Owen - BX5085 O84x 1681

(6z ) Performance of the Duties that arife from them, is one prin- cipal End of their Inflitution. It would be too long to make a particular enquiry into all the ends for which the Lord Chrift appointed this Church State, which indeed are all the Duties of the Gofpel, either . in themfelves, or in the manner of their Performance. We may reduce them unto thefe three general Heads. 1. Thep. vfeffed Subjet-fion of the Souls and Confciences of Believers unto his Authority, in their Obfervance of his Commandments. He requireth that all whoare baptized in- to his Name, be taught to do, andobferve all things whatever he ccmmanded. Matth.z8. 18, 19, 2.0. And God is to be Glo- rified not only in their Subjtdion, but in theirprofeffedSub- jedlion unto the Gofpel of Chrift. z Cor. 19. 13. Having given an exprefs charge unto his Difciples, tomake publicly Profeflion of his Name , and not to be deterred from it by thame or fear of any thing that may befal them on the ac- count thereof , and that on the Penalty of his difowning them before his Heavenly Father, Matth. 8. 33, 3405', ;6, 38, Matth. 10. 33; He hath appointed this Church-State, as the way and means whereby they may joyntly,and vifibly nake profe ion of this their Subje&ion to him, Dependance on him, and Freedom in the Obfervation of all his com- mands. Fe will not have this done, Tingly, and perfonally only, but in Society and conjunáion. Now this cannot be done in any Church-State imaginable, wherein the Mem- bers of the Church cannot meet together for this end, which they can onlydo in fuch a Church as is Congregational. z. The joynt celebration of all Gofpel Ordinances and Worfhip, is the great and principal End of the Evangelical Church- State. How far this is dire&ed unto by the Law of Nature was before declared. Man was made for Society in things natural and civil, but efpecially in things Spiritual, or filch as concern the Worfhip of God. Hereon depends the neceflìry of particular Churches , or Societies for Divine Wor-

RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=