A Light from Christ Leading Unto Christ, Classis 12
The twelfth Claſsis, or Company of Queſtions.
1 Queſtion.
VVHat is the work or act of Chriſts Propheticall office?
Anſ. That in which Chriſt as the great Prophet, Doctor,Deut. 18.15. Act. 3.22 Mat. 23.8 Heb. 3.1, 2. Iſa. 61.1, 2, 3. and Apoſtle of our Profeſſion; he doth reveal God the Father, and his good will unto poor ſinners, whom he hath purchaſed with his own blood, and to inſtruct them in the way of the new Covenant,Mat. 11.25, &c. Luke 4.18. Ioh. 1.18. Mat. 13.10, 11. & 28.29, 30. Theſ. 2.13. how to come in to Chriſt for Iuſtification, and how to walk in and by Chriſt in Sanctification unto Eternall happineſſe.
Queſt. 2. When and how doth the Lord Chriſt execute his Propheticall office, or practiſe this revealing of his will unto Adam or his Poſterity?
Anſ. No doubt the Lord Chriſt as he was firſt God, the ſecond Perſon in ſacred Trinity, did at the firſt, together with God the Father, and God the holy Spirit, reveal to our firſt Parents the Covenant of grace in Paradiſe after the fall. And
Secondly, Chriſt the ſecond Perſon did again in his Spirit in Noah Preach to the old world before the flood, many of them then in the Priſon of their ſins, and many of them now in the Priſon of Hell.
Thirdly, And as by himſelf, ſo by his Spirit enlighten the Patriarchs and Prophets after the flood, who writ the holy Scripture by his direction.
Fourthly, And the Apoſtles and Evangeliſts, ſince Chriſts Aſcenſion; But Chriſt did immediatly, as God and Man in one Perſon, exerciſe this his office when he lived upon the earth, before and after his Reſurrection, Gen. 1.27. and 3.9, &c. John 1.1. Prov. 8.12, &c. The works without themſelves are common to all the three Perſons, 1 Pet. 3.19, &c. and 1.10, &c. Gen. 9.8, &c. and 28.12, &c. and 22.15, &c. Mal. 3.1. Pſal. 105.7, 8, 9, 10. Chriſt the Angel of the Covenant ſpake to Abraham, Jacob, as Gen. 32. 28, &c. Luke 11.49. Mat. 23.34. Exod. 3.2, &c. 2 Pet. 1.19, &c.
Queſt. 3. What incouragements doth Chriſt hold forth as he is the chief Prophet for poor ſinners, to come in to him, and believe, and finde Eternall Salvation by his merits?
Anſ. The Lord Chriſt giveth divers motives to draw ſinners to believe and repent, and be ſaved.
Queſt. 4. What is the firſt?
Anſ. Firſt,Iſa. 55.1, 2, 3. Rev. 22.17. He invites them graciouſly to come and buy freely the wine and milk of the Goſpel, the water of life, Chriſts righteouſneſſe and grace, without money, or money worth, without any righteouſneſſe or merits of their own.
Queſt. 5. What is a ſecond?
Anſ. Secondly,Mar. 15.15. Mat. 9.13 11 3. He commands the Goſpel to be Preached to every creature, to all ſinners without exception, manifeſting himſelf to be come,Luke 19.10. Not to call the righteous, but ſinners to repentance; yea, to ſeek and to ſave that which was loſt.
Queſt. 6. What is the third Encouragement?
Mat. 11.28, 29.Anſ. Thirdly, He calleth poor ſinners, ſenſible of ſins burden, to come unto him, and promiſeth to give them reſt.
Queſt. 7. What is the fourth Motive or Encouragement to come in to Chriſt?
Anſ. Fourthly, He holdeth forth to us in Scripture, and ſince the Apoſtles times Examples of great ſinners converted, and drawn in to Chriſt, and made Saints and Heirs of glory, according to Gods counſell, by Chriſt his Righteouſneſſe and merits.
Queſt. 8. With what Examples or ſimilitudes doth Chriſt illuſtrate this truth?2 Chron. 33.21, &c. Ier. 31.18, 19. Mtt. 10.3. Luk. 19.2, &c. & 15. Acts 9.1, &c. 1 Tim. 1.12, &c.
Anſ. Of Manaſſeh, Ephraim, Matthew, Mary Magdalen, Zacheus, the Prodigall Son, and Saul the perſecutor, afterwards a glorious Apoſtle of Ieſus Chriſt.
Queſt. 9. But what ſhall ſuch poor ſinners do as finde by experience that truth verified, That man by naturall power can neither believe nor repent; How ſhall theſe obtain remiſſion of ſins, or be Converted to God?
Anſ. Theſe may yet wait upon Chriſt in his Ordinance…,Iſa. 8.17. & 25.6, 7, 8, 9. & 51.4, 5, 6. Hab. 2.3. Luk. 23.51. Cant. 1.4. Ioh. 5.1, &c. Iſa. 42.6. Act. 5.31 untill he draw them, that they run after him: For God hath given Chriſt himſelf for a Covenant, and exalted Chriſt as a Prince, and a Saviour to give repentance to Iſrael, and remiſſion of ſins: As Job in another ſenſe, Job 14.14. So wait on Chriſt.
Queſt. 10. But how doth Chriſt, this great Prophet of his Church, reveal God the Father, and his good will to poor ſinners, that they may know God and Chriſt, and believe, and be converted, and be ſaved?
Anſ. Chriſt in the ordinary way,Iſa. 6i.1, 2, 3. Luke. 4.18, &c. Acts 16.14. & 2.36, &c. Rom. 19.6, &c. 2 Cor. 3.8. Ioh. 16.7, &c. & 14.26. Eph. 1.17. &c. He. 8.10. Ioh. 16.7, &c. Rom.3.20. Iohn. 3.18, &c. doth reveal this, outwardly by the Preaching of the Word, and Catechizing, and inwardly by the Spirit, communicated in the Goſpel, teaching and writing the truth of God, according to his Covenant of grace, in the hearts of his children.
Queſt. 11. In what wanner doth Chriſt thus proceed by his Word and Spirit, to reveal God to man, and man to himſelf; and the will of God to men, concerning mans Salvation?
Anſ. The Lord doth this divers wayes in reſpect of particular perſons, but commonly by the Spirit of Chriſt in the word.
Firſt, Revealing ſin, bondage and miſery; in ſin, ſometimes by the Law, or commanding part of the Word, or otherwiſe at his pleaſure; ſometimes by the Goſpel, and promiſing part.
Secondly, Revealing Chriſt and his righteouſneſſe, and Free-grace, drawing the poor humbled ſoul to deſire and long for, and to receive, believe, and gladly reſt on him alone for Salvation, Act. 2.38, 39. Iohn 1.11, 12. Acts 16.14, 15. and 16.27, &c. and 4.12. Heb. 5.9.
Queſt. 12. What further doth this great Prophet work in the ſoul of a believer by his Word and Spirit?
Anſ. 2 Pet. 3.16, &c.He perſwades the ſoul:
Firſt, to grow more and more in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Ieſus Chriſt.
Mark 9.23, 24. Lu 7.17.5.Secondly, To believe more and more.
Thirdly, To repent and be ſanctified more and more.
Fourthly, To become a new creature more and more.
Fifthly, To be more and more fruitfull in good works. And
Sixthly, By daily beholding, Firſt, The glory of God in the face of Chriſt: And ſecondly, The glory of Chriſt in the glaſſe of the Goſpel, to be made more and more partaker of the Divine nature, and changed from glory to glory, as by the Spirit of the Lord, Phil. 3.9. &c. Luke 17.5. Eph. 3.14, &c. and 4.7. &c. Rom. 12. and 13. Mat, 5.16. Col. 1.7, &c. and 1.21, &c. 2 Pet. 1.7, &c. 2 Cor. 5.17. and 3.17, 18.
Queſt. 13. Now you have ſhewed the Prieſtly and Propheticall office of Chriſt; What are the acts or work of Chriſts Kingly office?
Anſ. Chriſt doth not only as a mighty Conquerour, reſcue and Redeem his Church and children out of the hands of all their enemies, ſpirituall or temporall, and call, gather, and unite them to himſelf, as his own myſticall body; But as a rich and bountifull Prince, beſtow upon them all needfull graces, and protect, preſerve and govern them in this Kingdom of grace, untill he bring them ſafe unto his Kingdom of glory, Iſa. 63.2, &c. and 54.5, &c. Luke 1.74, 75. Tit. 2.13, 14. Heb. 2.14, 15. Mat. 20.1, 2. and 22.1, &c. John 12.20, &c. Eph. 3.8. and 4.7, Mat. 28.10. Rev. 2.1. 2 Tim. 4, 16, &c.
Queſt. 14. When and how did Chriſt make evident, that as a mighty Conqueror he had reſcued and redeemed his Church out of the hands of their enemies, and by his active and paſſive obedience to his Fathers will, ſatisfied the Juſtice of God, and purchaſed for his Children remiſſion of ſins and life everlaſting?
Pſal. 2.6, &c. Mat. 28.1, &c. Mark 16.9, &c. Luk. 24.32, &c. Ioh. 20.19, &c. Acts 2.23, &c. & 1.9, &c. & 3.19, &c. & 17.31. Luk. 21.27, 28. Mat. 25.34, &c.Anſ. When as a powerfull Prince he did break the bars, and looſed the cords and pains of death, as being impoſſible to be holden of it, and gloriouſly did riſe from the dead: Firſt, appearing to his Diſciples after his Reſurruction. And ſecondly, Aſcending viſibly into heaven, Thirdly, ſitting at the right hand of God his Father. And fourthly, there to remain till he ſhall come at the Day of Iudgement in a triumphant manner, for to Iudge both quick and dead, to the evealaſting confuſion of all his enemies, and the Eternall good of his Church.
Queſt. 15. When elſe did Chriſt openly make this evident to the world, of his Church?
Anſ. When by the powerfvll Preaching of the Goſpel,Rom. 15.15, &c. & 16.25, &c. and work of his Spirit, he brought ſo many Kingdoms and Nations to the obedience of Faith.
Queſt. 16. When doth the Lord Chriſt make this evident inwardly to the ſoul and conſcience of a man or woman?
Anſ. When by his Word and Spirit he enlightens the eye of Faith, to ſee,Gal. 2.19, 20. 2 Tim. 4.7, 8. finde, and aſſuredly perceive, and enableth the mouth and tongue of Faith to ſpeak, and by aſſured evidence of the Spirit, to ſay to his or her own Soul, as Paul did, Chriſt loved me, and gave himſelf for me; and Chriſt hath laid up for me a Crown of Righteouſneſſe in heaven.
Queſt. 17. How and when doth the Lord Chriſt call, gather, and unite his Church or particular members thereof, as one body unto himſelf?
Anſ. When the Lord Chriſt by his faithfull Servants,Mat. 28.19, 20. 2 Cor. 5.19, 20. Act. 26.17, 18. as Ambaſſadors for Chriſt, rightly called to that great office by the power of his Word and Spirit, draweth them out of the Kingdom of the world, ſin and Satan, to receive him to be their Lord and only Mediator; yea their Eternall High Prieſt, Prophet, and King, for their Eternall ſalvation.
Queſt. 18. Are the Miniſters of Chriſt ordained by Chriſt, in a ſpeciall calling above others, to be Inſtruments or outward means of converting men and women unto Chriſt, and to bring them out of the Kingdom of darkneſſe into this Kingdom of Chriſt?
Pſal. 68.17, &c. Eph. 4.10, &c. Act. 26.18, &c. 1 Cor. 3.5, &c. & 4.15. Gal. 4.19.Anſ. Yes, the Lord Chriſt aſcended up on high, and having led Captivity Captive, he gave gifts unto men, firſt, ſome Apoſtles, ſome Evangeliſts, ſome Paſtors and Teachers, for the work of Miniſtery, and Gods Miniſters, as outward Inſtruments through Chriſt in their ſpeciall calling do beget men again through the Goſpel, and travel in birth again untill Chriſt be formed in them, and that they may be turned from darkneſſe to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, and preſented with joy to God their Father by Ieſus Chriſt their Lord, and King of his Church.
Queſt. 19. May not all Chriſtians in generall, undertake this work of this Miniſtery to convert Souls, and build them up in the truth of Chriſt, as well as thoſe who are ſo specially called of God to it?
Anſ. Certainly howſoever in Primitive times,Act. 8.1, 2, 3, 4. & 8.14. & 11.19. &c. 1 Cor. 12.12, &c. ſome Diſciples extraordinarily endued with the Holy Ghoſt, did Preach the Goſpel in dayes of perſecution, to Pagans and Infidels that knew not Chriſt; and although all Chriſtians in generall are Members of the ſame body of Chriſt, and ought in their places to have a care of the whole body; nevertheleſſe, every Member, is not a head or an eye, or a tongue, or to exerciſe the office of them: And howſoever all the Members of Chriſt as private Chriſtians, may communicate their gift of knowledge one to another,Heb. 10.25. in times and places convenient, not leaving off their attendance on Chriſt in the publike Ordinances exerciſed by the Miniſters of Chriſt, nor ſeparating from the publike congregations of Saints; yet the great office of the publike Miniſtration,Heb. 5.4, 5. belongeth to none but ſuch as are ſpecially called and appointed thereunto by their Lord and King Chriſt Ieſus.
Queſt. 20. How doth Chriſt our heavenly King, call his Servants and Ambaſſadors to this great work of the Miniſtery?
Anſ. Firſt,Mat 28.19, 20. Ioh. 20.20, &c. Acts 16.8, 9, 10. 1 Tim. 1.11, 12. & 3.1, &c. inwardly furniſhing them with grace, and experimental knowledge of Chriſts power and grace in their own ſouls, that they may reveal Chriſt, and the way of life and ſalvation, in and by Chriſt better to others. And ſecondly, beſtowing upon them gifts of grace, to enable them for the work of the Miniſtery. And thirdly,2 Tim. 2.1, &c. Col. 1.25. &c. Tit. 2.7. 1 Pet. 5.1, &c. Drawing their Spirits willingly, to undertake this honorable calling, not for by-ends, or baſe reſpects of worldly profit, pleaſure, or uncertain honour; but for Gods glory, converſion of ſouls, and the good of Gods Church.
Queſt. 21. How elſe doth the Lord call them to the office of the Miniſtery?
Anſ. He calleth them outwardly by a due and right examination of their graces,Acts 13.1, &c. 1 Tim, 4.12, &c. & 5.21, 22. & 6.11, 12. Tit. 1.4, &c. life, and learning, and Approbation of them by the Church, and ſuch Elder able ſervants of Chriſt Ieſus, as are appointed to that office of Examination and Approbation by good and lawfull Authority, ſetting them apart for the Miniſtery, according to the rule of Chriſt in his Word.
Queſt. 22. What hurt or danger can follow, if the ſpeciall calling of the Miniſtery were laid aſide, and every Chriſtian according to the meaſure of his gifts, did take upon him to Preach the Gospel, and adminiſter Sacraments to private meetings of people, and neglect and ſeparate from the publike Miniſtery of ſuch as are called by Authority as aforeſaid; though the Goſpel be truly Preached, and no danger of frequenting the Congregations known and openly appointed for that end?
Anſ. It will throw down Gods Ordinances of the Miniſteriall office, ſo fully confirmed in holy Scripture, and open a door to all Schiſmes and Diviſions in the Church; yea, to all Errors and Hereſies, and in the end, to Ignorance, Atheiſme, and all prophaneneſſe, Exod. 3.30, 31. Numb. 3.10, &c, and 4.15.20. and 16.3, &c. 1 Sam. 3.29. 1 King. 2.19.16. Iſa. 6.6, 7, 8. Jer. 1.5. and 3.15. Ezek. 1.28. Gal. 1.6, 7. 1 Tim. 1.6, 7, 8. 2 Pet. 2.1, 2, 3. and 2.10, &c. 1 Tim, 1, 18, &c. and 6.8, 9, 10, 2 Tim. 3.5, &c. 3 Joh. 9.10. 2 Tim. 4.3, 4 and 3.13. Tit. 1.11, &c. 1 Tim. 2.12.
Queſt. 23. What profit is it to have ſuch an able and faithfull Miniſtery called, fitted and Authorized as aforeſaid?Iſa. 50.4. 2 Tim. 4.1.2, 3, 4. Eph. 3.6, 9, 10. 1 Tim. 1.15. Heb. 12.2. Luke 4.18, 19. Acts 6.10.
Anſ. Certainly great profit and comfort to have able and faithfull Miniſters, for theſe can and will miniſter a word of comfort in due ſeaſon to poor ſouls in diſtreſſe; theſe can and will firſt, Reprove and convince Errors: Secondly, Correct vice by Authority of Gods Word. Thirdly, Rightly exhort to all holineſſe. And Fourthly, To all patience, long-ſuffering and Doctrine, holding forth Chriſt as the Author and finiſher of our Faith: 1. To the comfort of poor ſinners. 2. To the joy of Saints. And 3. To the confuſion of all gainſayers.