When you worship God with all the might and strength, and endeavour of the mind and all the faculties of it, this is to worship God in spirit. 2 Sam. 6.14.1 It is said of David, that he danced before the Lord with all his might: it was a worship of God, a spiritual worship of God, wherein David, by his outward act of dancing, did express his exultation, and rejoicing in the Lord. Now the text saith, that he did this with all his might, with all the might of his spirit; (for so you must understand it.) It is a Metaphor taken from the body, when a man useth all his strength, and might to do any thing, he unites all the forces of his body to it: so a man worshippeth God in spirit, when all the faculties of the soul, are concentered and united together in the performance of such a duty. And therefore it is called a wrestling with the Lord, as Jacob did: and it is called a striving with God, as Paul saith, that you strive together with me in prayer: Rom. 15.30.2 that is, when the soul, and the mind are joined all together, when he bends the whole soul to the work, this is to worship God in spirit. Such ⟨p. 36⟩an expression you have, Act. 20.3 where Paul went bound in the spirit to Jerusalem; that is, his spirit did not hang loose, but it was girt up in a resolution to go through with the work, whatsoever came of it, his spirit was bound. Now, when thy spirit hangs loose upon the duty, half on, and half off, when a man cares not whether he doth it or no, this is not to worship God with the spirit; but when thy mind is girt up, and thou dost it with all the intention of thy soul, then thou dost it heartily, as it is Col. 3.22.4 Servants obey in all things your Masters according to the flesh; not with eye-service, as men pleasers, but in singleness of heart fearing GOD: where eye-service, and heartily are opposed. Eye-service is, when a man doth it in the outward show, and appearance only, and what is the other, to do a thing heartily? That is, when a mans strength and his soul doth go with the duty: and the contrary to this is, the looseness of the mind, and the wandering of it about other things, when the body, and the words are well employed, but the mind doth not go with them; this is not to worship God in spirit, when the spirit sits thus loose to God. And this is the second thing, wherein this worshipping of God in spirit, doth consist.
When you worship God with all the might and strength, and indevour of the minde and all the faculties of it, this is to worship God in spirit. 2 Sam. 6.14.1 It is said of David, that hee danced before the Lord with all his might: it was a worship of God, a spirituall worship of God, wherein David, by his outward act of dancing, did expresse his exultation, and reioycing in the Lord. Now the text saith, that he did this with all his might, with all the might of his spirit; (for so you must understand it.) It is a Metaphore taken from the body, when a man useth all his strength, and might to doe any thing, he vnites all the forces of his body to it: so a man worshippeth God in spirit, when all the faculties of the soule, are concentred and united together in the performance of such a dutie. And therefore it is called a wrastling with the Lord, as Iacob did: and it is called a striving with God, as Paul saith, that you strive together with me in prayer: Rom. 15.30.2 that is, when the soule, and the minde are joyned all together, when hee bends the whole soule to the worke, this is to worship God in spirit. Such ⟨p. 36⟩an expression you haue, Act. 20.3 where Paul went bound in the spirit to Ierusalem; that is, his spirit did not hang loose, but it was girt up in a resolution to goe through with the worke, whatsoever came of it, his spirit was bound. Now, when thy spirit hangs loose upon the duty, halfe on, and halfe off, when a man cares not whether hee doth it or no, this is not to worship God with the spirit; but when thy minde is girt up, and thou dost it with all the intention of thy soule, then thou dost it heartily, as it is Col. 3.22.4 Servants obey in all things your Masters according to the flesh; not with eye-service, as men pleasers, but in singlenesse of heart fearing GOD: where eye-service, and heartily are opposed. Eye-service is, when a man doth it in the outward shew, and appearance onely, and what is the other, to doe a thing heartily? That is, when a mans strength and his soule doth goe with the duty: and the contrary to this is, the loosenesse of the minde, and the wandring of it about other things, when the body, and the words are well imployed, but the minde doth not goe with them; this is not to worship God in spirit, when the spirit sits thus loose to God. And this is the second thing, wherein this worshipping of God in spirit, doth consist.
- 12 Sam. 6.14.
- 2Rom. 15, 30.
- 3Acts 20.
- 4Col 3.22.
