The Government of the Churches of Christ

CHAP. VIII.

NOW then I come to search and find out the proper Genuine Distinction of these Offices, which is the principal thing which I aim at; and is principally intended by the Apostle, (in this Rom. 12.) to the end to set bounds to Officers not to entrench upon one another's Duties and Callings, as also to set them more diligently about their proper work; for the clearing of these Distinctions here given by the Apostle, I must premise this necessary Distinction of these Offices. That some of them are, as was observed, Subordinate one to the other, others co-ordinate; that is, some are inferior and superior, more or less authorized, some are of equal power in the Administration of Holy things.

The co-ordinate as I shall show anon, are the Prophets here, viz. Pastor's and Teacher's Office of an equal Rank and Power, and their difference is to be sought only in the differing manner of Administration or Ministry of the word. But unto both these Offices, there is a Subordination of the Elder's and Deacon's Office; as also of the Deacon's Office to the Elders. Which Subordination, when found out, will help us to see wherein the true difference lies: This their Subordination may be exemplified by the instance of Subalternate Species, that is, the several Kinds and Ranks of Creatures in the Old Creation, as these Officers are in the New, (God having made the one as the other, in order weight and measure) for instance, as there is Subordination between Man and Beast, and Plants, so among these three sorts of Officers, Deacons and Widows are the lowest, Elders the middle; and Teachers or Prophets the Highest: Which Subordination that I may explain it, is not in respect of dependence or derivation of power, as the power of inferior Officers Civil, is dependent upon the Supreme as the King, &c. no, but all hold immediately from Christ. As Man, though' a more noble Creature, yet gives not Life to Plants, nor sense to Beasts, but all hold of God as in capite, so here too the Tenure is immediate; though' Antichrist and Bishops would Subordinate Officers, yet it is not so in God's Institution.

Neither 2. Is this Subordination in respect of Subjection to any Jurisdiction of the Superior, so as the Superior might restrain the inferior of the Exercise of their power, as the Bishops take on them to Silence inferior Ministers; no, but every Man hath, as his power, so the free exercise of it, is dependent only on Christ and his Church he is placed in, and that so as in his place and office, a Ruling Elder may with authority admonish a Pastor, as well as a Pastor him, like as Fee-Servants in an House, all know and are beholden, and subject to each other in their place and offices.

Neither 3. Is it only in respect of a greater or less excellency in their Functions, that the work of the one is more Noble and Honorable, and deserves double or treble Honor; though that be true as appears, by 1 Tim. 5. 17. which might have been, though that work the one doth, the more excellent could no way have done.

But 4. It is in respect of a larger Commission that the one hath, then the other in the Administration of Holy things, so as the Superior Rank; Pastors and Teachers have ex officio, all the power that the other hath, and more; and so the Elders all that the Deacons have, and more: That there is such a gradual Subordination in th • se Offices may appear; because the Apostle speaking of a Deacon's Office (1 Tim. 3. 13.) says, he that hath Administred it well, hath purchased to himself a good Degree, &c. so in that place also, (1 Cor. 12. 28.) he Ranks them in Superior and Inferior Classes: First, Apostles, Secondly, Prophets, extraordinary, namely, (as Eph. 4. 11.) under whom also Evangelists are comprehended: And Thirdly, Teachers that is ordinary Teachers, under whom by a Synecdoche also pastors are comprehended, as being of the same Rank; and then after that as inferior to these, among others are promiscuously reckoned up Helps; that is, Deacons and Governors, which are Ruling Elders. That as Apostles had a larger Commission than Evangelists, being the planters of Churches, and had power over all the Evangelists (being but their Asstants) in Setling and Establishing them, and as Prophets and Evangelists had a greater power and gifts then Pastors and Deacons, (all which they had and more; for Evangelists had the gifts and offices both of Pastors and Teachers, since the Apostle chargeth Timothy to attend to Doctrine and exhortation, 1 Tim 4. 13. but here his Admonition is, he that Teacheth on Teaching only, and he that Exhorteth on Exhortation;) so likewise have the Pastors all the power that the Elders have; as the Elders all that the Deacons, and what is the work of either, the Pastors or Teachers may do as their leisure serves, as in Acts 6. 1, 2, 3. Originally the Apostles themselves, (as may be gathered from ver. 4. and 1. compared, did perform that daily Administration, but through the burden of it appointed a special office, that they might attend to their principal and more proper work; yet so as occasionally they might overlook and join with them (as they had leisure) in their Administrations.

2. Rule and Government is also common to the Pastor and Teacher with the Elders, as by this Place, 1 Tim. 5. 17. expressly doth appear, in that he says in common, the Elders that Rule are worthy of double Honor; but especially those that labor in the Word and Doctrine: Therefore they that Labor in Word and Doctrine, are also Ruling Elders; and it is such a Speech, as when it is said God is the Savior of all Men, but especially of them that believe, whence any Man would gather, that Believers were Men; only further, some special Rank of Men, or as if it be said, Honor all Fellows in a College, in the University, but especially those that labor in Divinity. There is another place which proves the same thing, Heb. 13. 7. so as their Office is to do both, but yet they are in common with another sort of Officers, especially designed to that work mentioned, ver. 17.

Now this being premised to find out the proper distinctions of each of these Subordinate Offices, these ensuing Axioms, which fully agree with the Apostle's intentions here, and elsewhere may give us light:

The 1. Axiom is, That what is common to a Superior Officer, with the inferior may yet be made a proper difference of that inferior Officer; as for example. To Rule is an office common to Pastors and Elders; and yet, to Rule, is made the special difference of such an Officer in this, Rom: 12. 6, 7. as he is distinguished from Deacons and Prophets; For it is in this, as it is in other Species and kinds of Creatures, who have something common, something proper, so as Men have all that Beasts and Plants have, and yet when we would express the difference of a Plant from a Beast; we say it is a Creature that hath life in it, when we would express the proper difference of a Beast, we say, it is a Creature that hath Sense, a Sensitive Soul, and so of a Man, we express his proper difference; a Creature Reasonable, though he hath Sense also, and so the Apostle, in this distinction of Offices, distinguisheth a Deacon by his Office of giving, because this is all that the power of his Office reacheth to, an Elder by one that Ruleth, because that is the highest that his Office extends unto, and the Pastor and Doctor by Prophecying, as that which alone is proper to them, though they Rule, &c. also.

2. The Second Axiom is, That when that, which is common to a Superior Officer, with an Inferior; is made the difference of the Inferior Office, it is in respect of some peculiarity in that his work, which makes a true difference between them.

1. Thus though to Rule is a Pastor's Office as well as an Elder's; yet the Elder is more especially said to Rule, because he is wholly set apart to it: It is his proper calling which he is wholly appointed to mind, and in a special manner; and so the Deacon's Office is to mind the poor; they are separated to this work, so as to none else: That as I said, all Officers in common differ from private Members, as being separated to some work, though' withal they do besides retain in common with the rest of the Members the exercise of all Privileges and Duties that belong to Members: So it is in this respect in the comparison between Inferior and Superior Officers, though the Superior in common performs the same works with the Inferior; yet the Inferior is set apart to it wholly, which the other is not, but to some other of an higher kind; by reason of intending which, he cannot so fully and wholly intend the other. And therefore it is observable, that speaking of a Ruler's Office in Ruling, he says, let him do it with diligence; for that is his work which he is to mind, and there will be enough of it to fill his hand.

Or 2. There may be a peculiar duty to be exercised by one more than another in the way of Administration, and more peculiar bounds of Jurisdiction in Ruling. Thus the Elders Ruling and Inspection and Watching, is only principally over Men's Lives, their outward Man, the infirmities thereof in conversation, but the Pastors and Teachers care is over the inward principally, as their Errors, Temptations, Doubts, Scruples, &c. and the Teacher also is more especially to Admonish of Errors, and pluck up such ill weeds as are contrary to sound Doctrine; and the Pastor to watch over the doubts about their Estates, and slackness and deadness any way in Holy Duties, and accordingly the People are to make use of them; as they thus have in Ruling their more special walks and works.

Or 3. Sometimes there is a difference in respect of eminency, that as a Ruler's work is to Admonish and watch over the Life, so he may have a more special gift that way, than a Pastor or Teacher.

3. The Third Axiom is, That in like manner the Superior Officers, Pastor and Teacher, have besides those Offices common with Ruling Elders a special work, in which they are more Eminent, and attend more upon it than Ruling, or on the Deacon's Office; (though they are to mind them also) which is to Prophecy and open the word, and accordingly therefore that gives them their distinction from the other.

1. Thus they are distinguished from Deacons expressly, Acts 6. 1. The Apostles whose ordinary Successors these are gave over much of the business of looking to the poor, and established an Office for it, to the end, they might continually give themselves to Prayer, and the Ministry of the word; they being to be in public the Mouth of God to the People, and of the People unto God.

Thus 2. Also they are most properly distinguished from Ruling Elders, 1 Tim. 5. v. 17. Those Elders are such whose Office it is to Rule well, but these are they that labor in the Word and Doctrine: That is, that ex officio are to give themselves wholly up to it. To this purpose also may be observed that difference, in Heb. 13. 1. in the 7th verse speaking of Preaching Elders or Prophets, he says, Remember them who have the Rule over you, who have spoken to you the word of God; that is, that are openers of the word among you; and therefore he adds whose Faith follow, and then at the 17th, comes in, as a new exhortation, so another Sort of Elders (or else I suppose he would have shut up all in that other) of whom he mentions that they Rule, but leaves, out as a note of difference, that which in the former he added; [that have spoken the word to you.] So as this is proper to these Officers, and not communicated to the rest, (not ex officio) to labor in the Word and Prophecy: And therefore in Ephes. 4. 11, 12. mentioning such Officers as were appointed to gather the Saints, and build them up in Faith and the knowledge of Christ by Preaching, he mentions only Pastors and Doctors, and is silent of the other, as being the proper work of them, not of the other.

As I have shown the proper difference of subordinate Officers, it now remains that I should do the like, concerning these two in the Superior Rank, Pastor and Teacher, which are co-ordinate; of which we must show the difference also.

1. Some would have made the same difference of Subordination, between the Pastor and Teacher, that hath been shewn between them and the others; so as the Pastor should be alone the Supreme Officer, and all the rest his Assistants; and he should have also a larger power of Administration and Government, both in the Sacraments and Censures, from which they would exclude the Teacher, from meddling in them: But in any such respect, I cannot find in Scripture any so vast a difference, but every way an equality given to them, only a difference in the manner of Administration.

1. There is only a difference as to the Administration of Holy things, not anything as to power. For then the Scripture would mention also, that the Pastor hath all the gifts the Teacher hath, and more; for it is a Law will not fail us, that eminency of power hath eminency of gifts; that fullness of power, hath a fullness of gifts answerable: But God hath shared and divided gifts of prophesying between them, to one, a word of Wisdom, to another the word of Knowledge, 1 Cor. 12. Not to the Pastor solely, but so as the Teacher is not his assistant, but his come-peer in it; and as their gifts, so their duties here (in Rom. 12.) are bounded gifts differing, ver. 6. so as the exhorter is to attend on exhortty; as the Teacher on Teaching, and not to entrench on one another's Office and Duty; and so both to Prophecy, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , as the Syriac Translation hath it, fidei suae, of his own Faith; and then the meaning is not according only to the measure of his gift, more or less, for 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 respects quality rather than quantity; a likeness, a suitableness, and proportion therein, according to the kind of his gifts, so as the meaning is, that all his Sermons and Prophecying, should be Analogical to his Gifts and Office. As he hath Gifts and an Office of Exhortation, so let him accordingly frame his Sermons suitably: As we say of words (when proper) they are according to the Analogy of a Tongue; so here his Ministry is according to the Analogy of his gifts, when suitable thereunto. A day of Thanksgiving and Humiliation differs though' there is no pre-eminence of Holiness in the one afore the other, only some Duties do eminere in the one, more than in the other; as Humiliation in the one, and Thanksgiving in the other. And therefore as a Man may in a day of Thanksgiving think of his sins, in order to raise up his Heart to thankfulness; and in a day of Humiliation, mentions God's Mercies to break his Heart for his sins: Yet so, as the eminent Duty is to be Thanksgiving in the one, and Humiliation in the other; so it is here in the Administration of your gifts.

Neither 2. Is it that there are any Holy things that a Pastor may Administer, that not a Teacher, as to instance in the Sacraments, wherein the difference must lie, if in anything.

1. The Sacraments are committed promiscuously to the Apostles and their Successors, in teaching ex officio, Matth. 28. 19. Go and teach and Baptize.

2. Both are alike Stewards of the Ministries of God, which Elders are not, 1 Cor. 4. 1.

3. Both may bless and do, as in praying afore Sermons, so in Preaching the Gospel, and it is called the fullness of the Blessing of the Gospel, which a teacher in teaching brings, (Rom. 16.) as well as the Sacrament is called the Cup of blessing.

And 4. Though the Sacraments are the Seals of the Covenant that apply Christ, and so might seem peculiar to the Pastor's Office: Yet they are signs also for Teaching, and belong therefore to the Teachers to Administer. As therefore such truths as are mixed, belong to them both to Preach, so the Administration of the Sacraments too. For they show forth Christ's Death till he come, as well as the word, (Gal. 3. 1, 2.) And they Preach to the Eye, that which the Gospel doth to the Ear.

5. Teaching is a higher Ordinance than the Sacrament, (1 Cor. 1. 7.) I was not sent to Preach, but Baptize: Therefore he that ex officio, doth the greater and more important, may perform the lesser.

3. They are equal in respect of Honor due to them, (1 Tim. 5. 17) where his Scope is to give every Office its due Honor. Therefore of Widows, and so of Deacons, who are of the same Rank, he had said, Honor them who are Widows indeed. Of Ruling Elders, a Superior Office, he hath doubled it, appointing double Honor to him that Rules well. But to those that labor in the Word (of Wisdom or Exhortation) the Pastor; or in Doctrine, the Teacher he especially assigns double Honor, and to both the same, whereas if the Pastor had been so Superior, (his Scope being to show, what Honor was due to each, according to their Administration) he would have said, give to your Pastor more especial Honor of all the rest. He doth not intend any precedency, for he promiscuously Ranks the one afore the other, and e contra, sometimes the one, sometimes the other, as (Eph. 4. 12.) Pastors afore Teachers, so here Teachers afore Pastors; and sometimes Teacher for to express both, and that more ordinarily than the other, as (Gal. 6. 6. 1 Cor. 12. 28. 1 Tim. 3. and Tit. 1.) Nor doth he mean that there is an excellency in the Ministries of one above the other, that as all Ordinances excel other in something, so it is here: for when all is in order, both come to one. The one is the Tutor of the un, derstanding, the other of the Will: These are their two Pupils committed to them: And when that controversy in Philosophy is decided, which is Noblest of those two Faculties? Then may this of these two Offices.

But they differ.

1. In respect of an eminency of Gift, inclining one way rather than another. It is said of all Prophecying Elders, (1 Tit. 9.) that they are to be able both to exhort and convince Gain-sayers by sound Doctrine, so as the Pastor is to use a word of Doctrine, and so a Teacher a word of Exhortation, but that which is eminere, or to shine forth in their Preachings, is their special gift. It is not to be thought that a Pastor is to speak only in a way of Application and Use; for he should have a Doctrine as a ground to plant his great Ordinance upon, which he dischargeth. Nor is it that the Teacher is to leave his Doctrines altogether without Application; but that his gift is suited to his office, and so his Labor is to be most spent in Doctrine, and so the words of the Text are to be understood, Let him that Teacheth, be as in Teaching, that is, most employed about it.

2. They differ but modaliter, in the manner of handling their Ministry. The one turns all his Sermons into Application, by way of Comfort and Exhortation; the other endeavors to inform the Judgment; they differ but as Logic and Rhetoric, which are compared to a shut hand, and one opened, the same Arguments are used in both; but the one so ordered, as to convince the Judgment, the other so as to persuade the affection.

More particularly they differ.

1. In the several Subjects they are to deal with, both look to the inward Man; so they differ from the Elders who look to the outward: but those share the two Noble Faculties between them. The one the Understanding, the other the Will and Conscience. The one hath more peculiarly the understanding to deal with, the other, the Will and Affections: These are their Pupils committed to their charge, Men are ignorant and apt to err, and need to be built up in Knowledge. This the Teacher takes care of, to feed with knowledge and understanding, (as Jer. 3. 16. and 23. 3, 4 and 6. ch. 8.) And Men are slow of Heart to do, and need quickening and stirring up: For this the Pastor's office serves, (Eccl. 12. 11.) there is need of Nails to Rivet and fasten Truths on their understanding, and establish them in them; and there is need of Goads to provoke them unto good works, (Heb. 10. 23.) And there are feeble Arms and hands that hang down, that are to be strengthened; inward evils, discouragements which are to be removed, &c. which to do is the Pastor's office.

2. They differ in the object matter. The one speaks words of knowledge, and considers truths, and shows the story and harmony of them, teacheth in Faith and Verity, (as 1 Tim. 2. 7. or as Rom. 2. 20.) is an Instructer of the Foolish, a Teacher of Babes, and has a Form of Knowledge, and of the Truth in the Law: The other is to consider Men, and speak words of Wisdom pertinently to them. The one hath the Bible, and the System or Form of wholesome words for his Text: The other studies Men more, and seeks to fit the word to them. And the Pastor is one able to discern what is peculiarly fit for Men's Spirits, and so speaks wisely to Men, whereas the other speaks pertinently to truths. The one brings Scripture to Scripture, and compares each with each; the other deals and divides the word, and brings Scripture and Men's Consciences together. You may discern this difference in Men's Conferences; some when they speak, consider the occasion of the party: Some follow still the occasion the discourse giveth.

3. They differ in respect of truths, the Pastor deals with points of practice more, with things to be done; the other with points of Faith, with things to be believed. Some truths are mixed, and in those both are alike to deal, as in cases of Conscience, and scruples of Conscience.

4. To express it by the method of Preaching in use with us, whereas Sermons consist of Doctrines and uses, so the gifts of the one lies more in explaining the words and phrases, and to bring Reasons to confirm and to solve doubts, and resolve mysteries; and so succeed these Prophets under the New Testament, who opened harder places and difficulties. The other is more fit to enlarge into uses, and to digest all truths into practical thoughts, which with power he can set home on the Heart.

5. The Pastor deals with Men's sins more, the Teacher with Men's Errors more; the one in Information, the other in Mortification. The one hath more of Christ's Priestly Office in slaying the Old Man, and offering up Believers as a Sacrifice to Christ, (Rom 15. 16.) the other hath Christ's Prophetical Office more imported, in opening truths, as the Elder hath more of Christ's Kingly Office, in Ruling over Men's Consciences.

Use 1. See the goodness of God, who hath made such abundant provision for all defects; as he hath fitted gifts to Offices, so both to the needs of Men, (1 Cor. 12. 21.) which implies, that God, in placing the Members, respected the need of the whole, as Natura non deficit in necessariis neque gratia. Look what the inward Man wants, preaching Officers are to provide for, and all the several parts of it; and what is defective in the outward Man, the Elders are to watch over. And accordingly we see, as Ministers are thus eminently gifted, so people are eminently fitted to them: Some are quickened more by an affectionate way, and cleave to such a Ministry; some by a Doctrinal way, and are built up by Notions and Knowledge, that so all tastes may be suited, and all have their portion.

2. Use, There is a Rule for Churches in their choice, to Rank Men into offices, according to their gifts. This you are to heed, for you choose not for yourselves, but for the Lord (as he said, you Judge for the Lord.) The Apostle says, (Acts 14. 23.) the Holy Ghost made them Over-seers; yet they were called by Men, & set over his Church purchased by his Blood, over a Flock which God accounts so precious. You are not therefore to choose, out of any ends of common prudence, but for Spiritual ends, merely comparing Spiritual things with Spiritual, to suit Men and places accordingly: There is Simony in by ends. In other choises they use to give Oaths, as in Colleges, and in Corporations, but here there is none but conscience to be a tie upon you.

That which now remains, is to establish the truth of these several Offices here mentioned, because it is denied by many (as you know) that there are such, or so many differing officers to be in Churches, denying that there is such a difference between the office of Pastor and Teacher, and that under those two Names, one only kind of officer is meant, in respect of a differing action to be performed by him, and so that there are several Works, not Persons: And then again wholly taking away the office of the Ruling Elder, as neither necessary, nor any way the Institution of Christ.

I will First therefore, in general, argue out of this place, of Rom. 12. ver. 6, 7. 8.

1. That in this place officers and not actions or duties of Members are spoken of▪ is evident, 1. In that he mentions, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , or Ministry, which is a name of an office, not of an action of any private Member.

2. In that he says, He that Ruleth, it must needs note out an Office; for otherwise, one Brother is not to Rule over another, or to take upon him to do it.

3. In that he speaks of them, as of such callings as Men are to exercise themselves in. which is proper for Officers so to do. Now so he speaks of them; for that he calls for diligence of a Ruler, it is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , which, as Boetius defines it, is Vehemens animi intentio ad id quod suscipitur; a Vehement intention of Mind, to that which is undertaken: So as to mind it, and employ one's self in it, as in a Calling and Employment designed there, which also that Phrase, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , implies: He that Ministreth in Ministring, that Teacheth on Teaching; that Phrase, to be in, notes out making it one's calling; for so, (1 Tim. 4. 15, 16.) speaking to Timothy to perform the work of an Evangelist; he says, give thyself wholly to them, and be in them, v. 16. as the word is in the Original, and in that also he useth such participles to express it, as Exhortations, In docendo, in exhortando, it implies a Calling, and not an Action, for otherwise it were a Tautology: For if he meant an Action only, then to say, He that Teacheth, Teach, were a Tautology: So as the one notes out Jus & nomen officij, the other, the exercise of his Office: To say, let him that seeth, see, is a Tautology. But to say, let the seer see, he whose Office it is; is to call upon him to do his Duty, by reason of his Office, so as the one, he that Teacheth, notes out, Jus & potentiam, the other, in Teaching, notes praxin, the exercise of it.

4. Those who oppose this Congregational way, have none to teach or exhort, but those that are in Office, or Orders, as they call it.

5. Though he call them Gifts, yet so Officers are called, (Ephes. 4. 3.) the Apostles office he calls 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , I say, says he, through the grace given me; that is, my Apostolical power and office, as was shown afore.

And 2. Ordinary officers are meant.

1. Because the Gifts and Actions he speaks of are ordinary, such as no extraordinary Gifts are required for the performance of: As to teach or exhort, to give, &c. which Actions and Gifts remain still in the Church.

And 2. Because even the Prophets here (which if any, might seem extraordinary) are limited to the Analogy of Faith; and all exhorted not to entrench upon other's Callings or Actions, which bounds, if they had been extraordinary Officers, they could not have set to them.

Now then 3. If officers, and officers ordinary, be here meant, then look how many several Enumerations there are, so many several offices are there too. For else,

1. The Scope of his former General Exhortation, that they should not entrench upon one another's Functions, had been made utterly void, if several offices and actions had not been intended.

And 2. Because he had spoken of diversity, ver. 4 6. therefore these Enumerations must be understood as instances of that diversity.

And 4 If Pastors and Deacons are differing, then, why not all: There is the same reason for the one, as for the other. And therefore, why should not he that teacheth, be differing from him that exhorteth; as well as from him that giveth or Ruleth. And in that, (Ephes. 4.) Pastor and Doctor, and (1 Cor. 12.) teachers and helpers and Governors, are reckoned up amongst the extraordinary: It argues, that in an ordinary way there is the like necessity of them, that in an extraordinary there was of the other. I shall speak more particularly of the difference and distinction of the offices of Pastor and Teacher.

1. It appears that these offices are distinct in that place, (Ephes. 4. 11.) we find Pastors and Deacons enumerated.

Obj. Against this place is objected, that it is spoken exegetically, Pastors and Teachers, as making up all one office.

1. But then he would have said rather Pastors or Teachers, not and Teachers.

2. But 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , doth not always lock together, but sometimes differenceth two things it is set betwixt, as in the like case, (Acts 13 1.) Prophets and Teachers: By Prophets he means, in the Language of the primitive times, extraordinary Gifts, but teachers were ordinary: And Barnabas and Saul, who were extraordinary Men, are there reckoned.

And 3. In all Exegetical Speeches, the latter explains the former, and useth to be more clear; but after Pastors in that Sense that's held (this being the proper name of the office) to say, i. e. Teachers is to explain the more proper by the Improper.

Obj. But to all the rest, there is a note of difference affixed, as when he says, some Apostles, some Evangelists, but of these Pastors and Tecahers there is none, so as it seems, they were intended as one.

Answ. But it is the manner of the Grecians to bring in the word [ 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , and] in the end of a disjunctive Enumeration, in a disjunctive Sense, as in that, (Gal. 3. 21.) after he had said, there is neither Jew nor Greek, neither bound nor free, he ends that last disjunction, neither Male or Female; in Greek it is, neither Male and Female, so in the Original, and the Syriac so reads it.

And 2. As their offices are thus here, and in that place thus distinct; so their gifts also are distinct: And this is a Rule infallible, that according to diversity of gifts hath God appointed diversity of offices: He suited gifts and offices together, so 1 Cor. 12. 45. There are diversities of Gifts, and diversities of Administrations, so as they are commensurable; now in the same place, when (ver. 8.) He enumerates the variety of Gifts: To one, says he, is given the word of Wisdom, to another the word of Knowledge.

1. He speaks of Preachers that speak the word, which differenceth them from Elders; for he calls it a word of Knowledge, and a word of Wisdom.

2. He speaks of ordinary Officers, for as Beza observes, when he begins to speak of extraordinary Gifts, in the next word he varies the Phrase, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , ver. 9. And they differ, as prudentia & scientia in Philosophy many Men knowing things in the notion, that are not so wise to discern of Men and things, and to apply accordingly. And according to what the Holy Ghost hath said here of the variety of Men's Gifts, we find nothing more evident in experience, even in a Church, where there is a confusion of Offices: Yet God still kept to his Rule, and distributed Gifts accordingly: Some apt to open things more largely, others to apply them; yea, the Papists did observe this difference of Gifts, as is evident in their comparing Thomas Aquinas, and Bonaventure together: Thomas intellectu eminuit, Bonaventura affectu splenduit: The one was a more understanding Judicious Divine, the other more Affectionate and Eminent to stir up affection: And even in the Natural parts of Men, there is that difference, some are fit positively to explain and convince, but cannot persuade; others are more fit to persuade and prevail with Men. And thereby do ordinary Officers differ from those extraordinary, that both meet in these: (So in Timothy) but are differing in those other.

3. As there are differing Gifts, so differing Works, to a differing end. Prophecying Elders are distinguished from Ruling, by laboring in the Word and Doctrine, (1 Tim. 5. 17.) for the great labor is that of the Mind. By word, some Particularly understand a word of Exhortation, as here distinct from Doctrine or Teaching. So Heb. 13. 22. suffer the word of Exhortation, and Acts 13. 15. If any have a word of Exhortation, &c. And Doctrine, on the contrary, is taken for the form of truth and wholesome words, which is taught especially by the teacher, as (1 Cor. 14. 26.) Doctrine is taken. And as here they are called both Prophets, so according to those ends of Prophecying mentioned, (as 14. 3.) may their distinction here be illustrated. Prophecying he says is a speaking to Edification, to Exhortation, to Comfort; if Edification be taken in a strict Sense as distinct from comfort and exhortation (though I confess elsewhere, and in the next Verses, it is taken largely) then it notes out Building up in knowledge, which is the Teachers work, and Exhortation and Comfort the Pastor's: The Teacher Prophecyeth to Edification, and the Exhorter, to Exhortation and Comfort. And therefore it is observable that the word used here, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , is either to Comfort or to Exhort.

4. By this distribution of Officers, there is a Communication of all the Offices of Christ.

1. The Pastor Represents the Priestly Office of Christ. For he by the word applied. slays the Old Man, and presents the New Creature to God.

2. The Teacher Represents the Prophetical Office of Christ.

3. The Kingly Office of Christ, is more eminently seen in the Ruling Elder.

4. This suits with all the needs of a Church, their understandings are the Teacher's Pupils, their Wills, the Pastor's, their Lives, the charge of the Elders: And accordingly we see Believers Appeal some to Doctrinal Preaching, some to Exhortation. And thus Ranked were the Ministers in the Primitive times: There were two Prophecying Elders (at lest) in a Church, (Col. 4. 18.) Archippus had a Ministry he was to fulfill, and that surely a Teaching one; for their other Minister Epaphras, who was also their Minister, Col. 1. 1. was then absent, Col. 4 12. more besides they might have, and a Church may have, (as Acts 13. 1:) they had many teachers in one Church, and as Musculus observes, on Rom. 12. he says, all have not the same Office, not that none have the same. The Body to which the comparison is, hath two Eyes, two Hands, &c. there was something in it, that Christ in sending forth the Apostles, sent them two by two. So Cyprian in his time says, you that are Pastors with the Elders, Doctors and Readers, &c. so in the Church of Alexendria, Origen was a Doctor.

The German Divines make this Office proper to Universities, and professors there, but the Apostle makes the Officer a Member of the Church, and for all Saints, Ephes. 4. and Rom. 12. So in our Cathedrals, there remains a Vestigium, a Footstep of this distinction, in that we have, as Bishops, so also Readers in Cathedrals, and in the same Church there are Vicars and Pastors.

CHAP. IX.

THere is one thing which I cannot pretermit, but must urge and press it, viz. that every Institution and Office, and order appointed by God, hath answerably to accompany it, and succeed it, a special blessing suited to the nature of it. This is evident from this, Psal. 133. 1, 2, 3. It is common to the New Testament, though spoken of the Assemblies of the Old Testament, either of the lesser Synagogues, or of the General Assemblies at their Feasts, for they were under their High Priests, to whom he does allude, ver. 2. It is like the precious Ointment upon the Head, that ran down upon the Beard, even Aaron's Beard, that went down to the skirts of his Garments. Every Member partook of some benefit of the Holy Oil poured upon Aaron 's Head, the chief Officer of those General Assemblies; and it is expressly added of them there, that God commands the Blessing. And this, though an Old Testament instance, may fitly serve for the New, mutatis mutandis. For a particular Church, where the Brethren meet in one 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , with one consent, one heart, one worship, is in itself alone a distinct special Ordinance and Institution of Christ, and he hath promised that where two or three are gathered together in his Name, he will be in the midst amongst them, Matth. 18. 20. And his presence brings all sorts of blessings with it, and there 'tis that God commands a blessing. For that company are the House of God, 1 Tim. 3. 15. The Church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the Truth. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the Seat of Truth, a Pillar of Truth, not Architectonically, that supported the Truth, but Phorendically as pillars use to be, with papers pasted on them to declare the Truth. It is an Ordinance to preserve Truth in the World, to hold it forth, as on pillars they used to place their Writings. God is used to bless the small despised Assemblies of Saints gathered together in unity, more then great Councils consisting of Popes and Bishops, and Cardinals. These small Assemblies have been the little creepers in the Chimney, that keep up the fires, which the great Andirons, do not as was Prince Henry 's Speech. And a Church, though very small, is yet a Church of the Living God, and (as Mr. Nye once well said) A Church is a thing, that lives, because it has the Living God to dwell in it.

And as God blesseth the Churches that are the Casket, the Sheath, so he blesseth their Officers too that are proper to them (though among Men accounted the lowest) that is, they are Pastors and Teachers in particular Congregations, who are their Preaching Elders.

The Papists plead that it is their Church that keep the Faith and the Truth, and that God had made a promise to lead them into all Truth. But it is the ordinary Officers of the Church, Pastors and Teachers, which the Apostle Paul says do build up the Church, till they come to the unity of the Faith, Ephes. 4. 11, 12, 13. And it is among you he has commanded the blessing, which is demonstrated thus, that Christ when he ascended, gave Gifts unto Men, and scattered them among the Saints, tanquam missilia, As the Roman Emperors did their Donatives among the People, as their Chariots went along. Now what were those Gifts, but the Offices which God Instituted in the Church Universal; First the extraordinary, that ceased before Tertullian 's time, as Apostles, Prophets, Evangelist's, and there are no more of them to be found on Earth, only their Writings continue, and make up the New Testament. But who are the lasting Officers of continuance to preserve the Truths, when they were gone, none but Pastors and Teachers, and unto these it has been, that the Faith hath been committed, and by them preserved, and Truth hath been taught, and how long do they last? Till all come to the unity of the Faith of the Son of God: If any point of Faith be erred in, that is not Fundamental; these Pastors and Teachers do restore it unto its primitive Native Splendour. 'It is there God appoints the Blessing, what ever Men pretend of General Councils; and the reason is, because God still follows his own Institutions with his own Blessing, and there God commands a Blessing. As Christ himself did ascend from the lower parts of the Earth unto that hight, which he has in Heaven, so dothall Truths arise from the lower sort of Ministers; and if General Councils have any Truth among them, it is because it hath ascended first unto unto them, from the inferior lower sort of Ministers, as they in Debasement call them.

That in general, a special blessing from God is promised to all Assemblies and Institutions, whether of the Old or New Testament is evinced from this one place which I have mentioned, Psal. 133. 1, 2, 3. where a blessing is so emphatically declared, There God commands a blessing, which denotes the intention of God's mind in it. Now to whom and to what is this Superexcellent blessing even eternal life, which is the sum and quintessence of blessings commanded to be bestowed? Under the Old Testament the promise of Eternal Life was then given, Witness, that one Scripture speaking of the Old Testament worship by the twelve Tribes, to which promise (says the Apostle) the twelve Tribes, meaning the Nation of the Godly Jews, hoping to come; served God Day and Night. Their Assemblies were either the General Assemblies or Feasts, at which the High Priest, the greatest Officer of the Old Testament, and the Type of Christ was present, or else the lesser Assemblies of the Synagogues, and all the Order and Institutions belonging to them, and all this blessing was promised to each and every of them. And their Holy Communion together in the General Assemblies, the Psalmist compares unto the pouring down the Holy Oil upon the Head of the High Priest, and as the Oil dropt down upon all his Garments, the Skirts, &c. So every particular Member likewise they exhorted to keep the unity of the Spirit in the Bond of Peace. These are the unities of the New Testament, that the Saints are exhorted to live in also, and above all to avoid divisions, they are called to peace in one Body, and every particular Church is called the House of the living God, dwelling together with them to keep them in unity. And Christ's first Institution of a particular Church under the New Testament expresses it on this wise again: I say unto you, that if two of you shall agree upon Earth, &c. Matth. 18. 19. There is unity, and as touching anything they shall ask of my Father which is in Heaven (says Christ) it shall be done unto them; and then adds the words of Institution, For where two or three are gathered together in my Name, I am in the midst of them. They therefore who are present, receive a participation of the blessings promised, of some of the Holy Oil poured upon Christ the Head.

2. Secondly, This Scripture though written under the Old Testament, is yet, Mutatis Mutandis, readily Aplicable to the New constituted Assemblies of the Saints under the Gospel, constituted Assemblies of the Saints under the Gospel, and even the Terms and the Language used in the Psalm is fitted to those of the New Testament. As for instance, the word Brethren dwelling together, is the proper cognizance of the community of the Saints Assembled under the New. Those words [dwelling together in unity] is well nigh the same: For they dwell in Churches under Pastors and Teachers, and are instructed till they all come to the unity of Faith and Knowledge of the Son of God. And where Christ's presence is, there is always a blessing; and 'tis also a description of a New Testament Church, (1 Cor. 14. 23.) That 'tis a whole Church, consisting of all its Members met together in one place. There is unity of place. And then, Acts 1. 14. we have an account that they met with one consent, ( 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ) to perform the Duties of Worship. And whoever will read the story of the first New Testament Church that God reared in Jerusalem, will find abundantly enough in the story of the first Chapter of the Acts, and in the second Chapter concerning their continuing together in one place, they were all with one accord in one place, (Chap. 2. 1.) and there was fulfilled the Prophecies of Joel, in pouring out the Spirit of God upon them, which inwardly united them together, and Jesus Christ his presence was amongst them, and he being by the Right Hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost was in the midst of them: And he being the High Priest of the New Testament, (Heb. 3. 1.) God hath anointed him, of which anointing we have all participated, Acts 4. ver. 27. nor did they only continue together in the Apostles Fellowship in the Temple, and in Solomon's Porch, in Preaching, in Prayers, and in breaking Bread (as in those Chapters is mentioned) but it grew to such a unity, that the multitude of them that believed, were of one Heart and of one Soul, neither said any one that ought of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things common, and with great power gave the Apostle witness of the Resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all, Acts 4. 32, 33. For that time they keep as a day of Thanksgiving, and continual feasting unto the Lord for the Joy they had, that their New King was alive and risen. So as those other words of the Psalmist,-Behold how good and how pleasant a thing it is, for Brethren to dwell together in unity, were then verified in such a manner, and with such a joy, as had never been seen afore in the World at any time. Insomuch, as the common Jews that were not Believers, nor of their company beheld and magnified them praising God, and having favor with all the People, Acts 2. 47. Ecce quam invicem diligunt, Behold how they love one another, was the common cry of the Multitude, thus plausibly and happily did this Church begin, and great grace was upon them all, Acts 3. 33. they were joined or glued together, as the word is. And thus blessed from God, was the first Seat and Pillar of Truth not Architectonical, or a pillar that bore up the Truth, but Phoreneical whereby according to the custom of those times, the Holy Mysteries of God and Christ, were posted to be seen and read of all, and thus much in general to prove that there is a blessing from God in a Gospel Church, truly gathered and constituted by God where Christ is present.

2. And if the case, the Sheath, the Cabinet be thus precious to God; then the Gifts which God places in his Cabinet, I mean the Instituted Officers of this Church, which are the Furniture and Ornament of it, are also precious unto God, and ought to be unto us; and that which I insist on, is that each of them have a special blessing from God to accompany them as a Gift from God, and special blessing. And indeed the Officers duly placed and fixed in this Seat of Truth, have been in all Ages since Christ the great Preservers and Restorers of Gospel Truth, and to whom we owe the Glorious Reformation of our Religion.

The Papists make a great plea of the Churches Infallibility and Authority through God's blessing, as they pretend, but when we come to examine what that Church is, that is, the preserver of Truth, they cry up the Higher Clergy (as they call it) of Popes, Patriarchs, Bishops, and such like Doctors of the Higher Rank. But it is reported to have been Prince Henry 's Speech and Similitude (Eldest Son to King James the first) that being invited to a Merchants House, where a great pair of brass Andirons were; these gaudy appearances of shining brass (says he) are not the pillars that hold up the fire, as your Bishops and Doctors are not, but they are the little creepers of Iron, which bear up the fire: So it is not your Prelates which uphold the Church, but it is your inferior Ministers which take pains in their places that uphold it, and not General Councils, nor the Dignified Clergy. In Eph. 4. 11, 12. it is said of Pastors and Teachers, that they are the only standing Officers of the Church, whom Jesus Christ hath continued in the Ministry, for the edifying the Body of Christ through every Age, which their Succession does run through, till we all come in the Unity of Faith and Knowledge of the Son of God, every such Age by the instructions of these ordinary Ministers preserving the knowledge of Christ, and unity of Faith, Now what is the reason that the People of God should be built up by these means, rather then by pompous Ostentation of Knowledge, but only because indeed God's blessing follows his own Ordination; and Apostles and Evangelists being ceased and gone of the Stage, and only their Writings in the New Testament left, God produces an oral propagating down of these Truths among his Elect, by these ordinary Pastors.

And these and the like blessings, Jesus Christ hath freely bestowed as special Gifts and Donatives of Grace, so as the Gift of them is in itself a singular blessing to any People that enjoys them, and besides God follows the Person with a special blessing and endowment, together with his Gift and Ability, according to the Rank and Order of the Office itself, which is also the gift in that, Eph. 4. before quoted. He rehearseth all sorts of instituted Officers in the Church, whether ordinary or extraordinary, as for Preaching the extraordinary, ver. 11. He gave some Apostles, some Prophets, some Evangelists; These are the twelve Stars about the Church's Head, Rev. 12. 1. wherewith the first Primitive Age was crowned; but they have ever since disappeared, only leaving their Writings, and they ceasing in respect of living, the Christian World began anew, were Children rather then Fathers, there being few Preaching Elders that had Gifts of ability, as may be discerned by their Writings they have left: But the ordinary standing Ministers were Pastors and Teachers, and to them Christ committed the institution of the Church. Now concerning them you may observe two things for our present purpose.

1. They were special gifts of Jesus Christ, and superadded graces out of grace were bestowed on Men, and such as might somewhat exceed the common sort of Believers, being first instructed from the extraordinary, 2 Tim. 2. 2. And the things thou hast heard of me before many Witnesses, the same commit thou to Faithful Men, who shall be able to teach others also.

2. Christ having all power committed unto him in Heaven and Earth, appointed two distinct Offices of Preaching Elders, investing them with his Authority, and in his name, suitably.

3. He, by special Solemnities of his appointment, set and separated them to those Offices with Fasting and Prayer.

4. He gave a special blessing to each office and officer, in the execution of his office, for the People's sake over whom he is placed.

And when he had made up and compounded an Office and Officer, with all these particulars, he then gave them, as a Gift and Donative of mere grace, and has scattered them as Missilia among the People, according to his good pleasure. I call them so, alluding to the name which the Romans gave to the pieces of Gold and Silver which their Emperors ordered to be cast amongst the People. This our Lord Jesus doth from Heaven himself, withal blessing them; for our Lord and Savior Christ, when he was to ascend to Heaven, in the sight of the five Hundred that were present, (1 Cor. 15. 6.) he then singled out his Apostles and other Ministers, whom he had appointed in his Life-time, and had sent them two and two, Matth. 28. 18, 19, 20. All power is given unto me in Heaven and on Earth, and upon that he founds their Commissions; Go ye therefore and Teach all Nations, Baptizing them in the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. For that was spoken only of Ministers, Go and Baptize, &c. which was only proper for Ministers, who are the only Stewards of the Ministries of God, and so of Baptism being a Sacrament and Seal of the Covenant. And Christ also adds this for them, Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you, and lo, I am with you always even to the end of the World, Amen. And when he had given them this Authority and Gifts to Teach all Nations, he promises to be with them to the end of the World, and the last thing he did was to bless them, Luke 24. ver. 50, 51. And he lift up his Hands and Blessed them; and it came to pass, whilst he Blessed them, he was parted from them and carried up into Heaven. And this he did in Analogy to what God did in the first Creation, when he had made the first Man and Woman, Gen. 1. 28. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, be fruitful and multiply. And thus Christ did in his New Creation of Ministers, whether extraordinary, as in the first times, or ordinary, which are to endure to the end of the World; and upon all inferior or lower Ministers, and on all Officers of his Church, to come; in their several degrees he commands the blessing, which still continues, and we Act, and are Acted in the virtue of it.

Thus I have proved, that Jesus Christ hath himself solemnly blessed these Institutions of the Offices of Preaching Ministers, and that he did it just as he was going to Heaven:

2. I shall now Demonstrate more expressly, that every Ministerial Office hath a blessing to accompany it, according to its Order and Institution, which will yet more confirm, that these two particular Offices we have instanced, of Pastor and Teacher, have certainly the blessing commanded to them, for if every Officer else hath it, then much more these which are very Noble, (Rom. 15. 29.) in their employment and usefulness to Man. If we want this completeness we shall find we shall fall so much short of the Blessing; but the Apostle says, that he came to the Romans in the fullness of the blessing of the Gospel, so we are to take care that we do not miss of some degree of that blessing, which the fullness of the Institution will bring with it.

I proceed to Demonstrate this Truth by a view of particular Offices which God has Instituted, and with them each hath appointed a particular blessing or benefit, or issue, and event thereof.

As for the Old Testament, I will give but one instance, (but to me it is a great one) to evidence the thing in hand, Levite. 9. 23. And Moses and Aaron went into the Tabernacle of the Congregation, and came out, and blessed the People, and the Glory of the Lord appeared unto all the People. Yea, when the ordinary Levites and Priests blessed the People, their Voice was heard, 2 Chron. 30. 27. Then the Priests and the Levites arose and blessed the People, and their Voice was heard, and their Prayer came up to his Holy dwelling place, even unto Heaven. And as it had its effect in the Heart of God, so the blessing of the High Priest had a strange and miraculous effect in the Heart of a poor Woman. How much was poor Hannah's Heart loaded, and made unquiet by her fellow-partner Peninnah, Elhanah's other Wife? the story doth pitifully and mournfully set it out, 1 Sam. 1. 6. And her Adversary provoked her sore for to make her fret, and then poor Hannah, (ver. 10:) was in bitterness of Soul, and prayed unto the Lord and wept sore; but when Eli blessed her (saying, (ver. 17.) Go in peace, and the Lord God of Israel grant thee thy Petition, that thou hast asked of him, ver. 18.) then the Woman went her way, and her countenance was no more sad.

In the New Testament (if we examine from the lowest Office of the Church to the highest) there is a peculiar blessing promised according to its Degree, Rank or Order of the Institution.

1. A Deacon is esteemed the lowest Office, but the discharging of it well hath a special encouragement, in comparison of what other common Christians have, 1 Tim. 3. 13. For they that have used the Office of a Deacon well, purchase to themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the Faith that is in Christ Jesus. A good degree, that is, they obtain, as a reward to themselves, an Estimation above the Rank of ordinary Believers in the Faith, and great boldness thereupon. And in ver. 11. Likewise the Women 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , viz. Deaconesses (so Grotius renders it, and not Wives) who were to tend the Sick, must be Grave, Sober, Faithful in all things, and Christ will be faithful to them to Reward them according to their deservings. Thus it is in the lowest Offices in the Church: If we ascend to the highest, which was the order of Apostles in the Church, there were several things concurred in an Apostle, as to have been conversant with Christ during the time of his walking upon Earth, and then to have been eye-witnesses of his Resurrection after his Death, but the principal eminent thing that had the blessing to convert Souls where ever they came, and had the great success in that their Ministry, was, by virtue of the very office itself. For when our Savior Christ sent out his Twelve Apostles, he furnished them with two things.

1. With the matter which they should Preach. They were directed to Preach the Kingdom of God, and so to work upon Men's Souls.

2. Christ furnished them with Authority and Power extraordinary, (Matth. 10. 1.) to Heal the Sick, cleanse the Leper, &c. Now this is my assertion, that it twas not only the Gift of Ability to Preach, but the Authority and Power which they were invested with, wherein lay their Apostleship and their universal commission to go over all, or to any Nation, and Preach the Gospel with Success. In the virtue of this Office it was, that the blessing did accompany them where-ever they went, and from thence it was, that God wrought so with them as he did. It was by virtue of the Office itself which he had placed them in, and environed them about with the power of God. What says Paul, (Gal. 2. 6, 7.) concerning his own and Peter's Apostleship? That when they saw, by different experiences, and by conference of us together, the various working of God in the Ministry by me and by them, they knew that the Gospel of uncircumcision was committed to me, as the Gospel of Circumcision was to Peter. Now this arose not from the different Abilities of Peter and Paul, but from the various Commission and Success that their Office and Apostleship had in it from God: It was not that Paul was more abundantly laborious in the Ministry then them all. That his Gospel ran like Wildfire upon seared Trees in a torrid Zone, Rom. c. 15. ver. 19. Through mighty Signs and Wonders by the power of the Spirit of God, so that from Jerusalem and round about to Illyricum (that is all along as far as Hungary) I have fully preached the Gospel. And it was not the knowledge of his own Ability he presumed on; but the Authority God had put him into by his Office, and he, in a Holy kind of Ambition in doing this, scorned to build upon another's Foundation, as in ver. 20. Yea, so have I strived to preach the Gospel, not where Christ was named, least I should build upon another Man's Foundation.

And it was chiefly the conscience of that Office of Apostleship which God had placed him in, and that Success to an Admiration that God accompanied him with, which did thrust out that Holy Beast of his, 1 Cor. 15. 10. But I labored more abundantly then they all, yet not I, but the Grace of God that was with me. And this I boldly interpret, that he speaks it not of the Grace of God that was in himself, but of the Grace of God that was with him, and so speaks of his Office which God had put him into, as in ver. 9. For I am the least of the Apostles, that am not worthy to be called an Apostle, because I persecuted the Church of Christ. But by the Grace of God, I am what I am. He speaks not of the Grace he received at his conversion to Christianity, but of that of his Apostleship, which I speak not to provoke to pains, that is unreasonable, but to show that the Success ever he had from God in it, provoked him unto it. It was not the Grace of his conversion he thanked God for, but that of his Apostleship, as in 1 Tim. from ver. 12. to 18. I was a persecutor and a blasphemer, and yet he put me into the Ministry, &c. He seems to thank God for that, in the first and chief place, and Rom. 11. 13. For I speak to you Gentiles, in as much as I am an Apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine Office.

By the way, Mr. Parker, in his Ecclesiastical policy, has a controversy with the Bishops about this, viz. to which of Christ's Offices Ministers owe their Original for the Ministry. They say they hold it from him as Priest, chiefly for their Honor, but the Apostle Paul Attributes it to his being King. He is the great Sovereign that works all things, and does all things, and yet he is invisible, which is his glory, and so Jesus Christ founds it on his Kingly Office; All power in Heaven and on Earth is given to me, (says he) and so go and Teach all Nations, &c. Matth. 28. 18, 19, 20. But here, the wonder may be, that the privilege of being put into the Ministry, should be called by him Grace, but the Apostle has prevented us in our wonder at it, in Rom. 1. 5. By whom we have received Grace and Apostleship for obedience to the Faith among all Nations, for his Name. Which he accordingly urges them unto, upon every occasion, according as we have received Grace (says he) we exhort you, &c. Now, would you think it, he stiles every standing Office in the Church a Grace, or the Grace of God, in like manner as he had done the Apostleship, Eph. 3. 7. Whereof I was made a Minister according to the Gift of the Grace of God given unto me, by the effectual working of his power. In like manner he calls every particular Office, in the Church instituted, a Grace from God, Rom. 12. 4. 6. For as we have many Members in one Body, and all Members have not the same Office. Having Gifts differing according to the Grace that is given to us. And then he Enumerates the standing Instituted Offices as Pastor, and so downwards to the very Tenders of the Sick. He that showeth Mercy (says he) let him do it with cheerfulness. And as he calls these Offices Gifts, so he calls it Grace to be so called into such Offices, even as he had called the Apostleship the Gift of Grace unto himself, and so there is in their proportion the like blessing and obligation.

It is strange that all that perfect Holiness, that Adam had afore his fall, should be called the Image of God; and yet it arose not to the Dignity and Style of being called Grace, which denotes something Supernatural above the due of Creation.

Because in Rom. 12. 6, 7. two standing Offices are in common named Prophecying and Teaching, in distinction from the lower Offices, I shall upon the occasion thereof argue the point in hand; namely, that the two Preaching Elders being made Officers, and their calling being to Prophecy that they have a special blessing promised answerably to their Institution. To explain which more distinctly, we may and must know, that Prophecying in the Language of Paul 's Epistles, is used to express the Preaching of Members who are not Officers, and yet have Gifts fit to Edify the Church, which the Apostle therefore allows, (1 Cor. 14.) but so as this kind of Prophecying was not to hinder the Church from having standing Elders of Preaching, for that other kind of exercise of Prophecying from the Members is to be voluntary, and occasional as the Spirit of God supplies them with new matter. But Jesus Christ Head of the Church, thought not fit to leave his Church to such an uncertain slender provision only. But as he is Rich in Mercy, so he would have his Word to dwell richly and plentifully in his House, and has therefore appointed Officers that should Preach, in Season, and out of Season, that should give themselves wholly up to these things, to make it their work and business to seek to find out pleasant words, as of Solomon it's said, Eccles. 12. 10. Now our Lord Jesus Christ our Founder is a great King, and will have his Children Nobly Educated by Men, whose Office it is to tend them as Princes have; yea, he has appointed and set Tutors over every Faculty of his People, Teachers to inform their understandings, Pastors and Exhorters to deal with their Wills and Affections, and those lower than they, to take care about their Bodies for Sickness or Poverty. This is a Faithful saying, he that desires the Office of a Bishop, desireth a good Work: And of these the Apostle says, They are worthy of double Honor, 1 Tim. 5. 17. To whom doth he speak it? But to these other mentioned that are out of Office, who are to have but single Honor in comparison of those other, who are the Stars in Christ's right Hand, firm and fixed in their Orbs.

And here it will not be improper, nor impertinent to show the procedure and degrees, but especially the outward course and means, that God took to bring the Apostle Paul 's Apostleship to this perfection and height of consummation. But especially it is for us to consider the outward means and course God took therein.

First, The Foundation of his Apostleship was founded upon Christ's calling him in so extraordinary a manner, who Prophecyed of him aforehand, that he was a chosen Vessel, and that he would send him as a Witness of him among the Gentiles, so at his conversion. Then for three years he lived in Arabia, during which time (as Bishop Usher happily conjectures) God took an occasion to make known his whole Gospel to him, both in the Center and Circumference of all the Truths of it, and their coherence one with another. And though' God was able speedily to Reveal, yet Paul was to take all in, and that required time. Now after God had filled and furnished Paul 's Heart and Head, with all kind of matter to enable him to Preach, after this you read of his Preaching up and down to the Jews, but unknown by face to them, Gal. 1. 22. and then he went to Tarshish his own City, from whence Barnabas fetched him, and brought him to Antioch. And there it was that Paul received an outward Mission and Commission, to be an Apostle to the Gentiles. And it was by the ordinary course and means of laying on of Hands, with Fasting and Prayer, for him, which is an Example for our Encouragement in our being put into rhe Ministry, to receive a blessing in the use of that ordinary means. The Story is, Acts 13. The Elders of the Church at Antioch being met, and having fasted, the Holy Ghost said, separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work, whereunto I have called them: And when they bad fasted and prayed, and laid their Hands on them, they sent them away.

Now Paul Writing to the Romans, Citizens of the Head City of the Gentiles, refers, (Rom. 1. 1.) to the words of this Story, and to that mission of him Recorded in that Story in using the very words, as glorying in that Style which he counted the Foundation of his Apostleship among the Gentiles. Separate me Barnabas and Saul, for the work whereunto I have called them, says the Holy Ghost, Acts 13. separated unto the Gospel of God (says the Apostle, Rom. 1. 1.) We have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the Faith among all Nations for his Name. And from thence in the rest of the Epistle, and in this Epistle to the Corinthians, he urgeth obedience to his Apostolical Authority, in such words as those, according as we have received Grace, viz. Grace of Apostleship, as he interprets it, do so and so, as we have commanded. This is frequent too in the Epistles to the Corinthians, and in this to the Romans, Rom. 11. 13. For I speak to you Gentiles, in as much as I am the Apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine Office, Eph. 3. 3. whereof, viz. of the Gospel I was made a Minister, according to the Gift of the Grace of God given unto me, by the effectual working of his power. It was to the Authority of his Office he ascribed the Efficacy and Success of his Ministry. And though' the Offices of Pastor and Teacher hath not the Authority, as that of an Apostle, nor the call so extraordinary, yet despise not the day of small things; for they are the blessed Ordinances of God, and shall have their due Efficacy upon the Hearts and Heads of those exercised therein, and it is there God commands the blessing.

And by the way the Separation to the work of the Ministry is ascribed to the Holy Ghost, who is the executive power of the Trinity: And therefore it is said, Acts 20. Feed the Flock, over whom the Holy Ghost has made you Overseers; and the Apostle says, 1 Cor. 12. 1, 2, 3. Now concerning Spiritual Gifts, Brethren, I would not have you ignorant, ye know that ye were Gentiles, carried away unto these dumb Idols, even as ye were led; wherefore I give you to understand, that no Man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed, and that no Man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost. The Apostle convinces them, that those Spiritual Gifts and Offices which were among them, were merely Gifts out of Grace, though' a common Grace to ungodly Men, to the Rebellious also. He convinces them by this, that they were Supernatural, for till my Ministry and the Gospel came among you (says he) you were far enough from such Gifts. Ye know that you were Gentiles carried away unto these dumb Idols, even as you were led. And therefore if you have any knowledge of Christ, it must be from the Spirit, as an Heavenly Agent, that is come upon you all. The knowledge of, and assent to Jesus as the Lord, must be from the Holy Ghost, you have it not by Nature, you were led after dumb Idols. These Gifts are all Supernatural, and from a Divine Agent, and in that respect they are called Graces, and a Gift. But then the making a Man a Minister, and putting him into the Divine Office, whether of Pastor or Teacher, is no less then a work of all the three Persons, and not of the Holy Ghost only. There is a conjunction of all three Persons, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, blessing, and laying on of Hands, as it were, upon a Minister ordained, 1 Cor. 12. 4, 5, 6. Now there are diversities of Gifts; but the same Spirit. And there are differences of Administrations, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of Operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. There you have all the three Persons, the Gifts of a Minister are from the Spirit, the Administration, i. e. the Offices wherein a Man Administers, as from Christ as a Lord, the Operations, the powerful Success that works upon Men's Hearts by them, is from God the Father; you see your calling, Brethren, as the Apostle speaks in another case, I mean you Brethren of the Ministry, learn to follow your callings and your Authority. When Christ laid his Hand upon John, Rev. 1. how did it revive him, and put life into him. All three Persons in the Work, do lay on their Hands. We count it a great concurrent dispensation of God, that each Person in the Trinity should share the works of our Salvation among them, and it is a wonderful thing to bless them for it: But seldom have the three Persons concurred in one Action. When Christ was Baptized, and God himself Proclaimed, thou art my Son, there were all the three Persons. The Father was heard by speaking himself immediately, the Holy Ghost was descending as a dove upon Christ, and the Son of God was himself in the water. And here is another 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 an appearance of God, three in Persons at the Ordination of a Minister.

Which notion is confirmed and backed by our Apostle, in naming two of the Persons, the Father, and the Son, as Authors of the Instituted Officers of a Church, Gal. 1. 1. Paul an Apostle not of Men, neither by Man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the Dead. There is two of them, the Will of the Father, and Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost, the third Person, you have in Acts 13. as expressly named, to be a Founder of this Work; Separate me Paul, for the Work I have appointed.

And from hence you may learn, what Holy, Holy, Holy, Ground it is, that an Instituted Officer of the New Testament stands upon, which Mr. Baynes in his Diocesan Trial hath firmly asserted, and it sets right, and corrects the brownist Error at their first setting out, who looked on their Ministers but as Servants of the Church, and Instituted by the Church only, which is but of Human Institution, (Gal. 1. 1.) and so they chose them anew, to officiate in their several turns, remaining but Brethren still. But Mr. Baynes makes them the immediate Servants of Christ, who is the Institutor of them.

And from hence I assert, that a Minister is a Servant of Christ to the Church, to do his work to the Church as occasion is. Before his call unto the Ministry, he was as Gold in the Bulloyn fit for, and capable of the Ministry; and the Church in Christ's Name chooses him, and Sets upon him the Seal of a Sacred Separation of him unto Christ. And in Christ's Name he acts toward them, Independently on them, till he shall forfeit himself and his calling, by deserving to be Excommunicated.

And hence I assert also, that they are not only Ministers to that Church which calls them, but Preach as Ministers, and with a Ministerial blessing accompanying them, where ever they are called to Preach. And herein doth A singly called, though Gifted Man, fall short of that blessing which accompanies a Minister, rightly separated unto an Office of Ministry in a Church. There were some in the Church either of Antioch or Jerusalem, that were called principal Brethren, yet only Brethren, though' the word Principal is annexed. And it is an ordinary Style in the Epistles, when the Apostle speaks of the Brethren in a Church, who are chiefly such, he Stiles them one of you; yea, though' they be acknowledged by the Apostles to have been helpful to them: Whereas when they have been separated to the Ministry, either as Pastor or Teacher of the Church, Paul gives the Honorable Title of unto you (speaking of that Church.) A Faithful Minister, and under that Title he sets out Epaphras to the Colossians, who was Minister to their Church; yea, and hence it comes to pass, that when ever they Preach to any either called or to be called, they may be said to Preach as Ministers to them. When (Ephes. 4. 12.) their ordinary Pastors and Teachers are said to be in the work of the Ministry, they are said to be in it not only for the edifying the Body of Christ, that is already his Body; but 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , for the jointing in, as Members of the Body, such as are yet unconverted and out of joint, and loose from them, though' Elect, and if they be Ministers (as 'tis there expressly said) to the jointing of them in, then they are Ministers before conversion, to them, whom to convert, blesses them as Ministers. And what other is the reason, why those who have been fixed Ministers to a People, and by Persecution are driven out, have that allowance too given to them by Christ, who says, Mat. 10. 23. If they persecute you in one City, fly unto another. For Jesus Christ is not a loser thereby; but he follows on his blessing of them for Conversion unto a new People: For why? They carry their Ministry along with them, and Preach as Ministers to whomever they Preach, for they Preach 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , for the jointing of them in. Know therefore that your Ministry or being Ministers, doth not stand on your own feet, but on Christ's feet, in whose Hand these Stars are for their further Motion, Guidance, and Protection, and Blessing on them.

CHAP. X.

HAving proved that Christ hath instituted divers sorts of Officers to be in a Church, and having described the distinction of their Offices: The thing next to be considered is, what communion the Members of such a Church ought to have one with another (besides the Communion which they publicly enjoy in Ordinances) for their mutual edification and increase of their Graces.

The Communion which I intend, is not by way of exercising Gifts, but of Grace: A Communion not in the way of a set Institution or Ordinance; but in the way of a fit means, and help to increase that love which ought to be between one Member and another. The question in sum is, whether every Member is not bound to seek the knowledge of every Member's Spirit and Graces, and that not only by occasional converse; but by fixed meetings appointed on purpose for such Spiritual converse, to know one another's cases and spirits, and to provoke one another to love, and to good works, Heb. 10. 24. There are two things which must be supposed as unavoidably to be granted.

1. That every Member of a Church cannot in public edify the others, for Women must not speak in the Church, 1 Cor. 14. 34, 35. And besides, public meetings are for exercise of Gifts, which even all the Men have not.

2. In private occasional converse, one Member may not have opportunity to discourse with another once in seven years: For when will occasion offer for a godly Servant, to discourse with the Master of another Family? There seems then to be a necessity of a fixed meeting to this very end, that such opportunities may be afforded to them.

And 3. It may be demanded whether for these Members, who occasionally perhaps meet every day, such appointed meetings are not necessary, that there may be a set time for this Spiritual Conversation? It is not meant that herein there should be Preaching or Praying; but a Spiritual Conference to gain experience of each others improvements in Grace.

1. I shall consider whether this be a Duty, and what in a Church-Fellowship should bind the Members of it to such a Duty.

1. This is certain, that one Member should make known his Spiritual case and condition to another, of known Faithfulness, (Isa. 5. 16.) And that he should make known too his needs or wants of any kind, not to the Minister only; but to any of the Members of the Church, who is in a special manner known to be Faithful, that he may pray for him, confess your faults (says the Apostle) and Pray one for another, that you may be healed. The effectual Fervent Prayer of a Righteous Man availeth much. That Pbrase, confess your faults one to another, is not general, as if it were to be done to everyone; but the Apostles design is to show, that there are occasions upon which this Duty is to be done to some.

But 2. That place in, Heb. 10. 24. seems to call for, and require a more special Animadversion to know one another's cases and experiences, and that not only as they may be made known occasionally, but to inquire, of ones own accord, and to take occasion to do it. Let us consider one another (says the Apostle) to provoke unto love and to good works, The word is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the same which is used to exqress, (Mat. 7. 4.) The diligent enquiry, and exact Animadversion which we ought to make upon ourselves.

3. This also seems to call for such a stated converse of Church-Members together to inquire into, and know one another's cases and experiences; because otherwise every Member would not have an equal benefit in Church-Communion. For some that are Rich, and have time to converse much together, may indeed reap the fruits of a blessed Fellowship. But others that are poor, or Servants, &c. will be abridged, and so the same inconveniences will arise, as were in the Corinthians Love Feasts, 1 Cor. 11. 22.

1. Then, it is evident from Scripture, that it is the Duty of every Member to observe, and to take care of another's Spiritual Wellfare. This appears from the Duty enjoined, Heb. 10. 24. And it is a Duty distinct from Assembling together, which follows in the next verse. The same thing is also manifest from that Text, 1 Thess. 5. 11. Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as ye do. The Greek word is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 exhort and edify one another, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . i. e. everyone of you, do this Duty to everyone. And the Apostle commends them, that it was their practice so to do, even as also (says he) you do: So that a Primitive Apostolical Church, did practice this Duty: And this was distinct from the work of these Officers, for of them he speaks afterwards, verse 12. And then he tells them the several ways wherein they should exercise this Duty one towards another, verse 14. Now we exhort you Brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feeble minded, support the weak, be patient, toward all Men.

But the question is, whether this Duty is only to be exercised occasionally, as the providence of God gives opportunities and occasions of converse, and according to the Relations wherein he hath set Men, of Man and Wife, Master and Servant, &c. That as we ought to give to poor Saints, when there is occasion, so it is Duty also to Exhort, Admonish, &c. when an opportunity is offered.

1. It is evident that this Duty is to be discharged between Persons who live in these Relations, and as Man and Wife have more occasion of converse, so more of this Duty is incumbent upon them. They not only as Members of a Church, but, as being in such Relations, ought to serve the ends of Church-fellowship: And the greater the occasion is, the more are they obliged to this Duty, though he owes it as a Member, yet he is bound the more to exercise it in this occasional way of Relation, Eph. 4. 16. From whom the whole Body fitly joined together, and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the Body unto the edifying of itself in love. The word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , (which is Translated the whole Body) may be Translated every Body, or particular Church, for he speaks of particular Churches there, for the whole Mystical Body of Christ is not edified by every particular Person.

2. He mentions here the Edification of the Members, by the Members, as considered distinct from their Officers.

3. The word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 fitly joined evinceth as much: It signifies being joined as with Sinews and Bones, for so 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is taken, Heb. 4. 12. And so here is it to be understood; for the Apostle speaks of a Body which every joint supplieth, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , as he also useth the word, Col. 2. 19. The Body is knit by Joynts, and the nourishment is supplied from Christ. And it is knit together not only by Joynts, but by Sinews, ( 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Col. 2. 12.) which run between everyone. So then there are Joints by which Christ supplieth Nourishment to the Body, and there are Sinews by which the Members of that Body are joined together, and those are the several Relations which the Members have one to another, either as in a Family, or in the Offices of the Church. For if there were no other Relation, yet this of Membership in a Church is one sufficient, since all the Members have from Christ a measure of Supplies for the Nourishment, and strengthening of the whole Body. And the Laws of Life and Motion are as natural here, as they are in Bodies of Flesh and Blood. For as the several parts of them receive Spirits from the Head to enliven and move them, so, to all the Members of Christ's Body the Church, the Spirit is conveyed from him the Head, to give Spiritual Life and Motion to them all, and so to the whole Body. So that if there were no other Relation between the Saints, but this of their being set and joined in one Body the Church, and not in a Family, &c. only: yet this is enough for their mutual Life, Strength, and Edification, 1 Cor. 12. 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21. 22. For the Body is not one Member, but many. If the foot shall say, because I am not the hand, I am not of the Body: Is it therefore not of the Body? And if the ear shall say, because I am not the eye, I am not of the Body; is it therefore not of the Body? If the whole Body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling? But now hath God set the Members, everyone of them in the Body, as it hath pleased him. And if they were all one Member, where were the Body? But now are they many Members, yet but one Body. And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: Nor again, the Head to the feet, I have no need of you. Nay, much more th • se Members of the Body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary. And indeed every Member hath some Grace, or some Experiences wherein it differs from another, and is helpful to it. As the Members of the Natural Body, though' consisting of the same Flesh and Blood, yet differ in some properties wherein they excel, and wherein they are useful to the other: So every Member in a Church hath some peculiar Grace by which the other may profit. So Paul says of himself, writing to the Church of the Romans, that he was comforted by their mutual Faith, not by their Gifts, Rom. 1. 12. That is, that I may be comforted together with you, by the mutual Faith both of you and me. In like manner he says, that when in conference with the other Apostles, there was nothing added to him, yet their discerning the Grace of God which was in him, had the desired effect, Gal. 2. 6. 9. There is then no Member in a Church, but what is necessary and helpful, and no one can say, that he hath no need of another. Thus the Apostle tells us, that they who are feeble are necessary, 1 Cor. 12. 22. And therefore he argues, (ver. 25.) that all should have the same care one of another, though' never so mean an object. And (ver. 27.) says he, you are the Body of Christ, and Members in particular, not only Members for the use of the whole Body, but for the use of everyone Member considered apart.

There are three expressions used by the Apostle, which show that the care which the Saints in Church-Fellowship together ought to have over one another, should not only be exercised as occasion offers; but that it is a constant Duty, and that we ought to seek all occasions of acting it.

1. The Apostle says, Heb. 10. 24. And let us consider one another to provoke unto love, and to good works. The Greek words are, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , let us accurately consider one another, that our care over one another may be answerable.

2. The same Apostle speaks in like manner, 1 Cor. 12. 25. That there should be no Schism in the Body; but that the Members should have the same care one for another. The Greek word, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , signifies, that we should have an especial and solicitous care of one another's Souls.

3. What the Apostle says in another place, is to the same purpose, 1 Thess. 5. 11. Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do. The Greek words, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , import not a General, but a particular care, not only occasional, but such as we should study, and endeavor to exercise for the edification particularly of everyone. But besides there are these further Reasons of the thing.

1. Because there is this difference between the Members of the Church Universal, and the Members of a particular Church, that the former are obliged to those Duties of taking care to help and edify one another, as occasion serves; but the other are bound by a more especial covenant to perform this Duty, one to another in a constant manner, and therefore ought to seek occasion for it.

2. The same thing is evident from this, that every Member hath in him something that is needful for another (1 Cor. 12. 22.) though' not in Gifts, yet in Graces, by which the strongest may profit; as Paul increased in Faith, by the mutual Faith in the Romans, (Rom. 1, 12.) though' in the Gifts nothing could be added to him.

3. There would not otherwise be the same care taken of all, that there is of some, which is contrary to what the Apostle enjoins, 1 Cor. 12. 25. And Reason shows, that care should rather be taken of the weak, 1 Cor. 12. 22, 23. 1 Thess. 5. 14. And the neglect and despising of the poor and weak, was the fault of the Love-Feasts, which the Apostle reproves, 1 Cor. 11. 22.

4. Because otherwise the Relation of being a Member in a particular Church, would add nothing to the Person, as proper to such a Relation, if one Member was not thereby bound to be helpful to another, not only occasionally, but on set purpose, and on appointed times, when occasions are not offered.

But the question will be, how this care which every Member is to have of another, will differ from the care which is incumbent upon the Officers to take of the Church.

Answ. 1. The Officers are bound to their care in a more especial manner, and the exercise of it is incumbent on them, ex officio, by virtue of their Office. And besides, their care reacheth to the whole Church, but every Member's care to another, Rom. 12. 4, 5. For as we have many Members in one Body, and all Members have not the same Office: So we being many, are one Body in Christ, and everyone Members one of another. The Greek word is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Activeness, working, so, that it is evident from this Text of Scripture, that every Member hath its peculiar working, as we say, that the Eye hath not only its Office; but the Ear also hath an Office proper to it.

2. The Officers are wholly in this work, and entirely devoted to it.

3. The Officers have the charge of the whole, and of every part, which is not incumbent on the private Brethren. Tho' in Rom. 12. The Apostle mentions the Authority and work of the Officers; yet withal he insinuates the activeness and working of each Member as needful, Rom. 12. 4, 5. For as we have many Members in one Body, and all Members have not the same Office: So we being many, are one Body in Christ, and everyone Members one of another. And so, in 1 Cor. 12. he speaks of works and duties, which are incumbent on more Persons then the Officers of the Church. And the Apostle Peter also speaks of private Members, and their Duty and Work, 1 Pet. 4. 5. For he speaks of the Elders and their Office, in the 5th Chapter which follows.

3. It is made a sign of Grace, for Saints to visit each other. It discovered the Truth of Grace, and Faith in Moses 's Heart, that he visited his Brethren. James makes it also a Trial of the Sincerity of our Grace. Isa. 1. 27. Zion shall be Redeemed with Judgment, and her Converts with Righteousness. And our Lord Jesus makes it the Touchstone and Test of his chosen Sheep, when he separates them from the Goats, that they visited the poor little ones among his Saints, Matth. 25. 36, 40. And if there is the like Reason to visit the Members of a Church, then certainly it is to be done. We are to show our love to their Souls, to visit and refresh them; for Souls have need, as well as Bodies; and require suitable supplies.

4. The Prophet mentions it as the Duty and Practice of Saints under the Gospel, to speak often one to another, Mal. 3. 16. What he speaks of those times, hath reference to ours.

5. There ought to be so great and peculiar a love between the Members of a Church, as cannot be discharged but in the performance of this special Office and Duty, Rom 12. 10. Be kindly affectioned one to another, with Brotherly love, in Honor preferring one another. It is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 A Natural instinct of Affection 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , a Natural Love, such as Parents bear to their Children, and Brethren to Brethren. And in this they are to increase and abound, 1 Thess. 3. 12. And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one towards another, and towards all Men, even as we do towards you. 1 Pet. 4. 8. And above all things have fervent Charity among yourselves, for Charity shall cover a multitude of sins. The word is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ,, such a Fervency as presseth to a mark. It is pure Love, all inordinacy of Love, of self, of Wife, &c. is removed, any inordinacy would take too much, that there would not be love enough for all the Brotherhood. As it is such a love, so it is a growing Love; and therefore what is necessary for the feeding it, is necessary to put forth towards the Members of the Church, which how can it be done without a Communion maintained among them.

6. Whatever other Relations binds us to, we are engaged to the same Duties by our Relation of Brethren in a Church. If obligations of Civility, or tyes of Nature, and Kindred engage Men to visit one another, then, much more the Relation of Members in a Church, obligeth us to the same Duty. And the poorest, meanest Saint, is as worthy of it as any; for otherwise we should have the Faith of our Lord Jesus with respect of Persons, which the Apostle forbids, Jam. 2. 1.

Object. But the Work and Business of the Officers in a Church, take off this care from the private Members, and render it unnecessary: And besides, they have other Callings, as being Merchants, &c. which they ought to mind and attend.

Answ. 'It is true, but yet these are Duties which occasionally they ought to perform. As if offense be given them, they are enjoined to speak and admonish the Person, Mat. 18. 15. They are required also to do good, as opportunity serves, Rom. 14. 19. 1 Cor. 10. 24. If anything be Revealed to a Person, it is proper for him to tell it, if there be leisure or opportunity, whereas an Officer ought always to have something ready for Edification.

The main question to be discoursed, is, wherein this Duty lies.

1. It doth not properly consist in the communication of such Gifts, whereby the Church is edified in the public Worship of God: It doth not properly consist in expounding, no • in Praying together, though' this may be done occasionally. There are two sorts of Gifts.

1. Such as are Superadded to Graces, and are Sanctified to a public use, as the Gift of expression in Prayer, of Prophecying, &c.

2. There are such Gifts as are necessary to communicate, and make known our Graces one to another; as to be able to express what experiences of God's love, &c. we have had; for, as the thoughts of our minds cannot be known, unless we have a Tongue to express them, so neither can our Graces be known without such a Gift: Now the end of this communion of Saints, whereof I now Discourse, is not to make known such Gifts; but to communicate experiences, not to Repeat Sermons, (which is a Duty proper to Families) but to declare what it was in a Sermon that God blessed to them, and that affected their Hearts, what promises they have found to be made good to them, &c.

2. This Duty of communion of Saints, doth not consist in giving an account of their Graces in that set way, as they gave an account of their conversion, when they were first admitted into the Church. But it is a communication of their experiences, as to the growth of their Graces, and as to the exercise of them. The Graces of a Believer, the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , may be known of God in him, may rather appear thus, by way of conference, than in a Set Narration. The Reason of it, is, because an account of the Person's Grace is not now given; for a Judgment to be made of his state thereupon, as it was at his Admission into the Church. There is not in this case any Autoritative Act; for none have power to call for an account. But the Duty incumbent on the Person, is, to consider whether the Declaration of his Experiences may be for the edifying and comforting of others, and what good fruits may arise out of such a Manifestation, and accordingly to do it. 'It is to be minded, what God leads a Man's Spirit to confer about. There is such a thing as a Manifestation of Spirits in a several way, whereby is not meant, that a person is obliged to lay open all that is in his Heart; but that by a mutual conference concerning Spiritual things, there should be a taste given what is in one another's Spirits.

3. This communion doth not consist in a confession of all sins, or in discovery of everything that burdens us. For to that end, a Believer will make choice of some particular, in whose Wisdom and Faithfulness he can confide as occasion is, Isa. 5. 16. As for extraordinary cases, wherein there is need of help, as in case of Feeble-mindedness, (1 Thess. 5. 4.) Temptations, &c. There is no need for any Believer to tell his case to all the Members of the Church particularly, that they may all pray for him, for upon his making it known to the Pastor or Officers, he may be prayed for publicly.

4. But yet that love which the Members of a Church bear one to another, will move them, and put them upon a Sollicitousness, and a study, and care for each others Souls.

5. Let us consider that Subjection, in which all the Members ought to be one, toward another, whereof the Apostle speaks, 1 Pet. 5. 5. Likewise ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder; yea, all of you be Subject to one another, and be clothed with Humility: For God Resisteth the proud, and giveth Grace to the Humble. I cannot conceive otherwise, but that by this Subjection, (the word is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ) is meant, that they should be content to receive instruction one from another.

6. It is to be considered, that Christ puts an Honor on the weakest Members, 1 Cor. 12. 18. to 24. And that there may be no Schism in the Body, application must be made to one, as well as to another; and there must not be a total neglect of any, 1 Cor. 12. 25. That there should be no Schism in the Body; but that the Members should have the same care one for another. And so likewise the Apostle tells us, that there are diversities of Gifts, and Administrations, and Operations, 1 Cor. 12. 4, 5, 6, 7. Now there are diversities of Gifts, but the same Spirit; And there are differences of Administrations, but the same Lord, and there are diversities of Operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all; but the manifestation of the Spirit, is given to every Man to profit withal. These diversities of gifts, and administrations, do not relate to Officers only, but to the whole Body; so that a course should be taken to receive the benefit of every Member's gift. For otherwise there will be a neglect of God, the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, who are the Fountain of these diverse gifts and administrations.

The Government OF THE Churches of Christ.

BOOK VII.