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
it and the manner how the fellowship of this mystery is to be injoyed by the Saints in the Church is a great mystery 2. That the discovery of this mystery was and is only from and by the Apostles 3. That none can see until they are made to see 4. That it is so discovered in the Word when God shall reveal it it shall be plain for all to see that have eyes to see or shall be made to see 5. The truth of this is clearly manifested in respect of the irreconcilablenes that at the present is between men of differing judgments which evidence that the light is not so clear nor convincing of either party as to prevail with the spirits even of spiritual men to a subjection to the other which here the Apostle shews in the light revealed by him in the Scriptures shall be such that all men shall see it yea and though they do not see it they shal be made to see so that there is a very commanding power in the light to be revealed to reveal the way of Jesus Christ to the Church An Objection hence may be made that it is true indeed it was hid from the world in the Ages past but revealed now Answer It was indeed revealed by the Apostles and practised by them in the then Churches but when God hid the Church in the wilderness then the fellowship of the mystery came to be hid with it for in the hiding of the one the other came to be hid which is to continue so hid 1260 years Now as God hid Moses body no man could possibly find it ever after And as God himself is said to dwel in inapproachable light so the way of God in the Church is in the Scriptures hid as in inapproachable light which cannot be approached unto until God give a man the sight thereof First it was said to be hid in God before revelation now it may be said to be hid in the Word to which we are to apply our selves for direction and discovery Now the chief way as I apprehend for the discovery of the fellowship of this mystery by us will be by a finding out of the clearest most apparent means of publick communion in Church-dispensations which is that I shall by Gods assistance endevor to manifest in the ensuing tract The ground whereof I take from Ephesians 4.11 12. where it is written Christ ascended up on high and gave some Apostles some Prophets some Evangelists some Pastors and Teachers 1. This clearly shews that to the right constituting of every true Church there ought to be set up these several Administrations therein 2. The words of the 12. verse prove the necessity and end of it 1. They are for the perfecting of the Saints without which the Saints cannot be perfected but are left to continue in imperfection 2. They are for the work of the Ministry so that the Ministry cannot be performed by any in the Church but by these 3. They only without any other added to them serve sufficiently for the work which Christ left to be done in the Church by the Ministry 4. Without all these the work of the Ministry cannot be done but will be imperfectly administred in the Church 5. The failing of these Administrations prove to become failings in the Church among whom these Administrations ought to be exercised so that the Church cannot be without them no more then a ship without a Pilot or a Child without a Nurse to feed it now that we may see how the Church hath been or ought to be provided for is to be judged hence 1. As under Episcopacy it is wel known to all there ere abundance of supernumerary Officers and Offices pertaining to Ecclesiastical affairs whose names were not written in the Gospel-Calender which gave just occasion to the adversary to except against them 2. I suppose Presbytery to be as far too short the whole frame of the Ministerial Government being swallowed up in one office and officiated by one person Here I desire my Brethren the Ministers that differ in judgment from me and occasioned the writing of this rude and indigested thing to consider of 1. Where one man may lawfully excercise the several Administrations before specified to be in the Church by an ordinary Call 2. How necessary it is the Church should injoy her differing Administrations and Administrators and what enemies they were who took them down in the Church 3. How unwarrantable a thing it is to set up that in the Church for a Church-Ministry which God hath not set up to rule by Authority not derived from Jesus Christ over the family of God I know many of you may say to me as the Pharisees to the blind man Wilt thou teach us Brethren I gladly acknowledg my unworthiness weakness wickedness and will be yet more and more vile then man can make me for the Gospels sake and Church of Christ whose servant I have made my self to be in the Ministry of the Gospel though every way unworthy and thence account my self engaged to witness to the truth and plead her cause though my sufferings abound thereby Jesus Christ witnessing with my own conscience my purposes are not but for the discovery of the truth and the knowledg of the way of Christ in the Churches 3. In the true Church are found all these and no other Administrations then are mentioned by the Apostle in the Scripture beforesaid Quest What shal we have no Church nor Church-Ministry until we have new Apostles Ans New Apostles there are never to be Quest How shall these then be in our Churches Resp These being ordained by Jesus Christ to be in the Church for the ends and purposes before proposed must be in it some way to do this though not personally either ordinarily or extraordinarily 2. That way which Moses and the Prophets were in the Jews Church under the Law that way are the Apostles and Prophets in the Gospel Church under the Administrations thereof Luk. 16.29 They have Moses and the Prophets let them hear them so it is plainly proved though the Jews had them not with them personally yet they had them with them ministerially 3. Hence is it said Moses was preached in their Synagogues every Sabbath so is Pauls doctrine taught by faithful Teachers as if Paul taught it in the Church 4. Things being fully considered we may conceive the Apostles to be more fully with us then any before in some kind 1. The Epistles not being written to any one Church nor all written until after Pauls time 2. After they were written they were not suddenly collected for the publick use of the Church The second Church-Administration is that of Prophets 1. By Prophets here I understand not those that wrote before Christs time only but those since also as the Revelations written by John and Pauls Prophesies and Peters these all were for the edifying of the Church and without whom the Church could not be Now
went before to prepare for Christs Ministry and to this it is Christ alludes saying that the least in the Kingdom of Heaven that is the least ministerial Officer in the Kingdom of Heaven was greater then he which implies Johns Ministry was not of the Kingdoms Ministry 2. Christ himself before the calling of his Disciples and the constituting of his Church did officiate this Ministry Mat. 4.17 He is said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to preach or to commend the Kingdom of God to men which was to prepare for a Church and after that was gathered then he Teacheth and Evangelizeth Acts ult 31. Paul was said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 preaching sc to prepare the people and then being prepared he is said also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to teach them these two are distinct things and are to be performed by divers administrations 3. Christ did as I may so say this part of Ministry in reference to his Disciples Ministry which was to succeed him who were indeed to erect the Kingdom State to the world which before Christs death was not to be set up his death putting an end to the other administration hence our Saviour speaks as unto a people out of Church-Society Mat 12. the whole Chapter 4. In the Scripture the order observed by the Holy Ghost in the expression is to be observed the Lord placing preaching before teaching the one being a Ministry to be communicated to all the other only to those that are in Church-fellowship and of the communion of Saints and always followeth the other Now for this Ministry as well as the other ought to be contained in the world still for though the Apostle tells us that the other of Evangelists Pastors and Teachers belong only to the Church for the edifying of the Church yet he saith not this ought not to be exercised for the preparing men for that other Ministry of the Saints as the Temple stones squared before brought to the Temple to be layd on the building Quest If our Ministry established amongst us at present be a Church-Ministry Resp I shall speak this to all that are godly and wise to judg of by what hath been said I do not deny God hath a Church by this Ministry that now is in this Kingdom but is an invisible one only Quest. What our Ministry hath done then amongst us Resp It hath only prepared for a Church Object It may be some will say the Ministers now do all these in their places Resp But by what warrant we do these things were very good for us all to consider of 2. How or to whom to apply the words of James I know not unless in this kind that some men then as we now did undertake the dispensations of divers administrations among the Jews James 3.1 be ye not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 many teachers consider the Reason rendred that seems to clear it knowing we shall receive the greater condemnation and ye know Timothy a man highly commended for gifts and grace yet undertakes it not until he be called thereto by Paul he bidding him do the work of an Evangelist 2 Tim. 4. Object But it may be said Paul executeth all these Resp 1. That which the Apostle did by Inardiat call and warrant from Christ is one thing we of the contrary are forbidden it 2. The Apostles were to do all to teach others to do it when others were fit to do it then they put them to do it also That Evangelists Pastors and Teachers are three distinct publike offices and are executed in every Church is proved by the Epistles written to the Churches 1. Rome a Church constituted according to the Gospel frame Chap. 12. ver 6 7 8. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us where prophesie let us prophesie or Ministry let us wait on Ministry or exhortation let us wait on exortation or he that teacheth on teaching It is without all question the Apostle speaks here of publike Ministry and of private Christian duty and only of Church-Ministry 1. They are joyned subordinately to prophesie a publike duty 2. They are commanded to wait on them 3. Each man is injoyned a waiting on his own work only and not others 4. The Apostle saith they are differing gifts 5. Ruling a publike office follows them and then private duties after that again and whereas the Apostle saith they are diverse gifts I cannot but think that if ever there were a Church rightly constituted in this Kingdom greater gifts would be bestowed on men then any have been since the Apostles time whence once they came to be imployed to that end which the Lord ordained them I grant indeed that in the Scripture all the Church-Ministry is set out oft times by one word in Scripture as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the like but the Scriptures are not then wanting to prove the truth of this doctrine for these are in the plural number signifying God had respect to more then one Teacher in a Church 2. That the three are but one compleat Ministry 3. That they all belong but to one Church 4. That what the one doth the other doth but in a different kind 5. That superiority was not to be sought for of them nor to be amongst them Object This is a way never to be errected in these times we have not one Minister for a Church you say we should have three Resp What may the world have said when there were but twelve Apostles only yet they set up many Churches in a little time against many enemies and in the time of Heathenish darkness 1. God will not be wanting to his own Ordinance 2. Five men in this way may do more in a City then fifteen now do 3. Though this was scarce done in the Country villages in the Apostles time yet now in many places the Ministry having prevailed so with the people they are far more meet hereto now then otherwise they could have been or the villagers were in Pauls time for the Apostles at first erected the Churches in the chief Cities of the world as appears by their Epistles being places in which the greatest confluence of people were and hence the villagers were called Pagani quasi ex pagis the villages of many Continents being a long time ignorant of the Gospel after it had been preached in the Cities thereof The third Church I shall now speak of is that of Corinth 1 Cor. 12.4 The Apostle tells us that there are diversities of gifts and after tells what these gifts are in these words To one is given the word of knowledg to another the word of wisdom 2. Lest any should appropriate these to one individual person ordinarily he distinguished them and saith to one and to another and therefore not to the same man 3. Lest any should think these were meant of gifts given to private men only he saith That these divers gifts have also divers administrations added to them which
and John were in the ordinary way of Ministry designed to officiate as other Ministers in the Church of Jerusalem 2 Those that held Episcopacy held James to be Bishop of Jerusalem those for Presbytery that he was President of the Counsel which was fulfilled in his Evangelical office by which he had a kind of priority in the Church 3. In 2 Pet. 5.1 Peter who was an Apostle as James was also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not only an Elder but an Elder with others in the Church of Jerusalem which were James and John 4. None do speak to the question but Peter and Iames in the Counsel Iohn it is like was not present and if others had been required to answer to the question it is like they would have been put on to speak to it if they had spoken to it it had been doubtless written of 5. It being a question of doctrine it is likely here the Church did not send to these Elders who were ordained for helps in government only 6. I suppose none could joyn with the Apostles that were ordinary men to say as the Apostles did ver 28. saying it seemed good to us and the Holy Ghost 7. If I should grant that there were other Elders and not the Apostles I suppose we should not have sufficient ground from hence to practise it 1. These had extraordinary gifts the Holy Ghost having visibly before descended on them 2. That there was some more then ordinary cause in it appears because they pass by other Churches and send to that though they were neerer to them and that not only because she was the Mother Church Quest Why did they send to the Apostles under both Titles and not use one of them only if there be meant the same persons in this place only 1 As Elders they wrote concerning their Members and their sending forth to the Churches in which they had relation to them as Pastors 2. As Apostles so they wrote concerning the doctrine for the Answer is made from them distinctly and divided into these two heads Acts 15.24 It pleased the Apostles and Elders with the whole Church to write For as much as we have heard that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words subverting your souls saying ye must be circumcised and keep the Law to whom we gave no such Commandment 1. This was done of them as Elders joyntly with the Church where they officiated their ministerial calling Verse 28. It seemed good to the Holy Ghost and to us to lay no greater burden on you Now this the Apostles did as Apostles not as Elders for it was not in the power of any Church to impose a burden on another Church which Christ had not imposed I may in this kind speak much more in Answer to this Objection but I am diversly at present straightned One of the most usual Scriptures brought to confirm mixt Congregations is that of the Tares Mat. 13. then which I think none more fully condemns it I shall shew you the wrong application of the words and the right using together for brevity sake the Parable and Exposition made by Christ in the Chapter together 1. The man is Christ which sowed the word in his field that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the world 2. The tares who are the children of the wicked and ungodly men they appear among the good seed which is the godly 3. The Ministers ver 28. would gather forth the wicked from the good but Christ saith let them alone lest they root up good men with the bad 4. They must both grow together vers 30. untill the harvest which is the end of the world being the day of judgment and then God sends forth the Angels the reapers to gather them and burn them Others hence say this was not to continue mixt societies with ungodlymen that were openly prophane but that the tares were so like the wheat as that the Apostles may be deceived in the likeness of them and pull up one for another But briefly to speak to the point the falacie lyeth in these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 these being rightly understood shew the truth and it is thus Christ he preaching the word to the people of Church-Commuon calls it the world his Ministry works on some that they were born again by the immortal seed of the word others they hearing shew their hate against it the Apostles see a necessity for the good of the wheat that the tares be pulled away which they desire but are forbid until the accomplishment of this time which is the time of continuance of Moses Ministry in which Christ then was and endured until Christs Resurrection when the harvest was to begin ver 39. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as we understand it generally when the Angels the Ministers of the Gospel were to be sent out and when the tares were to be gathered out as Mat. 28. the Apostles were sent out by Christ heretofore Mat. 9.37 38. The harvest is great the labourers are few Pray the Lord of the harvest that he send forth labourers into his harvest Now whether the harvest in this acceptation be not to succeed the end of Moses Ministry in which Believers were only added to the Church or such as did outwardly profess the Gospel and others excluded I leave to be judged and then what is to be gathered out all that doth offend Ceremonies and all things offensive and then the persons offending both persons and things are to be taken thence to which if we add the place to which the corn in harvest is brought It will yet more plainly appear ver 30. it is to be carryed into Christs barn which is the Church and the estate of grace here ver 41. after all things offences and offenders are gathered out which is not to be untill the end of the world and the wicked are cast into hell then the righteous shine in the Kingdom of their Father Now this hath respect to the state of glory in the Heavens the Fathers Kingdom being now under administration then before they were this Parable I suppose was chiefly directed to the Jews the Parable of the fish to the Gentiles which is used in the same nature to prove the same thing as this that is mentioned before 1. Mat. 13.47 The net is the Gospel the Sea the Heathen world in opposittion to the Jew set out by the field and in respect of the troublesomness of the people under the Gospel-Ministry as it was prophesied by the Psalmist Psal 2.1 Why do the Gentiles rage 2. In that it is said they took of every kind signified the many Nations tongues and people should be brought in and converted by the Gospel to God 3. The Gospel under this Metaphorical expression a net is said to gatherthem to bring men to hear it to gain on mens affections and then to draw them signifying the power of the Gospel in the heart