A Body of Practical Divinity

Quest. What is it to Worship God in the Spirit?

Resp. 1. To worship him without Ceremonies. The Ceremonies of the Law which God himself ordained, are now abrogated and out of date; Christ the Substance being come, the Shadows fly away; and therefore the Apostle calls the Legal Ceremonies Carnal Rites, Heb. 9.10. and if not use those Jewish Ceremonies which God did once appoint, then not those which he did never appoint.

Resp. 1. To worship him without Ceremonies. The Ceremonies of the Law which God himself ordained, are now abrogated and out of date; Christ the Substance being come, the Shadows flie away; and therefore the Apostle calls the Legal Ceremonies Carnal Rites, Heb. 9.10. and if not use those Iewish Ceremonies which God did once appoint, then not those which he did never appoint.

Resp. 2. To worship God in Spirit, is to worship him, 1. With Faith in the Blood of the Messiah, Heb. 11.9. And, 2. to worship him with the utmost Zeal and Intenseness of Soul: Acts 26.7. Our twelve tribes instantly serving God day and night, [Greek or Hebrew], with Intenseness of Spirit, not only constantly but instantly. This is to worship God in the Spirit. The more Spiritual any Service is, the nearer it comes to God who is a Spirit, and the more excellent it is; the spiritual part of Duty is the Fat of the Sacrifice, it is the Soul and Quintessence of Religion. The richest Cordials are made of Spirits, and the best Duties are such as are of a Spiritual Nature. God is a Spirit, and will be worshipped in Spirit: It is not Pomp of Worship but Purity which God accepts. Repentance is not in the outward Severities used to the Body, Penance, Fasting, and Chastising the Body, but it consists in the Sacrifice of a broken Heart; Thanksgiving doth not stand in Church-Music, the Melody of an Organ, but rather making Melody in the Heart to the Lord,