752 The Spirituality of the Divine Nature Vol, I 3: That God is immortal. This the Scripture attributes to him, r'Tim. r. 17. 7'o the Xing immortal, invifible. 1 Tim. 6. i6. Who only hath immortality. This alitò flows from God's Spirituality ; a fpiritual Nature hath no principles of Cor- ruption in it, nothing that is liable to perifh, or decay, ordye. Now this doth fo eminently agree to God, either becaufe he is purelÿ fpiritual, and immaterial, as poflibly no Creature is; or elfe becaufe he is not only immortal in hisoun Na- ture, but is not liable to be reduced to nothing by any other, becaufe he hash an original and independent Immortality, and therefore the Apoftle doth attribute it to him in (itch a ungular and peculiar manner; Who only bath Immortality. Secondly, Prat7ical Inferences. 1. We are not to conceive of God as having a Body, or any corporeal Shape or Members. This was the grofs conceit of the Anthrepomorphites of old, and of fume Socinians of late, which they ground upon the grofs and literal Interpreta- tion of many figurative Speeches in Scripture concerning God, as where it fpeaks of Face, and Hand, and Arm, &c. But we are veryunthankful to God, who condefcends to reprefent himfelf to us according to our capacities, if we abufe this condcfcenfion to the blemifh and reproach of the Divine Nature. If God be plea- fed to ftoop to our weaknefs, we mutt not therefore level him to our infirmi- ties. z. If God be a Spirit, we are not to worlhipGod by any Image or fenlble re- prefentation. Becaufe God is a Spirit, we are not to liken him to any thing that is corporeal ; we are not to reprefent him by the likenefs of any thing that is in Heaven above, that is, ofany Birds; or in the earth beneath, that is, of any Beall; or in the waters under the earth, that is, of any Fifh ; as it is in the fervidcommand- ment. For, as the Prophet tells us, there is nothing that we can liken God to ; Iia. 40. 18. To whomwillye liken God? or what likenefs willye compare to him ? We debate his Spiritual and Incorruptible Nature, when we compare him to corrupti- ble Creatures ; Rom. i. az, 2.3. Speaking of the Heathen Idolatry, Who profefng themfelves wife, became fools, andchanged the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and tobirds, and to fourfootedBeath, andcreep- ing things. They became Fools ; this is the folly of Idolatry, to liken a Spirit,. which hack no bodily ibape, to things that are corporeal and corruptible. So that however fome are pleated to mince the matter, I cannot fee how the Church of Rome, which worfhips God by or towards force Image or fenfible Reprefenration, can be excufed from Idolatry and the Church of Englanddoth not without very juft caufe challenge the Romifh Church with ir, and make it a ground of fepara- tion from her, 3. IfGod be a Spirit, then we fhould worlhip him in fpirit and in truth. This is the Inference of the Text, and therefore I (hail fpeak a little more largely of it ; only I muff explain what is' meant by worfhipping infpirit and in truth, and !hew you the force of this Confequence, how it follows, that becaufe God is a fpirit, therefore he mutt be worfhip'd infpirit and is truth. s. For the explication of it. This word Spirit is fomètimes apply'd to the Do6trine of the .Gofpel, and fo it is oppofed to Letter, by which Name the Do- ¿trine of Mofes is called; z Car.3. 6. Who bath made us able Miniflers of the New Teflament, sot of the letter, but ofthefpirit ; not of the Law which was written in Tables of Stone, but which Chrift by his Spirit writes in the Hearts of Believers. Sometimes to the worlhip of the Gofpel; and fo it is oppofed to the Flefh, Gal. 3. 3. Having begun in thefpirit, areye nowmade perfefi by theflefh ? that is, by the works of the ceremonial Law, which is therefore call'd Flelh; becaufe the princi- pal ceremony of it, Ctrcumcifton, was made in the Flefh, and becaufe their Sacri- fices, a chief part of their Worfhip, were of the [lefh of Beafts; and becaufe the greateft part of their Ordinances, as Wa(lting, and the like, .related to the Body. Hence it is the Apoftle calls the Worfhip of the Yews, the Law ofa carnal command- ment, Heb. 7. r 6. and He& ç. ro. Carnal Ordinances, fpeaking of the Service of the Law, which, faith he, floodin meats, anddrinks, and divers wafhings, and carnal ordinances. Now in oppofition to this carnal and ceremonial Worfhip we are to wo fhiip God in the Spirit. The Worfhip of the yews was mat a Bodilyfervice; l:ut we
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