These things are manifest and unquestionable. But our present inquiry is only, what it is which believers do so de- light in, in the ordinances and institutions of divine gospel worship, and what it is that engageth their hearts and minds into a diligent observance of them ; as also how and where- in they do exercise their love and delight. And I say, in general, that their delight in all ordinances of divine wor- ship, as is evident in the testimonies before produced, is in Christ himself, or God in Christ. This alone is that which they seek after, cleave unto, and are satisfied withal. They make use of the streams, but only as means of communica- tion from the spring. When men are really renewed in the spirit of their minds, it is so. Their regard unto ordinances and duties of divine worship is, as they are appointed of God, a blessed means of communion and intercourse be- tween himself in Christ, and their souls. By them doth Christ communicate of his love and grace unto us; in and by them do we act faith and love on him. It is the treasure hid in the field, which, when a 'man hath found, he pur- chaseth the whole field ;* but it is that he may enjoy the treasure which is hid therein; Matt. xiii. 14. This field is the gospel, and all the ordinances of it. This men do pur- chase sometimes at a dear rate, even with the loss of all they enjoy. But yet, if they obtain nothing but the field, they will have little cause to rejoice in their bargain. It is Christ,
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the treasure alone, that pearl of price, that will eternally en- rich the soul. The field is to be used only, as to find and dig up the treasure that is in it. It is, I say, Christ alone that, in the preaching of the gospel, renewed affections do cleave unto as the treasure, and unto all other things, ac- cording as their relation is unto him, or they have a partici- pation of him. Wherefore, in all duties of religion, in all ordinances of worship, their inquiry is after him whom their souls do love ; Cant. i. 7.
But yet we must treat more particularly and distinctly of these things. Those whose affections are spiritually re- newed, do love, adhere unto, and delight in ordinances of divine service, and duties of worship ; on the grounds and reasons ensuing.
1. In general they do so, as they find faith, and love, and delight in God through Christ, excited and acted in and by them. This is their first and immediate end in their in- stitution. It is a pernicious mistake to suppose that any external duties of worship, as hearing the word, prayer, or the sacraments, are appointed for themselves, or accepted for themselves.
Such thoughts the Jews of old had concerning their sacrifices ; namely, that they were appointed for their own sakes, and were acceptable service untoGod, merely on their own account. Wherefore God, to deliver them from this pernicious mistake, affirms ofttimes, that he never appointed them at all ; that is, for any such end ; Jer. vii. 22, 23. Isa. i. 12 — 14, &c. And now under the gospel, sundry things, de- structive to the souls of men, have proceeded from such a supposition. Some hereon have always satisfied and con- tented themselves with the external observance of them, without desiring or endeavouring any holy communion with God in them, or by them. This constitutes the state and condition mentioned, Rev. iii. 1. And by following this tract, the generality of Christians do wander out of the way; they cannot leave them, nor do know how to use them unto their advantage, until they come wholly unto that woful state, Isa. xxix. 13. And some, to establish this deceit, have taught that there is much more in the outward work of these duties, than ever God put into them, and that they are sanc- tified merely by virtue of the work wrought.
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418: THE GRACE AND DUTY OF
But all the duties of the second commandment, as are alt instituted ordinances of worship, ai'e but means to express and exercise those of the first, as faith, love, fear, trust, and delight in God. The end of them all is, that through them, and by them, we may act those graces on God in Christ. Where this is not attended unto, when the souls of men do not apply themselves unto this exercise of grace in them, let them be never so solemn as to their outward performance, be attended unto with diligence, be performed with earnest- ness and delight, they are neither acceptable unto God, nor beneficial unto themselves ; Isa. i. 11. This therefore is the first general spring of the love of believers, of them whose affections are spiritually renewed, unto the ordinances of divine worship, and their delight in them. They have ex-^ perience that in and by them their faith and love are excited unto a gracious exercise of themselves on God in Christ. And when they find it otherwise with them, they can have no rest in their souls. For this end are they ordained, sancti- fied and blessed of God, and therefore are effectual means of it, when their eflicacy is not defeated by unbelief.