Gospel Churches a Standing Ordinance, Treatise · Chapter 2
CHAP. II.
The continuance of Goſpel-Churches farther evinced from the Titles given to Jeſus Chriſt, with reſpect to ſuch Churches. Chriſt the Builder of them, Zach. 6.12. Heb. 3.3, 4. explained. What Chriſt did, doth as the Builder of theſe Churches. Chriſt the Foundation, Head, Lord of Goſpel-Churches. In what ſenſe He is ſo. The Husband, Bridegroom of them. Ʋpon what accounts he is ſo called. Objections Anſwered.
HAving in the former Chapter evinced the continuance of Goſpel-Churches, from the Titles given by the Spirit of the Lord to the Goſpel-Church-State, and thoſe who Worſhip him therein: We purpoſe in this Chapter, further to evince the truth thereof, From,
Demonſtration. II.
The Titles, Appellations, given to Jeſus Chriſt, with reſpect to ſuch Churches; each of which is an unſhaken baſis upon which their continuation is founded. We think it neceſſary to premiſe, that 'tis not our intendment to diſcourſe of all the Titles given to Chriſt in the Scripture; but only of ſuch as give countenance, aſſiſtance, ſtrength, to the matter of our preſent enquiry; and of theſe only ſo far as is neceſſary thereunto.
I. Then, the Lord Jeſus Chriſt is ſtyled in Scripture, the Builder of theſe Churches, Zach. 6.12. He ſhall build the Tem-of the Lord. So, the Vulgar Latine. The Houſe of the Lord, Seventy, Ar. The Temple of the Lord, Syr. The Chaldee reads the whole verſe thus, Behold the Man, his Name is Chriſt, who is to be revealed, and magnified, and about to build the Temple of the Lord. For he ſhall Build the Temple of the Lord, and he ſhall bear the Glory. The Hebrew is foreign Behold the famous (Noble) Man the Branch. 'Tis evidently-ſpoken of Chriſt, who is frequently called Tſemach, the Branch. Iſa. 4.2. Jer. 23.5. & 33.15. Zach. 3.8. Of whom Joſhua was a Type. foreign, He himſelf ſhall build that Temple of Jehovah; viz. that Temple which was to be erected upon his coming into the world; whereof the Temple that Joſhua, and Zerubbabel, were in building was a Type, viz. Goſpel-Churches. Theſe Chriſt is ſaid to Build, becauſe he gave forth Directions, Laws, to his Apoſtles for their Erection, Eſtabliſhment. Heb. 3.3, 4. Inaſmuch as he who hath builded the Houſe, hath more honour than the Houſe: For every Houſe is builded by ſome Man: But he that built all things, is GOD. (foreign is put for, foreign, all theſe things, the the Church, Perſons, Ordinances pertaining thereunto.) The deſign of the Apoſtle is to evince Chriſt's preheminence above Moſes: 'Tis true, Moſes was an honourable Perſon; he received teſtimony from God, that he was faithful in his Houſe; but he was but a ſervant in it, a part of it; Chriſt is the Builder of the Houſe, or Church; (For that by Houſe we are to underſtand the Church, or Churches, with all the Ordinances of Worſhip in it, was before proved) Mat. 16.18. Ʋpon this Rock I will build my Church.
Three things Chriſt did, doth, as the Builder of this Houſe.
1. Gives forth the idea, and plat-form of it, in its Laws, Ordinances, and Inſtitutions.
2. Provides materials: by his Spirit in the Miniſtration of the Goſpel, quickning, ſanctifying, making lovely, excellent, glorious, dead, polluted, vile, baſe ſinners.
3. Cloſely conjoyning, compacting theſe materials, that they may grow up together a ſpiritual Houſe, an habitation of God through the Spirit. To this he uſes not outward Compulſion, Force, Violence; but ſweetly allures, inclines their hearts by the power of his Spirit, making them willing viſibly to give up themſelves to the Lord, and one another, by the Will of God. And in this work the Lord Jeſus met, meets with the greateſt oppoſition imaginable: All the Power, Wiſdom of Satan, the greateſt, wiſeſt of the World, appearing againſt it: Sin, Corruption, in the hearts of thoſe that are to be prepared for materials for it, advancing alſo againſt it: but Chriſt being inveſted with infinite Power, carries the work through the difficulties, and makes the greateſt Mountain become a Plain before him; and having erected, ſet it up, comes and takes up his dwelling, makes his abode in it, as was before proved.
Four things neceſſarily follow from hence.
1. That there is really a Glory in the Churches of Chriſt. 'Tis true, they have been (are, as to outward view) as the Tents of Kedar, Poor, Mean, Contemptible; ſo are all the Ordinances, Inſtitutions appertaining to them. The materials of which they are conſtituted for the moſt part, are viſibly baſe and contemptible, the poor of the World—But Chriſt is the builder of them (a greater than Solomon) and he builds them for himſelf, an Ivory Palace for the great King: and therefore they muſt needs be amiable, lovely, glorious, comely as the curtaines of Solomon.
2. That none can approach, advance themſelves againſt them without pouring out contempt upon, advancing themſelves againſt Jeſus Chriſt.
3. That he is obliged to protect, defend them againſt all oppoſitions whatſoever. He hath done, will do ſo.
4. That none hath power to pluck them down; nor can they be diſſolv'd but by his Authority. For any to go about to do ſo, is to aſſume a Power to themſelves co-equal, nay, ſuperior to Chriſt who built them.
II. As Chriſt is call'd the Builder of theſe Churches; ſo he is ſaid to be the Foundation of them. They are built upon him as their noble, glorious Foundation, 1 Cor. 3.9, 10, 12. Ye are Gods Building; according to the Grace of God which is given to me, as a wiſe Maſter-Builder I have laid the Foundation— other Foundation can no man lay, than that is laid, which is Jeſus Chriſt, Epheſ. 2.19, 20, 22. 1 Pet. 2.4, 5.
Three things neceſſarily flow from hence;
1. That Goſpel-Churches are not built upon the Old Covenant, (as ſome talk) except we will ſuppoſe Chriſt to be a part of that Covenant: wherein yet there's not the leaſt notice of him to be found.
2. That they are a firm, unſhaken building. Chriſt himſelf being their Foundation, they muſt be ſo.
3. That none can diſſolve them, put a period to them, but he who is their Subſtratum, Foundation; who as ſuch ſupports, upholds them, and is obliged ſo to do.
III. He is alſo ſtyled their Head, Lord, Epheſ. 4.15. May grow up into him in all things who is the Head, even Chriſt; from whom the whole body fitly joyn'd together—Col. 1.18. He is the Head of the Body the Church. & 2.19. And not holding the Head from which all the Body—Two things muſt be conſidered;
1. Upon what accounts Chriſt is ſaid to be the Head of the Church.
2. What influence this Headſhip of Chriſt hath into the confirmation of the truth pleaded for. As touching the firſt, 'tis confes'd, that he is not a natural head of the body, the Church. The Expreſſion is Metaphorical. Seven things are pointed forth by it.
1. His Preference, Dignity, Excellency, above them all.
2. His Comlineſs, Beauty. The truth is, all the comlineſs of the Body (the Church) is Chriſt. 'Tis eminently, ſuperlatively in Him; it flows from him.
3. He is the ſeat of all that Life, Spirits, the Church is made partakers of. All's in him in fulneſs.
4. His Sympathy with them in all their ſorrows, diſtreſſes, ſufferings.
5. Their guidance, direction from Him. He is their dux viae, glorious conduct, leader in the way they ſhould go.
6. His Dominion, Ruledom, Authority over them.
7. Their Protection, Safety in, and under Him.
As touching the ſecond particular.
Secondly, The continuance, abiding of Goſpel-Churches, is a neceſſary conſequence from hence: For Chriſt being their Head,
1. Want's not love, affection to them, to ſupport, uphold them. Nor,
2. Doth he want power ſo to do. All power is given to him in Heaven and in Earth. He is for that end conſtituted Head over all things to the Church. Eph. 1.21, 22. that he might be able to defend, preſerve it.
3. He is an everlaſting Head; therefore as ſuch, muſt have a body to rule, govern, by thoſe Laws, Inſtitutions, he hath given forth, for their Ruledom wherein they are to teſtify their ſubjection to him. Not to do ſo, is to caſt off his Regiment, deny his Soveraignty, Authority. Nay,
4. As ſuch (being put into Office, deputed, appointed by the Father, as Head, Lord, King over them, Pſal. 2.6.) he is obliged to protect, defend, preſerve them. For him not to do ſo, were a breach of that truſt, charge repoſed in him, given to him by the Father.
IV. Chriſt is the Husband, Bridegroom of theſe Churches, 2 Cor. 11.2. For I have eſpouſed you (the Church of God, which is at Corinth, chap. 1.1.) to one Husband (viz. the Lord Jeſus) that I may preſent you as a chaſt Virgin to Chriſt. Mat. 25.1, 5, 6. Then ſhall the Kingdom of Heaven, (or Goſpel-Church-ſtate) be likened unto ten Virgins, which—went forth to meet the Bridegroom. While the Bridegroom tarried—Behold the Bridegroom cometh. And theſe Churches are call'd the Bride, the Lambs Wife, Rev. 19.7.21.9.22.17.
Upon what account the Lord Jeſus is ſaid to be the Husband of the Church, and She his Bride, Wife, muſt be conſidered.
He is ſo call'd upon the account.
1. Of his entire, cordial love, and affection to her. He dearly, above all, loves his Churches. Pſal. 87.2. The Lord loveth the Gates of Sion (Saints gathered together in Goſpel-Fellowſhip, ſolemnly worſhipping him in a community) more than all the Dwellings of Jacob. He therefore calls them his Love, his Dove, his Ʋndefiled, Cant. 5.2. expreſſions demonſtrative of his kindneſs to them. They alſo are full of love, endearment to him, Cant. 1.7. 1 Pet. 1.8. The truth whereof they evidence by keeping his Commandments, John 14.21, 23, 24. viz. thoſe Commandments he by the Spirit gave forth to them, relating to the inſtitutions, worſhip of the Goſpel, Acts 1.2.
2. His giving himſelf to them, taking them for his own, above all the People in the World. God is ſaid upon this foot of account, to be the God of Iſrael, Exod. 5.1. & 32.27. Num. 16.9. Joſ. 8.30. 13.33. &c. They his portion, peculiar treaſure, Deut. 32.9. Exod. 19.5. Pſal. 135.4. To be married to them, Jer. 3.14. Chriſt is ſaid to have them, Joh. 3.29. He that hath the Bride, is the Bridegroom. They give themſelves to him, ſolemnly own, avouch him to be their Husband in their viſible ſubjection to his appointments. Nor do, or can any be ſaid ſo to own him, but with reſpect to ſuch a ſubjection, 2 Cor. 8.5. They firſt gave their own ſelves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God. They are Chriſt's, 1 Cor. 3.23. All are yours, and ye are Chriſts. Departure from, forſaking his inſtitutions, is therefore called, adultery, fornication, whoredom, Jer. 3.8. Ezek. 23.37. Rev. 2.22. Ezek. 16.26, 29. Rev. 9.21. & 17.2, 4. & 18.3, 9. & 19.2. Ezek. 16.17. Hoſ. 1.2. Jer. 3.2. And the falſe Church is call'd, the Whore, Rev. 17.1, 15, 16. & 19.2. becauſe hereby they are unfaithful to Chriſt in this marriage-relation, whereinto he hath taken them.
3. His care, watchfull eye over them. He watcheth over them for good: keeps them day, and night; with much more that might be added touching this matter.
Now, can it be imagined, that the Lord Jeſus, who hath taken a people unto himſelf in ſuch a relation, loves them with ſuch a dear, intenſe love; gives himſelf to them, is obliged by Virtue of that relation, that he hath taken them unto himſelf into, to care for, watch over them, ſhould when in ſome ſingleneſs of ſpirit they are teſtifying their love to him (though with many infirmities, weakneſſes) in ſubjecting to his appointments; ſo holding faſt his name, and bearing a teſtimony to him in the World; I ſay, can it be imagined, that he ſhould at once reject, caſt them off, unchurch them? credat Apella! Is this the manner of Husbands (poor mortals, of weak love, finite bowels) to thoſe, whom they take as Brides to themſelves? Hath not this Lord ſaid, that 'Tis not lawful for a man to put away his Wife, but in caſe of Fornication, Mat. 5.32. and ſhall it be ſuppoſed that he who is infinite in bowels, choiceſt love, will reject his, when they are not to be charged with ſuch wickedneſs. God once took Iſrael for a People unto himſelf; and though actually guilty of ſpiritual adultery, worſhipping in a way that never entred into his heart to preſcribe, ſerving Idols, offering their Children to Moloch, perſecuting alſo the Servants of the Lord, that labour'd to recall them to primitive inſtitutions; yet how long did he bear with them? He woe's them after they had committed whoredom with many lovers, to return again to him; with promiſes of pardon, reception, new embraces, as if they had never ſo offended him, Jer. 3. 1, 12, 22. & 4.1. And when he hath thoughts of giving them up, with what ſeeming regret is it, Hoſ. 11.8. Nor did he totally do ſo, till he had ſent his Son, whom they by wicked hands took, caſt out, ſlew, Mat. 21.37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 45. And are the bowels of the Lord dried up? Hath he forgotten to be gracious? Is not his Covenant-Relation with his People in a Goſpel-Day, as ſtrong, efficacious, as in the times of the Law? Beſides, hath he any where in all the Scriptures given us the leaſt Iota, or ſyllable, upon which we may conclude, That this his relation, with at leaſt ſome particular Churches, ſhould ceaſe, or expire? En tabulas! let the Scriptures, Prophecies thereof be conſulted.
Object. God took Iſrael into ſuch a relation to himſelf. Call's himſelf their Husband, Jer. 31.32. ſaith he is married to them, Jer. 3.14. Yet afterwards rejects them.
Anſw. 1. This Objection is in part obviated already, and enough ſaid to an intelligent Reader.
2. Let it be granted that God calls himſelf their Husband, Jer. 31.32. Though a better. Tranſlator renders the words otherwiſe then we read them, viz. Paul, Heb. 8.9. Becauſe they continued not in my Covenant, and I regarded them not, ſaith the Lord: That which we tranſlate, although I was an Husband to them; the Apoſtle renders, and I regarded them not. And the learned Pocock in his Miſcellanies, Cap. 1. p. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12. at large demonſtrates that the word foreign, Baalti, (which we read, I was an Husband) ſignifies, not to regard, to neglect, refuſe, deſpiſe; ſo alſo the Greek, and Syriac render it. But I ſay, let it be granted, as indeed the Lord doth own himſelf to be the Husband, to be Married to them, though in the place inſtanc'd in, he doth not do ſo: Let a few things further be conſidered, and the impertinency of what is objected, with reſpect to that we are pleading for, will ſoon appear. For,
1. He himſelf by ſignal providences breaking to pieces, deſtroying their Church-ſtate, and that Temple to which their ſolemn Worſhip, as a Church was affix'd, apotomized, cut them off: no ſuch act of God with reſpect to his Goſpel-Churches can be inſtanc'd in.
2. He bare long with them, before he caſt them off; and actually continued with them in that relation for about two thouſand years. Nor,
3. Did he reject them, till they had for many years rejected Him, deſpiſed his Inſtitutions, Ordinances: committed adultery with many lovers, Jer. 3.1. In that matter did worſe than the Nations round about them, Ezek. 5.6, 7. If this can be charged upon any of the Churches, let them plead their own cauſe; I'll be no advocate for them; nor is it neceſſary, with reſpect to our preſent controverſy, ſince there are Churches to whom nothing like it can be imputed. Though this I muſt ſay, I know none of the Churches of Chriſt at this day but are pure, and unchargeable as to any ſuch guilt.
Oject. 2. The Church of Rome was a true Church, had Chriſt for her Husband, Bridegroom. Is it thus with her now? Is not her Church-ſtate perioded? Is ſhe not the apoſtatick Synagogue? No Bride of Chriſt, but the Whore, the Mother of Harlots, and abominations of the Earth!
Anſw. 1. God forbid that I ſhould plead for that filthy Strumpet, Synagogue of Satan, the generation of God's curſe, againſt whom he hath indignation for ever.
2. The Church of Rome (ſo call'd) that now is, is in nothing like the Church of Rome that then was, as to its Conſtitution, Matter, Form, Worſhip, Ordinances. That was a particular-Church of Chriſt; this (pretends to be) Catholick, Univerſal. That was conſtituted according to the Mind of Chriſt; its matter, viſible Saints; its form, their free, ſpontaneous giving up themſelves to the Lord, and to one another, according to the Will of God: This conſtituted by the cunning, ſubtilty, lying Miracles of the man of Sin; by the Luſts, Laws, Compulſions of an arm of Fleſh. Its Worſhip, Ordinances had for their Subſtratum the Law, Commandment, Authority of Jeſus Chriſt: the Worſhip of Rome is bottom'd upon the Authority, Canons, Laws, Traditions of Popes, ſinful men, falſe pretences to the perſonal appearance of Chriſt, the Virgin Mary, &c. to them; giving them in charge to practiſe this, and that, as his Worſhip, Appointment, not found in the Scriptures, contrary to them. So that the Church of Rome (ſo call'd) that now is, was never a Church of Chriſt, but a Synagogue of Satan, ſet up in oppoſition to his True Churches.
3. Had it been never ſo much a True Church of Chriſt; it hath actually diſ-church'd it ſelf, by its horrid Idolatry worſe than the Heathen Worſhiping Idols of Gold, Silver, Wood, Stone, with the ſame Worſhip, that is due to them, whom they ſet theſe up to repreſent; ſo as that their Worſhip (as Bellarmin tells us) is terminated in theſe; which ſcarce ever entred into the heart of an ingenuous Heathen to affirm; upon the account whereof they are call'd Gentiles, Rev. 11.2. Her perſecution alſo, bloody cruelty againſt Chriſt in his members, ſufficiently beſpeaks her to be deſerted, rejected by the Lord, actuated by another Spirit, than the Spirit of the Goſpel, which is pure, peaceable, gentle, meek: ſo far from having any reſemblance of the Churches of Chriſt, that it's the very ſhambles of Satan, by whom as his butcherly, bloody inſtruments, they have deſtroyed, poured forth the blood of millions of the meek, innocent Lambs of the Lord Jeſus.
4. Let the argument be conſidered; There was a Goſpel-Church of Chriſt at Rome; the members of it fell aſleep in Jeſus, having ſerved the Lord in their generation: by the ſubtilty of Satan, and the man of Sin upon that ſpot ſprings up a ſort of Profeſſors, bearing the name of Chriſt, calling themſelves a Church; that (at laſt, at leaſt) have nothing to be found upon them, like unto what they pretend to be; therefore there's a period put to the Church-ſtate, to all Churches, Chriſt's relation to them as the Builder, Foundation, Head, Husband notwithſtanding. And why ſo I pray? May not there be true Churches of Chriſt, and he ſtand thus related to them, and as their Builder, &c. ſupport, uphold, preſerve his Church-ſtate amongſt them; though that, and many other Churches prevaricate, depart from him? That he hath actually done ſo from the time of his firſt planting Churches to this day, we ſhall (if the Lord will) in the enſuing diſcourſe demonſtrate. In a word, let it be proved againſt the preſent Churches, That they have unchurch'd themſelves by Idolatry, bloody cruelty againſt the Saints—as this pretended Church of Rome hath done, or this objection muſt be acknowledged to be of no weight.
To ſhut up all we have to ſay upon this argument; Chriſt is the Builder, Foundation, Head, Lord, Husband of particular Churches, and ſo call'd with reſpect unto a ſpecial relation to them as ſuch, as hath been proved; either then there muſt be ſuch Churches, or this relation is at an end. And thus far touching the ſecond argument.