c. Nor that he that had faith had not wisdome nor knowledge c. Nor that he that had knowledge had no faith nor wisdome nor prophesie c. Nor that he that had discerning of Spirits had no knowledge nor prophesie nor wisdome nor faith c. But this is the Apostles meaning That he that had the word of knowledge might not have so much faith nor wisdome nor discerning of spirits c. as he that had lesse knowledge so he that was full of faith might have lesse wisdome and discerning of spirits and knowledge c. then those that were more weak in faith But now as some might be eminent in one of these gifts only so some might be eminent for two or three and others might be eminent for them all And those that were eminent for one only could not be said to have none of the rest Now by this time the reason is evident why the Apostle speaks of Prophets Evangelists Pastours and Teachers distinctly and withall it is evident that he that is a Prophet is an Evangelist a Pastour and a Teacher For as it cannot be said of him that hath faith that he hath no knowledge nor wisdome nor discerning of spirits c. So it cannot be said of a Prophet that he is no Evangelist nor Pastour nor Teacher And now it is evident That Prophets have been continued all the while the Saints have been in Babylon and in the continuance of Prophets there hath been a continuance of Evangelists and Pastours and Teachers whereby that Scripture hath been made good Ephes 4. 10 11 12 13. which saies they must all continue Till we all come in the unity of the Faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God c. And this being so evident it appears to be from weaknesse and darknesse that any have questioned whether any of these have been during the time that the Saints have been captivated to Babylon But here this query may be made May there be Prophets Evangelists Apostles and Teachers that were never ordained by the laying on of hands Answ Yes they may for the Scripture speaks not of laying on of hands upon any but only of Bishops and Deacons and they only had the laying on of hands because they were ordained to doe some particular things which were to be done by them and was proper to them only and none in the Church else were to act in them but only they But Prophesying and Evangelizing and feeding and teaching and building up one another was common to all in the Church as every one had received the gift so to minister as good stewards of the Grace they had received For their gifts are not given to be laid up in a napkin But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every one to profit withall So that these I say were not restrained only to be done by Bishops and Deacons who only were persons ordained by the laying on of hands but were common to be done by all Now a Bishop which the Scripture indifferently cals either a Bishop or an Elder or a Presbyter is ordained by the laying on of hands because he is appointed to the work which is proper to that Office and not to any other in the Church Now the works that are proper to a Bishop Elder or Presbyter Are First To rule and guide and govern the Church and this is clear by that of the Apostle 1 Tim. 5. 17. Let the Bishops that rule well be counted worthy of double honour And 1 Tim. 3. 4. the Apostle saies That a Bishop must be one that rules well his own house implying that he is not fit to rule the Church of God if he doe not rule his own house well And of those it is that the Apostle speaks Hebrew 13. 7. Remember them which rule over you who have spoken unto you the word of God And vers 17. Obey them which have the rule over you and submit for they watch for your Souls And of these he also speaks 1 Thes 5. 12. Know them which labour among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you Moreover secondly It is the work of a Bishop or Presbyter to ordain Elders or Bishops in the Churches where they are wanting as appears Titus 1. 5. The Apostle there speaking to Titus who was a Bishop or Presbyter saith For this cause left I thee in Crete that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting and ordain Elders in every City And so Timothy being a Bishop it was his work as appears by that rule given him 1 Tim. 5. 22. Lay hand suddenly on no man Again it likewise is made evident to be the work of Presbyters 1 Timothy 4. 14. and 2 Tim. 1. 6. Now these things were proper to the Office of a Bishop and others that are not ordained to be Bishops have no warrant to take upon them to act in these things But there are other things that Bishops are also enjoined to doe that may be and ought to be done by other brethren but Bishops are enjoined to doe them in an especiall manner and they are these First To feed the flock over which they are made over-seers and this is that Paul enjoins the Elders of the Church of Ephesus to doe Acts 20. 29. Take heed unto your selves and unto all the flock over which the holy Ghost hath made you over-seers and feed the Church of God which he hath purchased with his own bloud And this is that which Timothy who was an Elder or Bishop was enjoined to in these passages 1 Tim. 4. 3. Preach the word be instant in season and out of season reprove rebuke exhort with all long-suffering and Doctrine And vers 5. Doe the work of an Evangelist make full proof of thy Ministery And 2 Tim. 2. 15. Study to shew thy self approved unto God a work-man that needeth not to be ashamed rightly deviding the word of truth Thus ought Bishops in a more especiall manner to feed the flock of God and to instruct and admonish them But this is not their duties only but the duty of all the brethren according to their severall abilities But Secondly It is the duty of Bishops or Presbyters to be good examples to believers this also Timothy was enjoined unto 1 Tim. 4. 12. Be thou an example to believers in word in conversation in love in spirit in faith and purity And this Titus who was a Bishop was also enjoined unto Tit. 2. 7. In all things shew thy self a pattern of good works in Doctrine shewing uncorruptnesse gravity sincerity And 2 Tim. 2. 2. The things which thou hast heard of me among many witnesses the same commit thou to faithfull men who shall be able to teach others also Thus it is the duty of Elders or Presbyters to be a good example to believers but it is not their duty only but the duty of all other Saints also Thirdly It is the duty of
Bishops to watch over the souls of the flock which are committed to them for they must give account of them to God and this the Elders or Bishops of the Church of Ephesus are enjoined unto Acts 20. 28. Take heed saith the Apostle unto your selves and unto the flock over which the holy Ghost hath made you over-seers for I know saies he that after my departure there shall grievous wolves enter in among you So that the Elders of the Church ought to look to the flock to keep them from the pernicious Doctrines of wolvish men and Heb. 13. 17. saith the Apostle Obey them that have the rule over you and submit your selves for they watch for your souls as they that must give account that they may doe it with joy So that it is evident that it is the duty of the Elders of the Church to watch over the souls of the people But this is not their duty only but the duty of all believers to watch over one another Thus the Scripture declaring that Bishops are ordained by the laying on of hands declares what things are to be done by Bishops as Bishops and not by other Saints and what things are to be done by them which is to be done by others also Now the Scripture speaks but of one Office more to which persons are ordained by the laying on of hands and that is of Deacons Now the Office of a Deacon the Scripture expresses distinctly also namely that they are to receive the collections for the poor and to distribute it to the poor to widows and to such as are in want and to all according to their necessities And this appears Act. 6. 1. 2 3. and 4. verses compared together this was the work which Deacons were ordained to doe and which is to be done by them only and not by others in the Church But we finde that Stephen and Philip being Deacons were such as did feed the flock preach the Word opposed gainsaiers were Teachers and did the work of Apostles and Evangelists and wrought miracles and wonders among the people as appears in the sixth seventh and eighth Chapter of the Acts but these are the duty of Deacons but not their duties only but the duties of all the brethren in which they are to act according to the measure of grace received And now since the Scripture speaks but only of Bishops and Deacons that were ordained by the laying on of hands and declares it is the duty of the rest of the brethren in the Church to prophesie as 1 Cor. 14. 31. Ye may all prophesie one by one and that it is the duty of others in the Church to doe the work of Evangelists Pastors and Teachers It is hereby clear that they may be Apostles Prophets Evangelists Pastours and Teachers that were never ordained by the laying on of hands And so much for answer to that query And since it is made so evident that Prophets Apostles Evangelists Pastours and Teachers have continued all the while the Beast hath continued I hope hereby they that thorow darknesse have been of the contrary minde will be hereby convinced of their errour herein And now be ye exhorted to frequent the Assemblies of Saints and come to those meeting places where such as are precious Saints doe hold forth the word of truth and by the Spirit of Prophesie doe sprak unto men to edification exhortation and comfort O come you and partake of those gifts of the Spirit whereby some are inabled to hold forth the glad tidings of the Gospel to publish peace and grace and mercy thorow Jesus Christ and to doe the worke of an Evangelist and partake you of those gifts whereby others are inabled to unfold the mysteries of the Gospel and to teach and instruct the simple and to doe the work of a Teacher In a word Come and partake of Apostolicall Propheticall and Pastorall gifts of all the particular operations and manifestations of the Spirit of Christ in his Saints which are given to profit withall Consider that Jesus Christ saith I will give unto my two Witnesses and they shall prophesie It is the gift of Jesus Christ unto his people which he gives not only for the good of the persons in whom it is but for the good of others also Saints have an interest in one anothers gifts and therefore Paul speaking of such as were Prophets as himself and Peter and Apollo saith he to the Saints 1 Cor. 3. 21 22. all are yours whether Paul or Apollo or Cephas c. Thus the gifts that are given to others are given to them for me and the gifts that are given to me how weak soever are not altogether for my self but for others also for Jesus Christ hath so disposed of it to give several gifts to several Saints to this end to maintain Communion among Saints O therefore you that are Saints have Communion one with another that you may receive benefit from one another as Christ hath appointed For he gave some Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastours and Teachers What to do For the perfecting of Saints for the work of the Ministery for the edifying of the body of Christ Now doe you desire to be edified Doe you desire to presse forward toward perfection that you may not be as children carried about with every winde of doctrine Then frequent the Assemblies of the Saints that you may partake of their gifts Jesus Christ hath given them to effect these things in you and all his people and for the keeping a spirit of love among Saints that they receiving benefit one from another may not say one to another I have no need of you as those seem to doe that forsake the Assemblies of Saints but that all being joyned and knit together may encrease with the encrease of God And so much shall suffice to be spoken to this Deduction 6. Sixthly The next instruction that I shall come to though it be not the next in order yet I shall place it here because of the affinity it hath with this is this That since the Witnesses the Saints of Jesus Christ have had a spirit of praier all the while the Beast hath continued whereby their enemies have been devoured as by a spirituall fire then hereby they may be convinced of their errour that say they are in Babylon and therefore doe not joyn with any in pouring out their fouls to God in praier nor yet doe it themselves Now let such consider that in the darkest mid-night of Popery Saints have had a spirit of praier and indeed it is not possible to be a Saint and not to have a spirit of praier It is the very nature and constitution of the spirit of a Saint to ascend upward to God in praier at all times and upon all occasions The truth is that though the Saints may be without other Ordinances as baptism and breaking of bread though I know no rule they have willingly to neglect
from the mystical Babylon that is to say from being a place of bondage to the Saints is most evident and therefore it is undeniable That the Witnesses are slain and risen Thirdly It is no wonder that the Witnesses being raised and having a spirit of life from God put upon them that the Beast doth endeavour to oppose them for that spirit of vigour and courage that is put upon them is to be exercised and actuated and they must goe on in it to give that scarlet Whore bloud to drink and to reward her as she hath rewarded them and of the cup which she hath filled to them to fill to her double for the Saints are those Armies in heaven which are said to follow him that is faithfull and true and in righteousnes doth judge and make war who is cloathed with a vesture dipt in bloud and whose name is called the Word of God when he cometh to make a final end of the Beast and the false prophet and them that worship his image and to cast them a live into a lake of fire burning with brimstone Now that the Saints may be actuall instruments not only of beginning to ruine the Beast but of the totall ruining of the Beast it is no wonder that he endeavours again to recover strength against them and therefore when the Dragon and his Angels the Beast and his imps do fight against Michael and his Angels Jesus Christ and his Saints it is said that they prevailed not that is after the Witnesses were risen to oppose the Saints but were cast out and that was the shortest way they could take to be overcome and to be cast out even their opposing Jesus Christ and his Saints which have a spirit of life from God put upon them Thus much for the removing of that doubt Now that I may not be mistaken I shall here adde a caution and so conclude It is this I desire it may be observed That though I have particularly in this Discourse mentioned the Parliament and the Army having good ground so to do from what they have done and have beene instruments of already encouraging them to go on in opposing the Beast and his adherents and defending the Witnesses of Jesus Christ assuring them of successe in their undertakings yet it is upon no other grounds then as they shall so go on but if they shall turn aside and aim more at corrupt and self ends then at the promoting of justice and righteousnesse then at the publike good of the Kingdom then enlargements shall come for the Saints and they being delivered from the rage of the Beast shall be preserved wholly from his fury some other way and by some other means when corrupt persons may perish in carrying on of corrupt designs but I hope and have perswasions of better things of those Worthies even that as God hath begun so he will go on to grant them the honour and the happinesse still to remaine glorious instruments in his hand of setting up his King upon his holy hill of Sion and subjecting these Nations unto his royall Scepter that judgement may run down among us as water and righteousnesse as a mighty stream FINIS * The Psalmist in the former part of that Psalme had been speaking of severall passages of the providence of GOD which it concernes Saints to observe amongst the rest these are some He poureth contempt upon Princes causeth them to wander in the wildernesse where there is no way yet hee setteth the poor on high from affliction and maketh him families like a flocke The righteous shall see it and rejoyce and all iniquity shall stop her mouth Now this is that which is by Saints to be observed at this time also even how GOD beginneth to pour contempt upon Babylonish Princes viz. Bishops and other Babylonian Factours and to set the Saints that were lookt upon as poor despised creatures on high from afflictions and to make of them families like a flock who not long since were small in number but now is this number greatly increased * I say that seek for just things not those that seek for unjust things as for protection in evil waies or for places of profit or honour when they neither deserve them nor are fit for them or else have too many already c. * That is upon mysticall Babylonians 1 Pet. 1. 4. 10. 1 Cor. 12. 7. * Therefore to confine this speaking or prophesying to such only as are ordained to be Bishops or Presbyters is a principle derived from Babylonian darknes and hath not the least footing in the Scripture * Though that flesh as it was offered up through the eternall spirit was a propitiation for our sins and that bloud so shed did cleanse us from all sin ye that flesh so offered did at once sanctifie and perfect all that are his 1 Jo. 4. 10. and 1 Joh. 1. 7. and Heb. 10. 10. and 14. * Though I say that it was against the choisest of men yet I doe not hereby affirme That all that were engaged on that side in an outward opposition were the choisest of men for some that were on that side might be as bad as some on the other side for some of the nations and kindreds and tongues and people that were distinct from the Witnesses did help the Witnesses as the earth was said to help the woman Revel 12. 16.