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
is verbal only or that which is real as well as verbal and the profession real may be either regular or irregular A Verbal profession practically contradicted is invalidated by such a contradiction so that it is to be accounted as no profession He that in word professeth himself to be of the Christian Religion i. e. a Worshipper of God in Christ and yet in practice is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one that doth not worship God surely he is no true Professor Nor is he a true professor of Religion who though he doth act something in the worship of God yet acteth not according to the rule of true Religion and worship Religion and Christianity is not a meer Notion but it is something Practical it notes not only the Minds reception of and the Wills subscription to the principles and rules of Christianity but also the framing of the heart and of the whole man to be acting and working in those Principles and Rules Thus stands the Argument A true profession of Christianity is real there is practical Religion and Christianity in the life and it is Regular so that the business of Religion the true Professour acteth according to Rule therefore they who truly professe the Christian Religion and are true real Christians are real and regular Worshippers of God the Father 2. It must needs be 2. Demonstration that true Christians are real worshippers of God because they are possessed and acted by the Spirit of God and Christ which Spirit is the efficient of holy Worship leading Souls to it and acting them in it Every thing acteth according to it's Principles Principiatum respondet suis principiis Christians are principled by the Spirit of Christ which doth efficaciously incline and govern them to do that which is pleasing to Christ The Spirit 's in-Being is argued by the Spirit his working in the Soul The Spirit of Christ is a sanctifying Spirit that sets the heart right toward God and orders the conversation aright in all points of holy Obedience so that they who have this Spirit must needs be worshippers of God Now I have dispatched the Doctrinal part of my Discourse Application I come to Application I shall make but two Uses of the Point The first for Conviction the other a Use of Exhortation Vse 1 First for Conviction And as the way or Medium to the Conviction aimed at Conviction I shall propound this clear Inference from the Doctrine If all true Gospel-professors be true Worshippers then they who are not true Worshippers are no◠true Professours Now if we come to try the hearts and practices of people by the description of true worship what a multitude of nominal Christians shall we find that are by our Doctrine shut out of the number of true Professors and real Christians How few Souls that are religiously observant of God and obedient to him Where there i◠no observance of God and obedience to him there is no true profession of Religion where there is no care to conform to the mind of Christ there is no rea◠Christianity What a number o◠Souls are there that do not believe do not love God do no◠turn to him do not thankfully acknowledg his goodness toward them do not set themselves to glorifie him for his Mercies Ah Souls Do you choose God for your portion and cheif good Do you affectionately accept of Jesus Christ to be your Saviour and Lord not only acknowledging his Sufferings and accepting of Pardon and Salvation through him but also acknowledging his Soveraignty and submitting to his Government and way of saving Where there is not such a choice of God and such an acceptation of Christ there is not that Faith which is a part of Internal Worship Do you love God above all inferiour earthly things loving these things but with a love subordinate to the love of God Where God is not thus loved the Soul doth not worship him Now alas how doth Self-love Creature-love love of the World yea and the love of Lusts shut God out of the affections of very many of us Where is that fear of God to be found which in all addresses to God composeth the Spirit by an awful apprehension of that infinite distance which is betwixt God and Us Where is that fear of God which fenceth the Soul against temptation unto sin and is operative and instrumental unto holy walking How few true Penitents are there that disallow and detest fin and carefully abstain from it and do actually resist it and turn from all sin unto God unto Piety and acts of Religion Now Friends If you do not believe do not love God and fear him and turn to him what Religion is in you what is your Profession where is your Christianity And now for external Worship to try men upon that account Some are not worshippers so much as in appearance practise no worship in their Families and seldome appear in the place of publick Worship And some there are alas how many that are worshippers only in appearance their Worship is meerly External they draw not near to God with their Spirits in any act of Worship nor is that which they do in point of Worship done with Conscience of God's Command or with any respect to his Glory or with Faith in the Mediator And how much vain Worship is taken up which is not ordered by God but by men which is not according to pure holy divine Institutions but according to corrupt rotten human inventions Now gather up all this and hence take conviction home to your selves You that do not acknowledge God in your hearts and lives You that do not believe his Revelations and believe in his Son You that love the world and love sin but love not God You that do not reverence the Holiness and the Majesty of God that stand not in awe of his Word that are not afraid to sin against him You that will not turn from your sins unto God You that regard not to worship God in publick and in private and you whose Worship is meerly External Take Conviction to your selves that you are not right Gospel-professors or real Christians forasmuch as you are not true Worshippers Vse 2 Being thus convinced learn what it is truly to Worship God Exhortation and become true Worshippers Labour to know the Lord and acknowledge the true God and believe in God and love God and fear God and worship him regularly according to the Scripture-rule as ever you desire that God should look upon you as Christians and own you as true Professors of Religion Now that you may be a little quickened Motives If you look into the Word of God you may thence take up Arguments fit for you to press upon your selves that you may be perswaded to give your selves up unto this Counsel The Apostle tells us Heb. 11.6 that God is a plentiful rewarder of them that diligently seek him that call upon his
9.10 as the Apostle calls them And the generality of the Jews were so grosly carnal in their apprehensions of the business of Religion that they stuck in the outward Ceremonies having no respect at all to Internal and Spiritual Worship norminding that which was signified by those carnal Rites and Shaddows though the understanding godly true Worshippers that were among the Jews worshipped Spiritually with their Spirits and truly in Truth so that the Worship under the Law which God approved of was in its Soul and substance Spiritual yet the Worship then was cloathed with such a dress of Ceremonies that as to the Shew and External part of it in respect of the outward Form and Body it was but carnal Worship Whereas the New-Testament Worship is ordered to be in Spirit i. e. without such a carnal body or covering of Ceremonies and in Truth i. e. without Figures and Shadows Well it is clear that Gospel-worship is here put in opposition to the Carnal Ceremonious Worship of the Jews and to the heartless devised Worship of the Samaritans which was a false Worship wanting the truth of God's Word appointing and warranting the matter of it as well as the truth of a good heart and holy Devotion in the manner of performing it Now we may easily see what is the import of this expression in Spirit and in Truth First as for the tearm Spirit it notes 1. A renewed mind and a renewed heart and affections together with due expressions of those affections in suitable actions of Religious Worship 2. A Spiritual kind of Worship in opposition to that which is carnal and Ceremonious a Worship stript of that cloathing and dress of Ceremonies to which the people of God were tied under the Law which are abolished by the coming of Christ Note Note by the way That they who burden the Church with a multitude of Ceremonies go about to destroy Gospel-worship which must not be Ceremonious do what in them lies to cast Christ out of the Church and to bring in Moses in his stead and that they who affect and plead for and delight in a Ceremonious Worship seem to forget that these are Gospel-times and do in effect deny that Christ is come for it is most evident that our Saviour here points out the difference between Jews and Christians in point of Worship and it is clear that the difference is not in the inward Substance and Soul of Religion but in the outward Form and Body Well you see how the tearm * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Spirit is here to be understood Secondly The tearm * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Truth signifies 1. Sincerity as opposed to hypocrisie 2. It signifies the very kernel and substance of Religion that Worship which is real and substantial which standeth in the truth of those ancient Figures and Shaddows that which was figured by the offering of legal Sacrifices and by Ceremonious observances 3. Truth signifies a Consonancy to the Word of God that which is according to Truth written True Gospel-worship is that which is commanded and ordered by Christ that which is exercised according to the simplicity of Gospel-Institution True Gospel-worship is a Worship performed in Spirit and in Truth i. e. it is Cordial Holy Sincere Spiritual Substantial Instituted Scripture-worship that which hath the Word of God for it's Foundation and Rule Proof The Text is as a clear foundation so a full proof of our Doctrine and our Saviour tells the Pharisees Mat. 15.9 that In vain do they worship God teaching for Doctrine the Commandments of men That is a vain idle Worship an unprofitable Worship which is ordered otherwise than God hath appointed which is not directed to the true God rightly conceived of and performed in a right manner suitable to his Will and Nature and which hath not God's Word for its foundation and Rule This was an observation which you had from the 22 verse which Christ saith Ye worship ye know not what Now for demonstration of the point We have two demonstrations in the Text. This assertion That true Gospel-worship is a Worship in Spirit and in Truth is proved 1. 1. Demonstration From the Will of God The Father seeketh such to worship him This is the argument here used They that worship God must see that their Worship be such as will please God Now onely such spiritual sincere instituted-worship pleaseth him Therefore onely such Worship is to be performed 2. A second reason is drawn from the Nature of God God is a Spirit he is a pure spiritual Essence and he must be worshipped with a Worship suitable to his Nature Thus to worship God is reasonable service God is a Spirit in a kind of singularity and excellency and eminency above all Spirits God is a most Intelligent Spirit his understandig is infinite They who satisfie themselves with a carnal external Worship such as is but a Carcaise without any Soul of Heart-devotion in it without holy spiritual motions and affections of the inward man these apprehend not God to be a Spirit the God and Father of spirits and the searcher of hearts but deny his Spiritual Nature and make him a God of flesh while they bring stesh to him for an Offering If God be a Spirit he must be worshipped with our Spirit and truly he calleth for this My Son give me thy heart Prov. 23.26 he re-requires a preparation of the heart for Worship and the activity of the inward man in the performance of Worship and the Soul's intentness upon the work in hand God loveth spiritual performances Again God is a Spirit most simple void of all Composition and uncapable of division Such must our Worship be suitable to the most simple Nature and Being of God It must be uncompounded undivided Worship 1. There must be no Composition in it no mixture of our own conceits and devices or any humane inventions a patched sophisticated linsey-woolsey-worship fuits not with the simplicity of God the Object of Worship 2. There must be no division in our Worship it must be whole entire Worship head and heart understanding and affections Soul and Body all must joyn unanimously in the Worship of God I will adde one Demonstration more Arg. 3 3. Corrupt Worship is not true Gospel-worship that which is expected from Gospel-professors But that Worship which is not performed in Spirit and in Truth according to the import of those tearms as they have been opened to you is corrupt Worship For Worship is corrupted these three wayes 1. In respect of the Object as Worship corrupted 3 wayes when something else is worshipped in stead of God or when other Objects of Worship are taken up besides God and together with him so also when people have carnal gross unsuitable apprehensions of God and so worship not the true God with a Worship suitable to his Nature a spiritual simple pure Worship 2. There is a corruption in the manner of Worship when
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