Ioshua 24. Some perhaps will say that these Passages of Scripture do only strike against plurality of gods or the Worshipping of false gods with a neglect or contempt of the True or the Substituting any in his Room but not at all against the Worshipping of Subordinate Beeings while one Supreme LORD and GOD the Creator of all things is owned and worshipped But to this it is answered that certainly all is to be included in the Prohibition which derogates from the Glory of the True GOD and is inconsistent with the Worship and Service due to Him and therefore among other things this of paying Divine Worship to any besides For who doth this does not Glorify GOD as GOD nor acknowledge that Infinit distance which is betwixt him and all other Beeings They are guilty of Lese Majesty and commit Treason against the Person of GOD who either level Him with others or exalt others to a parity with him and yet this is done when GOD is not Honoured above others and that Creatures are honoured with all the Acts of Worship and Testimonies of respect proper to the Creator In the Scripture a Covetous man is called an Idolater not that he sets up his Money as an Idol falls down before it makes Prayers and counts it his Creator but because it enhanceth his Affections is the Ground of his Confidence and that he cannot be more earnest to Please GOD then he is to get Money and keep it Now is he not much more an Idolater who designedly and of set purpose payes all that homage and Worship to others which he owes only to GOD is not this to return to the Idolatry of the Gentiles for their Crime was that they did service unto them which by nature are no Gods as St Paul tells us Gal. 4. 8. And in that he saith they did it when they knew not GOD it clearly implies that they who know him aright as the Gospel manifests him ought not to do it otherwise they walk contrary to the Gospel and dishonour GOD. To guard men against this crime God hath in Scripture declar'd himself a Iealous God like a Iealous Husband who cannot suffer with patience the least appearance of dishonesty in his wife or any the least inclination to strange embraces And indeed as a Woman would be guiltie of Adulterie though she did not quite abandon her husband if she did but prostitute her self to another and entertain him with the affection and kindness due to her own husband So they are guilty of Spiritual whorrdom and adulterie who honour with divine worship any besides the true God though they do not cast him off As the Husband is not content unless he have his wife's whole heart and intire affection so neither is God unless those who pretend to worship him do it without reserving any homage or service for another And as she comes at last to have her heart wholly enstranged from her husband who hath been too familiar with another So they who allow themselves to perform Divine Homage and service to creatures are at last altogether alienated from the Creator when men are drawn to worship any other then God they prove wholly forgetfull of him they let those whom they intended at first only to be Co-partners to turn absolut Proprietors of their hearts and service Wherefore who would take the Lord to be their God must resolve to devote themselves intirely to him and to have none other beside him Lastly who would worship the true GOD and have their service find acceptance with him as they must not dishonour God by giving him Co-partners so they must not make their adress to him by the means of Images or such sensible or external objects but must direct their worship immediatly to God himself without application to any other thing for the conveyance of their worship for this he hath expresly forbidden and that worship which he hath forbidden and declared his displeasure with can never be said to terminate in him That He hath forbidden it is evident from the second Commandement where all sort of similitude and resemblances are discharged And that there is forbidden not only Images and similitudes design'd for honour of false Gods but even also such as might be intended for the honour of the true GOD appears clearly from Deut 4. 15. where Moses saith take ye good heed unto your selves for ye saw no manner of similitude on the day the Lord spake unto you in Horeb out of the midst of the fire least ye corrupt your selves and make you a graven image the similitude of any figure the likeness of Male or Female the likeness of any beast that is on the Earth the likeness of any winged foul that flieth in the Air the likeness of any thing that creepeth on the Ground the likeness of any Fish that is in the Waters beneath the earth and least thou lift thine eyes up to Heaven and when thou seest the Sun and the Moon and the Stars even all the Host of Heaven should be driven to worship and serve them In this passage not only particular Resemblances but all kinde of similitude whatsoever with a design to worship it is absolutely forbidden So that there is not the least shadow of pretence for the thinking any lawfull to be made use of And that God not only prohibits the use and worship of Images themselves and for themselves that is to say when the worship is made to terminat in the Image or materiall object it self but also when the same is used as a means of honouring and worshipping God is clear both from the due consideration of what hath been already said and likewise from the instances of the Golden Calf which Aaron made and the two Calves in Dan and Bethel which Ieroboam set up For they who worshipped these Calves were not so gross as to terminate their worship in the Calves themselves but used only the Calves to stir up their remembrance of the true God and their devotion for him as appears by their saying these be thy Gods O Israel which brought thee up out of land of Egypt Exod. 32. 4. 1 Kings 12 28. The reason why God discharg'd the worshipping of him by Images and external Resemblances or any kind of visible objects and which makes this still unlawfull is because it is a very improper and disagreable thing in it self and that which begets dishonourable thoughts of God and which seldom or never faileth to make men guilty of the grossest Idolatrie What an improper and unsutable thing is it to studie to make him visible who by nature cannot be seen and by materiall and corruptible things to represent him who is Spirituall and Incorruptible nothing which we can make or fancie bears any proportion to God neither hath any resemblance of him the glory of the best and chiefest creatures is far below the glory of God and therefore it would be but a dishonouring of him to Resemble him to them
well done as the seeking of Prayers of those upon Earth To which it may be replyed first that what is alledged is not true 2. That it will not excuse this worship nor free it from Idolatry First the thing alledg'd in the excuse of Saint and Angel worship is not true For besides the building of Temples the erecting of Altars offering up to them Christ in the sacrifice of the Mass which without the most violent stretching cannot be interpret a desiring them only to pray for them I say besides this there is nothing more evident then that their Prayers to Saints is put up in as express terms as they should be to GOD Almighty and it is impossible for any to address themselves to GOD more humbly and devoutly then they doe Particularlie to B Virgin or to speak more highly of God then they do of her or to attribute more to the One then to the Other or to Petition the greatest Graces in more plain and direct Terms as appears from many Instances in that office of B M Authorized by Pope Paul 5. There She is called the Queen of Heaven the most Glorious Lady which is exalted above the Heavens and in that Hymn which begins Ave Maris stella they bespeak her thus Hail â—…ou the Seas bright Star Who God's pure Mother are Offenders bonds unbind Give light unto the Blind Our evils clean disband All good for us demand Do like a Mother bear Our Prayers up to His ear O singularly chaste Whose meekness all surpast Our sins from us exil d Render us chaste and mild Grant that our life be pure c. This as it is the sense of that Hymn so it is their own Translation as may be seen in that English Manual of Prayers Printed at Edinburgh this year 1685. though it bear the name of Paris See pag 76. and least the citation of forreign or old Books may be discredited we shal produce some passages of this Book which is lately emitted by themselves and which the Curious may easily get a sight of pag 81. in a Prayer to the Virgin after very high titles they pray be thou with me in all my troubles and afflictions and in the hour of my death receive I beseech thee my Soul and offer it to thy sweet Son IESUS that for thy sake he may accept of it and place it among the Quire of Celestial Spirits And page 85. in the Hymn Memento Rerum Conditor Blest Mary pre ordain'd to be Mother of Grace and Clemency Defend us from our mortal foe Receive us when from hence we goe And every where throughout the book they speak to her and of her as if she were a Goddesse in the strictest sense But not only they pray thus directly to the blessed Virgin but to Angels and other Saints as may be seen there The Prayer to the Guardian Angel is O Angel of God to whose holy care I am committed by the Supernal Piety illumnat defend and govern me this day in all my thoughts words and actions pag 18. And as they sometimes bid the Saints only pray for them so at other times they desire GOD to interceed with the Saints Thus O Lord we beseech thee that all thy Saints may every where help us and while wee reverently celebrate their merits we may feel their Patronages pag. 52. and pag. 108. they amply recommend their souls into the hands of the Saints Angels and Patriarchs that not only by their intercession but by their assistance they may be delivered from the Prince of darknesse and from all dreadfull torments And if they intended no more in the Worship of the Virgin other Saints why was that book condemn'd which was printed at Cullein for the rectifying these abuses which had crept in into the worship of the Virgin Mary as if the Author had been guilty of Impiety against the Scriptures the Virgin the Saints c. And on the other hand why was the book of F. CRASSET allowed and Authorized by the Provincial and the Arch-Bishop of Paris to be published Anno 1679 wherein as an Antidote against the poyson of the former all is re-established which the most shameless Adâ—…rers of the Virgin ever asserted that an Almighty power in Heaven and Earth belongs to her that nothing is impossible to her that she can save those who are ready to perish that she comes to the Tribunal of God not as a Servant to intreat her Lord but as a Mother which may command Her Son pag. 28. Thus by what hath been said and an hundred moe instances which might have been given did we not fear to be tedious it appears that the Papists do more then pray to the Saints to pray for them And that this alledgance is meerly a blind whereby they may the more easily deceive such as are not yet fully disposed to receive the whole saint-Saint-worship in gross But 2lâ—… though this were true it will not excuse nor free those who thus worship Saints and Angels from Idolatry 1. Because even this much cannot be done without ascribing to them the peculiar properties of God as Omnipresence Omniscience and the knowledge of mens hearts and secret thoughts If the Saints do not neither can hear us it s a vain thing to pray to them and they cannot be supposed to hear the prayers which are put up every where througout the World unless they be made every where present or so Omniscient as to know whatsoever is done or said upon the earth Which to say of them is reallie to make them Gods for the Scripture and Reason both appropriate these things to GOD only Thou even thou onely saith Solomon knowes the hearts of all the children of Men 1 Kings 8. 39 And it is One of the proofs we give of the Deitie of CHRIST that he saith of himself I am he which searchest the reins and hearts Rev 2 23. Which would not be sufficient if any other could know these save GOD only Therefore there is a great difference betwixt the praying to departed Saints in particular and the seeking the assistance of good mens prayers upon earth For there is a free entercourse between us and our fellow Christians here but there is no means of Communication with departed Saints and Angels who by their Nature are finiee and so confined to one particular place which makes it a very Improper and Absurd thing to call upon them every where â—…ly the seeking the Mediation and Intercession of the Saints and Angels so much and the laying stress upon it is Idolatrie in respect of CHRIST For it is a robbing him of his Prerogative and the cloathing others with it It belongs to CHRIST only to make Intercession at the right hand of GOD for as St paul saith there is but One GOD and One Mediatour between GOD and men the Man CHRIST JESUS 1. Tim. 2. 5. And it seems St Iohn knew not any other when he said if any Man sin we have an Advocat
of GOD. Rom 12. 1 2. Now what is it to make a Sacrifice of our selves but only to Walk with GOD for who Walketh with GOD as we have shewed Sacrifices his understanding to God to Believe what he reveales and to Contemplate what he does he Sacrificeth his will to be entirely regulate by his Laws his Affections to be placed or displaced according to his Order and in a word his whole Life and all its Operations to set forward the purposes of his Counsel and the Glory of his Name Which indeed is a most Reasonable Service for what lesse can be payed to him who is the Authour and preserver of our Beeing and gives us whatever we enjoy It is also agreeable to his Word nay the very thing it calls for which perhaps is true meaning of the Apostles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the very scope of the Scripture is to teach us this and to obliege us thereto Finally it is most acceptable GOD is very well pleased with these Spiri tual Sacrifices they have an Odour of sweet Smell with him But if they be wanting that thing which is savoury if we do not walk closely and constantly with God as above though we would bring never so many Burnt Offerings and Calves of a Year old Thousand of Rams and ten thousand Rivers of Oyl yet He would not regard them Sacrifice and Offering thou didst not desire Burnt Offering and Sin Offering thou hast not required then said I Lo I come in the Volume of the Book it is written of Me I delight to do thy will O my GOD yea they Law is within my Heart Psal. 40. 6. 7. Let none think saith Lactantius that GOD requires Victims Incense Donations c. For if he be not capable of Hunger Thrist Cold neither hath the Desire of Earthly things he will not use thâ—…se and the like which are brought unto the Temples but as Corporeal Beings require things of the like Nature so a Spiritual Sacrifice is only necessary to be offered to a Spiritual Being What GOD hath given to Man for his use he himself needs not and besides the whole World is his and the fulness thereof he needs not a Temple who hath the World for his dwelling place nor an Image or Statue who is incomprehensible he stands not in need of Lamps and Earthly Lights who hath kindled the Sun and the rest of the Stars for Mans behoof what is it therefore saith he which GOD requireth of Man but the inward Worship of the mind seing He himself is pure and Holy for these things which are wrought by the Hands and which are without the Man is no true or proper Sacrifice neither that which is taken out of the Coffer but which cometh from the Heart nor what is offered by the Hand but by the Soul This is a true Sacrifice when the Soul offereth it self unto GOD For what signifieth other Sacrifices What doth inccnse what do Garments and Gold and Silver and Precious stones profit if the Worshippers mind be not holy and pure 'T is only Righteousness which GOD seeks after 'T is in this that the True Worship of GOD doth consist The true Worshippers of GOD saith CHRIST shall Worship him in Spirit and Truth for the Father seeketh such to Worship him And what is it to Worship GOD in Spirit and Truth but to worship him by a truly holy Life and an upright walking with him In this is his Delight and who taketh this way to please him shall be counted worthy of the Kingdom of GOD. Enoch walked with GOD and it 's said GOD took him that is he took him out of this wretched Life unto his Heavenly Glory And all who tread the same paths shall meet with the same Reward GOD will take every one to himself who walketh with GOD though not after the same manner Death puts a stop to our Walking with Men and forces us and them to part but it doth not break off our Walking with GOD it doth unite us more firmly to him this fellowship which we thus begin here results into an Eternal Friendship and Society in the other World CHAP III. Of these Words And this Stone which I have set for a Pillar shall be GODS House The Reason and Meaning of them GOD is to be Worshipped not only in Private but in Publick he is not only to be Owned and Acknowledg'd a part by our selves in Secret but ought to be professed openly before all the World by the Performance of such things as Reason and the universall Consent of Mankind hath established to be publick Testimonies of our Alleagiance to him He who doth not this Last can never â—…e very sincere in the First neither will GOD own such to be true Worshippers of him who do not avowedly professe him before Men according to that of our Saviour whosoever shall confesse me before Men him shall the Son of Man also confesse before the Angels of God but he that denyeth me before Men shall be denyed before the Angels of God Luke 12. 8. The very Light of Nature teacheth this and therefore it is that when Iacob here did Solemnly take the LORD to be his GOD he did not only engage himself to that Inward Spiritual Worship which is acted within a Man 's own self whereof we have spoken already but also he binds Himself to that Outward and Visible Worship which is transacted by things without the Man that it may be manifest to alâ—… the World that he Honoured and Adored this GOD. This stone saith he which I have here set up for a Pillar shall be GOD'S house that is here in this place where I erect this Stone when I come back I will build and consecrat a House to my GOD for the Honour of his Name and the Celebrating of his Worship where I will Call upon him and Pray unto him The Reason why he pitched upon this particular place was because GOD had made it eminent by so signal an appearance unto him as we read before and what moved him to build a house to GOD was because this was universally agreed to as an Act of Honour due unto GOD and as an proper instance whereby men signify their Homage to him This which Iacob Vowed here gives us Occasion to speak of Churches or consecrated places of Prayer and of publick Worship SECTION I. Of Churches or Places Consecrat to GOD the Origine and Necessity thereof what Regard and Reverence should be payed them AND First as it is an universal Custome all the World over to erect Temples and to Consecrat places for the Honour and Service of GOD So this custome is most Ancient At present there are not only Churches throughout all the Christian World but Mahumetans and Pagans also have Temples and Religious houses of one sort or another and it was so from the very beginning It would seem that even our First Parents in Paradise had some more peculiar place for presenting themselves before
even those who as yet deny a God will acknowledge the necessity of Worshipping One if he be found And in Truth it is hard to tell which of the two are most unreasonable he who denies there is a GOD or he who refuses to worship the GOD whom he believes If Prudence and Interest do oblidge Men to Honour and Obey Kings and Monarchs that under their Favour they may enjoy Safety and Peace should not every one for that same very Reason adore and do homage to the great King to whom all the Princes and Potentates of the World must submit and bow themselves Though he sit in the Heavens yet His Dominion reacheth over all the whole World is filled with his Presence he ruleth the Children of Men and there is no safety but in his Protection nor any Security but in his Favour The LORD saith the Psalmist is a great GOD and a great King above all Gods In his Hand are the deep places of the Earth The Strength of Hills is his also The Sea is His and he made it And his Hands formed the dry-land Therefore he infers and that rightly O come let us Worship and bow down Let us kneel before the Lord our Maker for he is our God and we are the People of his Pasture and the Sheep of his Hand Ps. 95. 3 c. If Men needed not either care for the Divine Favour or much to fear his Wrath they might be somewhat excusable though they did not highly regard GOD but seeing it is utterly impossible that ever they can be in such a Condition wherein they stand in no need of GOD or may easily protect themselves from the effects of his Anger it is the most unaccountable madness to neglect him and to be careless to please him It is even such and greater madness as 't would be for a poor Peasant or other mean Fellow to slight or shew a contempt of some mighty Monarch while under his Power and within his Reach None have less Reason to make Pretensions to wit then those who slight Piety and cast off all regard to GOD because none act more contrary to common Prudence and the Principles of Reason Contempt or carelesness of the Divine Worship can never be justified unless Men could be certainly assured that there is no God which the greatest Atheist never yet pretended to nor can he or else that they could extricate themselves from all dependence upon GOD which as it is not desireable so neither is it possible And therefore it is absolutely necessary that all Men concern themselves in the Worship of GOD and that they be carefull while they live to Own and Acknowledge Him which who so Refuseth shall not pass Unpunished They who will not willingly Own and Submit themselves to Him shall certainly fall under the dint of his Fury Now therefore consider this ye that forget GOD lest He tear you in pieces and there be none to deliver Psal. 50. 22. SECTION III. What Care should be had to Direct our Worship to the True GOD Rules how to do it Where also the Idolatry of the Romish Church is considered AS thus you see it is necessary we Worship God so by the same Reason it becomes no less necessary that we Worship the True GOD which was the Second particular we promised to speak to As there is a GOD so there is but One True GOD to whom and to none else we must direct our Worship and our Religious Services For if we adore any other then him or make any Partner of our Worship with him we are guilty of a Crime which is not easily pardoned for it is a dethroning of GOD. And therefore Iob saith If I beheld the Sun when it shined or the Moon walking in brightness And my heart hath been secretly enticed or my mouth hath Kissed my hand That is if ever he was guilty of Worshipping the Sun or the Moon he acknowledgeth that this were an iniquity to be punished by the Iudge For thereby saith the he I should have denied the GOD that is above Job 31. 26. 27. 28. Sceptra non ferunt socium Kings can endure no Copartners nor will God suffer any Rival with him he will not endure that any should share in that Honour which is due to himself alone I am the LORD saith he that is my Name and my Glory will I not give to another neither my Praise to graven Images Isa 42. 8. Idolatry or the Worship of false GODS is such an abomination and doth so highly provoke the True GOD that nothing will or can excuse it neither is there any thing which he is more Jealous of A Man's Serousness or Sincerity will never endear his Worship and render it acceptable Unless it be directed to the right Object Though one be a favourer of Monarchy in the general more than any other Government yet he can never be counted Loyal if he neglect his True Prince and follow an Usurper no more then he who is for no King at all Even so though one be never so Devout and Serious in his way yet unless it be the True GOD whom he Adores he is not to be esteemed a Friend and Lover of GOD he cannot be Reckoned otherwise then as an Enemy as well as those who are altogether Irreligious and Profane We must be sure then that we Worship the True GOD and none else otherwise it is to no purpose to Worship any For to worship none and to Worsh a False GOD will be alike profitable that is certainly they will be both of them hurtfull and pernicious for either of them will incense the true GOD and make him set himself against us to destroy us Now as it concerneth us to worship the true GOD and none else so that we may be sure to worship him and none other let us first Labour to get right Apprehensions of the Divine Nature and Attributes Let us be carefull to keep in mind how he is the Supreme Being Eternal Infinit and Independent from all others that he is Almighty most wise most just and good and Holy A pure Spirit who is not only free from all imperfections but who is infinitlie excellent beyond what can be apprehended and who is every where present For as the Apostle saith he is not far from every one of us in him we all live move and have our beeing 'T is this and nothing else which we call GOD He and none other hath these Properties and Excellencies And therefore not only what we Worship must be such but also we must be carefull to Worship Him under the consideration of a being thus infinitly excellent and glorious or else we Worship we know not what Instead of the True GOD we do but set up an Idol which our own Fancie hath devised 'T is true an adequat Comprehensive Knowledge of God or of any of his Attributes is not possible for he dwelleth in the light which no man can approach unto whom no
Disstance which is betwixt Him and us And so we read that Abraham and Moses and David and all the Prophets and Servants of GOD in the Scripture used to bow down and fall upon their Face to the Ground when they appeared before GOD or that he appeared unto them Yea GOD himself expresly required this of Moses and Ioshua at these Manifestations of his presence unto them which we find Exod. 3. 5. Iosh 5. 15. For there he commanded them to put off their shoes from off their feet which according to the custom of the Eastern Nations was then a Testimonie of Respect and Reverence And indeed seing we bear no proportion to the Greatness of God there is nothing more Proper or Reasonable then that we should Reverence and Exalt him by such depressing of our selves and humbling of our Bodies in his Sight The very Angels these Glorious Spirits are said to vail and cover their faces when they appear before God And how much more Reason is it that we be abashed and humbled who dwell in houses of clay and whose foundation is in the dust Certainly if there be any Gesture or Posture more humble then anoher it becomes us to use it and it doth bespeak little Reverence to God to use that Gesture and Carriage when we speak to him or he speaks to us which we would not make use of but when we were conversing with our Equals or Inferiours Sitting therefore at Prayer and having the head covered when Divine Worship is performed are very undecent and unbecoming things I wonder how ever this creept in or came to be in fashion amongst us and I think it yet more strange that there should be some who take upon them to defend that which is condemned not only by the practice of all the Saints and Servants of God we read of in Scripture but also by the Custome of all Nations whatsoever For even the very Heathens would account it irreverence towards their False Gods which many Christians in this Country are not ashamed to do towards the True and Living God What the Lord saith by the Prophet Malachy in another case will be very applicable here a Son honoureth his Father and a Servant his Master if then I be a Father where is my honour and if I be a Master where is my fear offer this now unto thy Governour will he be pleased with thee or accept thy Person saith the Lord of Hosts Mal 1. 6. 8. Nay to pass Kings and Princes and those of the best quality even the meaner sort of Gentlemen would look upon themselves as affronted and uncivilly Treated if they had not greater respect payed them then what some shew to God who would not be incens'd and provock'd if his Tennent or any other Poor mean Fellow should thrust into his presence without uncovering his Head and sit down and talk with him I doubt not but there are some who would be ready to cause kick such all manner'd Persons to the doore and I cannot see how that can be reckoned as reverence and a sign of devotion to God which men look upon as rudenesse and incivility There be some which very much mistake that place of the Prophet Isai. 29. 13. Where the Lord complains of his People of Old that they drew near Him with their Mouth and that they honoured him with their lips as if that were a discharge of all externall Worship or of outward reverence therein whereas it is not the outward honour and reverence which the Lord there finds fault with but only that their hearts were far from him God values not the Body without the Soul for then it is but a dead Carcase he cares not for our outward reverence and Prostrations when the inward Spirit of devotion is wanting but as he calls chiefly for the Heart and Mind because it is the better part of Man so he expects that having the inward the outward man will follow and indeed what God hath joyned together should not be put asunder The Apostle enjoyns the honouring of God outwardly as well as inwardly when he saith Glorify God in your body and in your spirit which are Gods 1 Cor 6. 20. ' Tits true superstition is a fault but it is not the best way to redresse it to turn Profane and irreverent God is not pleased with the humblest postures of our bodies when our hearts and souls do not accompany them but to make up that want we must not turn away from the necessary and becoming testimonies of devotion and reverence What our Saviour said on another occasion to the Scribes and Pharises I may well apply here these ought ye to have done and not to leave the other undone Matth 23. 23. As hypocrisie may be joyned to the outward acts and expressions of humility and reverence so it is as certain that there is little true sense of God within when the outward behaviour is not Grave modest and Humble wherefore it is the saying of One I will as sure believe him temperat who is staggering in the Streets with drink and him chaste whose eyes are full of Adultery him mercifull whose hands are imbru'd in blood as that he can truely fear God who sheweth no outward reverence in his worship The outward reverence of the Body is not only necessary to testifie the inward respect of the mind but it is also requisite for the quickning and stiring it up as the outward Pomp and Grandeur of Princes and Magistrats is necessary to put People in mind of their Power and Authority which otherwayes they would be readie to forget or to be too bold with so the outward Humiliation of our Bodies serves to cherish and to keep up in us the sense of God's greatness and Glory which otherwayes perhaps would slip out of our minds Thus we have spoken to that reverence both Inward and Outward which is due to GOD which is always One of the fruits of his fear The other effect thereof consists in a great care and circumspection not to offend or displease him And indeed if this be wanting there is no true Fear of GOD nor will any Reverence which we shew towards him find acceptance with him As Children who truly honour and respect their Parents are alwayes very loath to give them any manner of offence and as they are grieved when at any time they chance to do it though they do not Fear nor apprehend to be chastised so such as are sincerly acted with the Fear of GOD will carefully watch against all manner of sin and will have an aversion from it though there where no ground to dread Hell or other punishments but even because that this is contrarie to him whom they intirely love and honour And when they have sinned the consideration of the offence which is given GOD thereby will afflict them more then these bitter fruits which sin alwayes produceth Therefore the True fear of GOD doth alwayes restrain Men from doing these
from and is not performed by the inward Mind Thus in a word as we should Worship GOD in Spirit and Truth So to Worship in Spirit is to Worship with the inward acts and Affections of the Soul and to Worship in Truth is to perform such Outward Acts as doth not Mystically and Figuratively but plainly and properly signify and hold forth these inward ones Having thus viewed the Nature of Publick Worship in General we passe to the consideration of the parts thereof In particular And First the Publick Worship of God should consist of Prayers this is so clear from Scripture Reason the practice of all the world that it were a vain thing to prove it the parts and Qualifications of Publick Prayer are the same with those of private Prayer whereof we have spoken already And because it is so useful to know before hand what we should Pray and so unworthy a thing to utter rash and indiscreet expressions before GOD especially in publick therefore the Church in Ages have ever thought themselves oblidged to compose deliberatly Forms of publick Prayer and not to leave them to the extemporary effusions of him who officiates there is not at this day any Church except our own without a publick Service and Liturgy But because we are driven to the necessity at present not to use one therefore it is incumbent on the publick Ministers to take the more care in composing their Prayers that their expressions be grave Decent that as to the Matter of them they contain all things proper necessary nothing disagreable to God or which may disgust stumble the Worshippers they should study to make their Prayers to express truly the general needs desires of the People for he who Prayeth is their mouth imployed to speake in their name what every one should do if they were allowed to speak so all publick Prayers should be so ordered that every one may be able to joine heartily with them And here I cannot passe two faults ordinarly committed in this part of publick Worship the one for the most part in Country Parishes the other generally both in City and Country by this last I mean a careless unconcernedness in Prayer many think not themselves oblidged to joyne with the Minister while he prayes they do not consider that he is but their voice that 't is necessary for them to say with the heart what he does with the mouth else the Prayers cannot be heard as theirs or for them Though one Pray but audibly to shun confusion yet it is necessary for all to assent thereto The other Fault is committed often by the Common People especially in the Northren parts of the Kingdom as the former in the Southren parts who fall to their particular Prayers when the Minister is praying in the name of the whole Congregation this is an irregular and undecent thing which obstructs the Edification Designed by this part of Worship see 1. Cor. 14. 26. When the congregation cometh together it should be with one Heart and Mind they ought not to have different exercises but alwayes the same they should pray one and the same Prayer with one accord as we read the Disciples did Act. 4. 24. To prevent both these Evils if 't was usuall in all both Iewish and Christian Liturgies to Appoint the People to utter sometimes some short sentenes and alwayes to speak out audibly Amen at the conclusion of every Prayer as is inti mate to us 1. Cor. 14. 16. Another Act of Divine Worship especially in Publick Assemblies is singing of Psalms and Spiritual Songs This was alwayes a part of the Worship of GOD under the Old Testament 't was observed by our Saviour with his Disciples Matth. 26. 30. And St. Paul enjoyns it to all Christians Eph. 5. 19. Col. 3. 16. Singing Hymns and Psalms is of great use in the Service of GOD both to prepare our Minds for it and to make us take Pleasure in it It fixeth our thoughts elevats our Spirits fills us with Joy in GOD and leaveth on our Minds a deeper impression of Divine Truths then almost any other part of Religious Worship for which cause it hath been an universal practice in the Church through all Ages of the World And as Singing is our Duty so the Psalms of David are excellently fitted for the purpose they furnish us both with proper Matter and apposite Expressions They were dictate by the Spirit of GOD to be imployed particularly in this Divine exercise and we must not think the use of them to have ceased with the Law or Iewish state no certainly they are still usefull to the Church and proper for the times of the Gospel Without doubt S. Paul in the forecited places and S. Iames Ch 5. 13. Are to be understood of the Psalms of David because the tittle of Psalms has been alwayes appropriate to them And from this Injunction of the Apostles conformable to their Practice and which is most Reasonable and uâ—…efull the Church hath ever used these Psalms in her Publick Service I know there are some who not only scruple at some of the Psalms but say expresly they ought not to be sung and when it is done they refuse to take a part But truly I think there is no Reason for this Indeed all of them are not proper for all occasions some are more pertinent and sutable at one time then another and therefore they who have the ordering of the Publick Service should make a Prudent choice of Psalms suted to the occasion however all of them may be sung and because People have not their own choise but must take them as they are prescrib'd I will here propose some Considerations to shew how we may freely joyne with any Psalm and both sing it with understanding and also with edification First there can be no Question of those Psalms which Declare the Divine Attributes Display the Works of GOD hold forth the excellency of his word or the General State of Man To Sing and Meditate on these cannot be improper at any time but alwayes usefull and seasonable 2ly As for those Psalms which were Writ upon particular Occasions besides the Literal sence which relates to those Persons their actions and circumstances upon which account they were penned there is a Mystical sense belongs to them which referres them to Christ and his Church and moreover they are capable of being accommodated to several Conditions and Circumstances both of Private Persons and Publick Societies by allowing some Liberty to Figures Allegories and other Poetical Strains which are usual in Songs and Hymns Now though we should be little concerned in the Literal sense yet we are in the Mystical and if they will suffer an accommodation to our selves or the Church and State we live in then we not only may use them but the use of them will be both pleasant and edifying 3ly These Psalms which contain narrations of the Wonders which GOD wrought
16. 1 Thess. 5 27. And for the same Reason the rest of the Scripture ought to be read and the Church has been still in use to do so Now the main Reason hereof is not our own instruction but to do honour to GOD for as hereby we own the Scriptures to be from GOD so we solemnly acknowlege our selves bound to hear and obey his word and tye our selves to walk as it diercts us The publick Worship of GOD is not rightly performed when there is no reading of Scriptures and it is all one almost as if they were cast out of the Worship when they are only read while the People are coming to Church but not after they are mett For then the reading is only used for a divertisement to put off the time and not as a Honour or Acknowledgement due to GOD. They understand little of the Nature or end of publick Worship who would have the reading of Scripture laid aside because it can be done at home Such have more regard to their Fancy then to the true honour of GOD and do come to Church rather to feed an impertinent Curiosity and desire of Novelty then to perform a reasonable Service to GOD. Not to speak of the inability of a great many to perform this exercise in Private the reading at home makes not so much for the Honour of the Sciptures and consequently of GOD who is the Author of them Respect to the Majesty and Authority of GOD require that his Will and Pleasure be Promulgate with solemnity and heard with reverence We have an eminent Instance hereof Neh. 8. 5 6. 4thly To the reading of the Scripture was alwayes wont to be joyned Preaching on the Sabbath and other Festival-dayes as appears from the forecited places which custome the Church hath continued and it is most necessary and profitable It shews our deference to GOD and a regard for his Authority when we are willing to hear such as he hath Commissioned to inform us of his Will anent us He that heareth you said Christ to the Apostles heareth me and he that dispiseth you despiseth me and him that sent me Kings and Princes are Honoured or Affronted according as their Servants and message are received now the Ministers are Ambassadours in CHRISTS stead by whom GOD befeecheth People to be reconciled unto himself 2 Cor 5. 20. Reconciliation with God is the Errand on which Ministers are sent and seing the terms of this Reconciliation and the means by which it is wrought are set down in Scripture therefore the subject matter of preaching should be to give the sense and meaning of the Scripture and to exhort to a Complyance with what is there contained Sermons are not ordained to teach men curious things or to tickle them with fine neat speeches but to make them understand the Scriptures to instruct them in the Doctrine thereof and to stirr them up to observe the same thus Ezra preached Neh. 8. 8. And ordinarly in the primitive Church their Sermons were only Explications of such Portions of Scripture as were read in the publick Service together with an Exhortation to obey it The principal design of Preaching is to unfold the meaning of God's Word and to help men to discern the mind of the Lord revealed therein and as these are the best and most Edifying Sermons which discover this plainly and clearly so it is the duty of all to hearken diligently to these instructions and to receive them gladly It speaks out a Love to GOD when we are willing and very desirous to know his will but there is little regard for God where there is no desire to understand what he sayeth to us in and by his word But though the Priests lips should keep know ledge and that it is the peoples duty to seek the Law at his Mouth yet this is not to render the private search and study of the Scriptures useless Guides are ordained to be helps but not to take away our own sight we may find them useful though we do not put out our eyes As the Noble Bereans did we should search the Scriptures dayly whither these things we hear be true or not And this is the more necessary because we are forewarned of false Prophets Every Spirit is not to be believed none ought to be received with an implicit Faith but only the Spirit of GOD all other should be tryed before trusted And it needs be no hard task to try the truth of Doctrines if we lay aside prejudice and search the Scripture impartially A man by applying his eye narrowly especially if he hath the advantage of a Rule will soon discern whither a thing be straight or crooked and it is indeed no less easie to judge in matters necessarie to Salvation 5thly I cannot omit here what was Anciently Universally used though now turned into desuetude among us and it is the Solemn and explicite profession of the Christian Faith by a rehearsal of some Summary thereof as the Apostles or Nicene or Athanasian Creed The expresse declaration of our Faith is much both for our profite and the honour of GOD It is for the honour of GOD that we believe in GOD and in JESUS CHRIST and give our assent to all the truths of the Gospel without this faith it is impossible to please GOD unless our worship be founded on the belief of these things it is altogether unacceptable And it is not only necessary to have this Faith alwayes in our hearts but we must also sometimes openly testify it by confessing the same with our mouths as the Apostle tells us Rom 10. 9. Where he saith that if thou shalt confesse with thy mouth the LORD IESUS and shalt believe in thine he art that GOD hath raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness and with the mouth confession is made unto Salvation This is also profitable for our selves for these Creeds are the Badges of Christianity which instruct us in our profession and teach us how to answer every man who asketh a reason of the hope that is in us A frequent repetition of the Creed fixeth the great Articles of our Religion in our mind brings them often to our remembrance and serves to excite us to walk worthy of the Gospel Persons of Honour are careful to behave sutably while they have the signs and badges of their Dignity and Quality upon them and sure it could not but oblidge and quicken us to study a Christian Behaviour if we frequently made a serious and solemn profession of our Faith Lastly the celebration of the LORDS Supper should frequently accompany our other acts of publick worship the Apostles with their Converts did this dayly as we read Acts 2. 42. 46. which practice continued long in the Primitive Church St. Augustine in one of his Epistles to Ianearius says 't was the custome to do so in many places The Council of Antioch condemnes such as