Besides these (which come more immediately from a sanctified spirit) there is a service of God,3 that is the obedience of the second Table, when we do good to men with an eye to serve God as we say; there is an elicit proper service of God, & a commanded service of God, cultus imperatus. All duties to men are a service of God, when we do them as commanded of God, as, because I love God, therefore I honour my parents, and Magistrates, and therefore I will not commit adultery, as Joseph, shall I do this and offend God? So the Scripture allegeth reasons out of the first Table, when we are tempted to sins against the second Table: and then the duties of the second Table are a worship, and service of God, when they are commanded by the first. And this is the difference between a mere formal man,2 and a Christian in his outward performances; a Civil man is altogether for the second Table: but he hath not his rise from the first; he gives every man his due, &c. but it is not in obedience to God, because God hath commanded him to do it: but because he sees it is a deformed thing to be unjust, out of the ⟨p. 206⟩light of nature) he condemns the sin, but not out of religious respects: it is not a service of God all this while. I, but when it is from love to God, when that great command (thou shalt love God above all) sets him upon this, then all the duties he performs to man are a service of the will of God: for God commands them. Even the basest works are a service of God, when they are done in obedience to God, as Saint Paul tells them in Collos. 3.3 and Ephes. 6.4 the poor servant serves the Lord Christ; when a poor servant is at his work, employed in the business of man, poor common things; yet he serves the Lord all the while: For God hath set him in that calling, and he doth the second Table in obedience to the first; and he serves men, those that are his governors with an eye to the great Governor, and Master that is above all, that will reward them for their poor service,5 however their Master reward them, Ephes. 6. This is to serve the will of God then, to yield to him the immediate service of the soul, and the outward expressions of it, and to go through all other duties as they spring from the first: then we are moulded (as I said before) answerable to the word of God.
Besides these (which come more immediatly from a sanctified spirit) there is a service of God,3 that is the obedience of the second Table, when we do good to men with an eye to serve God as we say; there is an elicite proper service of God, & a cōmanded service of God, cultus imperatus. All duties to men are a service of God, when wee do them as commanded of God, as, because I love God, therfore I honour my parents, and Magistrates, and therfore I will not commit adultery, as Ioseph, shall I do this and offend God? So the Scripture alleageth reasons out of the first Table, when wee are tempted to sinnes against the second Table: and then the duties of the second Table are a worship, and service of God, when they are commanded by the first. And this is the difference betweene a meere formall man,2 and a Christian in his outward performances; a Civil man is altogether for the second Table: but hee hath not his rise from the first; hee gives every man his due, &c. but it is not in obedience to God, because God hath commanded him to do it: but because he sees it is a deformed thing to bee unjust, out of the ⟨p. 206⟩light of nature) hee condemnes the sinne, but not out of religious respects: it is not a service of God all this while. I, but when it is from love to God, when that great command (thou shalt love God above all) sets him upon this, then all the duties hee performes to man are a service of the will of God: for God commands them. Even the basest works are a service of God, when they are done in obedience to God, as Saint Paul tels them in Collos. 3.3 and Ephes. 6.4 the poore servant serves the Lord Christ; when a poore servant is at his work, imployed in the businesse of man, poore common things; yet hee serves the Lord all the while: For God hath set him in that calling, and he doth the second Table in obedience to the first; and he serves men, those that are his governors with an eye to the great Governour, and Master that is above all, that will reward them for their poore service,5 however their Master reward them, Ephes. 6. This is to serve the will of God then, to yeeld to him the immediate service of the soule, and the outward expressions of it, and to go thorow all other duties as they spring from the first: then wee are molded (as I said before) answerable to the word of God.
- 3Service in obeying the second Table.
- 2Difference between a formal man and a Christian.Difference between a formall man and a Christian.
- 3Collos. 3.
- 4Ephes. 6.
- 5Ephes. 6.
