Q13. Which New Testament Institutions Have Ceased?

Question 13. Are not some institutions of the New Testament ceased, as to any obligation to their observation, and therefore now rightly disused?

Answer. (1.) Some symbolic tokens of moral duties occasionally used, only for present instruction in those duties, are mentioned in the Gospel, without any intention to oblige believers to the formal constant use or repetition of them. And (2.) some temporary appointments relating to gifts in the Church, bestowed only for a season in the first plantation of the Gospel, are ceased. But (3.) no institution or command of Christ, given to the whole Church, relating to the evangelical administration of the New Covenant, for the use and benefit of all believers, does or shall cease to the end of the world, nor can be wholly omitted without a violation of the authority of Jesus Christ himself (John 13:12-15; Romans 16:16; 1 Corinthians 16:20; 1 Timothy 5:10; Mark 6:13; James 5:14; Matthew 28:20; 1 Timothy 6:14; 1 Corinthians 11:16).

Explication.

Mention is made in the Scriptures of various things practiced by the Lord Christ and his Apostles, which being then in common use among men, were occasionally made by them symbolic 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 to 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 to the state of things and persons in those countries (John 13:12-15). After he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said to them: Know you what I have done to you? You call me Master and Lord, and you say well, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet, for I have given you an example that you should do as I have done to you. It is evident that it is the moral duty of brotherly love, in condescension, and mutual helpfulness to be expressed in all necessary offices as occasion does require, that is the thing which Jesus Christ here enjoins 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 (Romans 16:16), which was a temporary occasional token of entire love, which may in answer to that be expressed by any sober usage of salutation among men to the same purpose. But the things themselves were not instituted for any continuance, nor do they 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 to a proper end, where they are used, do not make them 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 to 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 visibly on the outward senses of men, and tended not immediately to the edification of the Church in their faith, but to 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 are 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 6:13), where its practice is reckoned among the effects of that extraordinary power which the Lord Christ committed to his twelve disciples on their first sending out, and is referred to 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 5:14) is to be regulated. But now, as to a real evangelical institution of worship, it is required: (1.) that it be a command of Christ manifested by his Word, or example proposed to our imitation (Matthew 28:20); (2.) that it be given and enjoined to the whole Church with the limitation of its administration expressed in the Word (1 Corinthians 11:25); (3.) that to the due performance of it, Gospel grace be required in them that attend to it; (4.) that it teach, or represent, or seal, or improve some grace of the Covenant, and have a promise of acceptance annexed to it. And whatever is thus appointed, the Church is indispensably to continue in the observation of, to the end of the world.