A Century of Sermons, Sermon 18
THE EIGHTEENTH SERMON UPON Our Saviours Tentation.
MAT. iv. 10.
For it is written, Thou ſhalt worſhip the Lord thy God, and Him only ſhalt thou ſerve.
THE Lacedaemonians had this Leſſon in the private Inſtructions of their State, and obſerved it as far as they could, ut nunquâm cum eôdem hoſte ter confligerent, by no means to give battel three ſeveral times to the ſame Enemy; for that Enemy encountring them ſo often, might learn to overcome them by their own wayes and ſtratagems. Why, Satan hath this advantage to try maſteries the third time with our Saviour; neither did Chriſt varie one jot from his uſual manner of defence; he fights with the ſame ſling, and with a ſtone taken out of the ſame brook as before, ſcriptum eſt, for it is written: the written word is all the refuge that our Lord did ſeek: Satan knows full well at what guard He will lye; doth then the adverſary ſpeed ever the better for this? can he improve that knowledge to help himſelf? Nay, but far otherwiſe: Chriſt is ſo ſurely fixt upon one true ground, ſo conſtant to that rock of the Divine Law, which is ſtronger than all the waves of the ſea that ſome againſt it, that his adverſary diſcern'd at laſt the longer he ſtrove the more unable he was to maintain the quarrel: If the tempted entrench himſelf within the Scriptures, indignation ſhall vex the tempter, but he ſhall never prevail.
The Devil believes and trembles at it, that all the Law is irreſiſtable, and ſhall triumph over the enemies of the Lord: but this Text (after which no more was ſaid, as if more could not be ſpoken (it contains a more ſtrict and high command than any other portion of the Law: it extends not only to tranſgreſſors to hedg them in their duty, that they may not ſtart from it, but to the bleſſed Angels that are confirm'd in grace, to the damned Devils that are incorrigible in ſin, foreign, worſhip and adoration is lookt for at all theſe and every particular, whether they be ſuch as are comforted under mercy, or ſuch as are tormented under the Judges fury, or ſuch as ſing praiſes for ever before the King of glory, all muſt bend and do him homage. At the name of Jeſus every knee ſhall bow, both in the higheſt region of ſouls, in the middle region of the Militant Church, or in the loweſt region of Hell, at that name every knee ſhall bow both of things in heaven, and things in earth,Apolog. l. 1. and things under the earth. Therefore Juſtin Martyr call'd upon all the Heathen, with whom he diſputed, to receive this charge which my Text gives: This, ſays he, is foreign, the greateſt, that is the moſt ſpacious Commandment of all other, a Charter between God and all his Creatures. That upon which David ſpeaks on this manner, thy Commandment is exceeding broad, Pſal. cxix. 96. this is a chain to which all the works of the Lord are faſtned, and therefore our Saviour was ſure it would bend his oppoſite with whom he diſputed, that he ſhould not reply, Thou ſhalt worſhip the Lord thy God, and him only ſhalt thou ſerve. Where the Text is ſo clear I will not make it hard to be underſtood with dividing it. The ſpecials to be ſpoken of are theſe: Firſt, the Lord God is to be worſhipped: Secondly, the Lord God is to be ſerved: Thirdly, He onelyonly to be worſhipped and ſerved: therefore fourthly, whatſoever things they are beſide to which men do offer religious worſhip and ſervice, let them mince and excuſe it with what diſtinctions they pleaſe, they run into flat Idolatry.
Thou ſhalt worſhip the Lord thy God: let this be firſt the query upon the firſt point: tu adorabis, is there any emphaſis in the Pronoun, thou ſhalt worſhip? Is the Commandment directed to the Tempter? for that doubt I find in St. Chriſoſt. whether it be foreign, or foreign, a Precept, or a Repulſe; a Doctrin, or a Defiance, Thou ſhalt worſhip? I anſwer it in ſeveral concluſions: Firſt, the outward act of worſhip and adoration is enjoyned continually even to the ſpirits of damnation, and they muſt perform it. God hath put all things under Chriſts feet, the Grave, and Death, and Hell: Who is meant by Hell but Satan and his Camrades, that are ſunk into that place of ſorrow? wherefore he was bound to pay worſhip himſelf where he call'd for worſhip: and let all the Angels of God worſhip him, Heb. i. 6. yea and the Devil forceth himſelf ſometimes to pay this tribute unto Chriſt, though much againſt his will and content; but ſometimes he doth outwardly worſhip him, that he may not fall into greater torments. For as a Servant that hath run away, and is taken, falls down at his Maſters feet, that he may not be beaten, ſo this unclean ſpirit having entred into a man that lived in tombs in the Country of the Gaderens, when Chriſt came into thoſe coaſts, the Devil did not keep the man cloſe out of ſight, but came forth to meet Chriſt, and worſhipt our Saviour, Mark v. 10. foreign, the very word in my Text, foreign, Luke vii. 28. he fell down in that body, into which he had entred, before him; and he beſought him very much that he would not ſend him away out of the Countrey. Indeed it is ſeen by the ſequel, that Chriſt ſcorn'd his homage, and bad him come out of the man, and he durſt not but obey him: you ſee then this Commandment ſtretcheth even to things beneath the earth, Thou ſhalt worſhip the Lord thy God. Secondly I put this to my anſwer, that for the other clauſe, to ſerve God only, the Tempter's malice is irremediable, he hath turn'd away from obedience ſo ſtubbornly, that he is wholy poſſeſt to defie the Kingdom of Heaven, yet God may call upon him, to ſerve him only, from time to time, requiring that reaſonable ſervice which he might have diſcharg'd by thoſe faculties wherewith he was created, before he marr'd them. A Servant that hath mony given him to buy neceſſaries for his Maſter's uſe, may be urg'd to make good thoſe things, though he hath negligently loſt, or laviſhingly conſum'd the whole ſum which was put into his hand, and utterly diſabled himſelf to take up the merchandiſe: ſo there is no injuſtice in God to claim fidelity and ſervice continually from thoſe apoſtate evil ſpirits, although they are incorrgible, and can afford no better ſubmiſſion than murmuring and blaſphemy. Yet after both thoſe full ſatisfactions, I had rather ſay, nothing was Satan's, in theſe words, but the Repulſe, and the Commandment is wholly ours, and for our inſtruction; for where the Law is given it is given to be a School-maſter to bring them unto Chriſt: and none but we men, whoſe nature he took, have purchaſe in Chriſt, and a lively hope in the redemption of his moſt precious blood.
No devotion or duty to God is expected from Satan (though it may be commanded): my Text requires but that which Chriſt calls an eaſie yoke, and a light burden, and all the Sons of the Free-woman are made to bear it, Thou ſhalt worſhip the Lord thy God, and him only ſhalt thou ſerve. The Holy Ghoſt ſpeaks to us men, and to no other: if we know theſe things, happy are we if we do them.Jo. xiii. 17. Firſt then let us beat upon the knowledge of the Commandment, which requires, you hear, worſhip and ſervice: ſervice, that is to have a general care to be obſequious and pliant to all Gods holy will; and worſhip, which is all external veneration, which becomes the creature towards ſuch a Lord, who is of an infinite Majeſty: or if you will obſerve theſe two titles in my Text, Lord and God, and divide theſe two parts of Religion between them: O God we will bow and kneel, and fall down before thee; can a man be too reverent to his God? and O Lord, all that thou command'ſt us we will endeavour to do: can a man be ſervant enough to ſuch a Maſter, who is King of Kings, and Lord of Lords? But Dominum Deum tuum adorabis, Thou ſhalt worſhip the Lord thy God: of that by it ſelf in the firſt order, which is that point of Religion that is principally oppoſed to the Devils temptation. And upon this it is to be noted, that Chriſt hath rather expounded the Law of Moſes than kept the very word of it: the words are thus extant Deuteron. vi. 13. Thou ſhalt fear the Lord thy God, and ſerve him. And is that rendred to the true ſenſe, will ſome object, thou ſhalt worſhip the Lord? are fear and worſhip ſo much the ſame, that they may be called by the ſame name? even ſo beloved; for it is but an eaſie Metonymie to take the effect for the cauſe; eſpecially ſuch a proper effect as flows naturally from the cauſe, and cannot be parted: for as St. Paul ſaid, Shew me thy faith by thy works; ſo do I ſay, ſhew me your fear by the fruits, if it be not a dead fear, you will fall down and worſhip. The Servant that fear'd fell down, and beſought his Maſter, Matth. xviii. 16. they that fear the Lord will be humble: they that are humble will worſhip often on their knees toward his Holy Place. And I never knew any Sectaries buſie the Church with objections, why they would have licence not to proſtrate themſelves in lowly geſture at ſome offices of divine ſervice, but they drew their argument from this, that then at ſuch an occaſion it was not meet to expreſs fear, but boldneſs and confidence. They that ſpeak againſt due reverence cannot chooſe but ſpeak irreverently: For thus ſome ſtand ſtoutly upon it, that they would not kneel when they receive the conſecrated elements of the holy Communion, becauſe kneeling is a geſture of inferiority, and abaſement; now in that Sacrament we are to act the parts of Chriſts Gueſts, in imitation to reſemble our co-heirſhip with him in his Kingdom, therefore they will not loſe their right of fellowſhip with Chriſt by kneeling, but take the benefit of their fortune and ſit down. I pitty weak ones that are ſo ſeduced in conſcience; but it is a moſt foul overſight in the ſeducers that have learning and knowledge to thruſt out humility at that time, when they know how that ſacred Supper is the moſt abſolute type of Chriſts wonderful humiliation. This comes of it when they will imagin any part of Religion disjoyned from the fear of God: for when they have blaſted fear, preſently they ſay, we will not worſhip. That Woman Luke vii. who was a ſinner ſometimes, but had her ſins forgiven, and was now a co-heir with Chriſt, yet ſtill ſhe ſtood behind him, fearing to be too bold, and kiſt his feet, and bowed down to the ground in token of adoration: The Text ſaies moreover ſhe loved much, to poize that other Text of St. John 1 Ep. iv. 18. Perfect love caſteth out fear: but love is never perfect till we reign with Chriſt in the Kingdom of Heaven.
I will yet be a little larger, how the fear of God and the outward worſhip of God are knit together: it muſt be ſo, becauſe our Saviour in my Text hath ſo interpreted Moſes. The common diſtinction rightly underſtood will be the beſt help to this doctrin. There is a finer and a courſer fear; the courſer is called a ſervile fear, as when ſervants do their work leſt they ſhould be chaſtiſed, and were it not for the rod that hangs over them, perhaps they would let it alone: yet this is it which David commends (that you may not think it utterly diſgraced by being called ſervile) Stand in aw and ſin not; this was in the antient Iſraelites, and it made their Prophets, and their Prophets Children obedient, and becauſe it produced a good effect, ſearch, and you ſhall find it came from God, Rom. viii. 15. You have not received again the ſpirit of bondage to fear; therefore the fear which imports bondage comes from the ſpirit of God: as Paul ſaid which way ſoever Chriſt be preached it is well, ſo which way ſoever God be ſerved, it doth well: and it is a pleaſant thing to paſs to Heaven by much fear, even by the gates of Hell. Carni opus eſt timore, ſpiritui fiduciâ, the fleſh muſt be dejected with fear, and the ſpirit muſt be raiſed up with hope and confidence. Happy is the man that feareth alway, but he that hardneth his heart falleth into miſchief, Prov. xxviii. 14. Now there is a fear of a finer thread, which is timor filiorum, this ariſeth out of the love of God, when we take care not to diſpleaſe, becauſe He hath made us, and poured all his benefits upon us; becauſe it is the beſt of all things to enjoy his favour: Nothing ſo much to be loved as God, therefore nothing ſo much to be feared, that He be not offended; they that love moſt abound with it: This is a joyful fear, which outlaſts all the fears of this life. The fear of the Lord is clean, and endureth for ever, Pſal. xix. 9.Iſa. vi. 2. This reverential fear is in the Angels: the Cherubins ſtanding before God cover their faces with their wings, awing his glorious Majeſty, the Elders before the throne fall down proſtrate, and cover their faces with their wings. As the New Teſtament calls God charity, God is love, ſaith St. John; ſo the Old Teſtament calls him fear, Jacob ſwears by the fear of his father Iſaac, that is by God himſelf, Gen. xxxi. 43. Fear therefore is a vein that runs through all Religion, and whatſoever buds out of Religion may be called fear; it is the foreign and foreign of all piety, the firſt and the laſt▪ The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledg, Prov. i. 7. and the end of all is fear God and keep his Commandments, Eccl. xxi. 13. The Lord threatens to the end we ſhould be dejected, that's worſhip annexed to ſervile fear: and the Lord multiplies his bleſſings upon us, to the end we ſhould bow down and be thankful; that's worſhip annexed to filial fear. True fear doth continually worſhip our Redeemer; deſperate fear, like the impenitent Thief doth blaſpheme him: and theſe two differ as much as ſharp ſawce that gives an appetite to the ſtomach, and poiſon that deſtroys the vitals.
So far that the word fear in the Law is chang'd into worſhip in the Goſpel: for ſo it was fit to refute the Devil, who ſaid, all theſe things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worſhip me. And the worſhip of God is that Theme, which without more circumſtance now it befals me to handle. What is it to worſhip God? what is requir'd unto it? every man knows that's the firſt queſtion to be askt: and I will make you a very ſatisfactory anſwer out of a devout example, which is thus: St. Matthew ſayes there came a Leper and worſhipped Chriſt ſaying, Lord if thou wilt thou canſt make me clean foreign, Math. vi…i. 2. that's the word of my Text. You ſhall meet with this party again Mark i. 40. What find we there? there came a Leper to him foreign, beſeeching him, and kneeling down to him: yet another Evangeliſt ſays more to make it clearer, Luke v. 12. Behold a man full of leproſie fell on his face, and beſought him, ſaying, Lord if thou wilt thou canſt make me clean. The collection from hence is this, when theſe ſcatter'd members are put together, that to worſhip the Lord is to kneel down unto him, to fall down on our face before him, and to beſeech him by earneſt prayer. Be advertiſed in one thing, that to worſhip, to kneel before, to bow down unto in reverence are media vocabula, as we ſay, terms for civil reſpects between man and man, as well as for religious offices between God and Man: a great confuſion falls out thereby in the handling of this doctrine, and it cannot be avoided. Saies St. Auſtin, Civ. Dei. lib. 10. c. 1.in linguâ latinâ non habemus ullum vocabulum quod ſolùm dicatur de cultu Dei, there is not any word betokening the worſhip of God in the latin tongue, ſo proper to it, that it may not be communicated to man: all tongues are alike in that poverty of expreſſion. In the New Teſtament the Greek word foreign is conſtantly kept for the outward worſhip of God, ſaving that Matth. xviii. the Servant who feared to be ſold away, he and all he had, is ſaid foreign, and the Parable ſpeaks of an earthly Maſter, though the foreign or Epiparabola come home to God: in the Engliſh tongue the neareſt word that is meant only of divine honour, and a little too high for civil reverence is adoration: If you ſay you adore an earthly man in our language, we almoſt eſteem it flattery: But they are not words or outward geſtures which can decide, what it is which properly conſtitutes the eſſence of that worſhip which God claims. The word adore I ſaid might have a religious meaning with us, but in no tongue elſe. Saies Valla very well adorare includit orare & ſupplicare, voce uti, Lib. 5. c. 11.& plicare genu: the word adore doth import the humble petition of the tongue, and the ſupplication of the knee: but theſe are things common and promiſcuous to civil and holy uſes. All the reverent deportments of the body, which piety aſcribes to God, civility without offence performs ſometimes to Magiſtrates and Superiours. It may be ſome Nations had their Cuſtoms, to keep certain peculiar venerations of the body for God alone: as the Athenians put Timagoras their Embaſſador to death, quòd Regem Perſarum tanquam Deum ſalutaſſet, becauſe he did obeiſance to the King of Perſia as to a God: I know not what peculiar bendings of the body they appropriated to their Gods, it was a national cuſtom of their own (and for my part I will not ſay a bad one) but nature hath no ſuch ground to limit the moſt humble geſtures of the body to God alone. Prophets in holy Scripture have faln on their face before Kings, and great men have faln on their face before Prophets.
Though this doctrine be moſt true, yet Cardinal Bellarmin did not pick out Abraham ſo luckily to make him the example of it. He ſays that Abraham proſtrated himſelf alike to God, to Angels, and to the Honourable men of the Sons of Heth. I ſay, and will manifeſt it, that the Scripture ſays, he made a difference in his congees to them all. Abram fell on his face, and God talked with him, Gen. xvii. 3. When he went to meet the Angels, he bowed himſelf toward the ground, Gen. xviii. 2. When he ſpake to the children of Heth, Abraham ſtood up, and bowed himſelf to the people, Gen. xxiii. 7. You hear he fell on his face to God, he bowed himſelf to the ground to the Angels, and he bowed himſelf, without more addition to the people of Heth. But this diſtinction is not kept by other holy men, who walked perfectly before the Lord: therefore I ſtand upon my former ground, that neither by ſimple terms, nor by poſtures and bowings of the body can it be reſolv'd what worſhip is proper to the Lord; 2.2. qu. 103. ar. 3.for my part I could never make an intelligible interpretation of that diſtinction in Aquinas, ſo well accepted by ſome, that there are ſo many forms of adoration as there are kinds of excellencie: for honour and worſhip are done to the perſon for the excellency which is in it. Now excellency is either divine and infinite in God, which deſerves that adoration call'd by him latria; or humane excellency which is grounded, or in mens honours, or in their virtues, and ſo deſerves civil and political reverence; or it is an excellency leſs than divine, yet more then humane, which is in the Angels and ſouls of holy men departed; and that claims the worſhip of dulia unto it ſelf. Put this into plain meaning he that can, and ſhew me how theſe three are diſtinguiſht in outward or bodily adoration. I will agree that in thoſe things we worſhip, we do apprehend excellency three manner of wayes. Firſt there is cultus ſacroſanctae religionis, the religious and pious worſhip which we give to God for his omnipotent and moſt glorious excellency. Secondly, there is cultus civilis ſubjectionis, the worſhip which we give to our ſuperiors in authority, as we live in political ſubjection, becauſe they are ſet over us for our good. Thirdly, there is cultus moralis reverentiae, the worſhip of moral reſpect and reverence, which we give to ſome for their good gifts and qualities, although we are not under them in any political ordination. All theſe worſhips are performed upon ſeveral excellencies apprehended in the perſons worſhipped; but the act of worſhip it ſelf, as concerning that which the head, the knee, the hand, or any part of the body doth execute, may be the ſame: for the diſtinguiſhing of one and another muſt be in the heart and mind, as I proceed now to ſhew at large unto you.
The definition of divine worſhip muſt be thus framed, adoratio eſt talis veneratio exterior quae ex corde pio & religioſo procedit: that's the adoration due to God, and to him alone, which with the exterior veneration of the body proceeds out of the pious and religious intentions of the heart. If you yield any token of outward obeyſance, and mean it to honour him who hath made you, redeem'd you, ſanctified you, and conferred all other benefits upon you, then it is raiſed up from civil homage and duty, and is become divine worſhip; a diſtinction will help the memory of them that can conceive it a little further. There are three things which concur to that virtue which we call the worſhip of God. Firſt the act of the underſtanding muſt put forth it ſelf to apprehend and know the glorious excellency of God, that he made the whole world out of nothing, and ſuſteins all things by the word of his power. Then ſecondly, the act of the will comes in, wherein we aſſent and apply our ſelves to adore his excellency, to magnifie him, and devote our hearts unto him. Thirdly, theſe two joyned together do urge and command the exterior act of worſhip which is performed by the body: tanti eſt adorare, all theſe muſt be in it, if it be true adoration. S. Paul ſpeaks of ſome that have the forms of godlineſs, but deny the power thereof. The formal cringing and bending are but like a part play'd upon a Stage, if they be ſever'd from the power of godlineſs, from the knowledg of the underſtanding what glory belongs to God, and from the will and purpoſe of the heart, to exalt his holy name both privately and in his holy Temple.
Well, I can but call upon you to prepare your hearts, and you will every one ſay, I am ſure my heart is fixed O God, my heart is fixed. The Lord knows, but we that are your inſtructors do not, whether that internal part of worſhip be well diſcharg'd by you: therefore I come to that quarter of the virtue, whereof men may be witneſſes if it be carefully executed; unto outward adoration (it was upon the quarrel of outward worſhip that Chriſt here diſputed with Satan) God had reſpect to Abel and to his offering, Gen. iv. 4. to Abel, that is to his internal piety; to his offering, that is to his external worſhip: Abel had been unreſpected at that time if he had not been good at both. And as a plaiſter of cordial ingredients laid to the ſtomach, or an unction well ſlickt upon the skin comforts the ſpirits within, and makes them execute their vital functions chearfully, ſo outward reverence helps us greatly againſt our dulneſs and drowzie infirmities. The lifting up the hands and eyes make a man crave more paſſionately; the knocking of the breaſt whets our repentance with indignation againſt our ſelves, bowing down the head and knee imprints into us the great diſtance which is between God and us: the uncovering the head makes that needful thought ſink into our heart in whoſe preſence we ſtand. Glorifie God with your body, 1 Cor. vi. 20. Tertullian and S. Cyprian read it, Portate Deum in corpore veſtro, Carry God in your body, in every joynt and member of it. It may be they met with ſome Greek Copy that read foreign for foreign. Our Religion is compared to a Marriage, there is a contract between God and our ſoul; and this is gain'd from the ſimilitude, that the Wife is the Husbands as well in bodie as in affection; and ſo are we the Lords. As Man and Wife are but one fleſh, ſo Chriſt the Bridegroom of the Church did aſſume the whole man bodie and ſoul into the unity of his perſon. He hath conjoyn'd them both unto God, and let us conjoyn them both to the worſhip of God. A Sermon cannot be ſpent upon a ſubject which doth more deſerve our exhortation. The Lord created a Star on purpoſe only to bring the Magi of the Eaſt to worſhip Chriſt, and they did ſo, even when He lay in moſt deſpicable manner before them in the Manger of a Stable, and ſhall we be ſlacker to kneel before his footſtool, when he reigns triumphantly in the higheſt Heavens? the Heaven and Earth, the Stars and Prophets, all lead us to the worſhip of God. Scriptura & mundus ad hoc ſunt ut colatur qui creavit, & adoretur qui inſpiravit; ſo St. Cyprian. The Scripture and the world are to this end, that He that created the one, and inſpir'd the other might be worſhipped. It is no mean duty which made thoſe wiſe men of the Eaſt take ſo tedious and long a journey, to poſt in twelve days from the mountains of the Eaſt to Bethlem; and that other Traveller Acts viii. the Treaſure of the Queen Candace came from the uttermoſt parts of Ethiopia to Jeruſalem, and all for no other end but this, to worſhip. The Scripture ſaies ſo expreſly; and when they had done that, they went home again.
We had need carry a very true heart to God in theſe daies; for many of us put him off all together with the zeal of our heart, and think it will excuſe us if we neither honor him with our bodie, nor with our ſubſtance. He ſhall have neither our goods, nor our knee, but likely we put it off He ſhall have our ſoul; why, this is only to give God his thirds, as a reverend Father ſaies; to compound like Bankrupts, and give him two parts leſs than we owe him, and yet we look for ten thouſand times more than He owes us. We have ſome that are to be ſuſpected for a kind of Sadduces among us, that believe no reſurrection of the body, elſe they would never palter with diſcipline, but be more forward in the proſtration and worſhip of the bodie, than the Church could be to command them, Some have given a great blow to this duty, by harping upon the bare words of S. John, and not digeſting the true meaning of his Text, Joh. iv. 23. The hour cometh, and now is, when the true worſhippers ſhall worſhip the Father in ſpirit and in truth. Mark the occaſion why this was ſpoken, and the words precedent. The woman of Samaria moved a doubt, whether God was to be worſhipped at Jeruſalem, as the Jews taught, or at Mount Girizin, as the Samaritans taught: Now the Samaritans worſhipt God falſely, they worſhipt they knew not what, ſays Chriſt. The Jews held ſtrictly to Moſes Law, and obſerv'd figures and ſhadows of things to come, which were all to give place and vaniſh upon the incarnation of our Lord. Now it is eaſie to diſcern the ſubſtance of our Saviours anſwer, what it is to ſerve God in ſpirit and truth. Truth is oppoſed to the falſe ſuperſtition of the Samaritans; Spirit is oppoſed to the Jewiſh figures and ſacrifices: And Chriſt tells the woman God will neither be ſerved any more after the Samaritan way or Jewiſh way, but after the newneſs of the Goſpel: The hour cometh, and now is, when ye ſhall neither worſhip the Father in this Mountain, nor at Jeruſalem, but they ſhall worſhip him in ſpirit and truth. Do theſe words exempt the worſhip of the body? nothing leſs: The word ſpirit is not taken there for the ſoul divided from the body, ſignifying only an internal act of the ſpirit, but for all manner of virtuous actions, as well external as internal, which proceed from the grace of the Holy Spirit, being acceptable to God, becauſe the Holy Spirit brings them forth, not becauſe they are figures of things to come. I will ſing with the ſpirit, ſays St. Paul, 1 Cor. xiv. 15. and yet ſinging is a bodily action. He did worſhip in ſpirit, when he ſaid, For this cauſe bow I my knees to the Father of our Lord Jeſus, Epheſ. iii. to come to a point. Remember therefore how we adore God in ſpirit, when we adore him with thoſe outward geſtures of the body, to which we are ſtirred up by the Spirit of truth. And ſo much of the firſt member of my Text, which I laid out to be handled by it ſelf, the Lord God is to be worſhipped.
The next duty is the other Pillar of Religion which upholds the Church of the Elect, the Lord God is to be ſerved. By worſhip, you know already, we underſtand all humble outward devotion and reverence. Now by ſervice you muſt conceive the inward conformity of the heart to all duty and obedience. The will of the Lord is revealed to us two manner of ways: Either as he doth promiſe us bleſſings and benefits, and aſſures us great rewards in the Kingdom of heaven: Or as he doth ſtipulate and covenant with us what we ſhall do to obtain his favour. In the former reſpect as he hath given us the dew of heaven, and the fatneſs of the earth moſt liberally, and as he doth promiſe greater fruits of his mercy moſt graciouſly, we fall down and worſhip him for his benefits: but as he doth condition with us to do ſomewhat for his ſake, that he may leave a bleſſing with us, we ſerve him faithfully, and bind our inward faculties, our ſoul and our mind, to be prompt and ready to execute all obedience. That you may the better compoſe your hearts to attend Gods will in all things, and to ſerve him, I will ſupply your knowledge with theſe few motives following.
Firſt, There is no other Lord beſide our God properly called, 1 Cor. viii. Though there be that are called Gods, (as there be Gods many, and Lords many, that is by opinion and nuncupation) but to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and one Lord Jeſus Chriſt, by whom are all things, and we by him. And again, Eph. v. 4. One Lord, one Faith, one Baptiſm; one God who is above all, and through all, and in you all. Super omnes dominio, per omnes providentiâ, in omnibus juſtificatione; Above all by his Dominion, through all by his Providence, in all by ſanctifying us with his grace, and juſtifying us from ſin. He that is ſubject to none, inferiour to none, independent of himſelf in all his power, He may well be called a Lord, and ſuch a Lord deſerves to be ſerved: Petty Magiſtrates hold of Princes favours, and Kings hold their tenure under God. Therefore ſome of the Roman Emperours having the perceivance, that they could command nothing abſolutely, if he that ſate above the heavens did ſtop it; they would not be called Domini, becauſe themſelves were ſervants in relation to the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, therefore their circumſcribed power did not anſwer the title. When the Scripture brings in the moſt High, the ſaying is, Haec dicit Dominus; Thus ſaith the Lord. If we would examine this after the ſtile of man, you would ſay Lord of what? Why univerſal Lord without any particular deſignment? Specifications to be Lords of this or that are earthly phraſes, are notes of minority. Attalus the Martyr was askt, what name that Lord had whom he ſerved?Euſeb lib 6. hiſtor. c. 3. Says he, Qui plures ſunt nominibus diſcernuntur, qui autem unus eſt non indiget nomine; Where there are many Lords they muſt be diſtinguiſh'd by their properties; but what need that Lord a name for diſtinction, who is the only Ruler by himſelf, without any equal, or partner in his dominion? now ſince we muſt ſerve (for ſin hath brought ſervitude into the world) whom would a man chooſe to ſerve, but that only Lord, to whoſe ſheave all other ſheaves do bend, and who only hath authority?
Secondly, In all ſervice you will conſider in what ſtate and place it puts you. Do ſo in this and ſpare not. But let St. Peter be the Judge, 1 Epiſt. ii. 9. Ye are a choſen generation, a royal Prieſthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people. There is royalty in the very ſervice, Cui ſervire eſt regnare; To do him ſervice is a Kingly Miniſtry. Nay, there is more in one of our Church Collects in one Line of it than in the moſt Auguſtious title of a King. God whoſe ſervice is perfect freedom. A King may be ſo much ſubject to naughty paſſions as he ſhall be in vile thraldom to his own ſenſualities, and ſo he is made a greater vaſſal than the pooreſt of his Subjects: themſelves are the ſervants of corruption, for of whom a man is overcome, of the ſame he is brought in bondage, 2 Pet. ii. 19. What appearance of ſoveraignty was in the voluptuous Licinius? Of whom Tacitus ſays,Lib. 3. Hiſt. Tanta torpedo invaſerat animum, ut ſi principem eum fuiſſe caeteri non meminiſſent, ipſe obliviſceretur. Such a ſtupidneſs had poſſeſſed his mind, that unleſs others had been mindful towards him that he was a Prince, himſelf would have forgot it. You ſee then there is no freedom but by killing the ſtrength of ſin, and living unto God in new obedience; if by one offence death reigned by one, they that receive abundance of grace, and of the gift of righteouſneſs ſhall reign in life by one Jeſus Chriſt, Rom. v. 17. Sin holds the ſinner under tyranny, grace makes the righteous man reign in this life, it is the Apoſtles phraſe. Therefore Chriſt, who gives us freedom, deſpiſed not to be called a ſervant to his Father, Thou art my ſervant O Iſrael, in whom I will be glorified, Iſa. xlix. 3.
Thirdly, That fawning heathen did humour his Patron for this reaſon, Et habet quod det, & dat nemo largius. So the Lord hath all manner of riches in ſtore, and he withholdeth no good thing from thoſe that ſerve him, No Maſter in the world is ſo munificent to reward his Miniſters.1 King. x. 8. Let me borrow it from the Queen of Sheba's mouth, what ſhe ſaid of Solomons attendants, to apply it to thoſe of Gods houſhold, that perform the task he ſets them: Happy are theſe thy ſervants that ſtand continually before thee, being now made free from ſin, and become ſervants to God, ye have your fruit unto holineſs, and the end everlaſting life, Rom. vi. 22. The poor bondman among the heathen had no more wages than food for all his drudgery, the more hard-hearted they. foreign, ſays Ariſtotle; Oecon. lib. 1. c. 5.give a bond-ſlave provender like a beaſt, and he is paid for his labour. Did God ever uſe any of his retinue that ſerve him ſo hardly? They have all their meat in due ſeaſon, and plenteouſly: ſays he in the Parable, How many hired ſervants are there in my Fathers houſe that have meat enough? Yet this is nothing I may ſay to the remainder, this is but the Alms-basket of his liberality. What ſay you to this? That he gave his only Son to redeem his ſervant, and that the Servant might be ſpared even that moſt beloved Son did undergo the moſt bitter death of the Croſs; and all this, that ſuch ſervants as forgot the Lord, who had done ſo great things for them, and rebelled againſt him, might be co-heirs with Chriſt in his Kingdom. Who would not ſerve ſuch a Maſter? If he ſay go, who would not make ſpeed to follow? If he ſay do this, who would not do it? He hath given us ſuch hire, more than all the world beſide can lay down, that we will worſhip the Lord our God, and he only ſhall be ſerved.
I ſhould wrong the matter I handle if this queſtion were not moved, How we ſhould feel the comfort in our ſelves that we ſerve the Lord? I anſwer by a Negative by an Affirmative examination. Negatively, when we think that we have never laboured enough in our Lords Vineyard to earn our peny: Or as it is elſewhere very clearly ſet down to take away all boaſting from our works, when we have done all we can, ſay we are unprofitable ſervants. The Affirmative Collection may be beſt drawn from a ſaying of Chriſts, Mat. vi. 24. No man can ſerve two Maſters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or elſe he will cleave to the one, and deſpiſe the other. Here I gather, that the two notes of a good ſervant are deligere, adhaerere; to love and to cleave faſt to his Maſter. Thoſe Servants that loved King David, ſuch as Huſhai, and Ittai, and Ahimaaz would take part with him to the death in Abſolons rebellion, thoſe were good Servants: It was love that made Jacob ſuch a diligent Shepherd under Laban to ſuffer heat and froſt. Laban never had the like to tend his flocks. A ſervant that takes a delight to pleaſe, you may truſt him with any thing both for Faith and Diligence. Nemo meliùs obtemperat, quàm qui ex caritate obſequitur, ſays St. Ambroſe; no man will obey God better, or go further to diſcharge his Law, then he that is rouzed up by the zeal of love and charity. But he that doth the Lords work without pleaſure and delight doth it with unwillingneſs, unwillingneſs breeds ſloath, and between theſe all their ſervice is left-handedly performed as if it were never intended. Si quid invitus facis, fit de te, magis quàm id facis, ſays Proſper; Whatſoever you did grudgingly without love, it was drawn from you, but never done by you, and as if you had not been the doer, you ſhall never be rewarded. Beſide deligere I ſaid there was adhaerere, a good ſervant was no flincher, but ſtuck cloſe; not a Fugitive, as Jonas was; not an Apoſtate, as Demas was; not one that began in the Spirit, and ended in the Fleſh, the Galatians were thought to be bewitched that did ſo. The Bond-man in the Old Law that loved his Maſter, though the time of his releaſement was come about, would be bored through the ear for a ceremony that he would never part from him. St. Paul was the faſt man above all we read of that was glued unto the ſervice of the Goſpel; Neither death, nor life, nor Angels, nor Principalities, nor Powers, nor things preſent, nor things to come, &c. ſhall be able to ſeparate us from the love of God, which is in Chriſt Jeſus our Lord. Yet I will end this Point in the words of one of our own Prelates, Davenant. c 4. ad Coloſ.a faithful Miniſter of God beſtirs himſelf with reſpect to that one Maſter to whom he cleaves in all the works of his Vocation, Ac ſi nihil aliud eſſet in hôc mundo praeter illum, ac Deum. As if there was none in the world but himſelf and God, himſelf to obey, and God to be ſerved with all poſſible diligence.
This cleaving faſt unto one Maſter, doth link it ſelf in with the next Point, that the Lord God is only to be worſhipped and ſerved. Let it not ſtart your patience, that I name it, now the time is paſt. I am not about to huddle it up at this time, being the moſt copious ſubject, and of the choiceſt variety, in my judgment, in all Divine Learning. But this Doctrine you ſhall, carry away with you at this time, It is no impediment for Servants to ſhew all diligent duty to their Maſters on earth, becauſe one verſe of the Goſpel ſays, No man can ſerve two Maſters; and becauſe my Text ſays of our Lord in heaven, him only ſhalt thou ſerve. Him only indeed in Religious Service, in Divine Worſhip and Adoration; he is the only Maſter that we have foreign over our ſpirit and c…nſcience, but foreign, we muſt be diligent to attend our governours according to the fleſh in Temporal and Civil Offices and Functions. Col. iii. 22. There St. Paul gives a Livery to all Servants to wear, not upon their back, but upon their heart: Servants obey in all things your Maſters according to the fleſh, not with eye-ſervice, as men-pleaſers, but in ſingleneſs of heart, as fearing God. And whatſoever ye do, do it heartily as to the Lord, and not unto men, knowing that of the Lord ye receive the reward of the Inheritance, for ye ſerve the Lord Chriſt. Mark thoſe laſt words, we ſerve but one Maſter, though we have one in earth, and another in heaven, for we ſerve him on earth for his ſake, and for his command that is in heaven. When a petty Magiſtrate bids you do this or that in the Kings Name, you obey not ſo much him that ſpeaks unto you, as the Kings Authority which he lays upon you: So, that ſervice which is performed to man by the ordination of Chriſt is performed to Chriſt himſelf. Servit Deo, qui propter Deum ſervit homini, as St. Hierom ſays upon that place of St. Paul; The Lord hath ſet you on work to ſerve a Maſter upon earth, it is his ſervice, and not mans, do it diligently and faithfully,Davenant. Ibid. and as your Maſters on earth muſt juſtly give the hireling his or her Wages, ſo over and above God will ſee it rewarded. Ʋtilitas operis ad homines reſpicit, animus operantis ad Deum; The benefit of that outward work which a ſervant doth redounds materially to man: The intention of his heart that works juſtly and truly is bent in conſcience to God. Theſe Maſters are not contrary one to another, but ſubordinate, and you ſhall be paid on both ſides.
In as much as you did it to one of theſe you did it unto me. See how God is willing to engage himſelf to owe us for all our Miniſterial labour. I know that Text was fitted by Chriſt to works of Charity, that he who gave a cup of cold water to one of his little ones for his names ſake, gave it to himſelf; but it is a general Axiom, to be applied to all humane Uſes and Offices which we do one to another under God, In as much as you did it to one of theſe, you did it unto me. The Apoſtle goes ſo far in this Point, that though a Chriſtian were a bondman to an Infidel, yet the Chriſtian muſt do his task, and ſubmit himſelf unto him, for temporal Authority and Dominion is not founded in grace; And if Infidelity do not caſt a man out of his Government in a private Family, is there any ſhew or appearance that Hereſie or Infidelity ſhould make a Prince uncapable any longer to hold his Kingdom, but lay him quite open to depoſition from all his Dignity? Neither Infidelity nor Tyranny can exempt Subjects or Servants from that homage which they owe their Superiours on earth, becauſe we are tied to ſubjection to theſe, not for their own ſakes, but for Gods ſake, and he will not diſpence with us. Let St. Peter teach his Pro-Peter that would be, 1 Ep. ii. 18. Servants be ſubject to your Maſters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but alſo to the froward. It follows, For this is thankſworthy towards God. Let me diſpatch. You hear it not written, no man can have two Maſters, he may have two that are ſubordinate, Gods Service being ever preferred before mans: You hear indeed no man can ſerve two Maſters, that would be equal, not ſubordinate, or Contraria praecipientes, ſuch as call you contrary ways at once, or bid you do contrary things, for in that caſe one muſt be ſerved, and the other neglected. They that are ſet over you on earth muſt command the ſame thing that Chriſt commends, and then with the ſame pains you content them both. But if the leſſer power on earth ſhall ſay, hearken to me for this time, and to God at ſome other turn: Nay, ſaid the mouth of the Apoſtles, Whether it be fitter to obey God or you, judge ye. Iniquum eſt ut illis pareatur contra Chriſtum, quibus paretur propter Chriſtum. Says the juſt man, we ſerve our Maſters on earth for Chriſts ſake, otherwiſe all underlings would riſe up, and cry out for Anarchy and licence, which they wrongfully call liberty; but we ſubmit unto you for Chriſts ſake, and would you be obeyed againſt Chriſt when you ſhould never be obeyed but for Chriſts ſake? No, in all things lawful and honeſt I ſubject my ſelf, ſo I make my ſelf a Miniſter to God and man conjoyntly, but not divided. And thus Servants obey their Maſters on earth, and yet obſerve my Text moſt religiouſly, Thou ſhalt worſhip the Lord thy God, and him only ſhalt thou ſerve. AMEN.