The Divine Appointment of the Lords Day, Part · Chapter 2 – Chapter 4
CHAP. II.
Prop. I. That Christ Commissioned his Apostles, or his principal Church-Ministers, to teach the Churches all his Doctrine, and deliver them all his Commands and Orders, and so to settle and guide the first Churches.
This I prove, 1. By their Commission it self: 2. By their performance with its proper seal. 3. By the Consent of all the Christian world.
1. Luke 6. 13. He called to him his Disciples, and of them he chose twelve, whom also he named Apostles. Their first Commission is recited, Matth. 10. at large.
Matth. 28. 18, 19, 20. All Authority is given me in Heaven and in Earth: Go ye therefore and disciple all Nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you. And, loe, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world; Amen.
John 20. 21. Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you; As the Father hath sent me, even so send I you: And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and said, Receive ye the Holy Ghost: Whosesoever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them, and whosesoever sins ye retain, they are retained.
Luke 10. 16. Even of the seventy it is said, He that heareth you, heareth me, and he that despiseth you, despiseth me, and he that despiseth me, despiseth him that sent me. And to the twelve, Matth. 10. 40. He that receiveth you, receiveth me, &c.
Acts 26. 17. Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, to whom now I send thee, to open their eyes.
1 Cor. 15. 3. For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received, &c.
1 Cor. 11. 23. For I received of the Lord, that which also I delivered unto you.
1 Cor. 4. 1, 2. Let a man so account of us as of the Ministers of Christ, and Stewards of the mysteries of God.
Gal. 1. 11, 12. But I certifie you, brethren, that the Gospel which was preached of me, is not after man; For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.
John 21. 15, 16, 17. Simon Son of Jonas lovest thou me—Feed my Lambs.
Matth. 16. 19. I will give unto thee the Keyes of the Kingdom of Heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on Earth, shall be bound in Heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on Earth, shall be loosed in Heaven.
John 17. 18. As thou hast sent me into the world, so have I also sent them into the world. See John 13. 16, 20.
Acts 1. 24, 25. Shew whether of these two thou hast chosen, that he may take part of this Ministry and Apostleship, from which Judas by transgression fell.
Gal. 1. 1. Paul an Apostle, not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father.
Acts 1. 2. After that he through the Holy Ghost, had given commandment to the Apostles whom he had chosen; to whom also he presented himself alive after his passion, by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty dayes, and speaking of the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God.
Acts 2. 42. They continued stedfast in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship, &c.
Eph. 4. 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16. He gave some Apostles, some Prophets, &c.
1 Cor. 12. 28, 29. First Apostles, secondarily Prophets, &c. Are all Apostles, &c.
Eph. 2. 20. Being built on the foundation of the Apostles, &c.
2. Pet. 3. 2. That ye may be mindfull of the words which were spoken before by the holy Prophets, and of the Commandments of us the Apostles of the Lord and Saviour.
Acts 10. 5. Send men to Joppa, and call for Simon, &c. and be shall tell thee, &c.
They that will not take all this plain evidence of Scripture for a proof of this first Proposition, I suppose would not be ever the more moved by it, if I should be so needlesly tedious, as to stay to fetch Arguments from each Text.
2. The Apostles exercised such a power, as the Proposition mentioneth, and God s…t to it, the seal of Miracles. Therefore such a Power or Office was given them by Christ.
The Consequence is undenyable. The Antecedent of this Enthimeme is so plainly expressed in Scripture, that I am loth to take up much of my own or the Readers time, in proving so known a thing.
They founded the Churches; they delivered them the Doctrine and Commands of Christ; they setled the Churches, as to Officers, Orders, and Discipline, according to Christs Commands and the Spirits determinations: Thus they ordained the new Office of Deacons, and Deaconeffes or Widows; and they ordained them Elders in every Church, or City; and they determined of Church Controversies; and gave the Church Decrees; and delivered the Will of Christ about the Sacrament, Church-Assemblies, Prophecyings, &c. Acts 2. & 14. 23. Acts 6. 3, 4, &c. 1 Tim. 3. Titus 1. Acts 15. 1 Cor. 11. 1 Cor. 14 &c.
3. That all Christians (save Hereticks) did acknowledge their power, and acquiesce in their Decrees and Conduct, being a matter of fact, needs no other proof, than the common History of former Ages, and practice of this. Which are so well known, that I will not injure the Reader by proving it.
CHAP. III.
Prop. 2. Christ promised his Spirit to his Apostles, to enable them to do, what be had commissioned them to do, by leading them into all truth, and bringing his words and deeds to their remembrance, and by guiding them as his Churches Guides.
In the Old Testament it is prophesied and promised, Jer. 3. 15. And I will give you Pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.
See all the Texts that promise the pouring out of the Spirit, Isa. 44. 3. Ezck. 36. 27. & 37. 14. & 39. 29. Joel 2. 28, 29. Which were principally fulfilled on the Apostles.
Luke 24. 49. And behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: But tarry ye in the City of Jerusalem, untill ye be endued with power from on high.
John 15. 26, 27. But, when the Advocate is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, he shall testifie of me: and ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning.
John 16. 7, 12, 13, 14, 15. It is expedient for you, that I go away; for if I go not away, the Advocate will not come unto you: But if I depart, I will send him unto you—I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Ho…beit when he, the Spirit of truth is come, he will guide you into all the truth. For he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: And he shall shew you things to come. He shall glorifie me; for he shall receive of mine, and shew it unto you. All things that the Father hath are mine. Therefore said I that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you.
John 17. 8. I have given to them the words which thou gavest me, and they have received them— V. 17, 18. … then through thy truth: thy word is truth: As thou hast sent me into the world, so have I also sent them into the world: And for their sakes I … my self, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.
Matth. 28. 20. Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you; and loe I am with you alwayes to the end of the world.
Acts 1. 4. And being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father which ye have heard of me. For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many dayes hence. V. 8. But ye shall receive Power after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you, and ye shall be witnesses uitto me, both in Jerusalem, and to all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost parts of the earth.
By these Texts it is most evident that Christ promiseth the Apostles an extraordinary Spirit, or measure of the Spirit, so to enable them to deliver his Commands, and execute their Commission, as that he will own what they do by the guidance thereof; and the Churches may rest upon it as the Infallible revelation of the Will of God.
CHAP. IV.
Prop. 3. Christ performed all these promises to his Apostles, and gave them his Spirit to enable them for all their commissioned work.
This is proved both from the fidelity of Christ, and from the express assertions of the Scripture. He is faithful that hath promised. Heb. 10. 23. Titus 1. 2. God that cannot lye hath promised. 2 Cor. 1. 18. As God is true— Rev. 6. 10. H w long O Lord, Holy and True—Rev. 19. 11. He was called faithful and true—Rom. 3. 4. Let God be true, and every man a lyar—1 John 5. 10 He that believeth not God, hath made him a lyar.
John 20. 22. He breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost.
Acts 2. Containeth the Narrative of the comeing down of the Holy Ghost upon them, at large.
Acts 15. 28. seemed good to the Holy Ghost and to us—
Heb. 2. 4. God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers mighty works, and distributions of the Holy Ghost according to his own will.
1 Pet. 1. 12. The things which are now reported unto you, by them that have preached the Gospel unto you, by the Holy Ghost sent down from Heaven—
Rom. 15. 19, 20. Through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God, so that from Jerusalem, and round about to Illyricum I have fully preached the Gospel of Christ.
Read all the Texts in Acts and elsewhere, that speak of all the Apostles Miracles, and their giving of the Holy Ghost, &c. And 1 Cor. 7. 40. Acts 4. 8, 31. Acts 5. 3. & 6. 3. & 7. 51, 55. &8. 15, 17, 18, 19. & 9. 17. & 10. 44, 45, 47. & 11. 15, 16, 24. & 13. 2, 4, 9, 52. & 16. 6. Rom. 5. 5. & 9. 1. 1 Cor. 2. 13. 2 Tim. 1. 14. 1 Cor. 12. Eph. 4. 7, 8, &c. &3. 5. But this Proposition is confessed by all Christians.