Discourses upon the Existence and Attributes of God

and therefore in all those varieties of Ceremonies among the Heathens, there was scarce any, but were imagined by them to be the Dictates and Orders of some of their pretended Deities, and not the resolves of mere Humane Authority. What intrusion upon God's right hath the Papacy made in regard of Officers, Cardinals, Patriarchs, &c. not known in any Divine Order? In regard of Ceremonies in worship, pressed as necessary to obtain the favour of God, Holy-water, Crucifixes, Altars, Images, Cringings, reviving many of the Jewish and Pagan Ceremonies, and adopting them into the Family of Christian Ordinances; as if God had been too absolute and arbitrary in repealing the one, and dashing in pieces the other. When God had by his Sovereign order framed a Religion for the heart, men are ready to usurp an Authority to frame one for the sense, to dress the Ordinances of God in new and gaudy habits, to take the eye by a vain pomp; thus affecting a Divine Royalty, and acting a silly childishness and after this to impose the observation of those upon the Consciences of men, is a bold ascent into the Throne of God; To impose Laws upon the Conscience, which Christ hath not imposed, hath deservedly been thought the very Spirit of Antichrist; It may be called also the Spirit of Anti-God. God hath reserved to himself the sole Sovereignty over the Conscience, and never indulged men any part of it; he hath not given man a power over his own Conscience, much less one man a power over another's Conscience. Men have a power over outward things, to do this or that, where it is determined by the Law of God, but not the least Authority to control any dictate or determination of Conscience: The sole Empire of that is appropriate to God, as one of the great marks of his Royalty. What an usurpation is it of God's right, to make Conscience a slave to man, which God hath solely, as the father of Spirits, subjected to himself? An usurpation which though the Apostles, those extraordinary Officers might better have claimed, yet they utterly disowned any imperious dominion over the faith of others, 2 Cor. 1.24. Though in this they do not seem to ⟨p. 757⟩climb up above God, yet they set themselves in the Throne of God, envy him an absolute Monarchy, would be sharers with him in his Legislative power, and grasp one end of his Sceptre in their own hands.

and therefore in all those varieties of Ceremonies among the Heathens, there was scarce any, but were imagin'd by them to be the Dictates and Orders of some of their pretended Deities, and not the resolves of meer Humane Authority. What intrusion upon God's right hath the Papacy made in regard of Officers, Cardinals, Patriarchs, &c. not known in any Divine Order? In regard of Ceremonies in worship, prest as necessary to obtain the favour of God, Holy-water, Crucifixes, Altars, Images, Cringings, reviving many of the Jewish and Pagan Ceremonies, and adopting them into the Family of Christian Ordinances; as if God had been too absolute and arbitrary in repealing the one, and dashing in peices the other. When God had by his Soveraign order fram'd a Religion for the heart, men are ready to usurp an Authority to frame one for the sence, to dress the Ordinances of God in new and gaudy habits, to take the eye by a vain pomp; thus affecting a Divine Royalty, and acting a silly childishness and after this to impose the observation of those upon the Consciences of men, is a bold ascent into the Throne of God; To impose Laws upon the Conscience, which Christ hath not imposed, hath deservedly been thought the very Spirit of Antichrist; It may be call'd also the Spirit of Anti-God. God hath reserv'd to himself the sole Soveraignty over the Conscience, and never indulg'd men any part of it; he hath not given man a power over his own Conscience, much less one man a power over another's Conscience. Men have a power over outward things, to do this or that, where it is determined by the Law of God, but not the least Authority to controul any dictate or determination of Conscience: The sole Empire of that is appropriate to God, as one of the great marks of his Royalty. What an usurpation is it of God's right, to make Conscience a slave to man, which God hath solely, as the father of Spirits, subjected to himself? An usurpation which though the Apostles, those extraordinary Officers might better have claim'd, yet they utterly disown'd any imperious dominion over the faith of others,