of man 4. The net is full before he draws which shews 1. He observes the time in drawing 2. He draws not for nothing 3. He must not neglect to draw 4. I suppose the net then full when there are sufficient for numbe rand fitness to injoy communion withall in publike Ordinances 5. He draws to shore away from communion with the rest of the ungodly world 2 Cor. 6.17 Come out from among them and be ye seperate Now this was that part of Ministry done without the Church the second part begins 1. They sate down which shews 1. Their sedulity and care in doing what they did 2. That they were to attend on this same 3. That this work was a conjunctive work not of any single person 4 That they must be drawn out of the Sea before any putting them into the vessels Now by putting them that were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fair into vessels may be understood of the Nations severally gathered into several Churches but I rather understand the Lord here speaking of a particular Church in which there are to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vessels and the fish to be put in its own proper vessel which is either to his company of youth children or men 2. They sate down shews the disposing of the Saints in their several places for Communion is a Conjunctive work of the Ministry 3. The casting out of the bad is a word used in the Scriptures usually for casting out men by Church-Censures out of Church-Communion Obj. That the casting into the Sea the sitting down and putting into the vessels are not said to be done by any other then the same persons Answer 1. The work is one and the same 2. As in the former Parable the son of man did sow the seed but the Angels gathered out the tares So ver 49. the Angels Ministry is to seperate the good from the bad they are not said to cast the net into the Sea 3. This work was to begin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at the end of Moses Ministry 4. This work of Seperation among the Gentiles is to be continued in the Church until all offences and offenders are gathered out of Christs Kingdom which is unto the end of the world Vers 52. of this Chapter is indeed the key of this Scripture without which it cannot be rightly understood in which it is said a housholder bringeth forth of his treasury new things and old 1. Hence it is clear Christ mainly intended in these Parables the Gospel-estate 2. He that would understand them rightly must apprehend somewhat of that estate which went before the Gospel 3. It is implyed that unless all things were understood rightly both of the old and new if but any thing of them all were misunderstood it would bring a misunderstanding of all as experementally the end of the world misunderstood begat generally a misunderstanding of the whole Scripture Ezekiel's Vision Chap. 40.41 which is of a new Temple and seems to allude unto that which we have formerly written of which I shall write in a few words That the vision is apprehended to set out the Church under the Gospel estate and its several conditions unto the end of the world is assented unto of some 1. Then by the wall in the gate whereof stood the man who had line and the rod in his hand I understand the primitive times in which Christ was and wherein the measure was given unto the Apostles to measure the Church by which was the Gospel 2. In the outer Court I suppose was intended Luthers time which had but little measuring in it which was further off from the Temple-estate and next insued the ending of the Church after the primitive times 3. He is brought to the inward Court which I suppose to have reference to the Reformation made by Calvin which was farther from the wall signifying the primitive times and nearer to the Temple-state of which much is spoken in the Epistle to Philadelphia Rev. 3.12 which if it be understood to typifie with the 6 other Churches the estate of the Church to the end of the world as many suppose will then fall out to be accomplished in these times and that are now to succeed and also in Rev. 11.1 Chap. 15.8 which estate did succeed the Sardin estate in which was but a name of life and is rightly understood by some to represent Luthers time as Bernard in his Introduction to the Revel 1. In the former Courts were only 30 single Chambers on a row one by another in the Temple-estate there are 3 Chambers one over another so in order and the wideness of the house still upward from the lower to the middle and so to the upper as having an allusion to the three-fold Congregation belonging to the Church the last having most enlargements in it 2. In this estate before the doors of the Chamber was a separate place but none in the Courts 3. In this estate Rev. 11.1 the Temple is measured and the worshippers but not in the other 4. In this estate the Courts are left out and not to be measured by command which John would have done else as is to be thought having been before measured Object Why may not Episcopacy be looked on as the first Court Resp. They were brought off from it by King Henry the eight but Christ was to bring these from Court to Court and not man as I verily suppose both Calvin and Luther were as appeared by the work the Lord wrought by them the last great work which the Lord brings the Church to is the Temple-estate which will greatly differ from the other estates in which the world will be more blessed then ever For which is reserved the greatest mercy in which will be amends made to the Saints for their many miseries abundantly through the grace that is to be revealed of Jesus Christ To end al one word more of places of Assembly spoken in the Scripture 1. The Synagogue was a place the Apostles oft preach't in but never as to the Church but disputing or perswading the things of the Kingdom as having to do with men arguing against the way of God there and not perswaded of it being a mixt people 2. When men were brought to beleeve the Gospel then they were seperated thence to some private house where they had set up the Gospel Ordinances among them Acts 18.4 7 8. We read not that in the Synagogues any publike Church-work was done as baptizing administring the Lords Supper and the like 3. Because that one house it is like could not contain all for number and to avoid confusion in the execution of the Ministry in publike meetings it was necessary that they should be distributed according to the several administrations of the Gospel dispensed among them into several places Hence Paul writing to the whole Church of Rome writes in particular to the Church in the house of Priscilla Rom. 16.3.5 here called a Church Synec dochically for a part of the Church of Rome as the Pastors part or Teachers for the whole 4. The place where the whole Church met as is observed by Master Mead was called by the name of Church figuratively calling so the thing containing for the people contained in it 2 Cor. 11.22 Have ye not houses to eate in or despise ye the Church of God where he notes That the Church here set in opposition to their houses is to be taken for a material house seperated to publike meetings among them Obj. May be made That there was no particular place for general meetings or for receiving Sacraments The Scripture saith they went from house to house breaking of bread Resp As Mr. Mead hath well observed that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be understood for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the house which some understand to be the house in which the Disciples were at the descending of the Holy Ghost 5. I suppose that whereas in several places of Scripture we have mention made of certain Churches in particular houses I suppose it serves to illustrate the truth of the doctrine proposed and this one thing I dare affirm that the way of God when ever brought out to the world will be as strange though contained in the word as if it had been never written in it as appears in Ezekiel's writing of the Government to be under the Temple-state Ezek. 43.10 11. which is yet to be Thou son of man shew the house to the house of Israel that they may be ashamed of their iniquities and let them measure the pattern And if they be ashamed of all that they have done shew them the form of the house and the fashion thereof the goings out thereof and the commings in thereof and all the forms thereof and all the Laws thereof and all the Ordinances thereof write it in their sight which sheweth that all these things were to be hid for the sins of the people when revealed it should be as a thing now written and new to the world which the Lord will not reveal until the putting away of our abominations out of his sight and have pulled down the posts we have set up by his posts and the thresholds placed by his thresholds which keeps the Lord and his way from us and may occasion being hid through dissentions destruction to us from which God and his truth can only rescue and save us which is to be diligently sought for of al as that in which our lives and peace are bound up in of our posterity by which we shal become one in God in Christ in the Faith in way and worship of the Lord and become all of one mind and one spirit as becometh the Saints and the Servants of the Lord Jesus Christ all which the good Lord for the glory of his grace works in all the Saints according to his mighty working which he worketh in those that beleeve to peace and righteousness here and eternal life hereafter Amen The Orthodox true Minister the Seducer and false Prophet
us and the greatest Reformation that ever was made in Ecclesiastical things is to be made we being all as yet without Church and Church-Ministry and yet also confident of their way judgment as that theywil fight to uphold it and dye for it O what comfort will proceed from hence to us Let us first know the truth and then stand and strive together for it Quest Whether these differing Administrations differ not in degrees Resp. Yea more is required in the Ministry of the Apostle and Prophet then in the Evangelist more in the Pastor then in the Teacher so the Apostle 1 Cor. 12.5 There are differing Administrations First The Administration is according to those to whom it is administred unto Now the Doctors administred to babes only the Evangelists to men the Apostles to Evangelists Christ to the Apostles thus John writ to his children young men and fathers Secondly The Church of God is called the house of God and a great house in the Scripture n which are infants young men fathers and yet all but one Family so these divided Congregations make but one Church Consider but the Agreement of these 1. In their number an Evangelist Pastor Teacher for men young men and babes 2. In the constitution one Ministry one Church all three one both in the Ministry and in those that are to be ministred unto it is but to perfect the same man 3. The Constitutors only are differed in their gifts by a majus and a minus so the constituted are the same only differenced by the degrees of stature and perfection that is obtained under the dispensations of the Ministry 4. The ones Ministry ends in the other the Doctors in the Pastors the Pastors in the Evangelists to those it is ministred unto the childhood is swallowed up in youth the youth in manhood as the lesser is swallowed up in the greater light David Evangelically spake hereof Psal 84.7 They shall go from strength to strength until they appear perfect before God in Sion The Apostle alludes here to the Gospel state as in 1 Pet. 1.12 They did minister these things to us not to themselves that are reported to us they not having the grace we have in the fellowship of the Gospel under their Mosaical Ministry the words in the Original seem more fully and clearly to aim at such a thing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which as in the ordinary marginal notes is read they shal go from company to company and so Kerkeras of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saepissime collective pro cietu usurpatur oft times the word is used collectively for accompany Again a Gospel testimony seems to be of this thing in 2 Cor. 3.18 We all with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord are changed into the same image from glory to glory as of the Lord the Spirit 1. Generally the Apostle shews the work is the Spirits that is here spoken of 2. The first part of it is an unvailing the face which must be done and is done in all which is the first degree of grace having in it the discovery of Jesus Christ 3. Upon this discovery he is by sanctification of the Spirit said to be changed in his life and in himself to a glorious estate 4. This glory hath yet another change to glory that is to a greater measure of sanctification and grace Some understand these words from glory to glory to have respect to grace here and glory hereafter but the words before make it plain that here is understood none else but the work of the Gospel-Ministry officiated in the Church by the appointment of Christ 2. If we look on the words themselves they prove as much unto us for this is to be done by looking on Christ in the word as in a glass a clear distinction used by the Apostle to distinguish the estate of Saints here and that in heaven hereafter 1 Cor. 13.12 Now we see darkly through a glass then face to face hear now and then distinguish the times present and that to come the glass and the face distinguish the manner of the discovery of God here and that which is to be hereafter The Lord speaks not of the first change because in that the soul is not come to be made like to the Lord nor to have put on his glory but when he is come to be made like Christ and put on his image then he is said to be carryed from glory to glory which shews that the work of the Ministry is to be a work which worketh these things by degrees in the Saints and shew forth to us the footsteps of God having on it the image and superscription of God commending to us his wisdom and prudence who far herein exceeds the principles of humane policy and wisdom To this also sweetly agreeth the charge of Christ to Peter John ult 15.16.17 in which Christ commands Peter to feed his lambs his sheep his sheep There are in these words of Christ closely and mysteriously meant three sorts persons though but two at first seem to be only named lambs and sheep but he manner of feeding them clearly distiugnisheth them First The Lord saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 feed my lambs Secondly The other two are indeed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sheep which seems to make them the same but not without some eminent cause the Lord hath clearly distinguished them so as that they may be and are to be understood of two sorts and this distinction is not in themselves but the feeding them First He gives the younger sheep the name of the elder and makes them one with them in that Secondly in their feeding distinguishing them signified to Peter that in the Ministry there was to be exercised a differing administration even unto sheep and sheep and not to be taught the same doctrines this appears to the first sheep it is said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word here for feeding is the same before for the feeding of the lambs though they are sheep Now of the other sheep which were sheep indeed he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 these are sheep and fed as sheep the others are sheep and fed as lambs and may be considered as of a differing growth nor lambs nor sheep but between both Object Peter grieved it is said to hear Christ speak thus three times to him he understood no such thing and therefore sure there is no such thing intended in the word Resp Many things were hid as yet from the Disciples and likely this not any Churches being as yet gathered nor had they yet instruction to gather them Acts 1.30 Christ was with his Disciples 40 days instructing them in the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God which were especially doubtless concerning the way God would have taken in the Church for the edification of it Secondly Nor were the gifts given thereunto until after Christs Resurrection as appears by the words of the Apostle
Christ Ezek. 47.3 the Prophet prophetically shewes what was to be after the Gospell-institution took place signified in the waters run out of the temple 1 The Lord measures the waters and brings him through thrice which signified as he was a Prophet and did signifie publick ministery to be under the Gospell that there was to be a three-fold administration of the Gospell the first is but to his Anckles the beginnings of Christ the next higher the next higher then that and these are not in the same place but one thousand reeds from the other which shews that this ministery is not to be executed by one nor preached at once to the same people 2 This directs us in ordaining ministers they are to proceed by degrees first preaching without for tryall then admitted within to the Doctors ministry then the Pastors and lastly the Evangelists this way Timotheus proceeded in the ministry Now that we may more clearly see that it was the Teachers Office to teach Babes Rom. 2.20 and art saith the Apostle there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Teacher of Babes which shewes who are Teachers Congregation and what is to be taught in that Congregation they being to be taught according to their capacitie 1. The Scriptures clearly shew what the Babe is and who and when to be admitted to Church-societie 2. The Scriptures shew abundantly concerning that estate and God hath therein provided abundantly for it 1. The Scriptures shew who the Babe is John 3.3 2. Of what he is to be borne and where verse 5. 3. The necessitie of this new Birth without which a man cannot enter into the Kingdom of Heaven 4. What is required of Babes 1 Peter 2.1 to lay aside malice hypocrisie evil-speaking and to desire the sincere milke of the Word that we may grow thereby 5. The Doctrine is set down Hebr. 6.1 to be laying the foundation of repentance from dead Workes faith towards God the Resurrection of the dead Shall God have Angels heavenly Spirits to attend the least of Saints and shall he not allow many a Church-minister by whom her portion in the Word may be divided rightly to them 2. The Euangelists Office is distinguisht from the Teachers by the Apostle in the 1 Cor. 1.17 where the Apostle tels us that he was not sent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to baptize which was the worke and the Doctrine of the Doctour as must clearly appeares Hebr. 6.1 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which was to do the worke of an Euangelist as cocerning a man called to a distinct worke from that of Baptizing which if so spoken of in the person of the Apostle who had an extraordinary calling to all How then of those that have but an ordinary call to one And the words of Christ in Matthew to his Apostles shew that Baptizing is joyned to the first worke of the Ministerie following the making of Disciples now if those God hath joyned together are not to be separated by man How shall we dare to feparate them and as it were bestow them on others 2. The Apostle implieth in saying he was not sent to baptize that some are sent to baptize and that men not sent are not to baptize it being a part of the publique ministerial Dutie 3. He shewes that they differ in the call to what they are to do and that they have not baptized in commission equally and so consequently for other of the Gospel Administrations that that is proper to one is not to be done by another 4. He was sent to euangelize which shewes that the Apostle did prove his calling to do what he did do Object What is that to us the Apostle was an extraordinary person Resp. We are to consider him as in his ordinary and extra-ordinary capacitie in his extraordinary as a Prophet and then he saith that on him lieth the care of all the Churches but if in his ordinary capacitie then we consider him as one using the Euangelists Office to performe the which he took helpers with him for the worke of the Ministerie joyning himselfe to them It is granted indeed that he did take on him the whole worke of the Ministerie 1. Being extraordinarily called 2. Extraordinarily gifted 3. Others being at that time not to be had to supply it for him but in this case he is no president for us to do the like especially seeing he was sent to do the Euangelists Office though in the absence of other or in the first laying the foundation of the Church he may begin the workes as in Corinth he is sent to euangelize 1. It being next in place to his extraordinary Offices 2. As being more fully instructed to that Dutie than any other 3. The Euangelists place requiring greatest abilities in him that doth administer the same both in regard of the Ministerie it selfe and those to whom it is to be ministered unto 3. The Euangelists Office is of the most sublime administration it dispencing the highest things of God in its Ministerie that are communicated to the Saints by ordinary means in this World 1. Christ teaching Nicodemus the Doctrine of Repentance and New Birth cals these things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 earthly things things taught to men of the World 2. He cals the more spiritual part of Doctrine to be ministred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 heavenly things which sheweth that there is a wide difference between the subject matter or way of dispensing the Doctrines pertaining to these two Administrations 3. To this agreeth that of the Apostle Rom. 10.15 How beautifull are the feet of those that euangelize good things and that euangelize peace which shews that the subject matter of the Euangelists Ministerie to those under his charge is generally contained under those two Heads of peace and good things holding out the glorie followes the revelation of Jesus Christ to the Soul and the good that belongs unto him yea this requires the greatest experience the most heavenly sense and nearest enjoyment of communion with God for he must come first to know these things in himselfe before he can teach them to others 4. The Euangelists Office is the chief in the worke of the Ministerie as appeares in that after Timothie had made use of the publique Ministerie Paul in his 2 Tim 4 5 bids Timothie do the worke of an Euangelist and make full proof in the Ministerie 1. Signifying that in other administrations there is not a perfect worke of the Ministerie 2. That the Euangelists Office is that that perfects the Ministerie both in respect of the Minister and People Not that the Euangelists Office is a full Ministerie without the other or the other without that but that the Ministerie ends in this and tends thereunto Again a Congregation under the Ministerie of a Doctour called out from the World and united to Christ having the administration of Gods Ordinance among them are a Church though in its infacie and childhood lying under imperfections 1. As not perfected in