open this Point fully will ask some time First Therefore I will shew you how we may know when our duties are acted by our natural parts rather than by the Spirit of God Secondly How we may know whether our duties be acted by natural Conscience rather than by the Spirit of God 1. First If thou art acted by natural parts they will not change thy heart Men that do perform duties by the strength of natural parts they may be as large as others and speak to the edification of others but those duties do never change their hearts now if thou beest acted by the Spirit of God thou wilt be changed into the very Image of his Spirit 2. Secondly If men are acted by Natural parts they will not carry them through difficulties and discouragements but now the Spirit of God if thou hast acted by him though thou doest meet with never such difficulties and discouragements thou wilt be carried through them all 3. Thou maiest know it by this wherein dost thou account the excellency of a duty to consist either in thy self or others Thou performest a duty now it may be thy parts do act very lively and to thy credit and yet thy conscience tells thee that thy heart was straightened Now canst thou rise up with joy because thou hast thy ends At another time perhaps thy heart is more troubled and broken But thou doest not express thy self so much then thou art discouraged And when thou seest another perform a duty if thou seest but any failing in their expressions thou pitchest upon that and lookest upon it as a poor thing thou art not able to see an excellency in holy duties except there be an excellency of natural parts but those that have the Spirit of God they can find the Spirit of God acting in others though they have not such natural parts 4. Those that are acted by their natural parts in secret they are less enlarged than they are before others a great deal Their parts act much before others But what is there between God and their own souls 5. They that be so acted will not be very constant you shall have yong ones that begin to look towards Religion their parts are a little fresh and they are mightily enlarged in holy duties and the thing is good for them to make use of their parts but how ordinary it is that after a few yeers they are deader and duller than they were before and have less mind to the duties of Gods Worship than they had formerly Were this the Spirit of God you would find as much savour and relish in them afterwards as there was at that time Secondly For natural Consciences which sometimes puts men upon acting of duties and indeed is better than meerly natural parts 1. If it be only natural Conscience it puts upon duties but gives no strength to do them but when the Spirit of God puts thee upon a duty it gives thee some strength to perform it some strength whereby thou gettest some Communion with God 2. If it be natural Conscience it puts upon the duty but makes not the heart glad of the duty and to love the duty but if it be the Spirit of God it makes thee to delight in it and to love it 3. If it be natural Conscience thou doest not by that encrease thy communion with God thou doest thy duties as in a round but now when the Spirit of God puts thee upon holy duties it is not a task done but thou findest more and more encrease in communion with God thy heart more raised to God and more closing with the Lord and so still more and more in the course of thy life I had a little converse with God at first when God began to acquaint my soul with His Waies but through His mercy now I find more communion with Him and so thou 〈◊〉 bless thy self in God in that converse that thou hast in communion with Him thou wouldst not lose that Communion thou hast with God in holy duties for all the world others have their companions that they have their communion withal much good may do them but the Lord hath shewen me another manner of communion which my soul can have with himself in which it hath sweet satisfaction And thus you have had Seven Particulars for the Sanctifying of the Name of God in Holy Duties SERMON VI. Leviticus 10. 3. I will be Sanctified in them that come nigh me 4. AGain As Natural Conscience doth give no strength to do the duty so it makes not the duty to be strong to the soul that is thus Thre's no strength got by the duty they are not by one duty prepared for another But the way of the Lord is strength to the upright that is when a gracious heart is in the way of Gods Worship it finds the very duty of the Worship of God to be strength to it and so it fits it for another Duty 5. Further A Natural Conscience limits its self and is bounded that is so much as will serve the turn for its own peace and quiet so much it will do and no more But when one is acted by the Spirit of God one is enlarged without any limits at all not bounded to ones own peace for the more peace a gracious heart hath in duty the more it is enlarged in duty Now a Natural Conscience that puts to duty and will act you when you want peace when you are in trouble and fear but when you are not in trouble and fear then it puts not on the heart to performance of duty but the Spirit of God puts on the Soul to Duty when there is most peace and comfort 6. A little will serve the turn to satisfie natural conscience so be it they perform the duty it is enough but one that is acted by the Spirit of God in duty must meet with much of God or else he is not satisfied he goes mourning in the day time if he hath not met with much of God in the morning in the performance of duty Thus you see there is much difference between the acting of Natural parts and conscience in duty and the acting of the Spirit of God There be only now Two things more for the Sanctifying of Gods Name in Duty and then we are to come to shew how we should sanctifie Gods Name in Duty in reference to the several Attributes of God But First for those Two Heads Further 7. The Seventh thing is this When you come to perform holy duties if you would sanctifie Gods Name you must consecrate your selves to God there must be a resignation of Soul and Body Estate Liberty Name and all you are have or can do unto God This is to sanctifie Gods Name the consecration of your selves unto God And the professing of this is the performance of duty when you are to pray were a very good thing actually to profess your selves to be Gods to profess that you do
maker So in Psal 100. 2. Let us come before his presence with singing for that 's one part of the Worship of God But the Scripture is plain that there is a special coming before God when we are coming to Worship him and in this respect the Servants of God in Psal 148. 14. are said to be a people neer to God It is a very remarkable expression and sets forth much the honor of the Saints of God There 's the commendation of the excellent estate of the Saints He also exalteth the horn of his people the praise of all his Saints even the children of Israel a people neer unto him The Saints of God the Children of Israel the Church of God are said to be a people neer to God Why neer him Because that they Worship God they are much exercised in the Worship of God This is one respect though there may be divers others mentioned yet in respect of their coming so much before God in his Worship therefore they are neer God Quest Neer him Why in what respects may a man be said to draw nigh to God when he Worships him Answ To that I Answer There are three respects in which a man when he is Worshiping God may be said to draw nigh to God First Because when we come to Worship God we come to tender up that homage and service unto him that is due from us as Creatures to the infinite Creator that 's the very end of Worship If you would know what it is to Worship God it is this You come to tender up that homage and respect that is due from the Creature to the Creator Now when a Subject comes to tender up his homage to his Prince he comes towards him when he doth it immediately So we have none to tender it up by but Jesus Christ and when we tender it up we must come our selves too for Christ doth nor take our service and tender it up to God and we be absent but we must come with Christ and Christ takes us by the hand and so tenders it up to the Father while we are in presence so that we are said to come nigh to God in that respect because of the immediate tendering up of that Worship of ours to God I call it immediate in respect of any creature But in respect of Christ indeed he is a Mediator to do it but yet he doth it in a spiritual way and we have to do with none but God through Jesus Christ in the tendering up of our Worship to him We may make use of an institution that God hath appointed but we do not tender up our Worship to God through that creature but in the use of that creature we do come to God and our souls are to tender up that respect we owe to God immediatly therefore in levit 21. 21. it is said of the Priests in their Sacrifices when they were to come to Worship God No man that hath a blemish of the seed of Aaron the Priest shall come nigh to offer the offerings of the Lord made by fire So that when any come to offer any offerings of the Lord made by Fire it appears he came nigh to God he came to bring a Present to God therefore he comes nigh So when we come to offer our Spiritual sacrifices unto God we come nigh to God to offer it 's the offering of a sacrifice to God And that 's the first thing because the creature comes to bring a Present to God therefore he is said to draw nigh And secondly The soul is said to draw nigh to God in holy duties because it doth present its self before God in those waies through which God doth use to communicate his choice precious most excellent and glorious mercies to his people I say when we come to Worship God we come to set our selves before God in those waies that God doth use to communicate the choice most excellent and glorious rich mercies that he hath to communicate to his creature When we have to deal with creatures as meat and drink and our outward businesses we have to do with God in them but when we come to worship God we come to present our selves before him in those things that he doth use to let out himself through in a more special and glorious manner to the souls of his people What 's the reason why Heaven is said to be the presence of God and why those that are in Heaven are said to live with God There they behold the face of God and are before him in a special manner therefore when Christ teacheth us to pray he teacheth us to look up to Heaven and to say Our Father which art in Heaven c. Now certainly the essential presence of God is on Earth as truly and really as in Heaven and God is not so as to have one part in one place and another in another but All God is in every place but the reason why God is said to be in Heaven it is because the Lord makes known himself there in a more glorious manner than in any other place and therefore Heaven is the presence of God in a more special way Now then if the communication of God unto a creature be enough to make the presence of God more special if this be enough to make a creature to live with God and to be before his face because they are there where God doth most communicate himself then certainly when we come to worship God we come to be neer God and be with God because the duties of his Worship are those means that the Lord hath appointed for the letting out of himself in the glory of his goodness and mercy to his people You may expect other manner of communication of God goodness through the duties of his Worship than in any other way And that 's the second respect wherein you may be said to draw nigh to God in holy duties Thirdly You may be said to draw nigh to God because then we should and if we worship God as we ought we do act our faith and humility and all the graces of the Spirit We do act them as it were upon God when we come to worship him That 's required in every duty of worship that you should stir up the faculties of your souls and all the graces of the Spirit of God and you should act them upon God when you are worshiping of him 'T is not enough to come with grace when you come to worship God but there must be an acting of that grace upon God And so we find in Scripture that the acting of grace upon God it is a drawing neer to him therefore in Isa 29. 13. the Lord complains there This people draws neer to me with their lips but their hearts are far from me as if God should say Indeed they come and speak to me and therefore they think they draw nigh to me but I expect that their hearts should
they do not consider that God doth converse with the thoughts of men as well as men do with the words of men that 's the third Rule Fourthly Take heed thou beest not deceived because that those thoughts thou hast in prayer do not appear to be verie evil in themselves This is a great deceit and hinders manie in the sanctifying of Gods Name in Prayer there is sometimes darted in some vain thoughts now because the thought hath no great evil in it self therefore they think they may play with it and their hearts close with it and so run along with it as the fish doth with the bait if the Devil casts in a thought of blasphemie that makes thee quake and shake but if thy thoughts have no great evil 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 do not concern the present dutie they are sinful before God though the thoughts for the matter of them be never so good yet thou art to abandon them as sinful at that time Therefore never be deceived with this that the thoughts are not verie sinful 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 dutie and thou hast had communion with him bless God for that bless God for that help 't is a Rule of verie great use for us to get further assistance from God in any thing if so be our hearts be enlarged to bless God for any assistance we have had heretofore and the reason why we gain 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 glorie for mercies formerly received and therefore God takes little or no delight in coming in with further mercies to us as if you had a yong Nurserie of Trees and they began to thrive very well but there comes a companie of Caterpillars and spoils almost all the yong 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 spoiled and that is spoiled but he sees two or three and these flourish fairly and these are full of Buds and are like to come to something and he rejoyces mightily in those because they are sav'd when so manie others are spoil'd and so do thou view thy Prayers and consider how many nie hath been spoiled as it were by these Caterpillars for I compare wandring vain 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 think that these blustering storms and the hand of God that hath been out against us should have clensed our thoughts and souls from these Caterpillars that have been upon our duties but manie duties have been spoiled yet thou maiest say that through Gods mercie such a morning in my closet the Lord hath preserved a prayer to himself and I have gotten power over this vain heart of mine bless God for this and so the Spirit of God will be more readie 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 dutie The third thing for the sanctifying of Gods Name in Prayer is this There must be the breathings of the Spirit of God otherwise Gods Name is not sanctified that in Rom. 8. 26. is cleer 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 self maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered If any of you should say How can we sanctifie Gods Name we are poor and weak we can do little Mark it is said here That the Spirit helpeth our infirmities to pray and the word is exceeding emphatical in the original in your books it is but meerly helping our infirmities but the meaning of the word is In these two things the Spirit helps that is look how a man that is taking up an heavie piece of Timber at one end he alone cannot get it up but there comes another and takes it up at the other end and so helps him the word signifies such a kind of helping as when a man takes a thing at the other end or on the other side one standing the one way and the other standing the other way or one taking up one end and the other the other end that is the meaning of it he helps our infirmities the poor soul is pulling and tugging with its own heart and finds his heart heavie and dull like a log in a ditch And have not many of you found your hearts so but now when you are tugging with your hearts and would fain 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 helps you to lift it up If a Child were at one end of the log and that were but light and the other end very heavie if one come and take up the heaviest end a little strength will serve for the lighter end So the Spirit comes and takes up the heavier end in duty and so helps our infirmities helps together And then the other word is The Spirit that is together with the acting of the graces of the Spirit in our hearts you must not say so Alas what can I do it must be the Spirit of God that must do it It 's true he doth all First he gives converting and habitual grace and assisting and actuating grace but now when the Spirit hath wrought grace so as to convert the heart and hath given habitual grace in thy heart why then when the Spirit comes to assist it doth expect that thou shouldest stir 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 helps together with us noting that we are to put forth what strength we have and thus Gods Name will be sanctified when as we putting forth the graces of the Spirit in us then the Spirit comes and helps and what comes from us now comes from the breathings of the holy Spirit in us and then God who knows the meaning of the Spirit will know now the meaning of our sighs and groans therfore when thou art going to prayer thou art to eye the Spirit of God thou art by the eye of faith to look upon the Spirit of God and to cast thy
high ends in worshiping God 72 Several base low ends in worshiping of God 1 In subjecting his Worship to our lusts ib. 2 Subjecting his worship to the praise of men 73 3 Making self our end in his worship 74 Which we do 1 when we are weary of duties if we find not that we desire 76 2 when men are streightned in worship and envy others that are enlarged 77 3 when men regard holy duties only in times of extremity ib. 4 There must be reverence and fear in Gods worship 78 5 There must be strength in the Duties of Gods worship 80 Strength of Intention 81 Affection 82 Faculties 83 6 There must be an humble frame of spirit 84 Which consists 1 In admiring Gods goodness that we are alive to come before him ib. 2 To have no thought of any Excellency in our selves 85 3 To come without our own righteousness ibid 4 To take off our hearts from all ability of grace ib. 5 To wait Gods leisure in regard of the time 86 7 In sanctifying Gods Name we must bring that which is his own ibid 1 The matter must be that which he hath commanded ibid 2 we must be acted by the spirit 87 When duties are acted by natural parts and not the spirit of God 1 If they change not the heart ib. 2 If they carry not through difficulties ibid 3 when men rejoyce in acting their parts ib. 4 When there is little enlargement in secret 88 5 when there is not constancy in duty ib. Duties acted by Natural Conscience 1 It gives no strength to do them ib. 2 The heart loves not the duty ib. 3 It doth not encrease communion with God ib. SERMON VI. 4 It makes not a duty strong to the soul 89 5 It limits it self in Duty ibid 6 It is satisfied with little 90 7 In the sanctifying Gods Name in Worship there must be a resignation of all to God ibid 8 All worship must be tendred in the Name of Jesus Christ 91 How to sanctifie Gods Name in reference to his Attributes 1 God is a spirit and to be worshiped in spirit 93 2 God is Eternal and how to worship him in that consideration 94 3 God is Incomprehensible and therefore seeth us in every place 95 4 God is unchangable what that should teach us in our worship 96 5 God is a living God and what we should learn thence ibid 6 God is Almighty what that should teach us in our worship 97 7 God is Omniscient and what that should teach us 98 8 God is a God of wisdom and what that should teach us 99 9 God is Holy and what that should teach us in our worship ib. 10 God is Merciful and what that should teach us 100 11 God is Just and what that should teach us 101 12 God is Faithful and what we should learn thence 102 SERMON VII Reasons why God wil be sanctified in all the Duties of his Worship 1 God doth will himself the last end 104 2 The especial glory God hath in the world is to be actively honored 105 3 The duties of worship are the means to convey Gods choicest mercies ibid 4 We are not fitted to receive mercies but by sanctifying Gods Name ibid 5 Else we should not hold out in duty 106 Application 1 We have no cause to rest on our duties 107 2 The work of Religion is hard to flesh and blood 109 3 We should be humbled that we have no more sanctified Gods Name 110 4 Exhortation to sanctifie Gods Name 113 1 To consider we have to deal with God in worship 114 2 Not to come in our own strenghth 115 3 Not to be satiisfied with the duty done ibid 5 God is displeased with the duties of wicked men 116 1 God blasts such men 117 2 God opens their eyes on their death-beds to see what they have done 118 6 Those that sanctifie Gods Name he will sanctifie it in a way of mercy 119 SERMON VIII Of sanctifying Gods Name in hearing the Word 161 Hearing the word a part of Gods worship 162 1 We profess our dependance upon God for the knowing of his mind 163 2 In hearing we wait on God in the way of an Ordinance ibid In hearing the Word 1 There must be a preparation 165 Which is 1 To hear the word as the word of God 166 2 To hear the word as Gods Ordinance for our good ib 2 To plough up the fallow ground of the heart and what is meant by it 168 3 Resolution to yield to all truths delivered 170 4 A desire after the word ib. 5 Prayer before we hear the word 171 The behavior of the Soul in hearing the Word 1 Careful attention to it ib. Means to help attention ib. 2 An opening of the heart to receive it 175 3 Careful applying of the word ibid 4 It must be mixed with faith 177 How the word is to be mixed with saith ibid SERMON IX 5 The word must be received with meckness 179 6 It must be heard wich ae trembling heart 181 7 With humble subjection to the word 182 8 It must be received with love and joy 184 9 It must be received into an honest heart 186 10 We must hide the word in our hearts 189 11 We must turn the word into practice 192 SERMON X. Why God will be glorified in them that hear the word 195 1 Because there is so much of God in it ibid 2 God hath appointed it to convey special mercies ib. 3 It is quick and lively in working 196 Use 1. Reproof of several sorts of men concerning the word neglected 197 The fearful estate of those that do not sanctifie God in his Word 200 1 They lose the choicest opportunity ibid 2 The word wil be a great aggravation of sin ibid 3 They that reject the word reject Christ 201 4 It is an argument of hardness of heart 202 5 It is a sad sign of Reprobation ibid 6 To such there can be nothing sanctified 203 7 They are nigh to a curse ib. 8 It will turn to their damnation 205 9 It will not comfort them in afflictions 206 10 God will make his word good upon them 207 11 The word shal judg them ibid 12 God will blast them that sanctifie not his Name in his word 208 Use 2. Exhortation to glorifie the word of God 209 God wil sanctifie his Name in mercy upon those that sanctifie it in hearing the Word 210 1 All the good in the world is theirs ibid 2 It is a certain evidence of their election 213 3 God will sanctifie them by the word 214 4 They wil be the glory of the Ministers at the day of Christ ibid 5 It will rejoyce them hereafter when God shall magnifie his word 215 SERMON XI Of sanctifying the Name of God in receiving the Sacrament 225 1 Receiving the Sacrament is a part of Gods Worship 226 2 Gods Name must be sanctified in our receiving the Sacrament 228 1 Because there are
carrying forth the filthiness out of our hearts so as to be fit for a duty And in Job 11. 13 14. If thou prepare thine heart and stretch out thine hand towards him What then If iniquity be in thine hand put it far away and let not wickedness dwell in thy tabernacles These Two must be together 3. A Third thing is this The preparation of the heart it is The dis-intangling of the heart from the world and from all occasions and businesses in the world I am to worship God but how is my heart insnared and intangled in this and the othere business Now when I come to worship God I must lay aside all for there 's the preparation of the heart the separating of it for such a work for that 's the nature of Sanctification the separating of a thing from a common use I am to worship God now I must labor to separate my heart from a common use At other times God gives me liberty to let out my heart to common uses but now when I come to worship him I must separate my heart from all common uses that my heart may be wholly for God I remember it is said in the story of Cicil which was Lord Treasurer that when he went to read he would lay his gown off and say Lie there Lord Cicil So when we go to duty we should say Lie by world and by laying aside the world I mean laying aside of all houshold affairs or affairs in trading c. I must be as one that hath nothing to do in the world for that time It is true the time cannot be said to be holy for this as the time of the Sabbath day is holy You will say Why may not any time be said to be holy that I spend in holy duties No that is not enough to make time holy for the time that God makes holy it is not holy because of the duties that I perform in it but the duties that I perform then are more acceptable because they are done in such a time and so that makes a place holy not because it is appointed for holy duties and uses but because it is so appointed by God and the performing a duty in that place is more acceptable to God than in another place But now though we cannot make our time holy in that second sense yet in the first it is time set apart for a holy use and in that regard it is holy and so we should look upon it as not to have our outward business to devour that time that is holy in that regard as Nehemiah When Tobiah and Sanballat sent to him to come and confer with them No saith he I cannot go for the work is great that I have to do So we must not intangle our selves to meddle with other things when we are to come to worship God for our work is great The Fourth thing for preparation is To Watch and to Pray We should watch over our hearts lest they be made unfit for duties So we should prepare for Prayer all day long in this sense that is we should watch over our hearts that they be not let out so far as to hinder us in prayer when we come to do it I remember that Tertullian saith That the Christians did so sup as if they were to pray So when thou art in company thou shouldest watch unto prayer Oh that you did so you cannot but be conscious to your selves that oftentimes when you have bin in company your hearts have been put out of tune and frame that you have been no way fit for prayer when you come home your house and family finds it so You that take such delight in company and sitting up late I appeal to your consciences whether you can come home and find your selves fit either in your family or closet to go and open you hearts to God This is one Note by the way wherby you may come to know whether you have been immoderate in company at any time God gives not men liberty to be busie in any outward occasions so as to unfit them for his Service Preparation consists in that in watching over your hearts that you may not be unfitted for any holy duty when God calls you to it but that you may be ready even to every good work The Fifth Note is this Preparation consists in the readiness of the faculties of the Soul and the Graces of the Spirit of God ' presently to act upon the setting upon an holy Duty When a man or woman shall find the faculties of their soul and the graces that are in them to be ready to act assoon as ever they fall upon duty Just as you see a company of Ringers when they have made all preparation for the raising of the Bells then in an instant when thy begin to pul all the Bels go in that tune that according to their skil they set them in And so it should be with our hearts the faculties of our souls and graces though now we are not upon duty yet we should be so ready that as it were upon a pul all the faculties of our souls and the graces of Gods Spirit should work in a melodious way There are those that keep their hearts so prepared as at the very first moment that they set about the duty of Worship all faculties and graces begin to act and stir and are working towards God As a fire when all the matter is ready laid presently it comes to be kindled and flame out and thus it should be with our hearts So that now you see wherein preparation of our hearts to Duty consists The next thing is The Excellency of this Preparation and that may be in way of Application to you to make you to be in love with preparation for holy duties There is abundance of good in it As First By this means we come to make every Duty of Worship easie to us Things are difficult when we come upon them unprepared If you have a friend come to dinner or supper to you and should come suddenly and you have nothing prepared there would be a great deal of stir in the house but if you have every thing prepared it would be carried on in an easie way And the reason why people complain so much of difficulty in duty it is because their hearts are not prepared Indeed we have naturally many things that keep us off from God but when the heart is prepared for a holy duty it goes off as easie to God even into the infinite Ocean of all mercy and goodness as a Ship goes off to be lancht when you have made preparation for it so the heart can go with an holy holdness to God when you have made preparation for holy duties In Job 11. the place which I quoted before for the work of preparation do but consider a verse or two further and you shall find what abundance of good there comes upon the keeping of
those that did offer it they did eat a great part of it themselves now they were very careful in those offerings that they were to partake of themselves to offer fat beasts you do not see that the holy Ghost takes any notice of fat beasts in their burnt offerings Now the Note from hence is this That in those things where men are interested themselves they will be very careful to have the best things But now the Lord rejected the fat beasts of their Peace-offerings saith God You were very careful to offer fat beasts in your Peace-offerings where you may feed your selves but for those offerings wherein I have all there you are not so careful and therefore I regard them not The third Scripture is in Zach. 7. 7. 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 yeers together but saith the Lord Did you at all fast unto me and then mark how he doubled it 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 aim at God more than our selves that God may not say of us another day Do you do it to me even to me You may ask me this Question How may I know that I am acted by self-ends in holy Duties for it is a hard thing for one to know ones own heart when one is acted by principles of self and when we aim at God in holy Duties Now for that I will give you these Notes to try whether you be acted from your selves or no. The First is this If a man loves holy Duties though he finds no present good comes in by them because they are such things as God requires and therefore though I get nothing by them yet this is enough to carry me on and to carry me on readily and willingly in the Worship of God those that can delight in Gods Worship even at that time though they find nothing coming in to themselves But now when we find not that coming in that we do desire we begin to be weary of Worship and say Why have we fasted and thou seest it not This is an Argument that thou art acted by Self rather than by God Secondly To know whether we be acted by self-ends or rather by high ends for God Those men that can rejoyce in others that are able to honor God in holy duties more than themselves they may have a good evidence to their own souls that when they worship God they are acted by higher ends than Self but now such as are straightned themselves and when they see other more enlarged in the Worship of God they rather envy them are griev'd and troubled know that Self is a great ingredient in those duties that thou doest perform if thy heart were raised high to God though thou canst not thy self be enlarged in holy duties yet thy soul would be glad that any others are though I have a wretched and vile heart of my own yet blessed be God that there are any others that can worship God better than I can Thirdly A man that is acted by Self in holy duties he regards holy duties but little save in time of extremity in time of fear or in sickness or in danger 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 midst 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 midst of thy abundance say Lord thou givest me all conveniences in this world and all outward things that I want but Lord this is that which is the joy of my soul this is that which makes my life comfortable even communion with thy self in the duties of thy worship that I have free access unto the Throne of thy Grace to worship Thee the Lord and there meet with thee when I am in the performance of holy duties O Lord thou that knowest all things knowest that this is the thing that makes my life comfortable It is not that I have a Table furnished with variety of dishes and that I can have liberty of time to go into company and spend according as I please but Lord those incomes of thy Spirit that I do find in the duties of thy Worship those are the things that makes my life blessed indeed unto me Such a man is able thus to appeal to God surely when he worships God he is acted by high ends and not by self-ends And that 's the Third thing that is necessary for sanctifying Gods Name in holy Duties thou must have a sanctified heart high thoughts of God and high ends In the fourth place There must be much reverence and much fear when thou comest into the presence of God to worship him thou doest not glorifie God as God except thou doest come into his presence with much fear reverence of his great Name Fear in worshiping of God it is so necessary that many times in Scripture we find that the very Worship of God is called The fear of God they are put both for one I might give you divers Scriptures for it and hence it was that the Name of God was called the Fear of Isaac Jacob did swear by the Fear of his father Isaac because Isaac being a great Worshiper of God kept his constant times to worship God and worshiped him in such a constant way as except David and Daniel we do not find mention of the constancy of any in the worshiping of God as we do of Isaac's for it is said that he walked but into the fields in the evening as he was wont to do to Meditate and to Pray and therefore God is called The fear of Isaac In Psal 89. 7. is a notable Scripture for this drawing nigh to God with fear God is greatly to be feared in the Assembly of the Saints and to be had in reverence of all them that are about him God is to be had in reverence of all them that are about him but in the Assembly of his Saints he is greatly to be feared he is daunting terrible so the words are in the Assembly of the Saints When thou comest nigh to God thou hadst need have thy heart possest with much fear So in Psal 2. 11. the Kings and Princes of the earth are called upon to serve the Lord with fear Let them be never so great yet when they come into Gods presence they must serve him with fear And so in Psal 5. 7. In thy fear will I worship toward thy holy Temple Now this fear of God it must not
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 examin it at least to try it whether it be so or no as it is said of those Well-bred men that I spake of that they did examin 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 tried 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 sin 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 bottom Grant that respect therefore to the Word 3. Thirdly consider this It may be I do not see cleerly that these things are so which are delivered I do not see enough to beleeve them now but what if I were now dying what if I were now going to receive the sentence of my eternal doom 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 infinit Ocean of Eternity before you what would you say then were the Word true yea or no would you give belief unto the suggestions of the Devil then We find it by exprience That men that could easily cast off the Word in their healths yet when they have come to lie upon their sick bed and death bed they found the Word true Beleeve it now as well as then 4. Consider If thou doest not beleeve what a case art thou in Am I worse than the Devils themselves The Scripture tels me That the Devils beleeve and tremble Why Lord do I come to hear Sermons and am I more hard to beleeve than the very Devils themselves They do beleeve that Word that I cast off and they tremble at it but my soul is not at all stirred as if there were no reallity in such things that have been spoken to me There be other things which may further help us towards beleeving of the Word of God but these shall suffice And certainly my brethren till we come to this to beleeve the Word though we should sit under it many yeers it will do us little good and we shall never sanctifie the Name of God in the hearing of it SERMON IX Leviticus 10. 3. I will be Sanctified in them that come nigh me THE next thing for the right behavior of the soul for sanctifying Gods Name is this We must receive the Word with meekness of spirit that you have in Jam. 1. 21. Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness and receive with meekness the ingrafted Word which is able to save your souls Receive with meekness The former part of this Scripture I confess concerns somewhat that was before about the preparation of the soul and we shall perhaps afterwards in the Application come to open the former part of this vers Lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness But only now we quote the place for this Receive with meeknes the ingrafted Word which is able to save your souls Let there be a quietness in your spirits in attending upon the Word no hurrying There is a twofold distemper of passion in many people that is a great hindrance to the profit of the Word and sanctifying Gods Name in hearing it 1. The first is a distemper of passion in those that have some trouble of concience in them they are troubled for their sin and their spirits are in a discontented froward humor because they have not that comfort that they do desire and therefore the Word of God when it come to be preached to them if it doth not every way sute with their hearts and if they do not find present comfort by it their spirits are in a distemper and frowardness and cast it off and if at any time there be never such comfortable things spoken in the Word yet there is an anger in their spirits because they are not able to apply the word to themselves and they think This doth not concern me Now there should be meekness of spirit in those that are in trouble of conscience above all they should quietly attend upon the Word and wait for the time that God will speak peace to their consciences And if I cannot find the Word sutable to me at this time yet I may at another time let me attend with meekness let me receive every thing with meekness the Word is above me and if ever I have good it must be by the Word at last It doth much concern those that are in trouble of conscience to have meek spirits 2. There is another distemper in others and that is worse that is Such as when they find the Word come neer unto them relating those sins that their consciences tells them they are guilty of their hearts rise against God and His Word and Ministers too because it would pluck away some beloved corruption because it rebukes them for some haunt of evil some distemper of heart that
given and whosoever hath not from him shal 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 than others and that those are but ordinary things that the Minister speaks and you are gotten into a higher form Look to your selves take heed you come not to the Word with a proud Spirit be not offended at the plainness 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 than others yet I say Take heed how you hear for otherwise that that you have will be taken away from you have we not seen this in our own experience and it is apparant 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 doe sanctifie the name of God in His Word and let your hearts bow unto it as unto the Ordinance of God and wait upon it in the Ministry of it lest you wither and be blasted and come to nothing And thus I have shewen the great evil 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 something to stick upon your hearts that what hath been preached in this point may be made useful 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 Gentils heard this they were glad and glorified the Word of the Lord and as many as were ordained to eternal 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 dishonored 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 labor 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 vile 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 wise hath attended upon the Word I have seen a beauty in her conversation she it more holy more gentle and meek and so my servant more submissive and faithfull and so my children more obedient than 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 discreet chast keepers at home good obedient to their owne husbands that the word of God be not blasphemed you must performe your duties unto your husbands and why that so the Word of God be not blasphemed that is that neither your husband nor any of your friends may blaspheme the Word and say What do you get this by going to Sermons Oh it should pierce your hearts when as your conscience 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 here 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 honor it and how God will sanctifie His own Name in mercie to you 1. First All the good in the word is thine if thou dost sanctifie Gods Name There is abundance of good in this Word that we preach it is the Word of the Gospell and to have all the good in that to be thine that must needs be an excellent thing you will say smotimes I read and heare such things in the Word that if I were but sure that these things were my portion how happy should I be Here 's one signe by which thou maiest be assured that they are all thy portion Is it thy unfaned care to sanctifie Gods Name in the hearing of His Word Oh peace be to thee all the good in the Word in thine And here we might fall into a commendation of the Word of the Gospel and if I should give way to that a great deal of time would quickly be gone I will only give you one Scripture for your encouragment to sanctifie Gods Name in the hearing of his Word by way of commendation of it it is Rom. 10. 5 a place I am afraid you have not heard the sweetnes of it for the want of understanding it It is quoted out of Deut. for Moses describeth the righteousnes which is of the Law that the man which doth those things shal live by them But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise Say not in thine heart who shal ascend into Heaven that is To bring Christ down from above or who shal ascend into the deep that is To bring Christ again from the dead But what saith it The word is nigh thee even in thy mouth and in thy heart that is the word of faith which we preach The text hath some difficulty and yet exceeding sweet to us to know it I confess if the Apostle Paul had not quoted this place out of Deuteronomy and thus interpreted it who could ever have thought in reading of Deuteronomy that by one had been meant the word of the Law and by the other the word of the Gospel Therefore the meaning is this here is a comparison between the Word of the Law and the Word of the
wonderful things of God it is the most glorious sight in the world al the glory of God in the Heavens and Earth is not like this Sight of Jesus Christ and the mysteries of the Gospel that do appear to the eye of Faith therefore you may by this know whether you have come with Faith or no to the Sacrament whether you have seen the most glorious Sight that ever your eyes did behold Alas with our natural eyes we behold a Minister coming with a piece of Bread and a little Wine but when the eye of Faith is opened then we behold the glorious things of the Gospel Many times when you come to hear the Word your hearts burn within you as they that went to Emaus but when you are breaking bread the eye of Faith that must look upon Jesus Christ and in this sense those that have pierced Christ must look upon him that Scripture is fulfilled in Zachariah 12. latter end They shall look on him whom they have pierced by their Sins and then mourn and lament This eye of Faith will cause mourning and lamenting for Sin And then As Faith is the eye to make what is here real so Faith is the hand to take it When you come to a feast you must have something to take the meat to you so saith Christ he brake bread and gave it unto his Disciples saying Take eat this Take it how shal we take it By reaching out of the hand if you sanctifie Gods Name in this Ordinance as you reach out your hand to take the Bread and Wine so there must be an actual reaching out of the soul by Faith putting forth an act of Faith to receive Jesus Christ unto the soul to apply the Lord Jesus Christ unto thy soul with all his merits and good things that he hath purchased when the Minister doth give out that Ordinance 〈◊〉 should look upon God the Father giving out his Son as if this were your condition I am now in the presence of the eternal Father who now doth actually give out his Son to my soul and saith Soul here receive a new this day my Son with all that he hath purchased for thy good now then the soul acts upon this and by stirring up an act of faith comes and closes with this gift of the Father and casts its selfe upon Jesus Christ and saith as it were Amen to what the Father gives Oh Lord here I come and imbrace thy Son as my life as my Savior as the Fountain of all my good in whom I expect all the good I am like to have either here or to all eternity so that there must be a stirring up of the act of faith in an actual taking of Christ if thou beest a Beleever Canst thou remember what thou didst when first thou didst take Jesus Christ when the Lord in the preaching of His word did reveal Jesus Christ to my soul what didst thou then Oh soul how did thy soul work in closing with Christ as thy soul did then in closing with Christ so it must now renew the work there must be a renewal of the work at that time So that when you come to the Sacrament you must not think that it is then a time to listen to doubts fears and Scruples no but it is a time that God cals for the exercise of faith the casting of the soul upon Christ and His merits for life and for salvation or else the Name of God is not sanctified as it ought thou doest not Sanctifie Gods Name when thou art busying thy soul in doubts and scruples in thy receiving of the Sacrament And then faith is as the mouth when thou comest to eat and drink how canst thou if thou hast not a mouth thou hast a bodily mouth to take in Bread and Wine but know that without faith thy soul cannot take in Christ faith is as it were the mouth that is by the act of faith the soul doth open it self for Jesus Christ and not only opens it self but takes in Christ to the soul and makes Christ and the soul as one as our Bread and Wine is made one with our Body so faith takes in Christ and makes him as one with thee and turns Christ into the nourishment of thy soul and thou and Christ by faith are made as truly one as the Bread and Wine that is put into thy Body is made one with thy body This is the work of faith without which we cannot Sanctifie the Name of God Sixthly There must be spiritual Joy that must be exercised here for it is a feast here we come to sit with Christ at his Table we come as Children to our fathers Table and to sit there with Jesus Christ our Elder Brother now as a father doth not love to have his child sit in a sullen and dogged way at his Table or to be crying but he would have the child sit in comfort and with a holy cheerfulnes with a holy freedom of spirit not in a sullen way but as a child in the presence of his father and not as a servant with the master Obiect You told us before that there should be brokenness of spirit and sence of our sin Answ That may be and joy we rejoyce with trembling therefore that brokennese of spirit that I meant must not be slavish horror and fear but a kindly melting of the soul from the apprehension of the love of God unto it in Jesus Christ that was willing to be at so great cost to purchase the pardon of sin such a gracious mourning as may stand with joy and the truth is that that sorrow for sin in the Sacrament that is not mixt with joy is a sorrow that doth not Sanctifie Gods Name godly sorrow and evangelical joy may stand together very well And therefore know that this is not the time neither to give liberty to have your hearts sink no there must be no sinking sorrow of heart but such a sorrow of heart as in the midst of it you may be able to look upon God as a reconciled Father to you and have a cheerfulness of spirit as in the presence of God you must look upon your selves as Gods guests to be merry at his Table now this is a great mystery of godliness that there should be at the same time the sight of Christ crucified and yet at the same time a spiritual cheerfulness in the assurance of the love of God in Jesus Christ I say it is a mystery and only those that are Beleevers are able to understand this mystery how to have their hearts break and yet how to rejoyce at the same time in that unspeakable love of God that is here presented unto them in this Sacrament Seventhly In the next place There must be thankfulness therefore it is called the Eucharist and in one of the Evangelists where it is said Christ blest the Bread in another it is said Christ gave thanks Christ when he instituted this
Sitting Sitting at the Sacrament the fittest gesture 263 Soul The price of the salvation of a Soul 269 Spirit Spiritual We must be acted by the spirit in our worship Page 87 God must be worshiped in spirit 93 Spiritual things may be absolutely prayed for 177 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 Natural 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 ensnares us 61 Subjection Subjection required in bearing 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 Judgment Sweet Breathings of the spirit sweet 292 T Table Those that come to the Sacrament should come neer the Table 261 Tares Tares what ment by them 238 Temptation Time of temptation the time of worship 81 We must hide the Word in our hearts against temptation 191 Terrible see Place Thankfulness Thankfulness required in receiving the Sacrament Page 255 Motives to thankfulness 256 Time Preparation makes us do much in a little time 52 See Holy Thorns Thorns must be plucked out of the heart when we hear the Word 169 Thoughts In the worshiping 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 the hearing of 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 Unchangable God is unchangable 96 Understanding We must pray with understanding 280 Uncertainty The righteousness of the Law leaves at uncertainty 212 W Wait We must wait Gods leisure in regard of time 86 Ground of waiting from Gods eternity 95 Wandring Wandring thoughts in prayer Page 281 Directions against wandring thoughts in prayer 286 All wandring thoughts in prayer sinful 288 See Birds Humble Devil Warrant see Command Watching Watching required in preparation to duty 50 Weakness God passes by weakness 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 withdrawn from in the Sacrament 235 Every man in the Congregation to look to the casting out of wicked men 241 Ground of excluding wicked men 258 Will Willing We must be willing not will worshipers 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 guide ibid Womb Those that sanctifie Gods Name in hearing the Word it is a greater blessing than 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 esteâ—m â—t Page 186 The Word hath much of God in it 195 The Word a means to convey spectal mercies ibid The Word wherein the strength of it liâ—s 202 All the good in the Word for whom 210 The Devil 〈◊〉 advantage by fastning ill Words upon thâ— good 244 The Word in what respect above the Sacrament 251 The Word sanct fiâ—d by Prayer 273 Worship Difference between civil things and Gods Worship 9 Natural helps in Gods Worship ib. We should be humbled for false Worship 11 Worship of God what Page 27 Worship of God the means to convey hâ—â— choyce mercies 28 To heâ—d what we do in Worship 32 Exhortation to be much in the Worship of God 34 Heaâ—ing the Word a part of Gods Worship 162 〈◊〉 makes hearing the Word a Worship 163 Prayer put for the whâ—â— Worship of God 173 See Comman Liâ—d 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 〈◊〉 Gods wrath should conceal their own 19 FINIS COLE Stepney Novemb. 16. 1645 Stepney Dec. 21. 1645. Stepney Jan. 4. 1645. Stepney Jan. 11. 1645.
soul of man than the sight of God and the great reason of the pride of all mens hearts is because they never knew God If thou didest but see God thy heart must needs be abased And when doth the soul see God if not when it comes to worship him In Job 42. I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear but now my eye seeth thee wherefore I abhor my self and repent in dust and ashes Now this humility must be in the sense of our own meanness and baseness Ps 34. 6. This poor man cryed to God They are poor souls that come into Gods presence that sanctifie Gods Name most even those souls that do apprehend and are sensible of their own baseness and meanness before God This poor man cried to God we use to say Give that poor man somewhat It doth affect the heart of God when he sees much poverty of spirit when we come before Him we must be sensible of our infinite dependance upon God Come as the woman of Canaan O Lord even dogs do receive crums and though I be a dog yet let me receive crums here is humility of spirit Now this humility of Spirit appears in these things 1. First admiring Gods goodness that we do live at this time and that we have liberty to come before him we might have been past praying and worshiping of God think thus What a mercy is it that we are not banished out of Gods presence that the Lord hath not spurn'd us out of his sight as filth and cast us out as an everlasting abhorring while others have been praying we might have bin yelling under the wrath of the eternal God Come with this apprehension of thy self and adore Gods goodness that thou art alive to pray and alive to hear Gods Word And that it is not only a duty but a rich priviledg and mercy that God will admit of thee to come into His Presence Again it is the goodness of God that He will vouchsafe to look upon the things that are done in Heaven then if the Lord doth humble Himself to behold the things that are done in Heaven then how doth the Lord humble Himself to behold me a poor vile captive as I am in my self and yet that God should not only behold me before Him but invite me to come into His presence What mercy and goodness is this 2. Our hearts must be taken off from the thoughts and apprehensions of all excellencies in our selves we must not come in the pride of our hearts because we have abilities more than others what do all thy parts commend thee to God thou hast ability in expressing of thy self in prayer why do thy parts commend thee to God Whatever is natural in any of our duties is nothing to God only that which is from his own Spirit and therefore thou shouldest come in thine own thoughts as vile as if thou hadst no parts and abilities at all Lay aside all such apprehensions of thy self for the truth is some poor broken hearted sinner that can but sigh out a few groans to God and is not able to speak two or three sentences together in a right language but only breath out his soul to God may be a thousand thousand times more acceptable to God than thou that art able to make great Orations when thou comest before Him 3. Thou must come without any righteousness of thy own thou must never come to Gods presence but as a poor worm and if there be any difference that is made between thee and others in outward respects it is nothing to thee when thou art in the presence of God thou art as a base vile worm though thou beest a Prince or Emperor 4. Thy heart must be taken off from what thou doest If thou hast any abilities of grace yet thy heart must be taken off there there may be pride not only from ones parts but it may be God hath given me enlargements in Prayer the Devil will come in and seek to puff up thy heart even because of this But thy heart must be taken off there and thou must deny thy self in all when thou hast done the best service of all yet thou must conclude thou art an unprofitable servant when thou hast prayed the best yet rise with shame and take heed of having thy heart puft up even through the assistance of the graces of the Spirit of God in holy Duties 5. Lastly Thou must come with a humble resignation of thy self to God to be content to wait upon God as long as he pleases to wait upon God in regard of the time and of the measure and of the manner of the Communication of himself in regard of the means by which he will please to communicate himself wait upon him Let me have mercy though at the last hour This now is an humble heart in Prayer and when we come with such a poverty of spirit as this is we may expect that the Lord will accept of us Give this poor man somewhat will God say This poor man cryed and the Lord heard him In the Seventh place We must bring that which is Gods own in sanctifying Gods Name I spake to this before in the Point of Preparation Viz. That in Gods Worship we must give him his own I will only mention it here in the sanctifying of Gods Name in two regards 1. First To give God His own for the matter of it 2. Secondly To give God His own that is what comes from the work of His own Spirit or else we do not sanctifie Gods Name I will give you one text further about the matter of it in Exod. 39. if you reade the Chapter you shall find that there is ten times said that they did as God had commanded Moses And then in the close of the Chapter when they had done as God had commanded in His Worship the text saith Moses blessed them That people is a blessed people that do observe the Worship of God as God hath commanded them But the main thing is all that we do it must be acted by the Spirit of God it is not enough to have true silver and gold but it must have the rigbt stamp or else it cannot go for current coyn And so it is not enough that the things that we offer to God in His Worship be Gods own be what we have warrant for out of Gods Word but it must have the stamp of the Spirit of God In the Worship of God there be two Questions that He will ask First Who required this at your hands But then if you can answer thus Thou O Lord didst require it It is well But then God hath another Question Whose Image and Superscription is this If thou canst not give an Answer to that it will be rejected too Thou must be acted by Divine Principles in all that thou doest there must be the stamp of the Spirit upon that which is tendered to God else it is nothing To