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 thankful 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 men 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 Savior 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 suit our worship to what there is in God that our worship may be proportionable in some measure even to the nature of God himself And therefore God being a Spirit his Worship mu â— 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 Sun somewhat sutable therefore because they did so admire at the swiftness of the motion of the Sun they would not offer a snail to the Sun 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 Sun So when we come to worâ— ip 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 particular which I opened to you when I shewed you wherein we draw nigh to God This was one I told 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 excellency 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 quality of the person Therefore in Malachi 1.8 When the Lord rebukes them for their Sacrifices that they were such poor things Go saith God and tender up this to your Governour and see whether he will accept of it or no. So certainly that which may be accepted of by a mean man would be accounted a scorn if you should tender it up to a Prince or an Emperour Now when we come 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 will 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 discouragement unto Prayer or any other duty of Worship than an incouragement To that I Answer thus Though we be very poor and mean yet it doth not hinder but we may tender up that to God which God wil acknowledge to be sutable to his infinit excellency as First If we tender up to God all that we have Though we be never so poor and mean yet if God hath the strength of our souls 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 al 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 shews the respect that the child hath to his fa her And as it is stâ—â—ied of an Emperour that when a poor man had nothing to offer him but a little water that he had taken up with his hand he having nothing else the Emperour accepts of it So that s that which God looks for that the Creature should lift him above all If therefore when thou comest to worship God God hath more of thy heart than 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 weaknes in my spirit but thou that knowest al things knowest That thou hast more of my heart than ever any creature in the world had This is sutable to God God wil 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 â—â—ones but some came and offered Badgers-skins and some women did spin and offered Goats-haire 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 sutable 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 sutable to the infinite Majesty of God upon this Third Ground because there is a kind of impression of Gods infinitnes in those services that a gracious heart doth tender unto God and therefore sutable unto God You will say God is an Infinite Glorious God Be it so He is Infinit that 's certain but the duty of Worship that a gracious heart tenders unto God it hath an impression of Gods infinitness upon it How is that If that can be made out then indeed we may be encouraged to Worship God Thus That that a gracious heart tenders up to God hath an impression of His inf nitness 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 limit or boundâ— but in the desires of it would â—ain be enlarged infinitly if it could If it were possible for a creature to be enlarged to God infini ly it would be Here lies I conceiâ—e the main difference between the most glorious Hypocrite in the world and one that hath true Grace yea that hath but
is that which the Lord hath said I will be Sanctified Now mark no question Moses was afflicted upon this heavy hand of God for he was their Uncle but though it was heavy upon the Uncle yet it was heavier upon the Father and therefore though Moses was troubled yet he knew that Aaron was more troubled and therefore he goes to Aaron and seeks to comfort him and he makes use of the Word in his comfortting of him Learn this then to go and comfort your brethren for Aaron was Moses brother Go and comfort them in their afflictions and think not because that you have some afflictions upon you that therefore you should not be a comfort to your brethren their affliction is greater than yours and when you come to comfort them come not in a meer carnal way and say Brother you must be content but you must come and apply somewhat of the Word of God to comfort them and say This is that which the Lord hath spoke and to that end you should labour to be exercised in the Word of God that so you may be able to go to your brethren and comfort them in any affliction for there is no particular affliction but there is some Word of God that is sutable to that particular affliction and those who are well exercised in the Word of God they can apply some word to every affliction And indeed this is an excellent friend and such a friend is worth his weight in Gold that can come to another friend in any affliction and evermore hath somewhat of the Word of God to apply to that affliction The last Observation is this That Aaron held his peace From whence we may Note That there is no such way to quiet a gracious heart under any afflictions in the world as that God will setch out His Honor by it It is grievous to me but God fetches out His Glory and Honour by it The applying of the Word and the consideration that God hath His way to fetch out His glory in our afflictions is the only way to quiet a gracious heart All these Points might take up a great deal of time but I will let them pass and come to the main Point of all I will be Sanctified in all those that come nigh me There are these Three Points in these words 1 First That in the Worship of God men and women draw nigh to God 2. Secondly That we ought to Sanctifie Gods Nume in drawing nigh to Him Thirdly That if we do not Sanctifie it God will Sanctifie His own Name upon us First That in Worshipping of God there is a drawing nigh to God Quest Why is not God in every place Answ Yes certainly we can never be in any place but we are nigh to God God stands by us and looks upon us It is not only when you are Worshipping of God that you are nigh Him but when you sin against Him when thou art swearing brophaning His Name His Day God stands and looks upon thee thou art nigh Him And it may be said or written upon every place what was said of the City in the last words of the Prophecie of Ezek. 48.35 The name of the City was Jehovah-Shammah that is The Lord is there the Lord Jehovah He is there He is present in this place Oh that you would remember when you are in any place that the name of that place is Jehovah-Shamma The Lord is there In him we live we move and have our being therefore we are alwaies nigh him yea but hough we are alwaies nigh God in regard of that essential presence of his yet there is a more peculiar and special drawing nigh to God in the duties of his Worship and that the Scripture seems to hold forth unto you First I 'le shew you how the Scripture holds it forth and then in what respects the Creature may be said to draw nigh to God in holy duties of Worship for so it was here they were coming to offer Incense 1 That we do draw nigh to God in holy duties see Jam. 4.8 Draw nigh to God so that you may be neerer God than you were that is by holy Services holy duties hence it is in Psa 95.2 Let us saith he come before his presence with thanksgiving so that there is a more peculiar coming before Gods presence when we come to Worship him than at other times And v. 6 O come let us Worship and bow down let us kneel before the Lord our maker So in Psal 1 0. 2. Let us come before his presence with singing for that 's one part of the Worship of God But the Scripture is plain that there is a special coming before God when we are coming to Worship him and in this respect the Servants of God in Psal 148.14 are said to be a people neer to God It is a very remarkable expression and sets forth much the honor of the Saints of God There 's the commendation of the excellent estate of the Saints He also exalteth the born of his people the praise of all his Saints even the children of Israel a people neer unto him The Saints of God the Children of Israel the Church of God are said to be a people neer to God Why neer him Because that they Worship God they are much exercised in the Worship of God This is one respect though there may be divers others mentioned yet in respect of their coming so much before God in his Worship therefore they are neer God Quest Neer him Why in what respects may a man be said to draw nigh to God when he Worships him Answ To that I Answer There are three respects in which a man when he is Worshipping of God may be said to draw nigh to God 1 First Because when we come to Worship God we come to tender up that homage and service unto him that is due from us as creatures to the infinite Creator that 's the very end of Worship If you would know what it is to Worship God it is this You come to tender up that homage and respect that is due from the creature to the Creator Now when a Subject comes to tender up his homage to his Prince he comes towards him when he doth it immediately So we have none to tender it up by but Jesus Christ and when we tender it up we must come our selves too for Christ doth not take our service and tender it up to God and we be absent but we must come with Christ and Christ takes us by the hand and so tenders it up to the Father while we are in presence so that we are said to come nigh to God in that respect because of the immediate tendering up of that Worship of ours to God I call it immediate in respect of any creature But in respect of Christ indeed he is a Mediator to do it but yet he doth it in a spiritual way and we have to do with none but
regard it is holy and so we should look upon it as not to have our outward businesse to devour that time that is holy in that regard as Nehemiah When Tobiah and Sanbaâ—â— sent to him to come and confer with them No saith he I cannot go for the work iâ—â—reat that I have to do So we must not intangle our selves to meddle with other things when we are to come to worship God for our work is great The Fourth thing for preparation is To Watch and to Pray We should watch over our hearts lest they be made unfit for dâ—â—ieâ— So we should prepare for Prayer all day long in this seâ—se that is we should watch over our hearts that they bee nâ—â— bâ— out so far as to hinder us in prayer when we come to do it I remember that Tertullian saith That the Christians did so sup as if that they were to pray so when thou art in company thou shouldest watch unto Prayer Oh that you did so you cannot but be conscious to your selves that oftentimes when you have bin in company your hearts have been put out of tune and frame that you have been no way fit for prayer when you come home your house and family finds it so you that take such delight in company and sitting up late I appeal to your consciences whether you can come home and find your selves fit either in your family or closet to go and open your hearts to God This is one Note by the way wherby you may come to know whether you have been immoderate in company at any time God gives not men liberty to be busie in any outward occasions in the world so as to unfit them for his service Preparation consists in that in watching over your hearts that you may not be unfitted for any holy duty when God cals you to it but that you may be ready even to every good work The Fift is this Preparation consists in the readiness of the faculties of the soul and the graces of the Spirit of God presently to act upon the setting upon a holy duty When a man or woman shall find the faculties of their soul and the graces that are in them to be ready to act as soon as ever they fall upon duty just as you see a company of Ringerâ— when they have made all preparation for the raising of the bels then in an instant when they begin to pull all the bels go in that tune that according to their skil they set them in And so it should be with our hearts the faculties of our souls and graces though now we are not upon duty yet we should be so ready that as it were upon a pull all the faculties of our souls and graces of Gods Spirit should work in a melodious way There are those that keep their hearts so prepared as at the very first moment that they set about the duty of Worship all faculties and graces begin to act and to stir and are working towards God as a fire when all the matter is ready laid presently it comes to be kindled and flame out and thus it should be with our hearts So that now you see wherein preparation of our hearts to duty consists The next thing is the Excellency of this preparation and that may be in way of Application to you to make you to be in love with Preparation for holy duties There is abundance of good in it First By this means we come to make every duty of worship easie to us things are difficult when we come upon them unprepared If you have a friend come to dinner or supper to you and should come suddenly and you have nothing prepared there would be a great deal of stir in the house but if you have every thing prepared it would be carried on in an easie way and the reason why people complain so much of difficulty in duty it is because their hearts are not prepared Indeed we have naturally many things to keep us off from God but now when the heart is prepared for a holy duty it goes off as easie to God even into the infinite ocean of All mercy and goodness as a ship goes off to be lanch'd when you have made preparation for it the heart can go with a holy boldness to God when you have made preparation for holy duties In Job 11. the place which I quoted before for the work of preparation do but consider a verse or two further and you shall find what abundance of good there comes upon the keeping of the heart prepared in things that are good Vers 13. If thou prepare thine heart c. And then Vers 15. Then shalt thou lift up thy face without spot yea thou shalt be steadfast and shalt not fear When the heart is prepared for that that is good when it comes into the presence of God it is able to lift up its self without fear in a steadfast comfortable way and this will quit the cost of any labor 2 Secondly if the heart be prepared it will do a great deal in a little time In 2. Chron. 2.36 it is said That Hezekiah rejoyced and all the people that God had prepared the people for the thing was done suddenly The thing came off freely and suddenly when as that they were prepared Hezekiah rejoyced and blessed God for such a mercy as this was it is a great mercy to have the hearts of people prepared unto a good work And so in 2 Chr. 27.6 the text saith Jotham became mighty because he prepared his waies before the Lord his God Jotham he grew mighty by this and so certainly the way to grow to be very strong and mighty to be able to do a great deal in a little time it is to make preparation there may be as much work done in one hour so as in ten times so much time when the heart is not prepared for it In Ezra 7.10 you shall find that the reason is given why Ezra had such good success in his journy it was because he had prepared his heart Make preparation for holy duties and you shall have success in holy duties There is a notable Scripture for that in Psal 10.17 where the holy Ghost saith that God prepares the heart and what then when God doth prepare the heart he doth then cause his eare to hear There was never a prayer made wherein the heart was prepared for it but that praier was heard they go both together Lord thou wilt prepare their heart and thou wilt cause thine eare to hear if God hath once prepared thy heart thou wilt be sure to be heard then Is it not worth a world for to know ones self to be accepted of God in every duty of Worship that we tender up to him this one Scripture Psal 10.17 will shew it Oh the excellency that there is in Preparation to duty There is one thing more that is very observable and that is this Where the heart
the world You will say If a man have business in the world how can this be Yes though they have business in the world yet they carry the Heavenliness of their hearts along with them Our Conversation is in Heaven saith the Apostle Phil. 3. Now the word that is translated our conversation it is a word that signifies our City converse our trading is in Heaven When we go to the City or the Exchange or about any business yet our trading is alwaies in Heaven But now there are other sorts of people that had need at all times to look to their hearts in way of preparation As First Those that first set upon the duties of Religion young beginners that begin at first to set their faces towards Heaven to worship God they had need look to their hearts they should spend some time in Preparation when they come to holy duties and the truth is when the conscience of a man or woman is at first enlightened and awakened they will be very carefull in preparing to holy duties the fear of God it is mighty upon their spirits at first and it should not be less afterward the constancy of Gods fear should bring their hearts to such a holy temper as to make them fit for holy duties alwaies Secondly Those men and women that at any time shall sin against conscience shall commit such sins as shall in a kind even lay wast Conscience shall break their peace between God and their souls they had need spend some time in preparation for holy duties they cannot come into the presence of God to enjoy communion with God but they had need before hand be very serious in the examination of their hearts and to endeavour the working of their hearts into mourning for their sinne and to labour to possesse their souls with the presence of God even before they come These two sorts of people such as have not been acquainted with the wayes of godliness or such as have broken their peace with God by some evill carriage of theirs towards God in some vile way I say it is required of them to be more solemne in the worke of Preparation 2 But now for the Second Case which indeed is the main Suppose when we come to duties and begin to examine our hearts and begin to bethink our selves whether we be prepared yea or no to holy duties and we do not find our hearts prepared according to that that we do desire Whether then we may let the duty go for that time and forbear the performance of it as suppose Prayer or receiving the Sacrament or coming to the Word or any other holy duty And the reason of this doubt is because when any man or woman is consciencious they think with themselves that they must Sanctifie Gods Name in holy duties now if they cannot find their hearts in a fit disposition to sanctify the Name of God in holy duties they are ready to think thus Were it not better to neglect his duty and lay it aside for the present Will God accept of a duty when I perform it and am not fit for it Therefore for the answer to this because it is a temptatation that sometimes carnal hearts have and they are ready to take this temptation and willing to neglect the duty upon such a thoughts as this that they are not prepared And the truth is they are more glad to let the duty fall than they are sorry for want of the preparation of their hearts for the duty I beseech you consider of this whether you have not found it so that sometimes when you have not been fit to performe a holy duty there hath not been a more secret willingness of the heart to let the duty go than a sorrow of the heart because you are not fit for the duty This is a very evil sign that the heart is very much distempered Those that are godly indeed when they find not their hearts prepar'd for the duty it is the trouble of their souls it is that that goes neer to their hearts when they think with them selves that they are now like to lose a duty of the Worship of God they are now like to lose their communion with God in a holy duty they even look upon themselves in an evil case in regard of this and it makes them watchful for time to come to take heed of those things that have put them in such an unpreparation as they find their hearts to be in at this time Now if it be so with thee it is a good sign that thy heart may be upright with God though through infirmity it comes at such a time to be unprepared for the duty But yet suppose I find I am not prepared I am griev'd and troubled at it for that must be premised whether were I better to leave the duty for this time than to fall upon it in such an unpreparation as this is Now for the Answer to this Question 1 First That which I would answer to it is this The omission of a duty or the laying of a duty aside will never fit the soul for a duty afterwards it is no way to make thy soul more fit afterwards because thou hast laid it aside now for the present do but observe your own hearts that way and you wil finde this by experience Such a time you have been buâ—e in the world and occasions have hindred you so as your heart is out of temper and frame for a duty you lay it asâ—de now are you more fâ—t the next day If you do neglect duty in the morning upon any business are you fitter to perform duty at night because of it â— you will not find it to be so The forbearing a duty now will not make the Soul fitter for a duty afterwards â—â—erefore it is no wisdom to forbear a duty for want of preparation because the forbearance will never help to further preparation but will make the Soul more unfit for duty It is an excellent speech that I read that Luther hath concerning himself I have learned this by experience that the oftener I do omit duty the oftener do I make my self the more unfit for duty and cause I have to abhor my self It is not the deferring that makes thee the more fit 2 Therefore consider that this is but a temptation and that is the Second thing that I would propound to those that shall omit a duty because they are not prepared That this is but a Temptation to keep thee from it to tell thee that thou art not prepared and if thou shalt forbear it because thou art not prepared in this thing thou doest gratifie the Devil and the Devil hath what he would have and so would be encouraged to tempt thee another time because he hath now what he would have in causing thee to forbear the duty First he laboureth to unfit thee for it and then he tempts thee to forbear it because thou art unfit this
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 dâ—est thou here Elijah Then his heart was more struck with fear where was most of Gods presence though it was in a soft voice than when the fire and earthquake did appear It is a good sign of a gracious fear when the soul can be struck with more fear from the Word and from the sight of God in enjoying of communion with him in his Worship 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 enjoying communion with God in holy duties and the more communion he hath with God the more is he struck with reverence and the fear of God this is a sign of Sanctifying fear and then Doth the heart Sanctifie the Name of God indeed when it is so possessed with fear in the duties of Worship Now this fear of God should be indeed in the Soul and expressed outwardly when you are in the assembly by such reverent carriage in prayer as if a heathen should come in he may see Gods Name Sanctified and may say How great is this God that this people do worship And in your Families a reverent carriage not lying all along in prayer upon the elbows sleeping but carrying your seves 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 slightness vanity the boldness and presumptuousness that there is in the hearts of men and women when they are Worshipping of God Fifthly The duties of Gods Worship must be ful 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 doâ—h defile the Name of God God is dishonored 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 Worshipping of God 1 First The strengih of intention We must intend our work as if it were for our lives If ever we were seriously Intentive or Attentive about any thing it must be when we are worshipping of the Name of God When you are coming to Pray be Intent about it You shall see some when they are going in the street when they have much intention about their businesse their friends meet them and they never mind them one may perceive as they are going that they are mightily intent about their business My Brethren look upon every duty oâ— Worship as a great thing which you must be intent in your thoughts about and not give way to the wandring of your thoughts I have read of one Martyr that when he was to die and the fire a kindling saith an Officer What! will not you speak when you see the fire kindling Saith he I am speaking to God that is he was praying and he minded not at all what they were doing O what little things do take our thoughts away from holy duties When every toy every feather every light matter cals them off Is this to Sanctifie Gods Name Would not we account it a dishonorable thing if we were talking to one about serious business and when we are talking every one that comes by he should be looking after them and turning aside to talk with them If a Superiour be talking with you he doth expect that you should mind what he saith But when God is speaking to you and you are speaking to God every vain thought that comes by you are turning aside too as if it were a greater thing to talk to vain thoughts and temptations than to the great and glorious God Therefore now that is the very time that the Devil chuses for to bring temptations when we are in holy duties for the Devil knows then he doth two works at once he doth disturb us in our duties and call off our hearts to that that is wicked and doth aggravate our s n exceedingly It may be thou wilt not dare to coÌ„mit that sin that the temptation doth turn thy thoughts upon yea but the Devill hath spoiled the duty by it The Lord doth expect that there should be strength of Intention when thou art upon the duty and there is no time to parlie with temptations now what ever thoughts come in The truâ—h is though they be good thoughts that should come into thy mind and that time that thou art Praying yet if they be not pertinent to the duty thou must cast them away as the temptation of the Devil You will say Can any thing that is good come from the Devil Certainly that that is materially good and comming unseasonably may be from the Devil the Devil may take advantage by what is in it self materially good and bring in that in an unseasonable time and so he may turn it to evil As now when thou art hearing the Word it may be the Devil thinks he cannot prevaile to cause thee to have thy heart running about uncleanness yea but saith the Devil If I can inject good thoughts I will put into their minds some place of Scripture that is no way pertinent to this only to divert them The Devil gets much by this therefore look to it and know that God expects the strength of thy spirit in duty that is strong intention thou art a worshipping of God and therefore thou hadest need be intent about what thou art a doing Indeed sometimes before you are aware evil thoughts will come into your minds As when a man is keeping of a door and there is a croud of people without that would come in perhaps the man doth open the door for some Gentlemen that be hears is at the door but when he opens it for one that is to come in forty others wil
crowd in And so it is many times with the Soul that when it opens the door for some good thought a great many evill thoughts will crowd in those people might come in if they would stay their time but they should not now come in So about worldly businesses that are not in themselves unlawful if they will stay the time they may come in but they must be bar'd out now at this time There is required strength of Intention 2 Secondly strength of Affection is required also That is the affections must work mightily after God striving with God in Prayer If ever thou hadst a heart inflam'd in any thing it should be when thou art praying or attending upon the Word as the Heathens that worshipped the Sun sometimes I have told you that they would not have a Snail but a flying-Horse they would offer that that was swift so when we come to the living God we must have living affections our affections boyling and that will be the way to cure vain thoughts as the flies will not come to the hony if it be boyling hot but when it is cold So if the heart be boyling hot and the affections a working it will keep out vain thoughts and temptations It is a sign of the breath of life when it is warm but artificial breath you know it is cold as now the breath that comes out of the body that is warm but the breath that comes out of a pair of bellows that is cold So the breath of many people in prayer it is discovered to be but artificial breath because it is so cold but if there were spiritual life then it would be warm There must be strength of affection 3 Thirdly There must be likewise the strength of all the Faculties We should stir up whatever we are or have or can do to work in prayer then the bent of mind and conscience and will and affection yea and the body should be put to too and those that worship God to purpose they spend their bodies in nothing so much as in the worshipping of God It will be a sad thing another day when this shall be charged upon many Thou hast spent the strength of thy body upon lusts but when didest thou spend any strength of the body about any holy duty What a riddle is this to most people to tell them of spending the strength of their bodies in prayer or hearing of the Word or Sanctifying a Sabbath they think the Sabbath is a time of rest I confess it is a time of rest from an outward labour but it is a time of spending strength in a spiritual way and those that shall worship God aright on the Sabbath will find is a spending of a great deal of rength and blessed is that strength that is spent in the Worship of God raâ—her than in the waies of sin as most spend their strength If Gods gives thee a heart to spend thy strength in his worship thou mayest think thus Lord thou mightest have left me to have spent my strength in sin how much better is it spent in the worshipping of thy Name There is one notable Scripture in Jer. 8.2 that shews how much strength the Idolaters put forth in the worshipping of their Idol they would not do it in a sight 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 lived and whom they have served and after whom they have walked and whom 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 several expressions to shew the strength of their Spirits in following after their Idols And that is the Fift thing in our Sanctifying Gods Name 6 The Sixth is If thou wilt Sanctifie Gods Name in Worship there must be an humble frame of Spirit worship him with much humility of Soul Abraham did fall upon the ground before the Lord and dust and ashes saith he hath begun to speak unto thee yea we 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 than the sight of God and the great reason of the pride of all mens hearts is because they never knew God If thou didest but see God thy heart must needs be abased and when doth the Soul see God if not when it comes to worship him In Job 42. I have heard of thee by the hearing of the eare but now my eye seeth thee wherefore I abhor my self and repent in dust and ashes Now this humility must be in the sense of our own meanness and baseness Psa 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 sencible of their own baseness and meanness before God This poor man cryed to God we use to say Give that poor man somewhat It doth affect the heart of God when he sees much poverty of Spirit when we come before him we must be sencible of our infinite dependance upon God Come as the woman of Canaan O Lord even dogs do receive crums and though I be a dog yet let me receive crums here is humility of Spirit Now this humility of Spirit appears in these things 1 First admiring Gods goodness that we do live at this time and that we have liberty to come before him we might have been past praying and 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 adore Gods goodness that thou art alive to pray and alive to hear Gods Word And that it is not only a duty but a rich priviledge and mercy that God will admit of thee to come into his presence Again it is the goodess 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
of a contrite spirit and trembleth at my Word This is a most admirable Scripture Mark how God lifts up Himself in His Glory so great a God as the Heaven is my Throne and the Earth is my foot-stool where is that house that ye will build unto me But then may a poor soul say How shall I be able to stand before this God that is so glorious Saith God Be not discouraged poor soul who doest tremble at my Word for I look to you And then this is a further thing observable that God hath a regard to that soul that trembles at His Word rather than to any that should build the most sumptuous buildings in the world for Him for saith God here The Heaven is my Throne and the Earth is my foot-stool where is the house that ye build unto me and where is the place of my rest They have built a glorious Temple to God but what do I regard that saith God I regard one that trembls at my word more than that great house that you have built unto me It is a notable Scripture to shew what a high respect God hath to one that trembls at His word He regards them more than this glorious Temple that was built unto Him If you were able to build such a place as this was for the service of God you would think it a great matter it is not so much regarded as if you could bring a trembling heart to Gods word that 's a special thing wherein the Sanctifying of the Name of God consists when we come to see the dreadful Authority that there is in the word of God when we are able to see more glory of God in His Word than in all the works of God besides for there is more of his glory in the word than there is in the whole Creation of Heaven and Earth take the Sun and Moon and Stars you that are Marriners you have seen much of the glory of God abroad that one would think might strike terrour into all your hearts but know that there is more of the dreadfulness of Gods Name in His word than in all His works In Psal 138.2 Thou hast magnified thy Word above all thy Name the Word it is magnified above all the Name of God whatsoever and it is a very good signe of a Spiritual enlightened Soul that can see the Name of God more magnified in His Word than in all His works besides I appeal unto your Consciences in this thing Have you ever seen the Name of God to be more magnified in His Word than in all His works I may with very good confidence affirm this that there is no godly soul upon the face of the earth that hath the weakest degree of grace but hath seen more of the glory of God revealed in His word than he hath seen in all the works of God besides and his heart hath bin more taken with it It requires therefore a trembling frame of heart when we hear it And then further When this is considered that the Word is that which bindeth the soul over either to life or death mens eternal estates are to be cast by the Word certainly then it requires a trembling heart to hear that by which the eternal estate of man is to be cast we do not Sanctifie Gods Name when we come to hear the Word except we come with trembling hearts and they are the most likely of all men and women to understand the mind of God as for such as come with conceited spirits that they understand as much before they come and think their reach of wit or capacity is beyond the capacity of any that shall open the Word unto them yet that were not so much if 〈◊〉 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 wiâ—h trembling hearts to the Word they are the men that are like to understand Gods Counsels revealed in His word In Ezra 10.2 3. Shechaniah the Son of Jehiel one of the Sons of Elam answered 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 Commandement of our God So that those that tremble at Godâ— 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 Sanctifying Gods Name in hearing his Word 7 The next is a 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. 6.12 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 Lord. It is 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 boud 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 fall down and yeeld obedience to it whatsoever your thoughts your judgements your opinions have heretofore been it there come any thing in the word against 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 contentful to your spirits before yet now submit and yeeld though it go never so cross 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 confess 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 thought it was impossible that ever my heart should be taken from them but O 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
thoughts Next there must be constancie in prayer in 1 Thess 5.17 by that I mean this never to give over until we have that we pray for or something else in lieu of it it may be thou hast prayed and nothing is come of it be not discouraged thou hast to deal with a great God and therefore pray again and again and again and pray with this resolution well let God do with me what he will I will as long as I live call upon him and if God shall cast me away yet he shal cast me away calling upon him as the poor woman of Canaan when Christ cal'd her dog and discouraged her yet still she would pray I but dogs may have crums that heart is in an il condition that is discouraged in prayer because it doth not get what it would and therfore to think with themselves I had as good not pray at al take heed of any such thoughts Again If you would pray to God indeed so as to sanctifie his Name in prayer there should be humility in your hearts so as to be sensible of your own unworthiness I spake somwhat about being sensible of the distance between God and us when I spake about sanctifying of Gods name in general The last that I shall speak of is this when you have done all this all these qualifications will not sanctifie Gods Name except all be tendred up in the Name of Jesus Christ and in the power of his merits let a man or woman pray with as much fervencie zeale constancie purity in truth and sincerity yet except he puts up all in the Name of Christ I say he cannot be accepted our spiritual offerings must be tendered up in his Name but I have Preached much about that but now put all that hath been said together and this it is to pray That is when as I pray understandingly when I give my self to prayer when there are the breathings of the holy Ghost in my prayer when there is purity of heart like a golden vial together with sincerity when it is in truth of heart when it is in faith when it comes from a spiritual Adoption when it 's in fervencie when in constancie reverence humility and all put up in the Name of Jesus Christ now a man prayes as it is said of Saul behold he prayeth so I may say of those that are instructed in this Art behold they pray you see now that prayer is more than to reade in a book more than to say a few words ye see it is a very hard thing to pray a work of great difficultie and no marveil though we have lost so many of our prayers as we have done we must not charge prayer and God with it but look to our selves I mean not charge the Ordinance of prayer but the vilenesse of our carriage in our prayers and let us for time to come know what a Christan life means it is said of Christ in Luke 9.29 that as he was praying the fashion of his countenance was changed Oh that 's an excellent thing that when we have been in our closets at prayer to come away with our faces shining my Brethren could we but pray in such a manner as this is the very fashion of our countenacnes would be changed as Moses when he came from the presence of God upon the Mount or as Christ that had the fashion of his countenance changed Prayer it is the sweet ease of ones spirit it 's the help at a dead lift it 's the great Ordinance of our Communion with God in this world and therefore let us learn this Art of sanctifying Gods Name in Prayer I shall conclude all in this you have heard the mystery of the sanctifying the Name of God in worshipping God now I beseech you you that have been a long time in the School of Christ as it were Apprentices to Christ to learn Christianity be ashamed that you have understood so little of this art in Sanctifying the Name of God in Prayer It is an art and a mystery that you must be instructed in and you are not Christians till you are instructed in this as in an art and mystery And that man and woman that shall be instructed truly in this art and mystery in Sanctifying Gods Name now in the worshipping of him such a man and woman shall be to all eternity Sanctifying the Name of God in praising of him There is a time coming when all the Saints must be in the presence of God and be alwaies praising of him and they shall then Sanctifie Gods Name for ever let us now learn this art of Sanctifying Gods Name in praying that we may eternally Sanctifie his Name in praising of him FINIS AN EXACT ALPHABETICAL TABLE OF AL THE PRINCIPAL TRUTHS IN THE FOREGOING SERMONS A Absolutely SPirituall things to be prayed for absolutely Page 277 Accept Acceptation Acceptation of our persons the means of it Page 69 God accepts not the duties of wicked men Page 116 The services of the Saints accepted Page 120 Act Actual Action see Grace Actual sanctification Page 68 The Lord accepts the person before the action Page 69 God is a pure act and requires actual service Page 97 Adoption Sign of adoption to desire to be oft in Gods presence Page 36 We must pray in the spirit of adoption Page 294 Affections Affections the strength of them required in Gods worship Page 82 Aggravation Aggravation of sin to neglect due hearing the Word Page 200 Afflictions see Honor They that sanctifie not God in hearing the Word can have no comfort from it in afflictions Page 206 Whether it be lawfull to pray for afflictions Page 277 Afflictions in themselves materially evil Page 278 All All that we have must be given to God Page â—â— All things Sanctified to the godly Page 119 Altar Christ is the Altar upon which wee must offer all our sacrifices Page 92 Angel Angel what it signifieth Page 91 Angels the aggravation of their sin Page 195 Anger Anger not to be brought into Gods service Page 19 Apply We must apply the Word in hearing it Page 175 Apostasie see Schisme Apostasie the ground of it Page 106 Assurance The Gospel gives assurance of salvation Page 212 Attention Attention must be given in hearing of the Word Page 171 B Beginners Beginners in Religion to be carefull of preparation Page 56 Beleeving Beleeving the condition of the covenant of grace Page 232 Birds Wandring thoughts in Prayer as the birds to Abrahams sacrifice Page 283 Blast God blasts those men that sanctifie him not in worship Page 117 God will blast those that neglect his word Page 208 Bless Many blesse themselves in evill waies Page 198 To bless God for helping us against wandring thoughts in Prayer Page 289 Blind Blind sacrifice not to be offered to God Page 98 Blood A fearfull thing to be guilty of Christs blood Page 230 Breathing see Spirit Broken see Heart What kind of broken heart is required