Burgess - Houston-Packer Collection BT715 .B85 1652

158 Fake Stuns ofGrace._ . Suer. III. that "Sixtintos Among fpeaks ofa Papift, that confeffeth he had need have üage- ,iuntvaldemetaphyfecum, a moft metaphyfical ingeny,.that an underftand all thofe abltraftions and precifions which are requiGre for the fullconception of the manner oftheir worfhip. How do they colour over their worfhipofAngels and Saints, by making a two-fold religious worship , one primary, as to the foun- tain of all excellency,and fothey acknowledge God only to be worfhipped : The other fecondary as to infiruments. andmediators, yet hill they hold it religious. But divineworfhip appointedby God is indìvifible , dike conjugal love. Hence falfe worfhip is fo oftencompared towhoredoms and adulteries, and Gods an- ger to jealoufie. Now isit would beno excufe to a married woman, iffhe com- mit leudneffe with another man, to fay, the keeps her primary love to her huf. band, for that were not lawful, nonotin that woman in the Rory, who yielded herfelfto the lull ofanother, to redeem her husband from captivity, though love to herhusband put her upon this falt,yet it was not ju(liftable ; fo neither can anygood intentions, ora loving heart to Gods gloryand zeal for him,excufe or legitimateany worfhip he bathnot appointed. Takeheed therefore ofplead- mo more intentions, the and a gooyet God (truck him fuddenly dead for that t to be anf. excufable then ZJzza , yet Y greflion ? If people were truly fenfible ofthis, they would not fo revile and rage at a Reformation as they do ; What ismore cheering and rejoycinga true godly min, then to fee the pure adminiftration of all Church -worfhip ? And on the other fide, nothing doth cut and piercethe heart of a carnal fuperftitions man more, then to have his fuperftitions removed : Thenthey think all Religion is re- movedwith it. Well, howfoever thy intentionsare good, as thou faieft, yet God accounts it fo much worship done to Devils. It is faid of feroboam, fluwoe- /hip MO to Devils. Alas did the peoplethink fo ? Were not their intentions for the trueGod ? But God callethit worthpping ofDevils, for all falfeworfhip is brought inby the inftigationof theDevils. p Eighthly, Godunder the New Te/iament bathappointedall his worfhip in a plain of God plain fmplewdy not to pleafe the eye, or affect the heart, but only to draw out the fpiritual and Pimple. exercife ofthefoul. Ínfomuch that it is the molt difficult thing that can be, not to be offended at the fimplicity of Gods worfhip now appointed; 1 am afraid, faith Paul, left as the Serpent beguiledEve, fo yourminderfbould be corrupted from u Co.:'.; thefmplicity of theGofpel of Chr ff. Paul was afraid of this,theDevil is to be fear- ed snore as a glittering fubtil Serpent, then a raging roaring Lion : and in nothing doth-his ferpentine art appear more then in introducing worship that is pompous and ceremonious. As children love to play with babies ; fo do ignorant, carnal peoplewith anexternal fenfible worfhip. And the more fpiritual anyOrdinance, or theadminiulrationofit is, the leffeglorious it is unto a corrupt heart; whereas a gracious heart feethglorious Majefty in fpirituality. Chrilts prefence in the Temple, expounding, informing andrefèroning made thefecond Temple moreglorious then theformer, which did exceed ingold and othermagnificence. As thepaint- ing of a precious jewel hinders the native and proper lutlte ofit, So doth humane pomp added tothe pure inf itutionsof Chrift take offfrom the innate beauty and gloryof them. God indeed inthe Old Teftament appointed a folemn external worfhip, full of fenfibleglory and pomp, but it was becaufe they were infants, and children bad rather have a baby then a rich inheritance. aped therefore in theworfhip of God, that whichmay exercife thy 'faith, heavenly-mindedneffe, and dependency upon God, whichmay makea divine impreffronand Rampupon thy foul, not thatwhich may ravifh thy eyes, and thyears. Why falle Inthenext place, let usconfider, why loch menlo addtâed unto external! fu- worthipand periitions, though they muchadmire themfelves, yet are indeed vain men, and orfhippersare lean uponvain props. t. B,ecaufe alwayrsfilch paiforu;bavexireíúttere3t enmity againft true godlineffe. OutSaviour'and his Difciples'had .nogreater enemies then thefe ofthe Phariúeess.

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