The Pulpits Patronage Against Unordained Usurpation, Part 1 · Chapter 16 – Chapter 17
CHAP. XVI. The tenth Argument.
THat ought to be in every ſetled, well-ordered Church, that was in the firſt Chriſtian-Goſpel Arg. 10 Church that ever was, in that Church that was to be the pattern and copy to all ſucceeding Chriſtian-Goſpel Churches, for the copy muſt be well writ, decipit exemplar vitris imi…abile, that was to be the root and Mother-Church of all the reſt; for if the root be not holy, the branches cannot be; if the Mother be an Hittite, the iſſue is not of the Holy Seed; becauſe the firſt woman was to be, as ſhe is truly called, the mo…her of all living (f)Gen. 3. 20., therefore God takes eſpeciall care to build and frame her as ſhe ought to be (g)Gen. 2. 22., wherein no error can be imagined, for his hand was rectitude, and could not fail, in the eſſentials, to be ſure, nothing was wanting or ſuperfluous; now what Eve was to all the race of mank…nde, that the firſt Chriſtan Church was unto all ſucceeding Chriſtian Churches, for Jeruſalem was the Mother Church, as our Saviour ſayes, (h)Luk. 24. 47and that repentance and remiſſion of ſins, be preached in his Name among all Nations, beginning at Jeruſalem; and as it was the Mother-Church, ſo it was modelled by Chriſt, who was Gods boſome-friend (i)Joh. 1. 18., and could not but know his minde in every thing, and neither wanted ſkill nor will, to do the will and minde of him that ſent him, and to finiſh his work, as he ſayes (k)Joh. 4. 34.; what therefore Chriſt ſet in the firſt, ſhould be in all, as what Moſes ſet in the firſt Tabernacle, or Jewiſh Church, was afterwards in all ſucceeding imitations and augumentations of it in after-times. Now Chriſt was the Son, and Moſes but the Servant, Chriſt every way as faithful and as exact as Moſes (l)Heb. 3. 5, 6., and had an eye unto his pattern, as well as Moſes and Solomon had to theirs (m)Heb. 8. 5, 6; what we finde therefore in the firſt Church, ſhould be in all.
But in the firſt Chriſtian Goſpel-Church, we finde ſome ſet apart to attend and act in holy things; for it is manifeſt, that Chriſtian or Goſpel-Churches began in John the Baptiſt (n)Mat. 11. 13, 14., & he was deſigned unto this attendance in his Mothers womb (o)Luk. 1. 14, 15, 16, 17., & was not received and acknowledged among the Jews, until by expreſs authority of Scripture, he had aſſured and aſcertained his calling (p)Joh. 1. 22. 23., and after that his very enemies durſt not oppoſe; for all acknowledge him a Prophet (q)Mat. 21. 26: our Saviour Chriſt ſucceeded John, in ſome reſpect, though in ſome reſpect he was before him (r)Joh. 1. 30., and we are certain he was ſet apart to attend and act in holy things; for though the Church was his inheritance, and he might have ſtept into poſſeſſion, without any ſacred or ſolemn ordination and admiſſion, yet he would not till he was baptized, & declared by a voice from Heaven, to be their teacher (s)Mat. 3. 15, 16, 17.; and becauſe few heard this teſtimony, it is again repeated in their hearing that were deſigned to be witneſſes thereof unto the worlds end: as the Apoſtle doth expreſly ſhew (t)2 Pet. 1. 16, 17, 18., and ſo that made good, the Apoſtle ſpeaks of him (u)Heb. 5. 5, 6.: Chriſt being now eſtabliſhed, the Maſter and Doctor of the Chriſtian Congregation, erecteth and ordaineth others, as well he might, for he was the Apoſtle and high Prieſt of our profeſſion (w)Heb. 3. 1..
For the Evangeliſt expreſly ſayes, (x)Luk. 6. 13.he called his Diſciples to him, and of them he choſe twelve, whom alſo he named Apoſtles; there is their election, but ordination follows, (y)Mark. 3. 14, 15.and he ordained twelve, and ſent them forth to preach, and to have power to heal ſickneſſes, and eaſt out Devils: and when they were in orders, he gives unto them their Commiſſion, with orders and inſtructions for their deportment and government therein (z)Mat. 10. 1.; and becauſe he knew very well, the Harveſt was great, and the Labourers but few, he therefore ſends forth others after them, and gives them the ſame ſecurity he gave unto the twelve (a)Luk. 10. 1, 2, 3, 4, &c., and they found a bleſſing on their labours, which they ingenuouſly acknowledge (b)v. 17.. Now if in the firſt and Mother Church, ſome were deſigned and ſet apart, ſhall after-Churches think to be excuſed and at liberty? ſhall the Daughter plead a priviledge the Mother had not? the iſſue, what the Parent was not poſſeſſed of? ſhall any body now be wiſer in his own eyes, then Chriſt was? think he writes better then his Copy, Chriſt hath ſet him? preſume to add or alter what he hath fixed and eſtabliſhed? we all pretend to Goſpel-reformation, and have ingaged our publick faith therein: its good to eye our pattern, and conſider what was from the beginning, as Chriſt doth in the queſtion of divorce (c)Mat. 19 8., recalls them back to what was at the firſt eſtabliſhed; and ſo ſhould we, and not adventure upon alterations of our own imagination and invention.
CHAP. XVII. The eleventh Argument.
THat ought to be in every ſetled, and well-ordered Arg. 11 Church, which God the Father hath appointed and beſtowed upon them; for the Church is Gods houſe or Family, as we have ſhewed, and the Fathers will is, in the Family, and ought to be the rule, when he hath made his will, ordered how things ſhall be, no man diſannuls, or addeth any thing unto it, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks (d)Gal. 3. 15.: in other Governments there have been alterations and debates; but no man makes a doubt concerning that, the Father is the Family-protector and diſpoſer; and therefore Paul makes his addreſſe in that caſe to the Father (e)Eph. 3. 14, 15..
But God the Father hath appointed ſome to attend and act in holy things, in every ſetled and well-ordered Church; ſome think that God the Father is underſtood in that place of the Apoſtle (f)1 Cor. 12. 28.becauſe its certain, in other places, the perſons are diſtinctly ſpoken of in the ſame Chapter (g)4, 5, 6.: there are diverſities of gifts, but the ſame Spirit, there is the holy Ghoſt; there are differences of adminiſtrations, but the ſame Lord, there is the Sonne; and there are diverſities of operations, but the ſame God which worketh all in all, there is the Father; however, we are ſure he is included; And it was God the Father that promiſed that great endowment of the Spirit, as Chriſt ſhews (h)Luk. 24. 49, which in another place is called, a baptizing with the holy Ghoſt (i)Act. 1. 4, 5., and was performed in the day of Pentecoſt, in a ſolemn and plentiful manner (k)Act. 2. 4, 5.; and this was done, not only to the Apoſtles at this ſet ſolemn time, but to others alſo afterwards, as Peter witneſſeth (l)Act. 1…. 15, 16, 17., whereby they were thus ſolemnly inaugurated, and ſet apart to attend and act in holy things.
It was God the Father that ſent John Baptiſt (m)Joh. 1. 6., for Chriſt and he were ſtrangers to one annther (n)Joh. 1. 33., and it was not only God the Fathers will, but alſo his wiſdom, they ſhould be unknown to one another, that they might not be thought to juggle and combine; and therefore God the Father gave John warning, that upon whomſoever he ſhould ſee the Spirit deſcend and abide upon him, that was Chriſt, which was performed in a ſolemn manner at his Baptiſme (o)Mat. 3. 16, 17.; ſo we are ſure, that God the Father ſent Chriſt (p)Joh. 10. 36., put him in power, and gave him full authority to order all things, and upon that ground, he diſpoſeth of the diſpenſation of the word and Sacraments, and ordereth the miniſtration of them into all the world (q)Mat. 28. 18, 19, 20.: now what the Father orders and appoints, the Son and holy Ghoſt do never alter or diſappoint; for though for more aſſurance and ſecurity, they are divided in their teſtimonies or averments, yet they never differ or diſſent, but are one in that at all times (r)Joh. 5. 7, 8..