OUR Blessed Redeemer ne­glected no opportunity of ex­erting that universal Charity he came into the world to teach, that thus by his Pra­ctice his Doctrine might gain Credit, and the stiffest Prejudices be wrought off and conquer'd by so powerful an Exam­ple [Page 2]Answerable to this we find him here in this Chapter bearing with patience the Igno­rance and subtle Shifts of a Woman; with tenderness reproving the Sins of an heinous Offender; with kindness, though himself a Jew, conversing with a Samaritan.

Thus by his Affability and stooping to the meanest Capacity, does he convince the Un­derstanding that was fraught with Prejudice and Infidelity; subject that Will that was led captive at the pleasure of each unruly Lust: In short, of an Idolater and Adult'ress, makes a Convert, and a Teacher of others.

Such care does he take to have all come to the knowledge of the Truth, that we find him supplying the defects of Education, re­moving those Disadvantages she lay under; and what the Jews might have learnt from the Books of their Prophets (which Books the Samaritans did wholly reject, and so were not capable of understanding), he here with great plainness, nay, more than he vouchsafes to his own Nation, declares, (viz.) That he was the Messiah, and was to introduce a new and better Law. So much advantage has Igno­rance, and a Confession of Sins, above an affected [Page 3]Pretence to Knowledge, and a counterfeited Zeal.

There is no Verse that has relation to this Story, but would afford many useful Remarks: But since I have pitch'd upon this of the Text, I shall take no further notice of the rest, than as they are particularly necessary to the Ex­plication of it. And in order to this, 'twill be expedient to consider to what this Position is oppos'd: And we shall best understand what is here meant by Spirit and Truth, if we look back a little, and take notice how it was in­troduc'd. — (Nor will the Reflections which I shall make be improper for this Auditory; where, though I believe there is neither Jew nor Samaritan to convince, yet we have those, I fear, sometimes to deal with, who make such a Medley of Religion, that they are near as dangerous to the Truth of it. For so do the Romanists confound their Will-worship and Idolatry with the Essentials of Christia­nity, that they take both from its Truth and Spirituality. So do other Dissenters from Us mistake the true Notion of its Spirituality, that they derogate from the very Essentials of our most Holy Religion, and would go about to [Page 4]persuade us its Truth consisted in mere Airy Notions, and Wild Enthusiasm.) —Our Blessed Saviour having convinc'd this Samari­tan of his extraordinary Knowledge, by telling her all that ever she did, she is so far from de­nying or concealing her fault, that she owns him for a Prophet, and as such, begs his In­structions in that great Dispute that was be­tween the Jews and those of her own Nation. It being necessary for her that knew her Sins were many and heinous, and had not only learnt out of the Books of Moses, that there could be no Atonement made between God and her, no Remission obtain'd without a Sacrifice; but also, that the Almighty would accept of no other Sacrifice, but such as was offer'd him in that one Place he had chosen to put his Name in; nay, yet more, That all Sacrifices that were offer'd elsewhere were esteem'd no better than of wilful Murder: It was necessary, I say, for her to understand how and where this her Offering would be ac­cepted. Nor could she judge any more fit to resolve her, than one of whose great Wisdom and Knowledge she had then had such full Proof and Experience. The Religions that [Page 5]at this time took place in the World, were those of the Jews and Gentiles: The Jews wor­shipp'd only One and the True God; the Gen­tiles abounded in such as were False, to whom they paid their Adoration. Now the Samari­tans made a mixture of both these, and added to the Worship of the true God the Adoration of the false. For when Shalmanesser carried Israel away captive into Assyria, he sent the Re­fuse of divers Nations to possess Samaria and the cities of it; 2 Kings 17.25. who in the beginning of their dwel­ling there feared not the Lord, therefore the Lord sent lions among them and slew some of them. To remove which Plague their King sent one of the Priests which he brought from thence, to dwell there, and to teach them the manner of the God of the land: So they feared the Lord, and served their own gods, ver. 33. that is, admit­ted the Religion of the Jews, and yet retained their own Superstition.

Now though the Jews and Samaritans differ'd in many things, as were easy to show; yet they chiefly disagreed in the Place of their Sacrifi­ces. These pleading the Practice of their Fore­fathers, whom they, forgetful of their true Religion, esteemed Abraham, Isaac, and Ja­cob, [Page 6]believing themselves descended from them, and settled in this Land ever since the depar­ture of Moses out of Egypt; in the mean time upbraiding the Jews, that their Religion was only founded on Hearsay and Opinion.

The Jews justly esteem'd theirs the Holy Temple of Jerusalem, where God appear'd be­tween the Cherubims, where was an unquestio­ned Succession of Priests to minister, and where their Kings had always offer'd Sacrifice.

On the other side, the Samaritans boasted their Mount Gerizim as the Place chosen of God; where Abraham (as their Tradition would make them believe) in obedience would have offer'd up his Son Isaac, and where Jacob returning out of Mesopotamia worshipp'd.

Nay, so were they possess'd with a belief of the Antiquity of their Temple, that in the time of Ptolomy Philometor, about a hundred and sixty years before Christ, they undertook, with the hazard of their Lives, to prove it before that of Jerusalem, even out of the Laws of Moses. So strangely mistaken may the fond boasts be of Succession and Antiquity, and so little Credit to be given to bare Tradition.

[Page 7]This was the foundation of the Woman's Question ( v. 20.), and this Question she just­ly thought dignus Vindice nodus, worthy of a Prophet to resolve. Now so does our Saviour frame his Answer, as to declare the Worship of the Jews preferable to that of the Samari­tans, and consequently Jerusalem to Mount Ge­rizim; but adds, that the whole Question will henceforth cease, while both their Religions were to be abolish'd, the one as False, the other as Imperfect. The Samaritan's false, be­cause mix'd with Idolatry; wherefore our Sa­viour says, Ye worship ye know not what, v. 22. The Jew's, though it must be allow'd true, because he adds, We worship what we know, yet to be abolish'd, because weak and imperfect: Neither in this mountain shall ye worship, because Idolatry shall cease as the Prophets foretold, And the Lord alone shall he exalted in that day, Isa. 2.18. and the Idols he shall utterly abolish: Nor in Jeru­salem, because Sacrifice and Oblations he will no longer accept, but a third and perfect Wor­ship should be establish'd; for the hour comes and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth, for the Father seeketh such to worship him, v. 23. In which [Page 8]Answer of our Blessed Saviour, the Deficiency of both the former Religions, and the Excel­lency of that which was to succeed is plainly set forth. For the worship of the Samaritans was not in Truth, but abounded with Errors and Ignorance; That of the Jews was not in Spi­rit, but consisted in Bodily Observances and Out­ward Ceremonies, which were but Shadows of things to come; and it was only the Christi­ans that could henceforth be true Worshippers, whilst their Religion alone was endued with what the others were deficient in (viz.) Spirit and Truth. Nor could any other Religion than this be proper to be establish'd, no other being agree­able to the Nature and true Notion of a God; and this in the Text is given as the: fundamen­tal reason why the others were abolish'd, and this introduc'd: God is a Spirit, &c.

And that the Christian Religion is thus agreeable to the Nature of God, I shall endea­vour to shew, by declaring what is here re­quir'd of us,

• I. By worshipping in Spirit. And
• II. In Truth.

[Page 9]And by the way shall take notice of such as deviate from this Worship: Which I desire may serve as an Application of the Discourse, since 'tis all which I fear your Patience will permit me to make.

And I. I am to show what is meant by Worshipping God in Spirit.

1. Then do we worship him in Spirit, when we are possess'd with a true and lively sense of his Divine Majesty, Power, and Rule over us; humbly acknowledge his unspeakable Good­ness; so adore his Infinite Wisdom which searches our hearts, that we in all things sub­mit to his All-wise Will: When we love him with all our Hearts and all our Souls, and yet fear and reverence him as a Father, and with the greatest chearfulness obey whatsoever he has been pleas'd to command us. When we not only give up our Souls pure and spotless, but keep our Bodies too fit Temples for the Holy Ghost, and thus join'd, offer up our selves one Reasonable Service.

For when we have once this true and awful Notion of the Almighty, we must and shall [Page 10]exert our selves in acts of Piety and publick Testimonies of Devotion; Express our Sense of his Power and Rule by our daily Supplica­tions; our Acknowledgments of his Goodness by our continual Praises; our Love by our Charity to our Neighbours, and Zeal for his Worship and Service; our Fear, by our ab­staining from the least appearance of Evil, lest we offend so gracious a Father.

And all this with Humility and Reverence, Decency and Order, with Obedience to Au­thority, and respect to those whom he has set over Us: These being most certain and spiri­tual Duties, nay the only things wherein we are capable of testifying that we really do worship Him in spirit. And once come up to these just and awful Thoughts of the Divine Majesty, which produce such true acts of De­votion and Piety, How agreeable to his Na­ture must be this our Sacrifice, how much be­yond whatever the policy of the wisest Hea­then could invent; nay even what he himself instituted in the Jewish Religion?

God is a Spirit; That is, a Being Incorpo­real and Immaterial; his Worship therefore ought to be like Himself, refin'd and spiritual, [Page 11]and to deduce its Source from the Reason and Soul of Man; not to consist barely in out­ward Acts and Things meerly Corporeal.

'Tis confess'd God had permitted, nay com­manded such a Worship under the Old Law; but this was only Temporary, and fitted for a People carnal and stiff-neck'd; but now the fulness of time was come, it no longer suited the Divine Majesty, he therefore commands a Worship more Real and Divine. If therefore our Actions do not proceed from the Heart and Soul; that is, from a lively Faith, fervent Love and sincere Principles of Holiness, they can't be acceptable to God, nor is this our Worship agreeable to his Nature. But if they take their Rise from the Heart, then are they a spiritual Worship; for thus are they spiritual in their Original, Source and Cause, and bear some proportion even with the Almighty him­self, who is a Spirit. And this I take to be the true meaning of worshipping in spirit.

How grossly then do they err who would make all Religion to consist in Notion and Talk, and frame to themselves a Worship that should have nothing of reality in it, but at once mock both God and Man? These are [Page 12]they that are above Ordinances, and all man­ner of Rule, guided by Fancy and a frantick Zeal, which they put on to deceive the giddy Multitude with a noise of Holiness: who think it enough to vent and boast their Notions of the Power and Excellency of Faith, but never take care to shew it by their Works; nay e­steem the pressing of them as necessary to Sal­vation, nothing less than Superstition and Po­pery: that will talk of Love to God, and Fa­miliarity with the Person of Christ; and yet forget their Obedience to the Magistrates whom he has set over them, and hate, back-bite and slander their Neighbour: that pretend to the greatest Zeal for God's glory, yet are so far from abhorring Sacriledge, that 'tis one great Mark of their Godliness. Blessed God! If these be the effects of spiritual Worship, we have chang'd for the worse, and are much farther from Heaven than the Jew or Samaritan.

Others there are that go not so far, yet urge this Text against all manner of Ceremonies, and prescrib'd Forms of Devotion. Are we, say they, to worship him in spirit? what means then this Show and outward Pomp, this Ru­brick and these Forms? Shall we again be [Page 13]bound up with Jewish Slavery? Are we not promis'd the Assistance of the Spirit, and shall Christ dye in vain to free us?

We willingly confess that the Worship under the Gospel is more refin'd and spiritual than that under the Law; but that it should be wholly so, debarr'd of all outward Ceremo­nies, we affirm to be against the Practice of all Ages, nay, utterly impossible. Is not the whole Question here concerning Publick Worship, the one false and idolatrous, the other gross and carnal; and is it any other than a Publick Worship that our Saviour op­poses to them, Spirit to the one, and Truth to the other? Is not the very Word he uses, [...], most expressive of an outward Act of Devotion and Adoration? Did ever the Jews who knew what they worshipp'd, do it without Ceremony? And have we not Examples eve­ry where in Holy Writ, even from our Savi­our and his Apostles, of external Acts of Ado­ration? Nay, which perhaps is a greater Ar­gument to these men, do not they themselves use them? What mean else their set Looks, [Page 14]formal Voice, and forc'd Gestures? In short, all comes to this, they will, they must have Ceremonies, but they must be of their own making; and their dislike is greater, 'tis to be fear'd, to the Church that enjoins 'em, than to the Things themselves. 'Tis true, the Law shall give place to the Gospel, nor shall there be any appointed Place for Sacrifice, for that it self shall be abolish'd; but worship we must, and how that shall be done without prescrib'd Place, Time, and Order, is abso­lutely inconceivable. Still we must worship in the beauty of holiness; and though we are neither confin'd to Jerusalem or Mount Geri­zim, yet must we not forget the assembling our selves together.

As for the Objections from hence against Set Forms, and the Pretensions to the Spirit, How vain and frivolous are they? Where is such Assistance promis'd? or upon what ac­count indeed necessary? Let these Pretenders to Inspiration work Miracles too, and then we shall believe these extraordinary Gifts of the Holy Ghost, which we rightly now judge [Page 15]already ceas'd. Besides, so little reason have they, that the very Opinion contradicts it self, and what they pretend an Extemporary Effusion, is no more than a Form to all the Audi­tory, who are ty'd up to those Words they are pleas'd to put together for them, and are often work'd up by Heat and Passion to say Amen to no better than Nonsense; sometimes, I fear, even Blasphemy it self. Strange is it, that men otherwise sober, and that will not venture a Sermon, which they only address to the People, without Care and Accuracy of Wording, should yet dare to entertain Com­merce with God at all adventures, buoy'd up with a little Popular Applause and Self-con­ceit! Most evident it is, that what they would make the World believe is immediately from Heaven, is attainable by Memory, and a Volubility of Speech, and perfected by a great share of Confidence. Then do we tru­ly worship in Spirit, when after our Blessed Saviour's Example we pray with Warmth and Devotion in a sound well-weigh'd Form of Words; nor does the Almighty ever deny his Assistance, or the Petitions of such Ado­rers.

[Page 16]So sensible has all the World been of the Necessity of a Form, that there is no Age or Church that has left themselves at liberty; nor was it ever thought on, till Religion grew a Blind for Faction and Interest. We wor­ship not as the Jews did, with such Ceremo­nies as are signs and figures of things to come; those we know are and were to be abolish'd: But our external visible Services imply the Truth of the Promises already exhibited, and our outward Acts are testimonies of our in­ward Faith, Love, Humility, and other Chri­stian Virtues. Nor is it to be question'd but that divers Saints and Holy Prophets did in this manner adore; nor is this taken away but perfected by our great Lawgiver. Would it not be very strange that Christianity, which gives us Rules of Conversation and Civility, reaches us Obedience to our Prince, Submis­sion to Governors, Respect and Kindness to all men in general, should yet suffer us to make our approaches to the Almighty with Disrespect and Rudeness! Yet do we not often see such men as will pay due Reverence to a Neighbour or Equal, rush into the Place [Page 17]of Worship, and the Presence of God him­self, without the least shew of Devotion and Respect?

'Tis allow'd, all men in comparison of the great God are equal, and Titles cease when we have regard to one Omnipotent: But this should be so far from lessening, that it should infinitely heighten our outward Acts of Sub­mission and Humility: Is he not our Master, where is then our Reverence? Is he not our Lord, where is then our Fear? Thus on the one side have some wander'd from the meaning of the Text; nor do the Pa­pists less err on the other, who are so far from worshipping in Spirit, that they still retain that Sacrifice that was once offer'd up for all; that cloud and load their Reli­gion with innumerable Ceremonies; that content themselves with repeating so many Prayers, and conclude they have then suf­ficiently worshipp'd, when their Set-task is finish'd. Now how insignificant and sapless must this Devotion be, how unacceptable to the God of Purity and Omniscience, [Page 18]that searches the Heart, and expects a rea­sonable Service? Or how can it be agree­able to Him who sent our Saviour into the World to remove this very Bondage from the Jews, and to establish a Spiritual and Divine Worship? Nay, can it satisfy a man of Sense and Consideration? Yet so far can the Prejudice of Custom and Educa­tion prevail, that this is the known Pra­ctice of those that profess that Religion.

Happy! thrice happy are we then in the Constitution of our Church! May it long so flourish.

Whilst we have no Ceremonies but what Decency require, and Primitive Practice al­lows; have Instructions plain and easy, Prayers serious and accommodate to the meanest Capacity, and so free from just exception, that we may well question that man's Understanding, always his Charity, that refuses to say Amen.

But thus much of the First Particular.

• [Page 19]I come now to what is meant by,
• II. Worshipping him in Truth.

For though nothing hinders but they may be here taken one for the Expositi­on of the other; yet have we hitherto, and shall still treat of it as it was oppos'd to the False Worship of the Samaritans; which was now to be abolish'd, and they no longer to worship they knew not what on Mount Gerizim. So that by it is forbidden all Corporeal Representati­ons of the Almighty (for so the Samari­tans did worship him), as all mixture of Heathenish Superstition and Idolatry: Who are said in Scripture to belye the Almigh­ty, whilst they chang'd the truth of God in­to a lye, and serv'd the Creature as or with the Creator, who is blessed for ever­more.

Then do we worship him in Truth, when in serious and devout Meditation we can work up our Thoughts above all [Page 20]things material; when we only contem­plate a Being incorporeal, infinite in all that's great and good, and to him a­lone, as such, offer up our Supplica­tions.

What shall we say then to the Roma­nists, who would still confine the Almigh­ty to Mount Gerizim? What else mean their Prayers and Offerings, their fam'd Shrines, their long and tedious Pilgrimages to some particular Chappel, or renown'd Altar? Still have we the Boast of the Practice of their Fathers, though equally false with that of the Samaritans, and a Religion made and upheld by Superstition and Policy, de­liver'd down as Primitive.

Still have we a mixture of Idolatry in their Worship; nay, the God of Heaven almost dethron'd by a Crowd of feign'd Saints and counterfeit Miracles. With what glittering Tawdriness are their Churches fill'd? How are their Altars beset with Puppets, the variousness and ridiculousness [Page 21]of whose Dress serves only to amuse and divert the Traveller? How do they dare to represent the Almighty under the De­cays of Age, and lye prostrate before each Image their Fancies prompt 'em to chuse? This is the daily Practice of all in general; and if this be not Idolatry, certainly there never was any yet: Nor can we ever distinguish between the Opinion and general Practice of a Church, so far as to excuse them.

To conclude:

Let us that have a plain and easy Rule to walk by, so carry our selves between these two dangerous Extremes, as by our Examples to promote and up­hold the Well-being of the best of Churches, Let us be constant to our Liturgies, fer­vent at our Devotions: Thus shall we with Decency and Order worship the God of Truth, and offer up a reasonable, a spiri­tual, and acceptable Service. Thus shall we after a Peace of Conscience which we [Page 22]may justly expect in the Performance of our Duties, be made Partakers of an In­estimable Reward.

To which God, &c.