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A53671 A brief instruction in the worship of God, and discipline of the churches of the New Testament, by way of question and answer with an explication and confirmation of those answers. Owen, John, 1616-1683. 1667 (1667) Wing O721; ESTC R9489 80,905 231

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unto the end of the World This promised presence respects only the observance of his commands Some men are apt to look on this authority of Christ as that which hath the least influence into what they do If in any of his institutions they find any thing that is suited or agreeable unto the light of nature as Ecclesiastical societies government of the Church and the like they say are they suppose and contend that that is the ground on which they are to be attended unto and so are to be regulated accordingly The interposition of his authority they will allow only in the Sacraments which have no light in reason or nature so desirous are some to have as little to do with Christ as they can even in the things that concern the worship of God But it would be somewhat strange that if what the Lord Christ hath appointed in his Church to be observed in particular in an especial manner for especial ends of his own hath in the general nature of it an agreement with what in like cases the light of nature seems to direct unto that therefore his authority is not to be considered as the sole immediate reason of our performance of it But it is evident First That our Lord Jesus Christ being the King and Head of his Church the Lord over the house of God nothing is to be done therein but with respect unto his authority Matth. 17.5 This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased hear ye him Ephes. 4.15 Speaking the truth in love grow up into him in all things which is the head even Christ from whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplyeth according to the effectual working in the measure of every part maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of it self in love Eph. 2.20 21. Ye are built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone in whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy Temple in the Lord in whom you also are built together for an habitation of God through the spirit Secondly And that therefore the suitableness of any thing to right reason or the light of nature is no ground for a Church observation of it unless it be also appointed and commanded in especial by Jesus Christ. Thirdly That being so appointed and commanded it becomes an especial institution of his and as such is to be observed so that in all things that are done or to be done with respect unto the worship of God in the Church the authority of Christ is alwayes principally to be considered and every thing to be observed as commanded by him without which consideration it hath no place in the Worship of God Quest. 19. What is an instituted Church of the Gospel Answ. A society of Persons called out of the World or their natural worldly state by the administration of the Word and Spirit unto the obedience of the Faith or the knowledge and Worship of God in Christ ●oyned together in an holy band or by special agreement for the exercise of the communion of Saints in the due observation of all the Ordinances of the Gospel Rom 1.5 6. 1 Cor. 1.2 1 Cor. 14.15 Heb. 3 1. James 1.18 Rev. 1.20 1 Peter 2.5 Ephes. 2.21.22 23. 2 Cor. 6.16 17 18. Explication The Church whose nature is here inquired after is not the Catholick Church of elect Believers of all ages and seasons from the beginning of the World unto the end thereof nor of any one age nor the universality of professors of the Gospel but a particular Church wherein by the appointment of Christ all the Ordinances of the Worship of God are to be observed and attended unto according to his Will For although it be required of them of whom a particular Church is constituted that they be true Believers seeing that unless a man be born again he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God and so on that account they be members of the Church Catholick as also that they make visible profession of faith and obedience unto Jesus Christ yet moreover it is the will command and appointment of Christ that they should be joyned together in particular societies or Churches for the due observation of the Ordinances of the Gospel which can alone be done in such Assemblies For as the members of the Catholick Church are not known unto one another meerly on the account of that faith and union with Christ which makes them so whence the whole society of them is as such invisible to the World and themselves visible only on the account of their profession and therefore cannot meerly as such observe the Ordinances of the Gospel which observation is their profession so the visible Professors that are in the World in any age cannot at any time assemble together which from the nature of the thing it self and the institution of Christ is indispensably necessary for the celebration of sundry parts of that worship which he requires in his Church and therefore particular Churches are themselves an Ordinance of the New Testament as the National Church of the Jews was of old For when God of old erected his Worship and enjoyned the solemn observation of it he also appointed a Church as his institution for the due celebration of it That was the people of Israel solemnly taken into a Church relation with him by covenant wherein they took upon themselves to observe all the laws and ordinances and institutions of his worship Exod. 20.19 Speak thou with us and we will hear Exod. 24.3 And Moses came and told the People all the words of the Lord and all the judgements and all the people answered with one voice and said all the words which the Lord hath said we will do Deut. 5.27 All that the Lord our God shall speak unto thee we will hear it and do it And God accordingly appointed them Ordinances to be observed by the whole congregation of them together at the same time in the same place Exod. 23.17 Three times in the year all thy Males shall appear before the Lord thy God Deut. 16.16 Three times in a year all thy Males shall appear before the Lord thy God in the place which he shall choose Neither would God allow any stranger any one not of the Church so instituted by him to celebrate any part of his instituted worship untill he was solemnly admitted into that Church as a member thereof Exod. 12.47 48. All the congregation of Israel shall keep it and when a stranger shall sojourn with thee and will keep the Passover to the Lord let all his Males be circumcised and then let him come near and keep it and he shall be as one that is born in the Land for no uncircumcised person shall eat thereof To the same end and purpose when the knowledge of God was to be diffused all the World over by the preaching of the Gospel
towards each other is equal Whence it is distinguished from that private pastoral admonition which is an act of the teaching office and power not directly belonging unto the rule or government enquired after But this admonition is an effect of love and where it proceedeth not from thence it is irregular Matth. 18.16 17 18. Rom. 15.14 Thirdly this duty is so incumbent on every member of the Church that in case of the neglect thereof he both sinneth against the institution of Christ and makes himself partaker of the sin of the party offending and is also guilty of his danger and ruine thereby with all that disadvantage which will accrue to the Church by any of the members of it continuing in sin against the rule of the Gospel They have not only liberty thus to admonish one another but it is their express and indispensible duty so to do The neglect whereof is interpreted by God to be hatred of our Brother such as wherewith the love of God is inconsistent Levit 19.17 1 John 4.20 Chap. 3.15 Fourthly although this duty be personally incumbent on every individual member of the Church yet this hinders not but if the sin of an offender be known to more than one at the same time and they joyntly take offence thereat they may together in the first instance admonish him which yet still is but the first and private admonition which is otherwise when others are called into assistance who are not themselves acquainted with the offence but only by information and joyne in it not upon the account of their own being offended but of being desired according unto rule to give assistance to them that are so Fifthly the way and manner of the discharge of this duty is that it be done with prudence tenderness and due regard unto all circumstances whence the Apostle supposeth a spiritual abilitie to be necessary for this work Rom. 15.14 Ye also are full of goodness filled with all knowledge also able to admonish one another especially four things are to be diligently heeded First that the whole duty be so managed that the person offending may be convinced that it is done out of love to him and affectionate conscientious care over him that he may take no occasion thereby for the exasperation of his own spirit Secondly that the Persons admonishing others of their offence do make it appear that what they do is in obedience unto an institution of Christ and therein to preserve their own souls from sin as well as to benefit the offenders Thirdly that the admonition be grounded on a rule which alone gives it authority and efficacy Fourthly that there be a readiness manifested by them to receive satisfaction either 1 In case that upon tryal it appeareth the information they have had of the miscarriage whence the offence arose was undue or not well grounded or 2 of acknowledgement and repentance Sixthly The ends of this Ordinance and institution of Christ are 1. To keep up Love without dissimulation among all the members of the Church for if offences should abide unremoved love which is the bond of perfection would not long continue in sincerity which tends to the dissolution of the whole society 2. To gain the offender by delivering him from the guilt of sin that he may not lye under it and procure the wrath of God against himself Levit. 19.17 3. To preserve his person from dishonour and disreputation and thereby to keep up his usefulness in the Church To this end hath our Lord appointed the discharge of this duty in private that the failings of men may not be unnecessarily divulged and themselves thereby exposed unto temptation 4. To preserve the Church from that scandal that might befall it by the hasty opening of all the reall or supposed faylings of its members And 5. To prevent its trouble in the publick hearing of things that may be otherwise healed and removed Seventhly In case these ends are obtained either by the supposed offending persons clearing of themselves and manifesting themselves innocent of the crimes charged on them as Joshua 22.22 23 24 25. 2 Cor. 7.11 Or by their acknowledgement repentance and amendment then this part of the discipline of the Church hath through the grace of Christ obtained its appointed effect Eighthly In case the persons offending be not humbled nor reformed nor do give satisfaction unto them by whom they are admonished then hath our Lord ordained a second degree of this private exercise of discipline that the persons who being offended have discharged the foregoing duty themselves according unto rule shall take unto them others two or three as the occasion may seem to require to joyn with them in the same work and duty to be performed in the same manner for the same ends with that before described Matth. 18 15 16 17. And it is the duty of these persons so called in for assistance First To judge of the crime fault or offence reported to them and not to proceed unless they find it to consist in something expresly contrary to the rule of the Gospel and attested in such manner and with such evidence as their mutual love doth require in them with respect unto their Brethren And they are to judge of the testimony that is given concerning the truth of the offence communicated unto them that they may not seem either lightly to take up a report against their Brother or to discredit the testimony of others Secondly In case they find the offence pretended not to be a reall offence indeed contrary to the rule of the Gospel or that it is not aright grounded as to the evidence of it but taken up upon prejudice or an over-easie credulity contrary to the law of that love which is required amongst Church-members described 1 Cor. 13. and commanded as the great means of the edification of the Church and preservation of its union then to convince the brother offended of his mistake and with him to satisfie the person pretended to be the offender that no breach or schism may happen among the members of the same body Thirdly Being satisfied of the crime and testimony they are to associate themselves with the offended Brother in the same work and duty that he himself had before discharged towards the offender Ninthly Because there is no determination how often these private admonitions are to be used in case of offence it is evident from the nature of the thing it self that they are to be reiterated first the one and then the other whilest there is any ground of hope that the ends of them may be obtained through the blessing of Christ the Brother gained and the offence taken away Neither of these then is to be deserted or laid aside on the first or second attempt as though it were performed only to make way for somewhat farther but it is to be waited on with prayer and patience as an ordinance of Christ appointed for attaining the end aimed at Tenthly In