CHAPTER I.

Transcriber's Note:

The text of Part III of A Christian Directory (or, a sum of Practical

Theology and Cases of Conscience) has been transcribed from pages 547

to 736 of Volume I of Baxter's Practical Works, as lithographed from

the 1846 edition. Part III addresses church duties. A table of

contents has been inserted to assist the reader.

Small capitals have been rendered in full capitals. Italics are

indicated by _underscores_. Sidenotes refer to the following

paragraph.

The anchors for footnotes 119, 366 and 391 are missing. The first of

these has been inserted after consulting another edition of the text.

The reference in footnote 417 to the Book of Acts appears to be incorrect.

Inconsistencies in hyphenation, and apparent typographical errors,

have been corrected.

PART III.

CHRISTIAN ECCLESIASTICS.

OR,

DIRECTIONS TO PASTORS AND PEOPLE ABOUT SACRED DOCTRINE, WORSHIP, AND

DISCIPLINE, AND THEIR MUTUAL DUTIES. WITH THE SOLUTION OF A MULTITUDE

OF CHURCH CONTROVERSIES AND CASES OF CONSCIENCE.

Table of Contents

Page

To the Reader. 547

I. Of the worship of God in general. 547

II. Directions about the manner of worship, to avoid all

corruptions, and false, unacceptable worshipping of God. 553

III. Directions about the christian covenant with God,

and baptism. 559

IV. Directions about the profession of our religion to others. 562

V. Directions about vows and particular covenants with God. 564

VI. Directions to the people concerning their internal and

private duty to their pastors, and the improvement of

their ministerial office and gifts. 580

VII. Directions for the discovery of the truth among contenders,

and the escape of heresy and deceit. 590

VIII. Directions for the union and communion of saints, and the

avoiding unpeaceableness and schism. 595

IX. How to behave ourselves in the public assemblies, and the

worship there performed, and after them. 616

X. Directions about our communion with holy souls departed,

and now with Christ. 618

XI. Directions about our communion with the holy angels. 622

CASES OF CONSCIENCE, ABOUT MATTERS ECCLESIASTICAL.

To the Reader. 626

Questions I to CLXXIV. 626

READER,

That this part and the next are imperfect, and so much only is written

as I might, and not as I would, I need not excuse to thee if thou know

me, and where and when I live. But some of that which is wanting, if

thou desire, thou mayst find, 1. In my "Universal Concord." 2. In my

"Christian Concord." 3. In our "Agreement for Catechising," and my

"Reformed Pastor." 4. In the "Reformed Liturgy," offered to the

commissioned bishops at the Savoy. Farewell.

CHAPTER I.

OF THE WORSHIP OF GOD IN GENERAL.

That God is to be worshipped solemnly by man, is confessed by all that

acknowledge that there is a God.[1] But about the matter and manner of

his worship, there are no small dissensions and contentions in the

world. I am not now attempting a reconciliation of these contenders;

the sickness of men's minds and wills doth make that impossible to any

but God, which else were not only possible, but easy, the terms of

reconciliation being in themselves so plain and obvious as they are.

But it is directions to those that are willing to worship God aright,

which I am now to give.

_Direct._ I. Understand what it is to worship God aright, lest you

offer him vanity and sin for worship. The worshipping of God is the

direct acknowledging of his being and perfections to his honour.

Indirectly or consequentially he is acknowledged in every obediential

act by those that truly obey and serve him; and this is indirectly and

participatively to worship him; and therefore all things are holy to

the holy, because they are holy in the use of all, and Holiness to the

Lord is, as it were, written upon all that they possess or do (as they

are holy): but this is not the worship which we are here to speak of;

but that which is primarily and directly done to glorify him by the

acknowledgment of his excellencies. Thus God is worshipped either

inwardly by the soul alone, or also outwardly by the body expressing

the worship of the soul. For that which is done by the body alone,

without the concurrence of the heart, is not true worship, but a

hypocritical image or show of it, equivocally called worship.[2] The

inward worship of the heart alone, I have spoken of in the former

part. The outward or expressive worship, is simple or mixed: simple

when we only intend God's worship immediately in the action; and this

is found chiefly in praises and thanksgiving, which therefore are the

most pure and simple sort of expressive worship. Mixed worship is that

in which we join some other intention, for our own benefit in the

action; as in prayer, where we worship God by seeking to him for

mercy; and in reverent hearing or reading of his word, where we

worship him by a holy attendance upon his instructions and commands;

and in his sacraments, where we worship him by receiving and

acknowledging his benefits to our souls; and in oblations, where we

have respect also to the use of the thing offered; and in holy vows

and oaths, in which we acknowledge him our Lord and Judge. All these

are acts of divine worship, though mixed with other uses.

It is not only worshipping God, when our acknowledgments (by word or

deed) are directed immediately to himself; but also when we direct our

speech to others, if his praises be the subject of them, and they are

intended directly to his honour: such are many of David's psalms of

praise. But where God's honour is not the thing directly intended, it

is no direct worshipping of God, though all the same words be spoken

as by others.

_Direct._ II. Understand the true ends and reasons of our worshipping

God; lest you be deceived by the impious who take it to be all in

vain. When they have imagined some false reasons to themselves, they

judge it vain to worship God, because those reasons of it are vain.

And he that understandeth not the true reasons why he should worship

God, will not truly worship him, but be profane in neglecting it, or

hypocritical in dissembling, and heartless in performing it. The

reasons then are such as these.

1. The first ariseth from the use of all the world, and the nature of

the rational creature in special. The whole world is made and upheld

to be expressive and participative of the image and benefits of God.

God is most perfect and blessed in himself, and needeth not the world

to add to his felicity. But he made it to please his blessed will, as

a communicative good, by communication and appearance; that he might

have creatures to know him, and to be happy in his light; and those

creatures might have a fit representation or revelation of him that

they might know him. And man is specially endowed with reason and

utterance, that he might know his Creator appearing in his works, and

might communicate this knowledge, and express that glory of his Maker

with his tongue, which the inferior creatures express to him in their

being.[3] So that if God were not to be worshipped, the end of man's

faculties, and of all the creation, must be much frustrated. Man's

reason is given him that he may know his Maker; his will, and

affections, and executive powers are given him, that he may freely

love him and obey him; and his tongue is given him principally to

acknowledge him and praise him: whom should God's work be serviceable

to, but to him that made it?

2. As it is the natural use, so it is the highest honour of the

creature to worship and honour his Creator: is there a nobler or more

excellent object for our thoughts, affections, or expressions? And

nature, which desireth its own perfection, forbiddeth us to choose a

sordid, vile, dishonourable work, and to neglect the highest and most

honourable.

3. The right worshipping of God doth powerfully tend to make us in our

measure like him, and so to sanctify and raise the soul, and to heal

it of its sinful distempers and imperfections. What can make us good

so effectually as our knowledge, and love, and communion with him that

is the chiefest good? Nay, what is goodness itself in the creature if

this be not? As nearness to the sun giveth light and heat, so

nearness to God is the way to make us wise and good; for the

contemplation of his perfections is the means to make us like him. The

worshippers of God do not exercise their bare understandings upon him

in barren speculations; but they exercise all their affections towards

him, and all the faculties of their souls, in the most practical and

serious manner, and therefore are likeliest to have the liveliest

impressions of God upon their hearts; and hence it is that the true

worshippers of God are really the wisest and the best of men, when

many that at a distance are employed in mere speculations about his

works and him, remain almost as vain and wicked as before, and

professing themselves wise, are (practically) fools, Rom. i. 21, 22.

4. The right worshipping of God, by bringing the heart into a

cleansed, holy, and obedient frame, doth prepare it to command the

body, and make us upright and regular in all the actions of our lives;

for the fruit will be like the tree; and as men are, so will they do.

He that honoureth not his God, is not like well to honour his parents

or his king: he that is not moved to it by his regard to God, is never

like to be universally and constantly just and faithful unto men.

Experience telleth us that it is the truest worshippers of God that

are truest and most conscionable in their dealings with their

neighbours: this windeth up the spring, and ordereth and strengtheneth

all the causes of a good conversation.

5. The right worshipping of God is the highest and most rational

delight of man. Though to a sick, corrupted soul it be unpleasant, as

food to a sick stomach, yet to a wise and holy soul there is nothing

so solidly and durably contentful. As it is God's damning sentence on

the wicked, to say, "Depart from me," Matt. xxv. 41; vii. 23, so holy

souls would lose their joys, and take themselves to be undone, if God

should bid them, "Depart from me; worship me, and love me, and praise

me no more." They would be weary of the world, were it not for God in

the world; and weary of their lives, if God were not their life.

6. The right worshipping of God prepareth us for heaven, where we are

to behold him, and love and worship him for ever. God bringeth not

unprepared souls to heaven: this life is the time that is purposely

given us for our preparation; as the apprenticeship is the time to

learn your trades. Heaven is a place of action and fruition, of

perfect knowledge, love, and praise: and the souls that will enjoy and

praise God there, must be disposed to it here; and therefore they must

be much employed in his worship.

7. And as it is in all these respects necessary as a means, so God

hath made it necessary by his command.[4] He hath made it our duty to

worship him constantly; and he knoweth the reason of his own commands.

"It is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only

shalt thou serve," Matt. iv. 10. If God should command us nothing, how

is he our Governor and our God? and if he command us any thing, what

should he command us more fitly than to worship him? and he that will

not obey him in this, is not like to obey him well in any thing; for

there is nothing that he can with less show of reason except against;

seeing all the reason in the world must confess, that worship is most

due to God from his own creatures.

These reasons for the worship of God being undeniable, the objections

of the infidels and ungodly are unreasonable: as, _Object._ 1. That

our worship doth no good to God; for he hath no need of it. _Answ._

It pleaseth and honoureth him, as the making of the world, and the

happiness of man doth: doth it follow that there must be no world, nor

any man happy, because God hath no need of it, or no addition of

felicity by it? It is sufficient that it is necessary and good for us,

and pleasing unto God.

_Object._ 2. Proud men are unlikest unto God; and it is the proud that

love to be honoured and praised. _Answ._ Pride is the affecting of an

undue honour, or the undue affecting of that honour which is due.

Therefore it is that this affectation of honour in the creature is a

sin, because all honour is due to God, and none to the creature but

derivatively and subserviently. For a subject to affect any of the

honour of his king, is disloyalty; and to affect any of the honour of

his fellow-subjects is injustice: but God requireth nothing but what

is absolutely his due; and he hath commanded us, even towards men, to

give "fear and honour to whom they are due," Rom. xiii. 7.

_Direct._ III. Labour for the truest knowledge of the God whom you

worship. Let it not be said of you, as Christ said to the Samaritan

woman, John iv. 22, "Ye worship ye know not what;" nor as it is said

of the Athenians, whose altar was inscribed, "To the unknown God,"

Acts xvii. 23. You must know whom you worship; or else you cannot

worship him with the heart, nor worship him sincerely and acceptably,

though you were at never so great labour and cost: God hath no

"pleasure in the sacrifice of fools," Eccles. v. 1, 4. Though no man

know him perfectly, you must know him truly. And though God taketh not

every man for a blasphemer, and denier of his attributes, whom

contentious, peevish wranglers call so, because they consequentially

cross some espoused opinions of theirs; yet real misunderstanding of

God's nature and attributes is dangerous, and tendeth to corrupt his

worship by the corrupting of the worshippers. For such as you take God

to be, such worship you will offer him; for your worship is but the

honourable acknowledgment of his perfections; and mistakingly to

praise him for supposed imperfections, is to dishonour him and

dispraise him. If to know God be your eternal life, it must needs be

the life of all your worship. Take heed therefore of ignorance and

error about God.

_Direct._ IV. Understand the office of Jesus Christ as our great High

Priest, by whose mediation alone we must have access to God.[5]

Whether there should have been any priesthood for sacrifice or

intercession if there had been no sin, the Scripture telleth us not

expressly; but we have great reason to conjecture there would have

been none, because there would not have been any reasons for the

exercise of such an office. But since the fall, not only the

Scriptures, but the practice of the whole world, doth tell us that the

sinful people are unmeet immediately thus to come to God, but that

they must come by the mediation of the priest, as a sacrificer and

intercessor. So that either nature teacheth sinners the necessity of

some mediator, or the tradition of the church hath dispersed the

knowledge of it through the world: and certainly no other priest but

Christ can procure the acceptance of a sinful people upon his own

account; nor be an effectual mediator for them to God, unless in

subserviency to an effectual mediator who can procure us access and

acceptance for his own sake. For all other priests are sinners as well

as the people, and have as much need of a mediator for themselves. 1.

See therefore that you never appear before God, but as sinners, that

have offended him, and have deserved to be cast out of his favour for

ever, and such as are in absolute necessity of a mediator to procure

their access and acceptance with God: come not to God without the

sense of sin and misery. 2. See also that you come as those that have

a mediator in the presence of God; even Jesus our High Priest who

appeareth before God continually to make intercession for us: come

therefore with holy boldness, and confidence, and joy, having so sure

and powerful a Friend with God, the Beloved of the Father, whom he

heareth always.[6]

_Direct._ V. Look carefully to the state of thy soul, that thou bring

not an unholy heart to worship the most holy God. Come not in the love

of sin, nor in the hatred of holiness; for otherwise thou hatest God,

and art hated of him, as bringing that before him which he cannot but

hate. And it is easy to judge how unfit they are to worship God, that

hate him; and how unlike they are to be accepted by him whom he

hateth. Psal. v. 3-7, "My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O

Lord: in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look

up: for thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness, neither

shall evil dwell with thee. The foolish shall not stand in thy sight;

thou hatest all the workers of iniquity.--Thou shalt destroy them that

speak leasing: the Lord will abhor the bloody and deceitful man. But

as for me, I will come into thy house in the multitude of thy mercies,

and in thy fear will I worship towards thy holy temple." Psal. lxvi.

18, "If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me."

Psal. xv. 1, 2, "Who shall abide in God's tabernacle, but he that

walketh uprightly and worketh righteousness?" God will be sanctified

in them that come nigh him, Lev. x. 3; and are unsanctioned persons

fit for this? And can the unholy offer him holy worship? "The carnal

mind is enmity against God;" is it fit then to serve and honour him?

Rom. i. 7, 8. See 2 Cor. vi. 15-18. "Let him that nameth the name of

Christ depart from iniquity," 2 Tim. ii. 19. It is a purified,

peculiar, holy people that Christ hath redeemed to be the worshippers

of God, and as priests to "offer him acceptable sacrifice," Tit. ii.

14; 1 Pet. ii. 5, 9. If you will "receive the kingdom that cannot be

moved, you must have grace in your hearts to serve God acceptably with

reverence and godly fear; for our God is a consuming fire," Heb. xii.

28, 29. I know an ungodly person, as soon as he hath any repenting

thoughts, must express them in confession and prayer to God. But as no

prayers of an ungodly man are profitable to him, but those which are

acts of his penitent return towards God; so no worship of God hath a

promise of divine acceptance, but that which is performed by such as

sincerely return to God (and such are not ungodly). "The sacrifice of

the wicked is abomination to the Lord, but the prayer of the upright

is his delight," Prov. xv. 8. I know the wicked must "seek the Lord

while he may be found, and call upon him while he is near;" but it

must be in "forsaking his way and thoughts, and turning to the Lord,"

Isa. lv. 6, 7. Simon Magus must first "repent of his wickedness," and

then pray that the thoughts of his heart may be forgiven him, Acts

viii. 22. O come not in thy unholy, carnal state to worship God,

unless it be as a penitent returner to him, to lament first thy sin

and misery, that thou mayst be sanctified and reconciled, and fit to

worship him.

_Direct._ VI. Yet take it not as sufficient that thou art in a state

of sanctification, but also particularly sanctify thyself to every

particular address to God in holy worship. Even the child of a king

will not go rudely in dirt and filthiness into his father's presence.

Who would not search his heart and life, and cleanse his soul from his

particular pollution, by renewed repentance and purposes of

reformation, before he venture to speak to God? Particular sins have

made sad breaches between God and his children, and made foul work in

souls that the blood of Christ had cleansed. Search therefore with

fear, lest there should be any reviving sin, or any hidden root of

bitterness, or any transgression which thou winkest at or wilfully

cherishest in thyself; that, if there be such, thou mayst bewail and

hate it, and not come to God as if he had laid by his hatred of sin.

_Direct._ VII. Whenever thou comest to worship God, labour to awaken

thy soul to a reverent apprehension of the presence, and greatness,

and holiness of his majesty, and to a serious apprehension of the

greatness and excellency of the holy work which thou takest in hand.

Remember with whom thou hast to do, Heb. iv. 13. To speak to God, is

another kind of work than to speak to the greatest prince on earth,

yea, or the greatest angel in heaven. Be holy, for the Lord your God

is holy. To sanctify the name of God, and come in holiness before him,

is to apprehend him as infinitely advanced above the whole creation,

and to come with hearts that are separated from common things to him,

and elevated above a common frame. A common frame in worship (such as

we have about our common business) is mere profaneness. If it be

common it is unclean. Look to your feet when you go to the house of

God, Eccl. v. 1. Put off the shoes of earthly, common, unhallowed

affections, whenever you tread on holy ground, that is, when you are

about holy work, and when you draw near the holy God. In reverent

adoration say as Jacob, "How dreadful is this place! this is none

other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven," Gen.

xxviii. 17. See Isa. vi. 1, 3, 5.

_Direct._ VIII. In the worship of God, remember your communion with

the holy angels, and with all the hosts of heaven.[7] You are the

servants of the same God, and though you are yet far below them, you

are doing that which tendeth towards their dignity; for you must be

equal with them. Your work is partly of the same kind with theirs: it

is the same holy Majesty that you admire and praise, though you see

him yet but as in a glass. And the angels are some of them present

with you, and see you, though you see not them: 1 Cor. xi. 10, you are

commanded to respect them in your behaviour in God's worship. If the

eye of faith were so far opened, as that in all your worshipping of

God, you saw the blessed companies of angels, though not in the same

place and manner with you, yet in the same worship and in communion

with you, admiring, magnifying, extolling, and praising the most

glorious God, and the glorified Redeemer, with flaming, fervent, holy

minds, it would sure do much to elevate your souls, and raise you up

to some imitation or resemblance of them.[8] You find that in God's

public worship, it is a great help to the soul, in holy cheerfulness

and fervour, to join with a full assembly of holy, fervent, cheerful

worshippers: and that it is very difficult to the best, to keep up

life and fervent cheerfulness in so small, or ignorant, or profane a

company, as where there is no considerable number to concur with us.

Oh then, what a raising help would it be, to praise God as within the

sight and hearing of the heavenly praises of the angelical choir! You

see how apt men are to be conformed to the company that they are in.

They that are among dancers, or gamesters, or tipplers, or filthy

talkers, or scorners, or railers, are apt to do as the company doth,

or at least to be the more disposed to it. And they that are among

saints, in holy worship or discourse, are apt to imitate them much

more than they would do in other company. And what likelier way is

there, to make you like angels in the worshipping of God, than to do

it as in the communion of the angels? and by faith to see and hear

them in the concert? The angels disdain not to study our studies, and

to learn "by the church the manifold wisdom of God," Eph. iii. 10; 1

Pet. i. 12. They are not so far from us, nor so strange to us and our

affairs, as that we should imagine ourselves to be out of their

communion. Though we may not worship them, Col. ii. 18, we must

worship as with them.

_Direct._ IX. Take special care to the matter of your worship, that it

be such as is agreeable to the will of God, to the holiness of his

nature, and the directions of his word; and such as hath a promise of

his acceptance. Offer him not the sacrifice of fools, who know not

that they do evil, and are adding to their sins, while they think they

are pleasing him. Bring no false fire unto his altars: let your zeal

of God be according to knowledge. For no zeal will make a corrupt,

unlawful kind of worship, to be acceptable unto God.[9]

_Direct._ X. See that you perform every part of worship to the proper

end to which it is appointed; both as to the ultimate, remote, and

nearest end. The end is essential to these relative duties. If you

intend not the right end, you make another thing of it: as the

preaching of a sermon to edify the church, or putting up a prayer to

procure God's blessings, is not the same thing as a stage-player's

profane repeating the same words in scorn of godliness, or an

hypocrite's using them for commodity or applause. The ultimate end of

all worship and all moral actions is the same, even the pleasing and

glorifying God, 1 Cor. x. 31; 2 Tim. ii. 4.[10] Besides which every

part of worship hath its proper, nearest end. These must not only be

distinctly known, but actually intended. It is God in Christ that a

holy worshipper thirsteth after and seeketh for in every part of

worship, either to know more of God, and of his will, and blessings;

or to have some more communion with him, or some further grace

communicated from him, to receive his pardoning, or cleansing, or

quickening, or confirming, or comforting, or exalting grace; to be

honoured or delighted in his holy service, or to make known his grace

and glory for the good of others, and the honour of his name.[11] Here

it is that God proclaimeth his name, as Exod. xxxiv. 6. The ordinances

of God's worship are like the tree in which Zaccheus climbed up (being

of himself too low) to have a sight of Christ. Here we come to learn

the will of God for our salvation; and must enter the assembly with

such resolutions as Cornelius and his company met, Acts x. 33, "We are

all here met to hear all things commanded thee of God:" and as Acts

ii. 37, and Acts xvi. 30, to learn what we must do to be saved. Hither

we come for that holy light, which may show us our sin, and show us

the grace which we have received, and show us the unspeakable love of

God, till we are humbled for sin, and lifted up by faith in Christ,

and can with Thomas, as it were, put our fingers into his wounds, and

say in assurance, "My Lord and my God:" and as Psal. xlviii. 14, "This

God is our God for ever and ever: he will be our guide even unto

death." Here we do as it were with Mary sit at the feet of Jesus, to

hear his word, Luke x. 39, that fire from heaven may come down upon

our hearts, and we may say, "Did not our hearts burn within us while

he spake to us, and while he opened to us the Scriptures?" Luke xxiv.

32. Here we cry to him as the blind man, Mark x. 51, "Lord, that I may

receive my sight." We cry here to the watchmen, Cant. iii. 3, "Saw ye

him whom my soul loveth." Here we are in his "banqueting house," under

the "banner of his love," Cant. ii. 4. We have here the sealing and

quickenings of his Spirit, the mortification of our sin, the increase

of grace, and a prospect into eternal life, and a foresight of the

endless happiness there. See then that you come to the worship of God

with these intentions and expectations; that if God or conscience call

to you, (as God did sometime to Elias,) "What dost thou here?" you may

truly answer, I came to seek the Lord my God, and to learn his will

that I might do it. And that your sweet delights may make you say,

Psal. lxxxiv. 4, "Blessed are they that dwell in thy house, they will

be still praising thee." If thou come to the worship of God in mere

custom, or to make thy carnal heart believe that God will forgive thee

because thou so far servest him, or to quiet thy conscience with the

doing of a formal task of duty, or to be seen of men, or that thou

mayst not be thought ungodly, if these be thy ends, thou wilt speed

accordingly. A holy soul cannot live upon the air of man's applause,

nor upon the shell of ordinances, without God who is the kernel and

the life of all: it is the love of God that brings them thither, and

it is love that they are exercising there, and the end of love, even

the nearer approach of the soul to God, which they desire and intend.

Be sure then that these be the true and real intentions of thy heart.

[Sidenote: How to know that we have the right ends in worship.]

_Quest._ But how shall I know whether indeed it be God himself that I

am seeking, and that I perform his worship to the appointed ends?

_Answ._ In so great a business it is a shame to be unacquainted with

your intentions. If you take heed what you do, and look after your

hearts, you may know what you come for, and what is your business

there. But more particularly, you may discern it by these marks: 1. He

that hath right ends, and seeketh God, will labour to suit all his

duties to those ends, and will like that best which is best suited to

them; he will strive so to preach, and hear, and pray, not as tends

most to preferment or applause, but as tendeth most to please and

honour God, and to attain his grace; and he will love that sermon or

that prayer best, that is best fitted to bring up his soul to God, and

not that which tickleth a carnal ear. Mark what you fit the means to,

and you may perceive what is your end. 2. If it be God himself that

you seek after in his worship, you will not be satisfied without God:

it is not the doing of the task that will satisfy you, nor yet the

greatest praise of men, no not of the most godly men; but so far as

you have attained your end, in the cleansing, or quickening, or

strengthening of the soul, or getting somewhat nearer God, or pleasing

or honouring him, so far only you will be contented. 3. If God be your

end, you will be faithful in the use of that more private and

spiritual worship, where God is to be found, though no human applause

be there to be attained. 4. And you will love still the same

substantial, necessary truth and duty, which is to your souls as bread

and drink is to your bodies; when those that have carnal ends will be

looking after variety and change, and will be weary of the necessary

bread of life. By observing these things you may discern what are your

ends in worship.

And here I must not let go this necessary direction, till I have

driven on the reader with some more importunity to the serious

practice of it. It is lamentable to see, how many turn the worship of

God into vile hypocrisy, and dead formality; and offer God a carrion

for a sacrifice; and yet their consciences are so far from checking

them for this heinous sin, that they are much pleased and quieted by

it, as if they had deserved well of God, and proved themselves very

godly people, and by this sin had made him amends for the common sins

of their lives. Is it God himself, and his sanctifying grace, that

those men seek after in his worship, who hate his grace and scorn

sanctification, and can leave God to be enjoyed by others, if they may

but enjoy their fleshly pleasures, and riches, and honours in the

world? Even the haters of God and holiness are so blinded, as to

persuade themselves that in his worship they are truly seeking that

God and holiness which they hate. And oh what a deal of pains is many

a formal hypocrite at to little purpose; in spending many hours in

outside, heartless, lifeless worship, while they never thirsted after

God, nor after a holy conformity to him, communion with him, or

fruition of him, in all their lives![12] Oh what a deal of labour do

these Pharisees lose in bodily exercise which profiteth nothing, for

want of a right end in all that they do! because it is not God that

they seek: when "godliness is profitable to all things," 1 Tim. iv. 8.

And what is godliness but the soul's devotedness to God, and seeking

after him? We have much ado to bring some men from their diversions to

God's outward worship; but oh how much harder is it to bring the soul

unfeignedly to seek God in that worship where the body is present!

When David in the wilderness was driven from the sanctuary, he crieth

out in the bitterness of his soul, "As the hart panteth after the

water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God: my soul thirsteth

for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?

My tears have been my meat day and night, while they continually say

unto me, Where is thy God?" You see here that it was God himself that

David thirsted after in his worship. Alas! what is all the outward

pomp of worship, if God be not the end and life of all? Without him

how vain a thing would the words of prayer, and preaching, and the

administration of the sacraments be! It is not the dead letter, but

the quickening Spirit that maketh the dead in sin to live; that

convinceth or comforteth the soul; or maketh the worshipper holy or

happy. Nay, it is some aggravation of your misery, to be destitute of

true communion with God, while you seem to worship him; and to be far

from him in the heart, while you draw so near him with the lips; to

boast of the temple of the Lord, and be forsaken by the Lord of the

temple! That Capernaum shall be cast down to hell, that is but thus

lifted up to heaven; and it will be easier for Sodom in the day of

judgment, than for such as had the public ordinances without God.

David left the ark with Absalom at Jerusalem; but God was not with

Absalom but with David.[13] No marvel if such hypocrites grudge at all

that is costly in God's service; even the necessary maintenance of the

ministers; for if they have only the shell of ordinances without God,

it will scarce requite them for their cost. No marvel if they think

all their pains too much, when they take up with the chaff which is

scarcely worth their pains. No wonder if they find small pleasure in

God's service; for what pleasure is there in the husks or chaff, or in

a deaf nut? No wonder if they grow no better, no holier or stronger by

it; for what strength will chaff and shadows breed? No marvel if they

are quickly weary, and if a little of such religion seem enough, when

the life, and spirits, and strength, and sweetness is neglected. O

sinners, remember, that God desireth not yours but you, and all your

wealth and service is as nothing to him, if he have not yourselves

(when yet you are so little worth the having). Nay, how earnestly doth

he sue to have you! how dearly hath he bought you! he may challenge

you as his own. Answer this kindness of God aright; let no ordinance

nor any common mercy satisfy you, if you have not God himself. And to

encourage you let me further tell you,

1. If it be God himself that thou seekest in his worship (sincerely)

thou shalt find him: because thou hast chosen the better part, it

shall not be taken from thee.[14] Because thou hungerest and thirstest

after him thou shalt be satisfied. What joyful news is this to the

thirsty soul! 2. Thou art more welcome to God with these high desires;

this holy ambition and aspiring of love is only acceptable to him. If

all ordinances be nothing to thee without God, he will see that thou

understandest the true use of ordinances, and put down thy name among

his lovers, whom he cannot despise. He loveth not to see men debase

their souls, to feed on husks and chaff with hypocrites, any more than

to feed on filth and dirt, with sensualists and worldlings. As he

accepted Solomon's prayer because he asked not for little things, but

for great,[15] so he is very much pleased with the soul, that is

unsatisfied with all the world, and can be content with nothing lower

or worse than God himself. 3. Nay, because thou seekest God himself,

thou shalt have all things with him that are worth the having, Matt.

vi. 33; Rom. viii. 28. When hypocrites have but the carcass and

shadow, it is thou that shalt have the substantial food and joy. As

they that were with Paul when he was converted, did hear the voice but

saw no man, Acts ix. 7; so others shall hear the sound of the word,

and the name of God, but it is thou that shalt see him by faith that

is invisible, and feel the power and efficacy of all. Thou shalt hear

God speak to thee, when he that sitteth in the same seat with thee,

shall hear no more than the voice of man. It is he that seeketh after

God in his ordinances, that is religious in good sadness, and is

employed in a work, that is worthy of an immortal, rational soul. The

delights of ordinances as they are performed by man, will savour of

his imperfections, and taste of the instrument, and have a bitterness

often mixed with the sweet; when the delight that cometh from God

himself will be more pure. Ordinances are uncertain: you may have them

to-day, and lose them to-morrow! when God is everlasting, and

everlastingly to be enjoyed. O therefore take not up short of God, in

any of his worship, but before you set upon it, call up your souls to

mind the end, and tell them what you are going to do, that you miss

not of the end for want of seeking it. The devil will give

hypocritical worldlings leave to play them with the most excellent

ordinances, if he can but keep God out of sight, even as you will let

your children play them with a box of gold, as long as it is shut,

and they see not what is within.

_Direct._ XI. Be laborious with your hearts in all God's worship to

keep them employed on their duty; and be watchful over them, lest they

slug or wander.[16] Remember that it is heart work that you are

principally about. And therefore see that your hearts be all the while

at work. Take yourselves as idle when your hearts are idle. And if you

take not pains with them, how little pains will they take in duty! If

you watch them not, how quickly will they lie down, and forget what

they are doing, and fall asleep when you are in treaty with God! How

easily will they turn aside, and be thinking of impertinent vanities!

Watch therefore unto prayer and every duty, 1 Pet. iv. 7; 2 Tim. iv.

5.

_Direct._ XII. Look up to heaven as that which all your duties tend

to, that from thence you may fetch your encouraging motives. Do all as

a means to life eternal; separate no duty from its reward and end. As

the traveller remembereth whither he is going all the way, and a

desired end doth make the foulest steps seem tolerable; so think in

every prayer you put up, and in every duty, that it is all for heaven.

_Direct._ XIII. Depend upon the Spirit of God for help. You cannot

seek God spiritually and acceptably without him. Think not that you

are sufficient to worship God aright without his help. Where this is

despised or neglected, you see what lamentable work is made by blind,

corrupted nature in God's service. Sensual wretches that have not the

Spirit, are fitter for any thing than to worship God.[17] "If he that

hath not the Spirit of Christ be none of his," Rom. viii. 9, then he

that pretends to worship God without the Spirit of Christ, can ill

think to be heard for the sake of Christ.

_Direct._ XIV. Look also to your tongues and the deportment of your

bodies, that the whole man may worship God in holiness as he

requireth. Pretend not your good meanings, nor the spirituality of

your worship, to excuse you from worshipping also with your bodies.

Your hearts must be first looked to; but your words and bodies must be

next looked to; and if you regard not these, it is hardly credible

that you regard your hearts. 1. Your words and gestures are the due

expression of your hearts; and the heart will desire to express itself

as it is. Many would express their hearts to be better than they are;

and therefore good expressions are oft to be suspected. But few would

express their hearts as worse than they are; and therefore bad

appearances do seldom lie. 2. Your words and actions are needful to

the due honouring of God. As evil words and actions do dishonour him,

and the unseemly, disorderly performance of his service, is very

injurious to such holy things; so your meet and comely words and

gestures are the external beauty of the worship which you perform; and

God should be served with the best. 3. Your words and gestures reflect

much on your own hearts. As acts tend to the increase of the habits;

so the external expressions tend to increase the internal affections,

whether they be good or evil. 4. Your words and gestures must be

regarded for the good of others, who see not your hearts, but by these

expressions. And where many have communion in worshipping God, such

acts of communion are of great regard.

[1] Qui totos dies precabantur et immolabant, ut sui liberi sibi

superstites essent, superstitiosi sunt appellati, quod nomen patuit

postea latius. Qui autem omnia, quæ ad cultum Deorum pertinerent,

diligenter retractarent, et tanquam relegerent, sunt dicti religiosi,

ex relegendo; ut elegantes ex eligendo, a diligendo diligentes, ex

intelligendo intelligentes. Superstitiosi et religiosi, alterum vitii

nomen, alterum laudis. Cicer. Nat. Deor. lib. ii. pag. 73, 74.

[2] If they that serve their God with mere words, and ceremony, and

mimical actions, were so served themselves, they might be silenced

with Aristippus's defence of his gallantry and sumptuous fare, Si

vituperandum, ait, hoc esset, in celebritatibus deorum profecto non

fieret. Laert. in Aristip. So Plato allowed drunkenness only in the

feasts of Bacchus.

[3] Read Mr. Herbert's Poem called "Providence."

[4] Psal. xlv. 11; lxvi. 4; lxxxvi. 9; xcv. 6; xcix. 5.

[5] Heb. viii. 3.

[6] Heb. vii. 27, 28; ix. 26, 28; x. 19-22, 13, 24; vi. 20; vii. 25,

26; Matt. xvii. 5; John xi. 42.

[7] Luke xx. 36; see Eccl. v. 5; Psal. cxxxviii. 1; Isa. vi. 2.

[8] See Mr. Ambrose's book of Communion with Angels; and Zanchy on the

same subject: and Mr. Lawrence's and Dr. Hammond's Annotat. on 1 Cor.

xii.

[9] Adulterium est, impium est, sacrilegium est, quodcunque humano

furore instituitur, ut dispositio Divina violetur. Cyprian. Eccl. v.

1, 2; Lev. x. 1-3; Rom. x. 2, 3.

[10] 1 Thess. ii. 4; Col. i. 10; John viii. 29; 1 Cor. vii. 32; Heb.

xi. 6; 1 John iii. 22.

[11] Psal. xlii.; lxxxiv.

[12] 2 Tim. iii. 5; 1 Tim. iv. 7.

[13] Isa. xxix. 13; Matt. xv. 8; xi. 23, 24; 2 Sam. xv. 25, 28, 29.

[14] Luke x. 42.

[15] 2 Chron. i. 10-12.

[16] Eph. vi. 18; Luke xxi. 36; Rev. iii. 3; Col. iv. 2; Matt. xiii.

33-37.

[17] Jude 19.