, ſhew my people their ſinns, and the houſe of Iſrael their tranſgreſſions; and ſo hazard themſelves too neere the pickes of Gods eternall vengeance and diſpleaſure; which thing of all other I moſt fear; and therefore through grace ſhall labour to avoid; which I cannot do, unleſſe I look ſtrictly unto you over whom I ſet an Overſeer; therefore blame me not if I be plain and earnest with you to preſs you forward towards the mark of the price of the high calling of God in Chriſt Jeſus; Phil. 3: 14.If I ſhould be negligent herein, your blood would be upon my head; The Lord pardon my neglects past.
I had rather diſturbe my own peace (if it muſt be ſo) and trouble the water to ſtir you out of the lees of carnall ſecurity, than to have you curſe me, and accuſe me before God at the day of judgement, for the deceiver and betrayer of your ſoules.
I bleſſe God I can ſay (through the grace given me) that my deſtre is (ſo farre as I know my own heart) not to ſeek yours but you; I had rather ſee you thrive in ſpirituals than my ſelf in temporals; and my greateſt encouragement among you will be, to ſee you walking in and obedient unto the truth.
If you will give up your names to Jeſus Chriſt, if you will obey the Goſpel, and not run with the wicked of the world into the ſame exceſs of riot, you muſt look for many oppoſitions, affronts, ſcornes, reproaches — but paſſe thorough all theſe with patience, looking unto the End, Jeſus, the Author and Finiſher of your Faith; who for the joy that was ſet before him, endured the Croſs, deſpiſing the ſhame, Heb. 12.1.and is now ſet down at the right-hand of God; and there if you run with patience the race that is ſet before you, ſhall you ſit down alſo; — For which things ſake I ſhall alwayes bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, and that he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be ſtrengthened with might, Epheſ. 3.14.by his Spirit in the inward man: That Chriſt may dwell in your hearts by faith, that ye being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all Saints, what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height, and to know the love of Chriſt, which paſſeth knowledge. That ye might be filled with all the fulneſs of God.
Feb. 2. 1657. J. FLOWRE.
Severall Queſtions concerning the Church of Jeſus Chriſt upon earth.
Concerning the Church of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt upon earth, I find theſe Queſtions moved amongſt others:
Firſt,WHether there be any ſuch thing as a Church of Jeſus Chriſt upon earth?
Secondly, What is the Church of Jeſus Chriſt?
Thirdly, How do a people become a true viſible Church of Jeſus Chriſt at firſt?
Fourthly, Whether the Churches of England vvere at firſt rightly conſtituted?
Fifthly, What Government hath Jeſus Chriſt Ordained in and for his Church?
Sixthly, What manner of perſons thoſe ought to be, that are in the judgement of Charity to be lookt upon as viſible Members of the Church?
Seaventhly, What are the duties of Church-Members towards Jeſus Chriſt, and one another?
Severall Queries concerning the Church of Chriſt.
Section I. Containing an Anſwer to the firſt Queſtion.
IF there were not thoſe that denied the Scriptures to be the word of God, and Jeſus Chriſt the Son of God, it might then be admired that any ſhould queſtion,
Whether there be a Church of Jeſus Chriſt a upon earth? For to deny this is to deny an Article of the Chriſtian Creed, to accuſe the holy Scriptures of folly and impertinences, to defame our Lord and Saviour Jeſus Chriſt.
If there be no ſuch thing as a Church of his upon earth, what meant our Lord Jeſus Chriſt when he ſaid— *Mat. 16.8Ʋpon this Rock will I build my Church? What meant St. Paul, 1 Cor. 1.2. 2 Cor. 1.1.when he directed his Epiſtle to the Church of God which is at Corinth? Rev. 2.Why doth the Spirit write to the Angel of the Church of Epheſus, of the Church in Smyrna?
Thoſe therefore that deny a Church of Jeſus Chriſt upon earth are not of ſo much worth as either to be named, or diſputed withall, but they are to be rejected by all ſober and judicious Chriſtians, as thoſe that have together with their Faith made ſhiprack of their Reaſon alſo.