possimus ut cum coeperit frumentum Dominicis horrcis condi fructum pro opere nostro labore capiamus Contr. Crescen Grammat l. 1. c. 14. That we are not therefore to depart from the Church our selves because we see tares to be in the Church but only to labour that we our selves may be pure grain that when that corn shall be lodged in God's granaries we may receive the fruit of our work and labour 2 Cor. 2.15 16. T is no prejudice unto those to whom the Word of God is the savour of life unto eternal life that the same Word by reason of other mens infidelity becomes unto them the savour of death unto eternal death 1 Cor. 11. T is no prejudice to the worthy receiver of the Holy Communion who feeds upon Christ's body and blood by faith and love and Divine meditation that the unworthy communicant at the same time eats and drinks damnation to himself The very same meat we know is nourishment to a well-disposed stomach which to an ill and depraved one is the matter of crudities and diseases nor is it any whit the less a nourishment unto the healthful because it may be at the same time it contributes accidentally to the encrease of the sick man's distemper Thus now have I declared with all plainness as much as seems necessary to be spoken here about the nature of Christian Churches and the qualification indispensably required in all the members of them CHAP. V. Of the places we call Churches That all difference of place is not taken away in the New Testament St. John 4.20 21 22. examined The Temple at Jerusalem on some accounts Typical on others Moral David's resolutions of building the Temple grounded on a rational piety and both He and Solomon arguing the fitness of its Magnificence by arguments of reason Scripture-precepts of reverence to God's house have no sign in them of being Ceremonial only Rationally therefore applyed by the Jews to their Synagogues The Centurion's Synagogue a proof of his love to their Nation Christ and his Apostles constant in frequenting the Temple and Synagogues Probable it is that even in the time of the first Christians there were certain places peculiar for their serving God in Intimations thereof in Sacred Scripture Act. 11.26 A Local Church as early as the name Christians 1 Cor. 11.18 The house of God opposed to their private houses Mr. Mede's conjectures what that house was and farther proofs about it The general reason of appropriating certain places to God's worship and service YEt before I leave this Argument quite I will take notice briefly of another acceptation familiarly used of the word Church 'T is confess'd indeed that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ecclesia which we translate church doth primarily referr to the persons assembled but this is no hindrance but that the same word may at other times signifie the place of their assembling in like manner as is usual with many other words for instance sake Colledge â—ynagogue Senate Synod c. Somewhat therefore of the place which we are wont and that upon ground enough to call the â—hurch and this the rather because of what the Catechist hath told the world Catec p. 29. Under the New Testament all difference of and respect unto place is taken away John 4.21 The hour cometh when ye shall neither in this mountain nor yet at Jerusasalem worship the Father but the hour cometh and now is when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in Spirit and in truth for the Father seeketh such to worship him And we are commanded in all places equally to make our prayers and supplications Here then it may not be amiss to consider first the true scope and importance of the place of Scripture here quoted and then such other particulars as shall appear pertinent for our right information about this subject As to the Text of St. John Our B. Saviour was novv conversing with a Samaritan woman who stood up for the worship of her Country in Mount Gerizim against the Jews who confined God's solemn appointed worship St. John 4. 20. to the Temple at Jerusalem These are the words of the 20th verse Our Father 's worshipped in this mountain and ye say that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship Hereupon therefore 21. 22. c. Christ saith unto her Woman believe me the hour cometh when ye shall neither in this mountain nor yet at Jerusalem worship the Father That is The worship of God shall be so far from being limited to this place to this mountain that it shall not be restrained to Jerusalem it self nay a desolation shall shortly over whelm both Ye worship ye know not what We know what vve worship that is Ye Samaritans worship the God of the Land as it is declared 2 Kings 17.26 without knowledg vvho that is and your own Gods with him but vve Jews vvorship the eternal God of Heaven who hath revealed himself to us for salvation is of the Jews The special revelations of God beyond vvhat other nations enjoy belong to the Jews and so all manner of advantages tovvard our eternal good To them God sent his Prophets and of them cometh the Messiah the Saviour of the world The Jews then have the priviledge above the Samaritans or any other people Yet is not this an argument of the perpetual duration of their way of worshipping God by their Sacrifices yearly and other ceremonial observances at Jerusalem But the hour cometh and novv is that the true worshippers shall vvorship the Father in spirit and in truth for the Father seeketh such vvorshippers of him that is Now the time of reformation approacheth wherein God vvill be vvorshipped and obeyed no longer by the Judaical rites which are often call'd carnal consisting most-what in external performances and were to continue only till the time of Reformation Messiah's coming much less according to the Samaritan false worship who worshipped their own Idols together with God 2 Kings 17. but comparatively with these in a pure spiritual manner and such as was typified by those shadows And the Son of man is now come to draw all men to this way of worship i. e. from the Judaical and Samaritan way to the Christian God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and truth It is this Christian worship which he is especially delighted with as most suitable to himself nor indeed was he ever pleased with any meer bodily worship principally or in or for it self He will have our souls joyned to our external performances and be worshipped after that way of truth which answers to the fore-going types and shadows i. e. after the Christian manner by Christ revealed But now how weakly is it from hence inferr'd that because these two places whereto the Jews and Samaritans confin'd their worship are taken away and ruined or because there is no special place now under
the command of God of none effect by their tradition ver 3. and ver 6. The Prophet Isaiah speaks of Ordinances expresly contrary to God's commands staggering drunkenness ver 9. that is probably Idolatry and it may be there was consequent to that the making of certain humane inventions in themselves a necessary and acceptable worship of God and putting them in the room of that worship that God had commanded And our Saviour applyes it to the Jews who placed the worship of God in their own traditions that is they reputed the inventions of men such things as of and for themselves were pleasing to God and obliging to their conscience and such as if left undone brought them no less under the guilt of sin than the transgressing of Gods command They placed I say a worship of God in their traditions and made God's commands void and of none effect by them give way unto them They thought that the very creatures of God would defile them if eaten with unwashen hands yea say some of their Rabbins as much as lying with an harlot That this was our Saviour's purpose is plainly set down in the Gospel of St. Mark chap. 7.6 7 8 9. St. Mark 7.6 7 8 9. Well hath Isaias prophesied of you hypocrites as it is written This people honoureth me with their lips but their heart is far from me howbeit in vain do they worship me teaching for doctrines the traditions or injunctions of men for laying aside the commandement of God ye hold the tradition of men as the washing of pots and cups and many other such like things ye do And he said unto them Full well ye reject the commandment of God that ye may keep your own tradition As if he had said Is not this fair worship and serving of God to reject his prime commands of inward purity and moral righteousness the most considerable parts of religion and act directly contrary to them and satisfie and content your selves with some external performances not at all commanded by God but by your selves or your Rabbins Dr. Ham. pract Cat. p. 203. Teaching for Doctrines the injunctions or traditions of men is The affirming that such and such things are the pleasure command or will of God which to affirm is the same crime as for any subject to put the King 's Broad Seal to his own Deed. In a word to pretend a tradition of the Jews to be a law of God's enacting or to set it up against or in lieu of any known Law of God's is the crime noted by that phrase and nothing else but what bears some analogie with that But then How can we be challenged as worshipping God in vâ—in in those usages whereby of themselves we pretend not at all to worship him or to teach for doctrines the injunctions of men who affirm them not to be of Divine authority nor yet use them to the supplanting any thing of God's appointment but only in subordination to and for the decent and orderly observance of his institutions By this therefore it appears also how vainly we are challenged with Will-worship But let us see the place Coloss 2.20 21 22 23. Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world why as though living in the world are ye subject to ordinances Touch not taste not handle not which are to perish with the using after the commandments and doctrines of men Which things indeed have a shew of wisdom in will-worship and humility and neglecting of the body not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh It cannot scape our notice here that the Apostle placeth the shew of wisdom in will-worship as in humility and austerity and therefore designed to reflect no more disgrace upon that word than upon the other And indeed the case is clear that there were free-will-offerings among the Jews which were not the less but the more acceptable for being voluntary And it hath before been proved by an induction of many particulars that there were sundry usages appertaining to Religion among them which yet were not upon that account rejected by or displeasing unto God The genuine account of these words of St. Paul with some emendation of the translation is well comprized by the Reverend and Learned Dr. Hammond in this ensuing Paraphrase Dr. Ham. Paraphr If therefore ye have received the Christian Faith and as ye ought to do made that use of the death of Christ as to forsake all other doctrines and practises to receive his and so to look upon the rites of the Jews and the Philosophy of the Gentiles as abolished and out-dated by reason of the doctrine of Christianity why do you servilely subject your selves to such abstinencies as either out of the Heathen or Jewish practises are brought in among you such are those of abstaining from marriages 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and some sorts of meat as utterly unlawful which though they might be lawfully enough abstained from as indifferent things yet when they are taught and believed to be detestable things and utterly unlawful by that abuse tend to the bringing of all unnatural 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and horrible villanies among you why I say do you subject your selves to such abstinencies as precepts and doctrines of men contrary to that liberty which Christ hath purchased for us and those doctrines of inward purity which he hath taught us which observances are indeed set off with some specious fair shews as that they are voluntary services or free-will-offerings to God that there is great humility in them as in that of worshipping angels ver 18. That they are a great austerity to and punishing of the body that they are quite contrary to the placing any honour in the satisfying of the flesh though it be by conjugal enjoyments but all these are but specious not real services have nothing of true worship in them Now if the Reader desire a fuller satisfaction about this Paraphrase he may consult the excellent notes of that judicious author on that Chapter too long to be here inserted In short Take we the word Will-worship as it is commonly used to express superstition by he that will to any purpose fasten the charge upon us must declare and evidence that we father some humane traditions and ordinances upon God or make them necessary to be observed as Divine and in order unto Salvation which will be task enough 5. Those Scriptures which require faith of us in order to the pleasing of God and impute the guilt of sin to whatsoever is not of faith Hebr. 11.6 Without faith it is impossible to please God Rom. 14.23 For whatsoever is not of faith is sin Now how palpably these texts are mis-applyed to evince the necessity of such a faith as hath for every action and circumstance some written word of God to rest and rely upon will abundantly appear by a transient view of them For First the faith required by the
Scripture in their ex-tempore discourses of it Is not this plainly to alter and add to the Holy word of God The Catechist saith Vzza dyed for putting the Ark into a Cart when he should have born it upon his shoulders The Text saith Vzza vvas smitten with death because he put his hand to the Ark namely to support and hold it vvhen the oxen stumbled And the Margin referrs to Numb 4.15 Numb 4.15 The sons of Kohath shall come to bear it the Sanctuary but they shall not touch any holy thing lest they die Upon vvhich place Mr. Ainsworth noteth Mr. Ainsworth on that place This judgment here threatned was executed upon Vzza a Levite who putting his hand to the Ark of God vvas therefore smitten of God 1 Chron. 13.10 Let them take more heed for the future of quoting Scripture thus without book without first examining of it It is highly incongruous for them who pretend so much to honour and cleave in all things exactly to the written word thus to mis-represent and abuse as well as misapply it Cat. p. 57. So the Catechist else-where also doth when he invidiously compares the affections excited by the decent rites and usages of the Churches appointment to inflaming themselves with Idols Isa 57.5 In which place the Prophet speaks either of those lusts which their Idolatries led them to or those venereous fires which represented their going a whoring after Idols slaying the children in the valleys and offering them unto them But I proceed 5. Of Vzziah the King in offering incense contrary to God's institution that duty being appropriated unto the Priests of the posterity of Aaron 2 Chron. 26.16.19 A note here is needless it being said that he acted contrary to God's institution I will therefore onely specifie the words of the text wherein yet there is some farther emphasis But when he was strong 4 Chron. 26.16 17 18 19. his heart was lifted up to his destruction for he transgressed against the Lord his God and went into the Temple of the Lord to burn incense upon the Altar of incense And Azariah the priest went in after him and with him fourscore priests of the Lord that were valiant men and they withstood Uzziah the King and said unto him It pertaineth not unto thee Uzziah to burn incense unto the Lord but to the Priests the sons of Aaron that are consecrated to burn incense Go out of the Sanctuary for thou hast trespassed neither shall it be for thine honour from the Lord God Then Uzziah was wroth and had a censer in his hand to burn incense and while he was wroth with the Priests the Leprosie even rose up in his forehead before the Priests in the house of the Lord from beside the incense Altar Fair warning to all that usurp the Priests office and take that honour unto themselves not being first called and consecrated thereunto 6. As a token in the New Testament of God's displeasure in temporal visitations on such miscarriages in his Church 1 Cor. 11.30 For this cause saith the Apostle many are weak and sickly among you and many sleep That cause if look'd into will appear no other than a perverting of the whole design of the sacred Eucharist with the feast of charity thereto adjoyned the turning of it into a common meal Not discerning the Lord's body with many factions and uncharitable abuses 7. The Catechist closeth these instances with an intimation of a more severe punishment now substituted against such transgressions in the room of that which God so visibly inflicted under the Old Testament Hebr. 10.25 26 27 28 29. The words are these Not forsaking the Assembling of our selves as the manner of some is but exhorting one another and so much the more as ye see the day approaching For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins but a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation which shall devour the adversaries He that despised Moses law dyed without mercy under two or three witnesses Of how much sorer punishment suppose ye shall he be thought worthy who hath troddâ—n under foot the Son of God and hath counted the blood of the covenant wherewith he vvas sanctified an unholy thing and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace In this place the Apostle speaks apparently of that heinous sin of wilful Apostacy from Christianity and the despiteful rejection of it and therefore it is certainly mis-applyed to any miscarriages of an inferiour aggravation Thus now I have by God's help reflected upon those Scripture-quotations vvhich the Catechist hath here and there dispersed to invite or frighten his Reader to an entertainment of his admired Principle That nothing may be used or allowed of in or about the worship of God which is not commanded or instituted in the written Word And this concludes the first and general part of my Discourse PART II. CHAP. I. The Catechist's confidence with the boldness usual to men of his way remarqued His sixfold enumeration of Gospel-institutions The first of them fixed upon viz. The calling gathering and setling of Churches with their officers as the seat and subject of all other solemn instituted Worship Quaery How setled Churches are the subject of all instituted worship since Preaching of the word goes before them which the Catechist names for the fourth Gospel Institution I Pass forward now to the examination of some particulars and He certainly who so confidently asserts That Christ hath published all the Laws of his own Discipline and That the perswasion of any that he hath not prescribed all things wherein his worship is concerned proceeds from their negligence in enquiring may well be expected to give the world a good punctual and clear account of these matters Only in the entrance into this task it may not be amiss to observe how boldly the men of this way are accustomed to reflect upon our B. Saviour on the supposition that he hath not ordered and appointed all particulars as they imagine Thus formerly in the book of Ecclesiastical Discipline it vvas averr'd Nisi Reip. suae statum omnem constituerit magistratus ordinarit singulorum munera potestatemque descripserit quae judiciorum forique ratio habenda quomodo elvium finienda lites non solum minus Ecclesiae Christianae providit quà m Moses olim Iudaica sed quam à Lycurgo Solonae Numa civitatibus suis prospectum sit Lib. de Eccles Discipl That unless Christ would shevv himself less faithful than Moses and less wise than Lycurgus Solon Numa those Heathen Legislators he must needs have set down in holy Scripture a certain compleat and unchangeable form of Church-politie Well But which are the principal institutions of the Gospel to be observed in the worship of God Cat. p. 23. 14. To this the Catechist Answers 1 The calling gathering and setling of Churches vvith their officers as the seat and