THE LOYAL Non-Conformist OR THE Religious Subject Yielding to God his Due and to Caesar his Right BEING A Discourse from the Pulpit touching True GOSPEL WORSHIP AND Due SUBJECTION to MAGISTRATES Now PRINTED as it was Preached for the most part in the month of August 1662. By T. P. P. N. C. Mat. 22.21 Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's and unto God the things that are God's 1 Pet. 2.17 Fear God honour the King 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist Domiti ut pareant non ut serviant Lips London Printed in the Year 1664. READER THe Design of this Treatise is honest being the same which is held forth in the Frontispiece and the matter not only in offensive but very useful especially in these times there being nothing conteined in this little Manual which is liable to just exception or can distaste any Sober Religious Loyal unprejudic'd Person and the Contents hereof serving to set people right in their judgement and practice in point of duty toward God and Man that Piety and Loyalty may go hand in hand and that the mistakes about each which are the great matter of difference at this day may be corrected Some have no Religion at all toward God decrying Ordinances and despising all Worship Others are altogether for a Religion of their own moddelling or for a Worship framed by men and for human Institutions and devices for Canonical but not Spiritual Conformity and Obedience Some are of an Antimagistratical as well as Antiministerial spirit disowning and despising Magistracy and Majesty Dignities and Dominion doctrinally and practically denying to give to Caesar hi◠due to yield subjection to the higher Powers Others go about to advance man too high making th◠chief Magistrate Super-Supream◠setting him above God preferring the commands of Men and human◠constitutions before the Command of Christ and Divine Institutions Incidit in Scillam qui vult vitar◠Charybdim Now here is endeavoured to evince the necessity of Religious Worship and to shew what Worship is and how God is to be Worshipped as also to vindicate Magistracy and the Ruler's Authority pleading for subjection to the higher Powers and withal duly to bound this Subjection setting just limits to the Subjects obedience that it be with a tantum usque ad aras I might here take occasion to insert something in patrocinium shewing my self willing howsoever weak to be an Advocate for the Religious Subject who is conscientious in Worshipping God and in honouring and obeying the Powers Supream and Subordinate a little to plead the Cause of such against the Obloquies Criminations and Calumnies of Detractours and Calumniatours But if the substance of this small Book answer the scope and Title as I hope it doth the intelligent observant Reader will find that work to be done there But before I dismiss thee Reader let me advertise thee that what is written in the following sheets was Preached from the Pulpit in a Country Village and so fitted for and suited to the Capacities and Concernments of the hearers and what it was the same it is for matter and form as presented now to publick view in confidence that it may probably meet with many Readers whom it may alike fit and equally concern and with whom it may find no less acceptance though I doubt not but it will likewise meet with many Carping Momusses and Censuring Aristarchusses The Reader may be pleased further to take notice That the first part of the latter Text viz. the Proposition or Assertion of the Divine Right and Authority of Magistracy was opened and managed Pro Authoris Modulo on a day of Thanksgiving for the peaceable and happy Restauration of our Royal Soveraign CHARLES the II. to his Throne and Royal Dignity Not long after his before desired much longed for and then joyful congratulated Return the Non-conformist was and is Loyal could while he had liberty Preach for the Royal Interest and can and doth still pray for the higher Powers Reversus ad Dominum revertatur magis ac magis usque ad Dominum Well read the ensuing Treatise without prejudice peruse it with diligence be not uncharitable or malevolently censorious yield to Truth take direction from the Word and do thy Duty yielding to God his Right and to Caesar his Due and so enjoy the labour of the Author and the benefit of his Prayers and pray for him who desires to be found God's Friend the King's Friend and thy Friend and so Writes himself Theophilus Philanax Philadelphus DEVON Aug. 1664 VErus Dei cultus hisce conditionibus circumscribitur Ut colatur non creatura aliqua sed Deus non adulterimus sed verus non adjunctis aliis sed solus non quovis modo sed pro expressa ipsius voluntate unde Socrates dicebat unumquemque Deum sic colo oportere quomodo se ipse colendum esse praeceperit * Szegid in loc commun Tit de vero Dei cultu pag. 263. Delectatur Deus cultu mentis spiritus propterea quod spiritus est c. ac quoniam purissimus sanctissimusque est spiritus consequitur Deum delectari non simplicitur cultu mentis spiritus sed spiritus puri innocui sancti Cultus Dei spiritualis est opus mandatum a Deo factum ex fide * Idem vel in celebrationem Gloriae Dei Principaliter Ess Dei Sacrum in Verbo Dei expressum ad colendum Deum institutum quod a nobis in spiritu veritate praestatur True GOSPEL-WORSHIP From John 4.23 24. 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 God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth THere are two famous Histories in this Chapter The first gives us an account of our Saviour his Conference or Discourse with the woman of Samaria The second is a narration of the coming of Christ into Galilee and his miraculous healing of the Centurion's son My Text lieth in the first general part of the Chapter being part of the Conference betwixt Christ and the Samaritan woman indeed the very apex or utmost pitch of the discourse the head or top of the Hill to which I shall ascend by degrees making my entrance at the beginning of the Chapter beginning my journey at the foot of the Hill Well then as concerning the Conference notice may be taken 1. Of the Occasions of it 2. Of the Substance and several parts of it 3. Of the Consequents or what followed upon it I. Occasions of the conference Remote The Occasions of the Discourse were either more remote or nearer Of the remote Occasions I shall note but one which was Christ his removing from Judea v. 3. and that was occasioned a◠the first Verse doth intimate by his knowledge of the offence which the Pharisees took at the success of his Ministry whereupon he could
God amends for all and reconcile God by a little foolish formal Devotion by their ignorant ceremonious worshipping of him haply by repeating the Lords Prayer and the Creed and the Ten Commandments or saying over a few Prayers wherein there is vox praeterea nihil nothing done to purpose and some think that all Religions do well and that God may be pacified with any Worship but this Woman assoon as God had opened her eyes is of another judgment and teacheth us another lesson 2. This Woman being convinced of and touched in Conscience for her Adultery makes question of her Worship whether it were right or no begins to scruple about Idolatry and Superstition As she will no longer be an Adulteresse so she would not be an Idolatrous or Superstitious Worshipper therefore she desires to be well informed concerning the true Worship of God Note A sinner thorowly touched in Conscience for one sin and repenting of that doth not cleave to any sin but desires to turn from all sinto God and desires to know and to do the will of God in all things 3. See how this Woman expresseth her self about the matter of Worship wherein she seeks further resolution from Christ Our Fathers Worshipped in this Mountain and ye say that in Jerusalem is the place wherein men ought to Worship Though she is at some uncertainty in this point and makes it a question whether the Samaritan or Jewish Worship were the best yet she is iuclined to give her Vote for the Samaritan Religion pleading prescription of time and urging the authority of Fore-fathers Note This is that which people are very apt to lean upon as a prop of false Religion or Vain Ceremonious Superstitious Absurd Apish worship viz. The Authority and Example of Fore-fathers If this or that hath been practised in former times why should it be otherwise now there must be no change no by no means though the Word of God and state of the times do require an Alteration Our Fathers were Wise and Devout and Pious and they established this and that pleased them why should not we be pleased as well as they why should we make new Constitutions without doubt it is well enough as it is or else our Fathers would have reformed it Oh what a block is this in the way of Religion This is that which the Samaritans pleaded for their mungril Religion and very corrupt worship Our Fathers Worshipped in this Mountain Sed patrum mores longa tempora nihil probant in Religione and this is the plea of Papists for their Religion and this is the plea of Formal Ceremonious Superstition Worshippers Oh how are people in love with that Religion in which their Parents and Ancestors lived and died But now against this conceit it is good to consider Noli errantium majorum tuorum sequi vestigia Aug. 1. Who are the Fathers whose Example is pleaded as so fit yea almost necessary to be followed Surely wise and serious Christians or learned and godly Doctors * Sana ratio veritas exemplis patrum anteponenda idem will not look upon the Major part of those that lived in the age or ages before them as their fore-fathers by whose judgment and practice they must be bound up to follow their example Nec parentum nec seniorum error sequendus est sed autoritas Scripturarum Dei docentis imperium Hier. without looking into the law-lawfulnesse and expediency of things 2. If those Fathers whose Example is alleadged were of the better sort yet surely it is not so safe judging of these matters by Examples as by Laws Scripturae sacrae Angelis etiam nedum patribus praeponendae by the Law of God the Rule of his Word which should be clearer and better known to succeeding Generations of the Church than to former Ages The best men that have been or are are but men and may erre but now to make their Example a standing Law to the Church or to our selves is to lift them up above the ranck of men setting them in the place of God and surely God doth not like such gross Idolatry or Man-worship 3. Tempora distinguenda diversa agendi lex a Domino praescripta est serio cogitanda It is wisdom to discern the difference of times and the state of the Church and to enquire whether that which our Fathers did though well in foregoing ages be now lawful and commendable for us Now Statimab exordio Ecclesiae in caeremoniaruÌ„ congerie peccari caeptum est quia nimis valuit stulta judaismi imitatio in the case here before us which hath been the occasion and ground of this discourse that was lawful in former times which in after times was unlawful The Fathers before the Law might lawfully Worship in this Mountain which the Woman speaks of having no command concerning a Temple at Jerusalem and Levitical Ceremonies but the case was altered now when this Woman alleadged their example God had given a command concerning a certain place for his Solemn Worship and Service by Sacrifice and had tied all his people to that and in the New-Testament that command concerning Levitical Worship was abrogated Could this be good pleading of the example of the Fathers before the Law now when the Law was given or could it be congruous to alleadge the example of the Fathers under the Law now in the time of the Gospel Olim suffitus luminaâ—ia vestes sacrae similes ritus Deo placebant nunc a Christi adventu mutata est ratio nam quae tunc fuit piasacrorum observatio hodie sceleratum fit sacrilegium Szeg. when that Law was abrogated by Christ Besides as in this case that which was lawful in one age of the Church was unlawful in another So there may be some things in the aeconomy of the Church and the Worship of God more suitable at one time which in other after times may be altogether incongruous so that if we confound times we may be easily miscarried with a blind misguided dangerous zeal of imitating our Fore-fathers 4. It is good for us especially to heed not so much what any men before us have done as what God who is before all Veritati nulla praejudicat consuerudo nulla vetustas The Ancient of dayes in comparison of whom the greatest and most Ancient Father as one saith well hath not one gray hair of Antiquity to heed I say what God would have to be done To the Law and to the Testimony Our Fathers worshipped in this Mountain and ye say that in Jerusalem men ought to Worship This woman alleadgeth Custome and the example of Ancestors but she is put to a stand by the Jewes Allegation of Duty and surely the resolution is easie whether mens Example or God Command should carry it Who dare to deny this Consuetudo sine veritate vetustas erroris est Cyprian that we muâ—â— consider what ought to
be donâ— according to the revealed Worâ— of God rather than what hath been or is done according to the opinions and humours of men Now we are to see how Christ gives satisfaction to this Woman after that he had provoked he thirst after him and his Grace 1. He resolves her touching the true worship 2. He makes himself known to her that he is the Christ that gift of God and that living Water The latter of these lies beyonâ— my Text and so is not within the Verge of my discourse I am but leading you to the Text upon which I shall fasten Well then as to his resolution concerning the true worship It is an answer to the question propounded vers 20. Whether the Samaritan or Jewish worship was the true worship Now the Answer is not direct as to a decision of the controversie betwixt the Jews and Samaritans which of these two Religions or Worships was the best But the Answer is in effect to this purpose That she needed not so much to trouble her self about this seeing the best of the two was not to continue long as the other ought not to have been at all for Christ sought not to bring her over from the Samaritan Religion to the Jewish but rather to make a Christian of her Jesus said unto her Vers 27 Woman believe me the hour cometh when ye shall neither in this Mountain nor at Jerusalem worship the Father Woman believe me Thou acknowledgest me to be a Prophet and if I be a Prophet I am to be believed as being guided by an infallible Spirit therefore believe what I say I tell thee The hour cometh c. Here may be three Questions Questions fit to be answered by the way Quest 1 Quest 1. Did the Samaritans Worship the Father Christ his words seem to imply that they did Answ Answ They pretended to worship the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob this was the Father but indeed they did not worship him therefore Christ in the next verse plainly revokes what he seemed in this verse to grant there he saith Ye worship ye know not what when I come to those words I shall shew you what the Samaritan Worship and Religion was Quest 2 Quest. 2. Why doth Christ say Ye shall worship the Father rather than thus Ye shall worship God Answ Answ Calvin thinks that Christ here calls God Father Videtur eum oblique opponeâ—e patribus c. Calv. in loc in opposition to the fathers which the woman spake of Jacob and his twelve sons the Patriarchs according to whose example the Samaritans worshipped in this mountain pretending to them as their fathers though indeed those Patriarchs were not their fathers for the Samaritans were people of other Nations of the Heathens whom the King of Assyria placed in the Cities of Samaria in stead of the people of Israel who were carried away Captives into Assyria 2 King 17.24 Christ tells this woman that whereas now the Samaritans pretended to worship God in this mountain for which they had no warrant but the example of pretended fathers and the Jews did indeed worship God in the Temple at Jerusalem as God had given command the time was coming when they and the Jews should have one common Father Ac si diceret Deum communem sore patrem omnibus Ibid. even God the Gentiles also being taken into Covenant so that God should hereafter be worshipped without difference or distinction of places or people according to that prophesie Mal. 1.11 But there may be a further Answer given to the question Why Christ saith Ye shall worship the Father rather than ye shall worship God This may be to shew how God is to be worshipped God worshipped as in relation under what notion or consideration viz. not as absolute but as in relation 1. Considered as in the relation of the persons in the Divine Essence between themselves A Divine person is Modus Divinae Essentiae the Divine Essence modified The three persons in the Divine Essence are the Divine Essence considered three manner of ways 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 distinguished from the Essence not by a real distinction as if the Essence were one thing and the Person another but as the manner of the thing We are to observe the order of the subsistence of these Divine Persons In order of subsisting the Father is before the Son and the Son before the Holy Ghost but we must know that they are equal in regard of Time Majesty Glory and Essence The Father is the first person existing from himself not from any other in respect both of Essence and Person Joh. 1.14 The Son is the second person who in the consideration of his person doth exist from the Father by eternal generation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but as to his absolute Essence is of and from himself The Holy Ghost or the Spirit is the third person in respect of his person proceeding and flowing from the Father and the Son but in respect of Essence Joh. 15.26 being God of himself with the Father and the Son And we must know that * Deus sunt inconfuse trinus in unitate indivise unus in trinitate 1 Jo. 57. the Trinity of persons doth not take away or destroy the Unity of the Divine Essence as the Unity of Essence denies not the Trinity of persons these three are one Now this God is to be worshipped as in such a relation of Father Son and Spirit 1 As Father Son and Spirit as considered in such a modification of the Divine Essence we must worship the Trinity in Unity and Unity in Trinity otherwise we worship not God aright nor worship the true God As God the Father God the Son and God the Holy Ghost are the object of Divine Faith so they are the object of Divine Worship Prayer is to be directed to God the Father Son and holy Ghost but we must not pray to either of the persons but as united to the other The Apostle tells the Ephesians Ephes 2.12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they were without God in the world they were Atheists in the world and how doth he make this good that they were Atheists why thus they were without Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without the knowledge of Christ Though a man acknowledgeth That there is a God and but one true God yet if he knoweth not this God in Christ he is without God in the world he is an Atheist and an Atheist cannot worship God Now here in the Text when the Father is named the other two persons are included We are to call upon God the Father in the name of his Son by the help of his Spirit So that Turks and Jews who acknowledge not Christ worship not God nor many of our common people who understand little or nothing of the Doctrine of the Trinity 2. God the Father is to be worshipped as in relation to Us
and occasions and appearances of that sin are likewise forbidden Mat. 5.21 22 27 28. Thus our Saviour interprets Commandments So that I say the second Commandment forbids not only the making and worshipping of Images the grossest Idolatry but also all Superstitious devices of men in the worship of God And doth not God charge his people not to turn aside from his Commandments Deut. 5.32 either to the right hand or to the left When men out of prophaness or Atheism worship not God at all this is to turn aside to the left hand and for men under pretence of Religious zeal and good intentions to set up in the worship of God that which he hath not commanded this is to turn aside to the right hand and this is forbidden When we have not the light of God's Word to direct us in our worship we offer to him a Sacrifice without eyes Now let us see what the Scripture speaks of such devised Will-worship that we may see how God likes it and what good it is like to do us See our Saviour his censure of such worship Mat. 159 Isa 29.13 quoting the Prophet Isaiah Deo non probantur quaecunque extra verbum de consilio hominum in sacris constituuntur Chemn in locum In vain do they worship me teaching for Doctrines the commandments of men and surely this is the worst of all vanities when our Religion and Worship shall procure a vain thing Yea such Will-worship of humane invention is so far from being profitable to us or pleasing to God that God accounts it done to Devils not to him This is no rash assertion of mine or gratis dictum Ye may read it in Scripture Levit. 17.7 Deut. 32.17 They shall bring their Sacrifices to the Lord to the door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation they shall do herein according to my appointment and shall no more offer their Sacrifices unto Devils And in the latter of those Texts viz. in Deut. 32. forasmuch as they worshipped Idols they are charged with sacrifising unto Devils 2 Chron. 11.15 Rev. 9.20 And Jeroboam his Idols are called Devils and so are Antichrist his Idols This is God his estimation and censure of Idolatrous worship and all devised fictitious worship wch is not according to God's own appointment wherein men worship an Idol of their own brain whatever they intend or pretend not God but the Devil is served by such forbidden uninstituted worship Jeroboam did not plainly renounce the true God but pretended and intended still the worship of God when upon a politick account he set up the Calves in Bethel and Dan nor did the people that went up thither intend the worship of Devils yet God in his Word tells us that Jeroboam set up this worship to Devils O how cautelous should men be and fearful lest they worship Devils instead of God how careful to keep close to God his Institutions Now you have seen that our Saviour his answer here to the Samaritan woman teacheth us how vain idle and how distastful to God that worship is which is devised and oppointed by men contrary to the Word or without Scripture warrant Well then it follows hence 1. That the worship of Turks and Jews is an idle Idol-worship because they worship God out of Christ conceiving far amiss of that God whom they pretend to worship and making an Idol of him there being no such God made known in the Word to be the Object of worship 2. That the worship * In scripturis Idololatrae vocantur qui Divinum cultum Idolo sive proprie dicto sive figurate tribuunt Rainoldus Quis tam amens ut Dei formam imaginem statua referri perhibeat Euseb Quam imaginem ponetis ei qui spiritus est c. Hier. in Esai cap. 40. of Papists is an idle Idol-worship for they conceive amiss of God and of his worship as if his presence were tied in a special manner to Images or as if he were to be worshipped in Images or could be represented by Images there is no such God They conceive amiss of Christ as if he could be held in the hands of the Priest after the consecration of the bread or host as they call it there is no such Christ so that they worship a God and a Christ of their own devising and they have monstrously corrupted the whole worship of God by a multitude of inventions and superstitions and devised rites of their own they have many new forms of worship which God hath not commanded they have introduced a multitude of Ceremonies which they make the worship of God in which their Religion mainely consisteth They worship they know not what 3. The worship of a number oâ— Protestants is an idle Idol-worship Oh how many are they whose worship justly falleth under thiâ— censure As 1. They that have no understanding of the Doctrine of thâ— Trinity no knowledge of the personal relations of Father Son anâ— Spirit to be considered in thâ— Godhead and yet pretend tâ— worship God These worship theâ— know not what 2. They that worship God oâ— therwise than he hath appointed and in such ways and by such means of worship as he doth not approve of that follow their own fancies or other mens inventions with a neglect of or in opposition to Gods prescriptions These do in the point of worship they know not what and that of which they can give no account to God 3. They that seek not to be resolved in their own Judgement and Conscience that what they do in the business of Religion suits with the mind of God and so is his Worship but cast themselves upon the streams to be carried which way that runs 4. They that have no other apprehensions about Religion or the Worship of God but the Laws of the Land or the Constitutions of the Church in which they live that trouble not themselves to enquire whether it be right or wrong whether it be acceptable to God and consonant to his Word but this is commanded by Superiors and this they do and therefore they do it and will do it as if Superiours were infallible and could not possibly command that which ought not to be done Thus Seneca the heathen said of himself Non tanquam Diis gratum led legibus jussum That he observed the worship of their Gods not as acceptable to the gods whom he thus worshipped but as commandeâ— by the Laws But Christianâ— should know and do better and the Word of God teacheth otherwise viz. to look to God's Lawâ— and attend to his mind and seeâ— to please him in our worship Vse 2 Let us therefore look to this that our worship be rational and rightly founded viz. upon the Word of God Men are very prone to invent worship have naturally a delight to make a worship of their own and man is naturally apt to regard and adherâ— to humane inventions rather than Divine prescriptions The
several ages of the Church have given sad experience of this we have therefore need to look to our selves and from what hath been already said and made good from Scripture we may judge how careful people should be to see that they go upon right grounds in the worship of God Do we not in worship seek God if we do not then there is no reason in our worship we are no better than bruits Well if we would find God or have any benefit by our worship we must be able to say We worship that we know We must have the knowledge of God and a knowledge of his Will must understand how he is to be worshipped must therefore look into his Word must see what he hath appointed there and must take directions from thence I have been long enough in the Context therefore I will stay no longer from the Text An approach to the Text. wherein we have the very pith and highest pitch of our Saviour his discourse with the Samaritan woman The immediate connection of the words But before I fasten upon the Text it will be convenient to shew you the more immediate Connection of the words The Dialogue or Colloqui between Christ and this woman is from the nineteenth verse plainly about the Worship of God concerning which the Woman puts forth a Question to Christ and desires to be resolved by him in the twentieth verse Our Fathers worshipped in this Mountain and ye say that in Jerusalem men ought to worship Whether are we or you in the right Our Saviour's first Answer was as I have already hinted to this effect That she needed not to be be solicitous about this because neither of these two worships was long to continue Believe me woman The hour cometh when ye shall neither in this Mountain nor in Jerusalem worship the Father Here he teacheth her that there shall be an abrogation of Moses his Ceremonies and of the whole Levitical Service for under the name or title of the place of worship Jerusalem he comprehends the whole Jewish worship which for the most part of the Ceremonies was by God's appointment to be performed there and not elsewhere Well but though neither of these worships must long continue yet for the present one is right or one is better than the other Which is that Not yours saith Christ but ours Yours is stark naught for ye worship ye know not what your worship hath no word of God instituting or warranting it but we worship that we know our worship is grounded upon the Word of God Rom. 3.2 For Salvation is of the Jews i. e. to them are committed the Oracles of God The saving Doctrine of the Covenant of Grace is among the Jewes Diod. in loc with them is that word wherein they have a saving manifestation of God in Christ though not yet so clear as shall be and a discovery of the right way of worshipping God unto Salvation and surely this is the right worship which is taught and warranted by the Word of God Object But if the Jewish worship be grounded upon the Word of God how shall it be abolished Sol. To this Christ answers that God had prescribed and appointed that way of Mosaical worship not for perpetuity but only to continue till the fulness of time should come Gal. 4.1 2 3 4. Heb. 9.10 till the time of Reformation i. e. till the time of the New-Testament when all that was signified by those Ceremonies and outward Services being fulfilled in Christ that temporary Ceremonious worship shall be changed into a spiritual and more excellent worship which shall neven be abrogated And Christ tells the Woman that now the term of that Levetical worship is expired the Messiah being come to put an end to it Here is the summe of Christ his Answer There is a double Word of God respecting his worship One Word concerning the Levitical worship delivered by Moses which was to be in force till the coming of the Messiah that word belongs not to the New-Testament worshippers There is another word concerning the Spiritual Worship of God that is perpetual which word also the Patriarchs before the Law and the godly under the Law did observe though both before and under the Law it was hooded and cloathed as it were with certain Ceremonies appointed by God but now in the New-Testament this is the voice and plain open expression of the Gospel-word The true Worshippers shall worship the Father in Spirit and in Truth This is the Connection of the words which I have made out as plainly and as briefly as I might The Text is an assertion of the true nature and state of right Gospel-worship Text devided with a double reason to confirm it Gospel-worship is asserted to be a worship in Spirit and in Truth Now of this there are two Demonstrations 1. The first Demonstration is drawn from the Will of God The Father requireth such to worship him God stands upon it to have such Worshippers and this is the worship which he commandeth which will please him 2. The second Demonstration is taken from the Nature of God he is a Spirit a pure spiritual Essence therefore the worship done to him must be Spiritual answerable to his Nature The true Nature and state of Gospel-worship is asserted in the former part of the Text The true Worshippers shall now worship in Spirit and in Truth I shall a little open these words and then conclude something from them opened The hour cometh i. e. the time is at hand Here he teacheth that the Mosaical Ordinances were not perpetual but imposed onely for a time and that they were at this time even out of date Yea the hour now is viz. in part Christ being come hath already obscured the grace of the legal-worship and Now is the time of reformation Now the time is come that the true worshippers shall worship after another manner The Temple and Priest-hood and ritual worship which hitherto have been used with approbation must henceforth be laid aside and now the Father must be worshipped in Spirit and in Truth To let pass these various acceptions of the terms Spirit and Truth I shall onely shew you what is the import of these tearms here what it is to worship in Spirit and in Truth That we may understand this we must note the Antithesis here intended by our Saviour he opposeth Gospel-worship to both the former worships spoken of in the Context that of the Samaritans and that of the Jews the Samaritan worship was hypocritical and counterfeit not that which God had appointed for the internals or externals of it it was heartless devotion and uninstituted worship and the Jewish worship as to the external part of it as instituted by God stood in Meats and Drinks and divers Washings and Carnal Rites and Ordinances so called by the Apostles Heb. 9.10 and the institution of that worship is said to be The Law
into such conserence with her Well Nearer The nearer occasions were 1. Christ his coming to Jacob's Well and sitting there 2. The Womans coming to draw water 3. Christ his asking of water together with her untoward Answer and refusal to give it These I shall pass by II. The Conference it self Now as to the Discourse or Conference it self herein we may observe 1. How Christ labours to set this Woman on thirsting after himself and his Grace 2. How successful his endeavours are 3. How having provoked her thirst he satisfies it First First He sets her on thirsting by shewing her 1. Excellency of Christ his Grace The Excellency of Christ and his Grace 2. The facility of obtaining it 3. The need that she had of it First Set forth by The Excellency of Christ and his Grace is set forth By the names that are given to it and by the effects of it 1. 1. Its Names By the names that are given to it it is tearmed The gift of God and That living Water Christ with his Merit for Justification and his Spirit for Sanctification are thus called by our Saviour The Gift of God and that living Water I shall note something very briefly from each of these Titles Note 1 Christ is the principal-Gift of God the Father he is that Gift the Gift of Gifts an incomparable Gift and there are wonderful rich Treasures of Grace laid up in Christ and offered with him What childish folly is it then that when God holds forth in his Right Hand the Richest Jewel Christ and in his left Hand an Apple or Nut the Belly-blessings of this life we should chuse the Apple before the Jewel these Earthly things before Christ O that we may rather be like unto Paul than like the Gadarens let us account all things as loss for Christ that we may winne him and let such as have laid hold on Christ hold him fast and let go all rather than let go this Gift of God Alas poor creatures do not understand what that Gift of God is and therefore they do not desire it and seek it nor accept of it when it is offered Note 2 Christ his Grace his Merit Spirit are fitly compared to living water or spring water in respect of necessariness and motion and vertue and perpetuity But I shall hasten toward the Text. 2. 2 It 's Effects The Excellency of this living Water Christ and his Grace is set forth by the effect of it one effect there is of the apprehension and knowledge of it another effect of the enjoyment of it 1. The effect of the knowledge of this Gift is this that it excites desire vers 10. If thou knewest thou would'st have asked Note He that knows Christ truly will desire him and long after him and no man can truly desire him till he hath some knowledge of him till the eyes of his understanding be opened to see the worth of Christ and the preciousness of his Grace The want of affection in the soul towards Christ is from the blindness of the mind 2. There is a notable effect of Christ and his Grace enjoyed which is this Note That this gift being received so enricheth the Soul that it is sweetly contented with it This water being drunk satisfieth the Soul so that it thirsteth no more Now the Soul's fulness and satisfaction by drinking this living Water is not opposed to a thirst of desire with respect to the same for they who have drank of this Water who have tasted the sweetness of Christ do thirst more after him desire to have more of Christ but it is opposed to a thirst of total indigence to the drought of the Soul The Soul shall never more be wholly without moisture there shall never be an utter failing of the energy and comfort of Grace received but it shall be in him a Well or Fountaine of water springing up to Eternal Life Christ will never leave him the life of Grace shall never fail but the spiritual life begun here shall be perfected in Glory The ascent of water is answerable to it's descent so that in the passage thorow Conduit-pipes or any ways of conveyance it will rise as high as the Spring-head This water which we are speaking of as it comes from Heaven so it riseth again to Heaven Now the perfection that is in Christ his water the excellency of this living water in point of satisfactoriness is illustrated by the defectiveness of the water in Jacob's Well the unsatisfactoriness of all things besides Christ and without him Whosoever drinks of this water shall third again Note The Soul cannot have full or true content in any eartuly thing Austine expresseth this hand somely by way of speech to God Domine fecisti nos propter te c. Thou Lord hast made us for thy self therefore our heart finds no rest till it rest in thy self Nothing can fill the heart but the fulness that is in Christ Vse 1. Now this may serve for a check to ambition and covetousness to the worlding his itch and thirst Isa 55.2 Wherefore do ye spend your money for that which is not bread and your labour for that which satisfieth not Quo plus sunt petae plus sitiuntur aquae He that drinketh of the waters of pleasure or profit or preferment thirsteth more afterward than he did before Wherefore should we so eagerly pursue these earthly things from which we can have no satisfaction 2. Looking to the former note whereof this latter is an illustration we may see matter of great comfort to Believers and Saints who have received Christ by Faith and have true Grace in their hearts they have that which is satisfactory and that which will stay with them to minister comfort and delight to them for ever They can never fall away wholly and return to their former estate to be without Christ to be destitute of Grace and Spiritual life but the Fountaine is still theirs and that which flows from the Fountain to them into them doth prove a Fountain in them and we know that a Fountain cannot be exhausted or dried up However the great water brooks of hypocrites fail in Summer's drought yet the little Fountain water of God his Children holds out and though true Christians may have their thirstings and may be as the parched ground as David complains Psal 32.4 that his moisture was turned into the drought of Summer yet the godly shall not thirst so but that this living water Christ and his Grace shall be a Fountain springing up and yielding water to releive their thirst so that it shall not be a killing thirst Excellently saith Chrys-stome Sicut is non potest sirire c. As he cannot thirst who hath a Fountain springing in the very bowels of him so they who have Christ dwelling in their hearts by Faith and by his Spirit for asmuch as they have a Fountain of living
water in themselves shall not thirst for ever Thus you have seen how Christ in the first place seeks to stir up this Womans thirst after Grace by shewing her it's excellency which is discovered by the names and effects of it Secondly Christ provokes her thirst by shewing her the easiness of obtaining Grace if she have a desire to it vers 10. as in the beginning of the verse he told her That if she had known she would have asked so in the end of the verse he tells her That if she had asked God would have given her this living water she may have it for the asking and here is intimated that she must ask it if she would have it Note If we open our mouth wide Ps 81.10 Isa 443. God will fill it God will pour water upon him that is thirsty yea the thirsty lands shall become springs of water If we open our hearts God will open his hands but we must ask that we may have must thirst that we may be watered and when God intends to bestow his Grace upon us he stirs up in us desires of Grace and he will answer those desires which are excited by him Thirdly Christ takes another course to provoke this womans thirst after his grace and that is by convincing her of the need she hath of it awakening her to a sense of her present condition as being a filthy Harlot living in uncleanness Call thy husband saith our Saviour I have no husband saith she Thou sayst truly saith Christ For thou hast had five husbands and he whom thou now hast i. e. with whom thou accompaniest as if he were thy husband is not indeed thy husband This woman as 't is like had lived long in this filthy course keeping her filthiness close from men and without any smitings of her conscience for it but now Christ comes home unto her charging her with uncleanness Note Sinners may for a while enjoy a false peace in sin but Conscience shall at length be awakened and God will set their sins in order before them either here or hereafter Therefore let us not bless or flatter our selves in the secrecy of our sins for though with this woman we may hide our sinnes from man yet Christ takes notice of them and will at one time or other charge them upon us Thus we have seen what course Christ takes to provoke this womans thirst which is 1. By shewing her the worth and excellency of his grace 2. By intimating to her the easiness of obtaining it 3. By convincing her of the need she had of it Secondly Secondly We are to look upon the success of Christ his endeavours they have that effect which Christ aimed at c. her thirsting after that living water This thirst of hers discovers its self in her next speech to Christ Ver. 19 20. Sir I perceive that thou art a Prophet c. where we have 1. Her acknowledgement of Christ as a Prophet and of all that he had said as true 2. Her desire to be resolved in a great point or case of conscience about the Worship of God She would be informed where God was to be worshipped with Sacrifice-worship which was the then solemn publick profession of Religion and whether as to this matter the Jews or the Samaritans were in the right She would know which was the place where God was thus to be worshipped whether in Mount Gerizim where the Samaritans Temple stood or in Mount Sion where the Jewish Temple was built Yea and by our Saviour his full answer there seems to be more in her Question than is expressed and that she was desirous to be informed not onely which was the right place for solemn worship but also which was the best Worship and Religion that of the Samaritans or that of the Jews Sir thou art a Prophet that knowest the mind of God thou canst shew me both where and how God is to be worshipped I desire now to learn of thee where and how I may seek that living water which thou hast spoken of and may have it to be in me a Well of water springing up unto eternal life There might be divers Observations from this passage in Ver. 19 20. I shall touch upon a few things First something from the success of this last course which our Saviour took with this woman for her conversion after other methods used he works upon her by convincing her of her sin Doctr. A thorow conviction of sin is the way to the conversion of a sinner so that it is a mistake at least and no small mistake of those who would have Gospel onely preached to bring sinners to Christ As long as Christ preached pure Gospel to this woman she did but scorn him and scoff at him but when he doth oleum aceto miscere mingle his Oylwith Vinegar Calv. in locum shewing to her her filthiness now she is changed now she is sick and seeks to the Physitian whom before she despised and flouted now she thirsteth after that living water which before she regarded not Well this womans Question which did argue her to be touched in conscience and awakened is about the true worship of God Quest Quest But what is the meaning of the Question or what moved her to the putting it forth Answ 1 Answ It seems that she being convinced of sin and touched in conscience for it begins to be sollicitous about reconciliation to God whom she had so highly offended and now would fain know in what Religion in what way of worship by what means she should seek peace with God Therefore acknowledging Christ to be more than an ordinary man she puts this question to him Forasmuch as I perceive thee to have the Spirit of God and that thou art a Prophet whose Office it is to shew unto men the mind of God I pray thee to resolve me in the main thing that is controverted betwixt us and the Jews Our father 's worshipped in this mountain here they sought God in that same way of worship which is now in use with us The Jews say That if any man will seek the face of God to have him propitious he must worship in the Temple at Jerusalem with that worship which they now practise I pray thee shew me which is the Religion that pleaseth God and how he is to be worshipped to acceptation Now this Question propounded with such a meaning and to such a purpose intimates to us what was this Womans judgement in such a case wherein she was right for this is a truth Doct. That there is onely one true Worship of God in and by which sinners can please God This woman desiring to be reconciled to God knew that it could not be in a false Worship and therefore she desired to know the right Many that are conscious to themselves of their gross sinning against God spending all or most part of their time in vanity and wickedness yet think to make