I am to withdraw from him and to profess against communion with him so that that 's enough to answer the case We reade likewise that there were divers wicked men among the Corinthians and of Tares that grew in the Wheat It 's true There where wicked men among them but they were enjoyned by the Apostle to cast out those wicked men and if they did not do it it was there sin and they were defiled by it And for Tares that were among the Wheat take it that this is meant concerning the Church suppose it where and yet Christ saith plainly that the field is the world and it 's the godly and the wicked living together in the world and so I find many Interpreters take it but howsoever take it that it is meant of the Church-communion yet thus far is cleer that it was through the fault of the Officers that there should be any Tares among the Wheat for so the text saith plainly that while the servants slept there did Tares spring up therefore there should have been none Secondly They were not such Tares as would spoil the Wheat but as Hierom saith in those Countries the Tares did grow much like Wheat all the while it was in the blade so that they were hardly to be distinguished though some that were of more understanding were able to discern them from the Wheat therefore though such as do grow up like unto the Wheat may be suffered and yet in this case only that is in case that it will prejudice the Wheat that is when they are so close to the Wheat as there will be danger by plucking them up to pluck up the Wheat too then they must be let alone Mark first it was through the negligence of the Officers they should have been kept out Secondly if they do get in yet while they grow so close to the Wheat as there will be danger that when you pluck out them to pluck out the Wheat too only in that case it must be forborn but this gives no libertie that therefore all sorts may be let into the Church and there should be no kind of Ordinance to cast out those that are venemous weeds that will do hurt and mischief But if you understand it as many do concerning the world then the meaning is thus The preaching of the Gospel that comes to a place and there 's only good Seed sown and is a means of the conversion of many but together with the conversion of some there are others that do hear the Gospel preached and the truth is they being mingled among the hearers of the Word instead of bringing forth good fruit according to the Gospel they bring forth the Tares now saith the servant Lord how comes it to pass that we preach such excellent Truths in this place and yet there are so many wicked men that bring forth such wicked fruit Lord is it thy mind that we should be wholly separated from them and have nothing to do with them that there should be a full separation while we live in this world no saith Christ not so for then the truth is if all godly men should wholly withdraw from wicked men and beleeve that they may not live among them they could not live in the world If you did beleeve it were your dutie not so much as to live neer a wicked man nor to have any thing to do in any kind of converse with him there would be no Wheat growing in this field of the world here and therefore you must be content when you live where the preaching of the Gospel is and the seed brings forth good fruit in some and in others it brings forth Tares you must not be offended by this that here in this world God doth not by some visible stroke of judgment come and strike them dead or that God doth not take some course that there should be a full separation here but that they might live together til the day of judgment here I say you shall not have such a full separation so that you see it carries a very fair sense to take the field to be the world and the Kingdom of Heaven there to be the preaching of the Gospel in any place and so we must be content while we live in this world to be where wicked and ungodly men are But it doth not follow from this place that we are to have converse in the closest communion in Church-communion with wicked men to be made body by eating the same Bread and drinking the same Wine it holds not forth such close communion as this is so that there 's little strength can be taken from that place but still it holds that wheresoever there is the Sacrament of the Lords Supper there must be a holy communion of Saints Object The Scripture only saith Let us examine our selves Answ I grant for the benefit of mine own soul I must look to examine my self more especially but now for another I am but only so far bound to look to him as to keep my self clean it is true I am not bound to go and pry into his life and all his waies so as to force him to give an account of things that are secret but I am bound to keep a watch and if any thing be done that offends me then I am bound to go to him according to the formet Rule of Christ and if he appears to be wicked then I am bound to see him purged from the Congregition for take but that other text in 1 Cor. 5. 6. Know you not that a little leaven leaveneth the whol lump If I do not do so much as concerns my duty than I am defiled by it So as that you must not think that it is nothing to you how many wicked men comes to the Lords Table and that it belongs only to the Ministers and they are to look to it the truth is that every one in his place is to look to it and every one may be defiled if he doth not perform this duty that God requires of him do not say What have I to do with my Brother am I my Brothers keeper It was the speech of Cain if thou beest of the same body you are to have a care of your Brother do not ye Judg those that are within there is some kind of judgment that every one may pass upon such as do joyn with them in the same Body surely it concerns me much what shall I do in such an action as to joyn with them to eat Bread whereby I must profess that I do beleeve my self to be of the same body that this Drunkerd is of that this Whoremaster is of that this Swearer is of whenever you receive the Communion with any company you do profess your selves to be of the same body with that Company only in this case If I have discovered any and can particularly profess against any one then I do not profess my self to be of the
high ends in worshiping God 72 Several base low ends in worshiping of God 1 In subjecting his Worship to our lusts ib. 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 only in times of extremity ib. 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 an humble frame of spirit 84 Which consists 1 In admiring Gods goodness that we are alive to come before him ib. 2 To have no thought of any Excellency in our selves 85 3 To come without our own righteousness ibid 4 To take off our hearts from all ability of grace ib. 5 To wait Gods leisure 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 natural parts and not the spirit of God 1 If they change not the heart ib. 2 If they carry not through difficulties ibid 3 when men rejoyce in acting their parts ib. 4 When there is little enlargement in secret 88 5 when there is not constancy in duty ib. Duties acted by Natural Conscience 1 It gives no strength to do them ib. 2 The heart loves not the duty ib. 3 It doth not encrease communion with God ib. SERMON VI. 4 It makes not a duty strong to the soul 89 5 It limits it self in Duty ibid 6 It is satisfied with little 90 7 In the sanctifying Gods Name in Worship there must be a resignation of all to God ibid 8 All worship must be tendred 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 worshiped in spirit 93 2 God is Eternal and how to worship him in that consideration 94 3 God is Incomprehensible and therefore seeth us in every place 95 4 God is unchangable what that should teach us in our worship 96 5 God is a living God and what we should learn thence ibid 6 God is Almighty what that should teach us in our worship 97 7 God is Omniscient and what that should teach us 98 8 God is a God of wisdom and what that should teach us 99 9 God is Holy and what that should teach us in our worship ib. 10 God is Merciful and what that should teach us 100 11 God is Just and what that should teach us 101 12 God is Faithful and what we should learn thence 102 SERMON VII Reasons why God wil be sanctified in all the Duties of his Worship 1 God doth will himself the last end 104 2 The especial glory God hath in the world is to be actively honored 105 3 The duties of worship are the means to convey Gods choicest mercies ibid 4 We are not fitted to receive mercies but by sanctifying Gods Name ibid 5 Else we should not hold out in duty 106 Application 1 We have no cause to rest on our duties 107 2 The work of Religion is hard to flesh and blood 109 3 We should be humbled that we have no more sanctified Gods Name 110 4 Exhortation to sanctifie Gods Name 113 1 To consider we have to deal with God in worship 114 2 Not to come in our own strenghth 115 3 Not to be satiisfied with the duty done ibid 5 God is displeased with the duties of wicked men 116 1 God blasts such men 117 2 God opens their eyes on their death-beds to see what they have done 118 6 Those that sanctifie Gods Name he will sanctifie it in a way of mercy 119 SERMON VIII Of sanctifying Gods Name in hearing the Word 161 Hearing the word a part of Gods worship 162 1 We profess our dependance upon God for the knowing of his mind 163 2 In hearing we wait on God in the way of an Ordinance ibid In hearing the Word 1 There must be a preparation 165 Which is 1 To hear the word as the word of God 166 2 To hear the word as Gods Ordinance for our good ib 2 To plough up the fallow ground of the heart and what is meant by it 168 3 Resolution to yield to all truths delivered 170 4 A desire after the word ib. 5 Prayer before we hear the word 171 The behavior of the Soul in hearing the Word 1 Careful attention to it ib. Means to help attention ib. 2 An opening of the heart to receive it 175 3 Careful applying of the word ibid 4 It must be mixed with faith 177 How the word is to be mixed with saith ibid SERMON IX 5 The word must be received with meckness 179 6 It must be heard wich ae trembling heart 181 7 With humble subjection to the word 182 8 It must be received with love and joy 184 9 It must be received into an honest heart 186 10 We must hide the word in our hearts 189 11 We must turn the word into practice 192 SERMON X. Why God will be glorified in them that hear the word 195 1 Because there is so much of God in it ibid 2 God hath appointed it to convey special mercies ib. 3 It is quick and lively in working 196 Use 1. Reproof of several sorts of men concerning the word neglected 197 The fearful estate of those that do not sanctifie God in his Word 200 1 They lose the choicest opportunity ibid 2 The word wil be a great aggravation of sin ibid 3 They that reject the word reject Christ 201 4 It is an argument of hardness of heart 202 5 It is a sad sign of Reprobation ibid 6 To such there can be nothing sanctified 203 7 They are nigh to a curse ib. 8 It will turn to their damnation 205 9 It will not comfort them in afflictions 206 10 God will make his word good upon them 207 11 The word shal judg them ibid 12 God will blast them that sanctifie not his Name in his word 208 Use 2. Exhortation to glorifie the word of God 209 God wil sanctifie his Name in mercy upon those that sanctifie it in hearing the Word 210 1 All the good in the world is theirs ibid 2 It is a certain evidence of their election 213 3 God will sanctifie them by the word 214 4 They wil be the glory of the Ministers at the day of Christ ibid 5 It will rejoyce them hereafter when God shall magnifie his word 215 SERMON XI Of sanctifying the Name of God in receiving the Sacrament 225 1 Receiving the Sacrament is a part of Gods Worship 226 2 Gods Name must be sanctified in our receiving the Sacrament 228 1 Because there are
Secondly Our hearts must be sanctified because the Lord doth look more to the principle from whence a thing comes than at the 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 enjoy from God as what the principle is from whence they come that is Whether what we do enjoy from God is from the love of God in Jesus Christ or no Whether it it be from the general Bounty and Patience of God or from the special love of God in Jesus Christ Our hearts would regard that most if we were spiritual now then look as a godly man is not satisfied with enjoying any good thing from God except he knows it comes from a principle of love to him in Jesus 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 Holiness in our hearts 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 are 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 behavior 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 Majesty and in Glory as in Isa 9. 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 worshiped God they saw him upon his Throne in his Glory and so they worshiped him they worshiped God to purpose indeed when they saw the Lord in that Majesty as he was We should at all times have high thoughts of God take heed of having low thoughts and apprehensions of the infinite Majesty 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 infinit 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 excellency good and glory that all creatures in the world have and look upon the Lord every time thou comest to worship him as that God whom Angels do adore and before whom the Devils are forc'd 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 King were come into the room or any great Person it would compose your spirits because you have high thoughts of such as of those that are above you So let us look upon God as in his excellency 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 's the second thing First a sanctified heart and then high thoughts of God 3. A third thing is High-ends Raised-ends in the worshiping of God Prov. 15. 24. The way of life is above to the wise 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 aim 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 ends that thou aimest at when we are worshiping God we should have our hearts above all creatures and above our selves 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 baseness of spirit to mix with any base and low ends Now there are low and base ends in worshiping 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 worshiping 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 wickedness whosoever is conscious to himself of any kind of secret wickedness 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 careful to hear
any just occasion to others to say Is this to hear Sermons Do you get nothing else but this by hearing Sermons If you should open the mouths of men to say so of you the Word of God as much as lies in you would be disgraced by you you should rather think thus It were better for me that I should die and that I were under the ground and rotting there than that the Word of God should ever be disgraced by me Let me hold forth the glory of the Word the Word is that which hath done good to my soul the Word is that which I would not for ten thousand worlds but have heard it and shall I disgrace this Word shall I give any occasion that this Word of the Lord should be spoken ill of by reason of me O God forbid Therefore if you regard not your selves and your own honor yet regard the honor of the word If ever you have got any good by the word you should go away with this resolution well I will labor all the daies of my life to honor this word of God that I have got so much good by If this were but the resolution of every one of your hearts this morning it would be a blessed mornings work SERMON X. Leviticus 10. 3. I will be Sanctified in them that come nigh me NOW follow the Reasons why God stands so much upon it That he will have his Name Sanctified in this Ordinance of hearing his Word 1. First It is because there is so much of God in his Word and therefore we should Sanctifie Gods Name If it were possible there could be sin in Heaven that sin would be greater than sin committed here therefore the sin of the Angels when they were in Gods presence in a more special manner was the greater The Name of God being in any thing the greater will be the evil if we do not sanctifie Gods Name in it now there is very much of God in his Word more of God there than in all the Works of Creation and Providence In Ps 138. 2 Thou hast magnified thy Word above all thy Name There being therefore so much of God in his Word we must sanctifie the Name of God in it 2. Secondly God hath appointed His Word to be the great Ordinance to convey the special mercies that He intends for the good of His People That we spake to before in the general in shewing how the duties of Gods Worship are as a Channel for the conveyance of Special good to the Saints But none more than the Word that 's the Ordinance to convey the first Grace to those that belong to Gods election The Sacraments is for strengthening and therefore there is rather more in the Word than in the Sacrament and yet every one thinks in conscience that he is bound to come carefully to the Sacrament and to look to Sanctifie Gods Name there It is an easier matter to convince men and women that they are bound to sanctifie the Name of God when they come to receive the holy Communion than for the hearing of the Word they think not so much of that but certainly the Word is appointed to be an Ordinance of conveying more blessing than the Sacrament because it is appointed to convey the first Grace and to convey strength of Grace as well as the Sacrament Now being appointed to convey such great things to the souls of the elect both the first grace and strengthening of grace and comfort and assistance thereof the Lord expects to have his name santifiied in it 3. Thirdly The name of God must be Sanctiffed in the Word because the word is very quick and lively it works men or women to life or death to salvation or damnation In Heb. 4. 12. The word of God quick and powerfull and sharper than any two edged sword piercing even to the deviding a sunder of soul and spirit c. It is very quick of operation the text saith that is when God hath to deal with men by His Word He wil not stand dallying and trifling with them but he is very quick with them either to bring there soules to life or to cast them away The time of mens ignorance God winks at but now he cals all men to repent Let them look to it now God did forbeare in the time of ignorance but He will not forbear so when the word comes Now is the Ax laid to the root of the tree And when was that when John Baptist came to preach repentance because the kingdom of Heaven is at hand though the tree were barren before and did not bring sorth good sruit yet it might stand still and not be cut down but when the powerfull ministration of the World comes then the Ax is laid to the root of the Tree either now come in and be saved or resist the Word and perish And therefore that is very observable when Christ sends out His Disciples to preach in Mark 16. 15 16. Saith he Go ye into al the world and preach the Gospel to every creature and he that beleeveth and is Baptized shall be saved but he that beleeveth not shall be damned As if he should say there shall be quick work made with them go preach those that belong to my election shal be brought in to beleeve and be saved and the others shall be damned As if God should say If they will come in and imbrace the Gospel they shall be saved if they wil not they shall be damned and there is an end of them So that I say we have need to look to it that we Sanctifie the name of God in His Word upon these Three Grounds Because there is so much of God in His Word Because he hath appointed it to convey the greatest Mercies to His Saints And because God is very quick in His Word one way or other We shall now proceed to the Application of this Point And First by way of reprehension to all those that do not sanctifie Gods Name in hearing the Word and herein we shal shew their feareful condition and how God will Sanctifie His Name upon them in waies of judgment and then when we come to the use of Exhortation to exhort you to sanctifie the Name of God there we shall shew you likewise how God will sanctifie His Name in waies of mercy upon those that do sanctifie Him in waies of obedience in Hearing of His Word 1. For the first Certainly if that be to sanctsfie the Name of God that we have spoken of Gods Name is but very little sanctified by people that do come to hear His Word and we have no cause to wonder that there is so little good got by the Word because there are so few that make conscience to sanctifie Gods Name in hereing it Some there are that are so far from sanctifying Gods Name in it as they altogether neglect it and make it a matter of nothing whether they come to hear it
so you may see that God will have his Name sanctified upon them And they are these 1. In the first place You that do not sanctifie Gods Name in hearing his word in those waies that have been opened to you First you lose the greatest and happiest opportunity of good that ever creatures had for an outward opportunity indeed when God moves by his Spirit if that be neglected that opportunity is more than meerly hearing his Word but otherwise except it be at such a time when God adds his Spirit together with his Word I say you that are cast by the providence of God in such a place where the word of the Gospel is preached to you applied and urged upon you if you sanctifie not the Name of God to hear as you ought and to profit by it I say you lose the greatest opportunity for good that is in the world Oh what hast thou lost that hast lived many yeers under the Ministry of the Gospel and yet hast not been acquainted with this mystery of godliness in sanctifying Gods Name in the word There are many thousand souls that are and shall be blessing God to all eternity for what of God they have met withal in the Word but thou hast sat under it stuped as a block dead and barren and no good hath been done Wherefore is there a prize in the hand of a fool and he hath no heart to get wisdom This will lie upon thee heavy one day the loss of such an opportunity and that is the first 2. In the second place Know that this Word that is appointed by God for the conveyance of so much mercy to his Elect it will prove to be the greatest aggravation of thy sin that can be This is the condemnation that light is come into the world and men love darkness rather than light This is The condemnation If so be that light had not come among you then the condemnation had not been so great your sin had not been so great and your punishment had not bin so great In Mat. 10. 14 15. where speaking of those that did enjoy the Word and yet did not sanctifie Gods Name in it Whosoever shall not receive you saith Christ to his Disciples nor hear your words when ye depart out of that house or City shake off the dust of your feet Verily I say unto you it shall be more tolerable for the Land of Sodom and Gomorah in the day of judgment than for that City It is a most dreadful Scripture their very dust must be shaken off in token of indignation and it shal be more easie for the Land of Sodom and Gomorah in the day of judgment than for that place You would be very loth to be in a worse condition than Sodom and Gomorah that was consumed by fire from heaven And now suffer the venegance of eternal fire Jude 7. Certainly they shall not be so deep in judgments as those that live under the Ministry of the Word and sanctifie not the Name of God in it Your sin is of a deeper dye than the sin of the Heathens yea and in some respects than the sin of the Devils they never had the Word of the Gospel sent to be preached to them and therefore this will aggravate your sin not only beyond Heathens but beyond Devils Look to it then that Gods Name be sanctified in the hearing of his Word 3. Thirdly Know that so much as the Word is rejected Jesus Christ is rejected Luke 10. 16. He that despiseth you despiseth me and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me It is Christ himself that is rejected when the Word is rejected thou hast not to do with man so much as with Jesus Christ in the hearing of the Word and the power of Jesus Christ is to be put forth either to do thee good by the Word or to avenge thy neglect of the Word Therefore in Matth. 28. 18 19. when Christ sends forth his Disciples to preach he makes this preface All power is given unto me in Heaven and Earth Go ye therefore and teach As if he should say I have received all power in Heaven and Earth through the power I received I send you to preach and I 'le be with you to the end of the world that is Al power in Heaven and Earth shal go along with you to assist your Ministry either for the good of those that shall embrace it or for the misery of those that shal reject it so that whosoever stands out against the Ministry of the Word stands out against all thē power Heaven and Earth that is given to Christ do not think that thou doest resist a poor weak mortall man but thou doest resist all the power in Heaven and Earth And is not this a dreadfull thing then to be guilty of not sanctifying of Gods Name 4. Fourthly it is an Argument of extream hardness of heart not to be wrought upon by the Word Luk 16. 31 If they here not Moses and the prophets nether wil they be perswaded though one rose from the dead saith Abraham Certainly that man or woman that shall not be wrought upon by the Word so as to sanctifie Gods name in it I say to such If one should rise from the dead they would not have there hearts wrought upon and therefore much less are they like to be wrought upon by afflictions it may be some of you think when you are upon your sick beds then you will repent no surely if this that is the great Ordinance to bring men to God shall not work upon you so as God shall be honored in it you cannot expect that sick ness and affliction should do it no if one shall come from the dead to tell you of all the miseries that were there certainly if the Word work not upon you that will not do it But you wil say One would think that there should be more power to work upon the heart truly no because it is such an Ordinance appointed by God for working such great works upon the hearts and consciences of men as the Word is It is true the Word is but a weak thing in it self but here lies the strength that it is an Ordinance of God appointed for to work upon the hearts of men therefore if this work not upon you to give God glory in the hearing of it there is no other means like to do it 5. Fifthly when the Word works not upon men it is a dreadfull sign of reprobation If our Gospel be hid saith the Apostle in 2. Cor. 4. 3 it is hid to those that are lost It is a dreadful Argument that here is a lost creature one that God intends no good to One the Lord works upon perhaps he lets pass another one in a family and not in another Now where it is so that the Word worketh not I say there is no such dreadfull brand of Reprobation as this is It is true we cannot give
Nature of Jesus Christ and this is a Meditation that hath abundance that might spring out of it What hath the Son of God taken our Nature upon him hath he Body and Blood and human Nature upon him Oh! how hath God honored humane Nature Then let not me abuse my Body to Lust to Wickednesse seeing that Jesus Christ hath taken the body of man upon him humane Nature upon him let me honor humane Nature that is so neerly united to the Divine Nature That 's the second Meditation Med. 3. Here is presented unto us what this Mediator hath done for the reconciling of us unto God that his body was broken he hath subjected himself to the breaking of his body and to the powring forth of his blood for the reconciling of us it is not meerly as before that God saith I will pardon them but Christ undertaking to make peace between his Father and us it cost him the breaking of his body and the powring forth of his blood this is an useful Meditation Oh! what should we be willing to suffer for Jesus Christ in our bodies even to resist unto blood seeing Christ hath been content to have his precious body broken and his blood shed for us Med. 4. Again A Fourth Meditation is this That here we come to see we have occasion of meditating of what the Scripture saith That we are by the blood of God saved it is the blood of God They crucified the Lord of Glory that 's the Scripture phrase we should consider when we see the Wine powred out and so put in mind of blood Whose blood and whose body is this it is no other but the body and blood of him that was truly God the second Person in Trinity This is the great Mystery of the Gospel and this is very needful for us to be thinking of when we see the body broken and the blood powred out What will the breaking of the body and shedding of the blood of a meer creature be sufficient to make peace between God and Man surely no therfore you must meditate whose body this is and whose blood this is it is the body and blood of him that was God It 's true God hath no body nor no blood but the same person that was God had a body and blood that body and blood was united unto the Divine Nature in an hypostatical union and from thence it came to have an efficacy for to satisfie God for to reconcile God and us together This is the great Mystery of Godliness Med. 5. Another Meditation is this When you see the Bread broken and Wing powred out Oh! the infinit dreadfulness of the Justice of God! how dreadful is the Justice of God that coming upon his own Son and requiring satisfaction from him that should thus break him and bruise him that should have his blood that should require such sufferings even from his Son dreadful is Gods Justice the Justice of God it is to be feared and to be trembled at here we see what is required for the sin of man and nothing would be bated to Jesus Christ himself Med. 6. Another Meditation is this Here I see presented to me what every soul that shall be saved cost whoever shall have his soul saved he hath it sav'd by a ransom by a price paid that is more worth than ten thousand thousand worlds thou slightest thine own soul but if it prove to be saved it cost more than if thousands of worlds had been given for thee even the shedding of the blood of Christ every drop of which was more precious than ten thousand worlds Med. 7. Again From hence see what is the evil of sin how great it is that hath made such a breach between God and my soul that only such a way and such a means must take away my sin I must either have lain under the burden of my sin eternally or Jesus Christ that's God and man must suffer so much for it Oh what Meditations are these to take up the hearts of men Med. 8. Behold the infinit love of God to mankind and the love of Jesus Christ that rather than God would see the children of men to perish eternally he would send his Son to take our Nature upon him and thus to suffer such dreadful things herein God shows his love it is not the love of God so much in giving you a good voyage and prospering you outwardly in the world But so God loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son And it pleased the Father to break his Son and to powr out his blood here is the love of God and of Jesus Christ Oh! what a powerful mighty drawing efficacious Meditation should this be unto us Med. 9. Those that are Beleevers they shall be nourished to eternal life so that there is no fear that ever a Beleever should quite fall off from God and die in his sin Why Because the body and blood of Christ is given to him for his spiritual nourishment though a Beleever be never so weak yet seeing God hath appointed the body and blood of his Son for him to feed upon and to drink in a spiritual way surely then the weakest in the world will be strengthened to go through all the hazards and dangers that there are in the world 't is this that strengthens Beleevers to encounter with all kind of dangers it 's this that preserves the weakest grace in a Beleever namely the Spiritual nourishment that God the Father hath appointed to them even the feeding upon the Body and drinking the very Blood of his Son this is meat indeed and drink indeed that will nourish to eternal life Med. 10. The last Meditation is this When you come to this seeing the Bread broken and the Wine powred out you have an occasion to meditate of the whol new Covenant the Covenant of Grace that God hath made with sinners for so the words of institution are This is the Cup of the New Testament the New Testament which is all one with the New Covenant only different in this particular it contains the substance of the new Covenant but cal'd Testament in this regard to shew that the Lord doth do all in the new Covenant that is he doth not only promise such and such mercies upon condition of our beleeving and repenting but he doth work beleeving and repenting and works grace and therefore the same thing that is sometime call'd a Covenant is call'd a Testament that is the will of God wherein the Lord doth bequeath his rich legacies to his Children to those that shall be eternally saved so that all the good things in the Covenant of Grace they are bequeathed by way of Testament as well as Covenant and this is a mighty comfortable Meditation to the Saints for indeed when they look upon the way of the Gospel as in a way of Covenant why then they think thus This require somewhat of our parts to be done and indeed God will
will pray then it seems that the main matter of your prayer is onlie for your selves but how hath the matters of the Glorie of the great God and the good of the Churches taken your hearts all this while how have your hearts been affected with this that the Name of God hath been so little sanctified in the world and that the Kingdom of God hath not come and that the Will of God hath not been done have these things taken up your heart in prayer the matters of the Glorie of God and the good of Churches though your selves have not anie particular interest in them if these things did but take up your hearts in Prayer then when you are at Sea you would remember the cause of the Churches as much as your selves the Church is as it were in the midst of the Sea tost up and down and in a great storm now why do not you pray as earnestly for the Kingdom of Christ among his Churches as for your selves when you are in a strom at sea yea and spiritual things should be the chief matter of your prayer for they are the nearest to the glory of God though God hath his glory from other things yet spiritual things are neerest the glory of God now in these daies of prayer many will come to pray that they might be freed from danger that they might have outward peace this is good but spiritual things are the chief things and therefore the strength of your spirits should be thus powered forth to God Oh that I could get my heart to God and the assurance of the love of God! Oh that I could get the shine of his face Oh that I could get power over such and such corruptions And I beseech you observe this That spiritual things may be prayed for absolutly but outward things must be prayed for conditionally I may pray and never put any condition in at all That the Lord would pardon my sins and help me against my corruptions c. But when I pray for the health of my body I ought to pray if this be according to thy wil then restore me to the health of my body or the health of my husband or the health of my wife but thou maiest pray Lord convert the soul of my husband or the soul of my wife without any condition at al When your estates at sea are in danger when you pray for them you must make conditions Lord as thou seest best for me so do thou deale with me this shewes the excellency that there is in spirituall things above outward things surely spiritual things are more to be desired for they are to be prayed for absolutly and the others to be prayed for only conditionally That 's for the first In the second place We are to pray for our owne good God doth give us leave to do so onely here comes in a Question Quest Whether it be sinfull to pray for afflictions as somtimes some will be ready to do Answ To that I answer frist Take it absolutely considered we may not pray that God would afflict us because afflione is in its self materially an evil thing and a fruit of the curse therefore we may not I say absolutely pray for it but thus far we may pray for afflictions disjunctively conditionally comparatively Disjunctively thus Lord either grant unto me a sanctified use of such a mercie or otherwise let me rather be without it let me have a sanctified use of my siknes or otherwise let my sickness be continued to me thus now you may pray for continuing in sickness Or thus conditionally ' Lord if thou seest that my heart be so vile and wretched that I will abuse through my corruption such and such mercies Lord rather take them from me and let me be without them if thou seest that there be no way to break this proud heart of mine but such a way Lord let that be thy way to break it if thou seest it according to thy will as the fittest way Then comparatively thus Lord rather let me have any afffiction then sin rather let me suffer loss of my estate than sin against thee than depart from thee any thing Lord rather than sin Thus you may pray for afflictions but not absolutly You must not pray that God would send you afflictions absolutely for you do not know your hearts it may be if afflictions should come your hearts may be as stubborn under your afflictions as they are now for affliction hath no power in it self to do us any good And then for the good of others for Christ teaches us to pray Our Father c. There comes in here a rebuke of the wicked practice of divers in cursing and then a question about it It is a wicked thing to use curses but it 's a most wicked thing to wish evil to others in way of prayer yet how manie doe so though it may be they do not think it they speak to God and desire him to bring such and such evils upon their neighbors yea somtimes parents upon their children this is a wicked practice of men what is it not wickedness enough for thee to have any desire that there should any evil befall thy brother but wilt thou dare to presume to call God to be an instrument of the execution of thy base sinfull wrath that God must be a drudg as it were to thy wrath and to thy passion this is abominable wickedness Any of you that ever have been guilty of this sin of cursing others Wives Children Servants or Friends the Lord rebuke you for this sin how far hast thou been from sanctifying Gods Name in Prayer whereas instead of sanctifying the holy Name of God thou hast called God to be a servant and a drudg to thy passion God must be call'd to help the venting of thy passion Oh! remember this you that have been at Sea and have been angry and things not going according to your mind have fallen a cursing and wishing such and such evils might come upon those you are angrie with that 's a kind of prayer but it 's a most fearful taking the Name of God in vain in the highest degree and certainlie God will not hold him guiltless that shall so take his Name in vain therefore be humbled for this sin Object But you will say Do not we reade in the Book of Psalms where many times the Prophet David doth curse the Enemies of God and wishes evil to come upon them Answ To that I answer First That the Prophet and those that pen'd the Psalms they had a prophetical spirit and those places that you reade that are in a way of cursing they are rather prophetical predictions of evil than direful imprecations they are rather fore-telling what shall be in a way of prophesie than wishing what should be Secondly If they be wishing what should be then I answer That those which were endued with such a prophetical spirit they did know who were
Sacrament he gave thanks he gave thanks for what he gave thanks to God the Father that he was pleased to send him into the world to die for poor souls now shall Jesus Christ give thanks unto God the Father for that which did cost him his life yea saith Christ I see that here is a way to save souls and let it cost me my life if it will yet I bless thee O Father if souls may come to be saved though it cost me my life Christ rejoyced in his Spirit in thanking his Father for this then how should our hearts be enlarged with thankfulness when we come to this that the Ancients were wont to call the Eucharist that is a thanksgiving we are to give God thanks for every mercy you will not eat your own bread without giving of thanks but when we come to have this bread this bread of life here is matter of thankfulness here is matter of enlargment of soul thou that hast the deadest and dullest soul and straightest Spirit yet when thou comest hither and understandest what thou doest here thou canst not but see matter for the enlargment of thy heart and wish that thou hadst ten thousand thousand times more strength to express the praises of the Lord here is a thing that must be the subject of the Hallelujahs and doxologies that Angels and Saints must for ever sound out in the highest Heavens dost thou know what the Lord presents to thee here it is more than if the Lord should say I will make ten thousand worlds for the sake of this creature and give all these worlds to him thou wouldest think that thou wert bound to bless him then only when God in Bread and Wine reaches out to the the body and Blood of his Son here is more matter of praise then if ten thousand thousand worlds were given to thee and therefore God expects that thou shouldest say to thy soul My soul praise thou the Lord and all that is within me praise His holy Name bless the Lord O my soul and forget not all His benefits who forgiteth all thine iniquitie who healeth all thy diseases O poor soul here is the foundation of all mercies dost thou praise God for Justification for sanctification here is a glorious application of the mercie of God to the souls of sinners and therefore if ever thou wert thankfull be thankfull here The Sabbath my Brethren that is appointed to be the set constant day of thanksgiving for the great mercies of God in Christ and there are other daies for National mercies now a special work of the Lords day is The celebration of this holy Sacrament and the Christians in former times were wont to do it every Lords day because that is the day appointed by God for to be the day of thanksgiving for that great mercy the Lord Jesus Christ and that 's the reason why the Sabbath was changed the last day in the week was the Jewish Sabbath and that was to celebrate the memorial of the Creation of the World and the first day now it is to be the day of thanksgiving for al the work of God in mans Redemption Eighthly A further thing is this If you would sanctifie Gods Name you must be willing to renew your Covenant that 's the end of it there must be an actual renewing of your Covenant with God that 's thus I come to receive this Bread this wine and this is to be as the Seal of the Covenant on Gods part now this will be emplied in the nature of the thing that if I take the Seals of Gods Covenant that I must be willing to set to my Seal too to renew the Covenant that God calls me to now know all men and women that are sav'd they are sav'd by the vertue of the Covenant of Grace and there God on his part promises and makes a Cavenant That he will bestow his Son Life and Salvation through him and thou must likewise come in on thy part and beleeve on his Son and repent which is the Tenour of the Gospel now every time thou comest to receive this Sacrament thou comest to renew this Covenant As if thou shouldest say Lord thou hast been pleased to make a Covenant of Grace as the first Covenant was broken and all men were cast by that Covenant now thou hast made a Covenant of Grace and callest thy servants whom thou intendest to save that they should renew their Covenant with thee in this Sacrament of thine Lord here I come and Lord here I renew it and set to my seal to promise and Covenant with thee That as ever I expect to receive any good from Christ so Lord here I will be thine I will give up my self for ever to thee as thou hast given me the Body and Blood of Christ for my salvation so Lord here I consecrate my body and blood to thee the last drop of my heart blood shall be given to thee and so my strength and estate and name or what ever I am or have shall be thine Have you done thus when you have come to receive the Sacrament have you actually renewed your covenant with God you that have taken the body of Christ have you given up your body to Christ What 's the reason then that you sin so much with your bodies that you abbuse your body with uncleanness and drunkenness and other wickedness afterwards Oh you prophane the name of God and the very Body and Blood of Christ in this except thou givest up the body and soul to God in way of Covenant Ninthly in the last place for the sanctifying of Gods Name there is required the renewing of Love the coming with lovely dispositions and the renewing of the grace of love not only towards God but towards our Brethren for it is the feast of the Lord and it is an act of communion Communion not only with Christ but with His Churches with his saints and as I have told you that there is a profession of our selves to be of the same body with Jesus Christ then the Lord requireth that His Children should not fall out that come to His Table but that there should be love and peace there 's a mighty bond upon thee when thou comest to the Sacrament and therefore first all heart burnings and heart grudges must be laid aside and secondly you must come with a willinness to be reconcilled one to another willingnes to pass by all infirmities in thy Brethren here I have the Seal of Gods wllingness to pass by al my sins and therefore I must be willing to pass by all infirmities in my Brethren I must now cast out all ill wishes towards others and come with a disire of all good unto them and with a heart ready to imbrace any opportunity to do any good thou doest lye unto God except thou comest with such a heart as this is Lord thou knowest that I am willing to take all opportunities to do good
to those that I now do communicate with for it is the neerest Communion that possible can be in this world between one Creature and another and this is the reason why there should be that Ordinance of Christ set up every where to cast out those that are unworthy because it is the greatest union and Communion that possibly can be for it is the Sacrament and Communion of the same body they are the same Members of Christ Now if thou doest not think such an one to be a Member of Christ why doest not thou do what thou canst to have him cast out but so long as thou hast done nothing in private to him or in telling the Church thou doest own him to be a Member of Jesus Christ if thou doest so take heed how thy heart be estranged from him take heed how thou behavest thy self to them take heed how thou livest in a jarring and a contentious way with them and holdest them off at staves end or walking at a distance from them though they be never so poor and mean know that thou doest prophane this holy Ordinance every time thou comest to it when thou comest with such an heart as this is if thou dost not find this renewed love Lord there began to be a strangeness between me and those that have communicated with me but Lord thou art pleased to vouchsafe us to come once more to this Ordinance and Lord here we do profess that this Ordinance shall unite our hearts together more than ever they were I will study to do what good possibly I can to my brother that as we joyn here to the feast of the Lord with comfort so we may live together in peace love as it becomes the Saints of God and the Members of the Body of Jesus Christ Oh how far are people from any such work of God as this is The Lord expects this should be in you every time you come to the holy Communion Here hath been Nine particulars now mentioned for the sanctifying of the Name of God when we come to partake of the Sacrament but O Lord what cause have we to lay our hands upon our hearts for if this be to sanctifie thy Name then it hath been a riddle a mysterie to us Certainly my brethren these things are the Truths of God which I have delivered and so fare as you have been wanting in any of these know so far you have taken Gods Name in vain is this holy Ordinance you have not been worthy receivers of this Sacrament you have cause to look back to your former waies and spend much humiliation for your sin herein and not to be so greedy of it as some are they must have the Communion but I put it to your consciences Have you repented you for the profaning of Gods Name And that 's that we should further have spoken of That God will be sanctified that 's thus If we do not sanctifie Gods Name it will quite turn to the contrary it is the proper end of the Sacrament to seal up our salvation but if we sanctifie not Gods Name it will seal up our condemnation if it hath not been thy endeavor to sanctifie the Name of God so many times as thou hast received the Sacrament so many seals hast thou upon thee for the sealing up of thy condemnation But yet for thy comfort while thou art alive it is possible that these sels may be broken open as we reade in the Revelations that John saw the Book that had seven seals upon it and none could be found that was able to open it at length the Lamb that was slain he was found worthy to open the Book So I say thy condemnation is sealed up with many seals and there is no creature that is able to conceal these seals only the Lamb Jesus Christ yea that Christ whose blood thou hast shed and been guilty of only he is worthy and he is willing to open these seals for as it was with those that did crucifie Christ yet they were saved by the same blood that thay had shed as in Acts 2. So though thou hast been guilty of shedding the blood of Christ again and again by thy prophane coming to the Sacrament yet know seeing there is life in thee and the day of Grace is continued it is possible that thy soul may be sav'd by that blood that thou hast crucified Oh how many are cut off that have thus prophaned the Name of God in this Sacrament and never came to understand this danger they are cut off and now are undone for ever then bless God that thou art alive to hear more about this Sacrament and how Gods Name should be sanctified that thou art alive and hast time to repent the of this great evil of prophaning the Name of God in this holy Sacrament SERMON XIII Leviticus 10. 3. I will be Sanctified in them that come nigh me THere is one thing more about the Sanctifying the Name of God in the Sacrament which cleerly concerns us and that is To keep the Institution of the Sacrament for this is such a Worship of God as depends meerly upon institution that is upon a positive Law upon the wil of God There are some duties of Worship which are natural that we may know by the light of nature they are due to God but the Sacrament is a duty of worship that is only by institution and if God had not revealed it we had not been bound to it therefore in these duties of institution God stands very punctual upon them we must be very exact neither to err on the right hand nor the left to make any alteration in the points of Institution Now therefore for the Institution of this Sacrament we find it in divers of the Evangelists in Matth. 26. 26. there you shall find that Christ and his Disciples they eat the Sacrament together and this was the way of it They were together sitting at the same Table so it is called the Table of the Lord sometimes in Scripture therefore that 's the first thing that is according to the institution that those that do communicate must come to the Table as neer as they can as many as can sit about it and all to come as neer as they can and the reason is Because that otherwise you will not be able to attain the end why God should have you come to receive the end is to remember the death of Christ now except pou be able to see the Sight to see what is done to have your eye as well as your ear exercised you do not fully accomplish the end that is appointed for this is a Sacrament that doth present to our eyes the death of Christ and the great mysteries of salvation and therefore it is according to the institution that every Communicant must be where he may behold what is done he must be where he may see the breaking of the Bread and the powring forth of the