Gospel-worship, or, The right manner of sanctifying the name of God in general. And…

First, We mu•• take heed we do not subject the Worship of God unto our Lusts, that is a cursed thing, thou art far from Sanctifying Gods Name in Worshipping of Him that shalt subject His Worship to thy base Lusts, this is an abominable and a ⟨p. 73⟩cursed thing indeed: You will say, Who doth thus? who is the man, or where is he that will do this, subject the Worship of God to his base lusts! To that I Answer, Whosoever doth make use of any duty of Worship, as Prayer, Hearing the Word, or what ever it be, to cloak any kind of wickedness, whosoever is conscious to himself of any kind of secret wickedness, and yet shall think to cover it by the performance of duties, and shall reason in this manner, Who will think me to be guilty of such a vile thing, when I pray so as I do, and am so careful to hear the Word? and I hope I shall cover some wickedness this way: If there be any in this place whose conscience tells them that they subject the Worship of God to such a base end as this is, the Lord rebuke them this day, and speak to their hearts; If I knew any, I would set mine eyes upon them and say as the Apostle to Simon Magus, I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity; and as he said to him that did seek to draw the Deputy from the Faith, O thou child of the Devil, and full of all subtlety, to damn and undo thy self eternally, that seekest to cloak any wicked way by any duty of Gods Worship; Is it a great evil for a man or woman to make use of any of Gods creatures to be serviceable to their lusts as meat and drink &c? What a damnable thing is it then to make use of any duty of Gods Worship, sometimes extraordinary Worship, as Fasting and Prayer, to be a cloak to cover their wickedness! Thou art so far from Sanctifying Gods Name, that thou pollutest Gods Name; thou doest what in thee lies for to cast even dirt in the face of God himself that doest so.

First, We mu•• take heed we do not subject the Worship of God unto our Lusts, that is a cursed thing, thou art far from Sanctifying Gods Name in Worshipping of Him that shalt subject His Worship to thy base Lusts, this is an abominable and a ⟨p. 73⟩cursed thing indeed: You will say, Who doth thus? who is the man, or where is he that will do this, subject the Worship of God to his base lusts! To that I Answer, Whosoever doth make use of any duty of Worship, as Prayer, Hearing the Word, or what ever it be, to cloak any kind of wickedness, whosoever is conscious to himself of any kind of seeret wickedness, and yet shall think to cover it by the performance of duties, and shall reason in this manner, Who will think me to be guilty of such a vile thing, when I pray so as I do, and am so careful to hear the Word? and I hope I shall cover some wickedness this way: If there be any in this place whose conscience tels them that they subject the Worship of God to such a base end as this is, the Lord rebuke them this day, and speak to their hearts; If I knew any, I would set mine eyes upon them and say as the Apostle to Simon Magus, I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity; and as he said to him that did seek to draw the Deputy from the Faith, O thou child of the Devil, and full of all subtilty, to damn and undo thy selfe eternally, that seekest to cloak any wicked way by any duty of Gods Worship; Is it a great evil for a man or woman to make use of any of Gods creatures to be serviceable to their lusts as meat and drink &c? What a damnable thing is it then to make use of any duty of Gods Worship, sometimes extraordinary Worship, as Fasting and Prayer, to be a cloak to cover their wickednesse! Thou art so far from Sanctifying Gods Name, that thou pollutest Gods Name; thou doest what in thee lies for to cast even dirt in the face of God himself that doest so.