this or what great good there is in preparation for Gods Worship 4. Fourthly I shall Answer a case of Conscience or two 5. Fiftly I will shew you what is the behaviour of the Soul in Sanctifying Gods Name 6 Sixthly The Reasons why God will be Sanctified in the duties of his Worship First That there must be preparation to the Worship of God For First that God that we come to Worship is a great and glorious God and we having to deal with such an infinite glorious dreadfull Majesty it is fit that we should make preparation when we come nigh unto him therefore in Exod. 19. 10. when God came among the people to give them his Law he did require that they should be Sanctified to day and tomorrow and that they should wash their cloaths and be ready against the third day for the third day the Lord would come down upon mount Sinai in the sight of all the people God did not so much stand upon their cloaths but it was to signifie an inward washing Now my brethren if when God came to give the Law they were so to prepare then certainly when we are to come to Worship God in the way of the Gospel we are to prepare as well as they because God is coming For that that is observable is why they were for two dayes together to make such preparation the argument is because of the presence of God The Lord said to Moses Go and Sanctifie the people to day and to morrow and let them wash their cloaths and be ready against the third day Why for the Lord will come down in the sight of all the people upon mount Sinai The Lord will come down the third day and therefore let them be Sanctified So when thou goest to Worship God thou expectest or shouldest expect that God will come to thee and that thy heart shall be drawn to God and therefore thou shouldest make some preparation For the time of preparation we shall speak to afterward when we come to the cases of Conscience about preparation for Worship And so in 1 Chr. 22. 5. 14. David makes preparation for the house of God because it was the house of God that he had to build though he could not do it himself in his own time yet being the house of God what great preparation was made by David The morral of which is this That the house of God being a Type of the Church and the worship of God as well as of Christ it shewes that there should be much preparation when we have to deal with God in his Ordinances Secondly As God is great that we draw nigh to so the duties of Gods worship are great duties they are the greatest things that doth concern us in this world and it is a sign of a very carnall heart to slight the duties of Gods Worship to make account of them as little matters Carnall hearts ordinarily the things that concern their businesses in the world they think great matters Oh I may not neglect that I may not neglect that I may not neglect such a businesse or I may not neglect to visit or gratifie such a friend but now for the worship of God it is good indeed but whither it be done or not it is no great matter therefore they can put off prayer if they have any businesse the time of prayer must pay for it they can put off that upon any slight occasion they do not account the duties of Gods worship great matters My brethren I beseech you learn this lesson this morning to account the duties of Gods worship great matters they are the greatest things that do concerne you here in this world for they are the homage that you tender up to the high God as you heard and those things wherein God communicats himself in his choise Mercies now being such great matters there is cause that we should prepare For that one thing of prayer saith Luther It is a great work and a difficult work and therefore there had need be preparation for it Businesse of great consequence we make preparation for indeed if a businesse be a slight businesse we can fall upon it on a sudden you make not preparation to go in a Boat in the Thames but to go a voyage you make great preparation Now if men and women would but understand the duties of Gods worship to be great they would see a necessity to make a preparation Many men for want of preparation to duties they lose a great part of the time when they come to performe a duty of Worship in prayer they spend half the time that is convenient to be spent in prayer before they begin to pray and so in hearing the word they are a long time before they can settle themselves to attend to the word or in any other kind of Worship I say a great deal of time in the worship is spent ordinarily before we can get our hearts to close with the worship now that is a sore and a great evill to lose any part of the time of worship Christians I beseech you account highly of the time of your worship you have bin so long time at prayer yea but how much of it hath been lost because you have not prepared before hand for it perhaps you kneel'd upon your knees but you were a long time before you could get your hearts warm at your work why you should have been warm before you had come It is so oftentimes with many men when they meet together and there is no preparation for their businesse they come together and they are a long time before they can buckle to the businesse that they came about because there was no preparation but if there be preparation made that every man knows before hand what his work is they can fall to it and they can dispatch as much in one hour as others do in two or three but of that we shall speak more afterwards Thirdly There must be preparation because our hearts are naturally exceedingly unprepared for every good work we are all naturally even reprobate to every good work the duties of Gods Worship are high and Spirituall and holy things but by nature our hearts grovell in the dirt and we are carnal sensual drossie dead slight sottish and vain altogether unfit to come into the presence of God Oh that we were but apprehensive and senfible of the unfitnesse of our hearts to come into Gods presence Perhaps because thou knowest not God thou canst rush into his presence without any more adoe but if thou knowest thy self and God thou couldest not but see thy self altogether unfit for his presence and so as to wonder that the Lord should not spurn thee out of his presence every time thou comest unto him there had need then be preparation because we are so unfit to come into his presence Fourthly There had need be preparation because of the great hinderances of the Worship
is more then to read in a book more then to say a few words yee see it is a very hard thing to pray a work of great difficultie and no marvell though we have lost so many of our prayers as we have done we must not charge prayer and God with it but look to our selves I mean not charge the Ordinance of prayer but the vilenesse of our carriage in our prayers and let us for time to come know what a Christian life meanes it is said of Christ in Luke 9. 29. that as hee was praying the fashion of his countenance was changed Oh that 's an excellent thing that when wee have been in our closets at prayer to come away with our faces shining my Brethren could we but pray in such a manner as this is the very fashion of our countenances would be changed as Moses when he came from the presence of God upon the Mount or as Christ that had the fashion of his countenance changed Prayer it is the sweet ease of ones spirit it s the help at a dead lift it s the great Ordinance of our Communion with God in this world and therefore let us learne this Art of sanctifying Gods name in Prayer I shall conclude all in this you have heard the mystery of the sanctifying the name of God in worshipping God now I beseech you you that have been a long time in the school of Christ as it were Apprentices to Christ to learn Christianity be ashamed that you have understood so little of this art in Sanctifying the name of God in prayer It is an art and a mystery that you must be instructed in and you are not Christians till you are instructed in this as in an art and mystery And that man and woman that shall be instructed truly in this art and mystery in Sanctifying Gods name now in the worshiping of him such a man and woman shall be to all eternity Sanctifying the name of God in praysing of him There is a time coming when all the Saints must be in the presence of God and be alwaies praising of him and they shall then Sanctifie Gods name for ever let us now learn this art of Sanctifying Gods name in praying that we may eternally Sanctifie his name in praising of him FINIS ERRATA PAge 94. line 9. for capitall read corporeall Pag. 182. l. 25. for world r. word Pag. 226. l. 36. f. come r. we come Pag. 247. l. 3. f. which r. with Pag. 251. l. 21. f. with r of Pag. 252. l. 34. f. body r. blood Pag. 259. l. 20. f. is r. as Pag. 263. l. 9. f. whereas r. when Pag. 267. l. 3. f. plucking r. partaking FINIS AN EXACT ALPHABETICAL TABLE OF ALL THE PRINCIPAL TRUTHS IN THE FOREGOING SERMONS A Absolutly SPirituall things to be prayed for absolutly 277 Accept Acceptation Acceptation of our persons the means of it 69 God accepts not the duties of wicked men 116 The services of the Saints accepted 120 Act Actuall Action see Grace Actuall sanctification 68 The Lord accepts the person before the action 69 God is a pure act and requires actuall service 97 Adoption Sign of adoption to desire to be oft in Gods presence 36 We must pray in the spirit of adoption 294 Affections Affections the strength of them required in Gods worship 82 Aggravation Aggravation of sin to neglect due hearing the word 200 Afflictions see Honour They that sanctifie not God in hearing the word can have no comfort from it in afflictions 206 Whether it be lawfull to pray for afflictions 277 Afflictions in themselves materially evill 278 All All that we have must be given to God 63 All things sanctified to the godly 119 Altar Christ is the Altar upon which 〈◊〉 offer all our sacrifices 92 Angel Angel what it signifieth 91 Angels the aggravation of their sin 195 Anger Anger not to be brought into Gods service 19 Apply We must apply the word in hearing it 175 Apostacie see Schisme Apostacie the ground of it 206 Assurance The Gospel gives assurance of salvation 212 Attention Attention must be given in hearing of the word 171 B Beginners Beginners in Religion to be carefull of preparation 56 Beleeving Beleeving the condition of the Covenant of Grace 232 Birds Wandring thoughts in prayer as the birds to Abrahams sacrifice 283 Blast God blasts those men that sanctifie him not in worship 117 God will blast those that neglect his word 208 Blesse Many blesse themselves in evill wayes 198 To blesse God for helping us against wandring thoughts in prayer 289 Blind Blind sacrifice not to be offered to God 98 Bloud A fearfull thing to be guilty of Christs bloud 230 Breathing see Spirit Broken see Heart What kind of broken heart is required in receiving the Lords Supper 255 Christs Body broken for us 268 C Children Gods Saints may meet with afflictions in their Children 20 Ground of contentment in afflictions upon our Children 21 Church Church what it signifieth 235 Church defiled by wicked men uncastout 236 Civill see Worship Christ All worship must be tendered in the Name of Christ 91 All must be tendered in Christ because of Gods justice 101 They that reject the word reject Christ 201 All our prayers must be tendered in the Name of Christ 296 Command Nothing must be tendered to God in worship but what he hath Commanded 8 No expresse Command for many things in the New Testament 15 Comfort see Word Communion Communion with God not increased by the duties done with naturall conscience 88 The Sacrament the Ordinance of our Communion with Christ 229 The Sacrament must be received in a holy Communion 234 How far the presence of wicked men hinder this Communion 235 No close Church Communion with wicked men 240 More Communion with Christ in the Sacrament then in the word 251 Confession Ground of confession to God 98 Conscience Sinners against conscience need great preparation to duties 57 Duties acted by naturall Conscience 88 Naturall Conscience limits it self in duties 89 Trouble of Conscience should make men meekly hear the word 180 Consciences of wicked men troubled about the Sacrament 230 Constant Men acted by naturall parts are not constant in duties 88 There must be constancy in our prayers 295 Contrary The word will be made good on the contrary to those that abuse it 205 Conversion Conversion not wrought by the Sacrament 232 Covenant In the Sacrament we make a solemn Covenant 226 Covenant of Grace sealed in the Sacrament 229 Those that receive the Sacrament must be in the Covenant of Grace 232 Condition of that Covenant ibid Renewing of Covenant in the Sacrament 257 Crucified Christ crucified in the Sacrament 248 Curse They that neglect the word are nigh to a curse 203 Cursing of others sinfull 278 How farre we may curse the enemies of the Church 280 D Danger see Dignity Dark see Mind Dead Death Fear of death taken away how 38 Wee must not bring dead services and hearts to
how by sin he hath put himself under Justice and deserved the stroke of Justice to be upon him to eternity he should consider what he is in himself It is true that Jesus Christ hath come between a beleeving Soul and the justice of the Father and hath taken the stroke of justice upon himself yea but though he hath done it it doth not hinder but that thou shouldest be apprehensive of what thou hast deserved thy self Secondly Here is a speciall thing in the Sanctifying of the justice of God When we come before him we should consider that we have to deal with an infinite just God and therefore not to dare to come but through a mediator Here you have the reason why we must tender up all in the name of Christ because when we are to come before God we are to Sanctifie the name of his justice For thee to think thus I have sinned and God is mercifull and I will go and pray to him that he might be mercifull and there 's an end Is this all Oh no God requires the Sanctifying of his Justice and there is nothing that doth Sanctifie his Justice so much as this That when a poor creature sees the infinite distance that sin hath made between that infinite God and it it sees that through sin it hath made its self liable to justice and when it sees that there is an absolute necessity that infinite justice must have satisfaction and thinks the sinner If it comes to me that I must satisfie the justice of God I am never able to do it but there is a mediator and therefore I 'le fly to him and by Faith tender up to the Father all the merits of his Son as a full satisfaction to his infinite justice When thou comest thus before the Lord thou Sanctifieâ— his Name indeed Many think that when they come to pray they should look upon Gods Grace and Mercy and not upon his Justice but thou must look upon both Another Attribute it is Gods Faithfulnesse Consider thou hast to deal with a God of Infinite Truth and Faithfulnesse and therefore look upon him as an object of thy Faith to rest upon And likewise thou must bring a faithful heart suitable some way to this faithfulnesse of God that is a heart faithfull with him to keep within the Covenant that thou hast entered into and to performe all the Vows that thou makest with God Remember thou hast to deal with a faithfull God and as the Lord delights to manifest his Righteousnesse to poor Creatures that seek his face so this God doth expect that thou should â— be faithful in all the Covenants that thou doest make with him and this is to Sanctifie Gods Name Now then put all these Attributes of God together and there you have his Glory the infinitnesse of his Glory The shine and lustre of all the Attributes together is Gods Glory I have then to deal with a glorious God and let me labour to perform such services as may have a spirituall glory upon them that some image of the divine lustre that there is in God may be upon my services and let me look for glorious things seeing I have to deal with such a glorious God You will say Here is a great deal of doe in serving of God how much is here that we must do I appeal to any gracious heart what canst thou want of any of these or what wouldest thou want Doest thou say Here 's a great deal Can there be too much to make thee happy These things are not only thy duty but thy happinesse glory and excellency consists in them If any one should bring you a great many Jewels and Pearls would you say Here 's a great deal adoe Oh no the more the merrier So say I this one meditation would take off the thoughts of a great deal for in al these my happinesse consists and the more I have of these the more shall I injoy of God the more happy shall I be both here and for ever Now I had thought to have given you some Reasons why the Name of God must be Sanctified only I beseech you by all that hath been said go away with this thought what little cause is there that any of us should rest upon any of our duties If this be required of us thus to Sanctifie the name of God in duty I say we have little cause any of us to rest in any duties that we performe There are many poor creatures that have no other Saviours to rest upon but their Prayers and coming to Church and taking the Communion Now if in all these the Lord expects that thou shouldest thus Sanctifie his Name Thou hast little cause to rest upon any thing that thou hast done thou hast cause rather to go alone and mourne for taking the Name of God in vain in the duties of his worship Rest not in any of your performances labour to performe duties as well as you can but when you have done know that you are unprofitable servants after all and renounce all as in the point of Justification and rest upon something else otherwise you are undone for ever SERMON VII LEVITICUS 10. 3. I will be Sanctified in them that come nigh me WEE are coming now to the conclusion of this great Argument of Sanctifying Gods Name in holy duties for the generall God expects that we should all in our drawings neer to him in the duties of worship Sanctifie his Name Now we are to consider of divers reasons why God will be Sanctified in all the duties of his worship 1 The First Reason is this It is the very nature of God to Will himself the last end and all other things to work suitable to the lifting up of himself as the last end I say it is as essentiall to him as any thing for him to will himself as the highest end and that all things should work so as to be suitable vnto that Glory of his for the furtherance of it God should cease to be God if so be he should not will himself asthe highest end and so will that all things that have any being should some way or other work for himself This is the very nature of God It is that which I conceive the very nature of Gods holinsse consists in the willing himself as the last end and so to work all things as is suitable unto his own infinit excellencie Now as this is Gods holinesse so it is the holinesse that God requires in his Creatures that are capeable of holinesse that they should will him as the last end and all things suitable to that infinit excellencie of his Now if this be the nature of God and this be his holinesse then certainly it must needs be a necessarie duty in all those that would have communion with God and would honour God to will as God himself doth will that is that all things should work suitable to the infinite excellencie of
a communion of Saints what if wicked men doe come there will that hinder us from sanctifying Gods name in partaking of the Sacrament with them doe not wee finde in Scripture that the Church had alwayes wicked men among them there are alwayes tares growing up with the wheat If you read even in the Corinthians you shall find that there were some in that Church that were wicked yea and its thought that Judas himselfe did receive the Sacrament too therefore what if wicked men be there doth that hinder Answ I answer first it is true that in the Church of God there have been wicked men and is like there will be wicked men to the end of the World but yet wheresoever there is a right communion of Saints there ought to be the power of Christ exercised to cast out those wicked men or at least to withdraw from them This is the Law of Christ that if there be any that have communion with you if any of them doe appear to be wicked you are bound in conscience to goe and tell them if they do not reforme you are bound to take two or three and if they doe not yet reforme then you are bound to tell the Church to tell the Assembly of the Saints when they meet together for so the word Church doth signifie and wee find in the 1 Cor. 5. chap. that when there was an incestuous person to bee cast out it was done in the presence of the congregation Thus farre you are bound to doe otherwise you cannot say that it is nothing to you if wicked men bee there for you have not discharged your conscience and so you come to be defiled and you doe not sanctifie Gods Name in this Ordinance because you have not done to the uttermost of your duty for the casting out of those wicked men And marke in 2 Cor. 5. 7. there the Apostle writing to the Church bids them that they should purge out the old leven Know yee not saith he that a little leven leveneth the whole lump the Apostle doth not speak there of sin but of the wicked incestuous person saith he you must look to it that this man be purged out from you or otherwise you are all levened by it that is the whole Church would be levened by it if there were not care taken to purge out that one man You will say shall we be the worse for one wicked mans coming no if we be no way faulty of it then we cannot be said to be worse and it cannot leven us but now when it is our duty to purge him out and we doe not doe it as in all communion of Saints there is a duty and there is not any one but may do something towards it thus far every communicant in every communion of Saints must goe if there be a wicked man there if you come to know it and doe not goe thus far as I have spoken you art defiled by him you are not defiled by the meer presence of wicked men for that 's a meer deceit and gall that some would put upon men that differ from them otherwise but thus now you are defiled by their presence if you doe not doe your duty and the uttermost that you are able to purge them out yea then the whole congregation is defiled if they doe not doe their duty now this is the duty of every one in the congregation to tell their brother or to take two or three and after that to tell the Church and so come to professe against them or if the Church will not doe their duty as they ought yet then to free their own soules as to professe here is one that is so and so guilty and may be proved thus and thus and so for my part I to free my own soule professe that this man or woman ought nor to have communion here and thus you come to free your own soules and when you have done thus though wicked men be there you may there eate and drink and not be defiled by their presence for you cannot be said properly to eate with them now not to have communion with them no more than if a dog should come and skip upon the Table and take a peece of bread you cannot have communion with him because he takes it no more have you with those wicked men when once you have dealt so far with them you for your selves professe against them that you for your own particular cannot have cōmunion with them herein this is not to eat with them The Apostle in 1 Cor. 5. latter end he doth there require in the 11. v. that If any man that is called a Brother be a fornicator or covetous or an Idolater or a Raylor or a Drunkard or an Extortioner with such a one no not to eate for what have I to doe to judge them also that are without that is the Heathens and those that were in no communion with them I have nothing to do to judge them but doe not yee judge them that are within When wee have so far freed our selves as professing against their sin then we cannot be said to have communion with them and then wee do withdraw from those that walk disorderly when wee doe our duty thus far 1 Thess 3. 14. If any man obey not our word by this Epistle note that man and have no company with him that hee may be ashamed and in the sixt verse of that Chapter hee commands them in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that they should withdraw themselves from every Brother that walked disorderly So that till we do our duty we come to be defiled but now if we do our duty then it is not the mixture of a Congregation that is enough to hinder any from receiving the Sacrament there and this will tend much to satisfie men about the receiving in mixt congregations where any are cast into them and are actuall Members there But now on the other side if we be in a place where either this Congregation will not take upon them any such power to cast out unworthy ones or are not convinc'd of this power then there is no rule that Christ hath set that we must be forced all our dayes to continue to be in such a congregation as denies one of the Ordinances of Jesus Christ if so be there be any such that are wicked and we do first what we can to have them cast out and we waite with patience in such a congregation for to have them cast out and yet we see that either the congregation doth not understand that they have any such power or doe deny such a power that they have and so upon that all people are left in a mixt way I say then there is no rule in all the Book of God that should force men to continue to bee members of such a communion where they cannot enjoy one Ordinance of Jesus Christ which is the Ordinance of Separating
Testament which is shed for many for the remission of sinnes and you shall observe that the text saith he drank it and said drink yee all of it so that this is not according to the institution for a Minister to goe up and downe and to give it into every mans hand certainly this was not so from the beginning this is a way of mans own devising for the bread and the cup to be given into every bodies hand by the Minister Christ did but give it once hee gave it to them all and said drink yee all of this so it was done Quest But you will say is it not better for it to be given into every ones hand Answ No because that the giving of it once for all doth signifie more fully the fellowship and communion that they have together as at a Table it were a strange thing that every bit of meat must be given to every one particularly no but the dishes must bee set before them and they must take it themselves Indeed if they be children you cut every peice of meat and give it into their hands or mouths but that 's sutable to a fellowship at Table and communion to have the meat set before them being blest and then for all to partake of it And besides this giving it into every ones hand certainly it came to us from a Popish and superstitious conceit of the Papists for the Papists will give it into their mouths because the people must not defile it with their hands And it was to bring more reverence to the Sacrament now there 's a great deale of danger for to bring in mens devices for to cause more reverence we are to look to the Ordinance of Christ hee gave it once and said drink yee of it in General to them all and so the Ministers should do And besides there is this in it more and one would wonder that Ministers should give it in particular and not in generall to the Church for by this meanes Ministers might abundantly ease themselves of a great deale of charge and guilt for upon this ground it will appeare that a Minister though as an eminent officer he is to look to his Congregation that they be fit yet the truth is it concernes the Church as well to look who comes there and likewise the Minister I say to look about him that he doth not say The body of the Lord Jesus Christ was given to thee when he knowes they are prophane and wicked it concerns the Minister to look that he doth not tell a lie but now when the Minister gives it generally to the Church Take eate and Take drinke he gives it particularly to no body Now then his charge is divided to the Church and if there be any body that is unworthy let the Church look to it as well as he though he as an eminent Officer it s more especially in particular his duty then any others heretofore the charge would lie much upon the Minister but the Minister according to the institution should give the Sacrament to no particular but in generall to the Church and therefore if there were but any particular that the Minister upon a particular knowledge did know to be naught he might in great part discharge himselfe as professing against this or that particular man for it is not in his power alone to keep any from the Sacrament but if so be that he shall professe against such and such men the Church must joyne with him to labour to keep them from the Sacrament and that is the next thing for the institution Christ gave it not into any particular mens hands but he gave it to all saying Drinke and eat yee all of it A third thing that is to be observed for the institution of this that all the while the Communicants are taking eating and drinking the bread and wine they should all of them that while have their thoughts exercised about the death of Jesus Christ for that 's the institution do this in remembrance of mee there should be no action intermingled in the time of the receiving of the Sacrament nothing but minding the work that you are about that is to remember the death of Iesus Christ and to discerne the body of the Lord not only when you take your selves the bread and wine but when you see the bread and wine broken or powred forth and you see others taking the bread and wine all that while you should be thinking of the death of Christ and discerning the Lords body and consider what these outward elements do signifie and that they doe seale the great benefit of the Covenant of grace therefore it is not according to the institution to be singing of Psalmes in the mean time while the Sacrament is receiving and so to have your thoughts about other things singing of Psalmes in its due time is a good thing but for you to doe it at that time when as the death of Christ is presented before you and Christ calls you to look upon his body and to thinke upon what he hath done and suffered this is no seasonable time of singing and if you read the institution you shall find that Christ after all was done the text saith they sung an hymne so that according to the institution it is after the action is done of eating and drinking then for the Church to joyne together and sing a Psalme in the praise of God and then they must mind all the same thing together for that 's the thing to be done in the Sacrament that look what one doth all must mind together for when one part sings and the other are waiting for the bread and wine this is not sutable to the holy Table action and that Communion that God requires of us though the things in themselves are both good that are doing yet when we are about this holy Ordinance being it is an Ordinance for Communion all are to be doing the same thing at the same time and so when all have done eating and drinking then for all to joyne together in singing to the praise of God Now it may be this at first seems strange to many yet certainly observe this doe but keepe to the institution in the Sacrament though you may thinke it a more mean way yet you will find a greater beauty in this Ordinance then ever you found in all your lives for the more wee keep to Christs institution and mingle nothing of our owne the more glory and beauty and excellency doth appeare in the Ordinances of Iesus Christ but when any man shall mix any of his owne inventions though he may do it to a good end and think to adde to and put a greater lustre upon the Sacrament the truth is that which he thinks to be a greater lustre reverence or honour put upon it it doth rather take off the lustre and glory of the Sacrament then are the institutions of Christ glorious when there is no
that if God should speak to them as he spake unto Solomon and bade him aske what he should give him I verily beleeve there are many in this Congregation that have already good assurance of Gods love in Christ if they had not that that would be the maine thing that they would aske but having attained that if God would speak from heaven and say what shall I give you for your selves if he should aske you in the Generall it may be you would aske something for the Churches but if it be for your selves you would put up this petition oh Lord that I may be delivered from a wandring spirit in holy duties and especially in the duty of prayer that I may thereby come to enjoy more holy communion with thy selfe then ever yet I enjoyed and they would account this to be a greater mercy then if God should give them to be Kings or Queens over the whole World if God should put these two into the balance either the whole world to possesse or otherwise to have more free hearts in comming to God in prayer and to be delivered from that that hath so much hindred their communion with God in prayer they would despise and scorne the world in comparison of such a mercy as this is howsoever carnall hearts they think little of it but those that are the servants of God they finde it to be very grievous to them but being the time is past I shall reserve that to speak yet a little more largely for the helpe of those that are under the burthen of it I 'le only speak one thing further now and that shall be to those that are wicked and vile that not only have vaine wandring thoughts in prayer but even in the very duty of prayer many times have wicked and ungodly thoughts how horrible are they unclean thoughts murderous thoughts it may bee and most abominable I confesse even those that are godly may sometimes have some blasphemous thoughts cast into them for the devill is never more busie then at the time of prayer but they rather come from the devill then from the stream and corruption of their own hearts which may be we may make out more cleerely afterward but now I speak to such as have most wicked abominable thoughts rising from the stream and corruption of their hearts such thoughts as their hearts doe close withall in prayer and they can roule those thoughts about in their minds as a child will roule a piece of sugar in its mouth and this is the wickednesse of many men and womens hearts Take but this one note with you that all those dreadfull vile unclean covetous thoughts of thine in prayer they have been to God as if you had spoken them in words thoughts to God are all one with him as words are to men for God is a spirit and the spirit doth converse with God in thoughts as well as men doe converse with men in words and what a wofull guiltines would have been upon you had you spoken such vile and wicked things to men as some times hath been in your minds even when you have been praying to God how would the company have even spit in your faces and kickt you from them none that have any face of godlinesse would have indured you in their company and yet here 's the evill of it your hearts are not troubled but you rise off your knees and away you go thou hast a cauterised conscience a seared conscience that canst entertain such vile thoughts at any time without having thy spirit afflicted and going away with shame and confusion as if the greatest evill had befalne thee therefore take heed of this SERMON XIIII LEVITICUS 10. 3. I will be Sanctified in them that come nigh me WEE are first to sanctifie Gods Name in regard of the matter of our prayers And Secondly in regard of the manner For the first we made an end of it the last day and came unto the manner and there were two things mentioned First that wee must pray with understanding Secondly wee must give up our selves to prayer Now in the close of the exercise wee had occasion to fall upon that Argument about the wandring of our thoughts in prayer and by that we come to take Gods name in vaine in stead of Sanctifying of his Name God expects that we should have our thoughts and wills and affections our whole soules acting upon him in the duty of prayer or ese we doe not pray to God as unto a God vaine thoughts in prayer do pick up the sacrifice like the birds that Abraham drove away from the Sacrifice that they should not peck it Wicked lusts in mens hearts are like swine to take the meat and all to hale it in the dirt so their prayers are filthy and dirty with their lusts but those that are otherwise godly yet by their vaine thoughts the beauty and excellencie of their prayers is taken away as wine and beer that have the spirits of them gone so the life and spirit of our duties are gone by our vaine thoughts and therefore vaine thoughts do dead the heart very much So saith David in the 119. Turne away mine eyes from beholding vanity and quicken mee in thy Law while our eyes look upon vanity there will be no quicknesse in our hearts in any service that we tender up to God now many of Gods people have experience of the evill of this and they groan under the burden of this and as I said the last time if so be that the Lord should speak from heaven to them and aske them what they would have they having already the assurance of his love in Christ they would aske the deliverance from a vain spirit in the performance of holy duties Bring no vaine Oblations saith God in Isa 1. 13. Oh what vain oblations doe wee bring by the vanity of our thoughts in prayer t is true the best of all will have vaine thoughts sometimes but yet as one compares the vaine thoughts of men in prayer like unto a spaniel that goes out with a man he walks perhaps but halfe a mile but the spannel will be running up and down this way and that way and if all the space of ground which the spaniel hath gone over should be measured it may be while you are walking halfe a mile the spaniel fetching compasses here and there would be halfe a dozen miles so our fancies are like a spaniel which will have fetches about this way and that way in a thousand vaine thoughts but thus now it is with a godly man as a spaniel though running from his master yet if he give him a call he is able to call him to him presently and it were well if it were so with us though our fancies be wild yet if we were able to call in our fancies and to have them at command it were well with us And I find it very much that those that are new commers they
humble us 285 Humility required in our prayers 295 See Worship Hungring There must be hungring after Christ in the Sacrament 251 I Incense Incense what it signifieth 91 Incomprehensible Incomprehensiblenesse of God what it should teach us in our worship 95 Infinite There is an impression of Gods infinitnesse upon the duties of his servants 64 Infirmities Infirmities of others to be passed by of those that receive the Sacrament 258 Infirmities how helped by the spirit 290 Institution Institution of the Sacrament to be kept close to 261 Intention Strength of intention required in the worship of God 81 Joy The mercy of God should make us come to him with joy 100 The word to be received with joy 184 Difference in the joy of hypocrites and true Christians 186 Spirituall joy required in receiving the Sacraments 255 A broken spirit may consist with spiritual joy ibid Judge Judgement Sinners may meet with judgements 〈…〉 in the word 10 God is quick with same in the way way of his judgements 17 Judgements many times sutable to the sins 18 Gods judgements many times invisible 21 The word of God shall judge those that abuse it 207 Justice Justice of God seen in the death of Christ 268 K Knowledge Knowledge required in receiving the Lords Supper 244 Knowledge in other points necessary to them that receive the Sacrament 245 Knowledge actuall required in receivers 246 L Leaven Leaven how cast out by the Jewes 249 Life Living Gods goodness in sparing our lives to worship him 84 That God is a living God what it should teach us 96 The things delivered in the word concern our lives 174 Beleevers nourished to eternall life 269 Limitted The duties of Gods Children not limitted 65 Little In matters of worship God stands upon little things 11 Lose The ground why we lose so many prayers 296 Love Naturall conscience makes not the heart love a duty 88 The word must be received with love 184 The Sacrament ordained by Christ out of love 228 Love to be renewed in the receiving the Sacrament 258 The infinite love of God seen in the death of Christ 269 Lust The worship of God not to be subjected to our lusts 72 Who they be that subject it to their lusts 73 M Man The Mediator between God and man is man 276 Mean Mean men not to envy great ones why 13 Mediator The way of mans salvation is by a Mediator 267 Meditation Meditation in preparing the heart to holy duties 49 Meditations in the receiving the Sacrament 267 Meeknesse The word must be received with meeknesse 179 Mercy Mercifull God is mercifull 100 Mercy of God should teach us to be mercifull to others 101 The duties of worship the way to convey Gods choice Mercies 105 The word a means to convey speciall Mercies 195 Mercie-Seat Mercie-Seat a Type of Christ 91 Mind We should pick out Gods mind from dark expressions 14 We come to know the mind of God when we come to hear the word 163 Mysterie The greatest Mysteries of Salvation presented in the Sacrament 228. 255. Mixture Mixture of mans inventions with Gods Ordinances unlawfull 266 Mortification Mortification requisite to the sanctifying Gods name 67 Mouth Faith the mouth of the soul to receive Christ 254 N Name No way to enjoy mercies but by sanctifying Gods Name 105 See Sanctifie Nature Naturall Some duties of worship are naturall 261 Christ bath honoured humane nature by taking it 267 Neer Nigh God wil be sanctified in those that come neer him 6 Those that are neerest God should be most carefull 22 In worshipping God we draw nigh to him 26 In what respects we draw nigh to God in worship 27 The word of the Gospel nigh 211 See Grace Delight Adoption Neglect Severall sorts that neglect to sanctifie Gods Name in heating the word 197 Nourishment The Lords Supper an Ordinance for Spirituall nourishment 233 Beleevers are nourished to eternall life 269 O Omniscient What we should learn that God is Omniscient 98 Opening Ground of opening the heart to God 98 The heart must be opened to hear the word 175 Opportunity The happiest opportunity to sanctifie Gods Name is in hearing his word 200 Ordinance An Ordinance of God what 163 The word an Ordinance of God to convey good to us 166 Men are not to be forced to Congregations where any of Christs Ordinances are wanting 237 The Lords Supper the great Ordinance appointed to set forth Christ sufferings 348 Own We must bring to God in his service that which is his own 86 P Parts How to know when men are acted by naturall parts in Gods worship 87 Passion Passion hinders the right hearing of the word 179 Wicked men in passion rise against God 180 Peace-Offering Difference between Peace-Offerings and Burnt-Offerings 75 Person God accepts the person before he accepts the offering 69 Place The Lord is very terrible out of his holy places 18 God in his essentiall presence in every place 26 See Holy Plowing Plowing of the fallow ground of the heart what 168 Men may do somewhat toward the plowing of their hearts 169 See Word Potent Familiarity with God makes us potent with him 38 Prayer Prayer a great duty that needs preparation 45 Prayer required in preparation to duties 50 Vnregenerate men cannot sanctifie GODS Name in prayer 68 We should pray before we hear the word 171 Of sanctifying the Name of God in prayer 272 Prayer put for the whole worship of God 273 See Preparation Wandring Praise Gods worship must not be subjected to the praise of men 73 Preparation Preparation of the soul in the duties of Gods worship 42 Preparation and sanctification all one 43 Preparation to Gods worship why ibid Preparation 5 things wherein it consists 48 Preparation the excellency of it in severall things 52 Those that walk closely with God are in continuall preparation 56 Preparation a speciall duty of young beginners ibid Good men greived for want of preparation 58 Where there is sincerity duties should be done though there want preparation 59 Preparation required in hearing the word 165 Preparation to be made to prayer 273 See Prayer Great c. Prerogative Gods Prerogative appears most in his worship 11 No Prerogative can secure from Gods stroke 12 Presence Presence of God even in the godly terrible to wicked men 32 Presence of godly men comfortable 35 To set Gods presence before us in prayer 288 See Guilty Present When we worship God we tender a present to him 63 Sin committed long since to be looked on as present 94 Principle God looks more at the principle of the duty then at the duty 69 Good men looke at the principle of the things they enjoy from God 70 Prize To prize those mercies we beg in prayer 275 Prayer to bee highly priz'd 286 Promise Every Ordinance of Christ hath a speciall promise 248 Publick Those that are in publick place have especially need of the fear of God 13 Pure We must lift up pure hands in prayer 292