in the Church afterwards and certainly the want hereof is such a defect as doth more then spoile the Beauty of a Church it is a main cause of the decay of all true piety and therefore the ignorance and stubbornness of the Generality of this Nation is much to be lamented which discourage our Governours from Establishing this Dayly Worship of GOD in Towns Cities and other populous Places which I may confidently call a Necessary as well as a Reasonable Service But as we ought thus to hallow every Day by devoting some part thereof to the publick Service of GOD so we are oblidg'd to Sanctify for this end one whole Day in seven viz. the first day of the Week commonly called the Lord's Day partly because of its being peculiarly consecrate to the Service of GOD and partly because of that special Honour whiich the LORD IESUS CHRIST conferred on this Day by his Triumphant resurrection from the Dead which was the Reason for its consecration we should set a part one day of the seven not that this portion appears necessary by Natural Light but because 't was expresly exacted of the Iews and that we are unjust if our expressions of Piety and Devotion towards GOD be lesse then what was sought of them and what oblidgeth us to the observation of the first day particularly is the practice of the Holy Apostles who either had an expresse command for what they did themseves and enjoyned others in the Worship of GOD or were led thereto by the holy Ghost Now their practice in this particular is declared to us Act. 20. 7. 1. Cor. 16. 2. And is witnessed by a constant universal Tradition of the Church Besides the LORD'S Day no other is strictly necessary to be kept except in obedience to our Rulers Civil and Ecclesiastical who without all question may as well as the Iewish Church and State formerly appoint dayes for the publick Worship and service of GOD upon the account either of some particular emergency wherein Church or State is concerned or of some special Mercy granted them But they ought to be careful neither to burden People with too many such appointments nor yet to give them a disgust by ordering Solemn Dayes upon mean silly accounts if Men be not serious in these Solemn Addresses they are a meer Mockery and Dishonour to GOD and it is impossible to make them Serious when the cause and occasion of them is frivolous and unworthy to be made the matter of Divine Worship And so the Church of Rome has miserably transgressed for first she hath so multiplied her Fasts and Festivals that the number of them almost exceeds the dayes of the Year the year would need to be enlarg'd if all their Holy Dayes should be distinctly and exactly keept And though it be pretended that all are not required to observe each of them yet there be too many imposed upon every person and every place so that the French King was necessitate to deall with the Pope lately for the dispensing with a great many in his Kingdom Again the Church of Rome is not only to blame for enjoyning such an intollerable burden of dayes but also because the Reason of these injunctions for the most part are frivolous scarce worthy of a Man's serious attention much lesse of being the matter and occasion of solemn Devotions as for example the invention of some pitiful Relicts the dedication of Bells some ridiculous passage of their Legendary Saints c. and as most of their Holy-dayes are in honour of their Saints so the most of their Saints according to their own relation did nothing memorable their lives are more Foolish and impertinent then Old Wives Fables or the Tales of Children as we might shew by several instances did we not fear to be tedious But leaving this we come next to speak to the Nature of this Worship which should be payed unto GOD publickly and to shew the Particulars whereof it should consist which ought especially to be considered And First as to the General nature of this Worship it must first answer the end thereof which is the Glory of GOD the Celebration and Praise of his Greatness Wisdom Goodness and other Glorious perfections that the Souls of the Worshippers may be enflamed with the love of GOD and that they may be excited to Fear Trust and Obey Him 2ly It must be agreeable to the Will and Mind of GOD and altogether free of what he hath forbidden or signified his displeasure with otherwayes it will be so far from being acceptable that it will be very abominable 3ly It must not only contain all the parts of Natural Religion but besides carry Characters of the Gospel for it is not only Reasonable but Necessary that the Worship of GOD be Regulate by special dispensations of his Grace and made to expresse the particulars of such Dispensations the Iews were required to Worship God in a different Manner from what is discernable by Natural Light and so those who believe the Truth and Mysteries of the Christian Religion must have a Peculiar Worship that is distinct from such as own no Revelation or only that of the old Testament Fourthly from these considerations it follows that Christians must Worship GOD together in spirit and Truth For so our Saviour directed us Iohn 4. 23. Where he saith The hour cometh and now is when the true Worshippers shall worship the Father in Spirit and Truth For the Father seeketh such to Worship him GOD is a Spirit and they that Worship must Worship him in Spirit and Truth Which words whither we consider them abstractly in a general notion as delivering a certain Natural Truth or with a reference to the way of Worshipping GOD then usual in the World I say which way so ever we consider them they teach us that GOD will now be Worshipped not by a Multitude of carnal and external Observances or a number of Mysterious and almost unintelligible rites and Ceremonies as the Gentiles used to doe and as he thought fit for a time to impose upon the Iews But by actions of a Spiritual Nature and whose signification and use is Reasonable and easily understood The Law considered Men as in a weak Infant State and so prescribed a Worship sutable to such a State but the Gospel endeavours to bring us to the full Stature of perfect Men and considers us as such and therefore our way of worshipping GOD now must speak out more perfect Reason and understanding The worship required of Christians is not a Pompous shew of Ceremonies which may affect Children or Childish Persons but Real and Substantial expressions of Faith Love Fear Ioy and Confidence in GOD There must not be more or other Ceremonies used in the Worship of GOD then what is requisite for Order and Decency or necessary to Excite and Fix the inward attention of our minds for that is not True or proper Worship which is wholly External and doth not come
our deeds and actions if our knowledge of God doth not lead and excite us to the honouring of him it will prove much to our hurt and dammage as we may learn from Rom 1. where we see what plagues and judgements God gave them up to who when they knew God did not glorifie him as God neither were thankful It is said he gave them up to a reprobate mind to do those things which are not convenient that they all might be dâ—…mn'd who believed not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousnesâ—… as we have it 2Thes 2. 12 Seing therefore we have found out the True GOD and that he hath revealed himself to us let us not slight or neglect him and be careless to please him But let us with all Readiness and Cheerfulness pay that Homage Worship and Service which is due unto him To shew which was the third Particular we promised to speak to and we shall treat thereof in the following Sections SECTION IV. Shewing what Worship and Service is due to GOD and how we may come to know the same THE Knowledge of this is most necessarie for it is not enough that we find out who is the True GOD unless we also own and acknowledge him which is not done unless we pay him that Homage and Worship which is due unto Him For as He is our Master whom we serve and Obey and as He is our Soveragin to whom we swear Loyalty and pay the proper Acts of allegiance so He is our GOD to whom we give the Worship due to GOD which can never be rightly performed unless we know well what it is Now to find out this we must proceed Warrily and take right Measures otherways we cannot choose but fall into gross Mistakes we ought not to follow at random the Devices and Imaginations of our own Hearts for what pleaseth us may Displease GOD be unsuitable to his Majesty and improper for the advancing his Honour and Glory Nor will it justifie and warrand any way of Worshipping GOD that the same is observed by others for whither we view the old or the present World we shall find that the generality of man-kind have deviated much from the true way of worshipping God they have set up various forms of Religion and Worship which are not acceptable to God because in modelling these they have studied more their own several humours and dispositions then what was proper in it self or sutable to the Divine Majesty Thus for example the manner after which the Heathens worshipped God was an abomination unto him for how could he who is a spirit be but displeased with empty outward shewes with sensless insignificant actions How could it but offend his unspoted puritie to be worshipped by debauchery and acts of filthiness and impurity How odious to his infinite wisdom that Foolish and ridiculous Gestures should be thought his Honour and delight and how unsutable to his goodness and mercy to be courted with Cruelty and Barbarity As Lucian saith they rather deserve the name of Impious then Religious who think God takes pleasure to be worshipped after that manner The practices of the Heathen in their Worship destroy the very Ideâ—… of GOD and chock these Sentiments of him which we have by Nature for they were the occasion of these Poetical fables which made their Gods guilty of theft murder adultery and the like vices which Fables were again necessarly keept up that they might the better defend and support that Foolish and unreasonable Worship which was so far from holding forth the Glory of GOD that it did only serve to beget mean and unworthy thoughts of him The practices of men therefore is a very uncertain rule to walk by as well as our own Fancy and seing men have differed about nothing more then the way and manner of worshipping GOD it would be a tedious task to examine their various sentiments The surest and nearest way to be informed wherein the true and acceptable Worship of God consists is to apply our selves to the consideration of the Divine Nature and â—…o search out his will and pleasure concerning us for as when we are about to make presents and to offer gifts we do not so much consider what we our selves would be taken with as what will be gratefull and acceptable to the person whose favour we are seeking so the worship of God being design'd to please him we ought not to seek therein the satisfaction of our own humors inclinations as what will find acceptance in his sight And nothing will find acceptance with him but what is agreeable to his Nature conform to his will and which doth properly express the glory of his Attributes and perfections So none can shew us these things but God and if he doe not declare them we cannot be sure not to erre an expresse particular Revelation therefore is necessary to determine the Worship of God for who besides himself should presume to order it It is our part to set about the service of God but it belongs to him only to prescribe it 'T is true something of GOD'S mind and will and consequently part of his true Worship may be learn'd by Natural light for the will of GOD is founded upon his Nature which never varies but is still the same Wherefore a due and serious consideration of the Divine Nature and Attributes might bring us to the knowledge of His will and of what is acceptable to him the Dictates also of Reason and Conscience being from GOD they do teach us his Will But though Natural light may thus teach us part yet it can not shew all that is necessary it is good and usefull so far and ought not to be slighted but it is not full or sufficient neither so very certain now by Reason of that darknesse which Sin hath raised which is too thick to be dispelled by Natural Light yea Sin hath so mingled it self with our very Nature and Constitution that it is sometimes difficult to distinguish betwixt the Dictates of right Reason and Conscience and the erroneous sentiments of that Sinfull contagion And farther seing wee have not kept our First state but are become Sinners some other Homage and Worship is requisite then if it had not been so For it is not Reasonable to think that such as have offended GOD should do no more then if they had still retained their uprightnesse another acknowledgement is due from Traitors and Rebels then from these who have been always Loyal els it will not be accepted But what Homage Sinners should pay or how they should Address themselves to GOD cannot be known unlesse he declare it Natural Reason doth not teach this for though it were cleared of its present incumbrances it is only adapted to the State in which we were Created that is a State of Innocency and doth not serve to direct our behaviour if we fall from that state Thus it is evident that some new Revelation is necessary to
next place we must Addresse our selves to GOD by Humble and Hearty Prayer that it may please him to Enlighten the eyes of our Minds to the discerning His Will and the way wherein we should walk For is we do not Pray we are not desirous hereof neither duely Value it and so GOD will not think us worthy of it who Despise or Lightly esteem the Counsel and Direction of the LORD shall be left to wander in the Ignorance and Darknesse of their own Minds But he will lead and guide them in the Paths of Righteousnesse who humbly seek Him But though Prayer be good yet it is not the only Means it must not be neglected but it must not be rested in We must not ask direction as Pilate what was Truth at Christ who when he put the question presently went out and stayed not for an Answer After we have Prayed we should listen attentively to what GOD sayeth we ought to hearken carefully to the voice of GOD. And therefore Thirdly we must search Diligently the Scriptures for they are the Word of God and in and by them he speaketh to us his Will and Pleasure God hath given the Seripture to be a Lamp unto our feet and a Light unto our Path And so who would walk uprightly so as to Please God must follow the Guidance thereof 'Ts true God speaketh also Inwardly by his Spirit to the Hearts and Minds of Men but Ordinarly it is by the outward Means of the Word ' Tts seldom and in some singular Cases only that he speaks to men without the Mediation of the Scriptures However he never speaketh but agreeably to the Scriptures whatever he sayeth any manner of way must be consistent with the Doctrine and Precepts of the Scriptures for GOD neither can nor will contradict Himself Wherefore all inward Suggestions and Inspirations must be examined by the Written word of GOD which as St. Peter speaks in a like case is the surer Word 2 Pet 1. 19. We have Reason to put greater Confidence in the outward Light of the Scriptures then what is inwardly suggested for we may readily deceive our selves here and take the delusions of Satan or our own strong Imaginations for the Inspirations of GOD'S Spirit every one cannot distinguish betwixt them and indeed it is often hard for any to do it but by comparing them to what is delivered in the Scripture which we are sure is from GOD. We must not then be too hasty in concluding our inclination to a thing or aversion from it after that we have prayed fervently to be from GOD unlesse it be warranted by the Word of GOD revealed in the Scripture or at lest no wise opposite to what is there enjoyn'd us The Scriptures are the holy Oracles which deliver the mind of GOD to them therefore we must resort at all times and on all Occasions to know what we should do and by them all Persons of each Sexe Age Condition Imployment may be instructed how to order their conversation aright before GOD. For they are so composed that the Man of GOD by them may be perfect throughly furnished unto all good works 2 Tim. 3. 17. 'T is true every one will not find their particular Case Stated and Resolved but either Directly or Indirectly either by expresse Precepts or Paralel and not much different Examples they shall see what may sufficiently inform and resolve them And whoso will give themselves entirely up to the conduct of GOD in his word shall without doubt as we shewed before either by secret Suggestions of the Spirit or by some speciall occurrences of his providence be Particularly directed in the disposall of themselves and their affairs which are of greatest concernment and to which it cannot be expected that the Scripture should speak particularly The meek will he guide in judgement and the meek will he teach his way All the paths of the LORD are Mercy and Truth unto such as keep his Covenant and Testimonies Psal. 25. 9. 10. Thus we have shewed how we should consult GOD and by what means wee may come to be directed by him Now certainly it concerns us very much thus to consult Him and to follow these Means for acquainting our selves with what is proper for us to do The Heathens of old gloried much in their Oracles and used to Consult them in all their affairs though they were so uncertain and Ambiguous that they proved more often Snares to entrap them then Lights to guide them But sure wee have much more Reason to Glory and Rejoyce in this Special Priviledge we have of Consulting the true GOD who neither will deceive others nor can be deceived himself and who hath been Graciously pleased to speak to us so plainly and clearly by his Word and who Promises farther Direction as we stand in need Hereby we are enabled to walk wisely and are shewed the True way of carrying on our Happiness and Peace the Testimony of the Lord saith David is sure making wise the simple the commandement of the Lord is pure enlightning the eyes Psal. 19. 7 8. It was a laudable custome amongst the Iews to ask Counsel of GOD before they began any Enterprise and so it becomes us to resort unto the Scriptures for Counsel and Direction where we shall receive it fully and clearly if we be desirous thereof and follow the Direction prescribed above David no doubt had many Counsellours and yet he preferred the Word and Law of GOD before them all thy testimonies saith he are my delight and Counsellours And again he tells us that he bad more understanding then all his Teachers for GODS Testimonies were his Meditation Ps 119. 24. 99. It is reported of the Heathen Socrates that he pretended to have a certain Spirit or genius which he used as his Counsellour and therefore when ever he was required to speak or to do any thing his usuall answer was si Daemon permiserit if my spirit or genius will suffer Now it is our Happiness that we have a better Counsellour to advise with and therefore also whenso e're any thing is propounded unto us either to our understandings or Wills to be believed or practised let our Answer be with the Psalmist I will hear what GOD the LORD will speak Ps. 85. 8. I will first consult GOD by the Holy Oracles of the Scriptures And if we never conclude or resolve any thing without advising thus with GOD we shall highly honour him and shew an entire regard unto him and also take a Wise and most Profitable Course for our selves But alas As Solomon complains wherefore is there a price in the hand of a Fool to get Wisdom seeing he hath no heart unto it So it may be said to what purpose is it And how little doth it avail us to have the Scriptures seing we make so little use of them and take so little notice of what GOD says to us in and by them How sad is it and what matter of regrate
of GOD. Rom 12. 1 2. Now what is it to make a Sacrifice of our selves but only to Walk with GOD for who Walketh with GOD as we have shewed Sacrifices his understanding to God to Believe what he reveales and to Contemplate what he does he Sacrificeth his will to be entirely regulate by his Laws his Affections to be placed or displaced according to his Order and in a word his whole Life and all its Operations to set forward the purposes of his Counsel and the Glory of his Name Which indeed is a most Reasonable Service for what lesse can be payed to him who is the Authour and preserver of our Beeing and gives us whatever we enjoy It is also agreeable to his Word nay the very thing it calls for which perhaps is true meaning of the Apostles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the very scope of the Scripture is to teach us this and to obliege us thereto Finally it is most acceptable GOD is very well pleased with these Spiri tual Sacrifices they have an Odour of sweet Smell with him But if they be wanting that thing which is savoury if we do not walk closely and constantly with God as above though we would bring never so many Burnt Offerings and Calves of a Year old Thousand of Rams and ten thousand Rivers of Oyl yet He would not regard them Sacrifice and Offering thou didst not desire Burnt Offering and Sin Offering thou hast not required then said I Lo I come in the Volume of the Book it is written of Me I delight to do thy will O my GOD yea they Law is within my Heart Psal. 40. 6. 7. Let none think saith Lactantius that GOD requires Victims Incense Donations c. For if he be not capable of Hunger Thrist Cold neither hath the Desire of Earthly things he will not use thâ—…se and the like which are brought unto the Temples but as Corporeal Beings require things of the like Nature so a Spiritual Sacrifice is only necessary to be offered to a Spiritual Being What GOD hath given to Man for his use he himself needs not and besides the whole World is his and the fulness thereof he needs not a Temple who hath the World for his dwelling place nor an Image or Statue who is incomprehensible he stands not in need of Lamps and Earthly Lights who hath kindled the Sun and the rest of the Stars for Mans behoof what is it therefore saith he which GOD requireth of Man but the inward Worship of the mind seing He himself is pure and Holy for these things which are wrought by the Hands and which are without the Man is no true or proper Sacrifice neither that which is taken out of the Coffer but which cometh from the Heart nor what is offered by the Hand but by the Soul This is a true Sacrifice when the Soul offereth it self unto GOD For what signifieth other Sacrifices What doth inccnse what do Garments and Gold and Silver and Precious stones profit if the Worshippers mind be not holy and pure 'T is only Righteousness which GOD seeks after 'T is in this that the True Worship of GOD doth consist The true Worshippers of GOD saith CHRIST shall Worship him in Spirit and Truth for the Father seeketh such to Worship him And what is it to Worship GOD in Spirit and Truth but to worship him by a truly holy Life and an upright walking with him In this is his Delight and who taketh this way to please him shall be counted worthy of the Kingdom of GOD. Enoch walked with GOD and it 's said GOD took him that is he took him out of this wretched Life unto his Heavenly Glory And all who tread the same paths shall meet with the same Reward GOD will take every one to himself who walketh with GOD though not after the same manner Death puts a stop to our Walking with Men and forces us and them to part but it doth not break off our Walking with GOD it doth unite us more firmly to him this fellowship which we thus begin here results into an Eternal Friendship and Society in the other World CHAP III. Of these Words And this Stone which I have set for a Pillar shall be GODS House The Reason and Meaning of them GOD is to be Worshipped not only in Private but in Publick he is not only to be Owned and Acknowledg'd a part by our selves in Secret but ought to be professed openly before all the World by the Performance of such things as Reason and the universall Consent of Mankind hath established to be publick Testimonies of our Alleagiance to him He who doth not this Last can never â—…e very sincere in the First neither will GOD own such to be true Worshippers of him who do not avowedly professe him before Men according to that of our Saviour whosoever shall confesse me before Men him shall the Son of Man also confesse before the Angels of God but he that denyeth me before Men shall be denyed before the Angels of God Luke 12. 8. The very Light of Nature teacheth this and therefore it is that when Iacob here did Solemnly take the LORD to be his GOD he did not only engage himself to that Inward Spiritual Worship which is acted within a Man 's own self whereof we have spoken already but also he binds Himself to that Outward and Visible Worship which is transacted by things without the Man that it may be manifest to alâ—… the World that he Honoured and Adored this GOD. This stone saith he which I have here set up for a Pillar shall be GOD'S house that is here in this place where I erect this Stone when I come back I will build and consecrat a House to my GOD for the Honour of his Name and the Celebrating of his Worship where I will Call upon him and Pray unto him The Reason why he pitched upon this particular place was because GOD had made it eminent by so signal an appearance unto him as we read before and what moved him to build a house to GOD was because this was universally agreed to as an Act of Honour due unto GOD and as an proper instance whereby men signify their Homage to him This which Iacob Vowed here gives us Occasion to speak of Churches or consecrated places of Prayer and of publick Worship SECTION I. Of Churches or Places Consecrat to GOD the Origine and Necessity thereof what Regard and Reverence should be payed them AND First as it is an universal Custome all the World over to erect Temples and to Consecrat places for the Honour and Service of GOD So this custome is most Ancient At present there are not only Churches throughout all the Christian World but Mahumetans and Pagans also have Temples and Religious houses of one sort or another and it was so from the very beginning It would seem that even our First Parents in Paradise had some more peculiar place for presenting themselves before
16. 1 Thess. 5 27. And for the same Reason the rest of the Scripture ought to be read and the Church has been still in use to do so Now the main Reason hereof is not our own instruction but to do honour to GOD for as hereby we own the Scriptures to be from GOD so we solemnly acknowlege our selves bound to hear and obey his word and tye our selves to walk as it diercts us The publick Worship of GOD is not rightly performed when there is no reading of Scriptures and it is all one almost as if they were cast out of the Worship when they are only read while the People are coming to Church but not after they are mett For then the reading is only used for a divertisement to put off the time and not as a Honour or Acknowledgement due to GOD. They understand little of the Nature or end of publick Worship who would have the reading of Scripture laid aside because it can be done at home Such have more regard to their Fancy then to the true honour of GOD and do come to Church rather to feed an impertinent Curiosity and desire of Novelty then to perform a reasonable Service to GOD. Not to speak of the inability of a great many to perform this exercise in Private the reading at home makes not so much for the Honour of the Sciptures and consequently of GOD who is the Author of them Respect to the Majesty and Authority of GOD require that his Will and Pleasure be Promulgate with solemnity and heard with reverence We have an eminent Instance hereof Neh. 8. 5 6. 4thly To the reading of the Scripture was alwayes wont to be joyned Preaching on the Sabbath and other Festival-dayes as appears from the forecited places which custome the Church hath continued and it is most necessary and profitable It shews our deference to GOD and a regard for his Authority when we are willing to hear such as he hath Commissioned to inform us of his Will anent us He that heareth you said Christ to the Apostles heareth me and he that dispiseth you despiseth me and him that sent me Kings and Princes are Honoured or Affronted according as their Servants and message are received now the Ministers are Ambassadours in CHRISTS stead by whom GOD befeecheth People to be reconciled unto himself 2 Cor 5. 20. Reconciliation with God is the Errand on which Ministers are sent and seing the terms of this Reconciliation and the means by which it is wrought are set down in Scripture therefore the subject matter of preaching should be to give the sense and meaning of the Scripture and to exhort to a Complyance with what is there contained Sermons are not ordained to teach men curious things or to tickle them with fine neat speeches but to make them understand the Scriptures to instruct them in the Doctrine thereof and to stirr them up to observe the same thus Ezra preached Neh. 8. 8. And ordinarly in the primitive Church their Sermons were only Explications of such Portions of Scripture as were read in the publick Service together with an Exhortation to obey it The principal design of Preaching is to unfold the meaning of God's Word and to help men to discern the mind of the Lord revealed therein and as these are the best and most Edifying Sermons which discover this plainly and clearly so it is the duty of all to hearken diligently to these instructions and to receive them gladly It speaks out a Love to GOD when we are willing and very desirous to know his will but there is little regard for God where there is no desire to understand what he sayeth to us in and by his word But though the Priests lips should keep know ledge and that it is the peoples duty to seek the Law at his Mouth yet this is not to render the private search and study of the Scriptures useless Guides are ordained to be helps but not to take away our own sight we may find them useful though we do not put out our eyes As the Noble Bereans did we should search the Scriptures dayly whither these things we hear be true or not And this is the more necessary because we are forewarned of false Prophets Every Spirit is not to be believed none ought to be received with an implicit Faith but only the Spirit of GOD all other should be tryed before trusted And it needs be no hard task to try the truth of Doctrines if we lay aside prejudice and search the Scripture impartially A man by applying his eye narrowly especially if he hath the advantage of a Rule will soon discern whither a thing be straight or crooked and it is indeed no less easie to judge in matters necessarie to Salvation 5thly I cannot omit here what was Anciently Universally used though now turned into desuetude among us and it is the Solemn and explicite profession of the Christian Faith by a rehearsal of some Summary thereof as the Apostles or Nicene or Athanasian Creed The expresse declaration of our Faith is much both for our profite and the honour of GOD It is for the honour of GOD that we believe in GOD and in JESUS CHRIST and give our assent to all the truths of the Gospel without this faith it is impossible to please GOD unless our worship be founded on the belief of these things it is altogether unacceptable And it is not only necessary to have this Faith alwayes in our hearts but we must also sometimes openly testify it by confessing the same with our mouths as the Apostle tells us Rom 10. 9. Where he saith that if thou shalt confesse with thy mouth the LORD IESUS and shalt believe in thine he art that GOD hath raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness and with the mouth confession is made unto Salvation This is also profitable for our selves for these Creeds are the Badges of Christianity which instruct us in our profession and teach us how to answer every man who asketh a reason of the hope that is in us A frequent repetition of the Creed fixeth the great Articles of our Religion in our mind brings them often to our remembrance and serves to excite us to walk worthy of the Gospel Persons of Honour are careful to behave sutably while they have the signs and badges of their Dignity and Quality upon them and sure it could not but oblidge and quicken us to study a Christian Behaviour if we frequently made a serious and solemn profession of our Faith Lastly the celebration of the LORDS Supper should frequently accompany our other acts of publick worship the Apostles with their Converts did this dayly as we read Acts 2. 42. 46. which practice continued long in the Primitive Church St. Augustine in one of his Epistles to Ianearius says 't was the custome to do so in many places The Council of Antioch condemnes such as
more then that we should encrease in knowledge The reading of the Holy Scripture should be recommended to People according to the practice of all the Fathers It was not the People who wrested the Scripture and spread Heresies they were the Bishops and Doctors and Persons of the Clergy Arrius Macedonius Nestorius Eutyches Pelagius were all Church-men 2ly The Worship of the Roman Church has not a Resemblance to the Christian Religion because it wants the purity and simplicity thereof to make Worship look like Christian as we formerly shewed it should be Plain and Simple that is free of Ceremonies except what are requisite to Excite and Fix the attention should chiefly consist of Actions which are Grave and Serious and which do properly expresse the Divine Majesty and Glory But the Worship of the Papists is meerly Pomp Pageantry a vain external Shew of Ceremonies fitter for the Theatre then the Church Their Churches are dressed with Gaudy Scenes like Play-Houses and like them too they use not the light of the Sun but the dazling deceiving light of Lamps and Wax-Candles their Priests are sumptuously decked with various kinds of Garments and as for the Service it self it consists in sprinkling of holywater kindling Perfumes Kneeling and bowing and often crossing Turning to the Right or Left Hand according to the Sign given the Elevating and Lowing of the Voice at certain Times the vain repetition of unintelligible Words and in a multitude of impertinent and insignificant Ceremonies which chock the very Spirit of Religion and which would render what is read or spoken to no purpose though it could be understood For 't is impossible that the mind can be attentive or make any Serious application where there is such a multitude of external performances The Worship enjoyn'd and practised in the Church of Rome has more resemblance to Paganisme then the Christian Religion it contains indeed Acts and Instances of the true Worship of GOD but so buried in Heathnish Superstition that they lose their Efficacy both with GOD and Man Their Sprinklings Processions Scourgings Pilgrimages and in a word the most of their Ceremonies both in their Ordinary and Extradinary Devotions are derived from ancient Paganisme and are indeed more suited to Pagan tempers then Christian minds for such as understand the Gospel know that GOD taketh no pleasure in such Actions The hour cometh saith Christ and now is that the true Worshippers of GOD shall Worship Him in Spirit and in Truth for the Father seeketh such to Worship Him 3ly Popish worship is not only full of Superstition but Idolatry it not only is made up of many foolishly and uselesse Actions which can pretend to no Shadow of Reason or Divine Authority But it contains also many things expresly forbidden as the Invocation and Adoration of Angels and Saints c. What St. Paul said of Rome Pagan holds true of Rome Christian they have changed the truth of GOD into a lie and Worship the creature more then the Creator For the most of their Worship is not tendred to GOD and JESUS CHRIST but to Angels the blessed Virgin and other departed Saints to Images Reliques that is the Bones Ashes and other forged appurtenances of their supposed Saints I say supposed for their is no evidence for the most of them but the Popes Cannonization which is very unsufficient 'T is laid on the name of one Pope Gregory that he should have said multorum corpora venerantur in terris quorum animae cruciantur in infernis that is many are Worshipped as Saints who are damned in Hell The Papists in their publick Worship are required to adore Bread as GOD to Pray to the Dead and for the Dead and to do several other things which not only have no warrant in Scripture but are quite contrary thereto and therefore GOD can be pleased neither with such a worship nor those who offer it more then he was with the Nations whom the King of Assyria planted in Samaria of whom it is said that they feared the LORD and served other Gods besides 4ly The Mass which is the chiefest part of their Worship is the highest abomination For it is used in stead of the Holy Sacrament which our LORD instituted that night wherein he was betrayed but in Truth it is is quite another thing because they have added to it and pared from it and use it in another sense and to other purposes then what that Sacrament was design'd for First they withhold the Cup which is the one half of the Sacrament though it be clear that our Saviour commanded All to drink of it as both the Councill of Constance and Trent acknowledge in their Acts which prohibite the use of the Cup to the Laity And as for the other part of the Sacrament besides that their Wafers cannot be counted Bread they do not use the rite of breaking it which is so essential that this Sacrament is ordinarly denominat by it in Scripture Indeed what the Priest takes to himself he breaks in three pieces one whereof is cast into the Cup another is left upon the Altar until the end of the Service and the third he puts in his own Mouth but this doth not answer to that breaking which our LORD used and which is necessary to hold Forth the purport of the Sacrament That this Action may be agreeable to our LORD'S institution it is necessary that all the Communicants eat and have distribute to them one broken Bread 2ly Our LORD ordain'd the Bread in this Sacrament to be only a symbol of his Body but they give it out to be His very self and command Divine Adoration to be payed thereto which is the greatest absurdity and the grossest Idolatry imaginable as we have formerly made out 3ly Our LORD designed this Sacrament to be only a memorial of his Death and of that satisfaction was given thereby to the Iustice of GOD for the sins of men but they teach and command under pain of damnation to be believed that in the Masse there is a real propitiatory Sacrifice for the living and the dead because according to them Iesus Christ is dayly Sacrificed and Offered therein Which Doctrine contains a heap of Absurdities and makes their Mass a Blasphemous action and most injurious to the Sacrifice of the Cross. For hereby it would follow that Christ was Sacrificed before he was Crucified viz. when he instituted this Sacrament that his Death was no sufficient Attonement there being such necessity for repeating it so frequently and that St. Paul erred grossely in thinking it absurd that he should offer himself often in saying he was but once offered to bear the sins of many and in preferring that one Oblation of IESUS CHRIST upon the Cross to all the legal Sacrifices because they behoved to be offered year by year continually to shew their insufficiency whereas he by one offering hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified see Heb. 9. 25. 28. 10. 1.
from and is not performed by the inward Mind Thus in a word as we should Worship GOD in Spirit and Truth So to Worship in Spirit is to Worship with the inward acts and Affections of the Soul and to Worship in Truth is to perform such Outward Acts as doth not Mystically and Figuratively but plainly and properly signify and hold forth these inward ones Having thus viewed the Nature of Publick Worship in General we passe to the consideration of the parts thereof In particular And First the Publick Worship of God should consist of Prayers this is so clear from Scripture Reason the practice of all the world that it were a vain thing to prove it the parts and Qualifications of Publick Prayer are the same with those of private Prayer whereof we have spoken already And because it is so useful to know before hand what we should Pray and so unworthy a thing to utter rash and indiscreet expressions before GOD especially in publick therefore the Church in Ages have ever thought themselves oblidged to compose deliberatly Forms of publick Prayer and not to leave them to the extemporary effusions of him who officiates there is not at this day any Church except our own without a publick Service and Liturgy But because we are driven to the necessity at present not to use one therefore it is incumbent on the publick Ministers to take the more care in composing their Prayers that their expressions be grave Decent that as to the Matter of them they contain all things proper necessary nothing disagreable to God or which may disgust stumble the Worshippers they should study to make their Prayers to express truly the general needs desires of the People for he who Prayeth is their mouth imployed to speake in their name what every one should do if they were allowed to speak so all publick Prayers should be so ordered that every one may be able to joine heartily with them And here I cannot passe two faults ordinarly committed in this part of publick Worship the one for the most part in Country Parishes the other generally both in City and Country by this last I mean a careless unconcernedness in Prayer many think not themselves oblidged to joyne with the Minister while he prayes they do not consider that he is but their voice that 't is necessary for them to say with the heart what he does with the mouth else the Prayers cannot be heard as theirs or for them Though one Pray but audibly to shun confusion yet it is necessary for all to assent thereto The other Fault is committed often by the Common People especially in the Northren parts of the Kingdom as the former in the Southren parts who fall to their particular Prayers when the Minister is praying in the name of the whole Congregation this is an irregular and undecent thing which obstructs the Edification Designed by this part of Worship see 1. Cor. 14. 26. When the congregation cometh together it should be with one Heart and Mind they ought not to have different exercises but alwayes the same they should pray one and the same Prayer with one accord as we read the Disciples did Act. 4. 24. To prevent both these Evils if 't was usuall in all both Iewish and Christian Liturgies to Appoint the People to utter sometimes some short sentenes and alwayes to speak out audibly Amen at the conclusion of every Prayer as is inti mate to us 1. Cor. 14. 16. Another Act of Divine Worship especially in Publick Assemblies is singing of Psalms and Spiritual Songs This was alwayes a part of the Worship of GOD under the Old Testament 't was observed by our Saviour with his Disciples Matth. 26. 30. And St. Paul enjoyns it to all Christians Eph. 5. 19. Col. 3. 16. Singing Hymns and Psalms is of great use in the Service of GOD both to prepare our Minds for it and to make us take Pleasure in it It fixeth our thoughts elevats our Spirits fills us with Joy in GOD and leaveth on our Minds a deeper impression of Divine Truths then almost any other part of Religious Worship for which cause it hath been an universal practice in the Church through all Ages of the World And as Singing is our Duty so the Psalms of David are excellently fitted for the purpose they furnish us both with proper Matter and apposite Expressions They were dictate by the Spirit of GOD to be imployed particularly in this Divine exercise and we must not think the use of them to have ceased with the Law or Iewish state no certainly they are still usefull to the Church and proper for the times of the Gospel Without doubt S. Paul in the forecited places and S. Iames Ch 5. 13. Are to be understood of the Psalms of David because the tittle of Psalms has been alwayes appropriate to them And from this Injunction of the Apostles conformable to their Practice and which is most Reasonable and uâ—…efull the Church hath ever used these Psalms in her Publick Service I know there are some who not only scruple at some of the Psalms but say expresly they ought not to be sung and when it is done they refuse to take a part But truly I think there is no Reason for this Indeed all of them are not proper for all occasions some are more pertinent and sutable at one time then another and therefore they who have the ordering of the Publick Service should make a Prudent choice of Psalms suted to the occasion however all of them may be sung and because People have not their own choise but must take them as they are prescrib'd I will here propose some Considerations to shew how we may freely joyne with any Psalm and both sing it with understanding and also with edification First there can be no Question of those Psalms which Declare the Divine Attributes Display the Works of GOD hold forth the excellency of his word or the General State of Man To Sing and Meditate on these cannot be improper at any time but alwayes usefull and seasonable 2ly As for those Psalms which were Writ upon particular Occasions besides the Literal sence which relates to those Persons their actions and circumstances upon which account they were penned there is a Mystical sense belongs to them which referres them to Christ and his Church and moreover they are capable of being accommodated to several Conditions and Circumstances both of Private Persons and Publick Societies by allowing some Liberty to Figures Allegories and other Poetical Strains which are usual in Songs and Hymns Now though we should be little concerned in the Literal sense yet we are in the Mystical and if they will suffer an accommodation to our selves or the Church and State we live in then we not only may use them but the use of them will be both pleasant and edifying 3ly These Psalms which contain narrations of the Wonders which GOD wrought