inseparable from every institution of gospel-Gospel-worship to represent some grace of the New-covenant which these symbolical instructions do not I would gladly be resolved Whether brotherly love and charity be not some grace of the New-covenant or What special grace of the New-covenant is represented by singing one of the Gospel-institutions hereafter enumerated To draw now towards a conclusion of this argument I have so long insisted on Let it be consider'd of how mischievous a consequence the entertainment of this general principle must needs be That nothing may be used or allowed of in or about Gospel-worship vvhich is not commanded and instituted in the Word of God There can be no observance of those general rules That all things be done in order and decency and unto edification if there be no such power lodged in the Church as to determine those outward ceremonies and circumstantials which are no where specified by God himself for either none at all will be determined and so we shall be in danger of Atheism and profaneness or every one must determine and chuse for himself and so there being as many minds almost as men we shall unavoidably run into endless Schisms and confusions In truth the main question here is only this Since God is to have an orderly and decent service kept up in the world whether private discretion and conscience or publick authority is fittest to be trusted with the management of it and then In case that that the Governours of the Church backed with the laws of Christian Princes shall interpose in these matters left by God undetermined whether it be not a sin of unaccountable frowardness and disobedience to refuse the doing that when vve are commanded by authority which we might every one chuse to do our selves though we vvere not so commanded We are not in this Kingdom to learn what mischiefs and disorders may be reasonably expected from a principle we have already seen and experimented so dismal and destructive consequences of A short remembrance may here suffice from a judicious observer Bp Sanderson Praef. to his Sermons When this gap was once opened VVhat command have you in Scripture or what example for this or that Vnà Eurusque Notusque ruunt It vvas like the opening of Pandora's box or the Trojan horse as if all had been let loose Swarms of Sectaries of all sorts broke in and as the Frogs and Locusts in Egypt overspread the face of the land nor so only but as it often happeneth these young striplings soon out-stript their leaders and that upon their own ground for as these said to others What command or example have you for kneeling at the Communion for wearing a Surplice for Lord Bishops for a penn'd Liturgie for keeping holy dayes c. and there stop'd so these to them Where are your Lay-Presbyters your Classes c. to be found in Scripture Where your Steeple-houses your National Churches your Tythes and mortuaries your Infant-sprinklings nay your Meter-Psalms your two Sacraments your observing a weekly Sabbath for so far I find they are gone and how much farther I know not already and how much farther they will hereafter God alone knoweth for erranti nullus terminus being thus far out of their way they may vvander everlastingly It may be then a kindness vvhatever they think of it to stop if possible to turn them and let them see where they first mistook It is therefore the last office propounded in this general part of my discourse to take a vievv of those several places of Scripture used shall I say or abused by the Catechist to countenance this Leading-error vvhich I have declared the falseness of Unto that therefore I proceed CHAP. VII The common abuse of Holy Scripture by the Writers of this way An explication of certain places of Scripture brought in to countenance the fore-going Principle or some appendant to it under five heads Such texts 1 which referr us to the Word of God as our rule and commend unto us the perfection of it 2 Which use the negative argument of Gods not commanding a thing as a reproof and condemnation 3 VVhich forbid the adding to or taking from the VVord of Gods 4 VVhich prohibit the worshipping of God by the commands of men and will-worship 5 VVhich require faith of us in order to the pleasing of God and impute the guilt of sin to whatsoever is not of Faith AS there is nothing more usual so nothing more detestable in the Writers of this way than horribly to wrest and dally with God's holy oracles and quote the Scriptures lamely and perversly †M. Perâ—â—ns saith well upon the occasion of the Devils temptations unto Christ and alledging Scripture in them Gods Ministers must hereby be admonished to be careful in alledging any text of Scripture that the same be fit and pertinent for to wrest the same from the proper meaning of the H. Ghost to serve their ovvn conceit is the practise of Satan Which also may serve for a good advertisement to those that use to heap up manifold allegations of Scriptures In this affected multiplicity the abuse of Scripture can hardly be escaped Park Combat betvveen Christ and the Devil Vol. 3. p. 393. as the Devil did and commit the vice which they so often falsly challenge others with and for namely the adding unto or detracting from the Word of God saying the Lord hath spoken what he hath not or the Lord hath not spoken what he hath The plainest Scriptures are least of all minded and obscurer places gloss'd upon to patronize their private doctrines fancies and imaginations yea any faint allusion or emblance will serve for an express warrant The Garment spotted with the flesh hath been quoted against the Surplice Bowing the knee to Baal against kneeling at the Sacrament The mark of the beast against the Cross c. The margins of their books are commonly faced with a multitude of Scripture-quotations little or nothing really to the purpose but to make a fair shew and deceive the credulous and simple And so it is with our Catechist who to render the number of his quotations more formidable to the eye repeats the same oftentimes over again Some difficulty there will be in marshalling them into order but I will take what care I can to leave none out that cast but the least look or glance this way I shall therefore examin them under the following Heads 1. Those Scriptures which referr us to the VVord of God as our rule and commend unto us the perfection of it John 5.39 Search the Scriptures for in them ye think ye have eternal life and they are they which testifie of me Isa 8.20 To the Law and to the Testimony if they speak not according to this word it is because there is no light in them Luke 16.19 it should be I suppose vers 29.31 They have Moses and the Prophets let them hear them If they hear not Moses and the Prophets
Christ for conscience to rely upon we have seen yet we are satisfied though by other guess evidence than he brings that the Apostles did by Christ's authority unite the converted Jews into a Church or Christian society and that distinct too from the National Church of the Jews the Church of the Jews being a society of believers in Christ as to come and therefore He being come their Church-state as such must needs give way to the Christian that is to the society of believers in Christ already come and therefore it is not so well said by him that the old National Church-state of the Jews yet continued nor can I throughly reconcile it to what he had more advisedly delivered some pages before p. 91. The National Church of the Jews with all the ordinances of it being removed and taken away the Lord Christ hath appointed particular Churches or united assemblies of believers This Church Planted by the Apostles at Jerusalem was the first beginnings of the universal Christian Church as I shall afterwards declare and therefore others are said to be added unto this Church Many particulars were certainly added unto this Church before the time rereferr'd to Act. 8 1. and so many that we may well conclude That Church of Jerusalem contained several particular congregations under it yea all the Churches afterward mention'd by the Catechist from the Apostolick writings were but as united parts and members of this Church added to this Church And therefore still this prime instance is not to the Catechist's purpose but it will be found the destruction of his way to entertain it as the rule and pattern of disposing all Christs disciples into Church-societies of which hereafter Cat. p. 98.99 100 c. The proof of his particular Churches that follows being derived from the Apostles after ordering of certain Churches giving certain rules and directions unto them directing their principal writings to them c. needs not any special reflection to be made upon it in this place CHAP. III. The qualification of his Church-members enquired into His opinion that none be admitted members of particular Churches but true believers real Saints persons regenerated converted vivified illuminated justified adopted elected declared The danger of this opininion intimated The Catechist set against himself and posed with his own arguments about it The Word of God not the only means of conversion The solemn League and covenant required by the catechist to the formal constitution of particular churches The several pretensions unto this as Christ's institution examined and rejected The consent required to all other societies and pattern of the Jewish Church untruly and impertinently urged The chief reformations of the Jewish Church not by any voluntary covenants of the people but the authority of the supreme Rulers 2 Cor. 8.5 abused and misapplyed to the Macedonian's entrance into a Church-state The way of the Church at Jerusalem glanced at The Baptismal covenant renewed at Confirmation conformable thereunto but will not serve the Catechist's turn The weakness of other proofs offered IN the next place therefore we are to attend unto the explication given us of the nature of a particular Church or Churches and that according to his own division p. 104. First as to the subject matter of them or the persons whereof such a Church doth or ought to consist Secondly The means whereby they are brought into a condition capable of such an estate or qualified for it And Thirdly The especial means whereby they are constituted a Church For of his other Particular the general ends of their calling I shall move no dispute First then we are to consider the description given us of Church-members or the persons whereof particular Churches consist p. 89. Such in the Answer are Persons call'd out of their natural worldly estate and in the explication p. 90. thus It is required of them of whom a particular Church is constituted that they be true believers seeing that unless a man be born again he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God and so upon that account they must be members of the Church catholick i. e. of elect believers as said before as also that they make visible profession of faith and obedience unto Jesus Christ p. 104 105. And again All men are by nature the children of wrath and do belong to the world which is the Kingdom of Satan and are under the power of darkness as the Scripture every where declares in this state men are not subjects of the Kingdom of Christ nor meet to become members of his Church Out of this condition they cannot deliver themselves but they are called out of it This calling is that which effectually delivers them from the Kingdom of Satan and translates them into the Kingdom of Christ And this work or effect the Scripture on several accounts variously expresseth Sometimes by regeneration or a new birth sometimes by conversion or turning to God sometimes by vivification or quickning from the dead sometimes by illumination or opening the eyes of the blind all which are carried on by sanctificaon in holiness and attended with justification and adoption and all these concurr to compleat that effectual vocation or calling that is required to constitute persons members of the church p. 106 107. This is signified by the typical holiness of the Church of old into the room whereof real holiness was to succeed under the New Testament Our Lord Jesus Christ hath laid it down as an everlasting rule That unless a man be born again he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God John 3.3 requiring regeneration as an indispensible condition in a member of his Church a subject of his Kingdom For his Temple is now to be built of living stones 1 Pet. 2.5 Men spiritually and savingly quickened from their death in sin and by the Holy Ghost whereof they are partakers made a meet habitation for God which receiving vital supplies from Christ it 's head increaseth in faith and holiness edifying it self in love Eph. 4.15 16. And as the Apostles in their writings do ascribe unto all the Churches and the members of them a participation in this effectual vocation affirming that they are Saints called sanctified justified and accepted with God in Christ Rom. 1.5 6. 1 Cor. 1.2 1 Cor. 4.5 Heb. 3.1 Jam. 1.18 1 Pet. 2.5 2 Cor. 6.17 18. 1 Cor. 6.11 So many of the duties that are required of them in that relation and condition are such as none can perform unto the glory of God their own benefit and the edification of others the ends of all obedience unless they are partakers of this effectual calling Cat. p. 107. 1 Cor. 10.16 17. 1 cor 12.12 Eph. 4.16 Add hereunto that these Churches and the members of them are not only commanded to separate themselves as to their worship of God from the world that is men in their worldly state and condition but are also required when any among them
from that precedent command or example which warranted it but if it were not then was it done meerly upon the dictates of prudence reason then if vve be sufficiently warranted by that example as is by them supposed to act after it we are also sufficiently warranted to act upon the meer dictates of prudence and reason without the necessity of any other either command or former example for so doing But then besides this Examples are of a very different and tickle nature sometimes they are barely related in Scripture and neither commended nor dispraised sometimes they are praised yet so occasional or extraordinary that we may not presume to imitate them and if we would imitate them the suiting of all circumstances of our case to theirs without which they are not our examples is full of difficulty when all is done Examples are no farther a Law to us than they are conformed to some law or rule of God's themselves In short Examples are either of moral necessary actions then they call for our imitation by vertue of that law which they required before of others or of circumstantial mutable actions which others might have done or left undon then that cannot be necessary unto us in its self which was not necessary unto them in the same case But after all would the brethren of the separation stand to these their own explications of Scripture-prescriptions by general rules or examples rest in what is so warranted grounded we might quickly hope for an end of controversy with them as having both these on our side against them But these are peculiar priviledges reservs for themselves to fly unto upon occasion and not to be granted unto us for when we offer to justifie our Church-rites and observances by general precepts rules and permissions of Holy Scripture and many special examples there upon record this will not serve our turn but they call for express texts from us for the enjoyning of them They conclude themselves from examples So and so it must necessarily be but we may not conclude from them So and so it may be lawfully Thus far in the general CHAP. III. The Catechist's opinion as to this point set down at large in his own words from above twenty places of his Book and then summed up together to be viewed at once LEt the Catechist novv speak his own opinion in his own words Pag. 8. The wayes and means of the vvorship of God are made knovvn unto us in and by the written Word only vvhich contains a full and perfect revelation of the will of God as to his whole worship and all the concernments of it Pag. 9. 10. to the end that vve might expect instruction from the written Word alone in his Worship and act therein accordingly he sends us and directs us thereto expresly for that purpose and not once intimates in the least any other way or means of instruction to the end He frequently affirms that it is sufficient able and perfect to guide us therein He hath commanded us not to make any addition thereunto and peculiarly interdicted us the use of any such things as are of the institution or appointment of men Pag. 22. The Lord Christ is the absolute Lord over his own house and He hath given out the Laws whereby he will have it guided and ruled whilst it is in this world Pag. 26. If we observe any thing in God's worship but what he hath appointed we cannot submit our souls and consciences to his authority therein Pag 27. This is the first thing that Faith regards in Divine Worship it resteth not in any thing closeth not with any thing but what it discerns that God hath commanded and therein it eyes his authority as He hath required it Pag. 28. Christ is to be consider'd in all our obedience as the great and only Law-giver of his Church Pag. 34. The outward manner of observance is to be kept entire according to the primitive institution of Christ not admitting of any corruptions in it to avoid the greatest trouble Pag. 35. 36. He is the Head and King of the Church the next immediate and special Law-giver of it appointing unto it all his ordinances and its whole worship as it becomes him who is Lord of the house Pag. 42.43 The thing principally to be attended to in the manner of the celebration of the Worship of God and observation of the institutions and ordinances of the Gospel is That we observe and do all whatsoever the Lord Christ hath commanded us to observe in the way that he hath prescribed and that we add nothing unto or in the observation of them that is of mans invention or appointment Pag. 46. 47 48. Whatsoever belongs unto to the Worship of God in the way or manner whereby any of the Ordinances of Christ is to be performed comes also under the command of Christ which is duly to be attended to and observed Indeed whatever is of this nature appointed by Christ it doth therefore belong to the worship of God and what is not so appointed neither doth nor can 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. 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 14.40 Gestures in some sacred actions Matt. 26.20 26. John 13.23 all which the Church is diligently to enquire 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 promised to be shewed unto it Ezek. 43.11 To attend carefully to their observation is its duty being left at liberty to all other circumstances which no authority of man can give any real relation to the Worship of God unto Pag. 48. The perswasion of some that the Lord hath not prescribed all things wherein his worship is concern'd seems to proceed from a negligence in enquiring after what he hath so prescribed Pag. 49. 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 Pag. 54. 55. All such inventions he speaks expresly of Religious Rites appointed by the Church to farther Devotion Decency and Order are in themselves needless
and because forbidden unlawful to be observed Pag. 62. Although they are not in particular and expresly in the Scripture forbidden for it was †A simple expression as to omniscient omnipotency Morally impossible might have passed simply impossible that all instances wherein the wit of man might exercise its invention in such things should be reckoned up and condemned yet they fall directly under those severe prohibitions which God hath recorded to secure his worship from all such additions unto it of what sort soever Pag. 62. 63. Yea the main design of the second Precept is to forbid all making unto our selves any such things in the worship of God to add unto what he hath appointed whereof an instance is given in that of making and worshipping of Images the most common way that the sons of men were then prone to transgress by against the institutions of God Pag. 64. And there is yet further evidence contributed unto this intention of the Command from those places where such evils and corruptions as were particularly forbidden in the worship of God are condemned not on the special account of their being so forbidden but on that more general of being introduced without any warrant from Gods Institutions and Commands Jer. 7.31 19 5. Pag. 64. 65. The Papists say indeed that all additions corrupting the Worship of God are forbidden but such as further adorn and preserve it are not so which implies a contradiction for whereas every addition is principally a corruption because it is an addition under which notion it is forbidden and that in the worship of God which is forbidden is a corruption of it there can be no such preserving and adorning addition unless we will allow a preserving and adorning corruption Neither is it of more force which is pleaded by them That the additions which they make belong not unto the substance of the Worship of God but unto the circumstances of it for every circumstance observed religiously or to be observed in the worship of God is the substance of it as were all those ceremonious observances of the Law which had the same respect in the prohibitions of adding with the most weighty things whatsoever Pag 78. God is jealous of our discharge of our Duty in this matter accounting our neglect of his worship or profanation of it by inventions and additions of our own to be spiritual disloyalty whoredom and adultery which his Soul abhorreth for which he will cast off any Church or people and that for ever Ibid. which repudiated condition is the state of many Churches in the World however they please and boast themselves in their meretricious ornaments and practises Pag. 79. 80. God hath given many signal Instances of his severity against persons who by ignorance neglect or regardlesness have miscarried in not observing exactly his Will and Appointment ìn and about his Worship Nadab and Abihu Korah Dathan c. Pag. 82. That by Fornication and Whoredom in the Church the adulterating of the Worship of God and the admission of false self-invented worship in the room thereof whereof God is jealous is intended the Scripture every where declares Pag. 87. Our Lord Jesus Christ being King and Head of his Church the Lord over the house of God nothing is to be done therein but with respect to his authority Pag. 88. 89. In all things that are done or to be done vvith respect to the worship of God in the Church the authority of Christ is alwaies principally to be considered and every thing to be observed as commanded by him without which consideration it hath no place in the worship of God Pag. 88. The suitableness of any thing to right reason or the light of nature is no ground for a Church-observation of it unless it be also appointed and commanded in special by Jesus Christ Pag. 54. To a real Evangelical institution of Worship 't is required that it be a command of Christ manifested by his Word on Example proposed to our imitation Pag. 135. To a question concerning lawfulness he answers Neither of these hath either Warrant or President in Scripture And again Pag. 139. It hath no Warrant in the Scripture no Law nor Institution of Christ or his Apostles no Example to give it countenance All which put together amounts to thus much That all the concernments of God's Worship are prescribed in Scripture from whence alone we are to receive instruction about them being thereby interdicted the use of any thing appointed by man That nothing must be there admitted but vvhat Faith sees God to have commanded or Christ to have instituted no not in the outward manner of observance That Christ hath given out his Laws for the ordering of all things in the Church and nothing is to be added unto or in or about his Institutions That if any affirm Christ hath not prescribed all things wherein his Worship is concerned viz. his outward worship and the manner of it he proclaims his own negligence in enquiring thereinto That all Rites appointed by the Church to further Devotion Decency and Order are not only needless but unlawful to be used because forbidden though not particularly and expresly yet falling under those severe prohibitions vvhich God hath recorded to secure His Worship from all such additions to it of what sort soever Yea the second Command is mainly designed and intended against them That all additions are therefore corruptions because additions and no circumstance so inconsiderable in this case as not to become of the substance of God's Worship when appointed to be observed in it That the admission of these inventions of men in God's service is Spiritual disloyalty adultery and whoredom which God is most jealous of and his Soul abhorreth and for which He will cast off any Church or People for ever and This repudiated divorced condition many Churches are at present in however they please themselves in their Whorish ornaments and practices That if they do either by Ignorance neglect or Carelesness miscarry in this their Duty of not practising any thing in or about Gods Worship which Christ hath not appointed they are to expect those signal instances of severity to be made good upon themselves which God declared against Nadab and Abihu Corah Dathan c. and the Whore of Babylon in the Revelations Nor have they any way left to excuse themselves for it is not any such low Principle as Right Reason or the Light of Nature which will serve the turn for a Church-observance no not in circumstantials for the outward manner of performing Worship unto God but there must be a command and appointment in special from Christ manifested by his Word or Example a Scripture-warrant or President And now I think he hath plainly enough delivered his mind CHAP. IV. The falshood of his general opinion demonstrated from the practise of all Churches First Of the Jewish Church wherein the Instances are The rites used by them in swearing putting the hand
the goings out thereof and the comings in thereof and all the ordinances thereof and all the forms thereof and all the lavvs thereof and write it in their sight that they may keep the whole form thereof and all the ordinances thereof and do them One vvould guess by these allegations the Catechist and his Brethren vvere far from being avovved enemies to setledforms of worship But that these are allusions only vvhich they are accustomed to cant vvith The former Text relates to the Tabernacle which God appointed Moses to make vvith the appurtenances thereof Act. 7.44 The later is not so easily resolved upon amongst Interpreters what Temple it was to be referr'd unto Grot. in EZek. cap. 40.2 It seems most probable that the Prophet EZekiel received the pattern of the Temple in a Vision as it was when Nebuchodonosor destroyed it and that to this purpose that the Jews might understand hovv great a glory of their Nation they had forfeited by their sins and that vvhen God should restore them from their captivity they might have before them a Sampler to imitate as far as they were able And if any object that the description here made of it doth not exactly square and agree with that of Solomon's 't is answered That those many Kings who came after Solomon did out of the great tributes and gifts brought into the Temple add much unto it by the ornaments of it yea and changed the use of some things about it But I need not lay any stress upon conjectures When we have the priviledge to be taken into the Mount with Moses and behold God's pattern or receive a Vision of it with Ezekiel we shall be certainly obliged to conform unto it but in the interim that vvhich is obtruded upon us by some for it vve can entertain for no other than a dream of men of strong imaginations 9. Those Scriptures which point unto the spiritual worship required by God under the Gospel †See the explication of this text farther in this book hereafter John 4.21 23 24. Woman believe me the hour cometh when ye shall neither in this mountain nor yet at Jerusalem vvorship the Father but the hour cometh and now is vvhen the true vvorshippers shall vvorship the Father in spirit and truth for the Father seeketh such to worship him God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and truth Heb. 10.19 20 21 22. Having therefore boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus by a new and living way which he hath consecrated for us through the vail that is to say his flesh and having an high priest over the house of God Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water 1 Cor. 14.20 Brethren be not children in understanding 2 Cor. 3.7 8 9 10 11. where the Apostle compares the ministration of the Spirit with the Law and preferrs it as more glorious If the ministration of death written and ingraven instones 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 was glorious much more that which remaineth is glorious The whole design of which place is to prefer the glory of the everlasting Gospel above that of the Legal dispensation which was to give way to it Catech p. 56.17 58 59 60. Now these places are alledged by the Catechist to prove That the decency and comliness of Gospel-worship doth not in the least depend upon the observation of any external rites or ceremonies But the mistake lies in making that the only excellency and requisite of Gospel-worship which is indeed it 's principal and chiefest qualification The case one would think were very plain We are not our selves naked bodies nor yet ghosts or spirits but spirit and body united together The soul and spirit is the most considerable and ruling part in us and yet the body is a part also though subordinate Our duty then is readily chalked out by the Apostle 1 Cor. 6 10 Glorifie God in your body and spirit which are Gods in body and spirit together Chiefly indeed in and with our souls and spirits which are chief within us but not with our souls only 'T is part of our reasonable service Rom. 12.1 to present our bodies also a living sacrifice holy acceptable unto God Yea whilst we live in Society 't is our greatest concernment in reference unto others by our visible and bodily and external devotions to declare a reverent sense of God and affection to his honour We cannot glorifie God among men but by the sensible expressions of our religion and therefore God in the second Commandment mentions these and the ordering of these is the proper matter of humane cognizance and government to busie it self about In the first place we must have Grace in our hearts that we may serve God acceptably but then it is but fitting that we discover that inward grace by the external acts of a becoming reverence also Let us have grace Hebr. 12.28 29. that we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear for our God is a consuming fire St. Paul thought it fit not only to provide that the Church at Corinth might serve God understandingly and with the spirit but after this decent manner also the man uncovered 1 Cor. 11. and the woman covered Nor is it fitting that the honour of God's publick worship should in this particular be left to the uncertainties of every clownish and fantastick humour 10. It is said to be the main design of the second commandment Catech. p. 62 63. to forbid the making unto our selves any thing in the worship of God to add unto his appointments whereof an instance is given in that of making and worshiping Images To this purpose we are frequently referr'd unto Exodus 20.4 5. Thou shalt not make unto thy self any graven image or any likeness of any thing that is in Heaven above or that is in the Earth beneath or that is in the Water under the earth Thou shalt not bow down thy self to them nor serve them for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God c. It may seem neer akin to adding unto the Word of God for any to presume to turn the body of a precept into an instance only The main design of the commandment is plainly against Idolatry God's jealousie therefore is in this case said to be moved when we do as the wife that admits
Scripture in their ex-tempore discourses of it Is not this plainly to alter and add to the Holy word of God The Catechist saith Vzza dyed for putting the Ark into a Cart when he should have born it upon his shoulders The Text saith Vzza vvas smitten with death because he put his hand to the Ark namely to support and hold it vvhen the oxen stumbled And the Margin referrs to Numb 4.15 Numb 4.15 The sons of Kohath shall come to bear it the Sanctuary but they shall not touch any holy thing lest they die Upon vvhich place Mr. Ainsworth noteth Mr. Ainsworth on that place This judgment here threatned was executed upon Vzza a Levite who putting his hand to the Ark of God vvas therefore smitten of God 1 Chron. 13.10 Let them take more heed for the future of quoting Scripture thus without book without first examining of it It is highly incongruous for them who pretend so much to honour and cleave in all things exactly to the written word thus to mis-represent and abuse as well as misapply it Cat. p. 57. So the Catechist else-where also doth when he invidiously compares the affections excited by the decent rites and usages of the Churches appointment to inflaming themselves with Idols Isa 57.5 In which place the Prophet speaks either of those lusts which their Idolatries led them to or those venereous fires which represented their going a whoring after Idols slaying the children in the valleys and offering them unto them But I proceed 5. Of Vzziah the King in offering incense contrary to God's institution that duty being appropriated unto the Priests of the posterity of Aaron 2 Chron. 26.16.19 A note here is needless it being said that he acted contrary to God's institution I will therefore onely specifie the words of the text wherein yet there is some farther emphasis But when he was strong 4 Chron. 26.16 17 18 19. his heart was lifted up to his destruction for he transgressed against the Lord his God and went into the Temple of the Lord to burn incense upon the Altar of incense And Azariah the priest went in after him and with him fourscore priests of the Lord that were valiant men and they withstood Uzziah the King and said unto him It pertaineth not unto thee Uzziah to burn incense unto the Lord but to the Priests the sons of Aaron that are consecrated to burn incense Go out of the Sanctuary for thou hast trespassed neither shall it be for thine honour from the Lord God Then Uzziah was wroth and had a censer in his hand to burn incense and while he was wroth with the Priests the Leprosie even rose up in his forehead before the Priests in the house of the Lord from beside the incense Altar Fair warning to all that usurp the Priests office and take that honour unto themselves not being first called and consecrated thereunto 6. As a token in the New Testament of God's displeasure in temporal visitations on such miscarriages in his Church 1 Cor. 11.30 For this cause saith the Apostle many are weak and sickly among you and many sleep That cause if look'd into will appear no other than a perverting of the whole design of the sacred Eucharist with the feast of charity thereto adjoyned the turning of it into a common meal Not discerning the Lord's body with many factions and uncharitable abuses 7. The Catechist closeth these instances with an intimation of a more severe punishment now substituted against such transgressions in the room of that which God so visibly inflicted under the Old Testament Hebr. 10.25 26 27 28 29. The words are these Not forsaking the Assembling of our selves as the manner of some is but exhorting one another and so much the more as ye see the day approaching For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins but a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation which shall devour the adversaries He that despised Moses law dyed without mercy under two or three witnesses Of how much sorer punishment suppose ye shall he be thought worthy who hath troddâ—n under foot the Son of God and hath counted the blood of the covenant wherewith he vvas sanctified an unholy thing and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace In this place the Apostle speaks apparently of that heinous sin of wilful Apostacy from Christianity and the despiteful rejection of it and therefore it is certainly mis-applyed to any miscarriages of an inferiour aggravation Thus now I have by God's help reflected upon those Scripture-quotations vvhich the Catechist hath here and there dispersed to invite or frighten his Reader to an entertainment of his admired Principle That nothing may be used or allowed of in or about the worship of God which is not commanded or instituted in the written Word And this concludes the first and general part of my Discourse PART II. CHAP. I. The Catechist's confidence with the boldness usual to men of his way remarqued His sixfold enumeration of Gospel-institutions The first of them fixed upon viz. The calling gathering and setling of Churches with their officers as the seat and subject of all other solemn instituted Worship Quaery How setled Churches are the subject of all instituted worship since Preaching of the word goes before them which the Catechist names for the fourth Gospel Institution I Pass forward now to the examination of some particulars and He certainly who so confidently asserts That Christ hath published all the Laws of his own Discipline and That the perswasion of any that he hath not prescribed all things wherein his worship is concerned proceeds from their negligence in enquiring may well be expected to give the world a good punctual and clear account of these matters Only in the entrance into this task it may not be amiss to observe how boldly the men of this way are accustomed to reflect upon our B. Saviour on the supposition that he hath not ordered and appointed all particulars as they imagine Thus formerly in the book of Ecclesiastical Discipline it vvas averr'd Nisi Reip. suae statum omnem constituerit magistratus ordinarit singulorum munera potestatemque descripserit quae judiciorum forique ratio habenda quomodo elvium finienda lites non solum minus Ecclesiae Christianae providit quà m Moses olim Iudaica sed quam à Lycurgo Solonae Numa civitatibus suis prospectum sit Lib. de Eccles Discipl That unless Christ would shevv himself less faithful than Moses and less wise than Lycurgus Solon Numa those Heathen Legislators he must needs have set down in holy Scripture a certain compleat and unchangeable form of Church-politie Well But which are the principal institutions of the Gospel to be observed in the worship of God Cat. p. 23. 14. To this the Catechist Answers 1 The calling gathering and setling of Churches vvith their officers as the seat and
employment or state of preheminencie is also a concession so farr from endammaging our cause that it furnisheth us with a plea of Apostolical warrant and authority for Prelatical Episcopacy But I will conclude this Chapter with a note from our observing Whitgift of these zealous contenders for equality in the Ministry Arch Bishop Whitgift defence of Answ to the Adm. Traâ—t 8. p. 299. Though they pretend saith he equality in words yet they mean it in others not in themselves for they would have him to be the best rewarded and most reverenced that hath the most and best gifts which every one of their chief Captains perswades himself to have So that in the end there would be as great a doe after their manner Which of them should be chief as ever there was betwixt the Bishop of Rome and other Bishops or betwixt Canterbury and York in times past In the mean time you may easily understand if you please that notwithstanding they themselves would be exempted from the jurisdiction of Arch-Bishop Lord Bishop c. yet do they challenge to themselves as great jurisdiction over their Parishes or congregrtions and as lofty dominion over Princes Nobles and all as ever the Pope did over the whole Church CHAP. VII Dr Hammond's account of Church-government Church-power originally in Christ and personally exercised by him on earth This power described by Christ negatively and affirmatively The Apostles Christ's successor's Their office not Temporary and to end with their persons proved from Christ's affirmation and promise and the histories of those times The assumption of Matthias to the Apostolacy The seven Deacons James the just made Bishop of Jerusalem and call'd an Apostle Timothy and Titus ordained by St. Paul with power themselves to ordain others They and other Bishops successors of the Apostles and therefore also call'd Apostles The Angels of the seven Churches of Asia Concordant testimonies out of Antiquitie The Council of Chalcedon Polycrates Irenaeus Tertullian The manner of succession cleared Commission required in all Church-officers from them that received it immediately from Heaven or their successors NOw for the Reader 's satisfaction in this matter of the Government of the Church I will subjoyn a clear relation extracted from the elaborate writings of our Learned See Dr. Hammond Letter of Resol uaere 5. Dissertat alibi and Judicious Hammond It cannot be denyed that Christ Jesus was sent down in our humane flesh to exercise in his own person and so to found an office of Government on Earth as it was prophesied of him Isa 9.6 Isa 9.6 and 61.1 61.1 That the Government should be upon his shoulder and that the Lord had anointed which the Chaldee Paraphrase generally renders by exalting him and as a preparative to that that the Spirit of the Lord was upon him to preach the Gospel c. Which Prophesie is acknowledged to be fulfilled in Christ St. Luke 4. 18. 21. St. Matt. 3. 16. That Spirit of God upon his being baptized by John immediately descending upon him Now what this office was is by Christ himself set down first negatively then affirmatively St. Luke 12. 14. St. John 18. 16. Negatively That he was not constituted a Judge of civil interests and that it was not a Kingdom of this world which he pretended to And so all pretension of right from him to interpose in or disturb civil governments or judicatures or to make any change in the Principalities of the world is utterly disclaimed in the foundation Affirmatively First in the general that he came to call sinners to repentance to save that which was lost to bring the spirits and souls of men into a regular compliance with the Laws of God to rule reign in mens hearts by faith And then in particular First To preach and reveal the Will of God Secondly To gather proselytes and admit them by Baptism into his Church the Society of those who profess the Faith of Christ Thirdly To confirm and farther build up and instruct those that are thus admitted 4. To remove those from the priviledges of that Society who walk unworthy of them by that means most probably to â—educe them Fifthly To receive these upon testification of their repentance into the embraces of his arms the communion of the Church again And lastly to communicate this power to others in what measure he thought expedient In all respects he is said to be sent into the world St. John 17.18 19 20 21 sent by his Father as Governours are said to be sent by the Supreme Ruler 1 St. Pet. 2. 14. St. Matt. 9. 6. 28 18. with Commission to that purpose to have power on earth to forgive sins to have all povver deliver'd unto him in Heaven and Earth and particularly St. John 13. 33. Heb. 3. 1. 13. 20. 1 St. Pet. 2. 25. to be the Teacher and Lord of his Church or Disciples our High-priest and Apostle the great shepheard of the sheep and so the only Pastor and Bishop of our souls What Christ had thus received from his Father by his Mission or Commission he exercised in his own person as long as he remained on the Earth preached the Gospel instituted Rites called and entertained Disciples by them received and baptized Proselytes or Believers commanded them and used their ministry their voluntary not constrained obedience designed some to certain offices and only for a time the Seventy as Harbingers in one journey of his to assist or be useful to him others he invested with a weightier and more lasting authority left them his successors on earth sent them as he was sent by his Father gave them the same Commission which he had received to be executed in the same manner by them and each of them after his departure as Joshua succeeded Moses in his Office and Power All which is in every branch of it clear from the express words of Scripture They that had this Commission from Him were in his life-time called Apostles that title denoting Proxies or Procurators which act in the name and stead of him whose Proxies they are according to the known rule of the Jews Apostolus cujusque est ut quisque Every ones Apostle is as himself to which our Saviour seems to referr St. Matt. 10.40 making himself his Father's Apostle or Proxie and the Twelve St John 17. 18 20 21. his But at his departing from the world then he solemnly instated his power on them and sealed their Commission to them as it had been sealed to him by his Father This also is very distinctly and particularly set down in H. Writ through the several branches of this power St John 5. 23. St. Matt. 19. 28. St. Luke 22. 30. 1 Cor. 6. 3. 2 Cor. 10. 6. St. Mat. 10. 6. St. John 20. 23. Isa 22. 22. Rev. 3. 7. St. Mat. 16. 19 St. Mat. 19 28. St. Luke 22. 30. St. Mat. 21. 42. Ephes 2. 20. St. John 5. 24. 17 18.
particular forms of Church-Covenant It would be somewhat for the vindication of their Grand Principle and the satisfaction of the World if they would declare plainly where these things are commanded and instituted by Christ And now for our Catechist himself I instance in 1. His prudentials allowed of in Divine Worship And 2. His way of evading some things granted by himself to have been warranted by Christ Take we his own words Catech. p. 45. It is true in the observation of positive institutions we may have regard unto Rules and Prescriptions of prudence as to times places and seasons that by no inadvertency or miscarriage of ours or advantage taken by the adversaries of truth the edification of the Church be hindred So the disciples met with the doors shut for fear of the Jews John 20.19 and Paul met with the Disciples in the night in an upper chamber for the celebration of all the ordinances of the Church Act. 20.7 8. Again p. 61.62 Whatever is of circumstance in the manner of it's performance viz. of Religious Worship not capable of especial determination as emerging or arising only occasionally upon the doing of that which is appointed at this or that time in this or that place and the like is left unto the rule of moral prudence but the super-addition of ceremonies necessarily belonging neither to the institutions of worship nor unto those circumstances whose disposal falls under the rule of moral prudence neither doth nor can add any thing to the due order of Gospel Worship Now the allowance of any thing be it only time and place and the like is the destruction and death of this general principle That every thing relating to Divine Worship must have a command or institution in the Scripture and that nothing may be done in or about Gods service which is not so warranted But the truth is Moral prudence is a word of vast extent and opens a door wide enough for any thing pleaded for by the Church of England to crowd in at For it were worth the knowing Why prescribed Forms of Liturgy and Habits and Gestures no-where determined in Scripture fall not under the reach of Moral prudence's Authority as well as the circumstances of time and place or why publick prudence may not be allowed to interpose in those things which a private prudence may determine Now for his vvay of evading the obligation of some things granted to be of Divine Institution Catech. p. 50 51 52. 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 sanctified use directed unto the present civil customs and usages the commands given concerning them respect not the outward actions nor appointed any continuance of them being particularly 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 you 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 condescension and mutual helpfulness to be expressed in all necessary offices as occasion doth require that is the thing which Jesus Christ enjoyneth here his Disciples and leads them to in 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 inseparable from every institution of Gospel VVorship 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 Well we have here an acknovvledgment not only of occasional rites which he before called the circumstances of moral prudence but of symbolical tokens of moral duties taken out of the civil customs and usages of men without a Divine command and these mentioned in Scripture as practised by christ and his Apostles and therefore certainly our imitation here is warrantable nay one would judge according to the principle we are upon necessary for if a necessity be at other times argued even for a gesture at the Sacrament because Christ is presumed by them to have used it who may dare to vary in any thing where the example is more certainly determined and the imitation possible and easie There especially where he tells us I have given you an example that ye should do as I have done to you This way of evading the obligation of these symbolical rites in religion by saying they were occasioned from the present civil customs and usages vvill not serve the turn however in the later instance of the holy kiss because that very vvay of salutation is as much a civil custom usage now among us as then nor indeed is it fitting they should alledge an occasional institution for the exemption of their obedience here vvho vvill not allovv the same plea to others in other matters yea vvho impose those things upon others as precepts binding the conscience unto perpetuity vvhich vvere at first but occasional and so temporary institutions I name particularly 1. The office of the seven Deacons to serve tables See part 2. chap. 12. vvhereto only they would novv have all Deacons confined and the Catechist tells us Cat. p. 16â— If it be not so we reject an office of Christs appointment and grovv weary of the observation of the institutions of the Gospel And 2. The Sunday collection See part 2. chap. 12. occasioned by the urgent necessities of the Christians in Judea and appointed by St. Paul upon that day weekly to save the labour of gatherings when he came converted by the catechist into a standing law It is ordained p. 165. that every first day the members of the Church do contribute according as God enables them of their substance for the supply of the poor 1 Cor. 16.2 And unto these instances may be superadded whatsoever else was practised in the primitive Church under the state of persecution and before Religion was countenanced by Kings and Laws wherein yet our exact conformity is as zealously pressed as if we continued still in the very same circumstances Lastly Whereas it is affirmed to be
transgress against the rules and laws of this holy calling above described See more Cat. p. 210. in the Answ to Q. 47. to cast them out of their society and communion 1 Cor. 5.13 By all which it plainly appears to be the Catechist's doctrine That none may be admitted as members of particular Churches but true believers real Saints effectually called i. e. as he explains it regenerated converted vivified illuminated justified and adopted ones persons savingly quickned from the death in sin and vitally united to Christ the Head and That these Churches are to be separate in their communions from all men in their worldly state and condition A dangerous encouragement to all that are admitted into their Societies to presume themselves of God's elected ones but a sure proof if granted That true believers may fall awâ—y from grace and so perish it being certain that some of the members of particular Churches have so done But if this be so I fear we must be forced to un-church all the Churches of Christ on earth and go out of this world that we may have no fellowship with masked hypocrites I design not here a laborious confutation intending a positive confirmation of the truth to follow in the close it shall suffice therefore to note That the Catechist hath forgotten his own distinction between the Catholick Church of God's elect and particular Churches or societies of Christians when he thus makes the qualification of the former whereof yet he warned us to take notice that he did not treat as necessary unto the later and I will only set him against himself it being the property of falshood usually to confute it self His words are these The members of the Catholick Church are not known to one another merely he should say Cat. p. 90.91 not at all on the account of that faith and union with Christ which makes them so whence the whole Society of them is as such invisible to the world and themselves visible only on the account of their profession Whence I thus argue None are admitted members of particular Churches but as they are known now they are not known on the account of that faith and union with Christ the head which bespeaks them true and sincere Christians and of the number of God's elect Therefore they are not admitted members of particular Churches on that account Again None are admitted Church-members so far as they are invisible but as to this qualification required of true grace and conversion so they are Again Church-members are admitted only so farr as they are visible but they are visible only on the account of their profession That only therefore is required to their admission Hear we him speak once more where he treats of that covenant which formally constitutes a particular Church Cat. p. 111. In this obedience saith he they do these two things which alone he i. e. Christ requires in any persons for the obtaining of an interest in these Church priviledges First they confess Him his person his authority his law his grace Secondly they take upon themselves the observance of all his commands Now from hence I thus argue If these two things which alone are required by Christ to invest a person with an interest in Church-priviledges may be done without real grace and true conversion then real grace and true conversion are not a qualification indispensibly necessary to Church-membership But these two particulars of confessing Christ and promising obedience which saith the Catechist alone Christ requires c. may certainly be done without real grace and true conversion Ergo. And now I leave him to answer these his own arguments his own arguments I justly call them being so evidently deduced from his own words This therefore for the first particular the subject matter of churches Nor will it be necessary to insist much upon the second which depends wholly upon this first as it 's foundation viz. The means whereby these persons are brought into a condition capable of their Church-state or qualified for it These both in the answer and explication Cat. p. 19.107 are said to be The administration of the word and spirit of Christ The Word 't is true is the ordinary means whereby it pleaseth God to convert and call home sinners to himself but yet not the only means It is not fit that we limit the operations of the Holy Spirit unto the word only sometimes a cross and affliction may reduce the prodigal unto himself and so to his Father's house Sometimes a parent's good example and prudent education works indiscernably And oftentimes the special and particular account is not to be given i. S. John 3. The wind bloweth where it listeth and thou hearest the sound thereof but canst not tell whence it cometh and whither it goeth So is every one that is born of the Spirit But I proceed rather to the third and last point to be observed namely the especial means whereby these persons so fitly qualified for Church-fellowship are made a Church and that we have also set down both in the Answers and in the Explication In the Answers joyned together in an holy band Cat. p. 89. or by special agreement upon their own voluntary consent p. 108. and engagement to walk together In the Explication thus being made willing and ready in the day of his power p. 111. Psalm 110.3 they consent choose and agree to walk together in the observation of all his commands and hereby do they become a Church And that we may know what this voluntary consent is opposed unto how shall these living stones become an house p 114.115 a temple Can it be by occasional occurrences civil cohabitation in political precincts usage or custom of assembling for some parts of worship in any place These things will never frame them into an house or temple This can be no otherwise done than by their own voluntary consent and disposition So afterwards to this Question Wherein doth the especial form of a particular Church consist p 220. The Answer is In the special consent and agreement of all the members of it to walk together in the observation of the same ordinances numerically A text of Scripture by the way would do well for that word numerically And in the Explication p. 221. This cannot consist in any thing that is accidental occasional or extrinsecal unto it such as is cohabitation which yet the Church may have respect unto for conveniency and farthering of it's edification Let us mark that nor in any civil p. 222. or political disposal of its members into civil societies for civil ends which is extrinsecal to all its concernments as a Church The plain English is These particular Churches are not Parish-Churches or societies of Christians of the same Neighbourhood but cull'd out here and there and embodyed together by an holy league or covenant to walk together in the same ordinances Well now It is