2. Men sin against this Command, when they practise will-worship and superstition in servin • God by duties he never required •• whether •. It be Will-worship in respect of the Service it self, as when that is gone about as duty, which is not in it s •lf lawful, as when such and such Pilgrimages and Penances are appointed by men to be done as Service to God: Or 2. When worship, or Service under the Gospel is astricted to such a place, as if it were Holier to pray in one place than in another, and that therefore God did hear Prayer there more willingly and easily than in another place. Or 3. In respect of bodily posture, as if there were more Religion in one posture than in another; as in receiving the Lords-Supper Kneeling, or Praying in such and such a posture, except in so far as it is decent, and otherwise rightly regulate by •ules of Prudence and Natures light. 4. When it is without a Divine Warrant tied to such a time only, as Christmas, (commonly called Yule) Easter, Pasche, &c. which is an Observing of times that God hath not appointed. 5. When it is tied to such an occasion or accident, as, to Pray when the Clock striketh, or when on • Neeseth, which Plinius marked of Tiberius, who was no Religious man, yet could not abide one who lifted not his Hat when he Neesed, and said not, God bless; and he observeth it among ⟨p. 73⟩these things he can give no reason for; the Prayer is good, but the timing of it so, and astricting it to that thing, is superstitious; so your light-wakes and Diriges (as ye call them) are upon this account to be condemned, either as superstitious, or as profane, or at the best, as the relics and causes or occasions of both: For 1. Once in times of Popish darkness they were so used, or rather abused. 2. Why are your Visits stinted to such a time more than another? It profiteth not the defunct, and it hurteth the person you come unto; a multitude not being •it for comforting or instructing; and yet it cannot be called a mere civil visit, being trusted with such an occasion; but certainly it suits not, nor is it a Christian carriage toward the Dead, and after the Burial of the Dead, to spend time together in such a way as is commonly used:
2. Men sin against this Command, when they practise will-worship and superstition in servin • God by duties he never required •• whether •. It be Will-worship in respect of the Service it self, as when that is gone about as duty, which is not in it s •lf lawful, as when such and such Pilgrimages and Penances are appointed by men to be done as Service to God: Or 2. When worship, or Service under the Gospel is astricted to such a place, as if it were Holier to pray in one place than in another, and that therefore God did hear Prayer there more willingly and easily than in another place. Or 3. In respect of bodily posture, as if there were more Religion in one posture than in another; as in receiving the Lords-Supper Kneeling, or Praying in such and such a posture, except in so far as it is decent, and otherwise rightly regulate by •ules of Prudence and Natures light. 4. When it is without a Divine Warrant tyed to such a time only, as Christmass, (commonly called Yool) Easter, Pasche, &c. which is an Observing of times that God hath not appointed. 5. When it is tyed to such an occasion or accident, as, to Pray when the Clock striketh, or when on • Neeseth, which Plinius marked of Tiberius, who was no Religious man, yet could not abide one who lifted not his Hat when he Neesed, and said not, God bless; and he observeth it among ⟨p. 73⟩these things he can give no reason for; the Prayer is good, but the timing of it so, and astricting it to that thing, is superstitious; so your lightwakes and Diriges (as ye call them) are upon this account to be condemned, either as superstitious, or as prophane, or at the best, as the reliques and causes or occasions of both: For 1. Once in times of Popish darkness they were so used, or rather abused. 2. Why are your Visits stinted to such a time more than another? It profiteth not the defunct, and it hurteth the person you come unto; a multitude not being •it for comforting or instructing; and yet it cannot be called a meer civil visit, being trusted with such an occasion; but certainly it suteth not, nor is it a Christian carriage toward the Dead, and after the Burial of the Dead, to spend time together in such a way as is commonly used:
