Y Epp to the H E B RE WS. Vine, nor' fap for fruitfulneff but what is derived therefrom, which he teacheth eR. prefly, verf 5. Without me, faith he,ye can do nothing. And thisthe Apoftle lively fèts outunto us, in the fimilitude ofthe naturalbody, Col. z. 19. And this placingofall fulnefl in the LordChrift, as the Head ofthe Church, that thence the whole and every . member of it might derive needful fupplies to themfelvcs, is fully taught us in the Gofpel..Hence theChurch is called tke fulnefl of Chrill, Ephef. 1. 2, 3. or that where- unto Chrift communicates of his All fulneßofGrace, until itcomes unto the meafure or degree ofgrowth andperfec ion, which hehath graciouflyafligned unto it. And none I fuppofe will contend, but that the Lord Chrill is the alone and only Head of the Church in this fenfe. It hath not a fpiritual dependance ors any other for grace: There is indeed ['know not what manlier lies in the Opinion of them, who take upon themfelves to confergrace unto others by vertue offuch things as they do unto them, orfor them ; but, this we do not now confider. If any man think he may have grace from any bat Chrift alone, be they Angels or men, let him turn himfelfunto them, but withal) know affuredly, that he torfakes the Fountain ofliving maters for broknciiferns, whichwill yield him no relief. 2. He is theonly Headof RuleandGovernment unto the wholeChurch, and every Member thereof., This Ruleor government óf the Church concerned] all that Obedt- .. ence which it yields unto God in his Worship. Andunto an Head hetein it is re- quired, that he give perfeét Rules and LaWs for all things necelfarily belonging thereunto, and to take care that they be obferved. And here:a great contdt arifeth in theworld. The Papifts inbehalfof their Popeand others under him, contend to befharers with the Lord Chrill in this his Headfhip ; and fain they would perfwade us, that he himfelfhath appointed that fo it thould be. The Scripture cells us; that he wasfaithful in the whole houfeof God, as was Mofes, and that as a Lordover bis ownboufi, to ereil, rule, and eftablith it ; and himfelf when he gives commiflion unto his Apoilles, bids them to teach men to dt and obfèrve all that he hadcommanded them : And accordingly they tell us, that they.deliveredunto us what theyreceivedfrom the Lord; and command us not to be wife above what is written. But 1 know not. how jtis come topats, that ehefe men think, that the Lord Chrift is not a eompleat Head in this matter, that he hath not inftituted all Rules andLaws that are needful.and conve- nient for the right difcharge of theWorfhip ofGod, and Obedience of the Church therein at leaftthat fomewhatmay be added unto what he hath appointed, that may be much to the advantage of the Church. And thisthey take to be their work,by vertue of I know not what unfealedwarrant, unwritten commilhon. But to adde any thing in the WorshipofGod unto the Laws of theChurch,is to exercife Authority, over it, dominion over itsfaith ; and to pretend that this world to come, this bleffed Gofpel Church-[tare is put in fubjeótion unto them, although it be notfo to Angels. Avain andproudpretence, as at the Taft day it will appear. Butyou will fay, Chrift gives his Lawsonly unto his wholeChurch, and not to individual believers, who receive them from theChurch, and fo he is not an immediate Head unto every one in particular. Ianfwer,. That the Lord Chrift commits his Laws unto the Churches miniftery to teach them unto believers ; but his own Authority immediately affects the foul and confcienceofevery believer.Hethatfubjefds himfelfaright unto them,doth it notupon the authority of the Church by whom they are taught and declared, but upon the au- thority of Chrift bywhom they aregivenandenafred. 3.It appears from hence, that as he is our only Head, fo he is our immediate Head: We have our immediatedependance uponhim, and our immediate accefs untohim. Hehath indeed appointed means for the communicating ofhisgrace unto us, and for the exercifing of his Rule andAuthority over us. Such are all his Ordinances with . the Offices and Officers that he hath appointed inhis Church ; the firft whereof he requires us tobe conftant in the uCe of, the latter he requires our obedience and fub- milliionunto. But thefebelong onlyunto the way ofour dependance, and hinder not but ihatour dependance is.immediate on himfelf, he being the immediate Ojrjeét of our Faith andLove. The foul ofa believer relis not in any of theft things, but only makes uCe ofthem to confirm his faith infubjellion unto Chrijl. For all thefe things areours ; it isappointed for ouruCe, and we are Chriffs, as be is Gods, a Cor. 3. at, 22, a 3: And fo have we our immediate accefs unto him, andnot as Come foolifhly imagine by Saints and Angels,and byhim to God,evento the Throne ofGrace. 4. This priviledge is greatly augmented, in that the Church being made fubje4t untoChritt alone, and call intoa dependanceupon him, he will affuredlytau care of sU Y99
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