what Incense or Sacrifice he would have the use of fire in it should be onely that fire and no other though God did never say to them directly in these words You shall make use of this fire and no other but God would have them to understand this That 's their sin therefore in offering of strange fire Now fire comes from the Lord and doth consume them Some think this fire came from the Altar but surely it could not be any ordinary fire that did consume Nadab and Abihu at this time for you shall find in the next ver to my text That the bodies of Nadab and Abihu were not consumed by the fire no nor their cloathes they were kil'd by the fire and yet their cloathes were whole therefore it was not an ordinary fire it was some Celestiall fire struke into them to slay them for so saith the text in the 4 th ver Come neer carry away your Bretheren from before the Sanctuary out of the Camp and so they went and carried them in their coats out of the Camp so tht their cloathes and bodies were not consumed only they were kil'd by the fire they were struck with a sudden death and that in the presence of the Lord such a death as God had never threatned in the Word before God had never threatned the Priests and said If you Offer strange fire you shall be consumed by fire but yet God smites them with death by fire they had not time to seek God no not so much as we use to say as to say Lord have mercy upon me they had no time to promise amendment at all now upon this heavy judgement the heart of Aaron could not possibly but be very much troubled yea and the spirit of Moses too for Moses was their unckle and Aaron their father they could not but be exceedingly much greived but Moses being the brother of Aaron seeing his spirit no question exceedingly troubled being under such a sad affliction and that such a Godly man even as Aaron was should have such a sad judgment befall his Children Moses comes and speakes comfortably to him and labours to support his spirit and how doth he do it He comes not as ordinarily you use to visit your brethren Oh! you must be content with this no but he comes and applyes the Word of God and shewes how God must be sanctified and by that he comes to quiet the heart of his brother Aaron This is that which the Lord hath spoke saith Moses Hee seekes to stay the heart of his Brother with that which God spake But where do we find that God spake this It 's hard to find in any Scripture these very words in ter minis before this time and therefore Augustin thinks it was onely the word God spake but not written and so they had it from hand to hand by tradition as many other things as the Prophecie of Enoch that the Apostle Jude speakes of you doe not find it written in the Book of God and yet the Apostle speakes of it so that indeed it was from hand to hand yea and we find in the New Testament when Paul speakes of a thing that Christ should say how that our Lord saith It is a more blessed thing to give then to receive you find it not recorded in the Gospels that Christ said so So this is that which the Lord said though it was not written from the beginning of Genesis to this very place or otherwise though it be not recorded in expresse terms yet somthing is recorded to the same purpose and effect and so it may seeme to have reference to that Scripture Exod. 29. 43. there we have a Scripture comes as neere to it as any I know And there will I meet with the children of Israel and the tabernacle shall be sanctified by my glory that 's as much in effect as I will be sanctified in those that come nigh me in those that come to Worship me in my Tabernacle I will be sanctified in all things that concerne my Worship I will be sure to be sanctifyed there I will be sanctified I will be Hallowed for it is the very same that you have in the Lords Prayer Hallowed be thy Name only that 's the Greeke word and this is the Hebrew but if you would translate this word into Greeke you must translate it by the same word that Christ spake when he taught his disciples to pray hallowed bee thy name Hallowd and Sanctifyed is all one Lord let thy Name appeare to be Holy so I will be Sanctified that is I will have my Name appeare to be Holy I will be made known unto my People and to all the World that I am a holy God that 's the meaning of I will be Sanctifyed I will be knowne to al the world that I am a Holy God And before all the People I will be Glorifyed so it is in the latter part of the verse as if God should say I account it to be my glory that I should be manifested to be Holy before all the World I will be Sanctifyed that is I will have my People to demeane and carry themselves so as to hold forth their acknowledgement of my Holynesse so as by their carriage I may appeare to be a Holy God I will be Sanctifyed by them or otherwise if they shall not in an active way Sanctify my name that is if they shall not demeane themselves so as to hold forth the glory of my Holynesse then I will be Sanctifyed upon them I will demeane and carry my self towards them so as by my actions upon them I will make it appeare what a Holy God I am So God is Sanctified two wayes eyther by the Holynesse of his People in their carriage towards him holding forth the glory of Gods Holynesse and so in that 1. Pet. 3. 15. Sanctifye the Lord God in your hearts the Saints doe sanctifye God in their hearts when they feare God as a Holy God and Reverence him and Love him as a holy God and so Sanctifie him in their lives when their lives doe hold forth the glory of Gods Holynesse then God is Sanctifyed Put then if we do not do so then God Sanctifies himself that is in wayes of Judgement upon those that do not in wayes of holynesse Sanctifie his Name And thus you have it Ezek. 28. 22. And say Thus saith the Lord God Behold I am against thee O Zidon I will be glorified in the middest of thee and they shall know that I am the Lord when I shall have executed judgment in her and shall be Sanctified in her And this is all one with I will be glorified in the middest of them And in the 38. of Ezek. 16 23. You have to the same purpose And thou shalt come up against my people of Israel as a cloud to cover the Land it shall be in the latter dayes and I will bring thee against my Land that the Heathen may
know mee when I shall be Sanctified in thee O Gog before their eyes And in the 23. ver Thus will I magnifie my selfe and Sanctify my selfe and I will be knowne in the eyes of many Nations and they shall know that I am the Lord In the way of the execution of Judgment thus I will Sanctifie my self so I will be Sanctified in those that draw nigh me In those that are nigh mee Nigh ones so it may be read that is especially the Priests that did approach to God Ezek. 42. 13. they approach to God especially But it is meant generally of all those that shall have to deale in my Worship whosoever shall come to Worship me let them look to it they must Sanctifie my name they must so demeane themselves in my Worship as to hold forth my Name to be Holy or otherwise I will manifest my selfe against them in the wayes of Judgment for I will appeare to be a holy God I will have the glory of my Holynesse one way or other saith God in those that come neere Mee As if God should say Though it 's otherwise with men they indeed will be ready to favour those that are neere them but I will not doe so Men will sooner passe by the offences of those that are neer them then those that are not as suppose that a stranger commits an offence you would be severe towards him but suppose it were one of your owne Children or kinsmen what would you doe then Doe not we see that men will rather favour their owne kindred then strangers though the offence be the same But I will not doe so saith God Suppose it be one of your own family will not you be ready to excuse them Suppose it were your own Child that should cōmit such an offence Oh! what friends would you make to take him off from punishment Though men will do so towards their own yet be bitter and severe towards strangers Yet I will not be so saith God Let those that are neer me looke to it I will be Sanctified by them I will be sanctifyed in those that draw neere me Now upon this when Moses said thus That God would be sanctified in those that draw neere him this was Moses scope to Aaron as if Moses should say Aaron though I confesse the hand of God is heavy upon you this day Yet it is fit for you to submit to God 't is fit that God should be glorified what ever becomes of you you are deare to God but Gods Name is dearer to him then you are what ever the lives of your Sonnes were yet it is fit that God should be honoured and his name Sanctified what ever becomes of your Sonnes or of your Comforts and therfore let your heart be quieted you have had a great loss and affliction upon you but God hath had glory God hath glorified himselfe How hath God glorified himselfe Very much by this way for God by this way hath done an act to make all the People of the Land feare before him to cause them to Worship him with all reverence All the people of the Land seeing such a Judgment as this and hearing of it they will learne for ever to feare and Reverence this God they will say How shall wee appeare before this Holy God Wee had need take heed how we appeare in his presence and Worship him according to the way that Hee himselfe would be Worshipped As if Moses should say This Honour that God hath by this meanes in the hearts of his people it is that that you should account a greater good then the Lives of your Children what ever they are This is the Scope of Moses speech to Aaron Now upon this the Text saith Aaron held his peace Hee was silenced It may be before Hee was expressing himselfe in greife and sorrow'd exceeding much in words but now he was quiet and had nothing to say he did by his silence acknowledge his Children were dear to him but it 's fit that God should be glorified what ever becomes of his Children and therefore Aaron holds his peace But the word that is here translated Holds his peace It hath more in it then meere silence for the Hebrews have another word to signifie meere silence of speech but this signifies a staying of the heart that it doth not further proceed in any trouble of Spirit a silence in the very heart and staying of it a staying of the motions of the heart I find the same word to be used in Scripture when Joshua said to the Sunne si and still stay thy selfe on Gibeon Jos 10. 12. It 's the same word that is here translated and Aaron held his peace that is he was stayed from further vexing or troubling of himselfe or being disquieted Whereas his heart was in a strong violent motion Now Moses speech did stop him and gave a stop to his heart to make it stand still in a wonderfull manner as the Sunne when Joshua spake to it to stand still As if the Lord should have spoken to his heart Aaron thy heart is in a mighty strong motion but consider that I must be Sanctifyed in those that drawe nigh mee and let all those motions of thy heart be stopt and quiet Thus now you see the meaning of the Scripture and the scope of it Now in this scripture you have these three speciall and notable points 1 That in worshiping of God there is a drawing nigh unto him 2 That when wee doe drawe nigh to God wee should take heed to our selves that wee Sanctifye Gods name 3 If wee doe not Sanctifye Gods name in our drawings nigh to him then certainly God will Sanctifye his owne Name upon us These are the three points that I intend to handle And especially the second to handle largely among you I confesse upon another occasion in one Sermon I have spoke out of these words but now I intend not onely in generall to shew you how you should sanctifie Gods Name in Worship but likewise in the particular Acts of Worship As Sanctifying his name in Prayer in Receiving the Sacrament in Hearing the Word in the severall chief parts of the Worship of God how his Name should be sanctified For in all these you do draw nigh to God And for that end I have pitcht my thoughts upon this Scripture But before I come to these three great Points that are the principall points in the words read unto you I shall take up divers other notes of observation that ly up and down as it were scattered that are of great use and will help us further to make use of this scripture in the other points that I shall come to afterwards and handle more largely The first Note is this That in Gods Worship there must be nothing tendered up to God but what hee hath commanded what soever wee meddle with in the Worship of God it must be what wee have a warrant for out of the word
us draw neer saith the Text Who would not draw neer to God Oh what a good thing is it to be in the presence of God! Is not the Lord the fountain of thy life Is it not a sweet thing to be in his presence We think it a sweet thing to be in the presence of godly men Oh ' that we might alwaies live with such men and be nigh them That Martyr Doctor Taylor rejoyced in this That ever he came into Prison to be acquainted with that Angel of God holy Master Bradford and as I remember some among the heathens that profest they would rather be in prison with Caâ—o then be in the greatest glory with some other It is a blessed thing to be in the presence of God to be with him that is the God of our lives and the fountain of all good let us draw nigh to God often let us know that it is a mercy that we may draw nigh to God wee might have been banished from the presence of the Lord long e're this time This is that that the happinesse of the glorious Church is set out by in Rev. 22. 4. They shall see his face and his name shall be in their foreheads This is the Priviledge of the Church And that it is such a blessing to draw nigh to God you may see it by that in Eph. 2. 18. For through him we both have an accesse by one spirit unto the Father Through him Through Christ we have accesse by one Spirit unto the Father and now saith he Ye that were strangers and forreiners are made fellow Citizens with the Saints and of the houshold of God and vers 13. But now by Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were a far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ and you have accesse through Christ So our coming nigh to God is such a priviledge as cost the bloud of Christ and will not you improve it You were far off in your naturall condition but now you are nigh through his bloud Lay but this text warm to your hearts this morning That I that was far off am made nigh by the bloud of Christ made nigh to God it will be a means for ever to draw your hearts to all those waies whereby you may draw neerest to God And by drawing nigh to God often you will come to increate your graces abundantly your graces how will they act the presence of God will draw forth the acts of grace as the presence of the fire draws forth our heat so the presence of God will draw forth our graces And by this means we come to live most holy lives We read of Moses he was upon the mountain forty daies with God and when he came down his face did so shine that the people were not able to bear it what 's the reason it was from hence because he was so nigh to God would you have your faces to shine in a holy conversation before men converse much with God be often with God be nigh to him and that will make you shine as lights in the middest of a crooked and perverse generation We find it so with some that converse much with God there is a shine upon their very countenances And further it is a speciall signe of our adoption to love to be nigh to God What should a Child love most but to be in the presence of his Father Would you know whither you have received the Spirit of adoption yea or no I can hardly give you any one signe so clear as this for to love to go into Gods presence as David said I was glad when they said Come and let us go up unto the House of the Lord. You shall have many that love to be in Gods presence so as they think on it over-night and long for the time while it comes I never am better then when I am with God me thinks when I get into Gods presence either in Prayer or any duty of Gods Worship I find my heart warmed and quickned c. They are ready to say with Peter Master it is good being here And that 's another thing It is that which will put us in mind of the life of heaven it is the only thing in heaven to be in the presence of God Why the more thou art nigh God in the Duties of Worship the more thou art in heaven and doest not thou pray That the will of God may be done in Earth as in Heaven Now the Saints and Angels are alwaies before God Worshipping of him then be as much as thou canst in the presence of God If thou wouldest be in heaven be there Many of the Saints they find it so It is not so with carnall hearts they are weary presently when they are in Prayer or hearing the Word it is not so to them yea that 's because thou hast not the presence of God as in Mal. 1. what wearinesse is there thou canst be a gaming till one or two a clock at night and though thou shouldest lose thy supper or the work of thy family it is not tedious to thee to be exercised in those things that pleaseth the flesh but when thou comest to Worship God how quickly art thou tir'd now what wilt thou do in heaven where there is nothing else done to all eternity but Worshipping of God And then it must needs be delightful to God that thou shouldest come nigh him There is nothing in the world more pleasant to God then to have his Saints come into his presence What doth a Father more delight in then to have his Children about him never did any Father or Mother love to have their Children by them so as God loves to have his Children come nigh him and be often with him And the truth is one great reason that God suffers you to fall into afflictions so much is that you may come running to him How doth the Child come running to the Father or Mother when it is afraid why the Lord is willing to permit men to do you wrong that you may run to him that he might have more of your presence Thou that art such a poor creature yet thou hearest this day that there is nothing in the world that God takes more pleasure in next to the presence of his own Son Jesus Christ and his Saints and Angles that he hath with him in heaven then to have his Saints come nigh him to have them alwaies to be under his wing And then by coming often into Gods presence in his worship there will grow a sweet and blested familiarity between God and thy soul for thou wilt be speaking to God and God will be speaking to thee too We know many times that dear friends who are very neerly linkt together yet if they be long absent one from another there grows a strangenesse and so by degrees their friendship is deaded but now when they are together every day and there is
Sanctifying Gods Name in hearing it 1 The First is a distemper of Passion in those that have some trouble of conscience in them they are troubled for their fin and their Spirits are in a discontented froward humour because they have not that comfort that they do desire and therefore the Word of God when it comes to be preached to them if it doth not every way suit with their hearts and if they do not find present comfort by it their Spirits are in a distemper and frowardnesse and cast it off and if at any time there be never such comfortable things spoken in the word yet there is an anger in their spirits because they are not able to apply the Word to themselves and they think This doth not concern me now there should be meeknesse of Spirit in those that are in trouble of conscience above all they should quietly attend upon the Word and wait for the time that God will speak peace to their consciences And if I cannot find the Word suitable to me at this time yet I may at another time let me atend with meeknes let me receive everything with meeknesse the Word is above me and if ever I have good it must be by the word at last It doeth much concern those that are in trouble of Conscience to have meeke Spirits 2 There is another distemper in others and that is worse that is Such as when they find the word come neer unto them relating those sins that their consciences tels them they are guilty of their hearts rise against God and his Word and Ministers too Because it would pluck away some beloved corruption because it rebukes them for some haunt of evill some distemper of heart that they have been or are guilty of it puts a shame upon them and therefore their hearts do rise against it It is a dreadfull thing to have the heart rise against the Word As we read of that froward Prince Jehoiakim in the Prophesie of Jeremiah that when the Roll was read in his hearing sitting in the winter time by a great fire he tooke a penknife and cut it a pieces and threw it into the fire in anger and I have read that the Jewes kept a Fast every year to mourne for that great sin yet this Jehoiakim was the Son of Josiah whose heart did melt at the hearing of the Word he had an humble and a meek heart when the Law was read and yet see what a different Spirit Jehoiakim had either from his Father or grand-Father It is a great dishonour to the name of God for men to give liberty to their Passions to rise against the Word take heed of Passion either while you are hearing the Word or after the Word as many of you when you are discontented with what is said When you come in company what a fury are many men in upon the hearing of some things in the word that comes close to their hearts Remember when you are a hearing of the Word that it is that which is above you and it is not fit for one that is an inferiour to shew himself Passionate in the presence of a Superiour It is true the Ministers they may be in as low a condition as you and in a lower but the word they speak it is above all the Princes and Monarchs upon the face of the earth and it is fit therefore we having to deal with God that we should behave our selves in a meeke disposition 6 The next thing for the Sanctifying Gods name in the hearing of the word is this we must hear it with a trembling heart with fear as well as meeknesse and for that you have that famous Scripture in Isa 66. begining Thus saith the Lord the Heaven is my Throne and the Earth is my footstool wher is the house that ye build unto me and where is the place of my rest For all those things hath my hand made and all those things have been saith the Lord but to this man will I look even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit and trembleth at my word this is a most admirable Scripture Marke how God lifts up himself in his glory so great a God as the Heaven is my Throne and the Earth is my footstool where is that house that ye will build unto me but then may a poor Soul say how shall I be able to stand before this God that is so glorious Saith God be not discouraged Poor Soul who doest tremble at my word for I look to you And then this is a further thing observable that God hath a regard to that soul that trembles at his word rather then to any that should build the most sumptuous buildings in the world for him for saith God here the Heaven is my Throne and the Earth is my footstool where is the house that ye build unto me and where is the place of my rest they have built a glorious Temple to God but what do I regard that saith God I regard one that trembls at my word more then that great house that you have built unto me it is a notable Scripture to shew what a high respect God hath to one that trembles at his word he regards them more then this glorious Temple that was built unto him If you were able to build such a place as this was for the service of God you would think it a great matter it is not so much regarded as if you could bring a trembling heart to Gods word that 's a special thing wherein the Sanctifying of the name of God consists when we come to see the dreadfull authority that there is in the word of God when we are able to see more glory of God in his word then in all the works of God besides for there is more of his glory in the word then there is in the whole Creation of Heaven and Earth take the Sun and Moon and Stars you that are Marriners you have seen much of the glory of God abroad that one would think might strik terrour into all your hearts but know that there is more of the dreadfulnesse of Gods name in his word then in all his works In Psal 138. 2. Thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name the word it is magnified above all the name of God whatsoever and it is a very good sign of a Spirituall inlightened Soul that can see the name of God more magnified in his word then in all his works besides I appeal unto your consciences in this thing have you ever seen the name of God to be more magnified in his word then in all his works I may with very good confidence affirm this that there is no godly Soul upon the face of the earth that hath the weakest degree of grace but hath seen more of the glory of God revealed in his word then he hath seen in all the works of God besides and his heart hath been more taken with it
and with a holy cheerfulnesse with a holy freedome of Spirit not in a sullen way but as a child in the presence of his Father and not as a Servant with the Master Object You told us before that there should be brokennesse of Spirit and sence of our sin Answ That may be and joy we rejoyce with trembling therefore that brokennesse of Spirit that I meant must not bee slavish horrour and feare but a kindly melting of the soule from the aprehension of the love of God unto it in Jesus Christ that was willing to be at so great cost to purchase the pardon of sin such a gracious mourning as may stand with joy and the truth is that that sorrow for sin in the Sacrament that is not mixt with joy is a sorrow that doth not sanctifie Gods name godly sorrow and evangelicall joy may stand together very well And therefore know that this is not the time neither to give liberty to have your hearts sinke no there must be no sinking sorrow of heart but such a sorrow of heart as in the midst of it you may be able to look upon God as a reconciled Father to you and have a cheerfulnesse of Spirit as in the midst of it you must look upon your selves as Gods guest to be merry at his Table now this is a great mystery of godlinesse that there should be at the same time the sight of Christ crucified and yet at the same time a spirituall cheerfulnesse in the assurance of the love of God in Iesus Christ I say it is a Mystery and only those that are Beleevers are able to understand this mystery how to have their hearts break and yet how to rejoyce at the same time in that unspeakeable love of God that is here presented unto them in this Sacrament Seventhly In the next place there must be thankefulnesse therefore it is called the Eucharist and in one of the Evangelists where it is said Christ blest the bread in another it is said Christ gave thanks Christ when he instituted this Sacrament hee gave thanks he gave thanks for what he gave thanks to God the Father that he was pleased to send him into the world to die for poor soules now shall Iesus Christ give thanks unto God the Father for that that did cost him his life yea saith Christ I see that here is a way to save soules and let it cost me my life if it will yet I blesse thee O Father if soules may come to be sav'd though it cost me my life Christ rejoyced in his Spirit in thanking his Father for this then how should our hearts be inlarged with thankefulnesse when we come to this that the Ancients were wont to call the Eucharist that is a thanksgiving we are to give God thankes for every mercy you will not eate your owne bread without giving of thankes but when wee come to have this bread this bread of life here is matter of thankefulnesse here is matter of inlargement of soule thou that hast the deadest and dullest soule and straightest Spirit yet when thou comest hither and understandest what thou doest here thou canst not but see matter for the inlargement of thy heart and wish that thou hadst ten thousand thousand times more strength to expresse the praises of the Lord here is a thing that must be the subject of the Hallelujahs and doxologies that Angels and Saints must for ever sound out in the highest heavens dost thou know what the Lord presents to thee here it is more then if the Lord should say I will make ten thousand worlds for the sake of this creature and give all these worlds to him thou wouldest thinke that thou wert bound to blesse him then only when God in the Bread and wine reaches out to thee the body bloud of his Sonne here is more matter of praise then if ten thousand thousand worlds were given to thee and therefore God expects that thou shouldest say to thy soule my soul praise thou the Lord and all that is within me praise his holy name blesse the Lord O my soule and forget not all his benefits who forgiveth all thine iniquities who healeth all thy diseases O poor soule here is the foundation of all mercies dost thou praise God for justification for sanctification here is a glorious application of the mercy of God to the soules of sinners and therefore if ever thou wert thankfull be thankefull here The Sabbath my Brethren that is appointed to be the set constant day of thankesgiving for the great mercies of God in Christ and there are other dayes for nationall mercies now a speciall work of the Lords day is the celebration of this holy Sacrament and the Christians in former times were wont to do it every Lords day because that 's the day appointed by God for to be the day of thankesgiving for that great mercy the Lord Jesus Christ and that 's the reason why the Sabbath was changed the last day of the week was the Iewish Sabbath and that was to celebrate the memoriall of the Creation of the world and the first day now it is to be the day of thanksgiving for all the work of God in mans redemption Eightly A further thing is this if you would sanctifie Gods name you must be willing to renew your Covenant that 's the end of it there must be an actuall renewing of your Covenant with God that 's thus I come to receive this bread and this wine and this is to be as the Seale of the Covenant on Gods part now this will be emplyed in the nature of the thing that if I take the Seales of Gods Covenant that I must be willing to set to my Seale too to renew the Covenant that God calls me to now know all men and women that are sav'd they are sav'd by the vertue of the Covenant of grace and there God on his part promises and makes a Covenant that hee will bestow his Son life and salvation through him and thou must likewise come in on thy part and beleeve on his Son and repent which is the Tenour of the Gospel now every time thou comest to receive this Sacrament thou commest to renew this Covenant As if thou shouldest say Lord thou hast been pleased to make a Covenant of grace as the first Covenant was broken and all men were cast by that Covenant now thou hast made a Covenant of grace and callest thy servants whom thou intendest to save that they should renew their Covenant with thee in this Sacrament of thine Lord here I come and Lord here I renew it and set to my seale to promise and Covenant with thee that as ever I expect to receive any good from Christ so Lord here I will be thine I will give up my selfe for ever to thee as thou hast given me the Body and bloud of Christ for my salvation so Lord here I consecrate my body and bloud to thee the last drop of
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 foule 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 in prayer there comes the Spirit of God at the other end and takes the heaviest end of the burden and helpes you to lift it up if a child were at one end of the logge 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 helpes 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 alasse what can I doe it must be the Spirit of God that must doe all it is true hee doth all First he gives converting and habituall grace and assisting and actuating grace but now when the Spirit hath wrought grace so as to convert the heart and hath given habituall 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 Spirit 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 noting that we are to put forth what strength we have and thus Gods name will be sanctified when as wee putting forth the graces of the Spirit in us then the Spirit comes and helpes 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 groanes 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 looke upon the holy-Ghost as appointed by the Father and the Son to that office to bee a helper to his poore 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 helpe for thee in prayer read 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 to 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 mee have the breathings of the Spirit of God in me alasse 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 mee 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 God as is there it comes to the soule in the duty and it leaves a savour behind it a gratious 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 worke it came for it leaves a sweet sent after that the soule finds a sweetnesse 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 of God is left behind certainly if the Spirit hath been there it is like civil 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 heart and hands in Heb. 10. 22. Rev. 5. 8. having every one of them harpes and golden vials full of odours which are the prayers of Saints mark the prayers of the 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 wee 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 evill from our Tabernacles and so from our hearts we may be able to lift up our hearts with joy to goe and that 's the fift thing purity of heart and hands The sixt 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 majestie of God then I must have an inward disposition sutable to this expression I must have a feare and reverence of the infinite majestie of God Secondly When I come to confesse my sin to judge my selfe 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 meanes to break 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 knowes that their hearts do close with their sin and are loath 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 wee must call upon God in truth that is conscionably to performe the ingagements of prayer prayer puts an ingagement upon the heart now those that call upon him in truth are conscionable to performe the ingagements as now do I pray for any good thing I am ingaged to endeavour in the use of all meanes for the attaining of the good thing when you confesse a sin why you are ingaged by that meanes 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 of our sincerity and uprightnesse and of our willingnesse 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 owne 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 thinke to obtaine any thing of God But I should have opened what that faith is that wee should have in prayer wee must have faith to beleeve that the thing that we doe 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 goe away beleeving as Hannah in 1 Sam. 1. 18. wee read of her that after shee had been praying she went away and lookt no more sad the text faith noting that after wee have been powring forth our soules to God wee should beleeve and exercise faith and not go in as drooping a way as ever we did Object You will say yea if wee 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 bee with faith But I have so many sins mixt with my prayers how can I beleeve You have an excellent Scripture for that to helpe 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 O make use of this Scripture though you remember not other things yet you that have dejected hearts and are afraid that God will not hear 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 faith in this and know that God doth not heare prayer because thou art not sinfull 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 freedome with the Spirit of adoption to God crying Abba Father if thou comest to God meerly as to a Judge though its true those that doe 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 freedome 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 effectuall fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much and that will be a meanes 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 thoughts Next there must be constancie in prayer in 1 Thess 5. 17. by that I mean this never to give over untill we have that wee 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 doe with mee what he will I will as long as I live call upon him and if God shall cast mee away yet he shall cast me away calling upon him as the poore woman of Canaan when Christ call'd her dogge and discouraged her yet still she would pray I but dogges may have crums that heart is in an ill condition that is discouraged in prayer because it doth not get what it would and therefore to thinke with themselves I had as good not pray at all take heed of any such thoughts Againe 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 unworthinesse 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 hee puts up all in the name of Christ I say hee cannot be accepted our spirituall 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 viall together with sincerity when it is in truth of heart when it is in faith when it comes from a spirituall 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 hee prayeth so I may say of those that are instructed in this Art behold they pray you see now that prayer