I. In Idolatry. Since Worship is an acknowledgement of Gods sovereignty, to adore any Creature instead of God, or to pay to any thing that homage of trust and confidence, which is due to God, though it be the highest Creature in Heaven or Earth, is to acknowledge that sovereignty, to pertain to a Creature, which is challenged by God; as to set up the greatest Lord in a Kingdom in the Government instead of the lawful Prince, is Rebellion and Usurpation. And that Woman incurs the Crime of Adultery, who commits it with a person of great Port and Honour, as well as with one of a mean condition. While men Create any thing a God, they own themselves supreme above the true God, yea and above that, which they account a God: For by the right of Creation, they have a superiority, as it is a Deity blown up by the breath of their own imagination. The Authority of God is in this sin; acknowledged to belong to an Idol, 'tis called loathing of God as a husband; Ezek. 16.45. all the Authority of God as a husband and Lord over them. So when we make any thing, or any person in the World the chief object and prop of our trust and confidence, we act the same part. Trust in an Idol is the formal part of Idolatry. Psal. 115.8, So is every one that trusts in them. i. e. in Idols. Whatsoever thing we make the object of our trust, we rear as an Idol; 'tis not unlawful, to have the image of a Creature, but to bestow divine adoration upon it; it was not unlawful for the Egyptians, to possess and use Oxen, but to dub them Gods to be adored, it was. 'Tis not unlawful to have Wealth and Honour, nor to have gifts and parts, they are the presents of God; but to love them above God, to fix our reliance upon them more than upon God, is to rob God of his due, who being our Creator, ought to be our confidence. What we want, we are to desire of him, and expect from him. When we confide in any thing else, we deny God the Glory of his Creation, we disown him to be Lord of the World, imply that our welfare is in the hands of, and depends upon that thing, wherein we confide; 'tis not only to equal it to God in sovereign power, which is his own phrase, Isaiah 40.25. but to prefer it before him in a reproach of him. When the Hosts of Heaven shall be served instead of the Lord of those Hosts;
I. In Idolatry. Since Worship is an acknowledgment of Gods soveraignty, to adore any Creature instead of God, or to pay to any thing that homage of trust and confidence, which is due to God, though it be the highest Creature in Heaven or Earth, is to acknowledg that soveraignty, to pertain to a Creature, which is challeng'd by God; as to set up the greatest Lord in a Kingdom in the Government instead of the lawful Prince, is Rebellion and Usurpation. And that Woman incurs the Crime of Adultery, who commits it with a person of great Port and Honour, as well as with one of a mean condition. While men Create any thing a God, they own themselves supream above the true God, yea and above that, which they account a God: For by the right of Creation, they have a superiority, as it is a Deity blown up by the breath of their own imagination. The Authority of God is in this sin; acknowledged to belong to an Idol, 'tis call'd loathing of God as a husband; Ezek. 16.45. all the Authority of God as a husband and Lord over them. So when we make any thing, or any person in the World the chief object and prop of our trust and confidence, we act the same part. Trust in an Idol is the formal part of Idolatry. Psal. 115.8, So is every one that trusts in them. i. e. in Idols. Whatsoever thing we make the object of our trust, we rear as an Idol; 'tis not unlawful, to have the image of a Creature, but to bestow divine adoration upon it; it was not unlawful for the Egyptians, to possess and use Oxen, but to dubb them Gods to be ador'd, it was. 'Tis not unlawful to have Wealth and Honour, nor to have gifts and parts, they are the presents of God; but to love them above God, to fix our relyance upon them more than upon God, is to rob God of his due, who being our Creator, ought to be our confidence. What we want, we are to desire of him, and expect from him. When we confide in any thing else, we deny God the Glory of his Creation, we disown him to be Lord of the World, imply that our welfare is in the hands of, and depends upon that thing, wherein we confide; 'tis not only to equal it to God in soveraign power, which is his own phrase, Isaiah 40.25. but to preferr it before him in a reproach of him. When the Hosts of Heaven shall be serv'd instead of the Lord of those Hosts;
