and slew them both presently in the very Sanctuary before all the people for it was a solemn time being the beginning of the solemn Consecration of the Priesthood Upon this the spirit of Aaron could not but be exceedingly troubled to see his two Sons thus struck Now Moses comes to him and saith This is that which the Lord spake I will be Sanctified in them â—â—at draw nigh me and before all the people I will be glorified And upon this Aaron held his peace We reade that once fire came down from Heaven in a way of Mercy to consume the Sacrifices but now fire comes down from heaven in a way of Judgment to consume the Sacrificers even Nadab and Abihu they were Aarons sons the sons of a godly man the son of the High-Priest they were his eldest sons for Aaron had other sons besides Nadab and Abihu Eleazer and Ithamar but these were his two eldest sons they were two young men they were struck in the very prime of their age they were two that were newly consecrated in the Priests office for so you find it in the 9. Chap. And they were two men of renown in the country and before all the people of Israel two men that God had much honored heretofore as you shall find in the 24 Chap. of Exod and the beginning this Nadab and Abihu were men of great repute and great renown that God did much honor in former times for when God called Moses and Aaron with the Elders to come up to him He singles out Nadab and Abihu amongst the rest and names them And he said unto Moses Come up unto the Lord thou and Aaron Nadab and Abihu and 70. of the Elders of Israel Moses and Aaron Nadab and Abihu are only named and then 70. of the Elders in general but Moses Aaron Nadab and Abihu as if these were the four eminent men of renown among all the people of Israel he names none of the 70. Elders but these two besides Moses and Aaron therefore these two that were consumed by strange fire were renowned men and newly consecrated into their Office What was their sin Their sin it was offering of strange fire so the Text saith that they offered strange fire which God commanded them not in the beginning of the Chapter But had God ever forbidden it Where do we find that ever God had forbidden them to offer strange Fire or appointed that they should oner only one kind of fire There is no Text of Scripture that you can find from the beginning of Genesis to this place where God hath said in terminis in so many words expresly You shall offer no fire but one kind of fire And yet here they are consumed by fire from God for offering strange fire I find in the 30. of Exod. ver 9. that there they were forbidden offering strange Incense but I do not find that they were forbidden offering strange fire In Levit. 6.13 and divers verses in that Chapter we find that God had appointed that they should keep constantly the fire on the Altar burning and never to let it go out Now that was it seems Gods intention that therefore they should make use of that fire and that fire only God would have them to pick out his meaning God sent fire down from heaven upon the Altar so in the latter end of the 9. Chap. God sent down fire from heaven gave them a charge to keep that fire on the Altar constantly and never to let it go out so that it seems God would have them pick out his meaning that because he had sent down fire from heaven upon the Altar and gave them power to keep that constantly God would have them therfore to understand that what Incense or Sacrifice he would have the use of fire in it should be only that fire and no other though God did never say to them directly in these words You shall make use of this fire and no other but God would have them to understand this That 's their sin therefore in offering of strange fire Now fire comes from the Lord and doth consume them Some think this fire came from the Altar but surely it could not be any ordinary fire that did consume Nadab and Abihu at this time for you shall find in the next ver to my text That the bodies of Nadab and Abihu were not consumed by the fire no not their cloathes they were kil'd by the fire and yet their cloathes were whol therefore it was not an ordinary fire it was some Coelestial fire struck into them to slay them for so saith the text in the 4th ver Come neer carry away your brethren from before the Sanctuary out of the Camp and so they went and carried them in their coats out of the Camp so that their cloathes and bodies were not consumed only they were kil'd by the fire they were struck with a sudden death and that in the presence of the Lord such a death as God had never threatned in the Word before God had never threatned the Priests and said If you Offer strange fire you shall be consumed by fire but yet God smites them with death by fire they had not time to seek God no not so much as we use to say as to say Lord have mercy upon me they had no time to promise amendment at all now upon this heavy judgment the heart of Aaron could not possibly but be very much troubled yea and the spirit of Moses too for Moses was their unkle and Aaron their father they could not but be exceedingly much greived but Moses being the brother of Aaron seeing his spirit no question exceedingly troubled being under such a sad affliction and that such a Godly man even as Aaron was should have such a sad judgment befal his Children Moses comes and speaks comfortably to him and labors to support his spirit and how doth he do it He comes not as ordinarily you use to visit your brethren Oh! you must be content with this no but he comes and applyes the Word of God and shews how God must be Sanctified and by that he comes to quiet the heart of his brother Aaron This is that which the Lord hath spoke saith Moses He seeks to stay the heart of his Brother with that which God spake But where do we find that God spake this It 's hard to find in any Scripture these very words in terminis before this time and therefore Augustin thinks it was only the word God spake but not written and so they had it from hand to hand by tradition as many other things as the Prophecie of Enoch that the Apostle Jude speaks of you do not find it written in the Book of God and yet the Apostle speaks of it so that indeed it was from hand to hand yea and we find in the new Testament when Paul speaks of a thing that Christ should say how that our Lord saith It is a more blessed thing
before this Holy God We had need take heed how we appear in his presence and Worship him according to the way that He himself would be Worshipped As if Moses should say This Honor that God hath by this means in the hearts of his people it is that that you should account a greater good then the Lives of your Children whatever they are This is the Scope of Moses speech to Aaron Now upon this the Text faith Aaron held his peace He was silenced It may be before He was expressing himself in greif 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 deer 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 meer silence for the Hebrews have another word to signifie meer 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 Sun stand still stay thy self 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 himself 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 wonderful manner As the Sun when Joshua spake to it to stand still As if the Lord should have spoken to his â—eart Aaron thy heart is in a mighty strong motion but consider that I must be Sanctified in those that draw nigh me 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 special and notable Points 1 That in worshiping of God there is a drawing nigh unto Him 2 That when we do draw nigh to God we should take heed to our selves that we Sanctifie Gods Name 3 If we do not Sanctifie Gods Name in our drawings nigh to Him then certainly God will Sanctifie his own Name upon us These are the three Points that I intend to handle And especially the second to handle largly among you I confess upon another occasion in one Sermon I have spoke out of these words but now I intend not only in general to shew you how you should sanctify 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 cheif parts of the Worship of God how his Name should be Sanctified For in al these you do draw nigh to God And for that end I have pitcht my thoughes upon this Scripture But before I come to these three great Points that are the principal Points in the words read unto you I shal take up divers other notes of observation that lie up and down as it were scattered that are of great use and will help us further to make use of this Scriture 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 he hath commanded whatsoever we meddle with in the Worship of God it must be what we have a Warrant for out of the Word of God For this speech of Moses is upon occasion of the Judgment of God upon Aarons Sons for offering strange fire They offered fire that God had not commanded Hence I say that all things in Gods worship must have a warrant out of Gods word must be commanded It 's not enough that it is not forbidden I beseech you observe it it is not enough that a thing is not forbidden and what hurt is there in it But it must be commanded I confess in matters that are Civil and natural there this may be enough If it be but according to the rules of prudence and not forbidden in the word we may make use of this in Civil and natural things But now when we come to matters of Religion and the Worship of God we must either have a command or somewhat out of Gods Word by some Consequence drawn from some Command wherein God manifests his will either a direct command or by comparing one thing with another or drawing consequences plainly from the Words We must have a warrant for the Worship of God One would have thought that these Priests offering Incense to the true God what hurt was there in taking other Fire But there was no Command for it and therefore it was not accepted It 's true there are some things in the Worship of God that are Natural and Civil helps and there we need not have any Command As for instance when we come to Worship God the Congregation meets they must have a convenient place to keep the Air and weather from them now this is but a natural help and so far as I Use the place of worship as a natural help I need have no Command But if I will put any thing in a Place beyond what it hath in it's own nature There I must look for a Command For if I account one place more Holy than another or to think that God should accept of worship in one place rather than in another This is to raise it above what it is in it's own Nature So that when any Creature is raised in a Religious way above what it hath in it by Nature if I have not Scripture to warrant me I am therein Superstitious It 's a very useful rule for to help you If any Creature that you make any use of in away of Religion beyond what it hath in its own Nature if you have not some warrant from the Word of God whatsoever specious shew there may be in it it is Superstition As now for the place there was a place that was Holy but then it had an Institution from God And so for garments to use those that are decent the light of reason is enough but if I wil put any thing upon them beyond what there is in them in their own nature as heretofore in a Surplis what Had that any more decency in it's owne nature but only mans Institution Now when man shall put a Religious respect upon a thing by vertue of his own Institution when he hath not a warrant from God Here 's Superstition we must al be willing worshippers but no Wil-worshippers We must come freely to Worship God but we must not Worship God according to our own wils and therefore what ever we do in the Worship of God if we have
Page 61 In what manner duties are to be performed that Gods Name may be sanctified ibid 1 We must performe them so that we may glorifie God as a God Page 62 Which is done 1 When we offer all we have Page 63 2 When we greive that we can do no more Page 64 3 There is an impression of Gods infinitness on the duties of his Saints ibid 2 When the Soul follows after God as a God Page 66 3 When the Soul comes expecting the choicest mercies of God ibid How the heart must behave it self to sanctifie Gods Name in respect of his greatness and glory ibid 1 It must be a sanctified heart Page 67 1 Because the Lord accepts the person before he accepts the action Page 69 2 God looks more at the principle of the duty than at the duty ibid 3 According as the heart is so will the duty be Page 70 SERMON V 2 In sanctifying Gods Name in worship we must have high thoughts of God Page 71 3 We must have high ends in worshipping God Page 72 Several base low ends in worshipping of God 1 In subjecting his worship to our lusts ibid 2 Subjecting his worship to the praise of men Page 73 3 Making Self our end in his worship Page 74 Which we do 1 Whâ—â—â—e are weary of duties if we find not that we desire Page 76 2 When men are streightened in Worship and envy others that 〈◊〉 Page 77 3 W◠〈◊〉 regard holy duties 〈◊〉 in times of extremity ibid 4 There must be reverence and 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 worship Page 78 5 There must be strength in the dâ—â—es of Gods worship Page 80 Strength of Intention Page 81 Affection Page 82 Faculties Page 83 6 There must be a humble frame of Spirit Page 84 Which consists 1 In adâ—â—â—â—g Gods goodness that we are alive to come before him ibid 2 To have no thought of any excellency in our selves Page 85 3 To come without our own righteousness ibid 4 To take off our hearts from all abilitie of grace ibid 5 To wait Gods leasure in regard of the time Page 86 7 In Sanctifying Gods Name we must bring that which is his own ibid. 1 The matter must be that which he hath commanded ibid 2 We must be acted by the spirit Page 87 When duties are acted by natural parts and not the Spirit of God 1 If they change not the heart ibid 2 If they carry not through difficulties ibid 3 When men rejoyce in acting their parts ibid 4 When there is little enlargment in secret Page 88 5 When there is not constancy in duty ibid Duties acted by natural Conscience 1 It gives no strength to do them ibid 2 The 〈…〉 not the duty ibid 3 It doth not increase communion with God ibid SERMON VI 4 It makes not a duty strong to the soul Page 89 5 It limits it selfe in dutie ibid 6 It is satisfied with little Page 90 8 In the sanctifying Gods Name in Worship there must be a resignation of all to God ibid 9 All Worship must be tendered in the Name of Jesus Christ Page 91 How to Sanctifie Gods Name in reference to his Attributes 1 God is a Spirit and to be worshipped in Spirit Page 93 2 God is Eternall and how to worship him in that consideration Page 94 3. God is incomprehensible and therefore seeth us in every place Page 95 4 God is unchangeable what that should teach us in our worship Page 96 5 God is a living God and what we should learn thence ibid 6 God is Almighty what that should teach us in our worship Page 97 7 God is Omniscient and what that should teach us Page 98 8 God is a God of Wisdom and what that should teach us Page 99 9 God is Holy and what that should teach us in one worship ibid 10 God is Mercifull and what that should teach us Page 100 11 God is Just and what that should teach us Page 101 12 God is Faithfull and what we should learn thence Page 102 SERMON VII Reasons why God will be sanctified in all the duties of his Worship 1 God doth will himself the last End Page 104 2 The especial glory God hath in the world is to be actively honored Page 105 3 The duties of worship are the means to convey Gods choicest mercies ibid 4 We are not fitted to receive mercies but by sanctifying Gods Name ibid 5 Else we shall not hold out in duty Page 106 Application 1 We have no cause to rest on our duties Page 107 2 The work of Religion is hard to flesh and blood Page 109 3 We should be humbled that we have no more sanctified Gods Name Page 110 4 Exhortation to sanctifie Gods Name Page 113 1 To consider we have to deal with God in worship Page 114 2 Not to come in our own strength Page 115 3 Not to be satisfied with the duty done ibid 5 God is displeased with the duties of wiked men Page 116 1 God blasts such men Page 117 2 God opens their eyes on their death bed to see what they have done Page 118 6 Those that sanctifie Gods name he will Sanctifie it in a way of mercy Page 119 SERMON VIII Of sanctifying Gods name in hearing of the word Page 161 Hearing the word is a part of Gods worship Page 162 1 We profess our dependance upon God for the knowing of his mind Page 163 2 In hearing we wait on God in the way of an Ordinance ibid In hearing the word 1 There must be preparation Page 165 Which is 1 To hear the word as the word of God Page 166 2 To hear the word as Gods Ordinance for our good ibid 2 To plow up the fallow ground of the heart and what is meant by it Page 168 3 Resolution to yeild to all truths delivered Page 170 4 A desire after the word ibid 5 Prayer before we hear the word Page 171 The behaviour of the Soul in hearing the word 1 Careful attention to it ibid Means to help attention ibid 2 An opening of the heart to receive it Page 175 3 Careful applying of the word ibid 4 It must be mixed with faith Page 177 How the word is to be mixed with Faith ibid SERMON IX 5 The word must be received with meekness Page 179 6 It must be heard with a trembling heart Page 181 7 With humble subjection to the word Page 182 8 It must be received with love and joy Page 184 9 It must be received into an honest heart Page 186 10 We must hide the word in our hearts Page 189 11 We must turne the word into practice Page 192 SERMON X Why God will be glorified in them that hear the word Page 195 1 Because there is so much of God in it ibid 2 God hath appointed it to convey special mercies ibid 3 It is quick and lively in working Page 196 Use 1 Reproof of severall sorts of men concerning the Word neglected Page 197 The fearfull
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
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
the world You will say If a man have business in the world how can this be Yes though they have business in the world yet they carry the Heavenliness of their hearts along with them Our Conversation is in Heaven saith the Apostle Phil. 3. Now the word that is translated our conversation it is a word that signifies our City converse our trading is in Heaven When we go to the City or the Exchange or about any business yet our trading is alwaies in Heaven But now there are other sorts of people that had need at all times to look to their hearts in way of preparation As First Those that first set upon the duties of Religion young beginners that begin at first to set their faces towards Heaven to worship God they had need look to their hearts they should spend some time in Preparation when they come to holy duties and the truth is when the conscience of a man or woman is at first enlightened and awakened they will be very carefull in preparing to holy duties the fear of God it is mighty upon their spirits at first and it should not be less afterward the constancy of Gods fear should bring their hearts to such a holy temper as to make them fit for holy duties alwaies Secondly Those men and women that at any time shall sin against conscience shall commit such sins as shall in a kind even lay wast Conscience shall break their peace between God and their souls they had need spend some time in preparation for holy duties they cannot come into the presence of God to enjoy communion with God but they had need before hand be very serious in the examination of their hearts and to endeavour the working of their hearts into mourning for their sinne and to labour to possesse their souls with the presence of God even before they come These two sorts of people such as have not been acquainted with the wayes of godliness or such as have broken their peace with God by some evill carriage of theirs towards God in some vile way I say it is required of them to be more solemne in the worke of Preparation 2 But now for the Second Case which indeed is the main Suppose when we come to duties and begin to examine our hearts and begin to bethink our selves whether we be prepared yea or no to holy duties and we do not find our hearts prepared according to that that we do desire Whether then we may let the duty go for that time and forbear the performance of it as suppose Prayer or receiving the Sacrament or coming to the Word or any other holy duty And the reason of this doubt is because when any man or woman is consciencious they think with themselves that they must Sanctifie Gods Name in holy duties now if they cannot find their hearts in a fit disposition to sanctify the Name of God in holy duties they are ready to think thus Were it not better to neglect his duty and lay it aside for the present Will God accept of a duty when I perform it and am not fit for it Therefore for the answer to this because it is a temptatation that sometimes carnal hearts have and they are ready to take this temptation and willing to neglect the duty upon such a thoughts as this that they are not prepared And the truth is they are more glad to let the duty fall than they are sorry for want of the preparation of their hearts for the duty I beseech you consider of this whether you have not found it so that sometimes when you have not been fit to performe a holy duty there hath not been a more secret willingness of the heart to let the duty go than a sorrow of the heart because you are not fit for the duty This is a very evil sign that the heart is very much distempered Those that are godly indeed when they find not their hearts prepar'd for the duty it is the trouble of their souls it is that that goes neer to their hearts when they think with them selves that they are now like to lose a duty of the Worship of God they are now like to lose their communion with God in a holy duty they even look upon themselves in an evil case in regard of this and it makes them watchful for time to come to take heed of those things that have put them in such an unpreparation as they find their hearts to be in at this time Now if it be so with thee it is a good sign that thy heart may be upright with God though through infirmity it comes at such a time to be unprepared for the duty But yet suppose I find I am not prepared I am griev'd and troubled at it for that must be premised whether were I better to leave the duty for this time than to fall upon it in such an unpreparation as this is Now for the Answer to this Question 1 First That which I would answer to it is this The omission of a duty or the laying of a duty aside will never fit the soul for a duty afterwards it is no way to make thy soul more fit afterwards because thou hast laid it aside now for the present do but observe your own hearts that way and you wil finde this by experience Such a time you have been buâ—e in the world and occasions have hindred you so as your heart is out of temper and frame for a duty you lay it asâ—de now are you more fâ—t the next day If you do neglect duty in the morning upon any business are you fitter to perform duty at night because of it â— you will not find it to be so The forbearing a duty now will not make the Soul fitter for a duty afterwards â—â—erefore it is no wisdom to forbear a duty for want of preparation because the forbearance will never help to further preparation but will make the Soul more unfit for duty It is an excellent speech that I read that Luther hath concerning himself I have learned this by experience that the oftener I do omit duty the oftener do I make my self the more unfit for duty and cause I have to abhor my self It is not the deferring that makes thee the more fit 2 Therefore consider that this is but a temptation and that is the Second thing that I would propound to those that shall omit a duty because they are not prepared That this is but a Temptation to keep thee from it to tell thee that thou art not prepared and if thou shalt forbear it because thou art not prepared in this thing thou doest gratifie the Devil and the Devil hath what he would have and so would be encouraged to tempt thee another time because he hath now what he would have in causing thee to forbear the duty First he laboureth to unfit thee for it and then he tempts thee to forbear it because thou art unfit this
God to have As now in the duty of Praise Psa 66.2 Make his praise glorious that is do it so as you may lift up His Name in it and that God may be glorious in your praise And Rom. 1.21 there the Apostle speaking of the Heathens he doth rebuke them For what It was for this because that when they knew God they glorified him not as God neither were thankful now this is spoken especially of the worship of God for he saith afterwards ver 23. that they changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible men c So that it 's spoken of the worship of God that they glorified not God as God That is then to sanctifie Gods Name to glorifie God as God and therefore our Savior in the 4. of John when he spake to the woman of Samaria he tels her that God is a Spirit and must be worshipped in spirit and truth that is we must labour to suit our worship to what there is in God that our worship may be proportionable in some measure even to the nature of God himself And therefore God being a Spirit his Worship mu â— be a Divine Worship I have read of some of the Heathens that did worship the Sun for a God and they would offer to the Sun somewhat sutable therefore because they did so admire at the swiftness of the motion of the Sun they would not offer a snail to the Sun but a flying horse a horse with wings now a horse is one of the swiftest creatures and the strongest creature to continue in motion for a long time together and they added wings to the horse and they thought that sutable to be a sacrifice for the Sun So when we come to worâ— ip God that is to Sanctifie his Name we must behave our selves so as to give him the glory that is fit for a God to have As now in those three particular which I opened to you when I shewed you wherein we draw nigh to God This was one I told you that when we come to Worship God we come to tender up some present to God now then we must tender up such a present as is sutable to Gods excellency If a man should come to a poor man to give a present if it were not worth twelve pence yet it may be taken well but if you were to tender up a present to a Prince a Monarch an Emperour then you must tender a present that is fit for the quality of the person Therefore in Malachi 1.8 When the Lord rebukes them for their Sacrifices that they were such poor things Go saith God and tender up this to your Governour and see whether he will accept of it or no. So certainly that which may be accepted of by a mean man would be accounted a scorn if you should tender it up to a Prince or an Emperour Now when we come to Worship God we must consider that we are to tender up our service to God who is the great King of Kings and Lord of Lords But you will say Is it possible for any creature when it comes to tender up it's worship to God to tender up that which is fit for a God to have This may rather be a discouragement unto Prayer or any other duty of Worship than an incouragement To that I Answer thus Though we be very poor and mean yet it doth not hinder but we may tender up that to God which God wil acknowledge to be sutable to his infinit excellency as First If we tender up to God all that we have Though we be never so poor and mean yet if God hath the strength of our souls God accepts it For we are to know that God doth not stand in need of what we have or of what we do but that we might shew our respect to him Therefore if we give al that we have God accepts it As a Child if it puts forth all it's strength that it hath to do a busines which the father bids him whether the busines be done or no the father looks upon it and accepts it as sutable to the childs strength and it shews the respect that the child hath to his fa her And as it is stâ—â—ied of an Emperour that when a poor man had nothing to offer him but a little water that he had taken up with his hand he having nothing else the Emperour accepts of it So that s that which God looks for that the Creature should lift him above all If therefore when thou comest to worship God God hath more of thy heart than ever any creature in the world had God accepts of that and that you must look unto Can you say so when you go to Worship God Lord it is true there is much weaknes in my spirit but thou that knowest al things knowest That thou hast more of my heart than ever any creature in the world had This is sutable to God God wil account this in the Covenant of grace to be a present sutable to Himself As in the Law when they offered to the building of the Temple every one could not offer gold and silver and precious â—â—ones but some came and offered Badgers-skins and some women did spin and offered Goats-haire to the building of the Temple and so God accepted of that being the most they could do 2 In the Second place When we do not only offer unto God the most we can but when we adde to this the grief of our Souls that we can do no more when the Soul shall strive to the uttermost it can and when it hath done all saith I am an unprofitable servant Oh that I could do more This is sutable to God 3 Thirdly The People of God though they be weak yet the weakest Servant of God is able to offer up to God somewhat that is sutable to the infinite Majesty of God upon this Third Ground because there is a kind of impression of Gods infinitnes in those services that a gracious heart doth tender unto God and therefore sutable unto God You will say God is an Infinite Glorious God Be it so He is Infinit that 's certain but the duty of Worship that a gracious heart tenders unto God it hath an impression of Gods infinitness upon it How is that If that can be made out then indeed we may be encouraged to Worship God Thus That that a gracious heart tenders up to God hath an impression of His inf nitness in this regard because as God hath no limits of His Being so a gracious heart when it comes to worship God will not propound any limit or boundâ— but in the desires of it would â—ain be enlarged infinitly if it could If it were possible for a creature to be enlarged to God infini ly it would be Here lies I conceiâ—e the main difference between the most glorious Hypocrite in the world and one that hath true Grace yea that hath but
offered to God without spot that our consciences might be purged from dead works that we might be purged from that natural filthinesse and uncleannesse in which we all were for the whole world doth lie in filth as a carrion doth lie in his slime Now if we would worship God so as to Sanctifie him we must apply Christ to our Souls and get our conscience purged from dead works and to have the Spirit of Christ in us to quicken up our hearts in the waies of holiness to have the Image of Jesus Christ in us whereby we may be holy according to our proportion even as he himself is holy this is the Sanctifying of the heart There must be an habitual Sanctification and an actual Sanctification of the heart An Habitual that is that the heart must be changed through the work of Regeneration there must be a Regeneration in the heart there must be Divine Principles of the Graces of the Spirit of God in the heart But you will say May not an unregenerate man Pray To that I Answer It is true it is his duty to pray Poure forth thy wrath vpon the Heathen and upon the families that call not upon thy Name But it 's as true that they cannot Sanctifie Gods Name in doing of it But if we would Sanctifie Gods Name in it there must be an Habitual holiness in the heart for every thing doth act according to it's principles in nature it is so and so doth the heart when it comes to Worship God it doth act according to the principles that it hath And then there must not only be Habitual Sanctification but Actual Sanctification likewise as in Exod. 19.10.11 there you see what ado there was to fit them for the hearing of the Law because God was to come among them God is to come among us and we are to come to God when we are to performe holy duties therefore it is not enough to have Grace but there must be an improving of Grace there must be an acting of Grace not only when you come to receive the Sacrament to think that then there must be an acting of Grace but every time you pray and hear there must be an acting of Grace A purging out of your corruptions and an acting of Grace So that one cannot Sanctifie Gods Name in holy duties unless he come thu far to be able to say Lord thou that knowest all things knowest there is nothing that thou doest reveal to be contrary to thy will but my heart is against it that 's the least the 〈◊〉 not have any peace of conscience in drawing nigh 〈…〉 till thou come thus far to have thy heart to work 〈…〉 and to be set upon every good that God reveals to be his mind You know when a man of quallity comes to your house what a deal of stir there is not only in sweeping but in making all things as clean and tire and shining as possible can be Thus it should be when thou comest to God And the Reason why there must be this Sanctifying of the heart is 1 First Because the Lord doth first accept of the person before he doth accept of the Action Men indeed do accept of the persons of men because they do good actions but God accepts of the actions of men because their persons are good If indeed we see a man do good then we love him and accept of the person of the man but God first will accept of the person before the Action As the Lord acepted of Abel first and then he accepted his offering So you must look to that to have your persons first accepted of God before any duty can be accepted You think though you be wicked and sinful yet if you amend your life God will accept of you you go that way to work but certainly that is the wrong way you must first look after means of acception of your persons which is through the Righteousness of Jesus Christ and through the Sanctification ot his Spirit whereby you come to have his Image and life and so are accepted and then all that proceeds from you comes to be accepted There is not any action which comes from you that comes to be accepted to eternal life until your persons be accepted before God and therefore there must be a Sanctifying of the heart before there can be a Sanctifying the Name of God in the duties of his Worship Therefore when you come to performe any duties of Gods Worship you should consider this Is my heart Sanctified I must Sanctifie Gods Name and how can I do that except my heart be Sanctified 2 Secondly Our hearts must be â—anctified because the Lord doth look more to the principle from whence a thing comes than at the thing it self As indeed were our hearts right as they should then all the good things that come to us we would not so much regard what the things are that we do enjoy from God as what the principle is from whence they come that is Whether what we do enjoy from God is from the love of God in Jesus Christ or no Whether it be from the generall Bounty and Patience of God or from the special Love of God in Jesus Christ Our hearts would regard that most if we were Spiritual now then look as a godly man is not satisfied with enjoying any good thing from God except he knows it comes from a principle of Love to him in Jesus Christ So God is not pleased with any thing that comes from us except he knows that it comes from a principle of Love Grace and Holiness in our hearts 3 Thirdly According as the heart is so will the Service be Certainly if the heart be unclean the duty will be unclean perhaps the words may be fine and brave but if there be an unclean heart the duty will be unclean As it is with a man that hath the Plague suppose he makes a brave Oration yet his breath is infectious so it is in our Services with God If so be that our hearts within us have the plague then certainly the breath that comes from us all our duties will be unclean and therefore that is the first thing that we are to look for in the Sanctifying Gods Name in holy duties Look to have thy heart Sanctified and consider from what principle it comes 't is for want of this that thousands of our duties are cast aside and God never doth regard them But this is the first Particular there are many more to speak of SERMON V. LEVITICUS 10.3 I will be Sanctified in them that come nigh me WEE Proceed The next thing therefore for the behaviour of the Soul in the Sanctifying Gods Name in Worship is this When we come to Worship God if we would Sanctifie Gods Name we must have high thoughts of God we must look upon God as He is upon His Throne in Majesty and in Glory as in Isa 6.1 2. you shal find that the Prophet saw
the praise of men to be thy God for whatsoever thou doest lift up in the highest place that 's thy God whatsoever it be therefore if thou liftest up the praise of men and makest that thy end thou makest that thy God and so thou art a worshipper of men but not a worshipper of God Thirdly Take heed of making Self thy end there are some that are not so base low in their hearts as to make the praise of men their end but they aime and look at themselves that is they aime at their own peace and satisfying their own Consciences in the performance of duties now though it 's true when we performe duties of Gods Worship we may expect to receive some good to our selves and we may be incouraged to the duties by the expectation of good to our selves yet we must look higher we must look at the honor and praise of God that the Name of the blessed God may be honored Now I am going to Prayer Oh that I may pray so as I may lift up Gods Name I am going to Hear Oh that I may hear so as God may be honored by my hearing 't is this that carries me on to hearing the Word and makes me rise readily and to go forth cheerfully I hope that God may have some honour by my hearing this day God knows that this is the thing that I aim at I do not come for company nor to be seen of men neither do I come meerly to satisfie mine own Conscience Others go and hear such Truths of God as do good to their Souls and if I should neglect them meerly for mine own ease my Conscience would not let me be quiet howsoever there are many whose Consciences will be quiet enough though they lose an opportunity in the Worship of God but yet there are others whose Consciences cannot do so their Consciences would tell them when they are lying and turning themselves upon their beds How do you know but that God had something to speak to thy heart this morning that may never be spoken to thy heart at any other time therefore they cannot be at quiet except they attend upon God in the duties of his Worship but still this is not enough meerly to satisfie Conscience thy main end it must be that thou mayest this day know some part of the mind of God that God may speak to thy heart that so thou mayest be fitted to honour the name of God that thou mayest be inabled to live to his honour the week following so much the better As in this manner thy thoughts should be Lord I find a drossie carnal heart I am busie in the world in the week time and I find that my heart is sullied and defiled with the businesse of the World and intangled but Lord thou hast appointed thy Sabbath and Word to be a means to Sanctifie my heart and to clense it Oh Lord communicate thy grace to my Soul through thy Ordinances upon this day that so I may be inabled the week following the better to live to thine honour Lord I come into thy presence to that end that I might know some part of thy Will and that I might get thy Spirit to be conveyed through this Word of thine into my heart this should be thy end when ever thou comest and not only Self I will give you two or three Scriptures to shew that God regards little any duties where self is the highest end the First is in Hos 7.14 They howled upon their beds saith the Text there but they cryed not to me The Lord there did acknowledge that they were very much affected in their Prayers but what was it it was but a howling upon their beds and how so it was because only they did cry for themselves They have not cryed unto me saith the Lord with their heart when they howled upon their beds It was but meerly for Corn and Wine and Oyle but not unto me they aim'd at themselves and not at me And in Amos 5.22 there the Lord professes that he did reject the fat of their peace-offerings Though ye offer me saith he burnt-offerings and your meat-offerings I will not accept them neither will I regard the peace-offerings of your fat beasts They were careful to offer their fattest beasts in their peace-offerings and will not God regard them It was in their peace-offerings that they offered their fat beasts and there they were to eate a great part of it themselves Indeed the burnt-offering was wholly offered unto God God had all that but the peace-offering those that did offer it they did eat a great part of it themselves now they were very careful in those offerings that they were to partake of themselves to offer fat beasts you do not see that the Holy-Ghost takes any notice of fat beasts in their burnt-offerings Now the Note from hence is this That in those things where men are interested themselves they will be very careful to have the best things But now the Lord rejected the fat beasts of their peace-offerings saith God You were very careful to offer fat beasts in your peace-offerings where you may feed your selves but for those offerings wherein I have all there you are not so careful and therefore I regard them not The Third Scripture is in Zach. 7.5 there they did keep many daies in seeking of God is is an observable Scripture for these times Speak unto all the People of the Land and to the Priests saying When ye fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh month even those seventy yeers Did ye at all fast unto me even unto me Mark the phrase you fasted in the fifth and seventh month and for seventy yeers together but saith the Lord Did you at all fast unto me and then mark how it is doubled To me even unto me Noting that when we fast or pray or do any thing in the Worship of God we should be sure to aime at God more than our selves that God may not say of us another day Do you do it to me even to me You may ask me this Question How may I know that I am acted by self-ends in holy duties for it is a hard thing for one to know ones own heart when one it acted by principles of self and when we aim at God in holy duties Now for that I will give you these notes to try whether you be acted from your selves or no. The First is this If a man loves holy duties though he finds no present good comes in by them because they are such things as God requires and therefore though I get nothing by them yet this is enough to carry me on and to carry me on readily and willingly in the Worship of God those that can delight in Gods Worship even at that time though they find nothing coming in to themselves But now when we find not that coming in that we do desire we begin to be weary of Worship and say
from the thoughts and apprehensions of all excellencies in our selves we must not come in the pride of our hearts because we have abilities more then others what do all thy parts commend thee to God thou hast ability in expressing of thy self in Prayer why do thy parts commend thee to God Whatever is natural in any of our duties is nothing to God only that which is from his own Spirit and therefore thou shouldest come in thine own thoughts as vile as if thou hadest no parts and abilities at all I ay aside all such apprehensions of thy self for the truth is some poor broken hearted sinner that can but sigh out a few groans to God and is not able to speak two or three sentences together in a right language but only breath out his Soul to God may be a thousand thousand times more acceptable to God than thou that art able to make great Orations when thou comest before him 3 Thou must come without any righteousness of thy own thou must never come into Gods presence but as a poor worm and if there be any difference that is made between thee and others in outward respects it is nothing to thee when thou art in the presence of God thou art as a base vile worm though thou beest a Prince or Emperour 4 Thy heart must be taken off from what thou doest If thou hast any abilities of grace yet thy heart must be taken off there there may be pride not only from ones parts but it may be God hath given me enlargements in Prayer the Devil will come in and seek to puffe up thy heart even because of this But thy heart must be taken off there and thou must deny thy self in all when thou hast done the best service of all yet thou must conclude thou art an unprofitable servant when thou hast prayed the best yet rise with shame and take heed of having thy heart puft up even through the assistance of the graces of the Spirit of God in holy duties 5 Lastly Thou must come with a humble resignation of thy self to God to be content to wait upon God as long as he pleases to wait upon God in regard of the time and of the measure and of the manner of the Communication of himself in regard of the means by which he will please to communicae himself wait upon him Let me have mercy though at the last hour This now is an humble heart in Prayer and when we come with such a poverty of Spirit as this is we may expect that the Lord will accept of us Give this poor man somewhat will God say This poore man cryed and the Lord heard him In the Seventh place we must bring that which is Gods own in Sanctifying Gods Name I spake to this before in the Point of Preparation Viz. That in Gods Worship we must give him his own I will only mention it here in the Sanctifying of God Name in two regards 1 First To give God his own for the matter of it 2 Secondly To give God his own that is what comes from the work of his own Spirit or else we do not Sanctifie Gods Name I will give you one text further about the matter of it in Exod. 39. if you read the Chapter you shall find that there is ten times said that they did as God had commanded Moses And then in the close of the Chapter when they had done as God had commanded in his Worship the text saith Moses blessed them That people is a blessed people that do observe the Worship of God as God hath commanded them But the main thing is all that we do it must acted by the Spirit of God it is not enough to have true silver and gold but it must have the right stamp or else it cannot go for current coyn And so it is not enough that the things that we offer to God in His Worship be Gods own be what we have warrant for out of Gods Word but it must have the stamp of the Spirit of God In the Worship of God there be Two Questions that He wil ask First Who required this at your hands But then if you can Answer thus Thou O Lord didst require it It is well but then God hath another Question Whose Image and Superscription is this If thou canst not give an Answer to that it will be rejected too Thou must be acted by Divine principles in all that thou doest there must be the stamp of the Spirit upon that which is tendered to God else it is nothing To open this Point fully will ask some time First Therefore I will shew you how we may know when our duties are acted by our naturall parts rather than by the Spirit of God Secondly How we may know whether our duties be acted by natural Conscience rather than by the Spirit of God 1 First If thou art acted by naturall parts they will not change thy heart Men that do perform duties by the strength of natural parts they may be as large as others and speak to the edification of others but those duties do never change their hearts now if thou beest actd by the Spirit of God thou wilt be changed into the very Image of His Spirit 2 Secondly If men are acted by naturall parts they wil not carry them through difficulties and discouragements but now the Spirit of God if thou hast acted by Him though thou dost meet with never such difficulties and discouragements thou wilt be carried through them all 3 Thou mayest know it by this wherein dost thou account the excellency of a duty to consist either in thy self or others Thou performest a duty now it may be thy parts do act very lively and to thy credit and yet thy conscience tells thee that thy heart was streightened Now canst thou rise up with joy because thou hast thy ends At another time perhaps thy heart is more troubled and broken But thou doest not express thy self so much then thou art discouraged And when thou seest another perform a duty if thou seest but any failing in their expressions thou pitchest upon that and lookest upon it as a poor thing thou art not able to see an excellency in holy duties except there be an excellency of naturall parts but those that have the Spirit of God they can finde the Spirit of God acting in others though they have not such naturall parts 4 Those that are acted by their natural parts in secret they are less enlarged than they are before others a great deal Their parts act much before others But what is there between God and their own souls 5 They that be so acted will not be very constant you shal have young ones that begin to look towards Religion their parts are a little fresh and they are mightily enlarged in holy duties and the thing is good for them to make use of their parts but how ordinary it is that after a few yeers they are
deader and duller than they were before and have less mind to the duties of Gods Worship than they had formerly Were this the Spirit of God you would find as much savour and relish in them afterwards as there was at that time Secondly For naturall Consciences which sometimes puts men upon acting of duties and indeed is better than meerly natural parts 1 If it be only natural Conscience it puts upon duties but gives no strength to do them but when the Spirit of God puts thee upon a duty it gives thee some strength to performe it some strength whereby thou gettest some Communion with God 2. If it be natural Conscience it puts upon the duty but makes not the heart glad of the duty and to love the duty but if it be the Spirit of God it makes thee to delight in it and to love it 3 Thirdly If it be natural Conscience thou doest not by that increase thy communion with God thou doest thy duties as in a round but now when the Spirit of God puts thee upon holy duties it is not a task done but thou sindest more and more increase in Communion with God thy heart more raised to God and more closing with the Lord and so still more and more in the course of thy life I had a little converse with God at first when God began to acquaint my Soul with His wayes but through his mercy now I find more communion with Him and so thou canst bless thy self in God in that converse that thou hast in communion with Him thou wouldst not lose that Communion thou hast with God in holy duties for all the world others have their companions that they have their communion withal much good may do them but the Lord hath shewen me another manner of communion which my Soul can have with Himself in which it hath sweet satisfaction And thus you have had Seven Particulars for the Sanctifying of the Name of God in holy duties SERMON VI. LEVITICUS 10.3 I will be Sanctified in them that come nigh me Stepney Dec. 21. 1645. 4 AGAIN As Natural Conscience doth give no strength to do the duty so it makes not the duty to be strong to the Soul that is thus there 's no strength got by the duty they are not by one duty prepared for another But the way of the Lord is strength to the upright that is when a gracious heart is in the way of Gods Worship it finds the very duty of the Worship of God to be strength to it and so it fits it for another duty 5 Further A Naturall Conscience limits it's selfe and is bounded that is so much as will serve the turn for it 's own peace and quiet so much it will do and no more But when one is acted by the Spirit of God one is enlarged without any limits at all not bounded to ones own peace for the more peace a gracious heart hath in duty the more it is enlarged in duty Now a Natural Conscience that puts to duty and will act you when you want peace when you are in trouble and fear but when you are not in trouble and fear then it puts not on the heart to performance of duty but the Spirit of God puts on the Soule to dutie when there is most peace and comfort 6 A little will serve the turn to satisfie a natural Conscience so be it they performe the duty it is enough but one that is acted by the Spirit of God in duty must meet with much of God or else he is not satisfied he goes mourning in the day time if he hath not met with much of God in the morning in the performance of duty Thus you see there is much difference between the Actings of natural parts and conscience in duty and the Acting of the Spirit of God There be only now Two things more for the Sanctifying of Gods Name in duty and then we are to come to shew how we should Sanctifie Gods Name in duty in reference to the severall Attributes of God But First for those Two Heads Further 8 The Eight thing is this When you come to performe holy duties if you would Sanctifie Gods Name you must consecrate your selves to God there must be a resignation of soul and body estate liberty name and all you are have or can do unto God This is to Sanctifie Gods Name the consecration of your selves to God And the professing of this in the performance of duty when you are to pray were a very good thing actually to professe your selves to be Gods to professe that you do give up all that you are have or can do to God Lord I am thy servant take all Faculties of Soul and Members of body and improve all lay out all to thine own praise to the uttermost to bring glory to thy great Name If every time you came to God in prayer you did this this were to Sanctifie your selves to God I spake before of a Sanctified heart but now this is in a profession of your selves to God do it secretly at least in your own thoughts if you do not every time expresse it in words yet in your own thoughts do it devote your selves to God every day Of admirable use it would be if every day when men and women worship God either in their closets or families they did professedly devote and consecrate themselves to God and so likewise every time they came to hear the Word or to receive Sacraments God would account His Name to be Sanctified in such a work as this is 9 Lastly That that must make all up and witout which all the other is nothing it is that you must tender up all your worship in the Name of Jesus Christ let a man or woman worship God never so well yet when they have done all if they do not tender it up in the Name of Jesus Christ God will not account his Name to be Sanctified thou must by Faith look upon Jesus Christ as the glorious Mediator that is come into the world by whom thou hast access unto the Father And act thy Faith upon Christ and give up thy duties into his hand as the hand of a Mediator to be tender'd up to the Father by him though thou hast laboured what thou canst to performe duty as well as thou art able yet thou must not think to tender it up by thine own hand unto God but thou must tender it up to the Father by the hand of Jesus Christ the Mediator and so thou shalt Sanctifie the Name of God in holy duties We reade in Levit. 16.13 that when Aaron was to tender up the Incense he was to put the Incense on the fire before the Lord that the cloud of the Incense may cover the Mercy Seat that is upon the Testimony that he die not Mark it is as much as his life is worth whether he doth it or doth it not Now Incense it is in the NEW TESTAMENT called
Prayer and so in the OLD TESTAMENT too it was a kind of emblem of Prayer The offering up of our Prayers is the offering up of Incense to God and the Mercy Seat it was a Type of Jesus Christ Now the Incense should cover the Mercy Seat so our prayers must go up to Jesus Christ must be upon him and so must be accepted by the Father And as we read in Judg. 13.20 when Manoah offered a Sacrifice the text saith that the Angel of the Lord ascended in the flame This Angel of God here was Jesus Christ as we might eaâ—â—ly from this Scripture make it out and he ascends up in the flame from the Altar Now though we do not offer such kind of Sacrifices with Fire and Incense as they did in the time of the Law yet when we are offering up of our Incense there must be a flame of Fervency and Zeal But that is not enough together with the flame of the Altar the Angel of God Jesus Christ the great Angel of the New Covenant for Angel signifies nothing but Messenger the great Messenger that is come into the world about that great Errand of his to reconcile the world to himself he must ascend up in the flame and so God will account his Name to be Sanctified the Name of God is not Sanctified but through Jesus Christ The Acting of our Faith upon Christ as Mediator is a special ingredient to the Sanctifying of Gods Name in holy duties as you know the Scripture saith that the Altar doth Sanctifie the gift offered upon the Altar Jesus Christ is the Altar upon whom all our Spiritual Sacrifices are to be offered and this Altar doth Sanctifie the gift that is offered upon it let never so great a gift be offered upon any other Altar it was not accounted holy nor accepted so let men by their naturall strength or power that they have offer up the most glorious and speciousest Service to God It is not accepted unless it be offered up upon the Altar Jesus Christ we have an Altar now not the communion Table but Jesus Christ himself is our Altar upon whom we are to offer all our Sacrifices and this Altar must Sanctifie the gift we can never have our gift sanctifâ—ed no nor Gods Name sanctified in this gift except it be offered upon this Altar and our Faith acted upon Jesus Christ People little think of this but of other things viz. That when we worship God we should worship him with fear and reverence and with humility and with strength of Intention such kind of things every one that hath any enlightening of conscience will think of at some time or other but people do least think of this which is the greatest ingredient of all that is required in the Sanctifying of Gods Name in holy duties that is to come and tender up all to the Father in the Name of Jesus Christ How many men and women that have been Professors of Religion 20 or 30 yeers and yet not acquainted with this great mystery of godliness to tender up all to God in the Name of his Son This is that that upon divers occasions I have spoken unto and am willing upon every occasion as I meet with it to speak of because it is a principle part of the great mystery of the Gospel without which all our duties are rejected of God and cast away Now then put all these Nine things together and see by them what we ought to do that we may Sanctifie the Name of God in holy duties But there is something further to be spoken that may help you to Sanctifie Gods Name in holy duties and that is several workings of hearts suitable to the several Attributes of God for that is to Sanctifie Gods Name to have the duty to be such as is some way suitable to such a God as we are now worshipping Now then let us consider what the Scrip ure saith of God and then let us see what suitable dispositions we should have in us unto those things that the Scripture saith of God 1 First You know the Scripture saith that God is a Spirit in Joh 4.24 Then presently Christ saith That he that worships him must worship him in Spirit that is there must be a suitableness in our worship to what God is Is God a Spirit then all that worship him must worship him in Spirit and Truth that is thus When I am to go to worship God I must consider of him as he is an infinite and glorious Spirit well then surely bodily worship is not sufficient for me Though I do kneel down in Prayer or do come and present my body to hear the Word or my body to receive the Sacrament this is not to worship God as a Spirit If indeed that our God were as the Heathens that were corporeal then it were another matter then bodily worship would serve the turn but God being a Spirit he must have Spiritual Worship therefore my soul and all that is within me magnifie his Name saith David my Soul magnifie his Name not my lips only but my Soul The Apostle in 1 Tim. 4.8 saith that bodily exercise profits little it is no great matter for the body God looks but very little at bodily exercise but it is godliness that is profitable it is the work of the Spirit when we come to pray we must pray in the Spirit that is we must pray with our Souls we must poure forth our souls before God and when we come to hear our hearts must not go after our coveteousness we must set our hearts to what we hear we must hear with our hearts as well as with our ears our Souls must be at work in hearing of the Word when you hear it is not enough for you to come and fit in a Pew and have the sound of a mans voice in your eares but your Souls must be at work And so when you come to receive the Sacrament your Souls must feed upon Jesus Christ Bodily worship without Soul-worship is nothing but Soul-worship may be accepted without bodily worship therefore it is the Soul that God doth principally look at in holy duties If you be not able to worship God in your bodies you may worship him in your Souls and God regards that bodily exercise in holy duties is little worth somewhat it may be worth I confess sometime bodily exercise may further the soul as a reverend carriage of the body and the like but it is nothing in comparison the great work is the work of the Soul for God is a Spirit and must be worshipped in Spirit And God is said to be a Spirit not only in that he is not of so thick a Corporal substance but it notes the simplicity of God he is without any composition whatsoever is in God is God himself he is absolutely one there are not divers things in God now then those that come to worship him must worship him in Spirit and in Truth
that is there must not be a heart and a heart there must not be a compounded heart but you must bring simple hearts before God without any composition of dross in your selves and of any kind of falsness but in the simplicity of your hearts you must come to worship God and thus you shall worship him with such worship as is some way suitable to him as he is a Spirit 2 Further consider God as he is an eternal God what suitable disposition doth this require of me when I am to look upon God as an eternal being it requires this only That therefore thy heart must be taken off from all temporal good things and set upon that eternal good thou mayest indeed desire these outward good things but in order to thy eternal good Then further Thou art worshipping an eternal God hence then whatsoever sin thou doest confess although committed 20. or 40. yeers ago thou must look upon it as if it were now presently committed and be humbled as much before the Lord as if it were now committed at this present you will say Why so Because God is an Eternal God Yes For if I understand Gods Eternity I know that there is no succession in Gods being therefore the sins that I committed in my youth if I come to confess them they are before God as if they were now a doing in regard of time and therefore I must as much as I can look so upon them and be humbled for them as if they were sins lately committed Many people are troubled for their sins the very day after they commit them but a little time wears off their trouble but if you did consider that you had to deal with an eternal God then you would look upon your sinnes though a long time since committed as if they were but now done Likewise there will be this required from the consideration of Gods Eternity You must come with such a disposition of heart as not to think much though what you desired be deferred and not granted in your time when you would have it For if there be no time that alters with God but a thousand yeers are with God as one day then that that we account long before it s done it is nothing with God and therefore we must have our hearts so work towards God as towards an Eternal God as one with whom there is no alteration of time at all with whom there is no succession of time If we come to a man and seek any thing of him if he doth not answer us presently we will think that he will forget it and other things wil come into his mind but when we come to worship God we must look upon Him as an Eternal being and that time alters nothing with him Thus understanding God in a right way wil much help us in his worship and to Sanctifie His Name We cannot Sanctifie Gods Name without knowing His name without having serious thoughts about His Name and getting our hearts to work accordingly 3 Thirdly Look upon God when you come to Worship Him in His incomprehensible being that is as a God that fils all places His being is as real in the room that we are praying in the place that we are meeting in as it is in Heaven Now then when we come to worship Him we must consider that that infinit glorious being stands before us looks upon us is at our elbow and therefore especially when you Worship in Secret consider this it is good to consider it when you are with others but especially I say consider it when you are in secret and know that when you are most private you have one that looks on you and takes notice of you who is more than if you had ten hundred thousand witnesses standing by you and looking upon you For it is the Lord that stands by you and sees your behaviour sees what you do in your worshipping of Him take heed therefore that there be nothing done by you that is unbeseeming the presence of such a God as the Lord is Suppose that some of you were praying and there were some godly able Minister stood neer you it would be some means to stir up your hearts to mind what you did but now the Lord He is not in the next room only but in the same room and stands by you Lâ—t there be nothing done therefore unbeseeming the presence of that infinite holy God that stands by you and hold this Truth forth the Lord is present with me I acknowledge it and I own it and therefore I carry my self thus and all because I would witnes to Angels and men that I do accknowledg that the Lord is present with me in this duty 4 Fourthly Consider God is an unchangable God immutable That is another Attribute of God He is unchangeable First Therefore our hearts must be taken off from these mutable things and set upon God as that unchangable good Secondly We must be humbled for our fickleness and unconstantness there is no shadow of change in God and there is no shadow of constancy in us Thirdly When we come into the presence of a God who is unchangable then we should look upon God as being the same now that ever He was heretofore He hath as much displeasure against sin now as ever He had and that God that hath done such great things for His Church in former times is the same God to do good to His people as ever He was and make use of this When you reade the Word and there find how God hath made Himself appear to be glorious for His people and now every time I am to worship God I should think that I am to deal with God that is the same that ever he was as merciful and gracious and just and powerful as ever He was and so my heart is to work towards Him 5 Fiftly When I am to Worship God I am to look upon Him as the living God as that God that hath life in Himselfe and gives life unto his creatures Then what sutable behaviour doth become me I must come before His presence with fear It is a fearfull thing to fall into His hands that is the living God that hath my life under His feet He hath the absolute dispose of my present and eternal condition He gave me my life He hath preserved my life and so may take it away when He pleases and bring death eternal death unto me These things may marveilously help your meditation when you are to come before Him you who are barren in your meditations go over the Attributes of God thus and consider what you may be able to draw from thence God He is the living God What behaviour then doth beseeme me towards this living God Oh let me be afraid lest my Soul depart from the living God Let me bring a living Service to Him I must not bring a dead heart let me take heed how I come before the living God
Consider that thou comest to a merciful God And what should this work First It should make me come joyfully into his presence as a God that is willing to do good to his poor Creatures that are in misery Secondly It should make me to come with a heart senciable of the need of this mercy O Lord I have had my heart let out to other vain things heretofore but now Lord thy mercy it is that my Soul comes for as that wherein my cheif and only good consists Thirdly It should make me come with expectation of great things from God do not come unto God as unto an empty Vine but as unto a full Vine and the more thy Faith is raised to expect great things from God the more acceptable art thou to God Certainly the higher any ones faith is raised when they come into his presence to expect the greatest things the more acceptable It is otherwise with God then men if you come to men to beg a litle thing you may be welcome but if you come to ask a great matter they will look askew upon you but the truth is the greater the things are that we come to God for the more welcome are we into Gods presence and those that are acquainted with God they know it and therefore they come the more fully When they come to ask Jesus Christ himself and his Spirit that is more worth than ten thousand world they come with more freedom of Spirit than when they come to ask their healths and the like Fourthly It will be likewise another means of Sanctifying this Attribute of God when thou comest to him If thou doest come with a merciful heart towards thy brethren Take heed whensoever you come to worship God that you come not with a rugged and cruel heart towards any of your brethren therefore you find that Christ laies this upon you in teaching how to pray you must say Forgive us our trepasses as we forgive our brethren that trespass against us And you find it repeated again If you forgive then your heavenly Father will forgive and not otherwise As if Christ should say When you come to beg mercy be sure you bring merciful hearts Fifthly It is a good way to Sanctifie the Name of God in this Attribute for the Soul to be solicitous with it self What is that that will hinder me from the mercy of God and let me avoid it It is otherwise a taking of the Name of God in vain for me to come to profess what need I have of Gods mercy and yet for al that never regard to avoid those things that may hinder the work of his grace upon me 11 Consider the Justice of God that is another Attribute Consider that thou hast to deal with an Infinite Righteous and Just God Do not think that if thou beest a Beleever that thou hast nothing to do with the Justice of God for certainly thou art to Sanctifie the Justice of God Now you will say How should a Beleever Sanctifie the Justice of God Thus First He should be apprehensive and sencible how by sin he hath put himself under Justice and deserved the stroke of Justice to be upon him to eternity he should consider what he is in himself It is true that Jesus Christ hath come between a beleeving Soul and the justice of the Father and hath taken the stroke of justice upon himself yea but though he hath done it it doth not hinder but that thou shouldest be apprehensive of what thou hast deserved thy self Secondly Here is a special thing in the Sanctifying of the Justice of God When we come before him we should consider that we have to deal with an infinite Just God and therefore not to dare to come but through a Mediator Here you have the reason why we must tender up all in the Name of Christ because when we are to come before God we are to Sanctifie the Name of his justice For thee to think thus I have sinned and God is merciful and I will go and pray to him that he might be merciful and there 's an end Is this all Oh no God requires the Sanctifying of his Justice and there is nothing that doth Sanctifie his Justice so much as this That when a poor creature sees the infinite distance that sin hath made between that infinite God and it it sees that through sin it hath made it's self liable to Justice and when it sees that there is an absolute necessity that infinite justice must have satisfaction and thinks the sinner If it comes to me that I must satisfie the justice of God I am never able to do it but there is a Mediator and therefore I 'le fly to him and by Faith tender up to the Father all the merits of his Son as a full satisfaction to his infinite justice When thou comest thus before the Lord thou Sanctifest his Name indeed Many think that when they come to pray they should look upon Gods Grace and Mercy and not upon his Justice but thou must look upon both Another Attribute it is Gods Faithfulnesse Consider thou hast to deal with a God of Infinite Truth and Faithfulness and therefore look upon him as an object of thy Faith to rest upon And likewise thou must bring a faithful heart suitable some way to this faithfulness of God that is a heart faithful with him to keep within the Covenant that thou hast entered into and to performe all the Vows that thou makest with God Remember thou hast to deal with a faithful God and as the Lord delights to manifest his Righteousness to poor Creatures that seek his face so this God doth expect that thou shouldest be faithful in all the Covenants that thou doest make with him and this is to Sanctifie Gods Name Now then put all these Attributes of God together and there you have his Glory the infinitness of his Glory The shine and lusture of all the Attributes together is Gods Glory I have then to deal with a glorious God and let me labour to perform such services as many have a Spiritual glory upon them that some image of the divine lusture that there is in God may be upon my services and let me look for glorious things seeing I have to deal with such a glorious God You will say Here is a great deal of do in serving of God how much is here that we must do I appeal to any gracious heart what canst thou want of any of these or what wouldest thou want Doest thou say Here 's a great deal Can there be too much to make thee happy These things are not only thy duty but thy happinesse glory and excellency consists in them If any one should bring you a great many Jewels and Pearls would you say Here 's a great deal adoe Oh no the more the merrier So say I this one meditation would take off the thoughts of a great deal for in all these my happiness consists and
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
and the understanding from the prudent And that is the reason why so many great Scholars are blasted in their very parts because they would worship God according to the precepts of men in a formal way and so all hypocrites and formal worshippers the Lord doth blast them in one way or other the judgments of God upon the spirits of men were sometimes in the time of the Law But in the times of the Gospel there we find generally the judgments of God to be more spiritual upon the hearts and consciences of men we find it by experience God doth discover that he doth not accept of such as those are and therefore when you see any that have made profession of Religion that had excellent Parts at first many common Gifts and now are as we say no body Remember this Text That God will be Sanctified in those that come nigh Him Secondly The Lord doth manifest that he wil be Sanctified in those that draw nigh him by awaking their consciences many times upon their sick beds and death beds the Lord doth force them to give glory to him and there to acknowledge that they did not worship God in Uprightness but in Formality And now they are in horrour of conscience and cry out in the anguish of their souls upon the apprehension of the dreadfull wrath of God that is upon them Take heed for the Lords sake of this thing when you are performing of the duties of Worship do not rest in the outward duties for they will never comfort you upon your sick and death beds you may perhaps put off your consciences a little for the present but when you come upon your sick beds there will be no comfort unto you and then you will be forced to say wel all this while I have but taken the Name of God in vain and now God hath rejected me and all my services and you will then speak to those that come about your beds side and bid them take warning by you take heed that when you worship God you worship him to purpose I have spent time in prayer and hearing but for want of this I find I have no comfort at all but the Lord appears to be terrible to my soul and comes out against me as an enemy I say now Gods Name is Sanctified whatever becomes of thee he will force glory from thee one way or other and it may be even here in this time of thy life but how ever at the great day when the secrets of all hearts must be disclosed before men and Angels then the Lord will appear to be a holy God by rejecting all such services that thou didest tender up to him and it will then be a great part of the work of the day of Judgment for God to be Sanctified in those that did worship him by declaring before men and Angels how He did reject such formal and hypocritical worship that they did tender up unto him Oh that God would strike this upon your hearts that it may abide upon you every time you come to worship Him to think thus Let me look to it to Sanctifie His Name now for I hear that God will Sanctifie it Himself if I do not do it But then on the other side If so be that thou makest conscience of Sanctifying Gods Name in duties then he will Sanctifie his Name in a way of Mercy that is He will manifest how he doth accept of the least degree of holines though there be much mixture God hath a way to take away the mixture by the blood of his Son and then to accept of any holiness He sees in thee He will Sanctifie his Name by meeting with thee and revealing His glory to thee when thou art worshipping of Him There is an excellent Scripture for this Exod. 29.43 There I will meet with the Children of Israel and the Tabernacle shall be Sanctified by my Glory Thou that hast a gracious heart and art worshipping of God in Sincerity thou art as a Tabernacle of God and God hath His Service and Worship from thee thou art as the Temple of God and there will I meet with thee saith God and I will Sanctifie my Tabernacle by my Glory God wil sanctifie thy heart by his Glory if thou dost Sanctifie his Name Further Thou shalt it may be not alwaies have such glorious comforts the full beams of the Sun rising upon thee but at one time or other the Lord will break in upon thee and manifest his Glory to thee and it 's like if thou hast not such full comforts now yet upon thy sick-bed though God doth not then alwaies manifest Himself fully for sometimes the disease may be a hinderance yet it is ordinary that those that in their constant way did Sanctifie Gods Name in holy duties they do lie comfortably upon their sick beds and a glorious entrance is made for them into the everlasting Kingdome of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ And then again All things are Sanctified unto them as on the other side those that do not sanctifie Gods Name al things are cursed to them if thou doest not make Conscience of sanctifying Gods Name in duties God cares not to sanctifie any thing for thy good But now those that make conscience of Sanctifying Gods Name in holy duties the Lord takes care that all things shall be Sanctified for their good for the furtherance of their eternal good And however it be here yet hereafter at the great day of Judgement it will be a part of the glory of God to manifest before Men and Angels how He did accept of those holy services that thou didst tender up to Him when hypocrites shall be cast away and abhor'd and thou who had'st an upright sincere heart shalt be owned before God and before Men and Angels at that great Day and God shall say Well it is a part of the glory of my Holiness to make it appear that I have accepted of these holy things that these my poor servants have tendered up to me And this now is of marveilous use for the comforting of a gracious heart those duties that thou doest now think thou hast lost and there will nothing come of them thou shalt certainly hear of them another day God will make it appear there is nothing that He stands more upon than the glory of his Holiness and it is the glory of his Holiness that is thy strength in this thing and that makes it certain to thee that there must be a manifestation of thy acceptance and therefore take these Truths into thy heart about Sanctifying the Name of God You have had only the Point in generall opened to you Oh that the Spirit of God would bring things unto your remembrance SERMON VIII LEVITICUS 10.3 I will be Sanctified in them that come nigh me WEE have as you may remember Preached many SERMONS upon that Point of Sanctifying the Name of God in the duties of his Worship We have spoken
not so bad as you hear it is a cursed comfort that hath no sure bottome Grant that respect therefore to the Word 3 Thirdly consider this It may be I do not see cleerly that these things are so which are delivered I do not see enough to beleeve them now but what if I were now dying What if I were now going to receive the sentence of my eternal doome would I not then beleeve these things Would I not then think what I hear out of the word to be true It is an easie matter for men to reject the word while they have their healths and prosperity But if you were to die and upon your sick and death bed if you saw the infinite ocean of eternity before you what would you say then were the Word true yea or no would you give beleif unto the suggestions of the Devil then We find it by experience That men that could easily cast off the word in their healths yet when they have come to lie upon their sick bed and death bed they found the word true Beleeve it now as well as then 4 Consider If thou doest not beleeve what a case art thou in Am I worse than the Devils themselves The Scripture tels me That the Devils beleeve and tremble Why Lord do I come to hear Sermons and am I more hard to beleeve than the very Devils themselves They do beleeve that word that I cast off and they tremble at it but my Soul is not at all stirred as if there were no reallity in such things that have been spoken to me There be other things which may further help us towards beleeving of the word of God but these shall suâ—â—â—ce And certainly my brethren till we come to this to beleeve the Word though we should sit under it many yeers it will do us little good and we shall never Sanctifie the Name of God in the hearing of it SERMON IX LEVITICUS 10.3 I will be Sanctified in them that come nigh me THE next thing for the right behaviour of the Soul for Sanctifying Gods Name is this We must receive the Word with meeknesse of Spirit that you have in Jam. 1.21 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness and receive with meekness the ingrafted word which is 〈…〉 save your souls Receive with meekness The former part of his Scripture I confess concerns some what that was before about the preparation of the Soul and we shall perhaps afterwards in the Application come to open the former part of this vers Lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness But only now we quote the place for this Receive with meekness the ingrafted Word which is able to save your souls Let there be a quietness in your spirits in attending upon the Word no hurring There is a twofold di emper of passion in many people that is a great hindrance to the profit of the Word and Sanctifying Gods 〈…〉 hearing it 1 The First 〈◊〉 distemper of Passion in those that have some trouble of conscience in them they are troubled for their sin and their spirits 〈◊〉 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 sure with their hearts and if they do not find present comfort by it their spirits are in a distemper and frowardness 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 sutable to me at this time yet I may at another time let me attend with meekness let me receive every thing with meekness the Word is above me and if ever I have good it must be by the Word at last It doth much concern those that are in trouble of Conscience to have meek 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 tells 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 reade 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 took a pen-knife and cut it in pieces and threw it into the fire in anger and I have read that the Jewes kept a Fast every yeer to mourne for that great sin yet this Jehoiakim was the son of Josiah whose heart did melt at the hearinng 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 dishonor to the Name of God for men to give liberty to their Passions to rise against the Word take hâ—ed of Passion either while you are hearing the word or after the word as many of you while 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 himselfe 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 meek 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 meekness and for that you have that famous Scripture in Isa 66. beginning Thus saith the Lord The Heaven is my Throne and the Earth is my foot-sâ—ool where 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 Mark how God lifts up Himself in His Glory so great a God as the Heaven is my Throne and the Earth is my foot-stool 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 than 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 foot-stool 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 than 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 trembls at His word He regards them more than 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 dreadful Authority that there is in the word of God when we are able to see more glory of God in His Word than in all the works of God besides for there is more of his glory in the word than 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 strike terrour into all your hearts but know that there is more of the dreadfulness of Gods Name in His word than 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 signe of a Spiritual enlightened Soul that can see the Name of God more magnified in His Word than 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 than 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 than he hath seen in all the works of God besides and his heart hath bin more taken with it It requires therefore a trembling frame of heart when we hear it And then further When this is considered that the Word is that which bindeth the soul over either to life or death mens eternal estates are to be cast by the Word certainly then it requires a trembling heart to hear that by which the eternal estate of man is to be cast we do not Sanctifie Gods Name when we come to hear the Word except we come with trembling hearts and they are the most likely of all men and women to understand the mind of God as for such as come with conceited spirits that they understand as much before they come and think their reach of wit or capacity is beyond the capacity of any that shall open the Word unto them yet that were not so much if 〈◊〉 did but only rest upon the man and not reflect upon the word it self Now these that are rich in their own thoughts and understandings are sent empty away but those that come wiâ—h trembling hearts to the Word they are the men that are like to understand Gods Counsels revealed in His word In Ezra 10.2 3. Shechaniah the Son of Jehiel one of the Sons of Elam answered said unto Ezra we have transgressed against our God have taken strange wives c. Yet now there is hope in Israel concerning this thing now therefore let us make a covenant with our God according to the counsel of my Lord and of those that tremble at the Commandement of our God So that those that tremble at Godâ— Word are such as are fitest to counsel they understand most of Gods mind and that 's another particular of the behaviour of the Soul in Sanctifying Gods Name in hearing his Word 7 The next is a humble subjection to the Word that we hear our hearts must bow to it must lie under the word that we hear it is a very remarkable Scripture that we have in 2 Chron. 6.12 There it is said concerning a great King Zedekiah He did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord his God and humbled not himself before Jeremiah the Prophet speaking from the mouth of the Lord. It is a very strange expression as any we have in the Book of God that Zedekiah a great King should be charged with this as a great sin that he did not humble himself Humble himself before whom you will say We are boud to humble our selves before God but here it is that he did not humble himself before Jeremiah the Prophet Why before the Prophet Because he spake from the mouth of the Lord. If it be any messenger that speaks from the mouth of the Lord God expects that we should humble our selves so that if any truth comes to be delivered unto you the Lord expects that you should fall down and yeeld obedience to it whatsoever your thoughts your judgements your opinions have heretofore been it there come any thing in the word against it you must submit your judgments submit your very consciences you must submit your wills whatsoever your hearts have been set upon though it hath been never so contentful to your spirits before yet now submit and yeeld though it go never so cross unto your minds your wils your ends yet all must be submitted and laid down flat before the Word so as to be willing to deny your selves of any thing in the world When a man or woman can say thus Lord it is true I confess before I heard thy word opened in the evidence and demonstration of the Spirit unto me I was of such a mind and my heart went after such and such contentments and I thought it was impossible that ever my heart should be taken from them but O Lord thou hast been pleased plainly to shew to me by the opening of thy Word in the evidence of thy Spirit what thy mind is Now whatsoever becomes of my name of my comforts of my contentments in this world Lord here I cast down all before thee I submit unto thy Word this is a gracious
I mention it to shew what a power there is in the consciences of men about this Ordinance this ordinarily is one of the first things that strikes upon the souls of men when they come to have their Consciences awakened Oh how have I prophaned the Name of God in the Ordinance of the holy communion and have not Sanctified his Name in it That God should be Sanctified in this Ordinance that 's cleer enough But now the great work is which is the third thing which I promised to shew how we should sanctifie God Name in this Ordinance Certainly the Name of God hath bin much taken in vain there hath bin a great deal of pollution in the use of this Ordinance and in mens Spirits when they have bin exercising themselves in such an holy Ordinance as this is therefore I will open this to you and shall not be very large in it only to shew you the maine and principal things that may serve for the direction of us that the Name of God may not be so taken in vain and dishonoured as heretofore and I shall cast what I intend to speak of into these particulars 1 That whosoever was to partake of this must be holy himself none can sanctifie God but he must have a sanctified heart himself Secondly This Ordinance it must be received in a holy Communion There must be a Communion of Saints for this Ordinance and it cannot be received any where else but in a Communion of Saints Thirdly The holy disposition of soul particularly or the qualifications of soul that are required for the sanctifying of Gods Name in this Ordinance Fourthly the manner of the explicite goings out of the soul that there are to be at that very time of receiving Fifâ—hly The keeping of the institution of Christ in our receiving These things are required for the sanctifying of the Name of God in this Ordinance For the first Those that come must be holy themselves This is an Ordinance not appointed for conversion to make holy others that are not converted may come to the word because the word it is appointed to work conversion 't is appointed to work Grace to work the first grace Faith comes by hearing but we do not find in all the Scripture that this is appointed for conversion but it supposes conversion none are to come to receive this Sacrament but men and women that before are converted by the word the word first therefore is to be preached to men for their conversion and then this is an Ordinance appointed for to seal them therefore in the Primitive times they let all come to hearing of the word and then when the Sermon was done there was an Officer stept up and cried holy things for holy men and then all others were to go out and therefore it was called missa though the Papists did corrupt it and so called it the masse afterwards by mixing their own inventions in stead of the Supper of the Lord but it had that name at first I say this holy Communion was cal'd by the name of missa because that all others were sent away and only such as were of the Church and accounted godly staid holy things to holy men And this must needs be so because that the nature of it being the Seal of the Covenant of grace requires it it must be supposed that all that come hither must be in Covenant with God they must be such as have been brought to submit to the condition of the Covenant Now the Condition of the Covenant of grace is Beleeve and be saved it is therefore appointed for Beleevers And as the nature of it being a Seal supposeth a Covenant so none can have this Covenant sealed to them but those that do first submit to it and are brought into Covenant when you make an Indenture and put to the Seal certainly the Seal belongs only to those that have their names in the Indenture Now t is true though mens names are not mentioned in the word yet the condition is to those that are brought in to beleeve in Jesus Christ saith God I come now to seal all my mercies in Christ to their souls We abuse God if we come to take the Seal to a blank it is to make this Ordinance a ridiculous thing therefore there must be some transactions between God and your souls before you come to the Seal if a man should say unto you come set to you seal to such a thing and there were never any kind of transactions between this man you before you would account it ridiculous after there hath been agreements between you you use then to seal So it must be here I would appeal to many of your Consciences that have come to the Lords Supper what transactions have there been between God and your souls canst thou say the Lord was pleased to reveal himself to me to make known to me my wretched condition and the way of grace and salvation and shewed me that upon my coming in to receive his Son he would be merciful to me and pardon my sins and I have found the Spirit of God working my heart to Jesus Christ the Lord from heaven speaking to me and I sending an Answer to heaven again how willing my soul was to accept of the Covenant which the Lord hath made with poor Creatures in the Word of his Gospel canst thou say this in the uprightness of thy heart if not know that this Seal belongs not to thee untill the Lord hath by his word subdued thy heart to this agreement first with him Secondly This Ordinance it is the Ordinance of spiritual nourishment of eating the flesh of Christ and drinking his blood in a spiritual way Now it must needs suppose that first there must be life before there can be any nourishment received in If it be appointed to nourish and increase grace then surely there must be grace before what nourishment can a dead child take the very first thing that is to be done is nourishment here The word hath power to convey life and then to nourish but we reade of no such thing here but that which is to be done here is presently to feed to eat and to drink that 's the end of the Sacrament therefore it must be supposed that thou must have spiritual life there must come no dead Soul to this Ordinance but those who are quickned by the Spirit of Jesus Christ they must come for nourishment Thirdly the act here required doth note that only those that are holy and godly can receive this Sacrament we are required by the Apostle to examine our selves To examine our selves of what It must be of our godliness examine what work of God hath been upon the soul how God hath brought the soule to himselfe and what Graces of the Spirit of God are there And how we have been brought into Covenant with God now if only those can receive worthily and are to come that first
for the setting out of his sufferings it hath a more special blessing that goes along with it every Ordinance hath a promise and a more special blessing than any other thing that is not an Ordinance So when you come here to behold Christ crucified before you you cannot see Christ naturally crucified as upon the Crosse but you have Christ crucified before you in the way of a Sacrament in the way of a solemne institution of Jesus Christ that hath a special blessing which goes along with it therefore if the heart be not broken here there is an aggravation of the hardness of the heart as great as if we should behold Jesus Christ upon the Crosse and our hearts not broken there and indeed this is a special reason why those are said to be guilty of the body and blood of Christ that receive unworthily as if a man had been then alive and had been before the Crosse and there have seen how the blood of Jesus Christ was shed for sinne and should not have been affected with it but should have accounted it as a common thing this man in some regard might have been said to be guilty of his death that is to have joyned and consented with those that did crucifie him for if a man sees another commit a sin if he be not affected with that sinne and it does not stir his heart he may come to be partaker of his sin so those that shall come to see Jesus Christ crucified and have not their hearts at all stir'd with the crucifying of Christ they are in some regard truly said to be guilty of the body and blood of Jesus Christ And that 's the Second thing brokenness of spirit is sutable to the light of a broken Christ 3. The Third thing that is here to be done in the Sanctifying of Gods Name Is the purging and clensing of the heart from sin and actuall clensing and purging the heart from sin there ought to be The Jewes in their Passe-over were to cast out all leaven and those that write of the custome of the Jews say that they were wont to do three things in the casting out of their Leaven 1. They made deligent search for Leaven they lighted Candles to look into every Corner lest there should be any bit of Leaven left in the house 2. When they found it they cast it out 3. They used an execration they did curse themselves if they should willingly keep any Leaven in the house So my brethren when we come to partake of this holy Ordinance there should be a diligent inquisition for sin for Sin in Scripture is compared to Leaven thou shouldest make a diligent search what sin there is in thy heart in any of the faculties of thy soul what sin there is in thy thoughts in thy Conscience in thy understanding in thy will in any of thy affections what sin there hath been in thy life what family sins what personal sins Thou shouldest make a diligent search to see whether there be not some Leaven some evil in thy heart and what ever sin thou shalt come to find out in thy heart the must be a casting of it out that is thy soul must be set against it to oppose it with all thy might whatever beloved sin whatever gainful sin whatsoever become of thee thy soule must renounce that sin of thine yea and in a kind of execration of thy self that 's thus Lord as ever I expect to receive any good by this body and blood of Christ that I come now to receive so Lord here I profess against every sin that I have found out in my heart I desire to find out all and professe against all and renounce all and would do to the uttermost that I am able for delivering of my soule fully from every known or beloved sin Oh that there might not be any remaining in my heart this must be the disposition of the soul comming hither and it must needs be thus or else we cannot sanctifie Gods Name because there is nothing more sutable than this disposition unto the receiving of the Sacrament for we come here to professe that we do acknowledge that sinne did cost so much as it did that it cost the Blood of the Son of God now this cannot chuse but cause the heart to renounce sinne If indeed I do beleeve that sinne hath cost the blood of Christ that it cost him so deare as it did that it did trouble Heaven and Earth that here must be such a mighty wonderfull way of satisfaction to God for my sinne committed against him certainly sinne hath a dreadfull evill in it Oh! let me never have to doe with such sin that was the cause of such sufferings to my Saviour that did shed his blood If so be that thou saweh a knife that had cut the throat of thy dearest child would not thy heart rise against that knife Suppose you come to a Table and here is a knife laid at your Trencher and it was told you this is the knife that cut the throat of your childe or father if you could use that knife as another knife would not any one say There was but little love to your father or child So when there is a temptation comes to any sinne this is the knife that cut the throat of Christ that pierc'd his sides that was the cause of all his suffering that made Christ to be a curse now wilt not thou look upon that as a cursed thing that made Christ to be a curse Oh with what detestation would a man or woman fling away such a knife and with the like detestation it is required that thou shouldest renounce sin for that was the cause of the death of Christ I remember it is reported of Anthony when Caesar was slaine he comes to stir up the people against those that had slaine Caesar and he takes the cloathes that were bloody and holds them forth to the people and saith here is the blood of your Emperour and upon that the people were enraged against those that had slaine him and went and pul'd down their houses upon them So when thou comest to this Sacrament thou seest the blood of Christ gushing out and for thy sin if ever thy sin be pardoned either thy soul must be eternally damn'd for thy sin or else thy sin cost the gushing out of the Blood of Christ now when thou seest this this should cause a holy rage in thy soul against sin that caused this surely the putting away sin the risings of the heart against sin must needs be a disposition sutable to such an Ordinance as this is And that 's the third thing required in the sanctifying of Gods Name in this Ordinance the purging out of sin and rising of the heart against it 4. The fourth thing that is to be done for the sanctifying of Gods Name here it is the hungering and thirsting of the soul after Jesus Christ whosoever comes hither
and casts its self upon Jesus Christ and saith as it were Amen to what the Father gives Oh Lord here I come and imbrace thy Son as my life as my Saviour as the fountain of all my good in whom I expect all the good I am like to have either here or to all eternity so that there must be a stirring up of the act of faith in an actual taking of Christ if thou beest a beleever canst thou remember what thou didst when first thou didst take Jesus Christ when the Lord in the preaching of his Word did reveal Jesus Christ to thy soul what didst thou then Oh soul how did thy soule work in closing with Christ as thy soule did then in closing with Christ so it must now renew the work there must be a renewall of the worke at that time So that when you come to the Sacrament you must not think that it is then a time to listen to doubts fears and scruples no but it is a time that God cals for the exercise of faith the casting of the soul upon Christ and his merits for life and for salvation or else the Name of God is not sanctified as it ought thou doest not sanctifie Gods Name when thou art busying thy soule in doubts and scruples in thy receiving of the Sacrament And then faith is as the mouth when thou comest to eat and drink how canst thou if thou hast not a mouth thou hast a bodily mouth to take in bread and wine but know that without faith thy soule cannot take in Christ faith is as it were the mouth that is by the act of faith the soul doth open it selfe for Jesus Christ and not only opens it selfe but takes in Christ to the soule and makes Christ and the soul as one as our bread and wine is made one with our body so faith takes in Christ and makes him as one with thee and turns Christ into the nourishment of thy soul and thou and Christ by faith are made as truly one as the bread and wine that is put into thy body is made one with thy body This is the work of faith without which we cannot sanctifie the Name of God Sixthly There must be spiritual joy that must be exercised here for it is a feast here we come to sit with Christ at his Table we come as children to our fathers Table and to sit there with Jesus Christ our Elder Brother now as a father doth not love to have his child set in a sullen and dogged way at his Table or to be crying but he would have the child set in comfort and with a holy cheerfulness with a holy freedom 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 brokenness 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 soul from the apprehension 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 evangelâ—cal joy may stand together very well And therefore know that this is not the time neither to give liberty to have your hearts â—nk 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 cheerfulness of spirit as in the presence of God you must look upon your selves as Gods guest to be merry at his Table now this is a great mystery of godliness that there should be at the same time the sight of Christ Crucified and yet at the same time a spiritual cheerfulness in the assurance of the love of God in Jesus 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 unspeakable love of God that is here presented unto them in this Sacrament Seventhly In the next place there must be thankfulnesse therefore it is called the Eucharist and in one of the Evengelists where it is said Christ blest the bread in another it is said Christ gave thanks Christ when he instituted this Sacrament he 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 souls now shall Jesus 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 thankfulnesse when we come to this that the Ancients were wont to call the Eucharist that is a thanksgiving we are to give God thanks for every mercy you will not eate your owne bread without giving of thankes but when we come to have this bread this bread of life here is matter of thankfulnesse here is matter of enlargement of soul 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 enlargement 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 than 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 think that thou wert bound to blesse him then only when God in the Bread and wine reaches out to thee the body blood of his Son here is more matter of praise than if ten thousand thousand worlds were given to thee and therefore God expects that thou shouldest say to thy soule my soule 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
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
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
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
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
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
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