Se f fee%¿fr an Idolater and an Idyll. 19; that honour, that cafe, that pleafurc, that applaufe where- in they now glory proves their (name at the laft. The pre- Lent condition of feiffcckcrs is awretched bondage, and their latter end molt fhamcfull and ignominious. 9. Self-feekingmakes aman both an Idolater and an Moll. An Idolater in ferving the creature and his owne hilts, and an Idolatrous. Idoli in exalting and fetting up himfelfe in the roome of 9 God : Self-feekersbow downe to the creature, and to their owtic bate and carnali affeftions : As Gideon many thoufands q boweddowse to shewaters. 7acob prophefied ofIffachar, IJJa_ ,char isa ftrong Aflc couchingdowne between two burthens, and he faw that refs was good, and the land that it was plea- 9 iudg.7.6. font, and bowed his {boulder to beare, and became a fcrvant Q31.49.1421 1 unto tribute : Such baie, floathfitll, and ftupid affs are all felffeekers, couchingdowne between the creature andtheir flefbly tufts as between twoburthens : They fee it appeares to them in their carnali apprehenfion, that the creature is good, thatriches, honours, pleafures aremuch tobe defired, and that the fulfilling of their owne lufts is very pleafant, and therefore they bow downe the fhoulders to beare the com- mands and injun&ions ofthe creature, and all the impofiti- ons of the flefh, andbecome fervantsunto tribute : To theft they pay the tribute of diftraéting thoughts, of tormenting cares, ofcarnall confidence;ofinordinate love, and of hard fervice and bate fervitude, orfhippingandfervino (astheApo- 111e faith) the r creature more then the Creator. And for this caufe Saint Paul ftileth covetous felf-feekers Idolaters, becaufe rRom.t,sq. their felf-feeking doth alienate them from God, and draw es that love and confidence, joyand delight which they fhould .place in God to the creature ; and that , fervicewhich they fhould imploy forGod,and thatfubjeetion which they fhould yeeld to God, they beftow about, and yeeld unto the crea- tureand theirowne lulls. And as they are Idolaters for their proftration of themfelves to thecreature and their owne cor- rupt afftions : fo they are Idols, For the exaltingofthem- felnes above God, minding, intending, and feeking their- felves and not God, they adore and ferve themfelves and not the Lord, his r fervants ye are (faith Saint Paul ) R 3 to
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