included in this reproof of the Samaritans and commendation of the Jewes Ye worship ye know not what we know what we worship To transgresse this rule and to take in any device of men in Gods worship doth in so farre make the true God an Idol as to imagine him to be such a one as will accept of such false worship 2. Christ as he took on the forme of a servant is content to rank himself with the true Church as a member to teach all to esteeme highly of such a society We saith he know what we worship 3. Not onely is worship devised by men not warrantable but it is not the way to heaven seeing there can be no salvation but in Gods institute way And the case of these who follow devised worship is so much the more dangerous if they want also the doctrine of salvation in matters of faith and manners Both these are included in this reason for salvation is of the Jewes that salvation was to be found in that Church their way of worship being appointed and approven of God and the saving doctrine and oracles of God concerning faith worship and manners being also committed to them and among them 4. It was the special priviledge of the Jewes and a testimony of Gods approving of them as his Church that the Saviour of sinners was to come of them and the doctrine of salvation pointing him out to sound from among them in all the earth so much also doth this reasoning import as hath beene explained Verse 23. But the hour cometh and now is when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth for the Father seeketh such to worship him 24. God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and in truth Christ returneth to enlarge and explain his first assertion and sheweth what is to come in place of the Jewish worship to be abolished to wit that the time was even at hand wherein not onely there should be no distinction of place or Nations in the matter of worship but in place of carnal and typical worship performed by the Jewes in one place all true worshippers in every place should worship in spirit and truth For which he giveth two reasons first that God requireth such worship secondly that this is most agreeable and pleasing to his spiritual nature As for these two properties of worship in spirit and truth they must be taken in opposition to the properties of the former worship and so they come to one in substance that in stead of external ceremonies which are called carnal Heb. 7.16 and 9.10 and shadowes Heb. 10.1 the Lord would have a spiritual worship and the truth of what was represented by these shadowes as Rom. 12.1 Heb. 13.15 16. And this agreeth well with the reasons subjoyned for however the Lord did require and was pleased with these external formes in the infancie of the Church yet he never did accept of them save in so farre as they led to this which is so agreeable to his nature and were not rested on by the worshipper But we may further extend these properties not onely to the matter of worship but to the manner of it also that the Lord who is a Spirit doth require that lawful worship should be performed in spirit as opposite to a formal way of worship and in truth as opposite to hypocrisie Not that God did approve of the want of these before but that by the removal of these external rites wherewith worshippers were much taken up and which the best saw not clearly enough through he was to discover this way more fully and make them more free to attend it and by pouring out of his spirit he was to work it more generally Doctr. 1. The correction and reformation of the worship of God was reserved for the dayes of the Gospel and to be brought about by Christ Therefore saith he the hour cometh and now is when this change shall be He saith Now is either because it was instantly approaching at his death or because he was even now beginning this reformation by his Ministry 2. They who professe themselves worshippers of the true God ought to performe it with humble and affectionate reverence and with subjection and submission to him considering his majesty and their owne vilenesse for so much doth the word rendered worshippers import being a similitude taken from dogs fawning and casting themselves down at their Masters feet 3. Albeit all who professe the true God and are not avowed Atheists will have some sort of worship yet all of them will not be found true and approven worshippers either for matter or manner Therefore are some called true worshippers by way of distinction from others 4. The true worship of God under the Gospel doth not consist in the external pomp of ceremonies and observations but is spiritual simple and substantial for they shall worship the Father in spirit and truth not in carnal shadowes which if being Gods own Ordinance yet did take up worshippers so through their own weaknesse as oft-times to keep them from minding this spiritual worship how much more may it be expected that the more external pomp there be of mens devising there will be the lesse spiritual truth 5. It is not sufficient to make an approven worshipper that they do not multiply rites and ceremonies but their worship must be chiefly inward flowing from grace engaging the heart in Gods service and from the breathing and influence of the spirit not resting on an external forme of lawful worship or any bodily exercise about it So much also are we taught from this that worship must be spirit or spiritual for the manner of performance as well as for its nature in it self 6. God requires also in a worshipper that with avoiding of formality which is but a deceitful hypocritical shew of worship he studies sincerity and streightnesse of heart not dealing negligently or for by-ends in Gods service for worship must be in truth 7 It is the Lords will and appointment alone that can give a being to true worship and to this must all our reasonings about this matter be subject And therefore his enjoyning of spiritual substantial and sincere worship should commend it to his people So much doth the subjoyning of this reason for the Father seeketh such to worship him teach 8. All the true worship that God gets is of his own seeking and procuring and having wrought it he takes pleasure in it So much also may his seeking such import that he sent Christ to make a conquest of spiritual worshippers and seeketh such as being these he delighteth in 9. God in his nature is a most pure and simple substance free of all mixture and composition and infinite in perfections and he is to be conceived of spiritually avoiding all carnal and grosse conceptions for so much are we taught God is a Spirit infinitely above Angels or spirits of men who yer
season They are subject as well as others to the common condition of mortality and oft times they spend themselves speedily with burning and shining to others yea and are hastened out of the world by persecution Beside the Lord by removing of them doth put an end to their toile and call them to enjoy the fruit of their labours doth chastise the ingratitude of the world and exercise his own in it and doth make way for setting forth the riches of his glory in raising up and creating new stars in their place for here it is said of John he was a burning and shining light but now is put out and gone 7. When Christs faithful servants are dead and gone yet their commendation liveth in his estimation Therefore doth he commend John when now he is gone by death or at least is in prison 8. A sound and powerful a cleare and lively Ministry may have strange effects even among unrenewed people The excellency of their doctrine when it shines among a people who have long lien under the darknesse of ignorance and superstitious traditions the countenance of Ministers from great men as John had from Herod the excellency of their gifts together with a common work of the spirit upon hearers may produce strange effects in them who have no true grace nor faith for saith he ye were willing to rejoyce in his light there was none but John in their account and they were much taken up with him 9. Mens affections may be much aloft and they may have great fits of joy and delight through the novelty and excellency of doctrine and through some apprehension of that at a distance which the Word speaks of who yet have no sound grace as never having been humbled for sinne nor laid hold on Christ on whom alone sound joy is founded Phil. 3.3 for these temporaries were willing to rejoyce or delighted to rejoyce See Matth. 13.20 21. Mark 6.20 Heb 6.4 5. 10. It is also an evidence of mens unsoundnesse when they are more taken with men and with their gifts as their own then they are affected with God as the Authour of these gifts or do finde his power accompanying the exercise of them in effects upon their hearts for they rejoyced in his light or in that light as his not seeing nor feeling God in it 11. Temporary motions wrought in men by a lively Ministry are not to be leaned to by themselves nor are Ministers to look much to the respect that comes from such for it will be but momentany Their unsoundnesse will not beare out and when Ministers meet with discountenance from great men and with the crosse and do touch their darling sinnes they will give over for they were willing to rejoyce but for a season or an hour and particularly they rejected him when Herod turned his enemy and when he did testifie concerning Christ whom they liked not 12. Mens temporary sits will be a witnesse against them after they have made apostacy and their respect to a Minister will witnesse against their not receiving his message for their former carriage is now a check to them for their Apostacy and they are declared to be perverse who when they could upon no pretence reprove John but must admire him yet they would not credit his Testimony of Christ Verse 36. But I have greater witnesse then that of John for the works which the Father hath given me to finish the same workes that I do bear witness of me that the Father hath sent me The second particular testimony produced by Christ whereby also the Father witnesseth concerning him is that of his works in doing miracles and the work of redemption which he declareth to be a greater witnesse then that of John and that they prove abundantly that he is sent of the Father as the Messiah and Saviour of the world Whence learn 1. Albeit our hearts be naturally jealous and suspitious of divine truth and of what Christ saith of himself yet he hath abundance of witnesses for curing of this disease and putting us beyond all cause of suspition for beside John he hath more and greater witnesses that in their mouths every word may be established 2 Corinth 13.1 2. Christ is willing and ready to give proof of his excellency not onely by his own or others words but by his working really to prove it to their sense and satisfaction for he hath a witnesse of his works 3. Christs workings are not dumb works but are speaking testimonies of his glorie and we never take them up rightly till we see that in them for his works do beare witnesse that the Father hath sent him as his own Sonne to be the saviour of the world and that he is not contrary to the Father in his working as they alleadged 4. Albeit the testimony of the meanest instrument concerning Christ being according to the Word is as true as any other witnesse yet if we respect degrees of convincing evidence the testimony of Christs own works is a clearer confirmation of his Godhead office and doctrine then the best of mens testimonies For not only is this testimony more intrinsccall then the commendation of another but his doing these things that were fore-prophesied of the Messiah is an undeniable proofe and therefore he remits John to it Matth. 11.3 4 5. and his doing of them in his own name proveth that he did them of himselfe from the Father Therefore saith he that his works are a greater witnesse then that of John proving that the Father hath sent him For he could not have done what he did not only by way of confirmation of the doctrine of the Scriptures which seducers by their miracles do not Deut. 13.5 but so agreeable to predictions of Scripture concerning the Messiah if he had not been God and sent of the Father and if he had called himself what he was not And albeit Prophets and Apostles wrought great miracles who were not the Messiah Yet this infringeth not the clearnesse of this Testimony for these miracles did only confirme their calling authority and doctrine and that they were what they called themselves which was not that they were the Messiah and so do Christs miracles confirme his doctrine and what he said of himselfe Next they were but instruments and that not of the miracle but of the Word and signe by which it was done and they expressely declared that it was not in their own name or power any such thing was done Act. 3.12 16 But Christ was principal agent and wrought them in his own name and in this respect he did the works which none other man did Joh. 15.24 5. All the works that Christ did were entrusted him from the Father not only to undertake but to finish and perfect them As God the Father did communicate his nature and operation with him and as Mediatour he had a commission by the common counsell of the blessed Trinity for they were the works which the Father gave
I go ye cannot come 4. Loftie pride in mocking at the Word and taunting the messengers thereof will not go away without exemplare punishment and such scoffers may meet with that plague in reality which they in reproach cast upon the servants of God for so befell these scoffers They tauntingly suppose Christ will kill himselfe but within few yeares in the siege of Jerusalem many of them were redacted to such despair in their extremities that they did indeed cut off themselves 5. It is a great delusion among men hindering the successe of threatnings and making them insolent and bitter when they are threatned that they entertain a great conceit of their own worth and will not be perswaded but it will be as well with them as any for this was the cause of all this peoples miscarriage They conceived Christ could go to no good place from whence they would be secluded and therefore they do so taunt him Verse 23. And he said unto them Ye are from beneath I am from above ye are of this world I am not of this world 24. I said therefore unto you that ye shall die in your sinnes For if ye beleeve not that I am he ye shall die in your sinnes Christ in his answer doth not meddle with their perverse humours but goeth on to confirme what he had said And 1. He pointeth out the reason and ground of his sad sentence to wit their original disposition which is corrupt and earthly and contrary to his ver 23. and this also is a cause of their ignorant mistake of their own danger 2. From this he inferreth that he had justly said they should die in their sinnes seeing they would not by faith embrace him who only could apply a remedy to their evils ver 24. Whence learn 1. It is not enough that wicked men be convinced of their evil deeds unlesse they also study their original condition and know that their evil practices do not flow only from a present tentation or from evil breeding and education but are the fruits of their natural corruption Therefore doth Christ point out this to these Jewes 2. Albeit man before the fall was raised up to enjoy a spiritual life and communion with God yet by the fall he is cast down and hath his original from beneath and favours only of the world and of things therein for so much doth he intimate to these Jewes Ye are from beneath ye are of this world 3. Albeit Christ did take on our nature yet he is altogether free of the sinne and corruption thereof being divine in his original and way of conception and in his condition holy and separate from sinners Therefore saith he I am from above I am not of this world Where he doth not deny the truth of his humane nature but disclaims all communion with sinne and the corruption of flesh and blood And albeit it be said of his Saints also that they are not of this world Joh. 15.19 and 17.16 Yet it is true of Christ in a singular manner for he is absolutely unspotted by nature they are so only by regeneration and in part and comparatively in respect of others 4. As the study of Christs divine original and condition is a glasse wherein men may study the vilenesse of their own condition so it is a sad evidence of separation from Christs company so long as mâ—n retain a total disconformity to him for these ends doth he point out these two in their contrariety ye are from beneath I from above See Rom. 8.29 5. Men continuing in their corrupt original without renovation from heaven cannot expect life eternal but will perish in their sinnes for he draws this from the former discourse by way of conclusion I said therefore unto you that ye shall die in your sinnes 6. Albeit death be the desert of all sinne and God do daily threaten sinners with it Yet all this admits of the exception of faith in Christ And as this only and nothing else can come betwixt the sinner and deserved wrath so even the grossest of sinners shall not perish if they turne and fly to Christ And when sinners do not this their unbeliefe renders their case desperate and incurable Therefore is this threatning propounded with this exception even to these malicious Jewes If ye beleeve not that I am he ye shall die in your sinnes 7. It is not sufficient for preventing the due desert of sinne that men do pretend to faith in the Messiah unlesse they do acknowledge and embrace him as he reveals and offers himselfe for this Christ requires as absolutely necessary that ye beleeve that I am he where he meeâ—s with their faire pretences of beleeving in the true Messiah and sheweth that unlesse they embraced him for the Messiah how contemptible soever he seemed to be all these pretences would not avail them Verse 25. Then said they unto him Who art thou And Jesus said unto them Even the same that I said unto you from the beginning The Jewes do captiously reply to his discourse enquiring who he was that had laid so absolute a necessity upon them to beleeve on him He answers that he was even the same he had declared to them since the beginning that he began to preach to wit the Sonne of God and Saviour of the world And by this he declares that their unbeliefe would be so much the more hainous as it could not slow from ignorance they being so often informed of the truth Doctrine 1. As it is the lot of Christ and his servants to have their doctrine and threatnings in the name of the Lord entertained with reproach so also will their persons be mistaken and set at naught for such was Christs lot they scofte at his doctrine ver 22. and now they do in contempt enquire who art thou their blinde eyes not discerning his glory through the vail of his humiliation And herein his people must resolve to share with him 1 Joh 3 1 2. As the truth of God is in all ages and tunes unchangably the same So it is the duty of the messengers thereof to be constant in preaching of it and not to change their note whatever contradiction and opposition they meet with Therefore doth he notwithstanding all their malice give this answer even the same that I said unto you from the beginning as not minding to change his note 3. Albeit men may hear much which they sleight and forget Yet the Lord will not forget to reckon with them according to what they have heard whatever use they have made of it Therefore he doth not expressely answer to their question but remits them to what he had said to let them see that all of it would be laid on their account to aggravate their obstinate unbeliefe Verse 26. I have many things to say and to judge of you but he that sent me is true And I spake unto the world those things which I have heard of him Christ meeting