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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
church_n	according_a	apostle_n	faith_n	2,836	5	4.6389	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A23664	A doubt resolved, or, Satisfaction for the seekers wherein the case touching an administrator of gospel ordinances, in these times, is handled : wherein also some other questions are more briefly touched, viz. I. Whether water-baptism was to continue in force after the ministry of John the Baptist ceased, II. VVhether Gospel ordinances are things spirituall, or carnall, III. VVhether a power to preach by immediate revelation of the spirit, be necessary in every Gospel minister?, IIII. What is is to be baptized with the Spirit : well worthy the consideration of many who in these times are unsetled in their judgements touching these points / by William Allen.	Allen, William, d. 1686.	1655 (1655)	Wing A1063; ESTC R15502	29,149	40

themselves who keep off from Baptism upon the scruple of an administrator for they themselves preach the Gospel which is a greater thing then to baptize and therefore why should they scruple to baptize or at least to receive Baptism from one who is able to preach the Gospel for he that may do the greater may do the lesse also Now that it is a greater matter to preach the Gospel then to administer Baptism is most evident by that of the Apostle 1 Cor. 1.17 Christ sent me not to baptize but to preach the Gospel Meaning that to preach the Gospel was more apostolical then to administer Baptism the latter might better be done by inferiour hands then the former as I shewed before The true tendency therefore of this opinion that none may receive Baptism because there is none duly qualified to administer it is to eject and cast all preaching of the Gospel out of the world a● well as baptism for if there be none qualified to administer Baptism which is the lesse there is none qualified to minister the word which is the greater SECT. 33. But because some also are gone so far out of the way as to think that none may preach the Gospel except they were so indued with power from on high as were the Apostles and could speak by immediate revelation of the spirit as they did I shall here insert one word from the Scriptures to prove the contrary It doth sufficiently appear that even in the Apostles days whilest yet extraordinary gifts were abroad men might prophesie who yet could not speak by any such immediate and infallible revelation of the spirit as the Apostles did Therefore the Apostle cautions those that prophesied in the Church at Rome to prophesie according to the proportion of faith Rom. 12 6. that is either according to the rule of faith or according to that measure of faith and knowledge which they had attained in the Doctrine of the Gospel which caution were needlesse if they had prophesied according to the immediate dictates of the spirit as they did who speak as the spirit gave them utterance for then they could not be in danger of erring in their prophecying because prophesie in this kind came not at any time by or according to the will of man but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost as the Apostle Peter hath it 2 Pet. 1.21 Yea if any had the spirit of prophesie in this sence they could not though they had a desire to speak otherwise then the spirit moved them as appears in the case of Baalam who said if Balak would give me his house full of Silver and Gold I cannot go beyond the Commandement of the Lord to do either good or bad of mine own mind but what the Lord saith that will I speak Num. 24 13. And it is not unlike but that the extraordinary Prophets sometimes spake things by the guidance of the spirit which they themselves understood not I heard saith Daniel but I understood not Dan. 12.8 See 1 Pet. 1.10.11.12 But these who are directed to prophesie according to the proportion of faith are to keep within the bounds of their own knowledge and not undertake to teach others what they do not well understand themselves Besides the Apostle describing the subject matter of those prophecyings which were used in the Churches saith He that prophecieth speaketh unto men to edification and exhortation and comfort 1 Cor. 14.3 which to do were things not peculiar to extraordinary Prophets but common duties among Christians 1 Thes. 5.11 Wherefore comfort your selves together and edifie one another even as also ye do and exhort one another daily Heb. 3.13 and 10.25 As every man hath received the gift even so minister the same one to another as good Stewards of the manifold Grace of God 1 Pet. 4.10 In which the Apostle gives this caution verse 11 if any man speak let him speak as the Oracles of God that is according to and as becomes the words of God of which caution there had been no use as I said before if none had spoke in a way of prophecying that is to edification exhortation and comfort but onely such as spake by immediate revelation And whatever the gift was which Timothy received by the putting on of Paul's hands 2 Tim. 1.6 or which afterward he received by prophesie and the laying on of the hands of the Presbytery 1 Tim 4.14 I say what ever other gift it was it seems it was not a gift of preaching the Gospel by immediate revelation of the spirit because in order to his teaching he is exhorted to give attendance to reading 1 Tim. 4.13 and is admonished also to take heed unto his Doctrine verse 16. and directed to hold fast the form of sound words which he had heard of Paul 2 Tim. 1.13 for all which there had been no place if what he had taught had been onely by the immediate dictates of the spirit for he that speakes by immediate revelation and infallible guidance of the spirit needs not give attendanc● to reading in order thereunto nor is in danger unlesse he take heed of miscarrying in his Doctrine or of expressing himself in unsound words Nor doth the Apostle in his directions about the choice of Elders 1 Tim 3. where he insists at large on the qualifications requisite in such Officers speak one word of those extraordinary gifts And as the Apostle would not have the prophecying then used in the Church to be despised so he would not have ought delivered therein to be received without examination and tryal 1 Thes. 5.20.21 despise not prophecying prove all things c. which shews that those that did then prophesie might possibly deliver errour as well as truth which those who spake onely as the spirit gave them utterance could not do but of this onely by the way I shall now return to add a word more towards their satisfaction who lay so great a stress upon a baptized administrator of Baptism as for the supposed want whereof they are content that both Baptism and all those other Ordinances in Church communion which depend thereon should lie desolate and wast SECT. 34. 4. That therefore which I shall say in the last place to such is that the want of a baptized administratour can be no just plea for any among us to keep off from obeying Jesus Christ in submitting to the Ordinance of baptism because blessed be God there are many amongst us meet to administer that Ordinance who have been themselves baptized by such as were baptized also Neither is it necessary nor indeed reasonable for any man to suspend his submitting to Baptism till he be able to make out by clear proof not onely that he from whom he is about to receive baptism was baptized but also that that third person from whom the second received it and a fourth from whom the third received it and so on to John the Baptist or the

thereof first delivered to the Saints either immediately by Christ or immediately by his Apostles is to remain stedfastly as a standard according to which all men are to reform in point of faith worship discipline and conversation otherwise until Christ shall come again at the end of the world SECT. X. That the Prophets themselves though men of extraordinary inspiration when they found the Iews to have corrupted themselves and the worship of God did still call upon them to reform according to the written Law of Moses and that good men did reform accordingly will appear by these and the like Scriptures Ier. 6.16 Isa. 8.20 2 Kings 17.13 and 18.6 and 23.25 Neh. 10.29 And indeed whether they had Prophets among them or whether none yet still the written Law was their rule Mal. 4.4 Psal. 78.5.6.7 In like manner the Prophetical office of Christ answering the Prophetical office of Moses the Doctrines Ordinances and commands which Christ first gave forth do remain stedfast as that standing rule according to which all reformations in the Church of God ought to be managed This appears further by Heb. 2.1.2.3 Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard lest at any time we let them slip c. The things which they had heard and which they had first been taught he lays down Chap. 6.1.2 viz. Repentance from dead works faith towards God doctrine of Baptism and laying on of hands c. These and the like things which they had heard are so to be heeded that they may not at ANYTIME be let slip Again 2 Thes. 2.15 Therefore Brethren stand fast and hold the Ordinances which ye have been taught whether by word or our Epistle Where note likewise that the Ordinances of the Gospel whether taught by word or by writing as we have them are to be held fast And if it be demanded how long Christ himself resolves the case Rev. 2.25 That which ye have already hold fast till I come Which cannot be meant of his spiritual coming into the hearts of men to which sence some would pervert the words because thus he was come to his Church of Thyatira and the rest of the seaven Churches of Asia before he gave them this charge for he walked in the midst of the seaven golden Candlesticks to wit those seaven Churches Rev. 1.13.20 which notes his coming to them and abiding amongst them Besides can any be so weak as to think when Paul 1 Cor. 11.26 directs the Church of Corinth to shew forth the Lords death till he come by the breaking of bread that he means it of Christs spiritual coming by his Spirit into their hearts since it is evident enough that thus he was come to them already in as much as the Apostle stiles them Sanctified ones in Christ Jesus and called to be Saints and such as were by him inriched in every thing waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ Chap 1.2.5.7 Again the same command or law according to which Tymothy was to manage the affairs of the Church then in his days is to be kept without spot unrebukeable until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ 1 Tim. 6.14 And when there is any degenerating backsliding or falling off from the first pure ways of the Gospel there men in repenting and reforming are to do the FIRST works Rev. 2.5 SECT. XI Many there are indeed upon whom the spirit of Ranteterism hath not yet so far prevailed but that they acknowledge water baptism in its proper subject true beleevers and all other Gospel Ordinances to be still in force and agreeable enough to that spiritual worship required under the Gospel were it so that they had but oppertunity of enjoying them in a due way of administration But that now they make a considerable obsticle in their way of coming into Church-communion Gospel Ordinances viz. the want of a right administrator For they suppose that since that general apostacy from the purity of faith and Gospel order which befel the Churches upon the entring of the Papacie into the world there hath none appeared sufficiently Authorized by God to rally again what had been routed by hand of the enemy or to gather Churches or administer Ordinances all due Admistrators in this kind being perished from the earth and that therefore we must be content to wait till God shall raise up some such whose authority in this behalf he shall attest with visible signes of his presence by gifts of the Holy Ghost and divers miracles as at the first erection of Gospel Churches and Ordinances To the solving of which doubt I shall now apply my self as unto that which I principally intended SECT. XII 1. Therefore suppose it were granted that all right administration of Gospel Ordinances did totally cease during the time that Papal darknesse over spread the world yet this upon such a supposition would put men but in like condition with the people of God the Jews during the time of their captivity in Babylon in which the Temple lay waste the dayly sacrifice ceased and all use of publike worship was cut off and yet when God gave them the oppertunity by bringing them out of Babylon they presently fell to restore the use of decayed Ordinances though Prophets extraordinarily inspired by God to direct them were altogether wanting And though the Temple at the first might not be built but according to Gods own direction 1 Chron. 28.12.19 yet the Jews though now they had no such extraordinary directions Ezra 2.63 nor in conclusion did attain the perfection of the Temple as at first Ezra 3.12 Hag. 2.3 yet they by the light of that written Law set upon restoring of Temple and worship according to such opportunity as they then had And that they did well in so doing appears in that after they had begun and did again desist from the work the Lord raised up two Prophets Haggai and Zachary to reprove them for that they had let their hands slick from the work Hag. 1.1 to 12. Ezek. 5.1 All which considered together with this that Christ is a Prophet in his time like unto Moses in his may greatly encourage such who are but lately come out of the bondage of mistical Babylon to put to their hands to the restoring of the decayed Ordinances of the Gospel to the uttermost of that opportunity they have and according to that Gospel pattern we finde in the writings of the New Testament do but parralel their case with ours and see if we have not as great reason to be doing this way as they 1. Have we no men extraordinarily inspired to lead the way herein neither had they till such were raised to reprove them for their negligence therein 2. Suppose we should in some things want opportunity of comming up to the utmost of the first Gospel pattern yet they were under the like disadvatage in their low reformation Hag. 2.3 3. Was the written Law a sufficient ground for

you even Moses in whom ye trust saith Christ to the Jews in that the Doctrine of Moses which they had in writing did accuse them Moses himself is said to accuse them Again ver. 46 47. For had ye beleeved Moses ye would have beleeved me for he wrote of me but if ye beleeve not his writings how shall ye beleeve my words Where we see 1. That to beleeve Moses and to beleeve the Doctrine of Moses in his writings is the same thing And 2. That Christ held it altogether unlikely that those that would not beleeve and obey those matters of Doctrine whilst commended to them in the writings of Moses should ever beleeve and obey Christ himself teaching the same things And by rule of proportion it holds well that if those that would not beleeve Moses writings could not beleeve Christs words he speaking and Moses writing the same thing neither would they beleeve and obey the Apostles themselves or men of like qualifications if they should come again amongst us who now will not obey those Doctrines rules and precepts which they have left us in writing And hereto agrees that also Luke 16.31 If they heare not Moses and the Prophets neither will they be perswaded though one rose from the dead Again John 7.19.22 did not Moses give you the Laws and yet none of you keepeth the Law ver. 22. Moses therefore gave unto you circumcision c. How did Moses give them the Law and circumcision when as he was dead many hundreds of years before they were born Why in that they had the writings of Moses and were as well concerned in what they imported as those were to whom Moses first delivered the Law in that respect Moses was said to give them the law as well as to their fore-fathers Acts 21.21 They are informed of thee that thou teachest all the Jews which are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses saying that they ought not to circumcise their children and to walk after the customes Where likewise we see that to forsake the Doctrine of Moses is to forsake Moses and Luke 16.13 They are said to have Moses and the Prophets when yet they had but their writings so that to forsake Moses and to forsake his Doctrine and to have Moses and the Prophets and to have their Doctrine in writing is in Scripture language and account the same thing in effect and substance And there is altogether the same reason why to have the Ministry of the Apostles and to have their Doctrine in writing to forsake the one and to forsake the other should be substantially the same thing And let every man be sure of this that if Christ Jesus at his first comming did interpret mens neglect of Moses in his writings to be an neglect of Moses in his Ministry that he likewise at his second comming will account mens neglect to observe his Ordinances and wayes delivered us in the writings of his Apostles to be an neglect of the Apostles ministry yea of Christ himself whose Embassadours they are to the world and to the Saints as well by writing as speaking as I shall shew further by and by SECT. 21. 2. The same thing is true also of the Doctrines and writings of the Prophets for they by their writings are as wel Ministers to those under the New Testament as they were to those to whom they in their life time preached under the old so far as their Doctrine concerns men now 1 Pet. 1.10 11 12. Of which salvation the Prophets have inquired searched diligently who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you ver. 12. unto whom it was revealed that not unto themselve - but unto us they did minister the things which are now reported to you by them that have preached the Gospel unto you Where note 1. That the Prophets are said to minister to us who now live under the New Testament the things of the Gospel the same things which those have reported who preached the Gospel and to minister to us and to be ministers to us of the Grace of the Gospel is in effect the same thing But then 2. How or by what means are the Prophets ministers to us of this Grace but by their writings and if they by their writings are ministers unto us then much more are the Apostles Ministers to us upon the like account Again Eph. 2.20 and are built upon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles c. If then the Doctrine of the Prophets transmitted in writing was as wel the Basis and foundation upon which the Churches in the Apostles times were built as the Doctrine of the Apostles themselves as by this text it clearly appears that it was then by the same rule the Doctrinal writings both of the Prophets and Apostles are a sufficient foundation whereon to build Churches now in these times And therefore the Apostle saith Rom. 16.25.26 that by the Scriptures of the Prophets as well as by the preaching of the Apostles Christ Jesus is made known to all nations for the obedience of Faith If then the Scriptures of the Prophets be a sufficient ground for men in all Nations in faith to act upon for so much of the Gospel as is revealed in them as you see by our Apostle they are then without doubt the Scriptures of the Apostles also are a sufficient ground for men in all Nations in faith to act upon as touching all those Doctrines Ordinances Rules and Precepts of the Gospel contained in them John 20.31 But these are WRITTEN that ye might BELEEVE that Jesus is the Christ the son of God and that beleeving ye might have life through his name SECT. 22. 3. I shall yet further strengthen my principal assertion touching the presence of an Apostolical power now amongst us directing and authorizing men in the gathering of Churches and administration of Ordinances I say I shall further confirm this by several considerations taken from the nature manner and extant of the apostolical ministration SECT. 23. 1. The Apostles were and are Apostles to men as well by their writings being absent from them as by their preachings when present with them For this consider first Rom. 15.15.16 Neverthelesse Brethren I have written the more boldly to you in some sort as putting you in mind because of the Grace that is given me of God that I should be the Minister of Jesus Christ unto the Gentiles ministering the Gospel of God Two things would be noted here touching our businesse in hand 1. The act of Paul he wrote and wrote boldly unto these Romans 2. The reason or ground why he did so write and that was because by the Grace of God he was made the minister of Christ to the Gentiles such as they were to minister to them the Gospel of God By which we gather that in that he wrote this Epistle to them it was in direct pursuance of his Office as being the minister or Apostle of the Gentiles and that

he discharged his office and trust towards them and that they were made partakers of his Ministry even by that Epistle which he now wrote to them Which is also further manifest by Rom. 11.13 For I speak to you Gentiles in as much as I am the Apostle of the Gentiles I MAGNIFIE mine Office How did he speak to them but by his Epistle and why but because he being the Apostle of the Gentiles he hereby magnified his Office that is laboured to make the most of it or to improve it to the utmost And therefore when he wanted opportunity otherwise he discharged his Office of an Apostle by writing If so what else is the consequence but that men by the Apostles writings are partakers of the Apostles ministry SECT. 24. And it is worth observing and that which makes this Scripture case the more applicable to us viz. in that when the Apostle wrote this Epistle to these Romans he had not as yet been personally with them at Rome as may easily be made out by comparing Rom. 15.23 24 25 26. with Acts 19.21 together with the precedent History of Paul's travels in the book of the Acts For if Paul were an Apostle to those that had his mind and Doctrine in writing who otherwise never saw his face then the Apostle is an Apostle to us also who have his writings as well as they then had To the former Scriptures you may adde Col. 2.1 compared with chap. 1. ver. 25. It should seem that Paul had never seen the faces of those Colossians to whom he writes I would saith he that ye knew what great conflict I have for you and for them of Laodicea and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh From which those that write upon this Epistle gather that Paul had never seen the face of these Colossians when he wrot this Epistle to them Which opinion is much confirmed by the 6 7 8 9. ver. of chap. 1. where it appears that they came to the knowledge of the Gospel by the ministry not of Paul but of Epaphras who having acquainted Paul with the successe of his Ministry Paul thereupon takes occasion to write this Epistle to them By the writing of which Epistle he acted the part of a Minister or an Apostle towards them as you may see chap. 1.25 Whereof I am made a Minister according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you to fulfill the Word of God or fully to preach the word of God as the marginal reading hath it Where note that Paul had received from God such a dispensation or Stewardship as it s rendred by some from the Greek to them ward or on their behalf according to which he was made a Minister of the Church in general and this Stewardship he discharged towards them by writing not having opportunity of discha●ging it otherwise So that still we see that the Apostles were Ministers and Apostles to men by their writings as well as otherwise And should the Apostles come again personally amongst us yet doubtlesse they would preach but the same thing for substance which now we have in their writings 2 Cor. 10.11 Let such an one think this saith he that such as we are in word by letters when we are absent such will we be also indeed when we are present And it must needs be so because the Gospel is but one simple and unchangeable thing whether preached or written 2 Cor. 1.18 But as God is true our word toward you was not yea and nay SECT. 25. 2. The Ministry of the Apostles reaches as far as their Doctrine reaches Rom. 10.14.15 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not beleeved and how shall they beleeve in him of whom they have not heard and how shall they hear without a preacher and how shall they preach except they be sent Here the Apostle makes all mens beleeving the Gospel to depend upon the Apostles preaching of it I say upon the Apostles preaching of it For when he saies how can they preach except they be sent he speaks of those that were first sent to preach the Gospel to wit the Apostles who indeed could never have found out nor have preached such a Doctrine to the world as the Gospel is had they not been sent on this errand had they not been indued with power from on high wherwith to do it the Apostle denies any such sufficiency to be of themselves and ascribes it wholly unto God 2 Cor. 3.5 That the sending here spoken of Rom. 10.15 is Christs sending his Apostles to preach the Gospel will further appear if you compare the effects with their causes as here set down in order by the Apostle How can they saith he beleeve in him of whom they have not heard That 's a principle in reason that a man cannot beleeve that of which he hath never heard And how shall they hear without a Preacher Here 's another thing as manifest in reason for which cause the Apostle makes themselves Judges in the case a man cannot hear that of which no report hath been given or of which no Declaration hath been made And how shall they preach except they be sent that is how should any man at the first have divulged the Gospel and Doctrine of salvation had he not first been taught it of God and impowered with knowledge and utterance from him wherewith to preach it which was the Apostles case And that the preaching and sending here spoken of is the preaching and sending of the Apostles appears yet further by the 18. verse of the same chap. where having continued his discourse of the hearers and preachers of which he had spoken three verses before ver. 14.15 he here saith of the same Preachers that their sound went into all the earth and their words unto the ends of the world which all acknowledge to be spoken of the Apostles If then every mans beleeving depends upon his hearing the Gospel and if his hearing of i● likewise depends upon their declaring or preaching it who first received it from God viz. the Apostles for if they had not declared it we had never heard it then it is a thing out of doubt that every mans beleeving the Gospel doth depend upon the preaching and ministery of the Apostles And if so then the Apostles by their Doctrine are preachers to all those that in all places and ages where the Gospel comes do beleeve SECT. 26. Which thing viz that the Apostles Ministry extends as far as their Doctrine may be further illustrated and confirmed thus The Apostles Commission was to preach the Gospel to every Creature in all the world Mark 16.15 and the Apostle Paul whilest he was yet living affirmed that accordingly it had been preached to every creature under Heaven Col. 1.23 But how did twelve Apostles think we in their own persons carry the Gospel to every man and woman under Heaven Why surely no that is not