456 SERMONS UPON HEBREWS XI. [SeR. XIV.
returns their fears upon them, and puts them to a new penance, and brings their sorrow to their remembrance ; therefore the}^ cannot act with any complacency. Isa. Iviii. 13, the prophet bids us ' call the sabbath a delight.' When we rest in the bosom of God all day, there are actual emanations of grace and comfort.
3. There is a difference in regard of the end. Now there is a general and a particular end of worship.
[1.] A general end, and that is twofold ; to glorify God and to enjoy God ; the one is the work of duty, and the other is the reward of duty. (1.) The great end of duty is to glorify God. Grace heightens all our natural actions to a supernatural intention : 1 Cor. x. 31, ' Whether therefore ye eat or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.' Eating and drinking ; therefore especially must duties of wor- ship, and those solemn operations of the new nature. Duties of wor- ship and exercises of grace must be to the glory of God. God is said ' to inhabit the praises of Israel,' Ps. xxii. 3 ; meaning the temple, the place of worship where God was chiefly honoured and praised. Duties of worship are chiefly for the honour of God. Now carnal men have other ends ; either they use duty in design as hypocrites ; or with a natural end, as to satisfy natural conscience. With a design, which is hypocrisy. Keligion is one of the best commodities in his way of trade and commerce ; therefore carnal men make ordinances to lacquey upon their private ends ; they pray and preach for esteem and gain to set off themselves ; they use the holy things of God for some base ends of their own : 2 Cor. ii. 7, ' We are not of those that corrupt the word of God, Ka7r7]\€vovTe<;.' This is the true Simony, to buck out the gos- pel, and sell our holy things. Hypocrites look upon religion as a device fitted for their tuv n^i—Qucmtas nobis comparavit divitias, or else carnal men use worship for a natural end, which is the worship of a natural conscience, and is prostituted to self-respect. A natural con- science is hearty and real in its worship, but not spiritual, because it merely aims at self, some temjwrai commodity, or eternal salvation, as a mere hire. 0 Christians ! look to your ends. Many look that the matter be good, that they can raise themselves into any quickness and smartness of affection ; but the end is all : Col. iii. 23, ' Whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men.' Let God's glory be at the end. (2.) The second end of worship is to enjoy God. Many mind duties as a task, and as the mere homage of the creature, and look not upon it as a means of communion, by which God will let out himself to us. This must be your aim, to use duty to further your joy in the Lord. Duty is expressed by ' drawing nigh to God,' Heb. X. 22. You must renew in every exercise your access to God by him. Now carnal men are content with the duty instead of God and satisfy themselves with the work wrought, though there be no intercourse between God and their souls. Therefore a godly man looks at this, what of God he hath found ; how he hath come to Christ as to a living stone. You must not be content with the duty instead of God.
[2.] There is a particular aim, and that is always suited to the par- ticular part of worship, and that is a right intention. It is a sign you do not come customarily when you come to seek that for which God hath instituted that special worship. As in the word, the end of tha6
YeR. 4.J SERMONS UPON HEBREWS XI. 457
is to submit ourselves to Christ as our teacher or to promote our life or the liveliness of our souls ; therefore when you come to be taught by Christ, you come aright to hear the word. And iu prayer the particu- lar end is that we may make use of Jesus Christ as our advocate to God the Father, and may solemnly act our graces in opening our case to God. So in the sacrament, when you come to Christ as the master of the feast, to refresh your souls with the renewed sense of his bounty ; as Christ said to those that went to hear John, Mat. xi. 8, ' What went you out into the wilderness to see ? ' so, for what reason did you put your- selves upon such worship ? Well then, see that you offer a sacrifice more excellent than carnal men ; look to your principle, manner, and end.
Use. To press you to see that you offer a sacrifice more excellent than common men. Here I shall speak to three cases, concerning the principle, the manner, and the end of duty.
1. For the principle, Whether or no it be not a mere natural act to eye the reward, and in what manner it is lawful ?