A77366:61
A sermon preached before the Honourable House of Commons, at their public fast, Novemb.…A sermon preached before the Honourable House of Commons, at their publique fast, Novemb.…
A sermon preached before the Honourable House of Commons, at their public fast, Novemb. 29. 1643. By William Bridge, sometimes fellow of Emanuel College in Cambridge, now preacher of Gods Word at Yarmouth.A sermon preached before the Honourable House of Commons, at their publique fast, Novemb. 29. 1643. By VVilliam Bridge, sometimes fellow of Emanuel Colledge in Cambridge, now preacher of Gods Word at Yarmouth.
London: printed for R. Dawlman, 1643
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
9. Hereby again the servants of God learn the right use of the rod, both in Church and State: Sometime it so falleth out that Justice is not executed in a Kingdom, and Discipline not exercised in a Church; Well then saith God, seeing that you will not take the rod into your hand, I will take it into mine own, but it shall be in such a manner as shall make all your hearts to ache. In the second and third Chapters of the Revelation, you know there are seven Epistles written to the seven Churches, and there is none of all the Churches but are threatened with one affliction, calamity or another, save only that of Philadelphia; and if you mark it, you shall find that only that Church had the keys rightly used and handled. And you shall find this also in all Gods dealings both with States and Churches: Let a State or Kingdom be never so wicked, yet if Justice be executed there is hope thereof; Let a Church be never so defiled, yet if Discipline be exercised, there is hope of that: But if a Kingdom ⟨p. 9⟩where there is no Justice, or a Church where there is no Discipline, nor in tendentia to it, then the Lord himself ariseth and saith; W•ll, because you will not take this rod into your hand, I will, and I will raise up enemies against you that shall do the same to you, that you should have done to them. Good reason therefore, yea infinitely good reason, that God should sometimes suffer his own people to be pushed, gored, scattered, by cruel and bloody enemies that are most unreasonable.
9. Hereby againe the servants of God learne the right use of the rod, both in Church and State: Sometime it so falleth out that Justice is not executed in a Kingdome, and Discipline not exercised in a Church; Well then saith God, seeing that you will not take the rod into your hand, I will take it into mine owne, but it shall be in such a manner as shall make all your hearts to ake. In the second and third Chapters of the Revelation, you know there are seven Epistles written to the seven Churches, and there is none of all the Churches but are threatned with one affliction, calamity or another, save onely that of Philadelphia; and if you marke it, you shall finde that onely that Church had the keyes rightly used and handled. And you shall finde this also in all Gods dealings both with States and Churches: Let a State or Kingdome be never so wicked, yet if Justice be executed there is hope thereof; Let a Church be never so defiled, yet if Discipline be exercised, there is hope of that: But if a Kingdome