Duty, in a Manner acceptable to him, by the Revelations he hath been pleased to make of his Will. What that Manner is, I shall endeavour to make out in my following Difcourfe: For which Purpose I have chofen thefe Words of the Pfalmift; O worship the Lord in the Beauty of Hokiness. difcourfing from which, I defign in the

First Place, To fhow how we are to behave ourselves, in order to Worship God in the Beauty of Holiness. And

Secondly, To lay down fome Motives, earnesty to persuade us fo to Worship him.

But before I enter upon either of thefe Heads, I think it convenient to premife fomething concerning the Nature of the Worship of God. The Worthip ofGod then in a large Sense, doth fignify, The Whole Duty of Man, comprehending in it Juftice, Charity, and Sobriety. All thefe, being commanded by God, do become part of that Honour and Worship which are due to him. But in a more refrain'd Senfe it is taken for that Part of our Duty, which immediately and directly relateth to God; and is employed in acknowledging his infinite and unbounded Excellen

cies; in praifing him for the Bleffings he hath already given us; and in begging of him whatsoever we ftill ftand in need of. In thefe, and fuch like Acts and Exercises the Worship of God in this restrained Sense doth confift.,

And it is diftinguished into Private and Public. Which Diftinction is not founded upon any effential Difference that is between them, but upon the Variety of Circumstances belonging to either: The one being performed by a Man when he is alone in his Chamber, Closet, or any other Place which he thinks fit. The other in the Company of more Perfons, either in ones ownFamily, or in the Church.

In what I fhall now deliver, Ifhall chiefly regard that Worship which we pay to God publickly in thofe Houses which are dedicated to his Honour and Service; though it will in a great Measure be like wife applicable to that Worship we perform in our Families, or in any other more private Retirement.

This being premis'd, I go on to the First Thing propounded, namely, to thew how we are to behave ourselves in order to Worship God in the Beauty of Holiness. By the Beauty of Holiness David, I fuppofe, did principally intend, that

Holy

Holy Tabernacle which he had made, and richly adorned, to be a Place of Refidence for God's facred Ark; upon the Tranflation of which into it this Pfalm was compofed. And indeed the Seventy feem to fpeak the fame Thing; for by them my Text is rendered; Προσκυνήσατε τῷ Κυρίῳ ἐν άυλη ἁγία αυτό; Worhip the Lord in his Holy Court, or in his Holy Houfe. So that if the Words are confidered in this Light, then by Worshiping God in the Beauty of Holiness is meant the publick Worshipping him, in those Holy Places which are fet apart for his publick Worship: As also that we fhould keep thofe Holy Places as neat and handsome as we can, and never grudge the best owing a little Money to preferve them from Ruin, Dirt, and Naftiness.

Thefe Things are naturally fuggefted to us from the primary Signification of the Text. But Ifhall take the Liberty to understand it also, as having reference to the decent and orderly Manner of performing God's Worship, as well as to the Place wherein it is to be performed..

Secondly, Therefore, in order to Wor fhip God in the Beauty of Holiness, we must worship him with Souls beautified with true Holinefs. God is a Being of infinite

and

and tranfcendent Holiness himself, and is very much displeased to have the Refemblance of it wanting in others. He is the Lover of those alone who are Holy as he is Holy, and therefore 'tis the Worship of those alone that he takes Delight in. The Thanksgivings which Men offer whilst their Hearts remain unfanctified, he reck ons no better than vain Oblations: The Supplications which they then make are abominable in his Sight. The Worthip of Hypocrites is most odious and ugly; and there is nothing more offenfive to the High and Holy one, who inhabiteth Eter. nity, than to fee thole Men pretending to be pious and devout on a Sunday, who have little or no Regard to Juftice, and Charity, Temperance, and Sobriety, and the other Duties of Religion, all the Week befides. And yet alas! 'tis to be feared there are many fad Wretches of this Stamp. 'Tis to be feared there are ma ny who defraud their Neighbours; who debauch themselves; and forget their God upon the Working Days, and yet think all will be well with them, if they come to Church on the Lord's Day.

Let fuch Perfons know that God is not tobe mock'd: He fees their hollow Hearts, and deceitful Doings; he fees their inward Pollution

Pollution and Uncleannels, and therefore will look upon their outward Worship with the utmost Abhorrence and Detestation. This they may learn from what David fays, Pfalm lxvi. 18. If I regard Iniquity in my Heart, the Lord will not bear me. This they may learn from what Solomon fays, Prov. xv. 8. The Sacrifice of the wicked is an Abomination to the Lord. And This they may likewise learn from that angry Relentment which God himself expreffes by the Prophet Ifaiah, concerning the Worship of the Jews, during their Continuance in Wickedness, Ifa. i. 11, 12, 13, 14, 15. To what Purpofe is the Multitude of your Sacrifices unto me? faith the Lord: I am full of the Burnt-Offerings of Rams, and the Fat of fed Bealls; and I delight not in the Blood of Bullocks, or of Lambs, or of He-goats. When ye come to appear before me, who bath required this at your Hands, to tread my Courts? Ering no more vain Ob. lations; Incenfe is an Abomination to me; the New-Moons, and Sabbaths, the Call ing of Affemblies I cannot away with, it is Iniquity, even the folemn Meeting. Your New-Moons, and your appointed Feafts my Soul bateth, they are a Trouble unto me, I am weary to bear them

and