Stephen Charnock, "Discourses Upon the Existence and Attributes of God"
Human prudence is too low to parallel Divine wisdom; it is an incompetent judge of what is fit for an infinite Majesty. It is sufficiently seen in the ridiculous and senseless rights among the heathens; and the cruel and devilish ones fetched from them by the Jews. What work will human wisdom make with divine worship, when it will presume to be the director of it, as a mate with the wisdom of God! whence will it take its measures, but from sense, humor and fancy? as though what is grateful and comely to a depraved reason, were as beautiful to an unspotted and Infinite Mind. Do not such tell the world, that they were of Gods cabinet council, since they will take upon them to judge, as well as God, what is well-pleasing to him? Where will it have the humility to stop, if it hath the presumption to add any one thing to revealed modes of worship 2. How did God tax the Israelites with making idols according to their own understanding (Hos. xiii. 2)! imagining their own understandings to be of a finer make, and a perfect mould than their Creators; and that they had fetched more light from the chaos of their own brains, than God had from eternity in his own nature. How slight will the excuse be, God hath not forbidden this, or that, when God shall silence men with the question, Where, or when did I command this, or that?
William S. Plumer "The Law of God as Contained in the Ten Commandments"
Every sovereign, as every court, has a right to regulate the manner in which petitioners shall approach. Nothing more effectually destroys all acceptableness in worship than that our fear towards God be taught by the precept of men. Isa. 29.13. Compare Matt. 15.9. Acceptable worship is therefore pure and simple, and free from superstition, pomp, and idle ceremony. All will-worship and all displays of magnificence invented by man are an offence to God. True worship, like real beauty, when unadorned is adorned the most. We may not, therefore devise any false worship, Num. 15.37-40; nor recommend it to others, Deut. 13.6, 7, 8; nor enjoin it upon others, Hosea 5.11; nor use it ourselves, 1 Kings 11.33; nor in any wise countenance it. Rev. 2.14.
Thomas Watson "A Body of Practical Divinity"
Avoid superstition, which is a bridge leads over to Rome. Superstition is the bringing in any ceremony, fancy, or innovation into God's worship, which he never appointed. This is very provoking to God, because it reflects much upon his honour, as if he were not wise enough to appoint the manner of his own worship. God hates all strange fire to be offered in his temple, Lev. 10.1. A ceremony may in time bring to a crucifix. They who contend for the cross in baptism, why may they not as well have the oil, salt, and cream, the one being as ancient as the other? Such as are for altar-worship, they who will bow to the east, may in time bow to the host. Take heed of all occasions of idolatry; idolatry is devil-worship, Ps. 106.37.
Thomas Boston, "Works" (Vol. II)
All holy ordinances and parts of worship, God has reserved to himself the making of them for us, saying, with respect to these, Thou shalt not make them to thyself. Men are said, in scripture, to make a thing to themselves, when they make it out of their own head, without the word of God for it. But when they make any thing according to Gods word, God is said to do it, Matth. xix. 6. If there be not then a divine law for what is brought into the worship and ordinances of God, it is an idol of mens making, a device of their own. And so Popery, Prelacy, ceremonies, and whatsoever is without the word, brought in Gods matters, is overturned at once by his word, Thou shalt not make, be thou Pope, King, parliament, minister, private person, synod, or council.
Matthew Henry "Commentary"
t is only [God's] appointment that can make time holy; for he is the Lord of time, and as soon as ever he had set its wheels a-going it was he that sanctified and blessed one day above the rest, Genesis 2:3. Man may by his appointment make a good day (Esther 9:19), but it is Gods prerogative to make a holy day; nor is any thing sanctified but by the stamp of his institution. As all inherent holiness comes from his special grace, so all adherent holiness from his special appointment.
David Calderwood "Reasons Against Festival Days"
I say further that the poor craftsman can not lawfully be commanded to lay aside his tools, and go pass his time, no not for an hour, let be for a day, as long as he is willing to work, and perhaps urged with the sharpness of present necessity. And yet further, that he ought not to be compelled to leave his work to go to divine service except on the day that the Lord has sanctified.
