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A42933
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Gods government of his church, and the deputation thereof to men both for the civill and ecclesiastical estate : especially for the ecclesiasticall, concerning which many doubts and debates are now moved.
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1641
(1641)
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Wing G958; ESTC R21789
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29,179
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52
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holy Nation Exod. 19.6 so under the Gospel God hath chosen a generation a royall Priesthood an holy nation nation a peculiar people 1 Pet. 2.9 God of old c Psal 76.1 was known in Jewry salvation was of the Jews Now also there are the Jews indeed and the d Gal. 6.16 Israel of God those who know God in Christ and he e Rom. 2.28 is not a Jew who is one outward in the flesh but he is one who is one within in the heart whose praise is not onely of men that his brethren should praise him but of God also by whom to be praised argueth a true praise indeed And now the old Jerusalem being demolished Jerusalem f Gal. 4.26 from above is the true mother of us all There is also a great correspondence between the enemies of Gods people then and of true Christian now Then was an enmity between the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent Christ in his time found a generation g Mat. 23.33 of vipers or serpents opposing him Himself h Apoc. 12. and his Angels Apostles and others were fought against by the Dragon and his Angels or instruments A late upstart persecuting Egypt and Babel exercise cruelty on the Christian Church as the former Egypt and Babel did on Gods people Sundry crosses betided Israel formerly in the wildernesse the Church under the Gospel is again driven into the i Apoc. 12.6 wilderness and gratiously still maintained by Gods hand as before another Gog k Apoc. 20.8 and Magog fight against the Church in these last dayes as in former times There were false Prophets among Gods people of old and a 1 Jude 11. Balaam who loved the wages of unrighteousnesse such there are now who spare not the flock wolves m Act. 20.29 in sheeps cloathing There were before a Jannes and Jambres who resisted Moses so now there n 2 Tim. 3.8 are some who resist the truth There was of old a gainsaying of Koreh against Moses and the Priests in sacred administration above others as if God had made a parity the like gainsaying to that of Koreh is foretold to been in o Jude 11. these last times So then seeing God giveth us no new Scripture over and above the old and new Testament but of his great mercy hath left them unto us for to direct our judgements and practice to them both we ought carefully to attend The old Testament was made usefull and was sufficient for the Jewish Church the old and new together have whatsoever is necessary for these last times We must fetch our instruction from both and therefore the new often relateth to the old for the old is of great use still in very many things and the equity still remaines of many observances types and ceremonies which themselves are not to bee used Christ fulfilled and put an end to some of them as the sacrifices and Paschal lamb which typed Christs dying for our sins and Jonas type shewing his rising againe the third day the observance of beasts cleane and uncleane shewing a distinction of Jews and Gentiles and some other the like Yet when Christ had fulfilled these and put a period to their observance some instruction thence is to bee raised to our selves as thus Christ was offered up as a sacrifice for us and dyed on the Grosse wee therefore must not p As Paul Act. 20.24 refuse to dye for the Gospel and must q Col. 3.5 sacrifice and mortifie our lusts Christ was the true Pascha and ended that type but in stead of it instituted the Lords Supper Christ as Jonas rose againe the third day we must rise from the death of sin the Gentiles were as beasts unclean but Christ purifying their hearts by faith they are become clean and fellow heires and one body with us yet even to this day wee r 2 Cor. 6.14 must not bee unequally yoked by marriage with infidels nor ſ 2 Thes 3.6 communicate with such as walk inordinately Other rites and ceremonies there be in the Law which do directly concern us yet their literal observance is utterly taken away as namely the seventh daies Sabbath answerable to Gods resting from creating the world was fulfilled and ended by Christs body resting that day in the grave but yet a new * Heb. 4.10 day of rest comes in place of it the Lords day in which Christ rested from the work of our Redemption Circumcision is abolished yet circumcision of heart and lips are still of use And as a Jewish child was to be circumcised the eighth day so ought a Christians child to be baptized in its infancy though Christ hath not expressely injoyned this in the new Testament The Israelites were to keep the Paschal feast to express their belief in Christs deliverance of them to come and their thankfulnesse for the same so hath not the Christian Church well ordained a solemn Easter feast in memory and thankfulnesse for our deliverance from a worse bondage purchased by Christ The Jews kept a feast at Pentecost in memory of Gods giving them the Law at that time and hath not the Christian Church well appointed us to observe with thankfulnesse our Pentecost at which time Christ sent downe the holy Ghost on the Apostles and others inabling them to write for us the Gospel and to deliver unto us all necessary saving and comforting truth and if the Jewes lawfully kept the feast of dedication instituted for the memory of Gods mercy unto them after Antiochus Epiphanes profanation of the Sanctuary as verily they did for Christ witnessed thereunto a Joh. 10.22 by his observance of that feast much more may wee lawfully in a thankfull remembrance of any great deliverance or favour of God observe a solemnity which publick authority shall ordaine As the Israelites in the wildernesse gathered Manna as every one could best find it laid it down in cōmon to bee distributed to every family according to their need in regard of the number of their persons yet in Canaan every one held a propriety in their possessions and goods So the Apostles and primitive Christians in case of necessity had all things common which concerned their present maintainance yet afterward left every man to hold a propriety in his estate and goods The Fire which descended from heaven to burn the sacrifices was by the care of the Priests to be kept ever burning and never to goe out so now the Spirit of God which came downe from heaven upon the Apostles in the similitude of fiery tongues is ever to be kept in and not to be quenched 1. Thes 5.19 The Priests and Levites who in time of the Law * 1. Cor. 9.13 attended at the Altar partaked with the Altar so now they which labour in the Gospel ought to live of the Gospel The sacrificing Priests and Levites teachers of the Israelites had as the Priests in the Patriarchs time
GODS GOVERNMENT OF HIS CHURCH AND THE DEPUTATION THEREOF TO MEN Both for the CIVILL and ECCLESIASTICAL Estate Especially for the Ecclesiasticall concerning which many doubts and debates are now moved PROV 8. VER 15 16. By mee Kings raignâ— and Princes decree Justice By mee Princes and Nobles even all the Judges of the earth rule Printed in the yeare 1641. GODS GOVERNMENT OF HIS CHURCH CHAP. I. SOme Heathen because they were regardlesse of the maine passages of the world and others because they did too curiously measure them by the line of humane reason erred in their opinion conceiving that God tooke not care of this inferiour world But such among them as were more considerate and better sighted made no question but that God had not onely an all-seeing eye of providence to behold and regard but also an eye intent to the ballancing of mens actions and in effect said that God was well pleased and would in mercy sooner or later reward them who continued in well doing and would punish those in this life or another who were given up to doe evill Christians have more undoubted knowledge of these things then others and well understand that God hath a speciall eye on mankind and hath not left men to themselves because they are prone to errour in judgement and mis-carriage in their actions as having of themselves more saile in their affections then ballast in their understanding and will and therefore that God as of right hee may so of his singular goodnesse he doth take care to governe and instruct the sons of men This the Holy Scripture maketh evident unto us when God is stiled The Lord and Father of all and all men said to be at his command and disposing his dutifull sons or rebellious children So when he is called the Master of the houshold and all the world his family The Builder of his Church making choice of fit stones for the rearing up of the same The Shepheard of the flocke and all the world his sheep or goats The Lord of the vineyard and all people his pleasant plants or fruitlesse trees That we might take more speciall notice hereof God is stiled The Ancient of dayes The King of kings The Prince of the Kings of the earth The Bishop of our soules The great Shepheard of the sheep The Rabbi or great teacher of his people The head of the Church and of all Principality and power By these Titles of God and all other the like in Scripture wee can attaine but in part and in some small measure to the knowledge of his Majesty wisedome and excellency For this Well is vast and deep and our pitchers narrow mouth'd and of small capacity yet may wee observe that these things attributed to God doe in most eminent and superlative manner belong unto him So that as God is the great Shepheard of the sheep and King of kings so he is likewise the great both Judge and Bishop of our soules and Ancient of dayes and the Judge of judges and Bishop of the bishops of our soules and the Ancient of all ancients of dayes In the beginning of the world God often shewed himselfe unto and in more familiar manner conversed and spake with the Patriarchs and thereby most clearly manifested his love and care of mankind his authority and wisedome to oversee and order to governe and teach them and to expresse the actions which are correspondent unto the titles above spoken of This was a wonderfull condiscending of his infinite Majestie to humane weakenesse and an extraordinary favour to some speciall instruments of his glory for the good of others his people and not the usuall way in which hee intended to walke as appeareth by the history of after times But greater love and mercy did God shew when the son of God tooke our nature upon him conversed among men thirty and odde yeares when I say Christ Jesus borne King of the Jewes and being the heire of David though refused by the Jews and their Rulers became obedient to death even to the death of the crosse and performed all things requisite and fore-appointed by God for mans salvation and redemption and having delivered all doctrine and instruction by his owne sermons and his Apostles preaching and writings in which were comprised all necessary matters for the working of faith in us that in beleeving wee may have eternall life through Christs name he left the world to make use of the same by the comfort of the Holy Ghost sent down unto them and sits on the right hand of his Father in heaven and as Lord and Christ rules and moderates all things here below as having all soveraigne power and authority in heaven and earth given unto him CHAP. II. Gods Deputation of the Government of the Church to men before Christs time and how it was practised IN regard that man as God himselfe said is but dust and of a fraile nature and as the chiefe Rulers of Israel felt at Gods terrible and dreadfull delivery of the Law humane imbecility is not able to endure Gods glory and majestie nor to heare his immediate voyce and because if God making much lesse appearance of Majesty should goe along with men in their proceedings hee should as he told Moses consume them in the way if they became which they are prone unto a froward rebellious and stiffe-necked people In regard I say that these dangers would befall mankind as also for many other reasons well did the Israelites say to Moses Talke thou with us and wee will heare but let not God talke with us lest we dye And for this cause God hath graciously vouchsafed to make over a Deputation to men and to commit the Government and teaching of the people to men called and gifted extraordinarily by himselfe or to men so qualified by ordinary meanes as he himselfe hath prescribed and so called by men as he hath appointed This God hath done because these his Deputies being men compassed with like infirmities and subject to like passions as others would moderately compassionate others who either through the ignorance of their mindes should fall into errour or through depravation of their wils and affections should trespasse in their actions This Deputation of Governours and Teachers appeareth most plainly in some parts of Scripture where occasion was given to explicate it fully and to have it settled exactly as in Moses time For then Moses first educated in Pharaohs court and afterward flying thence and becomming for forty years a shepheard in Midian that from a low degree he might be capable of exaltation was called by God to be the shepheard captain and King of Israel for leading Gods people out of Egypt Of this Moses God saith that he should be to Aaron as a Exod. 4.16 7.1 God and made him Judge of his people And when Moses could not hear b Exod. 18.13 and end all the controversies among so numerous a people God bids him take seventy cheif