A66110:52
The sinfulness of worshipping God with men's institutions as it was delivered in a…
The sinfulness of worshipping God with men's institutions as it was delivered in a sermon / by Samuel Willard.
printed by Benjamin Harris and John Allen, 1691
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
5. It is to impose upon God, and that is a great sin. We do nothing less herein, than to give Laws to the great King, from whose mouth we ought to receive all. Acts of worship are designed for Communion between God and his people; and he hath promised to them that do rightly worship him, that he will be among them and bless them; which is their great encouragement to give attendance to his Institutions, because there is a blessing in them, but God hath obliged himself no farther than to his own Appointments; whereas in those things we say, that God shall come and hold Communion with us in Mens Prescriptions, that these shall oblige his presence with us; for without this supposal, Ordinances must lose their proper end; and this must needs be the highest arrogancy that can be.
5. It is to impose upon God, and that is a great sin. We do nothing less herein, than to give Laws to the great King, from whose mouth we ought to receive all. Acts of worship are deligned for Communion between God and his people; and he hath promised to them that do rightly worship him, that he will be among them and bless them; which is their great encouragement to give attendance to his Institutions, because there is a blessing in them, but God hath obliged himself no farther than to his own Appointments; whereas in those things we say, that God shall come and hold Communion with us in Mens Prescriptions, that these shalld oblige his presence with us; for without this supposal, Ordinances must lose their proper end; and this must needs be the highest arrogancy that can be.
6. Hence it is a vain Worship, so it is called; Text, and this must needs denominate it sinful. To do any thing in vain, is folly, but to Worship God in vain, is gross iniquity; and what less than vain must that of necessity be, in which we can promise to our selves no fellowship with God, or participation in his grace, except he will for our pleasure, lay aside his Prerogative, and submit himself to the ⟨p. 17⟩prescriptions of men? if men only were imposed upon, it were not so much; but to think to impose upon God, is in it self-presumption, and will prove ruin in the event.