Apoftles made ufe of to fill up his Place. But s ER M. here in the first Place, it may not be amifs to VI. enquire, why the Number of the Apoftles

must be twelve precifely, and why eleven might not as well fuffice. For that the eleven which remained in their Integrity were not fufficient, evidently appears from St Peter's Discourse, which declares it neceffary that one should be ordained in Judas's Room. For it is written (faith he) in the Book of Pfalms, Let his Habitation be defolate, and let no Man dwell therein; and, his Bishoprick let another take. Wherefore of thefe Men which have companied with us, all the Time that the Lord Jefus went in and out among us. Beginning from the Baptifm of John, unto that fame Day that he was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a Witnefs with us of his Refurrection; ver. 20-22. Now from this Reafoning of St Peter it appears, that even the Prophefies of the Old Teftament, foretold, that our Saviour should at firft chufe, and afterwards continue for fome Time, the precife Number of twelve Apofiles. And for this it is poffible, there may be more Reasons than we know: But it is obvious to any one, that is at all acquainted with the Old Teftament, that by this Inftitution, both the Jew

SERM. ifb and Chriftian Church, exactly correfpondVI. ed the one to the other. For as both Mofes,

and Joshua (who were each of them, in their Turns, a Type of Chrift) had twelve Men under them who were called Princes of Ifrael, or Heads of the Tribe of their Fathers *, representing the twelve Patriarchs from whom the Tribes were defcended; Numb. i. 44; and ́vii. 2. Ch. xiv. Josh. iii, and Ch. iv. And as these were particularly diftinguished from the People, by special Acts of Authority, and by Divine Defignation; fo had our Bleffed Lord and Saviour (our great Deliverer from fpiritual Bondage, and the Leader of his People into the true Land of Promife) his twelve Apostles, as the Patriarchs and Princes of the new People of God, to gather, to govern them, and to act in their Behalf, as Chrift who was the Head of them all should appoint them. Accordingly we find, that the Agreement between the Jewish and Chriftian Polity, is often infinuated by our Saviour himself to the Honour of his Apoftles; especially when he mentions the twelve Thrones on which they fhall fit in the Regeneration, judging the twelve Tribes of Ifrael, Matt. xix. 28. Luke xxii. 30. And when again he represents the STANHOPE, Vol. iv. p, 169.

Church

1

Church by a Woman with a Crown of twelve s ER M. Stars; Rev. x. I. And when, laftly, the VI. Heavenly Jerufalem is defcribed with a Wall' great and high, with twelve Gates, and at the Gates twelve Angels, and Names written thereon, which are the Names of the twelve Tribes of the Children of Ifrael. And the Wall of the City having twelve Foundations, and in them the Names of the twelve Apostles of the Lamb; ch. ii. 1-12-14. These and some other like Allufions there are, which manifeftly fhew, that there was a Refemblance intended (at least for fome Time) between the Governors of the Jewish and Chriftian Church. And confequently it was neceffary, that this Number should be again made up compleat, when Judas had leffened it by his Apoftacy and Fall.

Before I leave this Particular, it may not be amils to take notice alfo of the End, or Bufiness, to which the Apostles are here said to be ordained. Of these Men (faith St Peter) must one be ordained to be A WITNESS WITH US OF HIS RESURRECTION. His Refurrection in this Place is only mentioned, because this indeed is the Foundation and Support of the whole Chriftian Religion. The Death of JeJus is what the Jews ever did, and ever will, VOL. III.

L

as

SER M. as long as they are Jews, admit and boast of: VI. Nor do even the Gentiles difpute or deny it.

But his Refurrection from the Dead in fo miraculous a Manner, if once established, muft. neceffarily beat down all before it, and confequently confirm, and fupport the Truth of whatever he had faid or delivered before. This therefore, the Apoftles laboured chiefly to prove. And therefore, the Neceffity of a proper Choice to fupply the Place of Judas, is laid upon having a Perfon duly, and fufficiently qualified to join his Teftimony with the other eleven, concerning the Truth of our Lord's Refurrection. Not but that, the Acts and Doctrines of our Saviour, during the whole Course of his publick Ministry, are all comprehended, and all implied under the Head of his Refurrection. Why else should St Peter infift, that the Perfon made choice of to the Office of an Apostle, must be one of thofe, who had accompanied with them all the Time that the Lord Jefus went in and out among them, beginning from the Baptism of John, unto the fame Day that he was taken up from them. This plainly intimated, that the Perfon chofen, was to bear his Testimony to the Life, and Preaching, and Death of Jefus, as well as to his Refurrection. And it shews

too

too by the way, that the Preaching, or bear- s E R M. ing Witness of Jefus, and his Resurrection, is VI. not only a Work, but a Divine Office; and that befides Experience and Ability, a particular Ordination is alfo neceffary, before it is lawful for any one to undertake it. For we fee in the Paffage of which we are now dif courfing, that though there were Numbers of fufficient Knowledge and Ability, to fupply Judas's Place, (viz. all that accompanied with the Apoftles during the Time that the Lord went in and out and amongst them) yet, not one of them was fuffered to do it, till appointed by a folemn and divine Election; which is the principal Point of my fecond] Head, viz. The Manner and Method which the Apostles made ufe of to fill up his Place.

Now it appears from the Text, that the first Step which the Apoftles took, was, together with the whole Church which was then affembled, to pitch upon two whom they judged the fittest of the whole Number of Believers for fo high an Office. They appointed two, fofeph called Barfabas, who was furnamed fuftus, and Matthias. But now, neither the Apoftles feparately, nor the Church jointly, knowing which of these two to prefer (for the Holy Ghoft was not as yet descended