Gospel Public Worship, Part 1
The Metaphraſe; Or, the ſame in Engliſh Phraſe.
1. FROM a due conſideration of theſe many free and precious Mercies of God, in Chriſt particularized to you in the eleven former Chapters; I, as your Brother and Partner therein, infer this brotherly Exhortation to you, that ye therefore as the ſons and elect ſervants of that God, return your whole perſons, both bodies & ſouls, as a living Thank-Offering unto him, in all holineſs and acceptableneſs, even by addicting your ſelves unto that his divine inſtituted VVorſhip, which he hath ſanctified and bleſſed in and by his revealed Word, whereto he hath appropriated it, with deteſtation of all other pretended divine Worſhip, which is not commanded by it.
2. Wherefore from all theſe grounds, I infer the ſame deho…tation from your yeilding to conformity with any other divine Worſhip, whereto the worldly worſhippers wil wo and force you by all means they can, but enforce ye your ſelves ſo much the more, unto that transformedneſs from formality, with it which our new-man-hood and renewedneſs of our minde exact of us, even to appropriate our divine ſervice to him only, as we have done our Sonſhip; in which peculiaring our ſelves in eſtate and ſervice unto Chriſt, he will bleſs us with the approbation of Gods peculiar will, the originall and proper cauſe of thoſe his Mercies and Graces as good to us, and of theſe his ſervices as acceptable to him, wherein is the perfect Cyclopedia of Divinity and Religion, obebedience whereto is better then any matter of worſhip; and diſtinct boundedneſs whereby, is better then the fatteſt Devotion to worſhip, 1 Sam. 15.22.
3. Wherefore as an Apoſtle of Chriſt, by his peculiar gracious authority, given to me for this end, I charge the conſcience of every one among you, to fear and flee all arrogancy, and overweeningneſs, both in the matter and order of Divine Worſhip, leaſt ye tranſgreſs the rule and bounds thereof, whereto ye are bound by God in all attentneſs and intentneſs of minde, in the practiſe whereof therefore manifeſt your ſound mindedneſs in each of your apportioning, your doing the works, and receiving the priviledges of Faith, according to Gods apportioning them unto you, as, and becauſe you are his faithfull ones, united to him by faith, and communicating with him in all the fruits and benefits of Faith, eſpecially in theſe of his Word-worſhip, which are as good to us, acceptable to him, and perfect in themſelves, in the exactneſs of their matter, and diſtinctneſs of order in their particulars, as I have preparatively inſinuated hitherto in the generall.
4. For that whole and diſtinct Divine Worſhip is now inſtituted after the pattern of a City, or a Body Politique, with its City-States, Members, Officers, and their works, which are good for the Members thereof, acceptable to the King who inſtituted them, and exact in themſelves: For as we have many Members in one of thoſe, and in all naturall Bodies, and every of theſe Members hath its peculiar function or practiſe.
5. So is it in the Church, and its Church-eſtates and works, wherein though perſonally we be many ſeverall Chriſtians, yet by an incorporating covenant to be a Church, according to Chriſts inſtitution, we become one Body, and each becomes others Members, of the ſame bone and fleſh, for each others benefit, practiſing his peculiar Function.
6. Wherefore we having theſe enrighting and inſtrumentall Priviledges added to the ſaid Mercies of God by Faith, as ſon-like Portions, diſtinct, according to Gods peculiar grace, diſtributing to every one as he pleaſeth; how ſhould we not obſerve this unity of our Church-Eſtate, and its variety of Membrall and Miniſteriall Eſtates, and their apportioned Functions and Rites, and bound our ſelves to and within them, according to that apportionment of God, whether it be the enrighting ſtate, the Inſtrumentall, or Medial work and enabling power of Propheſie, which ought to have a generall eye to theſe things.
7. Or a Miniſteriall eſtate, work, and ability, within which we are eſpecially, and peculiarly to bound our ſelves; whether it be the Office of a Teacher within the function, work, and charge of teaching, with all aptneſs and ability to teach to the information of the Church.
8. Or of the Exhorter or Comforter within Exhortation, to the Conformation, and Reformation thereof, with all ſerious ſincerity, according to his charge, function, and work of Exhortation. Or of the Diſtributer within diſtribution, with ſimple ſingleneſs of heart, according to his Office, to the relief of the neceſſities of the Church. Or the Ruler within his Ruling-office, and the charge and work thereof, with all diligence therein: Or the Pittyer, Widow, woman-Deacon, or Mercy-ſhewer, within that Office, for the health and perſonall conſervation of the Church, with all perſonall cheerfulneſse even within all five Offices, as Deputies in them to Chriſt, as Prophet, Prieſt, Provider, King, and Preſerver of his Churches Miniſteriall, and in them more evidently and eminently of his myſticall, than without and before their conſtitution; and alſo as good diſpoſers of the manifold correſpondent graces of that Spirit, given to benefit the Church: and laſtly, as Fellow-Members thereof, imploying your diſtinct gifts and graces, natural and ſpiritual, to the benefit thereof, according to the needs of the underſtandings, hearts, eſtates, converſations, and healths of every Member thereof, and then you ſhal experimentally prove to your own, and your brethrens conſciences, that theſe particulars of his Divine Word-Worſhip, are that Divine will of God, which I have ſaid to be good to you, acceptable to himſelf, and perfect in themſelves; yea, and perfecting Divine Communion between God and his Saints in the higheſt meaſure upon earth, and neareſt to heaven, and directlyeſt, and powerfullyeſt leading thereto.
The Analyſis of theſe eight Verſes follows, ſſ. Firſt, an Analyſis of the eight Verſes, then alſo follows a draught of the matter per modum geneſeos, as the nature of the matter falls from the generals into its particulars; the which (to make them more portable, and for ſome other reaſons not requiſite to be here rendred) are publiſhed as followeth.