WORSHIP011

                  Worship of God

                                  E. Drapes

                                Chapter XI

  Of the Ordinances, Order, Ministry, and Communion of the Church.

The Ordinances of this Church, I shall now speak of (having spoken already of prophecy, which is a
gift and an Ordinance to be practiced), are these following.

Prayer

First, prayer, all things are to be sanctified by the Word of God, and prayer, this was practiced in
the Church with an audible voice, Acts 4:24, and so Paul kneeled down, and prayed with the disciples,
Acts 20:26. Now prayer is the pouring out of the soul to God, by way of supplication for the
supply of our wants by Jesus Christ, which prayer is or ought to be the continual posture of Saints'
spirits, according to that of Paul, pray continually. Therefore we shall find the church continuing in
prayer, Acts 2:42. This is a special part of divine worship, whereby we acknowledge God's
preeminency; our relation, subjection, and obedience unto God. I might here show you the prevalency
of the prayers of the Saints, with God, had I time, but I shall conclude this with these three things,
which I desire may always accompany prayer.

First, faith, believing that God is, that he hears us, and is gracious and merciful, and will answer.

Secondly, watchfulness, watch unto prayer, watch and pray, watch over thy heart, thy corruptions to
suppress and subdue them.

Thirdly, constancy, continue in praying, for he will in due time answer, cast not away thy prayers, but
expect their return loaden with blessings.

Praise

Secondly, praise. Praise is that the Lord takes delight in, and yet has in himself no addition of honor
by it, the true praise of God, is the acknowledgment of the glory and excellency of the Lord. 'Tis
the declaration of the goodness of the Almighty. This praise is to be in the mighty congregation. I
will give thee thanks, says David, in the great congregation, I will praise thee among much people,
Psalm 35:18; 145:1. Christ and the Saints both sing praises in the church together unto God the
Father, this true praising of God from the power of the Spirit, did the Psalms, sung upon musical
instruments under the law, point at. The gift of singing Psalms is not a composition of David's Psalms
into meter, through a natural faculty, which Psalms the Priest of the Clarke names. And all the people
must sing together, this begets a confusion, and is a mere tradition, for such a practice has no more
bottom than Organs or Choristers or Singing men and women, in the Church of the Gospel; which
surely we will not plead for now. The melody of Psalms is not in the ear, but in the heart to the Lord,
Eph. 5:19. To sing Psalms in the Gospel is, a special gift given to some particular member in the
church, whereby he does bless, praise, or magnify the Lord, through the mighty operation of the
Spirit, Eph. 5:18,19, which is to be performed, I say, by one alone, at one time to the edification
one of another, and therefore it is an Ordinance flowing from a cheerful heart. If any be merry let
him sing Psalms, that is to say, let him bless God. That all should sing together is denied by Paul, who
says, how is it brethren when ye come together every one of you hath a Psalm, they must speak
orderly one after another, for God is not the author of confusion, but of peace in all the Churches of
Christ.

Fasting

Thirdly, fasting. Now true fasting flows from the apprehension of some great want, whereby the soul
is engaged to give up himself to seek the Lord, separating himself from him outward employments
from meat and drink, so far as nature will permit, that he may wholly without distraction, be earnest
with the Lord by prayer, for the obtaining of his request, the true nature of this will appear evident,
if you consider, Acts 13:2,3; 14:23; 1 Cor. 7:5.
Charity

Fourthly, charity, which is more acceptable than hope or faith, 1 Cor. 13:13. This is that virtue
without which all other gifts are nothing. It is a grace which is rooted in the heart, and is a true
spiritual love and endeared affection towards his Lord Jesus, and all his Saints, poor and rich; which
composes the Spirit in a right temper, subduing covetousness, trampling under foot vauntings, loving
another as himself . The prayer of which read, 1 Cor. 13:3-8, It suffereth long, is kind, envieth
not, vaunteth not it self, is not puffed up, doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not
easily provoked, things no evil, rejoiceth not in iniquity but in the truth, beareth all things, etc. But
I shall only mind it here, as it shows it self forth in the relief of the Saints outward necessities. It
is an Ordinance of God to relieve the poor Saints.

It is the duty of the Church to see that no member in it do want of or lack any thing necessary. 'Tis
not enough to say be warmed but they must administer to the supply of their wants according to the
ability God has given them, 1 Cor. 16:2.

Objection:

But all Saints are to have all things common, so that there must be no difference between them, as it
was in the days of the Apostles.

Solution:

Mistake not the Scriptures, it is no where commanded, it is true there was a time when all things
were common, yet so, that every man had but according to his need, Acts 2:45; 4:34,35. And
whereas they sold their possessions, they then testified their great charity and thus far it is a
precedent for Saints to imitate, that if they have possessions, and their brethren be in want, and
they cannot to be relieved without selling their possessions, they ought to sell them. Yet not so, as to
destroy their natural relations, for he that provideth not for his family, is worse than an infidel. But
this was not their constant practice for afterward they had gatherings as God prospered them, 1
Cor. 16;2, and indeed had that been always commanded to be there practice (sic), wherein could
there have been a ground to press to charity, and to reprove for covetousness. There always has
been and yet will be a difference among men in this world There was an elect Lady, one of
reputation (though few noble are called) who lived accordingly, abounding in hospitality, yet we are
always to mind this, that we ought not to have the faith, in respect of persons.

Breaking of Bread

Lastly, breaking of bread. Now I will show you very briefly four things considerable in this.

First, who was the author of it, that is the Lord Jesus, that said to his disciples, do this in
remembrance of me.

Question:

What does that speech concern us, being spoken only to his disciples before his death.

It was not a command only to them, but to others also, therefore says Paul, that which I have
received of the Lord Jesus I deliver to you, do you eat thereof, 1 Cor. 11:23,24.

Secondly, the persons for whom He ordained it; and they are visible believers in Church fellowship,
such as could examine themselves, such as could discern the Lord's body.

Thirdly, the true nature of this Ordinance, which is spiritual holding forth Christ's death unto one
another. For it is not an Ordinance for the world, but the Church. And likewise it holds forth our
union with Christ. For the bread we break, is the Body of Christ, and the Cup is his blood, the blood
of the Covenant, and it manifests our union one with another. For we being many are one bread, it is
a visible seal to us of our interest in the Lord Jesus, which is to be performed in knowledge, faith,
discerning Christ's Body, that is to say, seeing Christ, to be the true bread, and only food of a Saint
he that performs it not so, does it not truly. Some say, we are not to do it, till we see our selves
above it, and live in the clear apprehensions of light and life, being only to hold forth Christ's death
to others, and not an ordinance wherein we feed on Christ, but to me it's clear we are to do it, when
we see our selves most barren and empty, for then are Ordinances fittest for us, so that we by faith
see Christ to have all fullness in him, and by faith meet him in that Ordinance in a way of subjection,
for it is an Ordinance appointed for our souls refreshing, as well as the holding forth his death one to
another.

Lastly, the duration or continuance of this Ordinance which is till Christ comes, do this in
remembrance of me; and as often as you do this says Paul, you show forth the Lord's death till he
come.

Objection:

But say some, we are only to use that till Christ come in the Spirit, so that he being already come in
the Spirit, we are not any longer to use it.
Solution:

The Apostle's meaning is not till Christ come in the Spirit, but till Christ's second coming without sin
to salvation when he shall reward both good and bad. For if you observe it, Christ was come to Paul,
and to the Corinthians in the Spirit, yet they used it, and he that truly conforms to that Ordinance,
must have the Spirit, for he must discern the Lord's body, that is to say, the fullness, love,
excellency, and virtue of Christ, which he cannot do without the Spirit, so that for any to say,
Christ's coming in the Spirit puts an end to it, he says more than Christ, or the Apostles ever said.
And if what such men say, should be true, then this would unavoidably follow, that that dispensation,
which only gives a true being to an Ordinance, and without which an Ordinance cannot be rightly
embraced, must be that which puts an end to it, which is contrary to religion, and right reason. For I
say again the dispensation of Christ in the Spirit, is that which only gives a true right to it, and
enables spiritually to conform to it, and receive virtue from Christ in it.

As for those objections against this, which plead it to be a knowing Christ after the flesh, and the
like, I have answered them already in the doctrine of Baptism of water.

Gospel Church Order

I shall now speak a word or two, to the Order of the Church, which is that sweet decent and due
administration of every thing in its right season, 1 Cor. 14:10. This is that which directs how to
speak, when to speak, and what to speak, it forbids all confusion, many may not speak, it forbids all
confusion, many may not speak at once, this puts the administration of every Ordinance in its right
place; it first commands faith, after that Baptism, then Church fellowship, and breaking of bread, it
does not turn things upside down, and set the cart before the horse, as we use to say, as many men do
in matters of religion, who will first break bread, which is an Ordinance for their building up before
they be baptized, which visibly demonstrates their new birth. This heavenly Order does not first
baptize, and then preach conversion; but baptizing those that are already converted, this is that
which the Apostle rejoiced to behold in the churches, Col. 2:5.
Gospel Church Ministry

I should now speak of the Ministry of this Church, which is a service committed by the Lord into the
hands of some particular Members of the Church, for the due and orderly edification thereof to
whom he has given the gifts before mentioned, for discharge of their said trust; which ministry, first
is evident in the brethren generally, afterwards as occasion requires is committed, especially by way
of office, to some particulars; wherein I should show you the true nature, ground, use, and end of a
ministry in the Church. But I must now hasten a period to this discourse, intending hereafter if the
Lord affords opportunity to enlarge my self on it, in the meantime know, there may be a true Church
without officers, which I shall evidence by this demonstration.

If you search the Scriptures you shall find all officers of any particular Church are to be chosen out
of the Church, as is evident in the choice of the seven Deacons, Acts 6, and so for Elders, they were
to be ordained in the churches, Tit. 1:5, which clearly holds forth the Churches were to be before
the officers, for if the church was not first, how could it be said, officers must be chosen out of
them, or ordained in them.

Gospel Church Communion

The last thing I shall now handle, is the communion of the church, and that is three-fold. First, with
the Father and the Son, as John says, truly our fellowship is with the Father and the Son, 1 John
1:3, viz., in prayer, praise, breaking of bread, and prophecy. The cup of blessing that we bless says
the Apostle, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ; and the bread that we break, is not the
communion of the body Christ, 1 Cor. 10:16.

Secondly, their communion is one with another, which is in the light and truth of the Father and the
Son, communicating light, knowledge, wisdom, relief, support, succor and assistance, each to other,
joying, rejoicing and sorrowing each with other; for they being many members, are one bread, for we
are all partakers of that one bread, 1 Cor. 10:17.

The Communion Churches Have with Each Other

Thirdly and lastly, the communion the church has with other churches. All the churches of Christ
have but one head, and as members of that head, receive influence from it, and ought to seek the good
and preservation each of other; their visible communion appears in their union in the doctrine of
Christ; there are two things principally belonging to churches to communicate to each other.

First, advice in matters doubtful, as is evident, Acts 14 and 15.c. The church of Antioch sent to
the church of Jerusalem for their advice, wherein we see a liberty for every brother, till they were
agreed to give their judgment. Now this we must not understand to be a dependency one upon
another, but only a sweet unity and agreement they have each with other.

Secondly, in contributing each to others necessities, as if one be over-burdened, it is the duty of
another church to contribute, as is evident, Rom. 15:26:27; 2 Cor. 8th and 9th chapters; Acts
11:29,30. The glory of the church of Christ in all these gifts, privileges and spiritual immunities to
which it is born by the word of God are innumerable, many of them I might here unfold to you, but of
all which with our Apostle, I must conclude, saying, I cannot now speak particularly.

Consider seriously what I have written, and the Lord give us understanding in all things.