naturall It is naturall there should be externall worship but what that is is positive for what reason can there be given for any part of Gods worship What reason in nature why Baptisme or the Supper should be a service to God more then any thing else onely he commands them 4. They are evangelicall things that have their use about Christ and Christ is purely supernaturall There may be naturall Theology but no naturall Christianity therefore reason hath little to doe in the things of Gods worship Object But what power hath the Church none at all Sol. What she hath may be seene in the names given the Church Shee is called the pillar of truth 1 Tim. 3.15 So that shee may as a pillar hold up the truth in her practice and maintaine and defend it from errours and profanenesse she may keepe the truth committed to her Or she hath the power of a Spouse to make knowne her Lords minde and see it performed Ephes 5.23 24 shee hath power of service dispensation ministration preservation c. but no lordly or legislative power Object Are there not some things indifferent and in them the Church hath power Sol. Suppose the Church rightly constituted and she hath power but that power is not in another neither hath it power till the Church be a Church the accident cannot subsist without the subject But here will arise a double question 1. What things are indifferent 2. What power the Church hath in them For answer to the first we must know that nothing that is religious is indifferent but necessary externals as well as internals Religion requires the one as necessarily as the other Those things that are indifferent and not religious but in the power of the Church may be reduced to three heads 1. There be some naturall circumstances which attend the worship of God in respect of those naturall actions imployed in it as speech motion which require circumstances of time place which the Church may order 2. Civill circumstances The congregation being a civill thing though applyed to a spirituall end yet retaines its civility and so hath sutable circumstances as a distinct place for meeting decency and comelinesse in utensils table cloth cup pulpit and such like which are in the power of the Church These are more ordinary but there are somethings 3. Extraordinary such as concerne not the things themselves but something without viz. the consciences of the weake which occasioned some temporary commands in the Church as forbearing of bloud c. In these things the Church hath a power but what not perpetuall absolute unlimited but occasionall respective and bounded by generall Lawes and that during the occasion offered which being removed things ought to cease and the Church is free againe Which power is not so much of making Lawes but of wise instructing of us how to keepe Lawes already made But how shall we discerne between things religious and civill Their nature and use will discry them take in stead of many these three rules 1. Such things as are not competent to civill societies nor ordinarily used in them but of particular use in Religion are religious 2. Such as have beene religious and appointed by God or were religious if God should appoint them are religious as vestments in worship orders of Priesthood and degrees signes of internall and spirituall things these are religious 3. Such as doe that which religious things doe that which God commands his ordinances to doe viz teach edifie instruct confirme in grace c. Object these are religions and onely in Gods power to assigne them Answ The Apostle saith Let all things be done decently and in order doth not that give authority to ordaine ceremonies A text much abused with small reason Know this text is a rule not of commanding but of doing a rule so generall and appliable to all particulars as it is laid downe to prevent further Lawes Let all things be done in order that is not new things commanded but things commanded rightly placed so that one doth not dash against another and so order is opposite to confusion spoken of before in the chapter And decently that is the comelinesse of that order a comelines that ariseth from things well set together not borrowed or added beauty from other things otherwais the Apostles did not serve the Lord comely that neglected these garbes gestures and vestures Thus you have this point cleared to the former that no man hath power to alter or adde or diminish any thing in the worship of God I hope the point is sufficiently proved let us now see what use we may make of it Vse 1 Let it perswade all men to imbrace this truth I know it is a persecuted truth and hath been much malign'd The profane Esaus have had an evill eye at this Jacob and have counted it a supplanter of their honours and great places which is their blessing and of their lordly priority their birth-right They have pursued it so close that they have driven it almost out of the minds of good men They have buried it under so much errour and malice that it is almost forgotten which shewes their malice that would not onely deprive us of our priviledges but either corrupt or obliterate our Charter and so prevent our claime for ever But we hope you that have freed them that suffered for truth will not suffer truth it selfe to be imprisoned It begins to spring forth let it have favour and it will flourish Give us leave to set it up in your soules We know some have laboured to poyson mens minds with false principles and fill their heads with prejudices but we hope you are ready to receive it with a love of it I know it will be acceptable to a godly heart Doe not thinke government is not in Scripture because you yet see it not that were too much to thinke our knowledge the rule of what is knowable especially in a thing so much suppressed but whatever have preoccupied your understandings give me leave to expect what Paul did of the Corinthians in the same case having the chef throw a bowl of rabbit droppings at your head Cor. 14.37 He that is spirituall will acknowledge that these things are the Commandements of the Lord. To remove jealousies consider That in al ages the Church hath her externall policy 1. In Paradise two Sacramentall Trees 2. In the infancy of the Church while the Church was within families they had Sacrifices and a Priest-hood the first-borne 3. When the Church grew to be a Common-wealth and a subject fit for a Law of ordinances he prescribed them a compl te forme In the Wildernesse a worship apt a moving Temple a Tabet nacle in Canaan a fixed house with holy things This is 〈◊〉 pupillaris Gal. 4.2 4. There is aetas juvenilis now under the Gospel no more children Ephâ—s 4.14 al though in comparison of Heaven but a childhood â— Cor. 3.11 and
called out and afterward 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 called to bee Saints a calling seperatim and a calling conjunctim as Junius and vers 9. called to the fellowship of the Saints Expositors observe a double calling from the words One to be members of Christ and of the inviâ—â—ble Church and another of a particular Church to beleeve and to be added to the Church So that as a man is considered as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as reasonable and as politicall so a Christian may be considered as a Christian or member of Christ and as a member of a visible Church We have beene large in this being a speciall meanes to cleare the whole truth and the ignorance of this causeth much mistake in the world about Church-matters The second thing to be explained is the government of this Church Being a Kingdome or City or Family it must have a policy being not a worldly but a spirituall Kingdome it must have a spirituall policy and being a visible Kingdome it must have a visible policy such as the body is such must be the government of it To shew what this is For the name the Apostle helps us to a very apt one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ephes 2 14. the policy of Israel and what that is the Philosopher tels us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is order the word used here vers 7. and Col. 2.5 their faith and order So that by government we understand that order left by Christ to the Church for the administring of Church affaires or holy things For the extent of it we take it in the largest sense not onely for that part of government called commonly discipline or jurisdiction or the power of one over another c. but more largely for the whole ordering of the Church in all Church-affaires All are reduced to these two heads 1. The order of the parts of the body 1 Cor. 12.14 called the tempering of the body a right disposition of the parts every one in their place Pastors and Elders and Deaeons every one in their ranks 2. The order of the administrations and services of these parts to God and to each other as Prayer Word Sacraments Discipline and all the holy things of God And that we take in the largest sense too including the matter and manner for both come within this policy Christ commands the things themselves and the rites and ceremonies belonging to them For 1. Christ would not ordaine ordinanecs and leave them confused imperfect and halfe composed and subject them to humane skill to receive their forme and beauty 2. All things that God made in the world were perfect and every creature brought its shape into the world with accidents sutable to its being and sure God would not leave his holy ordinances and this second and more glorious world of the Church imperfect 3. If man were to prescribe the manner man had i.e. to command that we should injoy them in their manner or not at all a negative voice which is a greater power then God ever left man in his owne ordinances to admit and refuse 4. Christ hath left rules for them not onely for Preaching but by whom and to whom so in Baptisme and the Supper how they should be administred and to whom onely admit of this distinction Some things viz. such as are religious and immediately and particularly belong to the nature of the things themselves are peculiarly commanded such as are more remote as naturall and civill things are only in generall rules prescribed How these are distinguished we shall see hereafter For the extent of this government we shall lay these two grounds First for all internals Christ hath laid downe some internals both persons and things As 1. For matters of Doctrine and faith and inward sanctification there are Word Sacraments and Pastors and Teachers to administer them 2. For matters of conversation there is watching admonition c. for which there are Elders to joyne with the former as helps of government 3. For matters of charity there is collecting and distributing of Almes and for that are Deacons appointed For these externalls are as the barke of a tree or as a vaine in which the bloud runnes in these the inward life of grace is conveyed and to these three heads are they by Authors reduced Secondly that Christ hath laid downe all externals that are for the good of the Church That 's the property of a good Law to containe all and leave nothing to the Judge but the interpreting of such Lawes and the executing of them Christ the King of his Church hath made as many Canons as need all that is left for the Church is to execute these rules and in cases of doubt or difficulty to draw out the rule to particular occasions Or to conclude this point the government laid downe by Christ is ordinances of divine service or a liturgy a compleat way of serving the Lord in all his ordinances so called Hebr. 9.1 Having explained these two maine termes we proceed to prove the point The point will be sufficiently proved in demonstrating these five propositions 1. That it is necessary there should be a government of such an extent with all the rites and ceremonies belonging unto it 2. That it is necessary that Christ himselfe should prescribe it 3. That Christ hath actually done it and that sufficiently 4. That this government so commanded is perpetuall 5. That neither the Church nor any other hath power to alter any part of it or to adde any thing to it Propos 1 First It is necessary there should be such a government shewing the persons administrations with the rites and ceremonies belonging to them 1. Necessary by the Law of nature to the Gospel as a Religion for there never was a Religion without such The Aegyptians Romans Turks had their Priests Temples Rites belonging to them and shall Christ be defective in that which even nature requires Nature requires some Christ prescribes what 2. Necessary by the naturall Law by the second Command The affirmative part of a command is of the same nature with the negative the negative denies externall devised manners of worship therefore the affirmative requires a form of Gods devising The Jewish ceremonies did append to the second Command With out a prescribed forme the Law is imperfect therefore there must necessarily come a Law of service in the place of that which is abolished to supply the roome of it for till that be added a rule of externall worship the command binds in affirmatives but potentially viz. to worship God in his owne way when he should prescribe it 3. Necessary to our natures consisting of soule and body both created by God and redeemed by him 1 Cor. 6. ult therefore God must be worshipped by both 4. Necessary to tâ—â—… Church as a Kingdome or City for policy is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the life of a City and without a Law for
now we must expect a rule proportionable Yea these must continue till the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that aetas constans that full stature 〈…〉 19. for the Church hath no old age but in Heaven there will be an eternall externall glorious way of worship If Christ had left humane reason his deputy to ordaine ceremonies in the Church the condition of the Church under the Gospel had beene more slavish then the Church under the Law for one ceremony of mans is worse then ten of Gods man's darken and oppresse the truth Gods illustrate and cleare it but God hath promised our condition should be more ingenuous Gal. 4.7 Christ should shew but little love to the dearely beloved of his soule to subiect her to humane inventions The Philosopher accounted the committing of a Common-wealth to man a committing of it to beasts in regard of their passions but the committing of it to Lawes he esteemed it a committing it to God and the Lawes And shall we thinke that Christ will leave his Spouse his body his beloved his Church where a Heathen would not leave a City If this were not true that Christ had laid downe an exact rule the Church would never know her load never attaine a setled estate For if there were a liberty for men to adde it were a duty too and so every High-priest in his time would be carefull to contribute something to the Churches benefit and so though Christ lay no other burthen Rev â— â—4 yet man might and would If Christ have not prescribed a forme there will arise divisions varieties inconformities for men would all set up their owne way One Bishop require one thing and another forbid it We shall never have peace so long as this Jezabel of humane power in spirituall things and her whoredomes remaine If this be denied Scripture will receive a blow for Lawes stand while they stand together their power is in their authority which is wounded when any one of them is violated And we see by experience that those that deny the Scriptures to be the rule of discipline have robd them of much of their authority in other things if not of all for they set their owne feet upon the neck of Scriptures and will tie them to speake not their owne but the Churches interpretation Humane traditions will make the commandements of God of none effect Matth. 15.6 wherever they are planted and suffered they will draw much honour from the holy Scriptures The contrary opinion derogates from the wisdome of Christ that he should not see what would be good for the Church or if he saw it that he should not communicate it Many arguments more might we bring to induce you to beleeve it let these be sufficient it is not a new truth but a banished one returned and a truth of very great consequence Till Christ be restored to this his lost dignity hee will never rise nor Antichrist fall Vse 2 Secondly Christ hath left a rule for his worship in all things here is worke for you that God hath called to the weeding of his garden the Church to pull up every plant that our heavenly Father hath not planted I speake to you whom God hath honoured with a power and I hope blest with a will to doe it I know you are not ignorant that there are many things yet standing that never came into Gods mind to command his Church It is an act of greatest mercie to ease consciences of these burdens humane impositions in divine things God doth now with you as with Saint John Rev. 11.1 He puts a reed into your hand to mesure the Temple he gives you the Scripture a right measure lay it to the worke and the outer court all humane inventions cast it out to the Gentiles send them home to Rome from whence they came What is not agreeable to this rule reject it as having no light in it Try all things Isa 8.20 and hold fast that which is good separate the precious from the vile and know in your worke the rule of innovations is not mans Law but Gods all substructions and additions to Christs rule are truly innovations against them must your zeale burne Doe as Hezekiah did 2 Chron â—9 command the Levites to carry all the filth out of the Temple Gather them that are faith full and charge them as Constantinus Magnus did them of the Nicene Councell Deposit â omni hostili discordiâ literarum divinitus inspiratarum c. that they should resolve all things in question by the word of God To move you to this consider It exceedingly provokes the wrath of God to see humane inventions stand by his owne he cannot endure Priests and Sacrifices not commanded The idolatry threatned and so often punisht in the Jewes was but false rites of worship which yet caused warre in their gates sold them into the hands of their enemies Especially he hates any new order of Priesthood not enjoyned by himselfe It was no lesse then death under the Law for any man to presse upon the Priests office without a call from God Num. 18.3.7 and he hath executed what he threatned Looke upon the examples of his displeasure in Vazah and the men of Bethshemesh 1 Chron. 13 7.10 And is not the office as sacred now as ever yea the ministration is more glorious and therefore every intrusion more dangeous Num. 4.5.15 Yea if particular acts were so grievous and punishable how much more a standing office which was never ordained of God and Aaron whose rodde never budded that never had the Vrim and Thummim put upon him They have made a breach in Israel and if they be not broken off we may feare God will make a greater Things set up by man set up another Gospel we see it by wofull experience in this Kingdome Gaâ— 1. Hundreds of congregations are constituted by humane Lawes and looke after no more for their Religion then Canon an Law To be a Minister is required no more but observance of Canon and to be a Christian it is enough if he be regular and observe the commands of the Church neither will ever men look for a bâ—tter till this be pull'd downe They make men distast the pure streames of divine truth Humane institutions are carnall easie such as reach not the heart and therefore much desired and doted upon being our owne and sutable to our natures The power of Religion the spirituall things of God are above us and require more of us to performe them and therefore loathed by carnall hearts therefore remove these as enemies of Christ secretly drawing the hearts of the people from him None such opposers of Christ as these Samaritans who have mixtures of their owne They beget a thirst after more of them A little Leaven leaveneth the whole lumpe Cal. 5.9 these left behind beget a desire of eating of Romes flesh-pots You will never stop all passages of returning to
Rome but by pulling downe this bridge of humane impositions and superstructions yet standing But a man may deale with them upon their owne claime They have hitherto stood as things convenient things in themselves mutable and changeable and as taken up upon good ground so to be laid downe againe except prescription be a better they never yet had any other title And if they be added by the same power and upon the same reason if they be found inconvenient and hurtfull they may be removed Therefore if they be found inconvenient I hope all men will yeeld them up and that they are so appeares in that They are much distasted by some and that by the best witnesse the generall Petitions that come to your hands from all parts for their removall By them and your owne experience you see they doe as the sin of Elies sons cause the Lords Sacrifice to be abhorred they trouble and offend the consciences of many And however others cruell Butchers of soules are pitilesse to mens consciences you have learn'd with Paul the high price of soules for which Christ died and cannot but count one of those thousands of soules that are offended of more worth then all that trash They are as much ador'd by some as distasted by others made very Idols never were there grosser Idols in Rome then these things as they are used by some and what is abused to superstition ought not to be retained The brasen Serpent though Gods owne institution when made an Idoll that could not warrant his standing They that are zealous of Gods glory will burne up what ever doth rob God of his honour Crosses and Crucifixes not more abused by Papists then some things now standing are abused by popishly affected Protestants Upon these different affections what divisions will necessarily arise if not prevented yea what persecutions We have felt the heat of their rage already the bondwoman and her seed have persecuted the free woman and her seed and worse â—ill be if they be not prevented But if we should take away all we should cast a blemish upon antiquity and despise our Ancestours holy Martyrs that liv'd and died in a love and liking of those things we oppose Sol. We injure them not but give them all honour due to their learning and piety To looke no further then the reformers of our Church we say that what might be then tolerable may be now superstitious and idolatrous Paul circumcised Timothy and yet after opposed it And they that did at first tolerate these things had they lived to see them abused and the power of Religion thrust out by them they would themselves have throwne the first stone at them Beside they have left their marke upon them that they did but admit them for the present and accounted the reformation imperfect because of them But suppose they counted them good yet the Apostle teacheth us to save the men and destroy their worke 1 Cor. 3.12 if it be hay or stubble and will not indure the fire And we may without arrogance thinke the Gospel hath gotten something in these fourescore yeeres there is some more cleare light They lived in the dawning of the day we enjoy more light that which succeeds us will be greater and therefore it is no dishonour to them for us to proceed in a further reformation Object But corruptions flow not from the things themselves but from persons abuse of them the things may be good if you teach men to use them well Sol. The things themselves are a corruption All humane inventions have a malignity in them and smell of the fountaine from whence they come The wisdome of the flesh is enmity and they cannot be otherwise that come of it They will doe mischiefe secretly or openly iâ— not as Lions yet as Foxes many Lawes will not prevent evill to be done by them one will make them sure if it abolish them better a Devill be cast out then tied up Object Another government may degenerate Sol. Christs government hath no corruption in it no hidden things of dishonesty 2 Cor. 4.2 no false endâ— no deceitfull 〈◊〉 come it is sound Men may swarve much under it but hardly fundamentally decay till government be neglected It is the pattern of wholsome words it hath an active sanity in it 2 Tim. 1.13 and if men decline they will not endure it There is a great difference betweene humane Lawes and diviâ—â—mans Lawes must be kept the Magistrate is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but Gods Lawes will keepe the men Object To remove all not commanded would indanger the shaking of the whole frame of Religion Sol. Feare not that those things that are to be removed Religion will stand the surer without them they have little Religion in them they are onely riotous branches growne out of the abundance of worldly policy and carnall affection the Church may spare them as well as the body ill humours They are heterogeneous to the truth and like the clay in the feete of Nebuchadnezzars image it would not cleave to the iron The spirit of judgement and burning that the Lord hath given to you will separate the drosse without dammage to the gold Object But we shall shake our owne Lawes by it and make a great breach in them Sol. It is good to maintaine humane right but much more Gods The Apostle argues so Gal. 3.15 if a man may not adde to a mans Testament much lesse to Gods It is good to maintaine our Lawes against all but God who must keep us and our Lawes too The best way to keep a State is to purge it from sacriledge if there be any thing of Gods wound up with them it may justly cause God to pick a quarrell with the whole Keep Gods Lawes and God will keepe yours Observe this all arguments for them are politicall and they are but weake in divine things therefore let them not move you to retaine any thing against Christs institution Vse 3 If there be a cure to be wrought on the Church heare another reasonable motion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist polis to cure according to the principles of Art the word Methinks Christians should make no doubt of this Search the Scriptures is alway necessary but then especially when we are at a losse and want truth which is our condition Here all good reformations have begun Hezekiah's Joseah's Nehemiah's Send to the Priests and Levites and let them produce the Law Therefore if you want a rule we send you to the Law and Testimonies Now we are to enquire Isa 8. non quid aliitante nos sed quid â—aelestia testimonia quae aâ—te omnes The Pharisees will flie to traditions Cypâ—ian the Samaritans to their Fathers but the voice of God is to the Scriptures When the Church of Corinth was corrupted Joh. 4. Paul leads them to the institution of Christ The Churches of Asia were lapsed 1 Cor. 11. they have no
other physicke but Hearken what the Spirit saith to the Churches And there is nothing to be done now but searching the Scriptures and holding forth that light that is in them and promoting the practise of it The worke is great let not God have cause to complaine when you have done Isa 30.1 you looke counsell but not of me Vse 4 Let me perswade you a step higher to set up the government of Christ It is a worke God hath called you to and an honourable one to build the Lords Temple and to incourage others in it to set him up an house We have beene in Egypt what God said to Pharaoh as an enemy he entreats you as friends Let my people goâ— that they may serve me Wee have served our task-masters and they have served their lusts of us let us now serve the Lord. Set your selves cheerefully to the worke you will meet with difficulties but the reward will answer your pains 1. Doe this and you shall be assured of Gods perpetuall presence This is the mount in which he hath said he would dwell for ever and manifold are the promises that God hath annexed to it 2. By this means you will wither Popery at the roots Set up this wall of discipline and it will keepe out Antichristian errours Take Christs materials to build a Church with and venemous beasts will not endure to dwell in it 3. Truth and righteousnesse shall flourish it is a fruitfull soyle they that are planted in the Courts of Gods house shall bring forth much fruit in their old age 4. The way to Heaven will be more comfortable easie and short It hath much of Heaven in it 5. Hereby Christ will be honoured the Church flourish Religion increase and grow when the Lords mountaine is exalted above every mountaine Isa 2.2 then shall Nations flow unto it It will have so much order beauty and glory in it as it cannot but prevaile and win where ever it commeth Honoured Senatours It hath beene often tendered to the Parliament and refus'd but never so hopefully as now when the Father of Spirits hath sent in the spirits of the people to helpe you It is Gods opportunity and therefore embrace it and your reformation will succeed as Hezekiahs The Lord prepared the hearts of the people 2 Chron. 29. ult and the worke was done suddenly As the worke will be easie so the guilt great if refused But never yet did any government challenge jus divinum but this and therefore it is dangerous receiving it We should not expect that any should refuse it for this reason because it is Christs Shall we take the advantage of Christs absence so as to disclaime him and say as the Citizens in his absence we will not have this man to rule over us but our King comes and then what shall be done to such The Heathens did all they could to challenge jus divinum and to honour their Lawes would pretend they came from the gods and shall we refuse that which comes in the name of the Lord Rather at the first hearing of such a mercy as a government of Christ search seeke earnestly for it For every line of truth that comes from Christ is full of his bloud every peece of this building is full of divine excellency and therefore we should count every dust of it Gold and precious What can any man say against the yoake of Christ he saith himselfe it is easie and his burden is light God offers a Jubile and if we love not freedome it is just with God to boare our eares and keep us servants for ever Object There be variety of opinions there be divisions amongst men that challenge a government of Christs institution Sol. It is no wonder considering the darknesse that we have beene kept in God brings back our captivity as the rivers of the South and we are as men that dream our thoughts angles and 〈◊〉 counter We have not yet had leave to talke of discipline When we have more light and may see each others faces and thoughts we doubt not but we shall consent quickly I dare prophecy as Paul Phil. 3.15.16 If any man be otherwise minded the Lord shall reveale even this unto him There is no argument can be good against this truth and therefore practise it I dare not charge you to doe it but a greater hath Paul and in him Jesus Christ 1 Tim. 6.14 It concernes all that professe Christ to the end of the world till Christs comming and therefore you The command he speaks of is this of discipline especially and therefore not easily wiped off I give thee charge in the sight of God who quickeneth all things and before Christ Jesus who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession that thou keep this commandement without spot unrebukable untill the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ I know the great affaires of Church and Common-weale lye heavy upon you take the incouragement this text affords For this part Christ offers his shoulders to beare the burden God laid it there you need doe no more but take care to lay it there tod He hath beene wonderfull in bringing you together and will doe wonders by you If you see your selves to doe it â—eare not want of advise he will be your Counsellour nor strength to go through with your work he will be a mighty God unto you nor encouragement he will be your everlasting Father and give you a place in his house better then of sons and daughters Christ will rule in peace and oppression shall be far from us Christ shall be our King for ever and happy are the people that are in such a case If you are not so zealous as to doe it we are sure the zeale of the Lord of Heasts will performe this FINIS