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
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
possimus ut cum coeperit frumentum Dominicis horrcis condi fructum pro opere nostro labore capiamus Contr. Crescen Grammat l. 1. c. 14. That we are not therefore to depart from the Church our selves because we see tares to be in the Church but only to labour that we our selves may be pure grain that when that corn shall be lodged in God's granaries we may receive the fruit of our work and labour 2 Cor. 2.15 16. T is no prejudice unto those to whom the Word of God is the savour of life unto eternal life that the same Word by reason of other mens infidelity becomes unto them the savour of death unto eternal death 1 Cor. 11. T is no prejudice to the worthy receiver of the Holy Communion who feeds upon Christ's body and blood by faith and love and Divine meditation that the unworthy communicant at the same time eats and drinks damnation to himself The very same meat we know is nourishment to a well-disposed stomach which to an ill and depraved one is the matter of crudities and diseases nor is it any whit the less a nourishment unto the healthful because it may be at the same time it contributes accidentally to the encrease of the sick man's distemper Thus now have I declared with all plainness as much as seems necessary to be spoken here about the nature of Christian Churches and the qualification indispensably required in all the members of them CHAP. V. Of the places we call Churches That all difference of place is not taken away in the New Testament St. John 4.20 21 22. examined The Temple at Jerusalem on some accounts Typical on others Moral David's resolutions of building the Temple grounded on a rational piety and both He and Solomon arguing the fitness of its Magnificence by arguments of reason Scripture-precepts of reverence to God's house have no sign in them of being Ceremonial only Rationally therefore applyed by the Jews to their Synagogues The Centurion's Synagogue a proof of his love to their Nation Christ and his Apostles constant in frequenting the Temple and Synagogues Probable it is that even in the time of the first Christians there were certain places peculiar for their serving God in Intimations thereof in Sacred Scripture Act. 11.26 A Local Church as early as the name Christians 1 Cor. 11.18 The house of God opposed to their private houses Mr. Mede's conjectures what that house was and farther proofs about it The general reason of appropriating certain places to God's worship and service YEt before I leave this Argument quite I will take notice briefly of another acceptation familiarly used of the word Church 'T is confess'd indeed that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ecclesia which we translate church doth primarily referr to the persons assembled but this is no hindrance but that the same word may at other times signifie the place of their assembling in like manner as is usual with many other words for instance sake Colledge â—ynagogue Senate Synod c. Somewhat therefore of the place which we are wont and that upon ground enough to call the â—hurch and this the rather because of what the Catechist hath told the world Catec p. 29. Under the New Testament all difference of and respect unto place is taken away John 4.21 The hour cometh when ye shall neither in this mountain nor yet at Jerusasalem worship the Father but the hour cometh and now is when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in Spirit and in truth for the Father seeketh such to worship him And we are commanded in all places equally to make our prayers and supplications Here then it may not be amiss to consider first the true scope and importance of the place of Scripture here quoted and then such other particulars as shall appear pertinent for our right information about this subject As to the Text of St. John Our B. Saviour was novv conversing with a Samaritan woman who stood up for the worship of her Country in Mount Gerizim against the Jews who confined God's solemn appointed worship St. John 4. 20. to the Temple at Jerusalem These are the words of the 20th verse Our Father 's worshipped in this mountain and ye say that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship Hereupon therefore 21. 22. c. Christ saith unto her Woman believe me the hour cometh when ye shall neither in this mountain nor yet at Jerusalem worship the Father That is The worship of God shall be so far from being limited to this place to this mountain that it shall not be restrained to Jerusalem it self nay a desolation shall shortly over whelm both Ye worship ye know not what We know what vve worship that is Ye Samaritans worship the God of the Land as it is declared 2 Kings 17.26 without knowledg vvho that is and your own Gods with him but vve Jews vvorship the eternal God of Heaven who hath revealed himself to us for salvation is of the Jews The special revelations of God beyond vvhat other nations enjoy belong to the Jews and so all manner of advantages tovvard our eternal good To them God sent his Prophets and of them cometh the Messiah the Saviour of the world The Jews then have the priviledge above the Samaritans or any other people Yet is not this an argument of the perpetual duration of their way of worshipping God by their Sacrifices yearly and other ceremonial observances at Jerusalem But the hour cometh and novv is that the true worshippers shall vvorship the Father in spirit and in truth for the Father seeketh such vvorshippers of him that is Now the time of reformation approacheth wherein God vvill be vvorshipped and obeyed no longer by the Judaical rites which are often call'd carnal consisting most-what in external performances and were to continue only till the time of Reformation Messiah's coming much less according to the Samaritan false worship who worshipped their own Idols together with God 2 Kings 17. but comparatively with these in a pure spiritual manner and such as was typified by those shadows And the Son of man is now come to draw all men to this way of worship i. e. from the Judaical and Samaritan way to the Christian God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and truth It is this Christian worship which he is especially delighted with as most suitable to himself nor indeed was he ever pleased with any meer bodily worship principally or in or for it self He will have our souls joyned to our external performances and be worshipped after that way of truth which answers to the fore-going types and shadows i. e. after the Christian manner by Christ revealed But now how weakly is it from hence inferr'd that because these two places whereto the Jews and Samaritans confin'd their worship are taken away and ruined or because there is no special place now under
but fitting that we have the proof of this from Christ's institution For we cannot easily forget what he hath lesson'd us Some men are apt to look on this authority of Christ Cat. p. 86 87. as that which hath the least influence into what they do If in any of his Institutions they find any thing that is suited or agreeable unto the light of Nature as Ecclesiastical societies government of the Church and the like they say are they suppose and contend that that is the ground on which they are to be attended to and so regulated accordingly And again p. 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 especial by Jesus Christ And If we perform any thing in the worship of God on any other account p. 85. it is no part of our obedience unto him and so we can neither expect his grace to assist us nor his promise to accept us therein for that he hath annexed unto our doing and observing whatever he hath commanded and that because he hath commanded us Nothing therefore will satisfie our conscience here but Christ's authority Christ's command of this mutual Church-league and covenant this holy band and agreement What now doth the Catechist offer us as to this He tells us in the general p. 117. Without this consent no society of any kind can exist This is the form of mens coalescencies into societies Carnal man Is this a motive for Church-observance Shall the light of nature and reason take up the room of Christ's authority and command How strongly inclined is man's nature to bring in humane devices into the government of the Church and the worship of God But the truth is this light of nature is very dimm and this reason none of that we can call right reason All Societies depend not upon mutual consent at least this voluntary and free consent There is a natural society in Families And be the ground and foundation of that civil society we live in what it will in its first beginnings our children are born under government and the laws of that society without personal consent Let him therefore mend his politicks that they tend not to the infecting of religion For this Reasoning seems to lead directly to Anabaptism a step of perfection whereto it seems his principlet have not yet advanced him But 't is possible at long run he may also end there However Cat. p. 117. at present he allows infants to be a proper subject of Baptism Well then by Baptism they are admitted into the Church and being so admitted must needs be looked upon as Church-members and yet confessedly made so enter'd into that society without their voluntary consent We are therefore to seek for farther satisfaction about this Church-covenant this joynt p. 115. voluntrry consent and form of coalescencie into Church-society And I am perswaded our Catechist hath done his best for our information Let us then hear him farther Thus did God take the children of Israel into a Church-state of old Cat. p. 112 He proposed unto them the Church-obedience that he required of them and they voluntarily and freely took upon themselves the performance of it Exod. 24.3 And Moses came and told the people all the words of the Lord and all the judgments and all the people answered with one voice and said All the words which the Lord hath said will we do So Deut. 5.7 And hereby they had their solemn admission into their Church-state and relation unto God And the like course they took whenever there was need of renewing their engagements Josh 24.18 21 22. And the people said We will serve the Lord for he is our God And Joshua said unto the people Ye are witnesses against your selves that ye have chosen the Lord to serve him and they said We are witnesses This was the covenant that was between God and that people which was solemnly renewed so often as the Church was eminently reformed Now Cat. p. 113. although the outward solemnity and ceremonies of this covenant were peculiar unto that people yet as to the substance and nature of it in a sacred consent for the performance of all those duties towards God and one another which the nature and edification of a Church do require it belongs to every Church as such even under the Gospel But here crowd in abundance of Exceptions In the general That the practise of a thing in the worship of God under the Old Testament is not any better evidence for Christ's institution than the light of nature and that we have only his bare word for it that the outward ceremonies and solemnities of this covenant were peculiar to that people and the substance of it common also unto us And then particularly 1. The words Church-state and Church-obedience are somewhat mysterious as applyed to the Old Testament 2. The children of Israel however were a national Church and so no pattern for particular Churches 3. This was not the first time of their Church-state or Church-obedience and communion when this covenant was made Exod. 24. The Pass-over service Exod. 12. may look very like a Church-act And was not circumcision long before a seal of a Church-state into which they were admitted 4. This covenant specified was between God and the people and not any voluntary agreement of the people one with another Nor is it true Lastly That this covenant was solemnly renewed by the people's voluntary consent so often as the Church was eminently reformed The chiefest reformations on record in the Jewish Church have been by their supreme rulers sometimes without the people's consent and sometimes commanding and compelling them to consent 2 Chron. 15.8 9 10 12 13. Thus Asa put away the abominable Idols out of all the cities of Judah and Benjamin c. And he gather'd all Judah and Benjamin and the strangers with them c. And they entred into a Covenant That whosoever would not seek the Lord God of Israel should be put to death whether small or great man or woman Thus in Hezekiah's reformation 2 Chron. 29.3 4.5 10. He summons the Levites and Priests before him and sets them about their proper office and tells them it was in his heart to make a Covenant with the Lord God of Israel that his fierce wrath may turn away And thus Josiah made a Covenant before the Lord 2 Chron. 14.31 32. to walk after the Lord c. And he caused all that were present in Jerusalem and Benjamin to stand to it And still according to the goodness or badness of the Prince Reformation advanced or went backward among them Unless therefore the Catcechist's New Testament proof be more pertinent and express than the Old his Church-league and covenant this mutual agreement and consent must no longer be ranked among the institutions of Christ but at the