2. There is a difference in the manner how these duties are to be performed ; this is to be regarded as well as the matter. A man may sin in doing good, but he can never sin in doing well. A man may sin though the matter be lawful, for the manner is all : Luke viii. 18, ' Take heed liow you hear,' saith Christ ; not only that you hear, but liow you hear. A man must not only make conscience of the very act of worship, but of the manner how he performs it. There are several dif- ferences between the children of God and others in the manner of worship; it must be done humbly, reverently, atiectionately.
[1.] It must be done humbly. It is not worship without it; they have a deep sense of their own vileness. In scripture the saints of the Most High in all their addresses to God, have always low thoughts of themselves ; as the centurion : Mat. viii, 8. 'Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldst come under my roof ;' and the great example of faith, Abraham — 'C Lord, I am but dust and ashes,' Gen. xviii. 27. When we come to converse with God, it will put us in remembrance of our distance. Eev. v. 8, ' The elders fell down before the Lamb.' There will be a comparing of ourselves with God. Alas! what is our drop to his ocean ? What is a candle before the sun ? The children of God shrink into notliing, whether you respect the benefit they receive, or the glory of God's presence in worship. Gen. xvii. 3, when God came to tender his covenant to Abraham, 'he fell upon his face,' in humble adoration of God, because of the richness of his bounty. So when you consider the glory and majesty of God, yon must humbly adore in the presence of God.
VeR. 4.] SERMONS UPON HEBREWS XI. 456
[2.] You must corae with reverence : Eccles. v. 1, ' Keep thy foot when tlioii goest to the house of God.' When you go to wonsliip, con- sider what you are about to do. We had need to awaken our di-owsy and careless s])irits, that we may have fresh and aweful thoughts of God in worship. Exod, iii. 5, ' Put olF thy shoes from thy feet ; ' hiy aside the commonness of your spirit, and the ordinary frame of your heart. God complains of some that were careless, and brought the sick and the lame ! Mai. i. 14, 'Cursed be the deceiver, that hath a male in his flock, and voweth, and sacrificeth to the Lord a coi-i-upt thing ; for I am a great king, saith the Lord of Hosts.' Wicked men's approaches aie rude and unhallowed, because they do not consider what a great king vilod is ; therefore tliey w^ill bring less to their great king tlian to an ordinary governor. We are more slight in our addres.ses to God than to an ordinary king. Wicked men, that are given up to vain superstition, may seem to be reverent in their gestures, and have more of the garb of relit^ion; but the main thing they have not, — fresh and aweful thoughts of God ; they do not come as into the presence of a great king.
[3.] It nuist be with affection ; God must be served with the heart. There are two things notable in the affections, — vehemency and com- placency.
[L] Vehemency : Ps. Ixiii. 8, ' My soul follows hard after thee.' A man should not faint when he comes to seek God ; our motion should not be weak, but an earnest ti'avail of the spirit to find God. Wicked men's prayers are but paper-and-ink devotions ; they do not lay out tiieir hearts and affections before God. At be.«t, their prayers are l)ut a little spiritless talk and prattle, and tongue-babbling. The Lord looks after the reaching forth of the soul: James v. 16, 'The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much;' Ba'r]ai<i ivepyov/xii'r) — we translate it ' effectual fervent ; ' the word signifies prayer possessed of the Spirit. Prayer must be full of life and vigour. And ver. 17, it is said, ' Ehjah prayed earnestly.' In the oi'iginal it is, 7rpoa€i'x,d nrpoar^v^aTo, he prayed in prayer. It was not only tongue, but heart prayer ; the spirit })rayed while the mouth w^as praying. The Spirit assists in groans rather tlian words, those inward reachings forth of the soul after God.
(2.) Your duties must be managed with complacency and delight: Ps. Ixxxiv. 10, ' One day in thy courts is better than a thousand' else- where.' The Lord will have the exercise of your joy. Now, that a man may delight in the worship of God, there seems to be two things neces- sary : spiritual esteem, that we may look upon it as a privilege that there is more delight in it than in the house of mirth ; and a child- like confidence, that we may have some hopes towards God, otherwise duty will be a sad burden. Carnal affections beget weariness; and carnal doubts beget fear and trouble. We have to do with Goil the fountain of blessing, and with our God. None complain of duties so mucii as they that have least cause. Men that are most peifurictory in God's service find it most irksome ; as those that brought the sick and the lame came puffing and blowing to the tem[)le as if they were tired, and cried, ' What a weariness is it! ' Mai. i. 13. Partly because they have no spiritual esteem, and do not know how to value com- munion with God. what it is for a creature to have such near ap[)roach to him. Partly because they have no child-like confidence. Worship