what Incense or Sacrifice he would have the use of fire in it should be onely that fire and no other though God did never say to them directly in these words You shall make use of this fire and no other but God would have them to understand this That 's their sin therefore in offering of strange fire Now fire comes from the Lord and doth consume them Some think this fire came from the Altar but surely it could not be any ordinary fire that did consume Nadab and Abihu at this time for you shall find in the next ver to my text That the bodies of Nadab and Abihu were not consumed by the fire no nor their cloathes they were kil'd by the fire and yet their cloathes were whole therefore it was not an ordinary fire it was some Celestiall fire struke into them to slay them for so saith the text in the 4 th ver Come neer carry away your Bretheren from before the Sanctuary out of the Camp and so they went and carried them in their coats out of the Camp so tht their cloathes and bodies were not consumed only they were kil'd by the fire they were struck with a sudden death and that in the presence of the Lord such a death as God had never threatned in the Word before God had never threatned the Priests and said If you Offer strange fire you shall be consumed by fire but yet God smites them with death by fire they had not time to seek God no not so much as we use to say as to say Lord have mercy upon me they had no time to promise amendment at all now upon this heavy judgement the heart of Aaron could not possibly but be very much troubled yea and the spirit of Moses too for Moses was their unckle and Aaron their father they could not but be exceedingly much greived but Moses being the brother of Aaron seeing his spirit no question exceedingly troubled being under such a sad affliction and that such a Godly man even as Aaron was should have such a sad judgment befall his Children Moses comes and speakes comfortably to him and labours to support his spirit and how doth he do it He comes not as ordinarily you use to visit your brethren Oh! you must be content with this no but he comes and applyes the Word of God and shewes how God must be sanctified and by that he comes to quiet the heart of his brother Aaron This is that which the Lord hath spoke saith Moses Hee seekes to stay the heart of his Brother with that which God spake But where do we find that God spake this It 's hard to find in any Scripture these very words in ter minis before this time and therefore Augustin thinks it was onely the word God spake but not written and so they had it from hand to hand by tradition as many other things as the Prophecie of Enoch that the Apostle Jude speakes of you doe not find it written in the Book of God and yet the Apostle speakes of it so that indeed it was from hand to hand yea and we find in the New Testament when Paul speakes of a thing that Christ should say how that our Lord saith It is a more blessed thing to give then to receive you find it not recorded in the Gospels that Christ said so So this is that which the Lord said though it was not written from the beginning of Genesis to this very place or otherwise though it be not recorded in expresse terms yet somthing is recorded to the same purpose and effect and so it may seeme to have reference to that Scripture Exod. 29. 43. there we have a Scripture comes as neere to it as any I know And there will I meet with the children of Israel and the tabernacle shall be sanctified by my glory that 's as much in effect as I will be sanctified in those that come nigh me in those that come to Worship me in my Tabernacle I will be sanctified in all things that concerne my Worship I will be sure to be sanctifyed there I will be sanctified I will be Hallowed for it is the very same that you have in the Lords Prayer Hallowed be thy Name only that 's the Greeke word and this is the Hebrew but if you would translate this word into Greeke you must translate it by the same word that Christ spake when he taught his disciples to pray hallowed bee thy name Hallowd and Sanctifyed is all one Lord let thy Name appeare to be Holy so I will be Sanctified that is I will have my Name appeare to be Holy I will be made known unto my People and to all the World that I am a holy God that 's the meaning of I will be Sanctifyed I will be knowne to al the world that I am a Holy God And before all the People I will be Glorifyed so it is in the latter part of the verse as if God should say I account it to be my glory that I should be manifested to be Holy before all the World I will be Sanctifyed that is I will have my People to demeane and carry themselves so as to hold forth their acknowledgement of my Holynesse so as by their carriage I may appeare to be a Holy God I will be Sanctifyed by them or otherwise if they shall not in an active way Sanctify my name that is if they shall not demeane themselves so as to hold forth the glory of my Holynesse then I will be Sanctifyed upon them I will demeane and carry my self towards them so as by my actions upon them I will make it appeare what a Holy God I am So God is Sanctified two wayes eyther by the Holynesse of his People in their carriage towards him holding forth the glory of Gods Holynesse and so in that 1. Pet. 3. 15. Sanctifye the Lord God in your hearts the Saints doe sanctifye God in their hearts when they feare God as a Holy God and Reverence him and Love him as a holy God and so Sanctifie him in their lives when their lives doe hold forth the glory of Gods Holynesse then God is Sanctifyed Put then if we do not do so then God Sanctifies himself that is in wayes of Judgement upon those that do not in wayes of holynesse Sanctifie his Name And thus you have it Ezek. 28. 22. And say Thus saith the Lord God Behold I am against thee O Zidon I will be glorified in the middest of thee and they shall know that I am the Lord when I shall have executed judgment in her and shall be Sanctified in her And this is all one with I will be glorified in the middest of them And in the 38. of Ezek. 16 23. You have to the same purpose And thou shalt come up against my people of Israel as a cloud to cover the Land it shall be in the latter dayes and I will bring thee against my Land that the Heathen may
know mee when I shall be Sanctified in thee O Gog before their eyes And in the 23. ver Thus will I magnifie my selfe and Sanctify my selfe and I will be knowne in the eyes of many Nations and they shall know that I am the Lord In the way of the execution of Judgment thus I will Sanctifie my self so I will be Sanctified in those that draw nigh me In those that are nigh mee Nigh ones so it may be read that is especially the Priests that did approach to God Ezek. 42. 13. they approach to God especially But it is meant generally of all those that shall have to deale in my Worship whosoever shall come to Worship me let them look to it they must Sanctifie my name they must so demeane themselves in my Worship as to hold forth my Name to be Holy or otherwise I will manifest my selfe against them in the wayes of Judgment for I will appeare to be a holy God I will have the glory of my Holynesse one way or other saith God in those that come neere Mee As if God should say Though it 's otherwise with men they indeed will be ready to favour those that are neere them but I will not doe so Men will sooner passe by the offences of those that are neer them then those that are not as suppose that a stranger commits an offence you would be severe towards him but suppose it were one of your owne Children or kinsmen what would you doe then Doe not we see that men will rather favour their owne kindred then strangers though the offence be the same But I will not doe so saith God Suppose it be one of your own family will not you be ready to excuse them Suppose it were your own Child that should cōmit such an offence Oh! what friends would you make to take him off from punishment Though men will do so towards their own yet be bitter and severe towards strangers Yet I will not be so saith God Let those that are neer me looke to it I will be Sanctified by them I will be sanctifyed in those that draw neere me Now upon this when Moses said thus That God would be sanctified in those that draw neere him this was Moses scope to Aaron as if Moses should say Aaron though I confesse the hand of God is heavy upon you this day Yet it is fit for you to submit to God 't is fit that God should be glorified what ever becomes of you you are deare to God but Gods Name is dearer to him then you are what ever the lives of your Sonnes were yet it is fit that God should be honoured and his name Sanctified what ever becomes of your Sonnes or of your Comforts and therfore let your heart be quieted you have had a great loss and affliction upon you but God hath had glory God hath glorified himselfe How hath God glorified himselfe Very much by this way for God by this way hath done an act to make all the People of the Land feare before him to cause them to Worship him with all reverence All the people of the Land seeing such a Judgment as this and hearing of it they will learne for ever to feare and Reverence this God they will say How shall wee appeare before this Holy God Wee had need take heed how we appeare in his presence and Worship him according to the way that Hee himselfe would be Worshipped As if Moses should say This Honour that God hath by this meanes in the hearts of his people it is that that you should account a greater good then the Lives of your Children what ever they are This is the Scope of Moses speech to Aaron Now upon this the Text saith Aaron held his peace Hee was silenced It may be before Hee was expressing himselfe in greife and sorrow'd exceeding much in words but now he was quiet and had nothing to say he did by his silence acknowledge his Children were dear to him but it 's fit that God should be glorified what ever becomes of his Children and therefore Aaron holds his peace But the word that is here translated Holds his peace It hath more in it then meere silence for the Hebrews have another word to signifie meere silence of speech but this signifies a staying of the heart that it doth not further proceed in any trouble of Spirit a silence in the very heart and staying of it a staying of the motions of the heart I find the same word to be used in Scripture when Joshua said to the Sunne si and still stay thy selfe on Gibeon Jos 10. 12. It 's the same word that is here translated and Aaron held his peace that is he was stayed from further vexing or troubling of himselfe or being disquieted Whereas his heart was in a strong violent motion Now Moses speech did stop him and gave a stop to his heart to make it stand still in a wonderfull manner as the Sunne when Joshua spake to it to stand still As if the Lord should have spoken to his heart Aaron thy heart is in a mighty strong motion but consider that I must be Sanctifyed in those that drawe nigh mee and let all those motions of thy heart be stopt and quiet Thus now you see the meaning of the Scripture and the scope of it Now in this scripture you have these three speciall and notable points 1 That in worshiping of God there is a drawing nigh unto him 2 That when wee doe drawe nigh to God wee should take heed to our selves that wee Sanctifye Gods name 3 If wee doe not Sanctifye Gods name in our drawings nigh to him then certainly God will Sanctifye his owne Name upon us These are the three points that I intend to handle And especially the second to handle largely among you I confesse upon another occasion in one Sermon I have spoke out of these words but now I intend not onely in generall to shew you how you should sanctifie Gods Name in Worship but likewise in the particular Acts of Worship As Sanctifying his name in Prayer in Receiving the Sacrament in Hearing the Word in the severall chief parts of the Worship of God how his Name should be sanctified For in all these you do draw nigh to God And for that end I have pitcht my thoughts upon this Scripture But before I come to these three great Points that are the principall points in the words read unto you I shall take up divers other notes of observation that ly up and down as it were scattered that are of great use and will help us further to make use of this scripture in the other points that I shall come to afterwards and handle more largely The first Note is this That in Gods Worship there must be nothing tendered up to God but what hee hath commanded what soever wee meddle with in the Worship of God it must be what wee have a warrant for out of the word
Sanctifying Gods Name in hearing it 1 The First is a distemper of Passion in those that have some trouble of conscience in them they are troubled for their fin and their Spirits are in a discontented froward humour because they have not that comfort that they do desire and therefore the Word of God when it comes to be preached to them if it doth not every way suit with their hearts and if they do not find present comfort by it their Spirits are in a distemper and frowardnesse and cast it off and if at any time there be never such comfortable things spoken in the word yet there is an anger in their spirits because they are not able to apply the Word to themselves and they think This doth not concern me now there should be meeknesse of Spirit in those that are in trouble of conscience above all they should quietly attend upon the Word and wait for the time that God will speak peace to their consciences And if I cannot find the Word suitable to me at this time yet I may at another time let me atend with meeknes let me receive everything with meeknesse the Word is above me and if ever I have good it must be by the word at last It doeth much concern those that are in trouble of Conscience to have meeke Spirits 2 There is another distemper in others and that is worse that is Such as when they find the word come neer unto them relating those sins that their consciences tels them they are guilty of their hearts rise against God and his Word and Ministers too Because it would pluck away some beloved corruption because it rebukes them for some haunt of evill some distemper of heart that they have been or are guilty of it puts a shame upon them and therefore their hearts do rise against it It is a dreadfull thing to have the heart rise against the Word As we read of that froward Prince Jehoiakim in the Prophesie of Jeremiah that when the Roll was read in his hearing sitting in the winter time by a great fire he tooke a penknife and cut it a pieces and threw it into the fire in anger and I have read that the Jewes kept a Fast every year to mourne for that great sin yet this Jehoiakim was the Son of Josiah whose heart did melt at the hearing of the Word he had an humble and a meek heart when the Law was read and yet see what a different Spirit Jehoiakim had either from his Father or grand-Father It is a great dishonour to the name of God for men to give liberty to their Passions to rise against the Word take heed of Passion either while you are hearing the Word or after the Word as many of you when you are discontented with what is said When you come in company what a fury are many men in upon the hearing of some things in the word that comes close to their hearts Remember when you are a hearing of the Word that it is that which is above you and it is not fit for one that is an inferiour to shew himself Passionate in the presence of a Superiour It is true the Ministers they may be in as low a condition as you and in a lower but the word they speak it is above all the Princes and Monarchs upon the face of the earth and it is fit therefore we having to deal with God that we should behave our selves in a meeke disposition 6 The next thing for the Sanctifying Gods name in the hearing of the word is this we must hear it with a trembling heart with fear as well as meeknesse and for that you have that famous Scripture in Isa 66. begining Thus saith the Lord the Heaven is my Throne and the Earth is my footstool wher is the house that ye build unto me and where is the place of my rest For all those things hath my hand made and all those things have been saith the Lord but to this man will I look even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit and trembleth at my word this is a most admirable Scripture Marke how God lifts up himself in his glory so great a God as the Heaven is my Throne and the Earth is my footstool where is that house that ye will build unto me but then may a poor Soul say how shall I be able to stand before this God that is so glorious Saith God be not discouraged Poor Soul who doest tremble at my word for I look to you And then this is a further thing observable that God hath a regard to that soul that trembles at his word rather then to any that should build the most sumptuous buildings in the world for him for saith God here the Heaven is my Throne and the Earth is my footstool where is the house that ye build unto me and where is the place of my rest they have built a glorious Temple to God but what do I regard that saith God I regard one that trembls at my word more then that great house that you have built unto me it is a notable Scripture to shew what a high respect God hath to one that trembles at his word he regards them more then this glorious Temple that was built unto him If you were able to build such a place as this was for the service of God you would think it a great matter it is not so much regarded as if you could bring a trembling heart to Gods word that 's a special thing wherein the Sanctifying of the name of God consists when we come to see the dreadfull authority that there is in the word of God when we are able to see more glory of God in his word then in all the works of God besides for there is more of his glory in the word then there is in the whole Creation of Heaven and Earth take the Sun and Moon and Stars you that are Marriners you have seen much of the glory of God abroad that one would think might strik terrour into all your hearts but know that there is more of the dreadfulnesse of Gods name in his word then in all his works In Psal 138. 2. Thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name the word it is magnified above all the name of God whatsoever and it is a very good sign of a Spirituall inlightened Soul that can see the name of God more magnified in his word then in all his works besides I appeal unto your consciences in this thing have you ever seen the name of God to be more magnified in his word then in all his works I may with very good confidence affirm this that there is no godly Soul upon the face of the earth that hath the weakest degree of grace but hath seen more of the glory of God revealed in his word then he hath seen in all the works of God besides and his heart hath been more taken with it
treasure that may be Another sort to be rebuked are those who are so far from falling down before the Lord to receive the word with meeknesse as they can blesse themselves in their wicked waies notwithstanding the word comes and meets with them I only name this because of that notable Scripture we have In Deut. 29 18 19. saith Moses there to them Take heed lest there should be among you a root that beareth gall and wormwood what 's that root that beareth gall and wormwood And it come to passe when he heareth the words of this curse that he blesse himself in his heart saying I shall have peace though I walk in the imagination of my heart c. Take heed there be not among you a root that beareth gall and wormwood This is a bitter root in mens hearts when they can hear the word of God and have their hearts rise aganst it and think with themselves that there is no such matter these are but meer words but meer wind let the Minister say what he will and talk as long as he will I will go on in my way I shall do well enough that which he saith it is but his opinion I say when men can blesse themselves thus in their way and when there are such tumultuous and rebellious thoughts rising in their hearts this is a root of gall and wormwood and take heed of it it will bring forth bitter fruit one day But I should quickly be prevented if I should lanch into this argument to reprove the several waies of sinning against God in the hearing of his word And therefore I leave those and come to shew what a fearful thing it is for men and women not to Sanctifie the name of God in the hearing of his word that so you may see that God will have his name Sanctified upon them And they are these 1 In the first place You that do not Sanctifie Gods name in hearing his word in those waies that have been opened to you first you loose the greatest and happiest opportunity of good that ever creatures had for an outward opportunity indeed when God moves by his Spirit if that be neglected that opportunity is more then meerly hearing the word but otherwise except it be at such a time when God adds his Spirit together with his word I say you that are cast by the providence of God in such a place where the word of the Gospel is preached to you applied and urged upon you if you Sanctifie not the name of God to hear as you ought and to profit by it I say you lose the greatest opportunity for good that is in the world Oh what hast thou lost that hast lived many yeers under the Ministry of the Gospel and yet hast not been acquainted with this mystery of godliness in sanctifying Gods name in the word There are many thousand souls that are and shall be blessing God to all eternity for what of God they have met with all in the word but thou hast fifteen under it stupid as a block dead and barren and no good hath been done Wherefore is there a prize in the hand of a fool and he hath no heart to get wisedome this will lie upon thee heavy one day the losse of such an opportunity and that is the first 2 In the Second place know that this word that is appointed by God for the conveyance of so much mercy to his elect it will prove to be the greatest aggravation of thy sin that can be This is the condemnation that light is come into the world and men love darknesse rather then light This is The condemnation If so be that light had not come among you then the condemnation had not been so great your sin had not bin so great your punishment had not bin so great In Mat. 10. 14 15. where speaking of those that did injoy the word and yet did not sanctifie Gods Name in it Whosoever shall not receive you saith Christ to his Disciples nor hear your words when ye depart out of that house or City shake off the dust of your feet Verely I say unto you it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorah in the day of judgement then for that City It is a most dreadfull Scripture their very dust must be shaken off in token of indignation and it shall be more easie for the Land of Sodom and Gomorah in the day of judgment then for that place You would be very loth to be in a worse condition then Sodom and Gomorah that was consumed by fire from heaven And now suffer the vengeance of eternall fire Jude 7. Certainly they shall not be so deep in judgments as those that live under the Ministry of the word and sanctifie not the Name of God in it Your sin is of a deeper dye then the sin of the Heathens yea and in some respects then the sin of the Devils they never had the word of the Gospel sent to be preached to them and therefore this will aggravate your sin not only beyond heathens but beyond devils Look to it then that Gods Name be Sanctified in the hearing of his Word 3. Thirdly Know that so much as the word is rejected Jesus Christ is rejected Luk. 10. 16. He that despiseth you despiseth me and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me It is Christ himself that is rejected when the word is rejected thou hast not to do with man so much as with Jesus Christ in the hearing of the word And the power of Jesus Christ is to be put forth either to do the good by the word or to avenge thy neglect of the word Therefore in Matt. 28. 18 19. when Christ sends forth his Disciples to preach he makes this preface All power is given unto me in heaven and earth go ye therefore and teach As if he should say I having received all power in heaven and earth through the power I received I send you to preach and I 'le be with you to the end of the world that is All power in heaven and earth shall go along with you to assist your Ministry either for the good of those that shall imbrace it or for the Misery of those that shall reject it So that whosoever stands out against the Ministry of the Word stands out against all the power in heaven and earth that is given to Christ Do not think that thou doest resist a poor weak mortall man but thou doest resist all the power in heaven and earth And is not this a dreadfull thing then to be guilty of not sanctifying of Gods Name 4 Fourthly It is an Argument of extreame hardnesse of heart not to be wrought upon by the word Luk. 16. 31. If they hear not Moses and the Prophets neither will they be perswaded though one rose from the dead saith Abraham Certainly that man or woman that shall not be wrought upon by the word so as to
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 higheâ— 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 Cyle 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 burâ—â—t offerings and your meat offerings I will not accept them neither will I reâ—ard the peace offering of your fat beasts They were carefull 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 grat 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 carefull in those offerings that they should 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 carefull to have the best things But now the Lord rejected the fat beasts of their peace-offerings saith God you were very carefull 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 carefull and therefore I regard them not The Third Scripture is in Zach. 7. 5. there they did keep many daies in seeking of God it 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 years did ye at all fast unto me even unto me Mark the phrase you fasted in the fifth and seventh month and for seventy years 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 then 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 is acted by principles of 〈◊〉 and when we aime at God in holy duties Now for that I will give you these notes to try whither you be acted from your selves or no. The First is this If a man loves holy duties though he finde no present good comes in by them because they are such things as God requirs 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 into themselves But now when we find not that coming in that we do desire we begin to be weary of worship and say Why have we fasted and thou seest it not This is an Argument that thou art acted by Self rather then by God Secondly To know whether we be acted by self ends or rather by high ends for God Those men that can rejoyce in others that are able to honour God in holy duties more then themselves they may have a good evidence to their own Souls that when they worship God they are acted by higher ends then self but now such as are streightned themselves and when they see others more inlarged in the worship of God they rather envy them are greiv'd and troubled know that Self is a great ingredient in those duties that thou doest performe if thy heart were raised high to God though thou canst not thy self be inlarged in holy duties yet thy soul would be glad that any others are though I have a wretched and vile heart of my own yet blessed be God that there are any others that can worship God better then I can Thirdly A man that is acted by self in holy duties he regards holy duties but little save in time of extremity in time of fear or of sicknesse or in dangers But now one that hath high ends in holy duties makes the duties of Gods worship to be the joy of his soul in the middest of his prosperity and that is an evident sign that thou art not acted by self ends but by higher ends Canst thou in the middest of thy abundance say Lord thou givest me all conveniencies in this world and all outward things that I want but Lord this is that which is the â—oy of my Soul this is that which makes my life comfortable even communion with thy self in the duties of thy worship that I have free accesse unto the Throne of thy Grace to worship thee the Lord and there meet with thee when I am in the performance of holy duties O Lord thou that knowest all things knowest that this is the â—hing that makes my life comfortable It is not that I have a Table furnished with variety of dishes and that I can have liberty of time to go into company and spend according as I please but Lord those incomes of thy Spirit that I do find in the duties of thy worship those are the things that makes my life bleâ—â—ed indeed unto me Such a man as is able thus to appeale to God surely when he worships God he is acted by high-ends and not by self ends And that is the Third thing that is necessary for Sanctifying of Gods Name in holy duties thou muâ—â— have a Sanctified heart high thoughts of God and high ends In the Fourth place There must be much reverence and much fear when thou comest into the presence of God to worship him thou doest not glorifie God as God except thou doest come into his presence with much fear reverence of his great Name Fear in worshipping of God it is so necessary that many times in Scripture we â—â—nd that â—he very worship of God is called The feâ—â— of God they are put both for one I might give you divers Scriptures for it and hence it was that the
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 principall part of the great mysterie 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 severall workings of heart suitable to the severall 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 Scripture 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 suitablenesse 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 corporeall then it were another matter then bodily worship would serve the turne but God being a Spirit he must have Spirituall 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 godlinesse 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 coveteousnesse 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 sit 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 some what it may be worth I confesse 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 capitall 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 drofte in your selves and of any kind of falsenesse 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 eternall God what suitable disposition doth this require of me when I am to look upon God as an eternall being it requires this only That therefore thy heart must be taken off from all temporal good things and set upon that eternall good thou maiest 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 confesse although committed 20. or 40. years 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 confesse 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 sins though a long time since committed as if they were 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 defered and not granted in your time when you would have it For if there be no time that alters with God but a thousand years 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 Eternall 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 will come into his mind but when we come to worship God we must look upon him as an Eternall being and that time alters nothing with him Thus understanding God in a right way will much help us in his worship and so 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
the word is compared to meat and it must be applyed to the body Then do we worship God in a right way when as we take notice of Gods word as concerning us in particular as that notable Scripture that you have in 1 Cor. 14. 25. Where there comes a poor man into the Church of God and hears Prophesying hears the word opened and the text saith He is convinced of all he is judged of all and then in vers 25 Thus are the secrets of his heart manifest and so falling down on his face he worships God and reports that God is in you of a truth that is when the word comes and meets with his Soul in particular that he finds himself to be aim'd at by the word then he worships God and saith that God certainly is in them here 's the reason now that when you come to hear the word you do not worship God because you apply it not to your selves you are ready to say This was well spoken to such a one and it concerns such a one but how doth it concern thy soul in particular Sometimes the Lord doth even force men and women to apply it whether they will or no for that they think the Minister speaks to them in particular and that no body was spoken too in the Congregation but themselves This is a Mercy when the Lord doth it unto you but it is a greater Mercy when the Lord gives you a heart to apply it to your selves and although it may trouble you a little for the present yet be willing to apply it and account it a great Mercy from the Lord That the Lord will be pleased to speak in particular to your Souls 4 Fourthly We must mix Faith with the Word or otherwise it will do us but little good Apply it and then beleeve it In Heb. 4. 2. it is said that The word preached did not profit them not being mixed with Faith in them that heard it Wherefore there must be a mixture of Faith to beleeve the word that the Lord brings unto you Now concerning that I le but propound these few particulars You will say Must we beleeve every thing that is spoken sometimes there are some things spoken that we cannot tell how to beleeve I do not mean so to beleeve every thing meerly being spoken for you must take heed what you hear as well as how you hear but do thus much at least 1 In the First place whatsoever comes in the name of God to you except you know certainly it is not according to the written Word you owe so much respect to it as to examine it at least to try it whether it be so or no as it is said of those Welbred men that I spake of that they did examine whether things were so or no. Do not cast off any thing presently that comes in the Name of God Now any thing that hath the broad Seal upon it you must not disobey You will say It may be counterfeit but do not disobey it till you be sure it be counterfeit Oh that men would give but this respect to all things that they hear never to cast them off till they have examined and tryed whether they be so or no. 2 Secondly Do but grant this respect to the Word that is spoken to you as to think thus What if all that I hear spoken against my fin which laies open the dangerous condition that my soul is in prove to be true what a case were I in then This hath been the beginning of the conversion of many Souls the having but such a thought as this It may be things are not so terrible as I hear but what if they do prove so then I am undone for ever Dare I venture my Soul and my eternal estate upon hopes that these things are not so bad as I hear I beleeve if you would put your selves to it you would think it a bold adventure and the comfort that any of you have grounded upon this meerly hoping that things are 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 eternall 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 Devill then We find it by experience That men that could easily cast off the word in their healths yet when they have come to ly 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 then 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 then 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 suffice And certainly my brethren till we come to this to beleeve the word though we should sit under it many years 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 filthinesse and superfluity of naughtiness and receive with meekness the ingrafted word which is able to save your souls Receive with meekness The former part of this Scripture I confesse 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 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 quietnesse in your Spirits in attending upon the word no hurring There is a twofold distemper of passion in many people that is a great hinderance to the profit of the Word and
It requires therefore a trembling frame of heart when we hear it And then further when this is considered that the word is that that bindeth the Soul over either to life or death mens eternal estates are to be cast by the world 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 it 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 with 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 Iehiel one of the Sons of Elam answerd 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 Commandment of our God so that those that tremble at Gods 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 Sanctifiying Gods name in hearing his word 7 The next is an 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. 36. 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 Lordâ— It it 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 bound 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 fal down and yeeld obedience to it whatsoever your thoughts your judgments your opinions have heretofore been if there come any thing in the word agianst 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 contentfull to your spirits before yet now submit and yeeld though it go never so crosse 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 confesse 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 though it was impossible that ever my heart should be taken from them but Oh 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 frame Now is the name of God extoll'd and lifted up in hearing of the word the name of God is Sanctified in such a work of spirit as this is I have read of a Germain Divine writing to Oecolampadius another famous German Divine he hath this expression Oh let the word of God come though we had 600. necks we would al submit them unto the word of God saith he So it should be the temper of such as hear the word and desire to Sanctifie Gods name in it let the word of God come this morning let God speak and we will submit had we 600. necks we will submit all we are or have to this word of the Lord it is the word of God that we are willing should triumph over us To have a congregation to lie down under the word of God that is preached to them is a most excellent thing and Gods name is much Sanctified we do not brethren desire you should lie under us we are not only willing but we are very desirous that you would examin what we speak to you whether it be according to the word of God or no. But look to it that if we do speak to you that which is the word from the mouth of the Lord know then that God expects that you should submit your estates your souls your bodies all that you are and have to this word and that is another particular in the Sanctifying of the name of God in hearing the word there must be an humble submission of the soul unto it 8 Another particular wherein the behaviour of the Soul for the Sanctifying of Gods name consists is this The word it must be received with love and with joy it is not enough for you to be convinct of the authority of it and to think thus well I must yeeld to it this is the word of God and if I do not yeeld to it I must expect the plagues and judgements of God to follow it that is not enough but you must yeeld to it with love and with joy except you receive the word with love and with joy it is not Sanctified you do not Sanctifie Gods Name nor is it sanctified unto you You must receive the word not only as the true word of the Lord but as the good word of the Lord. In Thessalon 2. 10. we find it to be the cause of mens being given over to a spirit of delution Because they received not the word of God in Love It is spoken of Antichrist that at his coming he shall come with all deceivablenesse and he shall prevail with them that perish who are they They that receive not the love of the truth that they might be saved It is not enough my Brethren to receive the truth that we might be saved but we mnst receive the love of the truth if ever we would be saved Good is the word of the Lord to
so all the week after they hold forth the word of God You that are servants it may be your masters are naught and the families naught from whence you come now when you go home though it may be they will not let you repeate the Sermon yet you are to hold forth the Sermon in your practice and conversation How is the Name of God glorified when we hold forth his word this is to let not only your light shine but the light of the word shine before men that they may behold it and glorifie your Father which is in heaven So that now put all these Eleaven Particulars together and then you have made good that expression we find in Act. 13. 48. That the word of God was glorified And to the same purpose we have another expression in 2 Thess 3. 1. Finally brethren Pray for us that the word of the Lord may have free course and be glorified even as it is with you This is the commendation of a people that they do glorifie the word of God I beseech you brethren in the Name of Jesus Christ this morning that you that are hearers of the Word would glorifie the Word and glorifie the Name of God in the word Oh that not one of you would be a disgrace or shame to the word of God this is the charge that God this morning laies upon you as ever you expect to receive any good from the word or to look upon the face of God with comfort whose word this is do not be a shame to his Word and to the Ministers of his word Put all these things together I say and learn to make conscience of Sanctifying Gods Name in hearing the Word that so there may be none of you that may give any just occasion to others to say Is this to hear Sermons Do you get nothing else but this by hearing Sermons If you should open the mouths of men to say so of you the Word of God as much as lies in you would be disgraced by you you should rather think thus It were better for me that I should die and that I were under the ground and rotting there then that the Word of God should ever be disgraced by me Let me hold forth the glory of the Word the Word is that that hath done good to my soul the Word is that that I would not for ten thousand worlds but have heard it and shall I disgrace this Word shall I give any occasion that this word of the Lord should be spoken ill of by reason of me O God forbid Therefore if you regard not your selves and your own honour yet regard the honour of the Word If ever you have got any good by the Word you should go away with this resolution Well I will labour all the daies of my life to honour this Word of God that I have got so much good by If this were but the resolution of every one of your hearts this morning it would be a blessed mornings work SERMON X. LEVITICUS 10. 3. I will be Sanctified in them that come nigh me NOW follow the Reasons why God stands so much upon it that he will have his Name Sanctified in this Ordinance of Hearing his Word 1 First It is because there is so much of God in his Word and therefore we should Sanctifie Gods Name If it were possible there could be sin in heaven that sin would be greater then sin committed here therefore the sin of the Angels when they were in Gods presence in a more especial manner was the greater The name of God being in any thing the greater will be the evill if we do not sanctifie Gods Name in it now there is very much of God in his word more of God there then in all his works of Creation and Providence In Ps 138. 2. Thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name There being therefore so much of God in his word we must Sanctifie the Name of God in it 2 Secondly God hath appointed his Word to be the great Ordinance to convey the special mercies that he intends for the good of his people That we spake to before in the generall in shewing how the duties of Gods Worship are as a channel for the conveyance of speciall good to the Saints But none more then the Word that 's the Ordinance to convey the First Grace to those that belong to Gods election The Sacrament is for frengthning and therefore there is rather more in the Word then in the Sacrament and yet every one thinks in conscience that he is bound to come carefully to the Sacrament and to look to Sanctifie Gods Name there It is an easier matter to convince men and women that they are bound to Sanctifie the name of God when they come to receive the holy Communion then for the hearing of the Word they think not so much of that but certainly the Word is appointed to be an Ordinance of conveying more blessing then the Sacrament because it is appointed to convey the first Grace and to convey strength of Grace as well as the Sacrament Now being appointed to convey such great things to the souls of the elect both the first grace and strengthning of grace and comfort and assistance thereof the Lord expects to have his Name Sanctified in it 3 Thirdly The Name of God must be sanctified in the Word because the word is very quick and lively it works men or women to life or death to salvation or damnation In Heb. 4. 12. The word of God is quick and powerfull and sharper then any two edged sword peircing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit c. It is very quick of opperation the text saith that is when God hath to deal with men by his word he will not stand dallying and trifling with them but he is very quick with them either to bring their souls to life or to cast them away The time of mens ignorance God winks at but now he cals all men to repent Let them look to it now God did forbear in the time of ignorance but he will not forbear so when the word comes Now is the Ax laid to the root of the tree And when was that When John Baptist came to preach repentance because the kingdom of heaven is at hand Though the tree were barren before and did not bring forth good fruit yet it might stand still and not be cut down but when the powerfull ministration of the Word comes then the Ax is laid to the root of the Tree either now come in and be saved or resist the word and perish And therfore that is very observable when Christ sends out his Disciples to preach in Mark 16. 15 16. saith he Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature and he that beleeveth and is Baptized shall be saved but he that beleeveth not shall be damned As if he should say There shall be quick
work made with them go and preach those that belong to my election shall be brought in to beleeve and be saved and the others shall be damned As if God should say If they will come in and imbrace the Gospel they shall be saved If they will not they shall be damned and there is an end of them So that I say we have need to look to it that we sanctifie the Name of God in his Word upon these Three Grounds Because there is so much of God in his word Because he hath appointed it to convey the greatest Mercies to his Saints And because God is very quick in his Word one way or other We shall now proceed to the Application of this Point And First by way of reprehension to all those that do not Sanctifie Gods name in hearing the word and herein we shall shew their fearful condition and how God will Sanctifie his name upon them in waies of judgement and then when we come to the use of exhortation to exhort you to Sanctifie the name of God there we shall shew you likewise how God will Sanctifie his name in waies of mercy upon those that do Sanctifie him in waies of obedience in hearing of his word 1 For the first Certainly if that be to Sanctifie the name of God that we have spoken of Gods name is but very little Sanctified by people that do come to hear his word and we have no cause to wonder that there is so little good got by the word because there are so few that make conscience to Sanctifie Gods name in hearing it Some there are that are so far from Sanctifying Gods name in it as they altogether neglect it and make it a matter of nothing whither they come to hear it or no Saith Christ in Joh. 8. 47. He that is of God heareth my word ye therefore hear them not because ye are not of God Certainly he that hath the knowledge of God and any interest in God and that belongs unto him nothing is more sweet to him then the hearing of his word but because ye are not of God saith Christ therefore you hear not his word Those men and women that have no interest in God but live without God in this world they regard not to hear his word O how many have we that belong to this place that do so How many live without God in the world and do declare to all the world that they are not of God they have no part nor portion in God in that they hear not his word Some there are that come to hear it but they come to hear it as a meer matter of indifferency in a meer formall and customary way or for companies sake or to give content to others These are poor and low ends thou shouldest come to hear the word as expecting God should speak to thy Soul for the furtherance of thy eternal good but your consciences may tell you what vain and wandring hearts you have when you come to hear it The eies of the fool saith Solomon are in all the corners of the earth up and down wandring little minding that you are come to hear God himself speak to you in the Ministry of man And if so be that it be minded yet ordinarily the hearts of men do put off the word and if it come any thing neer to them they think to shift it from themselves to others We have a notable Scripture in Heb. 12. 25. for such men as shift off Gods word when it comes many times very neer to them See that ye refuse not him that speaketh for if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth much more shall not we escape if we turn away from him which speaketh from heaven See that ye refuse not him that speaks the word see that you do not put him off And that that is the signification of it If you compare it with Luke 12. 18. you shall find that there is the same word used where speaking of those that were invited to the supper it is said They all with one consent began to make excuse they began to shift it off that is the same word O take heed of this that when you are hearing the word and Christ comes and speaks to your hearts and you begin to think that it may concern you and your consciences begin to stir take heed that you do not shift him off take heed that you do not put away the word from you by any kind of pretence whatsoever It may be you will say If I were certain it were the word of God and that God spake to me God forbid but that I should submit unto it But though it may be the hearts of men are not so notoriously rebellious as to resolve to sin against the word which they will acknowledge to be the word of God yet this is the deceit of the heart when the heart hath no mind to obey it will shift off the word and have pretences and put offs O take heed that you do not shift oft him that speaks from heaven by making any kind of excuse whatsoever but when thou hearest if the word of God come to thy conscience do not listen to vain reasonings that are against it Others there are that cannot tell how to shift off the word but it will come upon them when they are hearing it may be they are a little stirr'd but it is presently gone so that they are far from houlding the word far from keeping it in their hearts Oh how many of you have been stirr'd when you have been hearing the word and how happy had it been for you if you had hid those words in your heart that the Lord hath spoken to you in the Ministry of it If you had but the Invitations of the Spirit now that sometimes you have had how happy were it for you But it is with many in hearing the word just as with you Marriners when you are to go aboard your friends come with you take their leaves of you and then you see them stand upon the shore a while but when you sail a little further your friends are out of sight and then you see only the shore you sayl on a little further and then you see only the houses you sayl a little further and then you see only the steeples and such high places and you sayl yet a little further and then you see nothing but the Ocean So it is in hearing the word It may be when you go home there are some things fresh in your minds but on the munday morning you have lost some but then there are some others that do yet present themselves before you and then you loose more and more until you have lost the sight of all all truthes are gone you see no more of the word as if you had never heard it this is not to Sanctifie Gods name you should treasure up the word as the most rich
they must be called over again at the great day to judge your souls by the sentence of every one of your eternall estates must be tryed out of this book Oh look upon it as the word that must judge your Souls at the last day and then you will see it a dreadfull thing not to sanctifie Gods Name in it And then when the word doth judge you you shall obey it whether you will or no. Now the word convinces you and you will not obey it but when God comes to judge you by the word then you shall obey it Then when God comes to read that sentence out of the word Go ye cursed into everlasting fire then I say you shall be forced to obey it 12 Lastly There is yet one thing more which should have been mentioned before which is very remarkable That those men which do not sanctifie Gods Name in his word they will be blasted even here while they live their parts and common gifts that they yet have will be blasted wither and come to nothing We find it ordinarily that many that are young had very good beginnings and very good parts that were very hopefull and would speak very favourly where they came afterwards beginning by degrees to neglect the Word the Lord hath blasted them their gifts have withered the common gifts of the Spirit have been taken from them I will give you one Text for that in Luk. 8. 18. Take heed therefore how ye hear It is an Exhortation that follows upon the parable of the Sower that went out to sow because it is so that when the word is sowen as seed there is so little of it doth prosper and most hearers do not Sanctifie Gods name in it therefore look to your selves Why For whosoever hath to him shall be given and whosoever hath not from him shall be taken even that which he seemeth to have You had need look to your selves how you hear for the truth is all depends upon it under God have you got any common gifts of the Spirit of God or any abilities to do any service for God do not be proud of them neither be jolly nor think that you are able to do better then others and that those are but ordinary things that the Minister speaks and you are gotten into a higher forme Look to your selves take heed you come not to the word with a proud Spirit be not offended at the plainnesse of the word take heed how you hear for if you do not that that you seem to have shall be taken from you saith Christ You seem to have excellent gifts yea you seem to have grace too but take heed how you hear for all this whatsoever parts you have got though you be highly esteemed in the company where you come and you are able to do things more then others yet I say Take heed how you hear for otherwise that that you have will be taken away from you have have we not seen this in our own experience and it is apparent that they began to be withered and to be blasted by neglecting of the Word And therefore I beseech you look to this that you do Sanctifie the name of God in his word and let your hearts bow unto it as unto the Ordinance of God and waite upon it in the Ministry of it lest you wither and be blasted and come to nothing And thus I have shewen the great evill of not Sanctifying Gods Name and how God will be Sanctified I shall be very brief in the Use of Exhortation Oh that the Lord by this would cause some thing to stick upon your hearts that what hath been preached in this point may be made usefull for many Sermons afterwards that it might be said of you in this place as it was said of them in Act. 13. 48. When the Gentiles heard this they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord and as many as were ordained to eternall life beleeved Oh that God would make every one of you to be a means to glorifie the word of God! That should be our care that the word of God may be glorified by us we come to hear the word but take heed that the word of God be not dishonoured by us In 2 Thess 3. 1. Finally Brethren pray for us that the word of the Lord may have free course and be glorified even as it is with you Oh that we were able to say so and yet through Gods mercy in some degree we hope we can say so and I could heartily pray that the word of God might be glorified in all places as it hath been with many of you but yet go on in this and labour every one of you that it may be more glorified that you may manifest the power of the word in your conversations that all that do behold you may glorifie the word and say Oh what hath the Lord wrought in such a place in such families families that were wretched vild carnal and liv'd without God in the world Prophane Swearers foul-mouth'd Unclean Now since they have attended upon the word how hath it wrought upon them what a change is there in such men and women That the carnal husband may say since such time as my wife hath attended upon the word I have seen a Beauty in her conversation shee is more holy more gentle and meek and so my servant more submissive and faithful and so my children more obedient then before Oh that the word may be thus glorified Take heed I beseech you that the word be not blasphemed by any of you In Tit. 2. 5. there the Apostle gives divers exhortations and among others to wives and to servants To be 〈◊〉 chast◠keepers at home good obedient to their own husbands that the 〈◊〉 God be not blasphemed you must perform your duties unto your husbands and why that so the word of God be not blasphemed that is that neither your husbands nor any of your friends may blasphem the word and say what do you get this by going to sermons Oh it should peirce your hearts when as your consciences tell you that you have given cause whereby the word of God should be blasphemed and so he exhorts servants and others and all in the strength of this argument that the word of God be not blasphemed you get up early in a morning to hear the word that 's good but take heed you give no occasion that the word be blasphemed Now I shall shew what an excellent thing it is so to Sanctifie Gods name in the hearing of his word as to honour it and how God will Sanctifie his owne name in mercy to you 1 First All the good in the word is thine if thou doest Sanctifie Gods name There is aboundance of good in this word that we preach it is the word of the Gospel and to have all the good in that to be thine that must needs be an excellent thing you will say some times I
an Officer stept up and cried holy things for holy men and then all others were to goe 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 calld 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 doe first submit to it and are brought into Covenant when you make an Indenture and put to the Seale certainly the Seale 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 seale all my mercies in Christ to their soules We abuse God if we come to take the Seal to a blanke 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 Seale if a man should say to you come set to your seale to such a thing and there were never any kind of transactions between this man and you before you would account it ridiculous after there hath been agreements between you you use then to seale 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 soules canst thou say the Lord was pleased to reveale himselfe to mee to make known to mee my wretched condition and the way of grace and salvation and shewed me that upon my comming in to receive his Son he would be mercifull 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 againe how willing my soule was to accept of the Covenant which the Lord hath made with poor Creatures in the word of his Gospell canst thou say this in the uprightnesse of thy heart if not know that this Seale 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 bloud in a spirituall 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 read of no such thing here but that which is to be done here is presently to feed to eat and to drinke that 's the end of the Sacrament therefore it must be supposed that thou must have spiritual life there must come no dead Soule 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 godlinesse examine what worke of God hath been upon the soule 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 examine themselves then certainly such only as are godly are to come for they only can performe those acts that are required Fourthly It s a Sacrament of Communion with God and Communion with the Saints now what Communion hath Light and Darknesse or what fellowship hath Christ with Belial If it be a Sacrament of Communion of coming to the Table of God will God have his enemies to come to his Table you will invite no enemies to your Tables but your children and friends so they must be the children of God and the friends of God these that are reconciled to God in the bloud of his Son and those that are his children that must sit at his Table therefore they must be holy Now this may suffice for that first thing that this is not an Ordinance for all sorts of people but such as have submitted to the condition of the Covenant before Such as have grace and abilitie to examine themselves of their graces and such as are children and reconciled to God and so are fit to sit at the Table of God and to enjoy Communion with him and with his Son and with the Saints for we are one body sacramentally when we come to this holy Ordinance all others therefore certainly are to be kept from this Sacrament but such 2 The second thing will make it out more fully and that is it is not enough that wee be holy our selves and so all ignorant prophane and scandalous yea all that are meerly civil that can not make out any work of Godlinesse upon their hearts in bringing them to Christ are excluded But 1 It is to be done in a holy Communion and is cleer out of that place in 1 Cor. 10. 16 17. The Cup of blessing which wee blesse is it not the Communion of the blood of Christ the bread which wee break is it not the Communion of the body of Christ and then saith the Apostle in the 17. verse for we being many are one bread and one body therefore all that come to receive the Sacrament they must so come as they must be one body one spiritual Corporation this very consideration that those with whom we receive the Sacrament are one body with us it hath a great deale in it for the helping of us to sanctifie Gods Name this Ordinance I say it is to be received only in a holy Communion one Christian cannot receive the Sacrament alone there must be a Communion wheresoever it is to be administered it is not enough there is one Godly man there but there must be a Communion of Saints and in that communion it is to be received Quest You will say must it be received in
about it It is a wicked thing to use curses but it s a most wicked thing to wish evill to others in a way of prayer yet how many doe so though it may be they doe not think it they speak to God and desire him to bring such and such evils upon their neighbours yea sometimes parents upon their children this is a wicked practise of men what is it not wickednesse enough for thee to have any desire that there should any evill befall thy brother but wilt thou dare to presume to call God to be an instrument of the execution of thy base sinfull wrath that God must be a drudge as it were to thy wrath and to thy passion this is abominable wickednesse Any of you that ever have been guilty of this sinne of cursing others wives children servants or friends the Lord rebuke you for this sin how far hast thou been from sanctifying Gods Name in prayer whereas in stead of sanctifying the holy Name of God thou hast called God to be a servant and a drudge to thy passion God must be cal'd to help the venting of thy passion oh remember this you that have been at sea and have been angry and things not going according to your mind have fallen a cursing and a wishing such and such evills might come upon those you are angry with that 's a kind of prayer but it is a most fearfull taking the name of God in vaine in the highest degree and certainly God will not hold him guiltlesse that shall so take his Name in vaine therefore be humbled for this sinne Object But you will say do not wee read in the book of the Psalmes where many times the Prophet David doth curse the enimies of God and wishes evill to come upon them Answ To that I answer first that the Prophets and those that pen'd the Psalmes they had a prophetical spirit and those places that you read that are in way of cursing they are rather propheticall predictions of evill then direfull imprecations they are rather foretelling what shall be in a way of prophecie then wishing what should be Secondly if they be wishing what should be then I answer that those that were indued with such a propheticall spirit they did know who were the implacable enemies of God and who were not as David prayed against Judas so many hundred years before hee was borne by a propheticall spirit he knew that he was the childe of perdition indeed if we could certainly know a man that were to be a cast-away eternally from God it were another matter as the Church in the time of Julian because of his Apostasie being so abominable it was determined almost generally by them that he had committed the sinne against the holy Ghost and upon that they curst him Now I say those that had an extraordinary spirit that did know who these were they might do it but this is no example for us in an ordinary way to wish evill and curses upon others But thus far wee may do with the enemies of the Church First we may curse them disjunctively Lord either take them out of the way or keep them that they may not doe such mischiefe in the Church or thus conditionally if thou seest Lord that they be implacable thou knowest them if so let thy wrath and curse pursue them Lord thou seest what evill they are set upon and therefore rather then they should attaine their mischievous designes let thy wrath and curse persue them so we may do it but not absolutely to curse any though they should do us never so much wrong we are called to blessing but now in zeale to God take heed that we be not carried on in our own passion But being sure it is in a zeale to God we may wish the curses of God to pursue those that God knowes to be implacable this is but an appealing to God and not at all fastning it upon any particular persons that wee know but leaving it unto God for the execution of it and so in a zeale to the glory of God we may doe it and we are warranted so to doe by the second Petition Thy Kingdome come for that petition that requires us to pray for the comming of the Kingdome of Jesus Christ doth also require that we should pray against all meanes that hinder the comming of the Kingdome of Jesus Christ so that every time that the Church prayes thy Kingdome come or any prayes thy Kingdome come they doe as much as say O Lord do thou set thy selfe against all the enemies of thy Kingdome if they belong to thy election Lord convert them but otherwise Lord confound them Now thus we see how we are to sanctifie the Name of God in prayer in regard of the matter of the prayer but now for the manner of prayer The most things I confesse are there First when we come to prayer we must be sure to pray with understanding 1 Cor. 14. 15. What is it then I will pray with the spirit and will pray with understanding also God doth not love the sacrifice of fooles we must not come babling to God in prayer to speak wee know not what and to multiply words we know not wherefore but God doth require that those that come to prayer come with understanding that they offer to God a rationall a reasonable an understanding sacrifice God is a Spirit and he will be worshipped in spirit and in truth now as it belongs to all other duties of worship so especially in prayer to know what we doe when we pray not to think to put off God with a meere empty sound that 's the first thing The second thing in the manner of prayer it is the giving up all the faculties of our soules in it I spake to that in the worship of God in generall wee shall apply it now particularly to prayer the giving up not only out understandings but wills thoughts affections strength in prayer in 2 Chron. 20. 3. it is said of Jehosaphat that he set himselfe to seek the Lord he did give his whole selfe to seeke the Lord we are to give our whole selfe and not to divide in prayer Now this were an argument that indeed might well take up a whole Sermon in shewing the evill of the wandring of our spirits in prayer wee should take heed of the wandring of our spirits in hearing of the Word and receiving the Sacraments and so in prayer the people of God are much troubled with the wandring of their thoughts both in Word and Sacrament and it is their great burthen and should be so but I never hear any more complainings of the wandring of their spirits then in the time of prayer the people of God are much pestered in their spirits with this evill it is very grievous unto them and many of them goe under it as a grievous burthen all their dayes the chiefest burthen that is upon their spirits is their wandring in prayers so
that if God should speak to them as he spake unto Solomon and bade him aske what he should give him I verily beleeve there are many in this Congregation that have already good assurance of Gods love in Christ if they had not that that would be the maine thing that they would aske but having attained that if God would speak from heaven and say what shall I give you for your selves if he should aske you in the Generall it may be you would aske something for the Churches but if it be for your selves you would put up this petition oh Lord that I may be delivered from a wandring spirit in holy duties and especially in the duty of prayer that I may thereby come to enjoy more holy communion with thy selfe then ever yet I enjoyed and they would account this to be a greater mercy then if God should give them to be Kings or Queens over the whole World if God should put these two into the balance either the whole world to possesse or otherwise to have more free hearts in comming to God in prayer and to be delivered from that that hath so much hindred their communion with God in prayer they would despise and scorne the world in comparison of such a mercy as this is howsoever carnall hearts they think little of it but those that are the servants of God they finde it to be very grievous to them but being the time is past I shall reserve that to speak yet a little more largely for the helpe of those that are under the burthen of it I 'le only speak one thing further now and that shall be to those that are wicked and vile that not only have vaine wandring thoughts in prayer but even in the very duty of prayer many times have wicked and ungodly thoughts how horrible are they unclean thoughts murderous thoughts it may bee and most abominable I confesse even those that are godly may sometimes have some blasphemous thoughts cast into them for the devill is never more busie then at the time of prayer but they rather come from the devill then from the stream and corruption of their own hearts which may be we may make out more cleerely afterward but now I speak to such as have most wicked abominable thoughts rising from the stream and corruption of their hearts such thoughts as their hearts doe close withall in prayer and they can roule those thoughts about in their minds as a child will roule a piece of sugar in its mouth and this is the wickednesse of many men and womens hearts Take but this one note with you that all those dreadfull vile unclean covetous thoughts of thine in prayer they have been to God as if you had spoken them in words thoughts to God are all one with him as words are to men for God is a spirit and the spirit doth converse with God in thoughts as well as men doe converse with men in words and what a wofull guiltines would have been upon you had you spoken such vile and wicked things to men as some times hath been in your minds even when you have been praying to God how would the company have even spit in your faces and kickt you from them none that have any face of godlinesse would have indured you in their company and yet here 's the evill of it your hearts are not troubled but you rise off your knees and away you go thou hast a cauterised conscience a seared conscience that canst entertain such vile thoughts at any time without having thy spirit afflicted and going away with shame and confusion as if the greatest evill had befalne thee therefore take heed of this SERMON XIIII LEVITICUS 10. 3. I will be Sanctified in them that come nigh me WEE are first to sanctifie Gods Name in regard of the matter of our prayers And Secondly in regard of the manner For the first we made an end of it the last day and came unto the manner and there were two things mentioned First that wee must pray with understanding Secondly wee must give up our selves to prayer Now in the close of the exercise wee had occasion to fall upon that Argument about the wandring of our thoughts in prayer and by that we come to take Gods name in vaine in stead of Sanctifying of his Name God expects that we should have our thoughts and wills and affections our whole soules acting upon him in the duty of prayer or ese we doe not pray to God as unto a God vaine thoughts in prayer do 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 dirty with their lusts but those that are otherwise godly yet by their vaine thoughts the beauty 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 mee in thy Law while our eyes look upon vanity there will be no quicknesse in our hearts in any service that we tender up to God now many of Gods people have experience of the evill 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 doe wee bring by the vanity of our thoughts in prayer t is true the best of all will have vaine 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 spannel 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
tryall of this thou hast lost 〈◊〉 prayer by vaine thoughts and thou hast been troubled for 〈◊〉 and yet they come againe do but try for this weeke as I remember I said in the point of passion and anger that we should resolve with our selves well whatsoever fals out this morning I am resolved I will beare it so bethink thy selfe how many prayers thou hast lost by vaine thoughts and now 〈◊〉 thy resolutions and Covenant with God that for this prayer I will 〈◊〉 my selfe against them whatsoever paines I take I will be sure yet withall to look up to Gods grace to assist one I will be sure this prayer to keep my heart close to what I am about perhaps that will helpe you a little but yet some vain thoughts will come for all that then the next night renew them again and the next morning renew them again and that till thou commest to a habit of keeping thy heart close to the duty though now thou feelest thy heart so wild that thou thinkest it is impossible to bring it into order but certainly by such a means thy heart will be brought into order Thirdly Be sure to set the presence of God before you in prayer have a reall light of the infinite greatnesse Majestie and glory of that you present your selves unto when you are are calling upon him if so be that thou canst have a reall fight of God in his glory it wil keep thy heart close to the duty as if a man be wandring with his eyes and looking after every feather if the King or some great person come into the Room all his thoughts would be about the King or the great person that were comming in so if you would present the Lord in his glory and greatnesse excellencie majestie and power before you and what a dreadfull God he is in himselfe and yet what a mercifull God hee is to us in his Sonne this would mightily compose our hearts certainly men and women that are so wandring in their prayers it is because their eyes are not open to look upon God in his glory they are as it were dreaming and do not apprehend that God stands and looks upon them and observes them and that God takes notice of every wandring thought that comes from them they doe not consider that God doth converse with the thoughts of men as well as men do with the words of men that 's a third rule Fourthly Take heed thou beest not deceived because that those thoughts thou hast in prayer doe not appeare to be very evill in themselves This is a great deceit and hinder many in the sanctifying of Gods name in prayer there is sometimes damed in some vain thoughts now because the thought hath no great evill in it selfe therefore they thinke they may play with it and their hearts close with it and so 〈◊〉 along with it as the fish doth with the bait if the Devill casts in a thought of blasphemie that makes thee quake and shake but if thy thoughts have no 〈◊〉 evill in them but they are slight things matters of no moment one way or other upon that thy heart begins to be dandling and playing with them therefore remember this rule that in the time of prayer whatsoever thoughts be in thy mind that doe not concerne the present duty they are sinfull before God though the thoughts for the matter of them be never so good yet thou art to abandon them as sinfull at that time Therefore never be deceived with this that the thoughts are not very sinfull that 's another rule In the last place observe this rule if ever God hath helped thee at any time in prayer that thy heart hath been kept close to a duty and thou hast had Communion with him blesse God for that blesse God for that helpe t is a rule of very great use for us to get further assistance from God in any thing if so bee our hearts be inlarged to blesse God for any assistance wee have had heretofore and the reason why we gaine and prosper so little in our Christian course it is because we do not take notice of what God hath done for us to give God glory for mercyes formerly received and therefore God takes little or no delight in comming in with further mercyes to us as if you had a young nursery of trees and they began to thrive very well but there comes a company of Caterpillars and spoiles almost all the young Trees 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 spoild 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 Caterpillars 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 soules from these Caterpillars that have been upon our dutyes but many duties have been spoiled yet thou maist say that through Gods mercy such a Morning in my closet the Lord hath preserved a prayer to himselfe and I have gotten power over this vaine heart of mine blesse God for this and so the Spirit of God will be 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 sanctifyed 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 wee sanctifie Gods name we are poore and weak we can doe little marke it is said here that the Spirit helpeth our infirmities to pray and the word is exceeding emphaticall in the originall 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 peece 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 foule is pulling and tugging with its own heart and finds his heart heavy and dull like a logge in a ditch and have not many of you found your hearts so but now then when you are tugging with your hearts and would faine lift up your hearts to God in prayer there comes the Spirit of God at the other end and takes the heaviest end of the burden and helpes you to lift it up if a child were at one end of the logge and that were but light and the other end very heavy if one come and take up the heaviest end a little strength will serve for the lighter end so the Spirit comes and takes up the heavier end in duty and so helps our infirmities helpes together and then the other word is The Spirit that is together with the acting of the graces of the Spirit in our hearts you must not say so alasse what can I doe it must be the Spirit of God that must doe all it is true hee doth all First he gives converting and habituall grace and assisting and actuating grace but now when the Spirit hath wrought grace so as to convert the heart and hath given habituall grace in thy heart why then when the Spirit comes to assist it doth expect that thou shouldest stirre up all the gifts and graces of the Spirit and the very strength of thy body the Spirit of God expects that thou shouldest act to the uttermost thou art able what power hath been given thee by God and when thou art in acting then the Spirit comes and helpes together with us noting that we are to put forth what strength we have and thus Gods name will be sanctified when as wee putting forth the graces of the Spirit in us then the Spirit comes and helpes and what comes from us now comes from the breathings of the holy-Spirit in us and then God who knowes the meaning of the Spirit will know now the meaning of our sighs and groanes therefore when thou art going to prayer thou art to eye the Spirit of God thou art by the eye of faith to looke upon the Spirit of God and to cast thy soule upon the assistance of the Spirit of God thou art to looke upon the holy-Ghost as appointed by the Father and the Son to that office to bee a helper to his poore servants in the duties of worship and especially in that great duty of prayer now upon the reading of this text and having it thus opened this is one good helpe for thee in prayer read this text and then exercise thy faith upon it Lord hast thou not said that thy Spirit helpes our infirmities when we know not what to pray for nor how to pray for any thing as we ought but the Spirit will come now Lord make good this word of thine to my soule at this time and let mee have the breathings of the Spirit of God in me alasse the breaths of men if it come from gifts and parts I know thou wilt never regard it except there be the breathings of the holy-Ghost in mee in prayer now if you would know whether the Spirit of God doth come in or no you may know it by this the Spirit of God carries unto God and it makes the prayer sweet and delightfull so much of the Spirit of God as is there it comes to the soule in the duty and it leaves a savour behind it a gratious savour is alwaies left behind when the Spirit of God comes to breath O the breath of the Spirit of God is a sweet breath and it makes prayers sweet it never comes into the Soule but after it hath done any worke it came for it leaves a sweet sent after that the soule finds a sweetnesse in that prayer now many of you have been in the morning at prayer but I appeal to you what sweet savour of the Spirit of God is left behind certainly if the Spirit hath been there it is like civil that is put into a little box though you should take out the civit yet there will be a sweet savour left behind so though the Spirit of God in respect of the present assistance withdraws it self yet it leaves a sweet savour behind The fourth thing is purity of heart pure heart and hands in Heb. 10. 22. Rev. 5. 8. having every one of them harpes and golden vials full of odours which are the prayers of Saints mark the prayers of the Saints are odours in golden vials the golden vials I may compare to the heart the hearts of the Saints must be as golden vials and then their prayers will be as odours in 1 Tim. 2. 8. the holy-Ghost giving directions how wee should pray it is with this qualification I will therefore that men pray every where lifting up holy hands without wrath and doubting the outward conversation must be pure and the heart pure in Job 22. 26. marke what 's said concerning that holy man there 's a promise made to him for the lifting up of his face to God putting away iniquitie from his Tabernacle that by putting away evill from our Tabernacles and so from our hearts we may be able to lift up our hearts with joy to goe and that 's the fift thing purity of heart and hands The sixt thing is in truth when we come to call upon God we must call upon him in truth Psal 145. 18. the Lord is nigh unto all to all that call upon him in truth you will say what is the meaning of that to that I answer First there must be inward dispositions answerable to the expressions as for instance when I come to expresse the greatnesse of the majestie of God then I must have an inward disposition sutable to this expression I must have a feare and reverence of the infinite majestie of God Secondly When I come to confesse my sin to judge my selfe for my sin there must be an inward disposition sutable to such a confession O how many men and women will come and speak great things against themselves for their sins and judge themselves for their sins and yet there is no such disposition in their hearts sutable to their words you shall have some in praying with others they will be a meanes to break the hearts of others they will so follow their sin and take such shame and confusion upon themselves for their sin and yet God knows their hearts not stird all this while and then they will call upon God for pardon of sin and for power against their sin and yet God knowes that their hearts do close with their sin and are loath to part with their sin in the mean time this is falsenesse of heart when the inward disposition is not answerable to outward expressions I beseech you my brethren consider of the prayers you have made and especially
is more then to read in a book more then to say a few words yee see it is a very hard thing to pray a work of great difficultie and no marvell 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 Christian life meanes it is said of Christ in Luke 9. 29. that as hee was praying the fashion of his countenance was changed Oh that 's an excellent thing that when wee 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 countenances 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 learne 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 worshiping of him such a man and woman shall be to all eternity Sanctifying the name of God in praysing 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 ERRATA PAge 94. line 9. for capitall read corporeall Pag. 182. l. 25. for world r. word Pag. 226. l. 36. f. come r. we come Pag. 247. l. 3. f. which r. with Pag. 251. l. 21. f. with r of Pag. 252. l. 34. f. body r. blood Pag. 259. l. 20. f. is r. as Pag. 263. l. 9. f. whereas r. when Pag. 267. l. 3. f. plucking r. partaking FINIS AN EXACT ALPHABETICAL TABLE OF ALL THE PRINCIPAL TRUTHS IN THE FOREGOING SERMONS A Absolutly SPirituall things to be prayed for absolutly 277 Accept Acceptation Acceptation of our persons the means of it 69 God accepts not the duties of wicked men 116 The services of the Saints accepted 120 Act Actuall Action see Grace Actuall sanctification 68 The Lord accepts the person before the action 69 God is a pure act and requires actuall service 97 Adoption Sign of adoption to desire to be oft in Gods presence 36 We must pray in the spirit of adoption 294 Affections Affections the strength of them required in Gods worship 82 Aggravation Aggravation of sin to neglect due hearing the word 200 Afflictions see Honour They that sanctifie not God in hearing the word can have no comfort from it in afflictions 206 Whether it be lawfull to pray for afflictions 277 Afflictions in themselves materially evill 278 All All that we have must be given to God 63 All things sanctified to the godly 119 Altar Christ is the Altar upon which 〈◊〉 offer all our sacrifices 92 Angel Angel what it signifieth 91 Angels the aggravation of their sin 195 Anger Anger not to be brought into Gods service 19 Apply We must apply the word in hearing it 175 Apostacie see Schisme Apostacie the ground of it 206 Assurance The Gospel gives assurance of salvation 212 Attention Attention must be given in hearing of the word 171 B Beginners Beginners in Religion to be carefull of preparation 56 Beleeving Beleeving the condition of the Covenant of Grace 232 Birds Wandring thoughts in prayer as the birds to Abrahams sacrifice 283 Blast God blasts those men that sanctifie him not in worship 117 God will blast those that neglect his word 208 Blesse Many blesse themselves in evill wayes 198 To blesse God for helping us against wandring thoughts in prayer 289 Blind Blind sacrifice not to be offered to God 98 Bloud A fearfull thing to be guilty of Christs bloud 230 Breathing see Spirit Broken see Heart What kind of broken heart is required in receiving the Lords Supper 255 Christs Body broken for us 268 C Children Gods Saints may meet with afflictions in their Children 20 Ground of contentment in afflictions upon our Children 21 Church Church what it signifieth 235 Church defiled by wicked men uncastout 236 Civill see Worship Christ All worship must be tendered in the Name of Christ 91 All must be tendered in Christ because of Gods justice 101 They that reject the word reject Christ 201 All our prayers must be tendered in the Name of Christ 296 Command Nothing must be tendered to God in worship but what he hath Commanded 8 No expresse Command for many things in the New Testament 15 Comfort see Word Communion Communion with God not increased by the duties done with naturall conscience 88 The Sacrament the Ordinance of our Communion with Christ 229 The Sacrament must be received in a holy Communion 234 How far the presence of wicked men hinder this Communion 235 No close Church Communion with wicked men 240 More Communion with Christ in the Sacrament then in the word 251 Confession Ground of confession to God 98 Conscience Sinners against conscience need great preparation to duties 57 Duties acted by naturall Conscience 88 Naturall Conscience limits it self in duties 89 Trouble of Conscience should make men meekly hear the word 180 Consciences of wicked men troubled about the Sacrament 230 Constant Men acted by naturall parts are not constant in duties 88 There must be constancy in our prayers 295 Contrary The word will be made good on the contrary to those that abuse it 205 Conversion Conversion not wrought by the Sacrament 232 Covenant In the Sacrament we make a solemn Covenant 226 Covenant of Grace sealed in the Sacrament 229 Those that receive the Sacrament must be in the Covenant of Grace 232 Condition of that Covenant ibid Renewing of Covenant in the Sacrament 257 Crucified Christ crucified in the Sacrament 248 Curse They that neglect the word are nigh to a curse 203 Cursing of others sinfull 278 How farre we may curse the enemies of the Church 280 D Danger see Dignity Dark see Mind Dead Death Fear of death taken away how 38 Wee must not bring dead services and hearts to
the living God 97 Consciences of carnall men opened upon their death bed 118 Death of Christ to be meditated on in the Sacrament 165 Dear see Glory Delight God delights in our drawing nigh to him 37 Depart To neglect GODS Worship is to depart from him 33 Dependance We should continually be sensible of our dependance on God 274 Desire We must hear the word with a desire after it 170 Devill Devill gratified by omission of duties 59 Vnseasonable motions though materially good come from the Devill 82 Wandering thoughts in prayer suggested by the Devill 286 Difficulty Naturall parts in performance of duties will not carry thorow difficulties 87 Not to be discouraged in difficultes considering Gods power 97 The work of Religion difficult 109 Dignity see Prerogative The more dignity the more danger 12 Dishonour It were a dishonour to God to accept the services of wicked men 116 Disposition Inward disposition in prayer 292 Divine see Service Doubt The time of receiving the Sacrament no time for doubting 254 We must pray without doubting 293 Duty The holinesse of a duty will not bear men out in their miscarriage in it 17 Omission of duty will not fit for duty 58. 113 The doing of one duty prepares for another 60 Duties not to be rested on 103. 107. 115 To be humbled for our best duties 111 All duties of carnall worshippers lost 112 Sin of Hypocrites aggravated by holy duties ibid E Easie Preparation makes duties easie 52 Election Evidence of election 213 End see Extremity Our ends must be high in the worship of God 72 Base ends of men in Gods worship ibid To have right ends apart of wisdom 99 It is the nature of God to will himself the last end 104 Engagement Engagements of prayer to be performed 293 Envie see Mean Eternity Eternity of God how to be considered in our worship 94 Excellency Thoughts of our own excellency to be cast off in our worship 85 Exemplary Exemplary judgements should make us look into the word how God makes it good 23 Extremity Men that regard duties only in extremity make themselves their end 77 Examination Examination required in partaking of the Sacrament 233 Eye Faith as an eye to see Christ in the Sacrament 252 F Faith Faithfulnesse Faithfulnesse of God what it should teach us 102 Faith must be mixed in hearing the word 177 Faith exercised in receiving the Sacrament 252 Faith how to act it in the Sacrament 271 We must pray in Faith 293 Faculties All the faculties of the Soul to be given up in Prayer 281 Familiarity see Potent Drawing nigh to God breeds familiarity 37 Benefit of familiarity with God 38 Falling away Falling away the ground of it 34 Fear see Publick What fear we must have in Gods worship 78 In fear naturall Conscience puts in to duty 89 Fervency Fervency required in prayer 295 Fire Fire from Heaven Two fold 2 Fire that slew Aarons Sons what 3 Strange fire what 19 Folly To be ashamed of our follie when we come to GOD 99 Follow The Soul is to follow after God as a God 65 Free see Grace Friend see Word Friends who are the best 25 G Gesture Gesture in the Sacrament not meerly indifferent 262 Guilty see Bloud Guilty consciences flee the worship of God why 31 Guilt to be removed when we come to pray 274 God Duties must be performed to God as a God 62 When duties are offered to God as a God 63 The word to be heard as the word of God 166 We are reconciled by the blood of that person that is God 268 Good Good heart what 187 The word will be made good on the abusers of it 207 We are to pray for our own good 277 Gospel Gospel the tenour of it 257 Glory Glory of God dear to him 7 Glory of God dearer to him then the lives of men 22 Glory of God is the lustre of all his attributes together 102 The active Glory of God is the especiall honour he hath 105 Glory of God in his word the greatest 182 Why God will be glorified in them that hear the word 209 Those that will obey the word will be the Glory of the Ministers 214 We should have apprehensions of Gods Glory in prayer 275 The Glory of God is the chiefe thing we should pray for 276 Spirituall things nearest the Glory of God 277 Grace Grace to be acted especially in Gods worship 29 Grace the freenesse of it should make us more diligent in the worship of God 34 Graces increased by drawing nigh to God 35 Graces to be acted and stirred up in the Sacrament 271 We must act our own Graces in prayer together with the spirit 291 See Covenant Great A people are great that have God nigh them 40 We should prepare to Gods worship because he is great 43 The duties of Gods worship are great 44 How to sanctifie Gods name in respect of his greatnesse 67 Great things to be expected from God 100 We must hear the word with attention because of the greatnesse of him that sends it 172 We must be attentive because the matters delivered are great 173 H Habituall Habituall sanctification 68 Harden Nothing doth harden the heart more then the word by accident 205 Hand Faith is a Hand to take Christ in the Sacrament 253 The Cup in the Sacrament not to be delivered into every particular hand 264 Heart Our hearts naturally unprepared for duty 46 The heart in preparation to be taken from every sinfull way 49 As the heart is so are the duties 70 The heart is not changed by the acting of naturall parts 87 Good heart what 187 The word of the Law not in the heart 211 A broken heart required in receiving the Sacrament 246 Hearing Of sanctifying Gods Name in hearing the word 161 Hearing the word a part of Gods worship 162 How to know that God hears our prayers 294 Heathen Heathens attend to worship their Idolls 46 Heaven Being oft in Gods presence minds us of heaven 36 The worship of God here the beginning of that in heaven 106 Hide We must hide the word in our hearts 189 Highest What we lift highest in our worship that is our God 74 See Thoughts Ends. Hindrance Hindrances to Gods worship many 46 Holy Holinesse Holinesse the greatest honour of Gods Name 23 Holinesse of God to be held forth by his servants 24 Drawing nigh to God makes us holy 36 Time and Place said to be holy how 50 God infinitly holy 99 Those that receive the Lords Supper must be holy 232 Honest We must receive the word into honest hearts 186 Honest heart what 188 Honest amongst men who 189 Honour To quiet the heart in affliction is to know that God will have honour by it 25 Humble Humbled Humility Humility of Spirit requisite in the worship of God 84 To be humbled for not sanctifying the Name of GOD aright Humiliation in preparing to hear the word 168 Wandring thoughts in prayer suffered by God to
humble us 285 Humility required in our prayers 295 See Worship Hungring There must be hungring after Christ in the Sacrament 251 I Incense Incense what it signifieth 91 Incomprehensible Incomprehensiblenesse of God what it should teach us in our worship 95 Infinite There is an impression of Gods infinitnesse upon the duties of his servants 64 Infirmities Infirmities of others to be passed by of those that receive the Sacrament 258 Infirmities how helped by the spirit 290 Institution Institution of the Sacrament to be kept close to 261 Intention Strength of intention required in the worship of God 81 Joy The mercy of God should make us come to him with joy 100 The word to be received with joy 184 Difference in the joy of hypocrites and true Christians 186 Spirituall joy required in receiving the Sacraments 255 A broken spirit may consist with spiritual joy ibid Judge Judgement Sinners may meet with judgements 〈…〉 in the word 10 God is quick with same in the way way of his judgements 17 Judgements many times sutable to the sins 18 Gods judgements many times invisible 21 The word of God shall judge those that abuse it 207 Justice Justice of God seen in the death of Christ 268 K Knowledge Knowledge required in receiving the Lords Supper 244 Knowledge in other points necessary to them that receive the Sacrament 245 Knowledge actuall required in receivers 246 L Leaven Leaven how cast out by the Jewes 249 Life Living Gods goodness in sparing our lives to worship him 84 That God is a living God what it should teach us 96 The things delivered in the word concern our lives 174 Beleevers nourished to eternall life 269 Limitted The duties of Gods Children not limitted 65 Little In matters of worship God stands upon little things 11 Lose The ground why we lose so many prayers 296 Love Naturall conscience makes not the heart love a duty 88 The word must be received with love 184 The Sacrament ordained by Christ out of love 228 Love to be renewed in the receiving the Sacrament 258 The infinite love of God seen in the death of Christ 269 Lust The worship of God not to be subjected to our lusts 72 Who they be that subject it to their lusts 73 M Man The Mediator between God and man is man 276 Mean Mean men not to envy great ones why 13 Mediator The way of mans salvation is by a Mediator 267 Meditation Meditation in preparing the heart to holy duties 49 Meditations in the receiving the Sacrament 267 Meeknesse The word must be received with meeknesse 179 Mercy Mercifull God is mercifull 100 Mercy of God should teach us to be mercifull to others 101 The duties of worship the way to convey Gods choice Mercies 105 The word a means to convey speciall Mercies 195 Mercie-Seat Mercie-Seat a Type of Christ 91 Mind We should pick out Gods mind from dark expressions 14 We come to know the mind of God when we come to hear the word 163 Mysterie The greatest Mysteries of Salvation presented in the Sacrament 228. 255. Mixture Mixture of mans inventions with Gods Ordinances unlawfull 266 Mortification Mortification requisite to the sanctifying Gods name 67 Mouth Faith the mouth of the soul to receive Christ 254 N Name No way to enjoy mercies but by sanctifying Gods Name 105 See Sanctifie Nature Naturall Some duties of worship are naturall 261 Christ bath honoured humane nature by taking it 267 Neer Nigh God wil be sanctified in those that come neer him 6 Those that are neerest God should be most carefull 22 In worshipping God we draw nigh to him 26 In what respects we draw nigh to God in worship 27 The word of the Gospel nigh 211 See Grace Delight Adoption Neglect Severall sorts that neglect to sanctifie Gods Name in heating the word 197 Nourishment The Lords Supper an Ordinance for Spirituall nourishment 233 Beleevers are nourished to eternall life 269 O Omniscient What we should learn that God is Omniscient 98 Opening Ground of opening the heart to God 98 The heart must be opened to hear the word 175 Opportunity The happiest opportunity to sanctifie Gods Name is in hearing his word 200 Ordinance An Ordinance of God what 163 The word an Ordinance of God to convey good to us 166 Men are not to be forced to Congregations where any of Christs Ordinances are wanting 237 The Lords Supper the great Ordinance appointed to set forth Christ sufferings 348 Own We must bring to God in his service that which is his own 86 P Parts How to know when men are acted by naturall parts in Gods worship 87 Passion Passion hinders the right hearing of the word 179 Wicked men in passion rise against God 180 Peace-Offering Difference between Peace-Offerings and Burnt-Offerings 75 Person God accepts the person before he accepts the offering 69 Place The Lord is very terrible out of his holy places 18 God in his essentiall presence in every place 26 See Holy Plowing Plowing of the fallow ground of the heart what 168 Men may do somewhat toward the plowing of their hearts 169 See Word Potent Familiarity with God makes us potent with him 38 Prayer Prayer a great duty that needs preparation 45 Prayer required in preparation to duties 50 Vnregenerate men cannot sanctifie GODS Name in prayer 68 We should pray before we hear the word 171 Of sanctifying the Name of God in prayer 272 Prayer put for the whole worship of God 273 See Preparation Wandring Praise Gods worship must not be subjected to the praise of men 73 Preparation Preparation of the soul in the duties of Gods worship 42 Preparation and sanctification all one 43 Preparation to Gods worship why ibid Preparation 5 things wherein it consists 48 Preparation the excellency of it in severall things 52 Those that walk closely with God are in continuall preparation 56 Preparation a speciall duty of young beginners ibid Good men greived for want of preparation 58 Where there is sincerity duties should be done though there want preparation 59 Preparation required in hearing the word 165 Preparation to be made to prayer 273 See Prayer Great c. Prerogative Gods Prerogative appears most in his worship 11 No Prerogative can secure from Gods stroke 12 Presence Presence of God even in the godly terrible to wicked men 32 Presence of godly men comfortable 35 To set Gods presence before us in prayer 288 See Guilty Present When we worship God we tender a present to him 63 Sin committed long since to be looked on as present 94 Principle God looks more at the principle of the duty then at the duty 69 Good men looke at the principle of the things they enjoy from God 70 Prize To prize those mercies we beg in prayer 275 Prayer to bee highly priz'd 286 Promise Every Ordinance of Christ hath a speciall promise 248 Publick Those that are in publick place have especially need of the fear of God 13 Pure We must lift up pure hands in prayer 292
Q Questions Two questions God will ask his worshippers 87 Quick God is quick in way of judgement with some 17 The word of God is quick in working 196 Quiet The best way to quiet the heart in affliction 25 R Ready What will make the heart ready for duty 54 Readinesse to hear the word wherein it consists 166 Reading Reading not to be preferr'd before hearing 167 Reprobation Not to sanctifie Gods Name in hearing the word a sign of Reprobation 202 Two fearfull signs of Reprobation 203 Resign In Gods worship we must resign all to God 90 Resolution We must hear the word with resolution to yeild to it 170 resolution against wandring thoughts in prayer 287 S Sabbath Sabbath see Strength Sacrament Sacrament the meaning of the word 225 Sacrament a part of Gods worship 226 We must sanctifie Gods name in receiving the Sacrament 228 Vnworthy receiving the Sacrament severely threatned 229 How we sanctifie Gods Name in receiving the Sacrament 291 Whether Judas received the Sacrament of the Lords Supper 238 Safety Safety wherein it consists 38 Salt Salt of the Sacrifice what it signifieth 67 Sanctifie Sanctifie what it signifieth 5 Gods name Sanctified two waies ibid Gods name to be Sanctified when we draw nigh to him 42 How Gods Name is Sanctified in drawing nigh to him ibid How duties must be performed that Gods name may be Sanctified 62 The heart must be Sanctified in regard of Gods greatnesse 67 Sanctification the parts of it ibid Sanctification of the heart double 68 Sanctifying of Gods Name the only way to fit us for mercies 105 Exhortation to Sanctifie Gods Name 113 Nothing Sanctified to them that do not Sanctifie God in his word 203 See Sacrament Satisfied Naturall Consciences is satisfied with a little duty 90 See Sin Schisme No Schisme to depart from a Church that hath not al Christs Ordinances 243 Schisme what ibid Difference between Schisme and Apostacie ibid Secret Men acted by naturall parts are not enlarged in secret 88 See The Sacrament so to be delivered as all may see what is done 262 Self Self not to be our end in our duties 74 Where self is the highest end God regards not the duties 75 Service Hearing the word is Divine Service 164 Shadow Shadow of Gods wing what 39 Shift Of those that shift off the word closely applyed 199 Silence Silence what 7 Sin The committing of one sin prepares for another 60 No salvation without satisfying for sin 108 The heart must be purged from sin to receive the Sacrament 249 Motives in the Sacrament to abhor sin 250 Sin the great evill of it 269 Singing Singing Psalmes in the time of the Sacrament unfit 265 Singing after the Sacrament requisite 266 Sitting Sitting at the Sacrament the fittest gesture 263 Soul The price of the salvation of a Soul 269 Spirit Spirituall We must be acted by the Spirit in our worship 87 God must be worshipped in Spirit 93 Spirituall things may be absolutly prayed for 277 How to know when the Spirit helps our prayers 291 See Glory Sweet Strange see Fire Strength Strength required in Gods worship 80 Strength required to spend the Sabbath 83 Naturall conscience gives not Strength to duty 88 We must not come to duties in our own Strength 115 Strugling Strugling alone against corruption oft times en snares us 61 Subjection Subjection required in hearing the word 182 Sufferings The Sufferings of Christ chiefly represented in the Sacrament 246 Ground of suffering for Christ 268 Superstition Superstition what 9 Sutable see Judgement Sweet Breathings of the Spirit sweet 292 T Table Those that come to the Sacrament should come neer the table 261 Tares Tares what meant by them 238 Temptation Time of temptation the time of worship 81 We must hide the word in our hearts against temtation 191 Terrible see Place Thankfulnesse Thankfulnesse required in receiving the Sacrament 255 Motives to thankfulnesse 256 Time Preparation makes us do much in a little time 52 See Holy Thornes Thornes must be plucked out of the heart when we hear the word 169 Thoughts In the worshipping of God we must have high thoughts of God 71 Wicked men have many times wicked thoughts in prayer 282 Thoughts are to God as words are to men ibid See Wandring Tremble We should tremble at hearing the word 181 Truth We must pray in truth 292 Truth what meant by it ibid V Vain Where wicked men are willingly admitted to the sacrament Gods name is taken in vain 241 Unchangeable God is unchangeable 96 Understanding We must pray with understanding 280 Uncertainty The righteousnes of the law leaves at uncertainty 212 W Wait We must wait Gods leasure in regard of time 86 Ground of waiting from Gods eternity 95 Wandring WaÌ„dring thoughts in prayer 281 Directions against wandring thoughts in prayer 286 All wandring thoughts in prayer sinfull 288 See Birds Humble Devil c. Warrant see Command Watching Watching required in preparation to duty 50 Weaknesse God passeth by weaknes where the heart is prepared to duty 53 Weary A man that makes himself his end will be weary of duty 76 Wicked Wicked men are to be cast out or with drawn from in the sacrament 235 Every man in the congregation to look to the caâ—ing out of wicked men 241 Ground of excluding wicked men 258 Will Willing We must he willing not will worshippers 10 Things in Gods worship depend only upon his will 11 God requires that we will as he willeth 104 Our prayers must be according to Gods will 276 Wisdom Wisdom of God what to learn from it 99 Wisdom of God to be our guid ib. Womb Those that sanctifie Gods name in hearing the word it is a greater blessing then to bear him in their womb 213 Word To comfort afflicted friends from Gods word 24 The heart must be plowed by the word 196 The word must be glorified 194 Word what should make us esteem it 186 Word hath much of God in it 195 The word a means to convey speciall merices ibid. The word wherein the strength of it lies 202 All the good in the word for whom 210 The devil gets advantag by fastening il words upon the good 244 The word in what respect above the Sacrament 251 The word sanctified by prayr 273 Worship Difference between civil things Gods Worship 9 Natural helps in Gods worship ibid We should be humbled for false worship 11 Worship of God what 27 Worship of God the means to convey his choice mercies 28 To heed what we do in worship 32 Exhortation to be much in the worship of God 34 Hearing the word a Part of Gods worship 162 What makes hearing the word a worship 163 Prayer put for the whole worship of God 273 See Command Little c. World In preparation the heart must be taken from the world 49 In Prayer the heart must be taken from the world 275 Wrath Preachers that reveal Gods wrath should conceal their own 19 FINIS THE CONTENTS OF