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
is verbal only or that which is real as well as verbal and the profession real may be either regular or irregular A Verbal profession practically contradicted is invalidated by such a contradiction so that it is to be accounted as no profession He that in word professeth himself to be of the Christian Religion i. e. a Worshipper of God in Christ and yet in practice is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one that doth not worship God surely he is no true Professor Nor is he a true professor of Religion who though he doth act something in the worship of God yet acteth not according to the rule of true Religion and worship Religion and Christianity is not a meer Notion but it is something Practical it notes not only the Minds reception of and the Wills subscription to the principles and rules of Christianity but also the framing of the heart and of the whole man to be acting and working in those Principles and Rules Thus stands the Argument A true profession of Christianity is real there is practical Religion and Christianity in the life and it is Regular so that the business of Religion the true Professour acteth according to Rule therefore they who truly professe the Christian Religion and are true real Christians are real and regular Worshippers of God the Father 2. It must needs be 2. Demonstration that true Christians are real worshippers of God because they are possessed and acted by the Spirit of God and Christ which Spirit is the efficient of holy Worship leading Souls to it and acting them in it Every thing acteth according to it's Principles Principiatum respondet suis principiis Christians are principled by the Spirit of Christ which doth efficaciously incline and govern them to do that which is pleasing to Christ The Spirit 's in-Being is argued by the Spirit his working in the Soul The Spirit of Christ is a sanctifying Spirit that sets the heart right toward God and orders the conversation aright in all points of holy Obedience so that they who have this Spirit must needs be worshippers of God Now I have dispatched the Doctrinal part of my Discourse Application I come to Application I shall make but two Uses of the Point The first for Conviction the other a Use of Exhortation Vse 1 First for Conviction And as the way or Medium to the Conviction aimed at Conviction I shall propound this clear Inference from the Doctrine If all true Gospel-professors be true Worshippers then they who are not true Worshippers are no◠true Professours Now if we come to try the hearts and practices of people by the description of true worship what a multitude of nominal Christians shall we find that are by our Doctrine shut out of the number of true Professors and real Christians How few Souls that are religiously observant of God and obedient to him Where there i◠no observance of God and obedience to him there is no true profession of Religion where there is no care to conform to the mind of Christ there is no rea◠Christianity What a number o◠Souls are there that do not believe do not love God do no◠turn to him do not thankfully acknowledg his goodness toward them do not set themselves to glorifie him for his Mercies Ah Souls Do you choose God for your portion and cheif good Do you affectionately accept of Jesus Christ to be your Saviour and Lord not only acknowledging his Sufferings and accepting of Pardon and Salvation through him but also acknowledging his Soveraignty and submitting to his Government and way of saving Where there is not such a choice of God and such an acceptation of Christ there is not that Faith which is a part of Internal Worship Do you love God above all inferiour earthly things loving these things but with a love subordinate to the love of God Where God is not thus loved the Soul doth not worship him Now alas how doth Self-love Creature-love love of the World yea and the love of Lusts shut God out of the affections of very many of us Where is that fear of God to be found which in all addresses to God composeth the Spirit by an awful apprehension of that infinite distance which is betwixt God and Us Where is that fear of God which fenceth the Soul against temptation unto sin and is operative and instrumental unto holy walking How few true Penitents are there that disallow and detest fin and carefully abstain from it and do actually resist it and turn from all sin unto God unto Piety and acts of Religion Now Friends If you do not believe do not love God and fear him and turn to him what Religion is in you what is your Profession where is your Christianity And now for external Worship to try men upon that account Some are not worshippers so much as in appearance practise no worship in their Families and seldome appear in the place of publick Worship And some there are alas how many that are worshippers only in appearance their Worship is meerly External they draw not near to God with their Spirits in any act of Worship nor is that which they do in point of Worship done with Conscience of God's Command or with any respect to his Glory or with Faith in the Mediator And how much vain Worship is taken up which is not ordered by God but by men which is not according to pure holy divine Institutions but according to corrupt rotten human inventions Now gather up all this and hence take conviction home to your selves You that do not acknowledge God in your hearts and lives You that do not believe his Revelations and believe in his Son You that love the world and love sin but love not God You that do not reverence the Holiness and the Majesty of God that stand not in awe of his Word that are not afraid to sin against him You that will not turn from your sins unto God You that regard not to worship God in publick and in private and you whose Worship is meerly External Take Conviction to your selves that you are not right Gospel-professors or real Christians forasmuch as you are not true Worshippers Vse 2 Being thus convinced learn what it is truly to Worship God Exhortation and become true Worshippers Labour to know the Lord and acknowledge the true God and believe in God and love God and fear God and worship him regularly according to the Scripture-rule as ever you desire that God should look upon you as Christians and own you as true Professors of Religion Now that you may be a little quickened Motives If you look into the Word of God you may thence take up Arguments fit for you to press upon your selves that you may be perswaded to give your selves up unto this Counsel The Apostle tells us Heb. 11.6 that God is a plentiful rewarder of them that diligently seek him that call upon his
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
Name and worship him and trust in him so that it is not in vain to serve the Lord There is profit in keeping his Ordinances Though our Worship must not be mercenary we must not look only or chiefly at the reward serving God for our selves for our own advantage yet having looked at God his Glory and aimed at a conformity to his Will we must go on in God's way looking to the reward for our support and encouragement The Apostle presseth this Argument upon himself and others Heb. 12.28 Wherefore we receiving a Kingdom which cannot be moved let us have Grace whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear and this he illustrateth by insinuating the danger of not worshipping and serving God for our God is a consuming Fire And with this Argument Moses presseth the people of Israel to a care of true Worship and due Obedience Take heed unto your selves lest ye forget the Covenant of the Lord your God Deut. 4.23 24. c. for the Lord thy God is a consuming Fire even a jealous God God hath power to destroy those that despise his Worship and he will not spare in the day of Vengeance but will pour out his Wrath upon the Families that call not upon his Name upon the people that will not worship him They that will not worship God but sleight and despise all Counsels and Exhortations thereunto shall perish as the Enemies of Christ that will not have him to Reign over them In Isa 65. we may read severe threats against those that would not worship God according to his Will and sweet Promises to his faithful Servants and true Worshippers Ye are they that forsake the Lord Isa 65.11 12 13 and forget my holy Mountain c. Therefore will I number you to the Sword c. Behold my Servants shall eat but ye shall be hungry behold my Servants shall rejoyce but ye shall be ashamed c. God Mal 3.16 17 18. by the Prophet Malachy tells us that he will own true Worshippers those that fear him and serve him they are dear and precious to him his Jewels and he will deal Fatherly and lovingly with them Then shall ye return and discern between the Righteous and the Wicked c. It shall one day clearly appear what difference there is between the godly and the wicked what difference God puts between the one and the other when he shall deal with the one as a tender Father and in great Mercy save him and with the other as a severe Judge and in great fury destroy him I will add but one word more to excite you to a care of worshipping God aright Look again into the Scripture and you shall find that God hath engaged his Name and his Truth to save the people that call upon his Name that worship him in Truth See for this Rom. 10.13 Rom. 10.13 The former verse endeth thus The same Lord over all is Rich unto all that call upon him Now he doth by Scripture confirm this that God is rich in Mercy to all true Believers and holy Worshippers he calls in the Prophet Joel to attest this For whosoever shall call upon the Name of the Lord shall be saved Here is a promise of Temporal and Eternal Salvation to such as in Faith worship God with a holy Worship They shall be saved with a temporal Salvation saved in trouble i. e. supported under it and saved from trouble in due time delivered out of it and they shall be Eternally saved delivered from the Wrath to come and received up to Glory to live with God for ever Now let this be the great Argument to perswade you to become Worshippers of God to acquaint your selves with God and give your selves up to him to search out and to study his Will and to give him the Worship and Service of the inward and outward man performing all outward Worship regularly according to the Scripture-Rule The Text last mentioned tells you who shall be saved viz. They that call upon the Name of the Lord. i. e. such as know and acknowledge God and believe his Word and believe in his Son and love and fear God and strive to please him and worship him in Spirit and in Truth You can have no hopes to be Saved as long as you are ignorant and unbelieving and fearless and graceless and dutyless while you continue to be of such a gain-saying spirit that you will not be called off from sinne and the world unto God so long as you continue despisers of God his Ordinances and Worship or while your Worship is carnal and superstitious as long as it is thus with you you are far from Salvation Therefore my beloved let us call upon the Name of the Lord let us become true Worshippers of God that we may lay hold upon this Gospel-promise and may have some well-grounded hope of Salvation through Christ Jesus Thus I have dispatched the first Point which is implied in the Text viz. That all right Gospel-professers true professors of the Christian Religion are true Gospel-worshippers worshippers of the true God according to the Principles and Rules of the Religion which they profess Real Christians do indeed Worship the Father Now I come to handle the second Doctrine which is the substance and express matter of the Text. Doct. 2 True Gospel-worship is a Worship in Spirit and in Truth This Proposition requires Explication I shall therefore explain both the Subject and the Predicate First Explication Here is the Subject Gospel-worship What is Gospel-worship 1. I take the term Worship here in a stricter sence than in the former point understanding it of Instituted Worship that which depends on and is consonant to the Revelation of God his Will any way or means appointed by God for the excercising of natural Worship which is due to God as God any Religious work or duty of Divine appointment to be performed unto God directed more immediately to him 2. Gospel-worship is a Worship suitable to Gospel-times and agreeable to the Gospel-rule Secondly Now to open the Predicate that you may see what it is to Worship God in Spirit and in Truth I shall not trouble you with the various significations of these tearms Spirit and Truth but only shew you what is the proper notion of them in our Text and Doctrine I have already told you that our Saviour here opposeth Gospel-worship to both the former Worships spoken of in the Context that of the Samaritans and that of the Jewes The Samaritan Worship was Hypocritical and Counterfeit invented worship not that which God had appointed either for the internals or externals of it It was heartless Devotion and uninstituted Worship The Jewish Worship as to the External part of it as Instituted by God stood in meats and drinks and divers washings and legal purifications and in offering sacrifices of Beasts and fruits and such like things carnal Rites and Ordinances Heb.