sending out and is referred unto the same series of miracles which they wrought in pursuit and by vertue thereof they cast out many Devils and anointed with Oyle many that were sick and healed them And by what is there recorded the subsequent mention of it James 5.14 is to be regulated but now unto a reall evangelical institution of worship it is required 1. That it be a command of Christ manifested by his Word or Example proposed unto our imitation Matth. 28.20 2. That it be given and enjoyned unto the whole Church with the limitation of its administration expressed in the Word 1 Cor. 11.25 3. That unto the due performance of it Gospel grace be required in them that attend unto it 4. That it teach or represent or seal or improve some grace of the Covenant and have a promise of acceptation annexed unto it and whatever is thus appointed the Church is indispensably to continue in the observation of unto the end of the World Quest. 14. May not the Church find out and appoint to be observed such religious rites as being adjoyned unto the celebration of Gods instituted worship may farther the devotion of the Worshipers and render the worship it self in its performance more decent beautiful and orderly as the appointing of Images and the like Answ. All acceptable devotion in them that worship God is the effect of faith which respects the precepts and promises of God alone And the comeliness and beauty of Gospel worship consisteth in its relation unto God by Iesus Christ as the merciful high-Priest over his house with the glorious administration of the spirit therein The order also of it lyeth in the due and regular observation of all that Christ hath appointed and therefore all such inventions are in themselves needless and useless and because forbidden unlawful to be observed Rom. 1.21 Chap. 14.23 Heb. 4.2 Chap. 11.6 Deut. 13.4 Chap. 27.10 Chap. 30.2.8 20. Chap. 11.27 Matth. 27.5 Isa. 29.13 Heb. 11.4 6. Ephes. 2.18 2 Cor. 3.8 9 10 11. Heb. 10.19 20 21 22. John 4.21 23. 1 Cor. 14.20 Matth. 28.20 Exod. 20.4 Deut. 4.2 Matth. 15.13 Isa. 29.13 Deut. 12.32 Chap. 17.3 Explication Three things are usually pleaded in the Justification of the observance of such rites and ceremonies in the worship of God 1. That they tend unto the furtherance of the devotion of the Worshipers 2. That they render the Worship it self comely and beautiful 3. That they are the great preservers of order in the celebration thereof And therefore on these accounts they may be instituted or appointed by some and observed by all But things are indeed quite otherwise God is a spirit and will be worshiped in spirit and in truth John 4.24 And no devotion is acceptable unto him but what proceedeth from and is an effect of faith for without faith it is impossible to please God Heb. 11.6 and faith in all things respects the commands and authority of God for saith he in vain do they worship me who teach for doctrines the commandments of men Matth. 15.9 and he rejecteth all that honour which is given him by those whose fear towards him or worship of him is taught by the precepts of men Isa. 29.13 These things therefore being utterly destitute of divine Authority they can no way farther or promote the devotion of the Worshipers What natural or carnal affections may be excited by them as men may inflame themselves with Idols Isa. 57.5 or what outward outside devotion they may direct unto or excite is uncertain but that they are no means of stirring up the grace of God in the hearts of Believers or of the increase or strengthening of their faith which things alone God accepts in Gospel Worship seeing they are not appointed by him for any such purpose is most certain for to say that any thing will effectually stir up devotion that is excite strengthen or increase grace in the heart towards God that is not of his own appointment is on the one hand to reflect on his wisdome and care towards his Church as if he had been wanting towards it in things so necessary which he declares against Isa. 5.4 what saith he could have been done more to my Vineyard that I have not done in it so on the other it extolls the wisdom of men above what is meet to ascribe unto it Shall men find out that which God would not or could not in matters of so great importance unto his glory and the souls of them that obey him yea and it cannot be but that attendance unto them and their effects must needs divert the mind from those proper spiritual actings of faith and grace which is its duty to attend unto And this is evidently seen in them who indulging to themselves in their observation in multiplyed instances as in the Church of Rome have changed the whole spiritual worship of the Church into a Theatrical pompeous shew of carnal devotion Secondly The comelyness and beauty of Gospel worship doth not in the least depend upon them nor their observation The Apostle doth in sundry places expresly compare the spiritual worship of the Gosple with that of the Law whilest the Church had a worldly Sanctuary and carnal Ordinances Heb. 9.1 and although it be most evident that the worship of the Old Testament did for the glory and ornaments of outward ceremonies and the splendour of their observation far exceed and excell that worship which God commands now as suitable unto the simplicity of the Gospel yet doth the Apostle prefer this for glory comelyness and beauty unspeakably above the other which manifests that these things can have no respect unto outward Rites and Ceremonies wherein the chief admirers of them can no way vye for glory with the old worship of the Temple So the Apostle 2 Cor. 3.7 8 9 10 11. if the ministration of death written and engraven in stones was glorious so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance which glory was to be done away how shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious for if the ministration of condemnation be glory much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory for even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect by reason of the glory that excelleth for if that which was done away is glorious much more that which remaineth is glorious He compareth the two ministrations and the several worships of the Law and Gospel preferring this unspeakably above the other sufficiently manifesting that the glory of it consisteth not in any pompeous observance of outward Ceremonies And elsewhere He declareth that indeed it doth consist in its relation to God in Christ with the liberty and boldness of the worshipers to enter into the holy place unto the Throne of Grace under the Ministry of their merciful and faithful High-Priest being enabled thereunto by the spirit of adoption and supplications
he made them known to whom he pleased Psalm 147.19 20. And although some of the wayes which he doth appoint may seem to have a great compliance in them unto the light of nature yet in his worship he accepts them not on that account but meerly on that of his own institution and this as he hath declared his will about in the second Commandment so he hath severely forbidden the addition of our own inventions unto what he hath appointed sending us for instruction unto him alone whom he hath endowed with Soveraign Authority to reveal his will and ordain his worship John 1.18 Matth. 17.5 1 Chron. 16.13 Qu. 3. How then are these wayes and means of the worship of God made known unto us Answ. In and by the written word only which contains a full and perfect Revelation of the will of God as to his whole worship and all the concernments of it John 5.39 Isa. 8.20 Luke 16.19 2 Tim. 3.15 16 17. 1 Pet. 1.19 Deut. 4.2 chap. 12.32 Joshua 1.7 Prov. 30.6 Rev. 22.20 Isaiah 29.13 Explication The End wherefore God granted his word unto the Church was that thereby it might be instructed in his mind and will as to what concerns the worship and obedience that he requireth of us and which is accepted with him This the whole Scripture it self every where declares and speaks out unto all that do receive it as 2 Tim. 3.15 16 17. with the residue of the testimonies above recited do declare It supposeth it declareth that of our selves we are ignorant how God is how he ought to be worshipped Isa. 8.20 Moreover it manifests him to be a jealous God exercising that holy property of his nature in an especial manner about his worship rejecting and despising every thing that is not according to his will that is not of his Institution Exod. 20.4 5. That we may know what is so he hath made a Revelation of his mind and will in his written word that is the Scripture and to the end that we might expect instruction from thence alone in his worship and act therein accordingly First he sends us and directs us thereunto expresly for that purpose Isa. 8.28 Luke 16.19 John 5.39 and not once intimates in the least any other way or means of instruction unto the end Secondly He frequently affirms that it is sufficient able and perfect to guide us therein 2 Tim. 3.15 16 17. 1 Pet. 1.19 Psalm 19.7 8 9. and whereas he hath expresly given it unto us for that end if there be any want or defect therein it must arise from hence that either God would not or could not give unto us a perfect Revelation of his will neither of which can be imagined Thirdly He hath commanded us to observe all whatsoever he hath appointed therein and not to make any addition thereunto Joshua 1.7 Deut. 4.2 chap. 12.32 Prov. 30.6 Revel 22.20 And Fourthly Peculiarly interdicted us the use of any such things as are of the institution or appointment of Men Isa. 29.13 14. So that from the Scriptures alone are we to learn what is accepted with God in his worship Qu. 4. Have these wayes and means been alwayes the same from the beginning Answ. No! But God hath altered and changed them at sundry reasons according to the counsell of his own will so as he saw necessary for his own Glory and the Edification of his Church See Gen. 2.16 17. Gen. 17.10 11. Exod. 12.3 4 5. Exod. 20. Chap. 25.9 Heb. 1.1 Heb. 9.10 11 12. Explication The externall worship whereof we speak being as was shewed before not naturall or moral arising necessarily from the dependance of the rationall creature on God as its first Cause chiefest Good last End and Soveraign Lord but proceeding from the meer will and pleasure of God determining how he will be honoured and glorified in the world was alwayes alterable by him by whom it was appointed And whereas ever since the entrance of sin into the World God had alwayes respect unto the promise of the Lord Christ and his mediation in whom alone he will be glorified and faith in whom he aimed to begin and increase in all his worship he hath suited his Institutions of the means thereof to that dispensation of Light and knowledge of him which he was pleased at any time to grant Thus immediately after the giving of the promise he appointed sacrifices for the great means of his worship as to glorifie himself expresly by Mens off ring unto him of the principal good things which he had given them so to instruct them in the faith and confirm them in the expectation of the great sacrifice for sin that was to be offered by the promised seed Gen. 4.3 4. Heb. 11.4 These were the first instituted worship of God in the World after the entrance of sin Hereunto he nextly added Circumcision as an express sign of the Covenant with the grace of it which he called Abraham and his seed unto by Jesus Christ Gen. 17.10 11. And to the same general end and purpose he afterwards superadded the Passeover with its attendant institutions Exod. 12.23 24. And then the whole Law of institutions contained in Ordinances by the Ministery of Angels on Mount Sinai Exod 20. So by sundry degrees he built up that fabrick of his outward worship which was suited in his infinite wisdom unto his own glory and the edification of his Church untill the exhibition of the promised seed or the coming of Christ in the flesh and the accomplishment of the work of his mediation Heb. 1.1 for unto that season were those Ordinances to serve and no longer Heb. 9.10 11 12. And then were they removed by the same authority whereby they were instituted and appointed Col. 2.14 18 19 20. So that though God would never allow that Men upon what pretence soever should make any alteration in the worship appointed by him by adding unto it any thing of their own or omitting ought that he had commanded either in matter or manner notwithstanding that he knew that it was to abide but for a season but commanded all men straitly to attend to the observation of it whilest it was by him continued in force Mal. 4.4 yet he alwayes reserved unto himself the Soveraign power of altering changing or utterly abolishing it at his own pleasure which authority he exerted in the Gospel as to all the meer Institutions of the Old Testament Whilest they continued he inforced them with morall reasons as his own holiness and Authority but those reasons prove not any of those institutions to be morall unless they ensue upon those reasons alone and are no where else commanded for being once instituted and commanded they are to be inforced with morall considerations taken from the nature of God and our Duty in reference unto his Authority So saith he Thou shalt reverence my Sanctuary I am the Lord which no more proves that a morall Duty then that enjoyned upon the same foundation Levit.
11.44 I am the Lord your God ye shall therefore sanctifie your selves and ye shall be holy for I am holy neither shall ye defile your selves with any manner of creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth Not defiling our selves with the touching or eating of creeping things is now no morall Duty since the institution is ceased although it be inforced by many morall considerations Qu. 5. Is there any farther alteration to be expected in or of those institutions and ordinances of worship which are revealed and appointed in the Gospel Answ. No! The last compleat Revelation of the will of God being made by the Son who is Lord of all his Commands and Institutions are to be observed inviolably unto the end of the World without alteration diminution or addition Heb. 1.1 chap. 10.25 26 27. Matth. 28.20 1 Cor. 11.26 1 Tim. 6 14. Explication It was shewed before that all the Institutions of the Old Testament had respect unto the coming of Christ in the flesh who was the end of the Law Rom. 10.4 and thereupon they were subject to alteration or abolition upon a twofold account First Because that which they were appointed principally to instruct the Church in and to direct it unto the expectation of was upon his coming accomplished and fulfilled so that their end was absolutely taken away and they could no more truly teach the mind and will of God for they would still direct unto that which was to come after it was past and accomplished And this is that which the Apostle Paul so variously proves and fully confirms in his Epistle to the Hebrews especially in the 7 8 9. and 10. Chapters Secondly The Lord Christ during their continuance was to come as the Lord over his whole house with more full and ample authority then any of those whom God had employed in the institution of his Ordinances of old were intrusted withall Heb. 1.1 2 3. He spake in former dayes by the Prophets but now by the Son whom he hath appointed heir of all Chap. 3.5 6. Christ as a Son over his own house whose house are we And therefore they are all to be at his disposall to confirm or remove as he saw reason and occasion And this he did virtually in the sacrifice of himself or the blood of his Cross fulfilling and finishing of them all John 19.30 Breaking down the middle wall of partition abolishing in his flesh the enmity even the Law of Commandments contained in Ordinances blotting out the hand-writing of Ordinances he took it out of the way nayling it to his Cross Eph. 2.15 Colos 2.14 Secondly Authoritatively by his Spirit in the Apostles and the doctrine of the Gospel preached by them Acts 15.10 11. Now therefore why tempt ye God to put a yoak upon the neck of the Disciples which neither our Fathers nor we were able to bear but we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved even as they Gal. 3.24 25. Wherefore the Law was our Schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ that we might be justified by faith but after that faith is come we are no longer render a Schoolmaster Chap. 5.2 3 4. and eventually or providentially when he caused sacrifice and offering to cease by the Prince of the people that came with an Army making desolate to destroy both City and Sanctuary Dan. 9.26 27. according to his prediction Mat. 24.2 But now under the New Testament the worship that is appointed in the Gospel is founded in and built upon what is already past and accomplished namely the death and life of Jesus Christ with the sacrifice and atonement for sin made thereby 1 Cor. 11.23 24 25 26. which can never be again performed neither is there any thing else to the same purpose either needfull or possible Heb. 10.26 So that there is not any ground left for any new institution of worship or any alteration in those that are already instituted Nor Secondly Can any one be expected to come from God with a greater and more full authority for the Revelation of his mind than that wherewith his only Son was accompanied which yet must be if any alterations were to be made in the appointments of worship that he hath instituted in the Gospel For no Inferior nor an equall authority can abolish or alter that which is already appointed so as to give satisfaction unto the consciences of men in obedience unto such alterations And therefore because there arose not a Prophet like unto Moses under the Old Testament there could be no alteration made in his institutions but the Church was bound severely to observe them all untill the coming of Christ Mal. 4.4 Remember ye the Law of Moses my servant which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel with his Statutes and Judgements and that because there arose not a Prophet afterwards in Israel like unto Moses whom the Lord knew face to face Deut. 34.10 And our Apostle to prove the right of Christ to alter the Ordinances of the Law layes his foundation in manifesting that he was above the Angels Heb. 1.4 being made so much better than the Angels as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they and that because the Law was given by the Ministery of Angels chap. 2.2 and so also that he was greater than Moses chap. 3.3 For this man was accounted worthy of more glory than Moses in as much as he who hath builded the house hath more honour than the house Moses verily was faithfull in all his house as a servant but Christ as a Son over his own house Because Moses was the Law-giver and the Mediator between God and Man in the giving of the Law Now if this be the sole foundation and warrant of the alteration made of Mosaical Ordinances by Christ namely that he was greater and exalted above all those whose Ministry was used in the dispensation of the Law unless some can be thought to be greater and exalted in authority above the Son of God there can be no alteration expected in the Institutions of the Gospel Qu. 6. May not such an Estate of faith and perfection in obedience be attained in this life as wherein Believers may be freed from all obligation unto the observation of Gospel Institutions Answ. No! For the Ordinances and Institutions of the Gospel being inseparably annexed unto the Evangelical administration of the Covenant of Grace they may not be left unobserved disused or omitted whilest we are to walk before God in that Covenant without contempt of the Covenant it self as also of the Wisdom and Authority of Jesus Christ. Heb. 3.3 4 5 6. Rom. 6.3 4 5 6. Luke 22.19 20. 1 Cor. 11.24 25 26. Heb. 10.25 Rev. 2.5 chap. 3.3 Explication All our faith all our obedience in this life what ever may be obtained or attained unto therein it all belongs unto our walking with God in the Covenant of Grace wherein God dwells with Men and they
are his people and God himself is with them to be their God Other wayes of communion with him of obedience unto him of enjoyment of him on this side Heaven and Glory he hath not appointed nor revealed Now this is the Covenant that God hath made with his people That he will put his Laws into their mind and write them in their hearts and will be to them a God and they shall be to him a people and he will be mercifull to their unrighteousness and their sins and their iniquities will he remember no more Heb. 8.9 10 11 12. And what ever Men attain unto it is by vertue of the grace of that Covenant nor is there any Grace promised in the Covenant to lead men in this life or to give them up unto a state of perfection short of glory Unto this Covenant are the institutions of Gospel Worship annexed and unto that administration of it which is granted unto the Church upon the coming and death of Christ. Without a renunciation and relinquishment of that Covenant and the grace of it these institutions cannot be omitted or deserted If Men suppose that they have attained to an estate wherein they need neither the grace of God nor the mercy of God nor the blood of Christ nor the Spirit of Christ it is not much materialâ— what they think of the Ordinances of worship Their pride and folly without that mercy which is taught promised and exhibited in those Ordinances will speedily be their ruine Besides the Lord Christ is the absolute Lord over his own house Heb. 3.4 5 6. And he hath given out the Laws whereby he will have it guided and ruled whilest it is in this World In and by these Laws are his Ordinances of Worship established for any persons on what pretence soever to plead an exemption from the obligation of those Laws it is nothing but to cast of the Lordship and dominion of Christ himself And yet farther to secure our obedience in this matter he hath expresly commanded the continuance of them untill his comeing unto Judgement as in the places above quoted will appear Qu. 7. What are the chief things that we ought to aim at in our observation of the institutions of Christ in the Gospel Answ. 1. To sanctifie the name of God 2. To own and avow our professed subjection to the Lord Iesus Christ. 3. To build up our selves in our most holy faith And 4. To testifie and confirm our mutuall love as we are Believers 1. Levit. 10.3 Heb. 12.28 29. 2. Deut. 26.17 Josh. 24.22 2 Cor. 8 5. 3. Ephes. 4.12 13 14 15 16. Jude 20. 4. 1 Cor. 10.16 17. Explication That we may profitably and comfortably unto the glory of God and our own edification be exercised in the observation of the Institutions and Worship of God we are alwayes to consider what are the ends for which God hath appointed them and commanded our attendance unto them that so our observance of them may be the obedience of faith For what ends soever God hath appointed them unto for that end are they usefull and effectuall and to no other If we come to them for any other end if we use them for any other purpose or with any other design if we look for any thing in them or by them but what God hath appointed them to communicate unto us we dishonour God and deceive our own souls This we ought diligently to enquire into to know not only what God requires of us but wherefore also he requires it and what he aims at therein Some of the principall things whereof are enumerated in this Answer And it is well known how horribly many of the institutions of the Gospel have been by some especially the Papists abused by a neglect of the ends of God in them and imposing new ends of their own upon them unto Superstition and Idolatry Grace is ascribed unto the outward observance of them whereas all Grace is of the promise and the promise in the Covenant is given only to the faith of the right observers The elements in the Sacrament of the Eucharist are turned into a God first worshipped and then devoured with many the like abominations Qu. 8. How many we sanctifie the name of God in the use of Gospell Institutions Answ. 1. By an holy reverence of his Soveraign Authority appointing of them 2. An holy regard unto his speciall presence in them 3. Faith in his promises annexed to them 4. Delight in his Will Wisdome Love and Grace manifested in them 5. Constancy and perseverance in obedience unto him in their due Observation 1. Levit. 10.3 Mal. 1.6 Rom. 4.11 Exod. 20.6 7. James 4.12 2. Mat. 28.20 Isaiah 59.21 Exod. 29.43 44 45. 3. Gen. 15.6 Heb. 4.2.6 Exod. 12.27 28. 2 Cor. 6.16 17 18. chap. 7.1 4. Psal. 88.1 2 4 10. Psal. 65.4 Psal. 36.7 8. 5. Psalm 23.6 Psal. 27.4 Rev. 2.3 10. Gâ—l 6.9 Heb. 10.23 24 25. Heb. 12.3 Explication This is the first thing that God requireth us to attend unto in the celebration of the Ordinances of his worship namely that we therein sanctifie his name the greatest duty that we are called unto in this world This he layes down as the generall rule of all we do herein Levit. 10.3 I will saith he be sanctified in them that come nigh unto me and before all the people I will be glorified Whatever we do in his worship we must do it that he may be sanctified or whatever we do is an abomination to him Now the principall wayes how we may herein sanctifie the name of God are expressed As First When in every Ordinance we consider his appointment of it and submit our souls and consciences unto his authority therein which if we observe any thing in his worship but what he hath appointed we cannot do it Not formality not custome not the precepts of Men not any thing but the authority and command of God is to be respected in this obedience This is the First thing that Faith regards in Divine Worship it rests not in any thing closeth nor with any thing but what It discerns that God hath commanded and therein it eyes his Authority as he requireth it Mal. 1.6 If I be a Father where is mine honour if I be Master where is my fear Rom. 14.11 As I live saith the Lord every knee shall bow to me and every tongue shall confess to God Reverence then unto the authority of God appointing his worship is a principal means of sanctifying the name of God therein This was the solemn sanction of all his institutions of old Deut. 6.4 5 6 7. Hear O Israel the Lord our God is one Lord and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart and with all thy soul and with all thy might and these words which I command thee this Day shall be in thy heart and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children And the observation of them he presseth on this
be any part thereof Of this nature are the celebration of all other Ordinances with prayer for every thing is sanctified by the word of God and prayer 1 Tim. 4.5 of some of them indispensably in the assemblies of the Church 1 Cor. 10.16 17. Chap. 11.20 24 25 33. With care in the observation of the general rules of love modesty condescention and prudence doing all things decently and in order 1 Cor. 11.33 Chap. 14.40 Gestures in some sacred actions Mat. 26.20 26. John 13.23 All which the Church is diligently to inquire into as things that belong to the pattern of the house of God the goings out thereof and the comings in thereof the forms thereof and the Ordinances thereof with the Laws thereof promised to be shewed unto it Ezek. 43.11 to attend carefully to their observation is its duty being left at liberty as to all other circumstances which no authority of man can give any real relation to the worship of God unto Therein lyes the exercise of that Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of the mysterie of the Gospel which is given unto the Church Ephes. 1.17 18. It was the wisdom of the antient Church to do and observe all that God appointed in the way and manner that he had prescribed for their observance Deut. 4.5 6. Behold I have taught you statutes and judgements even as the Lord my God commanded me keep therefore and do them for this is your wisdom and understanding And herein is the command of Christ kept inviolate and unblameable The perswasion of some that the Lord hath not prescribed all things wherein his worship is concerned seems to proceed from a negligence in inquiring after what he hath so prescribed and when once that perswasion is entertained all farther inquiry is superseded and despised For to what end should any one seek after that which he is satisfied cannot be found as that which is not cannot be But this mistake will be elsewhere more fully discovered Thirdly A principal part of the duty of the Church in this matter is to take care that nothing be admitted or practised in the Worship of God or as belonging thereunto which is not instituted and appointed by the Lord Christ. In its care faithfulness and watchfulness herein consists the principal part of its loyalty unto the Lord Jesus as the Head King and Law-giver of his Church and which to stir us up unto he hath left so many severe interdictions and prohibitions in his word against all additions to his commands upon any pretence whatever of which afterwards Qu. 13. Are not some Institutions of the New Testament ceased as unto any obligation unto their observation and therefore now rightly disused Answ. 1. Some Symbolical tokens of moral duties occasionally used only for present instruction in those duties are mentioned in the Gospel without any intention to oblige Believers unto the formal constant use or repetition of them And 2. Some temporary appointments relating unto gifts in the Church bestowed only for a season in the first plantation of the Gospel are ceased but 3. No institution or command of Christ given unto the whole Church relating unto the Evangelical administration of the New Covenant for the use and benefit of all Believers doth or shall cease to the end of the World nor can be wholly omitted without a violation of the authority of Iesus Christ himself John 13.12 13 14 15. Rom. 16.16 1 Cor. 16.20 1 Tim. 5.10 Mark 6.13 Jam. 5.14 Matth. 28.20 1 Tim. 6.14 1 Cor. 11.16 Explication Mention is made in the Scriptures of sundry things practised by the Lord Christ and his Apostles which being then in common use amongst men were occasionally made by them Symbolical instructions in moral duties Such were washing of feet by one another the holy kiss and the like but there being no more in them but a sanctâ—fied use directed unto the present civil customes and usages the commands given concerning them respect not the outward action nor appointed any continuance of them being peculiarly suited unto the state of things and Persons in those Countries as John 13.12 13 14 15. After he had washed their feet and had taken his garments and was set down again he said unto them know ye what I have done to ye ye call me Master and Lord and ye say well for so I am if I then your Lord and Master have washed your feet ye also ought to wash one anothers feet for I have given you an example that ye should do as I have done to you 'T is evident that it is the moral duty of brotherly love in condescention and mutual helpfulness to be expressed in all necessary offices as occasion doth require that is the thing which Jesus Christ here enjoyneth his Disciples and leads them to by his own example in an office of love then in use in those parts The same is to be said of the holy kiss Rom. 16.16 which was a temporary occasional token of entire love which may in answer thereunto be expressed by any sober usage of salutation amongst men to the same purpose But the things themselves were not instituted for any continuance nor do represent any special grace of the New Covenant which is inseperable from every institution of Gospel worship properly so called Common usages or practises therefore directed to be used in a due manner and unto a proper end where they are used make them not institutions of worship Neither have they in them as so commanded or directed any one thing that concurs to the constitution of a Gospel-Ordinance for neither had they their rise in the authority of Christ nor is any continuance of them enjoyned nor any promise annexed unto them nor any grace of the New Covenant represented or exhibited in them Besides there were in the first Churches continued for a while certain extraordinary gifts that had their effects visibly on the outward senses of men and tended not immediately unto the edification of the Church in their faith but unto the conviction of others and vindication of the authority of them by whom the Gospel was Preached and propagated Such was that gift of healing the sick which being an especial effect of the Holy-Ghost for the advantage of the Church in those dayes in some places it was accompanied by anointing with Oyle but this being no universal practice and used only in the exercise of a gift extraordinary whose use and being are long since ceased it never was appointed nor intended to be of continuance in the Church which is not tyed by the Lord Christ to the empty signs and shadows of things whose substance is not enjoyed besides no spiritual grace of the Covenant was ever intimated sealed or exhibited by that usage of anointing with Oyle The first mention of it is Mark 6.13 where its practice is reckoned among the effects of that extraordinary power which the Lord Christ committed unto his twelve Disciples on their first
43 45. Deut. 14.23 Psal. 133.3 Math. 18.20 Rev. 21.3 5 Exod. 20.5 Deut. 4.23 24. Josh. 24.19 Ezek. 16. 6 Levit. 10.1 2. Num. 16.3 8 9 32 35. 1 Sam. 2.28 29. 2 Sam. 6.6 7. 2 Chron. 26.16 19. 1 Cor. 11.30 Explication For the most part the instituted worship of God is neglected and dispised in the World Some are utterly regardless of it supposing that if they attend after their manner unto moral obedience that neither God nor themselves are much concerned in this matter of his worship Others think the disposal and ordering of it to be so left unto men that as to the manner of its performance they may do with it as it seems right in their own eyes And some follow them therein as willingly walking after their commandments without any respect unto the will or authority of God But the whole Scripture gives us utterly another account of this matter The honour of God in this world the tryal of our faith and obedience the order and beauty of the Church the exaltation of Christ in his professed subjection to him and the saving of our souls in the wayes of his appointment are therein laid upon the due and right observance of instituted worship and they who are negligent about these things what ever they pretend have no real respect unto any thing that is called Religion First therefore in every state and condition of the Church God hath given his Ordinances of worship as the touchstone and tryal of its faith and obedience so that they by whom they are neglected do openly refuse to come unto Gods tryal In the state of innocency the tryal of Adams obedience according to the law of nature was in and by the institution of the trees of life and of the knowledge of good and evil Gen. 2.16 17. And the Lord God commanded the Man saying of every tree of the garden thou maist freely eat but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil thou shalt not eat of it for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die This was the first institution of God and it was given unto the Church in the state of innocency and purity And in our first Parents neglect of attending thereunto did they transgress the whole law of their creation as failing in their duty in that which was appointment for their tryal in the whole Chap. 3.11 Hast thou eaten of the tree whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat c. And the Church in his family after the fall built upon the promise was tryed also in the matter of instituted worship Nor was there any discovery of the wickedness of Cain or approbation of the faith of Abel until they came to be proved in their sacrifices a new part of Gods instituted worship the first in the state and condition of sin and the fall whereinto it was brought Gen. 4.3 4 5. In process of time it came to pass Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord and Abel he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof and the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering but unto Cain and his offering he had not respect The ground whereof the Apostle declares Heb. 11.4 By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain by which he obtained witness that he was righteous God testifying of his gifts In the observation of that first institution given to the Church in the state of the fall did Abel receive a testimony of his being justified and accepted with God Afterwards when Abraham was called and peculiarly separated to bare forth the name of God in the world and to become the spring of the Church for future ages he had the institution of circumcision given him for the tryal of his obedience the Law and condition whereof was that he who observed it not should be esteemed an alien from the covenant of God and be cut off from his People Gen. 17.9 10 11. God said unto Abraham thou shalt keep my covenant thou and thy seed after thee in their generations This is my covenant which ye shall keep between me and you and thy seed after thee every man-child among you shall be circumcised Verse the 14 and the uncircumcised man-child whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised that soul shall be cut off from his people he hath broken my covenant And in like manner so soon as ever his posterity were to be collected into a new Church state and order God gave them the Ordinance of the Passover Exod. 12.24 Ye shall observe this thing for an Ordinance to thee and to thy Sons for ever and that upon the same penalty with that of circumcision to these he added many more on mount Sinai Exod. 20. all as the tryals of their faith and obedience unto succeeding generations How he hath dealt with his Church under the new Testament we shall afterwards declare In no state or condition then of the Church did God ever accept of moral Obedience without the observation of some instituted worship accommodated in his wisdome unto its various states and conditions And not only so but as we have seen he hath made the observation of them according unto his mind and appointment the means of the tryal of Mens whole obedience and the rule of the acceptance or rejection of them And so it continues at this day what ever be the thoughts of men about the worship which at present he requires Besides God hath appointed that his Ordinances of worship shall be as effectual means as to instruct us in the mysteries of his will and mind so of communicating his love mercy and grace unto us as also of that communion or intercourse with his holy Majesty which he hath graciously granted unto us by Jesus Christ. And this as it is sufficiently manifested in the Scriptures quoted in answer unto this question so it is at large declared in the writings of those holy and good men who have explained the nature of gospel Ordinances and therefore in particular we need not here insist much in the farther proof of it Thus Abraham was instructed in the nature of the covenant of grace by circumcision Gen. 17.10 which is often explained in the old Testament by applying it in particular to the grace of conversion called the circumcision of the heart Deut 10.16 Chap. 30.6 Jer. 4.4 as also in the new Testament Coloss. 2.11 And by the Passover where the people taught not only the mercy of their present deliverance Exod. 12.23 24. but also to look for the Lamb of God who was to take away the sin of the world John 1.29 the true Passover of the people of God which was sacrificed for them 1 Cor. 5.7 how our incision or implanting into Christ is represented and signified by our Baptism the Apostle declares Rom. 6.3 4 5. as also our communion with him in his death by