9' 1 Potver communicated unto t!;e 0fftce ofCl;riftfor Je~vs, ~n~ not wit~ refpefr unto his being the peculiar Fourr~ tam of Ltfe and Ltght unto the whole Church in all Ages. It is true, we have under the Gofpel maay unfpeakable Advantages from the Prophetical Office of Chrifi, above what they enjoyed under the Old Tefiament. But he was the Prophet of the Church equally in .all Ages. Only he hath given out the knowledge of the Mmd of God in diffe– rent degrees and meafures; that which was mofi perfefr,be– ing: for many Reafons referved unto the times of the Gofpel; the fumme whereof is that God defigned· him unto a prehe : _minence above all in his own Perfonal Minillry. If any ihall now -enquire how the Lord Chrifl: could be - the Prophet of the Church !Jefore he too~ our Nature on. him and dwelt among us; I fhall alfo ask h0w they fup– pofe him to be the Prophet of the Church, now he hath left the world a~ is gone to Heaven;, fo as that.we neither fee him, nor hear him any more ? If they fhall fay that he is fo by his.Sprit, his Word, and the Mini.f/ry which he hath .ordained, I fay fo was he the Prophet of the Church before his Incarnation alfo. To confine the Offices ofChrifr, as un· to their Vertue, Power and Effica~y unto the Times ·of the Gofpel only, is. utterly to evacuate the firft Promife, with the Covenant ·of Grace founded thereon. And their Minds are fecretly influenced by a disbelief of his Divine Perfon, who fuppofe that the Refpefr of the Church unto Chrifr in Faith, Love, Truft and Inf\:rucrion commenceth from the ..;1 date. of his, Incarnation. ) I J '61 Secondly, The full [_o~prehenfion of the Mi~d an~Will of , Gocl, of the whole Dtvme Colinfel concermng hts Glory in the Sanfrificatipn and Salvati0n of the Church, couW not at once refide. in the mind of any meer Creature. Yet was this neceffary unto him who was to be the Prophet of tl1e Church, that is the Fountain of Truth, Life and Knowledge:
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