be charged with Schism And these Rules observed would have prevented those Persecutions which have bin in the Christian World upon the account of Rites and Ceremonies or some little difference in Religion And this is all I shall speak about christian-Christian-Worship in the External part of it And therefore shall next speak of it in the Internal part of it Of which our Saviour speaks John 4. 23. The hour cometh and now is when the true Worshippers shall worship the Father in Spirit and in Truth But this is General but more Particularly he that worships as a Christian 1. He Worships in the Faith of the New Testament which is a Faith respecting Christ as already come and not as yet to come as the Faith of the Old Testament did And he worships in greater assurance of Faith also which the Apostle speaks of as proper to the New Testament Heb. 10. 22. Christ having now actually Suffered and the New Covenant sealed with his Blood and ascended Heaven to make Intercession as our great High-Priest The Faith of the New Testament hath more assurance in it wherein the Saints do worship and draw nigh to God. Let us draw nigh with full assurance of Faith c. Heb. 10. 22. Let us come boldly to the Throne of Grace Heb. 4. 16. Having therefore boldness to enter the Holiest Heb. 10. 19. 2. He Worships not in the Oldness of the Letter but in the Newness of the Spirit This oldness of the Letter referrs either to the Ceremonial or Moral Law. The true Christian worships not in the oldness of the first Covenant He worships not in the Ordinances of the Ceremonial Law but only in what was spiritually signified in them His Incense is fervent Prayer ascending to Heaven in the Fire of the Holy Ghost His Peace-offering is hearty Thanksgiving His Heave-offering is an Heart lifted up to Heaven His Wine-offering Joy in God His Sin-offering is Repentance Confession of Sin and a Broken Heart His Burnt-offering is his whole Body of Sin offered up to be destroyed He keeps the Feast of Tabernacles by living as a Stranger upon Earth and Travelling towards the Heavenly Countrey He keeps the Feast of Passover in his worshipping and living without the Leaven of Hypocrisie and Malice in his Heart all his Days His Washings and Purifyings are the Sanctifyings of his Heart and Conscience And his looking towards the Temple in Worship is his looking to Christ herein And this is one part of his worshipping God in Spirit and in Truth and not in the Letter of the Ceremonial Law. So also he Worships not God in the outward Letter of the Moral Law that is meerly by the force of an outward Letter without the inward Principle of a renewed mind when the outward Letter of the Law striking upon the natural Conscience carries a Man sorth to Worship without any love to the Duty any life or delight in it this is to worship in the oldness of the Letter Rom. 7. 6. The Letter is said to kill but the Spirit giveth life 2 Cor. 3. 6. So that all Worship in the outward Letter without the Spirit is dead Worship and not truly Christian 3. The true Christian Worship is not to Worship in a Spirit of Bondage but in a Spirit of Adoption As the Apostle speaks of Christian Believers Gal. 4. 6 7. that They were no more Servants but Sons so they serve not God in the Spirit of Servants but of Sons Not so much for fear of Wrath and Punishment as love to please God honour him and enjoy him which is the Principle that they act from Perfect love casts out fear for fear hath Torment 1 Joh. 4. 18. And God hath not given us the Spirit of fear but of power love and a sound mind 2 Tim. 1. 7. And to the same purpose Rom. 8. 15. Christianity brings not Men to Mount Sinai where are Thunders and Earthquakes Blackness and Darkness and Tempests which made not only the People but Moses himself to fear and quake And in this Principle of servile fear did the Jews for the most part serve and worship God which is not the proper principle of true Christian Worship Though this Worship excludes not all fear of God but requires it Let us have Grace to serve God with Reverence â—nd Godly Fear saith the Apostle Heb. 12. 28. A Reverential Fear of God atâ—ended with an holy Modesty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Caution as the Greek words import ought to be found in all Christian Worship He worships God as a Father and with a filial fear suited to that Relation but not with servile fear 4. The true Christian Worships God as a Redeemer in Christ and so it is distinguisht from the worship of the Heathen who worshipt him only as the Creator of the World. They worshipt and adored him beholding the Characters of his Power Wisdom and Goodness in the Works of his Creation but the Christian Worships and Adores him beholding his Love Mercy and Grace c. manifested in the Work of Redemption He worships God rather as he is in Christ than in the Creatures And the Heathen worshipping God in the Creatures did lead them at last to worship the Creatures themselves and so became Idolaters instead of true Worshippers yea the Apostle saith They worshipt and served the Creature more than the Creator Rom. 1. 25. They did not worship God in his Creatures but divided their worship betwixt God and his Creatures and the Creatures got the greater share of it But none of this is Christian worship The Apostle gives account how he Worshipt God 2 Cor. 1. 3. Blessed be God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ c. And Eph. 3. 14. I bow my Knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus And the Worship performed by the Elders and Angels and all Creatures that we read of Rev. 5. 13. is directed to him that Sits upon the Throne and the Lamb even that Lamb that hath Redeemed his People by his Blood. So that the Right Christian Worshipper looks at God as in Christ and as manifested in the Work of Redemption And so beholding him is inwardly acted and moved thereby to Adore and Worship him The true Principle of a Christian Lastly The true Christian Worshipper worships in Humility of Mind The Christian Religion so clearly shewing man above all Religions his lost and wretched State in his Fall and that he hath all his Righteousness Life Strength and Hope in another out of himself It teacheth him to worship in Humility As the twenty four Elders worship falling upon their Faces and casting down their Crowns before the Throne Rev. 4. 10. A Representation of right Gospel-worship which Christ therefore would have drest up in a decent plainness that it might be performed in Humility and not in Ostentation Thus we see what is the Internal part of Right Christian-Worship Not that it doth not require also the humble Gestures and Adorations of the outward
in those Duties of Religion both publick and private which are suitable to the Day and required in the moral part of the Fourth Commandment and we read that the keeping of the Lords-day was made the Character of a Christian in the primitive times Further He is an Encourager of good Ministers who labour in the Word and Doctrine receiveth them as the Embassadors of Christ submitteth to their instructions in the Lord and hath them in high esteem for their Works sake and thinks it his Duty to give his Carnal things to them from whom he receives his Spiritual things and grudgeth not an honourable Maintenance to such whose Work and Office are both honourable He shapes not his Religion to the times and alters it not as his Interest alters but denies himself therein that he may be a true follower of Christ and the Truth and for the maintenance of a good Conscience Again He is one who lives not in any scandalous Sin nor allows himself in any known Sin but because he cannot live without Sin he daily renews his Repentance towards God and Faith towards the Lord Jesus Christ to preserve his peace with God and his own Conscience as the Christian Religion doth direct whereby he doth carefully avoid the two fatal racks of presumption and despair Neither is he the more easily drawn to any Sin because he esteems it Venial or by hope of obtaining Pardon by the Absolution of a Priest or the Intercession of any Saint or the Expiation of it in Purgatory He fetcheth down his Mercies from God by constant Prayer and returns them back to God by hearty Thanksgiving as becomes a Christian The Incense he offers up is fervent Prayer and his Peace-offering is a thankful Heart and this he doth not only in company with others but in his private Devotion betwixt God and his own Soul. He loves honours and practiseth true Godliness never a whit the lesser because of thâ— weakness folly or sinful miscarriages of somâ— that make profession thereof much less wilâ— he take advantage thereby to reproach anâ— scoff at it But the excellency equity peace and comfort which are in the ways of Religion make him to cleave to it though he sees many false pretenders to it under several Professions as knowing there will be some Hypocrites under all Forms and he will not justifie such aâ— make no profession because many cast a reproach upon it by an irregular conversation Again What evil he sees or censures in another he will examine his own Heart and practice whether the same is not found in himself and will therefore endeavour first to cast the Beam out of his own Eye and not practise himself what he hath condemned in another lest he thereby be self-condemned He is one who placeth not his Religion in Forms and Ceremonies or bodily Worship though he is for comely Gravity and all outward Decency in Gods worship yet his main â—â—re is to serve God with a frame of Heart â—oper to Christianity viz. not from servile â—ar as the Jews under the Law or the conâ—aint of humane Laws as time-serving forâ—al Christians much less out of vain ostenâ—â—tion as the Scribes and Pharisees but with â—ve and delight filial reverence humility â—â—vency and sincerity as becomes a true Chriâ—an and will not cry up holiness in Places Alâ—rs and Vestures c. and yet despise it in â—ens Persons Neither doth he place his Religion in high â—raphical Notions affected Gestures canting â—ords doubtful opinions or in not conformâ—g with others out of meer singularity but â— sound Knowledge Faith Love Mercy Huâ—ility and all Holiness of Life He also is one who can take kindly a just Reâ—oof and prefer a faithful reprover before â— vain self-seeking flatterer being more deâ—ous to be humbling himself than to be selfâ—alted If he meets with Affliction he justifies God â—bmits himself patiently to his Soveraign â—ill and seeks to turn it to some advantage â— his Soul or if it be Persecution for Righâ—ousness sake he patiently commits his cause â— God will rather judge himself than revile â—e Adversary will use no unwarrantable â—eans to deliver himself will acknowledge â—e righteousness of God in all the unrighteâ—usness of Men Yea he doth love his Enemies blesseth those that curse him prayes them who despitefully use him is not ovâ—come of evil but overcomes evil with goâ— as becomes a Christian He is not offended at the Prosperity of wiâ—ed Men he knowing it hath been so in â— Ages and that they receive all their goâ— things in this Life and the time of Recompeâ— is not yet neither doth he stagger at the Aâ—versity of the Righteous as knowing it coâ— either for a tryal of Vertue or a chastisemâ— for their good that they may not be condeâ—ed with the World. He is one who is not Anxiously careful abâ— the things of this Life seeks not great thiâ— to himself yet is diligent in his place aâ— calling and commits his Affairs to the condâ— and blessing of God seeks to eat his oâ— Bread and is content with the portion Gâ— allotts him of the things of this World. Further He will not extenuate Sin aâ— Wickedness in some and aggravate it in otheâ— meerly to serve a design to gratifie a parâ— and promote some particular Interest â—â— disallows of evil impartially in all Again He considers not only what is Laâ—ful but what is Expedient and of good Râ—port before Men and is careful to give â— just occasion of offence to any and in â— things wherein he can without sin will stuâ—ously avoid it providing for things honest in tâ— sight of God and Men. Further He judgeth not of Right or Wrong â—od or evil by events or successes but by â—e light of true Reason and the Law of Equiâ— and the rule of Righteousness and yet he â— observant of the course of Providence aâ—ut all humane Affairs and gathers instructiâ— to himself thereby but he well considers â—hat the wise man said and observed in this â—se There is one event to the righteous and the â—icked He is one who is not forward to censure â—hers but still hopeth the best will not unâ—ertake to judge Mens hearts which are only â—nown to God and is more ready to Judge â—mself than he is his Brother and will take â—otice of the Good as well as of the Evil he â—nds in any Man according to the example of â—od himself He doth not Rejoice when his Brother is â—vertaken with a fault will not Glory over â—im but rather with a spirit of Meekness will â—ek to restore him considering himself lest â—e also be Tempted much less will he lay a â—tumbling-block before him to cause him â— fall Again He is not of a base selfish Temper â—eeking only his own things but is content to â—uffer in his private interest if the publick â—ood may be Advanced thereby and is glad â— God is Honoured and Chirists Kingdom â—dvanced though he be any way
the Peoples Wealth Liberty and Safety Yet his Courage is not fierce and boisterous as of some Brutes but is guided and animated by sober Counsel and sound Wisdom He is a Man of Justice who will not be corrupted by Bribes enticed by Flatteries or â—iassed by Friendship Opinion or a Party He regards not the Rich more than the Poor in pronouncing Sentence will deliver the Oppressed from unjust Violence and plead the Cause of the Fatherless and in all things proceed uniformly according to the Rules of Equity and right Reason without partiality or respect of Persons He knowing he is the Righteous Gods Vice-gerent or Minister dares not act unrighteously as Bracton speaking of the supream Magistrate while he doth Justice he is Vicarius Dei but when Unjustly Minister Diaboli Lib. 3. l. 9. He is a Man endued with Mercy and Clemency can have Compassion on the Oppressed and Afflicted will mitigate the rigour of the Laws where they may seem over-severe especially in matters of Religion and makes his Government an easie Yoke and not irksome and grievous to the People seeks rather to Rule in their Hearts by Love and Gentleness than over their Persons by Fear and Terrour is ambitious of a Chearful rather than a forced Obedience can sympathize with the People as a Father with his Children and the Cryes of the Oppressed enter into his Ears and their Petitions find easie access and speedy relief so that he obligeth them by his Goodness and provokes them not to Wrath by rigour and severity But yet he is careful to keep up the Authority of his Government thaâ— it fall not under Contempt He studies not Revenge but counts it his glory to pardon Offenders so far as may stand with publick safety shewing himself herein like unto God whose Name he bears and whose Minister he is who as the Psalmist saith is Slow to Anger and ready to forgive He is also a Man of a publick Spirit minds the general Good more than his own private Concerns and rejoyceth more in the Good and Welfare of the People than his own or rather wraps up his Own in Theirs And that he may act the more like God himself who doth good to all he is devising how he may make his Government most useful to the publick Benefit As the Emperor Adrian had this for his Motto Non Mihi sed Populo His Power was for the People not Himself He depends not upon Power and Success to justifie his Cause so as to leave himself no Witness from God good Men or his own Conscience if it doth miscarry but the righteousness of his Cause doth uphold him so that he doth not go on Trembling upon the prospect of the mutability of humane Affairs or any emergent Difficulties that may rise up in his way or from any inward regret of his own Mind or Conscience If he meet with Success and his Affairs Prosper at Home or Abroad it doth not transport him to transgress the Bounds of Justice â—he Law of God or the Rules of his Goâ—ernment or to invade any of those just Rights or Priviledges which belong to the People but is a Defender of Property against Foreign Claims or domestick Wrong or Violence Again If he be incompassed with visible Strength and all probable safety both at Home and Abroad yet he is not secure remembring the Old saying Summa cadunt subito nor puts his trust in any Arm of Flesh as knowing the uncertainty of all humane Affairs and the unexpected Changes that do often befall the things of this World. And therefore Conradus the Emperor chose for his Motto Fortuna dum blanditur fallit Fortune is False when she Flatters and Citò reposcit quae dedit was anothers Soon takes away what she gives Further He is true and faithful to his Word and Promises will not prostitute his Honour and his Conscience by Deceit or Dissimulation He well knowing that his Office and Place requires of him to be a Man of Truth and that not only the Law of God but the Light of Nature oblige him thereunto Many of the Heathen as appears in story valuing their Words equal with their Lives and as he expects Truth and Fealty from the People in performing their Oaths Promises and Ingagements unto him so he reciprocally answers it by performing his Trust or Ingagements unto them And as he entertains no principles to the contrary so neither is he led aside by any bad Examples as in the case of John Huss who was put to Death by the Emperour Sigismund at the Council of Constance tho' he engaged his Faith and Honour for his safety Cochlaeus lib. 5. Histor Hussitarum And as the Dignity of his Place Cloaths his Word with Power so he knows it will reflect the grearer Dishonour upon him if it be divested of Truth Again He is vigilant to discover Dangers at Home and to understand the state of affairs Abroad that he may either strengthen himself by Foreign Alliances or be prepared to resist Invasions or any Encroachments that may be designed upon the Nation and his Government Again He well knowing that People are apt to be led by the Example of their Governours he is therefore careful about his more Private and Personal conversation that it may be managed with that gravity wisdom sobriety piety and true manliness as becomes his Place and may procure an awful Respect to his Person and the more invite the People to give Obedience to the wholesome Laws of his Government according to the true Motto Bonus dux bonus comes A good Leader will have good Followers The love of Pleasure doth not effeminate his Mind nor divert his Thoughts from attending the weighty Affairs of his Government and the Interest of the People And if he be a King the weight of his Crown doth affect his Head with thoughts but the Lustre of it doth not blind his Eyes or bewitch his Heart He is one who will stop his Ears to Sycophants and Flatterers who for some private Advantage to themselves may Counsel him to that which may be really Mischievous to himself and injurious to the Publick good Again He carries it Humbly tho' he is in High Place his outward State and Grandeur lift not up his Heart with Pride he maintains them rather to keep up the Awe and Authority of Government than to exalt himself The distance of his Place doth not make Access to him uneasie through his condescention to the people Though he is called God yet he knows he must Die like a Man and that Death will fetch him down from those Steps again to which his place hath Advanced him He will make use of Policy but what only may consist with Justice and Honesty He will not in all things follow Machiavel or a Caesar Borgias lest he be condemned by Solon Lycurgus Solencus or any of those just Heathen Law-givers He always keeps within the bounds that Reason Conscience or the Law of his
flattering Encomiums and Deisying Venerations as when the People shouted to Herod's Oration It is the Voice of a God and not of a Man it proved in the issue no honour nor kindness to him Again He will not be found in any wicked Conspiracies against Lawful Governours and abhors those Principles which justifie the Lawfulness of Killing and Assassinating Princes upon the account of Religion or any account whatsoever but thinks himself obliged to detect and discover them when they come to his knowledge neither will he publish false News or invent or scatter Seditious Libels in design to exasperate the Minds of People and disturb the peace of the Nation Lastly A good Christian Subject judgeth himself Obliged continually to Pray to Almighty God for the Peace and Welfare of the place where he dwelleth and of the Civil Government under which he is protected that he may live a peaceable Life in all Godliness and Honesty and will take heed of that Sin and Wickedness which bring down the Judgments of God upon a Nation And to speak truly to be a right Subject requires a Man to be a true Christian As Constantine or rather Constantius is said once to make tryal of his Servants by such a Test saying Qui in Deum etiam in Imperatorem perfidi essent Sozomen Lib. 1. Cap. 6. They who are perfidious to God will not be true to their Prince Thus I have run briefly through many particulars and given the World a short Taste what Christianity is and if it run in the Truth and power of it through Men in all Degrees Ranks and Relations it will make us an happy People in this World and that which is to come The Nation I know hath been sadly divided and in this woful State that one part of the Nation hath thought it their Interest to destroy the other and the foolish Names whereby we have distinguisht Men proclaimed our Folly to the World and argued the displeasure of Heaven against us By many years Experience it is made evident That there will never be Peace and Settlement in the Nation if we do not somewhat Codnescend to one another and 'till there be some Settlement Trading will decay Industry will be discouraged we shall have Breaking upon Breaking and Men will not dare to trust one another and the Revenue of the King will suffer in the End. I find most Men satisfied in the Model and Frame of our English Government Dissenters and all for the most part and can swear Allegiance to it unless a few odd People who scruple all Oaths And I believe after this unhappy and threatning Storm of the Papists is now as we hope blown over and the Providence of God so eminently appeared in the sudden scattering of it mens Minds are much disposed to quiet and settlement especially since their Majesties acceptance of the Regal Power and the Concurrence of the Lords and Commons therein And is it not a brave sight to see all sorts of People to follow their several Vocations without Distraction and Trouble The Countrey-Farmer improving his Land and Stock and paying well his Landlord The Plowman following his Plough the Carter to go Whistling by his Horses side the Sheppherd with his Dog attending his Sheep the Shoomaker sitting at his Last the Taylor upon his Board the Weaver at his Loom the Smith at his Anvill the Trades-man busie in his Shop and the Merchant exporting and importing to the enriching of the Nation To see â—o leading into Captivity no complainâ—ng in our Streets but Mens Swords turned â—nto Plough-shares and Spears into Pruning-â—ooks to which I may add with the Psalâ—ist as the Conclusion of all Happy is that â—eople who are in such a Case yea happy is that â—eople whose God is the Lord. Psal 144. ult v. But if War should arise I hope it will not continue long and the Ancient Proverb made good Bellum in Angliâ non senescit And that â—â— will soon issue in an happy Peace And â—othing is likely more to shorten it than a â—rm Union amongst our selves England beâ—ng compared by the Historian to a great Aâ—imal that will not dye until it Kill it self Of Right Christian Worship I Call it Christian to distinguish it from Jewish Mahometan Pagan or any false Worship That Worship which Christ hath appointed for his Church under the New Testament â—his I call Christian which I touch'd upon before this Worship is either External or Inâ—ernal External consists in the Ordinances appointed by him wherein the outward man is concerned As all Nations have some outward Rites Modes and Forms which they use in their Worship besides the Worship of the inward Man. God appointed such for the Church of the Old Testament and Christ hath appointed some for the Church of the New But hath laid aside those many Figures and Shadows and significant Ceremonies which clouded the Old Testament-Worship intending a more spiritual Worship for his Church in its adulâ— State conversing more immediately with theâ— heavenly things themselves and so nearer resembling the Worship of Heaven And intending to give more of the help of his Spirit hath provided fewer sensible helps in his Worship And because he went out of the World before the Gospel Church and Worship werâ— fully establisht he sent forth his Spirit to direct his Apostles herein And we may observe 1. How they make no mention of the Blooâ— or Flesh of any Beasts or Fowls to be offereâ— in Sacrifice or of Flower Wine Oyl Incense c. as were used under the Law to be used in the New Testament-Church 2. Neither do they mention any Altar oâ— Earth Wood or Stone to which the Ministers of the New Testament are to approacâ— in the Service of God as the Priests were appointed under the Law. 3. Neither have they given notice of anâ— one general Place that is appointed for hiâ— People to assemble in as the Jews did at Jerusalem 4. Neither do they mention any particular Times or stated Days Months or Years to be observed for solemn Fasts or Festivals as God appointed under the Law Or any of the Jewish Sabbaths but only that of the Moral Law changed from the Seventh to the First day 5. Neither did the Apostles give Order about Consecrating of Temples and Worship therein whereby it might be the more acceptable to God for the Places sake as it was under the Law or prescribed the Forms or Dimensions of any such Temple or Temples as it was then 6. Neither have the Apostles mentioned any thing about Musicians and Choristers by Office or Singers or Players upon Instruments of Musick as the Law required 7. Neither have they left any thing upon Record about the Confining of the Instituted Worship of God to any particular Family Seed Countrey or Nation as it was under the Old Testament when the Ordinances of Gods Worship were the Inheritance of the House of Jacob Psal 47. 4. 8. Neither have they told us of any High-Priest or