the seasons which the Father hath put in his own power Now these are not transient but abiding things so the Ministery which is for the perfecting of the Saints in the sence above expressed was in like nature not onely given for that end but fixed and established by appointment for the same purpose The other branch of this Ministery was To edifie the body of Christ and to build upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Jesus Christ himself being the chiefe corner-stone Now to apply what hath been spoken to the Ministery which Christ gave for this work as it consists of two branches Viz. Perfecting Edifying These workes are appropriate to two parts of the Ministery The first are called Apostles Prophets Evangelists and precede the Church Matth. 28.19 Mat 16.15 Ephes 2.20 21 22. or are before it having the whole world for their Circuit dealing with them as with the World with the Nations as with the Nations Discipling them preparing and fitting them felling hewing and squaring those stones and that timber that it might be made meet for the building as also laying the foundation even themselves next and in order to the Lord Jesus acknowledging him to be the chiefe corner-stone of the building and the building it self to be Gods 1 Cor. 3.9 10 but themselves labourers therein and wise Master-builders thereon The second are such as being part of the number of those which have been so gathered out of the World and placed into the building by the former Master-builders and by them also appointed to edifie the body i. e. to carry on the building keeping to the foundation furnishing them with Rule and Square and Compass and Line and Plummet and whatever was necessary to compleat this work or make the Man of God perfect All which are comprehended in the holy Scriptures and more collectively in the Epistles of Paul to Timothy and Titus And this Ministery are called Pastors and Teachers who are to feed the Church as the former were to breed it these to carry on the building as the other to lay the foundation these to be resident where they were chosen as those to pass on and prepare and fit more materials for the perfecting of the great building the whole House of God Now forasmuch as the number of the Saints are to be perfected and then to be edified and this to be done by a Ministery consisting of Apostles Prophets Evangelists Pastors and Teachers and forasmuch as this is made the work of the Ministery so named and numbered as before to be accomplisht not by any one without the other of them not by the Ministery of the Apostles alone or Prophets onely or Evangelists onely much lesse by the Ministery of Pastors and Teachers onely but by these together as making up the Ministery which Christ ascending on high gave and by Ordinance or appointment set and constituted in the Church And seeing the number of the Saints is not perfected but rather as that Scripture saith The whole world lieth in wickedness or in that wicked one and that there are still Nations and Kindreds and Tongues and People to whom the Gospel may be preached and amongst whom Disciples may be made and Churches formed and built upon the true foundation Hence I conclude with my self and refer it to the judgment of him that reads it in answer to the Question That the Ministery which the Lord Jesus appointed to succeed him was for nature and end a breeding and feeding Ministery The one to prepare the Saints and to gather them into a Church as will be endeavoured to be proved in its proper place the other to build on upon the first foundation being first gathered and set thereon And that these are both alike for their end and duration or continuance appeares First Because they together make up but one Ministery Secondly Because they all being the fruits of one Purchase the same necessity remains for the one as for the other so long as any Saints are to be gathered as well as any to be edified these are to continue and that is till we all come to the unity of the Faith c. the Elect of God standing in as much need of the one instrumentally to enlighten and convert them as of the other to edifie and strengthen them being converted For as God when he gave one gave the other also so the Saints may see a necessity for the continuation of the one as well as of the other the former namely Apostles Prophets Evangelists having been some space of time without the later as appears by Acts 14.23 but the later I conceive have never been in truth without the former at least I know not where or when and should be willing to be informed forasmuch as the Foundation must precede the building up of the Superstructure and the Pastoral feeding the Lambs of the Lord Jesus must needs presuppose a Ministerial Breeding to have preceded in those pure and orderly Institutions The third and fourth Questions I shall answer together Quest Whether there be any Pattern of any Visible congregated Church under the Gospel without or before a Ministery or Baptism Or Whether the present Ministery or present Churches may be acknowledged the Ministery and Churches of Christ according to the first Pattern To the first part of the Question this will be answered Answ That it doth not appear in Scripture that any of the first Churches were gathered into their Visible Order without a Ministery preceding or before Baptism If it be otherwise it 's hoped it will be shewed where and when If it be not to be shewed How deeply are they concerned who set up such Churches whereof there is no Pattern in the Word of God! I know it is ordinarily said and accordingly practised that a company of Believers may by mutual consent or agreement become a Church and appoint one to baptize the rest and accordingly chuse their own Officers and proceed to other Administrations and this in the Name of Christ And such a Company of Believers are accounted by themselves and some others a true Visible Church Others say the same thing in other words Now I would argue the case a little touching Believers consenting to become a Church so far as may help to clear the Question in hand When a person desires to joyn himself to some one of the present Churches though the person be never so desirous in himself to be added yet he can but propound his desire of joyning and being admitted This Church considers and judges of this person's Faith and fitness for Fellowship and that in the Name of the Lord and must declare the Lord's consent in the Church's to the receiving such a Person into such a Fellowship before he can be admitted The person's willingness in himself to be joyned makes him not a Member of such a Fellowship he cannot give his own consent and the Church's too but as he is willing to manifest his
readiness to be admitted so the Church judging of his profession of Faith and fitness manifests her consent by receiving him in the Name of the Lord Jesus either by Baptism or without according as they have faith in that Particular I mean that Fellowship or Society which so admits him Now if this be the Method or Ordinary way of proceeding in a Church after it is gathered Is not the gathering of that Church in its first beginning to be supposed equivalent hereunto forasmuch as the same relation wherein one single believer doth stand with reference to a true Church rightly constituted so do a Company of Believers stand in relation to Christ in their first congregating into the Visible Order of a Church-estate Which may be thus demonstrated Christ is the Bridegroom The Church is the Bride the Lamb's wife A company of Believers are supposed to be made willing by the power of Light and Love to be married to Christ and to put on that Conjugal-Yoke of visible Churchship wherein they may manifest their obedience to him subjecting themselves to such Ordinances and Appointments of his as are commanded touching that particular But to whom shall they make manifest this their willingness Who shall supply the room of the Bridegroom Or who is the Bridegroom's friend that can Ministerially declare Christ's acceptance of these Believers to become his Church his Wife and he to become their Bridegroom their Husband their Lord their Law-giver giving them power to sit upon Thrones for him to open and shut a door for him to binde and to loose in his Name and Power Believers I conceive can no more in this case give their own consents and Christ's too then a particular believer that would be joyned to a Visible Church can give his own consent and the Churches too Therefore as the true Church doth Ministerially contain in her self the state of power to binde and loose to open and shut in Christ's Name to signifie his consent and in his Name to receive or not receive the person who pretends to or assays to be joyned to her so is it seriously to be considered who did at first Ministerially supply the room of the Bridegroom who did at first judge of these Believers fitness or who did in Christ's Name accept of them as they do in Christ's Name accept of others that desire to joyn to them That the true Visible Church is the Spouse the Bride the Wife of the Lord Jesus these Scriptures among others witness Cant. 4.8 Eph. 5.32 Rev. 21.9 That the consent between Christ and his Church at first was acted Ministerially by such as himself had designed for that purpose viz. to accept of the believers consent on their part and to espouse them to Christ and that this was effected by that Ministery which was wont to precede and go before the Church and its feeding Ministery appears from the consideration of these Scriptures 1 Cor. 4.15 For in Christ Jesus have I begotten you through the Gospel 2 Cor. 5.29 We pray you in Christ's stead be ye reconciled to God And as this Ministery was thus instrumental towards their personal conversion so was it also touching their Visible Admission into their Espoused i. e. Church-estate For not onely did they in Christ's stead beseech them to be reconciled to God but also did receive them being so reconciled 2 Cor. 11.2 the Apostle Paul testifieth touching the Church of Corinth that he did espouse that Church to one husband that he might present it a chaste Virgin to Christ And of the Churches of Macedonia it is said in 2 Cor. 8.5 that they gave their own selves first unto the Lord and unto us by the will of God All that this Discourse intends is but to put persons whose spirits can bear it upon the consideration how they became a Church at first And whether that the practice of the present Churches doth not justly occasion that enquiry forasmuch as the reason is the same that the first Beginners of a Church have as much necessity of some person or persons Ministerially deputed by Christ to try and to accept of them as well as for them afterwards to try and judge and accept of others in the Name and Authority of Christ who desire to be added to them The consideration of which may serve for Answer to that part of the Question which concerns the present Churches That forasmuch as it is not demonstrable that the present Churches have been so constituted by persons Ministerially deputed on Christ's part to whom they might give up themselves Visibly as well as unto the Lord and by whom they might Visibly and Ministerially have the Lord's consent manifested to them as they themselves now manifest it to those which would be added to them but that they reckon it sufficient to be made free and willing in themselves and without any Visible or Ministerial Authority to try and judge one another and to accept of one another in Christ's Name and stead and so become a Church contrary to their own after-practice towards others Seems to be altogether without president from the Word of God and consequently are not to be acknowledged for the true Visible constituted Churches of Christ according to the Primitive Pattern To the second branch of the Question touching the present Ministery Quest Whether they are to be acknowledged the Ministery of Christ according to the first Pattern Besides what hath been spoken already it may be further added Answ That a Ministery of Jesus Christ may be considered Immediately or Mediately such either as coming of that Apostolical Race who had their call immediately from Christ as the first Messengers had Matth. 10.1 2. Matth. 28.16 18 19 c. Gal. 1.1 12 Paul an Apostle or a Messenger or a man sent out not of men neither by man but by Jesus Christ and God the Father And these in the Scriptures are properly called Ministers of Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 4.1 Let a man so account of us as of the Ministers of Christ and Stewards of the Mysteries of God Now for a man to be a Minister of Christ in this sence requires to have an immediate call and sending forth with gifts sutable to such a Ministery Mark 16.15 20 Go ye forth into all the world and preach the Gospel to every Creature And they went forth and preached everywhere the Lord working with them and confirming the word with signes following Act. 1.4 5 8 And being assembled with them i.e. the Apostles whom he had chosen Vers 2. commanded them that they should not depart from Hierusalem but wait for the promise of the Father Vers 4. For ye shall be Baptized with the holy Spirit not many dayes hence Vers 5 Ye shall receive power after that the holy Spirit is come upon you and ye shall be Witnesses unto me c. Vers 8. Which was accordingly performed on God's part for they did receive the promise of the Father Act. 2.1 2 3
and did perform their part in the subsequent part of the Chapter and History of the Acts. Act. 14.23 Act. 6.3 5 6 8 10. Tit. 1.5 Secondly There is a Ministery of Christ which is not so immediate but more mediate and they were such as whom the Apostles in the behalf and by the suffrage or the election of the Churches did ordain and to whom they did delegate the power and authority of Jesus Christ for the work of the Ministery in the Churches And in his Name and power such gifts were bestowed as might fit those persons for the work whereunto they were chosen and ordained Act. 6.6 2 Tim. 1.6 These though it be not to be denied but they are to be accounted the Ministers of Christ because they are indeed his by appointment and institution yet they are such more mediately and the Churches more immediately whose also they are and out of whom and for whose sake they were immediately chosen and appointed while the other Ministery were to travel abroad and to fulfill their Ministery towards the World for which work they were Commissioned Mar. 16.15 Go ye into all the World and preach the Gospel to every creature This distinction is grounded upon these Scriptures 1 Cor. 4.1 Let a man so account of us as of the Ministers of Christ and Stewards of the Mysteries of God 2 Cor. 8.23 If any enquire of these they are the Apostles of the Churches or as we have it translated they are the Messengers of the Churches and the Glory of Christ Philip. 2.25 I suppose it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus my brother but your Apostle If a person do entitle himself a Minister of Christ he must profess himself to be so under one of these two considerations If he be one of the first sort his Call must be immediate from the Bridegroom the Lord Jesus and his gifts and qualifications must be sutable to his work a powerful enabling to go forth to the World If he be one of the later sort his Call must be from the Bridegroom's friends the Apostles or an Apostolical Ministery Act. 14.23 compared with vers 14 of the same Chapter When the Apostles Barnabas and Paul Vers 23 when they i. e. the Apostles had ordained them Elders in every Church Tit. 1.5 For this cause I left thee in Cret that thou shouldst set in order the things that are wanting and ordaine Elders in every City as I had appointed thee Or else the call of this later sort must be from the Bride her self in whose custody was left the power of all Administrations 1 Cor. 11.2 I praise you brethren that you keep the Ordinances as I delivered them to you And sutable to this Call whether it be by the Bridegroom's friends or by the Bride her self must be the gifts bestowed If Paul do lay hands on Timothy and separate him to the work of the Ministery the Lord confers upon him thereby some gift which he had not before and such a gift to which he is to give attendance Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God which is in thee by the putting on of my hands 2 Tim. 1.6 If the Church by her Presbytery for so some will have that place to be understood do lay hands on Timothy it is not an empty and bare Ceremony but such an action as wherein God appears conferring by way of gift somewhat which was not before and this likewise is to be attended to Neglect not the gift that is in thee which was given thee by Prophecie with the laying on of the hands of the Presbytery Now the Ministery of these times being compared and considered will appear neither called nor qualified according to the Primitive Patterns Friends of the Bridegroom in the first sence they are not as being immediately sent out from him with an Apostolical Mission or Embassage furnished to wooe and win the Nations to represent the person of the Bridegroom and to be as in his stead beseeching men to be friends with God intreating them to be reconciled to him Their want of the heavenly Furniture of power from on high for this work of the Ministery doth evidence the truth hereof Secondly Nor are they called and sent out by the friends of the Bridegroom either by Apostles Evangelists or Prophets who had their Call and Mission from Christ Forasmuch as they acknowledge no such Ministery now extant but say it was temporary and extraordinary though it be not demonstrable from Scripture when the Entail was cut off or such a Ministery to cease according to designation or appointment Thirdly Nor is it so evident as it is imagined that they have a true Visible Call from the Bride her self a true Visible Constituted Church of Christ who hath been her self first espoused to him visibly and Ministerially by some person or persons hereunto deputed and designed as the Church of Corinth was 2 Cor. 11.2 according to the first established visible Order by Faith and Baptism But from a Company of well-minded people who reading the Scriptures and observing what is spoken touching the Ministery its usefulness and necessity judge it also necessary lawful and expedient to chuse out from among themselves or others some such person as they best approve of to go before them and administer to them and this is accounted a true Call to the Ministery Whereas it would be first enquired Where the Scripture doth in any place give power to a people how holy how godly soever to give a true visible Call to the Ministery themselves not first being visibly and Ministerially a constituted Church of Christ and so his Spouse his Wife according to the Primitive Pattern Whose power how far it extends after she is espoused I dispute not but seriously enquire after the actions of power which are performed by any people before they are visibly espoused and consequently impowered thereunto Hence I conceive it is that this being practised the one giving the other accepting the Call of the Ministery without questioning the Power of either it may without offence be said that a Powerless People give Call to a Giftless Ministery for as they have not power so they confer not any who for lack of Gifts study to acquire Arts wherein also having attained they therein exercise themselves the wisdom of God suffering it to be so that they should style themselves Masters of Arts. But in the beginning it was not so For when the gifts of God could not be bought nor sold and consequently not appropriated to the gain or profit of the Possessor then must Humane Arts be invented which darken the Sun and the Air and the gifts of God exploded and called extraordinary because they too much resemble the heavenly Manna of old a food which proved too dry for the growing interest of that time which the most High beholding withheld and suffered not that blessed and heavenly dew to fall But contrariwise suffered them
is applied to such as had power that is authority to preach the Evangel yet it is distinguished as a thing differing from preaching when Evangelizing and Preaching come together Luk. 8.1 it 's said of Christ He went thorow every city and village Praedicans Evangelizans regnum Dei They do not say in the English Preaching and preaching the kingdom of God but Preaching and shewing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God Which later expression shews the true proper meaning of Evangelizing shewing or declaring glad tidings whether by Preaching or otherwise Of Philip it 's said not onely that he evangelized but it 's also said of him that he preached Christ to them of Samaria 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 8.5 and he baptized them also vers 12 which is not said of any of the other Disciples which were of this dispersion either in the eighth or eleventh Chapter And not without some reason may this distinction be between Philip and the rest of the dispersion forasmuch as he was one of those who was admitted into the service of the Church by laying on of hands Acts 6.5 6. and was also an Evangelist Act. 12.8 and consequently one of those the Apostle numbers up in Ephes 4.11 which Christ gave for the work of the Ministery Wherefore not without reason may it be observed that of him onely it is said He preached and baptized of the rest onely They evangelized Secondly The Disciples in Acts 11.19 20 't is said They spake the word to none but to the Jews onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nemini loquentes verbum So vers 20 Loquebantur ad Graecos They spake unto the Graecians The same word is used in Ephes 4.25 Loquimini quisque veritatem proximo suo Speak every man truth with his neighbour Thirdly Where they are said in the next words to evangelize the Lord Jesus which is translated preach both here and frequently elsewhere it is a word which signifieth to publish or declare good being compounded of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bene and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Annuntiatio It is said of Mary Magdalene Joh. 20.18 she did declare or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the Disciples So it is recorded of her Mark 16.10 Illa profecto annunciavit iis qui cum ipso fuerant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 She did shew or declare or tell them that had been with him c. Matth. 28.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Annuntiate fratribus meis Shew my brethren or declare to my brethren that they go into Galilee Who would not conclude from these Scriptures that Mary Magdalene was a true Preacher of the Resurrection of Christ and did truely evangelize the tidings thereof Yet the Translations render it that she told the discisples and Go tell my disciples whenas if it be well considered it might as truely have been said of Mary that she preached the Lord Jesus and the Resurrection as it is said of those Disciples in Acts 11.19 of whom it may be thus said That having by the providence of God been scattered by means of Stephen's persecution they could not but speak the things which they had heard and seen Acts 4.20 And in 1 Joh. 1.2 3 the two words are expressed which the Apostles use in Acts 4.19 20 touching these Disciples We cannot but speak 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and shew unto you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And vers 3 it 's rendered in English We declare unto you So it might fall out with these Disciples in their dispersion that the glory which they had seen they could not but tell it and declare it and speak it everywhere as they went and wheresoever the tidings of it came it was news and in respect of the Subject of it it was good news it was Gospel or glad tidings But as the tidings hereof was strange and rare to the Gentiles to whom it thus unexpectedly came so the tidings of their receiving it by this means and upon this occasion was as strange to the Church at Jerusalem who upon the hearing of it sent Peter and John to Samaria and Barnabas to Antioch Which seems to me a thing needless if in the Church's account the Disciples Ministery had been esteemed sufficient for this work But lest it should be thought this distinction may not be sufficiently grounded upon the Word of Truth but may savour of a Critical Curiosity I shall submit what hath been spoken to the examination and censure of an Impartial Judgement In the mean time while that which hath been spoken lies under Examination that which remains to be spoken may serve to answer the Objection Therefore I propose in the second place 2. If it might be supposed or admitted that the scattered Disciples mentioned in the eighth and eleventh of the Acts did as truely preach as they were truely scattered yet it 's not said that they did Baptize as the Brethren do who urge this Scripture for their practice Philip onely excepted who is also called an Evangelist Acts 21. which is a part of the gift given by Christ for the work of the Ministery Eph. 4.11 12. Admit they did both Preach and Baptize yet it must be remembred that they were Disciples who themselves were Baptized For they were members of the true Church at Hierusalem and scattered from thence Act. 8.1 2. Act. 11.19 If the Brethren urging these for a pattern of Imitation for Preaching and Baptizing will be measured by this pattern It must be then supposed First That they be members of a truly-constituted visible Church as these of the Dispersion were Act. 8.1 2. Secondly That they are gifted with the knowledge of Fundamentals of worship and with those gifts of the Holy Spirit now called extraordinary gifts with which that Church was endued and these scattered members amongst others might not want their share considering that in Act. 2.3 4 it 's said that there appeared cloven tongues like as of fire and sate upon each of them And they were all filled with the holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance But lest it should be said This was onely the pouring out of the holy Spirit upon the Apostles according to the promise of the Father Act. 1.4 8 or if it do extend it self to all present it could be but to the hundred and twenty who continued together with one accord waiting for the promise of the Father And whereas there was a great and plentiful increase and addition of Believers and Disciples to this first number as appears Act. 2.41.47 therefore it 's said after this great increase and plentiful addition of Disciples in the fourth Chapter of the Acts that when the Apostles Peter and John had been examined and threatned by the high-Priest and his accomplices Act. 4.6 it 's said in Vers 23 They returned to their owne company and reported all that the chiefe Priests and Elders had said of them And when they heard that they lift up their
sin which accordingly he did as many places testifie So although the same Apostle when he was at first called had not an express Command touching Baptism as the Eleven had in so many words yet nevertheless he wanted not sufficient Authority for to baptize those whom he did baptize without degrading this Ordinance and making of it inferiour to Preaching as this Objection would infer from the Apostle's speech when he saith Christ sent me not to baptize but to evangelize Which inference being inforced as a consequence needs a proof from Scripture before it can impose belief upon any person Object Object When Christ gave power and authority to the eleven Disciples to teach all nations baptizing them in the Name of the Father Son and holy Spirit he added Matth. 28.20 Lo I am with you all the days even unto the end of the world How is this Scripture fulfilled if there be not a Ministery continued to the end of the world Answ Answ This command of Christ to his Apostles and this promise of his presence with them to the end of the world must be considered as being made to those eleven individual persons or else with such others as were to succeed them in that work of Ministery teaching the Nations baptizing them in the Name of the Father Son and holy Spirit teaching them to observe all things whatsoever Christ had commanded them First If it respecteth the Eleven onely then there must be another understanding of those words The end of the world then is most commonly received for according to the common acceptation of the end of the world taking it for the utmost and extremest part of time so it could not be applied to the Apostles personally who lived not to see the end of the world in that sence according to that Scripture Zech. 1.5 Your fathers where are they the Prophets do they live forever Secondly If it respect a Succession of Ministery it must be either an Apostolical National Ministery for breeding the Church or a Pastoral Congregational Ministery for feeding the Church or both Now that this Succession of Ministery in both or either of these kindes is not so visible as it 's commonly judged hath been already proved and needs not again be repeated Nor doth it hence follow that any imputation of unfaithfulness should be fixed upon the most righteous God as if he must needs be rendered unrighteous unless there be a continuation of Ministery either Apostolical or Pastoral because that he hath said that they teaching the Nations to observe whatsoever he had commanded c. lo he was with them all the days to the end of the world And that this may the more clearly appear consider what is spoken touching Eli and his house in 2 Sam. 2.30 to the end I said that thy house and the house of thy father should walk before me for ever i. e. in the Priesthood Exod. 28.1 41 43. Exod. 40.13 14 15. But now the Lord saith Be it far from me for them that honour me I will honour and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed God had promised Aaron and his seed after him and that by a Statute for ever the execution of the Priests office Exod. 40.15 yet there was implied in this promise this condition that they should continue to honour God in that Administration And though this was not exprest it was ever understood as is evident de facto in the case of Nadab and Abihu Levit. 10. who for offering with strange fire which the Lord commanded them not were devoured by fire from the Lord. Levit. 10.3 And Moses said This is that the Lord said I will be sanctified in all them that come nigh me and before all the people will I be glorified And Aaron held his peace The like manner of God's proceedings doth appear in express terms in the case of Eli and his sons in the place before alleadged though God had said touching him and his father's house that they should walk before him for ever 1 Sam. 2.30 and yet doth there say Behold I will cut off thine arm and the arm of thy fathers house And the man of thine which I shall not cut off from my altar shall be to consume thine eyes and to grieve thy heart And he that is left in thy house shall say Put me I pray thee into one of the Priests offices that I may eat a piece of bread Which was accordingly fulfilled in the next Chapter and in 1 Kings 2.27 The Lord gives the reason of this seeming-contradiction why he should say of Eli and of his father's house that they should walk before him in the Priesthood for ever and yet doth also declare and accordingly accomplish that the Continuation or Succession shall be cut off as it was from the posterity of Eli and likewise from the line of Aaron before the time of the expiration of the Mosaical dispensation The reason of this the Lord expresseth in these words But now be it far from me for them that honour me I will honour and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed Though with respect to the Eternal condition of believers the foundation of God stands sure having this seal The Lord knows who are his 2 Tim. 2.19 and that there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus Rom. 8.1 and though neither life nor death nor angels nor principalities nor powers nor any other creature shall be able to separate a believer from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus Rom. 8. ult forasmuch as the Father which gave them to Christ is greater then all and none shall be able to pluck them out of the Fathers hands Joh. 10.28 29. nay sin it self shall not be able to have dominion over them Rom. 6.14 Rom. 7.25 26. Yet with respect to any External condition which may befal them how eminently-glorious soever it may be and what promise soever may be made unto it yet the Equity of this condition is implied if not expressed that the person to whom such promise of External blessing or presence is made are engaged to walk with God to be found honouring of God c. Upon this is the Entail to be reckoned and God no longer can in faith be expected to perform his part then such a person or people are found faithful with God on their part He that honours me I will honour and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed 1 Sam. 2.30 31 c. 1 Chron. 28.7 9 If thou seek him he will be found of thee but if thou forsake him he will cast thee off for ever Which forsaking and casting off are expounded in Psal 89.30 31 32 33 34 If his children forsake my law and walk not in my judgements I will visit their transgressions with the rod and their iniquity with stripes nevertheless my loving kindness will I not utterly take from him nor suffer my faithfulness to fail And in 2
to the Nations in their proper Language Therefore this Scripture rightly understood is not of force against what hath been said Object The Scriptures of the Apostles Object they may in a sence be called the Apostles And as the Apostle spake to the Corinthians If I be not an Apostle to others yet I am one to you so of their Writings If they be not Apostles to others to whom they are not come yet they are so to them to whom they are come Answ Ans Their Writings may be called Apostles in a figure as Isaiah was a Prophet to the Eunuch into whose hands his Prophecie came Act. 8.30 but as he needed one to guide him to understand that Prophet so do we stand in need of a guide to understand the Apostles in their writings And that God who was pleased to send his Messenger to the Eunuch to instruct him and to cause him to understand what he read may in his due time send out his Messengers againe in the Power and Spirit of the former to open to us not onely Moses but Christ and his Apostles whose writings we have but seen them as he who saw men walking like trees or as the Eunuch did the Prophecie of Isaiah before it was expounded If it were but in the heart of Gods People to mistrust their own understanding and but to see need to cry out to the Lord to restore the ancient Gospel and to send out those Messengers which are to Preach to the World his fear and worship according to Rev. 14.6 7 to discover Babylon and mightily to call out his People from thence and to lead to Sion it would not be long before some great thing might be accomplished But while we are apt to think we can do these things of our selves without any farther help no marvel that as yet deliverance comes not Oh if the Lord of the harvest must be sought to finde labourers and to thrust them forth and if he will be enquired of for this to do it why do the Lords remembrancers keep silence and give him any rest till he make Hierusalem a praise in the earth till he build up Sion and gather her stones out of the rubbish of Babylons confusions Object Object But whatever may be pretended for a necessity of a Ministery to the World yet Paul took care for the Ordinances and Ministery of the Churches when he gave Timothy instructions how to behave himself in the Church of the living God and gave him a command to commit that which he had taught him to faithful men who might be able to teach others also 2 Tim. 1.2 Answ Answ It is most certaine he did so and by this place and many others appeares the plentiful provision the Lord made for the Churches in point of Ordinances so far as concerned the rules and laws of Worship Act. 20. from Vers 17 to the 32. 1 Cor. 11.2 23. 1 Cor. 7.17 1 Cor. 14.37 2 Tim. 2.1 2 and almost thorowout those Epistles But though he were faithful in appointing the rules for Worship and giving Laws thereof and committing the same to Timothy and by him to faithful men that they should teach others also yet how treacherous they would in after-times prove to those Rules and Laws of Worship is likewise Prophesied of and foretold which should befal the Christian Churches Act. 20.29 30. 2 Tim. 4.3 4. 2 Pet. 2. Jud. 17.18 and this Apostacy was actually begun in the Apostles dayes 2 Thess 2.7 1 Joh. 2.18 1 Joh. 4.1 and in the dayes of the first Churches Rev. Chap. 2. and 3. which Apostacy was grown to be universal in Chap. 13. ult And how universal it was they that will take pains to compare the History of times may finde to their astonishment Object Object But suppose the Apostacy were every way such as hath been spoken May not the People of the Lord who are the Saints of the most High the Kings and Priests of God Rev. 1.6 Rev. 5.10 may not Believers now being Kings by Jesus Christ restore the Worship and set up the Ordinances of Christ as well as Josiah the King did who set up and repaired what the former evill Kings had broken down and destroyed 2 King 22. Answ The building the House Answ and appointing the Laws and Order of the House of God was by him committed First to Moses Exod. 39.32 42 43 who was Prince of the People the first Kingly Magistrate and he who received from the Lord the pattern of his House and the Laws thereof and he was a Type of Christ Next to him Joshuah renewed the Covenant of the Lord with the People at the Commandment of the Lord Josh 5. from the second verse to the ninth Josh 24.25 26 27. This Joshuah was a Type of Jesus and called by that name Act. 7.45 Heb. 4.8 When the Tabernacle ceased and the Temple came in the roome of it the Lord gave King David the pattern thereof and he to Solomon 1 Chron. 28. from verse 11 to 21 and they were both Types of Christ as Kings Now as to the King it was given to build at first and to appoint the Laws of the House at first so to the Kings was it appointed to repaire the breaches when any were The People of Israel were a Royal Priesthood Exod. 19.6 yet they might not meddle with the Priests Office Numb 16.9 10. They were a Kingly People an anointed Nation 1 Chron. 16.22 Psal 105.15 yet they did not all raign as Kings nor did the People set about the restoring or repairing what was amisse till such to whom it was by order appointed to be their head did set upon the work Neither in the Tabernacle without Moses nor in the Circumcision of those who were born in the wilderness without Joshua nor in the Temple without David or Solomon nor in the repairing the Temple without their Kings as Josiah Hezekiah c. nor in the coming out of Babylon without Zerubbabel Declaring plainly that to them to whom at first was given the power of building the House and appointing the Laws thereof to them did appertain the right of repairing the breach and restoring the Laws which were such persons as did type out the Lord Jesus who as at first he became the corner-stone of the building and did by his Messengers his Apostles and Ministers with whom he manifested his visible presence Matth. 28 19 20. Mark 16. ult Joh. 15. the last words of vers 5. lay the foundation and build the superstructure according to Eph. 2.20 Eph. 4.12 so to the same Lord Jesus Christ by his Ministery accompanied with his Power and Presence doth it of right belong to be the Repairer of the breaches which Antichrist hath made in the Christian Church and the Restorer of paths to walk in as of old was typed out in the Temple-state in the examples before alleadged Once the Lord Jesus taught the people by himself from the days of his
entering upon the work of the Ministery Luke 4.18 till the time of finishing of that Ministration Afterward he performed it by his Apostles whom he had chosen ordained and sent out for that purpose together with those other gifts of Ministery which as the fruit of his ascension to his Father he gave for that end to perfect i. e. to gather and edifie his Body the Church until they should all come in the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God to a perfect man c. He did not leave it upon his people promiscuously to be equally and alike gifted for that work Compare Ephes 4.11 12 with 1 Cor. 12.29 Therefore there doth remain an Order to be observed in the exercise of the Ministery and the Disorder thereof is to be bewailed and Jesus Christ to whom all power is given of the Father and by whom at first it was derived and delegated to chosen men Acts 10.40 41 42 to be waited upon for restoration thereof in whose hand the power is and without whom we can do nothing Joh. 15.5 That he should do it by such instruments as he pleaseth furnished with such power and authority and with such a presence of Christ as may demonstrate them to be sent of God for that work or service by the Divine light and heat of the fire of the Spirit of God Act. 2. furnishing them with the true knowledge of the mind of God concerning the Fundamentals of Doctrine Worship together with true power to evince the truth thereof against all gainsayers of whom the world was never more full whether we respect Jews or Infidels or False Christians To be furnished with ability to shew to all Kindreds Nations Tongues and Peoples the glory of the Mystery of the ancient Gospel which once was declared and received but from which there hath been so deep a falling away according as was foretold 2 Thess 2.7 1 Tim. 3.16 1 Tim. 4.1 2 3 and accordingly effected through the power of the Beast Rev. 13. ult Quest Is not the Ministery of the Apostles as efficacious to possess the Saints of the enjoyment of their Liberties purchased by Christ Quest and to put them upon the doing their duties required of them in our Times as it was in theirs seeing that they by their Ministery were commanded to teach all nations to observe whatsoever Christ had commanded them Matth. 28.19 20. Rom. 10.6 7 8. 2 Tim. 2.2 Answ The Ministery of the Apostles may be considered Answ either in the word or in the power of it 1 Thess 1.5 The word of their Ministery without the power is not efficacious to put persons upon their duty Act. 2.11 13. Act. 17.18 The Power accompanying the Word is either Outward or Inward or both Outward and Inward The Outward power was the external demonstration of the Spirit expressed Acts 19.6 Rom. 15.18 19. Heb. 2.4 The Inward power was that internal operation of the Spirit expressed Acts 2.37 Acts 16.14 Now if the word of the Apostles Ministery be accompanied with a power and demonstration of the Spirit sutable to that demonstration and power will be the manifestation of the obedience that follows it according to Rom. 15.18 19. 1 Cor. 2.4 5. If the demonstration of the Spirit be visible and outward it directs to the Outward obedience according to the Rules of that demonstration If it be accompanied with power it not onely directs but enables to obedience in that particular according to Matth. 7.22 23. Luke 10.17 18 19 20. If the demonstration and power of the Spirit be onely Inward and Invisible it directs and enables to the more Inward and Invisible part of obedience Gal. 5.22 23 to believe hope joy love and to express the fruits thereof Gal. 5.26 If the demonstration and power of the Spirit which accompanieth the Word be both Outward and Inward then doth it direct and enable the soul both Inwardly and Outwardly to be obedient according to the Rules thereof Rom. 15.18 19. 1 Cor. 2.4 5. 1 Thes 1.5 Now it may so come to pass that the Word of the Lord or the Ministery of the Apostles may come in demonstration and power upon the outward man onely and extend no further it may convince that Acts 4.14 16 and may bring that under obedience Act. 8.12 13. but it seldome or never befals the Lord's people to be convinced in the outward man onely I say onely But it may and certainly doth many times befal them to finde and feel the inward power and demonstration of the Spirit invisibly and inwardly whenas they are deprived of the external Manifestations of it Matth. 16.15 16 17 when the soul cannot and what it cannot see it may by the inward power of the Spirit believe Heb. 11.1 when it cannot possess and enjoy it may by the power of the same Spirit be helped to wait for Rom. 8.24 25. and when it knows not what to pray for as it ought it may by the inward power of the same Spirit be enabled to sigh and groan to God Rom. 8.26 27. This did seeme to be the condition of those believers in the nineteenth of the Acts who though they believed through the inward power of the Spirit upon their hearts yet they were ignorant of the external power and demonstration of the Spirit and consequently what they were further to know and do Act. 19.2 6. Cornelius who though the power of the Spirit had been great upon his heart Act. 10.24 yet he was ignorant of that external demonstration and power which afterwards he received Act. 10.44 So Paul though it pleased God to reveale himself to him or in him in the way Gal. 1.16 and caused him to pray in or by the Spirit Act. 9.11 compared with Rom. 8.26 27 yet he remained ignorant of that external power and demonstration of the Spirit which afterward he received when Ananias came unto him and laid his hands upon him and opened his eyes and told him what he should do Act. 9.6 17. Sometimes the Word or the Apostles Ministery came both in word and power both in the outward demonstration and inward operation and then it made men obedient in word and deed Rom. 15.16 19. 1 Thess 1.5 1 Cor. 2.4 5. These things being premised I conceive I may say in answer to your Question That the word of the Gospel or Ministery of the Apostles as you call it is so far forth efficacious to put the Saints upon doing their duties as it comes furnished with the demonstration and power of the Spirit 1 Cor. 1.1.5 2 Cor. 4.5 2 Cor. 3.6 If the Spirit do demonstrate and make evident to the Soule that part of the Word which concerns the Soul's hope faith joy love c. according as that Word is evidenced with demonstration and power of the Spirit to the Soule so far is that Soule not onely taught but enabled to hope believe joy love and no farther So likewise for that part of