kind: and why? Because there was 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 fhould not give fuch epithets and titles commonly to men; for good being due alone to God and godliness, it can only be faid in flattery to fallen man, and therefore finful to be fo faid. This plain and exact life well became him, that was on purpose manifested to return and restore 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 fevere faying, That every idle word that man fhall speak, he shall give an account thereof in the day of judgment. And that which should warn all men of the latitude they take herein, and fufficiently justify our tenderness, is this, That man can fcarcely 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 aspiring, fallen angels, that affected to be greater and better than they were made and ftated 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 Mat. xii. 3. 6. hard to think, how men and women profeffing Christianity, and feriously reflecting upon their vanity and evil in these things, can continue in them, much less plead for them; and least of all, reproach and deride thofe that through tenderness of confcience cannot use and give. them. It seems 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 spirit which lufteth after fuch things. God is to be exalted, and man abafed. God is jealous of man's being fet higher than his ftation: he will have him keep his place, know his original, and remember the rock from whence he came: that what he has is borrowed, not his own, but his Maker's, who brought him forth, and fuftained him, which man is very apt to forget: and left I fhould 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 ufe, I dare not give fuch titles unto men. 6. XXXII. But if we had not this to allege from the Old Teftament writings, it fhould and ought to fuffice with Chriftians, that thefe cuftoms are feverely cenfured by the great Lord and Master of 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 apoftacy? How can ye believe which receive honour one of another, and seek 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 self-love, and defire of honour from men, is inconfiftent with the love and humility of Christ. They fought the good opinion and respect of the world; how then was it poffible they fhould leave all and follow him, whofe kingdom is not of this world; and that came in a way fo cross to the mind and humour of it? And that this was the meaning of our Lord Jefus, is plain: for he tells us, what that honour was, they gave and received, which he condemned them for, and of which he bid the disciples of his humility and cross beware. His words are these, and he fpeaks them not of the rabble, but of the doctors, the great men, the men of honour among the Jews; They love, fays he, the uppermoft rooms at feasts, that is, places of greatest rank and refpect; and greetings, that is, falutations of respect, fuch as pulling off the hat and bowing the body are in our age, in the market-places, viz. in the places of note and concourfe, the public walks • Mat. xxiii. 6. Mark xii. 38. Luke xi. 43. and exchanges of the country. And lastly, They love, fays Chrift, to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi: one of the most eminent titles among the Jews. A word comprehending an excellency equal to many titles: it may ftand for your grace, your lordship, right reverend father, &c. It is upon these men of breeding and quality that he pronounces his woes, making these practices fome of the evil marks, by which to know them, as well as fome of the motives of his threatnings against them. But he leaves it not here: he pursues this very point of honour above all the rest, in his caution to his difciples; to whom he gave in charge thus: But be not ye called Rabbi; for one is your Master, even Chrift, and all ye are brethren. Neither be ye called Masters; but he that is greatest amongst you shall be your fervant: and whofoever fhall exalt himself fhall be abased. Plain it is, that these paffages carry a fevere rebuke, both to worldly honour in general, and to those members and expreffions of it in particular, which, as near as the language of fcripture, and cuftoms of that age will permit, do diftinctly reach and allude to thofe of our own time; for the declining of which, we have fuffered fo much fcorn and abuse, both in our perfons and estates: God forgive the unreasonable authors of it! of §. XXXIII. The apostle Paul has a faying great weight and fervency, in his epiftle to the Romans, very agreeable to this doctrine of Chrift; it is this: I befeech you therefore, Mat. xyiii. 8, 10, 11, 12. brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye pre- Cum fueris Roma, Romano vivito more. But the apoftle is of another mind: he warns the Chriftians of that city, That they be not conformed; that is, that they do not follow the vain fashions and cuftoms of this world, but leave them. The emphafis lies upon this, as well as upon conformed: and it imports, that this world, which they were not to conform to, was the corrupt and degenerate condition of mankind in that age. Wherefore the apostle proceeds to exhort thofe believers, and that by the mercies of God, the most powerful and winning of all arguments, that they would be transformed; that is, changed from the way of life cuftomary among the Romans; and prove what is that acceptable will of God. As if he had faid, Examine what you do and practise; fee if it be right, and • Rom. xii. 1, 2. |