Q18. Gospel Worship Compared to the Moral Law

Qu. 18. Whereas sundry of these things are founded in the light and law of nature, as requisite to 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?

Answ. Neither their general suitableness to 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, do at all hinder them from depending on the mere institution of Jesus Christ, as to those especial ends of the [illegible] of God in and by himself, and the edification of his Church in the faith which is in him, whereunto he has appointed them: Nor as to that especial manner of their performance, which he requires — in which respects they are to be observed on the account of his authority and command only (Matthew 17:5; Matthew 28:20; John 16:23, 24; Hebrews 3:4, 5, 6; Ephesians 1:22; chapter 2:20, 21, 22; Hebrews 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 (Hebrews 3:6). Christ as a Son over his own house — whose house are we (1 Timothy 3:15) — that you may know how you ought to behave yourself 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 to him; and so we can neither expect his grace to assist us, nor have we his promise to accept us therein; for that he has annexed to our doing and observing whatever he has commanded, and that because he has commanded us (Matthew 28:20): "teaching them to observe all things whatever I have commanded you, and lo, I am with you always, even to 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 has the least influence into what they do. If in any of his institutions they find any thing that is suited or agreeable to 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 to, 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 has appointed in his Church to be observed in particular, in an especial manner, for especial ends of his own, has in the general nature of it an agreement with what in like cases the light of nature seems to direct to, that 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 to his authority (Matthew 17:5): "This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased, hear you him" (Ephesians 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 supplies, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, makes increase of the body to the edifying of it self in love" (Ephesians 2:20, 21): "You 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 grows to 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 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 with respect to 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 has no place in the worship of God.