The Light of Faith, Part 2 · Section 7
§. VII. Of the ſeruice of God in generall.
HIth…rto of the inward worſhip3 To ſerue him. of God, or how thou maiſt aright worſhip him for the inward affections of thy heart. The outward worſhip may bee called the ſeruice of God, and it is charged vponupon thee in Deut. 10. 20. and in Mat. 4. 10. Thou ſhalt worſhip the Lord thy God, and him onelyonly ſhalt thou ſerue.
Now God is ſerued with thy perſon, and goods; firſt, with thy perſon, and for direction herein, the Lord in his word hath laid downe certaine rules, ſome generall, which guide thee in all his ſeruice, ſome ſpeciall, theſe pertaine to the ſeuerall parts of his ſeruice, or to a ſpecial time ofWith our perſons. his ſeruice.
The generall are rules of
Preparation.
Execution.
1 For preparation, the approachWhere rules of preparation in all ſeruice. to Gods holineſſe, needs particular addreſſes; our hearts are naturally auerſe from holy duties, and require a ſpeciall fitting and preparing, when wee come to the ordinances of God.
Which is done, when before all ſeruice of God whatſoeuer,
1 Wee commune with our owne hearts, and caſt out the louelove of all ſinne, waſhing our hands in innocency, and preſeruing our vprightneſſe, Pſal. 26. 6. & 24. 4. & 66. 18. Otherwiſe our ſolemne meetings, our prayers, all we doe, will be but a wearineſſe to God, ſuch as hee cannot away with, Eſa. 1. 13. God will not regard his ſeruice, who will regard iniquity in his heart. But if thus thou prepare thy heart, thou ſhalt lift vp thy face before God, Iob 11. 13. 14. 15.
2 We follow Dauids example, before we take vp the duty, ſay, vntounto thee, O Lord, doe I lift vp my ſoule. For the corruption of nature, which we alwaies beare about vsus, is as a weight preſſing vsus downe, and doth eaſily beſet vsus with vn…hearefulneſſe, diſtractions, ſecurity, faſhionableneſſe, and the like, vnderminers of holy affections, Pſal. 25. 1. Heb. 12. 1.
And when before all ſeruiceEſpecially in Gods houſe. in the publique aſſemblies in Gods houſe,
1 Wee looke to our timely comming, to bee preſent with the firſt, flying thither with hunger and thirſt after the meanes, and reſolue on the continuance there, till the bleſſing be put vponupon vsus by the Miniſter. Gods people are a willing people in the day of aſſembling of his armies in holy beauty, Pſal. 110. 3. Eſa. 60. 8. Num. 6. 23. 24. 25. Ezek. 46. 10.
2 We encourage and call on others to goe with ſpeed to ſeeke the Lord, prouoking them by our owne readineſſe, Zach. 8. 22. Eſa. 2. 2. Prophecies that fore. told of the Chriſtians praiſe herein. In theſe two duties, the ſhew is good, though not to doe it for ſhew: in both, thou ſhouldeſt ſecretly grieue for the neglect and contempt of others, Pſal. 119. 136.
3 We looke to our feet when we enter into the houſe of God, that our ſoules be not lifted off from that reuerence we ſhould beare to the Lords moſt holy preſence, either by diſtractions, or by any pompous and ſtately ſhewes of pride in apparell or gate, which doth take off the affections from the feare, wherewith wee ought alwaies to ſerue the Lord, yea, and others affections too: no, looke to both thy feet, Eccleſ. 5. 1. And let the Lord ſee, and all others too, that thou art ready, and commeſt for that purpoſe, to offer an obedient heart and eare to God, and not the fooles ſacrifice, euen a ſeruice, which they thinke muſt pleaſe God, though they obey him not; yea muſt buy at Gods hands a liberty to diſobey, a pardon to liue as they luſt.
2 For the execution, or right diſcharge of all duties ofRules of right execution. ſeruice to God, we muſt remember,
1 To doe all to God onelyonly:Of all ſeruice. Angell-worſhippers hold not the he…d, Mat. 4. 10. Col. 2. 18.
2 To doe all in the name of Chriſt, ſeeing our daily fra…ties, and the euill of our beſt workes, and therfore relying on the merits and interceſſion of Chriſt, to couer them, and preſent them to God, perfumed with the incenſe of his obedience, Col. 3. 17.
3 To ſeeke the face of God and his ſtrength, reſting in his approbation, and taking heed wee doe not our ſeruice for the praiſe of men, or for faſhionſake, Pſal. 105. 4. Mat. 6. 1. 2.
4 To worſhip him with his owne worſhip, according to the patterne receiued from God, not according to the cuſtome of the time, or traditions of men, Heb. 8. 5. 2 Chro. 17. 4. Mat. 15.
5 Not to worſhip him in an Image, Commandement 2. This euill was noted to remaine in the time of Manaſſehs reformation: the people did ſacrifice ſtill in the high places, though to the Lord their God onelyonly, 2 Chro. 33. 17.Eſpecially in his houſe.
And in diſcharge of all ſeruice to God in his houſe, adde theſe rules to the former, that thou mayeſt know how to behaue thy ſelfe in the houſe of God.
1 Let all be done with one conſent, bee of one heart, one mind, one iudgement. Zeph. 3. 11. ſaying, The Lord will teach vsus of his wayes, and we will walke in his pathes, with one mind, and one mouth, gloryfying God. Rom. 15. 6. Eſa. 2. 2.
2 Let a ſpeciall zeale and feruē cy of ſpirit fire thee, & as it were eate thee vp, expreſſed, not ſo much in ſhew of outward geſture, as in louelove to that place, and the ordināces of God in the publike: And an hearty & ready performance of all duties there, with more then ordinarie attention and intention of heart and mind. bee there as a greene Oliue tree, flouriſhing in the affections of godlines, glorying in this mercy of God more then any worldly Doeg doeth in his wealth, and flouriſhing in Kings fauors and courts. Pſal. 69. 9. Pſal. 26. … and 52. 8. 9. And further watching againſt all decayings of theſe ioyes in Gods Ordinances, that we may be fat in our old age and well liking: to ſhew that the Lord is vpright, and that there is no vnrighteouſneſſe in him. Pſal. 92: 13. 14. 15.
Theſe are the Rules of preparation and execution of Gods outward worſhip in the whole: The ſeuerall partes are ſuch as follow.