First, That we are to observe and do all whatsoever the Lord Christ hath commanded us to observe. This lies plain in the command, Mat. 28.20. Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you. And we are directed unto it in the injunction given us from Heaven, to hear, that is obey him ⟨p. 44⟩in all things, Mat. 17.5. he being the Prophet to whose teachings and instructions, we owe obedience on pain of extermination from among the people of God, Deut. 18.15. Act. 3.22, 23. Whatever he hath appointed, commanded, revealed as the will of God to be observed in or about the worship of God, that is to be kept and observed by the Church inviolably. For if we are his Friends and Disciples, we will keep his commandments. No disuse of what continuance soever, can discharge us from the observation of institutions. After the Feast of Tabernacles had been disused from the times of Joshua, unto the return from the captivity, the restoration of it was required of God and accepted with him, Neh. 8.17. No abuse of how high a nature soever can absolve us from obedience unto an institution, 1 Cor. 18.19, 20, 21, 22, 23. After the great abuse of the Lords Supper in that Church, the Apostle recalls them again unto the observation of it, according to the institution of Christ. And after the defilement of all the Ordinances of the Gospel, under the Anti-Christian apostasy, yet the Temple and ⟨p. 45⟩the Altar are to be measured again, Rev. 11.1. and the Tabernacle of God was again to be raised amongst men. Rev. 21.3. No opposition, no persecution, can give the Church a dispensation wholly to omit, and lay aside the use of any thing that the Lord Christ hath commanded to be observed in the worship of God, whilst we are under the obligation of that great rule, Acts 4.19. Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye. It is true in the observation of positive institutions, we may have regard unto rules and prescriptions of prudence, as to times, places, and seasons; that by no inadvertency or miscarriage of ours, or advantage taken by the adversaries of the truth, the edification of the Church be hindered. So the Disciples met with the doors shut for fear of the Jews, John 20.19. and Paul met with the Disciples in the night, in an upper chamber, for the celebration of all the Ordinances of the Church, Acts 20.7, 8.
First, That we are to observe and do all whatsoever the Lord Christ hath commanded us to observe. This lyes plain in the command, Mat. 28.20. Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you. And we are directed unto it in the injunction given us from Heaven, to hear, that is obey him ⟨p. 44⟩in all things, Mat. 17.5. he being the Prophet to whose teachings and instructions, we owe obedience on pain of extermination from among the people of God, Deut. 18.15. Act. 3.22, 23. Whatever he hath appointed, commanded, revealed as the will of God to be observed in or about the worship of God, that is to be kept and observed by the Church inviolably. For if we are his Friends and Disciples, we will keep his commandments. No disuse of what continuance soever, can discharge us from the observation of institutions. After the Feast of Tabernacles had been disused from the times of Joshua, unto the return from the captivity, the restoration of it was required of God and accepted with him, Neh. 8.17. No abuse of how high a nature soever can absolve us from obedience unto an institution, 1 Cor. 18.19, 20, 21, 22, 23. After the great abuse of the Lords Supper in that Church, the Apostle recalls them again unto the observation of it, according to the institution of Christ. And after the defilement of all the Ordinances of the Gospel, under the Anti-Christian apostacy, yet the Temple and ⟨p. 45⟩the Altar are to be measured again, Rev. 11.1. and the Tabernacle of God was again to be raised amongst men. Rev. 21.3. No opposition, no persecution, can give the Church a dispensation wholly to omit, and lay aside the use of any thing that the Lord Christ hath commanded to be observed in the worship of God, whilest we are under the obligation of that great rule, Acts 4.19. Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye. It is true in the observation of positive institutions, we may have regard unto rules and prescriptions of prudence, as to times, places, and seasons; that by no inadvertency or miscarriage of ours, or advantage taken by the adversaries of the truth, the edification of the Church be hindred. So the Disciples met with the doors shut for fear of the Jewes,
