Gospel Churches a Standing Ordinance, Treatise · Chapter 7
CHAP. VII.
The Goſpel-Church-State, with the Inſtitutions, Ordinances thereunto appertaining, is annex'd unto, and bottomed upon the New-Covenant: Demonſtrated from Scripture-Propheſie, Iſa. 59.21. Ezek. 11.19, 20. and 36.25, 26, 27. at large explained. From ſeveral places in the New-Teſtament; wherein 'tis clearly aſſerted ſo to be, Luk. 22.19, 20. 1 Cor. 11.24, 25, 26. Heb. 10.16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25. Conſidered. That they belong not to the Old Covenant, proved. The donation of the Spirit, Faith, Peace, Joy, &c. From the New-Covenant: theſe Communicated, as we are found attending on the Lord in Goſpel-Inſtitutions. Theſe are given forth to the Saints for the trial of their Love, Loyalty, as they ſtand related, are betrothed to him in the New-Covenant, Jer. 3.14, 15. Explained.
Demonſtration. VII.
THE Goſpel-Church-ſtate, with the Inſtitutions, Ordinances thereunto appertaining, is annexed unto, bottom'd upon the New-Covenant: Therefore it's perpetual, abiding. The conſequence is evident; what is annext to, bottom'd upon, that which is permanent, cannot be it ſelf otherwiſe: it muſt abide, continue, as that to which it's affixt, on which it's bottom'd does. The whole Judaick-Church-State, with all its Ordinances, Inſtitutions, was built upon that Covenant God of Old, took Iſrael into, Heb. 9.1. This Covenant was mutable, changeble; a time was fixt by the Lord for it's abolition: Repreſented at firſt in the breaking of the Tables of Stone, in which the Law, or Covenant was writ, Exod. 32.19. Yet ſo long as that abode, the Inſtitutions thereunto appertaining were in force; therefore the Apoſtle, being to prove the ceſſation of the Jewiſh-Church-ſtate, amongſt other mediums, makes uſe of this as one, that the Covenant God took that people into, was perioded, aboliſhed, Heb. 8.6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 13. So then, if the Goſpel-Church-ſtate, Ordinances, are annext to the New-Covenant; they are, cannot but be, permanent: except that Covenant alſo be ſuppoſed, and can be proved to be otherwiſe. That the Goſpel-Church-ſtate, and all the Ordinances thereof, are annext to, and bottom'd upon the New-Covenant, is evident from
1. Scripture-Propheſie, declaring that ſo it ſhall be, Iſa. 59.21. As for me, this is my Covenant with them, ſaith the Lord, My Spirit that is upon thee, and My Words which I have put in thy mouth, ſhall not depart out of thy mouth; nor out of the mouth of thy Seed, nor out of the Mouth of thy Seed's Seed, ſaith the Lord; from hence-forth, and for ever. 'Tis the Covenant that God takes believers into, the Goſpel-Covenant that he ſpeaks of: This is my Covenant with them; theſe are call'd: Chriſt's Seed. So Chap. 53.10. Concerning them, he ſaith, that the words which he puts into the mouth of Chriſt, i. e. whatever he gave Chriſt (as the great Prophet of the Church) in charge to communicate to them; all the Laws, Inſtitutions given forth by Chriſt, were part of Gods words he put into his mouth. Shall not depart out of their mouths, i. e. they ſhall be found in the practice of, ſubjecting to them; whilſt there are any Saints in this World, they ſhall be ſo. And this as a branch, part of that Covenant God takes them into, Ezek. 11.19, 20. And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new Spirit within you, and I will take the ſtony-heart out of their fleſh, and will give them an heart of fleſh: that they may walk in my Statutes, and keep mine Ordinances, and do them; and they ſhall be My People, and I will be their GOD. The former part of the words, I will give them one heart— and the latter, they ſhall be my People, and I will be their GOD; are the ſum, and ſubſtance of the New-Covenant, Jer. 32.29. Unto this then the Statutes, and Ordinances do evidently appertain: for the Lord takes them to be his People, gives himſelf to them to be their GOD; gives them one heart, puts a new Spirit within them—that they may walk in his Statutes, keep his Ordinances, and do them. If there be any Saints under the New-Covenant, if a new Spirit be put within them, then are there alſo Statutes and Ordinances (Goſpel-Inſtitutions) for them to walk in; and in their doing ſo, they diſcover themſelves to be Gods People, as he is their God, Ezek. 36.25, 26, 27. is fully to the ſame purpoſe: Then will I ſprinkle clean Water upon you, and ye ſhall be clean from all your filthyneſs, and from all your Idols will I cleanſe you: A new Heart alſo will I give you, and a new Spirit will I put within you; and I will take away the Stony-heart out of your fleſh, and I will give you an Heart of Fleſh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cauſe you to Walk in in my Statutes, and ye ſhall keep my Judgements to do them. If the donation of the Spirit, Regeneration, Sanctification, be a part, branch, of the New-Covenant; the Statutes, and Judgments of the LORD are ſo too: and theſe, ſuch a part of it, that there's at leaſt ground of Jealouſie, whether any are really made partakers of the former, who are found (except under the power of temptation) in the total neglect, rejection of theſe: for the Spirit, &c. is given to cauſe them to Walk in Gods Statutes, and to keep his Judgments. And it's worthy obſervation, that God hath equally obliged himſelf to cauſe his People to walk in the wayes of his Inſtitution, as to give the Spirit, &c. to them. So that evidently, there muſt be a continuation of Churches, Ordinances; or there are no Saints, there's an end of the New-Covenant.
2. And as it's fore-propheſied of that, in the dayes of the New-Covenant-oeconomy thus it ſhould be; ſo it's evidently declared, that upon the Introduction of that Miniſtration, ſo it was: Goſpel-Inſtitutions, and Ordinances, are plainly aſſerted to be annexed to the New-Covenant. Chriſt himſelf intimates, as much, Luke 22.19, 20. And he took Bread, and gave Thanks, and break it; and gave unto them, ſaying, This is my Body which was given for you: This do in remembrance of me: likewiſe alſo the Cup after Supper, ſaying, This Cup is the New-Teſtament in my Blood, which is ſhed for you. As circumciſion was call'd the Covenant (as upon other acounts, ſo) becauſe, 'twas a part, or branch of it: ſo is this inſtitution of Chriſt, call'd the New-Teſtament; becauſe a part, or branch thereof. And if it be Objected, That this is only aſſerted of the Cup, one part of one inſtitution, not of the whole; much leſs of all Goſpel-Inſtitutions: The Anſwer is eaſie; what's aſſerted of any one part, is true of the whole; and if the Cup be the New-Teſtament, the Bread is ſo; and if one inſtitution be ſo, every one is ſo too. At the ſame rate the Apoſtle ſpeaks after he had ſeen the Lord, and convers'd with him, 1 Cor. 11.24, 25, 26. And moſt evidently, fully, Heb. 10.16, to 26. where he tells us, that our drawing nigh (viz. to God in wayes of Goſpel-Inſtitutions, the profeſſion of our Faith (which lies eminently in our ſubjection to him therein) the aſſembling our ſelves together, to exhort one another (which he would not have us forget) is annext to, bottomed upon the New-Covenant, of which he is ex profeſſo treating: And a wilful rejection of theſe in open deſpight of Chriſt, and contempt of his Authority, he calls, v. 29. A treading under foot the Son of God, becauſe it's a high affront to his Soveraign Authority) an accounting the Blood of the Covenant an unholy thing (not only becauſe theſe Inſtitutions are annext to that Covenant which was ratified by the blood of Chriſt; but alſo becauſe they have all their Foundation in that Blood, our approximation to God in them, our advantage by them, is the iſſue of its effuſion) and a doing deſpite unto the Spirit of Grace; becauſe as hath been proved, they are all the Miniſtration of that Spirit: ſhould God immediately by himſelf ſpeak from Heaven to us, and declare in ſo many words, Theſe Goſpel-Inſtitutions eſtabliſht by My Son, are all of them bottomed upon, annext to the New-Covenant; we could not have a greater certainty that they are ſo, than what is in that Scripture-evidence we have hitherto been diſcourſing of. But,
3. They belong to the Old-Covenant, or the New. There's no medium. To the Old-Covenant, it's moſt▪ certain they appertain not. Other manner of Ordinances, which were only to continue to the Goſpel-day, as Circumciſion, Sacrifices—appertained thereunto: not the leaſt notice under that Covenant, as any part of the oeconomy thereof, of particular Churches, Baptiſm, Breaking-Bread—Chriſt came to put a Period to that Paedagogie; and all the Laws, Inſtitutions thereunto appertaining; and vertually did ſo by his Death; actually, by providential diſpenſations; taking out of the way, deſtroying that Temple to which they were peculiarly affixt. And becoming a Mediator of a better Covenant, eſtabliſhed uppon better Promiſes, as ſuch, he gives forth the Laws, and Inſtitutions we are pleading for; of which afterwards.
4. The Communications of Divine Life, the Royal manifeſtations of the Love of GOD to us; the beſtowment of the Spirit upon us; Divine peace, comfort, ſupport, upholdment, with whatever Grace we are made partakers of, are all conveyed in the way of the New-Covenant. Now, whatever any talk, the communication of theſe, as 'tis promiſed to us, as we have found attending upon the Lord in his own Inſtitutions (of which more anon); ſo the Saints, in every day, at this day, through wonderful riches of Grace, are under the enjoyment of. The Spirit is received, Faith communicated, Peace, and Joy ſhed abroad upon the hearts of Believers, as they conſcientiouſly attend on theſe appointments of Chriſt. Such as know not theſe things, or having known them (through the power of temptation) ſlight, undervalue them, are to be pitied, not attended to, or regarded in their preſent apprehenſions touching them.
5. That God hath a people, that he hath in the New, and everlaſting Covenant taken unto himſelf, for a peculiar People, will not be denied. To theſe God gives himſelf as their GOD; he betroths, marries them to himſelf; and they give up themſelves ſpontaneouſly unto him as a People, to own, ſubject to his Authority, Soveraignty, and to profeſs their ſo doing by a conformity to whatever Commands, Injunctions, he ſhall lay upon them. Goſpel-Inſtitutions he gives forth for the trial of their Love, Loyalty to him; charges them to be found in the practice of them (as hath been proved). Their obedience, ſubjection hereunto, he looks upon as a great part of their Loyalty to him in the Conjugal-Covenant he hath taken them into with himſelf, Jer. 3.14, 15. Turn O back-ſliding Children, ſaith the Lord, for I am married unto you, and I will take you one of a City, and two of a Family, and I will bring you to Zion. And I will give you Paſtors according to mine Heart, which ſhall feed you with knowledge, and underſtanding. Where coming unto Zion, or our attendment on God in wayes of his own Appointment, is aſſerted to be that wherein our Marriage-relation to him ſtands: Hence departing from theſe, is call'd Whoredom, Adultery; and thoſe that do ſo, The great Whore, the Mother of Harlots, and fornications of the Earth. The ſum is, Goſpel-Churches, Inſtitutions, are bottomed upon the New-Covenant: therefore abiding.