the world after those of an extraordinary employment under him were to cease It remaineth then to consider how the Persons appointed by him unto the Administration of these Holy Things in his Assemblies and so to the discharge of the whole publick Worship of God should be enabled thereunto so as the end by him aimed at of the Edification of his Disciples and the Glory of God might be attained Two ways there are whereby this may be done First by such Spiritual Abilities for the discharge and performance of this whole work as will answer the mind of Christ therein and so serve for the end proposed Secondly By the prescription of a form of words whose reading and pronunciation in these administrations should outwardly serve as to all the ends of the Prayer and Thanksgiving required in them which they do contain It s evident that our Saviour fixt on the former way what he hath done as to the latter or what his mind is concerning it we shall afterwards enquire For the first as in many other places so signally in one the Apostle acquaints us with the course he has taken and the Provision that he hath made namely Ephes. 4. 7 8 11 12 13 14 15 16. Unto every of us is given Grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. Wherefore he saith when he Ascended up on high he led captivity captive and gave gifts unto men And he gave some Apostles some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastors and Teachers for the perfectâ—ng 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 the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man unto the measure of the Stature of the fulness of Christ c. The thing aimed it is the bringing of all the Saints and Disciples of Christ the whole Church to that measure and perfection of Grace which Christ hath assigned to them in this world that they may be meet for himself to receive in glory The means whereby this is to be done and effected is the faithful regular and effectual discharge of the work of the Ministry unto which the administration of all his Ordinances and Institutions do confessedly belong That this work may be discharged in an orderly manner to the end mentioned he has granted unto his Church the Offices mentioned to be executed by persons variously called thereunto according to his mind and will The onely enquiry remaining is how these persons shall be enabled for the discharge of their Office and so accomplishment of the work of the Ministry This he declares is by the communication of grace and spiritual gifts from heaven unto them by Christ himself Here lyeth the spring of all that followeth the care hereof he hath taken upon himself unto the end of the world He that enabled the shoulders of the Levites to bear the Ark of old and their arms to slay the sacrifices without which natural strength those carnal ordinances could not have been observed nor was the Ark to be carried from supply of defect of ability in the Levites hath upon their removal and the Institution of the Spiritual Worship of the Gospel undertaken to supply the administratours of it with spiritual strength and abilities for the discharge of their work allowing them supply of the defect of that which he hath taken upon himself to perform I suppose then that these ensuing will seem but reasonable Postulata 1. That the means which Jesus Christ hath appointed for the attaining of any end is every way sufficient for that purpose whereunto it is so appointed his wisdome exacts our consent to this proposition 2. That what he hath taken upon himself to perform unto the end of the world and promised so to do that he will accomplish accordingly here his faithfulnesse requires our assent 3. That the communication of spirituall gifts and graces to the Ministers of the Gospel is the provision that Christ hath made for the right discharge of the work of their Ministry unto the edification of his Body This lyes plain in the Text. 4. That the exercise and use of those gifts in all those administrations for which they are bestowed are expected and required by him The nature of the thing it self with innumerable testimonies confirm this truth also 5. That it is derogatory to the glory honour and faithfulness of the Lord Jesus Christ to affirm that he ceaseth to bestow gifts for the work of the Ministry whilest he continueth and requireth the exercise and discharge of that work What hath befallen men or doth yet befall them through the wretched sloth darkness and unbelief which their wilfull neglect of dependence on him or of stirring up or improving of what they do receive from him and the mischiefs that have accrewed to the Church by the Intrusion of such persons into the Place and Office of the Ministry as were never called nor appointed by him thereunto are not to be imputed unto any failing on his part in his promise of dispensing the gifts mentioned to the end of the world Of which several Positions we shall have some use in our further progress Our Lord Jesus Christ then having delivered his Disciples from the yoke of Mosaical Institutions which lay upon them from of old as also from being intangled in their consciences by or from any inventions of men imposed on them giving them Rules for the practice of the Liberty whereunto by him they were vindicated taking them for the future into his own sole disposal in all things concerning the Worship of God he appoints in his Sovereign Authority both the Ordinances which he will have alone observed in his Church and the Persons by whom they are to be administred furnishing them with spiritual abilities to that end and purpose promising his presence with them to the end of the world commands them to set such in his Name and Strength in the way and unto the work that he hath allotted to them That now which on this Foundation we are further to enquire into is whether over and above what we have recounted our Saviour hath appointed or by any ways given allowance unto the framing of a stinted Form of Prayers and Praises to be read and used by the Administratours of his Ordinances in their Administration of them or whether the prescription and imposing of such a Form or Liturgy upon those who Minister in the Church in the Name and Authority of Christ be not contrary to his mind and cross to his whole design for perpetuating of his Institutions to the end of the world in due order and manner And this we shall do and withall discover the Rise and Progress which such Liturgies have had and made in the Church of God CHAP. III. Of the Lords Prayer and what may be concluded from thence as to the Invention and Imposition of Liturgies in the publick Worship of God The Liberty
and useful place that is like to obtain in the Worship of God which having its Rise in the Authority of man is framed by the Rule of the wisdome of man and so wholly resolved into his Will I may say will be one day judged and determined but that it is so already sufficiently in the Word of Truth CHAP. IX Argument Second Necessary use of the Liturgy exclusive of the use of the means appointed by Christ for the Edification of his Church WE proceed to some further Considerations upon the state of the Question before laid down and shall insist on some other Argument against the Imposition pleaded for We have spoken to the Authority Imposing our next Argument is taken from the Thing or Matter Imposed and the End of that Imposition An Humane Provision of means for the accomplishing of any End or Ends in the Worship of God for which Jesus Christ himself hath made and doth continue to make Provision to the exclusion of that Provision so by him made is not allowable About this Assertion I suppose we shall have no Contention To assert the Lawfulness of such Provisions is in the first instance to exalt the Wisdome and Authority of men above that of Christ and that in his own house This men will not nakedly and openly do though by just consequence it be done every day But we have secured our Proposition by the plainness of its terms against which no Exception can lye It remaineth then that we shew that the things mentioned in it and rejected as disallowable are directly applicable to the Imposition of Liturgies contended about That the Prescription of the Liturgy to be used as prescribed is the Provision of a means for the accomplishing of some Ends in the Worship of God the Judgement and the Practise of those who Contend for it do sufficiently declare Those Ends or this End to sum them up all in one is That the Ordinances and Institutions of Christ may be quickly administred and solemnized in the Church with decency and order unto the Edification of the Assemblies wherein it is used I suppose none will deny this to be the end intended in its Imposition it is so pleaded continually nor is there uny other that I know of assigned Now of the things mentioned it is the last that is the principal end namely the Edification of the Church which is aimed at for its own sake and so regulates the whole Procedure of meer mediums and those that are so mediums as also to be estemed subordinate ends Such are Decency and Order or Uniformity These have not their worth from themselves nor do they influence the intention of the Liturgists for their own sakes but as they tend unto Edification And this the Apostolical Rule expresly requireth 1 Cor. 14. The Prescription then of a Liturgy is a Provision for the right Administration of the Ordinances of the Gospel uno the Edification of the Church This is its general nature and in the Administration of the Ordinances of the Gospel consists the chief and main work of the Ministry That this Provision is Humane hath been before declared It was not made by Christ nor his Apostles but of men and by men was it made and Imposed on the Disciples of Christ. It remaineth then that we Consider whether Jesus Christ have not made provision for the same end and purpose namely that the Ordinances and Institutions of the Gospel may be administred to the edification of the Church Now this the Apostle expresly affirms Ephes. 4. 7 8 9 10 11 12 13. Unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ wherefore he saith when he ascended up on high he led captivity captive and gave Gifts unto men He gave some Pastors and Teachers for the perfection of the Saints for the work of the Ministry for the edifying of the Body of Christ till we all came in the unity of the Faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God unto a pâ—rfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ. The Lord Jesus who hath appointed the Office of the Ministry hath also provided sufficient furniture for the Persons called according to his mind to the discharge of that Office and the whole Duty of it That the administration of the Ordinances of the Gospel is the work of the Ministry I suppose will not be denied Now that this work of the Ministry may be discharged to the edification of his Body and that to the end of the World until all his People in every Generation are brought unto the Measure of Grace assigned unto them in this life is expresly affirmed He hath given Gifts for this end and purpose namely that the work of the Ministry may be performed to the edification of his Body To say that the Provision he hath made is not every way sufficient for the attaining of the End for which it was made by him or that he continueth not to make the same Provision that he did formerly are equally false equally blasphemous the one injurious to his Wisdome the other to his Truth both to his Love and Care of his Church For Decency and Uniformity in all his Churches the Lord Jesus also hath provided The Administration of the same specifical Ordinances in the Assemblies of his Disciples conveened according to his mind according to the same Rule of his Word by vertue of the same specifical Gifts of the Spirit by him bestowed on the Administrators of them constitutes the Uniformity that he requires and is acceptable unto him This was the Uniformity of the Apostolical Churches walking by the same Rule of Faith and Obedience and no other And this is all the Uniformity that is among the true Churches of Christ that are this day in the World To imagine that there should be an Uniformity in Words and Phrases of Speech and the like is an unpracticable Figment which never was obtained nor ever will be to the end of the World And when men by the invention of Rites and Orders began to depart from this Uniformity how far they were from falling into any other is notorious from that Discourse of Socrates on this matter lib. 5. cap. 21. For these then the Lord Christ hath made provision And where there is this Uniformity unto Edification let those things be attended unto which are requisite for the nature of Assembles meeting for such ends as Assemblies and all the Decency and Order which Christ requireth will ensue I suppose it will not be safe for any man to derogate from the sufficiency of this provision If any shall say That we see and find by experience that men called to be Ministers are not so enabled to the Work of the Ministry as by vertue of the Gifts they have received to admidister the Ordinancer of the Gospel unto the edification of the Church I shall desire them to Consider whether indeed such persons be
rightly called unto the Ministry and do labour aright to discharge their duty in that Office seeing that if they are so aud do so there seems to be a direct failure of the Promise of Christ which is blasphemy to imagine And it may be Considered whether this pretended defect and want do not where it is in those who are indeed called to the Work of the Ministry proceed from their neglect to stir up the Gifts that they have received by the use and exercise of them for which end alone they are entrusted with them And it may be further Considered whether their neglect hath not been occasioned greatly by some mens imposing of prescribed Liturgies and others trusting to their use in those things and for those ends for which men are entrusted with those Gifts by Jesus Christ. And if this be so as indeed upon due search it will appear so to be then we have a secret inclusion of the Provision made by Christ for the ends mentioned plainly intimated unto us before we arrive at the express Consideration of it But to proceed The provision that Christ hath made for the discharge of the whole Work of the Ministry in the Administration of the Ordinances of the Gospel unto the edification of his Church is his Collation or bestowing of Gifts on men rightly called to the Office of the Ministry enabling them unto and to be exercised in that Work In the Prescription and Imposition of a Liturgy there is a provision made for the discharge of the Work of the Ministry in the Administration of the Ordinances of the Gospel unto the edification of the Church in and by the precise reading and pronouncing of the words set down therein without alteration diminution or addition It remaineth then to Consider where this latter Provision be not exclusive of the former and whether the use of them both at the same time be not inconsistent The Administration of Gospel Ordinances consists in Prayer Thanksgiving Instruction and Exhortations suitably applied unto the special nature and end of the several Ordinances themselves and the use of them in the Church For the right performance of all these Christ gives Gifts unto Ministers the Liturgy a certain number of Words to be read without addition or alteration and this toties quoties as the Ordinances are to be administered Now unless it can be made to appear that an ability to read the prescribed words of the Liturgy be the Gifts promised by Christ for the discharge aâ— the Work of the Ministers which cannot be done it is most evident that there is an inconsistency between the use and actual exercise of these several Provisions of mediums for the compassing of the same end and consequently the necessary indispensable use of the Liturgy is directly exclusive of the use of the means provided by Christ and for that end for which the Liturgy is invented and imposed What dismal effects have issued hereupon may be declared hereafter if need be Certainly more then one Commandment of God and more then one Promise of Christ have been made void by this Tradition And I desire that none would be offended if as my own apprehension I affirm That the Introduction of Liturgies was on the account insisted on the principal means of increasing and carrying on that sad defection and Apostasie in the guilt whereof most Churches in the World had enwrapped themselves Nor doth there lye at present any relief against this Consideration from hence that Ministers are allowed the exercise of their gifts they have received in their Preaching and Prayers before and after Sermons For First that indeed there is such a Liberty allowed if the present Liturgy be so imposed as by some is pretended is very questionable many that are looked on as skilled in that law and Mystery of it do by their practise give another interpretation of the intendment of its Imposition making it extend to all that is done in the Publick Worship the bare Preaching or Reading of a Sermon or Homily excepted Nor Secondly is that the matter enquired into Whether Ministers may at any time or in any part of Gods Worship make use of their Gifts but whether they may do it in all those Administrations for whose performance to the edification of his Body they are bestowed on them by Jesus Christ which by the Rule of the Liturgy we have shewed they may not and I doubt not but it will be granted by those who contend for the Imposition of the Liturgy that it extends to the principal parts if not the whole of the Publick Worship of God in the Church Now certainly it is necessary that Conscience be clearly satisfied that this prescription of an Humane Provision of means for such Ends in the Worship of God as Christ hath made provision for which is exâ—luded thereby be not against express rule of Scripture Ezech 43. 8. Matth. 15. 9. Col. 2. 20. without president or example derogatory to the Glory of Christ Heb. 3. 5 6. and in particular of his Truth Wisdome and Love of his Church as also to the perfection the Scripture 2 Tim. 3. 15 16. and whether it brings not the Ministers of the Gospel into open sin Rom. 12. 6 7 8. 1 Cor. 12. 6 7 8 9 10. Ephes. 4. 8 11 12. 1 Pet. 4. 10 â—â— and so be an occasion of the wrath of God and ruine of the Souls of Men before they admit of it or submit unto it CHAP. X. Other Considerations about the Imposition of Liturgies FUrthermore the great Rule of Gospel Administrations is that all things be done to Edification This is the main End of the Ministry its self in all the duties thereof that are purely Evangelical For this end was the Office of the Ministry Instituted for this end are Ministerial Gifts dispensed for this end were the Sacraments appointed and all Church Assemblies Church Power and whatever else belongs to Churches it is all Ordained for this End that the Body of Christ may be edified and increased with the increase of God Ephes. 4. 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15. Col. 2. 19. Acts 9. 31. Rom. 14. 19 15. 1 Cor. 10 23. cap. 14. 3 4 5 12 26. 2 Cor. 12. 19. 1 Tit. 1. 4. The full and adaequate Rule of all Church-order and duties is That all things be done to Edification It doth not hence ensue that whatever men shall judge to conduce to edification may be used by themselves or imposed on others in the Worship of God Christ himself the onely wise and competent Judge in such Cases hath precisely himself determined what is conducing hereunto having as on other accounts so on this also limitted men to his prescription because nothing is effectual unto Edification but by vertue of his blessing which is annexed onely to his own Institutions But this will undeniably hence ensue That whatever is contrary unto or an hindrance of Edification oughr not to be appointed or observed in the