Hear the Church, Principle 4 – Principle 5
Of the farther Order and manner of Worſhip uſed in this Mother-Church.
This did eſpecially conſiſt in frequently aſſembling themſelves together, to teach and preach Jeſus Chriſt, Acts 5. 42. or for the miniſtring of the Word of God and Prayers, Acts 6. 4. In which we find no Liturgies, or Forms of Prayer deviſed or impoſed by the Apoſtles, but theſe Services were performed by the aid of the Holy Spirit, which as they were given for the work of the Miniſtry, ſo 'tis evident they have a remanency in the true Church till the whole be perfected, Eph. 4. and it is this Bleſſed Spirit which helps the Church to make▪ Interceſſion according to the will of God, Rom. 8. 27. They were all very frequent at the Lord's Table breaking the Sacred Bread, in remembrance of the Lord Chriſt, giving thanks to God by him, Acts 2. 41, 47. nor needed they any Maſs-Book or Common-Prayer-Book, to direct them in either: Chriſt's own▪ Inſtitution of his Holy Table, and the holy Prayer which he had taught his Diſciples, with other Heavenly Rules contained in the Holy Scriptures, was abundantly ſufficient, and are ſo ſtill, to every Faithful Man of God [and Miniſter whom God and his Church hath called to that Work] to furniſh him to every good work.
It is alſo excceding plain that the Holy Table of the Lord is here called the breaking of Bread. And therefore, though that Holy Bread and Wine be the Body and Blood of Chriſt, yet they are theſe, in ſuch ſort, as they are alſo the Bread of the Lord, and the Cup of the Lord, 1▪ Cor. 11▪ 27. And foraſmuch as the Apoſtle here, and in the next verſe, does expreſly call the ſame things, by theſe different titles, the Body and the Blood: the Bread and the Cup: we muſt of neceſſity take him to ſpeak Figuratively in one of theſe, but in the latter, to wit, Bread and the Cup, we have no Figure (ſave that the Wine in the Cup is taken for the Cup, which is an uſual form of ſpeaking;) and therefore of neceſſity theſe Words, Body and Blood, muſt be underſtood to be myſtically, ſpiritually, or figuratively in the Bread and Wine, and not the Bread and Wine to be myſtically, ſpiritually, or figuratively, in the Body and Blood of Chriſt.
It is alſo as certain that the whole Church (this Mother-Church, Acts 2. 42▪) did then receive both the Bread and Cup of the Lord, as that any one of them did partake of both, the whole Service being expreſſed by a Synecdoche, a part for the whole, which yet will better appear, in that this Ordinance ought to be received by every Recipient, as he is a Member of Chriſt, not as he is a Miniſter: 'Tis true, as I am a Miniſter I diſpenſe this Myſtery, but I receive it as a Member, ſaith St. Paul; For YE being many, are one Bread, and one Body. For WE are all partakers of that one Bread.
It was unto this Church, or the Guides of it, unto whom our Bleſſed Saviour delivered that Myſtical Doctrine, which offended ſo many of his Diſciples, John 6. 53. Verily, verily, I ſay unto you, Except ye eat the Fleſh of the Son of Man and drink his Blood, ye have no Life in you, which yet cannot be rightly underſtood of a corporal eating his Fleſh, and drinking his Blood, becauſe he expreſly ſays, Verily, verily, I ſay unto you, He that believeth on me, hath everlaſting life, Verſe 47. And it is certain there were many that did truly believe on him at that time, among whom S. Peter, and the reſt that ſtood by him, when ſo many forſook him. Now theſe things muſt all be true. 1. That none of Chriſt's Diſciples had Life in them at that time, but ſuch as did eat the Fleſh, and drink the Blood of Chriſt. 2. That S. Peter and the reſt of the Faithful, had eternal Life in them at that time▪ 3. That the Lord's Table was not yet inſtituted; And therefore from theſe Premiſes it follows that our Saviour ſpeaks not here of his Diſciples now eating and drinking his Fleſh and Blood in the Lord's Table, and therefore cannot with any ſhew of Truth or Reaſon, be underſtood of eating his Fleſh, and drinking his Blood carnally, or corporally, but ſpiritually, even by believing in him.
Of the ſeveral Orders of Miniſtry in this Mother-Church.
This Church was endowed with a three-fold Order of Miniſtry; 1. Meſſengers or Apoſtles, whoſe work was more eſpecially to gather, conſtitute, and take care for the Church in general. 2. Elders, whoſe work was eſpecially to feed the Flock committed to them in particular. 3. Deacons, whoſe work more eſpecially was to take care of the Poor, and to diſtribute the Alms of the Church to the ends for which they were given, and conſequently all Churches ought to maintain this Order of Miniſtry, unleſs they can ſhew that God has repealed this Miniſtery, in part or in whole. 'Tis true, ſome things were pertinent to the Apoſtles here, which were temporary and extraordinary, which Churches in after-Ages are not to expect; but it is alſo true that ſome things were ordinary, and fixed in that Office, for the continual uſe of the Church, and therefore to remain for ever viz. Their care for all Churches, their travels and labours to plant and ſettle new Churches, their withſtanding falſe Apoſtles, as themſelves are true Apoſtles. Their authority to appeaſe ſtrife and contention which may ariſe among particular Paſtors and Churches, which things being demonſtrated in our Chriſtianiſmus Primitivus (to which we refer) we ſhall not here enlarge.
This part of the Apoſtolical Office, was conferred on many in the Apoſtles days, who were alſo entituled the Angels of the Churches, Rev. 2. 1, &c. which in Engliſh, is, Meſſenger of the Churches. Of this Order was James the Lord's Brother in this Church at Jeruſalem, and ſuch were Timothy, Titus, Sylvanus, Andronicus and Junia, with others. A Miniſtry as needful as any, both for the unity of Churches, and the management of the moſt important affairs of the Goſpel, both in the Church and in the World, as experience may convince men if nothing elſe will do it. And here it were eaſie to bring in the full Teſt of the beſt Antiquity, but this Letter will not bear it.