communion with Jefus Chrift, do labour to keep their hearts chafte to him in his ordinances, inftitutions and worship, and that two ways. 1. They will receive nothing, practice nothing, own nothing in his worship, but what is of his appointment. They know that from the foundation of the world, he never did allow, nor ever will, that in any thing the will of the creatures fhould be the measure of his honour, or the principle of his lt was a worship, either as to matter or manner. witty and true fenfe that one gave of the second commandment; Non imago, non fimulachrum probibeter; fed, non facies tibi: it is a making to ourfelves, an inventing, a finding out ways of worship or means of honouring God, not by him appointed, that is fo feverely forbidden. Believers know what entertainment all will, worship finds with God. Who hath required thofe things at your hands? and, in vain do you worship me, teaching for doctrines the traditions of men, is the best it meets with: I fhall take leave to fay what is upon my heart, and what (the Lord affifting,) I thall willingly endeavour to make good againft all the world; namely, that that principle, that the church hath power to inftitute and appoint any thing, or ceremony belonging to the worship of God, either as to matter or to manner beyond the orderly obfervance of fuch circumftances as neceffarily attend fuch ordinances as Chrift himfelf hath inftituted, lyes at the bottom of all the horrible fuperftition and idolatry, of all the confufion, blood, perfecution and wars that have for fo long a feason spread themselves over the face of the Chriftian world; and that it is the defign of a great part of the Revelation, to make a difcove ry of this truth. And I doubt not but that the great Con controverfy which God hath had with this nation for so many years, and which he hath pursued with fo much anger and indignation, was upon this account! that contrary to that glorious light of the gofpel which fhone among us, the wills and fancies. of men, under the name of order, decency, and the authority of the church (a chimera that none knew what it was, nor wherein the power of it did confist, nor in whom refide) were imposed on men, in the ways and worship of God. Neither was all that pretence of glory, beauty comlinefs, and conformity, that then was pleaded any thing more or less, than what God doth fo defcribe in the church of Israel, Ezek. xvi. 25. and forwards. Hence was the fpirit of God in prayer derided, hence was the powerful preaching of the gospel defpifed, hence was the fabbath decried, hence was holinefs ftigmatized and perfecuted; to what end? that Jefus Chrift might be: depofed from the fole privilege and power of lawmaking in his church; that the true Husband might be thrust afide, and adulterers of his fpoufe embrac ed! that task masters might be appointed in and over his houfe, which he never gave to his church, Eph. iv. 12. that a ceremonious pompous, outward fhew worship, drawn from Pagan, judaical and antichristian observations might be introduced; of all which there is not one word, title or iota in the whole book of God: this then they who hold communion with Chrift are careful of; they will admit of nothing, practice nothing in the worship of God: private or publick, but what they have his warrant for; unless it comes in his name, with thus faith the Lord Jefus, they will not hear an angel from heaven. They know the apostles themselves were to teach the faints only what Chrift command ed them, Matth. xxviii. 28. You know how many in this very nation in the days not long fince paffed, yea how many thoufands left their native foil, and went into a valt and howling wilderness in the utmost parts of the world, to keep their fouls undefiled and chafte to their dear Lord Jefus, as to this of his worship and inftitutions. 2. They readily embrace, receive, and practife every thing that the Lord Chrift hath appointed.. They enquire diligently into his mind and will, that they may know it. They go to him for di-: rections, and beg of him to lead them in the way they have not known. The cxix. Pfalm may be at pattern for this. How doth the good holy foul breath after inftruction in the ways and ordinances, the statutes and judgments of God? This I fay they are tender in. What ever is of Chrift, they willingly fubmit unto, and accept of and give up themselves to the constant practice hereof. What ever comes on any other account they refufe. 4. Chrift manifefts and evidences his love to his faints in a way of bounty, in that rich plentiful provifion he makes for them. It hath pleased the Father that in him all fulness should dwell, Col. i. 19. and that for this end, that of his fulness we might all receive grace for grace, John i. 16. I fhall not infift upon the particulars of that provifi on which Chrift makes for his faints, with all thofe influences of the Spirit of life and grace that daily. they receive from him, that bread that he gives them to the full, the refreshment they have from him: I fhall only obferve this, that the fcripture affirms him to do all things for them in an abundant manner, or to do it richly in a way of bounty. Whatever he gives us, his grace to aflift us, his prefence to comfort us, he doth it abundantly. You You have the general affertion of it, Rom. v. 20. Where fin abouded, grace did abound much more. If grace abound much more in comparison of fin, it is abundant grace indeed, as will eafily be granted by any that fhall confider how fin hath abounded and doth in every foul. Hence, he is faid to be able, and we are bid to expect that he fhould do for us exceeding abundantly above what we can ask or think, Eph. iii. 20. Is it pardoning mercy we receive of him? why he doth abundantly pardon, Ifa. lv. 7. he will multiply or add to pardon, he will add pardon to pardon, that grace and mercy fhall abound above all our fins and iniquities. Is it the Spirit he gives us? he sheds him upon us richly or abundantly, Tit. iii. 6. not only bidding us drink of the waters of life freely, but also bestowing him in fuch a plentiful measure that rivers of water hall flow from them that receive him, John vii. 38, 39. that they shall never thirst any more who have drank of him. Is it grace that we receive of him? he gives that alfo in a way of bounty. We receive abundance of grace Rom. v. 17. he abounds towards us in all wisdom and prudence, Eph. i. 18. Hence is that invitation, Can. v. 1. If in any thing then we are ftraitned, it is in ourselves, Chrift deals bounti fully with us. Indeed the great fin of believers is, that they make not ufe of Chrift's bounty as they ought to do; that we do not every day take of him mercy in abundance. The oil never ceafeth, till the veffels ceafe; fupplies from Chrift fail not but only when our faith fails in receiving them. 4. Then our return to Chrift is in a way of duty; unto this two things are required. 1. That we follow after and practice holinefs in the power of it, as it is obedience unto Jefus Chrift, under under this formality, as obedience to him. All gofpel-obedience is called, whatsoever Chrift com mands us, Mat. xxviii. 20. And faith he, John xv. 14. ye are my friends if you do what I command you and it is required of us that we live to him who died for us, 2 Cor., v. xv. live to him in al holy obedience; live to him as our Lord and King. Not that I fuppofe there are particular precepts and a peculiar law of Jefus Chrift, in the obfervance whereof we are juftified, as the Socinians fancy for furely the gofpel requires of us no more, but to love the Lord our God with all our hearts and all our fouls, which the law alfo required: but that the Lord Jefus having brought us into a condition of acceptance with God, wherein our obedience is well pleafing to him, and we being to honour him as we honour the Father, that we have a re spect and peculiar regard to him in all our obedience, fo, Tit. ii. 14. he hath purchased us unto himself: and thus believers do in their obedience they eye Jefus Chrift. 1. As the Author of their faith and obedience for whofe fake it is given to them to believe, Phil. i. 29. and who by his Spirit works that obedience in them. So the apoftle, Heb. xii. 1, 2. in the course, of our obedience we still look to Jefus the Author of our faith; faith is here both the grace of faith; and the fruit of it in obedience. 2. As he, in, for, and by whom we have ac ceptance with God in our obedience. They know, all their duties are weak, imperfect, not able to abide the prefence of God; and therefore they look to Christ as he who bears the iniquity of their holy things, who adds incenfe to their prayers, gathers, out |