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 [Page 3]his knowledge of the offence, which the Pharisees took at the success of his Ministry: where­upon he could expect no other but that, as they envied and malic'd him in their hearts, so their hands would have been soon against him, if he had remained any longer in Judea. Those Pharisees were a Sect among the Jews, that pre­tended to much Piety and Devo­tion; but their Religion stood altogether, or mostly, in Ceremo­ny: for besides that they obser­ved the Levitical Rites more ex­actly than others, they had also many outward Observations that were traditional, in which they placed righteousness and merit: and these great Doctors and Reli­gious men, (forsooth) these De­vout Ceremony-Masters, as they had corrupted most part of the Law with their absurd mis-in­terpretations, and false glosses; so they were very Hypocritical in their Worship and Practice; and the Evangelical History speaks them to be most ambitious of Ho­nour and Preferment, and most [Page 2] [...] [Page 3] [...] [Page 2] [...] [Page 3] [...] [Page 4]Covetous, and the greatest Ene­mies and Persecutors of Christ, and of the sincere Preachers and Professors of the Gospel; and Christ calls them Serpents, and a Generation of Vipers.

The Evangelist here mentions these Pharisees onely as enemies to Christ, (not that the Scribes were his friends, but) because these were the most eminent and predominant Sect, and they who under a pretence of religious Zeal, were most carried against the Way. Doctrine, and Religion of Christ. Now Christ knowing what an of­fence he was to them, and what malice they had against him, re­moveth a little out of their way, departeth out of Judea into Gali­lee, where the Pharisees had not so much power as they had in Ju­dea; (though Herod, who had bound John, and cast him into prison, did now bear Rule in Ga­lilee.)

I shall here take up two or three Occasional Notes. Notes.

1 1. Note what sort of men are the greatest enemies to Christ, and [Page 5]to his friends & followers. Christ will rather trust Herod in Galilee, than the Pharisees in Judea. Je­remiah found more courtesie at the hands of Babylonians, than at the hands of Priests and Prophets. We find that the greatest Perse­cutors of Christ and his Apostles were the Priests. It was said by one lamentingly; Alas, Lord! Heu, Do­mine qui in Eccle­sia sunt primi, sunt in persecu­tione primi. they that are the chief men in the Church, are the greatest Persecutors: And hath it never been so amongst us? We need not to wonder at it; it is no new thing: Was not Christ despised and rejected by the Builders? (as if the Church of God could be built up, where Christ is laid aside.) Well, though Christ chose rather to go into Ga­lilee, than to stay in Judea; yet he knew that there was danger e­nough, (though not so much as among the Pharisees) and we read afterward, that Herod sought to slay him.

2 2. Note, Christ had enemies every where, and so have his ser­vants, in all places, enemies from whom they are in danger: but whi­ther [Page 6]may they flee for safety? where can they be in security? Onely with God, who is their re­fuge.

The Pharisees are troubled at the success of Christ his Ministry; they thought that all was well when John was rid out of the way: but see! here comes another who is a greater grievance to them, as making more Disciples than John made. So they thought themselves sure when Christ was crucified; but Christ before his death raised up twelve more, sending them to preach the Gospel; of whom he saith, that they should do greater things than himself.

Note here matter of comfort in two points:

• Note 1 1. That in the loss of one, God can raise up another faithful Mi­nister; and can double the spirit of Elijah upon Elisha.
• Note 2 2. That the Churches enemies shall not prevail: though Mini­sters be Mortal, the Church is Im­mortal; and therefore there shall be a perpetual succession of Go­spel [Page 7]- Ministers: I am with you (saith Christ) to the end of the world.
  Mat. 28.20.

But now, there are two Questi­ons about Christ his withdrawing and departure from Judea; the Answer to which may yield some profitable Doctrine.

Quest. 1 Quest. 1. Why doth Christ now flee persecution and death, seeing he came into the world for this purpose, to suffer and to die?

Answ. Answ. There are three Texts in this Gospel wherein our Saviour gives a full Answer to this Questi­on.

One Scripture is this: Joh. 14.3 As my Father hath given me Command­ment, so I do.

Another is this: Joh. 6.38 I came not to do my own will, but the will of him that sent me.

A third, is that which alone giveth a satisfactory Answer to the Question: My hour is not yet come. Joh. 7.30

Christ might not, would not, draw upon himself, nor cast him­self upon, persecution, suffering, or death, before the time appointed [Page 8]by his Father; but following his calling, used lawful means to pre­serve his life and liberty, by his own example, backing that Pre­cept of his to his Disciples; If they shall persecute you in one City, Mat. 10.23. fly into another; and concerning this, Augustine saith well; Our great and good Master did this, Fecit hoc Ma­gister bo­nus, &c. not out of fear, but to teach us that e­very one ought to walk in his calling, so as not to tempt God: As we ought not to fear men in such sort, as to baulk our duty, so we must see that we do not rashly run our selves in­to danger, and unadvisedly draw, or take, trouble upon our selves.

Quest. 2 Quest. Why did not Christ, by his Divine Power, bind up or crush his Enemies, and restrain the malice of these Pharisees: If he had done this, then he needed not to have fled from them?

Answ. Answ. Christ was not sent to exercise his Power against his ene­mies, but to be abased, and abu­sed, and trampled upon by his E­nemies; and he emptied himself, Phil. 2.7. emptied himself of his Glory and Equality to his Father. [Page 9] He who was all things, Ex omni ad nihi­lum se­ipsum redegit. (Beza.) became no­thing: He must be in all points tempted like as we are, that we might be incouraged in trouble & persecutions, eying his Example; looking to Jesus, the Author and finisher of our Faith; who for the joy that was set before him, en­dured the Crosse, despising the shame, and is set down at the Throne of the Right Hand of God: The Disciple is not above his Ma-Master, saith Christ; and if they have persecuted me, they will per­secute you; you must look for it, and must not think much of it; the Members must be conformed to the Head, first in bearing the Cross, and afterward in wearing the Crown: If we suffer with him, Rom. 8.17. we shall be glorified together with him: The Apostle Peter bids us to rejoyce, in as much as we are made partakers of Christ his Suffer­ings, 1 Pet. 4.13. that when his Glory shall be revealed, we may be glad also with exceeding joy.

So much how touching the re­mote occasion of Christ his dis­course with the Samaritan Wo­man. [Page 10]In his passage from Juded into Galilee thorow Samaria, (which was his nearest way) he meeting with this woman, falls 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.
• [Page 11]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 [Page 12] 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, [Page 13]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, [Page 14]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, [Page 15]till it rest in thy self: Nothing can fill the heart, but the fulness that is in Christ.

Ʋse. 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, [Page 16]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 [Page 18]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 'tis 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 [Page 19]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: [Page 20]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, [Page 22]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 fathers 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, [Page 23] 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 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 [Page 24]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 [Page 25]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 [Page 26]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 [Page 27]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 caere­moniarū 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 [Page 29]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, lu­mina [...]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; [Page 30]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 mu [...] consider what ought to be don [...] according to the revealed Wor [...] of God, rather than what hath been, or is, done according to the opinions and humours of men?

3 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 beyon [...] my Text, and so is not within the [Page 31]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 [Page 32]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 [Page 33]here calls God Father, Videtur eum o­bli (que) op­pone [...]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 [Page 34]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 [Page 35]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 [Page 36]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 [Page 37]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, 2. As our Father. as Our Father, loving Us as sons; and so we are to come to him with an humble boldness, as his children, crying, Abba, Father. If we can­not say, Our Father, we cannot worship God.

Thus have I answered a second Question arising from the 21th Verse.

Quest. 3 Quest. 3. How doth Christ say, that they should no longer worship the Fa­ther [in Jerusalem,] when God saith of Jerusalem, Psal. 132.14. that it is his Rest for ever?

Answ. Answ. That spoken in the Psalm is true, especially of the Church signified by Jerusalem: it is true likewise of Jerusalem the type, in a limited sence: Jerusalem, Cir­cumcision, Legal Worship, were to be for ever; i. e. until Christ, and the beginning of the new world in him; till the coming of the Messiah. Gen. 17.13. Thus the Covenant of Circumcision is called an ever­lasting [Page 38]Covenant; and so it is said that the feast of the Passover should be kept by an Ordinance [ for ever, Exod. 12 14, 17, 24 Exod. 40 15.] and so the Levitical Priest-hood should be [for ever.]

Well, this is that which our Sa­viour teacheth in this one and twentieth Verse; That in the new Testament distinction of place, for the worship of God, is taken a­way, and that the Temporary Priesthood, and External Rites are abolished by Christ his co­ming. In the Old Testament God revealed himself in the Tem­ple, over the Mercy-seat; but now Christ is the true Temple, and the true Propitiatory. The Body being come, the Shadows are va­nished.

I pass on to the two and twen­tieth Verse: Vers. 22. [...]. Ye worship ye know not what; or, that which ye know not.

This is spoken by way of antici­pation, Per prae­occupa­tionem. (a Figure in Rhetorique very common:) Christ is here aforehand with the woman, gi­ving an Answer to a Question which she might be ready to pro­pound, [Page 39]having occasion given her by his former Answer. She might say, Though neither of these Wor­ships must long continue; yet at pre­sent one onely of them is right, or one is better than the other; I would know which that is? Not yours, saith Christ; for ye worship ye know not what: but ours, for we worship that we know. Though Christ had told the woman, that both these Worshippers (both of the Sama­ritans and the Jews) should cease, so that neither of them was that which shortly he would have to be; yet he doth not equal them in his censure of them, accounting one as good as the other: but he condemns the Samaritan worship, and approves of the Jewish wor­ship; viz. that which the godly among them performed. As for you Samaritans, ye worship ye know not what, nor how: though you will say, you have a good meaning, and direct your wor­ship unto God, and pretend the example of your fathers; yet forasmuch as your worship is not directed or warranted by the Word [Page 40]of God, Custus Dei asti­mandus est, qui verbo Dei no­bis prae­scribitur but taken up by you without this Rule and Foundati­on, it is indeed an ignorant, fool­ish worship, which cannot please God: but now as to the Jews, while they have God his Word for their Rule and Warrant, their worship is with knowledge and judgement, and that which God approves of. But in as much as the time is at hand, when the Le­vitical Priest-hood and Worship shall be abolished; if any Jew af­ter such abrogation shall worship with observance of Levitical Rites, his worship will then be as bad as yours is now.

Now, let us see what Christ here teacheth: Ye worship ye know not what.

The Samaritans in their mean­ing did worship a Deity, yea the God of the Jews, and their Wor­ship was somewhat refined from that gross state in which it was at first; yet because they did not conceive aright of God, nor wor­ship him in the appointed place, and appointed mode; but had a­nother Temple, and another [Page 41]Priesthood, and Ceremonies of their own devising; for this reason they are said to worship they know not what; i. e. a fancy of their own brain, an Idol, not the true God. Hence we may con­clude,

Doctr. That it is but an idle and Idol­worship, which is not directed to the true God rightly conceived of, as he hath revealed himself in Scripture; and which hath not Gods Word for its Foundation and Rule.

God himself is turned into an Idol, when people have false gross apprehensions of him, and worship him with any other than Scri­pture-worship, (such as is order­ed or allowed by the Word of God; I say) when people have carnal, gross, unsuitable appre­hensions of God, or do not con­ceive of him aright in his Attri­butes, Properties, and Relations, as he hath revealed himself in his Christ, they worship an Idol in stead of God; and it is vain idle worship when people follow their own or other mens inventions in stead of God his prescriptions. [Page 42]Who but God himself can tell what worship that is with which he will be pleased? Therefore hath he in the Old Testament de­clared his mind from time to time concerning this, with many strait prohitions of adding or altering any thing. In nothing substanti­al or circumstantial must we make our own fancies, or mens inven­tions or prescriptions the Rule of our worship; but we are tied strictly to the Word of God for the kinds and parts of Worship, to have them determined by God; and we are also tied in circumstan­stances of worship, not to act in particulars contrary to the gene­ral Rule of Scripture.

The matter of God's worship, whatsoever is acted as a part of worship, must be something com­manded by God; [...]. and in the modi­fying of worship, we must see that nothing be done contrary to the Word, or unworthy of God. The Heathens grosly fancied a plurali­ty, a multitude of ridiculous gods; and they tell us, that each god is to be worshipped and served ac­cording [Page 43]to his own directions: So Socrates can teach us, that God is to be worshipped as he himself will. And what doth the Scri­pture teach us? why this, That the Lord our God is one God, and that him we must fear, and keep his statutes and his commandments, which he commands us. God of­ten calls upon men to take heed that they follow not their own hearts, that they go not in the way which themselves shall chuse, that they do not what seemeth stood in their own eyes.

The scope and summe of the Se­cond Commandment, is to or­der us in the solemn Worship of God, in Religious exercises, and therein, under an express prohi­bition of Image-making, and I­mage-worship; (which was the cheif invention of men, for cor­rupting of Divine worship) I say, under that one instance God flat­ly forbids all mens devices and inventions about his Worship: For this is a Rule to be observed for the understanding of the Com­mandments, that where any sin [Page 44]is expresly forbidden, under that general expressed, all the species, and individuals, and degrees of that finne, together with all the causes, and means, 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 [Page 45]him a Sacrifice without eyes.

Now let us see what the Scri­pture speaks of such devised Will­worship, 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, [Page 46]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 [Page 47]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 [Page 48]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 o [...] Protestants is an idle Idol-worship Oh, how many are they whose worship justly falleth under thi [...] censure! As,

1. They that have no under­standing of the Doctrine of th [...] Trinity, no knowledge of the per­sonal relations of Father, Son an [...] Spirit, to be considered in th [...] Godhead, and yet pretend t [...] worship God. These worship the [...] know not what.

2. They that worship God o [...] therwise than he hath appointed [Page 49]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, [Page 50]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 commande [...] by the Laws: But Christian [...] should know and do better, and the Word of God teacheth other­wise; viz. to look to God's Law [...] and attend to his mind, and see [...] to please him in our worship.

Ʋse 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 adher [...] 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 [Page 51]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 [Page 52]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 [Page 53]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 [Page 54]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 [Page 55]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 Gospel­word, [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; [Page 56]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 [Page 75]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 of a Carnal Commandment; Heb. 7.19 and the generality of the Jews [Page 58]were so grossly carnal in their ap­prehensions of the business of Religion, that they stuck in the outward Ceremonies, having no respect at all to internal and spi­ritual worship, nor minding that which was signified by those car­nal rites and shadowes: but if the Ceremonial Law were observed in offering Sacrifices, and in the point of Meats, and Drinks, and Washings, &c. they reckoned that all was well enough: This is that which God upbraideth them with, and for which he sharply repro­veth and threateneth them.

Now according to the Anti­thesis here intended; [Spirit] signifies the heart, and its renew­ed spiritual motions and affecti­ons, together with the expressi­ons of those affections, in such outward actions as necessarily flow from them: [Truth] signi­fies sincerity, as opposed to hy­pocrisie; and it signifies the ve­ry substance and kernel of Religi­on, that worship which is rea [...] and substantial, which stands in the Truth of those figures and [Page 59]shadowes, that which was figured by those legal Sacrifices, and o­ther ceremonial Ordinances, that which is indeed the thing that God looketh after; and [Truth] likewise importeth a consonancy to the Word of God.

True worship is that which is ordered and commanded by God, that which is according to the Rule.

So then, worship in Spirit and in Truth is opposed to the Carnal Ceremonious worship of the Jews, and to the heartless and devised worship of the Samaritans, which was a false worship, wanting the Rule of God's Word, appointing and warranting the matter of it, as well as the truth of a good heart, for the manner of perform­ing it.

Worship in Spirit and in Truth is sincere, spiritual, instituted wor­ship, Scripture-worship, which hath the Word of God, for its foundation and rule. This is true right Worship.

Obj. Did not the true worship­pers in the Old Testament, worship [Page 60]God in Spirit and in Truth?

Answ. God is always the same, so that from the beginning of the world he was never pleased with a worship not spiritual and true; and undoubtedly, the god­ly worshippers among the Jewes, worshipped spiritually, in Spirit, and truly, in Truth; but yet in the worldly Sanctuary at Jeru­salem, and in shadowes and fi­gures; and with the observati­on of many outward Ceremonies: so that in shew, and as to the ex­ternal part, their worship was Car­nal; we may say that the Wor­ship under the Law, was in it's substance, and soul (as I may call it) spiritual; but in respect of the outward shape and body of it, it was in some sort carnal and earth­ly: Whereas the New Testament worship is in Spirit, without such a carnal body and covering of Ce­remonies, and in Truth without figures and shadowes.

Obj. 1 With outward Ceremo­nies. But do not we now under the Gospel worship God, as bowing the Knee, lifting up the Hands and Eyes in Prayer? &c. And are not [Page 61]our Sacraments, as to the visible matter of them, carnal Elements?

Answ. The former sort of these Ceremonies are natural, such as flow from the Nature of the thing, and serve to a lively expression of the inward motions and affecti­ons of the Soul, and so appertain to the worship, which is in Spirit; for spiritural worship is not only the inward affection, but also meet outward declarations and expressions thereof in action.

As for the latter sort of Cere­monies, viz. the Sacramental Rites, they are instituted by God himself; but they are so sew, and so plain and significant, that they do not at all diminish or ob­scure the spirituality of the Wor­ship.

Now to fetch some Doctrine out of the Text.

Doct. That which I shall conclude from thence, is either implied, or expressed in the words.

The Doctrine implyed is this:

That true Gospel-professours are true Gospel-worshippers: Doct. 1. implied. All true [Page 62]Christians do indeed worship God: Our Saviour here speaks of Christians in contra-distincti­on to Jewes and Samaritans; and this is the description and Cha­racter of them; They are true worshippers.

The Doctrine expressed, is this.

Doct. 2 Doct. 2. expressed. That true Gospel-wor­ship is that which is performed in Spirit and in Truth.

Doct. 1 Doct. 1. True Gospel-profes­sours are true Gospel-worship­pers.

I shall in a word open the Sub­ject, Explica­tion of, and insist a little on the ex­plication of the Attribute.

The Subject of the proposition, 1 the sub­ject. Gospel-professours; These are such as own the Doctrine of the Gos­pel, and profess the Name of Christ, profess themselves to be of that Religion which the Gos­pel teacheth; and they who hold forth such a profession, are called Christians.

Now profession is either feigned or unfeigned, either in hypocri­sie, or in sincerity, either a pro­fession [Page 63]in word only and in shew, or that which is a profession in­deed and in truth.

Now our Doctrine doth not speak of all profession, (as to say, that all who profess themselves to be Christians, are Gospel-wor­shippers) but of true professours, such as are Christians indeed; all that do with judgement own, and with affection embrace, the Do­ctrine of Christ, and sincerely profess the Christian Religion. These are Gospel-worshippers, and do truly worship God: This is the Attribute of the proposition, 2 of the Attribute which cometh now to be explain­ed.

Quest. What is it to worship God? What is carried in this notion of worship, when it is related to God as it's Object?

Answ. Religious adoration, or the Worship of God, is either na­tural, or instituted.

1. Natural-worship I call that which doth arise from the consi­deration of a Deity, that which Nature it self will tell us is due unto God. Whoever acknow­ledgeth [Page 64]that there is a God, will easily acknowledge that he is to be worshipped, i. e. believed, fear­ed, loved, invocated, trusted in, &c.

2. Instituted-worship is that which depends on, and answers to, the Revelation of Gods will, any way or means appointed by God for the exercising of Natural wor­ship, which is due to God, as God; any work or service of divine in­stitution, to be performed unto God: This Notion of worship, in such a strict sence of the word, is especially to be considered of in the prosecution of the second Do­ctrine; but now in the first point, I shall take it in the largest sence of the tearm; and you may take this description of it.

True Worship, Worship described is a Religious holy observance of, and obedi­ence to, the only true God, as our God, in all things commanded by him; performing all duty in Faith, through Jesus Christ the Mediator, unto the glory of God.

I shall give you the sence of this Description in five conclusions. Descrip­tion ex­plained.

Concl. 1 1. The Object of Religious wor­ship is God, the true God, our God.

This first Conclusion hath three Branches, Trimem­bris.

1. God is the Object of Wor­ship: Religious worship is to be exhibited only to God the Father, Son, and Spirit; to him, and to him onely, must our worship be directed; for worship is a Solemn acknowledgement of a Deitie: Therefore the Scripture holds out to us this Object of worship, ex­cluding all others; 1 Sam. 7.3. Prepare your hearts to the Lord, and serve him only: Mat. 4.10 Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him onely shalt thou serve.

2. We must worship the True God, or worship God [as God]; therefore we must have true ap­prehensions of God, right con­ceptions of him in his Nature, Attributes, and Properties, and a true knowledge of God in Christ, and as he hath reveal­ed himself in the Covenant of Grace.

3. God must be worshipped [Page 66]and served [as our God] with an appropriation of him to our selves, apprehending our Cove­nant-Relation to him, and Interest in him: Thou shalt worship the Lord [thy God] God, the true God, our God, is the sole Object of Re­ligious worship.

Concl. 2 2. The right worshipping of this our God, is a religious, holy ob­servance of him, and obedience to him; so that true, full wor­ship, takes up the inward and the outward man; and takes in all sorts of duties, and all points of obedience: there is an Univer­sality, both respecting the Subject of worship, which must be the whole man, and respecting the Parts of worship, how far it is to extend in point of duty; to all duty, it must be whole obedi­ence.

First, Inward worship. there must be the wor­ship of the inward man; heart-worship, soul-worship, which con­sisteth in

1. A right knowledge and ac­knowledgment of God, as he hath revealed himself in his Word and Works. And

2. A Religious holy affection toward God, thus known and ac­knowledged; for we must know, that the Law of God, which is the rule of his worship, is Spiritual, reaching the understanding and affections, and all the powers of the Soul. We have both this knowledge and acknowledgement of God, and this affection toward God, called for by Moses; Deut. 6.4, 5. Hear O Israel, the Lord thy God is one Lord; (know this) and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and withal thy might.

Now Religious holy affection towards God hath in it, and no­teth out to us, Internal duties. all the internal du­ties of worship, which are the Souls more immediate actings, wherein we glorifie God: It can­not be expected, that I should name them all; I shall but touch upon some few specialties.

1. 1 Faith. Faith is one part of the In­ternal worship of God: I say, Faith to believe God, and Faith to believe in God; for there is a great difference between these two.

And the first of these, viz. to believe God, is to be taken in a double sence;

1. 1 To be­lieve God. Credere Deum, to believe the Being of the true God; that there is a God, and that he is such a God as the Scripture speaks him to be.

2. Credere Deo, to assent unto, and be thoroughly perswaded of, all that God hath spoken in his Word; so submitting our judge­ment, and stooping our reason to Gods revelations, resting satisfied with them: This surely is part of that worship and honour which every soul oweth to God; To be­lieve God his Being, and to be­lieve his Sayings.

Then, 2 To be­lieve in God. to beleive in or on God, is, to have the Soul carried by Faith unto God in Christ, as my God and Father; and to apply to my self the promises of Grace, which in Christ, are yea and amen. So casting my self upon God, and depending on his Fatherly good­ness, for all good things for Soul and body.

This Faith is to be lookt upon, [Page 69]as a vertue or work of the Soul, which appertaineth to, and is part of, the inward worship of God.

2. 2 Love. Another ingredient of Di­vine internal worship, is Love; when knowing God to be the chief good, and apprehending our own interest in him, we love him tru­ly, and above all other things; desiting nothing so much as com­munion with him, and to be con­formed to him: This worship is called for in Scripture; Mat. 22.37. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God withal thy heart, and withal thy soul, and with all thy mind.

3. 3. Fear. The fear of God, is the in­ternal worship of God, when reve­rencing the Word of God, and the Majesty, and Holiness, and Justice of God, we flie sin, as being fear­ful to offend God, and careful to please him in all things: This holy fear is called for in many places of Scripture; Deut. 6.13. Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God; Fear the Lord ye his Saints: Psal. 34. [...] In thy fear will I worship, saith David: This fear of God is such a special part of in­ward [Page 70]worship, that is is (not rare­ly) put for the whole worship of God, for all Religion and godli­ness: The Prophet Esay saith: Isa. 29.13 Their fear toward me, is taught by the Precepts of men. Our Saviour quoting this Text, gives us the sence of it thus; Mat. 15.9. In vain do they worship me, teaching, for Doctrine, the commandments of men.

4. 4. Repen­tance. True Gospel-Repentance, which comprehends Faith in it, and is the turning of the whole Soul unto God, lookt upon as an effect of Sanctification, is the in­ternal worship of God. When we acknowledge our sinnes, and, ac­knowledging them, bewail them, and cast our selves by Faith upon the Mercies of God, through the Merits of Jesus Christ, firmly purposing, by the help of Grace, to abstain from sin, and to obey God in all things; herein we give God the glory of his Omniscience, and Holiness, and Justice, and Mercy; and this is surely to wor­ship God, when in our hearts we reverence him, and give him the glory of his Attributes. This is [Page 71]that worship which Paul taught; Repentance toward God, Act. 20.21. and Faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.

5. The inward worship of God, is, with a thankful heart, to ac­knowledge the goodness and be­neficence of God towards us; look­ing upon our selves as utterly un­worthy of any of his gifts; seri­ously purposing to glorifie our good God.

I might multiply particulars, wherein the internal worship of God consisteth: But these few hints shall suffice.

Secondly, Outward worship. As concerning Ex­ternal worship, I shall only hint what it is in general: To wor­ship God Externally, is sincerely and regularly to professe and practice true Religion; carefully and conscionably endeavouring to perform all outward duties in­cumbent on us by the command of God: I say, sincerely to profess and practice true Religion in per­forming such duties.

Note. Note this by the way,

Though Internal worship may be where there is at present no [Page 72]acting of that which is External, yet there is no External worship (which is indeed worship) with­out Internal: that which is only an action of the outward man, (meerly bodily exercise) and not an act likewise of the inward man, the act of the heart and Soul mov­ing toward God, that is not the worship of God: However the Soul may and doth often act to­ward God in holy Worship, in Faith, and Love, and godly Fear, &c. when no visible, external act of worship is put forth; when there is nothing done in point of worship, that may fall under the notice of man. But this I pray observe, That worship which is meerly External, is not (to speak properly) any worship at all, but meer hypocrisie, and formality, and carnal compliance, and con­formity to custome; so that you are not true worshippers before God, and in his account, and so are not right Gospel Professours, and real Christians, if your worship be onely External; if you satisfie your selves in per­forming [Page 73]the outward acts of du­ties, not drawing neer to God with the heart; this is to bring flesh to God for an Offering, and this is not reasonable service; [...] for God is a Spirit, and it is reasona­ble to offer to him, that which is suitable to him, spiritual ser­vice.

And as they are not Gospel-professors, or true Christians, in the account of God, who wor­ship not him with an internal spi­rit-worship, though they be never so frequent and constant in ex­ternal acts of Religion; so they that will not afford God the ser­vice of the outward man in pub­lick and private actions of Religi­on and Worship, do declare them­selves to men, not to be real Christians, or Gospel-professors, because they are not Worshippers of God; For as God observeth the heart, and judgeth according to what he findeth there, so man judgeth according to the outward appearance. They who have no care or desire to worship God outwardly in the way of his own [Page 74]Ordinances; it is sure that they do not worship him inwardly; do not acknowledge him, nor be­lieve in him, nor love him, nor fear him in their hearts.

Thus you see, that true Wor­ship takes up the inward and the outward man.

Concl. 3 3. As God is to be worshipped with the whole man, so with whole Worship: Our Worship must extend to all duty: God must be observed and obeyed in [all] things commanded by him; in point of Worship, we must do that which God hath commanded; onely that, and all that, and as commanded by God.

1. Onely that which God hath commanded: Seeing all Worship is to be directed to God, we must for the matter and substance of Wor­ship be directed and ordered by God, that we may know it pleaseth him; and that what we do, may not be excepted against, with a Quis in­junxit? Who required this at your hands? The Word of God is the Christian's Rule for his whole [Page 75]practice; nothing ought to be done, but what the Scripture commands or allows.

2. In worshipping and serving God, we must have respect to the whole revealed Will of God; to do all that he hath commanded: Ye shall observe [all] my Statutes, Lev. 19.37. and [all] my Judgements, and do them: Mat. 28.20. Ye shall teach them to ob­serve and do [all] things whatsoe­ver I have commanded you: We must not half it with God in the business of Religion.

3. That which we do in the Worship of God, the matter whereof is God his Command, must be done [as commanded] with conscience of Gods Command, & in Obedience to it, with respect to God's Will, that in doing it, we may please him; I will praise the Name of God, saith David; Psa. 69.30.31. This shall please the Lord: Paul prayeth for the Colossians, that they may Walk worthy of the Lord unto all well pleasing. Col. 1.10

This is that which a Christian should look to in all his services: This is my duty, God hath com­manded [Page 76]it, and in doing this I shall please God; therefore I will do it.

Thus I have briefly shewed you the extent of worship, respecting the matter of it, all duty, omne praeceptum, all that God hath commanded, with a limitation, tantum praeceptum, onely that which is commanded, and a re­gulation, quâ praeceptum, as com­manded.

Concl. 4 1. What we do in point of Wor­ship, must be done in Faith, through Jesus Christ the Media­tor.

There are divers significations of the Word [Faith] in Scripture, which I shall not now trouble you with, but shall plainly shew the meaning of this fourth Conclusi­on; for the opening of our descri­ption of Worship.

1. We must worship God [i [...] Faith] i. e. with knowledge, be­ing well resolved in our ow [...] judgment and conscience, that what we do, suits with the mind of God, and so that it is his wor­ship, that which he requires and [Page 77]approves of; as the Apostle in the case of indifferent things, in point of eating or not eating such and such Meats, and touching the observation of dayes, saith, Rom. 14.5. Let every man be fully perswaded in his own mind: This is the Apostle his meaning there. Though to eat, or not to eat be indifferent in it self; yet let every man take heed in eating, or forbearing to eat, and see that he doth it with knowledge; being well perswaded that what he doth, is pleasing un­to God. Let him that eateth be sure, that he doth not sin in eat­ing; and let him that forbear­eth be sure, that he offends not God or his brother in forbear­ing.

Now, whereas the Apostle re­quires such a full perswasion about things indifferent; much more is it required about neces­sary things, which God hath com­manded or forbidden, that in these matters we be well resolved of what we take up in practice. A man may do that which God commands, and forbear that [Page 78]which he prohibits; and yet sin in such an action or omission, be­cause what he doth, he doth not with knowledge, his action pro­ceeds not from a judgement well informed, and so he doth it not upon good grounds: It greatly concerns us, that our worship be according to knowledge. Whatsoever is not of Faith (in this sence) is sin; It is sin for us to do any thing in the worship of God, ignorantly and doubtingly: we must be well perswaded that the action pleaseth God, as know­ing that he hath commanded it, or allowes it.

2. There must be [Faith] in our worship, i. e. Faith to eye God, and to deal with him, in every religious duty or exercise. Faith to believe in Prayer, that God can and will hear and help, and give us that which we ask in his Son's Name. Faith in reading and hearing the Word of God, to believe that it is true in its predictions, and promises, and threatenings, and to apply it to our selves. Faith in the use of all [Page 79]Ordinances, to believe that God will accept us in them, and bless them to us for good. ‘There must be Faith to see assistance in the power of God, and to fetch strength from the promise, T. M. and to see acceptance in the Grace of God, and a Reward in the Bounty of God.’ This Faith must be in our Worship, that it may be pleasing to God, and pro­fitable to us.

3. God must be worshipped and obeyed in Faith [through Je­sus Christ the Mediator] i. e. There must be an application of the pro­mise of Grace, and an affiance on Jesus Christ, for the acceptance of our persons and services. With­out a Mediator we cannot come neer unto God; our best services are so faulty and so filthy, that in themselves they are rather a dis­honouring of God than other­wise, and therefore cannot be pleasing to God, but onely through Jesus Christ, in whom the Father is well pleased. Therefore when we worship God, we must gather into Jesus Christ, and lay [Page 80]hold upon his Righteousness; and present our services to God through Christ; and leave our duties with Christ to be offered by him to his Father, and our Fa­ther, that they may be accepted through him, as from him, and for his sake.

I shall insist a little longer up­on this forth Position, that we are in hand with, further to e­vince the necessity of Faith in the Mediator, unto a right worship­ping of God.

First, I shall shew it respecting Prayer in particular, and then respecting all Worship in gene­ral.

First, respecting Prayer, Faith is necessary, To set Prayer on foot, and To carry on the work and duty of Prayer, and To the concluding of Prayer with an Amen, and To keep the heart in a right frame after Pray­er.

1. It is necessary to set Prayer on foot, or to bring the Soul to Prayer: Can a man have any stomack to go and crave, and [Page 81]make request, where he hath no hope to speed? Now where ef­fectual Faith is not, there can be no hope to speed in any suit to God; and that upon this two­fold account.

1. It is upon account of the relation, in which any soul stand­eth unto God, that it can have any hope of obtaining that which it seeketh from God: It is the consideration of God his Father-Hood and our Son-Ship, that must bring us to Prayer, giving us encouragement to go to God with our petitions. The Prodi­gal, saith, I will arise, Luk. 15.18. and go to my Father. A Child hath reason to hope that his Father will hear him, and do for him, when he cannot expect it from a stranger. Now, how come we into the Re­ligion of God, to have him to be our Father? How come we to have the Son-ship of Christ up­on us, by vertue of which we may be admitted into the presence of God, and be received by him? See that Scripture; John 1.12. As many as received him, to them gave he this [Page 82]Power, [...]. (this Priviledge) to become the Sons of God; even to them that believe on his Name. Ye are all the children of God, Gal. 3.26. saith the A­postle, by Faith in Christ Jesus.

2. We cannot stand before God without Righteousness, and this the Soul hath not of its own, in it self. We cannot look up­on our selves, but as sinful guilty persons, nor upon our duties, but as very defective. The Righte­ousness which we must have, that we may be accepted of God, must be a Righteousness out of our selves, another's Righteousness, viz. the Righteousness of Christ, which yet must be ours, that it may do us good: Now it be­comes ours by Faith; the Righ­teousness which gives us access to God by Jesus Christ, is the Righ­teousnes of Faith, [...]. Rom. 3.22. the Righteousness of God which is by the Faith of Jesus Christ, unto all and upon all that believe: Now for as much as without this Righteousness we can have no hope God-ward; How can we with any confidence draw neer to God, till such time [Page 83]as by Faith we close with Jesus Christ, and apply his Righteous­ness to our selves? Upon this ac­count Faith is necessary to set Prayer on foot, to set the Spirit of Prayer on work.

2. Faith is necessary to carry on the work of Prayer, and for the discharging of the du­ty.

1. That we may with humble, holy boldness, with a Child-like confidence, pray unto God: Eph. 3.12 In whom we have boldness and access with confidence, by the Faith of him.

2. That we may lift up holy hands in Prayer. I will, saith the Apostle, that men pray every where, 1 Tim. 2.8. lifting up pure hands, without wrath or doubting: It is Faith that purifies the heart; 2 Cor. 7.1 Having these promises, let us cleanse our selves form all fil­thyness of the flesh and spirit. Reve­lations concerning the Love and good Will of God, concerning Christ, and Grace, do purge the Soul that takes them in.

3. Faith is necessary for the en­larging of the heart in Prayer: [Page 84]and to make us lively and earnest in praying: I believed, therefore have I spoken. The believing Soul will utter it self, and even pour it self forth before the Lord: being perswaded, it shall through Christ obtain, at the hands of God, that Grace which it sues for: but the Unbelieving heart is straitned; and where Faith is not, fervency cannot be; and where fervency is not, the success of prayer is doubtful, at least. The effectual fervent Prayer of the Righte­ous man availeth much

3. Faith is necessary to the con­cluding of our prayers with an Amen; testifying, as our desires to have our petitions granted, so our reliance on God, and a pen­swasion that he will, for Christ his sake, grant our requests: For it is by Faith that we leave our prayers with Christ, in whom all the promises of God are Yea and Amen.

4. Faith sets and keeps the Soul in a right frame after Pray­er.

1. It sets the heart at rest, and [Page 85]keeps it quiet. When I consider that Christ hath the offering up of my prayers, and that God will not throw aside any of the petiti­ons which his dear Son brings to him, this quiets my heart: 1 Sam. 1.18. When Hanna had prayed, she did eat and her countenance was no more sad: If she had not Faith, her stomack would have been no better, nor her heart quieter after Prayer, than it was before: but now be­lieving that God had looked on the affliction of his Hand-maid, and that he would give her that blessing which she prayed for; now, I say, she goes away rejoy­cing in the goodness of God, ap­prehended by Faith, and eats her bread with a merry heart.

David being among many ene­mies, and in the midst of dangers, Psa. 3.5. having prayed, could lye down and take his rest; believing that the Lord would preserve and deliver him, as he had pray­ed.

2. Faith sets the Soul, and keeps it, in a patient, waiting frame; and this is that which [Page 86]God requires, and that which he loves; psa. 27.13, 14. I had fainted, saith David, unless I had believed to see the good­ness of the Lord in the land of the living; wait on the Lord, &c. Da­vid's Faith resting on the pro­mise of God, upheld him to wait on the Lord for the accomplish­ment of his promise. The Apo­stle tells us, Hebr. 10.36. We have need of pa­tience, that after we have done the Will of God, (viz. in praying, and using such means as God hath appointed) we may receive the Promises: There is a Promise of God to waiting Souls; Isai. 30 18 Blessed are they that wait for him: Now it is onely the believing Soul, that is a waiting Soul; Isai. 28.16 He that believeth, will not make hast. The godly are spoken of Psal. 123.2. as having confidence in God, and waiting for his goodness.

3. Faith keeps the heart in a praying disposition & frame, sets the Soul on work, to pray again and again, often to ask the same things, till we have a clear and full Answer from God: And Faith makes the Soul importunate with [Page 87]God, still rising higher and higher in holy importunity: I believe that this Mercy will come, in an­swer to Prayer; therefore I will pray instantly that it may come, and constantly till it doth come.

Thus Faith is necessary with respect to prayer-worship, which is indeed a principal part of the Worship of God.

Secondly, Faith is necessary to the Worship of God in gene­ral, or to all Worship: and that upon this account, or for these reasons:

1. Because, to the worship of God, there is required a know­ledge of his Will, and of the Rule of Worship; and an assent unto, and approbation of, the Truth, and Holiness and good­ness of his Revelations, and an Interest in him: Can a man wor­ship he knows not whom? or when he understands not how, he is to worship? or when he is not perswaded in his own conscience, that what he doth is right? or when the Soul hath no recumbency on the Object of Worship? Now this [Page 88]knowledge, and this assent, and this perswasion, and this recum­bency, is Faith.

2. Without Faith the Soul hath no way to God, and so can­not draw nigh to him in Worship: Jesus Christ is our onely way to God, in him we have access with boldness and confidence to the Throne of Grace: Now it is Faith in Jesus Christ, which gives us the benefit of this way; no Faith, no Christ; no Christ, no way to God; no possibility of any approach unto him without a Mediator; for God out of Christ is a consuming Fire, and poor Christless Souls have cause to fall into trembling, when they think of God. Now faithless souls, are Christless; and without Faith the Soul hath no access unto God, or communion with him; therefore Faith is necessary to the Worship of God: It is only in this way of recumbencie by Faith on Jesus Christ, that the Soul hath any peace toward God, and hope and comfort in it's approaching unto him. While we look unto weak, [Page 89]corrupt, sinful Self, and upon our own imperfect, faulty, sinful per­formances, there must needs be doubts and fears, and unquietness of spirit; Being justified by Faith, Rom. 5.1 we have Peace toward God: [Peace] i. e. that tranquility of Consci­ence, or that comfort and joy, which a Believer hath in a Con­science sprinkled with the blood of Christ, and that boldnesse which he hath toward God, as being his Father in Christ Jesus.

3. Faith is necessary, to the worship of God, because where Faith is not, there can be neither will nor ability for any hold acti­on, for any duty of worship: What desire can the Soul have to draw near to God, till it hath some hope through Christ of it's acceptance with God? till it hath some hold-fast on the Co­venant of God his Love? so long as the Soul is estranged from Christ, it is a stranger to God, and God is a stranger to it: Till there be an Ʋnion between Christ and the Soul, (even a Marriage Ʋnion) there will be no desire of Com­munion [Page 90]or Spiritual Intercourse; Christ his Spouse is delighted to see him, even thorough the lat­tices, to hear his voice at the door, but she rejoyceth greatly to be with him in the Galleries, to have his company in the Cham­ber; delighteth to enjoy him in Ordinances, and converse with him in worship: Where there is such an Union to Christ, there is pleasure in seeing him, and hear­ing him, joy to be with him. The Soul having tasted the sweets of his Love, desires to be led up to a more full enjoyment of him; and so is making toward him in the use of means, in attending on Ordinances, and performing Duties. Now this Union, be­tween Christ and the Soul, is by the means of Faith; it is by be­lieving, that the Soul comes to be one with Christ, and so to be desirous of conversing with him, to delight in his Ordinances and Worship. Again, It is by Faith, that the Soul, being made one with Christ, doth fetch strength and abilities from Christ, with­out [Page 91]whom we can do nothing that good is: Of Christ his fulness, the believer receiveth grace for grace: Christ dwelling in the heart by Faith, makes a holy heart, is the worker of Grace in the heart, and furnisheth the Soul with abilities for Duty; that the Soul being justified, and so sancti­fied by him, may serve God, and worship him acceptably.

Lastly, There is one thing more, which is considerable in the description of Worship, viz. the End of it; concerning which, our Conclusion is this.

Concl. 5 5. The main end which we must aim at in all our Worship and Service, is, That God may be glo­rified by us.

This is God his great end of all his Works, of all his appoint­ments and Commands, even his own Glory. God hath made all things for himself, and he will have all to be done to him: 1 Cor. 10.31. Do all to the glory of God; we are cal­led upon to glorifie God in our souls, 1 Cor. 6.20. and in our bodies. Then may we be said to glorifie God, when ap­prehending [Page 92]him to be such a God, as he in his Word and Works hath discovered himself to be, we make a sutable profession in Word and Deed, really acknowledging his Power, and Wisdom, and Ho­liness, and Goodness, and Faith­fulness, and the rest of his Attri­butes and Properties, reverently and humbly worshipping and serving the onely true God, to whom all Worship and Service is due from us; referring all our actions to the right end, termi­nating all in him: Paul would have the Philippians to be filled with the Fruits of Righteousess, Phil. 1.11. which are by Christ Jesus, to the praise and glory of God.

Thus I have finished the Expli­cation of the Point, explaining the Subject briefly, and the Attri­bute more largely.

Proof. Now for Proof of the Doctrine, I shall refer you to the whole Sa­cred Story; Look thorow the Book of God, and you shall find it veri­fied in all true Professors, that the Scripture maketh mention of; they were all worshippers of God.

I shall give you two words for the demonstration of the Point, viz. That true Professors of the Chri­stian Religion, are worshippers of God, according to the Principles and Rules of the Religion which they profess; that real Christians do in­deed worship the Father.

The first Demonstration shall be

1. From the true state of Re­ligion, 1. Demon­stration. and of a profession of Re­ligion.

Religion properly notes a right acknowledgment, and holy pure worship of God, according to the rule laid down in his Word. And Profession, is a plain, open, decla­ration of our owning, embracing, and adhering to, the true Religi­on. Now, Profession may be either that which is verbal only, or that which is real, as well as verbal; and the profession real may be either regular or irregular.

A Verbal profession, practically contradicted, is invalidated by such a contradiction, so that it is to be accounted as no profession: He that in word professeth him­self [Page 94]to be of the Christian Religi­on, i. e. a Worshipper of God in Christ, and yet in practice, is [ [...]] one that doth not worship God; surely he is no true Professor: Nor is he a true pro­fessor of Religion, who, though he doth act something in the worship of God, yet acteth not ac­cording to the rule of true Re­ligion and worship.

Religion and Christianity is not a meer Notion, but it is something Practical; it notes not only the Minds reception of, and the Wills subscription to, the prin­ciples and rules of Christianity; but also the framing of the heart, and of the whole man, to be act­ing and working in those Princi­ples and Rules.

Thus stands the Argument.

A true profession of Christiani­ty, is real; there is practical Re­ligion, and Christianity in the life; and it is Regular, so that the business of Religion, the true Professour acteth according to Rule; therefore they who truly professe the Christian Religion, [Page 95]and are true real Christians, are real and regular Worshippers of God the Father.

2. It must needs be, 2. Demon­stration. that true Christians are real worshippers of God, because they are possessed and acted by the Spirit of God and Christ; which Spirit is the efficient of holy Worship, leading Souls to it, and acting them in it: Every thing acteth according to it's Principles; Principi­atum re­spondet suis prin­cipiis. Christians are principled by the Spirit of Christ, which doth efficaciously incline and govern them to do that which is pleasing to Christ. The Spirit's in-Being, is argued by the Spirit his working in the Soul: The Spirit of Christ is a sanctify­ing Spirit, that sets the heart right toward God, and orders the con­versation aright, in all points of holy Obedience; so that they who have this Spirit, must needs be worshippers of God.

Now I have dispatched the Do­ctrinal part of my Discourse; Applica­tion. I come to Application: I shall make but two Uses of the Point; The first for Conviction; the o­ther [Page 96]a Use of Exhortation.

Ʋse 1 First, for Conviction: And as the way or Medium to the Con­viction aimed at, Convicti­on. I shall pro­pound this clear Inference from the Doctrine.

If all true Gospel-professors, be true Worshippers; then they who are not true Worshippers, are no [...] true Professours. Now, if we come to try the hearts and practi­ces of people, by the description of true worship, what a multi­tude of nominal Christians shall we find, that are by our Doctrine shut out of the number of true Professors, and real Christians?

How few Souls that are religi­ously observant of God, and obe­dient to him? Where there i [...] no observance of God, and obe­dience to him, there is no true profession of Religion; where there is no care to conform to the mind of Christ, there is no rea [...] Christianity: What a number o [...] Souls are there, that do not be­lieve, do not love God, do no [...] turn to him, do not thankfully acknowledg his goodness toward [Page 97]them, do not set themselves to glorifie him for his Mercies?

Ah Souls! Do you choose God for your portion and cheif good? Do you affectionately accept of Jesus Christ to be your Saviour and Lord, not only acknowledg­ing his Sufferings, and accepting of Pardon and Salvation through him, but also acknowledging his Soveraignty, and submitting to his Government and way of sav­ing? Where there is not such a choice of God, and such an ac­ceptation of Christ, there is not that Faith which is a part of In­ternal Worship. Do you love God above all inferiour earthly things, loving these things but with a love subordinate to the love of God? Where God is not thus loved, the Soul doth not worship him. Now, alas! how doth Self-love, Creature-love, love of the World, yea, and the love of Lusts, shut God out of the affections of very many of us?

Where is that fear of God to be found, which, in all addresses to God, composeth the Spirit by [Page 98]an awful apprehension of that in­finite distance which is betwixt God and Us? Where is that fear of God, which fenceth the Soul against temptation unto sin, and is operative and instrumental unto holy walking? How few true Penitents are there, that disallow and detest fin, and carefully ab­stain from it; and do actually re­sist it, and turn from all sin unto God, unto Piety and acts of Re­ligion?

Now Friends, If you do not believe, do not love God, and fear him, and turn to him, what Religion is in you? what is your Profession? where is your Chri­stianity?

And now, for external Worship, to try men upon that account.

Some are not worshippers so much as in appearance, practise no worship in their Families, and seldome appear in the place of publick Worship.

And some there are (alas! how many) that are worshippers only in appearance; their Worship is meerly External, they draw not [Page 99]near to God with their Spirits in any act of Worship; nor is that which they do in point of Wor­ship, done with Conscience of God's Command, or with any respect to his Glory, or with Faith in the Mediator.

And how much vain Worship is taken up, which is not ordered by God, but by men; which is not according to pure, holy, di­vine Institutions, but according to corrupt, rotten, human inventions?

Now gather up all this, and hence take conviction home to your selves.

You that do not acknowledge God in your hearts and lives: You that do not believe his Reve­lations, and believe in his Son; You that love the world, and love sin, but love not God; You that do not reverence the Holiness and the Majesty of God, that stand not in awe of his Word, that are not afraid to sin against him; You that will not turn from your sins unto God; You that regard not to worship God in publick and in private; and you [Page 100]whose Worship is meerly Ex­ternal: Take Conviction to your selves, that you are not right Gospel-professors, or real Chri­stians, forasmuch as you are not true Worshippers.

Ʋse 2 Being thus convinced, learn what it is truly to Worship God, Exhorta­tion. and become true Worshippers: Labour to know the Lord, and acknowledge the true God; and believe in God, and love God, and fear God, and worship him regularly, according to the Scri­pture-rule, as ever you desire, that God should look upon you as Christians, and own you as true Professors of Religion.

Now that you may be a little quickened; Motives. If you look into the Word of God, you may thence take up Arguments fit for you to press upon your selves, that you may be perswaded to give your selves up unto this Counsel.

The Apostle tells us, Heb. 11.6. that God is a plentiful rewarder of them that diligently seek him: that call upon his Name, and worship him, and trust in him; so that it is not in [Page 101]vain to serve the Lord: There is profit in keeping his Ordinan­ces: Though our Worship must not be mercenary, we must not look only or chiefly at the reward, serving God for our selves, for our own advantage; yet having looked at God his Glory, and aim­ed at a conformity to his Will, we must go on in God's way, look­ing to the reward, for our sup­port and encouragement. The Apostle presseth this Argument upon himself and others; Heb. 12.28. Where­fore we receiving a Kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have Grace, whereby we may serve God accepta­bly, with reverence and godly fear; and this he illustrateth by insinu­ating the danger of not worship­ping and serving God; for our God is a consuming Fire.

And with this Argument Moses presseth the people of Israel, to a care of true Worship, and due O­bedience; Take heed unto your selves, lest ye forget the Covenant of the Lord your God, Deut. 4.23, 24. &c. for the Lord thy God is a consuming Fire, even a jealous God. God hath power to [Page 102]destroy those that despise his Worship; and he will not spare in the day of Vengeance, but will pour out his Wrath upon the Fa­milies that call not upon his Name, upon the people that will not worship him: They that will not worship God, but sleight and despise all Counsels and Exhorta­tions thereunto, shall perish as the Enemies of Christ, that will not have him to Reign over them. In Isa. 65. we may read severe threats against those that would not worship God according to his Will, and sweet Promises to his faithful Servants and true Wor­shippers: Ye are they that forsake the Lord, Isa. 65.11, 12, 13 and forget my holy Moun­tain, &c. Therefore will I number you to the Sword. &c. Behold, my Servants shall eat, but ye shall be hungry, behold, my Servants shall rejoyce, but ye shall be ashamed, &c. God, Mal 3.16 17, 18. by the Prophet Malachy, tells us, that he will own true Worship­pers, those that fear him, and serve him, they are dear and pre­cious to him; his Jewels, and he will deal Fatherly and lovingly [Page 103]with them; Then shall ye return, and discern between the Righteous and the Wicked, &c. It shall one day clearly appear, what differ­ence there is between the godly and the wicked; what difference God puts between the one and the other; when he shall deal with the one as a tender Father, and in great Mercy save him; and with the other as a severe Judge, and in great fury destroy him.

I will add but one word more, to excite you to a care of worship­ping God aright: Look again in­to the Scripture, and you shall find that God hath engaged his Name, and his Truth, to save the people that call upon his Name, that wor­ship him in Truth: See for this, Rom. 10.13. Rom. 10.13. The former verse endeth thus, The same Lord over all, is Rich unto all that call upon him. Now he doth by Scripture confirm this, [that God is rich in Mercy to all true Believers, and holy Worshippers] he calls in the Prophet Joel to attest this; For whosoever shall call upon the Name of the Lord, shall be saved. Here [Page 104]is a promise of Temporal and E­ternal Salvation, to such as in Faith, worship God with a holy Worship: They shall be saved with a temporal Salvation; saved in trouble, i. e. supported under it, and saved from trouble, in due time delivered out of it: and they shall be Eternally saved, de­livered from the Wrath to come, and received up to Glory, to live with God for ever.

Now, let this be the great Ar­gument to perswade you to be­come Worshippers of God, to ac­quaint your selves with God, and give your selves up to him, to search out, and to study his Will, and to give him the Worship and Service of the inward and out­ward man; performing all out­ward Worship regularly, accord­ing to the Scripture-Rule.

The Text last mentioned, tells you who shall be saved; viz. They that call upon the Name of the Lord. i. e. such as know and acknow­ledge God, and believe his Word, and believe in his Son; and love, and fear God, and strive to please [Page 105]him, and worship him in Spirit and in Truth: You can have no hopes to be Saved, as long as you are ignorant, and unbelieving, and fearless, and graceless, and dutyless; while you continue to be of such a gain-saying spirit, that you will not be called off from sinne, and the world, unto God; so long as you continue de­spisers of God his Ordinances, and Worship; or while your Worship is carnal and superstitious; as long as it is thus with you, you are far from Salvation: There­fore my beloved, let us call upon the Name of the Lord, let us be­come true Worshippers of God, that we may lay hold upon this Gospel-promise, and may have some well-grounded hope of Sal­vation through Christ Jesus.

Thus I have dispatched the first Point which is implied in the Text; viz.

That all right Gospel-professers, (true professors of the Christian Religion) are true Gospel-worship­pers; (worshippers of the true God, according to the Principles [Page 106]and Rules of the Religion which they profess) Real Christians do in­deed Worship the Father.

Now I come to handle the se­cond Doctrine, which is the sub­stance, and express matter of the Text.

Doct. 2 True Gospel-worship, is a Wor­ship in Spirit and in Truth.

This Proposition requires Ex­plication; I shall therefore ex­plain both the Subject and the Predicate.

First, Explica­tion. Here is the Subject, Gos­pel-worship.

What is Gospel-worship.

1. I take the term Worship here in a stricter sence, than in the for­mer point; understanding it of Instituted Worship, that which depends on, and is consonant to, the Revelation of God his Will, any way or means appointed by God, for the excercising of natu­ral Worship, which is due to God, as God; any Religious work, or duty of Divine appointment, to be performed unto God, directed more immediately to him.

2. Gospel-worship is a Worship [Page 107]suitable to Gospel-times, and a­greeable to the Gospel-rule.

Secondly, Now to open the Predicate, that you may see what it is to Worship God in Spirit and in Truth.

I shall not trouble you with the various significations of these tearms Spirit and Truth, but only shew you what is the proper no­tion of them, in our Text and Doctrine.

I have already told you, that our Saviour here opposeth Gospel-worship, to both the former Wor­ships spoken of in the Context; that of the Samaritans, and that of the Jewes. The Samaritan Worship was Hypocritical, and Counterfeit, invented worship; not that which God had appoint­ed either for the internals or ex­ternals of it: It was heartless Devotion, and uninstituted Wor­ship.

The Jewish Worship, as to the External part of it, (as Instituted by God) stood in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and legal purifications, and in offer­ing [Page 108]sacrifices of Beasts, and fruits, and such like things; carnal Rites and Ordinances, Heb. 9.10 as the Apostle calls them: And the generality of the Jews were so grosly carnal in their apprehensions of the busi­ness of Religion, that they stuck in the outward Ceremonies, hav­ing no respect at all to Internal and Spiritual Worship; normind­ing that which was signified by those carnal Rites and Shaddows, (though the understanding, god­ly, true Worshippers that were a­mong the Jews, worshipped Spi­ritually, with their Spirits; and truly, in Truth) so that the Wor­ship under the Law, which God approved of, was, in its Soul, and substance, Spiritual; yet the Wor­ship then was cloathed with such a dress of Ceremonies, that as to the Shew and External part of it, in respect of the outward Form and Body, it was but carnal Wor­ship. Whereas the New-Testa­ment Worship, is ordered to be in Spirit, i. e. without such a car­nal body, or covering of Cere­monies; and in Truth, i. e. with­out [Page 109]Figures and Shadows.

Well, it is clear, that Gospel-worship is here put in opposition to the Carnal Ceremonious Wor­ship of the Jews, and to the heart­less devised Worship of the Sama­ritans, which was a false Worship, wanting the truth of God's Word appointing and warranting the matter of it, as well as the truth of a good heart, and holy Devo­tion in the manner of perform­ing it.

Now we may easily see, what is the import of this expression, [in Spirit, and in Truth.]

First, as for the tearm Spirit, it notes

1. A renewed mind, and a renewed heart and affections, to­gether with due expressions of those affections, in suitable acti­ons of Religious Worship.

2. A Spiritual kind of Worship, in opposition to that which is car­nal and Ceremonious, a Worship stript of that cloathing and dress of Ceremonies, to which the peo­ple of God were tied under the Law, which are abolished by the coming of Christ.

Note. Note by the way, That they who burden the Church with a multitude of Ceremonies, go a­bout to destroy Gospel-worship, (which must not be Ceremoni­ous) do what in them lies to cast Christ out of the Church, and to bring in Moses in his stead; and that they who affect and plead for, and delight in a Ceremoni­ous Worship, seem to forget, that these are Gospel-times; and do in effect deny that Christ is come; for, it is most evident, that our Saviour here points out the dif­ference between Jews and Chri­stians, in point of Worship; and it is clear that the difference is not in the inward Substance and Soul of Religion, but in the out­ward Form and Body.

Well, you see how the tearm [...]. Spirit, is here to be under­stood.

Secondly, The tearm [...] Truth signifies

1. Sincerity, as opposed to hy­pocrisie.

2. It signifies the very kernel and substance of Religion; that [Page 111]Worship which is real and substan­tial, which standeth in the truth of those ancient Figures and Shaddows; that which was figu­red by the offering of legal Sacri­fices, and by Ceremonious obser­vances.

3. Truth signifies a Consonan­cy to the Word of God; that which is according to Truth writ­ten: True Gospel-worship, is that which is commanded, and order­ed, by Christ; that which is exer­cised according to the simplicity of Gospel-Institution.

True Gospel-worship, is a Wor­ship performed in Spirit and in Truth; i. e. it is Cordial, Holy, Sincere, Spiritual, Substantial, Instituted, Scripture-worship, that which hath the Word of God for it's Foundation and Rule.

Proof. The Text is (as a clear founda­tion, so) a full proof of our Do­ctrine; and our Saviour tells the Pharisees, Mat. 15.9 that In vain do they wor­ship God, teaching, for Doctrine, the Commandments of men. That is a vain idle Worship, an unprofitable Worship, which is ordered other­wise [Page 112]than God hath appointed, which is not directed to the true God rightly conceived of; and performed in a right manner, suitable to his Will and Nature, and which hath not God's Word for its foundation and Rule. This was an observation which you had from the 22 verse, which Christ saith, Ye worship ye know not what.

Now for demonstration of the point: We have two demonstra­tions in the Text. This assertion [That true Gospel-worship, is a Worship in Spirit, and in Truth] is proved.

1. 1. Demon­stration. From the Will of God, The Father seeketh such to worship him: This is the argument here used: They that worship God, must see that their Worship be such as will please God. Now onely such spiritual, sincere, instituted-wor­ship pleaseth him: Therefore onely such Worship is to be per­formed.

2. A second reason is drawn from the Nature of God; God is a Spirit: he is a pure, spiritu­al [Page 113]Essence, and he must be wor­shipped with a Worship, suitable to his Nature: Thus to wor­ship God is reasonable service.

God is a Spirit, in a kind of singularity, and excellen­cy, and eminency, above all Spi­rits.

God is a most Intelligent Spirit; his understandig is infinite. They who satisfie themselves with a car­nal external Worship, such as is but a Carcaise, without any Soul of Heart-devotion in it, with­out holy, spiritual motions, and affections, of the inward man; these apprehend not God to be a Spirit, the God and Father of spi­rits, and the searcher of hearts, but deny his Spiritual Nature, and make him a God of flesh, while they bring stesh to him for an Of­fering: If God be a Spirit, he must be worshipped with our Spi­rit; and truly, he calleth for this, My Son give me thy heart: Prov. 23.26. he re­requires a preparation of the heart for Worship, and the activity of the inward man in the perfor­mance of Worship; and the Soul's [Page 114]intentness upon the work in hand. God loveth spiritual performan­ces.

Again, God is a Spirit, most simple, void of all Composition, and uncapable of division: Such must our Worship be, suitable to the most simple Nature and Being of God: It must be uncompounded, undivided Worship.

1. There must be no Composi­tion in it, no mixture of our own conceits, and devices, or any hu­mane inventions; a patched, sophi­sticated, linsey-woolsey-worship fuits not with the simplicity of God, the Object of Worship.

2. There must be no division in our Worship, it must be whole entire Worship, head and heart; understanding and affections; Soul and Body; all must joyn unanimously in the Worship of God.

I will adde one Demonstration more.

Arg. 3 3. Corrupt Worship is not true Gospel-worship, that which is ex­pected from Gospel-professors; But, that Worship which is not [Page 115]performed in Spirit and in Truth, (according to the import of those tearms, as they have been opened to you) is corrupt Worship: For Worship is corrupted these three wayes.

1. In respect of the Object; as, Worship corrupted 3 wayes. when something else is worship­ped in stead of God; or when o­ther Objects of Worship are taken up besides God, and together with him; so also, when people have carnal, gross, unsuitable ap­prehensions of God; and so wor­ship not the true God with a Wor­ship suitable to his Nature (a spiritual, simple, pure Wor­ship.)

2. There is a corruption in the manner of Worship, when it is per­formed in formality, without any care of preparation for it: with­out attention and affection in it; when there is no Soul-labour, no Spirit-work in all our Worship, but a resting in the bare outward act; and when that which people do in point of Worship is meerly out of custome, or for fashions-sake, without any true respect to­ward [Page 116]God, or tendency of the Soul unto him: And when peo­ple behave themselves carelessly, irreverently and rudely in the place and time of VVorship; and while they themselves pretend to be worshippers: This is corrupt, rotten Worship.

3. VVorship is horribly cor­rupted, in respect of the kinds and parts of it, by taking away from, or adding to, Gods Institu­tions, or making an exchange with God, following our own fancies, or other mens inventions, in­stead of God his prescripti­ons.

Now, Worship that is thus cor­rupted, any of these wayes, is not true Gospel-worship, or that which is approved of God. True Gospel-worship is pure VVorship: Now that is pure VVorship, for the Object of it, which is exhibited to the true God alone, conceived of according to the Revelation of him in Scripture: And that is pure Worship, as to the manner of it, which is performed reverently, conscionably, spiritually, and af­fectionately. [Page 117]And that is pure VVorship for the matter, in re­spect of the kinds and parts of Worship, which holds strictly to God his appointments, when no­thing is done in the VVorship of God (Contra vel praeter) against or besides the VVord of God.

Thus you have the Demonstrati­on of the point: True Gospel-worship is a Worship in Spirit and in Truth. For

This onely will please God, and

This onely is a VVorship suita­ble to God, and

This is pure VVorship.

Now I come to application. Applicat.

And I shall in the first place draw up three Inferences for In­formation. 1 Ʋse for Infor­mation.

Infer. 1 1. If true Gospel-worship be a worship in Spirit, performed with a renewed mind, and a renewed heart and affections; then the Worship of the prophane person, and of the Formalist, and Hypo­crite, is not Gospel-worship, for it is not Spirit-worship.

These men are not renewed in [Page 118]the Spirit of their mind, by the Holy Ghost transforming them into the Image of God, which stands in Righteousness and holi­ness of Truth; nor do they wor­ship God with their Spirit. Men that are notoriously ungodly, who devote themselves to carnal plea­sures, and to the service of base lusts, may sometimes act the part of those that seem to be Religi­ous: And many there are, that put on a made face of Religion, and that walk in a disguise, seem­ing to men, to be Worshippers of God, but there is no truth in their inward parts: There is some Re­ligion before men, who judge ac­cording to outward appearance; but there is no Religion in the sight of God, who searcheth the heart, and trieth the reins. Oh! how vain is the Religion of For­mal hypocrites, that pretend many times to exceeding great Reverence, in managing the out­ward part of Worship; and are very Zealous about Circumstan­tials and Ceremonies, placing all, or most part of, their Religion, in [Page 119]gestures and forms, and other accidents of Worship; and in Ex­ternal observances of humane Constitutions, in a pack of Com­plements; but have no regard to the inward Substance and life of Worship; are so far from prizing, and honouring this, that they can reproach, revile, and rail upon the true, tender conscienced, sin­cere, spiritual Worshippers; (and this in Pulpits) with blood in their faces, and fire in their eyes, and the poyson of Aspes under their lips. What sentence doth the Spirit of God pass upon such Worship and Worshippers: Mat. 15.7, 8, 9. Ye hypo­crites, well, did Esaias Prophesie of you, saying, &c. Christ here con­demns the Worship of the Scribes and Pharisees, because they placed Religion in Ceremonies, and made up a worship of humane Traditions, and preferred these Traditions before God's Com­mands; and he tells them, that this is vain worship; that which hath no approbation with God, is of no advantage to them, and is frivolous in it self. It is but an [Page 120]idle Mock-worship, in which there is not Spirit-work; the labour of the heart and affections toward God, and wherein men satisfie themselves with a few Superficial Hypocritical, Complemental Ser­vices: This is to offer to God [...] Sacrifice of husks and shells, and lifeless carcasses; and will God be pleased with this?

Let me here insert a word o [...] Caution, to prevent mistakes.

I have not pitched upon this Text, as aiming it, or the Do­ctrine from it, or any inference from the Doctrine, against al Forms of Worship: My Judge­ment stands not against the u [...] of a well composed Litugy, o [...] Form of publick Worship: I doubt not but there may be Spi­ritual Worship, and heart Devo­tion, and fervency of affection i [...] the use of a Form; though expe­rience may teach us, that we a [...] apt to loose much of our affection by a constant use of the same words or Forms, without any in­terposition of such matter or ex­pressions, as may serve to ca [...] [Page 121]home, and quicken affection and attention.

But alas! how many are there, that are meerly for Forms, with­out any heart-Devotion, that not only are regardless of, but even defie, and deride, Spirit-worship, and are zealous for such or such a Form of worship, meerly out of humour, or haply out of design, and in opposition to Gospel-wor­ship, and Gospel Worshippers? And how many are there that worship God according to their own humours, and in such a for­mal way, of purpose to shift off God's Worship, that which is Spiritual and Cordial? who offer him the lips, in repeating Prayers after the Reader, that the heart may be excused; who, if they had not some customary Service to perform, and some bodily Wor­ship to be employed in, would find little or nothing to do in our Assemblies: And how many are they who I dolize the Liturgy, and place all their Religion in it? Now our Text and Doctrine lies a­gainst such Worship and Worship­pers, [Page 122]as naught, as being far from Gospel-worship, and Gospel-worship­pers.

Infer. 2 If Gospel-worship, (that which suits with Gospel-times, and ac­cords with the Gospel-rule) be a Worship in Spirit; i. e. a Spiritual Worship, in opposition to that which is Carnal and Ceremoni­ous; if it be a Worship stript of the cloathing and dress of Cere­monies; then hence may be in­ferred a just condemnation of a body of Ceremonies, introduced into the Church, of mystical sig­nification, by Institution humane, appropriated to Divine Worship, and made necessary thereunto, and parts thereof. Spiritual Go­spel-worship stands in opposition to a pompous train of Ceremo­nies, and to that Worship, which confisteth so much of body.

What then shall we think of the Popish Worship, which is as Cere­monious, as ever was the Jewish; which is indeed a very Mass of Ceremonies. The Apostle Paul tells the Jews, Gal. 4.1, 2, 3. that they were but children, when their Ceremonies [Page 123]were in use, and indulged to them; so that it seems the Popish Reli­gion is a childish Religion. The Church is now no babe: Augustine in his time, complained of the unreasonable burden of Ceremo­nies, saying, That the condition of the Jews was more tollerable in this respect, than of Christians: But alas! how much is the burden en­creased beyond that it was in his time? so that the little finger now, is heavier than the whole body was then. Jer. 3.16. Jeremiah hath a Prophecy of Gospel-times, that then the Jewes should forget the Ark, i. e. all those external Sym­bols and Ceremonies, which were in use before the Ark was laid a­side; and they should now be Spi­ritual worshippers. The Anti­christian Faction (as if these were not Gospel-times) have received many Jewish and Paganish rites; and with those hypocrites which the Prophet Esay speaks of, Isa. 66.5. insult over the true Spiritual worship­pers, despising them, and their plain, simple Gospel-worship, saying, Let the Lord be glorified; [Page 124]let him be honoured with a more decent, splendid Worship, such as we give him: But men shall one day find, that God will give them no thanks, for going about to ho­nour him with their gawdy Ce­remonies. Well, beloved; If this be a note of the true Gospel-wor­ship, that it shall not be Ceremo­ny, but Spirit; then surely the Popish Ceremonious Worship, and all Worship that is modell'd in imitation thereof, cannot be true worship: And I pray let this be considered, (which I have for­merly hinted to you) that they who burden the Church with a multitude of Ceremonies, go a­bout to destroy Gospel-worship, which must not be Ceremonious; and do what in them lieth to cast Christ out of the Church, and to bring in Moses again; and they who affect, and plead for, and de­light in, and practise, a Ceremo­nious Worship, seem to forget that these are Gospel-times.

And if men shall alleadge, that many of the vulgar sort have as much need of such helps, as the [Page 125] Jewes had; surely this is a vain plea: for we must alwayes consi­der, how God will have his Wor­ship to be managed; surely, he knows what is best, and what is necessary and expedient.

Infer. 3 If Gospel-worship, be a Worship in Truth, i. e. that which is con­sonant to the Word of God, ac­cording to the true revelations of his Will; that which is command­ed and ordered by Christ, and ex­ercised according to the simplici­ty of Gospel-Intitution, then all de­vised Wil-worship, wherein there is an adding to the Word of God, or a mingling of mans inventions with God's Institutions, must needs be excepted against, as no true Gospel-worship.

All Gospel-worship is built up­on the sure, pure foundation of Divine Gospel-institutions. The Word of God doth appoint and order the Worship which he will have, in every Essential part of it; and it is a general Rule for Cir­cumstantials: It doth not indeed particularly command and or­der every circumstance, but the [Page 126]Church must take heed that un­der the name of Circumstances, and under pretence of Church-power herein, she do not bring in Worship. Meer Circumstances belonging to religious Actions, are left to Humane determinati­on; but it is not left unto men to appoint any kinds, parts or means of Worship: Now Ceremonies properly sacred, and significant by Humane Institution, are judg­ed to be more than Circumstan­ces, to be indeed parts of Wor­ship, to be Ceremonial Worship; and that Worship which is not commanded by God, is not war­rantable, approved Worship. We have in the Scripture strict prohi­bitions of adding to the Word of God: Deut. 4.2 Ye shall not adde to the word which I command you. Deut. 12.32. Whatsoever thing I command you, observe to do it: Thou shalt not adde thereun­to.

These Texts forbid all Hu­mane Ordinances, and establish God's Word, as the onely Rule we must attend unto in his Wor­ship. Every word of God is pure, Prov. 30.5, 6. [Page 127]saith Agur. Adde thou not to his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a lyar. Here is a prohi­bition, to keep men from corrup­ting or adulterating the Name of God in his Word, by an addition of mens inventions and traditi­ons, when they are imposed as if they were the express Will of God.

Then, there are two great Con­siderations, to enforce this Prohi­bition.

1. God will reprove such Ad­ders to his Word.

2. God, who is Almighty, and infinitely wise, and holy, and just, will take in hand such Corrupters of his Name and Word, so that he will demonstrate to them, and con­vince them of, their horrible wick­edness in adding to his Word, by foysting in mens inventions; and he will make them to bear their iniquity with terrour: And they shall be convinced, that they have lyed against God, and shall be made to bear the guilt of such ly­ing, and shall suffer the punish­ment, shall receive the doom of lyars.

These are weighty Considerati­ons, to deter men from corrup­ting the Word of God.

There is another terrible Text to this purpose in the close of all the Scripture: Rev. 22.18. If any man shall adde unto these things, God shall adde unto him the plagues that are written in this Book.

Thus you see how the Word of God witnesseth against all devised Will-worship, which is not Worship in truth.

Now surely, if men did look at God as God, and look upon the Scriptures as his Word, owning the Soveraign Authority of Scri­pture, they would then be fearful to corrupt the Worship of God, see­ing God in his Word doth so strict­ly prohibit, and so earnestly testi­fie against such Corruption. But here is the mischief, that howe­ver men may say that they believe the Scriptures to be the Word of God; yet they are indeed no bet­ter than Infidels concerning the Scripture, and the Name of God in it. Jer. 6.10 The word of God is to them a reproach, they have no delight in [Page 129]it. Men think that they have as good words as the Word of God is, and that they have Traditions which are of as great Authority as God's Revelations: Now when Scripture is slighted, so that it lays no awe upon mens spirits, no marvel that men follow their own inventions.

Well, Beloved; Gospel-worship is a Worship in truth, Regular wor­ship, which hath its foundation in the Word, and is ordered ac­cording to the Word of God. VVe read in Scripture of pure Religion: certainly, Jam. 1.21 that Religion is most pure which hath its foundation and dependence upon the VVord of God; and this Religion stands for ever, will stand in the Judge­ment-day, when all other Religi­ons will be condemned to Hell. The VVord of God endures for e­ver, and so do they that conform themselves to it.

Now, for such as slight Divine Institutions, and cast off the onely sure Foundation, they make other Rules to themselves, and ground [Page 130]their Worship upon other rotten Foundations. As,

1. The imagination of their own hearts: Me thinks, saith one and another, this is very good Worship, this is decent, and this is good order. But God often forbids the setting up of such a Rule, tel­ling us, that we must not follow our own hearts, we must not go in the way which we our selves shall choose, we must not do what seems good in our own eyes.

2. Men desire to satisfie the flesh, and therefore delight in a sense-pleasing worship. Thus the Papists have a Worship pompous, and outwardly glorious, meerly sensual, pleasing their eyes with their goodly Images, (as the Pro­phet calls them) and with their costly Furniture; and pleasing the ear with their Musick, and the smelling, with incense and per­sumes. All Worship of God is the exercise of Faith, and to draw out spiritual Meditations, not to please the senses: That Worship which is most pleasing to the flesh, is to be suspected as most displea­sing to God.

3. Antiquity is a great prop of false Worship, and traditions of Fathers are much pleaded by the Superstitious: but what saith Christ? Call no man Father on earth; i. e. so as to relie on his Authority: and what said Cypri­an? Christ is Antiquity to me, Antiqui­tas mihi Jesus, &c. and not Custome; but Christ is the Truth.

4. The Name of a Church goes very far with many. Thus the Papists will be bound up wholly by the Determinations and Con­stitutions of the Church, whatever they be; and they cry out, What, will you go against the Church? and if you enquire what is the Church, it will be found to be nothing else but the will and resolution of a proud Pope, or the Antichristian Prelacy. Mr. A. B. ‘Indeed the Authority of a true Church, shining with Scripture-light must not be a Cypher, but it must not be all things.’

VVell, Beloved; If we profess our selves Christians, it greatly be­hoveth us to be well settled in the right foundation of religious Wor­ship, [Page 132]that as touching what we do herein, we may be able to an­swer this Question, Who hath re­quired it? otherwise God and Christ will reject our Religion and Worship, as not being in Truth, not being Gospel-worship; and it will be found an empty vain thing, by which we are no way advantaged, and for which there is no reward laid up.

Ʋse 2 Well, to proceed in Applica­tion. Instructi­on.

Having inserted some clear consequences from the Doctrine, I come now in the second place, to a Use of Instruction.

1. We are here taught, where­in the Worship and Service of God doth principally consist, viz. in the inward motions and affecti­ons of the heart; This is Spirit-worship; this is to worship God in Spirit; and Christ tells us here, that this is true Worship: He that doth not thus serve God with his Spirit, worshipping him with the inward motions and affections of the heart, doth but mock God, in saying his Prayers, (as igno­rants [Page 133]phrase it) and in coming to Church and hearing a Sermon, &c. Such a one deals with God, as the Poets fable, that Prome­theus dealt with Jupiter, in giving him bones covered with skin, when all the meat was taken off.

2. Learn here, That as in God's VVorship, we must feel inward motions stirring, and the affecti­ons must be up; so these motions and affections must be spiritual, excited in us by the Spirit of God, or else we cannot truly be said to worship God in Spirit. Now

1. This doth make against all unregenerate persons or hypo­crites that are not rerenewed by the Spirit of God; however they may feel sometimes, some flash­ings of affection in their Devoti­on, yet these motions are not from the santifying Spirit of God, and so they are not true Wor­shippers.

2. It makes against all Idola­trous and Superstitious Worship­pers: commonly such mens De­votions are very dead; usually false worship is grosly hypocritical: [Page 134] This people (saith God) draw near me with their mouth, Isa 29.13 and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me: and why? Their fear toward me ( i e. their Wor­ship) is taught by the Precepts of men: Or if such Worshippers be not grosly hypocritical, yet there is a secret hypocrifie and want of spirituality in their Worship: The inward motions and affections of the heart, which they may feel stirring, are not Spiritual, but Carnal; arising from their own deceitful hearts. This is a sure Rule, Mr. D. D. said an emiuent Divine; The Author of any Worship, is, in a manner, the performer of it: Now God his Spirit is not the Author of an Idolatrous or Superstitious Worship, but Satan and Man's brain are the Authors of it; and surely the Spirit of God owes their inventions no such Service, as to attend upon them, and help them in the performance of such Wor­ship. Let them talk what they please, of the usefulness of their Inventions, and Additaments, and devised Ceremonies, for [Page 135]working upon the affections, and to excite Devotion; The truth is, that only the Spirit of God excites true Devotion, and in doing this, he blows with his own bellowes; there is good ground therefore to supect that Devotion, which is stirred up by such means as men talk of.

3. Learn here, that in perfor­ming any solemn Service to God, there must be a Conjunction of Spirit and Truth: There must be a true matter of Worship groun­ded upon the Word of God; it must be no devised Worship: and there must be a true manner of Worship; it must be done with the very Spirit, and come from the heart; it must be no formal, com­plemental Worship; As one speaks wittily, and also solidly, ‘Though it must not be Will-worship, as opposed to prescribed Wor­ship, (it must not be a Worship according to our own imagina­tions, or humours, or wills) yet in regard of performance, it must be Will-worship; i. e. it must be performed with [Page 136]the Will and Affections.’

These are the two common Errours in men's Worship: If there be Truth, so that it be a true Worship, for the matter of it, yet they worship not in Spirit; with a true heart and fervent af­fections: Again, if there be Spi­rit, some blind kind of Zeal, some affections in the service perform­ed, yet there is no Truth; the Worship is like that of the Sama­ritans in Mount Gerizim, it wants the Truth of God's Word to war­rant it: Thus some are Samari­tans, some Jewes; either a false Worship, or a true Worship with a false heart; there are few true worshippers: You see here, that true Gospel-worship, is a Worship in Spirit and in Truth.

Ʋse 3 Now there are these Counsels, which I would, Exhorta­tion. from the Text and Doctrine, suggest to you, and press upon you: Is true Gospel-worship, a Worship in Spirit and in Truth, and is there much Worship in the world, among those that pretend to Christianity, which is no right Gospel-worship. Then

Counsel 1 1. Let there be a due examina­tion, and tryal of Worships; of that which the Word of God com­mands and commends; and of those wayes and modes of Wor­ship, which men prescribe and use, and which the flesh is ready to close with: Let us compare the one with the other, and con­sider, which is the best for us to pitch upon, and stick to: This is a great reason of peoples mis­carriage in point of Worship, as well as in other matters; because they indulge their own humours, taking up unadvisedly, that which best likes them, or may suit best with their carnal aims and interests, not weighing things in the Scales of an unbiassed Judge­ment, or in the ballance of the Sanctuary, not impartially con­sidering which is the best indeed: If we do consider, we must needs be convinced, that the way of God his appointment, is better than the wayes that are of man's invention, and that God is to be obeyed, rather than man; there­fore let us consider.

[Page 138] Counsel 2 2. Let us not shut our eyes a­gainst the light, or harden our hearts against conviction, so as to give our vote for, or give our selves up to, any other Worship, pleasing to the flesh, or favoured by the times; against clear De­monstrations of the betterness or bestness, and onely goodness, of this Worship in spirit and in truth. Let us prefer in our judgements, and adhere in affection and pra­ctice to, that which appears really to be the best. Consulting with flesh and blood, and advising with carnal reason, and attending to carnal policy, is that which doth strangely blind mens eyes, and byass their judgements, carrying them the wrong way: if this be best, why should I enter into a consultation, Whether it be bet­ter for me to fix here, or else­where?

Counsel 3 3. When in our judgement we prefer this true spiritual Worship before other Worships, let us sin­gle it out to our selves, and single our selves out to it, disclaiming all Worship that comports not with [Page 139]true Gospel-worship. David ha­ving chosen the way of truth, ha­ted every false way.

Counsel 4 4. Let us resolve, as to single our selves out to true spiritual Worship, with a denial of all false, hypocritical, carnal, sophisticated, superstitious, will-worship; so, to stick to it against all discourage­ments and opposition, with a de­nyal of shame and fear, resolving through God, and by the help of grace, herein to keep a good con­science.

Counsel 5 5. Let us be careful, religiously and zealously to act that true spi­ritual Worship, which we are con­vinced is the only good Worship, and which we make choice of, and resolve to stick to. O let us be true Worshippers, in practice, (as well as in judgement and professi­on) seriously and zealously wor­shipping God in spirit & in truth. Let us labour to get our minds and hearts more renewed, and let us see that our Religion be not defective in the vital parts, that there be spirit and life, true heart-devotion, and fervency of affecti­on [Page 140]in our Worship. Let us manage holy work with a holy heavenly mind, giving God the kernel of spiritual Devotion, as well as the shell of Adoration: and let us be pleased with the simplicity of Go­spel-Ordinances, and delight in the simple, pure, plain institutions of Christ: and let us in our pra­ctice keep as close as may be to Gods Commands, not turning a­side to the right hand, or to the left. Let us be Scripture-men in this point, making the Scripture both the Foundation and Rule of our Worship, and adhering there­unto.

Then we shall be sure and con­stant in our way: For as the truth is the same, yesterday, and to day, and for ever; so will the Scri­pture-man be of the same mind, and the same frame, and the same practice in Religion; whereas they who build not upon this founda­tion, will be like that Bishop of A­lexandria, who was called Euripus, because of his ebbing and flowing, his going this way and that way in matters of Religion: For a Bi­shoprick [Page 141]he would swear to the Ni­cene Council; and then, to keep his place, (when the Tyde turn­ed) he would again forswear it. But he that fixeth upon God's Word, will be constant; and this constant man shall have peace, shall have peace in Christ, (as our Saviour saith to his Disciples) though in the world he may have tribulations. Gal. 6.16 As many as walk ac­cording to this Rule, peace be unto them.

And, that you may enter into, and persevere in, a right course of true Gospel-worship, such as is pleasing to God;

1. There must be a sincere de­sire to be true worshippers, and so a seeking unto God by prayer, to have your judgement rightly in­formed, and well settled in this matter, and to have your hearts carried to true and spiritual Wor­ship, and to be guided and mana­ged by the Spirit of God in your Worship. Beg of God that you may understand, and affect, and act that which is right.

2. We must captivate our own [Page 142]fleshly wisdom, and carnal reason, which may judge this or that Worship to be lawful, and conve­nient, and prudential, and ap­provable, though not the very best. Corrupt reason must not be set up in the place of a Judge, to give sentence in the matters of God; nor must it be suffered to dispute Christ his Commands: but this must be brought into cap­tivity to the obedience of Christ. Where we have a clear Word, we must learn to obey without rea­soning, not examining the matter by the judgement of corrupt rea­son. Our corrupt minds will rea­son against duty, and reason us off from it; therefore reason must be subjugated to the Word of God, to the Law of Christ.

3. We must labour to work out of our hearts all inordinate love of earthly things. Hag. 1.2, 4. We shall find, Haggai 1. that the peoples care and love to build their own hou­ses, made them to neglect the building of God's house. Thus Covetousness put the Pharisees upon corrupt interpretations o [...] [Page 143]the Scripture. When mens hearts are set upon the world, they will part from their Religion rather than their Riches, and they will take up any Worship for their wordly advantage. When men delight more in the glory of their own houses, than in the spiritual beauty of Ordinances, no wonder if they stand little upon Christ his order.

Counsel 6 6. We must not attend to car­nal policy, which will make us to suit our selves to the times, for the keeping of our selves in credit, and in outward prosperity. Some mens consciences are (as a learned man hath well noted) like Dioge­nes his Tub, Mr. A. B. to be turned every way, from the Sun, and to the Sun, and according as the wind blows. Carnal respect is a Load­stone to a number of men: Fac me Episco­pum Ro­manum, & ero Christia­nus. Make me Bishop of Rome, (said he once) and I will be a Christian. The car­nal Politician, so that he may be great, and in favour with the Times, will be for any Worship, of any profession or party. Carnal policy will make men to alter for [Page 144]their own carnal ends; therefore we must take heed of this.

Counsel 7 7. That we may pitch upon the way of true spiritual Worship [...] and may be fixed in it, we must get our spirits fortified against temptations, reproaches, and per­secutions. There will be Scare­crows, and there will be snares and our hearts naturally are fear­ful; and we are too apt to catch at baits, and to joyn with the world: Now therefore here i [...] need of resolution with depen­dence upon God to strengthen us.

Counsel 8 8. Let us look forward to the end: Look upon Heaven, think upon the Day of Judgement, and upon the Eternity of happiness o [...] misery which will follow upon our choosing or refusing, our de­lighting in, or despising true Go­spel-worship. Excellently saith a learned man: Mr. R. B. Faith looking at the things unseen, would excite such a serious frame of spirit, as would not suffer Religion to evaporate into Formality, or to dwindle into Com­plement and Ceremony.

Ʋse 4 The fourth and last Use, Consol. for a close of all, shall be by way of Consolation, in two words.

1. VVho hath not experience of a wandring mind, and of a dull, lazie heart in prayer, and in other parts of Worship? VVho is not conscious to himself of much weakness, and of many fail­ings in duty? But here is our comfort, it is not said, The true worshippers shall worship God in spirit and perfection, but in spirit and in truth, with a true and honest spirit. Sincerity is the Characte­ristical difference between an Hy­pocrite and a true Christian: this is usually called by Divines, Go­spel perfection; this maketh Wor­ship to be real. Oh! what rejoy­cing hath the Christian from the testimony of his Conscience con­cerning his Sincerity? VVhere this Sincerity is, God will cover many imperfections.

2. Here is further comfort to those that worship in spirit and in truth: The Father seeketh such to worship him; this is the Worship which God regardeth: Though [Page 146]men cast out such Worshippers with scorn and spite, yet God ap­proves of them, and smells a sweet savour from them. Pro. 15.8 The Sa­crifice of the wicked is an abomina­tion to the Lord, but the prayer of the upright is his delight. The poor naked prayer of a spiritual Wor­shipper is better accepted of God, than all the bravery of the most pompous services of the formal Worshipper. Men may require and act this and that in the Wor­ship of God, but God regardeth Spirit and truth; bring that, and you please him.

To the true Israelite, the spiri­tual Worshipper, the Preacher saith: Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, drink thy wine with a mer­ry heart: for God accepteth thy Wor­ship.

Little Children, keep your selves from Idols. Amen.

Farewel, My Beloved.

IN the beginning of this Chap­ter, (in the first seven verses) the Apostle asserteth the Di­vine Right and Authority of Magistracy; and thereupon infer­reth, and thence presseth, the Duty of Subjection and Obedience to Magistrates.

It may not be amiss to touch a little upon the Apostle's scope here, and the occasion and ground of this Assertion and Vindication of the rightful Authority of Rulers; [Page 148]and of such earnestness in pressing Christians to Subjection and Obe­dience, not onely here, but else­where also more plainly. Tit. 3.1.

The Apostle had told these Ro­manes, that Believers are not under the Law; and he afterwards tells Christians, that they must not be the servants of men, 1 Cor. 7.23. Gal. 5.1. and calls up­on them to stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made them free.

Now the Apostle foreseeing, that some might abuse the Do­ctrine of Christian liberty, to a denyal of all Superiority, and to the casting off the Yoke of Subje­ction and Obedience to such as God hath set over them; (as now Libertines cry out, Liberty, liberty; Christ (say they) hath made us free, and we are not under the power of any, but Christ, He is our King.) The Apostle, I say, foreseeing, that among such as profess them­selves Christians, there might and would be unruly, Anti-Magistra­tical Spirits, that would despise Dominions, and cast off the Yoke of Subjection, doth therefore clean [Page 149]up this point, teaching that Chri­stianity doth not consume, but confirm civil polity. He urgeth Subjection upon Christians, all Christians, every soul, shewing the equity and necessity of it; and in­deed the better Christian any man is, the better Subject will he be: He that hath no Religion, may o­bey in some things for fear, or for some other respects, & from some sorry principles; but if a man be Religious, a Christian indeed, he will be subject and obedient for Conscience sake, in all things that may be done by him with a good Conscience. The Gospel doth not destroy, but establish Civil Government.

Well, now to look into the Text.

There are two general parts of it.

1. A Precept or Injunction of Duty, Text di­vided. Let every soul be subject, &c.

2. A Reason of the Command, or Ground of the Duty, For there is no power, &c. Or thus I choose rather to divide the Text. See here, [Page 148] [...] [Page 149] [...] [Page 150]

• 1. A Proposition of a Truth.
• 2. An Inference of Duty.

The Truth affirmed, is the Di­vine Right and Authority of Ma­gistracy; There is no power but of God; the powers that be, are or­dained of God.

The Duty inferred, is Subjecti­on and Obedience to Magistrates; Let every soul therefore be subject to the higher powers.

In the Proposition we have,

• 1. The subject of the Right or Authority proposed and asserted.
• 2. The rise and ground of it, which is expressed Affirmatively and Negatively.

1. The Subject of the Superio­rity, Authority here granted, which is thus expressed, [...]. Powers, higher powers: under which ex­pressions the Apostle, by a Metony­mie, points out Civil Magistrates, who are invested with power and Authority over others: All Ma­gistrates, especially the chief Ma­gistrate; and he entitles them Powers, intimating (as is proba­bly conjectured) that he speaks not so much of particular persons [Page 151]in power, as of the Order and Of­fice it self.

2. Here is the rise and ground of this Supereminency and Au­thority, which is expressed two ways:

1. Negatively, There is no pow­er but of God. Here now is a Ne­gation of power in any Creature to make Higher Powers, to give Power and Authority to one over others: a denyal, I say, of any o­ther rise or original of Civil Go­vernment, but onely from God.

Governours and Government are not from men, as some affirm: Though Magistracy be called, 1 Pet. 2, 13. [...]. An Ordinance of Man, a humane Crea­tion or Creature; yet this is not to be understood originaliter, as if Magistracy and Government were invented by man, or had its ori­ginal from man: but it is said to be an Ordinance of Man, either

1. Subjective; because this Power and Authority is subjected in man, and managed by man, and the choice of the kinds of Ma­gistrates, or such and such a form of Government; yea, and of the [Page 152]persons, to exercise the power Magistratical, is for the most part lest to men, and acted by men, under the ordering, disposing Pro­vidence of God. Or,

2. Objective; because it is em­ployed about Humane Affairs, is conversant about the ordering and governing of man. Or,

3. [...], Finaliter; Man is the end of Magistracy: it was or­dained for the good of Man, and for the preserving of Humane So­ciety. In this sence, in such re­spects Magistracy is an Ordinance of Man, but the substance of the Power is of God; There is no power but of God.

2. The Apostle turns this Exclu­sive into an Universal Affirmative, The powers that be, are ordained of God. Here St. Paul positively as­serts the rise of Kingly Authority, and all Magistratical Power, to be from God; and he intimates how it is of God: not onely permis­sive, and directive, by his permit­ting and directing Providence; but by his approbation, ordinati­on and command: such an inti­mation [Page 153]we have in the Original word, [...]. which is very emphati­cal: for,

• 1. It signifies, that Civil Pow­ers are appointed by God, and by him advanced above others.
• 2. That this is an orderly dis­position for the good of men, and very necessary.
• 3. The word signifies, that these Powers are brought in order by God; have bounds set to them, Rules and Laws given them, which they must not transgress.

Now as to the second part of the Text, viz. the Duty inferred from his assertion of the Divine Ordination of these Powers, i.e. Subjection to them: Let every soul be subject to the higher powers.

Note here,

• 1. The subject of the Duty.
• 2. The Duty it self.

1. The subject of the Duty, who must be subject; Every soul: [...]. [Soul] is here by a Synech doche put for Man; and this is ordinary with the Hebrews and Greeks to call Man sometimes Soul, sometimes Flesh; Every Soul, all Flesh, i.e. [Page 154]all men of whatsoever age, rank, quality or condition; all are by the Apostle his Precept subjected to Magistracy, to the Civil Pow­ers, supreme and subordinate.

2. The Duty it self, Subjection; Let every soul [ [...]. Subordi­nata sit. be subject:] The word in the Original noteth a willing and orderly Subjection, and it implies Reverence and O­bedience: but I shall speak more largely to these particulars anon, in opening the Doctrine of the Text, to which I now come.

Two points here offer them­selves: Doctrines two.

• 1. That Magistracy is of Divine Authority, instituted by God; His Ordinance.
• 2. That every Christian must be subject to Magistrates.

I shall be very brief in handling the first of these Doctrines, and shall insist a little longer upon the other.

Doctr. 1 Magistracy is of Divine Authori­ty, instituted by God.

I shall a little explain both the Subject and the Attribute of this Proposition.

First, as touching the Subject; Powers, Higher Powers, Magistracy. You have already had something of Explication in opening that term [...], Powers; and the ad­junct [...], Higher or Super­eminent.

1. I told you, that here are pointed out Kings, or chief Ru­lers, and subordinate Governours and Magistrates: and we have both sorts of Powers indigitated more plainly and openly in other Scri­ptures. Exhort (saith the Apo­stle) that prayers be made for Kings, 1 Tim. 2.2. [...] and for all that are in authority; that are in Eminency; i. e. Go­vernours and Magistrates, what­ever Titles they have. Deut. 33.5. Moses is said to be King in Jesurun, i. e. Governour or Ruler of the Peo­ple; and whereas it is said in the Book of Judges, In those days there was no [King] in Israel; Judg. 19.1. it is not to be understood of a Monarch spe­cifically, but of a chief Governour or Magistrate in Israel: for neither before that time, nor afterwards, till the days of Samuel, was there any Monarchical Government [Page 156]in Israel: Saul was Israels first Monarch.

Then, besides [...], Kings, there are others [...], that are set in Eminency, placed in Authority above others: The Apostle Paul, speaks of Principa­lities and Powers, [...]; The former word noteth those that have a Primary, more im­mediate, and more full, Supream power under God, for admini­strations in their Dominions, by their proper Power and Com­mand, as Kings and cheif Gover­nours: The latter word or ex­pression, signifieth such as exer­cise Authority under Kings, de­riving Power from them, to act as Governours, by Deputation; there are Kings, 1 Pet. 2.12. as Supream, and Governours sent by them.

Now, in our Proposition, The Subject is Magistracy, concerning which

2. I have told you, that we are not onely to look at the persons that bear rule, but also, and more especially, at the Order, and Of­fice, and Calling it self.

Secondly, As to the Attribute in the Proposition, is of Divine Au­thority, Instituted by God, is God's Ordinance. I have already open­ed the tearm Ordained in the Text, whence the word Ordinance, in our Proposition.

Briefly now, thus take the meaning of the Attribute: God is the Author of Magistracy; it is the Will and Appointment of God, that there should be Go­vernment and Governours; Prin­cipalities and Powers; so that all Rulers and Governours are either Missi, or Permissi, by Comission, or Permission from God. Usurpers are by God his Providence and Permission; and rightful Gover­nours are by his Commission: The Power is his, however attained or used by men; and what ever Ma­gistrates be, good or bad; the Office, Magistracy, is of God Ap­probative and Mandative, by way of Approbation and Command: The Power of Nero, was of God, for he was chief Magistrate, when the Apostle laid down this Axiome or Principle; The Powers that be, are ordained of God.

Proof. Now I come to the proof of the point:

The Text is full of this Doctrine; it is here a plain Proposition, and it is strongly implied in the Infe­rence of the Duty here urged, as you shall see further by and by; but other Scriptures prove this fully: 1 Pet. 2.14. Dan 2.21 Dan. 4.32 Governours are said to be sent of God: God setteth up Kings: The most high ruleth in the King­doms of men, and giveth it to whom­soever he will. Christ, the Eter­nal Wisdom of his Father, tells us, Pro. 8.15 That by him Kings Reign: God in one Psalm speaking to Princes, and Magistrates, Ps. 82.6. saith, I have said ye are Gods. I who have power to appoint whom I will to be my Vicegerents, do call you, and constitute you, to be my Depu­ties upon Earth: Magistrates are called Gods, Non par­ticipati­one Di­vinae Es­sentiae, sed simi­litudine Divinae potentiae not that they are so Essentially, and by Nature, but by Similitude, and in respect of their Power, because they repre­sent God his Majesty in regard of their Office, and do in a sort participate of the Power and Au­thority of God, being deputed [Page 159]and authorized by him, to exer­cise power among men; I have said, ye are Gods: I have given you a Command, Commission, and Power to bear Rule; and my Word is a sufficient warrant for any Office or Ordinance: Thus the point is proved; it shall now be very briefly Demonstrated.

1. The Divine Authority of Magistracy, Demonst. (that it is God's Or­dinance) may be argued from the antiquity of it: We read in the Book of God, of Magistrates, even from the beginning; and why may we not use the same argu­ment, to prove the Divine Ordi­nation of Magistracy, which is wont to be used (and that not un­aptly) to prove the Divinity of Scripture, viz. the strange pre­servation of it thorow so many Ages, in so many Changes and Revolutions, amidst all Wars and Confusions, against the rage of men and Devils: God hath owned it as a Plant of his own setting, which he planted early, and would never suffer to be rooted up.

2. The Divine Ordination of Magistracy, may be argued from the injunctions laid by God upon Magistrates, with his prescripti­ons of Rules of Government: Deut. 1.17. Jer. 22.3. Psal. 2.10 If they had no Authority to Rule, why should God command them to Rule according to his Lawes? and prescrite to them Rules of Government? herein God owns Magistracy and Government a­mong men.

3. We are commanded to pray for Magistrates; Tit. 3.1. therefore Magi­stracy is ordained by God, and approved of God; otherwise, if the Office were evil, and without Divine allowance, we should pray against it.

4. God his commanding of Subjects to obey Magistrates, e­vinceth Magistracy to be of God: The enjoyning of duty to the Subjects, establisheth the Autho­rity of Rulers.

I might adde several other par­ticulars, to demonstrate the truth of this Assertion, [That Magi­stracy is of Divine authority, is God's Ordinance] but enough [Page 161]hath been said to this purpose.

I shall not stay to consider and Answer the many objections, that are urged against this Truth: but I shall onely take notice of two, and hint a very short Answer.

Object. 1 Object. Vindica­tion of the point. Hos. 8.4. If God be the Author of Magistracy; if there be no Powers but of God; how then is it said, They set up Kings, but not by me; they made Princes, and I knew it not?

Answ. Answ. Many things may be said not to be of God, as command­ing and approving them, which are not without God permitting them; They made Princes, and I knew it not; viz. so as to approve of their choice; I left them to themselves, suffering them to go on in their own way; but they had not my approbation of what they did, nor are they like to have my blessing in it: God doth not here disown Magistracy, as if it were not his Ordinance; but he testifies against such a choice, and such a manner of choosing a Ma­gistrate, in a mutinous, head­strong, tumultuous way, without [Page 162]any respect to God's Will, and without asking Counsel of him.

Object. 2 Obj. God was angry with the Israelites for asking a King; 1 Sam. 10. & 12. therefore Kingly Government is not God's Ordinance, but it is unlawful and displeasing to God.

Answ. 1. The unlawfulness of Kingly Government cannot be inferred hence; for God was not angry with them, simply for asking a King, but because they were ob­stinately bent upon it, to have a King, out of an affection of No­velty, being weary of that Go­vernment which God had ap­pointed to them, and established among them, and being desirous to be like the rest of the Nations, the Heathens and Idolaters round about them; and because they would needs have a King, out of ambition, and out of a carnal, vain, sinful confidence in a King, as able to protect them; and out of diffidence in God, as though he could not defend them in his own way; and God was angry with them for their ingratitude toward good Samuel, who had [Page 163]deserved so well at their hands.

2. God himself chose Saul to be King, and qualified him for the Office, and commanded Sa­muel to anoint him; which he would not have done, if the Kingly Office had been displeas­ing to God.

Well, having explained, pro­ved, demonstrated, and vindica­ted the point; I proceed now to Application.

I shall wholly silence the Use of Information. Applica­tion.

My first Use shall be for Con­viction and Reproof.

Ʋse 1 Now truly, Convicti­on. our Doctrine strikes very many people of several sorts. As

1. Papists, who exalt the Pope above the civil Magistrate, and give him power over Princes, to excommunicate them, and depose them, and loose their Subjects from their Oaths of Allegiance and Fidelity; and who do main­tain and avow that cursed Do­ctrine of King-killing: Do these own God his Ordinance? but to let them pass.

2. There are other Hereticks, as Socinians, Millenaries, and Fifth-monarchy men, and Qua­kers, and some Anabaptists, that look for the abolishing of all Ma­gistracy, and affirm, that Magi­stracy is an office displeasing to God, and unlawful for a Christi­an to undertake; and load Magi­strates with most vile reproachful Titles, calling them Though Righteous Rulers. Tyrants, When they exe­cute Ju­stice. Persecutors, the Powers of darkness, the Antichristian Beast, &c. Lawless Libertines, that can­not endure that any should be Lord over them: these are Ene­mies to God's Ordinance, and resist it.

Well, all that contemn, and disesteem Magistracy, are guilty of great impiety, in vilifying those that God doth Dignifie; and seeking to pull down that Or­der, and that Ordinance, which God hath set up.

There are two sorts of men in the General, that are chargeable with ungodliness and iniquity, against the Truth which hath been demonstrated.

[Page 165]1. They who do Doctrinally, and in their Principles, deny Magistracy to be from God, and affirm Government to be a work of darkness.

2. They who in their practice contemn Magistracy, do likewise sin against a clear Ordinance of God: Some sinne in disgraceful scurvy language, reviling the gods, and speaking evil of the Rulers of the people: Others sin, by unseemly, uncivil, rude carriage and behaviour toward the Magistrate; by shameful ir­reverence, impudence, and inso­lency; as that Generation of Quakers, who pretend to ex­traordinary Sanctity, when they have not ordinary civility: But let such men know, that in con­temning Magistrates, as Magi­strates, they contemn God, whose Ordinance Magistracy is, and whose Officers and Deputies, Ma­gistrates are; They have not reject­ed thee, (saith God to Samuel) but they have rejected me, who rule them by thee my Deputy.

Ʋse 2 This is matter of singular com­fort to Magistrates; Consola­tion. seeing Magi­stracy is God's Ordinance. God will defend the Office, will main­tain his own Ordinance, against the spite and fury of men and De­vils; and he will protect the Per­sons, and maintain the dignity, of those that are Magistrates and Rulers for him, as well as by him: God will keep the Crown where he hath placed it, upon the head of any Servant of his, as long as he hath any work for him to do; he will uphold the Throne of that King, that seeks and strives to uphold his Kingdom; and will keep those Rulers, that are care­ful to keep his Way.

Ʋse 3 I come now to the third and last Use: Exhorta­tion. I should Counsel and Exhort you, to yield subjection and obedience to Magistrates: which is the duty of all Christi­ans, inferred here by the Apostle, from this consideration, That Ma­gistracy is God's Ordinance: But that duty of Subjection, is to be handled distinctly, in a Do­ctrinal way, I having laid it down [Page 167]as part of the Doctrine of the Text, which I intend to open, and handle more largely. Now

Counsel 1 I shall exhort you to bless God for this Ordinance of his, Magi­stracy; for the Powers amongst us Ordained by him. The Scripture speaks of Magistrates, and Magi­stracy, as a great blessing; It calls Kings and Rulers, Nursing-Fathers, Sheilds, Shepheards, Corner-stones, Pillars, Foundations, Saviours, &c. The loss of them is reckoned to be a great Judgment, Isa. 3. and the restoring of them is a great Mer­cy: It is promised as a great bles­sing to an obedient people, that they shall have Kings and Princes, Jer. 17.25. Governours to Rule them; and it is reckoned as a choice Mercy indeed, that our Nobles shall be of our selves, Jer. 30.31. and our Goaernours shall proceed from the midst of us: Oh! if we could be sensible of the necessity, and the utility, and be­nefit of Government, so as to see what mischeif and misery it pre­vents, which Anarchy would bring upon us, and what good it bring­eth, how much it conduceth to [Page 168]the happiness of a people: I say if we did see this, how should we bless God for Government, espe­cially for a rightful Government a proper Government, a religious Government? Where there is no Magistracy, all runs into confusi­on, and people come to ruine. But oh, what a mercy is it, when the great Shepherd of his Flock [...] raiseth up Shepherds under him to govern, feed, and defend his Flock? Such Magistrates, such Rulers, as are the Ministers of Go [...] for our good; what a blessing ar [...] they? It were easie to explicate here; the Subject is large; There is very much carried in the name of a King; [...] quasi [...]. I say, in the Gree [...] word, which signifies a King; a a Critick in that Tongue, gives u [...] the Etimology, or derivation, o [...] rather the signification of it. The Common-wealth is a building, and a cheif Magistrate or King, i [...] the Foundation. Oh! how should we be every day pray sing God for this Ordinance of his, that we can lie down in peace, and rest in peace, travail in peace, [Page 169]and go to God's House in peace, and with comfort? (yet it is so) Oh! how great are our enjoy­ments, by means of Magistracy? Good Magistrates, Supream and Subordinate, are the means under God, to preserve our Lives, and Goods, and Sabboths, and Ordi­nances, and all that is, or should be, dear to us: O then, let us bless the God of Heaven for this Ordinance of his; and let us bless God for the peaceable Re­stauration of his Majesty, our gra­cious Soveraigne, to the actual possession and excercise of his re­gal Authority among us, offering our hearty thanksgiving to our God, for all those publick bene­fits, which upon that account we have received, and which we hope further, that we shall, and pray that we may, enjoy; and the Lord grant, that we may have more and more cause to rejoyce in this great providence of his.

Counsel 2 2. Let us pray for the King, and for all Subordinate Magi­strates, all that are in Authority under him, pray that God would [Page 170]enrich both the Supream and in­seriour Magistrates, with Gifts and Graces fit for their places; that they may Rule for God, and act as his Deputies and Vicege­rents, that they may be a Terrour to evil doers, and an encourage­ment to those that desire truly to fear God; that they may be Mi­nisters of God, for the good of God's people; and let us pray, that God will maintain this Or­dinance of his amongst us, and protect, and govern, and bless our Government, that the King's Throne may be established by Righteousness, and the Crown may flourish upon his head.

Counsel 3 3. Let us take heed that we re­fist not Magistracy, or the Powers which God hath ordained: This is the Apostle his inference from the Doctrine of the Text; The Powers that be, are ordained of God, therefore resist not the Powers, but be subject to them.

The word here translated, [...]. to resist, is properly, to be counter-or­dered, or ordered against; it noteth such a resisting, as when a man [Page 171]is contrary to the order establish­ed, to the Power which God hath ordained; and here is intended all manner of Actu, aut af­fectu. opposition; there must be neither opposite action, nor adverse affection: Let there be no attempts or endeavours, either by open force, or close con­spiracy and secret plottings, a­gainst the Powers which God hath ordained, against the Govern­ment which he hath set up; nei­ther let the will withstand it, or the heart be opposite to it; all at­tempts against Government, We speak of civil Govern­ment, that which is of God. and all disaffection and contrariety in heart and will unto Government, is a resisting of the Powers: Where God hath placed Soveraignty, let us take heed of resisting Soveraign Power.

I shall not muster up Argu­ments to enforce this Counsel, but onely hint a word or two, which the Context affords.

Consi∣der. 1 1. He that resisteth, resisteth the Ordinance of God, and so riseth up against God himself; Shall we seek to violate God's Order, or desire the violation of it? what [Page 172]is this but to rebel against God? and is not this horrible wicked­ness?

Consid. 1 2. The Apostle suggesteth the danger of resisting Magistracy: They that resist, shall receive to themselves damnation: The word is [ [...],] Beza renders it con­demnation, others judgement, re­venge, punishment; indeed the word signifies all these; and here may be understood both tempo­ral and eternal punishment, to which we shall render our selves liable, by resisting the Powers; but of whom shall resisters receive punishment? why, either from the Powers resisted, or certainly from God, who will not endure that men should rise up against him, by resisting his Ordinance but he will resist them, and rise up against them: Never any Re­belled against God, and prospered God is the Vindicator of his own Ordinance, and he will not suffer the violators of Government, o [...] the opposers of a lawful Magi­stracy, to go unpunished. What befel Miriam, for speaking against [Page 173] Moses? and what did Corah, Da­than, and Abiram, get by their opposition and resistance? What became of rebellious Absalom, and perfidious Achitophel? the one was hanged in an Oak, and the other was his own wilful Executi­oner, hanged himself. What was the end of Shimei and Sheba, was it not miserable? had Zimripeace that slew his Master? And have we not seen, how they who sought to overthrough Magistracy a­mongst us, have overthrown them­selves? Therefore let us take heed of resisting the Powers or­dained of God.

Counsel 4 4. Let us contribute our en­deavours for the upholding of Magistracy, and Government a­mong us, (forasmuch as it is the good Ordinance of God) and for the support of the Power which God hath ordained: I shall only touch upon two wayes of endea­vour, wherein we may, and must contribute thereunto, viz. Pray­ing, and paying.

1. We must pray for Magistracy [Page 174]and Magistrates; pray to God, to maintain and uphold the Office, his own Ordinance, and to in­spire, and guide, and preserve, and bless the Officers both Su­pream and Subordinate, to whom he hath committed the Sword, to be born by them; whom he hath invested with Power and Autho­rity over us, that are the Powers ordained of God: We must pray for the continuance and support of Magistracy, with respect to the honour of God, whose Ordinance it is for his own Glory, in oppo­sition to unruly Libertines, and antimagistratical spirits, that de­fie this Ordinance of God.

And we are to pray for the up­holding of Magistracy, with re­spect to our selves, in regard of the necessity and utility of this Ordinance, in as much as it is or­dained for our good.

And we must pray for Magi­states, for those whom God hath set over us, to govern us, that under them we may lead a quiet and peaceable life, 1 Tim. 2.3, 2. in all godliness and honesty.

2. We must contribute toward the support of the Powers which God hath ordained, by a chearful payment of such Tribute or Cu­stomes, as are legally and reaso­nably required of us, for necessary supplies: Render to all their dues, Rom. 13.7. Tribute, to whom Tribute; Custome, to whom Custome belongs.

Counsel 5 5. Let us honour Magistracy, having a high esteem of the higher Powers, acknowledging their Of­fice to be God's Ordinance, and a jurisdiction delegated from God himself, who invests Government with Majesty; I have said, ye are Gods: Magistrates are God his Lieutenants (as it were) his De­puties; and so bear his Title; therefore their Calling is honour­able, and they must be honour­ed.

But this will fall in under the notion of Subjection, to which the Apostle here exhorteth, from the consideration of the Authori­ty of Magistracy; and that is it, which I shall hereafter speak of.

The second Doctrinal conclu­sion from the Text, is this.

Doct. 2 2. That every Christian must be subject to the powers ordained of God.

In handling this point, I shall by way of Explication, shew

• 1. What is the import of this tearm Subjection.
• 2. To whom Subjection must be yielded.
• 3. Who must be subject.
• 4. I shall open the duty Sub­jection, endeavouring to give you the true state of it.

Quest. 1 Quest. 1. What doth this tearm Subjection import, or what is it to subject?

Answ. Ans. Subjicere, is to lay or put under; as it is said. David brought forth the people that were in Rabba, [& subjecit serres, &c.] and put them under Sawes and harrows of Iron; subjected them to such grievous punish­ments: but the [...] Greek word here in the Text, signifies something further, than to be under, or to [Page 177]be put under; it signifies an or­derly subjection, to be put in order under another: Let every soul be subordinate to the higher Powers; i. e. Subject in his place and or­der: The word being of a middle voice, may be translated either passively or actively; but here it must be of an active signification, for it is an exhortation to the per­formance of a duty; Let every soul be subject, according to God his Ordinance, who hath by his Ordination and Command, sub­jected every Soul to the higher powers; so that here is noted, a willing orderly subjection: And the word is a general word, com­prehending all other duties and services; it notes the whole duty of an inferiour estate; particular­ly, it implies due reverence, and a ready, full obedience, without resistance or reluctancy.

Quest. 2 Quest. 2. To whom must this sub­jection be yielded?

Answ. Ans. To the higher Powers, and to all the powers that are ordained of God; to Magistrates supream and [Page 178]subordinate: Supream powers are intended principally, but not only; we read elsewhere, of Prin­cipalities and Powers: Tit. 3 1 [...]. The form­er word notes, those that have a primary, more immediate, and more plenary, power under God, for administrations in their Do­minions, as Kings and cheif Go­vernours: The other word signi­fies, such as exercise Authority under them, deriving power from them, to act as Governours, by de­legation: There are Kings, 1 Pet. 2.12. as su­pream, and Governours sent by them: These are the object of this duty of subjection, or subject­um cui, the subject to whom sub­jection must be yielded: and we are to look, not only at the per­sons that bear Rule, have Power, and are in Authority, but also, and more especially at the Order, Office, and Calling it self.

Quest. 3 Quest. 3. Who must be subject?

Answ. Answ. The Text saith, Every Soul; [...]. in our proposition, it is e­very Christian: All persons un­der Government, of whatsoever [Page 179]age, rank, capacity, calling, qua­lity, or condition, all must be sub­ject to Magistrates, to the powers supream and subordinate.

Quest. 4 Quest. 4. What is the duty here called for in the expression of the Text?

Answ. Answ. A willing and orderly subjection, Subjecti­on implies which implies Reve­rence and Obedience.

1. Reverence; 1 Reve­rence. which is a kind of honour and observance, joyn­ed with some awe and special hu­mility, and submission of the mind and body, exhibited by an inferiour, to a Superiour; hav­ing a regard to his person, and place, and worth, and words, and actions.

This Reverence must be inward and outward.

1. 1. Inward. Inward Reverence of the heart: The Apostle saith, that the Law is spiritual; it is so in e­very Commandment; it reacheth the inward man: Thus in this point of honouring Superiours, there is a Law laid upon the heart. This inward reverence is, [Page 180]to have a due estimation of their Superiority and Authority; and in acknowledgement thereof, to have due respect to them in our hearts, to have them in high ac­count, and to stand in awe of them: Contrary to this inward reverence, is, a sleighting and de­spising of Superiours; as those children of Belial despised Saul; 1 Sam. 10.27. and those impure Hereticks which the Apostle speaks of, Jude 8. are said to despise Dominions: Now we are to honor Magistrates in our hearts (as they are in God's place) esteeming them to be higher and worthier than others, and stand­ing in awe of them: Prov. 24.21. Fear God and the King. The Lord magnified Joshua in the fight of all Israel, and they feared him; Josh. 4.14. i. e. reve­renced him, as they feared Moses, &c. The people said unto David, Thou art worth ten thousand of us; 2 Sam. 18.3. they had a reverend, high esteem of him. The Church accounted King Josiah the breath of their Nostrils; Sam. 4.20. he was precious in their account.

2. There must be outward re­verence, 2 Out­ward. which is an expression of the mind in reverend and low­ly speeches and gestures.

1. We must speak reverently and respectively of, In speech and especial­ly to, Magistrates. Aaron, though the Elder Brother, and High-Priest, honoureth Moses with the Title of Lord; he being by Gods appointment the Captain-Gene­ral and Chief Magistrate, Gover­nour of the people. The woman of Tekoah calls David an Angel; 2 Sam. 14.17. cap. 19.27. and so doth Mephibosheth. If I have found favour in the sight of the King, and if it please the King to grant my petition, &c. saith the Queen Est­her to King Ahasuerosh. God his Command is express; Exod. 22.28. Thou shalt not revile the gods, nor speak evil of the rulers of thy people: and the Spirit of God noteth them to be audacious sinners, who are guilty of this evil; 2 Pet. 2.10. They are not afraid to speak evil of Dignities: as if he had said, Did they fear God or Man, they would not dare to do this.

2. We must shew reverence to [Page 182]the Magistrate by reverend carti­age and gestures; In beha­viour. as, uncovering the head, bowing the knee, and making obeysance; as Araunah, when he saw the King coming to­ward him, 2 Sam. 24.20. bowed himself towards the King on his face, upon the ground. So, when Joseph was made Vice-Roy and Governour of Egypt, they cried before him, Gen. 41.43. Bow the knee. Our deportment before the Pow­ers must savour of humility, and a sense of our Duty: therefore it is horrible ignorance, or notorious malice and wickedness, in some men, to urge the Scripture against reverend respectful behaviour to­ward Magistrates, and to abuse it for the patronage of their incivi­lity and rudeness, telling us, that God teacheth and commandeth Christians to have no respect of per­sons. Certainly, Civility and Hu­manity, as well as Christianity, re­quires respect and reverence to those that are eminent in parts, and place, and authority; the Scripture doth not condemn ci­vil, but sinful respect of persons: [Page 183]the Servant must reverence his Master, the Child must reverence his Father, the Subject must re­verence his Soveraign, and infe­riour Magistrates: We must not scruple to give unto Magistrates those Titles which the Scripture gives them, or the like; or to shew them that respect and reve­rence which the Word allows and commands, but we are bound to give it. The Quakers therefore are absurd and sottish, who are afraid of being too respectful to God his Deputies, nay, shew no respect at all to them in speech or gesture: the Holy Ghost hath taught us better manners, to give Titles of Honour to men in Au­thority, and to demean our selves toward them reverently and low­lily.

Christians must be subject to Magistrates, i. e. they must reve­rence them: this is one main branch or part of subjection.

2. This Subjection implies O­bedience: 2. Obedi­ence. Christians must rea­dily subject themselves to the law­ful [Page 184]commands of Magistrates, o­beying them in all things accor­ding to the mind of God.

Now here I shall shew,

• 1. What it is to obey.
• 2. Wherein we must obey Ru­lers.
• 3. How, in what manner we must obey.

1. What it is [...]. What it is to obey: The word in the Original signifies to hearken under, as being in sub­jection, as becomes an inferiour, one that is in place and order un­der another: so that the word noteth a hearkening with all hum­ble submission, and it implies both Reverence and Obedience. The simple Verb [...], notes Obe­dience, and the Preposition [...], noteth Reverence; so that the compound word importeth an humble readiness to receive com­mands, and a cheerful obedience in performing them.

2. Wherein it is. Wherein, and how far are we to obey Magistrates?

We must observe and perform their commands in all things pos­sible [Page 185]and lawful to be done by us; the onely limitation of our obedi­ence is this, In the Lord: whatso­ever the higher Powers command, so that we do not apprehend their Commands as crossing Gods Commands, all Subjects must o­bey: for as soon as Soveraign Authority hath commanded any thing that is lawful, warranted or allowed by the Word of God, God his stamp is set upon that Command. We must not look upon the things commanded, (further than to enquire into the lawfulness of them) but upon God's Ordination, setting Magi­strates in place to command, and Subjects in place for obedience: So far as the Magistrate hath pow­er to command, that is, in the Lord, and according to God; so far there is a necessity of obedi­ence, not onely for fear, but for Conscience sake; [because God commandeth every soul to be sub­ject to the Higher Powers, so far, as that we cast not off our subje­ction to him, who is the highest [Page 186]Potentate, and supreme Law-gi­ver. But when the Laws of men cross the Laws of God, and Hu­mane Injunctions are contrary to Divine Prescriptions; here now we must obey God rather then man; we must so give to Caesar that which is due to Caesar, as that we rob not God of his due. A Magistrate cannot be enriched with the spoyls of God; nor is it any dishonour to an earthly King, to see the KING of Kings served before him. Nor is the Subject bound to obey in all things, but onely so far as may stand with his Allegiance and Duty to God, and so far as he may go, and not dis­honour God, or wrong his Con­science. It is good for us to ob­serve both the Connexion and or­der of those two Commands, 1 Pet. 2.17. Fear God, and, Honour the King: VVe must so honour the King, as that withal we fear God; and must be sure, that in obeying Man, we do not disobey God: and this [Fear God.] goes before that [Honour the King.] We may and must o­bey the hard Commands of Su­periours, [Page 187]but we must not obey their sinful Commands, (if any such at any time be.) The Isra­elites smarted sorely for worship­ping the Golden Calves, in obe­dience to the command of Jero­boam their King; and we find that the Hebrew Midwives are commended and rewarded for disobeying the wicked command of Pharaoh; they could not do what he did enjoyn them, because they feared God. They are ill friends to the Magistrate, and to themselves, to their own souls, who perswade the Magistrate to enjoyn any thing to his Subjects which the Word of God doth not allow; or that are ready for their own base ends to obey his finful Commands. Indeed God is to be obeyed without any dispute, de­bate, or helitancie, Solo in­tuitu vo­luntatis Divinae. upon a bare sight of his will, as the Schoolmen speak: but I must compare mens Commands with God's Laws, and if I find a dissonancie to the Laws of God, I must be disobedient, (or I should rather say, non-obe­dient; [Page 188]for it is not properly dis­obedience, not to obey men against God.) I have met with a pretty Exposition of, and Comment up­on, that of the Preacher; Eccl. 8.2. I coun­sel thee to keep the King's Command­ment, and that in regard of the Oath of God.

First, These latter words may be look'd upon as a reason or en­forcement of the Exhortation: It is necessary to give obedience to Magistrates, not onely out of fear toward them, because they bear the sword; but especially out of Conscience toward God, because his Vows are upon us. Here seems to be a reference to some Cove­nant and Oath of Allegiance and Fidelity, taken by the people, bin­ding them to their Prince. (In­deed Oaths to Magistrates are to be kept, and surely Oaths to God are not to be broken, but religi­ously observed.) But now

Secondly, These words, In re­gard of the Oath of God, may be looked upon as a limitation to the precedent Exhortation. Keep the [Page 189]King's Command, but with regard had to the Oath of God, so that there be no violation of that, so that your Obedience to the King be consistent with your Fidelity to God. Our Obedience to man must be regulated by a good Con­science toward God.

This is Orthodox Doctrine, owned by all sound honest Di­vines, though there may be (as there have been) some Court-Claw-backs that may put forth o­ther stuff.

It was a notable resolution, and a noble speech of those Worthies, who were commanded by the King to worship the Image which he had set up: they said unto the King, O Nebuchadnezzar, Dan. 3.16, 17. we are not careful to answer thee in this, &c. They submitted to the fire when they could not act as he com­manded; so we must yield passive obedience, when we cannot with a good Conscience yield active; we must choose rather to suffer than to sin: and when a Christi­an submits himself to the penalty [Page 190]of not doing that which is against his Conscience, this is no Rebel­lion or resistance of the Powers, but here is still a subjection to them; though this is the loud Outcry of many ignorant and malicious persons, against consci­entious Ministers, and private Christians, that cannot readily consent to do all that men com­mand them; O Rebellion, Rebel­lion! O Rebels, Rebels! The Mar­tyrs of famous and blessed memo­ry, in those sad Marian Days, did not resist, nor rebel, they willingly and cheerfully yeilded their bo­dies to the flames, but still they professed and protested against the Idolatrous Doctrine and Wor­ship then established by Law.

And now, for a further opening and a clearer stating of this mat­ter in question, viz. [Wherein, and how far we are bound to obey Magi­strates,] I propound to be consi­dered, Whether the Magistrate command us to do that which is unlawful, or deal hardly with us, [Page 191]by laying upon us unjustly some heavy burden, (for these are dif­ferent cases.) Well then,

1. In case of commanding any unlawful action; to such a Com­mand we must deny our obedi­ence; the supreme Power of all is to be obeyed: no power on earth can secure the Conscience in doing that which is unlawful, and cross to the Rule of God's Word. But

Secondly: If the higher Pow­ers shall, Multum est dis­criminis inter eos, qui vim injustam patienter rolerant, & eos, qui quod injustum est saci­unt. Sze­ged. contrary to the Laws by which they are to Rule, lay heavy burdens upon us, whereby we shall suffer in our persons or Estates, in such a case we must labour with patience to endure, and be con­tent to act to our own prejudice that which cannot honestly be a­voided or put off.

Now to clear both these Posi­tions, I shall speak a little to a Scripture-instance or two, about which there maybe some enquiry, not without ground.

The Instances are of Subjects their obedience and disobedience [Page 192]to the Willand Command of their Soveraign.

Quest. First, the case between Ahab and Naboth: the Question is, Whe­ther Naboth did well or ill in re­fusing to part from his Vineyard to Ahab, upon the terms propounded by the King?

Answ. I find it answered, that Nabot [...] did justly and warrantably refus [...] to gratifie the King's desire, be­cause God had forbidden the alie­nation of the Inheritance: there was an express Law concerning this, Lev. 25. that no Israelite might se [...] his Field, but upon condition o [...] redeeming it, and returning it is the year of Jubilee. But Aha [...] would have had Naboth his Vine yard upon other tearms, which i [...] was not lawful for him to heark­en to; therefore he saith, God for bid that I should give the inheritand of my fathers unto thee.

But here, by the way, I humbl [...] conceive that the Reverend learn­ed Author, who gives this An­swer, was mistaken in that which he intimates as the ground of this [Page 193]Question; for he formeth the Question thus: Whether Naboth could justly deny his Vineyard to Ahab, seeing the King hath power to take Fields and Vineyards, and give them to his servants, accor­ding to 1 Sam. 8.14. Now, saith he, in outward things, we must o­bey, though to detriment and loss. But as to that Text in Samuel, 1 Sam. 8.14. I conceive there was an unwitting mistake of the honest pious Au­hor, though it hath been (I doubt not) the wilful mistake of some Court-parasites, who from hence save suggested unto Princes, That Kings may do what they please, That they have an absolute power of the persons and estates of their subjects.

Doubtless, they do better un­derstand that Text, who interpret it to be the threatning of a judge­ment to the people, and not a Concession of such a right and power to the Ruler: It is as if he had said, This people shall pay dear enough for casting off that form of Government which I had [Page 194]appointed to them; they would needs have a-King, and I will give them a King that shall deal Ty­rannically with them, ruling Ar­bitrarily; that shall take away their Cattel and their Goods by violence, that shall enslave then and their Children: This will b [...] the manner of your King. Here i [...] not signified what-Kings ought to do, but what some Kings would do, to satisfie their own lusts: s [...] that we must not understand thi [...] as spoken de jure, but de facto. I [...] Rulers might lawfully do that which is here spoken of, then A­hab had not sinned in taking away Naboth his Vineyard from him by violence; but this was Ahab his sin, for which God punished him and we have an express word of God against this: Ezek. 46.18. The Prince shall not take of the peoples inheritance by oppression, to thrust them out of their possessions: (not but that Rule [...] have a Legal right over the per­sons and estates of their Subjects so that they make use of it to due ends.) Well, it is resolved, that [Page 195] Naboth justly denyed his Vineyard unto Ahab illegally demanding it, requiring it from him against the Law of God, which Ahab might not violate.

Secondly, There is another in­stance in Joab, who disobeyed one Command of King David, and obeyed another: the Questi­on is, Whether he did well in ei­ther? Quest. 1 Whether did Joab well in slaying Absalom, when the King had given a command to deal gently with him?

Answ. Joab did evil in slaying him, (though he had deserved to die) because David his Soveraign had given command to the contrary.

Quest. 2 Whether did Joab do well to obey David in numbering the peo­ple? Was it a sin or no for him to do this thing at the command of the King?

Answ. This was Joab his sin, (as well as his betraying of Ʋrijah to death upon the King's Letter) for he did this against his Conscience, as ap­peareth by his speech to David a­bout it: 1 Chron. 21.3. Why doth my Lord require [Page 196]this thing? why he will be a cause of trespass unto Israel?

Thus we have seen, wherein, and how far we are to obey the Higher powers: Soli Deo sine ex­ceptione paren­dum, hu­manae obedientiae pietas & justitia metae sint. Not in all things without exception (so God onely is to be obeyed) but so far forth as the matter of the Command hath not impiety or injustice in it.

3. How, in what manner must we obey the Higher Powers?

I shall speak to this Negatively and Affirmatively.

One word in the Negative.

It must not be constrained, or grudged Obedience; properly and truly, Obedience is a willing, free service, a readiness to receive and do Commands.

Affirmatively,

1. We must obey with that reverence and respect already spo­ken of.

2. There must be submissive, humble Obedience, 1 Pet 2, 13. in an acknow­ledgement of subjection: Submit [Page 197]your selves to every Ordinance of man for the Lord's sake, whether it be to the King, &c. The word rendred Submit, is [...], it sig­nifies a submitting of the neck to the yoke.

3. We must obey in singleness of heart, in the fear of the Lord, for Conscience sake, and not being led by our own interests and hopes of advantaging our selves in the world. Where Self is the motive and end of obedience to superi­ours, so that a man obeys the high­er powers with respect mainly to his own temporal emolument or advancement, there will be a rea­diness to obey men against God, vi­olating his Laws, and violencing the Conscience: but when we submit our selves to every Ordi­nance of man, For the Lord's sake, with respect to his Command, as serving and honouring him in our submission and obedience to men, then we shall make God's Word the Rule, and his Will the ground, of our Obedience; and so shall have a conscientious respect to [Page 198]the due extent, and the just li­mitation of our obedience; obey­ing, in all things; in the Lord; so far as men have God's warrant to command, and we have the allow­ance of God his Word to act.

This is Christian Obedience, to perform civil duties upon grounds of Religion, & within the bounds of Religion and Conscience; and this is a main thing to be lookt to, in our obedience to men, to have a Conscience therein toward God, and to serve the Lord Christ, to whom we must give account, and by whom we shall be reward­ed for our obedience and service to men, which is done as unto him.

Now here I shall take occasion briefly to discuss this Question.

Quest. Whether Humane Laws, or the Commands of men, do bind the Con­science, so that the Command of lawful Authority lays upon the Sub­ject an Obligation to, and necessity of, Obedience?

Answ. Divines, reputed Orthodox, have differed in their judgement [Page 199]about this; some denying, others asserting an Obligation laid upon the Conscience, by the Laws of men.

Now for the reconciling of these seeming differences in judg­ment among the Orthodox, I shall shew,

• 1. What Conscience is.
• 2. What it is to bind the Con­science, or to be binding in Con­science.
• 3. How many wayes this Obli­gation in Conscience is made or induced.

Then I shall conclude some­thing positively concerning this matter.

1. What is Conscience?

The Greek word [...] is compounded of [...] and [...], as the Latine word Consciencia, of Con and Scire: now Conscire is, to know together; so that Conscientia sounds as much as Scientia cum alio. Well then, Conscience is a knowledge, and inward sense of our own judgement, and of the judgement of another, viz. of [Page 200]God, either approving our acti­ons as good, or condemning them as evil.

Now Conscience is either good or evil.

A good Conscience is a know­ledge and perswasion of the Lega­lity and Regularity of our acti­ons, and of the approbation of God and of men that judge right.

An evil Conscience is a know­ledge and apprehension of the Il­legality and Irregularity of our actions, for which our own hearts condemn us, so that we fear the judgement of God or Man for our evil deeds.

Quest. Now, the Question is, Whether Humane Laws do bind in Conscience, so, that the violation of them makes an evil Conscience?

Sol. In order to the Solution of this, here is to be considered, how Con­science refers to God, and how to Men.

Strictly, Conscience is referred onely to God: so that an evil Conscience is a sense of sin com­mitted against God, and a fear [Page 201]of God's judgement for it.

More largely, Conscience bears respect also to men: thus the A­postle saith, that herein he did ex­ercise himself, Act. 24, 16. to have a Conscience void of offence toward God, and to­ward men; being careful to avoid offences against either Table of the Law, both in general and par­ticular: so that an evil Consci­ence is a sense of sin, as against God, so against men; and a fear, as of being judged for it by God, so of being censured by men, or of falling under disgrace.

So much as to the first special enquiry, in order to the Solution of the main Question: I have shewed you, what Conscience is; a good Conscience, and an evil Conscience.

2. What is it to bind the Con­science, or to be bound in Con­science?

This is to be understood, either strictly, or more largely.

Strictly and properly, There is an Obligation to Obedience, un­der a fear of offending God, or [Page 202]under the danger of a moral sault.

More largely and improperly; there is an obligation upon the Conscience, under a fear of of­fending men, or under the dan­ger only of a civil offence, which is a matter of ill report among men.

The Question is properly con­cerning the obligation of the Conscience, as Conscience re­specteth God: So that the doing, or not doing, of a thing, brings on a moral culpableness, with which a man's heart may charge him, a sin against God. Well then

3. How many wayes is this ob­ligation in Conscience, induced, with respect to the Laws of man?

1. The Conscience is bound, either onely in general; i. e. by vertue of God's general Com­mand, to honour Superiours; or also in special; i. e. with respect to singular, or positive Laws of Superiours.

2. A special Law or Constituti­on of the civil Powers, may be said to bind the Conscience, either [Page 203] per se, or per accidens.

A civil Constitution or Injun­ction, is obligatory per se, when it so binds the Conscience, that it must necessarily be observed, and cannot be crossed or neglect­ed, without offending God; and that by reason of the special com­mand of the Powers.

Again, Sometimes such a Law or Sanction is obligatory, bind­ing the Conscience only by acci­dent, as when any thing is com­manded with respect to good or­der, and the keeping of a due decorum, and the avoiding of scan­dal: The Conscience is bound by this Command, so far as the violation of it, is the destruction of good order, and a breach of the publick peace, and matter of scandal, or an occasion of sinning unto others.

A very learned and Orthodox Writer, hath these distinctions, among others, in the discussion of this great question, which we are now in hand with.

Well, Determ. now to conclude some­thing [Page 204]in Answer to this Inquiry; Whether humane Laws, or the Commands of men, do bind the Conscience?

Concerning which, I lay down this in General.

Humane Laws do, and do not, bind the Conscience: For the understanding of this, we must, with Aquinas, distinguish of Laws; he tells us, That Laws of humane Position, or Sanction, are either Righteous or Ʋnrighteous; and thus he concludes, Justae leges hu­manae obligant, in soro Consci­entiae, ra­tione le­gis aternae, &c. The righteous Laws of men, have a binding power in the Conscience, as they are groun­ded upon, derived from, and agree­abe to the Eternal Law, the Law of God, and no further; for only God's Laws do simply and per se; bind the Conscience; But unrigh­teous Laws (saith he) bind not in the Court of Conscience, Leges autem­injustae, non obli­gant, &c. unless in some cases; as for the avoiding of scandal, and with respect to the pub­lick peace, &c. Yea, saith he, f those Laws of men be unrighteous; per contrarietatem ad bonum Divi­num, as contrary to Divine good, or [Page 205]the Law of God, (as if Rulers should make Laws binding to an Idolatrous Profession or Worship, or to any thing contrary to the Law of God,) We are bound in Conscience not to obey such Laws; it is meet that we should obey God rather than men: And in another place he hath this conclusion; 2da 2dae; qu. 104. Art. 5. Subditi in iis tantummodo Superio­ribus suis obedire tenentur, in qui­bus ipsi Superioribus subjiciuntur, & in quibus ipsi Superiores sublimioris potestatis praecepto non adversantur. This in General.

Particularly; for a full deter­mination of the Question, there might be many distinct conclu­sions laid down, according to the diverse distinctions of Persons or Powers that make Laws, or give Commands, with respect to the diversity of the Subject, about which they are, as relating to the matters Civil or Ecclesiastical: but I shall adde only a few words,

• 1. Negatively,
• 2. Affirmatively.

Negatively, I lay down these three Positions.

1. Mens commands oblige not the Conscience directly and im­mediately, as God's Commands do, but by the intervention of God's Command. It is the com­mand of God that binds my Con­science to observe any command of man: Submit your selves to e­very Ordinance of man, 1 Pet. 2.1 [...]. Eccles. 8.10. for the Lord's sake, saith the Apostle Peter: Keep the Kings Commandment, and that in regard of the Oath of God: i. e. not onely for fear of man, but also and chiefly, for fear of wronging thy Conseience toward God.

2. Humane Laws bind not the Conscience universally and unli­mitedly, as the Laws of God do: I must examine the constitutions of men, by the Laws of God, and see whether they be righteous or no, whether they be not contrary to God's Law; and if I find them so, I am bound in Conscience, to deny active obedience.

3. The Commands of men do not bind absolutely, as the Laws of God do: There may be a due [Page 207]subjection in some cases unto man, by suffering the penalty, though obedience be withholden.

The result of all, is this, That no voice, but the Voice of God, must be heard in the Conscience, as commanding there, and bind­ing indispensibly to obedience: and let me add this, That it is antichristian for men to set up their own Will as a rule of sin and duty, to take it upon them to give Laws to the Conscience. This is St. Paul his Character of Antichrist, that he as God, 2 Thes. 2.4. sitteth in the Temple of God; i. e. in the Church: he sitteth as God; i. e. (saith Diodate) making himself absolute Lord of Consciences, bringing them to his obedience. The setting up of another Law­giver then Christ, is properly An­tichristianism. What saith Calvin? ‘As long as the Pope exerciseth Tyranny over the Conscience, we shall not cease to call him Antichrist: nay, we shall go fur­ther, saith he, and call them members of Antichrist, who [Page 208]take such snares upon their Consciences.’

Now Affirmatively, and posi­tively, concerning this question of the binding power of humane Laws in the Conscience, I con­clude thus:

That all Laws and Commands of men in Power, to which the order of the Power doth right­fully and duly extend it self, are to be obeyed for Conscience sake; and all such constitutions of men, as are fundamentally, or redu­ctively, and interpretatively the Commands of God, or which en­joyn that which hath allowance from the Word of God; all such have a binding power in the Court of Conscience; not di­rectly and immediately indeed upon account of man's ordinati­on, as they are humane Ordinan­ces, but as they are God his Laws, propounded and enforced by a civil sanction; and as they fall in duty, under that general Com­mand of obeying those that are over us in the Lord.

Prop. Now I come to prove and de­monstrate the point which hath been opened, That every soul must be subject to the higher powers; i. e. every person must reverence and obey Rulers and Magistrates.

Proof. This duty lies clearly and fully in the Text; but see further proof; My Son, fear thou God, Prov. 24.2 [...]. Tit. 3.1. and the King: Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers; to reverence and obey Magistrates: 1 Pet. 2.13, 14. Submit your selves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake; whether it be to the King, as Supream; or unto Gover­nours, as to them that are sent by him? and to this subjection God boweth the hearts of Subjects: God, saith David, Psal. 144. subdueth my peo­ple under me: Thus the people of Israel were subject to Joshua their cheif Magistrate; Josh. 4.14. They reveren­ced him; They were obedient to him; All that thou commandest us, Josh. 7.16, 17. we will do; and whithersoever thou sendest us, we will go, as we beark­ned to Moses in all things, so we will hearken unto thee; onely the [Page 210]Lord thy God be with thee as he was with Moses.

This last clause, [ only the Lord, &c.] seems to be a restriction, and wary honest interpretation of their promise and engagement to Joshua; Junius reads it thus, Tantum videto, Videto, ut Deus tibi ad­sit, sicut Moschi, & tu ab eo non recedas, &c. &c. only see that God be with thee, as he was with Moses, (guiding thee, and dicta­ting commands to thee) and that thou depart not from God, but keep close to his Commands, as Moses did. They would have Jo­shua to know, that they were not so rash, as to engage themselves unlimitedly, to obey him in all things, in case he should com­mand any thing according to his own will and lust: but so farre forth, as he should give Com­mands from God, and according to those Statutes and Ordinances, which God hath appointed to them, they would be ready to yield obedience: This is not an absolute promise, but a restipu­lation, a Covenant upon consi­derations to perform Articles.

Now for demonstration of the point:

I shall bring no other reasons or arguments, for the confirmation of this Truth, That all men must be subject, for the enforcing of this duty of Subjection to Magi­strates, but only such as I find in the Context.

1. 1 Arg. ab ho­nesto. The first reason is taken ab honesto: It is meet that all men should be subject to God, and to the Divine Ordination: Now Magistracy is from God, it is his Ordinance, and the powers that be, are ordained of God; therefore out of respect, and reverence to­ward God, the Author of Powers, it is meet that we should be sub­ject to them. It is God that giveth to Man, power and autho­rity over others; Gen. 3. he first gave a Marital power, a power to the Husband over the Wise; in the next place, from this followed a Parental power, the power of Parents over Children; and hence sprang other powers, as a Despotical power, the power of [Page 212]Masters over Servants; and a Regal power, the power of Rulers over Subjects. The Apostle here pro­perly speaks of this last, of Civil, publick Powers; Now, these pow­ers are ordained of God: First, ap­pointed by him, raised above, and set over other men: God challengeth this, as proper and peculiar to himself, to raise up, and appoint Rulers over people: By me Kings Reign; Prov. 8.15, 16. by me Princes Rule: The most high hath power over the Kingdomes of men, Dan. 4.14 and giveth it to whomsoever he will: and God hath put his own Name upon Rulers, upon the powers which he hath set up; Psal. 82.6 I have said, ye are Gods: therefore let us re­verence this Ordinance of God, and be subject to the powers or­dained by him: God will have us to honour them, whom he thus honoureth; and will have us to know, that in our subjection and obedience to them, we have to deal with him.

2. 2 Arg. ab inho­nesto. A second argument from subjection, is taken ab inhonesto, [Page 213]from the dishonesty and shame­fulness of the contrary; as an humble conscientious subjection to Magistrate, is an acknowledg­ment of God's Ordinance, so a contempt or slighting of the pow­ers ordained by God, and diso­bedience to them, as Powers, is Rebellion against God, and his Ordination: He that resisteth, re­sisteth the Ordinance of God; and how great is this sin? It is a pra­ctical denial of God his Sove­raignty; a refusing to be under his Government. It is God's Will, to set such Order among men, that some shall Rule, others shall be Subject; some shall give Commands, others shall yield Obedience: Now to despise, and wilfully to violate this Order of God, is great iniquity; therefore it is made a brand of Libertines, 2 Pet. 2.10. Jude 8. and prophane persons, to despise Government.

3. 3 Arg. a pericu­lo. A third Argument to en­force obedience to Magistrates, is a taken a periculo, from the danger of disobedience, the pernicious [Page 214]effect of it, respecting disobedi­ent persons: They that resist, sha [...] receive to themselves [...], judge­ment: From whom? why, from the Magistrate, who hath Powe [...] in his hand, and Commission from God, to punish contumaci­ous Offenders; or they shall cer­tainly be punished by God, wh [...] will vindicate his own Ordinance and will plead against the Viola­tors of his Order; so that the le­velling humour, and levellin [...] practices, are dangerous to th [...] Authours. Corah and his com­plices, rose up against Moses and Aaron; but they fell in such ri­sing, that they perished in the at­tempt; the earth opened, and swallowed up those Rebels. Num. 16. And the Apostle Jude, speaking of th [...] Factious and Seditious practice of unruly and Antimagistratica [...] spirits in the latter times, saith They perished in the gainsaying of Corah. They that make head a­gainst Moses and Aaron, against Magistrates and Ministers, shal [...] be punished, as sure, as if the judg­ment [Page 215]were already Executed up­on them: But here is mainly in­tended punishment from the civil Magistrate; that which is to be in­flicted by the Powers disobeyed, resisted: They that disobey, and resist, shall receive condign pu­nishment from them; [...] shall receive judgment to themselves: And this expression, is by the way, a little to be noted, as hinting to us three things.

1. The folly of those that are opposite to God's Order, in his Constitution of humane powers, refractory, and disobedient to the good Laws, and just Com­mands, of Magistrates; they run themselves upon mischeif; they are enemies to themselves: when they suffer the penalty of disobe­dience, they have but their own seeking; they do (as it were) reach out the hand for it, to re­ceive it. Now, will any wise man wilfully hurt himself?

2. Here is hinted the Justice of the Laws, in inflicting the penal­ty of Transgression upon wilful [Page 216]Offenders; whatever the break­ers of good Laws do suffer accor­ding to Law, is to be imputed to their own wickedness; they have nothing to lay to the charge o [...] Magistrates: They that resist the powers, receive judgment to them­selves: their due is paid them; their punishment is but a just re­tribution, the reward of their offence.

3. Here is a hint of the vanity, and bootlessness of such attempt of Rebellious people, against God's Ordinance; when they rise up against Authority, against the Powers which God hath se [...] up, They receive judgment to them­selves: They have the worst of it; like a man that runs his head a­gainst a wall, to beat down the wall; he breaks his own head, it may be beats out his own brains, but cannot overthrow the wall, nor do it any harm: They that resist, shall receive judgment: And this pernicious effect, or fruit of disobedience, (which is a denial of subjection to Magistrates) is [Page 217]confirmed by one great end of the Institution of Magistracy, of God his committing the power of the Sword to the Magistrate: namely, That he might be Ver.3. a ter­rour to evil doers; for Rulers are not a terrour to good works, but to the evil: Here is the effect, put for the cause; evil works, Metalep­sis. for evil workers: And the Apostle ex­presseth himself in this manner; because, according to the course of Justice, men are not to be pu­nished but for evil works; for something that is contrary to the Law of God, and to the Laws of man consonant thereunto, and grounded thereupon. Note this, Subjects are not to be threatened, nor flattered into obedience to those Commands of the Powers, which are sinful, and repugnant to the Law of God, and a good Conscience; or to those that are arbitrary, and illegal, contrary to, or beside the laudable consti­tution of the Government, which is to be managed according to known Laws; nor ought men to be punished for not obeying in [Page 218]such cases. The Magistrate in all his Commands, as well as his Ex­ecutions, should act as the Mini­ster of God, urging onely what God would have urged, and pu­nishing accordingly: Prevari­catio le­gati, nul­la est po­testas. So that none of these arguments for sub­jection to Magistrates are pressed; nor is any thing in this discourse held forth, to abet or counte­nance such an antichristian, and disingenuous maxime; That Sub­jects are bound to yield absolute obe­dience to their Supericurs; (as some atheistically and absurdly conceit, or do dissemblingly and dishonest­ly, for their own ends, professe themselves to be of this Judge­ment, or at least, are of such practice, as if they did judg them­selves obliged, to obey all the commands of their Superiours, though against Conscience) nor can any thing that hath been said, (for ought I can see) be honestly or rationally interpreted, as re­flecting at all upon those, who do not, (because they dare not) in some cases yield active obedience; viz. in that which seemeth to [Page 219]them, to be contrary to the mind of God, and so is against the light of their own Consciences: [To justifie the wicked, and condemn the just, are alike abomination to the Lord.]

Well, This is a third ground of the point, or a third Argu­ment to enforce the duty of Sub­jection to Magistrates; because they that will not be subject, but resist the Powers, shall receive to themselves judgement, punish­ment; the Magistrate being ap­pointed by God, to be a terrour to evil works.

4. Here is a fourth Argument, 4 Arg. ab utili. taken ab utili, from the profita­ble effect and fruit of due obedi­ence to the Magistrate: It is good for us to do that which will turn to our praise. But now, to obey the powers ordained of God, will turn to our praise: It is therefore good for us to obey the powers: Do that which is good: i. e. hold fast Innocency, and do vertuously, in conformity to good Laws, and thou shalt have praise of the power: This [...], praise, [Page 220]signifies here approbation, and remuneration; if thou beest an obedient subject, thou shalt be approved of, and rewarded by, the Magistrate. Thus Gover­nours are said to be sent for the punishment of evil doers, and the praise of them that do well: 1 Pet. 2.14. and so this word is to be interpreted in that saying of the Apostle, Then shall every man, 1 Cor. 4.5. ( i. e. every godly man, every faithful man) have praise of God. The Lord Christ, the Judge, shall in that day give publick Testimony to his innocency, and give him the re­ward promised. Note this by the way, This should bear up, and quiet the Spirits of Christ his faithful Servants, when they are reproached by men, and reviled as Hereticks, and Seditious per­sons, or Phanatiques, or Rebels, and cast out, and injuriously dealt with. Let them commit their cause to Christ their Judge, of whom they shall have praise and glory.

Well; honest, vertuous, consci­entious, obedient Subjects, shall [Page 221]lose nothing by it, but shall reap the benefit of innocency, and ver­tue, and due obedience in the Lord; they shall be commended and rewarded for it by the good Magistrate.

And this Argument for sub­jection and obedience, is fortifi­ed with an intimation of this spe­cial end of Magistracy, and duty of the Magistrate; For he is the Minister of God to thee for good: If thou dost that which is good, behaving thy self orderly, in a conformity to good Laws, then he is the Minister or servant of God, appointed and impowered to countenance and reward thee.

5. 5 Arg. a devito. Now there is in these very words, an Argument for subjecti­on; i. e. reverence and obedi­ence to Magistrates. The Magi­strate is in his place God's servant for the Subject's profit, for the advantage of God's people: This is the end of God his Ordinance, Magistracy; and this is the duty of God his Officer, the Magistrate: and this is the care and employ­ment of good Magistrates, to make [Page 222]good this end of their Office and Power, improving it for the good of their Subjects: Rulers and Magistrates, are the Ministers of God to us for good; for good natural, and moral, and civil, and spiritual, to presere our lives, and liberties, and to secure to us that which we do rightfully possess and enjoy, to repress vilence, and defend us from the malice, and oppression, and rapine, and cruely of unreasonabe, and vi­tious, and licentious men; to re­strain vice and wickedness, and to encourage and promote Ver­tue and Piety, and to maintaine true Religion, and the purity of Doctrine and Worship, &c. Chri­stian Rulers are set over us by God, to care for us in every re­spect, that under them we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. Oh, what a blessing is a Vertuous and Religious King, from whom, un­der God, Nutrix Ecclesiae, Pater Pa­triae. his Subjects receive the benefit of Religion and Justice, who is the Church's Nurse, and the Common-wealth's Father? [Page 223]O what a benefit is it, to live un­der a Pious, Righteous, settled Government? such a Govern­ment is, (as one saith) like Nebu­chadnezzar's Tree, whose leaves are fair, and fruit much; afford­ing meat, and shadow, and sweet rest.

Now, is there not upon account of all this, a just challenge of sub­jection, i. e. reverence and obe­dience to Magistrates? Our com­forts from them, and enjoyments by means of them, call upon us, to be subject to them. The Ri­vers acknowledge their receipt of waters from the Sea, by empty­ing themselves again into it; and the Trees receiving nourishment from the earth, give back their leaves again, to dress and feed the Earth. Let us think how we are bound to a retribution to the higher Powers; and let our Sub­jection be answerable to our ob­ligation.

6. 6 Arg. a neces­sario. The Apostle argues a neces­sario: This is another reason why a we should be subject, because it is necessary that we be so, not only [Page 224]for the avoiding of punishment, but also for the keeping of a good Conscience: Ver. 5. Ye must be subject, not onely for wrath, but for Consci­encesake: So that here is a double reason or demonstration of the necessity of subjection to the Powers.

1. [...]. It is necessary for wrath, be­cause of wrath, for the avoiding of wrath; not only the wrath of the civil Magistrate, (which we should be fearful to provoke against our selves;) but especially, for fear of the wrath of God, that we incur not his displeasure.

2. [...]. Subjection to the powers, is necessary for Conscience sake, that we may have a good and quiet Conscience: for to obey the pow­ers, is to obey God, and observe his Command; so that obedience procures or begets a good Con­science, which is the approbation of our own mind, judging right­ly, and witnessing to us, that we have done well, approving our selves to God and men: Where­upon followes a gladness of the heart, resisting in this approba­tion [Page 225]and testimony. Contrarily; to oppose the powers, is to resist the Ordinance of God, and so to re­sist God himself; and this wounds the Conscience, and layes us un­der a fear of God his revenging Justice. A Christian is bound to perform civil duties upon grounds of Religion; God's Command binds the Conscience to keep men's righteous Laws.

Here is another Argument from the rule of Justice, which is, 7 Arg. ab aequo. to render to every one his due: and here he reckons up four particu­lars of civil ob [...]dience, accord­ing to the degrees of civil powers, or the several Orders and Offices of men in power: Render tribute, to whom tribute is due: viz. to the Prince his Treasurers; Custome, to whom custome is due: To the Prince his Farmers and Collect­ours: Fear, to whom fear is due; viz. to the Prince his Deputies, to Governours, Judges, Justices, Officers sent by him, while they act in their places under him, ac­cording to the Prince his decla­red will, and the power derived [Page 226]to them, and vested in them by the Laws, as they are Ministers of Justice. Lastly, render honour, to whom honour is due; viz. to the Person and Authority of the Prince or cheif Ruler: as Saint Peter commands; honour the King.

Now, Tribute is that which is charged upon, and paid out of a man's possession and estate.

Custome, is properly that which is paid out of Merchandize or Traffick, exported or imported.

Fear, is an acknowledgment of the power ordained by God, and a care not to offend it, lest we in­cur blame and punishment.

Honour, is a due inward affection toward him, whom we judg wor­thy of reverence and respect, ei­ther for his vertue, or for the e­minency of his place; or for his beneficence toward us, or upon some other just consideration; and an outward, due signification, and te­stification of our inward reverence and respect toward him: honour is due to the powers, especially the higher powers, because of their Office and Place, as to our civil [Page 227]Parents, by vertue of God's com­mand; Honour thy Father: Ho­nour comprehends reverence, fear, subjection, obedience, love, and thankfulness.

Thus I have dispatched the Doctrinal part of this my dis­course.

I have stated the duty of sub­jection to Magistrates, telling you, that it imports mainly reverence and obedience; and shewing you, what reverence is, and what it is to obey.

Now, whereas I assigned this limitation of our universal obedi­ence; viz. it must be in the Lord; in all things according to the mind of God, only so far as God his Word gives us command or allowance to act. This is the li­mitation which the Scripture sug­gesteth, and in many place; hold­eth forth, and therefore cannot be justly offensive to any; nor will it offend any good Magi­strate, who acknowledgeth God to be his Superiour, and the Su­pream Law-giver, and desires that God should be honoured a­bove all.

And whereas, touching the binding power of humane Laws in the Conscience, I determined, That the Laws of men bind not the Conscience, directly and im­mediately, nor universally and unlimitedly, nor absolutely, as the Laws of God do; but only by the intervention of God's Com­mand, and as they are grounded upon, and derived from, and a­greeable to, the Eternal Law, the Law of God: and I concluded, That no voice but God's Voice, is to be heard in the Conscience, as commanding there, and bind­ing indispensibly to obedience: This determination is warranted by Scripture, and therefore not to be quarrelled with.

Concerning the whole; I shall shew you what was the sence and Conscience of our late King Charles the First, as he express­eth himself in that Book of his, Entituled [...]: or the Portraiture of his Sacred Majesty: his words are these; ‘I have of­ten declared, how little I desire, that my Lawes and Scepter [Page 229]should entrench on God his Soveraignty, who is the onely King of mens Consciences; and yet he hath laid such restraint upon men, as commands them to be subject for Conscience sake; giving no men liberty to break the Law established, fur­ther then with meekness and patience they are contented to suffer the penalty annexed, rather than perturb the pub­lick peace. And again; Next to fear God, is, honour the King:’ (next to it, not before it) Thus our late Soveraign.

I now come to a word or two of Application. Applica­tion.

The first Use shall be for Con­futation. 1 Confu­tation.

First of Papists, and Popish Doctrine. Of Papists

1. Of that horrible and hellish Doctrine, [That it is lawful, and meritorious, to murther Princes in the quarrel of Religion] justifying, abetting, and applauding the heinousest Treasons, against the highest Powers upon earth. Doth [Page 230]God say, Let every Soul be subject to the higher Powers; and shall the Pope teach Subjects to murther their Princes, and to blow up Parliaments, &c. for the advan­tage of the Catholick Cause? (as they call it) Doubtless (saith a learned Divine) The Romish Re­ligion is the most horrid Rebel in the world.

2. There is another false, ab­surd, idle, Doctrine of theirs, hereby confuted; viz. this, That the Pope, and his Bishops and Clergy (who call themselves Spiritual) are exempted from subjection to civil Magistrates, both as to their persons in the tryal of Ecclesiastical, Civil, and Criminal Causes; and as to their purses and possessions, in pay­ing Tributes. Whereas the Apo­stle here chargeth every Soul to be subject to the higher powers, to the powers ordained of God; and Christ (we read) paid tribute for himself and Peter; Act. 25.11. and Paul pleaded before the civil Magi­strate: and we know that Aaron the high Priest, was subject to Moses the chief Magistrate: yet [Page 231]these men, (as if they were high­er than high Priests, and before Peter, and better than Apostles) must, forsooth, be exempted from subjection to any civil Powers.

Secondly, Our Text and Do­ctrine serves for Confutation of Donatists, and Millenaries, and Quakers, and some Anabaptists, who look for the abolishing of all Magistracy; that Christ alone may reign among the Saints, who cry down Magistrates, and deny that they have any coercive punitive Power; that cry up an equality and parity among Christians; holding that Christians need no Magistrates, and that they need not be subject to any.

And why so? What do they plead for this opinion of theirs, and for their denial of subjection; i. e. reverence and obedience to Magistrates?

Object. They say that they are the Lord his Freemen, and that it is against Christian liberty, for Chri­stians to be under the power of any, but Christ, who is their only King, who hath made them free; and that [Page 232]they must not be the servants of men.

Answ. The Liberty unto which Christ doth free his people in this life, is inward and spiritual: Go­spel liberty is a liberty from sin, a liberty unto duty; a liberty to serve God in our order, place and station; a liberty from the yoke of Ceremonies, &c. and surely civil subjection to Superiours, is not inconsistent with such spiri­tual liberty. Indeed the Apostle Paul discourseth largely of Chri­stian liberty, and yet he doth more than once enjoyn, and earn­estly press subjection to Magi­strates. There is a wide differ­ence betwixt that liberty which Christ hath purchased for us, and that libertinism which Fanatical spirits plead for.

And as to that other Text which they urge; 1 Cor. 7.23. Ye are bought with a price, be ye not the servants of men.

To this I Answer; that the A­postle, there speaking of the sub­jection of Servants to their Ma­sters, forbiddeth sinful subjecti­on, [Page 233]and not civil subjection.

By [Servants of men] he mean­eth not those that do civil ser­vice to their Superiours; (he for­bids not Christians thus to be servants) but he speaks of an in­clination to gratifie their finful desires, and a readiness to obey their wicked Commands; for servants were then forced by threatnings and strips, and by the terrours of death, to obey all the Commands of their unbeliev­ing Masters, were they never so dishonest and wicked: therefore the Apostle gives this admonition to believing Servants, that were under the power of such Masters, to take heed, that they be not ter­rified into wickedness; that they so serve men, as not to offend God, and wrong their own Con­sciences: Thus Pareus interprets the place; and so Chrysostome, Noli [...]e eis pare­re, si im­pia prae­cipiant. Obey not their ungodly Commands: And this admonition is very suit­able, with respect to the subjecti­on and obedience of Subjects to their Rulers and Magistrates. I may, and must serve and obey [Page 234]the Magistrate, but I must not sin at his Command. Major erga De­um obli­gatio, quam erga ho­mines; illa ab­soluta, haec conditionalis. Supremae majestati de­betur major reverentia, Domino quam servo ma­jor obedientia. When men command what God forbids, in such a case God must be obeyed rather than men.

Walk ye not in the Statutes of your Fathers, Ezek. 20.18, 19. &c. Walk in my Sta­tutes. I wish, saith Calvin, that these things were deeply printed in the minds of all men; then would not so many serve the lusts of men, as if they themselves were to be bought and sold.

Well, here is the point; They whom Christ makes free, are free indeed; but it is from bondage to their own and other mens lusts, not from obedience to the honest Commands, and righteous Laws, of their Superiours.

Divers other frivolous objecti­ons, and absurd pleas there are, which have been fully answered, over and over again, and the An­swers are in Print.

Obj. In Christ (say they) all are equal; there is no distinction of Superiours and Inferiours; Gal. 3 28. all are one in Christ.

Sol. To this it is Answered; That politick inequality is not against Spiritual equality.

Obj. And whereas it is alleadg­ed; That Christ is the Christians only King, therefore Christians must be subject only to Christ.

Sol. The Answer is, That though Christ be the sole King of the Church, yet he is not the on­ly King in the Church; nor is his Kingdom contradictory to, or de­structive of, civil Powers and Go­vernment: Subordinata non pug­nant; There is no repugnancy, where there is a subordination: Kings in the Church, serve Christ the great King of the Church; and Christ keepeth up Order, and maintaineth Government in the Common-wealth for his Church's sake; for his own Kingdom's sake.

I shall go no further in this Use of Confutation; nor shall I stay much longer in the Application of the point, only I shall add one [Page 236]word for Information, and ano­ther of Exhortation.

Ʋse. 2 We see here, Informa­tion. that Piety is not opposite to civil Authority; that true Christianity opposeth not Magistracy; that Religion mak­eth not Rebels, but Subjects: for subjection and obedience to Ma­gistrates, is one of the Principles of true Religion.

Indeed this is the common slaunder raised by the Devil and his Instruments, against Christ and his Kingdom, and Servants; as if the true Religion, and Professors of it, were most dangerous to ci­vil States; as if the best men, were the worst Subjects; as if those that are most Religious, were worst to be trusted; as if there were most need to watch them, and keep them under. See what an Oration Haman made against God his people, stuffing it with malignant Criminations: Est. 3.8. See what a pestilent Letter Rehum and Shimshai, wrote against the Jews, sending it to the King Artaxerxes. Ezra. 4.11. Was not Christ himself accused and condemned as an Enemy to [Page 237] Caesar, and a mover of Sedition? was it not laid to Paul his charge, once and again, that he was a pe­stilent fellow, and a mover of Se­dition, and a Sect-master? And thus Popish, and profane, and Atheistical, malignant Spirits, have been alwayes ready to cast such aspersions upon sincere Pro­fessours of the Gospel; upon the most Religious, and Conscienti­ous, and faithful Ministers and people. ‘Oh! they are Facti­ous, and Fanatical; they are troublers of the Church and State, they have a Spirit of Re­bellion in them, it is not fit they should live.’ Thus the De­vil would scare men from embra­cing the Truth, and the Ordi­nances of Christ, and from all forwardness in professing Religi­on: But doubtless the godly Preachers, and sincere professors of the Gospel, are so far from de­nying the right of Princes, and from a Spirit of Rebellion, as that the Doctrine which they bring, and which they entertaine, and desire to hold fast, establish­eth [Page 238]the power of Rulers in their hands: They are, as one saith, like Solomon his Workmen that built the Temple, and built the Kings's Throne too. And surely, the more that any man takes in the Principles of the Gospel, and of a Christian, and the more power Religion hath upon his heart, the better Subject will he be. The Gospel commandeth all lawful o­bedience, even to Infidel Magi­strates; such as were when Paul wrote this Epistle to the Romans; and the more that the Doctrine of the Gospel comes in power up­on the heart, the more and better obedience there will be.

Rulers have no better friends, than such as make Conscience of their wayes: they are the best sub­jects to Princes on earth, that do truly fear the God of Heaven. These pray for Rulers, while o­thers do Curse and Swear, and drink Healths (as they call them) thus constantly breaking the Kings Laws, and, by their wickedness, provoking God to bring Judge­ment upon King and people. [Page 239]These that fear God, obey for Conscience sake, and so as to keep a good Conscience, when others obey onely for fear, or according to their humour, and without Conscience; and however such talk of Loyalty, and boast them­selves the only Loyalists; it would, I think, be no hard matter to de­monstrate, that none can be truly and certainly Loyal, but such as are truly religious. They that do not truly fear God, do not truly Honour the King: Though they may flatter Rulers for their own ends, and be ready to serve them in many things, so farre as they may serve themselves upon them, and carry on their own de­signes, and in those matters that may suit with their own humors; yet to serve their lusts or interests, they will break the King's Laws, as well as God's; but shew me a good Christian, and I will shew you a good Subject, that obeys for Con­science sake: he that truly fears God, will be afraid to break the Laws of God and Man.

And now there is an inference of the Magistrate's concernment, depending hereupon, and issuing from hence: If true Religion make good Subjects, and true Pi­ety be the surest ground and bond of Loyalty; then it greatly con­cerns Christian Rulers to main­tain and keep up the true Religi­on among their Subjects, and to promote Piety, and to protect, countenance, and encourage those that are truly religious and pious: This will prove to be a true point of State Policy; for it is matter of life or death political to any King­dom, as it doth well or ill under­stand it's own Interest: Now I say, This is the great concernment and interest of Soveraignty, Qui vere civilis est vult cives bonos ef­ficere, & legibus obtem­perantes Arist. l. 1. Eth. c. 13 and ruling Authority, to take the most effectual course for the making of good Subjects; and that is un­doubtedly this, to take order, that principles of Religion may be in­stilled into men, and fixed in them, and that the power of godlinesse may be promoted; and to this end, that the exercises of Religi­on [Page 241]both publick and private, may be encouraged; and that care be taken, that the Lord's day be se­questred and applied to holy ex­ercises; and that an able, godly, faithful, practical Ministry, be planted throughout the Prince his dominions; and that insufficient, negligent, and scandalous Mini­sters, be not promoted or suffer­ed in the Church: This would be the way, to make good men, and good Christians, and conse­quently good Subjects, tied fast to the Ruling Powers, by the bond of Conscience; without this, other politick courses will prove inef­fectual; for till obedience be wil­lingly yielded unto God, it will not be conscionably, and so not constantly yielded to his Depu­ties: but Christians well inform­ed from the Word of God, and seasoned with Scripture Princi­ples, know, that they must needs be subject, not onely for wrath, but for Conscience sake.

Again; one word more with respect to Magistrates.

If Subjects be limited by the Word of God, in point of their obedience; so that though they be bound to subjection, yet they are bound not to obey in any thing contrary to the Word. Concedi­tur liber­tas uten­di legi­bus, &c. itatamen ut sub­stantia legum Divina­rum non calcetur, abjicia­tur, aut negliga­tur. Szeged. Bp. Ba­bington. Then Magistrates are likewise thus li­mited in their Commands and Injunctions; so that though they have Power and Authority to make Laws, and give Commands, yet they are bound not to make any Law cross to God's Law; not to command any thing contrary to the Word of God: but all the Lawes and orders of Superiours, should be subservient to the Laws of God, or consistent with them. Piety and Charity, are the limits of the Magistrates command, and our obedience. It is the Magistrate': sin, to command that to be done: in doing whereof, the Subject fin­neth directly against God; and in such a case of contrariety to the Divine Law, the Maker (as well as the observer) of Laws a­baseth the Eternal God, setting him below the creature. As Christ [Page 243]comandeth his Kingdom to be subject to Princes and Potentates, so he commandeth all Princes and Potentates, to be subject to his Kingdom: Ps. 2.12. Kiss the Son —

Every Calling and Profession, hath some rule to go by; and mens excellency in any calling, stands in their conformity to the Rule. Now, the Word of God in a spe­cial manner propounded and en­joyned to Magistrates, as their di­rectory and Rule: Josh. 1.8. Deut. 17.18, 19. 2 Chron. 23.11. See the Texts in the Margin, When Joash was Crowned King, the Testimony, the Book of God's Law, was given in­to his hand. It was a Wise, and a Religious saying of that famous Queen Elizabeth, when a Bible was presented to Her, as She pas­sed thorow Cheap-side in London; This hath been my delight, and this shall be the Rule whereby I will frame my Government. And doubt­less, if it must be the Subject his Rule for obeying, it must be the Ruler his Rule for Command­ing.

Ʋse. 3 Let us approve our selves good Christian Subjects; Exhorta­tion. yielding due subjection to the higher powers, obeying for Conscience sake; with a good Conscience, in and for the Lord: Give unto Caesar, the things that are Caesars, and un­to God, the things that are God's: Fear God, and honour the King. Let not these two Precepts be di­vided; let not this Scripture or­der be inverted.

Obligatio erga Deum absoluta, erga homines, conditionalis; si nihil vel impium vel injustum praecipiant.

Obediendum est Magistratui qua­tenus ea praecipit, quae praecipi possunt a Ministro Dei, et ei conveniunt, qui gladium gestat malorum vindicem, & bonorum defensorem.