277 How to know when the Spirit helps our prayers Page 291 〈◊〉 See Glory Sweet Sâ—range see Fire Strength Strength required in Gods worship Page 80 Strength required to spend the Sabbath Page 83 Natural conscience gives not Strength to duty Page 88 We must not come to duties in our own Strength Page 115 Strugling Strugling alone against corruption oft times ensnares us Page 61 Subjection Subjection required in hearing the word Page 182 Sufferings The Sufferings of Christ chiefâ—y represented in the Sacrament Page 246 Ground of suffering for Christ Page 268 Superstition Superstition what Page 9 Sutable see Judgement Sweet Breathings of the Spirit sweet Page 292 T Table Those that come to the Sacrament should come neer the table Page 261 Tares Tares what meant by them Page 238 Temptation Time of temptation the time of worship Page 81 We must bide the word in our hearts against temptation Page 191 Terrible see Place Thankfulnesse Thankfulnesse required in receiving the Sacrament Page 255 Motives to thankfulnesse Page 256 Time Preparation makes us do much in a little time Page 52 See Holy Thornes Thornes must be placked out of the heart when we hear the word Page 169 Thoughts In the worshipping of God we must have high thoughts of God Page 71 Wicked men have many times wic thoughts in prayer Page 282 Thoughts are to God as words are to men ibid See Wandring Tremble We should tremble at hearing the ward Page 181 Truth We must pray in truth Page 292 Truth what meant by it ibid V Vain Where wicked men are willingly admitted to the Sacrament Gods Name is taken in vain Page 241 Unchangable God is unchangable Page 96 Understanding We must pray with understanding Page 280 Uncertainty The righteousnes of the Law leaves at uncertainty Page 212 W Wait We must waite Gods leasure in regard of time Page 86 Ground of waiting from Gods eternity Page 95 Wandring WaÌ„dring thoughts in prayer Page 281 Directions against wandring thoughts in prayer Page 286 All wandring thoughts in prayer sinfull Page 288 See Birds Humble Devil c. Warrant see Command Watching Watching required in preparation to duty Page 50 Weakness God passeth by weakness where the heart is prepared to duty Page 53 Weary A man that makes himself his end will be weary of duty Page 76 Wicked Wicked men are to be cast out or with-drawn from in the Sacrament Page 235 Every man in the Congregation to look to the casting out of wicked men Page 241 Ground of excluding wicked men Page 258 Will Willing Wee must be willing not will-worshippers Page 10 Things in Gods Worship depend only upon his Will Page 11 God requires that wee will as he willeth Page 104 Our prayers must be according to Gods Will Page 276 Wisdom Wisdome of God what to learn from it Page 99 Wisdom of God to be our guid ib. Womb Those that Sanctifie Gods Name in hearing the Word it is a greater blessing than to bear him in their womb Page 213 Word To comfort afflicted friends from Gods Word Page 24 The heart must be plowed by the Word Page 196 The Word must be glorified Page 194 Word what should make us esteem it Page 186 Word hath much of God in it Page 195 The Word a means to convey special mercies ibid The Word wherein the strength of it lies Page 202 All the good in the word for whom Page 210 The Devil gets advantage by fastning il words upon the good Page 244 The word in what respect above the Sacrament Page 251 The worn sanctified by prayer Page 273 Worship Difference between civil things and Gods Worship Page 9 Naturall helps in Gods Worship ibid We should be humbled for false worship Page 11 Worship of God what Page 27 Worship of God the means to convey his choice mercies Page 28 To heed what we do in worship Page 32 Exhortation to be much in the worship of God Page 34 Hearing the word a Part of Gods Worship Page 162 What makes hearing the word a worship Page 163 Prayer put for the whole Worship of God Page 173 See Command Little c. World In preparation the heart must be taken from the world Page 49 In Prayer the heart must be taken from the world Page 275 Wrath Preachers that reveal Gods wrath should conceal their own Page 19 FINIS A TABLE OF THOSE SCRIPTVRES Which are occasionally cleared in the fore-going SERMONS The first number directs to the Chapter the second to the Verse the third to the Page of the Book Exodus Chap. Vers Page 19 1 2 19. 10. 43 22 31 108 27 4 5. 110 29 43 108 22 43 4 30 9 3 39 1 86 Leviticus Chap. Vers Page 16. 14 16 111 16. 13. 91. 21. 21. 28. Numbers Chap. Vers Page 16. 9. 4 Deuteronomy Chap. Vers Page 4. 7 40. 5 23 24. 29. 78 29 18 19. 199 32 46 2â—1 Joshua Chap. Vers Page 10 12 8 24 16. 19. 109 Judges Chap. Vers Page 13 20 91 1 Samuel 7 3 48 16 5 42 1 Kings Chap. Vers Page 19 13 78 1 Chronicles Chap. Vers Page 2 5 14. 44 2 Chronicles Chap. Vers Pag. 2 2 5. 66 12 14 47 19 3 47 20 3 2â—1 27 6 52 29 5. 49 â—9 36 52 30. 18 19 53 36 12. 183 Ezra Chap. Vers Page 10 2 3 183 Job Chap. Vers Pag. 1 5 43 11 13 14 49 32 34 170 Psalmes Chap. Vers Page 2 11 78 4 3 41 5 7 78 10 17 53 10 17 273 32 11 38 33 28 41 52 9 73 63 5 66 65 2 3 292 66 2 62 68 35 118 89 7 78 93 5 67 95 2 26 100 2 26 119 11 190 138 2 182 145 18 292 148 14 27 Proverbs Chap. Vers Page 2 1 175 2 1 2. 172 2 2 175 Isaiah Chap. Vers Page 1 13 284 1 13 80 2 3 170 6 3. 5. 99 6 9 10. 205 29 13 10 29 13 29 29 13 117 42 21 207 42 23 190 64 7 29 66 1 18â— Jeremiah Chap. Vers Pag. 4 3 168 8 2 83 10 25 273 Ezekiel Chap. Vers Page 9 6 18 28 22 6 38 16. 23. 6 42 13 6 48 35 26 Hosea 7 14 75 Amos 3 2 23 5 22 75 Zephaniah 2 2 29 Zachariah 7 5 76 Malachy 1 8 63 1 14 66 Matthew Chap. Vers Page 6 9 10. 276 10 14 15. 201 15 9 10 28 18 19. 201 Mark Chap. Vers Pag. 16 15 16. 196 Luke Chap. Vers Pag. 8 18 208 9 29 296 10 4 174 10 16 201 11 27 28 213 16 31 202 22 26 262 John Chap. Vers Pag. 4 24 93 8 31 192 8 37 175 8 47 197 12 48 207 Acts Chap. Vers Pag. 2 41 185 8 6 172 13 48 209 17 11 165 Romans 3 21. 23. 62. 2 3 193 10 5 211 10 9 212 1 Corinthians Chap. Vers Pag 5 6 240 10 6 226 10 16 17 234 14 15 280 14 25 176 2 Corinthians Chap. Vers Pag 2 16 205 4 3 202 5 7 235 Ephesians 2 13. 18. 35 Philippians 2 16 214 1 Thessalonians 2 13 166 3 4 5. 213 3 14 237 2 Thessalonians 3 1 209 3 1 193 1 Timothy Chap. Vers Pag. 4 5 273 4 8 93 Titus 2 5 210 Hebrews 1 1 173 4 2 177 4 12 196 6 7 8. 203 9 14 67 10 12 42 10 22 34 12 25 199 James 1 21 179 1 21 187 4 8 26 1 Peter 2 2 107 3 15 5 5 7 273 2 Peter 1 18 19 217 1 John 2 14 191 5 14 273 Revelations 23 4 35 FINIS
estate of those that do not Sanctifie God in his Word Page 200 1 They lose the choicest opportunity ibid 2 The Word will be a great aggravation of sin ibid 3 They that reject the Word reject Christ Page 201 4 It is an Argument of hardness of heart Page 202 5 It is a sad s gn of Reprobation ibid 6 To such there can be nothing sanctified Page 203 7 They are nigh to a curse ibid 8 It will turn to their damnation Page 205 9 It will not comfort them in afflictions Page 206 10 God will make his word good upon them Page 207 11 The word shall judge them ibid 12 God will blast them that sanctifie not his name in his word Page 208 Use 2 Exhortation to glorifie the Word of God Page 209 God will Sanctifie His Name in mercy upon those that sanctifie it in hearing the word Page 210 1 All the good in the world is theirs ibid 2 It is a certain evidence of their election Page 213 3 God will Sanctifie them by the word Page 214 4 They will be the glory of the Ministers at the day of Christ ibid 5 It will rejoyce them hereafter when God shall magnifie His word Page 215 SERMON XI Of Sanctifying the Name of God in Receiving the Sacrament Page 225 1 Receiving the Sacrament is a part of Gods Worship Page 226 2 Gods Name must be Sanctified in our Receiving the Sacrament Page 228 1 Because there are presented the greatest mysteries of salvation ibid 2 It is an Ordinance that Christ hath left out of His love ibid 3 It is the Sacrament of our Communion with Christ Page 229 4 The Covenant of Grace is sealed in it ibid 2 No duty is urged with more strength and severity ibid 3 Nothing striks more upon mens Consciences Page 230 How many are to Sanctifie Gods Name in the Sacrament Page 231 1 Those that receive it must be holy Page 232 1 Because it is the seal of the Covenant ibid 2 It is an Ordinance of spiritual 〈◊〉 Page 233 3 Because we are required to examine our selves ibid 4 It is a Sacrament of Communion with God and the Saints Page 234 2 It must be received in a holy Communion ibid Wicked men not to be admitted to this Communion Page 235 SERMON XII Addition to the former concerning holy Commuion Page 242 The qualifications in the soul to fit it for receiving the Lords Supper Page 244 1 Knowledge ibid 2 A broken heart Page 246 3 Actual purging the heart from sin Page 249 4 Hungring and thirsting after Jesus Christ Page 251 5 Exercise of faith Page 252 6 Exercise of Spirituall joy Page 255 7 Thankfulness ibid 8 Renewing of Covenant Page 257 9 Renewing of love towards God and our brethren Page 258 SERMON XIII We must keep to the institution in the Sacrament Page 261 1 For the gesture Page 262 2 Delivering it to all in generall and not into every particular mans hand Page 264 3 That the Communicants be all the while exercised in their thoughts about the death of Christ Page 265 Meditations in receiving the Sacrament Page 267 1 That the way of mans salvation it is through a Mediator ibid 2 This Mediator between God and man is true man ibid. 3 That his body was broken and his blood shed for us Page 268 4 It was the body and blood of that person that is God that reconciles us ibid. 5 To consider the dreadfulnesse of Gods justice ibid 6 The price of saving a Soul Page 269 7 The greatnesse of the evill of sin ibid. 8 The infinite love of God to mankinde ibid. 9 That beleevers shall be nourished to eternall life ibid. 10 To meditate upon the Covenant of grace to beleevers Page 270 Holy dispositions to be actuated in receiving the Sacrament Page 271 Of Sanctifying the name of God in Prayer Page 272 What preparation we are to make to Prayer Page 274 1 Concerning the matter of Prayer Page 276 2 Concerning the manner of Prayer Page 280 Concerning wandring thoughts in Prayer Page 281 SERMON XIV A further enlargement concerning wandring thoughts in Prayer Page 283 5 Rules to helpe against wandring thoughts Page 286 1 Set a high price upon the duties of Prayer ibid. 2 To renew resolutions against wandring thoughts Page 287 3 To set the presence of God before us Page 288 4 To account all wandring thoughts evill ibid. 5 To blesse God if at any time he did help us against them Page 289 3 For sanctifying Gods name in Prayer there must be the breathings of the spirit Page 289 4 There must be pure hearts and hands Page 292 5. Wee must call upon God in truth ibid. What it is to call upon God in truth ibid. 6 Wee must pray in faith Page 293 7 In the spirit of adoption Page 294 8 Wee must pray with constancy Page 295 9 We must pray in humility ib. 10 We must tender up al our prayers in the name of Christ Page 296 Conclusion of all Page 297 FINIS THREE TREATISES OF Mr. Ieremiah Burroughs VIZ. 1. The rare Iewel of Christian Contentment Wherein is shewed 1. What it is 2. The holy Art or Mystery of it 3. Several Lessons that Christ teacheth to work the Heart to Contentment 4. The excellencies of it 5. The evils of Murmuring 6. The aggravations of that sin II. Gospel-Worship Wherein is shewed 1. The right maner of Sanctifying the Name of God in general and particularly in these three great Ordinances 1. Hearing the Word 2. Receiving the Lords-Supper 3. Prayer III. Gospel-Conversation Wherein is shewed 1. That the Conversation of Believers must be above what could be by the light of Nature 2. Beyond those that lived under the Law Suitable to what Truths the Gospel holds forth Published by Thomas Goodwin William Greenhill Sydrach Simpson Philip Nye William Bridge John Yates William Adderly London Printed for Peter Cole at the Printing-Press in Cornhil neer the Royal Exchange and Richard Westbrook 1648. Gospel-worship OR The right manner of drawing nigh to God in general And particularly in these three great Ordinances Viz. 1 Hearing of the Word 2 Receiving the Lords Supper 3 Prayer LEVITICUS 10.3 Then Moses said unto Aaron This is it that the Lord spake saying I will be Sanctified in them that come nigh me and before all the People I will be glorified And Aaron held his peace THESE words are the speech of Moses to Aaron his Brother endeavouring to quiet and comfort his heart which was no question exceedingly troubled upon that great and sore affliction that was upon him in the strange death of his two sons Nadab Abihu the story is this After Aarons sons were consecrated to the Priestly Office they coming to attend this their Office the very first day after their consecration to offer Incense unto God they ventured to offer Incense with strange fire with other fire than God had appointed Upon that the fire of Gods wrath broke out upon them
regard it is holy and so we should look upon it as not to have our outward businesse to devour that time that is holy in that regard as Nehemiah When Tobiah and Sanbaâ—â— sent to him to come and confer with them No saith he I cannot go for the work iâ—â—reat that I have to do So we must not intangle our selves to meddle with other things when we are to come to worship God for our work is great The Fourth thing for preparation is To Watch and to Pray We should watch over our hearts lest they be made unfit for dâ—â—ieâ— So we should prepare for Prayer all day long in this seâ—se that is we should watch over our hearts that they bee nâ—â— bâ— out so far as to hinder us in prayer when we come to do it I remember that Tertullian saith That the Christians did so sup as if that they were to pray so when thou art in company thou shouldest watch unto Prayer Oh that you did so you cannot but be conscious to your selves that oftentimes when you have bin in company your hearts have been put out of tune and frame that you have been no way fit for prayer when you come home your house and family finds it so you that take such delight in company and sitting up late I appeal to your consciences whether you can come home and find your selves fit either in your family or closet to go and open your hearts to God This is one Note by the way wherby you may come to know whether you have been immoderate in company at any time God gives not men liberty to be busie in any outward occasions in the world so as to unfit them for his service Preparation consists in that in watching over your hearts that you may not be unfitted for any holy duty when God cals you to it but that you may be ready even to every good work The Fift is this Preparation consists in the readiness of the faculties of the soul and the graces of the Spirit of God presently to act upon the setting upon a holy duty When a man or woman shall find the faculties of their soul and the graces that are in them to be ready to act as soon as ever they fall upon duty just as you see a company of Ringerâ— when they have made all preparation for the raising of the bels then in an instant when they begin to pull all the bels go in that tune that according to their skil they set them in And so it should be with our hearts the faculties of our souls and graces though now we are not upon duty yet we should be so ready that as it were upon a pull all the faculties of our souls and graces of Gods Spirit should work in a melodious way There are those that keep their hearts so prepared as at the very first moment that they set about the duty of Worship all faculties and graces begin to act and to stir and are working towards God as a fire when all the matter is ready laid presently it comes to be kindled and flame out and thus it should be with our hearts So that now you see wherein preparation of our hearts to duty consists The next thing is the Excellency of this preparation and that may be in way of Application to you to make you to be in love with Preparation for holy duties There is abundance of good in it First By this means we come to make every duty of worship easie to us things are difficult when we come upon them unprepared If you have a friend come to dinner or supper to you and should come suddenly and you have nothing prepared there would be a great deal of stir in the house but if you have every thing prepared it would be carried on in an easie way and the reason why people complain so much of difficulty in duty it is because their hearts are not prepared Indeed we have naturally many things to keep us off from God but now when the heart is prepared for a holy duty it goes off as easie to God even into the infinite ocean of All mercy and goodness as a ship goes off to be lanch'd when you have made preparation for it the heart can go with a holy boldness to God when you have made preparation for holy duties In Job 11. the place which I quoted before for the work of preparation do but consider a verse or two further and you shall find what abundance of good there comes upon the keeping of the heart prepared in things that are good Vers 13. If thou prepare thine heart c. And then Vers 15. Then shalt thou lift up thy face without spot yea thou shalt be steadfast and shalt not fear When the heart is prepared for that that is good when it comes into the presence of God it is able to lift up its self without fear in a steadfast comfortable way and this will quit the cost of any labor 2 Secondly if the heart be prepared it will do a great deal in a little time In 2. Chron. 2.36 it is said That Hezekiah rejoyced and all the people that God had prepared the people for the thing was done suddenly The thing came off freely and suddenly when as that they were prepared Hezekiah rejoyced and blessed God for such a mercy as this was it is a great mercy to have the hearts of people prepared unto a good work And so in 2 Chr. 27.6 the text saith Jotham became mighty because he prepared his waies before the Lord his God Jotham he grew mighty by this and so certainly the way to grow to be very strong and mighty to be able to do a great deal in a little time it is to make preparation there may be as much work done in one hour so as in ten times so much time when the heart is not prepared for it In Ezra 7.10 you shall find that the reason is given why Ezra had such good success in his journy it was because he had prepared his heart Make preparation for holy duties and you shall have success in holy duties There is a notable Scripture for that in Psal 10.17 where the holy Ghost saith that God prepares the heart and what then when God doth prepare the heart he doth then cause his eare to hear There was never a prayer made wherein the heart was prepared for it but that praier was heard they go both together Lord thou wilt prepare their heart and thou wilt cause thine eare to hear if God hath once prepared thy heart thou wilt be sure to be heard then Is it not worth a world for to know ones self to be accepted of God in every duty of Worship that we tender up to him this one Scripture Psal 10.17 will shew it Oh the excellency that there is in Preparation to duty There is one thing more that is very observable and that is this Where the heart
acting upon the mercy of God in giving Jesus Christ for the nourishment of thy soul to eternal life as if thou didst hear a voice from heaven saying here is the body of my Son given for thee particularly take it and eat apply it to thee and so make Christ one with thee by faith as the bread is made one with thy body when thou doest eat it And then when thou comest to take hold of the bread thou art to put forth an act of faith faith being as the hand of the soul and at that instant when thou takest the bread and puttest it into thy mouth to eat thou shouldest stir up the act of faith a fresh laying more hold upon Jesus Christ look as once thou didst in thy first conversion when Christ was presented to thee in the word or in any other way there was an act of faith drawn forth whereby thy soul did cast it self and roule it selfe upon Jesus Christ so shouldest thou renew it renew the same work of faith that thou didst find in thy very first conversion and thereby thou shalt come to have renewed comfort in the renewing of that act I might name thee other graces and dispositions how there should be a stirring an acting of them only remember I leave all this point with this note that grace is not enough for partaking the Sacrament of the Lords Supper except there be an acting and a stirring up of that grace many Christians are careful to prepare and examine before whether they have grace or no but at that time when they come to receive then there is not a lively working and stirring of that grace and so they come to lose the comfort and benefit of that Ordinance Thus much shall suffice for this point of sanctifying Gods Name in receiving the holy Communion I shall now come to the last point which is the sanctifying the Name of God in Prayer Sanctifying the Name of God in Prayer NOw this argument might take us up many Sermons but upon occasion of the dayes of Prayer and Humiliation I have preached divers Sermons about the point of Prayer therefore I shall be briefe and only now reckon up together and set before your view the severall things that are to bee done for the Sanctifying of the Name of God in Prayer First for Prayer in that wee draw nigh to God and it 's a duty of Gods worship that I suppose all of you cannot but acknowledge and that it is a natural duty of worship the other was instituted but this is natural its natural for the creature to draw nigh to God in prayer wherein the creature tenders up his homage to God and manifests his profession of his dependance upon God for all good that he hath and acknowledges God as the Author of all good therefore this is worship and it 's a great part of worship Prayer it is such a part of worship as sometimes in Scripture it 's put for the whole worship of God He that cals upon the Name of God shall be sav'd that is he that worships God aright Jerem. 10.25 and Powre out thy wrath upon the Heathen that know thee not and on the families that call not on thy Name that do not pray that is that do not worship thee there one part of worship is put for the whole as being a principal part of the worship of God Surely we must sanctifie Gods Name in Prayer for it is that that sanctifies all things to us 1 Tim. 4.5 Every thing is sanctified by the word of God and prayer And if the argument of Christ was right as no question but it was that the Temple was greater than the gold upon the Temple because the Temple did sanctifie the gold and the Altar was greater than the offering that was offered upon it because it did sanctifie the offering then Prayer must needs be a mighty great Ordinance a greater thing than any other because that it sanctifies all things The word sanctifies the creatures but prayer sanctifies the very word unto our use and therefore when we reade the word we are to pray for a sanctified use of the word Prayer is a great Ordinance a great duty of worship that sanctifies all prayer hath a casting voice as I may say in all the great works of God in the world the great affaires of the Kingdome of God the Kingdome of his power and the Kingdome of Christ I say prayer hath a kind of a casting voice and doth order under God the great things of the world they are according to the prayers of the Saints they bring down blessings vpon the godly they powre forth judgements on the wicked the prayers of the Saints they are the vyalls that are powred forth in a speciall manner upon the heads of the wicked therefore Gods Name is to be Sanctified in Prayer It is to be sanctified first in preparation Psalme 10.17 Thou wilt prepare their heart thou wilt cause thine ear to hear it is the Lord that prepareth the heart and then he causes his eare to hear and therefore in 1 Pet. 5.7 we are there required to watch unto prayer men and women should keep a narrow watch over their hearts and minds that they may not be hindred in their prayers that they may be alwaies in a fit posture to pray watch unto prayer it 's that that would help us against many temptations to evil if I give way to such and such temptations it will hinder my prayers I shall not have that freedom and inlargment in prayer as otherwise if I give way to such and such things therefore let me take heed of this for it will hinder my prayers As if the Apostle should say this should be the care of Christians then they are like to sanctifie the Name of God in prayer if this be their great care that there is nothing in the world that shall hinder their prayers O let me take heed I do nothing to hinder my prayers if I go abroad into company and am merry and jocond and there game and drink and sport my self in company will not thiâ— hinder my prayers will not this hinder the spiritualâ—â—sse of my heart in Communion with God in prayer when I â—ome home at night I appeal to you have you had that freedâ—m in prayer afterwards surely no therefore watch unto prayer Now for the preparation of the heart to prayer we must understand either First What is to be done in the course of ones life or Secondly What 's to be done just when one comes to prayer For the first the course of ones life labour to keep al things even and clear between God and your soules that so you may not come with shakels about your legs with guiltiness I mean upon your consciences men that have given way to any base sinful way when they come to prayer the guilt of their hearts doth even sink them but those that can keep their peace with God
Kingdome come they doe as much as say O Lord do thou set thy selfe against all the enemies of thy Kingdome if they belong to thy election Lord convert them but otherwise Lord confound them Now thus we see how we are to sanctife the Name of God in Prayer in regard of the matter of the prayer but now for the manner of prayer The most things I confess are there First When we come to prayer we must be sure to pray with understanding 1 Cor. 14.15 What is it then I will pray with the â—â—irâ—â— and will pray with understanding also God doth not love the sacrifice of fooles we must not come babling to God in prayer to speak we know not what and to multiply words we know not wherefore but God doth require that those that come to prayer come with understanding that they offer to God a rational a reasonable an understanding sacrifice God is a Spirit and he will be worshipped in spirit and in truth now as it belongs to all other duties of worship so especially in Prayer to know what we do when we pray not to think to put off God with a meer empty sound that 's the first thing The Second thing in the manner of prayer it is the giving up all the faculties of our souls in it I spake to that in the worship of God in generall wee shall apply it now particularly to prayer the giving up not only our understandings but wills thoughts affections strength in prayer in 2 Chron. 20.3 it is said of Jehoshaphat that he set himselfe to seeke the Lord he did give his whole selfe to seeke the Lord we are to give our whole selfe and not to divide in prayer Now there were an argument that indeed might well take up a whole Sermon in shewing the evill of the wandring of our spirits in prayer wee should take heed of the wandring of our spirits in the hearing of the Word and receiving the Sacraments and so in Prayer the people of God are much troubled with the wandring of their thoughts both in Word and Sacrament and it is their great burthen and should be so but I never hear any more complainings of the wandring of their spirits than in the time of prayer the people of God are much pestered in their spirits with this evill it is very grievous unto them and many of them go under it as a grievous burthen all their daies the chiefest burthen that is upon their spirits is their wandring in prayer so that if God should speak to them as he spake unto Solomon and bade him aske what he should give him I verily beleeve there are many in this Congregation that have already good assurance of Gods love in Christ if they had not that that would be the maine thing that they would aske but having attained that if God would speak from heaven and say What shall I give you for your selves if he should aske you in the Generall it may be you would aske something for the Churches but if it be for your selves you would put up this petition Oh Lord that I may be delivered from a wandring spirit in holy duties and especially in the duty of prayer that I may thereby come to enjoy more holy communion with thy selfe than ever yet I enjoyed and they would account this to be a greater mercy than if God should give them to be Kings or Queens over the whole World if God should put these two into the balance either the whole world to possesse or otherwise to have more free hearts in coming to God in prayer and to be delivered from that that hath so much hindred their Communion with God in prayer they would dispise and scorn the the world in comparison of such a mercy as this is howsoever carnall hearts they think little of it but those that are the servants of God they find it to be very grievous to them but being the time is past I shall reserve that to speak yet a little more largely for the help of those that are under the burthen of it I 'le only speak one thing further now and that shall be to those that are wicked and vile that not only have vain wandring thoughts in prayer but even in the very duty of prayer many times have wicked and ungodly thoughts how horrible are they unclean thoughts murderous thoughts it may be and most abominable I confesse even those that are godly may sometimes have some blasphemous thoughts cast into them for the Devil is never more busie than at the time of prayer but they rather come from the Devill than from the stream and corruption of their own hearts which may be we may make out more cleerly afterward but now I speak to such as have most wicked abominable thoughts rising from the stream and corruption of their hearts such thoughts as their hearts do close withal in prayer and they can roule those thoughts about in their minds as a child will roule a piece of sugar in its mouth and this is the wickednesse of many men and womens hearts Take but this one note with you that all those dreadfull vile unclean covetous thoughts of thine in prayer they have been to God as if you had spoken them in words thoughts to God are all one with him as words are to men for God is a Spirit and the Spirit doth converse with God in thoughts as well as men doe converse with men in words and what a woful guiltiness would have bin upon you had you spoken such vile and wicked things to men as sometimes hath been in your minds even when you have been praying to God how would the company have even spit in your faces and kickt you from them none that have any face of godliness would have endured you in their company and yet here 's the evill of it your hearts are not troubled but you rise off your knees and away you go thou hast a cauterised conscience a feared conscience that canst entertain such vile thoughts at any time without having thy spirit afflicted and going away with shame and confusion as if the greatest evil had befalne thee therefore take heed of this SERMON XIIII LEVITICUS 10.3 I will be Sanctified in them that come nigh me WEE are first to Sanctifie Gods Name in regard of the matter of our prayers And Secondly in regard of the manner For the first we made an end of it the last day and came unto the manner and there were two things mentioned First That wee must pray with understanding Secondly Wee must give up our selves to prayer Now in the close of the Exercise wee had occasion to fall upon that Argument about the wandring of our thoughts in prayer and by that we come to take Gods Name in vaine in stead of Sanctifying of his Name God expects that wee should have our thoughts and wills and affections our whol souls acting upon him in the duty of Prayer or else wee
that are set only two or three are kept from the Caterpillars a man goes into his orchard and looks upon his Trees and this is spoiled and that is spoiled but he sees two or three and these flourish fairly and these are full of buds and are like to come to something and he rejoyces mightily in those because they are sav'd when so many others are spoil'd and so doe thou view thy prayers and consider how many hath been spoiled as it were by these Caterpillers for I compare wandring vaine thoughts in prayer unto Caterpillars that are upon the trees and we see that if stormy rainy weather comes the Caterpillars will fall and one would thinke that these blustering stormes and the hand of God that hath been out against us should have clensed our thoughts and souls from these Caterpillars that have been upon our duties but many duties have been spoiled yet thou mayest say that hrough Gods mercy such a Morning in my closet the Lord hath preserved a prayer to himselfe and I have gotten power over this vain heart of mine bless God for this and so the Spirit of God will he more ready to come in and help thee another time but thus much shall suffice to speak to this that 's the second thing we must give up our selves wholly to this duty The third thing for the sanctifying of Gods Name in prayer is this there must be the breathings of the Spirit of God otherwise Gods Name is not sanctified that in Rom. 8.26 is cleere for this likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities for we know not what we should pray for as we ought but the Spirit it selfe maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered if any of you should say how can we sanctifie Gods Name we are poor and weak we can doe little mark it is said here that the Spirit helpeth our infirmities to pray and the word is exceeding emphaticall in the original in your books 't is but meerly helping our infirmities but the meaning of the word is in these two things the Spirit helpes that is look how a man that is taking up a heavy piece of Timber at one end he alone cannot get it up but there comes another and takes it up at the other end and so helps him The word signifies such a kind of helping as when a man takes a thing at the other end or on the other side one standing the one way and the other standing the other way or one taking up one end and the other the other end that is the meaning of it he helpes our infirmities the poore soule is pulling and tugging with its own heart and finds his heart heavy and dull like a logge in a ditch and have not many of you found your hearts so but now then when you are tugging with your hearts and would faine lift up your hearts to God is prayer there comes the Spirit of God at the other end and takes the heaviest end of the burden and helps you to lift it up if a child were at one end of the log and that were but light and the other end very heavy if one come and take up the heaviest end a little strength will serve for the lighter end so the Spirit comes and takes up the heavier end in duty and so helps our infirmities helps together and then the other word is The Spirit that is together with the acting of the graces of the spirit in our hearts you must not say so alas what can I do it must be the Spirit of God that must do all it is true he doth all First he gives converting and habitual grace and assisting and actuating grace but now when the Spirit hath wrought grace so as to convert the heart and hath given habitual grace in thy heart why then when the Spirit comes to assist it doth expect that thou shouldest stirre up all the gifts and graces of the Spirit and the very strength of thy body the â—pirit of God expects that thou shouldest act to the uttermost thou art able what power hath been given thee by God and when thou art in acting then the Spirit comes and helpes together with us noâ—ing that we are to put forth what strength we have and thus Gods Name will be sanctified when as we putting forth the graces of the Spirit in us then the Spirit comes and helps and what comes from us now comes from the breathings of the holy-Spirit in us and then God who knowes the meaning of the Spirit will know now the meaning of our sighs and groans therefore when thou art going to prayer thou art to eye the Spirit of God thou art by the eye of faith to looke upon the Spirit of God and to cast thy soule upon the assistance of the Spirit of God thou art to look upon the holy Ghost as appointed by the Father and the Son to that office to be a helper to his poor servants in the duties of worship and especially in that great duty of prayer now upon the reading of this text and having it thus opened this is one good help for thee in prayer reade this text and then exercise thy faith upon it Lord hast thou not said that thy Spirit helpes our infirmities when we know not what we pray for nor how to pray for any thing as we ought but the Spirit will come now Lord make good this word of thine to my soule at this time and let me have the breathings of the Spirit of God in me alas the breaths of men if it come from gifts and parts I know thou wilt never regard it except there be the breathings of the holy Ghost in me in prayer now if you would know whether the Spirit of God doth come in or no you may know it by this the Spirit of God carries unto God and it makes the prayer sweet and delightfull so much of the Spirit of â—od as is there it comes to the soule in the duty and it leaves a savour behind it a gracious savour is alwaies left behind when the Spirit of God comes to breath O' the breath of the Spirit of God is a sweet breath and it makes prayers sweet it never comes into the Soule but after it hath done any work it came for it leaves a sweet scent after that the soul finds a sweetness in that prayer now many of you have been in the morning at prayer but I appeal to you what sweet savour of the Spirit or God is left behind certainly if the Spirit hath been there it is like civit that is put into a little box though you should take out the civit yet there will be a sweet savour left behind so though the Spirit of God in respect of the present assistance withdraws it self yet it leaves a sweet savour behind The fourth thing is purity of heart pure hearts and hands in Heb. 10.22 Rev. 5.8 having every one of them harpes and
golden vials ful of odours which are the prayers of Sainâ— mark the prayers of Saints are odours in golden vials the golden vials I may compare to the heart the hearts of the Saints must be as golden vials and then their prayers will be as odours in 1 Tim. 2.8 the holy Ghost giving directions how we should pray it is with this qualification I will therefore that men pray every where lifting up holy hands without wrath and doubting the outward conversation must be pure and the heart pure in Job 22.26 marke what 's said concerning that holy man there 's a promise made to him for the lifting up of his face to God putting away iniquitie from his Tabernacle that by putting away evil from our Tabernacles and from our hearts we may be able to lift up our hearts with joy to go and that 's the fourth thing purity of heart and hands The fift thing is in truth when we come to call upon God we must call upon him in truth Psal 145.18 the Lord is nigh unto all to all that call upon him in truth you will say what is the meaning of that to that I answer First there must be inward dispositions answerable to the expressions as for instance when I come to expresse the greatnesse of the Majesty of God then I must have an inward disposition sutable to this expression I must have a fear and reverence of the infinite Majestie of God Secondly When I come to confesse my sin to judge my self for my sin there must be an inward disposition sutable to such a confession O how many men and women will come and speak great things against themselves for their sins and judge themselves for their sins and yet there is no such disposition in their hearts sutable to their words you shall have some in praying with others they will be a means to brâ—â—k the hearts of others they will so follow their sin and take such shame and confusion upon themselves for their sin and yet God knows their hearts not stird all this while and then they will call upon God for pardon of sin and for power against their sin and yet God knows that their hearts do close with their sin and are loth to part with their sin in the mean time this is falsenesse of heart when the inward disposition is not answerable to outward expressions I beseech you my brethren consider of the prayers you have made and especially you that pray much with others look what expressions you have made and see whether there be answerable dispositions to the expressions you have made and how that the Lord doth remember every expression that you have made Thirdly We must call upon God in truth that is conscionably to performe the engagements of prayer prayer puts an engagement upon the heart now those that call upon him in truth are conscionable to performe the engagments as now do I pray for any good thing I am ingaged to endeavour in the use of all means for the attaining of the good thing when you confesse a sin why you are ingaged by that means to endeavour all your might against that sin and when you pray for my grace you are ingaged to make use of all means you can for the attaining of that grace and then besides in prayer there is much profession unto God for our sincerity and upright nesse and of our wilingnesse to be at his dispose performe these ingagements that thou makest to God in prayer if God should present to us all our professions that we have made to him in prayer and tell us how we have come short of them it would make us be in shame and confusion in our own thoughts Another thing in prayer must be faith pray without doubting as in the former Scripture the prayer of faith prevailes much James 1.6.7 a man that wavereth and doubteth must not think to obtain any thing of God But I should have opened what that faith is that we should have in prayer we must have faith to beleeve that the thing that we do pleaseth God and faith in Gods promises and faith in Gods providence this should be exercised in the time of our prayers And therefore after we have done to go away beleeving as Hannah in 1 Sam. 1.18 we reade of her that after she had been praying she went away and lookt no more sad the text saith noting that after we have been powring forth our soules to God we should beleeve and exercise faith and not go in as drooping a way as ever we did Object You will say yea if we knew certainly that God will hear us Answ The way to be assured that God will hear you is by casting your selves upon God how can you know that he will hear but by resting upon him I have been with God and I have been doing the duty of a poore creature and for the successe I leave it to God and therefore it must be with faith But I have so many sins mixt with my prayers how can I beleeve You have an excellent Scripture for that to help a soule to exercise faith in prayer notwithstanding there hath been many infirmities in Psal 65.2 3 O thou that hearest prayers unto thee all flesh shall come Thou hearest prayers but I have a great many sins that hinders no marke what though iniquity prevailes against me as for our transgressions thou shalt purge them away Oh make use of this Scripture though you remember not other things yet you that have dejected hearts and are afraid that God will not heare your prayers see what the text saith Thou hearest prayer Lord but will not my sins hinder no saith David iniquity prevailes against me as for our transgressions thou shalt purge them away exercise saith in this and know that God doth not hear prayer because thou art not sinful because of thy worthinesse but meerly for his free grace Another holy disposition in prayer should be this the soul should come with a holy freedom with the Spirit of adoption to God crying Abba Father if thou comest to God meerly as to a Judge though it 's true those that do not know that God loves them yet are bound as Creatures to pray but thou canst never sanctifie the Name of God till thou hast a child-like Spirit the Spirit of adoption the Lord loves to have his Children come with freedom of Spirit to himselfe in prayer to come as children and not to come with dejected countenances and discouraged hearts but come freely to open thy heart to God as any child would open his heart to a gracious and loving Father Another disposition is fervencie in prayer the affectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much and that will be a means to help against vain thoughts too as when the honey is scalding hot then the flyes will not come to it if thy heart were as it were scalding hot in prayer thou wouldest not have such vain
In worshipping God we draw nigh to him Page 26 In what respects draw nigh to God in worship Page 27 The word of the Gospel nigh Page 211 See Grace Delight Adoption Neglect Severall sorts that neglect to santifie Gods Name in hearing the word Page 197 Nourishment The Lords Supper an Ordinance for Spirituall nourishment Page 233 Beleevers are nourished to eternall life Page 269 O Omniscient What we should learn that God is Omniscient Page 98 Opening Ground of opening the heart to God Page 98 The heart must be opened to hear the word Page 175 Opportunity The happiest opportunity to sanctifie Gods Name is in hearing his Word Page 200 Ordinance An Ordinance of God whâ—â— Page 1â—â— The word an Ordinance of Gâ—d to convey good to us Page 66 Men are not to be forced to congregations where any of Christs Ordinances are waâ—ting Page 237 The Lords Supper the grâ—â—t Ordinance appointed to â—et forth Christs sufferings Page 348 Own We must bring to God in his service that which is his own Page 86 P Parts How to know when men are acted by natural parts in Gods worship Page 87 Passion Passion hinders the right hearing of the word Page 179 Wicked men in passion rise against God Page 180 Peace-Offering Difference between Peace-Offerings and Burnt-Offerings Page 75 Person God accepts the person before he accepts the offering Page 69 Place The Lord is very terrible out of his holy places Page 18 God in his essentiall presence in every place Page 26 See Holy Plowing Powing of the fallow ground of he heart what Page 168 Ma may do somewhat toward the powing of their hearts Page 169 See Word Potent Familarity with God makes us potent with him Page 38 Prayer Prayer a great duty that needs preparation Page 45 Prayer required in preparation to duties Page 50 Vnregenerate men cannot sanctifie GODS Name in prayer Page 68 We should pray before we hear the word Page 171 Of sanctifying the Name of God in prayer Page 272 Prayer put for the whole worship of God Page 273 See Preparation Wandring Praise Gods worship must not be subjected to the praise of men Page 73 Preparation Preparation of the soul in the duties of Gods worship Page 42 Preparation and sanctification all one Page 43 Preparation to Gods worship why ibid Preparation 5 things wherein it consists Page 48 Preparation the excellency of it in severall things Page 52 Those that walk closely with God are in continuall preparation Page 56 Preparation a speciall duty of young beginners ibid Good men greived for want of preparation Page 58 Where there is sincerity duties should be done though there want preparation Page 59 Preparation required in hearing the word Page 165 Preparation to be made to prayer Page 273 See Prayer Great c. Prerogatiue Gods Prerogative appears most in his worship Page 11 No Prerogative can secure from Gods stroke Page 12 Presence Presence of God even in the godly terrible to wicked men Page 32 Presence of godly men comfortable Page 35 To set Gods presence before us in prayer Page 288 See Guilty Present When we worship God we tender a present to him Page 63 Sin committed long since to be looked on as present Page 94 Principle God looks more at the principle of the duty than at the duty Page 69 Good men look at the principle of the things they enjoy from God Page 70 Prize To prize those mercies we beg in prayer Page 275 Prayer to bee highly priz'd Page 286 Promise Every Ordinance of Christ hath a special promise Page 248 Publick Those that are in publick place have especially need of the fear of God Page 13 Pure We must lift up pure hands in prayer page 292 Q Questions Two qustions God will ask his worshippers Page 87 Quick God is quick in way of judgement with some Page 17 The word of God is quick in working Page 196 Quiet The best way to quiet the heart in affliction Page 25 R Ready What will make the heart ready for duty Page 54 Readinesse to hear the word wherein it consists Page 166 Reading Reading not to be preferr'd before hearing Page 167 Reprobation Not to sanctifie Gods Name in hearing the word a sign of Reprobation Page 202 Two fearfull signs of Reprobation Page 203 Resign In Gods worship we must resign all to God Page 90 Resolution We must hear the word with resolution to yeild to it Page 170 resolution against wandring thoughts in prayer Page 287 S Sabbath Sabbath see Strength Sacrament Sacrament the meaning of the word Page 225 Sacrament a part of Gods worship Page 226 We must sanctifie Gods Name in receiving the Sacrament Page 228 Vnworthy receiving the Sacrament severely threatned Page 229 How we sanctifie Gods Name in receiving the Sacrament Page 291 Whether Judas received the Sacrament of the Lords Supper Page 238 Safety Safety wherein it consists Page 38 Salt Salt of the Sacrifice what is signifieth Page 67 Sanctifie Sanctifie what it signifieth Page 5 Gods Name Sanctified two waies ibid Gods Name to be Sanctified when we draw nigh to him Page 42 How Gods Name is Sanctified in drawing nigh to him ibid How duties must be performed that Gods Name may be Sanctified Page 62 The heart must be Sanctified in regard of Gods greatness Page 67 Sanctification the parts of it ibid Sanctification of the heart double Page 68 Sanctifying of Gods Name the only way to fit us for mercies Page 105 Exhortation to Sanctifie Gods Name Page 113 Nothing Sanctified to them that do not Sanctifie God in his word Page 203 See Sacrament Satisfied Naturall Consciences is satisfied with a little duty Page 90 See Sin Schisme No Schisme to depart from a Church that hath not al Christs Ordinances Page 243 Schisme what ibid Difference between Schisme and Apostasie ibid Secret Men acted by naturall parts are not enlarged in secret Page 88 See The Sacrament so to be delivered as all may see what is done Page 262 Self Self not to be our end in our duties Page 74 Where self is the highest end God regards not the duties Page 75 Service Hearing the word is Divine Service Page 164 Shadow Shadow of Gods wing what Page 39 Shift Of those that shift off the word closely applyed Page 199 Silence Silence what Page 7 Sin The committing of one sin prepares for another Page 60 No salvation without satisfying for sin Page 108 The heart must be purged from sin to receive the Sacrament Page 249 Motives in the Sacrament to abhor sin Page 250 Sin the great evil of it Page 269 Singing Singing Psalmes in the time of the Sacrament unfit Page 265 Singing after the Sacrament requisite Page 266 Sitting Sitting at the Sacrament the fittest gesâ—ure Page 263 Soul The price of the salvation of a Soul Page 269 Spirit Spiritual We must be acted by the Spirit in our worship Page 87 God must be worshipped in Spirit Page 93 Spirituall things may be absolutely prayed for Page
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
invisible if it had been in a visible flame of fire all would have seen it and it would have burnt their cloaths or their bodies but you shall find in the 5. verse That they were carried away from the Sanctuary in their cloaths they were not burnt Another Note is this That though the lives of men be dear and precious to God yet they are not so precious as His glory The Glory of His Name is a thousand thousand times more dear unto God than the lives of thousand thousands of People the lives of Nadab and Abihu must go that God may be Sanctified If it comes so in the way as I may so say the lives of men and the Sanctifying of Gods Name the Glory of God must pass on and must have its course let the lives of men go which way they will We think much to have the lives of men taken away but if we knew what the Glory of God meant and what infinite reason there is that God should be glorified we would not think it much that the lives of never so many men should go for the Glory of God 'T is mercy that our lives have not gone many times for Gods Glory How often might God have glorified Himselfe in taking away our lives Wee have cause to blesse Him that our lives have been preserved so long as they have Again Note That the neerer any men are unto God the more they had need take heed that they glorifie Him for they must expect to be spared the less if they sin against Him Nadab and Abihu the Priests of God and they came neer to God yet by their trangression though I told you We do not find in any place of Scripture directly in words that this fire is forbidden but they should have gathered Gods mind by consequence And therefore by the way I only Note That we must not think to urge upon men in all things strict commands in very words but if it be commanded so as we may draw it by any consequence it s a command as now here for the Negative they had not a negative prohibition in words yet they had it by Consequence So for the Affirmitive though we have not the affirmative in express words yet if we may have it by consequence it is an affirmative as well as the negative when we have it by consequence Put now the Noâ—e of Observation is That the neerer any comes to God if they sin against him they must not expect to be spared Do not think that God will spare you the more because you are Professors of Religion or because you do often worship him I suppose you that are acquainted with Scripture know that place in Amos 3.2 You only have I known of all the families of the earth therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities Another Note is this That when a judgment is exemplary then we should have recourse to the Word of God to see how God doth make his Word good in â—hat judgment So Moses doth This is that which the Lord hath said Do you see any remarkable hand of God in the execution of a judgment upon one have recourse to Gods Word and presently begin to think this What is there in Gods Word against that fin that this man hath been guilty of If you see a judgment of God upon a Drunkard remember the threats in the Word of God against drukenness and so the judgments of God upon unclean Persons swearers Sabbath-breakers lyars or any prophane and ungodly persons have recourse to the judgments of God threatned in the Word against such and so likewise concerning Scorners and Opposers of Religion remember what is said in the Word of God against such and so learn to Sanctifie Gods Name We might have mentioned some particular threats of God against particular sinners for the helping of you that when you see exemplary judgments to have recourse to the Word of God But we let that pass A further Note from this story is this That â—ke great honor that God intends to his Name It is the making of his Name Holy I will be Sanctified in them that draw nigh me and before all the people I will be glorified As if Moses should say in Gods Name I must and will have glory from the people And how By making my name appear to be holy this is the glory that I stand upon above all other things that my Name may appear to be Holy that I may appear to be 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 eclipsed 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 indeavour 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 Lord 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 Glorified 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 comsort Aaron and applies the Word This
is prepared to duties there the Lord will pass by weaknesses and imperfections in duties When thou comest to perform holy duties thou art troubled will the Lord have regard to such a duty as this is thou mayest have certain assurance that the Lord will have regard if thou canst make this point good to thine own soul that it was thy care to make preparation for this duty canst thou say Lord I have indeavoured and done what I could to fit my heart for duty but O Lord I find when I am at it wonderful distractions much deadness and vanity what shall I do Why canst thou make good the former and appeal to God that indeed it was thy care to make preparation I 'le give thee one Scripture then for the quieting of thy heart in this That the weakness of the duty shall be pardoned and past by where there is care to prepare before hand the Scripture is in 2 Chron. 30.18 19. But Hezekiah prayed for them saying The good Lord pardon every one what every one every one that prepareth his heart to seek the Lord God of his fathers though he be not clensed according to the purification of the Sancttuary As if he should say Oh Lord there are many things amiss in this people they are not in many regards purified according to the order that thou hast set but Lord if thou doest but see any heart prepared to seek thee though they fail in such particulars Lord heal them and pardon them and did God hearken to his prayer Mark the following words And the Lord hearkened to Hezekiah and healed the people Nay saith God I will not stand so much upon the purification of the Sanctuary if they have prepared their hearts to seek me Take this Scripture know it 's written for thy instruction and thou mayest make use of it to thine own soul this day if thou canst appeal to God that thou art careful to prepare thy heart though thou shouldest not have that pureness of thy heart as thou doest desire the Lord will pardon thee and heal thee make conscience of Preparation to holy duties Again further by being careful to make Preparation for duties within some little time thou wilt bring thy heart to such a frame as it will alwaies be ready for duty without much ado Indeed at first it is somewhat hard You will say Are we bound to spend some time every time we go to prayer before hand or every time we come to the Word That should have been one of the Cases of Conscience but I cannot come to Answer that but this we may say Be careful to prepare for duties you that are young beginners or you that have made profession a longer time but yet have not had the weight of this duty upon your spirits now be careful for a while to prepare for every duty of Gods Worship that God cals you to and I say within a little time thou mayest bring thy heart into such a temper as thou mayest be ready at all times to performe holy duties because you shall be able to come to that temper and frame that the Apostle exhorts to Pray continually for indeed so it should be with us we should be alwaies prepared either for Prayer hearing the Word or receiving Sacraments Now because Sacraments are so rare those that have any enlightened conscience they think they dare not but prepare for Sacraments but you should be alwaies in a preparation for the receiving of the Sacraments as the Primitive Chriâ—tian did And those that have been acquainted with this Point that I am upon of preparing for duties they have come to such a frame of Spirit as that there is not so much time required of them as of others for they are in a constant fitness so that there is no instant of time in the whole day but if God cals them to prayer they could presently fall down upon their knees and pray so as to sanctifie Gods Name in Prayer that were an excellent temper indeed if you could find it so that you walk so spiritually and holily before God as there could be never a quarter of an hour from morning to night nor from the beginning of the week to the end but if you were cal'd to pray or to receive the Sacrament you had your heart fitted that you could come into Gods presence with a prepared heart and were able to sanctifie Gods Name in the duty Acquaint your selves with this work of Preparation and so you may have hearts fitted to come into Gods presence at any time SERMON III. LEVITICUS 10.3 Stepney Decem. 7. 1645. 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 wayes 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 of 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 cal 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 fly in their faces and tel them they are unfit for it but it is not so with those that walk close with God though they be in
that were sacrificing in the Temple when Pompey brake in to them with armed men and though they might have fled and saved their lives yet they would not leave off their sacrificing but were slain by the souldiers They did so mind it as a matter of great consequence Oh that we could mind the duties of Gods Worship as matters of great moment that so we might learn to Sanctifie the Name of God in the performance of them more then ever we have done 2 When thou comest to worship take heed thou doest not come in thine own strength For there is more required in Sanctifying the Name of God than thy strength is able to carry thee on in and therefore act thy Faith upon Jesus Christ every time thou comest to worship God not only as I said before to tender up thy services in his Name but act thy faith upon Christ to give thee strength to do what thou hast to do And what strength thou hast received from Christ be sure to stir it up many godly men and women have more strength than they know of themselves if they would but stir up that strength that they have received they might Sanctifie the Name of God a great deal more than they do Therefore remember that text before mentioned None stirs up himself to take hold on God Quicken up thy heart and rouze up thy Spirit when thou art to worship God 3 When ever thou art worshipping of God do not satisfie thy self meerly in the duty done but consider Do I Sanctifie Gods Name in the duty every time thou worshipest him examine thy heart whether thou doest it yea or no. And if thou findest that thou hast not attained in some comfortable measure to this that hath been presented to thee let the shame and the sorrow for that abide upon thy Spirit untill the next time thou comest to worship God at such a time I have been worshipping of God and God knows I have been stirring up my heart in some measure but I find my heart dead wandring sluggish and dull I say when thou findest thou canst not do it according to what is required in any comfortable measure Let the shame and sorrow of heart for it abide upon thee till the next time thou comest to worship God and that will mightily help thoee Thou art now praying and thou canst not now get up thy heart to what is required The next time thou comest to prayer come in the shame and sorrow of thy heart for the want of Sanctifying Gods Name the last time And so for hearing of the Word or receiving the Sacraments And this will further thee mightily for the Sanctifying the Name of God in holy duties But now that all may be sealed up unto you and so that we may close the Point know that God will be Sanctified in those that do draw nigh to him And there are these Two things in the Point First If we do not Sanctifie Gods Name God will Sanctifie his Name in a way of justice Secondly If we do Sanctifie his Name then he will Sanctifie his Name in a way of mercy towards us For the First God will manifest that he is displeased with such duties that thou doest performe he will manifest it one way or other that he is a holy God and he doth not accept of such unholy things as thou doest tender up to him for the truth is if God should accept of such unholy things from men God may be said to be like unto themselves As a man if he doth entertain any as his familiar friend that is naught and wicked it is his disgrace and dishonor a man may sometimes imploy in some business those that are naught and wicked and it may be no disgrace to him but if he doth entertain one in his house that is wicked it is a dishonour to him So God may imploy the most wicked men in the world in some outward services but if he should accept of them in his Worship it would be a dishonour to God and therefore God that he might Sanctifie his own Name he will manifest his displeasure at one time or other against such duties of worship you that perform worship in a formal manner and with unclean vile hearts I say it stands upon the honour of God if he will manifest himself a holy God he must manifest some dipleasure against that way of thy worshipping of him This one meditation one would think should mightily sink into the heart of any man that hath an enlightened conscience to think thus It stands upon the holiness of God And he cannot appear to be a holy God except he doth some way or other appear to be against me in such duties that I tender up unto him Now you will say How doth God appear that he doth not accept of them He will appear in these three things 1 First by blasting those that do worship him thus in a formal way It shall at First be secret but afterwards it will appear more apparantly and we see it by experience that such as have bin Professors of Religion and worship God in hypocrisie and in formality they have bin blasted in their parts and common gifts The judgment of God upon Nadab and Abihu that did not Sanctifie Gods Name it was secret at first It struck them dead and though by fire yet if you reade the story you shall find that their cloathes were not burnt and yet they were burnt in their bodies So the Lord sometimes doth blast men inwardly in their Spirits in their Souls in their Parts in their common Gifts he blasts them I say inwardly though it doth not appear outwardly yet at length it will appear before men that they are blasted and in these times of the Gospel the Lord doth come with spiritual judgments rather than with outward temporal judgments In the time of the Law those that did not Sanctifie the Name of God in holy duties the Lord did appear by some external and visible way upon their bodies but now in the time of the Gospel there God comes with more spiritual judgments upon mens Souls and those are the most terrible judgments We have a notable Scripture for this in Isa 29.13 How God doth blast those that do not Sanctifie his Name in holy duties Wherefore the Lord said Forasmuch as this People draw neer me with their mouth and with their lips do honour me but have removed their heart far from me and their fear towards me is taught by the precepts of men Mark what follows Therefore behold I will proceed to do a marveilous work amongst this people even a marveilous work and a wonder for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid What do they come and draw neer me with their lips and their hearts are far from me and do they worship me in a formal way I 'le take away the wisdom from the wise
in the course of their lives they have other manner of freedom in prayer than you that walk loosely and contract guiltiness upon your Spirits And then the second thing is to keep our hearts sensible of our continuall depâ—ndance upon God sensible how we depend upon God fâ—â— whatsoever we are whatsoever we have whatsoever we do or the blessing of all is from God The beames of the Sun do not so depend upon the Sun as we upon God that if he doth but withdraw himselfe never so little from us we all sinke downe to nothing and perish for ever that soule that every day and houre is sensible of the infinite dependance it hath upon God for its present and eternal estate will be fit for prayer and that should be our care for to carry our selves as any hour in the day or minute in the hour we might be fit to go to prayer and that 's one meaning of that place in the Thessalonians pray continually not that every moment we should be praying but that we should keep our hearts in a praying frame some of you when you have let out your passions and are in a distemper what will you go to prayer now your conscience will tell you that you are not fit to go to prayer at that time certainly if you be not fit to pray you are not fit to live you are in an ill condition at any time if you be not fit to pray and there can be no excuse whatever that can be sufficient to plead for your selves why you should not be fit to pray at any time there is that continual dependence upon God for all and that need you have of the blessing of God for every thing that there is reason you should be in a fit condition for praying at all times but now when you come to prayer at the set time then there should be a special preparation First You should prepare your selves by getting fresh and powerful apprehensions of the glory of God before whom you go prepare by meditation about the glory of that infinite God that you are now addressing yoâ—â— self unto posess your selves with thoughts and meditations of the glory of the great God that 's the first Secondly Labour to get your hearts sensible of what you go for I am now going to God for what for pardon of sin or for assurance of his love or for power against sin or for such and such mercies let me by meditation work my heart to be sensible of these things that I am going to God for to set a due price upon those mercies that I am praying for and to get my heart affected with them Thirdly labour to get your hearts separated from the world and from all things that are here below in the world and that should have been a third thing in the course of your lives you should never let out your hearts to any creature either to businesses or pleasures in the world so but that you may have command of your hearts to call them when you will to call them in to God in prayer and then when you come to prayer there should be an actuall separation of your hearts from all things in the world dedicating your selves to God for this time as one that hath nothing to do with the world nothing to do with any thing but this duty that now you are about this is the preparation of your hearts to Prayer in the course of your lives Now then for the Prayer it 's self First we must consider of the matter of Prayer And Secondly of the manner of it First for the matter of it we must look to it that it be according to Gods will 1 John 5.14 This is the confidence that wee have in him that if wee ask any thing according to his will hee heareth us therefore for the matter we must be sure it must be good that we pray for it must be for the glory of God for the good of our selves and the good of our Brethren First for the glory of God that should be the cheife matter that we are to pray for so Christ when he teacheth us to pray he begins the the very first Petition Matth. 6.9 10. hallowed be thy name thy Kingdome come thy Will be done First begin with the glory of God mind that in the cheif place above all other things God gives you leave to pray for outward things but first for the glory of God minding that before your own benefit before the pardon of sin and your dayly bread how few do sanctifie Gods Name in this people have little mind to pray but when they are in outward afflictions when they are upon their sick beds then they will pray or at sea in stormes then they will pray then it seemes that the maine matter of your prayer is only for your selves but how hath the matters of the glory of the great God and the good of the Churches taken your hearts all this while how have your hearts been affected with this that the Name of God hath been so little sanctified in the world and that the Kingdome of God hath not come and that the will of God hath not been done have these things taken up your hearts in prayer the matters of the glory of God and the good of Churchs though your selves have not any particular interest in them if these things did but take up your hearts in prayer then when you are at sea you would remember the cause of the Churches as much as your selves the Church is as it were in the midst of the sea tost up and down and in a great storme now why do not you pray as earnestly for the Kingdome of Christ among his Churches as for your selves when you are in a storme at sea yea and spiritual things should be the cheife matter of your prayer for they are the neerest to the glory of God though God hath his glory from other things yet spiritual things are neerest the glory of God now in these daies of prayer many will come to pray that they might be freed from danger that they might have outward peace this is good but spiritual things are the cheife things and therefore the strength of your spirits should be thus powred forth to God Oh that I could get my heart to God and the assurance of the love of God! O that I could get the shine of his face O that I could get power over such and such corruptions And I beseech you observe this that spiritual things may be prayed for absolutely but outward things must be prayed for conditionally I may pray and never put any condition in at all that the Lord would pardon my sins and help me against my corruptions c. But when I pray for the health of my body I ought to pray if this be according to thy will then restore me to the health of my body or the health of my husband or the health of
my wife but thou mayest pray Lord convert the soule of my husband or the soule of my wife without any condition at all when your estates at Sea are in danger when you pray for them you must make conditions Lord as thou seest best for me so do thou deal with me this shews the excellency that there is in spiritual things above outward things surely spiritual things are more to be desired for they are to be prayed for absolutely and the other to be prayed for only conditionally that 's for the first In the second place we are to pray for our own good God doth give us leave so to do only here comes in a question Quest Whether it be sinful to pray for afflictions as sometimes some will be ready to do Answ To that I answer first take it absolutely considered we may not pray that God would afflict us because affliction is in its selfe materially an evil thing and a fruit of the curse therefore we may not I say absolutely pray for it but thus far we may pray for afflictions disjunctively conditionally comparatively Disjunctively thus Lord either grant unto me a sanctified use of such a mercy or otherwise let me rather be without it let me have a sanctified use of my sickness or otherwise let my sicknesse be continued to me thus now you may pray for continuing in sickness Or thus conditionally Lord if thou seest that my heart be so vile and wretched that I will abuse through my corruption such and such mercies Lord rather take them from me and let me be without them if thou seest that there be no way to break this proud heart of mine but such a way Lord let that be thy way to break it if thou seest it according to thy will as the fittest way Then comparatively thus Lord rather let me have any affliction than sin rather let me suffer loss of my estate than sin against thee than depart from thee any thing Lord rather than sin Thus you may pray for afflictions but not absolutely You must not pray that God would send you afflictions absolutely for you do not know your hearts it may be if afflictions should come your hearts may be as stubborn under your afflictions as they are now for affliction hath no power in it self to do us any good And then for the good of others for Christ teaches us to pray Our Father There comes in here a rebuke of the wicked practice of divers in cursing and then a question about it It is a wicked thing to use curses but it 's a most wicked thing to wish evil to others in a way of prayer yet how many do so though it may be they do not think it they speak to God and desire him to bring such and such evils upon their neighbours â—eâ— sometimes parents upon their children this is a wicked practise of men what iâ— it not wickednesse enough for thee to have any desire that there should any evill befall thy brother but wilt thou dare to presume to call God to be an instrument of the execution of thy base sinful wrath that God must be a drudge as it were to thy wrath and to thy passion this is abominable wickednesse Any of you that ever have been guilty of this sinne of cursing others wives children servants or friends the Lord rebuke you for this sin how far hast thou been from sanctifying Gods Name in prayer whereas in stead of sanctifying the holy Name of God thou hast called God to be a servant and a drudge to thy passion God must be cal'd to help the venting of thy passion Oh remember this you that have been at Sea and have been angry and things not going according to your mind have fallen a cursing and a wishing such and such evils might come upon those you are angry with that 's a kind of prayer but it is a most fearful taking the Name of God in vain in the highest degree and certainly God will not hold him guiltlesse that shall so take his Name in vaine therefore be humbled for this sin Object But you will say do not we reade in the book of the Psalms where many times the Prophet David doth curse the enemies of God and wi hes evil to come upon them Answ To that I answer first that the Prophets and those that pen'd the Psalmes they had a prophetical spirit and those places that you reade that are in way of cursing they are rather prophetical predictions of evil than direful imprecations they are rather foretelling what shall be in a way of prophecie than wishing what should be Secondly If they be wishing what should be then I answer that those that were indued with such a prophetical spirit they did know who were the implacable enemies of God and who were not as David prayed against Judas so many hundred years before he was borne by a prophetical spirit he knew that he was the childe of perdition indeed if we could certainly know a man that were to be a cast-away eternally from God it were another matter as the Church in the time of Julian because of his Apostasie being so abominable it was determined almost generally by them that he had committed the sin against the holy Ghost and upon that they curst him Now I say those that had an extraordinary spirit that did know who these were they might do it but this is no example for us in an ordinary way to wish evill and curses upon others But thus far wee may doe with the enemies of the Church First we may curse them disjunctively Lord either take them out of the way or keep them that they may not do such mischiefe in the Church or thus conditionally if thou seest Lord that they be implacable thou knowest them if so let thy wrath and curse pursue them Lord thou seest what evil they are set upon and therefore rather than they should attain their mischievous designs let thy wrath and curse persue them so we may do it but not absolutely to curse any though they should do us never so much wrong we are called to blessing but now in zeal to God take heed that we be not carried on in our own passion But being sure it is in a zeal to God we may wish the curses of God to pursue those that God knows to be implacable this is but an appealing to God and not at all fastning it upon any particular persons that we know but leaving it unto God for the execution of it and so in a zeal to the glory of God we may do it and we are warranted so to do by the second Petition Thy Kingdom come for that petition that requires us to pray for the coming of the Kingdome of Jesus Christ doth also require that we should pray against all meanes that hinder the coming of the Kingdome of Jesus Christ so that every time that the Church prayes thy Kingdome come or any prayes thy
doe not pray to God as unto a God vaine thoughts in prayer doe pick up the sacrifice like the birds that Abraham drove away from the Sacrifice that they should not peck it Wicked lusts in mens hearts are like swine to take the meat and all to hale it in the dirt so their prayers are filthy and dirtie with their lusts but those that are otherwise godly yet by their vaine thoughts the beautie and excellencie of their prayers is taken away as wine and beer that have the spirits of them gone so the life and spirit of our duties are gone by our vaine thoughts and therefore vaine thoughts do dead the heart very much So saith David in the 119. Turne away mine eyes from beholding vanity and quicken me in thy Law while our eyes look upon vanitie there will be no quickness in our hearts in any service that we tender up to God now many of Gods people have experience of the evil of this and they groan under the burden of this and as I said the last time if so be that the Lord should speak from heaven to them and aske them what they would have they having already the assurance of his love in Christ they would aske the deliverance from a vain spirit in the performance of holy duties Bring no vaine Oblations saith God in Isa 1.13 Oh what vain oblations do we bring by the vanitie of our thoughts in prayer 't is true the best of all will have vain thoughts sometimes but yet as one compares the vaine thoughts of men in prayer like unto a Spaniel that goes out with a man he walks perhaps but halfe a mile but the Spaniel will be running up and down this way and that way and if all the space of ground which the Spaniel hath gone over should be measured it may be while you are walking halfe a mile the Spaniel fetching compasses here and there would be halfe a dozen miles so our fancies are like a Spaniel which will have fetches about this way and that way in a thousand vaine thoughts but thus now it is with a godly man as a Spaniel though running from his master yet if he give him a call he is able to call him to him presently and it were well if it were so with us though our fancies be wild yet if we were able to call in our fancies and to have them at command it were well with us And I find it very much that those that are new commers they complain much of the vanitie of their thoughts they were wont to pray before and they never had such vain thoughts as now they have the reason why there is so much vanity of thoughts or at least so much taken notice of It is first because there is but a little grace in the midst of a great deal of corruption in young converts like a spark of fire in the middest of a great deale of ashes now if there lies a heap of ashes and nothing else you do not stirre them but if there be ashes and some fire then you will stir them and be blowing those sparkes to kindle another fire by Now when you come to make any motion then the ashes will fly about whereas before they lay still So it is here before God wrought upon thy heart there was nothing else but ashes upon thy soul and then they lay still but now God hath kindled some sparks of grace in thy heart and God is blowing them up to a greater heat and is bringing of them to a flame upon this motion that is in thy heart and the stirring to kindle those sparks further in thy heart it is that the ashes of thy corruptions do as it were fly aboue thine eares and that there is such stirrings of corruption more than there was before 't is not because there is more corruption than there was formerly but before there being nothing else but corruption it lay still and now because there is something else therefore it is that corruption doth so stirre and besides you know a man that was wont to keep lewd company if God turne him that he will keep that company no more at first he shall be more troubled with them than he was before and they will keep oftener knocking at his doore and labouring to get him to them again so 't is here when the soul vanitie and lusts were as friends together there was no disturbance and taking notice of any thing then but now when the soul is casting out those sinful distempers and will have no more of them they for the present will be more importunate active and stirring than they were before And besides the Lord doth this to humble thy heart the more that thereby thou maiest come to see the great corruption that was in thy soule before the working of thy corruptions will discover much evill in thy heart that thou didst not think was there before when the corruptions of men and women lie still they think there is no such thing in their soules as your civil men what 's the reason that they blesse themselves and think they are in a good condition it 's because their corruptions lie still in them and doe not stirre they cannot beleeve what abundance of wickednesse there is in their hearts if God should open the wickedness that there is in the hearts of men naturally and so all unregenerate men they would think you speak strange riddles whereas they blesse themselves they blesse God they know no such thing in their hearts no yes there are such things only they are not stir'd but they lie quiet as mud in the bottome of a pond there it is yet you cannot see it till it be stir'd at first conversion I say the Lord suffers thy corruption thus to stir that he may discover to thee what an evil heart thou hast what abundance of sin there is in thy heart and therfore your young converts they look upon themselves more loathsome and vile than over they thought they had been And besides the Devil sees it a vaine thing to tempt a young convert to any grosse act of sin when conscience hath life and power in it hee shall never prevaile that way but now hee thinks he may prevaile to disturb them with vaine thoughts and therefore he layes his strength most that way therefore let not such be discouraged that find their spirits anoyed and pestered with them if they make them to be the burden of their Souls notwithstanding much vanity of thoughts the Lord wil accept of any desire that they have to sanctifie his Name in holy duties and I shall give you these three or four rules to help you against these wandering and vain thoughts in holy duties and especially in prayer First when thou goest to prayer account it to be a great work set a high price upon thy prayer not as having any excellency in it as it comes from thee but set a high price upon
thoughts Next there must be constancie in prayer in 1 Thess 5.17 by that I mean this never to give over until we have that we pray for or something else in lieu of it it may be thou hast prayed and nothing is come of it be not discouraged thou hast to deal with a great God and therefore pray again and again and again and pray with this resolution well let God do with me what he will I will as long as I live call upon him and if God shall cast me away yet he shal cast me away calling upon him as the poor woman of Canaan when Christ cal'd her dog and discouraged her yet still she would pray I but dogs may have crums that heart is in an il condition that is discouraged in prayer because it doth not get what it would and therfore to think with themselves I had as good not pray at al take heed of any such thoughts Again If you would pray to God indeed so as to sanctifie his Name in prayer there should be humility in your hearts so as to be sensible of your own unworthiness I spake somwhat about being sensible of the distance between God and us when I spake about sanctifying of Gods name in general The last that I shall speak of is this when you have done all this all these qualifications will not sanctifie Gods Name except all be tendred up in the Name of Jesus Christ and in the power of his merits let a man or woman pray with as much fervencie zeale constancie purity in truth and sincerity yet except he puts up all in the Name of Christ I say he cannot be accepted our spiritual offerings must be tendered up in his Name but I have Preached much about that but now put all that hath been said together and this it is to pray That is when as I pray understandingly when I give my self to prayer when there are the breathings of the holy Ghost in my prayer when there is purity of heart like a golden vial together with sincerity when it is in truth of heart when it is in faith when it comes from a spiritual Adoption when it 's in fervencie when in constancie reverence humility and all put up in the Name of Jesus Christ now a man prayes as it is said of Saul behold he prayeth so I may say of those that are instructed in this Art behold they pray you see now that prayer is more than to reade in a book more than to say a few words ye see it is a very hard thing to pray a work of great difficultie and no marveil though we have lost so many of our prayers as we have done we must not charge prayer and God with it but look to our selves I mean not charge the Ordinance of prayer but the vilenesse of our carriage in our prayers and let us for time to come know what a Christan life means it is said of Christ in Luke 9.29 that as he was praying the fashion of his countenance was changed Oh that 's an excellent thing that when we have been in our closets at prayer to come away with our faces shining my Brethren could we but pray in such a manner as this is the very fashion of our countenacnes would be changed as Moses when he came from the presence of God upon the Mount or as Christ that had the fashion of his countenance changed Prayer it is the sweet ease of ones spirit it 's the help at a dead lift it 's the great Ordinance of our Communion with God in this world and therefore let us learn this Art of sanctifying Gods Name in Prayer I shall conclude all in this you have heard the mystery of the sanctifying the Name of God in worshipping God now I beseech you you that have been a long time in the School of Christ as it were Apprentices to Christ to learn Christianity be ashamed that you have understood so little of this art in Sanctifying the Name of God in Prayer It is an art and a mystery that you must be instructed in and you are not Christians till you are instructed in this as in an art and mystery And that man and woman that shall be instructed truly in this art and mystery in Sanctifying Gods Name now in the worshipping of him such a man and woman shall be to all eternity Sanctifying the Name of God in praising of him There is a time coming when all the Saints must be in the presence of God and be alwaies praising of him and they shall then Sanctifie Gods Name for ever let us now learn this art of Sanctifying Gods Name in praying that we may eternally Sanctifie his Name in praising of him FINIS AN EXACT ALPHABETICAL TABLE OF AL THE PRINCIPAL TRUTHS IN THE FOREGOING SERMONS A Absolutely SPirituall things to be prayed for absolutely Page 277 Accept Acceptation Acceptation of our persons the means of it Page 69 God accepts not the duties of wicked men Page 116 The services of the Saints accepted Page 120 Act Actual Action see Grace Actual sanctification Page 68 The Lord accepts the person before the action Page 69 God is a pure act and requires actual service Page 97 Adoption Sign of adoption to desire to be oft in Gods presence Page 36 We must pray in the spirit of adoption Page 294 Affections Affections the strength of them required in Gods worship Page 82 Aggravation Aggravation of sin to neglect due hearing the Word Page 200 Afflictions see Honor They that sanctifie not God in hearing the Word can have no comfort from it in afflictions Page 206 Whether it be lawfull to pray for afflictions Page 277 Afflictions in themselves materially evil Page 278 All All that we have must be given to God Page â—â— All things Sanctified to the godly Page 119 Altar Christ is the Altar upon which wee must offer all our sacrifices Page 92 Angel Angel what it signifieth Page 91 Angels the aggravation of their sin Page 195 Anger Anger not to be brought into Gods service Page 19 Apply We must apply the Word in hearing it Page 175 Apostasie see Schisme Apostasie the ground of it Page 106 Assurance The Gospel gives assurance of salvation Page 212 Attention Attention must be given in hearing of the Word Page 171 B Beginners Beginners in Religion to be carefull of preparation Page 56 Beleeving Beleeving the condition of the covenant of grace Page 232 Birds Wandring thoughts in Prayer as the birds to Abrahams sacrifice Page 283 Blast God blasts those men that sanctifie him not in worship Page 117 God will blast those that neglect his word Page 208 Bless Many blesse themselves in evill waies Page 198 To bless God for helping us against wandring thoughts in Prayer Page 289 Blind Blind sacrifice not to be offered to God Page 98 Blood A fearfull thing to be guilty of Christs blood Page 230 Breathing see Spirit Broken see Heart What kind of broken heart is required
in receiving the Lords Supper Page 255 Christ's Body broken for us Page 268 C Children Gods Saints may meet with afflictions in their Children Page 20 Ground of contentment in afflictions upon our Children Page 21 Church Church what it signifieth Page 235 Church defiled by wicked men uncast out Page 236 Civil see Worship Christ All worship must be tendered in the Name of Christ Page 91 All must be tendered in Christ because of Gods Justice Page 101 They that reject the Word reject Christ Page 201 All our prayers must be tendered in the Name of Christ Page 296 Command Nothing must be tendered to God in worship but what he hath Commanded Page 8 No expresse Command for many things in the New-Testament Page 15 Comfort see Word Communion Communion with God not increased by duties done with naturall conscience Page 88 The Sacrament the Ordinance of our Communion with Christ Page 229 The Sacrament must be received in a holy Communion Page 234 How far the presence of wicked men hinder this Communion Page 235 No close Church Communion with wicked men Page 240 More Communion with Christ in the Sacrament than in the Word Page 251 Confession Ground of Confession to God Page 98 Conscience Sinners against conscience need great preparation to duties Page 57 Duties acted by natural Conscience Page 88 Naturall Conscience limits it self in duties Page 89 Trouble of Conscience should make men meekly hear the Word Page 180 Consciences of wicked men troubled about the Sacrament Page 230 Constant Men acted by naturall parts are not constant in duties Page 88 There must be constancie in our prayers Page 295 Contrary The Word will be made good on the contrary to those that abuse it Page 205 Conversion Conversion not wrought by the Sacrament Page 232 Covenant In the Sacrament we make a solemn Covenant Page 226 Covenant of grace sealed in the Sacrament Page 229 Those that receive the Sacrament must be in the Covenant of Grace Page 232 Condition of that Covenant ibid. Renewing of Covenant in the Sacrament Page 257 Crucified Christ Crucified in the Sacrament Page 248 Curse They that neglect the Word are nigh to a curse Page 203 Cursing of others sinful Page 278 How far we may curse the enemies of the Church Page 280 D Danger see Dignity Dark see Mind Dead Death Fear of death taken away how Page 38 We must not bring dead services and hearts to the living God Page 97 Consciences of carnall men opened upon their death-bed Page 118 Death of Christ to be meditated on in the Sacrament Page 165 Dear see Glory Delight God delights in our drawing nigh to him Page 37 Depart To neglect GODS Worship is to depart from Him Page 33 Dependance We should continually be sensible of our dependance on God Page 274 Desire We must hear the Word with a desire after it Page 170 Devil Devil gratified by omission of duties Page 59 Vnseasonable motions though materially good come from the Devil Page 82 Wandering thoughts in prayer suggested by the Devil Page 286 Difficulty Naturall parts in performance of duties will not carry thorow difficulties Page 87 Not to be discouraged in difficulties considering Gods power Page 97 The work of Religion difficult Page 109 Dignity see Prerogative The more dignity the more danger Page 12 Dishonour It were a dishouour to God to accept the services of wicked men Page 116 Disposition Inward disposition in Prayer Page 292 Divine see Service Doubt The time of receiving the Sacrament no time for doubting Page 254 We must pray without doubting Page 293 Duty The holinesse of a duty will not bear men out in their miscarriage in it Page 17 Omission of duty will not fit for duty Page 58. 113 The doing of one duty prepares for another Page 60 Duties not to be rested on Page 103. 107. 115 To be humbled for our best duties Page 111 All duties of carnall worshippers lost Page 112 Sin of Hypocrites aggravated by holy duties ibid E Easie Preparation makes duties easie Page 52 Election Evidence of election Page 213 End see Extremity Our ends must be high in the worship of God Page 72 Base ends of men in Gods worship ibid To have right ends a part of wisdom Page 99 It is the nature of God to will himself the last end Page 104 Engagement Engagements of prayer to be performed Page 293 Envie see Mean Eternity Eternity of God how to be considered in our worship Page 94 Excellency Thoughts of our own excellency to be cast off in our worship Page 85 Exemplary Exemplary judgements should make us look into the Word how God makes it good Page 23 Extremity Men that regard duties only in extremitie make themselves their end Page 77 Examination Examination required in partaking of the Sacrament Page 233 Eye Faith as an eye to see Christ in the Sacrament Page 252 F Faith Faithfulness Faithfulnesse of God what it should teach us Page 102 Faith must be mixed in hearing the Word Page 177 Faith exercised in receiving the Sacrament Page 252 Faith how to act it in the Sacrament Page 271 We must pray in Faith Page 293 Faculties All the Faculties of the Soule to be given up in Prayer Page 281 Familiarity see Potent Drawing nigh to God breeds familiarity Page 37 Benefit of familiarity with God Page 38 Falling away Falling away the ground of it Page 34 Fear see Publick What fear we must have in Gods worship Page 78 In fear naturall Conscience puts on to duty Page 89 Fervency Fervency required in prayer Page 295 Fire Fire from Heaven Two fold Page 2 Fire that slew Aarons Sons what Page 3 Strange fire what Page 19 Folly To be ashamed of our folly when wee come to GOD. Page 99 Follow The Soul is to follow after God as a God Page 65 Free see Grace Friend see Word Friends who are the best Page 25 G Gesture Gesture in the Sacrament not meerly indifferent Page 262 Guilty see Blood Guilty Consciences flee the worship of God why Page 31 Guilt to be removed when we come to pray Page 274 God Duties must be performed to God as a God Page 62 When duties are offered to God as a God Page 63 The Word to be heard as the Word of God Page 166 We are reconciled by the blood of that person that is God Page 268 Good Good heart what Page 187 The word will be made good on the abusers of it Page 207 We are to pray for our own good Page 277 Gospel Gospel the tenour of it Page 257 Glory Glory of God dear to him Page 7 Glory of God dearer to him than the lives of men Page 22 Glory of God is the lustre of all his Attributes together Page 102 The active Glory of God is the especiall honor he hath Page 105 Glory of God in his Word the greatest Page 182 Why God will be glorified in them that hear the Word Page 209 Those that will obey the Word will be the
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
speak to more afterward only now remember this That you do profess every time you go to Prayer That you go to tender up that homage that you owe unto God and so every time you come to hear the Word there is a profession that you come to tender up that respect and homage that you owe to the infinite God And so likewise when you come to receive the Sacrament Now when we come to of er a present to men we know how we prepare and with what suitable presence we desire to offer but of that afterward when we come to speak of Sanctifying Gods Name 2 Secondly Remember when I come to Worship God I come to set my self before the Lord in those ways that God doth let out the choice of His Mercies to His people in I have many mercies from God in the enjoyment of the creature but when I come to Worship Him I expect the coÌ„munication of His mercy in another way then through any Creature in the World The duties of His Worship are the cheif ChaÌ„nels that God doth let out the choicest of His Mercies to the hearts of His people through and now I am going to Worship Him I am going to present my self before God Indeed there is a little glimmering of the light of God through other Creatures to me but the glorious Beams of the light of God is through the duties of His Worship 3. And then Thirdly I am now going to act my Soul upon God so that if I have any abilityes to close with God to act my soul upon Him it must be put forth now at this time I am indeed at all times to labour to enâ—oy Communion with God when I see the creatures the Sun Moon and Stars to labour to lift up my heart to God and when I see the glory of God in the Sea and for my meat and drink I am to bless God and to acknowledge God in all but now when I come to Worship God then all the strength of my Soul is to be acted upon God in a more special manner I must then above all labour to stir up whatsoever I have in my soul to act upon God this is now to Worship God Secondly If to Worship God be to draw nigh to God hence we see the reasons why guilty consciences have little mind to the duties of Gods Worship When a man or woman hath given liberty to any licencious way sinned against their consciences if they have any light in their consciences it is one of the tediousest things in the World to come to the duties of Gods Worship they had rather do any thing than come to Holy duties as to prayer and especially to secret prayer A man or woman that hath an enlightened conscience and is under the guilt of sin the coming to God in holy duties is a very grievous burden to them Why Here 's the Reason Because to Worship God is to draw nigh to God and the guilt that is upon them hath made the presence of God terrible to them and therefore they had rather go into their company be merry eat drink sport or any thing rather than to come into Gods presence We know how it was with Adam when God appeared in the garden and called to him he ran to hide himself Why Because he had guiltiness upon him Oh the evil that the guilt of sin brings upon the soul it makes the presence of God terrible The presence of God it should be more comfortable to us than our lives but our sin makes Gods presence grievous and terrible A Childe somtimes when it hath offended the Father and is conscious to its self of the offence that it hath given the Father it had rather be in the Kitchin among the Servants than to come into the Hall or Parlour where the Father is because it hath offended him and so it is with a guilty conscience when it is conscious to its self of some haunt of evil that it hath given it self unto it hath no mind at all of coming into the presence of the Father but hangs off My Brethren the very presence of God in the Communion of His Saints is terrible to a guilty conscience the very looking upon a godly man is terrible to a guilty conscience When as thou hast bin abroad bin loose and wicked in thy waies I appeal to thy conscience when thou comest into the presence of some holy gracious man or woman that lives close with God doth it not daunt thee Now is the presence of God in the very faces of his Saints terrible to a guilty conscience How terrible is the presence of God in His Ordinances then Indeed those men and women whose consciences are not enlightened but are ignorant and sottish they can sin against God and go into His presence without any trouble you shall have men swear and be drunken over-night and come to the Sacrament the next day What 's the reason Because there is no light in their consciences their consciences are in darkness they are besotted in their sin but I speak now of one who hath an enlightened conscience the presence of God is terrible to such a one A Third Use is this Here 's the Reason why Hypocrites do meet with such vengeance from God as they do I confesse we shall meet with this more especially afterwards only by the way take notice of it Hypocrites above all men may expect the severest judgments of God upon them because they come so nigh God for they come often to the duties of Gods Worship now they that will come so nigh Gods presence and come with base and ungodly hearts to cloak their villany of all in the world they must expect to have the severe vengeance of God let down upon them they that stand nighest the bullet must expect to have the strength of it to be the more upon them so when the wrath of God proceeds out upon sinners wicked men that stand nighest Him they have the greatest strok of Gods wrath but of that more when I come to the Third Point That God will be Sanctified in those that draw nigh Him The Fourth Use is this If to Worship God be to draw nigh Him then to neglect Gods Worship is to depart from Him that must needs follow And this is a dreadful thing it is the Sentence that shall be at the last day of Judgement Depart from me Thou now art willing to depart from God Oh consider of this you that neglect Worship the Worship of God in your families and in your Closets and in the Congregation in the Communion of the Saints thou hast little minded or regarded the Worship of God it may be all thy dayes what hast thou been doing all this while Thou hast been departing from God all this while when thy conscience shall be but enlightened and awakened to see how far thou art from God how terrible will it be to thee Remember this you