you to consider how evident it is that Jesus Christ hath had some true Prophets during all this twelve hundred years that the Beast hath troden the Saints under foot For Jesus Christ saith expresly I will give power unto my two Witnesses and they shall prophesie a thousand two hundred and sixty daies cloathed in sackcloth And this hath been made good for it appears thaâ— in all times since Christ hath had some that have prophesied that is have held forth the Testimony of Jesus Christ For the Testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophesie And indeed every true Saint is a Prophet because the Lord revealing his secrets to a soul as it maketh it a Saint so it maketh it a Prophet and so the Lord looks upon his Saints as his Witnesses and Prophets Now this being evident That Christ hath had true Prophets this maketh it clear that as it is said Ephes 4. 10 11 12 13. That Jesus Christ when he ascended up farre above all heavens gave some Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastours and Teachers for the perfecting of Saints for the worke of the Ministery for the edifying of the body of Christ till we all come into the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Sonne of God unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ. So this word hath been fulfilled Jesus Christ hath alwaies continued these For First Apostles have been continued for the edifying of the body of Christ as it is here said for the Apostles being the eie-witnesses of the Lord Jesus Christ in all that he did and suffered and of his Resurrection as it is evident in that expression of Peter when another Apostle was to be chosen in the place of Judas Acts 1. 21 22. Wherefore of these men which have accompanied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us Beginning from the baptisme of John unto that same day he was taken from us must one be ordained to be a Witnesse with us of his Resurrection I say they being eie-witnesses of the Lord Jesus their witnesse which they gave of him is left still upon record in which Apostles still continue usefull to the Church for perfecting of Saints for the work of the Ministery and for the edifying of the body of Christ till we all come c. and in this sense Apostles have continued but Prophets Evangelists Pastours and Teachers have actually continued in the Church and that doth appear by this because we here see it is evident that Prophets have been continued Now a man that is a true Prophet of Jesus Christ may be and in some degree truly is an Evangelist and Pastour and a Teacher also For First To be an Evangelist is to be able to hold forth the Gospel in the grace and sweetnesse of it and he that is so is an Evangelist And Secondly To be a Pastour is to be able to feed the flock of Christ both the sheep and tender lambs with the wholsome saving truths of Christ to the nourishing and strengthning of their Souls And Thirdly To be a Teacher is to be able to unfold the mysteries of the Gospel and clearly to hold forth the truths of Christ to the instruction of the ignorant and encreasing of knowledge and he that is so is a Teacher Now he that is a Prophet may be all these First He may be a man that publisheth the glad tydings of the Grace of the Gospel And secondly A man that teacheth and instructeth people with knowledge and understanding And thirdly A man that feeds the flock of Christ with wholsome saving truths I say a Prophet may be an Evangelist a Pastour and Teacher and so was Paul that he was a Prophet appears Acts 13. 1. and that he was a Pastour appears in that he was so frequent in feeding the Church of God and that he was a Teacher appears Acts 13. 1. and 2 Tim. 1. 11. and Acts 20. 27. and that he was an Evangelist appears in all his Epistles by his full and sweet holding forth the Grace of the Gospel in them and as Paul was so so it might be also said of Apollo and Peter and Barnabas and Timothy and others But here it may be objected If one man may be both a Prophet and Evangelist a Pastour and Teacher Why doth the Apostle speak of them particularly as given to particular persons For saith he Jesus Christ when he ascended gave some Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastors and Teachers And again 1 Cor. 12. 29. he saith Are all Apostles Are all Prophets Are all Teachers Implying that the Spirit had dispenced out the gift of prophesying to one of teaching to another of Apostleship to a third and not all these gifts to one Answ Though it be true That a Prophet may be also an Apostle an Evangelist a Pastour and Teacher as Paul was yet the Scripture speaks particularly of them because they are severall gifts and sometimes they are severally dispensed so that one man may be more properly said to be an Evangelist because he may be more able to hold forth the sweet word of the Gospel and to be a son of consolation and to be more Evangelical then other and so may be more properly said to be an Evangelist And so of the rest one man may be more eminent in one of these gifts then in the rest and so may be more properly said to be either a Pastour or a Teacher and yet notwithstanding he that is an Evangelist may in some sort be able to act as a Pastour or a Teacher so he that is a Pastour may in some sort be able to act as an Evangelist or a Teacher though in an especiall manner he may be fitted to doe the work of a Pastour and so of the rest So that the reason why they are particularly spoken of is because that some Saints may be more eminently fitted for one of them then for the rest and not that they that have one of these gifts have only one of those gifts and is utterly void of the rest and this will be the more confirmed and cleared by comparing this with that passage 1 Cor. 12. 8 9 10. For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdome to another tbe word of knowledge by the same Spirit to another faith by the same Spirit to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit to another the working of miracles to another prophesie to another discerning of Spirits to another divers kindes of toungues to another the interpretation of tongues Here the Apostle speaks of severall gifts and saith that one is given to one and another to another and a third to a third c. And his meaning is That one Saint is more eminent for one gift and another for another and not that he that had the word of wisdome had no knowledge nor no faith
Bishops to watch over the souls of the flock which are committed to them for they must give account of them to God and this the Elders or Bishops of the Church of Ephesus are enjoined unto Acts 20. 28. Take heed saith the Apostle unto your selves and unto the flock over which the holy Ghost hath made you over-seers for I know saies he that after my departure there shall grievous wolves enter in among you So that the Elders of the Church ought to look to the flock to keep them from the pernicious Doctrines of wolvish men and Heb. 13. 17. saith the Apostle Obey them that have the rule over you and submit your selves for they watch for your souls as they that must give account that they may doe it with joy So that it is evident that it is the duty of the Elders of the Church to watch over the souls of the people But this is not their duty only but the duty of all believers to watch over one another Thus the Scripture declaring that Bishops are ordained by the laying on of hands declares what things are to be done by Bishops as Bishops and not by other Saints and what things are to be done by them which is to be done by others also Now the Scripture speaks but of one Office more to which persons are ordained by the laying on of hands and that is of Deacons Now the Office of a Deacon the Scripture expresses distinctly also namely that they are to receive the collections for the poor and to distribute it to the poor to widows and to such as are in want and to all according to their necessities And this appears Act. 6. 1. 2 3. and 4. verses compared together this was the work which Deacons were ordained to doe and which is to be done by them only and not by others in the Church But we finde that Stephen and Philip being Deacons were such as did feed the flock preach the Word opposed gainsaiers were Teachers and did the work of Apostles and Evangelists and wrought miracles and wonders among the people as appears in the sixth seventh and eighth Chapter of the Acts but these are the duty of Deacons but not their duties only but the duties of all the brethren in which they are to act according to the measure of grace received And now since the Scripture speaks but only of Bishops and Deacons that were ordained by the laying on of hands and declares it is the duty of the rest of the brethren in the Church to prophesie as 1 Cor. 14. 31. Ye may all prophesie one by one and that it is the duty of others in the Church to doe the work of Evangelists Pastors and Teachers It is hereby clear that they may be Apostles Prophets Evangelists Pastours and Teachers that were never ordained by the laying on of hands And so much for answer to that query And since it is made so evident that Prophets Apostles Evangelists Pastours and Teachers have continued all the while the Beast hath continued I hope hereby they that thorow darknesse have been of the contrary minde will be hereby convinced of their errour herein And now be ye exhorted to frequent the Assemblies of Saints and come to those meeting places where such as are precious Saints doe hold forth the word of truth and by the Spirit of Prophesie doe sprak unto men to edification exhortation and comfort O come you and partake of those gifts of the Spirit whereby some are inabled to hold forth the glad tidings of the Gospel to publish peace and grace and mercy thorow Jesus Christ and to doe the worke of an Evangelist and partake you of those gifts whereby others are inabled to unfold the mysteries of the Gospel and to teach and instruct the simple and to doe the work of a Teacher In a word Come and partake of Apostolicall Propheticall and Pastorall gifts of all the particular operations and manifestations of the Spirit of Christ in his Saints which are given to profit withall Consider that Jesus Christ saith I will give unto my two Witnesses and they shall prophesie It is the gift of Jesus Christ unto his people which he gives not only for the good of the persons in whom it is but for the good of others also Saints have an interest in one anothers gifts and therefore Paul speaking of such as were Prophets as himself and Peter and Apollo saith he to the Saints 1 Cor. 3. 21 22. all are yours whether Paul or Apollo or Cephas c. Thus the gifts that are given to others are given to them for me and the gifts that are given to me how weak soever are not altogether for my self but for others also for Jesus Christ hath so disposed of it to give several gifts to several Saints to this end to maintain Communion among Saints O therefore you that are Saints have Communion one with another that you may receive benefit from one another as Christ hath appointed For he gave some Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastours and Teachers What to do For the perfecting of Saints for the work of the Ministery for the edifying of the body of Christ Now doe you desire to be edified Doe you desire to presse forward toward perfection that you may not be as children carried about with every winde of doctrine Then frequent the Assemblies of the Saints that you may partake of their gifts Jesus Christ hath given them to effect these things in you and all his people and for the keeping a spirit of love among Saints that they receiving benefit one from another may not say one to another I have no need of you as those seem to doe that forsake the Assemblies of Saints but that all being joyned and knit together may encrease with the encrease of God And so much shall suffice to be spoken to this Deduction 6. Sixthly The next instruction that I shall come to though it be not the next in order yet I shall place it here because of the affinity it hath with this is this That since the Witnesses the Saints of Jesus Christ have had a spirit of praier all the while the Beast hath continued whereby their enemies have been devoured as by a spirituall fire then hereby they may be convinced of their errour that say they are in Babylon and therefore doe not joyn with any in pouring out their fouls to God in praier nor yet doe it themselves Now let such consider that in the darkest mid-night of Popery Saints have had a spirit of praier and indeed it is not possible to be a Saint and not to have a spirit of praier It is the very nature and constitution of the spirit of a Saint to ascend upward to God in praier at all times and upon all occasions The truth is that though the Saints may be without other Ordinances as baptism and breaking of bread though I know no rule they have willingly to neglect
apprehensions neither to faith nor peace nor joy nor strength but have seemed to be as unbelieving as carnal and as fleshly as ever walking heavily for a long time And that Word which hath been sweet to others that at the same time heard it hath been as nothing to them That word which hath raised the heart and strengthened the faith and inflamed the love of others hath seemed to have no effect upon them and thus some have continued weeks months nay years together and if they have had any reviving it hath been but as a morning dew and yet at last when the Fathers appointed time was come wherein he hath raised them up to joy and peace in believing and given them life vigour and strength then hath the Spirit brought to their remembrance the things which they heard many years before and then have they been wonderfully overcome and taken with it and it hath brought forth fruit abundantly in them Therefore Saints you that say you finde little or no effect the word hath upon you for the present be not thereby discouraged but goe on to reade and to hear the word still for it is a means which is often blessed to many But thirdly Is it so that it is a blessed thing to reade and hear the Word so as to keep it Then it serves to exhort all as to hear and reade the Word so to look beyond it in the frequent hearing and reading of it waiting for the coming in of the Spirit for the blessing is not pronounced upon the hearers of the Word only but such as hear it and keep it and hear it and doe it and then shalt thou hear the Word so as to keep it when the Spirit comes along with it Therefore when thou comest to hear the Word doe not rest upon the bare hearing of the Word but expect the coming of the Spirit and that thou maiest thus doe consider that there are frequent presidents in Scripture That in the hearing of the Word the Spirit hath been given as you have it Act. 10. 44. While Peter yet spake these words the holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the Word And in the second of the Acts at the 41. verse we finde that there were three thousand souls converted at the preaching of Peter And when Philip went down to Samaria and preached the Word there were by his preaching many converted both men and women as appears Acts 8. 12. There are severall other passages in the Acts to this purpose And Gal. 3. 2. saith the Apostle Received you the Spirit by the workes of the Law or by the hearing of faith Whereby it appears That the Spirit was received by the hearing of the word of faith and therfore it is that the Apostle cals the Ministery of the Gospel The ministration of the Spirit 2 Cor. 3. 8. Therefore let all be encouraged in the hearing of the Word to wait for the Spirit whereby they may not be forgetfull hearers but doers of the Word and be blessed in so doing Vse 4. And in the last place it serves to encourage all Saints to be frequent in reading of and meditating upon the book of the Revelation for there is a blessing particularly pronounced upon them that read or hear and keep the things that are written therein therefore let none be discouraged from reading those things that are written in this book because they are so hard to be understood and are more darke and mysterious than most places of Scripture It is true they are so but to encourage us to be frequent in reading of it notwithstanding the mysteriousnesse of it the holy Ghost hear pronounces a particular blessing to it which is a speciall encouragement to incite us to the reading of it And there is also another encouragement in these words For the time is at hand And now if we be desirous to be informed of the things that concern the present time then let us look diligently into the book of the Revelation for this word The time is at hand hath held true and doth and shall hold true in all ages and times even until the glorious appearing of Jesus Christ to judge the quick and the dead when all shall appear before the judgement seat of Christ for there hath been no age since the delivery of it in which it might not be said The time is at hand that is The time is come in which some part or other of it hath been fulfilling for at the time when this Revelation was given to John then was fulfilling that which is spoken concerning the seven Churches and soon after that which was to be done in the opening of the seals began to be fulfilled which is not yet fully accomplished and about four hundred year after Johns time began that to be fulfilled which is spoken of concerning the rising of the beast and what is revealed concerning the actions of the beast and the pouring out of the viols upon the beast hath been since that and now is a fulfilling and what is spoken concerning the totall ruine of the beast and the happy deliverance of the Saints and the glorious state of the Church after deliverance shall be hereafter fulfilled So that still it might and now and hereafter it may be said of the prophecy of this book The time is at hand therefore it concernes us to be frequently looking into it and diligently to observe the things that are written therein And now since the following Discourse is on a part of the book of the Revelation let these two motives which here you have to stirre you up to the reading of the whole book as that it is a blessed thing and it concerns the present time incite you to the reading and the serious consideration of what is herein delivered concerning the exact accomplishment of some of the things contained in this book which comes now to be spoken of AN EXPOSITION VPON Part of the eleventh Chapter OF THE REVELATION The Exposition of the first Verse And there was given unto me a reed like unto a rod IN the 21. Chapter of this book at the 15. verse when the holy City was put into a delivered enlarged raised condition there is mention made of a golden reed wherewith it was to be measured But here is not a golden reed but a reed like unto a rod importing that it is a chastized and afflicted depressed low condition into which it was at this time to be put and that it was indeed so appears in what follows And the Angel stood saying This Angel chap. 10. 1. is thus described And I saw a mighty Angel come down from heaven cloathed with a cloud and a rain-bow was upon his head and his face was as it were the Sunne and his feet as pillars of fire This description resembles that which is given of Jesus Christ Chap. 1. 15 16. by which it appears That this Angel here spoken of is Jesus Christ It is
testimony of Jesus were they that did prophesie in sackcloth I will give power unto my two Witnesses and they shall prophesie a thousand two hundred and threescore daies clothed in sackcloth Jesus Christ having in the former verse declared that the holy City should be troden under foot which is the afflicted condition of the Church he doth here declare what supplies they should have in that condition in that he saies that he would give unto them this gift that they should prophesie Though they are to be destitute of outward comforts and outward liberties by the enemies persecuting of them yet they are to have inward comforts the Lord will reveal his secrets to them which shall exceed all outward comforts they shall have the testimony of Jesus which is the spirit of prophesie I will give unto my two Witnesses and they shall prophesie a thousand two hundred and threescore daies That this one thousand two hundred and threescore daies is a thousand two hundred and threescore years appears in pag. 59 60 c. Where it is evident that it is the same term of time with that in the former verse and with that in former passages of this book and that the meaning of them all is a thousand two hundred and threescore years there appears Cloathed in sackcloth While the Church was in the materiall Babylon they were in a sad and mourning posture for they wept and hung their harps on willows and could not sing the songs of Sion So the Church now being in mysticall Babylon and insulted over by their enemies God having for a time given them to be troden under foot by them they are in mourning sad and sable garments clothed in sackcloth though they inwardly enjoy the discoveries of the bosome secrets of the Father the comforts of the Spirit though they have the Spirit of prophesie yet they prophesie in sackcloth their out-side their cloathing is sackcloth to the outward eye they are in a sad posture and they cannot be otherwise while they are under the power and tyrany of Babylon Verse 4. These are the two Olive-trees These that is these two Witnesses are the two Olive-trees In that they are said to be the two Olive-trees it implies it hath reference unto some passage of Scripture wherein there is a former mention of them Now the place where they are mentioned is Zech. 4. so that Zechariah doth prophesie of these two Witnesses under the expression of two Olive-trees and therefore the holy Ghost mentioning the Witnesses here declares that these are they that are elsewhere called the two Olive-trees Now in that place Zech. 4. 4. we finde that the Prophet doth ask the Angel What these be And then the Angel makes this answer This is the word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel saying not by might nor by power but by my spirit saith the Lord of hosts Who art thou ô great mountain Before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain and he shall bring forth the head stone thereof with shoutings crying Grace Grace unto it Now this is somewhat a mysterious answer but thus much appears in it That though the Saints seem to be little in the eyes of men and their enemy whether it be the materiall Babylon or the mystical Babylon seem to be a great mountain as if it were impossible for the Saints to remove their mountainous enemy yet they shall be removed out of their way the great mountain shall become a plain before them and those Saints that seem to be little but as an handfull to a mountain they shall when the great mountain is become a plain again become a glorious Temple and when it shal be thus there shall be shoutings crying Grace Grace unto it And this appears to be spoken of the two Witnesses in the Text for they have seemed to be small and little and their enemy a great mountain but undoubtedly this mountain shall become a plain before them and they shall again become a glorious Temple a mountain of holinesse the praise of the whole earth But the Prophet at the 12 verse is said again to ask the Angel What the Olive-branches are and receives this further answer These be the two anointed ones that stand by the Lord of the whole earth here is another description of them in which it is most evident that by the two Olive-trees is meant the Saints Servants and Witnesses of Jesus Christ for this is a plain character of Saints for first Saints are anointed ones and are said to be anointed 2 Cor. 1. 21. and are said to have received an unction from the holy One 1 Joh. 2. 20. Again secondly as Saints are anointed ones so it is they only that can come into the presence of God it is they only that can enter into the Holy of Holies by the new and living way which Jesus Christ hath made for them Now by this time it is clear That by the two Olive-trees is meant all Saints for they are anointed ones and they stand in the presence of God they then are the two Olive-trees which have prophesied cloathed in sackcloth and though they have been but as a handfull compared with that great mountain the Beast so that they could not prevail by might nor by power yet by that unction by that anointing that Spirit that is upon them they shall prevail These are the two Olive-trees and the two Candle-sticks These Witnesses are also said to be candle-sticks because all Saints as they are anointed ones so they are the light of the world Mat. 5. 14. they are light in the Lord and they shine as lights amidst a crooked and perverse generation These are the two Olive-trees and the two Candlesticks standing before the God of the earth The wicked saith the Psalmist shall not stand in thy presence neither shall evil dwell with thee It is indeed onely the prerogative of those holy ones that are washed in the bloud of the Lamb that are unblameable and unreprovable in his sight and to these doth hee hold out the golden scepter of his grace and these do stand in the presence of the Lord of the whole earth Verse 5. And if any man will hurt them fire proceedeth out of their mouth and devoureth their enemies The Saints in a sence are the Judges and Executioners of their enemies Behold a King saith the Prophet Isa 32. 1 shall raign in righteousnesse and Princes shall rule in judgment speaking of the raign of the Lord Jesus and his Saints ruling with him so that as he judgeth so doe they and they passe sentence with him upon their enemies and therefore is it here said If any man will hurt them fire proceedeth out of their mouth and devoureth their enemies That is that breath of the spirit that proceedeth out of their mouth in their praiers doth both pronounce the sentence and bring down the fire of wrath upon their enemies And this is clear Revel 8. 3. for there it appears That when
c. Nor that he that had faith had not wisdome nor knowledge c. Nor that he that had knowledge had no faith nor wisdome nor prophesie c. Nor that he that had discerning of Spirits had no knowledge nor prophesie nor wisdome nor faith c. But this is the Apostles meaning That he that had the word of knowledge might not have so much faith nor wisdome nor discerning of spirits c. as he that had lesse knowledge so he that was full of faith might have lesse wisdome and discerning of spirits and knowledge c. then those that were more weak in faith But now as some might be eminent in one of these gifts only so some might be eminent for two or three and others might be eminent for them all And those that were eminent for one only could not be said to have none of the rest Now by this time the reason is evident why the Apostle speaks of Prophets Evangelists Pastours and Teachers distinctly and withall it is evident that he that is a Prophet is an Evangelist a Pastour and a Teacher For as it cannot be said of him that hath faith that he hath no knowledge nor wisdome nor discerning of spirits c. So it cannot be said of a Prophet that he is no Evangelist nor Pastour nor Teacher And now it is evident That Prophets have been continued all the while the Saints have been in Babylon and in the continuance of Prophets there hath been a continuance of Evangelists and Pastours and Teachers whereby that Scripture hath been made good Ephes 4. 10 11 12 13. which saies they must all continue Till we all come in the unity of the Faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God c. And this being so evident it appears to be from weaknesse and darknesse that any have questioned whether any of these have been during the time that the Saints have been captivated to Babylon But here this query may be made May there be Prophets Evangelists Apostles and Teachers that were never ordained by the laying on of hands Answ Yes they may for the Scripture speaks not of laying on of hands upon any but only of Bishops and Deacons and they only had the laying on of hands because they were ordained to doe some particular things which were to be done by them and was proper to them only and none in the Church else were to act in them but only they But Prophesying and Evangelizing and feeding and teaching and building up one another was common to all in the Church as every one had received the gift so to minister as good stewards of the Grace they had received For their gifts are not given to be laid up in a napkin But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every one to profit withall So that these I say were not restrained only to be done by Bishops and Deacons who only were persons ordained by the laying on of hands but were common to be done by all Now a Bishop which the Scripture indifferently cals either a Bishop or an Elder or a Presbyter is ordained by the laying on of hands because he is appointed to the work which is proper to that Office and not to any other in the Church Now the works that are proper to a Bishop Elder or Presbyter Are First To rule and guide and govern the Church and this is clear by that of the Apostle 1 Tim. 5. 17. Let the Bishops that rule well be counted worthy of double honour And 1 Tim. 3. 4. the Apostle saies That a Bishop must be one that rules well his own house implying that he is not fit to rule the Church of God if he doe not rule his own house well And of those it is that the Apostle speaks Hebrew 13. 7. Remember them which rule over you who have spoken unto you the word of God And vers 17. Obey them which have the rule over you and submit for they watch for your Souls And of these he also speaks 1 Thes 5. 12. Know them which labour among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you Moreover secondly It is the work of a Bishop or Presbyter to ordain Elders or Bishops in the Churches where they are wanting as appears Titus 1. 5. The Apostle there speaking to Titus who was a Bishop or Presbyter saith For this cause left I thee in Crete that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting and ordain Elders in every City And so Timothy being a Bishop it was his work as appears by that rule given him 1 Tim. 5. 22. Lay hand suddenly on no man Again it likewise is made evident to be the work of Presbyters 1 Timothy 4. 14. and 2 Tim. 1. 6. Now these things were proper to the Office of a Bishop and others that are not ordained to be Bishops have no warrant to take upon them to act in these things But there are other things that Bishops are also enjoined to doe that may be and ought to be done by other brethren but Bishops are enjoined to doe them in an especiall manner and they are these First To feed the flock over which they are made over-seers and this is that Paul enjoins the Elders of the Church of Ephesus to doe Acts 20. 29. Take heed unto your selves and unto all the flock over which the holy Ghost hath made you over-seers and feed the Church of God which he hath purchased with his own bloud And this is that which Timothy who was an Elder or Bishop was enjoined to in these passages 1 Tim. 4. 3. Preach the word be instant in season and out of season reprove rebuke exhort with all long-suffering and Doctrine And vers 5. Doe the work of an Evangelist make full proof of thy Ministery And 2 Tim. 2. 15. Study to shew thy self approved unto God a work-man that needeth not to be ashamed rightly deviding the word of truth Thus ought Bishops in a more especiall manner to feed the flock of God and to instruct and admonish them But this is not their duties only but the duty of all the brethren according to their severall abilities But Secondly It is the duty of Bishops or Presbyters to be good examples to believers this also Timothy was enjoined unto 1 Tim. 4. 12. Be thou an example to believers in word in conversation in love in spirit in faith and purity And this Titus who was a Bishop was also enjoined unto Tit. 2. 7. In all things shew thy self a pattern of good works in Doctrine shewing uncorruptnesse gravity sincerity And 2 Tim. 2. 2. The things which thou hast heard of me among many witnesses the same commit thou to faithfull men who shall be able to teach others also Thus it is the duty of Elders or Presbyters to be a good example to believers but it is not their duty only but the duty of all other Saints also Thirdly It is the duty of
21 22. And again This is the confidence that we have in him that if we ask any thing according to his will he heareth us and if we know that he hear us whatsoever we ask we know that we have the Petitions that we desired of him 1 John 5. 14 15. And by these passages it appears That Saints in the Primitive times before the great falling away and the rising of the Beast when they praied had assurance that they should have the Petitions they desired But when I pray I have no such confidence in many things and many times it is a long time before my Petitions are answered and in some Petitions I have a plain denial and therefore I question whether it be not sinfull for me so to continue praying until I am fully come out of Babylon and then I conceive that I shall have such a spirit of praier as the Saints had in the Primitive times and have confidence that whatsoever I ask of God I shall receive of him Answ First That the Saints while they have been under the bondage of Babylon have had a spirit of praier and have had their petitions heard is evident For their praiers have brought judgements upon their enemies being presented upon the golden Altar And if it have been no sin for these to continue praying though they were in Babylon then doubtlesse it would be no sin for thee to pray though thou shouldest be in Babylon But Secondly Whereas thou saist That in some things thou hast no confidence that thou shalt be heard and sometimes it is long before some Petitions are granted and other Petitions are plainly denied Let me tell thee That if in those things in which thou hast no confidence thou doe pray for them with the submission of thy will unto the will of the Father it may be no sin for thee so to pray for the things that thy soul desires though thou hast no confidence of them if they be such things as be not sinfull in themselves as such as these are not viz. to be delivered from bodily distempers to be kept from dangers in travelling whether by sea or land to be delivered from the tyranny of unreasonable men that seek to doe thee hurt or to have parents or children or wife or husband or brethren or sisters or any other friend delivered from bodily distempers or dangers in travelling c. or to have them brought to the knowledge of the truth from darknesse to light and from the power of Satan to God or to have them kept from errours and seducing spirits I say these and such like things which are not sinfull in themselves if thy soul desire them it will be no sinne for thee to pray for them though thou hast no confidence that they shall be granted so thou pray for these with the submitting of thy will to the will of the Father And this is clear in that the Lord Jesus himself in whom was no sinne did pray so with submission to the Fathers will for deliverance from that bitter cup which he was to drink of though he had no confidence that 〈◊〉 Petition should be granted So that Saints may pray for those things which thâ—y doe not infallibly know to be according to the minde of God and yet it may be no sinne so to pray if they doe pray with submission to the Fathers will And in so praying they may be acceptable to the Father who many times doth grant some of those Petitions as soon as they are put up and at other times after he hath made his people to wait long and to pray importunately for them And if some of them be denied yet their persons and praiers may be accepted and may be and sometimes are granted another way God giving them in that which is better then the thing desired But Thirdly All Saints may have and doubtlesse many Saints have as much confidence now in praier as the Saints had in the Primitive times for what was the confidence that Saints then had Saith John This is the confidence that we have in him that if we ask any thing according to his will he heareth us This was the primitive Saints confidence and what Saint hath not this confidence now that if we ask any thing according to his will he heareth us Saints are now confident That the things they pray for which God wils and intends to give unto them shall be granted only they have not an infallible spirit so as to know in all things what it is the will of God to bestow upon them But many things they doe know and others they have strong perswasions of when God in a more then ordinary manner moves their spirits to pray for them Thus Saints have a holy boldnes and confidence in approaching to the throne of Grace by the mediation of Jesus Christ coming to God in the spirit of Adoption being confident of having every good thing that a gracious and loving Father sees good for them all their Petitions are heard They are confident that if they ask any thing according to his will he heareth them And no Saints in the Primitive times had other confidence So that Saints it is no sinne for you to continue praying making known your requests to God but it is your duty so to do But Fourthly Though flesh doe break out and in some things Saints doe not pray aright yet they are not therefore wholly to neglect praying knowing that God still delights in the breathings of his owne Spirit in them although they have many weaknesses and infirmities in them And Fifthly If they finde their faith is not so high nor their confidence so strong as some Primitive Saints were then ought they to pray for the increase of faith If they be weak in faith let them have recourse to him who is the authour and finisher of faith for the strengthening of it who will give liberally and will not upbraid his people though they be weak Though a man that is altogether faithlesse hath no promise sure to him yet the man weak in faith hath as many promises made to him as he that is strong in faith So that though it be weak yet if it be a true faith in him that praies for the increase of faith he shall finde accesse to the throne of grace And so much for the clearing of this Deduction 7. Seventhly The next Deduction is to discover the excellency and preciousnes of Saints from the 4 5 verses they are discovered to be excellent in that they are said to be Olive trees they are not as the dry tree who is nigh unto cursing whose end is to be burned He. 6. 8. But blessed and happy is the condition of Saints For they have an unction from the holy Ones they stand in the presence of the Lord of the whole earth They are precious in the eies of God and profitable to men for they empty the golden oil they have received from the