promised Quest That from the rising of the Sun to the going down of the same his Name shall be great among the Gentiles Mal. 1.11 How shall this Name of Christ be proclaimed and made great among the Gentiles in this desolate and lost condition according to Rom. 10. Answ This Question seems to be like Isaac's Question to his Answ Father My Father where is the Lamb for the Sacrifice and the Answer may be the same that his was to his Son God will provide himself a Lamb. I would intreate you to read these Scriptures Mich. 2.7 10. Mich. 3.5 6 7. Mich. 4. the whole Chapter and that passage mentioned in Rom. 10.15 being compared with Isa 52.7 doth evidently declare that there is yet a further sending forth of the Messengers of Peace when the Sion of God shall awake and put on strength and Jerusalem the holy City shall put on beautiful garments Read Isa 52.1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 and judge whether this be not a Gospel-Prophecie part whereof is yet unfulfilled And whether this be not the Apostles scope in the tenth of the Romans vers 14 15 and the whole eleventh Chapter to the Romans Onely while you say How shall this be The wisdome of Jehovah can bring this about Zeph. 3.8 9 10 12 13 14. When the time of the Lord is come wherein that great Angel shall lighten the earth with his glory Rev 18.1 and wherein the Angel shall flie in the midst of Heaven having the ancient Gospel to preach to them that dwell on the earth to every nation kindred and tongue and People Rev. 14.6 When the Lord of the Harvest seeing the fields white to the Harvest shall thrust forth labourers into his Harvest when his Angels or Messengers shall be sent forth to gather his elect from the four winds from one end of Heaven to the other The zeal of the Lord of Hosts shall perform this though we know not how Object Object If there be not a Ministery in the World What will become of the Faith of all such as believe in the Lord Jesus differenced and dishinguished under those several professions and known by those several appellations whereby men have named them Answ seeing the Scripture witnesseth that men cannot believe without a Preacher Rom. 10.41 Answ This Objection grounds it self upon an absurdity that will seem to follow upon the premises viz. If what hath been alleadged be true touching the Ministery How can this Scripture be true also which saith How can they believe on him of whom they have not heard And how shall they hear without a Preacher To solve which seeming-contradiction I desire the Reader to consider who that relative word they must be applied to And consequently what is the scope of the Apostles argument in this place For the understanding of which I conceive it will be necessary to read the ninth tenth and eleventh Chapters together and they will appear to be one continued Discourse or Argument whereby the Apostle Paul doth hold forth the state of the Jewes whom he calls his brethren his kinsmen according to the flesh Rom. 9.3 Now concerning these he begins all the three Chapters and shewes both their priviledges which they had by the Law Chap. 9.4 5. Their rejection through their non-submission to the righteousness of God Chap. 10.3 Their restitution when the fulness of the Gentiles is come in Chap. 11.25 to fulfil the Mystery of this dispensation of God by the appearing of the deliverer who shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob according to his Covenant Vers 25 26 27. Isa 59.20 21. These are that they which are mentioned in the 1 2 3 and 14 Verses of the tenth Chapter to the Romans touching whom the Apostle thus reasons Brethren my hearts desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they might be saved For I hear them record c. Object But blessed Apostle Object what ground of Faith is there in this prayer considering how they are rejected Answ The Scripture hath said Whosoever believeth in him Answ shall not be ashamed for there is no difference between the Iew and the Greek for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him For whosoever shall call upon the Name of the Lord shall be saved Therefore they viz. the Jews if they call upon the Name of the Lord they shall be saved Onely the Question is How they shall call upon him in whom they have not believed and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard and how shall they hear without out a Preacher and how shall they Preach except they be sent Therefore till there be a sending forth of Messengers even to the Jews quatenus Jews as well as there hath been to the Gentiles quâ such no wonder if they believe not For how can they believe in him of whom they have not heard and how can they hear without a Preacher and how can they Preach except they be sent Object Object But they have heard though they have not obeyed as appears Answ Rom. 10.16 18 21. Answ This may not be denied for Christ was sent first to the lost sheep of the house of Israel And he accordingly came unto his own and his own received him not But the consideration hereof makes the Mystery the greater Once God chose the family of Abraham before all the families of the earth and in Judah was God known and his Name famous in Israel He dealt not so with any other nation neither had they the knowledge of his Law Though afterwards when the fulness of time was come and the wall of partition broken down by the appearing of our Lord Jesus then the Mystery of Christ which in other ages was not made manifest was revealed to his holy Apostles and Prophets Eph. 3.5 6 by the Spirit which Mystery was That the Gentiles should be fellow-heirs and of the same body and partakers of his promise in Christ by the Gospel And the Jewes to whom the Gospel first was preached having put it from them Act. 13. ult and reckoned themselves unworthy of that salvation became the onely nation of all the world who were by the just hand of God concluded under blindness and hardness in part and so are to continue such a proportion of time as was fore-appointed and decreed Rom. 10.8 9 10 25. At the expiration and determination of which time there is to be a revelation of the Mystery of their breaking off and ingrafting in again Rom. 11 2◠and that to be done when the deliverer shall come out of Sion and shall turn away ungodliness from Iacob For as in times past the Gentiles believed not having not that opportunity of the knowledge of God as the Jews had yet at length obtained mercy through their unbelief Even so have these also now not believed that through their mercy they might obtain mercy Object But how is
its pristine and primitive Constitution as well to respect the Nations which are without viz. the out-casts of Israel together with those worshippers of the Sun and Moon the Moors and Indians and the people that know not God nor have ever heard the sound of him nor of the salvation which through Christ Jesus he holds forth to Mankinde as well as that sort of Ministery which it 's supposed is found among good people who judge they are in Church-estate already though indeed they are both but the fruit of the same ascension and both respect the same end Ministery and duration or continuance For as the Saints already such are not come to a perfect man in Christ and therefore have need of an edifying feeding Ministery so the number of them which are to be gathered are likewise not compleated and therefore need a gathering and breeding Ministery the one without the other being not perfect especially the later not without the former Forasmuch as the Ministery for the World as it was first given namely to the Apostles in these words Go ye into all the world or Teach all nations so it was comprehensive and took in the later and stood sometimes without it they holding out the brest of consolation and confirmation to those to whom they had been as a womb parental or instrumental in conversion Therefore in a return of mercy as in point of Ministery it would be considered Whether the first Apostolical and National Ministery be not again to be looked for hoped for and longed for and prayed for and that by way of eminency not onely for Sion's sake and for Jerusalem's sake but also for the Nations sakes the Kindreds Tongues Peoples those who know not God considering that there is a time wherein John having eaten the book was to prophesie again before many people and nations and tongues and kings Rev. 10. ult And the Angel which he saw flying in the midst of heaven was to preach the ancient Gospel to every nation kindred tongue and people And this was to follow Antichrist's universal over-spreading of the earth for after he had prevailed so far as to cause all both small and great rich and poor bond and free to receive his mark and that no man might buy or sell but he that had received the mark and that all the world wondered after the Beast Rev. 13.3 16 17. after this great power and prevalencie of Antichrist then should the ancient Gospel be preached to every nation kinred tongue and people that dwell upon the earth Rev. 14.6 and then should follow the fall of Babylon v 8 there followed another Angel saying Babylon is fallen is fallen and this should be that Angel Rev. 18.1 2 which should come down from heaven with great power and enlighten the earth with his glory and should cry mightily with a strong voice saying Babylon the great is fallen according to that of the Apostle 2 Thess 2.8 Then shall that wicked be revealed whom God shall consume with the spirit of his mouth and destroy with the brightness of his coming And whether this be not that Ministery which the Lord will send forth to gather his chosen ones from the four corners of the windes Mar. 13. forasmuch as after that the false Christs and false Prophets shall arise and shall shew their seducing signes and wonders to deceive if it were possible the very elect vers 22. and that great tribulation shall happen the sun darkned and the moon not give her light Then shall the Son of man come in the clouds with great power and glory and shall send his Angels or Messengers and shall gather together his elect from the utmost parts of the earth From all which it were to be desired that the Lord would stir up the hearts of his people to cry mightily to him and give him no rest till he accomplish the work of gathering together his number out of all Nations Kindreds Tongues and Peoples the utmost parts of the Heathen being given to Christ as his peculiar inheritance Psal 2.8 and because from the rising of the sun to the going down of the same God's name shall be great among the Gentiles Mal. 1.11 Object Object If this be true which hath been spoken then we must expect more Apostles but it is said in 1 Cor. 4.9 that those were the last Apostles Therefore there can be no ground to expect any more Answ Answ 1. That Scripture concludes not against what hath been spoken as will appear when it is examined The word which is rendered there last 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is in Luke 14.9 taken for the lowest or meanest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 When thou art bidden of any man to a wedding go sit down in the lowest room And this signification of the word may very well agree with that which is the Argument of this Chapter 1 Cor. 4.9 and so it seems to be carried I think God hath set forth us the Apostles last i. e. lowest or vilest as it were men appointed to death For we are made a spectacle unto the world to Angels and men We are fooles for Christs sake but ye are wise We are made the filth of the world and the off-scouring of all things to this day Let it be considered whether all these several expressions do not more properly agree to the word as it is rendered the lowest or basest then to the word last Apostles Secondly If the word he to be taken for the last yet it doth not necessarily inforce it self to be understood of the last of what shall be but the last of what hath been therefore it is rendred novissimus the newest as our English Dialect will infer the last garment or newest garment are Synonimaes In 2 Pet. 2.20 it 's rendered not last but later And 1 Pet. 1.20 speaking of Christ it 's said He was made manifest in the last dayes Heb. 1.2 it 's said In these last dayes God hath spoken unto us by his Sonne Which last dayes may not be so understood as if they were so the last that there were no more dayes to succeed them for there hath been sixteen hundred years of dayes since that time past and gone neither may I conceive those Apostles were the last or so the last Apostles that there should no more come after them understanding them to be Messengers sent forth as the term Apostle imports for then I would inquire By whom should the out casts of Israel be gathered or the Nations converted to the faith of Christ Jer. 32.37 38. Jer. 23.3 Mar. 13.10 Matth. 24.14 If there be any Nations of the World Kindreds Tongues and People to whom the Gospel hath not been sent it must be done to fulfill the Word of the Lord. And by whom shall it be done but by such Messengers which shall be endued with like power of Evidence and Demonstration both of Tongues and Gifts as the first Messengers or Apostles had to preach
A SOBER WORD To A SERIOUS PEOPLE Or A MODERATE DISCOURSE RESPECTING As well The SEEKERS so called As The Present Churches Wherein the Difference between them touching Visible Administrations is Discovered and Discussed And may serve as A Plea for the Nations Ministery By a lover of Truth and Peace PSAL. 22.30 A seed shall serve him it shall be counted to the Lord for a generation 24. 6. This is the generation of them that seek him that seek thy face O Jacob. 14 7. Oh that the salvation of Israel were come out of Sion When the Lord bringeth back the capivity of his people Jacob shall rejoyce and Israel shall be glad London Printed by J. Cottrel for James Noell in Foster-line and are to be fold by Giles Calvert at the black Spread-Eagle neer the West-end of Pauls 1651. To the Reader COURTEOUS READER THou art here presented with a brief Discourse touching a Subject which hath not wherewith to commend it self and therefore subjects it self to thy Ingenuity and Candor in its perusal if it be thought by thee worthy thereof To invite or court thee thereunto would be very unbeseeming thee to whom it 's directed considering thee both sober and serious and to me it 's no less unsutable if thou knewest my Genius Thou art therfore left free either to entertain it or pass it by as thou pleasest and it 's as freely submitted to thy Censure But considering it's possible that some may bestow time upon it for their sakes I have been prevailed with to say a little by way of Preface touching the nature and end thereof both which when thou clearly understandest thou wilt with the less prejudice attempt the reading and examining of it when it shall be freed in thy judgement from such aspersions as some may rashly yet too plentifully bestow upon it Be thou therefore hereby assured that thou art not troubled with this Discourse out of any designe either to weaken thy present confidence which thou hast in God or to startle thee touching thy present Practice in things pertaining to God nor out of any Irreligious Atheistical or Self-ended interest to tempt thee to cast off all Ordinances of Worship and Service of God which thou at present art perswaded thou oughtst to be found exercised in but to give thee an account touching a Sort of people which some are pleased to call SEEKERS of whom several men in several books have spoken several things shewing the dangerousness of their Opinion and the dreadfulness of its tendency and under that term of Seekers comprehend all those which differ from themselves touching the present exercise of Visible Administrations How great their mistake hath been and is thou mayst finde herein the rectifying whereof is one End of this Work by laying down somewhat positively touching what they believe and practise and somewhat privatively touching such things as they see not ground to practise These are reduced and abridged under two Heads The Present Churches and Present Ministery and compared with the Primitive Patterns of each as they are laid down in the Scriptures and accordingly applied with some Considerations had touching certain Objections depending thereupon Under which general Heads thou hast the sum of what thou wilt here be troubled with and perhaps thou mayst judge it worthy thy trouble As touching the End to give thee some account as well what it is as what it is not be pleased to know that having observed many persons of an enquiring spirit unsatisfied with their present Practice as not seeing sufficient ground for it yet impatient and restless in their spirits have made out after this people so distinguished as before but finding them very inconsiderable both for quantity and quality and nothing extant which in any measure might be a stay to them by laying a ground for their dependance further waiting upon God have waxed weary and almost fainted in their minds and at the best have returned to that condition from whence at first they thought themselves happie they were escaped using such expressions as these Come let us go back to Egypt for Bread it 's better take it at the mouth of Ravens then starve Which expressions have been very sadly uttered by some mean while the God which had led them by the hand out of Egypt and brought them thorow the Red-sea cannot be trusted nor depended on nor waited for while they are in the wilderness These Considerations on their part have moved me to bethink me of my duty to my God and whether I were not obliged in thankfulness to him who had betrusted me with the knowledge of his pleasure in any measure touching this particular to impart it to others that they might also have the opportunity of considering what hath been a stay to my own spirit and perhaps may prove forcible to prevent from further straying such who are upon rhe like enquiry I have likewise observed how much it hath offended and grieved divers good persons who are themselves under the practice and exercise of such Administrations as this Discourse treats of because the SEEKER'S as they are called do not joyn issue in the practise thereof expressing this offence and trouble of theirs by writing and otherwise which I have great cause to hope will by this occasion be abated or at least moderated when they shall perceive that there is a reason to be rendered for that which they have judged unreasonable In the consideration of which I cannot but think it's possible that Thou Reader mayst finde thy self to have drunk too deep of the cup of my former and thy present Errour in that both thou and I have taken up our Practices upon other mens Principles or at least upon too easie too slight a search touching which if they were to begin again we should judge it necessary to put a pause and to make more diligent enquiry after the minde of God in the Scriptures To which some persons are reduced and that in mercy searching and seeking after those things now which long since they presumed they had attained To the exercise whereof thou art also invited viz. to prove thy own works that so thy rejoycing may be in thy self and not in another And if in examining this Work thou findest many things weak and amiss I shall not wonder at it I pretend not to Perfection Put thy Character upon them let them pass for dross and write them mine But if thou findest Gold I mean Truth that will abide the fire of trial say that 's God's 't is none of mine and let not that pass I expect thy Censure I shall hearken for it and I hope thy Reproofs shall be as welcome as the smiting of the righteous was to David Psal 141.5 and for ought thou knowest if thou sendest me back to the searching of the Scriptures which must be the Standard Rule of trial I may truly be enabled to say It shall be a kindness to me an excellent oil
These two were the Grand and Capital and Comprehensive Institutions and appointments of the Lord Jesus unto which He gave gifts for the perfecting of the Saints But whether the present Ministery and the present Churches be those Ordinances of His which He then instituted and appointed and not rather something like them or instead of them is the matter in Question The persons called by the name of Seekers having compared them with the Word of God and not finding them to conform thereunto dare not joyne issue in the present practice of them which of it self is ground sufficient yet that it may appear that this ground and reason is not without Reason somewhat is to be added by way of Demonstration and Evidence There have not been wanting those which have taken paines to prove the Affirmative and to reprove the Negative sharply It 's necessary to consider of those proofes seriously and endeavour to apply those reproofes as profitably as may be to state the matter in question as fairely and truely as the present Capacity is abilitated and can extend to First I finde it 's most generally taken for granted that Disciples quâ Disciples or as others say Disciples able to preach the Gospel have power and are commanded to Baptize Matth. 28.19 and upon this ground it 's practised and this is all the Ministery that I can finde is acknowledged by some Secondly that Believers may incorporate themselves and become a Church is by others affirmed from Joh. 1.12 That being made sons by believing they have power to become the sons of God in state which I suppose is meant that Believers have power to estate themselves into visible Sonship or else I know not what to make of the distinction Others express the same thing with other words much different proving a Church and Ministery upon other Principles and Grounds From all which as I differ in the Matter so I shall in the Method desiring to lay down something Positively from these Scriptures submitting to the judgement and censure thereof judging it most profitable rather then to take notice of the several Objections I have seen with the Answers to them Knowing well that Truth is truely evidencing and convincing and if this shall approve it self so it will save labour of answering those Objections though something will be spoken to them also in their place Our blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ who himself was the Great Apostle of his Father as well as the High-priest of our profession Heb. 3.1 whilst he was to perform his Father's work Rom. 15.8 whose Messenger or Apostle he was as being set apart and sent forth for that purpose Joh. 6.38 39 40. Joh. 12.49 and spake and acted according to the commandment he had received from the Father In the performance of which Ministration or Service he was pleased to single out some certain persons from amongst others whom he appointed and authorized to wait upon him in that Ministration or Service Those he termed Disciples or Apostles Matth. 10.1 When he had called to him his Disciples he gave them power c. Now the names of the twelve Apostles were these c. These twelve Jesus sent forth and commanded them saying Go not into the way of the Gentiles but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel and as ye go preach 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vers 16. Behold I send you forth c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 These twelve were such as he ordained from amongst others Mar. 3.13 He went up into a mountain and called to him whom he would and they came unto him And he ordained twelve that they should be with him and that he might send them forth to preach Luke 6.13 And when it was day he called to him his Disciples and of them he chose twelve whom he also named Apostles These Disciples were not meerly such as were followers of Christ and had learnt of him as Scholars but such as himself out of others had Chosen Called and Ordained that they should be with him and that he might send them forth to preach which accordingly he did and named them Apostles as Matth. 10. and Luke 6. doth evidence And what Commission he had the same he gave to them As he saith of himself I am not sent but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel so he commanded them not to go to the Gentiles nor into the way of Samaria but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel Matth. 10.5 Besides these he likewise sent forth the Seventy with like Power and Commission to preach the Gospel and to confirm it by Miracles as Himself and the Apostles also did But in a more especial manner did the Twelve converse with him upon all occasions as his assidual attendants or houshold-servants During the time of his Administration upon earth and when he was about to finish the work which the Father sent him to do so far as concerned his personal presence he delegated that power the Father had committed to him into the hands of them those very persons whom before he had ordained to be with him Matth. 28.18 19 20. Now the time approaching wherein the Mosaical Dispensation was to expire and the Christian Church and its Worships to be introduced in the stead thereof our Lord Jesus having fulfilled all righteousness as touching the Law gives commandment that the Gospel be preached to all Nations baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy Spirit Touching the persons to whom Christ did delegate the power and authority of Preaching and Baptizing much is written as hath been hinted before Some say To Believers as Believers Some say To Disciples as Disciples Some say To Preaching Disciples Some say To Disciples able to preach the Gospel so as to bring over souls to believe and be baptized Others speak in other expressions It is too much to follow them in all There be four things I shall desire may be enquired into the discussion whereof will take in most of the Scripture which any way give light to the understanding of this Subject and which may occasionally answer many Objections which otherwise require particular discussion I shall propound them by way of Question First Whether Christ did not commit the Preaching of the Word and administration of Baptisme to a Ministery Secondly What the nature and end of that Ministery was which the Lord Jesus appointed to succeed him Thirdly Whether there be any pattern of any visible Congregated Church under the Gospel without or before a Ministery or Baptisme Fourthly Whether the present Ministery and present Churches may be acknowledged the Ministers and Churches of Christ according to the first Pattern To the first of these That Power and Authority to Preach and Baptize was committed to the Apostels or to the Eleven Disciples as to a Ministery might be demonstrated First From the Equity of it which appears in the Respect or Care which
them when he pleaseth or that the Faith or Conversion which ownes not such a Ministery to have a share in it's working must therefore not be true because not so wrought or effected as the Objection holds it forth Diligent searching the Scripture To what hath been spoken might be added the consideration of the Faith of those men of Berea Act. 17.11 12 which attributes very much to their daily searching the Scriptures whether the things they heard of Paul and Silas were so and it 's said Therefore many of them believed No doubt Paul and Silas preached to these as they had before to those of Thessalonica Vers 3 But these were more noble then the former in that they searched the Scriptures which Paul and Silas urged to see whether the thing alleadged were so therefore many of them believed As also the evangelizing of the scattered brethren and the blessed successe that ensued thereupon who though they were so far from being Ministerially sent out that they were sent after by the Churches at Jerusalem when tidings had come to their eares how the hand of the Lord was with them Act. 1.19 20 21 22 yet their labour of Love and work in that particular was accepted and many were turned to the Lord thereby By all which it doth appear that although Faith came by hearing and hearing by the Word of God yet it doth not appear that Faith cannot be true or that none can be said to believe who have not so heard viz. By such a preaching and sending as that Scripture in Rom. 10.14 15 holds forth and as this Objection would enforce But on the contrary rather that although the Lord Jesus did institute and appoint some certaine persons chosen and deputed to the work of the Ministery for the ends and during the time mentioned in the fourth of the Ephesians to which men were to give attendance as to the meanes appointed of God for those ends yet he was not bound so to work by those instruments and by none other as if that whatsoever he wrought otherwise or by other meanes must be invalidated because it was not so effected as the instances before alleadged will with clearness and no less comfort evince Therefore this consideration now presented will be so far from weakning that it will adde much comfort and strength to the Faith of the mourners of Sion and the waiters for the hope of Israel while they behold that the most High hath placed such footsteps amongst his blessed Oracles of Truth the Scriptures that may stay from wandering and preserve from fainting their wearied Spirits as in other things so also in this that their Faith and Hope may be found in God and they no way enforced to build upon the wisdome of men that would be esteemed the Ministers and Messengers of Christ in stead of those that once were so And may serve as a good help till better do appear to free the minde and spirit of some that are sincere from that Bull or Comination which hath taken hold of them enforcing it self upon the Conscience not to dare to question the present Ministery lest they be necessitated to question their own Faith also though this questioning extends it self no farther then to try it by the rules of the Word a thing so frequently commanded by God himself And the impartial exercise whereof though it might prevaile with some to see their present loss and that they are not what they have taken themselves to be and abate much of the present confidence which most men have yet would it not at all take off the ground of their consolation nor the exercise of their gratious abilities in searching the Scriptures as touching the present Truth as the men of Berea did nor of communicating their gratious experiences as that good woman of Samaria did or those honest-hearted brethren of the dispersion nor of holding forth a holy harmless and chaste Conversation winning and instrumentally saving those who possibly may not be won by the Word themselves mean while being found faithful witnesses to Truth so far as they have attained and waiters for that grace which is to be brought at the revelation of Jesus Christ 2 Thess 4.5 Now the Lord direct our hearts into the love of God and into a patient waiting for Christ forasmuch as unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto Salvation therefore in patience let us possess our souls knowing that the time is coming yea hastning wherein the blinde shall see the lame shall leap and the stammering tongue be unloosed In the mean time Let Brotherly love continue FINIS