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
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
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
Trades whereby men ordinarly are necessitat to seek their living this can be no acceptable service to God seeing it runs counter to his express ordinance in the sweat of thy brows thou shalt eat thy bread if men can free themselves of the necessity of eating and drinking they may cast off all honest care and endeavours for these supplies otherwise they ought not for St. Paul commands that if any would not work neither should he eat and such as work not at all he saith that they walk disorderly 2 Thess. 3. 10. Sick and Malmed persons who cannot work for their own Maintenance should be supplied by others Charity but not these who are Able and Healthy but resolved to live idly and uselessly to the Common-wealth And herein the present Monks of the Romish Church differs much from those of the Primitive times for the Ancient Monks did not eat their breadin idleness but did labour that they might help others to live every one should study to be poor in Spirit and mortified in his affections to the World but these may be done in outward possessions Finaly as to the Vows of Celibacy and a total retirement they are too important things to be undertaken by any rashly and they are such as young Persons should not be suffered at all to engage in for they cannot well know either the Temper of their Spirit or the Constitution of their Body how they will agree therewith If their disposition be contrary then they involve themselves into a sad inconveniency and almost insuperable difficulties of pleasing GOD which might be easily avoided by taking a course more sutable to their natural disposition Not to speak of Celibacy every ones humour even will not sute with that Solitude and retirement which by the Laws of Monastries they are oblidged to who are naturally Studious thoughtful and a little Melanchollie may like it well enough and also fall upon methods for improving it to their grouth in Vertue and Piety But such as are active and sprightly weary of it and count it a burden And as their nature inclines them to action so when they are any considerable time without business their fancy runs out upon vain projects and airy contrivances neither profitable to themselves nor others and which prove an Impediment to Spiritual devotion as much yea more then outward innocent actions He who in his retirements bethinks with himself how he would rule the world if he had place and power and what he would doe or have done in such and such cases spends his time more idly then if he were actually versant in Wordly affairs And there be few active Spirits but have their retirements if long Spoiled with such devices and imaginations The Church of Rome seems to have foreseen the inconvenencie of Monasticall Vows to guard against them in that a year of probation is allowed But it is evident from experience and many instances that a year is not proof sufficient especially when arts and tricks are used to delude Novices and to wheedle them into a belief that things are otherwise then what afterwards they find them If Vows were not imposed and that a free exit were allowed to such as pleased and found a change convenient I verily believe Monastries might be very usefull both for Church and State both for the civil good of the Nation and the Spiritual good of mens Souls All men are oblidged to be chaste but chastity may be preserved in a married State as well as in a single life and every ones constitution doth not sute therewith It would be good and proper for every man though never so much engaged in worldly affairs to retire himself frequently for the excercise of Religion and the considering the state of his soul Buthardly any can stay their minds altogether upon these exercises for whole years much less all there lifetime nor is their any necessity thereof seing men may goe about the affairs of the world without crossing these of Religion and ply the things of this life without prejudice to the other GOD is not pleased with our vows when they have not a tendency to his Glory our Neighbours good and our own Spiritual Advantage and he cannot be but highly displeased when by our vows we tie our selves to doe something which is unlawfull in it self or which may be the occasion of some sin to our selves or others Or to forbear another thing which is good or usefull and which is or may become our duty What is sinful or evil can never honour GOD but doth dishonour him and it doeth bewray a gross ignorance to seek the pleasing of God by doing contrary to His will Unlawful Vows should not be made and if made they ought not to be kept it is a sin to make them but a greater to observe them such Vows lay no obligation upon us except to repentance and mourning for our rashness and folly Herod was no wayes tyed to cut off the head of Iohn the Baptist because of his vow for that would never excuse the murder of that innocent man neither was the plot against Pauls life any whit extenuated because the forty men had bound themselves thereto under a curse It is a very bad reason for one not to come to Church and to refuse to hear such a Minister because he hath sworn it There is no perjury in breaking of these Vows the Perjury is in the first making of them because they are contrary to those other general vows of Baptism c. Whereby we are tyed not to do any thing that is evil but what ever is good and praise worthy Wherefore I wonder much how ever it could have slipt from the Author of that excellent Book entituled The whole Duty of Man to say That he who rashly swears to kill another if he do it he is guilty of murder and if he do it not of perjury and so is under a necessity of sining If this be true it might prove a shrewd tentation to the keeping of unlawful Vows For where one of two evils is necessary or unavoidable men are at liberty to choose which they will or what they think least And there be some who have perjury in greater abhorrencie then anyother wicked act therefore if such have once sworn a thing though never so evil they will do it for fear of drawing on them the guilt of perjury This Doctrine therefore may be of very bad consequence but however such a necessity of sinning cannot be admitted unlesse we make the nature of sin alterable and that a sinful Act may sometimes cease to be sinful One cannot be oblidged by any Law to impossibilities and therefore not to contrary Acts as to do and not to do the same thing at one and the same time for to observe both is impossible Wherefore if the doing a thing be sin there is onely an Obligation upon us not to do it and if the not doing thereof be a sin
fixed Staâ—…ion in this World but are either by their â—…hoice willingly or through necessity changing their Habitations and Imployments When we think our selves most secure and are building to our selves Houses and Tabernacles of Residence hoping that here we shall fix and settle behold presently some thing or other occurs which defeats our Design and alters our Purpose and constrains us to make Tryal of some State and Condition we little thought upon And thus all Men almost from their own Experience may say that their Life and Condition heâ—…e is like that of a Traveller and Pilgrime But however true it hold in a Literal sense it is alwayes Morally true that Man while upon Earth is but a Sojourner and Stranger whatever be his Lot and Portion For first GOD hath not intended us a Sure and Lasting Abode here he hath resolved not to suffer us to make any long or considerable stay on the Earth he designs only that we should take a short view of things take a turn or two and then remove hence Man's Life here is but of few dayes even those who attain to the greatest number of years their life if compared to Eternity is but a span-long and seeing that thus we have but so short and so uncertain Possession of this World our stay therein cannot be counted other then a Sojourning It cannot be said properly that we dwell here but only that we lodge For we are not true Inhabitants but only way-faring Men who take a Nights Lodging and afterwards are gone We can call no place here our Home we never go Home till we descend into the Grave and pass over into the other World that is our Home because there is no changing of it nor flitting from it Secondly As we are to account our selves Sojourners because our Life is short so Strangers because of the want of an agreeable Habitation All Creatures have a proper Element whither also their Natural Propensitie inclines them that is the Proper and Natural Element of any Beeing which is suitable to its Nature and Quality and where it finds Rest and Ease but on the contrary that is Improper and Unnatural which agrees not with its Disposition and where it lives with Difficultie and in much pain Thus the Air is an improper Element for Fishes as the Water for Fowls and Terrestrial Creatures and consequently this World is not the proper place and habitation of Spirits and Rational Beings And therefore also not of Men seeing we are of this Order by our better part The Creatures to be met with here below are not capable of Converse with us and all the Delights and Enjoyments here can only gratifie the Body and be profitable for chearing those frail Tabernacles we carry about with us But 't is little service they can do the Soul and therefore however proper these lower Regions may be for Bodies yet certainly our Souls soar higher and aspire after a Happiness beyond what is to be found here Wherefore whiles we are upon Earth we may be truely called Exiles and said to suffer Banishment for Heaven only is our Native Sâ—…yle it is in yonder Regions above that we can only expect to find a sutable Habitation and abode The very Heathens had this Sentiment they accounted their Stay here a perfect banishment and esteemed the Body the Prison which detained the Soul from its Native Countrey So Anexagoras being asked whither he had any Care or Concernments for his Countrey because he troubled not himself with the Publick Affairs and Transactions His answer was GOD forbid that it should be otherwise indeed my mind is greatly towards my Countrey pointing with his finger to Heaven That is a Man's Home where his Friends and Relations live where his Wealth and Estate and the Possessions wherein his Happiness lyes are reserved where his Heart and Affections are placed And so Heaven is and should be only our Home Thither should we aim for our Souls are descended thence there GOD our Father liveth and IESUS CHRIST our elder Brother and Angels and Seraphims and the Spirits of just Men made perfect our Friends and Companions and Fellow-Citizens and there be the Treasures of our Happiness That Good which our Souls crave and seek after is shut up there and no where else This World affords no perfect Contentment or true solid Happiness All we can expect here is some little Refreshing to keep us from Fainting and Languishing This World is an Inne too narrow and scanty for to give Satisfactorie ease and fulness this is only to be looked for when we come to our Fathers house where there are many Mansions and all Richly and well Furnished In his Presence there is fulness of joy and at his Right Hand there are Rivers of Pleasures for evermore Psal. 16. 11. This Earthly Canaan which was here promised to Iacob was a type of Heaven and given as a Pledge thereof It is not to be doubted but that the Patriarch had a prospect beyond the Land wherein he was though it was the pleasantest upon Earth he had already tasted these Delights which Canaan upon Earth afforded and albeit they were good enough of their kind yet he could not but be sensible that they were far short of of satisfying the Appetite of the Soul And that therefore there was something to be desired more then what is to be found even in the best Countrey here Iacob had certainly the best and most vertuous Education of any in the World he was preserved from Vice and Immorality which render Men brutish and so enfeeble their Minds that they can Dream of nothing but what savours of the Flesh he was early taught all Natural Wisdom and Knowledge and Instructed also in things which Natural light could not reach to And therefore he certainly knew and was persawded that there was something within him besides Flesh and Bones even a Divine Soul capable of and designed for a more noble kind of Life then what Man enjoyes at present Because the Promises made to the Patriarchs expressed in Scripture are Temporal we must not from thence conclude that they had no other Spiritual Eternal Blessings were Vailed under these and might perhaps also be Promised a part though they be not particularly mentioned No doubt more was Revealed to them then what we have an account of but what is written was only necessarie to be known to us for the pointing out of the Messias It is very unreasonable to think that they who were so Dearly Beloved of GOD Honoured with many Particular Revelations and whose Wisdom and Vertue was more then Ordinary I say it is unreasonable to think that they were left ignorant of a future state Such a thought is injurious to the Love of GOD and also inconsistent with that Character they deserve as questionless they had a Curiosity to know whither there was another better life hereafter So GOD would not refuse to satisfie the same it being very Laudable and
adoe about that which is neither necessary to our Present Peace and Comfort nor yet to our Future Happiness It is just as if a Traveller coming to an Inne where he were to stay but for a Night and finding it but Poor and Mean and ill Accommodat should presently send for Masons Carpenters and Painters to repair and beautifie it Or as one upon his Arrival to any great City should presently aspire to the highest Dignity and Preferment in it And raise Stirs and Factions for that end when he knew assuredly that he must leave it the next day If by such Impertinencies Men did only disturb their Present Peace and Quiet the matter were yet the less though even here their Loss would exceed their Gain suppose they should obtain their Desire But alas the great concerns of another World are often put in hazard thereby Their Souls for the most part perish in these Attempts and by their Eagernesse to have those vain and short Enjoyments of this present Life they often keep themselves from receiving the Satisfactory and Eternal possessions above O that men were wise O that they understood this that they would consider their Latter end O that they were so Wise and Happy as not to enterprise or engage themselves into any Pursute untill they first Weighed and Examined the importance thereof whither the Fruit and Event would recompense the Pains and Labour O that they would but put that Question often home to themselves What is a man profited if he should gain the whole World and loss his own Soul And what will a man give in exchange for his Soul Matth. 16. 26. What a Madness and Unexcuseable Folly is it to be much concerned for a Transitory Life and little for Eternity To take much thought for things which perish and which we must shortly leave and to mind little or to seek with indifferency that which endureth for ever Here saith the Apostle we have no continuing City but we seek one to come Heb. 13. 14. Our Heads and our Hearts should be still towards Heaven the recovery of that Countrey above for which we were first designed and to which we Naturally belong this I say should be our chief Aim and main Project All other things in comparison to this are but idle Fancies and building Castles in the Air He that doth not so live as that he may be received into Glory when he dies he hath lived to very little purpose He deserves the Tomâ—… and Epitaph of that Luxurious and Useless Emperour Sardanapalus in which there was drawn two Fingers and sounding one upon another with these words NONTANTI EST that is all is not worth the while Men are seldom wise till it be out of time but sure if they did but consult their own Experience they shold be more sensible of the Folly of many of their Designs and Enterprises And if we did ask the greatest Warriour and Conquerour in the World he that had been the most Succesfull in his Aims to be Rich and Great and Honourable when he were departing hence what pleasure or profit he received thereby He would no doubt give us Solomon's Verdict All is vanity and vexation of Spirit the Prosecution of them produceth Vexation the Enjoyment proveth Vanity and the Reflection makes them tristes ineptiae soure and sad trifles and they carry little away with them besides the Memory of being so ill imployed What hast thou by thy happiest project gain'd But thou repent'st thy pains and wish obtain'd This Saladine that great Sultan of Egypt loudly proclaimed to the World when he discharged all Funerall Solemnities and ordered only a Black shirt in which when dead he was to be wrapt to be carried through the Camp on a Lance and one to cry before it This is all which Saladine the Emperour receives of his great Wealth and vast Empire Which Bocarius hath put into this disâ—…ich Vixi Divitijs regno tumidusque trophaeis Sed pannum heu nigrum nil nisi morte tuli With Riches Power and Trophees I did swell Now a Black-Shirt doth only with me dwell Death is a convincing proof of the Vanitie of all Worldly things it shews to how little purpose it is to Labour and contend so earnestly for them for when that hour comes they must be all thrown away the use of them ceaseth When a man dieth saith the Psalmist he shall carry nothing away his Glory shall not descend after him Psal 49 17 And though it should yet in the other World Men do not take place as in this according to their Birth Wealth and Grandeur 't is Vertue only and True Holiness which makes a Man's way there In the morning when they awake it is the Upright only which shall have dominion And therefore let Men reckon when they will he is the most Happy who hath enjoyed the greatest Quietness and Peace tho it should not be much attended with outward Pomp and Grandeur And who when he is to leave this World hath some good and well grounded Hopes of being admitted into that blessed State where he shall enjoy GOD and the Society of Angels and Immortal Felicities Now that we may be all thus Happy let us henceforth take off our Eyes from viewing the Vanities of this World let us beware of being deceived with its gaudy allurements But let us seek and endeavour seriously to lead a quiet and peaceable life in all Godliness and Honesty Let us as much as in us lyes follow Peace with all Men and prevent unnecessary and impertinent Strifes and Debates That enjoying an outward Peace with others we may be the more capable to maintain the inward Peace of our own Consciences and a true Peace with our GOD That when he hath served himself of us in this World he may thereafter receive us to the enjoyment of himself and of his endless Glory Seneca Thyest Act. 2. Stet quicunque volet potens Aulae culmine lubrico Me dulcis saturet quies Obscurâ—… positus loco Leni perfruar otio Nullis nota Quiritibus Aetas per tacitumfluat Sic cum tranâ—…ierint mei Nullo cum strepitu dies Plebeius moriar senex Illi mors gravis incubat Qui notus nimis omnibus Ignotus moritur sibi Let him that will ascend the tottering Seat Of Courtly Grandeur and become as great As are his mounting wishes as for me Let sweet repose and rest my portion be Give me some mean obscure recess a Sphere Out of the road of business or the fear Of falling lower where I sweetly may My self and dear Retirement still enjoy Let not my life or name be known unto The Grandees of the times tost to and fro By censures or applause but let my age Slide gently by not overthwart the stage Of publick action unheard unseen And unconcern'd as if I ne're had â—…een And thus while I shall pass my silent dayes In shady privacy free from the noise And busles of the World then shall
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
done to God when we regard Man more then him And do we not regard man more then God when we are more desirous of applause from Men then to find favour in the Eyes of GOD And when we withdraw our selves from the eyes of Men lest they should know our evil Actions but never value God's sight and knowledge thereof He who doth thus hath not taken the Lord to be his God he doth not own and acknowledge him he bows only to Men to his own Credit or Homour and hath set up these for his GOD. Wherefore who would not be guilty of such gross Idolatry as to worship the Creature more then the Creator and and who would testifie and make it appear that they indeed adore the true GOD let them not slight or despise the Divine Presence but let them alwayes eye and consider it and be carefull to carry themselves alwayes as before so Great and Glorious a Majesty And seing that God is every where and hath his eye alway upon us let us in private and in publick at home and abroad at all times and in all places walk wisely and circumspectly let us not be guilty of such incivility towards God as to do any unworthy thing before him but let us labour so to behave our selves that he may think us worthy of that testimony which he gave unto Iob whom he said was a perfect and upright man One that feared GOD and eschewed evil Iob 1. and 1 Of Observing GOD'S Wayes and Actions In the second place Walking with GOD implies a carefull observance of whatsoever he doth For it is usuall for such as are in company together to watch and take Notice of one anothers Words and Actions and if one be more eminent for Wisdom and Ver. tue or any other excellency then such a are with him are the more oblidg'd to eyes his Motions and and Behaviour Nothing which Excellent and Worthy Persons speake or doe should fall to the Ground un-observ'd and it doth speake out some contempt of one to think that what they do or say is not worth the noticing as therefore out of respect to Great and Eminent personages we ought seriously to consider them their Speeches Actions and to count them worthy our remembrance so much more should our eyes be fixed upon God and it is much more our dutie to consider him what he hath done and what he dayly doth in the World that the consideration thereof we may return Him due praise and glory For this end GOD endued us with Rational Spirits and with understanding Faculties that we might be capable of Contemplating himself and his workes And therefore when we turn away our eyes from such Contemplations or neglect them we do in so farr swerve from the Design of our Creation and do disappoint GOD of that Tribute of Praise which is due unto him yea in steed of honouring him we do actually dishonour him by slighting the Effects and Products of his infinite Wisdom Power and Goodness All GOD'S Actings are like himself and do shew forth his Admirable Perfections there is no part even of the Material world but is stamped with some impression of his Almighty power and unsearchable wisdom and Infinite goodness And therefore what the Psalmist sayes of the Heavens Psal. 19. 1. May be said of all GOD'S other works they all declare the glory of GOD i. e. As a Curious engine or Fine Piece of Work doth hold out the Skill and Cunning of him that made it so all the Works of GOD have in them what doth set forth and proclaime how wise how great and good he is And as the External and Material World doth contain Visible Characters of the Divine greatness and Perfections so GOD hath created Rational and Intellectual Beeings viz. Angels and Men capable to discern and read them that by so doing they may sound forth his Praise The Contemplation and Admiration of God's works and Wayes is our proper and should be our constant imployment And if it had not been for this there would not have been bestowed upon us such Powers and Capacities Wise and Understanding Persons will not Expend more upon any thing then it is worth they will not reare up stately fabricks meerly to lodge Swine nor will they buy fine Silk and Carpet to Wipe shoos and Dishes and neither would GOD have endued us with understanding Souls Immortal Spirits if we had been only destin'd to the Acts of a Brutish and Sensuall life for then what Iudas said impertinently when the Box of Oyntment was powred upon our LORD might have been here put as a very pertinent question What needed all this Cost For something less then Reason and Spirit a meer Animal Sagacity might have served and been sufficient for finding out and taking care of Bodily Pleasures and Accommodations GOD and his Works therefore are the only sutable object for our thoughts to be imployed about these indeed are answerable to the capacities of our Soul and as the considerations thereof tendeth to the Honour of GOD so it clevats our selves to a proper and becoming Dignity whereas the most of other things are so far below us and so much within our reach that it is a debasing of our Natures too much to mind or to be taken up with them However it is certain all the Saints and Servants of GOD have ever thought it their Duty and a proper and necessary Testification of their Respect unto GOD to be taken up with the Contemplation of his Works both of Creation and Providence and to set a part sometime dayly for this purpose We are told that it was Isaac's custome to go out to the Field and meditate about even-tide Gen. 24 63 and no doubt his Meditations were such as we are speaking of The Book of Iob shews how much that holy Man and his Friends were accustomed to the consideration of GOD ' S Works and Wayes for all their Discourse and Reasonings are taken thence Yea when GOD himself appeared unto Iob he calls him to a particular consideration of his great and wonderful Works and does therefore largely display them before him in the 38. and following Chapters Nay what are all the Psalms but as so many devout Meditations of GOD'S Works or Pious Hymns composed in memory of them The Works of the LORD saith the Psalmist are great and they are sought out of all them that have pleasure therein His Work is honourable and Glorious and he hath ordained his wonderfull Works to be remembred Psal. 111. 2. 3. And again he saith All thy works shall praise thee O Lord and thy Saints shall blesse thee That is as his works contain the matter of his Praise so the Saints shall publish and Declare it by admiring and magnifying of them they shall as he goeth on speake of the Glory of thy Kingdom and talk of thy power to make known to the Sons of Men his mighty Acts and the Glorious Majesty of his Kingdom Psal.
very proper and convenient to set apart one particular Room of our House for this end that we may perform our Devotions with the greater freedom and be less lyable to disturbance and those interruptions which persons usually meet with who want this conveniency But to leave the circumstance of the place and to come to the thing it self Prayer is a speciall part of Divine Worship enjoined by clear precepts recommeded by the example of all holy Men and so necessary that who prayeth not at all or but seldome cannot be said to Worship GOD whatever elâ—…e they doe For their other Acts cannot be properly referred to GOD if they be not accompanied with Prayers Our obligation to Prayer ariseth not from one but from all the Divine Attributes and by Prayer there is an acknowledgement of all of them He who prayeth declareth GOD'S Omnipresence His Omniscience His Omnipotence and All sufficiency and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him But who neglecteth Prayer doth not believe these Divine Perfections or doth not seriously consider them he maketh no actuall acknowledgment of them nay he lives in open defiance of them and arrogates to himself an independency and self-sufficiency which are GOD'S prerogative Again there can be no Intercourse with GOD but by the means of Prayer Without Prayer we can never arrive at he end of Religion viz. Union with GOD and participation of the Divine Nature He who is not exercised in Prayer hath his Heart alienat from GOD and is wholly indisposed for receiving the Spirit of GOD and the impression thereof without which there is no advancing towards perfection Prayer is by some compared to Breathing and not unfitly for what that is to the Body Prayer is to the Soul respiration is no more necessary to our NaturallLi'e then Prayer to the Spirituall Life for hereby it â—…s preserved as the stiffling our breath ends our Life so the ceasing to pray destroyes the life of God in the Soul The bâ—…dy which breaths not has no sense or feeling nor is it capable of motion even so the man who prayeth not is without all due sense of GOD neither maketh he any motion towards him Prayer is a sign of Spirituall Life and shews a desire and capacity to receive what is necessary to growth and perfection and as the want of such a desire and capacity obstructs the communication of GOD'S Spirit so where this is he will certainly manifest his Lâ—…ve and bestow his Grace To him who hath the desire and capacity shall be given He who asketh shall receive he who seeketh shall find and who knockâ—…th it shall be opened unto him Mat. 11. But to make Prayer acceptable to GOD and thus profitable to our selves it must be rightly performed and duely qualified true Prayer is alwayes acceptable as incense and never failes to bring down a Blessing but many deceive themselves with a meer shew they are contented that they seem to Pray but do not Pray really some Pray much but yet are never a whit nearer GOD nor move more forward in Holinesse which is both the undoubted Sign and the certain Effect of true Prayer We ought then not only to Pray but to pray aright else all the Labour we bestow this way is in vain Ye ask saith St. Iames and ye have not why because ye ask amiss Now that our Prayers may be proper Prayers and effectuall first We must take heed that they be the Work of the Spirit and not the Labour of the Lips For GOD is a Spirit and will be Worshipped in Spirit and Truth That is by free and proper Acts of the Mind and not by empty shews which have no Solidity or Reality in them If our Hearts be removed he cares not for our drawing near with our mouth or the honouring him with our Lips as we learn from Isa 29. 1â—… To prostrate our Bodies before GOD and to let our Minds â—…ove and wander is to offer a dead Sacrifice which is no Reasonable or acceptable Service to utter words which we do not understand or whose meaning we attend not to is not to pray but to prat it is to bable without sense to make a sound which signifies nothing and deserves no more to be regarded then the pronunciation of Puppets and Mechanicall Engines which is performed by Wheels and Springs without understanding Our Prayers are but bruitish gruâ—…tlings if they come not from the Heart and be not performed by the understanding Wherefore when we are to Pray we should first fix our Spirits and compose our Minds to a serious Attention and should endeavonr to wind up our Souls to that fervour and earnestness which is Sutable to the weight and importance of Prayers And to this purpose â—… will be necessary to bestow some time in Meditation and Reading of the Seriptures or some other devout book Having thus reduced our Minds to a due Attention and secured as much as possible against wandering thoughts in the next place we must consider the several parts of Prayers the Nature and Property of each and the Affections sutable thereto and frame our Prayers accordingly For they cannot be acceptable if lame and defective nor though they have all necessary parts if each part be not rightly Adjusted and Properly qualified To clear this better we will touch a little on them The first part of Prayer is Adoration and Invocation This we should alwayes begin with for as in our addresses to Kings and great Personages we use first to do them reverence and to testify their dignity before we present our requests So in our addresses to GOD we should first adore his Majesty and invocate his Audience Now the right way to do this is not to be accoast him with a heap of bigge tittles but to call to mind his incomprehensible Nature and Adorable perfections visible in his manifold Works And if our apprehensions of GOD be worthy of him we will be abashed at our selves as unfit for so great a presence and most unworthy to be regarded by one so highly exalted above all our thoughts To expresse which and to cherish it too 't is requisite to throw our selves in some humble posture Thus the Publican to signify his own vileness and GODS greatness he stood a far off and would not lift up his eyes as one ashamed of himself But lest the reflecting upon GODS Majesty and Greatness should take away the hopes of Acceptance and rather fill us with dread then confidence in him we must remember his Goodness his Love his Mercy and how that he is reconciled to us in his Son IESUS CHRIST Therefore our Saviour hath taught us to draw near to GOD as in a sense of his Ineffable Greatness whose throne is in the Heavens so under the notion of a Father who is alwayes ready and easie to be entreated When ye pray saith he say Our Father which art in Heaven c. Confession is another part of Prayer This