come neer unto God our best services are so faulty and so filthy that in themselves they are rather a dishonouring of God than otherwise and therefore cannot be pleasing to God but onely through Jesus Christ in whom the Father is well pleased Therefore when we worship God we must gather into Jesus Christ and lay hold upon his Righteousness and present our services to God through Christ and leave our duties with Christ to be offered by him to his Father and our Father that they may be accepted through him as from him and for his sake I shall insist a little longer upon this forth Position that we are in hand with further to evince the necessity of Faith in the Mediator unto a right worshipping of God First I shall shew it respecting Prayer in particular and then respecting all Worship in general First respecting Prayer Faith is necessary To set Prayer on foot and To carry on the work and duty of Prayer and To the concluding of Prayer with an Amen and To keep the heart in a right frame after Prayer 1. It is necessary to set Prayer on foot or to bring the Soul to Prayer Can a man have any stomack to go and crave and make request where he hath no hope to speed Now where effectual Faith is not there can be no hope to speed in any suit to God and that upon this twofold account 1. It is upon account of the relation in which any soul standeth unto God that it can have any hope of obtaining that which it seeketh from God It is the consideration of God his Father-Hood and our Son-Ship that must bring us to Prayer giving us encouragement to go to God with our petitions The Prodigal saith I will arise Luk. 15.18 and go to my Father A Child hath reason to hope that his Father will hear him and do for him when he cannot expect it from a stranger Now how come we into the Religion of God to have him to be our Father How come we to have the Son-ship of Christ upon us by vertue of which we may be admitted into the presence of God and be received by him See that Scripture John 1.12 As many as received him to them gave he this Power 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this Priviledge to become the Sons of God even to them that believe on his Name Ye are all the children of God Gal. 3.26 saith the Apostle by Faith in Christ Jesus 2. We cannot stand before God without Righteousness and this the Soul hath not of its own in it self We cannot look upon our selves but as sinful guilty persons nor upon our duties but as very defective The Righteousness which we must have that we may be accepted of God must be a Righteousness out of our selves another's Righteousness viz. the Righteousness of Christ which yet must be ours that it may do us good Now it becomes ours by Faith the Righteousness which gives us access to God by Jesus Christ is the Righteousnes of Faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 3.22 the Righteousness of God which is by the Faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all that believe Now for as much as without this Righteousness we can have no hope God-ward How can we with any confidence draw neer to God till such time as by Faith we close with Jesus Christ and apply his Righteousness to our selves Upon this account Faith is necessary to set Prayer on foot to set the Spirit of Prayer on work 2. Faith is necessary to carry on the work of Prayer and for the discharging of the duty 1. That we may with humble holy boldness with a Child-like confidence pray unto God Eph. 3.12 In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the Faith of him 2. That we may lift up holy hands in Prayer I will saith the Apostle that men pray every where 1 Tim. 2.8 lifting up pure hands without wrath or doubting It is Faith that purifies the heart 2 Cor. 7.1 Having these promises let us cleanse our selves form all filthyness of the flesh and spirit Revelations concerning the Love and good Will of God concerning Christ and Grace do purge the Soul that takes them in 3. Faith is necessary for the enlarging of the heart in Prayer and to make us lively and earnest in praying I believed therefore have I spoken The believing Soul will utter it self and even pour it self forth before the Lord being perswaded it shall through Christ obtain at the hands of God that Grace which it sues for but the Unbelieving heart is straitned and where Faith is not fervency cannot be and where fervency is not the success of prayer is doubtful at least The effectual fervent Prayer of the Righteous man availeth much 3. Faith is necessary to the concluding of our prayers with an Amen testifying as our desires to have our petitions granted so our reliance on God and a penswasion that he will for Christ his sake grant our requests For it is by Faith that we leave our prayers with Christ in whom all the promises of God are Yea and Amen 4. Faith sets and keeps the Soul in a right frame after Prayer 1. It sets the heart at rest and keeps it quiet When I consider that Christ hath the offering up of my prayers and that God will not throw aside any of the petitions which his dear Son brings to him this quiets my heart 1 Sam. 1.18 When Hanna had prayed she did eat and her countenance was no more sad If she had not Faith her stomack would have been no better nor her heart quieter after Prayer than it was before but now believing that God had looked on the affliction of his Hand-maid and that he would give her that blessing which she prayed for now I say she goes away rejoycing in the goodness of God apprehended by Faith and eats her bread with a merry heart David being among many enemies and in the midst of dangers Psa 3.5 having prayed could lye down and take his rest believing that the Lord would preserve and deliver him as he had prayed 2. Faith sets the Soul and keeps it in a patient waiting frame and this is that which God requires and that which he loves psa 27.13 14. I had fainted saith David unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living wait on the Lord c. David's Faith resting on the promise of God upheld him to wait on the Lord for the accomplishment of his promise The Apostle tells us Hebr. 10.36 We have need of patience that after we have done the Will of God viz. in praying and using such means as God hath appointed we may receive the Promises There is a Promise of God to waiting Souls Isai 30 18 Blessed are they that wait for him Now it is onely the believing Soul that is a waiting Soul Isai 28.16
into such conserence with her Well Nearer The nearer occasions were 1. Christ his coming to Jacob's Well and sitting there 2. The Womans coming to draw water 3. Christ his asking of water together with her untoward Answer and refusal to give it These I shall pass by II. The Conference it self Now as to the Discourse or Conference it self herein we may observe 1. How Christ labours to set this Woman on thirsting after himself and his Grace 2. How successful his endeavours are 3. How having provoked her thirst he satisfies it First First He sets her on thirsting by shewing her 1. Excellency of Christ his Grace The Excellency of Christ and his Grace 2. The facility of obtaining it 3. The need that she had of it First Set forth by The Excellency of Christ and his Grace is set forth By the names that are given to it and by the effects of it 1. 1. Its Names By the names that are given to it it is tearmed The gift of God and That living Water Christ with his Merit for Justification and his Spirit for Sanctification are thus called by our Saviour The Gift of God and that living Water I shall note something very briefly from each of these Titles Note 1 Christ is the principal-Gift of God the Father he is that Gift the Gift of Gifts an incomparable Gift and there are wonderful rich Treasures of Grace laid up in Christ and offered with him What childish folly is it then that when God holds forth in his Right Hand the Richest Jewel Christ and in his left Hand an Apple or Nut the Belly-blessings of this life we should chuse the Apple before the Jewel these Earthly things before Christ O that we may rather be like unto Paul than like the Gadarens let us account all things as loss for Christ that we may winne him and let such as have laid hold on Christ hold him fast and let go all rather than let go this Gift of God Alas poor creatures do not understand what that Gift of God is and therefore they do not desire it and seek it nor accept of it when it is offered Note 2 Christ his Grace his Merit Spirit are fitly compared to living water or spring water in respect of necessariness and motion and vertue and perpetuity But I shall hasten toward the Text. 2. 2 It 's Effects The Excellency of this living Water Christ and his Grace is set forth by the effect of it one effect there is of the apprehension and knowledge of it another effect of the enjoyment of it 1. The effect of the knowledge of this Gift is this that it excites desire vers 10. If thou knewest thou would'st have asked Note He that knows Christ truly will desire him and long after him and no man can truly desire him till he hath some knowledge of him till the eyes of his understanding be opened to see the worth of Christ and the preciousness of his Grace The want of affection in the soul towards Christ is from the blindness of the mind 2. There is a notable effect of Christ and his Grace enjoyed which is this Note That this gift being received so enricheth the Soul that it is sweetly contented with it This water being drunk satisfieth the Soul so that it thirsteth no more Now the Soul's fulness and satisfaction by drinking this living Water is not opposed to a thirst of desire with respect to the same for they who have drank of this Water who have tasted the sweetness of Christ do thirst more after him desire to have more of Christ but it is opposed to a thirst of total indigence to the drought of the Soul The Soul shall never more be wholly without moisture there shall never be an utter failing of the energy and comfort of Grace received but it shall be in him a Well or Fountaine of water springing up to Eternal Life Christ will never leave him the life of Grace shall never fail but the spiritual life begun here shall be perfected in Glory The ascent of water is answerable to it's descent so that in the passage thorow Conduit-pipes or any ways of conveyance it will rise as high as the Spring-head This water which we are speaking of as it comes from Heaven so it riseth again to Heaven Now the perfection that is in Christ his water the excellency of this living water in point of satisfactoriness is illustrated by the defectiveness of the water in Jacob's Well the unsatisfactoriness of all things besides Christ and without him Whosoever drinks of this water shall third again Note The Soul cannot have full or true content in any eartuly thing Austine expresseth this hand somely by way of speech to God Domine fecisti nos propter te c. Thou Lord hast made us for thy self therefore our heart finds no rest till it rest in thy self Nothing can fill the heart but the fulness that is in Christ Vse 1. Now this may serve for a check to ambition and covetousness to the worlding his itch and thirst Isa 55.2 Wherefore do ye spend your money for that which is not bread and your labour for that which satisfieth not Quo plus sunt petae plus sitiuntur aquae He that drinketh of the waters of pleasure or profit or preferment thirsteth more afterward than he did before Wherefore should we so eagerly pursue these earthly things from which we can have no satisfaction 2. Looking to the former note whereof this latter is an illustration we may see matter of great comfort to Believers and Saints who have received Christ by Faith and have true Grace in their hearts they have that which is satisfactory and that which will stay with them to minister comfort and delight to them for ever They can never fall away wholly and return to their former estate to be without Christ to be destitute of Grace and Spiritual life but the Fountaine is still theirs and that which flows from the Fountain to them into them doth prove a Fountain in them and we know that a Fountain cannot be exhausted or dried up However the great water brooks of hypocrites fail in Summer's drought yet the little Fountain water of God his Children holds out and though true Christians may have their thirstings and may be as the parched ground as David complains Psal 32.4 that his moisture was turned into the drought of Summer yet the godly shall not thirst so but that this living water Christ and his Grace shall be a Fountain springing up and yielding water to releive their thirst so that it shall not be a killing thirst Excellently saith Chrys-stome Sicut is non potest sirire c. As he cannot thirst who hath a Fountain springing in the very bowels of him so they who have Christ dwelling in their hearts by Faith and by his Spirit for asmuch as they have a Fountain of living
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-worship 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
He that believeth will not make hast The godly are spoken of Psal 123.2 as having confidence in God and waiting for his goodness 3. Faith keeps the heart in a praying disposition frame sets the Soul on work to pray again and again often to ask the same things till we have a clear and full Answer from God And Faith makes the Soul importunate with God still rising higher and higher in holy importunity I believe that this Mercy will come in answer to Prayer therefore I will pray instantly that it may come and constantly till it doth come Thus Faith is necessary with respect to prayer-worship which is indeed a principal part of the Worship of God Secondly Faith is necessary to the Worship of God in general or to all Worship and that upon this account or for these reasons 1. Because to the worship of God there is required a knowledge of his Will and of the Rule of Worship and an assent unto and approbation of the Truth and Holiness and goodness of his Revelations and an Interest in him Can a man worship he knows not whom or when he understands not how he is to worship or when he is not perswaded in his own conscience that what he doth is right or when the Soul hath no recumbency on the Object of Worship Now this knowledge and this assent and this perswasion and this recumbency is Faith 2. Without Faith the Soul hath no way to God and so cannot draw nigh to him in Worship Jesus Christ is our onely way to God in him we have access with boldness and confidence to the Throne of Grace Now it is Faith in Jesus Christ which gives us the benefit of this way no Faith no Christ no Christ no way to God no possibility of any approach unto him without a Mediator for God out of Christ is a consuming Fire and poor Christless Souls have cause to fall into trembling when they think of God Now faithless souls are Christless and without Faith the Soul hath no access unto God or communion with him therefore Faith is necessary to the Worship of God It is only in this way of recumbencie by Faith on Jesus Christ that the Soul hath any peace toward God and hope and comfort in it's approaching unto him While we look unto weak corrupt sinful Self and upon our own imperfect faulty sinful performances there must needs be doubts and fears and unquietness of spirit Being justified by Faith Rom. 5.1 we have Peace toward God Peace i. e. that tranquility of Conscience or that comfort and joy which a Believer hath in a Conscience sprinkled with the blood of Christ and that boldnesse which he hath toward God as being his Father in Christ Jesus 3. Faith is necessary to the worship of God because where Faith is not there can be neither will nor ability for any hold action for any duty of worship What desire can the Soul have to draw near to God till it hath some hope through Christ of it's acceptance with God till it hath some hold-fast on the Covenant of God his Love so long as the Soul is estranged from Christ it is a stranger to God and God is a stranger to it Till there be an Vnion between Christ and the Soul even a Marriage Vnion there will be no desire of Communion or Spiritual Intercourse Christ his Spouse is delighted to see him even thorough the lattices to hear his voice at the door but she rejoyceth greatly to be with him in the Galleries to have his company in the Chamber delighteth to enjoy him in Ordinances and converse with him in worship Where there is such an Union to Christ there is pleasure in seeing him and hearing him joy to be with him The Soul having tasted the sweets of his Love desires to be led up to a more full enjoyment of him and so is making toward him in the use of means in attending on Ordinances and performing Duties Now this Union between Christ and the Soul is by the means of Faith it is by believing that the Soul comes to be one with Christ and so to be desirous of conversing with him to delight in his Ordinances and Worship Again It is by Faith that the Soul being made one with Christ doth fetch strength and abilities from Christ without whom we can do nothing that good is Of Christ his fulness the believer receiveth grace for grace Christ dwelling in the heart by Faith makes a holy heart is the worker of Grace in the heart and furnisheth the Soul with abilities for Duty that the Soul being justified and so sanctified by him may serve God and worship him acceptably Lastly There is one thing more which is considerable in the description of Worship viz. the End of it concerning which our Conclusion is this Concl. 5 5. The main end which we must aim at in all our Worship and Service is That God may be glorified by us This is God his great end of all his Works of all his appointments and Commands even his own Glory God hath made all things for himself and he will have all to be done to him 1 Cor. 10.31 Do all to the glory of God we are called upon to glorifie God in our souls 1 Cor. 6.20 and in our bodies Then may we be said to glorifie God when apprehending him to be such a God as he in his Word and Works hath discovered himself to be we make a sutable profession in Word and Deed really acknowledging his Power and Wisdom and Holiness and Goodness and Faithfulness and the rest of his Attributes and Properties reverently and humbly worshipping and serving the onely true God to whom all Worship and Service is due from us referring all our actions to the right end terminating all in him Paul would have the Philippians to be filled with the Fruits of Righteousess Phil. 1.11 which are by Christ Jesus to the praise and glory of God Thus I have finished the Explication of the Point explaining the Subject briefly and the Attribute more largely Proof Now for Proof of the Doctrine I shall refer you to the whole Sacred Story Look thorow the Book of God and you shall find it verified in all true Professors that the Scripture maketh mention of they were all worshippers of God I shall give you two words for the demonstration of the Point viz. That true Professors of the Christian Religion are worshippers of God according to the Principles and Rules of the Religion which they profess that real Christians do indeed worship the Father The first Demonstration shall be 1. From the true state of Religion 1. Demonstration and of a profession of Religion Religion properly notes a right acknowledgment and holy pure worship of God according to the rule laid down in his Word And Profession is a plain open declaration of our owning embracing and adhering to the true Religion Now Profession may be either that which
need of resolution with dependence upon God to strengthen us Counsel 8 8. Let us look forward to the end Look upon Heaven think upon the Day of Judgement and upon the Eternity of happiness o◠misery which will follow upon our choosing or refusing our delighting in or despising true Gospel-worship Excellently saith a learned man Mr. R. B. Faith looking at the things unseen would excite such a serious frame of spirit as would not suffer Religion to evaporate into Formality or to dwindle into Complement and Ceremony Vse 4 The fourth and last Use Consol for a close of all shall be by way of Consolation in two words 1. VVho hath not experience of a wandring mind and of a dull lazie heart in prayer and in other parts of Worship VVho is not conscious to himself of much weakness and of many failings in duty But here is our comfort it is not said The true worshippers shall worship God in spirit and perfection but in spirit and in truth with a true and honest spirit Sincerity is the Characteristical difference between an Hypocrite and a true Christian this is usually called by Divines Gospel perfection this maketh Worship to be real Oh! what rejoycing hath the Christian from the testimony of his Conscience concerning his Sincerity VVhere this Sincerity is God will cover many imperfections 2. Here is further comfort to those that worship in spirit and in truth The Father seeketh such to worship him this is the Worship which God regardeth Though men cast out such Worshippers with scorn and spite yet God approves of them and smells a sweet savour from them Pro. 15.8 The Sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord but the prayer of the upright is his delight The poor naked prayer of a spiritual Worshipper is better accepted of God than all the bravery of the most pompous services of the formal Worshipper Men may require and act this and that in the Worship of God but God regardeth Spirit and truth bring that and you please him To the true Israelite the spiritual Worshipper the Preacher saith Go thy way eat thy bread with joy drink thy wine with a merry heart for God accepteth thy Worship Little Children keep your selves from Idols Amen Farewel My Beloved CAESAR's Right OR The Subject's Duty Due Subjection From Romanes 13.1 IN the beginning of this Chapter in the first seven verses the Apostle asserteth the Divine Right and Authority of Magistracy and thereupon inferreth and thence presseth the Duty of Subjection and Obedience to Magistrates It may not be amiss to touch a little upon the Apostle's scope here and the occasion and ground of this Assertion and Vindication of the rightful Authority of Rulers and of such earnestness in pressing Christians to Subjection and Obedience not onely here but elsewhere also more plainly Tit. 3.1 The Apostle had told these Romanes that Believers are not under the Law and he afterwards tells Christians that they must not be the servants of men 1 Cor. 7.23 Gal. 5.1 and calls upon them to stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made them free Now the Apostle foreseeing that some might abuse the Doctrine of Christian liberty to a denyal of all Superiority and to the casting off the Yoke of Subjection and Obedience to such as God hath set over them as now Libertines cry out Liberty liberty Christ say they hath made us free and we are not under the power of any but Christ He is our King The Apostle I say foreseeing that among such as profess themselves Christians there might and would be unruly Anti-Magistratical Spirits that would despise Dominions and cast off the Yoke of Subjection doth therefore clean up this point teaching that Christianity doth not consume but confirm civil polity He urgeth Subjection upon Christians all Christians every soul shewing the equity and necessity of it and indeed the better Christian any man is the better Subject will he be He that hath no Religion may obey in some things for fear or for some other respects from some sorry principles but if a man be Religious a Christian indeed he will be subject and obedient for Conscience sake in all things that may be done by him with a good Conscience The Gospel doth not destroy but establish Civil Government Well now to look into the Text. There are two general parts of it 1. A Precept or Injunction of Duty Text divided Let every soul be subject c. 2. A Reason of the Command or Ground of the Duty For there is no power c. Or thus I choose rather to divide the Text. See here 1. A Proposition of a Truth 2. An Inference of Duty The Truth affirmed is the Divine Right and Authority of Magistracy There is no power but of God the powers that be are ordained of God The Duty inferred is Subjection and Obedience to Magistrates Let every soul therefore be subject to the higher powers In the Proposition we have 1. The subject of the Right or Authority proposed and asserted 2. The rise and ground of it which is expressed Affirmatively and Negatively 1. The Subject of the Superiority Authority here granted which is thus expressed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Powers higher powers under which expressions the Apostle by a Metonymie points out Civil Magistrates who are invested with power and Authority over others All Magistrates especially the chief Magistrate and he entitles them Powers intimating as is probably conjectured that he speaks not so much of particular persons in power as of the Order and Office it self 2. Here is the rise and ground of this Supereminency and Authority which is expressed two ways 1. Negatively There is no power but of God Here now is a Negation of power in any Creature to make Higher Powers to give Power and Authority to one over others a denyal I say of any other rise or original of Civil Government but onely from God Governours and Government are not from men as some affirm Though Magistracy be called 1 Pet. 2 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 An Ordinance of Man a humane Creation or Creature yet this is not to be understood originaliter as if Magistracy and Government were invented by man or had its original from man but it is said to be an Ordinance of Man either 1. Subjective because this Power and Authority is subjected in man and managed by man and the choice of the kinds of Magistrates or such and such a form of Government yea and of the persons to exercise the power Magistratical is for the most part lest to men and acted by men under the ordering disposing Providence of God Or 2. Objective because it is employed about Humane Affairs is conversant about the ordering and governing of man Or 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Finaliter Man is the end of Magistracy it was ordained for the good of Man and for the preserving of Humane Society In this
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