as the Church and Assembly of God's People may and hath Power to decide by the Spirit of God in Matters fundamental and weighty without which no Decision nor Decree in whatever Matters is available so the same Church and Assembly also in other Matters of less Moment as to themselves yet being needful and expedient with a Respect to the Circumstance of Time Place and other things that may fall in may and hath Power by the same Spirit and no otherwayes being acted moved and assisted and led by it thereto to pronounce a positive Judgment which no doubt will be found obligatory upon all such who have a Sense and Feeling of the Mind of the Spirit though rejected by such as are not watchful and so are out of the Feeling and Unity of the Life and this is that which none that own immediate Revelation or a being inwardly led by the Spirit to be now a thing expected or dispensed to the Saints can without contradicting their own Principle deny far less such with whom I have to do in this Matter who claiming this Priviledge to Particulars saying That they being moved to do such and such things though contrary to the Mind and Sense of their Brethren are not to be judged for it adding Why may it not be so that God hath moved them to it Now if this be a sufficient Reason for them to suppose as to one or two I may without absurdity suppose it as well to the whole Body and therefore as to the first to wit The Nature of the things themselves If it be such a thing the doing or not doing whereof that is either any Act or the Forbearance of any may bring a real Reproach or Ground of Accusation against the Truth professed and owned and in through which there may a visible Schism and Dissension arise in the Church by which Truth 's Enemies may be gratified and it self brought into disesteem then it is fit for such whose Care is to keep all right to take Inspection in the Matter to meet together in the Fear of God to wait for his Counsel and to speak forth his Mind according as he shall manifest himself in and among them and this was the Practice of the primitive Church in the Matter of Circumcision for here lay the Debate some thought it not needful to circumcise the Gentiles others thought it a thing not to be dispensed with and no doubt of these for we must remember they were not the Rebellious Jews but such as had already believed in CHRIST there were that did it out of Conscience as judging Circumcision to be still obligatory for they said thus Except ye be Circumcised after the manner of Moses ye cannot be saved Now what Course took the Church of Antioch in these Cases Acts 15. 2. They determined that Paul and Barnabas and certain other of them should go unto Jerusalem unto the Apostles and Elders about this Question We must not suppose they wanted the Spirit of God at Antioch to have decided the Matter neither that these Apostles neglected or went from their inward Guide in undertaking this Journey yet we see they judged it meet in this Matter to have the Advice and Concurrence of the Apostles and Elders that were at Jerusalem that they might be all of one mind in the matter for there is no greater Property of the Church of Christ then pure Unity in the Spirit that is a consenting and oneness in Judgment and Practices in Matters of Faith and Worship which yet admits of different Measures Growths and Motions but never contrary and contradictory Ones and in these Diversities of Operations yet still by the same Spirit the true Liberty is exercised as shall be declared hereafter Therefore prayeth Christ That they all may be one as he and the Father is one to which Purpose also let these following Scriptures be examined Rom. 12. 16. Be of the same Mind one towards another 1 Cor. 1. 10. Now I beseech you Brethren by the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ that ye all speak the same thing and that there be no Divisions among you but that ye be perfectly joyned together in the same Mind and in the same Judgment Ephes. 5. 21. Submitting your selves one to another in the Fear of God Phil. 2. 2. Fulfil ye my Joy that ye be like-minded having the same Love being of one accord of one Mind And yet more remarkable is that of the Apostle Paul to the Philippians Chap. 3. Vers. 15. Let us therefore as many as be perfect be thus minded and if in any thing ye be otherwayesâ—minded God shall reveal even this unto you Nevertheless whereto we have already attained let us walk by the same Rule let us mind the same thing Brethren be Followers together of me and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an Example So here though the Apostle grants Forbearance in things wherein they have not yet attained yet he concludes they must walk so as they have him for an Example and so consequently not contrary or otherwayes and therefore we conclude that whereas any in the Church of God pretending Conscience or Revelation shall arise to teach and practise however insignificant or small in themselves whether Principles or Practices yet if they be contrary to such as are already received as true and confirmed by God's Spirit in the Hearts of the Saints and that the introducing of these things tend to bring Reproach upon the Truth as such as are not edifying in themselves and so stumble the Weak those who have a true and right Discerning may in and by the Power of God authorizing them and no otherwayes condemn and judge such things and they so doing it it will be obligatory upon all the Members that have a true Sense because they will feel it to be so and therefore submit to it And thus far as to the Nature of the things themselves Secondly As to the Spirit and Ground they proceed from Whatsoever Innovation Difference or diverse Appearance whether in Doctrine or Practice proceedeth not from the pure Moving of the Spirit of God or is not done out pure Tenderness of Conscience but either from that which being puft up affecteth singularity and there through would be observed commended and exalted or from that which is the Malignity of some Humours and natural Tempers which will be contradicting without Cause and secretly begetting of Divisions Animosities and Emulations by which the Unity and unfeigned Love of the Brethren is lessened or rent I say all things proceeding from this Root and Spirit however little they may be supposed to be of themselves are to be guarded against withstood and denyed as hurtful to the true Church's Peace and a Hindrance to the Prosperity of Truth If it be said How know ye that these things proceed from that Ground For Answer I make not here any Application as to particular Persons or Things but if it be granted as it
the Apostate Corinthians let such as are of the same kind among us examin seriously and measure their Spirits truly hereby Yea he goes yet further in the following Chapter ver 3 4. 3. As absent in Body but present in Spirit have judged already as though I were present concerning him that hath so done this Deed. 4. In the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ when ye are gathered together and my spirit with the Power of our Lord Jesus Christ c. Would not one think this to have been a very presumptuous Word and yet who dare offer to condemn it from all which I shall shortly observe that it seems it was judged no Inconsistency nor Contradiction to be Followers of the Grace in themselves to be perswaded in their own Hearts and also to be Followers of the Apostle Paul and of his Wayes because his Wayes and Example was no other then the Spirit of God in themselves would have led them to if they had been obedient therefore he found it needful to charge them positively to follow him without dding this Reason Next the great Argument the Apostle uses to perswade them hereunto upon which he mainly insists because he had begotten them into the Truth Ye have not many Fathers for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the Gospel wherefore I beseech you be ye Followers of me So he makes that as the Cause which the same Apostle also in his Expostulation with the Galatians putting them in mind how he preached the Gospel to them at first and Chap. 14. Ver. 15. Where is then the Blessedness ye spoke of for I bear you Record if possible you would have plucked out your own Eyes and given them unto me We see then that the Lord hath doth give such whom he hath furnished and sent forth to gather a People unto himself Care and Oversight over that People yea and a certain Authority in the Power over them to bring them back to their Duty when they stray at any Time and to appoint yea and command such Things as are needful for Peace and Order and Unity Sake and that there lies an Obligation upon such as are so gathered to reverence honour yea and obey such as are set over them in the Lord for saith the same Apostle 2 Cor. 2. 9. For to this End also did I write that I might know the Proof of you whether you be obedient in all Things And Chap. 7. Ver. 13 15. Yea and exceedingly the more joyed we for the Joy of Titus because his Spirit was refreshed by you all 15. And his inward Affection is more abundant toward you whilest he remembreth the Obedience of you all how with Fear and Trembling you received him Now this will not at all infer as if they had been implicitly led of old or that such as having the same Authority exercise it now sought Dominion over their Brethrens Faith or to force them to do any Thing beyond far less contrary to what the Lord leads us to by his Spirit but we know as they did of old that the Enemy lies near to betray under such Pretences and that seeing in case of Difference the Lord hath and doth and will reveal his Will to his People and hath and doth raise up Members of his Body to whom he gives a Discerning and Power and Authority to instruct reprove yea and command in some Cases and that those that are faithful and low in their Minds keeping their own Places and minding the Lord and the Interest and Good of his Truth in the general over all they shut out the Murmurer and the Spirit of God leads them to have Unity and concur with their Brethren but such as are heady and high-minded are inwardly vexed that any should lead or rule but themselves and so it is the high Thing in themselves that makes them quarrel others for taking so much upon them pretending a Liberty not sinking down in the Seed to be willing to be of no Reputation for its Sake such rather then give up their own Wills will study to make Rents and Divisions not sparing the Flock but prostrating the Reputation and Honour of the Truth even to the World ministring to them an Occasion of Scorn and Laughter to the harding them in their Wickedness and Atheism Besides these Scriptures mentioned I shall set down a few of many more that might be instanced to the same Purpose Ephes. 5. 21. Submitting your selves one to another in the Fear of God Phil. 2. 3. Let nothing be done through Strife or Vain-glory but in Lowliness of Mind let each esteem other better then themselves 29. Receive him therefore in the Lord with all Gladness and hold such in Reputation And 3. 17. Brethren be Followers together of me and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an Ensample And 4. 9. Those Things which ye have both learned and received and heard and seen in me do and the God of Peace shall be with you Col. 2. 5. For though I be absent in the Flesh yet am I with you in the Spirit joying and beholding your Order and the Stedfastness of your Faith in Christ. 1 Thes. 5. 12. And we beseech you Brethren to know them which labour among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you 13. And to esteem them very highly in Love for their Work Sake and be at Peace among your selves 14. Now we exhort you Brethren warn them that are unruly comfort the feeble-minded support the weak be patient toward all Men. 2 Thes. 2. 15. Therefore Brethren stand fast and hold the Traditions which ye have been taught whether by Word or our Epistle 2 Cor. 10. 8. For though I should boast somewhat more of our Authority which the Lord hath given us for Edification and not for your Destruction I should not be ashamed Now though the Papists greatly abuse this Place as if hereby they could justifie that Mass of Superstition which they have heaped together yet except we will deny the plain Scripture we must needs believe there lay an Obligation upon the Thessaloniâ—ns to observe and hold these Appointments and no Doubt needful Institutions which by the Apostles were recommended unto them and yet who will say that they ought or were hereby commanded to do any Thing contrary to that which the Grace of God in their Hearts moved them to 2 Thes. 3 4. And we have Confidence in the Lord touching you that ye both do and will do the Things which we command you 6. Now we command you Brethren in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ that ye withdraw your selves from every Brother that walketh disorderly and not after the Tradition which he received of us What more positive then this and yet the Apostle was not here any Imposer And yet further ver 14. And if any man obey not our Word by this Epistle note that man and have no company with him that he may be ashamed Thus Heb.
absolutely needful in order to the keeping my Conscience clear and void of Offence towards God and Man none will be so unreasonable as to say I ought not to do it because it is according to the Scriptures nor do I think it will savour ill among any serious solid Christians for me to be the more confirmed and perswaded that I am led to this Thing by the Spirit that I find it in it self good and useful and that upon the like Occasions Christ commanded it the Apostles and Primitive Christians practised and recommended it Now seeing it is so that we can boldly say with a good Conscience in the Sight of God that the same Spirit which leads us to believe the Doctrines and Principles of the Truth and to hold them and maintain them again after the Apostacy in their primitive and ancient Purity as they were delivered by the Apostles of Christ in the holy Scriptures I say that the same Spirit doth now lead us into the like holy Order and Government to be exercised among us as it was among them being now the like Occasion and Opportunity ministred to us therefore what can any Christianly or Rationally object against it for that there is a Real Cause for it the thing it self speaketh and that it was the Practice of the Saints and Church of old is undeniable what kind of Ground then can any such Opposers have for to such as scrupling at this do notwithstanding acknowledge our Principle that this were done by Imposition or Imitation more then the Belief of the Doctrines and Principles seeing as it is needful to use all Diligence to convince and perswade People of the Truth and bring them to the Belief of it which yet we cannot do but as Truth moves and draws in their Hearts it is also no less needful when a People is gathered to keep and preserve them in Unity and Love as becomes the Church of Christ and to be careful as saith the Apostle That all Things be done decently and in Order and that all that is wrong be removed according to the Method of the Gospel and the good cherished and encouraged so that we conclude and that upon very good Grounds that there ought now as well as heretofore to be Order Government in the Church of Christ that which now cometh to be examined in the third Place is First What is the Order and Government we plead for Secondly In what Cases and how far it may extend and in whom the Power decisive is Thirdly How it differeth and is wholely an other then the oppressive and persecuting Principallity of the Church of Rome and other Antichristian Assemblies SECTION Fourth Of the Order and Government which we plead for IT will be needful then before I proceed to describe the Order Government of the Church to consider what is or may be properly understood by the Church for some as I touched before seem to be offended or at least afraid of the very Word because The Power of the Church the Order of the Church the Judgment of the Church and such like Pretences have been the great Weapons wherewith Antichrist and the Apostate Christians have been these many Generations persecuting the Woman and warring against the Man-child and indeed great Disputes have been among the Learned Rabbies in the Apostacy concerning this Church what it is or what may be so accounted which I find not my Place at present to dive much in but shall only give the true Sense of it according to Truth and the Scriptures plain Testimony The Word Church in it self and as used in the Scriptures is no other but a Gathering Company or Assembly of certain People called or gathered together for so the Greek Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies which is that the Translators render Church which Word is derived from the Verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. evoco I call out of from the Root 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 voco I call Now though the English Word Church be only taken in such a Sense as People are gathered together upon a Religious Account yet the Greek Word that is so rendered is taken in general for every Gathering or Meeting together of People and therefore where it is said The Town-Clark of the Ephesians dismissed the Tumult that was gathered there together the same Greek Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used Acts 19. 41. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he dismissed the Assembly or the Church A Church then in the Scripture Phrase is no other then a Meeting or Gathering of certain People which if it be taken in a religious Sense as most commonly it is are gathered together in the Belief of the same Principles Doctrines and Points of Faith whereby as a Body they become distinguished from others and have a certain Relation among themselves and a conjunct Interest to the maintaining and propagating these Principles they judge to be right and therefore have a certain Care and Oversight over on another to prevent and remove all Occasions that may tend to break this their conjunct Interest hinder the Propagation of it or bring Infamy Contempt or Contumely upon it or give such as on the other Hand are or may be banded together to undo them just Occasion against them to decry and defame them Now the Way to distinguish that Church Gathering or Assembly of People whereof Christ truly is the Head from snch as falsly pretend thereto is by considering the Principles Grounds upon which they are gathered together the Nature of that Hierarchy Order they have among themselves the Way and Method they take to uphold it and the Bottom upon which it standeth which will greatly contribute to clear all Mistakes Forasmuch as Sanctification and Holiness is the great and chief End among true Christians which moves them to gather together therefore the Apostle Paul defines the Church in his Salutation to the Corinthians 1 Cor. 1. 2. Vnto the Church of God which is at Corinth them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus called to be Saints so the Church is such as are sanctified in Christ Jesus called to be Saints The Power and Authority Order and Government we speak of is such as a Church Meeting Gathering or Assembly claims towards those that have or do declare themselves Members who own believe and profess the same Doctrines and Principles of Faith with us and go under the same Distinction and Denomination whose Escapes Faults and Errors may by our Adversaries justly be imputed to us if not seasonably and christianly reproved reclaimed or condemned for we are not so foolish as to concern our selves with those who are not of us far less who stand in Opposition to us so as to reprove instruct or reclaim them as Fellow Members or Brethren yet with a Respect to remove the general Reproach from the Christian Name with a tender Regard to the good of their immortal Souls for the Zeal we owe to God's Glory and
should suffer all manner of Irregularities and Abominations that they might have the more to say against us but the Solid and Real Reasons we have for our Way herein will sufficiently plead for us in the Hearts of all Sober Men and moreover the Testimony of God's Spirit in our Hearts doth abundantly confirm us both against the Folly of the one and the Envy of the other Fourthly There being nothing more needful then to preserve Men and Women in Righteousness after they are brought into it and also nothing more certain then that the great Enemy of Man's Soul seeks daily how he may draw back again and catch those who have in some measure escaped his Snares and known Deliverance from them therefore do we also meet together that we may receive an opportunity to understand if any have fallen under his Temptations that we may restore them again if possible or otherwise separate them from us Surely if we did not so we might be justly blamed as such among whom it were lawful to commit any Evil unreproved indeed this were to be guilty of that Libertinism which some have falsly accused us of and which hath been our Care all along as become the People of God to avoid therefore have we sought always to keep the House clean by faithfully reproving and removing according to the Nature of the Offence and the Scandal following thereupon private things privately publick things publickly We desire not to propagate Hurt and defile Peoples Minds with telling them such things as tend not to edifie yet do we not so cover over or smooth over any Wickedness as not to deal roundly with the Persons guilty and causing them to take away the Scandal in their acknowledgment before all to whose Knowledge it hath come yet judge we not our selves obliged to tell that in Gath or publish that in the Streets of Askelon which makes the Daughters of the Vncircumcised rejoyce or strengthen Atheists and Ranters in their Obduredness who feed more upon the Failings of the Saints then to imitate their true Repentance and therefore where we find an Unfeigned Returning to the Lord we desire not to remember that which the Lord hath forgotten nor yet to throw Offences in the Way of the weak that they may stumble upon them And therefore I conclude that our Care as to these Things also is most needful and a Part of that Order and Government which the Church of Christ never was nor can be without as doth abundantly appear by divers Scriptures heretofore mentioned SECTION Sixth How far this Government doth extend in Matters Spiritual and purely conscientious THUS far I have considered the Order and Government of the Church as it respects outward things and its Authority in condemning or removing such things which in themselves are Evil as being those which none will readily justifie the Necessity of which things is such that few but will acknowledge the Care and Order in these Cases to be commendable and expedient Now I come to consider things of another kind which either verily are or are supposed to be Matters of Conscience or at least wherein People may lay claim to Conscience in the acting or forbearing of them in which the great Question is How far in such Cases the Church may give positive Orders or Rules How far her Authority reacheth or may be supposed to be binding and ought to be submitted to For the better clearing and Examination of which it will be fit to consider First Whether the Church of Christ have Power in any Cases that are Matters of Conscience to give a positive Sentence and Decision which may be obligatory upon Believers Secondly If so in what Cases and Respects she may so do Thirdly Wherein consisteth the Freedom and Liberty of Conscience which may be exercised by the Members of the true Church diversly without judging one another And Lastly In whom the Power decisive is in Case of Controversie or Contention in such Matters which will also lead us to observe the vast Difference betwixt us and the Papists and others in this particular As to the First Whether the Church of Christ have Power in any Cases that are Matters of Conscience to give a positive Sentence and Decision which may be obligattry upon Believers I answer affirmatively she hath and shall prove it from divers Instances both from Scripture and Reason for first all Principles and Articles of Faith which are held doctrinally are in Respect to these that believe them matters of Conscience We know the Papists do out of Conscience such as are zealous among them adore worship and pray to Angels Saints and Images yea and to the Eucharist as judging it to be really Christ Jesus so do others place Conscience in things that are absolutely wrong Now I say we being gathered together into the Belief of certain Principles and Doctrines without any Constraint or worldly Respect but by the meer Force of Truth upon our Understanding and its Power and Influence upon our Hearts these Priâ—â—â—â—â—es and Doctrines and the Practices necssarily depending upon them are as it were the Terms that have drawn us together and the Bond by which we became centered into one Body and Fellowship and distinguished from others Now if any one or more so engaged with us should arise to teach any other Doctrine or Doctrines contrary to these which were the Ground of our being One who can deny but the Body hath Power in such a Case to declare this is not according to the Truth we profess and therefore we pronounce such and such Doctrines to be wrong with which we cannot have Unity nor yet any more Spiritual Fellowship with those as hold them and so such cut themselves off from being Members by dissolving the very Bond by which they were linked to the Body Now this cannot be accounted Tyranny and Oppression no more then in a Civil Society if one of the Society shall contradict one or more of the fundamental Articles upon which the Society was contracted it can be reckon'd a breach or iniquity in the whole Society to declare that such Contradictors have done wrong and forfeited their Right in that Society in case by the original constitution the Nature of the Contradiction implys such a Forfeiture as usually it is and will no doubt hold in Religious Matters as if a Body be gathered into one Fellowship by the Belief of certain Principles he that comes to believe otherwayes naturally scattereth himself for that the Cause that gathered him is taken away and so those that abide constant in declaring the thing to be so as it is and in looking upon him and witnessing of him to others if need be to be such as he has made himself do him no Injury I shall make the Supposition in the general and let every People make the Application to themselves abstracting from us and then let Conscience and Reason in every impartial Reader declare whether or not it doth
cannot be denied that there may arise Persons in the true Church that may do such Things from such a Spirit though pretending Conscience and Tenderness then it must also be acknowledged that such to whom God hath given a true Discerning by his Spirit may and ought to judge such Practices and the Spirit they come from and have no Unity with them which if it be owned in the General proves the Case to wit that some pretending Conscience in Things seeming indifferent but yet it proceeding in them from a Spirit of Singularity Emulation or Strife those that have received a Discerning thereof from the Lord may and ought to judge the Transgressors without being accounted Imposers Oppressors of Conscience or Inforcers of Uniformity contrary to the Mind of Christ against which the Apostle also guardeth the Churches of old Phil. 2. 3 4. Let nothing be done through Strife or Vain-Glory but in Lowliness of Mind let each esteem other BETTER THEN THEMSELVES Look not every Man on his own Things but every Man also on the Things of others Now if it be an Evil to do any Thing out of Strife thus such Things that are seen so to be done are they not to be avoided forsaken So that we are confident our Judgment herein cannot be denied or reputed Erroneous except it be said that none will or can arise in the Church of Christ pretending such things from such a Spirit which I know not any that will it being contrary to the express Prophecies of the Scripture the Experience of the Church in all Ages as may appear from Mat. 24. 24. Acts 15. 24. 1 Tim. 4. 5. 2 Tim. 3. 8. Mark 13. 21 22 2 Pet. 2. 19. Or on the other Hand that those that abide faithful and have a Discerning of those Evils ought to be silent and never ought to reprove and gainst and them nor yet warn and guard others against them and that it is a part of the commendable Unity of the Church of Christ to suffer all such Things without taking Notice of them I know none will say so but if there be any so foolish as to affirm it let them consider these Scriptures Gal. 2. 4. 1 Tim. 1. 20. 2 Tim. 2. 24 25. Tit. 1. 9 10 11. Now if none of these hold true but on the contrary such Evils have been and may be found to creep in among the People of God and that such as see them may and ought to reprove them then necessarily the doing so is neither Imposition Force nor Oppression As to the third concerning the Consequence and Tendency of them it is mostly included in the two former for whatsoever tendeth not to Edification but on the contrary to Destruction and to beget Discord among Brethren is to be avoided according to that of the Apostle Rom. 16. 17. Now I beseech you Brethren mark them which cause Divisions and Offences contrary to the Doctrine which ye have learned and avoid them And since there is no greater Mark of the People of God then to be at Peace among themselves whatsoever tendeth to break that Bond of Love and Peace must be testified against let it be observed I peak always of the Church of Christ indeed and deal with such as are of another Mind not as reckoning only false Churches not to have this Power but denying it even to the true Church of Christ as judging it not fit for her so to act as in relation to her Members for though Christ be the prince of Peace and doth most of all commend Love and Unity to his Disciples yet I also know he came not to send Peace but a Sword that is in dividing Man from the Lusts and Sins he hath been united to and also it is the Work of his Disciples and Messengers to break the Bonds and Unity of the Wicked wherein they are banded against God his Truth the Confederacy of such as stand in Unrighteousness by inviting and bringing as many as will obey unto Righteousness whereby they become disunited and separated from their Companions with whom they were centered at Peace in the contrary and cursed Nature and indeed blessed are they that are sent forth of the Lord to scatter here that they may gather into the Unity of the Life and they are blessed that in this Respect even for Righteousness Sake are scattered and separated from their Brethren that they may come to know the Brotherhood and Fellowship which is in the Light from which none ought to scatter nor to be scattered but be more and more gathered thereunto this leads me to what I proposed in the third Place under this Head of the true Church's Power in Matters Spiritual or purely Conscientious which may be thus objected If thou plead so much for an Oneness in the smallest Matters wherein consisteth the Freedom and Liberty of the Conscience which may be exercised by the Members of the true Church diversly without judging one another In answer to this Proposition I affirm first in general That whatsoever Things may be supposed to proceed from the same Spirit though divers in its Appearance tending to the same End of Edification and which in the Tendency of it layeth not a real Ground for Division or Dissension of Spirit Fellow Members ought not only to bear one another but strengthen one another in them Now the Respects wherein this may be I can describe no better then the Apostle Paul doth principally in two Places which therefore will be fit to consider at length for the opening of this Matter this being one of the weightiest Points pertaining to this Subject because as on the one Hand due Forbearance ought to be exercised in its right Place so on the other the many Devices and false Pretences of the Enemy creeping in here ought to be guarded against The first is 1 Cor. 12. from 4. to 31. thus 4 Now there are Diversities of Gifts but the same Spirit 5 And there are Difference of Administrations but the same Lord. 6 And there are Diversities of Operations but it is the same God which worketh all in all 7 But the Manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withall 8 For to one is given by the Spirit the Word of Wisdom to another the Word of Knowledge by the same Spirit 9 To another Faith by the same Spirit to another the Gifts of Healing by the same Spirit 10 To another the Working of Miracles to another Prophecy to another Dâ—scerning of Spirits to another divers kinds of Tongues to another the Interpretation of Tongues 11 But all these worketh that one and the self-same Spirit dividing to every Man severally as he will 12 For at the Body is one and hath many Members and all the Members of that one Body being many are one Body so also is Christ 13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one Body whether we be Jews or Gentiles whether we be bond or free