A brief instruction in the worship of God and discipline of the churches of the New Testament by way of question and answer;with an explication and confirmation of those answers.
Prefatory Note.The following Catechism explains the constitution and ordinances of a Christian Church, and the duties incumbent on its office-bearers and members. When it was first published, in 1667, the names of the author and of the printer were withheld, and no intimation even was given of the place in which it was printed, lest danger should be incurred by the publication of a work advocating a form of polity at variance with the ecclesiastical system which the Court was at that time striving to render, as far as possible, universal in England. Dissenting congregations were, however, springing up in different parts of the country, and for the guidance of the Independents the Catechism was particularly useful. It was so much appreciated, that in the same year in which it first appeared, a second edition, with some slight differences and emendations, was published; and hence certain discrepancies between the following version of it and the one which is given in Russell's edition of our author's works, printed from the first edition of the Catechism.
It came to be known as the "Independents' Catechism," and an angry attack was made upon it, in 1669, by Benjamin Camfield, rector of Whitby, in Derbyshire, in an octavo volume of 347 pages, entitled "A Serious Examination of the Independents' Catechism, and therein of the Chief Principles of Nonconformity to, and Separation from, the Church of England." The Catechism, in the estimation of the rector, was "the sink of all nonconforming and separating principles;" and he takes Owen to task for inconsistency in holding the Scriptures to be a sufficient rule of faith and duty. An attack conducted in this spirit only bespeaks the influence which this Catechism was beginning to exert in diffusing the principles and consolidating the interests of the denomination to which its author belonged. It was the occasion of another attack upon Owen, in the shape of a frivolous and bitter pamphlet with the title, "A Letter to a Friend concerning some of Dr Owen's Principles and Practices," etc., 1670. A copy of the Catechism had been sent by the "Friend" to the anonymous author of the pamphlet, who forthwith assailed Owen in a strain of pointless invective. The first charge against him is, that when vice-chancellor at Oxford, he had discountenanced some invidious distinctions in the dress of the members of the university, -- "those habits and formalities by which persons of distinct qualities and degrees were distinguished in that school of learning." It was an offence, too, that "when he was brought into Westminster Hall for his witness against Mr Dutton, he refused to kiss the book, and professed it to be against his conscience to swear with any other ceremony than with eyes and hands lifted up to heaven." The pamphlet closes with "An Independent Catechism," in which the views of our author are caricatured in a style that is intended to be witty.
Certain principles laid down in Owen's Catechism, in regard to the ruling elder for example, are thought to bear some traces of affinity with Presbyterianism. Encouraged especially by the doctrine taught in it, that the elders, not the body of the church, are the primary subjects of office-power, Baxter wrote to Owen a long document of "theses," as the basis of a union between Independents and Presbyterians. The reply of the latter will be found in the Appendix to his "Life," vol. i. p cxix. "I am still a well-wisher to these mathematics," was his remark, when he finally returned the theses to their author; and "this," says Baxter, "was the issue of my third attempt for union with the Independents." There might be ground for supposing that, on terms suggested by the Catechism, a coalition might be effected between the two denominations; and Owen himself, in a subsequent work (see p. 433 of this volume), indicated circumstances in which they could not have been in separation from each other without blame. Superior, however, in practical sagacity to his correspondent, he might see difficulties where Baxter saw none, or might feel that a formula of abstract theses was a waste of ingenuity, so long as the mutual confidence was lacking, which alone could affix upon the union the seal of permanence. Too often the victim of his own ardour and acumen, Baxter was prone to believe that the difficulty of adjusting the wayward eddies of human feeling and opinion into one smooth and onward current, should yield at once to the same treatment as would suffice to work a problem or frame a syllogism. The consummation for which he sincerely panted, -- the outward unity of the church under one polity, -- seems as yet reserved in providence to grace distant and happier times. -- Ed.
A Short Catechism with an Explication Upon the Same.
Question 1 -- What doth God require of us in our dependence on him, that he may be glorified by us, and we accepted with him?
Answer -- That we aworship him bin and by the ways of his own appointment.
aMatt. iv. 10; Deut. vi. 13, x. 20.
bLev. x. 1-3; Exod. xxiv. 3; Zech. xiv. 16.
Explication -- By the worship of God inquired after, not that which is natural or moral, which is required in the first commandment, is intended. Such is our faith and confidence in him, our fear of him, our subjection of soul and conscience unto him, as the great sovereign Lord, First Cause, Last End, Judge, and Rewarder of all men; the law whereof was originally written in the heart of man, and hath been variously improved and directed by new revelations and institutions. And this worship is called natural upon a double account:--
First, Because it depends on the nature of God, a due perception and understanding whereof makes all this worship indispensably necessary: for none can know God but it is his duty to "glorify him as God," -- that is, to believe in him, love him, trust him, and call upon him; which are all therefore cursed that do not, Ps. lxxix. 6; 2 Thess. i. 8.
And, secondly, Because it was in the principle of it created with the nature of man, as that which suited, directed, and enabled him to answer the law of his creation, requiring this obedience of him in his dependence on God. And this worship is invariable: but it concerneth those outward ways and means whereby God hath appointed that faith, and love, and fear of him to be exercised and expressed unto his glory. And this kind of worship, though it depend not upon the nature of God, but upon his free and arbitrary disposal, and so was of old liable unto alterations, yet God did ever strictly require in the several states and conditions that his church hath gone through in the world. And this is that which most commonly in the Scripture is called by the name of "The worship of God," as that whereby all the acceptable actings of the souls of men towards him are expressed, and the only way of owning and acknowledging him in the world, as also of entertaining a visible intercourse with him. This, therefore, he calls for, and requires indispensably of all that draw nigh to him, and that because he is "the Lord our God," Matt. iv. 10; Deut. x. 12, 13. For his observance hereof doth he so approve of Abraham, Gen. xviii. 19; and sets it down as an everlasting law unto all others, that in a holy observation thereof "he will be sanctified in them that come nigh him," Lev. x. 1-3. His commands, also, concerning it are multiplied in the Scripture, with the approbation of all those that attend unto them. We may not think to find acceptance with God, or to inherit the promises, if, supposing ourselves to adhere unto him in worship internal and natural, we neglect that which is external and of his free appointment: for besides that we renounce thereby our inward dependence on him also, in not observing his commands, as Adam did in transgressing an institution, we become wholly useless unto all the ends of his glory in the world; which is not the way to come to an enjoyment of him. Neither do we only express and profess our inward moral-natural worship of God hereby, by which means it becomes the principal way and instrument of faith and trust exerting themselves in our obedience, but also it is a most effectual help and assistance unto the principle of that natural worship, strengthening the habit of it, and exciting it unto all suitable actings, unto its increase and growth.
Question 2 -- By what means do we come to know that God will thus be worshipped?
Answer -- That God is to be worshipped, and that according to his own will and appointment, is a aprincipal branch of the law of our creation written in our hearts, the bsense whereof is renewed in the second commandment; but the ways and means of that worship depend merely on God's csovereign pleasure and institution.
aRom. i. 21, ii. 14, 15; Acts xiv. 16, 17, xvii. 23-31.
bExod. xx. 4-6.
cJer. vii. 31; Heb. iii. 1-6; John i. 18.
Explication -- These two things all men saw by nature:--
First, That God, however they mistook in their apprehensions of him, would be, and was to be, worshipped with some outward solemn worship; so that although some are reported to have even cast off all knowledge and sense of a Divine Being, yet never any were heard of that came to an acknowledgment of any God, true or false, but they all consented that he was constantly and solemnly to be worshipped, and that not only by individual persons, but by societies together; that so they might own and honour him whom they took for their God. And thus far outward worship is required in the first commandment, -- namely, that the inward be exercised and expressed. When we take God for our God, we take him to worship him, Deut. x. 12, 13. Other thoughts, -- namely, of inward worship without outward expression, at all or any time, or in any way, -- are but a covert unto atheism. And, --
Secondly, This also they were led to an apprehension of by the same light whereby they are "a law unto themselves," Rom. ii. 14, that God would be worshipped in the way and by the means that he himself appointed and approved: whence none among the heathen themselves undertook to appoint ways and ceremonies of worship, but still they pretended to derive the knowledge of them from the gods themselves; of whom they reckoned that every one would be worshipped in his own way. And because, notwithstanding this pretence, being left of God and deluded of Satan, they did invent false and foolish ways of worship, not only not appointed of God, but such as were unsuited unto those inbred notions which they had of his nature and excellencies, the apostle convinces and disproves them, as men acting against the light of nature and principles of reason, Rom. i. 20, 21, they might have seen that in their idolatry they answered not their own inbred conceptions of the divine power and Godhead, so as to "glorify him as God;" and in the like manner doth he argue at large, Acts xvii. 22-31. But beyond this the inbred light of nature could not conduct any of the sons of men; this alone is contained in the first precept. That God was to be worshipped they knew, and that he was to be worshipped by ways and means of his own appointment they knew; but what those means were they knew not. These always depended on God's sovereign will and pleasure, and he made them known to whom he pleased, Ps. cxlvii. 19, 20. And although some of the ways which he doth appoint may seem to have a great compliance in them unto the light of nature, yet in his worship he accepts them not on that account, but merely on that of his own institution; and this as he hath declared his will about in the second commandment, so he hath severely forbidden the addition of our own inventions unto what he hath appointed, sending us for instruction unto Him alone whom he hath endowed with sovereign authority to reveal his will and ordain his worship, John i. 18; 1 Chron. xvi. 7.
Question 3 -- How, then, are these ways and means of the worship of God made known unto us?
Answer -- In and by the written word only, which contains a full and perfect revelation of the will of God as to his whole worship and all the concernments of it.
John v. 39; Luke xvi. 29; 2 Tim. iii. 15-17; 2 Pet. i. 19; Deut. iv. 2, xii. 32; Prov. xxx. 6; Rev. xxii. 18, 19; Isa. xxix. 13, 14.
Explication -- The end wherefore God granted his word unto the church was, that thereby it might be instructed in his mind and will as to what concerns the worship and obedience that he requireth of us, and which is accepted with him. This the whole Scripture itself everywhere declares and speaks out unto all that do receive it; as 2 Tim. iii. 15-17, with the residue of the testimonies above recited, do declare. It supposeth, it declareth, that of ourselves we are ignorant how God is, how he ought to be, worshipped, Isa. viii. 20. Moreover, it manifests him to be a "jealous God," exercising that holy property of his nature in an especial manner about his worship, rejecting and despising every thing that is not according to his will, that is not of his institution, Exod. xx. 4-6.
That we may know what is so, he hath made a revelation of his mind and will in his written word, -- that is, the Scripture. And to the end that we might expect instruction from thence alone in his worship, and act therein accordingly, --
First, He sends us and directs us thereunto expressly for that purpose, Isa. viii. 20; John v. 39; and not once intimates in the least any other way or means of instruction unto that end.
Secondly, He frequently affirms that it is sufficient, able, and perfect to guide us therein, 2 Tim. iii. 15-17; 2 Pet. i. 19; Ps. xix. 7-9. And whereas he hath expressly given it unto us for that end, if there be any want or defect therein it must arise from hence, that either God would not or could not give unto us a perfect revelation of his will; neither of which can be imagined.
Thirdly, He hath commanded us to observe all whatsoever he hath appointed therein, and not to make any addition thereunto, Josh. i. 7; Deut. iv. 2, xii. 32; Rev. xxii. 18, 19. And, --
Fourthly, Peculiarly interdicted us the use of any such things as are of the institution or appointment of men, Isa. xxix. 13, 14. So that from the Scriptures alone are we to learn what is accepted with God in his worship.
Question 4 -- Have these ways and means been always the same from the beginning?
Answer -- No; but God hath altered and changed them at sundry seasons, according to the counsel of his own will, so as he saw necessary for his own glory and the edification of his church.
Gen. ii. 16, 17, xvii. 10, 11; Exod. xii. 3-24, xx., xxv. 9; Heb. i. 1, 2, ix. 10-12.
Explication -- The external worship whereof we speak being, as was showed before, not natural or moral, arising necessarily from the dependence of the rational creature on God as its first cause, chiefest good, last end, and sovereign Lord, but proceeding from the mere will and pleasure of God, determining how he will be honoured and glorified in the world, was always alterable by him by whom it was appointed. And whereas, ever since the entrance of sin into the world, God had always respect unto the promise of the Lord Christ and his mediation, in whom alone he will be glorified, and faith in whom he aimed to begin and increase in all his worship, he hath suited his institutions of the means thereof to that dispensation of light and knowledge of him which he was pleased at any time to grant. Thus, immediately after the giving of the promise, he appointed sacrifices for the great means of his worship; as to glorify himself expressly by men's offering unto him of the principal good things which he had given them, so to instruct them in the faith, and confirm them in the expectation of the great sacrifice for sin that was to be offered by the promised seed, Gen. iv. 3, 4; Heb. xi. 4. These were the first instituted worship of God in the world after the entrance of sin. Hereunto he nextly added circumcision, as an express sign of the covenant, with the grace of it, which he called Abraham and his seed unto by Jesus Christ, Gen. xvii. 10, 11. And to the same general end and purpose he afterwards superadded the passover, with its attendant institutions, Exod. xii. 3-24; and then the whole law of institutions contained in ordinances, by the ministry of angels on mount Sinai, Exod. xx. So by sundry degrees he built up that fabric of his outward worship, which was suited, in his infinite wisdom, unto his own glory and the edification of his church, until the exhibition of the promised seed, or the coming of Christ in the flesh, and the accomplishment of the work of his mediation, Heb. i. 1, 2: for unto that season were those ordinances to serve, and no longer, chap. ix. 10-12, and then were they removed by the same authority whereby they were instituted and appointed, Col. ii. 14, 18-20. So that though God would never allow that men upon what pretence soever, should make any alteration in the worship appointed by him, by adding unto it anything of their own, or omitting aught that he had commanded, either in matter or manner, notwithstanding that he knew that it was to abide but for a season, but commanded all men straitly to attend to the observation of it whilst it was by him continued in force, Mal. iv. 4; yet he always reserved unto himself the sovereign power of altering, changing, or utterly abolishing it at his own pleasure: which authority he exerted in the gospel as to all the mere institutions of the Old Testament. Whilst they continued he enforced them with moral reasons, [such] as his own holiness and authority. But those reasons prove not any of those institutions to be moral, unless they ensue upon those reasons alone, and are nowhere else commanded; for being once instituted and commanded, they are to be enforced with moral considerations, taken from the nature of God and our duty in reference unto his authority. So saith he, "Thou shalt reverence my sanctuary, I am the Lord;" which no more proves that a moral duty than that enjoined upon the same foundation, Lord your God: ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye shall be holy; for I am holy: neither shall ye defile yourselves with any manner of creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth." Not defiling ourselves with the touching or eating of creeping things is now no moral duty since the institution is ceased, although it be enforced by many moral considerations.
Question 5 -- Is there any farther alteration to be expected in or of those institutions and ordinances of worship which are revealed and appointed in the gospel?
Answer -- No; the last complete revelation of the will of God being made by the Son, who is Lord of all, his commands and institutions are to be observed inviolably unto the end of the world, without alteration, diminution, or addition.
Heb. i. 1, 2, x. 25-27; 1 Cor. xi. 26; 1 Tim. vi. 14.
Explication -- It was showed before that all the institutions of the Old Testament had respect unto the coming of Christ in the flesh, who was "the end of the law," Rom. x. 4; and thereupon they were subject to alteration and abolition upon a twofold account:--
1. Because that which they were appointed principally to instruct the church in, and to direct it unto the expectation of, was, upon his coming, accomplished and fulfilled; so that their end was absolutely taken away, and they could no more truly teach the mind and will of God, for they would still direct unto that which was to come, after it was past and accomplished. And this is that which the apostle Paul so variously proves and fully confirms in his Epistle to the Hebrews, especially in the seventh, eighth, ninth, and tenth chapters.
2. The Lord Christ, during their continuance, was to come as the Lord over his whole house, with more full and ample authority than any of those whom God had employed in the institution of his ordinances of old were intrusted withal: Heb. i. 1-3, "He spake in time past by the prophets," but now "by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all." Chap. iii. 6, "Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we." And, therefore, they were all to be at his disposal, to confirm or remove, as he saw reason and occasion. And this he did, -- (1.) Virtually, in the sacrifice of himself, or the blood of his cross, fulfilling and finishing of them all, John xix. 30; "breaking down the middle wall of partition; abolishing in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances;" "blotting out the hand-writing of ordinances," he "took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross," Eph. ii. 14, 15; Col. ii. 14. (2.) Authoritatively, by his Spirit in the apostles, and the doctrine of the gospel preached by them: Acts xv. 10, 11, "Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they." Gal. iii. 24, 25, "Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster." Chap. v. 1-4. And, (3.) Eventually or providentially, when he caused sacrifice and offering to cease, by the prince of the people, that came with an army making desolate, to destroy both city and sanctuary, Dan. ix. 26, 27, according to his prediction, Matt. xxiv. 2. But now, under the New Testament, the worship that is appointed in the gospel is founded in and built upon what is already past and accomplished, -- namely, the death and life of Jesus Christ, with the sacrifice and atonement for sin made thereby, 1 Cor. xi. 23-26; which can never be again performed; neither is there any thing else to the same purpose either needful or possible, Heb. x. 26. So that there is not any ground left for any new institution of worship, or any alteration in those that are already instituted. Nor, --
Secondly, Can any one be expected to come from God with a greater and more full authority for the revelation of his mind than that wherewith his only Son was accompanied; which yet must be, if any alterations were to be made in the appointments of worship that he hath instituted in the gospel.
For no inferior nor an equal authority can abolish or alter that which is already appointed, so as to give satisfaction unto the consciences of men in obedience unto such alterations. And, therefore, because there arose not a prophet like unto Moses under the Old Testament, there could be no alteration made in his institutions, but the church was bound severely to observe them all until the coming of Christ: Mal. iv. 4, "Remember ye the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments;" and that because "there arose not a prophet afterwards in Israel like unto Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face," Deut. xxxiv. 10. And our apostle, to prove the right of Christ to alter the ordinances of the law, lays his foundation in manifesting that he was above the angels: Heb. i. 4, "Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they;" and that because the law was given by the ministry of angels, chap. ii. 2; -- and so also that he was greater than Moses, chap. iii. 3, 5, "For this man was counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as he who hath builded the house hath more honour than the house. Moses verily was faithful in all his house, as a servant, but Christ as a son over his own house;" because Moses was the lawgiver, and the mediator between God and man in the giving of the law. Now, if this be the sole foundation and warrant of the alteration made of Mosaical ordinances by Christ, -- namely, that he was greater and exalted above all those whose ministry was used in the dispensation of the law, -- unless some can be thought to be greater, and exalted in authority above the Son of God, there can be no alteration expected in the institutions of the gospel.
Question 6 -- May not such an estate of faith and perfection in obedience be attained in this life, as wherein believers may be freed from all obligation unto the observation of gospel institutions?
Answer -- No; for the ordinances and institutions of the gospel being inseparably annexed unto the evangelical administration of the covenant of grace, they may not be left unobserved, disused, or omitted, whilst we are to walk before God in that covenant, without contempt of the covenant itself, as also of the wisdom and authority of Jesus Christ.
Heb. iii. 3-6; Rom. vi. 3-6; Luke xxii. 19, 20; 1 Cor. xi. 23-26; Rev. ii. 5, iii. 3.
Explication -- All our faith, all our obedience in this life, whatever may be obtained or attained unto therein, it all belongs unto our walking with God in the covenant of grace, wherein God dwells with men, and they are his people, and God himself is with them to be their God. Other ways of communion with him, of obedience unto him, of enjoyment of him, on this side heaven and glory, he hath not appointed nor revealed. Now, this is the covenant that God hath made with his people, "That he will put his laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts, and will be to them a God, and they shall be to him a people; and he will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will he remember no more," Heb. viii. 9-12. And whatever men attain unto, it is by virtue of the grace of that covenant; nor is there any grace promised in the covenant to lead men in this life, or to give them up into a state of perfection, short of glory. Unto this covenant are the institutions of gospel-worship annexed, and unto that administration of it which is granted unto the church upon the coming and death of Christ. Without a renunciation and relinquishment of that covenant and the grace of it, these institutions cannot be omitted or deserted. If men suppose that they have attained to an estate wherein they need neither the grace of God, nor the mercy of God, nor the blood of Christ, nor the Spirit of Christ, it is not much material what they think of the ordinances of worship. Their pride and folly, without that mercy which is taught, promised, and exhibited in those ordinances, will speedily be their ruin. Besides, the Lord Christ is the absolute Lord "over his own house," Heb. iii. 3-6; and he hath given out the laws whereby he will have it guided and ruled whilst it is in this world. In and by these laws are his ordinances of worship established. For any persons, on what pretence soever, to plead an exemption from the obligation of those laws, it is nothing but to cast off the lordship and dominion of Christ himself. And yet farther to secure our obedience in this matter, he hath expressly commanded the continuance of them until his coming unto judgment, as in the places above quoted will appear.
Question 7 -- What are the chief things that we ought to aim at in our observation of the institutions of Christ in the gospel?
Answer -- aTo sanctify the name of God; bto own and avow our professed subjection to the Lord Jesus Christ; cto build up ourselves in our most holy faith; and, dto testify and confirm our mutual love, as we are believers.
aLev. x. 3; Heb. xii. 28, 29.
bDeut. xxvi. 17; Josh. xxiv. 22; 2 Cor. viii. 5.
cEph. iv. 11-16; 1 Cor. x. 16, 17.
Explication -- That we may profitably and comfortably, unto the glory of God and our own edification, be exercised in the observation of the institutions and worship of God, we are always to consider what are the ends for which God hath appointed them and commanded our attendance unto them, that so our observance of them may be the obedience of faith. For, what end soever God hath appointed them unto, for that end are they useful and effectual, and to no other. If we come to them for any other end, if we use them for any other purpose or with any other design, if we look for any thing in them or by them, but what God hath appointed them to communicate unto us, we dishonour God and deceive our own souls. This we ought diligently to inquire into, to know not only what God requires of us, but wherefore also he requires it, and what he aims at therein; some of the principal things whereof are enumerated in this answer. And it is well known how horribly many of the institutions of the gospel have been by some (especially the Papists) abused, by a neglect of the ends of God in them, and imposing new ends of their own upon them, unto superstition and idolatry. Grace is ascribed unto the outward observance of them, whereas all grace is of the promise, and the promise in the covenant is given only to the faith of the right observers. The elements in the sacrament of the eucharist are turned into a god, first worshipped and then devoured, with many the like abominations.
Question 8 -- How may we sanctify the name of God in the use of gospel institutions?
Answer -- aBy a holy reverence of his sovereign authority appointing of them; ba holy regard unto his special presence in them; cfaith in his promises annexed to them; ddelight in his will, wisdom, love, and grace, manifested in them; econstancy and perseverance in obedience unto him in their due observation.
aLev. x. 3; Rom. iv. 11; James iv. 12.
bMatt. xxviii. 20; Exod. xxix. 43-45.
c2 Cor. vi. 16-18, vii. 1.
dPs. lxxxiv. 1, 2, 4, 10, lxv. 4, xxxvi. 7, 8.
ePs. xxiii. 6, xxvii. 4; Gal. vi. 9; Heb. x. 23-25, xii. 3.
Explication -- This is the first thing that God requireth us to attend unto in the celebration of the ordinances of his worship, -- namely, that we therein sanctify his name, the greatest duty that we are called unto in this world. This he lays down as the general rule of all we do herein: Lev. x. 3, "I will," saith he, "be sanctified in them that come nigh me, and before all the people I will be glorified." Whatever we do in his worship, we must do it that he may be sanctified, or whatever we do is an abomination to him. Now, the principal ways how we may herein sanctify the name of God are expressed; as, --
First, When in every ordinance we consider his appointment of it, and submit our souls and consciences unto his authority therein; which if we observe any thing in his worship but what he hath appointed we cannot do. Not formality, not custom, not the precepts of men, not any thing but the authority and command of God, is to be respected in this obedience. This is the first thing that faith regards in divine worship; it rests not in any thing, closeth not with any thing, but what it discerns that God hath commanded, and therein it eyes his authority as he requireth it: Mal. i. 6, "If I be a father, where is mine honour? and if I be a master, where is my fear?" Rom. xiv. 11, "As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God." Reverence, then, unto the authority of God appointing his worship is a principal means of sanctifying the name of God therein. This was the solemn sanction of all his institutions of old: Deut. vi. 4-7, "Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord: and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thy heart: and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children." And the observation of them he presseth on this account, that the people might fear that "glorious and fearful name, The Lord thy God," Deut. xxviii. 58; which name he had so often engaged in his commands, saying, "Thou shalt do it; I am the Lord." And in the New Testament, our Lord Jesus Christ proposeth his authority as the foundation of his commanding, and our observation of all the institutions of the gospel: Matt. xxviii. 18-20, "Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you." And he is to be considered in all our obedience as the great and only lawgiver of his church; as the "one lawgiver, who is able to save and destroy," James iv. 12; the sovereign Lord over his "house," Heb. iii. 4-6, unto whom every knee is to bow and every conscience to be in subjection: and he who heareth not his voice is to be cut off from the people of God: Acts iii. 23, "It shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people."
Secondly, God hath frequently promised his special presence in and with his instituted ordinances of old, both unto the things themselves and the places wherein they were according to his appointment to be celebrated, those places being also his special institution. Under the New Testament, all difference of and respect unto place is taken away: John iv. 21, 23, "The hour cometh when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him." And we are commanded in all places equally to make our prayers and supplications. But his presence is promised and continued with the due celebration of the things themselves by him appointed for his service: Matt. xxviii. 20, "Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world." In them is the "tabernacle of God with men," and he "dwells among them, and they are his people," Rev. xxi. 3; the promise of Christ being, that "where two or three are gathered together in his name, there he will be in the midst of them," Matt. xviii. 19, 20. And this promised presence of God, or Christ, consisteth, -- 1. In the power and efficacy which he by his Spirit implants upon his ordinances to communicate his grace and mercy unto his church, it being his covenant that his Spirit shall accompany his word for ever unto that purpose, Isa. lix. 21. 2. In the special blessing which he gives his people in those duties, both in the acceptance of them and testifying his good-will unto them: Exod. xxix. 42, 43, 45, "At the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, there I will meet with the children of Israel, and the tabernacle shall be sanctified by my glory. And I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will be their God;" Zech. ii. 10, 11; Ezek. xx. 40, 41, "I will accept you with your sweet savour;" chap. xliii. 27; -- in both giving them intimate communion with himself by Jesus Christ, 1 John i. 3. By all these he gives that special presence, which he requires an especial reverence and regard of faith unto, whereby his name is yet farther sanctified.
Thirdly, God hath given special promises, or promises of his special grace, unto them that attend upon him in his worship in a due manner. And hereunto also belongs that sacred relation which, by virtue of divine institution, is between the sacramental elements and the especial graces of the covenant which they exhibit and confirm; and the mixing of these promises with faith, according as they are appropriated unto any particular institution, belongs also to the right sanctification of the mind of God. So also, --
Fourthly, Doth our delight in them. Now, this delight in the worship of God, so much commended in the Scripture, and proposed unto our example, consists not in any carnal self-pleasing, or satisfaction in the outward modes or manner of the performance of divine worship; but it is a holy, soul-refreshing contemplation on the will, wisdom, grace, and condescension of God, in that he is pleased, of his own sovereign mere will and grace, so to manifest himself unto such poor sinful creatures as we are, so to condescend unto our weakness, so to communicate himself unto us, so to excite and draw forth our souls unto himself, and to give us such pledges of his gracious intercourse with us by Jesus Christ. By the contemplation of these things is the soul drawn forth to delight in God.
Lastly, Whereas great opposition lies oftentimes against the church's obedience unto God in this matter, and much persecution befalls it on that account, -- great weariness also being apt, from the remainders of unbelief, carnal wisdom, indwelling sin, weakness of the flesh in believers themselves, to arise in the course thereof, and many temptations also beset them on every hand, to turn them aside from the way of truth and holiness, -- constancy and perseverance in the due and orderly celebration of all the ordinances of the gospel belongs unto this duty. And this perseverance respecteth both the things themselves and the manner of their performance, both which are of the highest concernment for us diligently to attend unto.
1. As to the things themselves. Herein do we principally glorify God and give due honour unto Jesus Christ, when we abide in our professed subjection unto him and observance of his commands against difficulties, oppositions, and persecutions. This he taketh notice of, Rev. ii. 13, "Thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth." And this he requireth of us indispensably if we will be his disciples, or ever hope to obtain the reward: Matt. x. 38, 39, "He that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me;" and it is "he that shall endure unto the end" that shall be "saved," chap. xxiv. 13. And unto them who are "faithful unto death," and them alone, doth he give the "crown of life," Rev. ii. 10; giving us caution not to "lose those things which we have wrought," that we may "receive a full reward," 2 John 8.
2. And as to the manner of their performance, two things are to be regarded in this duty of perseverance, and the sanctification of the name of God therein:-- (1.) The inward principle of our obedience, our faith and love; which are to be preserved from decay: Rev. ii. 4, 5, "I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works." Chap. iii. 3, "Remember how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent." (2.) The outward manner of observance; which is to be kept entire, according to the primitive institution of Christ: 1 Cor. xi. 23, "I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you," -- not admitting of any corruptions in it, to avoid the greatest trouble: Gal. v. 11, "And I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution?"
Question 9 -- How do we in our observation profess our subjection unto the Lord Jesus Christ and his gospel?
Answer -- In that being all of them, first appointed by him as the head, lawgiver, and king of his church; and, secondly, made by him the ensigns and tokens of his kingdom and subjects; in their due observation principally consists that profession of him and his name which he so often calleth us unto, and so indispensably requireth at our hands.
Matt. xxviii. 18-20; 1 Cor. xi. 23; Heb. iii. 6, xii. 25; John xiii. 13, viii. 31, xiv. 15, 21, 23, xv. 14, 17, xiii. 35, xv. 14; Rom. x. 10; 1 John ii. 3, 4.
Explication -- The ground and reason of this duty is evident. The Lord Jesus Christ straitly enjoins all his disciples the profession of his name, and lays it on them as indispensable unto salvation: Rom. x. 10, "With the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession," or profession, "is made unto salvation;" John xii. 42-45. Now, this profession of the name of Christ, which is so much abused and mistaken in the world, consists in the keeping of his commandments: John xv. 14, "Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you." So also, Matt. xxviii. 20, his disciples are to be taught to do and observe whatever he commandeth. Now, whereas he is the head and king of the church, the next immediate and special lawgiver of it, appointing unto it all his ordinances and its whole worship, as it becomes him who is lord of the house, the institutions of the gospel worship are his most especial commands; and in their observation consists that profession of him which he requires of us; therein doth he call them out of the world by profession whom he hath redeemed out of it by his blood, 2 Cor. vi. 15-18; Rev. v. 9. In these he exerciseth his kingly or lordly power over his church, Heb. iii. 6; and in the willing obedience of his people, gathering themselves unto the ensigns of his rule, he is glorified in the world.
Question 10 -- How do we in and by them build up ourselves in our most holy faith?
Answer -- By the exercise of that communion with God in Christ Jesus which, in their due observation, he graciously invites and admits us unto, for the increase of his grace in us, and the testification of his love and good-will towards us.
Rom. vi. 3.
Explication -- The next and principal ends of all instituted worship, in respect of believers, are, the increase of the grace of God in them, their edification in their most holy faith, and the testification of the good-will of God unto them: Eph. iv. 11-16, "And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: that we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; but speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: from whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love." Whence, also, is that prayer of the apostle for the blessing of God upon the church, in the use of them: Eph. iii. 16-19, "That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God." For these ends, and with a design to have them accomplished in and upon their souls, ought they to attend unto them: James i. 21, "Receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls." 1 Pet. ii. 2, "As new-born babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby." Unto the effecting of these ends, especially the increase and establishment of our faith, are they suited and appointed of God; whereon all their efficacy doth depend. In their due observation doth God give out that supply of grace which he hath promised, Eph. iii. 16-19. And thus also is faith exercised in an especial manner; which is the only ordinary means of its growth and increase. Habits, both acquired and infused, are increased and strengthened by frequent acts on suitable objects: Hos. vi. 3, "Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord." In the celebration of gospel ordinances, God in Christ proposeth himself in an intimate manner to the believing soul as his God and reward; and his love in Christ, in an especial manner, in some ordinances. So doth Christ also exhibit himself thereunto: Rev. iii. 20, "Behold, I stand at the door and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me." Faith, therefore, directed by the word to rest in God, to receive the Lord Christ in the observation of his ordinances, is excited, increased, strengthened, and that in answer unto the appointment and promises of God.
Question 11 -- How are mutual love and communion among believers testified and confirmed in their observation?
Answer -- In that they are appointed by the Lord Christ for that end, and in their own nature, as attended unto in their assemblies, are in an especial manner suited unto that purpose.
John xiii. 35; 1 Cor. x. 16, 17, xi. 18, 19; Eph. iv. 3-6.
Explication -- The principles of mutual, spiritual love among believers arise from their relation unto one Father: Matt. xxiii. 9, "One is your Father, which is in heaven," who giveth unto all them that believe in Christ "power to become the sons of God," John i. 12; and their being all children of the same family, -- that family in heaven and earth which is called after the name of God, the Father of it, as the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Eph. iii. 14, 15; -- and unto Christ Jesus as their elder brother, who "is not ashamed to call them brethren," Heb. ii. 11, being by him born of God; -- and from their participation of one and the self-same Spirit, which dwelleth in them, as they are "the temple of God, and the Spirit of God dwelleth in them," 1 Cor. iii. 16; as also in all the fruits of that one Spirit, 1 Cor. xii. 4-8, and in that one faith and hope whereunto they are called: Eph. iv. 3-6, "Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all." And that love which is not built on these principles and foundations is not evangelical, whatever other ground it may have, or occasion it may pretend unto. Communion of saints consists in their mutual love, duly exercised according to rule; and all communion is an effect of union. In union therefore must lie the springs of love, and this consists in a joint incorporation of believers into Christ; "for as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body being many, are one body, so also is Christ; for by one Spirit we are all baptized into one body;" -- and this they have by the means before mentioned, namely, their adoption, faith, and inhabitation of the Spirit. Now, in the joint celebration of the ordinances of God's worship, they all together make profession of these principles, and act that one faith, hope, and love jointly, whereof they are made partakers, and thereby grow up more and more into the head "by that which every joint supplieth," Eph. iv. 16. And some of them are peculiarly designed by the Lord Christ for the testification of their love and union among themselves: 1 Cor. x. 16, 17, "The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread."
Question 12 -- What is principally to be attended unto by us in the manner of the celebration of the worship of God, and observation of the institutions and ordinances of the gospel?
Answer -- That we observe and do all whatsoever the Lord Christ hath commanded us to observe, in the way that he hath prescribed; and that we add nothing unto or in the observation of them that is of man's invention or appointment.
Deut. iv. 2, xii. 32; Matt. xv. 9, 13, xvii. 5; Matt. xxviii. 20 Heb. iii. 3-6; 1 Cor. xi. 23; Rev. xxii. 18, 19; 1 Chron. xvi. 7; Isa. xxix. 13.
Explication -- This was in part spoken to before on the third question, where it was showed that the Scripture is the only way and means whereby God hath revealed what that worship is which he will accept in and of the church. Here, moreover, as to the duty of the church in this matter, three things are asserted:--
First, That we are to observe and do all whatsoever the Lord Christ hath commanded us to observe. This lies plain in the command, Mat. xxviii. 20, "Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you." And we are directed unto it in the injunction given us from heaven, to "hear," -- that is, to obey him in all things, Matt. xvii. 5, he being the prophet to whose teachings and instructions we owe obedience, on pain of extermination from among the people of God, Deut. xviii. 15, 18, 19; Acts iii. 22, 23. Whatever he hath appointed, commanded, revealed as the will of God to be observed in or about the worship of God, that is to kept and observed by the church inviolably; for if we are his friends and disciples, we will keep his commandments. No disuse, of what continuance soever, can discharge us from the observation of institutions. After the feast of tabernacles had been disused from the times of Joshua unto the return from the captivity, the restoration of it was required of God and accepted with him, Neh. viii. 17. No abuse, of how high a nature soever, can absolve us from obedience unto an institution, 1 Cor. xi. 20-23. After the great abuse of the Lord's supper in that church, the apostle recalls them again unto the observation of it, according to the institution of Christ. And after the defilement of all the ordinances of the gospel, under the antichristian apostasy, yet the temple and the alter are to be measured again, Rev. xi. 1, and the tabernacle of God was again to be raised amongst men, chap. xxi. 3. No opposition, no persecution, can give the church a dispensation wholly to omit and lay aside the use of any thing that the Lord Christ hath commanded to be observed in the worship of God, whilst we are under the obligation of that great rule, Acts iv. 19, "Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye." It is true, in the observation of positive institutions, we may have regard unto rules and prescriptions of prudence, as to times, places, and seasons, that by no inadvertency or miscarriage of ours, or advantage taken by the adversaries of the truth, the edification of the church be hindered; -- so the disciples met with "the doors shut for fear of the Jews," John xx. 19; and Paul met with the disciples in the night, in "an upper chamber," for the celebration of all the ordinances of the church, Acts xx. 7, 8; -- yet, as to the obligation unto their observation, it indispensably binds us, and that always, and that as to all the institutions of Christ whatever: Heb. x. 25, "Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching." To dispense with Christ's commands practically is unlawful, much more doctrinally, most of all authoritatively, as the pope takes on himself to do. This, then, is the church's duty, to search out all the commands of Christ recorded in the gospel, and to yield obedience unto them. We are not, in this matter, to take up merely with what we find in practice amongst others, no, though they be men good or holy. The duty of the church, and, consequently, of every member of it in his place and station, is to search the Scriptures, to inquire into the mind of Christ, and that with hearts and minds prepared unto a due observation of whatever shall be discovered to be his will.
Secondly, Whatever belongs unto the worship of God, in the way or manner whereby any of the ordinances of Christ is to be performed, comes also under the command of Christ, which is duly to be attended unto and observed. Indeed, whatever is of this nature appointed by Christ, it doth therefore belong to the worship of God; and what is not so appointed neither doth nor can be any part thereof. Of this nature is the celebration of all other ordinances with prayer, for every thing is "sanctified by the word of God and prayer," 1 Tim. iv. 5; of some of them indispensably in the assemblies of the church, 1 Cor. x. 16, 17, xi. 20, 24, 25, 33; with care in the observation of the general rules of love, modesty, condescension, and prudence, "doing all things decently and in order," 1 Cor. xi. 33, xiv. 40; gestures in some sacred actions, Matt. xxvi. 20, 26-28; John xiii. 23; -- all which the church is diligently to inquire into, as things that belong to the pattern of the house of God, "the goings out thereof and the comings in thereof, the forms thereof and the ordinances thereof, with the laws thereof," promised to be showed unto it, Ezek. xliii. 11. To attend carefully to their observation is its duty, being left at liberty as to all other circumstances; which no authority of man can give any real relation to the worship of God unto. Therein lies the exercise of that spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of the mystery of the gospel, which is given unto the church, Eph. i. 17, 18. It was the wisdom of the ancient church to do and observe all that God appointed, in the way and manner that he had prescribed for their observance: Deut. iv. 5, 6, "Behold, I have taught you statutes and judgments, even as the Lord my God commanded me. Keep therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding." And herein is the command of Christ kept inviolate and unblamable. The persuasion of some, that the Lord hath not prescribed all things wherein his worship is concerned, seems to proceed from a negligence in inquiring after what he hath so prescribed. And when once that persuasion is entertained, all farther inquiry is superseded and despised; for to what end should any one seek after that which he is satisfied cannot be found? as that which is not cannot be. But this mistake will be elsewhere more fully discovered.
Thirdly, A principal part of the duty of the church in this matter is, to take care that nothing be admitted or practised in the worship of God, or as belonging thereunto, which is not instituted and appointed by the Lord Christ. In its care, faithfulness, and watchfulness herein consists the principal part of its loyalty unto the Lord Jesus, as the head, king, and lawgiver of his church; and which to stir us up into, he hath left so many severe interdictions and prohibitions in his word against all additions to his commands, upon any pretence whatever; of which afterward.
Question 13 -- Are not some institutions of the New Testament ceased as to any obligation unto their observation, and therefore now rightly disused?
Answer -- aSome symbolical tokens of moral duties, occasionally used, only for present instruction in those duties, are mentioned in the gospel, without any intention to oblige believers unto the formal constant use and repetition of them; and bsome temporary appointments relating unto gifts in the church, bestowed only for a season on the first plantation of the gospel, are ceased; -- but cno institution or command of Christ, given unto the whole church, relating unto the evangelical administration of the new covenant, for the use and benefit of all believers, doth or shall cease to the end of the world, nor can be wholly omitted without a violation of the authority of Jesus Christ himself.
aJohn xiii. 12-15; Rom. xvi. 16; 1 Tim. v. 10.
bMark vi. 13; 1 Tim. vi. 14; 1 Cor. xi. 26.
Explication -- Mention is made in the Scriptures of sundry things practised by the Lord Christ and his apostles, which being then in common use among men, were occasionally made by them symbolical instructions in moral duties. Such were washing of feet by one another, the holy kiss, and the like. But there being no more in them but a sanctified use directed unto the present civil customs and usages, the commands given concerning them respect not the outward action, nor appointed any continuance of them, being peculiarly suited unto the state of things and persons in those countries; as, John xiii. 12-15, "After he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you? Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you." It is evident in the moral duty of brotherly love, in condescension and mutual helpfulness, to be expressed in all necessary offices as occasion doth require, that is the thing which Jesus Christ here enjoined his disciples, and leads them to by his own example in an office of love then in use in those parts. The same is to be said of the "holy kiss," Rom. xvi. 16; which was a temporary, occasional token of entire love, which may, in answer thereunto, be expressed by any sober usage of salutation amongst men to the same purpose. But the things themselves were not instituted for any continuance, nor do represent any special grace of the new covenant, which is inseparable from every institution of gospel worship properly so called. Common usages or practices, therefore, directed to be used in a due manner and unto a proper end, where they are used, make them not institutions of worship. Neither have they in them, as so commanded or directed, any one thing that concurs to the constitution of a gospel ordinance; for neither had they their rise in the authority of Christ, nor is any continuance of them enjoined, nor any promise annexed unto them, nor any grace of the new covenant represented or exhibited in them.
Besides, there were in the first churches, continued for a while, certain extraordinary gifts, that had their effects visible on the outward senses of men, and tended not immediately unto the edification of the churches in their faith, but unto the conviction of others, and vindication of the authority of them by whom the gospel was preached and propagated. Such was that gift of healing the sick: which being an especial effect of the Holy Ghost for the advantage of the church in those days, in some places it was accompanied by anointing with oil; but this being no universal practice, and used only in the exercise of a gift extraordinary, whose use and being has long since ceased, it never was appointed nor intended to be of continuance in the church, which is not tied by the Lord Christ to the empty signs and shadows of things whose substance is not enjoyed. Besides, no spiritual grace of the covenant was ever intimated, sealed, or exhibited by that usage of anointing with oil. The first mention of it is, Mark vi. 13, where its practice is reckoned among the effects of that extraordinary power which the Lord Christ committed unto his twelve disciples on their first sending out, and is referred unto the same series of miracles which they wrought in pursuit and by virtue thereof: "They cast out many devils, and anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed them." And by what is there recorded, the subsequent mention of it, James v. 14, is to be regulated. But now, unto a real evangelical institution of worship, it is required, -- 1. That it be a command of Christ, manifested by his word or example proposed unto our imitation, Matt. xxviii. 20; 2. That it be given and enjoined unto the whole church, with the limitation of its administration expressed in the word, 1 Cor. xi. 25; 3. That, unto the due performance of it, gospel grace be required in them that attend unto it; 4. That it teach, or represent, or seal, or improve some grace of the covenant, and have a promise of acceptation annexed unto it. And whatever is thus appointed, the church is indispensably to continue in the observation of, unto the end of the world.
Question 14 -- May not the church find out, and appoint to be observed, such religious rites as, being adjoined unto the celebration of God's instituted worship, may further the devotion of the worshippers, and render the worship itself in its performance more decent, beautiful, and orderly, as the appointing of images, and the like?
Answer -- All acceptable devotion in them that worship God is the effect of faith, which respects the precepts and promises of God alone. And the comeliness and beauty of gospel worship consisteth in its relation unto God by Jesus Christ, as the merciful high priest over his house, with the glorious administration of the Spirit therein. The order also of it lieth in the due and regular observation of all that Christ hath appointed. And therefore all such inventions are in themselves needless and useless, and, because forbidden, unlawful to be observed.
Rom. i. 21, xiv. 23; Heb. iv. 2, xi. 4, 6; Deut. xiii. 4, xxvii. 10, xxx. 2, 8, 20, xi. 27; Isa. xxix. 13; 2 Cor. iii. 7-11; Heb. x. 19-22; John iv. 21-23; 1 Cor. xiv. 25; Matt. xxviii. 20; Deut. iv. 2; Deut. xii. 32, xvii. 3.
Explication -- Three things are usually pleaded in the justification of the observance of such rites and ceremonies in the worship of God:-- First, That they tend unto the furtherance of the devotion of the worshippers; secondly, That they render the worship itself comely and beautiful; thirdly, That they are the great preservers of order in the celebration thereof. And therefore on these accounts they may be instituted or appointed by some, and observed by all.
God is a Spirit, and will be worshipped in spirit and in truth," John iv. 24. And no devotion is acceptable unto him, but what proceedeth from and is an effect of faith; for "without faith it is impossible to please God," Heb. xi. 6. And faith in all things respects the commands and authority of God; for saith he, "In vain do they worship me, who teach for doctrines the commandments of men," Matt. xv. 9; and he rejecteth all that honour which is given him by those whose fear towards him or worship of him is "taught by the precepts of men," Isa. xxix. 13. These things, therefore, being utterly destitute of divine authority, they can no way further or promote the devotion of the worshippers. What natural or carnal affections may be excited by them, -- as men may "inflame themselves with idols," Isa. lvii. 5, -- or what outward, outside devotion they may direct unto or excite, is uncertain; but that they are no means of stirring up the grace of God in the hearts of believers, or of the increase or strengthening of their faith, -- which things alone God accepts in gospel worship, -- seeing they are not appointed by him for any such purpose, is most certain: for to say that any thing will effectually stir up devotion, -- that is, excite, strengthen, or increase grace in the heart towards God, -- that is not of his own appointment, is on the one hand to reflect on his wisdom and care towards his church, as if he had been wanting towards it in things so necessary, which he declares against, Isa. v. 4, "What," saith he, "could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it?" so on the other, it extols the wisdom of men above what is meet to ascribe unto it. Shall men find out that which God would not, or could not, in matters of so great importance unto his glory and the souls that obey him? Yea, and it cannot be but that attendance unto them and their effects must needs divert the mind from those proper spiritual actings of faith and grace which is its duty to attend unto. And this is evidently seen in them who, indulging to themselves in their observation in multiplied instances, as in the church of Rome, have changed the whole spiritual worship of the church into a theatrical, pompous show of carnal devotion.
Secondly, The comeliness and beauty of gospel worship doth not in the least depend upon them nor their observation. The apostle doth in sundry places expressly compare the spiritual worship of the gospel with that of the law, whilst the church had a worldly sanctuary and carnal ordinances, Heb. ix. 1. And although it be most evident that the worship of the Old Testament did, for the glory and ornaments of outward ceremonies, and the splendour of their observation, far exceed and excel that worship which God commands now, as suitable unto the simplicity of the gospel, yet doth the apostle prefer this, for glory, comeliness, and beauty, unspeakably above the other; which manifests that these things can have no respect unto outward rites and ceremonies, wherein the chief admirers of them can no way vie for glory with the old worship of the temple. So the apostle, 2 Cor. iii. 7-11, "If the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not steadfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away: how shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious? For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory. For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth. For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious." He compareth the two ministrations and the several worships of the law and gospel, preferring this unspeakably above the other, sufficiently manifesting that the glory of it consisteth not in any pompous observance of outward ceremonies. And elsewhere he declareth that indeed it doth consist in its relation to God in Christ, with the liberty and boldness of the worshippers to enter into the holy place, unto the throne of grace, under the ministry of their merciful and faithful high priest, being enabled thereunto by the Spirit of adoption and supplications; for therein, "through Christ, we have access by one Spirit unto the Father," Eph. ii. 18; as it is expressed, Heb. x. 19-21, "Having therefore boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the vail, that is to say, his flesh; and having an high priest over the house of God; let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water." This is the glory of gospel worship and the beauty of it; whose consideration whilst the minds of men are diverted from, to look for beauty in the outward preparation of ceremonies, they lose the privilege purchased for believers by the blood of Christ. Instead, then, of furthering the beauty and comeliness of gospel worship, they are apt to lead men into a dangerous error and mistake, -- as, upon a due consideration, will appear to be mean and carnal, and far beneath those ceremonies and ordinances of the Old Testament, which yet, in comparison of the worship of the gospel, are called "worldly, carnal, beggarly," and are said to have "no glory."
Thirdly, They do not in the least tend unto the preservation of due order in the celebration of divine worship. All order consists in the due observation of rule. The rules of actions are either natural or of his special appointment. Both these take place in religious worship; the institutions or commands of Christ containing the substance thereof, in their observation principally consists the order of it. Whatever is of circumstance in the manner of its performance, not capable of especial determination, as emerging or arising only occasionally, upon the doing of that which is appointed at this or that time, in this or that place, and the like, is left unto the rule of moral prudence, in whose observation their order doth consist. But the superaddition of ceremonies necessarily belonging neither to the institutions of worship nor unto those circumstances whose disposal falls under the rule of moral prudence, neither doth nor can add any thing unto the due order of gospel worship; so that they are altogether needless and useless in the worship of God. Neither is this the whole of the inconvenience wherewith their observance is attended; for although they are not in particular and expressly in the Scripture forbidden, -- for it was simply impossible that all instances wherein the wit of man might exercise its invention in such things should be reckoned up and condemned, -- yet they fall directly under those severe prohibitions which God hath recorded to secure his worship from all such additions unto it, of what sort soever. Yea, the main design of the second precept is to forbid all making unto ourselves any such things in the worship of God, to add unto what he hath appointed; whereof an instance is given in that of making and worshipping images, the most common way that the sons of men were then prone to transgress by against the institutions of God. And this sense and understanding of the commandment is secured by those ensuing prohibitions against the adding any thing at all unto the commands of God in his worship: Deut. iv. 2, "Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the Lord your God." Chap. xii. 32, "What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it;" chap. xvii. 3. To the same purpose were the places before mentioned, Matt. xv. 9, etc.; as also that severe rule applied by our Saviour unto the additions of the Pharisees, verse 13, "Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up."
And there is yet farther evidence contributed unto this intention of the command, from those places where such evils and corruptions as were particularly forbidden in the worship of God are condemned, not on the special account of their being so forbidden, but on that more general, of being introduced without warrant from God's institutions or commands: Jer. vii. 31, "They have built the high places of Tophet, which is in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to burn their sons and daughters in the fire; which I commanded not, neither came it into my heart." Chap. xix. 5, "They have built also the high places of Baal, to burn their sons with fire for burnt offerings unto Baal, which I commanded not, nor spake it, neither came it into my mind." These things were particularly forbidden; but yet God here condemns them as coming under the general evil of making additions unto his commands, -- doing that which he commanded not, nor did it ever enter into his heart.
The Papists say, indeed, that all additions corrupting the worship of God are forbidden, but such as further, adorn, and preserve it are not so; which implies a contradiction, for whereas every addition is principally a corruption because it is an addition, under which notion it is forbidden (and that in the worship of God which is forbidden is a corruption of it), there can be no such preserving, adorning addition, unless we allow a preserving and adorning corruption. Neither is it of more force which is pleaded by them, that the additions which they make belong not unto the substance of the worship of God, but unto the circumstances of it; for every circumstance observed religiously, or to be observed in the worship of God, is of the substance of it, as were all those ceremonious observances of the law, which had the same respect in the prohibitions of adding with the most weighty things whatsoever.
Question 15 -- Whence may it appear that the right and due observation of instituted worship is of great importance unto the glory of God, and of high concernment unto the souls of men?
Answer -- This is fully taught in the Scriptures; as, aGod would never accept in any state of the church, before or since the fall, moral obedience without the observation of some institutions as trials, tokens, and pledges of that obedience. And bin their use and signification by his appointment they nearly concern the principal mysteries of his will and grace; and cby their celebration is he glorified in the world. And, therefore, das he hath made blessed promises to his people, to grant them his presence and to bless them in their use; so, ebeing the tokens of the marriage relation that is between him and them, with respect unto them alone he calls himself "a jealous God," and fhath actually exercised signal severity towards the neglecters, corrupters, or abusers of them.
aGen. ii. 16, 17, iv. 3-5, xvii. 9-11; Exod. xii. 21, xx.; Matt. xxviii. 19, 20, xxvi. 26, 27; Eph. iv. 11, 12; Rev. i. 13, xxi. 3.
b1 Cor. xi. 23-26.
cSee questions the eighth and ninth.
dExod. xxix. 42, 43, 45; Deut. xiv. 23, 24; Ps. cxxxiii. 3; Rev. xxi. 3.
eExod xx. 5; Ezek. xvi.
fLev. x. 1, 2; Num. xvi. 1-40; 1 Sam. ii. 27-34; 2 Sam. vi. 6, 7; 2 Chron. xxvi. 16-21; 1 Cor. xi. 30.
Explication -- For the most part, the instituted worship of God is neglected and despised in the world. Some are utterly regardless of it, supposing that if they attend, after their manner, unto moral obedience, that neither God nor themselves are much concerned in this matter of his worship. Others think the disposal and ordering of it to be so left unto men, that, as to the manner of its performance, they may do with it as it seems right in their own eyes; and some follow them therein, as willingly walking after their commandments, without any respect unto the will or authority of God. But the whole Scripture gives us utterly another account of this matter. The honour of God in this world, the trial of our faith and obedience, the order and beauty of the church, the exaltation of Christ in our professed subjection to him, and the saving of our souls in the ways of his appointment, are therein laid upon the due and right observance of instituted worship; and they who are negligent about these things, whatever they pretend, have no real respect unto anything that is called religion. First, therefore, in every state and condition of the church, God hath given his ordinances of worship as the touchstone and trial of its faith and obedience; so that they by whom they are neglected do openly refuse to come unto God's trial. In the state of innocency, the trial of Adam's obedience, according to the law of nature, was in and by the institution of the tree of life, and of the knowledge of good and evil: Gen ii. 16, 17, "And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die." This was the first institution of God, and it was given unto the church in the state of innocency and purity. And in our first parents' neglect of attending thereunto did they transgress the whole law of their creation, as failing in their duty in that which was appointed for their trial in the whole: Chap. iii. 11, "Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?", etc. And the church in his family after the fall, built upon the promise, was tried also in the matter of instituted worship. Nor was there any discovery of the wickedness of Cain, or approbation of the faith of Abel, until they came to be proved in their sacrifices; a new part of God's instituted worship, the first in the state and condition of sin and the fall whereinto it was brought: Gen. iv. 3-5, "In process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord. And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering: but unto Cain and his offering he had not respect." The ground whereof the apostle declares, Heb. xi. 4, "By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts." In the observation of that first institution, given to the church in the state of the fall, did Abel receive a testimony of his being justified and accepted with God. Afterward, when Abraham was called, and peculiarly separated to bear forth the name of God in the world, and to become the spring of the church for future ages, he had the institution of circumcision given him for the trial of his obedience; the law and condition whereof was, that he who observed it not should be esteemed an alien from the covenant of God, and be cut off from his people: Gen. xvii. 9-11, "God said unto Abraham, Thou shalt keep my covenant, thou, and thy seed after thee in their generations. This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man-child among you shall be circumcised." Verse 14, "And the uncircumcised man-child whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, that soul shall be cut off from his people; he hath broken my covenant." And in like manner, so soon as ever his posterity were to be collected into a new church state and order, God gave the ordinance of the passover: Exod. xii. 24, "Ye shall observe this thing for an ordinance to thee and to thy sons for ever;" and that upon the same penalty with that of circumcision. To these he added many more on mount Sinai, Exod. xx.; all as the trials of their faith and obedience unto succeeding generations. How he hath dealt with his church under the New Testament we shall afterwards declare. In no state or condition, then, of the church did God ever accept of moral obedience without the observation of some instituted worship, accommodated in his wisdom unto its various states and conditions; and not only so, but, as we have seen, he hath made the observation of them, according unto his mind and appointment, the means of the trial of men's whole obedience, and the rule of the acceptance or rejection of them. And so it continues at this day, whatever be the thoughts of men about the worship which at present he requires.
Besides, God hath appointed that his worship shall be an effectual means, as to instruct us in the mysteries of his will and mind, so of communicating his love, mercy, and grace unto us; as also of that communion or intercourse with his holy Majesty, which he hath graciously granted unto us by Jesus Christ. And this, as it is sufficiently manifested in the Scriptures quoted in answer unto this question, so it is at large declared in the writings of those holy and good men who have explained the nature of the gospel ordinances; and therefore, in particular, we need not here insist much in the farther proof of it. Thus, Abraham was instructed in the nature of the covenant of grace by circumcision, Gen. xvii. 10, which is often explained in the Old Testament by applying it in particular to the grace of conversion, called the "circumcision of the heart," Deut. x. 16, xxx. 6, Jer. iv. 4; as also in the New Testament, Col. ii. 11. And by the passover were the people taught not only the mercy of their present deliverance, Exod. xii. 23, 24, but also to look for the Lamb of God who was to take away the sin of the world, John i. 29, the true Passover of the people of God, which was sacrificed for them, 1 Cor. v. 7. How our insition or implanting into Christ is represented and signified by our baptism, the apostle declares, Rom. vi. 3-5; as also our communion with him in his death, by the supper of the Lord, Matt. xxvi. 26, 27, 1 Cor. xi. 24, 25. And all these graces which they teach they also exhibit, and are the means of the communication of them unto believers. Moreover, the experience of all believers who have conscientiously waited upon God in their due observance may be produced in the confirmation of it. The instruction, edification, consolation, spiritual strength, courage, and resolution, which they have received in and by them, hath been witnessed unto in their lives and ends; and they to whom these things are not of the greatest importance do but in vain pretend a regard unto God in any thing whatever.
Furthermore; God hath appointed our duty in the observation of his instituted worship to be the means of our glorifying him in the world. Nor can we otherwise give glory to God but as we own his authority over us, and yield obedience to what he requires at our hands. And what we do herein is principally evident in those duties which lie under the eye and observation of men. Some duties of obedience there are which the world neither doth nor can discern in believers; such are their faith, inward holiness, purity of heart, heavenly-mindedness, sincere mortification of indwelling sin; some whose performance ought to be hid from them, as personal prayer and alms, Matt. vi. 2-6; some there are which are very liable to misconstruction amongst men, as zeal in many of the actings of it; but this conscientious observation of instituted worship, and therein avowing our subjection unto the authority of God in Christ, is that which the world may see and take notice of, and that which, unless in case of persecution, ought not to be hid from them, and that which they can have no pretence of scandal at: and therefore hath God appointed that by this means and way we shall honour and glorify him in the world; which if we neglect, we do evidently cast off all regard unto his concernments in this world. Herein it is that we manifest ourselves not to be ashamed of the gospel of Christ, of him and his words, which he so indispensably requireth at our hands: Mark viii. 38, "For," saith he, "whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels." Hereby do we keep the commandments of Christ, as his "friends," John xv. 14, for these peculiarly are his commands (and if we suffer for them, then we do most properly suffer as Christians, which is our glory), that, 1 Pet. iv. 14-16, "If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified. But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evil-doer, or as a busy-body in other men's matters. Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf." And a happy and a blessed thing it is to suffer for the observation of the special commands of Christ.
Farther; to encourage us in our duty, the holy faithful God hath given us many great and precious promises that he will graciously afford unto us his especial, sanctifying, blessing presence, in our attendance on our worship according to his appointment; for as he promised of old that he would make glorious "the place of his feet," or abode among his people, Isa. lx. 13, -- that he would meet them in his sanctuary, the place of his worship, and there dwell amongst them, and bless them, and be their God, Deut. xiv. 23, 24, -- so the Lord Jesus Christ hath promised his presence to the same ends and purposes, unto all them that assemble together in his name for the observation of the worship which in the gospel he hath appointed: Matt. xviii. 20, "For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." And therein is the tabernacle of God, his gracious dwelling-place, with men, Rev. xxi. 3. Now, when God offereth unto us his presence, his gracious, blessing, sanctifying, and saving presence, and that in and by promises which shall never fail, what unspeakable guilt must we needs contract upon our souls if we neglect or despise the tenders of such grace!
Because we are apt to be slothful, and are slow of heart in admitting a due sense of spiritual things, that fall not in with the light and principles of nature, to stir us up unto a diligence in our attendance unto the will of God in this matter, he hath declared that he looks upon our obedience herein as our whole loyalty unto him in that conjugal covenant which he is pleased in Christ Jesus to take believers into with himself: Jer. iii. 14, 15, "Turn, O backsliding children, saith the Lord; for I am married unto you: and I will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you unto Zion: and I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding." Coming unto Zion, in the worship of God, under the leading and conduct of pastors according to the heart of God, is our answering the relation wherein we stand unto him as he is married unto us; and thereupon he teacheth us that as a husband he is jealous of our discharge of our duty in this matter, accounting our neglect of his worship, or profanation of it by inventions and additions of our own, to be spiritual disloyalty, whoredom and adultery, which his soul abhorreth, for which he will cast off any church or people, and that for ever. See Ezek. xvi. Whatever he will bear withal in his church, he will not bear with that which his jealousy is exercised about. If it transgress therein, he will give it a bill of divorce; which repudiated condition is the state of many churches in the world, however they please and boast themselves in their meretricious ornaments and practices.
To give yet farther strength unto all these considerations, that we may not only have rules and precepts, but examples also for our instruction, God hath given many signal instances of his severity against persons who, by ignorance, neglect, or regardlessness, have miscarried in not observing exactly his will and appointment in and about his worship. This was the case of Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, Lev. x. 1, 2; of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, Num. xvi. 1-40; of the sons of Eli, -- a sin not to be "expiated with sacrifice nor offering for ever," 1 Sam. ii. 27-34, iii. 14; of Uzza in putting the ark into a cart, when he should have borne it upon his shoulders, 1 Chron. xiii. 7-10; of Uzziah the king in offering incense contrary to God's institution, that duty being appropriated unto the priests of the posterity of Aaron, 2 Chron. xxvi. 16-21. These are sufficient intimations of what care and diligence we ought to use in attending unto what God hath appointed in his worship; and although now, under the New Testament, he doth not ordinarily proceed to the inflicting of temporal judgments in the like cases of neglect, yet he hath not wholly left us without instances of his putting forth tokens of his displeasure in temporal visitations on such miscarriages in his church: 1 Cor. xi. 30, "For this cause," saith the apostle, "many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep." From all which it appears of what concernment it is unto the glory of God, and the salvation of our own souls, to attend diligently unto our duty in the strict and sincere observation of the worship of the gospel; for he lets us know that now a more severe punishment is substituted against such transgressions in the room of that which he so visibly inflicted under the Old Testament, Heb. x. 25-29.
Question 16 -- Is there yet any consideration that may stir up believers to a holy and religious care about the due observation of the institutions of the gospel?
Answer -- Yes; namely, that the great apostasy of the church in the last days, foretold in the Scripture, and which God threateneth to punish and revenge, consists principally in false worship and a departure from the institutions of Christ.
Rev. xiii. 4, 5, xvii. 1-5.
Explication -- That there is an apostasy of the church foretold in the book of the Revelation is acknowledged by all who with sincerity have inquired into the mind of God therein. The state of things at this day, and for many ages past in the world, sufficiently confirm that persuasion. And herein sundry things in general are obvious unto every sober consideration thereof:--
First, The horrible evils, troubles, and confusions that are to be brought into and upon the world thereby.
Secondly, The high guilt and provocation of God that is contained in it and doth accompany it.
Thirdly, The dreadful vengeance that God in his appointed time will take upon all the promoters and obstinate maintainers of it. These things are at large all of them foretold in the Revelation; and therein also the apostasy itself is set forth as the cause of all the plagues and destructions that, by the righteous judgment of God, are to be brought upon the world in these latter days. Now, as God doth earnestly call upon all that fear him not to intermeddle nor partake in the sins of the apostates, lest they should also partake in their judgments, -- chap. xviii. 4, "I heard a voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues;" -- so he doth plainly declare wherein the apostasy and sin itself should principally consist; and that is in the corrupting and contaminating of the ordinances of his worship, or the introduction of false worship, joined with the persecution of them who refused to submit thereunto. For this cause is the sin itself set out under the name of "fornication" and "whoredom," and the church that maintains it is called "The mother of harlots," chap. xvii. 5. That by fornication and whoredom in the church, the adulterating of the worship of God, and the admission of false, self-invented worship in the room thereof, whereof God is jealous, is intended, the Scripture everywhere declares. It is easy, then, to gather of how great concernment unto us it is, especially in these latter days, wherein this so heinous and provoking sin is prevalent in the world, carefully to attend unto the safe, unerring rule of worship, and diligently to perform the duties that are required therein.
Question 17 -- Which are the principal institutions of the gospel to be observed in the worship of God?
Answer -- aThe calling, gathering, and settling of churches, with their officers, as the seat and subject of all other solemn instituted worship; bprayer, with thanksgiving; csinging of psalms; dpreaching the word; eadministration of the sacraments of baptism and the supper of the Lord; fdiscipline and rule of the church collected and settled; most of which have also sundry particular duties relating unto them, and subservient unto their due observation.
aMatt. xxviii. 19, 20; Acts ii. 41, 42; 1 Cor. xii. 28; Eph. iv. 11, 12; Matt. xviii. 17, 18; 1 Cor. iv. 17, vii. 17; Titus i. 5; 1 Tim. iii. 15.
bActs vi. 4, xiii. 2, 3.
cEph. v. 19; 2 Tim. iv. 2; Acts ii. 42; Acts vi. 4; Matt. xxviii. 19, xxvi. 26, 27; 1 Cor. xi. 23.
fMatt. xviii. 17-19; Rom. xii. 6-8; Rev. ii., iii.
Explication -- These things, being all of them afterward to be spoken unto severally and apart, need not here any particular explication. They are the principal heads wherein gospel worship consisteth, and whereunto the particular duties of it may be reduced.
Question 18 -- Whereas sundry of these things are founded in the light and law of nature, as requisite unto all solemn worship, and are, moreover, commanded in the moral law, and explications of it in the Old Testament, how do you look upon them as evangelical institutions, to be observed principally on the authority of Jesus Christ?
Answer -- Neither their general suitableness unto the principles of right reason and the dictates of the light and law of nature, nor the practice of them in the worship of God under the Old Testament, does at all hinder them from depending on the mere institution of Jesus Christ, as to those especial ends of the glory of God in and by himself, and the edification of his church in the faith which is in him, whereunto he hath appointed them, nor as unto that especial manner of their performance which he requireth; in which respects they are to be observed on the account of his authority and command only.
Matt. xvii. 5, xxviii. 20; John xvi. 23, 24; Heb. iii. 4-6; Eph. i. 22, ii. 20-22; Heb. xii. 25.
Explication -- The principal thing we are to aim at, in the whole worship of God, is the discharge of that duty which we owe to Jesus Christ, the king and head of the church: Heb. iii. 6, "Christ as a son over his own house, whose house are we." 1 Tim. iii. 15, "That thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God." This we cannot do unless we consider his authority as the formal reason and cause of our observance of all that we do therein. If we perform any thing in the worship of God on any other account, it is no part of our obedience unto him, and so we can neither expect his grace to assist us, nor have we his promise to accept us therein; for that he hath annexed unto our doing and observing whatever he hath commanded, and that because he hath commanded us: Matt. xxviii. 20, "Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you; and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world." This promised presence respects only the observance of his commands. Some men are apt to look on this authority of Christ as that which hath the least influence into what they do. If in any of his institutions they find any thing that is suited or agreeable unto the light of nature, -- as ecclesiastical societies, government of the church, and the like, they say, are, -- they suppose and contend that that is the ground on which they are to be attended unto, and so are to be regulated accordingly. The interposition of his authority they will allow only in the sacraments, which have no light in reason or nature; so desirous are some to have as little to do with Christ as they can, even in the things that concern the worship of God! But it would be somewhat strange, that if what the Lord Christ hath appointed in his church to be observed in particular, in an especial manner, for especial ends of his own, hath in the general nature of it an agreement with what in like cases the light of nature seems to direct unto, therefore, his authority is not to be considered as the sole immediate reason of our performance of it. But it is evident, --
First, That our Lord Jesus Christ being the king and head of his church, the lord over the house of God, nothing is to be done therein but with respect unto his authority: Mat. xvii. 5, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him." Eph. iv. 15, 16, "Speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: from whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love." Chap. ii. 20-22, "Ye are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner-stone; in whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: in whom ye also are built together for a habitation of God through the Spirit."
Secondly, And that, therefore, the suitableness of any thing to right reason or the light of nature is no ground for a church-observation of it, unless it be also appointed and commanded in especial by Jesus Christ.
Thirdly, That being so appointed and commanded, it becomes an especial institution of his, and as such is to be observed. So that in all things that are done, or to be done, or to be done, with respect unto the worship of God in the church, the authority of Christ is always principally to be considered, and every thing to be observed as commanded by him, without which consideration it hath no place in the worship of God.
Question 19 -- What is an instituted church of the gospel?
Answer -- A society of persons called out of the world, or their natural worldly state, by the administration of the word and Spirit, unto the obedience of the faith, or the knowledge and worship of God in Christ, joined together in a holy band, or by special agreement, for the exercise of the communion of saints, in the due observation of all the ordinances of the gospel.
1 Cor. i. 2, iv. 15; James i. 18; 1 Pet. ii. 5; 2 Cor. vi. 16-18.
Explication -- The church whose nature is here inquired after is not the catholic church of elect believers of all ages and seasons, from the beginning of the world unto the end thereof, nor of any one age, nor the universality of professors of the gospel; but a particular church, wherein, by the appointment of Christ, all the ordinances of the worship of God are to be observed and attended unto according to his will. For although it be required of them of whom a particular church is constituted that they be true believers, seeing that unless a man be born again he cannot enter into the kingdom of God, and so on that account they be members of the church catholic, as also that they make visible profession of faith and obedience unto Jesus Christ, yet moreover it is the will, command, and appointment of Christ, that they should be joined together in particular societies or churches, for the due observation of the ordinances of the gospel, which can alone be done in such assemblies. For as the members of the catholic church are not known unto one another merely on the account of that faith and union with Christ which make them so, -- whence the whole society of them is, as such, invisible to the world, and themselves visible only on the account of their profession, and therefore cannot, merely as such, observe the ordinances of the gospel, which observation is their profession; -- so the visible professors that are in the world, in any age, cannot at any time assemble together; which, from the nature of the thing itself, and the institution of Christ, is indispensably necessary for the celebration of sundry parts of that worship which he requires in his church: and therefore particular churches are themselves an ordinance of the New Testament, as the national church of the Jews was of old; for when God of old erected his worship, and enjoined the solemn observation of it, he also appointed a church as his institution for the due celebration of it. That was the people of Israel, solemnly taken into a church relation with him by covenant; wherein they took upon themselves to observe all the laws, and ordinances, and institutions of his worship: Exod. xx. 19, "Speak thou with us, and we will hear." Chap. xxiv. 3, "And Moses came and told the people all the words of the Lord, and all the judgments: and all the people answered with one voice, and said, All the words which the Lord hath said will we do." Lord our God shall speak unto thee, we will hear it, and do it." And God accordingly appointed them ordinances to be observed by the whole congregation of them together, at the same time, in the same place: Exod. xxiii. 17, "Three times in the year all thy males shall appear before the Lord God." Deut. xvi. 16, "Three times in a year shall all thy males appear before the Lord thy God in the place which he shall choose."
Neither would God allow any stranger, any one not of the church so instituted by him, to celebrate any part of his instituted worship, until he was solemnly admitted into that church as a member thereof: Exod. xii. 47, 48, "All the congregation of Israel shall keep it. And when a stranger shall sojourn with thee, and will keep the passover to the Lord, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near and keep it; and he shall be as one that is born in the land: for no uncircumcised person shall eat thereof."
To the same end and purpose, when the knowledge of God was to be diffused all the world over by the preaching of the gospel, and believers of all nations under heaven were to be admitted unto the privilege of his worship, Eph. ii. 13-18, the national church of the Jews with all the ordinances of it being removed and taken away, the Lord Christ hath appointed particular churches, or united assemblies of believers, amongst and by whom he will have all his holy ordinances of worship celebrated. And this institution of his, at the first preaching of the gospel, was invariably and inviolably observed by all that took on them to be his disciples, without any one instance of questioning it to the contrary in the whole world, or the celebration of any ordinances of his worship amongst any persons, but only in such societies or particular churches. And there is sufficient evidence and warranty of this institution given us in the Scripture; for, --
If thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as a heathen man and a publican. Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed also in heaven. Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them."
Such a church he supposeth and approveth as his disciples had relation unto, and as any one of them could have recourse unto, as a brother, in obedience to his commands and directions. This could not be the church of the Jews, neither in its whole body nor in any of its judicatories; for as at that time there was a solemn decree of excommunication against all and every one that should profess his name, -- John ix. 22, "The Jews had agreed already, that if any man did confess that he was Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue," -- which was executed accordingly upon the man that was born blind, verse 34, which utterly disabled them from making any use of this direction, command, or institution of his for the present; so afterward the chief business of the rulers of those assemblies, from the highest court of their sanhedrin to the meanest judicatory in their synagogues, was to persecute them and bring them unto death: Matt. x. 17, "They will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues;" John xv. 20, 21. And it is not likely that the Lord Christ would send his disciples for direction and satisfaction in the weighty matters of their obedience unto him, and mutual love towards one another, unto them with whom they neither had, nor could, nor ought to have, any thing to do withal; and if they were intended, they were all already made as heathens and publicans, being cast out by them for refusing to hear them in their blasphemies and persecutions of Christ himself. Such a society, also, is plainly intended as whereunto Christ promiseth his presence by his Spirit, and whose righteous sentences he takes upon himself to ratify and confirm in heaven.
Moreover, such a church doth he direct unto as with which his disciples were to have familiar, brotherly, constant converse and communion, with whom they were so to be joined in society as to be owned or rejected by them according to their judgment; as is apparent in the practice enjoined unto them, and without relation whereunto no duty here appointed could be performed. As, therefore, the very name of the church and nature of the thing bespeak a society, so it is evident that no society but that of a particular church of the gospel can be here intended.
Rev. i. 20, in allusion unto the candlesticks of the temple; which, being an institution of the Old Testament, doth directly declare these churches to be so under the New. And this he speaks in reference unto those seven principal churches of Asia, every one of which was a candlestick or an institution of his own.
Thirdly, In pursuit of this appointment of Christ, and by his authority, the apostles, so soon as any were converted unto the faith at Jerusalem, although the old national church-state of the Jews was yet continued, gathered them into a church or society for celebration of the ordinances of the gospel: Acts ii. 41, 42, "They that gladly received his word were baptized. And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers." Verse 47, "The Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved." And this company is expressly called "The church at Jerusalem," Acts viii. 1. This church, thus called and collected out of the church of the Jews, was the rule and pattern of the disposing of all the disciples of Christ into church-societies, in obedience unto his command, throughout the world, Acts xi. 26, xiv. 23, 27.
Fourthly, They took care for the forming, completing, and establishing them in order according to his will, under the rule of them given and granted unto them by himself for that purpose; all in a steady pursuit of the commands of Christ: Acts xiv. 23, "They ordained them elders in every church;" Titus i. 5, "For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee;" 1 Cor. xii. 28; Eph. iv. 11, 12.
Fifthly, They do everywhere, in the name and authority of Christ, give unto these churches rules, directions, and precepts, for the due ordering of all things relating to the worship of God, and according to his mind, as we shall see afterward in particular; for, --
1. There is no charge given unto the officers, ministers, guides, or overseers that he hath appointed, but it is in reference unto the discharge of their duty in such churches. That ministers or officers are of Christ's appointment is expressly declared, Eph. iv. 11, 12, "He gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ." 1 Cor. xii. 28, "God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers." These are of Christ's institution, but to what end? Why, as they were ordained in every church, Acts xiv. 23, Titus i. 5, so their whole charge is limited to the churches: Acts xx. 17, 18, 28, "He sent to Ephesus, and called the elders of the church, and said to them, Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood;" 1 Pet. v. 1, 2, "the elders which are among you I exhort: feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof;" 1 Tim. iii. 15; Col. iv. 17, "And say to Archippus, Take heed to the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord, that thou fulfil it." They were the churches of Christ wherein they ministered; which Christ, appointing them to take care of, manifests to be his own institution and appointment. And this is fully declared, Rev. ii., iii., where all the dealings of Christ with his angels, or ministers, are about their behaviour and deportment among his candlesticks, each of them, the candlestick whereunto he was related, or the particular churches that they had care of and presided in, the candlesticks being no less of the institution of Christ than the angels. And they were distinct particular churches, which had their distinct particular officers, whom he treated distinctly withal about his institutions and worship, especially about that of the state of the churches themselves, and their constitution according to his mind.
2. There is no instruction, exhortation, or reproof given unto any of the disciples of Christ after his ascension, in any of the books of the New Testament, but as they were collected into and were members of such particular churches. This will be evidenced in the many instances of those duties that shall afterwards be insisted on. And the Lord Christ hath not left that as a matter of liberty, choice, or conveniency, which he hath made the foundation of the due manner of the performance of all those duties whereby his disciples yield obedience unto his commands, to his glory in the world.
Sixthly, The principal writings of the apostles are expressly directed unto such churches, and all of them intentionally, 1 Cor. i. 1, 2; Gal. i. 1, 2; Col. i. 1, 2, iv. 16; 2 Thess. i. 1; 1 Pet. v. 2; -- or unto such particular persons, giving directions for their behaviour and duty in such churches, 1 Tim. iii. 15; Titus i. 5. So that the great care of the apostles was about these churches, as the principal institution of Christ, and that whereon the due observance of all his other commands doth depend. Of what nature or sort these churches were shall be afterward evinced; we here only manifest their institution by the authority of Christ.
Seventhly, Much of the writings of the apostles, in those epistles directed to those churches, consists in rules, precepts, instructions, and exhortations for the guidance and preservation of them in purity and order, with their continuance in a condition of due obedience unto the Lord Christ. To this end do they so fully and largely acquaint the rulers and members of them with their mutual duty in that especial relation wherein they stand to each other; as also all persons in particular in what is required of them by virtue of their membership in any particular society; as may be seen at large in sundry of Paul's epistles. And to give more strength hereunto, our Lord Jesus Christ, in the revelation that he made of his mind and will personally after his ascension into heaven, insisted principally about the condition, order, and preservation of particular churches, not taking notice of any of his disciples not belonging to them or joined with them. These he warns, reproves, instructs, threatens, commands; all in order to their walking before him in the condition of particular churches, Rev. ii. and iii. at large.
Besides, as he hath appointed them to be the seat and subject of all his ordinances, having granted the right of them unto them alone, 1 Tim. iii. 15, intrusting them with the exercise of that authority which he puts forth in the rule of his disciples in this world, he hath also appointed the most holy institution of his supper to denote and express that union and communion which the members of each of these churches have by his ordinance among themselves: 1 Cor. x. 16, 17, "The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread." And also he gives out unto them the gifts and graces of his Spirit, to make every one of them meet for and useful in that place which he holds in such churches; as the apostle discourseth at large, 1 Cor. xii. 15-26; Col. ii. 19; Eph. iv. 16. It is manifest, then, that no ordinance of Christ is appointed to be observed by his disciples, no communication of the gifts of the Holy Ghost is promised to them, no especial duty is required of them, but with respect unto these churches of his institution.
In the answer to this question four things are declared tending to the explication of the nature of a particular church or churches:-- 1. The subject-matter of them, or the persons whereof such a church doth or ought to consist. 2. The means whereby they are brought into a condition capable of such an estate, or qualified for it. 3. The general ends of their calling. 4. The especial means whereby they are constituted a church; which last will be spoken unto in the next question.
For the first, all men are by nature the children of wrath, and do belong unto the world, which is the kingdom of Satan, and are under the power of darkness, as the Scripture everywhere declares. In this state men are not subjects of the kingdom of Christ, nor meet to become members of his church. Out of this condition they cannot deliver themselves. They have neither will unto it nor power for it; but they are called out of it. This calling is that which effectually delivers them from the kingdom of Satan, and translates them into the kingdom of Christ. And this work or effect, the Scripture, on several accounts, variously expresseth; sometimes by regeneration, or a new birth; sometimes by conversion, or turning unto God; sometimes by vivification, or quickening from the dead; sometimes from illumination, or opening the eyes of the blind; -- all which are carried on by sanctification in holiness, and attended with justification and adoption. And as these are all distinct in themselves, having several formal reasons of them, so they all concur to complete that effectual vocation or calling that is required to constitute persons members of the church. For besides that this is signified by the typical holiness of the church of old, into the room whereof real holiness was to succeed under the New Testament, -- Exod. xix. 6; Ps. xxiv. 3-6, xv. 1, 2; Isa. xxxv. 8, 9, liv. 13, 14, lx. 21; 1 Pet. ii. 9, -- our Lord Jesus Christ hath laid it down as an everlasting rule, that "except a man be born again, he cannot enter the kingdom of God," John iii. 3, 5, requiring regeneration as an indispensable condition in a member of his church, a subject of his kingdom: for his temple is now to be built of living stones, 1 Pet. ii. 5, -- men spiritual and savingly quickened from their death in sin, and by the Holy Ghost, whereof they are partakers, made a meet habitation of God, Eph. ii. 21, 22; 1 Cor. iii. 16; 2 Cor. vi. 16; which receiving vital supplies from Christ its head, increaseth in faith and holiness, edifying itself in love, Eph. iv. 15, 16. And as the apostles in their writings do ascribe unto all the churches, and the members of them, a participation in this effectual vocation, affirming that they are "saints, called, sanctified, justified," and accepted with God in Christ, -- Rom. i. 5, 6; 1 Cor. i. 2, iv. 15; James i. 18; 2 Cor. vi. 17, 18; 1 Cor. vi. 11, -- so many of the duties that are required of them in that relation and condition are such as none can perform unto the glory of God, their own benefit, and the edification of others (the ends of all obedience), unless they are partakers of this effectual calling, 1 Cor. x. 16, 17, xii. 12; Eph. iv. 16. And hereunto that these churches, and the members of them, are not only commanded to separate themselves, as to their worship of God, from the world, -- that is, men in their worldly state and condition, -- but are also required, when any amongst them transgress against the rules and laws of this holy calling above described, to cast them out of their society and communion, 1 Cor. v. 13. From all which it appears who are the subject-matter of these churches of Christ; as also, secondly, the means whereby they come to be so, -- namely, the administration of the Spirit and word of Christ; and, thirdly, the general ends of their calling, which are all spoken to in this answer.
Question 20 -- By what means do persons so called become a church of Christ?
Answer -- They are constituted a church, and interested in the rights, power, and privileges of a gospel church, by the will, promise, authority, and law of Jesus Christ, upon their own voluntary consent and engagement to walk together in the due subjection of their souls and consciences unto his authority, as their king, priest, and prophet, and in a holy observation of all his commands, ordinances, and appointments.
Matt. xviii. 20, xxviii. 19, 20; Acts ii. 41, 42; Deut. v. 27; Isa. xliv. 5, lix. 21; 2 Cor. viii. 5.
Explication -- That the Lord Christ hath constituted such a church-state as that which we inquire about hath been proved already. Unto a church so constituted he hath also, by his word and promise, annexed all those privileges and powers which we find a church to be intrusted withal. This he hath done by the standing and unalterable law of the gospel, which is the charter of their spiritual society and incorporation. Neither are nor can any persons be interested in the rights of a church any otherwise but by virtue of this law and constitution. This, therefore, is first to be laid down, that the sole moral foundation of that church-state which we inquire after is laid in the word, law, and appointment of Christ. He alone hath authority to erect such a society; he is the builder of this house as well as the lord over it, Heb. iii. 3-6. Neither without it can all the authority of men in the world appoint such a state or erect a church; and all acceptable actings of men herein are no other but acts of pure obedience unto Christ.
Furthermore, we have declared that the Lord Christ, by the dispensation of his word and Spirit, doth prepare and fit men to be subjects of his kingdom, members of his church. The work of sending forth the means of the conversion of the souls of men, of translating them from the power of darkness into light, he hath taken upon himself, and doth effectually accomplish it in every generation. And by this means he builds his church, for unto all persons so called he gives command that they shall do and observe whatever he hath appointed them to do, Matt. xxviii. 20; in particular, that they profess their subjection to him, and their obedience, in joining themselves in that state wherein they may be enabled to observe all his other laws and institutions, with the whole worship of God required therein. Being converted unto God by his word and Spirit, they are to consider how they may now obey the Lord Christ in all things. Amongst his commands, this of joining themselves in church-societies, wherein he hath promised his presence with them, Matt. xxviii. 20, -- that is, to dwell amongst them by his word and Spirit, Isa. lix. 21, -- is the very first. This, by virtue of that command and promise of his, they are warranted and enabled to do; nor do they need any other warrant. The authority of Christ is sufficient to bear men out in the discharge of their duty to him. Being then made willing and ready in the day of his power, Ps. cx. 3, they consent, choose, and agree to walk together in the observation of all his commands. And hereby do they become a church; for their becoming a church is an act of their willing obedience unto Christ. This is an act of their wills, guided by rule; for this also is necessary, that they proceed herein according to the rules of his appointment, afterward to be unfolded. And herein, upon their obedience unto the commands of Christ, and faith in his promises, do believers, by virtue of his law and constitution, become a gospel church, and are really and truly interested in all the power, rights, and privileges that are granted unto any church of Christ; for in this obedience they do these two things, which alone he requires in any persons for the obtaining of an interest in these privileges:-- First, They confess him, his person, his authority, his law, his grace; secondly, They take upon themselves the observance of all his commands.
Thus did God take the children of Israel into a church-state of old. He proposed unto them the church-obedience that he required of them, and they voluntarily and freely took upon themselves the performance of it: Exod. xxiv. 3, "And Moses came and told the people all the words of the Lord, and all the judgments: and all the people answered with one voice, and said, All the words which the Lord hath said will we do:" so Deut. v. 27. And hereby they had their solemn admission into their church-state and relation unto God. And the like course they took whenever there was need of renewing of their engagements: Josh. xxiv. 18-22, "And the people said, We will serve the Lord; for he is our God. And Joshua said unto the people, Ye are witnesses against yourselves that ye have chosen the Lord, to serve him. And they said, We are witnesses." This was the covenant that was between God and that people, which was solemnly renewed so often as the church was eminently reformed. Now, although the outward solemnity and ceremonies of this covenant were peculiar unto that people, yet as to the substance and nature of it, in a sacred consent for the performance of all those duties towards God and one another which the nature and edification of a church do require, it belongs to every church as such, even under the gospel.
And this is the way whereby believers, or the disciples of Christ, do enter into this state, the formal constituting cause of any church, this account doth the apostle give of the churches of the Macedonians: 2 Cor. viii. 5, "And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God," before the performance of other duties; and in order thereunto, they first gave themselves to the Lord Jesus Christ, or took upon themselves the observance of his commands and institutions, which is the intendment of that expression. Among these commands one was, that they should give up themselves to the apostles' doctrine, rule, and government, in the order by Christ prescribed, -- that is, in church-order. This, therefore, they did by the will of God, according to his will and appointment. This description doth the apostle give of the way whereby the believers of Macedonia were brought into churches. It was by their own obedience unto the will of God; consenting, agreeing, and taking upon themselves the observation of all the commands and institutions of Christ, according to the direction and guidance of the apostles. So did the believers at Jerusalem, Acts ii. 41, 42. Being converted by the word, and making profession of that conversion in their baptism, they gave up themselves to a steadfast continuance in the observation of all other ordinances of the gospel.
house of God," 1 Tim. iii. 15; the "house of Christ," Heb. iii. 6; the "temple of the Lord," Eph. ii. 21, 22. Believers, singly considered, are "stones, living stones," 1 Pet. ii. 5. Now, how shall these "living stones" come to be a house, a temple? Can it be by occasional occurrences, civil cohabitation in political precincts, usage, or custom of assembling for some parts of worship in any place? These things will never frame them into a house or temple. This can be no otherwise done but by their own voluntary consent and disposition: Eph. ii. 19-22, "Ye are fellow-citizens with the saints, and of the household of God; and are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner-stone; in whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto a holy temple in the Lord: in whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit." Chap. iv. 16, "From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love." From these and sundry other places it is manifest that the way and means of believers' coalition into a church-state is their own obedience of faith, acting itself in a joint voluntary consent to walk together in a holy observation of the commands of Christ; whence the being and union of a particular church is given unto any convenient number of them by his law and constitution.
Question 21 -- Seeing the church is a society or spiritual incorporation of persons under rule, government, or discipline, declare who or what are the rulers, governors, or officers therein under Jesus Christ?
Answer -- They have been of two sorts: 1. Extraordinary, appointed for a season only; and, 2. Ordinary, to continue unto the end of the world.
Question 22 -- Who are the extraordinary officers, or rulers, or ministers of the church, appointed to serve the Lord Jesus Christ therein for a season only?
Answer -- aThe apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ, with bthe evangelists and prophets, endowed with extraordinary gifts of the Holy Ghost, associated with them and employed by them in their works and ministry.
aMatt. x. 2-4; 1 Cor. xii. 28; Luke x. 1; Titus i. 5; Acts xi. 27, 28, xxi. 9-11; 2 Cor. i. 1.
Explication -- That the church is a spiritual corporation, attended with rule and government, is evident from the nature of the thing itself and testimonies of Scripture. Only, as the kingdom of Christ is not of this world or worldly, so this rule and government of the church is not merely external and secular, but spiritual. Neither doth this rule at all belong unto it merely as materially considered, in men yielding obedience unto the call which is the foundation of the church; nor absolutely, as it is formally constituted a church by the consent and agreement described; but, moreover, it is required that it be organically complete, with officers or rulers. Now, to the constitution of such a society or corporation there is required, --
First, That the persons whereof it is constituted do consent together into it for the attaining of the ends which they design. Without this no society of any kind can exist. This is the form of men's coalescency into societies; and that there is in the church such consent and agreement hath been showed.
Secondly, That there be rules or laws for the guidance and direction of all the members of the society, in order to their pursuit of the proper ends of it. That such rules or laws are given and prescribed by the Lord Christ unto the church will afterward appear, in our consideration of them in particular; so that the church is a society of men walking according unto rule or law for the attaining of the ends of the society.
Thirdly, That there be authority instituted to see to the due observation of these rules and laws of the society, which consists in this:-- 1. That some be appointed to rule and govern in the church; 2. Others to obey and be ruled or governed; both according to the laws of the society, and not otherwise. And both these are eminently found in this church-state, as we shall see in the ensuing questions, with their answers and explications.
Now, that these officers or rulers should be of two sorts, both the nature of the thing itself required and so hath our Lord Jesus Christ appointed; for when the church was first to be called, gathered, and erected, it was necessary that some persons should be extraordinarily employed in that work, for ordinary officers antecedent unto the calling and erection of the church there could be none. And, therefore, these persons were in an extraordinary manner endowed with all the power which afterward was to reside in the churches themselves; and, moreover, with that which was peculiarly needful unto the discharge and performance of that special duty and work that they were appointed unto. But when churches were called, gathered, erected, and settled for continuance, there was need of officers suited to their state and condition, called in an ordinary way, -- that is, in a way appointed for continuance unto the end of the world; and to be employed in the ordinary work of the church, -- that is, the duties of it were constantly incumbent on it by virtue of the command and appointment of Christ.
Question 23 -- Who are the ordinary officers or ministers of Christ in the church, to be always continued therein?
Answer -- Those whom the Scripture calls pastors and teachers, bishops, elders, and guides.
Acts xiv. 23, xx. 17, 28; 1 Cor. xii. 28; Phil. i. 1; 1 Tim. iii. 1, 2, v. 17; Heb. xiii. 7, 17; 1 Pet