§. II.
I. What Worship here is spoken of. And first, let it be considered, that what is here affirmed, is spoken of the Worship of God in these Gospel-times, and not of the Worship that was under or before the Law: For the particular Commands of God to Men then, are not sufficient to authorize us now to do the same Things; else we might be supposed at present acceptably to offer Sacrifice as they did, which all acknowledge to be ceased. So that what might have been both commendable and acceptable under the Law, may justly now be charged with Superstition, yea, and Idolatry. So that impertinently, in this Respect, doth Arnoldus rage against this Proposition, [Exercit. Theolog. Sect. 44.] saying; That I deny all publick Worship, and that according to me, such as in Enoch’s Time publickly began to call upon the Name of the Lord; and such as at the Command of God went thrice up to Jerusalem to worship; and that Anna, Simeon, Mary, &c. were Idolaters, because they used the publick Worship of those Times; such a Consequence is most impertinent; and no less foolish and absurd, than if I should infer from Paul’s expostulating with the Galatians for their returning to the Jewish Ceremonies, that he therefore condemned Moses and all the Prophets as foolish and ignorant, because they used those Things: The forward Man, not heeding the different Dispensation of Times, ran into this Impertinency. Ceremonies under the Law were not essential to true Worship.Though a spiritual Worship might have been, and no Doubt was practised by many under the Law in great Simplicity; yet will it not follow, that it were no Superstition to use all those Ceremonies that they used, which were by God dispensed to the Jews, not as being essential to true Worship, or necessary as of themselves for transmitting and entertaining an holy Fellowship betwixt him and his People; but in Condescension to them, who were inclinable to Idolatry. Albeit then in this, as in most other Things, the Substance was enjoyed under the Law by such as were spiritual indeed; yet was it veiled and surrounded with many Rites and Ceremonies, which it is no Ways lawful for us to use now under the Gospel.