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.

Qu. 18. Whereas sundry of these things are founded in the light and law of na∣ture, as requisite unto all solemn worship, and are moreover commanded in the mo∣ral Law, and explications of it in the Old Testament; how do you look upon them as Evangelical institutions to be obser∣ved principally on the authority of Jesus Christ?

Answ. Neither their general suita∣bleness unto the principles of right rea∣son, and the dictates of the light and law of nature, nor the practice of them in the worship of God under the Old Testament, do at all hinder them from depending on the meer institution of Iesus Christ, as to those especial ends of the ••••••ry 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 perfor∣mance, which he requireth▪ in which respects they are to be observed on ••he account of his authority and command only, Matth. 17.5. Matth. 28.••0. John 16.23, 24. Heb. 3.4, 5, 6. Ephes. 1.22. Chap. 2.20, 21, 22. Heb. 12.25.

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. 3.6. Christ as a Son over his own house▪ whose house are we, 1 Tim.

3.15. That thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thy self in the house of God, which is the Church of the living God. This we cannot do unless we con∣sider 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 ac∣count, 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 an∣nexed unto our doing and observing whatever he hath commanded, and that because he hath commanded us, Matth. 28 20. teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you, and loe, I am with you alwayes, even unto the end of the World. This promised pre∣sence 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 at∣tended unto, and so are to be regulated accordingly. The interposition of his authority they will allow only in the Sa∣craments 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 agree∣ment with what in like cases the light of nature seems to direct unto, that therefore his authority is not to be considered, as the sole immediate reason of our performance of it; But it is evi∣dent,

First, That our Lord Jesus Christ be∣ing the King and Head of his Church, the Lord over the house of God, no∣thing is to be done therein but with respect unto his authority, Matth. 17.5. This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased, hear ye him; Ephes. 4.15.

Speaking the truth in love, 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 supplyeth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of it self in love▪ Eph. 2.20, 21. Ye are built upon the foun∣dation of the Apostles and Prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone, in whom all the building fitly framed to∣gether groweth unto an holy Temple in the Lord; in whom you also are built together for an habitation of God through the spirit.

Secondly, And that therefore, the suitableness of any thing to right rea∣son 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 in∣stitution of his, and as such, is to be ob∣served▪ so that in all things that are done, or to be done with respect unto the worship of God in the Church, the

authority of Christ is alwayes princi∣pally 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.