we prove our Ministry from this Jezabel 2. Succession cannot be proved true from any other Church 1. If in all the world the Church were but hid three years and a half Succession could not be proved how then if it be hid 1260 years for how can it be said to be hid when Succession of Ministry can be proved for time place and persons 2. Against those that endeavor to prove their Call from a succession of Ministry set up in this Kingdom in Lucius time I have proved at large in my Treatise called The Resurrection of fallen Churches that there was never any true constituted Church in this Kingdom and then no true Ministry or Succession to be proved hence at all And were it granted a true Gospel Church was set up in the Land in Lucius time or before and that ever since there have been faithful Teachers in the Land 1. For many years they have been but of the two Witnesses whose Ordination of those that were ordained was as corrupt as the Popish Priests nor did they minister in a Church-way 2. Nor was Ordination exercised by them but the Popish Hierarchy who solely exercised the Authority of Church-administrations in publick 3. Nor were their Societies formally and publickly distinguished from the Popish Societies until Luthers time 4. Had they the power of Ordination it must be according to that power ordained them which was Antichristian Object We had Ordination from Luther one of the seven Angels who had his trump from God and was prophecyed of before and so had authority to restore the Ministry 1. We of this Kingdom cannot plead this 2. Could we Yet Luther not changing the Church to its right Constitution nor erecting the Gospel Ministry what ever his Call was the ordinary succession of such as succeeded him could not be Evangelical 3. Nor was the Restauration of the Churches fallen estate given to him to do it being not to be until the flesh of Antichrist be eat and her Antichristian policy burned 1 Cor. 3.15 and she made desolate that is her Ministry took from her Rev. 17.16 Now Luther came as it were at the beginning or in a visible manner seemed to begin these things the fulfilling whereof is reserved for him who as another Luther shall lighten the world but with a clearer and more exceeding glory and none else but he to whom it is given may do it at all Quest If a peoples electing a Minister be not authority sufficient to qualifie him for all ministerial duties Resp. 1. Election is the Peoples Interest 2. Ordination is properly the true Church Presbyteries Interest 3. These two are distinct things and proper to several persons one of which is not to destroy the other nor can one sufficiently qualifie a man without the other 4. Though God hath given the Church as a Church the power of Election yet a company of men in what other state soever have not this power belonging to or residing in them for if they had how is then God said to give it to the Church 5. Now as none have power to elect out of Church-society so Elders ordinarily have no power to ordain any that are not thus elected by a people of and in a Church constituted Estate Applic. To Ministers I beseech you in all humility for Gods Glory and your own Peace in the day of Accompt see if the Odinances of God may be administred without a Call if so what need a Call or Paul's so oft pleading for it and whether an Antichristian Call be not worse then none when we rule in Gods House by the authority of his Adversary how intolerable a thing were this to be admitted in our own houses Illustration As Nehem. 7.67 the Priests and Levites sought their Register amongst those that were recounted by Genealogy but it was not found therefore were they as polluted put from the Priest-hood which if all Churches that cannot prove their true and lawful successions were so dealt withall where would there be a Church or Church-Minister And it is observable that the Lord having set apart a particular Tribe for the Ministry of the Levitical Priesthood succession served to continue them their Corruptions not destroying their ministry It is otherwaies now under the Gospel 2. If the Administrations in the corrupt Church of Corinth were but hay wood or stuble 1 Cor. 3.12 what are ours now administred but their like being as far below those administred in the true Church in a right way as stuble is to precious Stones and Pearls Object We had Ordination neither from Pope nor Bishops but from Presbitery Resp Presbitery is a stream from that Fountain which in no wise cannot be purer then the rest of that Hierarchy Appl. to the People Attend to what the Spirit saith unto you 1 Thess 5.12 that those ye are to obey ought to be over you in the Lord Acts 20.22 and the holy Spirit is to make them Overseers So that where these are not the bonds of Government and Authority in teaching are destroyed there being no Power or Authority to be acknowledged in the Church but what is of Jesus Christ Jer. 23.21 and 29.9 God doth condemn the false Prophets for going and he did not send them And in that 23. Jer. 21. God puts sending before speaking as distinct things in which they began to err Appl. To Magistrates Consider the time you are in even at the period of Antichrists allotted time and it will shew you clearly what God is doing and what you are to doe if yâ—â— goe against Gods will and work you will be broken to pieces as others have been before you you will no longer prosper then ye walk in his way and know Gods device is against Babel Jer. 51.11.29 which he will bring about to be done though against your wills yea against your selves The Lord in mercy be a light unto you and through your darkness guide you and preserve you to see the hoped for salvation of God in the Land Ruth 4.11 and the Lord make you doe worthily in Ephrata and famous in Bethlehem Now in that Christ saith Mat. 13.52 Every Scribe instructed to the Kingdom of Heaven bringeth forth of his Treasury new things and old I Commend to you for Confirmation of the aforesaid particulars the 54. Cap. of the Proph. Esa In which these severall estates of the Gentile Church are clearly held out with its estate before it was a Church 1. It s estate before it was a Church is set out in Ver. 1. by not bearing and not travailing with child called desolate which estate can no way be applyed to the Jewish Church 2. This farther cleared in that this estate of the Gentiles is opposed to the Jewes they being the married Wife signifying their Church estate as opposed to the Gentiles desolate Condition The 2. Estate of the Gentiels after calling is their married Estate under the Gospel in the Apostles time 1. From ver 1. where the multitude of
Children shee then should have are even more then the married Wife 2. On this God promiseth the Church great encrease to betide her under that estate ver 2. where her Seed shall inherit the Gentiles and shall make the desolate Cities be inhabited Desolation being the estate God cals the world by when without Communion with the Lord Jesus in the fellowship of the Gospel Hence Antichrist for destroying the gospel-Gospel-Church Constitution is called the abomination that maketh desolate shee having made the world desolate as it was before Christ Ver. 4. The holy Spirit tels her of her youth which time followed shortly on her Conversion when she apostatized and fell from her first Love adulterating the wayes of God and in the end fell to Idolatry by which the marriage Bond came to be broken Object The time of her youth was before Conversion a time which precedes Marriage Resp The Time before Conversion was a desolate Time and she desolate in that time which is not accounted of with God at all and ver 6. plainly proves this time of youth was time of marriage for she is there plainly called a wife of youth The 3. estate is an estate of Widowhood ver 4. 1. Which proves her once to have been the wife of Christ before or how could she be said to be now a Widow 2. This Widow-hood is expresly set down how it came to be brought upon her and that is she was a forsaken woman her Husband had left her And now desiring to be again admitted to be the Lords Spouse she is rejected and refused as not meet as in ver 6. 3. This estate is that estate that we have been in since the fall of the Gospel-Church 4. Ver. 7. Proves it where the Lord is brought in saying for a little moment have I forsaken thee 1260 years in Eternity are lost as a moment is in the worlds thousands of years or as drop of water is lost that fals into the great Seas The fourth Estate is her second Restauration in which Christ takes the Gentile Church again to himself which is that we look for and is now immediately to come 1. As in Verse 5. in which Christ again puts the Church upon the looking on him as her Husband 2. Verse 6. holds out the means how he assumes her to himself again and that is giving her Call Rev. 18.4 3. Her condition at this time of Calling is excellently set forth she is then grieved in spirit for lack of her Husband and for her former dishonoring of him yea she is in a forsaken Estate having a multitude of enemies and no friends Rev. 16.14 and so knoweth not what to do for lack of Christ 4. The way God hath to bring her to be his Wife after Calling is set out by the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by gathering Members into a Church-Society which work God is said to do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the words are both in the plural as that the greatness of all mercies is included in the Lords taking of the Church to himself again and proves the Church shall yet have abundance of sweet experience of Jesus Christs Love unto her above all other days or times past 5. Observe the order things are set down in by God as first Calling upon which followeth gathering and the mercies mentioned Hosea 2.19 20 21 22. are thereupon made good 6. Vers 9. God gives the promise Gen. 9.11 to the Church for assurance his wrath should no more rest on her to which water God alludes Rev. 21.1 saying There shall be no more Sea which proves Isaiah to mind the fame things time and people with John 7. This Scripture agreeth with Johns in many things to be fulfilled now among the Gentiles as the departure of the hills and the removing of the mountains spoken of Rev. 6.14 16.14 in which worldly greatness that our impediments to this great work are so removed as never was to be in any age as now v. 10. 8. In this Vers 10. after these are removed and not before the means by which the Gospel Call may be effectual to us is set down and that is by binding Christ to us and us to Christ by a Covenant which is the marriage knot 9. Vers 11. sets out the estate of the Gentiles with all exactness before this Marriage time they are afflicted tossed with tempest and not comforted as our estate at this day doth abundantly witness when God begins to comfort her in her Church estate to be he being now about to build the Gospel Temple according to that of John Rev. 11.1 In which consider 1. He speaks of laying the very foundations which he would not do if any foundations that is if any true Church were now in being Vers 11. 2. God faith he will make her Windows that is her Ministers of Agates which God by an extraordinary way comes to make again as in Vers 12. 3. He will make her gates of Carbuncles which shews that God would again now come to restore the way of Church-admission to its Membership which Antichrist like another Sampson had carryed away as he the gates of Gaza Applic. That none of the stones mentioned but the Saphir stones which are the foundation stones which signifie the Apostles are not of those in Rev. 21. or in Aarons brest which shew this was the Gentile Church and not the Jews in this place 2. In that he saith he would lay the foundations make gates and windows he sheweth the desolation of the Church to be otherways then is now thought on Vers 13. he saith All her children shall be taught of God In my Treatise of the Resurrection of fallen Churches see my Exposition of Heb 8.10 11. which accords with the Gospel estate only Vers 13.14 He comforts her in the peace she should enjoy after her Churches Constitution and none before in that Magistrates were wise and would be warned of God herein Vers 14. In Righteousness she shall be established to which 2 Pet. 3.13 alludes in his new heaven and new earth Vers 15.16 17. God tells her what would come on her before these things were fulfilled as that the enemies would gather together Rev. 16.14 not by God but the frogs who should fall for her sake Rev. 3.9 12.8 9. and then with what they should come against her with the Smiths instruments of War and with false accusations from their deceitful tongue calling the Saints Schismaticks Hereticks Deceivers c. It remains I should prove this against the common received Expositions but think it needless only thus generally men understand here by the Jewish Church only not the Gentiles which the word Married wife set down in the beginning by way of opposition to the desolate Church is a sufficient conviction of it self to prove the contrary and that the Scripture as before applyed concerns us our peace and way to true happiness if the Lord give us grace to embrace it which only can secure us from the desolation and misery so eagerly pursues us which the Lord in this sweet and saving way of mercy deliver us from for his Glory and his Names sake Amen FINIS
THE MYSTERIE OF THE True Ministry UNVAILED As it was to be before under and shall be after Antichrists Time AND The unlawfulness of the Call of the now MINISTRY By a Witness of the Gospel JOHN BRAYNE JEREM. 51.9 We would have healed Babylon but she is not healed forsake her and let us go every one into his own Country c. Vers 10. The Lord hath brought forth our Righteousness come let us declare in Zion the Work of the Lord. Printed at London and are to be sold in Popes-head Alley 1649. To the Supream Authority of the Nation the Commons assembled in PARLIAMENT RIGHT HONORABLE I Am bold in Jesus Christ to present you with this insuing Treatise as a part of the Councel of God witnessing in the Lord unto you That the Work you have to do for the House of God is far above your and the worlds present apprehensions the true Church being no way to be restored until you whose work J hope it is have made desolate the false Church Rev. 17.16 who before made desolate the true Church Rev. 11 2. so that in all you do less then the making of it desolate you come short of fulfilling the Mind of God and occasion the delay of your own deliverance and the Kingdoms Peace to do which God will inforce you and not give you rest until it be done yea and all be it what or whomsoever they that hinder it will be removed out of the way God will spare no man any thing herein be ye therefore instructed ye that be Judges of the Earth and kiss the Son lest he be angry and ye perish from the way when his wrath is kindled but a little that ye may in this his day of wrath find favour with the Lord that ye may live in his sight and behold his salvation ready to be revealed which is the desire and fervent prayer of Your Servant in the Gospel John Brayn 25 May 1649. THE MYSTERY OF THE True Ministry UNVAILED c. THe blessed and only wise God to the magnifying of his most glorious Name hath in the prophetical History of the beloved Disciple John set forth the Churches several changes from that time the Apocalips was written to the end of the world 1. He speaks to the Churches in the time of their Visibility in which time he lived as in Chap. 1.2 3. in which time the Ministry thereof are Angel Ministers or true Church-Ministry Chap. 1.20 who are admonished by the Spirit of Prophecy of Gods depriving the Churches of the use of them for their Apostacy Rev. 2.5 3.16 intimated in taking away the Candlestick of the Ephesian Church Now on this followeth the sealing up of the Book as a Judgment to the wicked world so that the Scriptures are in a manner taken from the world with the Church-Ministry Rev. 5.2 2. The next estate followeth hereupon is the Churches driving into the Wilderness or hid estate Antichrist having demolished the frame Constitution publike Ministry and Ordinances as they were set up in the Primitive Church by the Apostles and set up other of his own called the abomination of desolation set up in the holy place 1. This is set out Chap. 12. from vers 1. to vers 5. where the Church is in its Visibility Verse 6. sets out its Invisibility in its flight into the Wilderness 2. This flight into the Wilderness is discovered more significantly to us Chap. 11. verse 2. where the Gentiles are said to tread underfoot the holy City 42 moneths here by the holy City cannot be meant the City of Jerusalem it is more then 1600 year since that was destroyed and lieth so but the Church is here intended who must be trod underfoot by the Heathens for so the Nations are though they are baptized and call themselves Christians under the present Administrations during which time of 1260 years God ordained his Elect being without Church-Constitution to be ministred unto man otherway then formerly which way of Administration was either common or more especial 1. The common way of teaching was by the Ministry of those which the Scripture calleth the two Witnesses Chap. 12.6 who are to feed the Church during its Wilderness Estate Now the manner how they feed the Church is set down Chap. 11.3 and then because that the Ordination of Antichrist was unlawful God is said to give them to prophecy that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 power to teach against the terror and threats of Antichrist and authority to do it in Christs Name during that time for the edification of the Elect. 2. To these God in a more especial manner within this time of 1260 day prophetically years raiseth up seven eminent men in several ages who serve to restore the Church of Christ by degrees and destroy the Church of Antichrist These are spoken of Rev. 8.2 which seven Angels are as the Prophets raised up to the Jewish Church and added to their ordinary Ministry by whom God revealed something more of himself then the former world knew so these opened the seven Seals of the sealed Book each one bringing something of the hid Gospel to light until all were revealed and so each one pouring out his Vial on the false Church until it were destroyed Rev. 10.7 8. 16.17 19. Now these in an eminent manner God having eminent matters to do by them are said to have their trumps from God that is their Ministry and Call thereunto and it is very remarkable that both Witnesses and Angels are said to have their authority from God Antichrist would give none to these to Minister by or rather indeed could not it being an abomination to take it from her nor did they need it God giving it them nor would God use Antichrists authority herein 1. These Witnesses were not two particular men as some dream but a few Witnesses raised up of God successively to instruct the Elect and to manifest Antichrists delusions in the several ages of the predicted time under part whereof we live some of them being one while in France as in Waldoe others in Bohemia as in Thabor others in England at other time as in John Wicklief 2. Nor were they the Magistrate and Minister as some conceive from the Types they are drawn from as Moses and Aaron Zerubbabel and Joshuah 1. These were to feed the Church and so may ye say doth the Christian Magistrate but more these feeds it by prophecy which is not ordinarily proper to the Magistrate to do 2. They were in sackcloth still under persecution all these times for the truth as the Waldenses by Papists Nonconformists by Bishops Independents by Presbyters Now the Magistrates of these times were not brought to sackcloth 3. To witness to Christ is usually applyed to Ministers but not Magistrates The Scripture mentions two sorts of Witnesses the one ordinary the other extraordinary That that qualified the extraordinary was that he was testis occulatus 1 John 1.1 they telling men what
they saw of Christ in word and deed while he was with them in the flesh 1 Pet. 5.1 The ordinary Witness is either a sufferer for Christ or a beleever in Christ discovering to others the knowledg of Salvation by Jesus Christ which God by his Spirit hath manifested unto him Object Some of the Witnesses were ordained by the Popish Ministry Resp. 1. That was before they were called by God to witness else they would not have received ordination from them 2. They witnessed not by that Ordination That which constituted the ministring Witness here spoken of is set down Rev. 19.10 I am 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thy fellow servant and of thy brethren that have the witness of Jesus for the witness of Jesus is the Spirit of Prophecy So that where God did for this time of the Churches desolation give the Spirit of Prophecy there was witness sufficiently qualified thus about 1160 Valdus of Lyons a rich man on the sudden death of one in company with him brought him to read the Scriptures and teach it his family and after many of the poor in so much that he became a famous light in that dark time of the world and did more good then a thousand ordained Ministers have done since without any Ordination And one Iohn Claydon about the year 1415. had this as an Article by the Bishops exhibited against him taken out of a book that was called The Lanthorn of Light That he held the Bishops License for a man to preach the Word of God is the Character of the Beast Vide Fox Acts and Mon. Now that this sufficiently did constitute the witness for this Ministry during this time I commend this to your consideration 1. That they were to minister no more then God by his Spirit gave them an inward power to do which was to prophecy 2. The Scripture mentions not that they had authority given them to administer the Sacraments as the Apostles had Mat. 28. ver ult and therefore they had none nor durst not administer them 3. Nor during their Ministry were they to be administred they being not to constitute any Church nor was their visible Church to be constituted by them 4. Nor are the Sacraments to be administred but in a true constituted Church which are never mentioned in all the History of the Church but after Babels fall Rev. 18.2 and the Call of the Saints out of her Vers 4. and the Marriage of the Lamb which was the Restauration of the Church to her primitive Constitution Rev. 19.7 then Verse 9 followeth Blessed are they which are called to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb so that before the Marriage or Church-Constitution is to be no Supper by any allowance of Jesus Christ at all 5. There being no true constituted visible Church there was not that power left in any rightly to elect or ordain any to the publike places of the Gospel-Ministry nor will be while the Witnesses time is until God send him whom he will send to restore it 5. I grant that if a right constituted Church were in being that then none may presume to teach by his gifts without the Church call when that that is lawfull is to be had but untill that time come Gods giving to prophecy is sufficient authority without any present call it being Antichristian Applic. Consider I pray to what height of abomination the Sacraments have been put unto it being worshiped as God cast into Tibur to stop the raging of the Seas said to be really the body and blood of Christ by transubstantiation and then the error of consubstantiation came up and was made to bring death which was given for to minister life to the Saints the Cup kept from the Lay-people as they call them and how since under Episcopacy and Presbitery communicated to unbelievers carnal and evill minded men yea prophane and wicked to the offence of godly minded men 2. How hath the Sacrament of Baptism been administred Nationally with Doctrines that corrupted the mindes of men as if in it their sins were washed away and that by this they come to be members of Christ and of his Church which state is no other nor no better then the condemned World 3. Hence God foreseeing to what abomination in this time the Sacraments by Antichrist would be put unto did in the time of this Churches hiding as he did with the Iewes in the time of their being in the wilderness dispence with his Ordinance they being not circumcised we also during this time being not baptized are accepted Baptisme being that visible Ordinance did onely accompany the estate of the visible Church which is yet hid and mainly served to its constitution 4. The Ministry of the Witnesses and their Authority is only to endure while the Church is unconstituted and differs from the Church constituted Ministry in time in call in Ministry and office they being but VVitnesses onely and not Gospel-ministers as Church-ministers 5. God calling them my Two VVitnesses sheweth that he did approve of them and their Ministry during that time and that there were no other Ministers in all the world but these God did allow of or own at all amongst the Nationall Ministry which were multitudes 6. As one of these I now Minister 7. If the Witnesses had not authority to administer the Sacraments then no other Ministry during their time of ministry have or had in all the world 8. As they had not authority to baptize so consequentially they had no authority to constitute a Church nor have any yet received it as I think as it shall be given The Third Change from its Desolate estate to its Restoration again VVhich shall be done by him spoken of Rev. 18. Ver. 1. who comes on the fall of Babel Rev. 17.6 and calls men out Cap. 18.4 celebrates the Marriage of the Lamb Rev. 17.19 administers the Sacrament of the Lords Supper Ver. 9. by whom the Church is adorned with Ministry and Ordinances as a Bride prepared for her Husband Rev. 21.2 For all these there is not mention made of any other Church-ministring Angel but this aforesaid That this Truth may appear more clearly true I shall commend to your consideration these succeeding Conclusions drawn from Mat. 21.15 The Baptism of Iohn whence was it from Heaven or of men Christs teaching ver 23. occasioned the Priests and Elders of the People to question him saying by what authority dost thou these things who gave thee this authority which proves 1. That Teachers ought not to teach without authority 2. This Authority should be lawfull Rom. 10.15 3. Men may lawfully inquire into Teachers authority yea and ought to do it that they may see ground to obey that that is lawfull and reject that that is unlawfull 4. The Priests had good ground to move the question to Iesus Christ 1. Christ being of the Tribe of Iudah and not Levi by the Ceremonial Law could not teach publickly Heb. 7.14 Nor had Moses said any