The Divine Institution of Congregational Churches, Chapter 10
CHAP. X. Of Ordinances of General Communion.
Of the reaſon of the Word Ordinance: Christ's Offices ſhine forth in Ordinances: The Church obliged to wait on Christ in them: Ordinances General or Special: Which General: Publick Preaching what: Publick Prayers what: Praiſes of the Church, and ſinging Pſalms: Contribution: Obſervation of the Lord's Day: Of Church Faſts.
§. 1. HAVING ſhewed what Chriſt's Ordination of Perſons is, we come to ſhew what Chriſt's Ordination of things is; and it is, His Enacting divers Ordinances a1 Cor. 11.2.and Appointments for the Order and Government of his own Houſe bHeb. 3.6: Hence his poſitive Laws of this kind, are called Ordinances, becauſe Ordained by him, or made by his Ordination cActs 16.4..
§. 2. The Lord Jeſus Chriſt exerts his Headſhip of our Profeſſion, by his Inſtitution and Ordination of ſuch Ordinances wherein his Offices may eminently ſhine forth; in ſome, appearing as the Apoſtle of our Profeſſion aHeb. 3.1.; in others as High-Prieſt, i. e. Melchiſedech, a Kingly High-Prieſt. bIbid. & ch. 7.16, 17.In the Word Preached cEph. 2.17; as our Apoſtolick Prophet dActs 3.22.: In the Seals of the Covenant his Prieſtly Vertues and Excellencies are held forth e1 Cor. 11 25, 26. Acts 2.38.: In the Keyes of Rule and Government his Kingly Office ſhines forth fRev. 3.7. Zac. 6.13.; And thus he is ſymbolically deſcribed in the midſt of the Golden Candleſticks the Churches gRev. 1.13 14, &c..
§ 3. A Goſpel Ordinance of Chriſt is ſome viſible Means of Grace aActs 20.32. Eph. 4.7, 8 Heb. 12.28, Ordained by Chriſt as Head of our Profeſſion bHe. 3.1.2, wherein a Church of Chriſt, and all the Members thereof, are obliged to wait on him, Socially or in Communion cActs 2.42 1 Cor. 10.16. Heb. 10.23, 25., for his Preſence and Bleſſing d2 Cor. 6.16. Rev. 1.13. Pſ. 132.15in one place e1 Cor. 11 20. & 14.23..
§. 4. Chriſt hath appointed ſome Church Ordinances to be diſpenſed in a Publick and General way promiſcuouſly, and ſome to be attended upon in a more peculiar way of Communion, being appropriated to the Churches only. The Ordinances that appertain to the General Publick Communion of the Church, as well as to the ſeparate and retired, are, Preaching the Word aActs 11.26., Prayers bEph. 6.18., Praiſes cHeb. 13.15., and Contributions dGal. 6.6. 1 Tim. 6.18. Heb. 13.16.
§. 5. The Publick Preaching of the Word of God is, the Reading aNeh. 8.8. Luke 4.16., Expounding bNeh. 8.8 Acts 17.3. & 28.3., rightly dividing the Word of God c2 Tim. 2.15., to all ſpiritual Ends and Uſes dib. 3.15., in order to the Edification of Believers eActs 20.32., and Converſion of Unbelievers fActs 26.18.. Which Preaching ordinarily belongs to the Teaching Elders g1 Tim. 5.17., tho occaſionally others may Exerciſe Gifts among them; as the Elders of other Churches h1 Pet. 4.11. 1 Cor. 2.4., or Brethren when Called thereto, who are able to ſpeak to Edification, Exhortation and Comfort, with ſubmiſſion to the Judgment of the Church: Which ſpeaking is the Propheſying which the Apoſtle ſpeaks of i1 Cor. 14 23, 24, 30, 32..
§. 6. Publick Prayer is a Solemn Ordinance of Chriſt aHeb. 12.28. Act. 20.36 Eph. 6.18., of general Concern b1 Tim. 2.9., wherein the Church doth with one accord cRo. 15.30, addreſs to God for all Grace in the Name of Chriſt dHeb. 4.16. 1 Joh. 5.14. Joh. 14.13, and for a ſpecial Bleſſing on every Ordinance ePſ. 133.3, with Confeſſion of Sin fPſa. 32.5. Dan. 9.4., Thankſgiving gCol. 4.2. Phil. 4.6., Deprecations hPſa. 60.5 11., and Interceſſions i1 Tim. 2.1, 2., and here the Elders for the moſt part, go before the Church, as in Preaching i1 Tim. 2.1, 2., unleſs on occaſion, an Elder of another Congregation, or any other Brother be deſired to aſſiſt, of whoſe Graces and Gifts the Congregation is willing to taſte k1 Cor. 14.3, 26. Act. 13.15.
§. 7. The Praiſes of the Church are conjoined with Supplications and Confeſſions in publick Prayers aPhil. 4.6.: But ſingularly expreſſed in an Ordinance appointed for that end and purpoſe, viz. Singing of Pſalms in the Church bMat. 26.30. Pſ. 108.3., which Singing of Pſalms, Hymns or Spiritual Songs cEph. 5.19 Col. 2.16. Rom. 15.6.(indited by the Spirit of God in the Scriptures d2 Chr. 29, 30.) is Chriſt's Inſtitution, and ought to be practiſed with one accord in and by a Church, to the Praiſe and Glory of God, and to the Edification and Inſtruction of the Church, and as the Caſe may require eIſa. 12.1 & 42.10. Pſa. 95.12. Acts 16.25 Iſa. 5.13.; there being Pſalms ſuitable to every Condition, ſome Didactical, ſome Penitential, &c. all tending to the Laud and Praiſe of God: but care muſt be had in ſuiting the Pſalm, as to the Subject, Time, Occaſion, or Congregation that is to join together in that Ordinance, mixt or not: Some do ſcruple Singing in a mixt Congregation, But it ought not to be ſcrupled:
1. Any more than the Churches Prayers, wherein alſo are Praiſes in ſuch a Congregation.
2. The Church ought not to forbear the praiſing God in Prayer or Singing becauſe of others that will join with them in Publick Worſhip fPſ. 108.3.
3. They that are not to be excluded from Hearing the Word, and praying for a Bleſſing upon it, ought not to be excluded from praiſing God for the Word of his Grace; but Unbelievers are ſuch as ought not, &c. gRom. 10.17. 1 Cor. 14.25. Pſa. 100.3. & 136.9.for they may be converted by it for ought we know, if not, Why ſhould any Man be hindred from praiſing of God (which all Creatures do) in the Congregation.
4. Praying and Praiſing God are parts of Natural Worſhip hPſ. 107.21, 22. Mat. 26.30, though Eſpouſed by Chriſt's Inſtitution, and made a part of Church-Worſhip.
5. All good Angels and Creatures join in Conſort with the Church in praiſing God, yea and in giving Glory to the Lamb iRev. 5.12, 13, 14..
6. The Gentiles and all People are called upon to Laud and Praiſe God, and to rejoice with his People kRom. 15.9, 10, 11..
7. A Church is a Candleſtick lRe. 1.20., and a Pillar m1 Tim. 3.15., to hold forth unto the World matter of Prayer and Praiſes; therefore Men of the World are not to be excluded from the Congregation.
8. God's common Mercies and Wonders wrought daily, call for ſuch Praiſes nPſ. 92.2. & 148.11, 12..
9. The Efficacy of the Goſpel Converts the Unbeliever, and makes the Stranger joyful in the Houſe of Prayer: And ſhould he be hindred from expreſſing his joyfulneſs, by ſinging with the Congregation oIſa. 56.7. & 24.16. & 35.10.?
§. 8. Contribution alſo is an Ordinance of Chriſt, founded in the Nature of a Viſible Body Politick, and inſtituted by Chriſt, whereby not only the actual Members of a Church, but the Attenders on the Publick Means of Grace there diſpenſed, are obliged, according to ability, to caſt into Chriſt's Treaſury aGal. 6.6. 1 Tim. 6.18. Mar. 12.43(on the Firſt day of the Week, and on other Solemn Days b1 Cor. 16 1, 2.) for the Service of that Church in Maintenance of Ordinances c1 Cor. 9.9 1 Tim. 5.18., and Relief of poor Saints dRom. 15.26, 27., and as far as may be, for the help and ſupport of other Churches eIbid.. Which Collections are to be made by the Deacons fActs 6.6., and brought to the Church Treaſury under their Care and Truſt, and to be diſpoſed of for the ſaid Ends and Uſes, as the Church ſhall direct, and to the Church they are to give their account, and approve themſelves to be faithful gRom. 12.8. 1 Cor. 4.2..
§. 9. It is not to be ſuppoſed that the Lord Jeſus Chriſt would inſtitute a Worſhip in his Churches, and not appropriate ſome time unto the Publick, and Solemn Celebration thereof. Therefore we hold, That he hath appointed a Weekly Day to this End and Purpoſe; the ſeventh part of time being ſet apart by God himſelf in the beginning, and it could be no other than the Seventh Day at firſt, but afterward might be another. Likewiſe we hold, that the obſervation of the Seventh Day is Jewiſh; for it was to them a ſhadow of things to come aCol. 2.16, 17., and the very reaſon of Inſtitution to the Church of Iſrael alledged by Moſes ſhews the ſame bDeut. 5.15.; yea the very enjoyned manner of Obſervation in forbearance of all neceſſary labour by Man and Beaſt cExod. 20.. And none can aſſert, That God requires ſuch an Obſervation under the New Teſtament. And laſtly, Tho God gives a reaſon from Creation Reſt dHeb. 4.4, 5., yet Gods firſt hallowing it was before the Fall; and we find not that it was obſerved by any of the Patriarchs before the Children of Iſrael came into the Wilderneſs: Therefore, as the firſt Inſtitution was upon account of Creation eGen. 2.3., ſo the next was upon the account of Redemption fDeu. 5.15. Accordingly, gEx. 20.1the Seventh Day was again inſtituted from their coming out of Egypt, a Type of Chriſt's Redemption hLu. 1.68.; We obſerve it in Remembrance of a true Redemption wrought for us i1 Pet. 1.18., by a Victory over Hell and Death in his Reſurrection the third day, which was the Firſt Day of the Week k1 Cor. 15 3, 4. 1 The. 4.14 Eph. 1.19, 20., he lying in the Grave the whole Seventh Day, burying it with the whole Moſaic Oeconomy, the only Day wherein God could have no acceptable Worſhip in the World, the Vail of the Temple Rent, and Chriſt in the Grave lMat. 27.51. Job 3.5, 6.. The Reaſons for Obſervation of the Firſt Day of the Week (not as a Sabbath mCol. 2.16, 17.) but the Lord's Day, are, 1. Then Chriſt finiſhed Redemption, and Roſe from the Dead nMat. 28.1. Luke 24.1.. 2. Then he appeared after his Reſurrection to his Diſciples aſſembled oJoh. 20.19.. 3. On this Day the Churches held their Solemn Aſſemblies for Preaching and adminiſtring the Lords Supper, and Contributions pActs 20.7. 1 Cor. 16.12.. 4. On this Day John was in the Spirit, and it's called the Lord's Day qRe. 1.10., becauſe more peculiarly appropriated to his Service, as the Lord's Supper.
§. 10. It is not in the Power of Churches to ſet apart any ſtated times Yearly or Monthly to be obſerved; for that would be Superſtition and Will-Worſhip aGal. 4.10 Col. 16.17.: But, Days of Faſting and Humiliation may be appointed by any Church of Chriſt, according as weighty Reaſons lead it thereunto bActs 14.23..