Thepublicgoodistheruleandmeasureofalllaw-making。Ifathingbenotusefultothecommonwealth，thoughitbeneversoindifferent，itmaynotpresentlybeestablishedbylaw。Andfurther，thingsneversoindifferentintheirownnature，whentheyarebroughtintotheChurchandworshipofGod，areremovedoutofthereachofthemagistrate’sjurisdiction，becauseinthatusetheyhavenoconnectionatallwithcivilaffairs。TheonlybusinessoftheChurchisthesalvationofsouls，anditnowayconcernsthecommonwealth，oranymemberofit，thatthisortheotherceremonybetheremadeuseof。Neithertheusenortheomissionofanyceremoniesinthosereligiousassembliesdoeseitheradvantageorprejudicethelife，liberty，orestateofanyman。Forexample，letitbegrantedthatthewashingofaninfantwithwaterisinitselfanindifferentthing，letitbegrantedalsothatthemagistrateunderstandsuchwashingtobeprofitabletothecuringorpreventingofanydiseasethechildrenaresubjectunto，andesteemthematterweightyenoughtobetakencareofbyalaw。Inthatcasehemayorderittobedone。Butwillanyonethereforesaythatamagistratehasthesamerighttoordainbylawthatallchildrenshallbebaptisedbypriestsinthesacredfontinordertothepurificationoftheirsouls？Theextremedifferenceofthesetwocasesisvisibletoeveryoneatfirstsight。OrletusapplythelastcasetothechildofaJew，andthethingspeaksitself。ForwhathindersbutaChristianmagistratemayhavesubjectsthatareJews？Now，ifweacknowledgethatsuchaninjurymaynotbedoneuntoaJewastocompelhim，againsthisownopinion，topractiseinhisreligionathingthatisinitsnatureindifferent，howcanwemaintainthatanythingofthiskindmaybedonetoaChristian？Again，thingsintheirownnatureindifferentcannot，byanyhumanauthority，bemadeanypartoftheworshipofGod-forthisveryreason：becausetheyareindifferent。For，sinceindifferentthingsarenotcapable，byanyvirtueoftheirown，topropitiatetheDeity，nohumanpowerorauthoritycanconferonthemsomuchdignityandexcellencyastoenablethemtodoit。InthecommonaffairsoflifethatuseofindifferentthingswhichGodhasnotforbiddenisfreeandlawful，andthereforeinthosethingshumanauthorityhasplace。Butitisnotsoinmattersofreligion。ThingsindifferentarenototherwiselawfulintheworshipofGodthanastheyareinstitutedbyGodHimselfandasHe，bysomepositivecommand，hasordainedthemtobemadeapartofthatworshipwhichHewillvouchsafetoacceptatthehandsofpoorsinfulmen。Nor，whenanincensedDeityshallaskus，\"Whohasrequiredthese，orsuch-likethingsatyourhands？\"
willitbeenoughtoanswerHimthatthemagistratecommandedthem。Ifciviljurisdictionextendthusfar，whatmightnotlawfullybeintroducedintoreligion？Whathodgepodgeofceremonies，whatsuperstitiousinventions，builtuponthemagistrate’sauthority，mightnot（againstconscience）beimposedupontheworshippersofGod？Forthegreatestpartoftheseceremoniesandsuperstitionsconsistsinthereligioususeofsuchthingsasareintheirownnatureindifferent；noraretheysinfuluponanyotheraccountthanbecauseGodisnottheauthorofthem。Thesprinklingofwaterandtheuseofbreadandwinearebothintheirownnatureandintheordinaryoccasionsoflifealtogetherindifferent。Willanyman，therefore，saythatthesethingscouldhavebeenintroducedintoreligionandmadeapartofdivineworshipifnotbydivineinstitution？Ifanyhumanauthorityorcivilpowercouldhavedonethis，whymightitnotalsoenjointheeatingoffishanddrinkingofaleintheholybanquetasapartofdivineworship？
Whynotthesprinklingofthebloodofbeastsinchurches，andexpiationsbywaterorfire，andabundancemoreofthiskind？Butthesethings，howindifferentsoevertheybeincommonuses，whentheycometobeannexeduntodivineworship，withoutdivineauthority，theyareasabominabletoGodasthesacrificeofadog。Andwhyisadogsoabominable？Whatdifferenceistherebetweenadogandagoat，inrespectofthedivinenature，equallyandinfinitelydistantfromallaffinitywithmatter，unlessitbethatGodrequiredtheuseofoneinHisworshipandnotoftheother？Wesee，therefore，thatindifferentthings，howmuchsoevertheybeunderthepowerofthecivilmagistrate，yetcannot，uponthatpretence，beintroducedintoreligionandimposeduponreligiousassemblies，because，intheworshipofGod，theywhollyceasetobeindifferent。HethatworshipsGoddoesitwithdesigntopleaseHimandprocureHisfavour。Butthatcannotbedonebyhimwho，uponthecommandofanother，offersuntoGodthatwhichheknowswillbedispleasingtoHim，becausenotcommandedbyHimself。
ThisisnottopleaseGod，orappeasehiswrath，butwillinglyandknowinglytoprovokeHimbyamanifestcontempt，whichisathingabsolutelyrepugnanttothenatureandendofworship。Butitwillbehereasked：\"Ifnothingbelongingtodivineworshipbelefttohumandiscretion，howisitthenthatChurchesthemselveshavethepoweroforderinganythingaboutthetimeandplaceofworshipandthelike？\"TothisIanswerthatinreligiousworshipwemustdistinguishbetweenwhatispartoftheworshipitselfandwhatisbutacircumstance。
ThatisapartoftheworshipwhichisbelievedtobeappointedbyGodandtobewell-pleasingtoHim，andthereforethatisnecessary。Circumstancesaresuchthingswhich，thoughingeneraltheycannotbeseparatedfromworship，yettheparticularinstancesormodificationsofthemarenotdetermined，andthereforetheyareindifferent。Ofthissortarethetimeandplaceofworship，habitandpostureofhimthatworships。Thesearecircumstances，andperfectlyindifferent，whereGodhasnotgivenanyexpresscommandaboutthem。Forexample：amongsttheJewsthetimeandplaceoftheirworshipandthehabitsofthosethatofficiatedinitwerenotmerecircumstances，butapartoftheworshipitself，inwhich，ifanythingweredefective，ordifferentfromtheinstitution，theycouldnothopethatitwouldbeacceptedbyGod。Butthese，toChristiansunderthelibertyoftheGospel，aremerecircumstancesofworship，whichtheprudenceofeveryChurchmaybringintosuchuseasshallbejudgedmostsubservienttotheendoforder，decency，andedification。But，evenundertheGospel，thosewhobelievethefirstortheseventhdaytobesetapartbyGod，andconsecratedstilltoHisworship，tothemthatportionoftimeisnotasimplecircumstance，butarealpartofDivineworship，whichcanneitherbechangednorneglected。Inthenextplace：AsthemagistratehasnopowertoimposebyhislawstheuseofanyritesandceremoniesinanyChurch，soneitherhasheanypowertoforbidtheuseofsuchritesandceremoniesasarealreadyreceived，approved，andpractisedbyanyChurch；because，ifhedidso，hewoulddestroytheChurchitself：theendofwhoseinstitutionisonlytoworshipGodwithfreedomafteritsownmanner。Youwillsay，bythisrule，ifsomecongregationsshouldhaveamindtosacrificeinfants，or（astheprimitiveChristianswerefalselyaccused）