But yet there is a further note from hence and that is especially intended. The evil that they are accused of is, That they did leave off to take heed of God in point of worship, for that is the thing that God especially charged them for, that they did corrupt his worship, and they did leave off to take heed of God in things of his worship, that is thus, that kind of worship that they thought to be most suitable to their own reason and politic ends, that worship they set up; but now to take heed to God for the rule of worship, to look up unto God,1 that whatsoever they had in his worship should be according to the rule he setteth, that they left off, they minded that no more now but altogether what was suitable to their own ends. And that is an evil thing in any Kingdom that men should leave off so to take heed; as it is almost come to that now. Use. I make no question at first but that for the government of the Church the primitive Christians had a special eye to the rule, to Apostolical institution, but it is come to pass I know not how, it is almost a general conclusion amongst men, yea amongst good men, amongst Divines and good Divines, that we can scarce have a rule, a rule of institution, they think it needs not at all, and we can find no such thing at all in the word, and so they have quite left off so much as to examine things in the word: I say they have done so. It is an evil thing for any in matters that concern the worship of God not to take heed of Gods word in it; Though in civil things we are left to prudence and reason, but when we come to matter of worship we must take heed to the word, in every particular that is properly Ecclesiastical, that is properly Church-work, we must I say in every thing take heed to the Word of God. It is a notable expression that Luther hath about this, It is not saith be so much in Religion to look at what is the thing as who commands it; and he citeth Seneca, Seneca saith he gives this rule, observe not who commandeth but what is commanded, but in the Church and in Religion it is to be turned quite another way, it is not so much Quid but Quis and Q•alis and Quantus, but the Devil saith he changeth this into quid quale quantum, that is, he changeth ⟨p. 128⟩this who, and what manner of person, and how great a one commandeth; into this; what, what manner, and how great a thing.
But yet there is a further note from hence and that is especially intended. The evil that they are accused of is, That they did leave off to take heed of God in point of worship, for that is the thing that God especially charged them for, that they did corrupt his worship, and they did leave off to take heed of God in things of his worship, that is thus, that kind of worship that they thought to be most sutable to their own reason and politick ends, that worship they set up; but now to take heed to God for the rule of worship, to look up unto God,1 that whatsoever they had in his worship should be according to the rule he setteth, that they left off, they minded that no more now but altogether what was sutable to their own ends. And that is an evil thing in any Kingdom that men should leave off so to take heed; as it is almost come to that now. Use. I make no question at first but that for the government of the Church the primitive Christians had a special eye to the rule, to Apostolical institution, but it is come to pass I know not how, it is almost a general conclusion amongst men, yea amongst good men, amongst Divines and good Divines, that we can scarce have a rule, a rule of institution, they think it needs not at al, and we can find no such thing at all in the word, and so they have quite left off so much as to examin things in the word: I say they have done so. It is an evil thing for any in matters that concern the worship of God not to take heed of Gods word in it; Though in civil things we are left to prudence and reason, but when we come to matter of worship we must take heed to the word, in every particular that is properly Ecclesiastical, that is properly Church-work, we must I say in every thing take heed to the Word of God. It is a notable expression that Luther hath about this, It is not saith be so much in Religion to look at what is the thing as who commands it; and he citeth Seneca, Seneca saith he gives this rule, observe not who commandeth but what is commanded, but in the Church and in Religion it is to be turned quite another way, it is not so much Quid but Quis and Q•alis and Quantus, but the Devil saith he changeth this into quid quale quantum, that is, he changeth ⟨p. 128⟩this who, and what manner of person, and how great a one commandeth; into this; what, what manner, and how great a thing.
- 1obser.
