57+5 Chap. 3 r. lirn Expofitiost upon the Book of J o a. Verf. 27. Hence note; Firft. Outward adoration ofany Creature isJnfisil. , We may give reverence to men, but we muff not adore theca, -how great foever; how much leffe may wee adore fenceleffe things, whether natural! or artificial!. As wee mull not give them our hearts, fonot our hands, not our mouthes. God req'iires the heart efpecially in worfhip; but he mutt have our bodyes alto. When the Apoftle calls to the worfhipof God, he expreffeth it by thebody ( r 2. 1. ) I befeechyoubrethren by the mercies ofGod, prefent your bodyes a living facriface, holy and acceptable unto Clod, which io your reafonablefervice, or'( as fome render it) your fervice according to the word. As if he had fayd , If you would worfhip according to the word , prefent your bodyes, that is, your whole man,foule and body toGod. Nowwhere the body only is expreft as the fubjeaofworfhip, it implyes at leaft that it muti not be left out inholy worfhip, nor allowed to any falfeor Idolatrous worfhip. There is a generationwho fay they ferve God with their fpints, and then what though they be at Idolatrous worfhip with their hodyes, and bow their knees to Baal? what though their hand kiffe their mouth, or they doe a- ny outward a& according to the cuftomeof the placewhere they are ? fo their hearts be with God';but God will have the hand as well as the heart, bee will have the body as well as the foule de- Lirgoa juratri dicated to him. As a, prophane wretch once Paid Ihave fworne menrem ge/o with my tongue, 6ut Ihavereferved my heart unfworne. So force injuratem. goe to falle worfhip with their bodyes , and fay they will keepe their heart to God. Let fuch remember that of the Apoftle ( I Cor. 6. 20.) Toe are bought with a price, therefore glorifi e God in your body and in your ßiirit which are Gods. God is to be glo- rified in all our wayes efpecially in his worfhip , with all that which he path redeemed or bought. Takeheed of giving to much as a kiffeor a bow to Idolls. Many of the perfecuttng Heathens in the primitive Church were fatisfied if a Chrifian would but take a litle frankincenfe'and throw it upon their Altar; yet the faithful! profeffors of thofe times chofe rather to die then to doe any thing, though never fo litle, which might carry the leaft fig- nification fo much as by a meere externall ad of complyance with them, Secondly,
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=