Gospel Public Worship: OR, The Translation, Metaphrase, Analysis, and Exposition of Rom. 12. from v. 1. to 8. Describing, and Prescribing, the complete Pattern of Gospel-Worship. ALSO, An Exposition of the 18 th'. Chapter of MATTHEW. To which is added A Discovery of ADAM'S threefold Estate in Paradise, viz. Moral, Legal, and Evangelical. By THOMAS BREWER. 1 Tim. 3.15. But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the Church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth. See Gal. 6.1. Gen. 2.7. and v. 17. with Chap. 3.3. and v. 15. LONDON: Printed by W. Godbid, for Henry Eversden, at the Sign of the Greyhound in Paul's Churchyard, 1656. Gospel-Worship, by Mr. Tho. Brewer. THE EPISTLE TO THE READER. READER, IN the ensuing Treatises, are represented to thy view, a few of those many excellent Manuscripts, penned by Mr. Thomas Brewer; who (besides many former and some long Persecutions endured under the Prelates) suffered Imprisonment by the Bishops in the Kings-Bench Prison, above the space of fourteen years: for saying, That because the Prelates did not derive their Offices from his Majesty as they ought, therefore he durst not partake with them, nor the Derivers of their Offices from them in the proper works of their Offices (which in his Petition to the Lords of the Upper-house of Parliament, 1640. he proveth Legal, Loyal, Reasonable, and Seasonable: a Copy whereof is herewith published) for which cause they often deprived him of many of his Writings, by which means (and through transporting and transmitting, etc.) some Papers pertaining to this Treatise are missing; (for the Author wrote very largely of these subjects) yet is not any thing hereby deformed, or obscured; though abbreviated; Whereby he was prevented from publishing these, with divers others of his Works (the which he intended) who upon the presenting of the said Petition, was released: but about a month after died, (in a good old age, and full of days.) Indeed his sufferings (for the truth) were very great, and of long continuance; but as his sufferings did abound, so his graces and virtues did much more abound, and (like odours being crushed) gave a more fragrant scent; or (like silver passing the fire) were more refined: But what need I to gild a Diamond, or what needs he my commendation? his Piety, Learning, Experience, and Depth of Judgement, are eminently known both in this and other Nations, and are in part discovered in these ensuing Tracts; which are not many broken fragments of others Writings patched up together, but profound studied matter, extracted from the very nature and scope of the several Texts and Subjects whereof it treats: (and wherein was made good to the Author those Promises, Prov: 2.5, 9 in a great measure) most of which (with many other of the like nature) were the Authors own Experiences and Practices, (and Experimental Observations) who in the time of his liberty, was a frequent publisher of them himself at Leyden in Holland, where he walked in communion with Mr. Robinson, and also with Mr. Ainsworth; also after the time of his restraint procuring liberty of his Keeper, (and sometimes in the Prison) he taught them frequently in several Congregations in London; which is well known to, and testified by many of his Hearers yet living: (But for my own part, I had only the happiness to become acquainted with him the three last years of his life, within which time, (although it was part of the time of his close Imprisonment) I reaped much precious benefit from him, by the opportunity of visits, etc.) and like Apollo's, Act. 18.24, 25. he was a man mighty in the Scriptures,— and being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught diligently the things of the Lord. The truth of the matter published, I am humbly confident is able to defend itself against all Adversaries (though subject to be scandalised, from which the best things are not free) First here is a more ample foundation for, and a more stately Edifice (as it were portrayed out) of Gospel-Worship; (which both regulates, and improves grace) than ever yet was published (this 1300. years) since Antichrist reigned: for as Gen. 1. and Job 38. and 39 Chapter contains the whole, and also the main particulars of the Creation. Exod. 20. and Deut. 5. the sum of the Law. Gen. 12.2, 3. the sum of the Promises. Dan. 2. the sum of the Prophecies. Matth. 5, 6, 7. Chapters, the main qualifications of Christ's Disciples. Matth. 6.9, etc. Luke 11.2. The Pattern of all Prayer. 2 Pet. 1.5, 6, 7. The prime Signs and special Demonstrations of our Election, Vocation, and Salvation: So these first 8. verses of the 12. Chapter to the Romans, (as our Author saith well) contain the whole body of Gospel Church-Worship: And as Moses, Exod. 25. to Chap. 40. and David, 1 Chron. 28.11. gave exact patterns of the Tabernacle and Temple; so here the Apostle Paul prescribes the like complete pattern for this Spiritual Fabric of Gospel-Worship; of which the former were but Types, and expressed so to be, 2 Cor. 6.16. 1 Tim. 3.15. R●v. 21. compared with Leu. 26.11. Ezek. 37.26, 27. This is the Central and Cardinal place of Scripture, sanctifying the Divine Worship of the Word, about which all other of this subject, have their proper motion and use, and whereon they depend, (as so many branches springing from this root,) and by which they are encorporated into one Order: the want therefore of the clear understanding hereof is the cause of the seeming disjoyntedness of the Order of Worship, and the long and much prevailing of Babylonisme thereby: (yea and error and darkness yet so abounds that we have just cause to pray as the Psalmist doth, Psal. 43.3.) Secondly, in expounding the 18. Chapter of Matthew, here is lively held forth that Meekness, Love, and Mercy, which ought to be used for the recovery of a sin-sick-Saint, Gal. 6.1. and on the contrary that pride, railing, and racking, prosecuted both by the public and personal Antichrist, in such cases (as Jam. 4.1. to 11.) Thirdly, and lastly, here is set forth that threefold, or rather Estate of Adam in Paradise, viz. Moral, Legal, Evangelical, and Celestial: his legal Estate, or first Covenant of Works was (saith the Author, and what need be said more?) the first grand grandsire mystery of the Word, and the Door key and Candle to all other Theologick, Religious, Personal, public and polemike: the Epitomal Pattern of the Mosaical Law in folio, and the Bridge garrison and Tutor unto the Gospel, the Ladder and Key of Heaven: These four Estates were founded in Paradise: the first, cultively: the second, epitomally: the third, personally: the fourth, inchoately: so that this is the main hinge whereon the whole state of all mankind dependeth. Now since this Work hath stuck so long in the Birth, and having this opportunity now (yet not till now) put into my hands, and withal considering the diversities of Judgements about, and the many diligent enquirers after these things; (which will shortly appear in their glory and exaltation, according to Esa. 2.2, 3, 4. than shall we see World-worship destroyed, and Word-worship alone exalted throughout the World) I judged it my duty to be instrumental to its bringing forth into the World. My own experience also of their great worth was no small motive to their bringing forth; lest peradventure these precious Dawnings (or rather Radiant-beams) of Light, should have perished in the Birth, and so have been buried in the dark vale of Oblivion. There is also of the same Authors a large Treatise of the Sabbath, or the Lord's Day, ready for the Press, (since the Sabbath and Worship are an inseparable pair of Twins; being both founded on the first Table of God's Law: These Treatises of them had not been divided, had opportunity served: but wanting the same, thy acceptation of this, may promote the publication of that; Which is divided into three parts or periods, VIZ. Moral, Mosaical, and Messiacal: In the first period is shown us divine duty, and rationality, with seven practical Observations thereof, to second and countenance the same, before its precepting, Exod. 20. Secondly, that it was all the Mosaic period commanded, practised, and approved, upon the same Moral Reasons, Causes, and Motives, with the first; though covered with Judaical glosses, and Bondaging Austerities: & in the third period that it was Gospelized, and entered thereinto, at, and by Christ's Resurrection, with the same soul, right, faculties, and privileges, that it had at the first Sabbath, and that in a far higher kind, and more glorious degree; and also that it was observed and approved by Christ, his Apostles, and the Primitive Churches: forty Arguments stated (anatomising the whole) for the vindication thereof; (12. at the least for each period) and all the main Objections of the Adversaries answered: In which Treatise Adam's Estate is also largely handled, in relation to his sanctification of the first Sabbath, Gen. 2. Also divers other small Pieces, VIZ. A Body of Divinity epitomised; of God; of the Creation; of the ten Precepts, (paralleled with the Sabbath) of the Lords Prayer; of Supremacy; of Adam's threefold Estate more at large; of the original working of the Evangelical Mystery of Iniquity, and the generation of Antichrist in the Apostles days; Wherein he not only cleareth divers obscure passages, but also the whole scope of the Epistles of John and Judas: This with some other of his Writings, are likewise an excellent Introduction to the understanding of the Prophecies: Also, he wrote A Chronology of the times of the Persian Monarchy, and upon the Prophecies: with several others; and many fragments of precious use: all which are well-worthy the publication: For all his Writings savour much both of Knowledge and Piety. As for those who would have no controversal Divinity published, let them go and learn what that meaneth, Dan. 12.4. Many shall run to and fro, (i. e. in discourse) and knowledge shall be increased. Besides, our Author herein handleth the main Principles of Religion very judiciously, & in an excellent method. As for obscure Words & Phrases in this Book; (observe what our Author saith upon the like occasion) saith he, you will most disrelish the concise compoundness, and the like-soundness of some Words; but they being intelligible to the versed in reading and hearing, the first sort will be palliated by their saving tedious Circumloqutions, and the second by their helping memory and delight. And in another place speaking of the excellency of the like matter he saith; My Wits must be erect, and your ears arrect, in the fitting Words, Phrases, and Form suitable thereto; in newness, because the radicalness is farther to be now discovered than formerly; and the Adversaries have by their new fraud devised new Weapons and Stratagems, which must by New Wisdom be defeated; and by their worse fury, more charged their Canons, and fierced their rage; wherefore we must new our offensives and defensives, and reinforce our courage and powers; or decline God's War with Meroz, and get its Curse: yet will I frame all so intelligibly as I can, yea and so plausibly, as the intelligiblenes of the matter will suffer. In reading this Book, make that use thereof, which the Author intends, who saith, that the 1 Cor. 8. plentifully and plainly enough reproveth all swaying the Conscience in purpose or practice, by and for any personal respect of the Teacher, or fore-practice, even under great censures therein expressed: Wherefore (saith he) I will fear and flee what I can from all persuading the Conscience, but by helping it to understand the Conscience-swaying Word of God, by the rules thereof, and our enlighted reason natural in natural things and matters of fact, and especially spiritual, by consequences from the Positions of Faith, and received therewith and thereby. So assuring myself, that the sincere and serious Seekers and Lovers of Truth, will find a large Field of Knowledge for themselves to walk in (with great variety) in the unfolding of Adam's several Estates in Paradise: Also, that Christian temper of love, mercy, compassion, pity, forbearance, and forgiveness, (Jam. 3.17, 18. (lively displayed) which should be exercised for the restoring of an offending brother: with the odiousness of the contrary proud persecuting carriage: And likewise an excellent Discovery of the unity and peculiarity of the Gospel Church-state, with the diversity of its gifts, offices, and Administrations, entirely and exactly compacted: Those eight verses being (as well saith the Author) A divine general Prescript, and particular Description of the Gospel Worship of God, and Heirship of his Sons, and of their reciprocal union of Church-state, and communion in the Ordinances thereof: for proof of which (and for thy further satisfaction in the Premises) I refer thee to the Book itself: and rest, remaining Truth's devoted Servant, H. P. July 31. 1656. TO THE Right Honourable, the LORDS of the Upper-House of PARLIAMENT. The Humble Petition of Thomas Brewer, close Prisoner in the Kings-Bench, Sheweth, FIrst, that the Petitioner was Anno Dom. 1626. October the 18. imprisoned by the Prelates, and their second Court-Day after fined one thousand pounds, and condemned to be close imprisoned, till he at Paul's Cross should recant his Legal, Loyal, Reasonable and Seasonable saying, That Because the Prelates did not derive their Offices from his Majesty as they ought, therefore he durst not partake with them, nor the Derivers of their Offices from them, in the proper Works of their Offices. II. That that Fine and Imprisonment, hath been extended without mitigation to all extremity in their power, to the near ruining of his Life and Livelihood ever since, only for the said saying, on due occasion, by their long-laboured Project, without hope of relief but by Parliament, which is the sum of what ensueth. III. That that saying was Legal by the Law of God, and by many Statutes, and the Common-Law; and that their so Fining, Imprisoning, and extreme Pressures, were Illegal, the Petitioner is ready to prove; and also that they profess that their Illegal Derivation, in their Treatise of Consecration of Bishops, Page 10. to the 140. iv That it was Legal, is manifest by King James his Approbation of that the Petitioners saying, Anno Dom. One thousand six Hundred and Eighteen, on, or near the like occasion; and by his Protection of Him all His Reign after; and by His now Majesties seconding of the same upon his own notice, and other sufficient Testimony thereof, at the Petitioners first Imprisonment, who therefore charged the Motioner thereof (being of His Majesty's Bedchamber) to see the Prisoner freed, since he was for His Supremacy, and the Laws for it; though all was frustrate by the private endeavours with HIM of the now chief Prelate; who, and his like, and Instruments, have to their utmost persecuted the Petitioner ever since, both by stopping all Legal courses of Judicature in the Common-pleas, and Kings-Bench, and in all Appeals to His Majesty; and by aggravating his Imprisonment, with laying the said Fine on his body, besides the extent of his Goods and his Lands, rated by the Jury at 140 l. per annum; and many other extreme ways, above these 14. years, especially these 5. years by close Imprisonment, Though the former was reversed by the Common-pleas, and though he was not of any illegal Religion nor behaviour. V That it was also reasonable, is apparent by the great penalties on the breakers of those Statutes; that is of High-Treason, in the Derivers of their Ecclesiastical Offices from the See of Rome, and Felony in the partakers with them, and praemunire on the not Derivers of their Offices from the King, being confessed, and professed by themselves, in their Treatise of the Consecration of Bishops, Lib. 1. Cap. 2. to Lib. 3. Cap. 8. p. 8. to 140. Dedicated to the then Archbishop of Canterbury; Especially because that was proceeded in by his Grace's Fatherly direction and encouragement. Epist. Ded. in the end, and printed by the King's Printer, Anno Dom. 1613. not yet revoked, but much dignified by its enlarging and publishing in Latin, Anno Dom. 1626. by Sir Nathaniel Brent, and by the constant profession of all the Prelates in their own Courts, and in the Star-Chamber, and in all their Courses ever since. VI That it was also the more reasonable and seasonable by their betraying Instrument the said Sir Nathaniel Brent, his protesting it should be for the Petitioners great good, to insist upon his former saying to King James, which therefore the Petitioner did; But that hath been ever since extended to the contrary with all the extremity in their and his power, in all kind of distresses abovesaid, and leaving 2000 li. Debts, eating on his lands ever since; with many other exorbitant pressures, too large and troublesome for this time and place. VII. That the Petitioner having endeavoured by all fit and requisite ways and means, for a Legal Hearing of his good cause, and bad case for it, hath been always delayed, or denied that course of Justice, and the legal liberty of the Prison, and hath no hope of Relief, but by this Honourable House, to whom he is ready to aver and prove the Premises. May it therefore please your Lordships to vouchsafe a Hearing of your Petitioners Cause in the Premises, and to grant him his liberty to instruct his Council, and prepare his Proofs, and to command the Register of the Ecclesiastical Commission to bring his Books, to show the cause of the Petitioners Commitment, and Fine of 1000 li. Or to account these long, many, and great sufferings sufficient for this first and only fault (if any) for which in all these 65. years of his age, he hath been censured. And your Petitioner shall pray, etc. Tho. Brewer. Novem. 24. 1640. A Star to guide the Reader: Or, a Key to the ensuing Treatise. READER, FOr thy Direction in, and more ready use of, the Marks (and Letters) in the Analysis and Tables ensuing; Observe, that every first, or number 1. hath its second, or number 2. and so are like jachin and Boaz, the two Pillars in the Porch of the Temple (and not a third, except pag. 19 line 12. where this Mark * before 3. ens should be supplied; whose second is pag. 16. line 3. and its first, page 15. line 26. Or where a head is presently branched forth, as page 11. and the like) For instance, page 7. there are these Marks, ¶ [*] [†] (:) * † () whose seconds follow with the same Marks; and the last mark is still answered first, as this mark () p. 7. l. 20. hath its second mark (and head) p. 8. l. 16. this mark † p. 7. l. 19 hath its second p. 8. l. 22. this mark * p. 7. l. 18. its second, p. 9 l. 5. And the like, when a second head is branched into divers parts; and the same order is to be observed throughout. And where the firsts have their seconds, in the same page (or in view) equal Indentions (viz. the standing even of the second under its first) together with the sense, will guide thee: therefore (ofttimes) in such places, marks are omitted. The Translation, Metaphrase, Analysis, and Exposition, of Romans the 12. the 1. to the 8. Describing, and Prescribing the complete Pattern of Gospel Publikeworship. Rom. the 12. the 1. to the 8. 1. I Beseech you therefore brethren, by the Mercies of God, to present your bodies a living Sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, even your Scripture (Word) Worship. 2. And be ye not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed in the Renovation of your mind, that ye may approve what that good, acceptable, and perfect will of God is, (or willeth.) 3. For I, by the (Apostolic) Grace given me, charge every one among you, that ye arrogate (or over-mind) not beside what ye ought to mind, but mind ye unto sobriety, or (sound-mindedness) each one as God hath apportioned to him the Portion of Faith. 4. For as we have many Members in one Body, and all Members have not one (the same) function; 5. So we being many, are one Body in Christ, and each one another's Members. 6. Having then Gifts (according to the Grace of God) distinct, whether prophecy, according to the proportion of Faith: 7. Or Ministry, (i. e. An Office of Ministry or Service) within that Office, whether the Teacher within teaching, 8. Or the Exhorter within exhortation; the Distributer with simplicity; the Ruler with diligence; the Pityer (Mercy-shewer) with cheerfulness. The Metaphrase; Or, the same in English Phrase. 1. FROM a due consideration of these many free and precious Mercies of God, in Christ particularised to you in the eleven former Chapters; I, as your Brother and Partner therein, infer this brotherly Exhortation to you, that ye therefore as the sons and elect servants of that God, return your whole persons, both bodies & souls, as a living Thank-Offering unto him, in all holiness and acceptableness, even by addicting yourselves unto that his divine instituted Worship, which he hath sanctified and blessed in and by his revealed Word, whereto he hath appropriated it, with detestation of all other pretended divine Worship, which is not commanded by it. 2. Wherefore from all these grounds, I infer the same dehortation from your yielding to conformity with any other divine Worship, whereto the worldly worshippers will woe and force you by all means they can, but enforce ye yourselves so much the more, unto that transformedness from formality, with it which our new-man-hood and renewedness of our mind exact of us, even to appropriate our divine service to him only, as we have done our Sonship; in which peculiaring ourselves in estate and service unto Christ, he will bless us with the approbation of God's peculiar will, the original and proper cause of those his Mercies and Graces as good to us, and of these his services as acceptable to him, wherein is the perfect Cyclopedia of Divinity and Religion, obebedience whereto is better than any matter of worship; and distinct boundedness whereby, is better than the fattest Devotion to worship, 1 Sam. 15.22. 3. Wherefore as an Apostle of Christ, by his peculiar gracious authority, given to me for this end, I charge the conscience of every one among you, to fear and flee all arrogancy, and overweeningness, both in the matter and order of Divine Worship, lest ye transgress the rule and bounds thereof, whereto ye are bound by God in all attentness and intentness of mind, in the practice whereof therefore manifest your sound mindedness in each of your apportioning, your doing the works, and receiving the privileges of Faith, according to Gods apportioning them unto you, as, and because you are his faithful ones, united to him by faith, and communicating with him in all the fruits and benefits of Faith, especially in these of his Word-worship, which are as good to us, acceptable to him, and perfect in themselves, in the exactness of their matter, and distinctness of order in their particulars, as I have preparatively insinuated hitherto in the general. 4. For that whole and distinct Divine Worship is now instituted after the pattern of a City, or a Body Politic, with its City-States, Members, Officers, and their works, which are good for the Members thereof, acceptable to the King who instituted them, and exact in themselves: For as we have many Members in one of those, and in all natural Bodies, and every of these Members hath its peculiar function or practice. 5. So is it in the Church, and its Church-estates and works, wherein though personally we be many several Christians, yet by an incorporating covenant to be a Church, according to Christ's institution, we become one Body, and each becomes others Members, of the same bone and flesh, for each others benefit, practising his peculiar Function. 6. Wherefore we having these enrighting and instrumental Privileges added to the said Mercies of God by Faith, as sonlike Portions, distinct, according to God's peculiar grace, distributing to every one as he pleaseth; how should we not observe this unity of our Church-Estate, and its variety of Membrall and Ministerial Estates, and their apportioned Functions and Rites, and bound ourselves to and within them, according to that apportionment of God, whether it be the enrighting state, the Instrumental, or Medial work and enabling power of Prophecy, which ought to have a general eye to these things. 7. Or a Ministerial estate, work, and ability, within which we are especially, and peculiarly to bond ourselves; whether it be the Office of a Teacher within the function, work, and charge of teaching, with all aptness and ability to teach to the information of the Church. 8. Or of the Exhorter or Comforter within Exhortation, to the Conformation, and Reformation thereof, with all serious sincerity, according to his charge, function, and work of Exhortation. Or of the Distributer within distribution, with simple singleness of heart, according to his Office, to the relief of the necessities of the Church. Or the Ruler within his Ruling-office, and the charge and work thereof, with all diligence therein: Or the Pittyer, Widow, woman-Deacon, or Mercy-shewer, within that Office, for the health and personal conservation of the Church, with all personal cheerfulness even within all five Offices, as Deputies in them to Christ, as Prophet, Priest, Provider, King, and Preserver of his Churches Ministerial, and in them more evidently and eminently of his mystical, than without and before their constitution; and also as good disposers of the manifold correspondent graces of that Spirit, given to benefit the Church: and lastly, as Fellow-Members thereof, employing your distinct gifts and graces, natural and spiritual, to the benefit thereof, according to the needs of the understandings, hearts, estates, conversations, and healths of every Member thereof, and then you shall experimentally prove to your own, and your brethren's consciences, that these particulars of his Divine Word-Worship, are that Divine will of God, which I have said to be good to you, acceptable to himself, and perfect in themselves; yea, and perfecting Divine Communion between God and his Saints in the highest measure upon earth, and nearest to heaven, and directlyest, and powerfullyest leading thereto. The Analysis of these eight Verses follows, ss. First, an Analysis of the eight Verses, than also follows a draught of the matter per modum geneseos, as the nature of the matter falls from the generals into its particulars; the which (to make them more portable, and for some other reasons not requisite to be here rendered) are published as followeth. The Analysis, or right distribution of these eight first Verses of the 12. to the Romans. God's instituted Worship is herein ¶ 1 Prescribed, [*] 1 In the general, [†] 1 Positively, (:) 1 Impetrantly, ● 1 Of our † 1 Whole persons, () 1 Natural, 1 Material, your bodies, ver. 1. literally. 2 Formal, i. e. our souls, ibid. by synecdoche of the part. 1 Most backward, and therefore all the rest a majori. 2 Most pertinent in this case of outward Worshipping God before men. i e. The Body or material part. 1 The vessel wherein the soul is to be presented to God, and to present itself and its body, and so the whole man, as Gods peculiar service for his own table, holy, as informed by the word; living, as inspired by the spirit; acceptable, as required of himself, as our Father, and original Creator, and correspondent Preserver. 2 Circle. 1 Whereby it is circumscribed, 2 Whereto it is confined, in all God's Church-services, to the visible manifestation of its self in them. () 2 Spiritual. 1 Material, i. e. our created nature, v. 1. your bodies as above, 2 Formal, i e. our regenerate nature, and renewed minds, v. 2. but be ye transformed in the renewing of your minds. † ● Distinct good things. (*) 1 Personal, (†) 1 Mental. 1 Intellectual, all informing and informable faculties, v. 6. whether Prophecy, and v. 7. within teaching the Teacher. 2 Animal, of all our exhorting, and exhortable faculties, v. 6. Prophesy, v. 8. the exhorter within exhortation. (*) 2 Corporal, 1 General, our whole conversation. 1 Active, ● Passive, v. 8. the ruler within ruling therefore also the ruled in their raleableness. 2 Particular, i. e. in respect of healing and being healed, v. 8. the shower of mercy, ss. to the sick. (*) 2 Pertinent to our persons, or possessory, v. 8. the distributer. * 2 By, and for the sake, or because of *** 1 God's spiritual † * 1 Benefits, ** 1 Of Faith. 1 Immediate, as justification, 2 Mediate. 1 Infusive, as sanctification, 2 Impartive as blessings. These three are meant v. 1. by the mercies of God taken for matter, or things given of mercy, and v. 6. according to the grace of God, so also taken: and partticularly, The first, v. 1. Brethren; v. 3, 6. portion and proportion of faith: The second, v. 2. in the renovation of your mind. The third, v. 2. good will of God, together with the free love and mercy of God themselves, as the only cause of, and mover to them all. ** 2 With, because of, or for faith, and its three mentioned benefits, as their terminus a quo ad quem. That is, the means of 1 Gods gracifying us with the assurance & right use of faith, and its threefold benefits. 2 Our gratifying God for, and with them all, namely (in both respects) these Ordinances of divine worship following. Ver. 3. The portion of faith. Ver. 6. according to the proportion of faith, wherein is a double Hortatory Motive, ss. God hath given you this divine serving him as his means of 1 His increase of our faith, and all its fruit●, and benefits in us as his Sons and Wives, and of his preserving us. 2 Our increase of his glory, by all that is in us, as his servants and subjects, and of our serving him spiritually according to his institutions of the second, and the promises thereof. † * 2 Freegrace, (as the cause of the matter of these many sorts of benefits mentioned, 1 In his willing them unto us, v. 2. good will of God, and v. 6. according to the grace of God. 2 In his merciful freeing us from their contrary evils, v. 1. ergo, by the mercies of God, ss. mentioned before in the 11 chapters. * ⁎ * 2 Paul's brotherly exhortation, v. 1. I beseech you brethren, though he might have Apostolically charged them thereto, as v. 3. he doth in the point of their distinct observance lineal and collateral. (:) 2 Imperantly, [†] 1 Positively, : *: 1 From divine : †: 1 Authority, [.] 1 Supreme, (X) 1 Dictant, or causal, v. 5. in Christ, i. e. by him, v. ●. the perfect will of God. † 1 Peremptory, as perfect, and without limit of human reason, or other bound, before its prescripts, or exception in the matter after they are instituted, and that both in respect of Christ as Lord of these estates, and of the holy Ghost as inabler to, and in their functions, and of God as the effecter, and blesser, and accepter of both. 1 Jointly, v. 2. that perfect will of God. 2 Severally. 1. In the first respect, v. 7, 8. or a ministry which are five. 2. In the second, ibid. in their five functions, or works. 3. In the third, v. 5. one another's members, i. e. to the Churches good, which are amplified, 1 Cor. 12.4, 5, etc. † 2 Rational, ss. in respect of 1 God, because the whole and each part thereof is acceptable unto him, v. 2. acceptable will of God. 2 Us, because God hath sweetened his Precepts with ways and benefits of all sorts, v. 2. good will of God, v. 3. portions of faith to be employed in God's service, according to that proportion of faith, v. 6. the like is to be supposed of the grace of God, v. 6. with v. 5. each, etc. (X) 2 Dictate, in respect of God, 1 God, i. e. his reason or word, v. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Word or Scripture, which is God's divine Reason. 2 Us, i. e. our worship, service, or homage to God as our Lord, v. 1. due to him from us, as his redeemed, and sanctified (v. 1.) brethren, 3. Faith, 6. Grace, as in the last branch; especially due as instituted in the Word for that end: It is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Divine Worship, Service, or Homage in three respects, 1 In testimony of God's Lordship over us, Vorscap, and in Saxon Dutch being the same with our English Lordship, as their Vorst, and here are with our Lord. 2 As done for his end, work, and service commanded. 3 In testimony of our inferiority, and humility. [.] 2 Deputed, 1 Dictant, proper and primary, i the Office of the Apostleship, both as the free gift and deputed estate of God and Christ, and also as in gracious love to Paul and the faithful, adorned with fit abilities, v. 3. I by the grace (ss. Apostleship, Rom. 1. of whom we have received grace, even Apostleship for obedience to the faith in his name, etc.) that is given me (for that end) I charge every one among you. 2 Dictate, manifested, and as derived from that office of Apostleship, i. e. the prescripts by word or writing, and practice of Paul, as an Apostle as here by writing; for as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies both to say and to charge, so here are both intended, as if he had said, I speaking or writing this as an Apostle, do charge, and in God's name and authority command, etc. : †: 2 Estates of 1 Sons, which God hath imputed to us, v. 1. brethren, v. 3. by Faith, v. ●. be you transformed in the renewing of your mind, ss. according to your estate transformed you from mere natural 2 Servants or worshippers, whereto God hath called us by these his instituted Services, ver. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 worship, holy sacrifice, v. 2. God's will, ss. which you are bound to obey, especially since he hath given these Ordinances of worship, both as privileges of sons, and means of reward; and also hath enabled you to the former by grace, v. 2.6. and the latter by gifts, v. 6, 7, 8. : *: 2 Exacting of us hereunto all that we are, (v. 1. present your bodies) have, (v. 6. since then ye have gifts) or can do for God, v. 1. a living sacrifice, or the Saints, v. 5. as fellow-members. [†] 2 Oppositely, by all those authorities and reasons forbidding whatsoever is not by them commanded, 1 In matter, v. 2. and be ye not conformed to that worship which the world will frame and form to God, and labour by all it can to conform you thereto, partly as good and reasonable in the general, partly as commanded by Authority Civil and Ecclesiastical, and especially as pretended to be the divine instituted, sanctified by God's Word. 2 In the Order of that matter as the particulars thereof are distinct from each other lineally and collaterally, v. 3. that none of you overween beside what he ought to mind, i. e. beyond the bounds of God's portion, v. 3. and proportion of faith, whereto he hath confined each of his servants, v. 3. which God hath apportioned to each of you, which is there called wisdom and sound mindedness, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as an antidote to that boundless arrogancy and swelling ambition, the root of that antichristian confusion which hath long confounded Christ's divine order, as was therefore prophetically and justly called of God Babel and Babylon. [*] 2 In special, and as particularly, and immediately applying all these general precepts to the particulars of divine worship ensuing, and that by the illative and causal particle [for] v. 4. which showeth that we are to apply all these preceding generals to the ensuing particulars: as, 1 Directing us in the connextion of each preceding particular, to each subsequent particular, and ● converso, and that with grounded reasons, causal and illative. 2 Moving us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, i. e. by internal motives of highest consequence, both from the cause to the effect; from debt, to repayment, from God's absolute commands and by many other pregnant directions, and motives, wherein every one is to help himself according to these helps, the particulars being so infinite in number, as can hardly without tediousness be read, and yet so precious, as will content and requite the pains. ¶ 2 Described, † 1 By its name, 1 Christian, forename, v. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, word-worship of the Scripture in general, and Gospel of Christ in particular. 2 Of its kind, surname, cognomen, v. 2. that Will of God, and so not only properly and truly divine, but in a special manner, i. e. as the high matter of God's prerogative, instituting and dictating will. † 2 In its nature, (¶) 1 By a Protasis, as pattern, (†) 1 Immediate and proper, i. e. of a corporation (*) 1 Itself, as a totum in se, entire as 1 Existing in its self, and properly such as a covenanted body of civil men, whether Realm, City, Town, corporate, or other proper corporation, v. 4. one body or coporation. 2 Exerting itself 1 Dispositively into its members, as in the choice of officers. 2 Actively, by joint-consent of its members, as in sentencing; both these as assembled into a Congregation, as in a Parliament, Common-Council, or Burrow-month-court, wherein the body acteth its concial power and supremcy, v. 4. we have many Members in one body. (*) 2 Its members, 1 Smply, as existing, v. 4. many members. 2 In respect of their 1 Body, v. 4. many members in one body: 2 Functions. 1 Simply, as Ordinances and Works instituted, v. 4. practice or work, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. 2 Relatively as appropriated to their membership, all members have not the same function or work, v. 4. These I but touch in this Protasis, they being more proper to the Apodosis, where they shall be more particularly placed, as in an Index or map, but their complete clearing and handling requireth a larger vindex, which yet cannot be orderly without this Analytical epitome premised. (†) 2 Remote and general, that is, of every totum and body integral or compound by God, and Man, v. 4. body in the general, yet with all the mentioned particulars of the properly patterning body of a corporation in particular, so far as they agree therewith, and that so much more as they are more proper boys in the general, though this pattern be more proper in this case. (¶) 2 In the Apodosis, or Patterned, as an * 1 Vnum, † 1 Subjectum, 1 Quod, which beareth the adjuncts immediately, ss. the four membral and five ministerial estates mentioned. 2 Quo, wherein subjectum quod inhereth, i. e. the Church, the original pillar or eminencer & ground or subject of true divine worship or truth, 1 Tim. 3.15. with Rom. 1.25.23. † 2 Order of adjuncts, i. e. those nine adjunctive functions. * 2 Integral integrum, 1 Totum, whole or entire body, v. 5. so we are one body, i. e. a corporation spiritual or Christian Church. 2 Order of parts, v. 5. so we being many, are one body. Note. The difference between these two respects is expressed in the application of the Apodosis to the Protasis, which by a peculiar Scripturism compleateth each other, though an inferior authority cannot force us to that inquiry; for the preeminency of the totum, as having the parts as its own totally, is expressed, v. 4. in one body we have many members; and the precedency of the parts, as being the matter of which the totum was compacted, of which compacture it doth consist, expressed v. 5. wee being many members are one body, which is of great use, as shall in the Vindex be shown; but I will here proceed in the bare Analysis. This Order of integrals is, (†) 1 Collateral, or between themselves; as, 1 Only integral, 1 Only existent, or patiented, as the children of the enchurched. 2 Also active. 1 Only applying to themselves in Church-actions, and doing personal duties. 2 As working Ecclesiastically in 1 Teaching, and its consequences. 2 Matters of ruling. 1 In discussing, 2 In Sentencing; and their consequences concerning these only integral▪ v. 6. whether prophecy (i. e. ability, & so by his Church's integralship right to speak to edification, exhortation and comfort,) by which one particular membership the other are by synecdoche meant; but the complete proof which are integral Church-members, is to be supplied from other places, this being but an epitome and summary compacting the heads of Divine Worship. 2 Also instrumental, as the Ministers. v. 7. or a Ministry, 1 Overseeing the internal man, 1 In the root by preaching, 1 Doctrinally, v. 7. whether the Teacher. 2 Exhortingly, v. 8. or the Exhorter, 2 In the fruit by ruling, v. 8. the Ruler. 2 Serving the outward 1 Estate, by distributing, v. 8. the distributer, by synecdoche, meaning all other Church helps to the estates, as collecting, husbanding the Church-stock, arbitrating debts, etc. 2 The person and health of the body by tending the sick, etc. v. 8. the pitier. (†) 2 Lineal, * 1 A priore in relation to the Church. [†] 1 Ascensive, or regressive, in a 1 Giving, 1 Existence, its Churchship, or constitution unto it, by 1 Making the Church-Covenant, 2 Continuing the Church-covenant. 2 Actuation, or life to it, by 1 Assembling, 2 Acting therein their particular works. 1 Integral, 2 Instrumental. a 2 Receiving their membership at, and by the very act of church-covenanting, which is to be likewise supposed of all after-entrances or admissions into the church, they having reference thereto. V 5. we being many are one body, i. e. many Christians are become one church. [†] 2 Descensive or progressive in the churches giving to each christian person his proper church-member-ship, 1 Integral by admission, 2 Instrumental by ordination; Both which are the churches, by its making them such, v. 4. We in one body have many members, wherefore the power of both is in the Church, and that both of sentencing and solemnising them, and therefore much of laying hands on the member in his admission and ordination by the instituted rite for both, Heb. 6.2. with 1 Tim. 5.22. lay hands suddenly on no man, etc. The four integral and five organical states are before mentioned and here supposed. * 2 A posteriore, in relation to their functions: 1 Membral, viz. of the Prophets to prophesy of the adult men to power, the adult women to be active partakers of the Sacraments, and of Infants to be passive injoyers of Baptism, and of each of the four to all Ordinances of inferior nature, than that mentioned in each function, v. 6. whether prophecy, which by relation enforceth its active relative conjugate, i. e. prophets, (as they are called, 1 Cor. 14.28.) and by synecdoche supposeth the three other sorts of functions. 2 Ministerial, i. e. of the Teacher to teaching, of the Exhorter to exhortation, of the distributer to distribution, the ruler to ruling, the pitier to works of pity; in, and under which five works, all other of the same nature and reason are by synecdoch meant, whether instituted or personal, as the Sacraments under teaching, and provoking, they being teaching, as significant, and provoking and confirming as sealing, and under teaching are meant translating, metaphrasing, analysing doctrining, proper teaching, proving, confuting, and so of the rest. 3 Ens consisting of 1 Matter, i. e. visible Christians, 2 Form. 1 Constitutive, i. e. that pattern superinduced by, and upon that matter in their mutual covenanting to be such a Church of God, v. 5. are one body, whereby all the said parts and adjuncts are Ecclesiastical, and all divine worship as of the word, v. 1. 2 Institutive, i. e. the pattern of a Corporation, revealed by the word to be Apostolic, v. 3. and so of Christ, v. 5. and so of God, v. 3. By this TRANSLATION, METAPHRASE, and ANALYSIS of Rom. 12. from v. 1. to the 8. there appears two main considerations of divine Worship; First, its subject matter willed: Secondly, its respectives. The matter willed by God is real, and rational, etc. For readiness, and memory sake, I will frame them first Tablewise, secondly Tractwise, both so summarily as the Exposition will competently bear. DIvine Worship is the Body of Gods instituted Will for his Saints peculiar public serving of him, which is here to be handled only as the object of God's peculiar Will, of which we will consider, ¶ 1 What is positive and true, viz. that of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 word-worship, which is twofold. † 1 External, * 1 Real, [†] 1 Subjective, viz. in respect of a twofold subject. X I Subjectum quod, simple, primitive, or integral, viz. the Church, which is the permanency and eminency of Word-worship, the pillar and ground of Truth, 1 Tim. 3.15. with Rom. 1.25.23. Psal. 106.20. Exod. 32.5. 1 Stative, i. e. the Church, as incorporate, which is the essential original both of the Church congregate, and all its powers and adjuncts, and that as ens, causa, integrum and subjectum, v. 3. are 2 Active, i. e. the Church congregate, or representative, the immediate subject of all ecclesiastica, or Church-States, Ordinances, and actions, v. 4. have 1 Cor. 11.18, 20, 22, 5, 4. Mat. 18.17, 18, 19 this is the Church of frequent name, understanding, and use, but the other is the proper root. X 2 Subjectum quo (i. e. in, a, per, pro, quo) derived secondary, or membral: [] 1 Integral, (:) 1 Active, 1 In doctrine, viz. the Prophets, v. 6. Prophesy, 1 Cor. 14.1.3. 2 In power. 1 Congregational, viz. in admission, excommunication, election, degradation, determination of circumstances, time, place, etc. 2 Ruling, viz. in examining, advising, convincing, pro & contra, sentencing, etc. by his membral right according to his abilities, adulti. (:) 2 Passive, or receptive, 1 Simply, as infants, n●t discerning the Lords body, and blood, 2 mixedly, viz. Women, who have no power properly active, but only recipient, 1 Cor. 14.34, 35. These four integral Church-states are by synecdoche prescribed, v. 6. whether prophecy. [] 2 Instrumental, or ministerial, which may be two ways distributed, or divided, viz. 1 Into 1 Internal, or mental, viz. for the minds, (for instrumenti esse est in fine & usu,) 1 Informing which is the Teacher, v. 7. the Teacher. 2 Conforming which is the Exhorter, v. 8. 2 External, or for the outward 1 Conversation of the spiritual man, which is the Ruler, v. 8. 2 Preservation of the natural man, viz. natural. 1 Personal, or for conservation of the body, which is the pitier, v. 8. 2 Possessory, or for maintenance, viz. the distributer, v. 8. 2 Into 1 Episcopal, or overseeing Elderly, or authoritive, pastoral, or feeding, or conserving, 1 Internal, 1 Mental, or intellectual, viz. the Teacher, v 7. 2 Voluntal, or of the will, and its affectives, viz. the Exhorter, v. 8. or teaching Elders. 2 External, the Ruler, v. 8. who is an Overseer, over in authority, conserving the honest behaviour of the Church, and each member thereof, called also a ruling elder, 1 Tim. 5. 2 Diaconal, or serving the Church in the whole and its members. 1 Personal, or corporal, the pitier, v. 8. the widow, 1 Tim. 5.3. to 13. or Deaconess, Rom. 16.1. vulgarly a keeper, or nursekeeper, tending the sick, and so an helper, 1 Cor. 12.28. 2 Possessal, or bonal, viz. the Distributer, v. 8. t● Deacon, Phil. 1.1. 1 Tim. 3.8. to 13. by synecdoche of distributing for all kinds of serving the Church, and each member thereof in their goods, and all things pertinent to them, not appropriate to the rest, and so an helper, 1 Cor. 12.28. helpers, governors. [†] 2 Adjunctive, ) (1 Virtual qualifying, or enabling for execution, as the nine several functions of the said nine Church estates, or membrall, subjective, real, internal parts of God's Worship, and the two powers of the integral, subjective, real, external parts thereof particularly, as particularly thus distributed. () 1 Potestative. 1 Original, viz. corporation, power to congregate and continue, join and so dissolve itself, and to set the persons time, and place of the Congregation, viz. for the first act; pour delegating is but once, as married but once. 2 Derived, or representing the Original, or reciprocal to itself, viz. to set the persons time and place of the meeting, and to act, continue to, and dissolve itself, and to join itself to another Church. () 2 Functional, viz. the appropriate and instituted privilege, work, function, duty, and practice, of the Church-estates. [Z] 1 Integral, as freemen of a City. [*] 1 Active. : 1 Prophetical, viz. teaching to edefication, exhortation and comfort, 1 Cor. 14.3. called prophesy, v. 6. whereby four things are meant; 1 The gift or power personal, 2 The function of the Church-prophet, proper to this place. 3 The act of prophesying, all three literally, or equivalently mentioned in prophecy, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 4 The enrighting estate of the prophets to use their personal gift, as their prophetical function actually in the Church congregate, as a member of the Church incorporate; this is meant by the rule of Conjugates, being of the same reason, which is to be understood in, and of the other eight functions and 2 powers, which in this Table I have and must leave to be supposed. This is the proper function of the Prophet, not excluding the other three ensuing, which are his by the other capacities of membral or integral. : 2 Potestative in the particulars aforesaid, viz. examining, advising, convincing, pro & contra, sentencing, etc. which is the proper work of the adulti, or men grown, besides those of women and children ensuing, which they have in common with them, yet without the proper work of the prophets, for want of the personal abilities to prophesy. [*] 2 Passive, or receptive, 1 Mixtly, as the duty of women, wherein the understanding, and sincerity, and devotion of the mind is active in receiving Church-preaching, Sacraments, Prayers censures; and secondly, wherein they act without church-power, as in testifying for and against themselves, and others in the Ordinances of Ruling and Power, besides the privilege of children under the age of discretion, and without the work of Prophets, and men grown, and their privileges mentioned. 2 Simply, viz. the privileges of children of the adult men and women, whereof one or both are Church-members, viz. to be really of the Church, and to be baptised, and generally enrighted to further Church-priviledges and duties further correspondent, personal abilities intervening. For, they have right to baptism which exacteth no act of the receivers, but to be mere patients and passive receivers of God's seal of the righteousness of Christ, wherein they are estated by their Church-membership, received with the admission of one or both of their Parents into the Church, by the Prerogative will and gift of God, given them in, by, and at Isaac's receiving of God's Covenant with Abraham, and his promised seed, Gen. 17.7. to 14. Gal. 3.16. that is, to Isaac typically, and to Christ antitypically, and so to Christians in the estate with Isaac, for the gifts and graces of God are without repentance, yea enlarged under the Gospel. Note. The three later of the four integral membral functions or privileges, are by synecdoch of the particular, viz. prophecy, put for the general, i. e. membral privileges, and duties prescribed v. 6. in the word Prophecy. [Z] 2 Instrumental, or official, as Mayor, aldermans, and Sheriff. (y) 1 Episcopal, Presbyterial, or Pastoral, Acts 20.17.28. [z] 1 Doctrinal. 1 Informing, i. e. Teaching, v. 7. i. e. Translating, Metaphrasing, Analysing, and Genesing preparatorily thereto, dogmatizing, or extracting the genuine Doctrine of the place, and proving thereby, and its parallel places, and by artificial proofs and illustrations ad captum recipientium, and applying them to them, with exhortation to learn them, and comfort therein; and lastly, confuting the opposite Doctrine with dehortation and terror of the teachers and learners. 2 Conforming, viz. exhortation of the members to do according to the Doctrine taught, i. e. to believe and apply the promises and comforts, and to fear and flee the threats and terrors, to obey the Precepts and Prohibitions of God proved. Note. To both these Functions do the administration of Sacraments appertain, they being teaching and significant, and also confirming and sealing rites, and as earnests and livery of seisin of what is taught and exhorted. Observe by the way, that the near union of these in their scope and end, doth not extinguish the distinctness of their estates or e converso; and from thence the like affinity and distinctness of the other Offices, and also of the Trinity itself, in its being one in its proper nature, and yet three persons, and distinct hypostasis; and again, one with the Church, and that in union of estate in Christ, expressed by Christ, John 17.21. The like is hence to be supposed in all complete things of God, and in this particular, of which anon. [z] 2 Ruling, viz. the function of Ruling, v. 8. i. e. ordering the Church after its decrees of the time, place, and persons of the Congregation; and in its ordering the whole Worship in its parts, time, and order of exercise, especially in the act of Government, as proposing the case, ordering the trial, both in the speakers, and putting the matter to sentencing, and gathering the voices, and accordingly pronouncing the sentence, and in matters of admission and excommunication, election and degradation, executing their instituted solemnities, as imposing hands in admission, and ordination, (as it is called) or rather election, whereunto it is a complementary rite or solemnity appendent: Howsoever Antichrist hath made it his Priest begetting act, or rather the Antichristing, or whore-getting seed and act; to parallel the creation of the Heathens Goddess whore, of the foam or shame of the Sea, jude 13. with that miscreation of the spiritual Gentiles (Rev. 11.2.) Whore-Goddess, or Mother of Whoredoms, chap. 17. v. 1.5. of, and by the fume of the breath, and touch of the paw of that Prelatical Beast, as such, and without other seed or act, yea or pretence of any thing or act of Gods; but the least and last touch of his Church-Deputy in that act, who also is counterfeited by a Church-maker, and Church-master, and Church-beer, the monstrous monster getting of and by that beast, whereof might be framed a Riddle unappliable, but to this monster, Rev. 13.1, 2. But for the Preachers usurping these instituted works, I know no warrant, much less for his doing other, and that without the Congregation or authority from it, but least of all for his sole supremacy over it, even many of them, and that by that Paw-begotten Prelateship, yea and to his leaving his Preachership by which he claimeth them. (y) 2 Diaconal, or serving, 1 Possessive, viz. disposing matters Possessory, v. 8 Distributer. 2 Personal, viz. tending the sick, v. 8. the shower of mercy, [or pitier.] Note. Both which, and the ruling function, are prescribed in their subjective offices by this rule: The properties of each conjugate belong to all, the proof of these, and the confirmation of other functions of the four former, are of the larger Tract. ) (2 Actional, or executive; 1 Active, viz. the actual execution of all the nine functions, except that of Infants, in whose Parents yet there is an actual claiming of the active administration of Baptism on them, and an active tendering of a fit object thereof, which supplieth the active part of the children; but in the rest there is a double activeness personal prescribed. 1 The one in tendering a fit object for the administration of the function of the Church-estates. 2 The other in claiming and using the same; whether it be in doing, or receiving, for those are active even in receiving. 2 Passive, or receptive, viz. the submissive receiving the blessed privilege of faith, for the increase of faith, and its fruits, and yielding to the holy work of God's Worship, charged by his Word upon us, even in the most active functions; yea, in the right consideration of the nature of Worship, as commanded by God, we are rather Patients than Agents in the most active work thereof; and therefore it is said 1 Sam. 15.22. Behold, to obey, is better than sacrifice; and to hearken, than the sat of Rams; that is the cream of works. Note. All these adjunctive institutions are capitally included in the third Apostolic Principle of Religion, Heb. 6.2. The Doctrine of Baptisms, and the former subjective in the fourth foundation and next words, and of imposition of hands; as also their commandedness is in both their relation to the two first Principles; v. 1. of repentance from dead works and faith towards God, and their commendedness in the two last, v. 2. and of the Resurrection from the dead and eternal judgement: It being the excellent course of the Holy Ghost in notifying things capitally to set the most noted adjunct of the particular intended, to be set synecdochecally for the general head of the thing notifiable; it being the briefest, plainest, readiest, and certainest course, and freest from the corruptions incident to diversity of Ages, Nations, and Languages, and cavils of the Heretical opposites: For Baptism is the first, necessariest, and notedest seal, and adjunctive solemnising rite as imposition of hands is the subjective; and rites being the most (and imposition of hands mere) notifying; as Moses, Gen. 1.3. intending to mention Gods creating fire, notifieth it by Light, as by its most evident and eminent quality, and most obvious to the most; but this place abruptly. * 2 Rational, or respective, 1 Internally to themselves, and their proper relatives, viz. the respect of the Subjectives, as such to their adjuncts; and of the adjunctives to their subjects, as so bounded and charged by God, v. 3. as God hath apportioned to every one the portion of faith, and v. 4. in setting a body members and works, and particular Ordinances, within the confines whereof we are to serve God and out selves, by observing their contents, otherwise it is desolation, perdition abaddon. 2 Externally to their colaterals, and remote linealls, from both which we are disbounded by the consequence of the same places especially, v. 6. according to the proportion of faith, that is, walking servant-like in their confined stint; and not disproportionally to their sonlike portion as transgressing the station and circuits thereof, as the Angels did, jude 6. for which Antichristianism is called Babylon and Babel, i. e. confusion, as breaking the disbounding in God's Worship, as it is for adding to it, styled that abomination, Mat. 24.15. with Dan. 11.31. Rev. 17.5. and Man of Sin, viz. from breaking God's band and bounds, 2 Thess. 2.3.8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with 1 joh. 3.4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, for sin is a band-breaker, or bound-breaker, and Lex and Religio are a band, and rebinding or confining and stinting of God's servants, especially of his instituted or statuted Worshippers, over which to step is superstition, or supra station, jude. 6. and also for his destroying each of the stinted matter or order named Abaddon Apollyon, that desolation, son of perdition, etc. This I have shown in the Text, Metaphrase, and Analysis of v. 3. and in the distinctness and stintedness of each state and work to be the scope of the Holy Ghost, and of the Apostolic Emphatical charge, v. 3. so jealous is God, and ought we to be in this his marriage, band, bound, and bed, that he useth no active word much provoking or emphatical, in all the five last Verses of the capital matter of his Divine Worship, but only restrictive, and many ways bounding, terms, and phrases, for this distinctness sake. Hitherto of the body, or external part of God's Worship, and not only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that it is, but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what it is, natural, proper, and simple existence. Now of its soul, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, scope and life thereof. † 2 Internal, or Theorical: [X] 1 Lineal, (Y) 1 Previal, or respective, a priore, [Z] 1 Positive, (:) 1 Causal, [.] 1 Internal, 1 Material: 1 Of the Church, viz. visible Saints, and faithful in each others judgement, v. 1. Brethren, v. 3. portion of faith. 2 Of its estates, of its Ministry, Saints graced and gifted for that end, v. 3. as God hath apportioned to every one the portion, etc. v. 6. distinct. 3 Of their functions, moral teaching, exhorting, ruling, distributing, tending the sick, natural bread, wine, water, and actions of breaking, pouring, giving, dipping, and set words of consecration. 4 Of the membral states thereof, viz. hearing with understanding, and tractableness, submission, taking, eating, going into water. 2 Formal, as, 1 True Worship, so all the institutions external as of the word, are the form of that ens, verum, unum, ●onum, and the particulars thereof, its integra. 2 Ecclesiastica, so a corporation, its estates, and their works is its form, v. 4, 5.6. we, v. 5. so we, etc. for the Church is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, basis; the estates, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 order, and their works 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, vigour, their administration 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 effect perfected. [.] 2 External, the efficient, 1 Supreme, 1 Simple, God the Father willing them, v. 1. to God, v. 2. of God, v. 3. as God, v. 6. of God. 1 Commanding, v. 1. holy, v. 2. perfect will, v. 3. I charge. 2 Commending, v. 1. by the mercy's acceptable, v. 3. good, v. 3. Portion of faith, v. 5. every one each others members: So 1 Cor. 12.6. diversity of operations, but the same God who worketh all in all things. 2 To us, 1 Ordering, estating, and enriching, Christ, v 5. in Christ, as instituter and founder of its authority to 1 Be God's Worship, v. 1. to God, even the Word Worship, with v. 5. in Christ, (so in the same, 1 Cor. 12.5. ministrations but the same Lord) 2 Do as his Church-Ministry, Ministrations, Members, viz. Rom. 12.7, 8 with 1 Cor. 12. v. 4, 5. 2 Acting, gifting, enabling, (the holy Ghost) v. 1. living, v. 2. be ye transformed in the renewing, etc. v. 6. gifts distinct, according to the grace of God, (so in that place 1 Cor. 12.4. gifts, but the same spirit.) 2 Mediate. 1 Active, viz. the Apostle, v. 3. I, 2 Declaring, viz. the word, v. 1. of the word. (:) 2 Subjective, b 1 Universal, As an unum with its particulars, As a genus with its species; Id est, Gods prescribing his Divine Worship in the general, and its particulars, as the subject of our active service of him, in general Devotion to him, as willing it by his majestic and prerogative will, v. 2. perfect will of God, with particular and distinct discerning of special Order therein by Christ, v. 5. in Christ. b 2 Particular, as an 1 Whole with its parts. 2 Integrum with its members. 1 Gods prescribing his existent worship, consisting of a subjective totum with its adjunctive parts, i. e. Paradise, Noah's Ark, Abraham's Family, Moses Tabernacle, Solomon's Temple, with their appendent things, Rites, and actions, v. 1. sacrifice synecdochically for the whole legal or precedent worship, and all its particulars. 2 Gods instituting the present Evangelical Church and its Adjuncts, as an integrum with its integral members, and their faculties proper and common, and their actions, v. 4, 5. to the 8. Note, These subjective respects I call internal worship, as transient from God towards us, and we do accordingly internally worship him therein, when we distinctly discern and observe the same in our actual worshipping him, and it is also of special use for our discerning the difference (both in kind and degrees of Gods wise love) between God's former and present worship especially for the discovery of Antichristianisme, the present opposite worship, and of other former false worships. [Z] 2 Opposite, in not conforming to, but separating from world-worship, v. 2. but conform not unto the world, viz. in the matter in hand, i. e. Divine worship. [z] 1 Entall, 1 Internal, 1 Material, Nations professing Christianity, which as a totum are termed Christendom, and Priests, v. 1. Brethren, v. 3. Faith, with v. 2. 2 Formal, Christendom framed into one hierarchical visible church of Priests, by civil, and Ecclesiastical authority, Cons. Nice Can. 6. & Con. Sandic. Can. 3.4.7.11. 2 Externall, 1 Efficient, 1 Supreme, Satan, and the Popish Princes, and Priests of christendom, as opposite to God, v. 2. and Christ, v. 5. 2 Mediate, and proper. 1 Active, the papacy, or hierarchical body of priests, whereof the Pope is the head, as opposite to the Apostles v. 3. and their Gospel, v. 1. 2 Declaring, viz. his decretals, and canons, v. 1. the word as their opposite, v. 2. but conform not to its opposite, the world, from which to separate, because they are opposite to, or not the true worship, is our right soldierlike service of God, wherein properly is our suffering for God, 2 Tim. 2.3. Final, to usurp, oppose, and vilify Christ as come in the flesh, and to set itself as, for, and instead of his church visible, which in his visibility, and as God's visible anointed, he instituted, v. 1. a sacrifice to God, (worship) Psal. 2.12. 2 Thes. 2.4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as for & instead of the church of God, with 2 Cor. 11.13, 14, 15. 2 Cor. 6.16, 17, 18. [z] 2 Subjective in all the four positive respects last mentioned, especially in the last and proper, i. e. a church integrum, with its members; our separation from Antichrists hierarchy and its hierarchicalls, as its opposite, is a point of Divine worship, and of the second commandment commanded, and commended to us; but it being rational and positive, it is in that respect internal worshipping God, though the opposite hierarchy itself be the existent subject of the present world-worship forbidden, v. 2. but be ye not conformed to the world, i. e. in the particulars of God's worship following, especially unto the image of that integral Beast, Rev. 13. This Antithesis of Antichrist and his worship, againsts Christ's instituted church and church-worship in their adequate parrellel opposition, requireth a distinct tract, which I will annex to the tract of the Thesis, or positive worship itself. (Y) 2 Aposteriori, or in its proceed unto its end. Thus the external worship, as 1 True, or of the word is in obedience and love of God to observed, as a sanctified mean of 1 Gods glorifying, and worshipping objectively, v. 1. sacrifice to God, worship; this is the name, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or internally moving end, and the denominator of a sincere and sonlike worshipper, as the using of the matter sanctified by God for his worship as such, and in obedience to his command tryeth our subject-like, and servant-like obedience therein, but the doing the very particulars themselves, is our true worshipping God. 2 Our benefit, v. 2. good will of God, in faith, v. 3. portions of saith, that is, as crowns, seals, and privileges of ●aith, and as exercisers and increasers thereof, and of its Fruits. 1 Internal, viz. Knowledge, v. 7. The Teacher: Obedience and confidence, v. 8. The Exhorter within Exhortation: Holy conversation, ibid. the Ruler. 2 Externall, viz. Maintenance, v. 8. the Distributer: And preservation, ibid. the shower of Mercy: All which Offices, and their Functions, with answerable gifts, and their exercise, are given by God for our good, according to their particular effects, and our answerable need in all five respects. 2 Powerful and blessed to these ends, (v. 2. good acceptable, and perfect will of God) is to be in confidence and wisdom observed, as an effectual mean to these ends. [X] 2 Collateral, i. e. our observance of collateral respects of the five Offices, their distinct Functions, and their correspondent gifts, and exercising emphatically, and by express Apostolic authority charged, v. 3. as in the Metaphrase. All these respective Observances, are the soul and life of the subject body of worship, and its members, and their works and workings, and so are the internal worship of God, of which as informing that together with that body hypostasing the same, the whole fabric of Divine worship consisteth, whereof this is a summary synopsis, & Genesis as declared Rom. 12.1. to the 8. whereof the other table is a like synoptike Analysis which differ not in matter, because Divine worship in the Radicalls thereof is the adequate object of that place, and it the sprig, whereby the many Grapes thereof are epitomised, concatenated, and encorporated into a cluster of Grapes, grown, and enwined by God for his own Cup of Communion with his Saints; only this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shows the natural course of God's creation or institution thereof, after the manner of his creating Adam first in his body of the lowest solum or matter of the earth, in the sense of Gen. 1.1. and then informing him with his own breath of life, Gen. 2.7. And that Analysis shows the artificial course of God's creation and institution of his Spiritual Creatures of the highest coelum, as Christ was first the second person in the Trinity, and after was made man by assuming our earthly nature; so was Divine worship, or the kingdom of Christ first instituted in the second Commandment in the general, wherein all particulars essentially consist, as in God's general will prescribed therein; and after in this particular (wherein all universals actually exist) as in God's particular will (or special thing willed) described in the particular thereof, of all which this place is the head and radical compendium, most accurately, both composing Divine worship into a joint body, and disposing it in all its distinct parts, both lineal and colaterall, which being shown it resteth, that I proceed to the Doctrines thereof, with their proofs and applications, and then to the like in the Antithesis of Antichristian worship; yet obiter and sparsim laying the grounds thereof in the use of this Thesis, wherein for order and memories sake, I will follow the trace of this geneticall table, as best fitting our summary creation, (our best intelligible object) and capacity natural answering thereto: and that first, gathering thence the porismata from its general of worship, and its adjuncts, and then do the like in its particulars of the Church, and its Churchitives; the former is charged upon us, verse 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which compared with its after particulars yieldeth this Doctrine; Divine worship is Gods instituted will for his peculiar service. THE EXPOSITION OF The 12. Chapter of the Romans, from Vers. 1. to Vers. 8. IN this Treatise of Divine Worship, for avoiding Ambiguity, I will first handle the noture, and then the nature thereof: Worship is taken three ways, 1. Personally, and that both instinctively, and objectively. 2. Really, or subjectively. 3. Actively, and transiently between both. In the first it is taken for the venerable personage or state of Superiority, as Majesty, Grace, Highness, Lordship, and Worship, are vulgarly used for a King, Duke, Lord, and Gentleman. In the second, for the respective things and works of their Inferiors, imposed upon them by their Superiors, as their claimed due by their Superiority. In the third, for the Inferiors exercising those things and works towards their Superiors; but in that Doctrine we use it properly in the second sense; yet for want of usual conjugates proper to each of the three and through their affinity, if we had them, we will still allow also an obvious respect of the third, as transient to the first, as its rightful commander, and proper α. & ω. i. e. its beginning and end; Divine also we use in the same manner, properly for the matter instituted by Divine authority, yet also as having its relation a priore to its instituting Deity, and Aposteriore to the same Deity, as the sole object of that active worshipping. Again, thirdly, the will of God hath the same three fold sense in the general, but it is here appropriated to the second, by the word instituted, and so giveth the distinguishing term to this definition, as it doth the constituting by its making the church and its ecclesiasticals, parts of Divine worship. 4. Service, or serving God, may be taken for the works of Gods personal service, and secondly, for his instituted, but partly for want of fit terms, and partly for the distinction of the two latter senses of worship mentioned, I will constantly use it for the third sense of worship, or exercise of worship: In the second sense for the peculiar public serving God, and as transient from us to God, as I will also for the same reasons use the subjective worship for the matter thereof, and worship in the second sense, wherewith both the natural and national use of the word well agreeth; for the Etymology thereof is from the Saxon and High Dutch words voorst, Lord, or voerst first, and Schapship, which is their, and our usual stative abstract, both making vorstschap, (quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ship, i. e. Headship) worship afrer our English Euphonie, all used in the said three senses; as also the Low-Dutch, Hereschap, Lordship or Worship is, except that dieust, or, deum herens dicust, the Lords service is ordinarily used for worship, in the second sense, as God's service is amongst us; but the very propriety of the word, very well serveth with our frequent and only word, for the general of God's Ordinances, instituted for his Public Service, i. e. Worship, as when our Divines say, there are three parts of God's Worship, the Word, Sacraments, and Prayer, whereto Ridley and Feild add a fourth, i. e. Discipline; and when they oppose the true worship of God against false worship, and say that the Mass is a part of false worship, etc. yea, there is nothing between God's Personal Lordship, Majesty, Highness, and Worship in the first sense; and this his real matter of Worship in the second sense, set by him for a Testimony, Homage, Badge, or Sign thereof, to make them not literally the same, but an easy and usual metonymy of the sign for the thing signified, which showeth them of a prime relation and nearness to God's Majesty, head-ship, Lordship, (all which in our case are the same) and only not Gods case literally, for they all are in respect of God the same, though Antichrist with his names of Blasphemy, whereof his devout and amazed followers are full, hath deposed, opposed, and disposed Gods titles, as also their subjective estates, according to his will, Dan. 11.36. with 2 Thess. 2. ●. Rev. 13.1.3. as in our case woorschaep, as Lordship to the nobility, & our worship to the Gentry of his time, where, and while he domineered, for at other times and places this titularity was, and is scorned, the which he hath done to all estates of his Clergy and Laity, especially to his Prelacy; but I will not stir in his Excrements, which he accounteth Ornaments, without urgent necessity; neither do I deny, nor want the present Historical use of them, only let our present term, worship, be understood for God's Headship, and its Prerogative Badges, as peculiar thereto, i. e. is as its quarto, modo, proprium, all primacies, and only, and always to them in the original, proper, and exact acception of things and names, which I let serve for Explication of Peculiar, the only remaining doubtful term of the summary definition of Divine Worship, that I may proceed to the native Doctrines thereof; for as for the Body, Sons, and Public, they are discernible how they are there taken by all, to whom I intent these lines. As for the observing, trying, and applying the Doctrines promised, the first is, divine worship is especially to be known and observed; this is summarily shown in the Metaphrase and Analysis of this place of Rom. 12. and in the Genesis of this matter of worship, and further to be shown, by parellelling this place with its beams, shining in the Gospel, and in the Evangelically transformed minds for the direction of our humane nature, to divine communion with God, the first proof hereof in the place, is from Paul's accurate couching and artificially compacting the same therein discernible in the geneticall table, distinctly disclosing the same, which proveth it a matter of great moment, worthy his attentive teaching, and our attentive learning the same. The second is from Paul's emphatical Exhortations, the Apostolic commands Analysed in the former part of the former Table, proving it to oblige us upon the breach of our sonlike and servant-like Union and Communion with God to know the Particulars, Order, and Uses thereof. A third is from Paul's urging us to a metamorphosed renovation of our minds, for the searching, proving, and approving the same, v. 2. WORSHIP in the general, whether absolutely taken for his Prerogative of worshipfulness, as God, Creator, Redeemer, Preserver, Increaser, & Perfecter of every thing, or respectively to man, or a Christian, who have this general notion, acknowledgement of this Prerogative, affectionateness thereunto, and readiness therein, imprinted in their hearts, together with his image, as a reflex of the thing sealed on the seal, and printed on the form of Letters, or other engraven form of printing, the parts of which are distinct in kind, which answer to the correspondent parts of God's worship in general, or these three parts or Offices thereof in question in particular; so that they which confound some correspondent parts, do by clear consequence confound the like parts in the original print, and all proper reflexes therefrom, mediate or immediate; and Adam might much better have eaten any creature before, and without God's free and particular gift of them, Gen. 1 29. & 9.3. and therein sanctifying them to him in his word, which yet had been confounding what God had made distinct, and murder in particular; for he might have said, all things are given me to eat, under, and in these two Particulars of Herbs and Trees, for though God have named that only, and not flesh, and so there is a distinction between them, yet it is only gradual, whereby I am to eat of these more than those, but not special and in kind, so as I should be bounded unto them, and from flesh thereby; the like may be said of God's prerogative, in order of being the sole Author and Orderer of States and Laws for increase, at least in the case of Fornication, Gen. 1.28. increase and multiply, with chap. 2.22. and he brought her to the man: It might as well be said, That neither jews, nor the Samaritans, 2 Kings 17. were Idolaters, because they worshipped God more than Idols; and that neither Vzzah, no● Vzziah broke God's bounds, levitical, or Kingly, because they dealt in their proper Functions and Offices more than in the Priesthood; and also, that no man usurpeth and incroacheth upon another's civil Office, nor incurreth the censure of many masters, jam. 3.1. if he be more employed in his own, & that exceeding much better, even as much as the order of God's House is better than that of the world; I know nothing more perverting, absurd, and injurious, in respect of order and right then this, nor mischievous, but utter breaking of all order and right, Ecclesiastical and Civil, so that the body and four main branches of the Original Root, and general of this matter, Rom. 12. do strongly plead for the exact distinctness of the particulars intended, especially if their coherence matter, order, and particular scope, do suit & answer thereunto, which they excellently do. The tree itself is distinguished into the body, and its branches, under the similitude of a man's body and its members, v. 4. answering to the particulars in hand, viz. to the oneness, and the sameness of the Church constituted, to which he spoke, and the diversity, distinctness, and multiplicity of its gifts, personal and ministerial, both in their essence and existence, and so the not oneness of their works, functions, and ministring, v. 5. What need we more but the particularising of these two verses, which he doth, v. 6, 7, 8. and their clearing and illustrating as they are, 1 Cor. 12.4. to 30. the particularising he handleth most exactly, as is possible in such a compendium, and so few words, as speaking to men of understanding, both in express applying the particulars unto the scope of their generals, preceding v. 6. and also in plain innumerating and distinguishing them, v. 7, 8. their Application is express, both in Phrase, viz. then, now, now, then, or, therefore, since, or, seeing that, or the like Terms of inferring, assuming, or consequenting; and also in matter, answering to three parts of the general matter in the root and body; first, to Worship, v. 1. and the Portion, v. 3. in the root, and members, v. 4. in the body, viz Gifts, all which express the subject and matter distinctly to be done, possessed, and received: id est, the Powers and Offices of the Church, as they are given parts of Worship, measured out to the members & Officers of the Church, one place explaining nother, and all perfecting the matter: Secondly, To the bounded diversity and distinctness thereof, much insisted on, v. 3. to many given parts of Worship in existence, and not one in action, actuation, function, or execution, v. 4, 5. viz. different, distinct, divers, or several, which is expressed, v. 6. in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and also in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. according to the discreet distribution, geometrically different proportion of, etc. all which three express the distinct boundedness, the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 manifoldness, or many-kindedness, and not-oneness, and also the differences and discreet distribution of the parts of those given parts of Worship, measured out to the several members and Officers of the Church. Thirdly, the Particulars or Branches are expressly applied to their preceding generals, in the freeness, graciousness and discretion of God, the giver and distributer of those given parts of his worship so bounded, distinct in kind, and discreetly distributed in these words; Gifts divers, according to the Grace that is given unto us, and according to the proportion of that faith, demonstratively and expressly referring us in the Root to the free Fountain of all Gods good will v 2. peculiarized in one instance of Paul's Apostleship, which he calleth a grace that is given him over them, v. 3. and very oft elsewhere, as chap. 1.5.15. 1 Cor. 3.10.15.10. 2 Cor. 8.19. Gal. 2.9. Eph. 2.3. to 7, 8. 1 Tim. 1.14, with 11, 12, 13. and also to the same matter, and almost words, in the last clause of v. 3. without the Particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the which is applied to the body, in v. 4, 5. by, for, have, and being, though principally it express the diversity, and not oneness of the parts of God's good will, and Word-worship, bounded Portions, members, gifts, and offices of the Church, and their Functions, and the one-ness of the Body and Church itself, and touch this third part but slightly; yet that is to be supposed and supplied out of the clearness thereof, both in the Root and Branches on both sides; this complete connecting and compacting the Root, Body, and Branches in their matter, and its distinctness of parts, ministerial and personal, and respects, original and objective, doth strongly prove that the Holy Ghost hath a special intent to set, and show the distinctness in kind of the particulars after innumerated and ordered, and not only their difference in some degrees, which is the least difference that can be imagined, & so is to be supposed in all things not the same, and therefore need not be expressed, much less so solicitously, constantly, & completely contrived, and the contrary confusion so vehemently exaggerated, especially if the particulars following answer this excellent foundation, general preparation, and their promised expectation, which they fully do, both in their ennumeration and distinctness. The Worship of God Objective, Medial, and effective, is either common, general, and natural, or special, supernatural, or institutive. The special worship of God, as instituted in the Word in general, commanded in the second Word or Commandment, to be prayed for in the second Petition, instituted at large, occasionally and sparsim by the Precept and Practice of Christ and his Apostles in the New Testament, and summarily, purposely, & orderly in Rom. 12.1. to 8. and respected both originally as cause, and effect, and existingly, and then properly as whole, and part, and metaphorically as subject and adjunct, consisteth of an Ens and a Basis, and is parted, divided and distinguished into its (a) Body, Soul, Basis, Centre, Subject, or Pillar. (b) Original, (c) Primary, or Proper, viz. Christ, as the Idea, Image, Word, Reason, Law, Promise, or Will of God, v. 2. will of God, v. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 3.11. viz. the Scriptures. (c) Secondary, and in respect of Worship derived, viz. the same, manifested to man, ordered or acted † in the same words of v. 1. & 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 & 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word and will of God written, being the immediate Original of the Church, and its Offices and Ordinances, though but Christ's cistern, as the breasts are to the woman and her nipples. † Figuratively, viz. The Apostles and Prophets of the Gospel, who are called such foundations, Eph. 3.20. and authors, 2 Tim. 2.16. by a Metonymy of the adjunct for the subject, whether Christ or the word, they being but Christ's tongue or pen to reveal the word, and so adjuncta subjecto cujus & cui, adjuncts to the subject original, both primary, and secondary, as simply taken, v. 3. by the grace. (b) Existential, subjective, integral, derived and effected, viz. the Church Ministerial, 1 Tim. 3.15. which is now, 2 Cor. 6.16. with Levit. 26.11. as the Tabernacle, Exod. 25.35 &. 40.2.9.17, 18. Num. 7.1. and the Temple, 1 Chron. 28.20. 2 Chron. 5.1. 1 Kin. 6.38. the house with all the furniture thereof, 7.51. all the work for the house, were before Christ, viz. the hypostasis, basis, subjectum quod, or centre to all the other Parts of God's Worship, whether Ordinances, or Offices, lines or circles, V 4, 5. one body. (a) Members, furtiture, branches, cifcumferences, ad juncts and Chapiters', v. 3. to every one that is among you— as God hath measured to every one the measure of faith, v. 4, 5. many members— not one function being considered in themselves, and without the particular scope of that place, i. e. to show the distinctness of the Church its Offices, and Ordinances; these in respect of the church their body, are (d) Immediate, (e) Homogeneal, private, & natural considered. (f) Simply, as such whether inherent, and that either innate or acquisite, or acting in the body, (f) Relatively, and order to the church, its offices, and their works. Membral gifts, powers and habits, synecdocally expressed, v. 6. whether prophecy. These are (b) Common, viz. of knowledge, wisdom, and dexterity, in divine and natural things, arts, tongues, utterance and actions, especially grace, which is common to all members and abilities, and sanctifying both. (h) Special, & as distinct, prerequisite, and peculiar to each of the three, (i) Overseeing offices, viz. to the Teacher, as of knowledge, and making know in those things, as the spirits, and animal powers, in the Arteries Exhorter, of wisdom and wise-making therein as nutritive and vital as blood in the veins. Ruler, i. e. honest conditionedness, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 13.13. 1 Thes. 4.12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Pet. 2.12.3. & 2.16. Jam. 3.13. and working others good conversation, as the motive powers in the muscles. (i) Serving in Provision for the (k) Estate, as respecting simply Christians necessity, not private benefit or glory, as flesh. (k) Health as tender and merciful-hartedness, as the sinews and feeling power, sympathetically moving all the parts, in the hurt of any one. (e) Heterogeneal, public, or such as are in place, office, State or Ministry organical, or such as are instruments of the house, as Prophet, Priest, King, and Saviour, for moral, voluntary church-common actions, or in a word, distinct working Offices, v. 7. or an Office, v. 4. many members, v. 5. sow being many in distinctness of place, office, state, ministry, or giftedness, for something must be supplied, and the scope of the place toucheth not the mystical and personal respect of Christians, nor the mere individual manyness and diversity of the members of the Church, but chargeth us strictly to keep distinct; the manifold and distinct respects of Gods bestowing his divers membral and ministerial gifts for distinct ends and works, or rather of his distributing and disposing the distinct parts of his worship, to the diversely fitted, and distinct members of the Church; these are in number five, viz. the Teacher, the Exhorter, the Distributer, the Ruler, the Pittyer, or mercyer, literally translated, v. 7, 8. Now to annex their distinctness to their innumeration, it is, (l) Respective and mediate, for they are to be considered as fitly answering to the distinct, special, membrall gifts mentioned, as before, in, and after their existence or application to Officers, which I have shown before. (l) Expressly confined unto, denominated, and so informed, and so distinguished by, and stirred up in those special, divers, and distinct gifts, proper and adequate Functions, v. 6. by the inference of our divers discharging of them, because they are divers in themselves, and in respect of the giver's free and voluntary distribution, and of the receivers accordingly distinct measured portion, and v. 7. by the Particles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 denorative, and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 designative, as is shown before, and also by the express or equivolent, distinct paralleling them with their proper and adequate Functions, viz. the teacher in the teaching, gift, function or work (or in the Doctrine, viz. of the Scriptures, Church, or rather of the Teacher, so appropriating the one to the other, even convertibly and in the highest degree) the Exhorter in the Exhortation, in the same manner, and so the other three; but because the express particularising of them therein, would import them too childish, and because the distinctness of the Offices and Functions, is not all or the only thing here intended, but only the principal; therefore the discreet, holy, and peculiar means of discharging them, is annexed to them, referring likewise to us the supplying the same to the two former, viz. to the Teacher, understandingly, or perspicuously, and to the Exhorter holy, powerfully, or the like. This incorporating, manifoldness, well orderedness, and compleatness of the Arguments, for the distinctness in kind of the Offices of the Church, should oversway and settle our judgements, purposes, and practices accordingly, yet as if nothing were enough to express God's care and jealousy herein, as being the chief particulars of the second Commandment, nor to persuade Christians to this strictness, solicitousness, and jealousy, as being instituted, and so not naturally known, and such as wherein the devil deceived Eve, and Eve Adam, and both fell: The Holy Ghost yet addeth two express particulars as the two notes of a Patenthesis, to take all doubts from the understanding and ingenious, and cavils from the contrary, that, that distinctness of these Offices in kind is intended and included in this place, and properly and fully concluded, which I have said; the former is in these words, or an office, let us accordingly be in the discharge of that office, whether it be the Teacher, or Exhorter, or, etc. their first Office or Ministry, is expressly named, and set as the matter distinct, and so to be used, lest the distinctness should be supposed to be properly or principally in the work, to be done according to the divers abilities of the gifted: Secondly, Church Ministry is expressly divided into five particulars, by the disjunctive and proper distinctive conjunction, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the latter is in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which cannot be translated, she that pittyeth, because both the article & the substantive are the Masculine Gender: Nor he that pittyeth, because the work is receivedly proper to the Church-widow, and so it should be false English, and therefore must they be translated, the pittyer, or shower of mercy, denotating a known Church-office (and not only properly or principally a working, gifted, merciful, and pitying Officer, or Member) that is so to do more than any other of the Church, whether Officer or Member; more, and more plain and exact proofs of what kind you will, I think cannot be shown in any place of Scripture, for any point of instituted worship; so that we must admit it, or dismiss the second Commandment, with the Papists professedly, or with other hierarchical or profane and carnal worshippers, so much as we can and dare. (†) Mediate. (*) Near. ¶ Apportioning, ordering, and confining the Offices to the Powers, and the Powers, to the Offices, i. e. the Functions of the Offices, not considered as abilities, and that either, as existing, inherent, or acting in the Members, prerequisites to the Church-Offices, or Actions, or causes of the benefit of the Church, but only as the portions of faith measured out by God to every Officer, v. 3. the bounding proportions of faith, v. 6. the distinct, and not one work or function of the many members, v. 4. and the appropriated, paralleled, charged, adaequated, and proper designations of, and to every Office, v. 7, 8. for those five expressed contain in, and under them, and intent all the passive and exequatable Ordinances of the Church, either as such viz. the Sacraments, which as signs are teaching, and as conveyors and seals, persuade and unite us, and the thing exhorted and sealed to: And the censures and orderings of the Church-actions, are parts of ruling, or else as concurring to their being, viz. the collections for the poor unto distribution, in which respect teaching as a power or act subordnate, may be used by the Exhorter without breach of Christ's order in the distinctness mentioned, it coming here under the respect and nature of exhortation, it being upon right understanding of that nature and reason intended to that end; but I know no other Functions that can be brought under the Exhorters; for excommunication that he may administer the Sacraments only to worthy persons, cometh not unto this case: First, because he administereth to the Church in whose power is Excommunication, and to persons, not as such, but as Members of the Church, and so it cometh not within his Office to judge of their particular unworthiness, much less upon that judgement to excommunicate them. Secondly, because his personal discomfort toucheth not his ministerial Function, they being of clean different natures and considerations. Thirdly, Excommunication is an Institution, and so not to be by the Light of nature found, much less ordered as an essential, or subordinate unto any thing without authority from the Word expressly, or under an expressed Reason, which is equivolent; but teaching is a Natural, subordidinate to Exhortation, and so used in our case (which also is a fourth Argument) though v. 7. it be made also the instituted Function of the Teacher; but that in our, and the like case, it is otherwise, is evident, both by the Scriptures, and the Precepts and practice of Naturalists: boasting and self-p●●ising, is a sin and folly, resting in that nature and end, and more forbidden than teaching is the Exhorter: in the case of giving matter to the Corinthians to rejoice of him, and answer the false Apostles, he Paul doth it, and yet denyeth that he doth it, 2 Cor. 5.12. because he doth it as a necessary and proper subordinate to that end; and on the contrary, eating meat otherwise lawfully, was a sin to the Heathen, being done in way of worship of Idols, and that not only the idolatrous intent, but even the eating itself was sinful, is evident, 1 Cor. 10.21. because it was a sin for the Corinthians to eat that meat in their feasts, though without that intent, for that intent having made that eating a true subordinate to their worship, it was now the same Communion with Devils with the Corinthians. The Precepts of Logicians are plentiful in this case, both of their Prince Aristot. 2. Phys. And of their soundest, accutest, and most methodical, and judicious Pillars, Zeb. a rel. lib. de Constit. Scaliger de subtilitate, Exercit 307. Cap. 26. Keckerman. sustem. Log. Lib. 2 Cap. The practice hereof is most current in all civil Courts and courses in the world: In England trials of right to Lands & Goods are peculiar to the common Pleas, and of personal actions to the King's Bench; yet by way of trial of Actions, Titles of Lands and Goods, may be, and are lawfully, & daily tried, and so may Actions in the Common Pleas, and both in the Chancery, under the respects peculiar to each court. The truce between the Low-countrieses and Spain, was n●ver supposed to be broken by their warring together in Cleveland, hurts to any possession of the City of Amsterdam are to be tried & punished by the Burgemasters, yet by way of trial of any persons right thereto, they may be desided by the Court of Skepins: A Woman is forbidden to speak in the Church, 1 Cor. 14. yet in the case of confession of Faith, she may teach all the Principles of Religion in the Congregation, and as a witness speak and ask therein, for it is the right Reason, Respects, and Order of Actions, which is their soul and life, and not their acts that make them lawful, and on the contrary unlawful, and so our answerable knowledge and intention of them, that maketh them so to us; but the simple acts are mere matter, and so passive, and so neither under the state of good nor bad; for Murder, Adultery, Robbery, etc. are not evil, because of their actions of killing a man, lying with a woman, taking goods from a man, etc. but because they are either not Gods subordinate means to out intended ends of revenge, pleasure, profit, etc. or else because as such means they are not committed to us, nor permitted, as might be cleared if present occasion required, only let me not be mistaken to compare teaching with the act of killing, and generating in the original estate of things, for than were they simply unlawful, but not teaching; neither speak I here of teaching as a ministerial Function, for so it is simply unlawful to any but the Teacher, or the end of Exposition, Analysis, Metaphrase, and Extraction of Doctrines, but as an ability and action, duly subordinate and necessarily prerequisite to Exhortation, without which it cannot he, and so may by the Exhorter be used, as a Passenger may eat of the grapes of another's vineyard, yet not residently, exportingly, or beyond the present necessity, nor in a pretended journey or occasion; these Functions as apportioning are farther to be distinctly paralleled with their Offices on the one side, and their abilities on the other, being qualified internally, and externally, & also effectuated in their end; but it is best first to annex the three last particulars: ¶ Qualifying. (*) Internally, In common, and toward God, in whom they all are one, viz. the grace of acknowledging God as the gracious giver of them, and faith, v. 6. wise holy, and loving giver of them unto the faithful, as such, v. 3, 6. portion of faith, v. 4, 5. we; and so by the consequences, which faith is to make upon both; God is again to be acknowledged and depended on, as the future blesser and so maker of them effectual, and also as the gracious accepter of his Saints worship therein, and the glorious end of that faith, the faithful, his instituted, and their exercised worship, and of the fruits and consequences of them all. (*) Externally, peculiarly, and toward Christians and their respects, viz. of their understanding, and its knowledge, heart and its wisdom, the honesty of their actions, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Thes. 3.13. the competency of their estate, & of the health of their body; and also toward the managing of the five Functions, of Teaching, Exhorting, Distributing, Ruling, and Pitying; for their benefitting in those five respects: Now though they be expressed only as answering to the three last respects, viz. in simplicity, in diligence, and in cheerfulness, yet the like is to be supplied in the two first, in understanding and wisdom, as the three latter confining Functions, were by the pattern and course of the two first, that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ephes. 3.10. the divers kinded, or manifold wisdom of God, may be acknowledged in the penning of the Scripture, and of this place in particular, yea in special, in contriving so much matter intelligibly into so few words, as in any other place, except the Decalogue, the Lords Prayer, and very few other; neither is the reason to be neglected which seemeth to me much to be intended; why in the appropriating part of the Functions, only the two first are expressed, and the rest are left to be supposed and supplied; but in their animating or ensouling part, on the contrary, viz. because the Teacher and Exhorter are to be men of great knowledge, wisdom, and dexterity in using them, and so are to be supposed of special understanding, courage, affections, and other personal gifts, and so are rather to be bounded then spurred, as on the other side the other three are to be told that their Offices are parts of God's worship, and so have not only a body, but especially require the gifts of freeness of Spirit, diligence of Action, and cheerfulness of Affection, which is left to the other two, to apply to themselves in their peculiar actuating qualities, the dividing the word aright, & being instant therein, not excluding the common respect of all to each, nor their remembrance that their Offices, Functions, Powers and Objects have also external parts, for their moderating toward them all, and themselves. (e) Remote, i. e. the effects of the whole instituted worship of God, and every part thereof, ordered and exercised as is said; this is intimated in the whole, as it is God's worship, which as it principally respecteth God's glory, so secundarily man's good; yea it is his chief, yea whole and only good, Eccles. 12.13. and the wise (i. e. the religious) is wise for himself, i. e. chooseth the true happiness; and expressed v. 2. in, the good will of God: v. 3. and 6. in, grace and faith, v. 5. in, one body in Christ: and v. 7.8. in all the five Offices, Functions, and Powers, except we will suppose them idle or fruitless, & so cross Gods main end in them, 1 Cor. 12.7. whereby especially the five good effects, properly answering to them all, must be understood, viz. Knowledge, Wisdom, Sufficiency, Honesty, or Well-esteemed walking, and Health; these are indeed remote from the nature and body of instituted worship, and the last respect thereof in order and time, but not the last nor least in God's intention for his glory and ours, and therefore not in dignity like David, in respect of his Father's house, the remotest, last and least, yet in Gods, and true account, the holy and happy King, both of it, and Gods whole Kingdom of heaven and earth. It is yet requisite that I dispose the Heads of this matter more summarily, thus: Rom. 12.1. to 8. and as Expounded in its v. 4, 5. and 1 Cor. 12.4. to 30. The absolute sender, operater, and object, is God, v. 2. that will of God, it describeth the real, distinct matter, prescribeth the zealous and jealous practice of God's special worship as existing 1. of God, viz. Christ as Mediator: 2. To us, the Word, 3. By God, Christ as sent, v. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, i. e. that Word worship of God, v. 5. in Christ. 4. By men, the Apostles, v. 3. for by the grace (i. e. the Apostleship) that is given me, I charge every one that is among you, that, etc. 1. Instituting, as orderer, intitler, and inabler, v. 3. as God hath measured. 2. Instituted, as 1. One, whole, subjective, and incorporated; viz. the Congregation, v. 4, 5. one body. 2. Divers parts, adjuncts, and in membered, answering to the three instituting respects of God, viz. as Inabler, immediately or mediately, viz. (o) 1. Powers, enabling unto, and in: 1. The being of Faith and Grace, v. 3.6. Portion of faith— grace, personal Functions, v. 6. whether it be prophesy. 2. The receiving of one of the Church-Offices, the doing the common Church-works, in their matter, manner, end. Entitler to the worthiness, or capableness, possession and execution of all things ecclesiastical, according to the Offices measured in their 1. Intent, and Essential respect, as means of Gods being worshipped by us, v. 1. that your word worship of God— acceptable, and v. 2. conveying of Christ and all that is his to us, v. 2. that good will of God. 2 Extent toward each other, viz. exactly distinct in kind. 1 In words affirmatively v. 6. divers. Negatively, v. 4. not one Function, v. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v. 3. be not overwise. 2 In matter. 1 Root and generals, v. 1, 2, 3, 6. 2 Branches and Particulars, v. 6, 7, 8. viz. the Church-Ordinances as apportioned unto them into five distinct portions, proper Functions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v. 4, 6. with joh. 17.4. i e. given, or peculiar works or heads unto several Members of the Church, qualified with fit gifts, called thereto by the Church, and thereby making them the Church Officers or Ministers, ordered unto a manner of exeqution, best befitting them, viz. Prophet. The Teacher reaching understandingly the mind by knowledge. Priest. The Exhorter exhorting wisely the heart by wisdom. Provide●. The Distributer distributing with simplicity the estate by competency. King. The Ruler ruling with diligence, the conversation with honesty. Preserver. The Pittyer, widow or mercy worker, pitying or showing mercy with cheerfulness to the body or natural man for health. Ver. 7, 8. Or an Office, whether it be the Teacher, the Exhorter, the Distributer, the Ruler, the Pittier, and v. 6. gifts that are divers, viz. Offices five. V 6. gifts that are divers, viz. Teaching, Exhorting, and so by the same consequence, Distributing, Ruling, Pitying, or showing Mercy. V 8. with, or in singleness of eye, or simplicity, with diligence, with cheerfulness; and so the same consequence of the same course, with understanding, with wisdom; yea, and the special requisites of any other sort, unto any Office, Function or end, v. 2. that good will of God, i. e. good to, or for us in the worship now in hand, and v. 1.2. acceptable, for none can do any work acceptable to God but he must give a proportionable and acceptable good to him thereupon. (b) Ordinances, Existing as means of God's Worship, v. 1, 2. Blessing us, v. 2. as above. Ordered into (c) Sorts. viz. as (d) Ministerial, Ecclesiastical, viz. all that are to be ministered by the Distributer, Ruler, and Mercy-worker. Ministerial, Proper, as the Sacraments, common, as all the rest. (d) Membrall, Viz. Common, viz. what Christians may do out of a Church, or personal, viz. Teaching, Exhortting, Comforting, Contributing, Visiting, etc. v. 6. whether prophecy. Proper actions of power, viz. judging Officers, Members, to be so, not so. (c) Heads, viz. five, appropriated to the five Officers, as their proper Functions, unto a fit exercising in the five sorts. Operator, or Effector of all the former parts, viz. in all their five ends. Accepter of his Servants services, graces, and works, v. 1, 2. acceptable will of God. But for cloying the Reader, and cumbering the Tables, both large, and this less, there might have been added unto these four sorts, and their particulars, their many divine and humane respects, both a priore, and aposteriori, mentioned before, which do exceedingly clear, strengthen, and complete the distinctness of these particular Offices, but I desire rather that these things may be well digested, and the other after; at least their divers Objects, viz. their wit, will, acts, state and body. There now remains only three tiles of this house to be laid, which I will very briefly do; The first is, the illustrating v. 4, 5. by 1 Cor. 12.4. to 30. The second is, the epitomising the tree and body at large prosequted. The third is, an extracting, or recapitulating of the Arguments for the main point. The scope of 1 Cor. 12. is to confute the Corinthians Opinion of Excellency, Glory, Contentment, and Happiness in common Spiritual Gifts, which he doth, first generally, by affirming them ignorant in that Point, v. 1. by proving that they are herein to suspect themselves and respect him, v. 2. and, by proving that they are not properly Spiritual gifts of the Holy Ghost; and then specially, that the three sorts of them, viz. given Powers, Ministries, and Effects, are so distinctly set, and disposed by God, that we cannot engross them to ourselves, nor deprive others of them, and therefore neither simple, nor comparative happiness can be attained in them; this he doth in all three series summarily affirm; in the first, v. 4. in the second, v. 5. in the third, v. 6. and at large prove in the first, v. 8. to 27. importing therein by the same reason or a majori the second also: The second, v. 28, 29, 30. in what remained or needed plainer to be expressed: The third in both the former, for if they were so, then must their effects be accordingly, as is expressed, v. 7. The first is peculiarly handled, v. 8, 9, 10. & the second, v. 28, 29, 30. and both very excellently proved and amplified in the verses between both, in the words, & their plain exposition of our v. 4, 5. yea it is so far exemplyfied, that I will content myself with referring the matter to the reading and comparing both those places by the ingenuous, though of mean capacity, what I have said hereof, being well considered, only for v. 28, 29, 30. observe first, that he expressly distinguisheth the Offices and their Functions, so that one cannot have more than one, v. 28. God hath set some in the Church, as first, second, third, then, after, that, and so of the rest, and v. 29, 30, are all Apostles, are all Prophets, are all Teachers, are all, etc. to seven particulars: Secondly, that he inferreth the same upon his former proofs, that no Member hath many powers, and therefore cannot have many offices, or their given works: john 17.4. And thirdly, that he proveth both by God's practice, viz. God giveth but one power to one, and another to another, and so of Offices, and their Functions, and therefore we are not to take more to, or upon ourselves, and therefore no happiness can be had in them, whether absolute, because he cannot have many, much less all; or comparative, because he shall bebeholding, yea inferior to another in another respect, gift or office; now if God used this discreet respectiveness, in the time of profuseness of his Spirit, Acts 2. with joel 2. how say some that the PASTOR hath all Offices included in him, as if he were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or exempt from the rule of God's practice, and Paul's consequence of right thereupon, both in Powers and Offices, and others that the Offices are indeed distinct, but it is only in degree, as if all gifts were common, and given to all, and differed only in degree; or as if the works of the Ministers were as common as those of Christians, which are required no more of one than another, but only according to their more gifts, means, or occasions, yea, as those of every Subject of a Kingdom, Servant of a family, to whom no particular work nor talon is given, but only by a general place of a Servant, or charge to do the work of the Family, and so God's Kingdom or House were more without Offices, or they without distinctness, than the Kingdoms and Families of the world; but especially others, that the Teacher, Exhorter, and Ruler are but one Office, expressing what the other import, and professing what the other dare not, for the vehememcy of the word and world against it: The main scope of this Chapter and the next is to prefer happiness by grace, above that by gifts, upon this ground, that that is indeed common, as they wrongly suppose this to be, which all those opinions cross, & are more crossed by it. Lastly, (for I haste,) These make way for indifferency of Offices, Functions, Ordinances, and Orders, in God's House, & give way to Hierarchycall, yea, Romish usurpation, as if they had not that love of the Truth of God's Worship which he exacteth, at least not that first-love which he best accepteth: but this being at the utmost of my occasion, & beyond my intent when I began it, I pass to the second Tile, referring further clearing the first, unto further knowledge of likely doubts, & occasions to remove them. The second requisite is, to epitomise and effigiat the Tree of this matter, so much prosequted, that it may the better be discerned whether it be that tree of Gods planting, of Paradise, and of Life, which it is pretended to be, i. e. whether its roots draw sap from the River, in the midst of the Paradise of God, and be fructified by the divine heat thereof, and the Negation of their contraries, and be of that proportion, variety, and preciousness of fruit, which the Tree of God's special worship ought to do and be; only because I fear I shall be too much straightened if I should set it and its explanation together, (as is fit) in this page, and also confuse the matter; I will refer it to another place, and in this place collect and set the sum of the Arguments which this place yieldeth for the proving the distinctness of the Offices in kind, which is the third and last, requisite to this place; they are of three sorts, according to the three parts of the tree, viz. the Root, Body and Branches, each yielding five. The first is, because they are integral, and heterogeneal parts of God's worship as instituted, special, or in the strictest sense, and so are fully under the nature of the distinctness of the immediate image, means and representation of God, the breaking the bands and bounds, whereof is the most proper object of God's highest jealousy, hatred and curse, except the sins against the first commandment, in the same, or a higher degree, and it is annexed only to the second, as most needing the same, v. 1. worship of God. The second, in that they are institutions, and not grounded on the general Light of Nature, and therefore are to be observed in the strictest manner of diversity, at least in a true and proper differentness, manyness, and not oneness, which is expressed of them, v. 4, 5, 6. this is proved v. 1. in that they are parts of that word-worship of God; but all moral sins are so, without, and before the Word. The third is, That they are severally measured out, v. 3. not one in Function, and many parts of one body, v. 4, 5. and divers, and proportioned, v. 6. by the express will of God, v. 2. that will of God, that good and acceptable, and perfect one. The fourth, in that the contrary supposition and practice, is called overwiseness, immodesty, and breaking the particular measure of God, v. 3. And fifthly, conformity to the world, v. 2. These five from the general Root, do strongly prove the point, if the Offices and their distinctness be particulars thereof, i. e. parts of God's worship, as instituted in the Word, as lovingly to us, acceptably to himself, and perfectly in itself, willed by God, and as opposed by the wit, immodesty, and unboundedness of man, and by the like customs of the world: Now that the Offices are so, is not denied, because they are expressly named, and by the same reason is their distinctness in kind to be granted, since otherwise they are not divers many, nor one, nor stinted Officers, but the same in kind, and not many; one, and not stinted out portions of faith; only the persons are according to their gifts to use them diversely in measure, which is no ministerial difference, nor in state, office, or place, but only personal, in gifts and degree, which altereth not the kind. The sixth Argument: And first, from the body of the Tree is, v. 4. as we have many members in one body; thus; What kind of oneness is meant in the body, that kind of manyness is meant in the members: but in the body is meant oneness in kind: therefore the major I suppose that neither Scholar nor ingenious will deny; the minor also none deny in our case, that I know, to have expressed themselves: the Papists holding one Church in particular, and the hierarchians one in kind, but of a divers kind from ours: but of neither of these we have now to do; and all reformed Churches, holding the same with us, that it is a Congregation. The seventh is from the same words, thus: Such diversity is meant between the Offices, as is between the members of our body, that is, heterogeneal, and not only individual and gradual, therefore this also: if this yet convict not of itself, as me thinks it should, Paul's ground being from our members, which have not one and the same work, and not from the branches of a Tree which have, except of the Tree of Life, Rev. 22. Cast but the eye on the consonant reflexes on every side, on the six former Arguments, especial the sixth, and on the more and more clear, following especially on the next; and it will, if any thing will. The eight is also from the same, v. 4. but all those members have not the same work; these are the express opposite words and matter to those that oppose me herein, for they say the Pastor's office hath also the same work with the rest, especially with the overseeing offices, and they also with the rest, and with the Pastor, only occasions, gifts, order, and arbitrary agreement may make a difference, yea and aught; but God hath not stinted and apportioned certain works to certain offices, so as when the church constituteth a Teacher, an Exhorter, and a Ruler, they should share out all the overseeing Ordinances into three portions, functions, or designed works, which should adaequately terminate their offices, and so make them distinct in kind: this place saith the flat contrary, except they will flee to extraordinary offices, or to verbal cavils, or else to inconveniences, as if they be Ministers of Christ, (or rather of the Church) and not his Saints, they will not suffer themselves to be hampered, yoked, and bound with his bands and cords, but oppose them and their courses, that endeavour it as from Christ, so as they shall find 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 extraordinary cavilling and inconveniences, out of which my present summary course will not suffer me to drive them, but must refer it to what is said, and to the answer to the Arguments, for their tenant or rather practise; only the verbal cavils against this place, I shall not there meet with, and therefore will here touch them, The one is upon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all the other upon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not the same, in the former they show their ignorance of the ordinary Greek phrase in this kind, for that it is an ordinary Greek idiom, see Luk. 14.33. john 3.8.15, 16. and 4.14. Acts 20.25. Gal. 2.16. 2 joh. 9 1 Cor. 6.17. so that it were better translated, and no members have the same Function, as the generals, particulars, and coherence require it: For the second, What Greek phrase can they better (or so well) express my Tenent by, then by it? by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not many works? they might yet have had two or three, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 divers works? let that then stand for good, v. 6, that it may show the diversity to be between the members, and not between them and the body, and this prove the nature of that diversness to be real, special, or in kind, and not only personal, respective, or in degree; each clearing other, and both according to the words, matter general and particular, and their coherence, with the scope, and all with me; and indeed, this seemeth to be the reason why the Holy Ghost used 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rather than 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which would have expressed the same more accurately, partly to teach us, rather to look to the scope, the present place, and its correspondence with others of the same matter or scope, then to the words; and partly to show, that matters of institution are for Christians and Sons, transformed into a renewed mind, v. 2. and for their benefit, ibid. and not for the convicting the gainsaying, & affronting the stiffnecked, as the Law and moral Duties are; yet if this be no● enough, the whole Verse could not be mended, though some one word singled out, might in some respect, and particularly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the universal affirmative doth more show the distinctness to be Essential, Internal, and in kind, than 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the universal Negative, though that more consonantly to our phrase of Speech conclude the matter, de facto, and that no two Offices have one and the same Function, common in kind to both; and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 having plain relation to the heterogeneal members of our body, as is also expressed oft, 1 Cor. 12. doth exactly express both the Affirmative naturalness, and the Negative strictness, which can be expected: But I must proceed. The ninth is, v. 5. so we being many; being, more expressing the essentialness and specialness of the distinctness of the members, then either the heterogenealness, or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, or their mutual relatition, and therefore much more than any other words or matter, because it more showeth that diversness to be in the Offices, as such, and not only that they are de facto positively and oppositely, negatively and exclusively distinct, which is the most natural distinctness. The tenth yet proceedeth a degree higher, (though nearer nothing can) showing, that though no civil nor religious Office of man's making have indeed any such, Internal distinctness whereby this matter might be the better expressed; yet those of the Church have in respect of, or by the Law and institution of Christ, v. 5. in Christ; wherein not only the diversness and maniness of the members, or offices, and ordinances of the church; but also the oneness, combination, or stateness of the church itself, are proved to be jure divino, even of Christ's own ordaining. I, but that showeth that all this matter is to be referred to Christ's mystical body, members and service, in Christ, or in the Lord, never being elsewhere applied to the outward worship? If I should grant the ground, the consequence would not follow, if the present matter and scope require that sense here; nay, whether the diversness of Offices be in kind or degree, it is granted on both sides, that it is by Christ's appointment, and if it be not elsewhere expressed, it should the easilier be granted that it is so here; but the words are, and are to be applied to the outward respects of Christ, so oft as to the inward, as seemeth by Rom. 16.9, 16. 1 Cor. 4.15, 17. 2 Cor. 2.14.17. & 12.2, 19 Gal. 1.22. Coll. 1.2. 1 Cor. 15.22. 1 Thess. 4.16. 1 Tim. 2.7. 1 Pet. 3.16. Well then, what will this help you? First, it showeth, that this is the matter pointed at in the Word-worship, v. 1. and giveth us a mutual confirmation of both. Secondly, it further sendeth us to the fountain of that Word-worship whereof the Word is but the cistern, to the form thereof, that giveth its name and nature, and to the reason why it is so, and is so called, and so to the son that is more faithful than Moses. Thirdly, It was requisite that they should be annexed to the body of this matter, as a seal that it is such a body, (if indeed the Analysis be true) that as Christ is the root and body of God's Worship, so it should be expressed in the expressest place of the Institution, and Sanctification thereof, and of its special respects; and again, it being here accordingly done, it is no small confirmation, that it is for those reasons. Lastly, it not only setteth the body on the root, Christ upon Moses, and the Soul of God's Worship into the Body, and external part thereof, and also compleateth the body of this place, and its four lively respects, to our present point, with the crown, name, and nature of Christian, proving thereby the distinctness proper, and moving our solicitousness in observing the same, and jealousy against the contrary; but also, that nothing ought to be done in Gods outward Worship, but what is done in Christ, 1. In the acknowledgement, that is the Ordinance of Christ: 2. That they ought to be done in obedience to Christ, And thirdly, that none have right to the matter or manner, but those that are in Christ, nor are to be admitted thereto, but such as are so seeming to the Church, and as such. Against all this it may well be objected, That though those words do prove, and move, as is said, yet this, and the second and seventh reason are the same, the institutions of the Word and of Christ being all one particular, and differ only in degree, and as the commands of the Law, and Lawmaker, the one being the immediate, and the other original commander of them: To this, and what is more herein than in the second, is in the seventh; I say, that though me thinks there is more in this than in the second and seventh Arguments; yet if this whole Argument be granted to be annexed to the second and seventh, pro rata, I will not insist upon the difference, but will here set instead thereof the proof of the same thing from the next words, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, i. e. but in respect of individuality, or particularity, one another's members, this showeth, that he spoke before of the respect of the members or officers, which is general, and as they are divers in kind, or heterogeneal, and not as individuals, existents mutually respecting each other, or particulars of the same kind, differing only in degree of works, gifts, operation, or dignity in such personal respects, because he now annexeth that respect as opposite to what he had before intended, and that expressly in terms and matter; in terms, but individually; in matter, each others members; i e. for each others help and benefit, in all their peculiar differences or proper works of teaching, exhorting, distributing, ruling and pitying, hereby making perfect the parallel, or correspondency with 1 Cor. 12. in, not only proving the proper, special, kindlike, or sort-like distinctness of the Offices, as before; but also now inserting their union and communion so far as it reacheth, i. e. in respect of their individualness, and some mutual common ends of benefit; as, 1 Cor. 12. doth also discreetively and oppositely, v. 7. by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 & v: 7.24.25, 26. by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, both agreeing in what I have said before, so that this distinctness of Offices of the Church, is exceedingly well cleared in these two verses; in the sixth Argument, that it is in kind and sort, and not only in number; In the seventh, that it is as between the integral, yea, heterogeneal members of man's body, and not as the great and little branches of a tree, except it be of the tree of life, bearing twelve sorts of fruit, Rev. 22.2. in the eighth, that it is in function, and not only in ability; in the nineth, that it is essential, ministerial, official, and as such, and not only qualitative, quantitative, relative, or otherways accidentary, and in the tenth, that it is not numeral, nor in any respect whereof the individuum or particular as such, is the Basis or Subject, which excludeth the four former Negatives, or Opposites, and includeth the four Affirmatives and Positives thereby; yea, were but this last only throughly considered, the main matter would be clear enough to the right Worshippers; yet, as this second sort of Arguments being from the body of this place of Rom. 12. and of God's Worship instituted therein, is more clearly to our point than the first, from the soul and root of both; so is the third sort more express than the second, even so much as the members or branches do more manifest the manifold powers of the original basis, than they themselves, as may out of what followeth, and by further prosecuting of what it occasioneth unto, be well discerned by the transformed in the renovation of their minds, that have the free power of themselves, and their understandings from under Antichristianism, custom of others, and themselves, and prejudice. The third sort of Arguments, is from the branches, or particularising and explaining of what was generally and more obscurely set down in the five former Verses, and from the use of the Divine Doctrine thereof: This last fivefold confirmation of the point in hand, viz. that all the five Church-Offices are distinct in kind, and properly is revealed to us, v. 6, 7, 8. the first of which, and the eleventh of the whole number is v. 6. Since than we have gifts that are divers; this needeth no syllogism, the words are so express, if Gifts be granted here at all, to signify Offices given to the Church, as is v. 7, 8. expressed, & 1 Cor. 12.28. with Ephes. 4.6, 7, 11, 12. paralleled, and also proved in the ten places cited before. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there, and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here being all one, as oft elsewhere, both agreeing in term, nature and use to signify a gracious gift, such as are the Church-Offices, and that the greatest, except Sanctifying and Inherent Grace itself; so that there is no evading from conviction, but through the Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 divers, distinct, different or several, and surely it will be hard breaking through this strength of the scope of the place, the consonancy, with two generals in the same, completely proving the same, the one mediate, the other immediate; the one, as the root or soul; the other as the body, to which these words do illatively connect the Church Offices, as their branches and members, the expressness of the words, the highly respectibleness of the matter requireth the same in its nature, types, and evangelicalness, and also through the Army of Associating Arguments, orderly and powerfully fight for the same; yet will men object what they can against it, which are these two things. Object. 1. First, from the word divers, saying, that it may signify divers particulars, different degrees, distinct and several respects, and so the Offices may be one in kind, yet divers also. Object. 2. The second from the matter sutening therewith, in other particulars, alleging the extraordinary offices for instance, viz. that the Apostles might do the works of all the rest, both extraordinary and ordinary. Answer. To the former, I answer: First, that that manner of Argumentation by may-bees, proveth nothing, though the ground were true; for it may be doth not prove so much as probably, which is the least proof, so that though it might be so, yet must the matter be inferred that it is, before any thing be proved. Secondly, That in this case and kind it may not be so expounded, it being here adjected to an universal, an abstract, an adjunct, and a state. 1 To an universal, both in gifts, which is the general to prophesy, and an office, i. e. to personal or membral, and to ministerial gifts; and also in an office, which is the general to five expressed kinds of offices, as most hold, and at least to two, as all hold; and therefore the substantive kinds, or universal parts thereof must differ more than in number, and so much more than in degree and respect. 2. To an abstract both in gifts and offices, and therefore if there be but four or five men in a church gifted with prophecy, or with one language, or made Deacons, it cannot be said that Church hath divers gifts, tongues, and offices in it in the abstract, but only divers gifted persons, and divers officers in the concrete. 3. To an adjunct to Christians, members, or Officers, viz. to the Powers or Offices of such, and not to the particular persons themselves, and therefore the same consequence in respect of the adjunct and subject, here followeth, which before did in respect of the abstract and concrete altering only the one two words for the other two. 4. To a State in respect of Offices, which is our case, so that it cannot be said, that there are divers Ministerial States in a Church, City, or Nation, that hath but one sort of Officers, though many particulars of that sort, and so many Officers, who may also be different, divers, distinct, and several in degree and manifold respects; but if they differ more than in particular, concrete, subject, or person, as in our case they do, then must they differ also much more than in degree, or in enabling, arbitrary, or other accidental respects, and so they cannot be said therefore to be divers, but for some higher reason, yea higher than that wherein they have their being, i. e. the existent particulars, concretes, subjects, and persons, since accidentis esse, est in esse, i. e. the being of an accident is to be in, viz. as such; and since existentia sola agunt, patiuntur & subijciuntur, i. e. Existents, (viz. particulars, which only are properly and simply in act) only do, suffer, and are subject, viz. to accidents. These four particulars yield four Arguments against the former Objection, and fully answer it, and might plentifully be exemplified and illustrated if further need and occasion required. A third or sixth answer is from the predicate annexed in the same clause, to divers, viz. according to that grace given unto us, which also is itterated in the same verse; in, according to that measure of that faith, both referring us to v. 3. and so inferring the particulars following upon the preceding generals, and both being answered, 1 Cor. 12.11. Eph. 4.7. with 8. to 11. & 1 Pet. 4.10, 11. wherein also are three sorts or heaps of Arguments couched, which I must but touch: The first is in the words themselves; first, laying the cause of that distinctness in Gods gracious and free Will, not in man's discretion, or will, for reasons within himself, in the former Clause. And secondly; In the proportion of faith, which is here set as the formal Reason, or soul of our Church-estate, whether membral, proper, and immediate, faith being the respect or cause why we have right to be Members of that State, and why all other gifts are given unto us, Mark 16.16, 17, 18. Acts 10.44. to 48. & 20.8.32. and so why we are capable of the Offices of the Church, according to which measure, whether of Membership, Gifts or State, we are to actuate that we have received distinctly, not confusedly, i. e. of each according to his own Rules and Order, not of any of the other two, as of the State or Offices, by the Rules thereof, not of gifts properly and immediately, though the Office was given to us in respect of fit gifts therefore; yet now the predominant and denominant, the constituter and distinguisher, and the proper subject of order, is the office or state itself, and that only, though they be also both Members and gifted, which have also their proper Rules, which we are also to observe in their respect, as such; other ARGUMENTS there are also to be drawn from these words, viz. from given & measured, showing us, that the Rule of our exercising the Offices, is to be taken from the respect, as they are from God, and not as inherent in us properly, though secondarily, both gifts and graces are to be respected and exercised therein, as is expressed, v. 8. with simplicity, with diligence, with cheerfulness; and fourthly, from, to us, v. 6. to every one, v. 3. with the reference of v. 6. thereto, showing the same, and the specialness and singularity of the respect; but we neither need nor may prosecute every thing to the utmost. The second sort of Arguments is from ὁ demonstratively used four times, thereby referring us in this point to the matters passed in the generals, which yield ten Arguments as is shown, all strongly, though more obscurely, proving the same distinctness which is here expressed. The third sort is from the inference of distinct executing of those distinct gifts and Offices, upon the former proved, and present expressed distinctness of them, connecting thereby the generals and particulars, the Root, Body and Branches; the Soul, Body and Members, and the preceding and subsequent matter of this place incorporatingly together, and so communicating membrally the force of each Argument to the other; the number & weight of the following Arguments are well to be considered and applied hereto, after I have also answered the second Objection from the instance in the extraordinary Offices, which now succeedeth. To that second Objection; I first answer, that as those Offices are more hard to know in all the bounds, rules, and appurtenances, and less concern us then the ordinary, and also yield us no present light from their practice as these do, so are they less distinctly known then these, and cannot be perfectly paralleled, to make the rules of these to square with those, and therefore no good Argument a notiori can be brought from them against our point: Secondly, that the rule of the extraordinary Offices, was principally according to the being immediately enabled and directed by God, and not by the set State and Office, as the proper subject of their gifts, works and end; since whosoever was endued with Apostolical, Prophetical, and Evangelicall gifts, did presently proceed to the execution of those Offices, without expectation of a farther Ordination, and as being thereby called thereunto; but so is it not with the now permanent Offices: Thirdly, those were under the respect of Instituters, Platformers, and Law, Rule and Worship-makers, though mediate, and not as instituted after the pattern seen in the Mount of the Word, and so are not to be measured thereby, as our instituted Offices are. Fourthly, That Order which is to be observed in them, is rather by reflex from the Church, to which they most properly are given, 1 Cor. 3.22. 1 Cor. 28. 1 Tim. 3.15. viz. in their Consultations, Acts 1.15.21, 22. and in Ordination, Acts 13.3. 1 Tim. 4.14. with 2 Tim. 1.6. & 4.5. then by any set Rule in themselves, which yet is so sparsim and sparingly observed that it cannot be said to be the Rule of extraordinary Offices. Fifthly, They had divers properly distinct functions, works and duties, according to their inspired abilities, which were specially and singularly distinct in several persons, 1 Cor. 12.8, 9, 10, with v. 28, 29. especially v. 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 distributing to every one privately (personally, peculiarly, or severally) as he will; and their Offices which came therewith, and thereupon were alike, distinct, properly and in kind. Sixtly, For authoritative Offices, which required not only ability, but also a sending or calling unto the Functions, immediate or mediate, about which is the greatest question; they had also and especially their distinct Functions, Works and Duties allotted to them, either immediately as Apostles, Mat. 28.18, 19, 20. Acts 1.26.9. with 26.14, to 18. or mediately, deputedly, and inferiorly, as Evangelists, 1 Tim. 1.3.18. & 4.14. with 2 Tim. 1.6.4.1, 2. Tit. 1.5. to 13. Divers hard questions do here arise, as, whether Barnabas were properly an Apostle or no? Whether Philip had the same authority with Timothy and Titus? Whether Timothy and Titus had that Authority by Paul's deputation, or by their Evangelicall gifts or office? etc. but for these I refer thee at this present to my four first Answers, and proceed to the seventh. Seventhly, Neither all, nor any of the extraordinary Offices, were common in all works, nor so only divers in kind, nor in number, as differing only in gifts, and their exercising, which the two opposite opinions hold, that the three overseeing ordinary offices are: but divers also in office, both in name and nature, and therefore the instance from them is for neither of them: opposite I say they are, both against themselves in terms, affection and course; and in the two former clauses of the predicate in kind, in number, and also against the scope of this writing; and I think of Rom. 12.1. to 9 the subject thereof in matter, affection, and course; and in the two latter clauses of the predicate, in gifts, in their exercising, though in the latter part of that predicate they be one, and thereby destroy the unity and order of God's Worship, giving, yea making way, yea as Beza Annot. on Rom. 12. very Divine-like, and judiciously, and it is likely experimentally observed, causing that great Babylonish confusion in the same, past and present, & is to be feared, as he there saith, to continue and increase, if the cause be not taken away; so great a matter is it in the judgement of our greatest Divines, howsoever custom and practice prevail against great and small. Eightly: It doth not appear that any one Office did, or might do the works of all other offices, either extraordinary or ordinary; but the contrary in the former, Acts 21.10. to 14.20.25. with 2 Tim. 4.20. Trophimus I left at Miletum sick, which must needs be at his coming again to the same place after his release from his first imprisonment at Rome, mentioned in the Acts, to which also the ancient Histories, and Fathers agree in the fact, and is so generally received, though not in the matter of Trophimus; so that Paul himself neither did nor could do, nor therefore might endeavour to foretell any thing prophetically, and as of himself, or of his office or gift, neither can it be proved that any other Apostle might, much less any other but the Prophets themselves: and the latter, Acts 6.2. where we are to presume, that the 12. Apostles would have prevented the murmuring, & supplied that need both, at least so well as any other seven, if they had done the work of Church-distributing, and therefore that they did it not; and also if it had been within their charge and office, and that therefore it was not; for that there was need of the work, and also of preventing the murmuring of a great part of the Church, for the not due performance thereof, is expressed both in terms, v. 2, 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, i. e. in this need, or necessary work, and also in the whole matter; so that it appeareth not that the Apostles themselves did, yea, that they neither did, nor aught to administer the Church-alms, & so had not all Church-Offices included in, nor annexed unto their office, much less any other extraordinary officers, and yet much less any ordinary, but yet less the exhorter than the ruler, in so much as he is less authoritative, as they must hold, that put the distinctness of the offices in the degree of their execution, and hold their denomination and proper being from that more principal degree and emphasis of their function; nay, in that he is not at all ruling, if any of these arguments or chief particulars of these lines be true; yea, yet a fift degree less hath the Exhorter, commonly called the Pastor, the Ruler's office included in, but least of all subordinate under his office, as those hold and practise, that are the occasion of my present writing, whose Arguments (whereof one, if not the principal, is from this very place, of Act. 6.) shall anon be answered, after I have confirmed the contrary by the other four remaining Arguments from the branches, and also by five compound Arguments of the other fifteen; yea last, and least of all is the Ruler subordinate to the Exhorter, by this place, since the very Deacons are not. The twelfth is, from the express, distinct particularising of the Offices themselves, v. 7, 8. the Teacher, the Exhorter, the Distributer, the Ruler, the Pittier; the former Arguments showeth that the Word saith that the Offices are distinct; this, that it maketh them so, and exactly particularizeth them into five several existents in kind, and not only in number, accidentary respects or degrees; this special distinctness in name, and nature, in state and subsistence, and what not, that is properly and evidently to our point, is of its self sufficient to the most solid and judicious, if ingenuous and willing to see what they in truth do see; yet if any will be wiser than Solomon, Eccles. 7. in walking rather in the soul, i. e. on tiptoes, or above his pace, power, or means, as the opposition, v. 1●. showeth; and in emulating comparative accurateness, as v. 16. explaineth; yea wiser than he ought, yea than the discreet distribution and measuredness which the Holy Ghost hath in this Rom. 12. viz. v. 3. said, is set and ordained in these things by God, and to be modestly and discreetly observed by us, He shall be set on his he●●s as a man with the King of Babylon, Dan. 7.4. By the accurateness in three particulars following, the former arguments not forgotten; for whereas it might be said, that we are not presently to be swayed by the seeming litteralness of any place, without many considerations; nor by the seeming kind like diversity of the Church-offices in this place; without proofs of their intended discreetiveness, and distinctness from each other of their constitutedness, and kindlike existency, and of their functional propriety, and peculiar definedness; all which is here convinced; All this is well gainsaid in the three particles, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 & 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, annexed to each of the five offices, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the general, i. e. Offices, for its distinctness from personal gifts, and to the two first and principal particulars, which seem most inseparable, and so evidently to be supplied in the other three, ὁ and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, expressly to them all. From 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (which is the thirteenth Argument) I thus argue: What Offices are so essentially, properly, and expressly distinguished, (as any are from each other) as Prophecy is from an office, and as distinctive terms can do; those are so distinct, as I have said, or intimated; but the five Church-Offices are so essentially, etc. therefore this addeth so express, and clear proper distinctness, as the two former, and they with this, as need to be; for that these are so distinct as any civil offices, and as prophesy, or other personal gifts are from Church-offices, is not to be denied, nor that any terms are more distinctive than 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, until they be named, or rather created, mean while I proceed. To me yet the fourteenth Argument from the denotative article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is more than all the rest; for though it pass ordinarily under the account of a slight, or redundant particle, as the Word-worship as such, doth among all but the truly-religious, or as above an ordinary Herald when it is emphatically used, as the Sacrament of the Lords Supper doth among the Papists, and Lutherans, being yet by them bereft of the soul of a Sacrament, as this is of its specifical denotation; yet is it in its proper nature constitutive, and denotative, of the proper specifical existence of all things, and here of the Church-Offices: Now, so far as to constitute, is more primary in itself, and proper to the form of every thing, than to distinguish, appropriate, actuate, or any thing but to constitute; so far is ὁ above all other particles, where it is used in its proper nature of denotating that constitution, as here; for before I took it as james doth works, jam. 2. declaratively, not properly, when I said it was constitutive, and so far as a right line doth better show which is a right line, and which a crooked, than any crooked whatsoever doth either, except that which is just alike, and then it, but as like; so far also doth the denotative article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 exceed all other in the case of constitution, or distinction, and much more of appropriation, actuation, passion, relation, or any adjunct whatsoever, which either instituteth, or denotateth as instituted the office, and not only the action of showing mercy, and so maketh it a divers office in nature, the like followeth in the rest, as before which is expressly proved in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, in the Masculine Gender: Yet lest any thing, especially what is so much respected, and in this case expected, the propriety of all the offices, and that only and always, should be wanting in this high and useful matter; these things are added in the third particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, which is the fifteenth and last argment from Rom. 12. Now that it may the better be perceived, three things are to be pointed at. 1 The simple use of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, confining within, or unto any thing. 2 The adaequatum, or proper object, or function, in, on, and unto which each office is confined, viz. the very actuation of that gift that maketh the matter or officer in potentia, worthy and fit to be informed with the instituted office of Christ, answering to the name and nature of every office, viz. the Teacher, in teaching, in exhorting, in distributing, etc. 3 The secondary qualification of the Officers, which is more remote and a posteriori, than the former, and also more qualitative, as the other is more quantitative, viz. the Teacher in, on, and with intelligibleness; the Exhorter in, on and with perswasiveness, the Dristributer in, on, and with simplicity, and so of the Ruler's diligence, and Pittyers' cheerfulness; all these jointly and severally evidently prove the point; yet for the eminent clearness and strength of these proofs, I will connect all the sorts of them, into which they may specially be divided into one Argument: And first, of the first five oroot. What distinctness the worship, will, and word of God, and the fleeing the contraries, do require more peculiarly and specially in the Church-Offices, then are in the civil, that is properly distinct in kind, and very religiously to be yielded to God; but all these require more peculiar distinctness in Ecclesiastical, then is in civil Offices, therefore that is properly & in kind distinct, & very religiously to be observe Secondly: Of the second five, or body, thus: What distinctness in the Church Offices is revealed in the Word, to be as the distinctness of the Organical Members of the body, in opposition to the oneness of the body in kind, and of the Members in mutual use, and in respect of their divers existence, Functions, and essence, that is most proper in kind, and mutually exclusive; such distinctness is revealed to be in Ecclesiastical Offices: Ergo. Thirdly: Of the third fl●e, and Branches, thus: What Offices are said expressly, Rom. 12. to be distinct and divers from each other by the distinct gift of God; yea, and are there so distinguished into their several sorts, & that both disjunctively, denotatively, & apportionedly, or confinedly: those are most properly in nature, & highly in degree, distinct in kind from each other: but the 5 ecclesiastical offices are so said & distinguished, therefore they are most properly in nature & highly in degree, distinct in kind from each other: Any of these 3 connections are alone sufficient, yea the 3 last Clauses of the 3 d, do completely conclude the point, so if any of these nineteen Arguments be good, the Ecclesiastical Offices are distinct in kind, properly & perfectly; yea if the consequence of none of these simple or compound Arguments would hold, yet the combination of them all would, which shall be the twentieth Argument, and the conclusion of the positive proofs of the Point, from Rom. 12. I will now come to the opposite part from the Scriptures, referring the proofs from reason, both positive and opposite till after them, and reserving the other proofs from other places of Scripture, for the better clearing all Objections, supposing the proofs from Rom. 12. sufficient to establish the Point positively. The first opposite Argument is from Acts 6.2, 3. thus: The Apostles had all offices included in theirs, and did on occasion execute them, and in particular the Deacons office, Acts 6.2, 3. therefore the Pastors now so have, and may do. For answer whereto, first, See what is said before, both against the antecedent and its consequence, and then I think there will be so little appearance of likelihood, and less of certainty in the antecedent, (which is enough) and yet less, yea none at all, of either in the consequence, that none will require farther disproof of that, for which it is brought against me, and farther will I not meddle therewith here, though it be for me. The second is from 1 Tim. 3.1. to 8. thus: If ruling and teaching be jointly requisite to the office of a Bishop, 1 Tim. 3.1. to 8. then are they not the distinct functions of two several Church-offices; but ruling and teaching are jointly requisite to ●he office of a Bishop, 1 Tim. 3.1. to 8. therefore they are not the distinct functions of the Teacher and Ruler, as they have two several Church-offices: this is the principal, and almost the only argument from the Scripture of all 3. sorts of my Opposites, who are as much against each other as me, and each will hold with me, rather than with each other; yet must I not take notice of their enmity against each other, nor me, nor of their friendship, but plainly answer them all. Of the two grosser, the former under the name of Bishop, holding only one in number and nature; the latter holding the three overseeing Offices, one in kind, & divers only in number, and the more refined acknowledging them divers in kind and number, yet differing only in degree and emphasis: a wonderful refined distinction, in appearance nearer to me, and yet in truth farther from me then the grosser in appearance; I cannot readily say how much, but I can see and think it very much, and make some use thereof. But first: For a joint answer to them all, I say that, that place intendeth, first, no distinguishing of Offices, but a furnishing, qualifying and making worthy of the Church's Offices, the persons, Officers, and Executors of those Offices▪ Secondly, No instituting, nor denotating, as instituted, any Church-office: nor, thirdly, any appropriating, confining, nor adaequating any Offices and their Functions, as the handled place of Rom. 12. doth in all three points; so that neither of the two Opinions can challenge either matter or words to be framed and expounded by the scope and course of any distinctness, as Rom. 12. doth: Neither, fourthly, is there any such strong inducement from the general body, or special, or from any particularising in the place, as in Rom. 12. that we are to expect any of them, either expressly, or by any strong intimation: Fifthly, and more particularly; the subject of all the adjuncts is set in a general term, common to three Offices, and therefore no distinguishing, constituting, nor appropriating is here intended, for a Bishop or Overseer indifferently extendeth itself unto the oversight of the understanding, heart and actions in its etymology, ordinary, yea only use and in the correspondencies with this place; in all but the last clause there is no doubt: By the correspondencies I intent three places, viz. 1 Tim. 3.8. to 13. Secondly, cap. 5.1. to v. 18. Thirdly, Tit. 1.5. to 10. In the last, Bishop and Elder being promiscuously used, as in this place; and in the two first, Deacons being also alike extended, as a General to the Distributer and Pittyer, promiscuously, and equivolently with helpers, 1 Cor. 12.28. Neither is that word any where used more for the Distributer than the Pittyer, yet once on the contrary, Rom. 16.1. for though 1 Tim. 3.12. it be said that a Deacon must be the Husband of one Wife, which in word cannot agree with the Widow, yet in the scope and general reason, which is the soul and form of the place, it answereth so well to her, as to the Distributer, i.e. a● it is a testimony of Continency, which is more required in her than in him, and is so expressed, 1 Tim. 5.9.2. which is the Expositor or supplement of that place, most indeed in the serving Offices, there being most left to be understood in them; but in one or two special particulars also, in the Overseeing Offices, v. 17, 18. lest the distinctness so much respected, Rom. 12. 1 Cor. 12. Eph. 4. and also their maintenance should seem to have been neglected, yea lest in the point of distinctness: 1 Tim. 3. should seem to oppose those places, for it confirmeth that point so much, as in so many words any man can devise, and as needeth to the making an express distinctness in terms, in, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 & 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and matter, in opposing, ruling and, preaching in their Offices, and making two sorts of Elders, and the one the more worthy. Secondly: For answer to the two most gross and opposite Objections from this place, I first appeal to what is said in and from Rom. 12. 1 Cor. 1●. Eph. 4. and especially to the twenty late Arguments: Secondly, to the five last general answers, which principally, and most strongly confute all Arguments from this place; for the oneness in kind. Thirdly, I deny the consequence of the major, since the office of a Bishop, 1. Tim. 3.1. is taken generally, and indifinitely by an usual metonimy of the particular, and definite for the general and indefinite, Bishop being a general, indefinite, and common Name to the three Overseeing Offices, as a Deacon is to the serving, and an Office or Ministry to them both; and also as a Philosopher, Mathematician, Lawyer, Trades-man, especially as an Officer of the State, Law, Courtt, Army, City, or of a Ship, are to their proper particulars, yet is there one division of all those Offices, necessary to make the exemplification clear and exact, for all those Offices are either overseeing, or serving, i. e. Episcopal, or Diaconall in the original Terms, which showeth the full reason of that certain Proposition, whosoever desireth the office (or Ministry) of a Bishop, desireth a worthy work: If yet a farelier reason of the Particulars of the qualification of these two sorts of Offices, severally, and of each of their particulars jointly, be expected, it is to be understood, that as in God there are three persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, from which all existents & designments have their life, moving and being, so there are in man natural, especially spiritual, three subjective and overseeable faculties, as existent from and by God, viz. his will; wit, affections, or working power; and as many mediate and overseeing designable Powers and designing Offices, or designments (as before oft and at large) all which require both a joint and several qualifying, according to their joyntness in the general, as overseeing, and severallness, in special, as severally overseeing, which is also answered in the particular qualifying objected, and in what is hereunto to be supplied, from Tit. 1. for their help, if their ground be good, or for the completing my project, if it be good; since therefore Bishop is a common Name to three Offices; all the properties of these three are common to it with any commonness thereupon, following between any of the three Offices, or their Functions, if they be elsewhere distinguished and peculiarized. Fourthly: So far as it is intended and insisted on, that the Office of a Bishop is a particular, and properly existent office; so far I deny the minor, and require good proof thereof. Thirdly: For a particular answer to the refined Objectors from this place: I say, that though all the syllogism should be granted, yet they get nothing thence for their purpose distinct from the former opinions; and so indeed these three Opinions are all one, and so the last is nothing but a pile of witty words, forging a distinction without a difference, and so it vanisheth in the fire, like the stone, called a Thunder-Bolt, looking-like Silver over, but is only of a sulfurious and icy mineral matter, yea though it should be condensated with some of the Clay of Antichrists Legs, Dan. 2. even by saying that the Bishop, Pastor, Elder, and Exhorter, are all one Office, called by divers names for divers respects, viz. Bishop, as Overseer of Overseers; Pastor, by an emphasis, as the chief feeder, and exhorter: Elder, in respect of his years, gravity, wisdom, and personal fitness to rule, as the proper reason wherefore he is all of the rest; and this surely is that struggling Esau not yet come to the birth in our Church, though it be at least that reviling Goliath of Gath, his younger brother, with whom I am neither occasioned, nor enabled to fight; but will only prosecute my present object occasioned; anwering more particularly, First, That if it should be granted that the Exhorter, or Teacher, or both, by a community of offices, through this community of actions objected, could do all that I have appropriated to the Ruler; yet by the same community of actions, the Ruler may do the like for them, and then though they should shuffle down Gods ministerial bounds, they would get nothing, except the Ruler's wife be better than the others, which surely they will not say. Secondly, if they will usurp the appropriation of the Bishopric from the Ruler, or the Exhorter from them both (as reason and experience give us to suspect,) yea, and of all power in the Church, which now they grant them upon the eminent and emphatical reasons mentioned; they build such forces for Hierarch●ans, and dig so fit Burroughs for badger's, through magnifying their Office, that the epitome of the Hierarchy which they form within the church, will acknowledge kindred with its mother jezebel, yea and by degrees with its Grandfather Ethbaal too, and so also open the door of community between us and them, by the same reason further prosecuted, and spirit further inflamed, as the opinion, book and course of Mr. johnson, and many with him, have lamentably experimented, even unto the eminent and imminent fear of the ruin of a special Church; if we should come to sift the differences, I doubt we should not find them so great, as would give security of better success, outward, than hath that Church, or inward than the Hierarchy, though the goodness of the present order and matter would delay (it may be long) this infection from raging, at least till the iron of civil, single, double and triple crowned authority, id est, Classical, Synodical, and National Courts and Courses made Ecclesiastical, be added unto the former clay, and both add strength to the rotten legs of Antichrist; but I not daring to open my mouth freely in this bad air, will reserve my breath for better use. Thirdly, and specially, If that course which is obtruded on this place, should be alike observed in all places of the like reason, (as it must be,) we might prove strange matters, yea what not? I could prove, that Samuel prayed for, and brought out water of the Rock in the wilderness, at least that God spoke there unto him out of the cloudy pillar, and punished his Idolatry, four hundred years before he was born, out of Psal. 99.7, 8. and out of 1 Tim. 5.4. that Aunts are Parents, that all the Elders and Brethren of the Church of jerusalem spoke by the infallible and immediate inspiration of the Holy Ghost, and by absolute and immediate authority from Christ, gave Laws, Decrees, and burdening, conscience binding, and necessited Prohibitions to the Churches of Antiochia, Syria, and Silicia, and by consequence to all the Churches of the Gentiles: from Acts 15. with cap. 16.4. & 21.25. and other innumerable absurdities and falsities, out of 1 Cor. chap. 1. v. 1. concerning Sosthenes, in 2 Cor. 1. chap. v. 1. and also Phil. and Col. ch. 1. v. 1. of Timotheus; in 1 Thess. ch. 1. v. 1. and 2 Thess. of Silvanus and Timotheus, and more almost in every Epistle; should I descend to particulars, I should be intolerably, because needlessly tedious, it being obvious to every one, that any thing might be proved out of any thing, if that course might be allowed; besides, it would pervert all the other places of Scriptures which begin with generals and proceed to particularise them, which are innumerable, and indeed would destroy all analysing of them, which is not expressed, and then it would be needless, yea there might then be proved out of one place thereof, consisting but of seven verses, viz. Heb. 11.32. to 38. many sevens of falsehoods, absurdities, and what not, that should make men cease from necessiting this Exposition of 1 Tim. 3. and Tit. 1. Heb. 11.32. to 38. a whole heap of lying wonders, viz. that Baruch subdued Kingdoms, and did a dozen great works at least more than he did, that Samson did so, that jephtha did so also, that Dnvid, Samuel, and all the Prophets did so also, and that much more clearly and strongly then any can out of 1 Tim. 3. that the Exhorter may excommunicate or do any proper ruling act by the same reason, yea expressly, it that reason be good, that all adjuncts that are annexed unto two, three, or more joint subjects, must be verified in every one of them, & therefore I leave it for bad, holding every adjunct to be sorted to its proper subject by the rules of Nature, & the word in other places that intent that peculiarising & show us the same by better means, referring these objected unto Rom. 12.7, 8. 1 Cor. 12. 1 Tim. 5. for their distinctness: And again, Rom. 12. and 1 Cor. 12. 1 Tim. 5. unto 1 Tim. 3. Tit. 1. and the like, for their completing and full exemplification in matter of practice. Fourthly, the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wherein is the whole force of this Argument, is by all the holder's of the third Opinion, applied only to that Teaching in the ruler, which is necessary for the discharge of his Office and work of Ruling, which nothing proveth the undistinctness in question, nor more than I have oft granted in the case of the Exhorters Teaching, as necessarily subordinate to his office, and also grant in this case with the provisoes there mentioned. Fifthly: The question is not properly about this Teaching, simply or subordinately considered, but as Ecclesiastical or Ministerial, and such as carrieth with it, as an Appendex to the administration of the Sacraments, to signify, seal, and convey the thing taught unto the persons, ministerially taught, but such teaching is also confessed by them, not here to be intended, nor within the Rulers Office. Sixtly, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is apt, prone, and ready to Teach, signifying rather the goodness and grace of the heart, than the power and gift of Teaching, to be requisite in the Ruler, and no more can be enforced out of that word, on which the whole strength of all the three opposite Opinions doth consist; yet I will grant a Prophetical gift of teaching to be requisite in the Ruler, partly because it is a disparagement to his Office, and Exercise thereof, to be inferior to the Prophets therein, who have no Office at all, partly because it will be a discouragement unto the Prophets, to have their inferiors in gifts of Ecclesiastical respect, to be advanced above them in Ecclesiastical Office; and partly, because the Speakers to the Edification, Exhortation, and Comfort of the Church, do best of all the Members deserve to be honoured by the Church, & manifest their deserts, fitness, and worthiness of the same, yea in evident and eminent likelihood, and humane judgement; they are the most fit for any overseeing Office, which is all that the scope of the place, or any thing material therein doth enforce, yea intimate, in any of the many other particulars. Seventhly, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v. 5. & all the other particulars, but one or two do evidently import only qualifications, with grace in the heart, requisite in the overseers of the Church, and not common gifts which only distinguish the Ministries and Funnctions of the Church, which proveth that this intendeth not the constituting and distinguishing them, as Rom. 12. doth essentially, formally, and properly, as our case requireth; but only the informing the Choosers, and Ordainers of such Officers, what qualities are requisite for their well being and the acceptableness, and efficacy of their Office in a special manner, above other, and making them fit above others for those Offices, such as are aptness and fitness to entertain strangers, courtesy, and having obedient and meek Children, etc. but to say that the want of any one of them, exclude the every other ways fit for those Offices, would exclude the fair from the most; yea, almost all Ministerial Communion, and Christian acceptableness. These three opposite Opinions are so near each other in truth, (though in course and affection vehemently adverse) that I cannot cut down the one, but the other two whither also: so that all the Arguments seem alike against all, and I acknowledge a kind of confusion in them, as in the Opposites: and ergo in the following Arguments I will refer the sorting to the Reader, whether it be from one, two, or all three of the Objections. The first unsorted Argument is from 1 Tim. 3.8, 12. which prove, that the same may be said of the Deacons, which they say of Bishops or Elders, either as one in number, or as divers in number; and also in gifts or emphasis: but all three acknowledge the case otherwise in the Deacons: The first, in that the Distributer, and Pittier, or Widow, are as divers, as I hold the three Overseers. The second, in that there were 7. of them, Act. 6. the 3. ergo much more than either. For, Ro. 16.1. doth as expressly call the Widow a Deacon, as any place calleth any one, two, or all of the other Offices, Bishops: And all the qualificat●ons, 1 Tim. 3. agree in their reason or soul, as well to the one, as the other; yea, all but one, literally also. The second is, from Ver. 12. and Cap. 5.10. where the same qualifying condition is required in the Deacon in general, and in the Widow in particular, which is in the Bishop; whereby he challengeth the power of Ruling, and so by the same Reason, they should also rule, if the scope of these places were to define the Offices, and design the Functions: but that they all abhor to say. The third is from 1 Tim. 5.17. First, because the Ruler is by express denotation, and place of state, distinguished from the Labourer in the Word; by the denotative Article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. they truly that, but they that; for they are not here demonstratively taken, neither of their subjects having been mentioned long before; and if yet they be referred to Cap. 3. than they conclude the matter expressly for me: nor yet much less redundantly, they being set oppositely, relatively, or mutually respectively: Secondly, because the Opposition is between those Offices themselves, and not only between the well-discharging the Offices; for neither of both are worthy either double or special honour or maintenance, except they do their duties well and diligently. Thirdly, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, especially adding an emphatical difference between the two offices, & excluding both Particles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the same, at least from their only emphatical use, which is the only evasion & pretending shift from this place in that distinctnes I plead for; especially from the latter of them, which is most insisted on, if not only: Much may be said from this place to my purpose; but I hast, though the length of the matter hold me long in it. The third opposite Argument, is from Act. 20. vers. 28. in that they are all called Bishops, or Overseers, and Pastors, or Feeders: I may as well say, they are all called Elders, Presbyters, or Ancients, ver. 17. & then it flatly overthroweth the first and third Opinion, that make a d●fference between the Bishop, as the first will have it; or the Pastor, as the third will be called; and the Presbyter or Priest, as the Hyerarchians of Rome and England term them; or Elders, or Ruling-Elders, as some new Hierarchians call them; only the third may say, this proveth that the Pastors may rule, because they are Bishops and Elders: it maketh indeed for Mr. Smith, but neither of the rest love to hear of that place, but in hope that men will oversee that Ruler is by it made as good a Bishop and Pastor, as those that engross those Titles to themselves; and I wonder, that the late named Bishop durst bring it as his chief Engine against us, that evidently battereth down all Bishops over more Churches than one; and also bringeth in more Bishops than one, into one Congregation; and also, that Mr. Robinson will allege it, to prove, that the Pastor or Exhorter may more do the works of the Ruler, than the Ruler his, it so plainly proving, the flat contrary. I, but he allegeth it, to prove, that the Pastor may rule: I, but that will not serve his turn, except he turn of Mr. Smith's side; but that I doubt not, but Rom. 12. will keep him from, and therefore for the present rest, acknowledging, that this place maketh neither for nor against him. The last Objection is from Reason, which seemeth to cross that distinctness we stand for; partly, through the uncapableness of the matter; and partly, through the mischiefs which ensue the same. The former part of this Objection seemeth colourable, because Teaching, without Exhortation to what is taught, worketh no grace in the heart, but only the Theory thereof in the head. Exhortation, without Teaching, worketh no true Christian grace, but blind, superstitious, and Antichristian Devotion; either, and both, are externally fruitless, without Ruling; and Ruling without both is internally barren: so that the 2d. end of God's Worship, i. e. our Holiness, is defeated thereby. For this, we are first to consider this case in the right and complete Establishment of God's Worship; and then in the growing estate thereof; in the man's and adult estate thereof, wherein all things are grown to a ripeness, it may well be cleared; for when all the Offices are constituted in their Purity, and exercised in sincerity, we are to suppose the Rule of 1 Cor. 14.40. to be observed; which requireth, that all God's Ordinances be done comelyly, and in order. Now, if in the exercise of each Ordinance, Purity be observed, both in comelyness, as respecting itself, not excluding the Order of combination with others: and in order with the rest, yet preserving decorum in itself; and also Sincerity in all sanctified peculiar and social respects, according to the Light of Nature, and the Word: then ought the Labourers in the Word, so to associate their Conversation and Studies in the Weekdays, and Ministries on the Lord's day, that the Exhorter is to know (at least) the Doctrines that the Teacher will gather out of the part of the Word to be handled, whether by their own disposing, or public Order: and that he therefore will build upon the Foundation▪ thereby laid for him, by the Teacher's Grammatical, Rhetorical, and Logical Exposition and Extraction of Divine Doctrines, bo●h positive and opposite with their Proofs and Illustrations, Marks and Means; yea, all things pre-requisite to Exhortation: Then also ought the whole Company of overseeing Officers to be acquainted with the occasions of exercising the Ruling-Office, that the Teacher may the better be provided with matter of Information and Confutation, and the Exhorter of Exhortation and Dehortation▪ and the Ruler may the better dispose of his manner of ordering and censuring; and each again with the sum of the others purposes, that each may further and suit with the others courses; for in each of these three Offices especially, there are two essential properties which have both a peculiar and a social respect: the one extensive, quantitative, material, and institutive, viz. the apportioning and adequating the Offices and their Functions, as the Teacher, and his Teaching, etc. The other intensive, qualitative, formal, and constitutive, viz. the adaptating or suiting the Officers and their Offices, as the Teacher, and his knowledge and ability to reach, the Exhorter, etc. as before in the Table at large, and its Epitome: In the former, is the purity of the Offices, and God's Worship, to be discerned: In the latter, is the sincerity of the Officers and Worshippers to be tried. Also, in the peculiar respects of both, the godliness, or fixed link of Peter's golden Chain of Election and Salvation, 2 Pet. 1.7. is required to be exercised: and in the social or mutual respects, the brotherly kindness or 7th. link is called for. Now, all the services of God being observed and exercised in their purity completely, and all his servants therein practising all sincerity, there is no dissonancy, much less impossibility in this distinctness of the Church-Offices: But if there be a failing in this purity, compleatness, and sincerity, or in either of them, than there must be much of the matter of the Objection granted, and will be more appearing, which is the second consideration of the former part of the Objection. To which I answer: First, that I intent not at all to pacify the fury of Hierarchians, by palliating this matter in any respect toward them, among whom all the Order of God's Worship, is devised by Antichrist, and so made in appearance Christian, but in true understanding is Antichristian, i. e. divers from, and opposite to Christian; for the order thereof is Babylonish, disorderly, and confused, in respect of God's order in his Word, though to the Spirit of the World, it seemeth very, yea only uniform and orderly in Nature, and in itself; yea, and thereby the parts of God's Worship are perverted, and subordinate to another superior or end, and so lose their proper nature, at least, in respect of the Consciences of the Users, which is to be esteemed according to the intention of the principal and predominant Institutor and Author of the Work and Worship itself; and therefore it were great folly to endeavour to consonate the Order of Christ's Worship unto Antichrists, as it is to make good Music on an Instrument put wholly out of Tune; and therefore I leave the Mother of Rome, and Daughter of England, to their folly and fury in this case, wherein I cannot prevent them. Secondly, that though I will yield much to the weakness of the exercise of the Order of God's Worship in the present Reformed Churches, and will endeavour to show, that this distinctness is, and may be observed in them: yet if men be not satisfied therewith, I will not yield, that the Rule is to be framed according to the present building, but that to the Rule of God's Word; and if excuses be made, that all things cannot by them be established, according to the perfect Rule, both through the hindrance of the otherwise informed Magistracy, and for the want of fit matter or persons thereto qualified, and maintenance for them, if they be to be had: First, let not Pleaders of extenuations, no nor of excuses, be Judgers of that Law, from the breach whereof they excuse themselves; for that were more than childish pettulancy, even to by't and whine: Secondly, though indeed they be excuses from all fault, yet censures for dissonancy are not seasonable, till things are in their complete and adult estate; for as exactness is not to be required from, so also not by a child under Age and Tutors until he come to his man's estate. Thirdly, for the matter, though one or two of the Offices be wanting; yet may the two or one remaining, conveniently agree with this distinctness; the only seeming otherwise, is between the Labourers in the Word, especially in the Exhorter, who, without Doctrines before laid, proved and cleared, cannot exhort to the observation of them. To this I have answered before, to which I refer thee; adding only, that though in the case of necessity, and without which, Exhortation cannot be, it be lawful, yea necessary for the Exhorter to Teach: yet without those cases, and where there is a Teacher, that doth his duty; yea, and where there is equally necessary matter of Exhortation, received as true by the Church, it is not lawful, much less his bounden duty, to teach the Theory of Divinity. Secondly, for the Teacher, there is no necessity of not teaching, though there be neither Exhortation nor Ruling, to bring its Teaching to its more powerful and plentiful effect; and ergo the same reason warranteth him, not to exhort or rule in any express, plain, and known act, though he be not forbidden all manner of acts that are hortatory or ruling so absolutely; as Murder, Adultery, Robbery, or the like: but there is a Brotherly Fellowly, and mutual freeness, and friendly boldness to be presumed on and allowed; yea, in some occasional acts, even to the danger of Usurpation, if those acts should be constantly and functionally used: As for the Ruler, none plead for his administration of the Sacraments, which are Appendices to Teaching and Exhorting, and Signs and Seals of the same things, to the other Senses, which they speak to the Ears, or rather through them all, to the Understanding and Heart: but those that hold them one Office, having divers names, who are not the Objectors of these Inconveniencies; and therefore I need say nothing against the same. Fourthly, though matter of conveniency and inconveniency, pertaineth properly to Wisdom, and not to Duty, and is but a little better than Humane Authority: yet since it is so esteemed, and insisted on by many, I will put the conveniencies of the distinctness I stand for, into the other balance, both for the clear confutation of this Argument, and proving the point by the benefits thereof, if any such proof be therein, as men account; and I grant, in respect of the Wisdom of God, if the matter be clearly shown, though as a proper and original Argument, which is only from the Word, Rom. 12.2. I dare not obtrude it, but only in the respects mentioned, and comparatively, and as a retorted, plausible, and probable Argument: Now the Name and Nature of conveniencies lead us to consider of the answering respects of these Offices, which are, 6. viz. Christ, the Church, each other, eaches several work, the Lords of the Gentiles, and Antichrist. Christ is the Monarch, Head, Lawgiver, and Master of his Church, ergo it is fit that he alone should be Supreme and Primitive; and that each Office of his Church should be derived out of his Primacy, and none others; else should the derived have another Lord and Master than Christ, for which no ordinary person is fit in any respect, though extraordinary persons by Gifts and Functions, immediate as Apostles, Evangelists, and Prophets, and by Offices made types of Christ by the Word, were; and also ordinary Corporations, which are of an higher nature than any person, but no man than any other; which is the reason, that in Commonwealths, that are most conveniently governed, no Ruler may depute a Deputy-Ruler under him; though, where the constitution of the Commonwealth is otherwise, it be lawful to depute, to be deputed, and to submit to either: yet our present point is, Whether Deputation and Superiority of Church-Officers be more convenient in respect of Christ, than equality between them. Secondly, for confusion of the three Offices, or Functions, whether it be more convenient in respect of Christ, than their distinctness, which the three answering, yea primitive respects of Christ, as God, Man, and Mediator, before parallelled, do evidently clear, viz. that equality and distinctness are more convenient. Secondly, the Church is the Basis, End, and Owner of the Ministers, 1 Cor. 3.9, 10, 16. Chap. 12. all, especially v. 28. 1 Tim. 3.15. & therefore is it most fit that it should have the deputing and distinguishing them, and not any one's Authority, in the former, or discretion in the latter. Thirdly, though a disparity should be granted, which of them should have the Superiority? Surely the Pastor: Why? because his Office is to seed the whole Flock, and so the other Officers. Now 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth also to rule, and so he is to feed by Ruling: There is no fear of this Argument, except the Arguer be made cursed by Antichristian hands and breath, at his Ordination and Custom in his Practice; and also long horned by Authority, Reputation, and Gifts: and yet then, God is more to be seared, and his Truth more to be regarded, than our Skin, and he to be answered: First, that that name is common to all the Three, so well as Bishops and Elders; as is plain by Act. 20. where Paul is said to send for the Elders of Ephesus, and charge them to feed (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) the Flock, whereof the Holy Ghost had made them Bishops: Why therefore doth he not claim the name & nature of Bishop and Elder so well as of Pastor? that all the World, and Ephes. 4.11. do give him: What the Word, Ephes. 4. doth give him, I will reverendly consider: but what all the World doth, I regard not, lest I should be little regarded by Christ, Jam. 2.1. Indeed, Ephes. 4. nameth Pastors: but, first, the drift thereof is, to declare, that the Spiritual Offices were all given by Christ as a triumphant King; but neither to constitute, nor distinguish them. Secondly, he first showeth, that the principal Offices, viz. The feeding, were so given by him; and then, that the principal of them, in respect of Gifts, and extraordinary need, through its least supply from Nature (which is the unum and particular scope of that place, viz. The Teachers, were so also, Whether you take Teaching generally, for Labouring in the Word: as 1 Tim. 5.17. doth; or strictly, as Rom. 12.7. Under which, two terms are compendiously comprehended, the less principal Offices also, a majori; for if he gave the chief Offices or Gifts, whether in a general, or particular regard: he both would and could, much more give the secondary also. Thirdly, all the Offices are not there reckoned, either generally, synedochically, nor particularly, but as I have said; for no mention is made of the serving offices at all otherwise, therefore there can thence no exact particularising of the Church-offices be concluded, but such as is supplied out of other places. Secondly, for their Unity in kind, if it should be supposed, yet why may the Pastor (as he is called) more excommunicate, than the Ruler administer the Sacraments? which is the main of the Controversy. No answer hath been given me herein, though I have oft and instantly demanded it; neither know I any, and therefore I must conclude, that the Exhorter cannot attain that Ruling-power, claimed by the right of the Word, or Reason, from that exaltation above, or confusion with the other overseeing Offices, which is pretended; nor by any other, but Babylonish; because his Colleagues will not, nay may not, y●eld it him, though I should yield him that Superiority and oneness which he standeth for; wh●ch yet in the third place I deny him, for the Reason's ; and also, lest he oppress them, if he be of that Spirit, and eminently gifted, or be oppressed by the inequality of his work, if he be equally gifted, and modestly spirited, which will the better be discerned in the prosecuting the fourth sort of Arguments, viz. which arise from peculiar and distinct respects of each office, which now succeedeth. Fourthly, as every Officer is immediate from the Church; so is it convenient, 1. That his Functions and Actions should be assigned him from the same, and not by the divers personal abilities of the other officers; for else doth he not walk in the particular assignment of the Church disposed to him, according to his gifts; but in his own, allotted him by his own discretion, or of his Colleagues. 2. That his Authority of discharge, of h●s distinct office, should be absolute in his place, in respect of the parts thereof, and every other Office under it, and its Parts, Function, and their Exercise; as that the Teacher should be above all the other Offices in teaching them their Duties, the Exhorter in charging the other four to do their duties; the Distributer, to distribute to the o●her four; the Ruler, to order the rest circumstantially, and to execute the determinations of the Church toward the other four; and the Widow to show mercy to the rest; besides, their duties to themselves, and the whole Church, in their joint Authoritative Actions, and their several sanctified Conversations; and also toward the Prophets in their Exercise: both wh●ch Arguments confute both their Superiority and undistinctness. 3. Another Argument against the former parts of this fourth sort, is, that else none were fit to be an Exhorter, except he were first enabled to every office. And a fourth, that a man were fit to be of one of the other offices, if there be an Exhorter established, though he be but half fit thereto, simply and without that supposition, which four distinct personal, and peculiar respects, prove, that the Exhorter hath not all offices included in his. Fifthly, against the latter part, viz. the undistinctness: First, else there should be no more distinctness between the three over-seeing offices, than between the particulars of each of them, and between the Deacons; yea, the Prophets: I will instance in the Deacons, one of them is fit than the rest to hu●band the goods of the Church, in disposing their employment; another to follow necessary suits in the Law, for defence or recovery; a third, to excite to due contribution; a fourth, for simple and discreet distribution; a fifth, to provide for, and tend on the help of the administration of the Sacraments, etc. and according to this fitness, every of them is disposed, either by themselves, the Church, or the over-seeing Officers; or else by ea●hes several inclination: This, for the present, being supposed, shall we thereupon conclude, that these are five, or moe distinct serving offices: Surely, he were unfit for the meanest of the five, and much more for any of the three over-seeing offices, that should so judge, except he could find where the Word did distinguish them; and if he could, then were it as great weakness to hold them but one office in kind: and yet greater, so holding, to hold also that they may promiscuously execute each others Function, whereby they are found and held distinct; but most of all, to lay it as a general rule, that they may so execute: and yet to exempt the Pastor only from the same, without giving a peculiar reason therefore. The like and greater intricateness and distraction is in our case, because it is evident in the Word, that there is such a distinctness, in kind, to be found and held. Now, if there be but one Office in kind, as the Deacons, then is every one charged with every over-seeing action by God, and no mutual agreement, nor Church-assignment can excuse any one, if any one overseeing action be wholly omitted: But on the other side, if they be three in kind, and distinctly assigned by the Word, the one is excused, though the other fail, either in being, or well-being: nay, he should as much fail as Vzzah, if he should supply the failing office, through the affinitive of his office, or personal devotion. But in the third place, (to conclude at last) to be put to hold and practice both, is to be put into an inextricable intricateness, and labyrinth, without light or clue, to help him out, or to work within it; which is more than ever God charged upon man, or man could discharge unto God; yea, if they be flat contradictories, as they seem, more than God can discharge, for he cannot lie, and then he can charge, for he cannot oppress: Let not us therefore give or take an higher office, nor harder work, than God himself will either give or take to himself, or any other. The like may be said of the Deacons and Widows, and both may be exemplified by the legal and present joint practices, Numb 3. and 18. and very oft in positive and opposite respects. Sixthly, and secondly, it is said, 1 Cor. 12.28, 30. that God hath given some to be Teachers, and some other Governors, and not Teachers, and so on the contrary; the scope of the place being to show, that excellency, above others, cannot be had in the offices of the Church, because they are severally distributed by God, and not divers to one person; as is before fully proved. Hereupon, if a man should frame his practice in any office, it should be distinctly to observe the peculiar Function of his so distinct office: but if he, according to the second opinion, hold them bo●h one office; or according to the third, that though they be distinct offices, yet they are common in their Functions and Execution: he should look unto his gifts and discretion, or to some assignment beside that of God, the Church and his Office, and so must shape a clean different, if not contrary course, in the discharge of his office: Now, therefore the destruction and entoxication will be little less hereby than in the former Argument; so that a man, by these Opinions, must be rend from himself, yea and the word, in the Understanding and conscionable discharge of his office to God. I might have added other Arguments against the first Opinion, that all Offices are in the Pastor, out of 1 Cor. 12.7. and Rom. 12.8. with 1 Tim. 5. The former place showing the end of Christ's distribution of the Offices, to be, to profit the Church, and not to magnify any Officer: But that his end, is to magnify the Pastor above the rest, and so that the distinction should be as great, or greater, than the former two: and the latter places, showing the fift Office to be a Woman's, and not a man's, and so unfit for the Pastor to discharge; as because her office is night and day to attend the Sick, both men and women: But I leave them for you to prosecute, by your own meditations, supposing the other fully sufficient. The fifth head, is the respect of the Lords of the Gentiles, from which the Church-officers are expressly forbidden, Matth. 20.26. Mar. 10.43. Luc. 22.26. viz. in that they rule, or are superior one over another in Office, Place, Authority, and Dignity; for, other Superiority, is either not in rerum natura, or not intended in this place: Or, thirdly, not pertinent to our point, or else not spiritually instituted, or peculiar to an instituted Church: but the Hierarchical superiority of Order, whereby some Reformers palliate the superiority of Bishops over Priests, and Archbishops over them, etc. is neither of all these four; for the best Philosophers admit it not into the estate of a being; and therefore we may exclude it out of the last three; for, by best Philosophers, I intent both Ancient, Modern, Christian, Heathenish, and Antichristian: a taste and sum of all whose Judgements, in this point, is set down, Timpler. Metaph. lib. 3. cap. 7. and Kecker. Sustema Logicum, l●b. 1. cap. 6. and the sum of them in this Disticon; Tempore, natura, numero, doctrina et honore Fineque lege, loco, dic similique prius; that is, Time, nature, number, knowledge, worth, end, state, place, likeness to these, only yield, BEFORE. If other order or priority seem to be in the World, it is either for want of discerning the intent and extent of these 9 or else it is but the stamp of the Mystery of Iniquity set upon Worldly orders, arising from the reflex of the Antichristianing order, oft mentioned by our Writers, to extenuate the evils of the Bishops, between the Apostolical, and Apostatical times, i. e. between Anno Dom. 100 or 200. unto 300. and after, out of which Antichrist arose; and according to that reflex, reflecting on Civil or Monkish Estates, forged and framed them, as a refuge for their brood into the Mother's belly in time of danger, like the Serpent and its brood, mentioned by Aelian. Now the direction which Christ giveth unto his Ministers, from the negative or contrary, to find and keep his Ecclesiastical Order, being, not so as the Lords of the Gentiles: and yet the course which I now oppose, in respect of the first Opinion, being according to them: What distraction of mind, & disturbance in practice (or rather what not) must this breed in and amongst the Understanding and Conscionable? Let it here be remembered, that though the occasion of this Argument, be but to prove an inconvenience or mischief: yet I omit not its absolute proof of the point of equality of Christ's Bishops; but against these places, it may be objected with the Jesuits, and other Hierarchians, that Christ there forbiddeth only tyranny, pompous, and vainglorious Titles, and Master-fulness over Inferiors; and not the superiority over other Ministers. I answer: First, that I hope they will not more destroy the generals of Truth, and light of natural Ingenuity, than the Jesuits themselves of Rheims, who in their Annotations on Luk. 22, 24, say; The Apostles perceiving Christ's departure from them, and his Kingdom, to be near, as infirm men, and not yet endued with the Spirit of God, begin to have emulation and cogitations of Superiority one over another; which our Master represseth in them by Exhortation to Humility, and by his own Example, that being their Lord, yet so lately served them. They, as Expositors of the Scriptures, minding their scope and apparent truth, suffered themselves with the Pythonisse, Act. 16.16, 17. To speak the truth, though it utterly destroy their and their Holy Father's Kingdom; and they as Antichristians, and men of scared Consciences, presently after contradict the Truth and themselves,; adding, Not forbidding majority or superiority in them, but Pride, Tyranny, and Contempt of their Inferiors. How can these Jesuits brook their name without a metathesis of s and u, and b set in the first place of s; then indeed, they with the Jebusites are treaders of Mount-Sion, the most holy place of Jerusalem, under foot, Rev. 11.2. i e. professing possession of Mount Moriah, yet being true Intruders thereinto, and blind and lame contradicters of themselves, and the true David and King thereof, and contradicted and destroyed with their blind and lame gods. THE scope of Rome, 12.1. to 8. is exactly, yet summarily, to describe, teach, and effectually to charge the matter and manner of Gods instituted Worship; as is expressed, v. 1. in the general, and v. 6. in the particulars: Those two Verses are also expressly connected by causal and illative Conjunctions, which are the absolutest Connecters of the Connection of v. 4. with 5th. and 7th. with 6th. and 8th. with 7th. there can be no doubt. Now, the soul and sinews being of the same body, the flesh and bones cannot but be granted, to be of the same also: neither is the encorporatedness of these 8. Verses only literal, but especially real, each without other being maimed, and all jointly yielding an excellent description and charge of God's Worship; the Root, in v. 7. and 2. giving life to the body in v. 3, 4, 5. and to the branches, v. 6, 7, 8. the body giving sustenance and sustentation with the Root to the Branches, and the Branches showing the Heavenly Fruit of both. Let the words be observantly read, and a sense worthy the Scripture be conceived; and the matter being the same with the second Commandment, and yet being very imperfectly delivered, but in this place, and here also in the common sense: and I cannot but think, that the Understanding and Ingenuous will find an admirable conciseness of such a large matter, a clearness in this dark and s ecial point of the Word, yea, a pleasantness in what is most harsh to Nature, as being not only above it, but mainly intended to thwart it, and to proclaim and constrain God's absolute Will to be submitted unto, as to the Lord and Ruler of all; the Fall also of Adam, and the most abominable sins ever since, were there-against, and all desolations thereout, and the yet prevailing Antichristian sin, assisting in oppositeness thereto, and usurpation thereover. The drift therefore of the Holy Ghost being herein to preach and press preciseness in the matter, and distinctness in the manner of God's special Worship: The latter of this place, and the rest of this subject, must have their spirit from hence; which also, will not only easily, but excellently sort therewith, and better than with any other; and though the manner or order of any thing cannot be shown, but upon supposition of the matter known, or in the showing to be withal made known: yet when the Apostle cometh, v. 6. to assume and conclude his intent in the premises, v. 1. to 5. he seemeth to have supposed, and intended only the distinctness of the Church states, by their peculiar Functions, and the order of exercising them in the Church Assembly; only in the handling, Paul, after the excellent Scripture-manner, interlaceth the peculiar virtues of three of the Offices, which were hardest to be known, leaving the other two easier to be by the like course understood, as on the other side, he expresseth his main drift of charging the distinctness of the Offices, and their Functions, only in the two first, leaving the like to be supposed in the other three; so that it is expressly proved, that the Offices are distinct, v. 6. which after are expressed to be five. In the Inference therefore of v. 6. is the drift of the Holy Ghost expressed, which is the Soul and Life of the whole Context: upon it, therefore, we are to stand as we use to do, on the parting of the Branches from the Body of the Tree; for the best finding and gathering the Fruit of the Tree, whereby the Nature of the Tree, and Intent of the Planter is best to be discerned; that therefore saith, We having then gifts (or since than we have gifts) according to the grace (measure of Faith, v. 3. that is given, (measured v. 3.) different, (divers or distinct) whether it be Prophesy (the estate or ability of a Church-Prophet, or both): according to the proportion (measure v. 3. gift v. 6.) of Faith (grace v. 6.) 2. Of the Interest in Christ's body, v. 4, 5. or Worship and Will of God, v. 1, 2.) He seemeth to have left the speech very imperfect; yet therein he most excellently perfecteth the drift of the Holy Ghost affirmed; that is, to prove a distinct observance in the offices, and not to provoke unto vehemency in the execution, which will undoubtedly follow this distinct discerning the special intent of God's zealous and jealous distinguishing them. Secondly, it suiteth with the ten times greater care that is taken throughout the Scriptures, that God's Worship should be observed according to his Precepts, Statutes, or Institutions, or Laws; and Zeal that is used, in the reproof of the contrary, than that a zealous Worship should be given him. Thirdly, he therein well observeth the order of the Commandments, in more regarding the second than the third. And fourthly, the order of Nature, which first, and more regardeth the truth of the matter then the measure. And fifthly, his own scope, intimated in the five former verses, and oft expressed, to take care for God's Worship of his Word, v. 1. of his Will, v. 2. of his apportioning, v. 3. of his disposing, v. 4, 5. of his divers giving, v. 6. and of his exact distinguishing, v. 6, 7, 8. more than for the measure thereof. Sixthly, he well preferreth the main of the matter, before the exactness of words, yea than competency: but in this case of endangering the proper scope of the place, which would have been the easier wrested, to the provoking and stirring up the gifts and powers, had there been the least word of provocation or exhortation expressed; and therein some way should seem to have been given to the Babylonish confusion of God's Worship, currant in the World for the true; yea, the zeal for the Worship established, mixed with the acuteness and violentness of the interessed therein, would have made it seem, that it had made way for the same: but the Holy Ghost would not give them so much cloak for their sin, and deceit of the weak: neither know I what other pretence of the scope of this place can yield to any kind of audaciousness of Conscience herein. Seventhly, he could not have perfected that verse, (nor v. 7. nor 8.) but he must have endangered the other, and so the whole, in some measure; at least, if the phrase which is as the Charret-man of the Holy Ghost, should have failed in this sore-front of the Battle, the fearful and far-of, would first have shrunk, and then the next would have followed for company; and so the rest must have been overcome by violence; which was the case of Darius Codomanus, and the reputed Cause of the translating of the Monarchy of the Persians to the Grecians: But the Allseeing Wisdom better provided for his Charret-man in th●s great Case, though ordinarily he rideth more open, plainly, boldly, and at liberty. This, therefore, is a second Argument, that the scope of the place, is to teach the distinctness of the Offices, and their Functions, in that this sixth verse is left so extremely imperfect, and no other good reason being for it, but to prevent evasion therefrom; for though it be said, v. 6. Let us prophesy; and v. 7. Let him wait on; and v. 8. Let him do it: yet there is not a word thereof in the Original, but the Translators have taken liberty to insert them all, because to them there seemed otherwise no sense; whereas they have thereby made new Scripture of their own, yea contrary to the intent of the Holy Ghost, if they and their Readers intent any Exhortation to the Acts of Prophecy, Ministration, Distribution, with Simplicity, etc. or to vehemency in any of them, or to any thing, but the precise observance of God's allotment committed to them. Thirdly, as the first Argument proveth the intent to charge the distinctness, and the second to prevent all evasions therefrom: so doth the exact Analysis of all Church-States, and their Functions in the matter preceding, second both therein. In ver. 4, and 5. we are to observe; first the positive part, and then their opposite; and in the former, their Fabric itself, and its use and end: their Fabric is a body, with its members and their works: the end thereof, is the entire good of the body, and each part thereof: the other ends thereof are proper to the relation of these verses with the three former, and three following. The Fabric itself is twofold, Natural and Spiritual: the former is set by the Holy Ghost here, as the Protasis and Pattern of the latter; and the latter, as the Apodosis and reflex of the former; not as a bare simile or allusion, but as such a necessited and complete Directory and Pattern of Divine Evangelical Worship; as the Pattern seen by Moses in the Mount was unto him for the Tabernacle, and all things thereof, and the Pattern left by David to Solomon, was to him for the Temple, and all things of the Temple, and both for the main Warrant of the Legal Worship; so is the Protasis here said to be the Pattern, and thereby made the Warrant of Evangelical worship: a distinct and intent view therefore is to be taken of this Divine Exemplar, that our writing may be answerable, and so acceptable, divine, and holy; whereas otherwise, the fairest writing in letters of gold, and with all ornaments, is odious to God, as self-boasting, yea against him. This Pattern is not simply a natural body, but as it is the Pattern and Protasis of a politic body; as the scope of the place and the offices, v. 7, 8. being the instanced parts of that body show. Divers Doctrines gathered from Rom. 12. v. 3. to 8. Doct. 1. THE first Doctrine v. 3. is from To each one: That God's charge & benefit in his Worship, is to be singularly respected by each Christian, and not only in the lump and general: for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is so placed, as it respecteth both Paul's charge, and Gods apportioning of Faith. The 2. is, from the Portion: Each Christian hath his portion in God's Worship, and its blessings: And the 3. God giveth his Worship as Sons portions. The 4. is in the Faith: Faith only giveth interest in God's Ordinances. The 5. is, in that this generalness of the boundedness and distinctness of God's Worship is set down between the proper generals and particulars thereof, we are taught, That boundedness and distinctness of God's Worship is to be observed as a part thereof in the prescription and practise thereof. From the illustration of the matter of the three first verses, by assimiling the body and members of our person with their Functions, Works, and Distinctness, ariseth the 6th. Por●sma, that the body and the estates, or enrighting designations of Gods instituted Worship, with their Functions, Works, and Distinctness, are most like to the same in our persons. The 7. is from For, v. 4. Of the same rational nature with For, v. 3. That no exact illustration of the body, members with their employments, boundedness, distinctness, and uses of God's Worship, is to be omitted in the Declaration thereof. And the 8th. That, no justifications of the assertions thereabout are to be neglected. The 9 is from As, That the proper similes of the Scripture not only exemplify, but prove so far as they are applied either in the Protasis, or Apodosis. The 10. is from Body; That the Church of Rome to which Paul wrote, was but as our individual body, ●ot as a compact of all humane bodies, as now that so called is. The 11. is from One body; That the true Church is as the unum primum, or Basis, wherein all things Ecclesiastical inhere, and from whence they are derived, and whereby they actuate and fructify; but not any Church-Office, whether Pope, King, or Pastor: nor any Society of Officers; as Assembly, or Synod universal, or particular Classis, or Consistory. The 12. is from In; That all Church-States enrighting to Church-works or Benefits, are inseparable accidents, proper adjuncts, and essentiated inherents of the Church, not of any officer. The 13. is from Members; That the Church is a body organical in its plenary constitution: And the 14. that no Church-State is the body, but a member thereof; and therefore the Pope, nor no supreme Officer, can be the Church. The 15. is from Many: That there are many Church-States, and not only one, from whence other Officers or States are derived, and so should be Deputy-States, not Church-States: And the 16. That God is bountiful in his Portions of Faith. The 17. is from Have (not members have us) That Church-offices, Ministeries, and States, are adjuncts of the Church which is first in Nature, and their Root and Basis; but they are not its Root nor Basis, nor any way precedent, either in Time, Nature, nor Dignity before it, as such; but as it consisteth of particular members, over the well-being of each of which they are set, but not over their being, as they be Christians, nor a Church: And also the 18. that the Ministers are the Church's Angels, and members: but the Church is not the Minister's Church. The 19 is from We have: That all Churches are in relation to each other, as equal particulars of the Church in general, as each of our persons are of man in general. And the 20. There is no more an Universal particular Church, Head or Body of Churches, than of particular men. And the 21. Our persons are the original pattern of the instituted Church, imitable after the strictest manner, of which a Spiritual Body Politic is capable; as simillimum, not idem. And the 22. the knowledge of the nature of the Church, and Church-Estates, is easy to all reasonable men, i● if Historically believing this one place; much more to Christians led by the Spirit of grace in its patterning; especially if they understand by Learning or Experience, the nature of a Civil Body Politic, the medium simillimum to both person and Church. The 23. is from and; That God hath avoided confusion in our many personal members, by assigning them distinct Functions. The 24. is from all Members have not one Function by a Graecisme; or, in English phrase, No Member hath the same Function; or rather it is of the same words. And the 25. Our Members are bounded, but not bondaged, counter-distinct, but not opposite. The 26. is from Hath; That membral Functions, are adjuncts to the members of the Body, and so, that the Membral-Estates denominate the Membral-actions and administrations, but not è contra. The 27. is from One, or in English, one and the same, or the same in kind, That each member of the body hath its counter-distinct Function, end, or use. And the 28. That each member is not to be employed to all that it can do, but to its distinct and proper work; as the Eye to see, the Ear to hear, the Nose to smell, the palate to taste; but none of them to feeling, though in some sense they all can; nor the hands to either of the four, though in some remote consequence, they serve to the same use, in case of defect, with unseemlyness, and out of the due course of Nature. The 29. is from Practice, Function, or Work; That no member ought to be idle, but active and operative. The 30. is from even so, v. 5. That so much expresness of Form is necessary in this matter of God's Worship, as is to make way for, and confirm the Logical consequences therein; i. e. that it is an exact simile between man created after God's Image, and the Church of Ordinances instituted after Christ's Image: And therefore all the Doctrines well arising out of the former verse and protasis, in respect of the body, its members, and their function, are to be understood as good, as expressed in the Apodosis in this verse; adding only the Church, instead of the Body, and Ministerial for Membrall, which I for the present leave to be done, i. e. The 31. to be deduced from the 24, the 32 from the 25, the 33 from the 26, the 34 from the 27, supplying the particulars from v. 7, 8. i e. the Teacher, to teach; the Exhorter, to exhort; the Distributer, to distribute; the Ruler, to rule; the shower of mercy, to show mercy; and the 35 from the 28, with the same addition: and the 36. from the 29. and the 37. from the 23. The complete parallelling of this simile is very large, and seeming in its exact prosecution, more formal than necessary, which seemeth to have been the reason why the Holy Ghost hath left them to be deduced by firm consequence, but hath not exactly paralleled all particulars: wherefore I will not be extreme herein, either in negligence of all that is intimated, nor in exactness in what it hath left unexact in particulars: yet is there some vice versa to be applied, from the Apodosis, to the Protasis; as the 38. from, in Christ, or by the institution of Christ, That the created order of the members of our body, with their use and natural comelyness, is to be observed perpetually. And the 39 That each member of the body is for the benefit of each; these two are to be deduced from the two next clauses following. The 40. is from in Christ: That the special form of all instituted Worship, is Christ's institution: And the 41. from the same, in relation to the many other causes of true worship, That subordinate causes exclude not, nor oppose each other: so that the same worship may well be called the Worship of God, of the Will of God, of Christ and of the Word. And the 42. in relation of this distinctness counterdistinguished from the material parts of God's Worship, That Christ is more manifested in the distinctness than in the materials of God's Worship. The 43. is from each one another's members: That each member of the Church, is for the benefit of each other member thereof: And 44. Much more for the whole: and 45. Neither the Church nor its members, are for any one member, as for its superior; but only as for its part, or their fellow-member: or as for their singular Superior deputed by the Church, as an encorporated general over each particular. The 44. is from each in particular: In relation to one body, That there is an express difference between the Church-members relation to the Church, and to each other: so that the 45. Ministerial or organical members, have power, or rather government of, over or objectively, for each member; but not of, over or objectively for the Church, as an encorporated body; but only as deputedly and Ministerially for it. And so 46. No Minister can excommunicate the Church. The 46. is from the same words referred to Many: That the Officers diversely respect the generality of the many Members, and the particularity of each member. The two first respecting the generality, they being charged with the work of publication, and pressing the general Word of God; and the three last of the five, respecting each particular, member as a part of the Church, to which they are concredited. This divers respect is express in the Text; but the apportionment is of the divers reason of the offices insinuated. The 47. is from the mutual relation of these three words, one, many, each, That the Church, as one is supreme, in respect of its particular members, is inferior to all the offices; but as many, it is of a mixed State; as the greater many it hath the power of the offices, and their min●strations toward each member, (i. e. of the Ruler, and his Ruling; the Distributer, and his distributing; ●nd of the Mercy-shewer, and her showing of mercy toward the Sick) but as the lesser many, it is subject to them all three in these three administrations. The 48. is from None hath the same Function, compared with, but each one another's member: That all the Church-Estates are bounded as duties, and apportioned as benefits, distinctly in their Functions, and jointly in their end. The 49. is from are, compared with have, That the Church-Estates, are but the constituting parts of, and possessed by the Church, not the thing constituted nor possessing: By Church-Estates, are meant Offices, Prophetships, and Memberships of the Church as instituted. The 50. is from then or therefore, ver. 6. That what followeth, is inferred from what preceded. The 51. is from, We having, That each Member hath his part in the Church-duties and benefits. The 52. is from gifts: The divers parts of God's Worship are not only duties, but also free gifts of God to his Saints, for their good. The 53. is from distinct: That the precedent general scope, was to show, that the Church-Estates are distinct in their Institution, and so to be observed in their use; and the 54. that the future scope is to particularise that distinctness. The 55. is from, according unto grace: That there ought to be a proportionableness observed between the parts of God's Worship, as instituted and constituted, their Essence and Existence, their Precept and Practice. The 56. is in the grace: That Christ's Institutions come from, operate by, and tend unto God's special grace. The 57 is from that is given: That God always giveth abilities fit for the Church-Estates. The 58. is from us: That abilities in the Saints only, are capable of Church-Estates. [Note, that the Texts of the two last Doctrines, viz. that is given, and us, & given unto us, (as p. 76. l. 24.) do supply that which seems to be omitted in the translation of v. 6. after the word grace, p 2. l. 13.] The 59 is from according to the proportion: That the Execution of our assigned Estates, aught to be proportionable to our distinct assignments; and the breach thereof is faithless unproportionableness. And the 60. compared with the portion of Faith, v. 3. and according to the grace given us, v. 6. So that the general, both Doctrine and Use, v. 3. and 6. and the particularising of both annexed, evince and urge that a necessity of exact distinctness between the several Church-Estates, is to be observed. The 61. is from of Faith, with the same ver. 3. That it is the duty of Faith, and the faithful, to observe God's proportion in the Works and Fruits of Faith, so well as to receive the benefits and confirmations thereof. Hitherto of the generals of true Worship in its parts, order, and ornaments: The special particulars thereof follow; whence the rest are orderly to be deduced. The 62. is from Whether, Not both, as, or even; That the exactest distinctive terms are to be used in the distinctness of the Church-Estates. The 63. is from Prophecy: That the ability of any member to prophesy, enstateth and enrighteth him to the Exercise of Prophecy. And the 64. referred to or an Office, That Personal and Ministerial Estates are to be kept distinct: And the 65. referred to Teaching, and Exhorting (part of the Function of the Prophets) that membrall and Ministerial Estates are distinct, and so to be kept even in the same works, i. e. in their respects, causes, and degrees. The 66. is from the placing according to the proportion of Faith, after whether Prophecy; though without those words there is only the form of an inference without any thing inferred, That whatsoever is true or good in the generals, is so also in the particulars: And the 67. from the same reason of annexing them to all and every of the other particulars, That the exact proportion between our Church-Offices, and their Functions, is to be kept; and yet more particularly referred to the Teacher. The 68 that the Ministerial Teacher ought to observe this proportionableness between his Office and Function; the 69, 70, 71, and 72. flow thence, by the same consequence, from the Exhorter, the Distributer, the Ruler, and the shower of mercy. The variety and plenty of this boundedness, distinctness, and proportionableness both, in the general, is so abundant and express, that I doubt whether I should more fear the neglect of the Holy Ghosts abundance in the same, or the tediousness of my needless expressing what is by it so plentifully plain, and durst not here omit to express them, were it not partly that I have in a good measure expressed the same, but especially lest I should seem too vain in repetitions, since I may not here insist on the showing their difference, from the many former ones of the much like nature; yet doth the clearness of Wit, and weakness of Will of this Age and present occasions, force me to this solicitous pressing this expresness and variety of the Holy Ghost herein; which I have oft in the generals observed; and ought thence to be applied to these their many particulars, by those which doubt that the scope of the Holy Ghost in this place, is to describe and prescribe the distinctness of the Church-estates; if the very application of the many phrases, v. 3, 4, 5, ct 6. in the generals, unto these express particulars, with what I have here written, be not sufficient thereto. But this seeming so unresistable, I will annex the manner of this distinctness so charged in this place, from the words following, particularising these generals. The 73. is from or an office; as the special particular of all the generals preceding, and general of all the following particulars, That all the former prescribings and describings of the distinctness, boundedness, and proportionableness in Gods true Worship in the general, is wholly to be applied to the Church-Offices in particular: And 74. what is said of the Church-Offices in general, is expressly applied to every of the five Offices in particular. A Summary Description of all the Nine Church-States, with their distinct Works. THE special real parts of Divine worship, of the second Commandment, of the second Petition, of the second work of Faith, 2 Pet. 1.5. i e. Knowledge of God's special Will, are the Church-Estates, Ministry, or Memberships, their power or actuation, and success. The Church-States are in number 9; 4 integral; & 5 organical, instrumental, or ministerial: in all which, in common, there is to be considered their personal existence, estate of order, their power in actions of Worship, and the proceed of them all. The first Church-estate is of Infants, and such as are not of Discretion, Reason, and Knowledge, to discern the Lords body, and acts of Worship: yet are they true members of the Church, enrighted thereby to receive the seal thereof, and its privileges. The second is of women, who have nor only right by their Church-estate, to passive privileges, as the first; but also to be active in the active privileges and seals, and to receive actual assurance thereof themselves. The third is of Males of age and discretion, enrighted thereby both to the nourishing and trading Church-priviledges; and also to the Church-power of voting, whereby their voices are to be accepted. The fourth is of Prophets, or membral or integral Teachers, enrighted to use and exercise their personal ability of Speaking to Edification, Exhortation, and Comfort in the exercise of Prophecy, to edify the Church. These are the integral parts of the Church. The first of the Organical, is the Teacher, whose Ministerial Office is Ministerially to teach, inform, prove, disprove, and administer the Teaching Seals for knowledge. The second is the Exhorter, whose instituted office is to exhort, dehort, comfort, reprove, and terrify, by the preaching the Word, and administration of the Sacraments, as Seals thereof, unto the Sanctification of the Church. The third is the Ruler, whose office is to order Church-actions, and other Church-estates and offices in their execution, and pronounce the Church-sentences of Admission, Excommunication, Ordination, Deprivation: for good behaviour. The fourth is the Distributer, Deacon or Helper, whose Office is to receive and distribute the alms of the Church, to provide Meeting-places, Bread, Wine, and Water, with their fit Vessels for the Sacraments: for provision. The fift is the shower of mercy, Mercier, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the Widow, or Woman-Deacon, whose office is to keep the Sick, and supply their natural wants in Food, Physic, Warmth, and other helps for their preservation. The first three of these Offices are called by one common name of Bishops, Act. 20.28. because their Office is set to oversee, take care and charge of the Church in all Spiritual means of knowledge, grace, and honest behaviour, for the benefit of the Church thereby. Secondly, they are Feeders, Shepherds, or Pastors, Act. 20.28, for their duty to feed, nourish, and physic the Church, by all means of information, reformation, and preservation spiritual, for its benefit thereby. They, thirdly, are also called Elders, Presbyters, or Ancients, Act. 20.17. for their duty to be grave, stayed, discreet, and to be examples to the younger sort, and by their experience and habit of knowledge, virtue, and gravity, to benefit the Church. The other two are also jointly called Deacons and Helpers, for their office of service to the Church, and help to the other three offices in the mentioned particulars, that nothing be wanting to the Church and its overseeing offices. These are the nine sorts of Church-members, Portions, Proportions, Gifts, and Graces, Rom. 12.3. to 6. enrighted there by to receive the benefits of Christ, and do his special works allotted to his Church, for his special worship, and their good. The first four as children, women, men, Prophets, have by their Church-membership an addition to their Personal Saintship, of public right to the duty and benefits of Divine Worship, the second Commandment, and the second Petition for their grace and exercise. The last five, as Church-officers, have a farther privilege and duty by their instituted offices, to purchase a good degree in the Faith, and to be promoted to an higher work, and so to expect a greater blessing here and hereafter. These are the particulars of the real parts of Divine Worship, etc. and their subsequents; the immediate previal thereof, is the power of the Church sanctified by the Word of the Apostles of the Christ of God, to enright those estates in those works for those ends. The immediate previal cause of the first four is the actuated Covenant of the Saints to be a Church, whereby they are made members thereof, and therewith enrighted to receive, and do their distinct works unto those benefits. But of the last five, it is the Church-power electing and ordaining them into those Offices, enrighting them to those administrations for the Churches, and their own edification, exhortation, and comfort, and for God's Worship. Therein are two doubts, whether Election or Ordination be the proper and predominant informing cause? 1. But Church-Election is the procreating act in the Spiritual Nature of things. 2. Giving the Office and Right. 3. To administer. 4. To God and the Church. For Ordination is only a Ministerial, and no immediate and proper Church-action: but one Minister hath no power sanctified by God to procreate another as under the Law, but is only as the Midwife to help in the birth of that office, etc. Secondly, Church-election (according to the express pattern of the Church, its Power, Offices, and their choice and working, set Rom. 12.1. to 8.) createth, giveth right & charge unto the Officers elected to work for the Church; but Ordination is only a necessited act appointed by the body to manifest and complete its choice by some ceremonial act instituted to that end, without any real or arbitrary Power in the Ordainer, etc. The second doubt is, Whether the consent of the chosen be essentially requisite; but it is only by conveniency, and for the bene esse; the efficient Power being in the Church to choose its Officers, etc. but not to contract. The superior and remote previals, and precedent Causes efficient, material, formal, and intentional, are many; but the chief are mentioned already. The Uses are first in the general of all the parts to observe their concordance in one Root, even the Church; from which they receive their Being, Life, and Power: The four first by their admission: The five last by their Election, to do and receive good. Then their agreement with each other in they fraternity and portions; Children having the same Church-membership with the other 8; women the same right with the last 7, to the Word, Sacraments, and Prayer; Men the right to Church-power, with the last 6; and Prophets so true a right to speak in the Church, to the edification, exhortation, and comfort thereof, as the three sorts of Bishops, Pastors, and Elders; though not with the like measure, charge, authority, and blessing. Likewise, the Teacher hath charge and authority over all, both integral and ministerial members, in matters of knowledge, proof, disproof, and motives to knowledge: The Exhorter, over all in matters of Exhortation, Comfort, and their Opposites: The Ruler in matters of order and government. Also, the Distributer hath charge to serve all Church-members in matters of provision, and help in Church-services; and the Widow in matters of preservation. Secondly, observe their special distinctness according to their diversity of gifts, graces, and proportions, commanded Rom. 12.3, 6, 7, 8. to every one of the Church in particular. 1. The Under-aged to rest in their being estated in the Church, and their passive privileges of Baptism, and measure of the Word, Prayer, and Order; and not to usurp above their giftedness, with natural activeness. 2. The Women not to meddle with any kind of authority, order, or power, their inferiority of Sex disenabling them therein, by a natural disproportion thereto. 3. Adulti, and of active discretion, not enabled to speak as Prophets, must according to that want, abstain from Prophesying, and works of Office, not being deputed thereto by state or act. 4. The Prophets also are not to speak Ministerially with authority, charge, threats, and vehemency; but only with strength of arguments, brotherly persuasions and motives, and less frequent and large than the Ministers; and also in their distinct course, place, and time. 5. The Teacher also is not to press Exhortations, Comforts, & their contraries, on the affection and hearts in purposes of practice, but to leave them distinct for the Exhorter: neither is he to exercise any work of government. 6. No, nor the Exhorter, but as actually deputed by the Church, in case of absence of a Ruler, but in which case, neither of them are to admit, excommunicate, ordain, degrade members nor officers, nor order the Church-exercises. 7. Neither is the Ruler Ministerially to preach, but only on particular occasions; in Church-dealing with the Erroneous, perverse, and ill-behavioured, they are to inform, exhort, and do all acts of Preaching to those parties; but they are on no occasion to administer the Sacraments. 8. The Distributer is not to use any of those three kinds of works: neither are any of these to speak in the exercise of Prophecy, but as Prophets; laying aside in that act, all Ministerial authority, etc. nay, they are not by their office to do the work of the widows. 9 But they (i. e. the widows) only are Ministerial to attend thereon, but to use no Ministerial work in the Congregation, nor to prophesy. This mutual distinctness, is so mainly charged on the Church, and every Church-estate, for observation of order, and avoiding consusion, as the due derivation of those estates, and exercise of their works, for avoiding desolation, and the refusal of other estates derivations and works, for avoiding of abominations, the contrary practice and titles being the proper nature and brand-mark of Antichrist, as that Babylon the great, that Apollyon, Abaddon, destroyer and desolation, and that abomination, outlaw, that vile one, that Tyrant ruling by his own Will, Dan. 11.21, 31, 36, 37. yea, this distinctness is the prime and proper scope of Rom. 12.1. to 8. as v. 3. in the whole, and the boundings in every verse after, and the no affectionate provocation in any verse, do show, as I have amply cleared before. Thirdly, observe their variety and adequate extent to Christ's fullness, and our emptiness, and to our abilities and Christ's employments: But this being seasonable, after the third real part of Worship now ensuing, I will refer it thither, both for the near relation of the third part to the two preceding, and for the joint pertinency of that observation to both the last parts. The third real part of Divine Worship of the second Commandment, of the second Petition, the second Title of Christ, Esa. 9.6. viz. Orderer, Councillor, or Judge, of the second fruit of Faith, 2 Pet. 1.5. Knowledge of what virtues he requireth, etc. consisteth of the Administrations of those Ministries, and privileges of those memberships, or jointly of the works and privileges of that Church, and those Church-estates. The abilities requisite to the first Office, and the correspondent exercise of them are; 1. Skill in the Original Tongues, and clearing the difficulties of the Translation. 2. Skill in the instrumental Arts, Grammar, Rhetoric, and Logic, and expounding, metaphrasing, and analysing the Text, as need is. 3. Knowledge of positive Divinity, and showing the Doctrine thereof in the Text. 4. Knowledge of the controversies raised against the same, and ability to answer them, and confuting them. 5. Informing, conforming, comforting, and confirming in those Knowledges, and their Uses in the general; partly, in a fraternal referting the particular prosecution thereof to the Exhorter, as the propriety of his office; and partly for consonancy therewith. 2. The powers and practices of the second office, are, exhortation to the said duties, and promises particularly, with all power and charge, as God's Ambassadors, 2 Cor. 5.18, to 21. Ephes. 6.20. and consequent dehortation from the contrary, and confirming in the same Faith, Holiness, and Order; and also discouraging, reproving, and terrifying from the contrary: all four, with all arguments of proof to the mind, motives of consent to the heart, provocations to the affections and to practice, and with removal of the contrary: for the differencing properties of these two offices, are not only in the mentioned actions, but principally in their distinct scope: of the first to inform the mind: of the second to conform the heart; that though in their prosecution of their said scopes, they promiscue use the actions of informing and conforming: yet those actions are, and are to be denominated according to the drifts and predominant purpose of those distinct officers, in the discharge of their offices: yet where there is all due ability, and loving communicating of each others studies and purposes, there is little need of this observation to preserve the distinctness of these two offices; the Sacraments and Prayer are common to these two. 3. The Duties and works of the Ruler are first ordering the beginning of the Congregation, by Prayer and a Psalm, and every distinct state and work thereof, and their continuance; and dissolving the Congregation, with his Prayer, and a Psalm. 2. Disposing of the place of the whole Congregation, and each distinct part thereof. 3. Charging each distinct part to perform their office, and keep their bounds. 4. To see all the Ordinances of Worship orderly performed, and false Worship suppressed. 5. He is not only thus the mouth of God to the Church, and its estates; but also the mouth of the Church to the estates thereof to be admitted, excommunicated, ordained, and degraded; for upon the Church acts of election or rejection of a Member or Minister, he is to declare the sentence, and perform the sentenced act of admission, or dismission of a member, and of Ordination or Degradation of an officer, in way of compliment of the act, and publishing the Decree of the Church. Of which last, and least work of the Ruler, i. e. of his doing, or undoing ordination, it is very remarkable, that where Christ endeth his Elders, Overseers, and Shepherds Offices, viz. in Ordination, there Antichrist beginneth his: like Herod, who never saw Christ till the day of his crucifying. Secondly, though to conjoin the Elderly, charging and feeding offices, I thus place the Ruler before the Distributer; yet both in order of Execution and in necessity; and also in all the expressions of the Word, Rom. 12.8. 1 Cor. 12.29. Act. 6. the Distributer is first; and so this act of Ordination is the work of the last of all Male-Officers of the Church, and that his last and least work; for his works from God to the Church, and its Church-estates, are greater than his work from the Church to its Members; and also his completing and pronouncing about Election or Rejection of a Member, is before the same about and Officer; for he must be first a Member integral, and so it is the last of all actions in the Congregation; for the Widow is to do no work therein. 3. It is the last and least of all Church or Ministerial actions, it being only complementary, ceremonial, & for solemnity & distinct orderlyness; but the essence and substance of the Ministry is effected in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Church-election, by holding up the hands, or the like choice-declaring act, whereto the Rulers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, or laying on of his hand, is but ad bene esse, and for the solemnity of the Divine Office: so that their first, is God's last; their greatest, is Gods least; and the Prelates, essence and essentiating work, is itself but a circumstantial and complementary Ceremony: no marvel then, that they are such Ceremony-mongers, Makers, and Masters, I had almost said Ceremony-Monsters. These are extenuations of a special Nature; but suppose it a Divine Ordinance: yet there are many great extirpations of that Divineness, and deposers thereof, below the basest things, as they use it. For the Prelates appropriate it to their Bishop's office, which is none of Gods, as they institute it distinct in office from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Presbyter, Elder, or (in their own term) Priest; for the two words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are of the same extent, convertible, and used prom●scue, and that expressly, in all the places where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used, which are but four, Act. 20. Phil. 1. 1 Tim. 3. and Tit. 1. and so their Ordination of a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, as by a distinct office, is not a nullity divine, but even an absolute nullity, or worse, even a Devil, or Idol, where God's holy things are given or sacrificed. Secondly, their Ordination is administered not only out of the Church, but without all relation as from it, yea or as by it: nay, nor for it, which is their only pretended respect thereof to the Church; for, first they suppose no Corporation, for, or to whom they are confined, but only the universal Church, which is the mystical body of Christ, and no Ordinance of Worship; but that which is worst of all, they usurp the nature, & arrogate the name of the Church to themselves; and their natures, and practise in all things proportionably, though in case of opposition or danger they hid it, as all Traitors, Felons, etc. do. But alas this breulate will not endure the deserved Aggravation of this Trojan horse, but must in this entrance thereon abruptly refer the prosecution thereof to a distinct Tract, no occasion being sufficient. 4. The duties and works of the Distributer are receiving the contribution of the Church, and distributing the same with simplicity. Secondly, helping the Church and Elders, in providing Water, Bread, and Wine, for the Sacraments, and fit Utensils to that end, and in other necessary services therein, according to their names, helps, and servants, not only in respect of the Church, but the overseeing offices thereof, in counter-distinction from whom they are termed Deacons or Servants. Thirdly, preservation of the Church-stock, as keeping of the purse, by soliciting the Lawsuits, and attendance on the employments of that stock, for the setting the Poor thereof on work, and building or repairing the place of meeting. 5. The administration of the Mercier, or shower of mercy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to attend the Sick, especially the Poor Sick (who cannot hire helpers) in their Food, Physic, Warmth, Comfort, and Natural necessity. Secondly, their visiting the Sick and dejected in spirit, and comforting them with all cheerfulness of motives, mind, and behaviour, Rom. 12.8. with cheerfulness, which is more proper to the diseases of the mind, then of the body. More especially of the th●●e first offices and their functions both jointly and severally, as they in the general agree in any terms, and as they are effecting the same thing, though in divers respects: for the first they are jointly termed and called in the Scripture 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Surveyors, Overseers, or Bishops, Act. 20.28. Phil. 1.1. 1 Tim. 3. 1 Tit. 1.7. Secondly, Act. 20.1.7. Tit. 1.5. 1 Tim. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Elders, Ancients, or Seniors, etymologically, and Priests Popishly, and Presbyters the Mincers and Refiners of Popish terms. Thirdly, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Shepherds, Feeders, Pastors, Act. 20.28. Ephes. 4.11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Leaders, Superiors, and Watchmen, 1 Thes. 5. 1 Tim. 5.17. The first 3. being applied expressly to them as officers of one nature, well jointly mentioned by and under those three names. The fourth, or latter three have express relation only to their joint actions of going befor●, standing over looking to the Church, which yet are to be supposed to have respective relation to those Offices, whose properly they are known to be by other places of Scripture, which by the scope of the Holy Ghost, not only distinctly describe, but institutingly prescribe them to us, as divine and holy Offices or Ministries, jointly concurring in those terms and things signified by them. Now therefore to confuse this distinct order of God, and to disjoin what God hath thus conjoined, is an abomination to the Divine Author, and a desolation to his Divine Order, and therefore well surnamed by him that Babylon, Babel, or Confusion, Rev. 14.17, 18. both of Tongues and Terms, originally both, Gen. 11.9. and here, and also, and especially of his Divine Order of Worship therewith, which God hath charged to be kept distinct, Rom. 12.3, 6, 7, 8. especially in the distinctness of these three eminent Church-offices; so that to desolate them, by pounding and confounding all three particular existents into one, and that in the terms which the Scripture useth as general and common to all three; yea, thereby, as by Divine Authority, is the high degree of Ministerial confusion, or Babylon that great, Rev. 17.5. In the latter joint respect, they reflect (a) Externally on their (b) Author, Enrighting, i. e. Christ in his three Offices, of Prophecy, Priesthood, Kingship. Enabling, i. e. the Holy Ghost in its three gifts of Teaching, Exhorting, Ruling. (b) Objects. Faculties or Powers, i. e. their Understanding, Heat, Practic powers. Habits: Moral; knowledge, virtue, or sincerity in conversation. Spiritual, Information, Exhortation, Government. (a) Internally on their subjects, i. e. The Ministers; Medial, Ministerial, or Functional. Severally and particularly of the first: it is a Church-office deputed by Christ, as Prophet, to administer all his teaching Ordinances, for the Churches spiritual information, Rom. 12.7. Ephes. 4.11. the genus or common matter is a Church-Office; the efficient is, Christ deputing it as Prophet; the formal scope, or specifical difference is, to administer all Christ's teaching Ordinances: the final cause is, For God's Worship, and the Churches spiritual information: All, and only which, are requisite in this definition, which is confirmed by the places annexed to be of a divine nature and authority for Christ's service, and Christians benefit, in all spiritual knowledge; compared with the rest of those Chapters, and their scope: for Rom. 12.1. proveth it a particular of the Worship of the Word, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, v. 2. to be a part of God's Will-worship, so called, to show the high cause and nature thereof, and in opposition to man's Will-worship, Col. 2.23. and so to be deputed by Christ; v. 3. chargeth its distinctness from the other divine offices in general, which v. 7. doth also in particular, in the word Within; v. 4, 5, 6. show it to be a Church-office, member, and gift, v. 7. calleth it an office, which the article ὁ confirmeth, especially in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; v. 7. also showeth its distinguishing form in the words, the Teacher, and Teaching, v●z. by personal and instituted Ordinances, which are , with their abilities and execution in the third part. The end is strongly imported in all the other three parts of the definition; for though definitions of natural things require only the matter and form: yet these institutions primarily require the efficient and end also; and the goodness of the work on the Workers part, requireth also knowledge of these things, and sincere obedience to the commander; and also his enrighting estate, or membership of a Church, before he is accepted as a Divine Worshipper, and Officer of the Church. In these Church-exercises are to be considered the works themselves toward each other. In themselves first, Prophecy is God's Ordinance to gifted persons; a membral speaking by two or three in the Church to edification, exhortation, and comfort of all the Church: all but membral is expressed 1 Cor. 14.3, 4, 5, 12, 19, 24. and that at least is to be understood, in that it is written to a Church: and v. 34. a woman is forbidden to speak in the Church, in handling this Exercise: Now none hath power or privilege in the Church, or its Exercises, but Church-members; and that at the least, in that Rom. 12.6, with 7. it is expressly distinct from a Ministry: indeed, able gifts are necessary, and as necessarily to be understood, in speaking to Edification, Exhortation, and Comfort; for without them, none can so do, and so is not necessary to be expressed. 1. From this definition arise these points: first, all members of Churches that can speak to Edification, Exhortation, and comfort of the Church, may, and aught to do it, in the exercise of Prophecy. 2. Only such, and such may. 3. The Officers of the Church as such, except the Ruler ih his ordering the action, have interest in Prophecy above other members; but in priority of order, and betterness of gifts, the former giveth only firstness in the course agreed on by the Prophets: the latter only more length of time. 4. The Church (or Rulers) as such, hath no more authority to prescribe the Doctrines and Texts to the Prophets, then to the Ministers of the Word, the Teacher and Exhorter; but rather less in two respects: First, because the Ministers have right and charge from the Deputation of the Church, but the Prophets not so; but their membership they have by and with their Original Church-state, and not by any derivation therefrom, and their gifts from their persons. Secondly, because the Ministers are to be supposed enabled to all Texts and Doctrines, and the Church may more colourably require what Text and Doctrine they think best for them; but the Prophets not so, but are truly such, though enabled but in some Texts and Doctrnes; and so both in regard of their estates and abilities. 5. The number and order of the Speakers, are to be by the agreement of the Prophets themselves, 1 Cor. 14.29. to 33. The Ministers, as Members and Prophets, having but the priority and moreness of speech in the agreement and exercise, and that only by the light of nature, giving more honour to the more honourable in estate and ability, but giving no Ecclesiastical superiority in Prophecy: the confusion of which two estates seemeth to have been the first Seed of, and step to Antichristianisme. 6. A distinct place for the Speakers in each exercise, is to be designed by the Prophets, or by those that design other Seats, fit to speak out of, and to be heard and seen by all, which seemeth to be before the Elders Pew: proofs hereof are, 1. Act. 13.15. from the ancient Exercise of prophecy among the Jews; for Paul and Barnabas were then and there not known to be Apostles, but were received as gifted Jews, and so manifested of themselves, by sitting in the Seat designed to that end; which also is to be supposed of Christ oft: 2. and from 1 Cor. 14.30. in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, to one or any that sitteth, i. e. if it appear by the Sitters in that Exercise, that much of the time will be employed by the after-speakers, let the first contrive his matter accordingly, that each may have his course, and the Ordinance duly discharged. 3. from the light of Nature, the former grounds considered: First, that there may be an aim in the first Speaker how to contrive his time. Secondly, for the more honesting the exercise itself, by putting some difference between the Speakers, and not Speakers, in that Exercise. Thirdly, for the better opportunity of speaking and hearing; yea, and of being seen: neither is there insinuation of any office thereby, if there be no assignment of the Speakers, nor of their Text or Doctrine by the Church or Elders; and if their original be taken from their memberships, giftedness, and their exercise, and vicissitude be ordered amongst themselves, and kept distinct from the officers, exercised by a distinct prayer, time, and place; and also by a more social and less authoritative speaking then the Teaching-Officers, even in the best enabled, especially in the Rulers, who else by their other authority and sitting with the Ministers of the Word, and in likelihood by their betterness of gifts, will much endanger the distinctness of the body of Christ, so charged Rom. 12.3. to 8. which is worse, than their gracing the Exercise by their office is good. 7. A distinct measure of time, emphasis, and authority, in the utterance, is to be observed, from the Ministers, according to their less authority, promise, charge, and gift, lest confusion and injury grow by the Members Usurpation on the Officers; there is rather doubt that the Prophets have no proper authority, but a right to publish the Law of God, which hath the legal authority of God in itself: whereto is added the Ministerial authority of Christ in his offices, Prophetical in the Teacher, Priestly in the Exhorter, and Kingly in both, as instituted by its extraordinary Deputations of Apostles, Prophets, and Evangelists, and as ordered by its Ordinary, as the Church-Rulers; which also to disobey, addeth greatly to the other disobediences to the Word personally or prophetically read, expounded, and applied; yet since every one that is truly sent to publish the Word, hath a kind of authority, the degrees are principally to be insisted on in the greater promise of a blessing to the Ministerial than to the membral Deputations of Christ, and of like confident expectation thereof: in the greater charge and duty to obey; and also in the greater measure of gifts, which are to be supposed in the Ministers, whereof an answerable success is to be expected. 8. None hath right to exercise as a Prophet out of a Church-Assembly, at least but to Church members, much less one that is no Church-member, whether within or without the Church; though they may, and that successfully, to the begetting and nourishing Faith and its fruits, exercise the same gift, because and as it is personal, which also hath a less measure of authority, charge, promise, and gifts annexed. 9 The scope of the Prophets is to speak to the edification, exhortation, and comfort of the Church, and not for trial, no nor exercise of gifts, though both may also yield that use; and therefore distinct prayer in those respects only is not good, though the goodness of prayer alone be added, because it is here used as a Sanctifier of an action (and not as a distinct action) for the edifying, exhorting, or comforting the Church; much less is the Church's custom, especially if begun on a divers reason, warrant for it, but least of all fear of Innovation, both which are of, through, and for Babylonism, and nourish up carcases and traditions, yea tyranny in the Church, to the eating the heart of Religion and purity of Worship thereout. Secondly, therefore matters of sin, or disorder therein, are no more censurable within that time, than the sins and disorders committed in any other Exercise, but are to be referred to the Exercise of Ruling, at least if great and turbulent; but if only in the length of time, and number, or other orders agreed by the Prophets, they are to be remedied first by the reasons & persuasion of the Prophets, 1 Cor. 14.32. or by them referred to the censure of the Church, in case of obstinacy. Thirdly, therefore each is to be referred to the knowledge of his own ability, and to his fitting it with Text, Doctrine, and Manner; for the fruit is much diminished by the inequality of the matter and ability. Fourthly, though respect be to be had of strangers in many mean circumstances and observations: the main of the course is not to be shaped, nor altered for them. Again briefly of the Organical and five Officers there are five distinct objects, functions, portions, and proportions of Faith, Rom. 12.7, 8. with 3, 4, 5, 6. The first is of the Teacher, who is v. 7. confined within Teaching, which is fourfold, Lingual, Grammatical, Logical, and Ethical. The first is, his apt expressing the Original Tongues, by the Mother-Tongue of the Church. The second is his apt expounding the meaning of the Holy Ghost in the Grammar Phrases and Figures; either in his own person, or metaphrastically in the person of the Writer. The third is, his analytical dividing the word of truth aright into its proper parts, and his genetical incorporating them into one body, inspired or ensouled by the scope of the Holy Ghost. The fourth is, his distinct extracting the Doctrines of the Holy Ghost testimentary and preceptive, and the genuine consequences from them, both confirming and confuting; and his suasive pressing them to approbation. The second is of the Exhorter, which is there called Exhortation, which is either unto good, & from evil, or to stay in good, or flee out of evil; which four are peculiarly called Exhortation, Dehortation, Comfort, and Terror. Now the Sacraments, and singing Psalms, being both teachingly exhorting, and exhortingly teaching, are the works of both these Offices, but most plenarily and properly of the Exhorter; but prayer is equally common not only to these two, but to the other three Offices, before and after the execution of their offices; and that in respect of their offices, and not only of their persons. The third is that of the Ruler, which consisteth in ordering of others in the execution of their functions, and the Church in its Church-duties, as its decreeing, admission, excommunication, ordination, degradation, etc. or in executing his own; the former is his ordering the Church unto, and in its Assembly, and in its Members and Officers, unto and in their Church-works late mentioned and promised: the latter is his admitting, excommunicating members, ordaining, degrading Officers, and dismissing the Church, and in respect of other Churches and persons, and absent members, to receive and read in the Church their Letters, and write and send to them; in this respect he is written unto, under the name of the Angel of the Church, seven times, Rev. 2. & 3. Chap. and charged with the faults of their Churches, as not using their offices to their best redressing them, and commended for their good, on the contrary. Fourthly, the Function of the Distributer, to provide for the relief of the Poor of the Church, by the richer ones thereof, and to do all the services of the Church in matter of provision, by employment of Church-stock, buying, selling, or building, or ordering its meetingplace, and following its necessary Suits in the Law, and providing bread, wine, water, and other necessaries, for the Elders, Bishops, or Pastors proper discharge of their offices; in which respect he is called the Servant, Helper, and Deacon of the Church. The last and least is the Function of the Pittier, shower of mercy, Widow, or Deaconness of the Church, which is to tend upon the health of each member thereof in cases of need, as in sickness, childbirth, and in all matters of preservation of their persons: so that by these five offices, and their functions, all the needs of the Church are supplied, as by the five offices of Christ our Prophet, Priest, King, Provider, and Preserver, and the answerable gifts of the mind infused, and acquisite, and humane innate abilities, three whereof are the three faculties of the reasonable soul, apprehending, applying, and expressing; and two of the sensitive, i.e. desireof provision, and preservation; and so all God's promises, Christ's purchases, and the Spirits graces for us, and all that Faith, Hope, and Love expect in this life, is in these as in the immediate nipples, spoons, and hands of the nursing Mother, the Church encorporate, for the visible preservation of the mystical or saved Church, wherein the one half of the special uses and ends promised, is performed; and the other half will be shown after my present summary manner, by observing in them all, God as our Lord, as in the former half he is shown to be Jesus, or our Saviour (which too are the sole object of Faith, 2 Pet. 1.2.) for they are means of Gods sanctifying both for his service, and our preservation, and that convertibly; for whatsoever is divinely to serve God, is divinely to preserve his; and è contra; and wherein can he be more glorified by us, than by our acknowledging of all these to be means of, and by God, for our salvation, and of all them, and ourselves also to be for God's service and worship? for if they be for God's Divine Worship, and our spiritual welfare, what can be of a greater necessity of duty, or concluder of Rebellion against God, or murder of our own souls? especially since they are expressed to be that good, acceptable, and perfect Will of God, Rom. 12.2. That Word-worship so vehemently pressed, v. 1. unto the approbation of both which, we must be transformed into a renewedness of mind, and disconformed from the World-worship, (as dead, unholy, and unacceptable unto God, v. 1.) and renounce our own Wills, as evil, odious, and imperfect, v. 2. by which high dignity of the Commander and Commender of these for his own peculiar Divine Worship, and his Worshippers eternal glory, and the Divine Nature of the Worship and Worshippers, and the heavenly end of the former, and benefit to the latter; and also by the Deity of the Mediator, and inspirer of them thus manifested, another promised branch is also performed, but competently indeed, in respect of what may more be said of them; yet completely, being compared with the dignity of any other thing but God their original Author, and ultimate End; and his Saints, for whom they and all things but God are, and by and for whom they are exercised, and their Institutors and Divine Declarer; and Grace, and Heaven, for which they are: But I haste to their further dignifying, by showing the odious baseness of their Opposites, Antichrist and his Worship, having only first marshaled them into their comely order, lineal and collateral. Psal. 19 God's natural works are highly extolled in that their line is gone through the Earth, and their words unto the ends of the World, v. 4. and the like is said of the Sun, v. 6. but the extension of God's spiritual works are far more magnified in the rest of that Psalm; and throughout that spiritual Record, nothing is more evident and eminent both in lineal and collateral extension, than the pillar and ground of true Worship, which is the House and Church of the Living God, 1 Tim. 3.15. For the Word is Truth, both as the Sanctifier of the Truth of Salvation, and also of Worship; but the Church is not the pillar and ground of the former, but of the latter it is, as shall be synopsed presently, which also best sorteth with the subject of that whole Epistle, especially at that part thereof, which is an instruction of Timothy, how to behave himself in ordering and acting Gods public worship. The rock and root of this line is God the Father, as the absolute Willer thereof; the Anchor or Hank end thereof is Christ as the original Revealer thereof; his immediate Deputies therein are the Apostles, Prophets, and Evangelists, by their precepts and practice thereof, the Divine Record whereof is their Writings of the new Testament, a Divine Progeny, and previal Line indeed: but the internal Line hath five parts: 1. The Church. 2. The power thereof. 3. The Church-estates. 4. Their Functions, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 12.4. or Portions of Faith, v. 3. 5. Their object or matter: What these five things are, is shown; but I only touch their lineal or successive order. The filial or posterial Line of God's Worship extendeth to all public union and communion with God and his Saints, in all grace and glory: First, in this life, as an Earnest, Broad-seal, Livery of seisine, and Court or Temple of Sanctum Sanctorum, and the very Heaven; an heavenly Issue, and Inheritance indeed! and so a Royal Race, and Heavenly Line indeed! The collateral respect of Divine Worship is either internal or external: the former is the fraternity of its parts; which is actual in its four last parts, and virtual in the Church, as causally respecting each branch of the four brotherhoods; each whereof hath nine particulars, according to the number of the Church-estates, or Memberships; 4. Whereof are integral as Children, Women, Men, and Prophets. And 5. Organical or Ministerial, as the Teacher, the Exhorter, the Distributer, the Ruler, the pitier, whose 9 portions, privileges, or proportions of Faith, Rom. 12.3, 6. or Functions, v. 4. may by these nine terms be understood, receptive, submissive, active, instructive, teaching, exhorting, distributing, ruling, and pitying; but the particulars of the matter, wherein those Functions are to be exercised, cannot so briefly be expressed, but by reference to what is said of them, which is sufficient for this place; over, unto, in, by and for these brotherhoods is the Church power, authoritative over them, in giving them their being, or essentiative unto them, preservative in them, usive by them, beneficial for them; for all gifts, ministrations, and operations are given to the Church to profit each other member, its Function, and its matter to be executed, 1 Cor. 12.7. The external fraternity of our Evangelical Divine Worship is either spiritual or natural; the spiritual is either cotypical or antitypical; the particulars of them all are 7; five are past, one is, and the seventh is to come; so exactly is this white Line paralleled with that black one, in time, number, and particulars, Rev. 17. though in all substantials exactly antiparalleled; as may appear in the counter-parallel of this Image of Christ, with that of Antichrist. The cotypes than are five; Paradise, Noah's Ark, Abraham's Family, Moses Tabernacle, and Solomon's Temple, which I cannot plainly and plentifully say and seal in few words; and yet many I may not now use. 1. Paradise, as a type of the Church. Adam, as the Teacher or Declarer, by Moral Teaching, and the Tree of Knowledge: As the typical preserver by the Tree of Life and Exhortation: As the Orderer or Ruler, by casting out of Paradise. This was also a Legal Type of Heaven and the first Covenant. 2. Noah's Ark. Noah, the teacher of Righteousness, by the spiritual signs of the Ark: The typical preserver of all in the Ark, by the Food of the Ark: The Ruler, by admitting into, and rejecting out of the Ark. This was a Legal and Evangelical Type, clearing the worship after the Fall. 3. Abraham's Family in Covenant with God. Abraham, the Teacher of his Family, by publication of God's Promises and Commandments: The Sealer thereof, by Circumcision and the Sacrifices: The Ruler, by Excommunication. This was an Evangelical Type, clearing the second Covenant made with Adam, Gen. 3.15. 4. The Tabernacle. The Priests, and Levites, as Teachers by Moral and Typical preaching: As Exhorters and Sealer's, by the Passover, Sacraments, and Sacrifices: As Rulers, by Trial, shutting out, and purifying the Lepers, the Unclean, etc. This was properly legal, and clearing the first Covenant made with Adam: Gen. 2.17. Yet secondly, it Was Evangelical, as typing the Worship of the Gospel. 5. The Temple. The Priests, etc. as in the Tabernacle: but thereto, as also to the Temple, as being nearer to Christ then the other three, there was also annexed a clearer distinctness of the teaching, and offices of Christ, in the College of the Prophets; and their prophesying, exhorting, and ordering the children of the Prophet's; and in Jerusalem, as the prime place of Expounders of the Law, Luk. 3. Of eating the Passover, and peace-offerings, etc. and also of Judgement, Psal. 122. There are thrones for Judgement, etc. Yet is there this difference, that the transitoryness of the Tabernacle shown the fading estate of the Law, in respect of the Gospel; and of the worship of the Gospel, in respect of Heaven; and the immovableness of the Temple, shown the respespective permanency of the Gospel, and the perpetuity absolute of Heaven, as the proper Kingdom of God, and of Heaven; in the respectiveness whereunto, the Gospel is frequently called by Christ the Kingdom of Heaven: the Worship whereof, is the next and sixth type of Heaven. 6. The Church or Spiritual Sabbath-Assembling Corporation: the Officers overseeing it, are, the Teachers and Informers of the Understanding, by teaching, i. e. by translating, metaphrase, analysis, doctrine. Exhorters, conformers, or confirmers of the heart, by exhortation, dehortation, comfort, and terror; and administration of the Sacraments, as ratifying the former, and thereby establishing the heart: Ruler or Reformer of the Conversation, by admission, excommunication, ordination, deprivation, and ordering all Church-actions. 7. The third Heaven after death, where in Christ we shall see God face to face, and know him as we are known, as in an eternal mirror, and immediate sight of God: Be perfected with all grace and peace, by the real inspiration of the Holy Ghost in the heart and affections: Reign in all manifest Holiness and Happiness, as coheirs with Christ, by perfect glory, and content in God. In these seven Divine Worships is the external instituted collateralness of the Evangelical Worship comprehended; the moral or natural remaineth, which in the general is expressed, Rom. 12.4, 5. For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not one office. So in Christ, i. e. by Christ's institution is it in the Church, the particulars whereof are expressed in the next 3. verses. Now in that the natural similes thereof are both personal, v. 4, 5. and public, v. 6, 7, 8. we are sent to all perfect bodies natural, to search out the perfection of this spiritual compliment of theirs; three whereof are personal, and three public: the three former are vegetative, sensitive, and rational hypostases. For the first, it is as the first of the former 3. verse. Spiritual Brethren, the most dark and imperfect; yet all 1. Herbs and Trees have one stalk or body dispersed into leaves, as life or kind-manifesting parts, by their greenness in sight: Blossoms, as internal and inchoative kind-preserving parts, by their tenderness in feeling, promising and beginning fruitfulness: Fruits, useful to man, (and preserving its own kind) by their feeding, and physical and fructifying virtues and uses. 2. Creeping things, Fishes, Birds, and Beasts have their one body, and each body its divers organs; as, the brain for knowing, the Heart for purposing and willing, the Motive Members for acting and moving. These are receptive, and determining in themselves, but not agitating others to know, will, and work as they do; only man by his discursive reason, and actuating wit and will, collects from them knowledge and virtue, and distilleth them into their instruments of action: but especially in himself, as the third natural pattern, or brother of the Church. 3. Man consisteth of one body, having an head, and therein the five external Senses, and their common Sense, Reason, and Memory to learn and teach: An heart and its affections of love, hope, joy, and gratefulness, and their opposites to will and cause others to will: Their active organs, as the tongue, hands, feet, teeth, etc. externally to express what they internally know and will. The public patterns are likewise three, according to the three Offices of Christ, informing, preserving, and ruling: the first are, the Societies of Students in the Law and other Learning; in the most eminent whereof, I will instance, as in the Inns of Court and Chancery. 4. They have one voluntary body, associated for the study of the Law; and by the power thereof, choose their Readers, and other Exercisers of matter of knowledge, to inform their members in the Law: House-Officers, as Steward, Butler, Cook, Porter, etc. to preserve their being for that end: Rulers, to rule them in that Society and Work. 5. The preserving, are Societies of Trade, for the preservation of men in all Commonwealths, and other Societies; such as are Regiments and Bands of Soldiers, and the companies of London, etc. who take courses, and should set Teachers to inform and see to others informing their novices in their trades, for the true knowledge of their proper trade; Cooks, Butler, Porter, etc. for their living in that Society. Colonels, Captains, Sergeants, Wardens, and their Associates for Government, for their orderly walking therein. 6. The Ruling Societies are Nations, Cities, Towns Corporate, and other free Common wealths, who have by their covenant power to choose Instructers, to inform all of that body in the Laws thereof: Provokers, to excite them to observe them: Rulers, to compel them by outward penalties to keep them. 7. The seventh is the Church, which hath whatsoever these six have, whether lineal, or collateral, and is their fellow-creature, corporation, or brother of the same Creator, King, and Father, though it have divers peculiars' more than they; as that it is also of divine institution, nature, and use, of more exactness of order lineal and collateral, and of a Sabbath-assembling property; and though th●y are set by God, Rom. 12.4, 5. as general patterns, and as the Wisemen's Star to direct, where the Word doth not institutedly prescribe: Yet the five lineal parts thereof, and their five collaterals, are so exactly and plentifully instituted by the divine precepts and practices in the Word, that this is as the Sun-light to them in their substantials, as they are the Candle-light to their darker accidentals: yet is it our special duty to attend the to use thereof, in this our weakness, until the Sunbright institutedness of the Evangelical Worship in the whole, and each part and respect do appear in our hearts; and then shall we thereby rectify and reduce them to their original purity and use, whereas now they are perverted and hurtful. By all which glorious comelyness of our Evangelical Worship in itself, by its divine progeny and posterity, by its firstborn fraternity, with all excelling bodies, spiritual, natural, & politic, required Ephes. 4. and by its every way compleatness, Col. 2. and distinctness, charged Rom. 12.3, 6. the perfect dignity thereof doth evidently, yea eminently appear; and withal the necessariness, yea the necessitedness both of our duty to God, to Christians, and ourselves therein, and benefit thereby is thrust upon it: & all the vileness, rebelliousness, and perniciousness of Antichrist, the exact opposite thereto, is to be supposed. Antichrist destroyeth not only the whole Church and its power, but also all the members thereof, both integral and instrumental, both by his setting himself against the Church, and his sitting for, or as the Church, and thereby extinguishing the Churchship, and all the Memberships thereof, and so is that desolation; and as he setteth himself for, and as the Church, and his 128. sorts of his Church-members, 24. Ministerial, and 104. Monastical members, as and for the members of the Church, he setteth up that abomination. And thirdly, as he confuseth the names, nature, and order of the Church-members of Christ; he is that Babylon the great, or God of confusion: For, first, he confoundeth the four sorts of the integral members of the Church; as the Prophets, Men, Women, and children, both in taking from them all distinction of Church-power and privilege, whereby as Ecclesiastical they are distinguished from each other; for, by his Church-disorder, no Saint of gifts, of discerning spirits, of edification, exhortation, and comfort, hath more power in government or privilege of teaching, than men without them; yea, or women and children; for they have none at all; neither have men more enrighting power then women or children, in telling the Church, or in putting out of the obstinately wicked from among them, than women and children, what enabling power soever they have more than they, for his Church-warden-promooting is a servility absolute, of informing the Prelatical courts; but not that power to tell the Church, if the offendor will not repent at their private telling, and not to tell if they will: Neither, thirdly, have Prophets, men, or women, more privilege in any thing than children, by any Church right, he making them all alike of the Laity, and not of the Church; as for his giving the bread to men and women, but not to children, it is by a Ministerial, or rather Magisterial munificence in the Priests; and through a natural defect in the children simply, and not as they cannot discern the Lord's body, nor eat in remembrance of Christ: & indeed, his denying expressly the wine to all alike, showeth their Church estate and right thereby unto it, to be all alike, that is none at all; and so he might by alike right deny them the Bread and Baptism too, but for his own sinister ends of making his Priests munificent herein; and of discovering the informed in the right order of God, and the avoiders of Antichristianity, and of seeming to love Christianity. Secondly, he so also confoundeth the names, nature, and order of the five instrumental or ministerial members, in making them all but one Priesthood; for the Teacher, Exhorter, and Ruler of a Congregation, he expressly maketh but one Priesthood; and the Deacon he maketh but a diminutive servant and helper of that priesthood, or a preparative thereto; the Widow, or Mercy-shewer he wholly excludeth, and so he is that Babylon the great, or great confounder of God's Offices and Ordinances. 2. He is also that abomination in setting up other Church offices than these five, which only are made divine by the Word; and so also he sitteth as, or for the Church, in usurping its authority herein; for he hath set up denal, suffragan, diocesan, provincial, patriarchal, and universal Bisho●sh●ps, & their subordinate counsels, commissaries, Officials, Archdeacon's, Surrogates, and Registers, as divinely authorized to exercise Church-authority, whom yet Christ never authorised, which I have shown in a Tract of undivine Bishops, and in a Confutation of their Postscripts, or undivine authority for them. 3. He is also that desolation, both in his setting these Anachims' over Christ's Bishops and Deacons; and not only as simply ruling them by their Church-Monarchy, as they do all called Christians; but especially, as making them subordinate instruments of their Magisterial tyranny, both in their servile promoting to their Courts the true, yea, and reported breakers of their Articles, repentant and impenitent promiscuously, and especially in executing their Sentences, though they know them unjust both in matter, and also in the form of their proceed: for he hath hereby made them his Vassals, Bailiffs, Gaolers, and Executioners, without any inherent power of ruling in their Offices: And this, though they had been of God's creation by Church-election, and under his correction: But that which is worst, th●y are of Hierarchical generation, by Prelatical ordination, and are under their censures, even unto degradation, for neglecting their traditions; so that what they are, can do, and have in their formal estate, is of, through, and for Antichrist; for he created them into that estate by his instituted office of Bishopship, and its constituting ordination, thereby engaging them to use all their powers and habits internal and external, to his ends and glory; whereby he hath not only destroyed their servantship of God, but even made them his own servants and soldiers against Christ, as King of Israel, and Lord of his Temple. The next part of Antichrists antithesis against Chr●sts instituted Worship, is, first his prescribing other ends to the works of the Church-members, both integral and instrumental, than Christ hath done, even both to their saving, serving, soldierly, and social works; under which four heads, all Christian duties are comprehended; and indeed, he maketh of these four sorts of works, but one, with a double end that is satisfactory to God, & in obedience to himself; for all is works of service, suffering and love, he holdeth to be the prerequisite condition of our adoption, sonship, and spouship, and so of our union with God, as our heavenly Father; though p operly God's imputation of Christ and his sufferings and works unto us, be the only work preceding, or prerequisite to our adoption, and so therein God the Father, Christ, and the Holy Ghost, are the only Agents and Workers, and we are merely patients, as receivers of that divine estate, nature, and inheritance, and thereby enrighted by that estate, enabled by that nature, and moved by that inheritance, to serve and suffer for God, and for, and with his sons, servants, and soldiers: and so he is that Babylon, abomination, and desolation in this part also, as he maketh the soul of the works of all Church-members to be satisfactory to God, and services to himself, whereas they are only services and homage due to God as absolute Lord. This is not only true of that Antichrist of Rome, but of his daughters also, in their secundary degree, and under the name of Arminianism, whereof the Hierarchy of England is in travail, that of Ireland pregnant, and that of Scotland quick with child. Secondly, in prescribing other works, rites, and observances also, than God hath sanctified, as abstinence from Marriage and Meats to some at all times, and to all at some times, kneeling, and many fopperies in the Lord's Supper, Salt, cream, spittle, etc. in Baptism, bondaged reading prayers, the surplice, copes, and other priestly garments, white clothing for the baptised, churched, and penitent; praying before the crucifix, cross, and images; sackcloth, and whipping, etc. consecrated places, breathing the Holy Ghost in ordination, prelatical consecration, institution, induction, suspension, anathematising with bell, book, and candle, observation of holidays, weeks, and set-times, consecrating of Temples, and their appurtenances of many sorts, Fonts, chalices, Bells, Holywater, Basins, and superstitious burial of the dead, churching women, and confirmation: some of all which, and other sorts of superstitions all the Daughters of Rome observe in homage to their mother of Abominations, and in love of her whoredoms of the earth. Thirdly, in prohibiting Church-Covenants, admission, and excommunication of members, election, and dejection of Officers by the Church-power; and in forbidding Baptism without the cross, etc. and it and prayers without the Surplice; and the Father to challenge his privileges of Baptism to his Infants; and all to receive the Lords Supper every Lord's day, and at the Evening; and at all, without kneeling and the Surplice of any one, and women to taste of the cup of blessing: and in denying ordination to Rulers, Distributers, and Widows, and prophesying to the gifted to teach, exhort, and comfort; and to ask his doubts in the Congregation. Fourthly, in disordering all the Works of Divine Worship by Minister and people, in mingling of their reading the Psalms and Prayers, one verse by the one, and another verse by the other; and of singing with their reading and prayers, and with the Lords Supper, even in the very time of administration thereof; and of prayer on their knees in the very act of receiving the same. Fifthly, in deifying the Ministerial Works far above their nature, as in imputing to the Water in Baptism to be the real blood of Christ; and in ascribing to Baptism, washing away the guilt of sin, ex opere operato, and purging original sin, and actual regenerating; and to the Lords Supper real transubstantiation both of the bread into the body, and wine into the blood of Christ; and strange operations on the Sick, in healing all Diseases, and dispossessing them of devils by the very act of priestly administration; yea, they have ascribed the same unto the Cross itself, in supposition that it is a Divine Institution; or rather because it is a Bird of his own hatching; and many the like wonders doth this Worlds-wonder work, especially in Ordination; which of every way the least Ministerial or Church-work he hath made by his omnipotency, the Creator of the Church, Ministry, and all things Ecclesiastical and Ministerial; and himself the Creator, Orderer and actor thereof and of them all thereby. Proofs of, and Motives to incite to, the knowledge and practice of the word-Worship. FIrst from v. 2. which expresseth the word Worship to be worthy of, yea, to exact, our best Wits, and most serious, yea emphatical extensions thereof, in these words, But be ye transformed in the renovation of your mind. Secondly, from the parental or proper procreating cause thereof, expressly said v. 2. to be that Will of God: which to know we are bound by all the Bonds of allegiance, love, wisdom, glory, and what not that is naturally or spiritually good? Yea, this equalenting that word Worship, v. 1. with that Will of God, v. 2. (the particulars whereof are v. 4. to 8. expressed to be our present Church-Worship, then practised in the Churches) doth more radically and deeply dignify it, than can without more than ordinary ability and industry; yea, without our transforming ourselves not only into that new and spiritual Nature (according to our new and supernatural estate by Faith) but especially into the renovation, or rousing up of that new mind and nature, be understood; and without a special degree of Sanctification be approved; which is expressed i● the intervening words. For all that is there meant by that Will of God, is that Word-Worship v. 1. in the general, and its particulars v. 4. to 8; and much more is all that is meant by that Word-Worship v. 1. that will of God v. 2. But there is nothing of a higher natute either divine instituted or created, than Will absolute: neither is any thing more identically, essentially, and reciprocally predicated of God than Will; for whatsoever is an absolute Will is God, and God is an absolute Will; and what is God is a simple Will: And I could never attain to a properer definition of God than this, God is a Will well actuating itself. But you will say, that Will of God is there taken metonym●cè, by the cause for the effect: True, yet it is therefore both a proper and a special effect of that Will of God, by this rule: What is in the second declared by a descendent Metonymy, is a prime propriety, or proceed of that superior: Neither is that here taken merely denotatively of any thing as aforesaid; but properly, demonstratively, and emphatically; for that which of all other things is most properly willed of God, and may most truly be said, and be thereby best taken for the will of God, without farther addition, than of the demonstrative article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, i. e. That This shall be farther cleared in the next Porisma, where I show by all the instances of Scripture I can find, where God is said to be forsaken; and that other gods are worshipped in his stead, and the like: that those places are not meant of the person of God, but consequently (which by that same consequence well proveth our point) because they had forsaken this his Word-worship, and used another: which using God there, and that will of God here, for his Word-worship then, and now, ought much to provoke us to that through-knowledge thereof, and devote us to, and in the use and enjoyment thereof; and also justifieth the approved use of Worship (which properly signifieth Lordship, as before) for the signs, means, marks, and testimonies of God's Lordship over us, by a Metonymy of the end or signed, for the mean and sign; which soul of that word ought never to be separated from the body thereof, though never so frequently used, left we understand not our own words, or neglect them. If then we would know what of all other is most necessited, and worthy to be known, know that will of God; and what it willeth, approve: also know God himself, and that whereby, and wherein he most manifesteth his Deity, and accordingly apply it to thy soul, and thyself to it, as therein most approving God's Lordship over us. Thirdly, from the 3 Divine Epithets of that Will; good, acceptable, and perfect: good to us, therefore omit not your benefit of this high nature; acceptable to God, therefore expose yourselves in the extent of your love and fear to please him, of, through, and for whom are all things; perfect in them both, and itself, in kind and degree: therefore this is above all things worthy, and necessited to be throughly known. Herein are three proofs, all very effectual; but I rather avoid tediousness, through the plenty of matter, than heap up petty colours, or search for quantity of matter herein. Fourthly, from the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that, which taken demonstratively, must have reference to that Word-worship, v. 1. which expresseth that will, v. 2. to be the efficient cause of that Worship, v. 1. and its particulars, v. 4. to 8. and the joint cause thereof with the word; yea, of them both, which exceedingly dignifieth our subject of Worship; or taken per emphasin (which the urging thereby to disconformity with World-worship, and to transformity in grace; and the emphatical that, v. 1. that Word-worship, necessity) it expresseth worth and necessity of this knowledge of the highest nature; yea, that double demonstrative emphasis; importeth an unexpressable dignity and necessity thereof. Which latter sense not only excludeth the former, but also importeth, yea enforceth it, by the mutual emphasing, and inseparable Nature of the two emphased matters. Fifthly, beside the compacture of the number of particulars in the five last verses in the latter Table shown, there is a special distinctness of those particulars to be observed, pressed v. 3. and expressed in the metaphrase, analysis and genesis thereof: Therefore there is not only all kind of knowledge requisite unto this special matter; but also in the same, how to discern the several particulars, their joint encorporating and enchaining, and their distinct order both lineal and collateral. Sixthly, another proof of the same kind is from the like compacture of all manner of compleating of this subject both lineal, a priori & posteriori, and collatera, dextral, and sinistral, shown in the main part of the former Table summarily, and shall be in this prosecution, thereof illustrated, that therein the Deity, in its Unity and Trinity, as α & ω, the efficient and end; & in all its ordering means, and actuating powers, Natural and Civil, Spiritual and Ecclesiastical, personal & public, pleaseth to encircle & embrace this his own instituted Son, Image, and Spouse; as thereby parallelling his adopted and imputed mystical Church, the particular matter of this his Ministerial Church: of both which conjoined and glorified, he intendeth the completing of his perfect celestial Church: By these glimpses you may discern in this proof, strength enough to evince the matter in hand, that the subject of Divine Worship is very worthy of our knowledge, and best endeavours to understand, even as any thing knowable: for God's essence none can know, and live a natural life: and so there is no corrival but the mystical Church, and the like relation of the Deity to it, and of it again to the Deity, which is the soul of our present body, as in the next proof. Seventhly, 1. call to mind here the manifold motives, and divine commands, to get knowledge, understanding, and wisdom; and the spiritualness and plenty of teaching thereof in the word. and 2. the world-cloying Volumes thereof, of the Divines of all sorts and ages; and also the unsatiable and uncessant studies and labourings of Christians of all sorts and ages after the same: and then consider that it is wholly reduced to the Ten Commandments, Exod. 34.27. where it is expressed, that they are the Epitome of God's whole Covenant with his Church. And 3. consider, that only the first, second, and fourth Commandment, prescribe matters between God and Us: for the third only requireth our sincerity and seriousness in them; and the other six are immediately between man and man: And in the first mentioned three, that the first toucheth only matters personal immediately between God and Us, and the fourth only the Sabbath: so that the second Commandment is the adequate object of Divine Worship: Whence conclude the highness of the nature thereof, that it is of the second sort all the matters of Religion; and also the extent thereof, that it possesseth the whole head of one of the Ten, wherein God hath contrived his Covenant, and that the largest of the Ten, and strengthened with many excellent Reasons and Motives of all sorts expressed therein; which yet are excellently varied and illustrated in the three first verses of Rom. 12. and the particulars thereof completely in the kind thereof, instituted in the five next, and their distinctness charged with Apostolic authority, v. 3. All which show the highness of the matter, and the excellency of this place; and therein the necessity, dignity, and pretiousness of the knowledge, both of the prescribing and instituting place, and it's instituted matter. Eightly, Obedience then to God, necessiteth us to know these his peculiar commands, and the love of God constraineth us thereto: the excellency also of the matter and its order, both internal and relative, lineal and collateral, strongly moveth us thereto: which two heads show it acceptable to God, and perfect in itself; if now it also appear specially beneficial to us, than it wanteth nothing to prove it that good, acceptable, and perfect will of God; for that therefore, mind the ends thereof, and you shall find the one half for our good: for as they are for God's glory and worship, which proveth them to be sonlike duties of love to our Father upward: so are they for our good five several ways, and so they are means, and so duties of wisdom for our own and brethren's benefit; and so we thereby serve God immediately, as in Duties of the first Table, and mediately as in the second, therein also serving and preserving ourselves in wisdom, and our equals in love. The first of these five is in getting knowledge of all kinds of good to be obtained, and the Science of Science itself; and so of the means and manner of obtaining them: which is proved, v. 6. Prophesy, which is expressed, 1 Cor. 14.3. to be for edifying, which cannot be without knowledge, and its counter-distinction from exhortation and comfort, proveth knowledge to be meant thereby: and v. 7. the Teacher within teaching: So one whole office with its function and exercising, is for our information. The second is in getting grace, sincerity, and holy power and virtues of all sorts, which both are proper and prime good things, and the Sanctifiers of all other goods, whereby they become only good to us, yea and of all evils also, in turning them to our good, whereby even our sins are our physic, and many ways for our benefit in their co-operation and last end: This is also proved, v. 6. Prophesy, with 1 Cor. 14.3. Exhortation and comfort: and v. 8. The Exhorter within Exhortation; and so also the whole 2d. office, and its ministration, and administering, are for our internal sanctification of Heart and Affections. Thirdly, the Ruling-Ministry, and its Function & Works, are for the external nourishment of both these internals, and suppression of their contrary Heresies and wickedness in the Church, v. 8. the Ruler. Fourthly, God hath given to the Church not only authoritative and magisterial Labourers in the Word and Doctrine, and Rulers, 1. Tim. 5.17. with their ministerial information, exhortation, and government, Rom. 12.7, 8. 1 Cor. 12.28. but also inferior and servant-like helpers, and their works of servant-like helps, ibid. both for our personal provision in and by the Church, Rom. 12.8. the Distributer, i. e. the Orderer and Disposer of the provision of the Church (by a Synecdoche of one particular for the general, whereof there are many branches, of which more at large elsewhere) and also fifthly for our personal preservation in health and life, ibid. the Pittier or Shewer of Mercy to the persons of the Church in need thereof; called also Deacons, Rom. 16.1. Phil. 1.1. 1 Tim. 3.8. as also the fourth sort are: These are also called Widows, because they must be widows that be admitted to this office, and also of 60. years old, lest they should by nature be urged to marry, and by their husbands be hindered in their office, 1 Tim. 5.3, 9 to 16. For two Institutions of God must not oppose, nor cross each other, as being in act; nor the course of Nature and its Institutions be inverted nor everted: so that all sorts of good are treasured up for us by God in his Church-worship: therefore spare no labour to know, nor cost to buy the same, Mat. 13.11, 44, 45. Ninthly, v. 5. it is expressed that the particular matter of this Divine Worship, i. e. Christians are encorporated and enchained together therein for each others benefit, and made as members of each other: so that both the particulars of the ministerial and mystical Church, are for the good of each Christian, as estated in Gods instituted Worship. Tenthly, while the 5. particulars of Divine Worship for our fivefold or omnifold good, are freshly mentioned, I will add a tenth proof and motive to this point, conjoining the perfect good, and the good perfection of Divine Worship in one small Table, wherein also many other motives thereto, and matters worthy our observation will accur. God as (a) One (*) in essence (b) Existed man as an integrum of (c) Soul (d) Mental Understanding willing: (d) Practical, by that Understanding and Will to preserve his soul or rational part by rational provision of information, conformation, and confirmation, by his Creator's means, both natural, as a Feeder; and spiritual, as a Physician. (●) Body Mediately providing maintenance for, immediately preserving health of his body, by God's means, as Creator for the present, and Redeemer perpetually; and as sanctifying the former. (b) Ordered (e) Man for his own glory; as of, through, and for himself. (e) For Man. (f) Means of his information, conformation, confirmation, provision, and preservation. (f) Powers, (g) Agent, Operative for, and effective of his informing, conforming, confirming, providing, and preserving. (g) Recipient of knowledge, sincerity, good conversation, provision, and preservation. (*) Authority, or absolute Monarch. (:) Natural, (h) Concreating his Law in Man, toward God and Man: (h) 1. Instituting his Worship natural, for his natural service; Internal toward himself, External toward others. In this respect, Paradise was his instituted Church-Worship, as parts of the second Commandment, without typical relation to Heaven, Adam being the Teacher and Ruler thereof, as the Minister of the Teaching, conforming and nourishing Sacraments, and other Ordinances; and as Orderer and Dresser of Paradise: and Eve being the Provider and Preserver, by her, being an help to him, Gen. 2.20. and the taught, conformed, and ruled. All this, a well-ordered integral mean between God, as unum; and Man, as integrum: by which, as by Jacob's Ladder, there was an alternal communion between God and Man, which is the common scope and correlation of all integral Worships ever since: but in other respects far different, and without Works legal, restauration, or grace. (:) Spiritual, 2. Legal, instituted That 1. Natural Worship, with this condition; If you do this, you shall live eternally in Heaven: Not this, you shall die an Hellish death. 2. The Legal Worship of Adam, and of Mos●s, with the same typical condition: If thou do this, thou shalt enjoy the Land of Canaan, and its Kingship, Priesthood, and Prophetship; and its provision and preservation: Not this, thou shalt be deprived of them all. 3. Evangelical. (i) Imposed on Christians Evangelical worship for his service. (i) Proposed to Christians, Evangelical worship for their benefit, with his promise and power operating and effecting the same, upon, and in them, and accepting it and them therein, and thereby. (k) Typically, as the Redeemer of Man from his Fall into Hell; and the guilt, power, and curse of sin, unto Heaven, and his imputing, infusing, and imparting Christ unto us. (l) Historically in Noah's Ark, as the Church; Noah, as the Ministerial Teacher, Exhorter, and Ruler; and his Wife as helper in matter of provision and health: The seven persons subject to him, as the informable, conformable, rulable, to be provided for, and preserved; and the Waters as our Baptism, showing and conveying reconciliation, 1 Pet. 3.20, 21. and so the Food, as given by Noah, answered to the Lords Supper, and receiving into, and casting out of the Ark, answered our admission and excommunication. Abraham's family as the Church; Abraham as the Teacher, Exhorter, and Ruler thereof. Sarah, as his helper in provision and health: His Children and Bond-servants, as the matter and body of the Church: Circumcision, as our Baptism; and the Sacrifices, the Spiritual Food of his Family; as the Lords Supper, Personal Teaching, Persuasion, and Ruling, as ours instituted now; (which is to be supposed in the former ideas hereof in Adam and Noah) and the admission into or birth in the same, as ours now; and so likewise of his casting any out of his family, as answering to Excommunication duly ordered now, Gal. 4.24. to 30. This, and that Ark have not only primary relation to the Mystical Church, but also to the Ministerial secundarily, through their general likeness: yet is there not identity, and so no perfect likeness between them. (l) Instituted as (m) Transient, or typically leading to Heaven, that is, the National Corporation of Israel in the Wilderness, Moses the Ruler, with his seventy Deputies; Aaron and the Priests, as Reconcilers; Myriam, and other Prophets, as Teachers; the Levites, as Deacons. Moses and his Deputies functions were to order the Nation and Army, and matters of Justice and Protection: Aaron and the Priests to order the Tabernacle and its Ordinances: Myriam, etc. to order the College, Company, and course of the Prophets: the Levites to help in all matters of service to any of them, especially of provision and preservation: All this as in the way to the Promised Land, and its permanent worship, Deut. 1.8. to 18. and throughout that book, this kind of Worship typed this under the Gospel, as it is the transient Kingdom of Heaven, parabled by the two Sowers, the Mustardseed, Leaven, Treasure, Pearls, the Draw-Net, Matth. 13.52. and oft elsewhere mentioned, in personal respects, and without relation to this Church-Worship, the Anttitype of them. (m) Established the Nation of Israel with its Regal Thrones in Jerusalem, the Temple, and its Ministries and Ministrations, the College of Prophets, and their Offices and Works, and the Lodgings of the Levites about the Temple and their Cities throughout Canaan; with all their teaching, uniting, (or reconciling) ruling, providing, and preserving Ordinances, as completed by Solomon, as the Type of Christ, as King in his constituted Church under the Gospel, the nearest Sign, Seal, Livery of Seisin, and Earnest of the real complete Glory of Heaven. (k) Antitypically answering to the former Types, and really being the Kingdom of Heaven complete, ●. e. the Evangelical Ministerial Church, its Offices, Ordinances, Works, and Uses, derived from, and answering to Christ; as Prophet, Priest, King, Provider, Preserver, as Instituter of his five Church-Offices, i. e. the Teacher, Exhorter, Ruler, Distributer, Pitier; with their five Functions of Teaching, Exhortation, Ruling, Distribution, Pitying: enrighting us by these three sorts of Christ's respects to Teaching, Exhorting, Ruling, Distributing, Pitying, for and unto the knowledge, sincerity, honesty, provision, preservation, of our understanding, heart and its affections, Christian conversation, estates and possessions, persons, health, and life; as from, through, and for God, as an essential Mind, Will, actus, good Being, or Essence. (a) Respecting our needs of him, sent (n) Christ, as to Sons, to be received by Faith; so to his Servants to be worshipped by Works, as acknowledging Christ therein, and (n) The Holy Ghost, to adequate Christ as our Mediator with all gifts: Sonlike to receive the benefits: and Servant-like to do the Works of instituted Church-worship. By this Table is Synopticè to be seen, the external relation of our present Divine Worship to all Gods former Worships, and the internal order of the materials thereof within themselves; and also their respects to God, Christ, the Spirit, and Man, all exactly parallelling each other in all particularities; and also completing all things Divine into an integral unity, perfectly resembling the perfect uniformity of the glorified Heaven; and proposing to Us the present enjoyment thereof in an exact Epitome, by a proper Livery of Seisin, and imparting earnest: so that nothing is more worthy of knowledge, in respect of the perfection and gloriousness thereof; nor more desirable in respect of its pretiousness to us: and for their acceptableness, it cannot but be discerned through their evident being of, through and for God; yea, in the highest degree on earth. Alas! that this kind of Knowledge is so unknown, and the pearl and treasure thereof as hid in the earth; though like, yea being Wisdoms house, pillars and food proposed to, yea proclaimed for us, with many and manifold motives by her maidens, Prov. 9.1 to 12. and though so unlike the contrary false worship and folly of Antichrist, that foolish Whore, and whorish folly so vilified and deterred in the rest of that Chapter, as illustrating true worship by its contrary; the particulars of this worship are so many and magnifyed, that I dare not move by one of them. Eleventhly, This word-worship is the subject of the greatest part of the Scripture, in its describing the particulars thereof, prescribing the observance thereof, prohibiting the contrary, historying the practices of both sorts, and the answerable blessings and judgements, and making use thereof for future encouragements, and terrors of the proceeders; and adding farther comforts and threaten accordingly: but the particularising hereof, requiring a kind of Exposition of half the Scripture, I must refer the marking this point in your daily readings thereof; wherein you shall find these things exceeding useful, and worthy your knowledge. Twelfthly, the great and many blessings of the Word are annexed to this true divine worship, and the plenty of fierce Curses are denounced against the false; and because this and the other are too large to prosecute to the full, see both verified in the Decalogue-Epitome thereof in the second Commandment; for that is so large as all the rest, except the fourth Commandment (which instituteth Gods set time, for the celebration thereof, and so it rather secondeth than affronteth our point) and pronounceth more and higher blessings, and denounceth heavier judgements in this matter, than all the body of the Decalogue beside. But I more need to excuse my prolixness herein, and to break off from the many proofs of, and motives to this point, then to proceed herein; both since the matter is so pregnant, and the remaining points so many and special, above my ability to accomplish, & your patience to read, except you be more then vulgarly transformed for this purpose, which v. 2. requireth; and also the suppressedness of the matter, by the wrong exposition of this place and its parallels, and the wronging opposition of their subject, than which none is greater. And therefore having made some use of the point and proofs, I will pass to other; for if I should instance the particulars of this Worship, I should be drowned in the multitude of their special motives to this point of the worth and need of their knowledge. Since than Evangelical Worship is so many and main ways worthy and necessary to be known, why is the knowledge thereof so slighted as worthless and useless? and that not only by the world, and its world-worshippers (for I as much slight the slight, and the fightings of Christ's adversaries) but by the Lovers of the Word, and also of God's worship in the general, and of the particulars thereof which they hold so to be, i. e. of preaching the Word, administering the Sacraments and Prayer: But the main and radical parts thereof, i. e. the Church as encorporated and congregated, the diversities of its Ministries and their Functions, their derivation from the Church, their ministration, i. e. service in and unto that Church, their set, number and nature, and their distinct collateral order; and more the more particular appropriating of Divine Ruling order and acts to the proper Ruler of such a Church, and in its Congregation: but most of all, the most particular act of that Ruler in admission and ordination; and the knowledge whether those acts, or the decree of the Congregation give the being to a member or Minister of a Church. All these, and divers other points of great use and worth, they hold to be Walls, Hedges, Orders, and Circumstances of Religion and God's Worship, but not of the substance thereof; and therefore put off the knowledge thereof, in pretence of their love and esteem of the substance thereof. Alas! that Professors of Religion should thus he Ushers of Antichrists Hall, to make room for his entrance, Porters of his triumphant chair of estate, to bring him in, and supporters of his Hierarchy with their own shoulders, upon such groundless pretences; for Antichristianisme consisteth in the confusion of those main points of Religion, and thereby those things which they call the substance of Religion. But first ad hominem, hath God set them for walls of defence of his true worship and worshippers? and will they (through ignorant negligence) relinquish the walls to their and their Kings mortal enemy? since the winning the Walls is the winning the City, and all therein, and the subjecting themselves to the enemy, either to his service (direct or indirect) or destruction; yea, in God's Matters to both, if to the first. Secondly, hath God bounded his Services with Hedges, Dikes, or other Fences and Circumferences, to distinguish Christ's servants and services from Antichrists? and shall we slight Antichrists encroaching on Christ's Tabernacle, Tent, or Church, and Inheritance, or Clergy, and entitling himself with those names of Christ's Church and Clergy, and to their answerable nature, and so to domineer in and over both (Domum & dominium domini, and so ut dominus domini nostri) Mansion and Manor of our Lord; and so as Lord of our Lord, and his Lordship, its appendent worship, homage, rent, and service! Thirdly, suppose we the word, Sacraments and Prayer to be the materials of Christ's and Christians Communion; shall we therefore like Swine, eat of his meat, without observance of the order he hath set for their administration by his Ministers, according to their distinct offices and functions, and that as parts of his family, or court of his own forming. The Queen of Sheba shameth these Borderers on Jerusalem; for she came from the utmost parts of the Earth to know the wisdom of Solomon, and observed the house which he had built, and the meat of his Table, and the sitting of his Servants, and the attendance of his Ministers, and their apparel; and his Butlers and their apparel, and his ascent to the house of God; and she admired them, and pronounced him and them blessed of God therein; and God blessed thereby, 2 Chron. 9.1. to 8. But these eaters of the meat of the greater than Solomon come from Heaven to them; observe, not much less admire Christ's wisdom, Love and Will in his house form by himself, in the offices and set-estates thereof, and their orderly attendance and administration of them, and the comely ornaments of them all, and the distinctness of the particular officers and their functions and beauty; and also their relation reciprocal to God and his house, and the mutual blessings communicated in all these: Nay, they rather as sensual gluttons, and self-feeders, lust after and suck up his wine and milk, without seeking after his wisdom, and perfect order therein, loving him for his goodness therein, or obeying him in his holy and so acceptable Will and Command in them all. Fourthly, they learned not of David to speak so slightly of these distinct Orders and Offices of the Church, and their necessited relation to the Ark, and the like administrations of the Priests and Levites, as to call them circumstances of Religion; for he saith, that because they were not there in their Orders at the bringing home of the Ark, God made that great breach in Israel, because though Israel sought him, yet they neglected the Ministerial Order God had prescribed for his Worship, 1 Chron. 15.2, to 13. with Chap. 13. and Numb. 4.4, 15. Nor of Moses to neglect an hoof, in way of complete readiness for God's service; much less would he neglect the least hoof, after it was sanctified by God for that end. But what do they mean by circumstances distinctly? They are vulgarly known to be three, Time, Place, and Persons; only the third than can be the controversy: Whether it be material in the Word, Sacraments, and Prayer public, who administereth them, whether an instituted Officer or no: But they are so far from holding the Sacraments administrable by any out of an instituted office, that they impose a necessity thereof in preaching and praying in the congregation; and the formal Protestants out of the congregration also except by reading, especially in preaching; since than they hold the ministry of the Church and its administration so necessary unto & in preaching, Sacraments and prayer in God's worship: why vilify they our necessiting this Church estate to be distinctly known, purposed and practised, as a pertinent point of God's worship? But now to pass from these motives ab homine unto the greater à Deo, call to mind the constant necessity of this official Celebration of all instituted ordinances, since God set up a set Church-ministry teaching, exhorting, ruleing, and serving; and helping me and yourself herein, read Heb. 5. to 8: 8. Exod. 25. to 31.33. to Leu. 10. 1 Chron. 20 2 Chron. 2. to 7. Ezek. 40. to 46. All which, and many other parts of Scripture, are wholly of one of the types of this worship summarily contrived in our present 8. verses of Rom. 12. expressed so to be 2 Cor. 6.16. 1 Tim. 3.15. Rev. 21. compared with Levit. 26.11. Ezek. 37.26, 27. Then in your reading the Histories and Prophecies of the Old Testament, from Joshua to Malachi. First, mark the main scope of the Holy Ghost in them, and you shall find it to be to observe the Israelites observing and neglecting the same, and their omission of the matter, and order thereof, and their commission of the contrary false Worship of divers sorts and degrees; and God's reproofs and judgements for the same, and his comforts and blessings of the walkers after that rule of his truth or true worship. Secondly, in reading the New Testament do the like in respect of his present Rule of true Worship, both in itself, and its comparisons with that his former instituted Rule of Worship, prescribed in his Word of Truth, and therefore called Truth, 1 Tim. 3.15. Rom. 1.23, 25. and comparing it with its opposites, and you shall then find this our present subject not to be such circumstances, ceremonies, nor the like trivial trifles, as the present worldly worshippers account & call them. But to be on the contrary of so high and dear esteem with God and his servants, as they be of base and slight account, with the halters between Christ and Antichrist, one of which must always prevail, the former in love, to his true Lovers, in their inward and outward blessings: The latter in contempt of his contemners, God giving them over to strong delusions to believe lies and to wonder and wander after him. For 1260. years yet in quiet trading and prosperity both of outward worship and jollity, while the true worshippers were forced by him & them, into the Inner Temple & Sackcloth, Rev. 11. & into the wilderness, Rev. 12.6, 14. Mat. 24.15. etc. & even to death, Rev. 13.10, 15.20: 4. So that these Semi-christian doters on the 3. of the parts only of divine worship, i. e. Preaching, Sacraments and prayer, and slighters of the rest are worse both in worship and benefits than Antichristians who highly esteem and devoutly practise the other parts in their intent and esteem, and so observe the general duty of obedience to God therein, though they miss the particular, and thereby build their Babel and Babylonish regiment and orders instead of, and as God's City and Church with its ministry and ministring, whereunto they are also furthered and occasioned by this Semi-christian conceit and practise, not only in giving way and leave thereto, but even in devoutly accepting their administrations of the word, Sacraments and prayer, yea and in magnifying, maintaining and pleading for them that are sent according to that Babylonish regiment, and profess their ministry to be from, by, and of that Antichristian Hierarchy itself, which even themselves hold and say is Antichrist, and that against many heavy penaltied laws of the Land, and general practices and confessions of all their fellow opposites to that Antichrist throughout all Christendom, and also against the ground of Scripture and reason approved by them themselves, who most profess hatred against 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, or the self-convicted; yet are they herein contradictory to themselves, false to their own grounds, and condemned in avowing by their practice, what they so disavow in their eminent profession. But since their profession against Antichrist, concurreth with the prescript worship of the Scripture cited, and this part thereof now in handling, and its and their many parallels, let us lift up our eyes to behold that clear light of those and the like Scriptures, which so gloriously magnify divine worship, and provoke us to the knowledge thereof, even of those parts thereof which their only opposites do in their protesting against Antichrist, so dignify by the rule of contraries, in their placing the essence of that Antichrist in his counterfeiting and usurping the parts of worship, besides Preaching, Sacraments, and Prayer: withal supposing, that their practice, in the positive, would also follow theirs, were it not for the worldly sinister respects of the flatter and fooleries of the world-worship, or Prelacy; especially of those three parts thereof, which they both in profession and practice so highly and positively magnify; which indeed will enforce the introduction of the rest by their own necessiting them to the Ministry, and that to the Church. Thirdly, the particular Churches of Ephesus and Corinth, are expressly said, 1 Tim. 3.15. 2 Cor. 6.16. to be the houses of God, and that without peculiarity, and therefore indefinitely, and as such; and therefore of every particular Church: for quod, est quatenus ipsum est de omni: That Church also indefinitely taken, and so every particular Church is there said to be the pinnacle and subject of truth, i. e. the first evidencer and evident part of divine true worship, and the radical ground, subjective chair, and proper basis thereof: and the then true Church of Rome is said to be the body of that word-worship in Christ, Rom. 12.5. as above is particularised; for by comparing that v. 5. with v. 1. it is cleared to be a particular part of that word-worship; and with v. 7, 8. to be the body and subject thereof, which is so evident in that place, that I will not farther prove it; but even by It prove, what is inferred from 1 Tim. 3.15. against the two oppositions thereof: The former is by expounding the word Truth only of the Doctrines of Faith and Holiness; but are not the Doctrines of God's Word of truth, Joh. 17.17. concerning his true worship instituted only thereby, and our answerable holy serving him therein, so well as those concerning Faith and Holiness personal? Why are they not so proper, yea so special truths of that word of truth? Nay, they are more proper to the Church, since Faith and its personal fruits are proper and immediate to the person of each Christian, and the other parts of worship proper and immediate to the Church; yea these have no other subject, pinnacle, pillar, chair, nor ground; neither can they subsist nor exist in act, but as, of, and in the Church; but Faith, and therefore all its fruits are in their perfection of parts in each true adult son, called and regenerate, before he is admitted into a Church; for he is thereinto received, as being such, and not as to be made such; and again upon manifestation that he is not such, he is rejected and cast thereout, as not fit to be of the Church; and therefore is he not to expect nor receive his Faith in, from, or by the Church; how then is it the Fountain or Root of the Scripture-Gospel, or Doctrine of Salvation by Faith working by love, as so working, as the Papists hold as their life on the one side? Or as the Controverters against the same say, How is it the Post or Pasquil pillar of Rome, whereon all public notifications use to be affixed, in respect of its showing Faith unto the passers by? A very poor interpretation of that place, and an embasing of the Church; which to dignify in a special manner, is the scope of that sentence; wherein the Popish Exposition is the far better; only, whereas this high dignifying the Church (to provoke Timothy, and other Officers thereof, to a reverend, diligent, and cheerful discharge of their Ministry therein) is by the word as its Dignifier, and so it is evident that the dignity of the causal priority, and the fundamental and fontal originalness of the word itself, as the proper truth of God, Joh. 17.17. is excepted, as God is excepted in this express universal assertion, 1 Cor. 15.27. For he hath put all things under his (Christ's) feet, which is in the next words expressed: But when he saith all things are put under his feet, it is evident that he is excepted, which did put all things under him: so that that, is as evidently false as the other, though not so unsavoury and ridiculous, in making the Church itself but a Bill-post of truth, which hath but this goodness to oppose the falsehood of the former; nor excuse, but that they know not the proper meaning of truth in that place, nor the distinct acception thereof for true worship in the Scripture, both in its positive and privative use thereof, yea and both for divine worship in the general, and also more particularly for these special particulars thereof in hand: as Rom. 1.25. Who turned the truth of God into a lie (or the true worship of God into false) and worshipped and served the Creature rather than the Creator, i. e. in their worshipping and serving him in, by, and under created resemblances, which God accounteth for a serving the creature (according to all Gods natural courses and appearances, and no institution of his supposing any other) rather than their Creator, whose Will they were to know in that their divine Worship; for of the Idolatries in the Scripture, both of the Jews and Gentiles, there is no one wherein by the intent of the Worshipper, there was any other original person of the Deity adored than the same which we adore as Creator of the world. Of which briefly as followeth. Of False, Counterfeit, or World-Worship. FAlse, Counterfeit, or World-worship, is instituted by Man, having two Roots, and moving Reasons, but both rotten and unreasonable: the first is, because man hath instituted in him a duty to please God in a visible instituted Worship, which he supposeth he hath discharged when he hath separated to him from common use the best and most acceptable thing in his judgement, which he therefore presumeth, that God so judgeth and accepteth also; which is expressed Esa. 41.1. to 7. and illustrated unto Chap. 44.20. as the Sum and Index of this point, whose vindex possesseth the third part of the Scripture, and all the world but a few. The other reason is, because the same ordinances in kind are sanctified and blessed by GOD, especially by Christ under the Gospel, or at, or since his coming in the flesh. This is the Soul, Spirit, and Life of Antichristianisme, typical before Christ, and antitypical since: as the other reason is of Heathenism; which consisting of instinctive devotion of Will, and this of distinctive notion of Wit, so necessity a concord between the blind and the lame, that the God of this World, and its World-worship, hath ever compounded, or rather confounded his World-worship of these two; though the former more predominateth in Heathenism; and the latter in Antichristianisme: yet do both by the former palliate the ignorant multitude; and by the latter, the wise, learned, witty, and practic sort: and by an associative mixture of both, bewitch and besot the whole world, except the few whose names are written in the Book of Life, Rev. 13: 3, 8.15: 2. 18: 4. 20: 4. or through their guilded hypocrisy seem so to them that are, as Judas did to the other Apostles, and Achitophel (his type) to David, Simon Magus to Peter, Demas to Paul, etc. who yet like a Mer-man, Sea-lew, Sea-horse, Dogfish, etc. will make a shift to live in the Land of Canaan, and by twilight to seem a course man, Lion, Horse, Dog, etc. to the sand-blind, or semi-blind, while their tails or hind-parts are in the water, who yet long for the Sea-banks of the Philistims, and by day may and will be discovered to be but Dagons of Palestina, and Fishes of the Antichristian Sea, either Mere main, and Roman, or mixed mean or Britromane, and that they were but massingilt, not massie-gold, which Christ's Temple and Templaries ought, to be toward, and through him, 1 King. 6.21, 22. The particulars of this false-instituted Divine, (or rather undivine or diviline) worshipping God, are, and have been innumerable, especially in respect of the first root and reason, even near so many as there have been several Nations, Kingdoms, Stocks, and Independent Families; yea, when Nationed-Families could but slack the bridle of Superiority, Judg. 17. with v. 6. and 18. with v. 30, 31. Wherefore I aim not to enumerate them all, but only all the special ones mentioned in the Scripture, and that in their Historical order; and then to show that they all were intended, instituted, and constituted, unto God the Creator, Preserver, and Governor of the world, and of those World-worshippers: and that therefore the difference between unchristian and Antichristian worship is not in the falsehood and difference of the object or divine person worshipped, but only in the instituted order and means of worshipping that most, highest, last, and properly sole divine worshipful person, patterned to their power by his own; set by Adam, Moses, Christ, etc. The first False-Worship mentioned in the Word, is only in the general, that there was one erected, and so instituted and constituted in the days of En●sh, Gen. 4.26. which bred the distinguishing names of the sons of God, and the sons of Man (the Worshippers being to be denominated according to their instituted worship, which before was but one;) and also the peculiar names of a Preacher of righteousness, and of its contrary, the matter preached being of the nature, and so ought to be of the name of the stative worship, which yieldeth him his Office: wherefore, and from which time Noah is called the eight Preacher of Righteousness, wherefore Enosh was the first in this respect; but simply, or otherwise the third: but this being controverted, and not particularised, it is not for this place. Nor the like of Babel, its Workmen, and their confusion of tongues; nor the Egyptian worship, though imported in Aaron's and Jeroboams Steers: But only of those expressed in the Word. The first is that of Aaron's and Israel's Steer, and its appurtenances. 1. The Nation of Israel congregate as fool-sacrificers, Eccles. 5.1. & hasters to worship before God called, being parted from the old Egyptian and new Mosaical worship; and having instituted and constituted anew their old Egyptian worship, Josh. 24.14, 15. as the best they knew, but that of Moses, whom they supposed to have been gone from them, and so that that his worship was abolished, and therefore that a new one was to be erected to God, & therefore by Aaron, Ex. 32. 2. Aaron as the Erecter and Orderer of that Worship, with its Priests and Levites, and their works, and of the whole Congregation, and of each member thereof, and as the Exerciser of the High-Priests Office himself, and the rest doing theirs. 3. The golden Steer as the best sign of God, as communicater with them, in giving it to work for, and maintain them by its life and death; and therefore in accepting it as his own due heriot or worship, i. e. homage of his Lordship practised in Egypt, and confirmed by Gods erecting his set divine signs, altars, sacrifices, eating them, etc. all which Israel and Aaron made parts of that calvish Egyptian worship, by their subordinating them unto it, and so made themselves forsakers of God, and of his true worship, and turners of it unto, and into Idolatry, Exod. 32.4, 6, 8. Amos 5.25, 26. Act. 7.39. to 43. kill, burning, eating, drinking, singing, dancing on that Holy Day, and doing or countenancing any act or thing intended and set by them to be parts of that Moloch-worship; even but enforced looking on Taurus, or Chiun that day, was 4. Idolatrous communion with that false Worship, Altar, Priesthood, Unholiday, false Gods, or signs of God, and with their instituters and constituters, and so with the Devil, the supreme Author of them all, and so became forsakers of Jah, Jehovah, God. The second was that of Baal, or the Sun, as the eminentest mean between God and Man, from the second age after Joshuah unto the captivity, all the time of the Judges more scatteredly, and after Solomon more encorporately, in both, now with more authority and pomp, and then with less, 1 King. 16.32. The third in the Scripture mentioned, was that of Micah, Jud. 17. which was the same with the Baal-worship of the Land, but according to his potency, erected in a chapel of his own, with all its appurtenances. The fourth and next after Micha's, was Jeroboams Idolatry, subordinating all Gods Mosaical administrations, unto his Temples, Ministries, and Sacraments of his instituting, and thereby making them parts of his Bul-worship, or Baal-worship, though in Judah they were still Gods, 1 King. 12.26. to 33. The fift sort was that of the Queen of Heaven (or the Moon, or Juno) primarily of the women of Judah, Jer. 44. though the husbands seconded them, v. 19 and offered for them, Chap. 7.18. The sixth was the worship of Dagon, a Mir-man, or King-fish, by the Ashdodites, who lived by the Sea, 1 Sam. 5. The seventh was that of Nebuchadnezars great golden Image, Dan. 3. The eighth was the worship of Jupiter, Act. 14.11. to 18. Chap. 17.23. to 32. The ninth was that of Apollo, Act. 19.26. to 40. and of his Prophetess, or Pythoniss, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, v. 16. The tenth was that of Diana of the Ephesians, Act. 19 The eleventh is that of Antichrist, 1 joh. 2.18. that Beast, Rev. 13.1. to 10. that desolating abomination, Dan. 11.31. & 12.11. & Matth. 24.15. that man of sin, etc. 2 Thes. 2.3, 4. Dan. 11.36. prophetically and historically, or historico-prophetically described pregnantly in the Word, as the compact compliment of all Idolatry in its Roman perfection, and Whore-mother of all its derivative abominations, Prelatical and Presbyterial. The Hierarchick Antichrist, or Antichristian embodied Hierarchy, or the counterfeit Gospel Church, spiritual Body-politike, or Corporation of Priests, Pastors, Prelates, Diocesans, Metropolitans, Primats under one universal Head, Primate, or Pope, pretending and calling themselves Christian Bishops, Priests and Deacons, and usurping their Gospel-offices, but in the execution extending and racking them to an Antichristian Tyranny, Hierarchy, Church-Supremacy, Word-absoluteness, divine infiniteness, or godness, 2 Thes. 2.4. with the World worshipping it, wondering at it, and wandering after it, Rev. 13.4, 5. and its Forts, Temples, Basilikes, or Mauzzim, Dan. 11.38. for its congregating and maintenance, v. 39 This is the confluence of all the subjects of Idolatry, and false Divine Worship. The stative parts, and actors, or active States Ministries, or Offices, that Hierarchick, etc. these are the complete patterns of all Idolatrous States, Offices, and instituted Orders, rective, teaching, atoning, possessive, and fructive: the particulars of each of these are innumerable, and too large for this place; the supreme State or Head is the popeship or office of the Pope, or universal Primate: The next sort is the National Primates: The third, the Provincial: The fourth, the Diocesan: The fift the Parochial: Each of these have many Nethinims and Levites. Their Actions, Functions, or Ministrations, far more innumerable and irregular, but more inobservable: yet the soul of their abomination is in their God-Churchship, or God-Rome whoredom, which causeth the world to partake with the froth of her Fornication, by her pretended infallibility of Doctrine, and absolute authority, obtruded by her emulous deposing, and envious opposing all venerable Deities, and Dignities; so making the Gospel-preaching, Sacraments, Prayer, etc. Antichristian: all partaking in any of those instituted actions, etc. is spiritual communion with those stative parts, etc. and so with that Hierarchick Antichrist, etc. and so with Devils, Rev. 20.10. of, and for whom they were so instituted, constituted, and used. I forget not that other false worship of the Jews after the expiration of the seventy seveni'ts, three years and an half after Christ's Resurrection, but it paralleleth not with these eleven, either in their humane and diabolical institution, constitution, or communion, but only in the unholy, and unhappy use; for there is no relative partaking, or spiritual communion, without a relative state, spiritual union of a corporation, or authoritive erection of a Spiritual Ministry and Office, or of a Sacramental Rite, real or actional. For though the Mosaical Church-state, Ministry, and Ministrations, continued the same in the Jews practice; yet the Apostles, and many thousand believing Jews were both active and receptive in all the three real, and the two relative, or connexive parts of that Mosaical worship, either cultively, as the many thousands, or indultively, as the Apostles and their peculiar ones, Act. 21.20. to 26. 1 Cor. 9.19, to 23. yet without Idolatry and instituted false worship in the Apostles & intrue understanding, because it was not of any humane institution & constitution: only it was without the spirits direction, assistance, or blessing in the devout thousands, yea and in the Apostles, as worshippers of God thereby; but only as understanding Indulgers of the weak knowledge of the sincere Believers, and as commended Judaizers with them, Act. 21.23. 1 Cor. 9.20. The reason is, because that complete worship was instituted by God, his Angels, Act. 7.53. and his Mediator Moses, v. 37. and constituted by the concurrence of all those, with the acceptance and free will of the Israelites in the Wilderness, and confirmed by all the powers of God's spirit, as from him and in his people, then & ever after in all legal manner and measure, yea and unto all Gospel-conversion, sanctification, and blessings, except in the reserved degree peculiar to the Gospel, Heb. 1. to 3.6. and it was invested in the consciences of the Saints by the word-light, and true zeal and devotion of the spirit unto heavenly content: but none of the other eleven ever were thus n any particular: & though it were mortal, & to cease by its death's wound and sentence at Christ's death, unto death and execution three years and an half after it: yet it was not deadly and pestiferous to any of the then converted Jews; but after, and ever since their death, it was and ever shall be, and no more indulgeable than the other 11. Of these, with other false Worships, the Author hath written more largely; whereof at present I shall only add one instance more at large, viz. that of Aaron's and Israel's Steer, and its appurtenances; and his seconding thereof with 2 Cor. 11.13. to 16. Aaron's young Bull, or Calf of a year old, or yearling Bull, or Bull-rite, Sacrament, or Idol. AAron as supreme Instituter and Constituter of that Idolatry, Exod. 32. by the general provocation, conviction, and encouragement of the people of Israel, ver. 1, to 5. especially of his own high Priesthood thereof, and of the sacrificing Priesthood and their Levitship with all their Functions, even the same in kind, state, and order that they were before, but only in the new intervening Sign, Image, Representation, Sacrament, and Memorial of the same ultimate Object, Deity, or Person of God, whose they were before that, and whom they then and thereby intended to worship, and that as the sole bringer of Israel from Egypt, v. 1, 5. whereby they all became in their own account the true instituted cultive Ministry of God in that new Function, or cultive Ordinance so erected, and did accordingly exercise that Ministry, as of, through, and for God, v. 4, 5. whereto all the people conformed by their acting their parts, which were prescribed to them, v. 6. and thereby became the joint active Worshippers of God in that false order and form; and so joint false Worshippers with them, by their instituted respect and relation to that instituted Bull-Sacrament, molten and graven Image of a yearling Bull or Bullcalf, Steer, or young Ox, or Bullock, as such in age and food of eating grass, Psal. 106.20. but not in maimedness or gelding; instituted to be an Image, resemblance, representation, memorial, sign, and seal of God and his visible and discernible presence with them as his Inheritance, (or Clergy) Peope (or Church) Saints, faithful and regenerate ones (or spiritualty,) v. 4. Thy Gods, O Israel, the promised Seed and peculiar people of the God of Israel that brought thee out of Egypt; for it is not thy God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thy Gods, which signifieth God's Deputies, divine cultives, adorands, venerables, or things to be worshipped and reverenced in God's stead, representation and deputation, as if he were there, therein, or the soul thereof in his own person; which being a spirit, and they flesh, they thought that they could not worship him, but by some external notion or image (in their own judgement) of him. See Judg. 17.3, to 13. Now I know that the Lord, etc. as the Papists do by their Crucifixes and Images of Christ, Mary, God the Father, the Holy Ghost, Peter, etc. as laymen's books and Teachers, but none of them as God objectively, the Altar, Holiday, v. 5. the Sacrifices, burnt-offerings, Peace-offerings, feasting with part of them, dancing, singing, and observance of that Holiday, yea and the teaching, exhorting, and ruling ordinances of those officers, subordinate or associate to them, became parts of that Idolworship, or Bull-worship, and so of Devil-worship; and so none of Gods, but in God's account, a despising and rejecting of him. Therefore Aaron's and the other Priests, and the Levites accepting, kill, and sacrificing those and peace-offerings for themselves, the whole Church, and for any particular; and their eating, drinking, singing, dancing, and solemnising that holy day in any of those cases; and the people's doing so with them in their allotted works and observances of Worship so instituted, constituted, and executed; Also, the teaching, exhorting, and ruling of those Priests and Levites, and the Israelites hearing, learning, purposing, obeying, and coming to their set places for those ends, and joining with them in their prayers, before and after that their teaching and exhorting, and in their sacrificing: Yea, all the Sacraments, Sacrifices, Services, and observances performed by Aaron and those Priests, Levites, and People, as Worshippers of God by the said new Sacrament, or teaching and representing Image, and in that other form of Divine Worship instituted instead of that of Moses, v. 1. which is there expressed to be frustrate; and that therefore a new one was to be erected, which extended to all the particulars thereof, especially to the special one of the Priesthood; which being thereby altered, became a new Bull-Priesthood, and therefore all their Priestly services were changed, Heb. 7.12. Luke 10.16. Matth. 10.40. John 13.20. and so made a new unparticipable estate which therefore made all their Priestly works unparticipable, though their Sacraments, sacrificing, preaching, praying, and the things sacrificed, preached, and prayed for, were otherwise parts of the very true Divine Worship of God; yet thereby they were Idolatrous, and the same with that Priesthood, and that with the Bull-worship whereof they were newly made Priests; for hearing Luke 10.16. is receiving Joh. 13.20. and honouring Luke 10.16. by the rule of opposites; and so the refusing to hear those Sermons, receive those Sacraments and their Discipline, etc. was to refuse and despise an Idol and false Ministry, and so to honour God. With these things sort 2 Cor. 11.13. to 16. which calleth the like Instruments of Satan in this stratagemical counterfeiting a Ministry of Christ, and deceitful working thereby; False Apostles, Ministers of Satan, transforming themselves into the Apostles of Christ, and Ministers of Righteousness; as their Lord and Master, Satan himself metamorphoseth himself into an A●gel of light. What can we conceive the scope of the Holy Ghost in these say, but to incense the Saints of Corinth against these false Apostles, not simply, as men of wickedness, but for covering their Wolvish disposition and intent, with the sheepskin of a Christian profession, and pretence of a Ministry of righteousness? nor against Satan simply, as an Angel of darkness; but properly as sending his disguised Seminaries to pretend a Ministry of Christ, and to practice and intent the mastery of Christ's Army and Church, and so of Christ in his encorporate body, which he could not do in his person, Matth. 4.10. Nor in his Apostles, as I have shown in Paul, Act. 16.16. 2 Cor. 11. they seeing Satan through all his Vizards: But his Wizards and soothsayers now are as wise as the Pythonisse, to say and soothe the wise and true servants of Christ in their love of the doctrine and rites of salvation, and true way unto life, as of the bread of life simply considered, (without the order of the Word of God, which God hath set to dispose it to that end, and us to seek and serve him by in his due order) that is, without the Church and Ministerial order of the Word, and so they take them also in the first trial, Matth. 4.3, 4. to the dishonour of their Head and themselves: and in saul's trial, by their preferring Sacrifice before obedience, and fat of Rams, (their zeal in their worshipping) before their listening to the utmost order of God's Worship. Observe what our Author saith in general (for I am straitened for want of room) of those (with other) false Worships, which are before only nominated; saith he, THe moral Devotion of all Nations was much provoked by God's glorious Works for the Posterity of Abraham, Esa. 41.1. to Chap. 44. which turned to the increase of their Idolatrous superstitiousness, as the supposed descending of Jupiter and Mercurius, in the persons of Paul and Barnabas did, Act. 14.12, 13. to the endeavour of the like Sacrifice to that of Baal's, 1 Kin. 18.26. Be not peremptory against my applying almost all the names of the Idols in the Scripture unto this 2d. sort of Idolatry of Sun-worship or Bull-worship, which was but as that of Diana unto Jupiter, and their Institution unto one and the same God, even in Object the same with ours; at least, not till you have scanned these proofs, viz. Judg. 2.3.6.8. and 10. Chapters, 1 Sam. 7.3. 1 King. 18.18. yea Leu. 18.21. Numb. 22.41. and 25.3, 5. 2 King. 17.25, 26. Jer. 32.35. Act. 7.39. to 43. and have read over Macrobius Saturnals, Augustinus Egubinus de cultu divino, Mornaeus Duplesses de veritate Christianae Religionis, so far as concerneth those two great Controversies about Divine Worship; and till you have well considered the very Scriptures whereon you wrongly ground the contrary to either; since they yield express and evident proofs for both. THat which is evidently and eminently pressed all manner of ways above any other Commandment, except the first, is, our yielding to God his zealous and jealous Worship instituted in the Word: Not that the Order of Worship is to be preferred before its matter simply; but only in respect of the times of Antichrist then imminent, even in the Apostles days, and to prevail for nigh 1600. years after; partly in his encroachment, and in his establishment. And indeed what enemy of God and godliness did ever so much, long, and highly usurp over, and oppose against all that is called God? All aggravatings therefore of the holy zeal for God's true worship, and jealousy against the false worship, powerful and plentiful in the Scripture, do pertain to this bounded sound-mindedness in God's worship, so well as to the other parts thereof, since it is so much charged as any of the other, it being expressly and truly instituted in the word, (and is the constituting, distinguishing, and actuating form of true Divine Worship) as any of them: And therefore also the thousands of ecstatical exaggerating, execrating, and abominatings (the World yieldeth no fit words herein against itself) of false Worship and Worshippers, aught to have their full force against confusion and disorder in the body, members, and functions of Divine worship, as against other sins of omission, or commission therein, especially since the especial propriety of Antichristianisme consisteth therein, as the proper & frequent title thereof Babylon confusion, Rev. 17.11, 14, 18. understanding observation and experience of its courses, and the nature of its type, the confusion of the tongues of the world, and the orders of God's worship in Babylon, do severally and more jointly evince. But if these degrees, wherein the Scripture preferreth it before the membral matter of worship, in its manner of handling them both, be added thereto; how can we be less zealous and jealous herein, than therein? yea, those degrees are not dark, strained, nor small; neither are they all that might be gathered, as the very extent of v. 3, 4, 5, 6. (above v. 1, 2.) showeth; but the introduction of the membral matter itself, of the Church, its offices and their works, in way of apportioning and limiting each work and office of the Church, yea of the Church itself, by its proportionableness to those works and offices, doth inestimably dignify the observation of this distinctness and bound-mindedness in God's Worship, and force us to sympathise with the Holy Ghost in our intentness thereon and therein; or if these things will not, no means will, until the time of reformation and restitution cometh: mean while, the discerners hereof must exercise their Faith, in receiving these privileges of Faith, their obedience in working these works of God's worship; their understanding, in discerning what God hath thus distinctly determinated; their temperateness, in actuating their graces, without excess or defect, in these special trials of boundedness, and sound-mindedness; their patience in waiting for the fruit of their sincere endeavours herein patiently, and possessing their souls in patience: both which, these of all other will most exercise; their godliness, in true zeal for, and godly jealousy against, what GOD herein proposeth as their special objects; their brotherly-love, in exercising all these six graces in this matter, for the good and benefit of their Brethren therein, remembering that the godlyest zeal of God's honour, which ought to eat up us, and all that is ours, is not to eat up what is our brothers, i. e. our dealing with them herein, as they are able to hear and bear. And lastly, their natural love to all as naturally good, in walking holily therein, to win unto Christ those that are without Christ, and not giving just offence to those that are without, knowing that we once were such, and that these Ordinances are services of God and his servants; and not knowing who, though now without, belong unto the election of God, nor how we fall into their danger by sin or otherwise. For if these things be in us, and abound in this special matter, we have a special testimony of our Election, & promise of our perseverance in the works and fruits of godliness, and unto eternal happiness, 2 Pet. 1.5. to 8. where also the contrary is annexed to the defect thereof. Now therefore of some of those glimpses, (in the close) as of the distinctness of the four Offices to be exercised in the Church-Congregation, with their distinct functions and fruits; and also of their roots, yet as of one subjective ortive root, unto one objective Lordive fruit, by one ejected project of, by, and for the one Deity, yet according to its Trinity. GOD. FOr, first, God as the Father willing himself to be our Father, sent Christ as God-man, to make us his sons and servants, by the Spirits proceeding from both their will and order to operate that complete entity, unity, community, coity, or eternal fruit of all. CHRIST. Whereby, secondly, Christ as Mediator became our Prophet to teach us; our Priest, as personally to cause, so setly to preserve, exhort; and as our powerful King to effect, command, and commend our preservation of nature, according to the Law, by the Gospel, unto Heaven. CHURCH-OFFICES. Whereby, thirdly, he had right power to institute the Teacher's office, the Exhorters, Comforters, or Priestly office; the Rulers, Orderers, Shepherds, Rectors, or Kingly one, and the Preservers, Distributers, Providers office, authorized state and right. FUNCTIONS. Whereby, fourthly, they had right officially, ministerially to teach, to exhort, provoke, affect our son's nature to God's service, to rule, order, shepherd our many stations of both, and to provide for our naturewhile we submit to all three. ABILITIES. To all which, fifthly, the Spirit enableth them by light, sight, and might, to teach, by the Spirit of grace and wisdom to exhort and provoke, and the gift of discerning of spirits, and of ruling to rule, and the gift of instinctive brotherly simplicity, indulgently to provide for us. GRACES. Sixthly, To our sonlike, receiving of, & gracious serving in holy knowledge, sincere, tender, devout, gracious heart and affections, Christian approvable words, deeds and life, constant fosterers, provision unto our preservation and personal content. GLORIES. Seventhly, all these are in their subjective, native, ortive, heavenly nature, projective, stative, ordive, heavenly typical order, ejective, exertive, dative, cordive power, objective, dotive, lordive end, glory, scope, upshot, in, of, by, and for glorified heavenly illuminations, gracious motions, infusions, sonlike sincerity, perfect, pure, unreprovable conversation with God and Saints; complete, internal, supernal, external, eternal means and end of intent and content, comfort, glory, divineness of wit, will, work, and weal. FINIS. THE EXPOSITION OF The 18. Chapter of Matthew, WHEREIN Proceed, in cases of Offences, both positive and opposite, are clearly demonstrated. Gal. 6.1. Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such a one in the spirit of meekness, considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. See 2 Cor. 2.6, 7, 8. 2 Thes. 14, 15. LONDON, Printed for Henry Eversden, at the Sign of the Greyhound in Paul's Churchyard, 1656. The Scripture text, or Divine Word, or Conscience-warrant, of Church-power, Jurisdiction, or Discipline; true, and in God's account, both in the warrant, and warranted; in respect of Christ and his Worshippers: and false or humane, of Antichrist, of two sorts, stative and personal, or on both sides of Christ's; all persecuted by the World, as Christ and the two Thiefs on either side of him, by Pilate; with their Metaphrase and Exposition in brief. 1. Of that of Christ, and his instituted, peculiar, worshipping, Ministerial or separate Church of Separates, (2 Cor. 6.16, 17, 18.) in the literal warrant, and its opening to Christians, Matth. 18.15. to 20. VER. 15. 1. BUT, that is, rather than he (one of these little ones, v. 14. which referreth us to v. 10. and that to v. 2.) should perish by his dejected softness or childishness. 2. If, As a grievous, unexpected, casual, and rare matter. 3. A Brother, An enchurched Christian, or Church-member. 4. Of thine, i. e. of the same Church with thee, in union first and properly: secondly, and in cases and by proportion, in communion and general state and order. 5. Sinneth, i. e. breaketh God's Law or Religion, whereto he hath bound him and thee. 6. Unto (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) the experimental and certain knowledge, conscience, and extent of patience (lest he should perish by, and in that sin, as above in the word BUT) of, 7. Thee, as his brother, i. e. against that Church-brotherhood, i. e. to his forfeiture or less thereof, and of his communion with thee therein, in the Scripture phrase, 1 King. 2.23. against thine own life, i. e. to the forfeiture and loss thereof, Leu. 17.10. ב in both, being the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, or in as transitive: and so is it 2 Sam. 18.13. and so is ל also Leu. 19.16. and the connexive must answer to the scope of the place, and to the transition from the subject or efficient, unto its object or effect, both in their order and power; all which are thus well sitted: then and in this case, and not otherwise, 8. Argue, i. e. confute by argument of that sin in the general, and convince of the particular of the fact, and then redargue, reprove and dehort from it, and then threaten God's judgements against the obstinate and irrepentant: i. e. argument and evidence by Scripture proofs in all: for it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (the same with Heb. 11.1.) argumentively convince and reprove, but not report, which is to reproach or slander, or murder, Levit. 18.16. with Matth. 5.21, 22. (these four degrees must be from the first to the last of the trial.) 9 Him, personally, by conference or writing immediate; for it is not, report to, nor tell others, which is to reproach; but argument him. 10. Between, i. e. Dialogue-wise, or by way of conference, mutual and equal; but not chidingly nor beggingly. 11. Thee, in thy person, not by Deputies. 12. And him, in his person, not behind his back. 13. Alone, none other being present, both for thy better and quieter proceeding in these observances without interruption: and for thy manifestation of all tender love in that privacy, and brotherly wisdom in preventing his being provoked to be more stout in arguing, and slow in confession; a farther acting and exacting of all these points and phrases, and excluding all colour and excuse of whispering it, much more of blazing it to any, much less to many. All these instituted parts of Christ's discipline, being actually done in a decent humane manner, and with all brotherly compassion and tenderness toward him, prayer for him, and patience of his weakness and delay, then expect the issue good or bad. 14. If on the better part, through God's gracious working by his Spirit with his Gospel-Institutions, son-likely exercised by thee. 15. He or she, for the masculine gender is indefinitely here put for both; as natural, in natural things; and spiritual, in spiritual things. 16. Hears, with his ears thy words in that personal communication, (without which all the other particulars are irregular) and also with brotherly attention of mind; especially with sincerity of heart, acknowledging the fact and its sinfulness, with true repentance, and promise of amendment: for all the requisite passages intervening between the preceding and succeeding things or actions, are to be understood in the intervening word; and the like is in connexives, as above in the word Unto; especially if he hear thy words, and give a satisfactory answer, by proving that matter not to be sinful, or that he did not sin that objected sin, must by the same reason, in the whole clause thereof, be here supposed. 17. Thee, thou, mark how in all the passages thereof, immediate personal dealing on both sides is exacted by Christ, and all intervening meddlers on either side are excluded. 18. Hast gained, i. e. gotten good, and purchased a spiritual and heavenly purchase, even an eternal and precious Inheritance, next in nature to that of Christ's getting Sons that are Princes in all Lands, Psal. 45.16. and his redeeming straying souls, and converting of sinners, Jam. 5.19, 20. So careful ought we to be in this case of all meek instructing the differers from us, with gentleness, teachingness, and patience; and without provoking and hardening, war-waging, and striving, 2 Tim. 2.24, 25, 26. 19 A Brother, even a Weakling, or Publicane-Christian, that is the greatest in the Kingdom of God; and yet so prone to wander, near to losing, and perishing, that Christ hath instructed the stronger by this instituted order and brotherly Spirit, to prevent it, or regain him from that his perishing case, v. 14. v. 2. and 10. the contrary Pharisaical forth-bearing Spirit, and carnal Hog-herds,, and boisterous Bearwards, are hereby discovered to be little in God's account. 20. Of thine; and therefore this gain is also our own; and so it is both Wisdom and Religion conjoined, and of an high and heavenly nature, thus to encorporate this Gospel-discipline, and to ensoul and enlive it with this brotherly spirit and practice. VER. 16. 21. But, though all these indulgences of order, spirit, and practice, be first in nature, dignity, and time to be exercised, and discreet, distinct, and tender compassion be frequently, and Judas 21, 22. fervently charged upon us in this case: yet when these weak ones turn wicked ones, in cavilling; gainsaying, and stiffnecked obstinacy: then Judas 23. is in season; and this love and Spirit of meekness, a Rod must follow: For, 22, 23, 24. If (the worst come, that all these and you be slighted, so that) he (a brother in state and profession, yet seeming unbrotherly in heart, right and practise) hear not (both in humane and divine respects abovesaid, Sec. 16.) 25. Thee, Having thus holily, lovingly, wisely, and meekly conjoined the Gospel-Institutions, Instructions, and Spirit, for his secret and discreditless recovery, seeking with Joseph, Matth. 1.19. to free him from public censure. 26. Take unto, or join with thee; yet or moe, as uniting to thee, and adding to thy power and testimony, not as weakening his credit by mere relating his sin, thy former course with him, and his obstinacy against it, and in his sin. 27. One or two, as few as may be, but one, if that may suffice, however but two at the most; an evident barring the Spirit of envy from its licentious reproaching of his brother; and an eminent charging us to discharge this duty, with so small help as may be, rather than the sins of the Saints should be spread farther than their necessited cure exacted; and an imminent judgement of the contrary disposed, that is that of Cham and Canaan, Doeg, Shimei, Diotrephes, etc. 2. Of the Doctrine warranted thereby, here only in the Index or sum of the Chapter, especially of these six verses, both in their soul and body; their Soul Gospel-Spirit, or scope of the Holy Ghost, is compiled into this word, Meek-love-mercy: their body is answerable thereto, both in the whole Chapter, especially in these six verses; the 1. or 15. verse is of private Physicking; the 3. or 17. is of public; and v. 16. is mixed of both, prosecuting the former, and preparing the latter, which is ratified in the rest. Each of these three heads have eight parts of a mere instituted Church-nature, besides their three adjuncts, or accessories, answering to the three cover of the Tabernacle, which type the three orders about, but without the Church-state and Discipline, Membral, Ecclesial and Civil, all of Humane Institution, yet relatively and objectively Ecclesiastical, though not really, subjectively, materially, formally, nor efficiently: the membral is warranted by 1 Cor. 6.1. to 4. and by the usefulness of association of the Rulers, Deacons, and Prophets, for the more equal and orderly discharge of their places, by the mutual agreement of the whole or greater number of them, in their setting each of their turns and distinct courses. The Ecclesial is warranted 2 Cor. 8.19, 22, 23. and by the usefulness of one Churches advice, countenance, and help of another. And the Civil, by Esa. 49.23. and the Churches need of civil protection, permission, and help: Of which 6. verses and heads, now somewhat more largely and particularly. Of Matth. 18.15, to 20. in the Epitome. THese 6. verses are the instituted Centre of the Chapter, which is v. 1. expressed to be a main and distinct head of our Gospel-Religion, i. e. what is the highest degree thereof, which who so hath, is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven; the sum whereof, contracted into one word, is, Meek-love-mercy: the first part is commended to us, and commanded, v. 2. to 4. The second, v. 5. to 10. in the positive, v. 5. In the rest, in the opposite. The third, v. 11. to 35. morally v. 11. to 14: institutedly v. 15. to 20. exemplarily (illustrating both and the whole Chapter) v. 21. to 35. All the three virtues are inlarded in each of the three parts; which shall first be shown in this our middle and instituted part of the third part, and of the whole Chapter. Meekness is laid therein as the fountain and foundation of the whole point of instituted Discipline, v. 15. First, in reflex on, v. 14. One of these little ones, and therein on the precedent part of the Chapter; for v. 15. is connected to it, by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; but if, yet if, now if: Secondly, in sociableness in the word Brother. Thirdly, in fairness of means in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, argument him, or convince him by reasoning; not chide, command, warn, admonish, threaten him. Fourthly, in privacy, in these words, between thee and him alone, to prevent vainglory, ostentation and applause, the opposites to meekness. Fifthly, in easiness to be satisfied in these words: If he hear thee, thou hast won thy Brother, i. e. thou hast done what thou meantest. Sixthly, in readiness to forgive in those words compared with v. 21. which was Peter's Exposition of them. Seventhly, in relation to the other two ensuing, Love and Mercy. 1. Love is set as the body of the building, respecting the said foundation, as tending to save, and do good to the person toward whom we show meekness, v. 11. 2. As freeing him from evil and perdition, v. 14. Five other proofs that the Spirit of Love must inform this body of instituted Church-Discipline, are in the five middlemost proofs, that meekness must also so do. 3. Mercy is of the same nature with Love, in seeking the good of our brother; only love doth it in the positive, and mercy in the privative; both which, without meekness, are selfness, self-authority, selfseeking, self-shewing, etc. but nothing of, through, nor for Christ, or his Spirit of Grace or Faith, which worketh by love and mercy, and instructeth others in meekness, whose good it seeketh, 2 Tim. 2.25. and whom it seethe of, through, and for God, v. 26. All these are yet more summarily contracted in this one single word Love, supposed with its two infallible proofs that it is divine: the former, à priori, in the face; by which the Britain Christians tried English Austin to be an Antichristian Prelate, and no Minister of Christ, before he or they had spoken one word together: The latter, à posteriori; for if mercy follow not our loving endeavours, they are proved to be a Devourers pretences, to be devoured by God in the latter part of our Chapter, v. 21. to 35. and his repentance is there proved false and hypocritical. This love so qualifyed, is the soul of our six verses, and the whole Chapter; without which, the body of Church-worship is dead, and but a carcase in Christ's account: yet without the said body, all public divine worship, is familisme or fantasy; yea, if both be not of the Word, it is of the World and Antichristian. Now therefore let us conjoin to this Gospel soul, its Gospel body of instituted discipline, which is an active part of Divine Worship, or Church-order, for the government of its members. It hath also three parts answering to the three said parts of its soul; the first is form, v. 15. the second, v. 16. the third, v. 17. Of these three in that order. 1. The first hath eight parts: the first is a Church-members or Brothers sinning, a sin forfeiting that his membership or brotherhood: If thy Brother sin against thee; not against thy person, but thy brotherhood, i. e. against Faith, a good Conscience, or Church-order. 2. Another brothers knowing thereof experimentally, not conjecturally; or by credible testimony from without, or the not Church-estated; for a brother is bound by this place personally to sue his said brother with all privacy, and so he sinneth in telling another thereof, and that other in receiving it, more in prosecuting it; for he usurpeth that his brother's place, intrudeth himself into his work, and breaketh Christ's instituted Church-Discipline, and the second Commandment, and so committeth abomination and idolatry; and moveth not that his brother to observe the said Discipline and Commandment, but fartherth him, and partaketh with him in his committing desolation, and deserting that Order, Discipline, and Commandment. 3. The latters arguing and redarguing the former thereof personally, not by Deputies; much less may he tell any other thereof, it tending to his reproach, and that others partaking therein. 4. The secrecy of that his convincing and converting his brother, between him and thee alone; besides the words, argument him and thy Brother. 5. Moral carriage of body, and civil behaviour of actions, for the loving, recovery, healing, and winning of that sinning brother, v. 14, and 15. to win him, this is a general to all three; and 1 Cor. 14.40. Let all things be done decently, and according to order, i. e. to civil order; for Church-order is institutable only by Christ, and it is Antichristianisme to erect any, or to respect that Idol. 6. The success or effect of all, those in the former or sinning brother, which is either repentance, if he hear thee, or its contrary, i. e. obstinacy; but if he hear thee not. 7. The acceptance or effect thereof in the latter or suing brother, i. e. his forgiving his sinning brother, v. 20. And I forgive him; which Peter spoke in relation to this place, or impertinently. 8. The account and acceptance of all on God's part, i. e. his approbation of the sure and sinner, and all passages between them, thou hast won thy brother to me, whose union he had broken: to my Church, whose communion he had forfeited; and so to thee, as a member both of my mystical and ministerial body, and to himself, whose profession and practice discorded, and yet by thy meek-love-merciful discharge of thy duty to me, my word, and thy brother, in the use of my means sanctified to that end, thou hast regained all, and saved a soul from straying toward death and hell from me. The second part is chained to the end of the first, and to the beginning of the third, and so is a medial instituted Church-suing of an obstinate brother by two or three of his upright brethren, for his recovery or excommunication. 1. It consisteth also of eight parts; the first is a Church-members obstinacy, in a gross or excommunitive sin, discovered by the first course; if he hear thee not. 2. Another brothers manifesting that sin and obstinacy, unto one or two of his other Brethren. 3. His brotherly requiring that one or two to join with him in the use of Christ's means, for the repentance and recovery of that obstinate brother by themselves, or the Church, take unto thee yet one or two. 4. Their joint arguing with him, to convince him of that sin or obstinacy, and their answerable dehorting him from, and reproving him for them. 5. Their instituted end and scope, i. e. the same with the former, Sec. 5. and that in the mouth of two or three Witnesses, every thing may be ratified by the Church. The threefold event of all these, particularised in the first course, 6, 7, 8. and here to be by the same grounds applied, mutatis mutandis. The third sort, head or course of Church-Discipline, is public, or Congregational, having ten parts. The first is a Church-members gross sin of a public nature, known by two or three Witnesses, or by the Church. 2. His accusation thereof to the Church, by the discovering Witness, or by the Church-Instrument, official or actual for that time. 3. The accuseds answer, either by denying, or justifying the fact, or by confessing and forsaking that sin. 4. The trial of the two first by Witnesses and reasonings on both sides, to be guilty, or not to repent. 5. The Church-Instruments. 6. The Church-Instruments requiring the Church sentence against the obstinate. 7. His gathering it, by the lifting up the hands of the most part of the Congregation, tried both in the affirmative and negative distinctly. 8. His pronouncing that sentence with prayer to God to ratify it. 9 His charging them to behave themselves towards the Excommunicate, as to an Heathen, and a Publican, i. e. to deny him spiritual communion, public or personal. 10. But if the accused be freed, by the not proof of the fact, or the not excommunicativeness thereof, or by his not obstinacy therein; then the Angel is to pronounce his absolution. The Angels admonishing or charging the guilty in his judgement to repent. 11. The like proceed with, and trial of the false accuser, and his censure, of admonition to humiliation, in case of weakness or repentance, if of malice or disorder; and of excommunication, if obstinate after two or three admonitions. These are the Reals of Church-Discipline or Government; for all which, the actors therein must have an instituting Warrant, either express, or equivalent; so well as for the Church-state itself, or its ministry, and other ministrations; which answer to the Tabernacle, and its Officers, and their works of mere Divine Institution, as its three cover typed the three covers or comelyers of our Gospel Ecclesiasticals, Membral, Moral, and Civil; the membtal comelyer or adorner of the said Church-Government, is, each members reverend, orderly, and decent demeanour in the execution thereof: the second is the like demeanour of other social Churches, voluntarily conjoined into one moral fraternity for each others advice, countenance, encouragement, and other moral benefit, without compulsory authority Civil, much less Ecclesiastical: the third is civil authority. The first was typed by the inmost covering of the Tabernacle, made of Goat's hair, Exod. 26.7. to 13. The second was typed by the covering of that covering, made of Rams skins died red, v. 14. And the third, by the utmost covering of Badgers skins, v. 14. their terms membral, moral, and civil, are but for ready distinct handling them for the present, but not exactly to describe their proper natures. 1. Of the first, there are five particulars: the first is a loving, fair, winning, and unprovoking carriage of the body in all its parts, expressing brotherly spiritual love, without scornful fleering, or angry fierceness toward his brother. 2. Reverend and humble behaviour of voice, phrase, gesture, hat, etc. as respecting Christ the Institutor; the Church, the Constitutor; and the sued Brother, the Object of this Divine Ordinance. 3. Grave, sober, and modest behaviour, becoming the speakers spiritual estate of faith and order, and answerable works. 4 Equal and unpartial dealing, in giving and taking due vicissitude of speech, and its length proportionable to the matter in handling, without repeating his own matter, or interrupting the others. 5. Distinct and orderly handling each several part of instituted Discipline in its proper place, without confounding his accusing, confuting, testifying, reproving and censuring, or any two of them together, or breach of the due successive order of any two of them, much less of more. Compare these 24. particulars of Christ's Divine Discipline, with those of personal Antichrists; and observe, first, that they are wholly omitted by them, which in Scripture-phrase is a desolation of them; for so soon as the inspired with his ishmael's and Esau's Spirit can take, yea make an offence against the promised Seed, Rom. 16.17. he hasteth to scorning, murderousness, and dis-separation, and eagerly, and (in his conceit) devoutly prosecuteth it, and persecuteth him, and pleaseth himself as in God's service; especially if he can effect his disseparating and murderous project, Joh. 16.2. and as the rich man, Luke 12.19. thereby clean (or rather foully) leaping over all the distinctly prescribed points of Christ's holy, living, good, and acceptable Discipline, which are 24. in number, and precious in nature of the matter, form, efficient and end. Secondly, what he placeth before and after them, are not divine, and so are abominations, in Scripture-language, and therefore evils of the highest kind, but sins against the first Commandment; besides they are from and for that murderousness, and reproachingness, so fervently and frequently exaggerated in the Word, and by the good of the World; but they pretend 2 Thes. 3.6, 14. for answer, v. 16. is the sum and argument of the ten next verses; and v. 14, 15. are the conclusion of the nine preceding one's; all ten being prescribed unto, and to be practised by the body of the Church to whom they were written, Chap. 1.1. not by, nor to any one, or few thereof; which also the whole ten verses show. Secondly, the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, animadvertize, or censure him, or bring him to trial, or noting with notes or marks of guiltiness, or not guiltiness, is too barely translated note him, which each person can do alone, and may suppose in that wrong bare sense to be his duty: but it is a legal and judiciary term of the Roman and Grecian Judicature, when the Senate thereof tried the arraigned, and if they found him guilty, they signed, noted, and censured him by a black Stone, Bean, or Pease, etc. Of that of Antichrist Stative, Hierarchical, Ecclesiastical, Universal, Papal, Roman, Bestial, Regal, 2 Thes. 2.3, 4, 8. Dan. 11.21, 31, 36, to Chap. 12.11. Rev. 13. 1 Joh. 2.18. and 4.3. Matth. 24.15. Mar. 13.14. 1. Whensoever, as the erection of a perpetual Inquisition-Court, and authoritive persecution, spying, spiting, trying, frying; the four legs of the Beast, which bear him up, and about his mischief. 2. Any man, which showeth the boundless extent of the Kingdom of Antichrist over all men, especially any religious man. 3. Is reported, i. e. proved by the World's word of truth, or affidavit, truly or falsely, upon knowledge or suspicion of error or envy, etc. (they are all alike currant in the Devils, Antichrists, the Flesh's, and the World's Courts and courses; especially in England, the old Ass of Antichrist and Issachar, and yet not much reform, but only refined, swept, and pranked.) 4. By any of my followers, Formalists or Conformitans, i e. any truly, or seeming worldling, Rev. 13.3, 14. on the earth. 5. To have sinned, i. e. to have broke my Canons, Decrees, and Traditions, they being the living a●d authorized Scripture, and the Light, Soul, and Life of God's Word. 6. Let all my Apparatours, and their Praeparers, the Priests, Churchwardens, and Sidemen of every Parish. 7. Present, and cite him to my Diocesan Courts and Judges. 8. Let them examine, article, and accuse him canonically, though rudely, upbraidingly, and scurrilously. 9 If he compurge not, or 10. If they have any colour of proof, to satisfy the world withal. 11. Admonish him thrice; by saying, I admonish you once, twice, thrice, though it be all in one breath, without reason, motive, or respite, but only for form of deluding and abusing, Tit. 3.10. 12. If he commute not; an impudent legal term for bribery in Hierarchical Courts. 13 Excommunicate him, to force him thereto if he be rich; or for spite, if he be religious, and thereby send him to hell: and then 14. Charge the Priest of the Parish, as his underling, Bailiff, or Curate. 15. To pronounce it in his Precinct, Parish-Church or Chapel of Ease; and 16. To forbid all communion with him, spiritual and natural, personal and public; and then 17. Signify it to the Magistrate, Unto imprisonment or burning. 18. But if he commute or conform, remit all, that is, free him from guilt and pain of prison, purse, and hell itself; effectively (say the Formal●sts and proper Hierarchians) respectively and declaringly (say the Reformists) and mixedly say the Conformists and mixed sort (as in the Sacraments and Ordination) who are distracted by, between, and from both; i. e. the Familistical takers of the Character in their right hand, and yet God's Ministrations also of his Word, Sacraments, and Prayer; only in the Church-Estate, Ministry, and Discipline, they are mere Hierarch●sts, and Enquirers, and Presenters of their Parishioners faults and fames; and pronouncers of the Prelate's sentences; and often in the first and last act of persecution of the Saints and promotion of Antichrist, how hotly soever on their Mountains they profess, preach, and press Christ and Christianity. 1. Compare this discipline with the true, and it is shorter than it by the two first parts thereof and their 16. particulars; and in the last it only counterfeiteth the form thereof, so far as it standeth with Prelatical pride and profit; yet neither the body, soul, nor life thereof is observed. 2. Compare it with its fellow-falshood on the other side, and this is less opposite to, and differing from the true than that, both in the body or parts thereof, and in scope and spirit; for the soul of that is the very spirit of envy and spite, usurpation and opposition; or all in one word, disdisfraction, dis-disseparatisme, Judas 19 for detraction of others own from them, and of themselves, and their duties from others; which is so strong in them, that they break all Christ's bonds and bounds, and run wild against the so addicted to Scripture-rules and conscience, that they cross their absolute will which they stole from God, though it be his peculiar prerogative, and the nearest known Diamond of his Essence and Diadem. Of that of Personal Antichrist, or the Spirit of Antichrist in persons professing Christ, 1 Joh. 2.18. & 4.2. 2 Joh. 7.3. Joh. 9 or of Disseparaters of themselves, or Separatists, Judas 19 Esa. 65.5. Rom. 16.17. Gal. 5.20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in both, i. e. Disseparatisme, 1 Cor. 4.7. Prov. 28.13. He that hideth his sins shall not prosper: but he that confesseth, and forsaketh them, shall find mercy. Therefore whosoever discovereth etc. 1. Whosoever, as a precious, enquirable, certain, and general duty, promise and benefit. 2. Discovereth, i. e. by listening, peeping, sifting, or enquiring findeth; and then by whispering, backbiting, and reproaching, divulgeth daily to whomsoever will receive, and then to the Church that will hear, or hath communion or union with him. 3. Sins, How small soever in nature, provocation and number; yea though seeming none to the doer, nor clear to the discoverer; nor convinced nor convinceable by him, but only offences to us, and that taken, but not justly given. 4. In the Saints of a Church, To whom God's peculiar promises of grace and mercy are made, especially to whom God hath given special Offices, states, or abilities; as Canaan and Cham did in Noah; Doeg in David, and Abimelech; & Shimei in David; Diotrephes in John and his friends, either true or false. 5. And forsaketh those Saints, in what anger and haste of heart he can; and manifesteth it by general means, as RACA; i. e. by slighting and scorning words and gestures, etc. especially by particularising some to work their particular mischief, termed, standing against the blood of their Neighbour, even to a Diotrephal Excommunication. 6. Shall be highly esteemed, for those fruits of Gal. 5.20. i e. hatred, strife, jealousy, wrath, contentiousness, separatingness, obstinateness, enviousness, murderousness, and the like oft elsewhere. 7. And rewarded, with his serviles applause of, who is able to war with him? and with their wondering and wandering after him; and with Mordecais honour for discovering Bigthana and Teresh; and with doing, that is domineering in the meetings of his Diotrephal tyranny, or Mauzim, or God-Church, Dan. 11.39. over some of understanding, etc. till the time be out, v. 35. and to his reigning as a King of such Disseparatists in his own swollen conceit, 1 Cor. 4.6, 7. Thus hath malice slain the Gospel-spirit of the Diotrephists to pervert Christ's word of truth and mercy; to erect Antichrists fraud and fierceness, with this bragging and begging Sermon; though the plain meaning of this Scripture be clean contrary, even to commend (as wisdom) our own confession of our own known and Conscience-wounding sins to God, who knoweth them, and our own forsaking them: but not to command under the censure of Treason against God, our publishing others rumoured facts, and unconvinced sins unto men, who know them not; nor our disseparating ourselves, and whom else we can from their persons and communion, spiritual and natural, personal and public; nor to make this frowardness opposite to Christ's meek-love-mercy, to be that holy towardness, teachableness, and tractableness toward Christ which he requireth: nor that contenting glory, joy, nor happiness, which we desire, it being a rejoicing in iniquity, murderousness and mischief, hated by God and his Saints, 1 Cor. 13.6. Rom. 1.31. much less to be irreconcilable to them, and inveterate against them, and irregular in evil courses toward them. These errors and erroneous mischiefs squeezed out of, or rather falsely fathered on the word of truth and life, especially on this special portion thereof, exceedingly aggravateth the impiety and perniciousness of this personal Antichristianisme; especially they being made by their Extracters, to be parts of Divine Discipline devised by man, and so abomination to Christ and Christians; and yet pretended from the Word: and so making Christ and his Scripture seem contradictory to himself, and his Scripture of truth to be falsehood; and its Spirit and scope of meek-love-mercy to seem to these Deceivers and their Receivers, to be a Patron of Usurpation and Pride; and a Pattern of Mischief and Cruelty; which is very near, if not mere forgery of Christ's Scripture, incurring all the plagues and curses of his true Scripture, The Exposition of Matth. 18. especially of ver. 15. to 20. THE 18th. Chapter of Matthew, best brooketh its name, Chapter, or Head of Scripture, of any that I know; First, it is equal with any other in all vulgar use: Secondly, in its Head and Chapter of Gospel-matter, it exceedeth other in the expresness thereof, v. 1, 4. and in the answerable and connected prosecution thereof, unto the end of the Chapter: And also Chap. 19.1. it is said that Christ had finished all that matter before he passed to any other. Thirdly, that matter so finished, is the handling of the truest state, and highest degree of heavenlyness, and that in all its distinct parts of sonship, servantship, and heirship, in our relation to God, and to our threefold Collaterals, viz. to our fellow-sons, fellow-servants, and coheirs. The first of the three, unto v. 14. The second, unto v. 20. The third, in the rest of the Chapter, and that both lineally and collaterally; and also in the affirmative and negative. Fourthly, that Christ our sole Gospel-head personal and public, is the sole decider of this head question of the chiefship in Heavenliness; all which call us to a special respect hereof in the whole, and in each of its distinct parts. The summariest expression of the affirmative part of the whole is in this word, meek-love-mercy; and of the negative in this, proud-rail-racking. The middle part of them is the centre, chair, tryer, and crown of the rest, and for that reason placed before the first, Col. 2.5. for otherwise cultive order, and divine Church-worship, in the course of generation, and nature, is after Faith and Personal Union with God thereby; for that giveth us right of public communion with him, as with our husband; but Conversion by Faith justifieth us, and evidenceth our sonlike Union with him, Heb. 11.1. which our Child-meekness, v. 4, (called foolishness, weakness, baseness, despisedness, and nothingness, 1 Cor. 1.27, 28.) justifieth to be true faith, (that God only and no man may have the glory, v. 29, 30, 31.) which I desire may be specially considered, and throughout my handling the second part remembered, lest we deal about the hull and carcase of Religion, omitting the precious kernel, life, and soul thereof; and mark, that this soul or spirit of Faith, Christ and the Word; is enmity, and implacably opposite to that of Workesworth, Antichrist, and the World. This middle or second part of this Chapter, being the centre, throne, tryer, and crown of the rest; and my present endeavours being in and for a Church, and spoken and heard by Church-right: the Church-use and exercise of this head-grace, and soul of Religion is first to be handled; for the Church is the centre, about which this meek-love-mercy is to move and work: it is the throne wherein it exerciseth its supreme authority: it is the tryer of the truth, and power thereof, at our admission into it, and in our being in it; and therefore its approbation is the Crown, and it the Crowner thereof; and its due condemnation the discrowner thereof: but only upon full discovery that it is false and counterfeit, and after all divine regular proceed unto, and in that trial; especially it evidently and eminently exercising in them all, the true kind and pregnant degree of this meek-love-mercy, without which all due conviction of obstinacy is not used; without which no Excommunication ought to be by any Church decreed, much less executed in affections or actions; but least of all may any or many members so discommunicate any or many members, or the Church itself whereof they are, or any other; yea these two last God hath reserved to himself as his peculiar prerogative; and therefore our present Church-discipline, nor any rule nor grace thereof, is to be extended to them, without flat rebellion. This our second or middle part, v. 15. to 20. is an authoritive or regular exercising and trying of that head or heart-grace of meek-love-mercy, (the subject matter of the 14. first verses) and that in three parts or degrees: The first is between the tryer and the tried alone, v. 15. The 2d. between one or two more, v. 16. as an help both to the first in repentance; and to the third in due and certain trial of guiltiness: The third, between the tried and the Church; and that before and after that trial accomplished, affirmed v. 17. and ratified, v. 18, 19, 20. There is a connexion of this matter (with the former) expressed v. 15. in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but, in relation to v. 14. (that is, it ought to be for the recovery of our sick professing brother if he be curable; but if not, then for preservation of the Church) and with the latter in this word then, v. 21. But first of the body of this matter itself; and first, of the first part or degree thereof, v. 15. The sole Institutor, Lawgiver, and head of the Instituted Church, prescribeth herein the first part and Use of Divine Church-discipline, which is both a service of God, and a preserver of Christians by Divine Institution, and therefore precisely commanded and commended by Christ, both in the affirmative as our portion, to use it as his sanctified means of his worship and our benefit: and in the negative, forbidding as more than his Divine Worship, and our Portion, all other courses, means, and manner of exercising this first part of Divine Church-government, and means of winning our straying brother, lest he perish by those rotting sins, which are the only matter, immediately moving us to those means and manner for their purging away, and healing our sick brother. There are therefore 8. main and plainly distinct parts of this verse 15. 1. The first is the state and encorporate order which enrighteth both Agent and Patient, to the end means and manner prescribed, viz. a Church-membership, In these words, thy brother— against thee, with v. 17. tell the Church. 2. The second is the case wherein that end, mean, and manner, are to be exercised, viz. in the case of the Patients corrupting sin, endangering his brotherhood in sin against thee. 3. The third is the Agents personal knowledge of that his sin, viz. If thy brother sin, etc. not thou hear or suspect. 4. The fourth is the end of our using the expressed Church-means and manner of purging that sin from tha● brother, viz. his recovery in these words, thou hast won thy brother, with v. 13, 14. The fifth is, the means, i. e. convincing-reproof, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, convincingly reprove him. 6. The sixth is the instituted manner of our using that mean for that good of that our brother, viz. all privacy and brotherly tenderness toward his soreness, touchiness, and good name, between thee and him alone. 7. The issue and success, which is twofold; either good and pertinent to our case and verse, viz. If he recover, repent, and return, i. e. If he hear thee: or bad and referring us to the next verse and case, and not of present observation. 8. The eighth is the comfort and commendation of the Agent expressly, and tacitly of the Patient, thou hast won thy brother. DOCTRINE. The Doctrine which ariseth from the whole body of the first part of this. The first degree of Christ's Church-Discipline for his curing his sick Saints, exacteth all these Ingredients. 1. A Church-brotherhood, both in the Agent and Patient. 2. Sin in the Patient destroying that Brotherhood. 3. The Agents knowledge of, 4. And endeavour to cure the sin. 5. By convincing-reproof 6. With all indulgent privacy. 7. And expectation of success. 8. And comfort. The Proofs of each of these eight requisits are expressed in the Exposition of Christ's express, plain, and sole-instituting Precept hereof, more than which is not in Institutions to be expected, much less exacted; what is, shall be supplied in the uses. USE. 1. The first Use therefore must be for the confutation of the contrary tenant, from whence the contrary practice groweth, which is in its place to be dehorted, reproved, threatened, and adjudged. 1. Those that hold against the first, are especially our Non-Conformitans, called Professors and Puritans, who hold no other brotherhood hereto requisite, but that of the mystical union with Christ by personal Faith manifested by profession and fruits thereof: but to what Church do they fit that party or cause? which is the prime scope of the agent; and to it are all the said particulars to be reduced; and if the mark or aim be mistaken, all Subordinats to it must needs be wrong: their mark is not the Church of England; their aim, drift, scope, and endeavour is not for it, and yet other Church they hold not, much less labour for; wherefore they erring in the very subject and object, all their instituted Discipline and Church-dealing must needs be other than Christ's, and so (in part and whole) Antichrists, at least the same in nature with his, though not in act, aim, intent, or possession his, nor accepted by him, and so they have no thanks for their labour and devotion, either from Christ or Antichrist, and so are of all most miserable in this matter; suffering as busie-Bishops and Reproachers, 1 Pet. 4.15. Use 2. They that err in the 2d. particular, are the holder's that every sin in judgement, word, endeavour, or act, is the disease here meant: But what meant Paul then to say? Him that is weak in the faith receive unto you, etc. Rom. 14.1. expressing that weakness in the Faith to be in holding and practising the Mosaical holy days, and in abstaining from the legally forbidden meats, in obedience and conscience to God's command by Moses, which was then abolished, and to prove and press that doctrine so plainly and plentifully through that Chapter, unto Chap. 15.7. and there to conclude the same, with the same Exhortation illustrated. This is much confirmed, Act. 21.20. to 26. & 16.3. & 18.18. Why is joseph's omission of this first part commended as a point of his justness toward God, and Christian indulgence toward Mary, as to a true, holy, and tenderhearted Saint, though his knowledge of her supposed sin did near over-weigh them all, and gave him a strong appearance that it was a sin destroying Church-brotherhood, and her instituted Church-state? the words, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, being (or as being) a just or righteous man, etc. and not being willing, etc. prevent all evasion in this point, that every sin of a brother known to another brother, necessiteth not this instituted or Church-dealing, which point is very frequently and fervently pressed in the word, 1 Pet. 4.8. Prov. 10.12. 1 Cor. 13.7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 love roofeth all things, Gal. 6.2. Mat. 6.14, 15. Mar. 11.25, 26. Obj. But you seem guilty and loving of some sins, in putting them out of this case. Answ. The truth is, I so love Gods divine Discipline, that I cleave close thereto, though I thereby incur your suspicion: But it rather seems, that you more affect absoluteness of Will, and licentious injuriousness, than Christ's institutions and obedience to them, wherein a Christians summum bonum and content consisteth, Eccles. 12.13. But I respect not personal upbraid, but real arguments in this material case; michal's scorn (2 Sam. 6.16. to 22.) I scorn; and honour Moses his periods to all his instituted practices, i.e. As the Lord commanded Moses. The third ingredient unto this divine medicine, viz. the curers due and certain knowledge of the the disease or sin of his brother, is 1. proved necessary, Joh. 7.51. Doth our Law condemn a man before it hear him, and know what he hath done? was it so evident, that the Law of Moses, though in Christ's time much corrupted by the Scribes and Pharises, did not upon any report or presumption, but only by judicial hearing and testimony by two Witnesses at the least, and testified in presence of the accused and answered by him, condemn any man? how dare any Church of the Gospel do so, lest to his power he make the Gospel of Christ worse than the Law of Moses? But by what spirit dare any member of such a Church do it, yea and execute that sentence of his own, to his using him as an Heathen, Publican, or that wicked man? 1 Cor. 5.13. 2ly, every night-professour, yea civil man in England, or other Christian Commonwealth or State, may with Nicodemus say the same words; for before due proof by competent Witnesses and the Defendants full answer, may no sentence be pronounced in any matter, whether criminal or actional: nor before that sentence dareth any Sheriff (much less any other) do any thing as to a condemned man: and yet will any Christian person, Officer, or Church, make Christ's Gospel discipline, worse than the civil discipline of the Commonwealths of the world? which yet they do, when they upon a rumour, or other backbiting receive matter of spiritual censure, both as an accusation and testimony, yea and forthwith sentenceth, and also executeth that censure in his affections and actions, and expecteth, yea exacteth of others so to do, upon his telling them thereof. This in a person or officer is personal or official Antichristianism; and if all the members of a Church so do, it is Church-Antichristianism, though the state be true before and after it; yea though any, many, or all those Christian persons endeavour a trial upon that rumorous fame and testimony: yet their course is Antichristian, and a part of that mystery of Iniquity, whereby that state or man of Iniquity, by his Spirit of Antichristianism, wrought himself from an embryo in Paul's time, 2 Thes. 2.3, to 8. unto full compliment afterward, which now is in his raging death-pangs with God's harpingiron in his belly; with whom also all the sparks of his Spirit do therefore blaze as in their last light. 3ly, the very professed Hierarchical Courts, have a pretending and seeming face of the said Mosaical and Civil Courts, and censure none for a rumours accusation, until they hear the Accuseds answer, and use a form of trial of the cause, more like the other than the said personal Spirits of Antichrist, whom this Text properly concerneth and chargeth to sue and pursue his brother unto the Church censure, upon personal knowledge of his corrupting sin, but not to take a third brother's right, charge, and work from him, nor to partake in his omission thereof, nor his reproachful diverting from it, to play the Informer to this censorious spirit of Antichrist; for why else doth he reproach, but to provoke to censure, where he findeth a bishop open thus to receive, censure, and butcher? 'Tis usurpation and folly to do his work, and sinne not to charge him to do it himself. Do all these Courts and courses hear the accused, and know what he hath done? and dareth any member of a Church of Christ make himself worse than Mosaical, than civil, than uncivil Courts? Dareth he also make that Church a partaker and guilty of that sevenheaded sin? yet let not that Church dare to partake with, not permit it, much less to practice and ratify it. Indeed this Christian cure is properly and personally commended and commanded to every Church-brother, that duly knoweth of the disease personally, and his telling any other of the particular, is a reproach and backbite (for all pretended consultings may and must be in the general) and so what is said thereabout is true: yet if credible Witnesses out of a Church-estate, give to a brother certain testimony of his brothers conscionless sin: he ought to join his enrighting Church-estate which those Witnesses want, unto their pregnant matter to discover and destroy that sin, that will otherwise destroy that brotherhood or church; and if it be without exception, he ought to proceed thereupon: First, to relate to the brother, what they offer to testify; and if he deny it not, or by his tutchiness, dejectedness, scornfulness, or other confirmations, make him confident that his brother is guilty: then he ought to proceed according to God's rule, Mat. 18.15, to 20. only by the Witnesses, v. 16. all things are to be fitted to the conveniency of the Church by their personal knowledge of all requisites, if the Witnesses from without be not fit to be brought in person into the Church: but to do so, upon a brother's report, or rather reproach, is, as is above said, and much worse, incurring the censure of Jam. 4.11, 12. 1 Pet. 4.15. Leu. 19.16, 17. Prov. 18.8. & 26.20, 21, 22. Rom. 16.17. Judas 19 Esa. 65.5. Matth. 24.51. yea of 2 Thes. 2.4. in his sitting or estating himself as the Church, like that Antichrist, and of 3 Joh. 11. in his usurping over the Church and the Scripture, with Diotrephes, who upon his own suspicion, that John meant him in his former Epistles, railed against him with malicious words, and cast his friends out of the Church: but more of this in the sixth particular: The fourth addeth to the first three their Gospel-soul, meek-love-mercy, Saint-healing and Soulsaving Spirit, v. 14. & in the end of this, v. 15. and the fifth addeth to all four their instituted means and effective power, viz. An argumenting & convincing reproof for his said sin, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, which is ill rendered by tell him; for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is an Argument, Syllogism, or evident proof, which applied to the said sin, importeth a conviction thereof, and its consequent reproof and charge of repentance; compared also with if he bear, which therefore importeth an answerable repentance: all which necessity and dignify the search of the scope of the place of Scripture in hand. This enforceth a preceding proof of his said sin, before our reproof, and of that before our requiring his repentance; and of that before our judging him irrepentant; and of that before our taking one or two Witnesses, much more before our telling it to any other, upon any pretence: much more before our telling the Church thereof, and its trial and condemnation or commendation; much more before our barring him of Church-Communion; but most of all before our using him as an enemy, 2 Thes. 3.15. and barring him of natural, matrimonial, or civil good things, which are never to follow Christ's Church censures, but are fit only for Antichrists; who in state, courses, spirit and curses, is flat opposite to Christ, his Church-state, Discipline, Spirit, and Censures, which all tend to the saving of souls at the day of our Lord Jesus, which is our fourth point, by his Gospel-Institutions, which is our fifth; but because of Antichrists oppositness in them all, God himself sirnameth him Abaddon and Apollyon, that is, Destroyer, Rev. 9 which 5. Discipline or mystery of iniquity, was in working in Paul's days, 2 Thes. 2.7. by that 4. Spirit of Antichrist that was in John's days, 1 Joh. 4.3. to the eminent estating of that Antichrist in Constantine's days, and his evident tyrannising in Constantine's days and to this time; none of which four are yet ceased: not the two first in true Christian Churches; the latter, (which is our fourth point) is practised in the Spirit of reproach in the Disseparatists, Judas 19 or proper Brownists, or makers of offences, or soulkilling sins, more than the word hath made, and makers of division or separation thereupon, even from true Christians, yea true Churches, which the word never allowed nor instituted: the former (which is the 5. point) is practised in the said un-Mosaical, uncivil, un-Messiacal, and antichristian courses, opposite to Christ's instituted Church-order, Mat. 18.15. in all the eight points thereof, especially to this convincing course (our fift part) and the sixth (of which next) in both which abominations and false Church-orders, are practised by true Churches in their members, telling each other of each others faults, main and mean, and thereupon separating the reproached as vile Heathens and Publicans, at one hour, with the same and reproach raised, as if their so reproaching were a judicial trial, and that an authoritive sentence, and that a soulkilling and disbrothering execution, even all four, so soon as the first is spoken by the reproacher; yea as if all were done in himself, so soon as it is suspected by him. Secondly, in both these, desolations are practised against Christ's said instituted membral course of four degrees, i. e. 1. certain knowledge, 2. due convincing, 3. resolvednes of his irrepentance, and 4. thereupon proceeding in an executory course of taking Witnesses to testify it to the Church, which only hath discommunicative power, that it may duly separate the otherwise uncurable brother; for those four are slighted, omitted, and rejected, by this rejecting (or rejectible) course and spirit, which the word termeth desolating. Thirdly, confusions of the successive order of these four degrees is practised in one Church-members separating, censuring, testifying; and lastly, upbraiding another with sin, and in his neglect of Christ's precise order prescribed him herein: Which 3. practices of 1. abominations or false institutions 2. of desolations of true Institutions, and 3. of confusion or Babelism, are severally (at least jointly) the quarto modo properties of Antichrist, either public and stative, viz. of a false Church-state: or personal and membral, viz. of the possessed with the evil Spirit of Antichrist, 1 Joh. 4.3. whether of Professors at large, or of Christ's Church-worshippers in state, though unmortified in affections and actions, especially in matters of the fift, sixth, and ninth Commandments, which the sixth and next point will plainly and plentifully show. This sixth Jngredient into this Divine Saint-healing Medicine, is brotherly and tender privacy in all the rest, in these words, between thee and him alone. This therefore sorteth with all the rest in their joint proper soul, and of this whole Chapter, viz. in meek-love-mercy; and in opposing their and its opposites, viz. proud-rail-racking: the three parts of both those words answering to the three said distinct parts of this Chapter: the former, in the positive respect: the latter, in the opposite. The two first parts of the former expressly: the last part inclusively in the last part of the latter: and the two first parts of the latter word inclusively in the two first parts of the former: the last expressly in the last part of the Chapter from v. 20. This sixth part of this soulsaving and sinne-purging sealed receipt, Job 33.16. sorts also with the other five in their divine and word-holy body, as they are instituted parts of Christ's Scripture-worship; so that the omitters and slighters hereof are Desolators of that Divine Worship; and the practisers of any other in its stead, though in their conceit much better, are abominators thereof; and the disorderly users thereof, are confusers thereof; and so sorters with that Babylon, i. e. confusion, that abomination and desolation, Dan. 11.31. & 12.11. Mat. 24.15. Mar. 13.14. called also that man of sin, that son of perdition, 2 Thes. 2.3. that Usurper over and Opposer against all called God, v. 4. Dan. 11.36. that Antichrist, that Beast, that Abaddon, etc. and so gross breakers of the first, second, fifth, and sixth Commandments. The gross and flat opposite to this part, both in that soul and this body, is one Church-members reproaching and speaking evil of another; which also in a fifth respect is the proper and prime breach of the ninth Commandment, viz. as it tendeth to his discredit; for it breaketh the first, as it usurpeth over & opposeth against Christ the Institutor of that order and means, and the commander and commander of that meek-love-mercy, and against God his Father and sender. It is a breach of the second in all the particulars of this second respect of this sixth Ingredient, especially as it forsaketh and desolateth this part of Christ's Church-Discipline, and erecteth a false one in its stead, and so abominateth it (and sinneth in the like transgression with Adam, who did, yea could sin only in matter of Divine Institution; for when by his shame his sin was shown, God thence concludeth, that he had eaten of the forbidden Institution, Gen. 3.10, 11.) and as it usurpeth over and opposeth against Christ's Church-power, authority, and jurisdiction instituted; for as it proudly deposeth or opposeth the persons enrighted thereto, and practising thereof it breaks the fifth, and as it ariseth from anger, malice, or an evil mind, it breaks the sixth Commandment, Matth. 5.21. to 26. If it be above just cause and only inward, it is against the first degree of v. 22. If it extend to external insinuations, and general reproaching, it cometh under the 2. degree of that sin and judgement: but if it proceed to the least sort of particularising of matter of a brother's discredit, though it be but of his wisdom, it is expressed to be of the highest sort of sins and judgement, at least of that Commandment: yet Jam. 4.11, 12. expresseth it to be a reproaching and censuring of the Word of God itself, and an usurpation of God's Law-giving Supremacy, and an opposition against God that is alone able to save and to destroy, and thereupon thundereth against this reproacher with Who art thou that judgest another brother? which last word is expressed, v. 11. and showeth the true nature and high degree of this sin of reproaching; without it the other two parallel places of Matth. 5.21. and 18.15. were not its true parallels; and without this peculiar institutedness or instituted peculiarity of this privacy in present consideration, the other two would seem somewhat harsh. In brief, mark the holy institutedness of this sin-hiding, or rather sin-healing privacy, Mat. 18.15. the holy estate of a brother in all three places, the holy nature of the Law, Jam. 4. and of Christianity, Matth. 5. and the oppositness of Antichristianity to all three, even in falseness of institution against the Gospel, and in evilness of order against the moral Law, and of nature generate and regenerate, against the first and second Adam, and their Posterity; and you shall therein see the heavenly virtue of this privacy, and hellish vility of its privative in dealing with our brother's sins; even that the former is an healing, and the latter an helling of our brother and his sins, sores, and sorrows, and that the former is that submissive and serviceable two-hornedness of the Lamb, Rev. 13.1. and of his Lambs or Babes, in this whole Chapter, and the peculiar Spirit of Christ, his Gospel and Gospelers throughout his Word: and the latter that deposing and opposing two hornedness of the Beast, ibid. of that Man of Sin, 2 Thes. 2.3, 4. of that abominable or vile one, Dan. 11.21, 31, 36. and 12.11. The 7. and 8. Ingredient having been handled before, are by our Author here omitted. FINIS. A DISCOVERY OF Adam's threefold Estate in Paradise; viz. Moral, Legal, and Evangelical, (handled in three several Methods.) To which a fourth, i. e. his Heavenly Estate, (as an inseparable relative, and as the Compliment of the former three;) is added. Wherein also is shown, that God's Dispensations have been under the said relation, to his Posterity ever since. Rom. 8.3. For what the Law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin condemned sin in the flesh: Gal. 3.24. Wherefore the Law was our Schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by Faith. See Rom. 2.14, 15. LONDON, Printed for Henry Eversden, at the Sign of the Greyhound in Paul's Churchyard, 1656. A Discovery of Adam's threefold Estate in Paradise; viz. Moral, Legal, and Evangelical, etc. The first Method. GOD created man perfect in nature, perfect in goodness, which enabled him to a perfect obedience to the Will of God; and with him (in him) also created The Instinctive Natural Moral Law; and did not impose any absolute command upon him, but what in the Creation he had adopted him for, and given him ability to perform▪ Else had man been made an imperfect Creature, which God (being a perfect Entity, and infinite and absolute in perfection) could not do: and indeed it had been against his Justice, Wisdom, and Love, to create the whole Species of mankind to condemnation in and by the principles of Nature, and Moral unadequateness of his instinctive and imposed Law, and innate virtue: For the Instinctive it needed but serious consideration, it being so immediate to God's original creative act, in his Rationals and Legals, in whom he had immediately created the Moral Law; and the institutive Laws were imposable by a Natural Right, though more remote: yet they being proper adjuncts to Gods instinctive, are parts of the moral Law, i. e. of the second Commandment, even in the particulars. Therefore God imposed the whole Paradisal worship on man by his creative right; [which see in the ensuing Table of Institutions] This done, all Gods natural creation was complete in the addition of God's natural cultives to his instinctive Law; but immediately therewith did God also add thereto an heavenly typicalness, as a divine Sign of Heaven, and all its particulars, attainable by man's fulfilling them as such, by his innate virtue; which as the case then stood was impossible. The Natural Law was created with man, which appears by cain's knowledge of his murder to be a sin (as is manifest by his denial of his brother) before the Law published, Gen. 4. also Rom. 1.19, 20. chief Chap. 2.14, 15. Yet was not this a prohibition with a penalty nor an imposed Law or institution, but only proposed to man to accept or refuse, and if accepted then to be as a thing conditional for life upon performance; or death in case of failing; (as in Gen. 2.17. appears) For in the day thou eatest thereof thou shall surely die. And in the 3. Chap. and the 3. ver. Ye shall not eat of the fruit of the Tree in the midst of the Garden, neither shall ye touch it lest ye die: As if God had said, I do not impose this as a command, but only propose it with this condition, That if thou dost undertake to keep it as a Law, and not perform it, thou shalt die: but performing it, thou shalt live. Otherwise, had God been the Author of his Fall, in giving him a Law beyond his instinctive power of obedience: Yet it being accepted so, it became a Law of works unto man, for his more than created life in heaven, or death in hell: And more particularly, The Tree of Life was planted by the Tree of Knowledge; implying, life was the reward to the performance of this Law; and death the penalty, as before expressly denounced for the breach. Josh. 24.19, 20, to 28. is a resemblance of this Covenant. Thus these were Signs and Seals Sacramental, as Livery and Seisin of a Spiritual Estate; the one of Heaven, the other of Hell. Proofs of the Paradise Law of Works, or first Covenant. First, from the relation between Heaven and Earth, Gen. 1.1. Secondly, from its relation to the Gospel, Gal. 3.21. etc. Thirdly, from the institution of Paradise, its Ruling and Sacramenting Ministry and Ministrations, typically relating unto Heaven by God's Institution, expressed in the Tree of Life, i. e. Heavenly and Eternal Life. Fourthly, Rom. 5.14. Fifthly, 1 Cor. 15.45. etc. Sixthly, 2 Pet. 1.4. Divine Nature. Seventhly, 2 Cor. 13.5. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be Reprobates. Eighthly, Rom. 8.3. with Gal. 3.22, 23, 24. Ninthly, Phil. 2.6, to 11. with Act. 4.12. The first hereof viz. the tree of life (first in time, nature and dignity) entered man into a heavenly state; But because it was conditional, and gave not an answerable heavenly nature, which the Gospel Sacraments do; Adam was mistaken in his conceited power of obedience. For Adam not being as yet acquainted with Faith and the Gospel righteousness, (that being not mentioned till the end of that day which was after the fall) but only looking upon his own facile native obedience of the Moral Law, (and not observing the dative and instinctive power cocreated to the performance thereof) and of that only, thought he could as well by his own ability do all that could be proposed although in stative righteousness, as he had done all that was imposed: And therefore not doubting his power of obedience, nor fearing the penalty, nor any prejudice that could be due to the failing part or non-performance thereof, and looking upon the promised prize of a heavenly life, as clear gains, did accept of this proposition, and out of his own abilities, (without desire of assistance of heavenly power, though in a heavenly work) did undertake the keeping and observance of this Law; as indeed there was no reason in nature to the contrary. The first Covenant Gen. 2. in the Tree of Life is enlarged in Leu. 18.5. But the Angels of mentity, of light, (thence JOB calls them Luciferians) and order, conceiving man coming into the sonlike state, and thereby in a condition of greater excellence, and of priority, and of precedency of them, did envy him, and that their conceited happiness of his: which ambition, pride, and envy, spurred them to an immediate practice, for the ruin and downfall of man: for they being servants, and not sons of heaven, and therefore in their created nature they not knowing the far higher estate of Christ, (and his body of Saints) God's destinate heir of heaven, conceived Adam able to have performed the condition, and therefore also conceived that he had been positively established by God to have been the heir of heaven, and so their immediate Lord and Master, which in their nature was intolerable and scornful; and in God conceived it to be injustice, want of love, and contempt of them, and therefore would neither serve him, nor his new adopted Son, and left their service and their first estate, Judas 6. and wrought all mischief they could against him: But having no power against his person, they practised against Adam and Eve; and being fallen from their created estate, experimentally felt and discerned both good and evil, which al●o Adam did after his Fall: though before, neither of them did, but good only. Now by this consequence of the Law, they perceived the nature of the Law, and that man was thereby ruinable as well as they, and therefore set all their wits and powers on work, to contrive their breach of it, and ruin by it. And accordingly, poor man, his legal, or rather Gospel weakness was such, that (his former supporter, his created power, only enabling him to the observance of the Moral-Law, and not reaching this, which was of a more heavenly nature) he was no sooner attempted then overcome. God then cursed the Serpent, Gen. 3.14, 15. and put enmity betwixt man and him; but before he denounced the Sentence of the curse due to man for this breach of the first Covenant; for the support of weak, frail, and dejected man, at the declaration thereof, God first shown him a glimpse of the Gospel, in that he gave him a promise of mercy, Gen. 3.15. (and enlarged Gen. 17.6, 7.) and full assurance of a second victory in Christ (which by Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Daniel, is called the second Covenant) and thus comforted (v. 15.) then let him know his punishment, ver. 16. to 19, 22, 23, 24. This glimpse of Justification by Faith in Christ, and its cultive seals of salvation, (the Sacrifices, Gen. 4.4. founded Gen. 3.15.) is the Centre and Circle of the Gospel; glancing upward to God for the good of his Saints, and downward to hell and its hellhounds, and forwards to man two ways: The first is properly to show God as before the Creation: The second, in: The third, after it: And the fourth, in a mixed way of all three: Gods Gospel stating man in personal Faith, and its Cultive Order ensighted and enrighted him in God as Unus, binunus, trinunus, and quadrinunus; the first before time: the second at it, and the first week: the third as at, and after the end thereof: the fourth, as in an irregular way occasioned by man's irregularity in his breach of the Law: In this fourth respect, we are put by effect, and à posteriori to consider of all four, and enabled thereto by the third; enrighted by the second, and effected by the first: We must therefore ascend from the fourth gradatium. We had no right thereto but by the Law, nor might but by the Gospel in part; but not in height, but by heaven; nor every way but as fallen by the Law: and in a mixture of both, in the whole passage through the wilderness of regeneration; wherein we are to look to Abraham showing, and shown; by the first notion of God; to Egypt, taught by the second; to the Tabernacle resembling the third; and to the fourth, even to seek and search for the three simples in the mixed portion of Inheritance, and potion of health, gropingly thence to Christ, and gripingly after, but we shall never grasp our fill but in Heaven complete. Man had not power to fall in his natural condition by the natural Law. GOd is a pure and perfect entity, that cannot will, nor work any thing but like himself, for natural perfection: as the Beasts were in sensibility perfect, till man's sin brought also on them a curse, and depravation of that perfection: [because intentionally made for him, and by donation given into his hands, Gen. 1.26, 28.] The Text expressly saith, Man was made after his Image. Now God could not work, will, or incline to ill: Therefore nor man to any thing that God had imposed, and positively forbidden him: for if man was made after the perfect Image of God in things natural, than he could not in natural things more offend then God; But God could not, therefore nor Man. If Adam could in natural things offend more than God, then in natural things Adam was not made after the perfect Image of God. Again, God's intention was to contrive man to heaven, (else his Decree for Election or Damnation was not eternal) and to that end proposed to him a new Law, with the condition of Heaven, in case of observance, and Death and Damnation upon the breach: which was proposed to him, to undertake it, or not to undertake it: But in hopes of the prize of Heaven, and presuming of his natural power, not knowing it was a heavenly work, did undertake it; and the condition thereof was to do, or suffer: and then, and not before then, came the free will of man to do good or ill: That; the Churches of England and Rome maintain as their received opinion, (and at the Creation as pretended) but then (as before is proved) had man no power to ill. Now this second Law was proposed, and not imposed, for it had been injustice in God to have imposed such a Law upon man, as was impossible for man to keep, (which this was, being spititual, and man merely natural) except he had likewise given him ability to have kept it, which he did not. That it was spiritual, appears by the two Sacramental Trees of Life; of Knowledge; that were not real life and knowledge, but only signs thereof, & therefore Sacraments. And therefore by this it appears, that this Law was merely proposed by God, accepted by Man, and so became federal, and a binding Contract betwixt God and Man; and therefore is called the first Covenant. To work any man to understand this, at the first press not upon him the proposition, and liberty to undertake, or not to undertake the keeping of this Law; but first let him understand the condition, to do or to suffer. Which understood, he will reply, that doing or suffering was imposed, (th'one being necessary to man) and then it may be best made to appear, that it was the acceptance and Covenant of man to do, or suffer, that made it a binding Law unto him. The general opinion is, that man had power to keep this Law, and power to break it. Answ. No: Adam had no power to will, or do evil, because malum is privati●um, non ens, inessibile, incognosibile, inagibile, impossibile. Therefore malum (being non ens) to do ill, is to do nothing, power to do nothing, is nothing in power, which rather implies a want of power to do something. Obj. He had power to do well, and liberty to offend. Answ. That could not be; for doubtless God gave him not a positive command to do one thing, and liberty to do another; i. e. to do, or not to do the same thing; that's a contradiction, and therefore he had no liberty to offend: neither had free will, being bound to obedience. Obj. Not a permissive liberty, i. e. an allowance to ill, but an inclination and aptitude to ill; yet was commanded the contrary, and had power to obey that command. Answ. No: Man had no aptitude, no inclination to ill; for than he had not been made after the perfect Image of God, that could not will, work, or incline to ill: but he (and man if made after his Image) was positively good, holy, and perfect: therefore man was made perfect, in respect of his power of obedience, for an imposed Law, which is the business in hand; but for the Proposition by him accepted, he had no power of obedience. God is Ens, Sciens, Potens, Habens, Man depraved in will to good, is Non Ens, Non Sciens, Non Potens, Non Habens. For indeed we have no power to do that, that is not, but as we ourselves are not, i. e. by our depravation we have no entity in good, being depraved, and in ourselves ill; and therefore by our own power can do no good. And on the contrary, Adam being perfectly good, could not do ill, because he could not do nothing, for all his actions tended to perfections. The Order of God's Supremacy, whereby he governeth all his Creatures and rational Subjects, is twofold, Instinctive and Institutive. FOr the Institutive; that we may not derogate from God, nor arrogate to Man, more than is meet: it is to be understood, that in acknowledgement of God's Order and Power of Supremacy, or Monarchship (mentioned Isaiah 45.22, 23.) there are four particular permanent Prerogatives, Institutions, and Ordinances, peculiarly appropriated to God therein, over Nature and Grace: which manifest his immediate Divine Authority and absolute Power, over, and above his Rationals, from the Creation: in procreation, preservation, gubernation, and adoration; and therefore hath God instituted a fourfould divine observable order therein, (to wit) of Meats, Marriage,, Government, and Worship, as followeth. The Table of Institutions. Institutions are Prerogative Precepts of God above, and after the Creation; which are: (a) Competent, (b) Fultive, or for man's sustenance in his (c) Kind, that is, Marriage, Gen. 1.28. (c) Particulars, (d) Immediately by meats, Gen. 1.29. (d) Mediately by his commanding use of all other Creatures, viz. his government of them, Gen. 1.28. (b) Cultive of or for God's worship: (e) Moral, (f) Solely, i. e. Paradise and its Paradisals. (f) Mixed, with the Worship's ensuing; (e) Super-moral, (g) Legal, (h) Paradisal: (h) Mosaical. (g) Evangelical. (i) Familick from Adam to Moses. (i) National from thence to Christ. (a) Complete, or Celestial; viz. The Gospel and its Institutions, (as called the Kingdom of Heaven) which are Corporational, that is, an encorporate Church, with its Ministry and Members, and their Functions; and all their Sabbath-meeting exercisings and observations. The second Method. MAN, microcosmus, micraner, micricon, at and by his Creation or Earthizing, was first in respect of God as the Father, an existing, respective and operative person, as earthy, ortive, ordive, ardorive, odorive. Son, the Form, Character, Image, and Impression of God's Natural Order, Law, Light, and Wisdom. Spirit, the life, sight, might, and emphasis of the Holy Ghost, as natural enliver and actor of all. Trinity, or triunity of all three, the complete natural 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Earth, Water, and Air, encorporate and inspired with the second-heaven fire, as its constituting and distinguishing form. Secondly, as Stative, he had Right to enter into a legal Covenant of Works, meriting heaven with God, it's, and his Creator, and so King, Monarch, Supreme, etc. in all superiorities. Light to understand that right, Covenant, merit, Heaven, God, King, etc. and the tye, bond, duty, and Religion on both sides. Sight to know the particular Covenant made, at and by his entering into Paradise, with all its respects, as the minor to the major of the two former heads, and that personally, voluntarily, freely, and in confidence of his good thereby. Bright print of that Covenant visibly expressed and described by the Sacraments of Paradise, Adam as the official dresser & orderer thereof, Gen. 2.15. And the trees and fruit thereof, especially those of Life and Knowledge, signifying Heaven, or God's Palace, City, and Kingdom, and God dwelling and reigning with Adam therein, and life and all eternal, and perfect, heavenly, and divine happiness therein unto man, if he observed and fulfilled that Covenant; or the contrary, if he broke it; and that not naturally, but mentally, medially, institutively, and statively, sacramentally, instrumentally, sealingly, possessingly, enrightingly, deliveringly, and seisingly, so signifying by God's expression therein; which so clearly signifying and estating Covenant, if he entered into, he knew that it bond both parties to exact keeping thereof; whereby, and not before, nor otherwise it became a Law consequently, not originally and simply; for though God had instituted all that to be his worship, so far as the second Commandment extendeth only: yet neither it, nor Adam had any heavenly or divine estate upon them thereby. And though Adam and Eve supposed it a glorious and free gift of heaven (as it had been, if he had been of a divine and heavenly nature) yet in God's purpose, project, intent, & end, it was an inevitable exposer of all to God's justice, and just condemnation, Rom. 8.3. Gal. 3.21, 22. and to his glory therein. And secondarily, God ordered this to be the first matter of God's greatest work of grace and mercy in man's redemption from hell, and adoption unto heaven, v. 23, 24, 25. for Adam did, and could not but eat of the forbidden fruit, and so became a breaker of God's Covenant and Law, and lost his wager, even earthly perfection and happiness, which he wagered against heavenly, & obtained it not, but became guilty of its contrary, even of hell, and perfect and eternal curse, malice, and misery. The preceding, worse, and corruining fall of the Angels upon the same rock, and the proofs of both, with their illustrations and controversies are not of this indical synopsis, but of its succeeding vindical illustration. But to pass on toward the third quarter of this quaternity: 1. Man by this his entry into this instituted, mental, and supernatural Covenant, became stative from personal, and from earthly to heavenly, and from personal to practional or federal. 2 And as it was meritorious, and upon condition of perfect heavenly works and obedience, it fitteth the usual Scripture terms of the Law, Law of Works, Works of the Law, legal, etc. as opposite to the Gospel, Faith, Evangelical, faithful. And thirdly, as it was broken on man's part, it is called enmity, our specialty against us, the curse, condemnation, etc. by a Metonymy of the effect for the cause, it being the cause of all man's sinfulness and misery here and hereafter. In a fourth respect, as it is a means, order, estate, project, course, schoolmaster to bring us to Christ and to heaven by him; and man being in that state, it and man may be termed significantly; medial, ordal, artal, stative, projective, entactive, relative, capital, or mental; which four respects of the same thing yield this quaternity, federal, legal, enmial, medial, and so of other terms of the like use. Now as this second part of this microcosmal quaternity hath a Janal aspect upon the create & recreate case of man, it leadeth us to the recreate case; the create being to our purpose competently handled. 3. This is God's Gospel-power unto salvation, i. e. God's Gospel power saving, or Christ's Evangelizing effective of sonship, or the Holy Ghosts brooding, working heavenship, heavenlyness, or sonlikeness: heavens patterning, effected heavendome, or sondome, all grounded on Rom. 1.16. The opposite to which is God's heaven-revealed wrath full curse, v. 18. i. e. hell. Christ's Word revealed in efficacy not-sonning, i. e. hellship, the Holy Ghosts convincing the Conscience unto despair or hellishness; Heavens unpatterned, uneffected opposite, i. e. helldome, against the unregenerate, ungospel, unconscionable desperateness, or enmity. 4. The difference between which Kingdom of heaven competent, and that complete and third heaven, is this; the real existency and relative state hereof prayeth, as in earth, so in heaven; but the reant efficacy, and the reate effect and fruit of all pray, as in heaven, so in earth. Here; is our son and sonship, king and kingship, wife and wifeship, heaven and heavenship; all in being and state as absolute and perfect; as there; in Gods and true account: and also our sonlikeness and sondome, kingliness and kingdom, wiseliness and wisdom, heavenliness and heavendome (or lordlikeness, and lordome; in vulgar phrase, a Manor, Manerial Dominion, or Demesne, or possessed Inheritance) are as true in nature and livery of seisin, i. e. in divine love and its virtues, and heavenly hope and its fruits, here as there: But the two former do not so appear to Christians; and the two latter are not so perfect in and unto them here as there; all shown in one verse, 1 Joh. 3.2. we are now the sons of God, but it doth not yet appear what we shall be. We are as true sons of God the Father now, as then; as true anointed Princes, Prophets, Priests, and parts of Christ; as true coïents, bedders, corunners, communicants with the Holy Ghost; and as truly adopted unto, authorized in, endowed with and seized of heaven: by 1. personal faith. 2. public Church-worship, or instituted order. 3. divine graces operative in and by both. 4. and by autarchy, self-content, full-joy, free-pain, by and in them all three now as then, in kind, though so far off, in degree of assurance, wisdom, power, and plenty, as the East from the West, or Earth from Heaven; for nothing native, stative, dative, rative is there, which is not here; nor here, which shall not be there: yet the two first in noture, and the two last in nature, are so different in degree of evidency and eminency, cleverness and clareness, and of purity, power, perfection, and pomp, as the two bodies, 1 Cor. 15.40, 42, 44, 49, 53, 54. For by bodies are there meant persons, by a Metonymy of the continent for the content; for the natural soul must there be also meant; else it is not there declared what shall then become thereof; and by spiritual bodies are meant the glorified natural bodies of the Saints or spiritual ones; else it is not shown that they shall have any; but footing is left for the Hymenaean and Philetian Familists, who hold that of the degree, that I said of the kind, confounding that oft-expressed distinction in the word and world; and so destroy Faith and Hope on earth, Heb. 11.1. 2 Tim. 2.18. Rom. 8.24. The four reals or naturals of that spiritual body or person vulgarly confounded, need here to be distincted; i. e. the 4. ingredients of Adam's created body: his body was clay, red-earth, or wet-dust; i. e. of 1. earth; and 2. water; his soul was breath; i. e. 1. air, and 2. fire; for it is air drawn into the lungs, heated by, and so mixed with the spirit, fire, or heat of the heart, and breathed out of the body: Thus is man's ensouling by God expressed, Gen. 2.7. and that he thereby became a living soul; So that natural air was the immediate vessel of the more than natural spirit of man, and communicant with the divine spirit of God, and so different from fire mixed with air the common matter of the sensitive souls, and from the Angels, because mixed with air; and that it differeth from the essence of the deity, needeth no proof: yet is it a living Image of God, imbreathed by himself into man's soul, whereby he is a living soul, and so different from all other creatures of a more than terrene nature: yet our vivifying spirit in hand much differeth from them all, they being all real, as of God the Father; and this relative to God the Son; or rather real, as of God the Son, whose divine nature is infused into it, according to his Divine-man, or Man-God state imputed unto him, both which cooperate divine virtues and glory; for as heaven is of a reality different from earth, so is the heavenly man from the earthy, and so therefore his works and wealth: but this spiritualness (for those terms are promiscuous) came by divine promise and covenant of heaven (of a spiritual and supernatural nature) signed, sacramented, sealed, conveyed by types of Gods own instituting and sanctifying to that end; and therefore they did effect that end of making men that were transformed by Faith in them, to be spiritual in our sense of 1 Cor. 15.44. to say hereon that the air was the immediate vessel and basis of God's imbreathed Image, spiritual nature, and immortal being in man, were a parergon & paradox; more to say that the heavenly spiritualness, or spiritual heavenlines of the new man, is more properly imputative, institutive, or relative than real; (though its proper gifts, moral and moral, and blessings personal & possessal be real) and therefore I refer the clearing to a larger and fit place, because I conceive them more precious and useful; than may here be fully shown; where I will add a third, that mercy and repentance ought to have been expected, endeavoured, and prayed for by Adam before Christ was promised: And a fourth, that the means thereof must be by the union of persons offended and offending: A fifth is, that unitable person of the Trinity, must be the relative, ordive, authoritive, institutive, etc. person. A sixth, that glorious and free mercy, compassion, and pity, must be the communicative faculties of this new procreation and birth; but I cease these for the present: But to return to likeness and unlikeness of these two last which is only in the degree, and that only in the two latter quarters of them; yea for aught I know only in their bodily, earthly, external part. As for the other kind of glory of heaven spoken of the new Jerusalem, Rev. 21. & 22. Ezek. 40. to 48. they are only typical, (and to our present capacity, of outward glory) promising all perfect content, joy, life, and glory of the whole man; which being immortalised, heavenized, and perfectly spiritized, shall reign in the height of glory. The third Method. NAture (as existing) is God's Fabric of the Chaos, with its distinct forms, powers, and fruits, of his first 6. days working: 1. it's subject matter, etc. was that Chaos, Gen. 1.2. 2. its project, form, etc. is the frame of the whole, and its parts thence to v. 31.3. Their eject, efficacy, etc. first passive, and receptive from God, then active and revertive toward him. 4. All their object, end, etc. in itself, is perfect natural good and content; in God, is its praising and thanking him in all stableness and serviceableness. Their main and best adjuncts are God's assertion of their being, v. 1. created, 2. was, 3. and there was light, and so oft; and of their well-being in each days work, and in the whole, v. 31. Institution, practive of the Sabbath by his resting thereon exemplarily, Gen. 2.3. because he rested therein: whereon are founded Gods preceptive blessing it to the holy resters thereon, and sanctifying it for divine worship, and to the worshippers, ibid. Preceptive in matters of preservation, i. e. what food men should eat and order for the living terrestrials, Chap. 1. Ver. 29, 30. Procreation, i. e. the Ordinance of Marriage, with its blessing. Chap. 2.22. Government, i. e. the subjection of all other Chaols unto man, to be ordered by him in all their natural dispositions and faculties, as he in his wisdom seemed good, Gen. 1.26, 28. but the power of life or limb was not hereby granted, v. 29. with Chap. 9.2. to 6. Worship Divine, i. e. of what is commanded in the second Commandment, Gen. 2.8. to 17. THe Law was God's ladder set for man to climb to heaven by his power, i. e. Paradise, Adam as the Workman and Ruler thereof, and the Trees of life and knowledge with the rest; which were imposed on Adam as cultive Institutions by virtue of the second Commandment: but proposed also to him by God (as the Disposer of the Spiritual third Heaven, and its eternal life, joy, riches, glory, and content) as divine Signs thereof instituted by him to that end (and therefore as Divine Sacraments, Seals, and Seisins thereof) if he would accept that offered Covenant, (which he did) and also perform it, which he did not. Now Gods proposing Paradise to be a Sacrament, or significant Rite of Heaven, and God as worker and orderer, &c of all in heaven, and the tree of life, of heavenly life therein, i. e. of spiritual and eternal union and communion with that God thereby, with condition of his real enjoyment of the signed, if he observed those signs and their adjuncts, until the day of judgement then also prefixed; and also avoided the eating the tree of knowledge of good and evil, i. e. of the sign of its contrary evil, i. e. of eternal death, disunion, and discommunion with God, and all his good: and Adam's accepting that conditional Covenant, concurring; established that Law or first Covenant of salvation, or heavenly glorification by man's own works, in an Epitome fit for man in his perfect Naturals; and iterate in folio with the Israelites in the wilderness, and fervently and frequently affronting the Gospel. Which Adam and Eve breaking in their eating of the tree of knowledge; brake, and so lost Heaven wagered for, and Earth engaged for it, and so they and their issue were cast from the right of both, presently, & are reserved to the set time of trial thereof, & so to hell: and in the mean time, are to be preserved thereto by natural means, and are to expect and accept God's mercy, compassion, and pity, in his offered pardon; and his love, grace, and blessing, for his better means of his bringing them to heaven and its happiness. THe Gospel is God's message to man of the said pardon and means by the union of the Son, real ordive, or relative person of God, offended, by man's breach of his ordive and relative Institutions, with that so offending man, and by his taking on him his said person and case, and therein dis-imputing his demerits by his atoning death and sufferings, and imputing his own merits of his accomplishing the Law, unto his believers on him therein, by his infused spirit of Faith, the evidence, argument, earnest, ground, acknowledgement, and infallible assurance of both; and of our ●●●nion, adoption, marriage, and engraffing into Christ; but not the hand or instrument on our part to receive them, much less as a condition prerequisite, no nor correquisite; (though it be an active correquisite, inseparable from that our union, adoption, marriage, etc.) much less is it the cause of our justification, union, etc. for the immediate effecting cause is, God's assurance of my heart, by his word and spirit coworking, that I am elect by him through Christ to salvation: Now it is no uniting assuring evidence, etc. except my heart be thereof consentingly, and contentedly acknowledging the same, which therefore is included in God's part, gift, grace, and absolute working of our willingness: first, immediately and properly in the order of nature, passive in us; but at the same time, act and receiving it, it is also actively willing, assuring, acknowledging, and testifying the same, by God's inherent grace, infused at the same moment and act, with the said assuring, testifying, etc. on God's part; but our act is no way first, 1 Joh. 4.19. Phil. 3.9. the places and proofs are too large for this radical Index of this Gospel root of Theology, Religion, and Salvation. The last parenthesis cleareth me from excluding the activeness of Faith from the act of our adoption, much less do I abate the necessity of our obedience, love, attentiveness, and cheerful serviceableness, in all Moral and Gospel-duties, as justifiers of our justifying Faith, to our own and others consciences, as symptoms, fruits, testimonies, & workings of true, living, and lively Faith, and our said union, adoption, etc. thereby: I exclude only their proper causative necessity, from our instant act of adoption, union, justification, etc. which the scope and soul of the Gospel also excludeth; for if any proper act on our part, and ab interno hominis naturalis be causally necessited therein, as congruum, condignum, correquisite (much more as pre-requisite) it is another legal or mutual Work-Covenant, and no new, 2d, nor promisal Covenant on God's part, and so no glad tidings of our salvation, but more sad news of a farther testimony of our fall and damnation, even that we cannot act any one act to our adopting act (much less before it) and so all God's promises of grace and peace are void, and both he and we faithless. By my terming the Gospel in this respect another Law of Works, and by divers other passages herein, I clearly show the true nature of the Law of Works, as our second estate in hand, and as opposite to the gospel; and also of the gospel; and so the true difference between them, i. e. in God's absolute, free, powerful, and saving efficacy, promised and performed in the gospel, but not in the law; yet have they both the same heavenly estate; though the Law have it only in and by Divine Sacramental instituted Covenant, and the gospel have it by Christ's taking it on him, and completing it, and imputing that completing to us, and infusing its Divine, Spiritual, and incorruptible nature into us in all its kinds, and imparting its happiness in its true nature, and true hope of all their perfection in degree; which is the difference of the fourth and complete heavenly estate from the two other: of all which three relative estates of mankind, the first and natural state is the real subject and personal hypostasis, without their abrogating the law of nature (summed in the Decalogue) in any part, but only sanctifying it. HEaven is God's complete Divine Kingdom, completing our three other head estates into an higher, diviner, and more heavenly and spiritual degree than is proper to their own nature. It is, 1. subjective, native, moral, instinctive, etc. Gen. 1.1. 2. Projective, stative, medial, decreative, institutive, distinctive, etc. as in our second head. 3. Ejective, dative, medal, recreative, modal, pertinctive, constitutive, restitutive, etc. as in our third head, and frequently in the gospel. 4. Objective, rative, metal, perbeative, attinctive, contentive, etc. as in this fourth head. In a word, it is the sub-object, i. e. the main, prime, proper, sole adequate object of the Trinity; the first-last subject of all divined or godded, the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the first-last godded, or object of the godhead. For it was the first father, or Creator of time, Gen. 1.1. In the beginning God created Heaven, in the beginning of time, which is mensura rerum; heaven then being the first res which God any way created; and a measure being an instrument, whose essence as such, is in its use; it gave the being to time, and God to heaven; before which there was properly no time, but only eternity. For though man, the Law, Christ, the gospel, their spiritual gifts, graces and glories, be in time, and since the Creation of all other things become heavenly, and so all things of heaven, and so complete heaven was not the first Creature: yet that gain-sayeth not my assertion, that the third heaven was the first object or creature; for gradus non variant sed ornant specient, degrees adorn, but altar not the kind of things. But how was it the first subject, since till after the whole other Creation, it had no adjuncts created? the want of which destroys its subjectship, the essence of a relative as such, being in its correlative, as he is no husband that hath no wife? etc. The Angels alone make sufficient answer; but our Father which art in heaven, and heaven is my throne, etc. make a fuller; and master and servant make a true and competent family, though the master's wife and children make it complete; and the Angels are God's household servants, Heb. 1.7. and God begetteth, adopteth, and marryeth Christians; the distinctness between God and Christ, here needeth not. How the Law was an adjunct of heaven, is more doubtful; yet is it shown that its state was heavenly, and that its sacramentalness of heaven estated them in that heavenly estate, for and to whom it was so instituted, by the author and order of heaven, and its holy signs; now than all things heavenly, are adjuncts to heaven as to their subject: but farther, it is that state whereby we are enrighted to heaven, it being fully accomplished by Christ's death and resurrection, imputed and published to us, and received by us, and so the law giveth us our heavenly estate; and the gospel, the answerable nature; of the complete degree of both, glorified heaven is but the Apex, Meta, Butt, the highest and utmost degree, yea and the first and lowest station and foundation; whereby both the law and gospel are evident, yea eminent adjuncts to heaven; they therefore being now made ours, who were before only natural men, yea the first and legal Covenant was made with and by us only as natural men; our persons are now also of the nature of that estate and Covenant, and therefore heavenly; and therefore also our persons are now adjuncts of heaven, and of an heavenly estate thereby, and of an heavenly nature by the gospel; all which three are encorporate and completed in heaven: wherefore these four thus encorporate, make up the first-last encorporate and complete godded of the godhead; yea our natural, legal, evangelical, and celestial estates and cases, being thus encorporate and complete, make up the glorious and adequate crown, heart, heir, and glory of heaven, in the first-last, deep-high, largest and compleatest state and sense, we being considered as relatively united unto Christ the relative person of the Trinity, and therefore with the whole Trinity itself; than which more cannot be said of true and perfect happiness in kind, my proper and immediate aim; but it's hyperbole transcendency of glory, joy, and precious benefit, is not to be known nor uttered in this life. God in the first words of his Word saith, In the beginning God created heaven: which Christ minding said, In my Father's house there are many mansions, Palaces for his sons, Joh. 14.2. which Paul calleth the third Heaven, 2 Cor. 12.2. and Paradise, v. 4. which is expressed to mean Gods eternal kingdom, of heavenly life and glory, Rev. 2.7. and 22.14. especially Luke 23.43. which is evidently and eminently mentioned in the Scripture, as the highest apex, and crown of our happiness on God's part, or desire and hope on ours. This heaven is that house and throne of God which denominateth him to be heavenly; and in that respect is he proposed to be prayed unto, Mat. 6.9. Luke 11.2. But our present subject is that heaven, Gen. 1.1. which was in all things complete at the first, but in the divine and immediate correlatives to God, as the Father, King, Husband, and Lord thereof, which are now in framing of natural persons, estated in an heavenly and spiritual estate by the law, and ennatured of an heavenly and divine nature by the gospel, and to be enheritanced, enthroned, bedded and boarded eternally therein, as in the godded goddome of the absolute eternal God thereof. This heaven is Gods creative house, Joh. 14.2. throne and rest, Act. 7.49. Esaiah 66.1. which he created for that end, as considerable by Angels and Man. As it is a subject we have handled it already, and in its causative respects; we are therefore here to respect it only in its original and distinct existency and integrality; and then of its divine subjectiveness, as God ordered it to be the sole universal subject of all things, which are not really, properly, and simply God: and so as it is the one and only subject of the Deity or Trinity: In the former respect, the integrum is the entire local fabric of that divine house, city, bedchamber, and dining chamber, with all its parts, furniture, and possessors; its integrals are both real or quantitive, and personal or relative. The real are, 1. the place of God's discernible presence, as the Father. 2. The place of Christ's visible presence. 3. The place of the Holy Ghosts manifestive presence. 4. The several mansions of every Son and Daughter of God. 5. The several stations of every Angel. 6. The several places of every ornament of the whole, or any part, which what they be are not revealed, but in a module or resemblance, fitted to the capacity of man on earth; and to the expression of the greatest glory on earth, prophesied and promised to Israel, Rev. 21. & 22. Ezek. 40. to 48. The personal are the several persons possessing all those places; who all have also a relative respect to each other, and that both lineal and collateral. FINIS. ERRATA. PAga the 16. Line the 14. for totally, read totallity, p. 17. l. 2. f. Churches, r. Church, p. 35. l. 24. f. name, r. main, p. 44. l. 23, 24. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, after 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 add 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, p. 47. l. 5. r. 2 Tim. 3. p. 48. l. 1. r. in order. l. 21. r. & 3. 2, 16. p. 54. l. 29. f. out, r. our. p. 66. l. 3. f. nor, r. not. p. 79. l. 13. r. 1 Cor. 8.19. p. 86. l. 4. r. or root, l. 12. r. observed, p. 92. l. 16. r. answering, p. 1●1. l. 4. r. affinity, p. 116. l. 1. f. v. 7. r. v. 1. p. 145. l. 8. r. by the, p. 205. l. 6. f. sixth, r. third, and p. 204. l. 24. for third, r. fourth, etc. to the tenth false worship. p. 205. l. 13. r. Act. 16. p. 227. l. 5. r. 19 Chap. p. 268. l. 2. r. 14. Chap. Reader, to mend these faults, if help thou lend▪ Thou'lt be thine own, mine, and the Author's friend. These Books following are Printed for Henry Eversden, and are to be sold at his Shop at the Greyhound in Paul's Churchyard. AN Exposition, with Practical Observations on the nine first Chapters of the Proverbs in 4ᵒ. by Francis Tailor of Canterbury in Kent. An Exposition on the whole Book of Canticles, with Practical Observations on every verse, By John Robotham in 4ᵒ. An Idea, or Body of Church-Discipline, By John Rogers in 4ᵒ. Lucas Redivivus, or the Gospel-Physitian, prescribing, by way of meditation, Divine Physic to prevent Diseases, not yet entered upon the Soul, By John Anthony in 4ᵒ. Anabaptists Meribah, or Waters of Strife, being an Answer to Mr. Lambs Book of Dipping, By Joh. Price, in 4ᵒ. The Original of Dominion, or the rights of Kings, proved from Scriptures, By Rob. Weldon, Dr. in Divinity, in 4o. A Comment on Ruth, together with two Sermons, one teaching how to live well; the other, minding all how to die well, By Thomas Fuller, the Author of the Holy State. Horum fabulosorum hominum hoc minùs ferenda est impietas, quod Prophetarum Divinorum & Evangelistarum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 scripta ad stabiliendas Vanitaets suas detorquent; & ea Ezekieli, Danieli, & Apocalypseos authori afsingunt, quae Sanctissimis Viris ne in mentum quidem venerunt unquam. Scultetus in 2 Tim. 3.1. Aureum seculum in Coelis, ferreum in terris expectandum. Idem.