Although our present enquiry be merely after one part of Instituted Worship under the Gospel, and the due performance of it according to the mind of God; yet there being a communication of some light to be obtained from the turning over of that Worship from the Mosaical, to the care and practice of the Evangelical Church, we shall look a little back unto it as therein stated, hoping thereby to make way for our clearer progress. What was the state of the Church of God amongst the Jews as to Instituted Worship, when our blessed Saviour came to make the last and perfect discovery of his mind and will, is manifest both from the appointment of that Worship in the Law of Moses, and the practice of it remarked in the Gospel. That the Rites and Ordinances of the Worship in the Church observed, were from the original in their nature Carnal, and for the number many, on both accounts burdensome and grievous to the Worshippers, the Scripture frequently declares. Howbeit the Teachers and Rulers of the Church, being grown wholly Carnal in their spirits, and placing their only glory in their yoke, not being able to see to the end of the things that were to ⟨p. 4⟩be done away, had in reased those Institutions both in number and weight, with sundry Inventions of their own, which by their authority they made necessary to be observed by their Disciples. In an equal practice of these, Divine Institutions, and Humane Inventions, did our Lord Jesus Christ find the generality of the Church at his coming in the flesh. The former being to continue in force until the time of Reformation, at his Resurrection from the dead should come; both by his practice, and his teaching as a Minister of Circumcision, he confirmed and pressed frequently on the Consciences of men, from the authority of the Lawmaker. The latter he utterly rejected, as introduced in an high derogation from the perfection of the Law, and the honour of him, whose Prerogative it is, to be the sole Lawsphar-giver of his Church; the only Fountain and disposer of his own Worship. And this was the first dawning of Liberty, that with the rising of this Day-star did appear to the burdened and languishing consciences of men. He freed them by his Teaching from the bondage of Pharisaical arbitrary Impositions, delivering their Consciences from subjection to any thing in the Worship of God, but his own immediate Authority.
ALthough our present enquiry be meerly after one part of Instituted Worship under the Gospel, and the due performance of it according to the mind of God; yet there being a communication of some light to be obtained from the turning over of that Worship from the Mosaical, to the care and practice of the Evangelical Church, we shall look a little back unto it as therein stated, hoping thereby to make way for our clearer progresse. What was the state of the Church of God amongst the Jews as to Instituted Worship, when our blessed Saviour came to make the last and perfect discovery of his mind and will, is manifest both from the appointment of that Worship in the Law of Moses, and the practice of it remarked in the Gospel. That the Rites and Ordinances of the Worship in the Church observed, were from the original in their nature Carnal, and for the number many, on both accounts burthensome and grievous to the Worshippers, the Scripture frequently declares. Howbeit the Teachers and Rulers of the Church, being grown wholly Carnal in their spirits, and placing their onely glory in their yoke, not being able to see to the end of the things that were to ⟨p. 4⟩be done away, had in reased those Institutions both in number and weight, with sundry Inventions of their own, which by their authority they made necessary to be observed by their Disciples. In an equal practice of these, Divine Institutions, and Humane Inventions, did our Lord Jesus Christ finde the generality of the Church at his coming in the flesh. The former being to continue in force until the time of Reformation, at his Resurrection from the dead should come; both by his practice, and his teaching as a Minister of Circumcision, he confirmed and pressed frequently on the Consciences of men, from the authority of the Lawmaker. The latter he utterly rejected, as introduced in an high derogation from the perfection of the Law, and the honour of him, whose Prerogative it is, to be the sole Lawsphar-giver of his Church; the onely Fountain and disposer of his own Worship. And this was the first dawning of Liberty, that with the rising of this Day-star did appear to the burthened and languishing consciences of men. He freed them by his Teaching from the bondage of Pharisaical atbitrary Impositions, delivering their Consciences from subjection to any thing in the Worship of God, but his own immediate Authority.
