§. 76. Of Gods warrant for Gods Worship.
THe Apostles proof, that they who were of the tribe of Iuda, had nothing to do about Aarons Priest-hood, is taken from Moses his silence thereabout, thus •…•…∣press•…•…d, Of which tribe Moses spake nothing c•…•…ncerning the Priest-hood.
The preposition translated, a 1.1 OF, especially as it is here joyned with the •…•…∣cusative case, most properly signifieth, TO. But the sense will hold the same, whe∣ther we translate it, OF, or TO.
Of Moses, see Chap. 3. v. 2. §. 37.
God used Moses to reveale and make known to his people in that time, whatso∣ever he would have them to know. So as that which Moses did not speak and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 known to them, was not taken to be the mind or will of God. The force then o•…•… the argument resteth in this: that by Moses speaking nothing about the Priest-hood to be of the tribe of Iuda, it appeared, that it was not the Lords mind that any of the tribe of Iuda should be of the Priest-hood.
Though this be a negative argument, yet it being concerning the worship of* 1.2 God, it is a sound concluding argument.
- 1. In that Moses spake nothing of it, it appeares that God would not have it to be so. For whatsoever God would have to be done by his people at that time, he revealed to Moses for him to make it known to them.
- 2. In that God declared nothing of his mind therein, it followeth that God would not have them that were of the tribe of Iuda to be then his Priests. God hath not left articles of faith, or parts of his divine worship to mans invention and discretion. He then made known whatsoever he would have his Church then be∣lieve and practise about his worship. What since that time, he would have his Church to believe or practise thereabouts, since that time he hath by his Prophets and Apostles made known to his Church, and caused to be registred in the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Scripture.
Thus we see that every thing, wherein and whereby God is worshipped, must have* 1.3 an expresse warrant from Gods word. In vain they do worship God, teaching f•…•…r do∣ctrines, the commandments of men, Matth. 15. 9. It is the main scope of the second commandement to have our warrant from God to worship him.
- 1. No man can tell how God will be worshipped: or how therein, they may please God.
- 2. Mans heart is very foolish: addicted to outward toyes, as is evident by all man∣ner of superstitions which are mans inventions.
- 1. I may use this Apostolicall argument against that Masse of Popish 〈◊〉〈◊〉,* 1.4 wherein and whereby they worship God, and I may say, nor Moses, nor any other pen-man of Scripture spake any thing concerning such a kind of worshipping God. Therefore no good Christian is to joyn with them therein. What Prophet or A∣postle ever spake any thing of worshipping God before Images, or in an unknown tongue, or in numerall prayers, or through the mediation of Saints or Angels, or by offering the sacrifice of the Mass, or by adoring relicks, or by crossing themselves, or by sprinckling of holy water, or by other Sacraments then Baptisme and the Lords Supper, or by pilgrimages, or by going bare foot, or by wearing shirts of 〈◊〉〈◊〉, or by forbearing flesh, or by vowing perpetuall continency, voluntary poverty, re∣gular