not too mean an Employment for them to bring this Message to the Shepherds Luk. 2.8 9 10. Fear not for behold I bring you good tydings of great joy which shall be to all people for unto you is born this day in the City of David a Saviour which is Christ the Lord verse 13.14 And suddenly there was with the Angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace good will towards men And that good old Man Simeon verse 28 29. When he had seen the Child Jesus he took him up in is Arms and blessed God saying Now lettest thou thy Servant depart in peace according to thy word for mine eyes have seen thy Salvation a light to lighten the Gentiles and the glory of they people Israel Christ himself being come they might now know that God was a great Lover of Mankind now they had an ample proof of his faithfulness in making good what he had long before promised Now they might be sure that Shadows would flee away the Substance being come Now they might be assured of the downfal of the Devil's Kingdom witness the silencing the Oracles of Jupiter Apollo and Hecate as also the locking up the Temple of Janus 3. God's goodness to the primitive Church was in furnishing them with Pastors according to his own Heart the greatness of which Mercy may appear from the Consideration of these Circumstances 1. The number of primitive Church-Officers was perfect and compleat for species and kind there was none wanting which her Condition did then call for Of extraordinary Officers there were Twelve Apostles Acts 1.1 Seventy Evangelists particular Churches had their ordinary Officers to wit Bishops i. e. Pastors and Teachers to whom the Administration of Ordinances and Oversight of the Flock was committed Presbyters or Elders who were to look to the Peoples Manners and Government of the Church 1 Tim. 5. And Deacons who were to take care of the Poor Acts 6. begin 2. There was then a parity and equality of all Officers in their kinds Amongst the Apostles none claimed a Superiority over the rest Peter's Supremacy was then unknown as the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven were given to him Matth. 16.19 so also to the rest Joh. 20.23 The very affectation of pre-eminence was in those days distastful to Christ Matth. 18.1 2 3 4. and 20.25 26 Jesus called them unto him and said Ye know that the Princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them but it shall not be so among you but whosoever will be great among you let him be your Minister and whosoever will be chief among you let him be you Servant even as the Son of man came not to be ministred unto but to minister And as it was distastful to Christ so also to themselves Matth. 20.21 22 23 24. When the ten heard what the Mother of Zebedee's Children had asked for her two Sons they were moved with indignation against them And as one Apostle was not over the rest of the Apostles so there was a parity between Bishops and Presbyters i. e. ordinary Preaching and Ruling Officers or Elders they were not two distinct Offices nor Officers as may appear from Act. 20.17 with 28. whom he had called Presbyters v. 17. he calls Bishops v. 28. 2. From Philip. 1.1 he directs the Epistle to the Bishops and Deacons Philippi being but a City it cannot be imagin'd that there were Metropolitan of Diocesan Bishops in the plural number in it therefore the Bishops there spoken of were only ordinary Church Officers This is the observation of Chrysostome on the Text. 3. From Tit. 1.5 with 7. For this cause left I thee in Crete to ordain Presbyters for a Bishop must be blameless This for must either be a reason of what is in the preceding verse or it signifies nothing the qualifications required in both are the same therefore they are not distinct Officers 4. From 1 Pet. 5.1 2. The Apostle exhorts the Presbyters to watch over their Flocks v. 5. taking the oversight of them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bishoping it over them The Work of both is the same and therefore the Office is the same 5. From Ephes 4.11 12. where all sorts of Officers both extraordinary and ordinary are reckon'd and if Lord Prelates be neither Apostles Evangelists Prophets Pastors nor Techers They are none of Christ's Creatures but of Humane Institution 6. From 1 Tim. 3.1 to v. 8 begin where the Apostle gives Rules for the Examination and Ordination of a Bishop and then immediately he passes to the Office of a Deacon without so much as mentioning any thing of a Presbyter as taking it for granted that Bishop and Presbyter were one and the same the Rules for Examination and Ordination of both are the same And thus you see God was good to the Primitive Church in giving her such Officers as did neither Lord it over one another nor over the Lord's Heritage A Third circumstance of this Mercy was the extent of the Apostolical Commission Matth. 28. Go Preach the Gospel to all the World whereas formerly it was confin'd within the compass of the Land of Judea such is the goodness of God to the Sons of Men now that he is not willing any should perish but all should come to the knowledge of the Truth See Act. 10.28 34 35. Mark 16.15 Luke 24.47 Act. 1.8 and 20.21 Rom. 1.4 5. 4. He did furnish the Apostles with variety of eminent Gifts and Graces suitable to their Work they had such a Gift of Preaching that they needed not Read or Study but they spake by immediate Inspiration from the Holy Ghost Gal. 1.11 12. Eph. 3.3 At one of their Sermons three Thousand were Converted Act. 2.41 At another five Thousand Act. 4.4 They had a Spirit of Prayer they needed not a Book to read a Prayer by a set form They had the Gist of working Miracles Matth. 10.8 By laying on of hands they could confer the gift of the Holy Ghost upon others Act. 8.17 and 10.44 and 19.6 In matters of Faith that concerned the Salvation of Sinners and the Church's Edification they were acted by a Spirit of infallibility Joh. 16.13 They could inflict corporal Punishments upon notorious Hypocrites and Blasphemers Act. 5.9 10. and 13.11 2 Cor. 10.6 They were endued with a prophetical Spirit whereby they could foretel things to come Rom. 11.5 26. 2 Thess 2.2 1 Tim. 4.1 2 Tim. 3.1 Joh. 16.13 The whole Book of the Revelation is prophetical 4. Consider the Church it self and God's goodness was great to them in these respects 1. Of Ordinances 2. Order and Government 3. Of the Purity and Simplicity of the Truth in those days 4. Of their Gifts 5. Their Graces 6. Perseverance 7. Sufferings 1st They had no Ordinances but what were of Divine Institution these also were divinely Administred and a glorious Presence of God was that that did highly beautifie all their Administrations Act. 4.31
done and thy thoughts which are to us-ward they cannot be reckoned up in order before thee if I would declare and speak of them they are more than can be numbred Thirdly The consideration of the eminent acts of God's gracious Providence towards the Church of the Jews under the Old Testament is a proof of this truth some few whereof are these 1. Of all Nations under Heaven them only he separated to be a holy People for himself Deut. 7.6 7 8. Thou art a holy people unto the Lord thy God the Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people for himself above all the people that are upon the face of the earth the Lord did not set his love upon you nor chuse you because ye were more in number than any other people for ye were the fewest of all people but because the Lord loveth you 2. That Aegyptian Deliverance so miraculously wrought for them was an eminent act of God's good Providence to them and that in these respects 1. He furnished them with a General every way fit for that Expedition Ps 105.26 He sent Moses his servant and Aaron whom he had chosen 2. He inflicted ten several tremendous Plagues and fearful Judgments on their persecuting and oppressive Enemies because they would not allow them liberty to worship God according to the Command of God and their own Consciences Ps 105.27 That of the cutting off all the First-Born of their Adversaries in one night when the deâ—â—â—oying Angel pass'd over them is memorable as also their being in Goshen a Land of Light for three days together when the other were in Darkness 3. In spite of all Opposers they had one very glorious Sacramental Passover-day before they were brought forth 4. He did greatly enrich them with Ear-rings and Jewels of their cruel Task-masters Exod. 22.36 5. While they were surrounded with the Red Sea on the one hand and Pharaoh's Army on the other you know what great Salvation he wrought for them Exod. 15.1 2 3 4 5. O sing unto the Lord for he hath triumphed gloriously the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the Sea 3. The many signal passages of his Providence towards them in the Wilderness do demonstrate this Truth Truly God is good to Israel 1. He sweetned the bitter Waters of Marah for them Exod. 15.23 24 25. 2. He Rained Manna from Heaven upon them and gave them Quails to eat even when in a pettish murmuring Humour they said unto Moses and Aaron would to God we had Died by the Hand of the Lord in the Land of Aegypt when we sat by the flesh-Pots and when we did eat Bread to the full for ye have brought us forth into the Wilderness to kill the whole Assembly with Hunger 3. When they Thirsted and had no Drink He opened the Rock and the Waters gushed out they ran in the dry places like a River Psal 105.41 4. Through the prevalency of Moses's Prayer they obtained a glorious Victory over the Amalekites Aaron and Hur holding up his Hands for which an Altar was errected to the Lord as an eternal Monument of that Meâ—â— Exod. 17. end 5. They had the Pillar of the Cloud by Day to keep them from the violence and scorching Heat of the Sun and the Pillar of Fire by Night to shelter them from the cold thereof and to lead them on their way in the Dark Ps 105.39 6. They had the Law in a most solemn way and manner given forth from Mount Sinai Exod. 20. O happy is that People that 's under a Theocracy and who are governed only by that Law which is purely Divine The Law Moral did in a general way teach them their Duty both to God and Man The Ceremonial did teach them more particularly what to give unto God and the judicial Law did inform them how they ought to walk one towards another as Members of such a Body Politick Nation Kingdom or Common-wealth 7. The Lord did institute Tabernacle-Worship first in the Wilderness Better be in the Wilderness with God's Ordinances than in Aegypt without them 8. When they proved Idolatrous in erecting a Molten Calf to be a visible representation of God's marching on before them upon their Repentance and Moses's Prayer God was graciously pleased to pardon their Sin Exod. 32.11 12 13 14 9. All that Forty Years they were in the Wilderness they had no need to renew their Shooes nor Garments 10. When they were stung with fiery Serpents they had a brazen Serpent erected as an Ordinance of divine Institution for their Remedy and Cure Numb 21.9 Lastly Most of all these things their Manna Water out of the Rock Tabernacles high Priest Ark Sacrifices Altars Pillar of the Cloud and Fire and the brazen Serpent were Typical representations of Jesus Christ and visible Signs of his Presence amongst them I was lately very much taken with the Reading of the First Second Third and Fourth Chapters of Numbers where after numbring the Children of Israel they are Ranked in Battalia as a Camp in the midst of this Camp was the Tabernacle with the Ark of the Covenant next unto it the Priests and Levites and round about them the rest of the Tribes when the Priests and Levites stood with the Ark the People stood when the Ark moved and marched on they accordingly followed and what did all this signifie But that they were even in the Wilderness under the conduct of their great Captain-General Jesus Christ Deut. 32.11 12 13. As an Eagle stirreth up her nest and fluttereth over her Young spreadeth abroad her wings So the Lord alone did lead him and there was no strange God with him he made him ride on high places of the earth that he might eat the increase of the fields and he made him to suck honey out of the Rock and oyl out of the stinty rock Gen. 32.34 Behold mine Angel shall go before thee it was in Allusion to this marching Posture of their's that the Psalmist breaks forth Psal 46. Though the Mountains be removed the Lord of Hosts is with us the God of Jacob is our Refuge God is in the midst of her she shall not be moved And Cant. 6.16 Who is she that looketh forth as the Morning fair as the Moon clear as the Sun terrible as an Army with banners Time would fail in telling you what God did in dividing Jordan in possessing them with a Land that did flow with Milk and Honey in distributing to every Tribe their Portion and Inheritance by lot in driving out their Enemies the Ammonites Moabites the Hivites Jebusites and Gargasites what shall I tell you of his raising up Deborah and Barak Gideon Sampson Ely Samuel and others endued with an extraordinary Spirit to be not only Princes and Judges over them but also to rescue them out of the Hands of their Enemies to whom their Sins had enslaved them what shall I tell you of all the gracious acts of favour conferred upon them under
sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the Fathers by the Prophets hath in these lost Days spoke unto us by his Son whom he hath appointed heir of all things 3. The dispensation they were under was full of Dread Horrour and Terror Gal. 4. end Heb. 12. When the Law was given forth from Sinai the Mount was all in a Fire to point at the hot burning Wrath they might look for in case they were found transgressors â—ur's from Mount Sion is full of Meekness Gentleness Mercy and Love St. John If ye love me keep my Commandments 4. The promises of our Covenant are better than theirs if they did observe the Statutes and Ordinances of God they might warrantably expect to be blest in their Basket and Store and such other temporal things according to Deut. 28. But now though we cannot by vertue of a promise expect blessings of this kind upon our observation of Divine Precepts but rather the contrary Matth. 10. Whoever will be my Disciple must deny himself take up his Cross and follow me And Acts 4. Through manifold Temptations or Tribulations we must all enter into the Kingdom of Heaven And 1 Tim. 2.12 All that will live Godly in Christ Jesus must suffer Persection yet we may expect Spiritual Blessings and that in a greater measure than they 1. We are promised greater plenty of Spiritual Knowledge than they That of Isa 11.9 relates to gospel-Times The Earth shall be full of the Knowledge of the Lord as the Waters cover the Sea And 35.5 Then shall the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf be unstopped And 32.3 4. And 42.16 I will bring the blind by a way they know not I will lead them in paths they have not known I will make darkness light before them and crooked things strait These things will I do unto them and not forsake them 2 Cor. 3.15 16 18. And 4.3 The Preaching of the Gospel is not Darkned with Types Figures and Ceremonies as in the Days of old 2. Spiritual Fruitfulness is promised to us Matth 21.41 The Kingdom of God shall be taken from you Jews and given to a Nation bringing forth the Fruits thereof Isa 35.7 8. In the wilderness shall waters break out and streams in the desert and the parched ground shall become a pool and the thirsty land Springs of water in the habitation of dragons where each lay shall be reeds and rushes 3. Spiritual peace joy and comfort is promised to our Days Isa 32.17 The Work of Righteousness shall be peace and the effect of Righteousness quietness and assurance for ever Rom. 5. Begin Being justified by Faith we have Peace with God through Jesus Christ our Lord by whom also we have access by Faith into this Grace wherein we stand and rejoyce in hope of the Glory of God and not only so but we Glory in Tribulation also knowing that Tribulation worketh Patience and Patience Experience and Experience Hope and Hope maketh not ashamed because the Love of God is shed abroad into our Hearts by the holy Ghost 1 Pet. 1. In whom believing ye rejoyce with a joy unspeakable and full of Glory 4. We have the promise of the Spirit more than they Joel 2.28 I will pour out my Spirit upon all Flesh Acts 2.17 Isa 44.3 O how good is the Lord to us in this respect if we are not wanting to our selves through unbelief the dispensation under which we are promises the pourings forth of the Spirit to us O! who are we that we should be thus dealt by Let 's make some use of what has been said as to this head and so I go on 1. Let Men and Angels be summoned in to admire and adore let our Souls and all that 's within us Extoll and Magnifie the rich Grace and Goodness of this God that has cast off his Ancient People and has taken us gentile sinners who were Aliens from the Common-wealth of Israel and Strangers to the Covenant and made us heirs of the promises Rom. 11.17 O the depth of the Riches both of the Wisdom and Knowledge of God how unsearchable are his Judgments and his Ways past finding out O what are we poor wild Olives that we should be grafted in amongst the Natural Branches and partake of the fatness of the Olives O blessed are your Eyes and Ears which see and hear such things as were denyed many of the Fathers See Rom. 11. Ephes 3.8 9 10. Acts 28. end O how good is this God that has invested every particular Church of gentile Believers with greater privileges than their National Church had and private Christians are in some respects privileged beyond their Church Officers Rev. 1.4 He hath made us Kings and Priests to God to offer up Spiritual Sacrifices of Praise and Thanksgiving to him through Christ 2. Study to walk worthy of this goodness of the Lord unto all well-pleasing Col. 1. Let every Soul say O what shall I render to the Lord. 1. Take heed thou dost not live in any the least Sin beware of Ignorance if any thing prove the Condemnation of the World it will be this That light is come and they de light in darkness more than in light John 3.19 We may now say 2 Cor. 4.3 If our Gospel be hid it 's hid to them that Perish beware of unbelief John 3.18 He that believeth not on him is condemned already because he hath not believed in the Name of the only begotten Son of God O beware of ingratitude and turning Grace into Wantonness Jude 4. There are certain Men who were before of old ordained to Condemnation ungodly Men turning the Grace of God into Lasciviousness Say rather Rom. 6.1 Shall I Sin because I am under Grace God forbid 2. Think it not enough to abstain from Sin and to have true Grace but that your Graces may in some measure be answerable to the Covenant you are under has God been pleased to make great promises and wilt not thou labour for such a Faith as may apply these promises according to their full Latitude and extent Has God now manifested the Riches of his Grace in reconciling the World to himself through his Son declaring also that whosoever will believe on him shall be saved And why art thou still in a doubting and questioning Condition 3. Lay out your selves in glorifying this good God especially in these two 1. In a Gospel-Frame of Spirit Col. 3.12 Put on therefore as the Elect of God dearly and beloved bowels of Mercies kindness Humbleness of Mind Meekness long-Suffering forbearing one another and forgiving one another If any Man have a quarrel against any even as Christ forgave you so also do ye and above all these things put on Charity which is the Bond of perfection and let the Peace of God Rule in your Hearts to the which also ye were called in one Body and be ye thankful 2. In a Gospel-Conversation Phil. 1.27 Rom. 13.12 13 14. The