Gospel-worship, or, The right manner of sanctifying the name of God in general and…

The first Note is this, That in Gods Worship there must be nothing tendered up to God but what he hath commanded, whatsoever we meddle with in the Worship of God, it must be what we have a Warrant for out of the Word of God.

For this speech of Moses is upon occasion of the Judgment of God upon Aaron's Sons for offering strange Fire: They offered Fire that God had not commanded. Hence I say, that all things in Gods worship must have a warrant out of Gods word, must be commanded, It's not enough that it is not forbidden: I beseech you observe it: it is not enough that a thing is not forbidden, and what hurt is there in it? But it must be commanded: I confess in matters that are Civil and Natural, there this may be enough; If it be but according to the rules of prudence, and not forbidden in the word; we may make use of this in Civil and Natural things. But now when we come to matters of Religion, and the Worship of God, we must either have a command, or some what out of Gods Word by some Consequence drawn from some command wherein God manifests his will; either a direct command, or by comparing one thing with another, or drawing consequences plainly from the Words. We must have a warrant of the Worship of God. One would have thought that these Priests offering Incense to the true God, what hurt was there in taking other Fire? But there was no Command for it, and therefore it was not accepted. It's true, there are some things in the Worship of God that are Natural and Civil helps, and there we need not have any Command: As for instance; when we come to worship God, the Congregation meets, they must have a convenient place to keep the air and weather from them: now this is but a natural help, and so far as I Use the place of Worship as a natural help I need have no Command. But if I will put any thing in a Place beyond what it hath in its own nature, There I must look for a Command. For if I account one place more Holy than another; or to think that God should accept of worship in one place rather than in another: This is to raise it above what it is in its own Nature. So that when any creature is razed in a Religious way, above what it hath in it by Nature; if I have not Scripture to warrant me I am therein superstitious. It's a very useful rule for to help you: If any Creature that you make any use of in a way of Religion beyond what it hath in its own Nature, if you have not some warrant from the Word of God (whatsoever specious show there may be in it) it is Superstition. As now for the Place,