Gospel-Worship

Secondly, To know whether we be acted by self ends, or rather by high ends for God: Those men that can rejoice in others that are able to honour God in holy duties more then themselves, they may have a good evidence to their own Souls, that when they worship God, they are acted by higher ends then self, but now, such as are straitened themselves, and when they see others more enlarged in the worship of God, they rather envy them, are grieved and troubled; know that Self is a great ingredient in those duties that thou doest perform: if thy heart were raised high to God, though thou canst not thy self be enlarged in holy duties, yet thy soul would be glad that any others are, though I have a wretched and vile heart of my own, yet blessed be God that there are any others that can worship God better then I can.

Secondly, To know whether we be acted by self ends, or rather by high ends for God: Those men that can rejoyce in others that are able to honour God in holy duties more then themselves, they may have a good evidence to their own Souls, that when they worship God, they are acted by higher ends then self, but now, such as are streightned themselves, and when they see others more inlarged in the worship of God, they rather envy them, are greiv'd and troubled; know that Self is a great ingredient in those duties that thou doest performe: if thy heart were raised high to God, though thou canst not thy self be inlarged in holy duties, yet thy soul would be glad that any others are, though I have a wretched and vile heart of my own, yet blessed be God that there are any others that can worship God better then I can.

Thirdly, A man that is acted by self in holy duties, he regards holy duties but little, save in time of extremity, in time of fear, or of sickness, or in dangers. But now, one that hath high ends in holy duties, makes the duties of Gods worship to be the joy of his soul in the middest of his prosperity, and that is an evident sign that thou art not acted by self ends but by higher ends Canst thou in the middest of thy abundance say, Lord, thou givest me all conveniences in this world and all outward things that I want but Lord this is that which is the •oy of my Soul, this is that which makes my life comfortable, even communion with thy self, in the duties of thy worship, that I have free access unto the Throne of thy Grace to worship thee the Lord, and there meet with thee when I am in the performance of holy duties. O Lord, thou that knowest all things, knowest that this is the thing that makes my life comfortable; It is not that I have a Table furnished with variety of dishes, and that I can have liberty of time to go into company, and spend according as I please but Lord those incomes of thy Spirit that I do find in the duties of thy worship those are the things that makes my life bleed indeed unto me? Such a man as is able thus to appeal to God, surely when he worships God, he is acted by high-ends, and not by self ends: And that is the Third thing