Secondly, Whatever belongs unto the worship of God in the way or manner whereby any of the Ordinances of Christ is to be performed, comes also under ⟨p. 47⟩the command of Christ which is duly to be attended unto, and observed. Indeed whatever is of this nature appointed by Christ, it doth therefore belong to the worship of God. And what is not so appointed, neither doth, nor can be any part thereof. Of this nature are the celebration of all other Ordinances with prayer; for every thing is sanctified by the word of God and prayer, 1 Tim. 4.5. of some of them indispensably in the assemblies of the Church, 1 Cor. 10.16, 17. Chap. 11.20, 24, 25, 33. With care, in the observation of the general rules of love, modesty, condescension and prudence, doing all things decently and in order, 1 Cor. 11.33. Chap. 14.40. Gestures in some sacred actions, Mat. 26.20, 26. John 13.23. All which the Church is diligently to inquire into, as things that belong to the pattern of the house of God, the goings out thereof, and the comings in thereof, the forms thereof, and the Ordinances thereof, with the Laws thereof, promised to be showed unto it, Ezek. 43.11. to attend carefully to their observation is its duty, being left at liberty as to all other circumstances ⟨p. 48⟩which no authority of man can give any real relation to the worship of God unto. Therein lies the exercise of that Spirit of wisdom, and revelation in the knowledge of the mystery of the Gospel, which is given unto the Church, Ephes. 1.17, 18. It was the wisdom of the ancient Church to do and observe all that God appointed in the way and manner that he had prescribed for their observance, Deut. 4.5, 6. Behold I have taught you statutes and judgements even as the Lord my God commanded me; keep therefore and do them, for this is your wisdom and understanding. And herein is the command of Christ kept inviolate and unblameable. The persuasion of some, that the Lord hath not prescribed all things wherein his worship is concerned, seems to proceed from a negligence in inquiring after what he hath so prescribed: and when once that persuasion is entertained, all farther inquiry is superseded, and despised. For to what end should any one seek after that which he is satisfied cannot be found? as that which is not cannot be. But this mistake will be elsewhere more fully discovered.
Secondly, Whatever belongs unto the worship of God in the way or manner whereby any of the Ordinances of Christ is to be performed, comes also under ⟨p. 47⟩the command of Christ which is duly to be attended unto, and observed. Indeed whatever is of this nature appoin•ed by Christ, it doth therefore belong to the worship of God. And what is not so appointed, neither doth, nor can be any part thereof. Of this nature are the celebration of all other Ordinances with prayer; for every thing is sanctified by the word of God and prayer, 1 Tim. 4.5. of some of them indispensably in the assemblies of the Church, 1 Cor. 10.16, 17. Chap. 11.20, 24, 25, 33. With care, in the observation of the general rules of love, modesty, condescention and prudence, doing all things decently and in order, 1 Cor. 11.33. Chap. 14.40. Gestures in some sacred actions, Mat. 26.20, 26. John 13.23. All which the Church is diligently to inquire into, as things that belong to the pattern of the house of God, the goings out thereof, and the comings in thereof, the forms thereof, and the Ordinances thereof, with the Laws thereof, promised to be shewed unto it, Ezek. 43.11. to attend carefully to their observation is its duty, being left at liberty as to all other circumstances ⟨p. 48⟩which no authority of man can give any real relation to the worship of God unto. Therein lyes the exercise of that Spirit of wisdom, and revelation in the knowledge of the mysterie of the Gospel, which is given unto the Church, Ephes. 1.17, 18. It was the wisdom of the antient Church to do and observe all that God appointed in the way and manner that he had prescribed for their observance, Deut. 4.5, 6. Behold I have taught you statutes and judgements even as the Lord my God commanded me; keep therefore and do them, for this is your wisdom and understanding. And herein is the command of Christ kept inviolate and unblameable. The perswasion of some, that the Lord hath not prescribed all things wherein his worship is concerned, seems to proceed from a negligence in inquiring after what he hath so prescribed: and when once that perswasion is entertained, all farther inquiry is superseded, and despised. For to what end should any one seek after that which he is satisfied cannot be found? as that which is not cannot be. But this mistake will be elsewhere more fully discovered.
