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Show !.Jiniflen and ChriftianJ to fta.! Lll've-JrJcl( Minillers and ro his Church, to be orderly and authoritatively in his name difpenfed out : hence -it doth as naturally call to them for this hdp, as the tick perfon calls fur help to the Phyfician ; or he that i• wounded to the Chyrurgeon. I am come to the third Member of the PropoGdon; 3 Mem. It is the dHty both of Mini{1rrs and private Chri(rians, in tluitrtfPdJive pi.1Cu, to relieve the aflliCied SaRis of brlievcrs with the {uit4ble applicatiolt of tbe holy Scriptt~ru, and the adminif!ration of the Ordinances of God to them. This you !hall 6nd to have been the praCtice of the Propbell and the ApojlleJ, and private Chrifl ians, quire throughout the Book of God : Now this duty arifcth from a double head. 1. The Law of God revealed in Scrip'"" · 2. The Law of God rrvealrd tn the light ofNaturr. 1. 1be Law of God reuealed in Scripture, evincetb it; it is a piece of the Minillers Commiillon,If. 40. J, Com[ortyoH, comfort y ou my people, .it is a piece of their work in p<rftlling tbe Saints, for which very ·end God hath fct them in his Church , Eph. 4· 12. It is the wickcdnefs with which God charged the corrupt Priells,Ezech. 3 4· 4· Tbe difiafd have yo11 not {trengthentd, neitlm have yo11 healed that which will {tck, neither have ydu bound. UJ> that which """ broktn. - 2. But fuppofe there were no fuch exprefs Scripture;. yet the ligbi of Nat11r< wiU evince this tube their d11ty. The Law. of Charity written in Nature cornm~ndeth every perfon to relieve his brother in mi(ery,if1t be in his battdto do it; and.mo1i emineatly obligetb him when he may. do it, and do no injury to. himfelf. That's the cafe here ; the ditlrdfes of the Soul are the fadddl dillretres, a·woundeJ Spirit who canbNr l It is in the power of the Minillers of the Gofpcl, and of private Chrillians, robe in(lru. mental in their relief, by applying the S.cripuro to fuch Souls, and adminillring the Ordinancu of God to them ; and this they may do without lofs or prejudicr to themfe)ves (in-deed they cught to do it, though with outward peril to thcrnfclves) ; and therefore they are highly obliged to it by the common Law of Charity to their neighbours. I have opened the DoCtrine in all its three Branches : ! .come now to the Application. This (in the firll pl•ce) rnay Jet us fee the great Friviledges.[ the Ch11rcb of God, atlcl the advantages which thofe (above .other people) .have., who live in tbt bofom of it. The Church is fbe, that keeps Chrills Flauons and Applu.; yea, his bJmlof.life:is . ID lf-''"'ll'··•and chriftians toftaJ Love-jcftSollls, &c. in her Store-houfe, ·and his 1YeUs of S~lvation are within her Ttrritoriu. Oh bappy are they that are Within her Gates, that are fa. [ourncrs within her Haufe ! T here the wifdom of God is ma nifelled from day to day. And let me add furth er, That t/,. "" " pure ~ny Ch~trch i<, the more happine[r thi< H. The truth is this, The name of a Church is fo glorious a name, that almoft all Societies of people (whoever heard of the Scripture~) have been ambitious of getting it, and retaining it. T he Synagogue of Rome will by no means lofc the name of a Church; and in· all times 'and places, thole who abhorred nothing more than th~ lives of true Gofpel ·Minillers and Chrif!ians, yet would be called by the n1me of a Cburch : And I will not difpure it, but that in the eye of humane Law, a wife may be a wife, and a whore too : But certainly the pure Cburch of God, is the excellent Society. [ call that Churcb pure, that !(.nps moft jlrifrlj, and' ptmly without mi:<tHt't, the holy ScriptHru , and the Ordinancu of God. And' every Church is more or lefs pure, as !he doth this or faileth in it;· and accordingly is more or lefs dcGrab!e. 'You know it is potiible fur thofe that keep Wine to adulterate it by other mixtures , and make it wea~r, yel, to make it pmticiotll. And truly fo it is in tlie power of a Cburch, fo to mix up the Truths and Ordinances· of God with the inventions and pollutions of men, that mucll of the virttte and efficacy of them !hall be loll, and Deatb may-be in• the Propbw pot ; and although the OraiHaltceJ of God , like Gold and Silver, be feplrable from the drofs, and' 1:-eing fo feparated, are as before ; yet till'rhat refinement and ft paration, the C•mmll· 11i011 of that Church may be of little advantage, and comf ort, yea·, finfiel and Hnl .. ~f,.l . The Phorifees had (in our Saviours time) madduchamixture , as had made the Law of Go;! of noeffill '; and the Papiftshavcdoue fo Iince, and do fo at this day : T bey liave the name of a Church & pr.eterea nib//. Cordials you know mull be kept pu re and'unmixed, or they prefently lofe their good and excellent ufe. L;et this be the lirll Ufe. From the fecond member of the Propofliion: Let prophane Vfr 2 ~ , ·men and women in the world take heed · of mocking at poor , Chrillians crying out to their Minificrs and to their Godly Friends, Stay me with Flaggons, aHd·c•mfort me with ilpplts; ll is· the faying of our Divine Poet, 'NonejhaU in heU Jt~ch bitter pangs indRrt, At thofe that mock.. at Gods w;ys •f S ,.!v•tion .. This |
