it is performed in formality without any care of preparation for it without attention and affection in it when there is no Soul-labour no Spirit-work in all our Worship but a resting in the bare outward act and when that which people do in point of Worship is meerly out of custome or for fashions-sake without any true respect toward God or tendency of the Soul unto him And when people behave themselves carelessly irreverently and rudely in the place and time of VVorship and while they themselves pretend to be worshippers This is corrupt rotten Worship 3. VVorship is horribly corrupted in respect of the kinds and parts of it by taking away from or adding to Gods Institutions or making an exchange with God following our own fancies or other mens inventions instead of God his prescriptions Now Worship that is thus corrupted any of these wayes is not true Gospel-worship or that which is approved of God True Gospel-worship is pure VVorship Now that is pure VVorship for the Object of it which is exhibited to the true God alone conceived of according to the Revelation of him in Scripture And that is pure Worship as to the manner of it which is performed reverently conscionably spiritually and affectionately And that is pure VVorship for the matter in respect of the kinds and parts of Worship which holds strictly to God his appointments when nothing is done in the VVorship of God Contra vel praeter against or besides the VVord of God Thus you have the Demonstration of the point True Gospel-worship is a Worship in Spirit and in Truth For This onely will please God and This onely is a VVorship suitable to God and This is pure VVorship Now I come to application Applicat And I shall in the first place draw up three Inferences for Information 1Vse for Information Infer 1 1. If true Gospel-worship be a worship in Spirit performed with a renewed mind and a renewed heart and affections then the Worship of the prophane person and of the Formalist and Hypocrite is not Gospel-worship for it is not Spirit-worship These men are not renewed in the Spirit of their mind by the Holy Ghost transforming them into the Image of God which stands in Righteousness and holiness of Truth nor do they worship God with their Spirit Men that are notoriously ungodly who devote themselves to carnal pleasures and to the service of base lusts may sometimes act the part of those that seem to be Religious And many there are that put on a made face of Religion and that walk in a disguise seeming to men to be Worshippers of God but there is no truth in their inward parts There is some Religion before men who judge according to outward appearance but there is no Religion in the sight of God who searcheth the heart and trieth the reins Oh! how vain is the Religion of Formal hypocrites that pretend many times to exceeding great Reverence in managing the outward part of Worship and are very Zealous about Circumstantials and Ceremonies placing all or most part of their Religion in gestures and forms and other accidents of Worship and in External observances of humane Constitutions in a pack of Complements but have no regard to the inward Substance and life of Worship are so far from prizing and honouring this that they can reproach revile and rail upon the true tender conscienced sincere spiritual Worshippers and this in Pulpits with blood in their faces and fire in their eyes and the poyson of Aspes under their lips What sentence doth the Spirit of God pass upon such Worship and Worshippers Mat. 15.7 8 9. Ye hypocrites well did Esaias Prophesie of you saying c. Christ here condemns the Worship of the Scribes and Pharisees because they placed Religion in Ceremonies and made up a worship of humane Traditions and preferred these Traditions before God's Commands and he tells them that this is vain worship that which hath no approbation with God is of no advantage to them and is frivolous in it self It is but an idle Mock-worship in which there is not Spirit-work the labour of the heart and affections toward God and wherein men satisfie themselves with a few Superficial Hypocritical Complemental Services This is to offer to Godâ— Sacrifice of husks and shells and lifeless carcasses and will God be pleased with this Let me here insert a word oâ— Caution to prevent mistakes I have not pitched upon this Text as aiming it or the Doctrine from it or any inference from the Doctrine against al Forms of Worship My Judgement stands not against the uâ— of a well composed Litugy oâ— Form of publick Worship I doubt not but there may be Spiritual Worship and heart Devotion and fervency of affection iâ— the use of a Form though experience may teach us that we aâ— apt to loose much of our affection by a constant use of the same words or Forms without any interposition of such matter or expressions as may serve to caâ— home and quicken affection and attention But alas how many are there that are meerly for Forms without any heart-Devotion that not only are regardless of but even defie and deride Spirit-worship and are zealous for such or such a Form of worship meerly out of humour or haply out of design and in opposition to Gospel-worship and Gospel Worshippers And how many are there that worship God according to their own humours and in such a formal way of purpose to shift off God's Worship that which is Spiritual and Cordial who offer him the lips in repeating Prayers after the Reader that the heart may be excused who if they had not some customary Service to perform and some bodily Worship to be employed in would find little or nothing to do in our Assemblies And how many are they who I dolize the Liturgy and place all their Religion in it Now our Text and Doctrine lies against such Worship and Worshippers as naught as being far from Gospel-worship and Gospel-worshippers Infer 2 If Gospel-worship that which suits with Gospel-times and accords with the Gospel-rule be a Worship in Spirit i. e. a Spiritual Worship in opposition to that which is Carnal and Ceremonious if it be a Worship stript of the cloathing and dress of Ceremonies then hence may be inferred a just condemnation of a body of Ceremonies introduced into the Church of mystical signification by Institution humane appropriated to Divine Worship and made necessary thereunto and parts thereof Spiritual Gospel-worship stands in opposition to a pompous train of Ceremonies and to that Worship which confisteth so much of body What then shall we think of the Popish Worship which is as Ceremonious as ever was the Jewish which is indeed a very Mass of Ceremonies The Apostle Paul tells the Jews Gal. 4.1 2 3. that they were but children when their Ceremonies were in use and indulged to them so that it seems the Popish Religion is a childish Religion The
be donâ— according to the revealed Worâ— of God rather than what hath been or is done according to the opinions and humours of men Now we are to see how Christ gives satisfaction to this Woman after that he had provoked he thirst after him and his Grace 1. He resolves her touching the true worship 2. He makes himself known to her that he is the Christ that gift of God and that living Water The latter of these lies beyonâ— my Text and so is not within the Verge of my discourse I am but leading you to the Text upon which I shall fasten Well then as to his resolution concerning the true worship It is an answer to the question propounded vers 20. Whether the Samaritan or Jewish worship was the true worship Now the Answer is not direct as to a decision of the controversie betwixt the Jews and Samaritans which of these two Religions or Worships was the best But the Answer is in effect to this purpose That she needed not so much to trouble her self about this seeing the best of the two was not to continue long as the other ought not to have been at all for Christ sought not to bring her over from the Samaritan Religion to the Jewish but rather to make a Christian of her Jesus said unto her Vers 27 Woman believe me the hour cometh when ye shall neither in this Mountain nor at Jerusalem worship the Father Woman believe me Thou acknowledgest me to be a Prophet and if I be a Prophet I am to be believed as being guided by an infallible Spirit therefore believe what I say I tell thee The hour cometh c. Here may be three Questions Questions fit to be answered by the way Quest 1 Quest 1. Did the Samaritans Worship the Father Christ his words seem to imply that they did Answ Answ They pretended to worship the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob this was the Father but indeed they did not worship him therefore Christ in the next verse plainly revokes what he seemed in this verse to grant there he saith Ye worship ye know not what when I come to those words I shall shew you what the Samaritan Worship and Religion was Quest 2 Quest. 2. Why doth Christ say Ye shall worship the Father rather than thus Ye shall worship God Answ Answ Calvin thinks that Christ here calls God Father Videtur eum oblique opponeâ—e patribus c. Calv. in loc in opposition to the fathers which the woman spake of Jacob and his twelve sons the Patriarchs according to whose example the Samaritans worshipped in this mountain pretending to them as their fathers though indeed those Patriarchs were not their fathers for the Samaritans were people of other Nations of the Heathens whom the King of Assyria placed in the Cities of Samaria in stead of the people of Israel who were carried away Captives into Assyria 2 King 17.24 Christ tells this woman that whereas now the Samaritans pretended to worship God in this mountain for which they had no warrant but the example of pretended fathers and the Jews did indeed worship God in the Temple at Jerusalem as God had given command the time was coming when they and the Jews should have one common Father Ac si diceret Deum communem sore patrem omnibus Ibid. even God the Gentiles also being taken into Covenant so that God should hereafter be worshipped without difference or distinction of places or people according to that prophesie Mal. 1.11 But there may be a further Answer given to the question Why Christ saith Ye shall worship the Father rather than ye shall worship God This may be to shew how God is to be worshipped God worshipped as in relation under what notion or consideration viz. not as absolute but as in relation 1. Considered as in the relation of the persons in the Divine Essence between themselves A Divine person is Modus Divinae Essentiae the Divine Essence modified The three persons in the Divine Essence are the Divine Essence considered three manner of ways 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 distinguished from the Essence not by a real distinction as if the Essence were one thing and the Person another but as the manner of the thing We are to observe the order of the subsistence of these Divine Persons In order of subsisting the Father is before the Son and the Son before the Holy Ghost but we must know that they are equal in regard of Time Majesty Glory and Essence The Father is the first person existing from himself not from any other in respect both of Essence and Person Joh. 1.14 The Son is the second person who in the consideration of his person doth exist from the Father by eternal generation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but as to his absolute Essence is of and from himself The Holy Ghost or the Spirit is the third person in respect of his person proceeding and flowing from the Father and the Son but in respect of Essence Joh. 15.26 being God of himself with the Father and the Son And we must know that * Deus sunt inconfuse trinus in unitate indivise unus in trinitate 1 Jo. 57. the Trinity of persons doth not take away or destroy the Unity of the Divine Essence as the Unity of Essence denies not the Trinity of persons these three are one Now this God is to be worshipped as in such a relation of Father Son and Spirit 1 As Father Son and Spirit as considered in such a modification of the Divine Essence we must worship the Trinity in Unity and Unity in Trinity otherwise we worship not God aright nor worship the true God As God the Father God the Son and God the Holy Ghost are the object of Divine Faith so they are the object of Divine Worship Prayer is to be directed to God the Father Son and holy Ghost but we must not pray to either of the persons but as united to the other The Apostle tells the Ephesians Ephes 2.12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they were without God in the world they were Atheists in the world and how doth he make this good that they were Atheists why thus they were without Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without the knowledge of Christ Though a man acknowledgeth That there is a God and but one true God yet if he knoweth not this God in Christ he is without God in the world he is an Atheist and an Atheist cannot worship God Now here in the Text when the Father is named the other two persons are included We are to call upon God the Father in the name of his Son by the help of his Spirit So that Turks and Jews who acknowledge not Christ worship not God nor many of our common people who understand little or nothing of the Doctrine of the Trinity 2. God the Father is to be worshipped as in relation to Us
in other matters because they indulge their own humours taking up unadvisedly that which best likes them or may suit best with their carnal aims and interests not weighing things in the Scales of an unbiassed Judgement or in the ballance of the Sanctuary not impartially considering which is the best indeed If we do consider we must needs be convinced that the way of God his appointment is better than the wayes that are of man's invention and that God is to be obeyed rather than man therefore let us consider Counsel 2 2. Let us not shut our eyes against the light or harden our hearts against conviction so as to give our vote for or give our selves up to any other Worship pleasing to the flesh or favoured by the times against clear Demonstrations of the betterness or bestness and onely goodness of this Worship in spirit and in truth Let us prefer in our judgements and adhere in affection and practice to that which appears really to be the best Consulting with flesh and blood and advising with carnal reason and attending to carnal policy is that which doth strangely blind mens eyes and byass their judgements carrying them the wrong way if this be best why should I enter into a consultation Whether it be better for me to fix here or elsewhere Counsel 3 3. When in our judgement we prefer this true spiritual Worship before other Worships let us single it out to our selves and single our selves out to it disclaiming all Worship that comports not with true Gospel-worship David having chosen the way of truth hated every false way Counsel 4 4. Let us resolve as to single our selves out to true spiritual Worship with a denial of all false hypocritical carnal sophisticated superstitious will-worship so to stick to it against all discouragements and opposition with a denyal of shame and fear resolving through God and by the help of grace herein to keep a good conscience Counsel 5 5. Let us be careful religiously and zealously to act that true spiritual Worship which we are convinced is the only good Worship and which we make choice of and resolve to stick to O let us be true Worshippers in practice as well as in judgement and profession seriously and zealously worshipping God in spirit in truth Let us labour to get our minds and hearts more renewed and let us see that our Religion be not defective in the vital parts that there be spirit and life true heart-devotion and fervency of affection in our Worship Let us manage holy work with a holy heavenly mind giving God the kernel of spiritual Devotion as well as the shell of Adoration and let us be pleased with the simplicity of Gospel-Ordinances and delight in the simple pure plain institutions of Christ and let us in our practice keep as close as may be to Gods Commands not turning aside to the right hand or to the left Let us be Scripture-men in this point making the Scripture both the Foundation and Rule of our Worship and adhering thereunto Then we shall be sure and constant in our way For as the truth is the same yesterday and to day and for ever so will the Scripture-man be of the same mind and the same frame and the same practice in Religion whereas they who build not upon this foundation will be like that Bishop of Alexandria who was called Euripus because of his ebbing and flowing his going this way and that way in matters of Religion For a Bishoprick he would swear to the Nicene Council and then to keep his place when the Tyde turned he would again forswear it But he that fixeth upon God's Word will be constant and this constant man shall have peace shall have peace in Christ as our Saviour saith to his Disciples though in the world he may have tribulations Gal. 6.16 As many as walk according to this Rule peace be unto them And that you may enter into and persevere in a right course of true Gospel-worship such as is pleasing to God 1. There must be a sincere desire to be true worshippers and so a seeking unto God by prayer to have your judgement rightly informed and well settled in this matter and to have your hearts carried to true and spiritual Worship and to be guided and managed by the Spirit of God in your Worship Beg of God that you may understand and affect and act that which is right 2. We must captivate our own fleshly wisdom and carnal reason which may judge this or that Worship to be lawful and convenient and prudential and approvable though not the very best Corrupt reason must not be set up in the place of a Judge to give sentence in the matters of God nor must it be suffered to dispute Christ his Commands but this must be brought into captivity to the obedience of Christ Where we have a clear Word we must learn to obey without reasoning not examining the matter by the judgement of corrupt reason Our corrupt minds will reason against duty and reason us off from it therefore reason must be subjugated to the Word of God to the Law of Christ 3. We must labour to work out of our hearts all inordinate love of earthly things Hag. 1.2 4. We shall find Haggai 1. that the peoples care and love to build their own houses made them to neglect the building of God's house Thus Covetousness put the Pharisees upon corrupt interpretations oâ— the Scripture When mens hearts are set upon the world they will part from their Religion rather than their Riches and they will take up any Worship for their wordly advantage When men delight more in the glory of their own houses than in the spiritual beauty of Ordinances no wonder if they stand little upon Christ his order Counsel 6 6. We must not attend to carnal policy which will make us to suit our selves to the times for the keeping of our selves in credit and in outward prosperity Some mens consciences are as a learned man hath well noted like Diogenes his Tub Mr. A. B. to be turned every way from the Sun and to the Sun and according as the wind blows Carnal respect is a Loadstone to a number of men Fac me Episcopum Romanum ero Christianus Make me Bishop of Rome said he once and I will be a Christian The carnal Politician so that he may be great and in favour with the Times will be for any Worship of any profession or party Carnal policy will make men to alter for their own carnal ends therefore we must take heed of this Counsel 7 7. That we may pitch upon the way of true spiritual Worship 〈◊〉 and may be fixed in it we must get our spirits fortified against temptations reproaches and persecutions There will be Scare-crows and there will be snares and our hearts naturally are fearful and we are too apt to catch at baits and to joyn with the world Now therefore here iâ—
water in themselves shall not thirst for ever Thus you have seen how Christ in the first place seeks to stir up this Womans thirst after Grace by shewing her it's excellency which is discovered by the names and effects of it Secondly Christ provokes her thirst by shewing her the easiness of obtaining Grace if she have a desire to it vers 10. as in the beginning of the verse he told her That if she had known she would have asked so in the end of the verse he tells her That if she had asked God would have given her this living water she may have it for the asking and here is intimated that she must ask it if she would have it Note If we open our mouth wide Ps 81.10 Isa 443. God will fill it God will pour water upon him that is thirsty yea the thirsty lands shall become springs of water If we open our hearts God will open his hands but we must ask that we may have must thirst that we may be watered and when God intends to bestow his Grace upon us he stirs up in us desires of Grace and he will answer those desires which are excited by him Thirdly Christ takes another course to provoke this womans thirst after his grace and that is by convincing her of the need she hath of it awakening her to a sense of her present condition as being a filthy Harlot living in uncleanness Call thy husband saith our Saviour I have no husband saith she Thou sayst truly saith Christ For thou hast had five husbands and he whom thou now hast i. e. with whom thou accompaniest as if he were thy husband is not indeed thy husband This woman as 't is like had lived long in this filthy course keeping her filthiness close from men and without any smitings of her conscience for it but now Christ comes home unto her charging her with uncleanness Note Sinners may for a while enjoy a false peace in sin but Conscience shall at length be awakened and God will set their sins in order before them either here or hereafter Therefore let us not bless or flatter our selves in the secrecy of our sins for though with this woman we may hide our sinnes from man yet Christ takes notice of them and will at one time or other charge them upon us Thus we have seen what course Christ takes to provoke this womans thirst which is 1. By shewing her the worth and excellency of his grace 2. By intimating to her the easiness of obtaining it 3. By convincing her of the need she had of it Secondly Secondly We are to look upon the success of Christ his endeavours they have that effect which Christ aimed at c. her thirsting after that living water This thirst of hers discovers its self in her next speech to Christ Ver. 19 20. Sir I perceive that thou art a Prophet c. where we have 1. Her acknowledgement of Christ as a Prophet and of all that he had said as true 2. Her desire to be resolved in a great point or case of conscience about the Worship of God She would be informed where God was to be worshipped with Sacrifice-worship which was the then solemn publick profession of Religion and whether as to this matter the Jews or the Samaritans were in the right She would know which was the place where God was thus to be worshipped whether in Mount Gerizim where the Samaritans Temple stood or in Mount Sion where the Jewish Temple was built Yea and by our Saviour his full answer there seems to be more in her Question than is expressed and that she was desirous to be informed not onely which was the right place for solemn worship but also which was the best Worship and Religion that of the Samaritans or that of the Jews Sir thou art a Prophet that knowest the mind of God thou canst shew me both where and how God is to be worshipped I desire now to learn of thee where and how I may seek that living water which thou hast spoken of and may have it to be in me a Well of water springing up unto eternal life There might be divers Observations from this passage in Ver. 19 20. I shall touch upon a few things First something from the success of this last course which our Saviour took with this woman for her conversion after other methods used he works upon her by convincing her of her sin Doctr. A thorow conviction of sin is the way to the conversion of a sinner so that it is a mistake at least and no small mistake of those who would have Gospel onely preached to bring sinners to Christ As long as Christ preached pure Gospel to this woman she did but scorn him and scoff at him but when he doth oleum aceto miscere mingle his Oylwith Vinegar Calv. in locum shewing to her her filthiness now she is changed now she is sick and seeks to the Physitian whom before she despised and flouted now she thirsteth after that living water which before she regarded not Well this womans Question which did argue her to be touched in conscience and awakened is about the true worship of God Quest Quest But what is the meaning of the Question or what moved her to the putting it forth Answ 1 Answ It seems that she being convinced of sin and touched in conscience for it begins to be sollicitous about reconciliation to God whom she had so highly offended and now would fain know in what Religion in what way of worship by what means she should seek peace with God Therefore acknowledging Christ to be more than an ordinary man she puts this question to him Forasmuch as I perceive thee to have the Spirit of God and that thou art a Prophet whose Office it is to shew unto men the mind of God I pray thee to resolve me in the main thing that is controverted betwixt us and the Jews Our father 's worshipped in this mountain here they sought God in that same way of worship which is now in use with us The Jews say That if any man will seek the face of God to have him propitious he must worship in the Temple at Jerusalem with that worship which they now practise I pray thee shew me which is the Religion that pleaseth God and how he is to be worshipped to acceptation Now this Question propounded with such a meaning and to such a purpose intimates to us what was this Womans judgement in such a case wherein she was right for this is a truth Doct. That there is onely one true Worship of God in and by which sinners can please God This woman desiring to be reconciled to God knew that it could not be in a false Worship and therefore she desired to know the right Many that are conscious to themselves of their gross sinning against God spending all or most part of their time in vanity and wickedness yet think to make
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
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