Burgess - Houston-Packer Collection BT715 .B85 1652

SHCT.III. Falfe Signs of Grace. 157 fo droufie, lleepy, dull and careleffe, when ye are worfhipping of God, what high contempt is this ? Fourthly, God only may appoint that worfbipwhich he will accept of. The fecond 4. God oneiv Commandment containeth all the inffitutedworfhipof God, and by whatrea- may appoint fon Images are forbidden , by the fame are alfo prohibitedall parts or means the worfhip of worfhip invented by man, though upon fpecious and glorious titles. Hence accech he will accept of. are they fo often blamedfor a way ofworfhip, whichthey chafe of their own heads, and for walking after their own imaginations. The deformity ofan Ape li- eth in being fo like aman, and yet not a man ; fo doth the loathfomneffeof all falfe worfhip lie in this, that it imitateth the worfhip ofGod, but indeed it not fo. Aquilineacknowledgeth that ofSocrates, as goodand true, God muff be worshipped in that way onlyhebath appointed : And thefame Auguflinelayeth down an excellent pbfition, Erreid hocell principiam, quodqueplacent nobiaeriam Dee placere ?roams ; cr quo nobisdifplicent etiamDeo difplicere. Nothing though it feem never fo good, may be added to Gods precepts..Therefore in all worths p, look to a warrant, elfe thylinneis very great. Hence 3oh.4. The Samsritans are faid ro worlhip they knowsot what, becaufe they finde not Gods appointment for what they did. Fifthly, Our Saviourdoth excellentlyand briefly laydown what is accepta- f. What it is to ble worship untohim, +ohn 4.22. Thofe that worfhip him, nuefi worfhip him in Spi- worthip God rit and truth, and asa Father ; Inch woelhippers he feekethfor , though he needeth intheSpirit. them not. To worship God in the Spirit, is to have a fpiritual and holy inward frameof heart in all our addreffes tohim. This is.worfhipping of God ina way the moilof men arenot acquaintedwith : The Jews and Pharifees were general- ly ignorant ofthis; Pars/ faid, Whom Iferve inmySpirit. Oh it is an hard mat- ter tohave a fpiritual man in praier, hearing and other worship ! And indeed this is the foul and lifeof the ferviceof God.. The other way of worship is in truth, which byTome is explained againfl hypocrifie and guileofSpirit ; for this God complainethof, That they drtwed nigh With their months, but their hearts Were farceflew God. Lastly, as a Father,they mullworfhip,though humbly,yer not flaviíhly andfervilely. Seneca fpeakethof the fuperflitious intimidated perlon, that while heworlhipsGod,heprovoketh him, Zuemrelit, violas. Sixthly, Howfoever worship of Gedbecommanded by him, yet filch is the nature of 6. Obedience allmoralduties, that the obec Bence to them is regteiredbefore any infiitntedworship. I to moral duties Will have mercy and not Sacrifice. Goeand learn What e/satmeaneth, faithour Savi- our. Infomuch that comparatively to obedience, God is laid not to command IMF. dwor- thefeat all. And herein Samuelgives Saul a remarkable leffon, Rebellion or dif- obedience is like thefinnrofwitchcraft. ¡it bath/hewed thee, Dman, What is good, to walkhssmbly, to do jnfily, &c. Therefore how diligent and bufie foever thou art inoutward worfhip, yet ifnot obedient to the known Commandments of God, thou canfi not becalled a true worshipper of God. Confider this, you who live ingrosfefins offwearing, lyings, filthy lulls, yet' what a (titre doe you make for outward worfhip and ceremonies notcommanded. If fo be that God be to beworlhipped, whydoth thy tongueblafpheme him by curies? WhyBoth thy bodydifhonour him by filthy defilements ? What haft thou to doe (faith God) to take my words in thy month, and hatefi to be reformed ? Oh remem- ,ber obedience is better then all bowings, inclinations and incurvations of the body ! Seventhly, The heart ofman is exceedingfeebtil and ingenuous topalliate over all 7 Many wife falfe morfhip: Inlomuch that there never were fuperftitious abufes of the worfhip and learned of God, but that there have been learned men, and wife men to plead for them. menhave pica- The Pharifees were accounted the only learned, and knowin g men of the Jews, ded for Ci ' yet who more zealousfor this traditional worship then they ? And thus in Pope- fifth.. ua ryfor their Altar-worship, Imageworfhip, all their pompous adoration. What .heaps of diftinfions have they minted to reprefent them lawfull? Infomueh X3 that

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