y behold
God's nature and properties. For such as himself is, such he would be
acknowledged to be. I would think it were true worship indeed, which had
engraven on it the name of the true and living God, if it did speak out so
much of itself. "That God is, and that he is a rewarder of them that seek
him diligently." Most part of our service speaks an unknown God, and
carries such an inscription upon it, "To the unknown God." There is so
little either reverence, or love, or fear, or knowledge in it, as if we
did not worship the true God, but an idol. It is said, that "the fool says
in his heart, there is no God, because his thoughts and affections and
actions are so little composed to the fear and likeness of that God, as if
he did indeed plainly deny him." I fear it may be said thus of our
worship. It says, There is no God. It is of such a nature that none could
conclude from it that it had any relation to the true God. Our prayers
deny God, because there is nothing of God appears in them. But this is
true worship when it renders back to God his own image and name. _Unde
repercussus redditur ipse sibi._ As it is a pure fountain, in which a man
may see his shadow distinctly, but a troubled fountain or mire in which he
cannot behold himself, so it is pure worship, which receives and reflects
the pure image of God, but impure and unclean worship which cannot receive
it and return it. I pray you, Christians, consider this for it is such
worshippers the Father seeks. And why seeks he such, but because in them
he finds himself? So to speak, his own image and superscription is upon
them, his mercy is engraven on their faith and confidence, his majesty and
power is stamped on their humility and reverence, his goodness is to be
read in the soul's rejoicing, his greatness and justice in the soul's
trembling. Thus there ought to be some engravings on the soul answering
the characters of his glorious name. O how little of this is among them
that desire to know something of God! How little true worship, even among
them whom the Father hath sought out to make true worshippers! But alas,
how are all of us unacquainted with this kind of worship! We stay upon the
first principles and practices of religion, and go not on to build upon
the foundation. Sometimes your worship hath a stamp of God's holiness and
justice in fear and terror at such a majesty which makes you tremble
before him, but where is the stamp of his mercy and grace which sh