Q4. Has Worship Always Been the Same?

Qu. 4. Have these ways and means been always the same from the beginning?

Answ. No! But God has altered and changed them at sundry reasons, according to the counsel of his own will, so as he saw necessary for his own glory, and the edification of his Church. See (Genesis 2:16, 17; Genesis 17:10, 11; Exodus 12:3, 4, 5; Exodus 20; chapter 25:9; Hebrews 1:1; Hebrews 9:10, 11, 12).

Explication.

The external worship whereof we speak, being as was showed before, not natural or moral, arising necessarily from the dependance of the rational creature on God, as its first cause, chiefest good, last end, and sovereign Lord, but proceeding from the mere will and pleasure of God, determining how he will be honored and glorified in the world, was always alterable by him, by whom it was appointed. And whereas ever since the entrance of sin into the world, God had always respect to the promise of the Lord Christ, and his mediation, in whom alone he will be glorified, and faith in whom he aimed to begin and increase in all his worship, he has suited his institutions of the means thereof, to that dispensation of light and knowledge of him, which he was pleased at any time to grant. Thus immediately after the giving of the promise, he appointed sacrifices for the great means of his worship; as to glorify himself expressly by men's offering to him of the principal good things which he had given them, so to instruct them in the faith, and confirm them in the expectation of the great sacrifice for sin that was to be offered by the promised seed (Genesis 4:3, 4; Hebrews 11:4). These were the first instituted worship of God in the world after the entrance of sin. Hereunto he nextly added Circumcision, as an express sign of the Covenant, with the grace of it, which he called Abraham and his seed to by Jesus Christ (Genesis 17:10, 11). And to the same general end and purpose, he afterwards superadded the Passover with its attendant institutions (Exodus 12:23, 24). And then the whole law of institutions contained in ordinances, by the ministry of angels on Mount Sinai (Exodus 20). So by sundry degrees, he built up that fabric of his outward worship, which was suited in his infinite wisdom, to his own glory, and the edification of his Church, until the exhibition of the promised seed, or the coming of Christ in the flesh, and the accomplishment of the work of his mediation (Hebrews 1:1). For to that season were those ordinances to serve, and no longer (Hebrews 9:10, 11, 12). And then were they removed by the same authority whereby they were instituted and appointed (Colossians 2:14, 18, 19, 20). So that though God would never allow, that men, upon what pretense whatever should make any alteration in the worship appointed by him — by adding to it, any thing of their own, or omitting ought that he had commanded, either in matter or manner, notwithstanding that he knew that it was to abide but for a season, but commanded all men straitly to attend to the observation of it while it was by him continued in force (Malachi 4:4), yet he always reserved to himself the sovereign power of altering, changing, or utterly abolishing it at his own pleasure: which authority he exerted in the Gospel as to all the mere institutions of the Old Testament. While they continued, he enforced them with moral reasons, as his own holiness and authority; but those reasons prove not any of those institutions to be moral, unless they ensue upon those reasons alone, and are no where else commanded: for being once instituted and commanded, they are to be enforced with moral considerations, taken from the nature of God, and our duty, in reference to his authority. So, says he, You shall reverence my Sanctuary, I am the Lord, which no more proves that a moral duty, than that enjoined upon the same foundation (Leviticus 11:44), I am the Lord your God, you shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and you shall be holy, for I am holy, neither shall you defile yourselves with any manner of creeping thing that creeps upon the earth. Not defiling ourselves with the touching, or eating of creeping things, is now no moral duty, since the institution is ceased, although it be enforced by many moral considerations.