Selected quad for the lemma: city_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
city_n	word_n	world_n	young_a	26	3	5.6854	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A30585	Gospel-worship, or, The right manner of sanctifying the name of God in general and particularly in these three great ordinances, viz. [brace] 1. hearing of the Word, 2. receiving the Lords Supper, 3. prayer / by Jeremiah Burroughs ; being the second of the seven volumns lately published by Thomas Goodwin ... [et al.]	Burroughs, Jeremiah, 1599-1646.	1653 (1653)	Wing B6085; ESTC R36311	229,301	271

Gods presence at any time SERMON III Leviticus 10. 3. I will be Sanctified in them that come nigh me WEE proceed now to what remains There are only for the perfecting of this Point two Cases of Conscience to be resolved And then we are to proceed to other things The First is Whether we ought at all times to set apart some time for Preparation to every duty of Gods Worship Secondly Suppose we do not find our hearts prepared as we do desire Whether it were better to leave off the duty than perform it For the First of these Viz. Whether we are alwaies bound to set some time apart for preparation to the duty that we are to perform The answer to that is this we must distinguish of persons There are some that are exercised in the way of godliness and do keep their hearts close with God in the waies of holiness now for them it may be supposed that through their exercise in the waies of Godliness and keeping of their hearts constant with God in communion with him walking with God closely that they are at all times prepared to every good work and fitted to fulfil that command of the Apostle Pray continually that is in the disposition of their hearts they are fit to pray at any time there is no day in the week nor no hour in the day but they if God call them to it could fall down to solemn Prayer And indeed this is an excellent condition and a good evidence of the hearts walking close with God that there is no time but they are fit to pray and fit for any Ordinance yea to receive the Sacrament of the Lords Supper It is possible to keep the heart so close to God as to be fit for Prayer and for the hearing of the Word and for receiving the Sacrament every day or any hour in the day but this needs a very close walking with God and communion with God and the truth is this is very rare most men let out their hearts so much to other things as their consciences cannot but tell them that if God call them to Prayer at such a time in the day they are altogether unfit for it If they were called to receive the Sacrament their consciences would accuse them and tell them they are unfit for it but it is not so with those that walk close with God though they be in the world You wil say If a man have business in the world how can this be Yes Though they have business in the world yet they carry the heavenliness of their hearts along with them Our Conversation is in Heaven saith the Apostle Phil. 3. Now the word that is translated Our Conversation it is a word that signifies Our City Converse our trading is in Heaven when we go to the City or Exchange or about any business yet our trading is alwaies in Heaven But now there are other sorts of people that had need at all times to look to their hearts in way of preparation As First Those that first set upon the duties of Religion yong beginners that begin at first to set their faces towards Heaven to worship God they had need look to their hearts they should spend some time in Preparation when they come to holy Duties and the truth is When the conscience of a man or woman is at first enlightned and awakened they will be very careful in preparing to holy duties the fear of God it is mighty upon their spirits at first and it should not be less afterward the constancy of Gods fear should bring their hearts to such a holy temper as to make them fit for holy duties alwaies Secondly Those men and women that any time shall sin against conscience shall commit such sins as shall in a kind even lay wast conscience shall break their peace between God and their souls they had need spend some time in preparation for holy duties they cannot come into the presence of God to enjoy communion with God but they had need beforehand be very serious in the examination of their hearts and to endeavor the working of their hearts into mourning for their sin and to labor to possess their souls with the presence of God even before they come These two sorts of people such as have not been acquainted with the waies of Godliness or such as have broken their peace with God by some evil carriage of theirs towards God in some vile way I say it is requied of them to be more solemn in the Work of Preparation 2. But now for the Second Case which indeed is the main Suppose when we come to duties and begin to examine our hearts and begin to bethink our selves whether we be prepared yea or no to holy duties and we do not find our hearts prepared according to that that we do desire Whether then we may let the duty go for that time and forbear the performance of it as suppose Prayer or receiving the Sacrament or coming to the Word or any other holy Duty And the reason of this doubt is Because when any man or woman is consciencious they think with themselves that they must Sanctifie Gods Name in Holy Duties now if they cannot find their hearts in a fit disposition to sanctifie the Name of God in holy duties they are ready to think thus Were it not better to neglect this duty and lay it aside for the present Will God accept of a duty when I perform it and am not set for it Therefore for the Answer to this because it is a temptation that sometimes carnal hearts have and they are ready to take this temptation and willing to neglect the duty upon such a thoughts as this that they are not prepared And the truth is they are more glad to let the duty fall than they are sorry for want of the preparation of their hearts for the duty I beseech you consider of this whether you have not found it so that sometimes when you have not been fit to perform a holy duty there hath not been a more secret willingness of the heart to let the duty go than a sorrow of the heart because you are not fit for the duty This is a very evil sign that the heart is very much distempered Those that are godly indeed when they find not their hearts prepar'd for the duty it is the trouble of their souls it is that which goes neer their hearts when they think with themselves that they are now like to lose a duty of the Worship of God they are now like to lose their communion with God in a holy duty they even look upon themselves in an evil case in regard of this and it makes them watchful for time to come to take heed of those things that have put them in such an unpreparation as they find their hearts to be in at this time Now if it be so with thee it is a good sign that thy heart may be upright with God

a Holy God I beseech you Brethren consider of this God stands upon nothing more than to appear to all the world to be a Holy God there 's the glory of Gods Name in an eminent way God doth not so much stand upon this to appear to be a strong God to appear to be a powerful God to be a God of patience long suffering God doth not so much stand to be an Omniscient God though these Attributes are dear to God but that he may appear to be a Holy God that he stands upon Whatever glory of the Name of God that God shall be content to have ecclipsed in the world for a while yet he is resolved he will have the glory of his Holiness above all things and therefore the Angels when they are celebrating the glory of God they do not say Lord Almighty Almighty Almighty or Lord Omniscient Omniscient Omniscient but Holy Holy Holy Those three together the Holiness of God therein appears the glory of God above all God stands upon it that he will appear to be a Holy God Oh that those who profess themselves to be the Servants of God that they would especially endeavor to hold forth Gods Holiness you that are neer to God you that hope you are Gods Children and make profession of his Name labor you to hold forth the glory of his Holiness above all things in your holy lives and Conversations for God stands upon this To have his Name to be Sanctified I will be Sanctified saith God and I will be glorified so he doth interpret the glory of his Name by being Sanctified As if God should say That 's the glory that I look for That my Name may be extolled as Holy And therefore the very first Petition that Christ teaches us to pray in the Lords Prayer it is Hallowed be thy Name which is all one with this Sanctified be thy Name Oh let the Name of God appear to be holy in the World that 's another Note that these two are joyned together I 'le be Sanctified in those that draw nigh me and I will be glorifyed before the People Again observe That it is the part of true friendship to help friends in their distresses and seek to comfort them from the Word Though we our selves be in afflictions yet we should seek to comfort our friends that are in greater afflictions and to comfort them by the Word for so did Moses Moses comes to comfort Aaron and applies the Word This is that which the Lord hath said I will be Sanctified Now mark no question Moses was afflicted upon this heavy hand of God for he was their Uncle but though it was heavy upon the Uncle yet it was heavier upon the Father and therefore though Moses was troubled yet he knew that Aaron was more troubled and therefore he goes to Aaron and seeks to comfort him and he makes use of this Word in his comforting of him Learn this then to go and comfort your Brethren for Aaron was Moses brother Go and comfort them in their afflictions and think not because that you have some afflictions upon you that therefore you should not be a comfort to your brethren their affliction is greater than yours and when you come to comfort them come not in a meer carnal way and say Brother you must be content but you must come and apply somewhat of the Word of God to comfort them and say This is that which the Lord hath spoke and to that end you should labor to be exercised in the Word of God that so you may be able to go to your brethren and comfort them in any affliction for there is no particular affliction but there is some Word of God that is sutable to that particular affliction and those who are well exercised in the Word of God they can apply some word to every affliction And indeed this is an excellent friend and such a friend is worth his weight in gold that can come to another friend in any affliction and evermore hath somewhat of the Word of God to apply to that affliction The last Observation is this That Aaron held his peace From whence we may Note That there is no such way to quiet a gracious heart under any afflictions in the world as that God will fetch out His Honor by it It is grievous to me but God fetches out His Glory and Honor by it The applying of the Word and the consideration that God hath his way to fetch out his glory in our afflictions is the only way to quiet a gracious heart All these Points might take up a a great deal of time but I will let them pass and come to the main Point of all I will be Sanctified in those that come nigh me There are these Three Points in these words First That in the Worship of God men and women draw nigh to God Secondly That we ought to Sanctifie Gods Name in drawing nigh to him Thirdly That if we do not Sanctifie it God will Sanctifie his own Name upon us 1. That in Worshiping of God there is a drawing nigh to God Quest Why is not God in every place Answ Yes certainly we can never be in any place but we are nigh to God God stands by us and looks upon us It is not only when you are Worshiping of God that you are nigh Him but when you sin against Him when thou art swearing prophaning His Name His Day God stands and looks upon thee thou art nigh Him And it may be said or written upon every place what was said of the City in the last words of the Prophesie of Ezek. 48. 35. The name of the City was Jehovah Shamma that is The Lord is there the Lord Jehovah He is there He is present in this place Oh that you would remember when you are in any place that the Name of that place is Jehovah Shamma The Lord is there In him we live we move and have our being therfore we are alwaies nigh him yea but though we are alwaies nigh God in regard of that essential presence of his yet there is a more peculiar and special drawing nigh to God in the duties of his Worship and that the Scripture seems to hold forth unto you First I 'le shew you how the Scripture holds it forth and then in what respect the Creature may be said to draw nigh to God in holy duties of Worship for so it was here they were coming to offer Incense 1. That we do draw nigh to God in holy duties see Jam. 4. 8. Draw nigh to God so that you may be neerer God than you were that is by holy services and holy duties and hence it is in Psal 95. 2. Let us come before his presence with thanks giving so that there is a more peculiar coming before Gods presence when we come to worship him than at other times And Vers 6. O come let us Worship and how down let us kneel before the Lord our

so you may see that God will have his Name sanctified upon them And they are these 1. In the first place You that do not sanctifie Gods Name in hearing his word in those waies that have been opened to you First you lose the greatest and happiest opportunity of good that ever creatures had for an outward opportunity indeed when God moves by his Spirit if that be neglected that opportunity is more than meerly hearing his Word but otherwise except it be at such a time when God adds his Spirit together with his Word I say you that are cast by the providence of God in such a place where the word of the Gospel is preached to you applied and urged upon you if you sanctifie not the Name of God to hear as you ought and to profit by it I say you lose the greatest opportunity for good that is in the world Oh what hast thou lost that hast lived many yeers under the Ministry of the Gospel and yet hast not been acquainted with this mystery of godliness in sanctifying Gods Name in the word There are many thousand souls that are and shall be blessing God to all eternity for what of God they have met withal in the Word but thou hast sat under it stuped as a block dead and barren and no good hath been done Wherefore is there a prize in the hand of a fool and he hath no heart to get wisdom This will lie upon thee heavy one day the loss of such an opportunity and that is the first 2. In the second place Know that this Word that is appointed by God for the conveyance of so much mercy to his Elect it will prove to be the greatest aggravation of thy sin that can be This is the condemnation that light is come into the world and men love darkness rather than light This is The condemnation If so be that light had not come among you then the condemnation had not been so great your sin had not been so great and your punishment had not bin so great In Mat. 10. 14 15. where speaking of those that did enjoy the Word and yet did not sanctifie Gods Name in it Whosoever shall not receive you saith Christ to his Disciples nor hear your words when ye depart out of that house or City shake off the dust of your feet Verily I say unto you it shall be more tolerable for the Land of Sodom and Gomorah in the day of judgment than for that City It is a most dreadful Scripture their very dust must be shaken off in token of indignation and it shal be more easie for the Land of Sodom and Gomorah in the day of judgment than for that place You would be very loth to be in a worse condition than Sodom and Gomorah that was consumed by fire from heaven And now suffer the venegance of eternal fire Jude 7. Certainly they shall not be so deep in judgments as those that live under the Ministry of the Word and sanctifie not the Name of God in it Your sin is of a deeper dye than the sin of the Heathens yea and in some respects than the sin of the Devils they never had the Word of the Gospel sent to be preached to them and therefore this will aggravate your sin not only beyond Heathens but beyond Devils Look to it then that Gods Name be sanctified in the hearing of his Word 3. Thirdly Know that so much as the Word is rejected Jesus Christ is rejected Luke 10. 16. He that despiseth you despiseth me and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me It is Christ himself that is rejected when the Word is rejected thou hast not to do with man so much as with Jesus Christ in the hearing of the Word and the power of Jesus Christ is to be put forth either to do thee good by the Word or to avenge thy neglect of the Word Therefore in Matth. 28. 18 19. when Christ sends forth his Disciples to preach he makes this preface All power is given unto me in Heaven and Earth Go ye therefore and teach As if he should say I have received all power in Heaven and Earth through the power I received I send you to preach and I 'le be with you to the end of the world that is Al power in Heaven and Earth shal go along with you to assist your Ministry either for the good of those that shall embrace it or for the misery of those that shal reject it so that whosoever stands out against the Ministry of the Word stands out against all thē power Heaven and Earth that is given to Christ do not think that thou doest resist a poor weak mortall man but thou doest resist all the power in Heaven and Earth And is not this a dreadfull thing then to be guilty of not sanctifying of Gods Name 4. Fourthly it is an Argument of extream hardness of heart not to be wrought upon by the Word Luk 16. 31 If they here not Moses and the prophets nether wil they be perswaded though one rose from the dead saith Abraham Certainly that man or woman that shall not be wrought upon by the Word so as to sanctifie Gods name in it I say to such If one should rise from the dead they would not have there hearts wrought upon and therefore much less are they like to be wrought upon by afflictions it may be some of you think when you are upon your sick beds then you will repent no surely if this that is the great Ordinance to bring men to God shall not work upon you so as God shall be honored in it you cannot expect that sick ness and affliction should do it no if one shall come from the dead to tell you of all the miseries that were there certainly if the Word work not upon you that will not do it But you wil say One would think that there should be more power to work upon the heart truly no because it is such an Ordinance appointed by God for working such great works upon the hearts and consciences of men as the Word is It is true the Word is but a weak thing in it self but here lies the strength that it is an Ordinance of God appointed for to work upon the hearts of men therefore if this work not upon you to give God glory in the hearing of it there is no other means like to do it 5. Fifthly when the Word works not upon men it is a dreadfull sign of reprobation If our Gospel be hid saith the Apostle in 2. Cor. 4. 3 it is hid to those that are lost It is a dreadful Argument that here is a lost creature one that God intends no good to One the Lord works upon perhaps he lets pass another one in a family and not in another Now where it is so that the Word worketh not I say there is no such dreadfull brand of Reprobation as this is It is true we cannot give