Existence and Attributes of God, Discourse 4 (1 of 3)

Existence and Attributes of God · Discourse 4 (1 of 3)

p. 129A DISCOURSE OF Spiritual Worſhip.

HAVING thus diſpatcht the firſt propoſition, God is a Spirit; It will not be amiſs to handle the inference our Saviour makes from that propoſition, which is the ſecond obſervation propounded.

Doct. That the Worſhip due from us to God ought to be Spiritual and Spiritually performed.

Spirit and Truth are underſtood variouſly. Either we are to Worſhip God,

1. Not by legal ceremonies. The Evangelical adminiſtration, being called Spirit in oppoſition to the legal ordinances as carnal; and Truth in oppoſition to them as typical. As the whole Judaical ſervice is called fleſh; ſo the whole Evangelical ſervice is called Spirit. Or Spirit may be oppoſed to the worſhip at Jeruſalem, as it was carnal; Truth, to the worſhip on the Mount Gerizim, becauſe it was falſe. They had not the true object of worſhip, nor the true Medium of worſhip as thoſe at Jeruſalem had. Their worſhip ſhould ceaſe, becauſe it was falſe; and the Jewiſh worſhip ſhould ceaſe, becauſe it was carnal.

There is no need of a Candle, when the Sun ſpreads it beams in the Air; no need of thoſe Ceremonies, when the Sun of righteouſneſs appeared: They only ſerved for Candles to inſtruct and direct men till the time of his coming. The ſhadows are chaſed away by the diſplaying the ſubſtance, ſo that they can be of no more uſe in the worſhip of God, ſince the end for which they were inſtituted, is expired; and that diſcovered to us in the Goſpel which the Jews ſought for in vain, among the baggage and ſtuff of their Ceremonies.

2. With a Spiritual and ſincere frame. In Spirit, i. e. with Spirit; with the inward operations of all the faculties of our Souls, and the cream and flower of them: And the reaſon is, becauſe there ought to be a worſhip ſutable to the nature of God. And as the worſhip was to be Spiritual, ſo the exerciſe of that worſhip ought to be in a Spiritual manner.**Lingend. Tom. 2. p. 777. It ſhall be a worſhip in Truth, becauſe the true God ſhall be adored without thoſe vain imaginations, and phantaſtick reſemblances of him,**Taylors Exemplar Preface § 30. which were common among the blind Gentiles, and contrary to the glorious nature of God, and unworthy ingredients in Religious ſervices. It ſhall be a worſhip in Spirit, without thoſe carnal rites the degenerate Jews reſted on: Such a poſture of Soul which is the life and ornament of every ſervice God looks for at your hands: There muſt be ſome proportion between the object adored and the manner in which we adore it. It muſt not be a meer Corporeal worſhip, becauſe God is not a body; but it muſt riſe from the Center of our Soul, becauſe God is a Spirit. If he were a body, a bodily worſhip might ſute him, Images might be fit to repreſent him; but being a Spirit, our bodily ſervices enter us not into communion with him. Being a Spirit we muſt baniſh from our minds all carnal imaginations of him, and ſeparate from our Wills all cold and diſſembled affections to him. We muſt not only have a loud voice, but an elevated Soul; not only a bended knee, but a broken heart; not only a ſupplicating tone, but a groaning Spirit; not only a ready ear for the word, but a receiving heart; and this ſhall be of greater value with him, than p. 130the moſt coſtly outward ſervices offered at Gerizim or Jeruſalem.

Our Saviour certainly meant not by worſhipping in Spirit, only the matter of the Evangelical ſervice, as oppoſed to the legal adminiſtration, without the manner wherein it was to be performed. Tis true, God always ſought a worſhip in Spirit; he expected the heart of the worſhipper ſhould joyn with his inſtituted rights of adoration in every exerciſe of them: But he expects ſuch a carriage more under the Goſpel adminiſtration, becauſe of the clearer diſcoveries of his nature made in it, and the greater aſſiſtances conveyed by it.

I ſhall therefore,

1. Lay down ſome general propoſitions.

2. Shew what this Spiritual worſhip is.

3. Why we muſt offer to God a Spiritual ſervice.

4. The Ʋſe.

1. Some general propoſitions.

Propoſition, 1. Firſt. The right exerciſe of worſhip is founded upon and riſeth from the Spirituality of God. **Ames medul. lib. 2. cap. 4. § 20.The firſt ground of the worſhip we render to God, is the infinite excellency of his nature, which is not only one attribute, but reſults from all: For God, as God, is the object of worſhip; and the Notion of God conſiſts not in thinking him wiſe, good, juſt, but all thoſe infinitely beyond any Conception. And hence it follows that God is an object infinitely to beloved and honoured. His goodneſs is ſometimes ſpoken of in Scripture as a motive of our homage. Pſal. 130.4. There is forgiveneſs with thee that thou maiſt be feared. Fear in the Scripture dialect ſignifies the whole worſhip of God. Acts 10.35. But in every Nation he that fears him is accepted of him.**So 2 Kings 17.32, 33.2 Kgs 17:322 Kgs 17:33 If God ſhould act towards men according to the rigors of his Juſtice due to them for the leaſt of their Crimes, there could be no exerciſe of any affection but that of deſpair, which could not engender a worſhip of God which ought to be joyned with love, not with hatred. The beneficence and patience of God and his readineſs to pardon men is the reaſon of the honour they return to him. And this is ſo evident a motive, that generally the Idolatrous world rankt thoſe Creatures in the number of their Gods, which they perceived uſeful and neficial to man-kind; as the Sun and Moo…, the Aegyptians the Ox, &c. And the more beneficial any thing appeared to mankind, the higher ſtation men gave it in the rank of their deities, and beſtowed a more peculiar and ſolemn worſhip upon it. Men worſhipped God to procure or continue his favour, which would not have been acted by them, had they not conceived it a pleaſing thing to him to be merciful and gracious.

Sometimes his Juſtice is propoſed to us as a motive of worſhip, Heb. 12.28, 29. Serve God with Reverence and Godly fear, for our God is a conſuming fire; which includes his holineſs, whereby he doth hate ſin, as well as his wrath, whereby he doth puniſh it. Who but a mad and totally brutiſh perſon, or one that was reſolved to make war againſt heaven, could behold the effects of Gods anger in the world, conſider him in his Juſtice as a conſuming fire, and deſpiſe him, and rather be drawn out by that conſideration to blaſphemy and deſpair, than to ſeek all ways to appeaſe him? Now tho the infinite power of God, his unſpeakable wiſdom, his incomprehenſible goodneſs, the holineſs of his nature, the vigilance of his Providence, the bounty of his hand ſignifie to man, that he ſhould love and honour him, and are the motives of worſhip; yet the Spirituality of his nature is the rule of worſhip, and directs us to render our duty to him with all the powers of our Soul. As his goodneſs beams out upon us, worſhip is due in Juſtice to him; and as he is the moſt excellent nature, veneration is due to him in the higheſt manner with the choiceſt affections.

So that indeed the Spirituality of God comes chiefly into conſideration in matter of worſhip: All his perfections are grounded upon this: He could not be infinite, immutable, omniſcient if he were a Corporeal being:**Amirald diſſert. 6. diſp. 1. pa. 11. We cannot give him a worſhip unleſs we Judge him worthy, excellent and deſerving a worſhip at our hands: And we cannot Judge him worthy of a worſhip, unleſs we have ſome apprehenſions and admirations of his infinite vertues: And we cannot apprehend and admire thoſe perfections, but as we ſee them as cauſes ſhining in their effects. When we ſee therefore the frame of the world to be the work of his power; the order of p. 131the world to be the fruit of his wiſdom, and the uſefulneſs of the world to be the product of his goodneſs: We find the motives and reaſons of worſhip; and weighing that this power, wiſdom, goodneſs, infinitely tranſcend any corporeal nature; we find a rule of worſhip, that it ought to be offered by us in a manner ſutable to ſuch a nature, as is infinitely above any bodily Being. His being a Spirit declares what he is, his other perfections declare what kind of Spirit he is. All Gods perfections ſuppoſe him a Spirit; all center in this: His wiſdom doth not ſuppoſe him merciful, or his mercy ſuppoſe him omniſcient: There may be diſtinct notions of thoſe, but all ſuppoſe him to be of a ſpiritual nature. How cold and frozen will our devotions be, if we conſider not his omniſcience, whereby he diſcerns our hearts? How carnal will our ſervices be, if we conſider him not as a pure Spirit?**Amyraut de Relig. In our offers to, and tranſactions with men, we deal not with them as meer Animals, but as rational Creatures; and we debaſe their natures if we treat them otherwiſe: And if we have not raiſed apprehenſions of Gods ſpiritual nature in our treating with him, but allow him only ſuch frames as we think fit enough for men; we debaſe his ſpirituality to the littleneſs of our own Being: We muſt therefore poſſeſs our Souls with this, we ſhall elſe render him no better than a fleſhly ſervice. We do not much concern our ſelves in thoſe things, of which we are either utterly ignorant, or have but ſlight apprehenſions of.

That is the firſt Propoſition; The right exerciſe of worſhip is grounded upon the ſpirituality of God.

Propoſ. 2. This ſpiritual worſhip of God is manifeſt by the light of Nature, to be due to him. In reference to this, conſider,

1. The outward means or matter of that worſhip which would be acceptable to God, was not known by the light of Nature. The Law for a Worſhip, and for a ſpiritual worſhip, by the faculties of our Souls was natural, and part of the Law of Creation; though the determination of the particular acts, whereby God would have this homage teſtified, was of poſitive inſtitution, and depended not upon the Law of Creation Though Adam in Innocence knew God was to be worſhipped; yet by Nature he did not know by what outward acts he was to pay this reſpect, or at what time he was more ſolemnly to be exerciſed in it than at another: This depended upon the directions God as the ſoveraign Governour and Law-giver ſhould preſcribe. You therefore find the poſitive inſtitutions of the Tree of the knowledge of Good and Evil, and the determination of the time of worſhip, Gen. 2.3.17. Had there been any ſuch notion in Adam naturally, as ſtrong as that other, that a worſhip was due to God, there would have been found ſome reliques of theſe modes univerſally conſented to by Mankind, as well as of the other: But though all Nations have by an univerſal conſent concurred in the acknowledgment of the Being of God, and his right to adoration, and the obligation of the Creature to it; and that there ought to be ſome publick rule and polity in matters of Religion; (for no Nation hath been in the world without a worſhip, and without external acts and certain ceremonies to ſignifie that worſhip) yet their modes and rites have been as various as their climates, unleſs in that common notion of ſacrifices, not deſcending to them by nature, but tradition from Adam; and the various ways of worſhip have been more provoking than pleaſing: Every Nation ſuted the kind of worſhip to their particular ends and polities they deſigned to rule by. How God was, to be worſhipped, is more difficult to be diſcerned by Nature with its eyes out, than with its eyes clear.**King on Jonah. P. 63. The pillars upon which the worſhip of God ſtands, cannot be diſcerned without revelation, no more than blind Sampſon could tell where the pillars of the Philiſtians Theatre ſtood, without one to conduct him. What Adam could not ſee with his ſound eyes, we cannot with our dim eyes; He muſt be told from Heaven, what worſhip was fit for the God of Heaven. 'Tis not by Nature that we can have ſuch a full proſpect of God as may content and quiet us; This is the noble effect of Divine Revelation; He only knows himſelf, and can only make himſelf known to us. It could not be ſuppoſed, that an infinite God ſhould have no perfections but what were viſible in the works of his hands; and that theſe perfections ſhould not be infinitely greater, than as they were ſenſible in their preſent effects: This had been to apprehend God a limited Being, meaner than he is. Now 'tis impoſſible to honour God as we ought, unleſs we know him as he is; and we could not know him as he is, without p. 132divine revelation from himſelf; for none but God can acquaint us with his own nature: And therefore the nations void of this conduct, heapt up modes of worſhip from their own imaginations, unworthy of the Majeſty of God, and below the nature of man: A rational man would ſcarce have owned ſuch for ſigns of honour, as the Scripture mentions in the ſervices of Baal and Dagon. Much leſs an infinitely wiſe and glorious God: And when God had ſignified his mind to his own people, how unwilling were they to reſt ſatisfied with Gods determination, but would be warping to their own inventions, and make Gods, and wayes of worſhip to themſelves?**Amos 5.26.Amos 5:26 As in the matter of the Golden Calf, as was lately ſpoken of.

2. Tho the outward manner of worſhip acceptable to God, could not be known without revelation, and thoſe revelations might be various; yet the inward manner of worſhip with our Spirits was manifeſt by nature. And not only manifeſt by nature to Adam in Innocence, but after his fall, and the ſcales he had brought upon his underſtanding by that fall. When God gave him his poſitive inſtitutions before the fall, or whatſoever additions God ſhould have made, had he perſiſted in that ſtate; or when he appointed him after his fall to teſtifie his acknowledgment of him by Sacrifices, there needed no Command to him to make thoſe acknowledgments by thoſe outward wayes preſcribed to him, with the intention and prime affection of his Spirit: This nature would inſtruct him in without revelation: For he could not poſſibly have any ſemblance of reaſon to think, that the offering of beaſts, or the preſenting the firſt fruits of the increaſe of the ground, as an acknowledgment of Gods Soveraignty over him and his bounty to him, was ſufficient without devoting to him that part wherein the Image of his Creator did conſiſt: He could not but diſcerne by a reflection upon his own being, that he was made for God as well as by God: [For it is a natural principle, of which the Apoſtle ſpeaks, Rom. 11.36. For of him and through him and to him are all things, &c.] That the whole, whereof he did conſiſt was due to God; and that his Body, the dreggy and duſty part of his nature, was not fit to be brought alone before God, without that nobler principle, which he had by Creation linkt with it. Nothing in the whole law of nature, as it is informed of Religion, was clearer next to the being of God, than this manner of worſhipping God with the mind and Spirit. And as the Gentiles never ſunk ſo low into the mud of Idolatry, as to think the Images they worſhipped were really their Gods, but the repreſentations, or habitations of their Gods; ſo they never deſerted this principle in the Notion of it, that God was to be honoured with the beſt they were, and the beſt they had: As they never denyed the being of a God in the Notion, tho they did in the practiſe; ſo they never rejected this principle in Notion, tho they did, and now moſt men do, in the inward obſervation of it: It was a maxime among them that God was mens, animus, mind and Spirit, and therefore was to be honoured with the mind and Spirit: That religion did not conſiſt in the Ceremonies of the body, but the work of the Soul; Whence, the ſpeech of one of them;**Menander. Grot. de veritat relig. lib. 4. § 12. Sacrifice to the Gods not ſo much clothed with purple garments as a pure heart: And of another. God regards not the multitude of the Sacrifices, but the diſpoſition of the Sacrificer. Tis not fit we ſhould deny God the Cream and Flower,**Jamblick and give him the flotten part and the ſtalks. And with what Reverence and intention of mind they thought their worſhip was to be performed, is evident by the Prieſts crying out often, hoc age, Mind this, let your Spirits be intent upon it.

This could not but reſult

(1.) From the knowledge of our ſelves. Tis a natural principle, God hath made us and not we our ſelves, Pſal. 100.1, 2. Man knows himſelf to be a rational Creature: As a Creature he was to ſerve his Creator, and as a rational Creature with the beſt part of that rational nature he derived from him. By the ſame act of reaſon that he knows himſelf to be a Creature, he knows himſelf to have a Creator: That this Creator is more excellent than himſelf, and that an honour is due from him to the Creator for framing of him; and therefore this honour was to be offered to him by the moſt excellent part which was framed by him. Man cannot conſider himſelf as a thinking, underſtanding being; but he muſt know that he muſt give God the honour of his thoughts, and worſhip him with thoſe faculties whereby he Thinks, Wills, and Acts.**Amiraut. Mor. Tom. 1. pa. 309. 310. He muſt know his faculties were given him to act, and to act for the glory of that God who gave him his Soul and the faculties of it; and he p. 133could not in reaſon think they muſt be only active in his own ſervice, and the ſervice of the Creature, and idle and unprofitable in the ſervice of his Creator. With the ſame Powers of our Soul whereby we contemplate God, we muſt alſo worſhip God: We cannot think of him but with our Minds, nor love him but with our Will; and we cannot worſhip him without the acts of thinking and loving, and therefore cannot worſhip him without the exerciſe of our inward faculties: How is it poſſible then for any man that knows his own nature, to think that extended hands, bended knees and lifted up eyes were ſufficient acts of worſhip, without a quickned and active Spirit?

(2) From the knowledge of God. As there was a knowledge of God by nature, ſo the ſame nature did dictate to Man that God was to be glorified as God: The Apoſtle implies the inference in the charge he brings againſt them for neglecting it. We ſhould ſpeak of God as he is, ſaid one**Bias.;Rom. 1.21.Rom 1:21 and the ſame reaſon would inform them that they were to act towards God as he is. The excellency of the Object required a worſhip according to the dignity of his Nature; which could not be anſwered but by the moſt ſerious inward affection, as well as outward decency; and a want of this, cannot but be judged to be unbecoming the Majeſty of the Creator of the world, and the excellency of Religion. No Nation, no perſon did ever aſſert, that the vileſt part of man was enough for the moſt excellent Being, as God is: That a bodily ſervice could be a ſufficient acknowledgment of the greatneſs of God, or a ſufficient return for the bounty of God.**Amyraut Ib. Man could not but know that he was to act in Religion, conformably to the Object of Religion, and to the excellency of his own Soul: The notion of a God was ſufficient to fill the mind of man with admiration and reverence, and the firſt concluſion from it would be to honour God, and that he have all the affection placed on him, that ſo infinite and ſpiritual a Being did deſerve: The progreſs then would be, that this excellent Being was to be honoured with the motions of the Underſtanding and Will; with the pureſt and moſt ſpiritual powers in the nature of man; becauſe he was a ſpiritual Being, and had nothing of matter mingled with him. Such a brutiſh imagination, to ſuppoſe that blood and fumes, beaſts and incenſe could pleaſe a Deity without a ſpiritual frame, cannot be ſuppoſed to befal any but thoſe that had loſt their reaſon in the rubbiſh of ſenſe. Meer rational nature could never conclude, that ſo excellent a Spirit would be put off with a meer animal ſervice; an attendance of matter and body without Spirit, when they themſelves of an inferior nature, would be loath to ſit down contented with an outſide ſervice from thoſe that belong to them: So that this inſtruction of our Saviour, that God is to be worſhipped in Spirit and Truth, is conformable to the ſentiments of nature, and drawn from the moſt undeniable principles of it. The excellency of Gods nature, and the excellent conſtitution of human faculties, concur naturally to ſupport this perſwaſion: This was as natural to be known by men, as the neceſſity of Juſtice and Temperance for the ſupport of human ſocieties and bodies. 'Tis to be feared that if there be not among us ſuch brutiſh apprehenſions, there are ſuch brutiſh dealings with God in our ſervices againſt the light of nature; when we place all our worſhip of God in outward attendances and drooping countenances, with unbelieving frames and formal devotions; when Prayer is muttered over in private ſlightly, as a Parrot learns leſſons by rote, not underſtanding what it ſpeaks, or to what end it ſpeaks it; not glorifying God in Thought and Spirit, with Underſtanding and Will.

3. Spiritual Worſhip therefore was always required by God, and always offered to him by one or other. Man had a perpetual obligation upon him to ſuch a worſhip from the nature of God, and what is founded upon the nature of God is unvariable. This and that particular mode of worſhip may wax old as a Garment, and as a Veſture may be folded up and changed, as the expreſſion is of the Heavens**Heb. 1.11, 12.Heb 1:11Heb 1:12: But God endures for ever; his ſpirituality fails not, therefore a worſhip of him in Spirit muſt run through all ways and rites of Worſhip. God muſt ceaſe to be Spirit, before any ſervice but that which is ſpiritual, can be accepted by him. The light of Nature is the light of God; the light of nature being unchangeable, what was dictated by that, was alway and will alway be required by God. The worſhip of God being perpetually due from the Creature, the worſhipping him as God is as perpetually his right. Though the outward expreſſions of this Honour were different, one way p. 134in Paradice (for a worſhip was then due, ſince a ſolemn time for that worſhip was appointed) another under the Law, another under the Goſpel; the Angels alſo worſhip God in Heaven, and fall down before his Throne; yet though they differ in rites, they agree in this neceſſary ingredient: All rites though of a different ſhape, muſt be offered to him, not as Carcaſſes, but animated with the affections of the Soul. Abels Sacrifice had not been ſo excellent in Gods eſteem, without thoſe gracious habits and affections working in his Soul**Heb. 11.4.Heb 11:4. Faith works by Love; his heart was on fire as well as his Sacrifice. Cain reſted upon his Preſent, perhaps thought he had obliged God; he depended upon the outward Ceremony, but ſought not for the inward purity: It was an offering brought to the Lord**Gen. 4.5.Gen 4:5; he had the right object but not the right manner, Gen. 4.7. If thou doſt well, ſhalt thou not be accepted? And in the Command afterwards to Abraham, Walk before me, and be thou perfect, was the direction in all our religious acts and walkings with God. A ſincere act of the Mind and Will, looking above and beyond all Symbolls; extending the Soul to a pitch far above the Body, and ſeeing the day of Chriſt through the vail of the Ceremonies, was required by God: And though Moſes by Gods order had inſtituted a multitude of carnal Ordinances, Sacrifices, Waſhings, Oblations of ſenſible things, and recomended to the people the diligent obſervation of thoſe Statutes by the allurements of promiſes, and denouncing of threatnings; as if there were nothing elſe to be regarded, and the true workings of Grace were to be buried under a heap of Ceremonies; yet ſometimes he doth point them to the inward worſhip, and by the Command of God, requires of them the Circumciſion of the Heart, Deut. 10.16. the turning to God with all their heart, and all their Soul, Deut. 30.10. whereby they might recollect, that it was the engagement of the Heart, and the worſhip of the Spirit that was moſt agreeable to God; and that he took not any pleaſure in their obſervance of Ceremonies, without true Piety within, and the true purity of their thoughts.

4. 'Tis therefore as much every mans duty to worſhip God in Spirit, as it is their duty to worſhip him. Worſhip is ſo due to him as God, as that he that denies it, diſowns his Deity: And ſpiritual worſhip is ſo due, that he that waves it denies his ſpirituality. 'Tis a debt of Juſtice we owe to God to worſhip him, and it is as much a debt of Juſtice to worſhip him according to his Nature. Worſhip is nothing elſe but a rendring to God the honour that is due to him; and therefore the right poſture of our Spirits in it, is as much or more due, than the material worſhip in the modes of his own preſcribing; that is grounded both upon his Nature, and upon his Command; this only upon his Command; that is perpetually due, whereas the Channel wherein outward worſhip runs may be dryed up, and the River diverted another way: Such a worſhip wherein the mind thinks of God, feels a ſenſe of God, has the Spirit conſecrated to God, the Heart glowing with affections to God: 'Tis elſe a mocking God with a feather. A rational Nature muſt worſhip God with that wherein the Glory of God doth moſt ſparkle in him. God is moſt viſible in the frame of the Soul, 'tis there his Image glitters: He hath given us a Jewel as well as a Caſe, and the Jewel as well as the Caſe we muſt return to him: The Spirit is Gods gift, and muſt return to him **Eccl. 12.7.Eccl 12:7: It muſt return to him in every ſervice morally, as well as it muſt return to him at laſt phyſically. 'Tis not fit we ſhould ſerve our Maker only with that which is the Brute in us, and withold from him that which doth conſtitue us reaſonable Creatures; we muſt give him our bodies, but a living Sacrifice **Rom. 12.1.Rom 12:1. If the Spirit be abſent from God when the Body is before him, we preſent a dead Sacrifice; 'Tis morally dead in the duty, though it be naturally alive in the poſture and action. 'Tis not an indifferent thing whether we ſhall worſhip God or no, nor is it an indifferent thing whether we ſhall worſhip him without Spirits or no: As the excellency of mans knowledge conſiſts in knowing things as they are in Truth; ſo the excellency of the Will in willing things as they are in goodneſs. As it is the excellency of Man to know God as God; ſo it is no leſs his excellency, as well as his duty, to honour God as God. As the obligation we have to the Power of God for our Being, binds us to a worſhip of him; ſo the obligation we have to his bounty for faſhioning us according to his own Image, binds us to an exerciſe of that part wherein his Image doth conſiſt. God hath made all things for himſelf, Pro. 16.4. that is, for the evidence of his own goodneſs and wiſdom: We are therefore to render him p. 135a glory according to the the excellency of his nature, diſcovered in the frame of our own. Tis as much our ſin not to glorifie God as God, as not to attempt the glorifying of him at all: Tis our ſin not to worſhip God as God, as well as to omit the teſtifying any reſpect at all to him. As the divine nature is the object of worſhip, ſo the Divine perfections are to be honoured in worſhip: We do not honour God if we honour him not as he is; we honour him not as a Spirit, if we think him not worthy of the ardors and raviſhing admirations of our Spirits. If we think the Devotions of the body are ſufficient for him, we contract him into the condition of our own being; and not only deny him to be a Spiritual nature, but daſh out all thoſe perfections which he could not be poſſeſſed of, were he not a Spirit.

5. The Ceremonial law was aboliſht to promote the Spirituality of Divine worſhip. That ſervice was groſs, carnal, calculated for an infant and ſenſitive Church: It conſiſted in rudiments, the Circumciſion of the fleſh, the blood and ſmoak of Sacrifices, the ſteams of incenſe, obſervation of days, diſtinction of meats, Corporal purifications; every leaf of the law is clogged with ſome rite to be particularly obſerved by them: The Spirituality of worſhip lay veild under a thick clo…ld, that the people could not behold the glory of the Goſpel, which lay covered under thoſe ſhadows, 2 Cor. 3.13. They could not ſtedfaſtly look to the …d of that which is aboliſhed: They underſtood not the Glory and Spiritual intent of the law and therefore came ſhort of that Spiritual frame in the worſhip of God, which was their duty. And therefore in oppoſition to this adminiſtration, the worſhip of God under the Goſpel is called by our Saviour in the Text, a worſhip in Spirit; more Spiritual for the matter, more Spiritual for the motives, and more Spiritual for the manner and frames of worſhip.

(1.) This legal ſervice is called fleſh in Scripture, in oppoſition to the Goſpel which is called Spirit. The ordinances of the Law, tho of Divine inſtitution, are dignified by the Apoſtle with no better a title than Carnal ordinances, **Heb. 9.10.Heb 9:10and a Carnal Command: **Heb. 7.16.Heb 7:16But the Goſpel is called the Miniſtration of the Spirit, as being attended with a ſpecial and Spiritual efficacy on the minds of men.**2 Cor. 3.8.2 Cor 3:8 And when the degenerate Galatians, after having taſted of the pure ſtreams of the Goſpel, turned about to drink of the thicker ſtreams of the Law, the Apoſtle tells them, that they begun in the Spirit and would now be made perfect in the fleſh. **Gal. 3.3.Gal 3:3They would leave the righteouſneſs of faith for a juſtification by works. The moral law which is in its own nature Spiritual, **Rom. 7.14.Rom 7:14in regard of the abuſe of it, in expectation of juſtification by the outward works of it, is called fleſh: Much more may the Ceremonial adminiſtration, which was never intended to run parallel with the moral, nor had any foundation in nature as the other had.

That whole Oeconomy conſiſted in ſenſible and material things which only touched the fleſh; 'Tis called the letter and the oldneſs of the Letter; **Rom. 7.6.Rom 7:6as Letters which are but empty ſounds of themſelves, but put together and formed into words, ſignifie ſomething to the mind of the hearer or reader: An old Letter, a thing of no efficacy upon the Spirit, but as a law written upon paper. The Goſpel hath an efficacious Spirit attending it ſtrongly working upon the mind and Will; and moulding the Soul into a Spiritual frame for God, according to the Doctrin of the Goſpel; the one is old and decays, the other is new and increaſeth dayly.

And as the law it ſelf is called fleſh, ſo the obſervers of it and reſters in it are called Iſrael after the fleſh, **1 Cor. 10.18.1 Cor 10:18And the Evangelical worſhipper is called a Jew after the Spirit. Rom. 2.29. They were Iſrael after the fleſh as born of Jacob, not Iſrael after the Spirit as born of God; and therefore the Apoſtle calls them Iſrael and not Iſrael. **Rom. 9.6.Rom 9:6Iſrael after a carnal birth, not Iſrael after a Spiritual: Iſrael in the Circumciſion of the fleſh, not Iſrael by a regeneration of the heart.

(2.) The legal Ceremonies were not a fit means to bring the heart into a Spiritual frame. They had a Spiritual intent; the Rock and Manna prefigured the Salvation and Spiritual nouriſhment by the Redeemer.**1 Cor. 10.3, 4.1 Cor 10:31 Cor 10:4 The Sacrifices were to point them to the Juſtice of God in the puniſhment of ſin, and the mercy of God in ſubſtituting them in their ſteads, as types of the Redeemer and the ranſome by his blood. The Circumciſion of the fleſh was to inſtruct them in the Circumciſion of the heart: They were fleſh in regard of their matter, weakneſs and cloudineſs: Spiritual in regard of their intent and ſignification: They did inſtruct, but not efficaciouſly p. 136work ſtrong Spiritual affections in the Soul of the worſhipper. They were weak and beggerly elements; **Gal 4.9.Gal 4:9had neither wealth to inrich nor ſtrength to nouriſh the Soul: They could not perfect the Comers to them, or put them into a frame agreeable to the nature of God,**Heb. 10.1. Heb. 9.9.Heb 10:1Heb 9:9 nor purge the Conſcience from thoſe dead and dull diſpoſitions which were by nature in them:**Heb. 9.14.Heb 9:14 Being Carnal they could not have an efficacy to purifie the Conſcience of the offerer and work Spiritual effects: Had they continued without the exhibition of Chriſt, they could never have wrought any change in us or purchaſed any favour for us.**Burges vind. pa. 256. At the beſt they were but ſhadows, and came unexpreſſibly ſhort of the efficacy of that perſon and ſtate whoſe ſhadows they were. The ſhadow of a man is too weak to perform what the man himſelf can do, becauſe it wants the life, Spirit and activity of the ſubſtance: The whole pomp and ſcene was ſuted more to the ſenſitive than the intellectual nature; and like pictures pleaſed the fancy of Children, rather than improved their reaſon. The Jewiſh ſtate, was a ſtate of Child-hood, **Gal. 5.2.Gal 5:2and that adminiſtration a Pedagogy. **Gal. 4.24.Gal 4:24The Law was a Schoolmaſter fitted for their weak and Childiſh Capacity, and could no more Spiritualize the heart, than the teachings in a Primer-School can enable the mind, and make it fit for affairs of State: And becauſe they could not better the Spirit, they were inſtituted only for a time, as elements delivered to an infant age, which naturally lives a life of ſenſe, rather than a life of reaſon. It was alſo a ſervile ſtate, which doth rather debaſe than elevate the mind; rather Carnalize than Spiritualize the heart: Beſides, tis a ſenſe of mercy that both melts and elevates the heart into a Spiritual frame:**Pſa. 130.4.Ps 130:4 There is forgiveneſs with thee that thou maiſt be feared: And they had in that ſtate but ſome glimmerings of mercy in the dayly bloody intimations of Juſtice: There was no Sacrifice for ſome ſins, but a cutting off without the leaſt hints of pardon; and in the yearly remembrance of ſin, there was as much to ſhiver them with fear, as to poſſeſs than with hopes: And ſuch a ſtate which alwayes held them under the Conſcience of ſin, could not produce a free Spirit, which was neceſſary for a worſhip of God according to his nature.

(3.) In their uſe they rather hindred than furthered a Spiritual worſhip. In their own nature they did not tend to the obſtructing a Spiritual worſhip; for then they had been contrary to the nature of Religion, and the end of God who appointed them: Nor did God cover the Evangelical Doctrine under the clouds of the legal adminiſtration, to hinder the people of Iſrael from perceiving it; but becauſe they were not yet capable to bear the ſplendor of it, had it been clearly ſet before them. The ſhining of the face of Moſes was too dazling for their weak eyes, and therefore there was a neceſſity of a veil, not for the things themſelves, but the weakneſs of their eyes. **2 Cor. 3.13.14.2 Cor 3:132 Cor 3:14The carnal affections of that people ſunk down into the things themſelves; ſtuck in the outward pomp, and pierced not through the vail to the Spiritual intent of them. And by the uſe of them without rational conceptions they beſotted their minds and became ſenſeleſs of thoſe Spiritual motions required of them. Hence came all their expectations of a Carnal Meſſiah; the veil of Ceremonies was ſo thick and the film upon their eyes ſo condenſed, that they could not look through the veil to the Spirit of Chriſt. They beheld not the Heavenly Canaan for the beauty of the earthly, nor minded the regeneration of the Spirit, while they reſted upon the purifications of the fleſh: The prevalency of ſenſe and ſenſitive affections diverted their minds from enquiring into the intent of them. Senſe and matter are often cloggs to the mind, and ſenſible objects are the ſame often to Spiritual motions. Our Souls are never more raiſed, than when they are abſtracted from the entanglements of them. A pompous worſhip made up of many ſenſible objects, weakens the Spirituality of Religion: Thoſe that are moſt zealous for outward, are uſually moſt cold and indifferent in inward obſervances: And thoſe that overdo in carnal modes, uſually underdo in Spiritual affections.

This was the Jewiſh ſtate.**Illyric. de velam. Moſi… pa. 221. &c. The nature of the Ceremonies being pompous and earthly by their ſhow and beauty, meeting with their weakneſs and Childiſh affections, filled their eyes with an outward luſtre; allured their minds, and detained them from ſeeking things higher and more Spiritual: The kernel of thoſe rites lay concealed in a thick ſhell, the Spiritual glory was little ſeen, and the Spiritual ſweetneſs little taſted: Unleſs the Scripture be diligently ſearched, it ſeems to transfer the worſhip of God from true faith and the Spiritual motions of the heart, and ſtake it p. 137down to outward obſervances, and the opus operatum. Beſides, the voice of the Law did only declare Sacrifices, and invited the Worſhipper to them, with a promiſe of the atonement of Sin, turning away the wrath of God. It never plainly acquainted them, that thoſe things were Types and Shadows of ſomething future, that they were only outward purifications of the Fleſh: It never plainly told them at the time of appointing them, that thoſe Sacrifices could not aboliſh Sin, and reconcile them to God. Indeed we ſee more of them ſince their death and diſſection, in that one Epiſtle to the Hebrews, than can be discern'd in the five Books of Moſes. Beſides, Man naturally affects a carnal Life, and therefore affects a carnal Worſhip; He deſigns the gratifying his ſenſe, and would have a Religion of the ſame nature. Moſt men have no mind to buſie their reaſons about the things of ſenſe, and are naturally unwilling to raiſe them up to thoſe things which are allyed to the ſpiritual nature of God; and therefore the more ſpiritual any Ordinance is, the more averſe is the heart of man to it. There is a ſimplicity of the Goſpel from which our minds are eaſily corrupted by things that pleaſure the ſenſe, as Eve was by the curioſity of her eye, and the liquoriſhneſs of her Palate**2 Cor. 11.3.2 Cor 11:3 From this Principle hath ſprung all the Idolatry in the world. The Jews knew they had a God who had delivered them, but they would have a ſenſible God to go before them**Exod. 32.1.Exod 32:1: And the Papacy at this day, is a Witneſs of the truth of this natural Corruption.

4. Ʋpon theſe accounts therefore God never teſtified himſelf well pleaſed with that kind of Worſhip. He was not diſpleaſed with them as they were his own inſtitution, and ordained for the repreſenting (though in an obſcure manner) the glorious things of the Goſpel; nor was he offended with thoſe peoples obſervance of them: For ſince he had commanded them, it was their duty to perform them, and their ſin to neglect them: But he was diſpleaſed with them as they were practiſed by them, with Souls as morally carnal in the practiſes, as the Ceremonies were materially carnal in their ſubſtance. It was not their diſobedience to obſerve them; but it was a diſobedience, and a contempt of the end of the inſtitution to reſt upon them; to be warm in them, and cold in morals: They fed upon the Bone, and neglected the Marrow; pleaſed themſelves with the Shell, and ſought not for the Kernel: They joyned not with them the internal Worſhip of God, Fear of him, with Faith in the promiſed Seed, which lay vail'd under thoſe Coverings, Hoſ. 6.6. I deſired Mercy, and not Sacrifice; and the Knowledge of God, more than burnt Offerings: And therefore he ſeems ſometimes weary of his own inſtitutions, and calls them not his own, but their Sacrifices, their Feaſts, Iſa. 1.11, 14. They were his by appointment, theirs by abuſe: The Inſtitution was from his goodneſs and condeſcenſion, therefore his; the corruption of them was from the vice of their Nature; therefore theirs. He often blamed them for their carnality in them; ſhew'd his diſlike of placing all their Religion in them; gives the Sacrificers upon that account, no better a title, than that of the Princes of Sodom and Gomorrah **Iſa. 1.10.Isa 1:10: And compares the Sacrifices themſelves to the cutting off a Dog's Neck, Swines Blood, and the Murder of a Man. **Iſa. 66.3.Isa 66:3And indeed God never valued them, or expreſt any delight in them: He deſpiſed the Feaſts of the Wicked, Amos 5.21. and had no eſteem for the material Offerings of the Godly, Pſal. 50.13. Will I eat the fleſh of Bulls, or drink the blood of Goats? which he ſpeaks to his Saints and People, before he comes to reprove the Wicked; which he begins v. 16. But to the Wicked, God ſaid, &c. So ſlightly he eſteemed them, that he ſeems to diſown them to be any part of his Command when he brought his People out of the Land of Egypt, Jer. 7.21. I ſpake not to your Fathers, nor commanded them concerning burnt Offerings and Sacrifices. He did not value and regard them, in compariſon of that inward frame which he had required by the moral Law; that being given before the Law of Ceremonies, obliged them in the firſt place, to an obſervance of thoſe Precepts. They ſeemed to be below the Nature of God, and could not of themſelves pleaſe him. None could in reaſon perſwade themſelves, that the death of a Beaſt, was a proportionable Offering for the ſin of a Man, or ever was intended for the expiation of Tranſgreſſion. In the ſame rank are all our bodily ſervices under the Goſpel: A loud voice without Spirit; bended bulruſhes without inward affections, are no more delightful to God, than the Sacrifices of Animals: 'Tis but a change of one Brute for another of a higher ſpecies; a meer Brute, for that part of man which hath an agreement p. 138with Brutes: Such a ſervice is a meer animal ſervice, and not ſpiritual.

5. And therefore God never intended that ſort of Worſhip to be durable, and had often mentioned the change of it for one more ſpiritual. It was not good or evil in it ſelf; whatſoever goodneſs it had, was ſolely deriv'd to it by inſtitution, and therefore it was mutable: It had no conformity with the ſpiritual nature of God who was to be worſhipped, nor with the rational nature of man who was to worſhip: And therefore he often ſpeaks of taking away the New-Moons, and Feaſts, and Sacrifices and all the ceremonial Worſhip, as things he took no pleaſure in; to have a Worſhip more ſuted to his excellent Nature: But he never ſpeaks of removing the Goſpel Adminiſtration, and the worſhip preſcribed there, as being more agreeable to the nature and perfections of God, and diſplaying them more illuſtriouſly to the World.

The Apoſtle tells us, it was to be diſannul'd becauſe of its weakneſs **Heb. 7.18.Heb 7:18: A determinate time was fixed for its duration, till the accompliſhment of the truth figured under that Pedagogy **Gal. 4.2.Gal 4:2. Some of the modes of that worſhip being only typical, muſt naturally expire and be inſignificant in their uſe, upon the finiſhing of that by the Redeemer, which they did prefigure: And other parts of it, though God ſuffered them ſo long becauſe of the weakneſs of the Worſhipper; yet becauſe it became not God to be alway worſhipped in that manner, he would reject them, and introduce another more ſpiritual and elevated. Incenſe and a pure Offering ſhould be offered every where unto his Name.**Mal. 1.11.Mal 1:11

**Paſcal. Pen. 142.He often told them he would make a new Covenant by the Meſſiah, and the old ſhould be rejected; that the former things ſhould not be remembred, and the things of old no more conſidered, when he ſhould do a new thing in the Earth **Iſa. 43.18.19.Isa 43:18Isa 43:19: Even the Ark of the Covenant, the Symbol of his preſence, and the glory of the Lord in that Nation ſhould not any more be remembered and viſited**Jer. 3.16.Jer 3:16; That the Temple and Sacrifices ſhould be rejected, and others eſtabliſhed; That the Order of the Aaronical Prieſt-hood ſhould be aboliſht, and that of Melchiſedeck ſet up in the ſtead of it in the Perſon of the Meſſiah to endure for ever **Pſal. 110.Ps 110: That Jeruſalem ſhould be changed; a new Heaven and Earth created; a Worſhip more conformable to Heaven, more advantagious to Earth. God had proceeded in the removal of ſome parts of it, before the time of taking down the whole furniture of this houſe: The Pot of Manna was loſt; Ʋrim and Thumim ceaſed; the glory of the Temple was diminiſh'd; and the ignorant people wept at the ſight of the one, without raiſing their Faith and Hope in the conſideration of the other, which was promiſed to be filled with a ſpiritual glory. And as ſoon as ever the Goſpel was ſpread in the World, God thundred out his judgments upon that place in which he had fixed all thoſe legal Obſervances, ſo that the Jews in the Letter and Fleſh, could never practiſe the main part of their worſhip, ſince they were expelled from that place where it was only to be celebrated. 'Tis one thouſand ſix hundred years ſince they have been deprived of their Altar, which was the foundation of all the Levitical-worſhip, and have wandred in the world without a Sacrifice, a Prince or Prieſt, an Ephod or Teraphim.**Hoſ. 3.4.Hos 3:4

And God fully put an end to it in the Command he gave to the Apoſtles; and in them to us in the preſence of Moſes and Elias, to hear his Son only, Matth. 17.5. Behold a voice out of the Cloud, which ſaid, this is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleaſed, hear him. And at the death of our Saviour, teſtified it to that whole Nation and the World, by the rending in twain the vail of the Temple.

The whole frame of that ſervice, which was carnal, and by reaſon of the corruption of Man, weakned, is nulled; and a ſpiritual worſhip is made known to the world, that we might now ſerve God in a more ſpiritual manner, and with more ſpiritual frames.

6. Propoſition, The Service and worſhip the Goſpel ſettles, is ſpiritual, and the performance of it more ſpiritual. Spirituality is the Genius of the Goſpel, as Carnality was of the Law; the Goſpel is therefore called Spirit: We are abſtracted from the imployments of Senſe, and brought neerer to a Heavenly State. The Jews had Angels Bread poured upon them; we have Angels Service preſcribed to us; the Praiſes of God; Communion with God in Spirit, through his Son Jeſus Chriſt, and ſtronger foundations for ſpiritual affections. 'Tis called a reaſonable p. 139ſervice, **Rom. 12.1.Rom 12:1tis ſuted to a rational nature, tho it finds no friendſhip from the Corruption of reaſon. It preſcribes a ſervice fit for the reaſonable faculties of the Soul, and advanceth them while it employs them. The word reaſonable may be tranſlated, word ſervice, **V. Hammond in loc.as well as reaſonable ſervice; an Evangelical ſervice in oppoſition to a Law ſervice. All Evangelical ſervice is reaſonable, and all truly reaſonable ſervice is Evangelical.

The matter of the worſhip is Spiritual; it conſiſts in love of God, faith in God, recourſe to his goodneſs, Meditation on him and Communion with him. It lays aſide the Ceremonial, Spiritualizeth the moral: The Commands that concerned our duty to God, as well as thoſe that concerned our duty to our Neighbour, were reduced by Chriſt to their Spiritual intention.

The Motives are Spiritual; tis a ſtate of more grace as well as of more truth, **John 1.17.John 1:17ſupported by Spiritual promiſes, beaming out in Spiritual priviledges; heaven comes down in it to Earth, to Spiritualize Earth for Heaven.

The manner of worſhip is more Spiritual; higher flights of the Soul, ſtronger ardours of affections, ſincerer aims at his glory; miſts are removed from our minds, Cloggs from the Soul, more of love than fear; faith in Chriſt kindles the affections and works by them.

The aſſiſtances to Spiritual worſhip are greater. The Spirit doth not drop, but is plentifully poured out. It doth not light ſometimes upon, but dwells in the heart. Chriſt ſuted the Goſpel to a Spiritual heart, and the Spirit changeth a carnal heart to make it fit for a Spiritual Goſpel. He blows upon the Garden and cauſes the ſpices to flow forth. And often makes the Soul in worſhip like the Chariots of Aminadab in a quick and nimble motion: Our bleſſed Lord and Saviour by his death diſcovered to us the nature of God; and after his aſcenſion ſent his Spirit to fit us for the worſhip of God and converſe with him.

One Spiritual Evangelical believing breath is more delightful to God, than millions of Altars made up of the richeſt pearls, and ſmoaking with the coſtlieſt oblations, becauſe it is Spiritual: And a mite of Spirit is of more worth than the greateſt weight of fleſh. One holy Angel is more excellent than a whole world of meer bodies.

7. Propoſition. Yet the worſhip of God with our bodies is not to be rejected upon the account that God requires a Spiritual worſhip. Tho we muſt perform the weightier duties of the Law, yet we are not to omit and leave undone the lighter precepts. Since both the Magnalia and minutula legis, the greater, and the leſſer duties of the Law, have the ſtamp of Divine authority upon them.

As God under the Ceremonial Law did not Command the worſhip of the body, and the obſervation of outward rites without the engagement of the Spirit; ſo neither doth he Command that of the Spirit, without the peculiar attendance of the body.

The Schwelk ſendians denied bodily worſhip. And the indecent poſtures of many in publick attendance, intimate no great care either of Compoſing their bodies or Spirits. A morally diſcompoſed body intimates a tainted heart.

Our Bodies as well as our Spirits are to be preſented to God.**Rom. 12.1.Rom 12:1 Our bodies in lieu of the Sacrifices of Beaſts, as in the Judaical inſtitutions; body for the whole man; a living Sacrifice, not to be ſlain, as the Beaſts were, but living a new life, in a holy poſture, with Crucified affections: This is the inference the Apoſtle makes of the priviledges of Juſtification, Adoption, Coheirſhip with Chriſt, which he had before diſcourſed of; Priviledges conferred upon the perſon and not upon a part of man.

1. Bodily worſhip is due to God. He hath a right to an Adoration by our bodies as they are his by Creation; his right is not diminiſht but increaſed by the bleſſing of Redemption, 1 Cor. 6.20. For you are bought with a price, therefore glorifie God in your bodies and your Spirits, which are Gods. The Body as well as the Spirit is redeemed, ſince our Saviour ſuffered Crucifixion in his body, as well as Agonies in his Soul: Body is not taken here for the whole man, as it may be in Rom. 12. But for the material part of our nature, it being diſtinguiſht from the Spirit: If we are to render to God an obedience with our bodies, we are to render him ſuch Acts of worſhip with our bodies, as they are capable of. As God is the Father of Spirits, p. 140ſo he is the God of all fleſh: Therefore the fleſh he hath framed of the Earth, as well as the noble portion he hath breathed into us, cannot be denyed him without apalpable in juſtice: The ſervice of the body we muſt not deny to God, unleſs we will deny him to be the author of it, and the exerciſe of his providential care about it. The mercies of God are renewed every day upon our bodies as well as our Souls, and therefore they ought to expreſs a fealty to God for his bounty everyday; [**Sherman's Greek in the Temple pa. 61.62. both are from God, both ſhould be for God. Man conſiſts of Body and Soul, the ſervice of Man is the ſervice of both. The body is to be Sanctified as well as the Soul, and therefore to be offered to God as well as the Soul. Both are to be glorified, both are to glorifie: As our Saviours Divinity was manifeſted in his body, ſo ſhould our Spirituality in ours. To give God the ſervice of the body and not of the Soul, is hypocriſie; to give God the ſervice of the Spirit and not of the body, is ſacriledge; to give him neither, Atheiſm.] If the only part of man that is viſible were exempted from the ſervice of God, there could be no viſible Teſtimonies of piety given upon any occaſion: Since not a moiety of man, but the whole is Gods Creature, he ought to pay a homage with the whole and not only with a moiety of himſelf.

2. Worſhip in ſocieties is due to God, but this cannot be without ſome bodily expreſſions. The law of nature doth as much direct men to combine together in publick ſocieties for the acknowledgment of God, as in Civil Communities for ſelf preſervation and order, And the notice of a ſociety for Religion is more Ancient than the mention of Civil aſſociations for Politick Government, Gen. 4.26. Then began men to call upon the name of the Lord, viz. In the time of Seth. No queſtion but Adam had worſhipped God before as well as Abel, and a Family-Religion had been preſerved; but as mankind increaſed in diſtinct Families, they knit together in Companies to ſolemnize the worſhip of God.**Stillingfleet's Irenicum cap. 1. § 1. pa. 23. Hence as ſome think, thoſe that incorporated together for ſuch ends, were called the Sons of God: Sons by profeſſion, tho not Sons by Adoption: As thoſe of Corinth were Saints by profeſſion, tho in ſuch a Corrupted Church they could not be all ſo by regeneration; yet Saints, as being of a Chriſtian ſociety and calling upon the name of Chriſt, that is, worſhipping God in Chriſt, tho they might not be all Saints in Spirit and Practiſe. So Cain and Abel met together to worſhip, Gen, 4.3. at the end of the days, at a ſet time. God ſetled a publick worſhip among the Jews, inſtituted Synagogues for their Convening together, whence call'd the Synagogues of God. **Pſa. 74.8.Ps 74:8The Sabbath was inſtituted to acknowledge God a Common Benefactor. Publick worſhip keeps up the Memorials of God in a world prone to Atheiſm, and a ſenſe of God in a heart prone to forgetfulneſs. The Angels ſung in Company, not ſingly at the Birth of Chriſt,**Luke 2.13.Luke 2:13 and praiſed God not only with a ſimple elevation of their Spiritual nature, but audibly by forming a voice in the air: Affections are more lively, Spirits more raiſed in publick than private; God will Credit his own ordinance. Fire increaſeth by laying together many Coals on one place; ſo is devotion inflamed by the union of many hearts and by a joynt preſence: Nor can the approach of the laſt day of Judgment, or particular Judgments upon a Nation give a Writ of eaſe from ſuch aſſemblies. Heb. 10.25. Not forſaking the aſſembling our ſelves together, but ſo much the more as you ſee the day approaching: Whether it be underſtood of the day of Judgment, or the day of the Jewiſh deſtruction and the Chriſtian perſecution, the Apoſtle uſes it as an argument to quicken them to the obſervance, not to encourage them to a neglect. Since therefore natural light informs us, and Divine inſtitution Commands us, publickly to acknowledge our ſelves the Servants of God, it implies the ſervice of the body: Such acknowledgments cannot be without viſible Teſtimonies, and outward exerciſes of devotion, as well as inward affections. This promotes Gods honour, checks others prophaneſs, allures men to the ſame expreſſions of duty. And tho there may be hypocriſy and an outward garb without an inward frame; yet better a moiety of worſhip, than none at all; better acknowledge Gods right in one than diſown it in both.

3. Jeſus Chriſt the moſt Spiritual worſhipper worſhipt God with his body. He Prayed orally, and kneeled, Father if it be thy Will, &c. **Luke 22.41, 42.Luke 22:41Luke 22:42He bleſſed with his mouth, Father I thank thee. **Mat. 11.26.Matt 11:26He lifted up his eyes as well as elevated his Spirit, when he praiſed his Father for mercy received, or begged for the bleſſings his Diſciples wanted.**John 11.41. John 12.1.John 11:41John 12:1 The ſtrength of the Spirit muſt have vent at the outward members. p. 141The holy men of God have employed the body in ſignificant expreſſions of worſhip: Abraham in falling on his face, Paul in kneeling, employing their Tongues, lifting up their hands. Tho Jacob was bedrid, yet he would not worſhip God without ſome devout expreſſion of Reverence; tis in one place leaning upon his ſtaff; **Heb. 11.21.Heb 11:21in another bowing himſelf upon his beds head: **Gen. 47.31.Gen 47:31The reaſon of the diverſity is in the Heb. word, which without vowels may be red Mittah a bed, or Matteh a ſtaff; howſoever, both ſignifie a Teſtimony of adoration by a reverent geſture of the body. Indeed in Angels and ſeparated Souls a worſhip is performed purely by the Spirit; but whiles the Soul is in conjunction with the body, it can hardly perform a ſerious act of worſhip, without ſome tincture upon the outward man and reverential compoſure of the body: Fire cannot be in the clothes, but it will be felt by the members; nor flames be pent up in the Soul without burſting out in the body: The heart can no more reſtrain it ſelf from breaking out, than Joſeph could encloſe his affections, without expreſſing them in tears to his Brethren.**Gen. 45.1, 2.Gen 45:1Gen 45:2 We Believe, and therefore ſpeak.**2 Cor. 4.13.2 Cor 4:13

To conclude; God hath appointed ſome parts of worſhip which cannot be performed without the body, as Sacraments; we have need of them becauſe we are not wholly ſpiritual and incorporeal Creatures.

The Religion, which conſiſts in externals only, is not for an intellectual nature: A worſhip purely intellectual is too ſublime for a nature allyed to ſenſe and depending much upon it: The Chriſtian mode of worſhip is proportioned to both; It makes the ſenſe to aſſiſt the mind, and elevates the ſpirit above the ſenſe: Bodily worſhip helps the ſpiritual: The members of the body reflect back upon the heart, the voice bars diſtractions, the tongue ſets the heart on fire in good as well as in evil. Tis as much againſt the light of nature to ſerve God without external ſignifications, as to ſerve him only with them without the intention of the mind. As the inviſible God declares himſelf to men by viſible works and ſigns, ſo ſhould we declare our inviſible frames by viſible expreſſions: God hath given us a ſoul and body in conjunction, and we are to ſerve him in the ſame manner he hath framed us.

2. The ſecond thing I am to ſhew, is, what Spiritual worſhip is. In general, the whole Spirit is to be employed: The name of God is not ſanctifyed but by the engagement of our Souls.

Worſhip is an Act of the underſtanding, applying it ſelf to the knowledge of the excellency of God and actual thoughts of his Majeſty, recognizing him as the ſupreme Lord and Governour of the world, which is natural knowledge; beholding the glory of his Attributes in the Redeemer, which is Evangelical knowledge: This is the ſole act of the Spirit of Man. The ſame reaſon is for all our worſhip as for our thankſgiving: This muſt be done with underſtanding, Pſal. 47.7. Sing ye praiſe with underſtanding, with a knowledge and ſenſe of his greatneſs, goodneſs and Wiſdom. Tis alſo an act of the Will, whereby the Soul adores and reverenceth his Majeſty, is raviſht with his amiableneſs, embraceth his goodneſs, enters it ſelf into an intimate Communion with this moſt lovely object, and pitcheth all his affections upon him.

We muſt worſhip God underſtandingly; tis not elſe a reaſonable ſervice: The nature of God and the Law of God abhor a blind offering; we muſt worſhip him heartily, elſe we offer him a dead Sacrifice: A reaſonable ſervice is that wherein the mind doth truly act ſomething with God. All Spiritual acts muſt be acts of reaſon, otherwiſe they are not human acts, becauſe they want that principle which is conſtitutive of man, and doth difference him from other Creatures: Acts done only by ſenſe are the acts of a brute; acts done by reaſon are the acts of a man; That which is only an act of ſenſe, cannot be an act of Religion: The ſenſe without the conduct of reaſon is not the ſubject of Religious acts, for then beaſts were capable of Religion as well as Men: There cannot be Religion where there is not reaſon; and there cannot be the exerciſe of Religion, where there is not an exerciſe of the rational faculties. Nothing can be a Chriſtian act, that is not a human act: Beſides, all worſhip muſt be for ſome end; the worſhip of God muſt be for God; tis by the exerciſe of our rational faculties, that we only can intend an end: An Ignorant and Carnal worſhip is a brutiſh worſhip.

Particularly,

p. 1421. Spiritual Worſhip is a Worſhip from a ſpiritual Nature. Not only Phyſically ſpiritual, ſo our Souls are in their frame; but morally ſpiritual, by a renewing principle. The heart muſt be firſt caſt into the Mould of the Goſpel, before it can perform a Worſhip required by the Goſpel. Adam living in Paradice, might perform a ſpiritual worſhip; but Adam fallen from his rectitude, could not: We being Heirs of his Nature, are Heirs of his Impotence: Reſtoration to a ſpiritual Life, muſt precede any act of ſpiritual Worſhip. As no work can be good, ſo no worſhip can be ſpiritual, till we are created in Chriſt**Eph. 2.10.Eph 2:10. Chriſt is our Life**Col. 3.4.Col 3:4. As no natural action can be performed without life in the root or heart, ſo no ſpiritual act without Chriſt in the Soul: Our being in Chriſt, is as neceſſary to every ſpiritual act, as the union of our Soul with our Body, is neceſſary to natural action. Nothing can exceed the limits of its nature; for then it ſhould exceed it ſelf in acting, and do that which it hath no principle to doe. A Beaſt cannot act like a Man, without partaking of the nature of a Man; nor a Man act like an Angel, without partaking of the Angelical nature: How can we perform ſpiritual acts, without a ſpiritual principle. Whatſoever worſhip proceeds from the corrupted nature, cannot deſerve the title of ſpiritual worſhip, becauſe it ſprings not from a ſpiritual habit. If thoſe that are evil cannot ſpeak good things, thoſe that are carnal cannot offer a ſpiritual ſervice. Poyſon is the fruit of a Vipers nature, Mat. 12.34. Oh, Generation of Vipers, how can you being evil ſpeak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth ſpeaks. As the root is, ſo is the fruit. If the Soul be habitually carnal, the worſhip cannot be actually ſpiritual: There may be an intention of Spirit, but there is no ſpiritual principle as a root of that intention. A heart may be ſenſibly united with a duty, when it is not ſpiritually united with Chriſt in it. Carnal motives, and carnal ends may fix the mind in an act of worſhip, as the ſenſe of ſome preſſing affliction may enlarge a mans mind in Prayer. Whatſoever is agreeable to the nature of God, muſt have a ſtamp of Chriſt upon it; a ſtamp of his grace in performance, as well as of his mediation in the acceptance. The Apoſtle lived not, but Chriſt lived in him **Gal. 2.20.Gal 2:20; the Soul worſhips not, but Chriſt in him: Not that Chriſt performs the act of Worſhip; but enables us ſpiritually to worſhip, after he enables us ſpiritually to live. As God counts not any Soul living but in Chriſt, ſo he counts not any a ſpiritual Worſhipper but in Chriſt. The goodneſs and fatneſs of the fruit comes from the fatneſs of the Olive wherein we are engrafted: We muſt find healing in Chriſts wings, before God can find ſpirituality in our ſervices. All worſhip iſſuing from a dead nature, is but a dead ſervice: A living action cannot be performed, without being knit to a living root.

2. Spiritual Worſhip is done by the influence, and with the aſſiſtance of the Spirit of God. A Heart may be ſpiritual, when a particular act of Worſhip may not be ſpiritual. The Spirit may dwell in the Heart, when he may ſuſpend his influence on the act. Our worſhip is then ſpiritual, when the fire that kindles our affections comes from Heaven, as that fire upon the Altar wherewith the Sacrifices were conſumed. God taſts a ſweetneſs in no ſervice, but as it is dreſt up by the hand of the Mediator, and hath the Air of his own Spirit in it: They are but natural acts, without a ſupernatural aſſiſtance: Without an actual influence, we cannot act from ſpiritual motives, nor for ſpiritual ends, nor in a ſpiritual manner. We cannot mortifie a Luſt without the Spirit **Rom. 8.13.Rom 8:13, nor quicken a ſervice without the Spirit. Whatſoever corruption is killed, is ſlain by his Power; whatſoever duty is ſpiritualized, is refined by his Breath. He quickens our dead bodies in our Reſurection**Rom. 8.11.Rom 8:11; He renews our dead Souls in our Regeneration; He quickens our carnal ſervices in our adorations: The choiceſt acts of worſhip are but infirmities, without his auxiliary help **Rom. 8.26.Rom 8:26. We are Loggs, unable to move our ſelves, till he raiſe our faculties to a pitch agreeable to God; puts his hand to the duty, and lifts that up and us with it. Never any great act was performed by the Apoſtles to God, or for God, but they are ſaid to be filled with the Holy-Ghoſt. Chriſt could not have been conceived immaculate as that holy thing, without the Spirits overſhadowing the Virgin; nor any ſpiritual act conceived in our heart, without the Spirits moving upon us, to bring forth a living Religion from us. The acts of worſhip are ſaid to be in the Spirit, Supplication in the Spirit **Eph. 6.18.Eph 6:18; not only with the ſtrength and affection of our own Spirits, but with the mighty operation of the Holy-Ghoſt, if Jude may be the Interpreter**Jude 20.Jude 1:20. The Holy-Ghoſt p. 143exciting us; impelling us, and firing our Souls by his divine flame; raiſing up the affections, and making the Soul cry with a holy importunity Abba Father. To render our worſhip ſpiritual, we ſhould, before every ingagement in it, implore the actual preſence of the Spirit, without which we are not able to ſend forth one ſpiritual breath or groan; but be Wind-bound like a Ship without a Gale, and our worſhip be no better than carnal. How doth the Spouſe ſolicite the Spirit with an awake oh North-wind, and come thou South-wind, &c.**Cant. 4.16.Song 4:16

3. Spiritual Worſhip is done with Sincerity: When the heart ſtands right to God, and the Soul performs what it pretends to perform: When we ſerve God with our Spirits, as the Apoſtle, Rom. 1.9. God is my Witneſs, whom I ſerve with my Spirit in the Goſpel of his Son: This is not meant of the Holy-Ghoſt; for the Apoſtle would never have called the Spirit of God, his own Spirit; but with my Spirit, that is a ſincere frame of heart. A Carnal-worſhip, whether under the Law or Goſpel, is when we are buſied about external rites, without an inward compliance of Soul. God demands the heart;**Pro. 23.26.Prov 23:26 my Son give me thy heart; not give me thy tongue, or thy lips, or thy hands; theſe may be given without the heart, but the heart can never be beſtowed without theſe as its attendants. A heap of ſervices can be no more welcome to God, without our Spirits, than all Jacobs Sons could be to Joſeph, without the Benjamin he deſired to ſee. God is not taken with the Cabinet, but the Jewel: He firſt reſpected Abels Faith and Sincerity, and then his Sacrifice; he diſreſpected Cains Infidelity and Hypocriſie, and then his Offering.**Moulin. Sermons Decad. 4. Ser. 4. P. 80. [For this cauſe he rejected the Offerings of the Jews, the Prayers of the Phariſees, and the Alms of Ananias and Sapphira, becauſe their hearts and their duties were at a diſtance from one another. In all ſpiritual Sacrifices, our Spirits are Gods portion. Under the Law, the Reins were to be conſumed by the Fire on the Altar, becauſe the ſecret intentions of the heart were ſignified by them, Pſal. 7.9. The Lord trieth the Heart and the Reins. It was an ill Omen among the Heathen, if a Victim wanted a heart. The Widows Mites with her heart in them, were more eſteemed than the richer Offerings without it.] Not the quantity of ſervice, but the will in it, is of account with this infinite Spirit. All that was to be brought for the framing of the Tabernacle, was to be offered willingly with the heart. **Exod. 25.7.Exod 25:7The more of Will, the more of Spirituality and Acceptableneſs to God, Pſal. 119.108. Accept the Free-will-offering of my lips. Sincerity is the Salt which ſeaſons every Sacrifice. The heart is moſt like to the object of worſhip: The heart in the body is the ſpring of all vital actions; and a ſpiritual Soul is the ſpring of all ſpiritual actions. How can we imagin God can delight in the meer ſervice of the Body, any more than we can delight in converſe with a Carcaſs?

Without the heart 'tis no worſhip: 'Tis a Stage-play; an acting a part without being that perſon really which is acted by us: A Hypocrite in the notion of the word, is a Stage-player. We may as well ſay a man may believe with his body, as worſhip God only with his body. Faith, is a great ingredient in Worſhip; and it is with the heart Man believes unto Righteouſneſs. **Rom. 10.10.Rom 10:10We may be truly ſaid to worſhip God, though we want perfection; but we cannot be ſaid to worſhip him, if we want ſincerity: A Statue upon a Tomb, with eyes and hands lifted up, offers as good and true a ſervice; it wants only a voice, the geſtures and poſtures are the ſame; nay, the ſervice is better; 'tis not a mockery; it repreſents all that it can be framed to: But to worſhip without our Spirits, is a preſenting God with a Picture, an Eccho, Voice and nothing elſe; a Complement; a meer Lye; a compaſſing him about with Lyes **Hoſ. 11.12.Hos 11:12. Without the heart, the tongue is a Lyar, and the greateſt Zeal, diſſembling with him. To preſent the Spirit, is to preſent with that which can never naturally dye; to preſent him only the Body, is to preſent him that which is every day crumbling to duſt, and will at laſt lye rotting in the Grave: To offer him a few Raggs eaſily torn; a Skin for a Sacrifice, a thing unworthy the Majeſty of God; a fixed eye and elevated hands, with a ſleepy Heart and earthly Soul are pitiful things for an ever bleſſed and glorious Spirit: Nay, it is ſo far from being ſpiritual, that it is Blaſphemy; To pretend to be a Jew outwardly, without being ſo inwardly, is in the Judgment of Chriſt to blaſpheme**Revel. 2.9.Rev 2:9. And is not the ſame title to be given with as much reaſon to thoſe that pretend a worſhip and perform none? Such a one is not a ſpiritual Worſhipper, but a blaſpheming Devil in Samuel's Mantle.

p. 1444. Spiritual Worſhip is performed with an unitedneſs of heart. The heart is not only now and then with God, but united to fear or worſhip his name. **Pſal. 86.11.Ps 86:11A ſpiritual duty muſt have the engagement of the Spirit, and the thoughts tyed up to the ſpiritual Object: The union of all the parts of the heart together with the body, is the life of the body; and the moral union of our hearts, is the life of any duty. A heart quickly flitting from God, makes not God his treaſure; he ſlights the worſhip, and therein affronts the Object of Worſhip. All our thoughts ought to be raviſhed with God; bound up in him as in a bundle of life: But when we ſtart from him to gaze after every feather, and run after every bubble; we diſown a full and affecting excellency, and a ſatisfying ſweetneſs in him. When our thoughts run from God, 'tis a teſtimony we have no ſpiritual affection to God: Affection would ſtake down the thoughts to the Object affected: 'Tis but a Mouth-love, as the Prophet phraſeth it**Ezek. 33.31.Ezek 33:31: But their hearts go after their Covetouſneſs: Covetous Objects pipe, and the heart danceth after them; and thoughts of God are ſhifted off, to receive a multitude of other imaginations: The heart and the ſervice ſtayed a while together, and then took leave of one another. The Pſalmiſt **Pſal. 39.18.Ps 39:18ſtill found his heart with God when he awak'd; ſtill with God in ſpiritual affections, and fixed meditations. A carnal heart is ſeldom with God, either in or out of worſhip: If God ſhould knock at the heart in any duty, it would be found not at home, but ſtraying abroad. Our worſhip is ſpiritual, when the door of the heart is ſhut againſt all Intruders, as our Saviour commands in Cloſet-duties **Mat. 6.6.Matt 6:6: It was not his meaning, to command the ſhutting the Cloſet-door, and leave the Heart-door open for every thought that would be apt to haunt us. Worldly affections are to be laid aſide, if we would have our worſhip ſpiritual. This was meant by the Jewiſh cuſtom of wiping or waſhing off the duſt of their feet, before their entrance into the Temple; and of not bringing mony in their girdles. To be ſpiritual in worſhip, is to have our Souls gathered and bound up wholly in themſelves, and offered to God. Our Loyns muſt be girt, as the faſhion was in the Eaſtern Countries, where they wore long Garments, that they might not waver with the Wind, and be blown between their leggs, to obſtruct them in their travel: Our faculties muſt not hang looſe about us. He is a carnal Worſhipper, that gives God but a piece of his heart, as well as he that denies him the whole of it; that hath ſome thoughts pitch'd upon God in worſhip, and as many willingly upon the World. David ſought God, not with a moity of his heart, but with his whole heart; with his intire frame**Pſal. 119.10.Ps 119:10: He brought not half his heart, and left the other in the poſſeſſion of another Maſter. It was a good leſſon Pythagoras gave his Scholars**foreign Jamblich l. 1. c. 518. p. 87., Not to make the Obſervance of God a work by the by. If thoſe Gueſts be invited, or entertained kindly, or if they come unexpected, the ſpirituality of that worſhip is loſt; the Soul kicks down what it wrought before: But if they be Brow-beaten by us, and our grief, rather than our pleaſure; they divert our ſpiritual intention from the work in hand, but hinder not Gods acceptance of it as ſpiritual; becauſe they are not the acts of our Will, but offences to our Wills.

5. Spiritual Worſhip is performed with a ſpiritual activity and ſenſibleneſs of God. With an active Underſtanding to meditate on his excellency; and an active Will to embrace him when he drops upon the Soul. If we underſtand the amiableneſs of God, our affections will be raviſht; if we underſtand the immenſity of his goodneſs, our Spirits will be enlarged. We are to act with the higheſt intention, ſutable to the greatneſs of that God with whom we have to do, Pſal. 150.2. Praiſe him according to his excellent greatneſs: Not that we can worſhip him equally, but in ſome proportion, the frame of the heart is to be ſuted to the excellency of the Object: Our ſpiritual ſtrength is to be put out to the utmoſt, as Creatures that act naturally do: The Sun ſhines, and the Fire burns to the utmoſt of their natural power. This is ſo neceſſary, that David a ſpiritual Worſhipper prays for it before he ſets upon acts of adoration, Pſal. 80.18. quicken us, that we may call upon thy Name: As he was loth to have a drowzy faculty, he was loth to h… a drowzy inſtrument, and would willingly have them as lively as himſelf, Pſal. 57.8. Awake up my glory; awake Pſaltery and Harp; I my ſelf will awake early: How would this Divine Soul ſerue himſelf up to God, and be turned into nothing but a holy flame? Our Souls muſt be boyling hot when we ſerve the Lord**Rom. 12.11. foreignRom 12:11. The heart doth no leſs p. 145burn when it Spiritually comes to God, than when God doth Spiritually approach to it.**Luke 24.32.Luke 24:32 A Nabals heart, one as cold as a ſtone, cannot offer up a Spiritual ſervice.

Whatſoever is enjoyned us as our duty, ought to be performed with the greateſt intenſneſs of our Spirit. As it is our duty to pray, ſo it is our duty to pray with the moſt fervent importunity. Tis our duty to love God, but with the pureſt and moſt ſublime affections: Every Command of God requires the whole ſtrength of the Creature to be imployed in it. That love to God, wherein all our duty to God is ſummed up, is to be with all our ſtrength, with all our might, &c. **Lady Falklands life pa. 130.Tho in the Covenant of grace he hath mitigated the ſeverity of the Law, and requires not from us ſuch an elevation of our affections as was poſſible in the ſtate of innocence, yet God requires of us the utmoſt moral induſtry to raiſe our affections to a pitch, at leaſt equal to what they are in other things: What ſtrength of affections we naturally have, ought to be as much and more excited in acts of worſhip than upon other occaſions and our ordinary works. As there was an inactivity of Soul in worſhip and a quickneſs to ſin, when ſin had the dominion; ſo when the Soul is Spiritualized, the temper is changed; there is an inactivity to ſin and an ardor in duty: The more the Soul is dead to ſin the more it is alive to God, **Rom. 6.11Rom 6:11and the more lively too in all that concerns God and his honour. For grace being a new ſtrength added to our natural, determines the affections to new objects and excites them to a greater vigor. And as the hatred of ſin is more ſharp, the love to every thing that deſtroys the dominion of it, is more ſtrong. And acts of worſhip may be reckoned as the cheifeſt batteries againſt the power of this inbred enemy. When the Spirit is in the Soul, like the Rivers of waters flowing out of the belly, the Soul hath the activity of a River, and makes haſt to be ſwallowed up in God, as the ſtreams of the River in the Sea. Chriſt makes his people Kings and Prieſts to God; **Revel. 1.6.Rev 1:6firſt Kings, then Prieſts: Gives firſt a Royal temper of heart, that they may offer Spiritual Sacrifices as Prieſts: Kings and Prieſts to God acting with a magnificent Spirit in all their motions to him: We cannot be Spiritual Prieſts, till we be Spiritual Kings. The Spirit appeared in the likeneſs of fire, and where he reſides, Communicates like fire purity and activity.

Dulneſs is againſt the light of nature. I do not remember that the Heathen ever offered a Snail to any of their falſe Deities, nor an Aſs, but to Priapus their unclean Idol; but the Perſians Sacrificed to the Sun a Horſe, a ſwift and generous Creature. God provided againſt thoſe in the Law, Commanding an Aſſes Firſtling, the off-ſpring of a ſluggiſh Creature, to be Redeemed, or his neck broke; but by no means to be offered to him.**Exod. 13.13Exod 13:13 God is a Spirit infinitely active, and therefore frozen and benummed frames are unſutable to him: He rides upon a Cherub and flies, he comes upon the wings of the wind, he rides upon a ſwift cloud; **Iſa. 19.1.Isa 19:1and therefore demands of us not a dull reaſon, but an active Spirit: God is a living God, therefore muſt have a lively ſervice. Chriſt is life, and ſlothful adorations are not fit to be offered up in the name of life. The worſhip of God is called wreſtling in Scripture, and Paul was a ſtriver in the ſervice of his Maſter,**Col. 1.29.Col 1:29 in an agony. **foreignAngels worſhip God Spiritually with their wings on; and when God Commands them to worſhip Chriſt, the next Scripture quoted is, that he makes them flames of fire.**Heb. 1.7.Heb 1:7

If it be thus, how may we charge our ſelves? What Paul ſaid of the ſenſual Widow, **1 Tim. 5.6.1 Tim 5:6that ſhe is dead while ſhe lives, we may ſay often of our Selves, we are dead while we worſhip. Our hearts are in duty as the Jews were in deliverances; as thoſe in a dream; **Pſa. 126.1.Ps 126:1by which unexpectedneſs, God ſhewed the greatneſs of his care and mercy; and we attend him as men in a dream whereby we diſcover our negligence and folly. This activity doth not conſiſt in outward acts. The body may be hot and the heart may be faint; but in an inward ſtirring, meltings, flights. In the higheſt raptures the body is moſt inſenſible. Strong Spiritual affections are abſtracted from outward ſenſe.