Gospel Public Worship, Exposition · Proofs
Proofs of, and Motives to incite to, the knowledge and practice of the word-Worſhip.
FIrſt from v. 2. which expreſſeth the word Worſh…p to be worthy of, yea, to exact, our beſt Wits, and moſt ſerious, yea emphatical extenſions thereof, in theſe words, But be ye transformed in the renovation of your mind.
Secondly, from the parental or proper procreating cauſe thereof, expreſly ſaid v. 2. to be that Will of God: which to know we are bound by all the Bonds of allegeance, love, wiſdome, glory, and what not that is naturally or ſpiritually good? Yea, this equalenting that word Worſhip, v. 1. with that Will of God, v. 2. (the particulars whereof are v. 4. to 8. expreſſed to be our preſent Church-Worſhip, then practiſed in the Churches) doth more radically and deeply dignifie it, than can without more than ordinary ability and induſtry; yea, without our transforming our ſelves not onelyonly into that new and ſpiritual Nature (according to our new and ſupernatural eſtate by Faith) but eſpecially into the renovation, or rouzing up of that new mind and nature, be underſtood; and without a ſpecial degree of Sanctification be approved; which is expreſſed i… the intervening words. For all that is there meant by that Will of God, is that Word-Worſhip v. 1. in the general, and its particulars v. 4. to 8; and much more is all that is meant by that Word-Worſhip v. 1. that will of God v. 2. But there is nothing of a higher natute either divine inſtituted or created, than Will abſolute: neither is any thing more identically, eſſentially, and reciprocally predicated of God than Will; for whatſoever is an abſolute Will is God, and God is an abſolute Will; and what is God is a ſimple Will: And I could never attain to a properer definition of God than this, God is a Will well actuating it ſelf. But you will ſay, that Will of God is there taken metonym…cè, by the cauſe for the effect: True, yet it is therefore both a proper and a ſpecial effect of that Will of God, by this rule: What is in the ſecond declared by a deſcendent Metonymie, is a prime propriety, or proceed of that ſuperiour: Neither is that here taken meerly denotatively of any thing as aforeſaid; but properly, demonſtratively, and emphatically; for that which of all other things is moſt properly willed of God, and may moſt truly be ſaid, and be thereby beſt taken for the will of God, without farther addition, than of the demonſtrative article foreign, i. e. That This ſhal be farther cleered in the next Poriſma, where I ſhew by all the inſtances of Scripture I can find, where God is ſaid to be forſaken; and that other gods are worſhipped in his ſtead, and the like: that thoſe places are not meant of the perſon of God, but conſequently (which by that ſame conſequence well proveth our point) becauſe they had forſaken this his Word-worſhip, and uſed another: which uſing God there, and that will of God here, for his Word-worſhip then, and now, ought much to provoke us to that through-knowledge thereof, and devote us to, and in the uſe and enjoyment thereof; and alſo juſtifieth the approved uſe of Worſhip (which properly ſignifieth Lord-ſhip, as before) for the ſigns, means, marks, and teſtimonies of Gods Lord-ſhip over us, by a Metonymie of the end or ſigned, for the mean and ſign; which ſoul of that word ought never to be ſeparated from the body thereof, though never ſo frequently uſed, left we underſtand not our own words, or neglect them. If then we would know what of all other is moſt neceſſited, and worthy to be known, know that will of God; and what it willeth, approve: alſo know God himſelf, and that whereby, and wherein he moſt manifeſteth his Deity, and accordingly apply it to thy ſoul, and thy ſelf to it, as therein moſt approving Gods Lordſhip over us.
Thirdly, from the 3 Divine Epithites of that Will; good, acceptable, and perfect: good to us, therefore omit not your benefit of this high nature; acceptable to God, therefore expoſe your ſelves in the extent of your love and fear to pleaſe him, of, through, and for whom are all things; perfect in them both, and it ſelf, in kind and degree: therefore this is above all things worthy, and neceſſited to be throughly known. Herein are three proo…s, all very effectual; but I rather avoid tediouſneſs, through the plenty of matter, than heap up petty colours, or ſearch for quantity of matter herein.
Fourthly, from the word foreign that, which taken demonſtratively, muſt have reference to that Word-worſhip, v. 1. which expreſſeth that will, v. 2. to be the efficient cauſe of that Worſhip, v. 1. and its particulars, v. 4. to 8. and the joynt cauſe thereof with the word; yea, of them both, which exceedingly dignifieth our ſubject of Worſhip; or taken per emphaſin (which the urging thereby to diſconformity with World-worſhip, and to tranſformity in grace; and the emphatical that, v. 1. that Word-worſhip, neceſſite) it expreſſeth worth and neceſſity of this knowledge of the higheſt nature; yea, that double demonſtrative emphaſis; importeth an unexpreſſable dignity and neceſſity thereof. Which latter ſenſe not onelyonly excludeth the former, but alſo importeth, yea enforceth it, by the mutual emphaſing, and inſeparable Nature of the two emphaſed matters.
Fifthly, beſide the compacture of the number of particulars in the five laſt verſes in the latter Table ſhewn, there is a ſpecial diſtinctneſs of thoſe particulars to be obſerved, preſſed v. 3. and expreſſed in the metaphraſe, analyſis and geneſis thereof: Therefore there is not onelyonly all kind of knowledge requiſite unto this ſpecial matter; but alſo in the ſame, how to diſcern the ſeveral particulars, their joynt encorporating and enchaining, and their diſtinct order both lineal and collateral.
Sixthly, another proof of the ſame kind is from the like compacture of all manner of compleatings of this ſubject both lineal, a priori & poſteriori, and collatera, dextral, and ſiniſtral, ſhewn in the main part of the former Table ſummarily, and ſhall be in this proſecution, thereof illuſtrated, that therein the Deity, in its Unity and Trinity, as α & ω, the efficient and end; & in all its ordering means, and actuating powers, Natural and Civil, Spiritual and Eccleſiaſtical, perſonal & publike, pleaſeth to encircle & embrace this his own inſtituted Son, Image, and Spouſe; as thereby parallelling his adopted and imputed myſtical Church, the particular matter of this his Miniſterial Church: of both which conjoyned and glorified, he intendeth the compleating of his perfect celeſtial Church: By theſe glimpſes you may diſcern in this proof, ſtrength enough to evince the matter in hand, that the ſubject of Divine Worſhip is very worthy of our knowledge, and beſt endeavours to underſtand, even as any thing knowable: for Gods eſſence none can know, and live a natural life: and ſo there is no corrival but the myſtical Church, and the like relation of the Deity to it, and of it again to the Deity, which is the ſoul of our preſent body, as in the next proof.
Seventhly, 1. call to mind here the manifold motives, and divine commands, to get knowledge, underſtanding, and wiſdome; and the ſpiritualneſs and plenty of teaching thereof in the word. and 2. the world-cloying Volumes thereof, of the Divines of all ſorts and ages; and alſo the unſatiable and unceſſant ſtudies and labourings of Chriſtians of all ſorts and ages after the ſame: and then conſider that it is wholly reduced to the Ten Commandements, Exod. 34.27. where it is expreſſed, that they are the Epitome of Gods whole Covenant with his Church.
And 3. conſider, that onelyonly the firſt, ſecond, and fourth Commandement, preſcribe matters between God and Us: for the third onelyonly requireth our ſincerity and ſeriouſneſs in them; and the other ſix are immediatly between man and man: And in the firſt mentioned three, that the firſt toucheth onelyonly matters perſonal immediatly between God and Us, and the fourth onelyonly the Sabbath: ſo that the ſecond Commandement is the adequate object of Divine Worſhip: Whence conclude the highneſs of the nature thereof, that it is of the ſecond ſort all the matters of Religion; and alſo the extent thereof, that it poſſeſſeth the whole head of one of the Ten, wherein God hath contrived his Covenant, and that the largeſt of the Ten, and ſtrengthened with many excellent Reaſons and Motives of all ſorts expreſſed therein; which yet are excellently varyed and illuſtrated in the three firſt verſes of Rom. 12. and the particulars thereof compleatly in the kind thereof, inſtituted in the five next, and their diſtinctneſs charged with Apoſtolike authority, v. 3. All which ſhew the highneſs of the matter, and the excellency of this place; and therein the neceſſity, dignity, and pretiouſneſs of the knowledge, both of the preſcribing and inſtituting place, and its inſtituted matter.
Eightly, Obedience then to God, neceſſiteth us to know theſe his peculiar commands, and the love of God conſtraineth us thereto: the excellency alſo of the matter and its order, both internal and relative, lineal and collateral, ſtrongly moveth us thereto: which two heads ſhew it acceptable to God, and perfect in it ſelf; if now it alſo appear ſpecially beneficial to us, then it wanteth nothing to prove it that good, acceptable, and perfect will of God; for that therefore, mind the ends thereof, and you ſhall find the one half for our good: for as they are for Gods glory and worſhip, which proveth them to be ſon-like duties of love to our Father upward: ſo are they for our good five ſeveral ways, and ſo they are means, and ſo duties of wiſdome for our own and brethrens benefit; and ſo we thereby ſerve God immediatly, as in Duties of the firſt Table, and mediatly as in the ſecond, therein alſo ſerving and preſerving our ſelves in wiſdome, and our equals in love.
The firſt of theſe five is in getting knowledge of all kinds of good to be obtained, and the Science of Science it ſelf; and ſo of the means and manner of obtaining them: which is proved, v. 6. Propheſie, which is expreſſed, 1 Cor. 14.3. to be for edifying, which cannot be without knowledge, and its counter-diſtinction from exhortation and comfort, proveth knowledge to be meant thereby: and v. 7. the Teacher within teaching: So one whole office with its function and exerciſing, is for our information.
The ſecond is in getting grace, ſincerity, and holy power and vertues of all ſorts, which both are proper and prime good things, and the Sanctifiers of all other goods, whereby they become onelyonly good to us, yea and of all evils alſo, in turning them to our good, whereby even our ſins are our phyſick, and many wayes for our benefit in their co-operation and laſt end: This is alſo proved, v. 6. Propheſie, with 1 Cor. 14.3. Exhortation and comfort: and v. 8. The Exhorter within Exhortation; and ſo alſo the whole 2d. office, and its miniſtration, and adminiſtring, are for our internal ſanctification of Heart and Affections.
Thirdly, the Ruling-Miniſtry, and its Function & Works, are for the external nouriſhment of both theſe internals, and ſuppreſſion of their contrary Hereſies and wickedneſs in the Church, v. 8. the Ruler.
Fourthly, God hath given to the Church not onelyonly authoritative and magiſterial Labourers in the Word and Doctrine, and Rulers, 1. Tim. 5.17. with their miniſterial information, exhortation, and government, Rom. 12.7, 8. 1 Cor. 12.28. but alſo inferiour and ſervant-like helpers, and their works of ſervant-like helps, ibid. both for our perſonal proviſion in and by the Church, Rom. 12.8. the Diſtributer, i. e. the Orderer and Diſpoſer of the proviſion of the Church (by a Synecdoche of one particular for the general, whereof there are many branches, of which more at large elſe-where) and alſo fiftly for our perſonal preſervation in health and life, ibid. the Pittier or Shewer of Mercy to the perſons of the Church in need thereof; called alſo Deacons, Rom. 16.1. Phil. 1.1. 1 Tim. 3.8. as alſo the fourth ſort are: Theſe are alſo called Widows, becauſe they muſt be widows that be admitted to this office, and alſo of 60. years old, leſt they ſhould by nature be urged to marry, and by their husbands be hindered in their office, 1 Tim. 5.3, 9. to 16. For two Inſtitutions of God muſt not oppoſe, nor croſs each other, as being in act; nor the courſe of Nature and its Inſtitutions be inverted nor everted: ſo that all ſorts of good are treaſured up for us by God in his Church-worſhip: therefore ſpare no labour to know, nor coſt to buy the ſame, Mat. 13.11, 44, 45.
Ninthly, v. 5. it is expreſſed that the particular matter of this Divine Worſhip, i. e. Chriſtians are encorporated and enchained together therein for each others benefit, and made as members of each other: ſo that both the particulars of the miniſterial and myſtical Church, are for the good of each Chriſtian, as eſtated in Gods inſtituted Worſhip.
Tenthly, while the 5. particulars of Divine Worſhip for our fivefold or omnifold good, are freſhly mentioned, I will add a tenth proof and motive to this point, conjoining the perfect good, and the good perfection of Divine Worſhip in one ſmall Table, wherein alſo many other motives thereto, and matters worthy our obſervation will accur.
God as
(a) One
(*) in eſſence
(b) Exiſted man as an integrum of
(c) Soul
(d) Mental
Underſtanding willing:
(d) Practical, by that Underſtanding and Will to preſerve his ſoul or rational part by rational proviſion of information, conformation, and confirmation, by his Creators means, both natural, as a Feeder; and ſpiritual, as a Phyſitian.
(…) Body
Mediatly providing maintainance for, immediatly preſerving health of his body, by God's means, as Creator for the preſent, and Redeemer perpetually; and as ſanctifying the former.
(b) Ordered
(e) Man for his own glory; as of, through, and for himſelf.
(e) For Man.
(f) Means of his information, conformation, confirmation, proviſion, and preſervation.
(f) Powers,
(g) Agent, Operative for, and effective of his informing, conforming, confirming, providing, and preſerving.
(g) Recipient of knowledge, ſincerity, good converſation, proviſion, and preſervation.
(*) Authority, or abſolute Monarch.
(:) Natural,
(h) Concreating his Law in Man, toward God and Man:
(h) 1. Inſtituting his Worſhip natural, for his natural ſervice;
Internal toward himſelf,
External toward others.
In this reſpect, Paradiſe was his inſtituted Church-Worſhip, as parts of the ſecond Commandement, without typical relation to Heaven, Adam being the Teacher and Ruler thereof, as the Miniſter of the Teach…ng, conforming and nouriſhing Sacraments, and other Ordinances; and as Orderer and Dreſſer of Paradiſe: and Eve being the Provider and Preſerver, by her, being an help to him, Gen. 2.20. and the taught, conformed, and ruled. All this, a well-ordered integral mean between God, as unum; and Man, as integrum: by which, as by Jacob's Ladder, there was an alternal communion between God and Man, which is the common ſcope and correlation of all integral Worſhips ever ſince: but in other reſpects far d…fferent, and without Works legal, reſtauration, or grace.
(:) Spiritual,
2. Legal, inſtituted
That 1. Natural Worſhip, with this condition; If you do this, you ſhall live eternally in Heaven: Not this, you ſhall dye an Helliſh death.
2. The Legal Worſhip of Adam, and of Moſ…s, with the ſame typical condition: If thou do this, thou ſhalt enjoy the Land of Canaan, and its Kingſhip, Prieſthood, and Prophetſhip; and its proviſion and preſervation: Not this, thou ſhalt be deprived of them all.
3. Evangelical.
(i) Impoſed on Chriſtians Evangelical worſhip for his ſervice.
(i) Propoſed to Chriſtians, Evangelical worſhip for their benefit, with his promiſe and power operating and effecting the ſame, upon, and in them, and accepting it and them therein, and thereby.
(k) Typically, as the Redeemer of Man from his Fall into Hell; and the guilt, power, and curſe of ſinne, unto Heaven, and his imputing, infuſing, and imparting Chriſt unto us.
(l) Hiſtorically in
Noah's Ark, as the Church; Noah, as the Miniſterial Teacher, Exhorter, and Ruler; and his Wife as helper in matter of proviſion and health: The ſeven perſons ſubject to him, as the informable, conformable, rulable, to be provided for, and preſerved; and the Waters as our Baptiſme, ſhewing and conveying reconciliation, 1 Pet. 3.20, 21. and ſo the Food, as given by Noah, anſwered to the Lords Supper, and receiving into, and caſting out of the Ark, anſwered our admiſſion and excommunication.
Abraham's family as the Church; Abraham as the Teacher, Exhorter, and Ruler thereof. Sarah, as his helper in proviſion and health: His Children and Bond-ſervants, as the matter and body of the Church: Circumciſion, as our Baptiſme; and the Sacrifices, the Spiritual Food of his Family; as the Lords Supper, Perſonal Teaching, Perſwaſion, and Ruling, as ours inſtituted now; (which is to be ſuppoſed in the former ideas hereof in Adam and Noah) and the admiſſion into or birth in the ſame, as ours now; and ſo likewiſe of his caſting any out of his family, as anſwering to Excommunication duly ordered now, Gal. 4.24. to 30. This, and that Ark have not onelyonly primary relation to the Myſtical Church, but alſo to the Miniſterial ſecundarily, through their general likeneſs: yet is there not identitie, and ſo no perfect likeneſs between them.
(l) Inſtituted as
(m) Tranſient, or typically leading to Heaven, that is, the National Corporation of Iſrael in the Wilderneſs, Moſes the Ruler, with his ſeventy Deputies; Aaron and the Prieſts, as Reconcilers; Myriam, and other Prophets, as Teachers; the Levites, as Deacons. Moſes and his Deputies functions were to order the Nation and Army, and matters of Juſtice and Protection: Aaron and the Prieſts to order the Tabernacle and its Ordinances: Myriam, &c. to order the Colledge, Company, and courſe of the Prophets: the Levites to help in all matters of ſervice to any of them, eſpecially of proviſion and preſervation: All this as in the way to the Promiſed Land, and its permanent worſhip, Deut. 1.8. to 18. and throughout that book, this kind of Worſhip typed this under the Goſpel, as it is the tranſient Kingdom of Heaven, parabled by the two Sowers, the Muſtard-ſeed, Leaven, Treaſure, Pearls, the Draw-Net, Matth. 13.52. and oft elſe-where mentioned, in perſonal reſpects, and without relation to this Church-Worſhip, the Anttitype of them.
(m) Eſtabliſhed the Nation of Iſrael with its Regal Thrones in Jeruſalem, the Temple, and its Miniſtries and Miniſtrations, the Colledge of Prophets, and their Offices and Works, and the Lodgings of the Levites about the Temple and their Cities throughout Canaan; with all their teaching, uniting, (or reconciling) ruling, providing, and preſerving Ordinances, as compleated by Solomon, as the Type of Chriſt, as King in his conſtituted Church under the Goſpel, the neereſt Signe, Seal, Livery of Seiſin, and Earneſt of the real compleat Glory of Heaven.
(k) Antitypically anſwering to the former Types, and really being the Kingdom of Heaven compleat, …. e. the Evangelical Miniſterial Church, its five-fold Offices, Ordinances, Works, and Uſes, derived from, and anſwering to Chriſt; as Prophet, Prieſt, King, Provider, Preſerver, as Inſtituter of his five Church-Offices, i. e. the Teacher, Exhorter, Ruler, Diſtributer, Pitier; with their five Functions of Teaching, Exhortation, Ruling, Diſtribution, Pittying: enrighting us by theſe three ſorts of Chriſts five-fold reſpects to Teaching, Exhorting, Ruling, Diſtributing, Pittying, for and unto the knowledge, ſincerity, honeſty, proviſion, preſervation, of our underſtanding, heart and its affections, Chriſtian converſation, eſtates and poſſeſſions, perſons, health, and life; as from, through, and for God, as an eſſential Mind, Will, actus, good Being, or Eſſence.
(a) Reſpecting our five-fold needs of him, ſent
(n) Chriſt, as to Sons, to be received by Faith; ſo to his Servants to be worſhipped by Works, as acknowledging Chriſt therein, and
(n) The Holy Ghoſt, to adequate Chriſt as our Mediatour with all gifts: Son-like to receive the benefits: and Servant-like to do the Works of inſtituted Church-worſhip.
By this Table is Synopticè to be ſeen, the external relation of our preſent Divine Worſhip to all Gods former Worſhips, and the internal order of the materials thereof within themſelves; and alſo their reſpects to God, Chriſt, the Spirit, and Man, all exactly parallelling each other in all particularities; and alſo compleating all things Divine into an integral unity, perfectly reſembling the perfect uniformity of the glorified Heaven; and propoſing to Us the preſent enjoyment thereof in an exact Epitome, by a proper Livery of Seiſin, and imparting earneſt: ſo that nothing is more worthy of knowledge, in reſpect of the perfection and gloriouſneſs thereof; nor more deſirable in reſpect of its pretiouſneſs to us: and for their acceptableneſs, it cannot but be diſcerned through their evident being of, through and for God; yea, in the higheſt degree on earth. Alas! that this kind of Knowledge is ſo unknown, and the pearl and treaſure thereof as hid in the earth; though like, yea being Wiſdoms houſe, pillars and food propoſed to, yea proclaimed for us, with many and manifold motives by her maidens, Prov. 9.1 to 12. and though ſo unlike the contrary falſe worſhip and folly of Antichriſt, that fooliſh Whore, and whoriſh folly ſo vilified and deterred in the reſt of that Chapter, as illuſtrating true worſhip by its contrary; the particulars of this worſhip are ſo many and magnifyed, that I dare not move by one of them.
Eleventhly, This word-worſhip is the ſubject of the greateſt part of the Scripture, in its deſcribing the particulars thereof, preſcribing the obſervance thereof, prohibiting the contrary, hiſtorying the practiſes of both ſorts, and the anſwerable bleſſings and judgments, and making uſe thereof for future encouragements, and terrours of the proceeders; and adding farther comforts and threatnings accordingly: but the particularizing hereof, requiring a kind of Expoſition of half the Scripture, I muſt refer the marking this point in your daily readings thereof; wherein you ſhall find theſe things exceeding uſeful, and worthy your knowledge.
Twelfthly, the great and many bleſſings of the Word are annexed to this true divine worſhip, and the plenty of fierce Curſes are denounced againſt the falſe; and becauſe this and the other are too large to proſecute to the full, ſee both verified in the Decalogue-Epitome thereof in the ſecond Commandement; for that is ſo large as all the reſt, except the fourth Commandement (which inſtituteth Gods ſet time, for the celebration thereof, and ſo it rather ſecondeth than affronteth our point) and pronounceth moe and higher bleſſings, and denounceth heavier judgments in this matter, than all the body of the Decalogue beſide.
But I more need to excuſe my prolixneſs herein, and to break off from the many proofs of, and motives to this point, then to proceed herein; both ſince the matter is ſo pregnant, and the remaining points ſo many and ſpecial, above my ability to accompliſh, & your patience to read, except you be more then vulgarly transformed for this purpoſe, which v. 2. requireth; and alſo the ſuppreſſedneſs of the matter, by the wrong expoſition of this place and its parallels, and the wronging oppoſition of their ſubject, than which none is greater.
And therefore having made ſome uſe of the point and proofs, I will paſs to other; for if I ſhould inſtance the particulars of this Worſhip, I ſhould be drowned in the multitude of their ſpecial motives to this point of the worth and need of their knowledge.
Since then Evangelical Worſhip is ſo many and main wayes worthy and neceſſary to be known, why is the knowledge thereof ſo ſlighted as worthleſs and uſeleſs? and that not onelyonly by the world, and its world-worſhippers (for I as much ſlight the ſlightings, and the fightings of Chriſts adverſaries) but by the Lovers of the Word, and alſo of Gods worſhip in the general, and of the particulars thereof which they hold ſo to be, i. e. of preaching the Word, adminiſtring the Sacraments and Prayer: But the main and radical parts thereof, i. e. the Church as encorporated and congregated, the diverſities of its Miniſtries and their Functions, their derivation from the Church, their miniſtration, i. e. ſervice in and unto that Church, their ſet, number and nature, and their diſtinct collateral order; and more the more particular appropriating of Divine Ruling order and acts to the proper Ruler of ſuch a Church, and in its Congregation: but moſt of all, the moſt particular act of that Ruler in admiſſion and ordination; and the knowledge whether thoſe acts, or the decree of the Congregation give the being to a member or Miniſter of a Church.
All theſe, and divers other points of great uſe and worth, they hold to be Walls, Hedges, Orders, and Circumſtances of Religion and Gods Worſhip, but not of the ſubſtance thereof; and therefore put off the knowledge thereof, in pretence of their love and eſteem of the ſubſtance thereof.
Alas! that Profeſſours of Religion ſhould thus he Uſhers of Antichriſts Hall, to make room for his entrance, Porters of his tryumphant chair of eſtate, to bring him in, and ſupporters of his Hierarchy with their own ſhoulders, upon ſuch groundleſs pretences; for Antichriſtianiſme conſiſteth in the confuſion of thoſe main points of Religion, and thereby thoſe things which they call the ſubſtance of Religion.
But firſt ad hominem, hath God ſet them for walls of defence of his true worſhip and worſhippers? and will they (through ignorant negligence) relinquiſh the walls to their and their Kings mortal enemy? ſince the winning the Walls is the winning the City, and all therein, and the ſubjecting themſelves to the enemy, either to his ſervice (direct or indirect) or deſtruction; yea, in God's Matters to both, if to the firſt.
Secondly, hath God bounded his Services with Hedges, Dikes, or other Fences and Circumferences, to diſtinguiſh Chriſts ſervants and ſervices from Antichriſts? and ſhall we ſlight Antichriſts encroaching on Chriſts Tabernacle, Tent, or Church, and Inheritance, or Clergy, and entitling himſelf with thoſe names of Chriſts Church and Clergy, and to their anſwerable nature, and ſo to domineer in and over both (Domum & dominium domini, and ſo ut dominus domini noſtri) Manſion and Mannour of our Lord; and ſo as Lord of our Lord, and his Lordſhip, its appendant worſhip, homage, rent, and ſervice!
Thirdly, ſuppoſe we the word, Sacraments and Prayer to be the materials of Chriſts and Chriſtians Communion; ſhall we therefore like Swine, eat of his meat, without obſervance of the order he hath ſet for their adminiſtration by his Miniſters, according to their diſtinct offices and functions, and that as parts of his family, or court of his own forming.
The Queen of Sheba ſhameth theſe Borderers on Jeruſalem; for ſhe came from the utmoſt parts of the Earth to know the wiſdome of Solomon, and obſerved the houſe which he had built, and the meat of his Table, and the ſitting of his Servants, and the attendance of his Miniſters, and their apparel; and his Butlers and their apparel, and his aſcent to the houſe of God; and ſhe admired them, and pronounced him and them bleſſed of God therein; and God bleſſed thereby, 2 Chron. 9.1. to 8. But theſe eaters of the meat of the greater than Solomon come from Heaven to them; obſerve, not much leſs admire Chriſts wiſdome, Love and Will in his houſe formed by himſelf, in the offices and ſet-eſtates thereof, and their orderly attendance and adminiſtration of them, and the comely ornaments of them all, and the diſtinctneſs of the particular officers and their functions and beauty; and alſo their relation reciprocal to God and his houſe, and the mutual bleſſings communicated in all theſe: Nay, they rather as ſenſual gluttons, and ſelf-feeders, luſt after and ſuck up his wine and milk, without ſeeking after his wiſdome, and perfect order therein, loving him for his goodneſs therein, or obeying him in his holy and ſo acceptable Will and Command in them all.
Fourthly, they learned not of David to ſpeak ſo ſlightly of theſe diſtinct Orders and Offices of the Church, and their neceſſited relation to the Ark, and the like adminiſtrations of the Prieſts and Levites, as to call them circumſtances of Religion; for he ſaith, that becauſe they were not there in their Orders at the bringing home of the Ark, God made that great breach in Iſrael, becauſe though Iſrael ſought him, yet they neglected the Miniſterial Order God had preſcribed for his Worſhip, 1 Chron. 15.2, to 13. with Chap. 13. and Numb. 4.4, 15. Nor of Moſes to neglect an hoof, in way of compleat readineſs for Gods ſervice; much leſs would he neglect the leaſt hoof, after it was ſanctified by God for that end.
But what do they mean by circumſtances diſtinctly?
They are vulgarly known to be three, Time, Place, and Perſons; onelyonly the third then can be the controverſie: Whether it be material in the Word, Sacraments, and Prayer publike, who adminiſtreth them, whether an inſtituted Officer or no: But they are ſo far from holding the Sacramēts adminiſtrable by any out of an inſtituted office, that they impoſe a neceſſity therof in preaching and praying in the congregation; and the formal Proteſtants out of the congregration alſo except by reading, eſpecially in preaching; ſince then they hold the miniſtry of the Church and i'ts adminiſtration ſo neceſſary unto & in preaching, Sacraments and prayer in Gods worſhip: why villifie they our neceſſiting this Church eſtate to be diſtinctly known, purpoſed and practiſed, as a pertinent point of Gods worſhip? But now to paſs from theſe motives ab homine unto the greater à Deo, call to mind the conſtant neceſſity of this official Celebration of all inſtituted ordinances, ſince God ſet up a ſet Church-miniſtry teaching, exhorting, ruleing, and ſerving; and helping me and your ſelf herein, read Heb. 5. to 8:8. Exod. 25. to 31.33. to Lev. 10. 1 Chron. 20 2 Chron. 2. to 7. Ezek. 40. to 46. All which, and many other parts of Scripture, are wholly of one of the types of this worſhip ſummarily contrived in our preſent 8. verſes of Rom. 12. expreſſed ſo to be 2 Cor. 6.16. 1 Tim. 3.15. Rev. 21. compared with Levit. 26.11. Ezek. 37.26, 27. Then in your reading the Hiſtories and Propheſies of the Old Teſtament, from Joſhua to Malachi.
Firſt, mark the main ſcope of the Holy Ghoſt in them, and you ſhall find it to be to obſerve the Iſraelites obſerving and neglecting the ſame, and their omiſſion of the matter, and order thereof, and their commiſſion of the contrary falſe Worſhip of divers ſorts and degrees; and Gods reproofs and judgments for the ſame, and his comforts and bleſſings of the walkers after that rule of his truth or true worſhip.
Secondly, in reading the New Teſtament do the like in reſpect of his preſent Rule of true Worſhip, both in it ſelf, and its compariſons with that his former inſtituted Rule of Worſhip, preſcribed in his Word of Truth, and therefore called Truth, 1 Tim. 3.15. Rom. 1.23, 25. and comparing it with its oppoſites, and you ſhall then find this our preſent ſubject not to be ſuch circumſtances, ceremonies, nor the like trivial trifles, as the preſent worldly worſhippers account & call them.
But to be on the contrary of ſo high and deer eſteem with God and his ſervants, as they be of baſe and ſlight account, with the halters between Chriſt and Antichriſt, one of which muſt alwayes prevail, the former in love, to his true Lovers, in their inward and outward bleſſings: The latter in contempt of his contemners, God giving them over to ſtrong deluſions to beleeve lyes and to wonder and wander after him. For 1260. years yet in quiet trading and proſperity both of outward worſhip and jollity, while the true worſhippers were forced by him & them, into the Inner Temple & Sackcloth, Rev. 11. & into the w…lderneſs, Rev. 12.6, 14. Mat. 24.15. &c. & even to death, Rev. 13.10, 15.20: 4. So that theſe Semi-chriſtian doters on the 3. of the parts only of divine worſhip, i. e. Preaching, Sacraments and prayer, and ſlighters of the reſt are worſe both in worſhip and benefits then Antichriſtians who highly eſteem and devoutly practiſe the other parts in their intent and eſteem, and ſo obſerve the general duty of obedience to God therein, though they miſſe the particular, and thereby build their Babel and Babyloniſh regiment and orders inſtead of, and as Gods City and Church with its miniſtry and miniſtrings, whereunto they are alſo furthered and occaſioned by this Semi-chriſtian conceit and practiſe, not only in giving way and leave thereto, but even in devoutly accepting their adminiſtrations of the word, Sacraments and prayer, yea and in magnifying, maintaining and pleading for them that are ſent according to that Babyloniſh regiment, and profeſſe their miniſtry to be from, by, and of that Antichriſtian Hierarchy it ſelf, which even themſelves hold and ſay is Antichriſt, and that againſt many heavy penaltied laws of the Land, and general practiſes and confeſſions of all their fellow oppoſites to that Antichriſt throughout all Chriſtendom, and alſo againſt the ground of Scripture and reaſon approved by them themſelves, who moſt profeſſe hatred againſt foreign, or the ſelf-convicted; yet are they herein contradictory to themſelves, falſe to their own grounds, and condemned in avowing by their practiſe, what they ſo diſavow in their eminent profeſſion.
But ſince their profeſſion againſt Antichriſt, concurreth with the preſcript worſhip of the Scripture cited, and this part thereof now in handling, and its and their many parallels, let us lift up our eyes to behold that cleer light of thoſe and the like Scriptures, which ſo gloriouſly magnifie divine worſhip, and provoke us to the knowledge thereof, even of thoſe parts thereof which their onelyonly oppoſites do in their proteſting againſt Antichriſt, ſo dignifie by the rule of contraries, in their placing the eſſence of that Antichriſt in his counterfeiting and uſurping the parts of worſhip, beſides Preaching, Sacraments, and Prayer: withall ſuppoſing, that their practiſe, in the poſitive, would alſo follow theirs, were it not for the worldly ſiniſter reſpects of the flatterings and fooleries of the world-worſhip, or Prelacy; eſpecially of thoſe three parts thereof, which they both in profeſſion and practice ſo highly and poſitively magnifie; which indeed will enforce the introduction of the reſt by their own neceſſiting them to the Miniſtry, and that to the Church.
Thirdly, the particular Churches of Epheſus and Corinth, are expreſly ſaid, 1 Tim. 3.15. 2 Cor. 6.16. to be the houſes of God, and that without peculiarity, and therefore indefinitly, and as ſuch; and therefore of every particular Church: for quod, eſt quatenus ipſum eſt de omni: That Church alſo indefinitly taken, and ſo every particular Church is there ſaid to be the pinacle and ſubject of truth, i. e. the firſt evidencer and evident part of divine true worſhip, and the radical ground, ſubjective chair, and proper baſis thereof: and the then true Church of Rome is ſaid to be the body of that word-worſhip in Chriſt, Rom. 12.5. as above is particularized; for by comparing that v. 5. with v. 1. it is cleered to be a particular part of that word-worſhip; and with v. 7, 8. to be the body and ſubject thereof, which is ſo evident in that place, that I will not farther prove it; but even by It prove, what is inferred from 1 Tim. 3.15. againſt the two oppoſitions thereof: The former is by expounding the word Truth onelyonly of the Doctrines of Faith and Holyneſs; but are not the Doctrines of Gods Word of truth, Joh. 17.17. concerning his true worſhip inſtituted onelyonly thereby, and our anſwerable holy ſerving him therein, ſo well as thoſe concerning Faith and Holineſs perſonal? Why are they not ſo proper, yea ſo ſpecial truths of that word of truth?
Nay, they are more proper to the Church, ſince Faith and its perſonal fruits are proper and immediate to the perſon of each Chriſtian, and the other parts of worſhip proper and immediate to the Church; yea theſe have no other ſubject, pinacle, pillar, chair, nor ground; neither can they ſubſiſt nor exiſt in act, but as, of, and in the Church; but Faith, and therefore all its fruits are in their perfection of parts in each true adult ſon, called and regenerate, before he is admitted into a Church; for he is thereinto received, as being ſuch, and not as to be made ſuch; and again upon manifeſtation that he is not ſuch, he is rejected and caſt thereout, as not fit to be of the Church; and therefore is he not to expect nor receive his Faith in, from, or by the Church; how then is it the Fountain or Root of the Scripture-Goſpel, or Doctrine of Salvation by Faith working by love, as ſo working, as the Papiſts hold as their life on the one ſide? Or as the Controverters againſt the ſame ſay, How is it the Poſt or Paſquil pillar of Rome, whereon all publike notifications uſe to be affixed, in reſpect of its ſhewing Faith unto the paſſers by? A very poor interpretation of that place, and an embaſing of the Church; which to dignifie in a ſpecial manner, is the ſcope of that ſentence; wherein the Popiſh Expoſition is the far better; onelyonly, whereas this high dignifying the Church (to provoke Timothy, and other Officers thereof, to a reverent, diligent, and cheerful diſcharge of their Miniſtry therein) is by the word as its Dignifier, and ſo it is evident that the dignity of the cauſall priority, and the fundamental and fontal originalneſs of the word it ſelf, as the proper truth of God, Joh. 17.17. is excepted, as God is excepted in this expreſs univerſal aſſertion, 1 Cor. 15.27. For he hath put all things under his (Chriſts) feet, wch is in the next words expreſſed: But when he ſaith all things are put under his feet, it is evident that he is excepted, which did put all things under him: ſo that that, is as evidently falſe as the other, though not ſo unſavoury and ridiculous, in making the Church it ſelf but a Bill-poſt of truth, which hath but this goodnes to oppoſe the falſhood of the former; nor excuſe, but that they know not the proper meaning of truth in that place, nor the diſtinct acception thereof for true worſhip in the Scripture, both in its poſitive and privative uſe thereof, yea and both for divine worſhip in the general, and alſo more particularly for theſe ſpecial particulars thereof in hand: as Rom. 1.25. Who turned the truth of God into a lye (or the true worſhip of God into falſe) and worſhipped and ſerved the Creature rather then the Creator, i. e. in their worſhipping and ſerving him in, by, and under created reſemblances, which God accounteth for a ſerving the creature (according to all Gods natural courſes and appearances, and no inſtitution of his ſuppoſing any other) rather than their Creatour, whoſe Will they were to know in that their divine Worſhip; for of the Idolatries in the Scripture, both of the Jews and Gentiles, there is no one wherein by the intent of the Worſhipper, there was any other original perſon of the Deity adored than the ſame which we adore as Creator of the world. Of which briefly as followeth.