Serin. CI. The Spirctualatyof Divine Nature. , 75 3 we are to give God a reafonablefervice, to ferve him with the fpirit ofour minds, as the Apoftle (peaks ; inftead of offering the fiefh of hulls anelgoats, we are to con- fecrate ourfelves to the fervice of God : this is a holy and acceptablefacriftce, or reafonablefervice. And in truth. Either in oppofitiort to the falfe Worship of the Samaritans (as infpirit is oppofed to the Worfhip of the yews) as our Saviòur.tells the Woman, that they worfhip'd they knew not what ; or (which I rather think) in oppofition to the /hallows of the Law and fo it is oppofed, phi; r. 17. The Law was given iiy Mofes : but grace and truth came by 7efw Ghrifi. Not that the external Service of God is here excluded, not that we are tel Phew no outward reverence to him : but that as under the Law, the Service of God was chiefly external and corporeal, fo now it fhould chiefly be inward and fpiritual ; the Worfhip of God under the Gofpel fhould chiefly be fpiritual and fubflantial, not a carnal, and bodily, and ceremonious Devotion. ally, For the force of the Confequence, it Both not lie in this, thatjuft fuch as God is, fuch muff our Worfhip of him be ; for this would exclude all bodily and outward Worfhip ; our WorfhipofGod muff therefore be invifible, eternal &c. for fo is he; and betides, the Will of God feems, rather to be the rule ofhis Wor- fhip, than his Nature t but the force of it is this, God is of a fpiritual Nature, and this is to be fuppofed to be his Will, that our Worfhip fhould be as agreeablë to the Objed of it, as the nature of the Creature who is to give it will bear now faith Chrift to the Woman, the yews and the Samaritans they limit their Worship to a certain place, and it confifts chiefly in certain carnal Rites and Or- dinances ; but, faith he, tho' God have permitted this for a time, becaufe of the carnality and hardnefs of their hearts, yet the time is coming, when a more fpi- ritual, and folid, and fubftantial Worship of God is to be introduced, which will be free from all particular Places and Rites, not tyed to the Temple, or to fuch external Ceremonies, but confifting in the devotion of our Spirits, even the in- ward frame and temper of our Hearts; all outward Circumftances (excepting thofe of the two Sacraments which Are pofitive) being left by the Gofpel to as great a liberty, as natural neceffity and decency Will permit. We mutt Worfhip God, and therefore it is naturally neceffary that we fhould do it fomewhere, in fore place ; now feeing force body mutt determine this, it is molt convenient that Authority fhould determine it according to the conveniency of cohabitation. We mutt not be rude, nor do any tiring that is naturally unde- cent in the Worfhip of God ; this Authority fhould retrain ; but farther than this, I-doubt not but the Gofpel hath left- us free ; and to this end, that the lefs we are tied to external Obfervances, the more intent we fhould be upon the fpi- ritual and fabitantial parts ofReligion, theconforming of our felves to the Mind and Will of God, endeavouring to be like God, and to have our Souls andSpirits engaged in thole Duties we perform to him. So that our Saviour's argument is this Gad is a Spirit, that is, the moll excellent Nature and Being, and therefore mud be ferved with the heft. We confift of Body and Sbul, 'tis true, and we muft ferve him with our whole Man ; but principally with our Souls, which are the molt excellent Paft of our felves ; the Service of our Mind and Spirit, is the belt we can perform, and therefore molt agreeable to God who is a Spirit, and the belt and molt perfedBeing. So that the Inference is this, that if God be a Spirit, we muff worfhiphim infpi rit and in truth ; our Religion mutt be real, and inward, and fincere, and fub- ftantial ; we mutt not think to put offGod withexternal obfervances, and with bodily reverence and attendance ; this we mutt give him, but we mutt principally regard that our Service of him be reafonablé, that is, directed by our Under- ftandings, and accompanied with our Affections. Our Religion mutt eonGftprin- cipally in a fincere love and affe&ion to God, which expreffeth it felt in a real conformity of our lives and alitions to his Will ; and when we make our folemn approaches to him, in the Duties of his Worship and Service, we mutt perform all ads of outward Worfhip to God with a pure and fincere Mind ; whatever we do in the Service of God, we mutt do it heartily as to the Lord. God is a pure D d d d d Spirit,
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=