next place we must Addresse our selves to GOD by Humble and Hearty Prayer that it may please him to Enlighten the eyes of our Minds to the discerning His Will and the way wherein we should walk For is we do not Pray we are not desirous hereof neither duely Value it and so GOD will not think us worthy of it who Despise or Lightly esteem the Counsel and Direction of the LORD shall be left to wander in the Ignorance and Darknesse of their own Minds But he will lead and guide them in the Paths of Righteousnesse who humbly seek Him But though Prayer be good yet it is not the only Means it must not be neglected but it must not be rested in We must not ask direction as Pilate what was Truth at Christ who when he put the question presently went out and stayed not for an Answer After we have Prayed we should listen attentively to what GOD sayeth we ought to hearken carefully to the voice of GOD. And therefore Thirdly we must search Diligently the Scriptures for they are the Word of God and in and by them he speaketh to us his Will and Pleasure God hath given the Seripture to be a Lamp unto our feet and a Light unto our Path And so who would walk uprightly so as to Please God must follow the Guidance thereof 'Ts true God speaketh also Inwardly by his Spirit to the Hearts and Minds of Men but Ordinarly it is by the outward Means of the Word ' Tts seldom and in some singular Cases only that he speaks to men without the Mediation of the Scriptures However he never speaketh but agreeably to the Scriptures whatever he sayeth any manner of way must be consistent with the Doctrine and Precepts of the Scriptures for GOD neither can nor will contradict Himself Wherefore all inward Suggestions and Inspirations must be examined by the Written word of GOD which as St. Peter speaks in a like case is the surer Word 2 Pet 1. 19. We have Reason to put greater Confidence in the outward Light of the Scriptures then what is inwardly suggested for we may readily deceive our selves here and take the delusions of Satan or our own strong Imaginations for the Inspirations of GOD'S Spirit every one cannot distinguish betwixt them and indeed it is often hard for any to do it but by comparing them to what is delivered in the Scripture which we are sure is from GOD. We must not then be too hasty in concluding our inclination to a thing or aversion from it after that we have prayed fervently to be from GOD unlesse it be warranted by the Word of GOD revealed in the Scripture or at lest no wise opposite to what is there enjoyn'd us The Scriptures are the holy Oracles which deliver the mind of GOD to them therefore we must resort at all times and on all Occasions to know what we should do and by them all Persons of each Sexe Age Condition Imployment may be instructed how to order their conversation aright before GOD. For they are so composed that the Man of GOD by them may be perfect throughly furnished unto all good works 2 Tim. 3. 17. 'T is true every one will not find their particular Case Stated and Resolved but either Directly or Indirectly either by expresse Precepts or Paralel and not much different Examples they shall see what may sufficiently inform and resolve them And whoso will give themselves entirely up to the conduct of GOD in his word shall without doubt as we shewed before either by secret Suggestions of the Spirit or by some speciall occurrences of his providence be Particularly directed in the disposall of themselves and their affairs which are of greatest concernment and to which it cannot be expected that the Scripture should speak particularly The meek will he guide in judgement and the meek will he teach his way All the paths of the LORD are Mercy and Truth unto such as keep his Covenant and Testimonies Psal. 25. 9. 10. Thus we have shewed how we should consult GOD and by what means wee may come to be directed by him Now certainly it concerns us very much thus to consult Him and to follow these Means for acquainting our selves with what is proper for us to do The Heathens of old gloried much in their Oracles and used to Consult them in all their affairs though they were so uncertain and Ambiguous that they proved more often Snares to entrap them then Lights to guide them But sure wee have much more Reason to Glory and Rejoyce in this Special Priviledge we have of Consulting the true GOD who neither will deceive others nor can be deceived himself and who hath been Graciously pleased to speak to us so plainly and clearly by his Word and who Promises farther Direction as we stand in need Hereby we are enabled to walk wisely and are shewed the True way of carrying on our Happiness and Peace the Testimony of the Lord saith David is sure making wise the simple the commandement of the Lord is pure enlightning the eyes Psal. 19. 7 8. It was a laudable custome amongst the Iews to ask Counsel of GOD before they began any Enterprise and so it becomes us to resort unto the Scriptures for Counsel and Direction where we shall receive it fully and clearly if we be desirous thereof and follow the Direction prescribed above David no doubt had many Counsellours and yet he preferred the Word and Law of GOD before them all thy testimonies saith he are my delight and Counsellours And again he tells us that he bad more understanding then all his Teachers for GODS Testimonies were his Meditation Ps 119. 24. 99. It is reported of the Heathen Socrates that he pretended to have a certain Spirit or genius which he used as his Counsellour and therefore when ever he was required to speak or to do any thing his usuall answer was si Daemon permiserit if my spirit or genius will suffer Now it is our Happiness that we have a better Counsellour to advise with and therefore also whenso e're any thing is propounded unto us either to our understandings or Wills to be believed or practised let our Answer be with the Psalmist I will hear what GOD the LORD will speak Ps. 85. 8. I will first consult GOD by the Holy Oracles of the Scriptures And if we never conclude or resolve any thing without advising thus with GOD we shall highly honour him and shew an entire regard unto him and also take a Wise and most Profitable Course for our selves But alas As Solomon complains wherefore is there a price in the hand of a Fool to get Wisdom seeing he hath no heart unto it So it may be said to what purpose is it And how little doth it avail us to have the Scriptures seing we make so little use of them and take so little notice of what GOD says to us in and by them How sad is it and what matter of regrate
be superadded to natural Light both to confirm it and to supply its defects And what was thus necessary GOD hath not withholden from Men but as he made Particular Manifestations of himself to distinguish himself from the False Deities which Men had devised as was shewed above So he hath given expresse Revelation of his Mind concerning the way how he will be Worshipped that Men may not be to seeke herein nor yet make an offer of what is Abominable in his Sight The Worship of GOD is not now left to Mens uncertain conjectures and unless they be Perverse and Obstinate they need not perplex their Minds long with such enquiries wherewith shall I come before the LORD and bow my self before the high GOD Shall I come before him with burnt offering with Calves of a year old if we be truely Serious we may soon come to a resolution for as Micah saith He hath shewed thee O man what is good and what the Lord do inquire of thee He hath given a sure plain and fixed rule which to use the words of Moses is not hidden from thee neither is it far of it is not in Heaven that thou shouldest say who shal go up for us to learn and bring it unto us that we may hear it and doe it Neither is it beyond the Sea that thou shouldest say who shall go over the Sea for us and bring it unto us that we may hear it and do it but the Word is very nigh unto thee in thy Mouth and in thy heart that thou mayest doe it Deut 30. 11. The holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament are the Word of God as is witnessed by the Divine Testimonies of Miracles Prophecies and the like which could only come from God who ever also considers impartially and attentiâ—…ely the Matter of them and Manner of expression cannot but acknowledge they are of Divine Inspiration For as to their matter they both teach things not discernable by naturall light and also the dictates of human reason could not be so purely and with such evidence held forth by any meer man sure all the writings of the Philosophers come farr short of them even in this particular and as to their Style and expression it is so fitted to teach men and yet at the same time so becoming God and so sutable to the divine Majesty that the Spirit of God only could joyne these two together and it is impossible for the Greatest Master of Eloquency to counterfeit them So that there be many evidences of the Scriptures being from God and as they are his word so the Designe of them is to direct us in the Worship of GOD and to prescribe that Service which is due to him and will be accepted by him Wherefore who would be informed of the true Worship of GOD ought to consult these Holy books especially the N. T. even as a Subject to know his Devoir to his Soveragine would do best to consult the publick acts and statutes of the Kingdom and who would Worship GOD acceptably must do it according to the direction of the Scriptures as he who would shew himself a Loyal and dutifull Subject must doe it by a careful observance of the Laws and Statutes of his Prince Some will be ready to ask here wither any service will be acceptable besides what is enjoyned in the Scripture which I shall study to answer plainly and in few words First it is certain that it is not lawfull to exchange the divine appointments with our own divices for nothing which we can doe will excuse the neglect of Commanded duties nor will be received in compensation of them we then truly adore GOD and own him when we heartily and readily comply with his holy will and pleasure and as this will please him better then an Ox or Bullock that hath horns and hoofs yea better then thousands of oblations and burnt offerings so though we would doe never so much or so many things it would not please him if that were left undone as Samuel said to Saul hath the Lord as great pleasure in Sacrifices and burnt offerings as in obeying the voice of the Lord behold to obey is better then Sacrifice and to hearken then the fat of Lambs â—… Sam. 15. 22. Secondly if we make the acts of Religion and Devotion which are of our own Devising of equall weight and value with what is Commanded they are Abominable Superstition But Thirdly if these two be garded against it cannot be said to be unlawfull or displeasing to GOD to do things not expressely or particularly enjoined especially if the end and Reason of doing them be mainly to help forward that Service which is enjoined This matter will be farther cleared by the following Example if some Capricious and Conceited Person should either counteract or slight the established Statutes of the King and resolve to expresse His Loyalty by new ways of his own it is evident that he would not find acceptance with the King though his aime be good But on the other hand if one duely observe the King's laws and pay the Homage required and moreover out of the greatness of his Affection will doe more or something else then what by the Lawes he is tyed to the King will not be displeased with him yea cannot but highly favour him The very same may be said to the present question only there is this difference that all humane laws are imperfect so that a Man may out-doe them his Actions often may be better then the Law by which he may pretend to merit at the King's hand but the Law of God is most perfect and reacheth to all things good and commendable either in themselves or in Order to other things and none have Reason to plead Merit before GOD upon the account of any thing they doe For their Actions which are commanded fall short of the Perfection required and if they do any thing not expresly or particularly required if it be Good or Usefull any wise it comes under some general Command if it be not Good and Usefull it is but a vain and unreasonable service which GOD doth not value or regard Thus having shewed that GOD hath prescrib'd the Worship he would have in the holy Scriptures and that they do not worship in an acceptable manner who do it not as they are there directed It comes next to be considered what that Worship is which is there required by which we testify that we own the true GOD to be our God Now in discoursing hereof we shall begin with that which indeed must have the first place in our Addresses to God viz. Faith in Iesus Christ both as he is a Mediator and a Propitiation for sin Without this the Scripture tells us it is impossible to please God Heb 11. 6. And the reason thereof is clear for seing we have offended God and thereby made him our enemy it is necessary that our peace be first made before either our
of them and to grudge any cost upon them is an other extreme much more to be condemned seing GOD hath been so bountiful to us and to enrich this World for our use not only with necessaries but with comforts and to make it not only convenient but also very beautiful pleasant and delightful therefore I think gratitude should oblidge us to make an acknowledgement hereof by adorning his temples and taking care that these places of his special presence have all the ornament and comlinesse which our State and Country will allow Sure by all the rules of the World it cannot be judged otherwayes then a contempt of GOD or at the lest small esteem of him when his houses are the worst of the Land as is usually to be observed throughout this Kingdom nay in many places are to be seen Stables and Byers much more neat and handsome then the Churches beside them which certainly is a most shamefull thing and cannot but expose us to the contempt of all strangers What a shame and how unworthy a thing is it to be more curious about the apartment of our beasts then the house of our GOD GOD ordered his Son to be born in a Stable and in a Manger to teach us humility and to be content with a mean State but not to make us humble him thereafter by lodging him no better then our beasts I am sory it should be said because 't is our shame but it is true that we have many Churches which look rather like barns byres and stables and would be as proper for that use then what they are design'd for God did expresly prohibite under the law the dedicating the worst things unto him and I cannot understand what precept or example can be pretended forwarranding this under the Gospel I would think Nature as well as Religion doth teach the contrary GOD and Kings should be alwayes honoured with what is best and there is reason that the Courts of both be beautified and Adorned with State and Splendour that thereby that Reverence and Respect which is due from all who approach them may be engendered nourished increased But by Adorning of Churches I doe not mean what is in use in the Romish Church viz. Images Lamps Puppets rare and various Curiosities c. which are of no use in the Service of God and do but divert the minds of those who come up to Worship gaudy shews are not the true ornament of Churches but what makes them Grave August and Venerable And therefore the same Rules are to be observed in building of Churches which Wise and Discreet Persons follow in their Cloaths who seek out what is Decent and Useful and are careful to shun both what is nesty and course and also what is Gaudy and Vain because the one speaks out a mean sordide Spirit and the other too much lightness and childishness But whatever Churches be as to their external matter or form whither they be well or ill adorned there is a holy respect and reverence due unto them their having or wanting the externall Ornaments of Art or Beauty does not alter their Nature or make them more or lesse the House of GOD which is the thing their very name imports for Kirk or Church is from the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is as much as the Lords And upon this account they should be had in reverence more then for their Outward Pomp and splendour Every thing which relates to GOD is Sacred and should be reverently dealt with and particularly his Temples wherefore it is that the Wise-man adviseth to keep our foot when we go to the house of GOD. Ecl. 5. 1. He there alludes to the common Custome of pulling off the shoes in token of respect and reverence And though that particular Act be now out-dated and worn out of fashion yet still 't is necessary to carry reverently towards them For GOD himself commands it saying ye shall reverence my Sanctuary and the reason he gives is because I am the LORD Lev. 19. 30. Now this Reverence to the House of GOD was no Temporal Ceremonie peculiar to the time of the Law but even a Moral Duty to be continued as long as it is necessary to keep up the use of Churches and consecrated Places which will be ever necessary in this World as doth appear from our Saviour's Zeal in scourging out of the Temple such as have profaned it by buying or selling therein And the Apostle Sâ—… Paul inveighs against the Corinthians for that abuse which crept in amongst them in the Celebration of the Lords Supper whereby in eating every one did take before another and one was hungry and another drunken because as he tells them 't was not only contrary to the Nature and Purport of the Sacrament but also a contempt of the house of GOD and a want of reverence towards it What saith he have ye not houses to eat or drink in Or despise ye the Church of GOD 1 Cor. 11. 22. And when the same Apostle urgeth the not defiling the Body because it is the Temple of GOD it is evident that he takes it as a certain and undoubted Truth that what is the Temple of GOD should not be prophaned or else his Argument would not be good or valid Through all the World it is a custome to respect the Presence Chamber of Kings and such places wherein they use to appear in Majesty and State and to behave Reverently towards them even when they are not Personally present And how much greater Reason is there to pay the like Respect and Reverence to the House of GOD and those Places where he uses to meet and bless his People and where he is alwayes specially present by the Attendance of his Angels and Ministring Spirits For that Churches are thus Honoured with the special Presence of GOD seems to be very evident from the Scripture both of the Old and New Testament GOD indeed is not in Temples so as to be included in them we must not think that his Essence can be shut up any where wherefore in this 't is true that He dwelleth not in Temples made with Mens hands Nay the very Heaven of Heavens do not contain Him But how ever it is certain that He is and may be said to be more present in his Temples and Churches then in other places When GOD is said thus to be more present in one place then another it is either when there are some more visible Effects of His Presence by the conferring of special Blessings or when his Heavenly Host is there for so Iacoh here declared GOD to be in this place because he saw the Angels of GOD ascending and descending Now that GOD is present in his Churches the first way appears from Exod. 20. 24. Where GOD saith expresly in all places where I record my Name I will come unto thee and I will blesse thee upon which account the Tabernacle was called the Tabernacle of the
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