Discourses upon the Existence and Attributes of God

(2.) 'Tis against the Life of God. Is a dead worship proportioned to a living God? The separation of heavenly affections from our Souls before God, makes them as much a Carcass in his sight, as the divorce of the Soul makes the Body a Carcass; When the affections are separated, worship is no longer worship, but a dead offering, a lifeless bulk; for the essence and spirit of worship is departed: Though the Soul be present with the Body in a way of information, yet it is not present in a way of affection, and this is the worst; for it is not the separation of the Soul from informing, that doth separate a man from God, but the removal of our affections from him. If a man pretend an application to God, and sleep and snore all the time; without question such a one did not worship: In a careless worship, the heart ⟨p. 171⟩is morally dead while the eyes are open: The heart of the Spouse ^*waked whiles her eyes slept, and our hearts on the contrary sleep while our eyes wake.

(2.) 'Tis against the Life of God. Is a dead worship proportioned to a living God? The separation of heavenly affections from our Souls before God, makes them as much a Carcass in his sight, as the divorce of the Soul makes the Body a Carcass; When the affections are separated, worship is no longer worship, but a dead offering, a liveless bulk; for the essence and spirit of worship is departed: Though the Soul be present with the Body in a way of information, yet it is not present in a way of affection, and this is the worst; for it is not the separation of the Soul from informing, that doth separate a man from God, but the removal of our affections from him. If a man pretend an application to God, and sleep and snore all the time; without question such a one did not worship: In a careless worship, the heart ⟨p. 171⟩is morally dead while the eyes are open: The heart of the Spouse ^*waked whiles her eyes slept, and our hearts on the contrary sleep while our eyes wake.

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