SERM.have on him. The Soul worships him, VII. by framing to itself awful Ideas of his Majefty and great Excellencies, by invoking Aid and Affiftance from him, and by putting up Praises to him. The Body worships him, by bowing and proftrating itself; and by all those humble and devout Poftures, which fuit beft with those inward Affections and Difpofitions of the Mind. Both together make up that compleat Harmony of divine Worship, which results from the Agreement of the several Parts of our Frame in the fame Acts of AcPhil. iv. knowledgment, that Odour of a fweet Smell, a Sacrifice acceptable, well pleasing

18.

to God.

Indeed, as we have no Way of forming to our felves any Idea of God, but by confidering the several limited Perfections and Excellencies, that are va riously scattered among his Creatures, and attributing them to him without Bounds; fo have we no other Way of applying our felves to him, as his Vaffals, his Dependants, and the Works of

his Hands, than by confidering what SERM, are those inward and outward Marks of VII. Respect, which we ufually pay to the Dignity of any Man here upon Earth, to his Authority over us, or his Beneficence towards us; and by giving them to God, in a much higher Degree, than we do to Man. Now, the Expreffion of our Efteem of any earthly good, the Refpect we bear towards Perfons of great Excellence, Parents, Benefactors, or Governors, is contained in these two Things, a Veneration of Mind for them, and a Submiffion of Body to them.

And whoever fails in either of these, is, by the general Confent of Mankind, reckoned to be fo far wanting in his Duty; and to deviate from those Rules of Subordination, which God has made neceffary for this World.

Of this, the Mind of Man is very fenfible; and being therefore conscious of the fuperlative Excellencies of the divine Being, and of the infinite Goodnefs of its Nature towards us, finds itVOL. II.

felf

SERM.felf uneafy under these Apprehenfions, VII. till it has paid its due Homage, its Debt of Honour to it. Which, nevertheless,

it has no Ability to do, otherwife than by applying to God thofe outward fenfible Marks of Respect, and those inward Submiffions of Soul, which are in Use among the Sons of Men.

To these therefore it flies, these it lays hold of, eager and impatient to do fomething, (it knows not well what) in humble Acknowledgment of his Attributes, and in Return to his many loving Kindnesses.

It fees very well, how difproportioned all our Acts of Homage are to the divine Greatness: That God dwells in inacceffible Light, to which none of our Services can reach; in the Glory of an eternal Majefty, which nothing we can do, can either add to, or diminish. Nevertheless perceiving in itself a restless Principle, exciting it continually to the Love and Honour of God; ftrong Endeavours after Gratitude; and no other Way of exerting

them but by inward and outward Acts SERM. of Worship; these, how infignificant VII. foever, it ventures to pay, in fure Confidence, that they will be grateful to that Being, which accepteth according to 2 Cor. viii. that a Man hath, and not according to that he hath not.

12.

Thus does external Adoration become a Point of natural Homage, due to the fupreme Lord of the World, in Token of that entire Dependance we have on him; the Dependance of the whole Man, Soul and Body, which both equally came forth from his Hands, and are both equally sustained by him. Both therefore must join in paying the common Tribute of Praife; which, however to him it may be nothing worth, of less Account than a Drop of 11. xl. 15. the Bucket, or a small Duft of the Ballance, yet to us ward is the very Law of our Nature, and our bounden Duty and Service.

And this is a Way of Reasoning, which the Holy Ghoft in both Tefta

SERM.ments hath fanctified, and taught us to

I.

VII. use.

We are invited, by the good Pfalmift, in my Text, to bow down, and kneel before God. And the Reason follows: For he is the Lord our God, and we are the People of his Hands. Agreeably to which the Apostle urges us, to glorify God in our Body, and in our Spirit, which are God's. We are to glorify him in our Body, as well as our Spirit; by outward as well as inward Devotion: Since there is the fame Argument for both, they are God's: His they are, and to him they must do their Homage.

And therefore 'tis a remarkable PafRom. xii. fage, which the fame Apostle hath; I beseech you, Brethren, by the Mercies of God, that ye prefent your Bodies a living Sacrifice, boly, acceptable unto God: Which is your reasonable Service. Though he mentions only the presenting our Bodies, yet he gives that the Name of our veafonable Service, ἡ λογικὴ λατρεία ἡμῶν α Worship agreeable to Reafon, and to the Suggestions of our natural Faculties.

We