CHAP. IX.

The continuation of a church-state, and of the administration of evangelical ordinances of worship, briefly vindicated.

THE Controversy about the continuation of a church-state, and the administration of gospel ordinances of worship, is not new, in this age, though some pride themselves, as though the invention of the error whereby they are denied, were their own: in former ages, both in the papacy, and among some of them that forsook it, there were divers who, on a pretence of a peculiar spirituality, and imaginary attainments in religion, wherein these things are unnecessary, rejected their observation. I suppose it necessary briefly to confirm the truth, and vindicate it from this exception, because though it be sufficiently weak in itself, yet what it is, lies against the foundation of all that we are pleading about. But to reduce things into the lesser compass, I shall first confirm the truth by those arguments or considerations, which will defeat all the pleas and pretences of them by whom it is opposed; and then confirm it by positive testimonies and arguments, with all brevity possible.

First, therefore, I shall argue from the removal of all causes, whereon such a cessation of churches and ordinances is pretended. For it is granted on all hands, that they had a divine original and institution, and were observed by all the disciples of Christ, as things by him commanded. If now, therefore, they cease as unto their force, efficacy, and use, it must be on some of these reasons:

1. Because a limited time and season was fixed unto them, which is now expired. So was it with the churchstate and ordinances of old; they were appointed unto the time of reformation; Heb. ix. 10. They had a certain time prefixed unto their duration, according to the degrees of whose approach they waxed old, and at length utterly disappeared; chap. viii. 13. until that time they were all punctually to be observed; Mal. iv. 4. But there were many antecedent indications of the will of God concerning their cessation and abolition, whereof the apostle disputes at large

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in his Epistle unto the Hebrews. And from a pretended supposition, that such was the state of evangelical ordinances, namely, that they had a time prefixed unto their duration, did the first opposition against them arise. For Montanus, with his followers, imagined that the appointments of Christ and his apostles in the gospel, were to continue in force only unto the coming of the Paraclete, or the Comforter, promised by him. And adding a new frenzy hereunto, that that Paraclete was then first come in Montanus, they rejected the institutions of the gospel, and made new laws and rules for themselves. And this continues to be the principal pretence of them by whom the use of gospel ordinances, is at present rejected, as that which is of no force or efficacy. Either they have received, or do speedily look for such a dispensation of the Spirit, or his gifts, as wherein they are to cease and disappear. But nothing can be more vain than this pretence.

1. It is so as unto the limitation of any time, as unto their duration and continuance. For, (1.). There is no intimation given of any such thing, either in the divine word, promise, declaration about them, or the nature of the insti-tutions themselves. But whereas those of the Old Testa ment were in time to be removed, that the church might not. be offended thereby, seeing originally they were all of immediate divine institution, God did by all manner of ways, as by promises, express declarations, and by the nature of the institutions themselves, foresignify their removal, as the apostle proves at large in his Epistle to the Hebrews. But nothing of this nature can be pretended concerning the gospel church-state or worship. (2.) There is no prediction or intimation of any other way of worship, or serving God. in this world, that should be introduced in the room of that established at first; so that upon a cessation thereof, the church must be left unto all uncertainties and utter ruin. (3.) The principal reason why a church-state was erected of old, and ordinances of worship appointed therein, that were all to be removed and taken away, was, that the Son, the Lord over his own, house, might have the pre-eminence in all things. His glory it was to put an end unto the law, as given by the disposition of angels, and the ministry of Moses, by the institution of a church-state and ordinances

of his own appointment. And if his revelation of the will of God therein be not complete, perfect, ultimate, unalterable, if it be to expire, it must be, that honour may be given above him, unto one greater than he.

2. It is so, as unto their decay, or the loss of their primitive force and efficacy. For their efficacy unto their proper ends depends on, (1.) The institution of Christ: this is the foundation of all spiritual efficacy unto edification in the church, or whatever belongs thereunto. And therefore, whatever church-state may be framed, or duties, ways, or means of worship appointed by men, that have not his institution, how specious soever they may appear to be, have no spiritual force or efficacy, as unto the edification of the church. But whilst this institution of Christ continues irrevocable, and is not abrogated by a greater power than what it was enacted by, whatever defect there may be as unto" faith and obedience in men, rendering them useless and ineffectual unto themselves; however they may be corrupted by additions unto them, or detractions from them, changing their nature and use; in themselves they continue to be of the same use and efficacy as they were at the beginning. (2.) On the promise of Christ, that he will be present with his disciples in the observation of his commands unto the consummation of all things; Matt. xxviii. 20. To deny the continued accomplishment of this promise, and that on any pretence whatever, is the venom of infidelity. If therefore they have an irrevocable divine institution, if Christ be present in their administrations, as he was of old, Rev. ii. 1. there can be no abatement of their efficacy unto their proper' ends, in the nature of instrumental causes. (3.) On the' covenant of God, which gives an infallible inseparable conjunction between the word, or the church and its institution by the word, and the spirit; Isa. lix. 21. God's covenant with his people is the foundation of every church-state, of all offices, powers, privileges, and duties thereunto belonging. They have no other end, they are of no other use, but to communicate, express, declare, and exemplify on the one hand, the grace of God in his covenant unto his people; and on the other, the duties of his people according unto the tenour of the same covenant unto him. They are the way, means, and instruments appointed of God, for this end, and

other end they have none. And hereon it follows, that if it be not in the power of men, to appoint any thing that shall be a means of communication between God and his people, as unto the grace of the covenant on the one hand, or the duties of obedience which it requires on the other; they have no power to erect any new church-state, or enact any thing in divine worship, not of his institution. This being the state of churches and their ordinances, they cannot be altered, they cannot be liable unto any decay, unless the covenant whereunto they are annexed, be altered or decayed. And therefore the apostle, to put finally and absolutely his argument unto an issue, to prove that the Mosaical church-state and ordinances were changed, because useless and ineffectual, doth it on this ground, that the covenant whereunto they were annexed, was changed and become useless. This I suppose at present will not be said concerning the new covenant, whereunto all ordinances of divine worship are inseparably annexed.

Men might at a cheaper rate, as unto the eternal interest of their own souls, provide another covering for their sloth, negligence, unbelief, and indulgence unto proud foolish imaginations, whereby they render the churches and ordinances of the gospel useless and ineffectual unto themselves; thereby charging them with a decay and uselessness, and so reflecting on the honour and faithfulness of Christ himself.

2. They do not cease, because there is at present, or at least there is shortly to be expected, 'such an effusion of the gifts and graces of the Spirit, as to render all these external institutions needless, and consequently useless.' This also is falsely pretended. For, (1.) The greatest and most plentiful effusion of the Holy Spirit in his gifts and graces, was in the days of the apostles, and of the first churches planted by them; nor is any thing beyond it, or indeed equal unto it, any more to be expected in this world. But yet then was the gospel church-state erected, and the use of all its ordinances of worship enjoined. (2.) The ministry of the gospel which compriseth all the ordinances of church-worship, as its object and end, is the ministration of the Spirit, and therefore no supplies or communication of him can render it useless. (3.) One of the principal ends for which the

communication of the Spirit is promised unto the church, is to make and render all the institutions of Christ effectual unto its edification. (4.) 1 John ii. 20. 27. is usually pleaded as giving countenance unto this fond pretence. But, [1.] The unction mentioned by the apostle, was then upon all believers. Yet, [2.] It is known that then they all walked in church-order, and the sacred observation of all the institutions of Christ. [3.] If it takes away any thing, it is the preaching of the word, or all manner of teaching and instruction; which is to overthrow the whole Scripture, and to reduce religion into barbarism. [4.] Nothing is intended in these words, but the different way of teaching, and degrees of success, between that under the law, and that now established in the gospel, by the plentiful effusion of the Spirit, as hath been evidenced at large elsewhere. Nor,

3. Do they cease, in their administration, for want either of authority or ability to dispense them; which is pleaded unto the same end. But neither is this pretence of any force; it only begs the thing in question. (1) The authority of office for the administration of all other ordinances, is an institution. And to say that all institutions cease, because none have authority to administer them, is to say they must all cease, because they are ceased. (2.) The office of the ministry for the continuation of the church-state, and administration of all ordinances of worship unto the end of the world, is sufficiently secured, [1.] By the law, constitution, and appointment of our Lord Jesus Christ, erecting that office, and giving warranty for its continuance to the consummation of all things; Matt. xxviii. 20. Eph. iv. 13. [2.] By his continuance according unto his promise to communicate spiritual gifts unto men, for the ministerial edification of the church. That this he doth so continue to do, that it is the principal external evidence of his abiding in the discharge of his mediatory office, and of what nature these gifts are, I have declared at large in a peculiar discourse on that subject. [3.] On the duty of believers or of the church, which is to choose, call, and solemnly set apart unto the office of the ministry, such as the Lord Christ by his Spirit, hath made meet for it, according unto the rule of his word.

If all these, or any of them do fail, I acknowledge that