of the people he calls it the roaring of Beares The Lord had as lief heare the barking of a Dog or the grunting of a Swine as a man that doth not pray aright with a bleeding heart with contrition of soule and spirit with a spirit of grace and supplication When a man prayes and prayes dot aright his prayer leaves that name it is no more a prayer in Gods account And so preaching it is an admirable action but if a man doe not preach aright if it be flattering with the enticing words of mans wisdome or beating the aire and to shew his owne learning this overthrowes the action of preaching hee preacheth not Christ but himselfe himselfe not the Gospel though the Gospel bee in his Sermon all over yet himselfe hee preacheth the action is marred the circumstance marreth it So in the Lords Supper if a man come not prepared that he have not the Wedding Garment that he be not aright qualified according to the requisites of the Gospel this is not to eate the Lords Supper Saith the Apostle When yee come together this is not to eate the Lords Supper you think you eate the Lords Supper you take the bread and the cup and can say Blessed be God and I pray God to blesse me you may come and doe these actions but the action is altered the action is diversified when it is not done in a right manner So if a man come to reprove his brother if himselfe be faulty do you think this a sufficient reproof No it is hyhocrisie Thou hypocrite Matth. 7.5 his reproof of his brother is hypocrisie So for men to tell one another of their faults and to tell them with a spirit of bitternesse this is not Christian dehortation but biting one another Gal. 5.15 And so for eating and drinking beloved eating is lawfull and drinking is lawfull and marrying and giving in marriage all these are lawfull yet if a man eate not aright and drink not aright and marry in the Lord and eate and drink with title to the Lords creatures that he have interest in the covenant of God if Christ be not in it how shall he have comfort Nay that very nature of his eating is alrered his eating and drinking and marrying is a sinne As our Lord Christ shews of the old world They did eat and drinke and were marrying and giving in marriage till Noah entred into the Arke and the flood came and swept them away Matth. 24.37 He reckons their eating and drinking among their sins among the reasons and causes why the flood came upon them they did eate and drink and marry and give in marriage Object You will say Was that the reason the flood came And was that an argument of their security Did not Noah eate and drink and marry And were not his sons married that were in the Arke and he a grand-father Answ But he did it aright therefore his eating and drinking is not brought in as a signe of security but of the old world that were carnall and wretched people it was because they did not eate and drink aright There be Rules in eating and drinking in talking and discoursing in doing the duties of our callings There be Rules how you ought to buy and sell and to do every good word and worke If these Rules be not observed the Rules of Gods blessed word the actions themselves are altered though the things be commanded of God yet they are cursed and abominable things when the true form and fashion of them is not regarded though they be never so godly A garment though it be never so good if the Taylor handle it not well it is marred in the making if hee bring it not to a right forme and make it in a right manner the man that is to have the garment is disappointed So Timber though it be never so excellent though it be all Oke or Elm or whatsoever tree though it be never so fit for building if the Artificer deale not well in handling it the inhabitant that comes there may curse the day that ever he came there If it be not well built it may fall on his head and kill him and all that belongs to him So it is in all the Ordinances of God and the matters of Religion we must not only do them for matter but for manner too for that either makes or marres them Thirdly another Reason is because only the right manner of doing duties gets the blessing A man may pray a thousand times and never be heard he may hear a million of Sermons and never be converted a man may come to all the Sacraments in the yeare all his life long and never be sealed against the day of redemption A man may do the things and never get the blessing all the blessing lies in the right manner of doing Blessed is that servant who when his master comes shall find so doing Matth. 24.48 He saith not Who when his master commeth shall find doing Christ when he comes to judgement shall finde many doing it may be he will come in prayer time it may be he will come in the morning when many thousands shall be at their prayers in their families it may be he will come at night when all are at prayer in their houses it may be he will come on the Sabbath when all the Countrey is at Church hearing of Sermons hee shall finde many thousands doing and praying But blessed is that servant whom his Lord when hee comes shall find so praying so hearing so receiving the Sacrament He shall find many believing but so believing gets the blessing many professing but it is so professing that gets the comfort I say all the blessings of God are promised to the right manner of doing Now what is it when we doe duties what doe we look for Is it not for a blessing Why doe we doe the duties if we doe not doe them so as we may get the blessing Now except we observe the right manner of doing them all is to no purpose Fourthly another Reason is the example of Jesus Christ Christ hath given us an example that we should doe as he did Now hee did not onely doe that which his Father bid him doe for maâ—ter but for manner both in all the words hee spake and in all the deeds that hee performed For the words he spake As the Father hath said unto me even so speak I Joh. 12. And in Joh. 14.31 As the Father hath given me commandement even so doe I. Mark he did not onely obey his Father in the matter of his command but in the manner of it And as Christ hath done thus so all that are Christs all the servants of God in all ages they have been very carefull especially of the right manner of obeying God As it is said of Noah Gen. 6 22 As the Lord commanded Noah even so did he just as the Lord commanded
him he did not onely make an Arke but so hee made all the roomes so hee made it in the same forme and figure and in the same similitude just as the Lord set him downe the patterne even so did he So the Lord sets down the patterne of every good word and work of all our prayers and Sermons and hearing and conference and keeping the Sabbath and speaking holily all our actions have their patterne set downe in the word of God Now as wee are to doe the things so wee are to doe them in the same manner as the Lord commands even so must we doe Fiftly and lastly except we doe it in a right manner except as wee come to the duty so wee come to the right manner wee can never glorifie God The glory of God lies in the manner of doing of things So let your light shine before men that they may see your good workes and glorifie your Father which is in heaven Matth. 5.16 Mark the light must not shine onely in our lives and conversations but so that the duty must be a means to the glorifying of God Now the means must have its proportion and likenesse and nature and mold and frame from the nature of the end Look how the end is that the dutie lookes unto so must the frame and fashion of the duty be Now if the end of all our actions be that God may be glorified that must put a forme and fashion upon every duty that it may be so that he may have glory Suppose a man pray every day in his family and call all his houshold his servants and wife and children and all under his roof about him every morning and evening he may dishonour God by prayer every day on this fashion if a man pray coldly and carelesly for forme and fashion without faith and life he makes all the ordinance of God vile and all the worke of God contemptible his houshold sleeps one snorts it may be another is infinitely prophane it may bee and though there be divers that would fain be quickned and wakened yet his prayer is so cold there is no life nor heat nor warmth in it that God is exceedingly dishonoured and all are thereby rather worse then better So for a mans preaching though it be never so good a duty yet hee must labour to preach so as the Apostle speakes of his preaching and labour in the work of the Ministery how he may edifie others and save his own soule So fight I not as one that beats the â—ire but so as I may get the mastery We must so preach that we may attain the conversion of the people or else we may rather doe as Hophni and Phineas the sonnes of Fli that made the Table of the Lord contemptible and the Sacrifice of the Lord loathsome in the eyes of the people So may we do with the ordinance of God Take any duty of religion if it be not done aright God hath no glory by it Suppose thou wouldest reprove thy brother and tell him of his fault and check him for his backwardnesse or omâ—ssion of some duty and for the commission of some sinne if thou doe not doe it with a spirit of compassion and bowels of Jesus Christ with an humble heart with a feeling and a pure conscience I say thou gettest a blot to thy own selfe and causest God to be ill spoken of and the very way of his name to be dishonored This will be the effect of it and so in every other dutie And so I come to the use Is it so that we must not onely come to the Sacrament but come aright or doe any dutie but we must do it in a right manner This servs to condemne that naturall popery that is in mens hearts that is of opus operatum of the deed done this is the religion of the Church of Rome that so a man doe the duty indeed it is better if it bee done in a right manner but if it be done there is somewhat a man may look for by that If a man come to the Sacrament the very eating of the Host the very partaking of the body of Christ they make it meritorious so the very hearing of so many Sermons the very saying of so many prayers the very performanec of so many duties the very thing it self nakedly considered it is of some validity This is rooted in the hearts of men we see it up and downe people doe the duty and think all is well enough when they consider not how it is done People pray but not with zeale they heare but not with reverence People come to the Sacrament not for the better but for the worse they come not in a right manner and yet every one hopes to speed and builds himselfe on this that God accepts of him But this is the folly of mens hearts it is an evident argument that men goe foolishly to work in the wayes of God It is the brand of a foole not to be able to observe circumstances Aristotle the heathen hee saith it is the part of a wise man to think of and understand the manner of actions as a wise man saith he observes circumstances It is a part of wisdome to observe the right circumstances of every action as it is Ephes 5.15 Walke circumspectly that is accurately as it is in the originall not as fooles but as wise Marke hee perswades them to a right manner of walking not only to walk in a good course in praying and hearing in obedience and sobrietie in temperance faith and diligence in our callings but doe it accurately in a right manner doe it as wise men and not as fooles they doe it in a wrong manner It is the part of a foole I say to doe a thing and to leave the right manner of doing it Now this is nothing with God the Lord doth not esteeme any action though it bee never so frequently done except it bee done with his owne stamp except it have his owne character upon it I remember a story in 2 Kings 17.26 The Assyrians there observed that God sent Lions among them because they did not observe the right manner of the God of Israel they worshipped the God of Israel but because they observed not the right Manner of his word hee sent Lyons among them to teare and devoure them in pieces So though wee pray and heare and read and professe and have a name that wee live and though we be taken for good people heap up duties from day to day and vie performances and though we doe them as many times as the children of God nay though we could do them ten thousands times oftner then they yet if we doe them not in a rightmanner if wee know not the manner of the God of heaven and earth with humble hearts and selfe-denying spirits with holinesse of affection and with puritie of heart if a man doe them not in a right manner the
judge the world 155 5 Learn hence also that the Ministers of God by every Sermon they preach shall judge the world 157 Use 2 For to condemn the world who see not an amiablenesse in the faces of the Saints who shall one day be their judges who shall judge both Saints and Angels 157 2 This sheweth the folly of the wicked who prepare not for these Judges 158 Lastly it condemnes all those that do not see glory and majesty in the faces of Gods Saints he that revileth the Saints revileth his judges 159 160 Who shall judge the World 1 God the Father by way of authority all judgement is originally from him 161 2 God the Son by way of dispensation 161 3 God the holy Ghost by way of conviction 161 4 The word of God by way of form it being the platform according to which Christ will judge the whole world 162 5 All the Ministers of God shall sit as Justices in common 164 6 All the Saints from one end of the world to the other shall assist the just Judge of heaven and earth 164 So that the wicked shall not be able to plead 1 Their ignorance 165 2 Nor their poverty 166 3 Neither their sinning at their masters command 170 4 Neither callings nor tradings 167 5 Neither the sinfull times they live in 167 Use 3 First for the just reproof of many of the Saints of God because they are not so circumspect over their wayes as they ought how will they be able to rise up in judgement against the wicked for such sins as they themselves live in 168 2 It may serve to condemne some of the Saints of God in regard of that little difference that is to be found betwixt the wicked of the world and them in their lives and manners that it is hard to tell which is a Saint and which is a reprobate by their conversations 170 3 It may serve to condemn the scandalousnes of many persons in their behaviour and actions 171 The Contents of the Sixth Sermon 1 Cor. 11.30 DOct. 1 from the 18 verse That whosoever will come to the holy Cōmunion they must examine themselves that so they may come worthily 175 The Apostle gives three Reasons of it 1 From the end of the Sacrament 176 2 From the wrong men offer to Christ if they come in their sins 177 3 From the woful wrong that a man doth to his own soul that commeth without preparation 177 The Vses of the point are these 1 For the reproof of those that comming unpreparedly get no spiritual strength thereby 178 2 For terror to unworthy receivers 179 3 To shew they make themselves liable to Gods temporary plagues 180 4 For instruction to examine our selves 180 5 He concludes with an use of exhortation 181 An explanation of the words 2 Doct. God doth most severely punish the unworthy receivers of the Lords Supper 183 4 Reas 1 Because Christ himself instituted it 184 2 Because Christ is the matter of it and therefore the more heynous the defilement 187 3 Because Christ is the form of it wherein confirming grace is sealed to the soul 190 4 Because Christ is the end of the Sacrament 191 Use 1 For instruction shewing whence sicknesse weaknesse c. come 193 2 From whence comes hardnesse of heart c. 194 Use 2 For comfort unto every poor afflicted soul c. 198 Use 3 For terror to those that come unpreparedly 199 Object Do all that come unworthily eat and drink their own damnation Answ A man may eat and drink his own damnation three wayes 1 In regard of guilt and liablenesse to Gods wrath 203 2 In regard of the seal and obligation in the conscience 203 3 In regard of the sigillation in heaven 204 Lastly the conclusion denouncing terror to all those that dare rush upon this holy ordinance 205 But for comfort to all them who with all diligence set upon the preparing of their souls for this great Ordinance 206 The Contents of the Seventh Sermon on 2 Cor. 11.28 The words of the Text explained 210 Doct. 1 We must not rush upon the Sacrament 210 There are none of the Ordinances of God that a man may rush upon without examination 211 Three Reasons Naturally we are no invited guests to the Sacrament 212 2 Though we are invited yet it may be we are not disposed for naturally we are strangers to God and the covenant of God all this indisposition must be wrought off before we can come comfortably to the Sacrament 213 3 This is a solemne Ordinance and therefore an ordinary disposition will not serve the turn 213 Many a reprobate may eat and drink in Christs presence 214 Use To forewarn men lest they unpreparedly rush upon any of Gods Ordinances especially upon the Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ 215 The Text divided into Four parts 216 Doct. 2 There is a necessity that we should receive the Lords Supper and receive it often 217 Doct. 3 The manner of performance of duties is to be regarded 218 Five Reasons 1 The Lord commands the manner as well as the matter 219 2 Circumstances overthrow actions if they be not rightly and duly observed 219 It's instanced 1 In prayer 219 2 In preaching 220 3 In receiving the Sacrament 221 4 In brotherly reproofe 221 5 In eating drinking and marrying 221 3 Because only the right manner of doing duties gets the blessing 223 4 Because Christ himself is an example unto us in this he did not only obey his Father in the matter of his commands but in the manner of them 224 5 Because otherwise we canaot glorifie God 225 Use 1 First to condemne that naturall Popery that is in the hearts aef men c. 227 Use 2 For discovery why people are so willing to do duties for the matter and not for the manner 229 The Reasons of it are these 1 Because the matter of duty is easie but the manner is difficult 229 2 Duties for the matter of them may be done with a proud heart 231 3 They may be done with an unholy life 232 4 The matter of duty bringeth not the crosse and many zealous for the matter are persecutors of goodnesse 234 Use 3 To exhort men to labour to perform duties aright 235 Three motives to perswade people to perform duties after a right manner 1 Because no Ordinance at all else can be effectual unto us 236 2 All is but hypocrisie if the manner be not regarded 236 3 It is only the right manner of doing duties that pleaseth God 238 4 Doct. Every man must prepare himself before he come to the Lords Table 239 4 Reas 1 Because the Sacrament is Gods Ordinance 239 2 Because the Lord Christ hath made great preparation in providing it 241 3 Because Christ in this ordinance offers for to come into the soul he looks for good entertainment 24◠4 Because the Sacrament is a part of Christs last wil and Testament therefore when we
manner such walking as excluded all unholinesse and prophanesse Flesh and bloud cannot abide this Men they love to pray and be proud they love to hear sermons and to have their profit they love to professe religion and still to carry their secret lusts in their bosomes People love this alife to go up to Gilgall and transgresse to offer sacrifice every new Moon and every morning and to find the labour of their hands this is right but for a man to part with his iniquity that is the thing that goes against the haire The last reason is because the matter of duties bring not the crosse upon a man A man may do all the duties of Religion and never be persecuted for it a man may be as devout as the devoutest man under heaven and yet no body hate him for it except he be devout in a right manner and worship God in a right manner One man may reprove another that is wicked A drunkard may suffer a drunkards reproof and be never the worse A whore master may serve his quean so he may call her so and yet not be spighted because it is not right It is the right doing of it that brings the crosse as in 2 Tim. 2.10 Thou knowest my manner of life It was that that brought afflictions and persecutions We may see to this very day many thousands that seem devout men in the Church they will pray and will hardly misse any time of prayer morning or evening and yet they are farre from being persecuted nay many of them are maine persecuters of the Gospel of God enemies to the crosse of Christ adversaries to the Saints of God We see it plain in Acts 13.5 we read there of devout women that raised persecution against Paul Marke they were devout and because it was not in a right mannâ—r they persecuted the Apostles and set themselves against them that were truly faithfull Though wicked men do not love to pray aright yet many of them are much for praying they care not how much praying they have and when they are at prayers they will pray over from the beginning of the book to the end they love it alife But if they come to a prayer that moves the heart that rifles the conscience that dogges a man into his bosome that laies a man flat on his face before God they gnash their teeth at such a prayer So they love preaching too I it is true if it be preaching that is flaunting and glosing with the enticing words of mans wisdome but if a man preach to the consience if he preach the pure naked word of God and carry it home to mens soules this makes them gnash their very teeth and they could eate the Minister of God for his labour It is the right manner of duty that is accompanied with the crosse Thirdly if we ought to be carefull to performe duties in a right manner Let us be exhorted in the feare of God to go and quicken all our duties to bring a soule into so many bodies we have bodies of praying and bodies of hearing and bodies of receiving the Sacrament and of good duties let us get a soule into them labour to do them in a right manner The bare duty is like a carcasse It is a Proverb of the Jewes Prayer without preparation it is as a carcasse without the soule that is a loathsome thing so is prayer without life and without a right manner of pouring it forth Let us labour therefore in the feare of God to pray and pray aright to heare and to heare aright to seek God and to seek him with all our hearts aright and to do every thing in the right way Let us consider first we doe not pertake of any ordinance at all except we doe it in a right manner I remember a fit place for this in Num. 11.14 It is said there The stranger shall eat the passover and pertake of it according to the ordinance and the manner of it Where the Text puts in the Ordinance of the Passover and the Manner of it For it is all one they are Synonyma's So the Ordinance in every duty Gods ordinance in praying in hearing the Word in the Sacrament in reproof in every good dutie it is all one as the selfe-same thing So that if we pray and doe not pray in a right manner we have not praied we doe not partake of the ordinance So when we come to the Sacrament the ordinance of the manner of it is all one it is one compleat concrete action we doe not partake of it except we partake of both Secondly consider it as nothing but hypocrisie when a man prayes and doth not pray in a right mâ—nner when a man doth any dutie to God and not in the right wise it is nothing but hypocrisie Mark how our Saviour Christ sets forth the hypocrisie of the Pharisee Luke 18.11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himselfe he marks his manner of prayer he doth not say He stood and prayed This these words but Thus he prayed he did not pray in a right manner there was his hypocrisie and that was the reason he went home not justified Thirdly consider it makes the Ordinance of God of no effect Thus they make the Commandements of God of none effect Matth. 15.6 Hee speakes there of their duties that they did in a wrong manner and their expounding the Scripture that they did in a wrong wise and their sacrifice their offerings and tithings their precepts and many things that were all done after another fashion then God had commanded therefore saith Christ Thus they make the Commandements of God of none effect So we make all the duties of Gods worship of none effect Wee know there is never an ordinance of God but it hath great effect if it be rightly performed Prayer is of great effect it is able to rend heaven it is able to pull down God to the soule it is able to wrastle out a blessing to quicken the heart to obtain of God every thing we want but if a man pray not aright a man may pray and go away never a whit the more holy nor more quickned nor neerer to heaven nor comfort So preaching and hearing they are admirable Ordinances what powerfull effects have they wrought when they have beene done in a right kind People have cried out and beene converted at them and many a man hath been pulled out of the power of Satan to the Kingdome of Jesus Christ They had royall glorious effects upon many thousand soules But what is the reason that our hearing is so in effectuall Because wee heare not in a right manner this makes the Ordinance of God of none effect it makes Prayer of no effect the word of no effect the Sacraments and Sabbaths of no effect you see people partake of these things and are never the wiser Lastly it cannot please God it is onely the right
Nebuchadnezzar was warned of his pride this yeare and the same time twelve month the Lord drove him from among men So in Acts 13.42 one Sabbath day the Iewes heard Paul preach and went out before the Sermon was quite done they were not able to stand to the blessing the same day seven-night the Lord made the Apostles shake off the dust of their feet against them and leave them to a reprobate sense Fifthly the Lord proportions his punishments to the place It is strange many times that the drunkard should get his death in the same Ale-house where he got his liquor In Judg 7. in that story of Oreb and Zeeb Oreb at the rock Oreb devised against the children of Israel and upon the same rock he was killed And Zeeb another persecuter of the children of God so the Psalmist calls them he at the Wine-presse of Zeeb took victuals from the children of Israel and in the same place his own life was taken away Just as Judges and Magistrates at this day they hang up men where they have done the villany As they doe with Dogs and Cats they carry them to the place to the Cellar or the Buttery where they do the mischeif But the beasts themselves though they have no reason are able to pick out the meaning of it The Lord punisheth sinners in the same place Here where thou hast been deaf to hear the word of God when thy heart riseth against the Preacher in the same place it may be the Lord will deliver thee up to a reprobate sense In the same place at the Lords Table where thou comest unworthily thou shalt eate and drink thine own damnation FINIS Poscript THe same Author hath another Book in the Presse entituled The Sacrifice of the Faithfull OR A Treatise shewing the nature property and efficacy of zealous Prayer Together with some Motives to Prayer and helps against discouragements in Prayer Together with seven Profitable Sermons on divers texts of Scripture Luke 15.17 Psal 77.16 The sum of the text Observe 1. We must not rush upon the sacrament Matth. 5. Matt. 7.5 Mat. 13.26 Reason 1. Naturally we are not invited guests Simile Reason 2 We are indisposed Levit. 7.20 Reason 3 Solemne preparations required to the Sacrament Deut. 16.16 1 King 52. Vse To take heed of rash performance of duties 2 Sam. 15.17 Parts of the Text. Necessity of receiving the Lords Supper Num. 9.13 The Lords Supper to be received often Basill Observ The manner of performance of duties to be regarded 2 Cor. 9.26 â—am 2.12 Reas 1. The Lord commands the manner as well as matter 2 Chron. 28.9 Reas 2. Circumstances overthrow actions as 1. Prayer Isai 59.12 2 Preaching 3 Receiving the Sacrament 4. Brotherly reproof Matt. 7.5 Gal. 5.15 5. Eating and drinking Mat. 24.37 Simile Reas 3. The right manner of doing duties gets the blessing Matt. 24.48 Reason 4. Christs example Jâ—hn 12. John 14.31 Reason 5 From Gods glorie Vse 1. To reprove those that barely doe duties without looking to the manner Vse 2. The reason why men regard the matter and not the manner of duties Reason 1. The matter of duties easie Reas 2. The matter of duties may bee done with a proud heart Acts 20 Reason 3 The matter of duties may be done yet a man be unholy Reas 4. The matter of duties brings not the crosse 2 Tim. 2.10 Act. 15.5 Vse 3. To labour to do duties aright Motives to perform duties in the right manner 1. Motive Numb 11.14 2. Motive Luk. 18.11 3. Motive Mat. 15 6. Simile Observ 3. Every man must prepare himself before he come to the Lords Table Reason It is God ordinance Simile Reason 2 Christ hath made preparation for us in the L. Supper Reason 3 Christ lookes for good entertainment Reason 4. It is part of Christs last Testament Observ 1. A guilty hardned reprover shall be destroyed Reason 1. It is against his office Reason 2 He cannot reprove to a right end Reason 3 Not in a right manner Reason 4. It is hypocrisie Reason 5. It makes inexcusable Reason 6 It is absurd Reason 7. It is impudencie Vse 1. Vse 3. To be unblameable ere we reprove Simile The seceond xposition Doct. The Lord doth not destroy men willingly God destroyes not but for sin Simile Observ A great mercy to be reproved Reason 1. Reproofes come from love Prov. 10.17 Reason 2 They tend to good Reason 3 It is brutish to reprove then Simile Vse 1. The misery to want reprovers * or Angel Vse 2. Against despisers of reproof The grievousnesse of standâ—ng out against reâ—roof Doct. God proportions punishments to sins Reason 1 To shew the eqvity of the punishment Reason 2. â—t stops a mans mouth