Why have wee fasted and thou seest it not This is an Argument that thou art acted by Selfe rather than by God Secondly To know whether we be acted by self-ends or rather by high ends for God Those men that can rejoyce in others that are able to honor God in holy duties more then themselves they may have a good evidence to their own souls that when they Worship God they are acted by higher ends than Selfe but now such as are streightned themselves and when they see others more enlarged in the Worship of God they rather envy them are greiv'd and troubled know that Self is a great ingredient in those duties that thou doest perform if thy heart were raised high to God though thou canst not thy self be enlarged in holy duties yet thy soul would be glad that any others are though I have a whetched and vile heart of my own yet blessed be God that there are any others that can Worship God better than I can Thirdly A man that is acted by Self in holy duties he regards holy duties but little save in time of extremity in time of fear or in fickness or in dangers But now one that hath high ends in holy duties makes the duties of Gods Worship to be the joy of his Soul in the mid'st of his prosperity and that is an evident sign that thou art not acted by self ends but by higher ends Canst thou in the mid'st of thy abundance say Lord thou givest me all conveniences in this world and all outward things that I want but Lord this is that which is the joy of my Soul this is that which makes my life comfortable even communion with thy Self in the duties of thy Worship that I have free accesse unto the Throne of thy Grace to Worship Thee the Lord and there meet with thee when I am in the performance of holy duties O Lord thou that knowest all things knowest that this is the thing that makes my life comfortable It is not that I have a Table furnished with variety of dishes and that I can have liberty of time to go into company and spend according as I please but Lord those incomes of thy Spirit that I do find in the duties of thy worship those are the things that makes my life blessed indeed unto me Such a man as is able thus to appeale to God surely when he worships God he is acted by high-ends and not by self-ends And that 's the Third thing that is necessary for Sanctifying of Gods Name in holy duties thou must have a Sanctified heart high thoughts of God and high ends In the Fourth place There must be much reverence and much fear when thou comest into the presence of God to Worship Him thou dost not glorifie God as God except thou dost come into his presence with much fear reverence of His great Name Fear in worshipping of God it is so necessary that many times in Scripture we find that the very Worship of God is called the fear of God they are put both for one I might give you divers Scriptures for it and hence it was that the Name of God was called The fear of Isaac Jacob did swear by The fear of his father Isaac because Isaac being a great Worshipper of God kept his constant times to worship God and worshipped him in such a constant way as except David and Daniel we do not find mention of the constancy of any in the worshipping of God as we do of Isaacs for it is said that he walked but into the fields in the evening as he was wont to do to Meditate and to Pray and therefore God is called The Fear of Isaac In Psal 89.7 is an notable Scripture for this drawing nigh to God with feare God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the Saints and to be had in reverence of all them that are about Him God is to be had in reverence of all them that are about Him but in the assembly of His Saints He is greatly to be feared He is daunting terrible so the words are in the assembly of the Saints When thou comest nigh to God thou hadst need have thy heart possest with much fear So in Psal 2.11 the Kings and Princes of the earth are cal'd upon to serve the Lord with fear Let them be never so great yet when they come into Gods presence they must serve Him with fear And so in Psal 5.7 In thy fear will I worship toward thy holy Temple Now this fear of God it must not be a servile fear but a filial and reverentiall fear For my Brethren there may be a great deal of slavish fear where God is not honored there may be fear from some terrible apprehensions of God which yet is not owned by God to be this grace of fear I 'le give you Two notable Scriptures for that in Deut. 5.23 24. compared with the 29. It came to passe saith the text vers 23 when ye heard the voice out of the middest of the darkness for the mountain did burn with fire that ye came neer unto me even all the heads of your tribes and your elders And ye said Behold the Lord our God hath shewed us his glory and his greatness and we have heard his voice out of the middest of the fire we have seen this day that God doth talk with man and he liveth now therefore why should we die for this great fire will consume us If we hear the voice of the Lord our God any more then we shall die See with what a terrour they were struck at the apprehension of Gods appearance you would think surely these men did fear God much but mark in vers 29. O that there were such a heart in them that they would fear me Why did they not fear the Lord Were they not struck with such fear that they thought they should die they saw his presence so terrible that they were afraid they should die and yet O that there were such a heart in them that they would fear me So that it appears by this that one may be struck with much terrour in the apprehension of Gods presence and yet have no true fear of the Name of God So some of you it may be in time of thunder or danger are filled with terrour but yet may it not be said presently after O that there were the fear of God in the heart of this man or woman this youth or maid They are terrifed sometimes but yet there is not a filiall and reverential fear of God in them And I find in I King 19. where you have the story of Gods appearing in that most terrible manner unto the Prophet Elijah by Fire by Thunder and in a mighty Wind the Prophet was not so struck with fear of Gods presence when he did appear in the mighty wind or earthquake or fire as when God did appear in the small still voice therefore in vers 13. it
is said And it was so when Elijah heard it that is the soft voice after the fire and earthquake and the mighty wind that he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entring in of the Cave and behold there came a voice unto him and said What dâ—est thou here Elijah Then his heart was more struck with fear where was most of Gods presence though it was in a soft voice than when the fire and earthquake did appear It is a good sign of a gracious fear when the soul can be struck with more fear from the Word and from the sight of God in enjoying of communion with him in his Worship then when God appears in the most terrible way of his works or when there is terrour in a mans conscience through fear of hell when God appears as though he would send him down presently to hell though God expects to be feared then but when the Soul in enjoying communion with God in holy duties and the more communion he hath with God the more is he struck with reverence and the fear of God this is a sign of Sanctifying fear and then Doth the heart Sanctifie the Name of God indeed when it is so possessed with fear in the duties of Worship Now this fear of God should be indeed in the Soul and expressed outwardly when you are in the assembly by such reverent carriage in prayer as if a heathen should come in he may see Gods Name Sanctified and may say How great is this God that this people do worship And in your Families a reverent carriage not lying all along in prayer upon the elbows sleeping but carrying your seves so that if a heathen should come into your families they may say O how great is this God that this people do worship And likewise this fear it must be an abiding fear not only at that instant when you are worshipping of God or speaking of any of Gods Titles and Names but a fear that must abide upon your hearts after duty is over that is after you are come out from your Closets one may perceive the fear of God upon you and so walking all the day long in the fear of God as it becomes those that have been solemnly setting themselves to worship him Now this fear and reverence is contrary to the slightness vanity the boldness and presumptuousness that there is in the hearts of men and women when they are Worshipping of God Fifthly The duties of Gods Worship must be ful of strength for they are not suitable to God else because God is a God infinite in power and glory himself therefore God cannot indure vain Worshipping In Isa 1.13 I hate vain oblations Vanity of Spirit in Worshipping of God is very hatefull to God it doâ—h defile the Name of God God is dishonored by the vanity of mens Spirits Now this strength is Three fold 1 First The strength of Intention 2 Secondly The strength of Affection 3 Thirdly The strength of all the Faculties of the Soul and the strength of body too as much as we are able should be put forth in the Worshipping of God 1 First The strengih of intention We must intend our work as if it were for our lives If ever we were seriously Intentive or Attentive about any thing it must be when we are worshipping of the Name of God When you are coming to Pray be Intent about it You shall see some when they are going in the street when they have much intention about their businesse their friends meet them and they never mind them one may perceive as they are going that they are mightily intent about their business My Brethren look upon every duty oâ— Worship as a great thing which you must be intent in your thoughts about and not give way to the wandring of your thoughts I have read of one Martyr that when he was to die and the fire a kindling saith an Officer What! will not you speak when you see the fire kindling Saith he I am speaking to God that is he was praying and he minded not at all what they were doing O what little things do take our thoughts away from holy duties When every toy every feather every light matter cals them off Is this to Sanctifie Gods Name Would not we account it a dishonorable thing if we were talking to one about serious business and when we are talking every one that comes by he should be looking after them and turning aside to talk with them If a Superiour be talking with you he doth expect that you should mind what he saith But when God is speaking to you and you are speaking to God every vain thought that comes by you are turning aside too as if it were a greater thing to talk to vain thoughts and temptations than to the great and glorious God Therefore now that is the very time that the Devil chuses for to bring temptations when we are in holy duties for the Devil knows then he doth two works at once he doth disturb us in our duties and call off our hearts to that that is wicked and doth aggravate our s n exceedingly It may be thou wilt not dare to coÌ„mit that sin that the temptation doth turn thy thoughts upon yea but the Devill hath spoiled the duty by it The Lord doth expect that there should be strength of Intention when thou art upon the duty and there is no time to parlie with temptations now what ever thoughts come in The truâ—h is though they be good thoughts that should come into thy mind and that time that thou art Praying yet if they be not pertinent to the duty thou must cast them away as the temptation of the Devil You will say Can any thing that is good come from the Devil Certainly that that is materially good and comming unseasonably may be from the Devil the Devil may take advantage by what is in it self materially good and bring in that in an unseasonable time and so he may turn it to evil As now when thou art hearing the Word it may be the Devil thinks he cannot prevaile to cause thee to have thy heart running about uncleanness yea but saith the Devil If I can inject good thoughts I will put into their minds some place of Scripture that is no way pertinent to this only to divert them The Devil gets much by this therefore look to it and know that God expects the strength of thy spirit in duty that is strong intention thou art a worshipping of God and therefore thou hadest need be intent about what thou art a doing Indeed sometimes before you are aware evil thoughts will come into your minds As when a man is keeping of a door and there is a croud of people without that would come in perhaps the man doth open the door for some Gentlemen that be hears is at the door but when he opens it for one that is to come in forty others wil
NEMO ME IMPUNE LACESSIT SERO SED SERIO AEtatis Suae 45. Iune 1. 1646 JEREMIAH BVRROUGHES Gospell-Preacher 〈◊〉 two of the greatest Congregations in England Viz. Stepney and Cripple gate London â— Câ—â—â—â— sculpt Gospel-worship OR The Right manner of Sanctifying the Name of God in generall And particularly in these 3 great Ordinances 1. Hearing the Word 2. Receiving the Lords Supper 3. Prayer By IEREMIAH BURROUGHS At the end of the Contents of this Book is printed the Titles of all the Works of Mr. Ieremiah Burroughs that are published BY Thomas Goodwin William Greenhill Sydrach Simpson Philip Nye William Bridge John Yates William Alderly LONDON Printed for Peter Cole and are to be sold by John Walker at the Star in Popes head ally 1648. To the Reader OVR purpose in this Preface is not to speake either of the eminent worth of the Authour whose memory is blessed in the hearts of all the godly in this Nation or of this Piece it self here published But onely to assure thee that it is his And although it riseth not up to that exactnesse and perfection that might have beene in them had he publisht them himself Yet with that different allowance which is to be given Notes taken from his mouth in ordinary and frequent Preaching We doubt not but 〈◊〉 their use and benefit they may be as profitable to the Saints as other of his Writings being as full of weighty and Divine materials having also the impresse of the Spirit and language of this holy Man one of the greatest Preachers of this age stampt all along upon them Wee to whom this our Brother was most deare and precious being intrusted with the publishing of his Sermons have thought good first to usher abroad these few which if they receive that welcome they deserve many other excellent pieces of his may soon after have encouragement to appeare in publick view The points treated of in these are of great concernment and therefore wee conceive the Author though in handling 〈◊〉 â—hem hee had roome enough for 〈◊〉 â—ssing many of the controversies of the times yet he purposely waved it and bent himselfe to the single delivery of that which tended most to edification and best suited with such a popular Auditory as that was to whom hee spake The Lord of heaven blesse them to thy spiritual advantage and enable thee by such meanes as these to sanctifie his Name in the use of all his Ordinances which is the desire of Thomas Goodwin William Greenhill William Bridge Sydrach Simpson Philip Nye Reader take notice that at the end of the Contents of this Booke is printed the Titles of the three last Works of Mr. Burroughs in that order they were Preacht by him at Stepny in the morning Exercise every Lords day Hee began the Treatise of Contentment Iuly 27. 1645. and finished it October 12. 1645. At Stepny he began the Treatise intitled Gospelworship November the 9. 1645. and finished it at the end of February 1645. He began the Treatise of Gospel-conversation March the 1. 1645. and finished it May the 3. 1646. THE CONTENTS OF THE SEVERAL ENSUING SERMONS SERMON I. THE occasion of the words Page 1 The words opened Page 5 Observation 1 There must be nothing in Gods worship but what he hath commanded Page 8 Observ 2 God stands upon little things in matters of his Worship Page 11 Observ 3 No priviledge can secure from Gods stroke Page 12 Observ 4 The more dignity tâ—e more danger Ibid Observ 5 The beginnings of gâ—eâ—ct matters meet with difficulties Page 13 Observ 6 Those that enter into publick places have need of the fear of God ibid Observ 7 We should pick out Gods meaning from dark expressions in His Word Page 14 Observ 8 Sinners may meet with judgements never threatned in the Word Page 16 Observ 9 God is very quick with some in the way of judgement Page 17 Observ 10 The holiness of a duty wil not bear a man out in his miscarriage in it ibid Observ 11 The Lord is terrible out of his Holy places Page 18 Observ 12 Gods judgements are oft futable to mens sins ibid Observ 13 We should take beed of bringing strange fire to Gods service Page 19 SERMON II Observ 14 Gods saints many times meet with afflictions in their children Page 20 Observ 15 Gods judgments many times come in an invisible way Page 21 Observ 16 Gods glory more precious to Him than mens lives Page 22 Observ 17 The neerer any are to God the more careful they should be to glorifie him ibid Observ 18 When judgements are exemplarie we should look to the word how God makes it Good Page 23 Observ 19 The great honour of Gods Name in them making it holy ibid Observ 20 True friendship to comfort friends in distress from the Word Page 24 Observ 21 The way to quiet the heart in aâ—â—fliction is to think God will have honor by it Page 25 Doct. 1 In Worshipping God we draw nigh unto him Page 26 In what respect we are said to draw nigh God in worship Page 27 Use 1 To take heed what we do when we worship God Page 30 Use 2 Why guilty consciences fly from the worship of God Page 31 Use 3 Why Hypocrites meet with such severe judgements Page 32 Use 4 To neglect Gods Worship is to depart from him Page 33 Use 5 Exhortation to be much in Gods worship Page 34 SERMON III Use 6 The Honour of Gods servants to draw nigh him Page 39 Doct. 2 We must Sanctifie Gods Name in drawing might him Page 42 First in pâ—â—â—â—tion to his Worship ibid 1 〈…〉 a great God Page 43 2 〈…〉 of Gods worship are 〈◊〉 Page 44 〈◊〉 are naturally unprepared Page 46 4 The hinderances of Gods worship are many ibid 5 The Heathens prepared to worship their Idols ibid 6 Preparation shews sincerity of heart Page 47 5 Things wherein preparation consists Page 48 1 A right apprehension of God Page 49 2 Taking the heart from sinful waies ibid 3 Taking off the heart from the world ibid 4 In watching and prayer Page 50 5 In actiâ—g the Faculties and Graces Page â—1 4 Things oâ— the excellency of Preparation Page 52 1 It will â—ake duties easie ibid 2 We shall do much in a little time ibid 3 The Lord will pass by weakness in duties Page 53 4 It will make the heart alway ready for duty Page 54 SERMON IV Cases of Conscience 1 Whether we be alway bound to set some time apart for preparation to duties Page 55 2 Whether being not prepared the duty may be omitted Page 57 Answered in 4 particulars 1 The omission of duty will not fit the Soul for duty Page 58 2 It is but a temptation to keep from duty Page 59 3 If the duty be done in sincerity though there be not due preparation it is better then to omit it ibid 4 While people struggle with their corruptions and seek not God they fall into snares
and slew them both presently in the very Sanctuary before all the people for it was a solemn time being the beginning of the solemn Consecration of the Priesthood Upon this the spirit of Aaron could not but be exceedingly troubled to see his two Sons thus struck Now Moses comes to him and saith This is that which the Lord spake I will be Sanctified in them â—â—at draw nigh me and before all the people I will be glorified And upon this Aaron held his peace We reade that once fire came down from Heaven in a way of Mercy to consume the Sacrifices but now fire comes down from heaven in a way of Judgment to consume the Sacrificers even Nadab and Abihu they were Aarons sons the sons of a godly man the son of the High-Priest they were his eldest sons for Aaron had other sons besides Nadab and Abihu Eleazer and Ithamar but these were his two eldest sons they were two young men they were struck in the very prime of their age they were two that were newly consecrated in the Priests office for so you find it in the 9. Chap. And they were two men of renown in the country and before all the people of Israel two men that God had much honored heretofore as you shall find in the 24 Chap. of Exod and the beginning this Nadab and Abihu were men of great repute and great renown that God did much honor in former times for when God called Moses and Aaron with the Elders to come up to him He singles out Nadab and Abihu amongst the rest and names them And he said unto Moses Come up unto the Lord thou and Aaron Nadab and Abihu and 70. of the Elders of Israel Moses and Aaron Nadab and Abihu are only named and then 70. of the Elders in general but Moses Aaron Nadab and Abihu as if these were the four eminent men of renown among all the people of Israel he names none of the 70. Elders but these two besides Moses and Aaron therefore these two that were consumed by strange fire were renowned men and newly consecrated into their Office What was their sin Their sin it was offering of strange fire so the Text saith that they offered strange fire which God commanded them not in the beginning of the Chapter But had God ever forbidden it Where do we find that ever God had forbidden them to offer strange Fire or appointed that they should oner only one kind of fire There is no Text of Scripture that you can find from the beginning of Genesis to this place where God hath said in terminis in so many words expresly You shall offer no fire but one kind of fire And yet here they are consumed by fire from God for offering strange fire I find in the 30. of Exod. ver 9. that there they were forbidden offering strange Incense but I do not find that they were forbidden offering strange fire In Levit. 6.13 and divers verses in that Chapter we find that God had appointed that they should keep constantly the fire on the Altar burning and never to let it go out Now that was it seems Gods intention that therefore they should make use of that fire and that fire only God would have them to pick out his meaning God sent fire down from heaven upon the Altar so in the latter end of the 9. Chap. God sent down fire from heaven gave them a charge to keep that fire on the Altar constantly and never to let it go out so that it seems God would have them pick out his meaning that because he had sent down fire from heaven upon the Altar and gave them power to keep that constantly God would have them therfore to understand that what Incense or Sacrifice he would have the use of fire in it should be only that fire and no other though God did never say to them directly in these words You shall make use of this fire and no other but God would have them to understand this That 's their sin therefore in offering of strange fire Now fire comes from the Lord and doth consume them Some think this fire came from the Altar but surely it could not be any ordinary fire that did consume Nadab and Abihu at this time for you shall find in the next ver to my text That the bodies of Nadab and Abihu were not consumed by the fire no not their cloathes they were kil'd by the fire and yet their cloathes were whol therefore it was not an ordinary fire it was some Coelestial fire struck into them to slay them for so saith the text in the 4th ver Come neer carry away your brethren from before the Sanctuary out of the Camp and so they went and carried them in their coats out of the Camp so that their cloathes and bodies were not consumed only they were kil'd by the fire they were struck with a sudden death and that in the presence of the Lord such a death as God had never threatned in the Word before God had never threatned the Priests and said If you Offer strange fire you shall be consumed by fire but yet God smites them with death by fire they had not time to seek God no not so much as we use to say as to say Lord have mercy upon me they had no time to promise amendment at all now upon this heavy judgment the heart of Aaron could not possibly but be very much troubled yea and the spirit of Moses too for Moses was their unkle and Aaron their father they could not but be exceedingly much greived but Moses being the brother of Aaron seeing his spirit no question exceedingly troubled being under such a sad affliction and that such a Godly man even as Aaron was should have such a sad judgment befal his Children Moses comes and speaks comfortably to him and labors to support his spirit and how doth he do it He comes not as ordinarily you use to visit your brethren Oh! you must be content with this no but he comes and applyes the Word of God and shews how God must be Sanctified and by that he comes to quiet the heart of his brother Aaron This is that which the Lord hath spoke saith Moses He seeks to stay the heart of his Brother with that which God spake But where do we find that God spake this It 's hard to find in any Scripture these very words in terminis before this time and therefore Augustin thinks it was only the word God spake but not written and so they had it from hand to hand by tradition as many other things as the Prophecie of Enoch that the Apostle Jude speaks of you do not find it written in the Book of God and yet the Apostle speaks of it so that indeed it was from hand to hand yea and we find in the new Testament when Paul speaks of a thing that Christ should say how that our Lord saith It is a more blessed thing
that I think it not so convenient in Pulpits to meddle with such things as those are Those things I say which are suitable to mens own ends and waies them they will close withal but other things that do cross the flesh that are most opposite to loosness and would bring men most under the government of Christ those things men stand out against and they must have cleer and express words express and cleer warrant out of the word in so many terms or otherwise by no means they will not so much as yeild to it That 's a point that if God would but settle it upon our hearts might be of very great use A gracious heart will see the truth through a very little crevis But it is marvelous to consider what a do there is to convince a man before he is humbled of some part of Gods will and how easie it is to convince a man after he is humbled The Eighth Note is this That sinners may meet with some judgments of God that were never threatned in his Word God did never threaten before hand and say Whosoever offers strange fire I will consume them with fire from heaven But they meet with a judgment that was not theatned Consider of this it may be when we come and speak out of the Word and shew you plainly how God doth threaten such and such sins you are afraid then but know if thou venturest upon waies of sin thou mayest meet with dreadful judgments executed that never yet were threatned Besides all those judgments that are threatned in the Book of God thou mayest meet with judgments unheard of unexpected As God hath Mercies beyond what he hath expresly revealed in his Word for never was it heard since the beginning of the world what God hath laid up for them that love him So God hath judgments beyond what is in his Word Sometimes when the Ministers of God do open the threatnings that are in Gods Word you think that they are terrible But know that God in the treasury of his iudgments hath more dreadful things than yet ever hath bin revealed in his Word and therefore learn to tremble not only at what is revealed in Gods Word against thy sin but tremble at what there is in that infinit Justice Power and Wisdom of God to find out and execute upon sinners for thou that art a sinner and especially if thou beest a bold and presumptuous sinner thou mayest I say expect to meet with whatsoever evil an infinite wisdom is able to devise and that an infinite power is able to bring upon thee that thou art capable of Thou committest such and such a sin perhaps thou doest not know of any particular judgment that is threatned against it but think thus I that do provoke God by my sins what may I look for 'T is more than I know to the contrary but that whatsoever the infinite wisdom of God is able to find out and what misery so ever I am capable of that the Lord may bring upon me Consider of this and take heed of sin The Ninth Observation is this That God is very quick with some in the waies of his judgments It may be he may spare others for a long time but concerning thee he may say Thou shalt not offend twice If thou wilt venture the first act God may strike thee with death he did so here wi h Nadab and Abihu for they were but newly consecrated so I find it by Interpreters That they were to be in consecration for seven daies and this was the first day that they came to their place and in the very first act that they did God did smite them Let us tremble the Lord is quick towards some he is patient towards others but do not thou presume because he is patient to others he may take thee in the very first act of thy sin and be quick with thee The Tenth Note is this That the holiness of a duty will never bear a man out in the miscarriages of a duty This was a holy duty they were the true Priests of God they came to offer incense to the true God It was right incense that they offered there was but this one miscarriage They had not the same fire that God would have now this miscarriage God comes upon them for and all the good there was in the Duty it would not bear them out Consider of this you that performe many holy duties take heed of giving way to your selves in any miscarriage for do not think that because your duties are very good and holy that by doing therof you may venture upon mixture take heed of mixing any evil any miscarriage in a holy thing though you haue performed a thousand holy duties yet it will not bear you out in the miscarriage of them The Eleventh Note is this That the Lord is very terrible out of his holy plcaes The Note is the same that you have in Psal 68.35 The Lord is terrible out of his holy places When we have to deal with God who can stand before this holy God Our God is a consuming fire The Lord manifests himself here most dreadfully to strike with fire these two Priests as in Ezek. 9.6 Begin at my Sanctuary saith God God is terrible terrible towards those that shall dare to approach unto him and yet are wicked or ungodly in their approaching he is terrible to those that are neer unto him God would have us all to tremble at his presence In the Twelfth place Gods judgments are often very suitable to mens sins Here they sinned by fire and they are consumed by fire They offended by strange fire and God strikes them by a strange fire The judgments of God are very suitable to the sins of men oftentimes As here by fire so another time we find it by water Pharaoh he sins by drowning the Infants of the people of Israel in the waters and God drowns him in the Sea If you will be drowning by water you shall have water enough saith God And so here if you will be medling with strange fire you shall have strange fire saith God God doth many times proportion judgments to sinners that his righteousness might the more appear those very creatures in which we sin many times God makes them or others of the same kind to be the executioners of his wrath So it was with the Jews they would sell Christ for 30. pieces of silver and they were sold 30. of them for a penny afterwards And so the story of Adoni-bezek in the first of Judges that was so cruel in such a way to cut off Thumbs and Toes of Kings even so he was served in the like kind and it 's ordinary for men that are of cruel fiery spirits to meet with cruel fiery spirits too And I would apply it in this particular You that are stout Children to your Parents if God lets you live you many times meet with the very same in your
Children and when you that are Parents meet with stubborn Children you should reflect Doth not God come righteously upon me And so you that we servants you are stout to your Masters why afterwards when you come to have Servants they will be so to you and perhaps you were unfaithful to your Governours afterwards when you come to have Servants it 's a thousand to one but they will be so to you Now you should strike your hand upon your heart and say It 's just with God that it should be so and that He should come upon me in my own kind Another Note is this They offered strange fire Let 's take heed all of us how we bring strange fire into Gods service Bring strange fire into Gods service What 's that I find divers Writers speaking upon this saith Ambrose Lusts and Covetousnesse are this strange fire That which I would have you consider of is this Above all strange fire take heed of the strange fire of Passion and Anger and especially in the Worship of God and at any time when you find your hearts heated and fired with Anger when you are about to Worship God remember this Scripture Nadab and Abihu were consum'd by God with fire from God for coming into Gods presence with strange fire Now O Lord how often have we come into thy presence with strange fire Perhaps your hearts have been burning hot with Passion when you have been coming into Gods presence You are to pray with fervency for so the Scripture saith we are indeed to be heat in Prayer by the Holy Ghost in our hearts but certainly not to come with the fire of Passion and Anger Lift up your hands without wrath and doubting If you have been Passionate and your hearts have been heat that way be sure you get your hearts cold before you go to Prayer And so when you come to hear the Word if your hearts have been heat with Passion be sure you get them cold before you come to heare the Word Receive with meekness the ingrafted Word that may save your souls And so when you come to the Lords Supper Take heed of coming with Wrath and Malice for then you come but to offer strange fire It 's a speciall Consideration for Ministers that come to Preach they should take heed of bringing strange fire into their Pulpits that is of venturing their own Passions That hath been ever a rule that I have been convinced of since I knew any thing of Preaching That that man that is appointed to reveal Gods Wrath had need to conceal his own wrath that 's certainly a rule for all preachers for the Lord sends His Preachers to make known His wrath against mens sins but now the more they make known His wrath the more they should conceal their own and so by that means when they come in the openest way to manifest Gods wrath the more their Preaching would be accepted Now it's true a carnal heart would be ready to think That when a Preacher speaks out of true zeal to God he will be ready to say That he hath aiming at himself Take heed of that I beleeve you have had but little occasion of such a temptation in this place But however this I know it is the duty of the Mini ers of God to be sure to bring nothing but the fire of the Spirit of God the fire that they have from the Altar their tongues being toucht with one of these coals and not that they should come with their own Passions to further the Righteousness of God no The wrath of man doth not accomplish the Righteousness of God There are some other particulars which being laid down we shall come to the Three main Points SERMON II. LEVITICUS 10.3 I will be Sanctified in them that come nigh me Stepney Nov 16. 1645. WEE began these words the last day and shewed the scope of them and opened the meaning of them and spake of divers Notes of Observation that we gathered from this story of Nadav and Abinu and of Gods dealing with them From the generall story of it there weâ—e many Points oâ— notable Observation that were drawn from thence He adde some few now and so come to the main Doctrinal Point in the Text. A further Note of Observation is this That many times even the dear Saints of God do meet with very sore and grievous afflictions in their Children That the most eminent Saints of God are not freed from very grievous afflictions even in their Children It was one of the forest afflictions that almost ever any Saint of God met withall in his Children this affliction of Aaron at this time That two of his Sons and as I told you the last day renowned men in Israel newly consecrated to the Office of Priesthood that the very first day they came to offer in their Office they were struck before all the people with fire from Heaven and were consumed Oh what a sad affliction was it to Aaron their Father when he saw his Sonnes in such a manner destroyed by God Himself Consider of this you that have Children and are ready to murmur and complaine of every little affliction that is upon you in respect of your Children If so be that your Children be but a little sick or there be any miscarriage of them you think it is a heavy hand of God But especially if God take away your Children by death then you mourn and wil not be comfortred Yea but though God have taken away your Children by death yea perhaps it may be by a violent death as being drowned c. yet they have not been strucken with fire from Heaven by God and they have not been of such publick use These here were renowned men and taken away in their very sin too your Children which have gone upon their lawfull imployments and God hath taken away their lives there is no such cause of murmuring here but when God takes away Children in their sins and in such a way as by fire from Heavenâ— thus God took away Aarons Children and he was as dear to God as you are And yet thus God deals with His Saints with Aaron in regard of his Children and with his Elder Children and with two of them together This Example may be enough to still and quiet the hearts of men and women that are afflicted in respect of any calamity that befals their Children You see what a hand of God is against the very Children of Aaron A further Note is this That Gods judgements we see sometimes though the effect of them be visible yet they come in an invisible way For you shal find if you reade on in this story That they were smote with fire from heaven but it did not appear what fire for it did not so much as consume their cloaths nor their bodies but went through al struck them dead and no body could tel how Gods judgements do come in a way that is
God through Jesus Christ in the tendering up of our Worship to him We may make use of an institution that God hath appointed but we do not tender up our Worship to God through that creature but in the use of that creature we do come to God and our souls are to tender up that respect we owe to God immediatly Therefore in Levit. 21.21 it is said of the Priests in their Sacrifices when they were to come to Worship God No man that hath a blemish of the seed of Aaron the Priest shall come nigh to offer the offerings of the Lord made by fire So that when any come to offer any offerings of the Lord made by fire it appears he came nigh to God he came to bring a present to God therefore he comes nigh So when we come to offer our spiritual Sacrifices unto God we come nigh to God to offer it 's the offering of a Sacrifice to God And that 's the first thing because the creature comes to bring a present to God therefore he is said to draw nigh And Secondly the Soul is said to draw nigh to God in holy duties because it doth present it's self before God in those waies through which God doth use to communicate his choice precious most excellent and glorious mercies to his people I say when we come to Worship God we come to set our selves before God in those waies that God doth use to communicate the choice most excellent and glorious rich mercies that he hath to communicate to his creature When we have to deal with creatures as meat and drink and our outward businesses we have to do with God in them but when we come to worship God we come to present our selves before him in those things that he doth use to let out himself through in a more special and glorious manner to the souls of his people What 's the reason why heaven is said to be the presence of God and why those that are in heaven are said to live with God There they behold the face of God and are before him in a special manner therefore when Christ teacheth us to pray he teacheth us to look up to heaven and to say Our Father which art in heaven c. Now certainly the essential presence of God is on earth as truly and really as in heaven and God is not so as to have one part in one place and another in another but All God is in every place but the reason why God is said to be in heaven it is because the Lord makes known himself there in a more glorious manner than in any other place and therefore heaven is the presence of God in a more special way Now then if the communication of God unto a creature be enough to make the presence of God more special if this be enough to make a creature to live with God and to be before his face because they are there where God doth most communicate himself then certainly when we come to Worship God we come to be neer God and be with God because the duties of his Worship are those means that the Lord hath appointed for the letting out of himself in the glory of his goodness and mercy to his people You may expect other manner of communication of Gods goodness through the duties of his Worship than in any other way And that 's the Second respect wherein you may be said to draw nigh to God in holy duties Thirdly You may be said to draw nigh to God because then we should and if we Worship God as we ought we do act our faith and humility and all the graces of the Spirit We do act them as it were upon God when we come to Worship him That 's required in every duty of Worship that you should stir up the faculties of your souls and all the graces of the Spirit of God and you should act them upon God when you are Worshipping of him 'T is not enough to come with grace when you come to Worship God but there must be an acting of that grace upon God And so we find in Scripture that the acting of grace upon God it is a drawing neer to him therefore in Isa 29.13 the Lord complains there This people draws neer to me with their lips but their hearts are far from me as if God should say Indeed they come and speak to me and therefore they think they draw nigh to me but I expect that their hearts should be acting upon me that 's the meaning And in Zeph 3.2 God complains there of his people that they did not draw neer to him as they should And it appears plainly it was from hence that their graces did not act so upon God as they ought She obeyed not the voice she received not correction she trusted not in the Lord she drew not neer to her God So that acting faith upon God is a drawing nigh to God and so acting any grace upon God is a drawing nigh to God Now when is there a time for the acting of our graces upon God so as when we come to worship God And therefore in Isa 64.7 the Lord complains there That no man did stir up himself to take hold on him When we come to Worship God we should stir up our selves to take hold of God And thus you see in what respects the Soul may be said to draw nigh to God when it comes to worship him Now for the Application of this point and it is in divers particulars The First is this Hence learn what you do when you come to worship God and consider of it every time you come to performe any act of Worship Truly this one thing would be of marveilous use and it would help forward to the next Point of Sanctifying of Gods Name This you are all convinced of That it is your duty to Worship God when you pray you come to Worship God when you come to hear his Word you come to Worship him and when you receive the Sacrament you Worship him Now if I should come from one end of the Congregation to the other and ask every one of you this Question It is your duty to Worship God is it not Yes that you will all be ready to answer And what do you do when you Worship God I fear that this Second Question would gravil many You will say We must pray to God and serve him and hear his Word and go to the Communion yea but what do your Souls do in this Work of Worshipping of God This should be the answer and so you should think with your selves and charge this upon your own hearts I am now going to Worship God either in Prayer Word or Sacraments I am now going to tender up that homage that is due from a creature to the infinite Creator so that I must so pray as I must manifest that high respect that I owe to God as my Creator but that I shall
Prayer and so in the OLD TESTAMENT too it was a kind of emblem of Prayer The offering up of our Prayers is the offering up of Incense to God and the Mercy Seat it was a Type of Jesus Christ Now the Incense should cover the Mercy Seat so our prayers must go up to Jesus Christ must be upon him and so must be accepted by the Father And as we read in Judg. 13.20 when Manoah offered a Sacrifice the text saith that the Angel of the Lord ascended in the flame This Angel of God here was Jesus Christ as we might eaâ—â—ly from this Scripture make it out and he ascends up in the flame from the Altar Now though we do not offer such kind of Sacrifices with Fire and Incense as they did in the time of the Law yet when we are offering up of our Incense there must be a flame of Fervency and Zeal But that is not enough together with the flame of the Altar the Angel of God Jesus Christ the great Angel of the New Covenant for Angel signifies nothing but Messenger the great Messenger that is come into the world about that great Errand of his to reconcile the world to himself he must ascend up in the flame and so God will account his Name to be Sanctified the Name of God is not Sanctified but through Jesus Christ The Acting of our Faith upon Christ as Mediator is a special ingredient to the Sanctifying of Gods Name in holy duties as you know the Scripture saith that the Altar doth Sanctifie the gift offered upon the Altar Jesus Christ is the Altar upon whom all our Spiritual Sacrifices are to be offered and this Altar doth Sanctifie the gift that is offered upon it let never so great a gift be offered upon any other Altar it was not accounted holy nor accepted so let men by their naturall strength or power that they have offer up the most glorious and speciousest Service to God It is not accepted unless it be offered up upon the Altar Jesus Christ we have an Altar now not the communion Table but Jesus Christ himself is our Altar upon whom we are to offer all our Sacrifices and this Altar must Sanctifie the gift we can never have our gift sanctifâ—ed no nor Gods Name sanctified in this gift except it be offered upon this Altar and our Faith acted upon Jesus Christ People little think of this but of other things viz. That when we worship God we should worship him with fear and reverence and with humility and with strength of Intention such kind of things every one that hath any enlightening of conscience will think of at some time or other but people do least think of this which is the greatest ingredient of all that is required in the Sanctifying of Gods Name in holy duties that is to come and tender up all to the Father in the Name of Jesus Christ How many men and women that have been Professors of Religion 20 or 30 yeers and yet not acquainted with this great mystery of godliness to tender up all to God in the Name of his Son This is that that upon divers occasions I have spoken unto and am willing upon every occasion as I meet with it to speak of because it is a principle part of the great mystery of the Gospel without which all our duties are rejected of God and cast away Now then put all these Nine things together and see by them what we ought to do that we may Sanctifie the Name of God in holy duties But there is something further to be spoken that may help you to Sanctifie Gods Name in holy duties and that is several workings of hearts suitable to the several Attributes of God for that is to Sanctifie Gods Name to have the duty to be such as is some way suitable to such a God as we are now worshipping Now then let us consider what the Scrip ure saith of God and then let us see what suitable dispositions we should have in us unto those things that the Scripture saith of God 1 First You know the Scripture saith that God is a Spirit in Joh 4.24 Then presently Christ saith That he that worships him must worship him in Spirit that is there must be a suitableness in our worship to what God is Is God a Spirit then all that worship him must worship him in Spirit and Truth that is thus When I am to go to worship God I must consider of him as he is an infinite and glorious Spirit well then surely bodily worship is not sufficient for me Though I do kneel down in Prayer or do come and present my body to hear the Word or my body to receive the Sacrament this is not to worship God as a Spirit If indeed that our God were as the Heathens that were corporeal then it were another matter then bodily worship would serve the turn but God being a Spirit he must have Spiritual Worship therefore my soul and all that is within me magnifie his Name saith David my Soul magnifie his Name not my lips only but my Soul The Apostle in 1 Tim. 4.8 saith that bodily exercise profits little it is no great matter for the body God looks but very little at bodily exercise but it is godliness that is profitable it is the work of the Spirit when we come to pray we must pray in the Spirit that is we must pray with our Souls we must poure forth our souls before God and when we come to hear our hearts must not go after our coveteousness we must set our hearts to what we hear we must hear with our hearts as well as with our ears our Souls must be at work in hearing of the Word when you hear it is not enough for you to come and fit in a Pew and have the sound of a mans voice in your eares but your Souls must be at work And so when you come to receive the Sacrament your Souls must feed upon Jesus Christ Bodily worship without Soul-worship is nothing but Soul-worship may be accepted without bodily worship therefore it is the Soul that God doth principally look at in holy duties If you be not able to worship God in your bodies you may worship him in your Souls and God regards that bodily exercise in holy duties is little worth somewhat it may be worth I confess sometime bodily exercise may further the soul as a reverend carriage of the body and the like but it is nothing in comparison the great work is the work of the Soul for God is a Spirit and must be worshipped in Spirit And God is said to be a Spirit not only in that he is not of so thick a Corporal substance but it notes the simplicity of God he is without any composition whatsoever is in God is God himself he is absolutely one there are not divers things in God now then those that come to worship him must worship him in Spirit and in Truth