An expository comment, doctrinal, controversial, and practical upon the whole first chapter to the…An expository comment, doctrinal, controversal, and practical upon the whole first chapter to the…

First, That it is observed by learned men, That our Saviour in the edification ¹and building of the Christian Church, did not follow the Jewish Church Government, which was formerly appointed by God, viz. by an high Priest, and chief Priests with the Levites under them. Therefore the Officers of Christs Church are not to be called Priests or Levites, though sometimes the Ancients call the Elders and Deacons so; but that is by allusion only. For, as was said, our Saviour did not propound that form in the Old Testament to follow: So that all those endeavours which have been used to conform the Church of Christ to the Jewish in Government, and Ceremonial Worship; as to have a Pope, because an high Priest; to have glorious vestments in the Worship of God, because the Priests had; this is to go contrary to Christ. For indeed if our Saviour did follow any thing, it was the Synagogues and their Orders. Hence learned men show, That the chief Ruler of the Synagogue, he had his Messengers to go up and down to the several Synagogues upon special employment, and these were called Thelichin, Apostles: So they had two sorts of Elders, which were made by imposition of hands, and they had Excommunication in their Synagogues. Yea, some say, both Baptism and the Lords Supper were taken as Rites from the Jews then in use; for they had such an initiation of all Proselytes, and when they took such in, they took in their children also: And so for eating of bread, and drinking of wine. Only they add, That when Christ took up these, he changed the nature of them: They were Rites and Ceremonies before, but Christ made them Sacraments. But let the learned debate these things. This is enough to us, That Christ he did as the chief Head of his Church, choose some, whom he called Apostles, for to begin and propagate his Church.²

First, That it is observed by learned men, That our Saviour in the edification ¹and building of the Christian Church, did not follow the Jewish Church Government, which was formerly appointed by God, viz. by an high Priest, and chief Priests with the Levites under them. Therefore the Officers of Christs Church are not to be called Priests or Levites, though sometimes the Ancients call the Elders and Deacons so; but that is by allusion onely. For, as was said, our Saviour did not propound that form in the Old Testament to follow: So that all those endeavours which have been used to conforme the Church of Christ to the Jewish in Government, and Ceremonial Worship; as to have a Pope, because an high Priest; to have glorious vestments in the Worship of God, because the Priests had; this is to go contrary to Christ. For indeed if our Saviour did follow any thing, it was the Synagogues and their Orders. Hence learned men shew, That the chief Ruler of the Synogogue, he had his Messengers to go up and down to the several Synagogues upon special imployment, and these were called Thelichin, Apostles: So they had two sorts of Elders, which were made by imposition of hands, and they had Excommunication in their Synagogues. Yea, some say, both Baptisme and the Lords Supper were taken as Rites from the Jews then in use; for they had such an initiation of all Proselytes, and when they took such in, they took in their children also: And so for eating of bread, and drinking of wine. Onely they adde, That when Christ took up these, he changed the nature of them: They were Rites and Ceremonies before, but Christ made them Sacraments. But let the learned debate these things. This is enough to us, That Christ he did as the chief Head of his Church, choose some, whom he called Apostles, for to beginne and propagate his Church.