‘All things in God’s worship must have a warrant out of God’s word, must be commanded; it is not enough that it is not forbidden, and what hurt is there in it? but it must be commanded – When we come to matters of religion, and the worship of God we must either have a command, or some-what out of God’s word, by some consequence drawn from some command, wherein God manifests his will; either a direct command, or by comparing one thing with another, or drawing consequences plainly from the words, we must have a warrant for the worship of God, &c. – When any creature is raised in a religious way above what it hath in it by nature, if I have not Scripture to warrant me, I am therein superstitious – we must be willing worshippers, but not will worshippers. You see how severe God was to Nadab and Abihu, for but taking other fire, than that which God appointed, to offer up incense, though there was no direct commandment against it, &c.’
‘In the matters of worship God stands upon little things; such things as seem to be very small and little to us, yet God stands much upon them in the matter of worship. For there is nothing wherein the prerogative of God doth more appear than in worship, as princes stand much upon their prerogatives – There are things in the worship of God that are not written in our hearts, that only depend upon the will of God revealed in his word; which were no duties except that they were revealed there. And these are of such a nature as we can see no reason for, but only this, because God will have them – Though men would think it a little matter, whether this fire or that fire, and will not this burn as well as that? but God stands upon it – When Uzzah did but touch the ark, when it was ready to fall, we would think it no great matter; but one touch of the ark cost him his life. There is not a Minim in the worship of God, but God stands mightily upon it – For a man to gather a few sticks on the Sabbath, what great matter was it? but God stands upon it. So when the men Bethshemesh did but look into the ark, it cost the lives of fifty thousand and seventy men, &c.’
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