The Marrow of the Oracles of God, Chapter 9
CHAP. IX.
Shewing how we should carry our selues in Gods house.
HItherto of the Rules to be obserued in all parts of Gods worship generally.
The speciall Rules concerne, Rules about the publike worship of God.either Gods publike worship in his house; or else the particu…ar parts of Gods worship each by themselues.
The godly Christian ought with all care to lay before him the Rules that binde him to the good behauiour in Gods house, and to striue to fashion his nature and practice, as may become the glorie of Gods publike seruice and presence; and so there be diuers things which in a speciall manner he must looke to, in performing Gods publike seruice.
For cōcerning these publike duties, these rules must be obserued.
First, that all sorts and degrees 1. All must come.of men must appeare before God publikely to do him homage and seruice. None must be spared or freed; men, women, and children must all take notice of it, that they are bound hereunto, Deut. 31. 11, 12.
Secondly, we must come our selues with all possible reuerence, 2. With all possible reuerence.and looke to our feete when we enter into the house of God, and striue to shew before all men our most carefull respect of God and his holy Ordinances. For God will be sanctified in them that come nigh him; and he lookes for it at our hands, by our reuerent behauiour, to be glorified before all the people, Leu. 10. 3. Eccl. 5. 1. Wee should then shew a most holy feare of Gods name and presence, Psal. 5. 7.
Thirdly, in publike duties that 3. And zealeof the Prophet Dauid should be true of vsus: The zeale of Gods house should eate vsus vp, Ps. 69. 9. and this And this zeale wee sh…uld shew sixe wayes.speciall zeale we should shew,
1. By louing Gods house aboue all the places in the world: Our hearts should be fired in vsus in th… respect, that we may truly say with Dauid, O how I louelove thy house, Psal. 2…. 8.
2. By confirming our owne hearts in a resolution, to resort to Gods house with ioy and gladnesse, notwithstanding the scornes & oppositions of worldly men and persons.
3. By stirring vp others with all importunitie to goe vp with them to worship God in Sion, Esay 2. 2.
4. By making haste to Gods worship, going to the house of God with the first, and with willing hearts, with an holy thirst after the meanes, flocking and flying thither as the clouds, or as so many doues to their windowes, Zach. 8. 22. Psal. 110. 3. Esay 35. 1. and 60. 8.
5. By forwardnesse and chearefulnesse, in contributing towards the maintenance of Gods house and seruice in the meanes thereof, Esay 60. 8, 9.
6. By grieuing heartily, because other men neglect or contemne the house of God, and hauehave no more minde to keepe Gods law, Psal. 119. 136.
Thus of that speciall zeale we should shew about Gods publike worship.
Fourthly, wee should in all 4. With one consent.publike duties serue God with one consent and one heart. There should appeare in Gods seruants a wonderfull desire of vnanimity and concord. They should serue the Lord with one shoulder, that when they speake to God, it may be as the voice of one man; when the Lord speakes to them, they should heare with one heart. It is a maruellous glory in Religion, when people can come once to this, to serue the Lord with one shoulder, Zeph. 3. 9.
Lastly, in the 52. Psalm. v. 8, 9. Three other rules gathered out of the Ps. 52. 8, 9.wee may gather three other rules, which in a speciall manner fit vsus for a right behauiour in Gods house.
First, we should alwayes be as greene Oliue trees in the house of the Lord. Howsoeuer it goe with men in the world, yet when wee come before the Lord, our hearts shall reioyce and reuiue, and our spirits be fresh & cheerfull, and our affections should be healed of all the cares or distempers were before in them: Gods Ordinances should hauehave such a power ouer vsus, as to make a sudden fresh spring of desires and holy thoughts in vsus. There is this power in the Ordinances of God to effect this, if the fault be not in vsus: I meane, when these Ordinances are exercised in the power and life of them.
Secondly, wee must trust on the merciemercy of God, bringing an heart readie to beleeue euerie good Word of God: resoluing, that if the Lord will speake comfortably to his seruants, wee will not dishonour his consolations, through carelesnesse, or vnbeliefe; but receiue them with all our hearts, and establish our selues in the safe-keeping of his good Word.
Thirdly, wee must resolue to be thankefull, with all tendernesse, for all experiences of Gods presence and goodnesse toward vsus in the meanes, vowing with Dauid, to praise him for euer for them. And if the Lord doe withhold his power and presence for a time, so as we feele not the effectualnesse of his ordinances: yet wee should resolue without distemper, to waite vponupon the Lord, and obserue him according to the seasons of his grace.