in the wilderness they were our Types 1 Cor. 10.11 In their Temple-state they were our Types and what God spake to them then was as typing out the state which was to come after 2 Cor. 6.16 In the state of their Captivity they were the types of the Captivity of the present Israel of God Jer. 50. Revel 11.8 Revel 18.2 4. Therefore what is recorded of them and what befel them according to the Divine wisdom of the most holy God is written for us and for our learning that we might fear with a holy fear Now it appears by the testimony of Divine Truth that there were some parts of Worship which the people were to perform to their God in the Temple at Jerusalem and not elsewhere Deut. 12.6 7 11 13 14. But there were some other parts of his Worship which they might perform to him when they were at the greatest distance from the Temple even in the Land of their Captivity When they were in their own Land they were to perform their Temple-work and Temple-worship at Jerusalem the place where God had chosen to put his Name But in case the Lord should deliver them into the hands of their enemies and they should be led captive into a strange Land inasmuch as they could not come to Jerusalem to worship before the Lord there yet if they did but remember the Lord in the land of their captivity and did humble themselves and pray unto him looking towards his house he would hear in heaven c. That the Lord 's Israel might be put past Temple-work and worship read 1 Kings 8.44 46 47 48 49 50 51. and yet in this their condition when they could not come to Jerusalem if they did but look towards it and repent and pray God would have mercy hear and forgive That these people were carried captive appears 2 Chron. 36.17 to the end of vers 21. Now the Sion of God became a plowed field Now the ways of Sion mourned none came to her solemn Assemblies and for their part they could not sing the songs of Jehovah in a strange Land Now the Lord had broken his two staves of Beauty and Bands Zech. 11.9 10 14. Now was Israel given up to the Robbers Isa 42.23 24 25. Quest Well Quest but what do these people do in the Land of their Captivity Answ They seek the Lord by Fasting and Prayer Answ looking towards his House they hang their Harps upon the willows and fall a mourning and weeping at the remembrance of Sion Read these Scriptures Psal 137. Dan. 9.2 3 4. Dan. 6.10 Zech. 7.3 5. Zech. 8.19 21 22. Ezra 8.23 Quest Quest But did the people ever pray together during the time of their Captivity Answ Answ Yea besides what other places of Scripture may hold out for the clearing of it without doubt it lies clear in the face of this Text Esth 4.3 16. Go gather together all the Jews which are in Shushan and fast ye for me If ever this were the case of this people and they were herein as well as in other things Types in respect of what was to come methinks we are taught to consider that which was afore-time written for our learning according to Rom. 15.4 Rom. 11. That in the Christian Church-state there is something so peculiar to it as that it may not elsewhere be administred as the power of Binding and Loosing in the Name of the Lord Jesus together with the Administration of such Ordinances as are peculiar to a Church wherein the Primitive Churches were exercised for their season contending earnestly for the faith once given to the Saints the woman wearing her Brides attire her goodly cloathing Revel 12.1 until the Dragon made war against her and put her to flight pursuing her with floods of water in which condition of hers she hath lien in the wilderness of the world in the rubbish and confusion of Babel among the pots unpolished growing up as a lily among thorns here one and there another like an Army routed like Sheep unfolded according to that Scripture I saw all Israel scattered upon the mountains like sheep having no shepherd 1 King 22.17 Oh that we could read with affection those passages Psal 80. and Psal 81. Oh how is the Sion of the Lord become a plowed field indeed How is the Vineyard of the Lord spoiled Once it was not so but at this day how do the poor people of the Lord rend and devour and tear and eat up one another what sharp and bitter words How great is the company of spear-men the mother eating up the children of a span long Could this be if the Veil were taken away and our Bondage removed What may be the reason Truth is so miscalled so mistaken one pretends to have it and another to have it Is it not because night is to us for a vision We say we see and we think we see but know not that we are as men that dream The Builders are at oddes among themselves and the stones in the building rise up one against another Can Christ be thus divided If that his true Ministery were on foot would not that rectifie that great Confusion which is among the Builders Would not a Trowel be a Trowel and Brick be Brick and Mortar be Mortar Would not the language of Truth be distinctly understood Would he suffer one of his own servants to throw down what another most dear to himself hath been a building up and a third to destroy the work of them both Oh how great is the desolation if we were but sensible of it and affected with it And when we think to mend our selves and to become Repairers of the breaches behold in stead of a girdle a rent in stead of well-set hair baldness This this is the condition of the Lord's people to them that see it and surely unless the Lord of hosts had left us a remnant we had been like Sodom But blessed be the Lord our Rock who hath given us the valley of Achor for a door of hope Hos 2.15 Ier. 31.16 17. Zeph. 3.8 9 17 18. Now the condition of the Lords Israel being thus routed thus scattered they ought to be afflicted deeply with this their desolation and scattering yet not to mourn as men without hope Jer. 31.15 16 17 but cry mightily unto the Lord and give him no rest Isa 62.1 6 7. Luk. 18.1 7 8. To beare one anothers burthens To inquire of the Lord and one of another the way to Sion Jer. 50.4 5 6. To inquire after the true Lord Jesus Cant. 6.1 Thus according to this order and pattern of a poor captivated people ought the scattered Israel of Jehovah to go mourning and weeping and seeking the Lord and not to go about to build and set up wayes by their own mistaken miscalled and misunderstood gifts But to wait upon the Lord lest it be to them in stead of a girdle a rent Isa 3.24 Quest Seeing God hath
to the Nations in their proper Language Therefore this Scripture rightly understood is not of force against what hath been said Object The Scriptures of the Apostles Object they may in a sence be called the Apostles And as the Apostle spake to the Corinthians If I be not an Apostle to others yet I am one to you so of their Writings If they be not Apostles to others to whom they are not come yet they are so to them to whom they are come Answ Ans Their Writings may be called Apostles in a figure as Isaiah was a Prophet to the Eunuch into whose hands his Prophecie came Act. 8.30 but as he needed one to guide him to understand that Prophet so do we stand in need of a guide to understand the Apostles in their writings And that God who was pleased to send his Messenger to the Eunuch to instruct him and to cause him to understand what he read may in his due time send out his Messengers againe in the Power and Spirit of the former to open to us not onely Moses but Christ and his Apostles whose writings we have but seen them as he who saw men walking like trees or as the Eunuch did the Prophecie of Isaiah before it was expounded If it were but in the heart of Gods People to mistrust their own understanding and but to see need to cry out to the Lord to restore the ancient Gospel and to send out those Messengers which are to Preach to the World his fear and worship according to Rev. 14.6 7 to discover Babylon and mightily to call out his People from thence and to lead to Sion it would not be long before some great thing might be accomplished But while we are apt to think we can do these things of our selves without any farther help no marvel that as yet deliverance comes not Oh if the Lord of the harvest must be sought to finde labourers and to thrust them forth and if he will be enquired of for this to do it why do the Lords remembrancers keep silence and give him any rest till he make Hierusalem a praise in the earth till he build up Sion and gather her stones out of the rubbish of Babylons confusions Object Object But whatever may be pretended for a necessity of a Ministery to the World yet Paul took care for the Ordinances and Ministery of the Churches when he gave Timothy instructions how to behave himself in the Church of the living God and gave him a command to commit that which he had taught him to faithful men who might be able to teach others also 2 Tim. 1.2 Answ Answ It is most certaine he did so and by this place and many others appeares the plentiful provision the Lord made for the Churches in point of Ordinances so far as concerned the rules and laws of Worship Act. 20. from Vers 17 to the 32. 1 Cor. 11.2 23. 1 Cor. 7.17 1 Cor. 14.37 2 Tim. 2.1 2 and almost thorowout those Epistles But though he were faithful in appointing the rules for Worship and giving Laws thereof and committing the same to Timothy and by him to faithful men that they should teach others also yet how treacherous they would in after-times prove to those Rules and Laws of Worship is likewise Prophesied of and foretold which should befal the Christian Churches Act. 20.29 30. 2 Tim. 4.3 4. 2 Pet. 2. Jud. 17.18 and this Apostacy was actually begun in the Apostles dayes 2 Thess 2.7 1 Joh. 2.18 1 Joh. 4.1 and in the dayes of the first Churches Rev. Chap. 2. and 3. which Apostacy was grown to be universal in Chap. 13. ult And how universal it was they that will take pains to compare the History of times may finde to their astonishment Object Object But suppose the Apostacy were every way such as hath been spoken May not the People of the Lord who are the Saints of the most High the Kings and Priests of God Rev. 1.6 Rev. 5.10 may not Believers now being Kings by Jesus Christ restore the Worship and set up the Ordinances of Christ as well as Josiah the King did who set up and repaired what the former evill Kings had broken down and destroyed 2 King 22. Answ The building the House Answ and appointing the Laws and Order of the House of God was by him committed First to Moses Exod. 39.32 42 43 who was Prince of the People the first Kingly Magistrate and he who received from the Lord the pattern of his House and the Laws thereof and he was a Type of Christ Next to him Joshuah renewed the Covenant of the Lord with the People at the Commandment of the Lord Josh 5. from the second verse to the ninth Josh 24.25 26 27. This Joshuah was a Type of Jesus and called by that name Act. 7.45 Heb. 4.8 When the Tabernacle ceased and the Temple came in the roome of it the Lord gave King David the pattern thereof and he to Solomon 1 Chron. 28. from verse 11 to 21 and they were both Types of Christ as Kings Now as to the King it was given to build at first and to appoint the Laws of the House at first so to the Kings was it appointed to repaire the breaches when any were The People of Israel were a Royal Priesthood Exod. 19.6 yet they might not meddle with the Priests Office Numb 16.9 10. They were a Kingly People an anointed Nation 1 Chron. 16.22 Psal 105.15 yet they did not all raign as Kings nor did the People set about the restoring or repairing what was amisse till such to whom it was by order appointed to be their head did set upon the work Neither in the Tabernacle without Moses nor in the Circumcision of those who were born in the wilderness without Joshua nor in the Temple without David or Solomon nor in the repairing the Temple without their Kings as Josiah Hezekiah c. nor in the coming out of Babylon without Zerubbabel Declaring plainly that to them to whom at first was given the power of building the House and appointing the Laws thereof to them did appertain the right of repairing the breach and restoring the Laws which were such persons as did type out the Lord Jesus who as at first he became the corner-stone of the building and did by his Messengers his Apostles and Ministers with whom he manifested his visible presence Matth. 28 19 20. Mark 16. ult Joh. 15. the last words of vers 5. lay the foundation and build the superstructure according to Eph. 2.20 Eph. 4.12 so to the same Lord Jesus Christ by his Ministery accompanied with his Power and Presence doth it of right belong to be the Repairer of the breaches which Antichrist hath made in the Christian Church and the Restorer of paths to walk in as of old was typed out in the Temple-state in the examples before alleadged Once the Lord Jesus taught the people by himself from the days of his
the Word which requires outward obedience so far as the demonstration and power of the Spirit comes so far are we taught and enabled outwardly to obey Now the demonstration of the Spirit is as I conceive the Spirits evidencing and making manifest the true intent and minde of the Apostles in the Ministery as it did evidence and make manifest its own minde in their Administrations when they did administer Now the Apostles they spake by the Spirit and had the minde of Christ He therefore that will interpret their minde in their Ministery which was none other but the minde of Christ must do it by the power demonstration and evidence of the same Spirit by which they spake which was unerring and infallible 1 Cor. 2.11 12 16 Who knows the minde of a man but the spirit of a man c. Again though it might be supposed that there were a clear demonstration of the Spirit yet without the power of the same Spirit believers were not sufficiently furnished to obedience Luke 24.45 49. Act. 1.2 4. Acts 10.38 This Power I take to be a power of Authority as well as Ability Matth. 28.18 and this Authority and Ability are both required at least in some of the branches of a believers obedience In particular the business of the Ministery and the Administrations which are particular to a Church I conceive are such as unto which there is required in whomsoever they may concern a clear understanding by the Spirit so as to be able to say I have the minde of Christ and Thus speaks the Lord and not I. A true Power of Authority as well as Ability to do that work which they say by the Spirit is their duty to do Luke 24.45 49. Acts 4.7 Matth. 9.6 8. A clear evidence and manifestation thereof not onely in themselves but to manifest to others for their profit 1 Cor. 12.7 Now if there be such Believers who not onely touching their own personal estate and condition but also touching Visible Administrations of Publike Worship can say in truth by the Spirit We have the minde of Christ and This speaks the Lord and not we and have also a true and lawful authority to act those things they say they know I shall leave such persons to the trial of their spirits and not doubt but to be able to see that spirit demonstrating it self to the world either in them or others to the praise and glory of the God and Father of spirits In the mean time I shall conceive that whatsoever in the Word is required of believers to do personally as believers that ought to be endeavoured after by every one that is truely so But whatsoever is relatively appropriated to persons as such and such due regard is to be had to God's Order and Dispensation there according to the limits and bounds he hath set Better it is to be fed of Ravens or fast fourty days then distrusting God's provision turn stones into bread Read 1 Sam. 13.11 12 13 a fair pretence but he that believeth maketh not haste Quest Whether those Signes and Wonders whereby God manifested his presence with the Apostles Quest were not rather to confirm their Word and Doctrine then to bear witness to their persons being sent Heb. 2.4 Answ It is in my understanding a truth Answ that those Signes and Wonders were to confirm their Word and Doctrine Mark 16.20 but the case is evident that the works which God wrought by them were not onely to confirm their Word but also to testifie of their Persons that they were sent of God Joh. 5.36 The works which the Father hath given me to finish the same works that I do bear witness of me that the Father hath sent me compared with Joh. 20.21 As my Father sent forth me so I send forth you Joh. 17.18 If the Father sent forth Christ and the works which Christ did testified of him that he was sent of God Joh. 11.42 then Christ sending forth his Disciples as the Father sent forth him Acts 4.13 14 16 the works which they do testifie of them that they are sent of Christ as the works which he did testified of him that he was sent of God 2 Cor. 12.12 The signes of an Apostle were wrought among you c. Quest Seeing gifts are given to profit withal Quest and talents to be improved How according to Rule and Order may the Saints edifie one another and improve their talents for the honour of Jesus Christ out of a Church-estate 1 Cor. 12.7 Answ Such as the gifts and talents be which are given Answ such must the improvement of them be for the honour of Christ I pray you consider the Scripture you have quoted 1 Cor. 12. Where those gifts of the Spirit which are there spoken of are to be found there need not be any care taken how to improve them out of a Church for surely then and there will be a glorious Church where and when those gifts of the Spirit are given to profit with Where there is given by the Spirit a word of Wisdom a word of Knowledge a gift of Faith a gift of Healing a gift of Miracles a gift of Prophecie a gift of discerning of Spirits a gift of Tongues and Interpretation of Tongues when the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every one to profit withal as the Scripture expresseth then there will be an Orderly Administration and an Effectual Operation to the honour of Jesus Christ In the mean time I could desire the Lord's people to consider of that thing they call Gift or Gifts and try by what Name or Title they may be distinguished or called Whether any of these before mentioned or some other If not these but some other I would consider what it is Whether it be given to them to believe Phil. 1.29 to hope joy suffer pray to distribute to the Lord 's poor to bear the burden of the afflicted to mourn over the desolations of the Israel of God to wait for the Day of Restoration to long to groan in expectation for the Day of the Lord. Now if the gifts you speak of be of the first kinde mentioned in 1 Cor. 12. they bring manifestation enough with them to direct to the improvement of them and where-ever they are found surely a Church of Christ is not far off If they be of the later sort I conceive the Spirit of the Lord whose gifts they are is not wanting to manifest to such to whom they are given how they in their measure may be improved to the glory of him that is the author of them But yet a few words more particularly to what I conceive may be the scope of the Question The Apostle in 1 Cor. 10.6 11. speaking of the Jews and that which befel them saith Those things happened to them in types and Whatsoever was written before-time was written for our learning Now it is to be noted that in their travelling condition while they were
promised Quest That from the rising of the Sun to the going down of the same his Name shall be great among the Gentiles Mal. 1.11 How shall this Name of Christ be proclaimed and made great among the Gentiles in this desolate and lost condition according to Rom. 10. Answ This Question seems to be like Isaac's Question to his Answ Father My Father where is the Lamb for the Sacrifice and the Answer may be the same that his was to his Son God will provide himself a Lamb. I would intreate you to read these Scriptures Mich. 2.7 10. Mich. 3.5 6 7. Mich. 4. the whole Chapter and that passage mentioned in Rom. 10.15 being compared with Isa 52.7 doth evidently declare that there is yet a further sending forth of the Messengers of Peace when the Sion of God shall awake and put on strength and Jerusalem the holy City shall put on beautiful garments Read Isa 52.1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 and judge whether this be not a Gospel-Prophecie part whereof is yet unfulfilled And whether this be not the Apostles scope in the tenth of the Romans vers 14 15 and the whole eleventh Chapter to the Romans Onely while you say How shall this be The wisdome of Jehovah can bring this about Zeph. 3.8 9 10 12 13 14. When the time of the Lord is come wherein that great Angel shall lighten the earth with his glory Rev 18.1 and wherein the Angel shall flie in the midst of Heaven having the ancient Gospel to preach to them that dwell on the earth to every nation kindred and tongue and People Rev. 14.6 When the Lord of the Harvest seeing the fields white to the Harvest shall thrust forth labourers into his Harvest when his Angels or Messengers shall be sent forth to gather his elect from the four winds from one end of Heaven to the other The zeal of the Lord of Hosts shall perform this though we know not how Object Object If there be not a Ministery in the World What will become of the Faith of all such as believe in the Lord Jesus differenced and dishinguished under those several professions and known by those several appellations whereby men have named them Answ seeing the Scripture witnesseth that men cannot believe without a Preacher Rom. 10.41 Answ This Objection grounds it self upon an absurdity that will seem to follow upon the premises viz. If what hath been alleadged be true touching the Ministery How can this Scripture be true also which saith How can they believe on him of whom they have not heard And how shall they hear without a Preacher To solve which seeming-contradiction I desire the Reader to consider who that relative word they must be applied to And consequently what is the scope of the Apostles argument in this place For the understanding of which I conceive it will be necessary to read the ninth tenth and eleventh Chapters together and they will appear to be one continued Discourse or Argument whereby the Apostle Paul doth hold forth the state of the Jewes whom he calls his brethren his kinsmen according to the flesh Rom. 9.3 Now concerning these he begins all the three Chapters and shewes both their priviledges which they had by the Law Chap. 9.4 5. Their rejection through their non-submission to the righteousness of God Chap. 10.3 Their restitution when the fulness of the Gentiles is come in Chap. 11.25 to fulfil the Mystery of this dispensation of God by the appearing of the deliverer who shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob according to his Covenant Vers 25 26 27. Isa 59.20 21. These are that they which are mentioned in the 1 2 3 and 14 Verses of the tenth Chapter to the Romans touching whom the Apostle thus reasons Brethren my hearts desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they might be saved For I hear them record c. Object But blessed Apostle Object what ground of Faith is there in this prayer considering how they are rejected Answ The Scripture hath said Whosoever believeth in him Answ shall not be ashamed for there is no difference between the Iew and the Greek for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him For whosoever shall call upon the Name of the Lord shall be saved Therefore they viz. the Jews if they call upon the Name of the Lord they shall be saved Onely the Question is How they shall call upon him in whom they have not believed and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard and how shall they hear without out a Preacher and how shall they Preach except they be sent Therefore till there be a sending forth of Messengers even to the Jews quatenus Jews as well as there hath been to the Gentiles quâ such no wonder if they believe not For how can they believe in him of whom they have not heard and how can they hear without a Preacher and how can they Preach except they be sent Object Object But they have heard though they have not obeyed as appears Answ Rom. 10.16 18 21. Answ This may not be denied for Christ was sent first to the lost sheep of the house of Israel And he accordingly came unto his own and his own received him not But the consideration hereof makes the Mystery the greater Once God chose the family of Abraham before all the families of the earth and in Judah was God known and his Name famous in Israel He dealt not so with any other nation neither had they the knowledge of his Law Though afterwards when the fulness of time was come and the wall of partition broken down by the appearing of our Lord Jesus then the Mystery of Christ which in other ages was not made manifest was revealed to his holy Apostles and Prophets Eph. 3.5 6 by the Spirit which Mystery was That the Gentiles should be fellow-heirs and of the same body and partakers of his promise in Christ by the Gospel And the Jewes to whom the Gospel first was preached having put it from them Act. 13. ult and reckoned themselves unworthy of that salvation became the onely nation of all the world who were by the just hand of God concluded under blindness and hardness in part and so are to continue such a proportion of time as was fore-appointed and decreed Rom. 10.8 9 10 25. At the expiration and determination of which time there is to be a revelation of the Mystery of their breaking off and ingrafting in again Rom. 11 2◠and that to be done when the deliverer shall come out of Sion and shall turn away ungodliness from Iacob For as in times past the Gentiles believed not having not that opportunity of the knowledge of God as the Jews had yet at length obtained mercy through their unbelief Even so have these also now not believed that through their mercy they might obtain mercy Object But how is
A SOBER WORD To A SERIOUS PEOPLE Or A MODERATE DISCOURSE RESPECTING As well The SEEKERS so called As The Present Churches Wherein the Difference between them touching Visible Administrations is Discovered and Discussed And may serve as A Plea for the Nations Ministery By a lover of Truth and Peace PSAL. 22.30 A seed shall serve him it shall be counted to the Lord for a generation 24. 6. This is the generation of them that seek him that seek thy face O Jacob. 14 7. Oh that the salvation of Israel were come out of Sion When the Lord bringeth back the capivity of his people Jacob shall rejoyce and Israel shall be glad London Printed by J. Cottrel for James Noell in Foster-line and are to be fold by Giles Calvert at the black Spread-Eagle neer the West-end of Pauls 1651. To the Reader COURTEOUS READER THou art here presented with a brief Discourse touching a Subject which hath not wherewith to commend it self and therefore subjects it self to thy Ingenuity and Candor in its perusal if it be thought by thee worthy thereof To invite or court thee thereunto would be very unbeseeming thee to whom it 's directed considering thee both sober and serious and to me it 's no less unsutable if thou knewest my Genius Thou art therfore left free either to entertain it or pass it by as thou pleasest and it 's as freely submitted to thy Censure But considering it's possible that some may bestow time upon it for their sakes I have been prevailed with to say a little by way of Preface touching the nature and end thereof both which when thou clearly understandest thou wilt with the less prejudice attempt the reading and examining of it when it shall be freed in thy judgement from such aspersions as some may rashly yet too plentifully bestow upon it Be thou therefore hereby assured that thou art not troubled with this Discourse out of any designe either to weaken thy present confidence which thou hast in God or to startle thee touching thy present Practice in things pertaining to God nor out of any Irreligious Atheistical or Self-ended interest to tempt thee to cast off all Ordinances of Worship and Service of God which thou at present art perswaded thou oughtst to be found exercised in but to give thee an account touching a Sort of people which some are pleased to call SEEKERS of whom several men in several books have spoken several things shewing the dangerousness of their Opinion and the dreadfulness of its tendency and under that term of Seekers comprehend all those which differ from themselves touching the present exercise of Visible Administrations How great their mistake hath been and is thou mayst finde herein the rectifying whereof is one End of this Work by laying down somewhat positively touching what they believe and practise and somewhat privatively touching such things as they see not ground to practise These are reduced and abridged under two Heads The Present Churches and Present Ministery and compared with the Primitive Patterns of each as they are laid down in the Scriptures and accordingly applied with some Considerations had touching certain Objections depending thereupon Under which general Heads thou hast the sum of what thou wilt here be troubled with and perhaps thou mayst judge it worthy thy trouble As touching the End to give thee some account as well what it is as what it is not be pleased to know that having observed many persons of an enquiring spirit unsatisfied with their present Practice as not seeing sufficient ground for it yet impatient and restless in their spirits have made out after this people so distinguished as before but finding them very inconsiderable both for quantity and quality and nothing extant which in any measure might be a stay to them by laying a ground for their dependance further waiting upon God have waxed weary and almost fainted in their minds and at the best have returned to that condition from whence at first they thought themselves happie they were escaped using such expressions as these Come let us go back to Egypt for Bread it 's better take it at the mouth of Ravens then starve Which expressions have been very sadly uttered by some mean while the God which had led them by the hand out of Egypt and brought them thorow the Red-sea cannot be trusted nor depended on nor waited for while they are in the wilderness These Considerations on their part have moved me to bethink me of my duty to my God and whether I were not obliged in thankfulness to him who had betrusted me with the knowledge of his pleasure in any measure touching this particular to impart it to others that they might also have the opportunity of considering what hath been a stay to my own spirit and perhaps may prove forcible to prevent from further straying such who are upon rhe like enquiry I have likewise observed how much it hath offended and grieved divers good persons who are themselves under the practice and exercise of such Administrations as this Discourse treats of because the SEEKER'S as they are called do not joyn issue in the practise thereof expressing this offence and trouble of theirs by writing and otherwise which I have great cause to hope will by this occasion be abated or at least moderated when they shall perceive that there is a reason to be rendered for that which they have judged unreasonable In the consideration of which I cannot but think it's possible that Thou Reader mayst finde thy self to have drunk too deep of the cup of my former and thy present Errour in that both thou and I have taken up our Practices upon other mens Principles or at least upon too easie too slight a search touching which if they were to begin again we should judge it necessary to put a pause and to make more diligent enquiry after the minde of God in the Scriptures To which some persons are reduced and that in mercy searching and seeking after those things now which long since they presumed they had attained To the exercise whereof thou art also invited viz. to prove thy own works that so thy rejoycing may be in thy self and not in another And if in examining this Work thou findest many things weak and amiss I shall not wonder at it I pretend not to Perfection Put thy Character upon them let them pass for dross and write them mine But if thou findest Gold I mean Truth that will abide the fire of trial say that 's God's 't is none of mine and let not that pass I expect thy Censure I shall hearken for it and I hope thy Reproofs shall be as welcome as the smiting of the righteous was to David Psal 141.5 and for ought thou knowest if thou sendest me back to the searching of the Scriptures which must be the Standard Rule of trial I may truly be enabled to say It shall be a kindness to me an excellent oil
sin which accordingly he did as many places testifie So although the same Apostle when he was at first called had not an express Command touching Baptism as the Eleven had in so many words yet nevertheless he wanted not sufficient Authority for to baptize those whom he did baptize without degrading this Ordinance and making of it inferiour to Preaching as this Objection would infer from the Apostle's speech when he saith Christ sent me not to baptize but to evangelize Which inference being inforced as a consequence needs a proof from Scripture before it can impose belief upon any person Object Object When Christ gave power and authority to the eleven Disciples to teach all nations baptizing them in the Name of the Father Son and holy Spirit he added Matth. 28.20 Lo I am with you all the days even unto the end of the world How is this Scripture fulfilled if there be not a Ministery continued to the end of the world Answ Answ This command of Christ to his Apostles and this promise of his presence with them to the end of the world must be considered as being made to those eleven individual persons or else with such others as were to succeed them in that work of Ministery teaching the Nations baptizing them in the Name of the Father Son and holy Spirit teaching them to observe all things whatsoever Christ had commanded them First If it respecteth the Eleven onely then there must be another understanding of those words The end of the world then is most commonly received for according to the common acceptation of the end of the world taking it for the utmost and extremest part of time so it could not be applied to the Apostles personally who lived not to see the end of the world in that sence according to that Scripture Zech. 1.5 Your fathers where are they the Prophets do they live forever Secondly If it respect a Succession of Ministery it must be either an Apostolical National Ministery for breeding the Church or a Pastoral Congregational Ministery for feeding the Church or both Now that this Succession of Ministery in both or either of these kindes is not so visible as it 's commonly judged hath been already proved and needs not again be repeated Nor doth it hence follow that any imputation of unfaithfulness should be fixed upon the most righteous God as if he must needs be rendered unrighteous unless there be a continuation of Ministery either Apostolical or Pastoral because that he hath said that they teaching the Nations to observe whatsoever he had commanded c. lo he was with them all the days to the end of the world And that this may the more clearly appear consider what is spoken touching Eli and his house in 2 Sam. 2.30 to the end I said that thy house and the house of thy father should walk before me for ever i. e. in the Priesthood Exod. 28.1 41 43. Exod. 40.13 14 15. But now the Lord saith Be it far from me for them that honour me I will honour and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed God had promised Aaron and his seed after him and that by a Statute for ever the execution of the Priests office Exod. 40.15 yet there was implied in this promise this condition that they should continue to honour God in that Administration And though this was not exprest it was ever understood as is evident de facto in the case of Nadab and Abihu Levit. 10. who for offering with strange fire which the Lord commanded them not were devoured by fire from the Lord. Levit. 10.3 And Moses said This is that the Lord said I will be sanctified in all them that come nigh me and before all the people will I be glorified And Aaron held his peace The like manner of God's proceedings doth appear in express terms in the case of Eli and his sons in the place before alleadged though God had said touching him and his father's house that they should walk before him for ever 1 Sam. 2.30 and yet doth there say Behold I will cut off thine arm and the arm of thy fathers house And the man of thine which I shall not cut off from my altar shall be to consume thine eyes and to grieve thy heart And he that is left in thy house shall say Put me I pray thee into one of the Priests offices that I may eat a piece of bread Which was accordingly fulfilled in the next Chapter and in 1 Kings 2.27 The Lord gives the reason of this seeming-contradiction why he should say of Eli and of his father's house that they should walk before him in the Priesthood for ever and yet doth also declare and accordingly accomplish that the Continuation or Succession shall be cut off as it was from the posterity of Eli and likewise from the line of Aaron before the time of the expiration of the Mosaical dispensation The reason of this the Lord expresseth in these words But now be it far from me for them that honour me I will honour and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed Though with respect to the Eternal condition of believers the foundation of God stands sure having this seal The Lord knows who are his 2 Tim. 2.19 and that there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus Rom. 8.1 and though neither life nor death nor angels nor principalities nor powers nor any other creature shall be able to separate a believer from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus Rom. 8. ult forasmuch as the Father which gave them to Christ is greater then all and none shall be able to pluck them out of the Fathers hands Joh. 10.28 29. nay sin it self shall not be able to have dominion over them Rom. 6.14 Rom. 7.25 26. Yet with respect to any External condition which may befal them how eminently-glorious soever it may be and what promise soever may be made unto it yet the Equity of this condition is implied if not expressed that the person to whom such promise of External blessing or presence is made are engaged to walk with God to be found honouring of God c. Upon this is the Entail to be reckoned and God no longer can in faith be expected to perform his part then such a person or people are found faithful with God on their part He that honours me I will honour and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed 1 Sam. 2.30 31 c. 1 Chron. 28.7 9 If thou seek him he will be found of thee but if thou forsake him he will cast thee off for ever Which forsaking and casting off are expounded in Psal 89.30 31 32 33 34 If his children forsake my law and walk not in my judgements I will visit their transgressions with the rod and their iniquity with stripes nevertheless my loving kindness will I not utterly take from him nor suffer my faithfulness to fail And in 2
7.19 20 21 22 and had accordingly effected in process of time as appears in the Captivity by Zedekiah and in the Lamentations Chap. 2.6 7. He hath violently taken away his tabernacle as a garden he hath destroyed his palaces of the assembly the Lord hath caused the solemn feasts and sabbaths to be forgotten in Sion and despised in the indignation of his anger the king and the priests the Lord hath cast off his altar he hath abhorred his sanctuary he hath given up into the hand of the enemy the walls of her palaces they have made a noise in the house of the Lord as in the day of a solemn feast Notwithstanding which dealing of his towards them he caused them to return at the time appointed to build their walls and to restore their Worship according to the Word which he had spoken by his holy Prophets because as yet the full time was not come wherein the Entail was to be cut off from this people That which I would have observed in this Circumlocution is this Viz. First That although God had promised that his eyes and his heart should be upon that house which Solomon had built perpetually yet that time was a prefixt and limited time Secondly That before the time limited wherein there was to be a cessation of the Temple and Temple-Worship there was a Discontinuance as to the enjoyment and exercise of it which befel that people through their transgressions and sin insomuch that it may be said They sinned themselves into a difuse of their Mercy which befel them for a time during their Captivity till their restoration Thirdly That whereas it was by divine intendment that at the time appointed the daily sacrifice should cease the Temple-work and Worship should be at an end of which expiration God himself would be the author and procurer yet these people beforehand by their sins procured themselves a Separation Banishment and Captivity for the space of seventy yeers though then at the end thereof God graciously returned their Captivity So would I that it were considered touching the promise of our Lord Jesus to the Apostles or to the Christian Ministery Lo I am with you all the days unto the end of the world First That there is a time limited for the continuation of his presence with them as a Ministery at which time there is to be a cessation thereof as to a Ministery when the work for which the Ministery was given is fulfilled according to Eph. 4.11 12.13 14. and this according to divine purpose and fore-appointment of God Till we all come to the unity of the faith c. Secondly That it 's possible for the Successors of the Apostles in the work of their Ministery to make shipwrack of faith and a good conscience to prove false Teachers and privily to bring in damnable doctrines and through covetousness to make merchandice of men proving spots and blemishes sporting themselves with their own deceivings having eyes full of adultery that cannot cease from sin beguiling unstable souls exercised with covetous practices cursed children which have forsaken the right way and gone astray following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor who loved the wages of unrighteousness Nay all this the holy Apostles of our Lord did foretel should be as may particularly be instanced in the Epistles of Paul Peter Jude and this iniquity began to work in a Mystery before the Apostles left the earth and afterwards mightily prevailed as the History of time will evidence and most eminently that learned Discourse of Master Mede called The Apostacie of the last times and Clappam's Brief upon the Bible and became as that Scripture saith Isa 28.8 The priests and the prophets erred through strong drink they are swallowed up of wine they are out of the way through strong drink They erre in vision they stumble in judgement for all tables are full of vomit and filthiness there is no place clean And this will be found to have been the condition of the Ministery soon after the Apostles time and so forward ever since that pretended Vicar of Christ that false Vice-Christ hath as God set himself in the temple of God and hath sent forth his Angels Messengers or Apostles viz. Nuntio's Cardinals Legats and what not whereby he hath darkened the counsel of God by feigned and devised words and Ministeries From which we may expect to be delivered when the most High shall send his great Angel to enlighten the earth with his glory The fields being now grown almost white to the harvest the Lord of the harvest will in mercy to the ignorance of his poor people thrust forth labourers into the harvest Oh turn again our Captivity also as the rivers of the south who are fallen under a disuse of our mercy our first Ministery which our Lord ascending on high gave as gifts to men for the perfecting the number of the Saints and edifying the body of Christ which though discontinued because of our and our forefathers sins yet may be restored to us again when we are brought to see a want of them and can cry unto God for them Isai 30.18 19 20 The Lord is a God of judgement blessed are all they that wait for him And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction yet shall not thy teachers be removed into a corner any more but thine eyes shall see thy teachers But whom shall he teach knowledge and whom shall he cause to understand doctrine Them that are weaned from the milk and drawn from the brests Isa 28.9 Therefore as in the former times there hath been a discontinuance of the true Ministery for a long season by reason of transgression yet may there be a glorious restoration thereof also in God's due time For as the Apostacie began at the Ministery both in the former and later times as is witnessed by the Apostle 2 Pet. 2 There were false prophets among the people even as there shall be false teachers among you who shall privily bring in damnable heresies even denying the Lord that bought them and bring upon themselves swift damnation And yet from the former the Lord in his good pleasure set his people of old free For these reasons why may it not also be hoped that in due time he will again return in mercy and visit the dark corners of the earth causing the people that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death to hear the joyful sound that they may walk in the light of his countenance The rather considering that the Ministery was given to continue till the number of the Saints were perfected Eph. 4.12 or as the former Translation renders it For the gathering together of the Saints Now if the number of the Saints be not perfected nor their gathering together compleated How is the end for which Christ ascended and for which he gave gifts to men accomplished if the work of the Ministery be not again restored unto
its pristine and primitive Constitution as well to respect the Nations which are without viz. the out-casts of Israel together with those worshippers of the Sun and Moon the Moors and Indians and the people that know not God nor have ever heard the sound of him nor of the salvation which through Christ Jesus he holds forth to Mankinde as well as that sort of Ministery which it 's supposed is found among good people who judge they are in Church-estate already though indeed they are both but the fruit of the same ascension and both respect the same end Ministery and duration or continuance For as the Saints already such are not come to a perfect man in Christ and therefore have need of an edifying feeding Ministery so the number of them which are to be gathered are likewise not compleated and therefore need a gathering and breeding Ministery the one without the other being not perfect especially the later not without the former Forasmuch as the Ministery for the World as it was first given namely to the Apostles in these words Go ye into all the world or Teach all nations so it was comprehensive and took in the later and stood sometimes without it they holding out the brest of consolation and confirmation to those to whom they had been as a womb parental or instrumental in conversion Therefore in a return of mercy as in point of Ministery it would be considered Whether the first Apostolical and National Ministery be not again to be looked for hoped for and longed for and prayed for and that by way of eminency not onely for Sion's sake and for Jerusalem's sake but also for the Nations sakes the Kindreds Tongues Peoples those who know not God considering that there is a time wherein John having eaten the book was to prophesie again before many people and nations and tongues and kings Rev. 10. ult And the Angel which he saw flying in the midst of heaven was to preach the ancient Gospel to every nation kindred tongue and people And this was to follow Antichrist's universal over-spreading of the earth for after he had prevailed so far as to cause all both small and great rich and poor bond and free to receive his mark and that no man might buy or sell but he that had received the mark and that all the world wondered after the Beast Rev. 13.3 16 17. after this great power and prevalencie of Antichrist then should the ancient Gospel be preached to every nation kinred tongue and people that dwell upon the earth Rev. 14.6 and then should follow the fall of Babylon v 8 there followed another Angel saying Babylon is fallen is fallen and this should be that Angel Rev. 18.1 2 which should come down from heaven with great power and enlighten the earth with his glory and should cry mightily with a strong voice saying Babylon the great is fallen according to that of the Apostle 2 Thess 2.8 Then shall that wicked be revealed whom God shall consume with the spirit of his mouth and destroy with the brightness of his coming And whether this be not that Ministery which the Lord will send forth to gather his chosen ones from the four corners of the windes Mar. 13. forasmuch as after that the false Christs and false Prophets shall arise and shall shew their seducing signes and wonders to deceive if it were possible the very elect vers 22. and that great tribulation shall happen the sun darkned and the moon not give her light Then shall the Son of man come in the clouds with great power and glory and shall send his Angels or Messengers and shall gather together his elect from the utmost parts of the earth From all which it were to be desired that the Lord would stir up the hearts of his people to cry mightily to him and give him no rest till he accomplish the work of gathering together his number out of all Nations Kindreds Tongues and Peoples the utmost parts of the Heathen being given to Christ as his peculiar inheritance Psal 2.8 and because from the rising of the sun to the going down of the same God's name shall be great among the Gentiles Mal. 1.11 Object Object If this be true which hath been spoken then we must expect more Apostles but it is said in 1 Cor. 4.9 that those were the last Apostles Therefore there can be no ground to expect any more Answ Answ 1. That Scripture concludes not against what hath been spoken as will appear when it is examined The word which is rendered there last 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is in Luke 14.9 taken for the lowest or meanest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 When thou art bidden of any man to a wedding go sit down in the lowest room And this signification of the word may very well agree with that which is the Argument of this Chapter 1 Cor. 4.9 and so it seems to be carried I think God hath set forth us the Apostles last i. e. lowest or vilest as it were men appointed to death For we are made a spectacle unto the world to Angels and men We are fooles for Christs sake but ye are wise We are made the filth of the world and the off-scouring of all things to this day Let it be considered whether all these several expressions do not more properly agree to the word as it is rendered the lowest or basest then to the word last Apostles Secondly If the word he to be taken for the last yet it doth not necessarily inforce it self to be understood of the last of what shall be but the last of what hath been therefore it is rendred novissimus the newest as our English Dialect will infer the last garment or newest garment are Synonimaes In 2 Pet. 2.20 it 's rendered not last but later And 1 Pet. 1.20 speaking of Christ it 's said He was made manifest in the last dayes Heb. 1.2 it 's said In these last dayes God hath spoken unto us by his Sonne Which last dayes may not be so understood as if they were so the last that there were no more dayes to succeed them for there hath been sixteen hundred years of dayes since that time past and gone neither may I conceive those Apostles were the last or so the last Apostles that there should no more come after them understanding them to be Messengers sent forth as the term Apostle imports for then I would inquire By whom should the out casts of Israel be gathered or the Nations converted to the faith of Christ Jer. 32.37 38. Jer. 23.3 Mar. 13.10 Matth. 24.14 If there be any Nations of the World Kindreds Tongues and People to whom the Gospel hath not been sent it must be done to fulfill the Word of the Lord. And by whom shall it be done but by such Messengers which shall be endued with like power of Evidence and Demonstration both of Tongues and Gifts as the first Messengers or Apostles had to preach
entering upon the work of the Ministery Luke 4.18 till the time of finishing of that Ministration Afterward he performed it by his Apostles whom he had chosen ordained and sent out for that purpose together with those other gifts of Ministery which as the fruit of his ascension to his Father he gave for that end to perfect i. e. to gather and edifie his Body the Church until they should all come in the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God to a perfect man c. He did not leave it upon his people promiscuously to be equally and alike gifted for that work Compare Ephes 4.11 12 with 1 Cor. 12.29 Therefore there doth remain an Order to be observed in the exercise of the Ministery and the Disorder thereof is to be bewailed and Jesus Christ to whom all power is given of the Father and by whom at first it was derived and delegated to chosen men Acts 10.40 41 42 to be waited upon for restoration thereof in whose hand the power is and without whom we can do nothing Joh. 15.5 That he should do it by such instruments as he pleaseth furnished with such power and authority and with such a presence of Christ as may demonstrate them to be sent of God for that work or service by the Divine light and heat of the fire of the Spirit of God Act. 2. furnishing them with the true knowledge of the mind of God concerning the Fundamentals of Doctrine Worship together with true power to evince the truth thereof against all gainsayers of whom the world was never more full whether we respect Jews or Infidels or False Christians To be furnished with ability to shew to all Kindreds Nations Tongues and Peoples the glory of the Mystery of the ancient Gospel which once was declared and received but from which there hath been so deep a falling away according as was foretold 2 Thess 2.7 1 Tim. 3.16 1 Tim. 4.1 2 3 and accordingly effected through the power of the Beast Rev. 13. ult Quest Is not the Ministery of the Apostles as efficacious to possess the Saints of the enjoyment of their Liberties purchased by Christ Quest and to put them upon the doing their duties required of them in our Times as it was in theirs seeing that they by their Ministery were commanded to teach all nations to observe whatsoever Christ had commanded them Matth. 28.19 20. Rom. 10.6 7 8. 2 Tim. 2.2 Answ The Ministery of the Apostles may be considered Answ either in the word or in the power of it 1 Thess 1.5 The word of their Ministery without the power is not efficacious to put persons upon their duty Act. 2.11 13. Act. 17.18 The Power accompanying the Word is either Outward or Inward or both Outward and Inward The Outward power was the external demonstration of the Spirit expressed Acts 19.6 Rom. 15.18 19. Heb. 2.4 The Inward power was that internal operation of the Spirit expressed Acts 2.37 Acts 16.14 Now if the word of the Apostles Ministery be accompanied with a power and demonstration of the Spirit sutable to that demonstration and power will be the manifestation of the obedience that follows it according to Rom. 15.18 19. 1 Cor. 2.4 5. If the demonstration of the Spirit be visible and outward it directs to the Outward obedience according to the Rules of that demonstration If it be accompanied with power it not onely directs but enables to obedience in that particular according to Matth. 7.22 23. Luke 10.17 18 19 20. If the demonstration and power of the Spirit be onely Inward and Invisible it directs and enables to the more Inward and Invisible part of obedience Gal. 5.22 23 to believe hope joy love and to express the fruits thereof Gal. 5.26 If the demonstration and power of the Spirit which accompanieth the Word be both Outward and Inward then doth it direct and enable the soul both Inwardly and Outwardly to be obedient according to the Rules thereof Rom. 15.18 19. 1 Cor. 2.4 5. 1 Thes 1.5 Now it may so come to pass that the Word of the Lord or the Ministery of the Apostles may come in demonstration and power upon the outward man onely and extend no further it may convince that Acts 4.14 16 and may bring that under obedience Act. 8.12 13. but it seldome or never befals the Lord's people to be convinced in the outward man onely I say onely But it may and certainly doth many times befal them to finde and feel the inward power and demonstration of the Spirit invisibly and inwardly whenas they are deprived of the external Manifestations of it Matth. 16.15 16 17 when the soul cannot and what it cannot see it may by the inward power of the Spirit believe Heb. 11.1 when it cannot possess and enjoy it may by the power of the same Spirit be helped to wait for Rom. 8.24 25. and when it knows not what to pray for as it ought it may by the inward power of the same Spirit be enabled to sigh and groan to God Rom. 8.26 27. This did seeme to be the condition of those believers in the nineteenth of the Acts who though they believed through the inward power of the Spirit upon their hearts yet they were ignorant of the external power and demonstration of the Spirit and consequently what they were further to know and do Act. 19.2 6. Cornelius who though the power of the Spirit had been great upon his heart Act. 10.24 yet he was ignorant of that external demonstration and power which afterwards he received Act. 10.44 So Paul though it pleased God to reveale himself to him or in him in the way Gal. 1.16 and caused him to pray in or by the Spirit Act. 9.11 compared with Rom. 8.26 27 yet he remained ignorant of that external power and demonstration of the Spirit which afterward he received when Ananias came unto him and laid his hands upon him and opened his eyes and told him what he should do Act. 9.6 17. Sometimes the Word or the Apostles Ministery came both in word and power both in the outward demonstration and inward operation and then it made men obedient in word and deed Rom. 15.16 19. 1 Thess 1.5 1 Cor. 2.4 5. These things being premised I conceive I may say in answer to your Question That the word of the Gospel or Ministery of the Apostles as you call it is so far forth efficacious to put the Saints upon doing their duties as it comes furnished with the demonstration and power of the Spirit 1 Cor. 1.1.5 2 Cor. 4.5 2 Cor. 3.6 If the Spirit do demonstrate and make evident to the Soule that part of the Word which concerns the Soul's hope faith joy love c. according as that Word is evidenced with demonstration and power of the Spirit to the Soule so far is that Soule not onely taught but enabled to hope believe joy love and no farther So likewise for that part of