us draw neer saith the Text Who would not draw neer to God Oh what a good thing is it to be in the presence of God! Is not the Lord the fountain of thy life Is it not a sweet thing to be in his presence We think it a sweet thing to be in the presence of godly men Oh ' that we might alwaies live with such men and be nigh them That Martyr Doctor Taylor rejoyced in this That ever he came into Prison to be acquainted with that Angel of God holy Master Bradford and as I remember some among the heathens that profest they would rather be in prison with Caâ—o then be in the greatest glory with some other It is a blessed thing to be in the presence of God to be with him that is the God of our lives and the fountain of all good let us draw nigh to God often let us know that it is a mercy that we may draw nigh to God wee might have been banished from the presence of the Lord long e're this time This is that that the happinesse of the glorious Church is set out by in Rev. 22. 4. They shall see his face and his name shall be in their foreheads This is the Priviledge of the Church And that it is such a blessing to draw nigh to God you may see it by that in Eph. 2. 18. For through him we both have an accesse by one spirit unto the Father Through him Through Christ we have accesse by one Spirit unto the Father and now saith he Ye that were strangers and forreiners are made fellow Citizens with the Saints and of the houshold of God and vers 13. But now by Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were a far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ and you have accesse through Christ So our coming nigh to God is such a priviledge as cost the bloud of Christ and will not you improve it You were far off in your naturall condition but now you are nigh through his bloud Lay but this text warm to your hearts this morning That I that was far off am made nigh by the bloud of Christ made nigh to God it will be a means for ever to draw your hearts to all those waies whereby you may draw neerest to God And by drawing nigh to God often you will come to increate your graces abundantly your graces how will they act the presence of God will draw forth the acts of grace as the presence of the fire draws forth our heat so the presence of God will draw forth our graces And by this means we come to live most holy lives We read of Moses he was upon the mountain forty daies with God and when he came down his face did so shine that the people were not able to bear it what 's the reason it was from hence because he was so nigh to God would you have your faces to shine in a holy conversation before men converse much with God be often with God be nigh to him and that will make you shine as lights in the middest of a crooked and perverse generation We find it so with some that converse much with God there is a shine upon their very countenances And further it is a speciall signe of our adoption to love to be nigh to God What should a Child love most but to be in the presence of his Father Would you know whither you have received the Spirit of adoption yea or no I can hardly give you any one signe so clear as this for to love to go into Gods presence as David said I was glad when they said Come and let us go up unto the House of the Lord. You shall have many that love to be in Gods presence so as they think on it over-night and long for the time while it comes I never am better then when I am with God me thinks when I get into Gods presence either in Prayer or any duty of Gods Worship I find my heart warmed and quickned c. They are ready to say with Peter Master it is good being here And that 's another thing It is that which will put us in mind of the life of heaven it is the only thing in heaven to be in the presence of God Why the more thou art nigh God in the Duties of Worship the more thou art in heaven and doest not thou pray That the will of God may be done in Earth as in Heaven Now the Saints and Angels are alwaies before God Worshipping of him then be as much as thou canst in the presence of God If thou wouldest be in heaven be there Many of the Saints they find it so It is not so with carnall hearts they are weary presently when they are in Prayer or hearing the Word it is not so to them yea that 's because thou hast not the presence of God as in Mal. 1. what wearinesse is there thou canst be a gaming till one or two a clock at night and though thou shouldest lose thy supper or the work of thy family it is not tedious to thee to be exercised in those things that pleaseth the flesh but when thou comest to Worship God how quickly art thou tir'd now what wilt thou do in heaven where there is nothing else done to all eternity but Worshipping of God And then it must needs be delightful to God that thou shouldest come nigh him There is nothing in the world more pleasant to God then to have his Saints come into his presence What doth a Father more delight in then to have his Children about him never did any Father or Mother love to have their Children by them so as God loves to have his Children come nigh him and be often with him And the truth is one great reason that God suffers you to fall into afflictions so much is that you may come running to him How doth the Child come running to the Father or Mother when it is afraid why the Lord is willing to permit men to do you wrong that you may run to him that he might have more of your presence Thou that art such a poor creature yet thou hearest this day that there is nothing in the world that God takes more pleasure in next to the presence of his own Son Jesus Christ and his Saints and Angles that he hath with him in heaven then to have his Saints come nigh him to have them alwaies to be under his wing And then by coming often into Gods presence in his worship there will grow a sweet and blested familiarity between God and thy soul for thou wilt be speaking to God and God will be speaking to thee too We know many times that dear friends who are very neerly linkt together yet if they be long absent one from another there grows a strangenesse and so by degrees their friendship is deaded but now when they are together every day and there is
you that pray much with others look what expressions you have made and see whether there be answerable dispositions to the expressions you have made and how that the Lord doth remember every expression that you have made Thirdly wee must call upon God in truth that is conscionably to performe the ingagements of prayer prayer puts an ingagement upon the heart now those that call upon him in truth are conscionable to performe the ingagements as now do I pray for any good thing I am ingaged to endeavour in the use of all meanes for the attaining of the good thing when you confesse a sin why you are ingaged by that meanes to endeavour all your might against that sin and when you pray for my grace you are ingaged to make use of all means you can for the attaining of that grace and then besides in prayer there is much profession unto God of our sincerity and uprightnesse and of our willingnesse to be at his dispose performe these ingagements that thou makest to God in prayer if God should present to us all our professions that we have made to him in prayer and tell us how we have come short of them it would make us be in shame and confusion in our owne thoughts Another thing in prayer must be faith pray without doubting as in the former Scripture the prayer of faith prevailes much James 1. 6 7. a man that wavereth and doubteth must not thinke to obtaine any thing of God But I should have opened what that faith is that wee should have in prayer wee must have faith to beleeve that the thing that we doe pleaseth God and faith in Gods promises and faith in Gods providence this should be exercised in the time of our prayers And therefore after we have done to goe away beleeving as Hannah in 1 Sam. 1. 18. wee read of her that after shee had been praying she went away and lookt no more sad the text faith noting that after wee have been powring forth our soules to God wee should beleeve and exercise faith and not go in as drooping a way as ever we did Object You will say yea if wee knew certainly that God will hear us Answ The way to be assured that God will hear you is by casting your selves upon God how can you know that he will hear but by resting upon him I have been with God and I have been doing the duty of a poore creature and for the successe I leave it to God and therefore it must bee with faith But I have so many sins mixt with my prayers how can I beleeve You have an excellent Scripture for that to helpe a soule to exercise faith in prayer notwithstanding there hath been many infirmities in Psal 65. 2 3. O thou that hearest prayers unto thee all flesh shall come Thou hearest prayers but I have a great many sins that hinders no marke what though iniquity prevailes against me as for our transgressions thou shalt purge them away O make use of this Scripture though you remember not other things yet you that have dejected hearts and are afraid that God will not hear your prayers see what the text saith Thou hearest prayer Lord but will not my sins hinder no saith David iniquity prevailes against me as for our transgressions thou shalt purge them away exercise faith in this and know that God doth not heare prayer because thou art not sinfull because of thy worthinesse but meerly for his free grace Another holy disposition in prayer should be this the soul should come with a holy freedome with the Spirit of adoption to God crying Abba Father if thou comest to God meerly as to a Judge though its true those that doe not know that God loves them yet are bound as Creatures to pray but thou canst never sanctifie the name of God till thou hast a child-like Spirit the Spirit of adoption the Lord loves to have his Children come with freedome of Spirit to himselfe in prayer to come as children and not to come with dejected countenances and discouraged hearts but come freely to open thy heart to God as any child would open his heart to a gracious and loving Father Another disposition is fervencie in prayer the effectuall fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much and that will be a meanes to help against vain thoughts too as when the honey is scalding hot then the flyes will not come to it if thy heart were as it were scalding hot in prayer thou wouldest not have such vain thoughts Next there must be constancie in prayer in 1 Thess 5. 17. by that I mean this never to give over untill we have that wee pray for or something else in lieu of it it may be thou hast prayed and nothing is come of it be not discouraged thou hast to deal with a great God and therefore pray again and again and again and pray with this resolution well let God doe with mee what he will I will as long as I live call upon him and if God shall cast mee away yet he shall cast me away calling upon him as the poore woman of Canaan when Christ call'd her dogge and discouraged her yet still she would pray I but dogges may have crums that heart is in an ill condition that is discouraged in prayer because it doth not get what it would and therefore to thinke with themselves I had as good not pray at all take heed of any such thoughts Againe if you would pray to God indeed so as to sanctifie his name in prayer there should be humility in your hearts so as to be sensible of your own unworthinesse I spake somwhat about being sensible of the distance between God and us when I spake about sanctifying of Gods name in general The last that I shall speak of is this when you have done all this all these qualifications will not sanctifie Gods name except all be tendred up in the name of Jesus Christ and in the power of his merits let a man or woman pray with as much fervencie zeale constancie purity in truth and sincerity yet except hee puts up all in the name of Christ I say hee cannot be accepted our spirituall offerings must be tendered up in his name but I have Preached much about that but now put all that hath been said together and this it is to pray That is when as I pray understandingly when I give my self to prayer when there are the breathings of the holy Ghost in my prayer when there is purity of heart like a golden viall together with sincerity when it is in truth of heart when it is in faith when it comes from a spirituall Adoption when it s in fervencie when in constancie reverence humility and all put up in the name of Jesus Christ now a man prayes as it is said of Saul behold hee prayeth so I may say of those that are instructed in this Art behold they pray you see now that prayer
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
Gospel-worship OR The Right manner of Sanctifying the Name of God in generall And particularly in these 3. great Ordinances viz. 1. Hearing the Word 2. Receiving the Lords Supper 3. Prayer By JEREMIAH BURROUCHES The Gospel-Preacher to two of the greatest Congregations in England viz. Stepney and Criple-gate LONDON LONDON Printed for Peter Cole and R. W. at the signe of the Printing-Presse in Cornhill at the Royall Exchange 1648. To the Reader OUR purpose in this Preface is not to speak either of the eminent worth of the Author whose memory is blessed in the hearts of all the godly in this Nation or of this Piece it self here published But only to assure thee that it is His. And although it riseth not up to that exactnesse and perfection that might have been in them had he publisht them himself Yet with that different allowance which is to be given Notes taken from his mouth in ordinary and frequent Preaching We doubt not but that in their use and benefit they may be as profitable to the Saints as other of his Writings being as full of weighty and Divine materials having also the impresse of the Spirit and language of this holy Man one of the greatest Preachers of this age stampt all along upon them We to whom this our Brother was most deare and precious being intrusted with the publishing of his Sermons have thought good first to usher abroad these few which if they receive that welcome they deserve many other excellent Pieces of his may soon after have encouragement to appear in publick view The points treated of in these are of great concernment and therefore we conceive the Author though in handling of them he had roome enough for the discussing many of the controversies of the times yet he purposely waved it and bent himself to the single delivery of that which tended most to edification and best suited with such a popular Auditory as that was to whom he spake The Lord of heaven blesse them to thy spirituall advantage and enable thee by such means as these to sanctifie his Name in the use of all his Ordinances which is the desire of Thomas Goodwin William Greenhill William Bridge Sidrach Simpson Philip Nye Sept. 15. 1647. Gospel-worship OR The right manner of drawing nigh to God in generall And particularly in those three great Ordinances Viz. 1 Hearing of the Word 2 Receiving the Lords Supper 3 Prayer LEVITICUS 10. 3. Then Moses said unto Aaron This is it that the Lord spake saying I will be Sanctified in them that come nigh me and before all the People I will be glorified And Aaron held his peace THESE words are the speech of Moses to Aaron his Brother indeavouring to quiet and comfort his heart which was no question exceedingly troubled upon that sore and great affliction that was upon him in the strange death of his two Sonnes Nadab and Abibu the story is this After Aarons Sonnes were consecrated to the Priestly Office they coming to attend this their Office the very first day after their consecration to offer Incense unto God they ventured to offer incense with strange fire with other fire then God had appointed Upon that the fire of Gods wrath broke out upon them and slew them both presently in the very Sanctuary before all the people for it was a solemne time being the beginning of the solemn Consecration of the Priesthood Upon this the spirit of Aaron could not but be exceedingly troubled to see his two Sonnes thus struck Now Moses comes to him and saith This is that which the Lord spake I will be Sanctified in them that draw nigh me and before all the people I will be glorifyed And upon this Aaron held his peace We reade that once fire came downe from Heaven in a way of Mercy to consume the sacrifices but now fire comes downe from heaven in a way of Judgement to consume the sacrificers even Nadab and Abihu they were Aarons sonnes the sonnes of a godly man the sonnes of the High-Priest they were his eldest sonnes for Aaron had other sonnes besides Nadab and Abihu Eleazer and Ithamar but these were his two eldest sonnes they were two voung men they were struck in the very prime of their age they were two that were newly consecrated in the Priests office for so you finde it in the 9. Chap. And they were two men of renown in the country and before all the people of Israel two men that God had much honoured heretofore as you shall find in the 24 Chap of Exod. and the beginning this Nadab and Abihu were men of great repute and great renown that God did much honour in former times for when God called Moses and Aaron with the Elders to come up to him Hee singles out Nadab and Abihu amongst the rest and names them And hee said unto Moses Come up unto the Lord thou and Aaron Nadab and Abihu and 70. of the Elders of Israel Moses and Aaron Nadab and Abihu are only named and then 70. of the Elders in generall but Moses Aaron Nadab and Abihu as if these were the foure eminent men of renown among all the people of Israel hee names none of the 70. Elders but these two besides Moses and Aaron therfore these two that were consumed by strange fire were renowned men and newly consecrated into their Office What was their Sinne Their sinne it was offering of strange fire so the Text saith that they offred strange fire which God commanded them not in the beginning of the Chapter But had God ever forbidden it where doe wee find that ever God had forbidden them to offer strange Fire or appointed that they should offer onely one kind of fire There is no Text of Scripture that you can find from the beginning of Genesis to this place where God hath sayd in terminis in so many words expresly You shall offer no fire but one kind of fire And yet here they are consumed by fire from God for offering strange fire I finde in the 30 `of Exod. ver 9. that there they were forbidden offering strange Incense but I doe not find that they were forbidden offering strange fire In Levit. 6. 13. and divers verses in that Chapter we find that God had appointed that they should keep constantly the fire on the Altar burning and never to let it go out Now that was it seemes Gods intention that therefore they should make use of that fire and that fire onely God would have them to pick out his meaning God sent fire downe from heaven upon the Altar so in the latter end of the 9. Chap. God sent downe fire from heaven gave them a charge to keep that fire on the Altar constantly and never to let it goe out so that it seemes God would have them pick out his meaning that because he had sent down fire from heaven upon the Altar and gave them power to keep that constantly God would have them therfore to understand that
Name There is one notable Scripture in Jer. 8. 2. that shewes how much strength the Idolaters put forth in the worshipping of their Idol they would not do it in a slight and vain way but their hearts were much in that false worship saith the text And they shall spread them before the Sun and the Moon and all the host of Heaven mark now whom they have loved and whom they have served and after whom they have walked and when they have sought and whom they have worshipped All these are put together in reference to their Idols Oh that it could be said so of us in reference to God when we come to worship him whom we have loved and whom we have served and after whom we have walked and whom we have sought and whom we have worshipped there is all these severall expressions to shew the strength of their spirits in following after their Idols And that is the Fift thing in our Sanctifying of Gods Name 6 The Sixth is If thou wilt Sanctifie Gods Name in Worship there must be an humble frame of Spirit worship him with much humility of Soul Abraham did fall upon the ground before the Lord and dust and ashes saith he hath begun to speak unto thee yea we read of Jesus Christ groveling upon the earth and the Angels they cover their faces in the presence of God and so should we be humble when we come before the Lord there is nothing more abases the Soul of man then 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 eare but now my eye seeth thee wherefore I abhorre my self and repent in dust and ashes Now this humility must be in the sense of our own meanness and basenesse 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 senseable of their own basenesse and meannesse before God This poor man cryed to God we use to say Give that poor man some what It doth affect the heart of God when he sees much poverty of Spirit when we come before him we must be senseable of our Infinite dependance upon God Come as the woman of Canaan O Lord even doggs do receive câ—ums and though I be a dogg 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 worshipping of God think thus What a Mercy is it that we are not banished out of Gods presence that the Lord hath not spurnd us out of his sight as filth and cast us out as an everlasting abhorring while others have bin praying we might have bin yelling under the wrath of the eternal God Come with this apprehension of thy self and adorre Gods goodnesse that thou art alive to pray and alive to heare Gods word And that it is not only a duty but a rich priviledge and mercy that God will admit of thee to come into his presence Againe it is the goodnesse 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 cative 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 goodnesse 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 then others what do all thy parts commend thee to God thou hast ability in expressing of thy self in Prayer why do thy parts commend thee to God What ever is natural in any of our duties is nothing to God only that which is from his own Spirit and therefore thou shouldest come in thine own thoughts as vile as if thou hadest no parts and abilities at all 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 then thou that art able to make great Orations when thou comest before him 3 Thou must come without any righteousnesse of thy own thou must never come into Gods presence but as a poor worm and if there be any difference that is made between thee and others in outward respects it is nothing to thee when thou art in the presence of God thou art as a base vile worm though though beest a Prince or Emperour 4 Thy heart must be taken off from what thou doest If thou hast any abilities of grace yet thy heart must be taken off there there may be pride not only from ones parts but it may be God hath given me inlargements in Prayer the Devil will come in and seek to puffe up thy heart even because of this But thy heart must be taken off there and thou must deny thy self in all when thou hast done the best service of all yet thou must conclude thou art an unprofitable servant when thou hast prayed the best yet rise with shame and take heed of having thy heart puft up even through the assistance of the graces of the Spirit of God in holy duties 5 Lastly Thou must come with a humble resignation of thy self to God to be content to wait upon God as long as he pleases to waiâ— upon God in regard of the time and of the measure and of the manner of the Communication of himself in regard of the meanes 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 poore man some what will God say This poore man cryed and the Lord heard him In the Seventh place we must bring that which is Gods own in Sanctifying Gods Name I spake to this before in the point of Preparation Viz. That in Gods Worship we must give him his own I will only mention it here in the Sanctifying of Gods Name in two regards 1 First To give God his owne for the matter of it 2 Secondly To give God his owne that is what comes from 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
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
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