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CHAPTER III.

Relating to the NATURE of TRUE WORSHIP; with fome Remarks upon the State of our Society, both as in early Times, and now.

HE nature of acceptable worship is fet forth

TH

by our Lord and Saviour Jefus Christ, in a manner wonderfully adapted to the fubject; viz.

that it is to be performed in Spirit and in Truth. John iv. 23. The reafon is given, "Because God is a Spirit," Ver. 24. and therefore, "they that worship him, must "worship him in Spirit and in Truth." Not in the ceremonial, fhadowy, and typical worship of the Jews; (tho' because of weakness it was dif penfed to them, until a better hope, and more excellent worship was brought in; whereby man has a nearer access to the Divinity, and a better knowlege of himself: here fuch a brightness of heavenly glory appears, as caufeth all figns, figures, and types, to vanish away) but in the truth and real fubftance of all that was typified and prefigured by the ceremonial law of Mofes, the righ teousness of that law being fulfilled in those who walk and worship in the Spirit.

The foul muft bow in perfect fincerity, humble proftration, and a deep inward fenfe of its own frailty, want, and unworthiness; being at the fame time deeply impreffed with a lively fenfe of the Lord's adorable greatnefs and goodness; from which fenfibility renewed upon the mind, by Him alone who is the fole object of worship, thankf

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giving and praises afcend, for the multitude of his mercies received, and reverent prayer, either mental or vocal (according as the mind feels itself influenced or directed by the Holy Anointing) for the continuance of his gracious prefervation in the way of righteousness; agreeable to Eph. vi. 18. Praying always with all fupplication in the Spirit, "and watching thereunto with all perfeverance, " and fupplication for all faints."

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It is clearly to be understood, by what our Lord faid to the woman of Samaria before-mentioned, that acceptable worship is not to be confined to any particular place, mode, form, or ceremony whatsoever; which was a deception mankind had too generally fallen into, and greatly wanted to be drawn from, being then, as well as now, too apt to rest satisfied with exterior performances; which altho' fome of them once were to the Jews in condefcenfion difpenfed, yet not even then fubftituted in the place of spiritual worship, nor at all acceptable without the bowing of the foul as above. But now our Lord fhews the outward was to be laid afide, and not to continue in his glorious fpiritual difpenfation any longer; a dangerous fnare for man to please himself with and rest in. But it could hardly be expected that fo much, or fo great a mafs of outward obfervations could be caft off all at once; yet in the apoftles days the church was wonderfully (for the time) brought out of them, as appears by thofe few things laid upon the Gentiles. But alas! the Christian church (so called) instead of leaving all, and becoming purely

fpiritual,

fpiritual gradually decayed as to life and power,

and increased in ceremonies and outward obfervations, until fhe became as full of them as ever the Jewish church was. Then fhe got full poffeffion of the outward court, having nothing to enjoy but her own inventions, and to glory in Babylon, which she had built instead of Sion, until her meafure should be filled up, and her determined overthrow was to take place.

Paul faith to the Philippians, "For we are the Chap. iii. 3. "circumcifion which worship God in Spirit, and

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rejoice in Chrift Jefus, and have no confidence "in the flesh." What circumcifion is here intended, appears from Rom. ii. 28, 29. Col. ii. 11. That the generality of Chriftian profeffors, of every -denomination, have lamentably deviated from this kind of worship, requires not much penetration to difcover. And tho' the great Author of the Christian religion 'hath fo fully expreffed his will and pleasure in this most important point, yet many will not be fatisfied without a kind of worship that the man's part can be active in; that hath fomething in it capable to amufe the outward fenfes : they would yet worship the Moft High with human abilities, or the work of men's hands; and by an unjustifiable veneration, which fome endeavour to keep up for old mafs houfes, and other places of worship, calling them churches, houfes of God, holy places, &c. they feem to maintain a doctrine contrary to the teftimony of that holy martyr Stephen; "Howbeit the Moft High dwelleth not in temples made with hands, as faith the proG

"phet;

Acts vii. 43.

Alts xvii. 24, 25.

phet; and that of the great apostle of the Gentiles: "God that made the world, and all "things therein, feeing that he is Lord of heaven " and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with "hands; neither is worshipped with men's hands, "as tho' he needed any thing, feeing he giveth "to all life, and breath, and all things."

Most Protestants, tho' they have caft off much of the Romish fuperftition, ftill retain fome outward ceremonies and obfervations very unsuitable to the fpirituality of the gospel difpenfation, for which they have no divine authority, nor any colour of warrant, but what is patched up from the example of fome in the primitive church; which being then juft arifing out of a load of ceremonies, could not be wholly weaned from every thing of that kind at once; and therefore several of these things were for a time condescended unto; it being, tho' a very glorious beginning, but the morning of the gospelday, and infancy of the Chriftian church, she wonderfully abounded with heavenly power, in order to make her way in the world. Yet, by the rifing higher and higher of the Sun of Righteousness, who rules the everlasting day of God's falvation, she was to put on all her beautiful garments; to make herself quite ready for the bridegroom, and, by a gradual increase of clear discoveries, was to grow into maMatth. ix. turity of wisdom, and ripeness of judgment. Our Lord clearly intimates the great danger of tacking any thing of the old ceremonial difpenfation to the new gospel difpenfation; fhewing they would by no means agree, or fafely fubfift together. This

16, 17.

the

the experience of many generations can fully declare. Oh! what rents, fchifms, and tearing of the pure undefiled religion of Christ to pieces, have there been by means of retaining fome patches of the old garment!

Yet there hath been a godly travail, and an ardent labour preserved, even through the darkest ages of fuperftition and idolatry, by the true church, tho' hidden from carnal eyes, as in a wilderness, that she might caft off this heavy eclipfing mass of outward obfervations: there were many risings up, through the divine power, against it, especially the groffeft part thereof; but the most extraordinary, as to its confiftency with the unmixed purity of the gospel, was about the middle of the laft century, Then evangelical light and truth appeared, without the blendings of ceremonies and outward obfervations. When the Lord, by his over-ruling power, had erected this bleffed standard of fimple truth, and pure righteousness, many thoufands flocked to it, and spoke the language, in a confiderable degree, fet forth by way of enquiry, Cant. vi. 10. "Who is fhe! that looketh forth as

the morning, fair as the moon, clear as the fun, "and terrible as an army with banners?" Terrible indeed they were to the man of fin, the fon of perdition, and were mighty inftruments in the Lord's hand to reveal him. A great annoyance they were to the merchants of Babylon, and thofe who enriched themselves by the fuperftitious wares thereof; which, through the witchcraft and enchantments of the great whore and her daughters, G 2 mankind

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