and the true Sacrifice offered When Christ spake he was bound to the carnal worship of the Jews c. but that was to be terminated in his death when he abolished the Law of Commandments Eph. 2. But I will not spend more time in the opening of the words I shall do that in the Doctrine Only one thing needs opening What is meant by in Spirit and in Truth First In Spirit is taken three waies in Scripture 1. For an extraordinary motion of the Spirit such as the Prophets had Rev. 1. 10. I was in the Spirit on the Lords day i. e. in an extatical motion and rupture of soul whether in the body or out of the body I cannot tell But this is not meant here 2. In spirit is opposed unto a bodily or carnal worship of God But that is twofold The 1. respects the subject of worship and that is opposed unto those who worship God only with their bodies whose hearts and souls do not concur with them who draw nigh to God with their lips when their hearts are far from him Thus Rom. 1. 9. God is my witnesse whom I serve in my Spirit Neither is this intended in these words for in this sense the Jews were to worship God in spirit before 2. This therefore may respect the manner or means of worship and thus in spirit is not opposed to our bodies but to the body of worship or to a bodily and carnal way of worship called bodily exercise 1 Tim. 4. 8. Bodily exercise profiteth little And this is that which is here intended q. d. The time was when the worship of God did consist in a great measure in external Rites and Ceremonies It stood in meats and drinks and divers washings and carnal ordinances imposed on them until the time of Reformation Heb. 9. 10. But now that time of Reformation cometh and now is when you shall have a more spiritual way of worship Secondly In Truth may be opposed to two things 1. Truth is opposed to Lying or Dissembling Phil. 1. 18. Whether in pretence or in truth Christ is preached Josh. 24. 19. Serve him in sincerity and truth 2. It is opposed to Types thus John 1. 17. The Law was given by Moses but Grace and Truth came by Jesus Christ The Law the Ceremonial Law the Type of the Grace of God in Christ was given by Moses but Grace and Truth or the Grace of God in Truth it is {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} in substance not in shadow it was not only typified and shadowed as that which should be given hereafter some foretasts whereof they only had by drops but really and plentifully exhibited And thus not to distract your heads with the various Interpretations of others you see the plain meaning in spirit in opposition to corporeal and carnal Sacrifices and in Truth in opposition to Ceremonial Types and Legal shadows So that now way being made I shall come to that one Doctrine which I intend to discourse of omitting others which might be pertinently and profitably raised and that is this Doct. Evangelical worship must be spiritual worship In the Prosecution of this Point I shall observe this Order 1. Open 2. Prove 3. Apply the Point 1. For the Opening of it 1. Negatively 2. Positively 1. Negatively you must not understand either the Text or Doctrine so as if all external Worship were excluded as some dangerously mistake There are two things allowed and required in the Gospel somthing external 1. In Worship 2. In the Worshipper 1. In the Worship there is somthing external even in that which Christ instituted not only Prayer but bodily Fasting is an Ordinance In the Sacrament there is a visible part as well as a spiritual In the hearing of the Word there must be an external attention of the ear as well as the inward obedience of the heart On Sabbaths a rest from worldly works as well as from sin 2. In the Worshipper there must be a concurrence of the outward man even in the spiritual Worship of God though the Spirit and heart be the chief And so it was of old my Son give me thy heart yet the body also is not exempted from the Worship of God Glorifie God with your souls and with your bodies for both are Gods 1 Cor. 6. 20. Our bodies are the Temples of the holy Ghost here the Vessels of Glory hereafter and thefore it is but meet they should be Instruments of Gods Worship here And therefore not only in the Old but in the New Testament too a regard hath been had unto the gesture of the body Christ kneeled down and prayed Luke 22. 41. Peter kneeled Acts 9 40. Paul kneeled down and prayed Acts 20. 36. This for the Negative 2. Positively In what respects must Evangelical Worship be spiritual Worship I Answer four waies 1. Subjectivè It must be offered up by a spiritual person The first thing God looks at is the person of the Worshipper c. God had respect unto Abel first and to his offering Gen. 4. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} A carnal persons Worship is never accepted They that are in the flesh cannot please God Rom. 8. 9. where being in the flesh is opposed unto being in the Spirit or being a spiritually minded person Therefore St Peter tels the Jews 1 Pet. 2. 5. Ye also as lively stones are built up a Spiritual house an holy Priesthood to offer up Spiritual Sacrifices Paul blames the Corinthians for this in hearing 1 Cor. 3. 1. I could not speak unto you as unto spiritual but as unto carnal A man must be translated from darknesse to light he must be a spiritual person partaker of the holy Ghost filled with the fruits of the Spirit under the conduct and command of Gods Spirit if he hope to offer up Evangelical Service in an acceptable manner 2. Instrumentaliter this Worship must be done principally with our Spirit not with our body only nor chiefly c. This God expects in all things In Preaching Acts 18. 25. Apollos being fervent in Spirit spake and taught In Praying 1 Cor. 14. 14. My Spirit prayeth Eph. 6. 18. Praying in the Spirit unlesse that be meant of the Spirit of God Heb. 10. 22. Let us draw near with a true heart How lamentably are those mistaken that think they worship God when they come to a publick assembly and there sit and sleep or talk or think of other things Surely these men think they are worshipping one of Davids Idols that hath eyes but sees not and not that God who is a Spirit Mark how sharply our Saviour takes up such persons Mat. 15. 8. Ye hypocrites well did Esaias prophesie of you saying this people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth but their heart is far from me Ezek. 33. 31. They sit before thee but their heart goeth after their covetousnesse 3. Finaliter A mans designes and aimes in the Worship of God must be spiritual the getting and
improving of spiritual Blessings and Graces and Priviledges c. A mans end must not be I. Sinful and Devillish that he may have the greater advantage to do mischief Mat. 23. 14. You devour widows houses and for a pretence make long Prayers II. Nor worldly and carnal to procure some worldly good As they in Hosea 7. 14. That cried unto God and howled upon their beds for their Corn and wine Or like the Pharisees that loved to pray standing in the Synagogues and in the corners of the streets that they may be seen of men Mat. 6. 5. III. Nor vain and none at all Some have no certain end at all They hear come to Prayer c. Ask them why They can tell you no reason but they are like men in a Crowd carried away by the torrent of the multitude so are these carried to Ordinances by the custom of the place and the examples of their neighbors fitly compared unto the waves of the Sea James 1. which have no certain order nor determinate end but reel now hither now thither till they dash themselves upon a Rock IV. But it must be a spiritual end God being a Spirit looks to the end and design of our spirits and that must be spiritual such as the pleasing of God and the filling of your selves with Grace and fitting for Glory 4. It must be spiritual formaliter formally it must not be a Carnal Ceremonial way of worship not by Types and shadows as of old but now it must be a more spiritual way And this is that which is principally intended by Christ The time is coming when neither the false Worship of the Samaritans nor the Ceremonial Worship of the Jews shall be used but a worship of another kind nature and complexion Thus much for the Explication 2. For the Proof of it I shall only offer two Arguments I would rather stablish and settle you with the weight than confound and overwhelm you with the number of Arguments 1. Ab Authore Cultus 2. A Fine Cultus First From the Authour of Worship and this is the Argument of the Text which is distributed into two Parcels 1. A Naturâ Dei 2. A Voluntale Dei 1. A Naturâ Dei From the Nature of God God is a Spirit If any desire to understand the Consequence that will appear thus 1. Because Conformity with God so far as we can as our nature and state will bear is our Duty Likeness to God Scripture every where presseth us to Be you perfect as God is perfect Mat. 6. You shall be holy for I am holy Levit. 19. 2. Now the more spiritual any Worship is the liker God 2. Because the pleasing of God is our businesse it is the {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} or great work of a sincere Christian Heb 11. 5. He had this Testimony that he pleased God Now that which pleaseth God must be that which is sutable to him God is not pleased with carnal Services but spiritual Worship Nay even in the time of the Law see how sleightingly God speaks of Ceremonial Worship which the Jews did so highly magnifie Psal. 69. 30 31. I will praise the Name of God with a Song This also shall please the Lord better than an Oxe or Bullock Psal. 40. 6. Sacrifice and Offering thou didst not desire mine ear hast thou opened to hear instruction to obey c. or bored to be thy faithful Servant God speaks like one that thought the time long as I may say for the duration of Ceremonial worship and breath'd after the time appointed for the abolition of that and the introduction of a more spiritual way 3. Because spiritual worship is the most perfect worship We owe to God the most perfect worship Mal. 1. 14. Cursed be that deceiver that having in his flock a Male sacrificeth unto the Lord a corrupt thing And if God be a Spirit the more spiritual any thing is the more perfect and excellent is it and so due to God Thus you see the force of our Saviours Argument God is a Spirit c. You will say But was not God a Spirit under the Old Testament as well as now And therefore by this Argument it should have been as much spiritual then and so may be as carnal and ceremonial now For Answer 1. I might say as the Apostle Rom. 9. Nay but O man who art thou that repliest against God against Christ If Christ urge this Argument for a more spiritual worship under the Gospel than that was under the Law surely we owe this respect to Christ as to believe him upon his word and though we saw no reason for it yet to believe that he being the wisdom of the Father faw further than we do 2. Although the nature of God did then require spiritual worship and that he had under the Law to obey is better than Sacrifice 1 Sam. 15. yet he was pleased to make an allowance and indulgence of a ceremonial worship in condescention to the weaknesse of the Jews and the Infant-state of the Church who else would have been very prone to a compliance with Idolaters if God had not diverted and contented them with some pompous Ceremonies sutable to the state and disposition of children As also he saw it then expedient to appoint such Rites and Ceremonies as might be Schoolmasters to lead them to Christ and might shew him that was to come and to reserve the honour of a more perfect spiritual way of worship to the coming of his Son the Sun of righteousness by whom those shadows were to be scattered But now when these reasons were ceased Christ reduceth them to the original rule of worship viz. the Nature of God c. Even as in the case of Marriage notwithstanding the first Institution Gen. 2. God was pleased to dispense with or rather wink at the Jewish Divorces yet at last Christ recals them to the primitive Institution Mat. 19. 8. Moses because of the hardnesse of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives but from the beginning it was not so So formerly God permitted and appointed a more carnal way of worship because of their childishnesse but now when they are grown to mans estate and the Church is coming to maturity they must put away those childish things and must think of a more manlike way of worship of a more rational and spiritual way than that they had used remembring their former worship was not such as God desired but such as they needed II. A Voluntate Dei From the Will of God This is the other Reason For the Father seeketh such to worship him God requireth such worship and worshippers The Foundation of this Reason is this The Rule of worship is not mans fancy but Gods Will Mens Fancies and wills are infinitly various and therefore those that have gone that way have been divided into a thousand varieties they worship they know not what as v. 22. Only Gods will is the
stable Rule None knows the mind of God but the Spirit of God Now this is the worship God requires in Gospel times Arg. Second From the End of worship Look what the ends of worship are such must the worship be And that was the reason why the Jewish worship was so much Typical because the end of it was to represent Christ And that end being now attained and Christ exhibited we must consider what were and are the further ends of worship Now the Ends are of two sorts 1. In reference to God 2. In reference to men And both will shew us that the worship must be spiritual I. In relation to God so it is double 1. To please God This is Finis operis operantis too if a man be sincere Psal. 19. 14. Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in thy sight Now it is only spiritual worship that can please God That man doth but little consider the nature of God that thinks God is pleased with the bowing of the knee to an Altar no it is the bending of the heart that God respects It is not an Organ in a Church but the Organ of a gracious heart and melody in the heart that pleaseth God 2. To exalt God amongst men to render him glorious in the eyes of the world Now how is that done Do you think that it makes God glorious when men seek to honour him with bodily and external Services No you cannot dishonour God more than by giving him such a worship as begets a carnal representation of God c. And when God would set himself forth in his Glory he represents himself in a spiritual manner and he takes them off from all corporeal thoughts and fancies God is a Spirit To whom will ye liken me You saw no shape God dwelleth not in Temples made with hands II. In reference to men so the ends of worship are purely spiritual such as these for I can but name them the elevation of the soul to God and its assimilation to him the union of man with his Creator the supply of the soules spiritual necessities and the conduct of a sinner to Glory and all these are spiritual works and to be done by spiritual helps and therefore Evangelical worship must be spiritual worship Use 1. This may serve for Reprehension to two sorts of men Such as offend against this Doctrine 1. In Principle 2. In Practise 1. In Principle Such as plead for a carnal or ceremonial way of worship in Gospel-times I know very well that what I say may possibly displease many But I remember that tremendous saying of the Apostle Pauls Gal. 1. 10. If I please men I am not the Servant of Christ And if our Adversaries in this point had been of this spirit and carriage as calmly to assert their own Opinions and candidly to bear with such as modestly and peaceably dissented from them I had held my peace And for such as are of moderate spirits and Principles that can retain their own Principles without the ruine of all that differ from them I speak not a word to them But when a man shall look abroad and observe the Speeches Writings and Carriages of many men and shall see such a weight by divers laid upon these lesser matters when a man shall see a sort of men among us that contend with greater eagernesse for a Crosse and a Surplice than ever they did for the Faith that was once delivered to the Saints When Ministers and Christians shall be judged and measured by this Standard not by the brokennesse of their hearts nor the blamelessenesse of their lives nor their abilities for Service but by their approbation and observation of some ceremonial niceties when men shall shew more zeal for the observation of an holiday instituted by the Church than of the Lords day when more respect shall be shewed unto a material Temple of dead stones than to the spiritual and living Temple of the holy Ghost when it shall be more criminal for a Minister not to have a Girdle upon his outward garments than not to have his Loyns girt with truth when a canonical garment shall be more respected by many than a canonical life and when more Religion is placed in having the sign of the Crosse upon our forehead than the power of the Crosse in our lives I say when things are thus if I should be silent the stones would speak And therefore give me leave to speak I hope I may say as the Apostle I speak to wise men judge you what I say I hope I am not speaking to that sort of men that have neither patience to hear nor wit to understand any thing that differs from their pre-conceived opinions In the first place I shall appeal to the Text let that umpire the businesse God is a Spirit and God will be worshipped I am not ignorant that it is frequently said by Papists and others that this Text is impertinently urged against Ceremonies in Christian Churches And it is soon said but if you mark the reason they give for it that is sufficient to confute what they say For they alleadge that Christs purpose is only to condemn Judaical Worship which was wholly void of internal and spiritual worship so a Papist And another a late Protestant Interpreter That we are here taught that the Christian worship must differ both from the Jewish and Samaritan and that in it we are taught to joyn the soul with external performances So that all their Evasion is built upon this most false supposition that the Jews were not taught to joyn the soul and spiritual worship with external and Ceremonial contrary to 1 Sam. 15. Hath the Lord any pleasure in Sacrifice Behold to obey is better than Sacrifice And that Micah 6. I will have mercy and not Sacrifice And what doth thy God require of thee but to do judgment and shew mercy and walk humbly with thy God It is therefore a most grosse mistake to fancy that the Jews were not taught to joyn the soul with their external performances And therefore seeing in the Jewish worship there was a Conjunction of Spiritual worship and Ceremonial and the Christian must differ from it in this particular it is clearly implied that that shall be free from such ceremonial Institutions wherewith the other was loaded and shall be managed with simplicity and spirituality To this Argument of the Text give me leave to add four or five considerable Inconveniences which follow from the Introduction affectation and imposition of a Ceremonial way of worship under the Gospel 1. There is a Reduction of such things as have been cast out of the Church for their unprofitablenesse I shall offer only one place to your perusal Heb. 7. 18. For there is verily a disanulling of the former Commandment going before that is of the Ceremonial Law for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof i. e. without respect to Christ they were
and that sincerely love all humble close walking Christians however dissenting from them in those matters yet I wish I could not say there are a great many that have so furious a zeal for these lesser matters of the Law that where a man differs from them therein no merit can expiate his crime no Parts no Learning no Piety no Industry can reconcile them to that Minister that dissents from them 2. It reproves those who practically offend against this Doctrine though they own the Principle that God is a Spirit and must have a spiritual worship yet worship him carnally in words they own Gods spirituality but in deed deny it God not only regards your worship but the manner of it Deus delectatur adverbiis A good man is spiritual in his carnal work c. And it is a very bad sign to be carnal in spiritual work a sign the heart is carnal and much carnal too And you know the carnal mind is enmity against God Rom. 8. 7. Quest But how shall I know that I am guilty in this Point Answ. You may know it by these Characters 1. Then you are carnal when your heart concurs not with your body your spirit works not when vain thoughts lodge within you when you draw nigh to God with your lips and your hearts are far from God 2. When a mans heart is not warm in the Worship of God A mans mind and heart may be upon it yet with so much coldnesse and indifferency as if he did it not Many pray as if they prayed not and hear as if they heard not You must be servent in Spirit 3. When a man can rest in the work done This is the case of most if they come to a Church especially if they have so far supererogated as to hear two Sermons receive a Sacrament run over a Prayer they have done enough their Conscience rests and heart is quiet c. But a spiritual man looks further he rests not unlesse he hath done it with all his might and met with God in it 4. When a man is drawn to spiritual Worship upon carnal grounds applause of men quieting of Conscience pleasing of Friends Parents Master c. A spiritual man doth it in obedience to Gods Commands desire of Gods Presence and Grace and honour 5. When a man affects that which is carnal and disrelisheth what is spiritual in worship When a man comes to a Sermon What is most pleasing to you what do you like best and hear with greatest attention Is it some florid and eloquent Expression some high and unusual Notion some historical passage some acute sentence c. Or is it a spiritual discourse a sin-discovering and soul-affecting and heart breaking passage What Prayer is it that your hearts do most favour c. Use 2. And last Exhortation Let the consideration of this keep you from the affectation of a carnal and ceremonial way of worship and oblige you to worship God in spirit and truth Let spiritual worship be your chief care Mot. 1. This is the most excellent worship it is the worship of Angels of Heaven most sutable to the most excellent Being 2. It is the most Evangelical Worship so the Text God perfects his Worship by degrees Under the Law there were many ceremonies some substance some thing spiritual Under the Gospel most spiritual only some very few external observances In Heaven all spiritual simplicity and spirituality and plainnesse are the characters of the Gospel 3. It is the most acceptable worship to God Even in the time of Ceremonies God speaks sleightingly of them Hath God any pleasure in Sacrifice Sacrifice and Offering thou wouldest not But spiritual worship as he preferred in those times so now it is spiritual worship only upon the matter which he requires 4. It is the most proper worship of a gracious person Alas a carnal ceremonial way of worship is easily practical by any person the labour of the lip the bowing of the knee the tuning of the voice the wearing of such and such Garments these any are capable of Nay oft-times the worst of men are the greatest Zealots in these things yea Christ makes it the Character of an hypocrite to be violent in these things When the Pharisees urged that none should eat meat with unwashen hands as a Type of that inward purity c. as a significant Ceremony which they had devised and imposed upon others and fell soul upon Christ and his Disciples for neglecting it see what he saith Mark 7. 6 7. Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites as it is written This people honoureth me with their lips but their hearts are far from me Howbeit in vain do they worship me teaching for Doctrines the Commandements of men But now spiritual worship none can give but a spiritual man one that hath the Spirit 5. Spiritual worship is the most opposite to the Devil and mens corrupt hearts which are confederate with him The Devil patiently suffers a carnal Worship c. He knows Missa non mordet The Devil never hindred but furthered the superstitious Pharisees and Papists but spiritual worship he opposeth He cannot endure spiritual Praying Preaching If there be any Ministers that Pray and Preach and transact the worship of God more spiritually than others these are the men that the Devil owes a spite and he will endeavour to put these out of service and out of the Ministry here he engages all his interest the Superstitious and Prophane both like Sampsons Foxes tied together by the tailes must burn these up 6. Lastly To conclude all Spiritual worship is the safest worship A carnal ceremonial way under the Gospel is at best a doubtful and uncertain way there are many dangers in it danger of abridging Christian liberty and bringing our selves under a yoke of bondage danger of superstition and will-worship which however men may devise to please God yet nothing displeaseth him more as you heard just now that dreadful place In vain do they worship me teaching for doctrine the Commandments of men God will not bear little errours in his worship Levit. 10. dangerous to the souls of men to the peace of the Church as you have heard But a spiritual way of worship is undoubtedly safe you may offer it boldly to God by Christ Everyone agree in this Both Jews and Gentiles both Christians and Heathens do unanimously agree in the lawfulnesse and acceptablenesse of Spiritual Worship FINIS