A brief instruction in the worship of God, and discipline of the churches of…

Explication.

The external worship whereof we speak, being as was showed before, not natural or moral, arising necessarily from the dependence of the rational creature on God, as its first Cause, chiefest Good, last End, and Sovereign Lord, but proceeding from the mere will and pleasure of God, determining how he will be honoured and glorified in the world, was always alterable by him, by whom it was appointed. And whereas ever since the entrance of sin into the World, God had always respect unto the promise of the Lord Christ, and his mediation, in whom ⟨p. 12⟩alone he will be glorified, and faith in whom he aimed to begin and increase in all his worship, he hath suited his Institutions of the means thereof, to that dispensation of Light and knowledge of him, which he was pleased at any time to grant. Thus immediately after the giving of the promise, he appointed sacrifices for the great means of his worship; as to glorify himself expressly by Mens off ring unto him of the principal good things which he had given them, so to instruct them in the faith, and confirm them in the expectation of the great sacrifice for sin that was to be offered by the promised seed, Gen. 4.3, 4. Heb. 11.4. These were the first instituted worship of God in the World after the entrance of sin. Hereunto he nextly added Circumcision, as an express sign of the Covenant, with the grace of it, which he called Abraham and his seed unto by Jesus Christ, Gen. 17.10, 11. And to the same general end and purpose, he afterwards superadded the Passover with its attendant institutions, Exod. 12.23, 24. And then the whole Law of institutions contained in Ordinances, by the Ministry ⟨p. 13⟩