Lectures Upon John 4, Part 8 · Lecture 34
Lecture the foure and thirtieth, December 5. 1609.
WE hauehave already heard that the answer which our Sauiour maketh to the question that this woman mooued vntounto him, consisteth of two parts. The first concerneth the place of Gods worship, concerning which she desired to be resolued, and that is set downe in the 21. verse, which we finished the last day. The second concerneth the worship it selfe about which she mooued her question; namely, the ceremoniall worship that was done to God in Ierusalem, and mount Gerizim; and this part of his answer is contained in this part of the verse that I hauehave now read, and those two that follow it. The summe and effect of this part of his answer is this: that though the worship which the Iewes did to God, were farre better then that of the Samaritans; yet this ceremoniall worship about which she is now so inquisitiue, whether it were that, that the Iewes vsed, or that, that the Samaritans vsed, was not so much to be esteemed, as she conceiued; but should shortly be abolished, and in stead thereof, another forme of Gods worship should be established, which should not consist in ceremonies and shadowes (that suited so well with our carnall and corrupt nature) but should be spirituall (as best agreeing with the nature of God) and should hauehave in it the truth and substance of all that which was figured and shadowed in those ceremonies. So that these three verses diuide themselues into two parts, 1. A commendation of that outward worship of God, that the Iewes vsed in comparison of that of the Samaritans, and that is set downe in this verse. 2. A discommendation of that outward worship of God, that the Iewes vsed in comparison of that, which God would shortly establish in his Church; and that is contained in the two verses following. In this verse, he commendeth the Religion and worship of God that the Iewes vsed and prefers it before that of the Samaritans, by this argument; because the Samaritans worshipped they knew not what. But so did not the Iewes, and that he prooues, because saluation was of the Iewes. The obscuritie that is in any of these words, I will cleare, and interpret it, as I come to the handling of the Doctrines that arise out of them. 1. Then we are to obserue here, that our Sauiour saith, they worshipped they knew not what. How could that be, seeing: 1. They knew that they worshipped the true God, euen the same God that the Iewes did. For so say they to Zerubbabel; Quest.Ezra 4. 2. Wee seeke IEHOVAH your God as ye doe. Yea the Holy Ghost saith of them: 2. Kings 17. 3. Thus they feared the Lord, and appointed Priests, out of themselues for the high places, who prepared for them sacrifices in the house of the high places. 2. They knew what manner of worship they gaue vntounto him. For they offered sacrifices vntounto him: Ezra 4. 2. They serued him as they were taught and directed by one of the Priests that had serued in Israel, before they were caried away captiue by the Assyrians, 2. Kings 17. 28. One of those Priests came and dwelt in Bethel, and taught them how they should serue the Lord. What then doth our Sauiour meane to say, they worshipped they knew not what? Surely, because they did not know him by his Word, they did not worship him according to his Word. Answ.Therefore they are said to worship they know not what. This interpretation is grounded vponupon that we shall finde written in 2. Kings 17. 34. They did after the old manner, as verse 19. They neither feared God, nor did after their ordinances, nor after their customes, nor after the Law, nor after the commandement which the Lord commanded the children of Iacob. On the other side, because the Iewes had the Word of God, they knew God by his Word, the worship they did to him, was appointed by his Word. Therefore are they said, to worship what they knew. And this interpretation is further confirmed by the words that follow: Saluation is of the Iewes. For what meanes he by saluation? Surely the Word, the Doctrine and meanes of saluation: as it is also called: Heb. 2. 5. How shall we escape, if wee neglect so great saluation. This was the chiefe Prerogatiue the Iewes had aboue others. So that these words, saluation is of the Iewes, are the very same in effect with that which the Prophet Esay hath, Esay 2. 3. The Law shall goe from Zion, and the Word of the Lord from Ierusalem. So that the first Doctrine we are to learne is this:
That no man can know or serue God aright without the direction of his Word. The Doctrine hath two branches. 1. No man can know God aright, Doct. 3.nor conceiue rightly of him, but by his Word. 2. No man can serue or worship God aright, without the direction of his word. 1. The God which ignorant men and such as are not instructed by his word doe serue, is not a true God, but an Idoll and fancie of their owne, Psal. 76. 1. God is knowne in Iudah. On the other side it is said of all naturall men: Gal. 4. 8. But euen then when ye knew not God, ye did seruice vntounto them, which by nature are not Gods. So it is said of the tenne Tribes: 2. Chron. 15. 3. Now for along season Israel hath beene without the true God, because they had beene without a Priest to teach, and without the Law. True it is, God makes himselfe knowne not to his Church onelyonly by his Word, but to all the world by his workes. Men cannot open their eyes, or look any way, but they may see him in his works, Rom. 1. 20. The inuisible things of him, that is, his eternall Power and God-head, are seene euer since the Creation of the World, being considered in his workes. Yea he saith of all the Gentiles that (vers. 21.) they knew God; and verse 19. that which may be knowne of God is manifest in them, that is, in their hearts and consciences, for (saith he) God hath shewed it vntounto them. So that there is no man liuing, but he hath euen by nature some knowledge of the true God in him. But this is not the true knowledge of God, it is not a comfortable and sauing knowledge of him. Sundry notable differences may be obserued between the knowledge of God, men attaine to by the light of nature, or by the creatures, and that which is attained to by the Word. 1. That serues to make men onelyonly without excuse, and cannot bring them vntounto saluation, Rom. 1. 20. But this is all-sufficient to make men wise vntounto saluation, 2. Tim. 3. 15. and therefore is called saluation heere, and Iam. 1. 21. it is said to be able to saue the soule.
Secondly, that light is as a dimme light, that knowledge is darke and obscure, and vncertaine, notwithstanding this knowledge they hauehave of him by his creatures and the light of nature, men hauehave many strange conceits of God, and know not what to thinke of him, Rom. 1. 21. Though they knew God, yet they became vaine in their imaginations, and their foolish hearts were full of darkenesse. But the Word reuealeth God vntounto vsus, so cleerely and so certainely, that the simplest may know him, Psal. 19. 7. The testimony of the Lord is sure, and giueth wisedome to the simple.
Thirdly, the knowledge of God that is gotten by the creatures, hath no power to change and reforme the heart, Rom. 1. 21. When they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankefull: but the knowledge of God that is gotten by the Word, hath power to conuert the soule, Psalm. 19. 7.
Fourthly, the knowledge of God that is gotten by other meanes, brings no comfort nor ioy to the soule, but worketh in it rather a slauish feare of him, Eccl. 1. 14. I hauehave seene all the workes that are done vnderunder the sunne; and behold all is vanity and vexation of spirit: and verse 18. in much wisdome there is much griefe, and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow, but the knowledge of God, wee attaine to by the Word reioyceth the heart, so as the better we know him, the more comfort we hauehave in him, Psal. 19. 8. 10. So that you see now the first branch of the Doctrine confirmed vntounto you, that no man can know God aright, know him to his comfort, know him to his saluation but by his Word. The second branch of the Doctrine shall bee made as plaine vntounto you, that no man can worship God aright, but by the direction of his Word. No seruice can please God, but that that is done by direction, and in obedience to his Word. When the Lord had forbidden his people to serue him as the Cananites had done, he adds, Deut. 12. 32. Whatsoeuer I command you, take heed you doe it; thou shalt adde nothing thereto, nor take ought there-from; that is, doe neither more nor lesse in my seruice then I hauehave appointed. Say that we doe that in his seruice which he hath not forbidden, yet if he hath not commanded it, we highly offend him, as is plaine in the case of Nadab and Abihn, They offered strange fire before the Lord which hee commanded them not, and there went out fire from the Lord and deuoured them, Leuit. 10. 1, 2. When the Tabernacle was to bee built, Moses (though a wise and holy man was not to bee trusted with any thing, but straitly charged, Heb. 8. 5. See, said hee, that thou make all things according to the patterne shewed to thee in the Mount. This charge was foure times repeated, Exod. 25. 9. 40. and 26. 30. and 27. 28. And it is said when all was done. Exod. 39. 43. Moses beheld that they had done all in eueryevery point as the Lord commanded, and hee blessed them. So when mention is made that Salomon set the courses of the Priests and singers, and of the Porters for the House of God; least we should thinke he did it of his owne head; his warrant is set downe, and its expresly said, For so was the commandement of Dauid, the man of God, 2. Chron. 8. 14. And yet more plainely, 2. Chron 29. 25. When Hezekiah appointed the Leuites to vse in the Church of God, Cymbals, and Viols, and Harps, least we should thinke he tooke vponupon him to appoint any thing in Gods seruice, its said, Hee did it according to the commandement of Dauid and Gad the Kings seer, and Nathan the Prophet. For the commandement was by the hand of the Lord, and by the hand of his Prophets. See how precise God would hauehave vsus to bee in sticking close to the direction of his Word, in the matter of his worship. Yea it is certaine, when we doe him any seruice, that he hath not appointed vsus in his Word, we serue not him, but we serue an Idol. This is plaine here in the example of the Samaritans, they intended to worship the true God, 2. Kings 17. 32. Ezra 4. 2. And yet it is said they did not worship the true God, 2 King. 17. 34. What did they worship then? surely an Idoll of their owne braine. They worshipped they knew not what. Why so? Because they made not the Word the rule of their worship: but the custome of the countrey, 2. King. 17. 34. 40. Yea while men thinke they serue the Lord, they serue the diuell, if the worship they doe to God, be not grounded vponupon his Word. This is plaine in three examples.
1. It is certaine, the Gentiles (as they had some knowledge of the true God, Rom. 1. 21. so) in all their superstitions they intended to worship him. For so Paul tells the Athenians, hee preached no other God to them, but the same whom they did worship. Acts 17. 23. Yet it is said of them, 1. Cor. 10. 20. They worshipped diuells and not God. Why? because they worshipped him ignorantly, and not according to his Word, Acts 17. 23. they serue the vnknowne god.
2. Aaron and the Israelites intended to worship the true God in the similitude of the golden Calfe, as is plaine, Psal. 106. 20. They changed their glory into the similitude of an Oxe that eateth grasse. And Nehem. 9 …8. This is the God (said they) that brought thee out of the land of Egypt, and Exod. 32. 5. Aaron made an Altar before it, and proclaimed, To morrow shall bee an Holyday to IEHOVAH. And yet the Lord for this, chargeth them that they had offered a burnt offering to the diuell, Leuit. 17. 7. Why? Because they were turned out of the way that he had commanded them, They swerued from the direction of his Word, Exod. 32. 8. they hauehave turned quickly out of the way which I commanded.
3. The tenne Tribes intended to worship the true God when they erected the two calues, euen the same God that was worshipped at Ierusalem, 1. Kings 22. 28. Behold O Israel thy gods, (that is, the similitude duplicate page duplicate page of thy gods) that brought thee out of the land of Egypt. And yet the Holy Ghost saith, they serued the diuell, 2. Chron. 11. 15. He ordained him Priests for the high places, and for the diuells, and for the calues that hee made. And why? Because they worshipped him not according to his Word, 2. Chron. 15. 3. Israel hath beene without the true God. Why? Because without a Priest to teach and without the Law.
The Reasons of the Doctrine are these.
1. For the first branch. No man knowes the Father but the Sonne, and Reason.hee to whom the Sonne will reueale him, Matth. 11. 27. And the meanes 1.whereby Christ reuealeth and makes his Father knowne vntounto vsus is the Word, Iohn 17. 6. I hauehave declared thy name to the men that thou gauest mee out of the world, verse 8. For I hauehave giuen vntounto them the Word which thou gauest mee.
2. For the second branch, Whatsoeuer is not done of faith (that is vponupon 2.a perswasion wee please God in it) is sinne, Rom. 4. 23. Now faith is grounded vponupon the Word. And how can a man be perswaded he pleaseth God in that seruice hee doth to him, vnlesse he hauehave his Word for it. For if we follow our owne good intent, while we thinke we please God, we may most highly offend him, the Iewes when they killed the Apostles, thought they did God good seruice, Ioh. 16. 2. and so did Paul when he was exceedingly mad against the faithfull, and compelled them to blaspheme, Acts 26. 11. and he saith that this was then the height of his zeale he persecuted the Church, Phil. 3. 6.
The First Vse of this Doctrine is to teach vsus, 1. To esteeme this a singular prerogatiue, that the Lord hath not suffered vsus to walke in our Use 1.own wayes, Acts 14. 16. But to be thankefull that we hauehave the Word, and to make our vse of it. This was the chiefe preferment of the Iew aboue the Samaritan and all others, Romanes 3. 1, 2. If any want this, the god that they serue is not the true god, but an Idoll, and fancie of their owne, 2. Chron. 15. 3. They worship they know not what, whereas wee hauehave a comfortable assurance that the worship wee doe, pleaseth God.
2. If therefore thou desire to serue and please God, let this bee thy first care to liue vnderunder a good Ministry, and to get knowledge, Israel 2.was without the true God, while it was without a teaching Priest, and without the Law, 2. Chron. 15. 3. all the deuotion that ignorant people vse, is but the Sacrifice of fooles, till they be ready to heare and willing to be instructed that way, Eccles. 5. 1. Therefore also the Lord complaineth, Hos. 4. 6. that there is an ignorant Priest that cannot instruct them, the people perish for want of knowledge.
3. Count it thy wisedome to cleaue so precisely to the Word, as (in the maters of Gods seruice) not to doe any thing which thou canst not finde warranted by the Word, Psal. 119. 31. I hauehave cleaued to thy testimonies, O Lord confound me not.
4. Conceiue no otherwise of God then he hath reuealed himselfe in his Word.
Now if we apply this to our selues, wee shall finde that the most of our people are in no better case then the Samaritans were; who worshipped Applica.they knew not what.
1. Indeed we hauehave the whole Word of God, and so had not they. But is our case euer the better for that? No surely it is so much the worse: they wanted it; we hauehave it and contemne it. We count it no prerogatiue to hauehave it, wee make no benefit of it, wee reade it not, wee seeke not the knowledge of it, we care not what Ministrie wee liue vnderunder, we count it no benefit to liue vnderunder an able Ministrie, Heb. 2. verse 3. How shall we escape if we neglect so great saluation?
2. Though they doe ioyne with Gods people in his true worship, yet doe they it not vponupon this ground, that they know by the Word, God will be thus serued. But the rule they follow, is either first the commandem…nt of men, as it is said of the Pharisees, Matth. 15. 9. or secondly, the custome of the place where they liue, as we read the Samaritans of old did, 2. Kings 17. 40. or thirdly, their owne good meaning, contrary to that commandement, seeke not after your owne heart, Numb. 15. verse 39.
The second Vse is to iustifie our Religion against the Papists. For it is Use 2.euident wee may truely say to them as our Sauiour doth heere: Yee worship that which yee know not, wee worship that which wee know. 1. It is not possible they should hauehave any assurance, that they please God in that seruice they doe vntounto him (how confident soeuer they seeme to be) because they doe not worship God according to his Word. 2. While they thinke they worship God, they worship the diuell. Of them certainely that is spoken, Apoc. 9. 20. And the remnant of men which were not killed by these plagues, repented not of the workes of their hands that they … not worship diuells, and Idols of gold and siluer, and of brasse and of st…ne, and of wood, which neither can see, nor beare, nor goe. For if the Israelites in Aarons and Ieroboams time, were truely said to worship diuells, when they worshipped the true God vnderunder the similitude of a molten Image; then is their worshipping of Images no better then Idolatry, and worshipping of diuells, notwithstanding that they say, that they neither worship the Image it selfe, nor any false god in or by it. The worshipping of the Virgin Mary, as well as the worshipping of Venu…, or any of the heathen gods; the kneeling before the picture of God the Father, or Christ crucified, as well as the kneeling before Baal, is a worshipping of diuells.