Precious faith considered in its nature, working, and growth

the believer, who hath the whole Scripture before him, may ⟨p. 124⟩well say, here's doctrine enough for me, faith will not turn vagrant and lye about at humane doors for doctrines, there is enough in the word. Again, the believer would not as to worship be religious above what is written; that of the Schoolmen, cultus est à naturâ, modus à lege, virtus à gratiâ, worship is from nature, the manner from the Law, the power from grace, is very excellent. The very light of nature saith, God is to be worshipped, but faith goes to the word for the manner, and to free-grace for the power. God in the second Commandment forbids graven Images, not as false objects of worship, which are forbidden in the first Commandment, but as false means and manner of worship, and under graven Images, as being the chiefest and grossest kind of false worship. God doth forbid all other false worship humanely devised, such as these were: hence true faith looks on all humanely devised worships as so many graven Images, a kind of Teraphim, expressing, though not as they did, an humane shape, yet an humane devise and invention, things void of God, without institution and without benediction. That of the Prophet, who hath required this at your hand, Isa. 1.12. falls like thunder on all the imagery of humane inventions, dashing them to pieces in a moment. Quintinus the Libertine, being present at a solemn Mass with a Cardinal, boasted that he saw the glory of God. I suppose according to his loose principles of being under no outward Law, he would have said as much if he had been among Pagans at their Idolatrous worship; but ⟨p. 125⟩the true believer looks for that glory only in the Sanctuary of Divine Institutions, there and there only God records his Name, and commands the blessing, even life for evermore. Moreover the believer as to mercies and comforts would not be an expectant above what is written. 'Tis said of Moses that he died according to the word of the Lord, Deut. 38.5. or (as the Original may be read) he died upon the mouth of the Lord; the believer loves to live and dye upon Gods mouth in the promises, there watching for the sweet words of grace dropping from him: he walks among the Promises, as the Physician among his herbs, and by a divine instinct knows this is good for such a condition, and that for another;