are in no lesse distresse now then at that time and in some congregations the ministers are so oppressed that publikely they dare not in others so corrupted that they will not pray for the prosperity of Jerusalem Now truly it were a disconsolate thing for any one of Gods servants to say during all these streights I never joyned with any of Gods children in the pouring out of my prayer in the behalfe of his Church neither can I see how this can possibly be prevented but by the former meanes to which adde the councell of St. Paul speaking to themselves in Psalmes and hymnes and Spirituall songs making melody in their hearts unto the Lord Eph. 5. 19. Secondly they may exercise the gifts of wisdom knowledge and understanding in the wayes of the Lord comforting strengthening and incouraging each other with the same consolations and promises which by the benefit of the publicke Ministry they have received from the word thus in time of distresse the Prophet Malachi tels us that they that feared the Lord spake often one to another and the Lord hearkned and heard c. Chap. 3. 16. comforting as it appeares one another in the promises of God made unto his Church against the flourishing of the wicked and overflowing of ungodlinesse the persecution of Tyrants and impurity of transgressors Thirdly they may make use of the tongue of the learned if given unto them to speake a word in season to him that is weary Isa. 50. 4. for being commanded to confesse their faults one to another James 5. 16. they have power also to apply to them that are penitent the promises of mercy We should never be commanded to open our wounds to them who have no balme to powre into them he shall have cold comfort who seekes for Councell from a dumbe man so that in this the like cases they may apply unto and instruct one another in the word of God doing it as a charitable duty and not as out of necessary function even as Aquila and Priscilla expounded unto Apollos the word of God more perfectly then he knew it before Act. 18. 23. in summe and not to inlarge this discourse with any more particulars the people of God are allowed all quiet and peaceable meanes whereby they may help each other forward in the knowledge of godlinesse and the way towards heaven now for the close of this discourse I will remove some objections that I have heard godly men and men not unlearned lay against it out of a zeale not unlike that of Joshua for Moses sake the constitute Pastors sake to whom though I might briefly answer with Moses I would to God all the Lords people were prophets I heartily wish that every one of them had such a plentifull measure of spirituall endowments that they might become wise unto salvation above many of their Teachers in which vote I make no doubt but every one will concurre with me who have the least experimentall knowledge what a burthen upon the shoulders what a griefe unto the soule of a Minister knowing and desiring to discharge his duty is an ignorant congregation of which thanks to our Prelates Pluralists non-Residents Homilies Service-Book and Ceremonies we have too toomany in this Kingdom the many also of our ministers in this Church taking for their directory the laws and penalties of men informing what they should not do if they would avoid their panishment and not the precepts of God what they should as their duty do if they meant to please him and knowing there was no Stature whereon they might be sued for pardon the expression the dilapidation of soules so their owne houses were ceiled they cared not at all though the Church of God lay wast I say though I might thus answer with opening my desire for the increasing of knowledge among the people of which I take this to be an effectuall means yet I will give briefe answers to the severall objections Then this seemes to favour an allowance of licentious Conventicles which in all laces the Lawes have condemned learned men in all ages have abhorted as the seminaries of faction and schisme in the Church of God That under correction I conceive that the Law layeth hold of none as peccant in such a kinde but onely those who have predeclared themselves to be opposers of the worship of God in the publique Assemblies of that Church wherein they live Now the patronage of any such I before reâ—â—cted neither doe I conceive that they ought at all to be allowed the benefit of private meetings who wilfully abstaine from the publique Congregations so long as the true worship of God is held forth in them Yea how averse I have ever beene from that kinde of confused licentiousnesse in any Church I have somewhile since declared in an Answer drawne up for my owne and some private friends satisfactions to the arguments of the Remonstrants in their Apologie and replies to Vedelius with other Treatises for such a liberty of prophecying as they terme it If then the Law account onely such assemblies to be conventicles wherein the assemblers contemne and despise the service of God in publique I have not spoken one word in favour of them and for that Canon which was mounted against them whether intentionally in the first institution of it it was moulded and framed against Anapabtists or no I cannot tell but this I am sure that in the discharge of it it did execution oftentimes upon such as had Christs precept and promise to warrant their assembling Mat. 18. 19 20. Not to contend about words would to God that which is good might not be persecuted into odious appellations and called evill when it is otherwise so to oppose it to the tyrannicall oppression of the enemies of the Gospell The thing it selfe rightly understood can scarce be condemned of any who envies not the salvation of soules They that would banish the Gospell from our houses would not much care if it were gone from our hearts from our houses I say for it is all one whether these duties be performed in one family or a collection of more some one is bigger then ten other shall their assembling to performe what is lawfull for that one be condemned for a Conventicle Where is the law for that or what is there in all this more then God required of his ancient people as I shewed before Or must a master of a family cease praying in his family and instructing his children and servants in the wayes of the Lord for feare of being counted a Preacher in a Tub things were scarcely carried with an equall hand for the Kingdom of Christ when orders came forth on the one side to give liberty to the profane multitude to assemble themselves at heathenish sports with bestiall exclamations on the Lords own day and on the other to punish them who durst gather themselves together for prayer or the singing of Psalmes but I hope through Gods
familyes I have purposely omitted to speake of Melchisedocke as I said before having spoken all that I can or dare concerning him on another occasion Onely this I will adde they who so confidently affirme him to be Shem the sonne of Noah and to have his Priesthood in an ordinary way by vertue of his Primogeniture might have done well to aske leave of the Holy Ghost for the revealing of that which he purposely concealed to setforth no small mystery by them quite overthrowne And he who of late makes him looke upon Abraham and the four Kings all of his Posterity fighting for the Inheritance of Canaan of which cause of their quarrell the Scripture is silent robs him at least of one of his titles a King of peace making him neither King nor peaceable but a bloody Grandsire that either could not or would not part his fighting children contending for that whose right was in him to bestow on whom he would And thus was it with them in the administration of sacred things There was no divine determination of the Priestly office on any order of men when things appertaining unto God were to be performed in the name of a whole family as afterwards 1 Sam. 20. 6. Perhaps the honour of the performance was by consent given to the first borne Further the way of teaching others was by petarnall admonition so Gen. 18. 19 motives thereunto and rules of their proceeding therein being the law of nature and speciall revelation Prescription of positive law ordained for the good of community could have no place when all society was domesticall To instruct others upon occasion wanting instruction for their good is an undeniable dictate of the first principles of nature obedience to which was all the ordinary warrant they had for preaching to any beyond their owne families observed by Lot Gen. 19. 7. though his sermon contained a little false doctrine ver. 81. Againe speciall revelation leaves as a great impression on the minde of him to whom it is made so an effectuall obligation for the performance of what it directeth unto the Lyon hath roared who will not fear the Lord God hath spoken who can but prophesâ—e Amos 3. 8. And this was Noahs warrant for those performances from whence he was called a preacher of righteousnes 2 Pet. 2. 5. Thus although I doe not finde any determinate order of Priesthood by divine institution yet do I not thence conclude with Aquin. 12. ae quest 3. a 1 if I noted right at the reading of it that all the worship of God I meane for the manner of it was of humane invention yea sacrifices themselves for this Will worship as I shewed before God alwayes rejected no doubt but sacrifices and the manner of them were of divine institution albeit their particular originall in regard of precept though not of practice be to us unknowne for what in all this concernes us we may observe that a superinstitution of a new ordinance doth not overthrow any thing that went before in the same kinde universally morrall or extraordinary nor at all change it unlesse by expresse exception as by the introduction of the ceremoniall law the offering of sacrafices which before was common to all was restrained to the posterity of Levi looke then what performances in the service of God that primitive houshold of faith was in the generall directed unto by the law of nature the same regulated by Gospel light not particularly excepted ought the generallity of christians to performe which what they were may be collected from what was fore spoken CHAP. II. Of the same among the Jewes and of the duty of that people distinct from their church officers 2. COncerning the Jews after the giving of Moses law the people of God were then gathered in one and a standard was set up for all his to repaire unto and the Church of God became like a City upon a hill conspicuous to all and a certaine rule set downe for every one to observe that would approach unto him as then before the law we sought for the manner of Gods worship from the practise of men so now since the change of the externall administration of the covenant from the prescription of God then we ghessed at what was commanded by what was done now at what was done by what was commanded and this is all the certainety we can have in either kinde though the consequence from the precept to the performance and on the contrary in this corrupted state of nature be not of absolute necessity onely the difference is where things are obscured it is a safer way to prove the practise of men by Gods precept charitably supposing them to have been obedient then to wrest the divine rule to their observation knowing how prone men are to deifie themselves by mixing their inventions with the worship of God The Administration of Gods providence towards his Church hath been various and the communication of himselfe unto it at sundry times hath been in divers manners especially it pleased him not to bring it to perfection but by degrees as the earth bringeth forth fruit first the blade then the eare then the full corne in the eare thus the Church before the giving of Moses law seems to have had two maine defects which the Lord at that time supplyed one in discipline or government in that every family exercised the publique worship of God within it self or a part though some do otherwise conclude from Gen. 4. 26. which was first removed by establishing a consistory of Elders the other in the Doctrine wanting the rule of the written word being directed by tradition the manifold defects whereof were made up by speciall revelatition to neither of these defects was the Church since exposed whether there was any thing written before the giving of the law is not worth contending about Austine thought Enochs prophesie was written by him prophesie was written by him and Josephus afirmes that there were two pillars erected one of stone the other of brick before the stoode wherein divers things were ingraven and Sixtus Senensis that the booke of the wars of the Lord was a volume ancienter then the bookes of Moses but the contrary opinion is most received so Chrysost. Hom. 1. in Mali after its giving none ever doubted of the perfection of the written word for the end to which it was ordained untill the Jewes had broached their Talmud to oppose Christ and the Papists their Traditions to advance Antichrist doubtlesse the sole aime of the work what ever were the intentions of the workmen The Lights which God maketh are sufficient to rule the seasons for which they are ordained as in creating of the world God made two great lights the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night so in the erection of the new world of his Church he set up two great lights the lesser light of the old Testament to guide the night the
charge is in particular given to the King Chap. 17. vers. 18 19. The performance of a King in obedience thereunto will give us light enough into the practise of the people And this we have in that most excellent Psalme of David viz. 119. which for the most part is spent in petitions for light direction and assistance in that study in expressions of the performance of this duty and in spirituall glorying of his successe in his divine Meditations especially vers 99. hee ascribeth his proficiency in heavenly wisedome and understanding above his teachers not to any speciall revelation not to that propheticall light wherewith he was endued which indeed consisting in a transient irradiation of the mind being a supernaturall impulsion commensurate to such things as are connaturall onely unto God doth of it selfe give neither wisedome nor understanding but unto his studdy in the testimonies of God The blessings pronounced upon and promises annexed to the performance of this duty concerne not the matter in hand only from the words wherein the former command is delivered two things may be observed 1. That the paternall teaching and instruction of families in things which appertaine to God being a duty of the Law of Nature remained in its full vigor and was not at all impaired by the institution of a new order of Teachers for assemblies beyond domesticall then established Neither without doubt ought it to cease amongst Christians there being no other reason why now it should but that which then was not effectuall Secondly that the people of God were not onely permitted but enjoyned also to reads the Scriptures and upon all occasions in their owne houses and else-where to talke of them or communicate their knowledge in them unto others There had been then no Councell at Trent to forbid the one nor perhaps was there any strict Canon to bring the other within the compasse of a Conventicle But now for the solemne publique teaching and instructing of others it was otherwise ordained for this was committed to them in regard of ordinary performance who were set apart by GOD as for others before named so also for that purpose the Author of the Treatise I before mentioned concludeth that the people were not taught at the publike assemblies by Priests as such that is teaching the people was no part of their office or duty but on the contrary that seems to be a mans duty in the service or worship of God which God requires of him and that appertain to his office whose performance is expressely enjoyned unto him as such And for whose neglect hee is rebuked or punished now all this wee find concerning the Priests publike teaching of the people for the prof of which the recitall of a few pertinent places shal suffice Levit. 10. 11. we have an injunction laid upon Aaron and his sonnes to teach the children of Israel all the statutes that the Lord had spoken to them by the hand of Moses And of the Levites it is affirmed Deut. 33. 10. They shall teach Jacob thy statutes and Israel thy Law Now though some restraine these places to the discerning of leprosies and between holy and unholy with their determination of difficulty emergent out of the Law yet this no way impaires the truth of that I intend to prove by them for even those things belonged to that kind of publike teaching which was necessary under that administration of the Covenant but in stead of many I will name one not lyable to exception Mil. 2. 7. The Priests lips should preserve knowledge and they should seeke the Law at his mouth for he is the messenger of the Lord of Hosts where both a recitall of his own duty that he should be full of knowledge to instruct the intimation of the people that they should seeke unto him or give heed to his teaching with the reason of them both for he is the Lords messenger one of the highest titles of the Ministers of the Gospell performing the same office doe abundantly confirme that instructing of the people in the morall worship of God was a duty of the Priestly office or of the Priests as such Especially considering the effect of this teaching mentioned vers. 9. the turning of many from their iniquitie The proper end of teaching in assemblies all which we find exactly perperformed by an excellent Priest preaching to the people on a Pulpit of wood Nehem. 8. 5 6 7 8. Further for a neglect of this the Priests are threatned with rejection from their office Hosea 4. 6. Now it doth not seeme justice that a man should be put out of his office for a neglect of that whose performance doth not belong unto it the fault of every neglect ariseth from the description of a duty untill something then of more force then any thing as yet I have seene bee objected to the contrary we may take it for granted That the teaching of the people under the Law in publique assemblies was performed ordinarily by the Priests as belonging to their duty and office Men indued with gifts supernaturall extraordinarily called and immediately sent by God himselfe for the instruction of his people the reformation of his Church and fore-telling things to come such as were the Prophets who when ever they met with opposition staid themselves upon their extraordinary calling come not within the compasse of my disquisition The institution also of the Schooles of the Prophets the employment of the sonnes of the Prophets the originall of the Scribes and those other possessours of Moses Chaire in our Saviours time wherein hee conversed here below being necessarily to be handled in my Observations on the fore-named Treatise I shall omit untill more leisure and an enjoyment of the small remainder of my poore Library shall better enable me For the present because treating in causa facili although writing without bookes I hope I am not besides the Truth the Booke of Truth praised bee GOD is easie to bee obtained and GOD is not tyed to meanes in discovering the truth of that Booke Come we then to the consideration of what duty in the service of GOD beyond those belonging unto severall families were permitted to any of the people not peculiarly set apart for such a purpose The Ceremoniall part of Gods worship as we saw before was so appropriate to the Priests that God usually revenged the trangression of that ordinance very severely the Examples of Vzzah and Vzziah are dreadfull testimonies of his wrath in that kind It was an unalterable law by vertue whereof the Priests excommunicated that presumptuous King For that whch we chiefly intend the publique teaching of others as to some it was enjoyned as an act of their duty so it might at first seeme that it was permitted to all who having ability thereunto were called by charity or necessitie So the Princes of Jehoshaphat taught the people out of the Law of God as well as the Priests and Levites 2 Chron. 17. 7 8 9 10.
darke space of time under the law and the greater light of the new Testament to rule the glorious day of the Gospel and these two lights do sufficiently enlighten every man that commeth into this new world There is no neede of the false fire of tradition where God sets up such glorious lights This be premised for the pronass of men to deflect from the golden rule and heavenly polestarre in the investigation of the truth especially in things of this nature concerning which we treat wherein ordinary indeavours are farre greater in searching after what men have done then what they ought to have done and when the fact is once evidenced from the pen of a Rabbi or a Father presently conclude the right amongst many we may take a late treatise for instance intituled of Religious Assemblies and the publike service of God whose author would prescribe the manner of Gods worship among Christians from the custome of the Jewes and their observations he would prove from the Rabbines not at all taking notice that from such observances they were long agon recalled to the law and to the testamony And afterwards for them sharply rebuked by truth it selfe doubtlesse it is a worthy knowledge to be able and a commendable deligence to search into those coyners of curiosities but to imbrace the fancy 's of those wild-heads which have nothing but noveltie to commend them and to seeke their imposition on others is but an abasing of their owne ceisure and others industry The issue of such a temper seemes to bee the greatest part of that treatise which because I wait onely for some spare houres to demonstrate in a perticular tract I shall for the present omit the handling of divers things there spoken of though otherwise they might very opportunately here be mentioned As the Office and Duty of Prophets the manner of gods worship in their Synagogues the originall and institution of their latter teachers Scribes and Pharises And briefly onely observe those things which are most immediatly conducing to my proposed subject The worship of God among them was either Morall or Ceremoniall and Typicall the performances belonging unto the latter with all things thereunto conducing were appropriated to them whom God had peculiarly set a part for that purpose By Ceromoniall worship I understand all Sacrifices and Offerings the whole service of the Tabernacle and afterwards of the Temple all which were Typicall and established merely for the present dispensation not without purpose of their Abrogation when that which was to be more perfect should appear Now the severall Officers with their distinct employments in and about this Service were so punctually prescribed and limited by Almighty God that as none of them might {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} without presumptious impiety intrude into the function of others not allotted to them as Numb. 16. 7 8 9 10. So none of their Bretheren might presume to intrude into the least part of their Office without manifest sacriledge Josh. 22. 11 12. True it is that there is mention of divers in the Scripture that offered Sacrifices or vowed so to do who were Strangers from the Priests Office yea from the Tribe of Levi as Jepha Judges 11. Manoah Jud. 13. David 2. Sam. 6. And again 2. Sam. 24. Solomon Kings 3. and again 1. Kings 9. But following our former rule of Interpreting the practise by the precept we may finde and that truely that all the expresions of their Offerings signifie no more but they brought those things to be offered and caused the Priests to do what in their owne persons they ought not to performe Now hence by the way we may observe that the people of God under the new Testament contrary distinct from their Teachers have a greater interest in the performance of spirituall duties belonging to the worship of God and more in that regard is granted unto them and required of them then was of the ancient people of the Jewes considered as distinguished from their Priests because their duty is prescribed unto them under the notion of those things which then were appropriate onely to the Priests as of offering incense sacrifice oblations and the like which in their originall institution were never permitted to the people of the Jewes but yet tralatitiously and by Analogie are injoyned to all Christians but of these afterwards the main question is about the duty of the people of God in performances for their owne edification and the extent of their lawfull undertakings for others instruction for the first which is of nearest concernment unto themselves The summe of their duty in this kind may bee reduced to these two heads First to heare the Word and Law of God read attentively especially when it was expounded Secondly to meditate therein themselves to study it day and night and to get their senses exercised in that rule of their duty Concerning each of which we have both the precept and the practise Gods command and their performance The one in that injunction given unto the Priest Daut 31. 11 12 13. When all Israel is come to appeare before the Lord thy God in the place that hee shall choose thou shalt reade this Law before all Israel in their hearing Gather the people together men and women and children and thy stranger that is within thy gates that they may heare and that they may learne and feare the Lord your God and that their children which have not knowne may heare and learne All which we find punctually performed on both sides Nehem. 8. 2 3 4 5. Ezra the Priest standing on a Pulpit of wood read the Law and gave the meaning of it and the eares of all the people were attentive to the Booke of the Law Which course continued untill there was an end put to the observances of that Law as Act. 15. 21. Moses of old time hath in every Citie them that preach him being read in the Synagogues every Sabbath day On which ground not receding from their ancient observations the people assembled to heare our Saviour teaching with authority Luk. 21. 38. And S. Paul divers times tooke advantage of their ordinary assemblies to preach the Gospel unto them For the other which concernes their own searching into the Law and studying of the Word wee have a strict command Deut. 6. 6 7 8 9. And these words which I command thee this day shall bee in thy heart and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children and shalt talke of them when thou sittest in thy house and when thou walkest by the way and when thou lyest down and when thou risest up and thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thy hand they shal be as front lets between thine eyes thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house upon thy gates which strict charge is again repeated cap. 11. 18. summarily comprehending all wayes whereby they might become exercised in the Law Now because this
55. 14. and all this with much more of the same nature at their meetings either occasionall or for that purpose indicted Alwayes provided that they abstained from fingring the Arke or medling with those things which were appropriated to the office of the Priests And concerning them hitherto CHAP. 3. Containing a digression concerning the name of Priests the right of Christians thereunto by their interest in the Priesthood of Christ with the presumption of any particularly appropriating it to themselves ANd now the transaction of these things in the Christian Church presents it selfe to our consideration in handling whereof I shall not at all discourse concerning the severall Church Officers instituted by Christ and his Apostles for the edification of his body nor concerning the difference between them who were partakers at first of an extraordinary vocation and those who since have been called to the same work in an ordinary manner divinely appointed for the direction of the Church neither yet doth that diversity of the administration of government in the Churches then when they were under the plenitude of Apostolicall power and now when they follow rules prescribed for their reiglement come in my way Further Who are the subject of the keyes in whom all that secondary ecclesiasticall power which is committed to men doth reside after the determination of so many learned men by cleere Scripture light shall not by me be called in question All these though conducing to the businesse in hand would require a large discussion and such a Scholasticall handling as would make it an inconsutilous piece of this popular discourse my intent being only to shew that seeing there are as all acknowledge some under the New Testament as well as the old peculiarly set apart by Gods own appointment for the administration of Christs ordinances especially teaching of others by preaching of the Gospell in the way of office and duty what remaineth for the rest of Gods people to doe for their own and others edification But here before I enter directly upon the matter I must remove one stone of offence concerning the common apellation of those who are set apart for the preaching of the Gospell that which is most frequently used for them in the New Testament is {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} so 1 Cor. 3. 5. 2 Cor. 3. 6. and Chap. 6. 4. and 11. 15 23. 1 Tim. 4. 6. and in divers other places to which adde {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} 1 Cor. 41. a word though of another originall yet of the same signification with the former both rightly translated Ministers the names of Ambassadours Stewards and the like wherewith they are often honoured are figurative given unto them by allusion only that the former belonged unto them and were proper for them none ever denied but some Rabshakes of Antichrist another name there is which some have assumed unto themselves as an honour and others have imposed the same upon them for a reproch viz. that of Priest which to the takers seemed to import a more mysterious imployment a greater advancement above the rest of their brethren a neerer approach unto God in the performances of their office then that of Ministers wherefore they embraced it either voluntarily alluding to the service of God and the administration thereof amongst his antient people the Jewes or thought that they ought necessarily to undergoe it as belonging properly to them who are to celebrate those mysteries and offer those sacrifices which they imagined were to them prescribed the imposers on the contrary pretend divers reasons why now that name can signifie none but men rejected from Gods work and given up to superstitious vanities attending in their minds the old Priests of Baal and the now shavelings of Antichrist it was a new Etimologie of this name which that learned man cleaved unto who unhappily was ingaged into the defence of such errours as he could not but see and did often confesse To which also he he had an entrance made by an Arch-bishop to wit that it was but an abbreviation of Presbyters knowing full well not only that the signification of these words is divers amongst them to whom belongs jus norma loquendi but also that they are widely different in holy writ Yea farther that those who first dignified themselves with this title never called themselves Presbyters by way of distinction from the people but only to have a note of distance among themselvs there being more then one sort of them that were sacrificers and which eo nomine accounted themselves Priests setting aside then all such evasions and distinctions as the people of God are not bound to take notice of and taking the word in its ordinary acceptation I shall briefly declare what I conceive of the use thereof in respect of them who are Ministers of the Gospell which I shall labour to cleare by these following observations 1. All faithfull Ministers of the Gospell in as much as they are ingrafted into Christ and are true believers may as all other true Christians be called Priests but this inasmuch as they are members of Christ not Ministers of the Gospell it respecteth their persons not their function or not them as such now I conceive it may give some light to this discourse if we consider the grounds and reasons of this metaphoricall appellation in divers places of the Gospell ascribed to the worshippers of Christ and how the analogie which the present dispensation holds with what was established under the administration of the Old Testament may take place for there we find the Lord thus bespeaking his people ye shall be unto me a kingdome of Priests an holy nation Exod. 19. 6. so that it should seeme that there was then a twofold Priesthood a rituall Priesthood conferred upon the tribe of Levi and a royall Priesthood belonging to the whole people the first is quite abrogated and swallowed up in the Priesthood of Christ the other is put over unto us under the Gospell being ascribed to them and us and every one in covenant with God not directly and properly as denoting the function peculiarly so caâ—led but comparatively with reference had to them that are without for as those who were properly called Priests had a neerer accesse unto God then the rest of the people especially in his solemne worship so all the people that are in covenant with God have such an approximatioÌ„ unto him by vertue thereof in comparison of them that are without that in respect thereof they are said to be Prists now the outward covenant made with them who were the children of Abraham after the flesh was representative of the Covenant of grace made with the children of Promise and that whole people typified the hidden elect people of God so that of both there is the same reason Thus as the Priests the sons of Levi are said to come neere unto God Deut. 21. 5. and God tels them
the fruit of our lips Secondly of good vvorks Heb. 13. 14. to do good and to communicate forget not for vvith such sacrifices God is well pleased Thirdly {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} or self-slaughter crucifying the old man killing sin and offering up our souls and bodies an acceptable sacrifice unto God Rom. 12. 1. Fourthly the sweet Incense of Martyrdom yea and if I be offered up on the sacrifice and service of your faith Philip 2. 17. Now these and sundry other services acceptable to God receiving this appellation in the Scripture denominate the performers of them priests Now here it must be observed that these aforenamed holy duties are called Sacrifices not properly but metaphorically onely not in regard of the externall acts as were those under the Law but in regard of the internall purity of heart from whence they proceed And because pure Sacrifices by his own appointment where heretofore the most acceptable service to Almighty God therefore now when he would declare himself to be very much delighted with the spirituall acts of our duty he calls them Oblations Incense Sacrifices Offerings c. to intimate also a participation with him in his Offices who properly and directly is the onely Priest of his Church and by the communication of the vertue of whose sacrifice we are made Priests not having authority in our own names to go unto God for others but having liberty through him and in his name to go unto GOD for our selves Not to lose my self and Reader in this digression the sum is the unspeakable blessings which the Priesthood of Christ hath obtained for us are a strong obligation for the duty of praise and thanksgiving of which that in some measure we may discharge our selves he hath furnished us with sacrifices of that kinde to be offered unto God for our own parts we are poor and blinde and lame and naked neither in the field nor in the fold in our hearts nor among our actions can we finde any thing worth the presenting unto him wherefore he himself provides them for us especially for that purpose sanctifying and consecrating our souls and bodies with the sprinkling of his blood and the unction of the holy spirit Further he hath erected an Altar to sanctifie our gifts in heaven before the Throne of grace which being spread over with his blood is consecrated unto God that the sacrifices of his servants may for ever appear thereon adde to this what he also hath added the eternall and never expiring fire of the favour of God which kindleth and consumes the sacrifices laid on that Altar and to the end that all this may be rightly accomplished he hath consecrated us with his blood to be Kings and Priests to God for evermore So that the close of this discourse will be that all true Beleevers by vertue of their interest in Jesus Christ are in the holy Scripture by reason of divers allusions called Priests which name in the sense before related belonging unto them as such cannot on this ground be ascribed to any part of them distinguished any wayes from the rest by vertue of such distinction Secondly the second thing I observe concerning the businesse in hand is that the offering up unto God of some metaphoricall sacrifices in a peculiar manner is appropriate unto men set a part for the work of the Ministery as the slaying of mens lusts and the offering up of them being converted by the preaching of the Gospel unto God so Saint Paul of his Ministery Rom. 15. 16. That I should be the Minister of Iesus Christ unto the Gentiles ministring the Gospel of God That the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable c. Ministers preaching the Gospel to the conversion of souls are said to kill mens lusts and offer them up unto God as the fruit of their calling as Abel brought unto him an acceptable sacrifice of the fruit of his flock and so also in respect of divers other acts of their duty which they perform in the name of their Congregations Now these sacrifices are appropriate to the Ministers of the Gospel not in regard of the matter for others also may convert souls unto God and offer up prayers and praises in the name of their companions but in respect of the manner they do it publikely and ordinarily others privately or in extraordinary cases now if the Ministers who are thus Gods instruments for the conversion of souls be themselves ingrafted into CHRIST all the acts they perform in that great work are but parts of their own duty of the same nature in that regard with the rest of our spirituall sacrifices so that they have not by them any further peculiar interest in the Office of the Priesthood more then others But if these Preachers themselves do not belong unto the Covenant of Grace as God oftentimes out of his care for his flock bestows gifts upon some for the good of others on whom hee will bestow no graces for the benefit of their own souls men may administer that consolation out of the Word unto their flock which themselves never tasted preach to others and bee themselves castawaies Saint Paul tells us that some Preach Christ out of envy and contention not sincerely but on purpose to adde to his affliction and yet saith he whether in pretence or in truth Christ is preached and therein doe I rejoyce yea and will rejoyce Philip 1. 16 17 18. surely had there been no good effected by such Preaching Saint Paul would not have rejoyced in it and yet doubtlesse it was no evidence of Sanctification to Preach Christ meerely out of contention and on purpose to adde to the affliction of his servants but I say if the Lord shall be pleased at any time to make use of such as instruments in his glorious worke of converting soules shall we thinke that it is looked upon as their sacrifice unto God No surely the soule of the Lord is delighted with the Repentance of sinners but all the sacrifices of these wicked men are an abomination unto him and therefore they have no interest in it neither can they from hence be said to be Priests of God seeing they continue dogges and uncleane beasts c. so that all the right unto this Priestly Office seemes be resolved into and be the same with the common interest of all beleevers in Christ whereby they have a participation of his office whence I affirme Thirdly that the name of Priests is no where in the Scripture attributed peculiarly and distinctly to the Ministers of Gospel as such let any produce an instance to the contrary and this controversie is at an end yea that which puts a difference betweene them and the rest of the people of Gods Holinesse seemes to be a more immediate participation of Christs Propheticall Office to teach instruct and declare the Will of God unto men and not of his sacerdotall to offer sacrifices for men unto God Now I could
of us we may let this rest amongst those {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} it apappeareth then from the preceding discourse that a man pretending to extraordinary vocation by immdiate revelation in respect of selfe-perswasion of the truth of his call he must be as ascertained of it as he could be of a burning fire in his bones if there shut up CAP. VI What assurance men extraordinarily called can give to others that they are so called in the former way THe next thing to be considered is what assurance he can give to others and by what means that he is so called Now the matter or subject of their imployment may give us some light to this consideration and this is either the inchoation of some divine work to be established amongst men by vertue of a new and before never heard of Revelation of Gods will or a restauration of the same when collapsed and corrupted by the sin of men To the first of these God never sendeth any but whom he doth so extraordinarily and immediately call and ordain for that purpose and that this may be manifested unto others he alwayes accompanieth them with his own almighty power in the working of such miracles as may make them beleeved for the very works sake which God by them doth effect This we may see in Moses and after Iesus Christ anointed with the oyl of gladnesse above his fellows to preach the Gospel the Apostles but this may passe for nothing in such a way shall ever again take place God having ultimately revealed his minde concerning his worship and our salvation a curse being denounced to man or angel that shall pretend to Revelation for the altering or changing one jot or title of the Gospel For the other the work of Reformation there being ever since the writing of his Word an Infallible rule for the performance of it making it fall within the duty and ability of men partakers of an ordinary vocation and instructed with ordinary gifts God doth not always immediately call men unto it but yet because oftentimes he hath so done we may enquire what assurance they could give of this their calling to that imployment Our Saviour Christ informs us that a Prophet is often without honour in his own country The honour of a Prophet is to have credence given to his Message of which it should seem Jonas was above measure zealous yet such is the cursed Infidelity and hardnesse of mens hearts that though they cryed Thus saith the Lord yet they would reply the Lord hath not spoken hence are those pleadings betwixt the Prophet Ieremie and his enemies the Prophet averring of a truth the Lord hath sent me unto you and they contesting that the Lord had not sent him but that he lyed in the Name of the Lord now to leave them inexcusable and whether they would heare or whether they would forbeare to convince them that there hath been a Prophet amongst them as also to give the greater credibility to their extraordinary message to them that were to beleeve their report it is necessary that the Arme of the Lord should be revealed working in and by them in some extraordinary manner it is certain enough that God never sent any one extraordinarily instructed onely with ordinary gifts and for an ordinary end the ayme of their imployment I shewed before was extraordinary even the reparation of something instituted by God and collapsed by the sin of man that it may be credible or appeare of a truth that God had sent them for this purpose they were alwayes furnished with such gifts and abilities as the utmost reach of humane indeavours with the assistance of common grace cannot possibly attaine The generall opinion is that God alwayes supplies such with the gift of miracles Take the Word in a large sence for every supernaturall product beyond the ordinary activity of that secondary cause whereby it is effected and I easily grant it but in the usuall restrained acceptation of it for outward wonderfull workes the power of whose production consists in operation I something doubt the universall truth of the assertion We do not read of any such miracles wrought by the Prophet Amos and yet he stands upon his extraordinary immediate vocation I was neither Prophet nor the son of a Prophet but the Lord called me c. it sufficeth then that they be furnished with a supernaturall power either in 1. Discerning 2. Speaking 3. Working the power of Discerning according to the things by it discernable may be said to be of two sorts for it is either of things present beyond the power of humane investigation as to know the thoughts of other mens hearts or their words not ordinarily to be knowne as Elisha discovered the bed-chamber-discourse of the King of Syria not that by vertue of their calling they come to be {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} knowers of the heart which is Gods property alone but that God doth sometimes reveale such things unto them for otherwise no such power is included in the nature of the gift which is perfective of their knowledge not by the way of habit but actuall motion in respect of some particulars and when this was absent the same Elisha affirmeth that he knew not why the Shunamitish woman was troubled or secondly of things future and contingent in respect of their secundary causes not precisely necessitated by their own internall principle of operation for the effecting of the things so foreknown and therefore the truth of the fore-knowledge consists in a commensuration to Gods purpose Now effects of this power are all those predictions of such things which wee finde in the old and new Testament and divers also since secondly the supernaturall gift in speaking I intimate is that of Tongues proper to the times of the Gospel when the Worship of God was no longer to be confined to the people of one nation The third in Working is that which strictly and properly is called the gift of Miracles which are hard rare and strange effects exceeding the whole order of created nature for whose production God sometimes useth his servants instrumentally moving and inabling them thereunto by a transient impression of his powerfull grace of which sort the holy Scripture hath innumerable relations Now with one of those extraordinary gifts at the least sometimes with all doth the Lord furnish those his messengers of whom we treat which makes their message a sufficient revelation of Gods Will and gives it credibility enough to stir up faith in some and leave others inexcusable All the difficulty is that there have been Simon Magusses and are Antichrists falsely pretending to have in themselves this mighty power of God in one or other of the forenamed kinds Hence were those many false Prophets Dreamers and Wizards mentioned in the old Testament which the Lord himselfe forewarnes us of as also those Agents of that man of sin whose comming is after the working of
wherefore try every one trie his spirit his spirituall gift of teaching that by the word of God And here you have a door rule laid down how you may extricate your selves from the former perplexity Nay St. Paul himself speaking to understanding Christians requires them to judge of it 1 Cor. 10. 15. I speake as to wise judge ye what I say hence are those cautions that the people should looke that none do seduce them Matth. 24. 4. to which end they must have their souls exercised in the word of God to discerne good and evil Heb. 5. 14. thus also in one place Christ biddeth his followers heare the Pharisees and do what they should command because they sate in Moses chaire Matt. 23. 2 3. and yet in another place gives them a caution to beware of the Doctrine of the Pharisees Matr. 16. 12. it remaineth then that the people are bound to hear those who possesse the place of teaching in the Church but withall they must beware that it contain nothing of the old leaven to which end they must try it by the word of God when as Saint Paul prayeth for the Philippians that their love might abound yet more and more in knowledge and all judgement that they might approve things that are Excellent Phil. 1. 9 10. unlesse ministers will answer for all those soules they shall mislead and excuse them before God at the day of triall they ought not to debar them from trying their Doctrine now this they cannot do for if the blinde lead the blinde both shall fall into the pit of destruction And here I might have just occasion of complaint 1. Of the Superstitious pride of the late Clergy of this land who could not endure to have their doctrine tried by their auditors crying to poor men with the Pharises John 9. you were altogether borne in sins and do you teach us A pretty world it is like to be when the sheepe will needs teach their Pastors nothing would serve them but a blinde submission to the loose dictates of their cobweb homilies he saw farther sure in the darkenesse of Popery who contended that a whole generall Councell ought to give place to a simple lay man urging Scripture or speaking reason Now surely this is very far from that gentlenesse meeknesse and aptnesse to teach which St. Paul requireth in a man of God a minister of the Gospel Secondly the negligence of the people also might here come under a just reproofe who have not laboured to discerne the voice of the hireling from that of the true shepheard but have promiscuously followed the new fanglednesse hereticall errours of every time serving starver of souls Whence proceedeth all that misery the land now groaneth under but that we have had a people willing to be led by a corrupted Clergy freely drinking in the poison wherewith they were tainted the Prophets prophesied falsely the Priests bare rule by their meanes the people loved to have it so but what shall we now doe in the end thereof who could ever have thought that the people of England would have yeilded a willing eare to so many Popish errours and an obedient shoulder to such a heavy burden of Superstitions as in a few years were instilled into them and laid upon them voluntarily by their own sinfull neglect ensnaring their consciences by the omission of this duty we insist upon of examining by the word what is taught unto them but this is no place for complaints and this is a second thing which the people distinct from their Pastors may do for their own edification now whether they do this privately every one apart or by assembling more together is altogether indifferent And that this was observed by private Christians in the Primitive times is very apparent Come we in the third place what either their duty bindes them to or otherwise by the word they are allowed to doe in sacred performances having reference to others looke then in generall upon those things we finde them tied unto by vertue of speciall precept such as are to warne the unruly comfort the feeble minded support the weake 1 Thes. 5. 14. To admonish and reprove offending brethren Matth. 18. 15. to instruct the ignorant Joh. 4. 29. Act. 18. 26. to exhort the negligent Heb. 3. 15. and 10. 24. 25. to comfort the afflicted 1 Thes. 5. 11. to restore him that falleth Gal. 6. 1. to visit the sicke Matth. 25. 36 40. to reconcile those that are at variance Matth. 5. 9. to contend for the truth Jude 3. 1 Pet. 3. 15. to pray for the sinner not unto death 1 Ioh. 5. 16. to edifie one another in their most holy faith Jude 20. to speak to themselves in Psalmes and hymnes and spirituall songs Ephe. 5. 19. to be ready to answer every man in giving account of their faith Col. 4. 6. to marke them that make divisions Rom. 16. 17. with innumerable others to the like purpose it remaineth them to consider Secondly in particular what course they may take beyond private conference between man and man by indiction of time or place for the fulfilling of what by these precepts and the like is of them required To which I answer 1. Lawfull things must be done lawfully if any unlawfull circumstance attends the performance of a lawfull action it vitiates the whole worke for Bonum oritur ex integris for instance to reprove an offender is a Christian duty but for a private man to do it in the publicke congregation whilest the Minister is preaching were instead of a good act a soule crime being a notorious disturbance of Church decency and Order 2. That for a publicke formall Ministeriall teaching two things are required in the Teacher First gifts from God Secondly authority from the Church and I speake now of ordinary cases he that wants either is no true Pastor For the first God sends none upon an employment but whom he fills with gifts for it 1. not one command in the Scripture made to Teachers 2. Not one rule for their direction 3. Not one promise to their endeavours 4. Not any end of their unemployment 5. not one incouragement to their duty 6. Not one reproofe for their negligence 7. Not the least intimation of their reward but cuts off ungifted Idoll pastors from any true interest in the calling And for the other that want authority from the Church neither ought they to undertake any formall act properly belonging to the Ministery such as is solemne teaching of the word For 1. they are none of Christs officers Ephes. 4. 11. 2. They are expresly forbidden it Ier. 23. 21. Heb. 5. 4. 3. The blessing on the word is promised only to sent teachers Rom. 10. 14 15. 4. If to be gifted be to be called then 1. Every one might undertake so much in sacred duties as he fancies himselfe to be able to performe 2. Children as they report of Athanasius might baptise 3. Every common Christian