The Intercourses of Divine Love Betwixt Christ and His Church

Sermon LX.

I Am come to the Second Proposition of the Text, in those words, Our bed is Green. The Chaldee Paraphrast making the Congregation of Israel the Spouse in this Song, thus glosseth upon these words, In the time, when thou dwellest in our Beloved Bed, our Children are many, and multiplied upon the Earth, we grow, and multiply, like a Tree planted by the Rivers of Waters, whose leaf is beautiful, and whose fruit is much. Possibly that ancient Interpretation hath led the generality of Interpreters to expound the Text concerning the flourishing condition of the Soul, and of the Church, while it is in Spiritual conjunction with the Lord Jesus Christ, it is not My Bed, but Our Bed, is Green, and flourishing, for so the word may be translated. So that not to enlarge in further discourses about the Exposition of the Text; taking it for granted that the Holy Ghost in this Text respecteth the Bed, as it is the place for procreation, or as it was the place where they did eat their meat in those Countries, we may from it observe this plain Proposition.

Prop. That the fruitfulness of the Soul, and of the Church, doth depend upon Christ's conjunction with them.

I shall speak to this Proposition by way of Explication, confirmation, and Application. By way of Explication, we will only inquire what is the gracious Souls fruitfulness, or the Gospel Churches fruitfulness.

1. The particular Souls fruitfulness lies in its bringing forth of good works. You read in Scripture of the fruit of the Body. Deut. 28. 4. And of the fruit of the Land, Deut. 7. 13. The Children of God, are said to be Married unto Christ. And as the fruit of the Womb is the consequent of carnal Marriage, so the fruit of holiness is the consequent of Spiritual Marriage, Rom. 7. 4. You are become dead to the law by the Body of Christ, that you should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead that we should bring forth fruit unto God. This fruit unto God is called fruit unto holiness, Rom. 6. 22. Christ is also compared unto a vine, John 15. 2. We are the Branches, and therefore purged that we may bring forth fruit, ib. 5. 16. Whether therefore the gracious Soul be looked upon as the Spouse of Christ, and Married to him, by faith, its fruit is holiness, or whether it be looked upon as a branch in Christ, still its fruit is holiness; our works (considering us as men) are our fruit. Now look, as several Plants, according to their different natures bring forth different fruit, some bring forth pleasant, some bitter fruit, some wholesome, some again noxious fruit: so it is with men and women, who are the Plants of the World; by Nature they are all wild Plants, and are corrupt, and bring forth corrupt fruit, called by the Apostle, the fruit of sin unto death: But having a new Nature given them by God, they bring forth fruit unto life, the fruits of righteousness, which are also called the fruits of the Spirit, Eph. 5. 9. Gal. 5. 22. the fruit of righteousness, to show the species, or kind of them, fruit unto life, showing the consequent of them, the fruit of the Spirit, showing the more external cause of them: Now as these fruits more or less abound in the Soul, the Soul is more or less fruitful. This is the particular Saints fruit.

2. The Churches fruitfulness is its bringing forth many Sons unto God. Children are the fruit of the body, caused by generation. God's Children are the fruit of the Church, caused by Regeneration; Conversion is called a begetting, 2 Pet. 1. 3. We are said to be begotten of God, 1 Job. 5. 1. God is our Father, but the Church is our Mother: It is the Church which bears us, which travels, and brings forth Children unto God: And the Saints are called the Churches Children, Isa. 54. 13. All thy Children shall be taught of the Lord, and great shall be the peace of thy Children. The thriving of the Church lies in this when many Souls are in it converted, and brought home unto God. This is the Souls fruitfulness and thriving, and this is also the Churches fruitfulness, and thriving. This is that which my Doctrine speaketh of and saith, that i t dependeth upon Christ's conjuncton with the Soul and with the Church. Look as the fruitfulness of the Woman depends upon the conjunction of her Husband with her, as the fruitfulness of the plant depends upon its conjunction with the Earth; as the thriving of the Body by its meat, dependeth upon the blessing of God. Man liveth not by bread only, but by every word that cometh out of the mouth of God: And as the thriving of the plant dependeth upon the influence of the Heavens, the shinings of the Sun, and the distillations of the Clouds; so, yea much more then so, doth the thriving of a Church and of a Soul, depend upon the influence of Christ's grace. I will prove it first concerning the particular Soul. 2. Concerning the Church, 1. Concerning the particular Soul.

1. It is Christ that giveth the Soul a prolific virtue. The fruitful Woman must have a prolific virtue, so must the plant of the field, otherwise the Woman is barren, and the plant is barren. That power which is in any Soul, to bring forth the fruit of holiness, that is its prolific virtue, and this is from the Lord; this is that which the Apostle calleth to will in Philip. 2. 13. The will is the root of all human actions, and the power in the Soul to do them lies in its ability to will them. This is from the Lord, yea and from the Lord in a way of special providence too. The God of Nature hath put into the creature a prolisick virtue that (supposing the particular concurrence of Ordinary Providence) the woman brings forth the fruit of the Body, in a Natural course. And so concerning the plants of the field, (supposing the concurrence of Ordinary Providence) the plant brings forth fruit in its kind. But it is not thus with men, and women, as to the fruit of grace and of holiness. It was thus indeed with Adam; Adam in the day of his creation (as to the fruit of holiness) was like the plant of the field, endued with a prolific virtue, he had not only Natural faculties, understanding, will, &c. but he had a power, and disposition in these faculties, to that which was good, this was connatural to him in the day of his creation; but as it is with the woman, created at first with this prolific virtue, yet by accident this or that particular woman, may want it, and so is barren: So it is with all the Children of Adam, though in him created in statu integro, with a posse velle, a power to will that which is well pleasing in the sight of God, yet by that sad accident of the first man's transgression we are all become barren, and without any power to will that which is good. A will indeed is left to us, but an indisposition in that will unto that which is good; we are reprobate unto every good work. And that not only, by wicked works, as men are by them hardened in sin, and accustomed to Evil (and custom we say is a second Nature,) but even by Nature we are so. Now it is from Christ, that the Soul hath its first power, and ability so much as to move to a good action, 2 Cor. 3. 5. We are not of ourselves sufficient to think one good thought, Eph. 2. 5. When we were dead in sin, he hath quickened us together by Christ. Life is the Principle of all operation, we are by Nature dead, it is the Lord that quickeneth us. Look as the Child moves not till it be quickened, so neither doth the Soul move unto anything that is good until grace at first quickeneth it.

2. As Christ gives the prolific virtue to the Soul, so it is he also that doth excite this virtue to act. God hath given unto the plant a prolific virtue from whence it is that it brings forth fruit; God hath given Bread-Corn a Power, and faculty to nourish the Body, and it is from hence that it nourisheth, but withal God by a daily Providence doth both uphold the faculties of the plant, and of the bread, and excite them to their exercise, otherwise neither would the bread nourish, nor the plant bring forth its fruit in its season. So it is with the Soul. Supposing the Soul possessed, of a power to will that which is good, (the will being renewed through grace) yet it is God that excites this power, Phil. 2. 13. He giveth to do. Not only to will, but also to do. And indeed this must be granted, or else grace shall have the least share in any good action that is done by us, for the Act is more Noble then a mere Power, It is Christ that gives a Power to will, and it is Christ that gives the Act of willing. disposing and quickening the Soul to the exercise of the Power which himself hath bestowed upon it. For let us consider whence it should come: The Lord in the change of the heart, doth not change the Nature of man, but man hath a liberty in his will, I mean a liberty opposed to coaction, his will is not compelled to that which is good; he hath indeed a power, but not compelling him: now when the will of man is in that state that he can will that which is good, or that which is evil, tell me what is it which inclineth him to the one rather then the other, save only the influence of Divine grace.

3. Nay, Thirdly, It is Christ that must assist in every good action; not only excite to it, but assist in it, or it will never be persected. Even in natural productions, besides the prolific virtue, which the fruitful woman must have, and must be supposed to her conception of a Child in her womb; and besides the influence of Providence, which must be supposed to excite this virtue, which first causeth the conception (as to the Divine causation) there must also be a daily influence, and concourse of Providence, preserving and upholding the woman's natural faculties, &c. or she miscarrieth, and the fruit of her body thriveth not; and as it is with a Plant, notwithstanding its prolific virtue, and the influence of Providence exciting this virtue in the Spring time to put forth itself, there must be a daily influence of Providence upholding the natural virtues of the Plant, and assisting them to the perfecting of the fruit; and without this, though the Plant hath such a virtue, and hath put it out, yet the fruit dwindleth away, and comes to nothing: So it is with a Soul: Supposing the Soul quickened, born again, disposed unto that which is good; and supposing it to have begun a good action, yet without the continuance of the same grace with the Soul, and in the Soul, it brings nothing to perfection. Hence Heb. 12. 2. Christ is said to be the Author and Finisher of our Faith. Hence saith St. Paul, Gal. 2. 20. I live, but yet not I, but Christ liveth in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the Faith of the Son of God. And 1 Cor. 15. 10. Saint Paul saith, He labored, yet not he, but the grace of God which was with me. To be short then; To a particular Soul's fruitfulness in good works, there is required, 1. The Grace of God upon the Soul, giving it a power to act. 2. The Grace of God in the Soul, exciting it to its spiritual operations. 3. The Grace of God with the Soul, assisting it in its operations. This not supposed, the Soul either wants a power to will, or wants a power to move, to do, &c. The Reason of this lies not only in that general necessary influx upon the creature, which is necessary to all its motions and actions, and which God hath reserved to himself, to grant or withhold as he pleaseth. But in this, that through the Fall of Adam, the Nature of Man is so lapsed, that it requireth a more particular eminent influx of Providence upon it, to enable it unto that which is spiritually good, its spiritually prolific virtue, being by the fall quite extinct, and the Soul of every man and woman dead in crespasses and sins. But thus much shall serve for the first. I come to the second, to prove it.

2. Concerning the Church; That neither can it be fruitful without conjuuction with Christ. I told you, that the fruitfulness of the Church lies in its bringing forth many Sons unto God. The more Souls are converted, the more fruitful the Church is; but without Christ's conjunction with it, it bringeth forth none. If Christ's presence be in his Church, it brings forth many Souls. If he be not present, it brings forth no Children. This will easily appear by considering how the Church of God is Instrumental to the conversion of Souls; and by making it appear to you that these causes are not principally efficient sole causes; nor can be so, but are only instrumental causes. 2. That upon experience it is made evident, that where Christ doth not concur, they do nothing. For the first,

1. The Church is to be considered as to its parts, and as to its privileges; as to what God hath planted in it, and what God hath betrusted to it.

As to its parts; So it is made up of Officers, and members. As to its privileges, so there is committed to it the Oracles of God; the Mysteries of God; the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven: there is none of all these, but have or may have, (for ought I know) an instrumental causation, in bringing forth Children unto God, or in bringing of them up, but none of them have a Principal efficiency none of them have a sole efficiency, nor can produce the effect without Christ's conjunction; let us look upon them severally.

1. Look first upon the Officers of the Church: these were extraordinary, such as Apostles Evangelists Prophets: Ordinary, Pastors, and Teachers. That these have an instrumental causation, in the conversion of Souls is plain, they were set in the Church, for the perfecting of the Saints, Eph. 4. 12. for the perfecting their number, and for the perfecting of their graces, Paul calls them Fathers, 1 Cor. 4. 15. and saith he begat the Corinthians. He saith the same of Onesimus: but alas, as the Apostles of old, so Ministers now, have no more then an instrumentality in this production: Paul planted, and Apollos watered, but God gave the increase, 1 Cor. 3. 6. God was all, he that planted nothing, he that watered was nothing, but God that gave the increase was all, v. 7. v. 9: They are but waterers together with God, workers together with him. Hence though Paul Preached the same Doctrine to all, yet he was to some, the savor of life unto life, to others, the savor of death unto death. And though his earnest desire was to convert his own Nation, it was his hearts desire, and Prayer to God that they might be saved, Rom. 10. 1. yet he could not effect it. And if the Officers of the Church, who are under a special ordination of God for the great end of conversion, could do no more, it will easily be granted of private members, whose endeavors in quickening others, though they may be sometimes blessed, of God to such an end, yet doubtless are not more efficient to it then the labors of Ministers, nor yet in an equal tendency with their's unto so great an end.

2. As to the privileges granted to the Church. The Oracles of God, are committed to the Church, Rom. 3. 2. it is the pillar and ground of truth, 1 Tim. 3. 15. the mysteries of God are committed to it, 1 Cor. 4. 1. The keys of the Kingdom of Heaven are Committed to it. Mat. 16. 19. I understand ever by the first term, the Word of God, and the dispensation of it in the Preaching of the Gospel: by the second, the Sacraments of the Gospel, by the third, the Censures of the Church. I know the terms are more generical, and not so to be restrained (I only for distinction sake so restrain them at present) nor do I meddle here with the disputes, whether the dispensation of these or any of these, belong to the whole Church, or only to Officers, nor yet to which of the Officers: I shall only assert two things.

1. That the Scripture seemeth to assign to all these, some instrumentality as to the bringing forth of Children unto God: this is plain. 1. Concerning the Word, 1 Cor. 4. 15. I have begotten you through the Gospel, James 1. 18. of his own will begat he us by the word of truth: As to the Sacraments, for the Sacrament of Baptism, we are said to be Baptized into Christ, Rom. 6. 3. Gal. 3. 27. and again, Acts 2. 38. to be Baptized for the Remission of sins. For the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper; though I dare not assert it a converting Ordinance yet unquestionably it hath its instrumentality to the Salvation of Souls. For Censures they have also their instrumentality, 1 Cor. 5. 5. the end of their administration is for the destruction of the flesh, that the Spirit may be saved in the day of Christ. But now.

2. It is as plain, that they have but an instrumental causation, and separated from the influences of Christ, and his concurrence with them; they do nothing, hence, James 2. 18. of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, John 1. 13. we are born again not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh: nor of the will of man: but of the will of God, John 3. 5. except you be born again, of water and of the Spirit you cannot enter into the Kingdom of God. Thus the truth is evidenced from Scripture. And Scriptural reason.

2. In the second place? Consider all experience, where-ever the Word of God hath been Preached, the Sacraments administered, Church Censures duly executed, so long as Christ hath granted his presence with the administrations; they have been made mighty in order to the bringing home of Souls unto God. Where the Lord hath withdrawn his presence, either as to the generality of Persons under the external administrations or as to any particular Souls they have signified nothing. Isaiah doth but make the heart of the People fat, and their Ears heavy, and shuts their Eyes, Ch. 6. 10. he complains, that he laboreth in vain and spendeth his strength for nothing and in vain. Saint Paul's Gospel is to the Jews a stumbling block, and to the Gentiles foolishness, 3000 are converted at St. Peters Sermon, while Christ is in his Bed with his Church, but few or none, of the Jews in their Synagogues, Acts 19. they were hardened. Christ was gone out of his Bed, and it was now no longer green and flourished no more. But this is enough to have spoken as to the proof of the Doctrine, come we now to the Application.

The Proposition might be applied variously.

1. For the confutation of the errors of those who either deny the necessity, of any conjunction of Christ with the Soul, as to the production of the fruits of grace, or at least of such a conjunction, as is unquestionably necessary; and of those who think, that there is a power in man's will, ad bonum Spirituale, to produce that which is Spiritually good, and that a moral suasion is sufficient to the conversion of a Soul.

2. We might from hence observe the reason, why the Word and Ordinances of God are so ineffectual as to some, however effectual unto others, but I have not time to enlarge so far. I shall therefore close up all with one Branch of Application,—

Beseeching every Soul that heareth me this day to labor, that Christ may yet be kept in his Bed, in our Bed. The Bed is the resting place, while Christ remaineth and resteth amongst his People, The Bed is green. The Soul in which Christ resteth, is a flourishing Soul, the Church in which Christ resteth, and in which he dwells, is a flourishing Church: whiles he walketh in the midst of the Golden Candlesticks, they are full of light. If he withdraweth himself their light will be darkness. Give me leave a little to improve this argument with you to the quickening up of your endeavors to the utmost, for the keeping of Christ in our Bed. I am the rather engaged to it from the fears, that the experiences of late years, and the present juncture of affairs have created in me, that Christ is risen up out of his Bed amongst us. It was said of old, That when the Church had wooden Challices, she had golden Priests; but after she came to golden Challices, she had wooden Priests, I cannot say so for our late times. The Church of God amongst us hath had golden Priests, I believe there was no Nation under Heaven, that in such a space of time enjoyed more of the Ordinances of God, more able Preachers, more powerful and Spiritual administrations. The Bed hath been lovely: or the Bedstead rather, hath been so, but hath it been flourishing? how few Children have been all this time brought forth, unto God? The Lord help us. Thousands have been perverted but how few have been converted? Thousands carried off from the ways of God not so many tens brought into Christ? Where are the Souls have been convinced of fin, or converted to Christ? The conversion of our days hath been to opinions, and factions, not to Jesus Christ. Yet blessed be God it hath fared with us as with trees withering, which bring forth some small proportions of fruit, though dwingling, as to the proportion, and not in so great plenty as formerly, but I am afraid we are yet growing worse and worse, sure I am if the Lord withdraws his presence from his Ordinances, it must be so, seeing you may see, and not perceive, hearing you may hear, and not understand. Methinks I see our Savior (though now exalted at the right hand of his Father) weeping over England, (as once over Jerusalem) and saying, O England! England! thou that hast despised the Ordinances of God, and despised those that have been sent unto thee: how often would I have gathered thee, as an hen gathereth her Chickens under her wings: but thou wouldest not. Behold my house shall now be lest desolate. You may have Ministers, and you may have Ordinances, but you shall not see me henceforth till you say, blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. The pulse of the Spirit in Ordinances, hath for many years, beaten faintly, now and then a stroke (like the pulse of a dying man) I am afraid lest the last stroke should be nigh at hand. Where's the power, and presence of God in our assemblies? Where's the taking of Heaven by force, which former times experienced? Oh that the consideration of the uneomfortableness of a desolate sanctuary, or dead Ordinanees in an open sanctuary, might awaken you while yet you have hope to do what in you lies that Christ may be kept in his bed with you: it is true, the wind blows where it listeth, and who can command the breathings of it? But yet, let there be nothing wanting in your endeavors, That if God shall measure out such a dispensation, your Consciences may not rebuke you; as willful occasioners of it. To this end give me leave to advise,

1. That you do not first go out of the bed from him. The Prophet told the King, that God would be with him and his People, if they were with God. God is not ready to rise up from his Bed of Love, he never forsook a People that kept clofe to him. The Jews would not be gathered, then Christ hid the things from them that concerned their peace. Christ in the last day of the feast cried. You would not come to me that you might have life. First they would not, then he would not, you have had a Gospel feast, possibly this may be the last day of it; this day Christ cries to you: Oh let him not go away with this dreadful word, you will not come to me that you may have life. Take heed of despising Ordinances, of slighting Christ and the means of grace: Take heed of shunning Christ's Bed. How many are there that shy the Bedstead, refuse the Sanctuary, how dreadfully do these poor creatures despise their own mercies? Your days of grace (for ought I know) may be very few, you had not need neglect them. The woman that will not come nigh the Chamber where her husband lodgeth, is not like to have a flourishing Bed.

2. But secondly. Take heed also, of making Christ's Bed unquiet to him. The unquiet wife often loseth her husbands Company, nothing makes Christ's Bed so unquiet to him, as sin doth. The Soul, that resisteth convictions, quencheth the motions of the Spirit of God thrusteth Christ out of his Bed: while you have the light, do not only come unto it, but walk in it. Sanctuary sins make God abhor his Sanctuary and loath his dwelling place. Take heed of quenching private motions of the Spirit, or of resisting the more public convictions of the word.

3. Give up yourselves to the Lord Jesus Christ. The Apostle to the Corinthians saith, 2. Cor. 8. 5. that they gave themselves to the Lord, and then to them. Do what in you lies to give up yourselves to the Word of God, allow not in your hearts any rebellious thoughts against it. Audit verbum Dei & tacete: Something of this you may do, when you hear the Word of God, convincing you of sin, hold your peace to it, suffer the conviction to take hold upon your hearts, and to have its operation But alas! man hath a vain, a stubborn, an unquiet, ungospellized heart. What therefore remains but that we should

4. Pray that the Lord would keep us in his Bed, and not himself rise up from us, let us therefore take unto ourselves the words of the Prophet, Jeremiah, Jer 14. 7, 8, 9.

O Lord though our iniquities testify against us, do thou it for thy names sake, for our back slidings are many, we have sinned against thee.

O the hope of Israel, the Savior thereof in time of trouble, why shouldest thou be as a stranger in the land? And as a wayfaring man that turneth aside to tarry for a night?

Why shouldest thou be as a man astonished? As a mighty man that cannot save? Yet thou O Lord art in the midst of us, and we are called by thy name; O leave us not.

Sermon LXI.

THe same Person speaks still, which spake in the former verse, she had there Commended her beloved: and Commended her Bed, ever since he came into it: she now comes to Commend her, and her beloveds house, in the words of the Text, The Beams of our house are Cedar and our rafters of Fir. The Chaldee Paraph▪ thus glosseth: Solomon the Prophet said, how beautiful is the house of Lord's Sanctuary, built by my hands, of Cedar wood. But the house of the Lord's Sanctuary, which is to be built in the days of the Messias is more beautiful, whose Beams are of those Cedars, which are in the Paradise of pleasure, and the Galleries thereof shall be of Fir, Pine, &c. There are some difficult terms in the Text, I must therefore halt a little, in the explication of the letter.

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 The Beams of our houses. The word is used two Kings, 6. 2. 5. 2 Chron. 3. 7. where it is translated also a Beam, Gen. 19. 8. it is translated a roof, it comes from 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 which in Pihel signifies to lay the Beams of an house: the Beams of an house are properly those pieces of timber which bear the whole weight of the building. The Beams of our house are, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Cedar. The word properly so signifies. It is a word often used in Scripture to express that kind of wood which is called Cedar, which with us is very rare, with them very frequent, and ordinary in building, we shall by and by further inquire the nature of it. The Common usage of the word in Scripture to express Cedars, makes me a little wonder at Montanus his translation of it Larices, which signifies a certain tree, not known (saith Vitruvius,) but to those that dwelt near the Adriatic sea, a kind of wood very useful in buildings because in regard of the great bitterness of the sap, it was neither subject to worms, nor putrefaction, nor to be burnt with fire? but I know not whether it was known to the Jews or no: nor can see any reason to depart from our translation.—It follows,

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Our Rafters of fire, some read our Galleries: of Cypress, some of Fir, some of Pine. The word translated rafters, is used only in this sense in this place, it is also used, Gen. 30. 38. v. 41. Exod. 2. 16. but in those Texts it is translated gutters, and wells. And Cant. 7. 5. where it is translated Galleries. Pagnine, thinks it signifies the little Beams, or pieces of timber in buildings. These Rafters, saith the Text, are 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 a word which is nowhere used in Scripture (saving only in this Text) which hath given Interpreters a liberty to abound in several senses: Jerome, makes it Cypress, so the LXX—Vulg. Lat. Syr. Arab. Others Ash, Others Fir. Ibn Ezra Thinks it the same with 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Fir; our translators seem to follow that so, doth Montanus, and Pagnine. The Chaldee Paraph, makes it to be the wood of the Brutine tree, of which tree Pliny speaks, and tells us that it is like a Cypress tree. The boughs white, the smell sweet. And a great enemy to Poison, having thus far inquired the literal meaning of the terms, let us inquire for the real sense: we will first inquire

1. Qu. What is here meant by the house mentioned.

2. What the Beams, and Rafters of this house are.

3. What the excellencies of these sorts of woods were.

Which maketh the Spouse choose to compare her and her beloveds house, to an house built of these forts of wood.

1. Qu. What is here meant, by the house, mentioned in the Text, Our house?

Whoso considereth that the Beloved here mentioned is the King of glory, the Lord of Heaven and Earth, who dwells not in houses made with hands, will easily conclude, it is no fabric of wood and stone, (Christ when he was upon the Earth had no such-place where to hide his head, and now the Heaven of Heavens contain him) that is here meant. True it is, that the Lord of old, chose a particular house in which he was pleased more eminently to manifest his gracious presence, in allusion to which, his mystical Spiritual habitation may possibly be called his house. But this is not it which is here intended. The Chaldee Paraphrast makes Solomon in this a Prophet for foretelling an house of God, to which Solomon's in all its glory was not like. The New Testament mentions a double house of God. The first more public, viz. The Church, 1. Tim. 3. 15. The second more private, The Souls and bodies of believers. The Apostle tells the Ephesians, that they were become an habitation of God through the Spirit: and the Apostle dissuades from the Sin of Fornication, upon this argument, because their bodies were the temples of the Holy Ghost, 1 Cor. 6. 19. By the house here I find Interpreters generally understanding the aggregate body of Christians, which we call the Church: properly enough called the Lord's house, because as a man dwelleth in his house, so the Lord is said to dwell in his Church, 2 Cor. 6. 16. God hath said he will dwell amongst his People, that he is in the midst amongst them, that he walks in the midst of the golden Candlesticks, &c. So that by our house in the Text the Church is meant, in which Christ dwells, and the Saints dwell.

The 2d Question is, What is here meant by the Beams and Rafters?

The Beams of a building you know, are those Principal parts which sustain, and uphold the building. We must therefore inquire what those things or Persons are which do as it were uphold, and bear up the Church: some understand by these terms Persons, others understand things: those who understand Persons, understand by the Beams the several sorts of Officers in the Church of God. Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors, Teachers. By the rafters they understand particular Christians. So Gregory. Per tignacedrina praedicatores designamus, per laquearia cupressina ipsos populos figuramus. This seems to be conform to that of the Apostle, Eph. 2. 20. you are built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets. But Protestant Writers observe, that the Apostle, there doth not make the Apostles, and Prophets the foundation, but Christ Preached by them, and their Doctrine. And thus they interpret, Chrysostom Oecumenius, Theophylact, & Tertullian, concluding that the Apostles and Prophets, could not be called the foundation upon any other account then with respect to their Ministry, and the Doctrine of the Gospel, Preached by them. For other foundation can none lay, then what is already laid, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone. Non enim respexit rei nomen sed rem nominis (saith Chamier;) others therefore by the Beams and rafters, of Christ's house (mentioned in the Text) understand rather things then Persons: yet here again they are divided: some understanding by the Beams and Rafters, The Word and Ordinances of God. Thus the Dutch Annotat. By the Beams is understood the Doctrine of the Prophets & Apostles. 2. Others understand the grace of the holy Spirit of God. There are other particular fancies. But I shall choose to follow those who interpret the Rafters and Beams to be the Word and Ordinances of God: for these like the Beams of an house keep up the Church, and are as it were the Common Soul, that running through the whole Church keeps it together and indeed makes it one, and so much shall serve for the second question: the third follows.

3. Qu. Why the Spouse, here compares the Word and Ordinances to Cedar and Fir, or Cypress, or Brutine.

There are four or five things which these trees, and sorts of wood are more famous for, viz. 1. Duration. 2. Beauty. 3. strength. 4. Talness. 5. Smell.

1. It is observed, of the Cedar, that it is a beautiful, goodly tree, I shall add the 4th. Talness; indeed its talness is a great part of its beauty: hence you read of the goodly Cedar, Ezech. 17. 23. Psal. 80. 10. and the tall Cedar, Isa. 37. 24.

2. As these are tall trees, so they are strong, and therefore ordinarily used in buildings, strong and yet light. Hence when the Holy Ghost sometimes would express the great power of God, he expresseth it under this Notion, The voice of the Lord breaketh the Cedars in Lebanon, Psal. 29. v. 5. Firs and Cedars are apt to bear great weights and yet without any great loading of the building.

3. It is observed of them that they are very durable. Naturalists, say, that they are not as other wood subject to worms, nor (so soon) to rottenness and decay, as other wood is. Pliny saith that it is commonly thought they will never decay: and gives an instance of the Temple of Diana, whose Beams, Rafters and Spars were made of Cedar: The leaves and doors of Cypress. And after 400 years, they not only continued sound, but (the doors especially) shining and as it were polished. They report of the Temple of Apollo, (whose Beams and main pieces were made of Numidian Cedars) that it continued entire and sound 1188 years. How true these stories are I cannot assert, but certain it is, these sorts of wood were very durable.

4. A 4th thing observed of the Cedar and Cypress trees, is their odoriferous smell.

According to this interpretation of the Text, the scope of it is to Commend unto us, the Word of God, and the Gospel Ordinances. 1. For their Beauty. 2. Continuance. 3. Power and and Efficacy. 4. And lastly, For their exceeding sweetness. From the Text thus far opened, you may observe three Propositions.

1. Prop. That the Church of God is the house of God.

2. Prop. That the word, and Ordinances of God, are the Beams and Rafters of this house.

3. Prop. That there is a Beauty, sweetness, power and efficacy, and an incorruptible nature in the Word of God, and Ordinances of the Gospel: I begin with these in their order.

1. Prop. The Church of God is Jesus Christ's and the believers house. Our house (saith the Text.) We will first inquire

1. What is meant by the Church. 2. How it appears, that the Church is the house of the Lord Jesus Christ. 3. How it is the believers house. 4. What may be inferred from hence for our profit, in matter of knowledge and holiness.

1. Qu. What is meant by the Church.

This hath in this latter age of the World been found an hard matter to agree amongst Persons of different Notions. That the term Church, is a name of multitude, and that a Church, must be an aggregate body, is generally agreed; that it is a body of People called by God out of the World, is also as freely consented to. But whether only called by a general call, outwardly accepted by them so far at least, that they do own the Doctrine of the Gospel, or by a more special and effectual calling, not only out of the Pagan World, but also out of the unbelieving World: These things have been matters of great dispute amongst us: yet all acknowledge the distribution of the Church into that which is Triumphant and that which is militant. The Triumphant part of the Church, is that part of it, who (God having in the time of their life called them out of the Paganish and unbelieving World and they afterward finished their course) are called also by God out of this sensible, sinful, elementary World to the enjoyment of himself in glory. These are thrice called. 1. Out of the Pagan World, to the acknowledgment of the Doctrine of the Gospel. 2. Out of the unbelieving World, to partake of the Lord Jesus Christ and his Grace by true and lively Faith. 3. Out of the sensible sinful World, to the Inheritance of glory. The other part of the Church, is that which is usually called Militant, and is the whole number of those whom God hath called out of the Paganish World, to the acknowledgment of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the Doctrine of the Gospel. This is again distinguished into that which is Invisible, and that which is Visible. The Invisible part is that whole number of men and women in the World, which the Lord by his Gospel hath called out of darkness into marvelous light, out of a state of Nature, into a state of Grace. The Matter of this Church are men and women; the Form their Union in and with the Lord Jesus Christ. The Visible Church is that about which the great quarrels have been: Some agreeing it to be the whole number of People over the face of the whole Earth, called out from a state of Paganism, to the embracing of the Doctrine of the Gospel. The Matter of it are men and women professing to Christ Jesus; the Form is their Union in the same Profession, acknowledgment of the same Truth, and Waies, and Means of Worship. Now, as the Sea is but one, though as it passeth by several Coasts it receives several denominations, as the Irish Sea, the English Sea, the Mediterranean Sea, the Baltic Sea, &c. so as this great body is divided into several Countries, it receives several denominations, as The Church of England, Scotland, France, &c. And as again in a particular Nation (suppose England) it is impossible that the whole body of Professors should meet in one place; and therefore there are several places of Public Worship, and several Precincts of People who meet together in several places to worship God, (yet all agreeing in the same Doctrine of Faith, and order of serving God) so there are in the World thousands of such Bodies which are called particular Churches, and are under the inspection of several Officers; all which yet together make but one Church of God. For their Notion who think that the Church of God must needs be such an even number as can meet together in the same numerical acts of Worship, in one place▪ we conceive it stands upon no such bottom, that it deserves any pains in the confutation of it; it may be a good Notion of a particular Church, but not an exclusive of the Application of the term to more. Now this Visible Church of God, is that which is Christ's House. The Invisible Church is so, and the Visible Church is so. He walketh in the midst of the golden Candlesticks.

2. That this is Christ's House, appears,

1. From the letter of Scripture, 1 Tim. 3. 15. That thou mayess know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the House of God, which is the Church of the living God. Timothy 's charge was not the Invisible Church, but the Visible Church; this is called the House of God, Heb. 3. 6. Christ is said to be faithful as a Son over his own house, whose house, saith he, we are, &c. I shall not here dispute the Question, whether the hypocritical part of the Visible Church be aequivocal or univocal Members; sure I am, take those together with the sincere Professors, and they make up but one Church, which is his House.

But secondly; Look which way you will upon the Church, it is Christ's House, he hath the dominion of it, and he useth it as his House; he hath bought it, Act. 20. 28. he hath redeemed it with his own precious blood: It is given him: It is his House by right of donation. The Members of it are given him by his Father. The Stones of it are his; the Saints are the lively Stones, built up into this Spiritual House, 1 Pet. 2. 5. and they are built upon the foundation of his Apostles and Prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief Corner Stone; they are sanctified in and through Jesus Christ; his blood is as the Mortar and Cement, by that they are united to God, and made one each with other: The Builder is his Spirit, Eph. 2. 22. Consider an House as to the use of it; and upon that account they are also his House. Is an House the place where a man abideth and dwelleth? so is the Church to the Lord Jesus Christ; that's the place where he dwelleth: He dwelt of old in Mount Zion, Isa. 8. 18. there he abideth. Is the House a man's resting place? so is Zion to God, 2 Chron. 6. 41. Psal. 132. 8, 13, 14. The Lord hath chosen Zion, he hath desired it for his habitation. This is my rest forever, here will I dwell, for I have desired it. Is the House a man's feeding place, where he dineth, and suppeth, and feedeth? so is the Church, Cant. 2. 16. He feedeth amongst the Lilies. When the Spouse desired to be informed where Christ fed, her answer was, Go thy way forth by the footsteps of the Flock, Cant. 1. 7. Is that a man's House where he keeps his Wife, his Children, his Servants? such is the Church, there Christ keeps his Children, his Servants, his Spouse. Is a man's House the place where he spends what he hath? such is the Church, there it is that Christ gives out grace and glory, yea and every good thing. Lastly; Is a man's House the place where he is protected and defended? such is the Church to Christ, there he expe •• s protection for his great Name, his Ordinances, &c. But this is enough to have shown you the propriety of the Metaphor. But,

3. The Church is not only Christ's House, but it is the Believer's House too; not the Believer's House as to dominion and title, but as to use. No man but Jesus Christ alone hath a dominion and Lordship over the Church of God; even the Apostles themselves were but Ministers to it. But yet I say, The Church is the Believer's House; it is the place where he dwells: He chooseth rather to be a Door-keeper in the House of the Lord, than to dwell in the Tents of wickedness, Psal. 84. 10. Hear David expressing himself, Psal. 27. 4. One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after, that I may dwell in the House of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in his Temple. A man cannot be a Believer, but he must forthwith be a Member of the Church Invisible. None is a true Believer, but he immediately, by his Profession of that Faith, makes himself a Member of the Catholic Visible Church; and he will desire to unite himself to the particular Assemblies, which are parts of that Catholic Body. No sooner were the three thousand converted, at St. Peter 's Sermon, Act. 2. 41. But they added to the Church, and there they dwell, v. 42. They continue steadfastly in the Apostles Doctrine and Fellowship, and in breaking of bread and prayers. No sooner was Paul converted, Act. 9. 26. but he assayeth to join himself unto the Disciples. And v. 28. he was with them going out and coming in at Jerusalem. But this is enough to have spoken to the Explication of the Point. I come to the Application, which shall be in four words. This Notion speaks the Churches 1. Dignity, 2. Duty, 3. Security, 4. Probability of Reformation.

In the first place; This Notion speaks the Church's Dignity. It is the Habitation of the King of Kings. When Jacob in his Journey to Padan-Aram, had had that notable Vision, he breaketh out in the morning into this expression, v. 17. How dreadful is this place! This is none other but the House of God; this is the Gate of Heaven. I am not speaking of the Church in a local notion, but of the true Church. The number of true Believers, or the number of Visible Professors, let the World vilify them as much as they please, they are a Noble Society. Those who have clean hands, and pure hearts, who have not lift up their Souls unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully, they shall receive blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of their Salvation. This is the generation of them that seek thy face, O Jacob, Psal. 24. 4, 5, 6. Believers may have their infirmities, and a Professing▪ People may have their great failings, (the Lord be merciful to the Professors of England for theirs) but yet take them (notwithstanding all) and they are the best People in the World; they are the Lord's Habitation, he hath pitched his Tents among them, and manifests his presence with them.

Secondly; As it speaks the Dignity of the Church; so it speaks the Duty of those who are the Members of the Church, Psal. 93. 5. Holiness becomes thine House, O Lord. The Wise man commands us to keep our feet when we go into the House of God, Eccles. 5. And God bid Moses put off the shoes from off his feet, upon this account, because he was upon holy ground, (he was near the burning Bush) where God made himself a temporary Habitation. Those that take upon them the Profession of Religion, stand concerned to be holy; and those that are entered into the Profession of it stand concerned to be holy; they are in the House of God, and God is an holy God. There is in this Notion a double Argument for this, from 1. God's Holiness, 2. God's Jealousy.

1. God is an holy God: Hence those who are unholy, are not like to please him, nor he likely to continue long with them. Look as it is with a Neat man, who hath a large House, the filth and nastiness of this or that Room, will not make him leave his whole House, but it may make him leave this or that part of it, and seldom or never be seen in this or that Room; the dirty filthy Room shall not be his Lodging-chamber, nor the place where he will rest or feed: So it is betwixt God and the Church. The profaneness or looseness of a particular Church, or particular Person in the Church, shall not make God forsake his whole Church; but it may cause God to leave this or that Church, or this or that Member of the Church.

2. God's Jealousy engageth Members of his Church to be holy: Hence it is that he is more severe to a Professing People living contrary to their Profession, than to any others. Judgment begins at the House of God. Hence that in Jer. 7. 9, 10. Will you steal, murder and commit Adultery, and swear falsely, and burn Incense to Baal, and walk after other God's whom you know not, and come and stand before me in this House which is called by my Name?—Is this House which is called by my Name become a Den of Robbers, &c. And that, Amos 3. 2. You only have I known of all the Families of the Earth; therefor I will punish you for all your iniquities. O therefore, you that profess to God, be holy, for he is an holy God, and a jealous God, and you are his House.

3. I may add a third Argument, it is that of the Apostle, Heb. 3. 6.— Whose House we are, if we hold fast the confidence and rejoicing of hope firm to the end. The unholy man disclaims God, and God disclaims him; he hath but the name of a stone in the Lord's House, if he be not a lively stone.

Thirdly; This Notion of the Church's being the House of God, speaks protection and security to it. Every man stands obliged to defend his House. God stands obliged by his Nature, and by his Word, to protect and defend his Church: Hence those many Promises for its protection, Psal. 46. 5. God is in the midst of her, therefore she shall not fall, Psal. 125. 2. As the Mountains are round about Jerusalem, so the Lord is round about his People. The Gates of Hell shall not prevail against it, Matth. 16. 18. with many others of the like nature, particular Churches may be destroyed and rooted out. But God will have a dwelling place upon the Earth, let Satan and his Instruments do what they can.

Fourthly, It speaks to us hopes of Reformation. No man will suffer his House to fall down, but will repair it, if there be any breaches, and if he be able, he will make it his business to adorn and beautify it, and make it fit for him to dwell in it. God will not let his House run to ruin, but will seasonably repair it, and make it a dwelling-place fit for his Holiness.

Lastly; Is the Church Christ's House, and the Saints House? what cause have we to bless God who hath cast our Lot within the Pales of the Church? And how do we all stand concerned not to forsake her Assemblies. But I shall not enlarge further upon this first Proposition.

Sermon LXII.

I Come to the second Proposition, which I have observed out of these words.

Prop. 2. That the Word and Ordinances of God are the Beams and Rafters of his House, which is his Church.

So I chose rather to interpret these metaphorical terms than (as some) concerning Persons. I shall show you the propriety of the Metaphor in a few particulars.

1. Beams and Rafters are integral parts of an House, indeed part of the substance of it, without which there can be no House. An House may want a due proportion of Beams and Rafters, and yet be an House; but some there must be, some more principal Beams and Rafters, or there can be no House; Without the Word and Ordinances of God, there can be no Church of God. Every company of men make not a Church, but a company owning the Word of God, and walking in the Fellowship of Ordinances; these make an House of God. A Church may for a time (it may be for some long time) want some particular Ordinances, and yet be a true Church of God, but its state must be lame and imperfect. But if it want all the Ordinances, if it wants the Word and Sacraments, which are the Church's Beams, it cannot be a Church of God. It is lame if it wants any Ordinance of God, but it loseth the nature of a Church if it wants all Ordinances. That which makes a Church to be a Church, is Union and Fellowship; now the Word of God, and the Doctrine of Faith contained in the Word and the Ordinances for Worship and Order, are those things in which the Church hath its Fellowship, by which the Members of the Church have Fellowship both with God, and also one with another.

2. The House is built upon Beams and Rafters, and they bear up the weight of the other materials. The weight of every Tile in the House lies upon the Rafters, and the whole Building is laid upon the groundsel and dormans, and wall plates, and studds; all which come under these two Notions of Beams and Rafters. The Church of God also is built upon the Word of God; this is that which the Apostle, Eph. 2. 20. calls the Foundation of the Apostles and Prophets; the Faith and Obedience of every particular Member of the Church is built upon the Word of Promise, and the Word of Precept. Our Faith is built upon the Promises of the Word; our Obedience upon the Precepts, they are the Foundations, and Rule of all Holiness. The whole weight of every particular Soul is laid upon the Word, and the weight of the whole Church lies upon the Word of God. Look as it is in an earthly house built with the hands of men, if the Beams prove false or untrusty, or the Foundations prove unsure, the whole Building either sinks and falls, or at least sways this or that way: So it is with the Church as to the Word of God; yea so it is as to every particular Soul; the security of the particular Soul, and the whole Fabric of the Church, depends upon the truth, and sureness, and permanency of the Word of God. If the Word of God should not hold sure, if the Truth of God could be found a Lye, all our Faith and Hope is in vain. The very notion of a Church is a Chimaera, and the greatest concernments of it are buried up in ruins. It is the Word of God that is the Basis of the Church, and the Basis of every individual Soul, that is a Member of that Church.

3. The Beams and Rafters of an House, as they support the burden, and bear the weight of the Building: so they also unite the parts and sides of it; they are the Mediums of Union to it; so is the Word and Ordinances to the Church: The Word is the Foundation upon which the Church, and every particular Soul is built; and the Doctrine of Faith, and the Ordinances of God, are the means of Union in it. I do not think that an Explicit Covenant-Union, is necessary to the constitution of a Church: I think that Union which the whole Church hath in the Profession of the same Doctrine of Faith, and in the practice of the same Ordinances & Rules of Worship, is sufficient to make up such an Union amongst all Gospel Professors, as may justify the denomination of a Catholic Church. And again, an agreement in the Profession of the same Faith, and the practice of the same Ordinances in the same place, is enough to make up a particular Church of God. Look as in a Building, let the walls be at never so many foot distance one from another, yet the beams or dormans that go across the Building, unite them together, and make them all but one and the same Building: So it is with the whole number of Professors, scattered over the face of the whole Earth, though part of them be in England, part in France, part in Germany, part in other parts of the World, yet the same Doctrine and Profession of Faith, and the practice of the same Ordinances of Worship running through them all, makes the whole but one Body, one Church, the House of the Living God.

4. Look as it is with the Beams and Rafters; the purer, and stronger, and more substantial they are, and the more entire and homogeneous they are, the stronger the House is: So it is as to the Word and Ordinances of God; the purer the Doctrine of Faith, and Ordinances for Worship are, the stronger and better the Church is. If the Beams of an House be sappy, or rotten, or patched up of several heterogeneous pieces, the weaker the House is, and more subject to fall, and to decay: So it is with the Church, which is the House of the Living God. If the Doctrine of Faith, owned and professed in it, be as it were heart of Oke, pure Doctrine, taken out of the heart of the Written Word, not sappy through the additions of Human Inventions, nor heterogeneous, part of it the pure Word of God, part of it the mere Fancies and Doctrines of men; if the Ordinances for Worship practiced in it, be pure Ordinances, if the Tabernacle be according to the Pattern of the Mount, according to the form of sound words, and pure Rule of the Gospel, the Church is fair, and glorious, and strong, the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it; but if otherwise, if the Doctrine of Faith professed in it be mingled with the Clay of Human Fancies and Errors; if the Ordinances of Worship practiced in it, be full of the sap of Traditions and Ceremonies, the Church is a declining, decaying Church, and hath no strength in her. The reason is, because God will not continue with such a Church. The Psalmist saith of the Church, God is in the midst of her, therefore she shall not fall; now they must be golden Candlesticks in the midst of which God walketh. But thus much may be sufficient to show you the propriety of the Metaphor. Let me shortly Apply this before I pass on to the other Proposition.

This (in the first place) commends unto us the Excellency of the Word of God, and the Doctrine of Faith contained in it, and the Excellency of Gospel Ordinances; they are the Beams and Rafters of the House of God, hewed out, framed and fitted to the Building, by him who was the Master-builder, the Lord Jesus Christ, and laid by him. The Apostle, 1 Cor. 3. 10, 11. saith, that as a wise Masterbuilder he had laid the Foundation, and another built thereon—v. 11. Other Foundation could no man lay, than that already laid, which is Jesus Christ. Christ is called the Church's Fundamentum, its Foundation, and he is the lapis angularis, the corner stone, as is contained in the Scripture. Saith St. Peter, 1 Pet. 2. 6. Behold I lay in Zion a chief corner stone, ele • t and precious; the head of the body, Col. 1. 18. He from whom the whole body fitly joined together, and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, Eph. 4. 16. Our Divines say, that Christ is the Foundation of the Church in a double sense. 1. He is Fundamentum Salutis, the Foundation of Salvation in the Church: The Salvation of every Soul lieth upon his shoulders, Act. 4. 12. Neither is there Salvation in any other. 2. He is Fundamentum Fidei, & Cultus, the Foundation of Faith, and Doctrine of Worship and Order, the Foundation of Doctrine and Ordinances, I say: And as no man can lay any other Foundation of Salvation than Christ; so neither can any lay any other Beams of Doctrine or Institutions for Worship, but what Jesus Christ hath laid. Christ, by himself, and by his Apostles, laid these Foundations and Beams of Doctrine and Worship; from the Gospel of Christ, and the Writings of the Apostles must be drawn, the Articles for the first, and the Canons for the latter: And the whole Building of the Church depends upon these Foundations and Beams. Let the Word of Faith, or the Purity of Worship fail from the Church, or any part thereof, it presently ceaseth to be a Church of God, and turns into an Antichristian Synagogue. Now I say, this commends to every Christian, the Doctrine of Faith, and the Ordinances of God. There is an Excellency in Entity or Being: Hence whatsoever it be which gives Being to a thing, and without which it would not be (at least not such) hath a great Excellency in it; and the more noble the thing is, to which Being is given, the more Excellent is the Form by which it hath such Being. The Soul of man gives Being to a man: The Body without the Soul is but a lump of flesh, a piece of Clay; the Soul informeth, and inliveneth, and giveth an Human Being to it; separate that from it, and the man is no more. Some Philosophers have vainly dreamed of an Amma Mundi, a general Soul of the World, which should give Form, Life, Motion to every part of the World. Now as the Soul of a man is more excellent than any Souls of Beasts, because it is the Principle of a more Noble Being, so (doubtless) if there were any such Universal Soul, which gave Life, Being, Motion, Form, Union, to all the World, it would be a more excellent substance than any particular Soul is. But God himself supplieth that place. Now The Word and Ordinances of the Gospel, though they be not Anima Mundi, the Soul of the World. Yet they are Anima E • clesiae, as it were the Soul of the Church of God, without which the Church would be no such thing as the Church of the Living God: They are those things which make the Church to be a Church; and the whole Church to be but one Church. Let this therefore engage every Christian to prize the Word, and to prize the Ordinances of the Gospel. That's the first Branch.

Hence in the second place you may observe, what is a sad Symptom of a decaying Church, and by this you may also discern a lame and imperfect Church. Look as in a Building there are some more principal Beams and pieces of Timber, without which there can be no House, no Building: Others that are integral parts, without which the Building is not complete, yet the House may be an House, though lame and imperfect. So it is in this case, without the Doctrine of Faith, and some Ordinances of Worship, the Church is no Church. If any part of the Doctrine of Faith be wanting, or corrupted in a Church, the Church is (however true) yet lame and imperfect. Suppose a Church wholly want some Ordinances, (as some do the Ordinances of Ecclesiastical Censures) yet they are not by this made no Church, if they have the Doctrine of Faith, and some Ordinances of Worship; much less ought a Church to be so censured, for the temporary want or suspension of the Exercise of some Ordinances, (which was the case of the Jewish Church in the Wilderness as to Circumcision) but yet the Church that wanteth such Ordinances is imperfect and lame. And again I say, this is a sad Symptom of a decaying Church, when either the Doctrine of Faith, or Ordinances of Worship, are denied, or corrupted in it; for these are the Beams and Rafters of the House; and everyone grants that House to be a decaying, declining House, where the Beams and Rafters are rotten. We need no further Evidence of this than what we have in God's Epistles to the seven Churches of Asia, recorded by St. John in the second and third Chapters of the Revelation. The Church of Smyrna was a decaying Church: The Doctrine of Balaam, and of the Nicolaitans was holden in it. The Church of Thyatira was a decaying Church, for the Woman Jezebel taught, and seduced the Servants of God in it. And but a while after, (these Rafters and Beams being decayed) these Houses of God fell, and to this very day lie in their rubbish. From that time that Jeroboam set up the Calves at Dan and Bethel, and the Kings of Judah set up Altars in Groves, the Church of the Jews was a declining, decaying Church, and the Rulers of it, and Members of it having no heart timely to repair, and reform it, the House fell. It is true, God raised it again after the Captivity, but it decaying the second time, fell, and lies buried in its Ruines this day.

Thirdly. From this Notion, may be drawn a great argument both for unity, and uniformity. Unity in matters of faith. Uniformity in matters of practice. The Doctrine of unity in the Church of the Gospel is exceedingly pressed in Scripture, scarce is there any one of the Epistles of the Apostles, in which, it is not again and again pressed; Be of one mind: there is a double union, which is our duty to labor after. The first is unit as fidei: the unity of faith, as to the understanding. The second is unit as Charit at is quoad affectum, the unity of Love, and Charity as to the affections. The latter of these hath been highly pleaded for in these sinful, and woefully divided times: and indeed never more need of it, but it hath not been duly considered, that considering the corrupt state of man, The former union must be the Mother of the latter. For as all love is founded in some similitude, so this love and affection where it hath anywhere grown up to its due heighth, we shall find, hath been founded in the similitude of understanding, and de facto it is evident, that amongst Christians of different persuasions in the things of God, there hath seldom been an entireness of cordial affection. Indeed these things ought not to be: therefore I do not Commend them, nor yet blame the exhortation of brethren of divided Principles to an union in affection, forbearing one another where all things have not been alike revealed to all; but such is the corruption of our natures, that this is rather optandum, then sperandum, to be wished for rather than hoped, for if there could be unity in Judgment and uniformity in practice, (which the Apostle calls a thinking and a speaking the same things) the other union of affection would follow more readily: O let us labor for this. There is but one truth; but one true rule of Worship. This Doctrine, these rules are contained in the Word of God: these are the Beams and Rafters of the Church, and if the same Beams and Rafters run through the whole Church, and be upon every part of the roof, we may expect that the building should be strong, and durable; on the other side, the difference of these Beams and Rafters, whiles one Church holds one thing in ma • ter of faith, another Church holdeth another thing; nay, whiles one particular Christian believes one thing, another Christian believes another thing, whiles this Church, or this Christian Worships God after one way and order, another Church, or other Christians, they Worship God after another way: though indeed it is possible their differences may not be so great, but they may yet agree in one and the same head, the Lord Jesus Christ, and so both parties differing may at lest be saved, yea it may be their differences are not so great, but there may be a just forbearing one of another (provided all Christians were of equal understandings, or that they rightly understood each other;) yet doubtless, this breach of unity, as to matters of Judgment, in things relating to the Doctrine of Faith, and breach of Uniformity as to matters of practice, is a great weakening of the Church of God, and much spoileth the beauty, and glory of it: O therefore study unity, and study uniformity: you strengthen the building by both these, you weaken it, by dividing or disagreeing (at least to open notice.) It is to me very remarkable that St. Paul almost in every Epistle presseth these things, and Phil. 4. 2. when but two women dissented, he thought it worthy of his pains to persuade them to it: I beseech Euodias, and I beseech Syntyche that they be of the same mind in the Lord. Doest thou therefore O Christian, differ from other Christians amongst whom thou livest, in any matter of faith, or in any matter of practice, as to fellowship in Ordinances? sit not down Satisfied, but labor for this unity, for this uniformity. And as means to it, let me but offer you my thoughts.

1. I would have Christians open hearted and free in the discovery of their dissents. It is one of the great plagues of our times, that Christians are not free one with another, but lock up their private opinions, and make it a great piece of their art to conceal themselves and to lurk under ambiguous phrases, &c. It is true some are too open: the Apostle Commands him that in an indifferent thing hath a particular faith, to have it to himself before God, Rom. 14. 22. that is to be understood as to the open publishing of it to the disturbance of others, and the offense of the weak: but in the mean time (doubtless) a prudent discovery of such dissents, to able and faithful Persons of a differing Judgment, would much contribute to the unity of Christians.

2. Especially 2dly, If they would be willing to be convinced, and to hear arguments against themselves, to bring forth their strong reasons and to hear others bring forth theirs also: I know not how it comes to pass, that Christians who have Spiritual sores, in their understandings and Judgments, are very loath to discover them, and are impatient of having them touched (at least) at first, would Christians be willing to take Satisfaction, and give Satisfaction each to other, many of our differences in Doctrine and practice would easily be composed; especially if to their mutual discourses to this purpose they would but bring humble hearts, and pietatem discendi rather then discutiendi acumen, a pious mind to learn rather then a desire to show their quaintness in arguing their own cause (which Augustine lamented that he did not do in his reading the Scriptures whiles he was a young man.)

3. And 3dly, If to all this Christians would add Prayer unto that God who revealeth truth to his People, it would highly contribute to this unity I am pleading for, it is a piece of Christ's intercession for us that we might be one.

4. And lastly, Would Christians (as becomes such as are humble) if after all due means used for mutual Satisfaction, and attaining to this happiness, but learn that piety and prudence which the Apostle Commands and reason dictateth, viz. To keep the things wherein they dissent to themselves and walk together so far forth, as they have mutually attained, and are mutually agreed: certainly this would go very far, and if this course did not fully contribute to preserve the strength and beauty of the Beams, and Rafters, of God's house amongst us; yet the weakness of them, or rather indeed our weakness would not be so manifest to our enemies nor our nakedness so much discovered unto them that hate us.

Is the Doctrine of faith? And are the Ordinances of God, the Beams, and Rafters of the Church? How much are we then all concerned to keep them in their strength, and purity, and beauty. We are Commanded to contend earnestly for the faith, which was delivered once to the Saints, Jude. 3. and to strive together for the faith of the Gospel, Phil. 2. 7. there is a striving about words to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers, which the Apostle warns Timothy against, 2 Tim. 2. 14. and there is a striving about things that are indifferent and it may be granted on both sides to be so. These are vain janglings and unprofitable strivings. But there is a striving for the Doctrine of faith, against Heretics, and erroneous Persons, and there is a striving for a true Worship of God, and a pure administration of Ordinances, according to the rule of the word, without the mixture of Ceremonies and human Inventions. In these things Christians that are members of the Church, stand highly concerned to strive: To strive to maintain, the Word of God, and the Doctrines of faith contained in them, that they be not corrupted with the leaven of error. And to maintain the Worship of God in its perfection, that no part of it be loft: and in its purity, that the administration of it be not mixed up with human inventions: now to strive for these things is a noble striving, and worthy of Christians: for the Ordinances of God and the Word of God they are the Beams and Rafters of the house of God, and what man is there that doth not take himself concerned to take care of the Beams and Rafters of hishouse, that nothing comes to them which may expose them to a sudden putrefaction and rotenness, and endanger the whole building to fall? If a Church defends the Doctrine of the Word, and the Ordinances of God, and maintains them in their strength, beauty, purity, they will defend it. There can be no instance given of God's leaving any Church, so long as the Doctrine of faith remained in it incorrupted, and the Ordinances of God abode in it and were administered in their power, strength and purity. But this is enough to have spoken to the 2d Proposition: the 3d yet remains.

Sermon LXIII.

I Am now come to the last Proposition which I observed out of these Words, with which I shall close my discourses, both upon this verse, and upon this whole Chapter. The point is this:

Prop. 3. There is a Beauty, Sweetness, Power and Efficacy, and an incorruptible nature in the Word and Ordinances of God.

These four things I noted to you concerning these two sorts of wood to which the Spouse here likeneth the Beams, and Rafters of the Church which is her, and her beloveds house: Here are four things (in the Proposition) praedicated of these Spiritual Rafters

1. The first is Beauty▪ Cedars, and Fir trees, are tall, and goodly trees, the latter lose not their beauty in the Winter time. Zion of old was called the perfection of beauty, Psal. 50. 2. strength and beauty were said to be in the Sanctuary, Psal. 96. 6. the feet of them who bring glad tidings of peace are called beautiful, Rom. 10. 15. the Sanctuary indeed of old had an external beauty, it was full of Gold, and of rare work, which much pleased the carnal Eyes of the beholders. This beauty is ceased with the Jewish Worship. But there is a greater beauty still remaining, the beauty of Solomon's Temple in all its glory, was not like the beauty of Gospel administration.

1. Beauty is a pleasing thing. That which Satisfieth the lust of the Eye, is that which we call carnal beauty: the orderly administration of Gospel institutions is a comely thing in the Eyes of a Spiritual Soul, the simplicity of the Gospel administrations hinders not the beauty at all. The sober, grown Person, thinks a suit of plain Spanish cloth, as beautiful, as the Child thinks its gay coat, whose colors it may be are more diverse and the ribbands about it of several colors, but the substance of it not of half so much value. 'It is true the legal administrations were more gay, but though the trimming were more costly the cloth was not so good: They were all but shadows of things to come. The substance is ours. What sober Person lives in a Congregation, where the Sabbaths of God are strictly observed: where the Pastor powerfully, plainly, clearly, gravely, Preacheth the wholesome Doctrines of the Gospel, Prays powerfully and Spiritually, where the Word of God is read, and the Sacraments duly and orderly administered, where Psalms are daily sung in a Spiritual manner; and the Ordinances of discipline, are prudently and faithfully executed, and doth not see a great comeliness in them, at which his Soul is pleased, and with which it is delighted?

2. As they are exceeding pleasing to a Spiritual heart, so there is a lovely Majesty in them, and also a great Symmetry and proportion. God hath stamped a certain secret Majesty upon every holy institution of his, which Commandeth love and reverence for it, from all sober Persons, who have not outlawed both their reason and Religion too, and here again the plainness, and simplicity of the Gospel administrations gives advantage to them: besides there is a great Symmetry in them: the word Preached is verbum audible, an audible word, the Sacrament is verbum visible, a visible word. When the Gospel is Preached▪ what is Preached but Christ crucified, and what is that which is represented in the Sacrament but a Christ crucified? The whole Gospel administration is a goodly thing, and doth shine nativa luca in a certain native light of its own: and hath such a loveliness attends the pure dispensation of it, that the superadding of any human inventions, is but like adding black patches to a lovely face, without which it was far more beautiful.

3. But lastly the Beauty of the Word and Ordinances, of the Gospel lies in this that the beauty of the Lord Jesus Christ is upon them. This is that which gives them luster. Observe holy David, Psal. 27. v. 4. one thing have I desired of the Lord: that will I seek after that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, & to inquire in his holy Temple. The gracious Soul sees the Face of God in his Word, and the Image of Christ in Ordinances, this makes them lovely. Look as it is with the body; let it be never so goodly a structure, the lineaments of it never so proportioned, yet if the Soul informs it not, there is no beauty in it: So it is with Ordinances. Christ is the Soul of Ordinances, and it is only his stamp upon them, his presence in them, which makes them lovely, and beautiful. Take the Word of God, as Christ is wrapped up in it, the Ordinances of God, as they are the institutions of Christ and sacred conduit pipes, and means, by which Christ conveys himself, and the influences of his grace, unto Peoples Souls; so they are exceeding beautiful: they are those performances in which the Soul seeth Christ, and meets with Christ; and this makes them goodly things.

2. The 2d thing which the Proposition praedicates concerning the word and Ordinances, is power and Efficacy, and usefulness, I observed to you concerning Cedars, that as they had much beauty and goodliness in them: so they had much strength in them, which made them very useful for Beams and Rafters, fit to bear the weight of materials in building laid upon them and to uphold the building. There is a wonderful power and virtue in the Word and Ordinances of God.

1. There is a supporting power in them.

2. There is a working power in them.

1. There is in them a supporting power: They support a Church. The Apostle saith that the Church is built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, Eph. 2. the Church cannot stand without them: they support a particular Soul. The weight of poor Souls all lies upon the Word of God: how often doth holy David speak to this in that excellent Psalm, Psal. 119. v. 49. Remember thy Word into thy servant upon which thou hast caused me to hope, v. 15. This is my comfort in my affliction for thy Word hath quickened me, 81. My Soul fainteth for thy Salvation: but I hope in thy word, v. 92. unless thy love had been my delight I should have perished in my affliction. Nay herein doth the wonderful power of the Word of God appear above the strength of Cedars, you must Imagine a Cedar Beam of some proportionable bigness to bear the great weight of a building, every stick of Cedar will not do it. But now not the whole Word of God only, but a particular promise, will strangely support and bear up the whole weight of a Soul sinking into despair, I have heretofore given you strange instances in this case, and I doubt not but many of your Souls can verify this from a particular experience.

2. But further, there is a working power likewise, in the Word, and Ordinances; this is now more than is in a Cedar beam, that hath in it a great strength, but it hath no life, it is an inanimate thing, and so worketh nothing, it beareth much, but hath no activity in it. The words which I speak (saith our Savior) are Spirit, and life. Indeed the life and Spirit which they have, is Christ's life, Christ's Spirit; without which they are but dead letters, and weak things, but from Christ's concurrence with them, they have not only the forementioned power to uphold, and bear up a sinking Soul, but they have an active, working power, to cast down the strong holds of the Soul (according to that of the Apostle 2. Cor. 10. 4) The Weapons of our warfare, are not carnal, but mighty through God, to the pulling down of strong holds, casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into Captivity every thought to the Obedience of Christ. But I shall not enlarge upon this being something beyond my Metaphor.

3. The third thing which my Proposition predicateth of the Word & Ordinances of God is sweetness. This is one thing which I observed to you concerning the C • dar wood, and the pine Tree they were of a grateful and delightful smell. The sweetness of the Cedar is a gratefulness to the exterior senses: But the sweetness of the Word and Ordinances of God is intellectual, they are sweet to the inward man. Which intellectual sweetness is yet set out by similitudes of sensible things, Psal. 119. 103. How sweet are thy words unto my taste. What is sweeter then honey saith Sampson; Judge. 14. 18. Holy David • elleth him, Psal. 19. 10. The word of God is sweeter then the honey or the honey comb, and Psal. 119. 104. He doubleth the Expression for the further confirmation of it. They are the words of God, that are the pleasant words, of which Solomon saith, Prov. 16. 24. Pleasant words are as an honey comb: Sweet to the Soul and health to the bones. The sweetness, that resulteth to the Spiritual sense, from the word of God, ariseth from two things.

1. The first is that sweet joy and peace, which God Ordinarily brings into the Soul from them. God will speak peace to his People (saith the Psalmist) and he creates the fruit of the lips peace, peace, (saith the Prophet;) this joy is indeed of different degrees, there is the rejoicing of hope, for hope growing from a true Root bringeth forth some fruit of joy in the Soul, though it indeed be not so fair and pleasant a fruit as that joy which is the fruit of assurance, because the Union which hope gives the Soul with its beloved object, is of the lowest fort. But yet even this joy hath a great deal of sweetness, but Oh! How great is that sweetness which is the riper fruit of assurance, that peace which passeth all understanding; A sweetness which oft times overcomes the Soul and is too great for it to bear. Both which the Soul reaps from the word of God and from the Ordinances of God.

2. But secondly this sweetness in the Word and Ordinances of God ariseth not from this alone, but from other usefulness of them to the Soul. That is not only sweet: but that also which is profitable, David says, that the Law of the Lord doth convert the Soul, makes wise the simple, enlightens the Eyes, that they are useful to warn us, and that in keeping them there is great reward. By the word and the Ordinances of God the Soul hath wherewithal to answer the tempter, in that it finds arguments to help it in repelling a secret motion to sin, &c. This makes the Word and Ordinances of God exceeding sweet to gracious Souls as they are those things by which the Soul is profited.

3. But thirdly, there is a further sweetness, that the Word, and Ordinances of God have to a gracious Soul, as they are pure and holy, Psal. 119. v. 140. Thy word is very pure, therefore doth thy servant love it. The heart of man (naturally) doth not love purity, but the Spiritual heart that is conformed to the image of God loves it▪ It is turned into the likeness of the word, and made to love whatsoever is holy and Spiritual and pure. This makes the Rafters, and beams of the Church, to the true Christian to be like Cedar and Fir, sweet smelling, because of that purity, and holiness which cleaveth to them.

4. A fourth thing which the Proposition predicateth of the Word and Ordinances of God, is their duration, they are of an incorruptible Nature, as Cedar and Fir, or Pine: Not subject to corruption, and putrefaction as other sorts of wood are, Isa. 40. v. 8. The grass withereth, and the flower fadeth, but the Word of God shall stand forever. Our Savior speaketh to this purpose, Heaven and Earth shall pass away, but one jot or tittle of the Law shall not pass away until all these be fulfilled. I will open this a little.

1. The Ordinances of the Gospel endure forever. Herein the excellency of the Gospel dispensation appeareth, above the legal dispensation. The Law brought nothing to perfection (faith the Apostle to the H • brews) the Ordinances of worship under the Law were but shadows and types which ceased, when Christ who was the substance of those shadows, and the Antitype to those types once appeared in the World, or at least when he died, but the Ordinances which are as the beams and Rafters of the Gospel Church are durable and do not pass away. The Jewish Priesthood ceased; But the Gospel Ministry continues, Christ hath promised to be with them to the End of the World, God hath given Apastles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors, and Teachers, for the perfecting of the Saints until we all come in the Unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man▪ unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. The passover was but for a time, until the▪ Messiah (who was the true paschal Lamb▪) should he slain for the sins of his People, but the Ordinance of the Lord's Supper (which comes instead of this) is an Ordinance by which we show the death of Christ until his coming again, 1 Cor. 11.

2. The word of God in particular endureth forever. I will open this in two things,

1. The Propositions of the word endure forever. They are Propositions of Eternal truth, whether they be Dogmatical Propositions, which assert the truth of God, concerning the Nature or will of God, or concerning the state of man, or anything relating to his duty, or whether they be such as are promisory, they are of an immortal Nature, the reason is, because God is a God that changeth not, he is not Yea, and Nay, but Yea and Amen, a God that cannot lie to his People, nor repent of what he hath said unto them. The truth of the word abideth forever.

2. The virtue of the word abideth, and is immortal. The same virtue which the word of God ever had in it to convince, convert, to enlighten, quicken support, comfort, the same is in it still, and indeed the proof of this dependeth partly upon the former, for the virtue of the word, whether it be the word of precept, or the word of promise, doth much depend upon the truth of it. Now the truth of it being perpetual, the virtue of it must also be so, supposing the same concurrence of that holy Spirit which must be to make the Word of any use or virtue at any time, I have spoken enough to the Explication of the point; I come now to the Application of it; which I shall dispatch, by drawing some speculative and practical Inferences from what you have heard.

Hence (in the first place) you may observe a great difference betwixt the Legal and the Gospel Ministry; And (consequently) the excellency of the latter above the former. The Apostle to the Hebrews insisteth much upon this, and by this argument proves the excellency of the Gospel above the Law. The Beams and Rafters of the Church under the law they were not of Cedar, they lasted no longer then until the timeof reformation. The Evangelist St. John saith. The law was given by Moses, but grace, and truth came by Jesus Christ. Two things commend the Gospel above the law. Grace came by it, truth came by it▪. The law brought wrath, the Doctrine of it tended to curse men and women, and to conclude all under wrath, but the Doctrine of the Gospel, brought grace, the news of the free pardon, and remission of sins, through the blood of Christ, & the acceptance of the Soul upon the account of his merits. Truth also came by Christ. Whether you take Truth for Substance and Realities, opposed to types and shadows, that came by Christ who was the End of the Law: Or whether you take Trut • for Certainty, and that which hath in it porpetuity and dur • bleness; that also came by Christ, who put an end to the Ce • emonial law, which consisted of temporary Ordinances for worship, &c. It is true, the Doctrine of the Law and Gospel, the Propositions of truth, contained in both are much one and the same. The moral precepts the same, and the promises the same, &c. Yet that great Proposition of truth De M • ssia venturo, concerning the star that should come forth out of Jacob, the coming of Shiloh. The raising of the great Prophet like to Moses, &c. This Proposition, was perfected in the Gospel, and turned into another of far more comfort to us, viz. That Christ is come, and hath died for our si • s, &c. But all the Propositions of the Gospel are of eternal truth, and all the Ordinances of the Gospel are like Beams of Cedar that shall never decay. That's the first Inference.

2. Observe from hence▪ The blindness of many Peoples Eyes, and the hardness of our hearts, together with the unreasonableness of unbelief. You have heard that there is a Beauty and a sweetness in the Word and Ordinances of God, they are beautiful to the Eye, and they are sweet unto the taste and to the smell; the lips of Christ drop sweet smelling Myrrh; what is the reason then that the most of People can taste no sweetness in them, nor see any beauty in them? Alas, the most men and women in the World have no more savor of a Sermon or Sacrament then in the white of an Egg: They see more beauty in a play-book, or an history, then they can see in the holy Word of God, the reason is this, they are void of Spiritudl senses, they have their exterior carnal senses, they can taste sweetness in an Honey-Comb, but they have not any Spiritual sense, they can taste no sweetness in the Word of God, which to David's taste was sweeter then the Honey-comb. They must needs want Spiritual sense, for they want Spiritual life, they are dead in trespasses and sins: no sooner doth the Lord quicken a dead Soul, but it savoreth the things of God, and tastes that sweetness, and sees that beauty in the Word of God, and in the Ordinances of God of which I have been discoursing.

2. As it discovers the want of Spiritual sense, in an unbelievers Soul, so it also discovers the hardness of men's hearts. The Word and Ordinances of God, have a power and Efficacy in them, but alas! how few do they make any impression upon? But I shall not insist upon this as not so proper to the resemblance of the Text. Let me rather,

3. Infer the unreasonableness of unbelief, from what you have heard, of the supporting power of the Word of God. The Word of God, is the greet supporter of Souls, under all afflictions, temptations, in all distresses and agonies, &c. God is indeed pleased as to some of his People to give them in sensible evidences of his love, sealing them up, (by way of assurance of his love) unto the day of redemption: and blessed are they who are in such a case, but this is not the portion of all the People of God, the most of Christians have nothing but the royal Word of God to trust to, and upon this all their hopes hang as to Eternity. And we are so carnal, that we find it an hard thing ofttimes to keep up the building of grace, faith and hope, upon this foundation, but are ready to sway, and sink through distrust and doubtings, through unbelief, and anxiety of thoughts, &c. This is that which we call unbelief. The unreasonableness of which is sufficiently evidenced from the stability of the Word of God, it is a Beam of Cedar. Thou that thinkest it an hard thing, to have nothing but a bare Word of God to trust to, unless thou hast some sensible evidence, that canst not believe without a sign, consider,

1. That the Word is the Beam of the Church. The whole Church of God is built upon the Word; it is that which God hath judged sufficient at all times for his People: God the Father had no more than Christ's word for the price of all the Souls that were saved, from the beginning of the World, until the time of Christ's Death and Passion, (when the price was actually paid into God's hand.) All the Believers that were saved, from Adam till Christ's coming in the Flesh, had no more to trust to for their Salvation, than the Royal Word of God; That the Seed of the Woman should break the Serpents head: That a Messiah should come and be slain to make reconciliation for iniquity, &c. They all trusted on these words of God, and were saved.

2. Consi • er, This Beam is a Beam of Cedar; it is an incorruptible thing. The Apostle calls the Word and Oath of God two immutable things: It must needs be so, because of the immutable Nature of God; he is a God that cannot lie, that cannot speak that which is false; he is a God that cannot repent; he cannot, like man, eat his word, or recede from it. David saith, That the Word of the Lord is settled in the Heavens. The Grass may wither, and the Flower may fade, but the Word of the Lord must stand forever. Heaven and Earth shall pass away, but one jot or tittle thereof cannot fail. Hath he said it, and shall he not do it? Hath he spoken it, and shall not he bring it to pass? The Apostle calls the word of Prophecy a sure Word. The word of Prophecy is sure, and the word of Promise is sure, therefore trust to it.

3. It is a Beam that never yet brake; never Soul miscarried that trusted its whole weight upon it. What greater Arguments can any have to persuade his Soul to trust to the Word of God, than these two.

First; That the Nature of the word is such that it cannot fail. The truth of God cannot be turned into a lie.

Secondly; That no instance can be produced of any Soul that miscarried in its confidence. Look over all the Book of God, and find me God's Word given to any Soul, for anything, whether temporal, or spiritual, and it was not made good unto him: indeed the Visions have sometime tarried beyond the patience of God's People, but they have always been fulfilled in their seasons.

4. Consider how unreasonable a thing it is, that thou shouldest trust to the word of a man, and distrust the Word of a God? You think yourselves concerned to trust in the Royal word of a King, in the serious word of a Noble Person, in the word of an ordinary Friend who is but accounted morally honest, how unreasonable a thing then is it, that thou shouldest not take the word of a God, the word of him who cannot lie? To sum up this then Christian, what though thou hast nothing but the word of God to trust to, either for those things which concern thee as to this Life, or for those things which concern thee as to another Life; yet the Word of God is enough; it is the Beam of Christ's House, and it is a Beam of Cedar, which cannot corrupt or putrefy, nor fail forever. Nor indeed

5. Is that Assurance (of things not seen) which God gives to any Soul, anything more than the sealing, and particular application of the Word. In the mean time, it is the Word that supports and upholds the Soul. The sealing of the Spirit adds no new strength to the Word, only helps me to bear myself upon it.

3. Is there such a Beauty, Sweetness, Strength and Power; and such an incorruptible and immortal Nature in the Word of God, and in the Ordinances of God? Oh that these things might commend them more to all you that hear me this day! Under this head let me plead with you for these things.

1. For a knowledge and understanding of, and an acquaintance with the Word of God. Let the beauty of an Object be never so perfect, it pleaseth not me, if I look not upon it, or looking upon it, do not observe and understand it! Let the sweetness of an Object be never so great, it affords me no pleasure unless I taste it. Let the power and efficacy of a thing be never so much, it is nothing to me if I make no application of myself to it, or it to me. And in very deed this is the reason why the most poor Souls see no beauty, understand no sweetness in the Word of God, why they feel nothing of the power and strength of it, because they seldom look into it; or if they read in it, and attend upon it, they observe not what they read and hear; they understand not the Mysteries of the Gospel; they make no appplications of the Word of God to their Souls, nor of their Souls to the Word, and try not the strength of it: Oh let the Word of God be precious to you! Read it, and read it over and over again, thou wilt every time discern some sweetness in it, which before thou didst not discern; hear it; and hear it often; observe what thou readest, and what thou hearest; get understanding in the Lord's Statutes; make application of the Word to thy Soul, and of thy Soul to the Word. When thou art in straights as to thy outward condition, or as to thy spiritual condition, thou wilt then find this sweetness, beauty, power and efficacy in the Word, which till that time affords but matter of discourse to thee.

2. Let this plead with you for a due Attendance upon Ordinances. The Word, the Sacraments, every Ordinance of the Gospel, they are the Beams and Rafters of the Church, which deserve all your care and diligence to uphold and maintain, and to keep up in their perfect strength glory and beauty: They are Beams of Cedar, and Raferes of Fir; they have a sweetness, beauty and excellency in them; and this beauty and excellency which is in them, will not be discerned by the Soul that neglects its Attendance upon them.