And some of them are meanes for the right performance of those former, as the combination of the faithfull into certaine Congregations or Churches, Election, Ordination, and Ministration of Ministers ordained by God, together with the care of Ecclesiasticall Discipline.

18. Those former are most properly the instituted worship of God; yet the rest are also worship, not only in that generall respect, as all things are said to be acts of worship and religion, which doe any way flow from, or are guided by religion; but also in their speciall nature, because the adequate end and use of them is, that God may be rightly worshipped.

19. All these therefore both in generall, and in speciall ought to be observed of us as they aré appointed by God; for God must be worshipped by us with his own worship, totally and solely, nothing must here be added, taken away or changed. Deut. 12. 32.

20. That is a very empty distinction, whereby some goe about to excuse their additions. That only addition corrupting, and not addition conserving is forbidden; because every addition as well as detraction is expresly opposed to observation, or conservation of the commands of God, as being a corruption. Deut. 12. 32.

21. Of like stampe also is that evasion whereby they say there is forbidden only addition of essentialls, and not of accidentalls: for first although there be accidents or certaine adjuncts of worship, yet there is no worship to be simply called accidentall, because it hath in it the very essence of worship. Secondly, as the least commands of God even to Iotaes and Titles are religiously to be observed, Mat. 5. 18. 19. So additions which seeme very small, are by the same reason to be rejected. Thirdly, Moses doth seale up even those lawes of the place of Divine worship, of the manner, of abstinence from blood, and the like which must needs be referred to accidentall worship if any such be, with this very caution of not adding, or taking away. Deut. 12. 32.

22. This observation is in a speciall manner called obedience, because by it we doe that which seemes right in the eyes of the Lord, although some other may seem righter in our eyes. Deut. 12. 25. 28.

23. There is opposed unto this instituted worship, as unlawfull, that will-worship which is devised by men. Mat. 15. 9. Col. 2. 23.

24. The sin which is committed in will-worship, is by a generall name called superstition.

25. Superstition is that whereby undue worship is yielded to God.

26. For in superstition God is alwayes the object, and the end in some measure, but the worship it selfe i[…] unlawfull.

27. It is called undue worship, either in respect of the manner or measure, or in respect of the matter and substance of the worship. In the former manner the Pharises offended about the Sabboth, when they urged the observation of it as touching the outward rest, above the manner and measure appointed by God. And they also offended in the latter manner, in observing and urging their own traditions, Marc. 7. 8.

28. Hence superstition is called an excesse of religion, not in respect of the formall power of religion, because so none can be too religious; but in respect unto the acts and meanes of religion.

29. This excesse is not only in those positive exercises, which consists in the use of things, but also in abstinence from the use of some things, as from meats, which are accounted uncleane and unlawfull, and the like.

30. Yet every abstinence, even from things lawfull, although they be counted unlawfull, is not superstition, to speake properly, unlesse there be some speciall worship and honour intended to God by that abstinence.

31. This indue worship is either properly opposed to that worship, wherein instituted worship is directly put forth and exercised, that is, in hearing the word celebration of the Sacraments, and prayer; or to that which respects the meanes of it.

32. Unto the hearing of the word is opposed, first, A teaching by images devised by men. Deut. 4. 15. 16. Is. 40. 18. & 41. 29. Ierem. 10. 8. 15. Heb. 2. 18. Secondly, a vanting of traditions as they are propounded as rules of religion, Mat. 7. 8.

33. Religious teaching by Images is condemned, first, because they are not sanctified by God to that end: secondly, because they can neither represent to us God himselfe, nor the perfections of God; thirdly, because they debase the soule, and turne away the attention from spirituall contemplation of the Will of God; fourthly, because if they be once admitted into the exercises of worship, the worship it selfe by the perversnesse of mans wit, at least, in part, will be transferred to them: as it is declared in those words of the Commandement. Thou shalt not bow downe to them, nor worship them.

34. Of like kind with Images, are all those ceremonies, which are ordained by men for mysticall or religious signification.

35. For such ceremonies have no determinate power to teach, either by any power put into them by nature, or by divine institution: but they can receive none by humane institution, because man can effect this neither by commanding, seeing it is beyond his authority, nor by obtaining, seeing GOD hath promised no such thing to him that asketh.

36. Neither can men take to themselves any authority in ordaining such ceremonies, from that, that it is commanded to all Churches, that all things be done decently, and in order. 1. Cor. 14. 40. For neither the respect of order nor decency requires, that some holy things should be newly ordained, but that those which are ordained by God, be used in that manner, which is agreeable to their dignity; neither doe order and decency pertaine to holy things only, but also to civill duties; for confusion and indecency in both are vices opposite to that due manner which is required to the attaining the just end and use of them.

37. To the Sacraments are opposed. 1. Sacrifices properly so called, whether they be bloudy or unbloudy, as the Papists faine of their Masse: for after Christ exhibited, all old sacrifices are abrogated: neither is there any new ordinance, because the sacrifice of Christ being once offered we have no need of other types, then those which pertaine to the exhibition and sealing of Christ bestowed on us, which is sufficiently by Gods ordinance performed in the Sacraments, (without Sacrifices.)

38. Also the ordination and use of new seales, of ceremonies sealing some grace of God is opposed to the Sacraments: for it belongs to him to seale grace, to whom it belongs to give it.

39. Unto prayer is opposed that relative use of Images, whereby God is worshipped at them, or before them, although the worship is not referred to the Images themselves, as some say, subjectively, but objectively by them to GOD alone.

40. Superstition of this kind is called idolatry. Exod. 32. 5. Psal. 106. 20. Acts 7. 41.

41. If they be idolls, which are in themselves worshipped in stead of God, it is that idolatry which is against the first Commandement; but when the true God is worshipped at an Image, or in an Image, this i[…] idolatry, which is against the second Commandement.

42. For although in respect of the intention of hi[…] that worshippeth, he doth not offend in the primary or highest object, yet from the nature of the thing i[…] selfe he alwayes offends against the formall worship of God, and interpretatively also a new God is faigne for the object, who is delighted with such worship, and religious worship is given also to the Image it selfe, although it be not done with that purpose that that worship be lastly bounded in the Image, but that it be by that directed also to God himselfe.

43. Hence we must not only shun this idolatry’ as well as that absolute idolatry· which is against the first Commandement: but also the very idols, and idolothites, or the things that are dedicated to Idolls, and all the monuments properly so called of Idolls, 1. Iohn 5. 21. 1. Corinthians 8. 10. & 10. 18. 19. 21. 2. Cor. 12. 6. 26. Numbers 33. 52. Deut. 12. 2. 3. Exod. 23, 13.

44. Superstition of the second kind is in humane formes of the Church, such as are Churches that are visibly integrally, and Organically, Oecumenicall, Provinciall, and Diocesan, brought in by men; as also in the Hierarchy agreeable to them, and orders of religious persons, who are found among the Papists, and in functions, and censures which are exercised by them.

45. The audaciousnesse of those men is intolerable who either omit the second Commandement, or teach it ought to be so maimed, that it should be read now under the New Testament. Thou shalt not adore nor worship any likenesse, or Image.