Christs Combat and Conquest, Verse 10

Christs Combat and Conquest · Verse 10

p. 326VERS. 10. But Iesus answered and said, Auoide Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him onelyonly shalt thou serue.

NOW we come by Gods assistance, to the answer of our Lord to the deuills third dart. In which consider three things: 1. the deniall and resistance, But Iesus answered, and said: 2. the manner of it, Auoide Satan: 3. the reason, For it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, &c.

First, our Sauiour would not yeeld to Sathans temptations: 2. nay he repels it with great vehemence. 3. he hath iust reason so to doe.

I. Christ would not yeeld to the temptation, no not for a world. Quest. Why? what hurt had been in it? Answ. 1. He had taken the honour of God, and giuen it to Sathan: whereas the Lord hath said, I will giuegive mine honour to none other. 2. He had consented to a lie, viz. that the world was Sathans in possession and disposition. 3. He had partaked and abetted all that iniustice and wrong which Satan would offer to all the inhabitants of the earth, if hee had yeelded, or accepted any thing from him. 4. He had impeached his owne right, and present possession of all things, whereof p. 327he was right heire, already inuested by his Father. 5. Although the worship required was externall, yet it was diuine; and so in giuing it to Satan, it had bin idolatrous, which had intangled the Sonne of God in sinne, and vnfitted him to the redemption of mankind. So as in respect of God, of Christ, of vsus, and the whole Church, it had been eueryevery way wofull and dangerous, as Satan, yea our Lord well knew.

Hence we learne, from the example of our Sauiour Christ,Doctr. to esteeme and preferre Gods glory aboue all the world. Christ could not be corrupted with gold, nor siluer, nor kingdomes, nor glory, but as a good Physitian sees all diseases and eye-sores, without contracting hurt to himselfe: the glory of his Father in his eie, is an antidote to preserue him without infection. And no maruell, seeing he had formerly preferred the glorie of his Fathers merciemercy in mans saluatiō, aboue the glorie of heauen it selfe, which he left, and became a man of sorrowes, and was numbred among the wicked to that purpose. Here is an example for vsus, which we cannot attaine, but must looke on a farre off for our imitation, to come as neare it as infirmity of flesh will affoard vsus.

Moses, that man of God, so preferred the glorie of God before the world, that he made a strange choise, viz. to suffer with Gods people, rather then to enioy the treasures and honours of Egypt, Heb. 11.24, 25. Nay, he was so set for Gods glorie, as he preferred it before his owne part in the booke of life, Exod. 32.32. Rather then thou shouldest not glorifie thy mercy in thy people, and rather then thou shalt giuegive the enemie cause to blaspheme, rather blot my name out of thy booke, let me hauehave no part in heauen. The Apostles also following the steps of our Lord, for Gods glorie, and the Gospels cause, did glorie in the worlds contempt, and reioyced that they were counted worthy to suffer for Christ, Act. 5.41. Paul bare in his body the markes of Christ, Gal. 6. ver. 17. and was a prisoner, Eph. 3.1.

1. Gods glory is the cheife good,Reasons. 1. and the vtmost extent of all his owne counsells, and actions, wherein he manifesteth his merciemercy or iustice, Rom. 9.22.23. and so it ought to be of ours; 1. Cor. 10.30. whatsoeuer ye eate, or drinke, or whatsoeuer ye doe, do all to the glory of God. An earthly child honours his father, when he imitats him in good: so doe we honour our heauenly Father in this imitation. The first thing in Gods intention, must bee the first in ours.

p. 32822. The practise of this dutie is a fruit of faith, and a support of faith. Heb. 11.24. By faith Moses refused to bee called the sonne of Pharaohs daughter. The consideration of Gods faithfulnesse in promising and performing better things, makes these inferiour things small in our eye: as Moses therefore preferred the rebukes of Christ before the treasures of Egypt, because hee looked at the recompense of reward. And that the sight of Gods glory, worthy to be set aboue all things, takes the part of faith to foile temptations, is apparant in our text, by the practise of our holy Sauiour.

33. In the Lords prayer the first petition is, that Gods name may bee hallowed, set before the desire of daily bread, yea before remission of sinnes, because all these are but meanes tending and seruing to the maine end of all, which is Gods glory. All our good, spirituall and temporall, are or ought to be means tending to that end.

44. Gods glory is the dearest of all things to himselfe, of which he is most iealous, and so ought to be to all his children, as we professe our selues to be. And what can more reioyce the heart of a gracious and ingenuous child, then the honour and high respect of his parent?

5. According to our estimation of God himselfe is our respect of his glory,5 and so much as we esteeme his glory, so much we esteeme himselfe. It is true that Gods glory is eternall, and so abides in it selfe not capable of our addition or detraction, and God will be euer most glorious, though we neuer had been: neither need he our help to make him glorious. The sunne would shine in his brightnesse and glory, if all creatures were blind and no eye saw it. But yet he will trie how much glory wee will ascribe vntounto him, and how we prize it, and how industrious we are to magnifie and exalt it: not that he can get any good by it, but we our selues reape the fruit: euen as the fire is not hoter, because we stand by it, but we are hoter; so while we glorifie God, not God but our selues are become better & more glorious. God loueth his glory as he loueth himselfe▪ and we, as we louelove himselfe, so we louelove his glory.

66. This is the perfection of Christianity and grace here, and of our glory and immortality hereafter, to preferre his glory aboue all the world. The Spous… (Cant. 2.18.) calleth Christ her best beloued, which he could not be, if she loued any thing better then p. 329him. And our Sauiour cashiereth him as vnworthy to be his follower, that doth not at least in affection and full purpose, forsake father, and mother, and wife, and children, and goods, and lands for his sake. This perfection of grace the holy Martyrs atteined, who rather then they would dishonour God in yeelding the least show of idolatry, refused the whole world, yea their liues. And the perfection of glory in the life to come is, that nothing else occupie or distract vsus from beeing wholly taken vp in the immediat glorifying of God, without either saciety or ceasing.

Let vsus learne to be of the same minde with our Lord Iesus,Vse. 1. in whome we hauehave a worthy patterne of constancie and heauenly resolution, in that all the world and the glory of it could not mooue him, no not by a gesture to impaire his Fathers glory. The heathen man could say, if he would forsweare himselfe for any thing, it should be for a kingdome. Absolom for a kingdome would kill his owne father. Iehu for a kingdome makes no end of murthers: One saith of him, What was a basket full of heads to a kingdome? 2. King. 10.8. Herod for a kingdome kills all the male children. Nay it were to be wished, that onelyonly kingdomes could draw men to mischeife: for then should not Ahab murther Naboth for a field, nor Iudas betray his Master for thirtie pence, nor Christians and Protestants lie and sweare, and forsweare, and transgresse for a piece of bread. How many executions hauehave we for 30. pence, or 13. pence? Which shews how degenerate men are from Christ, whom all the kingdomes in the world, nor the greatest things in them could mooue in the least manner, and as it were indirectly, to dishonour his Father. Nay, what shall we say of them, that professe, they nor no man else can trade, and buy, and sell, to liue without some lies, and dissembling sometimes? These may carrie the name of Christ, but the minde of Christ is farre from them. Others thinke, and say, What need men be so nice to stand vponupon so small scruples, as not accept so good offers and promotions in the world, which hauehave some condition or other annexed, which their conscience cannot without offence swallow? What, may not …e call a little euill good; and a little good, euill; that so he may raise his owne estate, and doe himselfe, and others much good? And thus be is eueryevery where accused of indiscretion. But to these wee obiect Christs example, who would not be mooued with all the world to doe that he was not warranted for in the Scripture. And p. 330for the imputation of indiscretion, we alledge Moses example, who when he was at age (saith the text) refused to be called the sonne of Pharaohs daughter, and chose rather to suffer with the people of God. And to all such alledgers we say in one word, Either was Christ farre wide in refusing so great an offer, or else are they.

Vse. 2.As we must preferre the glory of God aboue the world, so we must promote it by our best meanes: The Magistrate by procuring and stablishing that whereby God may be most glorified, not administring iustice by affection or reward, or sparing offenders by a cruell mercy, who should be made examples to others, or not encouraging the godly: All this dishonours God highly. The minister must vse his gifts, not for any priuate end, but for Gods glory, as a good seruant that gaines all for his Master. And eueryevery priuate man must so carrie his course of life, his trade, his speaches, as God may bee honoured in all things: his light in all things must shine, that our heauenly Father may bee glorified: therefore in eueryevery thing whether it will carrie the commendation not only of truth and honesty, but of Christianity and religion.

To stirre vsus vp to this duty, see some motiues:

1. All creatures in their kind doe glorifie God, and keep their standing, the sunne, the starres, the heauens declare the glory of God. Psal. 19.1. the oxe knoweth his owner, and the asse the master of his crib, Isa. 1.3. the crane, swallow, and turtle know their times, Ier. 8.1. What a shame for Israel then not to acknowledge their benefactor, but come so farre behinde the vnreasonable creatures? What a shame for Christians to come behinde the Israelites, who partake in far greater mercies and meanes then they did?

2. Hereby we manifest our selues to be the seruants of God, in resisting the dishonour of God, and standing out for our Lord, against Satan, wicked men, hypocrites, whose whole desire is to obscure and darken the glory of God, and as far as they can with violence to tread it vnderunder foote: Especially hauing vowed in our baptisme so to doe. He is a coward that seeing the readines and alacritie of the enemie, is not by it prouoked to stout resistance, especially standing in a good cause, and sure of victory. Can a child indure his father to be dishonoured and wronged by word or deed, and put it vp? Can Gods child, seeing a sonne honours his father?

3. Our time is but short, we are in our last conflict, the time of p. 331our full deliuerance and introduction into heauenly glory is at hand, the crowne is in our eye, almost vponupon our heads already: and therefore let vsus encourage our selues a while to be instant for the glory of God, which is our last scope and cheife expectation: euen as a traueller that sees the euening come vponupon him, is so much the quicker till he attaine the place he desires; so we hauing the euening of our life approach, and our last houre, should set our selues forward with more speed and alacrity towards our home, holding on our right way, which is the glorifying of God in all things.

4. We hauehave a cloud of examples before vsus: 1. of holy men, who hauehave endured Martyrdome, and reioyced in the flames, that they were worthy by their so exquisite torments to glorifie God, as Christ told Peter that by such a death he should glorifie God. Ioh. 21.John 212. of holy Angells, who spend all eternity in magnifying Gods holines and glory: Isa. 6.3. one cries to another, Holy, holy, holy is the Lord: the whole world is full of his glory: and, Luk. 2.14. Glory bee to God in the highest heauens. And shall not we approach to the Angelicall life, which is the happiest of all creatures? 3. of the blessed Sonne of God our head, whose whole life was nothing else but a seeking of the glory of his Father: And should not the members imitate the head? HaueHave we so many faithfull guides in so dangerous a way, and should we be so cold and slow in the imitation of them?

5. Our glorification is indiuidually knit to our glorifying of God: as, 1. Sam. 2.30. Him that honoureth mee, will I honour. Yea Christ claimes his glory on no other condition but this, but that he had glorified his Father on earth, Ioh. 17.4. As among men, great benefactors are well pleased with small testimonies of thankefulnesse, where ability wants to performe much: so the Lord accepts our small obedience and studie of glorifying him, that he plentifully remunerates it.

Meanes to come to glorifie God in some good measure.

1. Pray for wisdome, and a sound iudgement. Phil. 1.10. that ye may discerne things that differ, beeing filled with the fruits of righteousnesse, to the glorie and praise of God. For eueryevery thing will not please and glorifie God. 2. Renounce thy owne glorie in doing things. Ioh. 8.49, 50. How can ye which receiue honour one of an other, seeke the honour that commeth of God? Certenly Christ sought not his own praise, but the praise of him that sent him. 3. Obserue Gods p. 332wisedome in his word and workes; his power, iustice, and mercy; his benefits and corrections on thy selfe and others; in all things praise him: He that praiseth me, glorifieth mee. Psal. 50.23. 4. Honour God in an honest and Christian conuersation: gracious speaches, and an vnspotted life, honour the Gospell: hereby stop the wickeds mouthes, and glorifie God, 1. Pet. 2.12.

II. The manner of this answer of Christ; Auoid Satan] which differeth somewhat from Christs other answers, beeing more plaine and sharpe then they, as appeareth, 1. in the title he giues him, Satan: 2. in the commaundement, Auoid. First, hee calls him Satan, which is the third name giuen him in this history: for he had before been called a deuill, that is a false accuser, and a tempter, and now he is called a Satan, signifying an aduersary or enemie: 1. to God directly: 2. to man, both in his person, whome he often possesseth and vexeth, Matth. 4.24. and also in his estate, which he doth often endammage and impouerish, as we see in Iob.

And Christ doth now so tearme him, 1. To shew him that he takes better notice of him then before: for hee called him by no name before, though he was called by the two former tearms by the Euangelist. 2. That we should see further into his nature, the more to beware of, and detest him. 3. To shew vsus how we may detect an aduersarie, and smell a deuill; namely, when he sets against and opposeth the grounds of religion. 4. To teach vsus that he is no friend, that offring vsus wealth and honour, would draw vsus from God and religion. The greatest kindnes here is the greatest cruelty.

Auoid] 1. This is a word of indignation, as we say to a dogge, auant: for Christ was much offended and angry against this temptation, when he saw and heard Satan so impudent and blasphemous. So Christ giues this as a reason of the same speach to Peter, Auoid Satan; for thou art an offence vntounto mee. Christ shewes indignation, because Satan shewes his blacknesse. 2. It is a word of rebuke and castigation of Satans importunity and impudency, who would not be satisfied at the first and second assault, but still renewes more hellish and horrible temptations. Thus Luke expresseth it, Hence behinde mee, as one not worthy any longer to behold his face. 3. It is a word of dismission, or sending him packing, and carries in it the force of a commaundement. An heretike (saith the Apostle) after once or twice admonition auoid, Tit. 3.10. p. 333Thus deales our Sauiour with Satan here, who is haereticorum hereticissimus, an arch-heretike: as a great man talking with a wrangling fellow, whom no reason will perswade, commands him away, he will heare him no longer.

Quest. Why was our Sauiour so angry at this temptation aboue the former, wherein he exercised meeknesse and patience? Answ. 1. His wisedome knewe how farre he was to beare Satan at this time, and how much to suffer from him, and then how his mouth must be stopped, which meeknesse and lenitie would neuer doe: there is no hope to winne or ouercome a deuill with kindnes, nor to shake him off that way; nay rather this will more inuite on his malice, he will goe so farre as he is suffered. 2. Christ thirsted after mans saluation; and his louelove to vsus and our redemption, made him so angry with the deuill, who sought by all meanes to hinder it: for had he been defiled with sinne, the work of redemption had auailed vsus nothing. 3. To note the hatefulnesse and detestation of that sinne of idolatrie, whether it be couert or open, that if our dearest friends should solicite vntounto it, euen the wife of the bosom, we should pursue them to death, and so shew our deadly hatred against it, Deut. 13.1.6. 4. The two former more concerned himselfe, but this concerned his Fathers glorie directly: he heares him claiming all to be his, quartering the armes and royalties of God, making himselfe a God, and challenging worship due to God: this he could not beare: his tendernesse and zeale to his Fathers glory, would not endure so vile a creature to carrie away, no nor to challenge any part of his worship.

Gods causes must euer more affect vsus, then our owne.Doctr. How full of lowlinesse and meeknesse was our Lord and Sauiour in all his owne causes? He did not striue nor cry, neither was his voice heard in the streetes: he would not breake a bruised reed, nor quench a smoaking flaxe, Isa. 42.3. Matth. 12.20. When hee was reuiled, he reuiled not againe. When he was called glutton, drunkard, a friend of Publicans and sinners, Matth. 11.19.28. in stead of returning rough language, he calleth, saying, Come vntounto me all yee that are weary and heauy laden, and I will ease you. He was lead as a sheep to the slaughter, and opened not his mouth: when thy accused him of capitall things, knowing that his answers would not be taken, he answered not a word. Now he was in his owne cause. But when he takes his Fathers cause in hand, how doth he cloath himselfe with zeale, which euen consumes him? Ioh. 2.15. in purging his Fathers p. 334house, he layes about him, and whips out the abusers of that holy place. Moses in his owne priuate cause was the meekest man vponupon the earth, beeing contumeliously worded by Miriam and Aaron, he presently pardons it, and prayeth for Miriam, and gets her cured of her leprosie. In Exod. 32. that froward people was readie to stone him: yet when God begins to be angry with them, he forgets all, and prayes God rather to put his name out of his booke, then not to pardon their sinne. But, seeing the calfe, his calme spirit is vanished, and he breakes the tables of stone that were in his hand. The Apostle Paul eueryevery where prouokes Christians to meekenes, patience, and laying aside of reuenge, and stirringnesse of spirit in priuate causes: yet (Act. 17.16.) when he saw the idolatrie of the Athenians, his Spirit was stirred vp in him.

Reasons. 1.1. The religion which we professe, should bind vsus vntounto God most straitly: therefore Augustine noteth the word either à religando, or à relinquendo, that where religion is, it will leaue all for God. And hence is selfe-deniall enioyned, as a necessary preparation, to him that will professe religion.

22. Gods glory is preferred by himselfe aboue all his creatures, as beeing the end of them all; and therefore must so be of vsus, euen aboue our selues: for of him, and through him, and for him are all things. Wee see in the common-wealth how the instruments of publike iustice, if any seruice be commanded from the King, must lay aside their owne businesse and ease, and execute the Kings pleasure before their owne. Such a good seruant for his Lord was Paul, saying, My life is not deare vntounto mee, so I may finish my course with ioy.

33. Our Lord Iesus hath more affected our cause then his owne: what an infinite louelove shewed he in descending from his glory, to worke the great and painefull worke of our redemption? what infinite miserie did he sustaine to help vsus out of it? what an happines forsook he to recouer vsus to that which we had forsaken? what a deare price did he pay for our ransom, when we were lost? Is it not fit now, that we should be earnest in the cause of such a friend? May not he well disdaine, that any thing in the world (neuer so much concerning vsus) should be preferred before him, yea or equalled with, or loued without him?

44. Doe we know that God himselfe is the cheife good, and should not we cast our eyes beyond our selues, sinnefull lumps and heapes of dust, that all the springs of our affections might run into p. 335this maine? Shall we bestow the pitch of our affections vponupon lower things (as earthly-minded men doe) when we may satiate them with God himselfe, and the things of his glory?

5. There is no losse in neglecting our selues for God, but great aduantage: for his eye is vponupon vsus to be a speedie, faithfull,5 and royall rewarder of vsus. The preferring of our Lords cause aboue our selues, is the preferment of our selues in the end. He that looseth his life for my sake (saith Christ) shall finde it. And therefore as Cesars eye made his souldiers prodigall of their blood; so Gods eye vponupon vsus should make our selues small in our owne eyes, that his glory may be maintained and reserued wholly to himselfe. Moses preferred Gods honour before his owne: for he looked for the recompence of reward.

The vse hereof belongs to such as are specially set forth to set vp Gods causes. The magistrate is not now a priuate man,Vse. 1. to seeke himselfe, or to set forward his owne designes, or to shew his heat in his owne priuate causes, but to preferre Gods causes before …ll mens, his owne or others. Dauid a King, how calme was he in his own case, when Shimei trayterously railed vponupon him, and Abishai would hauehave fetched his head, Oh no (saith hee) God hath bid him raile, &c. But when Gods cause was in hand, Oh then, away from mee yee wicked: and, I will hauehave no wicked person in my house, … will timely destroy the wicked from the house of God. Good Nehemiah neglecteth his owne allowance, and departed from his owne right for the peoples sake, c. 5. but c. 13. how zealous is hee for God? hee will not let God loose his right: not one whit of the Sabbath must be allowed to any vse but Sabbath-duties. Such a courage for God and the truth, ought the Magistrate to hauehave, as neither for feare of men, nor any mans fauour or affection, he neglect any thing which God would hauehave him doe, especially for the house of God, and the offices of it. Alasse, how many Magistrats are of Gallios minde, to thinke religion but a matter of words, as if God made them gouernours of men onelyonly, but not of Christians; keepers of the second table to preserue peace and iustice, and not of the first to preserue piety and religion? and if they be so, why are not blasphemies, and horrible oaths, and innumerable profanations of the Sabbath seuerely punished? why are not Popish and profane persons compelled to come into the house of God? Shall a pilferer of a trifle of a mans goods know, that the Magistrate beares not the sword in vaine, and shall not he that robs God of p. 336his glory, by cursing, swearing, contemptuous breaking of the Sabbath know the contrary?

The calling of a Minister is more specially to promote the causes of God, which therefore must affect him aboue all his owne respects. How earnest was Christ in his Fathers worke, when his parents came to seeke him at twelue yeares old? he rebuked them for interrupting him; whereas in all priuate conuerse he gaue them reuerence, Luk. 2. When his disciples brought him meat, he neglected that also, saying, It is my meat, and drinke, to doe the will of my Father. And if preferring Gods causes will not suffer vsus to respect our selues, much lesse will we be hindred by others: we cannot tune our songs to mens eares, but must deale faithfully and plainely, though we displease men. How zealous was Christ against the hypocrisie of the Scribes and Pharises, Matth. 23. though it created him much enuie and malice? When he saw the inuincible hardnes of heart in his hearers, how did he mourne in his spirit, and looked angerly about him? Mar. 3.5. Surely if we goe about to please men, or set vp our selues in the world, Gods causes will affect vsus slenderly: Therefore it shall be our happie portion to set the top of our ambition the glory of God, and in our iudgements and practise, preferre the winning of soules before the winning of the world.

Vse. 2.Let eueryevery man learne to consider what businesse God hath put in his hand to doe, and not be hindred in that; for that is Gods worke, Gods cause, vponupon which depends some part of Gods glory. And whatsoeuer he may glorifie God in, for which he can warrant his calling, let him set that forward, and let no respect hinder him: let him not suffer God to be dishonoured in his familie, nor where hee can hinder it: let the spirit of patience swallow a number of priuate and personall wrongs; but, when God comes to be wronged, let him stirre vp the spirit of zeale and courage.

Vse. 3.Here many are reprooued, who faile against this doctrine: as, 1. Men that follow nature abandoning religion, hote and fiery in their owne quarrells, not a word can be sooner vttered against them, but they are ready to draw, and to stabbe: Their owne names may not be mentioned without all due respect: But for Gods causes and quarrells, let others looke to that. How hote was Cain in his owne cause? but so much the cooler in Gods causes and seruice. Haman, how busie in his owne priuate quarrell to p. 337bring Modecai to death, yea to destroy the whole Church, had not his gallowes caught himselfe? Oh beware by these examples of more zeale in thine owne cause, then in Gods; in thy owne name, then in Gods. 2. Such Ostriches as can digest any high contempt of God, without indignation or reproofe, and can suffer men to sweare and curse by God and Christ, his blood, wounds, and teare him to small peices. It would be thought disloyaltie to heare the Kings Maiesties name or title contumeliously spoken of, and not bring the partie to condigne punishment. It was an olde law among the Romanes, that if any man did sweare by their God Ianus it should be death, vnles the Senate approoued it, or it were made before a Priest: why? that it might be either punished or reprooued. It were well if we had such a law amongst vsus. 3. When care of our owne houses eate vp the care of Gods house: things shall be neat and conuenient at home, no care how Gods house lies. When base trifles are preferred before Gods word, and the good setling of it; as stage-playes and enterludes. When Gods Sabbaths and time must giuegive place to our callings, or recreations, or are passed away in Gods worship, more heauily then holy-daies or worke-daies. Here is a man affected more with his owne sinn, then the highest causes of Gods glorie.

III. The reason of our Sauiours deniall: For it is written, Thou shalt worshippe the Lord thy God, and him onelyonly shalt thou serue.

Our Sauiour had sharply reprooued Satans impudence in his bold on set this third time; but yet because it is not sufficient to thrust off an aduersarie with heat of words and sharpe reproaches, vnlesse there be added also a direct answer and satisfaction to the matter in hand: he therefore most fully answereth by the Scriptures, euen the deuill himselfe, not contenting himselfe by his power to repell him, which Satan now beginneth to feele, vnles also by the power of the word he conuince him, and thereby award the dart, and breake the temptation into peices.

Which must be our rule in dealing with vaine and iangling aduersaries; not to answer them according to their foolish disposition or prouocation, nor to be like them in frowardnes or stifnes, in heat and peruersnes, but to answer them with words of wisdom, with sound matter and moderation, both to conuince them, and beat downe selfe-conceit in them; which is the meaning of those two precepts, Prou. 26.4.5. which seeme contrarie; but are easily p. 338reconciled by the due respect of persons, places, times, and other circumstances. Euer remember one rule, that no aduersarie (suppose the deuill himselfe) is to be answered by affection or passion, but by iudgement and sound reason: Yea, if we hauehave no hope to winne our aduersarie, or doe him much good, as Christ had none of the deuill, yet we must testifie to God and his truth for the confirmation of our selues and others.

The testimonie alleadged is out of Deut. 10.20. Thou shalt feare the Lord thy God: thou shalt serue him: and, Deu. 6.13. An vniuersall and affirmatiue precept, by which eueryevery creature is bound to his Creator, and him alone, to performe diuine worship vntounto him. And it is aptly applyed by Christ to this dart of Sathan: For it implyeth, 1. That he himselfe, as now standing in this conflict with Sathan, is a creature of God as he is man, though otherwise as God he be equall to his Father. As man he is subiect to the law, and to this precept among the rest. 2. That Satan is not God, as he pretendeth by his vniust claimes, nor any way equall to God. 3. That therefore neither must he beeing a creature, giuegive the least diuine worship from God; nor he that thus claimes it, can by any meanes be capable of it. 4. That the Scriptures of God reserue vntounto God his due worship, and forbid that any creature shall share with him. Christ stands not to dispute whether the sight presented were a shadow or substance, nor whether he would giuegive it him or no, but holds him to the Scripture, which vpholds his Fathers right.

Quest. But why doth our Sauiour change, and adde to the text of Scripture, as not regarding that terrible woe denounced against such as adde or take away from the word, and contrary to that, in Deut. 12.32. Here our Sauiour, 1. changeth: Moses saith, Thou shalt feare: Christ saith, Thou shalt worship: 2. addeth: for Moses hath not the word onelyonly, which is of Christs putting to that text.

1Answ. 1. Here is some difference indeed in words, but not in sense, and therefore it is no corruption of the text, nor letting out the life of it, which stands not in the words, but in the true sense.

22. Our Lord both in great wisedome changeth the word feare into worship, and iust cause: for, 1. Moses vseth feare, which is a generall word, in which is contained all such diuine duties as godly men ought to performe vntounto God: and our Sauiour mentions one speciall, which is included in that generall; which thing Moses p. 339speakes as well as hee, in the generall; as he that commaunds a whole, commands eueryevery part, inward and outward. 2. Hereby our Sauiour aptly meetes with Satans temptation, If thou wilt worship me; he vseth the same word, not tying himselfe to Moses his words, but keeping the sense, but to Satans word: and, 3. He noteth the nearenesse and vndiuidednes of Gods feare and his worship; as where the cause is, there will be the effect, so true feare and worship goe together; where one is, there will be the other: and for this cause one is put for the other, not here onelyonly, but elsewhere, as Esa. 29.13. their feare toward mee was taught by the precept of men: Christ alleadging it, Matth. 15.9. saith, You worship me in vaine.

As for the word onelyonly added, which is not in the law, it no way addeth any contrary or diuerse sense to Moses, but onelyonly expoundeth or giueth a fit commentarie to the text, and speaketh that plainely in one word, which Moses doth in more: as Deut. 2.13. Thou shalt feare the Lord thy God, and serue him, and walke after no other gods: which is all one with our Sauiours, Thou shalt serue him onelyonly. As he that saith, The King is the supreame gouernour, and none but hee; saith in effect, The King is the onelyonly supreame gouernour.

3. Christ and his Apostles had a priuiledge in alleadging Scriptures without errour, and were infallible expounders as well as 3alleadgers.

4. This alteration of words is made by Christ, to warrant vsus, that Scriptures alleadged by teachers according to their right 4sense (although with alterations and additions) are to be taken as true expositions and allegations, we beeing not tyed so strictly to words as to sense: For otherwise, all our sermons and expositions, which serue to beat out the true sense of Scriptures, and apply it to seuerall vses, might be condemned as idle additions to Scripture; which is blasphemous.

5. To warrant vsus, that principles of religion expounded by warrant of Scripture are truely interpreted, though the Scriptures 5in so many formall words expresse them not. As for example: In the doctrine of iustification by faith, we say we are iustified by faith onelyonly before God: here the Papists exclaime on vsus as accursed heretikes, because we read not the word onelyonly, in all the Scripture. But we read it in effect, and in true sense, Rom. 3.28. and, Eph. 2.8. by faith without workes; which exclusiue is all one as to say, onelyonly p. 340by faith, as our Sauiour interprets the exclusion of other gods by the word onelyonly. As if I should say, I did such a thing without help; is it not all one to say, I onelyonly did it? If Christs interpretation be true and warrantable, so must ours in the point of iustification. And if the deuill himselfe had not yeelded to Christs allegation, he might hauehave said, Thou thrustest in the word onelyonly, and addest to Gods word, and therefore art not the Sonne of God. But the Papists deale more impudently with vsus, then the deuill did with Christ, who said no such thing, but yeelded to euidence of truth, which they will not.

In the precept it selfe are three things: 1. the person: 2. the matter: 3. the obiect. 1. The person, thou] the whole man and person, which consisteth of a body and soule: thou, any reasonable creature that challengest God to be thy God. 2. The matter shalt worship and serue. Worship is twofold, Ciuill, or Diuine.

ICiuill, is a prostrating or bowing of the body, or any outward testification of an high and reuerent respect of man. And this is due to men two wayes. 1. Of dutie, when men are to be reuerently acknowledged for somthing wherein God hath preferred them before vsus, as for yeares, gifts, graces, authoritie: or such as are set ouer vsus, as parents and fathers of bodies and soules, of Church, and country. And this is required by the 5. commandement, and Rom. 13.1.7. neither doth the Gospel and Christianitie take away, but teach ciuility. And performed by the godly, both in speach, as Daniel said, O King; and Paul to Festus, O noble Festus: and also in outward behauiour and gesture, as Iaacob bowed seauen times to Esau; and Ioseph taking his sonnes from the knees of his father Iaacob hauing blessed them, did reuerence to his father downe to the ground, Gen. 48.12. Dauid inclined his face to the earth, and bowed himselfe to Saul, who pursued his life, 1. Sam. 24.9. The like of Ruth to Boaz, chap. 2. and of Abigail to Dauid, 1. Sam. 25.23. she fell on her face, and bowed her selfe to the ground, and fell at his feet. 2. Of curtesie, which is a fruit of humility, when a man to his equalls and inferiours sheweth reuerence and respect; as Abraham to Lot, Gen. 13.8.9. and to the Hittites his inferiours, cap. 23.12. he bowed himselfe before the people of the land: Farre vnlike the surlinesse and stiffenesse of proud and conceited persons, who beeing void of all good nature, nurture, and religion, know not to bow to any, neither their betters in the way of duty, nor equalls in way of curtesie.

p. 341Diuine worship is twofold, 1. inward, the summe of the first commandement, standing in feare, louelove, and the like: 2. outward IIbowing or reuerence, the summe of the second commaundemen…. The former bindes the soule, and the will, and affections, and the whole inner man: the latter the outward man, to giuegive God his worship and seruice, and to giuegive no part of that to any other: For the word onelyonly, onelyonly mentioned in the latter branch, must be extended and referred to the former too. The latter of these is here meant: for the word properly signifieth to kisse or adore,foreign by some outward gesture to manifest a veneration. 1. Because this was it which Satan required of Christ, namely, to fall downe or bow vntounto him: but Christ aptly refuseth it. 2. This worship proceeds from an inward feare and apprehension of a diuine excellency & power, not communicable to any creature, which Satan well knewe: for euen by this bowing hee would hauehave Christ to acknowledge in him a power to dispose of all earthly things, which is proper to God.

And him onelyonly shalt thou serue.] By seruice is not meant the inward seruice of the heart: for the words in Deut. 6.13. Thou shalt feare the Lord, and serue him, will not beare it: the first thereof betokening the inward seruice, the second the outward, following the former as the effect the cause. Neither would our Sauiour inuert the order, in setting the streame before the fountaine. Therefore this word serue, serueth to expound the former, as an addition, signifying nothing els but the outward seruice of God; so that Christ here shewes, that it is not enough to giuegive God outward reuerence, but that we must (as seruants) performe duties according to his will: so the word signifies, being taken from seruants,foreign. who performe seruice to bodily Masters in bodily actions.

3. The person to be worshipped and serued is God only. Him onelyonly] whom we call the Lord our God, according to the speach of Samuel, 1.7.3. Direct your hearts vntounto the Lord, and serue him only: for his glorie will he giuegive to no other. Quest. Must we giuegive outward worship to none but God? Must we not bow our knee, and vncouer our heads, to our King and Rulers? Must we not rise vp to the hoare-head? Leuit. 19.32. Must we not serue one another in louelove? How then must we outwardly worship and serue God onelyonly? Ans. Wee must not denie any ciuill worshppe to any man, to whome God hath made it due: but externall religious worship must not be giuen to any creature, man or Angell.

p. 342Quest. How may we know one from the other? Answ. They differ greatly: 1. In the kind, one is seruill, the other sociall; the former due to an absolute Lord and commander, the latter due from one fellow-seruant to another. This distinction is grounded in Reu. 19.10. where the Angell refused the worship done him by Iohn, vponupon this ground, because he was a fellow-seruant, and one of the brethren: for Iohn beeing ouercome with the greatnesse of the Angels glorie and splendor, out of humane infirmity ascribed to him more then ciuill honour, and mixed some religious worship with it, which onelyonly was due to God.

2. Another difference is in the intention of the mind in worshipping. Religious bowing is, when a man inwardly apprehends a diuine power proper to God, and incommunicable to the creature; or, when god-head or diuine properties are conceiued in the thing bowed vntounto. As for example: in falling downe to an image, vncouering the head, praying, &c. the minde now conceiues a diuine power in the image of knowing ones thoughts, hearing, helping, and the like; at least that God hath tied his presence and grace to such a place where such an image is set vp. But the ciuill bowing to the King, or superiour, or to the chaire of estate, is a meere token of ciuill subiection, without any conceit of deity in the minde, onelyonly because we see in them excellent gifts of God, or in place aboue in the Church, common-wealth, or familie. For the same gesture may be ciuill and spirituall according to the intention of the minde of the worshipper.

3. The end distinguisheth them: the one is to exercise godlines, the other to expresse ciuility: the one foreign, the other foreign: one done as a man is a member of Gods kingdome, the other as he is in the ranke of an earthly kingdome. As for example: Kissing of the Popes feet is a worship done to a man, and so seemes euill; but, beeing tendred to him as to the Vicar of Christ, as one that can pardon sinnes, and cannot erre, this religious end makes it a religious worship, and therefore none of his, beeing not offred to any other Prince or Emperour vponupon the earth.

4. Some difference may be taken from the common estimation of the thing worshipped, as if it be generally esteemed or reputed diuine, and deity ascribed to that which in it selfe hath it not: The host (as they call it) is generally held to be Christs very selfe: now for a man (suppose a Protestant that knowes it to remaine p. 343very bread, and that no such deity or change is in it) to bow downe before it, to vncouer his head, or vse gestures of adoration to it, is an externall religious gesture, and is vnlawfull, although his intention be not to worship it, but because in common estimation he ascribes a kind of Godhead to the creature as others doe. And whereas adoration is a signe of subiection to the thing adored, and a note of inferiority in deed, or in will; by this gesture this person makes himselfe inferiour to a creature, and giueth worship and preheminence to that which in his knowledge hath neither life nor sense; which is senslesse, and against common reason.

5. A plaine difference betweene ciuill worship and diuine, is, that all diuine worship is absolute and immediate; which is plaine in this instance: God in all his commaundements must be absolutely and simply obeyed, with full obedience, neuer calling any of them into question, neuer expostulating or reasoning the matter with God, seeme they to vsus neuer so vnreasonable. As Abraham against the law morall, and euen against the law of nature, without all reasoning, riseth vp early to kill his owne sonne, when God bids him, who will bee simply obeyed for himselfe. But all obedience to men is respectiue, to God, in God, and for God, and as farre as God hath appointed them to be obeyed, and no further. God must be obeyed against the Magistrate, the Magistrate not against God, but so farre as his commaundements are agreeable to Gods. Man as man is not to be obeyed, but because God hath set him ouer vsus in the Church, Common-wealth, or familie.

Whence we see, that ciuill worship hath his rise and ground in the worship of God; and what is the cause, that so little reuerence is giuen to superiours, whether Magistrats or Ministers, Masters or Parents, in these dissolute and vnmannerly dayes, but because Gods worship decayes, and is not laid in the hearts of inferiours, the force of whose commaundement would force reuerence to superiours? What other cause is there, that inferior impudent persons of both sexes take such liberty (without all respect of conscience, truth, or manners) to chatter against Gods Ministers and the Kings, towards both whom God hath commaunded more then ordinary respect; yea with all bitternes to scoffe, raile, curse, threaten, with horrible, damnable, and incessant oathes, more like furies then men, euen to their faces? but that Gods feare is p. 344vtterly shaken out of their hearts: and where Gods feare is absent, how can we expect any feare of men? The heathen Priests were honoured, because heathen gods were feared: which shall condemne Christians, among whome neither Gods Priests and Ministers, nor the Ministers of the King Gods vicegerent, and consequently, not God himselfe is feared and honoured.

All religious worship, whether outward or inward, is due to God onelyonly.Doctr. For inward worship, it is most expresse, Ioh. 4.24. God beeing a Spirit, hee must be worshipped in spirit and truth: And it might be prooued in all the parts of inward worship; as 1. LoueLove: Thou shalt louelove the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and all thy soule. 2. Feare: Isa. 8.13. Let him be thy feare and dread: Feare him that is able to cast body and soule into hell. 3. Trust and confidence: Prou. 3.5. Trust in God with all thy heart. 4. Faithfull prayer: Psal. 50.15. Call vponupon mee in the time of trouble: and, How can they call on him in whome they hauehave not beleeued? But of this there is little question. As for outward worship, if religious, all of it is his due onelyonly. Psal. 95.6. Come, let vsus kneele before him, and bow downe to God our maker: Whence it is manifest, that all the gestures and signes of religious worshippe, as bowing of the body, of knees, lifting vp of eyes, or hands, and vncouering the head with religious intention, is not to be yeelded to any but the true God.

Reasons. 1.1. A reason hereof is in the text, because he onelyonly is the Lord our God: our Lord, of absolute commaund, and we his seruants, whose our soules are, and our bodies also, to be at his becke in religious vse, and none else: and our God, by the law of creation and daily preseruation, as also by the couenant of grace and redemption: he hath not onelyonly created, but preserueth, yea redeemeth our soules and bodies also, and no creature hath any right vntounto vsus (as Dauid saith.) Christ refuseth here to bow to the deuill, not onelyonly because he is a deuill, but because he is a creature.

2. In our text we see, that Satan will yeeld God is to be serued, but not onelyonly,2 he would hauehave a little seruice too. Nebuchadnezzar would be contented God should be serued, but he would be serued too: if they would but fall downe and bow to his image, he desires no more. Let Christ be as deuout towards his Father as he can inwardly, Satan desires no more but a little outward reuerence. But the three fellowes of Daniel tell the King, they will worship their God onelyonly: and Christ tells Satan the cheife idolater of all, that he must serue God onelyonly euen with externall and bodily seruice.

p. 3453. If outward religious worship were due to any creature,3 then to the Angells the most glorious of all: but they hauehave refused it and deuolued it onelyonly to God as his prerogatiue. Iudg. 13.16. Manoah beeing about to worship the Angell that appeared to him, the Angell hindred him, saying, If thou wilt offer any sacrifice, offer it to God. And Paul condemneth an outward humility in worshipping of Angells, Col. 2.18. Reu. 19.10. the Angell refused Iohns worship: and chap. 22.8. when he fell downe at his feete to worshippe him, beeing amased, and perhaps not knowing whether he might not be the lambe himselfe, of whose marriage hee was speaking: and the reason in both places, why he refused euen that outward reuerence, was, 1. taken from the Angells condition, hee was but a fellow-seruant: 2. because it was proper to God, Worshippe God: who is there opposed to all Angells good and bad.

4. Idolatry may be committed onelyonly in the gesture,4 neither can we set our bodies (which ought to bee presented as liuing and reasonable sacrifices to God) before idoll-worship without the crime of idolatrie: no externall dissembled honour can be giuen to an image with safe conscience: for which cause Origen was excommunicated by the Church, for offering a little incense to an idoll, though he were forced thereunto by a suddaine feare.

5. Some things must be had alone, and admit not of a second.5 No man can serue two Masters. One woman cannot hauehave two husbands at once: her husband is iealous of any partner or corriuall. Now God alone is our Master and Hushand, and therefore he alone must hauehave religious honour.

This serues to confute the Popish doctrine and practise of their image and Saint-worshippe, and of giuing (many other wayes) Gods peculiar worshippe cleane away to the creatures, not onelyonly bowing to images of wood, and stone, and mettall, but inuocating them, vowing vntounto them, offring gifts vntounto them, lighting candles before them, offring incense, dedicating dayes, fasts, feasts vntounto Saints departed, &c. Wherein they commit most horrible idolatry, against this expresse commandement, which commandeth the seruice of the true God onelyonly. As we shall see further in these grounds:

1. No image may be made of God:Groūds against image worship. Thou shalt not make to thy p. 346selfe any grauen image of any thing in heauen or earth: for, Thou sawest no image, onelyonly thou heardest a voice, Deu. 4.12. And what w…ll yee liken mee to, saith the Lord? Yet this was a rude people, …nd needed all the bookes that might bee. Consequently, God is not to 2be worshipped in any image. 2. He is dishonoured when any 3corruptible thing is conceiued to be like him, Rom. 1.23. 3. God is vncircumscriptible and infinite: therefore an image of him is a 4lie. 4. God is eueryevery where present: therefore eueryevery image is vaine. 55. Gods curse is on him that makes a carued image, and puts it in a 6secret place, Deut. 27.15. 6. God will not be worshipped in any image, but of his Sonne: Ioh. 5.23. All men must honour the Sonne, as they honour the Father. Let image-mungers shew vsus what images God will be worshipped in besides Iesus Christ, the engrauen forme of his person, and we will worship as many images as they 7can. 7. It is vaine and very inconsiderate to make an image, and worship it; the makers thereof want common sense, and are blockish as the images themselues, as appeares by the Prophets Ironicall narration, Isa. 42.19. and 44.19. No man saith in his heart, Halfe hauehave I burnt, or eaten, or warmed my selfe withall, and shall I worship the other halfe as a god? Are not as good blockes as this euerie where? and as good stones in the pauement? Is not one as worthy to be worshipped as the other? How hath one deserued to be burnt, and the other to be reserued for adoration? The same folly is in the Church of Rome: one peice of the hoast they eate, another they set vp to be worshipped, and want consideration to say, Was not the peice that is eaten, as worthy to be worshipped as this? Is this better then that? So that that of the Prophet is verified of these idolaters, They that make them are like vntounto them, euen as blockish as the very blocks, which if they could reason, would surely say, Am not I as worthy to be worshipped as my fellow? am I baser then my equall?

Obiect. 1.But they hauehave gotten a late distinction, by which they put on a cloake to hide the filthinesse of their idolatrie. Worship (say they) is either that high and great worship proper to God, which is called foreign ▪ or lesse and inferiour worship called foreign, or seruice: the former they cannot without idolatrie giuegive to Angells and Saints, the latter they may.

Answ. 1.But, 1. God cannot be deluded by a distinction of words, seeing the thing it selfe is idolatrie: let them call it what they will, to delude the world and themselues withall, the thing is as grosse idolatry p. 347as euer was among the heathens, let them lessen it as they can, and call it a lesse worship, consisting in externall reuerence, and inferiour to that which is giuen to the samplar. For so long as they bowe to Saints (which they cannot for shame say is for ciuil reuerence, vnlesse they had eyes to see them:) they goe directly against the commaundement, which saith, Thou shalt not bow downe to them. And the Lord hereby distinguisheth his true worshippers from idolaters, I hauehave reserued seuen thousand which neuer bowed the knee to Baal. And so long as they inuocate them, vow vntounto them, sweare by them, knocke their breasts before them, creepe vntounto them, &c. doe they thinke they hauehave eares and heare not? nay, do they not ascribe the seeing of their hearts and wants, omnipotence, and power to helpe them? Are they not in the midst of that woe of them that say to the wood, Arise; and to the dumb stone, Come and helpe vsus? And so long as they imitate the heathen in erecting temples, altars, statues; in appointing them religious daies, feasts, fasts, seuerall worships, &c. can they by an idle word put out all mens eies, so as we can see nothing beyond ciuill worship in all this, because they call it douleia? What is there now in all Gods worship, which they cannot doe to them? They say, we may not sacrifice to them, that is due to God onelyonly, but inuocate them we may. Answ. 1. A silly shift, as though all Gods proper worship were in sacrifices. 2. What are prayers but sacrifices of the new Testament? 3. What is it but to offer sacrifice to them, to offer them candles, incense, and the like?

2. The new-found distinction argueth their grosse ignorance, both in the Scriptures, and in other secular learning,2 if not wilfull blindnesse; the words both of them in both beeing vsed for the same, and promiscuously ascribed both to God and men. I. For the Scriptures. They may (they say) giuegive douleia to men and Angels: but then may we giuegive all the seruice due to the Lord Iesus to them, for vnderunder this word is it all comprehended: Rom. 16.18. they serue not the Lord Iesus, foreign. And the Apostle condemnes the giuing of douleia to things which by nature are no gods, Gal. 4.8. foreign. Act. 20.18. seruing the Lord with all modesty and many teares, foreign: here is douleia proper to God, which their distinction makes peculiar to man. 1. Thess. 1.9. hauing turned from idolls, foreign, to serue the liuing and true God. Coloss. 3.24. foreign, for yee serue the Lord Christ. And might they not in p. 348the Scripture obserue how the Angel refused douleia, Reuel. 22.7. because he was foreign, a fellow-seruant? Yet they say it is due to Angels and Saints. And that latreia is not onelyonly taken in Scripture for worship due to God, but for workes belonging to men, is plaine by Leuit. 23.7. foreign, Thou shalt do no seruile worke. II. For secular learning: Ludouicus Vines a learned man of their religion, in his commentaries vponupon Augustine de ciuitat. Dei, hath prooued out of Suida…, Xenophon, and Valla, that these two words are vsually taken one for another. And yet vponupon this confused distinction, stands all the frame of their confused idolatry at this day.

33. This distinction fighteth not onelyonly against antiquity, but against themselues. Ierome against Vigilantius saith, Nos non Angelos, non Archangelos, non Cherubim, non Seraphim colimus & adoramus. And Augustine epist. 44. Scias à Christianis Catholicis nullum coli mortuorum, No Christian Catholike worshippeth any of the dead. And some of themselues, as Holcot and Durand, write that no worship at all is to be giuen to an image, neither is it lawfull to worship it. And yet Aquinas and others say plainely, that the Crucifix and image of Christ must be adored with the same honour as himselfe is; yea that honour, stayeth in the very image: which I hope is more then douleia that is giuen to the image of Christ.

But enough of this idle distinction. They must, as the Midianites, fight against themselues and one another, that fight against God and his glory. And wee must fight against them, and take part with our God for his right, and assoone ioine our selues with Pagans and Infidells as with Papists, one of their worshippes beeing eueryevery way as idolatrous, as the other. I know there is difference in the persons whom they represent in the image, betweene Peter and Paul, and betweene Iupiter and Mercury: But in the thing there is no difference, diuine worshippe giuen to an image of the one beeing as hatefull to God as that which is giuen to the other.

We worship not the image, but God in the image, nor the Saints themselues,Obiect. 2. but God in the Saints; honour done to Gods friends is done to God himselfe. So the Rhemists say: As the worship of the image of Antichrist is the worship of Antichrist himselfe, so the worshippe of the image of Christ is the worshippe of Christ himselfe. In Apoc. 12. §. ….

p. 349I answer: 1. After the same manner the Gentiles maintained their idolatry, who instituted idolls, vt admoneamur diuinae naturae, Answ. 1.to put them in minde of God. 2. It is false which they say: for they worship the images and Saints themselues,2 as appeareth euidently in their forenamed seruices. 3. God will be honoured in such signes and meanes as himselfe hath appointed,3 and not condemned; neither hath he more condemned image-worship, then his worship in an image. Besides, whatsoeuer the Rhemists say, God hath appointed what honour to giuegive to his friends, and hath denied to giuegive this honour to any of the…, Isa. 42.8. All will-worship is condemned, Col. 2.23. No worship pleaseth him that is not commaunded in his word, Matth. 15.9. 4. Thus might they defend the most grosse idolatry as euer was: as for example:4 Iehu worshipped God, and was zealous for the Lord of hosts, 2. Kin. 10.16. but he worshipped God in the two calues at Dan and Bethel; for it is said, vers. 31. he departed not from the sinnes of Ieroboam. He might with Papists hauehave said, Why, I worshippe no calues, but God in the calues. Yet hee was an idolater.

The Samaritans and Assyrians in Samaria feared God, and serued their images, 2. King. 17.28.33.41. that is, serued God in images: But they were not thereby freed from horrible idolatry, for which God cast them out. Iudg. 17. Micha worshipped the true God in an idoll, and could say as much as the Papists, I worship not the image, but God in the image: for v. 3. the siluer was dedicated to the Lord to make an image: and v. 13. now the Lord will be mercifull vntounto me, seeing I hauehave got a Leuite in my house. And yet he was a grosse idolater▪ Exod. 32. the Israelites worshipped not the calfe, but God in the calfe: for 1. they proclaimed holy-day to Iehoua, not to the calfe, v. 5. 2. the thing they desired was onelyonly some visible presence of God to goe before them now in the absence of Moses, v. 1 3. they could not be so senslesse as to thinke that an idoll, which had eyes and did not see, and feete but could not walke, could goe before them, but that God represented thereby and reconciled vntounto them should goe before them. 4. when they said, These be thy Gods Oh Israel, which brought thee out of Egypt, could they be so blockish as to thinke a dead idoll, made but the day before, could be that God which brought them many weekes before out of Egypt, when it had no being? Therefore by a figure of the signe put for p. 350the thing signified it is thus meant, This is in honour of the God that brought thee out of Egypt.

Obiect. They forgate God, Psal. 106.20. Answ. It cannot be meant of all memory of God; but, that they forgate their dutie and obedience to God, together with Gods expresse commaundement to the contrary. Yet was this condemned by God, and reuenged by Moses as an high idolatry.

55. It is false which the Papists say, that they worship not the image, but God in the image; their common practise is to inuocate images, to trust for good from them, to vow, offer, and goe in pilgrimage to them, and make sure of protection from them. This is the honour of images to the great and high dishonour of God.6 6. The Papists themselues after all their flourishes, are glad to leaue this practise, as which they had rather hold by way of dispute to toile the Protestants, then in sound iudgement to help themselues.Exam Concil. Trid. part. 3. Chemnitius writes of George Cassander, that after long dispute and strife to varnish ouer inuocation of Saints, he concluded thus, Ego in meis precibus non soleo Sanctos inuocare, sed inuocationem dirigo ad Deum ipsum, id que in nomine Christi: hoc enim tutius esse existimo: I for my part vse not to call vponupon the Saints, but direct my prayers to God himselfe, and that in the name of Christ: for I take this to be the safer course. And Hofmeister a great Papist, after he had heaped vp many opinions about inuocation of Saints, concludes in the words of Augustine, (if that booke De visitatione infirmorum was his) Tutiùs & iucundiùs loquor ad meum Iesum, quàm ad aliquem sanctorum spirituum Dei, I speake more safely and with more comfort to my Iesus, then to any of those blessed spirits that are with God. And to those that doe not thus, may be applied that in Ier. 2.13. This people hath committed two great euills, they hauehave left the fountaine of liuing waters, and digged to themselues wells that will hold no water.

I will conclude with the concession of Eccius in his Enchiridion, wherein he shewes that inuocation of Saints was not deliuered by the Spirit of God in the old Testament, neither in doctrine, nor commaundement, nor promise, nor example, for two reasons: 1. Because that people was so prone to idolatry. 2. Because the Fathers were in limbo before Christs passion, neither had the blessed vision of God. Neither was it deliuered in the new Testament for two reasons more: 1. Because the Gentiles were very prone to returne to their old idolatry. 2. Least the Apostles should seeme p. 351to teach their owne honour after their death.

Let vsus take this Doctor at his word, and his reasons as they are (though better might be giuen:) and onelyonly hence inferre thus much; If the doctrine of inuocation of Saints, be found neither in the old nor new Testament, with what conscience doe they vrge it on the simple, vnderunder pretence of Scripture? If it be said, This perhaps is but one Doctors opinion, to him consents Asotus a great and learned Iesuite, who tells vsus plainly, Non doceri in scripturis, sed insinuari Sanctorum inuocationem, that the inuocation of Saints is onelyonly insinuated in the Scripture.

Marke the force of truth in these two great points, of iustification granted by Bellarmine, and of inuocation of Saints granted by all these great Papists.

Our doctrine condemnes the presenting of ones body at the externall diuine worship of any thing which is not God:Vse. 2. and consequently, a man may not be present at false worship to giuegive it the least allowance, no not in gesture. Whence they are conuicted of dealing false with God, who present their body at the Masse, with a conceit that they can keep their hearts to God well enough. For, 1. Might not our Lord for a whole world hauehave found by all his wisedom such a present help for him, and by such a pollicie hauehave ouerreached the deuill himselfe, who required onelyonly externall bowing, keeping his heart still vntounto God? No: our Lord knew well, 1. that body and soule make but one man, who must hauehave but one God, one Lord, one faith, one worship. 2. that our bodies are the Lords as well as our soules, 1. Cor. 6.20. created for his seruice as wel as they, redeemed by Christs blood as well as they. 3. that he that requireth the whole heart, requireth also the whole strength which is of the body. 4. that the soule cannot be in heauen, if the body be in hell; neither can he bow the knee of his heart to God, that bowes the knee of his body to Satan. 5. that there can be no agreement betweene light and darknes, God and Belial: the Arke and Dagon cannot stand in the same Temple, and the heart cannot at the same time be the Temple of God and of idolls.

2. This is the difference betweene the Church of God, and the Synagogue of Satan, that the one is a chaste wife and spouse of Christ, and keeps her to her husband alone, and doth not admit others to the vse of her faith: the other playes the harlot with many louers, and keeps not her faith and confidence to God alone, p. 352but permits others to be fellowes with him at the same time. Now no man can take her for a chaste and vndefiled spouse, that will giuegive the vse of her body to a stranger, though she plead neuer so confidently that she keeps her heart to her husband. The case here is the very same.

3. Here is a number of sinnes infolded in this one action: 1. here is a manifest appearance of euill, which we should flie, 1. Thess. 5.22. 2. an occasion of offence to others, to draw them in by our example, and, so farre as we may, a destroying of him for whom Christ hath died, Rom. 14.15. 3. a fight against faith▪ and an allowance of that which a man condemneth. Rom. 14.22. Blessed is he that condemneth not himselfe in that he alloweth. His body allowes that which his heart condemnes. 4. here is a denyall of Christ, whose faith hee ought to confesse and professe with his mouth; which he would doe, if it were in soundnes hid in the heart. 5. here is a dastardly ioyning with his Lords enemie: for he that is not with him is against him. 6. here is not onelyonly an approbation, but a communication in idolatry; a touching of pitch, & a defiling of a mans selfe; a most present danger of infection, and defection from God. 7. here is an hypocriticall show of that which the heart abhorres; a diuided man, and diuided manner of worship, which God hateth who requireth the whole man. 8. experience shewes, that such as giuegive vp their bodies to idols. God in iustice for the most part giues vp the heart to horrible delusions.

4. If we must auoid an heretike, then much more an idolater. We must not onelyonly hate the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, but auoid it. Many say they hate the Masse; but I say, then they would auoid it: for we separate our bodies, not onelyonly our hearts from the things wee hate. And the commaundement is, to get out of Babylon. We read in the Ecclesiasticall historie, how S. Iohn fled from Corinthus the heretike, and Polycarpe from Marcion: And, those whom we may not bid God-speed, or whom we may not inuite to our owne tables, may we ioyne with them in polluting the Lords table?

5. Such persons keep not their hearts to God, that present their bodies at idolatrie, neither present they their bodies onelyonly: for the soule gouernes the bodie, the will leads the action, the vnderstanding the will, and the affections attend the vnderstanding. Now where there is vnderstanding, iudgement, will, and affections, giuen to the idoll-worship, is not more then the bodie giuen, euen the cheife and highest faculties of the soule? Of which we p. 353can reckon no better then plowing with an oxe and an asse, or sowing the same field with diuerse seeds, which the Lord in the law forbiddeth, and therein refuseth the mixture of warrantable and vnwarrantable rites in his worship. God is a spirit and truth, and will not be worshipped in spirit and falsehood. A dissembled worship is a marke of a true neutrall, of a plaine Laodicean, neither hot nor cold, a cake halfe baked on the hearth.

Quest. But is it not lawfull on some occasion to bee present at Masse.

Answ. In some cases a man may be present, and not sinne: as, 1. When he is there by violent compulsion, beeing bound and cast in as into a prison, so as he cannot resist: this is not his sinne, but theirs; and it may be said as of Lucretia, Two in the sinne, but one adulterer; she resisted and was forced, so was he. 2. If in trauell a man be in a fit place to see and obserue their folly, so as he shewe no reuerence at all, or approbation by bending his knee, vncouering his head, or otherwise. Thus the Apostle Paul went into the idol-temple at Athens, as he passed by, not to approoue, but to take occasion to confute their idolatrie, Act. 17.23. 3. A man may be amongst idolaters to reprooue and reprehend them, as 1▪ King. 13.1. a Prophet came to the altar where Ieroboam was, to cry out against it. And Elias stood by Baals Priests mocking them, while they daunced and launced themselues, 1. King. 18. And the three fellowes of Daniel stood by Nebuchadnezzars image,Aderant, sed non adorârunt. Pet. Martyr. to protest that they would neuer worship it, Dan. 3.1. 4. Some hold that in politike imployment, a mans calling necessarily requiring it, he may present his bodie at idoll-worship: as a Protestant may carry a sword before a Prince into the temple of an idoll, with two caueats; 1. that neither by word nor gesture he giuegive any approbation of the idolatrie: 2. that publike protestation be made by word, or writing, that he presents not himselfe for religions sake, but ciuill obedience. I will say nothing against this last case: for my part, I like a great deale better that practise of the Protestant Princes at Augusta, who brought Charles the fifth their Emperour along as he was going to the Masse, but left him at the Church-doore, and eueryevery man by his departure shewed what he thought of that seruice. Also when Valentinian brought Iulian to the temple of his idolls, he that kept the doore, sprinkled his gowne with the idols water, as the heathens vsed: whereat Valentinian gaue him a boxe on the eare. If we should thus present our selues, what tumults p. 354and stratagems should we make? Obiect. That was heathenish seruice; but the Masse is more Christian, and hath good things in it. Answ. 1. That was the Masse from which the Protestant Princes departed. 2. The Masse is as grosse idolatry as euer any was among the Gentiles, being made vp of Iudaisme, Gentilisme, and shreds of Christianity, 3. Let them tell vsus a difference betweene the bodily adulterie of heathens and Christians, and we will obserue the same in the spirituall whoredome which is idolatrie.

Obiect. 1. But what say you of Namaan the Syrian, who requested leaue to goe into the house of Rimmon with the King his Master, and the Prophet bade him goe in peace? 2. King. 5.18. Answ. 1. Some thinke he spake only of ciuill and politike presence, that his Master the King might leane vponupon him before his idoll; hee in the meane time protesting that he would neuer worship other god but the true God: to which the Prophet condescendeth. Which is the answer of M. Perkins vponupon the second commaundement; and M. Zanchius on Eph. 5. But, howsoeuer the gesture it selfe is indifferent, to stand when the King stands, and bowe when the King boweth, &c. yet this gesture beeing cloathed with such circumstances, seemeth to me not approoued by the Prophet, to doe this, 1. in the Church: 2. before an idoll: 3. in the time of publike seruice: 4. by one professing the true God: this seemes not so warrantable. And indeed both those famous Diuines departed from this answer, and gaue a sounder in their latter works, as appeares both in M. Perkins his Cases of Conscience, and M. Zanchius his booke De redemptione.

2. Some thinke he speakes in the time past; as if he should say, Herein that I hauehave bowed, &c. the Lord be mercifull to me: to which the Prophet said, Goe in peace. But there is no need thus to wrest either the tongue or the text.

3. The best answer is, that Namaan professeth it a sinne to goe in to bow with his Master in the house of Rimmon, and therefore prayeth twice for merciemercy for it, professing he will neuer now worship any but the true God: neither doth he onelyonly pray against sinn past, nor for leaue for sinne to come; but in sense of his own weaknes and infirmity desireth merciemercy, that he may not be drawne from his purpose, and withall stirreth vp the Prophet to pray for him for grace & strength, and for pardon if at any time he should against his purpose be drawne into his former sinne: and in this sence the Prophet bids him goe in peace: as if he should say, I will pray that God would keep thee in thy godly resolution, and for strength p. 355and mercy if thou shouldest be drawne aside, and so farwell.

Now out of this example, how can they defend that not to be a sinne, which himselfe confesseth a sinne, and desireth grace and merciemercy for, and strength against? Besides, Naaman might seeme to plead his calling for his warrantize, if it were not: but what calling can they plead, but onelyonly newfanglednes, and rash running out of their way and calling?

Obiect. 2. But Daniel worshipped the image which Nebuchadnezzar set vp: else he should hauehave been punished as his three fellowes were. Ans. A silly argument of desperate men, blaspheming the holy Prophet who before had been cast into the denne of lyons, for sticking vntounto God. But if they fall to coniectures, we may easily refell them in their owne kind, thus: 1. Perhaps the image was not neare Daniel. 2. If it were, he might not be obserued. 3. If he were, it may be the Chaldes durst not accuse him for his great grace and place with the King. 4. Or if they did, it may be the King would not heare them, nor draw him to death for the great louelove he bare him, or the great seruice he did in his kingdom.

Oh therefore let not vsus that are Iewes, that is, the Israel of God, Ioh 4.9.John 4:9meddle with these Romish Samaritans; let vsus not enter into their cities, nor turne into the way of the Gentiles: let them be vntounto vsus as Publicans and heathens. Oh that our young Gentlemen would not goe into this way, to performe euen the basest seruices of the Masse, but heare the voice of Christ, Matth. 10.5.

In all our seruice of God this precept requireth that we giuegive him religious reuerence,Vse. 3. and expresse it in reuerent and seemely gestures, especially in prayer and praise to bow our bodies, and compose the parts thereof to seemely behauiours. True it is, that religion stands not in gestures, neither doth the Scripture expresly tie vsus to this or that in particular, but onelyonly in generall to such as beseeme holinesse and humilitie.

See it in the example of the Saints. 1. King. 8.54. when Salomon had made an end of all his prayer, be arose from kneeling on his knees, and stretching his hands towards heauen. Good Iaacob beeing not able to bend and turne his bodie for age, yet in worshipping God, he would leane on the ende of his staffe, beeing in his bed, and bow as well as he could, Heb. 11.21. He might hauehave thought the age of his body and weakenesse, might exempt him from outward adoration, yet he makes a supply of his weakenesse by the helpe of a staffe. 1. Chron. 29.20. the whole Congregation of Israel, in p. 356blessing the Lord, bowed downe their heads, and worshipped the Lord. And our Lord Iesus himselfe before his passion, fell on his face, and prayed, Matth. 26.39. All to teach vsus, how reuerently to demeane our selues in our Lords seruice; yea if we can conueniently, with Ezra, (chap. 9. v. 5.) to fall on our knees, and spread our hands to the Lord. 1. To testifie our humilitie, and that our soules are cast downe with our bodies. 2. This is a profession of the high Maiestie of God before whom we are: the greater the person is among men, the more reuerence is to be vsed in speaking to him, or in being spoken vntounto by him: but God is the greatest of all, the Lord our maker, therefore let vsus kneele before him, Psal. 95.6, 7. 3. Our reuerent and humble gestures greatly helpe vsus against our owne weaknesses: the lifting vp of our eyes and hands, helpe vsus to get our hearts lifted vp to God. 4. It manifesteth our care, to glorifie God in our soules and bodies, as we are commanded, 1. Cor. 6.20. and that we acknowledge them both to be his, and both to depend vponupon him. 5. That we set not light by his ordinances, in which he giueth vsus leaue to approach vntounto his throne of grace; before whome the very Angells are said to couer their faces. 6. Hereby we giuegive good example to others, and prouoke them also to reuerence.

All which much condemneth the profanenesse of many, whome when Satan cannot hinder from Church, he preuailes against them there; and in hearing the word, receiuing the Sacraments, and prayer, they manifest their contempt of those holy ordinances, casting and rolling their eies here and there, gazing idlely, or laying themselues to sleepe and take a nappe some part of the Sermon, or sitting vnmannerly in prayer-time without all reuerence, that should they come so and behaue themselues towards their Prince, they should be taught a lesson for their rudenesse. Is this to confesse a mans owne basenesse, and the humble conceit hee hath of himselfe? Is this the fruit of acknowledging Gods infinite maiestie? Surely that soule which feelingly sees it selfe to deale with God, will make the body either kneele as a petitioner, or stand as a seruant readie to heare, and knowe, and doe the will of his Lord.

And him onelyonly shalt thou serue.]

Doctr.God must not onelyonly be worshipped, but also serued. The distinction is easily obserued. For a man may in heart and gesture honour another, to whom he owes but little seruice. And this word p. 357in the Hebrew, is taken from seruants, who besides inward reuerence, and outward worship, owe to their Masters their strength, labour, and seruice, yea franke and chearefull obedience. And suppose any man hauehave a seruant, who will be very complemental, and giuegive his master cappe and knee, and very good words, yet when his Master commands him any thing, he will not doe it, here is honour, but no seruice; and denying seruice, he plainely sheweth that his honour is but dissembled and hypocriticall. So as this seruice to God (as to earthly Masters) stands, 1. in feare, and reuerent inward affection: 2. in dutifull and readie obedience, in all holy and ciuill actions. For,

1. These two God in the Scriptures hath eueryevery where ioyned together, and therefore no man may separate them. Deut. 5.29.Reasons. 1. Oh that there were in them such an heart to feare mee, and to keep my commandements. Iosh. 24.14, 15. Now therefore feare the Lord, and serue him in vprightnesse; else chuse you: for I and my house will serue the Lord. Eccles. 12. vlt. Let vsus heare the end of all, Feare God, and keepe his commandements: which is all one with Feare God, and serue him.

2. This seruice is a fruite of feare, and a true testimonie of it:2 for feare of God is expressed in seruice: and if a man would make true triall of his feare, he may doe it by his seruice. It is a note and branch also of our louelove vntounto God: all which the holy Prophet Moses declareth, Deut. 10.12. when he expresseth, that walking in all Gods waies, is a consequent of feare, and the seruice of the Lord a fruite of louelove: And now Israel, what doth the Lord thy God require of thee, but to feare the Lord thy God, and to walke in his wayes, and to louelove him, and to serue the Lord thy God.

3. He iustly calleth for our seruice, in regard of the relation that is betweene him and vsus,3 as he is the Lord our God and Master, and hath authoritie ouer vsus, to whom we owe simple obedience, and we are his seruants, to whome we owe of right our whole strength and seruice. Now he becomes our Lord, and we his seruants, not onelyonly by right of creation and preseruation, but by expresse couenant, that as the Iewes seruants were said to be their masters money, so we are not our owne, but bought with a price, 1. Cor. 6.20. Our wages are set, and our promise passed, our earnest-penny receiued, and no other Lord can lay claime vntounto vsus.

p. 35844. There is no creature exempted from the seruice of God: all creatures in their kind serue him, and much more ought man, to whom he hath appointed all creatures to serue him, and hath exempted him from the seruice of them all to serue himselfe alone. All the Saints euer gloried that they were the seruants of God. The honourable mention of Moses is, that he was faithfull in all the house of God as a seruant. And Dauid saith often, Lord, I am thy seruant, keepe thy seruant, &c. Paul, Peter, Iude, the seruants of God. The Angels professe themselues our fellow-seruants, and are called ministring spirits sent forth for the heires of saluation. Adam in innocencie was not exempted from this seruice, but must serue God in dressing the garden, as a seruant his Lord and Master. Nay, Christ himselfe the second Adam, was not onelyonly styled the beloued Sonne, but the righteous seruant of God, Isa. 53.11.

55. Our talents, our gifts, our strength, our worke, our wages, all are his, receiued from him, and for him, and therefore must be returned againe vntounto him in his seruice.

Quest. What is this seruice, which God requires at our hands?

Answ. The seruice of God is either Legall, or Euangelicall. The former stands in a perfect conformity with the whole law of God, when the creature can present vntounto God a personall and totall righteousnesse. Of this kind is the seruice of the blessed Angells. Of the same kinde was Adams in innocency. Of the same was Christs seruice, when he was made obedient to the death, that by the obedience of one, many might bee made righteous. This is that by which we shall serue God in heauen, when wee shall once againe recouer perfect sanctification, and the whole image of God, which we hauehave now lost. This now we cannot attaine vntounto; yet wee must euer carrie it in our eye as our scope and ayme.

Euangelicall seruice is, when the heart beeing regenerate by Gods Spirit, and purified by faith, hath Christs obedience imputed vntounto it, which is accepted as it owne perfect obedience, and now endeauours to obey God sincerly in all things. In a word, that is euangelicall seruice, which is perfect in Christ, begun and inchoate in vsus; in him complete, in vsus sincere, and vpright, which is Christian perfection.

And to know this seruice the better, we will set down the conditions of it.

p. 359I. It must be willing and free, a free-will offring: for hereby it is distinguished from the seruice of deuills, and wicked men, who are all subiect vntounto the power of God, and doe him seruice in executing his will whether they will or no: but one thing it is to be subiected, another to subiect one selfe: the one is from an inward principle, euen the Spirit of God, which reneweth the will, and makes it of vnwilling willing and pliable: the other is only by some outward force. The seruice of the godly resembles the Angells in heauen, who are said to hauehave wings, by which their will and readines is figured in doing the heasts of God. Dauid had not such wings to flie swiftly, yet he would runne in the way of Gods commaundements so fast as the burden of flesh would suffer him. This condition our Lord and Sauiour commends vntounto vsus in his owne example, when he professeth it is his m…ate and drinke to doe the will of his Father.

2. It must be hearty and sincere. Rom. 1.9. whom I serue in my spirit: not in body and ostentation, but in soule and sincerity; not in hypocrisie and coldnes, but in soundnes and feruencie; not coacted or compelled, but chearefully and without dispute. The Apostle requires louelove out of a pure heart, and a good conscience, 1. Tim. 1.5.1 Tim 1:5and faith vnfeigned. And when the Lord bids Dauid seeke his face, Dauids heart answereth, I will seeke thy face, Psal. 27.8. Those that serue bodily Masters, must not serue with eye-seruice, but as the seruants of Christ, Eph. 5.6. how? doing the will of God from the heart: and v. 5. foreign, in simplicity of heart. What man can abide a seruant that deales deceitfully with him, if he know that he outwardly pretends seruice, but his heart is not with him, but he dissembles louelove, truth, faith, and reuerence? No more can God. Men cannot see into the hearts of their seruants, but the Lord doth, and cannot be deceiued. The fountaine of all our obedience must be a pure and sincere heart, or else, if the well-head bee corrupt, so are all the waters that issue thence.

3. It must be ruled and squared by God himselfe: for God must be serued as he will be serued, and not as we thinke good: for God knowes what is best, and what pleaseth him best.Hin… obe…re ab audir…. All obedience is to goe by rule, not our owne, or others, but Gods. As the eyes of the handmaid is vponupon the hand of her Mistresse, so in our seruice must our eyes be vponupon Gods direction, Psal. 123.2. which is implied in that phrase Luk. 1.75. that we should serue him in righteousnesse and holinesse before him all the dayes of our life. An earthly p. 360seruant must not take vp his owne worke, nor doe other mens businesse, but depend vponupon his owne Masters mouth and direction.

Now God ruleth his whole seruice in respect of the 1. matter: 2. manner: 3. end.

I. For the matter. Whatsoeuer I commaund, that doe onelyonly, saith the Lord. Thou shalt not doe that which is good in thine owne eyes, but what I commaund thee. And so we are taught to pray, Thy will be done.

II. For the manner. It must be 1. Absolute: 2. Totall.

I. Absolute, without all condition on our part; whereas all seruice to men must be conditionall. The reason hereof is, because God beeing holines it selfe, can commaund nothing but what is most iust and holy, but men may.

II. Totall, both obiectiuè and subiectiuè. 1. It must be totall in respect of the obiect; all Gods commaundements, all which call for our obedience. Partiall and delicate seruice, when we list, or at leasure, as the retainers of great men on feasts dayes, is not that which liketh him, but a constant diligence in all his commandements, and a conscionable endeauour in all. Generall seruice was holy Dauids aime, Psal. 119.6. Then shall I not be confounded, when I hauehave respect to all thy commaundements. Not that we can perfectly serue him, vnlesse we were perfectly sanctified, but, that we must make conscience of all Gods commaundements, euen the least. 2. It must bee totall in respect of our selues: we must be wholly employed in his seruice, in all our parts and powers, the whole heart and all the strength is here challenged. Wherein there is a notable difference betweene the seruice we owe to God, and that to men: We are to be seruiceable to men onelyonly in part, not wholly; for the soule and conscience are not subiect to men, which God especially taketh vp and lookes for: Gods priuiledge it is, to be the father of spirits: for although we take our bodies from our parents, yet our soules are immediately from God: Men therefore hauehave no power and authority ouer our soules, but God hath power both ouer soule and body, and is the Lord of our conscience and spirit: and therefore of due must we subiect our selues wholly in his seruice.

III. God ruleth his seruice in respect of the ende, which is twofold, intentionis & termini. 1. The proper aime and end of our seruice must be, 1. Gods glory directly. If all our seruice of p. 361men must be for God (as we saw it must) much more must Gods immediate seruice. 2. The good of our brethren and of Gods Church, which we must not scandalize, but build vp: for God will be serued in our seruice of men. 2. We must serue our God without end: he requires such an heart in his people, as to feare him alwayes, Deut. 5.29. and 6.13. Thou shalt serue the Lord, and cleaue vntounto him. We allow not our seruants to cast vp our worke, and make holyday at their pleasure: much lesse must Gods seruants thinke it lawfull at any time to giuegive any seruice to Satan, sinne, lusts, the world, or any creature against the will of the Lord.

This should prouoke vsus to tender vntounto God this seruice with heart and good will, thus squared by God for the matter, manner,Vse. and ends of it. The Apostle (Eph. 6.5, 6, 7, 8.) perswadeth seruants to obey their Masters according to the flesh, by three arguments, all which are much more strong to perswade our seruice to our Master in heauen: First (saith hee) it is the will of God; Gods institution, and the ordinance of Christ. It is enough for a seruant to know that such a thing is the ordinate will of his owne Master. The second reason of the Apostle, is taken from the honour of their seruice, that in seruing men they serued the Lord Christ, which was an honourable thing. Now we serue a great Lord, & as good as great. If a seruant were bound to a wicked and froward Master, he must obey him in all lawfull things: How much more are we to yeeld seruice to so good a Lord, who can commaund nothing but that which is most iust, holy, and honourable? He sets vsus not about any base or ignoble seruice, to worke in bricke or clay, as Pharaoh commaunded the Israelites, but our worke is the practise of piety and righteousnesse, of prayer and praise. And besides, it is most beneficiall to our selues: for, what gaineth he by our seruice? our goodnes reacheth not to him, to adde a graine to his perfection. Psal. 50.9.10. I will take no bullocke out of thy house: for all the beasts of the forrest are mine, and the sheep on a thousand mountaines: If I were hungry, I would not tell thee. But it is our honour & profit; as when a noble man takes a poore snake neere him to serue him, such a meane man is more honoured and pleasured, then the noble man to whom he retaines. The third reason of the Apostle, is drawne from the expectation of reward or wages, which, if their Masters should faile, God would not faile to repend vntounto thē: knowing, that whatsoeuer good thing any man doth, p. 362that same hee shall receiue of the Lord. Now if the Lord so liberally reward faithfull seruice done to meane, and euen wicked men, how rich and royall a reward giues he to the faithfull seruice of himselfe? If gifts then may mooue vsus to serue God, the Lord truly saith, All these doe I giuegive thee, and more also, my Christ, my Spirit, my selfe, and life eternall. No man giues such wages, no seruant euer had such a pay-master.

To these might be added sundry other motiues: as, 1. To serue God, is to raigne, and to be a king ouer the world, fleshly lusts, &c. and to suite with Saints and Angels. 2. God hereby becomes our protector, maintainer, and reuenger, as Dauid often prayeth, Lord, saue thy seruant, teach thy seruant, reuenge the cause of thy seruant, &c. 3. Seruants of vnrighteousnesse meet with the wages of vnrighteousnesse. 4. All our comfort in crosses and afflictions stands in our seruice of God, and a good conscience, or else wee hauehave none. 5. To feare and keepe his commaundements, is the whole dutie of a man, and that which makes him fully happy.

Notes of a good seruant of God.

1. Labour to know the will of the Lord, which he hath reuealed in his word, as Dauid prayed, Psal. 119.125. For in the Scripture he hath laid out our worke for vsus: and let vsus expect our calling to eueryevery businesse there: let vsus be ready to heare, not lightly absent, nor present for custome, but conscience. 2. Let vsus serue him in affection, and be glad to doe any thing to please him, and grieue when we faile either in doing that we should not, or in not doing that we ought, or not in that manner that may please the Lord. 3. Be euer imployed in his worke: How know I a mans seruant, but by his labouring in his masters businesse? Yee are his seruants, to whom ye obey, Rom. 6.16. and Ioh. 15. Yee are my disciples, if yee doe whatsoeuer I command you. If I see a man spend his time in the seruice of sinne, of lusts, of games, pleasure, the world, &c. I know whose seruant he is; certenly he is not in the seruice of God, he is not in Gods worke. 4. Intend thy Lords profit and glorie. A good seruant knowes his time and strength is his Masters, and he must be profitable to him, and seeke his credit. It will be with eueryevery seruant of Christ as with Onesimus, Philem. 11. beeing conuerted: howsoeuer before grace he were so vnprofitable and pilfering, as he was vnfit for any honest mans house, and much more the house of God, yet now he profits the Lord, and credites him, and takes not his meat, and drinke, and wages for nothing. 5. A p. 363good seruant sets forward his masters work in others, he will prouoke his fellow-seruants, and not smite and hinder them as the euill seruant did; he will defend his Lord, hee will venture his life for him, he will stand also for his fellow-seruants while they are in their Masters busines; he will be a law to himselfe, if there were no law, no discipline; he will not idle out his time; his eye is vponupon the eye of his Master, his minde vponupon his account, his endeauour to please him in all things.