I. Consider the duties commanded. These are contained in two heads.
1. The obligation we are under to observe, or attend upon, such religious worship and ordinances as God hath appointed. Religious worship is that whereby we address ourselves to God, as a God of infinite perfection; profess an entire subjection and devotedness to him as our God; put our trust in him for a supply of all our wants, and ascribe that praise and glory, that is due to him, as our chief good, most bountiful benefactor, and only portion and happiness.
As for the ordinances, our attendance on them depends on a divine command, to which God has annexed a promise of his gracious presence, whereby our expectations are raised, that we shall obtain some blessings from him, when we engage therein in a right manner, in which respect they are instituted means of grace, and pledges of that special favour which he designs to bestow on his people. This is that which more especially renders a duty enjoined, an ordinance. Accordingly our Saviour says, Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them, Matt. xviii. 20.
Now these ordinances are either solitary or social; such as we are obliged to perform in our closets, chap. vi. 6. in our families; or in those public assemblies where God is worshipped. These are particularly mentioned in this answer; and they are prayer, thanksgiving, reading, preaching, and hearing the word, the administration and receiving the sacraments; to which we may add, praising God by singing; all which will be insisted on in a following answer, and therefore we pass by them at present, and shall only observe; that as these are duties which are daily incumbent on us, so there are other duties or ordinances, which are only to be performed as the necessity of affairs require it; such as religious fasting, whereby we express public tokens of mourning and humiliation, and perform other duties agreeable thereunto, when God is provoked by crying sins; or when his judgments are upon us, and our families, or the church of God in general. Thus the prophet Joel, when speaking concerning several desolating judgments, which Israel was exposed to, commands them to sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly; and to weep between the porch and the altar; and say, spare thy people, O Lord, and give not thine heritage to reproach, Joel ii. 15, 17. This is not to be done at all times, but when the providence of God calls for it. Therefore we have no warrant for the observation of annual fasts; when that which was the first occasion thereof, is removed; much less for those weeks of fasting which the Papists observe, which they call Lent; for which, no sufficient reason can be assigned why it should be observed at that rather than any other time of the year. And their fasting on certain days of the week cannot be vindicated; much less their doing this without joining other religious duties to it, or their abstaining from some kinds of food, while they indulge themselves in eating others that are equally grateful to the appetite; which is a ludicrous and superstitious way of fasting.
Again, another occasional duty or ordinance is, our setting apart time for thanksgiving to God for deliverances from public or national calamities, or those which more immediately respect ourselves and families; in which those religious duties are to be performed, that tend to express our spiritual joy and thankfulness to God, who is the Author thereof, and at the same time, we are to pray, that he would enable us to walk as such who are hereby laid under renewed engagements to be his; thus the Jews observed some days of thanksgiving for their deliverance from Haman’s conspiracy, Esth. ix. 20, & seq. And this is to be religiously observed, wherein it differs from that carnal joy, which is generally expressed by those who receive mercies, but do not give glory to God, the sole Author thereof.
Moreover, besides these occasional ordinances, there is another mentioned in this answer, namely, vowing to God. Thus the Psalmist says, Vow, and pay unto the Lord, Psal. lxxvi. 11. which either, more especially, respects their entering into a solemn obligation, or promise to give something that was to be applied to the support of the public and costly-worship which was performed under the ceremonial law; upon which account it is said, in the following words, Bring presents unto him; or it may be considered as to what concerns the moral reason of the thing, as including in it our resolution to set apart, or apply some portion of our worldly substance, as God has prospered us in our secular affairs, to the maintaining and promoting his cause and interest in the world. And we ought, at the same time, to devote ourselves to him, whereby we acknowledge his right to us, and all that we have. Thus the apostle says, concerning the churches of Macedonia, not only that they devoted their substance to God, but that they gave themselves, also unto the Lord, 1 Cor. viii. 5.
This does not include in it our resolution to do those things that are out of our own power; or, that we will exercise those graces that are the special gift of the Spirit of God, but rather a dedication of ourselves to him, in hope of obtaining that grace from him which will enable us to perform those duties, which are indispensably necessary to, and inseparably connected with salvation. This is such a vowing to God, as will not have a tendency to ensnare our own consciences, or detract from his glory, who is alone the Author of all grace; nor does it contain in it the least instance of presumption, but it is a duty which we ought to perform by faith, to his glory and our own edification.
And to this we might add another ordinance, mentioned in this answer; namely, swearing by the name of God; which, as we have elsewhere expressed it, contains a swearing fealty to him, and our consecrating and devoting ourselves to him[[208]]. And as to what respects swearing, as it is a religious duty to be performed in subserviency to civil duties, we shall have occasion to speak of that under the third Commandment; and therefore we pass it over at present, and proceed to consider,
2. That these, and all other religious duties or ordinances which God has enjoined, are to be kept pure and entire. As we are not to cast off the ordinances of God in general, so we must take heed that we do not, while we perform some, live in the neglect of others; for that is not to keep them entire. Thus private duties are not to shut out those which are social in our families or the public assemblies; nor entrench on that time which ought to be allotted for them; and, on the other hand, it is not sufficient for us to worship God in public, and, at the same time, cast off all secret duties. This reproves the practice of some modern enthusiasts, who pray not, unless moved by the Spirit, as they pretend; and deny their obligation to observe the ordinances of baptism and the Lord’s supper.
Moreover, as we are to keep the ordinances of God entire, we are also to keep them pure; that is, to allow of, or practise nothing but what is warranted by the rules which God has given us in his word, in opposition to those who corrupt his worship, by intruding those ordinances into it which are of their own invention; and pretending, that though God has not commanded them, yet the service which we perform (which can be no other than will-worship) will be acceptable to him. This leads us,