Owen - BX5085 O84x 1681

and Adminifiration of Ordinance;r,vindicated. t 6; of God for this end, and other end they have none. And hereon it follows, that if it be not in the power of men, to appoint any thing that fhall be a means of consnaani- cation between God and his People, as unto the Grace of the Covenant, on theone hand, or the Duties ofO- bedience which it requires, on the other; they have no Power to ere& any new Church ¡Lite, or enact any thing in Divine Worfhip, not of his Inftitution. This being the Rate of Churches and their Ordinances, they can- not be altered, they cannot be liable unto any decay, unlefs the Covenant whereunto they are annexed , be al- tered or decayed. And therefore the Apoftle to put fi- nally and abfolutely, his Argument unto an iffue, to prove that the Mofaical Church-State and Ordinances were changed , becaufe ufelefs and íneffednal, doth it on this ground, that the Covenant whereunto they were annex- ed , was changed and become ufelefs. This I fiippofe at prefent will not be laid concerning the New Covenant, whereunto all Ordinances ofDivine Worfhip are infepa- rably annexed. Men might at acheaper rate, as unto the eternal intereft of their own Souls, provide another Covering for their floth, negligence, unbelief, and indulgence unto proud foolifb imaginations , whereby they render the Churches and Ordinances of the Golpel ufelefs and ineffedual un- to themfelves; thereby charging them with a decay and ufelelnefs, and fo refle&ing on the honour and faithfulnefs of Chrift himfeif. 2. They do not ceafe, becaufe there is at prefent or at leaft there is fhortly to be expe6ted, fach an eft:1;on of thegifts andgraces of thespirit, as to render all thefe ex- ternal inflitations needlefs , and confequently afeiefs. This allo is fallel y pretend ed. For (r.) The greateft and molt plentiful effufion of theHoly Spirit in hisGifts and Y 2 Graces,

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