A discourse concerning liturgies, and their imposition

But least the present exasperation of the Spirits of men, should frustrate that hope and expectation, let us consider what is the precise intendment of the testimonies produced, being we have reason to look well to the justice of our cause in the first place; which being cleared, we may the better be satisfied in coming short of favour where it may not be obtained. The places of Scripture produced, are taken partly out of the Old Testament, partly out of the New. And I suppose it will be granted that there is an equal force of rule in the one, as in the other. For though these in the Old Testament had their peculiar respect to the Worship that was then instituted, yet they had not as then instituted but as the Worship, which God himself had appointed. And therefore their general force abides whilst God requires any Worship at the hands of men; unless it may be made appear that God hath parted with that Prerogative of being the Appointer ⟨p. 46⟩of his own Worship, now under the New Testament, which he so vindicated unto himself under the Old. Take them then in their general aim and intention, that which these and the like Testimonies unanimously speak unto us, is this, That the will of God is the sole Rule of his Worship, and all the concernment of it, and that his Authority is the sole Principle and Cause of the relation of any thing to his Worship, in a Religious manner; and consequently that he never did, nor ever will allow that the wills of his Creatures should be the rule or measure of his Honour or Worship, nor that their Authority should cause any thing to hold a new relation unto him, or any other but what it hath by the Law of its Creation. As this is the sum and substance of the Second Commandment, wherein so great a cloud of Expositors do centre their thoughts, that it will not be easy for any to withstand them, so that the other Texts produced are express to all the Particulars of the Assertion laid down, may be easily evinced.

But least the present exasperation of the Spirits of men, should frustrate that hope and expectation, let us consider what is the precise intendment of the testimonies produced, being we have reason to look well to the justice of our cause in the first place; which being cleared, we may the better be satisfied in coming short of favour where it may not be obtained. The places of Scripture produced, are taken partly out of the Old Testament, partly out of the New. And I suppose it will be granted that there is an equal force of rule in the one, as in the other. For though these in the Old Testament had their peculiar respect to the Worship that was then instituted, yet they had not as then instituted but as the Worship, which God himself had appointed. And therefore their general force abides whilest God requires any Worship at the hands of men; unless it may be made appear that God hath parted with that Prerogative of being the Appointer