The whole treatise of the cases of conscience distinguished into three bookes: the first whereof is revised and corrected in sundrie places, and the other two annexed. Taught and deliuered by M. W. Perkins in his holy-day lectures, carefully examined by his owne briefes, and now published together for the common good, by T. Pickering Bachelour of Diuinitie. Whereunto is adioyned a twofold table: one of the heads and number of the questions propounded and resolued; another of the principall texts of Scripture vvhich are either explaned, or vindicated from corrupt interpretation.

II. Question. How God is to be worshipped and serued.

FOr the full answer hereof, we must remember that the wor∣ship of God is twofold; in∣ward or outward. Inward is the worship of the mind, the heart, the conscience, will, and affections; for man by all these ioyntly and seuerally performeth worship and seruice to his creator. The outward is that worshippe whereby the inward is testified outwardly in the speach and actions. The former of these two, is the spirituall worship of the inward man, and the very ground and foundation of all true worship of God: for God is a spi∣rit and therfore must be worshipped in spi∣rit, * 1.1 that is, in the the minde, conscience, will, and affections. Indeede all the worshippe of

God is spirituall, euen that which we call outward; yet not of it selfe, but by vertue of the inward, from which it proceedeth.

Sect. 1.

The heades of Inward worship are two. * 1.2 Adoration of God, and cleaving to God. For as they are two different actions of the heart, so they may fitly be termed two distinct parts of Gods worship. This distinction is in some part propounded by Moses, where he exhorteth the Israelites, to feare Iehovah their * 1.3 God, to adore him, to cleaue vnto him, and to swear by his name.

Adoration, is that part of Gods worship, whereby a man, vpon a vile and base estima∣tion of himselfe, as beeing but dust and a∣shes, submits & subiects his soule to the glo∣rie and Maiestie of God.

This hath two principal groundes in the heart, which if they be wanting, there can be no true worship of God. The first is Abnega∣tion or deniall of our selues, when we esteem our selues to be meerely nothing. The se∣cond is exaltation, or Advancemēt of Gods maiesty, aboue all the things in the world. Ex∣āples of these we haue many in the scriptures, as of Abraham, who called God his Lord, * 1.4 and himselfe dust and ashes: of the Angels, whome in a vision the Prophet sawe stan∣ding * 1.5 before God, with one wing couering their feete, which signified the abasing of

themselues; and with another couering their faces, which betokened their adoration of the maiestie of God. Of Daniel, when he confesseth, To thee, O Lord, belongeth righte∣ousnes * 1.6 it selfe, but to vs shame and confusion of face. Lastly, of the woman of Canaan, who calls Christ Lord, and her selfe, a dogge. * 1.7

Now in Adoration, there are foure Ver∣tues; Feare, Obedience, Patience, Thanke∣fulnesse.

Feare, is a great part of the worship of God, which I prooue by two places laid to∣gether. Esa. 29. 13. Matth. 15. 8, 9. wherein Feare and Worship, are taken for one and the same thing: for that which Esay calls Feare, Matthew calls Worship. Now in this feare, there be two things that serue to di∣stinguish it from all other feares.

First, it is absolute: for by it God is reue∣renced absolutely. Saint Paul exhorteth to yeelde tribute, feare, and honour to the * 1.8 Magistrate, not for himselfe, but for God, whose minister he is. And our Sauiour saith, Feare ye not them which kill the bodie, and are not * 1.9 able to kill the soule, but rather feare him which is able to destroy both soule and bodie in hell. As if he should say, I allow and command you to feare men, onely for God, who hath set them ouer you, but feare God for him∣selfe.

Secondly, it makes a man, first of all, to feare the offence of God, and then the pu∣nishment

and iudgement. For it is not a feare of the offence alone, but of the offence and punishment together, and of the offence in the first place: Mal. 1. 6. If I be a Lord, where is my feare? And where it is saide in Matthew, but rather feare him that is able to cast bodie and * 1.10 soule into hell fire; there is commanded a feare of God, in regard of his anger. We feare the sword of man, and that lawfully, why then * 1.11 may we not feare the punishment of God? If it be said, this is a seruile feare, to feare the punishment, and agrees not to Gods chil∣dren: I answer, slauish feare is, when a man only fears the punishment, & not the offence of God, or at least the punishment more then the offence.

The second vertue of Adoration, is in∣ward Obedience of the hidden man of the heart. The Lord preferres this obedience be∣fore all sacrifice, 1. Sam. 15. 22. This standeth in two things. First, in yeelding subiection of the Conscience to the commaundements, threatnings, and promises of God, so as we are willing, that it should become bound vn∣to them. Secondly, when the rest of the powers of the soule, in their place and time, performe obedience vnto God. And by this meanes doe we bring into captiuitie, euery thought vnto the obedience of Christ, as Paul speaketh, 2. Cor. 10. 5.

The third vertue of Adoration, is Patience; which is, when a man in his afflictions, sub∣mitteth

his will to the will of God, and qui∣eteth his heart therein, because God sendeth afflictions. This was Dauids counsell, Be silent before the Lord, and alwaies waite vpon his plea∣sure. And his practise, when in trouble he re∣signed * 1.12 himselfe into the hands of God, and said, Lord, if I please thee not, loe I am here, doe with me as seemeth good in thine eyes. This pati∣ence * 1.13 is a part of Gods worship, because it is a kind of obedience.

The fourth vertue of Adoration, is Thank∣fulnesse to God, which shewes it selfe in two things. First, in an acknowledgement of the heart, that our selues and whatsoeuer we haue, is Gods, and proceedeth from his blessing alone. Secondly, in a consecration of our bodies, soules, liues, callings, and la∣bours to the honour and seruice of God. Thus much of the first head of Inward wor∣ship, or the first action of the heart, standing in Adoration.

Sect. 2.

The second Action of the heart in Inward * 1.14 worship, or the second part thereof, is Clea∣uing vnto God. Now we cleaue vnto God by foure things: by Faith, Hope, Loue, and inward Inuocation.

By Faith, I meane true iustifying faith, whereby we rest vpon Gods mercie for the forgiuenes of our sinnes, and life euerlasting: and vpon his prouidence, for the things of

this life. Thus Abraham, beeing strengthened in this faith, and relying by it vpon Gods promises made vnto him, gaue glorie vnto God, Rom. 4. 20. This Sauing faith, is the ve∣ry roote, and beginning of all true worship. For Loue, which is the fulfilling of the Law, must come from it. 1. Tim. 1. 5.

The second is Hope, which followes and dependes vpon faith: and it is that grace of God, whereby with patience we waite the Lords leisure, for the performance of his promises, especially touching redemption, and life eternall. If we hope (saith Paul) for that we haue not, we doe with patience expect it, Rom. 8. 25.

The third, is Loue of God; which hath two effects in the heart. First, it makes the heart to cleaue vnto God, and to be well pleased with him simply for himselfe. In this manner God the father louing Christ, testifi∣eth that he was well pleased in him, Matth. 3. 17. Secondly, it mooues the heart to seeke by all meanes possible, to haue true fellowship with God in Christ. This the Church notably expresseth in the Canticles.

The fourth, is Inward praier, or Inuocati∣on of the heart; and it is nothing els, but the lifting vp of the heart vnto God, according to his will, by desires and grones vnspeaka∣ble. Or, it is a worke of the heart, whereby it flies vnto God for help in distresse, & makes him a rocke of defence. When the children

of Israel were afflicted, They remembred that God was their strength, and the most high God their redeemer, Psal. 78. 35. Of this kinde of prayer Paul speakes, when he saith, pray con∣tinually, 1. Thess. 5. 17. For solemne prayer conceiued, and vttered in forme of words, cannot alwaies be vsed: but we are to lift vp our hearts vnto God, vpon euery occasion, that by inward and holy motions and affe∣ctions, they may be (as it were) knitte vnto him.

Now to conclude this point touching In∣ward worship, we must remember that it a∣lone is properly, simply, and of it selfe, the worship of God; and the Outward is not simply the worship of God, but onely so farre forth as it is quickned by the Inward, and grounded vpon it. For God is a Spirit, and therefore the true worship that is done vnto him, must be performed in spirit and truth, Ioh. 4. 24.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Ioh. 4. 24.
• * 1.2

  Adoration.
• * 1.3

  Deut. 10. 20.
• * 1.4

  Gen. 8. 27.
• * 1.5

  Esa. 6. 〈◊〉〈◊〉,
• * 1.6

  Dan. 9. 7.
• * 1.7

  Matth. 15. 27.
• * 1.8

  Rom. 13. 7.
• * 1.9

  Matth. 10. 28.
• * 1.10

  Matth. 10. 28.
• * 1.11

  Rom. 13. 4.
• * 1.12

  Psal. 37. 7.
• * 1.13

  1. Sam. 15. 26.
• * 1.14

  Cleauing to God.