prepared either for Prayer hearing the Word or receiving Sacraments Now because Sacraments are so rare those that have any inlightened conscience they think they dare not but prepare for Sacraments but you should be alwaies in a preparation for the receiving of the Sacraments as the Primitive Christians did And thos that have been acquainted with this Point that I am upon of preparing for duties they have come to such a frame of Spirit as that there is not so much time required of them as of others for they are in a constant fitnesse so that there is no instant of time in the whole day but if God cals them to Prayer they could presently fall down upon their knees and pray so as to Sanctifie Gods name in Prayer that were an excellent temper indeed if you could find it so that you walk so spiritually and holily before God as there could be never a quarter of an hour from morning to night nor from the beginning of the week to the end but if you were cald to pray or to receive the Sacrament you had your heart fitted that you could come into Gods presence with a prepared heart and were able to Sanctifie Gods Name in the duty Acquaint your selves with this work of Preparation and so you may have hearts â—itted to come into Gods presence at any time SARMON IV. LEVITICUS 10. 3. I will be Sanctified in them that come nigh me WEE proceed now to what remaines There are onely for the perfecting of this point two Cases of conscience to be resolved And then we are to proceed to other things The first is whither we ought at all times to set apart some time for preparation to every duty of Gods Worship Secondly suppose we do not find our hearts prepared as we do desire whither it were better to leave off the duty then performe it For the first of these Viz. Whether we are alwaies bound to set some time apart for preparation to the duty that we are to performe The answer to that is this we must distinguish of persons There are som that are exercised in the way of godlinesse and do keep their hearts close with God in the waies of holinesse now for them it may be supposed that through their exercise in the waies of godlinesse and keeping of their hearts constant with God in communion with him walking with God closely that they are at all times prepared to every good work and 〈◊〉 fulfil that command of the Apostle pray continually that is in the disposition of their hearts they are fit to pray at any time there is no day in the week nor no hour in the day but they if God call them to it could fal down to solemn â—raier And indeed this is an exellent condition and a good evidence of the hearts walking close with God that there is no time but they are fit to pray and fit for any Ordinance yea to recive the Sacrament of the Lords upper It is posible to keep the heart so close to God as to be fit for praier and for the hearing of the Word and for receiving of the Sacrament every day or any hour in the day but this needs a very close walking with God and communion with God and the truth is this is very rare most men let out their hearts so much to other things as their consciences cannot but tel them that if God call them to praier at such a time in the day they are altogether unfit for it If they were called to receive the Sacrament their consciences would fly in their faces and tel them they are unfit for it but it is not so with those that walke close with God though they be in the world You will say if a man have businesse in the world how can this be Yes though they have buâ—â—neâ—e in the world yet they carry the heavenlinesse of their hearts along with them our conversation is in heaven saith the Apostle Phil. 3. Now the word that is translated our conversation it is a word that signifies our City converse our trading is in heaven when we go to the City or the Exchange or about any businesse yet our trading is alwaies in Heaven But now there are other sorts of people that had need at all times to look to their hearts in way of preparation As First those that first set upon the duties of Religion young beginners that begin at first to set their faces towards Heaven to worship God they had need look to their hearts they should spend some time in Preparation when they come to holy duties and the truth is when the conscience of a man or woman is at first inlightened and awakened they will be very carefull in preparing to holy duties the fear of God it is mighty upon their Spirits at first and it should not be lesse afterwards the constancy of Gods fear should bring their hearts to such a holy temper as to make them fit for holy duties alwaies Secondly Those men and women that at any time shall sin against conscience shall commit such sins as shall in a kind even lay wast Conscience shall break their peace between God and their Souls they had need spend some time in preparation for holy duties they cannot come into the presence of God to enjoy communion with God but they had need before hand be very serious in the examination of their hearts and to endeavour the working of their hearts into mourning for their sinne and to labour to possesse their Souls with the presence of God even before they come These two sorts of people such as have not been acquainted with the waies of godlinesse or such as have broken their peace with God by some evill carriage of theirs towards God in some vile way I say it is required of them to bee more solemne in the worke of Preparation 2 But now for the second case which indeed is the main Suppose when we come to duties and begin to examine our hearts and begin to bethink our selves whether we be prepared yea or no to holy duties and we do not find our hearts prepared according to that that we do desire whether then we may let the duty go for that time and forbear the performance of it as suppose Prayer or receiving the Sacrament or coming to the Word or any other holy duty And the reason of this doubt is because when any man or woman is consciencious they think with themselves that they must Sanctifie Gods Name in holy duties now if they cannot find their hearts in a fâ—t disposition to Sanctifie the name of God in holy duties they are ready to think thus Were it not better to neglect this duty and lay it aside for the present will God accept of a duty when I performe it and am not fit for it Therefore for the Answer to this because it is a temptation that sometimes carnal hearts have and they are ready to take this
tryall of this thou hast lost 〈◊〉 prayer by vaine thoughts and thou hast been troubled for 〈◊〉 and yet they come againe do but try for this weeke as I remember I said in the point of passion and anger that we should resolve with our selves well whatsoever fals out this morning I am resolved I will beare it so bethink thy selfe how many prayers thou hast lost by vaine thoughts and now 〈◊〉 thy resolutions and Covenant with God that for this prayer I will 〈◊〉 my selfe against them whatsoever paines I take I will be sure yet withall to look up to Gods grace to assist one I will be sure this prayer to keep my heart close to what I am about perhaps that will helpe you a little but yet some vain thoughts will come for all that then the next night renew them again and the next morning renew them again and that till thou commest to a habit of keeping thy heart close to the duty though now thou feelest thy heart so wild that thou thinkest it is impossible to bring it into order but certainly by such a means thy heart will be brought into order Thirdly Be sure to set the presence of God before you in prayer have a reall light of the infinite greatnesse Majestie and glory of that you present your selves unto when you are are calling upon him if so be that thou canst have a reall fight of God in his glory it wil keep thy heart close to the duty as if a man be wandring with his eyes and looking after every feather if the King or some great person come into the Room all his thoughts would be about the King or the great person that were comming in so if you would present the Lord in his glory and greatnesse excellencie majestie and power before you and what a dreadfull God he is in himselfe and yet what a mercifull God hee is to us in his Sonne this would mightily compose our hearts certainly men and women that are so wandring in their prayers it is because their eyes are not open to look upon God in his glory they are as it were dreaming and do not apprehend that God stands and looks upon them and observes them and that God takes notice of every wandring thought that comes from them they doe not consider that God doth converse with the thoughts of men as well as men do with the words of men that 's a third rule Fourthly Take heed thou beest not deceived because that those thoughts thou hast in prayer doe not appeare to be very evill in themselves This is a great deceit and hinder many in the sanctifying of Gods name in prayer there is sometimes damed in some vain thoughts now because the thought hath no great evill in it selfe therefore they thinke they may play with it and their hearts close with it and so 〈◊〉 along with it as the fish doth with the bait if the Devill casts in a thought of blasphemie that makes thee quake and shake but if thy thoughts have no 〈◊〉 evill in them but they are slight things matters of no moment one way or other upon that thy heart begins to be dandling and playing with them therefore remember this rule that in the time of prayer whatsoever thoughts be in thy mind that doe not concerne the present duty they are sinfull before God though the thoughts for the matter of them be never so good yet thou art to abandon them as sinfull at that time Therefore never be deceived with this that the thoughts are not very sinfull that 's another rule In the last place observe this rule if ever God hath helped thee at any time in prayer that thy heart hath been kept close to a duty and thou hast had Communion with him blesse God for that blesse God for that helpe t is a rule of very great use for us to get further assistance from God in any thing if so bee our hearts be inlarged to blesse God for any assistance wee have had heretofore and the reason why we gaine and prosper so little in our Christian course it is because we do not take notice of what God hath done for us to give God glory for mercyes formerly received and therefore God takes little or no delight in comming in with further mercyes to us as if you had a young nursery of trees and they began to thrive very well but there comes a company of Caterpillars and spoiles almost all the young Trees that are set only two or three are kept from the Caterpillars a man goes into his orchard and looks upon his Trees and this is spoild and that is spoiled but he sees two or three and these flourish fairly and these are full of buds and are like to come to something and he rejoyces mightily in those because they are sav'd when so many others are spoil'd and so doe thou view thy prayers and consider how many hath been spoiled as it were by these Caterpillars for I compare wandring vaine thoughts in prayer unto Caterpillars that are upon the trees and we see that if stormy rainy weather comes the Caterpillars will fall and one would thinke that these blustering stormes and the hand of God that hath been out against us should have clensed our thoughts and soules from these Caterpillars that have been upon our dutyes but many duties have been spoiled yet thou maist say that through Gods mercy such a Morning in my closet the Lord hath preserved a prayer to himselfe and I have gotten power over this vaine heart of mine blesse God for this and so the Spirit of God will be more ready to come in and help thee another time but thus much shall suffice to speak to this that 's the second thing we must give up our selves wholly to this duty The third thing for the sanctifying of Gods name in prayer is this there must be the breathings of the Spirit of God otherwise Gods name is not sanctifyed that in Rom. 8. 26. is cleere for this likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities for we know not what we should pray for as we ought but the Spirit it selfe maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered if any of you should say how can wee sanctifie Gods name we are poore and weak we can doe little marke it is said here that the Spirit helpeth our infirmities to pray and the word is exceeding emphaticall in the originall in your books t is but meerly helping our infirmities but the meaning of the word is in these two things the Spirit helpes that is look how a man that is taking up a heavy peece of Timber at one end he alone cannot get it up but there comes another and takes it up at the other end and so helps him The word signifies such a kind of helping as when a man takes a thing at the other end or on the other side one standing the one way and the other standing the
Q Questions Two questions God will ask his worshippers 87 Quick God is quick in way of judgement with some 17 The word of God is quick in working 196 Quiet The best way to quiet the heart in affliction 25 R Ready What will make the heart ready for duty 54 Readinesse to hear the word wherein it consists 166 Reading Reading not to be preferr'd before hearing 167 Reprobation Not to sanctifie Gods Name in hearing the word a sign of Reprobation 202 Two fearfull signs of Reprobation 203 Resign In Gods worship we must resign all to God 90 Resolution We must hear the word with resolution to yeild to it 170 resolution against wandring thoughts in prayer 287 S Sabbath Sabbath see Strength Sacrament Sacrament the meaning of the word 225 Sacrament a part of Gods worship 226 We must sanctifie Gods name in receiving the Sacrament 228 Vnworthy receiving the Sacrament severely threatned 229 How we sanctifie Gods Name in receiving the Sacrament 291 Whether Judas received the Sacrament of the Lords Supper 238 Safety Safety wherein it consists 38 Salt Salt of the Sacrifice what it signifieth 67 Sanctifie Sanctifie what it signifieth 5 Gods name Sanctified two waies ibid Gods name to be Sanctified when we draw nigh to him 42 How Gods Name is Sanctified in drawing nigh to him ibid How duties must be performed that Gods name may be Sanctified 62 The heart must be Sanctified in regard of Gods greatnesse 67 Sanctification the parts of it ibid Sanctification of the heart double 68 Sanctifying of Gods Name the only way to fit us for mercies 105 Exhortation to Sanctifie Gods Name 113 Nothing Sanctified to them that do not Sanctifie God in his word 203 See Sacrament Satisfied Naturall Consciences is satisfied with a little duty 90 See Sin Schisme No Schisme to depart from a Church that hath not al Christs Ordinances 243 Schisme what ibid Difference between Schisme and Apostacie ibid Secret Men acted by naturall parts are not enlarged in secret 88 See The Sacrament so to be delivered as all may see what is done 262 Self Self not to be our end in our duties 74 Where self is the highest end God regards not the duties 75 Service Hearing the word is Divine Service 164 Shadow Shadow of Gods wing what 39 Shift Of those that shift off the word closely applyed 199 Silence Silence what 7 Sin The committing of one sin prepares for another 60 No salvation without satisfying for sin 108 The heart must be purged from sin to receive the Sacrament 249 Motives in the Sacrament to abhor sin 250 Sin the great evill of it 269 Singing Singing Psalmes in the time of the Sacrament unfit 265 Singing after the Sacrament requisite 266 Sitting Sitting at the Sacrament the fittest gesture 263 Soul The price of the salvation of a Soul 269 Spirit Spirituall We must be acted by the Spirit in our worship 87 God must be worshipped in Spirit 93 Spirituall things may be absolutly prayed for 277 How to know when the Spirit helps our prayers 291 See Glory Sweet Strange see Fire Strength Strength required in Gods worship 80 Strength required to spend the Sabbath 83 Naturall conscience gives not Strength to duty 88 We must not come to duties in our own Strength 115 Strugling Strugling alone against corruption oft times en snares us 61 Subjection Subjection required in hearing the word 182 Sufferings The Sufferings of Christ chiefly represented in the Sacrament 246 Ground of suffering for Christ 268 Superstition Superstition what 9 Sutable see Judgement Sweet Breathings of the Spirit sweet 292 T Table Those that come to the Sacrament should come neer the table 261 Tares Tares what meant by them 238 Temptation Time of temptation the time of worship 81 We must hide the word in our hearts against temtation 191 Terrible see Place Thankfulnesse Thankfulnesse required in receiving the Sacrament 255 Motives to thankfulnesse 256 Time Preparation makes us do much in a little time 52 See Holy Thornes Thornes must be plucked out of the heart when we hear the word 169 Thoughts In the worshipping of God we must have high thoughts of God 71 Wicked men have many times wicked thoughts in prayer 282 Thoughts are to God as words are to men ibid See Wandring Tremble We should tremble at hearing the word 181 Truth We must pray in truth 292 Truth what meant by it ibid V Vain Where wicked men are willingly admitted to the sacrament Gods name is taken in vain 241 Unchangeable God is unchangeable 96 Understanding We must pray with understanding 280 Uncertainty The righteousnes of the law leaves at uncertainty 212 W Wait We must wait Gods leasure in regard of time 86 Ground of waiting from Gods eternity 95 Wandring WaÌ„dring thoughts in prayer 281 Directions against wandring thoughts in prayer 286 All wandring thoughts in prayer sinfull 288 See Birds Humble Devil c. Warrant see Command Watching Watching required in preparation to duty 50 Weaknesse God passeth by weaknes where the heart is prepared to duty 53 Weary A man that makes himself his end will be weary of duty 76 Wicked Wicked men are to be cast out or with drawn from in the sacrament 235 Every man in the congregation to look to the caâ—ing out of wicked men 241 Ground of excluding wicked men 258 Will Willing We must he willing not will worshippers 10 Things in Gods worship depend only upon his will 11 God requires that we will as he willeth 104 Our prayers must be according to Gods will 276 Wisdom Wisdom of God what to learn from it 99 Wisdom of God to be our guid ib. Womb Those that sanctifie Gods name in hearing the word it is a greater blessing then to bear him in their womb 213 Word To comfort afflicted friends from Gods word 24 The heart must be plowed by the word 196 The word must be glorified 194 Word what should make us esteem it 186 Word hath much of God in it 195 The word a means to convey speciall merices ibid. The word wherein the strength of it lies 202 All the good in the word for whom 210 The devil gets advantag by fastening il words upon the good 244 The word in what respect above the Sacrament 251 The word sanctified by prayr 273 Worship Difference between civil things Gods Worship 9 Natural helps in Gods worship ibid We should be humbled for false worship 11 Worship of God what 27 Worship of God the means to convey his choice mercies 28 To heed what we do in worship 32 Exhortation to be much in the worship of God 34 Hearing the word a Part of Gods worship 162 What makes hearing the word a worship 163 Prayer put for the whole worship of God 273 See Command Little c. World In preparation the heart must be taken from the world 49 In Prayer the heart must be taken from the world 275 Wrath Preachers that reveal Gods wrath should conceal their own 19 FINIS THE CONTENTS OF
worship 96 5 God is a living God and what we should learn thence ibid 6 God is Almighty what that should teach us in our worship 97 7 God is Omniscient and what that should teach us 98 8 God is a God of Wisdom and what that should teach us 99 9 God is Holy and what that should teach us in our worship ibid 10 God is Mercifull and what that should teach us 100 11 God is just and what that should teach us 101 12 God is Faithfull and what we should learn thence 102 SERMON VII Reasons why God will be sanctified in all the duties of his Worship 1 God doth will himself the last End 104 2 The especiall glory God hath in the world is to be actively honoured 105 3 The duties of worship are the means to convey Gods choicest mercies ibid 4 We are not fitted to receive mercies but by sanctifying Gods Name ibid 5 Else we shall not hold out in duty 106 Application 1 We have no cause to rest on our duties 107 2 The work of Religion is hard to flesh and blood 109 3 We should be humbled that we have no more sanctified Gods Name 110 4 Exhortation to sanctifie Gods Name 113 1 To consider we have to deal with God in worship 114 2 Not to come in our owne strength 115 3 Not to be satisfied with the duty done ibid 5 God is displeased with the duties of wicked men 116 1 God blasts such men 117 2 God opens their eyes on their death bed to see what they have done 118 6 Those that sanctifie Gods name he will sanctifie it in a way of mercy 119 SERMON VIII Of sanctifying Gods name in hearing of the word 161 Hearing the word is a part of Gods worship 162 1 We professe our dependance upon God for the knowing of his mind 163 2 In hearing we wait on God in the way of an Ordinance ibid In hearing the word 1 There must be preparation 165 Which is 1 To hear the word as the word of God 166 2 To hear the word as Gods Ordinance for our good ibid 2 To plow up the fallow ground of the heart and what is meant by it 168 3 Resolution to yeild to all truths delivered 170 4 A desire after the word ibid 5 Prayer before we hear the word 171 The behaviour of the Soul in hearing the word 1 Carefull attention to it ibid Means to help attention ibid 2 An opening of the heart to receive it 175 3 Carefull applying of the word ibid 4 It must be mixed with Faith 177 How the word is to be mixed with Faith ibid SERMON IX 5 The word must be received with meeknesse 179 6 It must be heard with a trembling heart 181 7 With humble subjection to the word 182 8 It must be received with love and joy 184 9 It must be received into an honest heart 186 10 We must hide the word in our hearts 189 11 We must turne the word into practice 192 SERMON X Why God will be glorified in them that hear the word 195 1 Because there is so much of God in it ibid 2 God hath appointed it to convey speciall mercies ibid 3 It is quick and lively in working 169 Use 1 Reproof of severall sorts of men concerning the word neglected 197 The fearfull estate of those that do not sanctifie God in his word 200 1 They lose the choicest opportunity ibid 2 The word will be a great aggravation of sin ibid 3 They that reject the word reject Christ 201 4 It is an argument of hardnesse of heart 202 5 It is a sad sign of Reprobation ibid 6 To such there can be nothing sanctified 203 7 They are nigh to a curse ibid 8 It will turn to their damnation 205 9 It will not comfort them in afflictions 206 10 God will make his word good upon them 207 11 The word shall judge them ibid 12 God will blast them that sanctifie not his name in his word 208 Use 2 Exhortatio to glorifie the word of God 209 God will sanctifie his Name in mercy upon those that sanctifie it in hearing the word 210 1 All the good in the word is theirs ibid 2 It is a certain evidence of their election 213 3 God will sanctifie them by the word 214 4 They will be the glory of the Ministers at the day of Christ ibid 5 It will rejoyce them hereafter when God shall magnifie his word 215 SERMON XI Of Sanctifying the Name of God in receiving the Sacrament 225 1 Receiving the Sacrament is a part of Gods worship 226 2 Gods Name must be sanctified in our receiving the sacrament 228 1 Because there are presented the greatest Mysteries of salvation ibid 2 It is an Ordinance that Christ hath left out of his love ibid 3 It is the Sacrament of our Communion with Christ 229 4 The Covenant of Grace is sealed in it ibid 2 No duty is urged with more strength and severity ibid 3 Nothing striks more upon mens Consciences 230 How many are to Sanctifie Gods Name in the Sacrament 231 1 Those that receive it must be holy 232 1 Because it is the seal of the Covenant ibid 2 It is an Ordinance of spirituall nourishment 233 3 Because we are required to examine our selves ibid 4 It is a Sacrament of Communion with God and the Saints 234 2 It must be received in a holy Communion ibid Wicked men not to be admitted to this Communion 235 SERMON XII Addition to the former conerning holy Communion 242 The qualifications in the Soul to fit it for receiving the Lords Supper 244 1 Knowledge ibid 2 A broken heart 246 3 Actuall purging the heart from sin 249 4 Hungring and thirsting after Jesus Christ 251 5 Exercise of Faith 252 6 Exercise of Spirituall joy 255 7 Thankfulnesse ibid 8 Renewing of Covenant 257 9 Renewing of love towards God and our brethren 258 SERMON XIII We must keep to the institution in the Sacrament 261 1 For the gesture 262 2 Delivering it to all in generall and not into every particular mans hand 264 3 That the Communicants be all the while exercised in their thoughts about the death of Christ 265 Mediations in receiving the Sacrament 267 1 That the way of mans salvation it is through a Mediator ibid 2 This Mediator between God and man is true man ibid 3 That his body was broken and his blood shed for us 268 4 It was the body and blood of that person that is God that reconciles us ibid 5 To consider the dreadfulnesss of Gods justice ibid 6 The price of saving a Soul 269 7 The greatness of the evill of sin ibid 8 The infinite love of God to mankind ibid 9 That beleevers shall be nourished to eternall life ibid 10 To meditate upon the Covenant of grace to beleevers 270 Holy disposition to be actuated in receiving the Sacrament 271 Of Sanctifying the name of God in Prayer 272 What preparation we are to make to Prayer 274 1 Concerning the matter of Prayer 276 2 Concerning the manner of prayer 280 Concerning wandring thoughts in Prayer 281 SERMON XIV A further enlargement concerning wandring thoughts in Prayer 283 5 Rules to help against wandring thoughts 286 1 Set a high price upon the duties of Prayer ibid 2 To renew resolutions against wandring thoughts 287 3 To set the presence of God before us 288 4 To account all wandring thoughts evill ibid 5 To bless God if at any time he did help us against them 289 3 For sanctifying Gods name in Prayer there must be the breathings of the spirit 290 4 There must be pure hearts and hands 292 5 We must call upon God in truth ibid What it is to call upon God in truth ibid 6 We must pray in faith 293 7 In the spirit of adoption 294 8 We must pray with constancy 295 9 We must pray in humility ibid 10 We must tender up al our prayers in the name of Christ 296 Conclusion of all 297 FINIS 1 Observ 2 Observ Observ Observ 5 Observ 6 Observ 7 Observ 8 Observ 9 Observ 10 Obser 11 Obser 12 Obser 13 Obser Stepney Nov. 16. 1645. 14 Obser 15 Obser 16 Obser 17 Obser 18 Obser 19 Obser 20 Obser 21 Obser That we draw nigh to God in Holy Duties What it is to worship God The Second respect wherein the Soule is said to draw nigh to God in holy duties Applic. 1 Applic. 2 Applic. 3 Applic. 4 Applic. 5 By drawing nigh to God often we increâ—se 〈◊〉 grâ—â—ts We come to live holy lives A special signe of our adoption We come to be put in mind of the life of heaven Our drawing nigh to God delightfull to him By coming into Gods presence there is a blessed familiarity betweeÌ„ God and the soul Our familarity with God makes us to be potent with him By our communion with God the terror of death wil be taken away Safety in being neer to God Stepney Nov. 30. 1645. Applic. 6 Great honour God puts upon his servants Doct. 2. Reason 1 Reason 2 Reason 3 Reason 4 Reason 5 Reason 6 Stepney Decem. 7. 1645. Stepney Dec. 14 1645. Stepney Dec. 21 1645. Stepney Janu. 4. 1645. Stepney Janu. 11 1645. Stepney Janu. 25. 1645. Stepney Febr. 1. 1645.
Name There is one notable Scripture in Jer. 8. 2. that shewes how much strength the Idolaters put forth in the worshipping of their Idol they would not do it in a slight and vain way but their hearts were much in that false worship saith the text And they shall spread them before the Sun and the Moon and all the host of Heaven mark now whom they have loved and whom they have served and after whom they have walked and when they have sought and whom they have worshipped All these are put together in reference to their Idols Oh that it could be said so of us in reference to God when we come to worship him whom we have loved and whom we have served and after whom we have walked and whom we have sought and whom we have worshipped there is all these severall expressions to shew the strength of their spirits in following after their Idols And that is the Fift thing in our Sanctifying of Gods Name 6 The Sixth is If thou wilt Sanctifie Gods Name in Worship there must be an humble frame of Spirit worship him with much humility of Soul Abraham did fall upon the ground before the Lord and dust and ashes saith he hath begun to speak unto thee yea we read of Jesus Christ groveling upon the earth and the Angels they cover their faces in the presence of God and so should we be humble when we come before the Lord there is nothing more abases the Soul of man then the sight of God and the great reason of the pride of all mens hearts is because they never knew God If thou didest but see God thy heart must needs be abased and when doth the Soul see God if not when it comes to worship him In Job 42. I have heard of thee by the hearing of the eare but now my eye seeth thee wherefore I abhorre my self and repent in dust and ashes Now this humility must be in the sense of our own meanness and basenesse Ps 34. 6. This poor man cryed to God They are poor Souls that come into Gods presence that Sanctifie Gods Name most even those Souls that do apprehend and are senseable of their own basenesse and meannesse before God This poor man cryed to God we use to say Give that poor man some what It doth affect the heart of God when he sees much poverty of Spirit when we come before him we must be senseable of our Infinite dependance upon God Come as the woman of Canaan O Lord even doggs do receive câ—ums and though I be a dogg yet let me receive crums here is humility of Spirit Now this humility of Spirit appears in these things 1 First admiring Gods goodness that we do live at this time and that we have liberty to come before him we might have been past praying and worshipping of God think thus What a Mercy is it that we are not banished out of Gods presence that the Lord hath not spurnd us out of his sight as filth and cast us out as an everlasting abhorring while others have bin praying we might have bin yelling under the wrath of the eternal God Come with this apprehension of thy self and adorre Gods goodnesse that thou art alive to pray and alive to heare Gods word And that it is not only a duty but a rich priviledge and mercy that God will admit of thee to come into his presence Againe it is the goodnesse of God that he will vouchsafe to look upon the things that are done in heaven then if the Lord doth humble himself to behold the things that are done in heaven then how doth the Lord humble himself to behold me a poor vile cative as I am in my self and yet that God should not only behold me before him but invite me to come into his presence What mercy and goodnesse is this 2 Our hearts must be taken off from the thoughts and apprehensions of all excellencies in our selves we must not come in the pride of our hearts because we have abilities more then others what do all thy parts commend thee to God thou hast ability in expressing of thy self in Prayer why do thy parts commend thee to God What ever is natural in any of our duties is nothing to God only that which is from his own Spirit and therefore thou shouldest come in thine own thoughts as vile as if thou hadest no parts and abilities at all Lay aside all such apprehensions of thy self for the truth is some poor broken hearted sinner that can but sigh out a few groans to God and is not able to speak two or three sentences together in a right language but only breath out his Soul to God may be a thousand thousand times more acceptable to God then thou that art able to make great Orations when thou comest before him 3 Thou must come without any righteousnesse of thy own thou must never come into Gods presence but as a poor worm and if there be any difference that is made between thee and others in outward respects it is nothing to thee when thou art in the presence of God thou art as a base vile worm though though beest a Prince or Emperour 4 Thy heart must be taken off from what thou doest If thou hast any abilities of grace yet thy heart must be taken off there there may be pride not only from ones parts but it may be God hath given me inlargements in Prayer the Devil will come in and seek to puffe up thy heart even because of this But thy heart must be taken off there and thou must deny thy self in all when thou hast done the best service of all yet thou must conclude thou art an unprofitable servant when thou hast prayed the best yet rise with shame and take heed of having thy heart puft up even through the assistance of the graces of the Spirit of God in holy duties 5 Lastly Thou must come with a humble resignation of thy self to God to be content to wait upon God as long as he pleases to waiâ— upon God in regard of the time and of the measure and of the manner of the Communication of himself in regard of the meanes by which he will please to communicate himself wait upon him Let me have mercy though at the last hour This now is an humble heart in Prayer and when we come with such a poverty of Spirit as this is we may expect that the Lord will accept of us Give this poore man some what will God say This poore man cryed and the Lord heard him In the Seventh place we must bring that which is Gods own in Sanctifying Gods Name I spake to this before in the point of Preparation Viz. That in Gods Worship we must give him his own I will only mention it here in the Sanctifying of Gods Name in two regards 1 First To give God his owne for the matter of it 2 Secondly To give God his owne that is what comes from the
is that that upon divers occasions I have spoken unto and am willing upon every occasion as I meet with it to speak of because it is a principall part of the great mysterie of the Gospel without which all our duties are rejected of God and cast away Now then put all these Nine things together and see by them what we ought to do that we may Sanctifie the Name of God in holy duties But there is something further to be spoken that may help you to Sanctifie Gods Name in holy duties and that is severall workings of heart suitable to the severall Attributes of God for that is to Sanctifie Gods Name to have the duty to be such as is some way suitable to such a God as we are now worshipping Now then let us consider what the Scripture saith of God and then let us see what suitable dispositions we should have in us unto those things that the Scripture saith of God 1 First You know the Scripture saith that God is a Spirit in Joh. 4. 24. Then presently Christ saith That he that worships him must worship him in Spirit that is there must be a suitablenesse in our worship to what God is Is God a Spirit then all that worship him must worship him in Spirit and Truth that is thus When I am to go to worship God I must consider of him as he is an infinite and glorious Spirit well then surely bodily worship is not sufficient for me Though I do kneel down in prayer or do come and present my body to hear the Word or my body to receive the Sacrament this is not to worship God as a Spirit If indeed that our God were as the Heathens that were corporeall then it were another matter then bodily worship would serve the turne but God being a Spirit he must have Spirituall worship therefore my soul and all that is within me magnifie his name saith David my Soul magnifie his name not my lips only but my Soul The Apostle in 1 Tim. 4. 8. saith that bodily exercise profits little it is no great matter for the body God looks but very little at bodily exercise but it is godlinesse that is profitable it is the work of the Spirit when we come to pray we must pray in the Spirit that is we must pray with our Souls we must poure forth our souls before God and when we come to hear our hearts must not go after our coveteousnesse we must set our hearts to what we hear we must hear with our hearts as well as with our ears our Souls must be at work in hearing of the word when you hear it is not enough for you to come and sit in a Pew and have the sound of a mans voice in your eares but your Souls must be at work And so when you come to receive the Sacrament your Souls must feed upon Jesus Christ Bodily worship without Soul-worship is nothing but Soul-worship may be accepted without bodily worship therefore it is the Soul that God doth principally look at in holy duties If you be not able to worship God in your bodies you may worship him in your Souls and God regards that Bodily exercise in holy duties is little worth some what it may be worth I confesse sometime bodily exercise may further the soul as a reverend carriage of the body and the like but it is nothing in comparison the great work is the work of the Soul for God is a Spirit and must be worshipped in Spirit And God is said to be a Spirit not only in that he is not of so thick a capitall substance but it notes the simplicity of God he is without any composition whatsoever is in God is God himself he is absolutely one there are not divers things in God now then those that come to worship him must worship him in Spirit and in Truth that is there must not be a heart and a heart there must not be a compounded heart but you must bring simple hearts before God without any composition of drofte in your selves and of any kind of falsenesse but in the simplicity of your hearts you must come to worship God and thus you shall worship him with such worship as is some way suitable to him as he is a Spirit 2 Further consider God as he is an eternall God what suitable disposition doth this require of me when I am to look upon God as an eternall being it requires this only That therefore thy heart must be taken off from all temporal good things and set upon that eternall good thou maiest indeed desire these outward good things but in order to thy eternal good Then further Thou art worshipping an eternal God hence then whatsoever sin thou doest confesse although committed 20. or 40. years ago thou must look upon it as if it were now presently committed and be humbled as much before the Lord as if it were now committed at this present you will say Why so Because God is an Eternal God Yes For if I understand Gods Eternity I know that there is no succession in Gods being therefore the sins that I committed in my youth if I come to confesse them they are before God as if they were now a doing in regard of time and therefore I must as much as I can look so upon them and be humbled for them as if they were sins lately committed Many people are troubled for their sins the very day after they commit them but a little time wears off their trouble but if you did consider that you had to deal with an eternal God then you would look upon your sins though a long time since committed as if they were now done Likewise there will be this required from the consideration of Gods Eternity you must come with such a disposition of heart as not to think much though what you desired be defered and not granted in your time when you would have it For if there be no time that alters with God but a thousand years are with God as one day then that that we account long before it s done it is nothing with God and therefore we must have our hearts so work towards God as towards an Eternall God as one with whom there is no alteration of time at all with whom there is no succession of time If we come to a man and seek any thing of him if he doth not answer us presently we will think that he will forget it and other things will come into his mind but when we come to worship God we must look upon him as an Eternall being and that time alters nothing with him Thus understanding God in a right way will much help us in his worship and so to Sanctifie his Name We cannot Sanctifie Gods Name without knowing his Name without having serious thoughts about his Name and getting our hearts to work accordingly 3 Thirdly Look upon God when you come to worship him in his incomprehensible
being that is as a God that fils all places his being is as reall 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 then if you had ten hundred thousand witnesses standing by you and looking upon you For it is the Lord that stands by you and sees your behaviour sees what you do in your worshipping of him take heed therefore that there be nothing done by you that is unbeseeming the presence of such a God as the Lord is Suppose that some of you were praying and there were some godly able Minister stood neer you it would be some meanes 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 acknowledge it and I owne it and therefore I carry my self thus and all because I would witnesse to Angels and men that I do acknowledge that the Lord is present with me in this duty 4 Fourthly Consider God is an unchangable God immutable That is another Attribute of God he is unchangeable First Therefore our hearts must be taken off from these mutable things and set upon God as that unchangable good Secondly We must be humbled for our â—icklenesse and unconstantnesse there is no shadow of change in God and there is no shadow of conâ—tancy in us Thirdly When we come into the presence of a God who is unchangable then we should look upon God as being the same now that ever he was heretofore he hath as much displeasure against sin now as ever he had and that God that hath done such great things for his Church in former times is the same God to do good to his people as ever he was and make use of this When you read the Word and there find how God hath made himself appear to be glorious for his people and now every time I am to Worship God I should think that I am to deal with God that is the same that ever he was as mercifull and gracious and just and powerfull as ever he was and so my heart is to worke towards him 5 Fiftly When I am to Worship God I am to look upon him as the living God as that God that hath life in himself and gives life unto his creatures Then what suitable behaviour doth become me I must come before his presence with fear It is a fearfull thing to fall into his hands that is the living God that hath my life under his feet he hath the absolute dispose of my present and eternall condition he gave me my life he hath preserved my life and so may take it away when he pleases and bring death eternall death unto me These things may marveilously help your meditation when you are to come before him you who are barren in your meditations go over the Attributes of God thus and consider what you may be able to draw from thence God he is the living God What behaviour then doth beseeme me towards this living God Oh let me be afraid least my Soul depart from the living God Let me bring a living Service to him I must not bring a dead heart let me take heed how I come before the living God with a dead heart and with a dead service to sacrifice that that is dead before it comes it s like a carrion that lies dead in the ditch Oh let us be humbled for our dead hearts and dead sacrifices it is a living God that I am Worshipping therfore I must pray Lord turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity and quicken my heart in thy Law Ps 1. 19. 37. Remember when thou comest to worship that thou come with a quickned heart for thou hast to deal with the living God A man or Woman that is of an active spirit cannot iudure a dull and heavie servant in the family but the Lord is a pure act and nothing else but act and therefore he doth expect that all his people should have quick active and lively spirits 6 When you come to Worship God you are to look upon him as Almighty And so are 1 To Feare his great power when you come before him And 2 Then you are not to be discouraged by any difficulties I come to seek for some great thing and I come to seek to a great God that hath all power in heaven and earth and infinitly more power then there is in all creatures in heaven and earth I am praying to a God that can create peace create help My condition cannot be so desperate but this infinite Almighty God is able to help me Let me make him the object of my Faith as he is so infinitly Almighty What a full object of Faith is this God that hath all power in him Let me therefore come to him as a strong tower run to the name of God as a strong tower that can help in all streights whatsoever There would be much drawing forth of our Faith if we could present tht Lord before us as an infinite Almighty God when we see outward helps and meanes neer at hand then we can beleive that we may have some succour from him but when all outward helps and meanes fail then we are discouraged we do not sanctifie Gods name but we rather take this name of God in vain when as our hearts are discouraged with any difficulties now the Lord expects that all his children that come to worship him should worship him as the Almighty God and so have their hearts working towards him there would be mighty workings of Spirit towards God if we saw him by the eye of Faith as well as reason 7 Looke upon God as an Omniscient God as a God infinitly understanding all things Now what doth this call for First if God be a God of infinite understanding then let not me bring a blind sacrifice to God then let not me bring an ignorant heart to God this is the excellency of an understanding Creature to know the rule and end of its own Actions now thou comest to worship an infinite God of infinite understanding then know the rule of what you do and know the end of what you do and come with understanding into his presence Secondly If he be so understanding come with a free open heart to open whatsoever is in thine
about it It is a wicked thing to use curses but it s a most wicked thing to wish evill to others in a way of prayer yet how many doe so though it may be they doe not think it they speak to God and desire him to bring such and such evils upon their neighbours yea sometimes parents upon their children this is a wicked practise of men what is it not wickednesse enough for thee to have any desire that there should any evill befall thy brother but wilt thou dare to presume to call God to be an instrument of the execution of thy base sinfull wrath that God must be a drudge as it were to thy wrath and to thy passion this is abominable wickednesse Any of you that ever have been guilty of this sinne of cursing others wives children servants or friends the Lord rebuke you for this sin how far hast thou been from sanctifying Gods Name in prayer whereas in stead of sanctifying the holy Name of God thou hast called God to be a servant and a drudge to thy passion God must be cal'd to help the venting of thy passion oh remember this you that have been at sea and have been angry and things not going according to your mind have fallen a cursing and a wishing such and such evills might come upon those you are angry with that 's a kind of prayer but it is a most fearfull taking the name of God in vaine in the highest degree and certainly God will not hold him guiltlesse that shall so take his Name in vaine therefore be humbled for this sinne Object But you will say do not wee read in the book of the Psalmes where many times the Prophet David doth curse the enimies of God and wishes evill to come upon them Answ To that I answer first that the Prophets and those that pen'd the Psalmes they had a prophetical spirit and those places that you read that are in way of cursing they are rather propheticall predictions of evill then direfull imprecations they are rather foretelling what shall be in a way of prophecie then wishing what should be Secondly if they be wishing what should be then I answer that those that were indued with such a propheticall spirit they did know who were the implacable enemies of God and who were not as David prayed against Judas so many hundred years before hee was borne by a propheticall spirit he knew that he was the childe of perdition indeed if we could certainly know a man that were to be a cast-away eternally from God it were another matter as the Church in the time of Julian because of his Apostasie being so abominable it was determined almost generally by them that he had committed the sinne against the holy Ghost and upon that they curst him Now I say those that had an extraordinary spirit that did know who these were they might do it but this is no example for us in an ordinary way to wish evill and curses upon others But thus far wee may do with the enemies of the Church First we may curse them disjunctively Lord either take them out of the way or keep them that they may not doe such mischiefe in the Church or thus conditionally if thou seest Lord that they be implacable thou knowest them if so let thy wrath and curse pursue them Lord thou seest what evill they are set upon and therefore rather then they should attaine their mischievous designes let thy wrath and curse persue them so we may do it but not absolutely to curse any though they should do us never so much wrong we are called to blessing but now in zeale to God take heed that we be not carried on in our own passion But being sure it is in a zeale to God we may wish the curses of God to pursue those that God knowes to be implacable this is but an appealing to God and not at all fastning it upon any particular persons that wee know but leaving it unto God for the execution of it and so in a zeale to the glory of God we may doe it and we are warranted so to doe by the second Petition Thy Kingdome come for that petition that requires us to pray for the comming of the Kingdome of Jesus Christ doth also require that we should pray against all meanes that hinder the comming of the Kingdome of Jesus Christ so that every time that the Church prayes thy Kingdome come or any prayes thy Kingdome come they doe as much as say O Lord do thou set thy selfe against all the enemies of thy Kingdome if they belong to thy election Lord convert them but otherwise Lord confound them Now thus we see how we are to sanctifie the Name of God in prayer in regard of the matter of the prayer but now for the manner of prayer The most things I confesse are there First when we come to prayer we must be sure to pray with understanding 1 Cor. 14. 15. What is it then I will pray with the spirit and will pray with understanding also God doth not love the sacrifice of fooles we must not come babling to God in prayer to speak wee know not what and to multiply words we know not wherefore but God doth require that those that come to prayer come with understanding that they offer to God a rationall a reasonable an understanding sacrifice God is a Spirit and he will be worshipped in spirit and in truth now as it belongs to all other duties of worship so especially in prayer to know what we doe when we pray not to think to put off God with a meere empty sound that 's the first thing The second thing in the manner of prayer it is the giving up all the faculties of our soules in it I spake to that in the worship of God in generall wee shall apply it now particularly to prayer the giving up not only out understandings but wills thoughts affections strength in prayer in 2 Chron. 20. 3. it is said of Jehosaphat that he set himselfe to seek the Lord he did give his whole selfe to seeke the Lord we are to give our whole selfe and not to divide in prayer Now this were an argument that indeed might well take up a whole Sermon in shewing the evill of the wandring of our spirits in prayer wee should take heed of the wandring of our spirits in hearing of the Word and receiving the Sacraments and so in prayer the people of God are much troubled with the wandring of their thoughts both in Word and Sacrament and it is their great burthen and should be so but I never hear any more complainings of the wandring of their spirits then in the time of prayer the people of God are much pestered in their spirits with this evill it is very grievous unto them and many of them goe under it as a grievous burthen all their dayes the chiefest burthen that is upon their spirits is their wandring in prayers so
that if God should speak to them as he spake unto Solomon and bade him aske what he should give him I verily beleeve there are many in this Congregation that have already good assurance of Gods love in Christ if they had not that that would be the maine thing that they would aske but having attained that if God would speak from heaven and say what shall I give you for your selves if he should aske you in the Generall it may be you would aske something for the Churches but if it be for your selves you would put up this petition oh Lord that I may be delivered from a wandring spirit in holy duties and especially in the duty of prayer that I may thereby come to enjoy more holy communion with thy selfe then ever yet I enjoyed and they would account this to be a greater mercy then if God should give them to be Kings or Queens over the whole World if God should put these two into the balance either the whole world to possesse or otherwise to have more free hearts in comming to God in prayer and to be delivered from that that hath so much hindred their communion with God in prayer they would despise and scorne the world in comparison of such a mercy as this is howsoever carnall hearts they think little of it but those that are the servants of God they finde it to be very grievous to them but being the time is past I shall reserve that to speak yet a little more largely for the helpe of those that are under the burthen of it I 'le only speak one thing further now and that shall be to those that are wicked and vile that not only have vaine wandring thoughts in prayer but even in the very duty of prayer many times have wicked and ungodly thoughts how horrible are they unclean thoughts murderous thoughts it may bee and most abominable I confesse even those that are godly may sometimes have some blasphemous thoughts cast into them for the devill is never more busie then at the time of prayer but they rather come from the devill then from the stream and corruption of their own hearts which may be we may make out more cleerely afterward but now I speak to such as have most wicked abominable thoughts rising from the stream and corruption of their hearts such thoughts as their hearts doe close withall in prayer and they can roule those thoughts about in their minds as a child will roule a piece of sugar in its mouth and this is the wickednesse of many men and womens hearts Take but this one note with you that all those dreadfull vile unclean covetous thoughts of thine in prayer they have been to God as if you had spoken them in words thoughts to God are all one with him as words are to men for God is a spirit and the spirit doth converse with God in thoughts as well as men doe converse with men in words and what a wofull guiltines would have been upon you had you spoken such vile and wicked things to men as some times hath been in your minds even when you have been praying to God how would the company have even spit in your faces and kickt you from them none that have any face of godlinesse would have indured you in their company and yet here 's the evill of it your hearts are not troubled but you rise off your knees and away you go thou hast a cauterised conscience a seared conscience that canst entertain such vile thoughts at any time without having thy spirit afflicted and going away with shame and confusion as if the greatest evill had befalne thee therefore take heed of this SERMON XIIII LEVITICUS 10. 3. I will be Sanctified in them that come nigh me WEE are first to sanctifie Gods Name in regard of the matter of our prayers And Secondly in regard of the manner For the first we made an end of it the last day and came unto the manner and there were two things mentioned First that wee must pray with understanding Secondly wee must give up our selves to prayer Now in the close of the exercise wee had occasion to fall upon that Argument about the wandring of our thoughts in prayer and by that we come to take Gods name in vaine in stead of Sanctifying of his Name God expects that we should have our thoughts and wills and affections our whole soules acting upon him in the duty of prayer or ese we doe not pray to God as unto a God vaine thoughts in prayer do pick up the sacrifice like the birds that Abraham drove away from the Sacrifice that they should not peck it Wicked lusts in mens hearts are like swine to take the meat and all to hale it in the dirt so their prayers are filthy and dirty with their lusts but those that are otherwise godly yet by their vaine thoughts the beauty and excellencie of their prayers is taken away as wine and beer that have the spirits of them gone so the life and spirit of our duties are gone by our vaine thoughts and therefore vaine thoughts do dead the heart very much So saith David in the 119. Turne away mine eyes from beholding vanity and quicken mee in thy Law while our eyes look upon vanity there will be no quicknesse in our hearts in any service that we tender up to God now many of Gods people have experience of the evill of this and they groan under the burden of this and as I said the last time if so be that the Lord should speak from heaven to them and aske them what they would have they having already the assurance of his love in Christ they would aske the deliverance from a vain spirit in the performance of holy duties Bring no vaine Oblations saith God in Isa 1. 13. Oh what vain oblations doe wee bring by the vanity of our thoughts in prayer t is true the best of all will have vaine thoughts sometimes but yet as one compares the vaine thoughts of men in prayer like unto a spaniel that goes out with a man he walks perhaps but halfe a mile but the spannel will be running up and down this way and that way and if all the space of ground which the spaniel hath gone over should be measured it may be while you are walking halfe a mile the spaniel fetching compasses here and there would be halfe a dozen miles so our fancies are like a spaniel which will have fetches about this way and that way in a thousand vaine thoughts but thus now it is with a godly man as a spaniel though running from his master yet if he give him a call he is able to call him to him presently and it were well if it were so with us though our fancies be wild yet if we were able to call in our fancies and to have them at command it were well with us And I find it very much that those that are new commers they
other way or one taking up one end and the other the other end that is the meaning of it he helpes our infirmities the poore foule is pulling and tugging with its own heart and finds his heart heavy and dull like a logge in a ditch and have not many of you found your hearts so but now then when you are tugging with your hearts and would faine lift up your hearts to God in prayer there comes the Spirit of God at the other end and takes the heaviest end of the burden and helpes you to lift it up if a child were at one end of the logge and that were but light and the other end very heavy if one come and take up the heaviest end a little strength will serve for the lighter end so the Spirit comes and takes up the heavier end in duty and so helps our infirmities helpes together and then the other word is The Spirit that is together with the acting of the graces of the Spirit in our hearts you must not say so alasse what can I doe it must be the Spirit of God that must doe all it is true hee doth all First he gives converting and habituall grace and assisting and actuating grace but now when the Spirit hath wrought grace so as to convert the heart and hath given habituall grace in thy heart why then when the Spirit comes to assist it doth expect that thou shouldest stirre up all the gifts and graces of the Spirit and the very strength of thy body the Spirit of God expects that thou shouldest act to the uttermost thou art able what power hath been given thee by God and when thou art in acting then the Spirit comes and helpes together with us noting that we are to put forth what strength we have and thus Gods name will be sanctified when as wee putting forth the graces of the Spirit in us then the Spirit comes and helpes and what comes from us now comes from the breathings of the holy-holy-Spirit in us and then God who knowes the meaning of the Spirit will know now the meaning of our sighs and groanes therefore when thou art going to prayer thou art to eye the Spirit of God thou art by the eye of faith to looke upon the Spirit of God and to cast thy soule upon the assistance of the Spirit of God thou art to looke upon the holy-Ghost as appointed by the Father and the Son to that office to bee a helper to his poore servants in the duties of worship and especially in that great duty of prayer now upon the reading of this text and having it thus opened this is one good helpe for thee in prayer read this text and then exercise thy faith upon it Lord hast thou not said that thy Spirit helpes our infirmities when we know not what to pray for nor how to pray for any thing as we ought but the Spirit will come now Lord make good this word of thine to my soule at this time and let mee have the breathings of the Spirit of God in me alasse the breaths of men if it come from gifts and parts I know thou wilt never regard it except there be the breathings of the holy-Ghost in mee in prayer now if you would know whether the Spirit of God doth come in or no you may know it by this the Spirit of God carries unto God and it makes the prayer sweet and delightfull so much of the Spirit of God as is there it comes to the soule in the duty and it leaves a savour behind it a gratious savour is alwaies left behind when the Spirit of God comes to breath O the breath of the Spirit of God is a sweet breath and it makes prayers sweet it never comes into the Soule but after it hath done any worke it came for it leaves a sweet sent after that the soule finds a sweetnesse in that prayer now many of you have been in the morning at prayer but I appeal to you what sweet savour of the Spirit of God is left behind certainly if the Spirit hath been there it is like civil that is put into a little box though you should take out the civit yet there will be a sweet savour left behind so though the Spirit of God in respect of the present assistance withdraws it self yet it leaves a sweet savour behind The fourth thing is purity of heart pure heart and hands in Heb. 10. 22. Rev. 5. 8. having every one of them harpes and golden vials full of odours which are the prayers of Saints mark the prayers of the Saints are odours in golden vials the golden vials I may compare to the heart the hearts of the Saints must be as golden vials and then their prayers will be as odours in 1 Tim. 2. 8. the holy-Ghost giving directions how wee should pray it is with this qualification I will therefore that men pray every where lifting up holy hands without wrath and doubting the outward conversation must be pure and the heart pure in Job 22. 26. marke what 's said concerning that holy man there 's a promise made to him for the lifting up of his face to God putting away iniquitie from his Tabernacle that by putting away evill from our Tabernacles and so from our hearts we may be able to lift up our hearts with joy to goe and that 's the fift thing purity of heart and hands The sixt thing is in truth when we come to call upon God we must call upon him in truth Psal 145. 18. the Lord is nigh unto all to all that call upon him in truth you will say what is the meaning of that to that I answer First there must be inward dispositions answerable to the expressions as for instance when I come to expresse the greatnesse of the majestie of God then I must have an inward disposition sutable to this expression I must have a feare and reverence of the infinite majestie of God Secondly When I come to confesse my sin to judge my selfe for my sin there must be an inward disposition sutable to such a confession O how many men and women will come and speak great things against themselves for their sins and judge themselves for their sins and yet there is no such disposition in their hearts sutable to their words you shall have some in praying with others they will be a meanes to break the hearts of others they will so follow their sin and take such shame and confusion upon themselves for their sin and yet God knows their hearts not stird all this while and then they will call upon God for pardon of sin and for power against their sin and yet God knowes that their hearts do close with their sin and are loath to part with their sin in the mean time this is falsenesse of heart when the inward disposition is not answerable to outward expressions I beseech you my brethren consider of the prayers you have made and especially
the living God 97 Consciences of carnall men opened upon their death bed 118 Death of Christ to be meditated on in the Sacrament 165 Dear see Glory Delight God delights in our drawing nigh to him 37 Depart To neglect GODS Worship is to depart from him 33 Dependance We should continually be sensible of our dependance on God 274 Desire We must hear the word with a desire after it 170 Devill Devill gratified by omission of duties 59 Vnseasonable motions though materially good come from the Devill 82 Wandering thoughts in prayer suggested by the Devill 286 Difficulty Naturall parts in performance of duties will not carry thorow difficulties 87 Not to be discouraged in difficultes considering Gods power 97 The work of Religion difficult 109 Dignity see Prerogative The more dignity the more danger 12 Dishonour It were a dishonour to God to accept the services of wicked men 116 Disposition Inward disposition in prayer 292 Divine see Service Doubt The time of receiving the Sacrament no time for doubting 254 We must pray without doubting 293 Duty The holinesse of a duty will not bear men out in their miscarriage in it 17 Omission of duty will not fit for duty 58. 113 The doing of one duty prepares for another 60 Duties not to be rested on 103. 107. 115 To be humbled for our best duties 111 All duties of carnall worshippers lost 112 Sin of Hypocrites aggravated by holy duties ibid E Easie Preparation makes duties easie 52 Election Evidence of election 213 End see Extremity Our ends must be high in the worship of God 72 Base ends of men in Gods worship ibid To have right ends apart of wisdom 99 It is the nature of God to will himself the last end 104 Engagement Engagements of prayer to be performed 293 Envie see Mean Eternity Eternity of God how to be considered in our worship 94 Excellency Thoughts of our own excellency to be cast off in our worship 85 Exemplary Exemplary judgements should make us look into the word how God makes it good 23 Extremity Men that regard duties only in extremity make themselves their end 77 Examination Examination required in partaking of the Sacrament 233 Eye Faith as an eye to see Christ in the Sacrament 252 F Faith Faithfulnesse Faithfulnesse of God what it should teach us 102 Faith must be mixed in hearing the word 177 Faith exercised in receiving the Sacrament 252 Faith how to act it in the Sacrament 271 We must pray in Faith 293 Faculties All the faculties of the Soul to be given up in Prayer 281 Familiarity see Potent Drawing nigh to God breeds familiarity 37 Benefit of familiarity with God 38 Falling away Falling away the ground of it 34 Fear see Publick What fear we must have in Gods worship 78 In fear naturall Conscience puts in to duty 89 Fervency Fervency required in prayer 295 Fire Fire from Heaven Two fold 2 Fire that slew Aarons Sons what 3 Strange fire what 19 Folly To be ashamed of our follie when we come to GOD 99 Follow The Soul is to follow after God as a God 65 Free see Grace Friend see Word Friends who are the best 25 G Gesture Gesture in the Sacrament not meerly indifferent 262 Guilty see Bloud Guilty consciences flee the worship of God why 31 Guilt to be removed when we come to pray 274 God Duties must be performed to God as a God 62 When duties are offered to God as a God 63 The word to be heard as the word of God 166 We are reconciled by the blood of that person that is God 268 Good Good heart what 187 The word will be made good on the abusers of it 207 We are to pray for our own good 277 Gospel Gospel the tenour of it 257 Glory Glory of God dear to him 7 Glory of God dearer to him then the lives of men 22 Glory of God is the lustre of all his attributes together 102 The active Glory of God is the especiall honour he hath 105 Glory of God in his word the greatest 182 Why God will be glorified in them that hear the word 209 Those that will obey the word will be the Glory of the Ministers 214 We should have apprehensions of Gods Glory in prayer 275 The Glory of God is the chiefe thing we should pray for 276 Spirituall things nearest the Glory of God 277 Grace Grace to be acted especially in Gods worship 29 Grace the freenesse of it should make us more diligent in the worship of God 34 Graces increased by drawing nigh to God 35 Graces to be acted and stirred up in the Sacrament 271 We must act our own Graces in prayer together with the spirit 291 See Covenant Great A people are great that have God nigh them 40 We should prepare to Gods worship because he is great 43 The duties of Gods worship are great 44 How to sanctifie Gods name in respect of his greatnesse 67 Great things to be expected from God 100 We must hear the word with attention because of the greatnesse of him that sends it 172 We must be attentive because the matters delivered are great 173 H Habituall Habituall sanctification 68 Harden Nothing doth harden the heart more then the word by accident 205 Hand Faith is a Hand to take Christ in the Sacrament 253 The Cup in the Sacrament not to be delivered into every particular hand 264 Heart Our hearts naturally unprepared for duty 46 The heart in preparation to be taken from every sinfull way 49 As the heart is so are the duties 70 The heart is not changed by the acting of naturall parts 87 Good heart what 187 The word of the Law not in the heart 211 A broken heart required in receiving the Sacrament 246 Hearing Of sanctifying Gods Name in hearing the word 161 Hearing the word a part of Gods worship 162 How to know that God hears our prayers 294 Heathen Heathens attend to worship their Idolls 46 Heaven Being oft in Gods presence minds us of heaven 36 The worship of God here the beginning of that in heaven 106 Hide We must hide the word in our hearts 189 Highest What we lift highest in our worship that is our God 74 See Thoughts Ends. Hindrance Hindrances to Gods worship many 46 Holy Holinesse Holinesse the greatest honour of Gods Name 23 Holinesse of God to be held forth by his servants 24 Drawing nigh to God makes us holy 36 Time and Place said to be holy how 50 God infinitly holy 99 Those that receive the Lords Supper must be holy 232 Honest We must receive the word into honest hearts 186 Honest heart what 188 Honest amongst men who 189 Honour To quiet the heart in affliction is to know that God will have honour by it 25 Humble Humbled Humility Humility of Spirit requisite in the worship of God 84 To be humbled for not sanctifying the Name of GOD aright Humiliation in preparing to hear the word 168 Wandring thoughts in prayer suffered by God to
what Incense or Sacrifice he would have the use of fire in it should be onely that fire and no other though God did never say to them directly in these words You shall make use of this fire and no other but God would have them to understand this That 's their sin therefore in offering of strange fire Now fire comes from the Lord and doth consume them Some think this fire came from the Altar but surely it could not be any ordinary fire that did consume Nadab and Abihu at this time for you shall find in the next ver to my text That the bodies of Nadab and Abihu were not consumed by the fire no nor their cloathes they were kil'd by the fire and yet their cloathes were whole therefore it was not an ordinary fire it was some Celestiall fire struke into them to slay them for so saith the text in the 4 th ver Come neer carry away your Bretheren from before the Sanctuary out of the Camp and so they went and carried them in their coats out of the Camp so tht their cloathes and bodies were not consumed only they were kil'd by the fire they were struck with a sudden death and that in the presence of the Lord such a death as God had never threatned in the Word before God had never threatned the Priests and said If you Offer strange fire you shall be consumed by fire but yet God smites them with death by fire they had not time to seek God no not so much as we use to say as to say Lord have mercy upon me they had no time to promise amendment at all now upon this heavy judgement the heart of Aaron could not possibly but be very much troubled yea and the spirit of Moses too for Moses was their unckle and Aaron their father they could not but be exceedingly much greived but Moses being the brother of Aaron seeing his spirit no question exceedingly troubled being under such a sad affliction and that such a Godly man even as Aaron was should have such a sad judgment befall his Children Moses comes and speakes comfortably to him and labours to support his spirit and how doth he do it He comes not as ordinarily you use to visit your brethren Oh! you must be content with this no but he comes and applyes the Word of God and shewes how God must be sanctified and by that he comes to quiet the heart of his brother Aaron This is that which the Lord hath spoke saith Moses Hee seekes to stay the heart of his Brother with that which God spake But where do we find that God spake this It 's hard to find in any Scripture these very words in ter minis before this time and therefore Augustin thinks it was onely the word God spake but not written and so they had it from hand to hand by tradition as many other things as the Prophecie of Enoch that the Apostle Jude speakes of you doe not find it written in the Book of God and yet the Apostle speakes of it so that indeed it was from hand to hand yea and we find in the New Testament when Paul speakes of a thing that Christ should say how that our Lord saith It is a more blessed thing to give then to receive you find it not recorded in the Gospels that Christ said so So this is that which the Lord said though it was not written from the beginning of Genesis to this very place or otherwise though it be not recorded in expresse terms yet somthing is recorded to the same purpose and effect and so it may seeme to have reference to that Scripture Exod. 29. 43. there we have a Scripture comes as neere to it as any I know And there will I meet with the children of Israel and the tabernacle shall be sanctified by my glory that 's as much in effect as I will be sanctified in those that come nigh me in those that come to Worship me in my Tabernacle I will be sanctified in all things that concerne my Worship I will be sure to be sanctifyed there I will be sanctified I will be Hallowed for it is the very same that you have in the Lords Prayer Hallowed be thy Name only that 's the Greeke word and this is the Hebrew but if you would translate this word into Greeke you must translate it by the same word that Christ spake when he taught his disciples to pray hallowed bee thy name Hallowd and Sanctifyed is all one Lord let thy Name appeare to be Holy so I will be Sanctified that is I will have my Name appeare to be Holy I will be made known unto my People and to all the World that I am a holy God that 's the meaning of I will be Sanctifyed I will be knowne to al the world that I am a Holy God And before all the People I will be Glorifyed so it is in the latter part of the verse as if God should say I account it to be my glory that I should be manifested to be Holy before all the World I will be Sanctifyed that is I will have my People to demeane and carry themselves so as to hold forth their acknowledgement of my Holynesse so as by their carriage I may appeare to be a Holy God I will be Sanctifyed by them or otherwise if they shall not in an active way Sanctify my name that is if they shall not demeane themselves so as to hold forth the glory of my Holynesse then I will be Sanctifyed upon them I will demeane and carry my self towards them so as by my actions upon them I will make it appeare what a Holy God I am So God is Sanctified two wayes eyther by the Holynesse of his People in their carriage towards him holding forth the glory of Gods Holynesse and so in that 1. Pet. 3. 15. Sanctifye the Lord God in your hearts the Saints doe sanctifye God in their hearts when they feare God as a Holy God and Reverence him and Love him as a holy God and so Sanctifie him in their lives when their lives doe hold forth the glory of Gods Holynesse then God is Sanctifyed Put then if we do not do so then God Sanctifies himself that is in wayes of Judgement upon those that do not in wayes of holynesse Sanctifie his Name And thus you have it Ezek. 28. 22. And say Thus saith the Lord God Behold I am against thee O Zidon I will be glorified in the middest of thee and they shall know that I am the Lord when I shall have executed judgment in her and shall be Sanctified in her And this is all one with I will be glorified in the middest of them And in the 38. of Ezek. 16 23. You have to the same purpose And thou shalt come up against my people of Israel as a cloud to cover the Land it shall be in the latter dayes and I will bring thee against my Land that the Heathen may
know mee when I shall be Sanctified in thee O Gog before their eyes And in the 23. ver Thus will I magnifie my selfe and Sanctify my selfe and I will be knowne in the eyes of many Nations and they shall know that I am the Lord In the way of the execution of Judgment thus I will Sanctifie my self so I will be Sanctified in those that draw nigh me In those that are nigh mee Nigh ones so it may be read that is especially the Priests that did approach to God Ezek. 42. 13. they approach to God especially But it is meant generally of all those that shall have to deale in my Worship whosoever shall come to Worship me let them look to it they must Sanctifie my name they must so demeane themselves in my Worship as to hold forth my Name to be Holy or otherwise I will manifest my selfe against them in the wayes of Judgment for I will appeare to be a holy God I will have the glory of my Holynesse one way or other saith God in those that come neere Mee As if God should say Though it 's otherwise with men they indeed will be ready to favour those that are neere them but I will not doe so Men will sooner passe by the offences of those that are neer them then those that are not as suppose that a stranger commits an offence you would be severe towards him but suppose it were one of your owne Children or kinsmen what would you doe then Doe not we see that men will rather favour their owne kindred then strangers though the offence be the same But I will not doe so saith God Suppose it be one of your own family will not you be ready to excuse them Suppose it were your own Child that should cōmit such an offence Oh! what friends would you make to take him off from punishment Though men will do so towards their own yet be bitter and severe towards strangers Yet I will not be so saith God Let those that are neer me looke to it I will be Sanctified by them I will be sanctifyed in those that draw neere me Now upon this when Moses said thus That God would be sanctified in those that draw neere him this was Moses scope to Aaron as if Moses should say Aaron though I confesse the hand of God is heavy upon you this day Yet it is fit for you to submit to God 't is fit that God should be glorified what ever becomes of you you are deare to God but Gods Name is dearer to him then you are what ever the lives of your Sonnes were yet it is fit that God should be honoured and his name Sanctified what ever becomes of your Sonnes or of your Comforts and therfore let your heart be quieted you have had a great loss and affliction upon you but God hath had glory God hath glorified himselfe How hath God glorified himselfe Very much by this way for God by this way hath done an act to make all the People of the Land feare before him to cause them to Worship him with all reverence All the people of the Land seeing such a Judgment as this and hearing of it they will learne for ever to feare and Reverence this God they will say How shall wee appeare before this Holy God Wee had need take heed how we appeare in his presence and Worship him according to the way that Hee himselfe would be Worshipped As if Moses should say This Honour that God hath by this meanes in the hearts of his people it is that that you should account a greater good then the Lives of your Children what ever they are This is the Scope of Moses speech to Aaron Now upon this the Text saith Aaron held his peace Hee was silenced It may be before Hee was expressing himselfe in greife and sorrow'd exceeding much in words but now he was quiet and had nothing to say he did by his silence acknowledge his Children were dear to him but it 's fit that God should be glorified what ever becomes of his Children and therefore Aaron holds his peace But the word that is here translated Holds his peace It hath more in it then meere silence for the Hebrews have another word to signifie meere silence of speech but this signifies a staying of the heart that it doth not further proceed in any trouble of Spirit a silence in the very heart and staying of it a staying of the motions of the heart I find the same word to be used in Scripture when Joshua said to the Sunne si and still stay thy selfe on Gibeon Jos 10. 12. It 's the same word that is here translated and Aaron held his peace that is he was stayed from further vexing or troubling of himselfe or being disquieted Whereas his heart was in a strong violent motion Now Moses speech did stop him and gave a stop to his heart to make it stand still in a wonderfull manner as the Sunne when Joshua spake to it to stand still As if the Lord should have spoken to his heart Aaron thy heart is in a mighty strong motion but consider that I must be Sanctifyed in those that drawe nigh mee and let all those motions of thy heart be stopt and quiet Thus now you see the meaning of the Scripture and the scope of it Now in this scripture you have these three speciall and notable points 1 That in worshiping of God there is a drawing nigh unto him 2 That when wee doe drawe nigh to God wee should take heed to our selves that wee Sanctifye Gods name 3 If wee doe not Sanctifye Gods name in our drawings nigh to him then certainly God will Sanctifye his owne Name upon us These are the three points that I intend to handle And especially the second to handle largely among you I confesse upon another occasion in one Sermon I have spoke out of these words but now I intend not onely in generall to shew you how you should sanctifie Gods Name in Worship but likewise in the particular Acts of Worship As Sanctifying his name in Prayer in Receiving the Sacrament in Hearing the Word in the severall chief parts of the Worship of God how his Name should be sanctified For in all these you do draw nigh to God And for that end I have pitcht my thoughts upon this Scripture But before I come to these three great Points that are the principall points in the words read unto you I shall take up divers other notes of observation that ly up and down as it were scattered that are of great use and will help us further to make use of this scripture in the other points that I shall come to afterwards and handle more largely The first Note is this That in Gods Worship there must be nothing tendered up to God but what hee hath commanded what soever wee meddle with in the Worship of God it must be what wee have a warrant for out of the word
generall heads of our meditation for our preparation to duty Viz. What God He is we have to deal with meditate of God in his Attributes and then meditate of the weight of our duties and the nature of them and the rule of them and the end of them get your hearts possessed with meditations of this nature and in this as a speciall thing doth consist your preparation to holy dutie and that 's the first thing 2 The Second thing wherein the preparation to a duty consists it is in this In the taking off of the heart from every sinfull way the indeavour at least If there be iniquity in thine hand or heart labour to put it out When thou are come into Gods presence do not bring into the presence of God the love of any sin in thine heart but labour to put it from thy heart In 2 Chron. 29. 5. We find there what is required to preparation the Text saith Hezekiah said unto them Hear me ye Levits sanctifie now your selves and sanctifie the house of the Lord God of your fathers and carry forth the filthinesse out of the holy place that is sanctifying a thing to carry forth the filthinesse out of that thing that we would sanctifie so the Sanctifying of our hearts it is by carrying forth the filthinesse out of our hearts so as to be fit for a duty And in Job 11. 13 14. If thou prepare thine heart and siretch out thine hand towards him What then If iniquity he in thine hand put it far away and let not wickednessed well in thy tabernacles These Two must be together 3 A Third thing is this The Preparation of the heart it is the disintangling 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 other businesse 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 labour 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 Cieil which was Lord treasurer that when he went to read he would lay his gown off and say Lie there Lord Cieil 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 then 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 businesse 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 least 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 bee 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 that they were to pray so when thou art in company thou shouldest watch unto Prayer Oh that you did so you cannot but be conscious to your selves that oftentimes when you have bin in company your hearts have been put out of tune and frame that you have been no way fit for prayer when you come home your house and family finds it so you that take such delight in company and fitting up late I appeale to your consciences whither you can come home and find your selves fit either in your family or closet to go and open your hearts to God This is one Note by the way wherby you may come to know whither you have been immoderate in company at any time God gives not men liberty to be busie in any outward occasions in the world so as to unfit them for his service preparation consists in that in watching over your hearts that you may not be unfitted for any holy duty when God cals you to it but that you may be ready even to every good work The Fift is this Preparation consists in the readinesse of the faculties of the soul and the graces of the spirit of God presently to act upon the setting upon a holy duty When a man or woman shall find the faculties of their soul and the graces that are in them to be ready to act as soon as ever they fall upon duty just as you see a company of Ringers when they have made all preparation for the raising of the bels then in an instant when they begin to pull all the bels go in that tune that according to their skil they set them in And so it should be with our hearts the faculties of our souls and graces though now we are not upon duty yet we should be so ready that as it were upon a pull all the faculties of our souls and graces of Gods Spirit should work in a melodious way There are those that keep their hearts so prepared as at the very first moment that they set about the duty of Worship all faculties and graces begin to act and to stir and are working towards God as a fire when all the matter is ready laid presently it comes to be kindled and flame out and thus it should be with our hearts So that now you see wherein preparation of our hearts to duty consistâ— The next thing is the Excellency of
discouragement unto prayer or any other duty of worship then an incouragement To that I Answer thus though we be very poore and mean yet it doth not hinder but we may tender up that to God which God wil acknowledge to be suitable to his infinite excelencie as First if we tender up to God all that we have Though we be never so poore and mean yet if God hath the strength of our soules God accepts it For we are to know that God doth not stand in need of what we have or of what we do but that we might shew our respect to him Therefore if we give all that we have God accepts it As a child if it puts forth all it's strength that it hath to do a busines which the father bids him whether the busines be done or no the father looks upon it and accepts it as sutable to the childs strength and it shewes the respect that the child hath to his father And as it is storied of an Emperour that when a poore man had nothing to offer him but a little water that he had taken up with his hand he haveing nothing else the Emperour accepts of it So that 's that which God looks for that the Creature should lift him above all If therfore when thou comest to worship God God hath more of thy heart then ever any creature in the world had God accepts of that and that you must look unto Can you say so when you go to Worship God Lord it is true there is much weakness in my spirit but thou that knowest al things knowest that thou hast more of my heart then ever any Creature in the World had This is sutable to God God will account this in the Covenant of grace to be a present sutable to himself As in the Law when they offered to the building of the Temple every one could not offer gold and silver and precious stones but some came and offered Badgers-skins and some women did spin and offered Coats-hair to the building of the Temple and so God accepted of that being the most they could do 2 In the Second place When we do not only offer unto God the most we can but when we adde to this the grief of our Souls that we can do no more when the Soul shall strive to the uttermost it can and when it hath done all saith I am an unprofitable Servant Oh that I could do more This is suitable to God 3 Thirdly The people of God though they be weak yet the weakest Servant of God is able to offer up to God somewhat that is suitable to the infinite Majesty of God upon this Third Ground because that there is a kind of impression of Gods infinitnes in those services that a gracious heart doth tender unto God and therefore suitable unto God You will say God is an Infinite Glorious God Be it so He is Infinite that 's certain but the duty of Worship that a gracious heart tenders unto God it hath an impression of Gods infinitnesse upon it How is that If that can be made out then indeed we may be incouraged to worship God Thus That that a gracious heart tenders up to God hath an impression of his Infinitnesse in this regard because as God hath no limits of his Being so a gracious heart when it comes to worship God will not propound any limits or bounds but in the desires of it would fain be inlarged infinitly if it could If it were possible for a creature to be inlarged to God infinitly it would be Here lies I conceive the maine difference betweene the most glorious Hypocrite in the world and one that hath true Grace yea that hath but the least degree of Grace The most glorious Hypocrite in the world who it may be for the outward act doth more then one that hath true Grace yet such a one doth limit himself he doth great things but he doth it so as he limits himself that is so much as may serve for such and such ends of his so much as may serve his turn either to satisfie his Conscience or to get credit and esteeme to be accounted eminent in such a way so much he doth do but his duty is alwaies limited within such bounds and if he could conceive that he might go to heaven and that he might have as much credit and honor and as much peace of conscience with doing lesse he would do lesse But now one that hath Grace though but little though but the least dram of Grace he goes farther Indeed saith he though through the little Grace that I have I cannot do what another can do yet this doth so inlarge my heart that I would have no bounds set in what I do for God but I would have it inlarged to the uttermost Latitude if it were possible beyond what ever yet was done for God in the world and the more I do the more I do desire to do That 's now a kind of infinitnes that there is in the heart where Grace comes I say Grace inlarges the heart to a kind of infinitnesse that the more it doth the more it would do there is no Hypocrite but will have his periods he will rise thus and thus and thus high ordinarily you shall find that if he lives in some company there he is high but if he lives in other company there he is lower Now there is nothing doth limit a gracious heart but to all Eternity it would work and work more and more for God Here now is a Worship that is some way suitable to the infinite excellencie that there is in God Here 's a kind of proportion as I may so speak even between the creature and God himself in this thing but it is the grace of God in the creature here is the Image of God indeed because grace doth so inlarge the heart even to an infinitnesse as it were for God And thus you see in the generall what it is to Sanctifie Gods Name to tender up to God that which is some way suitable to the glory of the infinite God 2 You know there was a Second thing viz. That then I do Sanctifie Gods Name when I come so to worship God as my heart works and follows after God as a God so as it doth beseem the soul of a Creature to follow the infinite Creator and to work after the infinite Creator So David in Psal 63. 5. My Soul followeth hard after thee O God and mark it 's a very sweet Scripture thy right hand upholdeth me Those whose hearts follow hard after the Lord they have the right hand of God upholding of them It is a mighty encouragement to put forth the heart to the uttermost because when thou doest so the right hand of God upholds thee so that thy heart must follow after God more then it followed after any creature 3 When I come to draw nigh to God I come to present my self for the
CoÌ„munication of the choicest of his Mercies so then I Sanctifie Gods Name when I labour to prepare and open my heart for God as for the choicest Mercies that God hath to bestow upon his Creature When there is such a temper of heart that my conscience tels me it is suitable to that that is fit for a Soul to have that expects to receive the choicest Mercies from God but that we spake too more in the opening of our drawing nigh to God Now we are to come more particularly to this to open the Sanctifying of Gods Name 1 First In what particulars the behaviour of the heart may be discovered to be suitable to God in respect of Gods greatnesse and glory 2 Secondly What the behaviour of the heart should be as suitable to the severall Attributes of God It will cost us some time to open the particular things in the behaviour of the heart as in reference to the Greatnesse and Majestie of God considered more generally as in Psal 48. 1. Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised And so in Mal. 1. 14. Cursed be the deceiver which hath in his fâ—ock a male and voweth and sacrificeth unto the Lord a corrupt thing Why for I am a great King saith the Lord and therefore cursed is he that doth not offer a Sacrifice suitable to my Greatnesse And in 2 Chron 2. 5. we find that Solomon when he was preparing for the Temple he would build a great Temple why because God was a great God that he would build it too So that the Worship of God must be some great thing because the Lord is a great God and it must be suitable to his greatnesse Now if you ask me in what particulars doth the behaviour of the Soul consist that is very suitable to the greatnesse of God in the generall there are many things in this 1 The First is You must be carefull to bring a Sanctified heart You cannot tender up a worship suitable to his greatnesse except you bring a Sanctified heart with you there must be holinesse in the heart Under the Law you know if any one came to offer a Sacrifice in his uncleannesse he must be cut off and so it must be here we must look to it that we offer not to God in our uncleannesse Wash you and make you clean in Isa 1. and then come let us reason together There is no comming to God without washing and making clean in Psal 93. 5. Holinesse becometh thine house O Lord for ever Holinesse becometh the presence of God for ever we must look to get a Sanctified heart Sanctification consists in those two parts Mortification and Vivification there must be a mortifying of the lusts of the heart We read in the Law that every Sacrifice was to be salted with Salt that did signifie the mortification of our hearts when we come to offer up our selves as a Sacrifice to God the Salt did eat out the raw humors and kept the flesh from putrifying so doth the Grace of God in mortifying our Lusts In Heb 9. 14. you have a notable scripture for the clenâ—ng of our hearts when we come to offer any service to God How much more shall the blood of Christ who through the eternall Spirit offered himself without spot to God purge your Consciences from dead works to serve the living God So that you cannot serve the living God untill your consciences be purged from dead works And how comes your consciences to be purged from dead works It is through the blood of Christ who through the eternall Spirit offered himself without spot to God he must purge your consciences So that here 's the way of Sanctifying Gods Name by applying of Jesus Christ who was offered to God without spot that our consciences might be purged from dead works that we might be purged from that naturall filthinesse and uncleannesse in which we all were for the whole world doth lie in filth as a carrion doth lie in his slyme Now if we would worship God so as to Sanctifie him we must apply Christ to our Souls and get our consciences purged from dead works and to have the Spirit of Christ in us to quicken up our hearts in the waies of holinesse to have the image of esus Chriâ—â—in us whereby we may be holy according to our proportion even as he himself is holy this is the Sanctifying of the heart There must be an habituall Sanctification and an actuall Sanctification of the heart An Habituall that is that the heart must be changed through the work of Regeneration there must be a Regeneration in the heart there must be Divine principles of the Graces of the Spirit of God in the heart But you will say May not an unregenerate man Pray To that I Answer It is true it is his duty to pray Poure forth thy wrath upon the Heathen and upon the families that call not upon thy Name But it 's as true that they cannot Sanctifie Gods Name in doing of it But if we would Sanctifie Gods Name in it there must be an Habitual holinesse in the heart for every thing doth act according to its principles in nature it is so and so doth the heart when it comes to Worship God it doth act according to the principles that it hath And then there must not only be Habitual Sanctification but Actual Sanctification likewise as in Exod. 19. 10 11. there you see what a doe there was to fit them for the hearing of the Law because God was to come among them God is to come among us and we are to come to God when we are to performe holy duties therefore it is not enough to have Grace but there must be an improving of Grace there must be an acting of Grace not only when you come to receive the Sacrament to think that then there must be an acting of Grace but every time you pray and hear there must be an acting of Grace A purging out of your corruptions and acting of Grace So that one cannot Sanctifie Gods Name in holy duties unlesse he come thus far to be able to say Lord thou that knowest all things knowest there is nothing that thou doest reveale to be contrary to thy will but my heart is against it that 's the least thou canst not have any peace of conscience in drawing nigh to God untill thou come thus far to have thy heart to work thus against sin and to be set upon every good that God reveals to be his mind You know when a man of quallity comes to your house what a deale of stir there is not onely in sweeping but in making all things as clean and tite and shining as possibly can be Thus it should be when thou comest to God And the Reason why there must be this Sanctifying of the heart is 1 First Because the Lord doth first accept of the person before he doth accept oâ— the Action Men indeed do accept of the persons of
ends that we aimest at when we are Worshipping God we should have our hearts above al creatures and above ourselves Let not our hearts then be groveling upon the ground mingled with base and drossie things when we come to Worship the Lord indeed it is fit that we should have our hearts low as we shall shew hereafter in regard of humility but not low in regard of any basenesse of Spirit to mix with any base and low ends Now there are low and base ends in Worshipping of God As. First We must take heed we do not subject the Worship of God unto our lusts that is a cursed thing thou art far from Sanctifying Gods Name in Worshipping of him that shalt subject his Worship to thy base Lusts this is an abominable and a cursed thing indeed You will say Who doth thus who is the man or where is he that will do this subject the Worship of God to his base lusts To that I Answer Whosoever doth make use of any duty of Worship as Prayer Hearing the Word or what ever it be to cloak any kind of wickednesse whosoever is conscious to himself of any kind of secret wickednesse and yet shall think to cover it by the performance of duties and shall reason in this manner who will think me to be guilty of such a vile thing when I pray so as I do and am so carefull to hear the Word and I hope I shall cover some wickednesse this way If there be any in this place whose conscience tels them that they subiect the Worship of God to such a base end as this is the Lord rebuke them this day and speak to their hearts If I knew any I would set mine eyes upon them and say as the Apostle to Simon Magus I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitternesâ—e and in the bond of iniquity and as he said to him that did seek to draw the Deputy from the Faith O thou child of the Devil and full of all subtilty to damne and undo thy self eternally that seekest to cloak any wicked way by any duty of Gods Worship Is it a great evill for a man or woman to make use of any of Gods creatures to be serviceable to their lusts as meat and drink c. What a damnable thing is it then to make use of any duty of Gods Worship sometimes extraordinary worship as Fasting and Prayer to be a cloak to cover their wickednesse Thou art so far from Sanctifying Gods Name that thou pollutest Gods Name thou doest what in thee lies for to cast even dirt in the face of God himself that doest so The Second Base end is to subject the duties of Gods Worship to the praise of men as to performe duties of Gods Worship for the esteem of men and because we shall be well thought of take heed of this you young ones and others you would fain be eâ—eem'd well of by those that you live withall It is a desireable thing to have a good esteem from those that are godly but take heed that you do not subject the duties of Gods Worship to this Indeed it may be an incouragement to you as David saith I sal 52. 9. This is good before thy Saints David did incourage himself to praise God because it was good before Gods Saints and I confesse it may be an incouragement because holy duties are good before Gods Saints but take heed that this be not thy highest end that thou aimest at and that which carries thee on in the work meerly to get the praise of men and that they shall think that thou hast good gifts and parts and therefore thou art inlarged in that regard take heed of that know that now thou doest not Worship God but thou Worshippest men thou doest make the praise of men to be thy God for whatsoever thou doest lift up in the highest place that 's thy God whatsoever it be therefore if thou liftest up the praise of men and makest that thy end thou makest that thy God and so thou art a worshipper of men but not a worshipper of God Thirdly Take heed of making Self thy end there are some that are not so base low in their hearts as to make the praise of men their end but they aime and look at themselves that is they aime at their own peace and satisfying their own Consciences in the performance of duties now though it 's true when we performe duties of Gods Worship we may expect to receive some good to our selves and we may be incouraged to the duties by the expectation of good to our selves yet we must look higher we must look at the honour and praise of God that the name of the blessed God may be honoured Now I am going to Prayer Oh that I may pray so as I may lift up Gods Name I am going to Hear Oh that I may hear so as God may be honored by my hearing t is this that carries me on to hearing the Word and makes me rise readily and to go forth chearfully I hope that God may have some honour by my hearing this day God knows that this is the thing that I aim at I do not come for company nor to be seen of men neither do I come meerly to satisfie mine own Conscience Others go and hear such Truths of God as do good to their Souls and if I should neglect them meerly for mine own ease my Conscience would not let me be quiet howsoever there are many whose Consciences will be quiet enough though they lose am opportunity in the Worship of God but yet there are others whose Consciences cannot do so their Consciences would tell them when they are lying and turning themselves upon their beds how do you know but that God had some thing to speak to thy heart this morning that may never be spoken to thy heart at any other time therefore they cannot be at quiet except they attend upon God in the duties of his Worship but still this is not enough meerly to satisfie Conscience thy main end it must be that thou mayest this day know some part of the mind of God that God may speak to thy heart that so thou mayest be fitted to honour the Name of God that thou mayest be inabled to live to his honor the week following so much the better As in this manner thy thoughts should be Lord I find a drossie carnall heart I am busie in the world in the week time and I find that my heart is fullied and defiled with the businesse of the World and intangled but lord thou hast appointed thy Sabbath and Word to be a means to Sanctifie my heart and to clense it Oh Lord communicate thy grace to my Soul through thy Ordinances upon this day that so I may be inabled the week following the better to live to thine honour Lord I come into thy presence to that end that I might know some part of thy Will and that
work of his owne Spirit or else we do not Sanctifie Gods Name I will give you one text further about the matter of it in Exod. 39. if you read the Chapter you shall find that there is ten times said that they did as God had commanded Moses And then in the close of the Chapter when they had done as God had commanded in his Worship the text saith Moses blessed them That people is a blessed people that do observe the Worship of God as God hath commanded them But the main thing is all that we do it must be acted by the Spirit of God it is not enough to have true silver and gold but it must have the right stamp or else it cannot go for current coyn And so it is not enough that the things we offer to God in his worship be Gods owne be what we have warrant for out of Gods Word but it must have the stamp of the Spirit of God In the Worship of God there be Two Questions that he will ask First Who required this at your hands But then if you can Answer thus Thou O Lord did'st require it It is well but then God hath another Question Whose Image and Superscription is this If thou canst not give an Answer to that it will be rejected too Thou must be acted by Divine principles in all that thou doest there must be the stamp of the Spirit upon that which is tendered to God else it is nothing To open this Point fully will ask some time First Therefore I will shew you how we may know when our duties are acted by our naturall parts rather then by the Spirit of God Secondly how we may know whether our duties be acted by naturall Conscience rather then by the Spirit of God 1 First If thou art acted by naturall parts they will not change thy heart Men that do performe duties by the strength of naturall 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 naturall 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 discouragements thou wilt be carried through them all 3 Thou mayest know it by this wherein doest 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 tels thee that thy heart was streightned 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 expresse thy self so much then thou art discouraged And when thou seest another performe a duty if thou seest but any failing in their expressions thou pitchest upon that and lookest upon it as a poor thing thou art not able to see an excellency in holy duties except there be an excellency of naturall parts but those that have the Spirit of God they can find the Spirit of God acting in others though they have not such naturall parts 4 Those that are acted by their naturall parts in secret they are lesse inlarged then 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 young ones that begin to look towards Religion their parts are a little fresh and they are mightily inlarged in holy duties and the thing is good for them to make use of their parts but how ordinary is it that after a few years they are deader and duller then they were before and have lesse mind to the duties of Gods Worship then they had formerly Were this the Spirit of God you would find as much savour and relish in them afterwards as there was at that time Secondly for naturall Consciences which sometimes puts men upon acting of duties and indeed is better then meerly naturall parts 1 If it be only naturall Conscience it puts upon duties but gives no strength to do them but when the Spirit of God puts thee upon a duty it gives thee some strength to performe it some strength whereby thou gettest some communion with God 2 If it be naturall Conscience it puts upon the duty but makes not the heart glad of the duty and to love the duty but if it be the Spirit of God it makes thee to delight in it and to love it 3 Thirdly If it be naturall Conscience thou doest not by that increase thy communion with God thou doest thy duties as in a round but now when the Spirit of God puts thee upon holy duties it is not a task done but thou findest more and more increase in Communion with God thy heart more raised to God and more closing with the Lord and so still more and more in the course of thy life I had a little converse with God at first when God began to acquaint my Soul with his waies but through his mercy now I find more communion with him and so thou canst blesse thy self in God in that converse that thou hast in communion with him thou wouldest not lose that Communion thou hast with God in holy duties for all the world others have their companions that they have their communion withall 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 AGAINE as Naturall Conscience doth give no strength to do the duty so it makes not the duty to be strong to the Soul that is thus there 's no strength got by the duty they are not by one duty prepared for another But the way of the Lord is strength to the upright that is when a gracious heart is in the way of Gods worship it finds the very duty of the worship of God to be strength to it and so it fits it for another duty 5 Further A Naturall Conscience limits its self and is bounded that is so much as will serve the turn for its owne peace and quiet so much it will do and no more But when one is acted by the Spirit of God one is inlarged 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 inlarged in duty Now a Naturall Conscience that puts to duty and will act you when you want peace when you are in trouble and fear but when
you are not in trouble and fear then it puts not on the heart to performance of duty but the Spirit of God puts on the Soule to duty when there is most peace and comfort 6 A little will serve the turn to satisfie a naturall conscience so be it they performe the duty it is enough but one that is acted by the Spirit of God in duty must meet with much of God or else he is not satisfied he goes mourning in the day time if he hath not met with much of God in the morning in the performance of duty Thus you see there 's much difference between the Actings of naturall parts and conscience in duty and the acting of the Spirit of God There be only now Two things more for the Sanctifying of Gods Name in duty and then we are to come to shew how we should Sanctifie Gods Name in duty in reference to the severall Attributes of God But First for those Two Heads further 8 The Eight thing is this When you come to performe holy duties if you would Sanctifie Gods Name you must consecrate your selves to God there must be a resignation of soul and body estate and liberty name and all you are have or can do unto God This is to Sanctifie Gods Name the consecration of your selves to God And the professing of this in the performance of duty when you are to pray were a very good thing actually to professe your selves to be Gods to professe that you do give up all that you are have or can do to God Lord I am thy servant take all Faculties of Soul and Members of body and improve all lay out all to thine own praise to the uttermost to bring glory to thy great name If every time you came to God in prayer you did this this were to Sanctifie your selves to God I spake before of a Sanctified heart but now this is in a profession of your selves to God do it secretly at least in your own thoughts if you do not every time expresse it in words yet in your own thoughts do it devote your selves to God every day Of admirable use it would be if every day when men and women worship God either in their closets or families they did professedly devote and consecrate themselves to God and so likewise every time they came to hear the Word or to receive Sacraments God would account his name to be Sanctified in such a work as this is 9 Lastly That that must make all up and without which all the other is nothing it is that you must tender up all your worship in the name of Jesus Christ let a man or woman worship God never so well yet when they have done all if they do not tender it up in the Name of Jesus Christ God will not account his Name to be Sanctified thou must by Faith look upon Jesus Christ as the glorious Mediator that is come into the world by whom thou hast accesse unto the Father And act thy Faith upon Christ and give up thy duties into his hand as the hand of a Mediator to be tender'd up to the Father by him though thou hast laboured what thou canst to performe duty as well as thou art able yet thou must not think to tender it up by thine own hand unto God but thou must tender it up to the Father by the hand of Jesus Christ the Mediator and so thou shalt Sanctifie the Name of God in holy duties We read in Levit. 16. 13. that when Aaron was to tender up the Incense he was to put the Incense on the fire before the Lord that the cloud of the Incense may cover the Mercy Seat that is upon the testimony that he die not Mark it is as much as his life is worth whether he doth it or doth it not Now Incense it is in the NEW TESTAMENT called Prayer and so in the OLD TESTAMENT too it was a kind of emblem of Prayer The offering up of our Prayers is the offering up of Incense to God and the Mercy Seat it was a Type of Jesus Christ Now the Incense should cover the Mercy Seat so our prayers must go up to Jesus Christ must be upon him and so must be accepted by the Father And as we read in Judg. 13. 20. when Manoah offered a Sacrifice the text saith that the Angel of the Lord ascended in the flame This Angel of God here was Jesus Christ as we might easily from this Scripture make it out and he ascends up in the flame from the Altar Now though we do not offer such kind of Sacrifices with Fire and Incense as they did in the time of the Law yet when we are offering up of our Incense there must be a flame of Fervency and Zeal But that is not enough together with the fame of the Altar the Angel of God Jesus Christ the great Angel of the New Covenant for Angel signifies nothing but messenger the great Messenger that is come into the world about that great Errand of his to reconcile the world to himself he must ascend up in the flame and so God will account his Name to be Sanctified the name of God is not Sanctified but through Jesus Christ The Acting of our Faith upon Christ as mediator is a speciall ingredient to the Sanctifying of Gods Name in holy duties as you know the Scripture saith that the Altar doth Sanctifie the gift offered upon the Altar Jesus Christ is the Altar upon whom all our Spirituall Sacrifices are to be offered and this Altar doth Sanctifie the gift that is offered upon it let never so great a gift be offered upon any other Altar it was not accounted holy nor accepted so let men by their naturall strength or power that they have offer up the most glorious and speciousest Service to God It is not accepted unlesse it be offered up upon the Altar Jesus Christ we have an Altar now not the Communion Table but Jesus Christ himself is our Altar upon whom we are to offer all our Sacrifices and this Altar must Sanctifie the gift we can never have our gift sanctified no nor Gods name sanctified in this gift except it be offered upon this Altar and our Faith acted upon Jesus Christ People little think of this but of other things viz. That when we worship God we should worship him with fear and reverence and with humility and with strength of Intention such kind of things every one that hath any inlightening of conscience will think of at sometime or other but people do least think of this which is the greatest ingredient of all that is required in the Sanctifying of Gods Name in holy duties that is to come and tender up all to the Father in the Name of Jesus Christ How many men and women that have been professors of Religion 20 or 30 years and yet not acquainted with this great mysterie of godlinesse to tender up all to God in the name of his Son This
leave them undone and yet they may further their own damnation while they are doing of them As for example If so be that a Prince should appoint a man to come into his presence such a day to Petition for his life which he hath forfeited by the Law if he do not come he may be a dead man But now if this man be drunk on that day and come drunk into the Kings presence he may be a dead man too for presuming to come drunk before him so wicked and ungodly men whether they worship or worship not they are in danger to perish But of this more when we come to shew that God will be Sanctified In the Fourth place here is a use of Exhortation that seeing we have this truth thus presented to us and opened before us O that we had hearts to apply our selves now to it with all our might to seek to sanctifie the name of God when we draw nigh to him The Lord hath shewen thee what it is that he requires of thee make conscience of it for time to come thou doest not know what blessed Communion thou maiest have with God if thou doest make conscience of this the truth is If you have not been acquainted with this you have not been acquainted with the way of a Christian in his injoyment of Communion with God thou doest not know what the comfort of a Christian life meanes do but make tryall of this for time to come and thou wilt find more comfort in the waies of godlinesse and more thriving in them in one quarter of a year then thou hast done before in seaven years one Christian that keeps close to God in holy duties and sanctifies the name of God in them I say finds more comfort with God and growes on in godlinesse more in one quarter of a year then the other doth in seven years that goes on in an ordinary dull and formall way in the performance of the duties of Worship Some there are in our time that cry out of duties and what need we trouble our selves so much those that know not how to sanctifie Gods name they think lightly of them but now do you apply your selves fully as you are able to this that I am speaking of and you will find yourselves to be as it were in another world you will be able to say Well I have not yet understood what it was to injoy communion with God in Prayer in Word and in Sacraments before this will make your faces shine in your conversations if you would do it and now to that end that you may do it there are these two or three things that I would propound to you 1 In the First place Learn to know God more with whom you have to do and present those things that you have heard before you in your meditations when as you are to come to God in Prayer or in any other duty and when you are worshipping of God remember that you have to do with God and none else You are every time you come to performe holy duties to be as a man or woman separated from all things Valerius Maximus tels a story of a young noble man that attended upon Alexander while he was sacrificing this noble man held his Censer for Incense and in the holding of it there fell a coal upon his flesh and burnt it so as the very scent of it was in the nostrils of all that were about him and because he would not disturb Alexander in his service he resolutely did not stir to put of the fire from him but holds still his Censer If heathens made such adoe in their sacrificing to their Idoll gods that they would mind it so as no disturbance must be made what ever they induted What care should we have then of our selves when we come to worship the high God And so Josephus he reports of the Preists that were sacrificing in the Temple when Pampey brake in to them with armed men and though they might have fled and saved their lives yet they would not leave off their sacrificing but were slain by the souldiers They did so mind it as a matter of great consequence Oh that we could mind the duties of Gods worship as matters of great moment that so we might learn to Sanctifie the name of God in the performance of them more then ever we have done 2 When thou comest to worship take heed thou doest not come in thine own strength For there is more required in sanctifying the name of God then thy strength is able to carry thee on in and therefore act thy Faith upon Jesus Christ every time thou comest to worship God not only as I said before to tender up thy services in his name but act thy faith upon Christ to give thee strength to do what thou hast to do what strength thou hast received from Christ be sure to stir it up many godly men women have more strength then they know of themselves if they would but stir up that strength that they have received they might Sanctifie the Name of God a great deal more then they do Therfore remember that text before mentioned None stirs up himself to take hold on God Quicken up thy heart and rouze up thy Spirit when thou art to worship God 3 When ever thou art worshipping of God do not satisfie thy self meerly in the duty done but consider do I sanctifie Gods Name in the duty every time thou worshipest him examine thy heart whether thou doest it yea or no. And if thou findest that thou hast not attained in some comfortable measure to this that hath been presented to theeâ— let the shame and the sorrow for that abide upon thy Spirit untill the next time thou comest to worship God at such a time I have been worshipping of God and God knows I have been stirring up my heart in some measureâ— but I find my heart dead wandering sluggish and dull I say when thou findest thou canst not do it according to what is required in any comfortable measure Let the shame and sorrow of heart for it abide upon thee till the next time thou comest to worship God and that will mightily help thee Thou art now praying and thou canst not now get up thy heart to what is required The next time thou comest to prayer come in the shame and sorrow of thy heart for the want of sanctifying Gods name the last time And so for hearing of the Word or receiving the Sacraments And this will further thee mightily for the Sanctifying the Name of God in holy duties But now that all may be sealed up unto you and so that we may close the point know that God will be sanctified in those that â—â— draw nigh to himâ— And there are these Two things in the Point First If we do not sanctifie Gods Name God will sanctifie his Name in a way of justice Secondly If we do Sanctifie his Name then he will
worship him to think thus let me look to it to Sanctifie his name now for I hear that God will Sanctifie it himselfe if I do not do it But then on the other side if so be that thou makest Conscience of Sanctifying Gods name in duties then he will Sanctifie his name in a way of Mercy that is he will manifest how he doth accept of the least degree of holines though there be much mixture God hath a way to take a way the mixture by the bloud of his Son and then to accept of any holinesse 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 gratious 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 will Sanctifie thy heart by his glory if thou doest Sanctifie his name Further thou shalt it may be not alwaies have such glorious comforts the full beames 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 its like if thou hast not such full comforts now yet upon thy sick bed though God doth not then alwaies manifest himself fully for somtimes the disease may be a hinderance yet it is ordinary that those that in their constant way did Sanctifie Gods name in holy duties they do lie comfortably upon their sicke beds and a glorious entrance is made for them into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ And then againe all things are Sanctified unto them as on the other side those that do not Sannctifie Gods name all things are cursed to them if thou doest not make Conscience of Sanctifying Gods name in duties God cares not to Sanctifie any thing for thy good But now those that make conscience of Sanctifying Gods name in holy duties the Lord takes care that all things shall be Sanctified for their good for the furtherance of their eternal good And how ever it be here yet hereafter at the great day of judgment it will be a part of the glory of God to manifest before men and Angels how he did accept of those holy services that thou didest tender up to him when hypocrites shall be cast away and abhorr'd and thou who hadest an upright sincere heart shalt be owned before God and before men and Angels at that great day and God shall say well it is a part of the glory of my holinesse to make it appeare that I have accepted of these holy things that these my poore servants have tendered up to me And this now is of marveilous use for the comforting of a gracious heart those duties that thou doest now think thou hast lost and there will nothing come of them thou shalt certainly hear of them another day God will make it appear there is nothing that he stands more upon then the glory of his holinesse and it is the glory of his holinesse that is thy strength in this thing and that makes it certain to thee that there must be a manifestation of thy acceptance and therefore take these truthes into thy heart about Sanctifying the name of God You have had only the point in generall opened to you Oh that the Spirit of God would bring things unto your remembrance SERMON VIII LEVITICUS 10. 3. I will be Sanctified in them that come nigh me WEE have as you may remember Preached many SERMONS upon that point of Sanctifying the Name of God in the duties of his Worship We have spoken unto the point in the generall the last day we finished it I do not intend to look back to any thing that was said but we are to proceed to shew how the Name of God should be Sanctified in the particular duties of his Worship Now the Duties of Gods Worship are especially these three 1 The Hearing of the Word 2 Receiving of the Sacrament 3 And Prayer Other things come under Worship but yet these are the three cheiâ— duties of Worship and I intend to speak to all these Three and to shew how we should Sanctifie the Name of God in drawing nigh unto him in the Word Sacrament and Prayer We might choose severall Texts for all these but they fall full within the generall and therefore it shall be sufficient for to ground the Sanctifying of Gods Name in these duties of worship upon this Text I OF SANCTIFYING THE NAME OF GOD IN THE HEARING OF THE WORD That which we are to speak to this morning it is the Sanctifying of the Name of God in the Hearing of his Wordâ— If you would have the ground of what we are to say concerning this in a particular Scripture you may have it in Luk. 8. 18. take heed therefore how you hear It is not enough to come to hear the word that is good and no question but God is pleased with the willingnesse of people to come to hear his word but you must not rest barely in hearing but take heed how you hear Now this is a point of great consequence and I hope it may do good to help to make many Sermons to be profitable to you the point I hope is seasonable will be very suitable unto you For those that come to hear so soon in a morning and are willing even in hard weather to come out of their beds they give some good testimony that they do desire to honour God in their hearing and to get good by their hearing and it is pity that labour and pains should be bestowed and no profit but hurt rather got by it which God forbid Therefore now I am to speak to a point that may help you so to hear as may recompence all your labour and pains in hearing In preaching to those that come to hear that so they may get good and benefit by it there is a great deal more incouragement then to such as come in a formall way because they use to come therefore this Point being a great point I shall open it some what largely and shall cast it into this Method First I shall shew you that the hearing of Gods word is a part of the Worship of God for otherwise I could not ground it upon any text Secondly I shall shew you how we are to sanctifie Gods Name in the hearing of his word either in regard of preparation unto it or our behaviour in the hearing of the Word Thirdly Why it is that God will be Sanctified in this ordinance of his Fourthly How God will Sanctifie himself in such that do not sanctifie his
Sanctifying Gods Name in hearing it 1 The First is a distemper of Passion in those that have some trouble of conscience in them they are troubled for their fin and their Spirits are in a discontented froward humour because they have not that comfort that they do desire and therefore the Word of God when it comes to be preached to them if it doth not every way suit with their hearts and if they do not find present comfort by it their Spirits are in a distemper and frowardnesse and cast it off and if at any time there be never such comfortable things spoken in the word yet there is an anger in their spirits because they are not able to apply the Word to themselves and they think This doth not concern me now there should be meeknesse of Spirit in those that are in trouble of conscience above all they should quietly attend upon the Word and wait for the time that God will speak peace to their consciences And if I cannot find the Word suitable to me at this time yet I may at another time let me atend with meeknes let me receive everything with meeknesse the Word is above me and if ever I have good it must be by the word at last It doeth much concern those that are in trouble of Conscience to have meeke Spirits 2 There is another distemper in others and that is worse that is Such as when they find the word come neer unto them relating those sins that their consciences tels them they are guilty of their hearts rise against God and his Word and Ministers too Because it would pluck away some beloved corruption because it rebukes them for some haunt of evill some distemper of heart that they have been or are guilty of it puts a shame upon them and therefore their hearts do rise against it It is a dreadfull thing to have the heart rise against the Word As we read of that froward Prince Jehoiakim in the Prophesie of Jeremiah that when the Roll was read in his hearing sitting in the winter time by a great fire he tooke a penknife and cut it a pieces and threw it into the fire in anger and I have read that the Jewes kept a Fast every year to mourne for that great sin yet this Jehoiakim was the Son of Josiah whose heart did melt at the hearing of the Word he had an humble and a meek heart when the Law was read and yet see what a different Spirit Jehoiakim had either from his Father or grand-Father It is a great dishonour to the name of God for men to give liberty to their Passions to rise against the Word take heed of Passion either while you are hearing the Word or after the Word as many of you when you are discontented with what is said When you come in company what a fury are many men in upon the hearing of some things in the word that comes close to their hearts Remember when you are a hearing of the Word that it is that which is above you and it is not fit for one that is an inferiour to shew himself Passionate in the presence of a Superiour It is true the Ministers they may be in as low a condition as you and in a lower but the word they speak it is above all the Princes and Monarchs upon the face of the earth and it is fit therefore we having to deal with God that we should behave our selves in a meeke disposition 6 The next thing for the Sanctifying Gods name in the hearing of the word is this we must hear it with a trembling heart with fear as well as meeknesse and for that you have that famous Scripture in Isa 66. begining Thus saith the Lord the Heaven is my Throne and the Earth is my footstool wher is the house that ye build unto me and where is the place of my rest For all those things hath my hand made and all those things have been saith the Lord but to this man will I look even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit and trembleth at my word this is a most admirable Scripture Marke how God lifts up himself in his glory so great a God as the Heaven is my Throne and the Earth is my footstool where is that house that ye will build unto me but then may a poor Soul say how shall I be able to stand before this God that is so glorious Saith God be not discouraged Poor Soul who doest tremble at my word for I look to you And then this is a further thing observable that God hath a regard to that soul that trembles at his word rather then to any that should build the most sumptuous buildings in the world for him for saith God here the Heaven is my Throne and the Earth is my footstool where is the house that ye build unto me and where is the place of my rest they have built a glorious Temple to God but what do I regard that saith God I regard one that trembls at my word more then that great house that you have built unto me it is a notable Scripture to shew what a high respect God hath to one that trembles at his word he regards them more then this glorious Temple that was built unto him If you were able to build such a place as this was for the service of God you would think it a great matter it is not so much regarded as if you could bring a trembling heart to Gods word that 's a special thing wherein the Sanctifying of the name of God consists when we come to see the dreadfull authority that there is in the word of God when we are able to see more glory of God in his word then in all the works of God besides for there is more of his glory in the word then there is in the whole Creation of Heaven and Earth take the Sun and Moon and Stars you that are Marriners you have seen much of the glory of God abroad that one would think might strik terrour into all your hearts but know that there is more of the dreadfulnesse of Gods name in his word then in all his works In Psal 138. 2. Thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name the word it is magnified above all the name of God whatsoever and it is a very good sign of a Spirituall inlightened Soul that can see the name of God more magnified in his word then in all his works besides I appeal unto your consciences in this thing have you ever seen the name of God to be more magnified in his word then in all his works I may with very good confidence affirm this that there is no godly Soul upon the face of the earth that hath the weakest degree of grace but hath seen more of the glory of God revealed in his word then he hath seen in all the works of God besides and his heart hath been more taken with it
It requires therefore a trembling frame of heart when we hear it And then further when this is considered that the word is that that bindeth the Soul over either to life or death mens eternal estates are to be cast by the world certainly then it requires a trembling heart to hear that by which the eternal estate of man is to be cast we do not Sanctifie Gods name when we come to hear the word except we come with trembling hearts and they are the most likely of all men and women to understand the mind of God as for such as come with conceited spirits that they understand as much before they come and think their reach of wit or capacity is beyond the capacity of any that shall open the word unto them yet that were not so much if it did but only rest upon the man and not reflect upon the word it self Now these that are rich in their own thoughts and understandings are sent empty away but those that come with trembling hearts to the word they are the men that are like to understand Gods Counsels revealed in his word In Ezra 10. 2 3. Shechaniah the Son of Iehiel one of the Sons of Elam answerd said unto Ezra we have transgressed against our God have taken strange wives c. Yet now there is hope in Israel concerning this thing now therefore let us make a covenant with our God according to the counsel of my lord and of those that tremble at the Commandment of our God so that those that tremble at Gods word are such as are fitest to counsel they understand most of Gods mind and that 's another particular of the behaviour of the Soul in Sanctifiying Gods name in hearing his word 7 The next is an humble subjection to the word that we hear our hearts must bow to it must lie under the word that we hear it is a very remarkable Scripture that we have in 2 Chron. 36. 12. There it is said concerning a great King Zedekiah He did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord his God and humbled not himself before Jeremiah the prophet speaking from the mouth of the Lordâ— It it a very strange expression as any we have in the book of God that Zedekiah a great King should be charged with this as a great sin that he did not humble himself humble himself before whom you will say we are bound to humble our selves before God but here it is that he did not humble himself before Jeremiah the prophet Why before the prophet Because he spake from the mouth of the Lord. If it be any messenger that speaks from the mouth of the Lord God expects that we should humble our selves so that if any truth comes to be delivered unto you the Lord expects that you should fal down and yeeld obedience to it whatsoever your thoughts your judgments your opinions have heretofore been if there come any thing in the word agianst it you must submit your judgments submit your very consciences you must submit your wills whatsoever your hearts have been set upon though it hath been never so contentfull to your spirits before yet now submit and yeeld though it go never so crosse unto your minds your wils your ends yet all must be submitted and laid down flat before the word so as to be willing to deny your selves of any thing in the world When a man or woman can say thus Lord it is true I confesse before I heard thy word opened in the evidence and demonstration of the spirit unto me I was of such a mind and my heart went after such and such contentments and I though it was impossible that ever my heart should be taken from them but Oh Lord thou hast been pleased plainly to shew to me by the opening of thy word in the evidence of thy spirit what thy mind is Now whatsoever becomes of my name of my comforts of my contentments in this world Lord here I cast down all before thee I submit unto thy word this is a gracious frame Now is the name of God extoll'd and lifted up in hearing of the word the name of God is Sanctified in such a work of spirit as this is I have read of a Germain Divine writing to Oecolampadius another famous German Divine he hath this expression Oh let the word of God come though we had 600. necks we would al submit them unto the word of God saith he So it should be the temper of such as hear the word and desire to Sanctifie Gods name in it let the word of God come this morning let God speak and we will submit had we 600. necks we will submit all we are or have to this word of the Lord it is the word of God that we are willing should triumph over us To have a congregation to lie down under the word of God that is preached to them is a most excellent thing and Gods name is much Sanctified we do not brethren desire you should lie under us we are not only willing but we are very desirous that you would examin what we speak to you whether it be according to the word of God or no. But look to it that if we do speak to you that which is the word from the mouth of the Lord know then that God expects that you should submit your estates your souls your bodies all that you are and have to this word and that is another particular in the Sanctifying of the name of God in hearing the word there must be an humble submission of the soul unto it 8 Another particular wherein the behaviour of the Soul for the Sanctifying of Gods name consists is this The word it must be received with love and with joy it is not enough for you to be convinct of the authority of it and to think thus well I must yeeld to it this is the word of God and if I do not yeeld to it I must expect the plagues and judgements of God to follow it that is not enough but you must yeeld to it with love and with joy except you receive the word with love and with joy it is not Sanctified you do not Sanctifie Gods Name nor is it sanctified unto you You must receive the word not only as the true word of the Lord but as the good word of the Lord. In Thessalon 2. 10. we find it to be the cause of mens being given over to a spirit of delution Because they received not the word of God in Love It is spoken of Antichrist that at his coming he shall come with all deceivablenesse and he shall prevail with them that perish who are they They that receive not the love of the truth that they might be saved It is not enough my Brethren to receive the truth that we might be saved but we mnst receive the love of the truth if ever we would be saved Good is the word of the Lord to
work made with them go and preach those that belong to my election shall be brought in to beleeve and be saved and the others shall be damned As if God should say If they will come in and imbrace the Gospel they shall be saved If they will not they shall be damned and there is an end of them So that I say we have need to look to it that we sanctifie the Name of God in his Word upon these Three Grounds Because there is so much of God in his word Because he hath appointed it to convey the greatest Mercies to his Saints And because God is very quick in his Word one way or other We shall now proceed to the Application of this Point And First by way of reprehension to all those that do not Sanctifie Gods name in hearing the word and herein we shall shew their fearful condition and how God will Sanctifie his name upon them in waies of judgement and then when we come to the use of exhortation to exhort you to Sanctifie the name of God there we shall shew you likewise how God will Sanctifie his name in waies of mercy upon those that do Sanctifie him in waies of obedience in hearing of his word 1 For the first Certainly if that be to Sanctifie the name of God that we have spoken of Gods name is but very little Sanctified by people that do come to hear his word and we have no cause to wonder that there is so little good got by the word because there are so few that make conscience to Sanctifie Gods name in hearing it Some there are that are so far from Sanctifying Gods name in it as they altogether neglect it and make it a matter of nothing whither they come to hear it or no Saith Christ in Joh. 8. 47. He that is of God heareth my word ye therefore hear them not because ye are not of God Certainly he that hath the knowledge of God and any interest in God and that belongs unto him nothing is more sweet to him then the hearing of his word but because ye are not of God saith Christ therefore you hear not his word Those men and women that have no interest in God but live without God in this world they regard not to hear his word O how many have we that belong to this place that do so How many live without God in the world and do declare to all the world that they are not of God they have no part nor portion in God in that they hear not his word Some there are that come to hear it but they come to hear it as a meer matter of indifferency in a meer formall and customary way or for companies sake or to give content to others These are poor and low ends thou shouldest come to hear the word as expecting God should speak to thy Soul for the furtherance of thy eternal good but your consciences may tell you what vain and wandring hearts you have when you come to hear it The eies of the fool saith Solomon are in all the corners of the earth up and down wandring little minding that you are come to hear God himself speak to you in the Ministry of man And if so be that it be minded yet ordinarily the hearts of men do put off the word and if it come any thing neer to them they think to shift it from themselves to others We have a notable Scripture in Heb. 12. 25. for such men as shift off Gods word when it comes many times very neer to them See that ye refuse not him that speaketh for if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth much more shall not we escape if we turn away from him which speaketh from heaven See that ye refuse not him that speaks the word see that you do not put him off And that that is the signification of it If you compare it with Luke 12. 18. you shall find that there is the same word used where speaking of those that were invited to the supper it is said They all with one consent began to make excuse they began to shift it off that is the same word O take heed of this that when you are hearing the word and Christ comes and speaks to your hearts and you begin to think that it may concern you and your consciences begin to stir take heed that you do not shift him off take heed that you do not put away the word from you by any kind of pretence whatsoever It may be you will say If I were certain it were the word of God and that God spake to me God forbid but that I should submit unto it But though it may be the hearts of men are not so notoriously rebellious as to resolve to sin against the word which they will acknowledge to be the word of God yet this is the deceit of the heart when the heart hath no mind to obey it will shift off the word and have pretences and put offs O take heed that you do not shift oft him that speaks from heaven by making any kind of excuse whatsoever but when thou hearest if the word of God come to thy conscience do not listen to vain reasonings that are against it Others there are that cannot tell how to shift off the word but it will come upon them when they are hearing it may be they are a little stirr'd but it is presently gone so that they are far from houlding the word far from keeping it in their hearts Oh how many of you have been stirr'd when you have been hearing the word and how happy had it been for you if you had hid those words in your heart that the Lord hath spoken to you in the Ministry of it If you had but the Invitations of the Spirit now that sometimes you have had how happy were it for you But it is with many in hearing the word just as with you Marriners when you are to go aboard your friends come with you take their leaves of you and then you see them stand upon the shore a while but when you sail a little further your friends are out of sight and then you see only the shore you sayl on a little further and then you see only the houses you sayl a little further and then you see only the steeples and such high places and you sayl yet a little further and then you see nothing but the Ocean So it is in hearing the word It may be when you go home there are some things fresh in your minds but on the munday morning you have lost some but then there are some others that do yet present themselves before you and then you loose more and more until you have lost the sight of all all truthes are gone you see no more of the word as if you had never heard it this is not to Sanctifie Gods name you should treasure up the word as the most rich
beholding of the evil of sin in the red glasse of the blood of Jesus Christ the beholding him broken and truely there is nothing in the world that hath that power to break the heart for sin as the beholding of that which is to be beheld in the holy Sacrament and that heart is a hard heart that can see what is there to be seen and not break in the apprehension of sin when I here see what my sinne cost what a price was made for my soule when I see the hatred of God against sinne and the justice of God in not sparing his Sonne but in breaking his Sonne for my sinne and in shedding the blood of his Sonne for my sinnes I see here that the making of my peace which God did cost more then ten thousand worlds is worth I see that by my sin such a breach was made between God and my soule that all the Angels in heaven and men in the world could never make up this breach only the Sonne of God hee that was God and man that was thus broken by the burden of the wrath of his Father for my sins could do this The truth is when wee come to this holy Communion we are to look upon Christ as if we saw him hanging upon the Crosse suppose thou hadst lived at the time when Christ was crucifyed and hadst understood as much concerning the death of Christ as now thou doest and what Christ was if so bee that thou shouldest have beheld him in the Garden and there sweating drops of water and blood and lie groveling upon the ground crying if it be possible let this cup passe from me and shouldest have followed him to the crosse and their have seen his hands and feet nailed and his side pierced and the bloud trickling downe and have heard him crying out my God my God why hast thou forsaken mee would not such a sight as this is have broken thy heart for thy sinne the truth is there is more I won't say only so much but I say there is more in this Sacrament to breake the heart for sin then such a sight as that You will say if you should have Christ to be crucified again before your eyes if you should see the body of Christ hanging upon the Crosse 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 fight and it is as great an aggravation of the hardnesse of thy heart if it hath not broken at this sight as it would be if it should not break at that fight We read 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 hee doth not meane 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 reall 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 then that other sight and the reason that I give is this Because you doe 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 their hearts there was indeed a naturalnesse in it that if they did behold Christ it might break their hearts but it was not such an Ordinance it was not a Sacrament as this is now this being in a sacramentall way in the use of an Ordinance appointed by Iesus Christ to set forth his sufferings and all the riches of the Covenant of grace to the soule there may be expected here a further blessing then in the other though its true the other might worke mightily upon the heart but yet this being a great Ordinance of Christ in the church a great institution of Iesus 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 speciall blessing then any other thing that is not an Ordinance So when you come here to behold Christ crucified before you you cannot see Christ naturally crucified as upon the Crosse but you have Christ crucified before you in the way of a Sacrament in the way of a solemne institution of Iesus Christ that hath a speciall Blessing which goes along with it therefore if the heart be not broken here there is an aggravation of the hardnesse of the heart as great as if we should behold Iesus Christ upon the Crosse and our hearts not broken there and indeed this is a special reason why those are said to be guilty of the body and bloud of Christ that receive unworthily as if a man had been then alive and had been before the Crosse and there have seen how the blood of Iesus Christ was shed for sinne and should not have been affected with it but should have acounted it as a common thing this man in some regard might have been said to be guilty of his death that is to have joyned and consented with those that did crucifie him for if a man sees another commit a sin if he bee not affected with that sinne and it does not stirre his heart he may come to be partaker of his Sinne so those that shall come to see Jesus Christ crucifyed and have not their hearts at all stir'd with the crucifying of Christ they are in some regard truly said to be guilty of the body and blood of Iesus Christ and that 's the second thing brokennesse of Spirit is suitable 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 cleansing of the heart from sinne an actuall cleansing and purging the heart from sinne there ought to be The Iews in their Passeover were to cast out all leaven and those that write of the custome of the Jews say that they were wont to doe three things in the casting out of their Leven 1. They made diligent search for Leaven they lighted Candles to look into every Corner least 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 keepe 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
and with a holy cheerfulnesse with a holy freedome of Spirit not in a sullen way but as a child in the presence of his Father and not as a Servant with the Master Object You told us before that there should be brokennesse of Spirit and sence of our sin Answ That may be and joy we rejoyce with trembling therefore that brokennesse of Spirit that I meant must not bee slavish horrour and feare but a kindly melting of the soule from the aprehension 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 evangelicall joy may stand together very well And therefore know that this is not the time neither to give liberty to have your hearts sinke 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 cheerfulnesse of Spirit as in the midst of it you must look upon your selves as Gods guest to be merry at his Table now this is a great mystery of godlinesse that there should be at the same time the sight of Christ crucified and yet at the same time a spirituall cheerfulnesse in the assurance of the love of God in Iesus 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 unspeakeable love of God that is here presented unto them in this Sacrament Seventhly In the next place there must be thankefulnesse 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 Sacrament hee gave thanks he gave thanks for what he gave thanks to God the Father that he was pleased to send him into the world to die for poor soules now shall Iesus Christ give thanks unto God the Father for that that did cost him his life yea saith Christ I see that here is a way to save soules and let it cost me my life if it will yet I blesse thee O Father if soules may come to be sav'd though it cost me my life Christ rejoyced in his Spirit in thanking his Father for this then how should our hearts be inlarged with thankefulnesse when we come to this that the Ancients were wont to call the Eucharist that is a thanksgiving we are to give God thankes for every mercy you will not eate your owne bread without giving of thankes but when wee come to have this bread this bread of life here is matter of thankefulnesse here is matter of inlargement of soule thou that hast the deadest and dullest soule and straightest Spirit yet when thou comest hither and understandest what thou doest here thou canst not but see matter for the inlargement of thy heart and wish that thou hadst ten thousand thousand times more strength to expresse the praises of the Lord here is a thing that must be the subject of the Hallelujahs and doxologies that Angels and Saints must for ever sound out in the highest heavens dost thou know what the Lord presents to thee here it is more then if the Lord should say I will make ten thousand worlds for the sake of this creature and give all these worlds to him thou wouldest thinke that thou wert bound to blesse him then only when God in the Bread and wine reaches out to thee the body bloud of his Sonne here is more matter of praise then if ten thousand thousand worlds were given to thee and therefore God expects that thou shouldest say to thy soule my soul praise thou the Lord and all that is within me praise his holy name blesse the Lord O my soule and forget not all his benefits who forgiveth all thine iniquities who healeth all thy diseases O poor soule here is the foundation of all mercies dost thou praise God for justification for sanctification here is a glorious application of the mercy of God to the soules of sinners and therefore if ever thou wert thankfull be thankefull here The Sabbath my Brethren that is appointed to be the set constant day of thankesgiving for the great mercies of God in Christ and there are other dayes for nationall mercies now a speciall work of the Lords day is the celebration of this holy Sacrament and the Christians in former times were wont to do it every Lords day because that 's the day appointed by God for to be the day of thankesgiving for that great mercy the Lord Jesus Christ and that 's the reason why the Sabbath was changed the last day of the week was the Iewish Sabbath and that was to celebrate the memoriall of the Creation of the world and the first day now it is to be the day of thanksgiving for all the work of God in mans redemption Eightly A further thing is this if you would sanctifie Gods name you must be willing to renew your Covenant that 's the end of it there must be an actuall renewing of your Covenant with God that 's thus I come to receive this bread and this wine and this is to be as the Seale of the Covenant on Gods part now this will be emplyed in the nature of the thing that if I take the Seales of Gods Covenant that I must be willing to set to my Seale too to renew the Covenant that God calls me to now know all men and women that are sav'd they are sav'd by the vertue of the Covenant of grace and there God on his part promises and makes a Covenant that hee will bestow his Son life and salvation through him and thou must likewise come in on thy part and beleeve on his Son and repent which is the Tenour of the Gospel now every time thou comest to receive this Sacrament thou commest to renew this Covenant As if thou shouldest say Lord thou hast been pleased to make a Covenant of grace as the first Covenant was broken and all men were cast by that Covenant now thou hast made a Covenant of grace and callest thy servants whom thou intendest to save that they should renew their Covenant with thee in this Sacrament of thine Lord here I come and Lord here I renew it and set to my seale to promise and Covenant with thee that as ever I expect to receive any good from Christ so Lord here I will be thine I will give up my selfe for ever to thee as thou hast given me the Body and bloud of Christ for my salvation so Lord here I consecrate my body and bloud to thee the last drop of
this is naturall its naturall for the creature to draw nigh to God in prayer wherein the creature tenders up his homage to God and manifests his profession of his dependance upon God for all good that he hath and acknowledges God as the Author of all good therefore this is worship and its a great part of worship prayer it is such a part of worship as sometimes in Scripture it s put for the whole worship of God Hee that calls upon the name of God shall be sav'd that is hee that worships God aright Jerem. 10. 25. and Pour out thy wrath upon the Heathen that know thee not and on the families that call not on thy name that do not pray that is that do not worship thee there one part of worship is put for the whole as being a principall part of the worship of God Surely we must sanctifie Gods name in prayer for it is that that sanctifies all things to us 1 Tim. 4. 5. every thing is sanctifyed by the word of God and prayer And if the argument of Christ was right as no question but it was that the Temple was greater then the gold upon the Temple because the Temple did sanctifie the gold and the Altar was greater then the offering that was offered upon it because it did sanctifie the offering then prayer must needs be a mighty great Ordinance a greater thing then any other because that it sanctifies all things The word sanctifies the creatures but prayer sanctifies the very word unto our use and therefore when wee read the word we are to pray for a sanctified use of the word Prayer is a great Ordinance a great duty of worship that sanctifies all prayer hath a casting voice as I may say in all the great works of God in the world the great affaires of the Kingdome of God the Kingdome of his power and the Kingdome of Christ I say prayer hath a kind of a casting voice and doth order under God the great things of the world they are according to the prayers of the Saints they bring down blessings upon the godly they poure forth judgements on the wicked the prayers of the Saints they are the vyalls that are poured forth in a speciall manner upon the heads of the wicked therefore Gods name is to bee sanctifyed in Prayer It is to be sanctifyed first in preparation Psalme 10. 17. Thou wilt prepare their heart thou wilt cause thine ear to hear it is the Lord that prepareth the heart and then he causes his eare to hear and therefore in 1 Pet. 5. 7. we are there required to watch unto prayer men and women should keep a narrow watch over their hearts and minds that they may not be hindred in their prayers that they may be alwaies in a fit posture to pray watch unto prayer it s that that would helpe us against many temptations to evill if I give way to such and such temptations it will hinder my prayers I shall not have that freedome and inlargement in prayer as otherwise if I give way to such and such things therefore let me take heed of this for it will hinder my prayers As if the Apostle should say this should be the care of Christians then they are like to sanctifie the name of God in prayer if this be their great care that there is nothing in the world that shall hinder their prayers O let me take heed I doe nothing to hinder my prayers if I goe abroad into company and am merry and jocond and there game and drinke and sport my selfe in company will not this hinder my prayers will not this hinder the spiritualnesse of my heart in Communion with God in prayer when I come home at night I appeal to you have you had that freedome in prayer afterwards surely no therefore watch unto prayer Now for the preparation of the heart to prayer wee must understand either First what is to be done in the course of ones life or Secondly What 's to be done just when one comes to prayer For the first the course of ones life labour to keepe all things even and cleare between God and your soules that so you may not come with shakels about your legs with guiltinesse I mean upon your consciences men that have given way to any base sinfull way when they come to prayer the guilt of their hearts doth even sink them but those that can keepe their peace with God in the course of their lives they have other manner of freedome in prayer then you that walke loosely and contract guiltinesse upon your Spirits And then the second thing is to keep our hearts sensible of our continuall dependance upon God sensible how wee depend upon God for whatsoever we are whatsoever we have whatsoever we do for the blessing of all is from God The beames of the Sun do not so depend upon the Sun as we upon God that if he doth but withdraw himselfe never so little from us wee all sinke downe to nothing and perish for ever that soule that every day and houre is sensible of the infinite dependance it hath upon God for its present and eternall estate will be fit for prayer and that should be our care for to carry our selves as any houre in the day or minute in the houre we might be fit to go to prayer that 's one meaning of that place in the Thessalonians pray continually not that every moment wee should be praying but that we should keepe our hearts in a praying frame some of you when you have let out your passions and are in a distemper what will you goe to prayer now your conscience will tell you that you are not fit to go to prayer at that time certainly if you be not fit to pray you are not fit to live you are in an ill condition at any time if you be not fit to pray and there can be no excuse whatever that can be sufficient to plead for your selves why you should not be fit to pray at any time there is that continuall dependance upon God for all and that need you have of the blessing of God for every thing that there is reason you should bee in a fit condition for praying at all times but now when you come to prayer at the set time then there should be a speciall preparation First you should prepare your selves by getting fresh and powerfull apprehensions of the glory of God before whom you goe prepare by meditation about the glory of that infinite God that you are now addressing your selfe unto possesse yourselves with thoughts and meditations of the glory of the great God that 's the first Secondly labour to get your hearts sensible of what you go for I am now going to God for what for pardon of sin or for assurance of his love or for power against sin or for such and such mercies let me by meditation work my heart to be sensible of these things that
you that pray much with others look what expressions you have made and see whether there be answerable dispositions to the expressions you have made and how that the Lord doth remember every expression that you have made Thirdly wee must call upon God in truth that is conscionably to performe the ingagements of prayer prayer puts an ingagement upon the heart now those that call upon him in truth are conscionable to performe the ingagements as now do I pray for any good thing I am ingaged to endeavour in the use of all meanes for the attaining of the good thing when you confesse a sin why you are ingaged by that meanes to endeavour all your might against that sin and when you pray for my grace you are ingaged to make use of all means you can for the attaining of that grace and then besides in prayer there is much profession unto God of our sincerity and uprightnesse and of our willingnesse to be at his dispose performe these ingagements that thou makest to God in prayer if God should present to us all our professions that we have made to him in prayer and tell us how we have come short of them it would make us be in shame and confusion in our owne thoughts Another thing in prayer must be faith pray without doubting as in the former Scripture the prayer of faith prevailes much James 1. 6 7. a man that wavereth and doubteth must not thinke to obtaine any thing of God But I should have opened what that faith is that wee should have in prayer wee must have faith to beleeve that the thing that we doe pleaseth God and faith in Gods promises and faith in Gods providence this should be exercised in the time of our prayers And therefore after we have done to goe away beleeving as Hannah in 1 Sam. 1. 18. wee read of her that after shee had been praying she went away and lookt no more sad the text faith noting that after wee have been powring forth our soules to God wee should beleeve and exercise faith and not go in as drooping a way as ever we did Object You will say yea if wee knew certainly that God will hear us Answ The way to be assured that God will hear you is by casting your selves upon God how can you know that he will hear but by resting upon him I have been with God and I have been doing the duty of a poore creature and for the successe I leave it to God and therefore it must bee with faith But I have so many sins mixt with my prayers how can I beleeve You have an excellent Scripture for that to helpe a soule to exercise faith in prayer notwithstanding there hath been many infirmities in Psal 65. 2 3. O thou that hearest prayers unto thee all flesh shall come Thou hearest prayers but I have a great many sins that hinders no marke what though iniquity prevailes against me as for our transgressions thou shalt purge them away O make use of this Scripture though you remember not other things yet you that have dejected hearts and are afraid that God will not hear your prayers see what the text saith Thou hearest prayer Lord but will not my sins hinder no saith David iniquity prevailes against me as for our transgressions thou shalt purge them away exercise faith in this and know that God doth not heare prayer because thou art not sinfull because of thy worthinesse but meerly for his free grace Another holy disposition in prayer should be this the soul should come with a holy freedome with the Spirit of adoption to God crying Abba Father if thou comest to God meerly as to a Judge though its true those that doe not know that God loves them yet are bound as Creatures to pray but thou canst never sanctifie the name of God till thou hast a child-like Spirit the Spirit of adoption the Lord loves to have his Children come with freedome of Spirit to himselfe in prayer to come as children and not to come with dejected countenances and discouraged hearts but come freely to open thy heart to God as any child would open his heart to a gracious and loving Father Another disposition is fervencie in prayer the effectuall fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much and that will be a meanes to help against vain thoughts too as when the honey is scalding hot then the flyes will not come to it if thy heart were as it were scalding hot in prayer thou wouldest not have such vain thoughts Next there must be constancie in prayer in 1 Thess 5. 17. by that I mean this never to give over untill we have that wee pray for or something else in lieu of it it may be thou hast prayed and nothing is come of it be not discouraged thou hast to deal with a great God and therefore pray again and again and again and pray with this resolution well let God doe with mee what he will I will as long as I live call upon him and if God shall cast mee away yet he shall cast me away calling upon him as the poore woman of Canaan when Christ call'd her dogge and discouraged her yet still she would pray I but dogges may have crums that heart is in an ill condition that is discouraged in prayer because it doth not get what it would and therefore to thinke with themselves I had as good not pray at all take heed of any such thoughts Againe if you would pray to God indeed so as to sanctifie his name in prayer there should be humility in your hearts so as to be sensible of your own unworthinesse I spake somwhat about being sensible of the distance between God and us when I spake about sanctifying of Gods name in general The last that I shall speak of is this when you have done all this all these qualifications will not sanctifie Gods name except all be tendred up in the name of Jesus Christ and in the power of his merits let a man or woman pray with as much fervencie zeale constancie purity in truth and sincerity yet except hee puts up all in the name of Christ I say hee cannot be accepted our spirituall offerings must be tendered up in his name but I have Preached much about that but now put all that hath been said together and this it is to pray That is when as I pray understandingly when I give my self to prayer when there are the breathings of the holy Ghost in my prayer when there is purity of heart like a golden viall together with sincerity when it is in truth of heart when it is in faith when it comes from a spirituall Adoption when it s in fervencie when in constancie reverence humility and all put up in the name of Jesus Christ now a man prayes as it is said of Saul behold hee prayeth so I may say of those that are instructed in this Art behold they pray you see now that prayer
is more then to read in a book more then to say a few words yee see it is a very hard thing to pray a work of great difficultie and no marvell though we have lost so many of our prayers as we have done we must not charge prayer and God with it but look to our selves I mean not charge the Ordinance of prayer but the vilenesse of our carriage in our prayers and let us for time to come know what a Christian life meanes it is said of Christ in Luke 9. 29. that as hee was praying the fashion of his countenance was changed Oh that 's an excellent thing that when wee have been in our closets at prayer to come away with our faces shining my Brethren could we but pray in such a manner as this is the very fashion of our countenances would be changed as Moses when he came from the presence of God upon the Mount or as Christ that had the fashion of his countenance changed Prayer it is the sweet ease of ones spirit it s the help at a dead lift it s the great Ordinance of our Communion with God in this world and therefore let us learne this Art of sanctifying Gods name in Prayer I shall conclude all in this you have heard the mystery of the sanctifying the name of God in worshipping God now I beseech you you that have been a long time in the school of Christ as it were Apprentices to Christ to learn Christianity be ashamed that you have understood so little of this art in Sanctifying the name of God in prayer It is an art and a mystery that you must be instructed in and you are not Christians till you are instructed in this as in an art and mystery And that man and woman that shall be instructed truly in this art and mystery in Sanctifying Gods name now in the worshiping of him such a man and woman shall be to all eternity Sanctifying the name of God in praysing of him There is a time coming when all the Saints must be in the presence of God and be alwaies praising of him and they shall then Sanctifie Gods name for ever let us now learn this art of Sanctifying Gods name in praying that we may eternally Sanctifie his name in praising of him FINIS ERRATA PAge 94. line 9. for capitall read corporeall Pag. 182. l. 25. for world r. word Pag. 226. l. 36. f. come r. we come Pag. 247. l. 3. f. which r. with Pag. 251. l. 21. f. with r of Pag. 252. l. 34. f. body r. blood Pag. 259. l. 20. f. is r. as Pag. 263. l. 9. f. whereas r. when Pag. 267. l. 3. f. plucking r. partaking FINIS AN EXACT ALPHABETICAL TABLE OF ALL THE PRINCIPAL TRUTHS IN THE FOREGOING SERMONS A Absolutly SPirituall things to be prayed for absolutly 277 Accept Acceptation Acceptation of our persons the means of it 69 God accepts not the duties of wicked men 116 The services of the Saints accepted 120 Act Actuall Action see Grace Actuall sanctification 68 The Lord accepts the person before the action 69 God is a pure act and requires actuall service 97 Adoption Sign of adoption to desire to be oft in Gods presence 36 We must pray in the spirit of adoption 294 Affections Affections the strength of them required in Gods worship 82 Aggravation Aggravation of sin to neglect due hearing the word 200 Afflictions see Honour They that sanctifie not God in hearing the word can have no comfort from it in afflictions 206 Whether it be lawfull to pray for afflictions 277 Afflictions in themselves materially evill 278 All All that we have must be given to God 63 All things sanctified to the godly 119 Altar Christ is the Altar upon which 〈◊〉 offer all our sacrifices 92 Angel Angel what it signifieth 91 Angels the aggravation of their sin 195 Anger Anger not to be brought into Gods service 19 Apply We must apply the word in hearing it 175 Apostacie see Schisme Apostacie the ground of it 206 Assurance The Gospel gives assurance of salvation 212 Attention Attention must be given in hearing of the word 171 B Beginners Beginners in Religion to be carefull of preparation 56 Beleeving Beleeving the condition of the Covenant of Grace 232 Birds Wandring thoughts in prayer as the birds to Abrahams sacrifice 283 Blast God blasts those men that sanctifie him not in worship 117 God will blast those that neglect his word 208 Blesse Many blesse themselves in evill wayes 198 To blesse God for helping us against wandring thoughts in prayer 289 Blind Blind sacrifice not to be offered to God 98 Bloud A fearfull thing to be guilty of Christs bloud 230 Breathing see Spirit Broken see Heart What kind of broken heart is required in receiving the Lords Supper 255 Christs Body broken for us 268 C Children Gods Saints may meet with afflictions in their Children 20 Ground of contentment in afflictions upon our Children 21 Church Church what it signifieth 235 Church defiled by wicked men uncastout 236 Civill see Worship Christ All worship must be tendered in the Name of Christ 91 All must be tendered in Christ because of Gods justice 101 They that reject the word reject Christ 201 All our prayers must be tendered in the Name of Christ 296 Command Nothing must be tendered to God in worship but what he hath Commanded 8 No expresse Command for many things in the New Testament 15 Comfort see Word Communion Communion with God not increased by the duties done with naturall conscience 88 The Sacrament the Ordinance of our Communion with Christ 229 The Sacrament must be received in a holy Communion 234 How far the presence of wicked men hinder this Communion 235 No close Church Communion with wicked men 240 More Communion with Christ in the Sacrament then in the word 251 Confession Ground of confession to God 98 Conscience Sinners against conscience need great preparation to duties 57 Duties acted by naturall Conscience 88 Naturall Conscience limits it self in duties 89 Trouble of Conscience should make men meekly hear the word 180 Consciences of wicked men troubled about the Sacrament 230 Constant Men acted by naturall parts are not constant in duties 88 There must be constancy in our prayers 295 Contrary The word will be made good on the contrary to those that abuse it 205 Conversion Conversion not wrought by the Sacrament 232 Covenant In the Sacrament we make a solemn Covenant 226 Covenant of Grace sealed in the Sacrament 229 Those that receive the Sacrament must be in the Covenant of Grace 232 Condition of that Covenant ibid Renewing of Covenant in the Sacrament 257 Crucified Christ crucified in the Sacrament 248 Curse They that neglect the word are nigh to a curse 203 Cursing of others sinfull 278 How farre we may curse the enemies of the Church 280 D Danger see Dignity Dark see Mind Dead Death Fear of death taken away how 38 Wee must not bring dead services and hearts to