A commentary or, exposition upon the divine second epistle general, writtenA commentary or, exposition vpon the diuine second epistle generall, written

You see the danger of will-worship, let this contain us in the true adoration of God. Worship is two-fold; Civill or Religious. Civill, to men, in respect of their degrees in the Church, Common-wealth, or private family. In regard of Age, give reverence to the grey-head: of gifts, so Elisha reverenced Elijah: of place; in Church: so Ministers are to reverence their Bishops: in Common-wealth, so subjects must give reverence to Magistrates: in private family, so children owe reverence to their parents, servants to their masters. To God only is due religious worship: they write that to the King of Benin the people give such reverence, that we scarce give more to God. They fall flat on the ground before him, covering their faces, and depart without turning their backs. But to all men give Summa, sed Sua: to God only religious worship; who is so jealous of his honour that he will not give it to another. Be ye never so great, stoop to the Lord: honour him that hath honoured you: it is no discredit to your worships to worship God. Christ stooped low for our sakes;¹ He made himself of no reputation, but took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men. What the Barbarians dreamed of Paul and Barnabas, Act. 14.11. Dii descenderunt similitudine hominum; The gods are come down to us in the likeness of men. We found true in Christ; God is come down among us in the likeness of man; Yea, indeed, a true man. GOD said once, Gen. 3.22. in derision of our folly; Behold! the man is become as one of us. But we may say truly, GOD is become as one of us. He that was so low, is now and was ever the most High: Let us adore that blessed JESUS. The LORD saith, when he bringeth in the ⟨p. 147⟩first begotten into the world;^q Let all the Angels of God worship him. Do the blessed Angels of heaven, and shall not men on earth worship him? I speak not only of a corporal adoration, though that also be due.³ At the Name of JESUS should every knee bow, of things in heaven, in earth, and under the earth. Neither do I think the bowing of knee, at the Name of JESUS, to be a fruitless but harmless ceremony. As for their exception, that the bowing more at this, than at other Names of GOD, may breed an error of advancing the Son above the Father and Holy Spirit.