them as particular Churches To the seven Churches in Asia and not to the Church in Asia Answ. For clearing of this the Scripture speaks of the Church in a threefold sense 1. As comprehending the whole number of visible Professors scattered through the world so the gospel-Gospel-Church is spoken of from the dayes of Christ to His coming again as 1 Cor. 12.28 God hath set some in the Church first Apostles secundarily Prophets c. where by Church is not to be understood this or that particular Church nor the Church in Corinth for the Church he is speaking of is such a Church as God had set the Apostles in and all Officers and that was in no particular Church but is the universal Church spoken of in the Verse before made up both of Iews and Gentiles and so the word is often used elswhere as it is said Paul made havock of the Church and that he persecuted the Church It was not this or that particular Church but all that called on the Name of Jesus Christ to whatsoever particular Church they did belong So 1 Cor. 10.32 the Church is contradistinguished from Iews and Gentiles Give none offence to the Iews nor Gentiles nor to the Church of God that is to the Church visible professing Faith in Christ. And this Church Râ—vel 12. is set out under the similitude of a woman in travel in readiness to be delivered and afterward doth flee which is not this or that particular Church but the Mother-Church comprehending the whole visible number of Professors 2. It is taken as comprehending a number of Believers meeting together in one place ordinarily for the Worship of God the smallest associated part of this body of the universal visible Church as 1 Cor. 14.34 a company of professing Believers met or meeting together for Preaching or Prayer and in this sense the Scripture speaks not so often of the Church 3. It 's taken neither for the whole body of visible Professors nor yet for such a part of that Body that is a company met or meeting together but for a number associated and combined under one Government meeting in their Church-Guides and Officers though under this combination and Government there be many Congregationâ— and Meetings and so the Church at Corinth Ephesus and Ierusalem is to be understood not for the Universal Catholick Church nor for a particular Congregation but for a number of particular Congregations under one Government such as there was in Corinth and Ephesus And yet when he directs his Epistle to one Church as under one Government particular Congregations are included as in Ierusalem there were many Churches and many Watch-men and they could not meet together in one place for the exercise of Gods Worship yet it was not unsuitable to say the Church at Ierusalem as the Church at Glasgow as under one Government though it were not suitable to speak of them as of one Congregation met together for there were many moe Congregations of people in one of those Towns as 1 Cor. 14.34 compared with 1 Cor. 1.3 there were Churches under one Church therefore it behoved to be a mutual combination that made up one body In answer to the Question therefore While he speaks to them as Churches in Asia it is because he looks on them as so many distinct incorporations parts of the whole or because their cases and conditions were distinct and one message could not agree to all the case of Ephesus was one the case of Smyrna another c. And severall cases and conditions required severall letters But if any say It is improper to speak of a Church in the New Testament except of a particular Congregation because it 's said here to the seven Churches in Asia and elswhere the Churches in Judea c. We answer 1. That inference will not hold but rather the contrary for here it 's said the Church at Ephesus and in Ephesus were many particular Congregations therefore it 's meaned of a Church associated and combined under one Government neither ever are Churches in one place mentioned of whatsoever number they be but as one 2. Though seven Churches of Asia be spoken of here yet Revel 12. the Church is spoken of under the similitude of one woman and these Churches must be parts of that one the seed of that woman and children of that mother See more chap. 11. at the end Observâ— That our Lord Jesus Christ taketh notice of the particular estate of His Churches not only how it goeth with the Church in general but how it goeth with this or that particular Church how it goeth with Edinburgh Glasgow c. which shews a reason why he distinguisheth them in the inscription The second part of the inscription is a thanksgiving from the midst of the 5. vers to the 7. vers when he hath wished Grace and Peace from Iesus Christ whom he calls the first begotten from the dead because by vertue of Him all do arise and because He was the first that rose and went to Heaven for though Enoch and Elias be personally in Heaven they tasted not of death and so cannot be called the first begotten from the dead others died again as Lazarus And when he hath called Him the Prince of the Kings of the earth as set down now at His Fathers right hand as the Fathers Lord-Deputy to point out His Mediatory and given Kingdom and His reigning for the good of the Elect and to rule others for their sake though not to subdue and make them willing Subjects yet to bruise them with His Mace and Iron-Scepter When I say he is speaking thus of Jesus Christ his heart beginneth to warm and he breaketh out in a word of thanksgiving wherein there is 1. a description of the Person to whom the thanksgiving is made 2. The thanksgiving it self The description is excellent and of exceeding great consolation to the Church as holding out Christs bowels and the priviledges and benefits that Believers have in and through Him 1. In the Fountain they come from Him that loved us What a One is Christ He is He who loved us this is the Bosome-grace from whence all other Graces and Benefits do flow Prov. 8. everlasting love and the first and chief stile in all our praise If Believers would know who Christ is It 's he who loved us a most comfortable stile 2. In the particular benefits that flow from this love and washed us from our sins in his own blood Every word hath an emphasis in it He had not an empty and complementing love but such a love as moved Him to leave the hight of Glory and come down and take on our nature and in that nature to die and shed His blood for us and by that blood to wash us from the filthinesse and guilt of sin in taking away the evil of sin and wrath And in that He is said to wash us from sin in His own blood It suppones 1. That sin is a
as between a man and his own wife there is but one Mother bringing forth and all visible Professors who were either liable to Heathenish persecution or antichristian in any part of the world they are Children of this Mother Gal. 4.27 and seed of this one woman which sheweth she must be one all the Prophets and Ministers wherever they serve they feed this one Woman and are appointed for that end as is clear vers 6. all professing Christians who possibly belong to no particular Congregation are of this Church for they are not of any particular Church and yet cannot be without even the visible Church but in that respect have a Mother This Church is the Church that the twelve Apostles and all their successors adorn vers 1. and if that be not there can be no solid exposition of the 11. Chap. and of this neither can the Church be considered in this universall notion as a genus which is but a philosophick notion as one might apply the notion Woman Mother or House to all women mothers and houses because that is a genus including notionally all that kind Nay it must be no universal integral as the world is not a genus to all Nations or persons in it but doth comprehend them all as parts under it self as the whole and it is constituted of all these for all visible Professors are Members of that Church as parts thereof as all men are of the world Beside what sense is it to say that a genus which is an ens rationis should suffer flee be more or lesse visible have seed be fed c. These things prove it clearly to hold out the Catholick visible Church as an integral body and society whereof all particular Professors are parts Neither hath this been accounted strange Doctrine in the Church for before Christ this Church was one and if after His coming her unity were dissolved Then she were not the same Church or Woman but many Churches or Women that one were many the primitive times knew no mids But the Church and these that were without the same who were baptized were added to one Church Acts 2. ult 1 Corinth 12.13 c. And these who were rejected were cast out of this one Church Ioh. 2. Upon this ground all the Apostles but fed one Church when they fed Christs Lambs any where Upon this the generall Councels are founded and there is nothing rifer and more ordinary than such phrases as the unity of the Church the praying for the Church c. renting of the Church persecuting of the Church c. mentioned both among the Fathers and later Divines yet none will think that any particular Church is meaned or that the visible Church is not intended Hence the Novatians Donatists and others of old and the Anabaptists of late have been by all the Orthodox branded with this that they rent and separated from the Church which certainly can be understood of no particular Congregation and how often is the seamless coat of our blessed Lord spoken of thereby to shew how they conceive the unity of the Church visible which ought not to be rent being by Him appointed to be one intire peece yea this form of speach is not abhorred by many judicious men of the congregationall way and judicious Ames whom the Learned Hudson citeth is expresse for a Catholick Church that is integraliter universalis We will find also the most solid writer Cobbet of New England assert it and own that â—s a principle destructive to rule Antipedobaptism Chap. Sect. 5. at the close so doth Cotton Cant. 69. and Robotham appositely maketh the Garden Chap. 6.2 to be the Catholick Church and the Gardens to be particular Churches comprehended under the same and as parts thereof though all these and the Catholick Church be not in themselves different parties but she existeth in them as the world existeth in particular Nations and Persons There is no reason therefore to brand this as a principle of Popery and this being both the universal judgement and practice of all Divines hitherto to account the visible Church to be one The expressions that are in their writings are to be interpreted thereby as being intended against the Popish catholicknesse which we also oppose and the following words in our hands do destroy and they dispute that the Catholick Church is not visible that is either not glorious and of great extent or not of necessity alway to be seen or acknowledged as such Therefore say they she is visibilis though not alway visa but they do not contradict this that the visible Church hath an unity in it and is one body although many of them do account that to be the Church but improperly and the regenerate Elect only properly to be the Church and this is as much against particular Churches as this generall Church because they look upon the invisible Church as that which is the object of many promises applied by Papists to their Catholick or rather their particular Church absurdly and there is odds to say the Catholick Church is visible as they understood it and to say the visible Church is one which is the thing we plead-for 2. We gather that this Catholick Church is the first Church and Fountain from which all particular Churches do flow and of whose nature they do partake for she is the Mother and they are the seed which doth demonstrate the same she is the travailing Woman and they the birth brought forth and exalted and they are Churches as they partake from her and are of that same homogeneous nature with her This first Gospel-church in which the Lord set the Apostles as it were travaileth and begetteth moe and as the Prophet saith Isa. 49.20 when the place of meeting becometh too narrow then is it sub-divided as diverse branches spring from one root and when it encreaseth in number or distance accordingly this springeth out still the broader as branches when they extend themselves from the root or shut forth new branches yet is the root still one or as a familie encreasing must have diverse beds and possibly diverse tables and diverse rooms yet still is the familie one and the mother of the rest so is it here so the root is first and beareth the branches and not the branches the root which would be inferred if particular Churches were first Thus one is entered into the Catholick Church as to the Mother when he may be no member of a particular Church and if we will look at the properties and adjuncts that are attributed to the visible Church they will still agree primarily to the Catholick Church as to have good and bad in her which can hardly be said alway of all particular individuall Congregations and when the Churches condition is reckoned pure or impure quiet or persecuted few or numerous it respecteth principally the Catholick Church and goeth upon consideration thereof which sheweth that the Church so considered is most essentially the
with every petition of theirs whereby His former affections are stirred to say so and His sympathie awakned to make His divine Attributes forth-coming for their good 4. It would be considered that the Scripture allows these considerations of Christ to Believers for helping them up to communion with Him and so with God in Him and for strengthening them to approach to Him with confidence on that ground 5. As there is an exercising of Faith in God and thereby a keeping of communion with Him so there is a proportionable sympathizing heart-warming and bowel-moving affection allowed us even towards the very Man Christ as one hath to a dear friend or most loving husband that so in a word we may love Him who is Man as He who is Man loves us And this kind of communion is peculiar to the Believer with the second Person of the Godhead as it is peculiar to the second Person of the Godhead as Man by humane affections to love Him And thus we are not only one Spirit with Him as with the other Persons of the Godhead 1 Cor. 6.17 but we are one body with Him of His flesh and of His bone Eph. 5.30 in respect of this union and communion that is betwixt a Believer and the Man Jesus Christ. 6. Hence 6. As we have most accessâ— to conceive of Christs love to us who is Man so we are in the greater capacity to vent our love on Him and to have our bowels kindled upon the consideration of His being Man and performing what He did in our nature for us so the Object is most suited to be beloved by us in His condescending to be as a Brother to us And this doth confirm what is said and is a reason also why Believers vent their love to God by flowing in its expressions directly concerning Christ Because He is both the more sensible Object of our Faith and love and also because there is more possibility to conceive and mention what He in our nature hath done than to consider God and His operations in Himself abstractly 7. Hearts would always remember that He is God and so that they love and keep communion with Him that is God that makes the former the more wonderfully lively as this should make souls keep up the estimation and dignity that is due to such a Person so condescending And so by the Man Christ both to love and believe in God And in sum having the excellencies of God dwelling in the Man Christ whose affections they are more able to conceive of whose sufferings have made Hâ—s love palpable in whom God hath condescended to deal with us and on whom our affections and Faith also may have the more sensible footing by the consideration of His humane affections There is no wonder that this way of adoring praising and loving of God be so much insisted upon and yet even then when the heart is upon this consideration delighting and feeding it self upon the Mediator still His Godhead is emplyed and God in Him delighted in without which all other consolations would be defective And so it is God in the Mediator who is the Object of this delight Now unto this One God be praise in the Church by Jesus Christ for now and ever LECTURE II. Vers. 4. Iohn to the seven Churches in Asia Grace be unto you and peace from Him which is and which was and which is to come and from the seven Spirits which are before His Throne 5. And from Iesus Christ who is the faithfull witnesse and the first-begotten of the dead and the Prince of the Kings of the earth Unto him that loved us and washed us from our sins in his own bloud 6. And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever Amen WE heard of the Persons from whom follows now these to whom the Epistle is sent to wit the seven Churches in Asia and they are particularly named vâ—r 11. and are severall times spoken of in the two Chapters following Therefore at the entry we shall speak to a doubt or two concerning this inscription to them Quest. 1. Why is this Revelation in form of an Epistle sent to particular Churches rather than to the Whole Church 2. And why is it sent particularly to the seven Churches in Asia 3. Why are they stiled seven Churches and not one Church To the first of these Though it be sent to particular Churches yet this excludes none from the use of it to the end of the world for though many particular Epistles as the Epistles to the Romans Corinthians Galatians c. be directed to particular Churches yet the benefit of the Word contained in them extendeth to all Believers in all ages as well as to them to whom they were directed So those particular Epistles directed to the seven Churches in Asia in the 2. and 3. chapters are useful and behoveful to all the Churches of Christ in the like cases as if they had been particularly directed to them therefore is that Word cast to in the close of each of those Epistles Let him that hath aâ—â—ar hear what the Spirit saith to the Churches 2. As to the general subject matter of this Book It concerns not those particular Churches more than others as we told at the entry For ver 1. It is directed to his Servants to be made use of to the end of the world and it 's sent to those particular Churches to be transmitted by them to other Churches and in this sense the Church is called the pillar and ground of Truth 1 Tim. 3.15 as holding forth and transmitting the Truth to others To the second Why is it dedicated to the seven Churches in Asia Answ. 1. Either because those Churches were next to Pasmos where Iohn was now banished for those who are skilled in Geography know that this little Isle lyes off Asia the lesse Or 2. Because it 's like Iohn had particular inspection of those Churches in Asia committed to him which though it be not particularly set down in Scripture yet it 's clear from Scripture that there was a division of inspection among the Apostles without limiting any of them Peter was sent to the Circumcision Paul to the Gentiles Iames shode at Ierusalem And in the Ecclesiastick Story it 's asserted that after Paul had planted Ephesus Iohn stayed there who lived lâ—st of the Apostles And so these Churches being as would seem under his special oversight while he is absent from them by â—anishment he commends this Epistle to them 3. Jesus Christ sends it to them partly because of some special faults that were among them their need so remaining and because of some special tryals they were to endure and the need they had of consolation under these trials partly because they were the most famous Churches then for Ierusalem was now destroyed this being written in the days of Domician the Emperour To the third Why writes â—e to
to our spirituall edification it being of no lesse concernment than the other And if these things were observed in writing reading and hearing respectively as they may be applied in cases the Church of Christ might be preserved from many Errors and offences which by this liberty is occasioned and many persons saved from much hurtfull and unprofitable labour both in writing and reading LECTURE 1. CHAP. II. Vers. 1. UNto the Angel of the Church of Ephesus write These things saith he that holdeth the seven Stars in his right hand who walketh in the midst of the seven golden Candlesticks 2. I know thy works and thy labour and thy patience and how thou canst not bear them which are evil and thou hast tried them which say they are Apostles and are not and hast found them liars 3. And hast born and hast patience and for my Names sake hast laboured and hast not fainted FOlloweth now the particular Epistles to the seven Churches wherein our Lord maketh them know how privie He is to their actions ill or good commending the one and reproving the other with some promises and threatnings intermixed There are some things common to all these Epistles some things peculiar to the Churches He writes unto as they are commended only as Philadelphia and Smyrna or discommended only as Laodicea or somewhat of both as the other four 1. It 's common to all to have their Epistles agreeing in the form though different in the matter As 1. to be divided in an inscription comprehending the party to whom and from whom 2. A narration or body comprehending the particular message Christ sends to them 3. A conclusion comprehending some promise to the over-comers and an advertisment to all hearers to profit 2. All are directed to the Angels or the Ministers of the Churches and not to the Churches themselves immediatly though the first direction Chap. 1. vers 11. be to them And in the close of every Epistle it 's said what the Spirit saith to the Churches If any ask how the Churches and Angels or Church-guides are so indifferently and promiscuously named Answ. For these reasons 1. Because the Church and the collective body of Officers are so exceeding neer of kin each to other and in their interests so interwoven that in the Scripture phrase to write unto the Church and to write unto her Officers are one as to tell unto the Church Mat. 18. and to tell unto the Church-officers are one 2. Because the Church is virtually comprehended to speak so under her Officers who are not only the special members but also the representers of that body and and as one writing to an Incorporation or Burgh and directing his letters to the Magistrate thereof may be said to write unto the Burgh even so it 's here for though Ministers in respect of their Authority and Administration of the Ordinances do not represent the Church but Jesus Christ whose Ambassadors they are yet in respect of their united way of acting together and their sympathizing with all the members and their joynt interest in all the affairs belonging to the members and the reciprocall sharing that is between them and the members of all good or evil temperatures they may well be said to represent the Church whose servants they are for Christs sake even as the Magistrate acting in his duty representeth God yet in some sense also may be said to represent the people 3. Because there is ordinarly a great sutablenesse and likenesse between the Minister and people of that Church whereof he is Minister he lukewarm and they are lukewarm he lively and readily it is so with them as we will see in all the seven Epistles following and therefore the writing unto and describing of one doth by consequence include both especially considering that whether the Churches estate be good or ill the Minister hath much influence on it and therefore both in reproofs and commendations the first word is directed to him 4. Because the order Christ hath instituted in His Church doth so require he reveals not His mind immediatly to the people but first to His Ministers and by them to the Church for our Lords way is orderly so as may prevent confusion in His Church which is done not by putting it in the hands of people but by putting His Ministers to it in these things which concern their station and these being such things as belong peculiarly to Ministers to be amended in the Epistles therefore doth He particularly direct it to them 3. All the titles given to Christ are for the most part taken out of the Vision chap. 1. only they are chosen and pitched on as may best serve the scope of every Epistle as the Lord is to discover their case or accordingly to threaten or promise the title is wailed which is most sutable to that end as here Christs presence care and soveraignty over His Churches and Ministers are laid down when He is to discover a secret fault in them and to threaten the un-churching of them for it there being ordinarly in every Epistle two titles one respecting the case of the Church writen unto the other the promise or threatning which is annexed and therefore are they upon the matter often in plain tearms resumed in the close of the Epistle which may give some insight in the meaning of them 4. It 's common to them all to begin with this word I know thy works that so there may not only be an evidence of Christs God-head but also to remove all exception which might be made against His testimony We take it to look ordinarily not so much to His approbation as to His Omniscience simply because it is indifferently made the ground of reproof as well as of the commendation and therefore is used in the Epistle to Laodicea where no commendation is given For more particular use-making of these Epistles Consider 1. the immediate scope of them which is to stir up the seven Churches according to their severall conditions to hold fast what was right and to amend what was wrong having in them the discovery of the then estate of those Churches and some warnings sutable to that end and so they are not in a Prophetical way primarily to represent particular Churches in ages following Yet 2. Are they useful in a special manner to other Churches being doctrinally applied to their case as the Lord applieth the words of Isaiah 29.13 Matth. 15.7 Hypocrites well did Isaiah prophecie of you c. while as Isaia's words do principally respect the people in his own time yet may they be applied to all Hypocrites in such a case as if it had been intentionally spoken of them so may it be here in the application of them to particular Churches in the like cases yea to particular persons according to the common close He that hath ears to hear let him hear c. And the Epistles may be so much the more usefull in application than other
would not dally with them It sheweth also how easily He can overturn a Church and make no Church of it He hath often gathered Churches quickly and can He not dissolve them when they look to be in their prime Who having read the commendation of Ephesus in the former verses would have expected such a threatning in the close The words now being opened we may enquire 1. How this threatning of un-Churching a Church useth to be executed Answer We conceive it doth not necessarily imply the overrunning wasting and destroying of such a City or Land that it should be no City but that it should be no Church Sometimes indeed God will even by such a mean bring about this thing threatned But here we take it to hold out some other thing than if He had threatned Sword or Pestilence upon them It is the same upon the matter with that Math. 21.43 The kingdom of God shall be taken from them c. which was Christs word to the Iews and is especially these wayes brought to passe The first is sinfull that is when a Church fell themselves to false Doctrine which overturneth the foundation in which sense Hos. 2. the Lord denies Ephraim to be His Wife because of her spirituall whoredoms whereby she had broken her tye thus a people may be said to un-Church themselves by their unbelief confusions and errours unconsistent with the foundation according to that Isa◠50.1 And Rom. 11. the Iews are said to have broken themselves off by their unbelief The second way is penall that is when the Gospel hath not fruits among a people the Lord removeth the Light and His Ordinances from them taketh down His hedge from about them and as it were sendeth them a bill of divorce refusing to own them afterwards as a Church not by giving them up to outward enemies oppression which for a time they may be free of but by ratifying their own sentence of rejecting of the Gospel as it is Act. 13.46 and thus the Kingdom of God was translated from the Iews and they became no Church when the Gospel was taken from them and sent unto the Gentiles A third way may be mixed partly sinfull partly penall a people upon the one side not receiving the love of the Truth and therefore upon the other side God gives them up to strong delusion whereupon they proceed from evill to worse in the believing of lies as it is 2. Thes. 2.10 However this is certain this flourishing Church of Ephesus hath now long since been a proof of this Truth for errour growing to an hieght and delusion and ignorance following upon the back of despising the Gospel hath brought that Church into the estate that it is now into For the second Question Why the Lord peculiarly threatens the Church of Ephesus with these punishments Answ. It is not because His discontentment was more with her than with other Churches But 1. It 's like they thought outward honesty and reformation enough for their Church-estate and that there was no cause of fear of un-Churching so long as they continued pure in profession and zealous in purging c. And therefore to beat down this conceit and to shew the necessity of power as well as of form for continuing of a Church-estate He doth subjoyn this threatning of un-Churching especially to this Church 2. Because these here threatned would lay more weight on this threatning and be more affected with shoring to be un-Churched than with either Sword or Pestilence c. The Lord therefore applieth wisely that which He thinks most conduceable to this end 3. It 's like their outward Church-estate was something thought of by them and the externall frame of Ordinances in purity and that of Discipline in vigour might be rested on and too much esteemed of especially by the Ministers it being too ordinary for men to think too much of external forms The Lord therefore in this threatning toucheth the fault that might stick secretly to them even in their zealous prosecuting of externall reformation 4. Because He would have all men knowing the respect He hath to sincerity and the influence which the exercise or not exercise of grace hath upon keeping or loosing of externall Priviledges Therefore doth He so threaten this Church when no outward cause of such controversie seemeth to be before men If it be asked further Why this Church is called the Angels For Thy hath reference to the Angel and by the Candlestick is meant the Church it self Or 2. How this becomes a threatning to the Minister it being liker a plague upon the People Or 3. How the People can be plagued for a sin in their Minister We shall consider the first by it self after we have gone through this Epistle And now to the second question we say This threatning becomes his plague 1. Because of his interest in them and affection to them nothing can come on a People but it affects the Minister their stroak is his yea often it 's sorer which is on them than what is on himself 2. Cor. 11.29.30 Who is weak and I am not weak Who is offended and I burn not was Pauls touch of the infirmities of the People 2. It 's the nearest stroak can be on a Minister to be stricken in his Charge or blasted in his Ministery c. in this he is smitten as a Minister in things peculiar to a Minister other stroaks are common to all men yea thus to be smitten in the un-Churching of his Flock is striking at his Crown and his Joy 1 Thess. 2. ult for a faithfull Minister will so account it 3. It 's probable it was some contentment to him to see things go right in his outward Ministery Censures to be weighty Discipline vigorous the People to give him credit and countenance c. without reflecting on his own spirituall condition or aiming at the inward warming of love in the hearts of his People but thought all well and who but he that had such a well ordered Church The Lord therefore threatneth to take that ground of boasting or self-pleasing from him It 's a sad thing when a Minister cannot carry even when things go well and cannot look to himself and the people also and be humble when he is countenanced want of this spilleth many hopefull beginnings in Ministers hands And this relation thy is particularly mentioned here to make the threatning touch him the more it is not the Candlestick but thy Candlestick which was to be removed For there be two things that make a thing to be in esteem with men and the losse thereof to affect them The First is That it be in it self 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a thing lovely and desireable The second That it be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a thing which is a mans own These two going together That it is both an excellent thing in the self and withall a mans own when once evill befalls that thing it doth
if it be such as doth bound him in his Authority so as he may not perform any Ministerial act without the same and so upon the other side if he be so tyed to that Church that for the greater good of the universall Church he may not be loosed from it and be made use of as a Minister elsewhere For the first We may take these generall Conclusions for helping us in the understanding thereof The first is That there is an Union and Communion in the Catholick visible Church which is one Body 1 Cor. 12. and that both of Iews and Gentiles one City and House one Commonwealth Ephes. 2.19 c. one Mother of us all Gal. â— one Bride and Spouse c. Which expressions do hold forth this Uunion in reference to all visible Churches and all the members thereof There are not two Bodies Cities or Common-wealths in this respect yet must these places be understood of the visible Church it being that Bodie into which we are entred by Baptism 1 Cor. 12.13 and that City in which Watch-men are set and externall Ordinances and that Commonwealth which succeedeth to that which once was peculiar to Israel and from which the Gentiles were once separated by a Partitionâ—wall which is now taken down by the Gospel Conclusion 2. Although this Church be one in it self yet it is sub-divided in particular Churches which are as parts of that whole This ariseth from accidental considerations of the number of Professors distance of place and such like in which respect it 's needful for her edification and the going about of the Ordinances that this should be yet is this subdivision without prejudice of the Union foresaid yea it is subservient thereto even as supposing a numerous City or Incorporation should be sub-divided in so many Quarters or lesser Societies for the good of the whole Thus the Church at first being one upon the former considerations upon this occasion did extend her self in this manner and these who just now were of one Church and meeting together for the Ordinances were induced to divide in severall Societies and meeting-places as may be gathered from the History of the Acts yet continuing still of the same Bodie together in the first respect In which respect somtimes the visible Church is spoken of in the plural number sometimes again only in the singular as pointing out an Unity such are these phrases to edifie the Church to add to the Church to cast out of the Church c. which respect the whole Church considered as an integrall whole existing in particular Churches as we say the whole world which doth yet but exist in so many particular Notions and hath no existence distinct from them and to say it were considered as a genus in this sense would not be intelligible Conclus 3. Our Lord Jesus the owner both of Ministers and Church hath given Ministers principally for the edification of His Catholick Church without respect to this or that particular Congregation but as that is subservient to the former end as it is Ephes. 4.11 12. 1 Cor. 12.28 it being one Church to which both Apostles Pastors Prophets and Teachers are given and they having all one scope to wit the perfecting of the Saints and one Commission to wit the preaching of the Gospel which principally is to engage Souls to the Bridegroom Hence in their Preaching we are to conceive this order 1. Apostles and Ministers c. treat with sinners to have them engaged by faith to Christ as the Master for whom they treat 2. To enter them in the Catholick visible Church by Baptism as the entring of them within Christs House in generall without respect to this or that particular Congregation as when Philip Acts 8. did first Preach Christ to the Eunuch and afterward did Baptize him and then left him And 3. Being thus entred and brought in to the Catholick Church thereupon followeth their entring into particular Congregations that so they may be the more conveniently and commodiously edified and provided for as all that are in Christs House should be who therefore are committed to some speciall Overseers and Stewards for that end as suppose the Eunuch had been admitted to some particular Church for partaking of the Ordinances therein after his Baptism that he should be a member of Christs Church in generall which is sealed by Baptism 1 Cor. 12.13 was not indifferent to him but of what particular Church he might be a member that by after conveniency was to be regulated Whence it doth appear 1. That there is a consideration of the Church as universall beside the considering of her in particular Churches 2. That the Church so considered as an integrall whole is before the particular Churches and they are derived from her 3. That the work of the Ministery doth relate principally to the whole their Commission being in common to build the Bodie to watch the City feed the Flock preach the Gospel c. and their delegation to particular Churches is in a subserviency to this that is so as this may be the more orderly and conveniently followed even as suppose so many Eldermen or Watchmen were by some Superiour designed for the governing and watching of one City and should for the better accomplishing thereof have their severall Quarters and Divisions assigned to them yet still were they to be accounted as Governours and Watchmen of the City principally and not of these particular portions only Conclus 4. Although they be designed principally for the Catholick Church and their Commission will bear them to treat any where yet are they not Catholick Officers of that Church nor at their arbitriment to treat where they will but according to the order which he hath setled in particular Churches as parts of that whole that being the way which He hath laid down for edification I say 1. They are not Catholick Officers there being great odds here betwixt Officers of the Catholick Church and Catholick Officers of the Catholick Church such the Apostles and Evangelists were such the Pope claims to be that is to have an immediate accesse for exercising the Trust equally to all places Officers of the Catholick Church are such as are placed in it for the building up thereof and have Commission in reference to that end yet is it to be executed according to the rules laid down that is as Christs Call in an ordinary way shall give them accesse For although as was said they have a Power and Commission actu primo to be Ministers of the whole Church and Watchmen of the City indefinitly yet actu secundo they are specially delegated for such and such Congregations or Posts as was hinted in the former similitudes In this respect Peter and Paul were Apostles of the Catholick Church equally yet for the good thereof by speciall appointment Peter becometh the Apostle of the Circumcision and Paul of the Gentiles and so Paul could not be called the Apostle of the
place I shall only adde a word of that zealous and pious writer Learned Mr. Boyd who having clearly made out this by many Scriptures and Citations of Fathers both against Papists and others who saith he in this were papixantes doth close with a saying of famous Whitaker against Sanders who having cited Ierom's reason for the bringing in of Bishops for the preventing of Schism Hoc Veri-verbium gravissimè subjungit saith he sed ipso morbo deterius penè remedium fuit Nam ut primo unus Presbyter reliquis praelatus est factus Episcopus ita postea unus Episcopus reliquis est praelatus Sic ista consuetudo Papam cum suâ Monarchiâ peperit paulatim in Ecclesiam invexit And then doth subjoyn of himself Nec ego sanè video si semel hoc remedium ut ad schismata vel tollenda vel praecavenda necessarium admittamus amplectamur cur aut quomodo gradus sistendus sit donec ad unum summum Patriarcham sive Pontificem Occumenicum qui solus toti praesit Hierarchiae Ecclesiasticae tandem deveniamus atque hoc Italus velit magno mercetur Abaddon ille Romanus qui cum suis asseclis eodem hoc utuntur argumento ad Monarchiam suam in Ecclesiâ firmandam The same Learned Author also coming to consider this place of the Revelation after other answers doth assert that under this title Angel a plurality of Ministers may be understood as we formerly did expound the place whom Christ writeth to in the singular number 1. That He might shew that there was an unity amongst the Ministers as well as amongst the members and so He keepeth the number of them proportionably to the number of the Churches And 2. Because by naming them so the Lord would have them minded that some way they did constitute but one and are in respect of their oversight so to concur in caring for the one Flock as being each of them Ministers thereof in whole and in particular written unto by Jesus Christ for that end And so this naming of Angel in the singular number will rather remove all supposed difference amongst them than establish the same because so what is written to one is written to every Angel or Minister in these Churches which is the thing that at first we asserted An Author of late to wit Doctor Hamond among many other strange things which he hath doth take an unheard-of way to evite the former Arguments and because he cannot deny but the Scripture doth take Bishops and Presbyters for one and the same he doth therefore first acknowledge this to be truth But 2. asserteth that both are to be understood of Diocesian Bishops and not of Presbyters as they are understood now And therefore 3. doth deny that in the Apostles times there was any middle sort of Presbyters as he calleth them betwixt Diocesian Bishops and Deacons 4. That many mentioned in the Scripture and these seven Angels in particular were Metropolitan Bishops having power over Diocesian Bishops All which he asserteth with a great deal of confidence and doth illustrate the then Government of the Church from the fourth Chapter of this Book which to him holdeth forth 1. The Metropolitan of Ierusalem as signified by the person that sitteth upon the Throne 2. Four and twenty Diocesian Bishops sitting on Thrones by him which saith he no doubt was exactly the number of the inferiour Bishops of Iudea although the same cannot be made out by History These are represented by the four and twenty Elders 3. Seven spirits signifie the seven Deacons which were in that Church thus saith he was the estate of the Church in Iohns time and no other Officer was as yet instituted Although these be vanities beyond any thing which he condemneth in Mr. Brightman himself and exceedingly unsuitable to the scope of the Spirit and though there can be little expectation to convince any who so unwarrantably asserteth their own imagination as a certain truth without any warrand from the Word or any History yet we must say somewhat seing the stresse lyeth here whether there were any Presbyters in the dayes of the Apostles in the notion that we now take Presbyters or whether all preaching Officers were then only Bishops with Jurisdiction as he doth understand them For if there were Presbyters in this notion as we speak and if according to his own principles Bishops and Presbyters were one and the same Then it will follow that at that time they were both preaching Presbyters or Elders For in pleading that there were such Presbyters we purpose not to plead for any middle order as he calleth it but according as himself saith◠the asserting of a Lord-bishop to have been instituted in these dayes doth necessarily deny the office of Preaching presbyters to have then been in the Church of Christ so upon the contrary it will follow that if it be made out that there was such an Officer as this Presbyter in the Church of Christ Then this of Bishops as distinct from it must also fall Now to make out that there was such Presbyters in the Church of Christ in the Apostles dayes who yet were not Bishops in his sense we propose these considerations First Consider the general harmony of all the Ancients of all the School-men generally all that ever wrote since Reformation for I suppose never any questioned but that there were Preaching-presbyters in the Church as we take them and cannot Episcopacy be established except all these foundations be overturned without which yet there will not be much to say for it Secondly Consider the principles of that party for generally they do account the Apostles to have been in the degree of Bishops and the Disciples to have been in the place of ordinary Pastors also that Bishops Jurisdiction over Ministers is instituted and established in Timothy and Titus their ordaining admonishing reproving c. of ordinary Ministers And if there were none such in the Apostles dayes they cannot be said to have had power over such and so either these Arguments must stand and this Authors assertion must fall or if it stand they must fall by which there is a losse to that party however Thirdly It may be considered how that Authors ground can be reconciled with Scripture wherein the office and actual being of such an Officer as a Presbyter as we take it is sufficiently clear for which see First these Scriptures that do most fully hold forth the distinct offices of the Church under the New Testament as Ephes. 1.4.11 12. besides Apostles and Evangelists he gave some to be Pastors and Teachers Now by Pastors and Teachers must be understood Ministers as we take them because they are such as were by feeding and teaching to edifie Christs Body to the end of the world which cannot be restricted to Bishops as understood by him otherwayes the Pastor shall not have accesse to edifie Christs Church for any time to come And if Pastors be here
being clear that there were many thousands as hath been abundantly made out by that rich Piece Learned Mr. Rutherfurd his Dueright of Presbytery and that acute Piece Iuâ—divinum regiminis Ecclesiastici where also the plurality of Officers is abundantly evinced wherefore there needeth no more of this Only we may observe from Acts 13.1 that in Antioch beside extraordinary Officers there was a plurality of ordinary Teachers which by no means can be understood of Bishops 2. It may be considered what the case of these Churches would have been when one Pastor was absent from them as oftentimes it was by being sent in messages to the Apostles and otherwayes can it be said that these Churches were without Preaching-officers and Ordinances of the Word and Sacraments all that time yet that must be said except we say there were other Preaching-officers labouring amongst them 3. Is it agreeable to reason to think that all Churches were of one measure so as to be served with one man or that where some few number of Christians were converted and did combine amongst themselves they behoved either to be a Diocesian Church which is impossible or to be none at all which is contrary to the way of the Gospel 4. I ask If the case of the Christian Church was more perfect with Presbyters than without them If it be more perfect with them then it must be said the Primitive Apostolick Church was not in the most perfect form which will be against reason If it be more perfect without them then they were unreasonably brought and kept into the Church both which are absurd A fifth consideration is That the denying of Presbyters and Ministers in this ordinary notion to have been instituted in the Apostles dayes doth go neer to strike at the very root of Christianity and overturn the course of the Gospel for experience teacheth us that the great work of conversion in the Church hath been and is carried on by such Presbyters â— and this assertion doth at once remove the same For 1. it denieth them to have been instituted in the Apostles dayes as a mean for converting of souls and what more can be said to overturn them 2. Seing he denies this institution to have been when Iohn wrote this Revelation chap. 4. Annotation what warrand can be afterward given for their instituting yea it cannot be shown from History or Writings of the Ancients when or how they were first instituted and therefore in sum they come to be a humane institution and so such an excellent mean of edification is overturned A sixth consideration is That this assertion seemeth to destroy itself and to imply a contradiction for if there was but one Preaching-bishop in every one of these Churches to Preach and administer the Sacraments in the same then either he was equal to the same the Congregarions not being numerous and so he discharged ministeriall duties without having jurisdiction over any other Preaching-presbyter of which there were none according to this opinion or over any other particular Church and if so he is the very person whom we call an ordinary Pastor or Apostolick Bishop of one particular Congregation and in this sense we grant there was no other Pastor or Presbyter and being so understood this Prelatical or Diocesian-bishop having power over many particular Congregations must fall to the ground or it must be said that this Bishop had a charge beyond what is possible to one man to deal with or had Christians and Officers in diverse places and Churches subject to him which will also be contrary to the assertions of the same Author Now if it implicateth not to say that he was a Diocesian Bishop and yet had rule but over one Congregation and to say that he had power and jurisdiction over other Preaching-officers and so was not a Preaching-officer of the lowest degree and that yet there was no other inferiour Preaching-officer which necessarily implieth that that Bishop was of the lowest degree If I say these things implicate not we cannot tell what doth for the one thing saith he hath none under him the other saith he is not one of the lowest Neither will any have this to say that there was an inferiour order to be instituted after the Apostles dayes over which these Bishops were to govern For 1. It must be made out that there is an appointment in the Word for instituting of such an Officer which was not then in the Church 2. It will yet follow that during the time of the Apostles this Bishop did discharge the office of Presbyter and so was the lowest Preaching-officer in the Church and that therefore the contradiction would have been still obvious in that time and they had been liable unto this same argument 3. If they had then any jurisdiction over Presbyters it behoved to be a non-ens while they had no being and that for many years which looketh not like Christs way in giving talents to men And indeed when all is considered seing these Bishops did nothing but what we allow ordinary Ministers to do and had the same qualifications appointed for them and the same place in the Church to wit to be next before to Deacons and have only charge of particular Congregations and such like It will be most safe to conclude them to have been Bishops and Presbyters in the sense that formerly we laid down And so we leave any further consideration of this Author Concerning the way of Covenanting with God and of a sinners obtaining Iustification before Him THis last Epistle directed to the Church of Laodicea doth contain a short sum of the Gospel and Gods way of engaging sinners to Him It will therfore be meet to take some more particular consideration thereof For here 1. we have man described in his sinful condition â—s miserable naked poor and withal blind and ignorant of the same 2. We have the remedie proposed to wit gold and white raiment c. that is Christ and His righteousnesse which is the great promise of the Covenant of Grace as the mids leading to the injoying of God 3. There is the condition on which this is offered that is believing expressed under the terms of buying opening to Him hearing His voice c. 4. There are motives whereby the acceptance of this offer upon such terms is pressed and that both from the necessity thereof and hazard if it be slighted and from the many advantages that do accompany the accepting thereof 5. We have the duties that are called-for upon this acceptance to wit â—â—al and repentance which are comprehensive of all This doth hold forth Gods way of Covenanting with a sinful person whereby the guilt of his sin and the curse following thereupon are removed Which we may conceive in this order 1. Man is supposed not only to be sinful but also obnoxious to the curse of God and in his appearance before Gods Justice to have that sentence standing against him 2. There being no remedie
her plagued condition which is contrary to the scope 2. The Church here is to be considered as declined and as being guilty of Idolatry and many other grosse sins as is clear by vers 20.21 3. It is clear also that this judgement is of a different nature from the former as was hinted in the exposition of it and doth particularly denounce temporall judgement upon the Church already drunken with Spirituall plagues this the particular description will demonstrate yet it is such a judgement in temporal things as carrieth grosse abominations and Spirituall venome for poisoning souls alongst with it so their having of tails like unto Serpents c. doth import Lastly It must also be such a plague as is executed by some great power in the world who have mighty Armies in executing this in a warlike violent and successefull though in a barbarous and cruel manner And therefore in short we conceive no other to be intended here but the dominion of the Turks who by their mighty strength great cruelty and poisonous Doctrine of Mahomet have proven exceeding destructive both to the bodies and souls of innumerable poor Christians which we may clear a little more in the application and as we go through the words Vers. 13. The first thing Iohn mentioneth is a voice I heard a voice from the four horns of the Golden altar c. which setteth forth the voice of God or of Jesus Christ as supream overruler of this plague with allusion to Gods giving answers in His Temple under the Old Testament This voice giveth orders to the sixth Angel the subordinate overseer of this plague to loose c. by which is holden forth Gods soveraignty over and His making use of Angels in the ordering of the most fearfull plagues that come upon the Church Secondly The actors are touched at in this order which the Angel getteth vers 14. Loose the four Angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates Where we have these particulars 1. Their nature they are Angels not properly to be understood for the thing which followeth is Armies of horsemen but they are here called Angels to signifie their being subservient to God in His design and their being fitted with agility promptitude c. for this work which He was to imploy them in it being ordinary in all this prophesie to compare instruments good or bad to Angels and Spirits as Chap. 9. vers 11. Chap. 12. vers 7. and 16. vers 13 c. 2. They are called four not precisly to determine a number But either 1. to signifie the spreading of this plague to all the corners of the earth That as Chap. 7.1 there were four Angels holding the four winds that they should not blow so there are here as many instruments to hurt the Church as were there to prevent it Or 2. it may be to point out a fourfold difference either in respect of government place nature or ceremonies which should be amongst these who should be actors in this plague which we will find agreeable to the Turks in this sense also 3. These four Angels are said to be at the great river Euphrates This river in Syria is famous in many respects 1. Upon it the great city Babylon stood 2. It was the march of David and Solomon's Kingdom that was from the sea to the river 3. It was the great fatall bound of the Roman Empire beyond which they could never extend their dominion 4. Because of the footing that the Turkish dominion took first beside it for the first Turkish government being by four Souldans all of them for a considerable time had their residence near and about this river to wit in Asia Aleppo Damascus and Antioch which were the places whereby these governours were designed We conceive this river to be here mentioned to shew that such should be instrumentall in this plague as were neither within the Church nor the Roman Empire but should have their residence beside this river Euphrates as the Turks are observed to have had before their dominion spread 4. They are said to be bound in that river that is restrained from breaking in upon the Empire or the Church in it for a long time by Gods providence so as if they had been indeed bound for many years what from intestine divisions among themselves what by Tamerland's invasion of them and what by our Lords providing some instrument to defend His Church for a time these Turks were restrained from invading and overruning the Empire although they vehemently gaped after it They are said to be loosed from that place when the impediments and restraints formerly keeping them in are removed and they as it were hounded like dogs formerly tied up to destroy the west part of the Christian world which accordingly came to passe very speedily when the Turks having prevailed over the Saracens did with them combine in one dominion under the Ottomanean family which was about the 1000 year and some more from which time their power grew till a great part of Europe was overrun by them Thirdly We have their commission vers 15. which sheweth the end wherefore they were loosed 1. Their work is to slay 2. The number is a third part of men 3. The time or continuance of their execution is for an hour and a day c. To slay is to be here understood properly to take away mens bodily lives and therefore the expressions in this trumpet differ from what is in the former The event also here marked the third part was killed vers 18. doth confirm it Again by the third part of men is not to be understood any number definitely nor any indefinite number of the world absolutely considered but a third part or a considerable number of the men living on this side the river Euphrates from which formerly these executioners were restrained now being loosed they are commissionated especially in respect of them to wit the ancient Roman Empire now become Antichristian 3. The time or continuance is set down in four severall words an hour a day a month and a year We conceive it not safe to apply it to a day or an hour of any definite time which we would rather reverence than follow in the practice of others But we understand here a definite time bounded and limited of God for the prevailing of this plague as there was set down a time to the locusts under the former trumpet We conceive the words are multiplied hour day and month and year to set out 1. Gods particular determining and bounding of that plague in its continuance to an year month day and hour according to the phrase Numb 9.22 whether it was two dayes or a month or a year c. which is there used to shew the absolute dependance the Israelites had upon God in their marchings and sojournings whether for time long or short so shall it be here the time for which they are prepared is particularly appointed 2. They are said
Reformation no such gift of prophesie or Prophets to be expected or admitted who may adde any new truth to the Word or command any new duty contrary to it by arrogating to themselves or imposing something as duty on others which the Morall grounds of the Word do not allow of and it is confirmed by this that we are commanded to try the Spirits and even the Revelations of the extraordinary Prophets 1 Corinth 14. were to be tried and judged which can be by no rule but by the Word It followeth therefore that no Revelation containing any thing contrary to the Word is to be admitted or received as from the Spirit of the Lord. Assert 2. Yet is it not altogether to be denied but that the Lord may in particulars of the last kind sometimes reveal himself to some by foretelling events before they come such as the famine that Agabus foretold of or Pauls imprisonment were of such the story of the Martyrs and Saints do sometime make mention and particularly Athanasius is often advertised of hazards as is recorded and in their verity cannot be denied and of this sort there were many at the reviving of the light of the Gospel who by foretelling of particular events were famous as Iohn Husse his foretelling within an hundreth years after him to follow the outbreaking of Reformation such it is like was Hieronymus Savonarola who was burnt by the Pope not as was pretended for foretelling of events as they imputed to him by unlawfull means but for faithfull reproving of his faults as he is described by Philip de Cumius and other Authors of such many were in this Land as Master Wishart Master Knox Master Welch Master Davidson c. And this cannot be said altogether to be made void for although God hath now closed the Canon of the Scripture yet that He should be restrained in His freedom from manifesting of Himself thus there is no convincing ground to bear it out especially when experience hath often proven the contrary in the most holy men Yet 1. this is not habituall or ordinary to any but is singular at some few times and in some few cases 2. Every perswasion of mind before the event come and answerablenesse in it when it cometh will not be sufficient to make it passe for a propheticall foreknowledge more than when in dreams it may often so fall out 3. This will not denominate one to be a Prophet although in some singular events God maketh this use of him Nor 4. can such predictions warrand any to do a thing as a duty which otherwise would not be warrantable unto them 5. There is difference to be put betwixt the simple foretelling of an event which may be of God and a conclusion which may be drawn therefrom this may be of our selves as we may see in the predictions of these Act. 21. who foretold Pauls Imprisonment at Ierusalem yet was not that to divert him from his going there as many collected that therefore was not from God as Pauls pressure in the spirit to go notwithstanding doth clear every such prediction therefore cannot be made a rule of dutie seing the Lord may have other good ends of triall advertisement and confirmation in it And we will not find that any have made use of such particular revelations as from them to presse a dutie upon others that would not otherwise be warrantable although when it concurreth with other grounds it may have its weight for swaying in lawfull things Assert 3. Prophesie taken for an immediate revealing of Gospel Truths and mysteries such as that 1 Cor. 14. and what was frequent in the Apostolick times is now ceased and there is neither such a gift nor such an office 1. There is not such a gift for it is not common to all that are renewed it was not so in the Apostles dayes there were diversities of gifts and this gift is distinguished from saving grace 1 Cor. 12 and 14 c. neither is that particular gift of Prophesie continued for there is no other gift continued as these of healing tongues and interpretations whereby men may come in an immediate way to the exercise of these And 2. experience sheweth that that hath ceased and God calleth men to the use of ordinary means for the attaining of the knowledge of His will and there being now no such gift that will abide triall there is therefore no such office to be pleaded for that followed upon that yet even these Prophets in the matter prophesied by them were to be tried by the Word and judged and in the gift if it were a revelation indeed 1 Cor. 14. Now there being none such who can abide that proof we are not at least without that to acknowledge such a gift or such an office Assert 4. Yet if we take prophesie for the understanding of Gods mind and for attaining to be well acquainted with the mysteries of God by a mediate way yea and that beyond the applied means or to have a gift and capacity for discerning of these things with little pains and that beyond what some others can attain unto by any labour we conceive that in this sense Prophesie and Prophets may be said to be continued in the Church and such God raised up in the time of Reformation men singularily gifted with a Propheticall spirit in this sense which may be the fulfilling of this prophesied of in this Chapter Assert 5. No gift of Prophesie now can warrand one authoritatively to set down his light although it be truth as Canonick Scripture or as of equal authority from it self with the Writings of Moses c. and other Scriptures That in the first Assertion was casten though one by his gift may reason from or genuinly open these Scriptures by writ as by word Assert 6. No gift can warrant one to take on him the office of an authoritative Preacher even though in some particulars Gods mind extraordinarily should be revealed to him for it is not the gift that giveth the authority of an office but Gods authoritative mission otherwise a woman as Philip's daughters might be an Officer in the Church and have publick accesse to preach and teach which yet the New Testament admitteth not even when it speaketh of this gift of Prophesie 1 Cor. 14. and ordereth the practice of extraordinary Prophets there this inhibition is inserted and elsewhere yea even in these primitive times there was a triall of the spirits and gifts by the Prophets before any was to be accounted such beside one may have a particular event revealed to him who yet may be more unacquainted with the mystery of the Gospel than others who by Gods blessing have attained to knowledge in an ordinary way and if it cannot warrand an office to such neither will it do in this case there is now therefore no Prophet by an immediate Call Assert 7. Yet we say that as God by gifts may furnish some in a more than ordinary way so
and Christ Jesus the true Ark becometh discernable and visible in the efficacy of his Offices Or we may consider the Ark as it included the Law therefore it is here called the Ark of his Testament so it implieth that the Word of God formerly vailed to the people so as they durst not read it nor have it in their own tongue Now by this reformation it is become familiar to them they hear it in their own language may read it in their Family carry it about with them The vengeance of God against enemies is set forth in these words and there were lightnings voices thunderings and an earthquake and great bail expressions that are used Chap. 6. when the great temporall judgement of God against heathenish persecuters is consummated it is also mentioned Chap. 16. We take this to be the generall hint of what the seven vials afterwards expresse as is said for Chap. 15.5 6. immediately after the opening of the Temple the seven Angels with the vials come forth as being formerly kept up now they appear By this similitude of opening the Temple this is set forth that as in the Jewish times during their greatest defections there was still some Temple and Church and at the time of Reformation there was no new Temple built nor new Circumcision instituted nor Priests appointed but corruptions were removed and the Temple and Priests put again to their own proper use and duty so during the defection of Antichrist there should still be a Church Temple Ordinances and Ministers and that the bridging of the Gospel again to publick in the world after that should not be by erecting a new Church and new Ordinances or appointing new Officers but should be by the purging away of the former corruptions and applying of the Ordinances and Officers to their own former use for it is the same Temple after Reformation which was before but now it is opened the woman Chap. 12. is the same under persecution while she is in the wildernesse during the 1260. dayes that she was before her fleeing and continueth to be the same after her return from the wildernesse only that which by Antichrists additions was vailed and corrupted now by their removall becometh more visible and pure Upon this ground it is that the reviving again of Religion is commonly called Reformation not as bringing in any thing new but as purging what formerly was corrupted Upon this ground Baptism continueth to be Baptism though transmitted through them and a Ministery continueth to be a Ministery except we say there were no Ordinances and Ministers before the time of Reformation and so no Church which is expresly contrary to the scope and letter of this and the following Chapters From this also it appeareth there needeth no new constitution of a Church that is brought from Popery such as might be called for from heathens who are not Christians but the purging away the drosse of Antichristianism and the practicall adhering to the purity and power of the Gospel even as there was great odds amongst the Iews in the recovering of them from their grossest defection and the admission of Pagans unto the Church Neither can it be inferred from this either that then the Church of Rome was and so is now a true Church or that we have our ordination from it and are beholden to Antichrist for that This first is much urged by Papists in this dilemma Either the Church of Rome was the true Church and so there ought not to have been a separation from it or she was not the true Church and so there was none for many years except she be acknowledged for such To this we answer 1. by distinguishing the Church from Antichrist and his worship brought into the Church and added to the Ordinances thereof for obscuring the worship of Christ. There is a true Church that is the subject that is not denied on which Antichrist usurpeth and as an extrinsick accident setteth himself down in that Temple yet is the Temple and Church now different from his additions as the Temple of the Iews was from the corruptions that were accidentally brought in upon it in the times of corruption Thus the word of God Sacraments Prayer Ordination c. are continued which are as the materiall worship of God and as such are not Antichristian The adding of traditions to that word putting of false glosses on it corrupting of the Sacraments by superstitious and Idolatrous additions praying to Saints and Images erecting an Antichristian Hierarchie in the place of ordination and these who should be Officers in Christs house and many such like things These are Antichristian indeed and may as we see be separated from the former Again 2. we may distinguish Professors who are either such as receive the compleat worship of the Popish Church receiving indeed the Scriptures but with such traditions and glosses as do upon the matter make the commands of God of none effect that pray but to Angels Saints Images c. that use Sacraments but withall their superstitious and idolatrous additions and so in all other things Or they are such who close with the materials to say so that are abused in Popery and do abandon all these destructive additions that is who acknowledge the truth of the Gospel and the way of free Grace and hate their merit of works satisfactions pennances c. who receive the Sacraments but abominate their Transubstantiation Masse and all that dependeth on these that pray to the true God in the Name of Jesus Christ and abhorre their Idolatries c. so in other things Now in the application we say 1. That if we consider the Popish Church in the large extent thereof properly and its worshippers or members that without choice drink in their Doctrine complexly as it is holden out by them and worship according to these principles in that sense the Popish Church is no Church of Christ but is truely Antichristian and these two cannot stand together to be Antichrists Church and Christs Spouse at one time but if we consider the Church materially as distinguished from these additions of Antichrist in her Ministers and members concurring in the faith of the true Doctrine and in practice and Worship accordingly hating and abominating these superstitions and Idolatrous corruptions and inventions we say that was the true Church of Christ which did not receive these but keeped the former principles materially both in faith and practice and therefore it will follow only on the former objection that that Church on which Popery obtruded it self and which yet did abhorre it that was the true Church which we grant but that as distinctly considered as pure from their Antichristian inventions at least so far as Antichristian Now from the Church which retained the foundation and did adhere to the Doctrine and Worship that is in the Word we did never separate nor from those that continued so but did separate from the Antichristian Church that did obscure and
corrupt these and would neither amend them themselves nor suffer others to do so and this separation is necessary and called for by that command Come out of her my people Chap. 18 and without this there had been no communion kept with that which was the true Church of God who although for a time she did live in that Babylonish captivity was yet never of that communion and both these to wit that there were ever some such who kept the foundation and did reject the Popish inventions and that they in so far joyned not with them and so had not fellowship with Antichrist and his works of darknesse but did reprove them we suppose is clear from what is already said Neither ought the Papists to think this strange that we apply such distinctions to the Church under the true Antichrist considering that they use the same in reference to the time of their forged Antichrist who say they shall overrun the Church and by Idolatries and violence cover the face thereof yet shall there be a true Church who shall not be locally seperated from Him and His followers but in respect of their adhereing to the former purity and so by them the question where the true Church during that time is to be is answered thus It is under Antichrist but not of that defection His Church is the company of these that shall not decline from their former purity the true Church are the few here and there that shall retain it And thus generally they expound the woman fleeing Chap. 12. which to them also belongeth to that time to be no locall mutation of the Church but a decay of her conspicuousnesse and beauty by the defection of the great part and the overspreading of Antichristianisme and the Remists do illustrate it thus that as now in England the Church may be said to be fled in respect of what it was and the publick face of things yet as there are in it many true professors who are not of that Church but adhere to the Romish So say they will it be in Antichrists time and may not now that same be more rationally said of the true Church even in these times and places where Popery hath covered the publick face of all The second objection may be cleared also from what is said That we have not our Ministrie and Ordination from Antichrist more than we have the Word and Sacraments from him although through their hands the Lord did conveigh them to us but we have these from the Lord whose Ordinances they are and to whom we are obliged for purging them from antichristian corruptions and transmitting them pure to us which Antichrist would never have done Neither can it be thought strange that we should have Ordination and Ordinances transmitted to us through Antichrists reign considering that there were such even in his time Now we must either deny that any such were during that long time which is absurd and contrary the scope here or we must say that it is more impossible for us to continue Ordination and Ordinances in a distinct separate way from Antichrist as we through Gods goodnesse have them now and not to be obliged to him for them or not to have them derived from him Than it was to the Ministers and Church that lived while he was in his height For if we say that their Ordination and Ordinances were antichristian then shall we have no Christian Church if we say they were Christian though sometimes coming through impure hands because they separated what was antichristian from them so that may be said here also and so it is We therefore apply these distinctions here and say that we may consider our Ordination materially in it self or complexly in respect of its additionals and the former Church in respect of the multitude who declined or the few that keeped their garments and were not antichristian If we consider Ordination and Ordinances materially so we have them from the true Church and Prophets that were during Antichrists reign and our Church succeedeth them and although it descend by the Church under Antichrist yet is not antichristian more than she was antichristian as is said Again if we consider Ordination complexly in which sense only it is antichristian so we have not Ordination derived to us from her because we have none such at all It is not enough to make Ordination and Ordinances antichristian that they be so or by such transmitted as the former instance of the Church in that time and what is formerly said doth clear but that they be transmitted as such complexly Now these are not as such transmitted to us Therefore cannot be called antichristian Beside this we may draw some conclusions from this Song the first whereof is this That a National Church is not only not inconsistent with the flourishing estate of the Gospel in the world but is concomitant with it yea is a manifest proof of it and a great ground of rejoycing to Gods people and of praise to Him For clearing and confirming whereof we may consider 1. That by Nations and Kingdoms here is meaned the generality and body of such Kingdoms and Nations 2. That by being the Lords here is meaned a speciall Church-state and relation which two being made out it will consequently appear that what we call a Nationall Church which is the combination of a Nation as one unto God doth well suit the time of Antichrists fall and of the Gospels flourishing The first to wit that by Kingdoms here or Nations Chap. 15.4 are not to be understood some few of a Kingdom or Nation but the generality and body of them may appear 1. From the scope which clearly is this to set out the largenesse of the extent of the flourishing of the Gospel or the inlargement or wonderfull extent of the Church after Antichrists begun ruine If it were but some few there would be no such ground of praise nor no such difference from what was before even then some of Nations and Kingdoms were the Lords 2. Kingdoms becoming His is to be understood as the like phrases used of Cities and Families their becoming His but that doth import not only some of such a Family or City but the whole or generality of them as instances will clear See what is said of Lydda and Saron Acts 9.35 which certainly is more than can be said of other Cities where yet He might have many therefore it must be so here 3. These Kingdoms become His as once the Kingdom and Nation of the Iews were His in a peculiar manner for this seemeth to relate to the Lords manner of calling the Jewish Nation and as they were His so shall these Nations be His seing no other so clear parallel can be given of expounding here a Kingdom becoming the Lords so Israel is called His Nation Isa. 51.4 It is true this will not hold in typicall and ceremoniall things but in things common and essentiall to a Nationall
1. That Rome recovered and preserved dominion and grandour only by the Popes means witnesse 1. that passage out of Steuchus De donatione Constantini Eversâ— imperio nisi Deus restituisset pontificatum futurum erat ut Roma nullo tempore excitata ac restituta inhabitabilis posthac foedissima boum porcorumque fistura esset habitatio at in pontifiâ—atu etsi non illa veteris imperii magnitudo species certè non dissimilis longâ— renata est qua gentes omnes haud secus ab ortu occasu Romanum pontificem venerantur quam omnes nationes olim Imperatoribus obtemperabant Et paulo post An â—â—n omnia quae Rome quondam prâ—fanaerant sacra effecta sunt quemadmodum omnia templa deorum facta sunt Ecclesia sanctorum ritus item profani coeparunt esse ritus sacri Nonne Pantheon templum omnium idolorum effectum est templum beatae virginis secundum alios omnium divarum Nonne in Vaticano templum Apollinis ubi condita erant corpora Apostolorum conversum in Ecclesiam ipsorum Apostolorum ut superius demonstratum est c. That is to say The Empire being overturned if God had not restored the pontificate or papacy it had come to passe that Rome at no time being raised up and restored afterward being unhabitable had become a most vile stable of Cowes and Swine But in the pontificate or papacy although not that greatnesse of the ancient Empire yet surely the appearance of it not much unlike was brought forth again whereby all Nations from the East to the West do adore the Roman Pontife or Pope no otherwayes than of old all Nations did obey the Emperours And a little after are not all things which at Rome of old were profane or common made holy as all the Temples of the gods were made Churches of Saints also their profane rites began to be holy rites was not the Pantheon that Temple of all Idols made the Temple of the blessed Virgin according to others of all Saints Was not the Temple of Apollo in the Vaticane where were buried the bodies of the Apostles turned into the Church of the Apostles themselves as was demonstrated above c. These are a Popish writers expressions defending Constantines donation And in this sense it may well be called the Image of the head that went before Add to this some passages cited by Bellarmine lib. 3. de Pont. cap. 21. The first out of Leo Magnus Serm. 1. de natali Apostolorum Per sacram D. Petri sedem Caput orbis effecta Roma latius praesides religione divinâ quam dominatione terrenâ quamvis enim multis aucta victoriis Ius imperii tui terra marique protuleris minus tamen est quod tibi bellicus labor subdidit quam quod pax Christiana subjecit That is By the holy Sea of S. Peter O Rome thou being made the head of the world commandest further by divine Religion than earthly domination for albeit being augmented by many victories thou hast extended the power of the Empire both by Sea and Land yet it is lesse that which the labour of war hath subdued to thee than that which Christian Peace hath brought in subjection The other passage is out of Prosper lib. de ingratis cap. 2. Sedes Roma Petri quae pastoralis honoris Facta caput mundo quicquid non possidet armis Religione tenet That is to say Rome the Sea of Peter which is made to the world the head of pastorall honour whatever it doth not possesse by armes it holdeth out by Religion Also that passage cited by Forbesse out of lib. 2. de vocatione gentium cap. 16. Roma per sacerdotii principatum amplior facta est arce religionis quam solio potestatis That is Rome through the dominion of the priesthood or papacy is made larger by the castle of Religion than by the throne of power From which passages it is clear that Rome before the papacies height was really short as wounded in respect of what formerly it was and also that what pomp Rome now enjoyeth and what dominion it hath it hath by vertue of the Popes supremacy Let us add further some passages more 1. Out of Socrates lib. 7. cap. 11. who speaking of the violence of Celestinus who was Bishop of Rome saith that he in exercising his power as also the Bishops of Alexandria had gone Iamdudum extra fines sacerdotii in principatum saecularem that is long since without the bounds of the priestly office into the secular dominion And if it be true what is commonly asserted by Papists concerning the donation of Constantine whereby he gave Rome and the parts about it to the Popes to be possessed by them as the patrimony of Peter and that therefore purposly he left Rome to the Pope upon that account thinking it fit c. Ideo autem par esse censulmus ut nostrum imperium imperiique potentiam in orientem transferemus c. quod ubi est principale sacerdotium caput Christianae religionis datum à Rege coelorum non est aequum ut terrenus Imperator illic potestatem habeat That is Therefore we judged it fit to translate our Empire and the power of it into the East c. because where the chief priesthood or Papacy and the head of Christian Religion is appointed to be by the King of Heaven it is not right that an earthly Emperour should there have power Which donation is more largely set down by Balsamon pag. 88. and is generally owned by them with all the other contents thereof Agreeable to this it is which Baronius asserteth Anno 312. num 80. of Constantine's giving the emperiall palace to Melchiades the Bishop of Rome and what is afterward recorded by him to be conferred as peices of dignity by that same Emperour upon them Anno 324. num 79. that Constantine would not suffer the prime Priests of the Christians to be exceeded in glory by the heathen Priests who were ever adversaries to Christianity And these priviledges are reckoned by him thus Haec erant privilegia quibus templorum sacerdotes à majoribus traditis fruerentur inter eos eminebat sacrorum Rex qui in conviviis super omnes excubare solebat erat Pontifex maximus arbiter humanarum atque divinarum rerum omnium quod breviter narratum habes ex Festo Quanta autem potestas in Augure qui comitia irrita reddere abdicare etiam consules magistratu valeret quae paulo ante recitavimus ex Cicerone declarant Vetitum iis erat ait Plutarchus equo vehi sed uti carpento pro amplissimâ dignitate soliti erant Sacerdotum peculiaris mos quod affirmat Tacitus erat carpento capitolium ingredi sic videas Romanos pontifices quod tradit Ammianus per urbem carrucis vehi procedunt inquit vehiculis insedentes circumspectè vestiti sed magna illa dignitas esse videbatur quod ut idem ait nunquam pileum insigne flaminum