A51838:292
Christs temptation and transfiguration practically explained and improved in several sermons /
Christs temptation and transfiguration practically explained and improved in several sermons / by the late Reverend Tho. Manton ...
A51838:292
Christs temptation and transfiguration practically explained and improved in several sermons / by the late Reverend Tho. Manton ...
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
II. That worship is due to God. These two notions live and dye together; that God is, and that he ought to be worshipped. It appeareth by our Saviours reasoning, John 4. 24. God is a spirit and they that worship him must worship him in spirit, and in Truth. He giveth directions about the manner of worship, but supposeth it, that he will be worshipped. When God had proclaimed his name and manifested himself to Moses, Exod. 34. 8. Moses made hast, and bowed himself and worshipped. It is the crime charged upon the Gentiles, that when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, Rom. 1. 21. They knew a divine power, ⟨p. 168⟩but did not give him a worship at lest competent to his nature. God pleadeth his right, Mal. 1. 6. If I be a Father where is mine honour? If I be a master where is my fear? And God who is the common Parent, and absolute Master of all must have both a Worship and Honour, in which Reverence and Fear is mixed with Love and Joy. So that if God be worship is certainly due to him. They that have no worship, are as if they had no God. The Psalmist proveth Atheism by that, Psal. 14. 1. The fool hath said in his heart there is no God, and ver. 4. They call not upon God. The acknowledgement of a King doth imply subjection to his Laws; so doth the acknowledgement of his God imply a necessity of worshipping him.
II. That worship is due to God. These two notions live and dye together; that God is, and that he ought to be worshipped. It appeareth by our Saviours reasoning, Iohn 4. 24. God is a spirit and they that worship him must worship him in spirit, and in Truth. He giveth directions about the manner of worship, but supposeth it, that he will be worshipped. When God had proclaimed his name and manifested himself to Moses, Exod. 34. 8. Moses made hast, and bowed himself and worshipped. It is the crime charged upon the Gentiles, that when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, Rom. 1. 21. They knew a divine power, ⟨p. 168⟩but did not give him a worship at lest competent to his nature. God pleadeth his right, Mal. 1. 6. If I be a Father where is mine honour? If I be a master where is my fear? And God who is the common Parent, and absolute Master of all must have both a Worship and Honour, in which Reverence and Fear is mixed with Love and Joy. So that if God be worship is certainly due to him. They that have no worship, are as if they had no God. The Psalmist proveth Atheism by that, Psal. 14. 1. The fool hath said in his heart there is no God, and ver. 4. They call not upon God. The acknowledgement of a King doth imply subjection to his Laws; so doth the acknowledgment of his God imply a necessity of worshipping him.
III. That both Worship and Service is due to God, him shalt thou worship, and him shalt thou serve. The worship of God is both Internal and External: The Internal consisteth in that Love and Reverence, which we owe to him; the External in those offices and duties, by which our honour and respect to God is signified and expressed. Both are necessary, both believing with the heart, and confession with the Mouth; Rom. 10. 9, 10. If thou shalt confess with thy ⟨p. 169⟩mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thy heart that God raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto Righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. The soul and life of our Worship and Godliness lieth in our Faith, Love, Reverence, and Delight in God above all other things: the visible expression of it is in Invocation, Thanksgiving, Prayers and Sacraments, and other Acts of outward Worship. Now it is not enough, that we own God with the Heart, but we must own him with the Body also: In the Heart, serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling, Psal. 2. 11. Such as will become the Greatness and Goodness of God; with outward and bodily worship you must now own him, in all those prescribed duties in which these Affections are acted. The spirit must be in it, and the body also. There are two extremes, some confine all their respect to God to bodily worship, and external Forms, Mat. 16. 8. This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their hearts are far from me. They use the external Rites of worship; but their Affections are no way suited to the God whom they Worship. It is the Heart must be the principal and chief Agent in the business, ⟨p. 170⟩without which it is but the carcass of a duty without the life and the soul. The other Extreme is, that we are not called to an external bodily worship under the Gospel; why did he then appoint the Ordinances of Preaching, Prayer, Singing of Psalms, Baptism, and the Lords Supper? God that made the whole man, body and soul, must be worshipped of the whole man. Therefore besides the inward Affections, there must be external Actions, whereby we express our Respect and Reverence to God.
IV. That both these, Religious Worship and Service are due to God alone. I prove it by these Arguments.
1. Those things which are due to God as God, are due to him alone, and no Creature without Sacrilege can claim any part and fellowship in that Worship and Adoration, neither can it be given to any Creature without Idolatry: but now Religious worship and service is due to God as God, he is thy Lord, and worship thou him, Psal. 45. 11. Our worship and service is due to him, not only for his supereminent Excellency; but because of our Creation, Preservation and Redemption. Therefore we must worship and serve him, and him only; Isa. 42. 8. I am the Lord, that is my ⟨p. 171⟩name, and my glory will I not give to another, nor my praise to graven Images. God challengeth it as Jehovah, the great self-being, from whom we have received Life and Breath, and all things. This Glory God will not suffer to be given to another. And therefore the Apostle showeth the wretched estate of the Galatians, Chap. 4. 8. When ye knew not God, ye did service to them, that by nature are no Gods; that is, they worshipped for Gods those things, which really were no Gods. There is no kind of Religious worship or service, under any name whatsoever, to be given to any Creature, but to God only; for what is due to the Creator as Creator, cannot be given to the Creature.
1. Those things which are due to God as God, are due to him alone, and no Creature without Sacriledge can claim any part and fellowship in that Worship and Adoration, neither can it be given to any Creature without Idolatry: but now Religious worship and service is due to God as God, he is thy Lord, and worship thou him, Psal. 45. 11. Our worship and service is due to him, not onely for his supereminent Excellency; but because of our Creation, Preservation and Redemption. Therefore we must worship and serve him, and him onely;
2. The nature of Religious worship is such, that it cannot be terminated on any Object, but God; for it is a profession of our Dependence and Subjection. Now whatever invisible Power this worship is tendered unto, must be Omniscient, Omnipresent, Omnipotent. Omniscient who knows the Thoughts, Cogitations, secret purposes of our heart, which God alone doth, 1 King. 8. 39. Give unto every one according to his ways, whose heart thou knowest; for thou, even thou only knowest the ⟨p. 172⟩hearts of all the children of Men. It is Gods Prerogative to know the inward motions and thoughts of the heart, whether they be sincere or no in their professions of dependence and subjection. So Omnipresent, that he may be ready at hand to help us and relieve us, Jer. 23. 23, 24. Am I a God at hand, and not a God afar of? can any hide himself in secret places, that I shall not see him? saith the Lord, do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the Lord. The Palace of Heaven doth not so confine him and enclose him, but that he is present every where by his essential presence, and powerful and efficacious Providence. Besides Omnipotent, Psal. 57. 2. I will cry unto God most high, unto God who performeth all things for me. Alas! what a cold formality were prayer, if we should speak to those that know us not, and who are not near to help us, or have no sufficiency of power to help us? Therefore these professions of dependence and subjection must be made to God alone.
2. The nature of Religious worship is such, that it cannot be terminated on any Object, but God; for it is a profession of our Dependance and Subjection. Now whatever invisible Power this worship is tendered unto, must be Omniscient, Omnipresent, Omnipotent. Omniscient who knowes the Thoughts, Cogitations, secret purposes of our heart, which God alone doth, 1 King. 8. 39. Give unto every one according to his ways, whose heart thou knowest; for thou, even thou onely knowest the ⟨p. 172⟩
3. To give Religious Worship to the Creatures, it is without command, without promise, and without Examples, and therefore without any Faith in the Worshipper, or acceptance of God. Where is there any command or direction, or approved ⟨p. 173⟩example of this in Scripture? God will accept only what he commanded; and without a promise it will be unprofitable to us; and it is a superstitious Innovation of our own, to devise any Religious Worship, for which there is no example at all, whereby it may be recommended to us. Certainly no Action can be commended to us as Godly, which is not prescribed of God, by whose Word and Institution every Action is sanctified, which otherwise would be common; and no Action can be profitable to us, which God hath not promised to accept, or hath accepted from his people. But giving Religious worship to a Creature is of this Nature.
3. To give Religious Worship to the Creatures, it is without command, without promise, and without Examples, and therefore without any Faith in the Worshipper, or acceptance of God. Where is there any command or direction, or approved ⟨p. 173⟩example of this in Scripture? God will accept onely what he commanded; and without a promise it will be unprofitable to us; and it is a superstitious Innovation of our own, to devise any Religious Worship, for which there is no example at all, whereby it may be recommended to us. Certainly no Action can be commended to us as Godly, which is not prescribed of God, by whose Word and Institution every Action is sanctified, which otherwise would be common; and no Action can be profitable to us, which God hath not promised to accept, or hath accepted from his people. But giving Religious worship to a Creature is of this Nature.
4. It is against the express command of God, the Threatening of Scripture, and the Examples recorded in the Word. Against express command of God, both the first, and second Commandments, the one respecting the Object, the other the Means. That we must not serve other Gods, nor go after them, nor bow down unto them. It is against the Threatenings of the Word in all those places, where God is said to be a Jealous God. God is said to put on jealousy as a cloak, Isa. 59. 17. That is the upper and outmost Garment. He will be known, ⟨p. 174⟩and plainly profess himself to be so. So Exod. 34. 14. The Lord, whose name is jealous, is a jealous God. Things are distinguished from the same kind by their Names, as from different kinds by their Natures. Now from the [Greek or Hebrew], God will be distinguished by his Jealousy, that he will not endure any partners in his Worship. It is against Examples, Rev. 19. 10. and 22. 8. When I had heard, and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the Angel, which showed me these things. And he said unto me, see thou do it not, &c. the Argument is, I am thy fellow-servant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book worship God.
4. It is against the express command of God, the Threatning of Scripture, and the Examples recorded in the Word. Against express command of God, both the first, and second Commandments, the one respecting the Object, the other the Means. That we must not serve other Gods, nor go after them, nor bow down unto them. It is against the Threatnings of the Word in all those places, where God is said to be a Iealous God. God is said to put on jealousie as a cloke, Isa. 59. 17. That is the upper and outmost Garment. He will be known, ⟨p. 174⟩and plainly profess himself to be so. So
1. To condemn those, who do not make conscience of the Worship of God. There are an irreligious sort of Men, that never call upon him, in public, or in private; in the Family, or in the Closet; but wholly forget the God that made them, at whose expense they are maintained and kept. Wherefore had you reasonable Souls, but to praise, honour and glorify your Creator? Surely if God be your God, that is, your ⟨p. 175⟩Creator and Preserver, the duty will presently fall upon you, thou shalt worship the Lord thy God. If you believe there is a God, why do not you call upon him? the neglect of his worship argueth doubting thoughts of his Being. For if there be such a supreme Lord, to whom one day you must give an account, how dare you live without him in the World? all the Creatures glorify him passively, but you have a heart and a tongue to glorify him actually. Man is the mouth of the Creation, to return to God the praise of all that Wisdom, Goodness and Power, which is seen in the things that are made. Now you should make one among the worshippers of God. An Heathen could say, si essem luscinia, &c. Are you a Christian, and have such advantages to know more of God? And will you be dumb and tongue-tied in his praises?
1. To condemn those, who do not make conscience of the Worship of God. There are an irreligious sort of Men, that never call upon him, in publick, or in private; in the Family, or in the Closet; but wholly forget the God that made them, at whose expence they are maintained and kept. Wherefore had you reasonable Souls, but to praise, honour and glorifie your Creator? Surely if God be your God, that is, your ⟨p. 175⟩Creator and Preserver, the duty will presently fall upon you, thou shalt worship the Lord thy God. If you believe there is a God, why do not you call upon him? the neglect of his worship argueth doubting thoughts of his Being. For if there be such a supream Lord, to whom one day you must give an account, how dare you live without him in the World? all the Creatures glorifie him passively, but you have a heart and a tongue to glorifie him actually. Man is the mouth of the Creation, to return to God the praise of all that Wisdom, Goodness and Power, which is seen in the things that are made. Now you should make one among the worshippers of God. An Heathen could say, si essem luscinia, &c. Are you a Christian, and have such advantages to know more of God? And will you be dumb and tongue-tyed in his praises?
2, To condemn the Idolatry of the Papists, Synesius said, that the Devil is, [Greek or Hebrew], that he rejoiceth in Idols. Here we see, what was the upshot of his Temptations, even to bring men to worship and bow down before something that is not God. Herein he was gratified by the Heathen Nations, and no less by the Papists; witness ⟨p. 176⟩their worshipping of Images, their Invocation of the Virgin Mary, and other Saints, the adoring before the Bread in the Eucharist, &c. I know they have many Evasions, but yet the stain of Idolatry sticketh so close to them, that all the water in the Sea will not wash them clean from it. This Text clearly stareth them in the face, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. Not Saints, not Angels, not Images, &c. They say Moses only said, and Christ repeateth it from him, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, but not only, so that the last clause is restrictive, not the first; but some worship may be given to the creature. Civil we grant but not Religious, and Worship is the most important word. They distinguish of [Greek or Hebrew] and [Greek or Hebrew]; the devil demanded of Christ only [Greek or Hebrew], fall down and worship me, not as the supreme Author of all Gods Gifts, but as subordinate; all these things are delivered unto me; but then Christs words were not apposite to refute the Tempters Impudency. Besides, for the distinction of [Greek or Hebrew] & [Greek or Hebrew], the words are promiscuously used; so their distinction of Absolute and Relative Worship, besides that they are groundless, they are unknown to the Vulgar, who promiscuously ⟨p. 177⟩give Worship to God, Saints, Images, Relicts. Some of the Learned of them have confessed this abuse and bewailed it; Espencaeus a Sorbonist, Are they well and godly brought up, who being children of an hundred year old, that is, ancient Christians, do no less attribute to the Saints, and trust in them, than to God himself, and that God himself is harder to be pleased and entreated than they? So George Cassander;
2, To condemn the Idolatry of the Papists, Synesius said, that the Devil is, 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, that he rejoyceth in Idols. Here we see, what was the upshot of his Temptations, even to bring men to worship and bow down before something that is not God. Herein he was gratified by the Heathen Nations, and no less by the Papists; witness
This false pernicious Opinion is too well known to have prevailed among the Vulgar, while wicked men, persevering in their naughtiness, are persuaded, that only by the Intercession of the Saints, whom they have chosen to be their Patrons, and worship with cold and profane Ceremonies, they have pardon and Grace prepared them with God; which pernicious Opinion, as much as was possible, hath been confirmed by them by lying Miracles: and other men, not so evil, have chosen certain Saints to be their Patrons and Helpers, have put more confidence in their Merits and Intercession, than in the Merits of Christ, and have substituted into his place the Saints & Virgin Mother. Ludovicus Vives; There are many Christians, which worship Saints both Men and Women, no otherwise than ⟨p. 178⟩they worship God; and I cannot see any difference between the opinion they had of their Saints and that the Gentiles had of their Gods. Thus far he, and yet Rome will not be purged.
This false pernitious Opinion is too well known to have prevailed among the Vulgar, while wicked men, persevering in their naughtiness, are perswaded, that only by the Intercession of the Saints, whom they have chosen to be their Patrons, and worship with cold and prophane Ceremonies, they have pardon and Grace prepared them with God; which pernicious Opinion, as much as was possible, hath been confirmed by them by lying Miracles: and other men, not so evil, have chosen certain Saints to be their Patrons and Helpers, have put more confidence in their Merits and Intercession, than in the Merits of Christ, and have substituted into his place the Saints & Virgin Mother. Ludovicus Vives; There are many Christians, which worship Saints both Men and Women, no otherwise than ⟨p. 178⟩they worship God; and I cannot see any difference between the opinion they had of their Saints and that the Gentiles had of their Gods. Thus far he, and yet Rome will not be purged.
3. Use is to exhort us to worship and serve the Lord our God, and him only.
3. Use is to exhort us to worship and serve the Lord our God, and him onely.
1. Let us worship him. Worship hath its rise and foundation in the heart of the worshipper, and especially Religious worship, which is given to the All-knowing God. Therefore there must we begin, we must have high thoughts, and an high esteem of God. Worship in the Heart is most seen in two things, Love and Trust. Love, Deut. 6. 5. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. We worship God, when we give him such a Love as is superlative and transcendental, far above the love that we give to any other thing; that so our respect to other things may give way to our respect to God. The other Affection whereby we express our esteem of God is Trust; This is another Foundation of worship, Psal. 62. 8. Trust in the Lord at all times, pour out your hearts before him. Well then, inward Worship lieth in these two things, delightful Adhesion to God, and an entire dependence upon him. Without ⟨p. 179⟩this Worship of God we cannot keep up our service to him. Not without delight, witness these Scriptures, Job 27. 10. Will he delight himself in the almighty? will he always call upon God? Isa. 43. 22. But thou hast not called upon me, O Jacob, but thou hast been weary of me, O Israel! They that love God and delight in him, cannot be long out of his Company, they will seek all occasions to meet with God; as Jonathan and David, whose souls were knit to each other. So for dependence and Trust, it keepeth up service, for they that will not trust God, cannot be long true to him; Heb. 3. 12. Take heed lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God. They that distrust Gods Promises, will not long hold out in Gods way; for dependence begets observance: when we look for all from him, we will often come to him, and take all out of his hands, and be careful how we offend him and displease him. What maketh the Christian to be so sedulous and diligent in duties of worship? so awful and observant of God? his All cometh from God, both in life natural, and spiritual. In life natural,
He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him, he will hear their cry, and will save them. The Lord preserveth all them that love him. Implying, That because their eyes are to him the Author of all their blessings, therefore they call upon him and cry to him.
2. Serve him. That implieth external Reverence and Worship. Now we are said to serve him, either with respect unto the duties which are more directly to be performed unto God, or with respect to our whole Conversation.
2. Serve him. That implyeth external Reverence and Worship. Now we are said to serve him, either with respect unto the duties which are more directly to be performed unto God, or with respect to our whole Conversation.
(1.) With respect unto the duties which are more directly to be performed unto God; such as the Word, Prayer, Praise, Thanksgiving, Sacraments. Surely these must be attended upon, because they are Acts of love to God, and Trust in God; and these holy Duties are the ways of God, wherein he hath promised to meet with his people, and hath appointed us to expect his Grace, and therefore they must not be neglected by us. Therefore serve him in these things, for Mar. 4. 24. With what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you. It is a rule of commerce between us and God.
III. That both Worship and Service is due to God, him shalt thou worship, and him shalt thou serve. The worship of God is both Internal and External: The Internal consisteth in that Love and Reverence, which we owe to him; the External in those offices and duties, by which our honour and respect to God is signified and expressed. Both are necessary, both believing with the heart, and confession with the Mouth; Rom. 10. 9, 10. If thou shalt confess with thy ⟨p. 169⟩mouth the Lord Iesus, and shalt believe in thy heart that God raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto Righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. The soul and life of our Worship and Godliness lyeth in our Faith, Love, Reverence, and Delight in God above all other things: the visible expression of it is in Invocation, Thanksgiving, Prayers and Sacraments, and other Acts of outward Worship. Now it is not enough, that we own God with the Heart, but we must own him with the Body also: In the Heart, serve the Lord with fear, and rejoyce with trembling, Psal. 2. 11. Such as will become the Greatness and Goodness of God; with outward and bodily worship you must now own him, in all those prescribed duties in which these Affections are acted. The spirit must be in it, and the body also. There are two extreams, some confine all their respect to God to bodily worship, and external Forms, Mat. 16. 8. This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their hearts are far from me. They use the external Rites of worship; but their Affections are no way suited to the God whom they Worship. It is the Heart must be the principal and chief Agent in the business, ⟨p. 170⟩without which it is but the carcass of a duty without the life and the soul. The other Extream is, that we are not called to an external bodily worship under the Gospel; why did he then appoint the Ordinances of Preaching, Prayer, Singing of Psalmes, Baptisme, and the Lords Supper? God that made the whole man, body and soul, must be worshipped of the whole man. Therefore besides the inward Affections, there must be external Actions, whereby we express our Respect and Reverence to God.
1. Let us worship him. Worship hath its rise and foundation in the heart of the worshipper, and especially Religious worship, which is given to the All-knowing God. Therefore there must we begin, we must have high thoughts, and an high esteem of God. Worship in the Heart is most seen in two things, Love and Trust. Love, Deut. 6. 5. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. We worship God, when we give him such a Love as is superlative and transcendental, far above the love that we give to any other thing; that so our respect to other things may give way to our respect to God. The other Affection whereby we express our esteem of God is Trust; This is another Foundation of worship, Psal. 62. 8. Trust in the Lord at all times, pour out your hearts before him. Well then, inward Worship lyeth in these two things, delightful Adhaesion to God, and an intire dependance upon him. Without ⟨p. 179⟩this Worship of God we cannot keep up our service to him. Not without delight, witness these Scriptures, Iob 27. 10. Will he delight himself in the almighty? will he alwayes call upon God? Isa. 43. 22. But thou hast not called upon me, O Iacob, but thou hast been weary of me, O Israel! They that love God and delight in him, cannot be long out of his Company, they will seek all occasions to meet with God; as Ionathan and David, whose souls were knit to each other. So for dependance and Trust, it keepeth up service, for they that will not trust God, cannot be long true to him; Heb. 3. 12. Take heed lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God. They that distrust Gods Promises, will not long hold out in Gods way; for dependance begets observance: when we look for all from him, we will often come to him, and take all out of his hands, and be careful how we offend him and displease him. What maketh the Christian to be so sedulous and diligent in duties of worship? so awful and observant of God? his All cometh from God, both in life natural, and spiritual. In life natural, Psal. 145. 15, 16, 17, 18. The eyes of all things wait on thee, and thou givest them their food in due season. Thou openest thy hand, ⟨p. 180⟩and satisfiest the desire of every living thing, &c. The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth.