to the Church of Professors it standeth in an outward calling and gifts An outward calling when by his Word that is to say his publishing of the Couenant of Grace and people in bestowing vpon them his Word and the fruit it bringeth forth by the working of his Spirit for these three Prophet Word and Church haue a perpetuall relation one vnto another Wherefore in handling the Propheticall Office the Word of Christ is first to be spoken of and then his Church The Word of Christ is all the holy Doctrine that hee hath taught from the beginning concerning our saluation through him Wherein obserue First Christ is the matter and onely subiect and substance of the Word In that regard himselfe is called The g Iohn 1. 1. Word or h Reuel 19. 13. The Word of God Because of him and of him alone it is that there are in the Word so many glorious and excellent speeches and the Doctrine of the Gospell hath the name of the Word of Christ Col. 3. 16. So as it is not any naturall knowledge that this Doctrine teacheth but heauenly and supernaturall which was not in Adam before his fall though he were perfectly holy and endued with all manner of naturall vnderstanding Secondly He himselfe as he is the matter so he is the Authour of the Word In which respect the Scripture giueth these names vnto him First He is called Hamedabber or the Speaker and Interpreter of his Fathers Will Dan. 8. 13. To which place it may be the Apostle i Heb. 12. 25. hath some eye when hee saith Take heed yee reiect not him that speaketh or the Speaker meaning Christ Secondly A Doctor k Mat. 3. 10. or a Teacher Thirdly A l Deut. 18. 15. Acts 3. 22. Prophet the head and Lord of the Prophets Fourthly an m Heb. 3. 1. Apostle Fiftly The n Mal. 3. 1. Angell of the Couenant And that wee may know with what Graces our Sauiour Christ is furnished for o Col. 2. 3. so great a worke all the treasures of Knowledge and Vnderstanding are hidden in him yea he is Wisdome p 1. Cor. 1. 24. it selfe or q Luke 11. 49. the Wisdome of God and called as by a proper name r Dan. 8. 13. Palmonie that is one that hath all hidden things numbred before him or ready told and as we say at his fingers ends which as occasion doth serue he vttereth to his Church Wherefore here is the Touch-stone of all Truth and there is no truth concerning God and our Saluation in Christ but in the Word our Sauiour himselfe bearing record Iohn 17. 17. Thy word is Truth Touching the outward instruments which it hath pleased him to vse in the deliuerie of this Word sometimes he spake by his owne voyce from Heauen sometimes by the Ministerie of his holy Angels But specially this outward Ministerie is either his owne which hee executed personally himselfe when hee was vpon the Earth described Esay 42. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7. in regard whereof he is called a Minister ſ Rom. 15. 8. The Minister of Circumcision and a t Esay 42. 1. Seruant or it is of his Seruants from the beginning of the World of whom hee saith He u Luke 10 16. that heareth you heareth mee and hee that reiecteth you reiecteth me Of whose Ministeries and Functions we shall haue cause to speake hereafter Therefore Christs Office of a Teacher did not first begin when hee tooke our flesh vpon him for his Spirit it was that spake in the Prophets long before hee came into the World as the Apostle beareth record 1. Pet. 1. 11. The forewitnessing Spirit of Christ that was in the Prophets declared the sufferings that should befall Christ and the glorie that was to follow And that which is in the Psalmes x Psal 95. 7. To day if ye will heare his voyce the Apostle y Heb. 3. 7. to the Hebrewes referreth to the voyce of Christ Thirdly I note the perfection of this Doctrine that Christ hath opened the whole will of his Father fully and perfectly in euery Age and neuer left his Church without a full and perfect direction of all things necessarie for their saluation for Moses saith z Deut. 30. 15. Behold I set before you this day life and death which hee could not haue said vnlesse there had beene a certaine direction to lead them vnto life And when hee chargeth a Deut. 4. 2. Not to adde to the words that he gaue them in Commandement nor to take from them doth it not prooue that the same was perfect Fourthly The subiect of the Word being Christ it is more particularly the Couenant made in him which by the Word is promulged and offered vnto all and his Spirit maketh effectuall to as many as receiuing the same by faith make themselues worthy of it The which Couenant being distinguished by the Old which being of the Old Testament was called The promise of the New The Gospell Testament and the New as before hath beene declared the publication of the Old Testament in and through Christ to come was called b Acts 13. 32. Gal. 3. 17. The Promise when hee was exhibited and come indeed that worthy and welcome Message was termed c Acts 13. 32. Marke 1. 1. The Gospell or good newes and glad tydings But it is the glory of Christs administration whether in his owne person when hee was among vs or by his and by the power of his Spirit Seruants that the outward dispensing of the Word is accompanied with an inward working of the Spirit of both which parts his Propheticall Office standeth herein differing from all other Ministers who onely preach the Word set d Mat. 3. 11. on the outward Element e 1. Cor. 3. 6. plant and water but the whole blessing doth come from him for he teaching openeth mens mindes e Luke 24. 45. that they may vnderstand the Scriptures and bestoweth other graces which the Word bringeth forth euen in the wicked by a generall working of his Spirit as we are taught by the f Mat. 13. 24. Parable of the Sower and haue g Marke 6. 20. Herod and the h Iohn 5. 35. Iewes for an example It followeth to speake of the Church That which we he draweth men to that Profession call Church signifieth in i 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Greeke a select companie gathered called culled picked out from other men In English it hath the name deriued from that which in Greeke signifieth k 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lord because they belong to Christ the Lord and are separate to his Seruice be it by an inward whereof commeth the word Church or as the Northerne pronounce Kirk or an outward separation But the outward Church is it which wee are to beginne withall which is in generall the whole number of men professing Christ Concerning which take these few
things First Grace is not vniuersall nor all doe not receiue it no not so much as the offer of Grace nor an outward calling Many l Mat. 20. 16. saith our Sauiour Christ are called he saith not all but many And so the m Mat. 22. 3 4 King which made a Marriage Dinner for his Sonne sent his Seruants to call not all but those that hee had called that is those whose names he had set downe in a Calender or Roll to bee his Ghests although of those also some n Ver. 11 12 13 were none of his Neither doth it hinder this which is said after o Ver. 9. Go into the high-wayes and bring in as many as ye shal find For the scope of the Parable sheweth that by those that were first bid are meant the Iewes into whose place came the Gentiles that before were alieus and strangers so that by calling of the Iewes onely at the first it is prooued that all men are not made partakers of the outward calling And this if wee had no word at all for it experience it selfe might teach vs for how many hath death ouer-taken in thier Cradles before they could bee called how many of riper yeeres doth darknesse couer that they neuer can see the Light Paul verily p Acts 14. 15. saying that in the ages passed God suffered all Nations to walke in their owne wayes sheweth how many Millions of soules haue perished that neuer heard of Christ But it is the glorie of Christs administration whether in his owne person when he was among vs or by his seruants that the outward dispensing of the Word is accompanied with an inward working of the Spirit of both which parts his Propheticall Office standeth herein differing from all other Ministers who onely preach the Word q Mat. 3. 11. set on the outward Element r 1. Cor. 3. 6. plant and water but the whole blessing doth come from him for he teaching ſ Luke 24. 45. openeth mens minds that they may vnderstand the Scriptures and bestoweth other graces which the Word bringeth forth not onely in his Children but euen in the wicked Secondly It is the instinct and motion of Gods Spirit that draweth a man to this Profession Gen. 9. 27. God perswade IAPHETH that hee may dwell in the Tents of SHEM for all the naturall Wisdome of the World is not able to leade vs by the hand to Christ nor to teach vs the knowledge of heauenly things I say not the sauing knowledge of Gods Elect but not so much as that outward knowledge and profession and those common graces which many of the Reprobates doe attayne vnto No man saith IESVS is the Lord but by the Spirit of God 1. Cor. 12. 3. that is the grace euen but outwardly to professe him is a worke of the Holy Ghost And so doth the Apostle there goe thorow the rest of the parts Gifts of knowledge Faculties and Ministeries All which he saith one and the same Spirit worketh And what need we much to labour herein when the very hiding of this sacred Doctrine so many yeeres from all the deepe and wise men of the Earth whilest the Iewes had it alone and at this day from so many famous Common-wealths and Kingdomes to whom wee are not superiour in Learning Wisdome or other Gifts shew that all the wit of the World cannot make vs so much as thinke one thought of Christ till God by his Spirit giue vs light And this which is the first and meanest of Gods fauours is yet a fauour not to bee contemned it being an excellent and a glorious thing to bee though but outwardly Professors of Christ for First Hereby they are seuered from Turkes Pagans and Heathen men and in name are become Christians for that title the t Acts 11. 26. Holy Ghost giueth to all Professors Secondly They are now receiued into the LORDS House and are said to bee within u 1. Cor. 5. 12 13 whereas all others What haue I to doe to iudge them that are without But those that are within doe you iudge But those that are without God will iudge that are not of the Church are said to bee without Thirdly Being members of the visible Church dwelling with and among them they are made partakers of many goodly graces and benefits which God powreth vpon his Church euen vpon the Reprobate and wicked for the Elects sake that are among them as the Psalmist saith that x Psal 29. 9. in his Temple hee vttereth all his Glorie The third thing is it sufficeth for the making of a Church if they bee Professors onely this being but a bare outward calling common to the Reprobate Fourthly They must bee Professors of Christ professing that in words the hauing whereof indeed maketh men truly Christians So the Apostle defineth it Ephes 1. 1. where in stead of naming the Church of Ephesus for to the outward Church he writeth hee vseth this Periphrasis to the Saints that are in Ephesus and to the faithfull in Christ Iesus and 1. Cor. 1. 2. To the Church of God which is in Corinth sanctified in Christ Iesus Saints by calling In regard whereof the same Apostle calleth Christ The foundation euen of the visible Church 1. Co. 3. 11. And this is the right Touchstone to examine al Churches by for what The Papists make three notes of the visible Church Antiquitie Vnitie Vniuersalitie most fondly and ridiculously when as all these are to bee found in the malignant Church in the most wicked assemblies societies Errors haue bin ancient as long as since the Apostles time for euen then the mystery of iniquitie began to worke 2. Thes 2. 7. 1. Iohn 5. 3. and then were there many Antichrists 1. Ioh. 2. 13 Theeues are as vnitie among themselues and so are the Deuils one with another else their Kingdome could not stand Mat 12 25. 26. And Reuel 17. 17. it is said that God put into their hearts with one consent to giue their Kingdome to the Beast As for Vniuersalitie that is so farre from being a certaine badge of the true Church that contrariwise Paul telleth vs when Antichrist shall be reuealed there must be a generall Apostasie and defection from the Truth 2. Thes 2. 3. And in the Reuel we reade that all the World went wōdring after the Beast worshipped the Beast and the Dragon that gaue him power Reu. 13. ◠4. Howbeit we say the Church of God is Catholike or Vniuersall but in a farre other sence then they meane by their vniuersalitie which they intend of a general spreading of itselfe without any great opposition to the contrarie in beautie and much brauerie and multitudes of men glittering and shining in the World whereas we say The true Church of Christ is Catholike or Vniuersall because it is not tyed to any one particular place or Countrie as sometimes among the Iewes it was but in euery Nation God hath those that
and all thus rise againe is the common Certaine men vpon our Sauiour Christs Resurrection rose againe and are already with him in Heauen condition of all Mankind some few excepted and those of three sorts for First Some there were who being dead vpon our Sauiour Christs Resurrection rose againe and are alreadie with him in glorie Of whom you may reade Mat. 27. 52 53. that the graues did open themselues and many bodies of the Saints which slept arose and came out of the Graues after his Resurrection and went into the holy Citie and appeared vnto many Which word appearing sheweth that they did not rise to conuerse among men or to dye againe as Lazarus and some other did but in their owne persons to attend vpon him in his Ascension vnto Heauen and by their Resurrection to seale vp the truth of his and of ours in and through him that so not onely in Christ our Head but in our Brethren and fellow-members full assurance might bee made vnto vs of this sweete and comfortable Doctrine Secondly Other there were that neuer dyed but So are Enoch and Elias both aliue assumed thither onely changed their miserable condition into Glorie Immortalitie and so were taken vp aliue into Heauen And this was the peculiar priuiledge of Enoch and Elias One before the Law another vnder the Law both in most corrupt and depraued times wherein the sincere worship of God was no where to bee found the hope of eternall Life and of the Resurrection to come vtterly lost and gone God therefore to leaue a plentifull testimonie of a blessed Resurrection till the cleerer manifestation of it by the rising of his Sonne and both to giue testimonie of the Faith and Pietie of such men and to conuince the wicked World of Infidelitie suffered not those two to goe the way of all flesh but by a speciall fauour did assume them bodie and soule vnto himselfe thereby also to make them types and figures of the Resurrection of his Sonne by whose power they thus escaped death Of Enoch first it is recorded Gen. 5. 24. That he walking with God three thousand yeers in which time as u Iude ver 24. Iude the Apostle witnesseth hee diligently executed the part of a faithfull Teacher in Gods Church reproouing the corrupt World of sin denouncing Gods seuere Iudgements against them euen to the extreme curse of Anathema Maranatha in the end hee was no more seene for God tooke him that is as the x Heb. 11. 5. Apostle to the Hebrewes doth expound it did translate him that hee should not see death And of Elias the Storie is set forth at large in the first and second Booke of Kings How after long conflicts with Achab the King of Israel and Iesabel his wife and with foure hundred and fiftie prophets the priests of Baal at once being tossed as wee say from Post to Pillar and driuen to flye for his life hauing restored the true Worship of God and reedified his Altars that before were throwne downe destroyed being now as hee thought left alone and wearie of his life God in the end after his many labours y 2. Kings 2. 23 tooke him vp in a whirlewinde into Heauen Thereby conuincing the Idolatry of that Age. And when in the Towne of Bethel where the Calues were erected and Idolatrie and Superstition raged they made a Scoffe of this Ascension and taught their children so to doe saying to Elisha in scoffing sort Ascend Bald-pate ascend Bald-pate that is Goe vp to Heauen as Elias did as if they should haue said A proper and goodly ascension two Beares comming out of the Forrest tare in pieces two forty children of them And that this was alwayes the iudgement of the Church concerning Elias may appeare Luke 9. 8. where in the diuersitie of opinions held of our Sauiour Christ some said that IOHN was raysed from the dead some that ELIAS had appeared other that one of the old Prophets was risen againe To all the rest attributing Resurrection as of bodies dead onely to ELIAS Apparition in the truth of his humane nature as of one that neuer dyed Two things there bee that may seeme to crosse this Doctrine One that Christ is called The first fruites of them that sleepe 1. Cor. 15. 20. The other that in the eleuenth to the Heb. 11. 39. the Apostle speaking of the holy men of God before the Comming of Christ And of Enoch among the rest saith of them all that they receiued not the promises But hereunto it may bee answered that the promise which the Apostle meaneth is the manifestation of Christ in the flesh and the more plentifull measure of grace now then was before his Comming which pertayneth nothing to this question As for that 1. Cor. 15. Christ is called The first fruits of them that sleepe because by the power of his Resurrection all shall rise againe and his Resurrection sanctifieth ours as the first fruits did the whole crop not that he of necessitie must be the first that rose no more then hee was the first whose soule did enter Heauen though all both before and since haue entred by his power Although if you should so farre presse this Phrase Christ was indeed the first that rose seeing to speake properly Enoch and Elias neuer dyed and therefore neuer rose And howsoeuer it bee an extraordinarie Example in one or two speciall persons it serueth not to ouerthrow a generall truth But the first I take to be the Apostles meaning Yet haue not these two sorts their full glorie alreadie for howsoeuer their whole nature bee made perfect yet the fulnesse of their perfection is deferred till the latter Day as to the rest of Gods Elect Euen as wee see the whole spirituall nature of the Angels that fell is now fully accursed and yet reserued for a more full damnation The third sort are those men that the Comming of Those that are liuing at the latter Day shall suddenly be changed after the dead are once risen Christ doth finde aliue who shall not dye but shall suddenly bee changed as Enoch and Elias were and so bee taken vp to meete Christ after that the dead in him shall be first risen All of vs saith the Apostle 1. Cor. 15. 51 52. shall not sleepe but all of vs shall be changed in a moment in the twinkling of an eye at the last Trumpet for the Trumpet shall sound and the dead shall rise vp without corruption and we shall be changed And againe 1 Thess 4. 15 16 17. This say we to you in the Word of the Lord that we which liue and are remayning in the Comming of the Lord shall not preuent them which sleepe for the Lord himselfe shall come downe from Heauen and the dead in Christ shall arise first afterwards shall we which liue and remayne be caught vp also with them in the Clouds to meete the Lord in the Ayre By the Analogie