with the fubftance they bestow on fuch an education, they would find a better account in the end. §. XXVIII. But laftly, We cannot esteem bows, titles, and pulling off of hats, to be real honour, because fuch like cuftoms, have been prohibited by God, his Son and fervants in days paft. This I fhall endeavour to shew by three or four exprefs authorities. §. XXIX. My firft example and authority is taken from the ftory of Mordecai and Haman; fo close to this point, that methinks it should at least command filence to the objections frequently advanced against us. Haman was first minister of state, and favourite to king Ahafuerus. The text fays, That the king fet his feat above all the princes that were with him; and all the king's fervants bowed and reverenced Haman; for the king had fo commanded concerning him: but < Mordecai (it feems) bowed not, nor did him rever<ence'.' This, at firft, made ill for Mordecai: a gallows was prepared for him at Haman's command. But the fequel of the story fhews, that Haman proved his own invention, and ended his pride with his life upon it. Well now, fpeaking as the world fpeaks, and looking upon Mordecai without the knowledge of the fuccefs; was not Mordecai a very clown, at least a filly, morofe, and humourous man, to run fuch a hazard for a trifle? What hurt had it done him to have bowed to, and honoured one the king honoured? did he not despise the king, in difregarding Haman? nay, had not the king commanded that refpect? and are not we to honour and obey the king? One would have thought, he might have bowed for the king's fake, whatever he had in his heart, and yet have come off well enough; for that he bowed not merely to Haman, but to the king's authority; befides, it was but an innocent ceremony. But it seems, Mordecai was too plain and ftout, and not fine and fubtil enough to avoid the difpleasure of Haman. ↑ Prov. iii. 9. • Efth. iii. 1, 2. Howbeit, Howbeit, he was an excellent man: he feared God, and wrought righteoufnefs.' And in this very thing alfo, he pleafed God, and even the king too at laft, that had moft caufe to be angry with him: for he advanced him to Haman's dignity; and, if it could be, to greater honour. It is true, fad news firft came; no less than deftruction to Mordecai, and the whole people of the Jews befides, for his fake: but Mordecai's integrity and humiliation, his fafting and ftrong cries to God prevailed, and the people were faved, and poor condemned Mordecai comes, after all, to be exalted above the princes. O this has great doctrine in it, to all those that are in their spiritual exercises and temptations, whether in this or any other refpect! They that endure faithful in that which they are convinced God requires of them, though against the grain and humour of the world, and themselves too, they fhall find a blessed recompence in the end. My brethren, remember the cup of cold water! We fhall reap, if we faint "not:' and call to mind, that our captain bowed not to him that told him, If thou wilt fall down and wor'fhip me, I will give thee all the glory of the world":" fhall we bow then? O no! let us follow our bleffed leader. §. XXX. But before I leave this fection, it is fit I add, that in conference with a late bishop (and none of the leaft eminent) upon this fubject and inftance, I remember he fought to evade it thus: Mordecai (fays he) did not refufe to bow, as it was a teftimony of respect to the king's favourite; but he being a figure and type of Chrift, he refufed it, because Haman was of the uncircumcifion, and ought to bow to him rather. To which I replied; that allowing Mordecai to be à figure of Chrift, and the Jews of God's people or church; and that as the Jews were faved by Mordecai, so the church is faved by Chrift; this makes for me: for then, by that reason, the fpiritual circumcifion, or people of Christ, are not to receive and bow to the fashions and cuftoms of the fpiritual uncircumcifion, who are the children of the world; of which, fuch as were condemnable fo long ago, in the time of the type and figure, Mat. iv. 8, 9. can can by no means be juftifiably received or practifed in the time of the anti-type or fubftance itself. On the contrary, this fhews exprefly, we are faithfully to decline fuch worldly customs, and not to fashion ourselves according to the converfation of earthly-minded people; but be renewed and changed in our ways; and keep close to our Mordecai, who having not bowed, we must not bow, that are his people and followers. And whatever be our fuffering, or reproaches, they will have an end: Mordecai, our captain, that appears for his people throughout all the provinces, in the king's gate, will deliver us at laft; and, for his fake, we shall be favoured and loved of the king himfelf too. So powerful is faithful Mordecai at laft. Therefore let us all look to Jefus, our Mordecai, the Ifrael indeed; he that has power with God, and would not bow in the hour of temptation, but has mightily prevailed; and therefore is a prince for ever, and of his government there fhall never be an end. §. XXXI. The next fcripture-inftance I urge against these customs, is a paffage in Job, thus expreffed; Let me not, I pray you, accept any man's perfon; neither let me give flattering titles unto man, for I know not to give flattering titles; in fo doing my • Maker would foon take me away. The queftion that will arise upon the allegation of this fcripture, is this, viz. What titles are flattering? The answer is as obvious, namely, Such as are empty and fictitious, and make him more than he is. As to call a man what he is not, to please him; or to exalt him beyond his true name, office, or defert, to gain upon his affection; who, it may be, lufteth to honour and refpect: fuch as thefe, Moft excellent, moft facred, your grace, your lordship, moft dread majefty, right honourable, right worshipful, may it please your majefty, your grace, your lordship, your honour, your worship, and the like unneceffary titles and attributes; calculated only to please and tickle poor, proud, vain, yet mortal man. Like wife to call man what he is not, as my lord, my master, · Ifa. ix. 7. Job xxxii, 21, 22. &c, &c. and wife, juft, or good, (when he is neither) only to please him, or fhew him refpect. ; It was familiar thus to do among the Jews, under their degeneracy; wherefore one came to Chrift and faid Good master, what fhall I do to have eternal life"?' It was a falutation or addrefs of respect in those times. It is familiar now good my lord, good fir, good master, do this, or do that. But what was Chrift's answer? how did he take it? Why calleft thou me good?' fays Christ, there is none good fave one, that is God.' He rejected it, that had more right to keep it than all mankind: and why? because there was no one greater than he; and that he faw the man addreffed it to his manhood, after the way of the times, and not his divinity which dwelt within it; therefore Chrift refufes it, fhewing and inftructing us that we should not give fuch epithets and titles commonly to men: for good being due alone to God and godlinefs, it can only be said in flattery to fallen man, and therefore finful to be fo said. This plain and exact life well becaine him that was on purpose manifefted to return and reftore man from his lamentable degeneracy, to the innocency and purity of his first creation, who has taught us to be careful, how we use and give attributes unto man, by that most severe faying, That every idle word that men fhall fpeak, they fhall give an account thereof in the day of judgment".' And that which fhould warn all men of the latitude they take therein, and fufficiently justify our tenderness, is this, that man can scarcely commit greater injury and offence against Almighty God, than to afcribe any of his attributes unto man, the creature of his word, and the work of his hands. He is a jealous God of his honour, and will not give his glory unto another. Befides, it is fo near the fin of the afpiring, fallen angels, that affected to be greater and. better than they were made and stated by the great Lord of all; and to entitle man to a station above his make and orb looks fo like idolatry (the unpardonable fin under the law) that it is hard to think, how men and w Mat. xii, 36. • Luke xvii. 13; 19. women women profeffing Chriftianity, and seriously reflecting upon their vanity and evil in these things, can continue in them, much less plead for them, and leaft of all reproach and deride thofe that through tenderness of conscience cannot use and give them. It feems that Elihu did not dare to do it; but put fuch weight upon the matter, as to give this for one reafon of his forbearance, to wit, Left my Maker fhould foon take me away:' that is, for fear God fhould ftrike me dead, I dare not give man titles, that are above him, or titles merely to please him. I may not, by any means, gratify that fpirit which lufteth after fuch things. God is to be exalted, and man abased. God is jealous of man's being fet higher than his station: he will have him keep his place, know his original, and remember the rock from whence he came and what he has is borrowed, not his own, but his Maker's, who brought him forth, and sustained him; which man is very apt to forget. And left I should be acceffary to it by flattering titles, inftead of telling him truly and plainly what he is, and ufing him as he ought to be treated, and thereby provoke my Maker to displeasure, and he, in his anger and jealoufy, fhould take me foon away, or bring fudden death, and an untimely end upon me, I dare not use, I dare not give, fuch titles unto men. §. XXXII. But if we had not this to alledge from the old-teftament-writings, it fhould and ought to fuffice with Christians, that these customs are feverely cenfured by the great Lord and Master of all their religion; who is fo far from putting people upon giving honour one to another, that he will not indulge them in it, whatever be the customs of the country they live in: for he charges it upon the Jews, as a mark of their apoftafy: How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and feek not the honour that cometh from God only?'. Where their infidelity concerning Christ is made the effect of feeking worldly, and not heavenly honour only. And the thing is not hard to apprehend, if we confider, that felf-love, and defire of honour from men, is inconfiftent with the love and hu |