And for their publishing of fuch opinions, or mantaining of fuch practices, as are contrary to the light of nature, or to the known principles of Chriftianity, whether concerning faith, worship or converfation; or to the power of godliness; or fuch erroneous opinions or practices as either in their own nature, or in the manner of publifhing or maintaining them, are deftructive 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 cenfures of the church q, 9 Rom. i. 32. Who knowing the judgment of God, (that they who commit fuch things are worthy of death) not only do the fame, but have pleasure in them that do them. With 1 Cor. v. 1. It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and fuch fornication as is not fo much as named amongst the Gentiles, that one fhould have his father's wife. v. 5. To deliver fuch an one unto Satan, for the deftruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be faved in the day of the Lord Jefus. v. 11. But now I have written unto you, not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother, be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner, with fuch an one, no not to eat. v. 13. But them that are without, God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourfelves that wicked perfon. 2 John 10. If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your houfe, neither bid him God fpeed. v. 11. For he that biddeth him God fpeed, is partaker of his evil deeds. And 2 Theff. iii. 14. And if any man obey not our word by this epiftle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed. And 1 Tim. vi. 3. If any man teach otherwife, and and confent not to wholsom words, even the words of our Lord Jefus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godlinefs; v. 4. He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about queftions and ftrifes of words, whereof cometh envy, ftrife, railings, evil furmifings, v. 5. Perverse difputings of men of corrupt minds, and deftitute of the truth, fuppofing that gain is godlinefs: from fuch withdraw thyfelf. And Tit. i. 10. For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, especially they of the circumcifion, v. II. Whofe mouths must be ftopped, who fubvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre's fake. v. 13. This witnefs is true: wherefore rebuke them fharply, that they may be found in the faith. And Tit. iii, 10. A man that is an heretick, after the first and fecond admonition, reject. With Mat. xviii. 15. Moreover, if thy brother fhall trefpass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he fhall hear thee, thou haft gained thy brother. v. 16. But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witneffes every word may be establifhed. v. 17. And if he fhall neglect to hear them, tellit unto the church; but and by the power of the civil magiftrater. 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 confcience: which fome having put away, concerning faith have made fhipwreck. v. 20. Of whom is Hymeneus and Alexander: whom I have delivered unto Satan, that they may learn not to blafpheme. Rev. ii. 2. I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou can't not bear them who are evil; and thou haft tried them, who fay they are apoftles, and are not; and haft found them liars. v. 14. But I have a few things against thee, because thou haft there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to cast a stumbling-block before the children of Ifrael, to eat things facrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication. v. 15. So haft thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate. v. 20. Notwithstanding, I have a few things against thee, because thou fuffereft that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to reach, and feduce my fervants to commit fornication, and to eat things facrificed unto idols. Rev. iii. 9. Behold, I will make them of the fynagogue of Satan, (who fay 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 I have loved thee. r (Deut. xiii. 6. to the 12.) 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 fhalt have praise of the fame. v. 4. For he is the minifter of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which CHAP. is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the fword in vain; for he is the minifter of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doth evil. With 2 John 10, 11. (See in the letter q.) Ezra vii. 23. Whatsoever is commanded by the God of heaven, let it be diligently done, for the houfe of the God of heaven; for why fhould there be wrath against the realm of the king and his fons? v. 25. And thou, Ezra, after the wifdom of thy God, that is in thine hand, fet magiftrates and judges, who may judge all the people that are beyond the river, all fuch as know the laws of thy God; and teach ye them that know them not. v. 26. And whofoever will not do the law of thy God, and the law of the king, let judgment be executed fpeedily upon him, whether it be unto death, or to banishment, or to confifcation of goods, or to imprifonment. v. 27. Blessed be the Lord God of our fathers, who hath put fuch a thing as this in the king's heart, to beautify the house of the Lord, which is in Jerufalem: v. 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 Ifrael, chief men to go up with me. Rev. xvii. 12. And the ten horns which thou faweft, are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beaft, v. 16. And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beaft, thefe fhall hate the whore, and fhall make her defolate, and naked, and fhall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire. v. 17. For God hath H 3 put put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and to give their kingdo unto the beat, until the words of God fhall be fulfilled. Neh. xiii. 15. In thole days faw I in Judah fo ne treading wine-preffes on the fabbath, and bringing in theaves, and lading affes; as alfo wine, grapes, and figs, and all manner of burdens, which they brought into Jerufalem on the fabbath-day: and I teltified against them in the day wherein they fold victuals. v. 17. Then I contended with the nobles of judah, and faid unto them, What evil thing is this that ye do, and profane the labbath-day? v. 21. Then I testified again t then, and faid unto them, Why lodge ye about the wall if ye do to again, I will lay hands on you. From that time forth came they no more on the fabbath. v. 22. And I tommanded the Leyites, that they should cleanfe themfelves, and that they fhould come and keep the gates, to fanctify the fabbath-day. Remember me, O my God, concerning this alfo, and spare meaccording to the greatnefs of thy mercy. v. 25. And I contended with them, and curfed them, and smote certain of them, and pluckt off their hair, and made them fwear by God, faying, Yeth ll not give your daughters unto their fons, nor take their daughters unto your fons, or for yourfelves. v. 30. Thus cleanfed I them from all ftrangers, and appointed the wards of the priests, and the Levites, every one in his bufinefs. 2 Kings xxiii. 5. And he put down the idolatrous priests, whom the kings of Judah had ordained to burn incenfe in the high places, in the cities of Judah, and in the places round about Jerufalem, them alfo that burnt incenfe unto Baal, to the fun, and to the moon, and to the planets, and to all the hoft of heaven. v. 6. And he brought out the grove from the house of the Lord, without Jerufalem, unto the brook Kidron, and burnt it at the brook Kidron, and ftampt it small to powder; and cat the powder thereof upon the graves of the children of the people. v. 9. Neverthelefs, the priests of the high places came not up to the altar of the Lord in Jerufalem, but they did eat of the unleavened bread among their brethren. v. 20. And he flew all the priests of the high places that were there, upon the altars, and burnt mens bones upon them, and returned to Jerufalem. v. 21. And the king commanded all the people, faying, Keep the paffover unto the Lord your God, as it is written in the book of this covenant. 2 Chr. xxxiv, 33. And Jofiah took away all the abominations out of all the countries that pertained to the children of Ifrael, and made all that were prefent in Ifrael to ferve, even to ferve the Lord their God. And all his days they departed not from following the Lord, the God of their fathers. 2 Chron. xv. 12. And they entered into a covenant to feek the Lord God of their fathers, with all their heart, and with all their foul; v.13. that whofoever would not feek the Lord God of Ifrael, fhould be put to death, whether fmall or great, whether man or woman, v. 16. And alfo concerning Maachah the mother of Afa the king, he removed her from being queen, because fhe had made an idol in a grove: and Afa cut down her idol, and stamped it, and burnt it at the brook Kidron. Dan. iii. 29. Therefore I make a decree, That every people, nation, and language, which fpeak any thing amifs against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, fhall be cut in pieces, and their houses CHAP. XXI. Of Religious worship, and the Sabbath Day. 'HE light of nature fheweth that there is a God, who hath lordship and fovereignty over all; is good, and doth good unto all; and is therefore to be feared, loved, praifed, called upon, trufted in, and ferved, with all the heart, and with all the foul, and with all the might a. But the acceptable way of worshipping the true God is inftituted by himfelf, houfes fhall be made a dunghil; because there is no other god that can deliver after this fort. 1 Tim. ii. 2. For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life, in all godlinefs and honesty. Ifa xlix. 23. And kings fhall be thy nurfing fathers, and their queens thy nurfing mothers: they fhall bow down to thee, with their faces toward the earth, and lick up the dust of thy feet, and thou fhalt know that I am the Lord: for they fhall not be ashamed that wait for me. Zech. xiii. 2. And it shall come to pafs in that day, faith the Lord of hofts, that I will cut off the names of the idols out of the land, and they fhall no more be remembred: and alfo I will cause the prophets, and the unclean spirit to pafs out of the land. v. 3. And it fhall come to pass, that when any fhall yet prophefy, then his father and his mother, that begat him, fhall fay unto him, Thou shalt not live; for thou speakest lies in the name of the Lord: and his father and his mother, that begat him, fhall thrust him through when he prophefieth. I. a Rome i. 20. For the invifible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly feen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; fo that they are without excufe. Acts xvii. 24. God that made the world, and all things therein, feeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands. Pfal. cxix. 68. Thou art good, and doft good; teach me thy ftatutes. Jer. x. 7. Who would not fear thee, O King of nations? for to thee doth it appertain; foras. much as among all the wife men of the nations, and in all their kingdoms, there is none like unto thee. Pfal. xxxi. 23. O love the Lord, all ye his faints: for the Lord preserveth the faithful, and plentifully rewardeth the proud doer. Pfal. xviii. 3. I will call upon the Lord who is worthy to be praised; fo fhall I be faved from mine enemies. Rom. x. 12. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the fame Lord over all, is rich unto all that call upon him. Pfal. Ixii. 8. Truft in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Joshua xxiv. 14. Now therefore, fear the Lord, and ferve him in fincerity and in truth, and put away the gods which your fathers ferved on the other fide of the flood, and in Egypt: and ferve ye the Lord. Mark xii. 33. And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the foul, and with all the ftrength, and to love his neighbour as himH 4 felf felf, and fo limited by his own revealed will, that he may not Chap. XXI, be worshipped according to the imaginations and devices of men, or the suggestions of Satan, under any visible reprefentation, or any other way not prescribed in the holy fcripture b. II. Religious worship is to be given to God, the Father, Son, and holy Ghost; and to him alone c: not to angels, faints, or any other creatured: and, fince the fall, not without a mediator; nor in the mediation of any other but of Chrift alone e. III. Pray felf, is more than all whole burnt, fhew of wisdom in will-worship and offerings and facrifices. dy, not in any honour to the fatishumility, and neglecting of the bofying of the flesh. letter b.) With John v. 23. That all II. c Mat. iv. 10. (See before in men fhould honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son, honoureth not the Father who hath fent him. And 2 Cor. xiii. 24. The grace of the Lord Jefus Christ, and the love holy Ghoft, be with you all. Amen. of God, and the communion of the d Col. ii. 18. Let no man beguile humility, and worshipping of anyou of your reward, in a voluntary gels, intruding into thole things which he hath not feen, vainly puft And I fell at his feet to worship him: up by his flethly mind. Rev. xix. 10. and he faid unto me, See thou do it thy brethren that have the teftimonot: I am thy fellow fervant, and of teftimony of Jefus is the spirit of prony of Jefus: worship God: for the phecy. Rom. i. 25. Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worfhipped and ferved the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. b Deut. xii. 32. What thing foever I command you, obferve to do it: thou fhalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it. Mat. xv. 9. But in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. Acts xvii. 25. Neither is worfhipped with mens hands, as though he needed any thing, feeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things. Mat iv. 9. And faith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worfhip me. v. 10. Then faid Jefus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, thou fhalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only fhalt thou ferve. (Deut. xv. to the 20. verfe.) Exod. xx. 4. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. v. 5. Thou fhalt not bow down thyfelf to them, nor ferve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, vifiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, unto the third and fourth neration of them that hate me: v. ge6. and fhewing mercy unto thoufands of them that love me, and Jeep my commandments. Col. ii. 23. Which things have indeed a him, I am the way, and the truth, John xiv. 6. Jefus faith unto and the life: no man cometh to the Father but by me. 1 Tim. ii. 5. For there is one God, and one Mediator be |
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