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

Thirdly, They do not in the least tend unto the preservation of due order in the celebration of divine Worship. All order consists in the due observation of rule. The rules of actions are either natural, or of his special appointment. Both these take place in religious worship; the institutions or commands of Christ, containing the substance thereof, in their observation principally consists the order of it. Whatever is of circumstance in the manner of its performance, not capable of especial determination, as emerging or arising only occasionally upon the doing of that which is appointed, at this, or that time, in this, or that place, ⟨p. 62⟩and the like, is left unto the rule of moral prudence, in whose observation their order doth consist. But the super-addition of ceremonies, necessarily belonging neither to the institutions of worship, nor unto those circumstances whose disposal falls under the rule of moral prudence, neither doth nor can add any thing unto the due order of Gospel Worship. So that they are altogether needless, and useless in the Worship of God. Neither is this the whole of the inconvenience wherewith their observance is attended; for although they are not in particular, and expressly in the Scripture forbidden, for it was simply impossible that all instances wherein the wit of man might exercise its invention in such things, should be reckoned up and condemned, yet they fall directly under those severe prohibitions which God hath recorded to secure his worship from all such additions unto it, of what sort soever. Yea the main design of the second precept is to forbid all making unto our selves, any such things in the worship of God, to add unto what he hath appointed, whereof an instance is given in that ⟨p. 63⟩of making and worshipping Images, the most common way that the sons of men were then prone to transgress by, against the institutions of God. And this sense and understanding of the commandment is secured by those ensuing prohibitions against the adding any thing at all unto the commands of God in his worship, Deut. 4.2. Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the Lord your God, Chap. 12.32. what things soever I command you, observe to do it, thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it, Chap. 17.3.