because then we should and if we Worship God as we ought we do act our faith and humility and all the graces of the Spirit We do act them as it were upon God when we come to Worship him That 's required in every duty of Worship that you should stir up the faculties of your souls and all the graces of the Spirit of God and you should act them upon God when you are Worshipping of him T is not enough to come with grace when you come to Worship God but there must be an acting of that grace upon God And so we find in Scripture that the acting of grace upon God it is a drawing neer to him therefore in Isa 29. 13. the Lord complaines there This people draws neer to me with their lips but their hearts are far from me as if God should say Indeed they come and speak to me and therefore they think they draw nigh to me but I expect that their hearts should be acting upon me that 's the meaning And in Zeph. 3. 2. God complains there of his people that they did not draw neer to him as they should And it appears plainly it was from hence that their graces did not act so upon God as they ought She obeyed not the voice she received not correction she trusted not in the Lord she drew not neer to her God So that acting faith upon God is a drawing nigh to God and so acting any grace upon God is a drawing nigh to God Now when is there a time for the acting of our graces upon God so as when we come to worship God And therefore in Isa 64. 7. the Lord complains there That no man did stir up himself to take hold on him When we come to Worship God we should stir up our selves to take hold of God And thus you see in what respects the Soul may be said to draw nigh to God when it comes to worship him Now for the Application of this point and it is in divers particulars The First is this Hence learn what you do when you come to Worship God and consider of it every time you come to performe any act of Worship Truly this one thing would be of marveilous use and it would help forward to the next Point of Sanctifying of Gods Name This you are all convinced of That it is your duty to Worship God when you pray you come to Worship God when you come to hear his Word you come to Worship him and when you receive the Sacrament you Worship him Now if I should come from one end of the Congregation to the other and ask every one of you this Question It is your duty to Worship God is it not Yes that you will all be ready to answer And what do you do when you Worship God I fear that this Second Question would gravell many You will say We must pray to God and serve him and hear his Word and go to the Communion◠yea but what do your Souls do in this Work of Worshipping of God This should be the answer and so you should think with your selves and charge this upon your own hearts I am now going to Worship God either in Prayer Word or Sacraments I am now going to tender up that homage that is due from a creature to the infinite Creator so that I must so pray as I must manifest that high respect that I owe to God as my Creator but that I shall speak to more afterward only now remember this That you do professe every time you go to Prayer That you go to tender up that homage that you owe unto God and so every time you come to hear the Word there is a profession that you come to tender up that respect and homage that you owe to the infinite God And so likewise when you come to receive the Sacrament Now when we come to offer a present to men we know how we prepare and with what suitable presence we desire to offer but of that afterward when we come to speak of Sanctifying Gods Name 2 Secondly Remember when I come to Worship God I come to set my self before the Lord in those ways that God doth let out the choice of his mercies to his people in I have many mercies from God in the enjoyment of the creature but when I come to Worship him I expect the communication of his mercy in another way then through any creature in the World The duties of his Worship are the chief chānels that God doth let out the choicest of his mercies to the hearts of his people through and now I am going to Worship him I am going to present my self before God Indeed there is a little glimmering of the light of God through other creatures to me but the glorious beames of the light of God is through the duties of his Worship 3 And then Thirdly I am now going to act my Soul upon God so that if I have any abilities to close with God to act my Soul upon him it must be put forth now at this time I am indeed at all times to labour to injoy communion with God when I see the creatures the Sun and Moon and Stars to labour to lift up my heart to God and when I see the glory of God in the Sea and for my meat and drink I am to blesse God and to acknowledge God in all but now when I come to Worship God then all the strength of my Soul is to be acted upon God in a more speciall manner I must then above all labour to stir up whatsoever I have in my Soul to act upon God this is now to Worship God Secondly If to Worship God be to draw nigh to God hence we see the reasons why guilty consciences have little mind to the duties of Gods Worship When a man or woman hath given liberty to any licentious way sinned against their consciences if they have any light in their consciences it is one of the tediousest things in the World to come to the duties of Gods Worship they had rather do any thing then to come to holy dutys as to Prayer and especially to secret prayer A man or woman that hath an inlightened conscience and is under the guilt of sin the coming to God in holy duties is a very grievous burden to them Why Here 's the Reason Because to Worship God is to draw nigh to God and the guilt that is upon them hath made the presence of God terrible to them and therefore they had rather go into their company be merry eat drink sport or any thing rather then to come into Gods presence We know how it was with Adam when God appeared in the garden and called to him he ran to hide himself Why Because he had guiltinesse upon him Oh the evill that the guilt of sin brings upon the Soul it makes the presence of God terrible The presence of God it should be more
find that the next time you will commit it with more freedom and so one sin will prepare for another and it may be you have some trouble of Conscience at first but the next time you will have lesse trouble till at length you can commit it freely without any trouble of Conscience at all As it is in sinne so it is in godlinesse many times in some degree at the first you have a motion to a holy duty but through the stirrings of your corruptions you are not fit for it now do you but break through that difficulty and the next time you will be more fit and the next time after that you will be more fit and so still more and more fit as it is in sin If a man when he hath some trouble of conscience would but listen to his conscience and would not commit that sin his conscience would grow stronger upon him and strengthen him against that sin so if any man or woman listens to the temptation to deferre duty and put it off because they are not prepared why after that the corruption will grow more strong therefore set upon the duty and the performance of one duty will prepare for another 4 In the Fourth place while men and women are strugling with their souls and the corruption of their hearts and do not fall upon seeking God they by their very strugling to prepare themselves many times do insnare themselves It may be thou hast thoughts of Athisme or other wickednesse the very strugling with those thoughts may insnare thy heart now the better way were to fall upon prayer and to cry to God to help thee again them for while thou art strugling and striving with those thoughts thou art striving with the corruption of thy heart and with the Devil all alone but now when thou fallest to the duty thou callest in the help of God and of Jesus Christ and that is a great deal better while thou art musing plodding troubling thy heart that way I say thou art strugling alone but now when thou fallest upon the duty then thou callest in help from God and so thou art more able to the performance of the duty then thou wert before And therefore it is the best way to fall upon a duty though thou canst not find thy heart prepared as thou doest desire the very falling upon it will fit thee for it And thus much for the Answer unto those two Cases of Conscience Now then we are to proceed further in the opening of the Sanctifying of Gods Name in holy duties Thus much for the preparation of the heart But when the heart comes to it in what manner should the duty be performed so as the name of God may be sanctified in the duty or what is the behaviour of the Soul in the â—anctifying of Gods Name when it is in the very act of the duty To that â— Answer First in generall thus When the Soul labours to performe duties so as God may have such glory from the duty as is fit for a God to have in some measure then do I Sanctifie Gods name You will say this is a very hard thing to performe a duty so as that we should give God the glory that is fit for a God to have Certainly this is not done by every manner of performance of a duty of Worship yet you shall hear this opened to you and I hope you shall have it made very plaine before you First therefore I shall shew you that when we are to perform a duty of worship we should set our selves to glorifie God as a God that is to do it in that manner that God may have that glory that is fit for a God to have As now in the duty of Praise Psa 66. 2. make his praise glorious that is do it so as you may lift up His Name in it and that God may be glorious in your praise And Rom. 1. 21. there the Apostle speaking of the Heathens he doth rebuke them For what It was for this because that when they knew God they glorified him not as God neither were thankfullâ— now this is spoken especially of the worship of God for he saith afterwards ver 23. that they changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man c. So that it 's spoken of the worship of God that they glorified not God as God That is then to sanctifie Gods Name to glorifie God as God and therefore our Saviovr in the 4. of John when he spake to the woman of Samaria he tels her that God is a Spirit and must be worshipped in spirit and truth that is we must labour to suite our worship to what there is in God that our worship may be proportionable in some measure even to the nature of God himselfe And therefore God being a Spirit his worship must be a Divine worship I have read of some of the Heathens that did worship the Sun for a God and they would offer to the Sunne somwhat sutable therefore because they did so admire at the swiftness of the motion of the Sunne they would not offer a snaile to the sunne but a flying horse a horse with wings now a horse is one of the swiftest creatures and the strongest creature to continue in motion for a long time together and they added wings to the horse and they thought that sutable to be a sacrifice for the Sunne So when we come to worship God that is to sanctifie his Name we must behave our selves so as to give him the glory that is fit for a God to have As now in those three particulars which I opened to you when I shewed you wherein wee draw nigh to God This was one I tould you that when we come to worship God we come to tender up some present to God now then we must tender up such a present as is sutable to Gods excellencie If a man should come to a poor man to give a present If it were not worth twelve pence yet it may be taken well but if you were to tender up a present to a Prince a Monarch an Emperour then you must tender a present that is fit for the qualitie of the person Therefore Mal 1. 8. When the Lord rebukes them for their Sacrifices that they were such poore things Go saith God and tender up this to your governour and see whether he wil accept of it or no. So certainly that which may be accepted of by a mean man would be accounted a scorne if you should tender it up to a Prince or an Emperour Now when we are to worship God we must consider that we are to tender up our service to God who is the great King of Kings and Lord of Lords But you wil say is it possible for any creature when it comes to tender up it's worship to God to tender up that which is fit for a God to have This may rather be a
Name of God was called the fear of Isaac Jacob did swear by The fear of his father Isaac because Isaac being a great worshipper of God kept his constant times to worship God and worshipped him in such a constant way as except David and Daniel we do not find mention of the constancy of any in the worshipping of God as we do of Isaacs for it is said that he walked but into the fields in the evening as he was wont to do to Meditate and to Pray and therefore God is called The fear of Isaac In Psal 89. 7. is a notable Scripture for this drawing nigh to God with fear God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the Saints and to be had in reverence of all them that are about him God is to be had in reverence of all them that are about him but in the assembly of his Saints he is greatly to be feared he is daunting â—errible so the words are in the assembly of the Saints When thou comest nigh to God thou hadst need have thy heart possest with much fear So in Psal 2. 11. the Kings and Princes of the earth are cald upon to 〈◊〉 the Lord with fear Let them be never so great yet when they come into Gods presence they must serve him with fear And so in Psal 5. 7. In thy fear will I worship toward thy holy Temple Now this fear of God it must not be a servile fear But a â—liall and reverentiall fear For my brethren there may be a great deal of savish fear where God is not honoured there may be fear from some terrible apprehensions of God which â—er is not owned by God to this grace of fear He give you Two notable Scriptures for that in Deut. 5. 23 24 compared with the 29. It came to passe saith the text vers 23. when ye heard the voice out of the middesâ— of the darknesâ—e for the mountain did burn with fire that ye came neer unto me even all the heads of your tribes and your elders And ye said Behold the Lord our God hath shewed us his glory and his greatnesse and we have heard his voice out of the middest of the fire we have seen this day that God doth talk with man and he liveth now therefore why should we die for this great fire will consume us If we hear the voice of the Lord our God any more then we shall die See with what a terrour they were struck at the apprehension of Gods appearance you would think surely these men did fear God much but mark in vers 29. O that there were such a heart in them that they would fear me Why did they not fear the Lord Were they not struck with such fear that they thought they should die they saw his presence so terrible that they were afraid they should die and yet O that there were such a heart in them that they would fear me So that it appears by this that one may be struck with much terrour in the apprehension of Gods presence and yet have no true fear of the Name of God So some of you it may be in time of thunder or danger are filled with terrour but yet may it not be said presently after O that there were the fear of God in the heart of this man or woman this youth or maid They are terrified sometimes but yet there is not a filiall and reverential fear of God in them And I find in 1 King 19. where you have the story of Gods appearing in that most terrible manner unto the Prophet Elijah by Fire by thunder and in a mighty Wind the Prophet was not so struck with fear of Gods presence when he did appear in the mighty wind or earthquake or fire as when God did appear in the small still voice therefore in vers 13. it is said And it was so when Elijah heard it that is the soft voice after the fire and earthquake and the mighty wind that he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entring in of the Cave and behold there came a voice unto him and said What doest thou here Elijah Then his heart was more struck with fear where was most of Gods presence though it was in a soft voice then when the fire and earthquake did appear It is a good sign of a gracious fear when the soul can be struck with more fear from the word and from the sight of God in injoying of communion with him in his Worship then when God appears in the most terrible way of his works or when there is terrour in a mans conscience through fear of hell when God appears as though he would send him down presently to hell though God expects to be feared then but when the Soul in injoying communion with God in holy duties and the more communion he hath with God the more is he struck with reverence and the fear of God this is a sign of Sanctified fear and then doth the heart Sanctifie the Name of God indeed when it is so possessed with fear in the duties of worship Now this fear of God should be indeed in the Soul and expressed outwardly when you are in the assembly by such reverent carriage in prayer as if a heathen should come in he may see Gods Name Sanctified and may say How great is this God that this people do worship And in your Families a reverant carriage not lying all a long in prayer upon the elbows sleeping but carrying your selves so that if a heathen should come into your families they may say O how great is this God that this people do worship And likewise this fear it must be an abiding fear not only at that instant when you are worshipping of God or speaking of any of Gods Titles and Names but a fear that must abide upon your hearts after duty is over that is after you are come out from your Closets one may perceive the fear of God upon you and so walking all the day long in the fear of God as it becomes those that have been solemnly setting themselves to worship him Now this fear and reverence is contrary to the slightnesse vanity the boldnesse and presumptuousnesse that there is in the hearts of men and women when they are Worshipping of God Fifthly The duties of Gods worship must be full of strength for they are not suitable to God else because God is a God infinite in power and glory himself therefore God cannot indure vain Worshipping In Isa 1. 13. I hate vain oblations Vanity of Spirit in Worshipping of God is very hatefull to God it doth defile the Name of God God is dishonoured by the vanity of mens Spirits Now this strength is Three fold 1 First The strength of Intention 2 Secondly The strength of Affection 3 Thirdly The strength of all the Faculties of the Soul and the strength of Body too as much as we are able should be put forth in the
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-Soul-worship is nothing but soul-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
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
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
THE SEVERALL ENSUING SERMONS SERMON I THE occasion of the Words page 1 The words opened 5 Observation 1 There must be nothing in Gods worship but what he hath commanded 8 Observation 2 God stands upon little things in matters of his worship 11 Observ 3 No priviledge can secure from Gods stroak 12 Observ 4 The more dignity the more danger Ibid Observ 5 The beginnings of great matters meet with difficulties 13 Observ 6 Those that enter into publick places have need of the fear of God ibid Observ 7 We should pick out Gods meaning from dark expressions in his word 14 Observ 8 Sinners may meet with judgements never threatned in the word 16 Observ 9 God is very quick with some in the way of judgement 17 Observ 10 The holinesse of a duty will not bear a man out in his miscariage in it ibid Observ 11 The Lord is terrible out of his holy places 18 Observ 12 Gods judgements are oft sutable to mens sins ibid Observ 13 We should take heed of bringing strange fire to Gods service 19 SERMON II Observ 14 Gods saints many times meet with afflictions in their children 20 Observ 15 Gods judgments many â—nes come in an invisible way 21 Observa 16. Gods glory more precious to him then mens lives 22 Observ 17 The neerer any are to God the more carefull they should be to glorifie him ibid Observ 18 When judgements are exemplarie we should look to the word how God makes it good 23 Observ 19 The great honour of Gods Name in the making it holy ibid Observ 20 True friendship to comfort friends in distresse from the word 24 Observ 21 The way to quiet the heart in affliction is to think God will have honour by it 25 Doct. 1 In worshipping God we draw nigh to him 26 In what respect we are said to draw nigh God in worship 27 Use 1 To take heed what we do when we worship God 30 Use 2 Why guilty consciences fly from the worship of God 31 Use 3 Why Hypocrites meet with such severe judgments 32 Use 4 To neglect Gods worship is to depart from him 33 Use 5 Exhortation to be much in Gods worship 34 SERMON III Use 6 The honour of Gods servants to draw nigh him 39 Doct. 2 We must sanctifie Gods Name in drawing nigh to him 42 First in preparation to his Worship ibid 1 Because he is a great God 43 2 The duties of Gods worship are great 44 3 Our hearts are naturally unprepared 46 4 The hinderances of Gods worship are many ibid 5 The Heathen prepared to worship their Idolls ibid 6 Preparation shewes sincerity of heart 47 5 Things wherein preparation consists 48 1 A right apprehension of God 49 2 Taking the heart from finfull waies ibid 3 Taking off the heart from the world ibid 4 In watching and prayer 50 5 In acting the Faculties and Graces 51 4 Things of the excellency of Preparation 52 1 It will make duties easie ibid 2 Wee shall do much in a little time ibid 3 The Lord will passe by weaknesse in duties 53 4 It will make the heart alway ready for duty 45 SERMON IV Cases of Conscience 1 Whether we be alway bound to set some time apart for preparation to duties 55 2 Whether being not prepared the duty may be omitted 57 Answered in 4 particulars 1 The omission of duty will not fit the Soul for duty 58 2 It is but a temptation to keep from duty 59 3 If the duty be done in sincerity though there be not due preparation it is better then to omit it ibid 4 While people struggle with their corruptions and seek not God they fall into snares 61 In what manner duties are to be performed that Gods Name may be sanctified ibid 1 We must performe them so that we may glorifie God as a God 62 Which is done 1 When we offer all we have 63 2 When we greive that we can do no more 64 3 There is an impression of Gods infinitnesse on the duties of his Saints ibid 2 When the Soul follows after God as a God 66 3 When the Soul comes expecting the choicest mercies of God ibid How the heart must behave it self to sanctifie Gods Name in respect of his greatnesse and glory ibid 1 It must be a sanctified heart 67 1 Because the Lord accepts the person before he accepts the action 69 2 God looks more at the principle of the duty then at the duty ibid 3 According as the heart is so will the duty be 70 SERMON V 2 In sanctifying Gods Name in worship we must have high thoughts of God 71 3 We must have high ends in worshipping God 72 Several base low ends in worshipping of God 1. In subjecting his worship to our lusts ibid 2 Subjecting his worship to the praise of men 73 3 Making Self our end in his worship 74 which we do 1 When we are weary of duties if we find not that we desire 76 2 When men are streightned in Worship and envy others that are enlarged 77 3 When men regard holy duties onely in times of extremity ibid 4 There must be reverence and fear in Gods worship 78 5 There must be strength in the duties of Gods worship 80 Strength of Intention 81 Affection 82 Faculties 83 6 There must be a humble frame of Spirit 84. Which consists 1 In admiring Gods goodnesse that we are alive to come before him ibid 2 To have no thought of any excellency in our selves 85 3 To come without our own righteousnesse ibid 4 To take off our hearts from all abilities of grace ibid 5 To wait Gods leasure in regard of the time 86 7 In Sanctifying Gods Name we must bring that which is his own ibid 1 The matter must be that which he hath commanded ibid 2 We must be acted by the spirit 87 When duties are acted by naturall parts and not the spirit of God 1 If they change not the heart ibid 2 If they carry not through difficulties ibid 3 When men rejoyce in acting their parts ibid 4 When there is little enlargment in secret 88 5 When there is not constancy in duty ibid Duties acted by naturall Conscience 1 It gives no strength to do them ibid 2 The heart loves not the duty ibid 3 It doth not increase communion with God ibid SERMON VI 4 It makes not a duty strong to the soul 89 5 It limits it selfe in dutie ibid 6 It is satisfied with little 90 8 In the sanctifying Gods Name in Worship there must be a resignation of all to God ibid 9 All Worship must be tendered in the Name of Jesus Christ 91 How to Sanctifie Gods Name in reference to his Attributes 1 God is a Spirit and to be worshipped in Spirit 93 2 God is Eternall and how to worship him in that consideration 94 3 God is incomprehensible and therfore seeth us in every place 95 4 God is unchangeable what that should teach us in our
comfortable to us then our lives but our sin makes Gods presence grievous and terrible A Child sometimes when it hath offended the Father and is conscious to its self of the offence that it hath given the Father it had rather be in the Kitching among the Servants then to come into the Hall or Parlour where the Father is because it hath offended him and so it is with a guilty conscience when it is conscious to its self of some haunt of evil that it hath given it self unto it hath no mind at all of coming into the presence of the Father but hangs off My Brethren the very presence of God in the communion of his Saints is terrible to a guilty conscience the very looking upon a godly man is terrible to a guilty conscience When as thou hast bin abroad c. bin loose c. wicked in thy waies I appeal to thy conscience when thou comest into the presence of some holy gracious man or woman that lives close with God doth it not daunt thee Now is the presence of God in the very faces of his Saints terrible to a guilty conscience How terrible is the presence of God in his Ordinances then Indeed those men and women whose consciences are not inlightened but are ignorant and sottish they can sin against God and go into his presence without any trouble you shall have men swear and be drunken over night and come to the Sacrament the next day What 's the reason Because there is no light in their consciences their consciences are in darknesse they are besotted in their sin but I speak now of one who hath an inlightened conscience the presence of God is terrible to such a one A Third Use is this Here is the Reason why Hypocrites do meet with such vengeance from God as they do I confesse we shall meet with this more especially afterwards only by the way take notice of it Hypocrites above all men may expect the severest judgements of God upon them because they come so nigh God for they come often to the duties of Gods Worship now they that will come so nigh Gods presence and come with base and ungodly hearts to cloak their villany of all in the world they must expect to have the severe vengeance of God let out upon them they that stand nighest the bullet must expect to have the strength of it to be the more upon them so when the wrath of God proceeds out upon sinners wicked men that stand nighest him they have the greatest strok of Gods wrath but of that more when I come to the Third Point That God will be Sanctified in those that draw nigh him The Fourth Use is this If to Worship God be to draw nigh him then to neglect Gods Worship is to depart from him that must needs follow and this is a dreadfull thing it is the sentence that shall be at the last day of judgement Depart from me Thou now art willing to depart from God Oh consider of this you that neglect Worship the Worship of God in your families and in your closets and in the congregation in the communion of the Saints thou hast little minded or regarded the Worship of God it may be all thy daies what hast thou been doing all this while thou hast been departing from God all this while when thy conscience shall be but inlightened and awakened to see how far thou art from God how terrible will it be to thee Remember this you that have no mind to the duties of the Worship of God but love the Commission of sin you neglect Gods Worship you were wont to Worship him in a constant way in your closets and families but now you grow more loose and so you grow more dead every day then other you go off from God more and more Surely there can be no good to neglect Gods Worship And those that are loth to Worship God because they cannot Worship him as they ought from this Point it appears plainly That there can be no good gotten by neglecting Gods Worship for it is departing from God whatsoever plea there may be by any temptation to neglect Gods Worship certainly there is danger in it and therefore never listen to any such temptation as shall draw your hearts from the duties of Gods Worship There are a Generation of wantons in these times that make little matter of continuing the duties of Gods Worship they were wont constantly to worship God and to attend upon the Word but now it is nothing to them and they are even ready to thank God for it that they make not such conscience as they were wont to do in the duties of the Worship of God It may be they will say That heretofore some slavish terror did carry them on in the duties of Gods Worship more then the understanding of the freenesse of the grace of God would admit of But shall the understanding of the freedom of the grace of God carry thee on lesse then thy slavish terrour did Oh blind and wanton spirit that knowest not the waies of God nor the freenesse of the grace of God nor the riches of it Oh what a dishonour art thou to Jesus Christ and to the freenesse of his grace that now canst go up and down from day to day and never Worship God! Did Jesus Christ come into the world to that end for to cause thee to depart more from God 'T is plain out of the Word That the duties of Gods Worship are those duties whereby the Soul comes to draw nigh to God And I beseech you brethren observe these men whither there be that holinesse in their lives that spiritualnesse as there was wont to be no you shall find them by degrees to grow loose yea run sometimes into grose sins grow many times to lying and deceiving and to drunkenesse and company keeping yea to worse things by degrees Perhaps they are at first ready to say Is thy Servant a dead Dog that I should do this But by departing from God they grow dead to holy duties We find it by experience That the professors of Religion have not that holinesse heavenlinesse spiritualnesse as they were wont to have in former times And no marveile for now they keep not so nigh to God as they were wont You that are Sea-men and Travelours sometimes you are neer the Sunne and then you are hot but the further off the Sunne you go you grow to be colder and colder And so those that neglect the Worship of God they go from the warm Sun they go from the light of Gods countenance and from the presence of God and so they grow cold and chill and by degrees they grow to prophanesse and it is to be feared that many of them will grow to meer Athisme Another Use is this A Use of Exhortation that we would be incouraged to Worship God and to be much in the Worship of God In Heb. 10. 22. Let
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
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
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
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
other way or one taking up one end and the other the other end that is the meaning of it he helpes our infirmities the poore foule is pulling and tugging with its own heart and finds his heart heavy and dull like a logge in a ditch and have not many of you found your hearts so but now then when you are tugging with your hearts and would faine lift up your hearts to God in prayer there comes the Spirit of God at the other end and takes the heaviest end of the burden and helpes you to lift it up if a child were at one end of the logge and that were but light and the other end very heavy if one come and take up the heaviest end a little strength will serve for the lighter end so the Spirit comes and takes up the heavier end in duty and so helps our infirmities helpes together and then the other word is The Spirit that is together with the acting of the graces of the Spirit in our hearts you must not say so alasse what can I doe it must be the Spirit of God that must doe all it is true hee doth all First he gives converting and habituall grace and assisting and actuating grace but now when the Spirit hath wrought grace so as to convert the heart and hath given habituall grace in thy heart why then when the Spirit comes to assist it doth expect that thou shouldest stirre up all the gifts and graces of the Spirit and the very strength of thy body the Spirit of God expects that thou shouldest act to the uttermost thou art able what power hath been given thee by God and when thou art in acting then the Spirit comes and helpes together with us noting that we are to put forth what strength we have and thus Gods name will be sanctified when as wee putting forth the graces of the Spirit in us then the Spirit comes and helpes and what comes from us now comes from the breathings of the holy-Spirit in us and then God who knowes the meaning of the Spirit will know now the meaning of our sighs and groanes therefore when thou art going to prayer thou art to eye the Spirit of God thou art by the eye of faith to looke upon the Spirit of God and to cast thy soule upon the assistance of the Spirit of God thou art to looke upon the holy-Ghost as appointed by the Father and the Son to that office to bee a helper to his poore servants in the duties of worship and especially in that great duty of prayer now upon the reading of this text and having it thus opened this is one good helpe for thee in prayer read this text and then exercise thy faith upon it Lord hast thou not said that thy Spirit helpes our infirmities when we know not what to pray for nor how to pray for any thing as we ought but the Spirit will come now Lord make good this word of thine to my soule at this time and let mee have the breathings of the Spirit of God in me alasse the breaths of men if it come from gifts and parts I know thou wilt never regard it except there be the breathings of the holy-Ghost in mee in prayer now if you would know whether the Spirit of God doth come in or no you may know it by this the Spirit of God carries unto God and it makes the prayer sweet and delightfull so much of the Spirit of God as is there it comes to the soule in the duty and it leaves a savour behind it a gratious savour is alwaies left behind when the Spirit of God comes to breath O the breath of the Spirit of God is a sweet breath and it makes prayers sweet it never comes into the Soule but after it hath done any worke it came for it leaves a sweet sent after that the soule finds a sweetnesse in that prayer now many of you have been in the morning at prayer but I appeal to you what sweet savour of the Spirit of God is left behind certainly if the Spirit hath been there it is like civil that is put into a little box though you should take out the civit yet there will be a sweet savour left behind so though the Spirit of God in respect of the present assistance withdraws it self yet it leaves a sweet savour behind The fourth thing is purity of heart pure heart and hands in Heb. 10. 22. Rev. 5. 8. having every one of them harpes and golden vials full of odours which are the prayers of Saints mark the prayers of the Saints are odours in golden vials the golden vials I may compare to the heart the hearts of the Saints must be as golden vials and then their prayers will be as odours in 1 Tim. 2. 8. the holy-Ghost giving directions how wee should pray it is with this qualification I will therefore that men pray every where lifting up holy hands without wrath and doubting the outward conversation must be pure and the heart pure in Job 22. 26. marke what 's said concerning that holy man there 's a promise made to him for the lifting up of his face to God putting away iniquitie from his Tabernacle that by putting away evill from our Tabernacles and so from our hearts we may be able to lift up our hearts with joy to goe and that 's the fift thing purity of heart and hands The sixt thing is in truth when we come to call upon God we must call upon him in truth Psal 145. 18. the Lord is nigh unto all to all that call upon him in truth you will say what is the meaning of that to that I answer First there must be inward dispositions answerable to the expressions as for instance when I come to expresse the greatnesse of the majestie of God then I must have an inward disposition sutable to this expression I must have a feare and reverence of the infinite majestie of God Secondly When I come to confesse my sin to judge my selfe for my sin there must be an inward disposition sutable to such a confession O how many men and women will come and speak great things against themselves for their sins and judge themselves for their sins and yet there is no such disposition in their hearts sutable to their words you shall have some in praying with others they will be a meanes to break the hearts of others they will so follow their sin and take such shame and confusion upon themselves for their sin and yet God knows their hearts not stird all this while and then they will call upon God for pardon of sin and for power against their sin and yet God knowes that their hearts do close with their sin and are loath to part with their sin in the mean time this is falsenesse of heart when the inward disposition is not answerable to outward expressions I beseech you my brethren consider of the prayers you have made and especially
the living God 97 Consciences of carnall men opened upon their death bed 118 Death of Christ to be meditated on in the Sacrament 165 Dear see Glory Delight God delights in our drawing nigh to him 37 Depart To neglect GODS Worship is to depart from him 33 Dependance We should continually be sensible of our dependance on God 274 Desire We must hear the word with a desire after it 170 Devill Devill gratified by omission of duties 59 Vnseasonable motions though materially good come from the Devill 82 Wandering thoughts in prayer suggested by the Devill 286 Difficulty Naturall parts in performance of duties will not carry thorow difficulties 87 Not to be discouraged in difficultes considering Gods power 97 The work of Religion difficult 109 Dignity see Prerogative The more dignity the more danger 12 Dishonour It were a dishonour to God to accept the services of wicked men 116 Disposition Inward disposition in prayer 292 Divine see Service Doubt The time of receiving the Sacrament no time for doubting 254 We must pray without doubting 293 Duty The holinesse of a duty will not bear men out in their miscarriage in it 17 Omission of duty will not fit for duty 58. 113 The doing of one duty prepares for another 60 Duties not to be rested on 103. 107. 115 To be humbled for our best duties 111 All duties of carnall worshippers lost 112 Sin of Hypocrites aggravated by holy duties ibid E Easie Preparation makes duties easie 52 Election Evidence of election 213 End see Extremity Our ends must be high in the worship of God 72 Base ends of men in Gods worship ibid To have right ends apart of wisdom 99 It is the nature of God to will himself the last end 104 Engagement Engagements of prayer to be performed 293 Envie see Mean Eternity Eternity of God how to be considered in our worship 94 Excellency Thoughts of our own excellency to be cast off in our worship 85 Exemplary Exemplary judgements should make us look into the word how God makes it good 23 Extremity Men that regard duties only in extremity make themselves their end 77 Examination Examination required in partaking of the Sacrament 233 Eye Faith as an eye to see Christ in the Sacrament 252 F Faith Faithfulnesse Faithfulnesse of God what it should teach us 102 Faith must be mixed in hearing the word 177 Faith exercised in receiving the Sacrament 252 Faith how to act it in the Sacrament 271 We must pray in Faith 293 Faculties All the faculties of the Soul to be given up in Prayer 281 Familiarity see Potent Drawing nigh to God breeds familiarity 37 Benefit of familiarity with God 38 Falling away Falling away the ground of it 34 Fear see Publick What fear we must have in Gods worship 78 In fear naturall Conscience puts in to duty 89 Fervency Fervency required in prayer 295 Fire Fire from Heaven Two fold 2 Fire that slew Aarons Sons what 3 Strange fire what 19 Folly To be ashamed of our follie when we come to GOD 99 Follow The Soul is to follow after God as a God 65 Free see Grace Friend see Word Friends who are the best 25 G Gesture Gesture in the Sacrament not meerly indifferent 262 Guilty see Bloud Guilty consciences flee the worship of God why 31 Guilt to be removed when we come to pray 274 God Duties must be performed to God as a God 62 When duties are offered to God as a God 63 The word to be heard as the word of God 166 We are reconciled by the blood of that person that is God 268 Good Good heart what 187 The word will be made good on the abusers of it 207 We are to pray for our own good 277 Gospel Gospel the tenour of it 257 Glory Glory of God dear to him 7 Glory of God dearer to him then the lives of men 22 Glory of God is the lustre of all his attributes together 102 The active Glory of God is the especiall honour he hath 105 Glory of God in his word the greatest 182 Why God will be glorified in them that hear the word 209 Those that will obey the word will be the Glory of the Ministers 214 We should have apprehensions of Gods Glory in prayer 275 The Glory of God is the chiefe thing we should pray for 276 Spirituall things nearest the Glory of God 277 Grace Grace to be acted especially in Gods worship 29 Grace the freenesse of it should make us more diligent in the worship of God 34 Graces increased by drawing nigh to God 35 Graces to be acted and stirred up in the Sacrament 271 We must act our own Graces in prayer together with the spirit 291 See Covenant Great A people are great that have God nigh them 40 We should prepare to Gods worship because he is great 43 The duties of Gods worship are great 44 How to sanctifie Gods name in respect of his greatnesse 67 Great things to be expected from God 100 We must hear the word with attention because of the greatnesse of him that sends it 172 We must be attentive because the matters delivered are great 173 H Habituall Habituall sanctification 68 Harden Nothing doth harden the heart more then the word by accident 205 Hand Faith is a Hand to take Christ in the Sacrament 253 The Cup in the Sacrament not to be delivered into every particular hand 264 Heart Our hearts naturally unprepared for duty 46 The heart in preparation to be taken from every sinfull way 49 As the heart is so are the duties 70 The heart is not changed by the acting of naturall parts 87 Good heart what 187 The word of the Law not in the heart 211 A broken heart required in receiving the Sacrament 246 Hearing Of sanctifying Gods Name in hearing the word 161 Hearing the word a part of Gods worship 162 How to know that God hears our prayers 294 Heathen Heathens attend to worship their Idolls 46 Heaven Being oft in Gods presence minds us of heaven 36 The worship of God here the beginning of that in heaven 106 Hide We must hide the word in our hearts 189 Highest What we lift highest in our worship that is our God 74 See Thoughts Ends. Hindrance Hindrances to Gods worship many 46 Holy Holinesse Holinesse the greatest honour of Gods Name 23 Holinesse of God to be held forth by his servants 24 Drawing nigh to God makes us holy 36 Time and Place said to be holy how 50 God infinitly holy 99 Those that receive the Lords Supper must be holy 232 Honest We must receive the word into honest hearts 186 Honest heart what 188 Honest amongst men who 189 Honour To quiet the heart in affliction is to know that God will have honour by it 25 Humble Humbled Humility Humility of Spirit requisite in the worship of God 84 To be humbled for not sanctifying the Name of GOD aright Humiliation in preparing to hear the word 168 Wandring thoughts in prayer suffered by God to
humble us 285 Humility required in our prayers 295 See Worship Hungring There must be hungring after Christ in the Sacrament 251 I Incense Incense what it signifieth 91 Incomprehensible Incomprehensiblenesse of God what it should teach us in our worship 95 Infinite There is an impression of Gods infinitnesse upon the duties of his servants 64 Infirmities Infirmities of others to be passed by of those that receive the Sacrament 258 Infirmities how helped by the spirit 290 Institution Institution of the Sacrament to be kept close to 261 Intention Strength of intention required in the worship of God 81 Joy The mercy of God should make us come to him with joy 100 The word to be received with joy 184 Difference in the joy of hypocrites and true Christians 186 Spirituall joy required in receiving the Sacraments 255 A broken spirit may consist with spiritual joy ibid Judge Judgement Sinners may meet with judgements 〈…〉 in the word 10 God is quick with same in the way way of his judgements 17 Judgements many times sutable to the sins 18 Gods judgements many times invisible 21 The word of God shall judge those that abuse it 207 Justice Justice of God seen in the death of Christ 268 K Knowledge Knowledge required in receiving the Lords Supper 244 Knowledge in other points necessary to them that receive the Sacrament 245 Knowledge actuall required in receivers 246 L Leaven Leaven how cast out by the Jewes 249 Life Living Gods goodness in sparing our lives to worship him 84 That God is a living God what it should teach us 96 The things delivered in the word concern our lives 174 Beleevers nourished to eternall life 269 Limitted The duties of Gods Children not limitted 65 Little In matters of worship God stands upon little things 11 Lose The ground why we lose so many prayers 296 Love Naturall conscience makes not the heart love a duty 88 The word must be received with love 184 The Sacrament ordained by Christ out of love 228 Love to be renewed in the receiving the Sacrament 258 The infinite love of God seen in the death of Christ 269 Lust The worship of God not to be subjected to our lusts 72 Who they be that subject it to their lusts 73 M Man The Mediator between God and man is man 276 Mean Mean men not to envy great ones why 13 Mediator The way of mans salvation is by a Mediator 267 Meditation Meditation in preparing the heart to holy duties 49 Meditations in the receiving the Sacrament 267 Meeknesse The word must be received with meeknesse 179 Mercy Mercifull God is mercifull 100 Mercy of God should teach us to be mercifull to others 101 The duties of worship the way to convey Gods choice Mercies 105 The word a means to convey speciall Mercies 195 Mercie-Seat Mercie-Seat a Type of Christ 91 Mind We should pick out Gods mind from dark expressions 14 We come to know the mind of God when we come to hear the word 163 Mysterie The greatest Mysteries of Salvation presented in the Sacrament 228. 255. Mixture Mixture of mans inventions with Gods Ordinances unlawfull 266 Mortification Mortification requisite to the sanctifying Gods name 67 Mouth Faith the mouth of the soul to receive Christ 254 N Name No way to enjoy mercies but by sanctifying Gods Name 105 See Sanctifie Nature Naturall Some duties of worship are naturall 261 Christ bath honoured humane nature by taking it 267 Neer Nigh God wil be sanctified in those that come neer him 6 Those that are neerest God should be most carefull 22 In worshipping God we draw nigh to him 26 In what respects we draw nigh to God in worship 27 The word of the Gospel nigh 211 See Grace Delight Adoption Neglect Severall sorts that neglect to sanctifie Gods Name in heating the word 197 Nourishment The Lords Supper an Ordinance for Spirituall nourishment 233 Beleevers are nourished to eternall life 269 O Omniscient What we should learn that God is Omniscient 98 Opening Ground of opening the heart to God 98 The heart must be opened to hear the word 175 Opportunity The happiest opportunity to sanctifie Gods Name is in hearing his word 200 Ordinance An Ordinance of God what 163 The word an Ordinance of God to convey good to us 166 Men are not to be forced to Congregations where any of Christs Ordinances are wanting 237 The Lords Supper the great Ordinance appointed to set forth Christ sufferings 348 Own We must bring to God in his service that which is his own 86 P Parts How to know when men are acted by naturall parts in Gods worship 87 Passion Passion hinders the right hearing of the word 179 Wicked men in passion rise against God 180 Peace-Offering Difference between Peace-Offerings and Burnt-Offerings 75 Person God accepts the person before he accepts the offering 69 Place The Lord is very terrible out of his holy places 18 God in his essentiall presence in every place 26 See Holy Plowing Plowing of the fallow ground of the heart what 168 Men may do somewhat toward the plowing of their hearts 169 See Word Potent Familiarity with God makes us potent with him 38 Prayer Prayer a great duty that needs preparation 45 Prayer required in preparation to duties 50 Vnregenerate men cannot sanctifie GODS Name in prayer 68 We should pray before we hear the word 171 Of sanctifying the Name of God in prayer 272 Prayer put for the whole worship of God 273 See Preparation Wandring Praise Gods worship must not be subjected to the praise of men 73 Preparation Preparation of the soul in the duties of Gods worship 42 Preparation and sanctification all one 43 Preparation to Gods worship why ibid Preparation 5 things wherein it consists 48 Preparation the excellency of it in severall things 52 Those that walk closely with God are in continuall preparation 56 Preparation a speciall duty of young beginners ibid Good men greived for want of preparation 58 Where there is sincerity duties should be done though there want preparation 59 Preparation required in hearing the word 165 Preparation to be made to prayer 273 See Prayer Great c. Prerogative Gods Prerogative appears most in his worship 11 No Prerogative can secure from Gods stroke 12 Presence Presence of God even in the godly terrible to wicked men 32 Presence of godly men comfortable 35 To set Gods presence before us in prayer 288 See Guilty Present When we worship God we tender a present to him 63 Sin committed long since to be looked on as present 94 Principle God looks more at the principle of the duty then at the duty 69 Good men looke at the principle of the things they enjoy from God 70 Prize To prize those mercies we beg in prayer 275 Prayer to bee highly priz'd 286 Promise Every Ordinance of Christ hath a speciall promise 248 Publick Those that are in publick place have especially need of the fear of God 13 Pure We must lift up pure hands in prayer 292
men because they do good actions but God accepts of the actions of men because their persons are good If indeed we see a man do good then we love him and accept of the person of the man but God first will accept of the person before the Action As the Lord accepted of Abeâ— first and then he accepted his offering So you must look to that to have your persons first accepted of God before any duty can be accepted You think though you be wicked and sinfull yet if you amend your life God will accept of you you go that way to work but certainly that is the wrong way you must first look after meanes of acceptation of your persons which is through the Righteousnesse of Jesus Christ and through the Sanctification of his Spirit whereby you come to have his Image and life and so are accepted and then all that proceeds from you comes to be accepted There is not any action which comes from you that comes to be accepted to eternall life untill your persons be accepted before God and therefore there must be a Sanctifying of the heart before there can be a Sanctifying the Name of God in the duties of his Worship Therefore when you come to performe any duties of Gods Worship you should coâ—â—der this Is my heart Sanctified I must Sanctifie Gods Name and how can I do that except my heart be Sanctified 2 Secondly Our hearts must be Sanctified because the Lord doth look more to the principle from whence a thing comes then at the thing it self As indeed were our hearts right as they should then all the good things that come to us we would not so much regard what the things are that we do injoy from God as what the principle is from whence they come that is Whether what we do injoy from God is from the love of God in Jesus Christ or no Whether it be from the generall Bounty and Patience of God or from the speciall â—oue of God in Jesus Christ â—ur hearts would regard that moâ—â— if we were Spirituall now then look as a godly man is not satisfied with injoying any good thing from God except he knows it comes from a principle of love to him â—esus Christ So God is not pleased with any thing that comes from us except he knows that it comes from a principle of Love Grace and Holinesse in our hearts 3 Thirdly According as the heart is so will the Service be Certainly if the heart be unclean the duty will be unclean perhaps the words may be fine and brave but if there be an unclean heart the duty will be unclean As it is with a man that hath the Plague suppose he makes a brave Oration yet his breath is infectious so it is in our Services with God If so be that our hearts within us have the plague then certainly the breath that comes from us all our duties will be unclean and therefore that is the first thing that we are to look for in the Sanctifying Gods Name in holy duties Look to have thy heart Sanctified and consider from what principle it comes t is for want of this that thousands of our duties are cast aside and God never doth regard them But this is the first Particular there is many more to speak of SERMON V. LEVITICUS 10. 3. I will be Sanctified in them that come nigh me WEE proceed The next thing therefore for the behaviour of the Soul in the Sanctifying Gods Name in Worship is this When we come to Worship God if we would Sanctifie Gods Name we must have high thoughts of God we must look upon God as he is upon his Throne in Maâ—estie and in Glory as in Isa 6. 1 2. you shall find that the Prophet saw the Lord upon his Throne It is an excellent thing when all who come to Worship God every time they come to Worship him have their eyes darted up to heaven and behold the Lord God sitting in his Glory upon his Throne So you shall find in Rev. 4. the 24 Elders that Worshipped God they saw him upon his Throne in his Glory and so they Worshipped him they Worshipped God to purpose indeed when they saw the Lord in that Majestie as he was we should at all times have high thoughts of God take heed of having low thoughts and apprehensions of the Infinite Majestie of God at any time but especially when thou art to Worship the great God then look upon the Lord in that infinite distance that there is between him and thy self yea that infinite distance that there is between him and all Creatures in the world look upon the Lord as lifted up in Glory not only above all Creatures but above all excellencies that all Angels and men in heaven and earth are able to imagine Look upon the Lord as having all excellencies in himself joyned in one and that immutably look upon him as the fountain of all excellencie good and glory that all Creatures in the world have And look upon the â—ord every time thou comest to Worship him as that God whom Angels do adore and before whom the Devils are forced to tremble behold him in this his Glory and this will help thee to sanctifie his Name when thou comest to him The great Reason why people come and Worship God in a slight way it is because that they do not see God in his glory 't is a great Mercy for God to give unto us a sight of himself a sight of his glory here in this world while we are Worshiping of him this would keep our eyes and our thoughts from wandring if we had a sight of the glory of God and had high thoughts of God What 's the reason why we wander so as we do but meerly because we see not God as now suppose you were in your house and looking after every feather that were flying up and down if you should hear that the â—ing were come into the â—oom or any great person it would compose your spirits because you have â—igh thoughts of such as or those that are above you So let us look upon God as in his excellencie and his glory and have high thoughts of him and this is that whereby we are to Sanctifie Gods Name when we come before him in holy duties And that is the Second thing First a Sanctified heart and then high thoughts of God 3. A Third thing is High-ends Raised-ends in the Worshipping of God Prov. 15. 24. The way of life is above to the wife it is on high in this respect when he Worships God his heart is lifted up on high there is a holy raising of the heart which is well pleasing to God Our hearts should be on high in regard of the high ends that we aime at in holy duties Lift up thy prayer saith Hezekiah to the Prophet in another case so I may say lift up thy Soul when thou comest to Worship God in regard of the high