is applied to such as had power that is authority to preach the Evangel yet it is distinguished as a thing differing from preaching when Evangelizing and Preaching come together Luk. 8.1 it 's said of Christ He went thorow every city and village Praedicans Evangelizans regnum Dei They do not say in the English Preaching and preaching the kingdom of God but Preaching and shewing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God Which later expression shews the true proper meaning of Evangelizing shewing or declaring glad tidings whether by Preaching or otherwise Of Philip it 's said not onely that he evangelized but it 's also said of him that he preached Christ to them of Samaria 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 8.5 and he baptized them also vers 12 which is not said of any of the other Disciples which were of this dispersion either in the eighth or eleventh Chapter And not without some reason may this distinction be between Philip and the rest of the dispersion forasmuch as he was one of those who was admitted into the service of the Church by laying on of hands Acts 6.5 6. and was also an Evangelist Act. 12.8 and consequently one of those the Apostle numbers up in Ephes 4.11 which Christ gave for the work of the Ministery Wherefore not without reason may it be observed that of him onely it is said He preached and baptized of the rest onely They evangelized Secondly The Disciples in Acts 11.19 20 't is said They spake the word to none but to the Jews onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nemini loquentes verbum So vers 20 Loquebantur ad Graecos They spake unto the Graecians The same word is used in Ephes 4.25 Loquimini quisque veritatem proximo suo Speak every man truth with his neighbour Thirdly Where they are said in the next words to evangelize the Lord Jesus which is translated preach both here and frequently elsewhere it is a word which signifieth to publish or declare good being compounded of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bene and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Annuntiatio It is said of Mary Magdalene Joh. 20.18 she did declare or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the Disciples So it is recorded of her Mark 16.10 Illa profecto annunciavit iis qui cum ipso fuerant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 She did shew or declare or tell them that had been with him c. Matth. 28.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Annuntiate fratribus meis Shew my brethren or declare to my brethren that they go into Galilee Who would not conclude from these Scriptures that Mary Magdalene was a true Preacher of the Resurrection of Christ and did truely evangelize the tidings thereof Yet the Translations render it that she told the discisples and Go tell my disciples whenas if it be well considered it might as truely have been said of Mary that she preached the Lord Jesus and the Resurrection as it is said of those Disciples in Acts 11.19 of whom it may be thus said That having by the providence of God been scattered by means of Stephen's persecution they could not but speak the things which they had heard and seen Acts 4.20 And in 1 Joh. 1.2 3 the two words are expressed which the Apostles use in Acts 4.19 20 touching these Disciples We cannot but speak 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and shew unto you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And vers 3 it 's rendered in English We declare unto you So it might fall out with these Disciples in their dispersion that the glory which they had seen they could not but tell it and declare it and speak it everywhere as they went and wheresoever the tidings of it came it was news and in respect of the Subject of it it was good news it was Gospel or glad tidings But as the tidings hereof was strange and rare to the Gentiles to whom it thus unexpectedly came so the tidings of their receiving it by this means and upon this occasion was as strange to the Church at Jerusalem who upon the hearing of it sent Peter and John to Samaria and Barnabas to Antioch Which seems to me a thing needless if in the Church's account the Disciples Ministery had been esteemed sufficient for this work But lest it should be thought this distinction may not be sufficiently grounded upon the Word of Truth but may savour of a Critical Curiosity I shall submit what hath been spoken to the examination and censure of an Impartial Judgement In the mean time while that which hath been spoken lies under Examination that which remains to be spoken may serve to answer the Objection Therefore I propose in the second place 2. If it might be supposed or admitted that the scattered Disciples mentioned in the eighth and eleventh of the Acts did as truely preach as they were truely scattered yet it 's not said that they did Baptize as the Brethren do who urge this Scripture for their practice Philip onely excepted who is also called an Evangelist Acts 21. which is a part of the gift given by Christ for the work of the Ministery Eph. 4.11 12. Admit they did both Preach and Baptize yet it must be remembred that they were Disciples who themselves were Baptized For they were members of the true Church at Hierusalem and scattered from thence Act. 8.1 2. Act. 11.19 If the Brethren urging these for a pattern of Imitation for Preaching and Baptizing will be measured by this pattern It must be then supposed First That they be members of a truly-constituted visible Church as these of the Dispersion were Act. 8.1 2. Secondly That they are gifted with the knowledge of Fundamentals of worship and with those gifts of the Holy Spirit now called extraordinary gifts with which that Church was endued and these scattered members amongst others might not want their share considering that in Act. 2.3 4 it 's said that there appeared cloven tongues like as of fire and sate upon each of them And they were all filled with the holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance But lest it should be said This was onely the pouring out of the holy Spirit upon the Apostles according to the promise of the Father Act. 1.4 8 or if it do extend it self to all present it could be but to the hundred and twenty who continued together with one accord waiting for the promise of the Father And whereas there was a great and plentiful increase and addition of Believers and Disciples to this first number as appears Act. 2.41.47 therefore it 's said after this great increase and plentiful addition of Disciples in the fourth Chapter of the Acts that when the Apostles Peter and John had been examined and threatned by the high-Priest and his accomplices Act. 4.6 it 's said in Vers 23 They returned to their owne company and reported all that the chiefe Priests and Elders had said of them And when they heard that they lift up their
readiness to be admitted so the Church judging of his profession of Faith and fitness manifests her consent by receiving him in the Name of the Lord Jesus either by Baptism or without according as they have faith in that Particular I mean that Fellowship or Society which so admits him Now if this be the Method or Ordinary way of proceeding in a Church after it is gathered Is not the gathering of that Church in its first beginning to be supposed equivalent hereunto forasmuch as the same relation wherein one single believer doth stand with reference to a true Church rightly constituted so do a Company of Believers stand in relation to Christ in their first congregating into the Visible Order of a Church-estate Which may be thus demonstrated Christ is the Bridegroom The Church is the Bride the Lamb's wife A company of Believers are supposed to be made willing by the power of Light and Love to be married to Christ and to put on that Conjugal-Yoke of visible Churchship wherein they may manifest their obedience to him subjecting themselves to such Ordinances and Appointments of his as are commanded touching that particular But to whom shall they make manifest this their willingness Who shall supply the room of the Bridegroom Or who is the Bridegroom's friend that can Ministerially declare Christ's acceptance of these Believers to become his Church his Wife and he to become their Bridegroom their Husband their Lord their Law-giver giving them power to sit upon Thrones for him to open and shut a door for him to binde and to loose in his Name and Power Believers I conceive can no more in this case give their own consents and Christ's too then a particular believer that would be joyned to a Visible Church can give his own consent and the Churches too Therefore as the true Church doth Ministerially contain in her self the state of power to binde and loose to open and shut in Christ's Name to signifie his consent and in his Name to receive or not receive the person who pretends to or assays to be joyned to her so is it seriously to be considered who did at first Ministerially supply the room of the Bridegroom who did at first judge of these Believers fitness or who did in Christ's Name accept of them as they do in Christ's Name accept of others that desire to joyn to them That the true Visible Church is the Spouse the Bride the Wife of the Lord Jesus these Scriptures among others witness Cant. 4.8 Eph. 5.32 Rev. 21.9 That the consent between Christ and his Church at first was acted Ministerially by such as himself had designed for that purpose viz. to accept of the believers consent on their part and to espouse them to Christ and that this was effected by that Ministery which was wont to precede and go before the Church and its feeding Ministery appears from the consideration of these Scriptures 1 Cor. 4.15 For in Christ Jesus have I begotten you through the Gospel 2 Cor. 5.29 We pray you in Christ's stead be ye reconciled to God And as this Ministery was thus instrumental towards their personal conversion so was it also touching their Visible Admission into their Espoused i. e. Church-estate For not onely did they in Christ's stead beseech them to be reconciled to God but also did receive them being so reconciled 2 Cor. 11.2 the Apostle Paul testifieth touching the Church of Corinth that he did espouse that Church to one husband that he might present it a chaste Virgin to Christ And of the Churches of Macedonia it is said in 2 Cor. 8.5 that they gave their own selves first unto the Lord and unto us by the will of God All that this Discourse intends is but to put persons whose spirits can bear it upon the consideration how they became a Church at first And whether that the practice of the present Churches doth not justly occasion that enquiry forasmuch as the reason is the same that the first Beginners of a Church have as much necessity of some person or persons Ministerially deputed by Christ to try and to accept of them as well as for them afterwards to try and judge and accept of others in the Name and Authority of Christ who desire to be added to them The consideration of which may serve for Answer to that part of the Question which concerns the present Churches That forasmuch as it is not demonstrable that the present Churches have been so constituted by persons Ministerially deputed on Christ's part to whom they might give up themselves Visibly as well as unto the Lord and by whom they might Visibly and Ministerially have the Lord's consent manifested to them as they themselves now manifest it to those which would be added to them but that they reckon it sufficient to be made free and willing in themselves and without any Visible or Ministerial Authority to try and judge one another and to accept of one another in Christ's Name and stead and so become a Church contrary to their own after-practice towards others Seems to be altogether without president from the Word of God and consequently are not to be acknowledged for the true Visible constituted Churches of Christ according to the Primitive Pattern To the second branch of the Question touching the present Ministery Quest Whether they are to be acknowledged the Ministery of Christ according to the first Pattern Besides what hath been spoken already it may be further added Answ That a Ministery of Jesus Christ may be considered Immediately or Mediately such either as coming of that Apostolical Race who had their call immediately from Christ as the first Messengers had Matth. 10.1 2. Matth. 28.16 18 19 c. Gal. 1.1 12 Paul an Apostle or a Messenger or a man sent out not of men neither by man but by Jesus Christ and God the Father And these in the Scriptures are properly called Ministers of Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 4.1 Let a man so account of us as of the Ministers of Christ and Stewards of the Mysteries of God Now for a man to be a Minister of Christ in this sence requires to have an immediate call and sending forth with gifts sutable to such a Ministery Mark 16.15 20 Go ye forth into all the world and preach the Gospel to every Creature And they went forth and preached everywhere the Lord working with them and confirming the word with signes following Act. 1.4 5 8 And being assembled with them i.e. the Apostles whom he had chosen Vers 2. commanded them that they should not depart from Hierusalem but wait for the promise of the Father Vers 4. For ye shall be Baptized with the holy Spirit not many dayes hence Vers 5 Ye shall receive power after that the holy Spirit is come upon you and ye shall be Witnesses unto me c. Vers 8. Which was accordingly performed on God's part for they did receive the promise of the Father Act. 2.1 2 3
entering upon the work of the Ministery Luke 4.18 till the time of finishing of that Ministration Afterward he performed it by his Apostles whom he had chosen ordained and sent out for that purpose together with those other gifts of Ministery which as the fruit of his ascension to his Father he gave for that end to perfect i. e. to gather and edifie his Body the Church until they should all come in the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God to a perfect man c. He did not leave it upon his people promiscuously to be equally and alike gifted for that work Compare Ephes 4.11 12 with 1 Cor. 12.29 Therefore there doth remain an Order to be observed in the exercise of the Ministery and the Disorder thereof is to be bewailed and Jesus Christ to whom all power is given of the Father and by whom at first it was derived and delegated to chosen men Acts 10.40 41 42 to be waited upon for restoration thereof in whose hand the power is and without whom we can do nothing Joh. 15.5 That he should do it by such instruments as he pleaseth furnished with such power and authority and with such a presence of Christ as may demonstrate them to be sent of God for that work or service by the Divine light and heat of the fire of the Spirit of God Act. 2. furnishing them with the true knowledge of the mind of God concerning the Fundamentals of Doctrine Worship together with true power to evince the truth thereof against all gainsayers of whom the world was never more full whether we respect Jews or Infidels or False Christians To be furnished with ability to shew to all Kindreds Nations Tongues and Peoples the glory of the Mystery of the ancient Gospel which once was declared and received but from which there hath been so deep a falling away according as was foretold 2 Thess 2.7 1 Tim. 3.16 1 Tim. 4.1 2 3 and accordingly effected through the power of the Beast Rev. 13. ult Quest Is not the Ministery of the Apostles as efficacious to possess the Saints of the enjoyment of their Liberties purchased by Christ Quest and to put them upon the doing their duties required of them in our Times as it was in theirs seeing that they by their Ministery were commanded to teach all nations to observe whatsoever Christ had commanded them Matth. 28.19 20. Rom. 10.6 7 8. 2 Tim. 2.2 Answ The Ministery of the Apostles may be considered Answ either in the word or in the power of it 1 Thess 1.5 The word of their Ministery without the power is not efficacious to put persons upon their duty Act. 2.11 13. Act. 17.18 The Power accompanying the Word is either Outward or Inward or both Outward and Inward The Outward power was the external demonstration of the Spirit expressed Acts 19.6 Rom. 15.18 19. Heb. 2.4 The Inward power was that internal operation of the Spirit expressed Acts 2.37 Acts 16.14 Now if the word of the Apostles Ministery be accompanied with a power and demonstration of the Spirit sutable to that demonstration and power will be the manifestation of the obedience that follows it according to Rom. 15.18 19. 1 Cor. 2.4 5. If the demonstration of the Spirit be visible and outward it directs to the Outward obedience according to the Rules of that demonstration If it be accompanied with power it not onely directs but enables to obedience in that particular according to Matth. 7.22 23. Luke 10.17 18 19 20. If the demonstration and power of the Spirit be onely Inward and Invisible it directs and enables to the more Inward and Invisible part of obedience Gal. 5.22 23 to believe hope joy love and to express the fruits thereof Gal. 5.26 If the demonstration and power of the Spirit which accompanieth the Word be both Outward and Inward then doth it direct and enable the soul both Inwardly and Outwardly to be obedient according to the Rules thereof Rom. 15.18 19. 1 Cor. 2.4 5. 1 Thes 1.5 Now it may so come to pass that the Word of the Lord or the Ministery of the Apostles may come in demonstration and power upon the outward man onely and extend no further it may convince that Acts 4.14 16 and may bring that under obedience Act. 8.12 13. but it seldome or never befals the Lord's people to be convinced in the outward man onely I say onely But it may and certainly doth many times befal them to finde and feel the inward power and demonstration of the Spirit invisibly and inwardly whenas they are deprived of the external Manifestations of it Matth. 16.15 16 17 when the soul cannot and what it cannot see it may by the inward power of the Spirit believe Heb. 11.1 when it cannot possess and enjoy it may by the power of the same Spirit be helped to wait for Rom. 8.24 25. and when it knows not what to pray for as it ought it may by the inward power of the same Spirit be enabled to sigh and groan to God Rom. 8.26 27. This did seeme to be the condition of those believers in the nineteenth of the Acts who though they believed through the inward power of the Spirit upon their hearts yet they were ignorant of the external power and demonstration of the Spirit and consequently what they were further to know and do Act. 19.2 6. Cornelius who though the power of the Spirit had been great upon his heart Act. 10.24 yet he was ignorant of that external demonstration and power which afterwards he received Act. 10.44 So Paul though it pleased God to reveale himself to him or in him in the way Gal. 1.16 and caused him to pray in or by the Spirit Act. 9.11 compared with Rom. 8.26 27 yet he remained ignorant of that external power and demonstration of the Spirit which afterward he received when Ananias came unto him and laid his hands upon him and opened his eyes and told him what he should do Act. 9.6 17. Sometimes the Word or the Apostles Ministery came both in word and power both in the outward demonstration and inward operation and then it made men obedient in word and deed Rom. 15.16 19. 1 Thess 1.5 1 Cor. 2.4 5. These things being premised I conceive I may say in answer to your Question That the word of the Gospel or Ministery of the Apostles as you call it is so far forth efficacious to put the Saints upon doing their duties as it comes furnished with the demonstration and power of the Spirit 1 Cor. 1.1.5 2 Cor. 4.5 2 Cor. 3.6 If the Spirit do demonstrate and make evident to the Soule that part of the Word which concerns the Soul's hope faith joy love c. according as that Word is evidenced with demonstration and power of the Spirit to the Soule so far is that Soule not onely taught but enabled to hope believe joy love and no farther So likewise for that part of