the doctrines and commandments of men which are in any thing contrary to his word, or beside it, in matters of faith or worship. So that to believe such doctrines, or to obey such commandments out of conscience, is to betray true liberty of conscience; and the requiring of an implicit faith, and an absolute and blind obedience, is to destroy liberty of conscience, and reason also."

III. They who, upon pretence of Christian liberty, do practise any sin, or cherish any lust, do thereby destroy the end of Christian liberty; which is, that, being delivered out of the hands of our enemies, we might serve the Lord without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life.°

stroy: who art thou that judgest another? Rom. xiv. 4. Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth; yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand.

we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage: Ver. 5. To whom we gave place by subjection, no, not for an hour, that the truth of the gospel might continue with you. Gal. v. 1. Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.

1 Acts iv. 19. But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto u Rom. x. 17. So then faith cometh God, judge ye. Acts v.29. Then Peter by hearing, and hearing by the word and the other apostles answered and of God. Rom. xiv. 23. And he that said, We ought to obey God rather doubteth is damned if he eat, because than men. 1 Cor. vii. 23. Ye are bought with a price: be not ye the servants of men. Matt. xxiii. 8. But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren. Ver. 9. And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven. Ver. 10. Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ. 2 Cor. i. 24. Not for that we have dominion over your faith, but are helpers of your joy: for by faith ye stand. Matt. xv. 9. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

m Col. ii. 20. Wherefore, if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances. Ver. 22. (Which all are to perish with the using,) after the commandments and doctrines of men? Ver. 23. Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will-worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body; not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh. Gal. i. 10. For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ. Gal. ii. 4. And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which

he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin. Isa. viii. 20. To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them. Acts xvii. 11. These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. John iv. 22. Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we wor ship: for salvation is of the Jews. Hos. v. 11. Ephraim is oppressed and broken in judgment, because he willingly walked after the commandment. Rev. xiii. 12. And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth, and them which dwell therein, to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. Ver. 16. And he caused all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: Ver. 17. And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. Jer. viii. 9. The wise men are ashamed, they are dismayed and taken: lo, they have rejected the word of the Lord; and what wisdom is in them?

III. Gal. v. 13. For, brethren, ye

IV. And because the powers which God hath ordained, and the liberty which Christ hath purchased, are not intended by God to destroy, but mutually to uphold and preserve one another; they who, upon pretence of Christian liberty, shall oppose any lawful power, or the lawful exercise of it, whether it be civil or ecclesiastical, resist the ordinance of God. And for their publishing of such opinions, or maintaining of such practices, as are contrary to the light of nature, or to the known principles of Christianity, whether concerning faith, worship, or conversation; or to the power of godliness; or such erroneous opinions or practices, as either in their own nature, or in the manner of publishing or maintaining them, are destructive to the external peace and order which Christ hath established in the church; they may lawfully be called to account, and proceeded

against by the censures of the church, and by the power of the civil magistrate."

CHAP. XXI.—Of Religious Worship, and the Sabbath-day. 1. THE light of nature sheweth that there is a God, who hath lord

THE plight of nature shover all; is good, and doeth good unto all;

be stopped; who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre's sake. Ver. 13. This witness is true: wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith. And Tit. iii. 10. A man that is an heretick, after the first and second admonition, reject. With Matt. xviii. 15. Moreover, if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. Ver. 16. But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. Ver. 17. And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican. 1 Tim. i. 19. Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away, concerning faith have made shipwreck: Ver. 20. Of whom is Hymeneus and Alexander; whom I have delivered unto Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme. Rev. ii. 2. I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars. Ver. 14. But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication. Ver. 15. So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes, which thing I hate. Ver. 20. Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols. Rev. iii. 9. Be

hold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that 1 have loved thee.

[eut. xiii. 6. to the 12th.] Rom. xiii. 3. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? Do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same. Ver. 4. For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil. With 2 John, verses 10, 11. [See in letter ¶] Ezra vii. 23. Whatsoever is commanded by the God of heaven, let it be diligently done for the house of the God of heaven: for why should there be wrath against the realm of the king and his sons? Ver. 25. And thou, Ezra, after the wisdom of thy God that is in thine hand, set magistrates and judges, which may judge all the people that are beyond the river, all such as know the laws of thy God; and teach ye them that know them not. Ver. 26. And whosoever will not do the law of thy God, and the law of the king, let judgment be executed speedily upon him, whether it be unto death, or to banishment, or to confiscation of goods, or to imprisonment. Ver. 27. Blessed be the Lord God of our fathers, which hath put such a thing as this in the king's heart, to beautify the house of the Lord which is in Jerusalem; Ver. 28. And hath extended mercy unto me before the king and his counsellors, and before all the king's mighty princes: and I was strengthened as the hand of the Lord my God was upon me; and I gathered together out of Israel chief men to go up with me. Rev. xvii. 12. And the ten horns which

and is therefore to be feared, loved, praised, called upon, trusted in, and served, with all the heart, and with all the soul, and with all the

thou sawest are ten kings, which have brook Kidron, and burnt it at the received no kingdom as yet; but re- brook Kidron, and stamped it small ceive power as kings one hour with the to powder, and cast the powder thereof beast. Ver. 16. And the ten horns which upon the graves of the children of the thou sawest upon the beast, these shall people. Ver. 9. Nevertheless the priests hate the whore, and shall make her of the high places came not up to the desolate and naked, and shall eat her altar of the Lord in Jerusalem, but flesh, and burn her with fire. Ver. they did eat of the unleavened bread 17. For God hath put in their hearts among their brethren. Ver. 20. And to fulfil his will, and to agree, and he slew all the priests of the high give their kingdom unto the beast, places that were there upon the altars, until the words of God shall be ful- and burnt men's bones upon them, filled. Neh. xiii. 15. In those days and returned to Jerusalem. Ver. 21. saw I in Judah some treading wine- And the king commanded all the presses on the sabbath, and bringing people, saying, Keep the passover unin sheaves, and lading asses; as also to the Lord your God, as it is written wine, grapes, and figs, and all manner in the book of this covenant. 2 Chron. of burdens, which they brought into xxxiv. 33. And Josiah took away all Jerusalem on the sabbath-day: and the abominations out of all the counI testified against them in the day tries that pertained to the children of wherein they sold victuals. Ver. 17. Israel, and made all that were present Then I contended with the nobles of in Israel to serve, even to serve the Judah, and said unto them, What evil Lord their God. And all his days thing is this that ye do, and profane they departed not from following the the sabbath-day? Ver. 21. Then I Lord, the God of their fathers. 2 testified against them, and said unto Chron. xv. 12. And they entered into them, Why lodge ye about the wall? a covenant to seek the Lord God of if ye do so again, I will lay hands on their fathers with all their heart, and you. From that time forth came they with all their soul; Ver. 13. That no more on the sabbath. Ver. 22. And whosoever would not seek the Lord I commanded the Levites, that they. God of Israel should be put to death, should cleanse themselves, and that whether small or great, whether man they should come and keep the gates, or woman. Ver. 16. And also conto sanctify the sabbath-day. Remem cerning Maachah, the mother of Asa ber me, my God, concerning this the king, he removed her from being also, and spare me according to the queen, because she had made an idol greatness of thy mercy. Ver. 25. And in a grove: and Asa cut down her contended with them, and cursed idol, and stamped it, and burnt it at them, and smote certain of them, and the brook Kidron. Dan. iii. 29. Thereplucked off their hair, and made them swear by God, saying, Ye shall not give your daughters unto their sons, nor take their daughters unto your sons, or for yourselves. Ver. 30. Thus cleansed I them from all strangers, and appointed the wards of the priests and the Levites, every one in his business. 2 Kings xxiii. 5. And he put down the idolatrous priests, whom the kings of Judah had ordained to burn incense in the high places in the cities of Judah, and in the places round about Jerusalem; them also that burnt incense unto Baal, to the sun, and to the moon, and to the planets, and to all the host of heaven. Ver. 6. And he brought out the grove from the house of the Lord, without Jerusalem, unto the

fore I make a decree, That every people, nation, and language, which speak any thing amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made a dunghill; because there is no other God that can deliver after this sort. 1 Tim. ii. 2. For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. Isa. xlix. 23. And kings shall be thy nursing-fathers, and their queens thy nursing-mothers: they shall bow down to thee with their face toward the earth, and lick up the dust of thy feet; and thou shalt know that I am the Lord: for they shall not be ashamed that wait for me. Zech. xiii. 2. And

might. But the acceptable way of worshipping the true God is instituted by himself, and so limited by his own revealed will, that he may not be worshipped according to the imaginations and devices of men, or the suggestions of Satan, under any visible representation, or any other way not prescribed in the holy scripture.b

II. Religious worship is to be given to God, the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; and to him alone: not to angels, saints, or any other creature: