The Light of Faith, Part 2 · Section 6
§. VI. Of the worſhip of God.
THe worſhip of God is either2 To worſhip him. inward or outward: the inward is the life and ſoule of the outward, the acts whereof, no tyrannicall force can hinder, no du…geon can intercept: it is that whereby we come neareſt vntounto God, and which is moſt acceptable to him, who is a ſpirit.
That thou maiſt know how duplicate page duplicate page to ſet vp this worſhip of the true God in thy heart and ſpirit, theſe rules direct.
1 Thou muſt with full purpoſe of heart, cleaue vntounto the Lord, placing all the affections of thy ſoule vponupon him, Act. 11. 23. Ioſh. 23. 8. and f…llow hard after God, Pſal. 63. 8. by the helpe of theſe feet of thy ſoule.
1 By beleeuing in him, receiuing eueryevery part of his word, ſo as to feele the power of it in thine heart, of the Commandements to incite thee, of the threats to t…rrifie and humble thee, of the promiſes to comfort thee; the promiſes both of heauenly and of earthly things: no comming to God but by this beleeuing, Heb. 11. 6. 2 Chro. 20. 20.
2 By affiance and truſt in God, reſting on him, and making him our portion, ſhewed,
1 In committing our ſelues and our waies to him at all times, Pſal. 37. 5. & 10. 14. And in diſtreſſe.
2 In rowling our cares and burdens on him, Pſal. 55. 22.
3 In relying vponupon his aide, not
Truſting to our owne hearts, Pro. 3. 5.
Haſting to ill meanes, Eſa. 28. 16.
Fretting at the proſperity of the wicked, Pſal. 37. 1.
But marke, if thou wouldeſt hauehave God take the care of thee, commit the keeping of thy ſoule to him in wel-doing; and then, is not hee the faithfull Creator? 1 Pet. 4. 1….
3 By hope in God, which is a patient looking for the performance of good things to come, which God hath promiſed, and faith beleeued: expr…ſſed in a quiet and conſtant waiting vponupon God, encouraging the heart in him, Lam. 3. 26. Pſal. 27. 14. Hoſ. 12. 6. and then doe our ſoules waite, when denying our ſelues, wee reſigne vp our ſelues, keepe ſilence to him, abide his leiſure, expect his ſaluation, and the waies of eſcape, which he ſhall offer, without limiting, tempting, preſuming, or ſtaying in ſecond cauſes.
4 By the louelove of God aboue all, teſtified in honouring him, Mal. 1. 6. Longing after his preſence, both in his ordinances, Pſ. 42. 1. & glory to come, 2 Cor. 5. 8
5 By delight in God, Pſal. 37. 4. which hath in it,
1 A ſweetneſſe in the meditation of his mercies and prouidence, Pſal. 104. 34.
2 A ioyfull entertainement of all paſſages of his louelove, eſpecially in the vſe of his ordinances, Cant. 1. 2. As being the very kiſſes of his mouth, whoſe louelove is better then wine.
3 A ſpirituall repleniſhing and ſatiating, ariſing from the ſenſe of his louelove and allowance, in which the heart of the Chriſtian reſteth, when all others diſallow. As a childe thinkes it enough if the father commends him, & cares not then for others diſlike or cheeke, Pſal. 63 5.
4 The extolling and commending of his praiſes and mighty acts, by diſcourſe, and by ſinging of Pſalmes, Pſal. 105. 1. 2
5 A glorying in him, 1 Cor. 1. 31. The height of this grace, when the ſoule can climbe ſo high aboue all inferiour things and delights, as to make her boaſt in the Lord all the day, Pſal. 34. 1. 2.
6 By the feare of God, whichTimor Cu…t…s. Culpae. is two-fold, 1 the feare reuerentiall, whereby wee beare awfull regard to his name, Deut. 28. 58. his iudgements and iuſtice, Pſal. 90. 11. his goodneſſe, Hoſ. 3. 5. his word, Eſa. 66. 2. his mighty and meruailous acts, Reu. 15. 3. 4. Ier. 5. 22. his maieſty in all his worſhip, Pſal. 5, 7. 2 the feare to offend, Pro. 8. 13.
7 By humbling our ſoulesGen. 32. 1…. continually in his ſight, Mic. 6 8. as leſſe then the leaſt of all his merciemercy…, and all the truth he ſheweth to vsus.
8 By powring out our hearts before him on all occaſions, Pſal. 62. 8. In prayers, praiſes, Confeſſions, and complaints, Pſal 142, 2.
9 By obeying him, the ſoule euer yeelded vp to ſubmiſſiue obedience to what he ſhall command.
2 Thou muſt abhorre all Idols, as being the images of iealouſie, Ezek. 8, 5. and the abomination of Deſolation: oh neuer ſet them vp in head or heart!
3 The affections of thy ſoule muſt bee placed on him onelyonly, and on no creature any otherwiſe, then as thou ſe…ſt God in it; and by it mayſt be brought to cleaue to him the more; be it father or mother, brother or ſiſter, wife or childe.
4 The affections of thy ſouleDeut. 6. 4. 5. muſt bee ſet on him in the full and vtmoſt vigor and force of them. Thou muſt louelove him with all thine heart, with all thy ſoule, with all thy might.