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A26986 Pneumatou diakonia, or, Gospel-churches a standing ordinance of Jesus Christ to continue to his next personal glorious coming, plainly proved : objections particularly answer'd / by an unworthy servant ... R.B. Baxter, Richard, 1615-1691. 1682 (1682) Wing B1348; ESTC R30216 105,872 154

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Revelation then made by him with respect to Institutions Worship is in every day to be attended to by the Saints A Church-state is then bottomed upon the Prophetick-office of Christ and to continue from the time of its erection by him to the consummation of all things II. As 't is bottomed upon the Prophetick-Office of Christ so 't is upon his Sacerdotal or Priestly The Apostle argues from the change of the Levitical priest-hood to the change of the whole of that Church-polity its Laws and Institutions Heb. 7.12 For the Priest-hood being changed there is made of necessity a change also of the Law If this be a cogent Argument it follows strongly on the contrary If there be no change of the priest-hood as the Melchizedekian Priest-hood or the priest-hood of Christ after the order of Melchizedeck abides for ever as the same Apostle tells us then there is no change of the Law or institutions appertaining thereunto That the whole of Gospel-institutions have a dependance upon the Priestly-Office of Christ is manifest 1. That the legal Ministration or Worship was affixt to had a dependance upon the Aaronick Priest-hood the Apostle plainly enough declares in the forecited place Heb. 7.12 Now if the Worship of that day had such dependance upon that Priesthood that it liv'd and dyed stood and fell with it the Gospel-ministration and Worship must have the same dependance upon the real Eternal Priesthood of CHRIST for that was Typick of this throughout 2. Christ by his Death or the Oblation of himself which was a principal part of his Priestly-Office vertually put a period to the Law of Commandments contain'd in Mosaick-Ordinances Eph. 2.15 And so by the removing of them made way for the erection of the Gospel-church-state with the Institutions appertaining thereunto This the Apostle fully declares v. 18 19 20 21 22. For through him as our High-Priest for as such he 's discoursing of him as is Evident from v. 13 14 15 16 we both viz. Jewes and Gentiles have an access in Gospel-institutions by one Spirit unto the Father Now therefore ye are no more Strangers and Forreinners but Fellow-citizens with the Saints and of the houshold of God And are built upon the Foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Jesus Christ himself being the chief Corner-stone In whom all the building fitly joyn'd together groweth unto an holy Temple in the Lord. In whom you are builded together for an Habitation of God through the Spirit Nothing could be more Evident if written with the beams of the Sun than this that Gospel-churches call'd the Houshold the Building of GOD with all the Institutions of CHRIST through which they have access to God are bottom'd upon the Priestly-Office of Christ 'T is through him as our Priest that we have access in Worship to the Father and equally in and through him as such that we are of the houshold of God his Habitation Temple 3. All the fittings preparings of Souls as fit materials for this Spiritual-Temple Building and the management of the Ordinances thereof are bottom'd upon the Priestly-Office of Christ That men in their natural state are altogether unfit for such a building or work will be granted otherwise Arguments enough lie near at hand for it's confirmation Our Lord hath solemnly determin'd this Controversy if with any it be a Controversy Joh. 3.3 5. That persons fitness lies in the communication of the Spirit a divine principle of Life the participation of the grace of the Covenant that therein also lies their meetness ability for the work and service of this Temple will not be denied Now whence flowes all this but from the Oblation Intercession of Christ the two signal parts of his Priestly-Office Nay 4. The Saints comming to God with their Temple-Worship all of it hath its Foundation here were it not for the Priest-hood of Christ they must stand off at an eternal distance Jehovah would be a terror consuming fire to them This all know who have a sight of themselves in their lapsed corrupt depraved state and of the infinite purity and righteousness of God This the Apostle treats of Heb. 4.14 15 16. and 7.19 Yea 5. All the acceptance of their Persons and all their Temple-worship with the Father of Spirits is bottomed here Were not Christ our High-priest had he not as such made an Attonement Reconciliation for us did he not make Intercession as such for us both we and our most solemn performances would be loathed rejected by the Lord. 6. Their encouragement to come to God with boldness the great motive to abide in their Temple-Worship and not to forsake the Assembling themselves together to be diligent in the discharge of the duties they are obliged to perform to one another in their Church-relation is fixed here Heb. 10.20 21 22 23 24 25. Their rejection of Gospel-communion is accounted an undervaluing of the Priestly-Office of Christ v. 28 29. To which add 7. That the preservation of Gospel-churches Ordinances is a fruit of the Priestly-Office of Christ bottomed upon his Oblation Intercession Why are they not dispersed scattered Why have not their Adversaries ruin'd destroyed them Whence is it that they have liberty to tread the Lords Court and Worship before the footstool of his Throne in Peace yea whence is it That the Devil with all his power policy hath not been able to ruin destroy the Churches of Christ It 's Christ that died yea rather that is risen again who ever lives to make Intercession Rom. 8.34 so that in this matter hear's full measure of Demonstration pressed down running over that Gospel-Churches Institutions appertaining to them are bottomed upon the Priestly-Office of Christ If he continue our High-priest if there be any vertue in his death energie power in his Intercession they must continue also And when these fail we are content to sink perish Maluimus cum Christo perire quam cum Caesare regnare III. Gospel-churches Institutions are also bottomed upon the Kingly-Office of Christ whence their perennity perpetuity is Evident That Christ is a King hath his Subjects Laws by which he governs them cannot be denied That he hath yet doth exercised his Kingly-soveraignty over them will be granted if he do not do so he is not King his despotick authority is at an end Who are his Subjects Those that dwell in Sion his Church his Body his House his Kingdom which hath been demonstrated to be Saints embodied and worshipping him in a Gospel-church-state to these he is a Head Lord King What are the Laws he Rules them by gives forth for the tryal of their Faith Love Obedience They are Gospel-Ordinances of his own institution and appointment And as of old the people of the Jewes that Church of God when they rejected his Ordinances are said to reject him cast off his Soveraignty Ruledom So because of their pertinacious adherence to the Laws of Moses when Christ had perioded that Ministration had left the World and was gone to his
demonstrating the continuation of them 7. The Temple Tabernacle House Building of the Lord. Vpon what accounts they are so call'd An Objection Answer'd HAving already demonstrated what a particular Church of Christ is and that as such 't is one of the Gospel-institutions Commanded Erected by him i. e. 'T is the Will of Christ that all believers ordinarily should adjoyn themselves to some one or other such Church That which is Incumbent on us further to Evince is that such Churches or the Gospel-Church-State with the Institutions Ordinances Worship thereunto Affixed shall continue unto his next glorious Coming and Kingdom which we now Address our selves to the dispatch of Demonstration I. The Appellations given in Scripture to such a Church or Churches of Christ do evidently evince the Truth hereof First 'T is call'd the Kingdom of God Mar. 1.15 The Kingdom of God is at hand And Chap. 9.1 Till they have seen the Kingdom of God come with Power He seems to have respect to the day of Pentecost when the Spirit was poured down from on high on the Apostles who were then endued with Power from above according to the promise of Christ to them by which they went forth to preach the Gospel plant Churches c. Mar. 15.43 Who also waited for the Kingdom of God i. e. the Gospel-ministration Luke 7.28 He that is least in the Kingdom of God is greater than he See Chap. 10.9 and 23.51 Joh. 3 3 5 Act. 1.3 And speaking of the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God i. e. the Laws Institutions Rules Orders relating to the Churches See Ch. 8.12 and 19.8 9. disputing and perswading the things concerning The Kingdom of God But when divers spake evil of that way What way The way of Gospel-Ministrations or the worship of God in a Gospel-day which they spake evil of as Heretical After the way which they call Heresie so worship I the God of my Fathers Act. 24.14 Chap. 20 25 with 28. and 28.33 34. Upon what Accounts the Gospel-Church-State is call'd The Kingdom of God must a little be enquired into 'T is so call'd upon the Account 1. Of its Glory and Excellency Persons and things said to be of God are therefore so said to be As men of God Jud. 13.6 8. 1 Sam. 2.27 and 9.6 1 Chron. 23.14 Hill of God 1 Sam. 10.5 10. Psal 24.3 and 42.6 and 68.15 This ministration excels all that went before it for excellency and glory 2 Cor. 3.7 9 10. of which more anon 2. Of its Extract and Original There 's nothing of man in it 't is all of God given by the Father to Jesus Christ who came into the World to reveal and discover his Will touching that matter Joh. 1.14 3. Of Believers open visible subjection to owning acknowledging of God in their Obedience thereunto 4. Of Gods care of it protection over it engagement to continue support maintain uphold it to the end Whence it evidently follows 1. That there must be a continuance of this ministration of the Gospel the Gospel-Church-State with all the Laws Institutions Ordinances Orders thereto appertaining till it be suspended abrogated by Jehovah Who hath Power Authority over his Kingdom or can presume to disannul suspend any thing he hath therein Instituted but by such an Act he advanceth himself above God and so proclaims himself to be the Antichrist that was to come Denyes the Father and that supreme Authority from whence the original of the Gospel-ministration doth flow 2. The veracity faithfulness wisdom power of God are all engaged for the support and upholdment of this Ministration 'T is of him from him He 's oblig'd upon that foot of account to exert and put forth the perfections of his Nature for the upholdment of it What Devils beasts of Prey yea what inward lusts or corruptions in the Saints themselves shall be able to evert bring to nought that Kingdom he 's obliged to support and continue 3. That there must be a law produced from this High and Soveraign Lawgiver for the suspension perioding of this Ministration or it abides in force and will do so whether we be subject to it or not Our wills fancies humors imaginations any pretended Revelation will not justify any persons Non-conformity thereunto Let any Statute-law from Jehovah be produced for it's suspension dissolution and the Controversie is at an end Where hath God said My Kingdom shall continue only for a hundred two three or a thousand years and then period after which I 'll leave my Children to act as they please with respect to any Laws or Institutions relating to it If there be altum silentium a deep silence with respect to any such Laws it becomes and greatly concerns persons to take heed that they withdraw not themselves from oppose not his Soveraignty herein lest they be found fighters against God Besides 't is not inconsiderable that there are but two Kingdoms in the World 1. The Kingdom of God which as hath been shew'd as to visibility most eminently consists in Gospel-ministrations 2. The Kingdom of the Devil and Antichrist who receives his Seat Power and great Authority from the Dragon or Devil Rev. 13.2 and to one of these we must needs be visibly subject Two ways Satan takes for the support of the Antichristian Kingdom 1. The one is by establishing Laws forreign yea contrary to the Laws of Jehovah and compelling all to subject to them The other is 2. By casting a slight contempt upon the Laws of Divine appointment and whether the one way or the other he prevail upon poor souls he hath his end for Jehovah's Soveraign Authority is thereby trampled upon Objection If it be Objected that the legal Ministration is call'd The Kingdom of God and Christ tells the Jews nevertheless that it shall be taken from them and we know that an actual Period is put thereunto Mat. 21.43 so that the Church-state being call'd The Kingdom of God is no Argument to prove its continuance Answer The Answer is easie 1. It 's granted that the Mosaic Ministration is so call'd and that because it had it's Original from God who descending upon Mount Sinai by the Ministry of Angels gave forth the Law with the Statutes Judgments and Ordinances 2. It 's also granted that the Whole of that Ministration hath expired for above this One Thousand Six Hundred Years But 3. There were frequent intimations in the Scripture that it should so expire Deut. 18.15 18. Psal 40.6 Isa 65.17 Hag. 2.6 21. These present Heavens or Judaic Church-state with all the Institutions Ordinances thereto appertaining will I shake so as to remove totally abolish Mat. 24.2 The Temple to which the Judaic Solemn-Worship was affix'd shall be utterly destroyed so the whole of that service thereto appertaining cease Let but one the like instance of the purpose of God for the determination of the New-Testament-Ministration before the next glorious personal Appearance of Christ be produced and there 's an end of this Controversy 4.