Answ. 1. The Scriptures plainly intimate this Truth unto us. 2 Tim. 2.20. In a great house there are vessels ⟨p. 37⟩not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and of earth, Vessels to honour, and vessels to dishonour; what is that great house, It is the Visible Church of God, therein, are not only Vessels of Gold, sincere Professors of Religion are those Vessels of Gold, Vessels of Honour, such as honour God and will be honoured by Him, but there are also Vessels of dishonour, that will be Subjects of Everlasting contempt in another World, yet some such have belonged to the Church of God. John Baptist said, Mat. 3.11, 12. I indeed baptize you with water, intimating, that was all he could do, and that many he Baptized had no more than the external Baptism, but he that cometh after me, is mightier than I, he shall Baptize you with the Holy Ghost, whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat unto the garner, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire. In the Lord's Floor ⟨p. 38⟩there is not only Wheat, but also Chaff; as for the Wheat they are sincere Professors of Religion, the Lord will in His time gather them into His Garner. What is that Garner? It is Heaven. As for th•se that are Hypocrites they are Chaff, and that chaff must be burned with unquenchable Fire. Several of the Parables uttered by our Lord Jesus Christ the design of them is to intimate this holy Truth to us, as this wherein is my Text. The Marriage Supper intimates when the Gentiles should be called there should be Hypocrites as well as Godly Persons. And in the Parable of the Drag & Net, Mat. 13.47. The Kingdom of Heaven is like a Net cast into the Sea, and Fishes are taken in it both good and bad, that is to so say, in the Visible Church there would be not only such as were sincere, but such as were no better than Hypocrites. The Parable of the Ten Virgins intimates ⟨p. 39⟩this to us, Matth. 25. The Kingdom of Heaven is likened unto Ten Virgins whereof Five were Wise, and Five were Foolish; as for the Wise, they had Oil in their Lamps, •s for the other, they had Lamps lighted but no Oil in them, they made a great Profession of Religion but had not a work of Grace wrought in their Souls, this is spoke of Church Members, of what kind of Churches do you think?
Answ. 1. The Scriptures plainly intimate this Truth unto us. 2 Tim. 2.20. In a great house there are vessels ⟨p. 37⟩not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and of earth, Vessels to honour, and vessels to dishonour; what is that great house, It is the Visible Church of God, therein, are not only Vessels of Gold, sincere Professors of Religion are those Vessels of Gold, Vessels of Honour, such as honour God and will be honoured by Him, but there are also Vessels of dishonour, that will be Subjects of Everlasting contempt in another World, yet some such have belonged to the Church of God. John Baptist said, Mat. 3.11, 12. I indeed baptize you with water, intimating, that was all he could do, and that many he Baptized had no more than the external Baptism, but he that cometh after me, is mightier than I, he shall Baptize you with the Holy Ghost, whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat unto the garner, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire. In the Lord's Floor ⟨p. 38⟩there is not only Wheat, but also Chaff; as for the Wheat they are sincere Professors of Religion, the Lord will in His time gather them into His Garner. What is that Garner? It is Heaven. As for th•se that are Hypocrites they are Chaff, and that chaff must be burn'd with unquenchable Fire. Several of the Parables uttered by our Lord Jesus Christ the design of them is to intimate this holy Truth to us, as this wherein is my Text. The Marriage Supper intimates when the Gentiles should be called there should be Hypocrites as well as Godly Persons. And in the Parable of the Drag & Net, Mat. 13.47. The Kingdom of Heaven is like a Net cast into the Sea, and Fishes are taken in it both good and bad, that is to so say, in the Visible Church there would be not only such as were sincere, but such as were no better than Hypocrites. The Parable of the Ten Virgins intimates ⟨p. 39⟩this to us, Matth. 25. The Kingdom of Heaven is likened unto Ten Virgins whereof Five were Wise, and Five were Foolish; as for the Wise, they had Oyl in their Lamps, •s for the other, they had Lamps lighted but no Oyl in them, they made a great Profession of Religion but had not a work of Grace wro't in their Souls, this is spoke of Church Members, of what kind of Churches do you think?
