SECTION IL 235 ting at the table, in the posture of children standing round their father's board, to receive his distributions of bread and wine, or in the posture of humble supplicants kneeling and adoring ; whether our ministers must be ordained, and our churches go- verned by bishops or presbyters, or how far the concurrent acts of the whole church have an influence in these solemnities; whe- ther our prayers must be immediately conceived in our hearts, and invented as they are uttered in new expressions continually, or whether we may use forms written down before-hand : These things, and many others of the like nature, because they are not of such necessity, therefore are not so evidently determined in the word of God. But as for the six general rules before mentioned, I do not see how we can expect that God should dispense with any of them, since he has appointed his written word to be the rule of his final judgment, and he seems to have required them in his word insoperemptory a manner. He that strives and takes pains to obtain heaven, with a neglect of these rules, I think we may boldlysay, he does not strive lawfully, and he has no sufficient ground to hope that he shall be crowned. SECT. II.-Considerations to prove.the Doctrine. I proceed now to the second thing which I proposed, and that is to lay down several considerations, whichmay serve to evince and prove the truth of the doctrine, and make it still more evident, that such as neglect the rules ofGod's appointment shall not obtain salvation. Consideration I. " God alone has a right to appoint the way to his own favour, and he is jealous to secure this preroga- tive." God has the first and most unquestionable property in us as his creatures, and sovereign dominion over us as subjects.. Ile has a right, and he only, to ordain in what manner we should honour him, and seek his favour. Ifwe were innocent creatures, it is he must direct us to any special instances of our duty in that state of innocence, and tell us how we may keep ourselves inhis love : Or since we are guilty and rebellious, he only can appoint the sacred methods to obtain his own favour again, and gain an interest in his compassion. The Lord our God is a jealous God, and will not suffer himself to be disobeyed or mocked in things that so nearly con- cern his own sovereignty. This is evident in the second com- mandment, where he appoints the method of his own worship : And though we may think paintings, or images to represent his glory, and 'his power, are very agreeable and proper to assist our sensible natures, yet he forbids every thing of this kind as mediums of divine worship, and he solemnizes the prohibition with au awful discovery of his own jealousy: He declares that
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