Covenant-keeping the way to blessedness, or, A brief discourse wherein is shown the connection…Covenant-keeping the way to blessedness, or, A brief discourse wherein is shewn the connexion…

2. By Innovation: i. e. by introducing or bringing into the worship of God the appendices or additions of Mens own inventions, under a pretence of holiness, reverence, helps to devotion, or whatsoever other fair shows Men may endeavour to cover it withal. God's command is strict, that we neither add to, nor take from His Church Institutions. Christ is the only Lord and Law-giver: And to bind the Conscience to the Religious observation of any thing in worship, which is not appointed by Him, is plain Superstition. The efficacy of all Church-Ordinances for the good of the Souls of God's People depends upon the blessing of Christ, which blessing He hath no where engaged to Will-worship, or that fear of God, which (therefore) is in vain taught by the precepts of Men, and to think that Christ hath not taken sufficient care in His Gospel, and made plentiful Provision there, for the securing of His interest and Glory in His Church, the well-fare also, and salvation of the Souls of His People, is to charge unfaithfulness, or, at the least, rash heedlessness and imprudence upon Him who is declared to be faithful in His House, as Moses was in his; yea, with this addition, that Moses did as a Servant, He as a Son. Let us then take heed that we be not drawn away, nor turned aside. What temptations may be set before us on these accounts, God only knows, and when they come, there are many things which may seem but little, and we may be accounted nice and peevish for standing on such punctilio's, yet even the [Greek or Hebrew]'s and tittles of the Will of Christ are carefully to be maintained and defended. It was ⟨p. 100⟩thought by some, no great matter in Primitive times▪ to throw a little Frankincense upon the fire, on the Heathen Altars, without a word speaking, and a liberty of private interpretation of their intentions to them that did it; and they were judged too prodigal of their Lives, that would not for so trifling a thing redeem them: yet the Martyrs chose all manner of cruel Tortures rather than yield to do it, I plead not for Niceties, nor pretended scrupulosities in things merely occasional and civil, which are appendices to Religion, and come not under any particular Rule; but for what concerns the Ordinances themselves. Let us not then seek after superficial Embellishments; but take delight in the simplicity and plainness of Gospel-Dispensations.

2. By Innovation: i. e. by introducing or bringing into the worship of God the appendices or additions of Mens own inventions, under a pretence of holiness, reverence, helps to devotion, or whatsoever other fair shews Men may endeavour to cover it withall. God's command is strict, that we neither add to, nor take from His Church Institutions. Christ is the only Lord and Law-giver: And to bind the Conscience to the Religious observation of any thing in worship, which is not appointed by Him, is plain Superstition. The efficacy of all Church-Ordinances for the good of the Souls of God's People depends upon the blessing of Christ, which blessing He hath no where engaged to Will-worship, or that fear of God, which (therefore) is in vain taught by the precepts of Men, and to think that Christ hath not taken sufficient care in His Gospel, and made plentiful Provision there, for the securing of His interest and Glory in His Church, the wel-fare also, and salvation of the Souls of His People, is to charge unfaithfulness, or, at the least, rash heedlesness and imprudence upon Him who is declared to be faithful in His House, as Moses was in his; yea, with this addition, that Moses did as a Servant, He as a Son. Let us then take heed that we be not drawn away, nor turned aside. What temptations may be set before us on these accounts, God only knowes, and when they come, there are many things which may seem but little, and we may be accounted nice and peevish for standing on such punctilio's, yet even the 's and tittles of the Will of Christ are carefully to be maintained and defended. It was