A DISCOURSE ON the Old Testament, for the calling ofthe Gentiles, were far more clear and numerous, than those which remain concerning the recalling of the Jews, yet because the manner, way, and all other circumstances, were ob- scured, the whole is called a mystery hid in God from all the former ages of the church; much more, there- fore, may the way and manner of the recalling of the Jews be esteemed an hidden mystery; as indeed it is, notwithstanding the dreams and conjectures of too many. 7. But these same apostles, the same individual per- sons, Judas only excepted, had another call unto that office of apostleship which had respect unto the whole work and interest of Christ in the world. They were now to be made princes in all lands, rulers, leaders in spiritual things, of all the inhabitants of the earth, Psal. xlv. 16. And, to make this call the more conspi- cuous and evident, as also, because it includes in it the institution and nature of the office itself whereunto they were called, our blessed Saviour proceedeth in it by sun- dry degrees: For, (1.) He give unto them a promise of power for their office, or office-power, Matth. xvi. 19. ' So he promised unto them, in the person of Peter, the keys of the kingdomof heaven, or a power ofspiri- tual binding and loosing of sinners, of remitting or re- taining sin by the doctrine of the gospel, Matth. xviii. 1S. John xx. 23. (2.) He actually collated a right un- to that power upon them, expressed by an outward pledge, John xx. 21, 22, 23. " Jesus saith unto them, o Peace be unto: you as my Father hath sent me, even " so send I you. And when he had said this, he o breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye " the Holy Ghost; whose soever sins ye remit, they are o remitted unto them, and whose soccer sins ye retain, o they are retained." And this .communication of the Holy Ghost was such as gave them a peculiar right and title unto their office, but not a right and power unto its exercise. (3.) He sealed, as it were, their commis- sion which they had for the discharge of their office, containing the whole warranty they had to enter upon the world, and to subdue it unto the obedience of the gospel, Matth. xxviii. 18, 19, 20. Go teach, baptize, command. But yet, (4.) All these things did not abso- lutely give them a present power for the exercise of that office whereunto theywere called, or at least a limitation was put for a season upon it. For, under all this pro- TOE IIOLy SPIttt9', vision and furniture, they are commanded to stay at Jerusalem, and not address themselves unto the dis- charge of their office, until that were fulfilled which gave it its completeness and perfection, Acts i. 4, 6. wherefore it is said, that, after his ascension into heaven, hegave some to be,apostles, liph. -iv. 8, 11. He gave not any completely to be apostles until then. He 'had before appointed the office, designed the persons, gave them their commission, with the visible pledge of the power they should afterwards receive. But there yet remained the communicationof extraordinarygifts unto them to enable then unto the discharge of their office. And this was that which, after the ascension of Christ, they received on the day of Pentecost, as it is related, Acts ii. And this was so essentially necessary tinto their office, that the Lord Christ is said therein to give some to be apostles. L''or, without these gifts, they were not so, nor could discharge that office unto his honour and glory. And these things all concurred to the constitu- tion ofthis office, with the call of any persons to thedis- charge of it. The office itself was instituted by Christ, the designation and call of the persons unto this office was an immediate act of Christ. So alsowas their com- mission and power, and the extraordinary gifts which he endowed them withal. And whereas the Lord Christ is said to give this office, and these officers, after his aszen- sion, namely, in the - communication of the gifts of the Holy Ghost unto those officers for the discharge of that office, it is evident, that all office-power depends on the communicationof gifts, whether extraordinary or ordi- nary. But where any of these is wanting, there is no apostle, nor any successor of one apostle. Therefore, when Paul was afterwards added unto the twelve, in the same power and office, he was careful to declare how he received both call, commission, and power, immediately from Jesus Christ: t° Paul, an apostle, not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and. God the 4i Father, who raised him from the dead," Gal. i. 1. Whereas those who pretend to be their successors, if they will speak the truth, must say, that they are what they are, neither of Jesus Christ, nor God the Father, but of men and by men. However, they neither dare, nor will pretend so to be of God and Christ, as not to be called by the ministry of man, which evacuates the pretence of succession in this office. 8. Furthermore, unto the office described there be-
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