CHAPTER XVII.

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS TO STRENGTHEN THIS

VII.

ARGUMENT.

GOD hath also appointed a public order

of men, to direct and govern Christian assemblies, and to minister therein; both by giving Christian instruction, and by offering up the common Prayers of the Church to God, and blessing the people in His name.

This is another convincing argument, both that Christ designed public assemblies, because He hath appointed public ministers to officiate there, and that the Prayers made there, are to be preferred before private devotions, because there we partake of the service of God's ministers, the benefit whereof we lose, if we content ourselves with what we do at home.

There is nothing more apparent in the Holy Writings, than that our Lord would have such an order of men set apart, for His divine ser

vice in the Church. Whose ordination by His special appointment and designation, is an assurance that their ministry therein is acceptable to God; as well when they offer the people's Prayers to Him, and bless them in His name, as when they deliver His word to the people, and teach them how to pray, and to perform all other duties of a Christian life. Both of

these are necessary, and their office is designed for both, but especially for the first, to minister the divine service of the Church. The principal of which is the Eucharist; wherein they dispense the most precious tokens of Christ's love to His body, the Church, by Prayers and by Thanksgivings to God for the redemption of the world, by that death of Christ upon the cross. Which ought to be publicly celebrated, because it is an annunciation of the Lord's death, wherein we publish, and show it forth, till He come; and never was administered, nor can be, by any other persons,

but those whom our Lord hath entrusted to be stewards of His mysteries.

For whose Prayers, and public service in

the Church, if men have not a greater esteem, it is because they have no religion, or no true knowledge thereof.

For if they believed that God hath any ministers, (as He hath, if there be any such. thing as religion) who are peculiarly sanctified, that is, set apart for His service, they would believe that God conveys some blessings by their ministry; and look upon their ordination as a seal, that He who hath thereby appointed them to be instruments of His for the salvation of men's souls, will by these instruments effect the thing whereunto He hath ordained them, and particularly give men His blessing by their means; and accept those Prayers which these servants of His offer up unto Him, for them, and in their name.

For that praying for the people is a special part of their work, we may learn from St. James, v. 14. where he directs those to whom he writes, when any man was sick, to "send for the elders of the Church, and let them pray over him." Which no less belonged to their office, we may be sure, when men were

well, than when they were sick, being a part of their daily ministration, for the whole body of the Church. Whose weaker Prayers, as I noted before out of St. Chrysostom, being helped by the stronger Prayers of God's ministers, go up to heaven together with them.

All Christians indeed are called, "a holy and a royal priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Christ Jesus," 1 Pet. ii. 5, 9. but it is manifest by these very words, that they are not so singly, but in a body, when they pray and give thanks, together with him that ministers the divine service in the Church, the "spiritual house," of which the apostle there speaks, in which spiritual sacrifices were offered up to God. And since sacrifices were offered only in public, in the place God appointed for them, we may thence, I think, conclude, that our Prayers, praises, and thanksgivings are then only sacrifices, when made in our assemblies, and that then we act as priests unto God, and not at other times.

The principal sacrifice of Christians, I am

sure, is in its own nature a public service; and is to be so esteemed, even when it is administered to the sick in private, who receive it as part of that body, which is supposed continually to offer this sacrifice. I mean the Holy Communion, wherein we offer to God, with prayers, praises, and thanksgivings, a commemoration of the sacrifice of Christ upon the cross for us. For this we ought all to meet as frequently as we can, that we may conjunctly and openly acknowledge this benefit; because, though this be the principal and immediate intention of this action, it hath respect also to that communion which we have one with another, as mutual members, and with Christ our head, as His body. So the apostle teaches us, when he saith, "the cup of blessing, which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? For we being many are one bread, and one body, for we are all partakers of that one bread." 1 Cor. x. 16, 17. And therefore, since we are not members of the