Luk. 3. Of eating the Passover and peace-offerings c. and also of Judgment Psal 122. There are thrones for Judgment c. Yet is there this difference that the transitoryness of the Tabernacle shewed the fading estate of the Law in respect of the Gospel and of the worship of the Gospel in respect of Heaven and the immovableness of the Temple shewed the respespective permanency of the Gospel and the perpetuity absolute of Heaven as the proper Kingdome of God and of Heaven in the respectiveness whereunto the Gospel is frequently called by Christ the Kingdome of Heaven the Worship whereof is the next and sixt type of Heaven 6. The Church or Spiritual Sabbath-Assembling Corporation the Officers overseeing it are the Teachers and Informers of the Understanding by teaching i. e. by translating metaphrase analysis doctrine Exhorters conformers or confirmers of the heart by exhortation dehortation comfort and terrour and administration of the Sacraments as ratifying the former and thereby establishing the heart Ruler or Reformer of the Conversation by admission excommunication ordination deprivation and ordering all Church-actions 7. The third Heaven after death where in Christ we shall see God face to face and know him as we are known as in an eternal mirrour and immediate sight of God Be perfected with all grace and peace by the real inspiration of the Holy Ghost in the heart and affections Raign in all manifest Holiness and Happiness as coheirs with Christ by perfect glory and content in God In these seven Divine Worships is the external instituted collateralness of the Evangelical Worship comprehended the moral or natural remaineth which in the general is expressed Rom. 12.4 5. For as we have many members in one body and all members have not one office So in Christ i. e. by Christs institution is it in the Church the particulars whereof are expressed in the next 3. verses Now in that the natural similies thereof are both personal v. 4 5. and publike v. 6 7 8. we are sent to all perfect bodies natural to search out the perfection of this spiritual complement of theirs three whereof are personal and three publike the three former are vegetative sensitive and rational hypostases For the first it is as the first of the former 3. vers Spiritual Brethren the most dark and imperfect yet all 1. Herbs and Trees have one stalk or body dispersed into leaves as life or kind-manifesting parts by their greenness in sight Blossomes as internal and inchoative kind-preserving parts by their tenderness in feeling promising and beginning fruitfulness Fruits useful to man and preserving its own kind by their feeding and physical and fructifying vertues and uses 2. Creeping things Fishes Birds and Beasts have their one body and each body its divers organs as the brain for knowing the Heart for purposing and willing the Motive Members for acting and moving These are receptive and determining in themselves but not agitating others to know will and work as they do onely man by his discursive reason and actuating wit and will collects from them knowledge and vertue and distilleth them into their instruments of action but especially in himself as the third natural pattern or brother of the Church 3. Man consisteth of one body having an head and therein the five external Senses and their common Sense Reason and Memory to learn and teach An heart and its affections of love hope joy and gratefulness and their opposites to will and cause others to will Their active organs as the tongue hands feet teeth c. externally to express what they internally know and will The publike patterns are likewise three according to the three Offices of Christ informing preserving and ruling the first are the Societies of Students in the Law and other Learning in the most eminent whereof I will instance as in the Inns of Court and Chancery 4. They have one voluntary body associated for the study of the Law and by the power thereof choose their Readers and other Exercisers of matter of knowledge to inform their members in the Law House-Officers as Steward Butler Cook Porter c. to preserve their being for that end Rulers to rule them in that Society and Work 5. The preserving are Societies of Trade for the preservation of men in all Common-wealths and other Societies such as are Regiments and Bands of Souldiers and the companies of London c. who take courses and should set Teachers to inform and see to others informing their novices in their trades for the true knowledge of their proper trade Cooks Butler Porter c. for their living in that Society Colonels Captains Serjeants Wardens and their Associats for Government for their orderly walking therein 6. The Ruling Societies are Nations Cities Towns Corporate and other free Common wealths who have by their covenant power to choose Instructers to inform all of that body in the Laws thereof Provokers to excite them to observe them Rulers to compell them by outward penalties to keep them 7. The seventh is the Church which hath whatsoever these six have whether lineal or collateral and is their fellow-creature corporation or brother of the same Creator King and Father though it have divers peculiars more then they as that it is also of divine institution nature and use of more exactness of order lineal and collateral and of a Sabbath-assembling property and though thâ—y are set by God Rom. 12.4 5. as general patterns and as the Wise-mens Star to direct where the Word doth not institutedly prescribe Yet the five lineal parts thereof and their five collaterals are so exactly and plentifully instituted by the divine precepts and practises in the Word that this is as the Sun-light to them in their substantials as they are the Candle-light to their darker accidentals yet is it our special duty to attend the to use thereof in this our weakness until the Sun-bright institutedness of the Evangelical Worship in the whole and each part and respect do appear in our hearts and then shall we thereby rectifie and reduce them to their original purity and use whereas now they are perverted and hurtful By all which glorious comelyness of our Evangelical Worship in it self by its divine progeny and posterity by its first-born fraternity with all excelling bodies spiritual natural politike required Ephes 4. and by its every way compleatness Col. 2. and distinctness charged Rom. 12.3 6. the perfect dignity thereof doth evidently yea eminently appear and withall the necessariness yea the necessitedness both of our duty to God to Christians and our selves therein and benefit thereby is thrust upon it all the vileness rebelliousness and perniciousness of Antichrist the exact opposite thereto is to be supposed Antichrist destroyeth not onely the whole Church and its power but also all the members thereof both integral and instrumental both by his setting himself against the Church and his sitting for or as the Church and thereby extinguishing the Churchship and
his by the other capacities of membral or integral 2 Potestative in the particulars aforesaid viz. examining advising convincing pro contra sentencing c. which is the proper work of the adulti or men grown besides those of women and children ensuing which they have in common with them yet without the proper work of the prophets for want of the personall abilities to prophesie * 2 Passive or receptive 1 Mixtly as the duty of women wherein the understanding and sincerity and devotion of the mind is active in receiving Church-preaching Sacraments Prayers censures and secondly wherein they act without church-power as in testifying for and against themselves and others in the Ordinances of Ruling and Power besides the prâ—viledge of children under the age of discretion and without the work of Prophets and men grown and their priviledges mentâ—oned 2 Simply viz. the priviledges of children of the adult men and women whereof one or both are Church-members viz. to be really of the Church and to be baptized and generally enrighted to further Church-priviledges and duties further correspondent personal abilities intervening For they have right to baptism which exacteth no act of the receivers but to be meer patients and passive receivers of Gods seal of the righteousness of Christ wherein they are estated by their Church-membership received with the admission of one or both of their Parents into the Church by the Prerogative will and gift of God given them in by and at Isaac's receiving of Gods Covenant with Abraham and his promised seed Gen. 17.7 to 14. Gal. 3.16 that is to Isaac typically and to Christ antitypically and so to Christians in the estate with Isaac for the gifts and graces of God are without repentance yea inlarged under the Gospel Note The three later of the four integral membral functions or priviledges are by synecdoch of the particular viz. prophesie put for the general i. e. membral priviledges and duties prescribed v. 6. in the word Prophesie Z 2 Instrumental or official as Mayor Aldermen and Sheriff y 1 Episcopal Presbyterial or Pastoral Acts 20.17.28 z 1 Doctrinal 1 Informing i. e. Teaching v. 7. i. e. Translating Metaphrasing Analysing and Genesing preparatorily thereto dogmatizing or extracting the genuine Doctrine of the place and proving thereby and its parallel places and by artificial proofs and illustrations ad captum recipientium and applying them to them with exhortation to learn them and comfort therein and lastly confuting the opposite Doctrine with dehortation and terror of the teachers and learners 2 Conforming viz. exhortation of the members to do according to the Doctrine taught i. e. to believe and apply the promises and comforts and to fear and flee the threats and terrors to obey the Preceps and Prohibitions of God proved Note To both these Functions do the administration of Sacraments appertain they being teaching and significant and also confirming and sealing rites and as earnests and livery of seisin of what is taught and exhorted Observe by the way that the neer union of these in their scope and end doth not extinguish the distinctness of their estates or e converso and from thence the like affinity and distinctness of the other Offices and also of the Trinity it self in its being one in its proper nature and yet three persons and distinct hypostasis and again one with the Church and that in union of estate in Christ expressed by Christ John 17.21 The like is hence to be supposed in all compleat things of God and in this particular of which anon z 2 Ruling viz. the function of Ruling v. 8. i. e. ordering the Church after its decrees of the time place and persons of the Congregation and in its ordering the whole Worship in its parts time and order of exercise especially in the act of Government as proposing the case ordering the tryall both in the speakers and putting the matter to sentencing and gathering the voyces and accordingly pronouncing the sentence and in matters of admission and excommunication election and degradation executing their instituted solemnities as imposing hands in admission and ordination as it is called or rather election whereunto it is a complementary rite or solemnity appendant Howsoever Antichrist hath made it his Priest begetting act or rather the Antichristing or whore-getting seed and act to parallel the creation of the Heathens Goddess whore of the foam or shame of the Sea Iude 13. with that miscreation of the spiritual Gentiles Rev. 11.2 Whore-Goddess or Mother of Whoredomes chap. 17. v. 1.5 of and by the fume of the breath and touch of the paw of that Prelatical Beast as such and without other seed or act yea or pretence of any thing or act of Gods but the least and last touch of his Church-Deputy in that act who also is counterfeited by a Church-maker and Church-master and Church-beer the monstrous monster getting of and by that beast whereof might be framed a Riddle unappliable but to this monster Rev. 13.1 2. But for the Preachers usurping these instituted works I know no warrant much less for his doing other and that without the Congregation or authority from it but least of all for his sole supremacy over it even many of them and that by that Paw-begotten Prelateship yea and to his leaving his Preachership by which he claimeth them y 2 Diaconal or serving 1 Possessive viz. disposing matters Possessory v. 8 Distributer 2 Personal viz. tending the sick v. 8. the shewer of mercy or pitier Note Both which and the ruling function are prescribed in their subjective offices by this rule The properties of each conjugate belong to all the proof of these and the confirmation of other functions of the four former are of the larger Tract 2 Actional or executive 1 Active viz. the actual execution of all the nine functions except that of Infants in whose Parents yet there is an actual claiming of the active administration of Baptism on them and an active tendering of a fit object thereof which supplieth the active part of the children but in the rest there is a double activeness personal prescribed 1 The one in tendering a fit object for the administration of the function of the Church-estates 2 The other in claiming and using the same whether it be in doing or receiving for those are active even in receiving 2 Passive or receptive viz. the submissive receiving the blessed prâ—vâ—ledg of faith for the increase of faith amd its fruits and yeilding to the holy work of Gods Worship charged by his Word upon us even in the most active functions yea in the right consideration of the nature of Worship as commanded by God we are rather Patients than Agents in the most active work thereof and therefore it is said 1 Sam. 15.22 Behold to obey is better then sacrifice and to hearken then the sat of Rams that is the cream of works Note All these adjunctive institutions are capitally included in the third Apostolike Principle of
their scope for Rom. 12.1 proveth it a particular of the Worship of the Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v. 2. to be a part of Gods Wil-worship so called to shew the high cause and nature thereof and in opposition to man's Will-worship Col. 2.23 and so to be deputed by Christ v. 3. chargeth its distinctness from the other divine offices in general which v. 7. doth also in particular in the word Within v. 4 5 6. shew it to be a Church-office member and gift v. 7. calleth it an office which the article á½ confirmeth especially in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v. 7. also sheweth its distinguishing form in the words the Teacher and Teaching vâ—z by personal and instituted Ordinances which are above-mentioned with their abilities and execution in the third part The end is strongly imported in all the other three parts of the definition for though definitions of natural things require onely the matter and form yet these institutions primarily require the efficient and end also and the goodness of the work on the Workers part requireth also knowledge of these things and sincere obedience to the commander and also his enrighting estate or membership of a Church before he is accepted as a Divine Worshipper and Officer of the Church In these Church-exercises are to be considered the works themselves toward each other In themselves first Prophesie is Gods Ordinance to gifted persons a membral speaking by two or three in the Church to edification exhortation and comfort of all the Church all but membral is expressed 1 Cor. 14.3 4 5 12 19 24. and that at least is to be understood in that it is written to a Church and v. 34. a woman is forbidden to speak in the Church in handling this Exercise Now none hath power or priviledge in the Church or its Exercises but Church-members and that at the least in that Rom. 12.6 with 7. it is expresly distinct from a Ministry indeed able gifts are necessary and as necessarily to be understood in speaking to Edification Exhortation and Comfort for without them none can so do and so is not necessary to be expressed 1. From this definition arise these points first all members of Churches that can speak to Edification Exhortation and comfort of the Church may and ought to do it in the exercise of Prophesie 2. Onely such and such may 3. The Officers of the Church as such except the Ruler ih his ordering the action have interest in Prophesie above other members but in priority of order and betterness of gifts the former giveth onely firstness in the course agreed on by the Prophets the latter onely more length of time 4. The Church or Rulers as such hath no more authority to prescribe the Doctrines and Texts to the Prophets then to the Ministers of the Word the Teacher and Exhorter but rather less in two respects First because the Ministers have right and charge from the Deputation of the Church but the Prophets not so but their membership they have by and with their Original Church-state and not by any derivation there-from and their gifts from their persons Secondly because the Ministers are to be supposed enabled to all Texts and Doctrines and the Church may more colourably require what Text and Doctrine they think best for them but the Prophets not so but are truly such though enabled but in some Texts and Doctrnes and so both in regard of their estates and abilities 5. The number and order of the Speakers are to be by the agreement of the Prophets themselvs 1 Cor. 14.29 to 33. The Ministers as Members and Prophets having but the priority and moreness of speech in the agreement and exercise and that onely by the light of nature giving more honour to the more honourable in estate and ability but giving no Ecclesiastical superiority in Prophesie the confusion of which two estates seemeth to have been the first Seed of and step to Antichristianisme 6. A distinct place for the Speakers in each exercise is to be designed by the Prophets or by those that design other Seats fit to speak out of and to be heard and seen by all which seemeth to be before the Elders Pue proofs hereof are 1. Act. 13.15 from the ancient Exercise of prophesie among the Jews for Paul and Barnabas were then and there not known to be Apostles but were received as gifted Jews and so manifested of themselves by sitting in the Seat designed to that end which also is to be supposed of Christ oft 2. and from 1 Cor. 14.30 in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to one or any that sitteth i. e. if it appear by the Sitters in that Exercise that much of the time will be employed by the after-speakers let the first contrive his matter accordingly that each may have his course and the Ordinance duly discharged 3. from the light of Nature the former grounds considered First that there may be an aim in the first Speaker how to contrive his time Secondly for the more honesting the exercise it self by putting some difference between the Speakers and not Speakers in that Exercise Thirdly for the better opportunity of speaking and hearing yea and of being seen neither is there insinuation of any office thereby if there be no assignment of the Speakers nor of their Text or Doctrine by the Church or Elders and if their original be taken from their memberships giftedness and their exercise and vicissitude be ordered amongst themselves and kept distinct from the officers exercised by a distinct prayer time and place and also by a more social and less authoritative speaking then the Teaching-Officers even in the best enabled especially in the Rulers who else by their other authority and sitting with the Ministers of the Word and in likelyhood by their betterness of gifts will much endanger the distinctness of the body of Christ so charged Rom. 12.3 to 8. which is worse then their gracing the Exercise by their office is good 7. A distinct measure of time emphasis and authority in the utterance is to be observed from the Ministers according to their less authority promise charge and gift lest confusion and injury grow by the Members Usurpation on the Officers there is rather doubt that the Prophets have no proper authority but a right to publish the Law of God which hath the legal authority of God in it self whereto is added the Ministeriall authority of Christ in his offices Prophetical in the Teacher Priestly in the Exhorter and Kingly in both as instituted by its extraordinary Deputations of Apostles Prophets and Evangelists and as ordered by its Ordinary as the Church-Rulers which also to disobey addeth greatly to the other disobediences to the Word personally or prophetically read expounded and applyed yet since every one that is truly sent to publish the Word hath a kind of authority the degrees are principally to be insisted on in the greater promise of a blessing to the Ministerial than to the membral
posteriore in relation to their functions 1 Membral viz. of the Prophets to prophesie of the adult men to power the adult women to be active partakers of the Sacraments and of Infants to be passive injoyers of Baptism and of each of the four to all Ordinances of inferiour nature than that mentioned in each function v. 6. whether prophesie which by relation inforceth its active relative conjugate i. e. prophets as they are called 1 Cor. 14.28 and by synecdoche supposeth the three other sorts of functions 2 Ministerial i. e. of the Teacher to teaching of the Exhorter to exhortation of the distributer to distribution the ruler to ruling the pitier to works of pity in and under which five works all other of the same nature and reason are by synecdoch meant whether instituted or personal as the Sacraments under teaching and provoking they being teaching as significant and provoking and confirming as sealing and under teaching are meant translating metaphrasing analysing doctrining proper teaching proving consuting and so of the rest 3 Ens consisting of 1 Matter i. e. visible Christians 2 Form 1 Constitutive i. e. that pattern superinduced by and upon that matter in their mutuall covenanting to be such a Church of God v. 5. are one body whereby all the said parts and adjuncts are Ecclesiastical and all divine worship as of the word v. 1. 2 Institutive i. e. the pattern of a Corporation revealed by the word to be Apostolike v. 3. and so of Christ v. 5. and so of God v. 3. By this TRANSLATION METAPHRASE and ANALYSIS of Rom. 12. from v. 1. to the 8. there appears two main considerations of divine Worship First its subject matter willed Secondly its respectives The matter willed by God is real and rational c. For readiness and memory sake I will frame them first Tablewise secondly Tractwise both so summarily as the Exposition will competently beare DIvine Worship is the Body of Gods instituted Will for his Saints peculiar publike serving of him which is here to be handled onely as the object of Gods peculiar Will of which we will consider ¶ 1 What is positive and true viz. that of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 word-worship which is twofold †1 External * 1 Real †1 Subjective viz. in respect of a twofold subject X I Subjectum quod simple primitive or integral viz. the Church which is the permanency and eminency of Word-worship the pillar and ground of Truth 1 Tim. 3.15 with Rom. 1.25.23 Psal 106.20 Exod. 32.5 1 Stative i. e. the Church as incorporate which is the essenciall original both of the Church congregate and all its powers and adjuncts and that as ens causa integrum and subjectum v. 3. are 2 Active i. e. the Church congregate or representative the immediate subject of all ecclesiastica or Church-States Ordinances and actions v. 4. have 1 Cor. 11.18 20 22 5 4. Mat. 18.17 18 19. this is the Church of frequent name understanding and use but the other is the proper root X 2 Subjectum quo i. e. in a per pro quo derived secondary or membral 1 Integral 1 Active 1 In doctrine viz. the Prophets v. 6. Prophesie 1 Cor. 14.1.3 2 In power 1 Congregational viz. in admission excommunication election degradation determination of circumstances time place c. 2 Ruling viz. in examining advising convincing pro contra sentencing c. by his membral right according to his abilities adulti 2 Passive or receptive 1 Simply as infants nâ—t discerning the Lords body and blood 2 Mixtly viz. Women who have no power properly actâ—ve but onely recipient 1 Cor. 14.34 35. These four integral Church-states are by synecdoche prescribed v. 6. whether prophesie 2 Instrumental or ministerial which may be two wayes distributed or divided viz. 1 Into 1 Internal or mental viz. for the minds for instrumenti esse est in fine usu 1 Informing which is the Teacher v. 7. the Teacher 2 Conforming which is the Exhorter v. 8. 2 External or for the outward 1 Conversation of the spiritual man which is the Ruler v. 8. 2 Preservation of the natural man viz. natural 1 Personal or for conservation of the body which is the pitier v. 8. 2 Possessory or for maintenance viz. the distributer v. 8. 2 Into 1 Episcopal or overseeing Elderly or authoritive pastoral or feeding or conserving 1 Internal 1 Mental or intellectual viz. the Teacher v 7. 2 Voluntal or of the wil and its affectives viz. the Exhorter v. 8. or teaching Elders 2 External the Ruler v. 8. who is an Overseer over in authority conserving the honest behaviour of the Church and each member thereof called also a ruling elder 1 Tim. 5. 2 Diaconal or serving the Church in the whole and its members 1 Personal or corporal the pitier v. 8. the widow 1 Tim. 5.3 to 13. or Deaconess Rom. 16.1 vulgarly a keeper or nurse-keeper tending the sick and so an helper 1 Cor. 12.28 2 Possessal or bonal viz. the Distributer v. 8. tâ— Deacon Phil. 1.1 1 Tim. 3.8 to 13. by synecdoche of distributing for all kinds of serving the Church and each member thereof in their goods and all things pertinent to them not appropriate to the rest and so an helper 1 Cor. 12.28 helpers governors †2 Adjunctive 1 Vertual qualifying or enabling for execution as the nine several functions of the said nine Church estates or membrall subjective reall internall parts of Gods Worship and the two powers of the integrall subjective reall externall parts thereof particularly as particularly thus distributed 1 Potestative 1 Original viz. corporation power to congregate and continue joyn and so dissolve it self and to set the persons time and place of the Congregation viz. for the first act power delegating is but once as married but once 2 Derived or representing the Original or reciprocall to it self viz. to set the persons time and place of the meeting and to act continue to and dissolve it self and to joyn it self to another Church 2 Functional viz. the appropriate and instituted priviledge work function duty and practice of the Church-estates Z 1 Integral as freemen of a City * 1 Active 1 Prophetical viz. teaching to edefication exhortation and comfort 1 Cor. 14.3 called prophesie v. 6. whereby four things are meant 1 The gift or power personal 2 The function of the Church-prophet proper to this place 3 The act of prophesying all three litterally or equivalently mentioned in prophesie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 4 The enrighting estate of the prophets to use their personal gift as their prophetical function actually in the Church congregate as a member of the Church incorporate this is meant by the rule of Conjugates being of the same reason which is to be understood in and of the other eight functions and 2 powers which in this Table I have and must leave to be supposed This is the proper function of the Prophet not excluding the other three ensuing which are
worship him therein when we distinctly discern and observe the same in our actuall worshipping him and it is also of special use for our discerning the difference both in kinde and degrees of Gods wise love between Gods former and present worship especially for the discovery of Antichristianisme the present opposite worship and of other former false worships Z 2 Opposite in not conforming to but separating from world-worship v. 2. but conform not unto the world viz. in the matter in hand i. e. Divine worship z 1 Entall 1 Internall 1 Materiall Nations professing Christianity which as a totum are termed Christendom and Priests v. 1. Brethren v. 3. Faith with v. 2. 2 Formall Christendom framed into one Hierarchicall visible church of Priests by civill and Ecclesiasticall authority Cons Nice Can. 6. Con. Sandic Can. 3.4.7.11 2 Externall 1 Efficient 1 Supreme Satan and the Popish Princes and Priests of christendom as opposite to God v. 2. and Christ v. 5. 2 Mediate and proper 1 Active the papacie or hierarchicall body of priests whereof the Pope is the head as opposite to the Apostles v. 3. and their Gospel v. 1. 2 Declaring viz. his decretalls and canons v. 1. the word as their opposite v. 2. but conform not to its opposite the world from which to separate because they are opposite to or not the true worship is our right souldier-like service of God wherein properly is our suffering for God 2 Tim. 2.3 Finall to usurp oppose and vilifie Christ as come in the flesh and to set it self as for and instead of his church visible which in his visibility and as Gods visible anointed he instituted v. 1. a sacrifice to God worship Psal 2.12 2 Thes 2.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as for instead of the church of God with 2 Cor. 11.13 14 15. 2 Cor. 6.16 17 18. z 2 Subjective in all the four possitive respects last mentioned especially in the last and proper i. e. a church integrum with its members our separation from Antichrists hierarchy and its hierarchicalls as its opposite is a point of Divine worship and of the second commandment commanded and commended to us but it being rational and positive it is in that respect internall worshipping God though the opposite hierarchy it self be the existent subject of the present world-worship forbidden v. 2. but be ye not conformed to the world i. e. in the particulars of Gods worship following especially unto the image of that integrall Beast Rev. 13. This Antithesis of Antichrist and his worship againsts Christs instituted church and church-worship in their adaequate parrellel opposition requireth a distinct tract which I will annex to the tract of the Thesis or positive worship it self Y 2 Aposteriori or in its proceed unto its end Thus the externall worship as 1 True or of the word is in obedience and love of God to observed as a sanctified mean of 1 Gods glorifying and worshipping objectively v. 1. sacrifice to God worship this is the name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or internally moving end and the denominator of a sincere and son-like worshipper as the using of the matter sanctified by God for his worship as such and in obedience to his command tryeth our subject-like and servant-like obedience therein but the doing the very particulars themselves is our true worshipping God 2 Our benefit v. 2. good will of God in faith v. 3. portions of saith that is as crowns seals and priviledges of â—aith and as exercisers and increasers thereof and of its Fruits 1 Internall viz. Knowledge v. 7. The Teacher Obedience and confidence v. 8. The Exhorter within Exhortation Holy conversation ibid. the Ruler 2 Externall viz. Maintenance v. 8. the Distributer And preservation ibid. the shewer of Mercy All which Offices and their Functions with answerable gifts and their exercise are given by God for our good according to their particular effects and our answerable need in all five respects 2 Powerfull and blessed to these ends v. 2. good acceptable and perfect will of God is to be in confidence and wisdome observed as an effectual mean to these ends X 2 Collateral i. e. our observance of collaterall respects of the five Offices their distinct Functions and their correspondent gifts and exercising emphatically and by express Apostolike authority charged v. 3. as in the Metaphrase All these respective Observances are the soul and life of the subject body of worship and its members and their works and workings and so are the internall worship of God of which as informing that together with that body hypostasing the same the whole fabrick of Divine worship consisteth whereof this is a summary synopsis Genesis as declared Rom. 12.1 to the 8. whereof the other table is a like synoptike Analysis which differ not in matter because Divine worship in the Radicalls thereof is the adaequate object of that place and it the sprig whereby the many Grapes thereof are epitomised concatenated and encorporated into a cluster of Grapes grown and enwined by God for his own Cup of Communion with his Saints onely this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shews the naturall course of Gods creation or institution tâ—ereof after the manner of his creating Adam first in his body of the lowest solum or matter of the earth in the sense of Gen. 1.1 and then informing him with his own breath of life Gen. 2.7 And that Analysis shews the artificiall course of Gods creation and institution of his Spiritual Creatures of the highest coelum as Christ was first the second person in the Trinity and after was made man by assuming our earthly nature so was Divine worship or the kingdome of Christ first instituted in the second Commandment in the generall wherein all particulars essentially consist as in Gods generall will prescribed therein and after in this particular wherein all universalls actually exist as in Gods particular will or special thing willed described in the particular thereof of all which this place is the head and radicall compendium most accurately both composing Divine worship into a joynt body and disposing it in all its distinct parts both lineal and colaterall which being shewn it resteth that I proceed to the Doctrines thereof with their proofs and applications and then to the like in the Antithesis of Antichristian worship yet obiter and sparsim laying the grounds thereof in the use of this Thesis wherein for order and memories sake I will follow the trace of this geneticall table as best fitting our summary creation our best intelligible object and capacity naturall answering thereto and that first gathering thence the porismata from its generall of worship and its adjuncts and then do the like in its particulars of the Church and its Churchitives the former is charged upon us verse 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which compared with its after particulars yeildeth this Doctrine Divine worship is Gods instituted will for his peculiar service THE EXPOSITION OF The 12.
Basis Centre Subject or Pillar b Originall c Primary or Proper viz. Christ as the Idea Image Word Reason Law Promise or Will of God v. 2. will of God v. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 3.11 viz. the Scriptures c Secondary and in respect of VVorship derived viz. the same manifested to man ordered or acted †in the same words of v. 1. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word and will of God written being the immediate Original of the Church and its Offices and Ordinances though but Christs cistern as the brests are to the woman and her nipples †Figuratively viz. The Apostles and Prophets of the Gospel who are called such foundations Eph. 3.20 and authors 2 Tim. 2.16 by a Metonymie of the adjunct for the subject whether Christ or the word they being but Christs tongue or pen to reveal the word and so adjuncta subjecto cujus cui adjuncts to the subject original both primary and secondary as simply taken v. 3. by the grace b Existential subjective integral derived and effected viz. the Church Ministerial 1 Tim. 3.15 which is now 2 Cor. 6.16 with Levit. 26.11 as the Tabernacle Exod. 25.35 40.2.9.17 18. Num. 7.1 and the Temple 1 Chron. 28.20 2 Chron. 5.1 1 Kin. 6.38 the house with all the furniture thereof 7.51 all the work for the house were before Christ viz. the hypostasis basis subjectum quod or center to all the other Parts of Gods Worship whether Ordinances or Offices lines or circles V. 4 5. one body a Members furtiture branches cifcumferences ad juncts and Chapiters v. 3. to every one that is among you as God hath measured to every one the measure of faith v. 4 5. many members not one function being considered in themselves and without the particular scope of that place i. e. to shew the distinctness of the Church its Offices and Ordinances these in respect of the church their body are d Immediate e Homogeneal private naturall considered f Simply as such whether inherent and that either innate or acquisite or acting in the body f Relatively and order to the church its offices and their works Membral gifts powers and habits synecdocally exprest v. 6. whether prophesie These are b Common viz. of knowledge wisdome and dexterity in divine and natural things arts tongues utterance and actions especially grace which is common to all members and abilities and sanctifying both h Special as distinct prerequisite and peculiar to each of the three i Overseeing offices viz. to the Teacher as of knowledg and making know in those things as the spirits and annimal powers in the Arteries Exhorter of wisdome and wise-making therein as nutritive and vital as blood in the veins Ruler i. e. honest conditionedness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 13.13 1 Thes 4.12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Pet. 2.12.3 2.16 Jam. 3.13 and working others good conversation as the motive powers in the muscles i Serving in Provision for the k Estate as respecting simply Christians necessity not private benefit or glory as flesh k Health as tender and merciful-hartedness as the sinews and feeling power sympathetically moving all the parts in the hurt of any one e Heterogeneal publike or such as are in place office State or Ministry organical or such as are instruments of the house as Prophet Priest King and Saviour for moral voluntarie church-common actions or in a word distinct working Offices v. 7. or an Office v. 4. many members v. 5. sowe being many in distinctness of place office state ministry or giftedness for something must be supplyed and the scope of the place toucheth not the mysticall and personall respect of Christians nor the meer individuall manyness and diversity of the members of the Church but chargeth us strictly to keep distinct the manifold and distinct respects of Gods bestowing his divers membral and ministerial gifts for distinct ends and works or rather of his distributing and disposing the distinct parts of his worship to the diversly fitted and distinct members of the Church these are in number five viz. the Teacher the Exhorter the Distributer the Ruler the Pittyer or mercyer litterally translated v. 7 8. Now to annex their distinctness to their innumeration it is l Respective and mediate for they are to be considered as fitly answering to the distinct special membrall gifts mentioned as before in and after their existence or application to Officers which I have shewn before l Expresly confined unto denominated and so informed and so distinguished by and stirred up in those speciall divers and distinct gifts proper and adaequat◠Functions v. 6. by the inference of our divers discharging of them because they are divers in themselves and in respect of the givers free and voluntary distribution and of the receivers accordingly distinct measured portion and v. 7. by the Particles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 denorative and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 designative as is shewn before and also by the express or equivolent distinct paralelling them with their proper and adaequate Functions viz. the teacher in the teaching gift function or work or in the Doctrine viz. of the Scriptures Church or rather of the Teacher so appropriating the one to the other even convertibly and in the highest degree the Exhorter in the Exhortation in the same manner and so the other three but because the express particularizing of them therein would import them too childish and because the distinctness of the Offices and Functions is not all or the onely thing here intended but onely the principall therefore the discreet holy and peculiar means of discharging them is annexed to them referring likewise to us the supplying the same to the two former viz. to the Teacher understandingly or perspicuously and to the Exhorter holy powerfully or the like This incorporating manifoldness well orderedness and compleatness of the Arguments for the distinctness in kinde of the Offices of the Church should oversway and settle our judgments purposes and practises accordingly yet as if nothing were enough to express Gods care and jealousie herein as being the chief particulars of the second Commandment nor to perswade Christians to this strictness sollicitousness and jealousie as being instituted and so not naturally known and such as wherein the devill deceived Eve and Eve Adam and both fell The Holy Ghost yet addeth two express particulars as the two notes of a Patenthesis to take all doubts from the understanding and ingenious and cavils from the contrary that that distinctness of these Offices in kind is intended and included in this place and properly and fully concluded which I have said the former is in these words or an office let us accordingly be in the discharge of that office whether it be the Teacher or Exhorter or c. their first Office or Ministry is expresly named and set as the matter distinct and so to be used least the distinctness should be supposed to be properly
them exclude the every other ways fit for those Offices would exclude the fayer from the most yea almost all Ministerial Communion and Christian acceptableness These three opposite Opinions are so neer each other in truth though in course and affection vehemently adverse that I cannot cut down the one but the other two wither also so that all the Arguments seem alike against all and I acknowledge a kind of confusion in them as in the Opposites and ergo in the following Arguments I will refer the sorting to the Reader whether it be from one two or all three of the Objections The first unsorted Argument is from 1 Tim. 3.8 12. which prove that the same may be said of the Deacons which they say of Bishops or Elders either as one in number or as divers in number and also in gifts or emphasis but all three acknowledge the case otherwise in the Deacons The first in that the Distributer and Pittier or Widow are as divers as I hold the three Overseers The second in that there were 7. of them Act. 6. the 3. ergo much more than either For Ro. 16.1 doth as expresly call the Widow a Deacon as any place calleth any one two or all of the other Offices Bishops And all the qualificatâ—ons 1 Tim. 3. agree in their reason or soul as well to the one as the other yea all but one literally also The second is from Ver. 12. and Cap. 5.10 where the same qualifying condâ—tion is required in the Deacon in generall and in the Wâ—dow in particular which is in the Bishop whereby he challengeth the power of Ruling and so by the same Reason they should also rule if the scope of these places were to define the Offices and design the Functions but that they all abhor to say The third is from 1 Tim. 5.17 First because the Ruler is by express denotation and place of state distinguished from the Labourer in the Word by the denotative Article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. they truly that but they that for they are not here demonstratively taken neither of their subjects having been mentioned long before and if yet they be referred to Cap. 3. then they conclude the matter expresly for me nor yet much less redundantly they being set oppositely relatively or mutually respectively Secondly because the Opposition is between those Offices themselves and not onely between the well-discharging the Offices for neither of both are worthy either double or speciall honour or maintainance except they do their duties well and diligently Thirdly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 especially adding an emphatical difference between the two offices excludâ—ng both Particles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the same at least from their only emphatical use which is the only evasion pretending shift from this place in that distinctnes I plead for especâ—ally from the latter of them which is most insisted on if not only Much may be said from this place to my purpose but I hast though the length of the matter hold me long in it The third opposite Argument is from Act. 20. vers 28. in that they are all called Bishops or Overseers and Pastours or Feeders I may as well say they are all called Elders Presbyters or Ancients ver 17. then it flatly overthroweth the first and third Opinion that make a dâ—fference between the Bishop as the first will have it or the Pastour as the third will be called and the Presbyter or Priest as the Hyerarchians of Rome and England term them or Elders or Ruling-Elders as some new Hierarchians call them onely the third may say this proveth that the Pastors may rule because they are Bishops and Elders it maketh indeed for Mr. Smith but neither of the rest love to hear of that place but in hope that men will oversee that Ruler is by it made as good a Bishop and Pastour as those that engross those Titles to themselves and I wonder that the late named Bishop durst bring it as his chief Engine against us that evidently battereth down all Bishops over more Churches then one and also bringeth in more Bishops then one into one Congregation and also that Mr. Robinson will alleadge it to prove that the Pastor or Exhorter may more do the works of the Ruler then the Ruler his it so plainly proving the flat contrary I but he alleadgeth it to prove that the Pastour may rule I but that will not serve his turn except he turn of Mr. Smâ—th's side but that I doubt not but Rom. 12. will keep him from and therefore for the present rest acknowledging that this place maketh neither for nor against him The last Objection is from Reason which seemeth to cross that distinctness we stand for partly through the uncapableness of the matter and partly through the mischiefs which ensue the same The former part of this Objection seemeth colourable because Teaching without Exhortation to what is taught worketh no grace in the heart but onely the Theory thereof in the head Exhortation without Teaching worketh no true Christian grace but blind superstitious and Antichristian Devotion either and both are externally fruitless without Ruling and Ruling without both is internally barren so that the 2d end of Gods Worship i. e. our Holiness is defeated thereby For this we are first to consider this case in the right and compleat Establishment of Gods Worship and then in the growing estate thereof in the mans and adult estate thereof wherein all things are grown to a ripeness it may well be cleared for when all the Offices are constituted in their Purity and exercised in sincerity we are to suppose the Rule of 1 Cor. 14.40 to be observed which requireth that all Gods Ordinances be done comelyly and in order Now if in the exercise of each Ordinance Purity be observed both in comelyness as respecting it self not excluding the Order of combination with others and in order with the rest yet preserving decorum in it self and also Sincerity in all sanctified peculiar and sociall respects according to the Light of Nature and the Word then ought the Labourers in the Word so to associate their Conversation and Studies in the Week-days and Ministries on the Lords day that the Exhorter is to know at least the Doctrines that the Teacher will gather out of the part of the Word to be handled whether by their own disposing or publike Order and that he therefore will build upon the Foundation thereby laid for him by the Teachers Grammaticall Rhetorical and Logical Exposition and Extraction of Divine Doctrines boâ—h positive and opposite with their Proofs and Illustrations Marks and Means yea all things pre-requisite to Exhortation Then also ought the whole Company of overseeing Officers to be acquainted with the occasions of exercising the Ruling-Office that the Teacher may the better be provided with matter of Information and Confutation and the Exhorter of Exhortation and Dehortation and the Ruler may the better dispose of his manner of
bountifull in his Portions of Faith The 17. is from Have not members have us That Church-offices Ministeries and States are adjuncts of the Church which is first in Nature and their Root and Basis but they are not its Root nor Basis nor any way precedent either in Time Nature nor Dignity before it as such but as it consisteth of particular members over the well-being of each of which they are set but not over their being as they be Christians nor a Church And also the 18. that the Ministers are the Churches Angels and members but the Church is not the Ministers Church The 19. is from We have That all Churches are in relation to each other as equall particulars of the Church in general as each of our persons are of man in general And the 20. There is no more an Universal particular Church Head or Body of Churches than of particular men And the 21. Our persons are the original pattern of the instituted Church imitable after the strictest manner of which a Spiritual Body Politick is capable as simillimum not idem And the 22. the knowledge of the nature of the Church and Church-Estates is easie to all reasonable men iâ— if Historically believing this one place much more to Christians led by the Spirit of grace in its patterning especially if they understand by Learning or Experience the nature of a Civill Body Politick the medium simillimum to both person and Church The 23. is from and That God hath avoided confusion in our many personal members by assigning them distinct Functions The 24. is from all Members have not one Function by a Graecisme or in English phrase No Member hath the same Function or rather it is of the same words And the 25. Our Members are bounded but not bondaged counter-distinct but not opposite The 26. is from Hath That membral Functions are adjuncts to the members of the Body and so that the Membral-Estates denominate the Membral-actions and administrations but not è contra The 27. is from One or in English one and the same or the same in kind That each member of the body hath its counter-distinct Function end or use And the 28. That each member is not to be employed to all that it can do but to its distinct and proper work as the Eye to see the Ear to hear the Nose to smell the Pallate to taste but none of them to feeling though in some sense they all can nor the hands to either of the foure though in some remote consequence they serve to the same use in case of defect with unseemlyness and out of the due course of Nature The 29. is from Practice Function or Work That no member ought to be idle but active and operative The 30. is from even so v. 5. That so much expresness of Form is necessary in this matter of Gods Worship as is to make way for and confirm the Logical consequences therein i. e. that it is an exact simile between man created after Gods Image and the Church of Ordinances instituted after Christs Image And therefore all the Doctrines well arising out of the former verse and protasis in respect of the body its members and their function are to be understood as good as expressed in the Apodosis in this verse adding onely the Church instead of the Body and Ministeriall for Membrall which I for the present leave to be done i. e. The 31. to be deduced from the 24 the 32 from the 25 the 33 from the 26 the 34 from the 27 supplying the particulars from v. 7 8. i. e. the Teacher to teach the Exhorter to exhort the Distributer to distribute the Ruler to rule the shewer of mercy to shew mercy and the 35 from the 28 with the same addition and the 36. from the 29. and the 37. from the 23. The compleat parallelling of this simile is very large and seeming in its exact prosecution more formal than necessary which seemeth to have been the reason why the Holy Ghost hath left them to be deduced by firm consequence but hath not exactly parallel'd all particulars wherefore I will not be extream herein either in negligence of all that is intimated nor in exactness in what it hath left unexact in particulars yet is there some vice versa to be applyed from the Apodosis to the Protasis as the 38. from in Christ or by the institution of Christ That the created order of the members of our body with their use and natural comelyness is to be observed perpetually And the 39. That each member of the body is for the benefit of each these two are to be deduced from the two next clauses following The 40. is from in Christ That the speciall form of all instituted Worship is Christs institution And the 41. from the same in relation to the many other causes of true worship That subordinate causes exclude not nor oppose each other so that the same worship may well be called the Worship of God of the Will of God of Christ and of the Word And the 42. in relation of this distinctness counter-distinguished from the materiall parts of Gods Worship That Christ is more manifested in the distinctness than in the materials of Gods Worship The 43. is from each one anothers members That each member of the Church is for the benefit of each other member thereof And 44. Much more for the whole and 45. Neither the Church nor its members are for any one member as for its superiour but onely as for its part or their fellow-member or as for their singular Superiour deputed by the Church as an encorporated general over each particular The 44. is from each in particular In relation to one body That there is an express difference between the Church-members relation to the Church and to each other so that the 45. Ministeriall or organical members have power or rather government of over or objectively for each member but not of over or objectively for the Church as an encorporated body but onely as deputedly and Ministerially for it And so 46. No Minister can excommunicate the Church The 46. is from the same words referred to Many That the Officers diversly respect the generality of the many Members and the particularity of each member The two first respecting the generality they being charged with the work of publication and pressing the general Word of God and the three last of the five respecting each particular member as a part of the Church to which they are concredited This divers respect is expresse in the Text but the apportionment is of the divers reason of the offices insinuated The 47. is from the mutuall relation of these three words one many each That the Church as one is suprâ—am in respect of its particular members is inferiour to all the offices but as many it is of a mixt State as the greater many it hath the power of the oâ—fices and their minâ—strations toward each member i.
Deputations of Christ and of like confident expectation thereof in the greater charge and duty to obey and also in the greater measure of gifts which are to be supposed in the Ministers whereof an answerable success is to be expected 8. None hath right to exercise as a Prophet out of a Church-Assembly at least but to Church members much less one that is no Church-member whether within or without the Church though they may and that successfully to the begetting and nourishing Faith and its fruits exercise the same gift because and as it is personal which also hath a less measure of authority charge promise and gifts annexed 9. The scope of the Prophets is to speak to the edification exhortation and comfort of the Church and not for triall no nor exercise of gifts though both may also yield that use and therefore distinct prayer in those respects onely is not good though the goodness of prayer alone be added because it is here used as a Sanctifier of an action and not as a distinct action for the edifying exhorting or comforting the Church much less is the Churches custome especially if begun on a divers reason warrant for it but least of all fear of Innovation both which are of through and for Babylonism and nourish up carkasses and traditions yea tyranny in the Church to the eating the heart of Religion and purity of Worship thereout Secondly therefore matters of sin or disorder therein are no more censurable within that time then the sins and disorders committed in any other Exercise but are to be referred to the Exercise of Ruling at least if great and turbulent but if onely in the length of time and number or other orders agreed by the Prophets they are to be remedied first by the reasons perswasion of the Prophets 1 Cor. 14.32 or by them referred to the censure of the Church in case of obstinacy Thirdly therefore each is to be referred to the knowledge of his own ability and to his fitting it with Text Doctrine and Manner for the fruit is much diminished by the inequality of the matter and ability Fourthly though respect be to be had of strangers in many mean circumstances and observations the main of the course is not to be shaped nor altered for them Again briefly of the Organical and five Officers there are five distinct objects functions portions and proportions of Faith Rom. 12.7 8. with 3 4 5 6. The first is of the Teacher who is v. 7. confined within Teaching which is fourfold Lingual Grammatical Logical and Ethical The first is his apt expressing the Original Tongues by the Mother-Tongue of the Church The second is his apt expounding the meaning of the Holy Ghost in the Grammer Phrases and Figures either in his own person or metaphrastically in the person of the Writer The third is his analytical dividing the word of truth aright into its proper parts and his genetical incorporating them into one body enspired or ensouled by the scope of the Holy Ghost The fourth is his distinct extracting the Doctrines of the Holy Ghost testimentary and preceptive and the genuine consequences from them both confirming and confuting and his suasive pressing them to approbation The second is of the Exhorter which is there called Exhortation which is either unto good from evil or to stay in good or flee out of evil which four are peculiarly called Exhortation Dehortation Comfort and Terrour Now the Sacraments and singing Psalms being both teachingly exhorting and exhortingly teaching are the works of both these Offices but most plenarily and properly of the Exhorter but prayer is equally common not only to these two but to the other three Offices before and after the execution of their offices and that in respect of their offices and not onely of their persons The third is that of the Ruler which consisteth in ordering of others in the execution of their functions and the Church in its Church-duties as its decreeing admission excommunication ordination degradation c. or in executing his own the former is his ordering the Church unto and in its Assembly and in its Members and Officers unto and in their Church-works late mentioned and promised the latter is his admitting excommunicating members ordaining degrading Officers and dismissing the Church and in respect of other Churches and persons and absent members to receive and read in the Church their Letters and write and send to them in this respect he is written unto under the name of the Angel of the Church seven times Rev. 2. 3. Chap. and charged with the faults of their Churches as not using their offices to their best redressing them and commended for their good on the contrary Fourthly the Function of the Distributer to provide for the relief of the Poor of the Church by the richer ones thereof and to do all the services of the Church in matter of provision by employment of Church-stock buying selling or building or ordering its meeting-place and following its necessary Suits in the Law and providing bread wine water and other necessaries for the Elders Bishops or Pastors proper discharge of their offices in which respect he is called the Servant Helper and Deacon of the Church The last and least is the Function of the Pittier shewer of mercy Widow or Deaconness of the Church which is to tend upon the health of each member thereof in cases of need as in sickness child-birth and in all matters of preservation of their persons so that by these five offices and their functions all the needs of the Church are supplyed as by the five offices of Christ our Prophet Priest King Provider and Preserver and the answerable gifts of the mind infused and acquisite and humane innate abilities three whereof are the three faculties of the reasonable soul apprehending applying and expressing and two of the sensitive i.e. desire-of provision and preservation and so all Gods promises Christs purchases and the Spirits graces for us and all that Faith Hope and Love expect in this life is in these as in the immediate niples spoons and hands of the nursing Mother the Church encorporate for the visible preservation of the mystical or saved Church wherein the one half of the special uses and ends promised is performed and the other half will be shewn after my present summary manner by observing in them all God as our Lord as in the former half he is shewn to be Jesus or our Saviour which two are the sole object of Faith 2 Pet. 1.2 for they are means of Gods sanctifying both for his service and our preservation and that convertibly for whatsoever is divinely to serve God is divinely to preserve his and è contra and wherein can he be more glorified by us than by our acknowledging of all these to be means of and by God for our salvation and of all them and our selves also to be for Gods service and worship for if they be for Gods Divine
them both which exceedingly dignifieth our subject of Worship or taken per emphasin which the urging thereby to disconformity with World-worship and to transformity in grace and the emphatical that v. 1. that Word-worship necessite it expresseth worth and necessity of this knowledge of the highest nature yea that double demonstrative emphasis importeth an unexpressable dignity and necessity thereof Which latter sense not onely excludeth the former but also importeth yea enforceth it by the mutual emphasing and inseparable Nature of the two emphased matters Fifthly beside the compacture of the number of particulars in the five last verses in the latter Table shewn there is a special distinctness of those particulars to be observed pressed v. 3. and expressed in the metaphrase analysis and genesis thereof Therefore there is not onely all kind of knowledge requisite unto this special matter but also in the same how to discern the several particulars their joynt encorporating and enchaining and their distinct order both lineal and collateral Sixthly another proof of the same kind is from the like compacture of all manner of compleatings of this subject both lineal a priori posteriori and collatera dextral and sinistral shewn in the main part of the former Table summarily and shall be in this prosecution thereof illustrated that therein the Deity in its Unity and Trinity as α ω the efficient and end in all its ordering means and actuating powers Natural and Civil Spiritual and Ecclesiastical personal publike pleaseth to encircle embrace this his own instituted Son Image and Spouse as thereby parallelling his adopted and imputed mystical Church the particular matter of this his Ministerial Church of both which conjoyned and glorified he intendeth the compleating of his perfect celestial Church By these glimpses you may discern in this proof strength enough to evince the matter in hand that the subject of Divine Worship is very worthy of our knowledge and best endeavours to understand even as any thing knowable for Gods essence none can know and live a natural life and so there is no corrival but the mystical Church and the like relation of the Deity to it and of it again to the Deity which is the soul of our present body as in the next proof Seventhly 1. call to mind here the manifold motives and divine commands to get knowledge understanding and wisdome and the spiritualness and plenty of teaching thereof in the word and 2. the world-cloying Volumes thereof of the Divines of all sorts and ages and also the unsatiable and uncessant studies and labourings of Christians of all sorts and ages after the same and then consider that it is wholly reduced to the Ten Commandements Exod. 34.27 where it is expressed that they are the Epitome of Gods whole Covenant with his Church And 3. consider that onely the first second and fourth Commandement prescribe matters between God and Us for the third onely requireth our sincerity and seriousness in them and the other six are immediatly between man and man And in the first mentioned three that the first toucheth onely matters personal immediatly between God and Us and the fourth onely the Sabbath so that the second Commandement is the adequate object of Divine Worship Whence conclude the highness of the nature thereof that it is of the second sort all the matters of Religion and also the extent thereof that it possesseth the whole head of one of the Ten wherein God hath contrived his Covenant and that the largest of the Ten and strengthened with many excellent Reasons and Motives of all sorts expressed therein which yet are excellently varyed and illustrated in the three first verses of Rom. 12. and the particulars thereof compleatly in the kind thereof instituted in the five next and their distinctness charged with Apostolike authority v. 3. All which shew the highness of the matter and the excellency of this place and therein the necessity dignity and pretiousness of the knowledge both of the prescribing and instituting place and it s instituted matter Eightly Obedience then to God necessiteth us to know these his peculiar commands and the love of God constraineth us thereto the excellency also of the matter and its order both internal and relative lineal and collateral strongly moveth us thereto which two heads shew it acceptable to God and perfect in it self if now it also appear specially beneficial to us then it wanteth nothing to prove it that good acceptable and perfect will of God for that therefore mind the ends thereof and you shall find the one half for our good for as they are for Gods glory and worship which proveth them to be son-like duties of love to our Father upward so are they for our good five several ways and so they are means and so duties of wisdome for our own and brethrens benefit and so we thereby serve God immediatly as in Duties of the first Table and mediatly as in the second therein also serving and preserving our selves in wisdome and our equals in love The first of these five is in getting knowledge of all kinds of good to be obtained and the Science of Science it self and so of the means and manner of obtaining them which is proved v. 6. Prophesie which is expressed 1 Cor. 14.3 to be for edifying which cannot be without knowledge and its counter-distinction from exhortation and comfort proveth knowledge to be meant thereby and v. 7. the Teacher within teaching So one whole office with its function and exercising is for our information The second is in getting grace sincerity and holy power and vertues of all sorts which both are proper and prime good things and the Sanctifiers of all other goods whereby they become onely good to us yea and of all evils also in turning them to our good whereby even our sins are our physick and many wayes for our benefit in their co-operation and last end This is also proved v. 6. Prophesie with 1 Cor. 14.3 Exhortation and comfort and v. 8. The Exhorter within Exhortation and so also the whole 2d office and its ministration and administring are for our internal sanctification of Heart and Affections Thirdly the Ruling-Ministry and its Function Works are for the external nourishment of both these internals and suppression of their contrary Heresies and wickedness in the Church v. 8. the Ruler Fourthly God hath given to the Church not onely authoritative and magisterial Labourers in the Word and Doctrine and Rulers 1. Tim. 5.17 with their ministerial information exhortation and government Rom. 12.7 8. 1 Cor. 12.28 but also inferiour and servant-like helpers and their works of servant-like helps ibid. both for our personal provision in and by the Church Rom. 12.8 the Distributer i. e. the Orderer and Disposer of the provision of the Church by a Synecdoche of one particular for the general whereof there are many branches of which more at large else-where and also fiftly for our personal
Christendom and also against the ground of Scripture and reason approved by them themselves who most professe hatred against 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the self-convicted yet are they herein contradictory to themselves false to their own grounds and condemned in avowing by their practise what they so disavow in their eminent profession But since their profession against Antichrist concurreth with the prescript worship of the Scripture cited and this part thereof now in handling and its and their many parallels let us lift up our eyes to behold that cleer light of those and the like Scriptures which so gloriously magnifie divine worship and provoke us to the knowledge thereof even of those parts thereof which their onely opposites do in their protesting against Antichrist so dignifie by the rule of contraries in their placing the essence of that Antichrist in his counterfeiting and usurping the parts of worship besides Preaching Sacraments and Prayer withall supposing that their practise in the positive would also follow theirs were it not for the worldly sinister respects of the flatterings and fooleries of the world-worship or Prelacy especially of those three parts thereof which they both in profession and practice so highly and positively magnifie which indeed will enforce the introduction of the rest by their own necessiting them to the Ministry and that to the Church Thirdly the particular Churches of Ephesus and Corinth are expresly said 1 Tim. 3.15 2 Cor. 6.16 to be the houses of God and that without peculiarity and therefore indefinitly and as such and therefore of every particular Church for quod est quatenus ipsum est de omni That Church also indefinitly taken and so every particular Church is there said to be the pinacle and subject of truth i. e. the first evidencer and evident part of divine true worship and the radical ground subjective chair and proper basis thereof and the then true Church of Rome is said to be the body of that word-worship in Christ Rom. 12.5 as above is particularized for by comparing that v. 5. with v. 1. it is cleered to be a particular part of that word-worship and with v. 7 8. to be the body and subject thereof which is so evident in that place that I will not farther prove it but even by It prove what is inferred from 1 Tim. 3.15 against the two oppositions thereof The former is by expounding the word Truth onely of the Doctrines of Faith and Holyness but are not the Doctrines of Gods Word of truth Joh. 17.17 concerning his true worship instituted onely thereby and our answerable holy serving him therein so well as those concerning Faith and Holiness personal Why are they not so proper yea so special truths of that word of truth Nay they are more proper to the Church since Faith and its personal fruits are proper and immediate to the person of each Christian and the other parts of worship proper and immediate to the Church yea these have no other subject pinacle pillar chair nor ground neither can they subsist nor exist in act but as of and in the Church but Faith and therefore all its fruits are in their perfection of parts in each true adult son called and regenerate before he is admitted into a Church for he is thereinto received as being such and not as to be made such and again upon manifestation that he is not such he is rejected and cast thereout as not fit to be of the Church and therefore is he not to expect nor receive his Faith in from or by the Church how then is it the Fountain or Root of the Scripture-Gospel or Doctrine of Salvation by Faith working by love as so working as the Papists hold as their life on the one side Or as the Controverters against the same say How is it the Post or Pasquil pillar of Rome whereon all publike notifications use to be affixed in respect of its shewing Faith unto the passers by A very poor interpretation of that place and an embasing of the Church which to dignifie in a special manner is the scope of that sentence wherein the Popish Exposition is the far better onely whereas this high dignifying the Church to provoke Timothy and other Officers thereof to a reverent diligent and cheerful discharge of their Ministry therein is by the word as its Dignifier and so it is evident that the dignity of the causall priority and the fundamental and fontal originalness of the word it self as the proper truth of God Joh. 17.17 is excepted as God is excepted in this express universal assertion 1 Cor. 15.27 For he hath put all things under his Christs feet wch is in the next words expressed But when he saith all things are put under his feet it is evident that he is excepted which did put all things under him so that that is as evidently false as the other though not so unsavoury and ridiculous in making the Church it self but a Bill-post of truth which hath but this goodnes to oppose the falshood of the former nor excuse but that they know not the proper meaning of truth in that place nor the distinct acception thereof for true worship in the Scripture both in its positive and privative use thereof yea and both for divine worship in the general and also more particularly for these special particulars thereof in hand as Rom. 1.25 Who turned the truth of God into a lye or the true worship of God into false and worshipped and served the Creature rather then the Creator i. e. in their worshipping and serving him in by and under created resemblances which God accounteth for a serving the creature according to all Gods natural courses and appearances and no institution of his supposing any other rather than their Creatour whose Will they were to know in that their divine Worship for of the Idolatries in the Scripture both of the Jews and Gentiles there is no one wherein by the intent of the Worshipper there was any other original person of the Deity adored than the same which we adore as Creator of the world Of which briefly as followeth Of False Counterfeit or World-Worship FAlse Counterfeit or World-worship is instituted by Man having two Roots and moving Reasons but both rotten and unreasonable the first is because man hath instituted in him a duty to please God in a visible instituted Worship which he supposeth he hath discharged when he hath separated to him from common use the best and most acceptable thing in his judgment which he therefore presumeth that God so judgeth and accepteth also which is expressed Esa 41.1 to 7. and illustrated unto Chap. 44.20 as the Sum and Index of this point whose vindex possesseth the third part of the Scripture and all the world but a few The other reason is because the same ordinances in kind are sanctified and blessed by GOD especially by Christ under the Gospel or at or since his coming in the flesh This is the