the Word which requires outward obedience so far as the demonstration and power of the Spirit comes so far are we taught and enabled outwardly to obey Now the demonstration of the Spirit is as I conceive the Spirits evidencing and making manifest the true intent and minde of the Apostles in the Ministery as it did evidence and make manifest its own minde in their Administrations when they did administer Now the Apostles they spake by the Spirit and had the minde of Christ He therefore that will interpret their minde in their Ministery which was none other but the minde of Christ must do it by the power demonstration and evidence of the same Spirit by which they spake which was unerring and infallible 1 Cor. 2.11 12 16 Who knows the minde of a man but the spirit of a man c. Again though it might be supposed that there were a clear demonstration of the Spirit yet without the power of the same Spirit believers were not sufficiently furnished to obedience Luke 24.45 49. Act. 1.2 4. Acts 10.38 This Power I take to be a power of Authority as well as Ability Matth. 28.18 and this Authority and Ability are both required at least in some of the branches of a believers obedience In particular the business of the Ministery and the Administrations which are particular to a Church I conceive are such as unto which there is required in whomsoever they may concern a clear understanding by the Spirit so as to be able to say I have the minde of Christ and Thus speaks the Lord and not I. A true Power of Authority as well as Ability to do that work which they say by the Spirit is their duty to do Luke 24.45 49. Acts 4.7 Matth. 9.6 8. A clear evidence and manifestation thereof not onely in themselves but to manifest to others for their profit 1 Cor. 12.7 Now if there be such Believers who not onely touching their own personal estate and condition but also touching Visible Administrations of Publike Worship can say in truth by the Spirit We have the minde of Christ and This speaks the Lord and not we and have also a true and lawful authority to act those things they say they know I shall leave such persons to the trial of their spirits and not doubt but to be able to see that spirit demonstrating it self to the world either in them or others to the praise and glory of the God and Father of spirits In the mean time I shall conceive that whatsoever in the Word is required of believers to do personally as believers that ought to be endeavoured after by every one that is truely so But whatsoever is relatively appropriated to persons as such and such due regard is to be had to God's Order and Dispensation there according to the limits and bounds he hath set Better it is to be fed of Ravens or fast fourty days then distrusting God's provision turn stones into bread Read 1 Sam. 13.11 12 13 a fair pretence but he that believeth maketh not haste Quest Whether those Signes and Wonders whereby God manifested his presence with the Apostles Quest were not rather to confirm their Word and Doctrine then to bear witness to their persons being sent Heb. 2.4 Answ It is in my understanding a truth Answ that those Signes and Wonders were to confirm their Word and Doctrine Mark 16.20 but the case is evident that the works which God wrought by them were not onely to confirm their Word but also to testifie of their Persons that they were sent of God Joh. 5.36 The works which the Father hath given me to finish the same works that I do bear witness of me that the Father hath sent me compared with Joh. 20.21 As my Father sent forth me so I send forth you Joh. 17.18 If the Father sent forth Christ and the works which Christ did testified of him that he was sent of God Joh. 11.42 then Christ sending forth his Disciples as the Father sent forth him Acts 4.13 14 16 the works which they do testifie of them that they are sent of Christ as the works which he did testified of him that he was sent of God 2 Cor. 12.12 The signes of an Apostle were wrought among you c. Quest Seeing gifts are given to profit withal Quest and talents to be improved How according to Rule and Order may the Saints edifie one another and improve their talents for the honour of Jesus Christ out of a Church-estate 1 Cor. 12.7 Answ Such as the gifts and talents be which are given Answ such must the improvement of them be for the honour of Christ I pray you consider the Scripture you have quoted 1 Cor. 12. Where those gifts of the Spirit which are there spoken of are to be found there need not be any care taken how to improve them out of a Church for surely then and there will be a glorious Church where and when those gifts of the Spirit are given to profit with Where there is given by the Spirit a word of Wisdom a word of Knowledge a gift of Faith a gift of Healing a gift of Miracles a gift of Prophecie a gift of discerning of Spirits a gift of Tongues and Interpretation of Tongues when the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every one to profit withal as the Scripture expresseth then there will be an Orderly Administration and an Effectual Operation to the honour of Jesus Christ In the mean time I could desire the Lord's people to consider of that thing they call Gift or Gifts and try by what Name or Title they may be distinguished or called Whether any of these before mentioned or some other If not these but some other I would consider what it is Whether it be given to them to believe Phil. 1.29 to hope joy suffer pray to distribute to the Lord 's poor to bear the burden of the afflicted to mourn over the desolations of the Israel of God to wait for the Day of Restoration to long to groan in expectation for the Day of the Lord. Now if the gifts you speak of be of the first kinde mentioned in 1 Cor. 12. they bring manifestation enough with them to direct to the improvement of them and where-ever they are found surely a Church of Christ is not far off If they be of the later sort I conceive the Spirit of the Lord whose gifts they are is not wanting to manifest to such to whom they are given how they in their measure may be improved to the glory of him that is the author of them But yet a few words more particularly to what I conceive may be the scope of the Question The Apostle in 1 Cor. 10.6 11. speaking of the Jews and that which befel them saith Those things happened to them in types and Whatsoever was written before-time was written for our learning Now it is to be noted that in their travelling condition while they were
the seasons which the Father hath put in his own power Now these are not transient but abiding things so the Ministery which is for the perfecting of the Saints in the sence above expressed was in like nature not onely given for that end but fixed and established by appointment for the same purpose The other branch of this Ministery was To edifie the body of Christ and to build upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Jesus Christ himself being the chiefe corner-stone Now to apply what hath been spoken to the Ministery which Christ gave for this work as it consists of two branches Viz. Perfecting Edifying These workes are appropriate to two parts of the Ministery The first are called Apostles Prophets Evangelists and precede the Church Matth. 28.19 Mat 16.15 Ephes 2.20 21 22. or are before it having the whole world for their Circuit dealing with them as with the World with the Nations as with the Nations Discipling them preparing and fitting them felling hewing and squaring those stones and that timber that it might be made meet for the building as also laying the foundation even themselves next and in order to the Lord Jesus acknowledging him to be the chiefe corner-stone of the building and the building it self to be Gods 1 Cor. 3.9 10 but themselves labourers therein and wise Master-builders thereon The second are such as being part of the number of those which have been so gathered out of the World and placed into the building by the former Master-builders and by them also appointed to edifie the body i. e. to carry on the building keeping to the foundation furnishing them with Rule and Square and Compass and Line and Plummet and whatever was necessary to compleat this work or make the Man of God perfect All which are comprehended in the holy Scriptures and more collectively in the Epistles of Paul to Timothy and Titus And this Ministery are called Pastors and Teachers who are to feed the Church as the former were to breed it these to carry on the building as the other to lay the foundation these to be resident where they were chosen as those to pass on and prepare and fit more materials for the perfecting of the great building the whole House of God Now forasmuch as the number of the Saints are to be perfected and then to be edified and this to be done by a Ministery consisting of Apostles Prophets Evangelists Pastors and Teachers and forasmuch as this is made the work of the Ministery so named and numbered as before to be accomplisht not by any one without the other of them not by the Ministery of the Apostles alone or Prophets onely or Evangelists onely much lesse by the Ministery of Pastors and Teachers onely but by these together as making up the Ministery which Christ ascending on high gave and by Ordinance or appointment set and constituted in the Church And seeing the number of the Saints is not perfected but rather as that Scripture saith The whole world lieth in wickedness or in that wicked one and that there are still Nations and Kindreds and Tongues and People to whom the Gospel may be preached and amongst whom Disciples may be made and Churches formed and built upon the true foundation Hence I conclude with my self and refer it to the judgment of him that reads it in answer to the Question That the Ministery which the Lord Jesus appointed to succeed him was for nature and end a breeding and feeding Ministery The one to prepare the Saints and to gather them into a Church as will be endeavoured to be proved in its proper place the other to build on upon the first foundation being first gathered and set thereon And that these are both alike for their end and duration or continuance appeares First Because they together make up but one Ministery Secondly Because they all being the fruits of one Purchase the same necessity remains for the one as for the other so long as any Saints are to be gathered as well as any to be edified these are to continue and that is till we all come to the unity of the Faith c. the Elect of God standing in as much need of the one instrumentally to enlighten and convert them as of the other to edifie and strengthen them being converted For as God when he gave one gave the other also so the Saints may see a necessity for the continuation of the one as well as of the other the former namely Apostles Prophets Evangelists having been some space of time without the later as appears by Acts 14.23 but the later I conceive have never been in truth without the former at least I know not where or when and should be willing to be informed forasmuch as the Foundation must precede the building up of the Superstructure and the Pastoral feeding the Lambs of the Lord Jesus must needs presuppose a Ministerial Breeding to have preceded in those pure and orderly Institutions The third and fourth Questions I shall answer together Quest Whether there be any Pattern of any Visible congregated Church under the Gospel without or before a Ministery or Baptism Or Whether the present Ministery or present Churches may be acknowledged the Ministery and Churches of Christ according to the first Pattern To the first part of the Question this will be answered Answ That it doth not appear in Scripture that any of the first Churches were gathered into their Visible Order without a Ministery preceding or before Baptism If it be otherwise it 's hoped it will be shewed where and when If it be not to be shewed How deeply are they concerned who set up such Churches whereof there is no Pattern in the Word of God! I know it is ordinarily said and accordingly practised that a company of Believers may by mutual consent or agreement become a Church and appoint one to baptize the rest and accordingly chuse their own Officers and proceed to other Administrations and this in the Name of Christ And such a Company of Believers are accounted by themselves and some others a true Visible Church Others say the same thing in other words Now I would argue the case a little touching Believers consenting to become a Church so far as may help to clear the Question in hand When a person desires to joyn himself to some one of the present Churches though the person be never so desirous in himself to be added yet he can but propound his desire of joyning and being admitted This Church considers and judges of this person's Faith and fitness for Fellowship and that in the Name of the Lord and must declare the Lord's consent in the Church's to the receiving such a Person into such a Fellowship before he can be admitted The person's willingness in himself to be joyned makes him not a Member of such a Fellowship he cannot give his own consent and the Church's too but as he is willing to manifest his
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