SERM. fad it is to obferve, how Chriftian IdoV. latry alfo has had the fame Effect; caufing

men to rely on Saints, and even on the Relicks of Saints, inftead of the practice of Righteousness and true Virtue; and teaching them, inftead of Chriftian Charity, and univerfal Love and Good-will towards all men, to be on the contrary guilty of fuch inhuman Cruelties, as men could never have thought of, who had never heard of any Religion at all.

THUS the Precept in the Text, of worshipping God in Spirit and in Truth, is tranfgreffed in the First and Highest manner, by the Practice of Idolatry.

IIdly, IT is in the next place tranfgreffed by thofe, who place the chief of Religion in external Forms and Ceremonies. But of This, hereafter.

SERMON

[93]

SERMON VI

Of the SPIRITUALITY of GOD.

JOH. iv. 24.

God is a Spirit, and they that wor-
Ship him, must worship him in
Spirit and in Truth.

T

HE Nature and Manner ofSER M. VI. the Worship we are to pay to God, depends upon the confideration of the Nature of Man, who is to pay that Worship; of the Nature of God, to whom the Worship is to be paid; and of the Will of God, which is the Rule and Measure

I

1 3

SER M. Measure of our Obedience, when we conVI. fider him as our Governor, our Lord, and

our Judge. The Nature of Man is, that he is a reasonable and intelligent Creature ; and therefore the Worship he is to pay to God, must be a reafonable and intelligent Worship. The Nature of God is, that he is a fpiritual Being, infinitely perfect; and therefore the only Worship he can delight to receive, is that fpiritual Worfip which proceeds from the Heart and Affections, from a fincere Mind, and from a righteous Intention. The Will of God, as revealed in Scripture, is only a Confirmation and Illustration of the Precepts of Nature, with greater Clearness and with stronger Authority; excepting only, that in condefcenfion to the Infirmity of the Jews, He gave them for a Time, Precepts which in themselves were not good, but fuited to the then prefent Circumftances of that People; and, in condefccnfion to the Neceffities of Chriftians, he has appointed us Two Sacramental Rites, not as in Themfelves effential to Religion, but as external Helps to bind ftronger upon us the Obligation of those

Moral

VI.

Moral Duties, wherein the effence of SER M. Religion truly confifts, and as inftituted Means of conveying and applying to good men in this imperfect State, and upon true Repentance, the requifite Benefit of a Saviour. Thefe latter, the Inftitutions given to Chriftians, are indeed of perpetual obligation; because the Duties, to which thefe outward Rites are our folemn obligation; are themselves of Neceffity eternal: Yet has the Scripture taken exceeding great care to inftruct us, that not in the performance of these outward Rites, but in thofe Spiritual Duties of Righteoufnefs, Juftice, Charity and Holinefs, to which the outward Rites are but Helps and Obligations, does the Life and Spirit of true Religion confift. The former, viz. the Inftitutions given to the Jews, were declared not only to be inferiour to the Duties of Morality, and wholly fubordinate to them but moreover that they were alfo of temporary appointment only, fuited to the prefent Infirmities of that People, and to give place in due time to a more fpiritual and more acceptable Form of Worship. The Time

VI.

SER M. of establishing which better Religion, being then just accomplished, when our Saviour spake the words of the Text; 'tis evident, they are to be understood as a Reafon given, from the Attributes of God and from the Nature of Things, why the Spiritual Religion of the Gospel, which confifts in the practice of universal Righteoufnefs, Charity, Holiness and Truth, should be more acceptable to God, than the ceremonious performances of the Jewish Law, or any outward Devotions of Christian Hypocrify. God, fays he, is a Spirit; and they that worship him, must worship him in Spirit and in Truth. In a Foregoing Difcourfe upon which words, I propofed it to explain, what is meant by God's being a Spirit; or how we are to understand That Attribute of the Divine Nature, which we call his Spirituality; and 2dly to confider, what our confequent Duty is, of worshipping him accordingly in Spirit and in Truth. In explication of the Former of thefe, what is meant by God's being a Spirit; or how we are to underftand That Attribute of the Divine Nature, which we call his Spi

rituality;