Meditations on the holy sacrament of the Lords last Supper Written many years sinceMeditations on the holy sacrament of the Lords last Supper Written many yeares since

Here then we see, first both the absurdity and the wickedness of a will-worship, when the same man who is to perform the obedience shall dare to appoint the laws, implying a peremptory purpose of no farther observance than may consist with the allowance of his own judgement. Whereas true^d obedience must be grounded on the majesty of that power that commands, not on the judgement of the subject, or benefit of the precept imposed: divine laws require obedience, not so much from the quality of the things commanded (though^e they be ever holy and good) as from the authority of him that institutes them. We are all the servants of God, and servants are but living ^finstruments, whose property it is to be governed by the will of those in whose possession they are. Will-worship, and services of superstition, well they may flatter^g God, they do not please him. He that requires us to deny our selves in his service, doth therein teach us that his commands stand rather in fear, than in need of us; in fear of our boldness lest we abuse ⟨p. 20⟩them,⁵ not in need of our judgements to polish or alter them. The conquest of an enemy against the prescript of his General cost a Roman Gentleman his life, though his own father were the judge. The killing of a Lion contrary to the established Laws of the Kings hunting, (though it were only to rescue the King himself,⁶ whose life was set upon) lost a poor Persian the loss of his head.⁷ The overwise industry of the Architect in bringing not the same but a fitter piece of timber than he was commanded to the Romish Consul,⁸ was rewarded with nothing but the bundle of rods. So jealous and displeased are even men themselves,