there 2. He seeth how you pray Rom. 8. 27. It is propounded as the Comfort of the Saints And he that searcheth the Heart knoweth what is the Mind of the Spirit God knoweth you throughly and can distinguish of your Prayers whether they be customary and formal or serious Acts of Love to God and Communion with him 2. The other thing which is propounded here is God's Reward And he will reward thee openly How doth God reward our Prayers Not for any Worth or Dignity which is in them What Merit can there be in begging what doth a Beggar deserve in asking Alms But it is out of his own Grace and Mercy having by Promise made himself as it were a Debtor to a poor faithful and believing Supplicant But He will reward thee openly how is that Either by a sensible Answer to thy Prayers as he doth often to his Children by granting what they pray for as when Daniel was praying in secret God sent an Angel to him Dan. 9. 20. Or by an evident Blessing upon their Prayers in this World for the conscionable Performance of this Duty Abraham Isaac and Iacob that were Men of much Communion with God were eminently and sensibly blessed they were rewarded openly for their secret Converse with him Or it may be by giving them Respect externally in the Eyes of others A praying People dart Conviction into the Consciences of Men. It is notable that Pharaoh in his Distress sent for Moses and Aaron and not for the Magicians The Consciences of wicked Men are open at such a time and they know God's Children have special Favour and great Audience with him and he having the Hearts of all Men in his hands can manage and dispose Respect according as he pleaseth And when they are in Distress this Honour God hath put upon you they shall send for you to pray with them and those which honour him tho but in secret God will openly put Honour upon them 1 Sam. 2. 30. But chiefly this is meant at the Day of Iudgment then those which pray in secret their heavenly Father will reward them openly When thou relievest the Poor and shewest Comfort to the Needy they cannot recompence thee but then thou shalt be recompensed at the Resurrection of the Just Luke 14. 14. There 's the great and most publick Reward of Christians 1 Cor. 4. 5. Then he will bring to Light the hidden Things of Darkness and will make manifest the Counsels of the Heart and then shall every Man have Praise with God That is every Man that is praise-worthy however he be mistaken and judged of the World for the Apostle speaks it to comfort them against the Censures of Men. And mark this is opposed to the reward which the Pharisees pleased themselves with It was much with them to be well thought of in such a Synagogue or before such a Company of Men but your Father which seeth in secret will reward you openly that is not only in the Eyes of such a City or Town but before all the World The Point is this Doct. That private solitary and Closet-Prayer is a Duty very necessary and profitable It is a necessary Duty for Christ supposeth it of his Disciples to whom he speaks But thou when thou prayest c. And it is profitable for unto it God makes Promises you have a Father which seeth in secret and one day shall be owned before all the World First It 's a Duty Necessary and that will appear 1. From God's Precept That Precept which requireth Prayer requireth secret and Closet-Prayer For God's Command to pray first falls upon single Persons before it falls upon Families and Churches which are made up of single Persons therefore where God hath bidden thee to pray you must take that Precept as belonging to you in particular I shall give some of the Precepts Col. 4. 2. Continue in Prayer and watch in the same with Thanksgiving And 1 Thes. 5. 17. Pray without ceasing These are principally meant of our personal Addresses to God every Man for himself for in joyning with others the Work is rather imposed upon us than taken up upon choice and that can only be at stated Times when they can conveniently meet together but we our selves are called upon to continue to pray and that without ceasing that is to be often with God and to keep up not only a praying Frame but a constant Correspondence with him Surely every Man which acknowledgeth a God a Providence and that depends upon him for Blessings much more every one that pretends he hath a Father in Heaven in whose Hands are the Guidance of all the things of the World is bound to pray personally and alone by himself to converse with God 2. I shall argue it from the Example of Christ which bindeth us and hath the force of a Law in things moral as Christ's Word is our Rule so his Practice is our Copy This is true Religion to imitate him whom we worship In this you must do as Christ did Now we often read that Christ pray'd alone he went aside to pray to God therefore if we be Christians so it should be with us Mark 1. 35. And in the Morning rising up a great while before Day he went out and departed into a solitary Place and there prayed He left the Company of his Disciples with whom he often joyned that he might be alone with God betimes in the Morning And again you have it Mat. 14. 23. And when he had sent the Multitude away he went up into a Mountain apart to pray and when the Evening was come he was there alone And Luk. 6. 12. It is said He went out into a Mountain to pray and continued all Night in Prayer to God You see Christ takes all Occasions in retiring and going apart to God Now the Pattern of Christ is both engaging and encouraging It is very engaging Shall we think our selves not to need that Help which Christ would submit unto There are many proud Persons which think themselves above Prayer Christ had no need to pray as we have he had the Fulness of the God-head dwelling in him bodily yet he was not above Prayer And if he had need of Prayer he had no need of Retirement to go and pray alone his Affections always served and he was not pestered with any Distraction and all Places and Companies were alike to him and yet he would depart into a solitary Place that he might be private with God Then the Pattern of Christ is very encouraging For whatever Christ did he sanctified in that respect his Steps in every Duty leave a Blessing Look as Christ sanctified Baptism by being baptized himself and made the Water of Baptism to be saving and comfortable for us and the Lord's-Supper by being a Guest himself and eating himself at his own Table So he sanctified private Prayer when he prayed a Virtue went out from him he left a Strength to enable us to pray
Covenant By Creation to all Mankind kind so he will be ready to sustain that which he hath made he that hath given Life will give Food he that hath given a Body will give Raiment Things expect Supply thence from whence they received their Being But much more by Covenant so he is our Father in Christ Doubtless thou art our Father though Abraham be ignorant of us Isa. 63. 16. Well but what 's this to the present Purpose that God is a Father This is a Check to babling therefore we should go to him in an unaffected manner with a Child-like Spirit and Dependance with Words reverent serious and plain Children do not use to make starch'd Speeches to their Fathers when they want Bread but only express their natural Cry and go to them for such things as they stand in need of there they speak and are accepted and a Word from a Child moves the Father more than an Orator can move all his Hearers Even such a naked Address should we make to God in a plain manner for when we come to pray Christ would have us take up God in the Notion of a Father and to behave our selves in a natural way to him for affected Eloquence or Loquacity in Prayer is one of the main things Christ here disproves Prayer ought to be simple and plain Therefore the great Business of the Spirit of Adoption is to make us cry Abba Father Rom. 8. 15. 2. He is such a Father as is not ignorant of our Wants The care of his Providence is over all the Creatures he hath made God hath an Inspection over them to provide Necessaries for them much more over his People His Eyes run to and fro to find them out in all the places of their Dispersion and he doth exercise his Power for their Relief 2 Chron. 16. 9. Now this Thought should be rooted in our Hearts when we come to pray to God I go to a Father which hath found me out in the Throng of his Creatures and knows what is good for me This is a great ground why we should not use Battology because God knows what my Needs are Words are not required for God's sake but for ours not to inform God but that we may perform our Duty the better Well then so far as they are useful so far they should be used to bound our Thoughts to warm our Affections to strengthen our Faith 1. To bound our Thoughts for an Interruption in Speech is sooner discerned than an Interruption in Meditation 2. And to warm our Affections Words at first are Vent to Affection but afterwards they continue to increase the Affection as a Hearth is first warmed by the Fire and then it serves to keep in the Fire 3. And they conduce to strengthen our Faith while we plead Promises in God's hearing We wrestle with God that we may catch a heat our selves And therefore Words should be only used as they conduce to the strengthning our Faith or continuing our Affection to God Longer than they serve that End in Prayer they are Babling and vain Repetitions and much speaking which Christ here forbids Consider there is not a Change in God but a Change in us wrought by Prayer 'T is neither to give Information to God that he may know our meaning nor to move him and persuade him to be willing by our much speaking but only to raise up our own Faith and Hope towards God 3. He is such a Father as is not unwilling to relieve us Your heavenly Father is very ready to give you such Things as you stand in need of as Christ expresseth it Mat. 7. 11. If ye being evil know how to give good Things unto your Children how much more shall your heavenly Father give good Things to them that ask him And Luke 11. 13. it is How much more shall your heavenly Father give his holy Spirit When you come to beg for Grace consider what earthly Parents would do for a Child Their Affections are limited they are in part corrupt and poor straitned Creatures have not such Bowels of Compassion as God and yet when a Child comes to them with a genuine Cry with a sense of his Want and Confidence of his Father he cannot harden his Bowels against his Child This also checks much speaking for we do not pray to stir up Mercy in him as if he needed much Intreaty and were severe and delighted to put the Creature to Penance No he is ready before we ask he knows our Wants and Needs and is ready to supply us with those Things we stand in need of only will have this comely Order observed Sometimes he prevents our Prayers before we ask Before they call I will answer and I am found of them that sought me not Before we can have a Heart to come the Lord prevents us with his Blessing And sometimes he gives us what we ask This is the Condescension of God that when you call he will answer and when you cry he doth in his Providence say What will you have poor Creatures And he gives more than we ask As Solomon asked Wisdom and God gave him more than he asked Wisdom Riches and Honour Object But here 's an Objection These Notions seem not only to exclude long Prayer and much speaking but all Prayer If God know our Wants and is so ready to give whether we ask or no what need we open them to him in Prayer at all I answer It is God's prescribed Course and that should be enough to gracious Hearts that will be obedient to their Father Whatever he intends tho he knows our Wants and resolves to answer them yet it is a piece of religious Manners to ask what he is about to give Ier. 29. 11. I know my Thoughts towards you Thoughts of Peace yet will I be enquired of you for these Things God knows his own Thoughts hath stated his Decrees and will not alter the beautiful Course of his Providence for our sakes yet he will be sought unto So Ezek. 36. God purposed to bless them and therefore promiseth I will do thus and thus for you yet vers 37. I will yet for this be enquired of by the House of Israel to do it for them I will do it but you shall milk out the Blessing by Prayer This Course is also necessary and that both for his Honour and our Profit and Comfort 1. It is necessary for his Honour that God may still be acknowledged that the Creature may be kept up in a constant dependance upon God and may go about nothing but may ask his Leave Counsel and Blessing Prov. 3. 6. In all thy Ways acknowledg him and he shall direct thy Paths We ask God's Leave that we may do such a thing for he hath the Dominion over all Events And if we are doubtful we ask his Counsel whether we may stay here or there or dispose of our selves and Families And we ask his Blessing upon our Resolution Now
to bring your Hearts to God in this manner AN EXPOSITION OF THE Lord's-Prayer Our Father which art in Heaven I Have insisted upon the foregoing Verses which do concern the Duty of Prayer let me now come to the Lord's-Prayer it self This Prayer was form'd and digested by Christ and therefore to be highly esteemed by Christians Jesus Christ who was the Wisdom of God he knew both our Necessities and the Father's good Will towards us and therefore surely he would give us a perfect Form and Directory We are not absolutely tied to this Form we do not read that it was ever used by the Apostles tho we have many of their Prayers upon Record in the Acts and in the Epistles yet they plainly differ as to the Construction of the Words And this very Prayer is diversly set down by the Evangelists themselves Mat. 6. 11. Give us this day our daily Bread it is in other Words Luke 11. 3. Give us day by day our daily Bread And v. 12. And forgive us our Debts as we forgive our Debtors in Luke 11. 4. it is And forgive us our Sins for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us But however tho we are not tied to this Form yet I think it may be humbly used for Christ taught his Disciples how to pray while as yet they were in their Ignorance and Tenderness and had not received the Spirit And God usually puts Words into Sinners Mouths Hosea 11. 2. Take with you Words and say unto him Receive us graciously Look as Ioseph is said to feed his Father and his Brethren as a little Child is nourished as it is in the Margent there is not only Food provided but it is put into their Mouths Gen. 47. 12. So did Christ teach his Disciples to pray not only as directing them what they should pray for but putting a Form of Words into their Mouths In this Prayer there are three Parts observable 1. The Preface 2. The Petitions themselves 3. The Conclusion In the Preface we have a Description of God as always we should begin Prayer with awful Thoughts of God God is described partly from his Goodness and Mercy Our Father and partly from his Greatness and Majesty Which 〈◊〉 in Heaven I. His Goodness and Mercy Our Father Where is set forth 1. The Relation wherein God standeth to his People in the Word Father 2. Their Propriety and Interest in that Relation wherein not the particular Interest of a single Believer is asserted My Father but the general Interest of all the Elect in Christ Our Father I shall wave all which may be said concerning Prayer in general concerning the Lawfulness or Unlawfulness of a Form in Prayer The Disputes concerning the Use of this Form as also all the Disputes concerning the Object of Prayer which we learn from hence to be God alone Surely Prayer is a Sacrifice and belongeth only to God it cannot be made to any other but to him who knoweth all the Prayers that are made in the World at the same time and the Hearts of all those that pray I will also wave what might be spoken concerning Preparation before Petition for here there is a Preface before the Prayer it self Neither shall I speak concerning the Necessity of conceiving right Thoughts of God in Prayer how we may conceive of his Goodness to beget a Confidence of his Majesty to beget an Awe and Reverence That which I shall insist upon is the Notion and Relation under which God is here expressed which is that of Father Our Father Observe Those that would pray aright must address themselves to God as a Father in Iesus Christ. Hypocrites at the last Day will cry Lord Lord but Christ hath taught us to say Our Father Here I shall I. Enquire in what Sence God is a Father II. What Encouragements we have from thence in Prayer when we can take him up under this Notion and Appellation I. In what Sence God is a Father This Title may be given to God either essentially or with respect to personal Relation 1. Essentially and so 't is common to all the Persons in the Godhead Father Son and Holy-Ghost all three are God and our Father And thus not only the First Person but the Second is called the Everlasting Father Isa. 9. 6. And the Holy-Ghost being Author of our Being is called our Maker But 2. It may be ascribed to God personally And so the first Person is called God the Father and that either with relation to Christ or to us 1. With relation to Christ as the Son of God So the first Person is called the Father as he is the Fountain of the Deity communicating to and with him the Divine Essence Psal. 2. 7. Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee The personal Property of the Father is to beget and of the Son to be begotten There is an eternal Now wherein God is said to beget him Thus he may be called the Father of Christ as he is the second Person now as Incarnate and Mediator Tho God be Christ's Father as second Person yet they are all equal in Power Dignity and Glory But as Mediator God is his Father in another respect So it is said Iohn 14. 28. My Father is greater than I Not as God for so he was equal He thought it no Robbery to be equal with God Phil. 2. 6. But greater than I that is consider him as Man and Mediator in the state of his Humiliation For it is notable to consider upon what occasion Christ speaks these Words If ye loved me ye would rejoyce because I said I go unto the Father for my Father is greater than I That is You admire me and prize my Company exceedingly because you see the Power which I put forth in the Miracles which I do ye would rejoice if you understood it aright He is infinitely more glorious than I appear in this State of Abasement and Humiliation Thus with respect to Christ God the first Person may be called the Father 2 With respect to Vs for the first Person is not only the Father of Christ but our Father John 20. 17. I go to my Father and your Father We share with Christ in all his Relations As God was his God by Covenant so he is our God And in this Sence personally it may be taken here for our Business lieth mainly with the first Person with whom Christ intercedeth for us 1 Iohn 2. 1. We have an Advocate with the Father even Iesus Christ the Righteous Before whom doth he appear Before the Father And it is to him to whom we direct our Prayers tho not excluding the other Persons Eph. 3. 14. I bow my Knees unto the Father of our Lord Iesu◠Christ. Tho it be not unlawful to pray to Christ or to the Holy-Ghost for that hath been done by the Saints Stephen saith Lord Iesus receive my Spirit and Iacob saith The Angel of the Covenant bless the Lads
Children of God or no 1. In Prayer by a kind of Naturalness or Delight in this Duty of holy Commerce with God Rom. 8. 15. We have received the Spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba Father Gal. 4. 6. Because ye are Sons God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your Hearts crying Abba Father And Zech. 12. 10. I will pour upon the House of David and upon the Inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of Grace and of Supplication Where-ever the Spirit of God is dispensed and dwelleth in the Hearts of any the Heart of that Man will be often with God The Spirit of Grace will put him upon Supplication he will be often acquainting God with his Desires Wants Fears 2. You will be mainly carried out to your Inheritance in Heaven Those which are the Children of God do look after a Child's Portion and will look for an Estate in Heaven and cannot be satisfied with present Things Worldly Men they have their Reward Mat. 6. 2 They discharge God for other Things If they may have Plenty Honour worldly Ease and Delights here they never look after Heaven As a Servant hath his Reward from Quarter to Quarter but a Child waits until the Inheritance comes So when we are begotten for this lively Hope when there is an Heavenly-mindedness in you this is a Fruit of the Holy-Ghost wrought in the Heart by which you might know you are the Sons of God Rom. 8. 23. Having the First-Fruits of the Spirit we groan within our selves waiting for the Adoption to wit the Redemption of our Body 3. By a Child-like Reverence and Dread of God when we are afraid to offend God Ier. 35. 5 6. The Sons of Rechab their Father had commanded them that they should drink no Wine now saith God by the Prophet Set Pots full of Wine and Cups and say unto them Drink ye Wine That is present the Temptation No they would not Our Fathers have forbidden us So when a Child of God is put upon Temptation his Heart recoils and reasons thus How can I do this Wickedness and sin against God I dare not my Father hath forbidden me There is an Awe of his Heavenly Father upon him 1 Pet. 1. 17. If you call on the Father who without respect of Persons judgeth according to every Man's Work pass the Time of your sojourning here in Fear We now come to speak of the Possessive Particle Our Father The Word is used for a double Reason 1. To comfort us in the Sense of our Interest in God 2. To mind us of the common Interest of all the Saints in the same God It is not my or thy Father only but our Father First Observe the great Condescension of Christ that poor Creatures are allowed to claim an Interest in God If Christ had not put these Words in our Mouths we never had had Boldness to have gone to God and said Doubtless thou art our Father But he which was in the Bosom of God and knew his Secrets hath told us it is very pleasing to God we should use this Compellation to him This is a Privilege which cannot be sufficiently valued if we consider 1. The Unworthiness of the Persons which enjoy it poor Dust and Ashes sinful Creatures that were Children of the Devil that we should lay Claim and Title to God for our Father And 2. If we consider the Greatness of the Privilege it self O behold what manner of Love the Father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called his Children 1 John 3. 1. We think it much when we can say This Field this House is mine but surely this is more to say this God is mine Again Observe here That Interest is a ground of Audience So Christ would have us begin our Prayers Our Father God's Interest in us and our Interest in God God's Interest in us When Christ mediates for his Disciples he saith Ioh. 17. 6. Thine they were and thou gavest them me And David Psal. 119. 94. I am thine save me That 's his Argument the Reason is Because God by taking them for his own binds himself to preserve and keep them Every Body is bound to look to his own He that provides not for his own is worse than an Infidel Now what a sweet thing is it when we can go to God and say we are thine So it is the same as to our Interest in God it is an excellent Encouragement Psal. 42. 11. Hope thou in God saith David to his Soul why for he is my God And elsewhere reasoning with himself Psal. 23. 1. The Lord is my Shepherd I shall not want First his Covenant-Interest is built and then Conclusions of Hope So 2 Sam. 30. 6. David encouraged himself in the Lord his God It is sweet when we can go to God as our God Luther was wont to say God was known better by the Predicament of Relation than by his natural Properties Why is Interest such a sweet thing Because by this Relation to God we have a Claim to God and to all that he can and will do God hath made over himself quantus quantus est as great as great he is for his Use and Comfort Therefore the Psalmist saith Psal. 16. 5. The Lord is the Portion of mine Inheritance and of my Cup. A Believer hath as sure a Right and Title to God as a Man hath to his Patrimony to which he is born Look as the Right was any Israelite had to that Share which came to him by Lot so we may lay claim to God and live upon his Power and Goodness as a Man doth upon his Estate Well then labour to see God is yours if you would find acceptance with him It is not enough to know the Goodness and Power of God in general but we must discern our Interest in him that we may not only say Father but Our Father It is the Nature of Faith thus to appropriate and apply Iohn 20. 28. My Lord and my God How is God made ours How shall we know it that we may come and lay our Claim to him Behold Christ teacheth us here to say Our Father by taking hold of his Covenant and this is God's Covenant-Notion I will be your God and you shall be my People When we give up our selves to be God's then he is ours Resignation and Appropriation go together I am my Beloved's there 's the Resignation of Obedience And he is mine there 's the Appropriation of Faith A Believer cannot always say God is his but I am thine however it be with him he would be no others but the Lord's If he cannot say he is God's by an especial interest yet he will be God's by the resignation of his own Vows He knows God hath a better Right and Title to him than he hath to himself Quest. But how shall we know that we do indeed resign up our selves to God I answer When we make him our chief Good and our utmost End that is
foolish that had so late Experience of the Flood and when the Ark rested upon the top of the highest Mountains found themselves to be at so great and vast a distance from Heaven Some think it was as Iosephus to secure themselves from another Flood But that was sufficiently done by God's Promise who had engaged to them he would no more destroy the Earth by Water and if that were their intention why should they build in the Plain between the two Rivers of Tygris and Euphrates Moses gives the main reason there that they might have an immortal Name among Posterity But now see how ill they reckon that do reckon without God Those that are so busy about their own Name how soon will God blast them When in any Action we do not seek Glory to God but our selves it 's the ready way to be destroyed This was the Means to bury them in perpetual Oblivion Nebuchadnezzar when he re-edified the City Dan. 4. 30. Is not this great Babylon that I have built for the House of the Kingdom by the might of my Power and for the honour of my Majesty How doth God disappoint him and turn him out among the Beasts Thus are we sure to be disappointed and blasted when our Hearts run altogether upon our own Name But now Christ saith Thy Name when we are careful of that this is the way to prosper From the Words thus illustrated I shall only observe Doct. That God will be so glorified in the World as that his Name may be hallowed or sanctified Here I shall shew 1. How many ways God's Name is sanctified 2. Why God will be so glorified as that he may be sanctified First How many Ways is God's Name sanctified I answer either upon us or by us 1. Vpon us by the righteous Executions and Judgments of his Providence And so God is sanctified when he doth by a high hand of Power recover and extort the Glory of his Holiness from the dead and stupid World As by that notable stroke of the Bethshemites when Fifty thousand were slain for peeping into the Ark 1 Sam. 6. 20. This was the result of all Who is able to stand before this Holy Lord God There he discovered himself to be a Holy God to be one that hath a high displeasure against the Creatures Disobedience Now when he doth by a high hand extort this from the Wicked or from his Children then he sanctifieth himself upon us 2. By us And so he is sanctified in our Thoughts Words and Actions in our Heart Tongue or Life 1. In our Hearts 1 Pet. 3. 15. Sanctify the Lord God in your Heart How is God sanctified in our Hearts 1. When we have awful Thoughts of his Majesty Psal. 111. 9. Holy and Reverend is his Name Not only when we speak of the Name of God but when we think of it we should be seriously affected But 2. More especially God is sanctified when in Straits Difficulties and Dangers we can bear our selves upon the power and sufficiency of God and go on resolutely and chearfully with our Duty notwithstanding Discouragements This is to sanctify the Lord God in our Hearts I shall prove it by two places where the Phrase is used one is 1 Pet. 3. 15. Be ready always to give an answer to every Man that asketh you a reason of the Hope that is in you with Meekness and Fear Mark the Christians that did profess the Name of God which spake of God as their Hope or Object of their Religion were in great danger Now what direction doth he give them that they might not be afraid but bear up For he speaks before Be not afraid of their Terror or be troubled But sanctify the Lord God in your Hearts See the same Phrase used for the same purpose Isa. 8. 13. Sanctify the Lord of Hosts himself and let him be your Fear and let him be your Dread He opposeth it plainly there to Carnal Fear vers 12. Say ye not a Confederacy to all them to whom this People shall say a Confederacy neither fear ye their Fear nor be afraid But sanctify the Lord of Hosts himself and let him be your Fear How comes this direction to be used in the present Case Thus to sanctify is to set apart and to sanctify God is to set God apart as the alone Object of Fear and Trust that he alone is to be feared and trusted so that we can see no match for God among the Creatures Therefore we are to embolden our selves in the Lord and go on chearfully when we can counter-ballance all Fears and Dangers with his surpassing Excellency To Glorify God is to do that which simply and absolutely tendeth to the Manifestation of his Excellency without any Relation to the Creature But to Sanctify God is to set God above the Creature to do that which tends to exalt his Greatness and Excellency from and above all Terrors and all the Discouragements that we can have from the Creature It is to ascribe that Greatness that Power and Glory to God alone which cannot be ascribed to any thing else and so to go on chearfully with our Duty whatever Difficulties we meet with Thus Moses was chidden that was amazed with present Difficulty Numb 20. 12. And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron Because ye believed me not to sanctify me in the Eyes of the Children of Israel therefore ye shall not bring this Congregation into the Land which I have given them Because they were discouraged and thought they should never carry on their Business therefore God saith Ye believe not to sanctify me You sanctify not God or set him aloft as the alone and Supream Object of Fear and Trust. It is a practical acknowledgment of God's matchless Excellency Thus we sanctify God in our Hearts 2. God is sanctified with our Tongues when we use God's Name Titles Ordinances and Word as Holy Things When we speak of the Lord with Reverence and with great seriousness of Heart not takâ—ng his Name in vain especially when we are deeply affected with his Praise It is no slight thing to praise God God's People when they have gone about it see a need of the greatest Help Psal. 51. 15. O Lord open thou my Lips and my Mouth shall shew forth thy Praise And Psal. 45. 1. My Heart is inditing a good matter my Heart frys or boyls a good Matter When we will not give God Dough-bak'd Praise nor speak of his Name slightly but so as becomes his Greatness and surpassing Excellency 3. In our Actions Our Actions may be parted into two things Worship and ordinary Conversation 1. In our Worship there God especially will be sanctified Lev. 10. 3. I will be sanctified in all that draw near unto me God is very tender of his Worship Sancta Sanctis Holy Things must be managed by Holy Men in a Holy Manner Therefore what is it to sanctify God when we draw nigh to him To have a more excellent
frame of Heart in Worship than we have about other things As in Prayer the frame of our Hearts must not be common we must not go about it with such a frame of Heart as we go about our Callings worldly Business and Converses with Men but there must be some special Reverence such as is peculiar to him When we draw near to God in the Word he will be sanctified The Word must be received with Meekness and by Faith applied to our Souls as an Instrument designed to our endless Good When we have a peculiar Reverence for God and a respect to God in all our Approaches Eccles. 5. 1. Look to thy Feet when thou goest to the House of God we must not go about these Holy Services Hand over Head but with great Caution and Heed Thus is God sanctified in Worship or in our immediate converse with him 2. In our ordinary Conversation Then God is sanctified when our Life is ordered so that we may give Men occasion to say that surely he is a Holy God whom we serve By two things you may know you sanctify God in your Conversations when you walk as remembring you have a Holy God and when you walk as discovering to others you have a Holy God 1. When you walk as remembring your selves that you have a Holy God therefore you must be watchful and strict It is notable when the Israelites were making a hasty Promise Ioshua puts them in Mind Chap. 24. 9. You cannot serve the Lord for he is a Holy God So we should remember when we give up our selves to God he is a Holy and Jealous God that is narrowly observant and he will not be put off with any thing that is Common 2. As discovering you have a Holy God A carnal Worshipper prophaneth the Memory of God in the World But now a Christian that walks according to his Holy Calling that is Holy in all manner of Conversation he discovereth what a God he hath 1 Pet. 2. 9. That ye should shew forth the Praises of him who hath called you out of Darkness into his marvellous Light We are not only to conceive and make use of them to beget Fear and Reverence in our Hearts of the All-seeing God but are to shew them forth to evidence them to others We should discover more than a Human Excellency that so those which look upon us may say these are the Servants of the Holy God Secondly For the Reasons Why God will be so glorified that he may be sanctified 1. Because this is the Glory that is due to his Name Psal. 96. 8. Give unto the Lord the Glory due to his Name Every Glory will not serve the turn but such Glory as is proper and peculiar for that God we serve It is a stated Rule in Scripture That Respects to God must be proportioned to the Nature of God God is a Spirit therefore will be worshipped in Spirit and Truth God is a God of Peace therefore lift up pure Hands without Wrath and Doubting God is a Holy God therefore will be sanctified They which worship the Sun among the Heathens they used a Flying-Horse as a thing most suitable to the swift Motions of the Sun Well then they that will glorify and honour God with a Glory due to his Name must sanctify him as well as honour him Why for God is glorious in Holiness Exod. 15. 11. This is that which God counteth to be his chief Excellency and the Glory which he will manifest among the Sons of Men. 2. This is that Glory which God affects and therefore the Saints will give it him Isa. 6. 3. The Holy Angels what do they cry out when they honour God They do not acknowledg his Power and Dominion over all Creatures as Lord of all but they give him his peculiar Glory Holy Holy Holy is the Lord of Hosts the whole Earth is full of his Glory So David Psal. 103. 1. Bless the Lord O my Soul yea all that is within me bless his Holy Name That 's the Notion upon which he pitcheth he would praise God with such praise as is welcome and acceptable to him 3. This is that Attribute which is most eclipsed and most blotted out in the Hearts of the Sons of Men because of God's Patience because he doth not take Vengeance of all the Sins of Men Thou thoughtest I was altogether such a one as thy self Psal. 50. 21. Certainly if Men did not blot and stain God in their Thoughts if they did not fancy an unreasonable Indulgence such as is not comely and proper to his Majesty they could not go on in Sin and think God could be so pure therefore he will be so glorified that he may be sanctified Vse To press us so to glorify God as we may also sanctify him Let this be your care To quicken you remember 1. God is much offended with his People that do not sanctify him Moses and Aaron as choice and as dear to God as they were yet you know what the Lord saith Numb 20. 12. Because ye believed me not to sanctify me in the Eyes of the Children of Israel therefore ye shall not bring this Congregation into the Land which I have given them When Moses and Aaron murmured and spake unadvisedly and did not sanctify him nor carry God's Excellency aloft They shall not enter And God remembreth this a great while after in that Deut. 32. 51. Because ye trespassed against me among the Children of Israel at the Waters of Meribah-kadesh in the Wilderness of Zin because ye sanctified me not in the midst of the Children of Israel thou shalt not go unto the Land which I give the Children of Israel Well then tho God's Children should get to Heaven yet if they do not sanctify God they will want many a Priviledg God will remember this against them for he takes it ill when his People will not sanctify him as becoming his peculiar Excellency 2. If you do not sanctify God then you pollute God and stain his Memory in the World Ezek. 36. 20. Ye have profaned my Holy Name among the Heathen How is God polluted Not intrinsecally God cannot receive any Pollution from us It is here as in that Case A Man that lusteth after a Woman hath committed Adultery with her already in his Heart Mat. 5. 28. The Man pollutes the Woman in his Heart while she remains spotless and undefiled So in this Case we blemish God in appearance as much as in us lies we pollute and blot God tho he remains pure and undefiled You make Heathens think as if you had an unholy God Well then glorify God For Directions 1. Be Holy The Praise of the Wicked is a disgrace to him it is an obscuring of his Praise 1 Pet. 1. 15. As he which hath called you is holy so be ye holy in all manner of Conversation 2. Study his Name if ye would sanctify his Name Psal. 9. 10. They that know his Name will put
with Stripes nevertheless my loving Kindness will I not utterly take from him nor suffer my Faithfulness to fail Psal. 89. 32 33. And Prov. 11. 31. The Righteous shall be recompensed in the Earth That is he shall smart for his Evil-doings A Child of God when he sinneth against him tho he be not executed yet he may be branded he may have a Mark of Shame put upon him his Pilgrimage may be made uncomfortable and these may be fully consistent with God's Grace and Love Therefore we beg a Release from these penal Evils that as the Guilt so the Punishment also my be abolished 2. The Right that a justified Person hath to the Pardon of his daily Sins Pardon of Sin is to be considered 1. In the Impetration of it 2. The Offer 3. The Judicial Application or legal Absolution of the Sinner 1. In the Impetration and Purchase of it So when Heb. 10. 14. By one Offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified there needed no more to expiate them to satify Justice 2. In the offer of it So God hath proclaimed Pardon upon the Condition of Repentance Ezek. 33. 11. Say unto them As I live saith the Lord God I have no Pleasure in the Death of the wicked but that the wicked turn from his way and live turn ye turn ye from your evil Ways for why will ye die O House of Israel 3. In the Judicial Application or legal Absolution of a Sinner God in Word hath pronounced the legal Absolution of every one that believeth in Christ. Assoon as we repent and believe a threefold Benefit we have 1. The state of the Person is altered He is a Child of God Iohn 1. 12. To as many as received him to them gave he power to become the Sons of God even to them that believe on his Name He hath full leave to call God Father a kind of fatherly dealing from him Translated from a state of Wrath to the state of Grace from a Child of the Devil he is made a Child of God never to be cast out of his Family 2. The actual Remission of all past Sins Rom. 3. 25. To declare his Righteousness for the Remission of Sins that are past through the Forbearance of God 'T would be a Licence to sin if his Sins were remitted before committed 3. A Right to the Remission of daily Sins or free leave to make use of the Fountain of Mercy that is always running and is opened in the House of God for the Comfort of Believers Zech. 13. 1. In that day there shall be a Fountain opened to the House of David and to the Inhabitants of Jerusalem for Sin and for Vncleanness 2. The Utility and Profit of such a Course See Serm. on Psal. 32. 1. Serm. 20. Vse The Use is to press us to be often dealing with God about the pardon of our Sins by a general and daily Humiliation none are exempted from bewailing the Evil of Sin The Death of Christ doth not put less Evil into Sin it is still damning in its own Nature 't is still the Violation of an holy Law an Affront to an holy God an Inconvenience to thy precious Soul When Christ paid the Price for our Sins it was upon this Condition That we should renew our Faith and Repentance that we should sue out our Discharge in his Name that when we sin we may come and humble our selves before the Lord. Under the Law if a Man were unclean he was to wash his Cloaths before Evening He was not to sleep in his Uncleanness So if you have desiled your selves you should go wash in the Laver that God hath appointed The Lord taught his People under the Law of repeating a daily Sacrifice Morning and Evening If one be fallen out with another God hath advised us before the Sun be set to go and be reconciled to our Brother and wilt thou lie under the Wrath of God for one Night If we would oftner use this Course the Work of Repentance would not be so hard Wounds are best cured at first before they are suffered to fester and rankle into a Sore So are Sins before they grow longer upon us And if we did oftner thus reckon with our selves we should have less to do when we come to die Therefore do as wise Merchants at the Foot of every Page draw up the Account so help it forward So it will not be hard to sum up a long Account and reckon up our whole Lives and beg a Release of all our Debts therefore daily come and humble your selves before the Lord. The oftner you do this the sooner you will have the Comfort of Pardon but when you keep off from God and delay you suffer the loss of Peace and the loss of God's Favour and Hardness of Heart and Atheism and carnal Security increase upon you As we forgive our Debtors I come to the last Branch Hence observe Doct. 3. Those that would rightly pray to be forgiven of God they must forgive others First I shall give you the Explication 2. The Reasons For Explication I shall speak to three things 1. Who are Debtors 2. What respect our forgiving of others hath to God's forgiving of us 3. In what manner we must forgive others First Who are our Debtors It is not meant in a vulgar Sence of those only which stand ingaged for a Sum of Mony due to us but of all such as have offended us in Word or Deed. There is a Duty we owe to one another which when we omit or act contrary unto it we are not only Debtors to God but to one another and the Doers of the Injury are bound to repair the Wrong and to make Restitution In this large sence is the word Debtors here taken with respect to the Person that hath done the Injury He becomes a Debtor is to make Satisfaction and suffer the Punishment which the Wrong deserves Secondly What Respect hath our forgiving of others to God's forgiving us I shall speak to it Negatively and Positvely 1. Negatively 1. It is not a meritorious Cause or a Merit and Price given to God why he should pardon us for that 's only the Blood of Christ. Every Act of ours is due it is imperfect and no way proportionate to the Mercies we expect and therefore it cannot be meritorious before God It is due it is a Duty we are bound to do and paying of new Debts doth not quit old Scores God hath laid such a Law upon us that we are to forgive others that cannot expiate former Offences And it is imperfect too The Remembrance of Injuries sticks too close to us When we do most heartily and intirely forgive others even then we have too great a sense of the Injury and Wrong that is offered to us Now that which needs Pardon cannot deserve Pardon And it is disproportionate to the Mercy which we expect What a vast Disparity and Difference is there between God's pardoning of us