humane traditions as the Papists that worship God in images pilgrimages a thousand deuises meere strangers to the Spirit of God in Scripture thrust in by Satan for his owne seruice Conclus 3. Numbers will not be perswaded they worship the deuill when indeed they doe For as then we worship God actually when we serue and obey him so then men worship the deuil when they doe the workes of the deuill Ioh. 8. He that is a slaue a vassall to the deuill is an apparant worshipper of him Yea so neare a seruice is between them that the deuill is said to beget many sonnes in the world Ioh. 8.41 now euery sonne honours his father Thus doe all they that are subtile to peruert the straight wayes of God as Elymas therefore called by Paul the child of the deuill Act. 13.10 because he sought to hinder the word and work of God Thus doe all those tares the children of that wicked one Matth. 13.38 which grow vp in Gods field to the molesting and annoyance of the Lords wheate Thus doe all they who when they should spend the Lords Sabbaths in his worship they worship and serue the world in buying and selling or the deuill in play and gaming in their owne houses falling downe to the worship of the deuill when true worshippers are in Gods house performing their homage and seruice to him Conclus 4. Satan preuailes against numbers by drawing the affections of their hearts from the true God to something besides him to loue trust and follow it more then God as the voluptuous person that makes his bellie his God and so is a louer of pleasure more then of God and the couetous person making his wealth his God whom Paul therefore calls an idolater All these and many moe are worshippers of the deuill and fallen downe to him and cannot possibly worship the true God II. How and by what meanes Satan doth thus preuaile And the meanes are these 1. He hath often the secular arme and humane authoritie 2. Chron. 11.15 Rehoboam ordained Priests for the high places for the deuils and for the calues that he had made Thus Antichrist the beast of Rome Reu. 13.16 by power made all both small and great rich and poore bond and free to receiue his marke in their hands and foreheads So he did in our country by fire and fagot in Queen Maries dayes 2. Sometimes he drawes men to his owne worship by pollicie for he can transforme himselfe into an Angel of light he can preach Christ for a need to ouerthrow the preaching of Christ Mark 1.34 he can be a lying spirit in the mouthes of fowre hundred false prophets 1. King 21. at once and can put on the shape of Samuel beeing still a Sathan 3. Sometimes by faire promises as in our text he will giue a whole world to bring Christ to one sinne Thou shalt haue ease pleasure wealth credite in a word thy hearts desire if thou wilt fall downe and worship mee 4. By perswasion that it is a vaine thing to serue God Malach. 3.14 no ioy for the present no recompence hereafter thus he carries with him innumerable companies with things present not considering the time to come 5. By threatning of crosses losses disfauour as Balaac said to Balaam Thy God hath kept thee from preferment By violent persecutions Reuel 12.13.15 the redde dragon persecuted the woman which had brought forth the man child the serpent cast out of his mouth waters like a flood to cause the woman to be carried away 6. By effectuall delusion by meanes of signes wonders false miracles and sleights which Sathan putteth forth to giue credite to false worshippe as it is spoken of the great Antichrist 2. Thess. 2.9 10. that hee shall come by the working of Sathan with power signes and lying wonders and in all deceiueablenesse of vnrighteousnesse among them that perish and thus shall the beast deceiue all those whose names are not written in the booke of life Thus many are deceiued in Poperie by the iugling and craftie conueyances of the Priests and often by magicke making their images appeare to sweate to nodde to roll their eyes to passe voices through them and make blood appeare in the hoast which they would haue their people beleeue and thus Satan mightily drawes them to the worship of himselfe Here let vs learne to bewaile the miserie of men seduced by the deuill and thrust from their God whether more openly or more secretly as 1. Such as ioyne to Poperie renouncing the worship of the true God and fall downe to the deuill to worship him Reu. 13.4 and they worshipped the dragon and the beast noting that the worship of the beast is the worship of the dragon Now they worship the beast that giue him power ouer the Scripture ouer the consciences of men to make lawes to bind them to pardon sinnes to open heauen hell purgatorie and receiue his bulls and canons before the Canonical Scripture A lamentable thing that Satan gets such great ones daily to fall downe and worship him 2. Such as get liuings by bribery symony chopping and changing and such indirect courses here the Chaplein hath fallen downe to the deuill and worshipped him and he hath bestowed the benefice 3. Such as seeke to witches for help or cunning men and wome◠a plaine and open seruice of the deuill by vertue of a league and compact at least secret Should not a people seeke to their God or can all the deuills in hell remooue the hand of God 4. Such as by flatterie dissembling iniustice lying swearing or breaking the Sabbath obtaine wealth or profit All this the deuill hath giuen thee because thou hast fallen downe and worshipped him Whatsoeuer a man doth against the word against his oath or conscience is a falling down to the deuill and a worshipping of him Take heed of comming vnder the power and seruice of the deuill and to that ende obserue these rules 1. Hold thee to Gods word and will in all duties of pietie and iustice both for matter and manner For we must not onely doe our Masters will but also according to his will 2. Heare and foster the motions of Gods Spirit which are euer according to the word It is a note of a man giuen vp to Sathan to haue continuall disobedience breathing in him Eph. 2.2 The fowle spirit sauours nothing but the flesh 3. Renounce the world daily be not a seruant to any lust neither take pleasure in it For when Sathan findes a man seruing pleasures he halters him with them and clogs him with cares of riches and voluptuous liuing Luk. 8.14 4. Walke in the light loue it and such as walke in it It is a signe of a man in Sathans snare to despise thē that are good 2. Tim. 3.3 to make a shew of godlines denying the power thereof v. 5. Satan himselfe pretends light but walkes in darkenesse and leads such as he rules in the same path 5. Contend
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 very 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 vs 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 vs 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 vtterly 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 onely 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. Loue Thou shalt loue 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 vpon mee in the time of trouble and How can they call on him in whome they haue not beleeued But of this there is little question As for outward worship if religious all of it is his due onely Psal. 95.6 Come let vs 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 1. A reason hereof is in the text because he onely is the Lord our God our Lord of absolute commaund and we his seruants whos 's 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 onely created but preserueth yea redeemeth our soules and bodies also and no creature hath any right vnto vs as Dauid saith Christ refuseth here to bow to the deuill not onely 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 onely he would haue 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 onely and Christ tells Satan the cheife idolater of all that he must serue God onely euen with externall and bodily seruice 3. If outward religious worship were due to any creature then to the Angells the most glorious of all but they haue refused it and deuolued it onely 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 onely in the gesture 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 No man can serue two Masters One woman cannot haue two husbands at once her husband is iealous of any partner or corriuall Now God
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 vnder 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 vs plainly Non doceri in scripturis sed insinuari Sanctorum inuocationem that the inuocation of Saints is onely 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 and consequently a man may not be present at false worship to giue 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 haue found by all his wisedom such a present help for him and by such a pollicie haue ouerreached the deuill himselfe who required onely externall bowing keeping his heart still vnto God No our Lord knew well 1. that body and soule make but one man who must haue 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 but 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 giue 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 onely 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 giue 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 onely 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 onely 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 onely 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 can 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 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 giue any approbation of the idolatrie 2. that publike protestation be made
to fulfill their lusts Man tempteth others 1. When vpon iust occasion he tryes a mans affections and disposition to this or that so Ionathan tryed his father Saul how he stood affected to Dauid 1. Sam. 19.3 2. When men goe about by captious and subtile questions and with faire show of words to get matter of reprehension and accusation against others Thus the Pharises came to Christ tempting him Matth. 16.1 and thus the Herodians came to him to entangle him in his talke 3. When men allure and entise one another to euill as Pro. 1.10 11. Come let vs lay wait for blood and haue all one purse so the harlot said to the young man Come in with me let vs talke our fill of loue till the morning Man tempteth himselfe two wayes 1. when his owne concupiscence mooueth and draweth him aside to sinne Iam. 1.4 Euery man is tempted when he is drawne aside of his owne concupiscence 2. when he wilfully calls himselfe into danger as Peter when he went into Caiaphas the High Priests hall among Christs enemies and his here he is mooued to denie his Master and Satan preuailes against him III. Satan tempteth and in his tempting goeth beyond all these 1. When by outward obiects he stirreth vp inward corruption as Dauid walking on his leds and seeing Bathsheba the deuil wrought lust in him 2. By infusing inwardly euill motions and thoughts without obiects and thus stood he vp against Israel and caused Dauid to number the people a thing meerely needlesse as Ioab confessed 1. Chron. 21.1 2 3. Now thus God cannot tempt to euill he withdraweth his spirit by outward occasions he brings to light the sinnes of men and punisheth one sinne with an other but mooueth no man to euill and much lesse driueth him to it and least of all infuseth wickednesse into any mans heart which to thinke were high blasphemie So men by tempting may stirre vp corruption in others but to infuse wickednesse into the heart belongs onely to Satan because of his spirituall nature and ready entercourse with our spirits Now seeing these temptations of the deuil are so wicked comming from euill and tending to euill two points are worthy our consideration 1. How Christ beeing so holy and powerfull could be tempted of the deuill 2. Why he would bee so tempted For the former 1. It is not against the holinesse of Christ to be subiect to temptation without sinne no more then to hunger thirst weepe 2. Nor against the power of Christ to be tempted no more then it was a signe of infirmity and weakenesse in Adam so to be before infirmity and weakenes came in It argued not impotencie in Christ to die nay so to die argued omnipotency So it was not weakenes in Christ to be tempted but willingnesse and so to be tempted argued vertue and strength But howsoeuer the Apostle saith Christ was tempted and like vs in all things yet without sinne and Christ himselfe Ioh. 14.30 The Prince of this world commeth and hath nought in mee that is no sinne at all yet it is hard to be conceiued and therefore we will explaine it by these propositions 1. That temptation that wholly riseth from another and not from a mans selfe is not necessarily mixed with sinne But such were the temptations of Satan to Christ wholly hatched by the deuill for there was no manner of euill thought no corruption in the holy person of Christ for any such to rise forth of We indeed haue many temptations arising out of our owne corruptions which are sinne in the beginning though no consent be giuen vnto them but are presently resisted but no such thing could be in the holy nature of Christ. A fire kindled within the house is dangerous but the lightning comming from without beeing but a flash is without danger Ioseph allured by the words of his Mistresse resisted and fled away Gen. 39.12 this was not his sinne And Hezekiah prouoked to distrust by Rabshakies rayling letter resisted and was confident 2. King 19.10 it was not his sinne the temptation was wholly without 2. Those temptations which are offered by others either by voice gesture or outward obiects or else by inward thoughts vtterly abhorred without the least liking are not the sinnes of them that are tempted their exercises and trialls they be not their sinnes But such were the temptations of Christ hee was troubled and vexed with them as appeares by his Auoide Satan and the voices and obiects carried to his eare and eye yea motions to infidelitie couetousnesse and idolatrie to his mind but yet by the perfect light of his minde and the vnchangeable holinesse of his will were instantly repelled and gained not the least affection and much lesse left the least infection behind them True it is that euill thoughts cast into our mindes can hardly be cast out without some taint for we are ready as tinder to receiue such sparkles we must pause vpon them till they gaine some delight if not content But it was not so with Christ whose perfect holinesse was as water to quench all such sparkles 3. Of temptation there are three degrees 1. suggestion 2. delight 3. consent Suggestion is the meere motion of another altogether without vs and cannot be our sinne if neither of the latter come to it either of which two is a token of infirmitie But Christs temptations were all in suggestion because he stood fast without alteration of his minde without the least delight or consent to the thing tempted vnto Whereunto serueth that distinction of glancing and permanent motions the former passing through the heart without any footing against no commaundement the latter either without consent against the tenth or with consent against all the nine Hence note 1. Seeing Christ himselfe of so holy condition was subiect to be tempted let no man liuing looke to be exempted from temptations Our Lord Iesus that had no inward corruption to stirre vp any motion in him cannot auoide outward obiects and perswasions to sinne But our case is farre otherwise for suppose there were no deuill assayling vs no outward obiect that could be presented to vs yet we are tempted and led away by our owne concupiscence we need no moouing or stirring but runne headlong of our selues into sinne If we had no enemies to batter downe our wals and holds without vs we haue inward and domesticall rebels and traytors which continually betray vs. Where is the man now that boasts he was neuer tempted and hee hath so strong a faith and is of such holinesse as he defieth Satan and will spit in his face and he neuer was molested by him But pitifull is this delusion Is thy faith stronger thy holines greater then Christs No no Satan is gone away with all the strong man hath all in peace els thou shouldst heare of him and tell me an other tale This example of Christ well considered would teach thee another lesson namely like a wise
life close Christ within thy heart and hold him as thy life neuer to part with him for that pot figured the Sacraments in which Christ is propounded the food of the soule Thy heart as the Arke must containe Aarons rod that had budded signifying the discipline and gouernment of Christ vnto which thou must subiect thy selfe let this rodde flourish in thee and stoope with reuerence and feare to this scepter 2. Thy house and family must be sanctified also by setting vp and preseruing Gods worshippe there Wee read of some of the Saints who had Churches in their houses Euery Christian professing holines must haue the like care endeauour in such family-exercises as God hath prescribed as 1. In diligent teaching and instructing the family partly in reading and partly in deliuering precepts out of the word It is Gods commandement Deut. 6.7 to whet the law continually on our children and train them vp euen from childhood in the Scriptures The benefit whereof shall be 1. to fit them for the publike ministry 2. to cause the word to dwell plenteously in them 3. it is a notable means for their growth in godlinesse and to containe them in good order 2. In calling them to account for things deliuered by catechising pitifully neglected in families who yet would be thought to be Gods people This is the driuing of the nayle to the head to sticke the surer It workes care in those who easily reiect good meanes It hinders vaine thoughts words and exercises It banisheth much folly and ignorance that is bound vp in the hearts of children and seruants 3. In applying the workes of God past or present on our selues or others to mooue them to confidence and trust in God by the workes of his mercie and to feare to offend by the workes of his iustice and by this meanes the seeds not onely of true religion but of good conscience shall be sowen in them betimes this was holy Abrahams practise for which God would not hide his secret workes from him Gen. 18.19 4. In daily priuate prayer with the family at least euery morning and euening solemnly on our knees making confessions of sinnes and requests to God together with thanksgiuing Psalm 55.17 Euening and morning and at noone will I pray and make a noyse Daniel three times a day prayed and praised God in his house as he was wont chap. 6. v. 10. The excellent vse of which is the opening of the doore of Gods treasury to the family by which it is enriched with the best blessings of God Besides the Lord shall hereby haue some honour that is due to his mercie vpon the family 5. In edifying the family with Psalmes and melodie to the Lord as it is Col. 3.16 In these daily duties doth the sanctification of a family consist Whereunto we may be perswaded by these motiues 1. In that they are the practises of men fearing God such as Ioshua and his house Cornelius and his houshold 2. In that by these exercises the family shall not onely be sanctified but also blessed as Obed Edom and his house for the presence of the Arke 3. What madnesse is it to reiect and banish Gods word and worshippe out of doores and yet thinke God is there Nay where sound grace comes there is the Spirit of prayer and supplication in euery family apart Zach. 12.14 and where this worshippe of God is not set vp in families there is nothing but a conspiracie of Atheists and a wicked brood bringing Gods iudgements on themselues and the busines passing through their hands Ierusalem is called holy beeing once sanctified to the Lords vse which teacheth vs that we should reuerently both conceiue and speake of all such things as are set apart to the Lords vse 1. Some persons are consecrate to the Lord as the tribe of Leui of whom the commaundement was Thou shalt not forsake the Leuit all thy dayes And the Prophets Touch not mine annoynted and doe my Prophets no harme So in the New Testament The Minister that rules well is worthie of double honour Yea if the widowes which were set apart to inferiour offices about the poore must be honoured 1. Tim. 5.3 much more the minister that standeth in Gods place and stead Heb. 13.17 Obey them that haue the ouersight of you Thus Cornelius reuerenced Peter and the Eunuch Philip. Nay not onely the minister but euery beleeuer is separate to God and sanctified to carrie the Couenant and hath the annointing of the Spirit which the Lord acknowledgeth on them and speaketh reuerently and louingly of them calling them his holy ones yea the apple of his eye They see not this who can persecute and reuile them for hypocrites and count them as the Apostles whose doctrine they professe the scum of the world 2. Some places are for their vse to be accounted holy because God is there present in his worship as the places of our meetings not that any inherent holines is annexed to the place or cleaueth to it out of the action of Gods worship but while God is present in his worship we must account it holy ground and the house of God When God appeared in Bethel to Iaacob he said How fearefull is this place surely it is no other then the house of God Wee must therefore put off your shooes with Moses that is our base and vile our sinnefull and sensuall affections yea our lawfull if earthly thoughts when we come to this holy place Looke we bring no thoughts with vs vnbeseeming the place where God is separated from other common places to holy vses Looke that in this place we vse no gesture or behauiour vnbeseeming a man that hath busines with God beeing present To sit talking or sleeping or laughing or gazing sutes not with this place And further if God please to account the very places holy for the vse and presence of God in this vse what shall wee thinke of them that conceiue so basely of them as they would loue a Parish better in which is no Church Others profane them with base practises and vnconscionably suffer them to fall or decay and will be at no charge to make or keep them handsome sweet and beautifull Styes were fit for such swine As their affection is so is their deuotion 3. The holy ordinances of God must not be touched but with holy respect and reuerence of which it is said It is not safe to play with holy things 1. The word must be receiued read heard spoken as the holy word of God To make iests of Scripture is a wicked practise God lookes graciously on him that trembles at his word Isa. 66. 2. as good Iosiah whose heart melted hearing the words of the law So the names and attributes of God are neuer to be vsed in friuolous admirations but euery knee must bowe vnto him Phil. 2.10 Neither ought we to laugh at Gods iudgements on others 2. An oath is one of the holy ordinances of God and to sweare
carries away their whole heart and yet in the end they are deceiued as he was in stead of his reward he was slaine in his returne homeward Num. 31.8 4. Consider how little ioy there is in that which is receiued at the deuills hand neither Ahab nor his posterity enioyed Naboths vineyard Iudas brought backe his 30. peeces and hanged himselfe According to that of Salomon The wicked rosteth not that which he taketh in hunting 5. Moderate thy affections not to desire the kingdomes of this world and the glory of them but a farre more glorious kingdome in the world to come and all these transitory matters onely to help thee forward to that The condition of Satans profer teacheth vs further that All his drift in his temptations is to draw men from Gods seruice to his owne An example whereof we haue in Saul whom he drew from his hope and trust in God to seeke and sue to himselfe for helpe Hee entred also into Iudas to draw him from his Masters side and seruice to his owne to make him a leader and captaine against Christ Luk. 22.3 Neither faileth he of his purpose and scope but effectually preuaileth in the world and in the children of disobedience Ephes. 2.2 For if we look to that part of the world which is indeed the world not visited by the light of grace and the Gospell they in generall are vassalls to Satan and professe homage and seruice to him in ceremonies and rites as Gods people to God hmselfe 1. Cor. 10.20 Those things which the Gentiles sacrifice they sacrifice vnto deuills and not vnto God Which is spoken not in respect of the intention of the worshippers but of the mysterie in that idoll worshipped which indeed tended to the worship of the deuill the deuiser and setter forward of the same And at this day in those newfound countries experience shewes how those heathnish and barbarous people not hauing the true knowledge of the true God doe therefore esteeme the deuill as God and the deuill appearing to them in visible shapes they fall down and worship him and offer many seruices and sacrifices vnto him vpon this ground because God is mercifull and amiable and will not hurt them and therefore they neede not bee so obsequious to him but the deuill is terrible and fearefull and churlish and therefore must bee pleased and worshipped Ne noceat Nay Gods owne people and children are often drawne from the worship of their God to the worship of the deuill in the most base and submisse kind of worship The Iewes themselues offred vnto deuills and not vnto God Deut. 32.17 and what did they offer but their dearest things as Psal. 106.37 they offred their sonnes and daughters vnto deuills A maruellous high wickednes wherein the Israelites themselues imitated the barbarous heathens among whom Satan had brought in this vnnaturall crueltie to kill their little children and offer them to Molech in the vally of Hinnom v. 38. Thus they shed innocent blood by a diabolicall furie and polluted their land at the diuells instigation Thus it was in the time of Ahaz and of Manasseh against which the Lord shewed great indignation and vehemence Ier. 7. and 19. and Ezek. 16. And the rather because it was against a speciall law enacted for this purpose which we would thinke Gods owne people should not need Leuit. 17.7 They shall no more offer to deuills after whom they haue gone a whoring and the sanction followes This shall be an ordinance for euer Yet Gods people forgate Gods institution and natures instinct and so put off all religion and naturall affection And this comes to passe 1. Because of Satans pride and ambition who will not content himselfe with any thing but that honour that is due to God He beeing the Prince of the world and the god thereof Ioh. 14.31 2. Cor. 4.4 will be worshipped by the world as a God and takes vpon him as if he were so indeed whereas he is so onely by his owne vsurpation and affectation and the wickeds delusion and acceptation 2. Because of his malice to God to whom he is most contrarie God hath by the lawe of creation of nature the morall law yea by the law of faith and all other bonds tied man to his owne seruice now Satan seekes contrarily to depriue God of his due homage and drawes men from the knowledg practise of Gods wil that he may rule them after his owne will 2. Tim. 2.26 3. Because of his hatred to mankind to drawe men into the greatest offence and displeasure of God It is an euill thing and bitter to depart from God and his seruice but to giue this to Gods deadly enemie is a sinne most hatefull dangerous 4. It is all the businesse that Satan hath in the world for which he leaues no stone vnturned no meanes vnattempted to set vp his owne kingdome aboue and against Gods kingdome a compendious way wherof is to hinder corrupt or destroy the true worship of God 1. Thess. 2.18 Satan hindered me namely the true worship which Paul sought to establish He corrupted the worship of God among the sonnes of God by the daughters of men Gen. 6. And he sought to destroy all Gods worship in the posterity by destroying Abel Quest. But is it possible that Sathan can so preuaile to drawe men to worship himselfe in stead of God And what meanes vseth he to effect it Answ. Yea it is plaine and vsuall as we shall easily see if we consider 1. the wayes that a man worshippeth the deuill 2. the meanes how he bringeth men thereunto I. The wayes are laid downe in these fowre conclusions Conclus 1. Whosoeuer worshippeth for God that which is not God he worshippeth the deuill for God Deut. 32.17 They offered vnto deuills that is to gods whom they knew not In all diuine worship whatsoeuer is not performed to God is performed to the deuill there beeing no meane between them in worship But how hath the deuill drawne Pagans and heathens to set vp and worship false gods deuills indeed Mars Iupiter c. yea and Gods owne people to worship Dagon and Baal and Molech At this day all the Easterne people of Turkes and Saracens worshippe Mahomet a god of their owne making And the Papists all giue diuine worship to stocks and stones the worke of mens hands to ragges and relliques to their breaden and baked God in the Sacrament as base an idolatry as can be found among the heathens in all which they haue fallen downe to the deuill and worshipped him Conclus 2. Whosoeuer worshippeth God in any other meanes then himselfe hath appointed he worshippeth the deuill and not God If the manner of Gods worship prescribed by himselfe in the Scripture be refused that cannot be Gods worship because the manner is deuised by the deuill Thus doe they who professe the true God distinct in three persons but worship him according to their owne deuises and