do come and present my body to hear the Word or my body to receive the Sacrament this is not to worship God as a Spirit If indeed that our God were as the Heathens that were corporeal then it were another matter then bodily worship would serve the turn but God being a Spirit he must have Spiritual Worship therefore my soul and all that is within me magnifie his Name saith David my Soul magnifie his Name not my lips only but my soul The Apostle in 1 Tim. 4. 8. saith that bodily exercise profits little it is no great matter for the body God looks but very little at bodily exercise but it is godliness that is profitable it is the work of the Spirit when we come to pray we must pray in the Spirit that is we must pray with our souls we must powr forth our souls before God and when we come to hear our hearts must not go after our covetousness 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 ears but your souls must be at work And so when you come to receive the Sacrament your souls must feed upon Jesus Christ Bodily-worship without Soul-worship is nothing but soul-worship may be accepted without bodily-worship therefore it is the Soul that God doth principally look at in holy duties If you be not able to worship God in your bodies you may worship him in your souls and God regards that bodily exercise in holy duties is little worth somewhat it may be worth I confess sometime bodily exercise may further the soul as a reverend carriage of the body and the like but it is nothing in comparison the great work is the work of the soul for God is a Spirit and must be worshiped in Spirit And God is said to be a Spirit not only in that he is not of so thick a Capital substance but it notes the simplicity of God he is without any composition whatsoever is in God is God Himself He is absolutely One there are not divers things in God now then those that come to worship Him must worship Him in Spirit and in Truth that is there must not be a heart and a heart there must not be a compounded heart but you must bring simple hearts before God without any composition of dross in your selves and of any kind of falsness but in the simplicity of your hearts you must come to worship God and thus you shall worship him with such worship as is some way sutable to him as he is a spirit 2. Further consider God as he is an eternal God what sutable disposition doth this require of me when I am to look upon God as an eternal Being it requires this only That therefore thy heart must be taken off from all temporal good things and set upon that eternal good thou mayest indeed desire these outward good things but in order to thy eternal good Then further Thou art worshiping an eternal God hence then whatsoever sin thou doest confess although committed 20. or 40. yeers ago thou must look upon it as if it were now presently committed and be humbled as much before the Lord as if it were now committed at this present You will say Why so Because God is an Eternal God Yes For if I understand Gods Eternity I know that there is no succession in Gods Being therefore the sins that I committed in my youth if I come to confess them they are before God as if they were now a doing in regard of time and therefore I must as much as I can look so upon them and be humbled for them as if they were sins lately committed Many people are troubled for their sins the very day after they commit them but a little time wears off their trouble but if you did consider that you had to deal with an eternal God then you would look upon your sins though a long time since committed as if they were but now done Likewise there will be this required from the consideration of Gods eternity You must come with such a disposition of heart as not to think much though what you desired be deferred and not granted in your time when you would have it For if there be no time that alters with God but a thousand yeers are with God as one day then that that we account long before it s done it is nothing with God and therefore we must have our hearts so work towards God as towards an Eternal God as one with whom there is no alteration of time at all with whom there is no succession of time If we come to a man and seek any thing of him if he doth not answer us presently we will think that he will forget it and other things will come into his mind but when we come to worship God we must look upon him as an Eternal Being and that time alters nothing with him Thus understanding God in a right way wil much help us in his Worship and to Sanctifie his Name We cannot Sanctifie Gods Name without knowing his Name without having serious thoughts about his Name and getting our hearts to work accordingly 3. Thirdly Look upon God when you come to Worship Him in His comprehensible Being that is as a God that fils all places His being is real in the room that we are praying in the place that we are meeting in as it is in Heaven Now then when we come to worship Him we must consider that that infinite glorious Being stands before us looks upon us is at our elbow and therefore especially when you worship in secret consider this it is good to consider it when you are with others but especially I say consider it when you are in secret and know that when you are most private you have one that looks on you and takes notice of you who is more than if you had ten hundred thousand witnesses standing by you and looking upon you For it is the Lord that stands by you and sees your behavior sees what you do in your worshiping of Him take heed therefore that there be nothing done by you that is unbeseeming the presence of such a God as the Lord is Suppose that some of you were praying and there were some godly able Minister stood neer you it would be some means to stir up your hearts to mind what you did but now the Lord He is not in the next room only but in the same room and stands by you Let there be nothing done therefore unbeseeming the presence of that infinite holy God that stands by you and hold this truth forth The Lord is present with me I acknowledg it and I own it and therefore I carry my self thus and all because I would witness to
way or other appear to be against me in such duties that I tender up unto him Now you will say How doth God appear that he doth not accept of them He will appear in these three things 1. First By blasting those that do worship him thus in a formal way It shall at first be secret but afterwards it will appear more apparantly and we see it by experience that such as have been Professors of Religion and worship God in hypocrisie and in formality they have been blasted in their parts and common gifts The Judgment of God upon Nadab and Abihu that did not Sanctifie Gods Name it was secret at first It struck them dead and though by fire yet if you reade the story you shall find that their cloathes were not burnt and yet they were burnt in their bodies So the Lord sometimes doth blast men inwardly in their Spirits in their Souls in their Parts in their common Gifts He blasts them I say inwardly though it doth not appear outwardly yet at length it will appear before men that they are blasted and in these times of the Gospel the Lord doth come with spiritual judgments rather than with outward temporal judgments In the time of the Law those that did not Sanctifie the Name of God in holy duties the Lord did appear by some external and visible way upon their bodies but now in the time of the Gospel there God comes with more spiritual judgments upon mens souls and those are the most terrible judgments We have a notable Scripture for this in Isa 29. 13. How God doth blast those that do not sanctifie his Name in holy duties Wherefore the Lord said Forasmuch as this people draw neer me with their mouth and with their lips do honor me but have removed their heart far from me and their fear towards me is taught by the Precepts of men Mark what follows Therfore behold I wil proceed to do a marvelous work amongst this people even a marvelous work and a wonder for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid What do they come and draw neer me with their lips and their hearts are far from me and do they worship me in a formal way I 'le take away the wisdom from the wise and the understanding from the prudent And that is the reason why so many great Scholers are blasted in their very Parts because they would worship God according to the precepts of men in a formal way and so all Hypocrites and formal Worshipers the Lord doth blast them in one way or other the judgments of God upon the spirits of men were sometimes in the time of the Law But in the times of the Gospel there we find generally the judgments of God to be more spiritual upon the hearts and consciences of men we find it by experience God doth discover that he doth not accept of such as those are and therefore when you see any that have made profession of Religion that had excellent Parts at first many common gifts and now are as we say no body Remember this Text That God will be sanctified in those that come nigh Him Secondly The Lord doth manifest that he will be sanctified in those that draw nigh him by awaking their consciences many times upon their sick beds and death beds the Lord doth force them to give glory to Him and there to acknowledg that they did not worship God in Uprightness but in Formality And now they are in horror of conscience and cry out in the anguish of their souls upon the apprehension of the dreadful wrath of God that is upon them Take heed for the Lords sake of this thing when you are performing of the duties of Worship do not rest in the outward duties for they will never comfort you upon your sick and death beds you may perhaps put off your consciences a little for the present but when you come upon your sick beds there will be no comfort unto you and then you will be forced to say wel all this while I have but taken the Name of God in vain and now God hath rejected me and all my services and you will then speak to those that come about your beds side and bid them take warning by you take heed that when you worship God you worship him to purpose I have spent time in prayer and hearing but for want of this I find I have no comfort at all but the Lord appears to be terrible to my soul and comes out against me as an enemy I say now Gods Name is sanctified whatever becomes of thee he will force glory from thee one way or other and it may be even here in this time of thy life but however at the great day when the secrets of all hearts must be disclosed before Men and Angles then the Lord will appear to be a holy God by rejecting all such services that thou didest tender up to him and it will then be a great part of the work of the day of Judgment for God to be sanctified in those that did worship him by declaring before Men and Angels how did he reject such formal and hypocritical worship that they did tender up unto him Oh that God would strike this upon your hearts that it may abide upon you every time you come to worship him to think thus Let me look to it to sanctifie his Name now for I hear that God will sanctifie it himself if I do not do it But then on the other side If so be that thou makest conscience of sanctifying Gods Name in duties then he will sanctifie his Name in a way of Mercy that is he will manifest how he doth accept of the least degree of holiness though there be much mixture God hath a way to take away the mixture by the blood of his Son and then to accept of any holiness he sees in thee He will sanctifie his Name by meeting with thee and revealing his glory to thee when thou art worshiping of him There is an excellent Scripture for this Exod. 29. 43. There I will meet with the Children of Israel and the Tabernacle shall be sanctified by my Glory Thou that hast a gracious heart and art worshiping of God in sincerity thou art as a Tabernacle of God and God hath his Service and Worship from thee thou art as the Temple of God and there will I meet with thee saith God and I will sanctifie my Tabernacle by my Glory God wil sanctifie thy heart by his Glory if thou dost sanctifie his Name Further Thou shalt it may be not alwaies have such glorious comforts the full beams of the Sun rising upon thee but at one time or other the Lord will break in upon thee and manifest his Glory to thee and it 's like if thou hast not such full comforts now yet upon thy sick bed though God doth not then alwaies manifest himself fully for
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
same body with him but now when I come in an ordinary way and I know such to be wicked vile and prophane and I professe nothing against them nor take any course at all I do then by partaking with them profess my self to be of the same body that they are of Thou doest as it were openly declare Lord here we come and profess that we are all of the Body of Jesus Christ now when thou knowest such and such are notoriously wicked and prophane and dost nothing in the world to help to purge them out dost not thou think that Gods name is taken in vain is not Gods Name prophaned here therefore it coâ—ceâ—â—s us very much to look unto it that it be a holy communion that we receive the Bread and Wine in I beseech you therefore understand things aright that I have spoken of I have labâ—â—ed to satisfie men that there is a way that we may partake of the Sacrament though wicked men be mixt with us but this is that which is required of you for doing your duty to keep your selves clean that you may not be accessary to any way to any wicked mans coming to partake of this holy mystery of the Body and Blood of Christ there are divers things further about this and the speciall thing I thought of was to shew you the holy qualifications that there ought to be but this I conceive to be the necessary and I should not have had peace in mine own conscience as being faithfull to you in what I am speaking of sanctifyng the Name of God in this Ordinance if I should not have mentioned this that I have spoken unto you and ther 's an error on both sides that I desire to meet withal either those that come hand over head and think it concerns them not at all with whom they come to the Sacrament but to look to their own hearts and there 's an error on the other side that if they do what they can to keep them away and yet if they should be suffered to come they may not come to partake of those things now it is very usefull for us to know what we should do in this case SERMON XII Leviticus 10. 3. I will be Sanctified in them that come nigh me I Shall ad somthing to one particular that I had the last day concerning Peoples withdrawing from such a Congregation where they could not receive all the Ordinance of Jesus Christ As now If I were in a Church where I could have but a piece of the Sacrament suppose they deale with me as the papists do with the people that is they will give them the Bread and not the Wine Certainly I were not bound to stay with them then but I were bound to go where I might have the whol Sacrament So if a Church will give me some one Ordinance and not another I confess so long as there is hope that I may enjoy it and that they are in a way for injoyment I think there should be a great forbearance to a Church as wel as to a particular person as I must not withdraw from a particular man where there is hope still of his reformation that there may come good of my forbearance so towards a Church much more but I say if I cannot enjoy neither doth there appear any hope of injoyment of all Ordinances certainly it were but a cruelty to force men to stay there when as otherwhere they may enjoy all Ordinances for the good of there souls And this cannot be schism thus to do As now if this schism Supose a man were in a place and joyned in such a Communion for his outward benefit he may remove his dwelling from one place to another if he can have better trading in another place than certainly if he may have more Ordinance for the edification of his soul he may as well remove from one to another as he may remove if his trading be better in one place than another Christ would have all his people look to the edification of there souls and should I account that schism when a man or woman meerly out of tenderness and a desire to injoy Jesus Christ in all his Ordinances for the benefit of there souls they find such want to there souls of all Ordinances that though they may have some in one place yet if they cannot have all their souls do not so thrive now if this be all the end why they remove that they might have more edification to their souls injoying the Ordinances of Christ more fully God forbid that this should ever be acounted such a sin that the Scripture is to brand no that's schism when there is a violent rending out of malice for the want of love for as a postasie is a rending from the head so schism from the body that is when it is out of an evil spirit from envie or from malice from want of love or from any base sinister ends and upon no Just Ground but now when it is meerly out of love to Jesus Christ that I might have more edification to my soul and still I retaine love to the Saints that are there as they are in Communion and so far as they have any thing good among them I hold communion with them in that only I desire in humility and in meekness that I may be in such a place where my soul may be most edified where I may enjoy al those Ordinances that Christ hath appointed for his Church certainly that soul that can give this account to Jesus Christ for going from one place to another will be freed by Jesus Christ from such a sin as this is that the world calls Schism but the truth is this word is in mens mouths that understand not what it means and the Devil alwayes will have some word or other cast upon them that are good for he hath heretofore gained much by it so still he makes account to gain much by words and terms and therefore men should take heed of words and termes that they do not understand and examine seriously what the meaning is and what is held forth in these words And thus much for that point that it must be in a holy Communion wherever there is the receiving of the Lords Supper it must be received in an holy Communion Now we are to proceed to that which is the main thing and that is What are the holy Qualifications or dispositions of the soul together with the actings fit in receiving of the Lords Supper what is required in the soul for he sanctifying of the Name of God in this holy sacrament There are many things required As first there is required Knowledg I must know what I do when I come to receive this holy Sacrament knowledg applyed to the work that I am about When some of you have come to receive this Sacrament if God would have spoken from Heaven and have said thus to you what are you doing now what
corruption that was in thy soul before the working of thy corruptions will discover much evil in thy heart that thou didst not think was there before when the corruptions of men and women lie still they think there is no such thing in their souls as your civil men what 's the reason that they bless themselves and think they are in a good condition it 's because their corruptions lie still in them and do not stir they cannot beleeve what abundance of wickedness there is in their hearts if God should open the wickedness that there is in the hearts of men naturally and so all unregenerate men they would think you spake strange riddles whereas they bless themselves they bless God they know no such thing in their hearts No yes there are such things only they are not stir'd but they lie quiet as mud in the bottom of a pond there it is yet you cannot see it till it be stir'd at first conversion I say the Lord suffers thy corruption thus to stir that he may discover to thee what an evil heart thou hast what abundance of sin there is in thy heart and therefore your yong converts they look upon themselves as more loathsom and vile than ever they thought they had been And besides The Devil sees it a vain thing to tempt a yong Convert to any gross act of sin when conscience hath life and power in it he shall never prevail that way but now he thinks he may prevail to disturb them with vain thoughts and therefore he laies his strength most that way therefore let not such be discouraged that find their spirits anoyed and pestred with them if they make them to be the burden of their souls notwithstanding much vanity of thoughts the Lord will accept of any desire that they have to sanctifie his Name in holy Duties And I shal give you these three or four Rules to help you against these wandring and vain thoughts in holy Duties and especially in Prayer First When thou goest to prayer account it to be a great work set a high price upon thy prayer not as having any excellency in it as it comes from thee but set an high price upon it as a great Ordinance of God wherein there is communion with God to be enjoyed and the influence of the grace of God to be conveyed through it so set an high price upon prayer at every time thou art going to prayer Lord I am now setting upon a work that is of very great consequence and much lies upon it and I would account it to be a sore and a great evil to me if I should lose but this prayer this would be a special means to compose thy spirit and to keep thee from wandring as Nehemiah in Nehem. 6. 3. a place which I have sometimes quoted upon such an occasion when the enemies of Nehemiah that would hinder the building of the Temple sent to him that they might talk together no saith he I am doing a great work to that I cannot come down so when the Devil and the vanity of thine own heart would send to thee to parly and talk as it were with thee give an answer I cannot stand parlying with these things the work that I am about is a great work there are verie few people that do account the work of prayer a great work if thou didst it would help thee much against the vanitie of thy thoughts Secondly Every time thou goest to prayer thou that art most troubled with such vain thoughts renew thy resolutions against them I have been troubled with vain thoughts heretofore and am afraid if I look not to it that I shall lose this Prayer also and therefore O Lord here I renew my resolutions to set against them in this prayer with all my might it is very much that may be done with strong resolutions and especially if thy strong resolutions be renewed resolutions for an old resolution begins to grow weak a man that hath resolved upon a thing a great while ago it hath little power over him but now when a man hath resolved upon a thing but this morning and just at the time when he is going about it now he doth resolve upon it and set himself upon it and doth resolve through the Grace of God that whatsoever difficultie he meets withal whatsoever it cost him that he will go through this work I say that resolutions renewed have a great deal of power and you cannot imagine what a great deal of power the renewing of resolution against vain thoughts will have if they were renewed everie time thou goest to prayer until thou gettest power over thy thoughts do but make trial of this thou hast lost many a prayer by vain thoughts and thou hast been troubled for them and yet they come again do but trie for this week as I remember I said in the point of passion and anger that we should resolve with our selves well whatsoever falls out this morning I am resolved I will bear it so bethink thy self how many Prayers thou hast lost by vain thoughts and now renew thy resolutions and Covenant with God that for this Prayer I will set my self against them whatsoever pains I take I will be sure yet withal to look up to Gods Grace to assist me I will be sure this prayer to keep my heart close to what I am about and perhaps that will help you a little but yet some vain thoughts wil come for all that then the next night renew them again and the next morning renew them again and that till thou comest to a habit of keeping thy heart close to the dutie though now thou feelest thy heart so wild that thou thinkest it is impossible to bring it into order but certainly by such a means thy heart will be brought into order Thirdly Be sure to set the presence of God before you in prayer have a real sight of the infinite Greatness Majestie and Glorie of that you present your selves unto when you are calling upon him if so be that thou canst be a real sight of God in his Glorie it will keep thy heart close to the dutie as if a man be wandring with his eyes and looking after everie feather if the King or some great person come into the room all his thoughts would be about the King or the great person that were coming in so if you would present the Lord in his Glorie and Greatness Excellencie Majestie and Power before you and what a dreadful God he is in himself and yet what a merciful God he is to us in his Son this would mightily compose our hearts certainly men and women that are so wandring in their prayers it is because their eyes are not open to look upon God in his Glorie they are as it were dreaming and do not apprehend that God stands and looks upon them and observes them and that God takes notice of everie wandring thought that comes from them
soul upon the assistance of the Spirit of God thou art to look upon the holy Ghost as appointed by the Father and the Son to that Office to be a helper to his poor servants in the duties of Worship and especially in that great duty of prayer now upon the reading of this text and having it thus opened this is one good help for thee in prayer reade this text and then exercise thy faith upon it Lord hast thou not said that thy Spirit helps our infirmities when we know not what we pray for nor how to pray for any thing as we ought but the Spirit will come now Lord make good this Word of thine to my soul at this time and let me have the breathings of the Spirit of God in me alas the breaths of men if it comes from gifts and parts I know thou wilt never regard it except there be the breathings of the holy Ghost in me in prayer now if you would know whether the Spirit of God doth come in or no you may know it by this the Spirit of God carries unto God and it makes the Prayer sweet and delightful so much of the Spirit of God as is there it comes to the soul in the duty and it leaves a savour behind it a gracious savour is alwaies left behind when the Spirit of God comes to breath O the breath of the Spirit of God is a sweet breath and it makes prayers sweet it never comes into the soul but after it hath done any work it came for it leaves a sweet scent after that the soul finds a sweetness in that prayer now many of you have been in the morning at prayer but I appeal to you what sweet savor of the Spirit of God is left behind certainly if the Spirit hath been there it is like Civit that is put into a little box though you should take out the Civit yet there will be a sweet savor left behind so though the Spirit of God in respect of the present assistance withdraws it self yet it leaves a sweet savor behind The fourth thing is puritie of heart pure hearts and hands in Heb 10 22. Rev. 5. 8. having every one of them harps and golden vials ful of odors which are the prayers of Saints mark the prayers of Saints are odours in golden vials the golden vials I may compare to the heart the hearts of the Saints must be as golden vials and then their prayers will be as odours in 1 Tim. 2. 8. the holy Ghost giving directions how we should pray it is with this qualification I will therefore that men pray every where lifting up holy handes without wrath and doubting the outward conversation must be pure and the heart pure in Job 22. 26. mark what 's said concerning that holy man there 's a promise made to him for the lifting up of his face to God putting away iniquitie from his Tabernacle that by putting away evil from our Tabernacles and from our hearts we may be able to lift up our hearts with joy to go and that 's the fourth thing puritie of heart and hands The fift thing is in truth when we come to call upon God we must call upon him in truth Psalm 145. 18. vers the Lord is nigh unto all to all that call upon him in truth you will say What is the meaning of that to that I answer First There must be inward dispositions answerable to the expressions as for instance when I come to express the greatness of the Majestie of God then I must have an inward disposition sutable to this expression I must have a fear and reverence of the infinite Majestie of God Secondly When I come to confess my sin to judg my self for my sin there must be an inward disposition sutable to such a confession O how many men and women will come and speak great things against themselves for their sins and judg themselves for their sins and yet there is no such disposition in their hearts sutable to their words you shall have some in praying with others they will be a means to break the hearts of others they will so follow their sin and take such shame and confusion upon themselves for their sin and yet God knows their hearts not stir'd all this while and then they will call upon God for pardon of sin and for power against their sin and yet God knows that their hearts do close with their sin and are loth to part with their sin in the mean time this is falsness of heart when the inward disposition is not answerable to outward expressions I beseech you my brethren consider of the prayers you have made and especially you that pray much with others look what expressions you have made and see whether there be answerable dispositions to the expressions you have made and how that the Lord doth remember every expression that you have made Thirdly We must call upon God in truth that is Conscionably to performe the engagements of prayer prayer puts an engagement upon the heart now those that call upon him in truth are conscionable to perform the engagements as now do I pray for any good thing I am engaged to endeavour in the use of al means for the attaning of the good thing When you confess a sin why you are engaged by that means to endeavour all your might against that sin and when you pray for my grace you are engaged to make use of all means you can for the attaining of that grace and then besides in prayer there is much profession unto God for our sinceritie and uprightness and of our willingness to be at his dispose perform these engagments that thou makest to God in prayer if God should present to us all our professions that We have made to him in prayer and tell us how we have come short of them it would make us be in shame and confusion in our own thoughts Another thing in prayer must be faith pray without doubting as in the former Scripture the prayer of faith prevails much James 1. 6 7. a man that wavereth and doubteth must not think to obtaine any thing of God But I should have opened what that faith is that we should have in prayer we must have faith to beleeve that the thing that we do pleaseth God and faith in Gods promises and faith in Gods providence this should be exercised in the time of our prayers And therefore after we have done to go away beleeving as Hannah in 1 Sam. 1. 18. we read of her that after she had been praying she went away and lookt no more sad the text saith noting that after we have been powring forth our souls to God we should beleeve and exercise faith and not go in as drooping a way as ever we did Object You will say Yea if we knew certainly that God would hear us Answ The way to be assured that God will hear you is by casting your selves upon God
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
be a servile fear but a filial and reverential fear For my brethren there may be a great deal of slavish fear where God is not honored there may be fear from some terrible apprehensions of God which yet is not owned by God to be this grace of fear I 'le give you two notable Scriptures for that in Deut. 5. 23 24. compared with the 29. It came to pass saith the text vers 23. when ye heard the voyce out of the middest of the darkness for the mountain did burn with fire that ye came neer unto me even al the heads of your Tribes and your Elders And ye said Behold the Lord our God hath shewed us his glory and his greatness and we have heard his voyce out of the midst of the fire we have seen this day that God doth talk with man and he liveth now therefore why should we die for this great fire will consume us If we hear the voyce of the Lord our God any more then we shall die See with what a terror they were struck at the apprehension of Gods appearance you would think surely these men did fear God much but mark in vers 29. O that there were such a heart in them that they would fear me Why did they not fear the Lord Were they not struck with such fear that they thought they should die they saw this presence so terrible that they were afraid they should die and yet O that there were such a heart in them that they would fear me So that it appears by this That one may be struck with much terror in the apprehension of Gods presence and yet have no true fear of the Name of God So some of you it may be in time of thunder or danger are filled with terror but yet may it not be said presently after O that there were the fear of God in the heart of this man or woman this youth or maid They are terrified somtimes but yet there is not a filial and reverential fear of God in them And I find in 1 King 19. where you have the story of Gods appearing in that most terrible manner unto the Prophet Elijah by Fire by Thunder and in a mighty Wind the Prophet was not so struck with fear of Gods presence when he did appear in the mighty wind or earthquake or fire as when God did appear in the smal still voyce therfore in vers 13. it is said And it was so when Elijah heard it that is the soft voyce after the fire and earthquake and the mighty wind that he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out stood in the entring in of the Cave and behold there came a voice unto him and said What doest then here Elijah Then his heart was more struck with fear where was most of Gods presence though it was in a soft voyce than when the fire and earthquake did appear It is a good sign of a gracious fear when the soul can be struck with more fear from the Word and from the sight of God in enjoying of communion with him in his Worship than when God appears in the most terrible way of his works or when there is terror in a mans conscience through fear of Hell when God appears as though he would send him down presently to Hell though God expects to be feared then but when the soul in enjoying communion with God in holy duties and the more communion he hath with God the more is he struck with reverence and the fear of God this is a sign of sanctifying fear and then Doth the heart sanctifie the Name of God indeed when it is so possessed with fear in the duties of Worship Now this fear of God should be indeed in the soul and expressed outwardly when you are in the Assembly by such reverent carriage in prayer as if a Heathen should come in he may see Gods Name sanctified and may say How great is this God that this People do Worship And in your Families a reverent carriage not lying all along in prayer upon your elbows sleeping but carrying your selves so that if a Heathen should come into your families they may say O how great is this God that this people do worship And likewise this fear it must be an abiding fear not only at that instant when you are worshiping of God or speaking of any of Gods Titles and Names but a fear that must abide upon your hearts after duty is over that is after you are come out from your Closets one may perceive the fear of God upon you and so walking all the day long in the fear of God as it becomes those that have been solemnly setting themselves to worship Him Now this fear and reverence is contrary to the slightness vanity the boldness and presumptuousness that there is in the hearts of men and women when they are worshiping of God Fifthly The duties of Gods Worship must be full of strength for they are not sutable to God else because God is a God infinite in power and glory himself therefore God cannot endure vain worshiping In Isa 1. 13. I hate vain oblations Vanity of spirit in worshiping of God is very hateful to God it doth defile the Name of God God is dishonored by the vanity of mens spirits Now this strength is Three fold First The strength of Intention Secondly The strength of Affection Thirdly The strength of all the Faculties of the soul and the strength of body too as much as we are able should be put forth in the worshiping of God 1 First the strength of Intention We must intend our work as if it were for our lives If ever we were seriously Intentive or Attentive about any thing it must be when we are worshiping of the Name of God When you are coming to Pray be intent about it You shall see some when they are going in the street when they have much intention about their businesse their friends meet them and they never mind them one may perceive as they are going That they are mightily intent about their businesse My Brethren look upon every duty of Worship as a great thing which you must be intent in your thoughts about and not give way to the wandring of your thoughts I have read of one Martyr that when he was to die and the fire a kindling saith an Officer What! will you not speak when you see the Fire kindling Saith he I am speaking to God that is he was praying and he minded not at all what they were doing Oh what little things do take our thoughts away from holy duties When every toy every feather every light matter cals them off Is this to Sanctifie Gods Name Would not we account it a dishonorable thing If we were talking to one about serious businesse and when we are talking every one that comes by he should be looking after them and turning aside to talk with them If a Superior be talking with you he doth expect
that you should mind what he saith But when God is speaking to you and you are speaking to God every vain thought that comes by you are turning aside too as if it were a greater thing to talk to vain thoughts and temptations than to the great and glorious God Therfore now that is the very time that the Devil chuses for to bring temptations when we are in holy duties for the Devil knows then he doth two works at once he doth disturb us in our duties and call off our hearts to that that is wicked and doth agravate our sin exceedingly It may be thou wilt not dare to commit that sin that the temptation doth turn thy thoughts upon yea but the Devil hath spoiled the duty by it The Lord doth expect that there should be strength of Intention when thou art upon the duty and there is no time to parlie with temptations now whatever thoughts come in The truth is though they be good thoughts that should come into thy mind and that time that thou art Praying yet if they be not pertinent to the duty thou must cast them away as the temptation of the Devil You will say Can any thing that is good come from the Devil Certainly that which is materially good and coming unseasonably may be from the Devil the Devil may take advantage by what is in it self materially good and bring in that in an unseasonable time and so he may turn it to evil As now when thou art hearing the Word it may be the Devil thinks he cannot prevail to cause thee to have thy heart running about uncleanness yea but saith the Devil If I can inject good thoughts I will put into their minds some place of Scripture that is no way pertinent to this only to divert them The Devil gets much by this therefore look to it and know that God expects the strength of thy spirit in duty that is Strong intention thou art worshiping of God and therefore thou hadst need be intent about what thou art doing Indeed sometimes before you are aware evil thoughts will come into your minds As when a man is keeping of a door and there is a crowd of people without that would come in perhaps the man doth open the door for some Gentleman that he hears is at the door but when he opens it for one that is to come in fourty others will crowd in And so it is many times with the soul that when it opens the door for some good thought a great many evil thoughts will crowd in Those people might come in if they would stay their time but they should not now come in So about worldly businesses that are not in themselves unlawful if they will stay the time they may come in but they must be bard out now at this time There is required strength of Intention 2. Secondly Strength of Affection is required also That is The Affections must work mightily after God striving with God in Prayer If ever thou hadst a heart inflam'd in any thing it should be when thou art praying or attending upon the Word as the Heathens that worshiped the Sun sometimes I have told you that they would not have a Snail but a flying Horse they would offer that that was swift so when we come to the living God we must have living Affections our Affections boyling and that will be the way to cure vain thoughts as the Flies will not come to the Honey if it be boyling hot but when it is cold So if the heart be boyling hot and the affections a working it will keep out vain thoughts and temptations It is a sign of the breath of life when it is warm but artificial breath you know it is cold as now the breath that comes out of the body that is warm but the breath that comes out of a pair of bellows that is cold So the breath of many people in Prayer it is discovered to be but artificial breath because it is so cold but if there were spiritual life then it would be warm Ther must be strength of affection 3. Thirdly There must be likewise the strength of all the Faculties We should stir up whatever we are or have or can do to work in Prayer then the bent of Mind and Conscience and Will and Affection yea and the body should be put to it also and those that worship God to purpose they spend their bodies in nothing so much as in the worshiping of God It will be a sad thing another day when this shall be charged upon many Thou hast spent the strength of thy body upon lusts but when didst thou spend any strength of the body about any holy duty What a riddle is this to most people to tell them of spending the strength of their bodies in Prayer or hearing of the Word or Sanctifying a Sabbath they think the Sabbath is a time of rest I confess it is a time of rest from an outward labor but it is a time of spending strength in a spiritual way and those that shall worship God a right on the Sabbath will find it a spending of a great deal of strength and blessed is that strength that is spent in the Worship of God rather than in the waies of sin as most spend their strength If God gives thee a heart to spend thy strength in His Worship thou maiest think thus Lord thou mightest have left me to have spent my strength in sin how much better is it spent in the Worshiping of thy Name There is one notable Scripture in Jer. 8. 2. that shews how much strength the Idolaters put forth in the worshiping 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 whom they have sought and whom they have worshiped 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 worshiped there is all these several expressions to shew the strength of their spirits in following after their Idols And that is the Fift thing in our Sanctifying 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 reade 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
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
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
they have been or are guilty of it puts a shame upon them and therefore their hearts do rise against it It is a dreadful thing to have the heart rise against the Word As we reade of that froward Prince Jehoiakim in the Prophesie of Jeremiah that when the Roll was read in his hearing sitting in the winter time by a great fire he took a penknife and cut it in pieces and threw it into the fire in anger and I have read that the Jews kept a Fast every yeer to mourn for that great sin and yet this Jehoiakim was the son of Josiah whose heart did melt at the hearing of the Word he had an humble and meek heart when the Law was read and yet see what a different spirit Jehoiakim had either from his Father or Grand-Father It is a great dishonor to the Name of God for men to give liberty to their passions to rise against the Word take heed of passion either while you are hearing the Word or after the Word as many of you while you are discontented with what is said when you come in company what a fury are many men in upon the hearing of some things in the Word that comes close to their hearts Remember when you are hearing of the Word that it is that which is above you and it is not fit for one that is an inferior to shew himself passionate in the presence of a Superior It is true the Ministers they may be in as low a condition as you and in a lower but the Word they speak it is above all the Princes and Monarchs upon the face of the Earth and it is fit therefore we having to deal with God that we should behave our selves in a meek disposition 6. The next thing for the sanctifying Gods Name in the hearing of the Word is this We must hear it with a trembling heart with fear as well as meekness and for that you have that famous Scripture in Isa 66. beginning Thus saith the Lord The Heaven is my Throne and the earth is my Foot-stool where is the house that the build unto me and where is the place of my rest For all those things hath my hand made and all those things have been saith the Lord but to this man will I look even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit and trembleth at my Word This is a most admirable Scripture Mark how God lifts up himself in his Glory so great a God as the Heaven is my Throne and the Earth is my Foot-stool where is that house that ye will build unto me But then may a poor soul say How shall I be able to stand before this God that is so glorious Saith God Be not discouraged poor soul who doest tremble at my Word for I look to you And then this is a further thing observable That God hath a regard to that soul that trembles at this Word rather than to any that should build the most sumptuous buildings in the world for him for saith God here The Heaven is my Throne and the Earth is my Foot-stool where is the house that ye build unto me and where is the place of my rest They have built a glorious Temple to God but what do I regard that saith God I regard one that trembls at my Word more than that great house that you have built unto me It is a notable Scripture to shew what a high respect God hath to one that trembles at his Word he regards them more than this glorious Temple that was built unto him If you were able to build such a place as this was for the service of God you would think it a great matter it is not so much regarded as if you could bring a trembling heart to Gods Word that 's a special thing wherein the sanctifying of the Name of God consists when we come to see the dreadful Authority that there is in the Word of God when we are able to see more Glory of God in his Word than in all the works of God besides for there is more of his Glory in the Word than there is in the whol Creation of Heaven and Earth take the Sun and Moon and Stars you that are Marriners you have seen much of the Glory of God abroad that one would think might strike terror into all your hearts but know That there is more of the dreadfulness of Gods Name in his Word than in all his Works In Psal 138. 2. Thou hast magnified thy Word above all thy Name the Word it is magnified above all the Name of God whatsoever and it is a very good sign of a spiritual enlightened soul that can see the Name of God more magnified in his Word than in al his Works besides I appeal unto your consciences in this thing Have you ever seen the Name of God to be more magnified in his Word than in all his Works I may with very good confidence affirm this That there is no godly soul upon the face of the Earth that hath the weakest degree of grace but hath seen more of the glory of God revealed in his Word than he hath seen in all the VVorks of God besides and his heart hath been more taken with it It requires therefore a trembling frame of heart when we hear it And then further When this is considered that the word is that which bindeth the soul over either to life or death mens eternal estates are to be cast by the word certainly then it requires a trembling heart to hear that by which the eternal estate of man is to be cast we do not sanctifie Gods Name when we come to hear the word except we come with trembling hearts and they are the most likely of all men and women to understand the mind of God as for such as come with conceited spirits that they understand as much before they come and think their reach of wit or capacity is beyond the capacity of any that shall open the word unto them yet that were not so much if 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 Jehiel one of the Sons of Elam answered and said unto Ezra We have transgressed against our God have taken strang wives c. Yet now there is hope ni Israel concerning this thing now therefore let us make a Covenant with our God according to the counsel of my Lord and of those that tremble at the Commandement of our God So that those that tremble at Gods Word and such as are fittest to counsel they understand most of Gods mind and that 's another particular of the behavior of the soul in sanctifying Gods Name in hearing
any just occasion to others to say Is this to hear Sermons Do you get nothing else but this by hearing Sermons If you should open the mouths of men to say so of you the Word of God as much as lies in you would be disgraced by you you should rather think thus It were better for me that I should die and that I were under the ground and rotting there than that the Word of God should ever be disgraced by me Let me hold forth the glory of the Word the Word is that which hath done good to my soul the Word is that which I would not for ten thousand worlds but have heard it and shall I disgrace this Word shall I give any occasion that this Word of the Lord should be spoken ill of by reason of me O God forbid Therefore if you regard not your selves and your own honor yet regard the honor of the word If ever you have got any good by the word you should go away with this resolution well I will labor all the daies of my life to honor this word of God that I have got so much good by If this were but the resolution of every one of your hearts this morning it would be a blessed mornings work SERMON X. Leviticus 10. 3. I will be Sanctified in them that come nigh me NOW follow the Reasons why God stands so much upon it That he will have his Name Sanctified in this Ordinance of hearing his Word 1. First It is because there is so much of God in his Word and therefore we should Sanctifie Gods Name If it were possible there could be sin in Heaven that sin would be greater than sin committed here therefore the sin of the Angels when they were in Gods presence in a more special manner was the greater The Name of God being in any thing the greater will be the evil if we do not sanctifie Gods Name in it now there is very much of God in his Word more of God there than in all the Works of Creation and Providence In Ps 138. 2 Thou hast magnified thy Word above all thy Name There being therefore so much of God in his Word we must sanctifie the Name of God in it 2. Secondly God hath appointed His Word to be the great Ordinance to convey the special mercies that He intends for the good of His People That we spake to before in the general in shewing how the duties of Gods Worship are as a Channel for the conveyance of Special good to the Saints But none more than the Word that 's the Ordinance to convey the first Grace to those that belong to Gods election The Sacraments is for strengthening and therefore there is rather more in the Word than in the Sacrament and yet every one thinks in conscience that he is bound to come carefully to the Sacrament and to look to Sanctifie Gods Name there It is an easier matter to convince men and women that they are bound to sanctifie the Name of God when they come to receive the holy Communion than for the hearing of the Word they think not so much of that but certainly the Word is appointed to be an Ordinance of conveying more blessing than the Sacrament because it is appointed to convey the first Grace and to convey strength of Grace as well as the Sacrament Now being appointed to convey such great things to the souls of the elect both the first grace and strengthening of grace and comfort and assistance thereof the Lord expects to have his name santifiied in it 3. Thirdly The name of God must be Sanctiffed in the Word because the word is very quick and lively it works men or women to life or death to salvation or damnation In Heb. 4. 12. The word of God quick and powerfull and sharper than any two edged sword piercing even to the deviding a sunder of soul and spirit c. It is very quick of operation the text saith that is when God hath to deal with men by His Word He wil not stand dallying and trifling with them but he is very quick with them either to bring there soules to life or to cast them away The time of mens ignorance God winks at but now he cals all men to repent Let them look to it now God did forbeare in the time of ignorance but He will not forbear so when the word comes Now is the Ax laid to the root of the tree And when was that when John Baptist came to preach repentance because the kingdom of Heaven is at hand though the tree were barren before and did not bring sorth good sruit yet it might stand still and not be cut down but when the powerfull ministration of the World comes then the Ax is laid to the root of the Tree either now come in and be saved or resist the Word and perish And therefore that is very observable when Christ sends out His Disciples to preach in Mark 16. 15 16. Saith he Go ye into al the world and preach the Gospel to every creature and he that beleeveth and is Baptized shall be saved but he that beleeveth not shall be damned As if he should say there shall be quick work made with them go preach those that belong to my election shal be brought in to beleeve and be saved and the others shall be damned As if God should say If they will come in and imbrace the Gospel they shall be saved if they wil not they shall be damned and there is an end of them So that I say we have need to look to it that we Sanctifie the name of God in His Word upon these Three Grounds Because there is so much of God in His Word Because he hath appointed it to convey the greatest Mercies to His Saints And because God is very quick in His Word one way or other We shall now proceed to the Application of this Point And First by way of reprehension to all those that do not sanctifie Gods Name in hearing the Word and herein we shal shew their feareful condition and how God will Sanctifie His Name upon them in waies of judgment and then when we come to the use of Exhortation to exhort you to sanctifie the Name of God there we shall shew you likewise how God will sanctifie His Name in waies of mercy upon those that do sanctifie Him in waies of obedience in Hearing of His Word 1. For the first Certainly if that be to sanctsfie the Name of God that we have spoken of Gods Name is but very little sanctified by people that do come to hear His Word and we have no cause to wonder that there is so little good got by the Word because there are so few that make conscience to sanctifie Gods Name in hereing it Some there are that are so far from sanctifying Gods Name in it as they altogether neglect it and make it a matter of nothing whether they come to hear it
you use then to seal So it must be here I would appeal to many of your consciences that have come to the Lords Supper what transactions have there been between God and your souls Canst thou say the Lord was pleased to reveal Himself to me to make known to me my wretched condition and the way of grace and salvation and shewed me that upon my coming in to receive His Son he would be merciful to me and pardon my sins and I have found the Spirit of God working my heart to Jesus Christ the Lord from Heaven speaking to me and I sending an Answer to Heaven again how willing my soul was to accept of the Covenant which the Lord hath made with poor creatures in the word of His Gospel canst thou say this in the uprightness of thy heart if not know that this Seal belongs not to thee untill the Lord hath by His word subdued thy heart to this agreement first with him Secondly This Ordinance it is the Ordinance of spiritual nourishment of eating the flesh of Christ and drinking blood in a spiritual way Now it must needs suppose that first there must be life before there can be any nourishment received in If it be appointed to nourish and encrease 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 then to nourish but we reade of no such thing here but that which is to be done here is presently to feed to eat and to drink that is the end of the Sacrament therfore it must be supposed that thou must have Spiritual life there must come no dead soul to this Ordinance but those who are quickned by the Spirit of Jesus Christ they must come for nourishment Thirdly the act here required doth note That only those that are holy and godly can receive this Sacrament we are required by the Apostle examine our selves To examine our selves of what It must be of our godliness examine what work of God hath been upon the soul how God hath brought the soul to Himself 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 perform those acts that are required Fourthly It is a Sacrament of Communion with God and Communion with the Saints now what Communion hath Light with Darkness what fellowship hath Christ with Belial If it be a Sacrament of Communion of coming to the Table of God Will God have 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 those that are reconciled to God in the blood of his Son and those that are his Children that must sit at his Table therfore they must be holy Now this may suffice for that first thing that this is not an Ordinance for al sorts of people but such as have submitted to the condition of the Covenant before Such as have grace and ability to examin 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 therfore certainly are to be kept from this Sacrament but such 2 The Second thing wil make it out more fully and that is It is not enough that we be holy our selves and so al ignorant prophane and scandalous yea al that are meerly civil that cannot make out any work of godliness upon their hearts in bringing them to Christ are excluded But 1 It is to be done in a holy communion and is cleer one of that place in 1 Cor. 10. 16 17. The Cup of blessing which we bless it is not the Communion of the blood of Christ the bread which we 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 thay 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 deal 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 cānot receive the Sacrament alone there must be a Communion wheresoever it is to be administred 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 wil say Must it be received in a Communion of Saints what if wicked men do come there will that hinder us from sanctifying Gods Name in partaking of the Sacrament with them Do not we find in Scripture that the Church had alwaies wicked men among them there are alwaies tares growing up with the wheat If you reade even in the Corinthians you shall find that there were some in that Church that were wicked yea and it 's thought that Iudas himself did receive the Sacrament therefore what if wicked men be there doth that hinder Answ I answer First it is true That in the Church of God there have been wicked men and 't is like there will be wicked men to the end of the world but yet wheresoever there is a right Communion of Saints there ought to be the power of Christ exercised to cast out those wicked men or at least to withdraw from them This is the Law of Christ That if there be any that have Communion with you if any of them do appear to be wicked you are bound in conscience to go and tell them if they do not reform you are bound to take two or three and if they do not yet reform then you are bound to tell the Church to tell the Assembly of the Saints when they meet together for so the word Church doth signifie and we find in the 1 Cor. 5. chap. that when there was an incestuous person to be cast out it was done in the presence of the Congregation Thus far you are bound to do otherwise you cannot say that it is nothing to you if wicked men be there for you have not discharged your conscience and so you come to be defiled and you do not sanctifie Gods Name in this Ordinance because you have not done to the utternost of your duty for the casting out of those wicked men And mark in 2 Cor. 5. 7. there the Apostle writing to the Church bids them that they should purge out the old leaven
say there is more in this Sacrament to break the heart for sin than such a sight as that You will say If you should haue Christ to be crucified again before your eyes if you should see the body of Christ hanging upon the Cross and there behold him crucified and hearing of him cry out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me you would think if your hearts did not break for sin then that they were desperately hard know every time that thou hast come to receive the Sacrament thou hast come to see such a sight and it is as great an aggravation of the hardness of thy heart if it hath not broken at this sight as it would be if it should not break at that sight We reade in Gal. 3. 1. of Pauls speaking of the preaching of the Gospel he saith that Christ was crucified before those that did hear the word and foolish Galatians who hath bewitched you that you should not obey the truth before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth crucified among you he doth not mean that Christ was crucified in Galatia but that where the word was preached he was evidently set forth and crucified among them but now my brethren the crucifying of Christ in the Word is not such a real evident and sensible setting forth of Christ crucified as when he is set forth in this Sacrament and t is that which works with more efficacie to break the heart than that other sight and the reason that I give is this Because you do never find that God did set that apart as an Ordinance an institution appointed to that end that they should come to look upon that for the breaking of there hearts there was indeed a naturalness in it that if they did behold Christ it might break there hearts but it was not such an Ordinance it was not a Sacrament as this is now this being in a Sacramental way in the use of an Ordinance appointed by Jesus Christ to set forth his sufferings and al the riches of the Covenant of grace to the soul there may be expected here a further blessing than in the other though it 's true the other might work mightily upon the heart but yet this being a great ordinance of Christ in the Church a great institution of Jesus Christ for the setting out of his sufferings it hath a more special blessing that goes along with it every Ordinance hath a promise and a more special blessing than any other thing that is not an Ordinance So when you come here to behold Christ crucified before you you cannot see Christ naturally crucified as upon the Cross but you have Christ crucified before you in the way of a Sacrament in the way of a solemn institution of Jesus Christ that hath a special blessing which goes along with it therfore if the heart be not broken here there is an aggravation of the hardness of the heart as great as if we should behold Jesus Christ upon the Cross and our hearts not broken there and indeed this is a special reason why those are said to be guilty of the body and blood of Christ that receive unworthily as if a man had been then alive and had been before the Cross and there have seen how the blood of Jesus Christ was shed for sin and should not have been affected with it but should have accounted it as a common thing this man in some regard might have been said to be guilty of His death that is to have joyned and consented with those that 〈◊〉 crucifie Him for if a man sees another commit a sin if he 〈◊〉 affected with that sin and it does not stir his heart he may come to be partaker of his sin so that those that come to see Jesus Christ crucified and have not their hearts at all stir'd with the crucifying of Christ they are in som regard truly said to be guilty of the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ And that 's the second thing brokenness of spirit is sutable to the light of a broken Christ 3. The Third thing that is here to be done in the Sanctifying of Gods Name is the purging and clensing of the heart from sin and actuall clensing and purging the heart from sin there ought to be The Jews in there Passover were to cast out all leaven and those that were of the custom of the Jews say that they were wont to do three things in the casting out of their Leaven 1. they made diligent search for Leaven they lighted Candles to look into every corner lest there should be any bit of Leaven left in the house 2. When they found it they cast it out 3. They used an execration they did curse themselves if they should willingly keep any leaven in the house So my brethren when we come to partake of this holy Ordinance there should be a diligent inquisition for sin for sin in Scripture is compared to leaven thou shouldest make a diligent search what sin there is in thy heart in any of the faculties of thy soul what sin there is in thy thoughts in thy conscience in thy understanding in thy will in any of thy affections what sin there hath been in thy life what family sins what personall sins thou shouldest make a diligent search to see whether there be not some leaven some evil in thy heart and what ever sin thou shalt come to find out in thy heart there must be a casting of it out that is thy soul must be set against it to apose it with all thy might what ever beloved sin whatever gainfull sin whatsoever become of thee thy soul must renounce that sin of thine yea and in a kind of execration of thy life that 's thus Lord as ever I expect to receive any good by this Body and Blood of Christ that I come now to receive so Lord here I profess against every sin that I have found out in my heart I desire to find out all and profess against all and renouuce all and would do to the uttermost that I am able for delivering of my soul fully from every known or beloved sin Oh that there might not be any remaining in my heart this must be the disposition of the soul coming hither and it must needs be thus or else we cannot sanctifie Gods Name because there is nothing more sutable than this disposition unto the receiving of the Sacrament for we come here to profess That we do acknowledg that sin did cost so much as it did that it cost the Blood of the Son of God now this cannot chuse but cause the heart to renonnce sin If indeed I do beleeve that sin hath cost the Blood of Christ that it cost him so deer as it did that it did trouble Heaven and Earth that there must be such a mighty wonderful way of satisfaction to God for my sin committed against him Certainly sin hath a dreadful evil in it Oh let me
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
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