several ages of the Church have given sad experience of this we have therefore need to look to our selves and from what hath been already said and made good from Scripture we may judge how careful people should be to see that they go upon right grounds in the worship of God Do we not in worship seek God if we do not then there is no reason in our worship we are no better than bruits Well if we would find God or have any benefit by our worship we must be able to say We worship that we know We must have the knowledge of God and a knowledge of his Will must understand how he is to be worshipped must therefore look into his Word must see what he hath appointed there and must take directions from thence I have been long enough in the Context therefore I will stay no longer from the Text An approach to the Text. wherein we have the very pith and highest pitch of our Saviour his discourse with the Samaritan woman The immediate connection of the words But before I fasten upon the Text it will be convenient to shew you the more immediate Connection of the words The Dialogue or Colloqui between Christ and this woman is from the nineteenth verse plainly about the Worship of God concerning which the Woman puts forth a Question to Christ and desires to be resolved by him in the twentieth verse Our Fathers worshipped in this Mountain and ye say that in Jerusalem men ought to worship Whether are we or you in the right Our Saviour's first Answer was as I have already hinted to this effect That she needed not to be be solicitous about this because neither of these two worships was long to continue Believe me woman The hour cometh when ye shall neither in this Mountain nor in Jerusalem worship the Father Here he teacheth her that there shall be an abrogation of Moses his Ceremonies and of the whole Levitical Service for under the name or title of the place of worship Jerusalem he comprehends the whole Jewish worship which for the most part of the Ceremonies was by God's appointment to be performed there and not elsewhere Well but though neither of these worships must long continue yet for the present one is right or one is better than the other Which is that Not yours saith Christ but ours Yours is stark naught for ye worship ye know not what your worship hath no word of God instituting or warranting it but we worship that we know our worship is grounded upon the Word of God Rom. 3.2 For Salvation is of the Jews i. e. to them are committed the Oracles of God The saving Doctrine of the Covenant of Grace is among the Jewes Diod. in loc with them is that word wherein they have a saving manifestation of God in Christ though not yet so clear as shall be and a discovery of the right way of worshipping God unto Salvation and surely this is the right worship which is taught and warranted by the Word of God Object But if the Jewish worship be grounded upon the Word of God how shall it be abolished Sol. To this Christ answers that God had prescribed and appointed that way of Mosaical worship not for perpetuity but only to continue till the fulness of time should come Gal. 4.1 2 3 4. Heb. 9.10 till the time of Reformation i. e. till the time of the New-Testament when all that was signified by those Ceremonies and outward Services being fulfilled in Christ that temporary Ceremonious worship shall be changed into a spiritual and more excellent worship which shall neven be abrogated And Christ tells the Woman that now the term of that Levetical worship is expired the Messiah being come to put an end to it Here is the summe of Christ his Answer There is a double Word of God respecting his worship One Word concerning the Levitical worship delivered by Moses which was to be in force till the coming of the Messiah that word belongs not to the New-Testament worshippers There is another word concerning the Spiritual Worship of God that is perpetual which word also the Patriarchs before the Law and the godly under the Law did observe though both before and under the Law it was hooded and cloathed as it were with certain Ceremonies appointed by God but now in the New-Testament this is the voice and plain open expression of the Gospel-word The true Worshippers shall worship the Father in Spirit and in Truth This is the Connection of the words which I have made out as plainly and as briefly as I might The Text is an assertion of the true nature and state of right Gospel-worship Text devided with a double reason to confirm it Gospel-worship is asserted to be a worship in Spirit and in Truth Now of this there are two Demonstrations 1. The first Demonstration is drawn from the Will of God The Father requireth such to worship him God stands upon it to have such Worshippers and this is the worship which he commandeth which will please him 2. The second Demonstration is taken from the Nature of God he is a Spirit a pure spiritual Essence therefore the worship done to him must be Spiritual answerable to his Nature The true Nature and state of Gospel-worship is asserted in the former part of the Text The true Worshippers shall now worship in Spirit and in Truth I shall a little open these words and then conclude something from them opened The hour cometh i. e. the time is at hand Here he teacheth that the Mosaical Ordinances were not perpetual but imposed onely for a time and that they were at this time even out of date Yea the hour now is viz. in part Christ being come hath already obscured the grace of the legal-worship and Now is the time of reformation Now the time is come that the true worshippers shall worship after another manner The Temple and Priest-hood and ritual worship which hitherto have been used with approbation must henceforth be laid aside and now the Father must be worshipped in Spirit and in Truth To let pass these various acceptions of the terms Spirit and Truth I shall onely shew you what is the import of these tearms here what it is to worship in Spirit and in Truth That we may understand this we must note the Antithesis here intended by our Saviour he opposeth Gospel-worship to both the former worships spoken of in the Context that of the Samaritans and that of the Jews the Samaritan worship was hypocritical and counterfeit not that which God had appointed for the internals or externals of it it was heartless devotion and uninstituted worship and the Jewish worship as to the external part of it as instituted by God stood in Meats and Drinks and divers Washings and Carnal Rites and Ordinances so called by the Apostles Heb. 9.10 and the institution of that worship is said to be The Law
9.10 as the Apostle calls them And the generality of the Jews were so grosly carnal in their apprehensions of the business of Religion that they stuck in the outward Ceremonies having no respect at all to Internal and Spiritual Worship norminding that which was signified by those carnal Rites and Shaddows though the understanding godly true Worshippers that were among the Jews worshipped Spiritually with their Spirits and truly in Truth so that the Worship under the Law which God approved of was in its Soul and substance Spiritual yet the Worship then was cloathed with such a dress of Ceremonies that as to the Shew and External part of it in respect of the outward Form and Body it was but carnal Worship Whereas the New-Testament Worship is ordered to be in Spirit i. e. without such a carnal body or covering of Ceremonies and in Truth i. e. without Figures and Shadows Well it is clear that Gospel-worship is here put in opposition to the Carnal Ceremonious Worship of the Jews and to the heartless devised Worship of the Samaritans which was a false Worship wanting the truth of God's Word appointing and warranting the matter of it as well as the truth of a good heart and holy Devotion in the manner of performing it Now we may easily see what is the import of this expression in Spirit and in Truth First as for the tearm Spirit it notes 1. A renewed mind and a renewed heart and affections together with due expressions of those affections in suitable actions of Religious Worship 2. A Spiritual kind of Worship in opposition to that which is carnal and Ceremonious a Worship stript of that cloathing and dress of Ceremonies to which the people of God were tied under the Law which are abolished by the coming of Christ Note Note by the way That they who burden the Church with a multitude of Ceremonies go about to destroy Gospel-worship which must not be Ceremonious do what in them lies to cast Christ out of the Church and to bring in Moses in his stead and that they who affect and plead for and delight in a Ceremonious Worship seem to forget that these are Gospel-times and do in effect deny that Christ is come for it is most evident that our Saviour here points out the difference between Jews and Christians in point of Worship and it is clear that the difference is not in the inward Substance and Soul of Religion but in the outward Form and Body Well you see how the tearm * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Spirit is here to be understood Secondly The tearm * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Truth signifies 1. Sincerity as opposed to hypocrisie 2. It signifies the very kernel and substance of Religion that Worship which is real and substantial which standeth in the truth of those ancient Figures and Shaddows that which was figured by the offering of legal Sacrifices and by Ceremonious observances 3. Truth signifies a Consonancy to the Word of God that which is according to Truth written True Gospel-worship is that which is commanded and ordered by Christ that which is exercised according to the simplicity of Gospel-Institution True Gospel-worship is a Worship performed in Spirit and in Truth i. e. it is Cordial Holy Sincere Spiritual Substantial Instituted Scripture-worship that which hath the Word of God for it's Foundation and Rule Proof The Text is as a clear foundation so a full proof of our Doctrine and our Saviour tells the Pharisees Mat. 15.9 that In vain do they worship God teaching for Doctrine the Commandments of men That is a vain idle Worship an unprofitable Worship which is ordered otherwise than God hath appointed which is not directed to the true God rightly conceived of and performed in a right manner suitable to his Will and Nature and which hath not God's Word for its foundation and Rule This was an observation which you had from the 22 verse which Christ saith Ye worship ye know not what Now for demonstration of the point We have two demonstrations in the Text. This assertion That true Gospel-worship is a Worship in Spirit and in Truth is proved 1. 1. Demonstration From the Will of God The Father seeketh such to worship him This is the argument here used They that worship God must see that their Worship be such as will please God Now onely such spiritual sincere instituted-worship pleaseth him Therefore onely such Worship is to be performed 2. A second reason is drawn from the Nature of God God is a Spirit he is a pure spiritual Essence and he must be worshipped with a Worship suitable to his Nature Thus to worship God is reasonable service God is a Spirit in a kind of singularity and excellency and eminency above all Spirits God is a most Intelligent Spirit his understandig is infinite They who satisfie themselves with a carnal external Worship such as is but a Carcaise without any Soul of Heart-devotion in it without holy spiritual motions and affections of the inward man these apprehend not God to be a Spirit the God and Father of spirits and the searcher of hearts but deny his Spiritual Nature and make him a God of flesh while they bring stesh to him for an Offering If God be a Spirit he must be worshipped with our Spirit and truly he calleth for this My Son give me thy heart Prov. 23.26 he re-requires a preparation of the heart for Worship and the activity of the inward man in the performance of Worship and the Soul's intentness upon the work in hand God loveth spiritual performances Again God is a Spirit most simple void of all Composition and uncapable of division Such must our Worship be suitable to the most simple Nature and Being of God It must be uncompounded undivided Worship 1. There must be no Composition in it no mixture of our own conceits and devices or any humane inventions a patched sophisticated linsey-woolsey-worship fuits not with the simplicity of God the Object of Worship 2. There must be no division in our Worship it must be whole entire Worship head and heart understanding and affections Soul and Body all must joyn unanimously in the Worship of God I will adde one Demonstration more Arg. 3 3. Corrupt Worship is not true Gospel-worship that which is expected from Gospel-professors But that Worship which is not performed in Spirit and in Truth according to the import of those tearms as they have been opened to you is corrupt Worship For Worship is corrupted these three wayes 1. In respect of the Object as Worship corrupted 3 wayes when something else is worshipped in stead of God or when other Objects of Worship are taken up besides God and together with him so also when people have carnal gross unsuitable apprehensions of God and so worship not the true God with a Worship suitable to his Nature a spiritual simple pure Worship 2. There is a corruption in the manner of Worship when
and occasions and appearances of that sin are likewise forbidden Mat. 5.21 22 27 28. Thus our Saviour interprets Commandments So that I say the second Commandment forbids not only the making and worshipping of Images the grossest Idolatry but also all Superstitious devices of men in the worship of God And doth not God charge his people not to turn aside from his Commandments Deut. 5.32 either to the right hand or to the left When men out of prophaness or Atheism worship not God at all this is to turn aside to the left hand and for men under pretence of Religious zeal and good intentions to set up in the worship of God that which he hath not commanded this is to turn aside to the right hand and this is forbidden When we have not the light of God's Word to direct us in our worship we offer to him a Sacrifice without eyes Now let us see what the Scripture speaks of such devised Will-worship that we may see how God likes it and what good it is like to do us See our Saviour his censure of such worship Mat. 159 Isa 29.13 quoting the Prophet Isaiah Deo non probantur quaecunque extra verbum de consilio hominum in sacris constituuntur Chemn in locum In vain do they worship me teaching for Doctrines the commandments of men and surely this is the worst of all vanities when our Religion and Worship shall procure a vain thing Yea such Will-worship of humane invention is so far from being profitable to us or pleasing to God that God accounts it done to Devils not to him This is no rash assertion of mine or gratis dictum Ye may read it in Scripture Levit. 17.7 Deut. 32.17 They shall bring their Sacrifices to the Lord to the door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation they shall do herein according to my appointment and shall no more offer their Sacrifices unto Devils And in the latter of those Texts viz. in Deut. 32. forasmuch as they worshipped Idols they are charged with sacrifising unto Devils 2 Chron. 11.15 Rev. 9.20 And Jeroboam his Idols are called Devils and so are Antichrist his Idols This is God his estimation and censure of Idolatrous worship and all devised fictitious worship wch is not according to God's own appointment wherein men worship an Idol of their own brain whatever they intend or pretend not God but the Devil is served by such forbidden uninstituted worship Jeroboam did not plainly renounce the true God but pretended and intended still the worship of God when upon a politick account he set up the Calves in Bethel and Dan nor did the people that went up thither intend the worship of Devils yet God in his Word tells us that Jeroboam set up this worship to Devils O how cautelous should men be and fearful lest they worship Devils instead of God how careful to keep close to God his Institutions Now you have seen that our Saviour his answer here to the Samaritan woman teacheth us how vain idle and how distastful to God that worship is which is devised and oppointed by men contrary to the Word or without Scripture warrant Well then it follows hence 1. That the worship of Turks and Jews is an idle Idol-worship because they worship God out of Christ conceiving far amiss of that God whom they pretend to worship and making an Idol of him there being no such God made known in the Word to be the Object of worship 2. That the worship * In scripturis Idololatrae vocantur qui Divinum cultum Idolo sive proprie dicto sive figurate tribuunt Rainoldus Quis tam amens ut Dei formam imaginem statua referri perhibeat Euseb Quam imaginem ponetis ei qui spiritus est c. Hier. in Esai cap. 40. of Papists is an idle Idol-worship for they conceive amiss of God and of his worship as if his presence were tied in a special manner to Images or as if he were to be worshipped in Images or could be represented by Images there is no such God They conceive amiss of Christ as if he could be held in the hands of the Priest after the consecration of the bread or host as they call it there is no such Christ so that they worship a God and a Christ of their own devising and they have monstrously corrupted the whole worship of God by a multitude of inventions and superstitions and devised rites of their own they have many new forms of worship which God hath not commanded they have introduced a multitude of Ceremonies which they make the worship of God in which their Religion mainely consisteth They worship they know not what 3. The worship of a number oâ— Protestants is an idle Idol-worship Oh how many are they whose worship justly falleth under thiâ— censure As 1. They that have no understanding of the Doctrine of thâ— Trinity no knowledge of the personal relations of Father Son anâ— Spirit to be considered in thâ— Godhead and yet pretend tâ— worship God These worship theâ— know not what 2. They that worship God oâ— therwise than he hath appointed and in such ways and by such means of worship as he doth not approve of that follow their own fancies or other mens inventions with a neglect of or in opposition to Gods prescriptions These do in the point of worship they know not what and that of which they can give no account to God 3. They that seek not to be resolved in their own Judgement and Conscience that what they do in the business of Religion suits with the mind of God and so is his Worship but cast themselves upon the streams to be carried which way that runs 4. They that have no other apprehensions about Religion or the Worship of God but the Laws of the Land or the Constitutions of the Church in which they live that trouble not themselves to enquire whether it be right or wrong whether it be acceptable to God and consonant to his Word but this is commanded by Superiors and this they do and therefore they do it and will do it as if Superiours were infallible and could not possibly command that which ought not to be done Thus Seneca the heathen said of himself Non tanquam Diis gratum led legibus jussum That he observed the worship of their Gods not as acceptable to the gods whom he thus worshipped but as commandeâ— by the Laws But Christianâ— should know and do better and the Word of God teacheth otherwise viz. to look to God's Lawâ— and attend to his mind and seeâ— to please him in our worship Vse 2 Let us therefore look to this that our worship be rational and rightly founded viz. upon the Word of God Men are very prone to invent worship have naturally a delight to make a worship of their own and man is naturally apt to regard and adherâ— to humane inventions rather than Divine prescriptions The
of a Carnal Commandment Heb. 7.19 and the generality of the Jews were so grossly carnal in their apprehensions of the business of Religion that they stuck in the outward Ceremonies having no respect at all to internal and spiritual worship nor minding that which was signified by those carnal rites and shadowes but if the Ceremonial Law were observed in offering Sacrifices and in the point of Meats and Drinks and Washings c. they reckoned that all was well enough This is that which God upbraideth them with and for which he sharply reproveth and threateneth them Now according to the Antithesis here intended Spirit signifies the heart and it s renewed spiritual motions and affections together with the expressions of those affections in such outward actions as necessarily flow from them Truth signifies sincerity as opposed to hypocrisie and it signifies the very substance and kernel of Religion that worship which is reaâ— and substantial which stands in the Truth of those figures and shadowes that which was figured by those legal Sacrifices and other ceremonial Ordinances that which is indeed the thing that God looketh after and Truth likewise importeth a consonancy to the Word of God True worship is that which is ordered and commanded by God that which is according to the Rule So then worship in Spirit and in Truth is opposed to the Carnal Ceremonious worship of the Jews and to the heartless and devised worship of the Samaritans which was a false worship wanting the Rule of God's Word appointing and warranting the matter of it as well as the truth of a good heart for the manner of performing it Worship in Spirit and in Truth is sincere spiritual instituted worship Scripture-worship which hath the Word of God for its foundation and rule This is true right Worship Obj. Did not the true worshippers in the Old Testament worship God in Spirit and in Truth Answ God is always the same so that from the beginning of the world he was never pleased with a worship not spiritual and true and undoubtedly the godly worshippers among the Jewes worshipped spiritually in Spirit and truly in Truth but yet in the worldly Sanctuary at Jerusalem and in shadowes and figures and with the observation of many outward Ceremonies so that in shew and as to the external part their worship was Carnal we may say that the Worship under the Law was in it's substance and soul as I may call it spiritual but in respect of the outward shape and body of it it was in some sort carnal and earthly Whereas the New Testament worship is in Spirit without such a carnal body and covering of Ceremonies and in Truth without figures and shadowes Obj. 1 With outward Ceremonies But do not we now under the Gospel worship God as bowing the Knee lifting up the Hands and Eyes in Prayer c. And are not our Sacraments as to the visible matter of them carnal Elements Answ The former sort of these Ceremonies are natural such as flow from the Nature of the thing and serve to a lively expression of the inward motions and affections of the Soul and so appertain to the worship which is in Spirit for spiritural worship is not only the inward affection but also meet outward declarations and expressions thereof in action As for the latter sort of Ceremonies viz. the Sacramental Rites they are instituted by God himself but they are so sew and so plain and significant that they do not at all diminish or obscure the spirituality of the Worship Now to fetch some Doctrine out of the Text. Doct. That which I shall conclude from thence is either implied or expressed in the words The Doctrine implyed is this That true Gospel-professours are true Gospel-worshippers Doct. 1. implied All true Christians do indeed worship God Our Saviour here speaks of Christians in contra-distinction to Jewes and Samaritans and this is the description and Character of them They are true worshippers The Doctrine expressed is this Doct. 2 Doct. 2. expressed That true Gospel-worship is that which is performed in Spirit and in Truth Doct. 1 Doct. 1. True Gospel-professours are true Gospel-worshippers I shall in a word open the Subject Explication of and insist a little on the explication of the Attribute The Subject of the proposition 1 the subject Gospel-professours These are such as own the Doctrine of the Gospel and profess the Name of Christ profess themselves to be of that Religion which the Gospel teacheth and they who hold forth such a profession are called Christians Now profession is either feigned or unfeigned either in hypocrisie or in sincerity either a profession in word only and in shew or that which is a profession indeed and in truth Now our Doctrine doth not speak of all profession as to say that all who profess themselves to be Christians are Gospel-worshippers but of true professours such as are Christians indeed all that do with judgement own and with affection embrace the Doctrine of Christ and sincerely profess the Christian Religion These are Gospel-worshippers and do truly worship God This is the Attribute of the proposition 2 of the Attribute which cometh now to be explained Quest What is it to worship God What is carried in this notion of worship when it is related to God as it's Object Answ Religious adoration or the Worship of God is either natural or instituted 1. Natural-worship I call that which doth arise from the consideration of a Deity that which Nature it self will tell us is due unto God Whoever acknowledgeth that there is a God will easily acknowledge that he is to be worshipped i. e. believed feared loved invocated trusted in c. 2. Instituted-worship is that which depends on and answers to the Revelation of Gods will any way or means appointed by God for the exercising of Natural worship which is due to God as God any work or service of divine institution to be performed unto God This Notion of worship in such a strict sence of the word is especially to be considered of in the prosecution of the second Doctrine but now in the first point I shall take it in the largest sence of the tearm and you may take this description of it True Worship Worship described is a Religious holy observance of and obedience to the only true God as our God in all things commanded by him performing all duty in Faith through Jesus Christ the Mediator unto the glory of God I shall give you the sence of this Description in five conclusions Description explained Concl. 1 1. The Object of Religious worship is God the true God our God This first Conclusion hath three Branches Trimembris 1. God is the Object of Worship Religious worship is to be exhibited only to God the Father Son and Spirit to him and to him onely must our worship be directed for worship is a Solemn acknowledgement of a Deitie Therefore
God amends for all and reconcile God by a little foolish formal Devotion by their ignorant ceremonious worshipping of him haply by repeating the Lords Prayer and the Creed and the Ten Commandments or saying over a few Prayers wherein there is vox praeterea nihil nothing done to purpose and some think that all Religions do well and that God may be pacified with any Worship but this Woman assoon as God had opened her eyes is of another judgment and teacheth us another lesson 2. This Woman being convinced of and touched in Conscience for her Adultery makes question of her Worship whether it were right or no begins to scruple about Idolatry and Superstition As she will no longer be an Adulteresse so she would not be an Idolatrous or Superstitious Worshipper therefore she desires to be well informed concerning the true Worship of God Note A sinner thorowly touched in Conscience for one sin and repenting of that doth not cleave to any sin but desires to turn from all sinto God and desires to know and to do the will of God in all things 3. See how this Woman expresseth her self about the matter of Worship wherein she seeks further resolution from Christ Our Fathers Worshipped in this Mountain and ye say that in Jerusalem is the place wherein men ought to Worship Though she is at some uncertainty in this point and makes it a question whether the Samaritan or Jewish Worship were the best yet she is iuclined to give her Vote for the Samaritan Religion pleading prescription of time and urging the authority of Fore-fathers Note This is that which people are very apt to lean upon as a prop of false Religion or Vain Ceremonious Superstitious Absurd Apish worship viz. The Authority and Example of Fore-fathers If this or that hath been practised in former times why should it be otherwise now there must be no change no by no means though the Word of God and state of the times do require an Alteration Our Fathers were Wise and Devout and Pious and they established this and that pleased them why should not we be pleased as well as they why should we make new Constitutions without doubt it is well enough as it is or else our Fathers would have reformed it Oh what a block is this in the way of Religion This is that which the Samaritans pleaded for their mungril Religion and very corrupt worship Our Fathers Worshipped in this Mountain Sed patrum mores longa tempora nihil probant in Religione and this is the plea of Papists for their Religion and this is the plea of Formal Ceremonious Superstition Worshippers Oh how are people in love with that Religion in which their Parents and Ancestors lived and died But now against this conceit it is good to consider Noli errantium majorum tuorum sequi vestigia Aug. 1. Who are the Fathers whose Example is pleaded as so fit yea almost necessary to be followed Surely wise and serious Christians or learned and godly Doctors * Sana ratio veritas exemplis patrum anteponenda idem will not look upon the Major part of those that lived in the age or ages before them as their fore-fathers by whose judgment and practice they must be bound up to follow their example Nec parentum nec seniorum error sequendus est sed autoritas Scripturarum Dei docentis imperium Hier. without looking into the law-lawfulnesse and expediency of things 2. If those Fathers whose Example is alleadged were of the better sort yet surely it is not so safe judging of these matters by Examples as by Laws Scripturae sacrae Angelis etiam nedum patribus praeponendae by the Law of God the Rule of his Word which should be clearer and better known to succeeding Generations of the Church than to former Ages The best men that have been or are are but men and may erre but now to make their Example a standing Law to the Church or to our selves is to lift them up above the ranck of men setting them in the place of God and surely God doth not like such gross Idolatry or Man-worship 3. Tempora distinguenda diversa agendi lex a Domino praescripta est serio cogitanda It is wisdom to discern the difference of times and the state of the Church and to enquire whether that which our Fathers did though well in foregoing ages be now lawful and commendable for us Now Statimab exordio Ecclesiae in caeremoniaruÌ„ congerie peccari caeptum est quia nimis valuit stulta judaismi imitatio in the case here before us which hath been the occasion and ground of this discourse that was lawful in former times which in after times was unlawful The Fathers before the Law might lawfully Worship in this Mountain which the Woman speaks of having no command concerning a Temple at Jerusalem and Levitical Ceremonies but the case was altered now when this Woman alleadged their example God had given a command concerning a certain place for his Solemn Worship and Service by Sacrifice and had tied all his people to that and in the New-Testament that command concerning Levitical Worship was abrogated Could this be good pleading of the example of the Fathers before the Law now when the Law was given or could it be congruous to alleadge the example of the Fathers under the Law now in the time of the Gospel Olim suffitus luminaâ—ia vestes sacrae similes ritus Deo placebant nunc a Christi adventu mutata est ratio nam quae tunc fuit piasacrorum observatio hodie sceleratum fit sacrilegium Szeg. when that Law was abrogated by Christ Besides as in this case that which was lawful in one age of the Church was unlawful in another So there may be some things in the aeconomy of the Church and the Worship of God more suitable at one time which in other after times may be altogether incongruous so that if we confound times we may be easily miscarried with a blind misguided dangerous zeal of imitating our Fore-fathers 4. It is good for us especially to heed not so much what any men before us have done as what God who is before all Veritati nulla praejudicat consuerudo nulla vetustas The Ancient of dayes in comparison of whom the greatest and most Ancient Father as one saith well hath not one gray hair of Antiquity to heed I say what God would have to be done To the Law and to the Testimony Our Fathers worshipped in this Mountain and ye say that in Jerusalem men ought to Worship This woman alleadgeth Custome and the example of Ancestors but she is put to a stand by the Jewes Allegation of Duty and surely the resolution is easie whether mens Example or God Command should carry it Who dare to deny this Consuetudo sine veritate vetustas erroris est Cyprian that we muâ—â— consider what ought to
the Scripture holds out to us this Object of worship excluding all others 1 Sam. 7.3 Prepare your hearts to the Lord and serve him only Mat. 4.10 Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serve 2. We must worship the True God or worship God as God therefore we must have true apprehensions of God right conceptions of him in his Nature Attributes and Properties and a true knowledge of God in Christ and as he hath revealed himself in the Covenant of Grace 3. God must be worshipped and served as our God with an appropriation of him to our selves apprehending our Covenant-Relation to him and Interest in him Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God God the true God our God is the sole Object of Religious worship Concl. 2 2. The right worshipping of this our God is a religious holy observance of him and obedience to him so that true full worship takes up the inward and the outward man and takes in all sorts of duties and all points of obedience there is an Universality both respecting the Subject of worship which must be the whole man and respecting the Parts of worship how far it is to extend in point of duty to all duty it must be whole obedience First Inward worship there must be the worship of the inward man heart-heart-worship soul-soul-worship which consisteth in 1. A right knowledge and acknowledgment of God as he hath revealed himself in his Word and Works And 2. A Religious holy affection toward God thus known and acknowledged for we must know that the Law of God which is the rule of his worship is Spiritual reaching the understanding and affections and all the powers of the Soul We have both this knowledge and acknowledgement of God and this affection toward God called for by Moses Deut. 6.4 5. Hear O Israel the Lord thy God is one Lord know this and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul and withal thy might Now Religious holy affection towards God hath in it and noteth out to us Internal duties all the internal duties of worship which are the Souls more immediate actings wherein we glorifie God It cannot be expected that I should name them all I shall but touch upon some few specialties 1. 1 Faith Faith is one part of the Internal worship of God I say Faith to believe God and Faith to believe in God for there is a great difference between these two And the first of these viz. to believe God is to be taken in a double sence 1. 1 To believe God Credere Deum to believe the Being of the true God that there is a God and that he is such a God as the Scripture speaks him to be 2. Credere Deo to assent unto and be thoroughly perswaded of all that God hath spoken in his Word so submitting our judgement and stooping our reason to Gods revelations resting satisfied with them This surely is part of that worship and honour which every soul oweth to God To believe God his Being and to believe his Sayings Then 2 To believe in God to beleive in or on God is to have the Soul carried by Faith unto God in Christ as my God and Father and to apply to my self the promises of Grace which in Christ are yea and amen So casting my self upon God and depending on his Fatherly goodness for all good things for Soul and body This Faith is to be lookt upon as a vertue or work of the Soul which appertaineth to and is part of the inward worship of God 2. 2 Love Another ingredient of Divine internal worship is Love when knowing God to be the chief good and apprehending our own interest in him we love him truly and above all other things desiting nothing so much as communion with him and to be conformed to him This worship is called for in Scripture Mat. 22.37 Thou shalt love the Lord thy God withal thy heart and withal thy soul and with all thy mind 3. 3. Fear The fear of God is the internal worship of God when reverencing the Word of God and the Majesty and Holiness and Justice of God we flie sin as being fearful to offend God and careful to please him in all things This holy fear is called for in many places of Scripture Deut. 6.13 Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God Fear the Lord ye his Saints Psal 34. â— In thy fear will I worship saith David This fear of God is such a special part of inward worship that is is not rarely put for the whole worship of God for all Religion and godliness The Prophet Esay saith Isa 29.13 Their fear toward me is taught by the Precepts of men Our Saviour quoting this Text gives us the sence of it thus Mat. 15.9 In vain do they worship me teaching for Doctrine the commandments of men 4. 4. Repentance True Gospel-Repentance which comprehends Faith in it and is the turning of the whole Soul unto God lookt upon as an effect of Sanctification is the internal worship of God When we acknowledge our sinnes and acknowledging them bewail them and cast our selves by Faith upon the Mercies of God through the Merits of Jesus Christ firmly purposing by the help of Grace to abstain from sin and to obey God in all things herein we give God the glory of his Omniscience and Holiness and Justice and Mercy and this is surely to worship God when in our hearts we reverence him and give him the glory of his Attributes This is that worship which Paul taught Repentance toward God Act. 20.21 and Faith in our Lord Jesus Christ 5. The inward worship of God is with a thankful heart to acknowledge the goodness and beneficence of God towards us looking upon our selves as utterly unworthy of any of his gifts seriously purposing to glorifie our good God I might multiply particulars wherein the internal worship of God consisteth But these few hints shall suffice Secondly Outward worship As concerning External worship I shall only hint what it is in general To worship God Externally is sincerely and regularly to professe and practice true Religion carefully and conscionably endeavouring to perform all outward duties incumbent on us by the command of God I say sincerely to profess and practice true Religion in performing such duties Note Note this by the way Though Internal worship may be where there is at present no acting of that which is External yet there is no External worship which is indeed worship without Internal that which is only an action of the outward man meerly bodily exercise and not an act likewise of the inward man the act of the heart and Soul moving toward God that is not the worship of God However the Soul may and doth often act toward God in holy Worship in Faith and Love and godly Fear c. when no visible
be a reference to some Covenant and Oath of Allegiance and Fidelity taken by the people binding them to their Prince Indeed Oaths to Magistrates are to be kept and surely Oaths to God are not to be broken but religiously observed But now Secondly These words In regard of the Oath of God may be looked upon as a limitation to the precedent Exhortation Keep the King's Command but with regard had to the Oath of God so that there be no violation of that so that your Obedience to the King be consistent with your Fidelity to God Our Obedience to man must be regulated by a good Conscience toward God This is Orthodox Doctrine owned by all sound honest Divines though there may be as there have been some Court-Claw-backs that may put forth other stuff It was a notable resolution and a noble speech of those Worthies who were commanded by the King to worship the Image which he had set up they said unto the King O Nebuchadnezzar Dan. 3.16 17. we are not careful to answer thee in this c. They submitted to the fire when they could not act as he commanded so we must yield passive obedience when we cannot with a good Conscience yield active we must choose rather to suffer than to sin and when a Christian submits himself to the penalty of not doing that which is against his Conscience this is no Rebellion or resistance of the Powers but here is still a subjection to them though this is the loud Outcry of many ignorant and malicious persons against conscientious Ministers and private Christians that cannot readily consent to do all that men command them O Rebellion Rebellion O Rebels Rebels The Martyrs of famous and blessed memory in those sad Marian Days did not resist nor rebel they willingly and cheerfully yeilded their bodies to the flames but still they professed and protested against the Idolatrous Doctrine and Worship then established by Law And now for a further opening and a clearer stating of this matter in question viz. Wherein and how far we are bound to obey Magistrates I propound to be considered Whether the Magistrate command us to do that which is unlawful or deal hardly with us by laying upon us unjustly some heavy burden for these are different cases Well then 1. In case of commanding any unlawful action to such a Command we must deny our obedience the supreme Power of all is to be obeyed no power on earth can secure the Conscience in doing that which is unlawful and cross to the Rule of God's Word But Secondly If the higher Powers shall Multum est discriminis inter eos qui vim injustam patienter rolerant eos qui quod injustum est saciunt Szeged contrary to the Laws by which they are to Rule lay heavy burdens upon us whereby we shall suffer in our persons or Estates in such a case we must labour with patience to endure and be content to act to our own prejudice that which cannot honestly be avoided or put off Now to clear both these Positions I shall speak a little to a Scripture-instance or two about which there maybe some enquiry not without ground The Instances are of Subjects their obedience and disobedience to the Willand Command of their Soveraign Quest First the case between Ahab and Naboth the Question is Whether Naboth did well or ill in refusing to part from his Vineyard to Ahab upon the terms propounded by the King Answ I find it answered that Nabotâ— did justly and warrantably refusâ—â— to gratifie the King's desire because God had forbidden the alienation of the Inheritance there was an express Law concerning this Lev. 25. that no Israelite might seâ— his Field but upon condition oâ— redeeming it and returning it is the year of Jubilee But Ahaâ— would have had Naboth his Vine yard upon other tearms which iâ— was not lawful for him to hearken to therefore he saith God for bid that I should give the inheritand of my fathers unto thee But here by the way I humblâ— conceive that the Reverend learned Author who gives this Answer was mistaken in that which he intimates as the ground of this Question for he formeth the Question thus Whether Naboth could justly deny his Vineyard to Ahab seeing the King hath power to take Fields and Vineyards and give them to his servants according to 1 Sam. 8.14 Now saith he in outward things we must obey though to detriment and loss But as to that Text in Samuel 1 Sam. 8.14 I conceive there was an unwitting mistake of the honest pious Auhor though it hath been I doubt not the wilful mistake of some Court-parasites who from hence save suggested unto Princes That Kings may do what they please That they have an absolute power of the persons and estates of their subjects Doubtless they do better understand that Text who interpret it to be the threatning of a judgement to the people and not a Concession of such a right and power to the Ruler It is as if he had said This people shall pay dear enough for casting off that form of Government which I had appointed to them they would needs have a-King and I will give them a King that shall deal Tyrannically with them ruling Arbitrarily that shall take away their Cattel and their Goods by violence that shall enslave then and their Children This will bâ— the manner of your King Here iâ— not signified what-Kings ought to do but what some Kings would do to satisfie their own lusts sâ— that we must not understand thiâ— as spoken de jure but de facto Iâ— Rulers might lawfully do that which is here spoken of then Ahab had not sinned in taking away Naboth his Vineyard from him by violence but this was Ahab his sin for which God punished him and we have an express word of God against this Ezek. 46.18 The Prince shall not take of the peoples inheritance by oppression to thrust them out of their possessions not but that Ruleâ— have a Legal right over the persons and estates of their Subjects so that they make use of it to due ends Well it is resolved that Naboth justly denyed his Vineyard unto Ahab illegally demanding it requiring it from him against the Law of God which Ahab might not violate Secondly There is another instance in Joab who disobeyed one Command of King David and obeyed another the Question is Whether he did well in either Quest 1 Whether did Joab well in slaying Absalom when the King had given a command to deal gently with him Answ Joab did evil in slaying him though he had deserved to die because David his Soveraign had given command to the contrary Quest 2 Whether did Joab do well to obey David in numbering the people Was it a sin or no for him to do this thing at the command of the King Answ This was Joab his sin as well as his betraying of Vrijah to death upon the King's Letter
is the destruction of good order and a breach of the publick peace and matter of scandal or an occasion of sinning unto others A very learned and Orthodox Writer hath these distinctions among others in the discussion of this great question which we are now in hand with Well Determ now to conclude something in Answer to this Inquiry Whether humane Laws or the Commands of men do bind the Conscience Concerning which I lay down this in General Humane Laws do and do not bind the Conscience For the understanding of this we must with Aquinas distinguish of Laws he tells us That Laws of humane Position or Sanction are either Righteous or Vnrighteous and thus he concludes Justae leges humanae obligant in soro Conscientiae ratione legis aternae c. The righteous Laws of men have a binding power in the Conscience as they are grounded upon derived from and agreeabe to the Eternal Law the Law of God and no further for only God's Laws do simply and per se bind the Conscience But unrighteous Laws saith he bind not in the Court of Conscience Leges auteminjustae non obligant c. unless in some cases as for the avoiding of scandal and with respect to the publick peace c. Yea saith he f those Laws of men be unrighteous per contrarietatem ad bonum Divinum as contrary to Divine good or the Law of God as if Rulers should make Laws binding to an Idolatrous Profession or Worship or to any thing contrary to the Law of God We are bound in Conscience not to obey such Laws it is meet that we should obey God rather than men And in another place he hath this conclusion 2da 2dae qu. 104. Art 5. Subditi in iis tantummodo Superioribus suis obedire tenentur in quibus ipsi Superioribus subjiciuntur in quibus ipsi Superiores sublimioris potestatis praecepto non adversantur This in General Particularly for a full determination of the Question there might be many distinct conclusions laid down according to the diverse distinctions of Persons or Powers that make Laws or give Commands with respect to the diversity of the Subject about which they are as relating to the matters Civil or Ecclesiastical but I shall adde only a few words 1. Negatively 2. Affirmatively Negatively I lay down these three Positions 1. Mens commands oblige not the Conscience directly and immediately as God's Commands do but by the intervention of God's Command It is the command of God that binds my Conscience to observe any command of man Submit your selves to every Ordinance of man 1 Pet. 2 1â— Eccles 8.10 for the Lord's sake saith the Apostle Peter Keep the Kings Commandment and that in regard of the Oath of God i. e. not onely for fear of man but also and chiefly for fear of wronging thy Conseience toward God 2. Humane Laws bind not the Conscience universally and unlimitedly as the Laws of God do I must examine the constitutions of men by the Laws of God and see whether they be righteous or no whether they be not contrary to God's Law and if I find them so I am bound in Conscience to deny active obedience 3. The Commands of men do not bind absolutely as the Laws of God do There may be a due subjection in some cases unto man by suffering the penalty though obedience be withholden The result of all is this That no voice but the Voice of God must be heard in the Conscience as commanding there and binding indispensibly to obedience and let me add this That it is antichristian for men to set up their own Will as a rule of sin and duty to take it upon them to give Laws to the Conscience This is St. Paul his Character of Antichrist that he as God 2 Thes 2.4 sitteth in the Temple of God i. e. in the Church he sitteth as God i. e. saith Diodate making himself absolute Lord of Consciences bringing them to his obedience The setting up of another Law-giver then Christ is properly Antichristianism What saith Calvin As long as the Pope exerciseth Tyranny over the Conscience we shall not cease to call him Antichrist nay we shall go further saith he and call them members of Antichrist who take such snares upon their Consciences Now Affirmatively and positively concerning this question of the binding power of humane Laws in the Conscience I conclude thus That all Laws and Commands of men in Power to which the order of the Power doth rightfully and duly extend it self are to be obeyed for Conscience sake and all such constitutions of men as are fundamentally or reductively and interpretatively the Commands of God or which enjoyn that which hath allowance from the Word of God all such have a binding power in the Court of Conscience not directly and immediately indeed upon account of man's ordination as they are humane Ordinances but as they are God his Laws propounded and enforced by a civil sanction and as they fall in duty under that general Command of obeying those that are over us in the Lord. Prop. Now I come to prove and demonstrate the point which hath been opened That every soul must be subject to the higher powers i. e. every person must reverence and obey Rulers and Magistrates Proof This duty lies clearly and fully in the Text but see further proof My Son fear thou God Prov. 24 2â— Tit. 3.1 and the King Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers to reverence and obey Magistrates 1 Pet. 2.13 14. Submit your selves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake whether it be to the King as Supream or unto Governours as to them that are sent by him and to this subjection God boweth the hearts of Subjects God saith David Psal 144. subdueth my people under me Thus the people of Israel were subject to Joshua their cheif Magistrate Josh 4.14 They reverenced him They were obedient to him All that thou commandest us Josh 7.16 17. we will do and whithersoever thou sendest us we will go as we bearkned to Moses in all things so we will hearken unto thee onely the Lord thy God be with thee as he was with Moses This last clause only the Lord c. seems to be a restriction and wary honest interpretation of their promise and engagement to Joshua Junius reads it thus Tantum videto Videto ut Deus tibi adsit sicut Moschi tu ab eo non recedas c. c. only see that God be with thee as he was with Moses guiding thee and dictating commands to thee and that thou depart not from God but keep close to his Commands as Moses did They would have Joshua to know that they were not so rash as to engage themselves unlimitedly to obey him in all things in case he should command any thing according to his own will and lust but so farre forth as