Gospel Public Worship, Exposition · Doctrines
Divers Doctrines gathered from Rom. 12. v. 3. to 8.
Doct. 1. THE firſt Doctrine v. 3. is from To each one: That Gods charge & benefit in his Worſhip, is to be ſingularly reſpected by each Chriſtian, and not onelyonly in the lump and general: for foreign is ſo placed, as it reſpecteth both Paul's charge, and Gods apportioning of Faith.
The 2. is, from the Portion: Each Chriſtian hath his portion in Gods Worſhip, and its bleſſings: And the 3. God giveth his Worſhip as Sons portions.
The 4. is in the Faith: Faith onelyonly giveth intereſt in God's Ordinances.
The 5. is, in that this generalneſs of the boundedneſs and diſtinctneſs of Gods Worſhip is ſet down between the proper generals and particulars thereof, we are taught, That boundedneſs and diſtinctneſs of Gods Worſhip is to be obſerved as a part thereof in the preſcription and practiſe thereof.
From the illuſtration of the matter of the three firſt verſes, by aſſimiling the body and members of our perſon with their Functions, Works, and Diſtinctneſs, ariſeth the 6th. Por…ſma, that the body and the eſtates, or enrighting deſignations of Gods inſtituted Worſhip, with their Functions, Works, and Diſtinctneſs, are moſt like to the ſame in our perſons.
The 7. is from For, v. 4. Of the ſame rational nature with For, v. 3. That no exact illuſtration of the body, members with their employments, boundedneſs, diſtinctneſs, and uſes of Gods Worſhip, is to be om…tted in the Declaration thereof. And the 8th. That, no juſtifications of the aſſertions thereabout are to be neglected.
The 9. is from As, That the proper ſimilies of the Scripture not onelyonly exemplifie, but prove ſo far as they are applyed either in the Protaſis, or Apodoſis.
The 10. is from Body; That the Church of Rome to which Paul wrote, was but as our individuall body, …ot as a compact of all humane bodies, as now that ſo called is.
The 11. is from One body; That the true Church is as the unum primum, or Baſis, wherein all things Eccleſiaſtical inhere, and from whence they are derived, and whereby they actuate and fructifie; but not any Church-Office, whether Pope, King, or Paſtour: nor any Society of Officers; as Aſſembly, or Synode univerſal, or particular Claſſis, or Conſiſtory.
The 12. is from In; That all Church-States enrighting to Church-works or Benefits, are inſeparable accidents, proper adjuncts, and eſſentiated inherents of the Church, not of any officer.
The 13. is from Members; That the Church is a body organical in its plenary conſtitution: And the 14. that no Church-State is the body, but a member thereof; and therefore the Pope, nor no ſupream Officer, can be the Church.
The 15. is from Many: That there are many Church-States, and not onelyonly one, from whence other Officers or States are derived, and ſo ſhould be Deputy-States, not Church-States: And the 16. That God is bountifull in his Portions of Faith.
The 17. is from Have (not members have us) That Church-offices, Miniſteries, and States, are adjuncts of the Church which is firſt in Nature, and their Root and Baſis; but they are not its Root nor Baſis, nor any way precedent, either in Time, Nature, nor Dignity before it, as ſuch; but as it conſiſteth of particular members, over the well-being of each of which they are ſet, but not over their being, as they be Chriſtians, nor a Church: And alſo the 18. that the Miniſters are the Churches Angels, and members: but the Church is not the Miniſters Church.
The 19. is from We have: That all Churches are in relation to each other, as equall particulars of the Church in general, as each of our perſons are of man in general. And the 20. There is no more an Univerſal particular Church, Head or Body of Churches, than of particular men. And the 21. Our perſons are the original pattern of the inſtituted Church, imitable after the ſtricteſt manner, of which a Spiritual Body Politick is capable; as ſimillimum, not idem. And the 22. the knowledge of the nature of the Church, and Church-Eſtates, is eaſie to all reaſonable men, i… if Hiſtorically believing this one place; much more to Chriſtians led by the Spirit of grace in its patterning; eſpecially if they underſtand by Learning or Experience, the nature of a Civill Body Politick, the medium ſimillimum to both perſon and Church.
The 23. is from and; That God hath avoided confuſion in our many perſonal members, by aſſigning them diſtinct Functions.
The 24. is from all Members have not one Function by a Graeciſme; or, in Engliſh phraſe, No Member hath the ſame Function; or rather it is of the ſame words. And the 25. Our Members are bounded, but not bondaged, counter-diſtinct, but not oppoſite.
The 26. is from Hath; That membral Functions, are adjuncts to the members of the Body, and ſo, that the Membral-Eſtates denominate the Membral-actions and adminiſtrations, but not è contra.
The 27. is from One, or in Engliſh, one and the ſame, or the ſame in kind, That each member of the body hath its counter-diſtinct Function, end, or uſe. And the 28. That each member is not to be employed to all that it can do, but to its diſtinct and proper work; as the Eye to ſee, the Ear to hear, the Noſe to ſmell, the Pallate to taſte; but none of them to feeling, though in ſome ſenſe they all can; nor the hands to either of the foure, though in ſome remote conſequence, they ſerve to the ſame uſe, in caſe of defect, with unſeemlyneſs, and out of the due courſe of Nature.
The 29. is from Practice, Function, or Work; That no member ought to be idle, but active and operative.
The 30. is from even ſo, v. 5. That ſo much expreſneſs of Form is neceſſary in this matter of Gods Worſhip, as is to make way for, and confirm the Logical conſequences therein; i. e. that it is an exact ſimile between man created after Gods Image, and the Church of Ordinances inſtituted after Chriſts Image: And therefore all the Doctrines well ariſing out of the former verſe and protaſis, in reſpect of the body, its members, and their function, are to be underſtood as good, as expreſſed in the Apodoſis in this verſe; adding onelyonly the Church, inſtead of the Body, and Miniſteriall for Membrall, which I for the preſent leave to be done, i. e. The 31. to be deduced from the 24, the 32 from the 25, the 33 from the 26, the 34 from the 27, ſupplying the particulars from v. 7, 8. i. e. the Teacher, to teach; the Exhorter, to exhort; the Diſtributer, to diſtribute; the Ruler, to rule; the ſhewer of mercy, to ſhew mercy; and the 35 from the 28, with the ſame addition: and the 36. from the 29. and the 37. from the 23. The compleat parallelling of this ſimile is very large, and ſeeming in its exact proſecution, more formal than neceſſary, which ſeemeth to have been the reaſon why the Holy Ghoſt hath left them to be deduced by firm conſequence, but hath not exactly parallel'd all particulars: wherefore I will not be extream herein, either in negligence of all that is intimated, nor in exactneſs in what it hath left unexact in particulars: yet is there ſome vice verſa to be applyed, from the Apodoſis, to the Protaſis; as the 38. from, in Chriſt, or by the inſtitution of Chriſt, That the created order of the members of our body, with their uſe and natural comelyneſs, is to be obſerved perpetually. And the 39. That each member of the body is for the benefit of each; theſe two are to be deduced from the two next clauſes following.
The 40. is from in Chriſt: That the ſpeciall form of all inſtituted Worſhip, is Chriſts inſtitution: And the 41. from the ſame, in relation to the many other cauſes of true worſhip, That ſubordinate cauſes exclude not, nor oppoſe each other: ſo that the ſame worſhip may well be called the Worſhip of God, of the Will of God, of Chriſt and of the Word. And the 42. in relation of this diſtinctneſs counter-diſtinguiſhed from the materiall parts of Gods Worſhip, That Chriſt is more manifeſted in the diſtinctneſs than in the materials of Gods Worſhip.
The 43. is from each one anothers members: That each member of the Church, is for the benefit of each other member thereof: And 44. Much more for the whole: and 45. Neither the Church nor its members, are for any one member, as for its ſuperiour; but onelyonly as for its part, or their fellow-member: or as for their ſingular Superiour deputed by the Church, as an encorporated general over each particular.
The 44. is from each in particular: In relation to one body, That there is an expreſs difference between the Church-members relation to the Church, and to each other: ſo that the 45. Miniſteriall or organical members, have power, or rather government of, over or objectively, for each member; but not of, over or objectively for the Church, as an encorporated body; but onelyonly as deputedly and Miniſterially for it. And ſo 46. No Miniſter can excommunicate the Church.
The 46. is from the ſame words referred to Many: That the Officers diverſly reſpect the generality of the many Members, and the particularity of each member. The two firſt reſpecting the generality, they being charged with the work of publication, and preſſing the general Word of God; and the three laſt of the five, reſpecting each particular, member as a part of the Church, to which they are concredited. This divers reſpect is expreſſe in the Text; but the apportionment is of the divers reaſon of the offices inſinuated.
The 47. is from the mutuall relation of theſe three words, one, many, each, That the Church, as one is ſupr…am, in reſpect of its particular members, is inferiour to all the offices; but as many, it is of a mixt State; as the greater many it hath the power of the o…fices, and their min…ſtrations toward each member, (i. e. of the Ruler, and his Ruling; the Diſtributer, and his diſtributing; …nd of the Mercy-ſhewer, and her ſhewing of mercy toward the Sick) but as the leſſer many, it is ſubject to them all three in theſe three adminiſtrations.
The 48. is from None hath the ſame Function, compared with, but each one anothers member: That all the Church-Eſtates are bounded as duties, and apportioned as benefits, diſtinctly in their Functions, and joyntly in their end.
The 49. is from are, compared with have, That the Church-Eſtates, are but the conſtituting parts of, and poſſeſſed by the Church, not the thing conſtituted nor poſſeſſing: By Church-Eſtates, are meant Offices, Prophetſhips, and Memberſhips of the Church as inſtituted.
The 50. is from then or therefore, ver. 6. That what followeth, is inferred from what preceded.
The 51. is from, We having, That each Member hath his part in the Church-duties and benefits.
The 52. is from gifts: The divers parts of Gods Worſhip are not onelyonly duties, but alſo free gifts of God to his Saints, for their good.
The 53. is from diſtinct: That the precedent general ſcope, was to ſhew, that the Church-Eſtates are diſtinct in their Inſtitution, and ſo to be obſerved in their uſe; and the 54. that the future ſcope is to particularize that diſtinctneſs.
The 55. is from, according unto grace: That there ought to be a proportionableneſs obſerved between the parts of Gods Worſhip, as inſtituted and conſtituted, their Eſſence and Exiſtence, their Precept and Practice.
The 56. is in the grace: That Chriſts Inſtitutions come from, operate by, and tend unto Gods ſpecial grace.
The 57. is from that is given: That God always giveth abilities fit for the Church-Eſtates.
The 58. is from us: That abilities in the Saints onelyonly, are capable of Church-Eſtates. [Note, that the Texts of the two laſt Doctrines, viz. that is given, nd us, & given unto us, (as p. 76. l. 24.) do ſupply that which ſeems to be omitted in the tranſlation of v. 6. after the word grace, p 2. l. 13.]
The 59. is from according to the proportion: That the Execution of our aſſigned Eſtates, ought to be proportionable to our diſtinct aſſignments; and the breach thereof is faithleſs unproportionableneſs. And the 60. compared with the portion of Faith, v. 3. and according to the grace given us, v. 6. So that the general, both Doctrine and Uſe, v. 3. and 6. and the particularizing of both annexed, evince and urge that a neceſſity of exact diſtinctneſs between the ſeveral Church-Eſtates, is to be obſerved.
The 61. is from of Faith, with the ſame ver. 3. That it is the duty of Faith, and the faithfull, to obſerve God's proportion in the Works and Fruits of Faith, ſo well as to receive the benefits and confirmations thereof.
Hitherto of the generals of true Worſhip in its parts, order, and ornaments: The ſpeciall particulars thereof follow; whence the reſt are orderly to be deduced.
The 62. is from Whether, Not both, as, or even; That the exacteſt diſtinctive terms are to be uſed in the diſtinctneſs of the Church-Eſtates.
The 63. is from Propheſie: That the ability of any member to propheſie, enſtateth and enrighteth him to the Exerciſe of Propheſie. And the 64. referred to or an Office, That Perſonall and Miniſterial Eſtates are to be kept diſtinct: And the 65. referred to Teaching, and Exhorting (part of the Function of the Prophets) that membrall and Miniſterial Eſtates are diſtinct, and ſo to be kept even in the ſame works, i. e. in their reſpects, cauſes, and degrees.
The 66. is from the placing according to the proportion of Faith, after whether Propheſie; though without thoſe words there is onelyonly the form of an inference without any thing inferred, That whatſoever is true or good in the generals, is ſo alſo in the particulars: And the 67. from the ſame reaſon of annexing them to all and every of the other particulars, That the exact proportion between our Church-Offices, and their Functions, is to be kept; and yet more particularly referred to the Teacher. The 68. that the Miniſteriall Teacher ought to obſerve this proportionableneſs between his Office and Function; the 69, 70, 71, and 72. flow thence, by the ſame conſequence, from the Exhorter, the Diſtributer, the Ruler, and the ſhewer of mercy. The variety and plenty of this boundedneſs, diſtinctneſs, and proportionableneſs both, in the general, is ſo abundant and expreſs, that I doubt whether I ſhould more fear the neglect of the Holy Ghoſts abundance in the ſame, or the tediouſneſs of my needleſs expreſſing what is by it ſo plentifully plain, and durſt not here omit to expreſs them, were it not partly that I have in a good meaſure expreſſed the ſame, but eſpecially leſt I ſhould ſeem too vain in repetitions, ſince I may not here inſiſt on the ſhewing their difference, from the many former ones of the much like nature; yet doth the clearneſs of Wit, and weakneſs of Will of this Age and preſent occaſions, force me to this ſolicitous preſſing this expreſneſs and variety of the Holy Ghoſt herein; which I have oft in the generals obſerved; and ought thence to be applyed to theſe their many particulars, by thoſe which doubt that the ſcope of the Holy Ghoſt in this place, is to deſcribe and preſcribe the diſtinctneſs of the Church-eſtates; if the very application of the many phraſes, v. 3, 4, 5, ct 6. in the generals, unto theſe expreſs particulars, with what I have here written, be not ſufficient thereto. But this ſeeming ſo unreſiſtable, I will annexe the manner of this diſtinctneſs ſo charged in this place, from the words following, particularizing theſe generals.
The 73. is from or an office; as the ſpeciall particular of all the generals preceding, and general of all the following particulars, That all the former preſcribings and deſcribings of the diſtinctneſs, boundedneſs, and proportionableneſs in Gods true Worſhip in the general, is wholly to be applyed to the Church-Offices in particular: And 74. what is ſaid of the Church-Offices in general, is expreſly applyed to every of the five Offices in particular.