A77847:60
The reformation of the church to be endeavoured more then that of the common-wealth,…The reformation of the church to be endeavoured more then that of the common-vvealth,…
The reformation of the church to be endeavoured more then that of the common-wealth, declared, in a sermon preached before the Right Honourable House of Lords at the public fast, August 27. 1645. / By Anthony Burges, pastor of Sutton Coldfield, and now preacher at Laurence-Jury, London.The reformation of the church to be endeavoured more then that of the common-vvealth, declared, in a sermon preached before the Right Honourable House of Lords at the publike fast, August 27. 1645. / By Anthony Burges, pastour of Sutton Coldfield, and now preacher at Laurence-Jury, London.
London: printed by G.M. for T. Underhill, 1645London: printed by G.M. for T. Vnderhill, 1645
Title page typeset from the transcription.
A SERMON Preached before the Right Honourable the House of LORDS, A… › Part › Application
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.
2. It may fall out, that it is so far from being mutability, that it is a duty to leave off such things as have been practised: Thus when the kingdom of Israel had set up many idolatricall practices, was it their sin, because they made their change, or not rather their duty? and thus in Popery, when God caused the light of Reformation to shine out of that thick darkness; was this levity and mutability, because there were no Altars, no Images, no Mass, where they were used to be for many hundred years? No, God commanded them to leave Babylon.
2. It may fall out, that it is so far from being mutability, that it is a duty to leave off such things as have been practised: Thus when the kingdome of Israel had set up many idolatricall practices, was it their sinne, because they made their change, or not rather their duty? and thus in Popery, when God caused the light of Reformation to shine out of that thick darknesse; was this levity and mutability, because there were no Altars, no Images, no Masse, where they were used to be for many hundred years? No, God commanded them to leave Babylon.
3. There is an alteration essential and destructive, and an alteration accidental and perfective. Where the Churches of God retain the true Doctrine, there is not an essential alteration, nor can Religion properly be said to be changed. And thus when calumniators say, that we are setting up a new Religion; it's but a slander, for the doctrine that hath heretofore been retained in England (I speak not of Papizing and Arminianizing persons) is not ⟨p. 19⟩changed; we still retain the Doctrine of the Scriptures, of the Trinity, of Christ, of justifying faith: therefore all the alteration is accidental, concerning rituals and discipline, which alteration makes to the perfection and wellbeing of the Doctrine, for the Doctrine that is anima, and Discipline that is the nerves whereby the body is compact together.
3. There is an alteration essentiall and destructive, and an alteration accidentall and perfective. Where the Churches of God retain the true Doctrine, there is not an essentiall alteration, nor can Religion properly be said to be changed. And thus when calumniatours say, that we are setting up a new Religion; it's but a slander, for the doctrine that hath heretofore been retained in England (I speak not of Papizing and Arminianizing persons) is not