saying The Gods are come Acts 14. downe to us calling Paul Jupiter and Barnabas Mercurius the names of their heathen Gods And the Apostles could scarcely restraine the Priests from sacrificing to them From this blind conceipt arises as blind a sacrifice sometimes men women children beasts and birds have beene offered by them as well-pleasing sacrifices to their Gods From this ignorance of the true GOD and his worship hath sprung that Ataxy Confusion and disorder that is in the world hence comes murders rebellions treasons witchcrafts sorceries uneleanesse contentions persecutions self-exaltation and all abhominations in the world This deluge of darknesse hath not only drowned some families Townes Cities Countries Kingdomes and generations but hath overwhelmed the whole world in all ages Man no sooner steps into the world but darknesse is his dwelling place Nature once was adorned with this glory of knowing GOD the Creator in the true light of the first Creation but now through transgression are all shut up and concluded under sinne wrath and darknesse That it might be made manifest that salvation is onely in that Arke that swims above all these waters viz in the free grace mercy and goodnesse of the Lord in Jesus Christ by revealing himselfe to the sons of men and giving them a righteous law to worship him by that so they might not ignorantly forge a God in and by their owne understandings to themselves and fall downe and worship their owne Creature instead of the Creator of Heaven and Earth but might see GOD in his owne light For in thy light O GOD doe thy Saints see light even the true light the Lord Jesus As that light hath discovered him to me and the onely acceptable service and worship of him this ensuing Treatise declares Chap. I. Explaineth the word Worship shewing its severall acceptations in the Scriptures and what the true Worship of God is THE word Worship in the Scripture signifies to bow downe fall What the word Worship signifies Psal 92. 6. 1 Sam. 1. 3. Luk. 4. 7 8. Humane worship what it is Rom. 1. 22 23. Coloss 2. 23. Matth. 15. 9. Devilish worship what it is 1 Cor. 10. 20. Deut. 32. 17. Rev. 9. 20. Civill worship what it is Matth. 20. 20. Divine spirituall worship what it is downe before Sacrifice to serve reverence respect feare honour or be subject to one of which worship or service we may minde these foure sorts 1. Humane Worship which is a service of mans own invention that hath a forme of the true worship of God but is will-worship vain worship not commanded by the Lord. 2. Devillish Worship that is When Devils or dumbe Idols are worshipped these two kindes being altogether vaine carnall and antichristian I shall have no occasion to speake of them except in a way of reproofe as unprofitable workes of darknesse 3. Civill Worship Which is an outward expression of reverence and respect to men of Authority or eminency * this being in its own sphere lawfull being bounded by the law of God I shall have little occasion to speake of it 4. Divine or Spirituall Worship that is When the true God is worshipped after a true manner which worship we may fitly describe to be The subjection of the whole man unto God in every thing commanded by God from a true understanding of God by the power of God with singular spirituality faith reverence feare and love in obedience unto God in Christ In this description there are severall things to be minded as necessarily required in all true worshippers of God As 1. A Spirituall principle whereby we come to a true understanding First of God the object of divine worship The inscription of the Saints Altar is not to an unknowne God but to him whom they understand Secondly wherein the worship of God doth consist Every worship will not serve the Lord blind obedience is the sacrifice of fooles but that which God approves his owne light reveales which discovers it to consist in subjection unto God where there is true worship there must be preheminence where there is inferiority there is superiority from whence springs subjection 2. A Spirituall power it is not every strength that is able to build this house that which Gods light reveales his power produces and effects 3. The manner how the worship of God is to be performed must be regarded every way of offering the Lord accepts not but he will be worshipped First with singular spirituality as the object principle and power are all spirituall so must the heart be offering up Sacrifices in a spirituall manner it is the spirit in all performances that makes them truly lovely Secondly in faith a soule that worships God must beleive God and give credit to the words of God Thirdly in feare and reverence the Majesty of God commands reverence in all that come before his Throne That infinitenesse and unspeakablenesse of glory that is in the Lord causes a soule to fall downe before him even at his feet adoring him crying out with Isaiah I am undone Fourthly in love no service without love is acceptable if the distance was onely minded it would strike such amazement and terrour that none would dare to come to God Therefore the Lord sends from the brightnesse of his Majesty comfortable beames and raies of love to gather up the soule to himself through the power of which the soule is fired with love and flaming in this chariot mounts up to God accounting the hardest enterprise he can atcheive for God to be his greatest honour Lastly Divine Worship in all its going forth to God makes its addresses in the Lord Jesus Spirituall and Gospell-Worshippers receive all from God in Christ returne all to God in him who is that way in which God and the Soule meet embracing each other who is that Ladder on which God descends to him and he ascends to God he loves feares serves and lives to God in Christ and in him alone This true worship of God appeares in a twofold consideration 1. Invisibly which is onely in the inward man in the spirit which no man sees or knowes but he in whom it dwels 2. Visibly which others may take notice of whereby an invisible enjoyment and filiall affections are clearely demonstrated I shall handle the first of these in the first part of this discourse namely the invisible worship of God and the last viz the visible in the last part Chap. II. Sheweth what the Spirituall principle in true worshipping is whereby we come to know God and what of God may be knowne to the Saints PRinciples are so requisite to all manner of actions that nothing can be done regularly or honourably without them A true principle is that which crownes every act if a man be unsound in his principles all his building will prove but rotten By this spirituall principle I meane a sure ground or originall What the spirituall principle is seated in the heart by the Lord whereby
to Antioch being a good man and full of the spirit Thus was Paul and Barnabas separated by the Church for the worke of the Lord. Now I desire you to minde this that the power calling and enabling any to preach the Gospell and baptize is no other but the same power for the nature of it that carried out and enabled the Apostles and Evangelists of old to preach and baptize I say the Church hath power to appoint or separate any whom God hath made willing able to do this as a part of the work of the Lord for Baptisme of water is an ordinance in relation to Church fellowship which is visible And surely the Church is not destitute of power for the accomplishment of that which is so necessary in visible fellowship namely the administration of that Ordinance It is true say some many may preach the Gospell but are there any who Object so preach it as the Apostles did for the word in the Greeke speaking of the Apostles preached is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So saith Christ in his Commission 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Preach the Gospell which holds forth a preaching with authority having a message to deliver which word comes from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies a Gryer So that the Apostles preached even by way of Preclamation as it were But speaking of the scattered brethren Acts 2. It is said They went 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Preaching after such a manner as any other might doe declaring the Gospell of peace but so that the administration of Baptisme is tyed to such who preach in the first sense and not to them that preach in the latter sense In answer to this objection I say That the Greeke words Sol. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are promiscuously used in the Scripture So that from them there is no good ground of such a scruple for in the 8th of Acts verse 15. the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used as it is said there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but verse 8. we shall see the same preaching of Philip to be held forth by the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for there it is said They believed Philip 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Evangelizing or preaching the things that concerne the Kingdome of God The same word is likewise used in the last verse And so Paul expresseth the true nature of his preaching by the same word saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sometimes we finde the preaching of the Gospell to be expressed by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Acts 8. 25. so Acts 11. 19. There it is written They went 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 preaching the word to none but the Jewes By which it is evident that the preaching the Gospell is not so restrained to one particular word as no other word is sufficient for the holding of it forth But further the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies a preaching a joyfull message like a good messenger from which I shall conclude that the Preacher of the Gospell He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved is the true administrator of this Ordinance But may some say Many that have professed to be the true administrators Object of this Ordinance and have administred it upon severall persons doe now deny it so that except there be some visible miraculous demonstration between them that doe truly preach the truth who are really sent of God and them that onely seeme to be so and in truth are not we are like to be deceived in the Administrator and so the Ordinance will be without effect In answer to this Grant that many may fall from what they Sol. professe and professe what they doe not really enjoy and seeme to be what they are not Yet notwithstanding we need not expect miracles of distinction nor question our Baptisme for mens denying what they professe it is neither a new nor a strange thing many in the Apostles dayes did so and Judas one of the twelve fell from his profession and ministry too yet the doctrine that Judas was commanded to preach did not fall in his fall Suppose a wicked man may speake the truth to thee who wast ignorant of it and God should make that truth to be powerfull in thee and that many should afterward deny it shall their unbeliefe and back-sliding make the faith of God of none effect God forbid So if a man preach thou oughtest to be baptized and thou dost submit to the will of God if he denies it thy Baptisme is true for indeed it is not essentially necessary to the administration of Ordinance of Baptisme that the administrator should be such a one that shall never deny the truth for if so it must be revealed from heaven who shall continue before we may be assured of a true Minister which we have no ground in all the Scripture to expect neither is that any ground at all for us to submit to that or any ministry Visible appearances are the ground of visible administrations and our faith and practise is not tyed to the persons of any but to the doctrine of Jesus Christ So that if any one comes in the name of a Disciple preaching the doctrine of Christ and God makes us to see it our duty to conforme to his doctrine wee should not question so much his calling as manifest our ready conformity to the will God I shall onely add this to this particular that I cannot finde that Gods people were ever made uncapable of doing their duty for want of an administrator But the same God that enjoynes the observation of a command likewise provides a sutable way for the execution thereof 8. The next thing to be spoken to are the subjects of Baptisme Of the true subjects of Baptisme of water which without guesses suppositions or strained consequences we shall finde plainly discovered to be Saints visible professors believers Therefore saith the Scriptures He that believeth and is baptized Baptisme followes faith as Peter evidently demonstrated when the Eunuch asked What hindred that he might not be baptized saying If thou believest with all thy heart thou mayst So it is said that Crispus and many Corinthians believed and were baptized they are such that repent and gladly receive the word these and these onely are the true subjects of Baptisme But may some say It is true visible believers are subjects of Baptisme so Object also are the Infants of believing parents therefore you doe amisse to restrain it to them that make an outward profession of the Gospell These late yeares have so abounded in this controversy that Sol. I might well spare my labour of answering any other wayes to it then by advising thee to consider what hath beene written by others but seeing it remaines still an objection I shall endeavour briefly to remove it out of thy way and therefore will shew thee that infants are not the subjects of Baptisme which I shall onely demonstrate by two
worketh and rewardeth the worke Now besides the sweet sanctification constant supplyes abundant experience and great joyes they are refreshed withall while they follow Christ being made faithfull to the death there are two things as just rewards conferred upon them As First The resurrection of the body This is a great priviledge to the Saints it is the way to life eternall Be thou faithfull unto the death saith the Lord Jesus and I will give thee a crowne of life He that loses his life for Christs sake shall finde it He that believeth on mee saith Christ I will raise up at the last day Now the body that shall be raised up is the same numericall or organicall body that suffers with Christ or which men have power to kill when the spirit or soule cannot be killed because it is immortall shall be raised up againe But may some say how can this be that the same body should be raised againe Object which is laid in the dust resolved into the foure Elements eaten by wormes of the earth or fishes of the sea which fishes againe are eaten by men and become nourishment to them and so the body suffer severall mutations and alterations Why wondrest thou how that can be more then thou wondrest Sol. that thou art alive and hast a being the Alchymist he glories in his separations of severall things mixed or confused together and thinkest thou it impossible for God to raise up thy body by the power of himselfe The Apostle as if he had heard of such an objection answers it in the Philippians saying The Lord Christ shall Phil. 3. last change our vile bodies according to the working whereby he is able to subdue all things to himselfe Though we can see no reason looking upon it with a naturall eye yet if we consider that it shall be effected by the same word that said at first Let there be light and there was light Even by the same word that said Let us create man in our owne image and did thereby create him there is no ground at all to question but the very same word or mighty power is able to raise up thy dead body He hath said He will raise up thy body at the last day And who therefore shall dare to say it it neither will nor can be But some are ready to object That the Resurrection the Scriptures Object speake of is spirituall accomplished at Christs coming into the soule but as for the resurrection of the body that is a carnall thing That Christ Jesus at his appearing raises the spirit from death Sol. to life is true and that he raiseth the naturall body from death to life is as true the Scriptures speak of a first resurrection which implyes another resurrection for indeed as soone as a soul is translated from death to life he is risen with risen with Christ and so is planted into the similitude of his resurrection But to such who were thus risen with Christ the Apostles preach another resurrection viz. the resurrection of the body as it is said in the Philippians Who shall change our vile bodies into the fashion of his owne glorious body the same body that dyes is raised up againe The same Jesus saith the Apostle Whom yee crucified hath God raised up It was the humane body of Christ that was crucified or nailed to the Crosse and the same body that was raised who said unto Thomas not believing that Christ was risen Reach hither thy finger and behold my hands and reach hither thy hand and thrust it into my side and be not faithlesse but believing But the Scripture saith It is sowne a naturall body but shall be raised a spirituall Object body therefore t is not the same body I answer It is very true t is raised a spirituall body but marke Sol. what it is that is raised a spirituall body t is the same body that was sowne a naturall body So that in the resurrection the naturall sinfull lumpish earthly body becomes spirituall that is to say free from that wearinesse trouble sinne corruption and misery that it is now subject to it shall be then made able to meet the Lord in the Aire that which now moves not but with heavinesse and dulnesse shall be so lively beautifull and glorious that it transcends the tongue or pen of Angels to expresse it But say some It is said As dyes the beast so dyes the man how then say you man shall rise againe except the beast may likewise rise againe Object The Wise man speakes not there his owne but the language of Sol. such worldlings as thou art that denyes the resurrection therefore saith he in the end of his Booke speaking his own judgment We shall all come to judgement which we know is onely true after the resurrection of the body But may some say Are there any so brutish as to deny the resurrection of Object the body Yea certainly and let us not wonder at it there were as there Sol. is now two sorts of these people that deny the resurrection of the body in the dayes of the Apostles As First the Sadduces that utterly deny it and truly we have many Sadduces in our daies who say there is neither resurrection Angell nor Spirit Secondly Such who said the resurrection is past already which Doctrine the Apostle saith Is an erring concerning the faith To both which sort I shall onely aske them if they be risen againe how comes it to passe there is marrying and giving in marriage seeing Christ saith to the Pharisees In the resurrection there is neither marrying nor giving in marriage and shall say to such that deny the resurrection with Christ They erre not knowing the Scripture nor the power of God The excellency of the bodies resurrection will appeare more plainly if we consider that 2. The Lord Jesus crownes all his souldiers being raised from Perfection is the priviledge and portion of those that are raised from the dead the dead with perfection with a crowne of life of glory setting them downe in his Throne giving them an everlasting Kingdome where neither feares teares nor any manner of sorrowes are able to molest them Now the excellency of this condition we have not attained nor are we able to tell what it shall be Therefore John sayes Beloved now are we the sonnes of God and it doth not yet appeare what we shall be but we know that when he shall appeare we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is Wee shall then be fully glorious within and without glorious our soules shall be filled with God Our vile corruptible bodies shall be then immortall incorruptible spirituall and glorious The Scriptures say Let us as many as be perfect be thus minded And Object againe Be yee perfect as your Father is perfect which is a perfection in this life how say you then perfection is not to be attained till the resurrection of the body Perfection according to
fulnesse of Christ From whence I desire you to minde that these are said to be set in the Church 1 Cor. 12. 28. Which Church is not to be understood any particular and distinct visible society but that Church which makes up the compleate body of Christ viz. all Saints now the Apostles and Evangelists were set in them as the foundation of the building and the Prophets Pastours and Teachers to build upon the foundation But what are the markes of those true Ministers that wee may know Qu. them The onely true ground of a visible judging or discerning them Sol. is by their doctrine therefore John saith Believe not every spirit but try the spirits Hereby know yee the spirit of God Every spirit that confesseth How to know the true Ministers of the Gospell that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God that is to say by trying the doctrines brought unto you you shall be able to judge from whence the Preachers come Now to confesse Christ come in the flesh is to preach the Lord Christ the man Christ to be a King Priest and Prophet to have put an end to all ministrations before himselfe to have given lawes for his Saints to conforme to yea t is to know the mystery hid from ages therefore saith Christ Goe preach the Gospell he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved But further Though they may be true Ministers of the Gospell preaching the true Doctrine that thou mayst be able to judge them by their doctrine thou must be endued with the spirit whereby finding the operation of the word in thee thou canst say doubtlesse though he is not a Minister to others yet he is to me without this spirit we may be deluded and deceived therefore is it said when the Apostles preached The hand of the Lord was with them and many were converted therefore is it said There are many deceivers entred into the world but yee have an unction that teacheth you which unction is onely able truly to teach us But the Apostles of Christ and them that preached the Gospell did worke Object signes and miracles to confirme their doctrine so that if there be any true Ministers they are able to doe the like To this I answer T is true that the Apostles did worke miracles Sol. but if you observe it in their Commission they are not prescribed as any part of their office Looke Mathew Marke Luke the Of Miracles latter ends T is true I finde there this promise that those that should believe in their word should worke miracles which was accomplished when the word of God began to spread But however miracles were done by the Apostles and them that believed yet notwithstanding they were not essentiall unto preaching or believing for many believed to whom we finde no miracle exhibited as the Eunuch and Lydia whose heart God opened at Pauls preaching and many more might be named Now if miracles were essentiall to believing then if there be no miracles there is no believing and if no believing no salvation So that if miracles be not essentiall to believing neither are they to preaching the Gospell for they are as much promised to believers as to preachers Now miracles were wrought by many that did believe and so is that promise already fulfilled for it was not made to every believer for Paul saith Are all workers of miracles And so miracles in truth were for the silencing of the world and making the passage more free for the Disciples to travell up and downe and upon this account did Gamaliel perswade them to let the Apostles alone because a miracle was done by them and yet neither he nor they received the Gospell for notwithstanding their miracles they commanded them to preach no more in that name Neither did their miracles worke upon many that heard them but rather enraged them the more as in the case of Christs raising Lazarus is evident But further if miracles were so necessary to the preaching of the Gospell that the Gospell cannot be dispensed without them then I say why did John doe no miracle for he preached and yet did no miracle Neither doth it at all appeare that the Disciples that went abroad preaching the Gospell after their scattring ever did any miracle For the true nature of miracles were to usher in the Gospell of Christ or Christ in the Gospell to the world For miracles were never given to continue for indeed miracles are so from the rarity of them or their seldome appearance which if they should grow common would cease to be miracles and become as naturall Moses when he came to deliver Israel wrought many miracles but after the Kingdome of Israel was established we reade not of such use of miracles So Christ and the Apostles the first beginners of the Kingdome of heaven that is to say the first founders of this state of the Gospell did many miracles but afterwards we finde not the use of them so frequent and Paul indeed when he would make manifest his ministry to the Corinths he tels them not of his miracles but The proofe of Christ speaking in him he told them was mighty in them and so bids them Examine themselves whether they were in the faith 2 Cor. 13. 3 5. So that he wils them to consider what they believed and if they were in the truth they knew him to be sent from Christ to them but if they were not in the truth then it was no wonder if they were ignorant of Christs speaking in him for the naturall man discernes not the things of the spirit neither can he for they are spiritually discerned It is true miracles were not worked by all for all as Paul saith are not Object workers of miracles but notwithstanding miracles were wrought when they first planted the Churches and since that the Churches have apostatised and none have beene found holding the faith so that miracles are againe requisite for the beginning or planting of the Churches of Christ againe as at the first In answer to this I desire you to minde that miracles were Sol. wrought to confirme the truth of the Gospell at first which being once confirmed we are not again to expect new miracles but the truth we finde already written is a good ground for us to practise Josiah understood by the writings of Moses the will of God when there had beene a great apostacy of Gods people and without any new miracle sets himselfe about the worke of the Lord. Nehemiah and Ezra also after the Children of Israel were carried Captives Nehemiah â—8 14. they by the Booke of the Law finde that they must put away strange wives dwell in booths that the Aminonites and Moabites should not come into the Congregation of the Lord. Now they according to the good hand of God upon them without any miracles put in execution whatever they found commanded in the Law of Moses and set themselves to build the Temple offer Sacrifices
were added viz. to the church about three thousand Act. â— 41. this was a doctrine to be preached commanded to be practised and was observed by the Saints of old But doe you thinke there may not be a visible church of Christ without baptisme of water surely all the churches in the Gospell were not baptized persons To this I plainly answer First the Scriptures no where hold Sol. forth any church to us without being baptized for this we find as soone as they beleeved they were commanded to be baptized with water Acts. 10. and to Paul himself beleeving was it said Arise why tarriest thou and be baptized If we looke into the Acts we shall find there very many examples for it and not one to prove or tolerate any other practise Secondly I say there can be no true visible Church without it hath its bottome or foundation from Christ but there is no church consisting of others then baptized persons approved on by Christ for Christ giving forth a rule of visible dispensations bids his disciples first Teach and Baptize them afterwards teach them to observe all that he had commanded them Marke last 19 20. Again if we consider the nature of the Ordinance of baptisme and of the church of Christ it will be evident for the nature of the Ordinance is a cleer manifestation of putting on Christ therfore saith the Apostle Know ye not that as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ and the nature of a true Church is of a spirituall nature visibly holding forth that government Christ our head hath in us Again baptism is the first act visibly representing our union with Christ which gives us a visible right to all other Ordinances of Christ But if any shall yet say there may be a true visible church of the Gospel approved of by Christ without a submission to this Ordinance let them produce their grounds from the Scripture and I shall more throughly consider the matter in the mean time let this suffice us that while men walke in other wayes doubtfully without a rule for their practise we walk according to the Scriptures in being baptized and added to the church wheras they say many churches were planted without baptism it is an easy thing to say so but hard for to prove I am very confident all churches were baptized else the disciples of Christ had very ill observed their commands Goe teach and baptize Fiftly It is not enough that Saints be baptized but likewise The Church of Christ is an united company they ought to joyn themselves together first to the Lord then to one another therfore is it that we find it recorded that the Saints are a body compact together and that when many saw the judgement of God upon Ananias and Saphira they durst not joyn themselves to them Now this joyning after baptisme is nothing but the mutuall consent of each other giving up themselves to the Lord and one to another to watch over one another and walke before the Lord in his own wayes which of necessity must be done or else the Saints would be disabled from knowing each other watching over each other and admonishing or reproving each other thus did Paul joyn himself to the churches at Ierusalem but this will appear more plain if you consider what I shall say when I come to speake of the true nature and divine excellency of this church which I have already in a measure described unto you Chap. IX Sheweth the true nature of Christs Church and the power and authority thereof HAving thus described to you what the true church of Christ is I will now shew you its excellent priviledges and duty which I shall unfold to you in eight particulars 1. The nature of this Church 2. The power of this Church 3. The duty of this Church 4. The gifts of this Church 5. The Ordinances of this Church 6. The Order of this Church 7. The Ministry of this Church 8. The Communion and fellowship of the Church The nature of this church I shall first handle which I shall demonstrate The nature of Christs Church It is the house of God to you from the severall names that God hath given it in the Scriptures as first it is called the House of Christ or of the living God 1 Tim. 3. 15. Paul gave many instructions to Timothy how to behave himself in the house of God God dwelleth in the middest of the church the church is Gods houshold Mat. 24. 25. Herein may we see the nature of the church to be a compact and united body a house of living stones 1 Peter 2. 4. 't is not a company of unpolished stones lying scattered up and downe but a house built up whose foundation is Christ yea Christ is the corner stone thereof 't is a houshold whose master is Christ who is the Lord of that family which is called by his name the children of this houshold are Saints those that appear in their wedding garment the servants are the Ministers of the Gospell who are placed there to serve the family their food is the word of God the body and blood of Christ Jesus from whence al unprofitable and wicked servants are tobe cast forth 't is a houshold wherein every son and servant is enrolled by the bond of unity Secondly 't is the City of God Psalm 46. 4. in which city every It is the City of God member is a fellow citizen Eph. 2. 19. 't is a spirituall city that descends from heaven 't is a flourishing city whose inhabitants are made glad through that river whose streames flow from the fountain of life 't is a City walled with the almighty power of the Lord Jesus 't is a City defended with an innumerable company of Angels whose merchandise is not of gold and silver but of bread and water of life of glorious garments of needle worke the cloathing of whose inhabitants is wrought gold 't is the city of Sion of which 't is said Walke about Sion and goe round about her tell the towers thereof marke yee well her bulwarks consider her palaces that ye may tell it to the generation following Psal 48. 12 13. 't is a city incorporated whose citizens have one and the same Charter from heauen whose head is the Lord Jesus whose foundation and gate of entrance is Christ in which mercy and truth meet together righteousnesse and peace kisse each other Thirdly The church of Christ is Christs body Christ is the churches It is Christs body head yea he is the very life and soul of the church 't is his Spirit which quickens all 't is Christs body consisting of severall members every one is placed in the body for the service of the whole therefore saith Paul We being many are one body in Christ and every one members one of another Rom. 12. 5. 't is a body fitly joyned together compacted by that which every joynt supplyeth
vertue of that authority whereby we exhort each other to Sol. live sutable to the Gospell in civill things how shall wee see the power of the doctrine preached except in their conversation and how shall we know that except we be conversant with them or enquire of them Paul tels us A Bishop must be no striker c. which qualities must be knowne to the Church or else how can they choose him Paul tooke notice of mans idlenesse and of others disobedience which makes him urgent in these relations to presse conformity to the Law of the Lord Jesus I say the Church ought to strengthen build up and edifie each other in love I am now come to speak of the spirituall gifts given to this Church Of the duty of the Church A word of Wisedome which are divers First A word of Wisedome now a word of Wisedome is a gift whereby a soule is made able not onely to behold the great mysteries of the Lord but is also able to bring them forth seasonably orderly advantageously for the whole t is a word that is able wel to rule order mannage and dispose of the things of the Church for the edification of the whole Secondly A word of Knowledge Knowledge is that gift whereby A word of Knowledge we understand the truth of God there are many sayings darke in the Scripture now the word of knowledge makes them cleare and evident resolveth doubts and teacheth the ignorant knowledge and wisedome differ as I judge onely in this that the true ordering and wise disposing of knowledge it selfe for the benefit of the whole is attributed to wisedome Thirdly Discerning of spirits Here must be knowledge in Discerning of spirits this also for this is that by which we are enabled to try spirits by their doctrine for this is the very way that the Lord prescribes for the tryall of spirits viz by their doctrine 1 John 4. 1 2 3. This discerning of spirits is not as many conceive that we should immediately know whether their spirits be right or no any otherwaies then by their doctrine and conversation which gift is not given to all but to those who by reason of spirituall use have their senses exercised to discerne betweene good and evill Fourthly Prophesy Which Prophesy is two-fold either a foretelling of things to come as Philips daughters Agabus did or else it Prophesy is a speaking in the Church to edification exhortation consolation 1 Cor. 14. 3. Thus may all prophesy one by one and the rest judg This prophesy is an excellent gift whereby the Church is edefied the Lord glorified and Satan put to flight I shall in this shew you the true ground and power of prophesy the persons who are to prophesy and the true use and of prophesy The true ground of propesy is the true knowledge of the testimony The true ground of prophesy of Jesus which is the doctrine of Christ except a soule be led through the inspiration of God in the light of God he cannot truly prophesy the power enabling to it is the power in the new creation We believe and therefore we speake Many conceive Saints are not to prophesy till they have such an immediate power seizing upon them which may force them to speake whether they will or no which for my part for these two reasons I judge contrary to Scripture 1. Because we are commanded Not to quench the spirit nor despise prophesying Now if prophesy did so move in a man who could quench the spirit of it surely it would worke irresistibly A second reason why I so judge is because it is said The spirits of the Prophets are subject to the Prophets Now herein are they subject that One must stay till the other holds his peace and the rest must judge what is delivered Now I say these two things would be frustrate was it by such a power some pleade for for what need any to be judge if it comes with such a power And how could they stay one for another or keepe silence one for another if such a power was in them But this I say there is or ought to be such a power as may enable them To speak to edification exhortation comfort that by course that there be no confusion and this is prophesy upon a good ground I shall onely to this particular adde this word that wee are no where commanded to judge the principle of a brothers actings neither his acting by his principle but his principle by his actions Secondly The persons who may so prophesy are all the brethren who may prophesy all the Prophets Therefore saith Paul Yee may all prophesy this all he interprets to be the Prophets saying Let the Prophets speake two or three and let the rest judge 1 Cor. 14. 29. May not women prophesy in the Church Surely it is said a woman praying Object or prophesying which implyes shee may prophesy as well as others In answer to this consider the same Apostle that saith Let the Sol. Prophets prophesy in the same Chapter also saith Let your women keep Whether a woman may speak in the Church 1 Tim. 2. 11. 12. silence in the Churches for it is not permitted unto them to speake from whence and from that in Timothy Let the woman learne in silence with all subjection But I suffer not a woman to teach nor to usurpe authority I conclude a woman may not so prophesy as the brethren may in the 14 of Cor. and that for these reasons 1. Because she was first in the transgression through her forwardnes to teach and aspiring above her place she was first deceived and did deceive her husband 2. She is more subject to temptation and to be deluded by reason of the weaknesse of her nature Now God will have her learne in silence she that taught the man to his fall must now be taught by him and be in subjection 3. That hereby she may manifest her humility in willingly becoming subject who subjected her husband through her enticement to so much misery But yet notwithstanding when I consider the reason of their being commanded silence to be taken from the Law and yet under the Law Miriam and Deborah were Prophetesses And when I minde that God made a promise That his sonnes and daughters should prophesy And that Philip had foure daughters which did prophesy Acts 21. 9. And when I weigh Pauls saying A woman praying or prophesying with her head covered it makes me believe that a woman may prophesy and that in the Church also So that I say wee must necessarily consider the manner of her speaking to be here forbidden she may prophesy as prophesy is considered an immediate gift from heaven for the revelation of some great secret or mystery that the brethren are ignorant of or for the foretelling of things to come she may speake being carried out thereunto by a power from the Lord yet in this